On 27th April 1536, just over three years after his marriage to Anne Boleyn, after pursuing her for around seven years, King Henry VIII seemed to have been intent on setting her aside. He needed advice on this though, so a trusted bishop was consulted.
Find out more about this, and also writs being issued to summon Parliament, in my Fall of Anne Boleyn video for 27th April.
Also on this day in history, actually in the Stuart period, 27th April 1609, Sir Edward Michelborne, member of Parliament, soldier and adventurer, died.
He’d survived an unsuccessful naval campaign against the Spanish, being implicated in a rebellion, and an attack by pirates, to die a natural death at his home in Hackney.
Find out more about Sir Edward Michelborne…
And on this day in 1584, civil lawyer and judge, David Lewis, died in London.
You’ve probably never heard of David ap Lewis, but he was an important judge, being involved in the maritime legal cases of Queen Elizabeth I’s reign. It’s always interesting to learn more about these lesser-known Tudor people, so here are some David Lewis facts…
Parliament was being summoned to wrap up matters regarding the Reformation and the new Queen. After his marriage to Jane, which Henry was clearly hoping to arrange soon, matters of the succession would need to be settled and that’s why the writs of summons for these members of Parliament went out. It was a matter now of urgency and Henry wanted everything done smoothly.
Henry was in deceptive mood I think, he was still apparently in too minds as to what to do about Anne and his marriage. He met with several experts on the possibility of just abandoning her as he had Katharine which would lead to her being put away, but we don’t really know his thoughts as they are not very clear.
However, in the background the plots went on and the trap was beginning to close in on Anne and several suspects one assumes. These men reporting these things are all supporters of Jane Seymour and Princess Mary and they know more than they are letting on even to Chapuys. They are members of what was loosely called the Aragon Faction, formerly supporters of Queen Katharine and now looking out for her daughter. Chapuys may have brought Thomas Cromwell, the Seymour faction and tradional old Catholic families together to work to help Mary and to slow down the Reformation. Cromwell wanted a far more radical and pure Reformation but he wasn’t going to get it and he also supported and indeed helped Mary. He was also fickle and extremely self serving and could see on which side his bread was buttered. He threw in his weight with the Seymours and moved to remove Anne from power. All of these background movements are ominous for Anne.
I agree with Claire that I wonder how much Anne knew at the time. It would seem that she would at least have an idea that something strange was going on.
Yes, I think Anne was aware that something odd was going on. There must have been people gossiping, funny looks being exchanged, late night meetings and tension. I don’t believe she knew exactly as nobody had been arrested but if Cromwell was sniffing around her ladies I am sure Anne knew about it and heard the rumours. She was pretty astute and could read people. The body language alone would make one suspicious.