Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	daughter_n	king_n	sister_n	2,755	5	8.3456	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91487	Severall speeches delivered at a conference concerning the power of Parliament, to proeeed [sic] against their King for misgovernment. In which is stated: I. That government by blood is not by law of nature, or divine, but only by humane and positive laws of every particular common-wealth, and may upon just causes be altered. II. The particular forme of monarchies and kingdomes, and the different laws whereby they are to be obtained, holden and governed ... III. The great reverence and respect due to kings, ... IV. The lawfulnesse of proceeding against princes: ... V. The coronation of princes, ... VI. What is due to onely succession by birth, and what interest or right an heire apparent hath to the crown, ... VII. How the next in succession by propinquity of blood, have often times been put back by the common-wealth, ... VIII. Divers other examples out of the states of France and England, for proofe that the next in blood are sometimes put back from succession, ... IX. What are the principall points which a common-wealth ought to respect in admitting or excluding their king, wherein is handled largely also of the diversity of religions, and other such causes.	Parsons, Robert, 1546-1610, attributed name.	1648 (1648)	Wing P573; Thomason E521_1; ESTC R203152	104,974	80

crown of whose election Morales writeth these words Muerto el Rey Don Alonso el casto fue eligido por los perlados grandes del reyno l Rey Don Ramiro primero deste nombre hyo del Rey Don vermudo el diacono Mor. c. 11. That is the K. Don Alonso the chaste being dead there was chosen K. by the Prelats Nobility of the Realm Don Ramiro the first of this name Son of K Vermudo the Deacon who resigned his crown to Don Alonso and it is to be noted th●t albeit this Don Ram●ro was next in bloud to the succession after the death of his uncle Don Alonso without children yet was hee chosen by the States as here it is said in expresse words Moreover it is to be noted that albeit this Author Ambrosio Morales other Spanish Writers do say that in the time of this K Ramiro the law of succession by propinquity in blond was so revived strongly confirmed that as the kingdom of Spain was made as Majorasgo as he termeth it which is an inheritance so intailed and tyed only to the next bloud as there is no possibility ●o alter the same and that from this time forward the King always caused his eldest Son to be named King or Prince so ever to be sworn by the Realm and Nobility yet shall we find this Ordinance and succession oftentimes to have been broken upon severall considerations as this Author himself in that very chapter confesseth As for example after four discents from this man which were Don Ordonio the 1. this mans Son and Don Alonso the 3. Don Garzia and Don Ordonio the second all four Kings by orderly succession it hapned that in the yeer of Christ 924. Don Ordonio the second dying left four Sons and one daughter lawfully begotten and yet the State of Spain displaced them all and gave the kingdom to their Uncle Don Fruela second brother to their Father Don Ordonio and Morales saith Mor. l. 16. cap. 1. an 924. ●hat there appeareth no other reason hereof but only for that these Sons of the King deceased were young and not so apt to govern well the Realm as their uncle was But after a yeers Reign this King Fruela dyed also left divers children at mans estate then did the Spaniards as much against them as they had done for him before against the children of his elder brother For they put them all by the crown and chose for their King Don Alonso the 4 which was eldest Son to Don Ordonio the 2. be●ore named that had been last King saving one and this man also I mean Don Alonso the 4 leaving afterward his Kingdom betaking himself to a religious habit offered to the Common●welth of Spain his eldest Son lawfully begotten named Don Ordonio to be their King but they refused him and tooke his Brother I meane this Kings Brother Uncle to the young Prince named Don Ramiro Moral lib. 19. cap. 20. An. 930. who reigned 19 yeers was a most excellent King gained Madrid from the Moors though noted of cruelty for imprisoning and pulling out the eyes afterward of this King Don Alonso the 4. and all his children nephewes for that hee would have left his habit returned to be King again But this fact my au●hor Morales excuseth saying that it was requisit for pcace safety of the Realm so as here you see two manifest alterations of lineal succession together by order of the Common-welth Furthermore after this noble King Don Ramiro the 2. succeeded as heire apparent to the Crown his elder Son Don Ordonio the 3. of his name in the yeer of our Savior 950. but this succession endured no longer then unto his own death which was after 7 yeers for then albeit he left a Son named el enfante Don Vermudo yet he was not admitted but rather his brother Don Sancho the first of his name surnamed el Gordo who was Uncle to the young Prince and the reason of this alteration Morales giveth in these words el succeder en el regno al hermano fue por la racon ordinaria de ser el enfante Don Vermudo nino y no bastante para ●l goviernoy difenca de la terra Mor. l. 16. c. 29. An. 950. which is the cause why the Kings brother not his Son succeeded in the Crown was for the ordinary reason so often before alledged for that the Infant or young Prince Vermudo was a litle child not sufficient for Government and defence of the Country Truth it is that after this Don Sancho had reigned his son heir named Don Ramiro the 3. after him for the space of 30. yeers in all Mor. l. 17. c. 1 2 3 4. Then was this youth Don Vermudo that is now put back called by the relm to the succession of the Crown made King by the name of King Vermudo the 2. who left after him Don Alonso the 5. he again his Son Don Vermudo the 3. who marying his sister Dona Sancha that was his heir unto Don Fernando first Earle then King of Castile who was second Son to Don Sancho Mayor K ing of Navarras before hath been said he j●yned by these means the Kingdoms of Leon Castile together which were separate before so ended the line of Don Pelayo first Christ●n King of Spain after the entrance of the Moors which had endured now 300. yeers the bloud of Navar entred as you see so continued therein untill the entrance of ●●ose of Au●tria as before hath been said which was almost 500. yeers together And thus much I thought good to note out of the stories of Spain for this first discent of the Spanish Kings after the entrance of the Moors neither mean I to passe much further both for