In 1528, Barton met with the King and was endorsed by him because her visions went Henry's current political and religious path. She encouraged piety and warned against heresy when that was the official policy of the monarchy. Henry VIII quickly turned against her though when he sought not only an annulment from Catherine of Aragon, but also supreme control over the Church in England. In1532, the Holy maid began prophesing that if Henry remarried, which he was planning, that he would die soon after. Barton also claimed that she had also seen the exact place in Hell where he would spend eternity. Despite her visions Henry would live for another 15 years and outlast three more wives.
Remarkably, Barton went unpunished for nearly a year, perhaps because she was more popular than the King and his government amongst both very rich and very poor. Because she had only talked about her visions and not done anything physically treasonous, Henry was required to pass an attainder, an Act of Parliament that could, without trial, punish actions done when they were legal. Henry's agents spread rumors that Barton was engaged in heinous sexual relationships with many parish priests and that she suffered from extreme mental illness which is how her visions were propagated.
Her reputation was irreparably damaged and the Crown was then able to arrest Barton in 1533 and forced her to confess that she had fabricated her revelations. However, all that is known regarding her confession emanates from the King's chief minister, Thomas Cromwell, or his agents who participated in her interrogations. All available documents support the Crown's assertions that Barton was a fraud and a traitor. Furthermore, she and her companions were condemned without a hearing. She, along with five of her most vocal supporters, four of whom were local Catholic priests, were executed for treason and hanged at the Tyburn gallows.She was buried at Greyfriars Abbey but her head was put on a spike on London Bridge, the only woman in the history of the bridge to be dishonored in such a way.
I read that this woman struggled with mental disease. Have you heard/read anything to this effect?
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