19 May 1535
King Henry bounced Princess Elizabeth on his knee, wondering what was taking so long. Anne's screams were loud and clear, but the cries of a baby had not yet been added to them.
Henry glanced up to see that his brother-in-law, George Boleyn, Viscount Rochford, was pacing rapidly before him, his face anxious and exhausted. Anne's labor had gone on for hours. But at least that was a normal reaction to one's sister being in labor; Anne's father, on the other hand, looked unnervingly calm. It was times like this that King Henry could not understand his father-in-law, Thomas Boleyn, Earl of Wiltshire and Ormond, at all.
"Your Majesty," he heard, and turned to see Anne's favorite servant, Nan Saville. "The Queen has given birth to a healthy daughter."
For a moment, Henry felt like the world had stopped. "Another daughter?" he demanded.
Poor Nan looked terrified. "Yes, Your Majesty," she admitted, her head down. "And…" she hesitated, clearly trembling with nerves. "The Queen has lost a lot of blood. The doctor claims she is in God's hands now."
This startled Henry significantly. Was Anne giving her life for this daughter of his? He glanced down at the child, surprised at how small she was – smaller than either Elizabeth or Mary had been. As disappointed as he was in her sex, he did not want her to cost Anne her life.
"Lady Bryan," he said to Elizabeth's governess, "take Elizabeth and her sister to the nursery." No children should be there to hear the announcement that their mother was dead. He would tell them later on – gently, as he was sure they needed. Or rather, he would tell Elizabeth; the baby would not need to be told.
The governess hastened to obey him, taking the newborn into her arms; Elizabeth, however, stubbornly remained in her father's lap. Sighing, he lifted her.
"Elizabeth, my jewel," he said, "Did you see your new sister?"
The Princess nodded.
"It is very important that you act like a big girl, now," he said. "You have to show her how to do everything; that is your job, as her big sister. Can you do that?"
Again, the Princess nodded.
"Good," said the King. "I knew I could count on you. Go with Lady Bryan and your sister."
Elizabeth, however, remained firmly in place. "What's her name?" she demanded.
The King hesitated. He had once again decided that his son would be called Edward or Henry, but he had not thought of girl's names. Elizabeth had been fairly obvious, for both his mother and Anne's; and Katherine's relationship with his sister, the Dowager Queen of France and Duchess of Suffolk, made Mary's name fairly obvious as well.
"Cecily," he told Elizabeth. It was an old royal name, belonging to Cecily Neville, Duchess of York, the estimable mother of King Edward IV, and also to King Edward's daughter Cecily of York, sister to his mother Elizabeth of York.
Elizabeth nodded. "Okay," she said. "I'll help Lady Bryan take care of Cecily."
She hurried after the governess eagerly now that she had a responsibility.
The King stood, and looked at Nan Saville. "How likely is her survival?" he inquired of her, but Nan was saved from having to answer by the appearance of the doctor.
"Forgive me, Your Majesty," he said. "But the Queen has passed."
30 May 1535
Anne Boleyn was given a funeral fit for a Queen.
The King insisted that there be ample royal representation at the funeral, even if he himself could not attend. His sister, Margaret, Dowager Queen of Scotland, and her son, King James V of Scotland, sent their condolences, and were represented by Lady Margaret Douglas, Queen Margaret's daughter from her second marriage to Archibald Douglas, Earl of Angus. His younger sister, Mary, Dowager Queen of France, wad dead, but she, too, had significant representation. Her widower, Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, attended with Catherine Willoughby, his young bride, in addition to her daughters. Her elder daughter, Lady Frances Brandon, was the wife of Henry Grey, Marquess of Dorset, and the youngest, Eleanor, was betrothed to Henry Clifford, the Earl of Cumberland's heir. Also present were Queen Mary's two stepdaughters, Lady Anne Brandon and Lady Mary Brandon, and their husbands. Anne was married to Edward Grey, Baron Grey of Powys, and Mary was married to Thomas Stanley, Baron Monteagle.
Prayers were said for Queen Anne's immortal soul, and for her daughters, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Cecily.
Anne's sister, Mary, Lady Stafford, was called back to court to act as the chief mourner at her sister's funeral. Her daughter from her first marriage, Catherine Carey, acted as another of the mourners, alongside her brother, Henry Carey, her uncle George, Viscount Rochford, her aunt Jane, Viscountess Rochford, her stepfather, Sir William Stafford, and her maternal grandparents, Thomas Boleyn, Earl of Wiltshire, and Elizabeth Boleyn née Howard, Countess of Wiltshire. Also among the mourners was Lady Wiltshire's brother, Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk, and several of his children, Queen Anne's cousins. This included Mary Fitzroy née Howard, Duchess of Richmond, who was the wife of King Henry's bastard son, Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond, who was also a mourner at his stepmother's funeral.
In addition to the assigned royal and Howard-Boleyn mourners, most courtiers turned out to pay their respects to the deceased Queen, including those who did not like her very much.
