That said, Mason’s feeling that severe punishment was also
in order for the young Earl of Hertford, to whom Catherine had secretly been
married, was more than seconded by the Queen. The people of Elizabeth's realm from the
highest to the lowest had constantly been imploring her to marry and provide a (male)
heir since her coronation. Suddenly, the woman arguably next in line to her in order
of royal blood had an heir handy any time they might choose to place her on the
throne — and a husband to give the ship of state a male hand at the tiller. That
marriage and heir were crises of the greatest consequence. The politics could
destroy her then three year old reign.
The answer to London and others would be a show of raw power.
The matter was handed over to the shadowy Star Chamber court. The court had been created as one of the
first acts of the reign of Henry VII[1]
in order to bypass normal legal process, and, often enough, the law altogether,
in order to bring the nobility to heel. Early in the reign of Elizabeth it was still
fearfully powerful.
It is not clear that the Chamber had time to have initiated
proceedings before word was out that the young Earl had managed to visit his
wife in her prison cell, and, as the result, she had delivered a second child. A
month after Mason’s letter any leniency the Queen might have felt was gone. The
severity of the punishment was stunning:
the earl was heavily fined—15,000 marks in all; 5000 for “seducing
a virgin of the blood royal"; 5000 for breaking prison—i. e. when he left
his own apartments to visit Lady Katherine; and 5000 for the birth of the
second child, described by the Chamber as "a bastard." The earl not
having sufficient money to pay this sum off-hand, his estates were, as usual in
such cases, confiscated instead.[2]
The danger must simply be removed at any cost. The marriage
was declared invalid and the children bastards. Hertford was essentially accused
of statutory rape. The penalty for these indiscretions was the ruination of his
estates.
The Queen did eventually relent. At length, Hertford’s
fine was reduced to just under ₤1200.[3]
Catherine, however, would spend all but about a year of the rest of her short
life in The Tower. Her pleas and her promises went unheard.
S I R,
I HADDE thowght too have coom this Morning to the Court, aswell
too declare untoo yow thadvyses of Italye, which I sende to you herewith, as to
have spoken with you three or four Wordes in another Matter. The fowle Weather
hath stayed me, and therfore I have thought goode too wright, what I wold have sayd.
There be abrode both in the Cite, and in sondry other Places of the Realme,
very brode Speaches of the Case of Therl of Hertford: Summ following theyre
lewde Affections, and summe others of Ignorance make such talks therof, as
lyketh them; nott letting too say they be Man and Wief, and whye sholde Men and
Wief be lett from coming together? Theise Speaches and others, as I am informed
be very common; which as I am sure, you can, and doo very well consider, wolde
out of Hande be mett withall. And too tell my folishe Judgement for the Way
thereof, me thinketh it wyll no ill Way to call him to the Starre-Chamber, and
there, after a good Declaration of the Queenes Procedings for the Tryall of the
Treuth of the supposed Mariage, and what was fownde and judged, then too charge
him with his presumptuous, contemptuous and outragious Demeanour, and Behaviour
in the using of the Lady Catharyne, both before the Sentence, as sythence; and
in the Ende too sett a Fyne upon his Hedde of ten Marks; if they be made
Pownds, it shall be little inough. There is not a more oultreayd [Fr. oultré, Eng.
over the top, outrageous] Youth (I speake French for lack of apt English)
within the Realme, nether one that better lyketh himſelf, nether that promysseth
himself greater Things. He wolde be made to learne himself. His Imprisonment
fattneth him, and rather hath he therby Comodyte, then Hinderaunce. If a goodde
Part of his lyving mought answerre summ Part of his Offence, and thempriſomment
therwithall continew, itt wolde mak him too know what itt is, to have so arrogantly
and contemptuously offended his Prince, and wolde make him hereafter better to
know himsellfe and his Duetye both to the State, and too All mighty Godde, of
whome I think he have very small Remembraunce: I beseche you pardon my rude scribling
and my boldnes shewed in the same, and too way my goodde Meanings in the
Matter, and nothing ells. And thus Allmigty Godde have you in his most blessed
keping, and assist you allway with his present Grace.
Scriblid in hast, thys 28th Day of January, 1562.
[1]
The Star Chamber was the location in which a special senior advisory council had
met on and off for centuries. Henry VII greatly expanded its purview and power.
[2] Davey,
Richard. The Sisters of Lady Jane Grey and Their Wicked Grandfather
(1911). 189-90.
[3] Locke,
A. Audrey. The Seymour Family (1911). 79. “Of this Elizabeth remitted
10,000, demanding that ₤1000 should be paid immediately. Finally, the earl paid
₤1187.”
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