Eric Ives3 writes of how Brereton was "the dominant royal servant in Cheshire and north Wales" due to his wealth, his royal grants and his father's power in Cheshire. In the mid to late 1520s, he was able to secure the reversion of the stewardship of Longdendale, the position of sergeant of the peace in Bromfield and Yale, the lordship of Chirk, the escheator of the county palatine and ranger of Delamere Forest, keepership of Merseley Park, the post of sheriff of Merioneth and Flint, constable of Chester Castle and steward and controller of Halton – quite a list of offices, and those are just some of them! On his father's death, he was appointed Chamberlain of Chester. When Henry finally separated from Catherine of Aragon, Brereton was made receiver-general in Cheshire and Flint to Catherine, in her new position as Dowager Princess of Wales.4 Ives estimates that Brereton's gross income in the early 1530s was around £1300 a year, a large amount in those days.
In 1529/1530, Brereton married Lady Elizabeth Savage, widow of Sir John Savage of Clifton, Cheshire, and daughter of Charles Somerset, 1st Earl of Worcester, the King's second cousin. Her brother was Henry Somerset who had become the 2nd Earl of Worcester in 1526 on the death of his father. This marriage brought Brereton closer to the King, who trusted Brereton enough in 1531 to give him the job of delivering jewels to Anne Boleyn. He may also have been chosen to be present at the King's secret marriage, to Anne, in January 1533. Brereton's name was also on the list of those who attended Anne's coronation celebrations when Henry VIII dubbed around 50 knights bachelor.
Eric Ives also writes of how Brereton was in charge, helped by Thomas Wriothesley, of riding around the country in 1530 to collect signatures from the "elite of England" on a petition begging the Pope for Henry's divorce. Brereton's friendship with the King is shown also by the fact that he accompanied the King and Anne on many hunting expeditions and the fact that he enjoyed a multitude of royal grants and Crown offices. He was definitely a royal favourite! It was also Brereton who was responsible for giving Anne her famous and treasured greyhound, Urian, who was named after Brereton's brother, another of the King's grooms.
Brereton the Bad Boy
Sir William Brereton actually had a rather colourful reputation. It seems that he used his power and influence for his own gain, just as his father had. George Cavendish, Wolsey's faithful servant and biographer, describes him as someone who persecuted the innocent and who let personal animosity get in the way when he was doing his job. Cavendish gives the example of John ap Griffith Eyton, Brereton's former deputy, who was hanged in 1534. Eyton had accused Brereton of being involved in various offences: the robbery of cattle, the murder of a servant, the release of a monk guilty of treason, the murder of Eyton's uncle (Constable of Chirk) and another relative, and the murder of William Hamner at Bromfield. Brereton denied any involvement in the offences and blamed Eyton for the murder of Hamner. Even though Eyton was acquitted by a London court after complaining to the Star Chamber about Brereton, it is alleged that he was rearrested and imprisoned at Holt Castle in July 1534 and subsequently hanged.
Brereton was not a member of Anne Boleyn's inner circle and it appears that his arrest and execution were more to do with his activities in Wales and his opposition to Cromwell's reforms there. Cromwell was planning further administrative reforms for Wales and did not want any obstacles in his path. He was the perfect fall guy for Cromwell, having already garnered a reputation for corruption. He may have been a corrupt character, but, as Norris's servant, George Constantine said, "yf any of them was innocent, it was he". He was the odd one out.
With Brereton gone, his monopoly in Cheshire and North Wales was also gone. His offices were distributed between a few men – his brother Urian, Sir Piers Dutton, Sir Rees Mauncell and Hugh Starkey5 – so that the power was shared. Cromwell could now have his way in Cheshire and North Wales.
4th May 1536 – Lady Rochford's Letter
Around 4th May 1536, George Boleyn's wife, Jane, Lady Rochford, sent a message of comfort to her husband via Sir William Kingston. The full content of the message is unknown, but Kingston wrote of how Lady Rochford had promised to "humbly [make] suit unto the king's highness" for George. This meant that she was going to petition the King or his council on behalf of her husband. George was understandably comforted by her words and replied that he wanted to "give her thanks".1
There is no record of Jane petitioning the King on behalf of George, but that doesn't mean that she didn't. It is hard to imagine how she was feeling. Her husband, her friend and mistress, and men she knew well had been arrested; and Anne's ladies were being examined. Jane had been at court many years, she had seen people go into the Tower and never come out. She must have been terrified.
