Princess Mary of Orange's letter to Frederik Hendrik of Orange-Nassau, dated June 25, 1641

Source:

http://emlo.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/profile/work/335f6681-327c-4c1e-89b6-94e4c45901ef?sort=date-a&rows=50&col_cat=Stuart,%20Mary%20(Princess%20Royal%20and%20Princess%20of%20Orange)&baseurl=/forms/advanced&start=0&type=advanced&numFound=353

Above: Mary, Princess of Orange, painted by Anthony van Dyck.

Above: Frederik Henrik of Orange-Nassau, painted by Michiel Janszoon van Mierevelt.

(photo courtesy of Koninklijke Verzamelingen Den Haag)

Mary, Princess Royal, full name Mary Henrietta (born November 4, 1631, died December 24, 1660), was Countess of Nassau by marriage to Prince William II, and co-regent for her son William III during his minority as Sovereign Prince of Orange from 1651 to 1660.

She was the eldest daughter of King Charles I of England, Scotland, and Ireland and his wife, Henrietta Maria of France. Her only child later reigned as King of England, Ireland and Scotland. Mary was the first daughter of a British sovereign to hold the title Princess Royal.

At the age of nine, Mary wrote this letter to her father-in-law, Frederik Henrik of Orange-Nassau, on June 25, 1641, a month after her wedding to his son, William II, Prince of Orange.

The letter:

Monsieur mon beau pere pius que Monsieur le prince guillaume vous donnera sette lettre Je me remeteray a luy avous assurer du desir que Jay de vous pouuoir faire voir par mes actions lestime que Je fais de vos bonnes graces et le soiny que Je aporteray touiours a les conseruer comme vne chose qui mest tres chere ce que J vous suplie de croyre comme estant
Monsieur mon beaupere
vostre tres affectionnee
et obeisant fille
Marie

English translation (my own):

Sir my most pious father-in-law,
May Prince William give you this letter. I will leave it to him to assure you of the desire that I have to be able to show you by my actions the esteem that I have of your kind graces and the care that I will always bring to keep them as something that is very dear to me. I beg you to believe that I am, Sir, my father-in-law,
your very affectionate
and obedient daughter
Mary