Chapter 21
CHANGES
When we came down for breakfast we ate hungrily despite the grief we were now feeling, but at the same time I was also thinking of Elizabeth, did she know her mother was dead? I felt the Necklaces that Anne had given me in my pocket and took them out and once again I felt the tears welling in my eyes. I said quietly “Anne I will keep my promise to you” and walked slowly back upstairs and put them in my jewellery box.
Life went slowly on every day the pain of Anne’s death became a little easier to bear. The King married Jane Seymour, just 10 days after Anne’s death. Charles and I were called to court to offer our fealty to her and we rode sadly once more through the City and to Hampton Court, when just a few short years ago we had ridden with great joy at seeing my beloved friend who was soon to be Queen of England. We arrived at Hampton court just before dusk on the 4th of September and we were shown to the same apartment we had the last time.
The next day there was to be a banquet in Queen Jane’s honour I dreaded the thought of seeing her again. Suddenly there was a tap on our door, Charles answered it and there was Jane Boleyn, I was angry with her at first remembering what George had said, but then I remembered that Cromwell was the sole perpetrator behind the evidence to do with Anne’s trial and allowed her to come in. Once the door was shut she burst into a flood of tears and we hugged each other tightly. Finally she sat opposite me whilst Charles poured us some wine. She told me that Cromwell had told her if she admitted that she had seen Anne and George in flagrante delecto that he would make sure that George was spared and that Jane and him would be banished from court, and that Anne too would be spared and sent to a convent. “I was frightened Amy. I thought that by agreeing to what Cromwell had said, both Anne and George would be spared. Cromwell lied to me. I now have to live with the guilt that my lies had them murdered for the rest of life” and started to cry again. When she had recovered herself a little more she continued and said “Queen Jane requested for me to serve in her household, even though I wish to leave court, there is nothing for me here anymore” shortly afterwards she left and I felt sympathy for what she must be going through right now.
Charles and I slept fitfully that night, neither of us wanting to be here, neither of us sure how Henry would be like towards us. What if he ordered our arrest the minute we walked into the Hall?
Would Jane ask for me to become one of her maids? I couldn’t bear that to happen to be a maid to the woman who had helped the King murder my beloved friend? Charles must have read my mind and said “Don’t worry my beloved I’ve already thought of that if the Henry or Jane Seymour or Queen Jane, as we must now call her asks for us to come back to court I shall say that we are needed at home.” I hugged Charles tightly and whispered “Charles I love you always” “I know Amy as do I” and kissed me deeply.
We walked into the hall and I squeezed Charles’s hand tightly, the herald announced us
“Lord and Lady Tavistock” I took a good look at the King and he had certainly changed from the man he was, when he was with Anne, he had doubled in size and his once warm blue eyes were now like pools of ice behind a mound of puffy flesh. Queen Jane sat demurely by the side of him. As we approached the throne his face broke into a beaming smile and I shuddered wondering just what he was thinking behind that smile. He rose slowly and Charles and I made our abeyance to him and Queen Jane, she smiled and accepted our fealty. The King came down from the dais and said “Charles my Boy I see you have tended your Rose very well” “ Thank you, your Majesty” Charles said then to me he said as he took my hand to kiss “Lady Tavistock you are just as beautiful as I remember. How are your Children?”
“They are well your Majesty” I replied. I noticed that there seemed to be a stench around the King and I had to quickly swallow down the feeling of wanting to vomit. The King asked “You have recently had another child I believe Lady Tavistock?” I replied “Yes your Majesty a son, Marcus” Henry’s face grew angry for a moment and I half expected him to shout for his guards to take us to the Tower, but just as quickly his anger passed and I could breathe a little sigh of relief.
Henry added “We miss your beauty at court my Lady, but its right that a mother should be with her children” I thought angrily for a second. Well you didn’t think that with Lady Mary and the Dowager and you murdered Anne to deprive Elizabeth of hers!
“Well My lady, we accept yours and Charles fealty to us, and trust that one day you will return to court and once again light up the court with your beauty” and then he limped painfully back to his throne.
Both Charles and I ate little that night and when we could we went back to our room. The next morning we rose early and rode back home as fast as we could. I never wanted to see the court ever again.
The months went by we heard there had been uprisings in York. These uprisings became known as the Pilgrimage of Grace, thousands of people marched south in order to confront the King and get him to put a stop to Cromwell mass destruction of the Churches, convents and Monasteries. Robert Aske was chosen by the protesters to speak for them and air their grievances to the King.
For a while the whole country was on high alert but Henry managed to calm things down and made promises to the protesters that he would look into Cromwell’s dealings and deal with him as he saw fit.
Satisfied and with a Royal Decree of Pardon signed by the King and a promise that Queen Jane would be crowned in York Minster, in the New Year. Robert Aske took his followers back to York and once there the protesters went back to their homes. However one or 2 of the protesters were not happy with the promises given by the King about looking into Cromwell’s dealings, and despite Robert Aske pleading for them to let matter lie, a small group of them marched south once again stirring up trouble as they went. Henry wasn’t merciful a second time and sent Suffolk with a mighty army up to Pontefract where in the name of the King, Suffolk exacted Henry’s ruthless and bloody revenge on all those who had dared to challenge the King’s authority.
Hundreds of people were hung including young children and Robert Aske was hung in chains from the walls of York Castle and left to rot to serve as a warning against those who were left “The King’s wrath is mighty.”
We also heard that Henry was in despair as he had been married for 6 months and Queen Jane had shown no signs that she was pregnant, and Henry had already started to look about him for another wife.
