21st June 2018
Today in 1529, Katherine of Aragon made a moving and powerful speech to her husband, Henry VIII. They had both been called to Blackfriars for a court set up to examine the validity of their marriage. Henry was seeking an annulment based on the grounds that Katherine had previously been married to his brother Arthur – meaning their marriage was invalid, despite receiving a dispensation from the Pope. He had concluded that this was why he had no male heirs, and that he needed to be free to remarry, for the good of the realm.
Katherine quickly made it clear she wasn’t going to recognise the formality of the court. She knew it was not friendly towards her, but that it was under great pressure to find in favour of the king – who already had his second wife picked out. Instead, she took this public opportunity to appeal directly to her husband, approaching him in front of the court and falling to her knees.
Here is part of her speech, as recorded by George Cavendish:
‘Sir, I beseech you, for all the loves that hath been between us, and for the love of God, let me have justice and right. Take of me some pity and compassion, for I am a poor woman and a strange born out of your dominion. I have here no assured friend, and much less indifferent counsel. I flee to you as the head of justice within this realm.
Alas, Sir, where have I offended you? Or what occasion have you of displeasure, that you intend to put me from you? I take God and all the world to witness that I have been to you a true, humble and obedient wife, ever conformable to your will and pleasure. I have been pleased and contented with all things wherein you had delight and dalliance. I never grudged a word or countenance, or showed a spark of discontent. I loved all those whom ye loved only for your sake, whether I had cause or no, and whether they were my friends or enemies. This twenty years and more I have been your true wife, and by me ye have had divers children, though it hath pleased God to call them out of this world, which hath been no fault in me. Ane when ye had me at the first, I take God to be my judge, I was a true maid, without touch of man; and whether it be true or no, I put it to your conscience.
If there be any just cause by the law that you can allege against me, either of dishonesty or any other impediment, to put me from you, I am well content to depart, to my shame and dishonour. If there be none, I must lowly beseech you, let me remain in my former estate and receive justice at your princely hands.’
When she was finished speaking, Katherine rose and curtsied. She then left the court, ignoring calls for her return, and was greeted outside by the public, who shouted words of support. Over the course of the proceedings, the court would order her to appear several more times, but she still refused to return or accept their authority, instead appealing directly to Rome.
Image: Katherine of Aragon, by Unknown artist, c.1520, NPG L246. © National Portrait Gallery, London
