Love Letters from King Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn

A love letter written by Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn is seen in this handout photograph, received in London on February 13, 2009.

Credit: Reuters/The British Library/Handout

 

 

 

My mistress and Friend,

I and my heart put ourselves in your hands, begging you to recommend us to your good grace and not let absence lessen your affection...

For myself the pang of absence is already to great, and when I think of the increase of what I must needs suffer it would be well nigh intolerable but for my firm hope of your unchangeable affection...

 

In debating with myself the contents of your letters I have been put to a great agony; not knowing how to understand them, wether to my disadvantage as shown in some places, or to my advantage as in others.  I beseech you now with all my heart definitely to let me know your whole mind as to the love between us; for necessity compels me to plague you for a reply, having been for more than a year now struck by the dart of love, and being uncertain either of failure or of finding a place in your heart and affection, which point has certainly kept me for some time from naming you my mistress, since if you only love me with an ordinary love the name is not appropriate to you, seeing that it stands for an uncommon position very remote from the ordinary; but if it pleases you to do the duty of a true, loyal mistress and friend, and to give yourself body and heart to me, who have been, and will be, your very loyal servant (if your rigor does notforbig me), I promise you that not only the name will be due to you, but also to take you as my sole mistress, casting off all others than yourself out of mind and affection, and to serve only you; begging you to make me a complete reply to this my rude letter as to how far and in what I can trust; and if it does not please you ro reply in writting, to let me know of some place where I can have it by word of mouth, the which place I will seek out with all my heart.  No more for fear of wearing you. Written by the hand of him who would willingly remain yours.

HR

 

Posted by Mags