Finally we heard that Queen Jane was pregnant, I wondered what would happen if she like her predecessors failed, but on the 12 October 1537 Queen Jane gave birth to a son and heir, her triumph was complete not only had she helped murder Anne but had succeeded in providing an heir. I was pleased that England would now have a King, but not that 6 people had had to die for it. Then we heard the tragic news that Queen Jane was dead of Childbed fever. I tried to think kindly of her, but my thoughts were mainly now for the child, he too would grow up without his mother.
One good thing that Jane did during her short tenure as Queen was to re-unite Mary and Elizabeth with Henry. I always thought that it was wrong of Henry to cast off and vilify Mary and Elizabeth, just because they were girls, and once again I was reminded of my step-father and somehow I saw Henry as being just like my step-father and shuddered at the thought of it.
My girls were nearly 5 now, Marcus followed them everywhere and Tom who would be 16 soon, still spent every bit of his spare time with them and always when he had to leave them said “Remember girls” and they always answered “Yes Tom we will.” and then he said the same to Marcus who was almost 2 “Remember Marcus.” “Yes Tom I will.” Marcus said.
I was watching him through the kitchen door and laughing at his cussing of the Dogs yet again, one of them had piddled on his boot and he said “Bloody dog, you have got the whole bloody garden to go piss in and you piss on my bloody boot. Get out of the bloody way. I said move you bloody stupid mutt. ”
Suddenly the dogs started barking madly and ran off in the direction of the drawbridge, Tom followed them saying “What is it now don’t you want your bloody tea then” I was roaring with laughter.
A few seconds later Tom reappeared and said “Lady Angel there is a Nun here asking for food, and a place to stay. Shall I let her stay in the barn?” “Yes Tom, I’ll fetch her something to eat.”
Tom went and told the Nun that the Lady of the house had said she could sleep in the barn and that I would be out shortly with some bread and ale. With that he went stomping back off up the yard with the Dog’s in tow cussing them all way “Alright I’ll get your bloody dinner get off me you stupid lump. Do you want my bloody foot up your arse? Oh here for God’s sake bloody dogs, why can’t you bloody well behave. If you don’t bloody mind that’s my shirt you are chewing.”
I quickly found something for our guest to eat, we were used to ex Nuns and Monks coming through our land and we never turned any away. I went outside and there sat asleep on the bench was my Sister.
I gasped and dropped the tray, Tom came running over and said “What is my lady Angel?”
I said “Tom, fetch Charles quickly” “Yes My Lady Angel” he said and ran indoors and came quickly back with Charles. Charles said “What the matter my love?” I wrapped my arms around him and said “Charles this Nun is my sister Alice” We stood there for some seconds just looking down at her and finally she opened her eyes, when she saw me she slowly said “Amy is that you? I mean really you?”
“Yes Alice, it’s me” She tried to rise but promptly fainted Charles caught her and carried her in to the kitchen and sat her down by the fire, Tom said “Shall I fetch the Doctor Lady Angel?” I replied “yes Tom” before I had chance to finish the sentence Tom had jumped on the nearest horse and ridden out of the courtyard. Alice soon came around and said “Am I dreaming” “No Alice, It’s really me”
Tom returned in next to no time with the Doctor, we knew he was coming as the Dog’s started barking and we could hear Tom cussing at them to get out of the way. He jumped off his horse as did the Doctor, and Tom led both horses to the stable. The Doctor came in and quickly examined Alice. The Doctor said that she would be alright after some rest, something to eat and some warmed ale.
Mother and Father came back at that moment they had been in the village. I quickly explained the situation, and Mother went and fetched Rosa who was in the butter shed.
Mother said “Charles take Amy into the drawing room it looks like she had a bit of a shock. Rosa and I will take care of her sister.”
I said “Thank you Mother” She smiled and between them Rosa and Mother took Alice up the stairs.
Charles gave me a Goblet of wine which I sipped slowly. A short while later Mother came down and said “Alice is sleeping, by the look of her the poor love has been through a lot recently, Well she’s home now she’ll soon be alright” I looked at her and said “Home? Does that mean she can stay?”
Mother replied “Yes my daughter I wouldn’t throw her out” I put down my Goblet and hugged her tightly and said “I love you Mother” she said “I love you to daughter, and now I have another daughter to love too.” I felt a tear roll down my cheek.
Just then our Roses came down from the nursery with Father carrying little Marcus in his arms the Roses ran up to Charles saying “Papa, Mama.” Marcus held out his chubby arms to me, saying “Mama.” Charles said “What have my Roses been doing today?” they said “Tom took Marcus and us fishing today Papa” and then he took us riding in the trap” I thought once again of just how wonderful Tom was.
I told them about Alice and how she had come to live here with us, they said “Mama can we see her.” “Yes my roses you can but tomorrow as she is resting right now she’s had a long journey and is very tired” Rosa brought the supper tray in and then went upstairs to sit with my sister.
After supper Charles said “Well my roses and my son it’s bedtime would you like Papa to tell you a story?” He picked Marcus up and the girls went upstairs with me following behind I went into their room and gave them each a kiss, and left Charles telling them a story, and went to see my sister.
She was awake and looking a lot better and Rosa promised she would be back later on.
“Alice what happened to you?” she smiled and said “Come sit here Amy it’s a long and I’m afraid sad story but you need to hear it”
I sat by the bed and she gripped my hand. Slowly she told me what had happened. Her convent had been shut down about 2 months ago; she had long tired of the religious life so was glad to see it closed down.
She had gone home to find that Mother had died a couple of years ago. All of their brothers had left home as soon as they had been able, as they couldn’t live with a man who was such a brute towards woman.
The last brother being married 3 years ago and had stayed until just before Mother’s death, when Step-father had beaten his wife severely for giving birth to a girl, and would have killed the baby too if our brother hadn’t come home when he did. Our brother had taken his wife and child away that day and no-one knows where they went.
