#and it says something that he was friendly with anne - the boleyns and norfolk - people whom he initially blamed for the death of

[cosmic-walkers]

reading bring up the bodies, and every time we come across mark smeaton, especially through thomas's perspective, i wanna jump in and save mark.

[my-unruly-heart]

my heart’s at the wheel now

Tag List: @radcowboyalmondtree @annabanana2401 @babeebobo

masterpost

sorry if this is bad, it was kinda just me exploring a different way of writing and how Anne deals with her trauma around the beginning of May. So it will talk about her beheading in passing and there is a minor panic attack.

30th of April

“This quarrel with Norris, and the gossip it caused, may have been the reason for an argument between the King and Queen on Sunday 30th April, recorded by Alexander Ales and written as an account for Elizabeth I, Anne and Henry’s daughter, in September 1559:-”

“Never shall I forget the sorrow which I felt when I saw the most serene queen, your most religious mother, carrying you, still a baby, in her arms and entreating the most serene king your father, in Greenwich Palace, from the open window of which he was looking into the courtyard, when she brought you to him. I did not perfectly understand what had been going on, but the faces and gestures of the speakers plainly showed that the king was angry, although he could conceal his anger wonderfully well. Yet from the protracted conference of the council (for whom the crowd was waiting until it was quite dark, expecting that they would return to London), it was most obvious to everyone that some deep and difficult question was being discussed.”

The queens knew may 19th would be a bad day for Anne but they didn’t expect her to pull away from everyone so early. They had all been at an interview (that seems to be how all these stories start) and it was seemingly going very well, the historian was kind and genuinely cared about hearing the queens’ stories. He also was very aware of the date and before they began pulled Anne aside and told her she didn’t need to answer anything that she didn’t want to, he also asked what topics she would like to avoid. So, all in all, it was a pretty successful interview. 

The feeling of dread Anne had begun to feel that morning was forgotten by the time she had retired to her room that evening. Everyone seemed to be in good spirits as the second queen fell asleep with a smile on her face.

1st of May

“Henry VIII and his second wife, Queen Anne Boleyn, attended the joust just as they had in previous years, but this one ended with the king abandoning his queen unexpectedly. If Anne hadn’t figured out that something was going on before this point, she surely must have been suspicious at the king’s sudden departure.

We know that court musician Mark Smeaton had been arrested the previous day and that within 24 hours he’d confessed to sleeping with the queen. However, Anne was in the dark. Bad things were happening around her, but she did not know what was going on.”

Anne had to drag herself out of bed that morning. The usually energetic girl shuffled quietly to the kitchen where all the other queens were already seated. 

“Morning love,” Catherine smiled at the younger queen as Jane turned to make Anne a cup of coffee, a rare allowance for Anne that early in the morning. “Sleep well?”

Anne looked at Catherine for a moment, blinked a few times then shrugged, “Oui, mais ça n’en a pas envie.” Catherine laughed for a moment before turning to Cathy,

“Do you mind translating love?” Cathy nodded giggling a little at how out of it her girlfriend was, “She said yes, but she doesn’t feel like it.”

The first queen nodded and smiled sympathetically at Anne. Soon all six women had settled down at the table. Kit was talking about something, using dramatic hand gestures for emphasis as Anna laughed at the girl quietly. Anne tried to listen to her cousin but her mind was fuzzy, she was so so tired. Maybe if she just closed her eyes for a minute-

“ANNIE! No sleeping at breakfast!”

Anne looked up blearily at her cousin, gave her a smirk, and dropped her head back onto her arms, folded on the table. The rest of the day went on in a similar fashion and the daze Anne seemed to be in never lifted.

2nd of May

“In “Las nuevas de Ynglaterra de la presion de la Manceba del Rey”, recorded in Letters and Paper on the 2nd May, it reports Rochford’s arrest as being to do with him covering up his sister’s crimes and being an accessory, rather than being one of her lovers:-

“The Emperor has letters from England of 2 May, stating that the mistress of the king of England, who is called queen, had been put in the Tower for adultery with an organist of her chamber, and the King’s most private “sommelier de corps.” Her brother is imprisoned for not giving information of her crime. It is said that, even if it had not been discovered, the King had determined to leave her, as he had been informed that she had consummated a marriage with the earl of Nortemberlano (Northumberland) nine years ago.”

This leaves us wondering whether George Boleyn was arrested first and then the charge of incest made up later, a shocking and horrific allegation which would turn everyone against him and his sister.”

