EXeCUTION OF JANE BOLEYN – VISCOUNTESS ROCHFORD

On February 13th 1542, just after the exEcution of Queen Catherine Howard, Jane Boleyn was b-headed with a single blow of the axe.

Jane was buried in the Tower of London alongside, Catherine Howard, and close to the bodies of those she allegedly testified against – her husband, George Boleyn and his sister Queen Anne.

The debate as to whether Jane Boleyn was an innocent bystander, or the instigator of royal scandal, has continued 500 years later.

Was Jane pivotal in bringing down her husband George and his sister, Anne?

George, and his sister Anne, were rumoured to be in a incestuous sExual relationship – although no proof was ever found from this allegation.

Jane has been painted as a bitter wife, jealous and vengeful at the close relationship George shared with Anne.

This was seen as Jane’s motive for her accusations of incest, while Anne was married to Henry VIII. Eventually this would lead to the brother and sister’s b-heading in 1536.

Of course, these accusations of incest were most likely fabricated.

Manufactured by Cromwell, to give King Henry VIII a reason to rid himself of his second wife……

Jane’s relationship with Anne, however, was actually rumoured to be a good one.

In the summer of 1534, having discovered that Henry VIII had a new mistress who was an enemy of Anne’s – Anne and Jane got together and plotted her removal.

This plan actually resulted in Jane’s banishment from court.

The fact that Anne and Jane were actively conspiring together, may well suggest a friendship of a sort.

In 1535 a demonstration at Greenwich took place in support of the Lady Mary, interestingly, Jane’s name appears among the ringleaders who were imprisoned in the Tower of London for their involvement.

On 29th January 1536, when Anne Boleyn suffered a miscarriage, Jane seems to have been the only one that Anne would allow to console her.

Their relationship was not as poor as it is portrayed in TV series like ‘The Tudors’ or novels like Philippa Gregory’s ‘The Other Boleyn Girl’.

Jane’s relationship with her husband, might have been somewhat different.
George Boleyn reportedly lived a fun life, he was well liked, but said to be unscrupulous and bed women, as well as men.

George had a close relationship with Mark Smeaton, often exchanging personal gifts.
Mark, was the musician accused of also bedding Queen Anne.

If these reports are true, this likely affected Jane and George’s relationship.

So much uncertainty surrounds whether Jane actually gave evidence against the Boleyn’s or not.

What can be confirmed however, is that Jane was questioned by Thomas Cromwell.
If Jane did give evidence against them, she was likely not motivated by hate, but by desperation and fear.

The reality is, that whatever Jane did do wrong, she would pay the ultimate price, a few years later.

After helping orchestrate Henry VIII’s fifth wife, Catherine Howard’s affair with Thomas Culpeper, Jane was imprisoned in the Tower of London.

Jane first denied knowledge of any affair.

The interrogation of Jane over this matter caused her to lose her sanity, and driven by fear and desperation, Jane quickly declared herself insane.

This raised questions whether she would be well enough to be exEcuted.
She became out of control, and rambled about seeing George and Anne in her room.

One source claims that she made a confession of her lies about Anne and George’s alleged incest…..

She reportedly said:

“God has permitted me to suffer this shameful
doom as punishment for having contributed to my
husband’s death.

I falsely accused him of loving in an incestuous
manner, his sister, Queen Anne Boleyn”

At the time of Jane’s imprisonment, it was illegal to exEcute an insane person, but Henry VIII passed a new law to make it legal in Jane’s case.

A letter to Culpeper was found in Catherine’s handwriting, in which this sentence was written…

“Come when my Lady Rochford is here,
for then I shall be at leisure to be at your
commandment.”

On this basis, it was confirmed that Jane not only knew of the affair, but helped Catherine arrange times and places for her to meet Culpeper.

Jane Boleyn was charged, tried, and found guilty.

Her exEcution took place on Tower Green on 13th February 1542.
Jane made a prayer for the king and alleged she had falsely testified against her husband…….

She was then b-headed with a single blow of the axe.