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Mistress Constancy
Lady of the Tudor Court, servant of queens, courtier, wife, spy... and constant heart. This is the story of Jane Boleyn, Lady Rochford. In death she would become infamous, yet in life passed often unseen. Jane Parker, daughter of the scholar Lord Morley, leaves her home at a tender age, embarking on a career in the dangerous Tudor Court. From the halls of her father's house to the palaces of London, from England to Calais and the Field of the Cloth of Gold Jane will travel, seeing much of this world, and others. Promised in marriage to George Boleyn, Jane is drawn into the future of his family and their advancement... and as Anne Boleyn catches the eye of the King, Jane becomes part of the tempest about to be unleashed upon England. Mistress Constancy is Book One of The Armillary Sphere, Story of Lady Jane Rochford by G. Lawrence.The Author's thanks are due to Julia Gibbs, proof reader of this work, and to Consuelo Parra, Cover Art and Design. Cover Aquilina-das.deviantart
434 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 28, 2021
321 people are currently reading
202 people want to read
About the author
G. Lawrence
50 books277 followersI am an independently published author, and proud to be so. Living in a little cottage in Wales in the UK, I love where I live as much as I love to write.
The age of the Tudors has been an obsession for me since I was a child, and many of my upcoming books will center on that time, but I also pen the odd dystopian fiction or historical fiction from other time periods. I will be releasing all my titles on amazon, for kindle and then hopefully for print later.
I studied Literature (with a capital L) at University and usually have twenty or more books I'm currently reading. Reading and writing are about mood for me, and I haven't found a genre I didn't enjoy something about so far...
You can often find me on Wattpad or Twitter when I'm not writing...
The age of the Tudors has been an obsession for me since I was a child, and many of my upcoming books will center on that time, but I also pen the odd dystopian fiction or historical fiction from other time periods. I will be releasing all my titles on amazon, for kindle and then hopefully for print later.
I studied Literature (with a capital L) at University and usually have twenty or more books I'm currently reading. Reading and writing are about mood for me, and I haven't found a genre I didn't enjoy something about so far...
You can often find me on Wattpad or Twitter when I'm not writing...
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
July 19, 2022
I am not a Tudor fan. As anyone who knows me is aware, this is putting it mildly. Consequently, I rarely read books about that era. When I do they get wallbanged very quickly if they contain historical errors or silly tropes.
What can I say? This book is *superb*, as are its two sequels. The author has obviously researched this period thoroughly, and it shows. However, it is also a compelling story, despite being, at times, quite starkly realistic about the times.
Highly recommended.
What can I say? This book is *superb*, as are its two sequels. The author has obviously researched this period thoroughly, and it shows. However, it is also a compelling story, despite being, at times, quite starkly realistic about the times.
Highly recommended.
May 20, 2025
This book grips you right from the start and doesn’t let go until its end - where upon it lets you fly forward and slam your head against the wall. Struggling up you moan ‘no, no, that can’t be it, there has to be more. What happens next, woman, what happens next?’ And then you realise, there’s a sequel and your mind is eased … for now.
October 4, 2021
A terrific few days' reading! Like Ms Lawrence, I have always felt sympathy for Jane, wife of George Boleyn—I think she had a raw deal and, though enjoying the privilege that came with noble birth, was dealt a marked card, i.e., a husband who would never consider her as he did his family or his own requirements. Her whole life with him was like having a visitor's pass to a club she would never be allowed to join.
This first episode of The Armillary Sphere series takes us from Jane's childhood to the moment of Henry VIII's avowal to make Anne Boleyn his next queen. Jane's view of court life is different yet again from those in Ms Lawrence's series about Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour, but most interesting of all was the 'second sight' that has been given to her for the purpose of these novels—flashes of insight into a future that might be. So clever, and so sad that she had to hide this gift for fear of being thought insane. Jane's life seemed full of fear; the passages about her despair at George's lack of interest in her, and the way she felt empathy with Katherine's over the King's indifference, were heartbreaking; in those days, of course, women could not just walk away and find a better life.
