de Foix her Cosin brother in lawe to Charles the first K. of Nauarre and left her there fearing least the Earle of Armignac who had taken from her the Earledome of Comminges should take her to wife to the end he might make himselfe a peaceable Lord and went her selfe to abide with her Vnckle the Earle of Durgel in Arragon but her daughter was married vnto Iohn Duke of Berrie widower of Ioane of Armignac dying notwithstanding without issue succeeded vnto her in the Counties of Bologne Anuergne Mary of Bologne her Cosin germane who was married to the Lord de la Tour and of Montgascon father to Bertrant de la Tour and Gabrielle wife of Lewis de Bourbon first Earle of Montpensier great Grandfather to the Duke liuing Afterwards came Magdalaine wife to Laurence of Medices ancestors to Catherine of Medices Q. Mother to the K. liuing at this present day About this time the Landgraue being come into Fraunce 1533. got of the K. a masse of mony to cōtinue the amitie which he carried vnto the Princes of Germany vpon the morgage of the Countye of Montbelliard in the name of Vlrich D. of Witemberge his Cosin by the league of Suaube expelled his Duchie giuen by the same League to the Emperour who since gaue it to Ferdinand in partage vpon condition that if he were not repaied within three yeares the County should remain vnto him he had besides other monie of his liberalitie and with that hee leuied men and recouered the Countrie and placed against his Cosin in May 1534. Afterwards paide the first monye back gratified with an ouerplus vpon this Clement 7. who at the marriage of his Niece to pleasure the K. had made Cardinals Odet de Chastillon Philip de Bologne Claude de Guiry and Iohn le Venier B. of Liseux hauing runne sundry fortunes died in the end of September 1534. Paul Ferneze succeeding him who presently made Cardinalles Alexander sonne to Pierre Louis his base sonne and Ascanio sonne of Catherine his base daughter As the doctrin of Luther profited in Germany Flanders England Italy cuntries adioyning Fraunce felt it no lesse rather it seemed to increase by the greatnes of persecutions which might be seene by the hotte persecutions in the yeare 1534. for searches and informations were no sooner made of the prisonners but they were as speedily burned quicke tyed to a stake after swinged into the ayre were let fall into the fire and so by a pullise pulled vp and downe vntill a man might see them all roasted and scorched by a small fire without complayning not able to speak by reason that they had taken out their tongue and gagged Afterwards the K. to the ende that might not be a meanes of diminishing of the Princes of the Empire their amitye towards him and to turne away the wrath of God which hee feared would fall vpon his Realme for the opinion of these people made a solemne and generall procession to be made at Paris where the relique of Saint Geneuiefe patrones of the Parisians descended which happeneth but rarely In the meane time hee excused himselfe towards the Protestant Princes by his Embassadour assuring them that he made them to be punished for their sedition not for their faith to conferre whereof hee prayed them to send some of their diuines to meete with his for as hee saide Pope Leo had himselfe heretofore tolde him that he must needes acknowledge many light ceremonies and humane traditions which were fit to be changed in time afterwards Guillaume du Bellay called de Langeay his Embassadour about them being assembled 1535. at Smalcade seeing that he could not conclude a generall alliance with them for they euer excepted the Empire and the Emperour returned without doing ought after hauing exhorted them in the Kings name not to receiue Mantoue for the place of Councell which the Pope promised nor any other place without aduise of the K. of Fraunce and England who would doe nothing the one without the other Louis 12. K. of Fraunce said he by his Embassador in time past maintained that it did not appertain to Pope Iuly to publish a councell without consent of the Emperor and christian Princes and because the K. of Nauarre was of the same opinion Iuly excommunicated him and vnder this title Ferdinande K. of Spaine seased of the Kingdome of Nauarre the K. of Fraunce is at this present of the same opinion that he can alow of no councell but in a sure place not suspitious where it may be lawfull for euery man to deliuer his minde Edward Foxe B. of Hereford Embassador for the K. of England spake much more affectionately and shewed that his maister greatly affected the same doctrine which he had already in a great part established within his Realme for which the protestant Princes humbly thanked thē praying that they would no more suffer such as were of like faith as they to be persecuted After the 12. of December 1535. by a decree made at Smalcade on Christmas euen they renewed for ten