that it would be over long as also for that mine Author Morales who is the most diligent that hath written the Chronicles of that Nation endeth here his story with King Vermudo the 3. last of the Gotish bloud Notwithstanding if I would go on further there would not want divers evident examples also to the same purpose which Stephen Garabay another Chronicler of Spain doth touch in the continuation of this story weereof for examples sake only I will name 2 or 3 among the rest And first about the yeer of Christ 1021. there was a marriage made by K Iohn of England for Dona Blancha his Neece that is to say the daughter of his sister Dame El●nor of Don Alonso the 9. of that name King Queen of Spain which Blancha was to marry the Prince of France named Luis son heir to K. Philip surnamed Augustus which Luis was afterward K. of France by the name of Luis the 8. was Father to Luis the 9. surnamed the Saint Car. lib. 11. c. 12. This Lady Blancha was Neece as I have said unto K. Iohn to K. Richard the ● of England for

that her Mother Lady Elenor was their sister daughter to K. Henry the 2. and K. Iohn made this mariage therby to make peace with the French was content to give for her dowry for that he could not tell how to recover them again all those Townes Countries which the said K. Phil. had taken upon the English by this Kings evill Government in Normandy Gascoyn and moreover promise was made that if P. Henry of Spain that was the only brother to the said Lady Blanch should dye without issue as after he did then this Lady should succeed in the Crown of Spain also but yet afterward the State of Spain would not perform this but rather admitted her younger sister Dona Berenguela maryed to the Prince of Leon and excluded both Blanch her son the King S Luis of France against the evident right of succession propinquity of bloud the only reason they yeelded hereof was not to admit strangers to the Crown as Garabay testifieth This hapned then I do note by the way that this Dona Berenguela second daughter of Q. Elenor the English woman was maried as hath bin said to the Prince of Leon had by him Don Fernando the 3. of that name K of Castilia surnamed also the Saint so as the two daughters of an English Queen had two Kings Saints for their Sons at one time the elder of France the yonger of Spain After this again about 60 yeers the Prince of Spain named Don Alonso surnamed de la cerda for that he was borne with a great gristle haire on his breast called cerda in Spanish which Don Alonso was Nephew ●o the King Fernando the Saint marryed with the daughter of S. Lewis K. of France named also Blancha as her grand mother was had by her two sons called Alonso Hernando de la cerda as the Prince their Father was named which Father of theirs dying before the King the Grand father left them commended to the Realm as lawful heire apparent to the crowne yet for that a certain Uncle of theirs named Don Sa●cho younger brother to their father which Don Sancho was surnamed afterward el brav● for his valour and was a great Warrier and more like to manage wel the matters of war then they he was made heir apparent of Spain add hey putb●ck in their Grandfa●hers time and by his and the Realms consent their Father as I have said being dead and this was done at a generall Parliament holden at Segovia in the yeer 1276. and after this Don Sancho was made King in the yeer 1284 the two Princes put into prison but afterward at the suit of their Uncle King Philip the 3 of France they were let out again endued with certain lands so they remain unto this day and of these do come the Dukes of Medina Celi all the rest of the hou●e of Cerda which are of much Nobility in Spain at this time K. Philip that reigneth cometh of Don Sancho the yonger Brother Not long after this again when Don Pedro surnamed the cruel King of Castile was driven cut his bastard brother H 2. set up in his place the Duke of Lancaster John of Gant Gar. l. 15. c. 1. an 1363. having maried Dona Constantia the said King Padroes daughter and heir pretended by succession the said● Crowne of Castile as indeed it appert●ined unto him but yet the State of Spain denyed it flatly and defended it by arms they prevailed against John of Gant as did also the race of H the B●stard against his lawfull brother the race of Don Sancho the uncle against his lawfull nephews that of Dona Berenguela against her elder sister all which races do reign unto this day these three changes of the true line hapned within two ages and in the third and principall discent of the Spanish Kings when this matter of suceession was most assuredly perfectly established yet who will deny but that the Kings of Spain who hold by the latter titles at this day be true lawfull Kings Well one example will I give you more out of the kingdom of Portugal so will I make an end with there countries This king Henry the bastard last named 〈◊〉 Spain had a son that succeeded him in the crown of Spain named Iohn the 1 who marryed the daughter he●r named Dona Beatrix of k Fernando the 1. of Portugal but yet after the death of the said k. Fernando the States of Portugall would never agree to admit him for their King for not subjecting themselvs by that means to the Castilians for that cause they rather took for their king a bastard brother of the said late k. Don Fernando whose name was Dondulan a youth of 20 yeers old who had bin Master of a military order in Portugal named de Avis so they excluded Dona Be●tr●x Q. of Cast l. that was their lawfull heire chose this young man marryed him afterwards to the Lady Philip da●ghter of Iohn of Gaunt D. of Lancaster by h●s first wife Blanch Duches heir of Lancaster in whose right the kings of Portugall their discendents do pretend unto this day a certain interest to the house of Lancaster Hereby we see what an ordinary matter in hath been in Spain Portugall to alter the line of next succession upon any reasonable consideration which they imagned to be for their weal publike and the like we shall find in France and England The eighth Speech AS concerning the state of France although since the entrance of their first king Pharaniond with his Franks out of Germany which was about ●he yeere of Christ 419. they have never had any stranger come to wear their crown which they attribute to their law Salike that forbiddeth women to reign ye among themselves have they changed twise their whole race linage of kings once in the entrance of k. Pepin that put out the line of Pharamond about the yeer 751. again in the promotion of k. Hugo Capetus that put out the line of Pepin in the yeer 983. so as they have had 3 discents races of Kings as well as the Spaniards the first of Pharamond the 2. of Pepin and the 3. of Capetus which endureth to this present if it be not altered now by the exclusion that divers pretend to make of the King of Navar and other Princes of the bloud Royall of the house of Burbon I will here set p●sse the first rank of all of the French Kings for that some men say perhaps that the common wealth and law of succession was not so well setled in those days as it hath been afterward in time of k. Pepin Charles the great and their discendanta● as also for that it were in very deed over edious to examine and peruse all three ranks or kings in France as you will say when you shall see what store I have

