Warning: These opinions are for entertainment only. Also, the "text book" entry is my fabrication and not from a real book as far as I am aware. Please rate and review!
February, 1516 (Henry VIII)
Katherine, my queen, has finally given birth today. The child is a living girl. I am happy they are both alive and well, but I cannot bring myself to open my heart to the child. She is our fifth child, yet she will never know her own siblings. We are cursed. All of my children have died because Katherine is my brother's widow.
When I walked in Katherine was happy and relieved. The child, Mary, was asleep in her mother's arms. I smiled and held her, for Katherine, but I couldn't help but wonder how long this one would last. My first child to survive birth, Henry, Duke of Cornwall, lived for about 50 days. My second child to survive, also called Henry, died within the month he was born. How could this girl live? Her brothers didn't, and boys are stronger than girls.
I handed her back to my wife and left the room. My fake smile was gone as well. The girl was healthy now, but health can be such a fickle thing. This infant had no hope. She was doomed.
December, 1520 (Katherine of Aragon)
My daughter is here at court for Christmas. She is out on the floor with the king. He loves and cares for her and takes pride in showing her off. Mary is our only heir. The dance is over and she comes back to me, her little curls bouncing down her back. She is so young but I know that one day she will be the first anointed queen this nation has ever seen. I know Mary can do it. Even in her almost four years, she has shown she is intelligent and companionate. Mary will be a beautiful and just queen.
August, 1523 (Juan Luis Vives)
The Princess Mary sits before me, studying her translations. I have been her tutor for almost six months. She is a fast learner, but excels in music specifically. Her studies are always her first priority. I have yet to have to send a complaint about the princess, academic or otherwise. It is an honor to teach a mind with such potential.
May, 1526 (servant girl)
Summer at Ludlow is a beautiful time. The flowers are in bloom, their scents filling the air. The summer would be perfect, if it weren't for the trouble brewing. I have heard from some of the older servants in the princess' household that the king wishes to divorce Queen Katherine. He has also begun to show interest in some lowly courtier called Anne Boleyn. I pity the princess. If the king chooses to go through with this annulment, Princess Mary will have to learn to survive in the world on her own.
October, 1533 (Anne Boleyn)
Lady Mary is a threat to me and to Elizabeth. She is a bastard, she can never rule. But as long as she and her mother are alive, Henry could change his mind. Mary could be queen.
That bastard is rude, arrogant, and lacks all humility. She is proud and must be broken. I can talk Henry into making her serve my Elizabeth. Yes, that will teach the "princess" her proper place in the world. She refuses to do as her father, the king, wishes claiming her religion won't allow her too. Mary uses her religion to her advantage, saying it will not allow her to consciously declare me Queen. She hides behind religion and thinks no one can touch her. I will prove her wrong.
June, 1536 (Eustace Chapuys)
She must sign the papers. It is prudent that she does, and it is absurd that she thinks the king won't punish her for her refusal. He has sent more powerful people to their deaths for lesser crimes. I know it goes against her morals but is she does not sign, renouncing Rome and her legitimacy; she might force the king to sign her death warrant.
April, 1537 (Jane Seymour)
The Lady Mary is kind, loving, and thoughtful. I am happy I could be so close to her and bring her back to her father's good grace. She needs the love she has been neglected of in the many past years. She is a good Catholics and a role model for all to follow. Her humility is commendable yet she carried herself with all the grace and dignity of the princess she truly is.
November 1539 (Duke Philip of Bavaria)
Mary. I have only met her for a few moments, but already my heart sings her name. She is perfect; intelligent, with all the poise and grace of a true princess. From all accounts I have heard nothing less, but there is something about her in person that proves the accounts can't possibly do her justice. Already, I know I will always be incomplete without her.
January, 1541 (Katheryn Howard)
Lady Mary is jealous. I am younger than her with much better fortune. My life is the one she wishes she had. She sees herself a souring old woman in comparison to by youth, beauty, and liveliness. These are things are things I have no control over and yet she hates me for them. So, I flaunt them in front of her. If she is going to hate me, I might as well give her a reason.
March, 1544 (Catherine Parr)
I have known Mary for a long time. We have been good friends for many years. She had always been kind and comfortable around me. Recently, her interactions with me have seemed less genuine. Something in her has changed. I've noticed she has been spending more and more time with those who would burn me if they ever got a chance. They don't care about people; the only things they care about are themselves and their religion. I pray for her, that she is strong enough to turn away from the evils of these corrupt men.
December, 1546 (Bishop Stephen Gardiner)
I must ride this country of heretics. In order for me to be successful, I need an ally close to the king. That is where Lady Mary comes in. She is the king's daughter, bastard or not, the king loves her. I do not believe she is a bastard, but that is not my decision. With her support, we might be able to bring this country back to the True Faith. With her on my side, I have protected myself.
August, 1548 (Anne of Cleves)
The Lady Mary came to visit me today. I am sad to note she has not aged well. In her defense life has rarely been kind to her. Sadly, I must add to her troubles. My cousin, Duke Philip, who had once courted Mary, and in truth never stopped asking her father to marry her, has died a few weeks ago. I felt Mary should know. When I brought up his name, there was a spark in her eye. Once that terrible news was delivered, it died as quickly as it was born. What she did next took me by surprise. She said the same thing she had said all those years ago when I had to tell her Philip was sent away from court. She said again, "The Duke was charming, but I never would have married him. He was a Lutheran and I am a Catholic." She left soon after. The last time she had said those words, she had cried as soon as she had left my presence. I would bet anything she did the same. No matter what she said, Mary had loved him.
