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Boleyn, by Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn
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Title: The Love Letters of Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn
With Notes
Author: Henry VIII
Anne Boleyn
Release Date: April 27, 2010 [EBook #32155]
Language: English
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Love Letters of Henry Eighth to Anne Boleyn
The Love Letters of Henry Viii to Anne Boleyn
With Notes
John W. Luce & Company
Boston: London
COPYRIGHT, 1906, BY JOHN W. LUCE & COMPANY
D. B. UPDIKE, THE MERRYMOUNT PRESS, BOSTON
Table of Contents
Page
Letter First i
Letter Second iv
Letter Third v
Letter Fourth vii
Letter Fifth x
Letter Sixth xiii
Letter Seventh xvi
Letter Eighth [Anne Boleyn to Wolsey] xviii
Postscript [by Henry VIII] xx
Letter Ninth xxii
Letter Tenth xxv
Letter Eleventh xxviii
Letter Twelfth xxx
Letter Thirteenth xxxiv
Letter Fourteenth xxxvii
Letter Fifteenth xxxix
Letter Sixteenth xli
Letter Seventeenth xliii
Letter Eighteenth xlv
Notes li
Love Letters of Henry Eighth to Anne Boleyn
Letter First To Anne Boleyn
On turning over in my mind the contents of your last letters, I have put
myself into great agony, not knowing how to interpret them, whether to my
disadvantage, as you show in some places, or to my advantage, as I
understand them in some others, beseeching you earnestly to let me know
expressly your whole mind as to the love between us two. It is absolutely
necessary for me to obtain this answer, having been for above a whole year
stricken with the dart of love, and not yet sure whether I shall fail of
finding a place in your heart and affection, which last point has
prevented me for some time past from calling you my mistress; because, if
you only love me with an ordinary love, that name is not suitable for you,
because it denotes a singular love, which is far from common. But if you
please to do the office of a true loyal mistress and friend, and to give
up yourself body and heart to me, who will be, and have been, your most
loyal servant, (if your rigour does not forbid me) I promise you that not
only the name shall be given you, but also that I will take you for my
only mistress, casting off all others besides you out of my thoughts and
affections, and serve you only. I beseech you to give an entire answer to
this my rude letter, that I may know on what and how far I may depend. And
if it does not please you to answer me in writing, appoint some place
where I may have it by word of mouth, and I will go thither with all my
heart. No more, for fear of tiring you. Written by the hand of him who
would willingly remain yours,
H. R.
Letter Second To Anne Boleyn
Though it is not fitting for a gentleman to take his lady in the place of
a servant, yet, complying with your desire, I willingly grant it you, if
thereby you can find yourself less uncomfortable in the place chosen by
yourself, than you have been in that which I gave you, thanking you
cordially that you are pleased still to have some remembrance of me. 6. n.
A. 1 de A. o. na. v. e. z.
HENRY R.
Letter Third To Anne Boleyn
Although, my Mistress, it has not pleased you to remember the promise you
made me when I was last with you--that is, to hear good news from you, and
to have an answer to my last letter; yet it seems to me that it belongs to
a true servant (seeing that otherwise he can know nothing) to inquire the
health of his mistress, and to acquit myself of the duty of a true
servant, I send you this letter, beseeching you to apprise me of your
welfare, which I pray to God may continue as long as I desire mine own.
And to cause you yet oftener to remember me, I send you, by the bearer of
this, a buck killed late last night by my own hand, hoping that when you
eat of it you may think of the hunter; and thus, for want of room, I must
end my letter, written by the hand of your servant, who very often wishes
for you instead of your brother.
