Source:
Original letters illustrative of English history, series 1, volume 3, page 40, edited by Henry Ellis, 1825
Above: Lady Elizabeth Russell, née Cooke, formerly Hoby, artist unknown.
Above: Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury, painted by unknown artist after John de Critz the Elder.
The letter:
God comfort you, my Lord, when you woold as it pleased your Lordship to comfort my daunted spiritts which were so changed therby and sturred upp by your Lordships so honorable most kynde and unloked for visitacion, as turned melancoly into a sanguin. My Lord in trawth I am weak. Heat in the forpart of my hed unfaynedly, with shooting payen, and swimming brayne, maketh me, on my fayth, to feare a sodayne death, like to the Erle Dorset. Suer I am that I slepe litle, eate less, nor drank a draught of ale, bere, or wyne sins my comming to Windsor, but water and limmons, by phisitions advise. But in trawth I had clymed up and stoode from your Lordship's comming in, to your going owt, which made me faynt and sweat truly. Thus muche have I troubled your Lordship becawse I would not willingly deserve to be thought a dissembler or ipperitt. Becawse I here your Lordship meaneth to be gon early in the morning, I am bowld to send your pale thin cheecks a comfortable litle breckfast agaynst the contagion of this tyme. God bless yow, with the continuance of all helth and happiness as I woold to myself unfaynedly.
Your Lordships owld Awnt, of compleate
lxviij yeres, that will pray for your long lyfe
ELIZABETH RUSSELL douager.
With modernised spelling:
God comfort you, my Lord, when you would as it pleased Your Lordship to comfort my daunted spirits which were so changed thereby and stirred up by Your Lordship's so honourable most kind and unlocked for visitation, as turned melancholy into a sanguine. My Lord, in truth I am weak. Heat in the forepart of my head unfainedly, with shooting pain, and swimming brain maketh me, on my faith, to fear a sudden death, like to the Earl Dorset. Sure I am that I sleep little, eat less, nor drank a draught of ale, beer, or wine since my coming to Windsor, but water and lemons, by physician's advice. But in truth I had climbed up and stood from Your Lordship's coming in to your going out, which made me faint and sweat truly. Thus much have I troubled Your Lordship because I would not willingly deserve to be thought a dissembler or hypocrite. Because I hear Your Lordship meaneth to be gone early in the morning, I am bold to send your pale, thin cheeks a comfortable little breakfast against the contagion of this time. God bless you, with the continuance of all health and happiness as I would to myself unfainedly.
Your Lordship's old Aunt, of complete
LXVIII years, that will pray for your long life
ELIZABETH RUSSELL dowager.
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