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Contact us on: +44(0)1534 639998 | info@justcollecting.com
Contact us on: +44(0)1534 639998 | info@justcollecting.com
Henry VIII document

The second beheading wasn't his fault

Hi fellow collector
He didn’t want to do it.  

He adored her. Fifth time of trying, and he’d finally found “the one”.  

A beautiful woman to dote on. To show off to the world. Who could bring him out of his blackest moods. 

And even if the rumours about her love affairs were true (including the ones about the cousin, and the music teacher, and the secretary...) 

That didn’t mean she had to die, did it?  

“Couldn’t we just imprison her for life?” 

“No Henry, we can’t.” 

His 19 closest and most powerful advisors wanted her dead.  

Why?  

Because she stood for conservative Catholicism.  

And his advisors were zealous reformers. Many of them secret Protestants too.  
With Katherine executed, they could press on with their wild agenda. 

Henry the Eighth gives in.  

He retrieves six of her favourite jewels as keepsakes.  

And then, against his better judgement, assents to Katherine Howard’s execution.

Her head rolls on February 13, 1542.  

That’s one way of looking at Katherine's death...  

Another is that Henry was a hot-headed, vengeful king with a penchant for bloody murder. 

That’s the paradox of Henry the Eighth.  

How much of what we "know" about him is the actual truth?  

Was he really the bluff, chicken-leg-eating womaniser of the history books?  

Was he far more complex?  

It can feel almost impossible to get to the true essence of the man. 

And yet.  

There is one way to get to the true Henry VIII.  

But it’s a path open only to a select few.

You can become one of "the few" today. 

By owning a rare relic such as the one I have for you below.  

Because on Thursday March 3, 1513. In just the fifth year of his reign.  

This document. For a few moments at least. Was the real Henry VIII.  

Henry held this document. He read these words upon it. He thought about them. He gave them his approval. And then he picked up a quill pen. Dipped it in ink. And signed his name slowly, majestically, on the vellum.  

Those bare facts alone make this piece a wonder. Such is the rarity of Henry VIII-signed documents on the private market. Such is their importance. Such is Henry’s importance to the history of the world.  

Yet when you discover the detail of this item, its importance surges still further.  

The document 
Get to know the real Henry the Eighth - the one who held and signed this document
With a stroke of his pen, Henry makes a large loan to cloth merchant Richard Gresham. 
 
Gresham goes on to found a financial institution, the House of Gresham. 
 
His son, Sir Thomas Gresham, will go on to establish the Royal Exchange in 1571, England’s first stock exchange. With the help of his father’s money. 
 
You can argue that London’s modern status as a financial powerhouse can be attributed, in part, to this very document. 
 
The sum, £637 (and 10 shillings), is around £4 million in today’s money. 
 
Henry’s signature, which sits at the top left of the document, is huge. And truly stunning. 
Henry signs his name, 509 years ago
He signs "Henry R". The R is short for "Rex Omnibus", the Latin for "king of all". 
 
The lines are bold, flowing and totally unaffected by the passage of time. 
 
The ink is dark and crisp. 
 
He could have signed yesterday  
 
When he makes his mark here, Henry is a handsome young man. 
 
He’s married to his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. 
 
In this year, 1513, he leads the English to victories in France and Scotland. 
 
This 11.3 x 8.5 inch document is the real Henry the Eighth.  

It is yours for £65,000 ($89,000).  

I have personally authenticated this document. It comes with my certification and lifetime moneyback guarantee.  

What's more, it once resided in the Sir Thomas Phillipps collection - the pre-eminent manuscript collection in the 19th century. You can view his mark on the reverse. 
Superb provenance from Sir Thomas Phillipps features on the reverse (upside down in the image)
Also, if you don’t adore the document when it arrives, notify me within 28 days for a complete refund.  

It will be shipped to you by express courier. Fully insured. 
 
Buy Now
One last thought

History can sometimes feel abstract. 
 
You can forget we’re dealing with real people. 
 
That they once walked the same ground we do.  
 
When you hold this document... 
 
You are in direct contact with a piece of vellum signed by one of the greatest kings of England. 

You can also purchase by calling +44 (0)1534 639 998 or replying now to this email. 

Henry the Eighth documents are so rare on the private market. Especially ones of this quality. And with this story to tell.  

Thanks for reading,  

Paul Fraser, Chairman, Just Collecting

PS. Remember – this is the real Henry. Not the history book one. Take your opportunity to own a relic few people can.
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