Tuesday, July 3, 2012

A break in recapping and and analysis to advise the time traveler

If you are worthy and fortunate enough to get your grant application for time travel funded and you decide to take up residence at the court of Henry VIII to see what all the fuss is about, I've read and viewed enough to compile a "Don't" list.

Obvious Don'ts:

1) Marry Henry VIII.
2) Have an affair or flirtation with anyone who is married to Henry VIII.
3) Facilitate anyone else having an affair with anyone who is married to Henry VIII.
4) If you dallied with the current Queen before she caught the King's eye, stay away from court, keep a low profile and DON'T under any circumstances use your past intimacy to blackmail the Queen into giving you a cushy court job.  NOT WORTH IT!

Those will not surprise anyone who is familiar with the more sensational extracts from Great Harry's bio.

Slightly more subtle Don'ts:


1) Work for high office if you are not of noble birth.  The Four Thomases, More, Woolsey, Cromwell, and Cramner were talented and hard-working commoners who were elevated by Henry to great eminence, but all went out on a sour note.
2) Wear your religious sentiments on your sleeve, even if they are in favor at the moment...they won't be for long.
3) Go out on a limb to do the bidding of the high nobility.  Buncha serpents, and that's insulting the snakes!  They will protect themselves, not you.

Hard to keep the Four Thomases straight?  Portraits may or may not help.

Wolsey

More

Cromwell

Cramner

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