Anne of Cleves- Unbeloved

by D Lawrence-Young

  This last remark was followed by a round of laughter and smiles before the king raised his hand showing that he had not yet completed his speech.

  “If, indeed, she is either sent home or remains here within the boundaries of our realm, we must be sure that her brother, the duke, will not cause us any problems knowing that he will receive no support from the Holy Roman Emperor. This is excellent as we do not wish to waste any of our country’s money on a foolish war; a war fought for the honour of a woman. If you remember your Classics, my lords, when the ancient Greeks fought for the honour of Helen of Troy, then the results were most unsatisfactory, especially for the Trojans. So therefore, my lords, what are your suggestions on how to conclude this sad affair?”

  Since the king’s advisors had already discussed the situation before the meeting, it did not take them long to reach their discussion. Three hours later, the Earl of Rutland found himself facing a nervous queen telling her about the Council’s decision.

  “Your Majesty,” he started after assuring her that she would not be imprisoned or executed. “This is what has been decided. We hope you will agree to the terms of this settlement because both His Majesty and the lords think that they are very generous and beneficent.”

  “Beneficent? For whom?”

  Rutland smiled. “For you both, Your Majesty. Both for you and His Majesty.”

  Anne did not look convinced but indicated that her chamberlain should continue with his report.

  “First of all, Your Majesty, you will be granted four thousand pounds…”

  “Is that all?”

  “Yes, Your Majesty, not four thousand pounds in total but four thousand pounds per year. In addition, you’ll be given the manor here at Richmond and also another at Bletchingley.”

  “Excuse me, my lord, but where is this Bletchingley?” Anne asked, thinking of how Catherine of Aragon had been sent far away from court.

  “It’s a manor in Surrey, Your Majesty, not too many miles away from here.”

  “And is it a nice place or is it an old castle?”

  “I’ve never been there, Your Majesty, but I was told that it’s a pleasant place and fit for one of your rank. Do you wish to know anything else?”

  “So that is what I am to receive: two manors and four thousand pounds a year?”

  “Oh, no, Your Majesty, there is much more.” He pulled out a piece of paper from his pouch and, after scanning it, told the queen that the king had also decided to grant her Hever Castle.

  “Hever Castle? Wasn’t that the castle owned by the king’s second wife’s family, the Boleyns?”

  “Yes, Your Majesty, but when her father died a few years ago it became the property of the king. Now he wishes to give it to you.”

  Anne considered what Rutland had told her. Three pieces of property and a very good annual allowance. It was certainly more than what she had thought she would receive. And not only that, but the manors and castle were not too far away from London. Maybe in time she would be allowed to visit the court and the capital city. She looked at Rutland.

  “Ah yes, I nearly forgot to tell you,” he continued. “The manors in question are very profitable and each one makes over five hundred pounds per year. This, His Majesty has decided is money that will remain in your hands. His Majesty neither wants nor needs it.”

  “Please tell His Majesty that he has been very generous with me. Be sure to tell him that I appreciate this.”

  Rutland bowed. “I most certainly will. I’m sure he’ll be very pleased to hear that. And His Majesty said that you may also keep your two favourite ladies from Cleves here in England: mistresses, Gertrude and Katherine.”

  Anne clapped her hands and her face lit up. “Oh, I am happy. I was thinking that I would have to send them back home and I know they would not like that. They love serving me and they have grown to like the English ways, especially Katherine. She really loves her new style of clothes, you know, the gowns and the French headdresses. She’s like me. Gertrude is not so keen on them but she enjoys living here and is working hard to improve her English. Oh, that is good news, my lord.”

  “There is still a little more, Your Majesty.”

  “More?”

  “Yes, Your Majesty. The king also told me to inform you that you may also keep your personal cook, Schoulenburg, the one you brought over from Cleves with you.”

  Anne clapped her hands again with joy and her eyes sparkled. “Oh, good, then she won’t have to teach Gertrude how to make those kleine Kuchen and Gebäck, those little cakes and pastries that His Majesty and I love so much. Hmm, I’ll even be able to send some over to him in the future,”

  “Certainly, Your Majesty. But before I go, there is one last thing I was told to tell you.”

  What? More? Anne thought. What more could the king give her? He had given her money and property, allowed her to keep her three favourite servants, what more could there be? Ah, but perhaps she would receive all of this only on condition that she fulfilled certain conditions that her chamberlain was about to tell her.

  “Yes, my lord,” she asked quietly. “What else does His Majesty want?”

  Rutland bowed. “It’s very simple, Your Majesty. From now on the king has declared that if you agree to the above conditions, you will officially be known as the King’s Sister.”

  Anne knitted her brows. She had never heard of this title. She knew that His Majesty had two sisters who were alive, but what was the meaning of this new title, The King’s Sister – Die Schwester der Königen?

