27 October 1532 – Anne Boleyn makes a dramatic entrance at the banquet in Calais

The scene in The Tudors series
The scene in The Tudors series
On 27 October 1532 Anne Boleyn, Marquis of Pembroke and Henry’s consort in all but name, made a dramatic entrance at the banquet held by Henry VIII in Francis I’s honour at Calais.

Chronicler Edward Hall describes Anne’s entrance:

“After supper came in the Marchiones of Penbroke, with. vii. ladies in Maskyng apparel, of straunge fashion, made of clothe of gold, compassed with Crimosyn Tinsell Satin, owned with Clothe of Siluer, liyng lose[loose] and knit with laces of Gold: these ladies were brought into the chamber, with foure damoselles appareled in Crimosin satlyn[satin], with Tabardes of fine Cipres[cypress lawn]: the lady Marques tooke the Frenche Kyng, and the Countes of Darby, toke the Kyng of Nauerr, and euery Lady toke a lorde, and in daunsyng[dancing] the kyng of Englande, toke awaie the ladies visers, so that there the ladies beauties were shewed.”

And Wynkyn de Worde corroborates this, also naming Anne’s ladies:
“And after souper there came in a maske mylady marques of Penbroke my lady Mary [Carey] my lady Darby my lady Fitzwater my lady Rocheford my lady Lislie and my lady Wallop gorgyously apparayled with visers on theyr faces and so came and toke the frensshe kynge by the hande and other lordes of Fraunce and daunced a daunce or two. And after that the kynge toke of theyr visers and than they daunced with gentylmen of Fraunce an houre after.”

Anne then conversed with Francis I before he was escorted back to his lodgings by Henry VIII.

Notes and Sources

  • Hall’s Chronicle, Edward Hall, p792-793
  • The Maner of the tryumphe of Caleys and Bulleyn and The noble tryumphaunt coronacyon of Quene Anne, wyfe unto the most noble kynge Henry VIII, Wynkyn de Worde, p12-13

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