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12:06 pm
I have heard two stories on what Henry was doing the morning that Anne Boleyn died.
1. He was playing tennis and then went immediately off to Jane.
2. He was hunting in Epping Forest and then rode off to Jane.
Does anyone know of a reasonably reliable source on this one?
Michelle
9:47 pm
January 3, 2012
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Good question.
I’m inclined to think he was doing the latter of the 2 as he would have wanted to put as much distance between himself and London or more to the point the Tower.
Something which he repeated later on when K.H’s light behaviour before her marriage to him, came out, and after her insane attempt at trying to reach him when he was in chapel at Hampton court. I believe at that time he simply rode to Windsor to sulk, and shut himself away until he decided her fate.
Semper Fidelis, quod sum quod
4:38 am
Yes, there seems to be more from what I’ve seen to support the 2nd version of what he was doing that day. According to this page: http://timesoftudors.blogspot……orest.html, there is something called, “Moray’s History of Essex”, which talks about the hunting in Epping Forest. It says that he’d been having breakfast under a tree when he heard the bang from the canons at the tower to announce that she was dead. At that point, it says that he cried out, “Away! Unkennel the dogs!”
Just not sure how reliable this source is.
I do find it rather interesting that Henry doesn’t seem to have watched any of these executions. I wonder if he’d have changed his mind about the method after having watched them, or if he was that much of a tyrant in later years due to his possible brain injury that it wouldn’t have mattered.
5:02 am
Upon checking a little further, it looks like it could be Morant’s “History of Essex” published in 1768.
I also came across a version, which had Henry waiting for word at Richmond and then heading off, but it looks like this has been debunked since.
5:03 pm
February 24, 2010
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Chapuys doesn’t say where Henry was, but he says after he was given word of Anne’s death, he climbed into a barge and went to where Jane Seymour was staying.
Wherever he was, it was close to home in order to jump on his barge to carry him to his new wife-to-be.
12:25 am
November 18, 2010
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Probably eating a large bar of chocolate while crying into his morning mead about how unfair life was to him.
In reality he was almost certainly in or close to London to make sure nothing happened to stop Anne’s execution and leg it to Jane ASAP. But still telling every-one how unfair life was…
It's always bunnies.
2:32 am
Thanks for those two replies, Sharon and Anyanka. I hadn’t heard that about Chapuys’ account. It seems that although Chapuys didn’t have high opinions of Anne that he thought it was a little inappropriate (and thought others would also perceive it that way) how the King had seemed to have made arrangements to marry Jane before Anne’s death, so that he could marry her soon after. It’s all very interesting though!
I just hate the way that various shows/books present legend as actual historical fact. My children love watching Horrible Histories, and on that show it presents as fact that Henry was playing tennis whilst Anne was being beheaded. This seems only to be a legend though and not the actual truth. The end of Wolf Hall where you see Cromwell telling Henry who has been waiting for the news followed by Henry going off to Jane’s house by barge to be betrothed to here may have been closer to the truth. Maybe we’ll never know as much information about these things has either been kept secret or lost.
2:33 am
Lol, about the “probably eating a large bar of chocolate and crying into his morning mead” comment! Classic!
4:17 pm
February 24, 2010
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I have a love/hate relationship with Chapuys. His writing during this time, however, is invaluable. Not only did he think the marriage between Jane and Henry came about too soon and wouldn’t look right, he also thought Anne was innocent of the crimes to which she was accused. Coming from him, that is high praise indeed.
His thoughts are documented in Letters & Papers. Good reading.
Anyanka…
Royals didn’t usually attend executions. The phrase ‘out of sight, out of mind’ seems appropriate.
5:34 am
January 3, 2012
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It’s difficult to know what would be going through his head at this time, because he could be very taciturn. He may well have been in chapel, praying to God to have mercy on Anne’s soul, but equally so asking God to bless his marriage to Jane too.
I think he would have been out of London, but not so far that he wouldn’t have heard the Tower gun to signal Anne’s death.
His marriage to Jane was somewhat hasty but I think once he had convinced himself of Anne’s guilt, and I believe he and Cromwell started cooking up this spew of lies shortly after Anne’s miscarriage, he considered himself a free man and was therefore his marriage to Jane just 10 days after Anne’s murder was not hasty since he had been courting Jane for a few months before.
Semper Fidelis, quod sum quod
1:35 am
November 18, 2010
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I read somewhere Henry donned mourning for Anne for a day. Can’t remember where.
It's always bunnies.
7:46 am
January 3, 2012
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Anyanka said
I read somewhere Henry donned mourning for Anne for a day. Can’t remember where.
How very generous of old plump buttocks…LOL 😉
Semper Fidelis, quod sum quod
4:35 pm
February 24, 2010
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Well that’s interesting. I wonder what day he did that? Was it on his way to his mistress’s residence on the day Anne died, the next day when he announced his next marriage, or maybe he waited and wore it at his wedding 10 days later? I’m being facetious, of course.
Boleyn, you are cracking me up.
4:45 am
November 18, 2010
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Sharon said
Well that’s interesting. I wonder what day he did that? Was it on his way to his mistress’s residence on the day Anne died, the next day when he announced his next marriage, or maybe he waited and wore it at his wedding 10 days later? I’m being facetious, of course.
Boleyn, you are cracking me up.
I’m sorry but at the moment I can’t find it..
But I’ so very sure it wasn’t a Look At Me moment but a quiet reflection on the death of a good Christian woman..
Yeah…Noh!..It really would have screamed LAM…LAM..I’m being such a good person mourning for the death of ole-wots-herface!
It's always bunnies.
4:49 am
November 18, 2010
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Shel.Wright77 said
Lol, about the “probably eating a large bar of chocolate and crying into his morning mead” comment! Classic!
Sorry I forgot to welcome you
Bonjour et bienvenue.
It's always bunnies.
6:47 pm
February 24, 2010
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Yes. Michelle, welcome. Enjoy!
1:27 am
Thanks Anyanka and Sharon! I am enjoying reading and researching about these people and finding out the truth. 😀
4:21 am
November 18, 2010
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Sharon said
Well that’s interesting. I wonder what day he did that? Was it on his way to his mistress’s residence on the day Anne died, the next day when he announced his next marriage, or maybe he waited and wore it at his wedding 10 days later? I’m being facetious, of course.
Boleyn, you are cracking me up.
According to Alison Weir….shrugs..Henry wore white mourning clothes on the day after he and Jane were betrothed so 21th May.(Six Wives p 342).
It's always bunnies.
4:35 am
November 18, 2010
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Shel.Wright77 said
Yes, there seems to be more from what I’ve seen to support the 2nd version of what he was doing that day. According to this page: http://timesoftudors.blogspot……orest.html, there is something called, “Moray’s History of Essex”, which talks about the hunting in Epping Forest. It says that he’d been having breakfast under a tree when he heard the bang from the canons at the tower to announce that she was dead. At that point, it says that he cried out, “Away! Unkennel the dogs!”Just not sure how reliable this source is.
I do find it rather interesting that Henry doesn’t seem to have watched any of these executions. I wonder if he’d have changed his mind about the method after having watched them, or if he was that much of a tyrant in later years due to his possible brain injury that it wouldn’t have mattered.
The blog author doesn’t know the difference between a Gable and a French hood.
http://timesoftudors.blogspot……odbye.html
Anne Boleyn says a final goodbye to her daughter Elizabeth before her execution. Painted by Gustaf Wappers in 1838. She is wearing her signature French hood and ermine trimmed sleeves as a symbol of royalty.
It's always bunnies.
