King Henry Viii and His Wives

King Henry VIII and His Wives 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, Catherine's the child of Ferdinand and Isabella Catherine had not been Queen for very long When things with her mate went badly wrong Medicine was weak. To save him, doctors tried But despite all they did 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 his 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.” 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 And unlike the wives before This one 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 Of this bad background cannot be any doubt It is how the Church of England came about. Who of the people could expect to be a winner By adhering to a religion formed by a sinner?