Jane Boleyn – History's Scapegoat
In "The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn", Alison Weir writes of how "most sources" concur that the evidence for Anne and George committing incest rested upon the testimony of George's wife, Jane.1 The source she cites for this is the 17th century biographer Edward, Lord Herbert of Cherbury, who described Jane as the 'particular instrument' in the downfalls of Anne and George, and who based his account on eye-witness Anthony Anthony's lost journal. Other sources cited are Eustace Chapuys, the imperial ambassador; an anonymous Portuguese account; the writings of Lancelot de Carles, secretary to the French ambassador, and Jane's execution confession. According to Weir, these all back up the fact that Jane was the woman who gave evidence against the Boleyn siblings out of jealousy and resentment.
This picture of Jane also appears in the novels of Philippa Gregory and in the popular Showtime series, "The Tudors", so it is little wonder that many people hold her responsible for the deaths of George and Anne.
But did Jane betray Anne and George Boleyn?
No, I don't believe so; and I'm not the only one. Historian Julia Fox argues against this fallacy in her book on Jane, "Jane Boleyn: The Infamous Lady Rochford", calling Jane "a scapegoat". In a review of Alison Weir's "The Lady in the Tower, Fox's husband, historian John Guy,2 points out the following:
That Chapuys never named Jane Boleyn as the witness against George and Anne.
That the Portuguese source also did not name Jane, writing of only "that person".
That Lord Herbert of Cherbury was not quoting from Anthony Anthony's lost chronicle but from his own book.
That Jane's execution confession was a forgery and the work of Gregorio Leti, a man know for making up stories and inventing sources.
That Lancelot de Carles was talking about Lady Worcester, not Jane Boleyn.
But what about George Boleyn's own words at his trial? Yes, according to Lancelot de Carles, at his trial, George said:
"On the evidence of only one woman you are willing to believe this great evil of me, and on the basis of her allegations you are deciding my judgement."3
But he doesn't say "On the evidence of my own wife you are willing…", he says "one woman". Since the Crown's main piece of evidence was the Countess of Worcester's conversation with her brother, regarding the Queen's inappropriate relationship George, I believe that George is referring here to the Countess and not to Jane. When George was imprisoned in the Tower of London, Jane wrote to him offering words of comfort.4 Would she have done that if she was a star witness for the prosecution?
We have no concrete evidence that Jane did betray George and Anne or that she was the sort of woman who spied through keyholes and lied, like the Jane of "The Tudors", so I, for one, am not jumping to conclusions and using Jane as a scapegoat.
4th May 1536 Cruelly Handled – Anne Boleyn in the Tower
As I have previously said, Sir William Kingston, the Constable of the Tower of London, was ordered to make regular reports to Thomas Cromwell regarding Anne Boleyn's imprisonment in the Tower. Obviously, Anne could say things that her enemies could use against her. For that reason her ladies in the Tower1 were appointed by Cromwell and ordered not to speak to Anne unless Lady Kingston was present to remember or record what was said.
The la
dies chosen to serve Anne in the Tower were:
Mrs Mary Orchard – Anne's former nurse and the only one who would have been sympathetic to Anne's plight and shown her love.
Mrs Stonor (Margaret or Anne Foliot) – Wife of Sir Walter Stonor, the King's sergeant-at-arms.
Elizabeth Wood, Lady Boleyn – Wife of Thomas Boleyn's younger brother, Sir James Boleyn of Blickling Hall, and therefore Anne's aunt. Although Sir James Boleyn had served Anne as her chancellor, he was a supporter of the Lady Mary.
Lady Anne Shelton – Thomas Boleyn's sister and the mother of Madge Shelton. In her book on Anne Boleyn's fall, Alison Weir puts forward the argument that Lady Shelton may have turned against Anne after her daughter was used by Anne to keep the King happy (as his mistress). Anne had also forced Lady Shelton to treat the Lady Mary cruelly.
