Henry VIII Sends Jane Seymour a gift

Henry VIII Sends Jane Seymour a gift

On 1st April 1536, Henry VIII was paying court to Jane Seymour.
He sent her a purse of sovereigns, accompanied by a letter.
In true Anne Boleyn style, Jane demurely kissed the letter…..and sent it back unopened!
Jane had obviously learned a trick or two from her mistress Queen Anne.

In a letter dated 1st April 1536, Eustace Chapuys, the imperial ambassador, reported to Charles V the Holy Roman Emperor, news of Henry VIII and his behaviour towards one of his wife’s ladies-in-waiting, a certain Jane Seymour…..

Chapuys writes ~
“the young damsel, to whom he is paying court, after respectfully kissing the letter, returned it to the messenger without opening it.
Then falling on her knees, begged the royal messenger to entreat the King in her name to consider that she was a well-born damsel, the daughter of good and honourable parents without blame or reproach of any kind.

There was no treasure in this world that she valued as much as her honour, and on no account would she lose it, even if she were to die a thousand deaths.

That if the King wished to make her a present of money, she requested him to reserve it for such a time as God would be pleased to send her some advantageous marriage.”

In consequence of this refusal, the King’s love for the said damsel, increased……

According to Chapuys, it seems that Jane was being coached in how to appeal to the King ~ and also how to turn him against his wife, Anne Boleyn.

Chapuys explains:
“I hear that the young lady has been well tutored and warned by those among this King’s courtiers who hate the concubine, telling her not in any wise to give in to the King’s fancy unless he makes her his Queen, upon which the damsel is quite resolved.

She has likewise been advised to tell the King frankly, and without reserve, how much his subjects abominate the marriage contracted with the concubine, and that not one considers it legitimate, and that this declaration ought to be made in the presence of witnesses of the titled nobility of this kingdom, who are to attest the truth of her statements should the King request them on their oath and fealty to do so.”

In the same letter, Chapuys also reported that his sources had told him “that there had been a talk of a new marriage for this King”.
This was just over a month before Anne’s arrest…..
The fall of Anne Boleyn had begun…..

? Henry VIII & Jane Seymour.