Had the Queen Lived:

by Raven A. Nuckols

  By mid-summer, July of 1534, an estimated 7,300 people had sworn the oath, agreeing that the King was the Supreme Head of the English Church, and to the Act of Supremacy and the Act of Succession. Out of all of the subjects of whom the oath was demanded, only two high ranking persons blatantly refused to swear to the Act of Supremacy. They were Sir Thomas More and Bishop Fisher.

  1.7 Martyrs: Sir Thomas More and Bishop Fisher

  Sir Thomas More was a statesman, lawyer, philosopher, author, and prominent political figure at the English court. After the death of Cardinal Wolsey in 1530, More had replaced him briefly as Lord Chancellor. Bishop Fisher served as Queen Katherine’s legal counsel at the Blackfriars Trial. Both men served in positions of honor and distinction and had earned the respect of most of the court, and the people both at home and abroad. They were also loyal to their faith and put fidelity to their beliefs above secular matters.

  On April 13th, 1534, Bishop Fisher refused to swear the newly legislated oath, while More refused only the Act of Supremacy, claiming to have no issue with the Act of Succession. Mores’ conscience would not let him swear that the King was head of the church; he felt it would damn his soul for all eternity. While he held no fault to other men who had done so and even understood why they did, he could not and would not change his position on the matter. There was nothing in the King’s behavior while More had served him that would make More fear that the King might put him to death. Rather, Henry had told More that he should look to God first, then to his King; however, when the time came for More to make that choice, Henry could not handle being second to Rome in matters of faith. More was sent to the Tower on April 17th. He was a model prisoner and even allowed to have his family visit him. Winning the renowned dissidents’ compliance with the oath would have been a most dramatic way of quelling further opposition and demonstrating to the public that all should simply accept the new order. Alternatively, if they would not break to the King’s will, their severe punishment would also inspire compliance.

  Bishop Fisher was released in order to be given the opportunity to once more swear to the Oath of Supremacy and the Oath of Succession; he swore to neither. Therefore, on April 26th, 1534, Fisher was sent to the Tower on charges of treason for refusing the oath. Additional evidence was needed for this charge, and so a hired hand of Cromwell, Sir Richard Rich, was sent to interrogate and trap both More and Fisher. Rich was a highly respected, yet manipulative Solicitor General and also the head prosecutor for the crown. Disguising his intent by playing at innocent conversation he coaxed Fisher to say that the King was not, and could never be, Supreme Head of the Church. Before his trial, Fisher was removed from his diocese and declared a commoner.

  The results of Fisher’s subsequent trial were a foregone conclusion. When the Pope heard of Fisher’s imprisonment in May 1535, he elevated the loyal Bishop to Cardinal, in hopes of inspiring leniency, but Henry reportedly refused to allow delivery to the Tower of Fisher’s red cardinal’s hat, and said that he would send Fisher’s head to Rome instead. Fisher was found guilty of the charges against him June 17th, 1535, at Westminster Hall. Although his conviction for treason merited a brutal sentence including disembowelment, hanging, drawing and quartering, the King reduced it to a quicker, more merciful beheading on June 23rd; it was the only leniency Henry would grant.

  The people of London were angry at the King for sentencing Fisher to die. The upcoming holiday celebrating St. John the Baptist had the public considering how much Fisher was being treated like the beheaded saint. Making Fisher a martyr was the last thing Henry wanted to accomplish, but neither would he accept second place to the Pope within his own Kingdom.

  Having resigned himself to his death and made his peace with God, Cardinal Fisher was beheaded at Tower Hill on June 22nd, 1535. His body lay on the executioner’s block for nearly ten hours before a groundskeeper took it away for soldiers to bury in a makeshift grave. Fisher’s head was placed on a post overlooking London Bridge. Centuries later, on May 19th, 1935, Pope Pius XI would canonize Fisher as a saint for his sacrifice for the Church; he would share that honor, on that same day, with his ally Sir Thomas More.

