Contemporary Descriptions

[FaithWhiteRose]

On Richard III.....NONE of the contemporary sources remark upon ANY deformity; "Never has so much spirit or greater virtue reigned in such a small body"- Archibald Whitelaw, Scottish envoy to the English Court 1484.
"Three fingers taller than myself...also much slimmer; he had delicate  arms and legs, also a great heart"- Nicholas von Poppelau.

Quite the opposite from: "Big, hairy, wicked, hump-backed murdering monster who was born with hair and teeth."
seriously. henry VII should know that the future generations would be smarter than THAT.

[TsarPaulI]

I found some in Starkeys "Six Wives" on Anne of Cleves

The English Ambassor Christopher Mont who visited the Saxon court in 1539 reported favourably on Anne, "Everyman praiseth the beauty of the said Lady, as well for the face, as for the whole body"

He also said "She excelleth as far the Duchess (Of Milan, and other suitor for King Henry VIII) as the golden sun excelleth the silvern moon"

Yet when Henry met Anne, afterwards he was reported to have asked Lord Russel -
"How do you like this woman?, do you think her so fair and of such beauty as report hath been made unto me of her? I pray you tell me the truth?"

Russel was said to have replied "that he took her not to be fair, but to be of a brown complexion".

[FaithWhiteRose]

Yes, Holbein did make Anne of Cleves's portrait look prettier. But I think Henry might have been so devestated after Jane Seymour's death that he slightly over-reacted about Anne's 'hideousness'.

[TsarPaulI]

Yeah that could be the reason but I've also read he was dissapointed in how Anne looked nothing like Jane, Jane was a typical English rose with fair features so it gave whoever was to be his next Queen alot to live up to. I don't think Anne was extremely ugly, probaly more plain and had not the "ideal" beauty features of the time with her dark hair and "brown complexion" (which probaly means she had olive-skin tone which ironically nowadays everybody wants).

There is alot of comtemporary descriptions on Anne, most of them from Henry himself slandering her appearance which is quite ironic considering that by this time he was overweight, old and ailing.

[FaithWhiteRose]

Yeah that could be the reason but I've also read he was dissapointed in how Anne looked nothing like Jane, Jane was a typical English rose with fair features so it gave whoever was to be his next Queen alot to live up to. I don't think Anne was extremely ugly, probaly more plain and had not the "ideal" beauty features of the time with her dark hair and "brown complexion" (which probaly means she had olive-skin tone which ironically nowadays everybody wants).

There is alot of comtemporary descriptions on Anne, most of them from Henry himself slandering her appearance which is quite ironic considering that by this time he was overweight, old and ailing.

I agree, and about Henry ruining her appearance and it being ironic---I maybe being too biased, but I don't think Henry cared so much about others. I don't think he was under the impression that he'd be remembered as a violent tyrant with six wives, of two whom got their heads chopped off.

[Mari]

On Edward IV "contemporary Writers agreed that he was self-indulgent to a fault, discriminating in wine and food and if Mancini and Commynes are to be believed a threat to all Men's Wives and Daughters. Ross describes him as tall, fair and cool with a natural optimism and a cheery self-confidence that brought many a Woman, but left him vulnerable to aristocratic intrigue. He was well educated in romantic French chivalry and the realties of estate management."
The Historical Journal XVIII,  Edward IV by Charles Ross, London, Eyre Methuen, 1974