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Hugh Latimer, Bishop of Worcester, to Lord Cromwell,
on the birth |
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of the Prince of Wales (afterward Edward VI.). |
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From the National Manuscripts preserved by the
British Government. |
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Ryght honorable, Salutem in Christo Jesu, and Syr
here ys no lesse |
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joynge and rejossynge in thes partees for the byrth
of our prynce, |
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hoom we hungurde for so longe, then ther was (I trow),
inter |
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vicinos att the byrth of S. J. Baptyste, as thys
berer, Master |
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Erance, can telle you. Gode gyffe us alle grace, to
yelde dew |
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thankes to our Lorde Gode, Gode of Inglonde, for
verely He hathe |
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shoyd Hym selff Gode of Inglonde, or rather an
Inglyssh Gode, yf |
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we consydyr and pondyr welle alle Hys procedynges
with us from |
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tyme to tyme. He hath over cumme alle our yllnesse
with Hys |
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excedynge goodnesse, so that we are now moor then
compellyd to |
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serve Hym, seke Hys glory, promott Hys wurde, yf the
Devylle of |
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alle Devylles be natt in us. We have now the stooppe
of vayne |
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trustes ande the stey of vayne expectations; lett us
alle pray for |
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hys preservatione. Ande I for my partt wylle wyssh
that hys Grace |
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allways have, and evyn now from the begynynge,
Governares, |
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Instructores and offyceres of ryght jugmente, ne
optimum ingenium |
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non optima educatione deprevetur. |
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Butt whatt a grett fowlle am I! So, whatt devotione
shoyth many |
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tymys butt lytelle dyscretione! Ande thus the Gode of
Inglonde be |
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ever with you in alle your procedynges. |
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The 19 of October. |
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Youres, H. L. B. of Wurcestere, now att Hartlebury. |
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Yf you wolde excytt thys berere to be moore hartye
ayen the abuse |
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of ymagry or mor forwarde to promotte the veryte, ytt
myght doo |
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goode. Natt that ytt came of me, butt of your selffe,
etc. |
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(Addressed) |
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To the Ryght Honorable Loorde P. Sealle hys synguler
gode Lorde. |
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To those good-mannered and agreeable children |
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Susie and Clara Clemens |
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this book is affectionately inscribed by their
father. |
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I will set down a tale as it was told to me by one
who had it of |
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his father, which latter had it of HIS father, this
last having in |
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like manner had it of HIS father--and so on, back and
still back, |
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three hundred years and more, the fathers
transmitting it to the |
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sons and so preserving it. It may be history, it may
be only a |
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legend, a tradition. It may have happened, it may not
have |
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happened: but it COULD have happened. It may be that
the wise |
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and the learned believed it in the old days; it may
be that only |
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the unlearned and the simple loved it and credited
it. |