She said step-father had set about her with a horse whip and sent her off, telling her if she ever came anywhere near the house again he would run her through with his sword. I felt the tears fall down my cheeks as she spoke.
One of the servants remembered her and had told everything that she had just told me. The servant had also said that after mother’s failure to find me and bring me back home, for which he had beaten mother severely for, he had grown more and more abusive towards her and after our last brother and his wife left she felt there was nothing left for her and she gave up and just passed away. Although the servants believed she had killed herself to escape stepfather.
The servants that were left and there wasn’t many only stayed because they had nowhere else to go. Alice was also told that each of our brothers with their wives had just simply disappeared and no one knew where they were anymore. Step-father had become more and more bitter and resentful and was also moaning that he had no Sons or grandsons to keep him company in his old age.
The servant had given her some food and let her stay in the barn overnight but there was nothing more he could do for her and she left early the next morning and had been wondering from place to place sleeping and eating where she could.
She had never forgotten me and often wondered what had happened to me since she went into the convent. “I never thought I would see you again Amy “she said.
“Well Alice you are home now no more wandering for you” I said.
It was Alice’s turn to cry now. I gently took her in my arms and both of us sobbed with joy. Then she said “Who was that kind man who took me into the Kitchen?” I laughed and said “Charles my husband” She smiled and said “I hoped you had married I was very misable in the convent, and hoped that you would have escaped my fate. Step-father really hated us and yet we did nothing wrong”
“I know Alice” I said then I told her all about what had happened to me and how I met Charles and how the King gave me away. Her face lit up when I told her of the children. She said “Are the girls as beautiful as you?” I laughed and said “Charles calls them his roses and yes everyone says they are as beautiful as me but they do have Charles’s eyes, and little Marcus is the mirror image of Charles, as you will soon see. They know about you and I’ve told them that they might see you tomorrow if you are up to it.”
Charles came in at that moment and said “Are you feeling better now sister?” she smiled and said “Much better thank you Sir” Charles smiled and said “No sister, you must call me Charles” she blushed and said “Thank you Charles” he went and sat the other side of the bed and said “Well Alice, you did give your sister quite a shock, this afternoon. However now you are home. Our roses and our Son are eagerly waiting to meet you Alice” She held her hand out to Charles who took it and said “Home you don’t know how good that sounds after all this time, not only have I found my beloved sister I have now found a brother too” “Charles said “That you have Alice. Now then Amy my love I think it’s time we let, Alice rest “ Charles added “Rosa will stay with you tonight just in case you need anything, and Amy and I are just across the hall. Goodnight sister sleep well” I kissed Alice and Charles and I left Alice to sleep Rosa was just outside the door. Rosa said “It’s alright my lady I’ll stay with her for as long as she needs me.” “Thank you Rosa” I said and Charles and I went to our room.5

I’ve just noticed I’m posted the Changes Chapter twice. Silly me anyway here you go
Chapter 22
NEW BEGINNINGS.
When we awoke the next morning my first thoughts were of Alice and to my surprize she was in the drawing room sat by the fire with mother, I saw that she and mother were holding hands. I went over by the fire and embraced them both warmly and sat down by the other side of Alice.
Charles had gone into the kitchen to sort out the breakfast he came in with a very large breakfast tray piled high with food placed it on the table and then went out and fetched some ale. When he returned he pulled up a stool and we ate our breakfast. Rosa came in shortly after we had finished and took what was left back into the kitchen. Alice said “I am happy for the first time in my life” Mother smiled and said “You are most welcome here my daughter.” Alice smiled and said “Thank you Mother”
Father came in and said “Well Alice it is good to see you up and about” Alice smiled and said “Thank you father I feel like I belong here” Father said “That you do my dear, that you do. Alice thought I’ve finally got what I’ve always wanted a loving home.
Just then the door opened followed by the house dogs and I let out a laugh at what was coming next and right on cue we hear Tom’s voice “Get out of the bloody way stupid mutt, if you make me fall over with this scuttle in my hand I’ll kick you bloody hard” I thought that my sister might be offended but she was roaring with laughter just as we all were. Tom put the scuttle down and went out, cussing the dogs all the way the last we heard before he shut the door was “Alright I bloody know for heaven’s sake. Oh bloody hell why piss there, that’s another job I’ve got to do now bloody dog.”
Alice had tears streaming down her face. I said to her “he’s very different around our roses and our son through, they adore him. And strangely enough although he cusses the dogs they are as devoted to him as he is to them.”
Mother said “Alice my dear would you like to have a walk in the garden with me?” Alice smiled and said “Yes mother I would like that” So they got up and went out into the Garden.
Father had gone to do some paperwork, and as it was such a nice day we decided we would like a breath air and wanted to have a ride the horses hadn’t had much exercise of late due to the weather. We wanted to take our Roses with us, Marcus was really still too little to come with us, but we had hoped to get him a pony and get Tom to teach him to ride soon. We had been out with our Roses many times now and realised that Guy had taught them well, Guy trusted Tom to take our Roses out on his own now and they wouldn’t go anywhere without him. We told Tom to get all our horses ready and we knew that he would also come with us. About an hour later we were all ready and our Roses waited for Tom to throw them up into the saddles and then waited for him to mount. We were out almost all day and came home very tired but feeling much better for the much needed exercise. Tom was immediately surrounded by the Dogs as it was way past their dinnertime. But he never cussed the dogs in front of our Roses, but did aim many a kick at them. He helped the Our Roses down and said “Remember My Ladies” and bowed they curtsied and said “Yes Tom we will.” And ran off inside where Rosa gave them a mug of buttermilk whilst she got their supper ready.
