At the King's Pleasure (Secrets of the Tudor Court) (44 page)

Stafford, Edward, Duke of Buckingham (1478–1521)

He was the only duke in England at the start of Henry VIII’s reign and had a distant claim to the throne through his descent from two of the sons of Edward III. He arranged the dynastic marriages of his brother, his two sisters, his son, and his three daughters, and was in the process of arranging the betrothal of his illegitimate daughter to a younger son of the late Earl of Kildare when he was arrested for treason. He also acknowledged two illegitimate sons, Henry and George. He apparently believed the prophecies of Nicholas Hopkins and did make a number of treasonous statements in the privacy of his own home, but
it is unlikely that he had any real intention of seizing the throne for himself. He was planning a pilgrimage to Jerusalem at the time of his arrest.

Stafford, Lady Elizabeth, Lady Fitzwalter (d. 1532)

Elizabeth Stafford was the elder sister of Edward, third Duke of Buckingham. She was at court as one of Elizabeth of York’s ladies by 1494. On July 23, 1505, she married Robert Radcliffe, Lord Fitzwalter. As Lady Fitzwalter, she was at the court of Henry VIII in May 1510, when she informed her brother that their younger and newly married sister, Anne, was being courted by the king. When the king learned that Lady Anne had been sent away, he forced Queen Catherine to dismiss Elizabeth Fitzwalter from her service, as well. Elizabeth later returned to court and was in attendance at the Field of Cloth of Gold in 1520. Her husband was created Earl of Sussex in 1529.

Stafford, Lord Henry (c. 1479–1523)

His older brother, the Duke of Buckingham, arranged his marriage to Cecily Bonville, widow of Thomas Grey, Marquis of Dorset, and mother of fourteen children. She was nineteen years his senior but very wealthy. For reasons that have never been established, Lord Henry Stafford was arrested immediately following the death of Henry VII and held in the Tower of London for several months. Once he was freed, however, he was quickly restored to favor at court and shortly thereafter was created Earl of Wiltshire.

Stafford, Margaret (c. 1511–1537)

Sadly, Margaret Stafford, illegitimate daughter of the Duke of Buckingham, followed in the footsteps of her father and grandfather and was executed for treason. She took part in the Pilgrimage of Grace, but she was singled out for trial partly because she’d led such a
scandalous life as the “untrue wife” of Sir John Bulmer, son of the William Bulmer who got into trouble with the king for accepting Buckingham’s livery.

Wells, Katherine, Prioress of Littlemore (d. 1525+)

Katherine Wells was prioress at Littlemore in Oxfordshire by 1507. In around 1509, she gave birth to an illegitimate daughter. The father was Richard Hewes, chaplain of Littlemore. Katherine sold priory property to provide a dowry for the child and kept her daughter with her. She also gave priory plate to Hewes. The discovery of these irregularities in 1517 did not result in many changes. Katherine was deposed as prioress, but she was allowed to continue to perform the functions of that office, perhaps because there were only five nuns at Littlemore. She also continued her affair with Hewes. In 1524, Cardinal Wolsey recommended that the priory be dissolved and this was done in February 1525. Katherine Wells was pensioned off with an annuity of six pounds, thirteen shillings, and four pence. I have no proof that Anne Stafford was sent to Littlemore, but it is approximately the right distance from Greenwich.

Wolsey, Thomas (1470/1–1530)

In 1509, Thomas Wolsey, a priest, was the king’s almoner and chaplain. In short order he advanced to Archbishop of York, a cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church, and King Henry’s chancellor, controlling both the government and the church. He lived grandly, building Hampton Court and York Place (later renamed Whitehall Palace), and is generally held accountable for the downfall of the Duke of Buckingham, who had insulted him on numerous occasions. Wolsey incurred the hatred of Queen Anne Boleyn and might well have met the same fate as Buckingham had he not died of natural causes when he did.

Wynter, Juliana (d. 1518+)

Juliana Wynter, Joan Wynter, and Elizabeth Wynter were all nuns at Littlemore Priory in Oxfordshire prior to the Visitation of 1517. They were undoubtedly members of the same family and quite possibly were sisters. The Visitation revealed that Juliana had been sneaking into nearby Oxford to meet a married lover, John Wikisley, and had given birth to his child. It was after this that Elizabeth Wynter offended the prioress, Katherine Wells, by playing games in the cloister. Dame Katherine beat her and put her in the stocks. Together with Joan Wynter and Anna Willye, Juliana rescued Elizabeth, burnt the stocks, and broke a window to escape the priory. They stayed away for two or three weeks before returning.

Based on the historical life of Lady Anne Stafford—remembered as the woman who had an affair with both King Henry VIII and his companion, Sir William Compton—
At the King’s Pleasure
takes readers on the incredible journey of her life at King Henry VIII’s court. Accused by her brother Edward, the Duke of Buckingham, of cheating on her husband, Anne is sent to a convent to pay for sins she did not commit. While Anne eventually returns to court with her husband, she never fully forgives her brother for his false accusation. It isn’t until Edward is brought under the scrutiny of the king that Anne realizes the importance and strength of family bonds.

1. In the beginning Edward Stafford, the Duke of Buckingham, thinks, “In England. . . it paid to know what your enemies were thinking. It made even more sense to keep a close watch on your friends.” In what ways did it “pay” for the characters to know what was happening at court? It what ways did it not? Did Edward take his own advice to keep a watch on his friends, as well as his enemies?

2. Discuss Anne’s siblings. How would you characterize Edward, Elizabeth, and Hal? Can you name any similarities between Edward and Elizabeth? Between Anne and her siblings?

