neither came in by conquest ne reigned ouer any people but occupied a wast part of the land not beynge inhabited as in the thirde Chapiter of his Chronicle appereth But how standeth that with reason that Britayne beyng inhabited by the space of vi C. yeres afore their comyng suche a countrey shoulde lie desert and especially vpon the sea costes Whiche liyng open to other landes and sonest sene by theim that saile muste of likelyhode haue inhabiters before the inner parte of the countrey I saie no more but Mendacem oportet esse memorem He that should tell a lye had nede to haue good memory least his matter appere like a Meremaide beginnyng with a woman and ending with a Fishe as when the ende of the tale is repugnauÌ„t to the beginnyng and the middes agreable to neither of bothe And doubteles it is no smal masterie to hide a lie for apparrell hym neuer so faire his ragges will appeare packe him neuer so close the buÌ„dell will breake write hym or speake hym and his aucthor is bewraied as a Ratte is by squekyng And though he bee allowed for a ceason yet at the ende tyme will trie hym whereof ensueth greate preiudice to the author For though he saâ—e afterwardes true none will beleue hym IF I shoulde here entre into declaracion of the righte title wherby the kynges of England claime to be superior lordes of Scotland I should of some be noted rather a confouÌ„der of our liberties and fredomes then a conseruator which name I had late But for somuche as the same is so exactelie set furthe in an Englishe boke put in Printe in the yere of oure Lorde .1542 at the beginninge of these warres called A DECLARATION conteynyng the iust causes and consideracions of this presente warre with the Scottes wherin alsoo appereth the true and right title that the kynges most royall maiestie hath to the souerayntie of Scotlande as nothynge can be sayde more in so fewe woordes I will referre all indifferent readers to the same booke thinkinge it nedelesse to speÌ„de any more time in a matter so well proued Neuerthelesse I will somewhat touche a point or two to geue occasion to all suche my contreymeÌ„ as minde the honor and quiet of Scotlande to conferre my saiynges with our histories and to iudge the matter without affeccion Whereof settinge a parte the order deuised by Brutus at the first concerning the diuision of Brytayne betwene his sonnes with the Superioritie supposed in the eldest and subiectioÌ„ of the other two pretermitting also the conquest of the whoole Islande by Romaines and the title deriued frome the greate Constantine letting passe also the sundry homages and recognicions of subieccion made to Arthur and other kynges of the Britaynes and after him to Osbright and the Saxon Kynges successiuely whiche be at large expressed in the Englishe and Briton histories and affirmed also by Marianus our countryman whose aurthoritie is not light if all these were of no credite as they must nedes be of great howe soeuer we esteme them yet in my iudgemeÌ„t our awn writers wherin they labor most to impugne the cause of England do moste aduaunce it and therfore in thys parte I will grounde me vpon them They agre al vpon .xviii. homages knowledges of subieccion and allegiauÌ„ce made by the kynges of Scotland successiuely vnto the kinges of Englande and many of them within late memorie Which homages though some of them either folowing their phantaseis or fearing to offende our kynges alledge to haue been done somewhiles for Cumberland somewhiles for the Erledome of HuÌ„tingdon Yet the time coÌ„sidered they declare that such actes were doone by oure kynges afore any of the sayde Erledomes were in their possessioÌ„ wherby they must be vnderstande absolutely done for the realme of Scotlande and in that pointe I referre you vnto the readinge of Marianus And of latter dayes synce that those Erledomes were taken from vs by EnglishmeÌ„ emong other kynge Iames the first did homage to kyng HeÌ„ry the fourthe of Englande The woordes and fourme of whose homage who so liste to peruse shall well perceiue the same to haue been made neither for any of those Erledomes neither yet for any other holde but merely for the crowne of Scotlande whiche aswel he as other knowledged to hold of the king of Englande as superior lorde The recordes remaine the seales subscriptions be so many so auncient and so faire as cannot lightelie be counterfaicte But some peradueÌ„ture will say that many of those homages were done by force and compulsion I aunswere thoughe it might be that some of theim were soo done yet all could not be For our Cronicles specifie that those .xviii. kiÌ„ges were in Englande which no maÌ„ can iudge to haue come all thither by force and all those dyd homage there and those homages well nere all appere to haue been made for the croune of Scotlande if we beleue the recordes of Englande And if any saye that they be counterfeited I thinke it soner said then proued And touching the compulsion and force I saye thoughe some of our kynges might be coÌ„ pelled by feare yet howe coulde all be or coulde an whole Parliament be compelled Is it not manifest that when question arose vpon the title of the croune of Scotlande betwene Balliol Brus and Hastynges was it not decided by Edward the fyrst king of Englande as competent iudge in that case But here it is sayde agayn that he was iudge in that case not of righte but by consente of the parties Then loke well to the woordes of the compromisse which nameth him superior lord of Scotland And this was done in Parliamente by consente of the thre estates which of likelyhoode could not be all compelled In which cause I am partely ashamed of the impudeÌ„t vanitie of our writers whiche raile without reason agaynst the iudgemeÌ„t of Edward in that plea as corrupte false This I saie that if the Iudgement were to be geuen agayne neither Mynos Lycurgus nor Salo mon whose iudgementes in histories be so celebrate dyd euer geue a more true a more perfect or a more rightfull sentence either by the ciuile lawes or by the practise and custome of Scotlande or any other reasonable lawe and take the case euen as they propone it But then we haue an other euasion which is to alledge prescripcion because those homages haue not been done within memorie To that I aunswere that thoughe prescripcion serued in that case as it doth not yet the warres made from tyme to tyme counteruaile a possession thereof In whiche pointe lette vs be well aduised what we saye leaste by fleynge the smoke we fall into the fyre For once admittinge hym superiour kynge no prescripcion wil serue agaynst hym The texte is common and no more common then allowed almoste in all lawes Nullum tempus occurrit Regi Time cannot preiudice a Kyng MOREOVER I note this that the Kynges of Englande would neuer make
peace with vs perpetually neither as lawfull enemies but admitted a truce or an intermission of warr for a tyme alwaies exceptyng Lorne and Lundie and with a caution to saue their title and right Our awne Recordes and registers approue this howbeit let no man iudge that myne entent is herin to pleade the cause of Englande for that I neither can doo ne professe to doo but onely to geue light to suche as liste to seke that the matter is not so cleare on our side as oure writers would haue it seme and therfore I would that men should weigh the querell indifferently and without affeccioÌ„ and not to leane more on the one side then on the other For the title which I alledge is neither deuised vpon phantasie worne out with age introduced by conquest ne enforced with feâ—â—re or compulsion but grounded vpon truth dooen within memory wrought by consente and agreyng to all iustice equitie lawe pacte and promise not doen in priuate but openly and not by a â—ew but by a multitude vpon a greate deliberacion and that in parliameÌ„t whiche title enduceth no feruitude but fredome libertie concord and quietnesse and serueth aswell for Scotlande as Englande makyng equalitie without supertoritie AT the parliament holden at Edinbrough immediatly after the death of our last kyng wher al the lordes thother states and orders of our realme wer assembled sauing the Erle of Arguyle that appered there by his proctor sir Ihou CaÌ„mell The mariage betwene our Princes and the kynges maiestie of EnglaÌ„d kyng Edward the VI. then beyng prince was fully concluded by aucthoritie of the same Parliament al thassentes of the said states and Orders concurryng therunto The