The Tudors Vs. History, 23/?

The Tudors vs. History, 23/?

“The letters show a young woman who, through a mixture of pride and naivety, completely misjudged her situation. This was not entirely her fault; her friends, rejoicing at Anne Boleyn’s removal, did not realise they had been used either. But used they were. Cromwell never intended that the old, conservative, Aragonese faction […] should triumph. Now that they had served their purpose, he intended to remove the conservatives. And it was easy to do this, by depicting them as disloyal subjects who were plotting to overturn religious change and restore Mary, the king’s illegitimate and disobedient daughter, to the succession.”

– The Myth of ‘Bloody Mary’, Linda Porter

“Will submit to him in all things next to God, humbly beseeching your Highness to consider that I am but a woman, and your child, who hath committed her soul only to God, and her body to be ordered in this world as it shall stand with your pleasure.“

– Princess Mary to [Henry VIII.] Hounsdon, 1 June.

“You will see I have followed your advice, and will do so in all things concerning my duty to the King, God and my conscience not offended; for I take you as one of my chief friends next his Grace and the Queen. I desire you, for Christ’s passion, to find means that I be not moved to any further entry in this matter than I have done; for I assure you I have done the utmost my conscience will suffer me, and I neither desire nor intend to do less than I have done. But if I be put to any more (I am plain with you as with my great friend) my said conscience will in no ways suffer me to consent thereunto. Except in this point, neither you nor any other shall be more desirous to have me obey the King than I shall be ready to do so. I had rather lose my life than displease him. I beg you to take this letter in good part. I would not have troubled you so much, but that the end of your letter caused me a little to fear I shall have more business hereafter. Hownsdon, 10 June.”

– 1108. Princess Mary to Cromwell.

Giovanni Francesco Guerrieri, The Crucifixion, c. 1618-20

Another abridged account, similar to that in Hall and Grafton. At the end is the following sentence : “See the works of God and the mutability of this world ; for this queen Anne, that (as afore is showed) was so triumphantly crowned, within three years next ensueing was attainted of high treason, divorced from the King, and her head stricken off ; and this child that was christened with such pomp was, within three years and less, in open court parliament, declared for a bastard, and deprived of the name of princess.” The sentence in italics is erased.

Thomas More, 1527, Hans Holbein the Younger

Medium: chalk,paper

Mary, by the Grace of God, Queen of England, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, and of the Church of England and of Ireland on Earth Supreme Head. 

The four Latin fathers of the Church, Jacob Jordaens