Festina Lente

Chapter Forty-Three: Another Boleyn Delivery

23rd of October 1533 - Palace of Beaulieu

"What news from the privy council?" George asked stepping into his study, he had been most surprised with his father's arrival that morning especially when his wife had gone into labour early that morning. 

His mother had been visiting them in preparation for the delivery of Clarice's second child, she had insisted on being here to aid Clarice like she had done when Contessina had been born and how she helped Anne through her deliveries. 

Contessina was currently with her Governess, who had been told by George himself not to tell the little girl that her mother was labouring until they had news that all was well. 

He was most hopeful that they would receive news that Clarice had safely been delivered of her child; he prayed that all went well and that soon he would be able to hold their child in his arms. 

"The King has drawn up the Act of Succession that is to go before Parliament in the coming days, he wishes to ensure that no one doubts nor plots against Prince Alexander and the Princess Elizabeth to install either of his bastard children in their place," Thomas explained, his lips twisting upwards knowing that not only would everyone be expected to sign but those who did not would find themselves outed as enemies to the Boleyns. 

After the former Princess of Wales had been banished to a nunnery, the King had set about insuring that none could doubt the line of succession that was vested within the children bore to him by Queen Anne and no other. 

The Duchess of Hertford, any children born from her marriage, the Duke of Richmond and of Somerset and any heirs that he might produce when he married were illegitimate. 

"He's also considering dripping the Duke of Richmond and of Somerset of one of his Duchy, so that people will not think to look to him instead of Alexander as King," Thomas continued knowing that any removal of a threat to his grandson taking the throne was a good one. 

The Duke of Richmond and of Somerset would be married to the Duke of Norfolk's only surviving daughter, making her a niece to him and his wife; although they might be king. 

Thomas did not trust his brother-in-law to not advance his own instead of the family that he had currently on the throne.

"He is wise to see his mistake, he advanced Fitzroy too high when he believed that Katherine would not give him a son," George agreed, he had seen little of Henry's bastard by Bessie Blount but he knew the boy favoured his mother in looks. 

They already had Katherine to deal with and her plans to cause an uprising to put Mary on the throne, now the plans to get Mary out of England were underway they could say that she was no longer such a threat. 

The same could not be said for her half-brother, there was no way to send Fitzroy away without fear of him doing what his grandfather had done and come back with an army. 

Fitzroy was already Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, a title that he had been granted in 1529 and there was a plan to crown him king of that country until it was discovered that Katherine was a traitor. 

The King's counsellors had feared that making a separate Kingdom of Ireland whose ruler was not that of England would create another threat similar to the Kingdom of Scotland; one that they had only held off because of Margaret's marriage and the fact that she had been regent for her son. 

There was a knocking that snapping George from his thoughts, he knew that fighting in a war would be expected of him and he had no desire to leave his wife nor their children. 

He would fight for King and country but he hoped that such things could be avoided, there was much unrest as it was especially with the King's unhappiness with the Pope.