Queen Mary I's letter to Sir Henry Bedingfeld, dated October 6, 1554

Source:

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

https://archive.org/details/girlhoodofqueene00mumb/page/176/mode/2up

Above: Queen Mary I of England, engraving by George Vertue.

Above: Sir Henry Bedingfeld, artist unknown.

The letter:

WESTMINSTER PALACE, October 6, 1554.

Mary, the Queen.

Trusty and right well-beloved, we greet you well, and let you wit we have received your letters of the 4th of this month, whereby, as well as by your several letters addressed unto our Privy Council, we perceive the continuance of your diligence in the charge committed unto you; for the which, as we do give our hearty thanks, so do we require you to use the same henceforth according to the trust reposed in you, wherein ye shall do is acceptable service. And whereas hitherto the Lady Elizabeth has been suffered (as ye know) to use the suffrages and Litany in English, forasmuch as she has (as we perceive from your letters) shown herself conformable enough in all other things, which we are glad to understand, so she should in this matter be induced to stand content with the service used in our own Chapel and throughout our Realm, and no more to use the said suffrages and Litany in English, but in Latin, according to the ancient and laudable custom of the Church; we have thought meet to require you to move it on our behalf to her, and to travail with her therein the best you can, advising what she shall answer thereunto that we may thereupon take such further order as shall be convenient. And where we do perceive by your letters unto our Privy Council that you require that there may be some reparations made upon that house, because we understand that the cost thereof will not be great, and considering that the time of the year for that purpose draws fast away, we let you wit our pleasure is you do cause the said reparations to be gone in hand withal by such workmen as you can get thereabouts, whose charge, with the rest of the cost that the said work shall amount to, we shall, upon certificate thereof from you, give order to be paid accordingly.

Given under our signet, at our Palace of Westminster, the 6th of October, the first and second year of our Reign.

Notes: to wit = to know.

suffered = allowed.

meet = appropriate, suitable.