Was Anne Boleyn blindfolded or not? And did the executioner really try and distract her by saying ” Boy! where is my sword?”
It was traditional for people to be blindfolded at executions and it is reported that Anne was blindfolded by one of her ladies - "A young lady presented her with a linen cap, with which she covered her hair, and she knelt down, fastening her clothes about her feet, and one of the said ladies bandaged her eyes." - LP x. 911 .
The Spanish Chronicle (p71) gives the story of the executioner distracting Anne by calling out down the steps to his assistant "Bring me the sword" and then signalling someone else to give him his sword, which was hidden under some straw on the platform, and striking the blow while Anne was looking towards the steps.
