Anne Boleyn: From Queen to History - May 6th 1536: A Letter to the King
May 6th - 1536: A Letter to the King
A letter was found amongst Thomas Cromwell’s possessions written on this date by Anne to her husband Henry VIII the King of England. It reads...
“Sir, your Grace’s displeasure, and my Imprisonment are Things so strange unto me, as what to Write, or what to Excuse, I am altogether ignorant; whereas you sent unto me (willing me to confess a Truth, and so obtain your Favour) by such a one, whom you know to be my ancient and professed Enemy; I no sooner received the Message by him, than I rightly conceived your Meaning; and if, as you say, confessing Truth indeed may procure my safety, I shall with all Willingness and Duty perform your Command.
But let not your Grace ever imagine that your poor Wife will ever be brought to acknowledge a Fault, where not so much as Thought thereof proceeded. And to speak a truth, never Prince had Wife more Loyal in all Duty, and in all true Affection, than you have found in Anne Boleyn, with which Name and Place could willingly have contented my self, as if God, and your Grace’s Pleasure had been so pleased. Neither did I at any time so far forge my self in my Exaltation, or received Queenship, but that I always looked for such an Alteration as now I find; for the ground of my preferment being on no surer Foundation than your Grace’s Fancy, the least Alteration, I knew, was fit and sufficient to draw that Fancy to some other subject.
You have chosen me, from a low Estate, to be your Queen and Companion, far beyond my Desert or Desire. If then you found me worthy of such Honour, Good your Grace, let not any light Fancy, or bad Counsel of mine Enemies, withdraw your Princely Favour from me; neither let that Stain, that unworthy Stain of a Disloyal Heart towards your good Grace, ever cast so foul a Blot on your most Dutiful Wife, and 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 Judges; yes, let me receive an open Trial, for my Truth shall fear no open shame; then shall you see, either mine Innocency cleared, your Suspicion and Conscience satisfied, the Ignominy and Slander of the World stopped, or my Guilt openly declared. So that whatsoever God or you may determine of me, your Grace may be freed from an open Censure; and mine Offence being so lawfully proved, your Grace is at liberty, both before God and Man, not only to execute worthy Punishment on me as an unlawful 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 good while since have pointed unto: Your Grace being not ignorant of my Suspicion therein.
But if you have already determined of me, and that not only my Death, but an Infamous Slander must bring you the enjoying of your desired Happiness; then I desire of God, that he will pardon your great Sin therein, and likewise mine Enemies, the Instruments thereof; that he will not call you to a strict Account for your unprincely and cruel usage of me, at his General Judgement-Seat, where both you and my self must shortly appear, and in whose Judgement, I doubt not, (whatsover the World may think of me) mine Innocence shall be openly known, and sufficiently cleared.
My last and only Request shall be, That my self may only bear the Burthen of your Grace’s Displeasure, and that it may not touch the Innocent Souls of those poor Gentlemen, who (as I understand) are likewise in strait Imprisonment for my sake. If ever I have found favour in your Sight; if ever the Name of Anne Boleyn hath been pleasing to your Ears, then let me obtain this Request; and I will so leave to trouble your Grace any further, with mine earnest Prayers to the Trinity to have your Grace in his good keeping, and to direct you in all your Actions.
Your most Loyal and ever Faithful Wife, Anne Bullen
From my doleful Prison the Tower, this 6th of May.”
Despite being a beautiful piece of writing there is a great deal of speculation as to whether Anne actually wrote this letter or not, and there are many reasons to suggest that perhaps this letter was in fact a forgery written many years after Anne’s death.
