The History of England, Volume III Henry VIII Scruples concerning the king’s marriage
by David Hume
Notwithstanding the submissive deference, paid to papal authority before the reformation, the marriage of Henry with Catherine of Arragon, his brother’s widow, had not passed, without much scruple and difficulty. The prejudices of the people were in general bent against a conjugal union between such near relations; and the late king, [1527.] though he had betrothed his son, when that prince was but twelve years of age, gave evident proofs of his intention to take afterwards a proper opportunity of annulling the contract.y He ordered the young prince, as soon as he came of age, to enter a protestation against the marriage;z and on his death-bed he charged him, as his last injunction, not to finish an alliance, so unusual, and exposed to such insuperable objections. After the king’s accession, some members of the privy council, particularly Warham, the primate, openly declared against the resolution, of completing the marriage; and though Henry’s youth and dissipation kept him, during some time, from entertaining any scruples with regard to the measure which he had embraced, there happened incidents, sufficient to rouse his attention, and to inform him of the sentiments, generally entertained on that subject. The states of Castile had opposed the emperor Charles’s espousals with Mary, Henry’s daughter; and among other objections, had insisted on the illegitimate birth of the young princess.a And when the negociations were afterwards opened with France, and mention was made of betrothing her to Francis or the duke of Orleans, the bishop of Tarbe, the French ambassador, revived the same objection.b But though these events naturally raised some doubts in Henry’s mind, there concurred other causes, which tended much to encrease his remorse, and render his conscience more scrupulous.
