Stewart Books, Letters of Robert Wingfield, Letter of Robert Wingfield 08 Feb 1857

Letter of Robert Wingfield 08 Feb 1857 is in Letters of Robert Wingfield.

This transcription is from the contemporary copy of Wingfield's letter now at Surrey History Centre (LM/1921, section C1). Another contemporary copy of the letter is in the Bodleian (Tanner MS 78, f.129). The original letter is held in the archive of the Marquess of Bute, Mount Stuart, Isle of Bute (HM/3/1).

Execution of Mary Queen of Scots

8th February 1587. Letter from Robert Wynkfeilde to William Cecil, Lord Burghley, on the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots.

It beinge certyfied the vi^th of February last to the queen of Skottes by the ryght honorable the Earle of Kent, the earle of Shrewsbury, and also by S^r Amyas Powlett and S^r Drue Drurye, her governors, that she was to prepare her self to dye the viij^th of Februarie then next cominge, she seeminge not to be in any terror by ought that appeared by anie her outwarde gestures or behavior, other than marvaylynge that she should dye, but rather w^th smylinge cheer and pleasaunt countenance digested and accepted the said admonicon of p^g* paradise to her as she said an unexpected execucon sayinge that her death should be wellcome unto her, seeinge that her ma^tie was so resolved, and that that soule were too, too far unworthie the fruicon of the joyes of heaven forever, whose bodie would not in this world be contented to endure the stroke of the execucon for a moment. And that spoken, she wept bitterlie and became silent.

The said viij^th of February beinge come and the tyme and place appointed for the execucon, as aforesaid, the Q[ueen] of S[cots], being of stature tall and bodie corpulent, round shouldered, her face fatt and broad, doble chinned, and hazell eyes, her borrowed haire auborne. Her attyre was this: on her head she had a dressinge of lawne edged w^th bone lace, a pomand^r chayne and an Agnus Dei about her necke, a Crucifix in her hand, a payre of beads at her girdle w^th a goulden Crosse at the end of them, a vaile of lawne fastened to her caule bowed out w^th wyer and edged round about w^th bone lace, her gowne was of blacke satten printed w^th a trayne and longe sleves to the ground, sett w^th acorne buttons of iett trymed w^th pearls and short sleves of blacke satten cutt w^th a payre of sleves of purple velvett whole, under them her kertell whole of fine figured black satten, her peticote, upper bodies unlaced in the backe of crimson velvett, her shoes of Spanishe leather w^th the roughe side outwarde, a payre of greene silke garters, her nether stocke of worsted coloured watchett clocked w^th silver and edged on the topps w^th silver, and next her leggs a paire of Jersey hose, white.

This Q thus apparelled in a kinde of Joye, w^thout any desire of deferringe of matters or tyme, dep[ar]ted her chamber and verie willinglie bended her stepps towards the place of execucon, beinge gentlie caried out of her said chamber into an entrie next out the said great hall by twoo of S^r A: Powlett, his cheifest ~~men~~ gentlemen. M^r Andrewes, the highe Sheriffe goinge before her. In w^ch entry, the honorable the Earle of Kent and the earle of Shrewsb., Comissioners appointed by her Ma^tie for the said execucon, together w^th the twoo governo^rs of her p[er]son, S^r A. Powlett & S^r Drew Drewry, and divers knights and gentlemen of good accompte did meet her, where one of the said Queenes servants, named Melvin, kneelinge on his knees to the said Queen his m^ess, wringinge his hands and shedinge of manie teares, used then and there theis words unto her, sayinge: "Madame, unhappie me, what man on earth was ever before the messenger of such important sorrowe and heavinesse as I shalbe when I shall reporte that my good and gracious Q[ueen] and m^ress is beheaded in England!" Theis said, teares prevented him of farther speakinge, whereupon the said Q[ueen], pouringe out of her dyeinge teares, thus answered him: "My good friend: Cease to lament, for thou hast cause rather to ioye then to mourne, for nowe shalt thou see Mary Stewarde troubles receive their longe-expected end and determynacon, for," said she, "good servant, all the world is but vanity & subiecte still to more sorrowe than a whole ocean of teares canne bewaile, but I pray thee," she said, "carry this message from me, that I dyed a true woman to my religion and like a true woman of Scottland and Fraunce; but God forgive them," said she, "that have longe desired my end and thirsted for my bloude as the Harte dothe the water brooke. O, God!" said she, "thou that art the author of truth, and truth itself, knowest the inward chamber of my thoughts and howe that I was ever willinge that England and Skotland should be unyted together. Well," said she then, "comende me to my sonne and tell him that I have not done any thinge preiudicall to the State & Kingdome of S[cots]" & Soe resolvinge herself againe into teares, said: "Good Melvyn, farewell!" and, w^th weepinge eyes, her Cheeks all besprinkled w^th teares as they were, kissed him, sayinge once agayne: "Good Melvyn, farewell and pray for thy m^ris and queen." And then she tourned herself to the Lords & tould them that she had certaine requests to make unto them. One was for a some of money, w^ch she said S^r A. P. knew of, to be paid to one Curle, her servant; next, that her poore servants might have and enioy that w^th quietness w^ch she had given them by her will and testament, and that they might be favourablie entreated and to send them safelie into their Country. "And this to doe, my very good Lords, I doe comande yo^w." Answere was made by S^r A. P. to this effect: "I am not forgetfull of the mony yo^r grace doth speake of, and therefore," said he, "yo^r grace shall not need to rest in suspencon of the not performinge of yo^r request." And then she said there resteth yet another request w^ch she would make unto the Lords, and that was this: That t would please them to permitt unto her poor, distressed servants to be present about her at her death, that their eyes might behould and their harts mighte be witnesses howe paciently their Q[ueen] and m^ris should endure her execucon, and that, therby, they mighte be able to make relacon, when they came into their countries, that she died a true Constant Catholicke to her Religion.

