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'Whoso List to Hunt, I Know where is an Hind' by Sir Thomas Wyatt

𝘞𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘵, 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥,

𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦, 𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘴, 𝘐 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦:

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘪𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘦,

𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥.

𝘠𝘦𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘐 𝘣𝘺 𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥

𝘋𝘳𝘢𝘸 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘳, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦

𝘍𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸. 𝘐 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦,

𝘚𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘵 𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘥.

𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘵, 𝘐 𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘵,

𝘈𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘴 𝘐 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘷𝘢𝘪𝘯.

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘯

𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯, 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘳 𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵:

𝘕𝘰𝘭𝘪 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘊𝘢𝘦𝘴𝘢𝘳'𝘴 𝘐 𝘢𝘮,

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥, 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮 𝘵𝘢𝘮𝘦.

This sonnet is a loose translation of a poem by the fourteenth-century Italian poet Petrarch, and is one of the earliest sonnets in all English literature.

A sonnet is a type of poem which contains fourteen lines using any of a number of formal rhyme schemes. The word sonnet is derived from the Italian word “sonetto,” which means a “little song” or small lyric.

This fact, however, isn’t what draws the majority of people to this poem, the person whom it may be about does.

This poem— along with many other of Wyatts poems, is said to be about Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII. In this reading, ‘Caesar’ clearly refers to Henry himself, the all-powerful ruler who ‘owns’ Anne, who is portrayed as the ‘hind’.

The poem starts of by completing love to a “hunt.” Wyatt writes himself as though one of several hunters, attempting to hunt down [pursue] a “hind”— a dear, which is likely to symbolize Anne Boleyn, as the hunters represent the men attempting to peruse her.

Wyatt starts off the poem inviting anyone to come hunt the dear, telling the reader that he knows where to find one. 

“𝘞𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘵, 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥,”

Wyatt writes that he is physically and emotionally exhausted from the “hunt” and is “𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥.” But he also writes that despite the exhaustion, he still attempts to hunt.

“𝘋𝘳𝘢𝘸 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘳, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦

𝘍𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸. 𝘐 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦,

𝘚𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘵 𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘥. “

Wyatt then writes that the hunt will leave the other hunters just as tired and depressed as he, and that the hunt has wasted his time. Wyatt explains that any one who attempts to hunt the dear will fail as he did. 

“𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘵, 𝘐 𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘵,

𝘈𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘴 𝘐 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘷𝘢𝘪𝘯.”

the poem is Wyatt admitting defeat, as he is is unable to hunt the hind. In the last three lines it is exposed that the deer is already ‘owned’ by Caesar. 

“𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯, 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘳 𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵:

𝘕𝘰𝘭𝘪 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘊𝘢𝘦𝘴𝘢𝘳'𝘴 𝘐 𝘢𝘮,

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥, 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮 𝘵𝘢𝘮𝘦.”

As stated previously, Caesar is believed to be Henry VIII as both leaders are easily comparable, and Anne the deer. Wyatt depicts Anne as saying, “Do not touch me, for i am Henry’s”. Which accurately shows that Henry won the hunt.

Here is the poem with the original 16th century spelling:

𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘴𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦, 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘺𝘯𝘥𝘦, 

𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦, 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘴, 𝘐 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦. 

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘢𝘺𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘦, 

𝘐 𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦. 

𝘠𝘦𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘐 𝘣𝘺 𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘺𝘯𝘥𝘦 

𝘋𝘳𝘢𝘸𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘦𝘳𝘦: 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 

𝘍𝘢𝘺𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦. 𝘐 𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦, 

𝘚𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘵 𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘺𝘯𝘥𝘦. 

𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵, 𝘐 𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘰𝘸𝘵𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘣𝘵𝘦, 

𝘈𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘴 𝘐 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘺𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘷𝘢𝘪𝘯. 

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘋𝘪𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘯 

𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘸𝘵𝘦:

 ‘𝘕𝘰𝘭𝘪 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘊𝘦𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘐 𝘢𝘮𝘦, 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘺𝘭𝘥𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘮𝘦’. 

ೃ༄

click here for more tudor history

sources: intrestingliterature, litcharts, poemanalysis, gradesaver and Eric Ives biography on Anne Boleyn: “The life and death of Anne Boleyn”

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In Defense of Thomas Boleyn

On our TVs and in our beloved books we see Thomas Boleyn acting like a pimp, using his daughters to gain power within the court of Henry VIII, this fictional tale of Thomas has rather slandered his name, blackened it. So, what was Thomas Boleyns actual thoughts Anne and Mary’s relationship with the king?

Let’s get the first thing out of the way— his status at court. Thomas Boleyn had been climbing through the ranks since the court of Henry VII, and had no need to pimp out his daughters.

Thomas Boleyn, at Henry VIII coronation, was made Knight of the Bath and in the early years of Henry VIII reign was given various offices including keeper of the exchange at Calais and the foreign exchange in England, joint governor of Norwich Castle with Sir Henry Wyatt, Sheriff of Kent. Also in 1518 Thomas Boleyn was made a member of the privy Council, and in 1519 Thomas was made the English ambassador at the French court.

This was all before Mary or Anne Boleyn became involved with the king.

When Mary did start her affair with the king it is very likely that Thomas Boleyn cut loose with her, perhaps disowning her (which isn’t a good thing— but it does contrast the idea of Thomas planning the affair, and supporting it for his own gain).

When Mary Boleyn was widowed after her husband William Carey died from sweating sickness in June of 1528, King Henry VIII had to intervene and ask Thomas to provide for her financially. This suggests that Thomas was taking no care in her, and that they weren’t in an extremely close nor happy relationship during this time.

Distance Chapuys, the imperial ambassador at the court of Henry VIII, records in February of 1533 Thomas Boleyns opposition to the marriage plans between Anne, his daughter and the King.

“𝘐 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘥𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘵𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵; 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺, 𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘰, 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘶𝘬𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘕𝘰𝘳𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘬 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘦, 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘨𝘦,”

“𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘶𝘬𝘦 [𝘕𝘰𝘳𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘬] 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘦𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘨𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵, 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺, 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮. 𝘏𝘢𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘥𝘺, 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘧𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘻𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘢𝘨𝘰; 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 (𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘶𝘬𝘦 𝘰𝘣𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘥) 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳.”

In May of 1533, Chapuys also recorded Anne’s resentment at the opposition of both her father and uncle:

“𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘶𝘬𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘦𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘨𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵, 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺, 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮. 𝘏𝘢𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘥𝘺, 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘧𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘻𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘢𝘨𝘰; 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 (𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘶𝘬𝘦 𝘰𝘣𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘥) 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳.”

So, in likelihood, Thomas was against the marriage between his daughter Anne and the king, and with the evidence to suggest that Thomas tried to cut ties with his elder daughter Mary after her affair with the king in 1522 and initially didn’t help her when widowed, it can be said almost certainty that Thomas Boleyn didn’t use and manipulate his daughters to boost his own status, nor did he approve of his daughters sexual relations with the king. This is a great contrast to the power-hungry pimp we see on our TVs, and the popular belief of the character and morals of Thomas Boleyn.

