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    <bess_letter id="136">
        
        
        <address_leaf>
            <contemporary_addition hand="unknown scribe" type="endorsement">
                1602
            </contemporary_addition> 
            
            <contemporary_addition hand="Sir Robert Cecil" type="endorsement">
                La<dip>:</dip><expan>dy</expan> Shrewsb<dip>:</dip><expan>ury</expan><lb/>
                M<expan>aste</expan><sup>r</sup> Vicechamb<del/><expan>er</expan>lain and<lb/>
                <del>owr</del> <add>my</add> l<dip_expan>ett</dip_expan>re to y<sup>e</sup><lb/>
                Lady Shrews<carry_over/>bury
            </contemporary_addition>
        </address_leaf>
        
        <overleaf>
            <note hand="archivist" type="Foliation">
                168
            </note>
        </overleaf>
        
        <letter_text hand="unknown scribe">
            <note hand="archivist" type="Item number">
                128
            </note>
            
            <note hand="archivist" type="Foliation">
                167
            </note>
            
            Madame. It hath pleased her Ma<dip>.</dip><expan>jes</expan><sup>ty</sup>; vppon the receipt of your l<dip_expan>ett</dip_expan>res<lb/>
            by S<dip>.</dip><expan>i</expan><sup>r</sup> Henry Bronekard (w<expan>i</expan><sup>t</sup>h w<expan>hi</expan><sup>c</sup>h and w<expan>i</expan><sup>t</sup>h all other perticulers he <symbol/><lb/>
            acquaynted her) to command vs two, to Lett you know, how much<lb/>
            she remayneth satisfyed w<expan>i</expan><sup>t</sup>h your proceedinges <del/>; nothinge<lb/>
            appearinge in them, but fullnes of care to prevent inconvenionces<lb/>
            and desyre to accomplish (in all thinges) her Ma<dip>.</dip><expan>jes</expan><sup>t<dip_expan>e</dip_expan>s</sup> pleasure, <del>Wherof</del> <add>But</add><lb/>
            (Least you by mistakinge her meaninge, or apprehendinge more then<lb/>
            is needfull, should peradventure take some course, that is not covenient)<lb/>
            we are commanded to Lett you know; first what her Ma<dip>.</dip><expan>jes</expan><sup>ty</sup> conceaues of<lb/>
            the younge Ladyes action, and how (from hence forth) she would haue<lb/>
            it ordered, to avoyd idle talkes and rumours, whereof there is<lb/>
            aptnes in most men, to take libertye in this tyme. In the <symbol/><symbol/><lb/>
            observation of the roote (from whence this motive spronge in<lb/>
            the Lady) she doth perceaue, that some base companions (thinkinge<lb/>
            it pleasinge to her youth and sex) to be sought in marriage,<lb/>
            weare content to abuse her, w<expan>i</expan><sup>t</sup>h a device; That the Erle of<lb/>
            Hartford, had a purpose, to match his Gran=chyld w<expan>i</expan><sup>t</sup>h her <symbol/><lb/>
            A matter wherein they knew (in their owne consciences) how <symbol/><lb/>
            Leawdly they dealt, but that they hoped, soe to haue practised<lb/>
            vppon the Nobleman, as to haue proffitt if they could once haue<lb/>
            been admitted; only to haue entered into such communication<lb/>
            w<expan>i</expan><sup>t</sup>h him: for of this your Ladyship may be assured, That if<lb/>
            his owne precise carriage in the matter and cleare and inocent<lb/>
            dealinge w<expan>i</expan><sup>t</sup>h the queen (as he hath done) weare not sufficient<lb/>
            to cleare the Erle; yet the incongruitye of his Gran=chylds<lb/>
            yeares (beinge between 17 and 18) besyd<dip_expan>e</dip_expan>s the absurd Election<lb/>
            of the Ministers, and course of proceedinges) is suffcient to <symbol/><lb/>
            satisfye all the world, that this matter had a corrupt begin<dip_expan>n</dip_expan>inge,<lb/>
            as it hath a fond end, and hereof is her Ma<expan>jes</expan><sup>ty</sup> pleased, that<lb/>
            you should make the yonge Lady, partaker; to this intent;<lb/>
            both that she may see her follye, and w<expan>i</expan><sup>t</sup>hall to receaue this <symbol/><lb/>
            admonition hereby; That howsoever her Ma<expan>jes</expan><sup>ty</sup> may be contented<lb/>
            (in respect of her penitence for her fault) to pass ouer the <symbol/><symbol/><lb/>
            presumption in her, to hearken to a match in that place, <symbol/><symbol/><lb/>
            whereby it mought be collected, that she had some other idle<lb/>
            conceipt, then the marriage, Yet that if she shall not take<lb/>
            this for a warninge, and content her selfe to Liue in good <symbol/><lb/>
            sort, (w<expan>i</expan><sup>t</sup>h soe deare a parent and soe worthy a matrone) w<expan>i</expan><sup>t</sup>hout<lb/>
            dealinge in such thinges, or any matter of importance, <symbol/><symbol/><symbol/><lb/>
            wherevnto she shall not ether, first make you privy (if she<lb/>
            be the first Authour) or immediately after she is acquaynted<lb/>
            by any others, shall not resort to you and playnly and dutifully<lb/>
            declare all
            <pb/>
            
