Robert Cicill Knight principall
Secretarie to hir Ma.tie/
Countess of Shreusbury dowager
to my Mr
letters to you, Arbell hath ben very sick wth extream payne of hir side
wch she never had before, so as I was in great feare of hir./ she hath had a
docter of phisick wth her for a fortnight togather, and inforced to take much
phisick this vnseasonable time, but findes little ease./ I see hir minde is the
cause of all./ she sayth that yf she might speake wth S.r Henry Brounker or
some other sent from hir Ma.tie she should be well; for that she hath a great
desire to satisfie hir Ma.tie in all matters, whose gratious favor, and good ~
opynion, she desireth above all earthly thinges./ Good Mr Secretarie, my
most earnest suit is that it will please you to be a mean to hir Sacred
Ma.tie for the speedie sending downe of S.r Henry Brounker or some other,
to whome Arbell is desirous to declare sondry thinges wch she sayth she will
vtter to none, but one sent by hir Ma.tie./ The Almightie ever prosper hir
Ma.tie wth the Contynuaunce of his great blessinges./ And so desiring you good
Mr Secretarie to holde me excused for importuning you in this sorte, I will
take my leave, praying god to graunt you all honor and happines./ ffrom
Hardwick this xxjth of february .1602./
not to eat or drink in this house at Hardwick or where
I am till she maye here from hir Ma.tie, so that for
prservation of hir lyfe I am inforced to suffer hir to goe
to a house of myne called Oldcotes too myles from hence./
I am wearie of my lyfe, and therefore humbly beseech
hir Ma.tie to have Compassion on me./ and I earnestly
praye you to hasten S.r Henry Brounker hither./