H. R.
Letter Fourth To Anne Boleyn
_MY MISTRESS & FRIEND_, my heart and I surrender ourselves into your
hands, beseeching you to hold us commended to your favour, and that by
absence your affection to us may not be lessened: for it were a great pity
to increase our pain, of which absence produces enough and more than I
could ever have thought could be felt, reminding us of a point in
astronomy which is this: the longer the days are, the more distant is the
sun, and nevertheless the hotter; so is it with our love, for by absence
we are kept a distance from one another, and yet it retains its fervour,
at least on my side; I hope the like on yours, assuring you that on my
part the pain of absence is already too great for me; and when I think of
the increase of that which I am forced to suffer, it would be almost
intolerable, but for the firm hope I have of your unchangeable affection
for me: and to remind you of this sometimes, and seeing that I cannot be
personally present with you, I now send you the nearest thing I can to
that, namely, my picture set in a bracelet, with the whole of the device,
which you already know, wishing myself in their place, if it should please
you. This is from the hand of your loyal servant and friend,
H. R.
Letter Fifth To Anne Boleyn
For a present so beautiful that nothing could be more so (considering the
whole of it), I thank you most cordially, not only on account of the fine
diamond and the ship in which the solitary damsel is tossed about, but
chiefly for the fine interpretation and the too humble submission which
your goodness hath used towards me in this case; for I think it would be
very difficult for me to find an occasion to deserve it, if I were not
assisted by your great humanity and favour, which I have always sought to
seek, and will seek to preserve by all the kindness in my power, in which
my hope has placed its unchangeable intention, which says, _Aut illic, aut
nullibi_.
The demonstrations of your affection are such, the beautiful mottoes of
the letter so cordially expressed, that they oblige me for ever to honour,
love, and serve you sincerely, beseeching you to continue in the same firm
and constant purpose, assuring you that, on my part, I will surpass it
rather than make it reciprocal, if loyalty of heart and a desire to please
you can accomplish this.
I beg, also, if at any time before this I have in any way offended you,
that you would give me the same absolution that you ask, assuring you,
that henceforward my heart shall be dedicated to you alone. I wish my
person was so too. God can do it, if He pleases, to whom I pray every day
for that end, hoping that at length my prayers will be heard. I wish the
time may be short, but I shall think it long till we see one another.
Written by the hand of that secretary, who in heart, body, and will, is,
Your loyal and most assured Servant,
H. sultre A.B. ne cherse R.
Letter Sixth To Anne Boleyn
_TO MY MISTRESS._ Because the time seems very long since I heard
concerning your health and you, the great affection I have for you has
induced me to send you this bearer, to be better informed of your health
and pleasure, and because, since my parting from you, I have been told
that the opinion in which I left you is totally changed, and that you
would not come to court either with your mother, if you could, or in any
other manner; which report, if true, I cannot sufficiently marvel at,
because I am sure that I have since never done any thing to offend you,
and it seems a very poor return for the great love which I bear you to
keep me at a distance both from the speech and the person of the woman
that I esteem most in the world: and if you love me with as much affection
as I hope you do, I am sure that the distance of our two persons would be
a little irksome to you, though this does not belong so much to the
mistress as to the servant.
Consider well, my mistress, that absence from you grieves me sorely,
hoping that it is not your will that it should be so; but if I knew for
certain that you voluntarily desired it, I could do no other than mourn
my ill-fortune, and by degrees abate my great folly. And so, for lack of
time, I make an end of this rude letter, beseeching you to give credence
to this bearer in all that he will tell you from me.
Written by the hand of your entire Servant,
H. R.
Letter Seventh To Anne Boleyn
_DARLING_, these shall be only to advertise you that this bearer and his
fellow be despatched with as many things to compass our matter, and to
bring it to pass as our wits could imagine or devise; which brought to
pass, as I trust, by their diligence, it shall be shortly, you and I shall
have our desired end, which should be more to my heart's ease, and more
quietness to my mind, than any other thing in the world; as, with God's
grace, shortly I trust shall be proved, but not so soon as I would it
were; yet I will ensure you that there shall be no time lost that may be
won, and further can not be done; for _ultra posse non est esse_. Keep him
not too long with you, but desire him, for your sake, to make the more
speed; for the sooner we shall have word from him, the sooner shall our
matter come to pass. And thus upon trust of your short repair to London, I
make an end of my letter, my own sweet heart.
Written with the hand of him which desireth as much to be yours as you do
to have him.
H. R.
Letter Eighth Anne Boleyn to Wolsey
_MY LORD_, in my most humblest wise that my heart can think, I desire you
to pardon me that I am so bold to trouble you with my simple and rude
writing, esteeming it to proceed from her that is much desirous to know
that your grace does well, as I perceive by this bearer that you do, the
which I pray God long to continue, as I am most bound to pray; for I do
know the great pains and troubles that you have taken for me both day and
night is never likely to be recompensed on my part, but alonely in loving
you, next unto the king's grace, above all creatures living. And I do not
doubt but the daily proofs of my deeds shall manifestly declare and affirm
my writing to be true, and I do trust you do think the same.
My lord, I do assure you, I do long to hear from you news of the legate;
for I do hope, as they come from you, they shall be very good; and I am
sure you desire it as much as I, and more, an it were possible; as I know
it is not: and thus remaining in a steadfast hope, I make an end of my
letter.
