Sir Richard Page walked out of the Tower of London alive while five of his closest companions were led to the block, a survival that defied the ruthless logic of Henry VIII's court. In May 1536, the King's wife Anne Boleyn was accused of treason and adultery, and the men accused of sharing her bed were executed to seal her fate. Page, a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber, was arrested alongside Thomas Wyatt, Henry Norris, William Brereton, Francis Weston, Mark Smeaton, and George Boleyn, yet he and Wyatt were the only two spared the executioner's axe. 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 not an act of mercy but a calculated political decision by Thomas Cromwell, who advised the King to release them in June 1536 to stabilize the realm after the chaos of Anne's downfall. Page's survival was a rare anomaly in a court where loyalty was often a death sentence, and his ability to navigate the treacherous waters of Tudor politics would define the rest of his life.
Rising Through Wolsey's Shadow
Before he became a target of the King's wrath, Richard Page was a man climbing the ladder of power under the shadow of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. His origins remain obscure, with historians believing he likely hailed from Surrey or Middlesex, yet his career began in the service of the most powerful man in England. By 1516, Page had been knighted and was serving as Wolsey's chamberlain, a position that placed him at the heart of the Cardinal's administrative machine. His rise was rapid and calculated; by 1522 he was appointed a Justice of the Peace for Surrey, and the following year for Middlesex, demonstrating his growing influence in local governance. In 1525, Page was dispatched to Yorkshire, where he served as a member of the Council of the North and as vice-chamberlain in the household of Henry FitzRoy, the King's illegitimate son. While in this role, Page devised the armorial bearings for the boy, a task that required both artistic sensibility and political acumen. His loyalty to Wolsey was tested when he publicly took Anne Boleyn's side against the Cardinal in 1527, a move that signaled his shifting allegiances and his willingness to bet on the King's new favorite. This decision would eventually lead to his appointment to the Privy Chamber, where he would serve as Captain of the King's Bodyguards and enjoy the full favor of the court.The Accusation That Changed Everything
The 8th of May 1536 marked the beginning of the end for Anne Boleyn and the men accused of conspiring with her, yet Richard Page's fate was sealed before the trial even began. Arrested for treason and adultery, Page was thrown into the Tower of London alongside six other men, all of whom were charged with having illicit relations with the Queen. The charges were a fabrication designed to remove Anne from the King's life, but the men accused were real people with real lives. Thomas Wyatt, Henry Norris, William Brereton, Francis Weston, Mark Smeaton, and George Boleyn, Viscount Rochford, were all dragged through the mud of public opinion and royal fury. Page and Wyatt were the only two who were not found guilty and executed, a distinction that saved their lives but cost them their standing at court. John Hussey's letter to Lord Lisle described the event with a chilling detachment, noting that Page was banished from the King's court forever. The King's decision to summon Page back in 1537 and appoint him High Sheriff of Surrey was a testament to Page's resilience and the King's need for loyal servants. During the same year, the King bestowed on Page the office of Chamberlain to his son, Prince Edward, a position that would place him at the center of the next generation of Tudor power.