On this day in history, 25th April 1536, a day after the commissions of oyer and terminer had been set up by Thomas Audley, his Lord Chancellor, King Henry VIII wrote letters to his ambassadors abroad: Richard Pate in Rome, and Stephen Gardiner and John Wallop in Paris.
In these letters, he referred to Anne Boleyn as “our most dear and most entirely beloved wife the Queen” and wrote of his hope for a son:
“[…] for as much as there is great likelihood and appearance that God will send unto Us heirs male to succeed Us[…].”
Henry was putting on a show of unity with his wife at this stage, he appeared to be supporting her in public yet discontent was in his mind, for Anne she must have felt relieved that he was supporting her still, yet she was treading on very shaky ground and the dreadful events that were to unfold were just a matter of weeks away.
Henry really has two faces: the public one…all is right with my marriage, prayers for a son and heir and using the conventional term “our most dear and entirely beloved wife”….but then a private one, ordering Cromwell and Audley behind the scenes to investigate treason with an oyer and terminer.
I think Henry was trying to hide everything from Anne while an investigation took place into the accusations and rumours about the Queen’s behaviour. Henry was hoping for an heir, but perhaps not with Anne. I think the confusion of the previous week continued.