yeares their alliance which expired at the end of that yeare and deliberating among the rest of prouision and munitions it was there concluded that they would all receiue the confession of Ausbourgh and be content to runne the same race among other there were the Princes of Pomerany Vlrich of Witemberg Robert of Bauiere he of Deuxponts the Citties of Ausbourg Franckeforde Campodum Hambourg and Hanobry with many more who ioyned themselues at Franckford in April 1536. and after Guillaume de Nassaw and albeit that the Landgraue did not accord with them there in respect of their claim which was made to the signory of Hesse yet he promised that if there should be any outrage for the profession of the Gospel he would not abandon them whatsoeuer ensued theron In the end of March 1538. Christian K. of Denmarck and Iohn Marquesse of Brandebourg brother to the Elector were both receued therin Now for so much as Helde who had bene sent from the Emperour to the Germane Princes to bring them to agree to such a Councell as the Pope had assigned and therein to resolue vpon all their differentes in religion c. could gaine nothing charging them euery way if they refused so reasonable conditions of Peace hee framed a League of which he saide the Emperor King Ferdinande were the authors the associates to be the Archbishops of Mayence and of Salisbourg Guillaume Louis of Bauiere George of Saxe Eric Henry of Brunswich that it was cōcluded vpon at Noremberg vpon cōdition that if any were troubled for the ancient religion succour should be ready at hand and to endure for 12 years vnder the name of the holy League as made for the glory of God and defence of the Church Afterwards 1539. the 19. of Aprill at Francforte the peace of Germany was accorded vpon such conditions the Emperour graunteth to the confederates of the confession of
be K. of Romans was proposed by the Emperour and couragiously refused by the Duke of Saxe who died about the 13. of August 1532. and other Protestantes in fauour of whom the King of Fraunce had already consigned one hundred thousand crownes But in the end of Iune 1534. by accord made betweene Ferdinand and the sonne of Frederic late departed it was said among other things that he should acknowledge him for K. of Romanes without preiudice to come to the Electors and that within two moneths the Emperour should ratifie the succession of Frederic as well to the goods of his Father as his Grandfather and should confirme the mariage passed with the Duke of Cleues In summe the endeuourers of peace the Bishop of Maience and elector Palatin preuailed so farre and the Turkes comming into Austria more that the Emperour to haue succour of all handes in the beginning of Iune 1532. at a day helde at Noremberg confirmed a generall peace throughout all Germany with forbidding any should be troubled for Religion vntill a Councell or if that helde not vntill the Estates had found meanes to appease that difference vpon greeuous paines to the breakers thereof and promised himselfe would be a meanes to the Pope that a Councell should be published within sixe moneths to begin one yeare after or if the Councell should not holde aduice should be taken in the imperiall daies to resolue the whole to which the protestants promised to doe all dutie against the Turke Concluded the 23. of Ianuarie and ratified the second of August by the Emperour and afterwards published the Emperour holding a day at Ratisbone Since the Emperour being returned from Vienne in Austria went into Italye where he assured himselfe of Clement the 7. from thence passed into Spaine Afterward Clement at the request of King Frauncis came from Genes to Marseilles in the Automne 1533. Where to confirme a reciprocall and euerlasting amitie hee gaue Katherine his Neece to Henry Duke of Orleans being 15. yeares of age a mariage no lesse coueted of the one side then the other True it is that Clement would neuer assure himselfe throughly thereof vntill he saw them in bed togither The K. in like sorte notwithstanding any offers and assurances which the Emperor other Princes offered vnto the Pope so as he would not perseuere therein tooke no rest vntill it was accomplished as well for the dignitie and singular recommendation of that race and the hope which his affaires might breede in Italye as contrariwse that the Emperour might soone enough thereby be impayred Now to the ende that such as willinglye suffer themselues to bee commaunded by their passions or in like sorte iudge euery thing according to the reporte and opinion of others may haue the truth deliuered of what they ought to beleeue of the house of Medices The race hath appeared very great highlye renowned and most honourable as well among the Christians as many of contrary faith be it that you looke into the Fathers stocke an Italian or the Mothers a French for the first being endewed