The show that night went well, it was one of those nights where everyone got really into it, including the audience; and for what it was worth, Anne was in a good mood. The second queen joked around with the others, although she stuck close to Maggie’s side the two seemed to be in better form.

The queens and ladies in waiting were all well aware of the date and were frankly quite shocked at how well Anne and Maggie had been handling everything, considering the mess the year before had been. When the group of 10 Tudor women got home that night the adrenaline from the show left them all awake. After some friendly banter back and forth it was decided they would watch Moana.

It was about halfway through the movie when Maggie and Anne began talking amongst themselves, “à quoi sert le crabe ? Je suis désolé de ne pas l’avoir, il se sent un peu plus”. (what's the point of the crab? I'm sorry I just don't get it, he feels a little bit extra)

“Je suis désolé a fait Anne 'Kitty est triste alors j’ai besoin de lui obtenir un chat' Boleyn juste tout un film supplémentaire ?” (I'm sorry did Anne 'Kitty is sad so I need to get her a cat' Boleyn just all a movie extra?) Cathy looked up and laughed at Anne, “Vous n’avez pas de place pour parler, mon amour” (you have no room to talk, my love)

The three girls laughed before turning their attention back to the movie. As Anne got ready for bed she smiled, it had been a good day.

4th of May

“Sir William Kingston, the Constable of the Tower of London, was ordered to make regular reports to Cromwell regarding Anne Boleyn’s imprisonment in the Tower. Obviously, Anne could say things that her enemies could use against her and for that reason her ladies in the Tower were appointed by Cromwell and were also ordered not to speak to Anne unless Lady Kingston was present to remember or record what was said.”

For the next few days Anne seemed to be glued to either Maggie or Cathy, it wasn’t surprising for anyone really so they all went on as normal. It was around this time that Anne and Cathy began going on walks more. No one asked about the change as it wasn't hurting anyone, but it was the first sign of the storm that was brewing.

  The show that day had gone well and they had rehearsals for some events afterwords. The girls were all goofing around on the stage while the directors took a few notes,

“See here’s the thing there is no way to know that we all see colours the same!”

“Anne, I thought we had a no talking nonsense at rehearsal rule,” Aragon looked over at the girl and sighed, “stop mumbling to yourself.”

Anne just stuck her tongue out and leaned back onto Cathy who was braiding the girl’s wild hair. She looked up at her girlfriend, smiled, and gave her a quick kiss. The rest of the day carried on in a similar fashion, although Anne couldn’t ignore the heavy feeling in her stomach.

15th of May

“On the 15th May 1536, Queen Anne Boleyn was tried in the King’s Hall in the Tower of London. The trial was to be a huge public spectacle, attracting, according to Chapuys, around 2,000 spectators, so Sir William Kingston had arranged for a “great scaffold” (platform) to be erected in the middle of the hall, benches and seats arranged for the lords, and benches along the walls of the hall. Alison Weir writes of how a special throne for the Lord High Steward, the Duke of Norfolk, was placed on the dais at the end of the hall, underneath the canopy of estate which bore the royal arms – the Duke of Norfolk was to represent the King and would have to put aside the fact that Anne and George were his niece and nephew.”

Five out of the six ex-wives of Henry VIII were awoken by a shrill scream from the loft bedroom. A conversation wasn’t necessary to make the decision that Jane and Catherine wouldn’t be any help, try as they might to help Anne. Kit and Cathy went up the stairs while Anna went to help the other two girls make tea for everyone (“no Cathy you do ‘t get coffee until breakfast and that’s final.”) 

When the girls got into the room Anne was thankfully awake, and she wasn’t scratching at her neck. Instead, she was just sat staring at the wall opposite her bed. “He was innocent you know” Cathy frowned as she sat beside her girlfriend, not really knowing what she meant. “Can I touch you, Annie?” Anne nodded before continuing her thought as she curled into Cathy’s side and Kit played with her hair. 

“Why’d Henry feel the need to go after George?” Kit sighed, she wasn’t annoyed at her cousin, she just didn’t have an answer for her. Cathy looked at the youngest queen for a second before turning her focus back onto her girlfriend, “No one knows Annie, but it wasn’t your fault.” Anne shook her head and sat up straight, pulling her knees up to her chest. Anna returned at this point, handing everyone a cup of tea before sitting down to join the conversation.

“I know I don’t deserve forgiveness, but I like the idea that some people think I might” It was Anna who spoke this time, after a few moments of stunned silence. “How do you KNOW you don’t deserve forgiveness? What did you do wrong?” Anne just looked at her, part of her agreeing with Anna but the ‘what ifs’ were loud and overbearing. 