whiche for more faithe testimony of the thyng was also confirmed by writing vnder the greate seale of Scotlande Maie there be any thyng of greater aucthoritie force or euidence any title more righteous then this graunted not by our auncestors but by our selfes and to a prince now liuyng not in tyme oute of mynde but now these so fewe yers freshely paste not rashely or sodainly but by greate and deliberate aduisemeÌ„t and the same not of a fewe but of all the states of the realme asseÌ„bled not at al aduentures but soleÌ„pnely in parameÌ„t a thing no doubt instilled from the almightie and the same our moste merciful god into the mindes of the workers thereof to haue set an end to al the discord of bothe realmes by that vnion and knot of mariage And what madnes or deuill O moste dere couÌ„treimeÌ„ hath so moued or rather distracte our myndes eftsones to take weapoÌ„ in hand and the same against oure promises fidelities honoures and othes hauyng on oure side no good grounde honestie reason ne any iuste respecte but onely of the prouocacion of the deuil the pope and his rable of religious men as thei would seme to be specially those whom we cal our auncient frendes where their are in deede our auncient enemies the Frenchemen And when we shall haue well coÌ„sidered this attonement with Englande compared the same with the league of FrauÌ„ce and well weighed thententes endes of bothe we shall perceiue the the one calleth vs to an euerlasting peace quietnes and the other hath and will kepe vs if wee forsake it not in tyme in coÌ„tinual miserie and warres And that maie we easily iudge in repeting from the beginnyng the causes of the one and of the other The Frenchmen fearyng more and more the power of Englande whiche had so many tymes dooen theim so notable displeasures as not onely to haue wonne of them sundry battailes wherof for briefnes sake I reporte me to the stories but also for that the Englishemen haue as ye knowe these many yeres kepte foote and possession of ground in Fraunce did besides and emoÌ„g many other thynges deuise this one as a chief staye for theim to make vs of their faccion against Englande thinkyng therby at all tymes when either for iust causes Englande should haue to do with theim or thei with Englande wee should set on the backes of the English men or otherwise anoye theim either to force theÌ„ to withdrawe their armie out of Fraunce or els bee constreined for resisteÌ„ce or inuasions to diuide their power and so to be the weaker eueÌ„ as it hath come to passe that the Englishemen haue so been forced to doo when neuerthelesse it hath redounded to no lesse discomfiture of our nacion then of the Frenchemen their principall enemies An euident proife and triall whereof partely because thynges of farther tyme and memorie hauyng been so many and so ofteÌ„ nede not therin in to be narowly sought for and partly because this example beyng freashest in mynd maie if it please God worke moste best effect did right well appere in the first voyage of Kyng Henry the VIII a Prince of mooste worthy famous memorie against Fraunce when we inuaded England to haue hyndered his enterprise and doen there some displeasure if wee had might supposyng to haue founde at home but shepherdes priestes and women At one time we lost the feld and our kyng beyng otherwise a noble Prince and a valeaunte Knight besides an infinite nuÌ„bre of our countreimen few of the Englishe part wantyng kyng Henry at the very self same time wonne the battaill in Fraunce at the iorney of the spurres and besides that woÌ„ne also by plain conquest Turwayn and Turney Now when wee shall haue bothe coÌ„sidered our league with the Frenchemen and all the successes that haue chaunced to vs syns the conclusion of the same we caÌ„not recken how to aduauÌ„t vs of any one thyng wee haue woÌ„ne but of infinite losses misfortunes slaughters spoyles and vtter ruyne come thereby to vs and our countrey vniuersal The honor and profite if any be coÌ„meth onely to the Frenchemen whiche serue theimselfes of vs for their money for thinordinate gain wherof we do alwaies hazard our honoures lifes and countrey and haue lost our frendes naye rather beeyng a membre of the selfe body with Englande haue suffered our self to be diuorced torne froÌ„ the same and haue so far passed our awne reason that we haue in that behalf atteÌ„pted to do hurte to a part of our awnselfes if Gods goodnes towardes Englande had not so prouided that our power could not bee hable to aunswer to our misaduised willes And so farre did we estraunge our selfes that wee could finde in our hartes to become seruile and to bee as coÌ„mon hirelynges to a forrein nacioÌ„ For what other thing do we but serue theim for their money to our awne vtter destruccions to the spillyng of our awne bloud to the burnyng of oure tounes and to the waste and spoyle of our whole natiue countrey And at this do the Frenchmen laugh thei take pleasure sittyng at home in securitie excepte peraduenture thei sende a few of their cast souldiors of whoÌ„ thei make lesse accoumptes or estimacion then of so many shepe or hogges Howbeit
An EXHORTATION TO THE SCOTTS to conforme themselves to the honourable expedient and godly union betwene the two realmes of Englande and Scotland dedicated to Edward duke of Somerset by James Harryson LONDON PRINTED by Rich. Grafton 1547. ¶ TO the right high and mightie prince Edward Duke of Somerset Etle of Hertford Viscount Beauchamp lorde Seymour Gouernor of the persone of the Kynges Maiestie of Englande and Protector of all his Realmes Dominions and Subiectes his lieuetenaunt generall of all his armies bothe by lande and by sea Tresore◠and Erle Marshall of Englande Gouernor of the Isles of Gernsey and Gersey and knight of the moste noble ordre of the Garter Iames Harryson Scottisheman wisheth healthe honor and felicitie CAllyng to mynde as I do oft moste excellent Prince the ciuill discencion and mortal enemitie betwene the twoo Realmes of Englande and Scotlande it bryngeth me in muche marueill how betwene so nere neighbors dwellyng with in one land compassed within one sea alied in bloude and knitte in Christes faithe suche vnnaturall discorde should so long continue Vnnaturall I maie wel call it or rather a Ciuill warre where brethren kynsmen or countreymen be diuided and seke the bloud of eche other a thyng detestable before God horrible to the worlde and pernicious to the parties and no lesse straunge in the iyes of reasonable men then if the lymmes and membres of mannes body should fall out within them selfes as the hand to hurte the foote or the fote the hande If any vtilitie or gain should growe thereby it were the lesse maruail but when there doth nothyng ensue but suche fruite as warre bryngeth furthe whiche is fackyng of tounes subuersion of holdes murder of men rauishinēt of women slaughter of olde folke and infantes burnyng of houses and corne with hunger and pestilence twoo buddes of thesame tre and finally the vtter ruyne of the whole kyngdom I wonder that eemōgest so many pollitique rulers as be and haue been in both realmes the nuschief so long spied the remedy hath not yet bee sought Who is so blynd that doth not see it or who so harde harted that doth not pitie it I omitte here to speake of the greate afflicciōs and miserie whiche Scotlande hath susteined by warres in tymes passed a matter ouer lōg to be rehersed and yet to great to be forgotten But to come to later tyme what hath been doen within these sixe yeres sithe the warres wer reuined how the coūtrey hath been ouer runne spoyled and heried by Englishemen on the one side and by our awne warremen or rather robbers on the other side to speke nothyng of the plague of God it would greue any harte to thinke If this miserie fell onely vpō the mouers and mainteiners of suche mischief it were lesse to be lamented but thei sitte safe at home and kepe holy daie when the feldes lie ful of their bodies whose deathes thei moste cruelly and vuchristiāly haue procured If Edēbrough Lieth Louthian Mers or Tiuidale had tongues to speake their loude complainte would perse the deafe eares But what nedeth spethe when their iyes maie se plain enough what their deuillish hartes haue deuised This miserie is muche to be sorowed and more to be sorowed then their wickednes to be detesied whiche haue kyndled the fire and still late on brandes to feede thesame In whom if either respect of Religion whiche thei professe