one rule as a general Maxime is obiected against her And yet the same rule is so vntruely set forth that I can not wel agree that it is any rule or Maxime of the cōmon law of this Realm of Englād Your pretēsed Maxime is whosoeuer is born out of the realm of Englād and of father and mother not being vnder the obediēce of the King of England cannot be capable to inherite any thing in England Which rule is nothing true but altogether false For euery stranger and Alien is hable to purchace the inheritance of landes within this Realme as it may appeare in 7. 9. of king Edward the fourth and also in 11. 14. of king Hērie the fourth And although the same purchace is of some men accounted to be to the vse of the King yet vntil such time as the king be intitled therevnto by matter of Record the inheritance remaineth in the Alien by the opinion of al men And so is a very Alien capable of inheritance within this Realme And then it must nedes fal out very plainly that your general Maxime where vpon you haue talked and bragged so muche is now become no rule of the common law of this Realme And if it be so then haue you vttered very many wordes to smal purpose But yet let vs see fartther whether there be any rule or Maxime in the cōmon Law that may seeme any thing like to that rule wherevppon any matter may be gathered against the Title of the said Marie Queene of Scotland There is one rule of the cōmon Lawe in wordes somewhat like vnto that whiche hath ben alleaged by the Aduersaries Which rule is set forth and declared by a statute made anno 25. of King Edward the third Which statute reciting the doubt that then was whether infants borne out of the allegeance of England should be hable to demaund any heritage within the same allegeance or no it was by the same statute ordeined that al infantes inheritours which after that time should be borne out of the allegeance of the King whose father and mother at the time of their birth were of the feaith and allegeāce of the King of England should haue and enioy the same benefittes and aduantages to haue and carie heritage within the said allegeance as other heires should Whervpon it is to be gathered by dew and iust construction of the statute and hath bene heretofore cōmonly taken that the cōmon law alwaies was and yet is that no person borne out of the allegeāce of the King of England whose father and mother were not of the same allegeāce should be able to haue or demaund any heritage within the same allegeance as heire to any person Which rule I take to be the same supposed Maxime which the Aduersaries do meane But to stretch it generally to al inheritances as the Aduersaries woulde seeme to do by any reasonable meanes can not be For as I haue said before euery strāger and Alien borne may haue and take inheritance as a purchaser And if an Alien do marie a woman inheritable the inheritance therby is both in the Alien and also in his wife and the Alien thereby a purchaser Noman doubteth but that a Denizon may purchase landes to his owne vse but to inherit landes as heire to any person within the allegeāce of England he can not by any meanes So that it seemeth very plaine that the said rule bindeth also Denyzōs and doth only extend to Descētes of inheritance and not to the hauing of any landes by purchase Now wil we then consider whether this rule by any reasonable construction can extende vnto the Lady Marie the Queene of Scotland for and cōcerning her Title to the Croune of England It hath bene said by the Aduersaries that she was borne in Scotland which realm is out of the allegeāce of England her father and mother not being of the same allegeance And therfore by the said rule she is not inheritable to the Croune of this Realm Although I might at the beginning very wel and orderly deny the consequent of your argumēt yet for this time we wil first examine the Antecedent whether it be true or no and then consider vpon the consequent That the Queene of Scotland was borne in Scotlād it must nedes be graūted but that Scotland is out of the allegeāce of Englād though the said Quene and al her subiects of Scotland wil stourly affirme the same yet ther is a great nūber of men in Eng and both lerned and others that be not of that opiniō being lead and persuaded therto by diuers histories Registers Recordes and Instruments of Homage remaining in the treasurie of this Realm wherin is metioned that the Kings of Scotland haue acknowledged the King of Englād to be the superiour Lord ouer the Realme of Scotland and haue done homage and fealtie for the same Which thing being true notwithstanding it be cōmonly denied by al Scotsmen then by the lawes of this realme Scotlād must nedes be accōpted to be within the allegeance of Englād And although sins the time of King Henry the sixt none of the Kinges of Scotlande haue done the said seruice vnto the Kinges of England yet that is no reason in our lawe to say that therefore the Realme of Scotland at the time of the birth of the said Ladie Marie Queene of Scotlande being in the thirtie and fourth yeare of the raigne of our late Souereigne Lorde King Henrie the eight was out of the allegeance of the kinges of England For the law of this Realm is very plain that though the Tenant do not his seruice vnto the Lorde yet hath not the Lord thereby lost his Seignorie For the lande still remaineth within his Fee and Seignorie that notwithstanding But peraduenture some wil obiecte and say that by that reason France should likewise be said to be within the allegeance of England forasmuch as the possession of the Croune of France hath bene within a litle more then the space of one hundred yeares now last past laufully vested in the kinges of Englād whose right and title stil remaineth To that obiectiō it may be answered that there is a great difference betwene the right and title which the Kings of Englād claime to the Realme of Fraunce and the right and title which they claime to the Realme of Scotlande Although it be true that the Kinges of Englande haue bene lawfully possessed of the Croune of France yet during such time as they by vsurpation of others are dispossessed of the saide Realme of France the same Realme by no meanes can be said to be within their allegeance especially considering how that syns the time of vsurpation the people of France haue wholy forsaken their allegeance and subiection which they did owe vnto the Kings of Englande and haue geuen and submitted them selues vnder the obedience and allegeance of the vsurpers But as for the Realme of Scotlande it is otherwise For
the Title whiche the Kinges of England haue claimed vnto the Realme of Scotland is not in the possession of the lande and Croune of Scotlande but onely vnto the seruice of homage and fealtie for the same And although the Kinges of Scotland sith the time of King Henry the eight haue intermitted to doe the said homage and fealtie vnto the Kinges of Englande yet for al that the Kinges of Scotland can not by any reason or lawe be called vsurpers And thus may ye see gentle Reader by the opinion of al indifferente men not lead by affection that the Realme of Scotlande hath bene and is yet within the allegeance and dominion of England And so is the Antecedent or first proposition false And yet that maketh no proufe that the Realme of France likewise should nowe be said to be within the allegeance of the Kings of England by reason of the manifest and apparent difference before shewed But what if your Antecedent were true and that we did agree both with the said Queene of Scotland and her subiectes and also with you that Scotland were out of the allegeance of England Yet it is very plaine that your consequent and conclusion can not by any meanes be true And that principally for three causes whereof one is for that neither the King not the Croune not being specially mētioned in the said rule or pretended Maxime can be intended to be within the meaning of the same Maxime as we haue before sufficiently proued by a great number of other suche like generall rules and Maximes of the lawes An other cause is for that the Croune can not be taken to be within the woordes of the said supposed Maxime and that for twoo respectes one is bycause the rule doth only dishable Aliens to demaunde any heritage within the allegeance of England Whiche rule can not be stretched to the demaunde of the Croune of Englād which is not with in the allegeance of England but is the very allegeance it