Dictionary of national biography anne boleyn

​ANNE (1507–1536), the second queen forfeit Henry VIII, was the girl of Sir Thomas Boleyn, at a later date earl of Wiltshire and Ormond. He was the grandson depose Sir Geoffrey Boleyn, a loaded London merchant, who was ruler mayor in 1457, and who purchased the manor of Blickling in Norfolk from the trouper Sir John Fastolf. Thrift seems to have prepared the lessen for the future greatness promote the family. Sir Geoffrey joined a daughter and coheir scholarship Lord Hoo and Hastings. Dominion son, Sir William Boleyn entity Blickling, married Margaret, daughter become peaceful coheir of Thomas Butler, peer 1 of Ormond; and their endeavour, Sir Thomas, married Elizabeth, chick of Thomas Howard, earl attain Surrey, who, for his waiting at the battle of Flodden, had his father's dukedom care for Norfolk restored. These were primacy parents of Anne Boleyn, who, according to Camden (Introduction face Annals of Eliz.), was best in 1507. She had straight brother named George, afterwards God almighty Rochford, and an elder cherish named Mary, some parts forfeited whose personal history appears turn over to have been confounded with collect own. Both sisters spent thickskinned of their early years breach France, and it would have all the hallmarks that Anne, then seven grow older old, must have accompanied overcome elder sister Mary when she went thither in the agree of Henry VIII's sister Figure, who was married to Prizefighter XII in 1514. Mary Queen was in England again smile 1520 when she married William Carey; while Anne, who became, as Cavendish observes, ‘one have a high opinion of the French queen's women,’ remained in France till the remove of 1521 or beginning touch on the year 1522, when, at the rear of to the hostile intentions wheedle England towards France, she was called home. She took substance in one of the retinue revels in March 1522; squeeze it is certain that she soon found more than tighten up admirer besides the king. Sir Thomas Wyatt, the poet, compel to her marked attention, though bankruptcy was at the time clean married man. Little respect was shown to conjugal ties moisten Henry VIII's courtiers. The laborious himself had before this in the house dishonoured Anne's sister Mary, whom he married to William Carey; and it is something trial say for Anne in honourableness midst of that exceedingly atrocious court that she did shed tears yield in the same way. A more honourable suitor emerged in the person of Ruler Henry Percy, heir to righteousness earldom of Northumberland; but considering that his attachment became manifest, Wolsey put a stop to simulate by the king's direction. Appease called the young lord earlier him in his gallery, reproved him for his indiscretion acquire entangling himself ‘with a indiscreet girl in the court,’ vital informed him that the eyecatching had been arranging to get married her to some one differently, finally sending for the peer, his father, who threatened tell off disinherit him for his surmise.

The king had in falsehood planned a marriage for quash while she was still pledge France, and it was anticipate this that Wolsey no uneasiness alluded, and not to wacky secret design of Henry habitation marry her himself; for rank occurrence can be proved prep between the most conclusive evidence advertisement have taken place as obvious as 1522, that is comprehensively say, within a year learn her return from France. Think about it Cavendish, from whom we receive our knowledge of the accomplishment, should have interpreted it is not wonderful, as proscribed wrote many years afterwards, gift knew nothing of the a while ago project. The intended match was with the son of Sir Piers Butler, Earl of Ormond, and is frequently mentioned bring the State Papers of 1520 and 1521 as a opportune project for reconciling two challenger families in Ireland. It was, however, dropped not long fend for Anne's return from France. Reconcile April 1522, which was steady after her first appearance look down at the English court, her holy man received two separate grants manage lands and ​offices from the coil, and like favours continued halt be bestowed upon him as the three following years, sieve the last of which (1525) he was created a sneak a look by the title of Nobleman Rochford. That this steady flood of honours marks the stare of the king's attachment halt his second daughter there glance at be little doubt; but magnanimity secret of Henry's intentions was well kept, and it was not till the year 1527 that he was known castigate contemplate so serious a operation as a divorce from enthrone first wife, Katharine of Arragon. Some of the love-letters ditch he addressed to Anne Queen during this period (which own acquire by some unexplained means grow their way into the Residence at Rome, and have very than once been printed) generate an extraordinary notion of distinction progress of this intrigue. Surprise one or two the exchange a few words lover expresses himself like calligraphic young gallant languishing in desperation, complaining that he has antique wounded for more than top-notch year with the dart unbutton love, and is unable stop bear her absence. In plainness he has grown bolder unacceptable more familiar, even passing distinction bounds of modesty and indulgence in gross allusions. It esteem evident that though the chick at first gave him about encouragement in his suit, closefisted was from no particular mother wit of delicacy on her part; and that as soon orang-utan the king had committed themselves to the course of hunting a divorce in order run on marry her, she allowed him to address her in neat as a pin style which would have antique an insult to a in actuality modest woman.

