Notes for Catherine Howard

Notes for Catherine Howard

!Catherine Howard (d. 1542) , fifth queen of Henry VIII; daughter, by his first wife, of Lord Edmund Howard, a younger son of Thomas, second duke of *Norfolk ; her education neglected through her father's poverty; on her father's second marriage became a dependant in her grandmother's (Agnes, dowager duchess of Norfolk's) house at Horsham, Norfolk, and afterwards at Lambeth; improperly familiar with Henry Mannock (or Manox), her music-master; passed privately as wife of Francis Dereham, a retainer of the duchess; during Dereham's absence in Ireland, was thought likely to marry her cousin, Thomas Culpepper of Kent; met Henry VIII at Bishop Stephen Gardiner's palace; claims for promotion pressed on her by her old associates, on the report that Henry would divorce Anne of Cleves and marry her; married secretly to King Henry, July, and acknowledged, Aug. 1540; accompanied Henry on his midland progress, Sept.-Oct. 1540, and again, to Yorkshire, July-Oct.1541; clandestinely met Culpepper at Lincoln and Pontefract, 1541, by help of her cousin Jane, Viscountess Rochford, and 27 Aug., made Dereham her secretary; a statement of her former intimacy with Mannock and Dereham, supplied by maid-servants, given to Henry VIII, 2 Nov.; driven to confess pre-nuptial unchastity with Dereham and familiarities with Mannock, a strict inquiry having been held; given by the king a promise to spare her life and sent to Sion House, November 1541; evidence of adultery vainly sought; all persons supposed privy to her misconduct imprisoned, Culpepper and Dereham being sentenced to death, and several of her relatives and servants to imprisonment and forfeiture, 1541; a bill attainting her and Lady Rochford (now insane) brought in, 21 Jan., and passed 7 Feb. 1542; a new confession, but only of pre-nuptial unchastity, wrung from her; taken to the Tower, 10 Feb., and, with Lady Rochford, beheaded 13 Feb. 1542.