or zeale of Iustice whereunto thei are sworne either feare of God or loue to their countrey did any thyng woorke thei would refuse no trauaill nor torment of body nor mynde no nor death if it wer offered for the sauegarde of theim whose distruccion thei haue wrought And these bee onely twoo sortes the one is of suche as either for feare of their Hypocrisy to bee reueled or euill gotten possessions to be transiated would haue no peace nor cōcord the other bee suche as for a lawelesse libertie and doyng wrōg vnpunished would pull out their heddes from all lawe and obedience Such and none other be aduersaries to our cause If these if sortes I saie should fele but half the miserie whiche the poore people be driuen to suffre thei would not be halfe so hastie to ryng alarmes These be thei whiche professyng knowledge abuse the ignoraunce of the nobilitie and commonaltie to the destrucciō of bothe hauyng peace in their mouthes and all rancor and vengeaunce in their hartes pretendyng religion perswade rebellion preachyng obedience procure al disobedience semyng to forsake all thyng possesse all thyng callyng themselfes spirituall are in deede moste carnall and reputed heddes of the Churche bee the onely shame and slaunder of the Churche If these people would as earnesty trauail for the concord of bothe realmes as thei indeuour with toothe and naill to the contrary these mischeues aforesaied should either not haue happened or els at the least not so long haue continued by whose lure so long as the nobles and cōmons of Scotlande be led I am in dispaire of any amitie or frendship betwene these two realmes GOD bryng their falsehed once to light and turne their iniquitie vpon their awne heddes BVT to my purpose seyng the mischief so greate the aucthors so many the mainteinaunce so strōg and so few that seke amendement in declaraciō of mine earnest zeale and vnfained affeccion towardes my coūtrey I in default of other put my self in prease And though least able yet moste willyng and desirous of the honor and quiet of bothe realmes whiche cause seing it correspondeth to vertue godlinesse me thought it conuenient to seke for the same a patrone vertuous and Godly whereby your grace entered my remembraunce whose procedynges hetherto haue made manifest to the worlde what an ardent zeale ye beare to thaduauncement of all veritie truth So that all men conceiue certain hope that by your high wisedom pollicie and other Princely vertues the stormes of this tempestious worlde shall shortely come to a calme And seyng God hath not onely called you to the height of this estate but so prospered your grace in all affaires bothe of war and peace as your actes bee comparable to theirs whiche beare moste fame your grace cānot merite more towardes GOD or the worlde then to put your helpyng hande to the furtheraunce of this cause Hereby shall you declare an incōparable seruice to the kynges Maiestie of England whiche beyng young of yeres is yet ripe in vertue to gouerne any kyngdom whose excellent giftes of nature and inclinacion to all Godlinesse considered the world is in opiniō that he shal bee nothyng inferior to the greate honor and glorie of his father whose praises I ouer passe fyndyng my selfe vnable to expresse them in any degree But sith your grace as a person moste electe is called to the gouernan̄ce and tuiciō of his persone and proteccion of his realmes and dominions all mennes expectacion is that hauyng so apte a moulde to worke vpō you shall so frame his you the with verteous
preceptes Godly examples and sincere educacion as he shall proue a Kyng equal with those whom old histories do moste commend Wherein your graces laude cannot wante beyng so worthie a gouernor of so noble a kyng and muche more if by your pollicie diligēce and circumspeccion he shal at his perfect yeres bee restaured to the whole isle of Britayn wherunto as he is iustely entitled So God the protector of al iust causes shal bryng your attēptes therin to good successe For the furtheraunce whereof I haue declared myne opinion in writyng whiche with humble harte I offre and dedicate vnto your good grace not as a gyfte worthie so greate an estate but yet not vnmete for my purpose ne for the tyme occasion present wherin though I neither perswade my cause so pithihely ne open it so liuely as to so weightie a matter is requisite Yet it maie serue either for a testimonye of myne honest meanyng or minister occasion to better learned men to dilate this argument more largely whereby all warre and hostilitie maie cease and peace and concord take place GOD the verie aucthor of peace euer preserue your grace to the increase of the same and furtheran̄ce of all Godlinesse and graunte to the Kynges Maiestie of England his righteous possession of the whole monarchie of Britayn to thaduauncemēt of Gods glory cōfort to his lieges and confusion of his enemies DIEV ET MON DROVT AN EXHORTACION The cause wher of I treate beeyng so weightie the discourse so large my witte and cunnyng so small to set it furthe I might well be discoraged to entre so greate a ground but that loue to my countrey on the one side and desire of concorde and quietnes on the other side moue me to speake hopyng that the honesty of the matter shall supplie the rude handelyng and the plain veritie to stand in stede of eloquēce and cunnyng For like as in an euill cause muche arte and conueyaunce must be vsed afore it can appere good euen so in a cause true honest and righteous there needeth no subtile perswasions or finesse of woordes but how muche the plainer so muche the better and how muche the more eloquent somuch the more suspicious For truthe is sufficient of her selfe and needeth no colours no more then natural beawty nedeth of paintyng Taking this for my foundacion I maie the more boldely procede without feare of offence seeyng my cause is suche as all good men will further all wise men fauor and all Godly men defende as that whiche beeyng enbraced shall doo good to many and hurt to none and beyng neglected shall hurte a multitude and auayle no man tendyng no lesse to the commoditie of the aduersaries then of the fauorers Thus the ground beyng so true the occasion so honest and the querell so righteous there wanteth nothyng but one that could set the same furth accordyngly And seeyng suche as canne best liste not and that ought moste will not and that wold faynest dare not take this vniuersall cause in hande I beyng simple vnlearned and most barayn of all orators arte and perswasiō yet armed with truth moued with honestie and prouoked by loue towardes God and my countrey as Dauid against Golias entre the felde against the mightie Giauntes enemies of concorde and vnitie desiryng all my countreymen of Scottande whose cause I now specially entreat to geue me pacient hearyng whilest I suade theim to that whiche shal be acceptable to God commendable to the world ioyfull to their frēdes hatefull to their enemies profitable to all parties and to none so muche as to themselfes TO groūd my cause vpō truth as I promised I will sette my foundacion vpon the infallible truthe of Gods woorde takyng this texte for my purpose Omne regnū in se diuisum desolabitur that is to saie euery kyngdō diuided in it self shal be brought to desolacion If this sentence bee well marked and the persone of the speaker considered I shall not nede to bee long in perswadyng you to beleue it The wordes be true for he that spake them cannot lye whiche is Christ himself the aucthor of al truth and veritie But though Christ had not spokē them let vs se whether comon reason dooth not affirme theim and the experience of all realmes and countreis in al tymes and ages hath not approued theim And to fet our examples not out of straunge countreys loke well vpon the Chronicles of this island of Britain and consider the estate thereof from the beginnyng and compare theim with the histories of other nacions and you shal not lightly heare or read of any one countrey sithe the worldes creacion more inuaded wasted and destroyed then this I stande ne of people more often ne more curelly spoyled exiled or afflicted then the inhabiters thereof and all by diuision and discord the sedes wherof beyng laied in by the deuil as pouder vnder a walle after it once toke fire did so terribly shake the foūdaciōs of their common weale that it riued a sunder their Kyngdome and monarchie and diuidyng it into partes broughte the whole at last