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Then the Earle of K. did answere thus: "That, w^ch yo^w have desired, cannott conveniently be granted, for, yf t should, it were to be feared least some of them w^th speeches, or other behavior, would both be greivous to yo^r grace & troblesome and unpleasinge unto us and or Companie, whereof we have had some experience, for, yf such an access mighte be allowed, they would not stick to putt some superstitious trumpery in practice & t were but in dippinge their handkerchiefs in yo^r graces bloud, whereof it were very unmeet for us to give allowance. "My Lo:" said the Q[ueen] of S[cots] "I will give my life, althoughe it be but dead, that they shall not deserve blame in any the actions yo^w have named, but, alass, poore soules, t would doe them good to bidd their M^ris farewell, and I hope," said she further to the said E. of Kent, "yo^r m^ris," meaninge her Ma^tie, "beinge a maiden queen, will vouchsafe to regard of womanhood that I shall have some of my owne people about me at my death. And I knowe," said she, "her ma^tie hath not given such straight comission, but that yo^w might grant me a request of farre greater courtesie than this, and yf I were a woman of farr meaner callinge than the Q[ueen] of S[cots]" And then, perceavinge she coulde not obteyne her request, of meer greif burst into teares, sayinge: "I am Cozen to yo^r queen and descended from the bloud Royall of H. the 7th and a married Q[ueen] of Fraunce and annoynted Q[ueen] of S[cots]," at w^ch tyme, upon great consultacon betwene the twoe Earles (and others in commission), t was p[er]mitted that she should have some of her servants about her as she had instantly intreated, & w^thall did desire her to make choice of half a dozen of her best beloved men and women. And of her men, she chose Melvin, her appothecarie, her Surgion, and one other ould man besides, & of her women, she chose those twoe that did lye in her Chamber. After this the said Q[ueen] beinge supported by S^r A. P., twoe gentlemen as aforesaid, Melvyn carryeinge upp her trayne, beinge accompanied by the Earle of K., gentlemen, and the Sheriffe goinge before her, as aforesaid, passed out of the entry into a hall within the said Castle of Fotheringhay before menconed, w^th a countenance unapauled, then and there made for her death, stepped upp to the Scaffould in the said hall, beinge two foot highe and twelve feet broad w^th rayles rounde about yt, hanged and covered w^th blacke. Then, havinge the stoole brought her, she satt downe, and on the righte hand of her stode the Earle of K. and the Earle of S[cots] on the lefte hand, M^r Andrewes the Sheriffe, and opposite against her stode the twoe executioners, and rounde about the rayles of the Scaffold stode Knights, gents, and others; then, silence beinge made, the Q[ueen] Ma^tie Commission for her execucon was read openly in the hall by M^r Beale, Clearke of the Counsell, w^ch done, the people w^th a loude voice said: "God save the Q[ueen]" Duringe the readinge of w^ch said comission, the said Q[ueen] was very silent lysteninge unto w^th soe carelesse a regarde as thoughe t had not conserned her at all. Nay, rather w^th so merry and cheerfull a countenance, as yf t had bene a p[ar]don from her Ma^tie for her life, and w^thall used such strangenesse in her words & deeds as thoughe she had never knowne any of the Assembly, nor had bene anie thinge sene in the Englishe tounge. Then, M^r Doctor Fletcher, Deane of Peterburrowe, standinge directly before her w^thout the rayles, bendinge his body w^th great reverence, uttered this exhortacon following:—

