Mary, Queen of Scots's letter to Sir Francis Knollys, dated September 1, 1568

Source:

Original letters illustrative of English history, series 1, volume 2, page 252, edited by Henry Ellis, 1825

https://archive.org/details/originallettersi02elliuoft/page/252/mode/2up

Above: Mary, Queen of Scots, painted by unknown artist after François Clouet.

Above: Sir Francis Knollys, artist unknown.

The letter:

Mester Knoleis, y heuu har sum neus from Scotland: y send zou the double off them y vreit to the quin my gud sister, and pres you to du the lyk, conforme to that y spak zesternicht vnto zou, and sut hesti ansur y refer all to zour discretion, and wil lipne beter in zour gud delin for mi, nor y kan persuad zou, nemli in this langasg excus my iuel vreitin for y neuuer vsed it afor, and am hestet. Ze schal si my bel vhuilk is opne, it is sed Seterday my unfrinds wil bi vth zou, y sey nething bot trests weil, and ze send oni to zour wiff ze mey asur her schu wald a bin weilcom to apur strenger, hua nocht bien aquentet vth her, wil nocht bi ouuer bald to vreit bot for the aquentans betuix ous. Y wil send zou letle tekne to rember zou off the gud hop y heuu in zou, guef ze fend a mit mesager y wald wysh ze bestouded it reder apon her non ani vder; thus effter my commendations y prey God heuu zou in his kipin.

Zour asured gud frind

MARIE R.

Excus my iuel vreitin

thes furst tym.

Notes: "y heuu har" = "I have heard."

vreit = wrote.

quin = queen.

pres = pray.

delin = dealing.

mi = me.

langasg = language.

vreitin = writing.

hestet = hasted.

bel = bill.

vhuilk = whilk (which).

vth = with.

schu = she.

apur = a poor.

hua = who.

nocht bien = not being.

bald = bold.

ous = us.

letle tekne = a little token.

rember = remember.

guef = gif, if.

fend = find

mit = meet (proper).

bestouded = bestowed.

reder = rather.

non = than.