  She turned to face the earl. “My lord, “I’ve never heard of this title before. I know that His Majesty has two sisters. There is the older one is, Margaret, who was married to King James the Fifth of Scotland and who is now married to Lord Methven, and there is his younger sister, Mary, who was married to King Louis the Twelfth of France and is now married to the king’s brother-in-law, the Duke of Suffolk. So how can I become the king’s sister? What does this mean?”

  “This is an honorary title, Your Majesty. As the King’s Sister, you will have precedence over all the other ladies at court, that is, apart from a new queen, if His Majesty decides to marry again and of course, as well as the two princesses, Mary and Elizabeth. And the king instructed me that I must tell you that there will always be a place reserved for you at court.”

  Anne was silent as she absorbed this new information. Things were getting better and better, far better in fact than she had ever imagined. And just as she was thinking about this, she heard the earl give a quiet cough.

  “Excuse me, Your Majesty, I have some more good news for you.”

  “More?”

  “Yes, Your Majesty. The settlement that I’ve just told you about will also allow you to keep all of your furnishings and your plate.”

  Anne felt she had to sit down. Her head was swimming with all this unexpected news. She could hardly believe what Rutland was telling her, and just as she was trying to absorb all this she heard her chamberlain tapping quietly on the table to gain her attention. She looked up.

  “And there is even more, Your Majesty. The king said that since he does not wish to see you come to court in future poorly dressed and looking like a beggar, he and the Council have decided that you may keep all of your gowns, pearls and other jewels.”

  Anne could hardly believe her ears. Not only was she not about to be cast out from court, poor and isolated, but now she would have more personal wealth, property and jewellery than she had ever owned in her life. And not only that, but she would be allowed to stay in England, keep her servants, be permitted to come to court and also be known as the King’s Sister. Just as she was thinking of how her life had changed, she heard her chamberlain’s gentle voice again.

  “And, Your Majesty, if I may play with words, to crown it all, His Majesty in his generosity has asked me to give you this gift of five hundred marks.” And saying this, he took a leather pouch from his satchel and bowing down, he handed it over to the newly-created King’s Sister
.

  “My lord,” Anne said at length. “You and His Majesty have been most kind and generous to me. Please give me a day to consider all that you have told me and discuss it with my ladies. Please remember, this document is in a foreign language for me and so I’ll have to read it very carefully and have it translated by one of my ladies from Cleves. After that, if everything is as you say it is, I’ll give you my answer tomorrow. Is that acceptable?”

  Rutland bowed and saying he would forward the queen’s message to the king, he left for Greenwich. He sensed that the queen would agree to the terms of the settlement and that the king’s second divorce would proceed much faster and more smoothly than the previous one – the infamous ‘king’s matter’ concerning Anne Boleyn – which had caused a storm throughout the kingdom some thirteen years earlier.

  Chapter Seventeen - The Annulment Finalised

  Anne was as good as her word. Later that day after consulting her ladies and using them to help her with her English, she informed the king that she formally acknowledged the dissolution of her marriage. After writing that she had put her faith in God and loved and trusted the king, she added:

  So now being ascertained how the same clergy have given their judgement and

  sentence, I acknowledge hereby to accept and approve the same wholly and

  entirely putting myself , for my state and condition , to your highness’ goodness and pleasure; most humbly beseeching Your Majesty that, though it be determined the pretended matrimony between us is void and is of none effect, whereby I neither can nor will repute myself your Grace’s wife.

  She finished off saying, that she was still his humble servant and thanked His Majesty for taking her to be his sister. She signed it, ‘Your Majesty’s humble sister and servant, Anne, the daughter of Cleves’ as a way of confirming her new status at court.

  As fast as the king’s couriers could ride and as fast as his oarsmen could row the royal barge eastward along the Thames, Anne’s letter of confirmation arrived at Greenwich in record time.

  The speedy reply and positive tone of Anne’s letter surprised the king. Does she wish to divorce me, Henry the Eighth, the King of England, so quickly? he thought after he had read it. And for a moment, his inflated ego and the image of himself as the handsome and powerful ruler was seriously punctured. But just then, a sharp stab of pain from his infected leg reminded him of his age and infirmity. But then, he thought, I now have the pretty Catherine Howard. She is far more enticing than Lady Anne. However, despite his thoughts about his latest mistress, Henry began his reply to Anne’s letter, ‘Right dear and right entirely beloved sister’

  We take your wise and honourable proceedings therein in most thankful part,

  as it is done in respect of God and His trust, and, continuing your conformity,

  you shall find in us a perfect friend, content to repute you as our dearest

  sister.

  He then confirmed the conditions of the agreement and that his parliament would also agree with all the details concerning the divorce.

  After receiving this, Anne felt that it would be her duty, and in her best interests, to write to her brother in Cleves explaining to him what had happened to her over the past three months.

  “But how shall I tell him?” she asked Lady Rutland. “The last time he saw me was about eight months ago when I left Cleves to become the Queen of England. Now I’ll have to tell him that my marriage has been annulled but that I wish to remain here in England. If I don’t, I won’t be able to receive the manors in Richmond, Bletchingly and Hever.”

