Anne Boleyn
18th Century
In prison in the Tower, Anne became peculiarly unstable. She would swing from resignation to hilarity, and was frequently be heard to laughing, or making small jokes about her predicament. Here lies, I think, a clue to her beguiling character. Wits and people of vivacity always come to a good end, and Anne was determined to do just that.
Anne Boleyn's "final request" was to import an executioner from France, as it was the french custom to utilize a finely honed sword for decaptitation rather than the crude and clumsy English axe. For even the most seasoned executioner it was not unlikely for the deed to be accomplished in two, three and sometimes four rather painful blows. Her request was mercifully granted.
Upon the morning she was to die she asked the Constable of the Tower if it would hurt. His reply was that the blow was very "subtle". "I heard the executioner was very good. And I have a little neck." she replied as she put her hand around her throat and burst out laughing.
Once upon the scaffold she turned to face her "audience", hundreds of Londoners and Peers of the Realm come to watch a Queen die.
"Good Christian People, I have not come here to preach a sermon; I have come here to die...I am come hither to accuse no man, nor to speak 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."
Click here for the Last letter from Anne to Henry, after she had been imprisoned in the Tower.
Right after Anne's execution King Henry preposed to Jane Seymour. He had been tired of Anne and created a reason to get rid of her even if it ment her death. Cruel King Henry was for Anne just dropped her hankerkief(by accident)to her brother and that was the one single mistake that Henry had been waiting for to get rid of Anne;because a women dropping her hankerkief ment that she was admiring or being flirtious(which was not the case). Also Jane Parker(George Boleyn's wife)had told the King Henry that she had seen Anne and George together(they were brother and sister) but Jane Parker lied. Later on when Jane Parker was to be exucuted she confessioned that she had lied about seeing them together. I wonder how King Henry felt about that?