Letter II Sir William Kingston to Secretary Cromwell, on Queen Anne’s Behaviour in Prison
[MS. COTTON, OTHO C. X. fol. 222.]
After your departyng yesterday, Greneway gentilman ysshar cam to me, &... M. Caro and Mastr Bryan commanded hym in the kyngs name to my [Lord of]
Rotchfort from my lady hys wyf, and the message was now more..... se how he dyd; and also she wold humly sut unto the kyngs hy[nes].... for hyr husband; and so he gaf hyr thanks, and desyred me to know [at what] tyme he shuld cum affore the kyngs counsell, for I thynk I s[hall not] cum forthe tyll I cum to my jogement, wepyng very........ I departed from hym, and when I cam to the chambr the [quene heard] of me and sent for me, and sayde I here say my lord my [brother is] here; it ys trowth, sayd I; I am very glad, said sh[e that we] bothe be so ny together; and I showed hyr here wase.... Weston and Brerton, and she made very gud countenans.... I also sayd, M. Page and Wyet wase mo, then she sayd he ha.... on hys fyst tother day and ye here now bot ma...... I shall desyre you to bayre a letter from me [to Master] Secretory; and then I sayd, madam, tell it me by [word of mouth & I] will do it, and so gaf me thanks saying, I ha[ve moche marvell] that the kyng’s counsell comes not to me; and thys [same day she] sayd we shuld have now rayne tyll she ware [delivered owt] of the Towre. I pray you it may be shortly by [cawse of the] fayre wether. You know what I mayne. The quen[e sayd this] nyght that the kyng wyst what he dyd wh[an he put soche] ij abowt hyr as my lady Boleyn and Mestres [Cosyns, for] thay cowd tell hyr now thyng of my [lord her father nor] nothyng ellys, bot she defyed them all. B[ot upon this my lady Bolen] sayd to hyr, seche desyre as you heve ha[d to soche tales] hase browthe you to thys. And then sayd [Mrs. Stoner, Marke] ys the worst cheryssht of heny m[an in the howse, for he] wayres yernes, she sayd that was [becaws he was no] gentleman. Bot he wase never in m[y chambr but at Winchestr, and] ther she sent for hym to ple[y on the virginals, for there my] logyng was [above the kings]............................................ for I never spake with hym syns, bot apon Saterday before May day, and then I fond hym standyng in the ronde wyndo in my chambr of presens, and I asked why he wase so sad, and he ansured and sayd it was now mater, and then she sayd, you may not loke to have me speke to you as I shuld do to anobull man, by cause you be aninferer persson. No, no, madam, aloke sufficed me; and thus far you well.. [s]he hathe asked my wyf whether heny body maks thayr bed.... [m]y wyf ansured and sayd, nay, I warant you, then she say....... y myght make baletts Well now bot ther ys non bet........ d that can do it, yese sayd my wyf master Wyett by... sayed trew.
| .... my lord my brod’ will dy. | } | |
| .... ne I am sur thys was as | WILLM̄ KYNGSTON. | |
| ... tt downe to denr thys day. |
..... thys day at diner I sent M. Nores hys diner & sent hym........ a knave to hys prest that wayted apon hym withe........... t unto hym, and he ansured hym agayn............ ny thyng of my confession he ys worthye to have....... hyt I defy hym; and also he desyreth to hav......... [ha]lf anowre yf it may be the kyngs plesur.
WILLM̄ KYNG[STON.]