Claire | April 28, 2015
Let’s set the scene a little before I tell you about today’s news from 1536. Queen Anne Boleyn’s brother lost out to Nicholas Carew for an appointment to the Order of the Garter, commissions of oyer and terminer (legal commissions used to investigate and try serious criminal offences like treason) have been set up, Anne […]
Claire | April 27, 2015
On 27th April 1536, writs were issued summoning Parliament to meet on 8th June 1536 and a letter written to Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, asking him to attend the Parliament: “Summons to the archbishop of Canterbury to attend the Parliament which is to meet at Westminster, 8 June; and to warn the prior and […]
Claire | April 27, 2015
According to Eustace Chapuys, the imperial ambassador, on 27th April 1536 John Stokesley, Bishop of London, was consulted for advice regarding whether the King could set aside his marriage to Anne Boleyn. Chapuys wrote to Charles V: “The brother of lord Montague told me yesterday at dinner that the day before the bishop of London […]
Claire | April 24, 2015
On 24th April 1536, two commissions of oyer and terminer were set up by Sir Thomas Audley, Lord Chancellor. ‘Oyer and terminer’ comes from the French ‘to hear and to determine’ and denotes a legal commission formed to investigate and prosecute serious criminal offences, such as treason, committed in a particular county. These particular commissions […]
Claire | May 21, 2014
Today I want to share with you an extract from The Fall of Anne Boleyn: A Countdown about the aftermath of the executions of May 1536, the reactions of some people on hearing the news… Although Cromwell’s propaganda machine had been working flat out, spreading the salacious and shocking news that the King of England […]
Claire | May 18, 2014
On the night of 17th May 1536, while the carpenters built her scaffold within the grounds of the Tower of London, Anne Boleyn prepared herself for her execution, which had been scheduled for 9am on the 18th. At 2am, her almoner John Skip (some say her confessor Father Thirwell) arrived to pray with her. She […]
Claire | May 16, 2014
On this day in 1536, Sir William Kingston, Constable of the Tower of London, reported to Thomas Cromwell what Anne Boleyn had said to him over dinner: “Yet this day at dinner the Queen said she would go to “anonre” (a nunnery), and is in hope of life.” This was following a visit from Thomas […]
Claire | May 14, 2014
On 14th May 1536, Thomas Cromwell wrote to Stephen Gardiner and Sir John Wallop, Henry VIII’s ambassadors at the French court, to update them on the situation in London. Here is the letter: “The King has deferred answering their letters sent by Salisbury till the arrival of the bailly of Troyes. Has to inform them, […]