Once our Roses were out of sight Tom started cussing the dog’s leaving Charles and I in fits of laughter. Tom said “Look you bloody mutts will you at least give me 2 minutes to put the horses away, bloody hell you can’t be that hungry. I know” Tom finally managed to put the horses away.
“You can’t eat that you stupid bloody mutt, that’s for the horse, get your bloody nose out of there. Alright come on I never get a minutes bloody peace when you bloody mutts are hungry do I” and stomped off up the yard with the dogs following all yapping at him with him cussing them all the way.
The months went slowly by, George had written telling us, that the King was getting married again this time his Bride was a woman from the tiny German province called Cleves. Cromwell had persuaded Henry of the political advantages that a match with Cleves. Anne was her name and I thought once again of another Anne, who was my dearest friend. He said that he hoped to come home for a few days soon.
Thomas had gone abroad to set up a business practice there in import and export trade and until he had got his business up and running in France there was nothing to do. He had said he hoped to be home for the Roses 7th birthday.
George did manage to come home just 2 days before our Roses birthday.
When George met Alice I noticed straight away their attraction to each other and smiled.
The Roses 7th birthday came and went, and George stayed for a lot longer than a couple of days in the end he stayed for 2 months and every day I watched Alice and George relationship grow. Alice told me she had fallen deeply in love with George.
Charles and I were lay in bed one night and he said “Amy my love would you be upset if Alice left home? It’s just that George has fallen head over heels in love with Alice and wants to ask her to marry him, but he’s worried that you would disapprove?”
I laughed and said “Charles my beloved I wouldn’t mar her happiness Alice has already told me that she is love with George and asked my blessing which I’ve given freely.”
Charles sighed deeply and said “Amy you are wonderful, Heaven sent me an angel for a wife.”
The next day George asked Alice to marry him. She accepted with joy. They were married 3 weeks later in the family chapel, our Roses being Alice’s bridesmaids. The wedding was celebrated by a big party, followed by a glorious send off, as Alice left with George to go and live in London. I would miss her dreadfully but I knew that George would love her as devotedly as Charles loved me.
The next news we heard was from Redvers, who had left court at around the same time as us, and from time to time he had sent us odd bits of Gossip from London. The latest news was that the King had ridden from London to Rochester to meet his bride Anne of Cleves and immediately taken an instant dislike to her. He had beaten Cromwell and asked him to find a way of stopping the wedding, Cromwell had been unable to find anything from preventing the Wedding from taking place and the King had had to go through with it. The King, had refused to sleep with her and had ordered Cromwell to find means of annulling the marriage, and had told Cromwell quite firmly that if he didn’t he would find ways of removing his head.
The King had also taken a fancy to one of Anne’s maids Catherine Howard. I remembered seeing her once in the garden’s at Lambeth, when Anne and the King went there she was about 11 or 12 then, she was a pretty little thing with auburn hair. Being Anne’s cousin she reminded me very much of Anne she was lively and from I could remember quite flighty too.
Cromwell had finally managed to procure a divorce, and just over 6 months of marriage to Anne of Cleves, she became the King’s adopted sister, and was given a very generous settlement. Cromwell however wasn’t so lucky and was in the Tower accused of charges of Treason, he was beheaded on the 28th July 1540 and on that day the King married Catherine Howard, so once again England had a new Queen.
A letter arrived from George telling us that the King was quite rejuvenated by his young bride, and couldn’t do enough for her. However there were rumours going about that Catherine Howard wasn’t quite as pure as the King had been led to believe. He said “I guess we can only hope that these rumours are just born from jealously and that there is nothing true in them.”
Alice was very happy and they had hopes that she might be pregnant. Thomas had finally managed to get his business practice set up in Calais and between them business was going well.
At supper that night father said he felt unwell and would retire early. I kissed him and said “Yes Father you do look very tired and early night will do you good. I love you Father”
He smiled and said “As do I my daughter.” and he went upstairs. Mother followed him, she was truly devoted to him.
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Thank you Claire. It still needs a bit of spit and polish but for the most part I’m pleased with it. I’m rattling a few more ideas around the old noggin, I’ve sort of got the basics together, now it’s a case of getting them down. Thank Heaven for Computers, it certainly makes life a lot easier especially when it come to editing.

Chapter 24
TRAGEDY.
We received in word from George that Alice had given birth to a healthy little girl. They had decided there was really only one name they could give the baby and they had called her “Amy” George explained “Well if it wasn’t for you Alice and I would have never known each other”
However with this happy news he also told us that the rumours that he had heard upon the King’s marriage to Catherine Howard, they had been true. I thought of Catherine of the young girl I had seen at Lambeth all those years ago. It seemed as though Catherine had had at least 2 lovers before her marriage one of them called Francis Dereham, she was said to have been pre-contracted to, before her marriage with the King, and that she and Francis had been known to have sex on many occasions at Lambeth in front of witnesses. Dereham had left the Duchesses service and gone to Ireland to make some money, and had intended to come back and marry her, however by the time he did she was already married to the King. He had said nothing about pre-contract to the Duchess but asked her to recommend him in securing him a position in Katherine’s household. This she had done and Dereham became Catherine usher. Henry Mannox a musician in the Duchess’s household for a few years before Dereham arrived had also been had been questioned but no evidence could be found of anything more than furtive groping’s and voiced intentions of carnal desires towards Catherine. Mannox therefore was excused of any wrong doing and let off.
The King was livid when he found out about Dereham and had actually gone as far as calling for a sword so that he could execute her himself. However he just confined her to her rooms at Hampton Court, at one point she had escaped and had tried to reach Henry who was praying in the chapel, but was dragged back screaming to her rooms by her guard. The King had left Hampton Court shortly after and was now licking his wounds, and bewailing his life in having such ill conditioned wives.
