therunto; for I have harde her manye times say that she wolde never have me mary in any place without your Graces and the Counsels consente. The thirde cause is bicause that it shal and doth make men thinke that I am not clere of the dide myselfe, but that it is pardoned in me bicause of my youthe, bicause that she I loved so wel is in suche a place. Thus hope prevailinge more with me than feare, hath wone the battel; and I have at this time gone furth with it. Wiche I pray God be taken no other wais that it is mente. Writen in hast. Frome Hatfilde this 7 day of Marche. Also if I may be so bolde not offendinge I beseche your Grace and the rest of the Counsel to be good to master Aschiley her husbonde, wiche bicause he is my kindesman I wold be glad he shulde do well. Your assured frende to my litel

[MS. LANSD. BRIT. MUS. 1236. fol. 33. Orig.]

The following Letter was probably written at the beginning of 1549, upon the substitution of the Lady Tyrwhit as governess to the Princess Elizabeth, in the room of Katherine Ashley.

My Lorde havinge reseuede your Lordeships letters, I parceve in them your goodwil towarde me bicause you declare to me plainlie your mynde in this thinge; and againe for that you wolde not wische that I shulde do any thinge that shulde not seme good unto the Counsel, for the wiche thinge I give you most hartie thankes. And wheras I do understande that you do take in ivel parte the letters that I did write unto your Lordeshipe, I am verye sorie that you shulde take them so for my mynde was to declare unto you plainlie as I thogth in that thinge, wiche I did also the more willingelye bicause (as I write to you) you desired me to be plaine with you in al thinges. And as concerninge that pointe that you write that I seme to stande in my none witte in beinge so wel assured of my none selfe, I did assure me of my selfe nomore than I trust the trueth shal trie; and to say that wiche I knewe of my selfe I did not thinke shulde have displeased the Counsel or your Grace. And surelye the cause whie that I was sorye that ther shulde be anye suche aboute me, was bicause that I thogth the people wil say that I deserved throwgth my lewde demenure to have such a one, and not that I mislike any thinge that your Lordeshipe or the Counsel shal thinke good, for I knowe that you and the Counsel ar charged with me; or that I tak upon me to rule my selfe, for I knowe the ar most disceved that trusteth most in themselves, wherfore I trust you shal never finde that faute in me, to

the wiche thinge I do not se that your Grace has made anye directe answere at this time, and seinge thea make so ivel reportes alreadie, shalbe but a increasinge of ther ivel tonges. Howbeit you did write that if I wolde bringe forthe anye that had reported it, You and the Counsel wolde se it redreste, wiche thinge thogth I can easelye do it, I wolde be lothe to do it for bicause it is my none cause; and, againe, that shulde be but a bridinge of a ivel name of me that am glade to ponesse them, and so get the ivel wil of the people, wiche thinge I wolde be lothe to have. But if it mougth so seme good unto your Lordeshipe and the reste of the Counsel to sende forthe a proclamation in to the countries that the a refraine ther tonges, declaringe how the tales be but lies, it shulde make bothe the people thinke that You and the Counsel have great regarde that no suche rumors shulde be spreade of anye of the Kinges Maiesties Sisters, as I am, thougth vnwordie", and also I shulde thinke myselfe to receve suche frendeshipe at your handes as you have promised me, althogth your Lordeship hathe shewed me greate alreadie. Howbeit I am aschamed to aske it anye more, bicause I se you ar not so wel minded therunto. And as concerninge that you saye that I give folkes occasion to thinke in refusinge the good to vpholde the ivel, I am not of so simple understandinge, nor I wolde that your Grace shulde have so ivel a opinion of me that I have so litel

respecte to my none honestie that I wolde mainteine it if I had souficiente promis of the same, and so your Grace shal prove me whan it comes to the pointe. And thus I bid you farewel, desiringe God alwais to assiste you in al your affaires. Writen in hast. Frome Hat

The Princess Elizabeth to King Edward VI upon his recovery from sickness.

[HARL. MS. 6986. art. 12. Orig.]

QUÒD tanto temporis intervallo tàm raras a me literas acceperis, Rex illustrissime, quibus vel gratias agerem pro beneficiis, vel saltem debitam meam erga te observantiam testatam facerem, spero facile me veniam impetraturam: præsertim cum nulla admissa sit cessatio oblivione quadam tui, cujus nunquam oblivisci vel possum, vel debeo. Nunc vero cum tuam Majestatem in locis non procul Londino sitis versari intelligam, rumpendum mihi silentium esse duxi, ut testi

ficarer, neque de debito meo erga te cultu quicquam esse remissum, neque tua incolumitate quicquam mihi esse posse optabilius quam firmam et integram esse ex quorundam sermone cognovi. Ego sane dum singula Dei Optimi et Maximi beneficia mente recolo, hoc unum ex omnibus maximum fuisse judico, quod te Londini ex proximo morbo tam subitò et clementer restituit. In quem quidem te Dei quadam providentia lapsum esse arbitror, quemadmodum proximis literis ad tuam Majestatem scripsi, ut omni morborum materia pulsa, tu hujusce regni habenis tractandis quamdiutissime servareris. Nihil æque incertum aut minus diuturnum quàm vita hominis, nimirum qui Pindari testimonio nihil sit aliud, quam vmbræ somnium. Et homine, vt ait Homerus, nihil terra alit fragilius. Cum itaque cujusque hominis vita tot tantisque casibus non modo sit exposita, sed etiam vincatur, singulari quadam divinæ providentiæ clementia et morbum preteritum abs te depulsum, et in istis locorum (quos a morbis non plane immunes fuisse cognovi) et aeris mutationibus tam crebris ab omnibus omnium morborum periculis te servatum esse judicamus. Cui providentiæ Majestatis tuæ tutelam committo, simulque rogo ut eandem quamdiutissime incolumem servet. Ashrigiæ 20 Septembris.

Majestatis tuæ humillima soror

Illustrissimo & Nobilissimo

ELIZABETA.

Regi Edouardo Sexto.