Something I hadn't read about before that I found horribly fascinating—it's common knowledge that Katherine of Aragon wore a hair shirt, but I didn't know about the effects of such practice. This, and the details of Katherine's fanatical religious devotion, made me wonder if she was possessed of certain psychiatric maladies that she passed on to her daughter, considering the progress of Mary's reign. I realise that we can't judge the actions of those who lived over five hundred years ago by the standards of these days, and that they both suffered a great deal at the hands of the men who ruled their lives, but the behaviour is not dissimilar.
In this book, more than any other of Ms Lawrence's historical novels, Jane says much about how women were viewed as a subspecies completely under the control of men. Unlike Anne and Empress Matilda, though, Jane did not have the mettle to fight against it, or the disposition to accept it, which added to her unhappiness. I loved reading about her mixed emotions towards Anne, her accounts of their day-to-day lives—and, especially, the scenes set in Hever Castle and Penshurt Place, because I visited them two years ago, so could picture them so clearly! There is one account of festivities held in the Baron's Hall at Penshurst, a place I found fairly mind-blowing, so that was a real treat. Also, when I read about Henry's bedroom being prepared at Hever—I have been in that room!
I thoroughly enjoyed this excellent book, and am so looking forward to reading about how Jane's relationship with her husband and his family progresses, and her part in the rise and fall of Anne. Highly recommended!
This first episode of The Armillary Sphere series takes us from Jane's childhood to the moment of Henry VIII's avowal to make Anne Boleyn his next queen. Jane's view of court life is different yet again from those in Ms Lawrence's series about Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour, but most interesting of all was the 'second sight' that has been given to her for the purpose of these novels—flashes of insight into a future that might be. So clever, and so sad that she had to hide this gift for fear of being thought insane. Jane's life seemed full of fear; the passages about her despair at George's lack of interest in her, and the way she felt empathy with Katherine's over the King's indifference, were heartbreaking; in those days, of course, women could not just walk away and find a better life.
Something I hadn't read about before that I found horribly fascinating—it's common knowledge that Katherine of Aragon wore a hair shirt, but I didn't know about the effects of such practice. This, and the details of Katherine's fanatical religious devotion, made me wonder if she was possessed of certain psychiatric maladies that she passed on to her daughter, considering the progress of Mary's reign. I realise that we can't judge the actions of those who lived over five hundred years ago by the standards of these days, and that they both suffered a great deal at the hands of the men who ruled their lives, but the behaviour is not dissimilar.
In this book, more than any other of Ms Lawrence's historical novels, Jane says much about how women were viewed as a subspecies completely under the control of men. Unlike Anne and Empress Matilda, though, Jane did not have the mettle to fight against it, or the disposition to accept it, which added to her unhappiness. I loved reading about her mixed emotions towards Anne, her accounts of their day-to-day lives—and, especially, the scenes set in Hever Castle and Penshurt Place, because I visited them two years ago, so could picture them so clearly! There is one account of festivities held in the Baron's Hall at Penshurst, a place I found fairly mind-blowing, so that was a real treat. Also, when I read about Henry's bedroom being prepared at Hever—I have been in that room!
I thoroughly enjoyed this excellent book, and am so looking forward to reading about how Jane's relationship with her husband and his family progresses, and her part in the rise and fall of Anne. Highly recommended!
November 7, 2021
Wonderful
Jane Boleyn has always been given a bad rap. This book puts her in a different, and I believe, a more honest light. This is the first book in a series that I will continue to read. Very good storytelling and I would have rated it five stars if it had a bit more dialogue rather than narrative. Still a highly recommended read for all Tudor lovers.
Jane Boleyn has always been given a bad rap. This book puts her in a different, and I believe, a more honest light. This is the first book in a series that I will continue to read. Very good storytelling and I would have rated it five stars if it had a bit more dialogue rather than narrative. Still a highly recommended read for all Tudor lovers.
July 14, 2024
The perfect introduction to a very troubled tale
I'm fascinated by the history of Anne Boleyn and from that initial obsession I became familiar with her closest family and sometimes friend or foe, Lady Jane Rochford.
The only person more qualified to speak about Anne women's Anne, herself. I'm working on finding more historical fact as well as fiction to further fuel my interest.
