Today in Tudor history...

12 June 1442 - King Alfonso V of Aragon occupies Naples

1492 – Burial of Elizabeth Woodville

1530 – Catherine of Aragon told Henry VIII to abandon his “wicked” life.

1535 – Richard Rich visits Thomas More's cell and takes away his books and writing materials.  Rich later will testify that during the course of his visit, More, in responding to a hypothetical question, suggested that Parliament had no more power to enact the Act of Supremacy than it did to pass a law declaring God not to be God. Thomas More's statement, if actually made, would violate the Treason Act because it denied the king's title as the supreme head of the Church. (Thomas More later denies ever making any such statement to Rich.)  Two days later,Thomas More is questioned by official investigators--a sort of preliminary hearing for his trial.

1537-Henry VIII. to the Duke of Norfolk.

We have received your letters of the 2nd inst., with those addressed to the lord Privy Seal, showing your loyal heart upon the news of the quickening of our wife the Queen, which you may be assured we shall have in good remembrance. We have in consultation with our Council in reference to your request what numbers of men should repair to attend us in the North, determined to put off our journey thither till another year. Reasons for this: 1. That the Emperor has sent hither to us a noble man with overtures for the weal of all Christendom, stating that he means to send two other personages of great honour. 2. That the Queen being now quick with child, she might be in danger from rumours blown abroad in our absence, and it is thought we should not go further than 60 miles from her. 3. That as the Emperor and the French king are now both in arms and have each great numbers of men near the marches of Calais, we should be near at hand to prevent a breach of neutrality. 4. We have not visited the North since the beginning of our reign and the year is so far spent and the country so wasted that we could hardly get beyond York, whereas next year we might visit Hull, Carlisle, Newcastle, Durham, and Berwick. For these reasons, and those which you signified to us by Maunsell when you desired to know our decision about our journey, both for a pardon to be otherwise granted to put the people out of fear and for the stay of their preparations, we have determined to send down a personage of honour with our said pardon, and we desire you to proclaim this in York and in all such towns as you can easily visit, by your own mouth. As to your suit to return, although we can hardly be so well served there we purpose shortly to revoke you and establish a standing council there to keep those countries in quiet and administer justice. Let us know by your next letters your advice on this subject, what persons ye think meet for the said council and how you find the country disposed. Finally, on the arrival here of Thomas Strangways we find he has been a most arrant traitor and continues in his treasons, labouring to excuse wholly lord Darcy and Constable, and speaking as if our subjects there much repined at their punishments, saying also they are more meet to rule than you and better beloved. It would be well, therefore, to have them executed about Doncaster, and that we should send the said Darcy, Constable and Aske down for that purpose. If you think this good, make arrangements accordingly.

Thus we have declared to you the causes that have specially moved us to put off our intended journey, which you are to set forth as above expressed. But to be frank with you, which you must keep to yourself, a humour has fallen into our legs, and our physicians advise us not to go so far in the heat of the year, even for this reason only.

1540 – Thomas Cromwell wrote to King Henry VIII from the Tower of London, asking for mercy and pleading his innocence.

Prostrate at your Majesty's feet, I have heard your pleasure by your Controller, viz., that I should write such things as I thought meet concerning my most miserable state. And where I have been accused of treason, I never in all my life thought to displease your Majesty; much less to do or say “that thing which of itself is so high and abominable offence.” Your Grace knows my accusers, God forgive them. If it were in my power to make you live for ever, God knows I would; or to make you so rich that you should enrich all men, or so powerful that all the world should obey you. For your Majesty has been most bountiful to me, and more like a father than a master. I ask you mercy where I have offended. Never spoke with the Chancellor of the Augmentations and Frogmerton together at a time; but if I did, I never spoke of any such matter. Your Grace knows what manner of man Throgmerton has ever been towards you and your proceedings. What Master Chancellor has been to me, God and he know best; what I have been to him your Majesty knows. If I had obeyed your often most gracious counsels it would not have been with me as now it is. But I have committed my soul to God, my body and goods to your pleasure. As for the Commonwealth, I have done my best, and no one can justly accuse me of having done wrong wilfully. If I heard of any combinations or offenders against the laws, I have for the most part (though not as I should have done) revealed and caused them to be punished. But I have meddled in so many matters, I cannot answer all.

The Controller showed me that you complained that within these 14 days I had revealed a matter of great secrecy. I remember the matter, but I never revealed it. After your Grace had spoken to me in your chamber of the things you misliked in the Queen, I told you she often desired to speak with me, but I durst not, and you thought I might do much good by going to her and telling her my mind. Lacking opportunity I spoke with her lord Chamberlain, for which I ask your mercy, to induce her to behave pleasantly towards you. I repeated the suggestion, when the lord Chamberlain and others of her council came to me at Westminster for licence for the departure of the strange maidens. This was before your Grace committed the secret matter to me, which I never disclosed to any but my lord Admiral,by your commandment on Sunday last; whom I found equally willing to seek a remedy for your comfort, saying he would spend the best blood in his belly for that object.

Was also accused at his examination of retaining contrary to the laws. Denies that he ever retained any except his household servants, but it was against his will. Was so besought by persons who said they were his friends that he received their children and friends—not as retainers, for their fathers and parents did find them; but if he have offended, desires pardon. Acknowledges himself a miserable sinner towards God and the King, but never wilfully. Desires prosperity for the King and Prince. “Written with the quaking hand and most sorrowful heart of your most sorrowful subject, and most humble servant and prisoner, this Saturday at your Tower of London.”

1553 - King Edward draws up the paperwork to name Lady Jane Grey as his successor.

1553 - King Edward VI accept archbishop Cranmer's "42 Articles"

1567 – Death of Richard Rich, 1st Baron Rich.He was Lord Chancellor during the reign of King Edward VI of England from 1547 until January 1552.

source:http://www.onthisdayintudorhistory.com/,http://law2.umkc.edu/