queen of Henry VIII. king of England, daughter of Sir Thomas Boleyn, a nobleman of a powerful family, and numerous alliances. The daughter of the duke of Norfolk was her mother, and during the reign of the former king her father had been honoured with several embassies. Mary the king's sister, who married Lewis XII. king of France, carried over this lady with her at an early age, where she imbibed the freedom, the vivacity, and the openness of manners of that nation. After the death of Lewis, that queen returned to England, and Anne continued to attend her royal mistress. Having some time after left her service, she was introduced into the family of the duchess of Alençon. In addition to all her acquired accomplishments, she possessed the greatest personal elegance, and was highly famed in that age.

History does not explicitly mention whether or not it was on her account, but upon her return to England the king expressed his scruples concerning his union with Catherine of Arragon. Enamoured, however, of Anne, he expressed his attachment to her; but she was possessed of too much virtue and policy, to confer any improper favours. This prudent and virtuous restraint only increased the passion of Henry; and placing her at court, he distinguished her by many marks of royal favour. The impetuous king at length came to the resolution to divorce his queen, to make way for his favourite Anne. In this instance, the injury done to that queen proved the cause of the final separation of England from the dominion of the pope. Various delays and difficulties occurring to the divorce, Henry privately married Anne during the month of November 1532, and in April following he publicly declared her queen of England. The famous queen Elizabeth was the first fruits of this marriage, who was born the September following. For some time she enjoyed a considerable share of the royal favour, and she made use of that influence in subduing the haughty prelate Wolsey, and widening the breach between the king and the pope. But this favour was not of long continuance; for the king, ever varying in his temper, disappointed at her being brought to bed of a dead male child, imbibed a new passion for Jane Seymour; and troubled at the evil inclinations of the Catholics, he allowed the jealousy of conjugal affection to enter his bosom, which her thoughtless demeanour tended in