  Nevertheless and again helped by her ladies, she wrote to her brother, addressing him as ‘My dear and well-beloved brother’ before telling him about ‘the matter of marriage between His Majesty and me.’ She told him about the divorce and then informed him ‘that my body remaineth in the integrity which I brought it into this realm’ and that His Majesty was to ‘adopt me for his sister.’

  After penning the above, Anne returned her wedding ring to the king. “Please give this to His Majesty,” she instructed the king’s messenger. “I believe it is to be broken up as a ring as it means nothing and now has no value.”

  That evening as she was sitting in the palace gardens in Richmond discussing her affairs with her ladies, Sir Anthony Brown appeared. He made his way over the lawn to the small group of ladies and bowed to Anne.

  Anne smiled. “Sir Anthony, there is no need to bow down in front of me any longer. I am no longer your queen.”

  “I know that, Your Maj… er, milady, but you are the king’s sister.”

  “Very true. I must get used to my new title and position. I must say, it is very strange that - within less than one year - I’ve been the sister to the Duke of Cleves, the Queen of England and now I am a sister to the King of England.” She smiled to herself for a moment and then asked Sir Anthony why he had come to see her.

  “I’ve come to tell you that today your marriage to the king was formally annulled by a special Act of Parliament and that the king’s Privy Council petitioned His Majesty to remarry.”

  “To Catherine Howard?”

  Sir Anthony said nothing. Instead he pulled a small piece of parchment out of his pouch. “Milady,” he began, and then stopped. “Allow me to read you the words that are written here. Here, the Privy Council petitioned His Majesty to

  frame his most noble heart to the love and favour of some noble

  personage to be joined with him in lawful matrimony, by whom His

  Majesty might have more store of fruit and succession to the comfort

  of his realm.

  “Ach so, but it doesn’t say that this woman is to be Catherine Howard, does it?

  “No, milady, but I’m sure that that is the king’s intention. Isn’t that the case?” Lady Browne asked her husband.

  Sir Anthony was more diplomatic and was unwilling to commit himself with words. He merely nodded in agreement. The king’s infatuation with the young woman was no secret. How could it be when he was known to take the royal barge to her Lambeth home most nights, and that when she was with him in the palace he would allow her to caress him in front of all the court while he stroked her hair, neck and back in return?

  Then Sir Anthony faced Anne again. “Milady, there is one more thing you must do in order to complete the annulment. In a few days, Sir Thomas Wriothesley, the Clerk of the Signet, will come here to disband your household. He’ll arrange for you to change your servants for new ones who will be approved by the Privy Council.”

  Anne nodded and asked if she would have to give up all of her servants apart from those she knew about.

  “No, milady, only those whose names are written on this list.”

  Anne was not looking forward to this but realised that she had no choice. Her servants had been good to her but now most of them would have to leave and return to their former service at Greenwich Palace. There, she thought, they’ll probably have to serve the king’s fifth wife, Mistress Catherine Howard.

  Two days later, and aided by the king’s advisors Anne, with mixed feelings completed the letter to her brother describing everything that had happened to her. Then a copy of this was made and sent to the suspicious king who thought that maybe his divorced wife had accepted the divorce so quickly because she had a far more devious plan in mind. When Henry read his copy of the letter, he saw that his fears had been completely unfounded and that there would be no international repercussions as a result of the new situation.

  That night the king showed his copy of the letter to Sir Thomas Wriothesley.

  “Just look at this. Do you realise what it means? It means that I have my divorce and the whole affair took less than one week to complete. Now compare that to the struggle I had with my first wife or with the problems I had with Anne Boleyn. One week with this Anne of Cleves. That’s all. No fuss, no feminine tantrums and no blood. And now I’m a free man and can do what I want. Do you understand what that means?”

  Both men n
odded. They both knew that what His Majesty wanted, His Majesty usually obtained. And in this case it was a young woman called Catherine Howard.

  “Here, Sir Thomas, have some of this spiced wine. It’s very good. Come on, drink up. We have some exciting times ahead.”

  The same night while the king was celebrating his luck with Sir Thomas Wriothesley, two other devious men were also sitting down, drinking and discussing the affairs of state or, rather, affairs of the heart. His Majesty’s heart. They were Thomas Howard, the Duke of Norfolk, and Stephen Gardiner, the Bishop of Winchester.

  “Here, please sit here,” the duke said, indicating an intricately carved wooden chair. “I’ve instructed my servants that we’re not to be disturbed for the next two hours, that is, unless war breaks out or the mobs start rioting again.”

  Gardiner smiled his peculiarly crooked smile. This is how he liked his meetings - with as few people present as possible, and only those who were truly involved in any business that he was trying to bring to fruition.

  “And now,” Norfolk continued, “may I offer you a glass of this fine Madeira. It is excellent and was first recommended to me by His Majesty last week.”

  The bishop drew his cassock about him and sat down before leaning towards his host on the other side of the table.