The Sins of Your Fathers

By Brian Parkhouse

Colin, a photographer, is working in Cornwall when he meets Morveren and finds himself inexplicably drawn towards her and she to him. Their fates intertwine with events that took place during the reign of Queen Mary 1st, also known as Bloody Mary. As the story unfolds, the link between the past and present becomes apparent, the past dictates the future of Colin's and Morveren's relationship, from which there is no escaping.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brian Parkhouse
• Release date: Jan 6, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393946984

Book preview

Prologue

KING HENRY VIII WAS frustrated; his wife was soon to give birth to a child, this would be the fourth time she had given birth to a child, three of them had been boys and one a girl. This far Katherine had, in truth, given birth to a son, Henry Duke of Cornwall, but the child had died just a few months after his birth, the other three children had all been stillborn. Now Henry stood outside Katherine's bedroom door, curled at his feet his two greyhounds, Cut and Ball, lay panting. Dear God, let this one be a boy, he muttered under his breath. Katherine's screams gave way to the sound of a newborn baby crying. What Henry wanted more than anything else was that Katherine, this time, had given birth to a healthy son. The door flew open, and a lady-in-waiting ran out, she stopped short when she saw Henry, It's a girl, the newborn is a girl, she shouted, all thoughts of protocol forgotten. The King's face turned as dark, and his eyes cold as the cold February night outside the palace windows. Without a word he turned and quickly walked away after, having given Cut a hard kick in the side. The dog let out a yelp, then both dogs rose to their feet and followed their master along the corridor and into his chamber.

Alone in his chamber, Henry sat with his head between his hands, Katherine has given me five children, and as yet none of them has survived. This one sounds well enough judging by the sounds of it's crying, but it is a girl! The country needs a boy, a boy to carry on my lineage, why can't we have a baby boy? This child shall be baptised Mary, I'll ask the Pope to pray for her, but he shall also offer up prayers to God that I may father a son.

Henry found himself once more outside Katherine's bedroom door with dogs at his feet. The sounds coming through the wooden door were the premature screams of birth pains issuing from Katherine, eight months into her pregnancy and the contractions starting already. it must be a boy this time, it's got to be a boy! Oh! Dear God, let it be a boy. The door opened, and a sad-faced lady-in-waiting looked out, Sire, I'm afraid to tell you... but I must, there is no life in the poor little thing. The poor little girl, your wife, has just given birth is dead. Please forgive me for bringing such sad news, Sire.

Enough, woman, be away. Slowly Henry walked to his chamber, forging a plan to write to the Pope asking for his approval of an annulment of his marriage, on the grounds, that because he had married his brother's wife, the marriage was invalid. To accomplish this, the King used a passage from the Old Testament as justification: If a man shall take his brother's wife, it is an impurity; he hath uncovered his brother's nakedness; they shall be childless. Considering that all but one of his children had died, this seemed to Henry to be a clear-cut case with no other outcome than that Pope Clement VII would give his consent. But this was not to be; the Pope refused Henry's request. Outraged but the Pope's refusal to annul the marriage, Henry broke with the Roman Catholic Church, and founded the Church of England, with himself as the head of the new church, and proceeded to devoice Katherine.

Henry's determination to father a male heir knew no bounds, There must be a maiden in this fair country of mine that can give me a son. he told his counsellors. I no longer need to seek permission from a dried-up old man in Rome. Now that I'm not only the head of state but also head of the church, I can marry and divorce as many times as need be to father a son. Henry's fourth wife, Jane Seymour, finally gave Henry what he had so long waited for, a son. Edward was born on the 12th of October 1537; his mother died twelve days later. At long last Henry forced parliament to pass a law whereby Edward was named heir apparent, thus ensuring that the house of Tuoder would continue to sit on the throne of England even after Henry's death. The title Duke of Cornwall was bestowed on Edward, and in accordance with Henry's wishes, Edward was educated in the Protestant religion.

King Henry VIII died on 28th January 1547 and his son Edward, at the age of ten, was appointed King Edward VII of England. As King, Edward, with the aid of his counsellors, continued the work of reforming the church that his father had begun.

The years passed, and Edward's plans to reform the church resulted in the closing down of monasteries throughout the country. All paintings of saints were destroyed along with the stained glass windows depicting the saints.

Early in July 1553, Edward called his childhood friend, Barnaby Fitzpatrick, him saying, I fear that my health is far from good. My days here on earth are numbered, but I fear not death. That which does cause me concern is that my sister, Mary, shall take my place on the throne. If that comes to pass, I'm sure she will waste no time in bringing back Papal sovereignty to this country, and that must not happen. Advice is what I need, now that my time is short. If Mary becomes Queen, she shall do all that is within her power to revert all the work my father and I have put into the converting this our fair country to the protestant faith."

