Source:
The girlhood of Queen Elizabeth, a narrative in letters, Frank Arthur Mumby, 1909
https://archive.org/details/girlhoodofqueene00mumb/page/64/mode/2up
Above: Elizabeth as princess, formerly attributed to William Scrots.
Above: King Edward VI of England, painted by William Scrots.
The letter:
No more frequent or plainer proofs can be given of your love to me, O most serene and illustrious King, than those of late, when I enjoyed the treat of your most delightful society. This when I call to mind (and I daily do so) I seem, as it were, still to be present with you, and to be again enjoying the courtesy of your conversations. And farther — when those your countless favours to me come into my mind, with which you received me on my arrival, and with which you dismissed me on my departure, I cannot easily express how my mind is drawn divers ways, and I feel a double anxiety. For, while perceiving, from the greatness of your boons, your fraternal affection most greatly inclined to me, I conceived no little joy and delight therefrom; so, on the other hand, weighing in a just and fair balance the multitude of your services towards me, I am grieved, because I am convinced I can never repay their real value — no, not even in thought, much less in thanks. Lest, however, your Majesty should judge your so many and great favours to me ill conferred, or rather (to use the words of Cicero taken from Ennius) ill done, or me unmindful and ungrateful, I now desire, though I cannot in substance, to thank you at least, in some degree, by words; which had indeed been done much sooner, either by letter or message, if a small work, which I was desirous of sending to your Majesty, had not delayed my purpose. But, since it could not (as I supposed it would) be brought to a close by me, on account of the shortness of the time, which I see flows from me even faster than water; I now hope that this letter, however rude, will plead my cause when absent, before your Majesty, and at the same time evince, in some degree, my disposition towards you; for that this can be done fully and amply enough by me in these dumb words, I reckon to be quite impossible: especially as (your Majesty is well aware) it is peculiar to my disposition, not only not to express in words as much as I think, but also not to say more than I think. Of which the latter fault (I mean, the saying more), as few detest, so many practise, on most occasions; but especially in the courts of princes and kings, who must especially beware, that they do not seem to have more flatterers in their private chambers, than birds of prey outside their palaces. Of which subject enough for the present.
This only I pray, that God may preserve your Majesty, as long as possible, in safety, to the glory of His name and the advantage of the realm. Hatfield, 2nd of February. Your Majesty's very humble sister and servant, ELIZABETH.
To the most illustrious and most noble King Edward the Sixth.
Note: The original passage of "they do not seem to have more flatterers in their private chambers, than birds of prey outside their palaces" is "ne plures intra cubicula sua κόλακας quam extra aulam suam κόρακας, habere videantur." The play on the Greek words is lost in translation.
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