Tudor Books, Wriothesley's Chronicle 1536

7th January 1536. This yeare, the morrowe after twelve daie being Fridaie and the 7th daie of Januarie^b, 1536 the honorable and noble Princes, Queene Katherin (age 50), former wife to King Henrie the VIII (age 44), departed from her worldlie lief at Bugden [Map], in Huntingdonshire, about tenne of the clocke at night^b, and...

Note. Stow and Hall, with other authorities, state that Queen Katharine died on the 8th Jannary, but the correctness of our text as to the day is placed beyond a doubt by the original letter of Sir Edward Chamberleyn (age 52) and Sir Edmund Bedyngfeld (age 57) transmitting this intelligence to Cromwell (age 51), still extant in the Public Record Office, and which runs thus:

"Pleaseth yt yower honorable Maystershipp to be advertysed, that this 7th day of January, abowt 10 of the clock before none, the Lady Dowager was aneled with the Holy Oyntment, Mayster Chamberlein and I called to the same; and before 2 of the clock at aftenone she departed to God. Besechyng yow that the Kyng may be advertyscd of the same, and furder to know yower pleasour yn every thyng aperteynyng to that purpose; and, furder, in all other causes concernyng the hows, the servantes, and all other thynges, as shall stand wyth the Kynge's pleasour and yowers."

Note b. This would appear to be an error for 2 o'clock in the afternoon. See preceding note.

29th January 1536. She was buried at Peterborowe [Map]^c the 29th daie of Januarie, being Saturdaie.

Note c. In the Abbey Church, which Henry VIII afterwards converted into a Cathedral. The circular letter addressed by the King to many persons of quality, requiring their attendance in the conveyance of the corpse from Kimbolton to Peterborough, will be found in MS. Harleian. 540, fol 52^b.

29th January 1536. This yeare also, three daies before Candlemas^d, Queene Anne (age 35) was brought a bedd and delivered of a man chield, as it was said, afore her tyme, for she said that she had reckoned herself at that tyme but fiftene weekes gonne with chield; it was said she tooke a fright, for the King ranne that time at the ring and had a fall from his horse, but he had no hurt; and she tooke such a fright withall that it caused her to fall in travaile^e, and so was delivered afore her full tyme, which was a great discompfort to all this realme.^f

Note d. As Candlemas Day is the 2nd of February, our Author must have calculated three full days, exclusive of the 29th January, 1536.

Note e. Another account is that her miscarriage was occasioned by the shock which she received upon discovering that Henry VIII had transferred his affections to Jane Seymour (age 27).

Note f. Her miscarriage was thought to have made an ill impression on the King's mind, who from thence concluded that this marriage was displeasing to God. Burnet, i. p. 196.

6th February 1536. This yeare also, the first Soundaie after Candlemas, being the sixt daie of Februarie, the Archbishopp of Canterberie, called Thomas Cranmer (age 46), preached at Paules Crosse [Map], my Lord Chauncelor (age 48)^g being then present at his sermon, and their he approved, by scripture and by the decrees of the Popes lawes, that the Bishop of Rome, otherwise called Pope, was Antichrist, and also brought divers expositions of holie sainctes and doctors for the same; and how craftelie, and by what meanes, and how long, he had taken upon him the power of God and the aucthoritie above all princes christened, and how his aucthoritie and lawes was contrarie to scripture and the lawe of God, as he then honorably declared and approved to the cleere understanding of all the people.

Note g. Sir Thomas Audley, who had succeeded the learned Sir Thomas More as Chancellor in 1532.

13th February 1536. The seconde sermon, being on Septuagesima Sundaie, their preached at Powles Crosse [Map] the Bishop of Rochester.^a

Note a. John Hilsey, Prior of the Dominican Friars in London, appointed 4th October, 1535, to this see, then vacant by the execution of Bishop Fisher.

20th February 1536. The Sondaie of Sexagesima preached at St. Poules Crosse [Map] the Bishopp of Lincolne (age 63).^b

Note b. John Longland, Chancellor of the University of Oxford, and late Canon of Windsor.

This yeare, on Maye daie, 1536, beinge Moundaie, was a great justing at Greenewych [Map], where was chalengers my Lorde of Rochforde (age 33) and others, and defenders Mr. Noris (age 54) and others.^d.

Note d. Stow adds: "From these joustes King Henry sodainely departed to Westminster, haying only with him six persons, of which sodaine departore men manreiled."