The first reason against this letter being written by Anne Boleyn is the handwriting. We have evidence of what Anne’s handwriting looks like and the original copy of this letter shows handwriting VERY different from Anne’s. It is much larger, scrawlier and hastily written. Whereas previous letters from Anne show her writing to be small, precise and extremely neat. It has been suggested that Anne did not write the copy of this letter found but that Thomas Cromwell rewrote the letter (the copy found amongst his possessions). I would argue against this - why on earth would Cromwell rewrite a letter of Anne Boleyn’s? It is clearly known that the man did not like Anne and was working desperately to try and bring about her downfall, so why would he rewrite something she had written? He certainly would not have shown Henry VIII the letter. If there was any shadow of a doubt in Henry’s mind, any tiny disbelief, any love that he held for his wife this letter would have surely sparked those feelings and created more disbelief in the King’s mind. Cromwell wanted rid of Anne and giving Henry a copy of this letter would have been an extremely foolish thing to do - and we know Cromwell was not foolish.
It has been suggested - which is the most likely reason for the differing in handwriting, is that Anne dictated this letter to one of her Ladies in waiting. Thus the difference in style of writing. Perhaps there is some merit in this. Anne could have been too distressed to write a letter herself and therefore commanded that one of her ladies write for her.
Another interesting thing to point out is that the letter was signed ‘Anne Bullen’ - Anne always signed her name either ‘Anne Boleyn’ or ‘Anne the Quene’. Why would she revert to the old spelling of her name? Especially since she was so adamant that she was still the lawful and rightful Queen of England. Was she trying to be humble before Henry? Or maybe since it was obvious many of her ladies in waiting in the Tower did not like her whoever wrote it signed the name ‘Bullen’ as an insult to Anne?
The first sentence of this letter always makes me frown: “Sir, your Grace’s displeasure, and my Imprisonment are Things so strange unto me, as what to Write, or what to Excuse, I am altogether ignorant;” I do not believe that Anne was completely ignorant to Henry’s displeasure at her. After all since she had miscarried their relationship had been frosty at best. Anne was an extraordinarily smart woman, she would have known, or at least had some inclination of Henry’s feelings - so why would she write otherwise? Perhaps she was trying to protest her complete shock over all of these harsh and sudden events?
What touches me most about this letter is Anne’s simple and direct nature. She is pleading for her very life here, begging Henry to see the truth that she was a pure and innocent woman and that these charges against her are so ridiculous! She is trying to plead with Henry not to believe the lies that those around him are saying, people whom are set on her downfall, but to listen to her, his loyal and truthful wife. She is terrified that she will not receive a just trial for those upon the council judging her will want to see her fall. She is pleading for the mercy and love of her daughter, Elizabeth so innocent in all of this horror and for the mercy of those falsely accused and imprisoned with her. All she wants is the truth to be known, and in her eyes (and in mine), it is that she is completely and utterly innocent. Her writing is extremely blunt and at one point in the letter she plainly states to Henry that if her death brings him joy then she hopes God forgives him of this great sin. Even in her distress and despair Anne’s sharp tongue and fiery nature is still present!
I do not know if this letter is real or not, if Anne actually wrote these words or if they are a clever forgery. I like to think that Anne would have written to Henry. After all it is human nature to try and appeal to those you love for help. This letter is utterly heart wrenching to read and it breaks my heart to think that Henry would have never have laid eyes upon it. Cromwell would have been an utter fool to let Henry read this letter - and Cromwell was no fool. If Anne did write this letter she poured her heart out to her husband and it was all for nothing.
‘Anne the Quene’ - this was how Anne Boleyn signed her name after she became Queen. This is actually her handwriting). Despite the writing being neat and quite beautiful it is very significant that Anne would sign all her letters in this manner as she was determined to show that she was the Queen of England. Why then would she have signed her letter to Henry, written from her lodgings in the Tower, with ‘Anne Bullen’? Was she trying to show humility to Henry? Hoping perhaps that he would take pity upon her and show her mercy? Or if the letter had been dictated by Anne, was it one of her ladies trying to have a silent attack upon Anne, using the old and unused spelling of her name? Or in the end, is the letter even real? Is it nothing more than a fabricated piece of writing to make us reflect on Anne’s feelings and emotions? In the end we will never know, but the signature at the end of the letter is important to reflect upon. For a woman who was determined that she was still rightfully the Queen of England - holding fast to this belief, and had signed all other letters over the last three years as ‘Anne the Quene’, why would she suddenly do so different now?
