John of Gloucester to his mother, Katherine Haute (1484)

To our Lady Mother,

Sorrowful tidings bring this letter to thee: our royal brother, The Prince of Wales, has died suddenly. The doctors who attended him say it was consumption, however we were not there to be with him in his final hours. Father is distraught, our stepmother takes no food or drink, instead taking to prayer and sobbing. They have gone up to Middleham for the funeral, and father wishes for us to come home to Kent in the meantime. I fear that the sight of us is too much for either of them: he has not visited us nor called for us since the death.

I hope you are well: I pray for you and our stepfather's health every night. Cate does as well; she is much taller now and engaged to Sir William Herbert. Father has made no arrangements for myself, which I am fine with. We are both hale, and spend our days studying and walking in the courtyard with our dog, Terry. We both miss you greatly and cannot wait for our journey south.

Sincerely,
John