In the Shadow of the Crown - By Jean Plaidy Page 0,37

and it was clear that my father would never get one from my mother. She was so much older than he was, and even when she was younger she had shown how difficult it was for her to bear healthy children. The constant theme all those years had been: All those attempts and only one daughter!

So Wolsey was for the divorce but certainly not for marriage with Anne Boleyn. He must have feared the increasing power of her family. Anne Boleyn was his proclaimed enemy. She blamed him for breaking up the betrothal between her and Henry Percy though she must, by this time, have known that he was acting on the King's orders. There could be no joy for Wolsey in a marriage between Anne Boleyn and the King, so he was scheming to bring about a stronger alliance with a French princess to replace my mother.

The King, who normally would have stated his pleasure and expected everyone to fall in with his wishes, was wary of Wolsey, for he knew that he was proposing something which must seem outrageous to most of his courtiers. First he wanted his divorce, and Wolsey to be presented with a fait accompli. I often wondered why he was not as frank as he might have been with Wolsey. It might have been because he respected the man and really had a great fondness for him. In any case, he allowed Wolsey to go to France and get François' approval for the divorce and to suggest the King's marriage to one of the princesses of France.

My father had called on his conscience so many times that it began to have a life of its own and would not always be guided by him. It now began to disturb him on account of his previous relationship with Mary Boleyn and, since he had lived on intimate terms with the sister of the woman he intended to marry, was he not in a similar position to that of which he was trying to accuse my mother? I knew this because it came to light later that he had sent one of his secretaries, a certain Dr. Knight, to the Pope to get a dispensation in advance so that he could feel perfectly free to marry Anne.

This mission had to be kept secret from Wolsey, who was at this time presenting himself to François suggesting a French marriage for the King. So my father was playing a double game in his own immediate circle. Poor Wolsey. Although he was no friend to my mother and me and would have cast us off without qualm if need be, I could spare a little pity for him. He had risen so high, and it is always harder for such people when the fall comes.

I did catch a glimpse of Wolsey setting out on his mission. Pride and love of splendor would be his downfall, I thought then. He rode with as much pomp as the King himself. He was at the center of his entourage on his mule caparisoned in crimson velvet, with stirrups of copper and gilt. Two crosses of silver, two silver pillars, the Great Seal of England and his Cardinal's Hat were all carried before him. It was a magnificent show, and people came out of their houses to catch a glimpse of it as it passed. They watched it sullenly, murmuring under their breath “Butcher's Cur.”

I have come to learn that the lowly, instead of admiring those who have risen, are so consumed with envy toward them that they cannot contain their animosity. I often wondered why they did not regard them as an example to be emulated; but no, they prefer to hate. Wolsey's exaggerated splendor increased their anger against him, I always believed. They did not like his habit of carrying an orange which was stuffed with unguents as an antidote to the foul smells which came from the press of people. This seemed to stress the difference between them and himself. It was small wonder that it added to the resentment.

It must have been during that visit to France that Wolsey realized his influence with the King was in decline, for one of his spies managed to steal papers from Dr. Knight's baggage, and so the Cardinal knew that my father had sent Dr. Knight to act in complete opposition to him. It was the writing on the wall. What could Wolsey do? How could he assume any authority if the