Source:
Original letters illustrative of English history, series 1, volume 2, page 151, edited by Henry Ellis, 1825
Above: Catherine Parr, artist unknown.
Above: Lord Admiral Thomas Seymour, painted by Nicolas Denisot.
The letter:
MY LORD
As I gether by your Letter delyvered to my brother Harbert, ye ar in sum fere how to frame my lord your brother to speke in your favour; the denyall of yowr request schall make hys foly more manyfest to the world, wyche wyll more greve me than the want of hys spekyng. I wold not wyssche yow importune for hys good wyll, yf yt cum nott frankely at the fyrst, yt schalbe suffycyent ones to have requyre yt, and after to cesse. I wold desyre ye myght obtayne the Kynge's Letters in yowre favour, and also the ayde and furtherans of the moost notable of the Counsell, suche as ye schall thynke convenyent, wyche thynge obtayned schalbe no small schame to yowr brother and lovyng syster, in case they do not the lyke. My Lord where as ye charge me wt apromys wryttin wt myne one hand, to chaunge the two yeres into two monethes, I thynke ye have no such playne sentence wrytten wt my hand; I knowe not wether ye be aparaphryser or not, yf ye be lerned in that syence yt ys possyble ye may of one worde make ahole sentence, and yett nott at all tymes after the true meanyng of the wryter; as yt aperyth by thys your exposycyon apon my wryttyng. Whan yt schalbe yowr pleasur to repayre hether ye must take sum payne to come erly in the mornyng, that ye may be gone agayne by seven aclocke and so I suppose ye may come without suspect. I pray yow lett me have knowlege ver nyght at what hower ye wyll come, that yowr porteresse may wayte at the gate to the feldes for yow. And thus wyth my most humble and harty comendatyons I take my leve of yow for thys tyme gyvyng yow lyke thankes for yowr comyng to the court whan I was there. From Chelsey.
I wyll kepe in store tyll I speke wt yow my lordes large offer for Fausterne, at wyche tyme I schalbe glad to knowe your further pleasur therein.
By her yt ys and schalbe yowr humble true and lovyng wyffe duryng her lyfe
KATERYN THE QUENE. K. P.
With modernised spelling:
MY LORD,
As I gather by your Letter delivered to my brother Herbert, ye are in some fear how to frame my lord your brother to speak in your favour; the denial of your request shall make his folly more manifest to the world, which will more grieve me than the want of his speaking. I would not wish you importune for his good will, if it come not frankly at the first, it shall be sufficient ones to have require[d] it, and after to cease. I would desire ye might obtain the King's Letters in your favour, and also the aid and furtherance of the most notable of the Council, such as ye shall think convenient, which thing obtained shall be no small shame to your brother and loving sister, in case they do not the like. My Lord, whereas ye charge me with a promise written with mine own hand, to change the two years into two months, I think ye have no such plain sentence written with my hand; I know not whether ye be a paraphraser or not, if ye be learned in that science it is possible ye may of one word make a whole sentence, and yet not at all times after the true meaning of the writer; as it appeareth by this your exposition upon my writing. When it shall be your pleasure to repair hither, ye must take some pain to come early in the morning, that ye may be gone again by seven o'clock and so I suppose ye may come without suspect. I pray you let me have knowledge overnight at what hour ye will come, that your porteress may wait at the gate to the fields for you. And thus, with my most humble and hearty commendations, I take my leave of you for this time, giving you like thanks for your coming to the court when I was there. From Chelsea.
I will keep in store till I speak with you my lord's large offer for Faustern, at which time I shall be glad to know your further pleasure therein.
By her it is and shall be your humble, true and loving wife during her life
CATHERINE THE QUEEN. C. P.
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