A.D. 1533.

paper July 24.

Lady Proclama

tion on the

doors.

day in this year 1533, the people gathering to CH. 5. church in every parish through the English counties, read nailed upon the doors, a signed Henry R., setting forth that the Catherine of Spain, heretofore called Queen of church England, was not to be called by that title any more, but was to be called Princess Dowager, and so to be held and esteemed. The proclamation, we may suppose, was read with varying comments; of the reception of it in the northern counties, the following information was forwarded to the crown. The Earl of Derby, lord-lieutenant of Reception Yorkshire, wrote to inform the council that he northern had arrested a certain 'lewd and naughty priest,' James Harrison by name, on the charge of having spoken unfitting and slanderous words of his Highness and the Queen's Grace. He had taken the examinations of several witnesses, which he had sent with his letter, and which were to the following effect:

of it in the

, counties.

forwarded

Richard Clark deposeth that the said James Depositions Harrison reading the proclamation, said that by the Earl Queen Catherine was queen, Nan Bullen should of Derby. not be queen, nor the king should be no king but on his bearing.

William Dalton deposeth, that in his hearing the above-named James said, I will take none for queen but Queen Catherine-who the devil made Nan Bullen, that hoore, queen? I will never take her for queen-and he the said William answered, 'Hold thy peace, thou wot'st not what thou sayest-but that thou art a priest I should punish thee, that others should take example.'

CH. 5.

A.D. 1533.
July.

Richard Sumner and John Clayton depose, that they came in company with the said James from Perbalt to Eccleston, when the said James did say, 'This is a marvellous world-the king will put down the order of priests and destroy the Sacrament, but he cannot reign long, for York will be in London hastily.'*

Here was the later growth of the spirit which we saw a few months previously in the monks of Furness. The mutterings of discontent had deYorkshire veloped into plain open treason, confident of wards the success, and scarcely caring to conceal itself-and Pilgrimage Yorkshire was preparing for rebellion and 'the Pilgrimage of Grace.'

ripens to

of Grace.

Queen Catherine waited

There is another quarter also into which we must follow the proclamation, and watch the the Com- effect of the royal order in a scene where it is. missioners well that we should for a few moments rest.

upon by

of the

Council.

Catherine was still at Ampthill, surrounded by her own attendants, who formed an inner circle, shielding her retirement against impertinent curiosity. She rarely or never allowed herself to be seen; Lord Mountjoy, with an official retinue, was in attendance in the house; but the occupation was not a pleasant one, and he was as willing to respect the queen's seclusion as she to remain secluded. Injunctions arrived however from the court at the end of June, which compelled him to request an interview; a deputation of the privy council had come down to inform the ex-queen of the orders of the government, and to

* ELLIS, first series, vol. ii. p. 43.

desire that they might be put in force in her own Сí. 5. family. Aware probably of the nature of the A.D. 1533.

Her reluct

receive

communication which was to be made to her, she July 3, refused repeatedly to admit them to her presence. ance to At length, however, she nerved herself for the them. effort, and on the 3rd of July Mountjoy and the state commissioners were informed that she was ready to receive them.

admitted,

As they entered her room she was lying on a They are sofa. She had a bad cough, and she had hurt her foot with a pin, and was unable to stand or walk. Her attendants were all present by her own desire; she was glad to see around her some sympathizing human faces, to enable her to endure the cold hard eyes of the officials of the council.

She inquired whether the message was to be delivered in writing or by word of mouth.

their in

which are

cess Dow

They replied that they had brought with And read them instructions which they were to read, and structions, that they were further charged with a message addressed which was to be delivered verbally. She de- the Prinsired that they would read their written despatch. ager. It was addressed to the Princess Dowager, and she at once excepted to the name. She was not Her resentPrincess Dowager, she said, but queen, and the king's true wife. She came to the king a clear maid for any bodily knowledge of Prince Arthur; she had borne him lawful issue and no bastard, and therefore queen she was, and queen she would be while she lived.

The commissioners were prepared for the objection, and continued, without replying, to

ment.

A.D. 1533.
July 3.

CH. 5. read. The paper contained a statement of wornout unrealities; the old story of the judgment of the universities and the learned men, the sentence of convocation, and of the houses of parliament; and, finally, the fact of substantial importance, They com- that the king, acting as he believed according to the fact of the laws of God, had married the Lady Anne marriage. Boleyn, who was now his lawful wife, and anointed Queen of England.

municate

the second

opinion of

that proceeding.

Oh yes, she answered when they had done, we know that, and 'we know the authority by which it has been done-more by power than justice.' Catherine's The king's learned men were learned heretics; the honest learning was for her. As for the seals of the universities there were strange stories about the way in which they had been obtained. The universities and the parliament had done what the king bade them; and they had gone against their consciences in doing it; but it was of no importance to her-she was in the hands of the pope, who was God's vicar, and she. acknowledged no other judge.

She is informed

that she is no longer

to be called queen.

She replies

The commissioners informed her of the decision of the council that she was no longer to bear the title of queen. It stood, they said, neither with the laws of God nor man, nor with the king's honour, to have two queens named within the realm; and in fact, there was but one queen, the king's lawful wife, to whom he was now married.

She replied shortly that she was the king's

that she is lawful queen, and none other.

queen.

There was little hope in her manner that

anything which could be said would move her; CH.5. but her visitors were ordered to try her to the uttermost.

The king, they continued, was surprised that she could be so disobedient; and not only that she was disobedient herself, but that she allowed and encouraged her servants in the same conduct.

She was ready to obey the king, she answered, when she could do so without disobeying God; but she could not damn her soul even for him. Her servants, she said, must do the best they could; they were standing round her as she was speaking; and she turned to them with an apology, and a hope that they would pardon her. She would hinder her cause, she said, and put her soul in danger, if on their account she were to relinquish her name, and she could not do it.

A.D. 1533. July 3.

suasion.

The deputation next attempted her on her They atworldly side. If she would obey, they informed tempt per her that she would be allowed not only her jointure as Princess Dowager and her own private fortune, but all the settlements which had been made upon her on her marriage with the king.

She passed not upon possessions, in regard of this matter,' she replied. It touched her conscience, and no worldly considerations were of the slightest moment.

In disobeying the king, they said, seeing that she was none other than his subject, she might give cause for dissension and disturbance, and she might lose the favour of the people.