Francis King of France however couldn’t resist rubbing salt into the King’s already sore wounds and had sent a letter saying that he was sorry to hear of the wanton and naughty behaviour of the Queen. The French ambassador had received a lash of the King’s tongue and a clout for bringing him such a letter.
I wondered what would happen to her now?
Charles told me that he thought that Catherine would most likely be divorced, because being as she was pre-contracted her marriage to the King wasn’t valid. Therefore although she had done wrong by marrying the King she hadn’t really committed a serious crime. I hoped that Charles was right, although I remembered her behaviour at Lambeth wasn’t exactly what was acceptable from a lady of the nobility, and quite often the Duchess had to chastise her for seemingly frivolous and unruly behaviour.
Christmas came and went George and Alice had been able to come and spend a few days with us with little Amy, as did Thomas, and a merry time with had too although there was a little sadness too in the sense that Father and Mother were no longer with us to celebrate. Tom kept us well entertained though.
Finally George Alice and Little Amy went back to London and Thomas went back to France. The house seems quite quiet without them but slowly we got used to it again.
I received another letter from George at the middle of January, he said that Catherine Howard was to die on the 13th February. It seems that as well as being pre contracted, before marrying the King as if that wasn’t bad enough, she had also been cuckolding the King with Thomas Culpepper, one of the King’s trusted servants.
I put the letter down on the table and once again, thought of the flighty girl I’d seen at Lambeth.
I was just about to fold the letter and put it away not wishing to read anymore when I saw one name jump out of the page.
“Jane Boleyn.”
I snatched up the letter and read on. Jane Boleyn was also to be executed, for her part in facilitating Catherine’s and Culpepper’s affair. I sat down by the fire stunned by what I had just read. Was Jane guilty? Or was she just a convenient scapegoat like she had been the last time?
Then I remembered what she had said when we had come to the court when Jane Seymour had become Queen. I knew Jane or at least I thought I knew her.
George continued. Jane it had appeared had masterminded the whole thing in bringing together Culpepper and Catherine together numerous and sundry times. Culpepper it was said once had to jump out of the window naked with Catherine throwing his clothes down to him one night, when the King had come to sleep with her.
The King had spared no-one in his wrath and had imprisoned most of the Howard faction including the Duchess and the great Duke of Norfolk, the one who had slapped me years before. Jane had lost her wits, and the King had, had to pass a new law through Parliament to allow him to execute those criminals who were deemed insane.
Dereham and Culpepper had already been executed. They had been ordered to suffer the Full horror of execution hanging, Drawing and quartering, but at the last moment the King had commuted Culpepper’s death to simple beheading, an act of mercy I supposed on Culpepper’s part, Culpepper was a least a Sir, if nothing else. However poor Dereham had, had to suffer the long drawn out process of death and they had both been executed in December.
Poor Jane I thought, as if it wasn’t enough that she had to live with the guilt that her evidence which I knew without doubt was lies, sent my beloved friend Anne and her husband “Just George” to the Scaffold, she had now been accused of being a traitor. I sat for a little while longer thinking sadly of the only friend I still had who knew Anne as well as I did.
It was Tom who roused me from my melancholy I heard the sound of the Scuttle being knocked over followed by, “Bloody Dogs now look what you’ve bloody done, must you forever be around my bloody feet “Followed by a yelp as I guessed that Tom given one of them a swift kick “Now bloody keep out of my bloody way” Finally he appeared with the Scuttle of fire wood with the dogs in tow. One of them trying to chew his trouser leg. “Bloody Dog if you rip my bloody trousers I’ll kick you into the middle of next bloody week. Do you bloody hear me” He said as if in reply the dog gave a yip. He put down the Scuttle bowed and said “Lady Angel” and left all the way back to the kitchen I could hear him cussing the dogs.
Charles came in shortly after and I showed him George’s letter. He said “I am so sorry my love” I smiled sadly and said “Poor Jane she hasn’t really had much happiness in her life since “Just George’s” death, maybe with her death she will find the peace she has been longing for?”
George wrote again a few weeks later and told us that the King had been devastated by Catherine’s death and for a while his courtier’s feared for his sanity. Catherine had died bravely, perhaps mustering up more courage and dignity than she really ever shown in her tenure as Queen. Jane too died bravely and I thought “Goodbye Jane I hope you are at peace now”

Chapter 25
LIFE CONTINUES
Life slowly returned to normal Marcus turned 7 and Tom had brought him his very own fishing pole so that they could fish together down in the brook. They were often down there with the Roses and many a time that we had the fish they had caught down there for supper.
Tom still said to our Roses and Marcus “Remember my ladies, Sir” and bowed, they always replied “Yes Tom we remember” and bowed and curtsied.
Charles and I decided we all needed a change of scene, and I wrote asking Alice if we could stay with her, George and Little Amy. She wrote back and said she would be delighted for us to come and stay, she added, of course Tom must come too. I dare say he will like a change of dog to cuss at. Charles and I laughed when we read that. Tom had become almost like another child to us now and I loved him dearly. Rosa was excited for her son, as was Tom he never thought he would ever see London, let alone stay in it for a while.
The day came for us to set off we had sent off what we needed for our stay the day before knowing it would take 3 maybe 4 days for us to ride into London, so at least when we arrived at Alice and George’s home there would be everything ready.
Tom helped our Roses and Marcus to mount and he and Marcus rode either side of the Roses, chattering about what London would be like. Charles and I smiled at their chattering. Tom was busy telling them that the King owned many castles in London, and that Charles and I lived in one or 2 of them before they were born. Both our Roses said “Mama did you meet the King and Queen?”
I smiled and said “Yes my roses I did. I even danced with the King once or twice.” They both gasped, and then said “but Mama weren’t you afraid of the King?” I smiled and said “No my roses, he was very gentle and kind to me and your father.” I thought back to the last time I saw the King, and I wondered if had changed.