to ruyne and desolacion which hath not been fully recouered to this daie nor in my iud gement like to be so long as the islande is diuided into two partes and knowen by two names that is to saie England Scotlande and vnder twoo seuerall gouernours The cause whereof though it maie chiefly bee ascribed to the iuste vengeaunce of God prouoked with the synnes of the people as Gildas witnesseth yet is it clere that the onely meane thereof was discord and diuision emong the Insulanes wherby it came to passe whylest euery one striued all were ouer comen and made an easy prey to straūge nacions For althoughe outward enemies vpon tiranny and conquest as the Romayns or els expulsed from their countreys and driuen to seke newe dwellynges as the Pictes or allured with the fertilitie of the soyle as the Scottes inhabityng the north partes of Irelande inuaded this islande Yet could those people neuer haue kepte quiete possession ne reigne so long as thei did but through diuision and discord emong the Britaynes whiche beeyng stiffe necked against God and ingrate eche to other as the said aucthor writeth by their demerites wer not onely ouercome with outwarde inuasions but finally lost their name and Empire whereby the inhabitauntes beyng mixt with straungers haue euer sithe been vexed with intestine warres and ciuill discorde to the irremediable ruine and desolacion therof vntil it shal please Gods goodnesse to haue mercie on the people and to reduce the islande to the firste estate to one Monarchy vnder one kyng and gouernor as it was in the Britons tyme. But if God of his goodnesse without our desertes hath in these latter daies prouided that blessed meane and remedy for the glorie of his name and for our wealth and commoditie and wee for our parte either of stubburnesse will not or of wilfulnesse liste not thankefully to receiue
his synguler grace and benefite so freely offered what then maie bee thoughte in vs Ought not then all good men thynke as thei dooe in deede that all the mischiefe effusion of bloud hūger and other miseries ensuyng of warre fall vpon vs morthely and by deserte Yes verely And surely in this parte I must desire you my countreymen bothe of pardon and pactence when I shall disclose the cause of this mischief and the long continuaunce thereof to come rather of vs thē of the cōtrary parte whiche iudgemente God is my witnesse procedeth neither of adulacion to English men nor of malice to any estate but as my conscience moueth me and as the truthe to al wisemen maie appere BVT afore I will stirre that vnsauery sinke of tresō and trecherie as one that intendeth to make a greate lepe I muste bee forced to ronne backe to fetche my course wherefore omittyng the mattiers of the tyme presēt I muste repete the estate of this island from the beginnyng and what were the causes of this diuision at the firste and by what waies it hathe continued from tyme to tyme and how it is yet norished to the ende that vpon the causes opened and the persones detected that bee workers therof the remedies maie be the soner founde and simple people beware of those that with fayned fables and lies haue ledde them long blindfold so would kepe them to the perdicion both of their soules and bodies and then shal we se whether this saiyng of Christ afore recited maie not be wel verefied in vs of Britayne In the discourse whereof because the right title whereby the kynges of Englande claime to be superior Lordes of Scotland is incidētly touched I wil vse for the more parte the testimonies either of Scottish chronicles or forein writers and litle of the Englishe onlesse where bothe Scottishe and Englishe do agre or where by apparaunt reason the truthe standeth more on th one side then on the other and all to aduoyde the common cauillacion of suche as say how the Kynges of Englande proue their title to Scotlāde onely by Englishe aucthors THE opinion of moste writers and specially of Latins at whom aswell for auncientie as indifferēcie I take my ground is that this islande of Britayn whiche cōteineth bothe realmes of Englande and Scotland as I saied afore was at the firste called Albion that is to saie the white lande hauyng that name Ab albis rupibus that is to saie of the White Rockes and Cleues whiche appere vpon the sea costes of thesaied islande euen as we at this daie call the countrey from whence the Brasill wood cōmeth Brasilia whiche opinion is more probable then the deuise of a late Welshe Poete ymaginyng how it was called Albion of one Albina eldest of the fiftie daughters of one Dioclesian kyng of Syria whiche hauyng killed fiftie kynges beyng their husbandes wer for the same exiled And after long wanderyng in the seas arriued at laste in this Islande where thei ingendered with spirites brought furth .l. Giaūtes whiche wer Gog Magog and his felowes with suche poeticall fables not onely without good foundacion but also mere cōtrary to all auncient stories and welnere against al possibilitie of nature But as the be ginnyng of all nacions for the more part be fabulous and vncertain some fetchyng their pedegre frō the Goddes and some from the deuils as the Grekes from Iupiter the olde Gaules from Pluto God of helle so the better opinion aswel of the latre writers as also of Gildas a Britayn is that this island was inhabited from the beginnyng by those that were borne in thesame afterward as the world multiplied grewe vnto a greate people and from a people vnto a Kyngdome and gouerned by Kynges as by stories is to bee seen of whom the firste that wee finde was one Brutus whiche whether he came out of Italy or not is not muche materiall but certain it is that suche a one reigned and was firste Kyng of the whole islande whiche beginnyng of the people dooth make muche more with the honor and glory of this islande then to beduce a pedegree either from an outlaw of Italy or a tirauntes sister out of Egipt as Welshe Scottishe Poetes haue phantastically fayned For if wee accompt nobilitie by auncientie of yeres length of tyme as some vse nowe a daies what can bee more auncient more noble more high or honorable then to haue a beginnyng beyond all memory and in processe of yeres from small families to growe into a greate Monarchie kyngdom In whiche poynt the old latins of whom the Romaynes discended sette a greate parte of their glory callyng themselfes Aborigines that is to saie a people from the beginnyng BRVTVS the first Kyng of this whole Islande by whom it was called Britayne the people thereof Britaynes reigned the yere after the creacion of the worlde foure thousande C C. and xlii and as writers affirme had three sonnes Locrinus Albanactus and Camber emong whō he diuided the whole island assignyng the supreme empire with the greatest and moste fruitful part toward the Southe vnto Locrinus his eldest sonne of whom it was called Logres and now England To the second sonne named Albanactus he assigned another part towardes the Northe whiche at this day the Scottes possesse by which Albanactus the coūtrey was called Albania and the people Albanactes as shal be shewed hereafter The .iii. part liyng West towardes the seas of Gaule whiche nowe is called wales he gaue to Cāber his yōgest sonne by whō it was called Cambria the people Cambrians as thei cal thēselfes to this day AND though the island was thus parted betwene the three brethren yet the supreme power and kyngdome remained alwayes in the eldest to whom the other twoo were obedient as to a superior kyng The prose wherof if any bee so curious to require I aunswere that the same histories whiche speake of this particion declare in likewise of the subieccion So that admittyng them in the one thei muste likewise bee admitted in the other For the more corroboraciō wherof the histories bothe of Britōs and Romaines agre that the Islande was vnder kynges at the beginnyng whiche as thei were called Kynges of Britayne so was the general name of the people Brytons neither was there any other state or Kyngdome in the Islande at those daies but onely of Britons In so muche that the Romaines beyng most diligent reporters of the names of Princes by thē subdued and countreys conquered whereas thei make particular menciō of diuerse kynges of the Britaines and of sūdery cities in Britain yet do thei neuer name any people called Scottes ne make mēcion of any suche Princes as is pretended to haue ruled ouer thē whiche if thei had been so glorious bothe in warre and peace as thei be set furthe how should their actes haue been hidden to the Romaines which contended with all men for glory for thirst whereof thei
