And no dovvbte in case she had any children by the Emperour they shoud haue bene heires by succession to the crovvne of EnglaÌde After vvhose deathe she retorned to her father yet did kinge HeÌry cause all the nobilitie by an expresse othe to embrace her after his deathe as Quene olid and after her her children Not longe after she vvas Married to Geffrey Plantagenet a Frencheman borne Erle of Anievve vvho begart of her this Henrie the seconde beinge in France Where vpoÌ the saide kinge did reuiue aÌd renevve the like othe of allegeaÌce asvvell to her as to her sonne after her Withe the like false persvvasion the aduersarie abusethe him The like foÌde imagination to vvchyngeâk Rich. hu nephewe self and his Reader towchinge Arthur Duke of Britanie nephewe to kinge Richarde the firste As thowghe for sowthe he were iustlie excluded by kinge IohnÌ his vncle by cause he was a forrainer borne Flores historiarum an 1153. Yf he had sayed that he was excluded by reason the vncle owght to be preferred before the nephevve thovvghe yt shoulde haue bene a false allegation and plaine against the rules of the lavves of this realme as maye vvell appeare amoÌge other thinges by kinge Richard the secoÌd who succeded his grandfather kinge Edwarde the thirde which Richarde had diâers worthy aÌd noble vncles who neither for lacke of knowledge coulde be ignoraÌte of their right Diuersitie of opinioÌs towchinge the vncle aÌd nephewe whether of them ovvght to be preferred in the royall gouernemeÌt neither for lacke of Frendes cowrage aÌd power be enforced to forbeare to chaleÌge theire title aÌd intereste yet shoulde he haue had some countenance of reason aÌd êbabilitye by cause many argumeÌtes aÌd the authoritie of many learned aÌd notable ciuiliaÌs do coÌcurre for the vncles right before the nephewe But to make the place of the natiuitie of an inheritour to a kingdome a sufficient barre against the right of his bloude Polid. yt seameth to haue but a weake and slender holde and grovvnde And in our case yt ys a moste vnsure and false grownde seinge yt ys moste trewe that kinge Richarde the firste as vwe haue saide declared the saide Arthur borne in Britanye and not sonne of a kinge but his brother Geffreys sonne Duke of Britanye heire apparente Flores his an 1190. his vncle IohnÌ yet liuinge and for suche a one ys he taken in all our stories and for suche a one did all the vvorlde take him after the saide kinge Richarde his deathe Neither vvas kinge IohnÌ taken for other then for an vsurper by excludinge him The possessioÌs of the crowne of ânglands that were beyoÌde the seas seased into the Frenche kiÌgs handes for the murther of Arthur and aftervvarde for a murtherer for imprisoninge him and priuelie makinge him avvaye For the vvhiche facte the Frenche kinge seased vpon all the goodlie contreies in France belonginge to the kinge of Englande as forfeited to him beinge the cheif lorde By this ovvtragiouse deede of kinge IohnÌ vve loste Normandie vvith all and our possibilitie to the inheritance of all Britanie the right and title to the saide Britanie beinge devve to the saide Arthur and his heires by the right of his mother Constance And thovvghe the saide kinge IohnÌ by the practise and ambitioÌ of Quene Elenour hys mother aÌd by the speciall procuremente of Huberte then Archbusshoppe of Caunterburie and of some other factious persons in Englande preven tid the saide Arthur his nephewe as yt was easie for hym to do havinge gotten into his handes all hys brother Richardes treasure besides many other rentes then in Englande And the saide Arthur beinge an enfante and remayninge beyonde the sea in the custodie of the saide Constance Yet of this facte beinge againste all iustice aswell the saide Archebusshoppe as also manie of the other did after moste earnestlie repente consideringe the crewell and the vniuste puttinge to deathe of