Episode 130 of the Renaissance English History Podcast is on Anne Boleyn’s Pregnancy and Elizabeth’s Birth.
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Book Recommendations:
Eric Ives: The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn
Buy on Amazon here
Elizabeth Norton: Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s Obsession
Buy on Amazon here
(when you buy through my Amazon affiliate links, you pay the same price but the show gets a small percentage of the sale. It’s like contributing without actually paying any extra. Yay!)
Full text of Hall’s Chronicle at the Internet Archive here:
https://archive.org/details/hallschronicleco00halluoft
Previous episode on Pregnancy and Childbirth in Medieval and Renaissance England
https://www.englandcast.com/2017/04/englandcast-024-pregnancy-and-childbirth-in-renaissance-england/
–>Rough Transcript of Episode 130: Anne Boleyn’s Prengnancy and Elizabeth’s Birth<–
Hello and welcome to the Renaissance English History Podcast, a part of the Agora Podcast Network. I’m your host, Heather Teysko, and I’m a storyteller who makes history accessible because I believe it’s a pathway to understanding who we are, our place in the universe, and being more deeply in touch with our own humanity. This is Episode 130, and it’s about the birth of Elizabeth I, which we celebrate each year on September 7.
And before we get started, I want to remind you about Tudorcon which is just about five weeks away. There are still tickets for three days of learning, feasts, parties, and getting to do all of that with 120 of your new best Tudor enthusiast friends. Go to https://www.englandcast.com/tudorcon2019 for all the details.
So now, let’s talk about Elizabeth, born 7 September 1533. Of course, we can’t talk about Elizabeth without first talking about her mother. After at least five years of witholding herself from a full on sexual relationship with Henry VIII, all signs point to her finally succumbing to Henry on the famous trip to Calais in 1532 where Anne was treated like a Queen while Henry held meetings with Francis.
Events with Henry’s divorce were moving ahead quickly, with the new idea that Henry could declare himself head of the church, break away from Rome, and, rather than wait for a papal approval of his divorce, just have an English cleric declare his marriage invalid. By January Anne was suddenly talking about how she had developed a strong craving for apples, and that Henry himself had told her that this was a sign that she was pregnant. By the Spring of 1533 Cranmer was orchestrating the final proclamation that Henry’s marriage to Katherine of Aragon was invalid.
Anne Boleyn had an easy first part of her pregnancy. She was about six months pregnant when she was crowned in a lavish coronation ceremony that we can only imagine would have been draining to her. I know when I was six months pregnant I didn’t really feel like gliding around in a litter looking jubilant and excited at greeting my people, many of whom hated me. When I was six months pregnant I felt like spending all day long in a swimming pool being weightless, and wearing flip flops because I couldn’t tie my shoes. But I digress. The coronation was necessary so that there would be no question about the baby’s legitimacy. Elizabeth had to be born legitimate to a Queen in order to secure her right to the throne.
Of course, as much as Anne was Queen, there were still those who were not happy with this arrangement. In May Cromwell received news that a merchant from Antwerp was selling insulting images of Henry and Anne on cloth.
In his biography of Anne Boleyn Eric Ives wrote that for a time after her coronation, Anne’s health was reportedly good. But there is reason to believe that the later stages of pregnancy were a challenge. Ives cites one source – 34 De Carles – saying that Henry was concerned enough to hope for a miscarriage if it would save Anne. He didn’t go on summer holidays as he normally would, declining a progress, and staying at Windsor where she could rest until it was time for her confinement.
Perhaps part of her bad health was due to the suspicion that Henry had a mistress that summer. The idea that Kings should be faithful to their wives, especially when the wife was pregnant, was seen as ridiculous. The wife was otherwise occupied growing a human. The King could go out and do as he wished. But Anne probably thought that, though he was never faithful to Katherine during her pregnancies, things would be different for her. After all, he had been faithful during their entire courtship! But now that he was married, and Anne was pregnant, things were different, and the rumors surfaced in the summer of 1533 that Henry was having an affair.
The name of the woman with whom he was having the affair is unknown. But for Anne, this would have been a threat. She knew that she had replaced a Queen as a mistress. Now she was vulnerable to the same treatment, and until she had a son, she would never be secure. She must have been praying fervently that a son was growing inside of her.
She confronted Henry that summer, and Henry responded in his usual way, being upset that she had even said anything in the first place. This is where we see the famous letter from Chapuys, writing that:
“The king has taken from his treasures one of the richest and most triumphant beds which was given for the ransom of a duke of Alencon. It was as well for the Lady that it was delivered to her two months ago, for she would not have had it now, because, being full of jealousy, and not without cause, she used some words to the king at which he was displeased, and told her that she must shut her eyes, and endure as well as more worthy persons, and that she ought to know that it was in his power to humble her again in a moment more than he had exaulted her.”
