Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1870-06-17
3flisecllamu.
From the New England Farmer.
The Wives of Henry VIII.
BY RUTH CHESTERFIELD.

M hCih ChksTERFlELD.
~ :, 'Tis very fine thing to be father in-law
10 a very magnificent three tailed bashaw."
1t would have been well for Henry"
says Mr.. Fronde, "if he could have been
placed in world in which women were
dispensed with"
Whether well for Henry or not, it
would undoubtedly have been greatly to
the advantage of the six women who had
the misfortune to be his wives.
cATHERINEloF ARAGoN.
First on the melancholy list is Gather
Inc of Aragon, whom he married in 1909,
he being at the time 18 years of age,
and she "a. As she was his brothers
widow, dispensation from the Pope was
required to make the marriage legal,
and this was settled at the outset. After
living with her for more than twenty
years undisturbed by any scruples of
conscience, he was suddenly afflicted with
doubts as to the lawfulness of the union,
and resolved upon divorce. In those
Gays divorce was not easily obtained,
and although most of the Powers F" of
Europe were obliging enough to see with
Henry's eyes, there were two notable ex-
ceptions. The first was the Emperor
Charles V. who always remained faith
ful to GATHERINGS cause.-the other was
the Pope, that Pagan full o PRIDE"
who was unwilling to declare unlawful
that which he had declared lawful twen-
ty years before, by annulling his own
dispensation. Although to US the Pope's
opinion or action in the matter seems of
very little consequence, we must remem-
Der that Henry was at this time devout
Catholic, and regarded him as the infal-
lible head of the church. Hence it was
that this imperious and powerful mon
arch stood knocking at the door of the
Vatican for seven long years-and in
vain.
Henry patience waned, however, even
before he had given up all hope of SUBJ
DUNG the obduracy of the Pope, for be-
sides the reason which he had assigned
publicly for desiring divorce, there was
private one which may be supposed to
have weighed something in the scale. He
had had the misfortune to set his affec-
tions on his wife's maid of honor, Anne
Boleyn. Maids of honor appear tohave
been Henry's weakness" and "if he
could have been placed in world where
such attendance "could have been dis
pensed WITH" no doubt it would have
tended greatly to his peace of mind.
Anne was young and beautiful-Cath-
crime, as we are repeatedly reminded by
Mr.. Fronde, was "plain in appearance,
and six years his senior" Itwas an un-
pleasant combination of circumstances
for all three of the parties, and perhaps
Henry thought he was improving mat
ters when in 1923 he brought Anne to
his palace at Greenwich" the gay court
and courtiers forsaking the gloomy dig
nifty of the actual wife, for the gaudy
splendor of her brilliant rival"
From this tine she was with him ev-
erywhere, and when Henry went to
France four years afterwards, to hold an
interview with Francis, he desired that
Anne, who accompanied him, should be
received as if she were his bride, which
was accordingly done. 1t was about this
time that Henry, regardless of the slight
impediment of another wife still living,
was privately married to Anne-at least
he said he was, though no one says when,
where, or how.
The Pope, ignorant of the Gretna
Green marriage, which was not made
public for several months, now threaten
ed to ex-communicate Henry unless he
separated from Anne; but the King,
who found it easier to give up his relig-
ion than his bride, renounced his allegi-
ance to his Holiness, and established an
Independent tribunal in his own country,
with Archbishop Cranmer at the head.
In this stage Of affairs, divorce would
not have covered the ground at all, SO
Cranmer carried out his part of the pro-
gramme by pronouncing the marriage
null and void from the beginning"
Thus il was that,