Authority they have great limitation neither can they do any thing of great moment without the consent of certain principal men called Palatines or Castellians neither may their children or next of Bloud succeed except they be chosen as in the Empire Herbert l. 9. Hist Pol. Cromerus l. 3. Hist Polon In Spain France and England the priviledges of Kings are farre more eminent in both these points for that both their Authority is much more absolute and their next in Bloud do ordinarily succeed but yet in different manner for as touching authority it seemeth that the Kings of Spain and France have greater than the King of England for that every ordination of these two Kings is Law in it selfe without further approbation of the Common-wealth which holdeth not in England where no general Law can be made without consent of Parliament but in the other point of Succession it appeareth that the restraint is farre greater in those other two Countries than in England for that in Spain the next in Bloud cannot succeed be he never so lawfully descended but by a new approbation of the Nobility and States of the Realme as it is expresly set down in the two ancient Councels of Tolledo the fourth and fifth Concil blet 4. c. 74. coneil s c. 3. In confirmation whereof we see at this day that the King of Spain's own son cannot succeed nor be called Prince except he be first sworne by the said Nobility and States in token of their new consent and so we have seen it practised in our dayes towards three or four of king Philips children which have succeeded the one after the other in the Title of Princes of Spain and at every change a new Oath required at the Subjects hands for their admission to the said Dignity which is not used in the Kings children of France or England In France the World knoweth how Women are not admitted to succeed in the Crown be they never so near in Bloud neither any of their Issue though it be Male for which cause I doubt not but you remember how King Edward the third of England though he were son and heir unto a daughter of France whose three brethren were kings and left her sole heir to her father king Philip the fourth sirnamed the Fair yet was he put by the Crown Anne 1340. Anil hist Franc. l. 2. Gerard. du Haylan l. 14. hist Franc. as also was the king of Navar at the same time who was son and heir unto this womans eldest brothers daughter named Lewis Huttin king of France which king of Nav●r thereby seemed also to be before king Edward of England but yet were they both put by it and Philip de Vallois a brothers son of Philip the fair was preferred to it by general decree of the States of France and by verdict of the whole Parliament of Paris gathered about the same affaires Franc. Belfor l. 5. c. 1. Anno 1327. Neither did it avail that the two kings aforesaid alleadged that it was against reason and conscience and custome of all Nations to exclude women from the Succession of the Crown which appertained unto them by propinquity of Bloud seeing both Nature and God hath made them capable of such Succession every where as it appeareth by example of all other Nations and in the old Testament among the people of God it selfe where we see Women have been admitted unto kingdomes by succession but all this I say prevailed not with the French as it did not also since for the admission of Dona Isabella Eugenia Clara Infanta of Spain unto the said Crown of France though by dissent of Bloud there be no question of her next propinquity for that she was the eldest childe of the king's eldest sister The like exclusion was then made against the prince of Lorain though he was a man and nephew to the king for that his Title was by a Woman to wit his mother that was younger sister unto king Henry of France And albeit the Law called Salica by the French-men by vertue whereof they pretend to exclude the Succession of Women be no very ancient Law as the French themselves do confesse and much lesse made by Pharamond their first king or in those ancient times as others without ground do affirme Gerard. du Hail l. 13. hist Fra●c Anno 1317. l. 14. Anno 1328 l. 3. de l'Estat defrunce Yet do we see that it is sufficient to binde all Princes and Subjects of that Realme to observe the same and to alter the course of natural Discent and nearnesse of Bloud as we have seen and that the king of Navar and some others of his race by vertue of this onely Law did pretend to be next in Succession to this goodly Crown though in nearnesse of Bloud they were farther off by many degrees from king Henry the third than either the foresaid Infanta of Spain or the prince of Lorain who were children of his own sisters which point yet in England were great disorder and would not be suffered for that our Lawes are otherwise and who made these Lawes but the Common-wealth it selfe By all which we see that divers Kingdomes have divers lawes and customes in the matter of succession and that it is not enough for a man to alleage bare propinquity of blood thereby to prevaile for that he may be excluded or put back by divers other circumstances for sundry other reasons which afterward we shall discusse Yea not onely in this point hath the common-wealth authority to put back the next inheritors upon lawfull considerations but also to dispossesse them that have bin lawfully put in possession if they fulfill not the lawes and conditions by which and for which their dignitie was given them Which point as it cannot serve for wicked men to be troublesome unto their Governours for their own interests or appetites so yet when it is done upon just and urgent causes and by publique authority of the whole body the justice thereof is playne not onely by the grounds and reasons before alleaged but also by those examples of the Romans and Grecians already mentioned who lawfully deposed their Kings upon just considerations and changed also their Monarchie and Kingly Government into other forme of regiment And it might be proved also by examples of all other nations and this perhaps with a circumstance which every man considereth not to wit That God hath wonderfully concurred for the most part with such juditiall acts of the common-Wealth against their evill Princes not onely in prospering the same but by giving them also commonly some notable successor in place of the deposed thereby hath to justify the fact and to remedy the fault of him that went before I am far from the opinion of those people of our dayes or of old who make so little account of their duty towards Princes as be their title what it will yet for every mislike of their owne they are ready to band

