On 09 Jul 1540 [her future husband] Henry VIII's (age 49) marriage to Anne of Cleves (age 24) was annulled. He gave her a generous settlement including Richmond Palace [Map] and Hever Castle, Kent [Map]. Bishop Robert Parfew aka Warton signed the delcaration. She was given precedence above all other women other than the King's wife future wives and daughters, referring to her thereafter as The King's Sister. She lived seventeen more years outliving Henry's two next wives Queen Catherine Howard of England (age 17) and Catherine Parr Queen Consort England (age 27), and [her future step-son] King Edward VI of England and Ireland (age 2).

Hall's Chronicle 1540. The eight day of August [08 Aug 1540], was the Lady Catherine Howard (age 17), niece to the [her uncle] duke of Norfolk (age 67), and daughter to the Lord [her father] Edmund Howard, showed openly as Queen at Hampton Court [Map], which dignity she enjoyed not long, as after you shall hear.

Letters and Papers 1541. That afternoon [Chapus appears here to have the wrong day; other sources say 29 Jun 1541 i.e. St Peter's Day] two gentlemen were hung [A reference to two of John Mantell, John Frowds, George Roidon, Thomas Isleie, and two yeomen Richard Middleton and John Goldwell], one of whom had an income of over 12,000 ducats a year, and was the handsomest and best bred man in England, only 25 years old and married to a niece of the [her uncle] Duke of Norfolk (age 68). He was sentenced for having belonged to a set of eight rakish youths, one of whom had killed a poor old man in an unpremeditated fray. For the same cause lord Dacres (age 26) also, son¹ of the Duke of Norfolk's [her aunt] sister, and cousin of this Queen (age 18), 23 years old and possessing a property of about 5,000 ducats a year, was hung from the most ignominious gibbet, and for greater shame dragged through the streets to the place of execution, to the great pity of many people, and even of his very judges, who wept when they sentenced him, and in a body asked his pardon of the King. But the thing which astonished people most was, that, the same day lord Dacres was hung, another young man (age 28), son of the Treasurer of the Royal household (age 56), who was one of those present at the old man's death, was freely pardoned, though he had been already tried for some like misdemeanour.

At the same time in the North, Sir John Neville (deceased) and about 60 more, among whom at least 25 were ecclesiastics, were executed for the conspiracy of which Chapuys wrote some time ago. Has just heard of the arrival of a Polish gentleman with eight or ten servants. Will endeavour to discover who he is and what he comes for. London, 2 July 1541. Original at Vienna.

Note 1. Thomas Fiennes 9th Baron Dacre Gilsland, Lord Dacre, was the grandson of Anne Bourchier Baroness Dacre of Gilsland who was the maternal half-sister of Thomas Howard 3rd Duke of Norfolk; Anne and Thomas' mother was [her grandmother] Elizabeth Tilney Countess of Surrey.

On 01 Nov 1541 [her husband] Henry VIII (age 50) received a warrant for Catherine Howard's (age 18) arrest from Archbishop Thomas Cranmer (age 52) at Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace [Map].

On 07 Nov 1541 Catherine Howard (age 18) was interrogated by Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury (age 52) and John Gresham Lord Mayor (age 46) at Winchester Palace in Southwark [Map].

On 23 Nov 1541 Catherine Howard (age 18) was stripped of her title as Queen and imprisoned at Syon Abbey [Map].

In Dec 1541 Francis Dereham (age 28) and Thomas Culpepper (age 27) were tried for adultery with Queen Catherine Howard of England (age 18). The former for adultery before Henry and Catherine's marriage, the latter for adultery after the marriage.

Both were found guilty and sentenced to be hanged, drawn and quartered. Both men pleaded for mercy. Culpeper, presumably because of his former closeness to the King, received a commuted sentence of beheading only.

Hall's Chronicle 1541. 10 Dec 1541. At this tyme the Quene (age 18) late before maried to the kyng called Quene Katheryne, was accused to the Kyng of dissolute livyng, before her mariage, with Fraunces Diram (age 28), and that was not secretely, but many knewe it. And sithe her Mariage, she was vehemently suspected with Thomas Culpeper (age 27), whiche was brought to her Chamber at Lyncolne, in August laste, in the Progresse tyme, by the Lady of Rocheforde (age 36), and were there together alone, from a leven of the Clocke at Nighte, tyll foure of the Clocke in the Mornyng, and to hym she gave a Chayne, and a riche Cap. Upon this the kyng removed to London, and she was sent to Sion [Map], and there kepte close, but yet served as Quene. And for the offence confessed by Culpeper and Diram, thei were put to death at Tiborne [Map], the tenth dale of December.

Hall's Chronicle 1542. 13 Feb 1542. To the whiche peticions the kyng graunted, saiyng that he thanked the Commons, that thei tooke his sorowe to bee theirs: Whereupon the Quene (age 19) and the Lady Rocheforde (age 37), were attainted by bothe the houses. And on Saterdaie beyng the [e]leventh daie of February, the Kyng sent his royall assent, by his greate Seale: and then all the Lordes were in their Robes, and the Common house called up, and there the acte redde, and his assent declared. And so on the thirtene daie, these twoo Ladies were behedded on the Grene, within the Tower [Map] with an axe, and confessed their offences, and died repentaunt.

Chronicle of Greyfriars. 13 Feb 1542. And the 13th day of February was the Queen Katherine (age 19) and Lady Rocheford (age 37) be-heddyd within the tower, and there burryd.