Written with the hand of her that is most bound to be
Your humble Servant,
ANNE BOLEYN.
Postscript by Henry viii
The writer of this letter would not cease, till she had caused me likewise
to set my hand, desiring you, though it be short, to take it in good part.
I ensure you that there is neither of us but greatly desireth to see you,
and are joyous to hear that you have escaped this plague so well, trusting
the fury thereof to be passed, especially with them that keepeth good
diet, as I trust you do. The not hearing of the legate's arrival in France
causeth us somewhat to muse; notwithstanding, we trust, by your diligence
and vigilancy (with the assistance of Almighty God), shortly to be eased
out of that trouble. No more to you at this time, but that I pray God send
you as good health and prosperity as the writer would.
By your loving Sovereign and Friend,
H. R.
Letter Ninth To Anne Boleyn
There came to me suddenly in the night the most afflicting news that could
have arrived. The first, to hear of the sickness of my mistress, whom I
esteem more than all the world, and whose health I desire as I do my own,
so that I would gladly bear half your illness to make you well. The
second, from the fear that I have of being still longer harassed by my
enemy, Absence, much longer, who has hitherto given me all possible
uneasiness, and as far as I can judge is determined to spite me more
because I pray God to rid me of this troublesome tormentor. The third,
because the physician in whom I have most confidence, is absent at the
very time when he might do me the greatest pleasure; for I should hope, by
him and his means, to obtain one of my chief joys on earth--that is the
care of my mistress--yet for want of him I send you my second, and hope
that he will soon make you well. I shall then love him more than ever. I
beseech you to be guided by his advice in your illness. In so doing I hope
soon to see you again, which will be to me a greater comfort than all the
precious jewels in the world.
Written by that secretary, who is, and for ever will be, your loyal and
most assured Servant,
H. (A B) R.
Letter Tenth To Anne Boleyn
The uneasiness my doubts about your health gave me, disturbed and alarmed
me exceedingly, and I should not have had any quiet without hearing
certain tidings. But now, since you have as yet felt nothing, I hope, and
am assured that it will spare you, as I hope it is doing with us. For when
we were at Walton, two ushers, two valets de chambres and your brother,
master-treasurer, fell ill, but are now quite well; and since we have
returned to our house at Hunsdon, we have been perfectly well, and have
not, at present, one sick person, God be praised; and I think, if you
would retire from Surrey, as we did, you would escape all danger. There is
another thing that may comfort you, which is, that, in truth in this
distemper few or no women have been taken ill, and what is more, no person
of our court, and few elsewhere, have died of it. For which reason I beg
you, my entirely beloved, not to frighten yourself nor be too uneasy at
our absence; for wherever I am, I am yours, and yet we must sometimes
submit to our misfortunes, for whoever will struggle against fate is
generally but so much the farther from gaining his end: wherefore comfort
yourself, and take courage and avoid the pestilence as much as you can,
for I hope shortly to make you sing, _la renvoyé_. No more at present,
from lack of time, but that I wish you in my arms, that I might a little
dispel your unreasonable thoughts.
Written by the hand of him who is and alway will be yours,
Im- H. R. -mutable.
Letter Eleventh To Anne Boleyn
The cause of my writing at this time, good sweetheart, is only to
understand of your good health and prosperity; whereof to know I would be
as glad as in manner mine own, praying God that (an it be His pleasure) to
send us shortly together, for I promise you I long for it. How be it, I
trust it shall not be long to; and seeing my darling is absent, I can do
no less than to send her some flesh, representing my name, which is hart
flesh for Henry, prognosticating that hereafter, God willing, you may
enjoy some of mine, which He pleased, I would were now.
As touching your sister's matter, I have caused Walter Welze to write to
my lord my mind therein, whereby I trust that Eve shall not have power to
deceive Adam; for surely, whatsoever is said, it cannot so stand with his
honour but that he must needs take her, his natural daughter, now in her
extreme necessity.
No more to you at this time, mine own darling, but that with a wish I
would we were together an evening.
With the hand of yours,
H. R.
Letter Twelfth To Anne Boleyn
Since your last letters, mine own darling, Walter Welshe, Master Browne,
Thos. Care, Grion of Brearton, and John Coke, the apothecary, be fallen of
the sweat in this house, and, thanked be God, all well recovered, so that
as yet the plague is not fully ceased here, but I trust shortly it shall.
By the mercy of God, the rest of us yet be well, and I trust shall pass
it, either not to have it, or, at the least, as easily as the rest have
done.
