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I acknowledge my self most bounde to her Majes^ty for her gracious pardon of my offence whi^ch appeareth more disgracefull in her Majes^ties Eyes, your Ladyship's and those two graue and honorable counsellours by whose lettre it pleaseth her Majes^ty to reprooue my offence then it yet doth in the opinion of many others vppon whose opinion I haue laydd the foundacion of all the rest of my life. Pardonne therefore I beseech your Ladyship if wi^thout those Ceremonyes, whi^ch ether through ignorance or anxietye of mynde, yet distracted between feare and hope I sett downe the trew reasons of this my proceedinge To imploy any much more such base and vnworthy parsons in such a matter had been a blott to my reputation, never to be washed away wi^th floods of repentant teares, if my intent had not been to haue it knowne to her Majes^ty that such a matter was propounded seriously, and by some desyred, by others not misliked, but vtterly neglected or reiected by my self from the first howre I heard of it till the Last, and not more now then at the first, for all my Lord of Hartfords discourteous dealinge wi^th me whoe haue deserved better at his hands, and therefore restrayninge my freinds I respected I sent such as I thought likeliest to displease his Lordship, though I instructed them not to give his Lordship iust cause of offence, and adventured noe more then I was desyrous they should diuuldge soe it weare wi^thout my consent, for in truth I cannot fynde in my hart to disclose the Counsell of any stranger or enemy that ether by their consent, or chanceably commeth to my knowledge if it may be, or if I doe but doubt it may be preiudiciall to them And I thanke God it fell out better then I and my dearest and betrusted whatsoever he be could haue devised or imagyned though we haue bett our braynes about it theise three yeares. The ridiculous and contempteous stile I pray you excuse wi^th the reasons whi^ch this gentleman whi^ch taught it me alledged before he could perswade me to play the foole in good earnest. It was convenient her Majes^ty should see and beleive what busye bodyes, vntrew rumours, vniust practises colorable and cunninge devises, are in remote parts against those whom the world vnderstands to be in a sort exiled her Majes^ties presence vndeservedly though themselfes be never soe wary or vnwillinge any should soe much as speake of them, and as herein your Ladyshipps wisdome and fydelity hath been at Least comparable wi^th my Lord of Hartfords, soe I haue many good wittnesses and more then for their owne sake I would I had had, that I haue been as precise and circumspect in auoydinge all occasions ether of alluringe or incoraginge any to reveile their affection how, great soever, how read respectively soever, how well soever Loued or liked by my self, and whosoever hath made tryall, what would ether perswade the most verteous Lady or the greatest Lady, for by their commandment I must needes tell your Ladyshi^pe they will needes say and sweare I am the one of their knowledge, and they could wishe me in the highest degree of her Majes^ties favour, and putt me in hope if ever I may attayne her Majes^ties presence I shall receaue the like gracious countenance for all this that ever I haue done. They I say whoe haue made most triall what promises, oathes, vowes, threatninges, vnkyndnesses kyndnes, fayre meanes and fowle, neglect of others, wi^th drawinge of Comfort, Counsell, hope of redresse or any thinge in the world, could constrayne or intize one of my sex, yeares, and hetherto vnhappy fortune, can beare me wittnes that I am to stout to request favour, till I be sure I may Command it, and they take it as a favour done to them and not to me of whom they craue not soe much as thankes; I assure your Ladyshi^p nor any thinge but loue in such honorable and Christian sort as I weare to be condemned by your Ladyshi^p especially, if for your Ladyshi^ps Comfort and my owne advancemen^t I should still haue reiected or like a deafe Aspe stopped my eares agaynst his voyce whoe never requested any thinge, but was more for my good and honour then his owne. All the iniuryes he could he hath done me, and his creditt beeinge as he right well deserves great wi^th her majes^ty and his friendes may I impute even all my wronges to him, and freely forgive them all whoe haue been his (vnwittinge I am sure) perchance vnwillinge Instrumentes and if they had knowne by whom to what end they weare imployed, (as I thinke verie feaw did if any; for secrecy is one of his vertues and I thinke he hath as many as any subiect or forrayne Prince in Europe or more. The only request that I ever made vnto him (many other thinges I haue in rude and vncivill manner bidd him doe and he can take nothinge ill at my hand, but as he protesteth, and I am as sure, as one can be of any mortall creature that he knoweth the vallue of an oath and esteemeth it as the pawne of his sowle, that he would procure my remove from out of your Ladyshi^ps Custody, not that I would not thinke my self most happye, to spend all my life vnder your Ladyships governement, but that I cannot rule Loue and ambition in others, as I thanke God I can doe