On this day in 1536 – Anne Boleyn, Queen of England, is arrested and imprisoned on charges of adultery, incest, treason and witchcraft. In fact, her only crime was having a daughter, rather than a son, followed by three miscarriages. The genetic trait that determines the gender of offspring is the contribution of the father, but ignorance is bliss – unless it is your head being severed from your torso.

In the moments before her execution, she offered this speech:||"Good Christian people, I am come hither to die, for according to the law, and by the law I am judged to die, and therefore I will speak nothing against it. I am come hither to accuse no man, nor to speak anything of that, whereof I am accused and condemned to die, but I pray God save the king and send him long to reign over you, for a gentler nor a more merciful prince was there never: and to me he was ever a good, a gentle and sovereign lord. And if any person will meddle of my cause, I require them to judge the best. And thus I take my leave of the world and of you all, and I heartily desire you all to pray for me. O Lord have mercy on me, to God I commend my soul."

Just before dying, she prayed these words repeatedly:

"Jesu receive my soul; O Lord God have pity on my soul."

All who witnessed her final days were impressed with her serenity and joy in facing death.