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Authors: Claire Ridgway
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over the King in November 1535:
"The concubine, who long ago conspired the death of the said ladies [Catherine and Mary] and thinks of nothing but getting rid of them, is the person who governs everything, and whom the King is unable to contradict."
The King's marriage to her was also a stumbling block to any reconciliation with Rome and to the restoration of Mary. Anne was also pro-French, so if she did have any influence on the King with regards to foreign policy, then that would be the direction she'd be pushing him towards. Cromwell knew that Anne would never agree to Mary being restored; she had her own daughter's interests to look out for.
The King was obsessed with wanting a male heir; he was showing an interest in Jane Seymour; Anne was becoming a pain in the neck as well as a significant threat to Cromwell's foreign policy plans and, perhaps, even to his life. Perhaps it would be better if Anne just disappeared. Nobody knows for sure whether the plot against Anne started with the King or with Thomas Cromwell, but "on the third day of Easter, he [Cromwell] had set himself to arrange the plot (a fantasier et conspirer led. affaire)". 8 It was, as historian Simon Schama says, "pure devilry, a finely measured brew: one part paranoia, one part pornography" 9 - a plot that would see a Queen, four courtiers and a musician brutally executed.
22nd April 1536 – A Strange Letter from Cranmer to Cromwell
On the 22nd April 1536, Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, who had been away from court staying at his country residence, Knole House, wrote the following letter to Thomas Cromwell:
"Alas, Master Secretary, you forget Master Smyth of the Exchequer, who is near consumed with thought and pensiveness: even pity moveth me to rue the man (if I could) for his son's sake chiefly, and also for his own. I would give a great part of that I have to help him; and where I cannot myself, I make all my friends for him: so importune I am upon my friends from my friend his cause, I suppose more than I would be for mine own, or ever was: ruth and importunity of my friend maketh me so vehement against mine own nature. I have sent this bearer only to wait upon you until you have an answer of the King, and to put you in continual remembrance, for much business maketh you to forget many things, and yet I wonder that you remember so many things as you do. I was ever hitherto cold, but now I am in a heat with the cause of religion, which goeth all contrary to mine expectation, if it be as the fame goeth; wherein I would wonder fain break my mind unto you, and if you please, I will come to such place as you shall appoint for the same purpose. Thus He that made you, ever keep you. From Knol, the 22 day of April." 1
The first part of the letter, referring to 'Master Smith', seems quite straightforward. Cranmer is simply reminding Cromwell of Mr Smith. Reverend Henry Jenkyns, the editor of Cranmer's correspondence, thinks this could have been "John Smith, father of the celebrated Sir Thomas Smith who about this time was distinguishing himself by his lectures on Greek at Cambridge." 2 However, the part of about religion seems rather odd. Historian John Schofield 3 puts forward the idea that what it may mean is that Cranmer had heard that Anne Boleyn was going to be set aside and replaced by the Catholic Jane Seymour. He may have feared that the cause of the new religion was under threat, as was his friend, Anne. Perhaps this is a coded message regarding Cranmer's concern and his need to talk to Cromwell urgently about it.
However, Eric Ives 4 believes that Anne Boleyn may have had words with the Archbishop regarding his Lent sermon supporting the dissolution of the monasteries, pointing out that the dissolution would not help the poor. Was Cranmer changing his mind about his support of Cromwell's policy? Cranmer's biographer, Diarmaid MacCulloch believes so, taking Cranmer's use of the word "religion" as referring to the monasteries. 5
Unfortunately, there
"The concubine, who long ago conspired the death of the said ladies [Catherine and Mary] and thinks of nothing but getting rid of them, is the person who governs everything, and whom the King is unable to contradict."
The King's marriage to her was also a stumbling block to any reconciliation with Rome and to the restoration of Mary. Anne was also pro-French, so if she did have any influence on the King with regards to foreign policy, then that would be the direction she'd be pushing him towards. Cromwell knew that Anne would never agree to Mary being restored; she had her own daughter's interests to look out for.
The King was obsessed with wanting a male heir; he was showing an interest in Jane Seymour; Anne was becoming a pain in the neck as well as a significant threat to Cromwell's foreign policy plans and, perhaps, even to his life. Perhaps it would be better if Anne just disappeared. Nobody knows for sure whether the plot against Anne started with the King or with Thomas Cromwell, but "on the third day of Easter, he [Cromwell] had set himself to arrange the plot (a fantasier et conspirer led. affaire)". 8 It was, as historian Simon Schama says, "pure devilry, a finely measured brew: one part paranoia, one part pornography" 9 - a plot that would see a Queen, four courtiers and a musician brutally executed.
22nd April 1536 – A Strange Letter from Cranmer to Cromwell
On the 22nd April 1536, Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, who had been away from court staying at his country residence, Knole House, wrote the following letter to Thomas Cromwell:
"Alas, Master Secretary, you forget Master Smyth of the Exchequer, who is near consumed with thought and pensiveness: even pity moveth me to rue the man (if I could) for his son's sake chiefly, and also for his own. I would give a great part of that I have to help him; and where I cannot myself, I make all my friends for him: so importune I am upon my friends from my friend his cause, I suppose more than I would be for mine own, or ever was: ruth and importunity of my friend maketh me so vehement against mine own nature. I have sent this bearer only to wait upon you until you have an answer of the King, and to put you in continual remembrance, for much business maketh you to forget many things, and yet I wonder that you remember so many things as you do. I was ever hitherto cold, but now I am in a heat with the cause of religion, which goeth all contrary to mine expectation, if it be as the fame goeth; wherein I would wonder fain break my mind unto you, and if you please, I will come to such place as you shall appoint for the same purpose. Thus He that made you, ever keep you. From Knol, the 22 day of April." 1
The first part of the letter, referring to 'Master Smith', seems quite straightforward. Cranmer is simply reminding Cromwell of Mr Smith. Reverend Henry Jenkyns, the editor of Cranmer's correspondence, thinks this could have been "John Smith, father of the celebrated Sir Thomas Smith who about this time was distinguishing himself by his lectures on Greek at Cambridge." 2 However, the part of about religion seems rather odd. Historian John Schofield 3 puts forward the idea that what it may mean is that Cranmer had heard that Anne Boleyn was going to be set aside and replaced by the Catholic Jane Seymour. He may have feared that the cause of the new religion was under threat, as was his friend, Anne. Perhaps this is a coded message regarding Cranmer's concern and his need to talk to Cromwell urgently about it.
However, Eric Ives 4 believes that Anne Boleyn may have had words with the Archbishop regarding his Lent sermon supporting the dissolution of the monasteries, pointing out that the dissolution would not help the poor. Was Cranmer changing his mind about his support of Cromwell's policy? Cranmer's biographer, Diarmaid MacCulloch believes so, taking Cranmer's use of the word "religion" as referring to the monasteries. 5
Unfortunately, there
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