After a few moments of silence, it was obvious that Anna wanted an answer, “Nothing.” It was meek and not very convincing but it was a start, and that’s all anyone could ask.

[duchess-of-tales]

The Mirror and the Light 1/...

So just started reading it and already have a lots of thouhts and have to wrote them down to somewhere.

I still think the story isn’t reality even in the book’s universe, and this is just how Cromwell sees his surroundings. Everything is absurd and dream like just how used to be and how I get to like it. 

It is boring how many times the people executed along Anne Boleyn are mentiones. Dont get me wrong I really like for example how the shadow of Thomas More is still in the Tower talking to himself or the story about the eel boy. But these five are so empty, I dont think either Cromwell or the reader have any connections with them, ot they have more meening. The eel boy get introduced just now still his story is more interesting, and says more about Cromwell.

Cromwell helps everyone out... which is kinda dumb even if it is just in his head.

Mary Tudor is much more fun in this volume.

How on Earth Cranmer is still friendly with Cromwll?

I still like Jane Seymour a lot. And I was sure that she was the one who left that drawing in Anne’s room all along. Was it revealed before, or it was just this obvious?

Norfolk is still stealing the show, and has the best jokes. Also that thing at the beginning when he examining Cromwell’s neck is something with I used to entertain myself during university. 

I really like that Mary Howard got more role in this book and that she is the one who resembles her father the most.

Henry Howard is insufferable and has no redeeming quality even when his friend dies, which is kinda sad. I mean he was very ill after the death of Henry Fitzroy and even got seasonal depression for years in that time of the year.

[thatsnotperiod-blog]

HOT DOG after what seems like and may actually be years of waiting I am watching Wolf Hall for free. 

It starts with the Good Stuff, which is to say 1529 when Henry VIII had succumbed to full-fledged Annulment Madness. Some intro text tells us this, and that Henry is sure all delays are Cardinal Wolsey’s fault. 

AND NOW THIS. Early in the morning, six riders are clomping up to York Place in London. Inside, a man I presume is Cromwell is watching the sunrise and lighting lamps. Jonathan Pryce in the role of Cardinal Wolsey prepares himself for a confrontation.

“Wolsey, you’re out!” is the first line uttered on this show. It’s not... as much of a humdinger as maybe they wanted. The guy uttering it is one of Lord Norfolk or Lord Suffolk, and considering that the latter of these two men was played by literally Henry Cavill on The Tudors, these two are disappointing. The point of the scene is that Norf and Suff are eager to bring down their enemy, and Wolsey is gracious, canny, and supported by the clever, loyal Thomas Cromwell. Meanwhile, Suffolk literally is breathing with his mouth open. 

But still the next morning the Yeomen of the Guard (kidding) are there packing up Wolsey’s shit so Mouth-Breathing: 1 Wolsey: 0. They punt off in a ... punt, I guess, and Wolsey is sticking up for King Henry graciously, while his men gripe about how it’s unfair. “Do you think it’s something about the English? They cannot see a great man set up but they have to pull him down?” Well Hilary Mantel certainly thinks so. 

EIGHT YEARS EARLIER. 

Anne Boleyn at a masked ball at the royal palace or whatever, where everybody is dressed as a virtue. This scene feels like a big fuck-you to The Tudors version of the exact same thing, all the women have their hair in bags, nobody’s shoulders are sticking out, there’s no grommets on anybody and the men are appropriately in tights and shoes. Joke’s on this show though, because no matter how smug they are about this costuming the end result is that this scene is full of people dressed like dopes. Also, Anne is dancing with Harry Percy and not Henry VIII. 

Wolsey is chewing out Anne’s dad for this dancing impropriety. He has a solution though: marry her off asap before anyone gossips. Ho hum, life in the past.

Speaking of life in the past, the same people who get worked up about grommets and snoods tend to get extremely worked up about lighting in period television, specifically, there is too much of it. With no ambient light and only so much physical space to put candles in, after the sun set people spent much of their time in extremely dark rooms. This show is really rubbing it in by showing us that Wolsey has only lit about half of the candles at his disposal, presumably because this is a business casual, semi-private meeting with a concerned father about how many boys his daughter hath given smooch to. The result is that the scene is dark though and I have to crank up the light on my laptop.