Mrs Margaret Coffin (Margaret Dymoke, also referred to as Mrs Cosyns) – Wife of William Coffin, the Queen's Master of the Horse, and a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber. The Coffins were related by marriage to the Boleyns, but Mrs Coffin had been appointed to spy on Anne in the Tower. She was the lady chosen, along with Lady Boleyn, to sleep "on the Quenes palet".2
Mary Scrope, Lady Kingston – Sir William Kingston's wife. She had served Catherine of Aragon and was friends with the Lady Mary.
Anne Boleyn may have had a Queen's household and sumptuous lodgings, but she was still a prisoner and was surrounded by women who had little sympathy for her. No wonder Anne complained to Sir William Kingston, saying:
"I think [much unkindness in the] King to put such about me as I never loved."3
Anne also complained of the treatment she had experienced at Greenwich, when she was arrested:
"Then she began to talk, and said I was cruelly handled a . . . . a Greenwich with the King's council, with my lord of Norfolk, that he said Tut, [tut, tut!], and shaking her head two or three times."4
In her ramblings, Anne also wondered if Henry was testing her:
"But s]he to be a Queen, and cruelly handled as was never seen; but I th[ink the King d]oes it to prove me;"5
and hoped that her bishops would speak up for her and the country pray for her:
"then she said I would to God I had my bishops, for they would all go to the King for me, for I think the most part of England prays for me and if I died you shall see the greatest punishment for me within these seven years that ever came to England."6
After pondering this, she then talked of her death, the good deeds she had done in her life and the cruelty of the King who had surrounded her with enemies in the Tower:
"And the[n, she said, shall I be in Heaven, for] I have done many good deeds in my days, but I think ]much unkindness in the] King to put such about me as I never loved... I would have had of my own privy chamber which I favour most."7
In another letter, Kingston reported that Anne wanted him to bear a letter from her to Cromwell which stated that it would not rain until she was delivered out of the Tower.8 John Strype commented that Anne was "thinking probably that God (who takes care of innocency) would vindicate her by giving or withholding the clouds of heaven."9 Anne's ramblings show her fear, her panic and hysteria, but they also show her trying to hold on to some hope and faith. She was hoping that the King was simply testing her, and she was trying to reassure herself that at least she had a place in Heaven if things continued to go wrong. Poor Anne.
5th May 1536 – Sir Thomas Wyatt, Sir Richard Page and Sir Francis Bryan
By 5th May 1536, two further arrests had taken place: courtier and poet Sir Thomas Wyatt, and Sir Richard Page, a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber and a former favourite of Thomas Cromwell. There were now seven men in the Tower of London.
The Spanish Chronicle records Wyatt being apprehended at the May Day joust, although no other source backs up this date:
"It seems that the King sent Cromwell to tell him to have Wyatt fetched in order to examine him. When they arrived in London Cromwell took Master Wyatt apart, and said to him, "Master Wyatt, you well know the great love I have always borne you, and I must tell you that it would cut me to the heart if you were guilty in the matter of which I wish to speak." Then he told him all that had passed; and Master Wyatt was astounded, and replied with great spirit, "Sir Secretary, by the faith I owe to God and my King and lord, I have no reason to distrust, for I have not wronged him even in thought. The King well knows what I told him before he was married." Then Cromwell told him he would have to go to the Tower, but he would promise to stand by his friend, to which Wyatt answered, "I will go willingly, for as I am stainless I have nothing to fear." He went out with Richard Cromwell, and nobody suspected that he was a prisoner, and when he arrived at the Tower Richard said to the captain of the Tower, "Sir Captain, Secretary Cromwell send to beg you to do all honour to Master Wyatt." So the captain put him into a chamber over the door…"1
In Letters and Papers, there is a letter from Wyatt's father, Sir Henry Wyatt, to Cromwell in which he writes that he:
"Received his letter on the 10th, and thanks him for the comfortable articles therein touching his son Thomas and himself. Asks Cromwell when it shall be the King's pleasure to deliver him, to show him "that this punishment that he hath for this matter is more for the displeasure that he hath done to God otherwise," and to admonish him to fly vice and serve God better. Alington, 11 May."2