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                    "Madame, the Q[ueen] moste excellent matie, whome God preserve longe to reigne over us, havinge (notwthstandinge this preparacon for the execucon of iustice, iustly to be done upon yow for yor manie trespasses against her sacred person, state & government) a tender care upon yor soule wch, presentlie dep[ar]tinge out of yor bodie, must either be separated in the true faith of Christe dothe offer unto yow the comfortable promises of almightie god to all penitent, beleivinge Christians, wherein I beseech yor grace, even in the bowells of Christe Jesus, to consider theis three points breiflie:
                
                    First. Yor estate past & transitory glorie.
                
                    Secondlie. Yor condicon present of Death and mortality.
                
                    Thirdly. Yor estate to come either by everlastinge happynes or p[er]petuall torments.

For the first lett me speake to yo^r grace w^th David the Kinge. Forgett (Madam) yo^r self, yo^r owne people, yo^r Father's house, forgett yo^r natural birth, hono^r regall and princely Dignity; soe shall the Kinge of Kings have pleasure in yo^r spirituall bewtye makinge all thinges as duste and dounge, that yo^w may be founde of God not havinge yo^r owne riteousnes, w^ch is defyled and uncleane, but the righteousnes of God by faith in Jesus Christ upon all and in all that beleive that yo^w may knowe him whome to knowe is life everlastinge and the vertue of his resurrection to wayft yo^w upp to high everlastinge and the fellowshipp of his passion, that yf yo^w suffer w^th him, yo^w may be gloryfied w^th him and the conformytye of his death, that by the p[ar]takinge and comunion whereof yo^w may dye to synne and live agayne to righteousnes. And that in yo^r former course (Madame) yo^w be not iudged of the Lord, repent yo^w truly of yo^r former sinnes and wickednes, iustifye by Justice now to be executed and iustifye her Ma^ties faithfullnes and favour towards yo^w at all tymes, havinge a lively faith in Christe or Lo: and Savior soe shall yo^w be rightly p[re]pared unto death. Yf yo^r offences (Madame) were as manie as the sands on the sea shore and as redd and bloudye as the scarlett, yet the F[ellow]shipp of the Lo: and grace and mercy of God the father, throughe the death and passion of Jesus Christe, his sonne, by the sanctyficacon of God the Holy Ghost shall puryfy and make them as white as snowe and shall caste them into the bottome of the Sea and shall remember them noe more. The speciall meanes to attayne unto this forgivenesse of sinnes is neither in man, nor by man, but by faith only in Jesus Christe Crucifyed by faith, in whome we beinge iustifyed have peace w^th God in all Spirituall securitye.

Secondly, consider, I beseech yo^r grace, yo^r present condicon of Death and mortalytie, yo^r goinge from hence to be noe more sene, yo^r departure into a land where all things are forgotten, yo^r entry into a howse of clay where wormes shalbe yo^r sisters and rottennesse and corrupcon yo^r father, as Jobe speaketh. Where the tree falleth, there t must lye whether t be towards the South of liefe and blessednes or towards the North of death and dolefullnes, nowe ys the tyme of yo^r rysinge to God or yo^r falle into utter darkenes where shalbe weepinge, waylinge, and gnashinge of teeth; hereafter ther is noe tyme of reconciliacon, noe place of satisfaccon; here liefe is gotten or here it is loste, and therfore this day (Madame), yea, this hower, yf yo^w will heare God's voice, harden not yo^r harte, for the stroake of death is over yo^r head, and the axe is putt to the root of the tree. The throne of the great Judge of Heaven is laid open & the booke of all yo^r life is spredd wide and the p[ar]ticular sentence and Judgment is at hande. But, yf yo^w flye to the Throne of grace w^th bouldnes in Christ's only merotorious obedience and apply t unto yo^r soule w^th the hand of true faith, then Christ shalbe yo^r life, and yo^r death shalbe yo^r advantage, and nothinge else but an entry into everlastinge glory, and thro yo^r mortality shall, in a moment, put on imortality. Nowe (Madame), even now (Madame), doth God almighty open unto yo^w a doore into a heavenly kingdome, in comparison whereof all earthly principalityes are as darkenes and the shadowe of death. Shutt not up, therfore, this passage by the hardninge of yo^r harte and greive not the Spiritt of God w^ch may seale yo^r howre to the day of redempcon.

