Anne Boleyn's Scaffold Speech

"Good Christian people, I am come hither to die, according to law, for by the law I am judged to die, and therefore I will speak nothing against it. I come here only to die, and thus to yield myself humbly to the will of the King, my lord. And if, in my life, I did ever offend the King’s Grace, surely with my death I do now atone. I come hither to accuse no man, nor to speak anything of whatof I am accused, as I know full well that aught I say in my defence doth not appertain to you. I pray and beseech you all, good friends, to pray for the life of the King, my sovereign lord and yours, who is one of the best princes on the face of the earth, who has always treated me so well that better could not be, wherefore I submit to death with good will, humbly asking pardon of all the world. If any person will meddle with my cause, I require them to judge best. Thus I take my leave of the world, and of you, and I heartily desire you to all pray for me. Oh Lord, have mercy on me! To God I commend my soul.”

Anne Boleyn 1501- May 19, 1536

 

(Taken from Eric Ives' The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn)

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