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Was Ann Boleyn the daughter of Henry VIII? A rather wild charge, but it was out there for several decades. Mr. Sanders was a Romano-Englishman who wrote his work in 1585 and his book gained much traction for Romano-Englishmen and Papal Romanists on the Continent.
The "introduction" to Sanders's work continues by Mr. Lewis.
The "introduction" itself is 147 pages. Then, finally, comes Nicholas Sanders's 368 pages followed by an excruciatingly detailed timeline on the "Anglican Schism."
But for now, more on Mr. Lewis's defense of Sanders's charge that Ms. Ann Boleyn was Henry VIII's daughter. This is bizarre.
Sander’s says “distinctly that Ann Boleyn was the daughter of Henry VIII.” Burnet laments that “the true story of her life [Ann Boleyn] derogates so much from the first reformers” (xxv). Mr. Lewis observes that others besides Sanders believed this also.
Although not to the point, allegedly, Henry’s sister, Mary (no angel herself), uttered "opprobrius language against her.” Clearly, there was palace intrigue and I suppose that's Mr. Lewis's point. The following quote suggests the widespread dissatisfaction with Henry VIII and his consort, Ms. Boleyn.
One eyewitness wrote in 1531:
“There is now living with him [Henry] a young woman of noble birth, though many say of bad character, whose will is law to him, and he is expected to marry her, should the divorce take place, which it is supposed, will not be effected, as the peers of the realm, both spiritual and temporal, and the people, are opposed to it; nor during the present queen’s life will they have any other queen in the kingdom. Her majesty is prudent and good, and during these differences with the king, she has evinced constancy and resolution, never being disheartened or depressed” (xxvi).
According to Mr. Lewis, this report is in an ambassadorial report to the Venetians. Wags!
But, note the contrast: 1531, above, and, below, 1529.
Of note, 9 August 1529, see the notes from Pollard, 34-40. On this date, Dr. Edward Fox and Stephen Gardiner met with Cranmer while Henry VIII is on his progress and in Waltham. The divorce was discussed with the unsuspecting Cranmer. Cranmer suggested taking the discussion out of the hands of the lawyers and placed in the hands of the theologians of the universities. Clement VII had hosed over Henry VIII by a concordat reached with Charles V. Some of the backstory is here: http://reformationanglicanism.blogspot.com/2013/08/9-aug-1529-hosing-over-henry-viii.html
This is a few years before the 1531 eyewitness.
The upshot, by contrast, this divorce issue was pending for quite some time and it was an issue for the nation, European leaders, the Roman court, the Romano-Imperial court and the Emperor Charles V.
The 1531 eyewitness indicates there was significant and widespread opposition to Henry’s behaviors. We know that Mr. (bp.) John Fisher, a well-known player to Cranmer, strenuously opposed the divorce or annulment proceedings.
Gilbert Burnet feels compelled to address the issue--Ann Boleyn as Henry's daughter--in the late 17th century, especially after Sander’s work was republished on the Continent (again).
Burnet says of the charge:
“If it were true, very much might be drawn from it, both to disparage King Henry, who pretended conscience to annul his marriage for the nearness of affinity, and yet would after that marry his own daughter. It leaves also a foul and lasting stain both on the memory of Ann Boleyn, and of her incomparable daughter, queen Elizabeth. It also derogates so much from the first reformer, who had some kind of dependence on queen Boleyn, that it seem to be of great importance.”Lord Herbert in his Life of Henry VIII dismissed Sanders’s charge as “foul calumnies.”
Lord Herbert further notes that Sanders, “though learned” was “more credulous than becomes a man of exact judgment” (xxix).
Herbert, Edward. The Life and Reign of King Henry VIII: Together with a General History of Those Times. No location: Gale ECCO, Print Editions, 2010. Available at: http://www.amazon.com/reign-Together-general-history-times/dp/1170378412/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376450320&sr=8-1&keywords=herbert+life+of+henry+VIII It is available online at: http://books.google.com/books?id=aYPgaMA-mf4C&printsec=frontcover&dq=edward+herbert+life+of+henry+viii&hl=en&sa=X&ei=DvgKUs6iL47K9gS8z4GYAw&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=edward%20herbert%20life%20of%20henry%20viii&f=false
Our quick perusal of Sanders's 368 pages...very detailed, even scholarly. This Romano-Englishman was influential on the Continent. We look forward to dissecting the detailed timeline.
Was Cranmer "in over his head" by getting involved with the Court and Papal intrigues? Could he have resigned? Why not the quiet, industrious and thoughtful life of an academic at Cambridge? Mr. Bromiley noted that Cranmer was an "unwilling" candidate for Canterbury. But, he was a Loyalist. When Henry ordered him over to Greenwich, he complied. Poor chap.
As for the question of Ann Boleyn as Henry's daughter, we're inclined to dismiss it as unsubstantiated waggery by courtly backbiters sore over losing a nation to Papal sovereignty. But, we'll continue to review it.
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