with the vertues of charitie and discreete liberalitie either publique or priuate for the foundation of her greatnes a man would iudge the pollitique gouernement of the Medices in Florence much more worthy of praise then the raigne of a number of other christian Princes their power credit increased by Iohn de Medices named of Bicci contrary to the Nobles who sought cleane to ruine the whole estate of the towne so as hauing beene preferred to all their dignities and estates without euer suing for any one peaceable and succourable to all hee dyed most rich and wealthye freended of euery man leauing as well for heire of his vertues as his fortune Cosme surnamed the great in respect he was the most famous personage not bearing arms which euer was seene or read of in any discourse remarqued aboue all his vertues for his magnificent liberalitie from whence all men reaped profit and aduancement in their affaires euen so farre as he made search to helpe any of the Nobles or other which he knew stoode in any wante to releeue their disseanes so as when hee was dead the names of al his fellow Citizens were found in an inuertour which Pierre his sonne tooke of his goods carrying the tytle of Father of the Countrie which the Tuscanes caused to be engrauen vpon his Tombe And albeit the life of Pierre and his vertue was much more short thē was expected he left behinde him notwithstanding Laurence and Iulian of Medices so renowned in their time that hee being traiterously murthered by his enemies leauing a Posthumus named Clement the seauenth the Prince of the Turkes would not fayle but with speede enough send Bernard Baudin the murtherer to Laurence to vse him at his pleasure so much had he their honour in recommendation But so greatly were his graces recommended through Italy that euen as hee liuing they balanced his vertue in counterweight of the vices of the Christian Potentates for maintaining of whole Italye and all the Princes adioyning in peace so hee being departed all the Lordes of Italye before rayned with the brydle of his wise councelles tooke such a libertye to their free passions that Charles the eight drawne in by the Duke of Milan against the King of Aragon for the conquest of Naples and as soone the rest of the Potentates banding against him and since among themselues Italye neuer had from that time other occasion then to mourne the losse of his presence whome they knewe not sufficiently enough to honor considering the greatnes of his deserts hee lefte behinde him Pierre Iulian and Iohn which was Leo the tenth So as Iulian being departed without issue his goods and credite descended to Pierre though chased out of Florence he was after drowned at the mouth of Gariglan leauing for his heire Laurence of Medices whome Pope Leo and Frauncis the first married to Madame Magdalaine of the house of Bologne in Anuergne predecessors to the Q. Mother who in steade of the Countie of Bologne enioyed the County of Lauraguez in Lāguedoc for so much as Lewis 11. would needs haue the County of Bologne in exchange for Lauraguez at the hands of Bertrande Earle of Anuergne great Grandfather to the saide Queen See now the race on the mother side deriued from Robert the last of that name Earle of Bologne and Anuergne whose ancestors helde ranke about the Kings before the Constables Chancelors great Chamberlaynes or other officers of the crowne who left Guillaume and Iohn his heires the firste had onely Iodhe maried to Philip Duke of Burgundie and in her second marriage to Iohn K. of Fraunce to whome by will deceasing without issue she lefte the Duchie of Burgundie And so the Counties of Bologne and Anuergne came to Iohn her Vnckle who had Iohn which married Eleonor of Comminges of whom he had Ioane whom she brought to the Castle of Ortais to Guston
French men esteemed themselues most happie to fall prisoners into the handes of more gracious Lordes from whose furie hardly could Frances de Montmorencie saue himselfe who onely remained there within lieutenant for the king whom in seeking to couer and defend D'ouartie was sore set vppon and hurt in his presence yet afterwardes hee was knowen and carried prisoner to Binecourt the Emperours Lieutenant The other more apparant prisoners as the Vicount de Martiques Dampierre de Losses Baudiment Bailet de S. Romain the Captaines Grille le Breul and Saint Romane yeelded themselues to diuerse masters as the hazard gaue them leaue and forasmuch as the simple souldiers were the first which entered in and not the captaines or Lordes of authoritie such prisoners as could readily make anye money went out good cheape as the Vicount De Martiques Dampierre de Saint Romane and the Captaine Breul But such as tarryed tardie were knowen and in great daunger there to abide by it long The surplus of the souldiers found at the Spaniards hands to whose mercie the most parte were