The Fifth QueenFord Madox Ford’s novel about the doomed Katharine Howard, fifth queen of Henry VIII, is a neglected masterpiece. Kat Howard—intelligent, beautiful, naively outspoken, and passionately idealistic—catches the eye of Henry VIII and improbably becomes his fifth wife. A teenager who has grown up far from court, she is wholly unused to the corruption and intrigue that now surround her. It is a time of great upheaval, as unscrupulous courtiers maneuver for power while religious fanatics—both Protestant and Catholic—fight bitterly for their competing beliefs. Soon Katharine is drawn into a perilous showdown with Thomas Cromwell, the much-feared Lord Privy Seal, as her growing influence over the King begins to threaten too many powerful interests. Originally published in three parts (The Fifth Queen, Privy Seal, and The Fifth Queen Crowned), Ford’s novel serves up both a breathtakingly visual evocation of the Tudor world and a timeless portrayal of the insidious operations of power and fear in any era. |
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Anne of Cleves answered Archbishop arms asked beard beneath Bishop Bishop Gardiner Bishop of Winchester Calais cast chair Cicely Elliott Cleves cousin Cranmer cried Cromwell Cromwell's dark Dearham door Duke Duke of Cleves Duke of Norfolk Earl Marshal eyes face feet fell fingers Gardiner gone gown Grace hand hath head hear heard heavy Henry Kat Howard Katharine Howard Katharine's King King's Highness knees knew Lady Mary Lady Rochford land Lascelles laughed letter Lincolnshire lips listen looked Lord Privy Seal Lutheran magister maid Margot Poins matter mind moved never night Norfolk old knight pray Prince printer Queen round Seal's shook shoulder smiled speak spoke stay stood suddenly tell thee things Thomas Cromwell Thomas Culpepper thou throat Throckmorton tongue treason Udal uttered Viridus voice wall wench whilst woman words Wriothesley young Poins