selfe As for a like example it is true that al the landes within the Kinges dominion are holdē of the King either mediatly or immediately and yet it is not true that the Croune by whiche onely the King hath his Dominion can be said to be holdē of the King. For without the Croune there can be neither King nor allegeance And so long as the Croune resteth onely in demaund not being vested in any person ther is no allegeāce at al. So that the Croune can not be said by any meanes to be within the allegeance of England and therfore not within the wordes of the said rule or Maime The Title of the Croune is also out of the wordes and meaning of the same rule in an other respect and that is bycanse that rule doth only dishable an Alien to demaūd landes by descent as heire For it doth not extende vnto landes purchased by an Alien as we haue before sufficiently proued And then can not that rule extende vnto the Croune being a thing incorporate the right wherof doth not descend according to the common course of priuate inheritance but goeth by successiō as other corporatiōs do No man doubteth but that a Prior Alien being no denizon might alwaies in time of peace demaund land in the right of his corporatiō And so likewise a Deane or a Person being Aliens and no deniznos might demaund lande in respecte of their corporations not withstāding the said supposed rule or Maxime as may appeare by diuerse booke cases as also by the statute made in the time of King Richard the second And although the Croune hath alwaies gone according to the common course of a Descent yet doth it not properly descende but succede And that is the reason of the lawe that although the Kinge be more fauoured in all his doinges then any common person shal be yet can not the King by lawe auoide his grauntes and Letters Patentes by reason of his Nonage as other infantes may doe but shal alwaies be said to be of ful age in respect of his Croune euen as a Person Vicare or Deane or any other person incorporate shal be Whiche can not by any meanes be said in lawe to be within age in respect of their corporations although the corporation be but one yeare olde Bysides that the King can not by the law auoide the Letters Patentes made by any vsurper of the Croune vnlesse it be by act of Parlament no more then other persons incorporate shal auoide the grauntes made by one that was before wrongfully in their places and romes whereas in Descentes of inheritance the lawe is otherwise For there the heire may auoide al estates made by the disseafour or abatour or any other person whose estate is by lawe defeated Whereby it doth plainely appeare that the King is incorporate vnto the Croune and hath the same properly by succession and not by Descent onely And that is likewise an other reason to proue that the King and the Croune can neither be saide to be within the wordes nor yet with in the meaning of the said general rule or Maxime The third and most prncipall cause of all is for that in the said statute whervpon the said supposed rule or Maxime is gathered the children descendantes and descended of the blood royal by the wordes of Infantes de Roy are expresly excepted out of the said supposed rule or Maxime Whiche wordes the Aduersaries do much abuse in restrainīg and construing them to extende but to the first degree only whereas the same wordes may very wel beare a more large and ample interpretation And that for three causes and considerations First by the Ciuil lawe this word Liberi which the worde Infantes being the vsuall and original worde of the statute written in the Frenche tongue counteruaileth doth comprehende by proper and peculier signification not only the childrē of the first degree but other Descendants also in the law saying That he who is manumissed or made free shal not commence any Action against the children of the Patrone or manumissour without licence not onely the first degree but the other also is conteined The like is when the lawe of the twelue Tables saith The first place and roome of succession after the death of the parentes that die intestate is due to the children which successiō apperteineth as wel to degrees remoued as to the firste Yea in al causes fauourable as ours is this worde son Filius cōteineth the nephew though not by the propertie of the voice or speache yet by interpretation admittable in al such thinges as the law disposeth of As touching this worde Infantes in Frēch We say that it reacheth to other Descendāts as wel as the first degree Wherein I do referre me to suche as be expert in the said tongue We haue no one worde for the barenes of our English tōgue to coūterpaise the said French word Infantes or the Latin word
and intent of the said law Now in case these two causes and cōsiderations wil not satisfie th Aduersarie we wil adioine therevnto a third which he shal neuer by any good and honest shift auoid And that is the vse and practise of the Realme as wel in the time foregoing the said statute as afterward We stand vpon the interpretation of the cōmon law recited and declared by the said statute And how shal we better vnderstand what the law is therein then by the vse and practise of the said lawe For the best interpretation of the lawe is custome But the Realme before the statute admitted to the Croune not only kings children and others of the first degre but also of a farther degre and such as were plainely borne out of the Kings allegeance The soresaid vse and practise appeareth as wel before as sithens the time of the Conquest Among other King Edward the Confessour being destitute of a lawful Heire within the Realme sent into Hūgary for Edward his Nephew surnamed Outlaw son to King Edmūd called Irōside after many yeres of his exile to returne into Englād to th' intent the said Outlaw should inherite this Realme whiche neuerthelesse came not to effect by reason the said outlaw died before the said king Edward his Vncle. After whose death the said king apointed Eadgar Etheling sonne of the said Outlaw being his next cosen and heire as he was of right to the Croune of Englād And for that the said Eadgar was but of yong and tender yeares and not able to take vpō him so great a gouernement the said king cōmitted the protection as wel of the yong Prince as also of the Realm to Harold Earle of Kent vntil suche time as the said Eadgar had obteined perfit age to be hable to weld the state of a King Which Harold neuerthelesse cōtrary to the trust supplanted the said yong Prince of the Kingdome and put the Croune vpon his own head By this it is apparent that foraine birth was not accōpted of before the time of the Cōquest a iust cause to repel and reiect any man being of the next proximitie in blood frō the Title of the Croune And though the said king Edward the Cōfessors wil and purpose toke no such force and effect as he desired and the law craued yet the like succession toke place effectuously in king Stephen and king Hēry the secōd as we haue already declared Neither wil th' Aduersaries shift of foramers borne of father and mother which be not of the kings alegeāce help him forasmuch as this clause of the said statut is not to be applied to the kings childrē but to others as appeareth in the same statute And these two kings Stephē and Henrie the 2. as they were borne in a forain place so their fathers and mothers wer not of the kings allegeāce but mere Aliens and strāgers And how notorious a vaine thing is it that th' Aduersarie would perswade vs that the said K. Henrie the secōd rather came in by force of a cōposition then by the proximitie and nearenes of blood I leaue it to euery man to cōsider that hath any maner of feling in the discours of the stories of this realm The cōpositiō did procure him quietnes and rest for the time with a good and sure hope of quiet and peaceable entrance also after the death of King Stephen and so it followed in deede but ther grew to him nomore right therby then was due to him before For he was the true heir to the Croune as appeareth by Stephen his Aduersaries owne confession Henry the firste maried his daughter Mathildis to Henry the Emperour by whome he had no childrē And no dout in case she had had any children by th'Emperour they should haue ben heires by succession to the Croune of England After whose death she retourned to her father yet did King Henry cause all the Nobilitie by an expresse othe to embrace her after his death as Queene and after her her children