“I do send you by this bearer, my servant, both the King’s highness’ letter sealed, and the copy of the same again to you, whereby I trust you shall perceive that I have followed your advice and counsell, and will do in all things concerning my duty to the King’s Grace (God and my conscience not offended) for I take you for one of my chief friends, next unto his Grace and the Queen. Wherefore, I desire you, for the passion which Christ suffered for you and me, and as my very trust is in you, that you will find such meanes through your great wisdome, that I be not moved to agree to any further entry in this matter than I have done. For I assure you, by the faith that I owe to God, I have done the uttermost that my conscience will suffer me; and I do neither desire nor intend to do less than I have done. But if I be put to any more (I am plain with you as with my great friend) my said conscience will in no wayes suffer me to consent thereunto. And this point except, you nor any other shall be so much desirous to have me obey the King, as I shall be ready to fulfill the same. For I promise you (as I desire God to help me at my most need) I had rather loose the life of my body, than displease the King’s Grace willingly. Sir, I beseech you for the love of God to take in good worth this rude letter. For I would not have troubled you so much at this time, but that the end of your letter caused me a little to fear that I shall have more business hereafter. And thus I commit you to God, whom I do and shall dayly pray to be with you in everything that you go about. From Hownsdon the x. of June. “Your assured bounden loving friend during my life, “MARYE.”[184] Mary’s surmises were correct. “More business” was pending, and meanwhile her letters only gave dissatisfaction. The contents of Cromwell’s answer to the above can be gathered from the Princess’s letter of the 13th June. “GOOD MR. SECRETARY, “I do thank you with all my heart, for the great pain and suit you have had for me. For the which I think myself very much bound to you. And whereas I do perceive by your letters, that you do mislike mine exception in my letter to the King’s Grace, I assure you, I did not mean as you do take it. For I do not mistrust that the King’s goodness will move me to do anything which should offend God and my conscience. But that which I did write was only by the reason of continual custome. For I have allwayes used, both in writing and speaking, to except God in all things.