3. Consider Anne and her role at court. What does living at court represent for Anne? Arguably, the courtly life was both an escape and an entrapment—without the court Anne would not have been caught up in her affair with Will. But the court is also the setting where George and Anne first fall in love. Do you see the court as more of an escape or an entrapment for Anne?

4. The historical figure Lady Anne Stafford is said to have been mistress to both Will Compton
and
King Henry VIII. In the novel, Anne is able to avoid the advances of King Henry, but she does eventually fall in love with Will. Do you think Anne was in love with both George and Will? Is it possible to love two people at the same time? Did you think Anne loved George more than Will? Or did she choose to stay with George out of obligation? Why or why not?

5. Reflect on the title of this novel—
At the King’s Pleasure
. Who, in your opinion, was most at the king’s pleasure? How does the title
reflect the milieu of King Henry VIII’s court? Do you think being at the king’s pleasure was a positive or negative situation?

6. Revisit the scene when George takes Anne to the convent (pp. 96–101). Why do you think George is so quick to believe Edward over Anne? Why does George harden his heart against Anne? Do you think his pride overcomes his desire to believe in the woman he loves?

7. “She had nothing of her own, not land nor chattel nor ready money. Even if she sold her book of hours and all the gemstones decorating her clothing, she would lack the means to live for more than a few weeks” (p. 117). What is the role of women at court? Consider Anne, Queen Catherine, and Madge Geddings in your response. How does the author highlight the role of women at court?

8. Taking mistresses was a common practice among sixteenth-century English aristocracy. Why didn’t Anne want to participate? Discuss Edward and Madge’s affair, which was public knowledge to everyone including Edward’s wife, Eleanor. Do you believe that Edward and Madge were truly in love? Why do you suppose Eleanor did not mind the affair?

9. Discuss the character of Cardinal Wolsey. Do you think he possesses any redeeming qualities? Why does King Henry give Wolsey so much power? Why are Will, Edward, and George all against Wolsey?

10. The desire for revenge is a central theme in the novel. Anne seeks revenge on her brother for forcing her to a convent and therefore losing her first child, while Edward seeks revenge on anyone who questions his authority. What are other examples of characters seeking revenge in the novel? How does revenge dominate the daily life and events at court?

11. On page 264, Edward declares: “I will do to King Henry what my father intended to do to King Richard at Salisbury, I swear it by the blood of Our Lord!” As the novel progresses, Edward makes several such declarations of regicide, a sin that was punishable by death. Why is Edward so obsessed with the monk’s prophecy that he will be king? In the end, what is responsible for Edward’s demise: his pride, his vanity, or his belief in the prophecy? Or was it some combination of all three?

12. How does Anne come to understand the importance of family? Was it only through Edward’s execution that Anne realized how important her relationship with her brother truly was? Consider the transformation that occurs in Anne’s relationships with her siblings and husband.

13. “Here is my solemn vow. . . We will name the child I carry in your honor, a living memorial neither king nor cardinal can deny you” (p. 338). Did Anne and George’s decision to name their next child after Edward surprise you? In the end, what do you make of Edward? Did you forgive him, as Anne and George had? Why or why not?

1.
At the King’s Pleasure
is the fourth book in the
Secrets of the Tudor Court
series by Kate Emerson. If your group hasn’t done so already, read the first three books in the series (
The Pleasure Palace, Between Two Queens,
and
By Royal Decree
). Compare and contrast the novels. What characters overlap? Does court life change with each book? Which book did your group like most?

2. Court life in England is a popular topic in contemporary film. Watch
The Other Boleyn Girl
(2008),
Elizabeth
(1998), or
Mary, Queen of Scots
(1971) with your group to further explore this time period.

3. Host a luncheon that Anne and the other ladies in waiting may have enjoyed. Have each member of your group research and make a recipe popular in sixteenth-century England. Visit
www.godecookery.com
for some ideas. Over lunch, discuss the best and worst aspects of life in King Henry’s court. Would you have wanted to live at court? Why or why not?

Q: Kate Emerson is your pseudonym. As Kathy Lynn Emerson, you are the author of the
Face Down Mysteries
featuring Susanna Appleton. Why did you decide to write the
Secrets of the Tudor Court
series under a different name?

A: I actually write under several names, and the reason is the same for all of them—to let readers know what kind of book they’ll be getting. Although some of my mysteries are also set in the sixteenth century, the “voice” is different. And, of course, the novels in the
Secrets of the Tudor Court
series aren’t mysteries, even though they may contain some elements of mystery, intrigue, and suspense.

Q: You’ve written several other historical novels. Did any of your previous books inspire this story?

A: Not really. I take most of my inspiration from the central character of each novel in the
Secrets of the Tudor Court
series and Lady Anne has never appeared in one of my books before.

Q: Describe the research you had to do in order to correctly represent real-life characters such as Anne Stafford and King Henry VIII. In what instances did you make a choice between fact and fiction, and vice versa?

A: In this case I started by reading an excellent biography of the Duke of Buckingham by Barbara J. Harris. My next step was to make a timeline, filling in all the specific dates and events I could find for the period of the novel. I have an extensive collection of books on sixteenth-century England and my file cabinet contains a great deal of information I’ve collected in notes over the years, so it’s usually just a question of pulling together the details I may need on various people and places. I
make a character sheet for anyone I think I’m likely to use. As for choosing between fact and fiction, for me there’s no choice to make. I pick fact every time. Of course, some facts are debatable, which gives me some leeway in interpreting history. And when no one seems to know what really happened, I feel free, as a novelist, to extrapolate from the details that have come down through the centuries.

Q: Who is your favorite character in the story? Why?