sometymes sought enemies at the worldes ende And though it maie be said that Caesar and diuerse other neuer came so farre as Scotlāde by a great distaunce yet how could it be the Iulius Agricola whiche after the Southe partes of Britain was made a prouince to the Romayns inuaded vnto the Orcades which is the farthest part of Scotlād after .viii. yeres warres there at the foote of the mounte Grampius now called Grāzebē fought against Galgacus with ten M. Britaines whom he there ouerthrewe how I saie could he bee ignoraunt of the Scottes or of their warres So that it muste be graunted that at those daies either thei wer not in Britayne or if thei wer in Britayne their name and power was nothyng suche as we pretend For who so diligently considereth the course of the said stories shall well se the neither Pictes ne Scottes had any dominion in Britayn vntil about the declinacion of the Romain Empire and that the Pictes entered into Britayn before the Scottes in the tune of kyng Marius whiche was aboute the yere of Christe .lxxij. After whiche tyme with the helpe of the Irishe Scottes thei vexed the Britaines with cōtinuall incursions These Pictes wer a people of Scithia now called Tartarie driuen out of their countrey sought herberough emonges Irish Scottes who beyng nothing glad of such gestes procured theim to set foote in Brytayne as thei did in deede and ther continued many yers after This people wer called Pictes because in stede of garmentes thei vsed to paint their skynnes with sundery figures of beastes and birdes hauing collers of yron about their neckes and girdelles of the same aboute their wastes and specially the nobilitie of theim whiche estemed the same for a greate poynt of brauerie This doth Herodiā write in the life of Seuerus thempecor whiche came into Britayne and repaired the walle begonne afore by Adrian his predecessor by whiche walle the Prouince of the Romaynes was diuided from the residue of Britain and was made firste to resist the incursions of suche Britaynes as thei accompted sauage and barbarous The ruynes of this wal are to be seen at this preset wherefore it semeth to me that afore the time of thesaied Adriā the name neither of Pictes ne Scottes was neuer knowen in Britayne so that if thei had any possession there afore thei came to it rather by stelth then by any open force or conquest I speake not this to minishe the honoure and glory of my countrey nor to deface the nobilitie or the valeaūt actes of the Scottishe kynges but to shewe that the first inhabitors of this islād wer al Britaines more then .vi. C. yeres afore Scottes had any Kyngdō there and that thei had no suche originall as some haue phantasied but that thei are a people mixt with Britaynes come of Britaynes In prose whereof it is saied that the Armes of Scotlāde borne at this date the trace of the floure deluce except whiche was late put in is the self same armes that Brute bare yet wil I not affirme that Scottes be mere Britaynes or Englishe men mere Britaynes but that the more parte of bothe people bee discended of Britaynes For though the Islande hath been often inuaded by sundry naciōs as Romaynes Pictes Scottes Saxons Danes and lastely by Normaynes yet doth it not folowe that the whole bloud of Britaynes was so extincte thereby but that there must great numbre remain in euery parte of the island wherby it maie be sated that the race of thē is mixte but not merely fordoen and extirped for no countrey can bee so inuaded by straungers that the whole race of the olde inhabiters can bee worne all out but that the substaunce or more parte shall still remain As for example Italie hath been inuaded by Gothes Vandales Honnes and other barbarous nacions can it therfore be saied that the whole Romain blod is vtterly extinct no verely for of necessitie the stocke dooth still abide thoughe not wholy yet in the more part And likewise of Englāde and Scotlande I doubte not to saie and am able to proue that the great parte of bothe realmes is come of the old Britayns And thoughe me haue been mixed with foreyn nacions whereby the Britayne tōgue is chaunged out of vse pet doth the bloud and generacīo remain and as for the Irish toungue whiche thei speake in the North partes of Scotland dooth no more proue them to be mere Irishe then the Englishe toungue vsed in all the South partes of Scotlande proueth the people there to be Englishe BVT to resorte to our purpose how can it stand with reason that the Pictes and Scottes two strong naciōs should make great warres should so often infest and vexe bothe Brytains Romaines ye and ouercome thē and at length stablish two kingdomes in the Island and no remembraunce thereof founde in any story either of the Britains or Romaines nor in any other autentique or approued Cronicle For Caesar Tacitus Ptholomeus and Plinius Romayne aucthors thoughe we speake of no mo on the other syde Gildas mooste auncient writer of the Brytaines though euery wher in their histories they make special mēcion of all the people then dwelling in Britayne yet speake thei nothing of those twoo nacions whiche if thei were chefe strōgest as oure writers pretende how coulde their names be pretermitted of so many aucthors wherby one of these two thinges muste be graunted that either they were not then come into Britayne or els if thei were come they remayned subiectes to the Britaynes according to the English history Agaynst which though it may be obiected that Britayne was not alwayes frō the beginning vnder one Kyng or one Ruler but was gouerned somwhiles by one and somwhiles by mo as the Romayne stories declare whereby there should be no suche Monarchie and kyngdome nor any such order prescribed by Brute as the English stories specifie yet doth that make nothing to proue the Scottes not to be come of Britaynes ne enforceth any title for them to be no subiectes to England for it may stand together that the estate of Britayne was suche at the beginninge as the Englishe cronicles mencion as in time all thinges chaunge so by occasiōs ensuyng the first ordre might be broken and frō one intier Kyngdome to be diuided into partes as it should seme that it was about the coming of Caesar who writeth that at his arryuall in Britayne the cities by cōmon assente elected Cassibilanus to their King wherby it maye be gathered that the Monarchie therof was thē broken by some faccion within the Islande which caused it to be a more easy prey to enemies And this verefieth my woordes spoken afore that diuision and discorde of the people brought this Islande first into subiection of other nacions This is confirmed by the Romayn stories but namely by Cornelius Tacitus saiynge that Britaynes at the first were vnder Kynges and afterwardes by faccions and sedicions of Prynces and great
of ecclcsiasticall writers called Venerabilis the comming of the Scottes into Britayne was not vntyll about the yere of Christ cccc xliij which was long after the comming of the Pictes to whose opinion though he was a Saxon I would soner assent then to the new fonde fables of our Scottishe Poetes framed vpō phātasie without auctoritie precedēt AND for the further profe of this Monarchie it is reade in the tyme of Lucius whiche was the firste christen Kynge of the Britaynes as is said afore ther were in Britayne .iii. high Prestes or Bishoppes Idolaters of the Heathen religion called Archiflamines and .xxviii. other inferiour Bishoppes of the same supersticion called Flamines In stede of whom this godly King ordeined as many Bishoppes or Christes religion thre Archebishoppes placinge the first at Londō the second at Yourke and the thirde in the citie of Legions whiche at this day is called Chester To the prouince of Yourke there belonged all the Northe parte of Britayne now called Scotlande with the orcades And notwitstanding all the mutatiōs happening in processe of yeres yet al the Bishops of those countreys came vnto Yorke to becōsecrated of the Arch bishop there and promised obediēce vnto him as to their Metropolitane hed bishop albeit by occasion of warres they were sūmewhiles letted so to do And of latter dayes that is to saye in the tyme of Henry the .ij. Kynge of Englande which was about the yere of Christ a M.C. .lv. the Englishe historie sheweth that Michaell Bishop of Glascow and after him