September, 1551 (King Edward VI)
Why will Mary not respect my orders as king? She is my subject and I am her sovereign! I am meant to be obeyed. She respected our father's wishes until his death four years ago. As her brother, I love Mary and would never wish any ill upon her. She just ignores my rule! I forbid the Catholic Mass to be heard in my realm. What does she do? She hears her Mass in secret. It would not be a problem except that it would prove that I can be ignored. She could raise a rebellion against me, but she would never do something like that. Mary loves me. My sister has taken care of me all my life. I must speak to her.
July, 1553 (Lady Jane Grey)
The king is dead and has named me his successor. It is not my right; the Lady Mary should be Queen, not me. I was named because I share the religious beliefs of Edward. Mary does not. She is a strict Catholic. I am a firm Protestant. She once gave me extravagant finery, knowing full well of my beliefs. Protestants tend towards simpler clothes. I cannot stand her flaunting her faith that way. Nevertheless, the crown is not my right. She is coming with an army of loyal subjects. If she makes it to London, she will have my family and I arrested.
July, 1554 (King Philip II of Spain)
Tonight, I marry the Queen of England. She is my father's cousin and eleven years my senior. If I could, I would refuse to marry the Queen. Unfortunately, my father has made it clear to me that if I want power, I will have to go through with the match. He hasn't seen the woman since she was a child. Queen Mary is now a sight unseen. She is short, plump, squints, and has no sense of fashion. I was told how she had done everything in her power to bring me here, including arresting her sister and executing the Lady Jane Grey. I will never love this woman, but she loves me. My orders are to pretend, for the sake of my father's Empire.
March, 1556 (A Farm Hand)
Our queen is a fanatic. She has been in power for almost three years and already she has let the Spaniards in and brought the Inquisition to England. Many have burned for their beliefs. These are dangerous times and we must all keep our heads low to avoid the flames. Even people who recant are not always safe. Some who have repented were burnt anyway because they were thought to be lying. Thank God the queen is old and sick often. Perhaps she will die and her sister, the Lady Elizabeth will bring us out of this madness.
November, 1558 (Queen Mary I)
I am dying. My thoughts go back through my life. My father, mother, step-mothers, siblings, allies, enemies; the list could go on forever. I may not ever fully know what they each thought of me, my choices, or my way of life. What I do know is what I think of myself, and that they have all judged me. We humans are judgmental creatures. We are judged by people we know, people we hate, people we have never know, and most importantly, God. They have judged me, just as I have judged them.
For my judgment of myself, I must say that I, like everyone else, am a product of the situations I was put in. I was always a loving child towards my parents, respectful of my superiors, careful of those who wished ill upon me, and faithful to God. Everything I have done was with God in mind. I die praying I am welcomed into His kingdom and everlasting grace.
January 1559 (Queen Elizabeth I)
I am queen. Mary left me the crown because I was the only heir. I remember when I was growing up she was always kind to me, until she wasn't. As I got older, she began to change. She retreated into herself, used her faith as a crutch. I watched what love did to her, first when she fell for the Duke, then when she married the King of Spain. Then there was the effect of our father's love on her. She had been bombarded with step-mothers while ignored as a daughter. I also saw how she was changed by corrupt men. They used her as their shield. The way people treated her changed the way she treated people.
Once her faith became her only passion in life, she tried to force it on everyone. They hated her for it. How can one claim to love their people and model their lives after Christ if they are trying to convert people by killing them? I see it as a direct violation of the Commandments. It says, "Thou shall not kill." Even if you do not share in someone's beliefs, they are still human' they have a soul.
In her will, Mary asked to be buried with her mother. That wish has not been honored. I will not bury Katherine of Aragon with Queen Mary I. The woman who died was not the same girl Katherine raised, or I grew up knowing. For that, I will always be remorseful.
February, 2013 (Modern American High School Student)
We were told to open our books to the chapter about the Reformation. In it there was a page about Martin Luther, a page about John Calvin, a column about King Henry VIII that ended with a few sentences about his son that no one ever heard of, and a page and a half about Queen Elizabeth I and her accomplishments. Wedged between the parts about Henry VIII and Elizabeth, there was a small paragraph, no longer than a few sentences, titled "The English Counter-Reformation". Because I was curious, and it was so short I read it quickly. It said as follows:
The counter-reformation in England was brought about by Queen Mary I. She was the only child of Henry VIII and his first wife. Mary was a devout Catholic who wished to bring her country back to Rome. She is known for the burnings she endorsed and the loss of the port of Calais, the last English foot-hold in continental Europe. Because of these violent acts and failures, as well as an unpopular Spanish marriage, she is remembered today as "Bloody Mary".
As I mulled over this new information, I came to the conclusion that this woman most likely deserved her bad reputation. Why couldn't she just go with the flow? I tuned back into class just in time to hear that we would have to know who "Bloody Mary" was for the test. Our teacher warned us that he would dock double points if anyone talked about the urban legend or alcoholic drink. Leaving class, I thought of a great way to remember who "Bloody Mary" was. Since the urban legend had to do with a bathroom, all I had to do was remember the "Three B's" of "Bloody Mary": Bathrooms, Boozes, and Burnings.