  Cromwell had visited More twice during his imprisonment in the Tower, once in April, and again on June 3rd, to persuade him to either accept the oath or confess, both efforts were to no avail. More’s answer in April, as described by witnesses, remains dramatized and known today: “I did none harm, I say none harm, and I think none harm. If this be not enough to keep a man alive then I long not to live.” He told the minister that he debated neither the King’s nor Pope’s titles and was the King’s true subject. During the second visit, Cromwell brought Archbishop Cranmer, but Mores’ conscience would not permit him to swear that the King of England was the head of the English Church.

  When that tactic did not work, Cromwell again sought out the services of Sir Richard Rich to collect evidence from More. Rich arrived at the Tower on June 12th to obtain a confession by means of the same ruse he had used on Bishop Fisher, but More was far too clever to make an outright confession. Instead, Rich probably contrived the evidence against More. Rich falsely reported to his masters that More had confessed and even alleged statements which More denied having made. Rich’s purportedly false testimony was all that was needed to find More guilty.

  The trial was held at Westminster Hall on July 1st, 1535. Everyone knew the King wanted More’s blood, and More responded to the show trial by announcing that he hoped God would send the King good counsel, a direct and public slight at Cromwell. He was found guilty and sentenced to die, and again the King commuted the harsh sentence for treason to a more mercifully quick beheading on July 6th, 1535 at Tower Hill. More’s head replaced Fisher’s on a post overlooking London, for all to see as a visible reminder of the penalty for disobedience. More’s body was buried in St. Peter ad Vincula Church within the Tower of London.

  In time, Henry would come to repent More’s death. He had been a cherished friend and perhaps one of the only true councilors the King ever had. More’s family assets and home were stripped from them and they were downgraded in society, reduced to living as peasants just a short while after his death. Henry, on the other hand, despite his sorrow and sense of loss at More’s death, would not allow himself to accept responsibility for the execution. The King would continue to blame More for his stubbornness in not recognizing Henry’s rightful authority, as a subject should. Nevertheless, More’s death haunted Henry the rest of his life.

  Chapter 2

  A New World Begins

  Winter of 1536 proved very harsh. Most of the land to the north was covered in snow. Servants of the crown struggled to keep a continuous amount of wood for the fireplaces of the enormous lodgings of the court. The rivers froze over and trade routes were often quite difficult to get supplies through. Despite the hardships, the court kept busy playing indoor games such as tennis and cards, gossiping, dancing and having lavish feasts to pass the time.

  In December of 1535 Katherine made her will, realizing her end was approaching and that she would meet her maker soon. Her attendants helped her sign her name and write a final letter to Henry.

  “My most dear lord, King and husband, The hour of my death now drawing on, the tender love I ouge [owe] thou forceth me, my case being such, to commend myselv to thou, and to put thou in remembrance with a few words of the healthe and safeguard of thine allm [soul] which thou ougte to preferce before all worldley matters, and before the care and pampering of thy body, for the which thoust have cast me into many calamities and thineselv into many troubles. For my part, I pardon thou everything, and I desire to devoutly pray God that He will pardon thou also. For the rest, I commend unto thou our doughtere Mary, beseeching thou to be a good father unto her, as I have heretofore desired. I entreat thou also, on behalve of my maides, to give them marriage portions, which is not much, they being but three. For all mine other servants I solicit the wages due them, and
a year more, lest they be unprovided for. Lastly, I makest this vouge [vow], that mine eyes desire thou aboufe all things.—Katharine the Quene.”

  Katherine died January 7th, 1536, around two in the afternoon at Kimbolton Castle. Autopsies were not typically performed on a Queen out of religious observances; however, in Katherine’s case, an exception was made. Her heart had blackened in her illness. Anne was immediately blamed for causing her death through poisoning, a common explanation at the time for all causes not well understood. This alleged poisoning on Anne’s part could not have happened; Anne had ladies-in-waiting surrounding her constantly and had not even seen Katherine since she served under her nearly five years before.

