Editing Catherine Parr (section)

==Lady Latimer (1534–1543)==
Following her first husband's death, Catherine Parr may have spent time with the Dowager Lady Strickland, Katherine Neville, who was the widow of Catherine's cousin Sir Walter Strickland, at the Stricklands' family residence of [[Sizergh Castle and Garden|Sizergh Castle]] in [[Westmorland]] (now in [[Cumbria]]). In the summer of 1534, Catherine married, secondly, [[John Neville, 3rd Baron Latimer]], her father's second cousin and a kinsman of Lady Strickland. With this marriage, Catherine became only the second woman in the Parr family to marry into the peerage.{{sfn|James|2009|pp=61–73}}

The twice-widowed Latimer was nearly twice Catherine's age. From his first marriage to Dorothy de Vere, sister of [[John de Vere, 14th Earl of Oxford]], he had two children, John and Margaret. Although Latimer was in financial difficulties after he and his brothers had pursued legal action to claim the title of [[Earl of Warwick]], Catherine now had a home of her own, a title and a husband with a position and influence in the north.{{sfn|James|2009|pp=61–73}}

[[File:Snape Castle - geograph.org.uk - 467688.jpg|thumb|right|220px|[[Snape Castle]] in [[North Yorkshire]]]]

===Pilgrimage of Grace and later===
Latimer was a supporter of the [[Catholic Church]] and had opposed the King's first [[annulment]], his subsequent marriage to [[Anne Boleyn]], and the religious consequences. In October 1536, during the [[Lincolnshire Rising]], Catholic rebels appeared before the Latimers' home, threatening violence if Latimer did not join their efforts to reinstate the links between England and Rome. Catherine watched as her husband was dragged away. Between October 1536 and April 1537, Catherine lived alone in fear with her step-children, struggling to survive. It is probable that, in these uncertain times, Catherine's strong reaction against the rebellion strengthened her adherence to the [[English Reformation|reformed]] [[Church of England]].{{sfn|James|2009|pp=61–73}} In January 1537, during the uprising known as the [[Pilgrimage of Grace]], Catherine and her step-children were held hostage at [[Snape Castle]] in [[North Yorkshire]]. The rebels ransacked the house and sent word to Lord Latimer, who was returning from London, that if he did not return immediately they would kill his family. When Latimer returned to the castle, he managed to talk the rebels into releasing his family and leaving, but the aftermath was taxing on the whole family.{{sfn|James|2009|pp=61–73}}

The King and [[Thomas Cromwell]] heard conflicting reports as to whether Latimer was a prisoner or a conspirator. As a conspirator, he could be found guilty of [[treason]], forfeiting his estates and leaving Catherine and her step-children penniless. The King himself wrote to [[Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk]], pressing him to make sure Latimer would "condemn that villain [Robert] [[Robert Aske (political leader)|Aske]] and submit to our clemency".{{sfn|Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII|loc=11, [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=75488 1174]}} Latimer complied. It is likely that Catherine's brother [[William Parr, 1st Marquess of Northampton|William Parr]] and her uncle, [[William Parr, 1st Baron Parr of Horton]], who both fought against the rebellion, intervened to save Latimer's life.{{sfn|James|2009|pp=61–73}}

Although no charges were laid against him, Latimer's reputation, which reflected upon Catherine, was tarnished for the rest of his life. Over the next seven years, the family spent much of their time in the south. In 1542, the family spent time in London as Latimer attended parliament. Catherine visited her brother [[William Parr, 1st Marquess of Northampton]] and her sister [[Anne Parr, Countess of Pembroke]] at court. It was here that Catherine became acquainted with her future fourth husband, Sir [[Thomas Seymour, 1st Baron Seymour of Sudeley|Thomas Seymour]]. The atmosphere of the court was greatly different from that of the rural estates she knew. There, Catherine could find the latest trends, not only in religious matters, but in less weighty secular matters such as fashion and jewellery.{{sfn|James|2009|pp=61–73}}

By the winter of 1542, Lord Latimer's health had worsened. Catherine nursed her husband until his death in 1543. In his will, Catherine was named as guardian of his daughter, Margaret, and was put in charge of his affairs until his daughter's majority. Latimer left Catherine a life interest in the manor of Stowe in [[Northamptonshire]], eleven miles from Horton, and other properties.{{sfn|Mueller|2011|p=9}} He also bequeathed money for supporting his daughter, and in the case that his daughter did not marry within five years, Catherine was to take £30 a year out of the income to support her. Catherine was left a rich widow, but after Lord Latimer's death she faced the possibility of having to return north. It is likely that Catherine sincerely mourned her husband; she kept a remembrance of him, his New Testament with his name inscribed inside, until her death.{{sfn|James|2009|pp=61–73}}

Using her late mother's friendship with Henry's first queen, [[Catherine of Aragon]], Catherine took the opportunity to renew her own friendship with the former queen's daughter, [[Mary I of England|Lady Mary]]. By 16 February 1543, Catherine had established herself as part of Mary's household, and it was there that Catherine caught the attention of the King. Although she had begun a romantic friendship with Sir Thomas Seymour, the brother of the late queen [[Jane Seymour]], she saw it as her duty to accept Henry's proposal over Seymour's. Seymour was given a posting in [[Brussels]] to remove him from the King's court.<ref>{{cite book|title=Lives of England's Reigning and Consort Queens|first=H. Eugene|last=Lehman|date=2011|pages=349–50}}</ref>