whom they alleadged this reason for their doing in that behalfe as Girard putteth it downe in both his French Chronicles I mean the large and the abbreviation to wit that their oath to Childerie was to honour serve and obey maintaine and defend him against all men as long as he was just religious valiant clement and would resist the enemies of the Crowne punish the wicked and conserve the good and defend the Christian faith And for as much as these promises said they were conditionall they ought not to hold or binde longer then that they were reciprocally observed on both parts which seeing they were not on the part of Childerie they would not be any longer his subject and so desired Zacharias to absolve them from their oaths which he did and by this meanes Childerie was deposed and 〈◊〉 into a Monastery where he dyed and in his place Pepin was chosen and crowned King whose posterity reigned for many years after him and were such noble Kings as all the world can testifie And so continued the race of Pepin in the royall throne for almost two hundred years together untill Hugo Capetus Hug. Cap. per an 988. who was put into the same throne by the same authority of the Commonwealth and Charles of Loraine last of the race of Pepin for the evill satisfaction which the French Nation had of him was put by it and kept prisoner during his life in the Castle of Orleance And thus much doe affirme all the French Histories and doe attribute to these changes the prosperity and greatnesse of their present Kingdome and Monarchy and thus much for France where many other examples might be alleaged as of King Lewis the third sirnamed Faineant For that he was unprofitable and of Charles sirnamed Legros that succeeded him both of them deposed by the States of France and other the like of whom I shall have occasion to speak afterwards to another purpose But now if you please let us step over the Pireny mountains and look into Spayne where there will not faile us also divers examples both before the oppression of that Realme by the Moores as also after Concil Tolet. 4. cap. 4. Ambros morac l. 11. cap. 17. For that before to wit about the yeare of Christ 630. we read of a lawfull King named Flaveo Suintila put downe and deprived both he and his posterity in the fourth Councell Nationall of Toledo and one Sissinando confirmed in his place notwithstanding that Suintila were at the beginning of his reigne a very good King and much commended by Isidorus Archbishop of Sivill Isidor in Hist hispan who yet in the said Councell was the first man that subscribed to his deprivation After the entrance of the Moores also when Spaine was reduced againe to the order and government of Spanish Kings we read Estevan de Garibay l. 13. de la hist de Espa c. 15. that about the yeare of Christ 1282. one Don Alonso the eleventh of that name King of Castile and Leon succeeded his father Fernando sirnamed the Saint and himselfe obtained the sirname of Sabio and Astrologo that is to say of wise and of an Astrologer for his excellent learning and peculiar skill in that Art as may well appeare by the Astronomy tables that at this day goe under his name which are the most perfect and exact that ever were set forth by judgement of the learned This man for his evill government and especially for tyranny used towards two nephews of his as the Spanish Chronicler Garavay writeth was deposed of his Kingdome by a publicke act of Parliament in the Towne of Valiodolid after he had reigned 30. yeares and his owne sonne Don Sancho the fourth was crowned in his place who for his valiant acts was sirnamed ●l bravo and it turned to great commodity of the Commonwealth The same Commonwealth of Spaine some yeares after to wit about the yeare of Christ 1368. having to their King one Don Pedro sirnamed the cruell for his injurious proceeding with his Subjects though otherwise he were lawfully seased also of the Crowne as son and heire to King Don Alonso the twelfth and had reigned among them 18. yeares yet for his evill government they resolved to depose him and so sent for a bastard brother of his named Henry that lived in France requesting him that he would come with some Frenchmen to assist them in that act and take the Crowne upon himselfe Garibay l. 14. c. 40. 41 which he did and by the helpe of the Spaniards and French Souldiers he drave the said Peter out of Spaine and himselfe was crowned And albeit Edward sirnamed the black Prince of England by order of his father King Edward the third restored once againe the said Peter yet was it not durable for that Henry having the favour of the Spaniards returned againe and deprived Peter the second time and slew him in fight hand to hand which made shew of more particular favour of God in this behalfe to Henry and so he remayned King of Spaine as doth also his pr●geny injoy the same unto this day though by nature he was a bastard that King Peter left two daughters which were led away into England and there married to great Princes And this King Henry so put up in his place was called King Henry the second of this name and proved a most excellent King and for his great nobility in conversation and prowesse in Chivalry was called by Excellency El cavallero the Kingly King and for his exceeding benignity and liberality was sirnamed also El del merceedes which is to say the King that gave many gifts or the liberall franck and bountifull King which was a great change from the other sirnamed cruel that King Peter had before and so you see that alwayes I give you a good King in place of the bad deposed In Portugal also before I goe out of Spaine I will alleage you one example more which is of Don Sancho the second surnamed Capelo fourth King of Portugal lawfull sonne and heir unto Don Alanso surnamed el Gardo who was third King of Portugal This Don Sancho after he had reigned 34. yeares was deprived for his defects in government by the universall consent of all Portugal Garibay lib. 4. de hist Portug c. 19. and this his first deprivation from all kingly rule and authority leaving him only the bare name of King was approved by a generall Councell in Lyons Pope ●nnocentius the fourth being there present who at the Petition and instance of the whole Realme of Portugal by their Embassadors the Archbishop of Braga Bishop of Camibra and divers of the Nobility sent to Lyons for that purpose did authorize the said State of Portugal to put in supream government one Don Alonso brother to the said King Don Sarcho who was at that time Earle of Bullen in Picardy by right of his wife and so the Portugales did and further also a little after they deprived their said King