the saide Arthur procured Polid. lib. 15. Flor. histor an 1208. and after some authours comytted by the saide IohnÌ hym self which moste fowle and shamefull acte the saide IohnÌ neaded not to have comitted yf by forraine birthe the saide Arthur had bene barred to inherite the crowne of EnglaÌde And muche lesse to have imprisoned that moste innocente ladie Elenour Sister to the saide Arâhur in Bristowe castle where she miserablie ended her life Yf that gaâe Maxime wolde have serued to have excluded theis two children by cawse theye were straÌgers borne in the parteis beyonde the seas Yea yt appearethe in other doinges also of the saide time and by the storie of the saide IohnÌ that the birthe owte of the legeance of Englande by father aÌd mother forraine was not taken for a sufficient repulse and reiection to the right and title of the crowne For the Barones of EnglaÌde beinge then at dissention with the saide kinge IohnÌ renowncinge their allegeance to hym receaued Lewes the eldeste Sonne of Phillippe the frenche kinge to be theire kinge in the right of Blanche his wife which was a stranger borne Albeit the lawfullnece of the saide Richard and dawghter to AlphoÌs kinge of castill begotten on the bodie of Elenour hys wife one of the dawghters of kinge Henrye the seconde and sister to the saide kinge Richarde and kinge IohnÌ Whiche storie I alleage onlie to this purpose thereby to gather the opinion of the time * Levves the fraÌche kinges sonne claimed the crovne of this realme iÌ the title of his vvife that forraine birthe was then thowght no barre in the title of the crowne For otherwise howe coulde Lewes of France â Pro here ditatevxoris iâre scilicet neptis Reg Io. vsque âd mortem ãâã necessitas exigeret decertabâ pretende title to the crowne in the right of the saide Blanche hys wife beinge borne in Spaine Theis exaÌples are sufficieÌte I suppose to satisfie and contente any man that ys not obstinatelie vvedded to his ovvne fonde fantasies and frowarde friuoulous imaginations Flores histo An. 1216. or otherwise worse depâaued for a good suer aÌd substanciall interpÌtation of the coÌmon lawe And yt were not altogether froÌ the purpose here to coÌsider aÌd weighe with what aÌd howe greauouse plagues this realme hath bene ofte afflicted aÌd scowrged by reason of wroÌgfull aÌd vsurped titles I will not reuiue by odiouse rehearshall the greatnes aÌd noÌber of the same plagues aswell otherwise as especiallie by the contentioÌ of the noble howses aÌd famelies of yorke aÌd LaÌcaster ⪠Seinge yt ys so fortunatelie and almoste with in maÌs remeÌbraÌce extiÌctâ aÌd buried Haroldê° muneribê° genore fretê° regni diadema inuasit HeÌr Hunt histâ Angliae li. 6. I will nowe putt the gentle Reader in remeÌbraÌce of those onlie with whose vsurpinge titles we are nowe pÌsentlie in haÌde And to begiÌne with the moste auncient Cui regnum iure hereditario debebatur Ealredus Rieuall in hist. R. Angl. ad H. 2. what
became I praye you of Harolde that by briberie aÌd helpe of his kiÌred vsurped the crowne against the foresaide yonge Eadgar as I haue saide aÌd as the olde monumeÌrs of our historiopraphers do plainlie testifie was the trewe aÌd lawful hâire Cui de iure debebatÌ regnuÌ Anglo ruÌ Io. âod in chronic Angliae Coulde he thincke you enioye his ambitiouse aÌd nawghtie vsurpinge one whole aÌd eÌtier yeare No suerlie eare the first yeare of his vsurped reigne turned aboute he was spoyled aÌd turned owt bothe of crovne aÌd â Rex Edvvardê° misit c. Vt velâpÌe Edvvardê° vel filiae eâê° sibi succedereÌt c. Rich. Cicest vid vvil Malmesb de regi Ang. l. 2. c. 45. l. 3. cap. 5. his lief with all FadeÌ verba sunt in Mat. vvestmo 1Ì flor hist Anâo 1066. Yea his vsurpatioÌ occasioÌed the coÌqueste of the whole realme by williaÌ Duke of NormaÌdie bastarde Sonne to Roberte the sixte duke of the same And maye we thincke all saufe aÌd sownde