  Regardless, because of Anne’s reputation, she was blamed anyway. Katherine’s final attendants reported that she confined herself to one room within the spacious castle, perhaps for her better comfort. She had complained often of stomach pain and had difficulty keeping any food down. It most likely would have been difficult for her to eat anyway; from her symptoms it appears Queen Katherine died of heart disease, which restricts the muscles pumping blood into the heart and makes basic functions like breathing far more painful and difficult. These symptoms could have been caused by blood leaking from her heart into her gastrointestinal track. Since medicine was still very much in its infancy, it is difficult with absolute certainty to say how long the Queen had been suffering from her ailments. Katherine, whom the King had rejected, betrayed, and ultimately discarded, had died a frail, lonely, sick woman, in a ruined castle.

  Upon hearing the news of Katherine’s death, Anne and her supporters rejoiced. Henry on the other hand was initially genuinely stricken over his former Queen’s death, at least for a brief while. A groom of the Privy Chamber delivered Katherine’s will to him around 11 P.M. the evening of her death. Before getting ready for bed, he read it with a stoic expression, and as he read, slowly, a single tear had formed and fallen down his cheek. Never one to fret too long over a bad situation, he crumpled up the letter and threw it across the room.

  The following day he changed his attitude as he realized that, with Katherine’s removal, the constant looming threat of war with Spain had been eliminated. Although Katherine had been estranged from her husband and died as technically only a Dowager Princess, she was allowed to be buried at Peterborough Cathedral bearing her crest with the full rights and honors befitting her station. No other public ceremony was performed marking her death and her allies mourned in private, out of fear of reprisals should they do so openly.

  The next several days were devoted to preparing for a celebration festival. Anne was at last the only and rightful Queen of England. She had made her place at court and she and Henry believed that it could no longer be disputed, debated, or threatened by her enemies; at least for a while. That would not stop the rest of Europe from proclaiming her Henry’s “official mistress” instead of Queen, and declaring the Princess Elizabeth a bastard. The Lord and Viscount Rochford (her father and brother, respectively) visited the Queen in her chambers at Greenwich, toasting to their security. For a time at least, Anne had nearly every reason to feel secure for herself and her heir.

  Henry could also rejoice. With Katherine’s death there remained a possibility that could potentially re-open diplomatic relations and trading with the Holy Roman Emperor (Charles V, King of Spain), at least after sufficient mourning time had passed. This was essential to trade and keeping peace in Europe. Henry ordered Cromwell to orchestrate a joust, followed by a magnificent banquet and a dancing reception, inviting the nobility and all of the heads of Europe, minus Spain, naturally. The invitation to the Vatican was in especially ill taste and was Anne’s idea entirely.

  The event took place on January 24th, 1536, at Greenwich. At the time it was said that the Spanish color of mourning was yellow, and during these engagements the Queen wore it proudly, supposedly out of respect for Katherine; however, no conclusive research can confirm this. Yellow during this period did mean God’s light, but it also was worn by both common and political prisoners in Spain about to be executed. Black was the traditional color of mourning, but Anne wanted to prove a point that a new dynasty had finally begun with Katherine officially out of the picture and that point was made loud and clear. When Spanish Queens and the nobility mourned it was in the traditional color black, not yellow. This choice of color, regardless of the purported reason, was distasteful, even for Anne, but certainly understandable under the circumstances. Anne was finally the only true Queen and was reveling in it.

  Nevertheless, Henry and Anne had no reason to be downcast. Their celebration made it plain to all in attendance that Anne’s station could no longer be questioned. The festival was a marvelous affair. At one point during the ceremony, Henry gathered everyone’s attention and announced that the Queen was with child, receiving thunderous applause. The couple embraced and kissed, and Henry asked for everyone who had a drink to cheer to his future (presumptive) son. Contemporary witnesses remarked it was more like a wedding reception than a funeral acknowledgement. The nobility was brought out in splendor. Invitations from the King and Queen were not merely requests one could choose to shake off; despite many of the nobility’s personal feelings towards the Queen.

