BOOK THE FOURTH. PUBLIC HISTORY, ILLUSTRATED BY LETTERS. I.-PRAYER FOR A FAIR TRIAL. Queen Anne Boleyn to Henry the Eighth. 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 send unto me (willing me to confess a truth, and so obtain your favor) by such an 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 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 a thought thereof preceded. And, to speak a truth, never prince had wife more loyal in all duty, and in all true affection, than you have ever found in Anne Boleyn; 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 300 PUBLIC HISTORY, Queen Anne Boleyn to Henry the Eighth-Prayer for a Fair Trial. always looked for such an alteration as now I find; for th ground of my preferment being on no surer foundation than you grace's fancy, the least alteration I know was fit and sufficien to draw that fancy to some other subject. You have chosen m from a low estate to be your queen and companion, far beyoni my desert and desire. If, then, you found me worthy of such honor, good your grace let not any light fancy, or bad counsel of mine enemies, withdraw your princely favor from me; neither let that stain, that unworthy stain, of a disloyal heart toward 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; yea, let me receive an open trial (for my truth shall fear no open shame); then shall you see either mine innocence 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; and that he will not call you to a strict account for your unprincely and cruel usage of me, at his general judgment-seat, Queen Anne Boleyn to Henry the Eighth-Prayer for a Fair Trial. where both you and myself must shortly appear, and in whose judgment, I doubt not (whatsoever the world may think of me), mine innocence shall be openly known and sufficiently cleared. My last and only request shall be, that myself 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 found favor in your sight, if ever the name of Anne Boleyn hath been pleasing in your ears, then let me obtain this request, and I will so leave to trouble your grace any farther with my earnest prayers 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 of May. Your most loyal and ever faithful wife. * *"This letter contains so much nature, and even elegance," says Hume, as to deserve to be transmitted to posterity without any alteration in the expression." The original manuscript was partly destroyed by fire in 1731. It is now to be seen in the British Museum, with the marks of its partial mutilation by the flames. "It is not wonderful," says Sir James Mackintosh, "that the excitement of such a moment, if it left Anne calmness enough to write, should raise her language to an energy unknown in her other writings. If this explanation from Lord Herbert should be deemed inadequately to account for the singular exactness and elegance of the composition, why may we not suppose, consistently with its substantial authenticity, that a compassionate confessor, or one lingering friend, may have secretly lent his hand to refine and elevate the diction? Sir Thomas Wyatt, one of the fathers of English poetry (to take an instance), could not have forgotten that his heart had once been touched by her youthful loveliness, and if he had been moved by a generous remembrance of affection to lend his help at her utmost need,' he would assuredly not have disturbed any of the inimitable strokes of nature which she could scarcely avoid, but which it is unlikely that he with all his genius could have invented."-H. |