(Catharine), was the eldest daughter of Sir Thomas Parr of Kendall. She was first married to John Nevil, lord Latymer; after whose death she so captivated her amorous sovereign, that he raised her to the throne. The royal nuptials were solemnized at Hampton Court on the 12th of July 1543. Being religiously disposed, she was, in the early part of her life, a zealous observer of the Romish rites and ceremonies; but, in the dawning of the Reformation, she became as zealous a promoter of the Lutheran doctrine; yet with such prudence and circumspection as her perilous situation required. Nevertheless, we are told, that she was in great danger of falling a sacrifice to the Popish faction, the chief of whom was bishop Gardiner: he drew up articles against her, and prevailed on the king to sign a warrant to remove her to the Tower. This warrant was, however, accidentally dropped, and immediately conveyed to her majesty. What her apprehensions must have been on this occasion, may be easily imagined. She knew the monarch, and she could not help recollecting the fate of his former queens. A sudden illness was the natural consequence. The news of her indisposition brought the king to her apartment. He was lavish in expressions of affection, and sent her a physician. His majesty being soon after also somewhat indisposed, she prudently returned the visit; with which the king seemed pleased, and began to talk with her on religious subjects, proposing certain questions, concerning which he wanted her opinion. She answered, that such profound speculations were not suited to her sex; that it belonged to the husband to choose principles for his wife; the wife's duty was, in all cases, to adopt implicitly the sentiments of her husband; and as to herself, it was doubly her duty, being blessed with a husband who was qualified, by his judgment and learning, not only to choose principles for his own family, but for the most wise and knowing of every nation. "Not so, by St Mary," replied the king; "you are now become a doctor, Kate, and better fitted to give than receive instruction." She meekly replied, that she was sensible how little she was entitled to these praises; that though she usually declined not any conversation, however sublime, when proposed by his Majesty, she well knew that her conceptions could serve to no other purpose than to give him a little momentary amusement; that she found the conversation a little apt to languish when not revived by some opposition, and she She had ventured sometimes to feign a contrariety of sentiments, in order to give him the pleasure of refuting her; and that she also proposed, by this innocent artifice, to engage him into topics whence she had observed by frequent experience, that she reaped profit and instruction. "And is it so, sweetheart?" replied the king, "and then we are perfect friends again." He embraced her with great affection, and sent her away with assurances of his protection and kindness.

The time being now come when she was to be sent to the Tower, the king, walking in the garden, sent for the queen, and met her with great good humour; when lo the chancellor, with forty of the guards, approached. He fell upon his knees, and spoke softly with the king, who called him knave, arrant knave, beast, fool, and commanded him instantly to depart. Henry then returned to the queen, who ventured to intercede for the chancellor: "Ah poor soul!" said the king, "thou little knowest how evil he deserves this grace at thy hands. Of my word, sweetheart, he hath been toward thee an arrant knave; and so let him go." The king died in January 1547, just three years and a half after his marriage with this second Catherine; who in a short time was again espoused to Sir Thomas Seymour lord-admiral of England; for, in September 1548, she died in childbed. The historians of this period generally insinuate, that she was poisoned by her husband, to make way for his marriage with the lady Elizabeth.

That Catharine Parr was beautiful, is beyond a doubt: that she was pious and learned, is evident from her writings: and that her prudence and sagacity were not inferior to her other accomplishments, may be concluded from her holding up the passion of a capricious tyrant as a shield against her enemies; and that at the latter end of his days, when his passions were enfeebled by age, and his peevish austerity increased by disease. She wrote, 1. Queen Catharine Parr's lamentation of a sinner, bewailing the ignorance of her blind life; Lond. 8vo, 1548, 1563. 2. Prayers or meditations, wherein the mind is stirred patiently to suffer all afflictions here, to set at nought the vain prosperity of this world, and always to long for the everlasting felicity. Collected out of holy works, by the most virtuous and gracious princess Katharine, queene of Englannde, France, and Irelande. Printed by John Wayland, 1545, 4to.—1561, 12mo. 3. Other Meditations, Prayers, Letters, &c. unpublished.

Parr (Thomas), or Old Parr, a remarkable Englishman, who lived in the reigns of ten kings and queens; married a second wife when he was 120, and had a child by her. See Longevity.