Them’s fighting words!
Her chamber for confinement, which she entered on 26 August, in Greenwich, would have been shrouded in mystical and sacred femininity, part of the rituals of childbirth that went back millennia. One of the things that Henry VIII’s grandmother, the amazing Lady Margaret Beaufort, is remembered for is that she codified many of the rules of court life, including that of the confinements for Queens.
She would stay in this chamber where all the windows were all covered, with the exception of one that was was unblocked to let in light. There would be relics, and a baptismal font – midwives were given the authority to baptize babies who would not survive, and they needed to have all the tools needed in the event that Anne’s baby didn’t look like she would make it. This was a room reserved only for women. No male attendants could enter. They would have tapestries hung depicting scenes of fertility, prayer books and beads to use to chant, and depictions of saints who would protect women in labor.
As a side note, much of this fell away with the Reformation, and women were legally not allowed to call out to anyone other than God to see them through childbirth – no calling out for Mary or any Saint. Only God. How much this was enforced is doubtful though. I would not want to be the magistrate charged with interrupting a full on second stage labor to remind the mother not to pray to anyone other than God.
Henry spent the time that his wife was in confinement making plans for the joust that he would hold to celebrate the birth of his son. He planned to call the child Henry or Edward. But nope, at 3pm on Sunday 7 September, out came a girl.
Chapuys, the Imperial Ambassador, was delighted. But Henry and Anne weren’t too upset. Anne’s labor was easy enough after health issues. And Elizabeth was healthy. It all looked well. Henry cancelled the jousts, but he had also done that with Mary’s birth. A herald did immediately announce the birth of Henry’s first “legitimate” child, and a Te Deum was sung by the Chapel Royal at St. Paul’s.
Plans for a christening were made for three days hence, where there would also be bonfires, and free wine in London. As much as both parents were distraught at the sex of Elizabeth, at least they took comfort in the fact that the baby was healthy, and Anne was clearly fertile. And Anne actually considered naming the baby Mary as a blow to Princess Mary and Queen Catherine. The idea would be that there would be two Princess Mary’s in England, with the new one having precedence over the older one. Imagine how insulting that would have been to Princess Mary!
Anne and Henry sent out a birth announcement that read that, “it hath pleased the goodness of Almighty God of his infinite mercy and grace, to send unto us at this tyme good speed in the deliverance and bringing forth of a Princess, to the great joye and inward comfort of my lord, us, and all the king’s good and loving subjects.” And Henry decided that Elizabeth was the name, after his mother, who was seen as the Yorkist heiress who united England with her marriage to Henry Tudor.
The Christening took place on the 10th of September. Anne had asked for Katherine to send her christening gown believing it to be the property of the Crown, but was told it was the personal property of Katherine, and so made a new one. Sudeley castle has a christening gown on display which they say may have been Elizabeth’s, but there are disputes about that because the embroidery isn’t accurate to the time period.
The most thorough explanation of the christening we have is from Hall’s Chronicle, and he writes:
The 7th of September, being Sunday, betweene three and foure of the clocke at afternoone, the Queene was delivered of a faire Ladie; for whose good deliverance Te Deum was sung incontinently, and great preparation was made for the Christning. The Maior and his Brethren, and fortie of the chiefe Cittizens, were commanded to be at the Christning the Wednesdaie following.
Upon which daie the Maior, Sir Steplien Peacocke, in a gowne of crimosin velvet, and all the Aldermen in scarlet, with collars and chaines, and all the Councell of the Cittie with them, took their barge at one of the clock; and the Cittizens had another barge, and so rowed to Greenwich, where were many Lords, Knights, and Gentlemen assembled.The Fryers church was also hanged with rich arrass: the font was of silver, and stoode in the midst of the church three steps high, which was covered with a fine cloth ; and divers Gentlemen, with aprones and towels about their neckes, gave attendance about it, that no filth shoulde come to the fonte: over it hung a square canapie of crimosin sattin, fringed with golde; betweene the choir and body of the church was a close place with a pan of fire, to make the Childe readie in. (you can’t have the royal princess being cold during the baptism!)
When all these thinges were ordered, the Childe was brought to the hall, and then every man set forward: first, the Cittizens two and two; then Gentlemen, Esquires, and Chap-laines ; next after them the Aldermen, and the Maior alone; and next the Kinges Counsell; then the Kinges Chappel in coaps; then Barons, Bishops, Earles, the Earle of Essex bearing the covered basons gilt; after him the Marques of Excester with a taper of virgin wax; -next him the Marques Dorset bearing the salt; behind him the Lady Mary of Norfolke bearing the crisome, which was very rich of pearle and stone.
