21st June 1529: Catherine of Aragon's Famous Speech
On this
day in history Queen Catherine of Aragon gave a passionate speech to her
husband King Henry VIII at the Legatine Court at Blackfriars. The Legatine
Court was set up to examine the validity of King Henry VIII’s marriage to Queen
Catherine of Aragon. The court was presided over by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey from
England and Cardinal Campeggio, the Popes representative from Rome. At the
opening of the court Henry VIII declared his love for Catherine but also his
concerns about the validity of their marriage as he felt he had disobeyed God
by marrying his brother’s widow. When it came turn for Catherine to speak she
did not stand and defend herself to the Court, instead she went to Henry and
fell to her knees before him saying....
“Sir, I beseech you for all the love that hath been
between us, and for the love of God, let me have justice. Take of me some pity
and compassion, for I am a poor woman, and a stranger born out of your dominion.
I have here no assured friends, and much less impartial counsel…
Alas! Sir, wherein have I offended you, or what
occasion of displeasure have I deserved?… I have been to you a true, humble and
obedient wife, ever comfortable to your will and pleasure, that never said or
did any thing to the contrary thereof, being always well pleased and contented
with all things wherein you had any delight or dalliance, whether it were in
little or much. I never grudged in word or countenance, or showed a visage or
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 or more I have been your true wife and by me ye have had divers
children, although it hath pleased God to call them out of this world, which
hath been no default in me…
When ye had me at first, I take God to 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 ye can allege
against me either of dishonesty or any other impediment to banish and put me
from you, I am well content to depart to my great shame and dishonour. And if
there be none, then here, I most lowly beseech you, let me remain in my former
estate… Therefore, I most humbly require you, in the way of charity and for the
love of God – who is the just judge – to spare me the extremity of this new
court, until I may be advised what way and order my friends in Spain will
advise me to take. And if ye will not extend to me so much impartial favour,
your pleasure then be fulfilled, and to God I commit my cause!” (Ridgway 2012)
After her speech, instead of returning to her seat Queen Catherine of
Aragon turned and left the court ignoring the calls for her to return.
Apparently as she left Catherine stated that “On, on, it makes no matter,
for it is no impartial court for me, therefore I will not tarry. Go on.”
(Ridgway 2012)
Talk about a brave woman! I can only imagine that it must have taken a lot of strength and such great lvoe for Catherine to fall to her knees inf ront of a packed court and to give such a powerful and emotional speech. In her speech she pleads with her husband that not only was she a virgin when she came to his marriage bed but also that she should remain as Queen. Despite all that had happened to Catherine over the last few years, her husband falling in lvoe with Anne Boleyn and then seeking an annulment to his marriage, Catherine still appeared to deeply love Henry. Then on top of this Catherine stood up and despite being ordered to return she left the Court never to make another appearance. Certainly this is a bold move on her part! I think Catherine's speech and her actions at Court that day was just one example of the strength that Catherine of Aragon carried within her.
Sources
Ridgway, C 2012, ‘31st May 1533 – Anne
Boleyn’s Coronation Procession’, viewed 31st May 2012, Available
from internet < http://www.theanneboleynfiles.com/19252/21st-june-1529-catherine-aragon-legatine-court/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheAnneBoleynFiles+%28The+Anne+Boleyn+Files%29>.
3 comments:
Absolutely love this, I'm so glad you posted something about one of my favorite Tudor moments! I completely agree that this moment shows just how strong of a woman Catherine of Aragon was. Despite the adversity she faced during her life, she remained a courageous, incredible woman until the end.
Thank you for posting and remembering her great spirit!
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