This word and that: Giving Writing Tudor Flavour.
"She is a woman of most gentleness, of most humility and buxomness, yea and all good qualities appertaining to nobility she is without comparison as I, this twenty years almost have had the true experiment, so that if I were to marry again, if the marriage might be good, I would surely choose her above all other women."Henry VIII, preparing the ground for a new wife.
"I beseech you, for all the love that hath been between us, let me have justice and right, take of my some pity and compassion, for I am a poor woman and a stranger, born out of your dominion. I have here no assured friend and much less indifferent counsel. I flee to you, as to the head of justice within this realm...
"I take God and all the world to witness that I have been a true, humble and obedient wife, ever comfortable to your will and pleasure...,being always well pleased and contented with all things wherein you had any delight or dalliance, whether it were little or much...This twenty years or more I have been your true wife, and by me ye had had divers children, although it hath pleased God to call them from this world...And when you had me at the first, I take God to be my judge, I was a true maid, without touch of man. And whether this be true or no, I put it to your conscience."
Catherine of Aragon, the lioness. (1)Catherine of Aragon to Henry VIII
Wendy:
There was an important event that happened in Calais, at the end of 1532...?
Sir Tom:
You refer to when the King and the Lady Marquess of Pembroke came to Calais for a meeting with François, the King of France?
Wendy:
Yes- you knew the Lady Marquess of Pembroke well, did you not?
Sir Tom:
Aye. But you know full well who she was, Wendy...
Wendy:
Could you please tell my readers...?
Sir Tom:
My cousin, Anne Boleyn. Not long after this she became Queen to King Harry. What good that did her I know not...
Wendy:
You had an important part to play at her Coronation?
Sir Tom:
My father was ill- so I took his part as Ewer to the King. By the time of her coronation, Anne was big-bellied with a girl-child. No one knew that then. All our hopes were for a Prince. I do not believe the King ever forgave Anne for giving him yet another daughter. When he executed her three years later...the grief broke my heart. Not only Anne dead, but also so many of my close friends. You know her last thoughts were of me? She gifted to me her own treasured prayer book...No doubt she wondered if I too would follow her to the execution block. God knows my poor father worried himself ill because he so feared for me. It the Duke of Suffolk had had his way I know my blood would have flowed too that May.
Latest Articles