nowe from like danger yf vve shoulde treade the saide vvroÌge steppes vvithe Harolde forsakinge the right aÌd highe vvaye of lavve aÌd iustice What shall I nowe speake of the crevvell aÌd ciuill vvarres betvvene kinge Stephen and kinge HeÌrie the secoÌde Which vvarres rose by reasoÌ the saide HeÌry vvas vniustlie kepte froÌ the crovne devë to his mother mavvde aÌd to him aftervvardes The petifull reigne of the saide IohnÌ vvho doth not lamente vvith the lamentable losse of Normandie Aquitanie and the possibilitie of the Dukedome of Britanie What cala mities fell to this real me by the vsurpiÌg of kinge Harrold K. Stephen and IohnÌ aÌd vvith the losse of our other goodlie possessions in Fraunce Wherof the crovvne of Englande vvas robbed and spoiled by the vnlavvfull vsurpinge of him againste his nephevve Arthur Well let vs leaue theys greauouse and lothsome remembrances and lett vs yet seake yf vve maye fynde any later interpretation either of the saide statute or rather of the coÌmon lavve for our purpose And lôa the greate goodnes and êuidence of God vvho hathe yf the foresaide exaÌples wolde not serue prouided a later but so good so sure so apte and mete interpretation for our cause as any reasonable harte maye desier The interpretation directlie tovvchethe our case vvhiche I meane by the mariage of the Ladye Margaret eldest davvghter to kinge HeÌrie the seaveÌthe vnto Iames the fowrthe kinge of Scotlande and by the opinion of the saide most prudente Prince in bestowinge his saide dawghter into Scotlande A matter sufficieÌt inoughe to ouerthrowe all those cauellinge inuentions of the aduersarie For what time kinge Iames the fowerth senâe his ambassadour to kinge Henrie the seauenthe to obteine his good vvill to espouse the saide Ladie Margaret Polid. 26. there were of his counsaile not ignorante of the lawes and customes of the realme Kinge H. vvith his cownsaile ys a good interpÌtour of our present cause that did not vvell like vppon the saide mariage sayenge yt might so fall ovvte that the right aÌd title of the crovvne might be deuolued to the Ladie Margaret and her children And the realme thereby might be subiecte to Scotlande To the vvhich the prudente and wise kinge ansvvered that in case any suche deuolution shoulde happen yt vvolde be nothinge preiudiciall to Englande For Englande as the cheif and principall and worthieste parte of the Isle shoulde drawe Scot lande to yt as yt did Normandie from the time of the coÌqueste vvhiche ansvvere was vvonderfullie vvell liked of all the counsaile And so coÌsequentlie the mariage toke effecte as appearethe by Polidor the historiogropher of this realme And suche a one as vvrote the actes of the time by the instructioÌ of the kinge him self I saye theÌ the vvise worthy SalomoÌ foreseinge that suche deuolutioÌ might happen was an interpretatour with his prudent and sage consayle for our cause for eles they neaded not to reasoÌ of any suche subiection to Scotlande Yf the children of the Ladye Margaret might not lavvfullie inherite the crovvne of Englande For as to her husbande vve coulde not be subiecte hauinge him self no right by this mariage to the title of the crovvne of this realme Where vpon I maye well inferre that the saide nevve maxime of theis men whereby they wolde rule and ouer rule the succession of Princes was not knowen to the saide wise kinge neither to any of his counsaile Or yf yt were yet was yt taken not to reache to hys bloudd royall borne in Scotlande And so on everie side the title of Quene Marye ys assuerid So that nowe by this that we haue saide yt maye easelie be seen by what light and âklender consideration the adversarie hathe gone abowte to straine the wordes Enfants or childreÌ to the first degre onlie Of the like weight ys his other consideration imageninge aÌd surmisinge this statute to be made by cawse the kinge had so manye