Free The Anne Boleyn Collection II: Anne Boleyn & the Boleyn Family by Claire Ridgway

were often embarrassed by Anne's displays of affection for her baby and by her preference for placing Elizabeth next to her on a cushion, rather than shutting her away in a nursery. 30 Elizabeth's removal from court to her own household at Hatfield on the 10th December 1533 must have been a huge wrench for Anne. Even though it was just a few miles away, Anne would not have been expected to visit her daughter very much and, instead, would have been expected to get on with her queenly duties and to leave Elizabeth's upbringing to Lady Bryan and her staff. Anne had to concentrate on conceiving again and providing Henry VIII with a prince.
    We don't know exactly how much time Anne was able to spend with Elizabeth, but we know the following:
     
• That Anne visited Elizabeth at Hatfield in Spring 1534 31 32
• That Elizabeth was moved to Eltham, just 5 miles from Greenwich, at the end of March 1534 and that her parents visited her there a few weeks later 33
• That she was at court with her parents for five weeks in the first quarter of 1535 34 35
• That she was at court at Christmas 1535, and that she was still there at the end of January 1536 when news reached the court of Catherine of Aragon's death. Henry paraded his daughter around in celebration. 36
• That she was at court at the end of April 1536, shortly before Anne's fall. Alexander Alesius described Anne holding Elizabeth in her arms while she appealed to her husband. 37 David Starkey discounts this report, saying that Elizabeth was most probably at Hunsdon at the time.
• That Anne kept in touch with Elizabeth's nurse, Lady Bryan.
    At the end of the day, Henry and his council had the last word regarding Elizabeth's upbringing, but the stylish Anne Boleyn involved herself in buying items for her daughter's chamber and for her clothing. The Account of materials furnished for the use of Anne Boleyn and Princess Elizabeth 1535-36 38 by Anne's mercer, William Loke, included the following items for Elizabeth:
     
• White sarsenet to line an orange velvet gown
• Black velvet for a partlet
• Black satin for a partlet
• Russet velvet
• Black buckram
• Crimson, purple, white, yellow sarsenet
• Yellow velvet to edge a yellow kirtle
• White damask for a kirtle
• White velvet for edging the kirtle
• Russet damask for a bed cover
• Black satin for a muffler and taffeta for its lining
• Embroidered purple satin sleeves
• Green velvet for edging a green satin kirtlet
• Black velvet for mufflers
    We learn more about the Queen's expenses in The Queen's reckoning, beginning in December 1535. Hen. VIII . 39 (the debts owed by Anne at her death. This account includes the following items for Elizabeth:
     
• "Boat-hire from Greenwich to London and back to take measure of caps for my lady Princess, and again to fetch the Princess's purple satin cap to mend it."
• "A purple satin cap, laid with a rich caul of gold, the work being roundelles of damask gold, made for my lady Princess."
• "A pair of pyrwykes for my lady Princess, delivered to my lady mistress." Eric Ives explains that pyrwykes were a device to straighten the fingers. 40
• "2¼ yds. crimson satin, at 15s., an ell of "tuke" and crimson fringe for the Princess's cradle head."
• "2 fine pieces of "nydle rybande" [ribbon] to roll her Grace's hair withal."
• " A white satin cap laid with a rich caul of gold for the Princess, 4l., and another of crimson satin."
• "A fringe of Venice gold and silver for the little bed."
• "A cap of taffeta covered with a caul of damask gold for the Princess."
    Anne obviously made sure that Elizabeth looked the part of a royal princess and Henry's heir.

Elizabeth's Household of Boleyn Relatives
    The young Elizabeth was also surrounded by Boleyn relatives:
     
• Anne Boleyn's uncle, Sir John Shelton, was comptroller of the joint household of Elizabeth and Mary, and was helped by his wife, Lady Anne (née Boleyn).
• Lady Margaret Bryan, Elizabeth's