December 15, 1541 – Thomas Howard’s Letter to Henry VIII

Thomas Howard, third Duke of Norfolk, by Hans Holbein (public domain via Wikimedia Commons)

In the aftermath of Catherine Howard’s disgrace, the King had four members of the Howard family arrested and committed to the Tower: the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, her son William and his wife, and the Duchess’ daughter Anne Howard. On December 15 1541, Thomas Howard, the Third Duke of Norfolk, wrote an abject letter to the King in the hope of distancing himself from his unfortunate relatives. It is a remarkable insight into the mind of a shrewd courtier, and I am sharing it here (cleaned up for easier reading)

To the King’s Majesty,

Most noble and gracious Sovereign Lord. Yesterday came to my knowledge that my ungracious mother in law, my unhappy brother, and his wife, with my lewd sister of Bridgewater, were committed to the Tower; which, by long experience, knowing your accustomed equity and justice, used to all your subjects, am sure is not done, but for their false and traitorous proceedings against your Royal Majesty. Which, revolving in my mind, with also the most abominable deeds doe by two of my nieces [Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard] against Your Highness, hath brought me in to the greatest perplexity that ever poor wretch was in; fearing that Your Majesty, having so often, and by so many of my kin, been thus falsely and traitorously handled, might not only conceive a displeasure in your heart against me, and all other of that kin, but also, in manner, abhor to hear speak of any of the same. Wherefore, most gracious Sovereign Lord, prostrate at your feet, most humble I beseech Your Majesty to call to your remembrance, that a grat part of this matter is come to light by my declaration to Your Majesty, according to my bounded duty, of the words spoken to me by my mother in law, when Your Highness sent me to Lambeth to search Dereham’s coffers; without the which I think she had not been further examined, nor consequently her ungracious children. With my true proceedings towards Your Majesty considered, and also the small love my two false traitorous nieces and my mother in law have borne unto me, doth put me in some hope that Your Highness will not conserve any displeasure in your most gentle heart against me; that God knoweth, never did think thought which might be to your discontentation. Wherefore, [effsonys] prostrate at your royal feet, most humbly I beseech Your Majesty, that by such, as it shall please you to command, I may be advertised plainly, how Your Highness doth weigh your favor toward me; assuring Your Highness that only I may know Your Majesty to continue my good an gracious Lord, as ye were before their offenses committed, I shall never desire to live in this world any longer, but shortly to finish this transitory life, as God knoweth, who send Your Majesty the accomplishments of your most noble heart’s deires. Scribled at Kenynghale Lodge, the 15th day of December with the hand of

Your most humble Servant and Subject,

T.Norfolk

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