Anne Boleyn: Poisoner or Witchcraft?
You’ve most likely heard the stories, or accusations, of Anne Boleyn trying to poison her enemies – do you think she did? Witchcraft was nothing new to Tudor England. During the reign of Edward lV his queen consort, Elizabeth Woodville and her mother Jacquetta, Countess Rivers (dowager Duchess of Bedford) were also accused of the like.
I found this story on QueenAnneBoleyn.com and wanted to share it with you – here’s an excerpt:
Poisoner Anne Boleyn? -Susan Breen
Seventeen-year-old Henry FitzRoy, Duke of Richmond, King Henry’s illegitimate son, also believed Anne was trying to poison him. On May 2, 1536, after Anne had been taken to the Tower, FitzRoy went to receive his father’s blessing. The King began to cry, saying that he and his sister [Lady Mary] were “greatly bound to God for having escaped the hands of that accursed whore, who had determined to poison them.” FitzRoy went to Anne’s execution and he and the Duke of Suffolk were among the few people there who didn’t fall to their knees in prayer as she awaited death. Sadly FitzRoy died the following month, of what Alison Weir describes as a “suppurating pulmonary infection.”
Excerpt from The Anne Boleyn Files regarding the accusations toward Jacquetta: Jacquetta Woodville and Witchraft
In 1469, Thomas Wake, esquire, made a shocking accusation against Jacquetta, Duchess of Bedford, the mother of Edward IV’s queen, Elizabeth Woodville. Wake brought to Warwick Castle ‘an image of lead made like a man of arms of the length of a man’s finger broken in the middle and made fast with a wire, saying that it was made by [Jacquetta] to use with witchcraft and sorcery’. Wake also enlisted the aid of John Daunger, the parish clerk of Stoke Brewerne, to say that Jacquetta had made two other images, ‘one for the king and one for the queen’. The Duchess of Bedford was arrested and brought to Warwick Castle.
Anne Boleyn History House of Tudor
If people believe had she was a poisoner they may be right but I think this is not correct. In the year she became queen Catherine of Aragon suddenly dies at Kimbolton after rumours that she was poisoined by Anne which I don’t think is true as I think she died of heartbreak after Henry married Anne and as for Fitzroy I think he just died of an illness so I can say I don’t think Anne was a witch or a poisoner but nobody knows for sure. What would Anne gain from all of this if the rumours were true and why would she try and kill a child.
So if Jacquette was a witch why was the Countess of Bedford arrested? Henry VIII raved to his children about Anne Boylen being a poisoner? Really! Where are your citations?
I’m not sure where you’re quoting – “Henry VIII raved to his children about Anne Boylen being a poisoner?” It’s not listed in any of the above texts that was quoted from other sources (as listed).
I don’t think that Anne Boleyn was a witch, or would try and poison anyone, especially a child.I don’t think she had it in her really. As for Jacquetta…. I read that her family was a decendent of melladusa the water goddess. Who was to have powers to let family members know when there was going to be a death in the family. And it was said that she and her daughter Elizabeth Wydville helped the wars that EdwardIV was in. To be victorious. And when the young Princes were killed, Elizabeth and Her daughter put a spell on who ever took their boys may their sons share the same fait. So may be that spell cursed the Tudor line. ( May be)