Tothadus Bisshop of saincte Andrewes were cōsecrated by Thomas Archebishop of Yourk If my coūtreymen beleue me not in thys point let them beleue the Bulles of Paschall Calixte Honorius Innocentius Eugenius and Adrianus Bishoppes of Rome written to the Bishops of Scotlande so as any of theym were rebell or would not acknowledge the Archebishop of Yourke Primate of Scotland for their head Bisshop This I alledge to shewe that the two realmes at the first were not onely vnited in one Empire but also in one Religiō the superioritie wherof seynge it so longe continued in the English side proueth in that part a certayn kynde of subieccion in Scottes whyche I passe ouer But nowe hauinge sufficiently alleged to proue that al we were Britaynes at the beginning come of one kynde and liuinge vnder one Monarchie brokē by diusion and ciuil discorde as is shewed before there restethe to disproue the fayned alligacions of the cōtrary part which cōuey you frō Pharao the tyraunt of Egipt And as it is to cōiecture if their willes might take place thei would bryng you vnder the seruitude of Egypte again But before I touche the argumēt according to my promisse at the beginning I must in part disclose the aucthors therof whose vntrouthes though I passe ouer yet will they bewrey it them selfes for it is not vnknowē what persons they be that take vpon them to write stories and Cronicles both in England Scotlande which for the more parte be Monkes and Fryers suche as in name professe Religion beyng in dede the peruerters of all true Religion These men issuyng from the prince of darkenesse brougte vp in darkenes maynteined by darkenes seke nothing so muche as to kepe the worlde in darkenes not without cause for if their state shuld come to light the people should espye howe they are plantes not planted by the heauenly Father but to be pulled vp by the rootes Which thīg beīg well perceiued by the most noble king of immortal memory Henry the VIII of Englande like a prince no lesse Godly then prudent cleuyng in that part to Christes worde weded out of his realme those wicked plantes not onely unprofitable to his commō wealth but also enemies to all veritie and true Religion whose example if we of Scotlande had the grace to folow I would nothyng dispaire of an honorable and Godly concorde betwene bothe realmes in shorte time that without suche warre and effusion of bloud as this deuillish generacion hath procured But to the purpose these men I saie after sthā was let lose had filled the whole world full of tumult sediciō ragyng with fire sworde against the Gospel which euen then began to geue light in Britain as Oules not apperyng in the day nesteled thēselfes in the nighte of that ignoraūt worlde hauyng as mete a tyme to crepe into the consciēces of the simple Britaynes as euer Saxons or Danes had to inuade their lād and countrey So apperyng to theim with a visor of simplicitie and holines semyng lābes outwardly and neuerthelesse Wolues inwardlie gat credite of vertue and Godlinesse And seeyng the Coccle whiche their father Sathan had sowen emong the Corne so faire commyng vp because the haruest should be weedes watered the yearth with suche abundante showers of lyes and fables that the wedes ouergrowying the corne the cropp was accordyng to the seede and with suche kynde of breade haue thei fedde the silly people vtteryng their dreames and muencions in stede of trouthes verities For as Kytes bryng furthe no culuers no more can the father of falshed bryng furthe children of truthe qualis pater talis filius thei then beyng the impes of so euill a tree muste of congruence bryng furthe fruite like to them selfes whiche was well sene in those dayes For what through mischiefe mortalitie raised by theim on the one side And what through preaching lies phantasies on the other side not only Gods woorde but also all other knowledge hath been obscured whereof ensued vniuersal ignoraūce who being ioyned with error brought furth an vnhappie babe called contenciō whō thei haue moste tēderly fostered euer since not onely ministryng matter thereof in pulpittes and stoles but also in their stories and chronicles myngelyng the same with so many sedicious falshodes as it is in doubte whether the lines or lies bee mo in number And because it were long to reherse al their lesynges and vanities beyng to many to be well numbered and to apparaunt to be hidden for all bee poudered with like peper yet in the Scottishe story a greate part of their practises is to bee seen and that euē at the very beginnyng wher at if thei stumble what shall we iudge of the reste If the matter wer onely Poetical or upon desire to shewe an auncient beginnyng it might happely be borne and yet scarse in a storie the law whereof is to affirme nothyng that is false to hyde nothyng that is true neither to bee ledde with fauor ne hatered But seeyng the thyng is doen of a sette purpose for norishyng diuision in the twoo Realmes I cannot ouer passe it with silence GATHELVS sonne of Cecrops kyng of Athens or Argiues beeyng banished oute of Grece with certain other fugitiues cam into Egipt in the time of the greate tyraunt Pharao whiche persecuted the childrē of Israell In his daies the Mootes entered into Egipt and had broughte the lande vnto
to bring vs in belefe that we bee in some parte of estimaciō with theim thei make of our nacion certain chief presioentes in Fraunce the kyng hath of vs a certain numbre in his garde for the defence of his persone in whom howe litle he trusteth God knoweth and daily experiēce teacheth By this he maketh vs silly soules beleue that he hath vs in singuler trust when in deede it is but a golden and glisteryng bayte alluryng our simplicitie and credulitie to that Irō hoke that hath caught and killed afore now the moste part of our auncestors now of late no fewer of oure fathers of our childrē and of our kinsfolke while the Frenche lose not a mā but a fewe golden crounes And yet our presidētes for al the honor aucthoritie that thei be set in doo serue but as Cyphers in Algorisme to fill the place and in stede of Iupiters blocke sent to rule the Frogges whereupon thei treade and leape withoute feare daunger And our countreymen of the gard after many yeres worne in Fraunce haue this onely rewarde at length to bee called of all the worlde in mockery Iehan de Escoce Yet is there one thyng wherein wee repose a certain honor and yet in deede is the same one of the most dishonors that euer we receiued whiche was when at thentre of a league with Charles the greate Kyng of Fraunce wee receiued for an encrease of the Armes of our realme a trace of flour deluces not considering how shamefull and dishonorable it was to vs being so noble pleople to deface our aunciēt Armes and receiue the note and token of nobilitie and worthines of straungers On thother part how honorable a thyng this attonemēt with Englande were for vs the blynd man maie se For beeyng then as algates we must be vnder some one bothe vnder one kyng the more large and ample the Empire wer the more honorable and glorious the kyng of greater dominion gouernaunce power and fame and the subiectes more renoumed more happy and more quiet the realme more sure and formidable to the enemies and thei lesse eshuned and feared THVS beyng bothe our people and forces ioyned in one we should be the more puyssaunt to inuade more strōg to resist and defende And our power beeyng suche so great should be an occasion for I wil not now speake of all thynges to make vs fre sure frō outward inuasicēr wherof peace beyng first betwene vs and Englande should folowe peace with al others In sort as the laboryng man might safely tille his grounde and as safely gather in the profites and fruites therof the marchaunt might withoute feare goo abrode and bryng in forreine commodities into the realme the gouernours beeyng in tranquillitie and not hauyng their thought and cure diuided into many sundery partes should with lesse carefulnesse and anxietie of mynde see to the good ordre of the commō wealth whiche neuer so truely florisheth as in peace In fine all murders robberies spoyles slaughters and desolacions beyng the sequele and as it wer the children of warre yea and warr it self the Parente of the same should cease in whose places should succede peace wealthe quiet ordre and all other graces and good happes But if we be so blynd that we will not see and deafe that we will not harken to these holsome