SUTTON PLACE 311 



as ^"46 (equal to ^560) being lost and won at a 

 sitting at " dyce." 



Henry VIII. married Anne Boleyn privately in 

 January, 1533, but he did not dare to acknowledge 

 her publicly as his wife till Cranmer had finally 

 decreed that his marriage with Katherine was null 

 and void. On their Coronation-day Francis Wes- 

 ton was made a Knight of the Bath. Friedman, 

 who writes the life of Anne so ruthlessly, says : 

 " Among the friends of Anne there was a young 

 courtier named Sir Francis Weston, the son of 

 Richard Weston, Under-Treasurer of the Ex- 

 chequer. He had just been a royal page, but 

 had risen to the rank of Groom of the Privy 

 Chamber, and was now one of the Gentlemen 

 of it. For the last eight years, by reason of 

 his office, he had resided constantly at Court, 

 and he had obtained a good many grants and 

 pensions." 



Before ten months had elapsed after the Coro- 

 nation, Henry paid a State visit to the beautiful 

 house of his faithful servant Sir Richard Weston, 

 " Concernying newis here be non wourthe the 

 writing, saving that God be thankid the Kinges 

 highnes is in prossperous estate at this present 

 tyme at Sir Richard Weston." It was on such occa- 

 sions as these that the "grete carpete to lay under 

 the Kyng's fete" was used. 



Anne "pale Anne" who would not, or could 



