Anne Boleyn

Anne Boleyn (about 1501 – 1536), the second wife of King Henry VIII of England, was executed at the Tower of London at 8 o'clock in the morning of 19th May, 1536 after being convicted on false charges of adultery, witchcraft and incest. It was the first public execution of an English queen. Her daughter, Elizabeth, three years old at her mother's execution, was to become the greatest Queen in English history.

An executioner was brought from France for the execution, the 'hangman of Calais'. On being assured that there would be little pain, Anne is quoted as saying "I have heard that the executioner is very good. And I have a little neck."

At her execution, according to the Tudor chronicler Edward Hall, she addressed the watching crowd with the words (in modern spelling):

'"Good Christian people, I am come hither to die, for according to the law, and by the law I am judged to die, and therefore I will speak nothing against it. I am come hither to accuse no man, nor to speak anything of that, whereof I am accused and condemned to die, but I pray God save the king and send him long to reign over you, for a gentler nor a more merciful prince was there never: and to me he was ever a good, a gentle and sovereign lord. And if any person will meddle of my cause, I require them to judge the best. And thus I take my leave of the world and of you all, and I heartily desire you all to pray for me. O Lord have mercy on me, to God I commend my soul."

After being blindfolded, while kneeling at the block, she repeated several times: "To Jesus Christ I commend my soul; Lord Jesu receive my soul."

"My mistress and friend: I and my heart put ourselves in your hands, begging you to have them suitors for your good favour, and that your affection for them should not grow less through absence. For it would be a great pity to increase their sorrow since absence does it sufficiently, and more than ever I could have thought possible reminding us of a point in astronomy, which is, that the longer the days are the farther off is the sun, and yet the more fierce. So it is with our love, for by absence we are parted, yet nevertheless it keeps its fervour, at least on my side, and I hope on yours also: assuring you that on my side the ennui of absence is already too much for me: and when I think of the increase of what I must needs suffer it would be well nigh unbearable for me were it not for the firm hope I have and as I cannot be with you in person, I am sending you the nearest possible thing to that, namely, my picture set in a bracelet, with the whole device which you already know. Wishing myself in their place when it shall please you. "

(translation of a letter from Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn; the original, in French, is in the Vatican library)