“I will not allow anyone to have it in his power to govern me.” Thus said King Henry VIII during the early years of his reign. This king was truly a great paradox. To his subjects and those with whom he came into contact for the first time, he appeared to be a fun loving, open, supportive, gregarious and trustworthy individual. Perhaps it was these perceived traits that endeared him to his subjects to the day he died. Yet, the other side of him could be frightening, devoid of these worthy characteristics. Indeed, more so as he aged, he would fly into vicious rages and when he did, no one around him was safe. He once boasted that that there was not a noble head in the country he couldn’t make fly. Sadly, throughout his thirty-eight year reign, he was to demonstrate this over and over again as his executioner beheaded the king’s friends and foe alike. Yet, he was one of the most learned monarchs to ever ascend the throne. Initially, he was not meant to be king and so had been brought up devoted to study. He was proficient in music, the languages of Latin, French and Italian and since he was being groomed for the Church, he had been well versed in theology. Contrary to the image of the portly, balding old man reflected in his portrait, the young Henry was handsome, tall, redheaded and extremely athletic. When his older brother Arthur died in 1502 he became heir to the throne and the new king in 1509 when his father, Henry VII, closed his life. His was to be a reign of great significance to still a young Israelite nation, yet, a time of terrible earthly indulgence.

It was said that to be an advisor to Henry was the riskiest of occupations, akin to a nightmare. That once a scheme was fixed in Henry’s mind he could seldom be turned from it. Indeed, to resist only added to his determination and once he reached a certain point, it was very unwise to oppose him. Those that did invariably paid the supreme price. Yet, the story of Hugh Latimer, Bishop of Worcester, showed another side of the king, albeit a rare one. Latimer, as many readers will recall, was burned at the stake for his zeal in supporting the Reformation shortly after Queen Mary ascended the throne. He was immortalized through his words to a fellow victim as the flames were cracking around them, “Be of good comfort Master Ridley. Play the man. We shall this day light such a candle, by God’s grace, in England as I trust shall never be put out.” During Henry’s reign, Latimer was called to preach before the court. Never a shrinking violet, in the bluntest of terms, Latimer denounced the king and his court. The king was furious and demanded retraction the following Lord’s Day. When the day arrived, Latimer entered the pulpit and began by addressing himself in a loud voice. “Hugh Latimer, doest thou know before whom thou art this day to speak? To the high and mighty monarch, the King’s most excellent majesty, who can take away thy life if thou offendest; therefore take heed that thou speakest not a word that may displease! And then consider well, Hugh, dost thou not know from whence comest thou; upon whose message thou art sent? Even by the great and mighty God! Who is all present! And Who beholdest all thy ways! And Who is able to cast thy soul into hell! Therefore take care that thou deliverest thy message faithfully.” Then, to Henry’s and the Court’s astonishment, he repeated his condemnation of the previous week in even stronger terms. All those present were certain that the king would have Latimer beheaded but to their greater astonishment, Henry was subdued by Latimer’s sincerity and exclaimed, “Blessed be God, I have so honest a servant.” Consequently, on this occasion, Latimer was spared.

Yet, whenever history mentions the monarchy of Henry VIII, it invariably centers on his six wives. How he shamefully discredited his first wife, the mother of future Queen Mary, then cast her off because she did not bear him a son. How he first fell in love with Anne Boleyn, made her Queen, then discarded and executed her when she produced only a daughter, the future Queen Elizabeth I. How his third wife did produce a son, the future King Edward VI, only to die in childbirth. How wife number four was considered too homely for consummating the union and the execution of wife number five to make way for wife six. To view his reign in light of all his misdeeds and indulgences, one could scarcely fail to see the wickedness of his autocratic years.