admonicions when without the feare of God and without regard of the commō weale we shall rush still hedlong into the fury of warre lette vs recken with our selfes whose cause is moste iniust and wrongfull what is to bee loked for towardes vs at the conquerors handes seing that we haue refused so honorable so equall and so easie yea and frendly cōdicions of peace specially being called not into subiecciō or seruitude but into one societie and feloweship with Englishemen and that by so honorable a meane as the mariage of our Princes with the kinges maiestie of Englande a Prince of so greate towardnes honor and expectaciō bothe for that he is descēded of such parētes and also for that those vertues bee all ready in hym as the like were perchaunce in no one prince afore So as we may surely hope and promise to our selfes more at his maiesties hand then peraduenture were lawfull to looke for of a mortall man Then what should wee feare at the handes of such a Prince hauing maried our natural quene but all grace clemencie and benignitie aswell for her graces sake whō he shall haue maried as also for those vertues which be to his Maiestie naturall and propre Moreouer what other thyng is to be loked for at the hādes of the succession of thē both which shall take aswell parte of her grace as of his Maiestie then al gentle and louing treatment and prerogatyue seyng frō the same we shal no more be strāgers vnto that nacion but asnye and as dere as the self Englishmen And so muche the rather when those hatefull termes of Scottes Englishemen shal be abolisshed and blotted oute for euer and that we shal al agre in the onely title and name of Britons as verely we ought to do and the selfe realme beeyng eftsones reduced into the fourme of one sole Monarchie shal bee called Britayn Then the which forme there is none other better nor no commō weale so well gouerned as the same is that is ruled by one kyng The experience wherof we haue seen euen from the beginning of the worlde cōtinually to our time For who so shall well consider the states of all commone weales that haue been gouerned by mo then one shal perceiue that the same hath been the cause of their finall ruine exterminion For gouernaunce maye in no wyse suffer an equal companyon ne any more be diuided into the rule of twoo sundrie administers then one bodye maye beare two heades or the worlde endure to haue twoo sunnes to geue lighte at once And that same appereth in all other creatures emonge whom there is any societie or body politique wherby it may easily be gathered to be the primatiue decre and the due ordre of nature Whiche like as in many other thynges so doth it specially appere in the swarme of Bees for thei beyng ledde with the onely and mere instinct of nature will neither bee without one Kyng and gouernor ne yet admit any mo Kynges then one at once And by the same nature bee wee taught to repute and reckē that body to be mōstreous that hath twoo heddes and no lesse is the realme that hath twoo kynges Then if in all thinges we shuld as nigh as might be approche to the likenesse of heauen aswell in our lifes and actes as in all our fashions wee should not allowe the regiment of many for that the heauenly thynges haue but one gouernor whiche thyng Homere though he were but an Heathē poete semeth to expresse in these verses To haue mani gouernors is not good But let there bee one ruler of Kynges and one Kyng
SVRELY the aunswer of Cerbane Lydyane wherof Serinus maketh mencion in his commeÌ„taries was of no small grauitie importaunce For when Craesus would haue ioyned his brother with hym in the kyngdome the sonne saied he is aucthor of all good thynges in the yearth but if there should bee twoo sonnes it wer perill least their two heates should burne vp al the arth Euen so as one kyng is necessarie so mo then one is hurtfull The experience wherof to sette examples no farther of was wel felt in Englande so long as the seuen Kynges reigned as maie well appere to theim that reade the story Herefore dare I boldly saie if these twoo realmes wer brought vnder one Empire and gouernaunce wee should see an ende of al strief and warre whiche will neuer come otherwise to passe And then should wee haue this common weale of ours beyng now out of all ordre and in moste miserable state condicioÌ„ to bee moste happie and mooste florishing The whiche thyng to attein it lieth onely in you O moste dere countreymen yours is the faulte you must make the amendes And other condicions of recompense then your selfes haue agreed vnto wil vndoubtedly none bee allowed For what other condicions should EnglaÌ„de receiue of vs hauing had so often experience of oure breaches of peace of truce and of our promises which yet vnto this daie we haue neuer truely kept towardes theÌ„ as thei maye in no reason truste vs but in suche sorte as they maie be assured to fynde vs constaunt firme and stedfaste in oure promisse Wherfore if there remayn with you O dere countreymen any remorce or pitie of our torne and woful couÌ„trey or of your selfes staye betymes while you haue tyme to do well Recken that though ye haue offended it is better betymes to refourme the thyng whiche by reason of sinistre and euill counsaill hath been euill doen then to stande obstinately in your most wicked and deuelish enterprise beyng vtterly coÌ„trary to your faithefull promise to your honors also to righte and duety that if your awn particular respectes doo not moue you yet haue mercy vpon youre commune countrey youre mangled countrey youre countrey weepinge to you with bloody teares which your selfes do expresse and wring out of her and enforce her to shed And surely in this part I would wyshe asmuch eloqueÌ„ce as I haue good will to set out this woofull tragedy in her perfect colours but seynge the same doeth not serue to my wyshe I muste vtter such matter as the dolor of my hart and natural pitte may minister vnto my penne which if it could as liuely depaynt the greatnes of this euill as myne harte doth Imagine and conceiue the same the multitude of teares shoulde set mens iyes from readyng and extremitie of affeccioÌ„s disturbe their myndes from conceinyng Imagine you I praye you if Britayne coulde speake mighte she not well saye thus Hath not the almighty prouideÌ„ce seuered me from the reste of the worlde with a large sea to make me one I slande hath not natures ordinauÌ„ce furnisshed me with asmany thinges necessary as any one ground bringeth furth hath not mans pollicie at the beginninge subdued me to one gouernoure And hath not the grace of Christ illumined me ouer all with one faith and finally the workes of all these foure teÌ„ded to make me one Why theÌ„ wil you diuide me in two What foly yea or rather what contempt of God is this that ye still teare me pull me ryue me in peces were their euer children so vnnaturall if they were not of the vipers nature to rend their mothers wombe yea were there euer beastes so saluage or cruel to deuour the dam If bit des beastes and all thinges naturall haue this reason not to destroy their kynde how chaunceth it then that you veyng men endewed with reason bredde in one lande ioyned in one faithe should thus vnkindly vnnaturally and vnchristenly bathe youre swoordes in eche others blode May not the example of other landes teache you to beware of diuision to hate all discorde to abhorre intestine warre May not the ruine of the Grekes the falle of the Romaynes and the subuersion of soo many countreis common weales and states in the worlde suffyce for pour ensample yea may not the present sighte of my ruyne and decay teache you to take heede If the counsailes of wyse men experience of other countreys nor the pytie of me your mother your nutryce and your bringer vp do not moue you Yet at the least haue and vse some mercye towardes your selfes Haue you not shedd enough of your awne blodde what folye or rather what fury is this thus to ruynate your selfes and to deuoure one an other to the discomforte of me and pleasure of your enemyes If ye woulde set before your eyes the exceding quantitie of blodd that hath been shed betwene you my ingrate moste vnnatural children you would iudge it sufficiente more then enoughe not onely to conquere Europe but eueÌ„ the whole world And to what vtilitie hathe all thys been spent surely to none other then to the mischief destruccion of eche other emonge youre selfes Oh incomparable losse for so litle game I was neuer yet