ೃ༄

click here for more tudor history

sources: historyextra, the Anne Boleyn files, historyextra, and Wikipedia

[terrifictudor]

Edward VI falls ill.

On the 2nd of April, 1552, the 14 year old Edward VI recorded in his journal that

“𝘐 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘴 [𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘴] 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘱𝘰𝘬𝘬𝘦𝘴 [𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘱𝘰𝘹]”

On the 12th of April, the imperial ambassador [De Courrières], recorded:

“𝘐 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 12𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘶𝘬𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘕𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦. 𝘏𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥, 𝘴𝘰 𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘹 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴"

The ambassador adds on to the letter after a meeting with Philip Hoby:

“𝘗.𝘚.— 𝘈𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘭 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘔𝘳. 𝘏𝘰𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭-𝘱𝘰𝘹, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴. 𝘏𝘰𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘸 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘣𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴. 𝘏𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘶𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘐 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮, 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘐 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩. 𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘪𝘵 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘭 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘥𝘶𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘮. 𝘏𝘰𝘣𝘺 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘭."

Edward was reported to have recovered quickly, but as the ambassador wrote, he didn’t want an audience as ‘𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴’. Edward was very lucky to have recovered so quick. Both measles and smallpox were life-threatening, especially when combined together.

On the 21st April 1552, Edward's half-sister, Elizabeth, wrote to him upon hearing the news of his illness:

“𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸, 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘫𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘺'𝘴 𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮 𝘢 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺; 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘐 𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘪𝘵. 𝘉𝘶𝘵, 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦, 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘤𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺, 𝘴𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘫𝘰𝘺 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘴. 𝘈𝘯𝘥, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦'𝘴 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥, 𝘐 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴, 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘫𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘺, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘫𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘭 𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘰 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦. 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘰 𝘐 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘚𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘈𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘯𝘰 𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘢 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦. 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘥𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦����, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘴, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳. 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳, 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵, 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺, 𝘥𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘱𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘱𝘭𝘺, 𝘴𝘰 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘧𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘫𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘺 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘭𝘺, 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘺; 𝘢𝘯𝘥, 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥, 𝘴𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦.

𝘈𝘯𝘥, 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦, 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘫𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴, 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘳; 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘶𝘭𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘺 𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘭 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥. 𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘏𝘢𝘵𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘥, 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 21𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘈𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘭.

𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘫𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘺'𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳

𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥,

𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗭𝗔𝗕𝗘𝗧𝗛."

Edward, although continues to write in his journal, doesn’t mention his illness again, the last time the illness is mentioned by Edward was on the 3rd of May, 1552, in which Edward wrote a letter to his close friend Barnaby Fitzpatrick:

“𝘞𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘱𝘰𝘹, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘰; 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺.”

Chris Skidmore, author of “Edward VI: The lost king of England” [I very much recommend you read, it’s a great biography!] writes of his belief that this illness weakened Edwards immune system, which led to him dying of what is thought to have been tuberculosis a little over a year later on the 6th of July, 1553.

ೃ༄

click here for more tudor history

[terrifictudor]

Catherine of Aragon and Henry VIII testimonies at the Legatine court of Blackfriars.

On the 21st of June 1529, both Henry VIII and his first wife, Catherine of Aragon appeared at the Legatine court at Blackfriars in front of Cardinal Wolsey, the popes vice regent, made such to, “to take cognisance of all matters concerning the King’s divorce” and Cardinal Campeggio, papal legate.

The purpose of this court was to put an end to the kings great matter (Henry’s sought for an annulment) and rule on the validity of the marriage by judging the testimonies given by the king and queen.

The papal commission was read out to the court and the crier officially summoned the King to court, crying “𝘏𝘦𝘯𝘳𝘺, 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘌𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥, 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵.” The King stood up from his chair and responded “Here, my lords.” The crier then summoned the queen, calling, “𝘊𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘦, 𝘘𝘶𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘌𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥, 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵.” Rather than confirming her attendance, as the king had done, Catherine got up, walked over to the King and knelt at his feet. And made, what is referred to as the ‘speech of her life.’

This was Catherine’s first and perhaps last chance to publicly make her case. Catherine pleaded to Henry, on her knees, using her womanhood and foreignness to further claim her victim hood— which she had every right it claim, she was, knowingly to everyone, a victim.

“𝘚𝘪𝘳, 𝘐 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘤𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘶𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦. 𝘛𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘢 𝘱𝘰𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘭…

𝘈𝘭𝘢𝘴! 𝘚𝘪𝘳, 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘐 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘤𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘐 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘥?… 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦, 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘣𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘰𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘰𝘧, 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘰𝘳 𝘥𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩. 𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘨𝘳𝘶𝘥𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵. 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘮 𝘺𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥, 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘢𝘬𝘦, 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘯𝘰, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘦𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘺 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘮𝘦 𝘺𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯, 𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘪𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘯𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘢𝘶𝘭𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘦…

𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵, 𝘐 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘺 𝘫𝘶𝘥𝘨𝘦, 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘥, 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘢𝘯. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘯𝘰, 𝘐 𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦. 𝘐𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘦𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘺 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘳. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘯𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘐 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘤𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦… 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦, 𝘐 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥 – 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘥𝘨𝘦 – 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘦 ��𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵, 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘐 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘚𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘧𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘶𝘳, 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦!”

Henry VIII tried to raise Catherine up twice from her knees during her emotional and defiant speech, but she stayed down, continuing on with her emotional speech. As Giles Tremlett states in her book, ‘Catherine of Aragon: Henry’s spanish queen’ she had, through this speech “backed an unsuspecting Henry into a corner” and forced him to seek his permission to appeal directly to Rome. With his wife on her knees in front of him and a crowd of people sympathetic to Catherine’s case, Henry begrudgingly had to agree.

Once Catherine had finished her speech she ‘made a low curtesy’ to her husband, the king. Unlike what was expected, her to go back to her seat, Catherine walked out of the court. The crier, and others, tried to make her come back by yelling ‘𝘊𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘦, 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘌𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥, 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵.’ In response Catherine said, “𝘰𝘯, 𝘰𝘯, 𝘪𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘺. 𝘎𝘰 𝘰𝘯.”

The court went into silence. They were dumbfounded. After a short-while of sitting in silence, Henry made his speech, not being as long as Catherine’s, he plainly repeated what he had said at bridewell palace, in 1528.

“𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘦, 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭, 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘣𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘥, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦, 𝘢𝘴 𝘰𝘣𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘢 𝘸𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘰𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘳𝘦. 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘣𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦. 𝘚𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘢 𝘯𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘯, 𝘪𝘧 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦.”

Following Henry’s testimony, cardinal Wolsey, acting on behalf of the pope, asked the King to affirm that Wolsey was not “the chief inventor or first mover of this matter”

The king did what was asked and responded with, “𝘕𝘢𝘺, 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭, 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘯. 𝘠𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘦.”

After hearing from both Henry and Catherine, the court was then postponed for the day.

