Letters: So was Henry VIII a humanist?

Sir Francis Bigod of Settrington, who was influential in the campaign, was defeated at Beverley and he was a Protestant. It was the Duke of Norfolk who led the army against them and he was a Catholic. Bigod was executed in London for waging war against the King.

A little earlier Mr and Mrs Valentine Freese were burnt at one stake for not believing bread turned to flesh in the mass. They have no memorial.

Another figure of this period interesting Countryman's Diary readers is Lady Latimer, widow of John Neville, Lord Latimer of Snape Castle. She is better known by her maiden name, Catherine Parr, the eldest daughter of Sir Thomas Parr of Kendal. She became Henry VIII's last wife.

She was friendly with a group of ladies discussing evangelical humanism. At some point Henry gave permission to the Catholic Bishop Gardiner to arrange for her arrest. Fortunately Catherine had warning and pleaded to the King to be forgiven. The soldiers were sent away.

So Henry VIII was neither evangelical humanist or Protestant. However Mr Rhea's reference to "State religion", whatever he means by it, was soon brought to an end by his daughter Bloody Mary who returned the whole nation back to the Pope, destroying everything her father had arranged.

C A WILKINSON

Ashley House,

Bridge Road,

Stokesley.

Innocent arrival

Sir, - Nicholas Rhea's Countryman's Diary "Robin arrives to claim its territory" (D&S, Sept 15) has a worm in the middle, or to put it another way, it is a wolf in sheep's clothing when he innocently arrives at the item "Earls in revolt".

These 16th century lords wanted to take the throne of England for the Pope by violence. Their untitled younger brother and sisters were abbots and abbesses.

The interesting fact about the 16th century is that Catholicism in Western Europe was saved from oblivion by Spanish armies and then there was Catherine de Medici - what missionaries! The Gospels, however, give us a different message and the players were fishermen. How Christianity can change.

Edmund Campion was proud of it. In one of his last letter he says Protestant martyrs were "apostates and cobblers" but theirs (who were involved with violent rebellion in England) were "lords and knights, the old nobility."

PHILIP ROSS

High Street,

Great Ayton.

Wooly thinking

Sir, - Northallerton market traders have read with some amusement the comments made by Mr Stephan Knox, chairman of Cledale farmers' market (D&S, Sept 15).

At last Sunday's market he could only get together around a dozen stalls. It would appear this market is faltering because of a lack of interest or demand from the local farming community to participate in this kind of commercial activity. This poor man of the soil has had to resort to selling goods which have no connection with farming.

Mr Knox claimed last week: "For example, fleeces are from farmers' own flocks and are spun and woven into garments in the farmhouse."

These farmers must have some very unusual sheep, because the fleeces that we have seen this summer were made of Acrylic with a polyester lining. Some sheep. Some flock. Some 'woolly' story.

Again greetings cards, calendars, and soap were not made 'down on the farm' but were bought in from well-known commercial suppliers. So much for Mr Knox and his wild claims.

If the public wish to see a real farmers' market then please come to Northallerton, Wednesdays and Saturdays where they will find some of the best locally-grown produce that North Yorkshire's farmers and producers can provide.

We would also ask the public to continue with their support for Northallerton's family butchers. Some of the finest in the land, who have bought local meat, from local farmers, at the local mart.

If the public would be good enough to continue with their kind support, they will do more good, not only for market traders and the butchers, but for local farmers who are our friends and neighbours when they need help the most.

ANDREW NAYLOR &

RODGER PRESTON

Market traders,

Northallerton market