Common questions about Richard Page (courtier)

Short answers, pulled from the story.

Why was Richard Page spared execution in May 1536?

Richard Page was spared execution in May 1536 because Thomas Cromwell advised the King to release him and Thomas Wyatt to stabilize the realm after the chaos of Anne Boleyn's downfall. John Hussey, 1st Baron Hussey of Sleaford, wrote to Lord Lisle on the 12th of May 1536 noting that Page was banished from the King's court forever yet his life was not in immediate danger. This reprieve was a calculated political decision rather than an act of mercy.

When did Richard Page serve as chamberlain to Cardinal Thomas Wolsey?

Richard Page served as chamberlain to Cardinal Thomas Wolsey by 1516 when he had already been knighted. His career began in the service of the most powerful man in England and placed him at the heart of the Cardinal's administrative machine. He publicly took Anne Boleyn's side against the Cardinal in 1527 which signaled his shifting allegiances.

Who were the men executed alongside Richard Page in May 1536?

Thomas Wyatt, Henry Norris, William Brereton, Francis Weston, Mark Smeaton, and George Boleyn, Viscount Rochford, were the men executed alongside Richard Page in May 1536. Page and Wyatt were the only two who were not found guilty and executed despite being arrested for treason and adultery. The charges were a fabrication designed to remove Anne from the King's life.

What marriages did Richard Page have and who were his children?

Richard Page married Elizabeth Bourchier in 1512 and they had a daughter named Elizabeth Page who married Sir William Skipwith. Elizabeth Bourchier died on the 8th of August 1557 and was buried at Clerkenwell. Elizabeth Bourchier had been previously married to Henry Beaumont, a husband surnamed Verney, and Sir Edward Stanhope.

What offices did Richard Page hold after surviving the Anne Boleyn scandal?

The King summoned Richard Page back in 1537 and appointed him High Sheriff of Surrey. During the same year the King bestowed on Page the office of Chamberlain to his son Prince Edward. Page had previously served as Captain of the King's Bodyguards and enjoyed the full favor of the court.

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