There be but one lady of which I know, that can sit on the throne, and she be Lady Jane Grey. You can make her your heir, and when the time comes, which I pray to God will not be soon, she'll be Queen. To be sure she will carry on the good work you and your father, King Henry, God rest his soul, have seen fit to instigate.

I shall give great thought to your advice, and if I think it be good, I shall pass an act of parliament rejecting Mary and fav... Edward started to chough and a matter of greenish-yellow and black with spots of blood issued forth from his mouth. Dragging the back of his hand across his lips, Edward wiped the gore from his lips, and went on, favouring Jane in her stead. Jane is my first cousin once removed, and as such, has a tenuous claim to the crown.

Knowing that death was close at hand Edward summoned Mary to London, If she is fool enough to come I shall not spare her, this time, she shall be locked in the Tower and there await her trial for treason. Mary shall never, never take my place on the throne; if she does, she will turn on the protistans of this country and seek to retie the knot with Rome. I will not allow this to come to pass.

On the 6th of July 1553, Edward called once more Barnady to his bedside and looking into Barnaby's eyes said in a weak and failing voice, I have given much thought to what I'm about to say, he coughed, and blood stained his lips, Jane Grey shall be my successor. She is young, but I was even younger when I became King. I know that she is a strong and intelligent girl, may God, in His wisdom, guide her hand and hold her fast to her faith. Edward's body was racked once more with a violent coughing bout, and his eyes grew wide as he desperately fought to catch his breath. Lifting his hand from the bed Edward, clutched Barnaby's arm, pulling him down so as to be able to whisper in his ear, Oh my dear friend, I see you not, my eyes grow dimmer for every passing second. Edward gasped for breath, I am faint, may the Lord have mercy upon me, and take my spirit, his eyes faltered and coughing up blood he took one last deep breath, gave a sigh as life left his body.

Lady Jane Grey was brought to London and installed in the Tower of London to await her coronation; time was of the essence if Mary was to be outmanoeuvred and kept from becoming Queen. On 19th July 1553, four days after Edwards death, Jane Grey was proclaimed Queen Jane of England, France and Ireland.

Mary, still a devout Catholic, had been banished from London by Edward and forbidden to continue practising the Catholic Mass but safely hidden away in her palace in Hunsdon Hertfordshire, she refused to convert to the protestant faith. She continued to adhere to the Roman Catholic Church. News of Edward's death reached her on the 7th July, as she sat praying in the palace's chapel. Lifting her eyes to the figure nailed to the cross, she said, I will not allow this upstart Jane Grey to take my rightful place on the throne of England. Am I not the daughter of my father? Was not my Lord Henry, King? Shall I just sit here with my arms folded across my chest and do nothing to restore the true faith to this country once more? Lord in heaven, if you do but help me gain the crown, then shall I, in my turn, repay you by once more putting his Holiness the Pope in Rome back in the position he once held in this land. Mary rose to her feet, Great God, we have suffered the blasphemy of two kings, we shall not now let another blasphemer sit on the throne of England.

She strode out of the chapel, her gown fluttering around her legs in the soft summer breeze. I will make haste and ride to East Anglia, and gather about me my supporters; thereafter, I will descend on London with my troupes to claim the crown. She called out to her stable boy, Make hast, saddle my horse! Calling her most trusted servants to her, she told them to get ready for the journey.

Am I to be passed by yet again? Is it not enough that Edward became King even though I was his elder? I will not suffer this young upstart, Jane to become Queen in my stead. She shouted in rage as she paced back and forth in her chamber, as her maid helped her to dress for the ride to East Anglia. Waving the maid aside, Mary walked to the window and looked out at the vast expanse of green fields and woodlands that made up her estate, then turning to her maid she said, I will assemble my supporters, thereafter we will move on London where I shall declare myself the rightful Queen of England. The good people of this fair country do but know who is the rightful pretender to the crown. I will put my trust in them.

The streets of London were lined with a seething mass of screaming, shouting, singing humanity, that had come out to celebrate Mary's return, as she rode towards the Tower of London to claim her right to the throne. Church bells were ringing throughout the city, and mingled with the cacophony of sound made by the crowd, and drowned out any attempt Mary might make to talk to the assembled masses. Huge bonfires had been lit on every corner, black smoke from the fires rose heavenward, where it blended with the stench of the city. Mary, brought her horse to a stop as she reached Tower Hill, and bending she whispered in the horse's ear, steady boy, soon we shall be out of this hubbub, just a short distance more and we shall enter the Tower. Once there, you shall nevermore have Mary on your back, but in her place, you will find Queen Mary there instead. The horse stamped its hooves on the muddy earth, restless to get within the gates of The Tower and out of the screaming mass that pressed in on all sides, Mary kicked her heels into the animal's flanks and started her descent towards the Tower.

