Mark Smeaton was a court musician. It’s thought he was of Femish background, the son of a carpenter. A very talented musician, he played the lute, the virginals, and the organ. He was an excellent dancer. He had a beautiful voice which was first noticed by Wolsey. After Wolsey’s fall, he sang in Henry’s Chapel Royal choir. Later he was promoted to Groom of the Privy Chamber. Henry gave him money for food and clothing which increased as did his rise in favor. He became friends with the Boleyns’. He was not quite one of the insiders, but they certainly enjoyed his musical talents.
Mark was the first to be arrested and questioned by Cromwell on April 30th. Today. Whether he was tortured or not is still questionable. Eventually he confessed to having an affair with Anne. Mark may have implicated Norris in some way because the next day Norris was questioned by the king and then sent to the Tower.
Unfortunately, Mark was such an easy target. Cromwell knew he could threaten him and get the results he wanted. He was a nobody. This poor guy with his humble beginnings was caught in the whirlwind of Anne’s fall. He was any where between 20 and 23 years old at the time of his death.
If there had been no purging of everything Anne, Mark would have continued to have had a successful career at the Tudor court.

Boleyn, You are welcome.
Cromwell seemed to start his interrogations with the least of them. He knew very well that he would be able to make Mark say something incriminating. Cromwell must have figured if he could make Mark confess to adultery with Anne, he would be showing the world that she was the worst kind of woman. A woman, married to a great king, and yet she would take as a lover a musician. This was another of his moves to totally destroy her reputation. So sad!