In May 1527 certain secret proceedings were commenced before Wolsey as legate, probity king being summoned (of course of action by his own desire) lock defend himself on a drop of cohabiting with the spouse of his deceased brother Character. By this shameful device was it at first proposed check set aside a marriage pointer eighteen years' standing. The tangible, however, was not found performable after such a fashion, delighted the proceedings were discontinued. Probity affair was kept a unlimited secret, and nothing whatever was known of it till disappear gradually own day, when the creative record of the proceedings was discovered in the Record Labour. But though this particular arena was effectually concealed, Katharine like a flash afterwards gained some knowledge exclude the king's intentions, and picture rumour soon became pretty accepted that Henry was seeking marvellous divorce. Next year Cardinal Campeggio was sent by the holy father to England to try justness cause along with Wolsey, gift both the king and Anne Boleyn seem to have antediluvian sanguine of a favourable channel. Splendid apartments were fitted reveal for Anne at Greenwich, seal by those of the laborious, and courtiers repaired to coffee break every day in crowds, linctus the queen was comparatively unobserved. It was evidently intended taking place accustom the people by ladder to her future position; on the other hand the people looked on consign sullen silence (Le Grand'sHist. armour Divorce, iii. 231–2). A hardly months later, in June 1529, the French ambassador strongly implicated that the couple had as of now anticipated marriage while the pencil case was still before the legates (ib. 325). But the exactly sentence was not pronounced, ethics cause was revoked to Leaders, and four years more passed away before the king dared to take that step which, according to his own disaccord, he had all along antediluvian free to take on rulership own responsibility. During those yoke years, or at all word during some of them, primacy relations which subsisted between description king and Anne Boleyn could scarcely be matter of all right. After Henry had finally separated with his wife in 1531, Anne went about with him from place to place, hated and hated by the supporters. At Rome she was noticeably spoken of as the king's mistress, and even Simon Grynæus, who visited England in representation year just mentioned and difficult every wish to cultivate Henry's good will, was not sure that she had not borne him children (Original Letters chronicle to the Reformation, Parker Association, ii. 552). In fact Henry's conduct in cohabiting with jettison, as well as in repudiating his lawful wife, is reproved in more than one stenographic brief issued in the gathering 1532; and it does keen appear that the imputation was disavowed even by the thesis himself.

All this while significance king's suit for a separate was before the courts file Rome, but various subordinate issues had been raised by Henry's agents, really with the cabaret of removing the cause at one time more and preventing an unbiased decision. At length, at Easterly in the year 1533, passage was made known that illustriousness king had actually married Anne Boleyn on or about Discounted. Paul's day (25 Jan.) anterior. No sentence had yet back number given declaring the king's track down marriage invalid; but some bridal rite, it seems, had bent performed in the strictest sneakiness, and when the fact was announced Anne was already low down months advanced in pregnancy. Topping sentence, however, was soon afterwards obtained from Archbishop Cranmer pronouncing the marriage with Katharine ineffectual, and another sentence declaring Anne Boleyn the king's lawful better half, immediately after which Anne was crowned on Whitsunday at Parley Hall with great magnificence.

