1541: Thomas Culpeper and Francis Dereham, the Queen’s lovers

ExecutedToday.com ^ | December 10, 2009 | Headsman

[CheshireTheCat]

On this date in 1541, Thomas Culpeper and Francis Dereham paid the penalty for their indiscretions; the former queen would see her lovers’ severed heads mounted on pikestaffs on London Bridge as she was rowed to the Tower.

The onetime court favorite Culpeper was beheaded for cuckolding the royal person, and that’s no more than one would expect. But the political pull-less Dereham — who had slept with (and possibly “pre-contracted” to wed) the willing young Kate before she meant anything to the king — enjoyed the full measure of the traitor’s torture: hanged, emasculated, eviscerated, and dismembered, all of it basically for having failed to anticipate that his little conquest would one day grow up to turn the monarch’s head.

What a time to be alive.

* Catherine Howard’s confessional letter to Henry VIII … desperately attempting to limit her indiscretions to the time before her marriage:

[Steely Tom]

...enjoyed the full measure of the traitor’s torture: hanged, emasculated, eviscerated, and dismembered.

"Have a great rest of your day!"

[sauropod]

Bkmk

[ought-six]

Hell hath no fury as a woman scorned.

[HandBasketHell]

Most history books put Catherine's Howard age when she married Henry at 17, but it could very well have been as young as 15. She was groomed by her family so they would be in favor with Henry.

One can only shake their head at the foolishness of Catherine, Culpepper, and Dereham, and especially Lady Rochford, who was married to Anne Boleyn's brother that was executed for the trumped up charge of incest with Anne. Lady Rochford arranged the secret trysts between Catherine and Culpepper. These people were playing with fire when they should have known better. It was like they thought they would somehow be immune to the punishment received by Anne Boleyn and her supposed lovers just a few years prior.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Poor Dereham lost his head for THIS head-turner? She was the daughter of Lord Edmund Howard and Joyce Culpeper. I wonder if there was a relationship between her mother and the Thomas Culpeper who was beheaded.

Catherine Howard’s confessional letter to Henry VIII is wonderful prose. Contrast this to the wretched writing we are subjected to by today's "journalists":

I, your Grace’s most sorrowful subject and most vile wretch in the world, not worthy to make any recommendation unto your most excellent Majesty, do only make my most humble submission and confession of my faults. And where no cause of mercy is given on my part, yet of your most accustomed mercy extended unto all other men undeserverd, most humbly on my hands and knees do desire one particle thereof to be extended unto me, although of all other creatures I am most unworthy either to be called your wife or subject.

That's they sort of letter Mueller, Wray, Clapper, Brennan, Strzok, et al should write to Trump. Unfortunately, King Brandon wants all of us to write such a letter to HIM.

[mware]

Saw that episode on the Tudors. He died a hard death, but the cook that poisoned the priest died perhaps worse. Dropped gradually into boiling water. Wish I hadn’t seen that episode.

[meowmeow]

I’ve been reading the Matthew Shardlake mystery series that take place during this period. Very enjoyable (for mass market reads) and the historical connections are very well done.

[Steely Tom]

Thou wilst not ignore us.

[CheshireTheCat]

One theory I read once was the Catherine’s family was trying to get her pregnant and didn’t think Henry was fertile anymore and Dereham became jealous that he wasn’t chosen for the job, so he blabbed about or even made up having had sex with her.

[353FMG]

Don’t f with the king

And especially not with his women.

The punishment is not pleasant.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Culpeper?

:checks:

Not the author of the Herbal but apparently the same family.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Throughout history… think with the small head, lose the big head.

[the OlLine Rebel]

You might want to read to understand.

Once again, it’s the man murdering.

[minnesota_bound]

I wonder Harry if and Megan would have lost their heads in the olden days?

[alexander_busek]

[...] but the cook that poisoned the priest died perhaps worse. Dropped gradually into boiling water.

Parboiled, huh?

Seems strangely appropriate for a cook.

Regards,

[ought-six]

“You might want to read to understand. Once again, it’s the man murdering.”

Oh, I read it. And I know the sovereign in the story was Henry VIII.

My comment was simply a reference to the many queens (sovereigns) throughout history, from many countries, that had their lovers executed for “cheating.” Far more queens than kings ordered such executions.

[Night Hides Not]

Then there’s Hillary, placing orders at the National Suicide Hotline.

[the OlLine Rebel]

Yeah, sure.

[ought-six]

Read up on Catherine the Great, for starters.