One Survived: The Account of Katherine Parr in Foxe’s “Book of Martyrs”

Many people are familiar with the slightly callous rhyme summarizing the most colourful royal marital career in English history:

This chapter concerns Katherine, the wife that survived, and examines the occasion on which this survival was supposedly threatened. According to John Foxe, the only source for this episode, Katherine, accustomed to discussing religious topics with her husband, began to debate with him. In particular she prodded Henry:

And while Henry had, at first, enjoyed these discussions, as his health grew worse, Katherine’s assertiveness began to annoy him. As Henry’s health deteriorated, he abandoned his former practice of calling upon his wife.