Dear MadamI am Marc Smeyers from Ar

Dear Madam

I am Marc Smeyers from Arendonk, province of Antwerp, Belgium. When I was a four-year old child I became very interested, if not fascinated with your country’s history and the English language, especially after I had seen Fire over England (1937), starring Flora Robson as Queen Elizabeth I. I studied English and history and the humanities at ‘de Antwerpse Hogeschool’ and I became a teacher.

At the present time, I am writing a historical book about The Tudors in Dutch, and I would like to illustrate it with some paintings or rather prints thereof, belonging to your personal and magnificent collection. There are not many Dutch works to be found on this topic in Belgium, but the era of the Tudors has been, in various ways, very important to the ancestors of my country and to those of the people living in the Netherlands. For this reason it is also meaningful to me, my fellow country men and women, children and students alike. Also to the people living in my neighbouring country.

Therefore I would like to ask you, if you would be so kind as to give me your gracious permission to publish them in my book, for it would be a great injustice to Your Majesty’s kind person, if I simply ignored to ask you and have them printed without your knowing about it.

I am patiently awaiting your reply, hoping for your royal consent so that I can make my dream come true. You, O Noble Queen, are the only one who can help me realise it completely.

I have the honour to be, Madam, Your Majesty’s humble and obedient servant.

Resultaten (Latijn) 1:

Cara Madam sum Marc Smeyers ex Arendonk, provincia Antwerp, Belgium. Cum essem parvulus, quatuor annos vehementer interest, nisi patriae fascinet historia Anglorum, in Anglia praecipue videram ignis (MCMXXXVII) Flora movie Robson Regina Elizabetha Anglorum didici I. historiae humanismi 'de antwerpse Hogeschool et factus magister. Nos his temporibus, in libro de historicis scribo Tudors Germanice et illustrant velim vel potius quaedam picturae vestigia eius sunt tuum et magnificent collection. Non sunt multi in hac parte in Belgium Batavis operibus inveniuntur, sed Tudors aetate fuit, varie amet maioribus patriae iis qui habitant in Belgio. Hac etiam ratione mihi significanter meus relaturos dixerunt et mulieres parvulos et alumni simul. Item populum habitantem in vicina populari. Ergo velim quaerere, si potest ut sis mihi propitius licentiam eas in libro enim esset iniuria Maiestatis huiusmodi hominem si apud eos et rogatum dissimulata scientia sine ea. Ego patienter exspectans responsum date pro assensu possum ut somnium adveho verus. Tu speciosum, qui solus perfecte cognoscunt me adiuvet. Habeo honore, Domina, rex humilis et obedientia.