William Latymer

William Latymer, was the second son of William Latymer and Anne Bokinge Latymer, was born in Freston, Suffolk, in about 1498. He was educated at Corpus Christi College, reading canon law and arts and graduating in 1536. Latymer's biographer, Andrew Hope, believes it was Matthew Parker, who introduced him to Anne Boleyn. "He became one of her chaplains, charged with obtaining evangelical books for her". (1)

Anne Boleyn had strong opinions about religion. It has been suggested that her religious views were formed by her early years in France. According to her William Latymer, "she was very expert in the French tongue, exercising herself continually in the reading of the French Bible and other French books of like effect and conceived great pleasure in the same... she charged her chaplains to be furnished with all kinds of French books that reverently treated of the whole Scriptures." (2) Some of the books that she owned have survived, including her French Bible, translated by Louis de Berquin, who had been executed for heresy in 1529. (3)

William Latymer & Anne Boleyn

Retha M. Warnicke, the author of The Rise and Fall of Anne Boleyn (1989), suggests that she discussed these matters with Henry VIII. However, they disagreed about the need for an English translation of the Bible: "Although the king was willing to explore the possibility of translating the scriptures into English, he was reluctant to permit his subjects, even university scholars, to read heretical books". Boleyn appears to have had books by religious reformers, Simon Fish and William Tyndale. (4)

Anne's brother, George Boleyn, was often sent on diplomatic missions. He used his diplomatic bag to smuggle religious books that were banned in France as well as England. "They were small, cheaply produced volumes, and were designed for concealment, not display. But, taking advantage of the immunity conferred by status and family connection, George had two turned into magnificent presentation manuscripts for his sister.... In both books, the texts and readings were in French, while the commentaries emphasize, in clear and vivid language, the need for a living Faith in Christ as opposed to the moribund practices of the orthodox Church." (5)

William Latymer also collected religious books for her from Europe. While he was away Anne was arrested. On 2nd May, 1536, Anne Boleyn was arrested and was taken to the Tower of London. On 12th May, Thomas Howard, the Duke of Norfolk, as High Steward of England, presided over the trial of Henry Norris, Francis Weston, William Brereton and Mark Smeaton at Westminster Hall. (6) Except for Smeaton they all pleaded not guilty to adultery.

On his arrival back at Sandwich on 7th May, William Latymer was greeted with the news that his mistress was in the Tower of London for treason. After handing over the books to the authorities he was released. In September 1538 became master of the College of St Laurence Pountney in London. He was also rector of Witnesham, Suffolk.

Queen Elizabeth

During the reign of Edward VI he openly supported the reform movement. He married Ellen English and in 1549 he was the principal witness in the trial of Bishop Edmund Bonner who had refused to take the Oath of Supremacy. (7) As a married priest Latymer was dismissed as soon as Queen Mary took power. He retired to Ipswich. After her death he returned to London where he became chaplain to Queen Elizabeth.

During this period he wrote the Chronicle of Anne Boleyn. As Andrew Hope has pointed out: "He is the only biographer of Anne Boleyn who can be said to have known her in her lifetime. His work confines itself to her time as queen and consists largely of set speeches by Anne in which she expounds her religious, educational, and charitable ideals, illustrated with anecdotes to show those ideals in action. While there was a clear intention to nudge Elizabeth in the direction of the values attributed to her mother, the account is not fiction and has historical value." (8)

William Latymer died in 1583, and was buried on 28th August in Peterborough Cathedral.

Primary Sources

(1) William Latymer, Chronicle of Anne Boleyn (c. 1565)

Anne Boleyn... was very expert in the French tongue, exercising herself continually in the reading of the French Bible and other French books of like effect and conceived great pleasure in the same... she charged her chaplains to be furnished with all kinds of French books that revverently treated of the whole Scriptures.

(2) Andrew Hope, William Latymer : Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (2004-2014)

He is the only biographer of Anne Boleyn who can be said to have known her in her lifetime. His work confines itself to her time as queen and consists largely of set speeches by Anne in which she expounds her religious, educational, and charitable ideals, illustrated with anecdotes to show those ideals in action. While there was a clear intention to nudge Elizabeth in the direction of the values attributed to her mother, the account is not fiction and has historical value.