occasions to be so often over the sea vvith his spowse the Quene As thowghe diuers kinges before him vsed not often to passe over the seas As thowghe this were a personall statute made of speciall purpose and not to be taken as a declaration of the coÌmon lawe Whiche to saie ys moste directlie repugnaÌte and contrarious to the letter of the saide statute Or as thowghe his children also did not verie often repayre to owterwarde contreies as IohnÌ of Gawnte Duke of Lancaster Polid Polychr Froserd that Maried Peters the kinge of castilles eldest dawghter by whose right he claimed the crovne of castill as his brother Edmunde The mariages of k. E. 3. sones Erle of camebridge that maried the yongeste dawghter as lionell Duke of clarence that maried at Millain Violane Dawghter and heire to Galiatius Duke of Millan But especiallie Prince Edwarde whiche most victoriouslie toke in battaile IohnÌ the Frenche kinge and browght hym into Englande his prisoner to the greate triumphe and reioicinge of the realme whose eldest sonne Edwarde that died in shorte time after was borne beyonde the seas in Gascoigne and his other sonne Richarde that succeded hys grandfather was borne at Burdeauxe As theis noble kinge Edwardes sonnes Married withe forrainers So did theye giue ovvte theire dawghters in Mariage to forraine Princes As the Duke of Lancaster his dawghter Philippe to the kinge of Portingale and his dawghter Katherin to the Kinge of Spaine And his nece IohaÌ dawghter to his sonne Erle of Somersett was ioined in mariage to the Kinge of Scottes IohaÌ dawghter to his brother Thâ mas of Wodstocke Duke of GloÌcester was Quene of Spaine And his other dawghter Marie Duches of Bretaigne Nowe by thys mans interpretation none of the issewe of all theis noble womeÌ coulde have enioyed the crowne of Englande wheÌ yt had fallen to them thowghe they had bene of the neareste royall bloudd after the deathe of theire Auncesters Which suerlie had bene against the auncientâ presidentes and examples that we
one as for the excelleÌte giftes of God and nature in her most princelie appearinge ys vvorthie to inherite either this noble realme or any other be yt of muche more dignitie and worthines But nowe I claime nothinge for the vvorthines of the person whiche God forbidd shoulde be any thinge preiudiciall to the iuste title of others yf moste open and manifeste right Iustice and title do not coÌcurre with the worthines of the person Then lett the praise and Worthines remaine where yt ys And the right Where God and the lavve hathe placed yt But seinge God nature and the lavve dothe call the person to this expectation whose intereste and claime I do novve prosequute I meane the right excellente Ladie The Quene of Scots is the right heire appareÌte to the crovvne of Englande Ladie Marie Quene of Scotlande I hope that when her right and iuste title shall be throwghlie harde and considered by the indifferente Reader yf he be persvvaded alredie for her right he shall be more firmelie setled in his trevve and good opinion and that the other parties beinge of a contrarie minde shall finde good cavvses and grovvndes to remoue them from the same and to geaue ouer and yelde to the trevvthe Her graces title then yf God call our Souereigne ovvte of this transitorie life hauinge no issue of her maiesties bodye as yt ys moste open and euidende so yt ys moste conformable to the lavve of God of nature and of this realme And consequentlie in a manner of all other realmes in the vvorlde as grovvinge by the neareste proximitie of the royall bloude She ys a kinges and a Quenes davvghter her self a Quene Davvghter to the late kinge Iames of Scotlande sonne to ladie Margarett the eldest sister to our late Souereigne kinge Henrie the eight Whose Davvghter also the ladie Lenoux ys but by a later husbande The ladie Frances late vvyfe to Henry Marques dorsett aftervvarde