Written Descriptions of Anne of Cleves

Hall’s Chronicles

When her grace was aduertysed of the kynges commyng, she issued out of her tent beyng apparelled in a riche goune of cloth of golde reysed, made rounde without any trayne after the Duche fassyon, and on her head a kall and ouer that a rounde bonet or capper set full of Orient Pearle of a very proper fassion, & before that she had a cornet of blacke veluet & about her necke she had a pattelet set full of ryche stone whiche glistered all the fielde.

Hall’s chronicle : containing the history of England, during the reign of Henry the Fourth, and the succeeding monarchs, to the end of the reign of Henry the Eighth, in which are particularly described the manners and customs of those periods. Carefully collated with the editions of 1548 and 1550
by Hall, Edward, d. 1547
https://archive.org/details/hallschronicleco00halluoft

Though Hall lacked the terminology of her language it is quite easy to visualise what she was wearing.

A gown (goune) of cloth of gold with red velvet pattern. The haube/mutzger (kall/cap) with a benet/baret flat cap (bonet/capper). The black velvet cornet is most likely the curved strip of (usually) pearled or jeweled velvet seen at the front of most mutzger. Or it could be a kind of reyne or circlet as found in inventories.

Nowe when the kyng and she were mette and bothe their companyes ioyned together, they returned through the rankes of knyghtes and Esquyers which stodw styll all this while & remoued not, in this order:….. nexte after the Chariot folowed vi.ladies and gentelwomen of her countrey all richely apparelled with cappes set with Pearle, and great chaynes of diuers fassions after the usage of their countrey, whiche were very fayre of face, and with them rode vi.ladies of Engand well besene.

Hall’s chronicle : containing the history of England, during the reign of Henry the Fourth, and the succeeding monarchs, to the end of the reign of Henry the Eighth, in which are particularly described the manners and customs of those periods. Carefully collated with the editions of 1548 and 1550
by Hall, Edward, d. 1547
https://archive.org/details/hallschronicleco00halluoft

Wide chains are a feature of dress of Anna’s land, as are pearled headddresses- usually the stitckelsche, but as can be seen in her Bruyn portrait and the Codice de traje of Christoph Weiditz also a flat bonet/baret/cappe.

Then the Lordes went to fetch the Ladie Anne, which was apparelled in a gown of ryche cloth of gold yet full of large flowers of great and Orient pearl, made after the Duche fassion rownde, her here hangyng doune, whiche was faire, yellow and long: On her head a coronal of gold replenished with great stone, and set about full of braunches of Rosemary, about her necke and middle, Juelles of great valew and estimasion. In this apparell the goyng betwene the erle of Duersteyn and the Grande Master Nostonden, which had the conduitie and order of the performaunce of her mariage, with moste demure countenaunce and sad behaviour, passed thorough the kynges chamber, all the Lordes goyng before her till they came to the galery where the kyng was, to whom she made the low obeysaunces & curtesies….

Hall’s chronicle : containing the history of England, during the reign of Henry the Fourth, and the succeeding monarchs, to the end of the reign of Henry the Eighth, in which are particularly described the manners and customs of those periods. Carefully collated with the editions of 1548 and 1550
by Hall, Edward, d. 1547
https://archive.org/details/hallschronicleco00halluoft

The description of flowers made of pearls over her gown does not match any image anywhere.

And after dyner she chaunged into a gowne lyke a mannes gowne, of Tyssue with long sleues gyrte to her, furred with ryche Sables, her narrows sleues were very costly, but on her head she had a cap as she ware on the saterdaie before with a cornet of laune, which cap was so ryche of Perle and Stone, that it was judged to bee of greate valew. And after her fassion, her Ladies and Gentelwomen were appareled and very riche and costly with chaynes of divers fassyons, and in this apparell she went that nyght to Evensong, and after Supper with the kyng. And after Supper were bankettes, Maskes and diverse dysportes, tyll the tyme came that it was pleased the kyng and her to take their rest.

Hall’s chronicle : containing the history of England, during the reign of Henry the Fourth, and the succeeding monarchs, to the end of the reign of Henry the Eighth, in which are particularly described the manners and customs of those periods. Carefully collated with the editions of 1548 and 1550
by Hall, Edward, d. 1547
https://archive.org/details/hallschronicleco00halluoft

It is unclear if this garment is of her homeland. A Schaube (circular cut coat with sleeves) would be a garment Anna would be likely to own. The previous description of a cornet of cornet of black velvet compares interestingly to the lawn (laune) cornet here. This is likely the narrow strip of very sheer linen as seen in her portrait by Holbein.

The Sonday after were kepte solempne(?) Justes whiche muche pleased the straungiers. On whiche daie she was appareiled after the English fashion, with a french whode, which so set furth her beautie and good visage, that every creature rejoysed to behold her.

Hall’s chronicle : containing the history of England, during the reign of Henry the Fourth, and the succeeding monarchs, to the end of the reign of Henry the Eighth, in which are particularly described the manners and customs of those periods. Carefully collated with the editions of 1548 and 1550
by Hall, Edward, d. 1547
https://archive.org/details/hallschronicleco00halluoft

Anna started to wear English dress from this day on.