May God Have Mercy On Me.

My dear readers, friends, beloved followers...

I never imagined that this day would come. I never...no...my fingers tremble as I write...oh, I am afraid!

Beloved friends, I am afraid to say that I have been found out.

Thomas and I. Our relationship has been discovered. As well as my relations with my Dereham before marrying the king. I...I don't know what I can say. It all happened so fast, I can scarcely recall what occurred. However, beloved readers, I will try to retell it all so that you may know.

As I have said before, I knew that when those two came back into my life, trouble was about to start.

Well, as it turns out, one of the ladies at the court was talking to her brother, John Lascelles, about my relationship with Dereham. He then saw fit to alert Thomas Cranmer, the Archbishop of Canterbury.

(Quite rude, by the way. I wish he had minded his own business.)

Cranmer told my husband of his suspicions. At first Henry VIII did not believe him (bless his heart), but they found my letter to Culpeper and Cranmer has managed to convince him of my infidelity. Afterwards, I was arrested. I have been given strict instructions that I may not see him...I heard that he was so outraged and and angry about learning of my affair that he asked for a sword to cut my throat. O king! O husband! How quickly you changed your love for me to bitterness!

They took Dereham, Culpeper, and some of the ladies who know of my affairs with them to the tower, tortured them, and got them to confess. Among them were Lady Rochford. I knew I couldn't trust her. Yet I did...

They questioned me, asked me about my pre-contract with Dereham and if it had really happened. I knew it would bring me more trouble; I said no. I told them I am innocent--well, here is exactly what I said:

"I am innocent of all charges and will never admit to these lies.  If there is any ground of truth in these statements, then it is because of childish ignorance and the evil companions with whom I was formally surrounded.  I also seek to state, that I am faithful to the King and would never wish harm upon him.  I will seek his mercy, but not by admitting to these treacherous lies."

They asked me about my affair with Culpeper; I denied it all. I told them he raped me, took me by force, while he told them that he only entered the relationship because I was "dying of love" for him. How miserable it is that the closer we come to death, the easier it is for us to turn against each other--uncle against niece, lover against lover, husband against wife!

Dereham and Culpeper have been arrested, and they are sentenced to be hanged, drawn, and quartered. However, because the king loves Thomas so much, he has decided to reduce his sentence to a simple beheading. I could not bear to watch when they led those two men, my lovers, to be executed...

I myself was detained in Syon House, and I have hoped that the king will spare my life...

But alas, all hope is gone now. Parliament passed an Act of Attainder, which means that it is treason for me not to tell the king within 20 days of our marriage of my sexual history or to commit an act with the intent of treason--such as adultery. The act is retroactive, and thus...seals my fate.

My execution is tomorrow. February 13, 1542. Seven in the morning.

 I have asked for the block so that I may practice laying my head upon it when the time comes. O England! O God! I shake so much, I am so afraid of tomorrow morning...

Perhaps I have not been the most significant of the many wives of King Henry VIII...after all, I have borne him no children, left no great artistic masterpieces, changed nothing. But I like to think, that in some small way, I brought my king, my husband, some happiness and relief from life. I like to think that maybe he is not so angry as he seems, and rather sick with grief.

The morning bell tolls. Alas, has the night passed by so quickly? I hear the bells...

One...

Two...

Three...

Four...

Five...

Six...

.....Seven...

So now it is farewell. I ask that God have mercy on me, and I pray that my king live long and prosperous the rest of his life.

I hear footsteps...so this is the end, beloved readers.

"I die a Queen, but I would rather have died the wife of Culpeper..."



(Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAojDns20M4)