8th of Januarie, at Kimbolton aforefaid, and "was buried at Peterborrowe."

Lord Herbert, from Polydore Vergil, fays, that Queen Katharine, falling into her laft ficknefs at Kimbolton in Huntingdonshire, in the fiftieth year of her age, and finding her death approaching, caused a maid attending upon her to write to the King to this effect:

6c MY MOST DEAR LORD, KING, AND

HUSBAND,

"The hour of my death now approaching, I "cannot choose but, out of the love I beare you, "to advise you of your foule's health, which you

ought to prefer before all confiderations of the "world or flesh whatfoever; for which yet you "have caft me into many calamities, and your"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, befeeching you to be a good father "to her, as I have heretofore defired. I muft entreat you also to refpect my maids, and give "them in marriage (which is not much, they being but three); and to all my other fervants "a year's pay, befides their due, left otherwise

they fhould be unprovided for. Lastly, I "make this vow, that mine eyes defire you "above all things. Farewell."

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 Car❝dinal Wolfey."

"Anne Boleyn was descended, on the father's "fide, from one of the heirs of the Earles of "Ormonde, and on the mother's from a daugh❝ter of the House of Norfolke; of that fingular "beautie and towardneffe, that her parents took "all care poffible for her good education. "Therefore, befides the ordinary parts of vir"tuous inftructions, wherewith fhee was libe

rally brought up, they gave her teachers in "playing on mufical inftruments, finging, and "dancing; infomuch, that when she compofed "her hands to play and voice to fing, it was

joined with that fweetneffe of countenance "that three harmonies concurred. Likewise, "when fhe 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 consequence Anne Boleyn thought Archbishop Cranmer's interference

ference in her marriage with King Henry the Eighth. It is addreffed to that Prelate, and is curious for the fimplicity of the style, and the orthography of it.

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"My Lord, in my most humble wife I thank

your Grace for the gyft of thys benefice for "Mafter 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 "Sondridge; 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 beftovyd, 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 study to imagin "all the waies that I can devyfe to do them "fervis and pleasur. 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, affur

66

inge you, that next the Kyng's letter, there is "nothinge that can rejoice me fo moche. With

the hande of her that is moft bounde to be

"Your moft humble

❝and obedient Servant,

"ANNE BOLEYN.

My Lord, I befyche your Grace with all my hart to remember the Parfon of Honey"lane for my fake shortly."

The original of the following Letter from Anne Boleyn to Cardinal Wolfey is also in the British Museum; and fhews what pains she took, and what artifices fhe made ufe of, to gain the affiftance of that powerful Minister, in her marriage with King Henry.

<c TO CARDINAL WOLSEY.

MY LORD,

"After my moft humble recommendations "this fhall be to give unto your Grace as I am "moft bound my humble thanks for the gret

payn and travell that your Grace doth take "in ftewdyeng by your wyfdome and gret dylygens howe to bryng to pas honerably the

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gretyft welth that is poffyble to com to any "creator lyvyng and in efpecyall remembryng "howe wrecched and unworthy I am in com

paryng 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 per66 ceyve 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

4.

66

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

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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 "servyfe and then looke what thyng in this "world I can immagen to do you pleafor in you "fhall fynd me the gladdyft woman in the "woreld 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.

"hand of her that befychys

Wrytten with the

your Grace to ex

cept this letter as profydyng from one that is "moft bownde to be

"Your huble and obedyent Servant

"ANNE BOLEYN."

"As foon as Fifher, Bishop 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