Source:
The girlhood of Queen Elizabeth, a narrative in letters, Frank Arthur Mumby, 1909
Above: Elizabeth I, queen of England, France and Ireland, artist unknown.
Posted on September 7, 2021 in honour of the 488th anniversary of Elizabeth's birth.
The letter:
Elizabeth by the grace of God Queen of England, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc. Because it hath pleased Almighty God by calling to His mercy out of this mortal life, to our great grief, our dearest sister of noble memory, Mary, late Queen of England, France and Ireland (whose soul God have), to dispose and bestow upon us, as the only right heir by blood and lawful succession to the Crown of the aforesaid kingdoms of England, France and Ireland, with all manner of titles and right thereunto in any wise appertaining, We do publish and give knowledge of this our proclamation to all manner of people, being natural subjects of every the said kingdoms, that from the beginning of the 17th day of this month of November, at which time our said dearest sister departed from this mortal life, they be discharged of all bonds and duty of subjection towards our said sister, and be from the same time in nature and law bound only to us as their only Sovereign Lady and Queen, wherewith we do by this our proclamation and straightly charge and ally them to us, promising on our part no less love and care towards their preservation than hath been in any of our progenitors, and not doubting on their parts but they will observe the duty which belongeth to natural good and true loving subjects. And further we straightly charge and command all manner our said subjects to keep themselves within our peace, and not to attempt upon any pretence the breach, alteration or change of any order or usage presently established within this our realm, upon pain of our indignation, and the peril and punishment which thereto in any wise may belong. Given the 18th day of November, the first year of our reign.
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