In this series I can feel the excitement and the agony of misplaced love, lust, power, deception and anguish. Although I have only just begun this exploration I find I am deeply interested in the history and the mystery that surrounded not just the doomed queen but those women who loved and even may have despised her.
Lady Jane has much to say.
What will the voice of this Tudor woman will tell us next? (End, book 1).
Update: Book 2: Unfortunately, I found a little can be wonderful, but overdoing anything (except chocolate) can be a strain on patience and understanding. I dove right in to the next book in the series, but soon I felt overwhelmed and burdened by the intense and repetitive details of the text. I know Cardinal Thomas Wolsey was an unholy representative and his position in the "Church" was one he thoroughly abused and used to increase personal wealth and power. He was a great friend in King Henry, so to add to his rather despicable endeavor and collection of bribes and favors unbecoming a man of the cloth, he also used his favor with Henry to try to prevent Anne Boleyn (and others) from their own pursuits of life. He did not want Katherine of Aragon replaced by commoner Anne Boleyn. He did everything in his power to discredit and harass her; and but for an odd and eventually fatal illness (poison?) he might very well have succeeded. Now, I mention this because even though Wolsey played a most important part in the entire scenario of King and King's would-be-wife and usurper Queen, I quickly became tired of reading on and on about him. Likewise, the stiff conversations between Jane and George, which had to have been nothing more than barely disguised battles of will and contempt for each other, it was clear George had no love for Jane but was married to her as part of the scheming of parental influence. Jane, on the other hand, was besotted with George, declaring endlessly her love for him and her willingness to do anything to promote or assist him in his own political aspirations. That may be all well and good, but we are informed by the author that all conversations in her books are imaginary. So we must take what we will from those pillow talk moments and give a little credence to the fact that there might just have been more disdain and dislike playing between the two than evident from their conversations, created by literary license 500 years later.
In any case, these moments became the entire book. I fell asleep so often while trying to finish some of the chapters, I lost count. I began to skip over large passages of text, especially the endless repetition about Tyndale's biblical translations, Thomas More's sadistic religious persecution, Wolsey's gross venality, Suffolk's stupidity, Norfolk's vanity and Thomas Boleyn's desperation. There was a king on the throne of England who could apparently NOT make up his mind about anything. All the waffling and wasting of time while he considered what to do gives me the impression he was not a particularly wise or shrewd political figurehead.
Once I pored through all the banned book issues, the court indulgences of feasts, gowns, pageants, hunting, riding, more eating, copious amounts of wine drinking and a very brief touch of a disease which killed millions visiting once again, I grew bored and tired of the same old stuff.
I can see why Lady Jane Rochford became as twisted in her suspicions of the behavior of George and Anne Boleyn. Always together, tribal in nature and fiercely protective of each other, the Boleyn faction was unpopular, hedonistic, scheming and unkind. Unless it profited them, they were not interested in helping anyone else. Scholarly and great readers they may have been, still they were political and unpopular among common people. Even nobles at court did not find them to be agreeable and helpful to any cause other than their own. Possibly Lady Rochford was correct in her suspicions that Anne and George were involved with each other in ways most debased. I doubt very much that no one knows or that the suspicion has ever been explored and either proved or debunked. It remains a salacious mystery.
Living 500 years into the future, we now have political parties who function much along the same paths, with one touting their own rhetoric as the only true path, and another pushing the concept that their rivals cannot be interested in anything but their own political power and destruction of democracy. One wants to be a dictator and king. The other wants to be a statesman and work for the good of all. At least in my opinion. This isn't a political review but there are similarities and coincidences that are frightening in this modern civilization that bear striking resemblance to the facades of political power from Henry Tudor's reign as a despot, murdered, defiler of women, greedy and cruel and manipulative, that one cannot help but see and wonder. We have not fallen far from the tree of obscene political manipulation. Once it was kings, chancellors and nobles, now it is donors, and mob bosses and a poorly informed citizenry. Over time, aren't we supposed to learn from not just mimic history?
All told to me, I need a break from the series. I think all the invented conversations are boring, since of course they are the product of imagination. The series itself has some truly interesting but minor facts presented. Life for women during that time, and even until the 20th century was not easy. For men, it was about power, wealth, and control of anything that didn't support their own ambitions.
