Anne Boleyn: "I pray God save the king and send him long to reign over you."

Anne Boleyn Wikipedia

King Henry VIII of England ordered his wife Anne Bolelyn's execution for alleged incest, adultery, and conspiracy to murder him.

But she maintained a curious loyalty to him before she was beheaded in 1536.

Here's the juiciest bit from her execution speech, as reported by PBS.

"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."

An earlier version of this story indicated that Boleyn was hanged, not beheaded. The error has been corrected.