fallen an honest entertainment taking of such as had meanes reasonable ransome and the poore hauing stript them of their weapons and best stuffe they sent backe safely and oftentimes themselues conducted them Within this little towne was found a great deale of good and grosse artillerie chiefly two verie faire and long Culuerines In this time the great Turke Sultan Soliman carryed himselfe too rigorously towardes the person of Sultan Mustapha his eldest sonne which he had of a slaue Who hauing beene sent with his mother from his first youth into the prouince of Amafia which was giuen vnto him was so well and carefully brought vp as hee there atchieued great honour and amitie not onely of all in that Countrie but thoroughout all the gouernments of his Father This mother beeing absent Soliman tooke another slaue vnto him named Roza of whome hee had foure other sonnes Mahomet Baiazet Selim Giangir the crooke backe and one daughter which was marryed to Bassa Rostan Roza being indued with admirable beautie accompanyed with all the flattering delights and allurements which possibly one could imagine knewe so well howe to plaie her part towardes Soliman who was as it were a man rauished that by the helpe of Muchthy as much to saie as the soueraigne Priest of the lawe of Mahomet and vnder colour of religion shee was not onely made free of condition but lawfull wife spouse of Soliman to which neuer anie before her attayned Raised now vnto such honour and seeing her selfe entirelie beloued she had no greater care than how to establish the Empire vnto one of her children after the death of the father But foreseeing that the singular vertues of Mustapha would bee so farre contrarie thereunto that whilest hee liued shee should neuer haue rest because that he had gotten the loue of the men of warre and how the eyes of all men were vppon him for the great hope of his magnanimious courage and singular dexteritie she studyed as much as she could to make him become odious to Soliman to which her sonne in law greatly aided her for that hee as then gouerned all the affayres Her reasons were how that Mustapha building vppon the loue and fauour which hee had gotten of all men thorough his great liberalitie courage dexteritie of spirit burned with such a longing to raigne as euerie man feared least in affecting the Empire hee would shorten the dayes of Soliman as alreadie Selim had done to his father Therefore shee vrged Soliman and besought him with many and great teares that hee would take order therein thereby to prouide for his owne safetie Now albeit in the beginning shee smally preuailed and that Mustapha had well discouered the crossebarres which shee ordinarilye prepared for him yet shee neuer ceased to continue by the helpe of a Iew a most renowmed inchantresse who hauing giuen vnto her certaine drugs shee caused the amitie of Soliman to bee redoubled towards Roza so well as she assured her selfe of a good euent at the last to her enterprises albeit a delaie might bee for a time Finally after many practises shee found meanes to suborne the gouernour of Mustapha and caused him to write though falsely vnto Soliman howe his sonne meant to take in marriage the daughter of the Kinge of Persia This olde man moued by the continuall plaintes of Roza and Rostan easily gaue credite to these newes and false aduertisements so as in the yeere 1552. hauing caused a bruite to runne of the Persians comming downe into Syria hee sent Rostan thether with a puisant armie for vnder colour of going to meete with his enimies to ceaze vpon Mustapha and bring him prisoner to Constantinople with expresse commaundement to kill him if otherwise hee coulde not take him But Mustapha aduertised of the whole matter and howe that the Persians were not at all in the field came towardes him with seuen thousand men of the best experienced in the warres which caused Rostan to make a quicke returne without dooing ought Whereat Soliman beeing the more prouoked the next yeere caused the same bruite agayne to runne and how hauing leauied a great armie he meant to go himself in person agaynst the Persians Beeing arriued in Syria hee commanded his sonne to come vnto him to his campe Mustapha knowing how it was him alone which they shot at albeit hee was prayed and greatly solicited to auoide the furie of his Father and retire himself into some other part trusting in his owne innocencie and thinking it a matter more commendable and worthie of his greatnesse to die in obeying of his Father than liuing to incurre a note of infamie and treason yea though thereby hee might gaine the Empire of the whole world thinking in like sorte that for that he neuer made anie refusal by his owne presence hee might appease the furie of his father went on his waie thether but being entered within Solimans tent hee was sodainly taken and strangled in his owne