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Click here for more tudor history

Sources: Catherine of Aragon: Henry's Spanish Queen, the freelanced history writer and the Anne Boleyn files

[terrifictudor]

The death of the first Tudor Queen

When Arthur, Prince of Wales died in 1502, Henry VII and his wife, Elizabeth, were completely devastated, as Arthur had been their first born child and one of only two male heirs. Despite Elizabeth’s grief, she comforted her husband, according to records from the era, she reassured Henry that they were still both youthful, and she could still bare many children.

To honour her word, Elizabeth fell pregnant with her seventh child not too long after the death of Arthur, Prince of Wales. This was joyous news for the Tudor court, for the child mortality rate was high, it was risky to have only one male heir—which the Tudors would learn the hard way in 1553.

As Elizabeth got further into her pregnancy, her health became delicate. She had not borne a child since 1499. But despite this, Elizabeth got through her pregnancy and towards the end of January, 1503, Elizabeth was ready for confinement.

She took to her chamber at the royal apartments in the tower of London, and on the second of February she prematurely gave birth to a baby girl. Katherine, as she was named, was not the hoped for prince that would help re-secure the Tudor dynasty and even more alarmingly it seemed that both the queen and the child were ill. Elizabeth’s health was reported to have declined at an alarming rate.

Elizabeth succumbed—most likely to something related to childbirth on her 37th birthday, the 11th of February and her daughter Katherine quickly followed her to the grave.

Her death was a shock to the entire country, especially her husband and son. Although her entire family suffered it is recorded that the young Henry Tudor (later Henry VIII) was distraught over his mother’s death as was his father, who, reportedly ‘privily departed to a solitary place and no man should resort unto him’. It must have deeply affected the king, as he and Elizabeth had an unusually happy marriage.

The funeral took place on February 23rd in the Lady Chapel at Westminster abbey. It was a grand affair, Her coffin was draped in cloth-of-gold and watched over for 9 nights by her ladies in waiting, four gentlewomen, two officers of Arms, and seven yeomen and grooms. Daily masses were sung by abbots and bishops. The coffin was drawn to Westminster Abbey by six horses draped in black velvet. Her eight ladies-in-waiting rode behind the coffin on palfreys also draped in black velvet. Behind them in the funeral procession there were hundreds of people, including noblemen, foreign dignitaries, and regular citizens of London. Their path was illuminated by 5,000 torches as well as candles held by thirty-seven virgins dressed in white.

Once they arrived at the chapel, Elizabeth’s coffin was placed by the high altar surrounded by 1,000 candles. On Elizabeth’s head was placed a rich crown and each finger wore a ring of gold and precious stones. Her body was watched over by members of the royal court who would sing and pray for the Queen’s soul. After this, Elizabeth was lowered into the grave, her attendants followed tradition by breaking their staffs of office and throwing them into the grave symbolizing the end of their service to their most beloved queen.

 Henry VII would never marry again and would be buried alongside her in St. George’s chapel on the 11th of May, 1509.

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[terrifictudor]

A brief summary on the short-lived prince, Arthur tudor.

Arthur Tudor prince of Wales, Earl of Chester and Duke of Cornwall was Born on the 20th [or 19th, this is widely debated] of September 1486 at Winchester.

This birth marked the end of the wars of the roses, as his mother was Elizabeth of York, daughter of the yorkist king Edward IV and his father was the Lancasterian king Henry VII, who was the half-nephew of another Lancasterian king, Henry VI. Arthur was also the first child Born of the tudor dynasty, having been born just eight months after his parents marriage.

Four days after his birth, he was baptised at Winchester cathedral by the bishop of Worcester.

Arthur’s household in Farnham was managed by lady Elizabeth Darcy, and Arthur was given a wet-nurse, a woman called Caroline Gibbons. Two royal ‘rockers’ were also appointed to rock the infant Arthur’s cradle. John Alcock, Bishop of Worcester, and Peter Courtenay, Bishop of Exeter, advised the King on Arthur’s upbringing.

It is a popular misunderstanding that Arthur was sickly as a child. In reality, there are no reports of Arthur being sickly up until his death in 1502.

According to reports of the era, Arthur was of tall stature, and was perceived as rather handsome. Arthur adorned the famous tudor red hair and had a high bridge nose— much like his younger brother Henry’s.

Arthur, Prince of Wales, was educated by scholar John Rede, French poet Bernard André and later Thomas Linacre, an English Humanist and physician. In 1492, Arthur was sent to Ludlow Castle in the Welsh Marches to begin his education as the future king of England and the second monarch of the house of tudor. David Starkey, a historian, writes of “𝘈𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘶𝘳’𝘴 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯, 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘥” and how the result was “𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘭 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦” who “𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥”. He was also “𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴” and had a rather stiff public manner.

In 1488, plans for Arthur, prince of Wales to marry Catherine of Aragon begun when king Ferdinand of Aragon had sent his ambassadors to England to convince King Henry VII of an alliance. And in 1497, the 11 year old Prince Arthur pledged his loyalty to Catherine in front of his parents and the court, The Spanish ambassador, acted on behalf of the 12 year old Catherine, pledging her loyalty to Arthur.

Catherine of Aragon and Arthur wed on the 14th of November, 1501. There were celebrations all around London; unlike past royal weddings— which were usually private ceremonies— Catherine and Arthur’s Marriage was very Public. The wedding took place in St. Paul’s Cathedral. The cathedral had been redesigned for the marriage ceremony, there was now a raised walkway, highlighting both the royal couple and the people crammed into St. Paul’s. The ceremony was perhaps the greatest one in England at the time.

After the wedding the royal couple swiftly moved to Ludlow castle in Shropshire, England.

Several months after they had settled into their new residence, both Catherine and Arthur had fallen ill. Arthur died on the 2nd of April 1502– around a year after his long-awaited marriage to Catherine of Aragon.

It is not known what exactly killed him but theories include sweating sickness and tuberculosis.

The death of Arthur put England in mourning, as Arthur’s birth had signified the end of the wars of the roses, and was viewed by contemporaries as the great hope of the newly established House of Tudor.

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sources: Wikipedia, the Anne Boleyn files, town&country and a biography of Margaret Beaufort; ‘the fateful life of Margaret Beaufort tudor matriarch.’

[terrifictudor]

The death of Elizabeth I and the tudor dynasty.

In January of 1603— the final year of her golden reign— Queen Elizabeth’s health was causing much worry among the court. Elizabeth was known to suffer from depression (although it wasn’t a medical disorder at the time), which inevitably caused Elizabeth health to worsen during her final years. During this time, Elizabeth refused to consume enough food or drink and this led to her becoming extremely thin. Her ladies were becoming extremely worried for the queens health. The queen, although being old and weak, retained the stubbornness and authority she had had for her entire reign, and refused to see a physician.

Later in February, the queens health would suffer another blow, as Elizabeth mourned the death of one of closest companions. The death of her long serving lady, Katherine Howard, Countess of Nottingham caused Elizabeth’s already deteriorating health worsen even Further. Anthony Rivers, a court contemporary, reported that the ‘queen loved the countess well, and hath much lamented her death, remaining ever since in a deep melancholy that she must seemeth to be overtaken.'