As touching the matter of Wilton, my lord cardinal hath had the nuns
before him, and examined them, Mr. Bell being present; which hath
certified me that, for a truth, she had confessed herself (which we would
have had abbess) to have had two children by two sundry priests; and,
further, since hath been kept by a servant of the Lord Broke that was, and
that not long ago. Wherefore I would not, for all the gold in the world,
clog your conscience nor mine to make her ruler of a house which is of so
ungodly demeanour; nor, I trust, you would not that neither for brother
nor sister, I should so destain mine honour or conscience. And, as
touching the prioress, or Dame Eleanor's eldest sister, though there is
not any evident case proved against them, and that the prioress is so old
that for many years she could not be as she was named; yet
notwithstanding, to do you pleasure, I have done that neither of them
shall have it, but that some other good and well-disposed woman shall have
it, whereby the house shall be the better reformed (whereof I ensure you
it had much need), and God much the better served.
As touching your abode at Hever, do therein as best shall like you, for
you best know what air doth best with you; but I would it were come
thereto (if it pleased God), that neither of us need care for that, for I
ensure you I think it long. Suche is fallen sick of the sweat, and
therefore I send you this bearer, because I think you long to hear
tidings from us, as we do likewise from you.
Written with the hand _de votre seul_,
H. R.
Letter Thirteenth To Anne Boleyn
The approach of the time for which I have so long waited rejoices me so
much, that it seems almost to have come already. However, the entire
accomplishment cannot be till the two persons meet, which meeting is more
desired by me than anything in this world; for what joy can be greater
upon earth than to have the company of her who is dearest to me, knowing
likewise that she does the same on her part, the thought of which gives me
the greatest pleasure.
Judge what an effect the presence of that person must have on me, whose
absence has grieved my heart more than either words or writing can
express, and which nothing can cure, but that begging you, my mistress, to
tell your father from me, that I desire him to hasten the time appointed
by two days, that he may be at court before the old term, or, at farthest,
on the day prefixed; for otherwise I shall think he will not do the
lover's turn, as he said he would, nor answer my expectation.
No more at present for lack of time, hoping shortly that by word of mouth
I shall tell you the rest of the sufferings endured by me from your
absence.
Written by the hand of the secretary, who wishes himself at this moment
privately with you, and who is, and always will be,
Your loyal and most assured Servant,
H. no other A B seek R.
Letter Fourteenth To Anne Boleyn
_DARLING_, I heartily recommend me to you, ascertaining you that I am not
a little perplexed with such things as your brother shall on my part
declare unto you, to whom I pray you give full credence, for it were too
long to write. In my last letters I writ to you that I trusted shortly to
see you, which is better known at London than with any that is about me,
whereof I not a little marvel; but lack of discreet handling must needs be
the cause thereof. No more to you at this time, but that I trust shortly
our meetings shall not depend upon other men's light handlings, but upon
our own.
Written with the hand of him that longeth to be yours.
H. R.
Letter Fifteenth To Anne Boleyn
_MINE own SWEETHEART_, this shall be to advertise you of the great
elengeness that I find here since your departing; for, I ensure you
methinketh the time longer since your departing now last, than I was wont
to do a whole fortnight. I think your kindness and my fervency of love
causeth it; for, otherwise, I would not have thought it possible that for
so little a while it should have grieved me. But now that I am coming
towards you, methinketh my pains be half removed; and also I am right
well comforted in so much that my book maketh substantially for my
matter; in looking whereof I have spent above four hours this day, which
causeth me now to write the shorter letter to you at this time, because of
some pain in my head; wishing myself (especially an evening) in my
sweetheart's arms, whose pretty dukkys I trust shortly to kiss.
Written by the hand of him that was, is, and shall be yours by his own
will,
H. R.
Letter Sixteenth To Anne Boleyn
_DARLING_, Though I have scant leisure, yet, remembering my promise, I
thought it convenient to certify you briefly in what case our affairs
stand. As touching a lodging for you, we have got one by my lord
cardinal's means, the like whereof could not have been found hereabouts
for all causes, as this bearer shall more show you. As touching our other
affairs, I assure you there can be no more done, nor more diligence used,
nor all manner of dangers better both foreseen and provided for, so that
I trust it shall be hereafter to both our comforts, the specialities
whereof were both too long to be written, and hardly by messenger to be
declared. Wherefore, till you repair hither, I keep something in store,
trusting it shall not be long to; for I have caused my lord, your father,
to make his provisions with speed; and thus for lack of time, darling, I
make an end of my letter, written with the hand of him which I would were
yours.