This series is a good one, and I will return to it, but I honestly don't recommend binge reading, as the entire premise is patched together with not as much history as I would have liked, and far too much inventive and creative license to expand the text to fill in the gaps with fantasy.
I might pick up the next one in 2025. When I have more time to read for entertainment.
I'm fascinated by the history of Anne Boleyn and from that initial obsession I became familiar with her closest family and sometimes friend or foe, Lady Jane Rochford.
The only person more qualified to speak about Anne women's Anne, herself. I'm working on finding more historical fact as well as fiction to further fuel my interest.
In this series I can feel the excitement and the agony of misplaced love, lust, power, deception and anguish. Although I have only just begun this exploration I find I am deeply interested in the history and the mystery that surrounded not just the doomed queen but those women who loved and even may have despised her.
Lady Jane has much to say.
What will the voice of this Tudor woman will tell us next? (End, book 1).
Update: Book 2: Unfortunately, I found a little can be wonderful, but overdoing anything (except chocolate) can be a strain on patience and understanding. I dove right in to the next book in the series, but soon I felt overwhelmed and burdened by the intense and repetitive details of the text. I know Cardinal Thomas Wolsey was an unholy representative and his position in the "Church" was one he thoroughly abused and used to increase personal wealth and power. He was a great friend in King Henry, so to add to his rather despicable endeavor and collection of bribes and favors unbecoming a man of the cloth, he also used his favor with Henry to try to prevent Anne Boleyn (and others) from their own pursuits of life. He did not want Katherine of Aragon replaced by commoner Anne Boleyn. He did everything in his power to discredit and harass her; and but for an odd and eventually fatal illness (poison?) he might very well have succeeded. Now, I mention this because even though Wolsey played a most important part in the entire scenario of King and King's would-be-wife and usurper Queen, I quickly became tired of reading on and on about him. Likewise, the stiff conversations between Jane and George, which had to have been nothing more than barely disguised battles of will and contempt for each other, it was clear George had no love for Jane but was married to her as part of the scheming of parental influence. Jane, on the other hand, was besotted with George, declaring endlessly her love for him and her willingness to do anything to promote or assist him in his own political aspirations. That may be all well and good, but we are informed by the author that all conversations in her books are imaginary. So we must take what we will from those pillow talk moments and give a little credence to the fact that there might just have been more disdain and dislike playing between the two than evident from their conversations, created by literary license 500 years later.
In any case, these moments became the entire book. I fell asleep so often while trying to finish some of the chapters, I lost count. I began to skip over large passages of text, especially the endless repetition about Tyndale's biblical translations, Thomas More's sadistic religious persecution, Wolsey's gross venality, Suffolk's stupidity, Norfolk's vanity and Thomas Boleyn's desperation. There was a king on the throne of England who could apparently NOT make up his mind about anything. All the waffling and wasting of time while he considered what to do gives me the impression he was not a particularly wise or shrewd political figurehead.
Once I pored through all the banned book issues, the court indulgences of feasts, gowns, pageants, hunting, riding, more eating, copious amounts of wine drinking and a very brief touch of a disease which killed millions visiting once again, I grew bored and tired of the same old stuff.
I can see why Lady Jane Rochford became as twisted in her suspicions of the behavior of George and Anne Boleyn. Always together, tribal in nature and fiercely protective of each other, the Boleyn faction was unpopular, hedonistic, scheming and unkind. Unless it profited them, they were not interested in helping anyone else. Scholarly and great readers they may have been, still they were political and unpopular among common people. Even nobles at court did not find them to be agreeable and helpful to any cause other than their own. Possibly Lady Rochford was correct in her suspicions that Anne and George were involved with each other in ways most debased. I doubt very much that no one knows or that the suspicion has ever been explored and either proved or debunked. It remains a salacious mystery.
Living 500 years into the future, we now have political parties who function much along the same paths, with one touting their own rhetoric as the only true path, and another pushing the concept that their rivals cannot be interested in anything but their own political power and destruction of democracy. One wants to be a dictator and king. The other wants to be a statesman and work for the good of all. At least in my opinion. This isn't a political review but there are similarities and coincidences that are frightening in this modern civilization that bear striking resemblance to the facades of political power from Henry Tudor's reign as a despot, murdered, defiler of women, greedy and cruel and manipulative, that one cannot help but see and wonder. We have not fallen far from the tree of obscene political manipulation. Once it was kings, chancellors and nobles, now it is donors, and mob bosses and a poorly informed citizenry. Over time, aren't we supposed to learn from not just mimic history?
