Letter of Queen Anne Boleyn to
her husband, King Henry VIII
6 May 1536
Background
First of all, this letter may be a fake. Then
again, it may not. The debate over its authenticity continues and no
definitive answer is possible. The original no longer exists; a copy
was said to be found amongst Thomas Cromwell's papers after his execution.
Most of Anne's modern biographers believe it to be a forgery. Their
reason? They don't believe any 16th century prisoner would have been
allowed to write to their monarch in such a familiar manner. Yet Anne
was not just any political prisoner - she was Henry VIII's wife and had
been his grand passion for several years. Locked away in the Tower, aware
of the concurrent arrests of her brother and friends and worried about
her young daughter, she may very well have written to the king. She was
in a desperate situation, of course, but she also believed (as witnesses
attest) that Henry would be merciful and simply divorce her and send her
to a convent. She was proven wrong and executed thirteen days after this
letter was supposedly written.
In debating the authenticity, another point to consider is Anne's personality. Her combative temperament was well-documented by her contemporaries; they observed with awe that she dared to chastise and insult the king. Henry VIII himself commented upon her boldness. It had probably helped to attract his attention. But the appeal of such a passionate and emotional woman did not hold him forever. By the end of their relationship, Henry was comparing her to a shrew and warned her to hold her tongue in his presence. His next wife was the very quiet and meek Jane Seymour, and a more glaring contrast to Anne Boleyn cannot be imagined.
If Anne had written a letter to Henry from her prison, it would undoubtedly read exactly like this one. As to its authenticity..... I have included this letter because it is an interesting historical curiosity, whether authentic or forged. It is up to the individual reader to reject or accept it.
Your grace's displeasure and
my imprisonment are things so strange to me, that what to write, or what
to excuse, I am altogether ignorant. Whereas you send to me (willing
me to confess a truth and so obtain your favor), by such a one, whom
you know to be mine ancient professed enemy, I no sooner received this
message by him, than I rightly conceived your meaning; and if, as you
say, confessing a truth indeed may procure my safety, I shall with all
willingness and duty, perform your duty. But let not your grace ever
imagine that your poor wife will be brought to acknowledge a fault, where
not so much as a thought ever proceeded. And to speak a truth, never
a prince had wife more loyal in all duty, and in all true affection,
than you have ever found in Anne Bulen - with which name and place I
could willingly have contented myself, if God and your grace's pleasure
had been so pleased. Neither did I at any time so far forget myself
in my exaltation or received queenship, but that I always looked for
such alteration as I now find; for the ground of my preferment being
on no surer foundation than your grace's fancy, the least alteration
was fit and sufficient (I knew) to draw that fancy to some other subject.
You have chosen me from low estate
to be your queen and companion, far beyond my desert or desire; if, then,
you found me worthy of such honor, good your grace, let not any light
fancy or bad counsel of my enemies withdraw your princely favor from
me; neither let that stain - that unworthy stain - of a disloyal heart
towards your good grace ever cast so foul a blot on me, and on the infant
princess your daughter.
Try me, good king, but let
me have a lawful trial, and let not my sworn enemies sit as my accusers
and as my judges; yea, let me receive an open trial, for my truth shall
fear no open shame. Then you shall see either my innocency cleared,
your suspicions and conscience satisfied, the ignominy and slander of
the world stopped, or my guilt openly declared. So that, whatever God
and you may determine of, your grace may be freed from an open censure;
and my offense being so lawfully proved, your grace may be at liberty,
both before God and man, not only to execute worthy punishment on me
as an unfaithful wife but to follow your affection already settled on
that party for whose sake I am now as I am, whose name I could some while
since have pointed unto - your grace being not ignorant of my suspicions
therein. But if you have already determined of me, and that not only
my death, but an infamous slander must bring your the joying of your
desired happiness, then I desire of God that he will pardon your great
sin herein, and likewise my enemies, the instruments thereof; and that
he will not call you to a strait account for your unprincely and cruel
usage of me at his general judgment-seat, where both you and myself
must shortly appear; and in whose just judgment, I doubt not (whatsoever
the world may think of me), mine innocency shall be openly known and
sufficiently cleared.
My last and only request shall
be, that myself only bear the burden of your grace's displeasure, and
that it may not touch the innocent souls of those poor gentlemen, whom,
as I understand, are likewise in strait imprisonment for my sake. If
ever I have found favor in your sight - if ever the name of Anne Bulen
have been pleasing in your ears - then let me obtain this request; and
so I will leave to trouble your grace any further, with mine earnest
prayer to the Trinity to have your grace in his good keeping, and to
direct you in all your actions.
From my doleful prison in the Tower,
the 6th May.
to Letters of the Six Wives of Henry VIII