Charles reached over and squeezed my hand, and I knew he was thinking the same thing.
After 3 days travelling we finally made it into the city, the Roses were amazed at what they saw as were Tom and Marcus. Tom kept very close to our roses and insisted that Marcus too kept close.
Any person that came too close were kicked at by Tom and told to back off. I smiled and thought what a wonderful protector my Roses had in Tom.
Alice and George welcomed us warmly and I saw with joy that Alice was once again pregnant. I embraced George and Alice warmly and then swept little Amy up into my arms. She had grown so much from the last time I saw her, she was going to be as beautiful as our Roses when she was older. We went inside their house and were soon surrounded by a number of dogs, all of which to our amusement took a liking to Tom and were busy jumping up at him, but he kept his temper, all the while our Roses, Marcus and Little Amy were around, Little Amy’s nurse came and took the Children off to the Nursery so that we adults could catch up.
George said “The King has started to look around for another bride” I said “Another one!? I would have thought those women who were suitable for marriage would be a little thin on the ground by now?” He added there is also a plan to marry Prince Edward to Mary Queen of Scots. Lord Hertford has been sent up to Scotland to put the request to the Regent Marie de Guise. I guess we will just have to wait and see what happens, but it would certainly solve our problems with Scotland if Marie de Guise agrees.”
Charles said “Hmm yes it would, but I don’t think she will agree being French she would want to secure for Mary a French Husband surely? I’ve also heard that there have been uprisings in Scotland to do with Catholic religion and I don’t think Marie de Guise will allow her daughter to be married to a Prince whose religion is that of the very religion she is striving to keep out of Scotland. The only way she can keep the Scottish Kirks at bay is to have a strong Catholic Army at her disposal, so it would stand to reason for her to marry Mary into France. A kind of double edged sword to beat England with, being as that we will be inbetween them. “
“Yes Charles I think you could be right there. Thomas sends me reports from Calais every so often and says that the French relationship is none too friendly with us at the moment due to Francis’s comments to do with the late Queen’s conduct” said George.
It was Tom who once again made us laugh. George’s butler opened the door to bring the supper tray in, Tom was behind him and behind Tom were the house dogs all yipping and jumping up at him “Bloody dogs, why is it, wherever I go, if there are bloody dogs they always bloody hassle me. Get down you stupid bloody mutt, get off me or I’ll put my boot up your bloody arse”
We couldn’t help but laugh and what he said was very true, on our way here at every coaching inn we stayed at he had been surrounded by dogs.
Our Roses, Marcus and Tom found plenty to do every day, and could be heard squealing with laughter at the new games Tom had invented. It would be his 20th birthday soon and I told Charles I would like to do something special for him.
Charles it seems had already thought of that, and had written to Rosa and asked her if we could become his legal guardians as he had been such a big part of our life, and we both loved him dearly. Rosa was delighted and said that she knew she couldn’t give him anything near the life he had with us. She would still be his mother but now Tom had a chance to be something more than just a stable hand.
We held a party for him and when we told him that he was to be our ward, he threw his arms around my neck hugging me tightly and said “Lady Angel I love you” Charles smiled and said “Tom my boy I am proud of you. Tom bowed and said very quietly “Thank you Papa”
Our Roses and Marcus were overjoyed they had overtime come to view Tom as an older brother and loved him as dearly as Charles and I did.
George and Alice smiled with joy. Alice was getting near her time, and Charles postponed our return home until Alice had the baby.
Our Roses celebrated the 10th birthday and it was during the celebrations that Alice went into labour. Tom was soon out in the kitchen shouting orders to the staff on what to do, whilst George carried Alice tenderly upstairs. I stayed with her whilst Charles took George back downstairs, to await the news. Tom stayed outside the door with our Roses, little Amy, Marcus and one or 2 of the house dogs that had managed to sneak back in after Tom had thought he had booted outside. They were busy chewing his boots much to his annoyance, but he still kept his temper, and was storing up what punishment he would metre out later.
About an hour later the baby gave out its first lusty cry. I said “Alice you have a strong and Healthy Son” She smiled tiredly as I handed the baby to her. I opened the door and told Tom it was boy but also told him to say nothing to George of the sex, as Alice wanted to tell him herself. “Yes Lady Angel” and went down stairs with the dogs following. George came flying up the stairs and went to Alice’s bedside she said “It’s a boy George” I left them to it and went to tell Charles the news . Charles rang the house bell and a round of cheers broke out.
I went back upstairs a little later to find George asleep in the chair next to Alice, holding hands and the baby fast asleep in his cradle. I took a look at the baby and saw that he looked like George.
I went back downstairs for supper, after the children had gone to bed we heard the baby yelling for his dinner. George came back downstairs leaving Alice to rest.
I said “He’s a beautiful boy George. Have you a name for him?” “Yes we have, his name is Charles.” Said George.
Charles smiled a wide smile, and said “Thank you brother” Tom who was still getting used to being able to sit with his family got up and shook George’s hand and said “Congratulations Sir”
George smiled and said “Thank you my boy”
Just then the door opened and one of the maids came in with some food and wine for George, and there was once again the same dog that had been chewing at Tom’s boot just hours earlier.
Tom said “Oh not bloody you again I kicked you bloody out ages ago and now you are back to bloody hassle me again, well you can just bloody well get off out of it bloody stupid dog did you hear me! Get bloody dog” and with that he stamped off out of the room the dog following and Tom cussing it all the way.
We were roaring with laughter. George said I’m going to miss you all when you have gone, but Tom does make me laugh so.