This shows that Cromwell had written to Sir Henry regarding his son and had offered him some comfort. Sir Henry is obviously grateful for that but is worried that his son's moral conduct would be his undoing. This was not to be the case. Sir Thomas Wyatt was not mentioned in the Middlesex or Kent indictments and was not tried with Weston, Norris, Brereton and Smeaton on 12th May. In a letter written on the 12th May to Lord Lisle, Hussey writes:
"Mr. Payge and Mr. W[y]at are in the Tower, but it is thought without danger of life."3
Hussey changes his mind in his next letter to Lord Lisle on 13th May, where he says that
"This day, some say, young Weston shall scape, and some that none shall die but the Queen and her brother; others, that Wyat and Mr. Payge are as like to suffer as the others."4
Thomas Cromwell wrote to Sir Henry Wyatt on 11th June reassuring him that his son was going to be released and there is a reply in Letters and Papers from Sir Henry Wyatt, on 14th June, saying that:
"On the receipt of Cromwell's letters declaring the King's pleasure, and his favorable warnings to his son to address himself better than his wit can consider, sent for him and commanded his obedience in all points to the King's pleasure, and the leaving of such slanderous fashion as hath engendered unto him the displeasure of God and of his master. Found it not now to do in him, but already done. Has charged him to follow Cromwell's commandments, and repute him as his father. Assured him that if he had not this sure printed in his heart, he would refuse him for his son. Begs Cromwell to continue the same to him, and he will not find it evil employed. Alington, 14 June."5
It seems that Cromwell had advised Sir Henry to speak to his son and warn him to mend his ways and here Sir Henry Wyatt confirms that he has followed Cromwell's orders. His son had escaped death by the skin of his teeth and Sir Henry was not going to let him forget it!
Sir Thomas Wyatt would have been the perfect scapegoat or fall guy in this coup, yet he escaped to live another day (or another six years!). It would have been easy for Cromwell or the King to frame him for adultery or to claim that Anne had not been a virgin when she married the King because she had already slept with Wyatt. So, why was Wyatt not a major part of the coup? How did he escape?
It is likely that his escape was mostly down to Cromwell, who had close ties with the Wyatt family. However, he would not have been able to secure Wyatt's release without the King's blessing. It appears that the King saw Wyatt as innocent, as someone who had not had much to do with Anne since he (Wyatt) had given up on her and let the King have her. Wyatt had distanced himself from Anne Boleyn and it looks like this saved him.
Sir Francis Bry
an Questioned
Also around the 5th May 1536, the courtier and diplomat Sir Francis Bryan, 'christened' the "Vicar of Hell"6 by Thomas Cromwell, was ordered to London for questioning. This was an interesting move because Bryan, although related to Queen Anne Boleyn and having benefited from her patronage in the past, was no friend of the Queen and was very good friends with Sir Nicholas Carew, the man said to be coaching the Lady Jane Seymour. Bryan was questioned, but not arrested.
Sir Thomas Wyatt
Sir Thomas Wyatt was born in 1503 at Allington Castle, Kent. His father, Henry Wyatt, was a Lancastrian who had been imprisoned during Richard III's reign. He was released on the accession of Henry VII, who rewarded him with many grants and titles. Wyatt's mother was Anne Skinner, daughter of John Skinner of Reigate, a woman famed for her hospitality. Henry Wyatt became a Privy Councillor under Henry VII and acted as an executor for the King's will on his death in 1509. He went on to serve the new king, Henry VIII and was made a Knight of the Bath at his coronation in June 1509.
Little is known of Thomas Wyatt's childhood, apart from the story of the lion. It is said that Wyatt, or his father, was raising a lion cub as a pet when it turned on Sir Henry as he entered Allington and knocked him to the ground. Thomas Wyatt had the presence of mind to grab his rapier and run it through the lion's heart. When Henry VIII heard of this story, he commented "Oh, he will tame lions".1
In 1516, Wyatt, along with his friend Thomas Poynings, served as a sewer extraordinary at Princess Mary's christening. Later that year he was sent to St John's College, Cambridge, which was known for Humanism. In 1520, Wyatt married Elizabeth Brooke, the daughter of Lord Cobham, and the couple had a son, Thomas Wyatt the Younger, in 1521. The Duke of Norfolk stood as a godfather at the baby's christening.
The Fall of Anne Boleyn: A Countdown Page 10
