Letter from the Princess, afterwards Queen, Elizabeth, to her sister,
Queen Mary, on her being ordered to the Tower, in consequence of a
suspicion that she was connected with Wyat's rebellion:--
"If any ever did try this old saynge, that a kinge's worde was more
than another man's othe, I most humbly beseche your majesty to verefie
it in me, and to remember your last promis and my last demande, that I
be not condemned without answer and due profe: wiche it semes that now
I am, for that without cause provid I am by your counsel frome you
commanded to go unto the Tower; a place more wonted for a false
traitor, than a tru subject. Wiche thogth I knowe I deserve it not,
yet in the face of al this realme aperes that it is provid; wiche I
pray God, I may dy the shamefullist dethe that ever any died, afore I
may mene any suche thinge: and to this present hower I protest afor
God (who shal juge my trueth whatsoever malice shal devis) that I
never practised, consiled, nor consentid to any thinge that might be
prejudicial to your parson any way, or daungerous to the State by any
mene. And therefor I humbly beseche your Majestie to let me answer
afore your selfe, and not suffer me to trust to your counselors; yea
and that afore I go to the Tower, if it be possible; if not, afore I
be further condemned. Howbeit, I trust assuredly, your Highnes to wyl
give me leve to do it afor I go; for that thus shamfully I may not be
cried out on, as now I shalbe; yea and without cause. Let consciens
move your Highnes take some bettar way with me, than to make me be
condemned in al mens sigth, afor my desert knowen. Also I most humbly
beseche your Highnes to pardon this my boldnes, wiche innocency
procures me to do, togither with hope of your natural kindnes; wiche I
trust wyl not se me cast away without desert: wiche what it is, I wold
desier no more of God, but that you truly knewe. Wiche thinge I thinke
and beleve you shal never by report knowe, unless by your selfe you
hire. I have harde in my time of many cast away, for want of comminge
to the presence of ther Prince: and in late days I harde my Lorde of
Sommerset say, that if his brother had bine sufferd to speke with him,
he had never sufferd: but the perswasions wer made to him so gret,
that he was brogth in belefe that he coulde not live safely if the
Admiral lived; and that made him give his consent to his dethe. Thogth
thes parsons ar not to be compared to your majestie, yet I pray God,
as ivel perswations perswade not one sistar again the other; and al
for that the have harde false report, and not harkene to the trueth
knowin. Therefor ons again, kniling with humblenes of my hart, bicause
I am not sufferd to bow the knees of my body, I humby crave to speke
with your higthnis; wiche I wolde not be so bold to desier, if I knewe
my selfe most clere as I knowe myselfe most tru. And as for the
traitor Wiat, he migth paraventur writ me a lettar; but, on my faithe,
I never receved any from him. And as for the copie of my lettar sent
to the Frenche kinge, I pray God confound me eternally, if ever I sent
him word, message, token, or lettar by any menes: and to this my
truith I will stande in to my dethe.
"Your Highnes most faithful subject that hathe bine from the
beginninge, and wylbe to my ende,
"ELIZABETH."