presence after at the same instant the Bassa his head of the Prouince of Amasia was stroke off This crueltie beeing come to the knowledge of Giangir the crooke backe one of the rest of the foure brothers hee manfully reiected the gifte and spoile which his father had presented vnto him so that lamenting the death of his brother he could not command himselfe nor refrain from vttering these speeches Ha cruell Traitor I cannot say Father take now to thy selfe the treasures the Horses the Tapistrie and the Prouince of Mustapha and gouerne it at thyne owne pleasure could it fall into thy thought O infamous man and without humanitye to cause to dye against all lawe so valiant a personage as neuer was nor neuer will be the like in all the house of Ottomans Ha ha it shall not bee true and I will take order that thou shalt neuer bee able impudentlye to vaunte that euer thou didst the like
fifteene Ensignes of French Fanterie and almost two thousand horse against nineteene Ensignes of the Spanish Fanterie which lay encamped about the little towne for that the inhabitants had shutte the gates vpon them fearing to be sacked by them as their neighbours had beene The skirmish lasted almost a whole day eche partye being obstinate to the gaining of the victory which after a long hazard vncertaine combate remained to the French very few of them being either dead or hurte but many more of the Spaniards whereof in like sort diuers were brought away prisonners After all this coyle the French returned to Anchy and about Hedin where the Almanes were put in garrison the bayliwick whereof was giuen by the King to the Count Reingraue In summe towards the end of the moneth of October some companies as well of the French Fanterie as light cauallerie being cast the rest were deuided and put into garrisons to passe ouer the winter which drew on In the meane time the Emperour proceeded on to pursue a marriage betweene his son the K. of Spaine and the infant Mary new Q. of England with such earnestnes as he forgot nothing which might serue to the consummation thereof seing him selfe almost out of all hope to haue succour elsewhere or recouering of any monie at neerer hand which many of that Realme sought to hinder foreseeing an immortal warre with the French which was prepared for them by this meanes remembring well the losses and damage which they had alreadye sustained in hauing vpholden the warre against this nation from whence the Countrie of England reaped great commodities Notwithstanding so much auayled the perswasions of the Emperor with the instigation of the two Queenes Mary and Elenor and aboue all the inductions of Cardinall Pole cosin to the Q. that she being cleane rauished with this new loue and with the ambition to see her selfe wife to the Sonne of an Emperour the better to assure her estate against the reformed and other malcontents in spite of the aduise and liking of the greatest of her Realme keeping her sister Elizabeth likewise a prisonner consented to this marriage Afterwards with as much speede as was possible she affianced by Proctor which was the Earle of Aiguemont Philip K. of Spaine hoping shortlye after to perfit and consumate the ouerplus The K. knowing that all these things tended to no other end but cheefely to endamage and annoy him made a great masse of monie calling such to his aide and succour as he knew were most obedient and faithfull vnto him and as hee thought best able to aide and do him seruice Pope Iuly to the end to pacifie these great troubles of Christendome had sent the Cardinall of England to mediate a peace betweene the King and the Emperour for you must vnderstand that vpon the pursute of the warres of these two Princes Pope Iuly seeing all Europe as it were much moued with the feare of mischeefes which was likely to ensue to euery Countrye by reason of the particular quarrels of these two Monarcks with a secret remorse and gnawing of conscience for himselfe had beene the Author had sent the Cardinall of England his Legate to the King and the Emperour to aduise and by all meanes to vnite and cause them to condescend to a good peace in which he imployed himselfe so vertuously that laying aside all ambition or feare of hatred or other cōsiderations he neuer ceased to lay before them the infinite miseries wherewith the poore Christian people were afflicted togither with the vncertaintye and miserable estate whereunto the Catholicke Church by their dissentions was reduced And albeit that many accounted him to fauour the Emperour more then the King yet hee seemed to haue so well managed their hartes that the hope of a peace was alreadye common thorough out Fraunce and quarters neighbouring about yea so great that the poore borderers of the one and other Lord perswading themselues thereof so assured themselues by little and little that they reedified and began to