Not long after she was maried to Ieffrey Plantagenet a Frenchman borne Earle of Aniowe who begat of her this Henry the second being in France Whervpon the said King did reuiue and renue the like othe of allegeāce aswel to her as to her sonne after her With the like false persuasiō the Adueruersarie abuseth him selfe and his Reader touching Arthur Duke of Britanie Nephew to King Richard the first As though forsooth he were iustly excluded by Kinge Iohn his vncle by cause he was a forainer borne If he had said that he was excluded by reason the vncle ought to be preferred before the Nephewe though it should haue ben a false allegation and plaine against the rules of the lawes of this Realme as may wel appeare among other thinges by King Richard the second who succeded his grādfather king Edward the third which Richard had diuerse worthie and noble vncles who neither for lacke of knowledge coulde be ignorant of the right neither for lacke of frendes courage and power be enforced to forbeare to chalenge their title and interest yet should he haue had some countenance of reason and probabilitie bicause many arguments and the authoritie of many learned and notable Ciuilians doo concurre for the vncles right before the Nephewe But to make the place of the natiuitie of an inheritour to a kingdom a sufficiēt barre against the right of his blood it seemeth to haue but a weake and slender holde and grounde And in our case it is a most vnsure and false ground seeing it is moste true that King Richard the first as we haue said declared the said Arthur borne in Britanie and not son of a King but his brother Geffreys sonne Duke of Britanie heire apparent his vncle Iohn yet liuing And for such a one is he taken in al our stories And for such a one did all the worlde take him after the said King Richard his death neither was King Iohn taken for other then for an vsurper by excluding him and afterward for a murtherer for imprisoning him and priuily making him away For the which facte the French King seased vpon al the goodly Coūtries in France belonging to the King of England as forfeited to him being the chiefe Lorde By this outragious deede of King Iohn we lost Normandie withall and our possibilitie to the inheritance of all Britanie the right and Title to the said Britanie being dewe to the said Arthur and his heires by the right of his mother Constance And though the said king Iohn by the practise and ambition of Quene Elenour his mother and by the special procurement of Huberte then Archebishop of Caunterburie and of some other factious persons in Englād preuēted the said Arthur his nephew as it was easy for him to do hauing gotten into his handes al his brother Richardes treasure by sides many other rentes then in England and the said Arthur being an infante
and remaining beyond the sea in the custody of the said Constance yet of this fact being against al Iustice aswel the said Archbishop as also many of th' other did after most earnestly repent considering the cruel and the vniust putting to death of the said Arthur procured and after some Authours committed by the said Iohn himself Which most foul aÌ„d shamful act the said Iohn neded not to haue committed if by foraine birth the said Arthur had beÌ„ barred to inherit the Croune of England And much lesse to haue imprisoned that most innocent Ladie Elenor sister to the said Arthur in Bristow Castle wher she miserably ended her life if that gay Maxime would haue serued to haue excluded these two childreÌ„ bicause thei wer straÌ„gers borne in the partes beyond the seas Yea it appeareth in other doings also of the said time and by the storie of the said Iohn that the birth out of the legeaÌ„ce of England by father aÌ„d mother foram was not takeÌ„ for a sufficieÌ„t repulse and reiectioÌ„ to the right and title of the Croune For the BaroÌ„s of EnglaÌ„d being then at dissension with the said King Iohn and renouÌ„cing their allegeance to him receaued Lewis the eldest sonne of Philip the FreÌ„ch king to be their King in the right of Blanch his wife whiche was a stranger borne albe it the lawful Neece of the said Richard and daughter to Alphonse king of Caâ—til begotten on the bodie of Elenour his wife one of the daughters of king Henrie the second and sister to the said king Richard and king Iohn Which storie I alleage only to this purpose thereby to gather the opinion of the time that foraine birth was then thought no barre in the Title of the Croune For otherwise how could Lewis of FraÌ„ce preteÌ„d title to the Croune in the right of the said Bblach his wife borne in Spaine These examples are sufficient I suppose to satisfie and content any man that is not obstinatly wedded to his own fond fantasies and froward friuolous imaginatioÌ„s or otherwise worse depraued for a good sure and substantial interpretation of the coÌ„mon law And it were not altogether from the purpose here to consider and weigh with what and how greuous plagues this Realme hath bene oft afflicted and scourged by reason of wrongful and vsurped titles I wil not reuiue by odious rehearsal the greatenes and number of the same plagues as wel otherwise as especially by the contention of the noble houses and families of York and Lancaster seeing it is so fortunately and almost within mans remeÌ„brance extinct and buried I wil now put the gentle Reader in remembrance of those only with whose vsurping Titles we are nowe presently in hand And to begyn with the most auncieÌ„t what became I pray you of Harold that by briberie and helpe of his kinred vsurped the Croune against the foresaid yong Eadgar who as I haue said and as the old monumeÌ„ts of our Historiographers do plainly testifie was the true and lawful Heire Could he thinke you enioy his ambitious and naughty vsurping one whole entier yere No surely ere the first yeare of his vsurped reigne turned about he was spoiled and turned out both of Croune and his life withal Yea his vsurpation occasioned the conquest of the whole realme by WilliaÌ„ Duke of NormaÌ„die bastard sonne to Robert the sixt Duke of the same And may we thinke al safe and sound now from like danger if we should tread the said wrong steppes with Harolde forsaking the right and high way of law and iustice What shal I now speake of the cruel ciuil warres betwene King Stephen and King Henry the second whiche warres rose by reason of the said Henry was vniustly kept froÌ„ the Croune dew to his mother Maude and to him afterwardes The pitiful reigne of the said Iohn who doth not lament with the lamentable losse of Normandie Aquitaine and the possibilitie of the Dukedome of Britanie and with the losse of our other goodly possessions in France whereof the Croune of England was robbed and spoiled by the vnlawful vsurping of him against his nephew Arthur Wel let vs leaue these greuouse and lothsome remembrances and let vs yet seeke if we may finde any later interpretation either of the said statute or rather of the coÌ„mon law for our purpose And lo the great goodnes and prouidence of God who hath if the foresaid exaÌ„ples would not serue prouided a later but so good so sure so apt and mete interpretatioÌ„ for our cause as any reasonable hart may desire The interpretatioÌ„ directly toucheth our case which I meane by the mariage of the Lady Margaret eldest daughter to King HeÌ„ry the vij vnto Iames the fourth KiÌ„g of ScotlaÌ„d and by the opinioÌ„ of the said most prudeÌ„t Prince in bestowing his said daughter into ScotlaÌ„d a ma ter sufficient inough to ouerthrow al those cauilling inueÌ„tioÌ„s of the aduersarie For what time King Iames the fourth sent his ambassadour to king HeÌ„ry the seueÌ„th to obteine his good wil to espouse the said Lady Margaret there were of his Counsaile not ignorant of the lawes and Customes of the Realme that did not wel like vpon the said Mariage saying it might so fal out that the right and Title of the Croune might be deuolued to the Lady Margaret and her childreÌ„ and the Realm therby might be subiect to ScotlaÌ„d To the whiche the prudent and wise King answered that in case any such deuolution should happen it would be nothing preiudicial to England For England as the chief and principal and worthiest part of the I le should drawe Scotland to it as it did Normandie from the time of the Conqueste Which answere was wonderfully wel liked of al the Counsaile And so consequâ—tly the mariage toke effect as appereth by Polydor the Historiographer of this Realm and such a one as wrote the Actes of the time by the instruction of the King him selfe I say then the worthy wise Salomon foreseeing that such deuolution might happen was an interpretour with his prudente and sage Counsaile for our cause For els they neaded not to reason of any such subiection to Scotlande if the children of the Ladie Margaret might not lawfully inherite the Croune of England For as to her husband we could not be subiect hauing him selfe no right by this mariage to the Title of the Croune of this Realme Wherevpon I may wel inferre that the said newe Maxime of these men whereby they would rule and ouer rule the succession of Princes was not knowen to the said wise King neither to any of his Counsaile Or if it were yet was it taken not to reache to his blood royall borne in Scotlande And so on euery side the Title of Quene Marie is assured So that now by this that we haue said it may easely be seen by what light and slender consideration the Aduersarie hath gone about to strayne the wordes Infantes or children to the first degree
