The Burning of Anne Askew

On July 16 1546, Anne Askew along with three other Protestants, John Lascelles, John Adams and Nicholas Belenian, were burned at the stake at Smithfield in London for heresy. As we have explored in my previous post Anne has been so badly racked during her interrogations at the Tower of London that she could no longer walk. Anne was carried to the stake and was tied to it when she could not stand. John Foxe, the writer known for working to rehabilitate the reputation of Anne Boleyn, also took this Anne under his literary wing writing, “Hitherto we have entreated of this good woman: now it remaineth that we tough somewhat as touching her end and martyrdom. She being born of such stock and kindred that she might have lived in great wealth and prosperity, if she would rather have followed the world than Christ, but now she was so tormented, that she could neither live long in so great distress, neither yet by the adversaries be suffered to die in secret. Wherefore the day of her execution was appointed, and she brought into Smithfield in a chair, because she could not go on her feed, by means of her great torments. When she was brought unto the stake she was tied by the middle with a chain that held up her body. When all things were thus prepared to the fire, Dr Shaxton, who was then appointment to preach, began his sermon. Anne Askew, hearing and answering again unto him, where he said well, confirmed the same; where he said amiss, “There,” said she, “…he missesth and speaketh without the book.”

The sermon being finished, the martyrs standing there tied at three several stakes ready to their martyrdom, began their prayers. The multitude and concourse of the people was exceeding; the place where their stood being railed about to keep out the press. Upon the bench under St. Bartholomew’s Church sat Wriothesley, chancellor of England; the old Duke of Norfolk, the old earl of Bedford, the lord mayor, with divers others. Before the fire should be set unto them, one of the bench, hearing that they had gunpowder about them, and being alarmed lest the faggots, by strength of the gunpowder, would come flying about their ears, began to be afraid: but the earl of Bedford, declaring unto him how the gunpowder was not laid under the faggots, but only about their bodies, to rid them of their pain: which having vent, there was no danger to them of the faggots, so diminished that fear.

Then Wriothesley, lord chancellors, sent to Anne Askew letter offering to her the King’s pardon if she would recant; who refusing once to look upon them made this answer again, that she came not thither to deny her Lord and Master. Then were the letters like-wise offered unto the others, who, in like manner, following the constancy of the woman, denied not only to receive them, but also to look upon the,. Whereupon the lord mayor, commanding fire to be put to them, cried with a loud voice, “Fiat justicia.”

And thus the good Anne Askew, with these blessed martyrs being troubled so many manner of ways, and having passed through so many torments, having now ended the long course of her agonies, being compassed in with flames of fire, as a blessed sacrifice unto God, she slept in the Lord AD 1546, leaving behind her a singular example of Christian constancy for all men to follow.”

Anne Askew went to her death proudly and with admirable courage. She became the first woman not only to be racked in England, but also the first female Protestant Martyr in what would become a long succession of deaths in England’s bloody religious infighting.

**Passage taken from The Actes and Monuments of John Foxe: The Complete Edition

The Martyrdom of Mistress Askew
by an unknown artist ca. 1869

 

On This Day in Tudor History

On June 3, 1533 Henry VIII’s council wrote to William Blount, Catherine of Aragon’s personal chamberlain instructing him to tell Catherine that she was not longer to refer to herself as Queen, instead she should be addressed by her rightful title of Princess Dowager. This title recognized only Catherine’s short marriage to Arthur, Henry’s older brother.  Despite the annulment of their marriage and the recognition by Parliament of Anne Boleyn’s new queenly status, Catherine persisted in calling herself Queen and Henry’s true wedded wife. The instructions to Blount were as follows:

“As the King cannot have two wives he cannot permit the Dowager to persist in calling herself by the name of the Queen, especially considering how benignantly and honorable she has been treated in the realm. She is to satisfy herself with the name of Dowager, as prescribes by the Act of Parliament, and must beware of the danger if she attempts to contravene it, which will only irritate the feelings of the people against her. If she be not persuaded by these arguments to avoid the King’s indignation and relent from her vehement arrogancy, the King will be compelled to punish her servants, and withdraw her affection from his daughter. Finally, that as the marriage is irrevocable, and has passed the consent of Parliament, nothing she can do will annul is, and she will only incur the displeasure of Almighty God and of the King.” *

Despite the thinly veiled threats in the instructions Catherine rebelled, refusing to acknowledge the end of her marriage, Anne as Queen or even the authority of any person in England to decide her case, arguing that only the Pope had that right. She refused to abandon her title and the legitimacy of her daughter until the Pope made his decision. In fact Catherine asked for her own copy of the instructions which would be translated and sent to Rome. The daughter of Isabella and Ferdinand was showing her courage and defiance once again!

