Francis Weston

Sir Francis Weston as played by [not portrayed in the series]

born c. 1513 - executed May 17, 1536 by order of Henry VIII Character's backstory: Francis was born into a gentry family and he quickly found a position at the royal court. "He had served Henry VIII as a page since at least 1525. In 1533, at Anne Boleyn's coronation, he was dubbed a Knight Companion of the order of the Bath. He was much liked by the King, the Queen and her brother George Boleyn, Lord Rochford; he played cards with them all, beating the King at nearly every game and partnered Henry at Tennis and Bowls. At night the King often chose him as one of those gentlemen who would sleep in his bedchamber and be on call to attend to his needs" ~ Alison Weir The Lady in the Tower He was married, but rumours suggested that he was enjoying a secret affair with Mary Shelton, during 1536. Mary (called Madge Sheldon in the series) had been the mistress of Henry VIII the year before, from February to around August 1535. Francis Weston was one of the men, along with George Boleyn, Mark Smeaton, William Brereton, and Henry Norris, accused of having an affair with Anne Boleyn in 1536. Though the accusations were most probably false, he too was brought down with the Queen and was executed by beheading. Gentility: Of gentle birth Position: Gentleman of the Privy Chamber Personality type: "young, and of good lineage and high accomplishments." ~Carles He had been "daintily nourished under the King's wing" "...within twelve hours of [[[Anne Boleyn]]'s] imprisonment, she had given full details of her conversation with Norris. Then she remembered another incident. 'She feared more Weston' she said 'For on Whitsunday Tuesday last [18 May 1535] Weston told her that Norris came more into her Chamber for her than for Madge.' Weston was Sir Francis Weston, a young rake-hell and Henry's former favourite page. Oral reports of what Anne said were passed on to Kingston by the aptly named Mrs. Coffin, while Kingston in turn made written reports to Cromwell. On the morning of 3 May 1536, Anne again babbled. She had remembered further details about the Weston incident. 'She had spoke to him', she said 'because he did love her kinswoman Mrs Shelton and that....he loved not his wife'. This was Anne acting properly in her role of censor of morals. But Weston had ready a tart reply. 'He loved one in her house better than them both,' he said. The Queen walked into the trap. 'Who is that?' she asked. 'It is yourself,' the insolent boy replied. It was a smart retort. But it would cost him his head, and within a few hours he too was in the Tower." [Source: David Starkey in "Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII"]

16th C Portrait at Parham Park in Sussex "Weston Esq. of Sutton, Surrey" "Ah! Weston, Weston, that pleasant was and young, In active things who might with thee compare? All words accept that thou diddest speak with tongue, So well esteemed with each where thou diddest fare. And we that now in court doth lead our life Most part in mind doth thee lament and moan; But that thy faults we daily hear so rife, All we should weep that thou are dead and gone." A verse from Sir Thomas Wyatt's eulogy poem to those executed along with Anne Boleyn HISTORICAL QUOTE from Francis : "Father and mother and wife, I shall humbly desire you, for the salvation of my soul, to discharge me of this bill, and for to forgive me of all the offences that I have done to you, and in especial to my wife, which I desire for the love of God to forgive me, and to pray for me: for I believe prayer will do me good. God's blessing have my children and mine” [After he had listed his debts - dated May 13th, 1536] Click EasyEdit to update this page! (Don't see the EasyEdit button above? <a href="../#signin" target="_self">Sign in</a> or <a href="../accountnew" target="_self">Sign up</a>.) Links: <a class="external" href="http://www.berkshirehistory.com/bios/rweston.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Royal Berkshire History - Sir Richard Weston, father of Sir Francis</a>

CHARACTER CONNECTIONS Family members: Father: Sir Richard Weston - former under-treasurer of the Exchequer Mother: Anne Sandys - one of Elizabeth of York(King Henry VIII's mother) and Queen Katherine of Aragon's gentlewomen Marriage: Anne Pickering - daughter and heir of of Sir Christopher Pickering of Killington Only child, a son: Sir Henry Weston who was made KB at Elizabeth Is coronation, the Queen perhaps showing him favour as much for his father's fatal attentions to her mother, Anne Boleyn, as for his own recent service in the defence of Calais. His marriage to Dorothy Arundell made him kin both to the Queen and to the Howard family. In a grant of Jan 1560 he is described as ‘the Queen's servant’ (though what office he held, if any, is unknown),

Romance(s): Was rumored to be having an affair with Mary Shelton. (Madge Sheldon in the series) Friends: King Henry VIII Mark Smeaton George Boleyn Anne Boleyn Henry Norris William Brereton Enemies: Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex