亨利八世

“Henry VIII’s First Interview with Anne Boleyn”
Originally uploaded by little_miss_sunnydale

最早的亨利八世印象是從國中歷史課本上來的。
肥肥的英國人，不知為何可以吸引到八個老婆。電影The Other Boleyn Girl找來年輕帥哥演風流國王（電影本身已經重寫歷史，那演不像也沒差吧）
展覽本身並不著重在亨利的風流愛情史，與他為了要跟第一任皇后離婚跟新情人一起而建立英國國教。這些該算是耳熟能詳的故事了。

亨利的第一任皇后其實是寡婦嫂嫂；看在現代人眼中不可思議，那時的年代注重國與國間的長久關係；之間的皇室通親通常都是為了鞏固邦交，弟弟才十幾歲就娶嫂嫂便不算奇怪了。亨利其實多才多藝，不止精通各國語言（咳咳，比起二王子常被拍到在舞廳狂歡的今日英國皇室，亨利知道了應該會吐血吧），精湛狩獵技術以外還會譜曲。龍飛鳳舞的親筆情書娓娓道來他對Anne Boleyn的愛意，信尾蓋上皇印的法文情書（是很文鄒鄒啊，兩位不都是英國人嗎...），好幾百年後靜靜的躺在陳列櫃裡給後人參觀，一邊去感受那不知明的震撼。

亨利有權，但也是有七情六慾的常人。光是那封情書，就已白紙黑字代表著為了愛情而後會做出的種種決定，及因為這些決定連帶的影響，旁人不只戰戰兢兢，連忠臣好友Thomas More也因苦勸亨利萬萬不可為了情婦廢妻子皇后而慘遭與其他情人一樣的斬首下場。這麼一位出色的學者就因此嗚呼哀哉。

紅顏非禍水，賤妾亦可惜
千憂惹是非，皆因塵俗起


亨利八世寫給Anne Boleyn的情書之一（原文法文）；文縐縐是沒錯，在那時代倒是不怎麼涵蓄呀
In debating with myself the contents of your letters I have been put to a great agony; not knowing how to understand them, whether to my disadvantage as shown in some places, or to my advantage as in others. I beseech you now with all my heart definitely to let me know your whole mind as to the love between us; for necessity compels me to plague you for a reply, having been for more than a year now struck by the dart of love, and being uncertain either of failure or of finding a place in your heart and affection, which point has certainly kept me for some time from naming you my mistress, since if you only love me with an ordinary love the name is not appropriate to you, seeing that it stands for an uncommon position very remote from the ordinary; but if it pleases you to do the duty of a true, loyal mistress and friend, and to give yourself body and heart to me, who have been, and will be, your very loyal servant (if your rigour does not forbid me), I promise you that not only the name will be due to you, but also to take you as my sole mistress, casting off all others than yourself out of mind and affection, and to serve you only; begging you to make me a complete reply to this my rude letter as to how far and in what I can trust; and if it does not please you to reply in writing, to let me know of some place where I can have it by word of mouth, the which place I will seek out with all my heart. No more for fear of wearying you. Written by the hand of him who would willingly remain yours.