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HENRY VIII. AND QUEEN KATHERINE.


The following letter was sent by Queen Katherine to Henry VIII., after
she was put away by that prince, to make room for Anne Boleyn. It was
written from Kimbolton, in Huntingdonshire, to which place Katherine
repaired after the divorce. It is dated 29th January, 1536. The bull
for the divorce, bearing date 1529, is to be found in the Life of
Henry VIII., written by Lord Herbert of Cherbury, 1649.

J.F.

_Gray's Inn._

"My most dear Lord, King, and Husband,--The houre of my death now
approaching, I cannot choose, but out of the love I beare you, to
advise you of your soule's health, which you ought to prefer before
all considerations of the world or flesh whatsoever. For which yet you
have cast me into many calamities, and yourself into many troubles.
But I forgive you all, and pray God to do soe likewise. For the rest,
I commend unto you Mary, our daughter, beseeching you to be a good
father to her, as I have heretofore desired. I must entreat you also
to respect my maids, and give them in marriage, which is not much,
they being but three, and to all my other servants, a year's pay
besides their due, lest otherwise they should be unprovided for.
Lastly, I make this vow, that mine eyes desire you above all things.