Charles said “Yes I must admit he does make me laugh terribly and yet every dog he comes in contact with adores him as much as he does them. I dread to think what is going to happen when we get home as I’m sure the dogs have been missing him”
We laughed for some minutes at the thought. Tom came back in and said “Well that’s the bloody dogs dealt with.”
I said “Oh Tom you do make us laugh so, with your Bloody Dogs” He laughed. Finally we drifted off to bed Tom loved his room, as it was next door to the Nursery.

Sharon said

Boleyn, I’m enjoying every bit of this book. Thank you for sharing with us. You have put so much work and love into this and it shows.

Thamk you Sharon I working on another one at the moment too, but this one will be a complete surprize so no one will know what it will be about and till I post it..
Vivat Anne has a few more Chapters to go yet though.

Chapter 27
GOD SAVE THE KING
Christmas of 1546 was a somewhat muted celebration the King as we heard was gravely ill, and despite the doctors best efforts it was obvious to all that he hadn’t got much longer to live.
The King died on the 28th January 1547,Henry funeral was a mixture of sadness and joy, sadness from the point of view that many of us including Charles and I had been at the court when the King was a young man and knew him perhaps better than most, and joy because in the latter years of his reign he had become a ruthless and bloody tyrant, only a few days before his death the Earl of Surrey, the Son of the Duke of Norfolk had been executed for treason, and the Duke himself was only saved from being executed due to Henry’s death. We also heard that whilst Henry had lain in state at Windsor there had been seen some black dogs licking the blood from Henry coffin where his body had burst open. I thought back to what the monk had said at Anne’s coronation and shuddered. Henry was buried next to Jane Seymour in Westminster Abbey.
So now we had a 9 year old boy on the throne, once again Charles and I were summoned to court however this time we were to take the children too to offer their fealty to the new King. Tom would be 25 soon and our Roses were almost 15, Marcus was 12. We stayed with George and Alice. Little Amy was almost 6 now, and Little Charles being almost 4. They were soon busy showing their cousins everything and wanting to take them everywhere.
It wasn’t long before Tom was making us laugh “Bloody dogs, get off there, look what you’ve bloody done now. Oh just bloody well move out the bloody way will you” You see this boot well if you don’t bloody get off there, I’ll put it up your bloody arse.” We heard a yelp and guessed that Tom had made good his threat.
George said “I have to feel sorry for the King, he’s got some pretty big shoes to fill, but it will be years till he can take up his responsibilities fully. Regencies are always a problem, I mean look at the trouble with Scotland?
Mary de Guise brought a Catholic Army from France the price being her daughter, in order to tyrannise her Scottish Nobles, and keep Scotland Catholic.”
“The Seymour brothers have always been known to have no love lost between them, Thomas is fuming that Edward has taken sole control of the council and of the King. I can see that sooner or later they will destroy one another.” Charles said.
“Yes I think you are right there Charles. Thomas Seymour loves King Edward, dearly but it seems Edward his brother has forbidden him to see him.” George said.
The following day we went to court, and made our oaths of fealty to King Edward.
King Edward said “Lady Tavistock I understand you are very friendly with my sister. She writes to you often I believe?”
“Yes your Majesty, she is forever speaking of your virtues and how proud she is of being the sister of the King” I said.
Edward smiled and said “Your daughters are very pretty Lady Tavistock, maybe when they are a little older they could come to court”
I replied “Your Majesty they would be honoured to serve you”
He waved his hand for us to go, and Charles and I were glad to have got it over and done with, as we walked out of the hall Lady Mary gave me a hard and bitter look.
It took us 3 days to get home and I was glad to be home too. We settled down to normal life In June we heard from George that Thomas Seymour had secretly married Catherine Parr in May, there was indignance from the court although Thomas had approached King Edward and asked his permission to marry Catherine and it had been freely given.
However Thomas had approached the council only a month before and asked for Lady Elizabeth’s hand in marriage. I knew of this as Elizabeth had written to me telling me that Thomas had asked her in the gardens at Chelsea where she and Catherine had retired to. She told me she had slapped Thomas’s face for being presumptuous and told him in no uncertain terms she had made a vow that she would never marry. “Marriage is death” she wrote.
Thomas had married Catherine for not so much for love but for political gain, and also to keep Elizabeth close to him. King Edward had granted the title of Baron Sudley on Thomas, and given him Sudley Castle in Winchcombe. I remembered it well having stayed there with Anne and Henry many years ago. Thomas had also brought the ward ship of Lady Jane Grey from Frances Brandon and Henry Grey.
Catherine had become pregnant and blind or so it seemed as Thomas was trying to seduce Elizabeth right under her nose and at one point actually held Elizabeth firmly whilst Thomas Seymour cut Elizabeth’s dress into pieces in the gardens at Sudley Castle. Leaving Elizabeth in just her Linen shift under which she was naked. Catherine Parr found this romps as she called them as just innocent fun.
Elizabeth wrote to me about the incident. “Thomas won’t leave me alone. Why can’t Catherine see that Thomas is a danger to me? He often comes to my room in the morning and tries to force his way into my bed. Thank the Lord for Kat for many is a time she has chased him out of my room with a broom.” she said.
Finally Catherine did see what her husband was up to and sent Elizabeth away for her own protection from Thomas. Thomas still continued with his pursuit of her but eventually he gave up, realising he was wasting his time, and instead set his sights of a marriage of a very different sort. Catherine went into labour and was delivered of a little girl who she called Mary. Sadly Catherine died just 5 days later of childbed fever.

Chapter 29
EXILE
As we had expected John Dudley did name Jane Grey as Queen. Jane vehemently protested at being called Queen over and over again she cried “the crown is not my right.” Dudley raised an Army to go and capture both Mary and Elizabeth and bring them to the Tower, Elizabeth quite conveniently became diplomatically Ill and managed to warn Mary of Dudley’s plan against her. Mary raised her own army many of them angry at Dudley for changing the succession without Parliamental approval first.