Thirdly, and lastly of all, I pray yo^r grace to way w^th yo^rself the tyme and state to come, either to ryse in the day of the Lo: unto resurrection of lief & to have the ioyfull and blessed (Venite): Come yo^w, blessed of my father; or the resurrection of condempnacon repeated w^th sorrowe and greif (Ite): Goe, yoyo^w accursed into everlastinge fyer! There to stand on God's right hande as a shepe of his pasture or on his left hand as a goate, p[re]pared unto vengance, either to be gathered as wheat into his barne or to be cast out as chaffe into a furnace of unquenchable fyer; blessed are the dead w^ch dye in the Lo. In the Lo. shall yo^w dye yf in true faith yo^w desire to be dissolved and to be w^th Christe; w^th Christ shall yo^w be yf yo^w make Christe yo^r only sacrifice for yo^r sinnes and ransome for yo^r redempcon. Agen, Madame, trust not to the desire w^ch God's worde doth not warrant, which is ~~to lead and to guide o^r feet into the way of peace~~ the true touchstone. Touchstone and the cleer lanterne to lead & to guide our feet into the way of peace, Jesus Christe, yesterday as to day & the same for ever. In him are all the promyses of God, to him give all the scriptures testimony that, through faith in his bloud, we, and all God's Church, shall receive remission of synnes. On him all the saints called in the day of ther trouble and have bene heard and delivered. In him have they all trusted and were not confounded. All the cisterns (Madame) cannot hould the water of everlastinge life. The name of the Lo. is a stronge tower whereunto the righteous fly for succor and be saved and therfore (Madame) that yo^w may be glorified in this yo^r last passage, that yo^w may be glorified of him for ever, I moste humbly beseech yo^r grace, in the tender mercyes of God, to ioyne w^th us present in prayer to the throne of his grace that we may reioyce and yo^w may be converted and God may turne his blessed countenance towards yo^w and graunt yo^w his grace."

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In utteringe of w^ch exhortacon the said Q[ueen] three or fower tymes said unto him: "M^r Deane: Troble not yorself nor me for knowe that I am setled in ancient Catholicke and Roman religion and in the defence thereof I meane, by God's helpe, to spende my bloude." Then said M^r Deane: "(Madame): Change yo^r opynion and repent yo^w of yo^r former wickednes and settle yorself upon this ground, that only in Christe Jesus yo^w hope to be saved." Then she answered againe and againe w^th great earnestnes: "Good M^r Deane, troble not yorself any more about this matter, for I was borne in this religion and lived in this religion and am resolved to dye in this religion." Then said the twoe Earles, when they sawe howe farr unreasonable she was to the hearinge of M^r Deane's good exhortacon: "(Madame), we will pray for yo^r grace w^th M^r Deane that, yf t stand w^th God's will, yo^w may have yo^r harte lightened w^th the true knowledge of God and his words & so dye therein." Then answered the said Q: "My Lords, yf yo^w will pray w^th me I will even from my harte thanke yo^w and thinke myself greatly favored by yo^w, but to ioyne w^th yo^w in prayer, my Lo., after yo^r manner, whoe are not of one and the self same religion w^th me, t were a sinne, and I will not." Then the Lords called for M^r Deane againe and badd him say or speake what he ~~would~~ thought good; whereupon the said M^r Deane, kneelinge upon the scaffold stayers, beganne this prayer followinge:

"O most gracious God and moste mercifull father, whoe accordinge to the multitude of thy mercies dost soe put awaie the sinnes of them that truly repent, that thou remembrest them noe more, open, wee beseech the, thy eyes of mercie and behould this p[er]son appointed unto death, whose eyes of understandinge and spirituall light thou hast hitherto shutt upp, that the glorious beames of favoyo^r in Jesus Christe doe not shine upon her but is possessed w^th great blindenesse and ignorance of heavenly things, a certaine token of thy heavie displeasure, yf thy mercie doe not triumph over thy iudgment.Impute not unto her, O God, wee beseech the, those her offenses w^ch sep[ar]ate her from thy mercy, and, yf t may stand w^th thy everlastinge purpose and good pleasure, O Lord, grante unto us (we beseech the) thy humble servants, that the eyes of her hart maye be lightned that she may understande and be converted unto thee. And graunt her alsoe, yf t be thy blessed will, the heavenly comforte of thy holy Spirite that she may taste & see howe gracious the Lo: is. Thou hast noe pleasure, good Lo:, in the death of a synner, and noe man shall praise thy name in the pitt. Renewe in her, we most humblie beseech thy Ma^tie, whatsoever is corrupt in her, either by her owne frailty or by the mallice of the ghostly enemy, visite her (Good Lo:) yf it be thy good pleasure w^th thy savinge health, as thou did the offendor on thy side upon the Cross, w^th this consolacon, sayeinge, 'this day shalt thou be w^th me in Paradise.' Sayinge unto her soule as thou didest unto thy servant David, I am thy salvacon, soe shall thy mercie be the more mighty and be more magnified. And graunt theis mercies unto us, thy servants, to the encrease of this kingdome and glorie at this tyme. And further, moste mercifull Father, preserve, we moste humblie beseech the, in longe and honorable peace and safetie Ellizabeth, thy Servant, o^r moste naturall Souvraigne Ladye and queen—lett them be ashamed and confounded (oh Lo.) that seeke her soule, lett them be turned backe and put to confusion that wishe her evell, and strenghten still, O Lo., thy hand and ballance of Justice amongst us by her gracious government; soe shall we both nowe and ever rest under thie faithfullnes and truth as under a sheild and buckler, so prayse thy name & magnifye thy mercie w^ch livest and raignest ever one, moste gracious God, for ever and ever. Amen." All the assemblie, savinge the said Q[ueen] and her servants, said the prayer after M^r Deane, duringe the sayinge of w^ch prayer the Q herself sittinge upon a stole, havinge about her necke an Agnus Dei, in one of her hands a Crucifix, at her gerdell a paire of beads w^th a goulden Crosse at the end of them, w^th a Latine booke of vayne prayers in her other hande. Thus furnished w^th her sup[er]stitious trumpery, w^thout any regarde had to that w^ch M^r Deane said, began verie faste w^th teares, and loude, to praye in Latyne, and in the middest of her prayeinge, by reason of her overmuch weepinge and mourninge, as it seemed, she beganne to slide from her stole, at w^ch tyme, kneelinge againe, said diverse other prayers in latten, and soe she lefte prayinge before M^r Deane. When M^r Deane had done againe, she prayed in Englishe for Christ's afflicted church and for an end of her trobles, for her sonne, and for the Q: Ma^tie, and desired God that she might p[ro]sper and serve God arighte; that spoken, she said she hoped to be saved by and in the bloude of Jesus Christe at the feet of whose Crucifix houldinge the Pope, w^ch she had in her hande, she would shed her blode. Then said the Earle of Kent: "(Madame), I beseech yo^w settle Christe in yo^r harte, as yo^w did before, and leave the addicon of theis Popyshe trumperies to them selves." Then she seemed little or nothinge at all to regarde the good counsell of the said E of Kent, but went forwarde w^th her prayers and, in the conclucon thereof, desired of God that t would please him to averte his wrath from this Island and that he would graunt unto t grace and forgivenes of sinnes. Then she said that she forgave her enemyes, w^th all her harte, whoe had longe soughte her bloude, and desired God to converte them to the truthe. This done, she desired all Saints to make intercession for her to the Savior of the worlde, Jesus Christe. Then she beganne to kiss her Crucifix and to cross herself sayeinge theis words: "Even as thy armes (O Jesus Christe) were spredd here upon the Crosse, soe receive me (I beseech the) into thy armes of mercie and forgive me all my sinnes," and soe she ended.

