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Letter from Katharine of Aragon to her husband,
King Henry VIII
16 September 1513
Background
This letter concerns the great English victory
against the Scots at Flodden Field. Henry VIII was busy at war in
France, along with most of his great nobles and councilors. Katharine
was Queen Regent in his absence, but she tactfully credits the victory against
the Scots to Henry himself. Along with letter, she sent a piece of King
James IV of Scotland's coat. Though he was married to Henry's older
sister Margaret, James remained at odds with the English and was killed at
Flodden Field.
Sir,
My Lord Howard hath sent me a letter open to your
Grace, within one of mine, by the which you shall see at length the great
Victory that our Lord hath sent your subjects in your absence; and for this
cause there is no need herein to trouble your Grace with long writing, but,
to my thinking, this battle hath been to your Grace and all your realm the
greatest honor that could be, and more than you should win all the crown of
France; thanked be God of it, and I am sure your Grace forgetteth not to do
this, which shall be cause to send you many more such great victories, as I
trust he shall do. My husband, for hastiness, with Rougecross I could
not send your Grace the piece of the King of Scots coat which John Glynn now
brings. In this your Grace shall see how I keep my promise, sending
you for your banners a king's coat. I thought to send himself unto
you, but our Englishmens' hearts would not suffer it. It should have been
better for him to have been in peace than have this reward. All that
God sends is for the best.
My Lord of Surrey, my Henry, would fain know
your pleasure in the burying of the King of Scots' body, for he has written
to me so. With the next messenger your Grace's pleasure may be herein
known. And with this I make an end, praying God to send you home
shortly, for without this no joy here can be accomplished; and for the same
I pray, and now go to Our Lady of Walsingham that I promised so long ago to
see. At Woburn the 16th of September.
I send your Grace herein a
bill found in a Scotsman's purse of such things as the French King sent to
the said King of Scots to make war against you, beseeching you to send
Mathew hither as soon as this messenger comes to bring me tidings from your
Grace.
Your humble wife and true servant, Katharine.
to Letters of the Six Wives
of Henry VIII
to
Primary Sources
to Tudor England
to Katharine of
Aragon website |
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