Pillows were placed to cover the floor of Elizabeth’s chambers, for the queen to sit upon if she decided to do so. Elizabeth became ‘disarranged and disordered’ in the later days, feelings of guilt and regret over the execution of her late cousin, Mary Queen of Scots plagued Elizabeth’s mind. According to Sir Robert Carey, first earl of Monmouth and grandson of Mary Boleyn, elizabeths aunt, ‘She shedd many teares and sighs, manifesting her innocence that she never gave consent to the death of that queene.’

here is Sir Robert Carey’s full account on the last days of the Queen:

“I took my journey about the end of the year 1602. When I came to court, I found the Queen ill disposed, and she kept her inner lodging; yet she, hearing of my arrival, sent for me. I found her in one of her withdrawing chambers, sitting low upon her cushions. She called me to her; I kissed her hand, and told her it was by chiefest happiness to see her in safety, and in health, which I wished might long continue. She took me by the hand, and wrung it hard, and said, ‘No, Robin, I am not well,’ and then discoursed with me of her indisposition, and that her heart had been sad and heavy for ten or twelve days; and in her discourse, she fetched not so few as forty or fifty great sighs. I was grieved at the first to see her in this plight; for in all my lifetime before, I never knew her fetch a sigh, but when the Queen of Scots was beheaded. Then, upon my knowledge, she shed many tears and sights, manifesting her innocence, that she never gave consent to the death of that Queen.

I used the best words I could, to persuade her from this melancholy humour; but I found by her it was too deep-rooted in her heart, and hardly to be removed. This was upon a Saturday night, and she gave command, that the great closet should be prepared for her to go to chapel the next morning. The next day, all things being in readiness, we long expected her coming. After eleven o’clock, one of the grooms came out, and bade make ready for the private closet; she would not go to the great. There we stayed long for her coming, but at the last she had cushions laid for her in the privy chamber hard by the closet door, and there she heard service. From that day forwards, she grew worse and worse. She remained upon her cushions four days and nights at the least. All about her could not persuade her, either to take any sustenance, or go to bed. The Queen grew worse and worse, because she would be so, none about her being able to persuade her to go to bed. My Lord Admiral was sent for, (who, by reason of my sister’s death, that was his wife, had absented himself some fortnight from court;) what by fair means, what by force, he got her to bed. There was no hope of her recovery, because she refused all remedies.

On Wednesday, the 23d of March, she grew speechless. That afternoon, by signs, she called for her council, and by putting her hand to her head, when the king so Scots was named to succeed her, they all knew he was the man she desired should reign after her. About six at night she made signs for Archbishop Whitgift and her chaplains to come to her, at which time I went in with them, and sat upon my knees full of tears to see that heavy sight. Her Majesty lay upon her back, with one hand in the bed, and the other without. The bishop kneeled down by her, and examined her first of her faith; and she so punctually answered all his several questions, by lifting up her eyes, and holding up her hand, as it was a comfort to all the beholders. Then the good man told her plainly what she was, and what she was to come to; and though she had been long a great Queen here upon earth, yet shortly she was to yield an account of her stewardship to the King of kings. After this he began to pray, and all that were by did answer him. After he had continued long in prayer, till the old man’s knees were weary, he blessed her, and meant to rise and leave her. The Queen made a sign with her hand. My sister Scroop knowing her meaning, told the bishop the Queen desired he would pray still. He did so for a long half hour more, with earnest cries to God for her soul’s health, which he uttered with that fervency of spirit, as the Queen, to all our sight, much rejoiced thereat, and gave testimony to us all of her Christian and comfortable end. By this time it grew late, and every one departed, all but her women that attended her.

This that I heard with my ears, and did see with my eyes, I thought it my duty to set down, and to affirm it for a truth, upon the faith of a Christian; because I know there have been many false lies reported of the end and death of that good lady.”

Elizabeth eventually died peacefully in her sleep on the 24th of March, 1603 at Richmond palace. Ending the Tudor dynasty. We now refer to Elizabeth’s reign as the ‘golden age’ for England. Elizabeths military power, especially for the navy— led on to create the largest empire the world had ever seen, the British empire.

Due to Elizabeth’s stubbornness and refusal to see a physician, and the fact that a post-mortem didn’t take place. We cannot be certain to what caused her death. Although a number of causes have been speculated it is most commonly believed that she died gradually from blood poisoning, due to the heavy led makeup that she wore. This is likely as led is now known to be extremely toxic for the skin. Her death could have even been a simple bronchial infection that later developed into pneumonia due to the queen’s advanced age and weak immune system. Cancer is also possible, which could have developed over the final year of Elizabeth’s life.

Overall the 24th of March marks the death of an extraordinary woman. Her achievements couldn’t of been fathomable before her era— especially for them to be the achievements of a woman.

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sources: the Anne boleyn files, britiannica

[terrifictudor]

The wedding of Catherine of Aragon and Arthur, prince of Wales.

Plans for Arthur, prince of Wales and Catherine of Aragon’s marriage begun in 1488, when king Ferdinand of Aragon had sent his ambassadors to England to convince King Henry VII of an alliance.

This was a strategical matrimony. It was an Alliance meant to strengthen both England and Spain against the ever-powerful France. It was also a good way for the newly founded tudor dynasty to strengthen its power, as by forging new alliances, they garnered more support— and more royal blood, something that made a stronger claim to the throne.

The treaty of Medina del campo was signed in March of 1489. It agreed to a marriage contract between prince Arthur and Catherine of Aragon and it promised a Arthur a dowry for Catherine of 200,000 crowns.

In 1497, the 11 year old Prince Arthur pledged his loyalty to Catherine in front of his parents and the court, The Spanish ambassador, acted on behalf of the 12 year old Catherine, pledging her loyalty to Arthur. The couple were now officially engaged and thus preparations for the wedding began.

Catherine’s Landing in England was meant to be in Southampton, however, due to bad weather and Catherine’s development of a fever, the journey was delayed. After a long journey she landed in Plymouth on the 2nd of October 1501.

Arthur and Catherine met for the first time on the 4th of November at Hampshire. Not much is known about their first impressions of each other, but it wasn’t bad. Arthur later wrote to Catherine’s Parents that he would be "a true and loving husband" and told his own parents that he was immensely happy to "behold the face of his lovely bride". The couple attempted to correspond in Latin, as for some odd reason— Catherine was never taught English, only French and Latin, [she was taught French so she’d be able to communicate with her ladies in England] the couple found, however, that they couldn’t understand each other, as they had both been taught different Latin pronunciations.