 

*Excerpt from the Six Wives: The Queen of Henry VIII by David Starkey

Inside the Body of Henry VIII: A Documentary

Hey all, this weekend I watched an awesome Youtube video on the health of Henry VIII. It explores the mental and physical decline of the notorious monarch and possible causes for this deterioration. I found it absolutely fascinating and I hope you do too!

Reader Questions

I have gotten a bit behind on answering submitted questions, I apologize! We have had so many great submissions in the past few weeks :) Thank you and I will do my best to answer them all!

Q: The other day a friend told me that Anne Boleyn had a sixth finger. I thought this was a lie until she showed me a website that confirmed what she said! What is your idea?

A: The myth that Anne had a sixth finger began after her death. Nicholas Sander, who was a Catholic living in exile during the time of Elizabeth I, disliked Elizabeth and sought to undermine her rule by blackening the reputation of her mother Anne. He also accused Anne of having an extra, protruding tooth and large moles on her neck. Sanders never saw Anne and his assertions are not found anywhere in contemporary primary source accounts of Anne. It is also safe to assume that Henry would not have pursued her for almost a decade if she had noticeable physical defects, he would have had his pick of attractive women.

Q: How did Lady Jane Grey have a claim to the throne? I am confused as to why she was nominated by Edward?

A: First of all Jane had a very weak claim, hence the reason her reign lasted nine days. Jane was the daughter of Frances Brandon, who herself was the daughter of Mary (nee Tudor) and Charles Brandon. Mary Tudor was Henry VIII's sister. Jane was nominated because she had Tudor blood and shared the virulent Protestant ideas of Edward. Edward and Mary (his eldest sister) often clashed over religious ideologies so he wanted to prevent her from ruling should he die without an heir. He chose to disinherit her based on the nullity of her mother's marriage to Henry VIII but in order to do so he would also have to disinherit Elizabeth regardless of the fact that she had protestant sympathies. Therefore when researching who would be next in line to inherit the throne Edward named Jane as she was his first cousin (once removed) and the eldest Tudor heiress.


Q: Why did Mary choose to place her allegiance with her mother, rather than her father? It would have seemed to serve her better?

A: If you are at all familiar with Catherine of Aragon's reproductive woes you will know why she doted so much on her daughter Mary. Unlike many royal parents Catherine took a very active role in her daughter's upbringing. She personally selected Mary's tutors, religious instructors, clothing and members of her household. When Mary was sick Catherine tended her and they saw each other frequently, writing letters when physical visits were not possible. Catherine's care and love in Mary's upbringing made her more sympathetic to her mother's plight and thus more loyal. we must also examine the fact that siding with her father meant denying her own legitimacy and inheritance, something she wasn't likely to do as she was raised as the heiress apparent and had expectations of ruling England one day.

Read of the Week

When reviewing books for this blog I always try to use something that will not only be enjoyable to my readers but also give them historical insight or knowledge. Sometimes I choose novels, either to give my mind a break from research or to just find out how others perceive and write about Tudor England. Whenever I indulge in a novel it is normally a Philipa Gregory one, her writings are my guilty pleasure because despite their vast historical inaccuracy they are fun to read. This week I settled in and battled the rainy blues by enjoying The Boleyn Inheritance.  The book covers three women vital to the story of Henry VIII; Anne of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Jane Boleyn, viscountess Rochford. Each section of the novel tells the story from these women’s personal points of view. Dodging scandal, spying and playing the game of court politics is everyday life. Gregory brings to life Tudor England and the characters most of us tend not focus on. I greatly enjoyed the sections about Anne of Cleves and Katherine Howard but I found her descriptions of Jane Boleyn hard to manage. I know this is historical fiction but the perpetuation of the rumor that Jane’s testimony sent her sister-in-law and Anne and husband George to the scaffold really bothers me. Despite this slight bias I have in the last section the book is amazingly well written and so readable. Pick it up today!