la dernière des Bourbons

akingslayer:

Things that The Tudors’ Writers Did Right: Anne’s Gift to Henry 1527-1528

“[Anne] signified her surrender by sending a gift - the word the king used for it was ‘une étrenne’. It was one of those trinkets concealing a meaning that Tudor people loved - a ship with a woman on board and with a (presumably) pendant diamond. The message was transparent. For centuries the ship had been a symbol of protection - the ark which rescued Noah from destroying deluge; the diamond - as the Roman de la Rose had said - spoke of a ‘heart as hard as diamond, steadfast and nothing pliant’. Anne was saying ‘yes’.” - Eric Ives in The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn

“Seduce me. Write letters to me.
And poems, I love poems.
Ravish me with your words.
Seduce me.”

akingslayer:

Things that The Tudors’ Writers Did Right: The Masque

March 1st 1522: “There were eight court ladies involved, each cast as one of the qualities of the perfect mistress of chivalric tradition - Beauty, Honour, Perseverance, Kindness, Constancy, Bounty, Mercy, and Pity - with Anne playing Perseverance… Opposite them were the eight virtues of the ideal courtier - ‘Amoress[ness]’, Nobleness, Youth, Attendance, Loyalty, Pleasure, Gentleness, and Liberty - with the King playing the lead.” - Eric Ives in The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn

akingslayer:

Things that The Tudors’ Writers Did Right: Masque in France: October 27th 1532

“It was after the dinner and its 170 different dishes prepared alternately in French style and English style that Anne made her entry, leading a masque of six ladies ‘gorgeously appareled’.  There was her sister Mary Carey, her Aunt Dorothy, Countess of Derby (one of her supporters at Windsor), another aunt, Elizabeth Lady Fitzwalter, her sister-in-law, Lady Rochford, her client (or dependenet) Lady Lisle and lastly Lady Wallop, wife of the ambassador to France and at least a former client. They wore costumes ‘of strange fashion’ - loose, gold-laced over dressed of cloth of gold, with sashes of crimson satin ornamented with a wavy pattern in cloth of silver. All were masked… Each chose a Frenchman to dance with… but Francis himself, was, of course, claimed by Anne. After a couple of dances, Henry could no longer restrain his child like excitement and removed the masks ‘so that there the ladies’ beauties were showed’. Dancing then went on for another hour, but Francis and Anne spent much of this in private conversation…” - Eric Ives in The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn

(via royalrory)