Catherine and Arthur wed on the 14th of November that same year. There were celebrations all around London; unlike past royal weddings— which were usually private ceremonies— Catherine and Arthur’s Marriage was very Public. The wedding took place in St. Paul’s Cathedral. The cathedral had been redesigned for the marriage ceremony, there was now a raised walkway, highlighting both the royal couple and the people crammed into St. Paul’s. The ceremony was perhaps the greatest one in England at the time.

Sadly, Six months later, Catherine would be widowed, as Arthur died of sweating sickness [although it is unsure, sweating sickness seems most likely] on the 2nd of April, 1502.

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[terrifictudor]

The arrest of Anne Boleyn

On the 2nd of may 1536, at Greenwhich palace, Anne Boleyn was charged for adultery, with Francis Weston, William Brereton, Sir Henry Noris and Mark Smeaton. Both Sir Henry Noris, (Groom of the Stool in the privy chamber of the King, making him a close friend of Henry) and Mark Smeaton (a musician of Anne's household) confessed to having sexual relations with the queen, possibly under torture. At Whitehall palace, Anne's brother, George Boleyn, 2nd Viscount of Rochford, was also charged for conspiring against the king, although there is no evidence that an interrogation took place. George would later also be charged for committing incest with his sister, the Queen Anne. 

Despite Anne profusely denying the charges against her, the Kings council ordered her arrest and hours later Anne was transported through the Thames to the tower of London. It is likely that Anne did not enter the tower through the traitors gate, but instead, the court gate of the Byward tower.

Anne was escorted to the royal apartments, where she had stayed just three years prior for her coronation. Anne would be imprisoned there until her final day.

Sir William kingston, the constable or the tower, wrote to Thomas Cromwell, updating him on the wellbeing of the queen and the other prisoners. 

‘Sir, this day I was with the King's grace and declared the petitions of my lord of Rochford [George Boleyn], wherin I was answered. Sir, the said lord much desireth to speak with you, which toucheth his conscience much, as he saith. Wherein I pray you I may know your pleasure, for by cause of my promise made unto my said lord to do the same, and also I shall desire you further to know the King's pleasure touching the Queen, as well for her comfort as the the preparation of scaffolds and other necessaries concerning. The King's grace showed me that my lord of Canterbury2 should be her confessor, and was here this day with the Queen, and not in that matter.

‘Sir, the time is short, for the King supposeth the gentlemen to die tomorrow, and my lord of Rochford, with the residue of gentlemen, is as yet without Doctor Aldryge [Rochfords confessor], which I look for, but I have told my lord of Rochford that he be in a-readiness tomorrow to suffer execution, and so he accepts it very well and will do his best to be ready; notwithstanding, he would have received his rights, which hath not been used, and in especial here.

Sir, I shall desire you that we here may know the King's pleasure here as shortly as may be that we here may prepare for the same, which is necessary; for the same we here have no man for to do execution.

Sir, I for pray you have good remembrance in all this for us to do, for we shall be ready always to our knowledge. Yet this day at dinner the Queen said that she should go to a nunnery and is in hope of life.

And thus, fare you well.

William Kyngston’

During Anne’s imprisonment, it is thought she wrote a letter to the king, although it is likely that it never made it to the king, as it is thought to be found among Thomas Cromwell’s belongings. And it is unlikely that she even did write the letter, as there is no evidence that the queen took the time to write in the tower, and she was heavily watched during her final days.

‘Sir, your Grace’s displeasure, and my Imprisonment are Things so strange unto me, as what to Write, or what to Excuse, I am altogether ignorant; whereas you sent unto me (willing me to confess a Truth, and so obtain your Favour) by such a one, whom you know to be my ancient and professed Enemy; I no sooner received the Message by him, than I rightly conceived your Meaning; and if, as you say, confessing Truth indeed may procure my safety, I shall with all Willingness and Duty perform your Command. But let not your Grace ever imagine that your poor Wife will ever be brought to acknowledge a Fault, where not so much as Thought thereof proceeded. And to speak a truth, never Prince had Wife more Loyal in all Duty, and in all true Affection, than you have found in Anne Boleyn, with which Name and Place could willingly have contented my self, as if God, and your Grace’s Pleasure had been so pleased.

Neither did I at any time so far forge my self in my Exaltation, or received Queenship, but that I always looked for such an Alteration as now I find; for the ground of my preferment being on no surer Foundation than your Grace’s Fancy, the least Alteration, I knew, was fit and sufficient to draw that Fancy to some other subject.

You have chosen me, from a low Estate, to be your Queen and Companion, far beyond my Desert or Desire. If then you found me worthy of such Honour, Good your Grace, let not any light Fancy, or bad Counsel of mine Enemies, withdraw your Princely Favour from me; neither let that Stain, that unworthy Stain of a Disloyal Heart towards your good Grace, ever cast so foul a Blot on your most Dutiful Wife, and the Infant Princess your Daughter:

Try me, good King, but let me have a Lawful Trial, and let not my sworn Enemies sit as my Accusers and Judges; yes, let me receive an open Trial, for my Truth shall fear no open shame; then shall you see, either mine Innocency cleared, your Suspicion and Conscience satisfied, the Ignominy and Slander of the World stopped, or my Guilt openly declared. So that whatsoever God or you may determine of me, your Grace may be freed from an open Censure; and mine Offence being so lawfully proved, your Grace is at liberty, both before God and Man, not only to execute worthy Punishment on me as an unlawful Wife, but to follow your Affection already settled on that party, for whose sake I am now as I am, whose Name I could some good while since have pointed unto: Your Grace being not ignorant of my Suspicion therein.

But if you have already determined of me, and that not only my Death, but an Infamous Slander must bring you the enjoying of your desired Happiness; then I desire of God, that he will pardon your great Sin therein, and likewise mine Enemies, the Instruments thereof; that he will not call you to a strict Account for your unprincely and cruel usage of me, at his General Judgement-Seat, where both you and my self must shortly appear, and in whose Judgement, I doubt not, (whatsover the World may think of me) mine Innocence shall be openly known, and sufficiently cleared. My last and only Request shall be, That my self may only bear the Burthen of your Grace’s Displeasure, and that it may not touch the Innocent Souls of those poor Gentlemen, who (as I understand) are likewise in strait Imprisonment for my sake. If ever I have found favour in your Sight; if ever the Name of Anne Boleyn hath been pleasing to your Ears, then let me obtain this Request; and I will so leave to trouble your Grace any further, with mine earnest Prayers to the Trinity to have your Grace in his good keeping, and to direct you in all your Actions.

Your most Loyal and ever Faithful Wife, Anne Boleyn

From my doleful Prison the Tower, this 6th of May.’

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The mysterious Murder of Lord Darnley.

Mary had quite a dastardly relationship with Lord Darnley. He was regularly visiting male brothels in Edinburgh, he was plotting to overthrow her rule to promote his own claim to both the Scottish and English thrones and he had stabbed—which left to him murdering, one of Mary’s closet companions, David Rizzo, her private secretary, while he and Mary were dining together. Mary was keen to divorce him. When Mary met with her senior advisers at Craigmillar, they agreed to look into a divorce, but they might have privately realised that it would be much safer to murder him. If Darnley was dead he couldn’t carry on plotting against the queen. Although it is not certain that this was the case — it is plausible.

