Editing Henry VIII (section)

=== Marriage to Catherine Howard (and fall of Thomas Cromwell) ===
[[File:Hans Holbein the Younger - Portrait of a Lady, perhaps Katherine Howard (Royal Collection).JPG|thumb|Portrait of a woman believed to be [[Catherine Howard]], Henry's fifth wife, by [[Hans Holbein the Younger]], 1540]]

It was soon clear that Henry had fallen for the 17-year-old [[Catherine Howard]], the Duke of Norfolk's niece. This worried Cromwell, for Norfolk was his political opponent.<ref name="elton289291">{{Harvnb|Elton|1977|pp=289–291}}</ref>

Shortly after, the religious reformers (and protégés of Cromwell) [[Robert Barnes (martyr)|Robert Barnes]], [[William Jerome (martyr)|William Jerome]] and [[Thomas Garret]] were burned as heretics.<ref name="scarisbrick373"/> Cromwell, meanwhile, fell out of favour although it is unclear exactly why, for there is little evidence of differences in domestic or foreign policy. Despite his role, he was never formally accused of being responsible for Henry's failed marriage.<ref name="scarisbrick367377">{{Harvnb|Scarisbrick|1997|pp=376–377}}</ref> Cromwell was now surrounded by enemies at court, with Norfolk also able to draw on his niece Catherine's position.<ref name="elton289291"/> Cromwell was charged with treason, selling export licences, granting passports, and drawing up commissions without permission, and may also have been blamed for the failure of the foreign policy that accompanied the attempted marriage to Anne.{{Sfn|Scarisbrick|1997|pp=378–379}}{{Sfn|Elton|1977|p=290}} He was subsequently [[attainted]] and beheaded.<ref name="scarisbrick367377"/>

On 28 July 1540 (the same day Cromwell was executed), Henry married the young Catherine Howard, a first cousin and lady-in-waiting of Anne Boleyn.{{Sfn|Farquhar|2001|p=75}} He was delighted with his new queen and awarded her the lands of Cromwell and a vast array of jewellery.{{Sfn|Scarisbrick|1997|p=430}} Soon after the marriage, however, Queen Catherine had an affair with the courtier [[Thomas Culpeper]]. She also employed [[Francis Dereham]], who had previously been informally engaged to her and had an affair with her prior to her marriage, as her secretary. The Privy Council was informed of her affair with Dereham whilst Henry was away; Thomas Cranmer was dispatched to investigate, and he brought evidence of Queen Catherine's previous affair with Dereham to the King's notice.{{Sfn|Scarisbrick|1997|pp=430–431}} Though Henry originally refused to believe the allegations, Dereham confessed. It took another meeting of the council, however, before Henry believed the accusations against Dereham and went into a rage, blaming the council before consoling himself in hunting.{{Sfn|Scarisbrick|1997|pp=431–432}} When questioned, the Queen could have admitted a prior contract to marry Dereham, which would have made her subsequent marriage to Henry invalid, but she instead claimed that Dereham had forced her to enter into an adulterous relationship. Dereham, meanwhile, exposed Catherine's relationship with Culpeper. Culpeper and Dereham were both executed, and Catherine too was beheaded on 13 February 1542.{{Sfn|Scarisbrick|1997|pp=432–433}}