On entering the Tower, the first thing Mary did was to send for Jane Grey, I will not bend knee to you, Jane, you are not, nor have you ever have been, Queen. I am now, as I should have been long ago, Queen Mary 1st of the realm of England, bow down to me and kiss my hand! Do it now, else your life be forfeited, but one chance do I give you to save your life! Mary extended her hand towards Jane, who fell to her knees and taking Mary's hand in both of hers, kissed it.

My life is in your hands, your majesty, do with it as you see fit.

You shall be removed to the house of Nathaniel Partridge. Where you shall be kept until such time as I deem fit. Turning Mary called out to the guards to take Jane across the Tower Green and lock her in Nathaniel's house. Jane had only been Queen for nine days.

The morning of the 12th February 1554 was cold and grey, the clouds held promise of rain, but as yet no rain had fallen. Jane had risen early that day, and dressed from head to toe in black, having donned her clothes, she spent much time in prayer, but was disturbed by a soft knock at her door. The knocking announced that the time had come to make the short walk from the house of her internment and on to Tower Green where a gallows had been erected. Queen Mary stood at the foot of the gallows, and as Jane approached, Mary said, I have given you three days in which to convert to the Catholic faith, but you have not given in to my chaplain's efforts to save your soul, now I give you one last chance.

Even though death looked Jane in the face, still she would not renounce her Protestant beliefs. Mounting the steps Jane recited Psalm 51 (Have mercy upon me, O God) in English, and slowly took off her gloves which she handed to her maid. Jane looked up at the executioner pleading: I pray you dispatch me quickly, good sir.

Dear lady, forgive me for what I am about to do, the axeman said.

You are forgiven. Will you take my head off before I lay me down?

No, madam.

Jane, then blindfolded herself, with no way of seeing, she bent her legs but was unable to find the block upon which to lay her head. What shall I do? Where is it? Please, someone, help me. A hand was placed on her arm, and she was guided to the block. The collar of her gown was folded back, exposing her neck, the axe rose, Lord, into thy hands, I commend my spirit! These were the last words ever to cross Jane's lips. The blade of the axe swung downwards, first cutting a path through the air, and then through the neck of the 15-year-old Lady Jane Grey, her head was severed cleanly and fell onto the straw-strewn wooden boards that made up the floor of the scaffold.

Chapter 1

THE DARKNESS THAT FILLED the room was intense, pressing in on his sleep sodden mind. There it was again a sort of bumping noise, a clanking, bubbling sound from the far side of the room. He turned his head to look at the clock beside his bed, but it was so dark he might just have well kept his eyes shut for all the good they did him. Still, half asleep, he reached out for the bedside table where there should have been both clock and a bedside lamp, but his hand fumbled in empty space. The damp, chilled air on his extended arm added a new level of awareness to his dream-laden mind, and he realised that he was not in his own bed in his own house! He rolled over on to his side, shutting his eyes determined to wade back to sleep, and the unfinished dream. On the verge of sleep, the bumping, clanking, bubbling started up once more robbing him of the security of sleep. Still, on his side with closed eyes, he thought about the reasons he was here, and not tucked up safe and warm in his own bed, back in London.

They had been married now for eight, no, ten years now. It had been a case of opposites attracting each other. At the age of 36, Colin had been photographing flowers at the Chelsea flower show, working as a freelance photographer, when he first set eyes on her. She was standing admiring a display of African marigold 'Vanilla' (Tagetes erecta 'Vanilla'). Her long dark hair and green eyes contrasted to such an extent with the large domes of creamy-white flowers she was studying. Finding her in the camera's objective, he noted a balance and harmony as well as a need to take pictures. The shutter of the camera clicked in rapid succession as he moved this way and that finding the right angle, taking into account the way the sunlight reflected in her eyes, how the shadows came to life as they played around her face. He had started out with the Tagetes erecta as the focal point in the composition using her colouring as a backdrop but ended up with her as the focal point with the tagetes only there to highlight her colouring.

Walking over to where she stood admiring the blooms he had told her his trade. Asking if she had anything against his having taken pictures of her, adding that he would not be using them commercially and that he would gladly send her copies of the resulting photos; if she would like to give him her address and telephone number. A quizzical smile animated her face;