FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   248   249   250   251   252   253   254   255   256   257   258   259   260   261   262   >>  
was beheaded in public on Tower Hill. Henry immediately after the tragedy married Jane, daughter of Sir John Seymour. The indecent haste is usually considered conclusive of the cause of Anne Boleyn's ruin. On December 12, 1537, a prince, so long and passionately hoped for, was born; but a sad calamity followed, for the queen took cold, and died on October 24. In 1539 monastic life came to an end in England. The great monasteries were dissolved; the abbey lands were distributed partly amongst the old nobility and partly amongst the chapters of six new bishoprics. On January 6, 1540, was solemnised the marriage of Henry with Anne, daughter of the Duke of Cleves, and sister-in-law of the Elector of Saxony. This event was brought about by the negotiations of Cromwell. The king was deeply displeased with the ungainly appearance of his bride when he met her on her landing, but retreat was impossible. Though Henry was personally kind to the new queen, the marriage made him wretched. Cromwell's enemies speedily hatched a conspiracy against the great statesman. He was arrested on a charge of high treason, was accused of corruption and heresy, of gaining wealth by bribery and extortion, and, in spite of Cranmer's efforts to save him, passed to the scaffold on July 28, 1540. For eight years Cromwell, who had been ennobled as Earl of Essex, was supreme with king, parliament, and convocation, and the nation, in the ferment of revolution, was absolutely controlled by him. Convocation had already dissolved the marriage of Henry and Anne, setting both free to contract and consummate other marriages without objection or delay. The queen had placidly given her consent. Handsome settlements were made on her in the shape of estates for her maintenance producing nearly three thousand a year. In August of the same year the King married, without delay of circumstance, Catherine, daughter of Lord Edmond Howard. Brief, indeed, was her reign. In November, 1541, she was charged with unfaithfulness to her marriage vows. The king was overwhelmed. Some dreadful spirit pursued his married life, tainting it with infamy. Two gentlemen confessed their guilty connection with the queen. They were hanged at Tyburn, and the queen and Lady Rochford, who had been her confidential companion, suffered within the Tower. Once more the king ventured into marriage. Catherine, widow of Lord Latimer, his last choice, was selected, not in the interest of po
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   248   249   250   251   252   253   254   255   256   257   258   259   260   261   262   >>  



Top keywords:

marriage

 

married

 
Cromwell
 

daughter

 

dissolved

 
Catherine
 

partly

 

producing

 

Handsome

 

maintenance


consent

 

estates

 
placidly
 

settlements

 
setting
 
ennobled
 
parliament
 

supreme

 

scaffold

 

passed


convocation

 

nation

 
contract
 

consummate

 

marriages

 

revolution

 
ferment
 

absolutely

 

controlled

 

Convocation


objection

 

Rochford

 

confidential

 

companion

 

suffered

 

Tyburn

 

guilty

 
connection
 

hanged

 

selected


choice

 

interest

 
Latimer
 
ventured
 

confessed

 

gentlemen

 

November

 
Howard
 

Edmond

 

August