Duke of Suffoocke And the ladie Elenour late vvyfe to the Erle of Cumberlande and theire progenye procedethe from the ladie Marie dowager of France yongest sister of the saide kinge Henrie late vvife to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke I might here fetche forthe olde farne dayes I might reache backe to the noble and vvorthie kinges longe before the conqueste of vvhose royall bloude she ys discended vvhiche ys no parte of our purpose neither dothe enforce her title more then to proue her no stranger vvithin this realme But the argumentes and proufes which vve meane to alleage and bringe forthe for the confirmation of her right and title in succession as heire apparente to the crovvne of Englande are gathered and grovvnded vpon the lavves of God and nature and not onlie receaued in the ciuill pollicies of other nations but also in the olde lawes and customes of our ovvne contrey by reason approued and by vse and longe concontinevvance of time obserued from the firste constitution of this realme in politicall order vnto this presente daye And yet for all that hathe yt bene aÌd yet ys by some men attempted artificiallie to obiecte and caste manie mistie darke clovvdes before meÌnes eyes to kepe from them yf yt maye be the cleare light of the saide iuste title the vvhiche they vvolde extingvvishe or at the leaste blemishe withe some obscure shadovve of lavve But in deede against the lavve and vvith the shadovve of parliameÌts But in deede against the trewe meaninge of the pliameÌtes And albe it yt were inowghe for vs our cawse beinge so firmelie aÌd suerlie established vpoÌ all good reason aÌd lawe to stande at defence and onlie to auoide as easelie vve maye theire obiections Whiche principallie and cheifelie are grovvnded vpon the common lawes and statutes of this realme yet for the betteringe aÌd strengtheninge of the same vve shall laye forthe sondrie greate aÌd inuincible reasons coÌioyned vvithe good and sufficieÌt aucthoritie of the lawe so approued and coÌfirmed that the aduersaries shall neuer be able iustlie to impugne them And so that vve truste after the readinge of this our treatise aÌd the effectes of the same vvell digested no manner of scruple owght to remaine in any indiferent mans harte concerninge her right and title Whose expectatioÌ aÌd coÌscience althovvghe we truste fullie in this discourse to satisfie aÌd doubte nothinge in the vvorlde of the rightfulnes of our cause Yet must we nedes coÌfesse the maÌner aÌd forme to eÌtreate therof to be full of difficultie aÌd êplexitie For suche causes of Princes as they be seldome and rare so ys yt more rare and stange to finde them discoursed discussed and determined by any lawe or statute Albe it nowe and then some statutes tende that vvaye Neither do our lavves not the corps of the Romaine and ciuill lavve lightlie medle With the princely gouernemente but vvith priuate mens causes And yet this not withstandinge for the better iustifiengè of our cavvse albe yt I denye not but that by the coÌmon lavve yt muste be knovven vvho ovvght to haue the crovvne And that the coÌmon lavve muste discerne the right aswell of the crowne as of subiects Yet I saye that there ys a greate difference betvvene the kinges right aÌd the right of others And that the title of the crovvne of this realme ys not subiecte to the rules and principles of the coÌmon lavve of this realme as to be ruled and tried after suche order and course as the inheritance of priuate personnes ys by the same The coÌmoÌ lavve of this realme ys rather grouÌded vpon a generall custome then any lawe written For the prouf wherof let vs consider What the comon lavve of this rerealme ys and howe the rules therof be grownded and do take place Yt ys verie manifeste and plaine that the comon lawe of this realme of Englande ys no lawe WritteÌ but grovvnded onlie vppoÌ a coÌmon and generall custome throvvghe ovvte the vvhole realme as apparethe by the treatise of the aunciente and famous vvriter vpon the lavves of the realme named RANVLPHVS DE GLANVILLA In êlogo suo eâsdeÌ libri fol. 1. 