The beheading of Anne Boleyn began at 8am with her speech.
‘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.’
She was blindfolded. She knelt down, putting her neck on the block and repeated:
‘To Jesus Christ I commend my soul; Lord Jesu receive my soul.’
Recorded by Edward Hall (spelling modernized)
https://www.hevercastle.co.uk/news/19th-may-anniversary-of-anne-boleyns-execution
Here is a slightly annoyingly American youtube feature recreating what Anne Boleyn might have looked like.
To hear about Queen Elizabeth I’s nicknames for her chief advisers, read my post here.
Published in 2024, and revised in 2025.
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