Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Anne Boleyn's Execution Speech?

The following was a question that was raised by a follower on my FB page, http://www.facebook.com/thetudorspage AKA: The Tudor Dynasty (received 18 great responses):
When Anne was at the chopping block, should her speech been the graceful one that it was or should she have blasted everyone for how wrong they were?
My Answer:
The speech should have been graceful.  Yes, Anne Boleyn was falsely accused and wrongly executed. However, nothing was going to stop this execution. She had to provide a graceful speech for her daughter, Elizabeth. Anne Boleyn knew that Elizabeth was going to have a hard time, first not having her Mother and second, knowing that she was going to be called a "bastard" as the marriage with Anne would be annulled. The graceful way to exit this world to another and to help your child's future was the way Anne Boleyn conducted herself.



What are your thoughts about this subject?


*the below is from the site http://englishhistory.net/tudor/prianne3.html

Primary Sources: 1536: Anne Boleyn's speech at her execution

sketch of Anne Boleyn by Hans Holbein the YoungerThis account of Anne Boleyn's speech at her execution was made by the Tudor chronicler Edward Hall.
The execution took place on 19 May 1536 at 8 o'clock in the morning.  It was the first public execution of an English queen.
'Good Christian people, I am come hither to die, for according to the law, and by the law I am judged to die, and therefore I will speak nothing against it.  I am come hither to accuse no man, nor to speak anything 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.  O Lord have mercy on me, to God I commend my soul.'
After being blindfolded and kneeling at the block, she repeated several times:
'To Jesus Christ I commend my soul; Lord Jesu receive my soul.'








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