2. Who wrote in the time of the noble kinge Henrie the secoÌde De dicto Ranulpbo Glanuilla vide GeralduÌ CaÌbreÌsem in Topogra de vvallia of the lavve and custome of the realme of englande Beinge then and also in the time of the reigne of kinge Richarde the first the cheif counsailler and iustice of the same kinge And also by the famous Iustice Fortescue in his booke which he wrote beinge Chancellour of Englande Fortescue de laud legum Angliae ca. 17 De laudibus legum Angliae And by 33 H. 6 51. and by 8. E. 4. 19. Which custome by vsage and coÌtinuall practise heretofore had in the kinges covvrtes vvithin this realme ys onlie knovven and mainteined 8. E. 4 19 33. H. 6 51 piÌsoÌs printe Wherein we seame muche agreable to the olde lacedemoniaÌs vvho manie hundred yeares past most politikelie and famouselie gouerned theire common
senteÌce as well in publike as in priuate causes WâmeÌs regiment in Spaine PortiÌgale ⪠Burgundie aÌd Flaunders Irmelgardis daughter of Conrade Duke of FraÌcon Whose gouernement was also prosperouse happie and fortunate More ouer yt appeareth that the IllyriaÌs and Slauons were ruled by Quene Teuca what shall I speake of Spaine and Portugale of the Dukedome of BurguÌdye aÌd of the Erledome of Flaunders and of other partes of lower Germanie Conrade the Duke of FraÌconye and LaÌrgraue of Hesse vvas made countye Palatine of Rhene and Duke of LorraÌne by the inheritance of his wife Irmelgardis Monster Cosâ vniuersal li. 3. pag. 620. He had but one daughter who was maried to CoÌrade duke of Sueuia whereby he was made comtye Palatine of Rhene Agnes vvife to HeÌry duke of Saxonie This Conrade had a dawâhter called Agnes maried to HeÌrie Duke of Saxonie and Limâburge who thereby enioyed the countie Palatine The like maye be sayed of diuers other partes of the Germanicall Empire Agenes wif to Henrie the 3. Emperour Yea a vvoman hathe ruled and gouerned the saide vvhole Empire as yt ys euideÌte in Agnes the vvif of the Emperour Henrie the thirde duringe the time of the minoritie of her sonne HeÌrie the fowrthe And yet the same Empire Paul Aemil lib. 3. ye wote well passeth by choise and election and not by liniall succession of bloude Chari li. 3. Yea manye hundrethe yeares ere she was borne and in the floreshinge time of the olde Romaine Empire Fulgo l. 8. cap 16. de dict fac memor Mesa Varia graÌdmother to the Emperours Heliogabalus and AlexaÌder Seuerus sat with the senate at Rome hearde and examined the vveightie causes of the Empire Crana noah daughter and sett her hand also to suche thinges as passed towchinge the publike affaires I do nowe adioine the kingdome of Sicilie Beros li. 5. Lâuâ lib. 1. Dec. 1. and Naples in Italye of the vvhich I talye Noah vvhome the prophaâe vvriters call Ianus made Crana his dawghter rulâr aÌd Quene Aene. Sylui de Asia ca. 20. Where also Lauinia reigned after the deathe of Aeneas And as for Naples this presidente of vvomanlye gouernemeÌte ys not to be fownde there onlye of later yeares in bothe the Quenes called Iohanne Quene of Naples Amalacintha but eauen from verye Auncient time Which thinge the stories do recorde in Amalasyntha that gouerned after kinge Theodoricus with her sonne Athalaricê° Cronic Palmerij H. contracti MuÌst vniuers Cosmo. lib 4. The saide Amalasyntha vvas mother to Almaricus kinge of Spaine and after his death ruled her self the saide realme WomeÌs regiment in Loraine aÌd Mantua Lett vs nowe adde further the Dukedomes of Lorane Mantua the kiÌgdomes of Swethia Aeneas Siluiê° in desc Asiâ c. 10. Hector Boet l. 1. Hâ Sco. Vide la Geneal des Rois de FraÌc impr Paris 1561 in Carolo Magno of Dania and of Noruegia In the kiÌgdome of Svvethia