Going on with the theme of a planned murder, it is most likely that Mary didn’t actually know that the murder was to take place. Mary, according to sources that believe this to be the case, ‘didn’t want anything done which damaged her honour’ so her advisers concluded that if Darnley was to be slaughtered, Mary could know nothing of it.

Perhaps it was also insisted that Mary know nothing of the murder as the motives of the Lords at Graigmilliar became much bolder. In can be concluded, that within the time of the first discussion with Mary and the final murder of Darnley, they not only planned to murder the King Consort, but also the Queen, Mary. Despite most of Scotland being devoutly protestant, Mary was a catholic, this angered many, especially some lords in her court. If Mary were to die along with Darnley, her protestant son, James would succeed her. It’s also noted that some English noble-men were in on the murder of Darnley, most likely due to the fact that having Mary be killed, Elizabeth no longer had catholic threat.

Throughout all of the scheming Mary was still contemplating divorce and asked Archbishop Hamilton for papal help, but he eventually advised that it ‘could not be achieved on an acceptable basis’. It is most likely that Mary gave up on her quest for divorce, surrendering to the frightfulness of Darnley’s cunning and angry nature.

Lord Darnley had been staying in Glasgow, and on the realisation that Mary had to stay in the marriage, Mary convinced her husband to come back with her to Edinburgh—some historians suggest that Mary did this in order to make the murder of Darnley easier, although it is more likely that Mary wanted to keep Darnley under watchful vision (as he had the habit for plotting against her), which would be much more possible at her own court, and also due to the fact that having more children with Darnley strengthened her claim to the English throne.

But who was to kill Darnley? Well the answer is simple—james Hepburn, 4th earl of Bothwell, also known as Lord Bothwell, who would later become the third husband of Mary, queen of scots.

On the 10th February 1567, Lord Darnley was murdered at Kirk o' Field, Edinburgh, in the Royal Mile, just a few hundred yards from Holyrood House where his wife, Mary Queen of Scots, and baby son, the future king James, were staying.

Darnley was recovering from smallpox or syphilis at this time, but he was completely ignorant to the fact that the cabinets of his lodgings were being filled with gunpowder.

The house had been completely destroyed and Darnley’s body had been found in the neighbouring garden. Historian Magnus Magnusson wrote of how Darnley’s body showed signs of strangulation and concluded that Darnley had been strangled to death before the explosion. It is possible that Darnley had either fled – or made an attempt to flee the burning house, but before being able to do so, he was strangled.

Bothwell was accused of the murder of Lord Darnley, but a detailed investigation on the matter did not take place. It can be assumed that Mary was persuaded against the investigation, possibly by some of the lords that did not want their own part of the conspiracy to come to surface. Mary and Bothwell were close – which is perhaps one of the reasons Mary did not also end up victimised by the scheme. Mary and Bothwell had even been spending the day together the day before Darnley’s murder. Due to Marys fondness for Bothwell, the charges were acquitted, is can be concluded that Mary truly believed Bothwell to be innocent.

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A very brief summary on the downfall of Mary, Queen of Scots.

Mary queen of Scots is most famous for her miserable life. Only a few months after her second husband’s death (the infamous Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley), Mary married James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell, the man many believed to be behind the death of Lord Darnley, despite him being acquitted of the charge in April 1567. This fact puzzles historians, for why would Mary want to marry a man who most likely murdered her husband? Well it’s no doubt that Mary and Darnley didn’t have the happiest marriage, Darnley was too interested in power, he was constantly plotting Mary’s downfall, making him king of Scotland and eventually king of England. Mary was keen to divorce him. When Mary met with her senior advisers at Craigmillar, they agreed to look into a divorce, but they might of privately realised that it would be much safer to murder him. If Darnley was dead he couldn’t carry on plotting against the queen. Although it is not certain that this was the case — it is plausible.

No matter what Mary’s motives were for marring Bothwell, The nobility of Scotland were angry. Mary had made far too many mistakes, and this was the final straw. The Scottish nobility allowed Bothwell to go free but took Mary to Edinburgh where she was humiliated and tiraded by the crowd as an adulteress and a murderer. Mary was imprisoned in Loch Leben Castle. Catholics declared the marriage as unlawful. On the 24th of July, 1567, Mary was forced to abdicate in favour of her one year old son, James, who then became King James VI of Scotland.

Mary escaped in the following year and rallied support, but she was pressured into surrendering to the English. Which was one of her many mistakes. She spent the last 18 years of her life in prison, before being beheaded for treason against Elizabeth I in February of 1587, all her possessions burned. All that remains is her legacy.

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Click here for more on the mysterious death of Lord Darnley.

[terrifictudor]

the ‘tide letter’ by princess Elizabeth [later Elizabeth I] to her sister Mary I.

‘𝘐𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨, ‘𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨’𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘯’𝘴 𝘰𝘢𝘵𝘩’, 𝘐 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘤𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘫𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘺 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘣𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘶𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘧, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘮; 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥, 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘣𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘭 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘰 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳, 𝘢 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘐 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵, 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘮 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥. 𝘐 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘐 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘥𝘪𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘥, 𝘪𝘧 𝘐 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨; 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘐 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘎𝘰𝘥 (𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘫𝘶𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘴𝘰𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘦), 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘥, 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥, 𝘯𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘫𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘺, 𝘰𝘳 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘣𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘐 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘤𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘫𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘴, 𝘺𝘦𝘢, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘐 𝘨𝘰 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳, 𝘪𝘧 𝘪𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦; 𝘪𝘧 𝘯𝘰𝘵, 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘐 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘯𝘦𝘥. 𝘏𝘰𝘸𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘵, 𝘐 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘐 𝘨𝘰, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘐 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘯, 𝘢𝘴 𝘐 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦; 𝘺𝘦𝘢, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦. 𝘓𝘦𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰, 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘐 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘵, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘺 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸. 𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸, 𝘶𝘯𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘣𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳. 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦; 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘐 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪�� 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥; 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘴𝘰 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘥𝘮𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩. 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘫𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘺, 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘐 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘭 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦, 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯, 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵, 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺, 𝘐 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘣𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘧 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳, 𝘢𝘴 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘞𝘺𝘢𝘵𝘵, 𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘢 𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘪𝘮. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘩 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘐 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘧 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥, 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘨𝘦, 𝘵𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯, 𝘰𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘣𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩.

𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴’𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘺 𝘦𝘯𝘥,

𝘌𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘩,  

𝘐 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧'

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the Wyatt rebellion and the imprisonment of Princess Elizabeth.

The Wyatt rebellion was a popular protestant uprising in England, named after Thomas Wyatt, the rebellion broke out over protest on Queen Mary I’s marriage to Phillip of Spain, as many English feared of England converting back to Catholicism The rebellion was led by nobles, the most notable ones being Sir Thomas Wyatt from Kent, sir peter Carew from Devon, Sir James Croft from Herefordshire and the duke of Suffolk.

