Encyclopaedia Britannica, or, a Dictionary of arts, sciences, and miscellaneous literature : enlarged and improved. Illustrated with nearly six hundred engravings > Volume 8, ELE-FOR

385
The mar¬
riage an¬
nulled, and
Cromwell
put to
tleath.
a86
Henry falls
in love
with Ca¬
tharine
Howard.
287
Infidelity
and death
ef the new
«ucen.
ENG [ii
could fpeak no language but Dutch, of tvliicli he was
entirely ignorant. Notwithftanding all thefe objec¬
tions, however, he refolved to complete the marriage,
telling Cromwell, that, lince he had gone fo far, he
muft now put his neck into the yoke. The reafon of
this was, that the friendihip of the German princes
was now more than ever necelfary for Henry ; and it
was fuppofed that the affront of fending the princefs
back to her own country might be refented. Crom-
well, who knew that his own life depended on the e-
vent of the matter, was very anxious to learn from the
king how he liked his fpoufe after having puffed a
night with her ; but was ft ruck with terror when he
replied that he now hated her more than ever} that
he Avas refolved not to cohabit with her, and even fu-
fpeclcd that the Avas not a virgin; a matter in which
he pretended to be a connoiffeur, and about which he
Avas extremely fcrupulous. In a little time his aver-
fion increafed to fuch a degree, that he determined at
any rate to get rid of his queen and prime minifter
both at once. Cromwell had long been an object of
averfion to the nobility, avIio hated him on account of
his obfeure birth 5 his father being no other than a
blackfmith, though the fon had obtained the firlt em¬
ployments in the kingdom. By his office of vicar-
general, he had an almofl: abfolute authority oArer the
clergy j he was alfo lord privy-feal, lord chamber-
lain, and mafter of the Avards. He had alfo been in-
vefted Avith the order of the Garter, and Avas created
earl of Elfex. This Avas fufficient to raife the envy
of the courtiers : but he had alfo the misfortune to
fall under the difpleafure of both Proteftants and Pa-
pifts •, the former hating him on account of his con¬
currence Avith Henry in their perfecution, and the lat¬
ter looking upon him as the greatefl: enemy of their
religion. To thefe unfortunate circumftances on the
part of CromAvell was added the ufual fituation of
Henry himfelf, Avho had hoav fallen in love Avith Ca¬
tharine HoAvard, niece to the duke of Norfolk ; to
enjoy whom, he norv determined to divorce Anne of
Cleves. By the inffnuations of this lady and her
uncle, Cromwell’s ruin Avas accomplifhed j and he
was condemned, not only Avithout any trial, but even
without examination. The charge was of herefy
and high treafon 5 but the inftances of the latter Avere
quite abfurd and ridiculous. He fubmitted, hoAV-
ever, to his fentence without murmuring, as knoAV-
ing that his complaints on this fubjedl would be re¬
venged on his fon. He was terribly mangled by the
executioner before his head could be ftruck off. Plis
death Avas foon folioAved by the diffolution of the mar¬
riage Avith the princefs of Claves, which Avas annulled
by the confent of both parties. The princefs parted
from him Avith great indifference} and accepted of
3000I. a-year as a compenfation, but refufed to re¬
turn to her oAvn country after the affront fhe had re¬
ceived.
The king’s marriage with Catharine Horvard foon
folloAved tke diffolution of that with Anne of Cleves ;
but the event may furely be regarded as a providential
punifhment upon this tyrant, Avhofe cruelty, luff, and
other bad qualities, can fcarcely be matched in hiftory.
We have already mentioned his infinuations againfl the
virtue of the unfortunate princefs of Cleves : thefe Avere
amply repaid by the aftual infidelities of his ucav queen,
6 ] ENG
Avhom we muff: fuppofe he believed to be a pure and England,
perfeil virgin at the time he married her. So happy '
indeed did he imagine himfelf in this nerv marriage, ' ■15‘P‘
that he publicly returned thanks for his conjugal feli¬
city, when a moft unfortunate information concerning
the queen’s incontinence AAras given to Cranmer by
one of the name of Lafcelles, whofe lifter had been
fervant to the duchefs-doAvager of Norfolk. He not
only gave intelligence of her amours before marriage,
but affirmed that fhe had continued the fame criminal
practices ever fince. Tavo of her paramours Avere ar-
refted, and confeffed their crimes: the queen herfelf
alfo confeffed guilt before marriage, but denied having
ever been falfe to the king’s bed; Avhich, hoAvever, had
very little probability: She Avas beheaded on ToAver-
hill, along Avith the vifeountefs of Rochford, Avho had
been a confidant in her amours. The latter, as has
already been obferved, Avas a principal inftrument in
procuring the deftruftion of the unhappy Anne Bo-
leyn, and therefore died unpitied ; Avhile the virtuous
character of that unfortunate lady received an addi¬
tional confirmation from the difeovery of this AAroman’s
guih. _ . .388
To fecure himfelf from any farther difafters of this Abfuidity
kind, Henry pafled a moft extrordinary Ihav, enact- oi the king,
ing, that any one who fliould knorv, or ftrongly fu-
fpeCt, any guilt in the queen, might, Avithin 20 days,
difclofe it to the king or council, Avithout incurring
the penalty of any former larv againft defaming the
queen ; though at the fame time every one AAras pro¬
hibited from fpreading the matter abroad, or even
privately Avhifpering it to others. It Avas alfo enabl¬
ed, that if the king married any Avoman Avho had been
incontinent, taking her for a true maid, fhe fhouid be
guilty of treafon if fhe did not previoufly reveal her
guilt to him.
Thefe larvs afforded diverfion to the people, Avho
noAV faid that the king muft look out for a AvidoAAr ;
as no reputed maid Avould ever be perfuaded to incur
the penalty of the ftatute. This in truth happened to
be the cafe at laft ; for about a year after the death of
Catharine HoAATard, he married, for his fixth wife, Ca- 289
tharine Parr, AvidoAV of Nevil Lord Latimer. This Sixth mar-
lady, being fomeAvhat inclined to the doclrines of the (^fharine1
reformation, and having the boldnefs to tell her huf- parr) wjlom
band her mind upon the fubjecl, had like to have fha-he intends
red the fate of the reft. The furious monarch, inca- »ffo to put
pable of bearing the leaft contradiction, inftantly com-t0 ^ath.
plained to Bifhop Gardiner, Avho inflamed the quarrel
as much as pofiible ; fo that at laft the king confented
that articles of impeachment fhouid be draAvn up againft
her. But thefe Avere rendered abortive by the pru¬
dence and addrefs of the queen, as related under the ar¬
ticle Parr. . . . 290
At this time Henry had tyrannized over his nobi- Monftrous
lity in the moft cruel manner. The old countefs of cruelty of
Salifbury, laft of the houfe of Plantagenet, teas ex-t}ic khg*
ecuted Avith circumftances of great cruelty. She had
been condemned, as ufual, Avithout any trial ; and
Avhen fhe Avas brought to the feaffold, refufed to lay
her head on the block in obedience to a fentence, to
the juft ice of which fhe had never confented. She
told the executioner, therefore, that if he Avould have
her head, he muft Avin it the beft Avay he could; and
thus ihe ran about the fcaffold, purfued by the execu¬
tioner.