reinhabite their cottages and small tenementes as yet besmoaked with the fire wherewith they had beene burned to ashes so farre as euery man promised vnto himselfe a happy repose if it would please God to mollifie the harts of these two great Princes But euen as all the tokens of Moses and Aaron hardened the more the obstinate courage of Pharaoh to the end afterwards to make the great wonders of the Lord to appeare so this great God not yet satisfyed and content with so small a punishment for our enormous sinnes would not permit vnto them the vnderstanding to receaue a good and assured peace for the ease and repose of all Christendome wherfore the Legate after many trottings to and fro of each side returned very sorrowfull vnto the Pope leauing in the harts of these two Princes this so inueterate an enmitie whereof the clamors could not so soone mortifie the effects The Queene was deliuered at Fontaine-bleau about nine of the clocke and three quarters past in the morning the eighteenth of March 1554. of a sonne named Hercules by Charles Cardinall of Lorraine Anne de Montmorency Constable and the Duchesse of Guyse daughter to the D. of Ferrara afterwards leauing that name he was called Francis D. of Alencon and of Aniou In the meane space and about the first of the spring there arose a certaine brute of a warre at hand betweene these Princes and much furniture and weapons were dispersed whereby they might bee polished and made readye to the seruice afterwardes to be mustered as soone as the fame was spread throughout France how the Emperour had prepared a great leauye of men of warre and all other sortes of prouisions towardes the Countries of Liege and Ardennes with intent to besiege the Towne of Mesieres hauing established Mariembourg and Auanes as store places and markets to his armye so as Bourdillon who then was at the Courte was presently sent back to fortifie strengthen this little Towne with whatsoeuer should be necessary to attend their comming On the other side the K. foreseeing the Empeperours determination and intent made all meanes to assemble his forces to the end to meet him and preuent him of this small enterprise hauing sent sufficient enough of succour into Piemont and Italye thereby to pursue and continue such good beginning as fortune in that parte had presented vnto him Besides hee dispatched Captaines and commissioners to bring him men of warre as well out of Germany as from those Cantons of Zuizers as were his confederates This was about the ende and issue of the Spring when as the Sunne raysing him selfe high to send among vs his great heates burned and consumed the fruites of the earth with so strange a drouthe that togither with the long trauayle of the warre the poore people expected nought els to the aggrauating of their miseryes then a great and mortall famine for the heape of all theyr pouertyes
all the charges of the Empire beseeching him to reconcile the Princes one to another in which the staye and encrease of the Empire wholly consisted the true and nearest cause of the ruyne thereof proceeding from diuision Then that hee woulde yeelde all ayde to his Sonne Philip as a neyghbour to such an enemye as the King of Fraunce was In the ende beeyng determyned to departe hee was stayed thourough the vyolence of his diseases contratyeties of windes long staye in the preparation of his Shippes and thourough a difference fallen out in some of the townes which would by no meanes receyue his sonne the father liuing and other which woulde haue his nephewe Ferdinande seconde sonne to the King of Romanes for their gouernour Ioint the male contentment of a number of Lordes and other who hauing employed all their meanes and often times their life in his seruice vnder a hope of great recompence sawe themselues by this his dimission and departure into Spaine frustrated of all their hope which they coulde not hope for at his sonnes handes who as ordinarily newe Kinges affecte newe seruauntes woulde employe his meanes but to the aduauncement of his fauourites or in recompencing their paines and seruice towardes him of whome himselfe had beene an eye witnesse About the ende of Nouember Ferdinande King of Romanes hauing assembled together the greatest parte of his men of warre wente downe the Danube as farre as Vienne to make head against the Turke who made great preparation for his descente into Hungarie to besiege agayne Vienne in Austria as I will shewe you To open vnto you the affayres and chaunges of the Realme of Englande in fewe woordes Henry the eyghte discontented in that he had no other heyre but Mary borne of Katherine aunte vnto the Emperour whome his brother Arthur had marryed at the age of foureteene yeeres and lefte her a Virgine by the aduice of the Cardinall of Yorke and many dyuines as well Frenche as Almaines and English diuorced her and hauing in full assemblie