The nobles planned to remove Mary as monarch, instate Elizabeth as queen and arrange for Elizabeth to marry Edward Courtenay.

The protest failed terribly. The ‘uprisings’ in the Midlands and the West Country were the most humiliating failure as almost nobody there gave Carew and the Duke of Suffolk the support they needed for success. Although the people shared the same concern about Mary marrying a foreign power, they stayed loyal to their queen. Those in the Midlands feared committing treason, while many in the West were Catholic.

 The Imperial Ambassador, Simon Renard, had heard rumours about the revolt and informed the Lord Chancellor, Stephen Gardner, of his worries. Gardner brought in Courtenay for questioning as Renard had mentioned his name. Gardner’s interrogation was apparently uncompromising and Courtenay was intimidated by this. Edward Courtenay told Gardner all that he knew about the plot against the queen, so that the government knew about the conspiracy, and what they planned to do, even before it had begun.

 Due to this, the princess Elizabeth was imprisoned at the tower of London, on the 18th of March 1554 on charge of treason.

 On the 17th March, 1554, two of Mary I’s Councillors, Winchester and Sussex, arrived at Elizabeth’s household to take her to prison by water. This was when Elizabeth wrote, perhaps the most famous letter in history, the ‘Tide Letter’. The letter is called such because as Elizabeth wrote this letter to her sister the tide turned, making it impossible to take Elizabeth to the Tower that day. Elizabeth’s letter gave her just a little extra time at home but the letter didn’t budge her most stubborn sister, the queen.

The following day Elizabeth was taken from Whitehall to the Tower of London by boat, along the Thames. Elizabeth was taken to the Tower Wharf, as the tides were too low to go through the traitor’s gate. Elizabeth was imprisoned in the royal palace in the inner ward of the Tower of London, the same place her mother was imprisoned in May of 1536.

Due to a lack of evidence and extreme support for the young princess, Elizabeth was released on the 19th of May, 1554, exactly 18 years after her mother’s death.

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The family of Jane Seymour

Sir John Seymour of Wolf Hall in Wiltshire was an English solider and courtier who served Henry VII and Henry VIII until his death in 1536. Not much else is know about him, other than the fact that he was knighted in June of 1497, for his bravery and services, fighting against the Cornish rebels at blackheath.

John Seymour married Margery Wentworth in October of 1478. The couple would go on to have ten children together.

Funnily enough, it is through Margery Wentworth that Jane Seymour is related to Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard. Anne Say [janes grandmother] married Sir Henry Wentworth and produced six children, including Margaret Wentworth, mother of Queen Jane Seymour. While Anne says half-sister, Elizabeth Tylney, married Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey. This marriage produced nine children, including Edmund Howard, father of Queen Catherine Howard, and Elizabeth Howard, mother of Queen Anne Boleyn.

Jane Seymour was the eldest daughter of Sir John Seymour of Wolf Hall in Wiltshire and Margery Wentworth. Jane seymours birthdate is unknown. Most historians believe her to be born around 1504 - 1509. Jane was one of four children, the most notable ones being her brothers, Thomas Seymour, 1st Baron Seymour of Sudeley and Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset.

The seymours came from ancient and respectable linage, being traceable to Norman origins. Through janes mother, Margery Wentworth, Jane and her siblings were descendants of Edward III and his son, Lionel, 1st Duke of Clarence. This made Jane and Henry VIII fifth cousins.

Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset, breifly ruled England as lord protecter of janes son Edward VI, but was beheaded on the 22 of January 1552.

Edwards brother, Thomas Seymour, suffered a similar fate of decapitation. The reason for Thomas’ beheading is rather unsettling, Thomas Seymour was arrested at Hampton court place, 16th of January 1549, for he attempted to kidnap his nephew, Edward VI. Thomas’ plan was set for failure. As Thomas entered the kings chambers, the kings spaniel awoke and found an intruder, Thomas went to kill the dog, for fear of being bitten. When the king woke, the guards were already there, arresting Thomas and sending him off to the Tower of London.

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The life of Anne Boleyn Before the King

Anne Boleyn was the second child of Thomas Boleyn, 1st Earl of Wiltshire and Elizabeth Boleyn, Countess of Wiltshire (born lady Elizabeth Howard). Anne was one of three surviving children, her elder sister Mary Boleyn and her brother George Boleyn, 2nd Viscount Rochford (whether he was younger than Anne or older is not known). She had two other brothers, Henry and Thomas, who sadly died in childhood.

It's common myth that Anne Boleyn was born a commoner, but this is far from the case. Anne was a descendant of Edward I, Through both of her parents. Due to her royal blood and her fathers rise to power at the court of Henry VII, Anne lived a life of luxury in her childhood residence at Heaver Castle.

The year that Anne Boleyn was born is greatly argued, although it is most likely that she was born between 1501-1505. A letter from Thomas Boleyn to Thomas Cromwell (Henry VIII’s chief minister) in 1536 states that his wife, Elizabeth Boleyn, “brought me every year a child”, if we believe that Elizabeth and Thomas Wed in the late 1490s it can be almost certain that all five of their children were born before 1505. This also means that by the year 1536— the year of Anne's execution— Anne was already middle aged by Tudor-standards and out of child-bearing years, which explains Anne’s haste execution and Henry’s swift replacement.

During may of 1512, Thomas Boleyn was sent to the court of Margaret of Austria as an ambassador for the English. Thomas Boleyn, ambitious and charismatic, seemed to of made an impact on Margaret. By April of the same year they were reported to have gotten very close, Margaret playfully telling Thomas that, her father, the emperor, would allow them to settle their negotiations within ten days. 

Due to Thomas and Margaret's close relations, in the summer of 1513 Anne was sent to the court of  Margaret of Austria.

In a letter written by Margaret to Thomas, shortly after Anne’s arrival she wrote:

“I have received your letter by the Esquire Bouton who has presented your daughter to me, who is very welcome, and I am confident of being able to deal with her in a way which will give you satisfaction, so that on your return the two of us will need no intermediary than she. I find her so bright and pleasant for her young age that I am more beholden to you for sending her to me than you are to me.”

Margaret’s court is where Anne was educated, there, Anne learnt french, deportment, conversation, dance and music. It’s also where Anne most likely developed her love for the arts. Margaret’s court was known for its collection of masterpieces, tapestry’s and masses of talented composers.

Despite Anne being adored in the court of  Margaret of Austria, she only stayed there for 15 months, as in August of 1514, Anne was to famously accompany Mary Tudor to her journey in France, in preparation of her marriage to Louis XII.

