The room was draped in black fabric. There was something comforting about that windowless space, with its cool interior and muted lighting. It was like being sealed inside a gigantic womb, which magically held time suspended, sealing us off from the noise and frenetic bustle of the outside world, allowing those of us inside to lose ourselves in a different time entirely. The room was quite full, although, for its size, it held the numbers well. Various spotlights shone down on numerous glass fronted display cabinets, brilliantly illuminating the objects within in bright pools of light. It quite took my breath away; I felt as if I had found myself in a treasure trove of familiar friends, and I sensed the energy calling to me from the huge array of priceless historical artifacts that spanned every decade of Henry’s life.
I moved from one to the other, patiently waiting to take my turn, to pause and stare in wonder at the books and manuscripts in front of me, several of which I had either seen, or once held, within my hand. Oh, to read again the writing of my friend, Thomas Wyatt, to hear the sound of his words echoing in my ears across the centuries; to lay my eyes upon the familiar and rather erratic scrawl of my sworn enemy, Thomas Wolsey, recorded in a letter which he had once penned to the King.
One amazing piece of history after another revealed itself to me, each one a survivor of the ravages of time and a fragment of a lost life; each one with its own, unbelievable story to tell. You could hear them whispering their secrets, if only you had an ear to hear and the eyes to see. Eventually, I came to a cabinet, which had its own single spot light; I must have gasped aloud, for lying open in front me was a book which I recognised immediately; it was a book of hours that had once belonged to Anne, and which I alone knew had been a gift from the King. Indeed, I had carried it with me daily having left my other Book of Hours behind at Hever; it had come to be one of my most treasured possessions.
With the gentleness of caressing a long-lost lover, I placed both my hands on either side of the cabinet, peering forward to examine the page at which it was opened; the gory picture of ‘The Flayed Christ,’ which I recognised only too well. Below it was writing which had never been there in my day. It was an inscription in Henry’s hand which read, ‘If you remember my love in your prayers, as strongly as I adore you, I shall hardly be forgotten, for I am yours, Henry R forever.’ I wondered when Henry had written it. What intimate moment had the two lovers shared which caused the King to pen his message. In turn, I read in the notes next to the book an explanation that Anne had replied in kind; ‘By daily proof you shall me find, to be to you both loving and kind.’ I suddenly felt so sad for them both, for to lose such love was a tragedy indeed.
‘Why Henry? What happened? What caused you to forsake her so cruelly, when you loved her so entirely?’ These were the words that I whispered to myself beneath my breath, wondering at the same time if somewhere out there Henry could hear my voice. I was lost in my world of imagining, when out of nowhere the scent of rosewater again filled my nostrils. I quickly straightened myself and looked about me; a man closely studying Henry’s Great Bible in the cabinet nearby, turned his head, clearly startled by my sudden movement. I smiled rather feebly, only to watch him return my gesture and continue to study the text in front of him. There was no one else near me, and yet I sensed Anne everywhere around me.
I felt incredibly disoriented, as the oddest sensation surged through my body. I did not know what was happening to me and quite afraid, I gripped the edge of the cabinet for support. Then suddenly, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket; I had completely forgotten all about Daniel and his text, for I had been so entirely lost in my own secret world. Fumbling to retrieve it, I saw the screen alight, shining fluorescent in the semi-darkened room. Thereupon it was the text that I had been waiting for. I could scarcely believe my eyes as I read,
‘I’ve done it. I’ve left Rose. I need to see you. Where are you? Love you, Daniel’
It was the last thing that I remember. Twenty months in which I had tried to rebuild my life came crashing down around me in an instant. And if I had thought that Anne was done with me, then I was wrong. I was about to find myself in my heroine’s body once more and this time, I would experience two of the most tumultuous, momentous and dramatic years of her tragic story; they would be years which would see Anne at the pinnacle of her triumph, but that would ultimately leave both her, and me, on the edge of our utter ruin.
End of Book One
Glossary:
Long Gallery: an architectural term given to a long, narrow room, often with a high ceiling. In British architecture, long galleries were popular in Tudor, Elizabethan and Jacobean houses; they were often located on the upper floor of the great houses of the time, and stretched across the entire frontage of the building. They served several purposes: among others, they were used for entertaining guests, taking exercise in the form of walking when the weather was inclement, and displaying art collections.
Arras: another word for tapestry.
Barbican: a fortified outpost or gateway, such as an outer defence to a city or castle, or any tower situated over a gate or bridge which was used for defensive purposes.
Billament: the bands of decoration (usually of precious metals and stones) adorning a lady’s hood.
Blackwork: a form of embroidery using black thread. Traditionally blackwork is stitched in silk thread on white or off-white linen or cotton fabric. Sometimes metallic threads or coloured threads are used for accents.
Book of Hours: a devotional book used by lay people of considerable wealth, popular in the later Middle Ages and Tudor period; it is the most common type of surviving medieval, illuminated manuscript. Like every manuscript, each book of hours is unique in one way or another, but most contain a similar collection of texts, prayers and psalms, often with appropriate decorations for Christian devotion.
