Henry Norris Timeline 1482-1536

Henry Norris was born to Sir Edward Norris and his wife, Lady Frideswide Lovel. It is thought that he was the couple’s second son and that John Norris was born a year earlier. Some sources indicate that Henry was the son of Edward Norris’s brother Richard and was born later. However, when Richard Norris died it was his daughter that inherited whereas if Henry Norris had been his son he would have inherited the estate.

Henry’s father died.

King Henry VII died. He was succeeded by his son, King Henry VIII.

Henry was created Keeper of Foliejon Park.

Henry Norris became a member of the Privy Chamber.

Norris, who had become a close friend of King Henry VIII, was appointed Gentleman of the Bedchamber.

Henry Norris married Mary Fiennes, daughter of Thomas Fiennes Baron Dacre and Anne Bourchier. Henry had met Mary in France where she was a maid of honour to Queen Claude.

Field of the Cloth of Gold
Norris was a member of the royal party that travelled to France for this summit meeting between King Henry VIII and King Francis I of France.

Norris was made Keeper of Langley New Park in Buckinghamshire.

A son, Edward, was born to Henry Norris and Mary Fiennes.

A son, Henry, was born to Henry Norris and Mary Fiennes.

A daughter, Mary, was born to Henry Norris and Mary Fiennes.

Henry Norris was given the post of Groom of the Stool. His responsibilities included supervising the running of the King’s Privy Chamber and he became very close to the King.

Norris became Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod. This post made him responsible for the conduct of the Lords in parliament.

King Henry VIII had become infatuated with Anne Boleyn. She had accepted Henry’s proposal to marry as soon as he was divorced from Catherine. Henry instructed his chief minister, Thomas Wolsey to work to securing his divorce from Catherine of Aragon.

It appears that Henry Norris was upset by the fall of Thomas Wolsey and likely felt that the former statesman was badly treated.

Norris was made Chamberlain of North Wales.

Anne Boleyn had finally surrendered to Henry and they began living openly as man and wife. Anne had her own court which included George Boleyn and his wife Jane, Lady Rochford, Sir Francis Bryan, Francis Weston, William Brereton, Sir Thomas Wyatt and other members of the Boleyn family. Mark Smeaton frequently joined these gatherings to play and sing.

Anne Boleyn, who was pregnant, and King Henry VIII were secretly married in the King’s chapel at Whitehall by Dr Rowland Lee, one of the royal chaplains.

Anne Boleyn was crowned Queen consort of England in St Peter’s Abbey, Westminster.

A daughter Elizabeth was born to King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. She was named after Henry’s mother, Elizabeth of York.

Anne Boleyn announced that she was pregnant again.

Norris became Constable of Beaumaris Castle.

Anne was delivered of a stillborn child. Henry who did not want to lose face ordered the details be kept secret.

Act of Supremacy
This act declared England as a sovereign state with the King as the head of both the country and the church. The Act gave the monarch the power over all areas that had previously been the province of the clergy and ecclesiastical courts. It also meant that his injunctions would be binding on the clergy and that he had the power to define faith in parliament. All heresy cases would now be prosecuted by special commissions. The King would also now appoint men of his choosing to ecclesiastical posts.

Treasons Act
This act made it a treasonable offence to deny any of the King’s titles. It stated that any malicious wish, will or desire to deprive the King or Queen of title or name of their royal estates was to be deemed treason. Slanderous publication of writing or words uttered describing the King as heretic, schismatic, tyrant, infidel or usurper would also be deemed treason.

Anne Boleyn declared she was pregnant again.

John Fisher, who continued to support Catherine of Aragon, was found guilty of high treason under the terms of the Treasons Act.

John Fisher, aged 76 years, was beheaded on Tower Hill. Fisher was the first bishop to be executed since Thomas Becket in 1170 and the people were deeply shocked.

Anne was prematurely delivered of a stillborn child. Henry kept the news secret because he was worried that people would say it was God’s revenge for the murder of Fisher.

Thomas More was tried for treason. He was found guilty and sentenced to death.

Thomas More was executed by beheading. He made a short speech asking people to pray for him and saying that he died the King’s good servant but God’s first.

Norris was granted property that had belonged to Thomas More.

Anne discovered that she was pregnant again. She was aware that everything depended on the outcome of this pregnancy.

Norris became Constable of Wallingford Castle.

Catherine of Aragon died. It was commonly believed that Anne Boleyn had slowly poisoned her to death. Nowadays it is believed that she died from cancer.

Catherine and Henry’s daughter, Mary, was taken very ill and it was commonly believed that she was being poisoned by Anne Boleyn.

Anne Boleyn miscarried of a son four months into her pregnancy. The child was badly deformed and Henry saw this as clear evidence of God’s displeasure with the marriage.

Henry VIII believed that the miscarriage of a son was God’s way of declaring that his marriage to Anne Boleyn was unlawful either because of her earlier pre-contract to James Butler or because of Henry’s affair with Anne’s sister, Mary Boleyn. He decided that he needed to find a way out of his marriage to Anne.

Thomas Cromwell began collecting evidence against Anne. During the course of his investigations he heard that some members of Anne’s court were admitted to her chamber at late hours. Henry Norris was named alongside George Boleyn, Francis Weston, William Brereton and Mark Smeaton. Cromwell used this information to construct a case that Anne had committed adultery with all five men and that they had plotted to murder the King. The information was passed to Henry.

Henry signed a document authorising commissioners to enquire into any kind of treason committed by Anne Boleyn.

Cromwell presented Henry with a list of charges against Anne Boleyn. Henry was furious and ordered the arrest of all those concerned including the Queen.

Mark Smeaton was arrested and taken to Cromwell’s house for questioning. After being tortured he admitted committing adultery with the Queen.

At the end of the May Day Joust, King Henry VIII publicly accused Norris of committing adultery with the Queen and ordered his immediate arrest.

Henry Norris was taken with George Boleyn to the Tower of London. Anne Boleyn was separately arrested and taken by barge to the Tower.

Francis Weston and William Brereton were arrested and taken to the Tower of London on suspicion of treason.

Thomas Wyatt and Richard Page were arrested on suspicion of committing adultery with the Queen. However they were later released. Cromwell reasoned that if two men were allowed to go free then the others accused would seem more guilty.

Anne was indicted before a grand jury for treason. She was charged with having committed adultery with Norris, Weston, Brereton, Smeaton and incest with her brother George. It was alleged that George was the father of the deformed baby. She was also charged with plotting to murder the King and making fun of him in public.

The trial of Henry Norris, Mark Smeaton, Francis Weston and William Brereton, took place. The Duke of Norfolk presided over the trial which found all men guilty. They were sentenced to death.

Anne Boleyn was tried by 26 peers of the realm including her uncle, the Duke of Norfolk, who presided over the trial. Although Anne argued her innocence she was found guilty and sentenced to die by burning or beheading whichever the King chose. George Boleyn was tried after his sister and was also found guilty.

Henry Norris was executed by beheading on Tower Hill.