Jane Seymour

Bound To Obey And To Serve

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"*He is the king*."

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~Jane to her youngest sister, Dorothy, when the king comes to their seat of Wulfhall in Wiltshire**Jane Seymour** was born the oldest daughter to Sir John Seymour and Lady Margaret Seymour. She had two older brothers, Edward and Thomas and two younger sisters, Elizabeth (who is not mentioned, nor does she appear) and Dorothy Seymour. She was raised with her siblings at her family's home of Wulfhall in Wiltshire.

## Early Life

Jane was raised alongside her siblings in Wiltshire at her family seat of Wulfhall. Her elder brothers were quite ambitious men and were at court from the moment they were considered old enough. High in favor, the king looked fondly upon both her brothers and her father, although Jane lacked their ambition and much preferred staying at home, tending to her beehives, and doing needlepoint with her sister, Dorothy.

## Failed Engagement

Jane became engaged to Sir William Dormer at some point in her twenties, although the engagement fell through after the king met her and coveted her for himself. Jane seemed to know Sir William, as, when she came to court and speaks her Edward's wife, Anne Stanhope, about it, Anne is sympathetic, but seemingly unconcerned with the broken engagement and Sir William's subsequent engagement to another lady. Jane seems saddened by this, leading us to believe that she must have cared at least a little for the man she was going to marry.

## The King's Mistress

Jane remains at court at the king's pleasure in the household of his second wife, Anne Boleyn. The Boleyn and Seymour families have been long-standing enemies, and Jane's presence at court does not seem to mend bridges between them.

Jane is summoned by Thomas Cranmer on the king's orders for her to swear to the Act of Succession. The archbishop asks Jane which of the king's children is the heir to the throne, and she immediately replies that the heir is lawfully Princess Elizabeth, as the young

princess is the daughter of Anne Boleyn, who she acknowledges as the Queen of England. She has a more difficult time accepting the Church of England, for she is a devout Catholic. Such a thing nearly proves too much for her, especially after the king is revealed to be in the room during the questioning, and she faints after kissing the Protestant bible. The king orders Cranmer out of the room, whereupon he attempts to seduce Jane, but Jane demands the king's respect and refuses to allow his display of affection towards her. The king then gives her a portrait of himself as a necklace, and Jane, although touched, is shocked and pained when Queen Anne sees is and yanks the chain against her neck, sending it clattering to the floor before she runs off. Lady Rochford offers her comfort, and suggests that Jane be careful in the dangerous game she finds herself playing.

When Queen Anne's pregnancy is announced, the queen is most attentive to the king, but does not overstep her bounds much as a lady in waiting. When the queen is told to be in labor, Jane is seen walking with the king, and when the child is revealed to be a boy, the joyful king leaves Jane's side in ecstasy. Jane, meanwhile, has begun to develop feelings for the depressed monarch, and is saddened to see the potential reconciliation between the royal couple.

## Queen of England & Father's Death

When Anne Boleyn's pregnancy is revealed to have ended in a miscarriage, Jane's star is on the rise once again. The king has trumped up charges brought up against Anne, and has his once-beloved queen imprisoned in the Tower of London, while he proposes marriage to Jane. The king then marries Jane eleven days after Anne's execution.

Soon after the marriage, Jane remains uncrowned, but is happy in her new life with Henry. At a ball one evening, the court plays a game of "Blind Man's Bluff" with her, and when she does not win, the entire court laughs at her expense, humiliating her, especially in front of a crowd of people. Naturally meek Jane has never been around so many people, and runs off into a seemingly abandoned room to hide. Her brother, Thomas, is revealed to be hiding in there as well, and, by only a trickle of candlelight, informs her that their father is dead. Jane leaves the room and finds the king, before embracing him in front of the court and giving him a passionate kiss, thus sealing her fate as a loving wife.

Jane's influence later allows Princess Mary (now demoted to the Lady Mary) to return to court. Both woman are young, good Catholics who seem to have other things in common as well. The king encourages the two to spend time together, and Mary seems reluctant to do so at first, due to her ill treatment at the hands of Anne Boleyn, but is won over by Jane's kindness. The two go out riding together, where Mary meets Thomas Seymour, who informs them that their little sister, Dorothy, is now prepared to be married and will do so the following year. Mary and Jane, delighted with the news, have a race and continue their friendship.

Throughout the episode, a story Jane tells Henry about a talking horse is brought up. Henry loves the story and brings it up now and again for humor.

## Pregnancy and Marital Discord

Jane becomes pregnant in the early months of 1537, and all of the kingdom hopes that Jane will give birth to the coveted son the king so desires. Jane and Henry enjoy domestic bliss for a time, however, a rebellion by Catholic vigilante Robert Aske threatens to tear them apart. Jane sympathizes and agrees with Aske's viewpoints, and the king, as Head of the Church of England, cannot stand that his wife would have a differing opinion than his own. Jane is then threatened with execution if she does not curb her viewpoints towards him.

## Death

On October 12, 1537, Jane gives birth to a son, Edward, Prince of Wales, much to the king's delight. It takes a toll on the frail Jane, and she is permitted to watch her son's christening from a pallet. Jane is far too weak after the birth, and dies two weeks after her son's birth. Even though she was not crowned queen in her lifetime, she lies in state as befits a monarch. Princess Mary grieves for the loss of the first stepmother to show her love, and Henry goes to sit with Jane's body after Mary has been revealed to have been up all night. The king, brokenhearted, remembers to some of his courtiers about the talking horse, before moving to go and sit with Jane. Thomas Cromwell asks the king to consider a new marriage, but the king refuses, going to sit at Jane's side, where he weeps at the loss of the woman who gave him everything his heart desired.