Love Letters from King Henry VIII to his second wife, Anne Boleyn (Guest Blog)

I like to share posts that my followers share with me at least once a Month on this site.  Since it's Valentine's Day Week, I find this post to be perfect for this month.                                                                                                                                           

"Love Letters from King Henry VIII to his second wife, Anne Boleyn" by Michelle Roberti

It was King Henry VIII of England, who in 1537, declared Valentine's Day to be an official holiday. Although the holiday still kept its religious connotations it would be one hundred years later before it would become a secular celebration.

To honor such a deed, I thought it apropos to share with everyone Henry's fourth letter to his soon to be wife-Anne Boleyn. This letter was written shortly after she departed from court and his company, albeit temporarily and obviously before she was beheaded.

Henry was absolutely smitten with Anne. It was noted by Eustache Chapuys, a Venetian envoy, that Henry "could not leave her for an hour." Anne was unlike any of the women that graced his court. She was smart, coy, and coquettish. Having lived at the French court during her teen years she returned to England "French" in mannerism and dress. She played the "love game" very well, and held Henry at bay sexually for seven years. Unfortunately, that love shortly dissipated after their marriage; but that's another story entirely. For today, let's focus on Henry's love for Anne in the following letters.

This is Henry's first letter to Anne:

"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 lessend; 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 it is 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."

One would think that having a picture of Henry would be most unsatisfactory to a woman. However, Henry was a very handsome man in his younger days. He was tall, athletically built and with a beautiful head of golden red hair.

This letter, the fourth, clearly demonstrates how heartsick Henry was over Anne:

"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 find 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 give 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. 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"

Tudor, Henry. " Love Letters of Henry Eight to Anne BoleynWatchmaker Publishing. 2009

Weir, Alison. "The Lady in the Tower." Jonathan Cape: London. 2009. p 11