Festina Lente

Chapter Sixty-Six: Confrontations

27th of December 1534 - Hampton Court Palace

"And what are your plans for these monasteries?" Anne asked looking up at Cromwell, she had summoned him to her when she heard that his report had been presented to the council. 

Not that he had brought the report to her, Anne wondered if the men around her saw her as nothing more than a carrier of the child that she carried. 

Had they truly forgotten that their King had left her as regent in his absence, that she was an anointed Queen and they owed her such respect rather than trying to keep her out of the governance of her country. 

"They are to be dealt with as His Majesty had planned," Cromwell replied cryptically, a frown forming on his face recalling that the Queen herself was of a similar belief as he. 

The Queen had spent her formative years at the sophisticated Renaissance court of Margaret of Austria before she went to France where she had served the late Queen Claude and had a friendly relationship with the Queen of Navarre. 

Staring back down at the documents that she had been handed, Anne could not hide the frown that formed on her face at her displeasure of what she was seeing. 

Many of the monasteries had been found unfit for purpose in Cromwell's investigation and were likely to be closed down at His Majesty's pleasure. 

"It is my desire that such institutions should be returned to the people. That the revenues be distributed to charitable and educational institutions so that it might better the common folk," Anne stated firmly. 

Her mind was already set on what she wanted to do and how it would benefit the people rather than line nobles pockets with more wealth; if they wished to avoid a revolt by the common folk then the institutions needed to be used to better them. 

"I do not believe that His Majesty will agree," Cromwell murmured with a shake of his head, his hands clasped behind his back knowing that such profits from the sale of the land would be used to line the King's pockets. 

Wars were expensive things and they had already raised taxes on the current efforts that led their King and his allies across France and towards Italy in hopes of wresting control away from the Emperor.

"His Majesty trusts my judgement as his Queen. He left me as his regent while he is away and I intend to do what is best for our people," Anne told him, her eyes moving away from the paper where she took note of the religious houses being closed down to look at him. 

A part of her almost dared him to disagree, to quarrel with her in this matter when there was no one above her that could reprimand her. 

This report could not have come at a greater time as the King was away and Anne could put her own plans into action, she could show Henry that she was capable and do something to further endear the people to her. 

"Majesty," Cromwell stated before moving to leave the room, a deep frown forming on his face as he turned away from her and she could not see his face as he left the room. 

He was displeased that she had refused him, could see not see that if they acted as he wanted then the Catholic faith would surely fail in England; that the people would see the truth about the Pope and turn away from him. 

Watching Cromwell stalk from the room, Anne sat back in her seat and rested a hand on her bump; a thoughtful look filling her face before she reached for a blank piece of paper. 

If she was going to pull this off then she would need some help and it was clear that Cromwell would not serve her when he had an agenda of his own on what should be done with the religious houses.