On this day in history 27th April 1536, writs were issued summoning Parliament to meet on 8th June, even though Parliament had only been dissolved on 14th April. A letter was also sent to Archbishop Thomas Cranmer asking him to attend the Parliament.
Why was Parliament being summoned? Did this have anything to do with Anne Boleyn? Click here to read more about this.
Also on 27th April 1536, according to Eustace Chapuys, the imperial ambassador, John Stokesley, Bishop of London, had been approached to see if it was possible for Henry VIII to “abandon” his second wife, Anne Boleyn. Click here to read more about that.
Henry is definately now setting everything up with a view of a Queen change, not necessarily the horror that followed, but this is all with a view to the legal mechanisms in case he has to face a dynastic crisis and if he wants to divorce Anne. Parliament may be bieng briefed that a change is on his mind and that legal issues are involved. Legislation may be in the pipeline to ensure that any divorce is done smoothly and not as it was with Katherine.