The Trial of George Boleyn, 15th May 1536

On the 15th May 1536, Jane’s husband, George Boleyn, went to his trial in the Tower. Jane would not have been there, but her father Lord Morley was one of the peers chosen along with George’s uncle, the Duke of Norfolk. Jane was not called upon to give evidence in person and no other witnesses were called.

George’s sister, Anne, had had her trial earlier and was sentenced to either being burned or beheaded on Tower Green, so this was already looking ominous for George. Despite this, however, George defended himself with great conviction. According to those present George “had no difficulty in waging two to one that he would be acquitted”. The evidence against him for committing incest was not convincing as it seemed to be based solely upon George spending a bit too long in Anne’s bedchamber. He condemned them for judging him also, as a result of the evidence of “one woman”. It is interesting how he says “one woman”. The accusation of incest has often been attributed to Jane herself. However, for him to say “one woman” indicates that it was someone else that had made the accusation, to be more specific, Lady Worcester. After all, if the accusation had come from Jane, would George have not have said as a result of the evidence of “my wife” instead of “one woman”?

George was then passed a piece of paper and he was under strict orders not to read out its contents, only to respond by either saying “Yes” or “No”. The contents related to a conversation that Jane had had with Anne over the King’s impotence; Anne had told her “le Roy n’estoit habile en cas de soy copuler avec femme et qu’il n’avoit ne vertu ne puissance”. Jane then went on to repeat this conversation with George. For George to read it out was not only in contempt of the court, but also implied that Anne’s daughter, Elizabeth, was not Henry’s. To make matters worse, George refused to answer simply “Yes” or “No” to whether he had spread a rumour that Elizabeth was not Henry’s. George refused to because he did not want “to engender or create suspicion in a matter likely to prejudice the issue the King might have from another marriage”.

George’s reaction was seen as very disrespectful in the court and reputation was everything in the Tudor period. When the judges delivered their verdict, it seemed very likely that it was going to be “Guilty”. It was left to his own uncle to deliver George’s death sentence by beheading, as he had only just done so with his niece, Anne.

Image - George Boleyn In "The Tudors", played by Padraic Delaney

Sources – “Jane Boleyn: The Infamous Lady Rochford” by Julia Fox and “The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn” by Eric Ives.