On this day in Tudor history, 18th June 1529, Catherine of Aragon made her first appearance at the special legatine court which had opened at Blackfriars on 31st May to hear Henry VIII's case for an annulment of their marriage.
The couple had been summoned to appear on 18th, but only Catherine appeared, Henry sent proxies.
Catherine arrived with her ladies and four bishops. She read out the appeal she had lodged in writing on the 16th. Her grounds for appeal were:
- That the place was hostile
- That the judges were prejudiced, being closely associated to the king
- and that the proceedings should not be taking place while the case was still pending at Rome.
After the judges confirmed that her protestation would be answered on 21st June, Catherine departed.
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