H. R.
Letter Seventeenth To Anne Boleyn
The reasonable request of your last letter, with the pleasure also that I
take to know them true, causeth me to send you these news. The legate
which we most desire arrived at Paris on Sunday or Monday last past, so
that I trust by the next Monday to hear of his arrival at Calais: and then
I trust within a while after to enjoy that which I have so long longed
for, to God's pleasure and our both comforts.
No more to you at this present, mine own darling, for lack of time, but
that I would you were in mine arms, or I in yours, for I think it long
since I kissed you.
Written after the killing of a hart, at eleven of the clock, minding, with
God's grace, to-morrow, mightily timely, to kill another, by the hand
which, I trust, shortly shall be yours.
HENRY R.
Letter Eighteenth To Anne Boleyn
To inform you what joy it is to me to understand of your conformableness
with reason, and of the suppressing of your inutile and vain thoughts with
the bridle of reason. I assure you all the good in this world could not
counterpoise for my satisfaction the knowledge and certainty thereof,
wherefore, good sweetheart, continue the same, not only in this, but in
all your doings hereafter; for thereby shall come, both to you and me, the
greatest quietness that may be in this world.
The cause why the bearer stays so long, is the business I have had to
dress up gear for you; and which I trust, ere long to cause you occupy:
then I trust to occupy yours, which shall be recompense enough to me for
all my pains and labour.
The unfeigned sickness of this well-willing legate doth somewhat retard
his access to your person; but I trust verily, when God shall send him
health, he will with diligence recompense his demur. For I know well where
he hath said (touching the saying and bruit that he is thought imperial)
that it shall be well known in this matter that he is not imperial; and
thus, for lack of time, sweetheart, farewell.
Written with the hand which fain would be yours, and so is the heart.
R. H.
Finis
Notes
Love Letters of Henry viii to Anne Boleyn
By J. O. Halliwell Phillips
The letters of Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn, perhaps the most remarkable
documents of the kind known to exist, were published at Oxford in 1720 by
Hearne, in a volume entitled _Roberti de Avesbury Historia de mirabilibus
gestis Edwardi III_, and inserted in the third volume of the Harleian
Miscellany, 1745. These two editions differ considerably from each other,
and still more so from the transcripts here given, which are taken from
the edition printed at Paris by M. Meon, who held a situation in the
Manuscript Department of the Bibliothèque de Roi. The fifth and
thirteenth, however, which are not comprehended in the Vatican collection,
are supplied from Hearne's work. Of the seventeen letters of which the
series consists, eight are written in English and nine in French.
They appear to have been written after Anne Boleyn had been sent away from
court, in consequence of reports injurious to her reputation, which had
begun to be publicly circulated. Her removal indeed was so abrupt that she
had resolved never to return. The king soon repented his harshness, and
strove to persuade her to come back; but it was a long time, and not
without great trouble, before he could induce her to comply. Her
retirement did not take place before the month of May, 1528; this is
proved by a letter from Fox, Bishop of Hereford, to Gardiner, Bishop of
Winchester, dated the 4th of May, in that year, in which the writer, who
had just returned from Rome, whither he had been sent to negotiate the
king's divorce, gives an account of his landing at Sandwich on the 2nd,
of his arrival on the same night at Greenwich, where the king then was,
and of the order he received from him to go to the apartments of Anne
Boleyn, which were in the Tiltyard, and inform her how anxious he had been
to hasten the arrival of the legate, and how much he was rejoiced by it.
This letter, formerly in the collection of Harley, Earl of Oxford, is now
at Rome.
It must have been very soon afterwards that Anne Boleyn left the court. In
fact, in the first letter (4 of this series) the king excuses himself for
being under the necessity of parting from her. In the second (6) he
complains of the dislike which she shows to return to court; but in
neither of them does he allude to the pestilential disease which in that
year committed such ravages in England. In the third (10), however, he
does advert to it as a disorder which has prevailed for some time, and on
which he makes some observations.
Between this letter, probably written in the month of July, and the sixth
(17), in which the king speaks of the arrival of the legate in Paris, and
which must have been written about the end of September, there are two
letters (1 and 5) certainly written within a few days of each other. In
the second of these two, _viz._, the fifth of this series, the king
expresses his extreme satisfaction which he has received from the lady's
answer to his request. In the effusion of his gratitude, he pays a visit
to his mistress, and both address a letter (8) to Cardinal Wolsey, in
which Henry manifests his astonishment at not having yet heard of the
arrival of Campeggio, the legate, in Paris. The date of this letter may
thus be fixed in the month of September.