A letter was found amongst Thomas Cromwell’s possessions written on this date by Anne to her husband Henry VIII the King of England. It reads...
“Sir, your Grace’s displeasure, and my Imprisonment are Things so strange unto me, as what to Write, or what to Excuse, I am altogether ignorant; whereas you sent unto me (willing me to confess a Truth, and so obtain your Favour) by such a one, whom you know to be my ancient and professed Enemy; I no sooner received the Message by him, than I rightly conceived your Meaning; and if, as you say, confessing Truth indeed may procure my safety, I shall with all Willingness and Duty perform your Command.
But let not your Grace ever imagine that your poor Wife will ever be brought to acknowledge a Fault, where not so much as Thought thereof proceeded. And to speak a truth, never Prince had Wife more Loyal in all Duty, and in all true Affection, than you have found in Anne Boleyn, with which Name and Place could willingly have contented my self, as if God, and your Grace’s Pleasure had been so pleased. Neither did I at any time so far forge my self in my Exaltation, or received Queenship, but that I always looked for such an Alteration as now I find; for the ground of my preferment being on no surer Foundation than your Grace’s Fancy, the least Alteration, I knew, was fit and sufficient to draw that Fancy to some other subject.
You have chosen me, from a low Estate, to be your Queen and Companion, far beyond my Desert or Desire. If then you found me worthy of such Honour, Good your Grace, let not any light Fancy, or bad Counsel of mine Enemies, withdraw your Princely Favour from me; neither let that Stain, that unworthy Stain of a Disloyal Heart towards your good Grace, ever cast so foul a Blot on your most Dutiful Wife, and 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 Judges; yes, let me receive an open Trial, for my Truth shall fear no open shame; then shall you see, either mine Innocency cleared, your Suspicion and Conscience satisfied, the Ignominy and Slander of the World stopped, or my Guilt openly declared. So that whatsoever God or you may determine of me, your Grace may be freed from an open Censure; and mine Offence being so lawfully proved, your Grace is at liberty, both before God and Man, not only to execute worthy Punishment on me as an unlawful 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 good while since have pointed unto: Your Grace being not ignorant of my Suspicion therein.
But if you have already determined of me, and that not only my Death, but an Infamous Slander must bring you the enjoying of your desired Happiness; then I desire of God, that he will pardon your great Sin therein, and likewise mine Enemies, the Instruments thereof; that he will not call you to a strict Account for your unprincely and cruel usage of me, at his General Judgement-Seat, where both you and my self must shortly appear, and in whose Judgement, I doubt not, (whatsover the World may think of me) mine Innocence shall be openly known, and sufficiently cleared.
My last and only Request shall be, That my self may only bear the Burthen of your Grace’s Displeasure, and that it may not touch the Innocent Souls of those poor Gentlemen, who (as I understand) are likewise in strait Imprisonment for my sake. If ever I have found favour in your Sight; if ever the Name of Anne Boleyn hath been pleasing to your Ears, then let me obtain this Request; and I will so leave to trouble your Grace any further, with mine earnest Prayers to the Trinity to have your Grace in his good keeping, and to direct you in all your Actions.
Your most Loyal and ever Faithful Wife, Anne Bullen
From my doleful Prison the Tower, this 6th of May.”
Despite being a beautiful piece of writing there is a great deal of speculation as to whether Anne actually wrote this letter or not, and there are many reasons to suggest that perhaps this letter was in fact a forgery written many years after Anne’s death.