Dania and Norwegia Boeame Hungarie and Scotlande Wherof Margarett the dawghter of waldemaâus was gouernesâe and Quene The kingdomes of Beame of Hungarie And to drawe nerer home the realme also of ScotlaÌde vvhich realme hathe denomination of a woman as theire stories reporte as hathe likewise FlauÌders The like some of our stories reporte of EnglaÌde wherein I will make no fast foringe Now touchiÌge the feminine successioÌ to the right of the croune of EnglaÌd Englande it ys no newe fownde succession and muche lesse vnnaturall We reade in our cronicles of Quene Cordell the thirde heire davghter of kinge Leire the tenthe kinge of Britannie that restored her father to the kiÌgdome beinge deposed by her tvvo other sisters We reade that abowte three hundred fiftie and fiue yeares before the Natiuitie of Christe Martia êba Martiae proba duringe the nonage of her sonne did gouerne this realme full politikelye and vviseâye HeleÌa mother to CoÌstaÌtine the greate and established certaine lavves called Leges Martianae There be aswel of our owne as of externall historiographers that for a moste certaintye affirme that Helena the noble Constantine his mother vvas a Britane Onuph de Rom. priÌc Eusâbi de vita CoÌstaÌ lâ 1. and the onlye dawghter and heire of Coëlus kinge of Britane and that the saide constantine was borne in Britanie suerlye that his father Constantinus died in Britanye at yorke Eutropius and that the saide Constantinus begane his noble victoriouse race of his moste worthie Empire in Britanye yt ys reported by Aunciente vvriters and of greate faythe and creditt And likevvise that longe before the saide Helens time vvomen bare the greateste svvaye Britanes had vvomen for theire Capitaines in vvarfare Voadicâ Amonge other Coânâlius Tacitus writethe thus His atque alijs inuicem instructi Voadica generis regij foemina duce neque enim sexum in imperijs discernunt sumpsere vniuersi bellum In vita Agricolae We have nowe alredie shevved of Henrie the seconde Henry the secoÌdâ kinge by hys mothers right who obteined the crowne by hys mothers right Which sayde kinge by the title of his wife and after him his successours kinges of Englande did enioye the Dukedome of Aquitania and the ErldoÌe of Poyctieres Vide AlliaÌt geneal claud paradini 1561. as the saide kiÌges successours shoulde haue done also as we haue shewed before the Dukedome of Britanye yf Arthure kinge Richardes nephevve had not by the vsurpinge of kinge Iohan his vnnaturall crueltye died withovvte issewe And by what other right then by the womans inheritance devve to kinge Edwarde the thirde by his mother the FreÌche kinges Davvghter do the kinges of this realme beare the Armes and title of the kinges of France The Frenche men make not vvomens regiment vnnaturall And thovvghe the french men thânâke theire parte the better against vs yt ys not but vppon an olde politike lawe of theire owne as they saye aÌd not vpon anye suche fonde grovvnde as ye pretende that womens regiment ys vnnaturall Which regimente ye stowtelie affirme to be farre a sonder from any naturall regimente Yea trewlie as farre as was the boyes head from the shovlders the laste Bartholomewe fayre at London Which manie a poore sowle did beleave to be trewe For as the boyes head remained still vpon hys necke and shoulders thowghe yt seamed by a light livelie Legerdemayne to be a greate waye froÌ the bodie So wolde ye nowe caste a myste before our eies and make vs beleave that womanlie governemente and nature be so deuided aÌd sondred that they maye in no wâse be linked aÌd cowpled to gether But suerlie the Frenche nation was never so vnwise to thincke this kinde of governemente repugnante to nature or to godes hâlie worde for then they wolde never have suffered theire realme to have bene so often governed and ruled by women in the time of the Nonage or absence of theire kinges as by