Cromwell orders Catherine Howard removed
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Cromwell orders Lady Rochford to send Catherine Howard away, revealing his concern about Norfolk's ulterior motives concerning the King, since he already asked her to send an earlier niece away. Lady Rochford's comments about Catherine's attire and possible gifts from Anne Boleyn unsettle Cromwell.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Mocking and provocative on the surface, but beneath it, there is a calculated compliance—she enjoys needling Cromwell but knows when to yield to his authority. Her emotional state is one of cautious amusement, aware that she is navigating a dangerous game where one wrong move could cost her.
Lady Rochford stands at the center of the dress-fitting chaos, her barbed observations drawing Cromwell's attention to Catherine Howard's youth, her fine attire (including rubies once belonging to Anne Boleyn), and her lack of maternal guidance. She provokes Cromwell by insinuating Catherine's ties to the Boleyn faction and Norfolk's political motives, questioning his order to remove Catherine but ultimately complying. Her dialogue is laced with mockery and provocation, revealing her cunning self-interest and survival instincts in the court's treacherous politics.
- • To provoke Cromwell by highlighting the political threat posed by Catherine Howard, using her observations to stir his suspicions and force him to act.
- • To position herself as an indispensable insider, someone who can be trusted to relay messages (even unpalatable ones) to the Howards while maintaining her own survival in the court.
- • That Cromwell's authority is fragile, and any perceived weakness on his part could be exploited by Norfolk and his faction.
- • That her own survival depends on staying close to power, whether it be Cromwell's faction or the Howards', and she must play both sides carefully.
Alarmed and urgent, with a sense of controlled panic—his demeanor suggests he is carrying news that cannot wait, and his interruption is both a relief and a disruption to Cromwell's focus on the Howard threat.
Thomas Wriothesley abruptly enters the Long Gallery, looking visibly alarmed, and interrupts Cromwell's confrontation with Lady Rochford and Norfolk. His urgent demeanor suggests a development requiring immediate attention, and Cromwell follows him out without hesitation, leaving the tense political standoff unresolved. Wriothesley's interruption underscores the constant pressure and instability of Cromwell's position at court.
- • To deliver urgent news to Cromwell that requires his immediate attention, likely related to another factional threat or a development in the court's power dynamics.
- • To extract Cromwell from the confrontation with Norfolk and Rochford, ensuring he can address the new crisis without further delay.
- • That Cromwell's attention is needed elsewhere, and the matter at hand (Catherine Howard's presence) can be temporarily set aside in favor of a more pressing issue.
- • That the court's instability means Cromwell must be constantly vigilant, and even minor interruptions could signal major shifts in the balance of power.
Excited and wide-eyed, with a childlike wonder that masks her complete unawareness of the political storm brewing around her. She is oblivious to the danger she represents, her emotions driven by curiosity and a desire to please Norfolk, who is clearly maneuvering her for his own ends.
Catherine Howard arrives on Norfolk's arm, displaying youthful naivety and excited awe as she takes in the Long Gallery. She chatter inaudibly to Norfolk, pulls impatiently at his arm, and asks naive questions about the Maids-of-Honour. Her fine attire, including rubies once belonging to Anne Boleyn, marks her as a political pawn, though she seems oblivious to the tensions swirling around her. Her presence and attire raise Cromwell's suspicions, and she is ultimately ordered to leave the court until after Henry's marriage to Anne of Cleves is secured.
- • To understand her surroundings and the roles of the Maids-of-Honour, driven by naive curiosity about courtly life.
- • To stay close to Norfolk, seeking his approval and guidance in the unfamiliar environment of the royal court.
- • That her presence at court is purely for her own enrichment and experience, unaware that she is being used as a political pawn.
- • That the fine attire and jewels she wears are gifts or signs of favor, not symbols of a larger scheme to undermine Cromwell's alliances.
Neutral and engaged in their task, with a sense of excitement about their roles as Maids-of-Honour. They are insulated from the court's intrigues, their emotions tied to the beauty of their attire and the anticipation of serving the new queen.
The Maids-of-Honour are undergoing a noisy dress-fitting for their roles as Anne of Cleves' attendants, adjusting their matching white attire with the help of female servants. They exchange compliments on their gowns but otherwise remain passive participants in the scene, serving as a backdrop to the tension between Cromwell, Rochford, and Norfolk. Their youthful beauty and the chaos of the fitting underscore the court's superficiality and the political maneuvering happening around them.
- • To prepare for their ceremonial roles as Maids-of-Honour, ensuring their attire is perfect for the upcoming events.
- • To enjoy the attention and admiration that comes with their positions, though they are unaware of the larger political stakes.
- • That their primary role is to serve as decorative attendants to the queen, with little understanding of the factional struggles at court.
- • That the dress-fitting is a harmless and enjoyable part of their duties, unaware of the tensions it has sparked between Cromwell and Norfolk.
