Noli me Tangere: The Relationship of Anne Boleyn and Thomas Wyatt

I have long pondered the relationship between Anne and Thomas Wyatt. History would tell us that he was the elder brother of one of Anne's good friends, Anne Wyatt. The Wyatt family estate was not far from the Boleyn ancestral home, Hever. We can assume that as neighbors, Anne and Thomas would have been familiar with each other but not that they were close. Anne left England (Ca. 1513/4) at a very young age to serve in the house of Margaret of Austria who praised Anne's intelligence and piety. Although there is no record, we can assume that Thomas would have been fostered by a powerful family closer to court and the King's favor, as was tradition during the period. Anne lived abroad for many years returning to England in 1523. Once at court she immediately attracted attention from the men of court. One was even quoted as calling her a ..."rare beauty with a soul of gold..." Wyatt's descendant George would later write of his grandfather's attraction to Anne in his biography Anne Boleigne saying, "he was surprised by the sight thereof..." Despite the attentions foisted upon Anne, we only know of one serious relationship, that of Anne and Henry Percy. The two wished to be married, an action undermined by Cardinal Wolsey who accused Anne of reaching too high in her marital ambitions. Facing the King's displeasure and a possible dent in her sterling reputation, Anne retreated to Hever. There was no chance of a romance blooming between Wyatt and Anne during her "exile" because court records confirm that Wyatt was away at court serving as the King's clerk of jewels. Anne returned to court, becoming almost instantly the object of Henry's affections.
Anne was an extremely intelligent, observant woman. She realized how quickly the King's favor and her own head could be lost. I am certain that she would not have risked the King's love and her life to pursue an affiar with the lower born Wyatt. Wyatt's own poetry suggests that there was a lack of interest on Anne's part:

Whoso list to hunt, I know where is an hind,

But as for me, hélas, I may no more.

The vain travail hath wearied me so sore,

I am of them that farthest cometh behind.

Yet may I by no means my wearied mind

Draw from the deer, but as she fleeth afore

Fainting I follow. I leave off therefore,

Sithens in a net I seek to hold the wind.

Who list her hunt, I put him out of doubt,

As well as I may spend his time in vain.

And graven with diamonds in letters plain

There is written, her fair neck round about:

Noli me tangere, for Caesar's I am,

And wild for to hold, though I seem tame.

We may never know the true extent of the relationship between Anne and Thomas. I believe that while they may have had a flirtation prior to her marriage and coronation, Thomas was nothing more than a distant admirer afterward. Anne was known for her beauty, intelligence and wit which was sure to inspire admiration amongst the men of the court. Courtly devotion stemming from the unmarried men of the Tudor court and directed at the Queen was not uncommon; poets and musicians often praised Catherine of Aragon's piety and beauty (including her hair and face) prior to her fall from grace.
 In my opinion Thomas Wyatt represents nothing more than a case of unrequited love, as primary sources offer no other evidence. The innocence of their interaction is also suggested by the fact that Wyatt survived the execution of Anne's supposed lovers. What do you think followers? Does the poem suggest more than a trivial flirtation? I would love to hear your thoughts!

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