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Authors: Elizabeth Norton
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him’. 17 Somerset sometimes went to farcical lengths to maintain his pre-eminence. When, early in May 1547, Ambassador Van der Delft’s wife gave birth to a son, the diplomat asked Princess Mary to stand as godmother and both Somerset and the young king to act as godfathers. 18 It was, of course, out of the question that the boy-king should attend in person, while Mary – who was still grieving for her father – sent Lady Russell to act as her stand-in. Somerset also needed a proxy, so the Earl of Warwick arrived to play the part of the Protector. Yet in spite of this, standing beside Warwick at the font was none other than Somerset himself – who had insisted on representing the king. It was a ridiculous scene, but the Protector was single-mindedly determined ‘to take the first place on every occasion’. Thomas Seymour, who lacked his brother’s abilities and relentless single-mindedness, surely had no real hope of such power.
Thomas and Catherine still desired, though, to be part of the new regime, if Somerset would only distribute some of his power. By May 1547, they had decided to try to obtain the Protector’s support for their marriage – without admitting that it had, in fact, already taken place. The conceit was that Thomas would ask his brother to speak to Catherine in favour of an intended marriage. It was an uncertain course and Thomas was ‘in some fear how to frame’ Somerset to speak for him, as he admitted to Catherine’s brother-in-law Sir William Herbert. 19 Herbert, who was unaware of the reality of the marriage, was surprised to hear of Thomas’s intentions towards the queen. Catherine came to stay at Baynard’s Castle for a few days in early May, where Herbert informed her of Thomas’s interest. 20 Catherine startled him even further, by appearing unperturbed at the idea of such a suit. Indeed, she became indignant at the possibility that Somerset might deny Thomas’s request, declaring that his refusal of his brother’s suit would ‘make his folly more manifest to the world’. She was a queen and not prepared to beg. She wrote to Thomas that it was sufficient to ask his brother’s aid only once, and ‘after, to cease’. Her own plan was somewhat different. She wanted Thomas to obtain a letter in their favour from her stepson King Edward as well as the support of the Council, ‘which thing obtained shall be no small shame to your brother and loving sister, in case they do not the like’. In other words, Catherine wanted to go over Somerset’s head. Her husband, however, counselled her to wait.
The couple continued to meet in secret, but their encounters, though passionate, remained all too brief. Thomas’s longing for his wife’s company also drew him towards her sister, the pretty, charming and cosmopolitan Anne Herbert, whom Thomas already referred to as his own ‘sister’ in letters to Catherine. Anne was clever and urbane, corresponding with scholars and reading Cicero for pleasure. 21 She had also spent a life of service at court. At thirty-one, she was still not past her prime, a woman in whose company, Seymour assured his wife, ‘in default of yours, I shall shorten the weeks in these parts: which heretofore were three days longer, in every of them, than they were under the plummet in Chelsea’. *1 Time ticked by slowly for Thomas when he was away from Catherine.
Anne and her husband invited Thomas to dine with them on 16 May 1547, following Catherine’s stay in their house. As he sat privately with William Herbert, a bluff self-made man, whose father’s illegitimacy had proved no bar to his son’s rise to the Royal Council, the talk turned to Catherine. 22 Herbert was a ‘mad fighting fellow’, a hothead whose glittering military career had begun with a midnight flit to France after being accused of murder. Age had mellowed him, but it had not calmed his restless spirit: he spoke as he saw. His wife, too, was determined to be outspoken at the meeting. She
Thomas and Catherine still desired, though, to be part of the new regime, if Somerset would only distribute some of his power. By May 1547, they had decided to try to obtain the Protector’s support for their marriage – without admitting that it had, in fact, already taken place. The conceit was that Thomas would ask his brother to speak to Catherine in favour of an intended marriage. It was an uncertain course and Thomas was ‘in some fear how to frame’ Somerset to speak for him, as he admitted to Catherine’s brother-in-law Sir William Herbert. 19 Herbert, who was unaware of the reality of the marriage, was surprised to hear of Thomas’s intentions towards the queen. Catherine came to stay at Baynard’s Castle for a few days in early May, where Herbert informed her of Thomas’s interest. 20 Catherine startled him even further, by appearing unperturbed at the idea of such a suit. Indeed, she became indignant at the possibility that Somerset might deny Thomas’s request, declaring that his refusal of his brother’s suit would ‘make his folly more manifest to the world’. She was a queen and not prepared to beg. She wrote to Thomas that it was sufficient to ask his brother’s aid only once, and ‘after, to cease’. Her own plan was somewhat different. She wanted Thomas to obtain a letter in their favour from her stepson King Edward as well as the support of the Council, ‘which thing obtained shall be no small shame to your brother and loving sister, in case they do not the like’. In other words, Catherine wanted to go over Somerset’s head. Her husband, however, counselled her to wait.
The couple continued to meet in secret, but their encounters, though passionate, remained all too brief. Thomas’s longing for his wife’s company also drew him towards her sister, the pretty, charming and cosmopolitan Anne Herbert, whom Thomas already referred to as his own ‘sister’ in letters to Catherine. Anne was clever and urbane, corresponding with scholars and reading Cicero for pleasure. 21 She had also spent a life of service at court. At thirty-one, she was still not past her prime, a woman in whose company, Seymour assured his wife, ‘in default of yours, I shall shorten the weeks in these parts: which heretofore were three days longer, in every of them, than they were under the plummet in Chelsea’. *1 Time ticked by slowly for Thomas when he was away from Catherine.
Anne and her husband invited Thomas to dine with them on 16 May 1547, following Catherine’s stay in their house. As he sat privately with William Herbert, a bluff self-made man, whose father’s illegitimacy had proved no bar to his son’s rise to the Royal Council, the talk turned to Catherine. 22 Herbert was a ‘mad fighting fellow’, a hothead whose glittering military career had begun with a midnight flit to France after being accused of murder. Age had mellowed him, but it had not calmed his restless spirit: he spoke as he saw. His wife, too, was determined to be outspoken at the meeting. She
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