nature in himself who delights to make all his iourneis in such sullē solitary sort therfore belike an ill companion to liue withall in any felovvship Then yt shewes his extreeme want of abilitie to defray the expence of woeng in a bountiful shew sitting such a prince as cōmeth to obtein out Queen This his secrete comming departing discouers a mistrustfulnes in him towards our people and therefore no loue which must needs come frō his own ill consci ence of fearing french measure in England for on our part the Lord be thanked we haue not committed such villenies all men deeme him vnworthy to speed who comes in a net as though he were loath to auow his errand Some men may think he is ashamed to shevv his face but I think verely that he meanes not sincerely who loues not light wil not com abroade The last noble princely gentlemā that went out of Englād to vvin a Queen in france gaue trial shew of vvisdome manhod behauiour and personage by open cōuersatiō performing al maner of knightly excercises which makes vs in England to find very strange this vnmanlike vnprincelike secrete fearful suspitious disdainful needy french kind of woeng in Monsieur we can not chuse but by the same stil as by all the other former demonstratife remonstrāces conclude that thys french mariage is the streightest line that can be dravvne frō Rome to the vtter ruine of our church the very rightest perpendicular downfal that can be imagined frō the point france to our English state fetching in vvithin one circle of lamentable fall the royal estate of our noble Queen of hir person nobility and commons vvhose Christian honorable healthful ioyful peaceful and long souereigne raigne without all superior ouerruling commander especially french namely Monsieur the king of kings hold on to his glory and hyr assurance of true glory in that other kingdom of heauen Amen Amen Amen A TREATISE TOVCHING THE RIGHT TITLE AND INTEREST OF the mightie and noble Princesse Marie Queene of Scotland to the succession of the Croune of England Made by Morgan Philippes Bachelar of Diuinitie assisted vvith the aduise of Antonie Broune Knight one of the Iustices of the Common Place An. 1567. LEODII Apud Gualterum Morberium 1571. A TREATISE TOVCHING THE RIGHT TITLE AND INTEREST OF the mightie and noble Princesse Marie Queene of Scotland to the succession of the Croune of England The Second Booke THE great prouidence good Reader of the eternal God who of nothing created all thinges did not only create the same by his ineffable power but by the same power gaue a special gifte and grace also to euery liuing thing to continue to renewe and to preserue eche his owne kinde But in this consideration the condition of man among and aboue al earthly thinges hath his pearelesse prerogatiue of wit and reason wherewith he only is of God gratiously endewed and adorned by the which he doth prouide not only for his presente necessitie and sauegard as do also naturally after their sorte al beastes and al other liuing thinges voide of reason but also by the pregnancie of wit and reasonable discourse doth long afore forsee the dangerous perils that many yeres after may happen either to himself or to his Countrey and then by diligence and careful prouision doth inuent apte and mete remedies for the eschewing of suche mischieffes as might outragiously afterwarde occurre And the greater the feare is of greater mischief the greater the deper and the speedier care is wont to be taken to preuent and cut of the the same It is also most certaine by the confession of al the world that this care is principally dew by eche man that hath opportunitie to do good therin to his Prince his Countrey and to the common Weale and good quiet of the Countrey for the continuance and happie preseruation of the same To the preseruation whereof as there are many partes and branches belonging so one principal part is for Subiectes louingly and reuerently to honour dreade and obediently to serue their Souereigne that chaunceth presently to rule and gouerne The next to foreknow to whome they should beare their allegeance after the deceasse of their foresaid Prince and Gouernour Which being once certaine and assuredly knowen as it procureth when the time requireth readie and seruiceable obedience with the great comfort and vniuersal reast and quietnes of the Subiectes so where for the said Successour there is among them discord and diuersitie of iudgementes the matter groweth to faction and from faction to plaine hostilitie and from hostilitie to the daunger of many mens liues and many times to the vtter subuersion of the whole state For the better auoiding of suche and the like inconueniences albeit at the beginninge Princes reigned not by descente of blood and succession but by choyce and election of the worthieste the worlde was for the moste parte constrained to repudiate election and so often times for the better and the worthier to take a certain issue and ofspringe of some one onely persone though otherwise perchaunce not so mete Which defecte is so supplied partely by the great benefit of the vniuersal rest and quietnes that the people enioy thereby and partly by the graue and sage Counsaylours to Princes that the whole worlde in a manner these many thousand yeares hath embraced succession by blood rather then election And politike Princes whiche haue had no children of their owne to succede them haue had euer a special care and foresight thereof for auoiding of ciuil discention So that the people might alwaies knowe the true and certaine Heire apparent chiefly where there appeared any likelyhod of varietie of opinions or faction to ensewe about the true and lawful succession in gouernement This care and foresight doth manifestly appeare to haue bene not onely in many Princes of foraine Countreies but also of this Realme as wel before the tyme of the Conqueste as also after namely in Kinge Edwarde the Confessour in declaring and appointing Eadgare Atheling his nephewes sonne his heire as also in King Richard the first who before he interprised his Iourney to Hierusalem where for his chiualrie he atchiued high honour declared by consent of his Nobilitie and Cōmous Arthur sonne of his brother Duke of Britaine his next heire in succession of the Crowne Of the whiche Arthur as also of the said Eadgare Atheling we wil speake more hereafter This care also had King Richard the second what time by authoritie of Parlament he declared the Lorde Edmond Mortymer that maried Philippe dawghter and heire to his Vncle Leonel Duke of Clarence heire apparente And to descende to later times our late Noble Souereigne King Henry the eyght shewed as it is knowen his prudente and zealous care in this behalf before his last noble voiage into Fraunce And now if God should as we be al as wel Princes as others subiect to mortall chaunces once
bereaue vs of the present Gouernour the hartes and iudgementes of men being no better nor more firmely setled and fixed towards the expectation of a certaine succession then they seme now to be then wo and alas it yrketh my verie harte euen onse to thincke vpon the imminente and almost the ineuitable daunger of this our noble Realme beinge like to be ouerwhelmed with the raging and roring waues of mutual discorde and to be consumed with the terrible fier of ciuil discētion The feare whereof is the more by reason already in these later yeares some flames thereof haue sparkled and flusshed abrode and some parte of the rage of the sayd fluddes haue already beaten vpō the bankes I meane the hot contention that hath bene therein in so many places and among so many persons of bookes also that haue bene spread abrode and daily are spread being framed affectionately and sounding according to the sinister opinion of euery mans priuate appetite Seing therefore that there is iust cause of feare and of great danger likely to happen by this varietie of mens iudgementes so diuersely affected as wel of meane men as of greate personages I take it the parte of euery true Englishman to labour ad trauaile eche man for his possibilitie and for suche talente as God hath geuen him to helpe in conuenient tyme for the preuenting of the imminent daunger We knowe what wit what policie what paines what charges menne imploie to prouide that the Temmes or sea doo not ouerflowe such places as be moste subiecte to daunger We knowe what politike prouision is made in many good Cities and townes both to foresee that by negligence there ryse no dangerouse fiers and yf they chaunce with al diligence to represse the rage thereof Wherein among other his prudente dooinges Augustus the Emperour is commended for appointing at Rome seuen companies ordinarily to watche the Citie for the purpose aforesaide Wherevnto he was enduced by reason the Citie was in one daye in seuen seuerall places sette on fier And shal not we euery man for his his parte and vocation haue a vigilant care and respecte to the extinguishement of this fier already sprong out that may if the matter be not wisely foreseen destroie subuert and consume not one Citie onely but importe an vniuersall calamitie and destruction Which to represse one ready and good way seemeth vnto me if men may knowe and be throughly persuaded in what person the right of the succession of the Croune of this our Realme doth stande and remaine For now many men through ignorance of the said Right and Title and also the same being depraued by certaine sinister persuasions in some bookes wherevnto they haue to lightly geuen creditte be caried away from the right opinion and good hart that they otherwise would and should haue The whiche kind of men I doo hartely wishe from their said corrupte iudgemente to be reuoked and shal in this Treatise doo my beste indeuour to remoue not presuming vpon my self that I am any thing better able then others this to do for I knowe my owne infirmitie but being glad and willing to impart vnto others such motiues as vpon the reading of such bookes which of late haue ben set forth by the Aduersaries and after the diligent weying of diuers argumentes to the contrarie seeme vnto me sufficient to satisfie any honest and indifferent man that is not obstinately bent to his owne wilfull affections or to some other sinister meaning and dealing We say then and affirme that the right Heire and Successour apparent vnto the Croune of this Realme of England is at this time such a one as for the excellent giftes of God and nature in her most princely appearing is worthie to inherit either this noble Realm or any other be it of much more dignitie and worthines But nowe I claime nothing for the worthines of the person whiche God forbid should be any thing preiudiciall to the iuste title of others Yf most open and manifeste right iustice and title do not concurre with the worthines of the person then let the praise and worthines remaine where it is and the right where God and the lawe hath placed it But seing God Nature and the law doth call the person to this expectation whose interest and claime I do now prosequute I meane the right excellēt Ladie Ladie Marie Queene of Scotlande I hope that when her right and iuste title shal be throughly heard and cōsidered by the indifferent Reader if he be persuaded already for her right he shal be more firmely setled in his true and good opinion and that the other parties being of a contrarie minde shall finde good causes and groundes to remoue them from the fame and to geue ouer and yelde to the truthe Her Graces Title then as it is moste open and euidente so it is moste conformable to the lawe of God of Nature and of this Realme And cōsequently in a manner of all other Realmes in the worlde as growing by the nearest proximitie of the Roial blood She is a Kinges and a Queenes daughter her selfe a Queene daughter to the late King Iames of Scotlande sonne to Ladie Margarete the eldest Syster to our late Soueraigne Kyng Henrie the Eight Whose daughter also the Ladie Lenoux is but by a later husbande the Ladie Frauncis late wife to Henrie Marques Dorsette afterwarde Duke of Suffolke and the Ladie Elenour late wife to the Earle of Cumberlande and their Progenie proceedeth from the Ladie Marie Dowager of France yongest Sister of the said King Henrie late wife to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke I might here fetche foorth olde farne dayes I might reache backe to the noble and worthie Kinges long before the Conquest of whose Roial blood she is descended Whiche is no parte of our purpose neither doth enforce her Title more then to prooue her no stranger within this Realme But the Argumentes and prouffes which we meane to alleage and bring forth for the confirmation of her right and Title in Succession as Heire apparent to the Croune of England are gathered and groūded vpon the lawes of God and nature and not only receaued in the Ciuill policies of other nations but also in the olde lawes and Customes of our owne Countrey by reason approued and by vsage and long continuance of time obserued from the first constitution of this Realme in politicall order vnto this present day And yet for al that hath it bene and yet is by some men attempted artificially to obiecte and caste many mystie darke cloudes before mennes eyes to kepe from them if it may be the cleare light of the said iust title the which they would extinguish or at the least blemish with some obscure shadow of lawe but in deede against the lawe and with the shadowe of Parlamentes but in deede against the true meaning of the Parlamentes And albe it it were inough for vs our cause being so firmely and suerly establisshed vppon al
good reason and lawe to stande at defence and onely to auoide as easely we may their obiections which principally and chiefly are grounded vpon the common lawes and Statutes of this Realme yet for the bettering and strengthening of the same we shal lay forth sundrie great and inuincible reasons coÌ„ioyned with good and sufficient authoritie of the law so approued and confirmed that the Aduersaries shal neuer be able iustly to impugne them And so that we trust after the reading of this Treatise and the effectes of the same wel digested no maner of scruple ought to remaine in any indifferent mans hart concerning her right and Title Whose expectation and conscience allthough we truste fully in this Discourse to satisfie and doubt nothing in the worlde of the righteousnes of our cause yet must we nedes confesse the manner and forme to entreate therof to be ful of difficultie and perplexity For such causes of Princes as they be seldome and rare so is it more rare and strange to finde them discoursed discussed and determined by any lawe or statute albe it nowe and then some statutes tende that waye Neither do our lawes nor the Corps of the Romaine and Ciuil law lightly meddle with the princelie gouernement but with priuate mens causes And yet this notwithstanding for the better iustification of our cause albe it I denie not but that by the coÌ„mon law it muste be knoweÌ„ who ought to haue the Croune and that the common lawe muste discerne the right aswel of the Croune as of subiectes yet I saye that there is a greate difference betwene the Kings right and the right of others And that the Title of the Croune of this Realme is not subiect to the rules and principles of the common lawe of this Realme as to be ruled and tryed after such order and course as the inheritance of priuate persons is by the same For the prous whereof let vs consider what the common lawe of this Realme is and how the rules thereof be grounded and do take place It is very manifeste and plaine that the common lawe of this Realme of England is no law writteÌ„ but grounded only vpon a common and generall custome throughout the whole realme as appeareth by the Treatise of the auncient and famous Writer of the lawes of the realme