"felf into many troubles. But I forgive you all, " and pray God to do foe likewife. For the reft, "I commend unto you Mary our daughter, be"feeching you to be a good father to her, as I "have heretofore defired. I muft entreat you "alfo to refpect my maids, and give them in mar"riage, (which is not much, they being but "three) and to all my other fervants a year's pay, " befides their due, left otherwise they should be unprovided for. Laftly, I make this vow, that "mine eyes defire you above all things., Fare« well." ANNE BOLEYN. THIS unfortunate Queen of Henry the Eighth is thus defcribed by Lord Herbert, from a relation "taken out (he fays) of a MS. of one Master Cavendish, Gentleman Ufher to Cardinal Wolfey." ९ "Anne Boleyn was defcended, on the father's "fide, from one of the heirs of the Earles of "Ormonde, and on the mother's from a daughter "of the Houfe of Norfolke; of that fingular "beautie and towardneffe, that her parents took "all care poffible for her good education. There"fore, besides the ordinary parts of virtuous instructions, wherewith fhce was liberally brought "up, " up, they gave her teachers in playing on mufical << inftruments, finging, and dancing; infomuch, "that when she composed her hands to play and "voice to fing, it was joined with that sweetnesse " of countenance that three harmonies concurred. Likewife, when she danced, her rare proportions "varied themselves into all the graces that belong "either to reft or motion." The following original Letter is in the British Museum, and fhews of what confequence Anne Boleyn thought Archbishop Cranmer's interference in her marriage with King Henry the Eighth. It is addreffed to that Prelate, and is curious for the fimplicity of the ftyle, and the orthography of it. My Lord, in my most humble wife I thank your Grace for the gyft of thys benefice for "Master Barlo, how behit this ftandeth to non effecte, for it is made for Tonbridge, and I "would have it (if your pleasure war fo) for Son"dridge; for Tonbrige is in my lord my father's gyft, bi avowson that he hath, and it is not yet "voyd. I do troft that your Grace will graunt "him Sundrig, and confidering the payne that " he hath taken, I do thynke that it shall be verie "well bestovyd, and in fo doing I reckon myself "moche bounde to your Grace. For all those "that have taken pain in the King's matter, it "will be my daily ftudy to imagin all the waies "that I can devyfe to do them fervis and pleasur. "And "And thus I make amende, fendyng you again "the letter that you fent me, thankyng your Grace "most humbley for the payne that you take for "to wryte to me, affuringe you, that next the Kyng's letter, there is nothinge that can rejoice "me fo moche. With the hande of her that is "most bounde to be "Your moft humble " and obedient Servant, My Lord, I befyche your Grace with all my "hart to remember the Parfon of Honey-lane for my fake fhortly." The original of the following Letter from Anne Boleyn to Cardinal Wolfey is alfo in the British Museum; and fhews what pains she took, and what artifices she made ufe of, to gain the affiftance of that powerful Minifter, in her marriage with King Henry. TO CARDINAL WOLSEY. MY LORD, "After my most humble recommendations this "fhall be to give unto your Grace as I am most "bound my humble thanks for the gret payn and "travell that your Grace doth take in stewdyeng "by your wyfdome and gret dylygens howe to bryng to pas honerably the gretyft welth that is poffyble to com to any creator lyvyng and in "efpecyall remembryng howe wrecchyd and un worthy I am in comparyng to his Highnes "And for you I do knowe myself never to have "defervyd by my defertys that you fhuld take this gret payne for me yet dayly of your goodness I do "perceyve by all my ffrends And though that I "hade not knowledge by them the dayly proffe " of your deds doth declare your words and wrytyng toward me to be trewe. Now good my Lord your dyfcreffyon may confyder as yet "howe lytle it is in my power to recompence you "but all onely with my good wyl the whiche I "affewer you that after this matter is brought to pas you fhall find me as I am bownd in the meane tym to owe you my fervyfe and then looke what thyng in this world I can immagen to do you pleafor in you shall fynd me the gladdyst woman " in the world to do yt And next unto the kyng's grace of one thyng I make you full promes to "be affewryd to have yt and that is my harty love unffaynydly dewering my lyf And beyng fully determynd with God's grace never to change thys porpes I make an end of thys my reude and trewe meanyd letter prayng ower Lord to fend you moche increfe of honer with long lyfe. Wrytten with the hand of her that befychys your "Grace to except this letter as profydyng from one "that is moft bownde to be "Your huble and obedyent Servant VOL. I. "ANNE BOLLYN." ^ As "As foon as Fisher, Bifhop of Rochester, was "beheaded," fays Dr. Bayley, in his Life of that Prelate," the executioner carried the head away in a bag, meaning to have it fet on London Bridge "that night, as he was commanded. The Lady "Ann Boleyn, who was the chief cause of this holy man's death, had a certain defire to fee "the head before it was fet up. Whereupon, it "being brought to her, the beheld it a space, and "at laft contemptuously faid these or the like "words:-Is this the head that fo often ex"claimed against me? I truft it shall never do any "more harm.” Orders being iffued by Henry the Eighth, that all ftrangers fhould be removed out of the Tower of London previous to the execution of Anne Boleyn, Master Kingston, Lieutenant of the Tower, wrote the following letter to Mafter Thomas Cromwell, afterwards Lord Cromwell and Earl of Effex. The letter is preferved in Lord Herbert's incomparable Hiftory of the Life and Reign of King Henry the Eighth. "SIR, "If we have not an hour certain (as it may be "known in London) I think here will be but fewe, " and I think a reasonable number were beft. For "I fuppofe fhe will declare herfelf to be a good "woman for all men but for the King, at the hour of her death. For this morning the fent for me, " and |