When Louis died just a mere three months after his marriage to Mary, Mary Tudor was to be sent back to England. Despite this, Anne stayed in France to serve the new Queen consort, Queen Claude. Claude and Anne were close in age, which could of been the reason Anne was requested to stay in France, as they could relate on certain topics. Anne served Claude for around seven years. 

Although we don't know that much about this period of Anne’s life, it is largely speculated that in France is where Anne developed her personality, as written accounts from the era describe Anne as 'being that of a french woman, not a native-born English.'

When Anne Boleyn returned to England in 1522, she quickly fell into a romance with a fellow courtier, Henry Percy. Cardinal Wolsey’s gentlemen-usher (A high-ranking servant responsible for overseeing the work of other servants), wrote in his biography of Wolsey “that there grew such a secret love between them (Percy and Anne) that, at length, they were ensured together, intending to marry.”

Wolsey's gentlemen-usher also reported that Percy “would then resort for his pastime unto the queen’s chamber, and there would fall in dalliance (a casual romantic or sexual relationship) among the queen’s ladies, being at the last more conversant with Mistress Anne Boleyn than with any other.”

Although it was true that The young couple were intending to marry, it is unlikely that they did 'fall into a dalliance', as Anne was influenced by two pious women, Queen Claude of France and Margret of Austria. And Anne's later refusal to engage in any marital duties with Henry viii, without actually being married, surely also applied to a lower-class noble man.

The blossoming romance was soon squashed, as cardinal Wolsey quickly intervened at request of the king, who was apparently “much offended” because of his own “secret affection” to Anne Boleyn. Wolsey reportedly explained to Percy that the King would have found him a better match “according to your estate and honour”, despite Percy's initial refusal, he married Mary Talbot in early 1524, Allowing Henry VIII to actively pursue Anne.

Although this biography is a contemporary source, it is unlikely that the romance was intervened by Cardinal Wolsey due to the kings “secret affection”, but instead so the marriage plans between Anne and James Butler, 9th Earl of Ormond and 2nd Earl of Ossory could take place. The plans for Anne and James to marry were proposed to settle a dispute over the Ormond inheritance and title.

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Speech to the Troops at Tilbury

Speech to the Troops at Tilbury is a famous speech given by Elizabeth I in preparation for the invasion of the Spanish Armarda.

“My loving people, we have been persuaded by some, that are careful of our safety, to take heed how we commit ourselves to armed multitudes, for fear of treachery; but I assure you, I do not desire to live to distrust my faithful and loving people. Let tyrants fear; I have always so behaved myself that, under God, I have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts and good will of my subjects. And therefore I am come amongst you at this time, not as for my recreation or sport, but being resolved, in the midst and heat of the battle, to live or die amongst you all; to lay down, for my God, and for my kingdom, and for my people, my honor and my blood, even the dust. I know I have but the body of a weak and feeble woman; but I have the heart of a king, and of a king of England, too; and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain, or any prince of Europe, should dare to invade the borders of my realms: to which, rather than any dishonor should grow by me, I myself will take up arms; I myself will be your general, judge, and rewarder of every one of your virtues in the field. I know already, by your forwardness, that you have deserved rewards and crowns; and we do assure you, on the word of a prince, they shall be duly paid you. In the mean my lieutenant general shall be in my stead, than whom never prince commanded a more noble and worthy subject; not doubting by your obedience to my general, by your concord in the camp, and by your valor in the field, we shall shortly have a famous victory over the enemies of my God, of my kingdom, and of my people.” - Elizabeth I

The Defeat of the Spanish Armada is known as one of the greatest military accomplishments in English history— it insured a stable throne for Elizabeth, and independency from Spain. With the defeat of the Spanish Armada England became a strong navel power, which paved the way for the British empire, the largest empire the world has ever seen.

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Anne boleyn’s relationship with her daughter, Elizabeth I ‘Gloriana’.

“Just as Anne had hoped, this child would one day bring England to such glory and power that its name would echo down the centuries as one of the greatest monarchs that ever lived. But in the stifling confines of the birthing chamber, on that hot September day, none of this could have been predicted, for the child that Anne had borne was not the hoped for prince – it was a girl.” - Tracy Borman

Elizabeth spent very little time with her mother Anne— as common in the era, especially for the daughter of a Queen. To Anne’s disappointment [she had very much wanted to breastfeed Elizabeth herself] Elizabeth was fed by a wet-nurse and lived a few miles away from Hampton court at her own household in Hatfield. This meant that Anne couldn’t see Elizabeth very often.

Despite the restrictions Anne (and Henry) visited Elizabeth as often as was allowed.

Anne took the upmost pleasure in planning Elizabeth’s wardrobe, personally selecting the materials and trimmings. In august of 1536, around three months after Anne’s execution, Lady Margaret Brian, Head of Elizabeth’s household wrote to Cromwell [chief minister to King Henry VIII] about the neglect that Elizabeth’s household had received, stating in one of her letters that:

‘For she [elizabeth] has neither gown nor kirtle nor petticoat, nor linen for smocks, nor kerchiefs, sleeves, rails, bodystychets, handkerchiefs, mufflers, nor "begens.”’

It can be safety assumed, through this letter and other records, that Anne was the one to make sure that her daughter Elizabeth was well looked after.

It is said that during Anne’s final days she carried Elizabeth in her arms, as she pleaded to Henry. Alexandra Alesius, The Scottish theologian, reputedly gave an account of an argument between Anne Boylen and Henry VIII to Elizabeth I saying, “Never shall I forget the sorrow I felt when I saw the most serene Queen, your most religious mother, carrying you, still a little baby, in her arms, and entreating the most serene King your father in Greenwich Palace, from the open window of which he was looking into the courtyard when she brought you to him. I did not perfectly understand what had been going on, but the faces and gestures of the speakers plainly showed the King was angry, although he could conceal his anger wonderfully well.”

The day after the execution of Anne Boleyn, the infant Elizabeth was quick to note the sudden changes that had happened, she was reported to have said, “How hath it, yesterday my Lady Princess, and today but my Lady Elizabeth?” Elizabeth had realised the change of titles as she went from a princess to a bastard, but it is not known when Elizabeth found out the fate of her mother.

It is a common myth that Elizabeth was ashamed or abashed about being the daughter of Anne Boleyn, commonly referred to as ‘The great whore’.

Despite her mother being executed when she was just a mere 2 years and 8 months old, We can assume that Elizabeth held great admiration for her mother.

Elizabeth I often wore a locket ring with a portrait of Anne inside, which must of taken great effort as her father, Henry VIII, ordered all portraits of Anne Boleyn to be destroyed in haste following Anne’s execution. This suggests Elizabeth’s love for her mother, even when she couldn’t publicly acknowledge her mother (it is said Elizabeth only did so twice in her lifetime) she still Honoured her in private, having a small portrait of her wherever she went.

Sadly neither Mother nor Daughter got to spend an abundance of time together, but we can certainly declare that they both held a lot of love for each other, even if it couldn’t be outwardly expressed.

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