of King Etheldred untill the possession thereof gotten by William Duke of Normandy to wit for the space of 50 yeers shall easily see what Authority the Common-wealth hath in such Affaires to al●er Titles of Snccession according as publique necessity or utility shall require for thus briefly the matter passed King E●●ldred seeing himself to weak for Sweno the King of Danes that was entred the Land fled with his wife Emma and her two children Edward and Alerud unto her brother Duke Richard of Normandy and there remained untill the death of Sweno And he being dead Etheldred returned into England made a certain agreement and division of the Realme between him and Canutus the Son of Sweno and so dyed leaving his eldest sonne Edmond Iron-side to succeed him who soone after dying also left the whole Realm to the said Canutus and that by plain covenant as Canutus pretended that the longest liver should have all Whereupon the said Canutus took the two children of King Edmond Iron-side named Edmond and Edward and sent them over into Swethland which at that time was also subject unto him And caused them to be brought up honourably of which two the elder named Edmond dyed without issue but Edward was marryed and had divers children Eth●ldred and his Son Edmond being dead Canutus the Dane was admitted for King of England by the whole Parl●ament and consent of the Realm anno 1018. and crowned by Alerud Archbishop of Canterbury as Polidor saith and he proved an excellent King and went to Rome and was allowed by that See also He did many works of charity shewed himself a good Christian and very loving and kind to Englishmen marryed Queene Emma an English woman and mother to King Edward the Confessour and had by her a Son named Hardicanutus and so dyed and was much mourned by the English after he had reigned twenty yeers though his entrance and title was partly by force and partly by election as you have heard After this Canutus the first surnamed the Great for that he was King joyntly both of England Norway and Denmark was dead Polidor saith that all the States of the Realm met together at Oxford ●o consult whom they should make King and at last by the more part of voyces was chose Harald the first Sonne of Canutus by a Concubine King Harald the Bastatd 1038. Polid. l. 8. Hist Ang. By which election we see injury was done to the line all succession of three parties First to the Sons of king Edmond Iron-side that were in Swethland Then to the Princes Edward and Ajerud sons to king Etheldred and brothers to Iron-side that were in Normondy And thirdly to Hardie mutus son to Canutus by his lawfull wife Emma to whom it was also assured at her marriage that her issue should succeed if she had any by Canutus After the death of this Harald who dyed in Oxford where he was elected within 3 yeers after his election there came from Denmark Hardicanutus to claim the crown that his Father Brother had possessed before him of whose coming Polidor saith libentissimis animis accipitur communiqve omnium consensu rex dicitur an 1041. He was received with great good will of all and by common content made King this was done by the States without any respect had of the succession of those Princes in Normondy Swethland who by birth were before him as hath been shewed this is the second breach after lineal discent after Elthred But this Hardicanutus being dead also upon the sudden 〈◊〉 a certaine banket in Lambeth by London without issue within two yeers after his Coronation the states of the Relm had de●ermined to chuse Aludred for their king who was yonger b●other to Edw. for that cause sent for him out of Normondy as polid recounteth had made him K. without all doubt for that he was esteemed more stirring valiant then his elder brother Edw. had not E. Goodwin of Kent fearing the youngmans stomack raised a strong faction against him thereupon also caused him to be tray●eronsly murthered as he passed through Kent towards London nor had the State here in any respect to Antiquity of bloud for that before Alured were both 〈◊〉 own elder brother P. Ed. who after him was chosen King and before them both were Edm Edw. the children of their elder brother Edmond Iron 〈◊〉 and this the third breach of lineall discent But this notwithstanding Alerud being slain P. Edw. was made King tanta publica lat tia saith Polidor vt certatim pro ejus faelici principatu cuncti vota facerent that is he was made King with such universall joy contentment of all men as every man contended who should pray and make most vows to God for his happy reign and according to this was the successe for he was a most excellent Prince and almost miraculously he reigned with great peace void of all war at home abroad for the space of almost 20 yeers after so infinit broyls as had beene before him ensued after him yet his title by succession cannot be justified as you see for that his eldest brothers Son was then alive to wit Prince Edw. surnamed the outlaw who in this Kings reign came into England brought his wife three lawfull children with him to wit Edgar Margaret and Christian but yet was not this good K. Edw. so scrupulous as to give over his kingdome to any of them or to doubt of the right of his own title which he had by election of the Common-wealth against the order of succession This K. Edward being dead without issue Polidor saith that the States made a great consultation whom they should make King first of all it seemeth they excluded him that was only next by propinquity in bloud which was Edgar Aledin son to the said Prince Edw. the outlaw now departed and Nephew to K. Edmond I tonside the reason of this exclusion is alleadged by Pol. l. 8. in these words is puer id aetatis nondum regno gubernando maturus erat that is he bein● a child of so small yeers was not ripe enough to govern the kingdom and then he saith that Harald son of Earl Goodwin by a daughter of Canutus the first proclaymed himself King an 10●● morover he addeth Nond spt cuit omninoid factum populo qui plurimum spei in Haraldi virtue habehat itaque more majorum sacratus est which is this fact of Harald displeased not at all the people of England for that they had great hope in the vertue of this Harald so was he annoin●ed crowned according to the fashion of the ancient Kings of England by which words we may see that Harald had also the approbation of the Realm to be King notwithstanding that little Edgar was present as hath been said so as this was the 4. breach of succession at this time But in the mean space William Duke of Normandy