The old Dutches of Norfolke bare the Childe in a mantle of purple velvet, with a long traine furred with ermine. The Duke of Norfoike with his marshal’s rod went on the right hand of the saide Dutchesse; and before them went Officers of Armes ; the Countesse of Kent bare the long traine of the Childes mantle. Four other lords carried a canopy over Elizabeth’s head.
When the Childe was come to the church doore, the Byshop of London met it, with divers Byshoppes and Abbots mitred, and beganne the observances of the Sacrament. The God-father was Lorde Thomas Archhyshoppe of Canterburie; the God-mothers were the olde Dutchesse of Norfolke, and the olde Marchionesse of Dorset, Widdowes, and the Childe was named Elizabeth, and after that all things were done at the church doore, the Child was brought to the font, and christned; and that done, Garter chiefe King of Armes cried aloud, “God of his infinit goodnesse send prosperous life and long to the high and mightie Princesse of England elizabeth”.
And then the trumpets blew ; then the Childe was brought up to the altar, and the Gospel said over it. After that immediately the Archbyshop of Canterbune confirmed it, the Marchionesse of Excester being Godmother: then the Byshop of Canterbury gave unto the Princesse a standing cup of golde , the Dutchesse of Norfolke gave to her a standing cup of golde fretted with pearle, the Marchionesse of Dorset gave three gilt boles pounsed, with a cover; and the Marchionesse of Excester gave three standing boles graven, all gilt, with a cover.
Then was brought in wafers, confects, and ipocrasse, in such plentie, that every man had as much as hee woulde desire: then they set for warde, the trumpets afore going in the same order toward the Kinges pallace as they did when they came thitherwarde; saving that the giftes that the Godfather and Godmothers gave, were borne before the Childe by foure persons; that is to say, first. Sir John Dudley the younger, bare the gift of the Lady Dorset, the Lord Fitz Walter bare the gift of the Ladie of Norfolke; and the Lord of Worcester bare the gift of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and all the one side as they went was full of staffe torches, to the number of five hundred, borne by the Gard and other of the Kinges servants, and about the Child were manie other proper torches borne by Gentlemen.
And in this order they brought the Princeshe to the Queenes chamber doore, and then departed. The Maior went to the King’s chamber, and tarryed there a while with his Brethren the Aldermen ; and at last, the Dukes of Norfolke and Suffolke came out from the King, and reported to the Maior and his Brethren, that the King thanked them heartily, and commanded them to give them thankes in his name, and from thence they were had to the seller and dranke, and so went to their barge.
Eric Ives writes in his biography of Anne Boleyn that the christening was a chance for Anne to gloat over her fertility. Not only was the ceremony held at the church of the Observant Friars – one of the last holdouts for Katherine – but also little jabs like making Mary’s servants and household take part. Katherine’s dear friend the Marchioness of Exeter was one of the godmothers. Everyone knew that she wanted to have nothing to do with it, but she took part in order to please the king. Also, in gratitude of being named a godmother, she had to provide an expensive gift – she gave three engraved silver gilt bowls with covers. Also, the Boleyns and Howards had a prominent place, as would be expected. Of the 21 participants, there were Anne’s father and brother, as well as eight Howard relations. Plus Cranmer, and other people linked to Thomas Cromwell. Cromwell himself was there to watch – he had planned the coronation, and likely planned the christening as well.
It seems as if Anne and Henry had won in this momentous birth of Princess Elizabeth.
As Eric Ives points out, before the birth of Elizabeth, Anne was the hope of a son for England. While pregnant she was the hope fulfilled. But now she had a daughter. Anne Boleyn was unable to cement her position the way she would have if she had borne a son, which would have quieted all but the firmest detractors. The claims of the son would outweigh anything else, and everyone in Europe would recognize it.
Instead, she was still uncertain on the throne, Mary would still have precedence because of her age and the support of Catholic Europe, and her enemies both at home and abroad.
So that’s it for this week. There are two book recommendations, both biographies of Anne Boleyn – of course the seminal one by Eric Ives, as well as the more digestible one from Elizabeth Norton. Links to buy are on the englandcast website at englandcast.com/Elizabethbirth.
And you can get in touch with me through the listener support line at 801 6TEYSKO or through twitter @teysko or facebook.com/englandcast.
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Heather Teysko is the creator, writer, and producer of The Renaissance English History Podcast, the original Tudor history podcast, started in 2009. She's been writing about history online for over 25 years, since her first site on Colonial American history became number one in history on Yahoo in 1998. In 2019 she created Tudorcon, which is now a yearly event, in addition to writing books, and running TudorFair.com - a whimsical Tudor Merch shop. She has been passionate about Tudor England since she first read Alison Weir's The Six Wives of Henry VIII 20 years ago, and subsequently moved to London after college to spend her time immersed in Tudor history.