Defender of the Faith:

King Henry VIII

By Elton Camp

When Henry’s brother was too young to care

He was made to wed a princess from over there
But you must do just what we say little fella,
Cause she’s child of Ferdinand and Isabella

Catherine of Aragon left her home in Spain

In the house of the Tudors she must remain
Out of sense of duty she went
The alliance to firmly cement

She had not been there too long

When things went badly wrong
To save him, doctors tried
But her young prince died

With Spain, England had a pact

The agreement must stay intact
Henry was then a child of eleven
Hardly a betrothal made in heaven

Henry married at age eighteen

And Catherine became the queen.
Though it is quite sad to have to tell
The queen’s babies didn’t fare well

To bring her husband true joy

She must give birth to a boy
She bore him just a single son
Who died before a year had run

Though married for twenty-four years,

Henry gave voice to his greatest fears
“I have married the wife of my brother
When I should have waited for another.”

But he said this with a sly grin

While he kissed Anne Boyeln
She refused to go to his bed
Until the two were set to wed
Anne produced a baby right away
But ‘twas a girl to Henry’s dismay.
He thought she had done a crime
When both babies died next time

“I’ve been down this road before.

It’s clear you are just a whore.”
No more shall you see my bed.
Rather you will lose your head.

Jane Seymour was next on the list

So that Anne was scarcely missed
From Jane, virtuous and fair,
There came at last a male heir

Infection was the reason why

The queen proceeded to die
Henry at her death was distraught
But the new child filled his thought

Anne of Cleves was next to arrive

Had a problem, managed to survive.
Henry found he didn’t like her well
“This German woman is ugly as hell.”

Annulment freed him from that wife

He provided her a life free of strife.
“I’ll give you castles and money
Because you’ve been such a honey.”

The next queen to unfurl

Was just a teenage girl
Catherine Howard was her name
But she was not free from blame

Culpepper was her boyfriend

She had confessed at the end
Unlike the wives before
She truly was a whore

Catherine Parr became wife six

She did not try to use any tricks
To her, duty came above
Even the man she did love
King Henry she did obey
Until he passed away
Then married a man her own age
Without stirring up anyone’s rage

Of this background cannot be any doubt

How the Church of England came about.
Who could expect to be a winner
In a religion formed by a sinner?

Henry VIII & His Wives