Followers

Friday 25 July 2014

CATHERINE HOWARD'S LETTER

On the eve of her execution...
                                  
                        The Tower of London.

                        The 12th Day of February,
                        the Year of our Lord 1542


My Dearest Husband,
                             There is still time for you to show a little mercy. Think, my Love, of all we have been to each other these past three years. Please, I implore you to reconsider, before there is no going back.
My fate is wholly in your hands.
If, on the morrow I am to depart this world, then your decision will reside in your conscience for the remainder of your days.
Henry, I AM INNOCENT of these despicable charges against me.
I have NEVER, EVER been unfaithful to you – not once – and have certainly not had intimate relations with my own brother, as I now stand so unjustly accused. How could you even begin to believe such ugly rumours as these mine enemies have concocted against me?
You know me, Henry, better than anyone.
You must believe in your heart of hearts that you are and always have been my only love. Archbishop Cranmer is a gullible man if he has been taken in by these vile lies. If he really cannot see that I have fallen victim to jealousy and spite, then he must be a weak and piteous man who is unfit for such a position of power as he presently holds.
Please stop and consider for a moment:
I am 39 years your junior – of course there are those who may be envious, but surely that does not compel you to believe their slander, and even worse, take their side against your wife?

Oh Henry, how such vivid memories this evening rise up to torment me!
I have never before confessed to you how, on the morning of our wedding day whilst my ladies-in-waiting were dressing me, I could think of nothing but lying in your bed later that night and feeling those Royal Hands roaming all over my eager young body. I am certain they must have interpreted my tell-tale blushes and read my mind, for I noticed the knowing smiles they exchanged.

So, My Love, how have we come to this?
I have witnessed the desire in those beloved brown eyes gradually turn to disgust – and certainly due to no act of high treason on my part whatsoever.
Oh Henry, I can barely believe how callous you have become.
How could you ignore my screams of despair when I broke free from the Yeomen of the Guard as they arrested me, and ran to your chapel where you were at your devotions?
How I banged on that door in utter torment –
I know you could not have failed to hear my desperate plea – and yet you allowed my captors to drag me away, still screaming, and incarcerate me here in this God-forsaken place.

But I still have not lost hope. My faith in you as my Husband and King is all I have left now.
Please Dear Henry, I beseech you – please do not abandon me here to die.
I have only seen nineteen summers.
If you no longer want me, then why not simply divorce me?
I am reduced to begging you now.
Please, please my Love, can you not find it in your heart to at least spare my life?
If, by some miracle, you can, then I hereby give you my word that you shall never set eyes upon me again and so will be free to remarry whomsoever you choose.

Whatever decision you come to,

Goodbye my Dear Heart, my Noble King,
And God Bless You.


Your ever loving wife,

Catherine





23 comments:

  1. Written so beautifully. Such a tragedy that a King could carry such power, go against the church and all because Catherine gave him a daughter and not a son...falsely accused of adultery with other men and with her own brother! Such a sad ending~

    Hugs, Ygraine
    xoxoxo

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    1. It was tragic, wasn't it...that a monarch should hold such power over each and every one of his subjects?
      I don't believe anyone should have power over another person...and a king's lies would never have been doubted.
      Makes me so angry for his poor wives...:/

      Many thanks, Jan! :)

      Big Hugs xxx

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  2. Had never read this before and thank you for posting it even though I now feel lousy. I guess this is what happens when family counseling is put off too long. Poor girl, how frightened and brave she had to be!

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    1. This is a fictional letter, Geo...the result of stepping into Catherine's shoes, so to speak!
      As I wrote it, I experienced anger, frustration, fear, then desperation...and that was simply imagination. So I cannot imagine how she must have felt in reality...
      So grateful I am not living in those days, or indeed moving in those circles!

      Many thanks :)

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  3. Enjoyed. I do wonder though, these wives, not being surprised, when it happened to them..

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    1. I know what you mean...one would think they'd understand what they were letting themselves in for...his reputation must have been well established by the time Catherine came on the scene.
      But then I wonder if a young girl who caught his eye would have any choice. Seems to me he was one to have his own way at any cost.
      So relieved "The Divine Right of Kings" was later abolished...