Cromwell is in the hallway and Thomas Boleyn tosses some Tudor insults (”butcher’s dog!”) at him on the way out, and Wolsey summons Cromwell in. There’s some obvious contrast with how in-charge and intimidating he looks behind his desk, compared to how nervous and flustered and pathetic he looked in the first scene and like, I get it, ok, point made. Wolsey is charmed by Cromwell as a fellow lowly origins success story, Cromwell is clearly looking at Wolsey and thinking that he wants what this guy has. “William Popely tells me I might find a use for you,” says Wolsey. “A man of many talents.” It’s the beginning of a beautiful friendship. 

Cromwell arrives home. Like everything else at night, it’s dark as h e l l. His wife hands him a dog that I can’t even squint out in the goddamned candlelight, and they share a sweet moment where Cromwell says he’s hitching his wagon to Wolsey’s. She’s a little skeptical of his obvious excitement, he’s understanding and keeps scritching at the lil dog. They like each other. Cute!

Morning. Cromwell reads a letter from his son and helps his daughters with their breakfast homework (or whatever). He gets a package in the mail. It’s a Contraband English Bible for Sneaky Protestants, Illegal Edition. He gives it a soft sell to his wife, who blows him off, so he opens a regular ol Latin Bible for his youngest daughter, Grace. She traces the illuminations of angels and peacocks, an action that given the Tudor importance of symbology is in no way foreboding.

Cromwell kisses everybody within reach and runs off for his first day of work. Everybody on the way in has shit to say about his Humble Origins. Crom shows Wolsey a card trick. Wolsey explains that he just heard some Divorce Murmuring from King Henry. 

Wolsey remembers when Queen Catherine came over from Spain to marry Henry’s dead brother Arthur. The dialogue (just like in The Tudors) interacts interestingly with the ~source material. Like here Wolsey remembers how “[Catherine’s] red hair slid over her shoulder” when he first saw her. In the real world, a herald recording Catherine’s arrival in London described “her hair hanging down about her shoulders, which is fair auburn,” like it’s not a direct quote but it’s funny to think of everybody in Tudor times sitting there thinking the same thing: shit her hair’s down.  

They talk a little bit about how Catherine is taking the whole annulment thing (not well, and specifically she’s mad at Wolsey). Wolsey jokes that maybe the two of them will have to do card tricks for cash very soon. 

Throughout pretty much every one of his scenes, Cromwell is dropping little references to all the badass/regular crazy stuff he did in his Mysterious Wastrel Past and like, I can hear Hilary Mantel breathing heavily from here. Cromwell is an interesting person, but the way he can’t shut up in this show about the wild & crazy shit he got up to, especially in Italy, is like 2 much. "Once, in Italy, I held a snake for a bet,” he says, and everyone is like WHOA WHOA WHOA YOU ARE STONE COLD CRAZY TELL ANOTHER ONE. What does “held a snake” mean?

Back to 1529. Wolsey & Co are clattering up to Wolsey’s place of exile. Cromwell is shouting at everyone to get their asses in gear making the place hospitable for Wolsey, who looks pretty shitty. Everyone is sluggish and tired and it’s raining and dark, like the whole scene is just maximum depressing. 

Later, Cromwell helps Wolsey into bed. They joke like old friends, but are both clearly freaked out. “This is what they’ve waited for,” says Wolsey. “You should leave me. Gardiner has.” Cromwell takes his hand and is like, “Gardiner would.” Haha fuck that guy.  

Jonathan Pryce’s sad, tearful eyes look up at him. Cromwell grabs a lute player or someone on his way out and asks him to go play for Wolsey: “it might help him rest.” Lute Guy’s name is Mark, so I assume he’s Mark Smeaton. In this show, he’s a dick, because the next morning Cromwell walks in on him predicting Wolsey’s downfall and death, and claiming that he’s getting sent to “the Lady Anne” so 100% confirmed for Smeaton.

Next scene, Cromwell at a dinner party with Antonio Bonvisi, a merchant and frequent More correspondent. The scene is like literally pitch black. I can’t see shit. The whole room gets quiet when Cromwell arrives, and he zeroes in on Sir Thomas More, telling him to continue with whatever smack he was talking about Wolsey. Bonvisi is like, a little annoyed with everyone trying to start shit, and introduces the new Spanish ambassador, Eustace Chapuys. Chapuys leans over to More and starts bad-mouthing Cromwell, but Cromwell makes it awkward by calling him out. More says Wolsey is greedy. Cromwell says More is greedy and also a hypocrite. Bonvisi is like “.......how is everybody’s herring.”

On the way out, Bonvisi dishes out some friendly advice about Wolsey: “Leave him now.” 

Cut to the past, but less, “eighteen months before Wolsey’s fall,” the Holy Roman Empire is rampaging everywhere and has taken the pope prisoner. 

