|
Letter of Katharine of Aragon to her daughter,
Princess Mary Background As the letter indicates, Katharine herself genuinely feared for Mary's life, as well as her own. But she was determined to remain true to her conscience, and none of Henry VIII's threats would persuade her otherwise. Mary would eventually betray her mother's wishes and accede to the Act of Succession; her letter to Henry VIII is included in the Primary Sources section and is a remarkable document. In this letter, Katharine mentions Lady Salisbury. This was Margaret de la Pole, countess of Salisbury; she was also a Plantagenet heir and cousin of Henry VIII's. She had been Mary's governess for many years and was very close to both Katharine and Mary. Upon Mary's disobedience, Henry dismissed her from Mary's service; Margaret was eventually executed on trumped-up charges of treason in 1541. Her death was perhaps the most blatant act of judicial murder in Henry's bloody reign. I find this letter psychologically interesting.
Katharine became increasingly pious as her marriage to Henry dissolved into
ceaseless acrimony and misery. Religious fervor became her only
comfort. In this, she perhaps inadvertently over-stressed its importance
to her daughter. She placed Mary in an untenable and dangerous position,
essentially telling her that it was God's will to disobey her father, even as
she assumed God was on her side in the annulment proceedings. But Henry
was equally convinced of the religious righteousness of his cause. Poor
Mary, torn between two bullying parents, inevitably turned to her
mother. After all, Katharine's situation was far more sympathetic and
she was badly treated (after she refused many generous offers to accept
Henry's wishes.) But the effect on Mary's personality was
devastating. She remained emotionally insecure for the rest of her
life.
Daughter, I heard such tidings today that I do perceive if it be
true, the time is come that Almighty God will prove you; and I am very glad
of it, for I trust He doth handle you with a good love. I beseech you
agree of His pleasure with a merry heart; and be sure that, without fail, He
will not suffer you to perish if you beware to offend Him. I pray you,
good daughter, to offer yourself to Him. If any pangs come to you,
shrive yourself; first make you clean; take heed of His commandments, and
keep them as near as He will give you grace to do, for then you are sure
armed. And if this lady [Anne Shelton] do come to you as it is spoken,
if she do bring you a letter from the King, I am sure in the self same
letter you shall be commanded what you shall do. Answer with few
words, obeying the King, your father, in everything, save only that you will
not offend God and lose your own soul; and go no further with learning and
disputation in the matter. And wheresoever, and in whatsoever company
you shall come, observe the King's commandments. Speak you few words
and meddle nothing. I will send you two books in Latin; the one shall
be De Vita Christi with a declaration of the Gospels, and the other the
Epistles of St Jerome that he did write to Paul and Eustochium, and in them
I trust you shall see good things. And sometimes for your recreation
use your virginals or lute if you have any. to Letters of the Six Wives of Henry VIII to
Primary Sources |