      Many thanks, Anthony.:)

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  4. I am speechless, truly speechless at collective furies...You thrown me in history like no one else, and I read, objecting, useless at turns of events, where Power reigns...you my dear Ygraine are a marvel at these glimpses of past history,
    I, your humble servant xxxxxx with all due respect, of course.Hate/Love this

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    1. I so feel for all of his wives, Lorraine.
      To marry such a man was effectively signing your own death warrant!
      As he tired of each successive wife, he simply trumped up charges of treason, infidelity etc. and moved on to the next.
      What a frightening era to live in...but now, I can write and publish my thoughts and feelings about him and live to tell the tale...can't begin to imagine what terrors await me if I should encounter him in the Afterlife though! LOL

      Many thanks, Lorraine :)

      Big Hugs xxx

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  5. Beautiful Ygraine and amazing!

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    1. Thank you so much, Gloria! :)

      Big Hugs xxx

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  6. Very beautifully written ;o) So sad, very touching!

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    1. Yes, very sad...to be only nineteen and effectively murdered by her husband. Her story haunts me.

      Many thanks, Stacy! :)

      Big Hugs xxx

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  7. Ygraine,
    This truly broke my heart but my goodness girl, you have a magic pen.
    You are truly gifted in your writing ability.

    Big Hugs
    xoxo

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    1. It really is heartbreaking, isn't it, Margie?
      How a husband could treat his wife so cruelly is beyond my understanding.
      He divorced some of his wives, so why not all?
      It was tantamount to murder.

      Thank you so much! :)

      Big Hugs xxx

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  8. wow. very cool...you really inhabitted the character of catherine in writing this...oy, what a time in history eh? these things continue to carry forward in bigger and many smaller ways...it is heartbreaking to turn against the one you have loved.....

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    1. I honestly cannot understand how a husband could even contemplate committing such an atrocity as this, simply because he has tired of his wife.
      Surely he could never have loved her in the first place...in fact, I am convinced that a person like this is incapable of love, is fuelled only by ego and power-lust.
      So glad we live in this present time, when monarchs no longer hold such absolute power...although sometimes I do wonder...

      Many thanks, Brian. :)

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  9. Nicely written against that royal monster and in favor of his fifth wife, his "rose without a thorn"; imagine what he had done to her if she had had some thorns! :) Mercy from that insane husband...?
    I was taught at the University that Catherine had enjoyed illicit relationships with young men before her marriage, and afterwards she had more affairs. Only God and she know the truth about it. Anyway, she should not have been executed, of course.
    I think you have idealized the figure of this girl who, according to what I have read, never loved her husband, mad, monstrously fat and 30 years older than her.
    She was executed on Saint Valentine's Day, nice present!
    A hug :)

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    1. Ha...can we ever be sure, though, that all those reputed illicit relationships ever actually took place?
      So many historical queens, and indeed royal mistresses, endured the shame of trumped-up accusations of varying degrees of "treason" when the monarch grew tired of them.
      I suppose we will never really know for sure what occurred in the Tudor palaces, there can only be conjecture...
      Yes, execution on Valentine's day...I can definitely think of more appropriate gestures from a husband or lover!!

      Many thanks, Dulcina.

      Hugs xxx

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  10. Ygraine, are you ok? is your son better?

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    1. Thank you so much for your concern, dear Lorraine...I have been a bit "under the weather" this week, and lost connection for a couple of days, so haven't visited blogger as often as I would have liked.
      Ayrton is doing well, thank you. He has had some more blood tests this week. Hopefully, all will soon be revealed.

      Do hope everything is good with you.

      Big Hugs xxx

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  11. Dear Ygraine
    Have not seen you around.
    I hope all is okay.
    You are in my good thoughts.

    Hugs
    xxx

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    1. Oh thank you so much, Margie...it means so much that you care!
      As I mentioned to Lorraine, I have been a bit unwell, but I'm on the mend now.
      Probably just been worrying about Ayrton too much!

      Do hope all is well with you and yours.

      Big Hugs xxx

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  12. Dear Ygraine I've been booted off blogger again so i'm stuck on google where all my old blogger friends are damn them not my friends google so i won't have time to visit all my blogger friends but i'm keeping some, you among them, if you wnt to visit me i'm on google...if you can't don't worry i'll still visit you

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I really appreciate hearing your opinions...:)