The fourth (1), apparently written in August, is the most interesting of
the whole collection, inasmuch as it fixes the period of the commencement
of the king's affection for Anne Boleyn. He complains of "having been
above a whole year struck with the dart of love," and that he is not yet
certain whether he shall succeed in finding a place in the heart and
affections of her whom he loves.
The last letter (18), which makes mention of the illness of the legate as
the cause of the delay in the affair of the divorce, shows that this
correspondence ended in May, 1529, at which time the court of legates was
open for the final decision of that point.
Anne, daughter of Sir Thomas Boleyn, subsequently created Earl of
Wiltshire, after passing many years at the court of Claude, queen of
Francis I of France, returned to England about the end of the year 1525,
at the age of eighteen. Here she was soon appointed maid of honour to
Queen Katherine, and attracted the particular attentions of Henry VIII,
who was then engaged in soliciting a divorce from the Pope. The marked
preference shown by the king for Anne Boleyn raised so much jealousy and
slander that it was thought advisable by her family to remove the new
favourite from the court; and it was during this retirement at Hever, a
seat of her father's in Kent, that these letters were addressed to her by
her royal lover. It was no doubt to render them the more agreeable that he
wrote some of them in French. They breathe a fondness and an ardour which
could scarcely leave room to doubt the sincerity of his love.
¶
We have reprinted Mr. Halliwell Phillips to call attention to the change
in order in this edition. A very little study of the letters themselves
showed that the old order was impossible. The first six fall into a group
by themselves, the 6th being the first to which we gave a nearly
approximate date (July, 1527), before Anne's return to court. Henry's
passion must date therefore from 1526. The 7th is fixed by references in
other correspondence to February, 1528, and the 8th to June before she
left the court. The 9th, 10th and 11th relate to the sweating sickness
(end of June, order fixed by incidental references), and the 12th is after
July 5th; the 13th and 14th are before her return. The reference to his
book in No. 15 fixes the date as August, and No. 16 is fixed for August
20th, by Wolsey's finding a lodging for Anne. No. 17 is fixed for
September (16th?) by Campeggio's arrival at Paris (September 14, 1528),
and No. 18 by his illness as towards the end of October. The scheme had
been partly worked out when the editor observed that Mr. Brewer had
already arranged them in his Calendar of State Papers, and to him
therefore this order is due.
The old arrangement was 4, 6, 10, 1, 5, 17, 16, 2, 11, 3, 13, 9, 12, 7,
14, 15, 18, 8.
_Page_ x. _Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn._ Written July, 1527. "Aut illic, aut
nullibi." Either there, or nowhere.
The signature means "H. seeks no other (heart). R."
xiii. _Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn._ This letter was written in July, 1527.
xvi. _Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn._ Written February, 1528. "Ultra posse non
est esse." One can't do more than the possible.
xviii. _Anne Boleyn to Cardinal Wolsey._ MS. _Cott. Vitellius_, B. xii. f.
4. Written June 11, 1528. Printed by Ellis as from Katherine of Arragon.
There is another letter from Anne to Wolsey, thanking him for a present.
It is very similar to this, and is found in MS. _Cott. Otho._ c. x. f. 218
(printed in _Burnet_, i, 104, and in _Ellis_, Original Letters, vol. i).
xxii. _Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn._ Written June 16, 1528.
xxv. _Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn._ This letter was written June 20. "It."
The sweating sickness. This is the 1528 epidemic.
"Your brother." George Boleyn, afterwards Viscount Rochford, executed 1536
on a charge of incest.
xxviii. _Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn._ Written about June 22, 1528. "Welze"
is the same person as "Welshe" on p. xxx.
xxx. _Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn._ Written July 6 (?), 1528. "Suche" is
probably Zouch.
"Destain." Stain.
xxxiv. _Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn._ Written July 20, 1528.
xxxvii. _Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn._ Written July 21, 1528.
xxxix. _Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn._ Written August, 1528. "Elengeness."
Loneliness, misery.
"My book." On the unlawfulness of his marriage with Katherine.
xli. _Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn._ Written August 20, 1528.
xliii. _Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn._ Written September 16, 1528. Campeggio
actually arrived at Calais on Monday, September 14.
xlv. _Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn._ Written at the end of October, 1528.
Transcriber's Note:
The original text contains decorative illustrations that are not
represented in this text file.
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