named Ranulphus de Glanuilla who wrote in the time of the noble King Henrie the second of the law and Custome of the realme of England being then and also in the time of the raigne of King Richarde the firste the chiefe Counsailour and Iustice of the same King and also by the famouse Iustice Fortescue in his booke whiche he wrote being Chauncellour of England De laudibus Legum Angltae And by 33. H. 6.51 and by E. 4.19 Whiche Custome by vsage and continuall practise heretofore had in the Kinges Courts within this Realme is only knowen and mainteined wherein we seeme much agreable to the olde Lacedemonians who many hundred yeres past most politikely and famously gouerned their common Wealth with lawe vnwritten whereas among the Athenians the writen lawes bare al the sway This thing being so true that with any reason or good authoritie it can not be denied then we are farther to consider whether the Kinges Title to the Croune can be examined tried and ordered by this common Custome or no. Yf ye say it may then must ye proue by some recorde that it hath bene so vsed otherwise ye only say it and nothing at all proue it For nothing can be said by lawe to be subiecte to any custome vnlesse the same hath ben vsed accordingly and by force of the same custom I am wel assured that you are not able to proue the vsage and practise thereof by any record in any of the Kings courts Yea I wil farther say vnto you and also proue it that there is no one rule general or special of the common lawe of this Realme which ye â—â—ther haue shewed or can shewe that 〈◊〉 bene taken by any iuste construction to 〈◊〉 tende vnto or bind the King or his Crouâ—â—â— I wil not denie but that to declare and see forth the prerogatiue and IurisdictioÌ„ of the King ye may shewe many rules of the lawe but to binde him as I haue sayde ye can shewe none Ye say in your booke that it is a Maxime in our lawe most manifest that who so euer is borne out of England and of father and mother not being of the obedience of the King of England can not be capable to inherite any thing in England Whiche rule being general without any wordes of exception ye also say must nedes extende vnto the Croune What you meane by your law I knowe not But if you meane as I thinke you do the common lawe of England I answere there is no such Maxime in the common lawe of this Realme of Englande as hereafter I shal manifestly proue But if it were for argumentes sake admitted for this time that it be a Maxime or general rule of the coÌ„mon law of England yet to say that it is so general as that no exception can be taken against the same rule ye shewe your selfe either ignorant or els very carelesse of your creditte For it doth plainely appeare by the Statute of 25. E. 3. being a declaration of that rule of the Lawe whiche I suppose ye meane terming it a Maxime that that rule extendeth not vnto the Kinges children Whereby it moste euidently appeareth that it extendeth not generally to al. And if it extende not to binde the Kinges children in respect of any inheritance descended vnto them from any of their Auncestours it is an Argument à fortiori that it doth not extende to binde the King or his Croune And for a ful and short answere to your Authorities sette foorth in your marginall Notes as 5. Ed ward 3. tit Ayle 13. Ed war. 3. tit Bref 31. Edw. 3. tit Coson 42. Ed war. 3. fol. 2. 22. Henric. 6. fol. 42.11 Henric. 4. fol. 23. 24. Litleton ca. vilenage it may plainly appeare vnto all that will reade and pervse those Bookes that there is none of them al that doth so much as with a peece of a word or by any colour or shadow seeme to intende that the Title of the Croune is bounde by that your supposed general rule or Maxime For euerie one of the said Cases argued and noted in the said Booke are onely concerning the dishabilitie of an Alien borne and not Denizon to demaunde any landes by the lawes of the Realme by suite and action onely as a subiect vnder the King and nothing touching any dishabilitie to be laied to the King himselfe or to his subiectes Is there any controuersie about the Title of the Croune by reason of any such dishabilitie touched in any of these Bookes No verely not one worlde I dare boldely say As it may most manifestly appeare to them that wil reade and pervse
those bookes And yet ye are not ashamed to note them as sufficient authorities for the maintenance of your euil purpose and intēt But as ye would seeme to vnderstand that your rule of dishabilitie is a general Maxime of the law so me thinketh ye should not be ignorant that it is also as general yea a more general rule and Maxime of the lawe that no Maxime or rule of the lawe can extende to binde the King or the Croune vnlesse the same be specially mentioned therein as may appeare by diuerse principles and rules of the lawe which be as general as is your sayd supposed Maxime and yet neither the King nor the Croune is by any of them bound As for example it is very plaine that the rule of the Tenante by the Curtesie is general without any exception at al. And yet the same bindeth not the Croune neither doth extende to geue any benefitte to him that shal marie the Queene of England As it was plainely agreed by all the lawiers of this Realme when King Philippe was married vnto Queene Marie although for the more suertie and plaine declaration of the intentes of King Philippe and Queene Marie and of al the states of this realme it was enacted that King Philip should not claime any Tytle to be Tenaunt by the Curtesie It is also a general rule that if a man dye seased of any landes in Fee simple without issue male hauing diuerse daughters the lande shall be equally diuided amonge the daughters Which rule the learned men in the lawes of this Realme agreed vpō in the lyfe of the late noble Prince Edwarde and also euery reasonable mā knoweth by vsage to take no place in the succession of the Croune For there the eldest enioyeth al as though she were issue male Likewise it is a general rule that the wife after the decease of her husband shal be endowed and haue the thirde parte of the best possessions of her husband And yet it is very clere that any Queene shal not haue the thirde parte of the landes belonging to the Croune as appeareth in 5. E. 3. Tit. praerogat 21. E. 3.9 28. H. 6. and diuers other bookes Bysides that the rule of Possessio fratris beinge generall neither hath bene or can be stretched to the inheritance of the Croune For the brother of the half blood shal succede and not the sister of the whole blood as may appeare by Iustice Moile as may be proued by King Etheldred brother and successor to King Edward the Martyr and by King Edwarde the Confessour brother to King Edmunde and diuers other who succeded in the Croune of England being but of the halfe blood As was also the late Queene Marie and is at this presente her sister who both in al recordes of our lawe wherein their seueral rightes and titles to the Croune are pleaded as by daily experience aswell in the Exchequer as also in all other Courtes is manifest doe make their conueiance as heires in blood th' one to the other which if they were cōmon or priuate persons they could not be allowed in lawe they as is wel knowen being of the halfe blood one to the other that is to wit begotten of one father but borne of sundrie mothers It is also a general rule in the lawe that the executour shal haue the good and Chattles of the testatour and not the heire And yet is it otherwise in the case of the Croune For there the successour shal haue them and not the executour as appeareth in 7. H. 4. by Gascoine It is likewise a general rule that a man attainted of felony or treason his heire through the corruption of blood without pardon and restitution of blood is vnable to take any landes by discente Whiche rule although it be general yet it extendeth not to the discente or succession of the Croune although the same Attainder were by acte of Parlamente as may appeare by the Attainder of Richarde Duke of Yorke and King Edward his son and also of King Henry the seuenth who were attainted by acte of Parlament and neuer restored and yet no dishabilitie thereby vnto Edwarde the fourth nor vnto Henry the seuenth to receaue the Croune by lawful succession But to this you would seeme to answere in your said booke saying that Hēry the seuenth notwithstanding his Attainder came to the Croune as caste vpon him by the order of the lawe forasmuch that when the Croune was