1602
March 14 Mynute to my Lady Shrewsbury by Master Holford
Concerning the Lady Arbella/
Madame. We are verie sorry to fynde by the strange stile of the Lady Arbellaes lettres that she hath her thoughts noe better quieted especially consideringe her Majestes owne ready inclynation notwithstandinge her errour first errour in delinge with my lord of Hertford to haue taken noe other course with her then was expressed by our first ioynt letter under tow. of our handes./ to then and because we would be verie gladd even for the suppression of vayne reports that the bottome of her heart weare knowne, seeinge the bearer hereof is knowne to vs to be of good Religion, and seemeth to be agreeble vnto her in respect of his dependeng vppon her howse. It is thought fitt that your Ladyship should suffer him to haue accesse vnto her, as often as she shall desyre him Next whereas your Ladyship complaynes, that she is not remooued from you, we must replye vnto you for the present, that her Majesty can in noe sort be brought vnto it, but rather wisheth that seeinge Fashion all thinges, as the yonge Lady, may not mislike her habitation, soe as your Ladyship doe assigne Master William Cavendish to attend her, whoe is a gentleman that can both please her and advise her in a dew proportion. And thus for this tyme we committ your Ladyship to Gods protection. From the court at Richmond this of March 1602

your Ladyships verie Lovinge freinds./

she groweth soe troublesoem both to her selfe and to others that you will deale as myldly with her in wordes as you can howsoever she may offend you in this tyme of her passion because that is one pretence of her querell. and that as much as may be her sendinge vpp and downe such strange lettres may be forborne. in the which we must tell you truly and soe we pray you to lett Master William Cauendish know that her Majesty and my Lordes doe expect at his hand that he should interpose himselfe more earnestly and perticilerly toward the discouvery of her meaninge by theise vayne fancyes then he doth seeinge it is her Majestes pleasure and soe we doe agayne signifye to you that he doe ease your Ladyship of that contynuall care which we see you take the same beinge a great trouble to your selfe and more proper for him whose company is more agreable vnto her/ Theise dyrections we haue


thought fitt to give you in her case, first because the dispersinge of her lettres abroad of such straunge subiectes she writes is inconvenient for many respects, and in our opinion disgraceful to her selfe, which maketh vs the rather woonder that her vncles there, are noe more sensible of it, nor doe not by their lettres or otherwise open themselfes vnto vs ether in their desyre and

and industry to prevent and suppresse these thinges or in discoveringe their knowledge of such perticilers as haue come to there vnderstanding especially, Master Henry Cavendish whoe knowinge himselfe to be charged in the first matter of my Lord of Hartford ought in duty ether to haue written or come vpp to haue given satisfacion, whereof ... we pray your Ladyshipp, to take notice vnto him in that as to Master William Cauendish, of that which is expected by the state at his handes. Lastly we intreat your Ladisshipp for your owne part to Lay from you all suspition or feare that any of her vnquiett informations can toutch you in her Majestes opinion nether ought in wisdome to be, soe apprehended by you towards her as to be mooued thereby, to any such Course, as might hurt your health or give her cause of further vexation to her selfe, whom her Majesty would haue, barred, of noe thinge fitt for her where she remaynes as longe, as those discreet freinds of hers whom you assigne to accompany and attend her can keepe her within bounds of temper and quiettness of ... which though we can iudge but by her lettres yet you must thinke that we assure our selfes that they which doe dayly accompany her haue soe much discrete as to discover the causes

the ende and the remedyes of all actions if they list./



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