  Anne attended the initial festival but retired back to her chambers before the jousting tournament began later that day. At the time she was around four months pregnant and it was believed in her time that too much activity could potentially upset the unborn child. Many courtiers in attendance were still loyal followers of Katherine’s, genuinely grieving at the Queen’s passing. They begrudgingly appeared at this festival to show allegiance and good faith to Henry, and possibly not to risk their own heads by their refusal to attend. The three-year old Princess Elizabeth was brought from Hatfield by her Governess, Lady Salisbury, to be shown off to the court and spoiled in loving affection from her parents. The jousting tournament was held at three in the afternoon with the top nobles of the day scheduled to perform. Before the performance Anne retired back to the palace so she and her ladies-in-waiting could retire to her chambers and read by the fire to pass the time.

  The King himself was prepared to ride this day and had his stablemen, tailors and armory prepare the necessary materials for the occasion. Among the competitors, he was to joust his long time friend, close companion and former brother-in-law, Charles Brandon. Brandon had married the King’s sister Mary behind his back in March 1515. Unfortunately Mary Tudor died in 1533 and later that same year Charles married Catherine Willoughby, his ward. Despite this betrayal, the friendship was repaired after the Boleyn faction had ousted Cardinal Wolsey, and Brandon had regained the King’s good graces for his part in the affair. While the day may have been cold and jousting in January seems an odd affair, due to the cold weather, the crowds and court withstood the cool temperatures to see the magnificent display the King had prepared. The royal badge of an intertwined H and A appeared on fine gold cloth hanging all around the stands. Court servants passed out free snacks of turkey legs and nuts to the crowd, along with free ale as they watched the proceedings get underway. Jousting was just as much about entertainment as it was public relations, and it was vital to reinforce the monarchy and for Henry to boost his own ego by showing his realm that he was excelling in all his glory.

  2.1 The Duke Has Fallen!

  Henry and Brandon got into position with their lances drawn towards one another, awaiting the call from the referee to charge. Lances drawn, armor on, and cheering fans waiting, the two set off towards one another, barely able to see through the small slits left in their helmets for their eyes. The cold winds that blew that day had been heavy, and the participants had been warned that a strong enough gust could play a factor.

  As the call was shouted, a huge burst of wind spooked Charles’ horse, causing it to buck wildly and throw Brandon nearly fifty feet into the waiting stands. A shocked crowd watched on as the King immediately halted his horse, yell
ing for help for his friend. Witnesses reported the crowd letting out a loud gasp followed by silence with very few whispers. Catherine Brandon was present and immediately began crying hysterically and yelling her husband’s name, although it was custom for women to let the men handle these situations. Physicians and groomsmen rushed to the Duke’s side to check his condition before Henry could dismount and fully realize what had happened.

  A scared Henry ordered his personal physicians to move Charles carefully into one of the preparing tents to treat him. The physicians were not optimistic. Charles had lost a significant amount of blood and his right shoulder was severely wounded with pieces of wood stuck in his flesh. These pieces, presumably broken off from the makeshift stand, had gotten in the wound. Had they not been removed as carefully, quickly and delicately as possible, they would have likely allowed infection to set in, leading perhaps to sepsis, a deadly form of prolonged infection that often leads to death.

  The King’s own personal physician, Dr. William Butts, was on hand that day to oversee the tournament. He carefully extracted each piece of wood from Brandon’s shoulder. Brandon felt none of it; when he hit his head it immediately sent him into a temporary coma lasting several hours. From how he landed he suffered massive head trauma leaving him with a large gash on the right side of his head that bled for hours, according to physicians’ aides. The aides were able to stop the bleeding, but it would be no telling how long Brandon may be unconscious for. Four hours into the coma, the King told his groom to have Cromwell prepare papers for passing his estate and jointure to his wife Catherine should he not survive.