Breeches: garments worn by men covering the body from the waist down.
Canopy of Estate: in the Middle Ages, a hieratic canopy of state, or cloth of state, was hung over the seat of a personage of sufficient standing, as a symbol of authority. The seat under such a canopy of state would normally be raised on a dais. Emperors and reigning kings, dukes and bishops were accorded this honour.
Carcenet: a necklace. However, the word ‘necklace’ was not used during the Tudor period. A ‘carcanet’ was like a wide choker, which was usually worn around the base of the throat, or on the collar of a high-necked doublet. Women also wore a longer, rope style necklace which could be draped up at the centre or the side with a brooch.
Dais: a part of the floor at the end of a medieval hall that was slightly raised above the rest of the room. This is where the lord of the manor dined with his intimates at the high table, separate from the followers and servants. In medieval halls there was also generally a deep recessed bay window at one or at each end of the dais; these recesses provided greater privacy for intimate conversation than the open hall could afford.
Damask: an Arabic word (derived from the city of Damascus) used to describe a reversible pattern formed by a warp-faced satin weave and a ground weft-faced sateen weave in fabrics of silk, wool, linen or cotton.
Donjon: the French word for a ‘keep’ and used by architectural historians to describe the main tower associated with the Royal apartments at some of Henry’s great houses.
Doublet: a man’s buttoned jacket that is tailored to fit snugly on the body; it was worn in Western Europe from the Middle Ages through to the mid-17th century. The doublet was hip length or waist length and worn over the shirt or drawers. Until the end of the 15th century, the doublet was worn under another layer of clothing such as a gown, mantle, or over-tunic.
Firkin: a quarter of a gallon.
Heraldic Device: features or designs on a personal badge or a family’s coat of arms.
Hood: head dress worn by ladies of the period.
Kirtle: a type of sleeveless petticoat which supported the bust, but did not cinch in the waist, and with a full length skirt. The kirtle could be
back laced (by the 1530s this is more likely) or side laced beneath the arms (hidden lacing); this allowed for the neckline of the kirtle to be bejewelled, as seen in the portraits of the time. Very fine fabrics, such as a silk taffeta or satin were used where it will not be seen e.g. the bodice itself and back of the skirt. The front part of the kirtle (or forepiece), if it were visible, would be of a richer fabric to complement the rest of the outer gown. Please see links below for visuals of this description.
http://www.ninyamikhaila.com/pix/c16thtowerelizred/
c16thtowerelizred3.jpg
http://www.ninyamikhaila.com/pix/c16thtowerelizpurple/
c16thtowerelizpurple3.jpg (back view)
http://www.ninyamikhaila.com/pix/c16thtowerelizpurple/
c16thtowerelizpurple3.jpg (front view)
Lord Chamberlain: the office dates from the Middle Ages, when the King’s Chamberlain often acted as the King’s spokesman in Council and Parliament. In Henry’s day, the Lord Chamberlain was one of the chief functionaries of the court, generally responsible for organizing and overseeing the King’s Privy apartments. Like many of the key offices of the King’s household, the Lord Chamberlain would bear a white staff as the emblem and warrant of his authority.
Lord Steward or Lord Steward of the Household: was an important official of the Royal Household, responsible for organising the Royal household, apart from the King’s Privy Chambers (which was the responsibility of the Lord Chamberlain – see above). In Tudor England, the office was one of considerable political importance, and was an appointment made by the Sovereign. Like many of the key offices of the King’s household, the Lord Steward would bear a white staff as the emblem and warrant of his authority.
Lute: a musical instrument; can refer generally to any plucked string instrument with a neck (either fretted or unfretted) and a deep round back.
Palfrey: a type of horse highly valued as a riding horse in the Middle Ages. It is not a breed. The significant characteristic of the palfrey was that, rather than trotting, it usually possessed a smooth, ambling gait.
Partlet: a woman’s garment covering the neck and shoulders, often tied in place underneath the armpits and at the base of the neck. It provided extra warmth in the winter and protection from the sun in the summer.
Passamayne: Bands of embroidery used both as an edging and as applied trim.
Portcullis: a latticed grille made of wood, metal or a combination of the two. Portcullises fortified the entrances to many medieval castles, acting as a last line of defence during an attack or siege. Each portcullis was mounted in vertical grooves in castle walls and could be raised or lowered quickly by means of chains or ropes attached to an internal winch.
Possett: a warm drink of milk curdled with wine or ale, often spiced and sweetened with ginger, candied anise, sugar and sweet wine, although recipes vary. The drink was popular in England from medieval times to the 19th century.
Prie-dieu: (from French and literally meaning, ‘pray [to] God’) is a type of prayer desk, primarily intended for private devotional use, but may also be found in churches.
Rebec: a bowed string musical instrument which derived from the Arabic bowed instrument, the rebab. In its most common form, the rebec has a narrow boat-shaped body and 1-5 strings. It is played on the arm, or under the chin like a violin, and is a possible precursor of that instrument.
Rouncey (also spelt rouncy or rounsey) was used during the Middle Ages to refer to an ordinary, all-purpose horse. They were used for riding, but could also be trained for war.
