omewhat to muse; notwithstanding, we trust, by your diligence
and vigilancy (with the assistance of Almighty God), shortly to be eased
out of that trouble. No more to you at this time, but that I pray God send
you as good health and prosperity as the writer would.

By your loving Sovereign and Friend,

H. R.

Letter Ninth To Anne Boleyn

There came to me suddenly in the night the most afflicting news that could
have arrived. The first, to hear of the sickness of my mistress, whom I
esteem more than all the world, and whose health I desire as I do my own,
so that I would gladly bear half your illness to make you well. The
second, from the fear that I have of being still longer harassed by my
enemy, Absence, much longer, who has hitherto given me all possible
uneasiness, and as far as I can judge is determined to spite me more
because I pray God to rid me of this troublesome tormentor. The third,
because the physician in whom I have most confidence, is absent at the
very time when he might do me the greatest pleasure; for I should hope, by
him and his means, to obtain one of my chief joys on earth--that is the
care of my mistress--yet for want of him I send you my second, and hope
that he will soon make you well. I shall then love him more than ever. I
beseech you to be guided by his advice in your illness. In so doing I hope
soon to see you again, which will be to me a greater comfort than all the
precious jewels in the world.

Written by that secretary, who is, and for ever will be, your loyal and
most assured Servant,

H. (A B) R.

Letter Tenth To Anne Boleyn

The uneasiness my doubts about your health gave me, disturbed and alarmed
me exceedingly, and I should not have had any quiet without hearing
certain tidings. But now, since you have as yet felt nothing, I hope, and
am assured that it will spare you, as I hope it is doing with us. For when
we were at Walton, two ushers, two valets de chambres and your brother,
master-treasurer, fell ill, but are now quite well; and since we have
returned to our house at Hunsdon, we have been perfectly well, and have
not, at present, one sick person, God be praised; and I think, if you
would retire from Surrey, as we did, you would escape all danger. There is
another thing that may comfort you, which is, that, in truth in this
distemper few or no women have been taken ill, and what is more, no person
of our court, and few elsewhere, have died of it. For wh