The first reason against this letter being written by Anne Boleyn is the handwriting. We have evidence of what Anne’s handwriting looks like and the original copy of this letter shows handwriting VERY different from Anne’s. It is much larger, scrawlier and hastily written. Whereas previous letters from Anne show her writing to be small, precise and extremely neat. It has been suggested that Anne did not write the copy of this letter found but that Thomas Cromwell rewrote the letter (the copy found amongst his possessions). I would argue against this - why on earth would Cromwell rewrite a letter of Anne Boleyn’s? It is clearly known that the man did not like Anne and was working desperately to try and bring about her downfall, so why would he rewrite something she had written? He certainly would not have shown Henry VIII the letter. If there was any shadow of a doubt in Henry’s mind, any tiny disbelief, any love that he held for his wife this letter would have surely sparked those feelings and created more disbelief in the King’s mind. Cromwell wanted rid of Anne and giving Henry a copy of this letter would have been an extremely foolish thing to do - and we know Cromwell was not foolish.
It has been suggested - which is the most likely reason for the differing in handwriting, is that Anne dictated this letter to one of her Ladies in waiting. Thus the difference in style of writing. Perhaps there is some merit in this. Anne could have been too distressed to write a letter herself and therefore commanded that one of her ladies write for her.
Another interesting thing to point out is that the letter was signed ‘Anne Bullen’ - Anne always signed her name either ‘Anne Boleyn’ or ‘Anne the Quene’. Why would she revert to the old spelling of her name? Especially since she was so adamant that she was still the lawful and rightful Queen of England. Was she trying to be humble before Henry? Or maybe since it was obvious many of her ladies in waiting in the Tower did not like her whoever wrote it signed the name ‘Bullen’ as an insult to Anne?
The first sentence of this letter always makes me frown: “Sir, your Grace’s displeasure, and my Imprisonment are Things so strange unto me, as what to Write, or what to Excuse, I am altogether ignorant;” I do not believe that Anne was completely ignorant to Henry’s displeasure at her. After all since she had miscarried their relationship had been frosty at best. Anne was an extraordinarily smart woman, she would have known, or at least had some inclination of Henry’s feelings - so why would she write otherwise? Perhaps she was trying to protest her complete shock over all of these harsh and sudden events?
What touches me most about this letter is Anne’s simple and direct nature. She is pleading for her very life here, begging Henry to see the truth that she was a pure and innocent woman and that these charges against her are so ridiculous! She is trying to plead with Henry not to believe the lies that those around him are saying, people whom are set on her downfall, but to listen to her, his loyal and truthful wife. She is terrified that she will not receive a just trial for those upon the council judging her will want to see her fall. She is pleading for the mercy and love of her daughter, Elizabeth so innocent in all of this horror and for the mercy of those falsely accused and imprisoned with her. All she wants is the truth to be known, and in her eyes (and in mine), it is that she is completely and utterly innocent. Her writing is extremely blunt and at one point in the letter she plainly states to Henry that if her death brings him joy then she hopes God forgives him of this great sin. Even in her distress and despair Anne’s sharp tongue and fiery nature is still present!
I do not know if this letter is real or not, if Anne actually wrote these words or if they are a clever forgery. I like to think that Anne would have written to Henry. After all it is human nature to try and appeal to those you love for help. This letter is utterly heart wrenching to read and it breaks my heart to think that Henry would have never have laid eyes upon it. Cromwell would have been an utter fool to let Henry read this letter - and Cromwell was no fool. If Anne did write this letter she poured her heart out to her husband and it was all for nothing.
‘Anne the Quene’ - this was how Anne Boleyn signed her name after she became Queen. This is actually her handwriting). Despite the writing being neat and quite beautiful it is very significant that Anne would sign all her letters in this manner as she was determined to show that she was the Queen of England. Why then would she have signed her letter to Henry, written from her lodgings in the Tower, with ‘Anne Bullen’? Was she trying to show humility to Henry? Hoping perhaps that he would take pity upon her and show her mercy? Or if the letter had been dictated by Anne, was it one of her ladies trying to have a silent attack upon Anne, using the old and unused spelling of her name? Or in the end, is the letter even real? Is it nothing more than a fabricated piece of writing to make us reflect on Anne’s feelings and emotions? In the end we will never know, but the signature at the end of the letter is important to reflect upon. For a woman who was determined that she was still rightfully the Queen of England - holding fast to this belief, and had signed all other letters over the last three years as ‘Anne the Quene’, why would she suddenly do so different now?