Anne Boleyn image Born in 1475 Died in December 1556 Age at death: 81 years old Parents William Boleyn 1447-1505 Margaret Butler -1537 Marriages and children Married about 1498 to John Shelton 1472-1539, with Ralph ca 1499-1561 John 1503-1558 Margaret 1504-1558 Thomas 1506-1564 Mary ca 1512-1571 Anne 1515-1563 Gabrielle +1558 Elizabeth +1561 Emma +1556 Amy +1579 Notes Anne Boleyn was the daughter of Sir William Boleyn (1447-October 10, 1505) and Margaret Butler (d.1458-April 3, 1537), daughter of the earl of Ormond. She married Sir John Shelton of Shelton, Norfolk (c.1472-December 21,1539) and was the mother of Sir John (1503-November 15,1558), Sir Ralph (d. September 26,1561), Anne (d. December 1563), Gabrielle, a nun at Barking (d. October 1558), Elizabeth (d.1561+), Margaret (d. before September 11,1583), Thomas, Mary (1512?-January 1571), Emma (d.1556+), and Amy (d. November 1579). In 1533, she was put in charge of both King Henry VIIIs daughters, the baby Elizabeth and Mary, now declared illegitimate. She was specifically instructed by her niece, Queen Anne Boleyn, to teach the Lady Mary Tudor her place. In February of 1534, she was reprimanded for showing too much sympathy for her charge. According to Eustache Chapuys, the Imperial Ambassador, she said that even if the princess were only the bastard of a poor gentleman, she deserved honor and good treatment for her goodness and virtues. On the other hand, Lady Shelton was said to have boxed Mary’s ears and on one occasion in March of 1534, when Mary refused to climb into a litter with Lady Shelton because that would have meant following behind Elizabeth, a matter of precedence, Lady Shelton ordered one of gentlemen of the household to pick Mary up and force her into the litter. In September of 1534, when Mary was ill, Lady Shelton sent for an apothecary. Unfortunately, the pills he provided made matters worse and for some time afterward, Lady Shelton feared she would be accused of trying to poison her charge. In February 1535, Chapuys reported that she had been reduced to tears by the possibility that something might happen to Mary and she would be blamed for not being vigilant enough. In January 1536, Lady Shelton was the one who told Mary that her mother, Catherine of Aragon, was dead. Some sources say she showed little sympathy in doing so. After Catherines death, Queen Anne sent orders to Lady Shelton that she should no longer try to pressure Mary into submitting to the king. Some sources paint Lady Shelton as Marys tormentor, who changed her attitude only after she was told by Dr. Butts that there were rumors in London that she was poisoning Mary. It has also been said that after she learned from her daughter, Margaret (Madge) Shelton, who was a maid of honor to Queen Anne and possibly King Henrys mistress, that the queen was losing her influence with the king, Lady Shelton began to accept bribes from Chapuys to let his servants in to visit Mary. After Jane Seymour became queen, Lady Shelton retired, but one of her sons joined Mary’s household and was still in Mary’s service when Mary succeeded her brother Edward to the throne in 1553, a small indication that Lady Shelton was not entirely a villain. Some sources give Lady Shelton a second husband, Sir Thomas Calthorpe (1507-1559). Lady Sheltons will, dated December 19,1556, was proved on January 8, 1557. Portrait: stained glass window, St. Marys Church, Shelton, Norfolk.
Posted on: Tue, 04 Nov 2014 22:36:40 +0000
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