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Then the twoe execucioners kneeled downe unto her and desired her to forgive them her death. She annswered: "I forgive yo^w w^th all my harte, for I hope that this death shall give me an end to all my trobles." Then they w^th her, twoe woomen helpinge her upp, beganne to disrobe her & then she laid the Crucifix upon the stole & one of the Executioners toke from her necke the Agnus Dei. And then she beganne to lay hould on yt, sayeinge she would give it to some of her woomen and w^thall tould the execucionr that he should have monie for yt; then she suffered him, w^th her twoe woomen, to take of her chayne of pomander beads & all her other apparrell, and that w^th a kinde of gladnesse and, smylinge, she beganne to make herself unreadie, puttinge on a paire of sleves w^th her owne hands, w^ch the execucion^rs rudely had before put off, and that w^th such speed as yf she had longed to be gone out of the worlde. Duringe all theis actions of disrobinge of the said Q[ueen] she nevr altered her countenance but, smylinge as t were, said she never had such gromes before to make her unreadie nor ever did put off her clothes before such a Companie. At length, she beinge untyred of such of her attire and apparell as was convenient, savinge her peticote & kirtell, her twoe woomen, lokinge upon her, burst out into a verie great and pittifull weepinge, cryeinge, and lamentinge, and when their cryeinge and screekinge beganne to declyne, they crossed them selves and prayed in Latine.

Then the said Q[ueen], turninge herself unto them and seeinge them in such a lamentable and mournefull plighte, imbrased them and said theis words in French, crossinge them and kissing them: "Yow ought rather to pray for me and not to be soe mournefull, for," said she, "this day I truste shall end yo^r m^ris troubles." Then, w^th a smylinge countenance, she turned herself to her men servants, Melvyne and the rest, standinge upon a bench nere unto the scaffold, whoe were some time cryeinge out aloude and contynually crossinge themselves and prayeinge in Latine, and the said Q[ueen] tourned unto them and did herself likewise crosse them, and bidd them farewell, and prayed them to pray for her, even unto the laste hower. This done, one of her woomen havinge a Corpus Christie cloth, lapped t upp three cornerd wayes, and kissed yt, and putt t over the face of her Q[ueen] and M^ris, and pinned t faste upon the calle of her head. Then the twoe woomen mournefullie dep[ar]ted from her. And then the said Q[ueen] kneeled downe, at w^ch tyme, verie resolute and w^thout anie token of feare of death, she spake aloude this Psalme in Latine: In te Doie confido ne confundar in eternum. Then, gropinge for the blocke, she laid downe her head, puttinge her chaine upon the blocke w^th both her hands w^ch, holdinge there still, had bene cutt off had they not been espied, then she laid her self upon the blocke moste quietlie and stretched out her armes and leggs and cryed out, "in manus tuas Domine," three or fower tymes, and at the laste, while one of the executioners held her slyghtlie w^th one of his hands, the other gave twoe strokes w^th an ax before he did cutt off her head, and yet lefte a litle gristle behinde, at w^ch tyme she made verie smale noyse and stirred not anie part of her self from the place where she lay.

Then the Execucion^r, that cutt off her head, lifted t up and bade "God save the Q:" Then her dressinge of Lawne fell from her head, w^ch appeared as grey as yf she had ben iij½ score yeares old, powled very short, her face beinge in a moment soe much altered from the forme w^ch she had when she was alive as fewe coulde remember her by her dead face, her lipps stirred upp and downe almoste a quarter of an hower after her head was cutt off. Then said M^r Deane: "Soe p[er]ysh all the Queenes enemyes." Afterward, the E: of Kent came to the dead bodie and, standinge over yt, w^th a loude voice said likewise; such an end happen to the Q[ueen] and the Gospell's enemyes. Then one of the execucioners, pluckinge off her garters, espied her litle dogge, w^ch was crepte under her clothes, w^ch would not be gotten forth but w^th force, and afterward would not departe from the dead corps, but came & lay betwene her head and shoulders, a thinge dilligentlie noted. The same dogge, beinge imbrued in her bloude, was caried away & washed, as all things else were that had anie bloude, unlesse those things that were burned. The execucioners were sent awaie w^th monie for their fees, not havinge anie thinge that belonged unto her. Afterwards everie one was comaunded forth of the hall, savinge the Sheriffe and his men, whoe caried her upp into a great chamber made readie for the Surgions to imbalme her, and was imbalmed.

                    And thus I hope my verie good Lo: I have certified unto yor honor of all such accons, matters, and circumstances as did p[ro]ceed from her, or anie others at her death, wherein I dare p[ro]mise unto yor good Lo: yf not in some better or worse words then were spoken I have somewhat mistaken in matters I have not anie whitt offended I will not soe iustifye my duety herein but that manie things mighte well have bene omitted as not worthie notinge, yet because it is yor Lo: faulte to desire to knowe all & soe I have certified yt: t is an offence pardonable. Soe restinge at yor Honor's farther comands, I take my leave this xjth of Februarye, 1586.
                
                    Yor Honors in all humble service to comaunde   
                
                    R. WYNKFEILDE.