To the ryght honorable and my asurred good lady and moother the Countes of Shrowsbery./

Good madame, I am to craue pardon of you for not wryteinge by my lordes man Harry Grace, the causse I wylled hym to declare to your Ladyship whych was the extremty that my syster of Pembroke was In, at that tyme whych hath contenued tell theursdaye Laste, sethensse that daye she hath ben out of her soundynge, but not able to stand or gooe, her greatest gryf Is nowe want of slepe, and not able to away wyth the syght of meat, but consederynge her estat befor, we thynke our selfes hapy of thys change, hopenng that better wyll followe shortely, the Quynes Majesty hath ben here wyth her tywss, very latt both tymes, and last tyme, yt was x of the cloke at nyght or ever her Majesty whent hensse, being so great a myste, as ther were dyueres of the barges and Boottes that wayted of her loste ther wayes, and landed In wronge plases, but thankes be to god her Majesty came well home wythout colde or feare, for the holdyng of the Prograce, I am ssure your Ladyship hereth for my part I can wryt noe sertaynte, but as I am In all other matteres, as I haue alwayes professed and as dewtye doth bynd me, ready at your Ladyship’s comandement, and In any thynge I maye showe yt ether at thys tyme, or when occassyon seruet[h] yf I be not as wyllynge therto as any chylde of your owne, then lett me be condemened accordynge to my desertes, otherwyss I humbly craue your Ladyship’s good openyon of me not to decreasse, rememberynge your Ladyship’s comandement here to for to wryt to you as often as I coulde, whych nowe In thys plase I shall haue better meanes then I haue had In the country, and ther vpon pressumyng, to lengthen my letter vpon any occassyon, although I count thys of my syster very evell newes yet consederynge, her recouery, I hope my longe scryblynge, wyll the lesse trouble your Ladyship and so wyth my moste humble dewty to my Lorde and your Ladyship I humbly take my leue From Baynardes Castell the viijth of Maye: 

your Ladyship’s assured loueing daughter to comande

Anne Talbott

My styster of Pembroke hath wylled me to remember her humble dewty to my lorde and you, wyth desyre of hys dayly blessynge assoune as she Is able she wyll dowe yt her selfe/.

To the right honorable and my assured good lady and mother, the Countess of Shrewsbury

Good Madam, I am to crave pardon of you for not writing my lords man Harry Grace, the cause I willed him to declare to your Ladyship which was the [extremity] that my sister Pembroke was. In, at that time which has continued till Thursday. Last [sethensse] that day she has been out of her

Summary: Anne Talbot (née Herbert) writes to Bess (countess of Shrewsbury) apologising for not writing sooner. Her ‘sister of Pembroke’ has been very ill, but is now recovering. The queen has come to visit her sister twice – both times late at night. On one occasion the queen didn’t leave until 10 o’clock at night because ‘the barges and boats that waited of her lost their ways, and landed in wrong places’ due to a great mist. Letter features: papered seal, embossed Ribbon/floss – no. Letter packet – slit and band.

Lady Anne Talbot was born to Sir William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke and his first wife, Anne Parr, sister to Queen Katherine Parr. She married Francis, Lord Talbot, eldest son of the 6th Earl of Shrewsbury and his first wife, Gertrude Manners. Elizabeth “Bess” Hardwick was the second wife. She had no issue from her marriage to the 6th Earl. Who is this ‘sister of Pembroke’? Catherine Talbot, Lady Herbert, wife of Lady Talbot’s brother, Sir Henry, Lord Herbert, later 2nd Earl of Pembroke?

Bess of Hardwick’s Letters: The Complete Correspondences c.1550-1608. Folger Shakespeare Library, Cavendish-Talbot MSS, X.d.428 (121)