“From my doleful prison in the Tower this sixt of May”

May 6, 2015

Hilary Mantel’s “Wolf Hall” trilogy has enjoyed a meteoric trajectory from double Booker-prize winning books and a BBC series smash to, now, a standing-room-only Broadway show running in the theatre that was once home to “Cats.”

What makes the story of Henry VIII and his court so irresistible? Mantel has brought us something new in the telling, to be sure. But this copy of a letter said to have been written by Anne Boleyn to Henry VIII, while she was imprisoned in the Tower and awaiting her trial for treason and adultery, provides material evidence of the emotional stakes that underpin the Tudor drama.

Some early modern historians have questioned the authenticity of the original letter, citing among other things the fact that Anne does not sign herself Anne the Queen. The original is said to have been found among Thomas Cromwell’s papers after his death and labeled across the top: “To the King from the Lady in the Tower.”  If indeed this letter was written on May 6, 1536, it is unlikely to have ever reached or been read by Henry VIII.  

Note that even in this copy, made at least one hundred years after Anne’s beheading, spelling has not been regularized and the forms of letters, such as “c,” “h” and “r” are different from what they are today. Many thanks to my colleague, archivist and paleographer Diane Ducharme, for her help in transcribing this beautiful, but in places tricky, early-modern hand, which alternates between secretary and italic.

The letter is pictured in full under the multimedia tab at right. Our transcription follows:

Queene Anna Bullins Letter to Kinge Henry the eight when shee was prisoner in the Tower

Sire

your Graces displeasure and mine imprisonment are things so strange unto mee as what to write or what to express I am alltogether ignorant whereas you send unto mee (willing mee to confess a truth and so to obtaine your favour by such a one whom you knowe to bee ancient professed enemy, I no sooner received this message then I rightly conceived your meaninge, and if as you say confessinge a truth indeede may procure my safety I shall with all willingnesse and Deutie perform your Command; But let not your Grace euer imagine that your poore seruant and wife will euer bee brought to acknowledge a fault where not so much as a thought thereof euer proceeded and to speak a truth never Prince had a wife more loyall in all duetie and in all true affection then you have ever found in Anne Bulleine with which name and place I could willingly have byn contented if God and your Graces pleasure had so much pleased neither  did I at any tyme forgett my selfe in my exaltation or received Queeneshipp but that I allways looked for such an Alteration as now I finde for the ground of my preferment being no surer foundation then your Graces fancy the least alteration I knowe was fitt and sufficient to drawe that fancy to some other subject.

         You have chosen mee from a low estate to bee your Queene and Companion farr beyond my desert or desire if then you finde mee worthy of such Honour good your Grace lett not any light fancy or badd Council of my Enemies with-drawe your Princely favour from mee, neither lett that staine that unworthy staine of a disloyalle Hart towards your good Grace euer cast so foule a blott on your most dutifull wife, and the infant Princesse your Daughter bye mee good Kinge but lett mee have a lawfull tryalle and let not my sworne enemies sitt as my Accusers and Judges; Yea lett mee receive an open tryalle for my truth shall feare no open shames then shall you see either my Innocency cleared, your suspition and conscience satisfied, the Ignominy and the slander of the World stopped or my guilt openly declared so that whatsoever God or you may determine of mee your Grace is at liberty both before God and man not only to execute worthy punishment on mee as an unfaithfull wife but to follow your affection already settled on that partie 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 suspition therein But if you have already determined of mee, and that not only my Death but an infamous slander must bring you the injoying of your desired Happiness then I desire of God that hee will pardon your greate sinne herein & likewise my enemies the judgment thereof and that hee will not call you to a straite accompt for your Un-Princely and cruelle usage of mee at his Generall Judgment seate and both you and my selfe must shortly appeare, and in whose just judgment I doubt not (whatsoever the world may think of mee) my innocency shall bee openly knowne and sufficiently cleared.

            My last and only request shall bee that my selfe only may beare the burthen of your Grace’s Displeasure and that it may not touch the innocent soules of theis poore gents (whom as I understand)  are likewise in straite imprisonment for my sake. If euer I have found favour in your sight if euer the name of Anne Bullein has byn pleasing in your Ears lett mee obtaine this last request, and I will so leave to trouble your Grace any further with my earnest prayer for the Trinitie to have your Grace in his good reckoning and to direct you in all your actions. From my doleful prison in the Tower this Sixt of May Your most loyalle and euer faithfull wife.

                                                                                                                                                                                                            Anne Bulleine