LETTER CXLVI.

Ten Ladies of the Court, to King Henry the Eighth, upon visiting His Majesty's new Great Ship at Portsmouth.

[MS. COTTON. VESP. F. XIII. fol. 143. ]

Mabyll Lady Southampton, the first person whose name is affixed to this Letter, was the wife of Thomas Fitzwilliam admiral of England, Wales, Ireland, Normandy, Gascoine, and Aquitaine; who, in the 29th of Henry the Eighth, was advanced to the title and dignity of Earl of Southampton. From this circumstance, and the mention of Prince Edward, it is evident that the Letter could not have been written much before 1540.

What was the name of the new Great Ship alluded to, the editor has not discovered. The "Regent" had been burnt in an action in 1513; immediately upon the destruction of which the "Henry Grace de Dieu" was built of a thousand ton. Queen Elizabeth built a similar Ship called "the Trade's Increase," of twelve hundred ton.

Most gratiouse and benigne sovraigne Lorde, please it your Highnes to understonde that wee have seene and beene in your newe Greate Shippe, and the rest of your shippes at Portismowth, wiche arr things so goodlie to beeholde, that, in our liefs wee have not seene (excepting your royall person and my lord the Prince your sonne) a more pleasaunt sight; for wiche, and the most bountiful gifts, the chere and most gratiouse enterteignment, wich your Grace hath vouchsavid to bestowe upon us your most unworthie and humble servaunts, wee rendre and send unto the same our most humble and entier thanks wich wee beseche

your Matle to accept in good parte, advertising the same that there rest nowe but only ij. sorowes; the tone for lacke of your royall presence that ye might have seene your said Shippes, nowe at this tyme whan wee might have waited on you here; the toodre that wee thinke long til it may eftsones lieke you to have us with you, wiche wee all most hertely beseche our Lord God may bee shortely; who preserve your most noble person, and my Lord Prince, and graunte you bothe to reigne over us; Your Majesty many yeris, His Grace with long continuance but by late succession, as never Princes did before You. From Your Majesties havon and towne of Portismowth the iiijth of August.

Yo' Highnes most bounden
and humble servaunts,

LETTER CXLVII.

Ottwell Johnson, to his brother John Johnson a merchant of the Staple at Calais, describing the Execution of Queen Catherine Howard.

[FROM THE ORIGINAL IN HIS MAJESTY'S RECORD OFFICE IN THE TOWER.] Our principal information of the crimes and death of Queen Catherine Howard is derived from two sources only: from a Letter which the Lords of the Council addressed to Mr. William Pagett our ambassador in France, and from the Act of Attainder. The latter is not upon the Statute Roll; but the original Act is preserved in the Parliament Office, in the bundle of the 37th. Hen. VIII.

The following Extract from a Merchant's Letter, presents an Account of the Execution by an eye-witness, who unquestionably informs us that both the Queen and Lady Rochford made a full confession of their guilt.

At London the 15th day in February 1541.

FROM Calleis I have harde nothing as yet of your sute to my Lord Gray: and for news from hens, know ye, that even according to my writing on Sonday last, I se the Quene and the Lady Retcheford suffer within the Tower, the day following, whos sowles (I doubt not) be with God, for thay made the moost godly and christyan's end, that ever was hard tell of (I thinke) sins the worlds creation; uttering thayer lively faeth in the blode of Christe onely, and with goodly words and stedfast countenances thay desyred all christen people

MS. Cotton. Otho, c. x. fol. 251. The Letter is much burnt. b The ecclesiastical computation A. D. 1541-2.

c Feb. 13th, 1542.

to take regard unto thayer worthy and just punnishment with death for thayer offences, and agenst God hainously from thayer youth upward, in breaking all his commandements, and also agenst the King's royall Majesty very daungeriously: wherfor thay being justly condempned (as thay sayed) by the Lawes of the Realme and Parlement, to dye, required the people (I say) to take example at them, for amendement of thayer ungodly lyves, and gladdly to obey the King in all things, for whos preservation thay did hartely pray; and willed all people so to do: commending thayer sowles to God, and ernestly calling for mercy upon him: whom I besieche to geve us grace, with suche faeth, hope, and charite at our departing owt of this miserable world, to come to the fruytion of his godhed in joy everlasting.

Amen.

Your loving brother

OTWELL JOHNSON.

With my harty commendacions unto Mr Cave and Mtres Cave, not forgetting my syster your wiff, I pray you lett them be made parttakers of thies last newes, for surely the thing is well worth the knowledge.

VOL. II.

K

LETTER CXLVIII.

Fragment of a Letter of King Henry the Eighth to

Queen Catherine Parr.

[MS. COTTON. CALIG. E. IV. fol. 56 b. Orig.]

What remains of this Letter, is, itself, but a burnt fragment; the Volume containing it having been injured very much in the fire at Westminster in 1731. The portion here selected, is that part only which is written intirely in the King's hand. The early part of the Letter is in the hand of a Secretary. It was written before Boulogne, Sept. 8th. 1544.

the closyng upp off thes our Letters thi.

the castell affore namyd with the Dike is att our com

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menta and nott lyke to be recovert by the frence men agayne, as we trust: not dwghtyngb with Gods grace but that the castell and towne shall sortly folow the same trade: for as thys day, whyche is the viijth day of September, we begynne thre bateryse, and have iij. mynys goyng, by syd won whyche hath done hys execution in scakyngd and teryng off woon off theyre grettest bulwarkes. No more to yow att thys tyme swethart bothe for lacke off tyme and grett occupation off bysynes, savyng we pray yow to gyff in our name our harte blessyngs to all our chyldren, and recommendations to our cousin Margett, and the rest off the lads and gentyll women, and to our Consell allsoo. Wryttyn with the hand off your lovyng howsbande

a commandment.

b doubting.

c shortly.

HENRY R.

d shaking.

• The Lady Margaret Douglas, who was niece to King Henry, may possibly be here meant.

f ladies.