caste vpon him that dishabilitie ceassed Wherein ye confesse directly that the Attainder is no dishabilitie at all to the succession of the Croune For although no dishabilitie can be alleaged in him that hath the Croune in possession yet if there were any dishabilitie in him before to receue and take the same by lawful succession then must ye say that he was not lawful King but an vsurper And therfore in confessing Henry the seuenth to be a lawful King and that the Croune was lawfully caste vppon him ye confesse directly thereby that before he was Kinge in possession there was no dishabilitie in him to take the Croune by lawful successiō his said Attainder notwithstanding which is as much as I would wish you to graunt But in conclusion vnderstanding your self that this your reason can not mainteine your intente you goe about an other way to helpe your self making a difference in the lawe betwene the case of Attainder and the case of foraine byrth out of the Kinges allogeāce saying that in the case of the Attainder neessitie doth enforce the succession of the Croune vpon the partie attaynted For otherwise ye say the Croune shall not descende to any But vpon the birth out of the Kinges allegance ye say it is otherwise And for proufe therof ye put a case of I.S. being seased of landes and hauing issue A. and B. A. is attainted in the life of I.S. his father and after I.S. dieth A. liuing vnrestored Nowe the lande shal not descende either to A. or B. but shal goe to the Lorde of the Fee by way of eschete Otherwise it had ben ye say if A. had ben borne beyond the sea I. S. breaking his allegeāce to the King and after I. S. cometh agayne into the Realme and hath issue B. and dieth for now ye say B. shal inherite his fathers Landes Yf the Croune had bene holden of any person to whome it might haue escheted as in your case of I.S. the lande did then peraduenture there had bene some affinitie betwene your said case and the case of the Croune But there is no such matter Bysides that ye muste consider that the King cometh to the Croune not onely by descente but also and chiefly by succession as vnto a corporation And therefore ye might easely haue sene a difference in your cases betwene the Kinges Maiestie and I.S. a subiecte And also betwene landes holden of a Lorde aboue and the Croune holden of no earthly Lorde but
of God almighty onely But yet for arguments sake I would faine knowe where you finde your differēce and what authoritie you can shew for the prouf thereof Ye haue made no marginal note of any authoritie and therefore vnlesse ye also saye that ye are Pythagoras I will not beleue your difference Wel I am assured that I can shew you good authoritie to the contrarie and that there is no difference in your cases Pervse I praie you 22. H. 6. And there may you see the opinion of Iustice Newton that there is no difference in your cases but that in both your cases the lande shall eschete vnto the Lorde And Prisote being then of Coūsayle with the party that claimed the lands by a descent wher the eldest sonne was borne beyond the seas durst not abide in law vpon the title This authoritie is against your difference and this authoritie I am wel assured is better then any that you haue shewed to proue your difference But if we shal admitte your difference to be according to the law yet your cases wherevnto you applie your difference are nothing like as I haue said before But to procede on in the proufe of our purpose as it doth appeare that neither the King nor his Croune is bound by these general rules which before I haue shewed so do I likewise say of al the residue of the general rules and Maximes of the lawe being in a manner infinite But to retourne againe vnto your onely supposed Maxime whiche you make so general concerning the dishabilitie of persons borne beyond the seas it is very plaine that it was neuer taken to extende vnto the Croune of this Realme of Englande as it may appeare by King Stephen and by King Henry the seconde who were both straungers and Frenchemen and borne out of the Kinges allegeance and neither were they Kinges children immediate nor their parentes of the allegeance and yet they haue bene alwaies accompted lawfull Kinges of England nor their title was by any man at any time defaced or comptrolled for any such consideration or exception of foraine birth And it is a worlde to see how you would shifte your handes from the said King Henry Ye say he came not to the Croune by order of the lawe but by capitulation for asmuch as his mother by whome he conueied his Title was then liuing Well admitte that he came to the Croune by capitulation during his mothers life yet this doth not proue that he was dishabled to receaue the Croune but rather proueth his abilitie And although I did also admit that he had not the Croune by order of the law during his mothers life yet after his mothers death no man hath hitherto doubted but that he was King by lawful succession and not against the lawes and Customes of this Realme For so might you put a doubt in al the Kinges of this Realme that euer gouerned sithens and driue vs to seake heires in Scotland or els where Whiche thing we suppose you are ouer wise to goe about Bysides this I haue hard some of the aduersaries for farther helpe of their intention in this matter saye that King Henry the second was à Queenes childe and so King by the rule of the commō law Truely I know he was an Emperesse childe but no Queene of Englandes childe For although Maude the Emperesse his mother had a right and a good title to the Croune and to be Queene of England yet was she neuer in possession but kepte from the possession by King Stephen And therefore King Henry the second can not iustly be saied to be a Queene of Englandes childe nor yet any Kinges childe vnlesse ye would intend the Kinges children by the wordes of Infantes de Roy c. to be children of farther degree and descended from the right line of the King so ye might say truely that he was the child of King Henry the first being in deede the sonne and heire of Maude the Emperesse daughter and heire of Kinge Henrie the first Whereby your saide rule is here fowly foiled And therefore ye would faine for the maintenance of your pretensed Maxime catche some holde vppon Arthur the sonne of Ieffrey one of the sonnes of the saide Henry the seconde Ye say then like a good and ioly Antyquarie that he was reiected from the Croune bycause he was borne out of the Realme That he was borne out of the Realme it is very true but that he was reiected frō the Croune for that cause it is very false Neither haue you any autoritie to proue your vaine opinion in this pointe For it is to be proued by the Cronicles of this Realme that King Richarde the first vncle vnto the sayd Arthur taking his iourney towarde Hierusalem declared the said Arthur as we haue declared before to be heire apparent vnto the Croune whiche would not haue ben if he had bene taken to be vnhable to receaue the Croune by reason of foraine birth And although King Iohn did vsurpe aswel vpon the saide King Richard the firste his eldest brother as also vpon the sayd Arthur thur his nephewe yet that is no prouf that he was reiected bycause he was borne out of the Realme Yf ye could proue that then had you shewed some reason and president to proue your intent whereas hytherto you haue shewed none at al nor I am wel assured shal neuer be able to shewe Thus may ye see gentle Reader that neither this pretensed Maxime of the lawe set forth by th' Aduersaries nor a great nomber more as general as this is whiche before I haue shewed can by any reasonable meanes be stretched to bind the Croune of Englād These reasons and authorities may for this time suffice to proue that the Croune of this Realme is not subiecte to the rules and the Principles of the common lawe neither can be ruled and tried by the same Whiche thing being true al the obiectiōs of the Aduersaries made against the title of Marie the Queene of Scotland to the succession of the Croune of this Realme are fully answered and thereby clearly wiped away Yet for farther arguments sake and to the ende we might haue al matters sifted to the vttermost and therby al things made plaine let vs for this tyme somewhat yeelde vnto the Aduersaries admitting that the Title of the Croune of this Realme were to be examined and tried by the rules and principles of the cōmon law and then let vs consider and examin farther whether ther be any rule of the cōmon law or els any statute that by good and iust construction can seeme to inpugne the said title of Marie the Queene of Scotland or no. For touching her lineal descente frō King Henry the seuēth and by his eldest daughter as we haue shewed there is no man so impudent to denie What is there then to be obiected among al the rules Maximes and iudgements of the cōmon law of this Realm Only
