The letter was addressed in two different hands: “The Lady Mary to the Lord Admiral, 4th June.” “From the Lady Mary’s Grace“

Addressed to: “To my Lord Admiral”

My lord,

After my hearty commendations, these shall be to declare to you, according to your accustomed gentleness, I have received six warrants from you by your servant, this bearer: for the which, I do give you my hearty thanks. By whom also I have also received your letter, wherein, as me thinketh, I perceive strange news concerning a suit you have in hand to the Queen for marriage. For the sooner obtaining whereof, you seem to think that my letters might do you pleasure.

My lord, in this case I trust your wisdom doth consider that, if it were for my nearest kinsman and dearest friend alive, of all other creatures in the world, it standeth least with my poor honor to be a meddler in this matter, considering whose wife her grace was of late. And besides that, if she be minded to grant your suit, my letters shall do you but small pleasure. On the other side, if the remembrance of the King’s majesty, my father (whose soul God pardons), will not suffer her to grant your suit, I am nothing able to persuade her to forget the loss of him, who is at yet very ripe in my own remembrance.

Wherefore I shall most earnestly require you, the premises considered to think none unkindness in me, though I refuse to be a meddler any ways in this matter. Assuring you that, wooing matters set apart (wherein I, being a maid, am nothing cunning), if other ways it still lie in my little power to do you pleasure, I shall be as glad to do it as you to require it: both for his blood’s sake, that you be of, and also for the gentleness which I have always found in you. As knoweth almighty God, to whose tuition I commit you. From Wanstead this Saturday at night, being the fourth of June.

Your assured friend to my power,

Mary

Katherine Parr: Complete Works and Correspondence ed. by Janel Mueller, 2011. Pg 146-7.