The Life of Anne Boleyn

Letters of Anne [aged 12] and Thomas Boleyn [aged 36]

The following is the text of Anne's childish letter to her father, of which the original is at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, being bequeathed by Archbishop Parker, one of her chaplains:

Sir, I understand by your letter that you desire that I shall be a worthy woman when I come to the Court and you inform me that the Queen will take the trouble to converse with me, which rejoices me much to think of talking with a person so wise and worthy. This will make me have greater desire to continue speaking French well and also spell, especially because you have enjoined it on me, and with my own hand I inform you that I will observe it the best I can. Sir, I beg you to excuse me if my letter is badly written, for I assure you that the orthography is from my own understanding alone, while the others were only written by my hand, and Semmonet tells me he letter but waits so that I may do it myself…Written at Veure by Your very humble and very obedient daughter, Anna de Boullan.

Your very humble and very obedient daughter, Anna de Boullan.

Monss^r. Je antandue par v^re lettre que a ves envy que toufs onette fame quan Je vindre a la courte et mavertisses que la Rene prendra la pein de devisser a vecc moi de quoy me Regoy bine fort de penser parler a vecc ung perscone tante sage et onnete cela me ferra a voyr plus grante anuy de continuer a parler bene franssais et oussy espel [erased] especy ale man pour sue que melaues tant Recommande et de me man vous a versty que les gardere le meux que Je poure Monss^r Je vous supplya descusser sy ma lettre et male et sipta car je vous asure quete et ottografie de monantend amant sule la vue les aultres ne sont faiz que escript de maman et Semmonet me dit la lettre mes domeura fan je le fie moy meme de peur que lone ne saces sance que Je vous mande et Je vous pry que la loumire de vu vue net libertte de separe la voullante que dites aves de me edere car hile me semble quettes ascure en lue [?] la ou vous poues sy vous plet me vere de claraison de v^re paroile et de moy coues sertene que miara cuoffice de peres ne din gratitude que sut en passer ne et fasere mon a veccfion quecte de libere deviere autant sance que vous plera me commander et vous prommes que mon amour et vondue par ung si grante fermette quele nara James pouer de sane deminuer et feres fin a mon pourpon a pres mettre Recommande bine humblemente a v^re bone grace et script a Veure¹ de V^re tres humble et tres obeiff fille Anna de Boullan."

[Transcription made for the Rev. J. S. Brewer by the Rev. J. R. Lumby.]

Note 1. It isn't clear where "Veure" is. Some argue the letter is written from Hever Castle [Map], some from La Veure aka Tervuren, Brabant.