Henry Percy, 6th Earl of Northumberland - Marriage To Mary Talbot

Marriage To Mary Talbot

Henry was quickly and unhappily married to Lady Mary Talbot, daughter of the Earl of Shrewsbury, by early 1524 or in 1525 with earlier legal stages. Starkey dates it at August 1525 or August 1526. By 1528, after only four years into their marriage the couple’s relationship had broken down irretrievably. Northumberland complained about his wife’s malicious acts and lies while her father worried about he was abusing and might even poison her. Northumberland was outraged at Shrewsbury’s suspicious and refused to permit his father in law’s servants to see or speak to his wife. When the countess’s brother in law, William, Lord Dacre, asked the duke of Norfolk to defend her, Northumberland told Norfolk, that he, Northumberland would never see her again as long as he lived. The couple may have separated shortly thereafter, at least temporarily since, Mary delivered a stillborn child at her father’s home in April 1529. In 1536 Shrewsbury noted his daughter had been living with him for two and half years. At about the same time, Northumberland announced that he was bequeathing his entire inheritance to the King since he had no children and he and his wife were not likely to have a legitimate heir. He was by then estranged from his brothers, and did not want them to inherit his property. Mary Talbot hated Henry heartily for the rest of his short life. Mary later sought a divorce. In 1532 Percy, now Earl of Northumberland stood in great danger, when his wife accused him of a precontract (i.e. betrothal with legal force) with Anne Boleyn. She confided her alleged grievance to her father, who then mentioned the matter to Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk. Anne Boleyn, consulted, ordered an inquiry. Northumberland denied the accusation on oath.

In May 1536 Northumberland, by now a man in broken health, formed one of the jury for the trial of Anne Boleyn. Anne is said to have confessed a precontract with him in the hope of saving her life. He collapsed following the verdict and had to be carried out.