And the secondo dale of Maie, Mr. Noris (age 54) and my Lorde of Rochforde (age 33) were brought to the Towre of London [Map] as prisoners;

Item, the 12th daie of Maie, 1536, being Fridaie, their were arraygned at Westminster [Map]^g Sir Frances Weston (age 25), knight, Henrie Norrisy (age 54) esquier, Brerton, and Markes (age 24), being all fower of the Kinges Privie Chamber^h, and their condemned of high treason against the Kinge (age 44) for using fornication with Queene Anne (age 35), wife to the Kinge, and also for conspiracie of the Kinges death, and their judged to be hanged, drawen, and quartered, their members cutt of and brent [burned] before theim, their heades cutt of and quartered; my Lord Chauncelor (age 48) being the highest Commissioner he geving their judgment, with other lordes of the Kinges Counsell being presente at the same tyme.

Note g. They were tried by a Commission of Oyer and Terminer in Westminster Hall, after having been twice indicted. True bills were found by the two grand juries of the counties of Kent and Middlesex, the crimes they were charged with being said to be done in both counties.

Note h. Sir Francis Western and William Brereton, esq. of the King's Privy Chamber. Henry Norris, Groom of the Stole, and one Mark Smeton, a musician.

Item, on Munday,^c the 15th of May, 1536, there was arreigned within the Tower of London [Map] Queene Anne (age 35),^d for treason againste the Kinges owne person, and there was a great scaffold made in the Kinges Hall within the Tower of London [Map], and there were made benches and seates for the lordes, my Lord of Northfolke (age 63) sittinge under the clothe of estate, representinge there the Kinges person as Highe Steward of Englande and uncle to the Queene, he holdinge a longe white staffe in his hande, and the Earle of Surrey (age 20) his sonne and heire, sittinge at his feete before him holdinge the golden staffe for the Earle Marshall of Englande, which sayde office the saide duke had in his handes; the Lord Awdley Chauncellour of England (age 48), sittinge on his right hande, and the Duke of Suffolke on his left hande, with other marqueses, earles, and lordes, everie one after their degrees.

Note c. Stow's account seems to hare been taken from this, with considerable verbal differences and some omissions.

Note d. There was no precedent for the trial of a Queen for treason, so Henry determined that she should be arraigned before a commission of Lords, as had been practised in the case of the Duke of Buckingham.

15th May 1536. After this, immediately the Lord of Rocheforde (age 33), her brother, was arreigned for treason, which was for knowinge the Queene, his sister, carnallie, moste detestable against the lawe of God and nature allso, and treason to his Prince, and allso for conspiracie of the Kinges death: Whereunto he made aunswere so prudentlie and wiselie to all articles layde against him, that manreil it was to heare, and never would confesse anye thinge, but made himselfe as cleare as though he had never offended. Howbeit he was there condemned by 26 lordes and barons of treason, and then my Lord of Northfolke (age 63) gave him this judgment: That he should goo agayne to prison in the Tower [Map] from whence he came, and to be drawne from the saide Towre of London thorowe the Cittie of London to the place of execution called Tybume [Map], and there to be hanged, beinge alyve cutt downe, and then his members cutt of and his bowells taken owt of his bodie and brent [burned] before him, and then his head cutt of and his bodie to be divided in 4 peeces, and his head and bodie to be sett at suche places as the King should assigne; and after this the court brake up for that tyme. The Major of London with certeyne Aldermen were present at this arreignment of the Queene and her brother, with the wardeins and 4 persons more of 12 of the principall craftes of London.

17th May 1536. Allso the 17th day of May, beinge Weddensday, the Lord of Rochforde (age 33), Mr. Norys (age 54), Mr. Bruton, Sir Francis Weston (age 25), and Markys (age 24), were all beheaded [Note. Smeaton was hanged] at the Tower-hill [Map]; and the Lord of Rocheforde, brother to Queene Anne, sayde these wordes followinge on the scaffolde to the people with a lowde voyce: Maisters all, I am come hither not to preach and make a sermon, but to dye, as the lawe hath fownde me, and to the lawe I submitt me, desiringe you all, and speciallie you my maisters of the Courte, that you will trust on God speciallie, and not on the vanities of the worlde, for if I had so done, I thincke I had bene alyve as yee be now; allso I desire you to helpe to the settinge forthe of the true worde of God; and whereas I am sclaundered by it, I have bene diligent to reade it and set it furth trulye; but if I had bene as diligent to observe it, and done and lyved thereafter, as I was to read it and sett it forthe, I had not come hereto, wherefore I beseche you all to be workers and lyve thereafter, and not to reade it and lyve not there after. As for myne offences, it can not prevayle you to heare them that I dye here for, but I beseche God that I may be an example to you all, and that all you may be wayre by me, and hartelye I require you all to pray for me, and to forgive me if I have offended you, and I forgive you all, and God save the Kinge. Their bodies with their heades were buried within the Tower of London [Map]; the Lord of Rochfordes bodie and head within the chappell of the Tower [Map], Mr. Weston and Norys in the church yeard of the same [Map] in one grave, Mr. Bruton and Markes in another grave in the same churche yerde within the Tower of London.