inuaded by forreine enemyes but some of my chyldren were the chief ayders and onely causers therof nor no mischiefe procured agaiÌ„st me at this day but by their coÌ„sent and couÌ„sail Oh I an vnhappy mother of suche children how longe shall these furies leade you how loÌ„ge will you that my wyde fyeldes lye wasted that my townes be desert and vnpeopled that my fayre houses and castels be spoiled and burnt my people famished I caÌ„not accuse Romaynes Pictes ne yet Normais but myne awne rebellious discordaÌ„t and graceles children O hateful discord no where doest thou begyn but all goeth to wrecke ere thou makest an end O priuy poyson O familiar foo O dissembling traitor O couerte pestilence what coulde Caesar haue preuailed agaynst me if Mandru batius a Britayne had not bene diuided froÌ„ Cassibolan my king Wil this fire neuer be queÌ„ched this malice neuer cease nor your furye neuer ende If it be geuen you of naturâ— if you sucke it with your motheâ—s mylke if it growe in you with yeares to hungre strife watre here this my couÌ„sail Afore you make warre at home seke your enemies abrode Pursue their lifes shedde their bloode be wroken upon theÌ„ kyl them ouercome them when thei be all killed ouercome and subdned then turne the swoordes point agaiÌ„st eche other but not afore and then shall you neuer soo doo for you neuer yet to this daie haue wanted enemies But to returne to you again my countremeÌ„ whom for the natural loue I beare to you I cannot leaue to blame for your folyes or rather madnes exhorte you to this moste honorable moste godly and profitable attonemeÌ„t with Englande who wynkynge at our transgressions bearynge with our peruerse waiwardenes pardoning our to much
ingratitude hitherto doth to her vtter moste strēgth power seke with al possible gentlenes to recōcile vs with all her endeuoure continuallye laboureth to make vs partakers of her concorde and vnitie her trāquilite quiet her wealth luckey fortune her cōquestes triūphes finallie of all her incōparable ioyes felicities I shal lastely beseche and exthorte and as farre as the mothers aucthoritie ouer the chylorē may adiure you by God the very aucthor of all peace Loue Charitie cōcorde to returne into the right waie out of the whiche ye haue so long gone a straigh Remēber I besech you o most dere coūtremē how that by this calling of vs into this vnitie proceding plainly frō god him selfe he woulde also vnite ioyne vs in one religiō For howe godly were it that as these two Realmes should grow into one so should thei also agre in the concorde vnite of one religiō the same the pure syncere incorrupt religion of Christ setting a part all fonde supersticions sophisticacions other thousandes of deuilries brought in by the bishop of Rome his creatures wherby to geue glosse to their thīges darknes to Gods true worde for the onely purpose to aduaūce their glory treade Gods word vnder fote to vtter their fylthye merchaūdise to sclāder the precious ware Iewels of the scripture emōges the rest to destroye Gods peace ringe their awne alarmes against his moste glorious victory on the Crosse throu-out the worlde And I wote not whether firme cōcorde be otherwise more sureli mortized in mēs hartes then whē it procedeth of the true knowlege of Gods word which doth in so many passages repete vnto vs peace peace loue loue charitie charitie reproueth warre hatred discord seedes doubtelesse scatered by the deuil through those monsters of men that professe preposterous religion to stirre aswell all others as also most specially you my coūtrymē most of all to this diuisiō roare wherin thei fearinge the worthy fall wherwith God threateneth thē which they now perceiue by others exāples to hāg ouer their heades deuise by hooke by croke to kepe you stil occupied in mistrust of your best frendes casting before your eyes mystes shadowes colors suche as Iuglers vse to doo to th ende lest if you should once se the clearnes of Gods worde you should then encline to that of your selfes and most easly wherunto I do now with so much a do exhorte you I perceyue that the loue to my country and nacion hath made me vnawares to haue wandred furder then at the first I purposed wherfore I wil make an ende if fyrst I shall repete that I haue already proued vnto you that these twoo Realmes were first a Monarchie vnder Brutus and soo lefte by hys order to his sonnes by the superioritie geuē to the eldest which forme of gouernaunce was also vnder Constātyne I haue alsoo proued that these two realmes ought to come vnder that fourme the kinges Maiestie that now is to be Monarch of the same aswel for the superiorite which was in his aūcestors proued by the homages other thinges afore alleged the claim wherof did yet neuer cease as also specially by force of your awn late act of parliamēt wherby he ought of right to mary our Prīcesse thīheritrice of the crown of Scotlāde by occasiō wherof we shal be receiued not into seruitude but īto the same felowship w e Englishmē the names of both subiectes realmes ceassing to be chāged into the name of Britaī Britons as it was first yet stil ought to be And how necessary that same fourme of the gouernaūce of one Monarche or kinge is you se to be more clere then the sonne the same to be a ready easy meane how both tappease al discord which otherwise wil neuer stint also testablish vs in euerlasting peace quiete trāquillite vnto whiche effectes there is verely none other meane And the thing selfe though I should holde my peace doth sufficiētly speake avouche the same to be awaye vnto both Realmes most honorable because not only the Empire shal by the occasion be the more large strōg in it self the King the more puissant famous profitable for that discorde shal ceasse cōcord come in place thereby the people cōmon weale florish prospere godly for the we shal agre all in one the same the true christen religiō IT remaineth now to say vnto you that the right high mightie and excellēt prince Edward duke of Somerset erle of Hertforde Viscount Beauchāp lord Seymour gouernor of the persone of the Kynges Maiestie of Englande protector of all his realmes dominions subiectes his lieuetenasit general of al his armies bothe by lande and by sea Treasorer Erle Marshal of England gouernor of the isles of Gernsey and Iersey knight of the moste noble ordre of the garter A man for his actes and worthinesse well knowen to the world you of whom you haue had late experience to your pernes his dolour for that as the louyng mother in beafyng her childe weepeth so in punishyng you he did it lothely and to his grief because he pitied your case The said lord protector is commyng towardes you with a puissaūt inuincible army hauing on his side God the iust cause and an intēt to receiue to mercy grace fauor so many of you as for that furthering of this mariage his other Godly purposes wil come in to him And cōtrarily to punish correct the rest that shal remain in their stubburn wilful disobediēce Wherfor o coūtrymen cōsidering the on oure part we haue nothing but the wrōg iniust cause violaciō of our promises othes geuē to England with cōceiued words after mature iuste deliberaciō callyng God his angels vnto witnes therof who knoweth our infidelitie will not leaue the iniury doen to hym them vnreuenged For the regard of God for your awn sakes for the tendre respecte of our coūtrey cast wisely doune that armour weapōs that you haue so fondely put on takē in hand submit your selfes hūbly to the mercy clemencie of so noble benigne a Prince who is rather come thither louīgly toembrace receiue you yea as your protector to defēd assist you then to punish you according to your desertes But if you shal despice my coūsail abuse his humanitie good offers how gētle clement soeuer he be of his awn nature thinke you for sure that God who wil not suffre infidelite tescape lōg īchastised wil stirre vp his corage to do vengeāce vpō you for your insolēcie and faith brokē the which I writ not without sorow teares Praiīg God for his pitie goodnesse to geue you his grace better mynde so as you may forsake the errors the now lead you hedlong and maie folow these good holsome coūsailes of your most natural and most tendre louyng countreimā wherby you maie accord as by your promises and dueties ye ought to do to so godly so honorable and so profitable condiciōs as are now gētelly offered you Excussum Londini in aedibus Richardi Graftoni typis Impressoris Anno salutis nostrae 1547.