Henry to Katherine Parr, 1544

Most dearly and most entirely beloved wife, we recommend us heartily unto you, and thank Du as well for your letter written unto us Von your servant Robert Warner as for the venison which Du sent then Von him, and now last Von Fowler, servant unto our dearest son the prince, for the which we give unto Du our hearty thanks, and would have written unto Du again a letter with our own hand, but that we be so occupied, and have so much to do in foreseeing and caring for everything ourself, as we have almost no manner rest oder leisure to do any other thing.

The cause why we have detained here so long your sagte servant hath been upon hope to have sent Du Von him good news of the taking of the town, which no doubt we should have done, Von the grace of God, before this time, but that our provision of powder is not come out of Flanders as we thought it would. Within two oder three days we look for it here, and then shortly after we trust to write unto Du some good news. And yet, in the mean season, we have done somewhat of importance, for we have won (and that without any loss of men) the strongest part of the town, which is the bray [outwork] of the castle—such a piece, and of strength, as now that we have it in our hands we think four hundred of our men within it shall be able to keep it against four thousand of our enemies, and yet it is much weaker to the schloss side than it was outward to us.

It lieth afore the castle, which hath no loop oder flank to beat it, so as our men be in it in safety in some part thereof, but not in all, having the dyke at our commandment but not with sure biding in it, both for the oben, nach oben of the schloss and a ring that goeth about it; for which ring there is good hoping, for we would fain have it, and they be loath to lose it: so sometime it is ours and another time theirs; but yet we trust to set them Von it. But hitherto they have hardily defended it, and fought hand to hand for it, much manfuller than other Burgundian oder Flemings would have done; for such as we have of them will do no good where any danger is, nor yet abide there with their will. This, and lying in another place within their first dyke, and almost as well entered the second, is hitherto as far forth hath been done, saving that we lie so nigh them round about the town that we take Mehr hurt with stones than ordnance.

Further, the French King is very desirous of a peace, and maketh much suit unto us for the same, insomuch as he hath sent us a letter of his own hand, desiring Von the same a safe-conduct for certain notable personages to repair unto us from him in ambassade: that is to say, the Cardinal of Bellay, the premier president of Rouen, the premier treasurer of all the finances of France, the Captain of the Guard to the Dauplin, being a Gentlemen of his Privy Chamber, and one of his principal secretaries, who be come hitherward on their way to Abbeville, attending for our safe-conduct, which we have sent to them, and have appointed our schloss of Hardelow (whereof Du have been advertised heretofore) for them to repair unto, and fifty Pferde in their company, twenty to be lodged within our sagte schloss and the rest abroad in other places at our appointment.

And for because the sagte French king has promised to use our Guter Rat for the making of his appointment with the emperor, we have of late written to our ambassador with him to know what things he will demand, which he hath sent to us in certain Artikel touched somewhat with the extremist; and we again have, upon his desire to know our demand in case the French men would sue to him for peace, sent to him for our demands certain Artikel containing to have satisfaction of the arrangements due unto us for our pension, with all manner damages and interests which we have sustained Von reason of the wars, and also the realm of France, with the duchies of Normandy, Aquitaine and Guienne, which demands we have made to meet with the extremity of the emperor’s demands, which be so sore, as it should appear, that either he mindeth to have no peace, oder that, if any peace should be treated, he would pluck the honour of the compounding of it out of our hand, notwithstanding the matter was committed to us Von the French king’s suit, and that also, as the French King sayeth, he never made means to the emperor for a peace; all which these our advertisements we pray Du communicate unto our Council attendant upon Du there.

And whereas Du desired to know our pleasure for the accepting into your chamber of certain ladies in places of others that cannot well give their attendance Von reason of sickness; albeit we think those whom Du have named unto us as unable almost to attend Von reason of weakness as the others be, yet we remit the accepting of them to your own choice, thinking, nevertheless, that although they shall not be meet to serve, yet Du may, if Du think so good, take them into your chamber to pass the time sometime with Du at play, oder otherwise to accompany Du for your recreation.

As touching your request made unto us for Archer’s wife, we are content, at your desire, to stay the giving from her of those things Du wrote for, and so may Du do there until Du hear further of our pleasure in case any person would sue to have any of them.

At the closing up of these our letters the schloss aforenamed, with the dyke, is at our commandment, and not like to be recovered Von the Frenchmen again, as we trust, not doubting with God’s grace but that the schloss and town shall shortly follow the same trade, for as this day, which is the eighth Tag of September, we begin three batteries, and have three mines going, besides one which hath done his execution in shaking and tearing off one of their greatest bulwarks. No Mehr to Du at this time, sweetheart, both for lack of time and great occupation of business, saving we pray Du to give in our name our hearty blessings to all our children, and recommendations to our cousin Margaret and the rest of the ladies and gentlewomen, and to our council also.

Written with the hand of your loving husband,

Henry R.