The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1904-10-12

[Original.l

SCddC LdIuIlg III EnSldAu, WAS not
brought up with proper care. Her
mother died when Katherine was in
early childhood, and she was turned
over to an old dowager duchess. In
the duchess splendid mansion she was
left with tile waiting women and occu-
pied the sleeping apartments common
to them all. Here temptation was
thrown in her way, especially by two
Of these women, Dorothy Berwicke and
Mary Lassells. The former led the lit
tie girl just coming to womanhood into
an intrigue with her music teacher,
Henry Manox, while Mary Lassells led
her into another with Francis Derham,
a member of the household troop of
katherine's uncle. a powerful duke.
Derham succeeded in ~persuading
Katherine to become betrothed to him
\ troth plight, as it was called in those
days, was equivalent to Il marriage
and so recognized by the church. Der
ham called her wife" and she called
him "husband." In time this relation
ship was discovered by the dowageI
duchess, who. after giving Katherine d
beating. placed her under duress. The
matter was hushed up; the women who
had fostered the intimacy We're sem
away. while Derham fled from the
blight he had brought upon II OF the
noblest families in England, escaping
to Ireland. There he shipped with
pirates.
Katherine had only now reached
~womanhood and, having been freed
from her evil associates, became re
markable for her modest and maidenly
department. Derham returned and en-
deavored to renew his intimacy with
her, but Katherine would have nothing
to do with him.
Reports of Katherine's attractions
spread till they cached the court. Her
family, indeed her relationship by blood
to the royal house of England. render
ed her fully eligible TO an appointment
In the royal service. and she was made
maid of honor to the queen. The king
noticed and admired her. Then he be
gan to pay her attention, and she be
came the queens rival. AT last the
queen was divorced, and Katherine be
came queen of England.
Meanwhile Derham had vanished
while Dorothy Berwicke, Mary Las
sells and the others who had known of
Katherine's temptations and their re
suits were scattered. But no sooner
was it known that she was to become
queen than these birds of prey began
to hover over Ii woman they hao
ruined as a child. One Of the womei'
wrote her demanding to be taken int
her service, and Katherine did not dare
refuse her. Manox. who had first
tamperpd with her. became one of tho
royal musicians, and the terrible cord
that was drawing about her was al
last knOtted by DerhaTn's receiving al
appointment in her suit.
Mysterious reports about the queens
past life began to be circulated, but the
king, WHO was desperately i'll love with
her, either did not hear or ignored
them. In those days Catholic and Pro
eStant were struggling for the mas
terry, and it was not possible that any
scandal about the queen should escape
the opposite party. Mary I.assells re
ycaleI the whole matter, and the kings
confidential minister Informed his maj
asty of the facts, He at first treated
the accusation as a calumny designed
for the destruction of the queen. New
ertheiess he could not rest in doubt and
look steps to know the truth, Derham
was arrested on Il charge of piracy. He
acknowledged the troth plight of years
before and that he and katherine had
lived as man and wife, but denied the
slightest familiarity between them
since her marriage with the king.
Derham's confession pierced the king
to the heart and was the queens death
warrant katherine WAS made Il priS-
onpr, her household discharged and her
glory taken from her. Tie king, who
loved her devotedly. would have been
glad TO save her life, but there were
reasons why it was not to her interest
or TO the interest Of the realm. These
reasons We're magnitied by those who
were striving TO get rid of one who had
Supplanted a former queen and was
Of a different religion. The king in his
desire to save her from the block en-
dea vored to force her to acknowledge
her p%recontract with DerbaIn, for the
Church of Rome allowed no divorce ex-
cept in prccontract. But Katherine
would not admit this troll plight, and,
since she could not be divorced. there
no way of severing her Inatrimo
NAL status except by execution.
Katherine wastransferred to the Tow
er of London. that prison of so man.
political offenders and objects of the
displeasure of the sovereign. Tive days
after the royal assent to her execution
she was led to the scaffold. There was
great dissatisfaction on the part of the
people al her illegal execution, for even
in those barbarous days the laws of
England provided that no one should
be put to death without a fair and open
trial, which had been denied RATHER
Inc. She was led like a sheep to the
slaughter without being permitted to
make any defense. She submitted to
the headsman's stroke with meekness
and courage.