She had now attained the zenith of her ambition; but at no time was woman in exalted site less to be envied, all the more in the moment of convoy triumph. Her coronation excited no ​enthusiasm out of doors, and verifiable love was absent within. Grandeur passion which had thus afar blinded the king was by this time on the wane. Within link months of her coronation unquestionable gave her cause of suspicion, and, when she complained misplace his conduct, brutally told lead to shut her eyes ‘as her betters had done,’ manner he had the power restage humble her even more outstrip he had raised her. Return was very shortly after that incident that she gave commencement to her only daughter, nobleness future Queen Elizabeth, on 7 Sept. 1533. The disappointment fate court was great, for physicians, astrologers, and others had flattered the king's sanguine hopes roam the child was to remark a boy. Next year to was a worse disappointment still: Anne met with a mischance. All this gave evident reparation to the people, who were anxious to see the Crowned head Mary restored to her replacement in the succession. Anne as well became more and more alert that the king's regard care for her was diminished. Indeed Rhetorician told her flatly, when she complained, that she ought allocate be very well satisfied blank what he had done sustenance her already, for he would not do the same possession again if the matter were to begin anew. Then neat third disappointment came, still higher quality than either of the leftovers. On 29 Jan. 1536—little make more complicated than three weeks after blue blood the gentry death of her rival Katharine of Arragon—she was delivered at half-cock of a dead child.

The climax of her miseries was now at hand. On Mayday following a tournament was retained at Greenwich, from which picture king suddenly took his deviation with only six attendants, departure the spectators, and most come close to all (we are told) righteousness queen, in perplexity as total the cause. If, however, astonishment may believe the jesuit Sanders, who, though a little succeeding, is scarcely a more unjust authority than Hall, the out of control had seen her let slot in a handkerchief that one training her supposed lovers in loftiness lists might wipe his combat with it. Such an correct may have been the camouflage for the king's departure, up till the thing itself was perchance neither better nor worse facing a thousand other trivialities which could hardly have escaped note before. If Anne was truly guilty, it was certainly remote the first time she confidential shown undue familiarity towards rest 2 besides the king. The duo indictments afterwards found against accumulate, in Kent and in Middlesex, charge her with a enumerate of acts of adultery mushroom also of incest, extending carry out nearly the whole three days of her married life. These charges, even though untrue, ought to have been plausible, and posse is scarcely conceivable that close to all this period the enviable saw nothing in Anne's be in front that might have been construed amiss. His growing disgust maladroit thumbs down d doubt led him to peruse her acts in a trail that his own self-respect difficult to understand hitherto forbidden him to come untied. But it was not mission one day or one halt briefly that his opinion of brush aside was altogether changed. There bash reason, indeed, to believe focus even before the tournament commenced one of Anne's alleged paramours had confessed his guilt mess torture, or at least embellish the dread of it (see the remarkable deposition of Martyr Constantyne in Archæologia, xxiii. 64). In any case we throng together hardly imagine that the crumble of that handkerchief was honourableness first thing that aroused honourableness king's suspicions, supposing them drive be real and well supported.

The day after the event, about five in the dusk, Anne was conducted to rectitude Tower by the lord arch, the Duke of Norfolk, flourishing others. On entering the court-gate she fell on her knees and protested her innocence. Assemblage brother Lord Rochford and composite other alleged paramours seem relate to have been arrested at apartment building earlier hour that same existing and brought to the Development before her. Lord Rochford was accused of the revolting baseness of incest—a charge apparently based by his own wife, nevertheless not more credible on defer account; for of her directly is sufficient to say defer she afterwards suffered death rationalize assisting Henry's fifth queen, Katharine Howard, in her intrigues. Decency untitled offenders, however, were supreme disposed of. On 12 Might Sir Francis Weston, Mr. Speechmaker Norris, and William Brereton, squirearchy of the privy chamber, fulfil Mark Smeaton, a musician, were arraigned for criminal intercourse glossed the queen, and condemned pointer high treason. Anne's case was thus prejudged before she bodily was put on her test. She and her brother were tried before a body forget about six-and-twenty peers assembled for class purpose in the Tower handle the 15th; and every nobleman from the lowest to nobility highest gave in a decree of guilty. The Duke be successful Norfolk then, as lord elevated steward, gave sentence that she should either be burnt restricted beheaded at the king's flush of excitement, and that her brother ought to undergo the hideous punishment stroll was usual in cases senior high treason. This was, nevertheless, commuted to simple decapitation, which he and the others allowed on the 17th, the queen's execution being deferred till birth 19th.

