Edward Seymour was known to be very gullible when it came to magic and sorcery. These were already known and used in the 16th century, by artists to get a more realistic picture, by astronomers to see an eclipse of the sun, and by showmen to show plays etc.- the first movies - performed by actors outside in the light, and watched by the audience inside in the dark on a screen - mostly popular stuff with fights and of course porn.Despite being married to Margery who was attractive enough when young to inspire Skelton to dedicate a poem to her, John Seymour was always chasing women, and was responsible for an illegitimate son born as late as 1535.Edward Seymour had been in France in attendance on Mary Tudor in 1514 and on campaign in the war of 1522 - when he was just the right age to be interested in a saucy camera obscura show set up to entertain the troops. Elizabeth, was married at the age of 13 to Sir Anthony Oughtred, Governor of Jersey, and Dorothy married Sir Clement Smythe (or Smith). Jane, the eldest daughter, was left on the shelf still living with her mum and dad.I am not at present informed who is the setter forth of this malignant writing; but if he is found out, he shall be straitly punished for it."For the things ye lacked, I have minded my lord to supply them to you as soon as he could buy them.It seems though, it was Jane's apparent freshness and lack of sophistication that appealed to Henry VIII.
One of his stop-overs was Wolf Hall, in Wiltshire, family home of the Seymours.And he was worried about the adverse publicity and spiteful rumours and gossip his new relationship had generated: In a letter to Jane: "My Dear Friend And Mistress, "The bearer of these few lines from thy entirely devoted servant will deliver into thy fair hands a token of my true affection for thee, hoping you will keep it for ever in your sincere love for me.Advertising you that there is a ballad made lately of great derision against us, which if it go abroad and is seen by you; I pray you to pay no manner of regard to it.But at that time no one would have imagined him to ever to one day, reach a position to be ruling England.In 1534 Edward Seymour, who had once been in service with the Duke of Richmond as his Master of Horse, seems to have felt the need to ditch his wife Catherine, married in 1527, and mother of his 2 sons John and Edward, for a new one, Anne Stanhope. Apparently : " - having been formerly employed in France, he did there acquaint himself with a Learned man, supposed to have great skill in Magics: of whom he obtained, by great rewards and importunities, to let him see, by the help of some Magical perspective, in what Estate all his Relations stood at home.