"What happens now?" Jane Seymour, one of the Queen's maids-of-honor, asked her father, Sir John Seymour. Instead, it was her brother, Edward Seymour, who answered her.
"The King will search for a new bride immediately," he told her. "That is why he has not disbanded Queen Anne's household, and has left Lady Stafford in charge of it. I imagine that he will try to make a royal match, to force one of his fellow Kings to acknowledge that his marriage to Katherine of Aragon was not valid."
"The Emperor will not acknowledge it," Jane predicted with a frown. "And if he does not, there will be no acceptance from Portugal or Denmark or Hungary, where his sisters reign."
"Perhaps," said Edward. "If he does not, the King will most likely look to the French for a bride. Even though Francis' second wife is Charles V's sister, they are not strong allies. Francis has three living daughters – Charlotte, Madeleine, and Margaret. Margaret is too young, and Madeleine is promised to King James V of Scotland, King Henry's nephew. I imagine he will attempt to marry Charlotte of France."
"And if King Francis disapproves?"
"He will look elsewhere," Edward said. "One of the German princes will consent to have his sister or daughter as Queen of England; or the King of Sweden will."
"Unless…" said Thomas Seymour, looking at his sister strangely.
"What?" demanded Edward.
"Unless someone was to win the King's love," said Thomas thoughtfully. "An English lady, that is virtuous enough to not wish to be married outside of marriage."
Catching on to Thomas' train of thought, Edward and Sir John turned to look at Jane.
9 June 1535
"Who is this Seymour girl, and why is the King so enamored with her?" demanded Thomas Boleyn, Earl of Wiltshire, angrily. "I thought you said we would have another Howard or Boleyn girl!"
"I thought we would," answered his brother-in-law, the Duke of Norfolk. "I am as disgruntled as you are with the Seymour chit. Who is she, anyway?"
"She was a maid-of-honor in Anne's household," Lady Stafford answered. Lady Stafford had just returned to court after having a daughter, Anne Stafford, whose name had earned her favor from the King. Anne had been sent to Hatfield House to join her cousins, Elizabeth and Cecily. "Her mother was Margery Wentworth, and her father is Sir John Seymour."
"They are no friends of ours," said Wiltshire, "but the King is quite determined and will not hear a word against her, not even from us."
"As it once was with Anne," said George. "We would probably be better off obeying him."
"I am going to leave court," said Lady Wiltshire. "I am of an age where I would rather be in the country, and my daughter is no longer Queen."
Her husband nodded absent-mindedly. "If the King approves," he agreed. "Mary and Jane, do what you can to retain your positions under Queen Jane under all circumstances. If you can find a way to get the King to stop favoring her, do so."
Lady Stafford and Lady Rochford nodded in understanding. They were to spy on the Seymour Queen.
"George, the King counts you among his friends," Wiltshire added to his son. "You are as much his former brother-in-law as the Duke of Suffolk is, and doubtlessly you will continue to hold his favor as Suffolk is the only of his childhood friends still living. Make sure you do not lose that favor."
George nodded too, though the thought of spying on the King was more uncomfortable than the idea of spying on the Queen.
"What about my children?" Mary asked.
It was Norfolk, not Wiltshire, who answered that. "Have your boy Henry continue to live at court as George's protégé," he ordered. "The boy is eleven, and I can only imagine that the King will eventually honor Anne's nephew with a peerage. And keep your daughter Catherine as a maid-of-honor to the Queen. The more spies we have in her household, the better."
"And the Staffords?"
"Your husband will remain here, in George's household," said Wiltshire. "Your daughter Anne should stay at Hatfield, that is the best place for her. As for your boy Edward…" he hesitated, "I'll speak to the King about having him sent there, too, at least temporarily."
Mary nodded, sighing, retreating from her room as her father dismissed her with a wave of his hand.
Less than an hour later, the King himself approached Mary Stafford.
"Lady Stafford," he said, "I understand you are having trouble finding a place for your boy, Edward."
"Yes, Your Majesty," she said. "He is just over a year old, and I am hoping for him to receive a good education."
"He should be with his sister and his cousins," said the King kindly, much to Mary's surprise. "Bring him to Hatfield as soon as possible – tomorrow, if you are not busy. Stay a few days, to ensure all is well with the children there, and when you return, bring my daughter Lady Mary with you."
Mary Stafford was very surprised by this. Lady Mary? Returning to court? She was not sure what this meant, although she was sure Jane Seymour could not have initiated it. No matter how warmly disposed she was toward Mary, she could not hope for the girl's restoration as a Princess. If Mary was a Princess, then Katherine was Henry's wife and Queen; and if Katherine was Henry's wife and Queen, then neither Anne nor Jane could claim that position.
This was the King's doing, then. Did he want to demand that Mary sign the Oath, or did he have another motive? Mary could not be certain, but nonetheless she hurried back to her father's rooms to inform him of this development.