WilesWales wrote @ March 7, 2012 at 4:10 pm

I have always thought that Mary’s to children were Henry’s as well. I also think that the reason Bessie Blount’s son, was named the Duke of Richmond, and that Mary’s children were not given any title, as Henry did not want anyone to even guess that Mary’s children were his. It is telling thought, that Mary’s youngest son was named Henry. As for her fertility, I can only think that her husband, William, was infertile (and if not, must have tried to conceive when Mary was not fertile, as I wonder if any at that time new where and when a woman’s fertile period was, and if relations were something that a couple was the only time it was all right to have relations in the biblical sense, then they must have had it often, and lucked out during the woman’s fertile period. As for the first four years with Mary’s husband is that her being mistress to Henry began a lot sooner than we think. I have also read that Mary and her husband did not get along very well. This could have been part of the picture. As for Elizabeth naming Henry Carey to a high office during the early part of her reign had a lot to do with Anne, as she didn’t like to discuss her mother, as she believed her office as Queen was due to her father and her descendancy to him. As for the last years of Mary’s marriage to her husband, was that he simply might not have wanted to anything with her, and that they didn’t get along with which to begin.

Just a few thoughts, and Henry, I don’t think had a problem with impregnating women, and who knows how many others were born of which we have no idea. The Duke of Richmond was a safe thing to do’ Mary’s children were not. Thank you! WilesWales