Princess Elizabeth's letter to her half-brother King Edward VI, dated May 15, 1550

Source:

The girlhood of Queen Elizabeth, a narrative in letters, Frank Arthur Mumby, 1909

https://archive.org/details/girlhoodofqueene00mumb/page/72/mode/2up

Above: Elizabeth as princess, formerly attributed to William Scrots.

Above: King Edward VI of England, painted by William Scrots.

The letter:

HATFIELD, May 15, 1550.

Like as the rich man that daily gathereth riches to riches, and to one bag of money layeth a great sort till it come to infinite, so methinks your Majesty, not being sufficed with many benefits and gentlenesses showed to me afore this time, doth now increase them in asking and desiring where you may bid and command, requiring a thing not worthy the desiring for itself, but made worthy for your Highness' request. My picture, I mean, in which, if the inward good mind toward your Grace might as well be declared as the outward face and countenance shall be seen, I would not have tarried the commandment but prevented it, nor have been the last to grant but the first to offer it. For the face I grant I might well blush to offer, but the mind I shall never be ashamed to present. For though from the grace of the picture the colours may fade by time, may give by weather, may be spotted by chance; yet the other, nor time with her swift wings shall overtake, nor the misty clouds with their lowerings may darken, nor chance with her slippery foot may overthrow.

Of this, although yet the proof could not be great, because the occasion hath been but small, notwithstanding as a dog hath a day, so may I perchance have time to declare it in deeds, where now I do write them but in words. And further, I shall most humbly beseech your Majesty, that when you shall look on my picture, you will vouchsafe to think that, as you have but the outward shadow of the body afore you, so my inward mind wisheth that the body itself were oftener in your presence; howbeit, because both my so being I think could do your Majesty little pleasure, though myself great good; and again, because I see as yet not the time agreeing thereunto, I shall learn to follow this saying of Orace, [sic] Feras non culpes quod vitari non potest. And thus I will (troubling your Majesty I fear) end with my most humble thanks. Beseeching God long to preserve you to His honour, to your comfort, to the realm's profit, and to my joy. Your Majesty's most humble sister, ELIZABETH.

Notes: afore = before

Elizabeth ended up quoting from Publius Syrus.