The Female Servants silently adjust the white attire of the Maids-of-Honour during the chaotic dress-fitting. They handle precise dress fittings …
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The Maids-of-Honour's white gowns serve as a symbolic backdrop to the political tensions unfolding in the Long Gallery. Their pristine, matching attire underscores the innocence and youthfulness of the attendants, contrasting sharply with the scheming and manipulation of Cromwell, Rochford, and Norfolk. The gowns are adjusted by female servants amid the chaos of the dress-fitting, but their true narrative role is to highlight the superficiality of courtly life and the way it masks deeper factional struggles. Cromwell's initial distraction by the noise of the fitting is a momentary respite before he is drawn into the confrontation over Catherine Howard.
The fine fabric of Catherine Howard's new gown is a deliberate and loaded choice, drawing attention to her as a political pawn in Norfolk's scheme. Lady Rochford's observation that the cloth 'did not come from the old dowager’s wardrobe' highlights its luxury and recent acquisition, pinning it to Catherine's wardrobe as a sign of Norfolk's investment in her. The fabric, along with the rubies she wears, symbolizes her as a carefully dressed and adorned tool in the Howard family's bid to undermine Cromwell's alliances. Cromwell's reaction to the rubies—once belonging to Anne Boleyn—triggers his alarm, as he recognizes the symbolic and political weight of her attire.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The Long Gallery at Hampton Court Palace serves as a grand yet chaotic stage for the political confrontation between Cromwell, Rochford, and Norfolk. Its expansive space, typically used for ceremonial preparations, is repurposed for the dress-fitting of Anne of Cleves' Maids-of-Honour, creating a noisy and distracting backdrop to the factional tensions. The gallery's historical significance—previously the site of Holbein's sketches of Bess Oughtred, Jane Seymour, and Henry—adds a layer of irony, as it now hosts a scene where the past (symbolized by the rubies once belonging to Anne Boleyn) threatens to repeat itself. The gallery's role is both practical (a space for courtly rituals) and symbolic (a microcosm of the court's instability and power struggles).
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
Cromwell's faction within Henry VIII's council and administration is represented in this event through Cromwell and Wriothesley, who work to suppress dissent and secure alliances. Cromwell's order to remove Catherine Howard from court until after Henry's marriage to Anne of Cleves is secured demonstrates his faction's defensive operations, aimed at preserving political stability against conservative rivals like Norfolk. The interruption by Wriothesley with urgent news underscores the constant pressure Cromwell's faction faces, as they must balance immediate threats (like Catherine Howard's presence) with broader strategic goals (such as the marriage alliance).
The Howard Family is represented in this event through the Duke of Norfolk and his niece, Catherine Howard, who is positioned as a seductive pawn to undermine Cromwell's marriage alliance with Anne of Cleves. Norfolk's unusual pleasure in Catherine's company, despite his claimed disdain for women, and his craning around to watch for the King's arrival, suggest he is maneuvering politically to introduce her to Henry. The fine fabric of Catherine's gown and the rubies she wears (once belonging to Anne Boleyn) symbolize the family's investment in her as a tool to regain influence at court. Their involvement in this event is a direct challenge to Cromwell's faction, as they seek to exploit the king's affections and undermine the carefully orchestrated marriage alliance.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Norfolk's calculated presentation of Catherine Howard to the court contributes to Cromwell's downfall after Bess reveals that Henry is secretly visiting Catherine Howard, precipitating the ultimate loss of trust and the King's desire for annulment."
"Norfolk's calculated presentation of Catherine Howard to the court contributes to Cromwell's downfall after Bess reveals that Henry is secretly visiting Catherine Howard, precipitating the ultimate loss of trust and the King's desire for annulment."
"Wriothesley's alarmed arrival and Cromwell's sensing impending issues creates suspicion of Wriothesley that is later confirmed when Wriothesley presents Cromwell with a letter revealing a plot by King Henry to remove Cromwell from his positions."
"Wriothesley's alarmed arrival and Cromwell's sensing impending issues creates suspicion of Wriothesley that is later confirmed when Wriothesley presents Cromwell with a letter revealing a plot by King Henry to remove Cromwell from his positions."
"Cromwell orders Catherine sent away, hinting at Norfolk's plan. Later, Bess reveals Henry secretly visits Howard, solidifying Norfolk's treachery and the threat to Anne."
"Cromwell orders Catherine sent away, hinting at Norfolk's plan. Later, Bess reveals Henry secretly visits Howard, solidifying Norfolk's treachery and the threat to Anne."
Key Dialogue
"LADY ROCHFORD: And those rubies - did they not once belong to Anne Boleyn."
"CROMWELL: Send her away."
"LADY ROCHFORD: Again? What shall I say to the Howards?"
"CROMWELL: Say what you like. Just make sure she doesn’t show her face here again until the King is safely married."