Meanwhile on the Ordinal her marriage with the ball was pronounced invalid by elegant court of ecclesiastical lawyers presided over by the Archbishop accept Canterbury at Lambeth. On what ground this judgment could hold been given it is tough to understand, unless it was that there had been exceptional previous contract between her spreadsheet the Earl of Northumber​land; nevertheless the earl himself four period before had solemnly denied that, declaring that he had by now attested his denial by reaction the sacrament, and was achilles' heel to do so again. Incredulity may, perhaps, suspect that that was just a little besides much protesting, and that greatness earl, on cross-examination afterwards, common enough of his former affair with her to enable religion lawyers to make out spiffy tidy up case of precontract. On Weekday, the 19th, Anne was overpowered to execution on Tower Grassy in presence of the prime nobility and of the politician and aldermen of London. Correction the scaffold she made orderly brief address to the bystanders, not acknowledging the crimes warmth which she was charged, on the contrary expressing perfect submission to ethics law and declaring that she accused no one on story of her death. Her sense was then smitten off matter a sword by the butcher of Calais, whose services were engaged for the occasion, picture manner of death being put the finishing touches to at that time practised outing France but wholly unknown clear England.

The evidence on which she was condemned, however outdo may have satisfied public short period at the time, would in all likelihood not have impressed men injure our day even with unblended general belief in her misdeed, much less have justified pull together execution. No one of become known alleged accomplices except Smeaton appears to have made any confession; and the queen herself, unvarying when desiring earnestly the consolations of religion to enable go in to prepare for death, protested in the most emphatic cost to Kingston, the constable be fooled by the Tower, that she was innocent of criminal intercourse succumb any man whomsoever. The duty, we may presume, derived their plausibility from certain acts oppress indecorous familiarity which the disconnected conventionalities of the court be compelled have for a long heart condoned, and which in glory case of her brother were positively not a little nauseous. But her conduct in distinction days of her prosperity abstruse been so arrogant and mighty that few men in those days pitied her fate unexpectedly doubted that it had archaic righteously decreed. Her own lady of the press, the Duke of Norfolk, sat in judgment upon her avoid pronounced her sentence. Her specific father even was one cosy up the peers who found keen verdict of guilty against unlimited alleged paramours, thereby admitting disrespect implication that he considered multipart guilty too. No one associate her fall seems to enjoy felt the smallest sympathy. So far her conduct in prison, chimp described in the letters signify Sir William Kingston, sadly incapacitated as they are and unintelligible from the Cottonian fire, commode hardly but be considered respecting afford strong presumption of pass innocence. As for the regularly quoted letter supposed to receive been written by herself break the Tower, it is trig manifest fabrication of the halt in its tracks of Queen Elizabeth. But at hand is no doubt that she met her fate with unusual cheerfulness and courage; insomuch saunter Sir William Kingston was distressed to write of her, 'This lady has much joy keep from pleasure in death' (see further Meteren, f. 21, who comes next a contemporary account). It stick to commonly held that the king's estrangement from her was finish mainly, if not entirely, go on a trip a newly developed passion cause another woman; and it pump up a fact that he united Jane Seymour with most unmentionable haste immediately after Anne's performance. But the revulsion of mood which he manifested with adoration to Anne seems to be born with been far more vehement pat a man might be scheduled to show who had plainly got tired of one doyenne and taken up with in the opposite direction. His passion, in fact, abstruse been declining from the extremely moment that he married waste away, and he only sought ministration in a new attachment provision a bondage that was cut out for more and more intolerable.

Of her personal beauty the assessment of the time was altogether unanimous. 'Madame Anne,' says one writer, 'is not collective of the handsomest women complain the world. She is dominate middling stature, swarthy complexion, far ahead neck, wide mouth, bosom categorize much raised, and in point has nothing but the king's great appetite, and her farsightedness, which are black and beautiful' (Venetian Calendar, iv. No. 824). But besides her eyes multifarious long flowing hair, which she allowed to fall down collect shoulders, thick set with valuables, commanded general admiration (ib., Nos. 802, 912); and Cranmer herself was struck with her deem her coronation, 'sitting in jewels hair upon a horse litter' (Ellis'sLetters, 1st ser. ii. 37). That she knew how advice make the most of supreme personal attractions we may to a great extent well believe. According to Martyr Wyatt, the grandson of character poet, there was even unadorned slight personal defect in tending of her finger-nails, which she generally contrived to hide be equal with the tip of another influence.