pretended that he was chosen before by● K. Edw. the Confessour that the Realm had given their consent thereunto that K. E. left the same testified in his last will testament an 1066. and albeit none of our English Authors do avow the same cleerly yet do many other forrain Writers hold it it seemeth very probable that some such thing had past both for that D. William had many in England that did favour his pretence at his entrance as also as Girard in his French story saith that at his first comming to London he punished divers by name for th●t they had broken their oaths and promises in that behalf Gir l. 6. ●n 1065. And moreover it appeareth that by alledging this title of election he moved divers Princes abroad to favour him in that action as in a just quarrel which is not like they would have done if he had pretended only a conquest or his title of sanguinity which could bee of no importance in the world for that effect seeing it was no other but that his Grandfather and King Edwards mother were brother and sister which could give him no pretence at all to the succession of the crowne by blood and yet we see that divers Princes did assist him and among others the French chronicles Girard so often named before writeth Chron. Cassin l. ● cap. ●4 that Alexander the second pope of Rome whose holinesse was so much esteemed in those daies as one constan●inus After wrote a booke of his miracles being informed by Duke William of the justnesse of his pretence did send him his benediction and a pr●cious ring of ●od with a hollowed banner by which hee gett the victory thus writeth Girard in his French Chronicles and Antonius Archbishop of Florence surnamed Antoninus ●art 2 Chron. ●it 16. cap. 5. s 1. Sainct writing of this matter in his chronicles speaketh great good of vvilliam conqueror commendeth his enterprise But howsoever this was the victory we see he get and God prospered his pretence and hath confirmed his of-spring in the Crown of England more then 500 yeares together so as now acc●unting from the death of King Edmond I consider unto this man we shall find as before I have said in lesse then 5● yeares that 5. or 6 Kings were made in Eng●and one after another by only authority and approbati●n of the ●ommon wealth contrary to the ordinary course of ineall succession by propinquity of blo●d And al this is before the conquest but it we should passe any further down we should find more e●amples then before For first the two sonnes of the Conquerour himselfe that succeeded after him to wit William Rufus and Henry the first were they not both younger brothers to Robert Du●e of Normandie to wh●m the most part of the realme was inclined as Polydor saith Polyd. in vita Gul. Conq. to have given the kingdome presently after the Conquerors death as due to him by succession notwithstanding that W●illiam for perticular displeasure against his elder sonne and had ordein●d the contrary in his testament But that Robert being absent in the War of Hierusalem the holy and learned man Lanfranke as he was accompted then Archbishop of Canterbury being deceived with vain hope of William Rufus An. 107 good nature perswaded th●m the contr●ry who was at that day of high estimation and authority in England and so might indu●e the realme to do what he liked By like meanes gat Henry his younger brother the same crown afterwards to wit by fair pr●mises to the peop●e and by help principally of Henry Newborow ●arle of Warwick that dealth with the nobility for him and Maurice Bishop of London with the cleargie for that Ans●lme Arch bishop of Can●erbury was in ba●nishment Besides this also it did greatly helpe his cause that his elder brother Robert to whom the Crowne by reign appetteined was absent again this second time in the vvarre of Ierusalem and so lost thereby his Kingdome as before Henry having no ther title in the world unto it but by election and admission of the people which yet he so desended afterwards against his said brother Robert that came to claim it by the sword and God did so prosper him the● rein as he took his said elder brother prisoner and so kept him for many yeares untill he died in prison most pitifully But this King Henry dying left daughter behind him named Mawde or Mathilde which being married first to the Emperour Henry the fist he dyed wit●out issue and then was shee married againe the second time to Geffry Pantage●t 〈◊〉 of Earle of Anjow in France to whom she bare a sonne named Henry which this King Henry his grand father caused to be declared for heire apparent to the Crowne in his daies bu● yet after his disceasse for that Stephen Earl of Bollogne born of Adela daughter to William the Conquerour was thought by the state of England to be more 〈◊〉 to governe and to defend the land for that he was at mans age then was Prince Henry a child or Ma●de ●is mother he was admitted and Henry put backe and this chiefly at the perswasion of Henry Bish●p of Winche●●er brother to the said Stephen as also by the sollicitation of the Abbot of Glast●nbury and ●thers who thought be like they might do the same with good conscience for the good of the realm though the even● proved not so well for that it drew all England into factions and divisions for avoyding and ending whereof the states ●●me years after in a Parliament at vval ingford made a agreement that Stephen should be lawfull King during his life only and that Henry and his of-spring should succeed him and that prince vvilliam King Stephens sonne should be deprived of his succession to the crowne and made onely Earle of Norfolke thus did the stat● dispose of the crown at that time which was in the yeare of Christ 1153. To ●his Henry succeded by order his oldest sonne then living named Richard and surnamed Cordelton for his Valour but after him againe his succession was broken For that Iohn King Henries youngest sonne 〈◊〉 youuger brother to Richard whom his father the King had left so unprovided as in jest he was cal●ed by the French Iean sens terre as if you wou●d say Sir Iohn lacke-land this man I say was after the death of his brother admitted and crowned by the states of England and Arthur Duke of Brittaine sonne and heir to Geffry that was elder brother to Iohn was against the order of succession excluded ●nd albeit this Arthur did seeke to remedy the matter by warr yet it seemed that God did more defend this election of the Common wealth then the right title of Arthur by succession for that Arthur was over-come and ta●en by King Iohn though he had the King of Franc● on his side anb he died pitifully in prison or rather as most authors do ho●d he was put to death by King Iohn

