On May 17, 1536, five men were executed on Tower Hill, just two days before Anne Boleyn herself would meet her fate. The condemned were Mark Smeaton, a young court musician; Henry Norris, the powerful Groom of the Stool and one of Henry VIII’s closest companions; William Brereton, a Groom of the Privy Chamber; Sir Francis Weston, another gentleman of the Privy Chamber; and George Boleyn, Viscount Rochford, Anne’s own brother.
All five had been accused of adultery with the queen, with George Boleyn facing the additional horrifying charge of incest. The charges were almost certainly fabricated, part of Thomas Cromwell’s ruthless campaign to remove Anne Boleyn and clear the way for Henry VIII to marry Jane Seymour. Only Mark Smeaton confessed to adultery with the queen, likely under torture or the threat of it, while the others maintained their innocence throughout their trials.
The executions were carried out by beheading, the privilege of their noble status. According to contemporary accounts, several of the men gave speeches from the scaffold professing their loyalty to the king, following the convention of the time. George Boleyn reportedly spoke at length, admitting to various sins but implicitly denying the specific charges against him. Two days later, Anne herself would be executed by sword at the Tower of London, and within weeks Henry VIII would marry Jane Seymour, having successfully eliminated the wife who had failed to provide him with a male heir.
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