On 2nd October 1528 The Obedience of the Christian Man and How Christian Rulers Ought to Govern was published by English Reformer and Bible translator William Tyndale.
Amongst other things, Tyndale’s book said that rulers were accountable to God and not the Pope. Anne Boleyn owned a copy of this book, as well as Tyndale’s New Testament, and it is this book which she intended to show Henry VIII, marking key passages for his attention. The book got into Henry’s hands when it was confiscated from George Zouche, suitor of Anne Gainsford who had borrowed it from her mistress, Anne Boleyn. Henry VIII read it and declared “This book is for me and all kings to read.”
You can read more about this in my article Anne Boleyn, William Tyndale and Henry VIII.
Do you think that Henry liked the parts about Princes being Emperor and Pope and in charge of all, answerable to none but God and so on in their own realms more than any other theological parts of the book? It certainly gave him grand ideas of his own. I know this is the most famous part of the book, but I assume it said ither things as well and Henry seems to have liked it as a whole; Anne may have had some influence on his thinking at this stage; but I was also wondering is there a link anywhere to an online copy of this book as I would love to read it.