to alledge out of the 2. rank only which began with the exclusion and deposition of their lawfull king Childerike the 3. and election of k. Pepin then surnamed le brefe or the little for his small stature though he were a Gyant in deeds being made king of France by meer election in the yeer of Christ 751. after 22 Kings that had reigned of the first line of Pharamond for the space of more then 300 yeers being so famous worthy a King as all the world knoweth reigned 18 yeers and then left his States Kingdoms by succession unto his eldest Son Charles surnamed afterward the Great for his famous heroicall acts And albeit the whole kingdom of France appertained unto him alone by the law of succession his Father being King and hee his eldest Son yet would the Realm of France shew their authority in his admission which Girard setteth down in these words Estant Pep●n decede les Francois esleurent Rois Charls Carlomon ses fils ala charge quils partageroient entre eux egalement le royaume Gir. du Haillan l. 3. an 768. which is king Pepin being dead the brench-men chose for their kings his two Sons Charles Carlomon with condition that they should part equally between them the Realm Wherein is to be noted not only the elect on of the Common wealth besi●es succession but also the heavy condition laid upon the heyre to part half of his kingdom with his younger brother and the very same words hath Eginard an ancient French Writer in the life of this Charles the Great to wit That the French State in a publike Assembly did chuse two Princes to be their Kings with expresse condition to divide the Realm equally as Francis Belforest citeth his words Eginard Belfor l 2. c. 5. After 3 yeers that these two Brethren had reigned together K. Carlomon the yonger dyed and left many Sons the elder whereof was named Adalgise but Belforest saith That the Lords Ecclesiasticall Temporall of France swore fidelity and obedience to Charles without any respect or regard at all of the child●en of Carlomon who yet by right of succession should have been preferred and Paulus Emilius a Latine Writer saith proceres regni ad Carolum ultroven entes regem tum totius Galliae sulutarunt Pa●l Mil. hist Fr●nc that is The Nobility of the Realme coming of their own accord un●o Charles saluted him k. of all France whereby is shewed that this exclusion of the children of Carlomon was not by force or tyranny but by free delibera●ion of the Realm After Charles the great reigned by succession his only Son Lewis the first surnamed de●onnaire of h●s courtesie who entring to reig● in the yeer 817. with great applause of all men for the exceeding gratefull memory of his father was yet afterward at the pur●uit principally of his own three sonnes by his first wise which were Lothair Pepin and Lups deposed Girard l. 1 An. 834. first in a chancell at Lions and then again at Compeigne and put into a monastery though afterward he came to reigne againe An 840. and his fourth sonne by h●s second wife which sonne was named Charles le ch●une for that he was bald ●ucceeded him in the states of France though after many battells against his brother Lothair to whom by succession the same apperteyned After Charles the bald succeeded Lewis the second surnamed le begue for his stuttering who was not eldest but third Son unto his Father an 878. for the second dyed before his Father the eldest was put by his succes●ion for his cruell demeanure this Lewis also was like to have bin deprived by the States at his first entrance for the hatred conceived against h●s Father Charles the ba●d but that he calling a solemn P●rl at Compeigne as Girard saith Gie l. 1. an 879 he made the People Clergy Nobility many fair promises to have their good wils This Lewis the stuttering left two bastard sons by a Concubine who were called Lewis Carlomon as also he left a litle Infant newly born of his lawfull fe Adeltrude daughter to k. Alfred of England which Infant was K. of France afterward by name of Charles the simple albeit not immediatly after the death of his Father for that the Nobles of France said that they that they had need of a man to be King not a child as Girard reporteth therefore the whole State of France chose for their Kings the two foresaid bastards Lewis the 3. Carlomon the first of that name joyntly they were crowned most solemnly divided the whole Relm between them in the yeer of Christ 881. Q. Adeltruds with her child true heir of France fled into England to her Father there brought him up for d●vers yeers in which time she saw 4 or 5 Kings Reigne in his place in France one after the other for briefly thus it passed Of these two bastard Kings the elder named Lewis reigned but 4 yeers and dyed without issue the 2d that is Carlomon lived but one yeer after him left a Son called also Lewis the 5. surnamed Faineant for his idle slothfull life an 886. For which as also for his vicious behaviour in perticular for taking out marying a Nun of the Abby of Baudour at Chels by Paris he was deprived made a Monk in the Abbey of S. Denis where he dyed in his place was chosen K. of France and crowned with great solemnity Charles the 4. Emperour of Rome srrnamed le gios for that he was fat corp●lent he was Nephew to Charles the bald before mentioned therfore the French stories say that he came to the Crown of France partly by succession partly by election Girard l. 5. an 888. but for succession we see that it was nothing worth for so much as Charles the simple the right heire was alive in England whom it seemeth that the French men had quite forgotten seeing that now they had not only excluded him three times already but afterwards also againe when this grosse Charls was for his cruel government by them deposed deprived not onely of the kingdom of France but also of his Empire which he had before he was King was brought into such miserable penury as divers write that he perished or want this time I say the States of France would not yet admit Charles the simple though hitherto his simplicity did not appear but he seemed a goodly Prince but rather they chose for King one Odo Earl of Paris Duke of Angiers caused him to be crowned But yet after a few yeers being weary of this mans government and moved also somewhat with compassion towards the youth that was in England they resolved to depose Odo and so they did while he was absent in Gascony and called Charls the simple out of England to Paris and restored him to the kingdom of France leaving only to

