“By your assured and loving friend during my life, “MARYE.”[181] Her letter to the King ran thus:— “In as humble and lowly manner as is possible for me, I beseech your Grace of your daily blessing, by the obtaining whereof, with licence also to write unto your Grace, albeit I understand to mine inestimable comfort, that your princely goodness and fatherly pity hath forgiven all mine offences, and withdrawn your dreadful displeasure, long time conceived against me, yet shall my joy never be full, nor my hope satisfied unto such time as your Grace vouchsafe more sensibly to express your reconciled heart, love and favour towards me, either by your gracious letters, or else some token, till I may by your merciful calling and sufferance attain the fruition of your most desired presence; for the which, I humbly desire your Grace to pardon me, though I trouble you with my continual sute and rude writing; for nature will suffer me to do none otherwise: and that obtained, I shall have my chief worldly joy and desire, as I take Almighty God to my record, whom I do and shall daily pray (as I am bound by my duty) to preserve your Grace and the Queen with long life and much honour, and shortly to send a Prince between you both. Which shall be gladder tidings to me than I can express with writing. “From Hownsdon the viii. day of June. By your Grace’s most humble and obedient daughter and handmaid, “MARYE.”[182]