Pretty Dukkys

The Love Letters of Henry VIII

to Anne Boleyn
With notes by J. O. Halliwell-Phillips

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Transcribed from the printed edition published by

John W. Luce and Company, 1906

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 Henry VIII: 1491 - 1547
Anne Boleyn: c.1501 - 1536

Anne was Henry’s second wife and the mother of

the future Queen Elizabeth 1

Pretty Dukkys?
Refer to Letter Fifteenth and Notes
Contents

Letter First to Anne Boleyn 1

Letter Second to Anne Boleyn 3
Letter Third to Anne Boleyn 4
Letter Fourth to Anne Boleyn 5
Letter Fifth to Anne Boleyn 6
Letter Sixth to Anne Boleyn 8
Letter Seventh to Anne Boleyn 10
Letter Eighth: Anne Boleyn to Wolsey 11
Postscript by Henry VIII 12
Letter Ninth to Anne Boleyn 13
Letter Tenth to Anne Boleyn 14
Letter Eleventh to Anne Boleyn 16
Letter Twelfth to Anne Boleyn 17
Letter Thirteenth to Anne Boleyn 19
Letter Fourteenth to Anne Boleyn 21
Letter Fifteenth to Anne Boleyn 22
Letter Sixteenth to Anne Boleyn 23
Letter Seventeenth to Anne Boleyn 24
Letter Eighteenth to Anne Boleyn 25
Notes by J. O. Halliwell-Phillips 27
 The Love Letters of Henry VIII 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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

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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 (AB ) ne cherse R.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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. (AB) R.

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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

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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 always will be

yours,

Im- H. R. -mutable

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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 (and 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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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 AB seek R.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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 demure. For I know well
where he hath said (lamenting the saying and brute
(Noyse) 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.

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Written with the hand which fain would be yours,

and so is the heart.

H. R.

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Notes 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

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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.

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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.

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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.

P.6. Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn. Written July, 1527. "Aut

illic, aut nullibi." Either there, or nowhere.

The signature means "H. seeks no other (brackets signify a

heart shape). R."

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 The Love Letters of Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn

P.8. Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn. Written in July, 1527.

P.10. Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn. Written February, 1528.

"Ultra posse non est esse." One can't do more than the
possible.

P.11. 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).

P.13. Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn. Written June 16, 1528.

P.14. 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.

P.16. Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn. Written about June 22,

1528. "Welze" is the same person as "Welshe" on p. 17.

P17. Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn. Written July 6 (?), 1528.

"Suche" is probably Zouch. "Destain." Stain.

P.19. Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn. Written July 20, 1528.

P.21. Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn. Written July 21, 1528.

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P.22. Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn. Written August, 1528.

"Elengeness." Loneliness, misery.

"My book." On the unlawfulness of his marriage with

Katherine.

“Dukkys” breasts.

P.23. Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn. Written August 20, 1528.

P.24. Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn. Written September 16,

1528. Campeggio actually arrived at Calais on Monday,
September 14.

P25. Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn. Written at the end of

October, 1528.

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