The chest thumping info here is fascinating.
All this talk about waving relics under Henry's nose reminds me - when I was writing my book (YA novel about the Dissolution, set in 1536-7) there was a scene where someone fell off a roof and was unconscious. Now, as it happened my heroine, who believed fervently in all that relic stuff, happened to be in possession of a certain rather special fragment of wood that may or may not have been part of the True Cross.
In keeping with her character therefore I duly sent her off to her room to fetch it, and then I heard a little voice in my head familiar to anyone who's watched Horrible Histories - 'Make way for the Historical Paramedics!'
I couldn't take it seriously after that. Every time I tried to write about these very serious and tragic events I started sniggering. Had to change the scene completely. 