neither appear before him in person, nor commission any one to appear on her behalf.
The court had but one course before it—she was pronounced contumacious, and the trial went forward. None of her household were tempted even by curiosity to be present. 'There came not so much as a servant of hers to Dunstable, save such as were brought in as witnesses;' some of them having been required to give evidence in the re-examination which was thought necessary as to the nature of the relation of their mistress with her first boy husband. As soon as this disgusting question had been sufficiently investigated, nothing remained but to pronounce judgment. The marriage with the King was declared to have been null and void from the beginning, May 23.and on the 23rd of May, the Archbishop sent to London the welcome news that the long matter was at an end.[1]
- ↑ The words of the sentence may be interesting:—'In the name of God, Amen. We, Thomas, by Divine permission Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate of all England, and Legate of the Apostolic See, in a certain cause of inquiry of and concerning the validity of the marriage contracted and consummated between the most potent and most illustrious Prince, our Sovereign Lord, Henry VIII., by the grace of God King of England and France, Defender of the Faith, and Lord of Ireland, and the most serene Princess, Catherine, daughter of his Most Catholic Majesty, Ferdinand, King of Spain, of glorious memory, we proceeding according to law and justice in the said cause which has been brought judicially before us in virtue of our office, and which for some time has lain under examination, as it still is, being not yet finally determined and decided; having first seen all the articles and pleas which have been exhibited and set forth of her part, together with the answers made thereto on the part of the most illustrious and powerful Prince, Henry VIII.; having likewise seen and
words when she was summoned; but only a general account of them.—State Papers, vol. i. p. 394-5.
