The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol. I., Part C.: From Henry VII. to Mary — David Hume — John Shaqi
The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol. I., Part C.: From Henry VII. to Mary
David Hume · en
The lady Mary thought the death of her step-mother a proper opportunity
for reconciling herself to the king, who, besides other causes of
disgust, had been offended with her on account of the part which she had
taken in her mother’s quarrel. Her advances were not at first received;
and Henry exacted from her some further proofs of submission and
obedience: he required this young princess, then about twenty years of
age, to adopt his theological tenets; to acknowledge his supremacy; to
renounce the pope; and to own her mother’s marriage to be unlawful and
incestuous. These points were of hard digestion with the princess; but
after some delays, and even refusals, she was at last prevailed on to
write a letter to her father,[**] containing her assent to the
articles required of her; upon which she was received into favor. But
notwithstanding the return of the king’s affection to the issue of his
first marriage, he divested not himself of kindness towards the lady
Elizabeth; and the new queen, who was blessed with a singular sweetness
of disposition, discovered strong proofs of attachment towards her.
* Burnet, vol. i. p. 297.
** Burnet, vol. i. p. 207. Strype, vol. i. p. 285.
The trial and conviction of Queen Anne, and the subsequent events, made
it necessary for the king to summon a new parliament; and he here,
in his speech, made a merit to his people, that, notwithstanding the
misfortunes attending his two former marriages, he had been induced for
their good to venture on a third. The speaker received this profession
with suitable gratitude; and he took thence occasion to praise the
king for his wonderful gifts of grace and nature: he compared him, for
justice and prudence, to Solomon; for strength and fortitude, to Samson;
and for beauty and comeliness, to Absalom. The king very humbly replied,
by the mouth cf the chancellor, that he disavowed these praises; since,
if he were really possessed of such endowments, they were the gift
of Almighty God only. Henry found that the parliament was no less
submissive in deeds than complaisant in their expressions, and that
they would go the same lengths as the former in gratifying even his most
lawless passions. His divorce from Anne Boleyn was ratified;[*] that
queen and all her accomplices were attainted; the issue of both his
former marriages were declared illegitimate, and it was even made
treason to assert the legitimacy of either of them; to throw any slander
upon the present king, queen, or their issue, was subjected to the same
penalty; the crown was settled on the king’s issue by Jane Seymour, or
any subsequent wife; and in case he should die without children, he was
empowered, by his will or letters patent, to dispose of the crown; an
enormous authority, especially when intrusted to a prince so violent and
capricious in his humor. Whoever, being required, refused to answer upon
oath to any article of this act of settlement, was declared to be guilty