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Authors: Lacey Baldwin Smith
Tags: History
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to oblige on condition that he ‘desire no more’. They arranged a courting place, and several days later met secretly in the Duchess’s chapel chamber ‘in the dark evening’, where Manox bid Catherine ‘keep her promise wherewith she was content’. There, under the lengthening shadows of the vaulted arches, the young music teacher found this Howard daughter even more responsive than he had hoped, and he later confessed that ‘he felt more than was convenient.’ 53
Where these intimate caresses behind the altar ended will never be known, but Manox later swore ‘upon his damnation’ that he ‘never knew her carnally’. 54 Considering Catherine’s earlier insistence that he should ‘desire no more’ than a token of her love, Manox was probably telling the truth. Moreover, the affair was abruptly interrupted by the outraged Dowager, who discovered them together in their secret meeting-place. This was the second time they had been caught together and the Duchess was thoroughly annoyed. What action she took is not recorded. She may have dismissed Manox from his tutorial post, for he reappears later in the household of Lord Bayment, but more probably she did nothing, viewing the episode as a meaningless escapade and charging that the two should ‘never be alone together’. 55 Certainly their relations did not cease; they were merely made more diffifcult, since the young people had to use one of the maids as a go-between to carry tokens back and forth, and it was rumoured in the kitchen circles that the two were secretly engaged. 56
While Catherine was exchanging love-tokens with Henry Manox, the Dowager Duchess removed her household to Lambeth, which lay only a few miles from London . At first the love affair continued unabated, since Manox found a position close by in the service of Lord Bayment. In the end, however, the new and exciting atmosphere of Lambeth began to take effect, and while Henry Manox became increasingly confident of his control over Catherine’s heart, the young lady herself was rapidly outgrowing her infatuation for the virginal player.
Norfolk House lay abreast of the king’s highway leading from Lambeth town and directly opposite the archiepiscopal residence of Thomas Cranmer. Its imposing gateway and paved courtyard, its vast chambers, gallery and oratory, and its great hall opening on to the gardens in the rear, were palatial in contrast to the country establishment at Horsham. 57 Moreover, it was right across the river from Westminster and the royal court, and Catherine was suddenly introduced to a cavalcade of eligible and fascinating young men who lived on the neighbouring estates, or accompanied her uncle the Duke on his frequent visits to his stepmother’s house. The break came when one of the servants reported to Mary Lassells, the Duchess’s chamberer, the rumour of an engagement between Manox and Catherine. Mistress Lassells did not mince words, and she proceeded to upbraid Manox for his impudence at aspiring to the hand of a Howard lady. ‘Man, what mean thou to play the fool of this fashion,’ she said. ‘Know not thou that if my lady of Norfolk knew of the love betwixt thee and Mistress Howard, she will undo thee.’ Then the chamberer gave a warning: ‘She is come of a noble house and if thou should marry her some of her blood would kill thee.’ 58
The advice was sage, for sons of yeoman stock married Howards at their peril. Even so the young man refused to be intimidated and he replied scornfully, boasting of his intimacy with Catherine. ‘Hold thy peace, woman,’ he retorted, ‘I know her well enough.’ Then, in unmistakable words, he proceeded to recount exactly how well he did know her, and concluded with the statement that ‘she hath said to me that I shall have her maidenhead though it be painful to her, not doubting but I will be good to her hereafter.’ 59 Unfortunately for Henry Manox, he had overplayed his hand, for when Catherine was informed of
Where these intimate caresses behind the altar ended will never be known, but Manox later swore ‘upon his damnation’ that he ‘never knew her carnally’. 54 Considering Catherine’s earlier insistence that he should ‘desire no more’ than a token of her love, Manox was probably telling the truth. Moreover, the affair was abruptly interrupted by the outraged Dowager, who discovered them together in their secret meeting-place. This was the second time they had been caught together and the Duchess was thoroughly annoyed. What action she took is not recorded. She may have dismissed Manox from his tutorial post, for he reappears later in the household of Lord Bayment, but more probably she did nothing, viewing the episode as a meaningless escapade and charging that the two should ‘never be alone together’. 55 Certainly their relations did not cease; they were merely made more diffifcult, since the young people had to use one of the maids as a go-between to carry tokens back and forth, and it was rumoured in the kitchen circles that the two were secretly engaged. 56
While Catherine was exchanging love-tokens with Henry Manox, the Dowager Duchess removed her household to Lambeth, which lay only a few miles from London . At first the love affair continued unabated, since Manox found a position close by in the service of Lord Bayment. In the end, however, the new and exciting atmosphere of Lambeth began to take effect, and while Henry Manox became increasingly confident of his control over Catherine’s heart, the young lady herself was rapidly outgrowing her infatuation for the virginal player.
Norfolk House lay abreast of the king’s highway leading from Lambeth town and directly opposite the archiepiscopal residence of Thomas Cranmer. Its imposing gateway and paved courtyard, its vast chambers, gallery and oratory, and its great hall opening on to the gardens in the rear, were palatial in contrast to the country establishment at Horsham. 57 Moreover, it was right across the river from Westminster and the royal court, and Catherine was suddenly introduced to a cavalcade of eligible and fascinating young men who lived on the neighbouring estates, or accompanied her uncle the Duke on his frequent visits to his stepmother’s house. The break came when one of the servants reported to Mary Lassells, the Duchess’s chamberer, the rumour of an engagement between Manox and Catherine. Mistress Lassells did not mince words, and she proceeded to upbraid Manox for his impudence at aspiring to the hand of a Howard lady. ‘Man, what mean thou to play the fool of this fashion,’ she said. ‘Know not thou that if my lady of Norfolk knew of the love betwixt thee and Mistress Howard, she will undo thee.’ Then the chamberer gave a warning: ‘She is come of a noble house and if thou should marry her some of her blood would kill thee.’ 58
The advice was sage, for sons of yeoman stock married Howards at their peril. Even so the young man refused to be intimidated and he replied scornfully, boasting of his intimacy with Catherine. ‘Hold thy peace, woman,’ he retorted, ‘I know her well enough.’ Then, in unmistakable words, he proceeded to recount exactly how well he did know her, and concluded with the statement that ‘she hath said to me that I shall have her maidenhead though it be painful to her, not doubting but I will be good to her hereafter.’ 59 Unfortunately for Henry Manox, he had overplayed his hand, for when Catherine was informed of
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