All told to me, I need a break from the series. I think all the invented conversations are boring, since of course they are the product of imagination. The series itself has some truly interesting but minor facts presented. Life for women during that time, and even until the 20th century was not easy. For men, it was about power, wealth, and control of anything that didn't support their own ambitions.
This series is a good one, and I will return to it, but I honestly don't recommend binge reading, as the entire premise is patched together with not as much history as I would have liked, and far too much inventive and creative license to expand the text to fill in the gaps with fantasy.
I might pick up the next one in 2025. When I have more time to read for entertainment.
January 23, 2022
Good read
I to have an obsession with Tudor history especially with Anne Bolyn. If only she could have known her daughter Elizabeth was the most successful monarch England has had. How ironic for Henry! I believe Anne was the love of his life, it is sad they didn't stay together. She was his perfect match. I enjoy G Lawrence because she doesn't depict Anne as a horrible person. It was Henry who started the love affair but she got blamed for all.
I to have an obsession with Tudor history especially with Anne Bolyn. If only she could have known her daughter Elizabeth was the most successful monarch England has had. How ironic for Henry! I believe Anne was the love of his life, it is sad they didn't stay together. She was his perfect match. I enjoy G Lawrence because she doesn't depict Anne as a horrible person. It was Henry who started the love affair but she got blamed for all.
July 28, 2024
I admit, I initially judged this book by its cover, and it sat in my TBR pile for a couple of years. I wish I’d given it a chance sooner. An excellent read, and a new favourite author. Highly recommended.
June 25, 2024
Viewed through the eyes of Lady Jane Rochford, sister-in-law to Anne Boleyn, this is a very plausible story of the circumstances of King Henry VIII's early reign and his courtship and marriage to Anne. It's refreshing to read about these well known historical figures from a different perspective, and author G. Lawrence offers the reader a fictionalised account that is so well thought out it feels like it could really have happened that way. Jane Rochford's love for Anne's brother George is beautifully woven around the historical facts, including the power plays and politics, both national and international. There's balance to this story as Jane is accepted while a teenager into the service of Henry's first queen, the Catholic Katherine of Aragon, so at first we see things from her perspective. Then later, Jane is betrothed then married to George Boleyn, and we see her story as a member of the Boleyn family. Amid the shifting religious landscape, the courtship between Henry and Anne Boleyn feels authentic to the characterisation that author Lawrence has vividly created. I found this book quite a page turner, and it's definitely my favourite book so far by this author. Fans of G. Lawrence won't want to miss it, and as the first in this series it's a superb introduction to any of her historical novels set in the Tudor era.
October 3, 2021
just finished and ran straight to goodreads to write a review because it was so good. i’ve read several of gemma’s books and enjoyed them all, but she’s outdone herself with this one.
there are a few books about jane boleyn, lady rochford out there and i’ll be honest, this is the very first one that i’ve made it past the first few pages of. there’s so much tudor fiction out there that i don’t have the time or patience for the ones that aren’t bringing anything new to the table.
reading this book for the first time i feel like i’ve started to understand why jane boleyn made the choices she did, strange as they may seem. her obsessive love for george, her jealousy of anne while being half in love with her too, falling through Time and catching glimpses of the past and future—god, i loved this book.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
there are a few books about jane boleyn, lady rochford out there and i’ll be honest, this is the very first one that i’ve made it past the first few pages of. there’s so much tudor fiction out there that i don’t have the time or patience for the ones that aren’t bringing anything new to the table.
reading this book for the first time i feel like i’ve started to understand why jane boleyn made the choices she did, strange as they may seem. her obsessive love for george, her jealousy of anne while being half in love with her too, falling through Time and catching glimpses of the past and future—god, i loved this book.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
December 30, 2022
The first book in this series follows Jane Parker through childhood and young adulthood, growing up at the Tudor court and getting a ringside seat to the Boleyns ascent in power.