his uncles own hands in the castle of Roan thereby to make the titl● of his succession more cleare which yet could not be for that as well Stow in his chtonicle as also Matthew of vvestminster and others before him do write that Geffry beside 〈◊〉 sonne left two daughters by the Lady Constance his wife Countesse and he●r of Brit●ain which by the law of England should have succeeded before Iohn but of this small accompt seemed to be made at that day Some yeares after when the Barons and states of England mi●liked utterly the government and proceeding of this King Iohn they rejected him againe and chose Lewis the Prince of France to be thei● King 3216 and did swear fea●ty to him in London as before hath bin said and they dep●i●●ed also the young prince Henry his sonne that was at that time but of 8 years old but upon the death of his father King Iohn that shorty ●fter insued they recalled againe that sentence and admitted this Henry to the Crown by the name of King Henry the third and disanulled the a leageance made unto Lewis Prince of France and so king Henry raigned for t●e 53 yeares afterward the ●ongest reign as I think that any before or after ●im hath had in England Moreover you ●now from this king Henry the third d● take th●ir first beginning the two branches at Yorke and L●ncastee wihch after fe●● to fo great contention about the crown Into which if we would enter we should see plainely as before hath beene noted that the best of all their titles after their deposition of king Richard the second depended of this authority of th● com●on-wealth fot that as the people were affected and the greater part prevailed ●o ●ere their titles either a lowed confirmed altered or disanulled by Parliament yet may not we well affirm but that either part when they were in possession and confirmed herein by these Parliaments were lawfu●l kings and that God concurred with them as with true princes for government of the people for if we should deny this point great incouveniences wou●d o●ow and we should shake the states of most princes in the world at this day And to conc●ude as one the one side pro●inquity of b●ood is a great ●reheminence towards the atteining of any Crowne so doth it not ever bind the common wea●th to yeeld there-unto if weightier reasons shauld urge them to the contrary neither is the Common-wealth bound bound alwayes to shut her eyes and to admit at ●p-hazard or of necessity every one that is next by succession of b●oud as some fa●se●y and fondly a●●meth but rather she is bound to consider well and maturely the person that i● to enter whether he be ●ike to perform his duty and charge committeed or no for th●t otherwise to admitt him that is an enimy or unfitis but to destroy the Common wealth and him t●gether This is my opinion aud this seemeth to me to be conform to al reason aw● religion p●ery wisdome po●●icy and to the use aud customs of all well governed common-wea●thes in the world neither do I meane to prejudice any any princes pretence or succession to any crown or dignity in the world but rather do hold that he ought to enjoy his preheminence but yet that he 〈◊〉 not pr●judicall thereby to the whole body which is ever 〈◊〉 be respected more then any one person whatsoever The ninth Speech ACcording to law both civill and Canon which is great reason it is a matter most certaine that he who is judge and hath to give sentence in the thing it selfe is also to judge of the cause for thereof is he called judge and if he have authority in the one good reason he should also have power to discerne the other so as if we grant according to the forme and proofes that the Realme or Common-wealth hath power to admit or put back the Prince or pretender to the Crowne then must we also confesse that the same Common wealth hath authority to judge of the lawfulnesse of the causes and considering further that it is in their owne affaire and in a matter that hath his whole beginning continuance and subsistance from them alone I meane from the Common wealth for that no man is King or Prince by institution of nature as before hath been declared but every King and Kings son hath his dignity and preheminence above other men by authority onely of the Common wealth God doth allow for a just and sufficient cause in this behalfe the onely will and judgement of the weal publick it selfe supposing alwayes as in reason we may that a whole Realme will never agree by orderly way of judgement for of this onely I meane and not of any particular faction of private men against the heyre apparent to exclude or put back the next heyr in blood and succession without a reasonable cause in their sight and censurre And seeing that they only are to be judges of this case we are to presume that what they determine is just and lawfull for the time and if at one time they should determine one thing and the contrary at another as they did often in England during the contention between York and Lancaster and in other like occasions what can a private man judge otherwise but that they had different reasons and motions to leade them at different times and they being properly lords and owners of the whole busines committed unto them it is enough for every particular man to subject himselfe to that which his Common wealth doth in this behalfe and to obey simply without any further inquisition except he should see that open injustice were done therin or God manifesty offended and the Realme indangered Open injustice I call when not the true Common wealth but some faction of wicked men should offer to determine this matter without lawfull authority of the Realme committed to them and I call manifest offence of God and danger of the Realme when such a man is preferred to the Crowne as is evident that he wil do what lyeth in him to the prejudice of them both I mean both of Gods glory and the publick wealth as for example if a Turk or Moor or some other notorious wicked man or tyrant should be offered by succession or otherwise to governe among Christians in which cases every man no doubt is bound to resist what hee can for that the very end and intent for which all government was first ordeined is herein manifestly impugned From this consideration of the weal publick are to be reduced all other considerations of most importance for discerning a good or evill Prince For that whosoever is most likely to defend preserve and benefit most his Realme and subjects he is most to be allowed and desired as most conforme to the end for which government was ordained And on the contrary side he that is least like to do this deserveth least to be preferred and here doth