In all Jane’s reign last just 9 days.
Mary rode in triumph through the city with Elizabeth at her side.
Mary for the first few months of her reign was tolerate towards those not of her faith, but then the burnings started. I remembered the look on her face last time I saw her and I knew that no one would be spared in her wrath, she had already overturned the great divorce and imprisoned Cranmer. She also viewed Elizabeth with suspicion, plus she had decided to marry her choice of husband being her second cousin Philip of Spain, a decision which the English people did not like.
She was forced to execute Lady Jane Grey in order for Philip to come to England and marry her. This decision cost her, the love of the people. Lady Jane Grey was just a little girl caught up in a web of deceit and politics and was unjustly executed because of the schemes of just 2 men.
One night Charles and I were sat by the fire “Amy my love it’s time to leave, once that damn Spaniard and his entourage arrive you can bet the inquisition won’t be far behind them.”
I shuddered at the thought. I had heard all about what these inquisitors were like. They were ruthless when it came to rooting out any form of heresy, real or imagined.
“Yes Charles I agree we need to go whilst we still can.” I replied. Within the month we had shut up the house and hoped that when and if we returned the house would still be here, Rosa Martyn and Guy came with us, all the other servants had either gone into exile themselves or had quietly accepted the Roman Catholic faith, and spoke softly about the coming of better times.
We made our way down to Dover and brought passage on a packet barge sailing to Antwerp via Calais, after 2 days at sea we arrived in Calais. Thomas met us and we went to his house. Alice and George and their children had rented a house not far from where Thomas lived so we were all safe.
I heard from Elizabeth, and she told me that the Spanish upstart wasn’t at all happy in England and even more unhappy at the thought of being married to such an old and ugly woman as he put it. Mary had had her (Elizabeth) arrested and placed in the Tower after the unsuccessful uprising against the Queen and the Spanish marriage by a man called Thomas Wyatt.
I remembered another Thomas Wyatt who had fallen passionately in Love with Anne, and had written many poems and songs to her memory.
The wedding had gone ahead, and Philip had done his marital duty and left England very quickly afterwards. Leaving Mary believing she was pregnant and indeed according to Elizabeth she did exhibit the signs of pregnancy. Philip returned for the what he believed was to be the birth of his child but finally after many false alarms the symptoms of her supposed pregnancy simply vanished and she was left feeling very dejected and humiliated. Philip left England once more and only returned for a very brief visit
Elizabeth was now quietly living the life of a country gentlewoman at Woodstock. She said that the day Mary released her to the care of Sir Henry Beddingfield whom she affectionally called “gaoler” was 19th May. She stayed there for a year before being allowed to return to her home at Hatfield. Although Elizabeth said she conformed to the Catholic faith I knew in my heart that like her mother before her she was truly Protestant. She also said that Mary had tried to marry her off to some petty Duke and that when she told Mary she would never marry Mary had been livid with her and had wanted to banish her.
However Philip had come to her rescue and threatened Mary, that if she didn’t treat Elizabeth with the due respect that she deserved, then Philip would leave England and never again return.
I noticed of late that Charles had developed a cough, and after a coughing fit he would be breathless for some minutes. Our Roses were almost 25 now. I was their age when I gave birth to them.
We heard from Elizabeth that once again Mary believed she might be pregnant, she wrote “After the last time I would have though she wouldn’t risk making a fool of herself a second time.”
Philip didn’t like London or its people and there were reports of some of Spaniards being pelted with mud and other foul smelling dirt. Philip only ever returned to England when he needed money, to fund his war against the French and because of her stupidity and ineptitude in not seeing what Philip was up to Calais the last English stronghold in Europe was lost to the French, and all of us who were in Calais had to swear an oath to fealty to the French King or leave France.
The harvest had failed again and people were starving. She believed the reason for the bad harvest was because God was punishing her for her inability to root out and destroy every heretic that there was in England. Bishop Bonner , who had taken over as Mary’s chief persecutor after Gardiner’s death and become known as the Devil’s dancing bear had tortured many innocent Men, Woman and Children in his ruthless determination to carry out Mary’s will. There were also rumours that a pregnant woman had been burned at the stake, and she gave birth in the flames, had managed to throw the child out of the flames to a passer-by but a guard snatched it back to threw it back into the flames to die alongside it’s mother
Mary had spared no-one in her ruthless obsession to return England to Rome and I wept when I heard that one of the people she had burned was Thomas Cranmer. Her malice against him was so great that even though he recanted thinking it would save his life she was determined to exact revenge of the very person who had declared her parents’ marriage invalid.
The old man showed courage right to the end and when he was tied to the stake and the ******s lit he thrust into the flames the hand that had signed his recantation, saying that it had offended God more than the rest of his body.
Charles’s cough got steadily worse by the end of 1557 and he took to his bed. I knew that he was dying and I wondered how I would cope when his end came. Charles said “Amy my love you must carry on. Remember your promise to Anne. When you are ready I will come for you my beloved”
Charles died in my arms just after the New Year of 1558 I thought my heart would break, but then I remembered what Charles had said and although my grief was mighty I knew that I had to honour my promise to Anne.
Thomas had taken on Tom as an apprentice and Marcus was now Lord Tavistock. Charles had left our roses 2,000 a year for life and Tom too was bequeathed 1,000 a year for his lifetime.

Well that was it folks, I hope you have enjoyed reading it? I am well aware there are perhaps a few mistakes, and it does need a bit of spit and polish, but It’s my first attempt as I said in the beggining. In short it needs tweeking.
I would appreiciate any advice or ideas from you all too.
I am busy with a new story so watch out for it.