            circumstances even at the first instant, she shall be made knone,<lb/>
            that therein she abuseth that libertye, w<expan>hi</expan><sup>c</sup>h otherwise her Ma<dip>.</dip><expan>jes</expan><sup>ty</sup> is<lb/>
            pleased, she should hould, as heretofore she hath done, for all correspon<carry_over>=</carry_over>dencyes and exchanges of Courtesyes, and acquayntance w<expan>i</expan><sup>t</sup>h her <del/><lb/>
            freind<dip_expan>e</dip_expan>s <del>and</del> <add>or</add> yours, in matters that tend not to such like plott<dip_expan>e</dip_expan>s or <symbol/><lb/>
            practises, wherein she must know, that beeinge of that blood she is, <symbol/><symbol/><lb/>
            her Ma<dip>.</dip><expan>jes</expan><sup>ty</sup> will looke for an extraordinary accompt of her proceedinges.<lb/>
            Next Madame to concurr w<expan>i</expan><sup>t</sup>h this purpose, of her Ma<dip>.</dip><expan>jes</expan><sup>ty</sup>, in the<lb/>
            manner of her traictm<expan>en</expan><sup>t</sup> we are commanded to tell you, that she<lb/>
            would haue you (by all meanes) avoyde any such manner of Guardinge;<lb/>
            your howse, or excludinge resort as may contynew the fond bruiet<dip_expan>e</dip_expan>s.<lb/>
            that are raysed, and that you therein retourne to your accustomed<lb/>
            manner, w<expan>i</expan><sup>t</sup>hout any other overcuriositye. Your Ladyship may<lb/>
            notw<expan>i</expan><sup>t</sup>hstandinge sufficiently observe, how she carryes her selfe, And<lb/>
            because your age and sicknes cannot permitt you to be allwayes in<lb/>
            her company, you may impose some care vppon some discreet gentlewoman<lb/>
            to be in her company and some honest gentleman to attend her amongest<lb/>
            the rest, whoe w<expan>i</expan><sup>t</sup>hout vsinge any extraordinarye restraynt, may haue<lb/>
            eyes sufficiently vnto her, if she doe any thinge vnfitt for her <symbol/><lb/>
            ether in dutye to the queen, or in preiudice of her owne honour or <symbol/><lb/>
            welldoinge. To conclude Madame we must agayne reiterate vnto you<lb/>
            her Ma<dip>.</dip><expan>jes</expan><sup>t<dip_expan>e</dip_expan>s</sup> gracious acceptation of your dutifull care and affection<lb/>
            to please her. Only you must receaue this answeare for your suite<lb/>
            to be freed of her, That her Ma<dip>.</dip><expan>jes</expan><sup>ty</sup> cannot thinke of any other <symbol/><lb/>
            place, soe fitt for her as this is, and therefore desyreth you to<lb/>
            remayne contented and to looke to your health, that God may<lb/>
            giue you a comfortable life, w<expan>hi</expan><sup>c</sup>h her Ma<dip>.</dip><expan>jes</expan><sup>ty</sup> wisheth you as much<lb/>
            as any freind you haue. And soe for this tyme we &amp;c.
        </letter_text>
    </bess_letter>
<change_history>
<version v="1.0">Initial version</version>
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</bess>
