Most of you will remember me

For my necklace with a pearly "B"

The first of Henry VIII's wives

to have her head lobbed off

by a talented executioner from Calais.

But let's begin my story... well...

at the beginning, a young courtier

trained in the arts at England's rival kingdom.

Striving as newly made men, looking for courtly advancement.

Father ambassador to France

Married a Howard woman

In hopes of adding to his wealthy

Merchant stock, noble children

to breed in hopes of alliances

And wealth, and of course

The highest positions one could hold at court.

My sister, Mary, the King's fairheaded mistress,

with her head bowed offering her obedience

to crown and family,

although married to one of the King's men

She bore two children with the last name Carey,

but Tudors by blood, they be.

A joyful time full of games while I flit

about these courtly English men,

flirting with my eyes and wit

It was time to catch my own husband

Since the family's been caught up

in Mary's adulterous royal affair which

set my father and brother ahead.

So my dark doe eyes light on the heir to Northumberland,

Lord Henry Percy, we plighted our troth, witnessed by God only.

However, quickly resolved, Cardinal Wolsey, dissolved my marriage

declaring it a fraud, sending my Percy home to wed

another instead. That's when I knew I would be the end

of Henry VIII's most trusted church advisor.

God and fate were on my side

Catching the roving eye of his Majesty

Tired of the fair and dull Mary

Finding reasons to visit his queen's chambers

Only to watch her chivalrous knight giving eyes to me, dancing with me

Oh what a rush, knowing I had this handsome king enthralled.

Deep down I knew she couldn't fight

For her womb was clenched tight

Her monthly courses subsiding

Only a frail mousey daughter

Had God seen to give her, no matter the rough skin of piety upon her knees.

At first, I rebuffed my King's generous wooing. A maid I would

stay until in my wedding bed. He always did enjoy the hunt,

but this mare would not be put to pasture

when the stallion was ready to move on to the next conquest.

So I thought... a love that would never end, at least

Not end with my lovely head struck from my body, and

The nasty lies I must swallow, his ears closed tight to my every denial.

Yes, guilty of jealousy, being vain, and a little hot-headed,

but never adulterous, especially not with my beloved brother.

My Uncle a peer of the realm

Happy for my new vaulted position

paid quite a bit to keep me there

As well as giving the verdict against me.

the people branded me The Whore

Throwing stale bread and bishops

Preaching about Ahab and Jezebel.

People called for their Queen to be recognized

and for the Whore to be put away. Setbacks

and failures abound for Charles, the Holy Roman

Emperor sacked Rome and held the Pope.

No annulment could be brokered, but Wolsey found

himself pushed from the glory of the King.

For a buzz of new religion was making way

for our English King to become complete master of his land

And new grants were given, again,

my father and brother seeing new elevations.

While I became a Marquess of Pembroke in my own right,

not many women can say that

and on to Calais to meet with the King of France

Wedded we were, small and a quite event

But feted and dressed in the most beautiful fabrics,

fashion trendy, my lady maids tried to copy. Taking

to wearing a French hood showing more of their face.

My apartments overflowing with music, chatter,

dancing, and religious matters.

The Bible laid out for my ladies to keep them modest

and humble. Although most were never that...

even that mule-faced Jane Seymour.. or my brother's

dramatic wife another Jane I must suffer...

as they must suffer me now, in death...

I did my duty as Queen of England

Leaving behind my red head beauty

To lead England into a Golden Age

I held my tongue on that splendid English day,

wishing I could declare my innocence

of all trumped up charges

But we showed this roaring king his claws

So I say not a word against my sovereign prince.