No. 48.

Letter from Queen Elizabeth to the Mayor and Aldermen of the City of London on the occasion of the discovery of the Babington conspiracy. Dated Windsor Castle, 18 August 1586.

Journal 22, fo. 52.

Right trustie and welbeloved we grete you well being given tunderstand howe greatlie our good and most Loving subiectes of that Cittie did reioyce at the apprehension of certayne develish and wicked mynded subiectes of ours that through the greate and singuler goodnes of god have of late ben detected to have most wickedlie and unnaturallie conspired not onelie the takinge awaie of our oune lief, but also to have stirred upp (as mutche as in them laye) a generall rebellion throughout our whole realme: we could coulde [sic] but by our owne lettres witnes unto you the grate and singuler contentment we receyved uppon the knowledge thereof assuringe you that we did not so mutche reioyce at the escape of the intended attemp against our owne person, as to see the greate Joye our most Lovinge subiectes tooke at the apprehension of the contrivers thereof, w^ch (to make their Love more apparent) the have (as we are to our greate comfort enformed) omitted no outwarde shewe, that by anie externall acte might witnes to the worlde, the inward love and dutifull affeccion they beare towardes us, and as we have as greate cause w^th all thankfulness, to acknowledge godes greate goodnes towardes us throughe the infinit blessinge he layeth uppon us as manie as ever Prince hadd, yea rather, as ever creature hadd; Yet doe we not for anie worldlie blessinge receyved from his devine Ma^tie so greatlie acknowledged them, as in that it hath pleased him to inclyne the hartes of our subiectes. Even from the first begynninge of our reigne, to carrie as greate Love towardes us, as ever Subiectes carried towarde Prince, whiche ought to move us (as it dothe in verey deede) to seeke w^th all care and by all good meanes that apparteyne to a christian Prince, the conservacion of so loving and dutifull affected subiectes. Assuringe you that we desire no longer to Live, then while we maie in the whole course of our governement carrie our self in sutche sorte, as maie not onelie nourish and contynewe their Love and goodwill towardes us, but also increasse the same we thinke meete that theise our lettres should be also commynicated in sum generall assemblie to our most Lovinge subiectes the commons of that cittie. Geven under our signet at our castell of Wyndesor the xviij^th daie of August 1586 in the xxviij yere of our Reigne.