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Letter
to Thomas Culpepper
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by
Catherine Howard (1541) |
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Catherine
Howard was the fifth wife of Henry VIII. By the time she married him,
the aging king was overweight and bad tempered, largely due to an
ulcerated leg. Catherine tended his leg, but foolishly looked elsewhere
for her own entertainment. When Henry was brought proof of her infidelity
he reportedly wept uncontrollably. His sorrow didn't save Catherine,
however. She was beheaded. Two of her lovers were also executed. This
letter was part of the evidence against her. It is from Catherine
to her distant lover Thomas Culpepper. Culpepper was hanged, drawn
and quartered (as a commoner he was not entitled to the relatively
quick death by beheading). |
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 Master
Culpeper, I heartily recommend me unto you, praying you to send me
word how that you do. It was showed me that you was sick, the which
thing troubled me very much till such time that I hear from you praying
you to send me word how that you do, for I never longed so much for
a thing as I do to see you and to speak with you, the which I trust
shall be shortly now. The which doth comfortly me very much when I
think of it, and when I think again that you shall depart from me
again it makes my heart to die to think what fortune I have that I
cannot be always in your company. ...you have promised me to be so
good unto that poor fellow my man which is one of the griefs that
I do feel to depart from him for then I do know no one that I dare
trust to send to you, and therefore I pray you take him to be with
you that I may sometime hear from you one thing. I pray you to give
me a horse for my man for I had much ado to get one and therefore
pray send me one by him and in so doing I am as I said afor, and thus
I take my leave of you, trusting to see you shortly again and I would
you was with me now that you might see what pain I take in writing
to you. Yours as long as life endures,
Katheryn. |
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