both verii well in my self, and in truth am not infected at all wi^th the Later, nor soe apt to beleive and sodaynly to resolue in soe important a matter, as I was content I should seeme to my Lord of Hartford of purpose and not by errour I protest As I may compare the Loue of this worthy gentleman whi^ch I haue allready vnrevoubeably accepted and confirmed and will never deny, nor cannot nor will repent whatsoever befall) to gold whi^ch hath been soe often purifyed, that I cannot fynde one fault to vrge iealousye that only excepted, soe I haue dealt vnkyndly, shrewdly, prowdly wi^th him, and if any Livinge haue cause to thinke me proude or shrewde it is he whom I haue Loued to well even since I could Loue to hyde any thought woord or deed of myne from him vnlesse it weare to awe him a little when I thought his Loue converted into hate, for I did him the wronge to thinke soe a great whyle, or to make him weary of his iealousye by lettinge him see it was the only way to make me fall out wi^th him, and anger him in the highest degree I could imagyn wi^th my Lord of Hartford I haue dealt soe precisely that it hath nether been in his power to doe me more hurt then reveale all he knew by me, or should haue cause or colour to take any thinge soe kyndly to keepe my Counsell. When I writt I weept and I mervayle it was not perceaued for I could nether forbeare weapinge at meale tymes nor in truth day nor night till I had performed my and sett downe in good and orderly sort some of the sevral devises, and shiftes, which more then one had devised and practised without ether my knowledge, till it was past, or allowance ether for what was past or to come, and this Party whoe trustes me with more then ever I would haue been even the secretest thoughtes of his hart, hath not nor never had soe much as a promise, that I would keepe his counsell. He taught me by the Example of Samuell that one might pretend on errand, and deliver an other wi^th a safe conscience By the Example of Sampson that one might, (and if they be not to foolishe to live in the world) must speake riddles to their friendes, and trye the truth of offered Loue, and vnsuspected friendes in some matter, if they deale vnfaythfully in it shall but make their ridiculous mallice appeare to their owne discreditt and noe mat manner of hurt to others. He assured me her Majes^ties offence would be converted into Laughter, when her Majes^ty should see the honest cunninge of the contriver, to such an end as wilbe highly to her Majes^ties likinge and your Ladyshi^ps and my good many wayes He tould me he would haue me enter into some great action to wynn my self reputation, try her Majes^ties Loue towardes me though nether of vs doubted of it, try what my freindes would doe for me, and how I could imploy my freindes and, servantes, and make strangers to me effect my desyres wi^thout beeinge behouldinge to them: and buyldinge my hopes vppon the Rocke lett the wyndes and billowes and tempestes shew that though my buyldinge be Low, yet it is not buylded vppon the sand for then I had been ruyned; but like the wise Architect, who first draweth his plott, and afterwardes make an estimate of his charges givinge some allowance more then he thinkes wilbe needfull, and then fyndinge him self able to goe through cherefully setteth his woorkmen to their severall workes. Soe we did first deliberately consult and after speedily execute that whi^ch we knew would for a short tyme be offensive to her Majes^ty, your Ladyship, the Erle of Hartford and divers others and woorke an effect whi^ch I am most assured will be most acceptable to her Majes^ty and it is even the best service that ever Lady did her Souveraigne and Mistresse. I am more desyrous her Majes^ty should vnderstand every part and parcell of the devise, every Actour, every action, every woord and siliable of that her Majes^ty hath vnder my hand or Ihon Goods, then your Ladyshi^p is, because I know more then your Ladyshi^p doth or shall (because it is most for your Ladyship's honour and good it should be soe) till her Majes^ty be acquaynted and fully satisfyed, that I have donne nothinge foolishely rashely or falsely, or vnworthy of my self. Therefore I doe humbly thanke her Majes^ty for that liberty it pleased her Highnes to allow me, by the whi^ch I may conferr wi^th my freinds wi^thout whi^ch I could not discouver the truth soe soone and soe well to her Majes^ty as I trust to doe if it her Majes^ty to allow me the space of one moneth to cleare my self in, and liberty to send to any privy counsellour, I will be accomptable to her Majes^ty but not to your Ladyship, for all that ever I did in my life or ever will doe. And I will reveale some secrett of loue concerninge my self, and some others whi^ch wilbe delightfull to her Majes^ty to vnderstand I will send some to complayne of themselfes, I will informe her Majes^ty of some matters whereof her Majes^ty hath yet noe manner of suspicion. I will offend noone but my vncle of Shrewsbury, my Aunt and my vncle Charles, and them I will anger, as much as ever they angred me, and make my self as merry at them as the last Lent they did at their owne pleasant device (for soe I take it of the Gentleman wi^th the redd