Sarcenet: a fine, soft fabric, often of silk, made in plain or twill weave and used especially for linings.
Solar: a room in many English and French medieval manor houses, great houses and castles; generally situated on an upper storey, designed as the family’s private living and sleeping quarters.
Starling: a defensive bulwark, usually built with pilings or bricks, surrounding the supports of a bridge or similar construction. Starlings are shaped to ease the flow of water around the bridge, reducing the damage caused by erosion or collisions with flood-borne debris; it also forms an important part of the structure of the bridge, spreading the weight of the piers.
The Astors: The Astor family is an Anglo-American business family of German origin, notable for their prominence in business, society, and politics. During the 19th century, the Astors became one of the wealthiest families in the United States. Toward the end of that century, some of the family moved to Britain, achieving great prominence, subsequently marrying into English aristocracy.
The Reformation: the Protestant Reformation was the 16th century schism within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants.
The Sword of Calais: believed to be the ‘nickname’ given to the French executioner sent to from St Omer, France in order to carry out the execution of Anne Boleyn.
Tiltyard: was an enclosed courtyard for jousting, and a common feature of Tudor era castles and palaces.
Twelfth Night: a festival in some branches of Christianity marking the coming of the Epiphany and concluding the Twelve Days of Christmas.
Virginal: a keyboard instrument of the harpsichord family. It was popular in Europe during the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods.
Wainscot Chair: named for the fine grade of oak usually used for wainscot panelling.
Wattle and daub: a composite building material used for making walls in which a woven lattice of wooden strips called wattle is daubed (brushed) with a sticky material, usually made of some combination of wet soil, clay, sand, animal dung and straw. Wattle and daub has been used in building for at least 6,000 years.
Wherry: a type of boat that was traditionally used for carrying cargo or passengers on rivers and canals in England, and is particularly associated with the River Thames.
Notes
In the notes that follow, I will attempt to separate fact from fiction for the purpose of authenticity and clarity. However, to begin with there are some general notes which apply throughout the book;
firstly, wherever possible I have attempted to recreate the palaces in which Anne lived as accurately as possible. In those scenes in which rooms are described, or in which Anne moves from one part of the palace to another, the descriptions are largely based on floor plans taken from Simon Thurley’s book, The Royal Palaces of Tudor England.
secondly, in some instances, contemporary accounts tell us about the garments worn by Henry and Anne and their contemporaries. This is particularly true for those grand state occasions such as Anne’s coronation. Although many of the garments described are fictional, they are based on contemporary descriptions of garments worn by Tudor royalty and nobility, or drawn from dresses seen in contemporary portraits. The appearance of some of Anne’s everyday garments have been recorded in contemporary documents and in those instances, I have used these descriptions to inspire a particular costume.
Part One
Chapter One:
Sadly, no contemporary painting is known to exist of Anne Boleyn. However, there is a Holbein sketch of a lady, thought to be Anne, and upon which the later painting which can be seen at Hever, appears to be based.
Part Two
Chapter One:
For the purposes of storytelling, the layout of some of the rooms that I have described in this, and later chapters, is not consistent with what is known of the original Tudor arrangement.
For example, it is unlikely that Anne had a separate bedroom of her own, rather the family probably slept together in the large ‘solar’ on the first floor, perhaps with partitions to divide up between living and sleeping areas. There was also no library at Tudor Hever as far as I am aware. Books were extremely expensive items, and although Sir Thomas may have possessed some, it is unlikely that the library was as extensive as I describe in later chapters. This is also possibly true of the gardens, as I have described them. The environs of the original Tudor Castle were much more wild and rugged, and it is enti
rely possible that no formal gardens existed at all. If you wish to read a full and more accurate account of the castle as Anne would have known it in her lifetime, please follow the link below to an account which I wrote on the back of the original research that I did about medieval and Tudor Hever.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Le-Temps-Viendra-A-Novel-of-Anne-Boleyn/105316199547890#!/note.php?note_id=145965875482922
The jewellery casket described is based on an early 14th century French Gothic ivory casket which was sold by Hever Castle (through Sotheby’s) on Friday, 6 May, 1983. However, there is no known connection to Anne.
A note on diamonds: diamonds in the 16th century were not the light, sparkling, multifaceted stones that we know today. Because later cutting techniques were not in use at this time, diamonds often are seen as the black stones we see in portraits of 16th century noble men and women.
It seems that around Easter, 1527 Henry offered Anne the position of Maitresse en titre, his sole mistress above all others. Through Henry’s love letters we know that Anne appears to have rejected his offer.
The letter which Mary recounts in this chapter is taken from the text of an original letter sent by the King to Anne in 1527.
Chapter Two:
At some point during the summer of 1527, Henry appears to have proposed to Anne and the first tentative enquiries towards seeking an annulment of the King’s marriage to Katherine of Aragon were made. However, the scene in which Henry proposes to Anne in the Rose Garden at Hever is entirely fictional.
Le Temps Viendra: A Novel of Anne Boleyn Page 36