LETTER I.

_Sir William Kingston to Secretary Cromwell, upon Queen Anne's committal to the Tower._

[MS. COTTON, OTHO C. X. fol. 225.]

Thys ys to advertyse you apon my Lord of Norfolk and the kyngs counsell depart[_inge_] from the Towre I went before the quene in to hyr lodgyng, & [_then she_] sayd unto me, M. Kyngston, shall I go in to a dungyn? Now, madam, y[_ou_] shall go into your logyng that you lay in at your coronacion. It ys to gu[_de_] for me, she sayd, Jesu, have mercy on me; and kneled downe wepyng a [_great_] pace, and in the same sorow fell in to agret lawyng, and she hathe done [_so_] mony tymes syns. And then she desyred me to move the kyngs hynes that she [_myght_] have the sacarment in the closet by hyr chambr, that she my[_ght pray_] for mercy, for I am as clere from the company of man, as for s[_yn, sayd she as I_] am clere from you, and am the kyngs trew wedded wyf; and then sh[_e sayd_] M. Kyngston, do you know wher for I am here, and I sayd Nay, and then [_she sayd_] when saw you the kyng? and I sayd, I saw hym not syns I saw [_him in_] the Tylte yerde, and then M. K. I pray you to tell me wher my [_Lord Roch_]ford ys? and I told hyr I saw hym afore dyner in the cort. O [_where ys_] my sweet brod'er? I sayd I left hym at York place, and so I dyd. I [_hear say, say_]d she, that I shuld be accused with iij men; and I can say [_no more but_] nay, withyowt I shuld oppen my body; and ther with opynd [_her gown sayeng, O Nor_]res, hast thow accused me, thow ar in the Towre with me, & [_thou and I shal_]l dy to gether: and, Marke, thou art here to. O my mother, [_thou wilt dy_] for sorow, and meche lamented my lady of Worcet^r, for by ca[_wse her child_] dyd not store in hyr body, and my wyf sayd what shuld [_be the cawse, she_] sayd for the sorow she toke for me: and then she sayd M. K[_ingston, shall I dy_] with yowt just^s; & I sayd, the porest sugett the kyng [_hath had justis, and_] ther with she lawed. All thys sayings was yester ny[_ght_] . . . . . . . . & thys moryng dyd talke with mestrys Cosȳ[217], [_and said that Nor_]res dyd say on Sunday last unto the quenes amn[_er, that he wold sw_]ere for the quene that she was a gud woman. [_And then sayd Mrs._] Cosyn, Madam, why shuld ther be hony seche maters [_spoken of? Mary_,] sayd she, I bad hym do so, for I asked hym why he [_went nat thorough with_] hys maryage? and he made ansur he wold tary [_a time. Then said she, you_] loke for ded mens showys; for yf owth cam[_e to the king but good_,] you wold loke to have me; and he sayd, yf he [_should have ony soche thought_,] he wold hys hed war of; and then she sayd, [_she could undo him if she wold_,] and ther with thay fell yowt. Bot [_she said, she more feared Weston; for_] on Wysson Monday ^{Twysday} last [_Weston told he_]r that Nores cam more u[_nto her chawmbre for her then for M_]age[218], and further . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wher I was commaunded to charge the gentlewemen that y gyf thaye atende apon the quene, that ys to say, thay shuld have now commynycaseon with hyr, in lese[219] my wyf ware present, and so I dyd hit, notwithstaundyng it canot be; for my lady Bolen and mestrys Cosyn lyes on the quenes palet, and I and my wyf at the dore with yowt, so at[4] thay most nedes talke at[220] be without; bot I have every thyng told me by mestrys Cosyn that she thynks met for mee to knowe, and tother ij gentlewemen lyes with yowt me, and as I may knowe [_the_] kings plesur in the premysses I shall folow. From the Towre this mo . . .

S^r. syns the makyng of thys letter the quene spake of West[_on[221] that she_] had spoke to hym by cause he dyd love hyr kynswoma[_n Mrs. Skelton and that s_]he sayd he loved not hys wyf; and he made anser to hyr [_again that he_] loved won in hyr howse bettr then them bothe[; _she asked him who is that? to which he answered_] that it ys your self; and then she defyed hym.

WILL[=M] KYNG[_STON_]