Wolsey is pumped because he has a plan: while the pope is not home he’ll convene all the cardinals in France and, in the course of being the interim government of the Catholic Church, slap a quick annulment on Henry. They talk a little bit about Anne Boleyn. Wolsey glibly Underestimates Her. His downfall has begun!

Home. Crom’s wife urges him to visit his father. His youngest daughter wanders in, wearing angel wings made out of peacock feathers. Just like the pictures she was looking at in that bible a bunch of scenes ago! The peacock, of course, is a common symbol of immortality but I’m sure this is not foreboding. Bedtime. Grace knocks on the door, claiming that she’s too warm. She’s still wearing her peacock angel wings. Crom sends her off, watching her wander down the hallway in her angel wings, you know, normal non-foreboding stuff. 

A scary part: Cromwell is off to work, chatting with his wife who’s still in bed. He takes off down the stairs, and then catches a glimpse of her on the landing. He turns around to tell her to go back to bed, but she’s.... not there. He looks everywhere, freaked out. It’s worth noting that he gallumphed and creaked down his old-ass stairs, and she didn’t make a sound.

He heads off anyway, to a quick Secret Protestant meeting where he warns everybody about Thomas More.

Then he heads home. It’s still light. His servants meet him at the door; his wife is dead. Cromwell sits tearfully on her bed. Someone rushes in to tell them that his daughters are dying too, and then they kind of...do. After that it’s still just the middle of the day so Cromwell is stuck looking at his garden. 

New day. Wolsey’s plan for a conclave didn’t work. Wolsey has a new plan: a papal envoy authorized to rule in the pope’s staid. His confidence in the plan seems a little manic; Cromwell is clearly bummed out that his whole family died.

He wanders over to a blacksmith, and has a flashback to his own childhood of having the bejeezus kicked out of him by his father (a blacksmith). And oh shit, it IS his father! He’s still a blacksmith and still mean. Like a real dick. Cromwell had been holding a hammer when he walked up; he puts it down. Cute horse, though. 

Next day he formally adopts his nephew. Apparently he has some other son wandering around somewhere but I assume we’ll get to him later. So, recap of remaining live Cromwells: Cromwell, Richard Cromwell (former nephew), Gregory Cromwell (off-screen), Unnamed Father Cromwell, Unnamed Sister Cromwell. 

And now for the legatine court! Queen Catherine testifies, and since it’s like, a matter of historical record every Queen Catherine in all of television (as well as the Shakespeare play) says the same words, “I was a true maid, without touch of man, and whether this is true or no, I put to your conscience.” 

King Henry blinks. Then they do the rest of the stuff, some crusty old guy tells the “last night I was in Spain” story, the crowd is weird, Cromwell looks grossed out. In the hallway, the Iron Bank of Braavos guy delivers news that the Pope has signed a treaty with the Holy Roman Empire so Wolsey is complete toast.

1529 again. Wolsey totters around in his garden looking pathetic. Cromwell off to visit Anne Boleyn. Mark Smeaton is there, and he’s still a dick. He’s not even playing his lute, just standing around like a dud. 

Anne is yelling at a curly little pup who runs to greet Cromwell. He scoops it up. She tries to snob him and he just stares back. She calls him “Cremuel” for like, reasons of her own. He argues that Wolsey is the only person who can get Henry an annulment. She thinks about it and decides she still hates Wolsey. Her sister, Mary, catches Cromwell on the way out and they talk a little good-natured shit about Anne. In fact all of her ladies are giving him sympathetic looks. He determines that things are grim for Wolsey, and that he needs to do more to speak up for him. 

He goes to talk with Norfolk, who tells him his chances of getting back in Parliament are not great, and talks more about Cromwell’s Humble Origins like, we get it. They have one of those weird, friendly conversations about how they don’t like each other that only men over the age of 40 in period television can have. It’s like they’re too genre-savvy to cooperate, the scoundrels!

Audience with Henry time! Henry’s still mad that Crom voted against war with France, and wants to yell about that. So he does! They talk a little bit about war with France and under what circumstances it could be a little cheaper. Then Henry’s like, “Master Cromwell, your reputation is bad,” and Cromwell is like shruggo. Henry asks why he won’t defend himself, and Cromwell’s like, “your majesty can form your own opinions” which is just exactly what Henry likes to hear. “I will,” he says. 

Cromwell comes back to Wolsey’s old apartment or whatever at court and has the painting guys paint in his coat of arms brighter. The end! Damn??