accorde; in which meane time I shall accordinge to my Lord Roberts lettre, and yours, directed unto me, se all thinges observed accordinglie. Assure your selfe (cowsigne Cecill) She is a penitent and a soroful woman for the Quenes displeass". and most humblye and heartelye desires you to fynishe that your frendshipp begonne, for the obteyninge of the Quenes favor in the full remission of her faulte. This with my wyves hearte commendatyons and myen to you and my good lady (ower cousen) your wyfe, I byd you most heartely farewell. From Pyrgo the 29th of August, 1563. By yo lovyng Cousine

and assured pouer frynd dowryng lyfe

To my very lovinge cowsigne Sr. William Cecill knight chiefe Secretorye to the Quene's Matie.

JOHN GREY.

PYRGO, whence this Letter is dated, was the name of a capital messuage in the manor of Havering at Bower in Essex, which had anciently been one of the Houses belonging to a Queen consort and her jointure. Joan widow of Henry the Fourth died there July 9th. 1437. The estate having been long in the Crown, Queen Elizabeth April 24th. 1559 granted it to Sir John Gray second son of Thomas Marquis of Dorset and brother of Henry Duke of Suffolk, and of course uncle to the Lady Catherine.

A Letter of Lord John Gray's to Sir William Cecil, from Pyrgo, 20th Jan. 1564, complains of the reports which had gone abroad of the large sums expended for his prisoner, who appears to have been maintained at the expense of her husband, though at Pyrgo. He finishes his details with

"My Ladie of Hartfords wekelye Rate for her borde, her childe, and her folks here:

Lady Catherine Gray, Countess of Hertford, to Sir William Cecill, upon her removal to Pyrgo.

[MS. LANSD. Ms. 6. art. 32. Orig.]

GOOD Cosyne Cecill: after my very hartye commendacions to my good cosyne your wyfe and yow, wyth lyke thanks for your greate frendship showed me in thys my Lords delyverye and myne, wyth the obtaynyng of the Queens Majesties most gracious favor thus farforth extended towards us, I can not but acknowledg my selfe bounden and beholdyng unto yow therfore; and as I am sure yow dout not of myne owne deare Lords good wyll for the requitall therof to the

MS. Lansd. Num. 7. art. 52.

uttermost of hys power, so I besich yow, good cosyne Cecill, make the lyke accompt of me duryng life to the uttermost of my power; besecheng your farther frendshyp for the obtayning of the Queens Majesties most graceous pardon and favor towards me, wych wyth upstretched hands and downe bente knees, from the bottom of my hart, most humbly I crave. Thus restyng in prayer for the Queen's Majesties long raigne over us, the forgevnes of myne offence, the short enjoying of my owne deare Lord and husband, wyth assured hope, throughe Gods grace, and yowr good helpe, and my lord Robert, for the enjoying of the Queens Hyghnes favor in that behalfe, I byd yow, my owne good cosyne, most hartely farewell, from Pyrgo the thred of September.

Your assured frend and

cosyne to my small power,

KATHERYNE HARTFORD.

To my very loving Cosine Sir William Cicyll knight Chief Secretary to the Queens Majestie

give thees.

a Lord Robert Dudley.

LETTER CLXIV.

Lord John Gray to Sir Wm. Cecil, that his niece the Lady Catherine still pines away at the Queen's displeasure.

[MS. LANSDOWNE 6. art. 33. Orig.]

My good cowsigne Cecill, the onelye desire and care that my ladye hathe of the Queenes Majesties favour enforsethe these fewe lines, as nature bindeth me, to put you in remembrance, of your offered frendshipp and great good will, alredye showed, to the full perfectinge of the Queenes Majesties favour in my neece. I assure you cowsigne Cecill (as I have written unto my lorde Robert) the thought and care she takethe for the wante of her Highenes favour, pines her awaye: before God I speake it, if it come not the soner, she will not longe live thus, she eatethe not above six morselles in the meale. If I saie unto her, "Good madam, eate somewhat to compfort your selfe," she faules a wepinge and goethe upp to her chamber; if I aske her what the cause is she usethe her self in that sorte, she aunswers me, "alas Unckell, what a liffe is this, to me, thus to live in the Queenes displeasure; but for my lorde, and my childerne, I wolde to God I were buried."

.

Good cowsigne Cecill, as time, places, and occasion maye serve, ease her of this woofull greiffe and sorrowe, and rid me of this liffe, which I assure you grevethe me even at the hearte rootes. Thus besceachinge God in this his visitacion, to preserve us with his stretched owt arme, and sende us, merely to meete, I salute you and my ladie with my wives most hartey commendacions and mine. From Pirgo, the xxth. of September,

by your lovyng cousin
and assured pouer

frynd dowryng my lyfe

To my verye lovinge cowsigne Sir William Cecill knight, cheife Secretorye to the Queenes Majestie.

JOHN GREY.

LETTER CLXV.

Lord John Gray to Sir William Cecil, inclosing the lady Catherine's Petition to the Queen.

[MS. LANSDOWNE 6. art. 37. Orig.]

My good cousen I have heerin enclosed the coppie of my neyces letter to the Queenes Mageste, wherin I