The Wives of Henry the Eighth and the Parts They Played in History
David Hume · en
to meet his wishes and consent to a neutral tribunal judging between them.
Katharine was, as usual, cool and contemptuous. No one was more sorry than
she for the King's annoyance, though she had not been the cause of it; but
there was only one judge in the world competent to deal with the case.
"His Holiness, who keeps the place, and has the power, of God upon earth,
and is the image of eternal truth." As for recognising her husband as
supreme head of the Church, that she would never do. When Dr. Lee spoke
harshly, telling her that she knew that, her first marriage having been
consummated, her second was never legal, she vehemently denied the fact,
and told him angrily to go to Rome and argue. He would find there others
than a lone woman to answer him. Dr. Sampson then took up the parable and
reproached her for her determination to have the case settled so quickly;
and she replied to him that if he had passed such bitter days as she had,
he would be in a hurry too. Dr. Stokesley was dealt with similarly by the
Queen; and she then proudly protested at being thus baited late at night
by a crowd of men; she, "a poor woman without friends or counsel." Norfolk
reminded her that the King had appointed the Archbishop of Canterbury, the
Bishop of Durham, and the Bishop of Rochester to advise her. "Pretty
councillors they are," she replied. "If I ask for Canterbury's advice he
tells me he will have nothing to do with it, and for ever repeats _ira
principis mors est_. The Bishop of Durham dares to say nothing because he
is the King's subject, and Rochester only tells me to keep a good heart
and hope for the best."