The Wives of Henry the Eighth and the Parts They Played in History — David Hume — John Shaqi
The Wives of Henry the Eighth and the Parts They Played in History
David Hume · en
Emperor to patronise Reginald Pole as a possible threat to Henry; in vain
Princess Mary herself, in diplomatic language, told her father that he
might give her what title he liked, but that she herself would never admit
her illegitimacy or her mother's repudiation; in vain Bishop Fisher and
Chapuys counselled the invasion of England and the overturn of Henry:
Cromwell knew that there was no drawing back for him, and that the
struggle must go on now to the bitter end.
Anne with the birth of her daughter became more insolent and exacting than
ever. Nothing would satisfy her but the open degradation of Katharine and
her daughter, and Henry in this respect seems to have had no spark of
generous or gentlemanly feeling. Irritated by what he considered the
disobedience of his wife and child, and doubtless also by their constant
recourse for support and advice to the Emperor's ambassador against him,
he dismissed Mary's household and ordered her to go to Hatfield and serve
as maid the Princess Elizabeth. Mary was ready with her written protest,
which Chapuys had drafted for her, but, having made it, decided to submit;
and was borne to Hatfield in scornful dudgeon, to serve "the bastard" of
three months old. When she arrived the Duke of Suffolk asked her if she
would go and pay her respects to "the Princess." "I know of no other
princess but myself," replied Mary. "The daughter of Lady Pembroke has no
right to such a title. But," added she, "as the King acknowledges her I
may call her sister, as I call the Duke of Richmond brother." Mary was the
true daughter of her proud mother, and bluff Charles Brandon got many a
tart answer from her before he gave her up in despair to perform a similar
mission to her mother at Buckden.