A Summary of Thomas Seymour_By Esther S. Casady

                     

      ~ Forword  

               Death is a horrible thing. Knowing that it's coming to you very soon is terrible also.

I know I'm not a saint, but I'm no criminal!

               The charges against me are false and everyone knows it. My brother,who is the 

Duke of Somerset and protector both was to decide if I was truly guilty of high treason or not.

I believe he would have declared me innocent if it were not for the Privy Council. They told the king he would be biased and asked for full charge of the "case." The king granted permission and I have been told to prepare myself for execution.

                 This is what I am doing…. I shall write all that has led me to this point, so when

the time comes to light I may be vindicated.

  

                                                                       ~Thomas Seymour 

                                   A Summary Of Thomas Seymour 

                                                        by

                                               Esther S. Casady

                It was during the first year of the reign of our sovereign King Edward VI of England

in the year 1547.

                Having saved the Marquess of Dorset from embarrassment over large gambling debts,

I was given full guardianship over Lady Jane Grey. We were on our way to Chelsea to visit the Queen Dowager, Catherine Parr.

                During the last four years of King Henry's reign the Queen and Lady Jane had become very close.

               "Do you think she shall want to see me?" she wondered. "At Hampton Court we needed one another to lean on…..but,now she is no longer under King Henry, will she want me?"

                I really had no idea what was going through that pretty nine year old head of hers. Like Catherine would want to see her again!

               Jane couldn't exactly be called pretty. She had brown eyes, to large and dark against pale skin, and she also possessed an abundance of sandy blond hair.

                The real reason I had wanted her in my household was to cement a relationship between Jane and King Edward who had always been good friends. I was pushing for an alliance between the two.

                 Jane was greeted cordially and went off to find Princess Elizabeth. I went off to find Catherine and we talked of the realm. 

                  When almost time for dinner we went to find the girls. They were obviously talking of some matter that they didn't want us to know of. Elizabeth had seen me at the garden gate and Catherine and I were forced to tell of our marriage.

                   Catherine being recently widowed by the late king had to keep this a secret as to prevent an embarrassing scandal.

                   The protector was enraged when he found out. We had always been rivals since birth and suddenly I had gained Queen Dowager…..My time is slipping away so I must hurry with this tale.

                     War…..what a sad word. My brother has beaten Scotland. They broke the marriage treaty between Edward and Mary the Queen of Scots. War was the only choice. Six thousand men killed fifteen hundred taken prisoners.

                     I wrote letters to the king after my brothers return, I tried to make Edward write a letter to the council complaining against Protector. He caught me, imprisoned and I was forced to kneel and apologize to the protector…..I was publicly humiliated.

                    Shortly afterward Catherine announced that she was pregnant. We moved to Sudely Castle to be remate….She died of child bed fever. I fell apart. I was mad at the world and took it out on my mother and Jane. I saw less and less of them.

                    I started with a close association with a man by the name of Sharington. I became afraid of the world. I believed everyone was out to get me. I manned a garrison at Holt Castle.

                    I went home to Mother and Jane and I was caught. Thirty three charges against me! I sent word that the first three had no substantial  evidence, and I would not condescend to the remaining thirty. I was not even allowed my own trial. I have been told that Sharington, who has helped with my fortress, has testified against me!

                     I hear footsteps coming up the tower steps. I hear voices and a key. I am done for….. May my testimony vindicate me. This is the end….

                                                                       ~Thomas Seymour

      My name is Jane. You know me from as the ward of Lord Thomas Seymour. I want to finish this narrative as a last service for Thomas Seymour.

                On the twentieth of March 1549 he was beheaded  at Tower Hill. He had not surrendered, even at the end. On the scaffold he horrified everyone by refusing to listen to listen to the minister's prayer, by condemning his judges and physically attacking his executioner! When he would not kneel for the blade his life was hacked from him ruthlessly-bloodily. 

    Seymour Place had lost its soul. It's tempestuous spirit was stilled forever.*

                                                                       ~Jane Grey

                                                               *Taken from Coronation of Glory.