declared his daughter Marye illegitimate marryed Anne Bullen one of his wifes maydes the which Pope Clemente the seuenth so hardly coulde digest as that he condemned this diuorce as vniust and of euill example especially for that Anne was a Lutherane and he feared least the King and all his Realme woulde confourme them selues to the like religion Whereat Henrye tooke such disdayne as hee declared himselfe head of the Church thorough out all Englande with forbidding any to aduowe the Pope for head or to transporte any money to Rome or paye Peterpence a reuennewe which euerye house yearely payde according to the ordynaunce of Inas in the yeere seuen hundred and fourtie Whereupon there ensued a great alteration of Religion thorough out the whole Realme so confirmed by Edwarde his sonne as that the catholique was cleane banished out of Englande at the least in publique which caused many Englishe men to flye the Realme to seeke in some other Countrey a place of more free conscience Seeyng that the Dukes of Sommerset and Northumberlande gouerned the roaste in the yeere 1553. Notwithstanding as after the death of the Duke of Sommerset the Duke of Northumberlande seeyng howe the King was fallen sicke of a Fluxe which fell into his stomache from the moneth of Februarie had marryed his sonne Guilforde to â—anâ— daughter to the Duke of Suffolke and cousin vnto the sicke King hee wrought so much as that the young King reiecting his sisters Marye and Elizabeth declared for his heyre and Inherittice vnto the Crowne of Englande this Iane of Suffolke to the ende that by this meanes hee mought traunsferre the Royalle into his owne House and disinherite the true Heyres of their righte and legitimate Succession This Marriage and Testamentarie declaration beeyng done in the moneth of May gaue occasion to a number to thinke that this young King whome they helde for the piller of men of knowledge and gaue great hope of future vertue was poysoned and that beeing assured of the time of his death they had caused him to doe whatsoeuer they woulde haue him well were it of poyson or of a Caterre so it is that Edwarde the sixte of that name and the one and fourtie K. of England dyed the sixt day of Iuly the seuenth yeere of his Raigne and the sixteenth of his age solemly entered at Westminster not without the teares of his subiects who saide that his death was presaged by a Comet which appeared a little before his departure and by the great stormes windes tempests and thunders which had that yeere tormented London the chiefe Cittie of the Realme as the witnesses of such troubles as shortly after ensued in England for the people hating in secrete this Duke of Northumberland held for suspected the testament of King Edward as a thing made too much to the aduantage of the Duke and many Lords of the Countrie terming him too ambitious wrote vnto Mary the eldest daughter of K. Henrie the eight encouraging her to declare her selfe Queene and offring vnto her all dutie and seruice Marye who had no great meanes durst not so soone come to London to the ende that according to the custome she might remaine ten daies in the Tower before her Coronation but went into the Countrie and Dukedome of Norfolke bordering on the Sea coast from whence shee wrote to sundrie Princes and Lords of the Countrie complayning how that Iane of Suffolk had enterprised against her and that Edward was not able to dispose of the Crowne which appertained vnto her being the next daughter vnto the late Kinge Henrie she laide before them the wrong which had beene done vnto Katherine her mother and next vnto her selfe and that none of King Henrie his children were to succeede before her protesting that shee would pursue her right by the sworde and not suffer the Duke of Northumberland to vaunt how he would dispose at his pleasure of the Realme of England These letters being brought to London at the selfe same time as Iane of Suffolke against her will was proclaimed Queene within the Tower of London caused a great chaunge of dispositions among the Lordes there present and a strange alienating of their mindes touching the case of Iane whome sundrie from thence foorth left to take Maries parte The which caused the Duke of Northumberland to send certaine troupes of men at armes into the Countrie of Norfolke thinking thereby to hinder her desseins But in the meane time shee was proclaimed Queene in Suffolke by the principall personages of the land So as hauing recouered some succours from the Emperour on the coast of Flaunders albeit that the Duke had strongly armed vppon the Seas to hinder their comming shee practised with a number of the cheefe of the Duke his armie which in the ende incorporated themselues to hers In the meane time Northumberland to playe on the surer side woulde needes haue the Duke of Suffolke Father to Iane to goe as her Lieutennant