eyes. And if they will as they ought in duty reconcyle themselfes to your Ladyshi^ps your Ladyship shall command me to forgett all Iniuryes they haue done me, one only excepted, and that is the wronges they have done this most worthy Gentleman, for whom I haue allready forsaken Parents, kynn and all the world her Majes^ty onely excepted For I vow as I shall be saued he tells me playnly, he will not offend her Majes^ty for my sake, and will rather forsake me for ever then incurr her Majes^ties displeasure, though the tyme be ned never soe short And therefore though I haue kept his counsell theise many yeares, and will doe whylst I liue, if it may be the least hurtfull to him or any of his (for I never did acquaynt any of myne one or other I take God to wittness) soe I thinke it longe till I may lett her Majes^ty know his name, whoe soe farr exceedeth all examples of her Highnes best favoured, that he dare not see nor but by stealth send to her that he loues as well as ever they did any And if it please her Majesty soe to accept of him, I shall thinke my self most happy if her Majesty will grace him with her favour and wynn his hart from me if it be possible, and I will dayly pray for her Majes^ty and him, that he may dayly deserue her Majes^ties favour, more and more as I know he will endevour and if it please her Majes^ty to give me but libertye to send to him and hear from him (whi^ch in truth) I must doe and he will doe, though it offend your Ladyship, and can doe whosoe==ever oversee vs, I will shew your Ladyship every letter of his I shall hereafter receaue, and be content your Ladyship shall reveale all that to your Ladyshi^ps knowledge passeth betwixt vs not only to her Majes^ty but to all the world, for I am soe farr from beeinge ashamed of my choyce, that even for my owne honour sake I could fynde in my hart to reveale him, but that in truth I dare not, wi^thout his consent, and he dare not till he haue his pardon for him self and his freinds, signifyed vnto me by her Majes^ties lettre, whi^ch after I am to send to him and heare from him agayne, and then he shall ether himself by what meanes pleaseth him acquaynt her Majes^ty wi^th his fearefull presumption, or I will tell your Ladyship vppon condition, it may please your Ladyship to ioyne wi^th me in begginge her Majes^ties most gracious Pardon to certayne offendours whose pennance shalbe to make confession first to her Majes^ty and after to your Ladyship how gladly they would haue offended your Ladyship, and how farr they haue offended her Majes^ty for my sake, and if they receaue the sentence of death out of her Majes^ties mouth I dare answere for them they shall dye content, but I trust her Highnes will wi^th a smile deryde their faults follyes, and at one of their hands accept a poore present, I am in hand wi^th for her Majes^ty give another leaue to deliver a lettre or secrett message to her sacrid Majes^ty from me her then fully absolued handmayde and give vs all leaue to impart our ioy at her Majes^ties pardon to vs all, one to an other, and devise the best manner how to represent to her Majes^ty the ioy we conceaue thereof, and make our selfes merry wi^th makinge our selfes perfect in our parts, whi^ch for want of conference we haue partly forgotten, and partly vnderstand not, and her Majes^ty more merry if it please her Highnes to keepe our counsell, and I will instruct them and send them to her Majes^ty one after an other, and noone livinge shall vnderstand my drift but her Majes^ty, the noble gentleman (whose name I conceale) and whom it pleaseth them two to aquaynt wi^th out lymitation. One only sute will I make to her Majes^ty, wherein I most humbly craue your Ladyshi^p to assist and further ayde me, that it that it that it may please her Majes^ty to suspend her Highnes iudgment of me, till her Majes^ty see the end, whi^ch cannot be soe soone, as I could wishe, for I thinke every mynute longe but shalbe hastned as much as may be, I assure your Ladyshi^p on my fayth, and surcease her displeasure to my selfe, and all those wi^th whom I doubt for my sake her Highnes is offended, and suffer noone of them whose names her Majes^ty hath vnder my hand to come or send to me, vnles I send for them, and whoe soever come to me at my request or vnsent for, ether I will acquaynt your Ladyship or send them vpp post, or cause them to advertise some privy counsellour, what they doe at my request, to what end I trust I haue fully satisfyed your Ladyship that I am nether soe disobedient nor inconsiderate as your Ladyship might thinke me, and because I report many thinges whi^ch to your Ladyship seeme impossible your Ladyship next vnder her Majes^ty shall censure all my proceedinges, when your Ladyship by her Majes^ties gracious lettre or messenger vnfouldeth theise darke speaches, whi^ch (lett others doe as please them) I will never reveale but to her Majes^ty, neyther will I presume to present my vnworthy service to her Majes^ty till it shall please her Highnes., to command it, for some reasons wherewi^th I will wi^th all speed, advertise her Majes^ty Whom the Lord blesse and prosper for ever every way. Arbella Stuart Lady Arbellas Stuart her first Declara==tion A. Initial version