As narrator, she constantly berates her past self for all the mistakes she made, but also we get a perceptive outsider's observation of other people's mistakes at court, mostly Queen Katherine and aspiring-queen Anne.
In this version, Jane has a type of second sight that lets her hear and see glimpses of both past and future - as well as possible futures, which I hope we see more of in this series. It was absolutely fascinating that, on the day of baby Prince henry's funeral, she gets a glimpse of the coronation of "Henry IX" and gives the reader a powerful feel of that "what-if".
July 21, 2023
I enjoyed it thoroughly. I'm Tudor-obsessed and have already read about Jane Boleyn extensively but it's never enough, even if it's the same story from a slightly different angle. In this first of 6 books we whiz through Jane's childhood - there's hardly any information available. We see how people brought up their children and how harshly girls were treated. We move on to Jane's marriage to George. Again, I wish there'd been more, but little is known and the author has tried to mostly fictionalize fringe stuff and dialogue. I'm on book 2 so may be getting mixed up.
April 28, 2023
New perspective of King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn
The story of Henry VIII’s love and Anne Boleyn’s ambition is told as from an outsider who desperately wants to inside point of view. Book one establishes the main characters and runs through Henry’s proposal of marriage to Anne Boleyn while still married to Katherine of Aragon, his queen.
The story of Henry VIII’s love and Anne Boleyn’s ambition is told as from an outsider who desperately wants to inside point of view. Book one establishes the main characters and runs through Henry’s proposal of marriage to Anne Boleyn while still married to Katherine of Aragon, his queen.
December 10, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. I love stories about the royals especially this time period. I thought this was well done and kept me engrossed from beginning to end despite the fact that I knew the story.
January 24, 2022
A distracting idea
I found this fairly well written and it gives a new character aspect to Jane Parker. All in alll, it was a good read as long as you just like Tudor fiction and I'm definitely planning on continuing the series to see what happens next.
I found this fairly well written and it gives a new character aspect to Jane Parker. All in alll, it was a good read as long as you just like Tudor fiction and I'm definitely planning on continuing the series to see what happens next.
June 12, 2022
Excellent read
This book for the history lovers like me is excellent the author got inside the Tudor mindset and made the story more interesting it you like history u will definitely enjoy this book
This book for the history lovers like me is excellent the author got inside the Tudor mindset and made the story more interesting it you like history u will definitely enjoy this book
April 24, 2023
A lot of description
I think the way this k is written The series could Have gone into one Good sized volume. The Story is great but there is way to much scene setting and Jane's thoughts going on .
I think the way this k is written The series could Have gone into one Good sized volume. The Story is great but there is way to much scene setting and Jane's thoughts going on .
November 19, 2021
Waiting for her execution Jane Parker aka Boleyn looks back at her life her loveless marriage to George and the unworthiness she feels within the Boleyn Family a truly great read
December 5, 2021
Very impressed
Author is very talented. She provides a unique and honest prespective. Looking forward to enjoying a lot more of her work.
Author is very talented. She provides a unique and honest prespective. Looking forward to enjoying a lot more of her work.
February 6, 2022
Wonderful treatment of a character who often is not well thought of in historical fiction and television.
February 23, 2022
Lost woman of a troubled time
Lady Jane Rockford played such a strong role in not one but 2 of the queens of England - in the tangled web of the Tudor Court.
Lady Jane Rockford played such a strong role in not one but 2 of the queens of England - in the tangled web of the Tudor Court.
March 24, 2022
03/25/2022
September 28, 2022
Well written
I really enjoyed this and found it very believable. I am looking forward to the next book. Being a Tudor fan this was a great find
I really enjoyed this and found it very believable. I am looking forward to the next book. Being a Tudor fan this was a great find
February 10, 2023
Okay book. A lot of mind meandering. Not a real definite ending but a read my other books ending.
May 7, 2023
I enjoyed this take on Jayne Parker but found the writing clunky and repetitive. Hopefully Lady Psyche makes it easier to enjoy this journey with a constant but little written about Tudor character.
May 14, 2022
Very entertaining and an easy read. Can't wait to start the next one in the series.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews