præsens omnibus humanitatis officiis prosecuta sit, verumetiam nunc absens suum erga me absentem animum annulo misso testatum fecerit. Ex quo intelligere potui promissi memoriam tuæ Majestati refricare minime opus fuisse, non solum quia vt ne facerem tua Celsitudo jusserit, verumetiam propter ostensama mihi benevolentiam de qua non dubitavi antea. Deus conservet tuam Majestatem qui incolumem & eandem (vt facere cepit) ad maximar. virtutum incrementa provehat. Enfeldiæ, 14 februarij. It is no small greyf to me to parceyve that they whom the Kyngs Mate my father (whose soule God The word "monstratam" was first inserted here but obliterated. VOL. II. Probably about 1551. M pardon) made in thys worlde of nothyng in respecte of that they be comme to nowe, and at hys last ende put in truste to se hys Wyll perfourmed, wherunto they were all sworne upon a boke; it gryeveth me I say, for the love I beare to theym, to se both howe they breake his Wyll, and what usurped power they take upon theym, in makyng (as they call it) lawes both clean contrarye to hys procedyngs and Wyll, and also ageynst the coustome of all crystendome, and (in my conscyence) ageynst the lawe of God and hys. Chyrche, whiche passeth all the reste. But thoughe you, among you, have forgotten the Kyng my father, yet bothe Gods commandment and Nature wyll not suffre me to do so; wherfore wyth Gods helpe I wyll remayne an obedyent chylde to his lawes as he lefte theym, tyll suche tyme as the Kyngs Majestie my brother shall have parfayt yers of discrecyon to ordre the power that God hath sent hym, and to be a Judge in theyse matters hym self; and I doubte not but he shall then accept my so doyng bettre then theyrs which have taken a pece of his power vpon theym in his mynoryte. I do not alitle mervayle that you can fynde fawte with me for observyng of that lawe whiche was allowed by hym that was a Kyng not only of power, but also of knowledge howe to order hys power, to whiche lawe all you consented, and semed at that tyme to the outwarde apparance very well to lyke the same, and could that you can fynde no fawtea all this whiell wt some amongste your selfes, for runnyng halfe a yere befor that which you nowe call a lawe, ye and before the byshopps cam togyther, wherin me thynketh you do me very myche wrong if I shuld not have asmyche preemynence to contynew in kepyng a full authorysed lawe made without parcyalyte, as they had, bothe to breake the lawe which at that tyme your selfes mustė neds confesse was of full power and strenghe, and to vse alteracyons of theyr owne Invencyon contrarye both to that yeb and to your newe lawe as you call it. LETTER CLXX. The Princess Elizabeth to the Princess Mary. GOOD Sistar as to hire of your siknes is unpleasant to me, so is it nothinge feareful, for that I understande it is olde gest your that is wont oft to viset you, whose comminge thogth it be oft, yet is it never welcome, dict... ons to have.. ■ An alteration, or rather an addition, occurs here in the margin. The whole in the Princess Mary's hand; but imperfect. "..d more.. mediatly... kyng. procedyngs observed; wherfor I do wonder that you can fynde fawlte with me & non all thys whiel"-Possibly the whole of this Letter, though entirely in the Princess's hand, is but a rough Draft. b A word seems here to have been omitted. but notwithstanding it is comforttable for that “jacula prævisa minus feriunt." And as I do understande your nede of Jane Russels service, so am I sory that it is by mans occasion letted, wiche if I had knowen afore, I wold have caused his wil give place to nide of her service, for as it is her duty to obey his commandement, so is it his part to attende your pleasure; and, as I confesse, it wer mitera for him to go to her, sins she attendes uppon you, so indide he required the same, but for that divers of his felowes had busines abrode, that made his tarijnge at home. Good Sistar thogth I have good cause to thanke you for your oft sendinge to me, yet I have more occasion to rendre you my harty thankes for your gentil writinge, wiche how painful it is to you, I may wel gesse by my selfe, and you may wel se by my writinge so oft, how pleasant it is to me. And thus I ende to troble you, desiring God to sende you as wel to do, as you can thinke and wische, or I desire or pray. Frome Hasherige scribled this 27th of October. My Lorde, after my moste harty commendacyons, bicause I can not convenyently wyth-my mouth rendre unto you in presence those thanks for the great goodnes I fynde in you dayly that the same dothe worthely deserve, I thoughte it my parte of congruence at the lest, by thise my rude letters, to advertise you that of my good wyll and prayour to do you stede or pleasur, you shalbe ever duryng my lief assured; whiche I truste your gentylnes wyll yet accept in worthe, consideryng it is all that I have wherwyth I canne repaye any parte of that chardge and parfaite frendshipe that I have and do fynde in you: hartily requyryng your contynuance, whiche besyds the purchasyng of my tedious sutes, wherwyth I do ever molest you, shalbe my great comforte. And thus I beseche God to sende you aswell to fare as I wold wyshe my selfe. At Rychemonde this Thursday nyghte. Your assured lovyng frende duryng my lief MARYE. |