Chapter 33: Hampton Court, Spring 1540 – Summary & Analysis
Spoiler Notice
This analysis reveals plot details from the entire novel. If you haven’t finished Boleyn Traitor, proceed with caution.
Chapter Summary
Spring 1540 at Hampton Court. Lent is observed lightly under the reformed Church of England, with quails, dotterel and marmalade served. King Henry’s attention remains fixed on Kitty Howard, who simpers for gifts while worrying about her uncle Norfolk. Kitty quietly confesses to Lady Rochford that she kissed Thomas Culpeper on Shrove Tuesday and begs her not to tell the Duke. Norfolk returns from a triumphant French embassy and immediately interrogates Jane: why did she not tell him the king has admitted to the council that the marriage to Anne of Cleves cannot be consummated? Jane feigns ignorance, though she knows the king still visits the queen’s bed. Norfolk orders her to persuade Anne to admit a prior contract and accept annulment, clearing the throne for a Howard bride. The Easter season unfolds with full Catholic pomp, feasting and dancing. Thomas Cromwell is created Earl of Essex, and the court watches a masque celebrating his common origins, while Norfolk sits stiff with offended pride.
Key Events
- Lady Lisle sends quails and her daughter Anne Basset gives marmalade; Henry ignores the gifts, captivated by Kitty Howard.
- Kitty confides her Lent‑kiss with Culpeper to Jane and begs for silence.
- The Duke of Norfolk returns from France and presses Jane for the news that the king’s marriage is unconsummated; Jane pretends she knew nothing.
- Norfolk reveals the king wants an annulment based on a possible prior contract, and instructs Jane to manipulate the queen into confessing.
- Jane agrees to coach Anne of Cleves as Norfolk demands, even while hiding Kitty’s secret.
- Easter observances blend old Catholic rituals with the new faith’s relaxed fasting rules.
- After the feast, young noblemen dance with the queen’s ladies; John Dudley, Gregory Cromwell, Charles Howard and others are present.
- Margaret Douglas dances twice with Charles Howard; Jane signals the queen to redirect her.
- Thomas Cromwell is elevated to Earl of Essex and feted with a dinner and a masque “The Rise of the Common Man.”
- Norfolk, forced to sit beside the new earl, is visibly enraged.
Character Development
- Jane Rochford: Juggles dangerous secrets. She hides Kitty’s indiscretion and lies to Norfolk about the king’s bedroom patterns. Her position forces her into the role of both paid companion and reluctant spy, and she begins actively shaping events.
- Duke of Norfolk: Ambition and paranoia drive him. He trusts no one—not even his niece—and instantly moves to exploit the king’s marital unhappiness for Howard gain.
- Kitty Howard: A flirt playing a double game. She is naïve enough to confide in Jane yet cunning enough to keep her distance when Norfolk appears.
- Thomas Cromwell: Quietly triumphant. His reward proves Norfolk’s predictions wrong, yet the king’s secret annulment plans suggest his favour may be fleeting.
- Anne of Cleves: Obedient and pious, she follows Henry in all rituals, unaware that her uncle’s rival has already begun dismantling her marriage.
- Margaret Douglas: Back at court, she re‑enters the dance of ambition, but Jane ensures she is not paired too often with Howard men.
Themes, Symbols, and Motifs
- Deception and Surveillance: Jane is a listening post between warring factions. Norfolk demands intelligence; the queen’s ladies keep secrets; the king conceals his plans from his wife.
- Marriage as Political Currency: The king’s unconsummated union becomes a tool for the Howards. Kitty’s body is the next asset in their alliance.
- Power and Social Climbing: Cromwell’s earldom and the masque “The Rise of the Common Man” celebrate social mobility, yet Norfolk’s fury shows the old nobility’s contempt.
- Religious Theatre: The Lenten loophole for “fish” and the Easter rituals display a court that bends faith to convenience while staging royal piety.
- Sex and Legitimacy: Henry’s claim of non‑consummation defines the queen’s future and will decide who controls the marriage bed next.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter exposes the machinery of court conspiracy that will drive the later half of the novel. Norfolk’s revelation that the king cannot consummate his marriage and seeks annulment sets the stage for Anne of Cleves’s removal and Kitty Howard’s rise. Jane’s role as informant deepens, and her choice to hide Kitty’s kiss while agreeing to manipulate the queen reveals the impossible position of women at court. Cromwell’s elevation to Earl of Essex creates a powerful irony: the king rewards the minister who brokered the Cleves match even as he plots to undo it. Easter provides a symbolic backdrop of sacrifice and renewal, foreshadowing the bloodless execution of a queen’s position and the ascent of a new, dangerous favourite.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Norfolk instruct Jane to persuade the queen to admit a prior contract? Answer: He needs Anne of Cleves to confess to a still‑valid childhood betrothal, which would make her marriage to Henry bigamous in the eyes of the church. An annulment would free the king to marry Kitty Howard, placing a Howard on the throne. Jane is the natural tool because she is both the queen’s closest lady and a Howard.
2. How does Jane handle the secret of Kitty’s kiss with Thomas Culpeper, and what does that reveal about her loyalties? Answer: Jane immediately agrees not to tell Norfolk, keeping Kitty’s trust. This shows that her protective instinct toward the women she serves currently outweighs her uncle’s demands. It also highlights her own precariousness—she manages dangerous information on all sides.
3. What is the significance of Cromwell’s elevation to Earl of Essex in this chapter? Answer: The earldom proves that Norfolk’s prediction of Cromwell’s fall is premature. However, the honour arrives just as the king secretly seeks to annul the Cleves marriage that Cromwell engineered, signalling that the minister’s fortunes are less secure than the celebrations suggest. The masque “The Rise of the Common Man” underlines the volatility of Tudor favour.