The following is properly called a “deposition” in modern terms. Elizabeth had become a pawn in the deadly sibling rivalry of the Seymour brothers, Edward, the Lord Protector of the realm, and Thomas, the Lord Admiral. The two were supremely ambitious.
The Admiral had hosted Princess Elizabeth until his wife, the Dowager Queen of England, Catherine Parr, sent her away in May of 1548. He took every opportunity to be familiar with the princess in the morning before she had dressed. When Parr died, shortly after child birth, the
No longer married to the Queen of England, the Admiral's stock had gone down. He went out of his way to visit Elizabeth and to offer favors and advice in hopes that she would declare for him and the council be unable to refuse.
At the time of this deposition, and the deadly serious machinations around it, Elizabeth was no more than 15 years old.
[In the hand of Elizabeth]
KAT. ASHLEY told me, after that my Lord Admiral was married to the Queen, that if my Lord might have had his owne Will, he would have had me, afore the Queen. Then I asked her how she knew that: Then she said, she knew it well enough, both by himself and by others. The Place, where she said this, I have forgotten, for she hath spoken to me of him many Times, and of the which I have forgotten divers Times.
[In the hand of Tyrwhit]
2. Another Time, after the Queen was dead, Kat. Ashley would have had me to have written a Letter to my Lord Admiral, to have comforted him of his Sorrow, because he had been my Friend in the Queen's Time; for he would think great Kindness therein. Then I said I would not do so, for it needs not: Then said she; if your Grace will not, then will I. And as I do remember I did see it; but what the affect of it was I do not remember.
3. Another Time I asked her, what News was at London; and she said, that the Voice went there, that my Lord Admiral should marry me: Then I smiled at it, and said, it was but a London News.
4. Another Time, she said, you shall see shortly, that he that would fain have had you, before he married the Queen, will come now to woo you: Then I answered her, though he himeself would peradventure have me, yet I think the Council will not consent to it; for, I think, by that you said, that if he had had his own Will, he would have had me, I thought there was no let, but only the Council, of his Part.
5. Another Time; I suspect she told me, that if the Council did consent to it, she thought it was not amiss. By which sayings, and all the rest, “That if the Council would consent to it, I thought she had right good Will therunto.”
6. How be it at another Time she said, she would not wish I should have him, for because that she, that he had before, did so Miscarry. Another Time when Parry had writ home that my Lord Admiral would lend me his House; when she had read it, she told me it was best for Parry to ask Master Denny's Advice therefor; and so she sent him Word.
7. After, when Parry had declared to me, for [her chaplain] Allen's Matter, what my Lord Admiral had said, and also for Durham-Place, he told me, that my Lord asked, whether my Patent was sealed or no. He told me, that my Lord told him the Expenses of his House, and inquired of mine.
8. Another Time, he asked me whether, if the Council did consent thereto, to have my Lord Admiral, whether I would consent or no. Then I asked him what he meant to ask me that, or who bade him say so: He answered that no Body bade him say so; but that he gathered by his asking of these Queſstyions before, that he meant some such Thing: Then I said it was but his foolish gathering.
9. Another Time he told me, that my Lord Admiral wished that my Lands were changed into certain Lands that was the Queen's.
10. Another Time he brought me commendations from my Lord Admiral, and said, that he advised me to make haste to get my Patent sealed, and get it into my Hands: Then I asked him why so hastily; then he said, he thought, when I had my Patent sure, that he would go about to get the Council's Consent to have me.
11. Another Time he told me, that my Lord Admiral would wish me that I lay at Ashridge, because that when he went down into the Country, it was in his Way, and that he would see me.
[In the hand of Elizabeth]
My Lord, these are the Articles which I do remember, that both she and the Cofferer talked with me of; and if there be any more behind which I have not declared as yet, I shall most hardily desire your Lordship and the rest of the Council, not to think that I do willingly conceal them, but that I have indeed forgotten them. For if I did know them, and did not declare them, I were wonderfully and above all the rest to be rebuked, considering how friendly your Grace has both written to me in Letters, and counseled me by Messages, to declare what I knowe herein. Also I assure your Lordship that if there be any more which I have not told (which I think there be not) I will send you Word of them, as they come to my Mind.
Source: A Collection of State Papers (1740). Samuel Haynes, ed.
Also at Virtual Grub Street:
The Inventory of John Hosear's Humble Life, 1463. August 18, 2024. “These are the goods of John Hosear assigned values by the undersigned men,”
Batman upon Barthelme: On Dragons. April 30, 2024. “The Elephant séeing the Dragon upon a tree, busieth him to break the tree to smite the dragon...”
- Rocco Bonetti's Blackfriars Fencing School and Lord Hunsdon's Water Pipe. August 12, 2023. “... the tenement late in the tenure of John Lyllie gentleman & nowe in the tenure of the said Rocho Bonetti...”
- The Decline of William Cecil, Baron of Burghley. July 22, 2023. “He found it necessary to do his work remotely more often as the years went on.”
Shakespeare CSI: Sir Thomas More, Hand-D. April 22, 2023. “What a glory to have an actual hand-written manuscript from the greatest English writer of all time!”
- Check out the English Renaissance Hyperlinked Article Index for many more articles and reviews about this fascinating time and about the Shakespeare Authorship Question.
- Check out the Queen Elizabeth I Hyperlinked Biography Page for many other articles.