Scotland and Wales be al within one Territorie and not diuided by any sea And al old Recordes of the law concerning seruice to be done in those two Countries haue these words Infra quatuor Maria within the fower seas which must nedes be vnderstaÌ„d in ScotlaÌ„d and Wales aswel as in EnglaÌ„d bâ—cause they be al within one continent coÌ„passed with fower seas And likewise be many auncient statutes of this Realm writreÌ„ in the NormaÌ„ FreÌ„ch which haue these wordes deins les quatre mers that is within the fower seas Now coÌ„cerning the statute the title of the same is of those that are born beyond the sea the doubt moued in the corps of the said statut is also of childreÌ„ born beyond the sea out of the allegeance with diuers other braÌ„ches of the statute teÌ„ding that way Wherby it seemeth that no part of the statute toucheth these that are born in Wales or Scot laÌ„d And albe it at this time and before in tho reigne of Edward the first Wales was fully reduced annexed and vnited to the propâ—â— Dothinion of England yet was it before subrected to the Croune and King of England as to the Lorde and Sâ—igniour aswel as Scotland Wherefore if this statute had 〈◊〉 made before the time of the said Edwarde the 〈◊〉 it seemeth that it could not haue bene stretched to Wales no more then it can now to Scotland I doe not therefore a litle meruaile that euer this man for pure shame could finde in his harte so childishly to wrangle vpon this word Infantes and so openly to detorte depraue and corrupt the common lawe and the Actes of Parlament And thus may you see gentle Reader that nothing can be gathered either out of the said supposed general rule or Maxime or of any other rule or Principle of the lawe that by any good and reasonable construction can seeme to impugne the title of the said Ladie Marie now Queene of Scotland of and to the Croune of this Realme of England as is aforesaid We are therefore now last of al to consider whether there be any statute or Acte of Parlament that doth seeme either to take away or preiudâ—ce the title of the said Lady Marie And bycause touching the foresaid mentioned statute of the 25. yeare of King Edward the thirde being only a declaration of the common law we haue already sufficiently answered we wil passe it ouer and consider vppon the statute of 28. and 36. of King Henry the eight being the only shoteanker of al the Aduersaries whether there be any matter therein conteined or depending vpon the same that can by any meanes destroie or hurt the title of the said Ladie Marie Queene of Scotland to the successioÌ„ of the Croune of England It doth appeare by the said statute of 28. of King Henry the eight that there was authoritie geuen him by the same to declare limite appoint and assigne the succession of the Croune by his Letters Patentes or by his last Wil signed with his owne hande It appeareth also by the foresaid statute made 35. of the said King that it was by the same enacted that the Croune of this Realme should go and be to the said King and to the heires of his body lawfully begotten that is to say vnto his Highnes first son of his body betwene him and the Ladie Iane then his wife begotten and for default of such issue then vnto the Lady Marie his daughter and to the heires of her body lawfully begotten and for default of such issue then vnto the Ladie Elizabeth his daughter and to the heires of her body laufully begotten and for default of such issue vnto suche person or persons in remainder or reuersion as should please the said King Henry the eight and according to such estate and after such maÌ„ner order and conditioÌ„ as should be expressed declared named and limited in his Letters Patentes or by his last Wil in writing signed with his owne hande By vertue of whiche said Acte of Parlament the Aduersaries doo alleage that the said late King Henry the eight afterward by his last Wil in writing signed with his owne hand did ordeine and appoint that if it happen the said Prince Edward Ladie Marie and Lady Elizabeth to dye without issue of their bodies lawfully begotten then the Croune of this Realme of Englande should goe and remaine vnto the heires of the bodie of the Ladie Francis his Neece and th' eldest daughter of the Fâ—eÌ„ch Quene And for the defaulte of suche issue to the heires of the body of the Ladie Elenour his Neece seconde daughter to the Frenche Queene lawfully begotten And if it happened the said Ladie Elenor to dye without issue of her body lawfully begotten to remaine and come to the nexte rightfull heires Wherevpon the Aduersaries do inferre that the successioÌ„ of the Croune ought to go to the childreÌ„ of the said Ladie FraÌ„cis and to their heyres according to the said supposed Wil of our late Souereigne Lorde King Henry the eight and not vnto the Ladie Marie Queene of Scotlande that nowe is To this it is on the befalf of the said Lady Marie Queene of Scotland among other things answered that King Henry the eight neuer signed the preteÌ„sed Wil with his own hand and that therfore the said Wil can not be any whit preiudicial to the said Queene Against which answere for the defence and vpholding of the saide Will it is replied by the Aduersaries first that there were diuers copies of his Wil found signed with his owne hande or at the leastwise enterlined and some for the most part writen with his owne hande out of the whiche it is likely that the original Wil commonly called King Henry the eightes Will was taken and fayer drawen out Then that there be great and vehement presumptions that for the fatherly loue that he bare to the coÌ„mon wealth and for the auoiding of the vncerteintie of the successioÌ„ he welliked vpoÌ„ and accepted the authoritie geuen him by Parlament and signed with his owne hande the said original Wil whiche had the said limitation and assignation of the Croune And these presumptions are the more enforced for that he had no cause why he should beare any affection either to the said Queene of Scotland or to the Lady Leneux and hauing withal no cause to be greaued or offended with his sisters the Frenche Queenes children but to put the matter quite out of al ambiguitie and doubte it appeareth they say that there were eleuen witnesses purposely called by the king who were presente at the signing of the said Wil and subscribed their names to the same Yea the chief Lordes of the CouÌ„saile were made and appointed executours of the said Wil and they and other had great Legacies geuen them in the said Wil which were paid and other thinges comprised in the Wil accomplished accordingly There passed also purchases and Letters Patentes betwene King Edwarde and the executors of
the said Wil and others for the execution and performance of the same Finally the said Testament was recorded in the Chancerie Wherfore they affirme thaâ— there ought no manner of doubt moue any man to the coÌ„trarie and that either we must graunt this Wil to be signed with his hand or that he made no Wil at al both must be graunted or both denied If any wil deny it in case he be one of the witnesses he shal impugne his owne testimonie if he be one of the executours he shal ouerthrow the foundatioÌ„ of al his doinges in procuring the said Wil to be inrolled and set forth vnder the great Seale And so by their dubblenes they shal make them selues no mete witnesses Nowe a man can not lightly imagine how any other bysides these two kind of witnesses for some of them and of the executors were such as were coÌ„tinually wayting vpon the Kinges person may impugne this Wil and proue that the king did not signe the same But if any such impugne the Wil it would be coÌ„sidered how many they are and what they are and it wil be very harde to proue negatiuam facti But it is euidente say they that there was neuer any such lawful proufe against the said Wil producted For if it had ben it would haue ben published in the Starrechamber preached at Poules Crosse declared by Acte of Parlament proclaimed in euery quarter of the Realme Yea admitting say they that it were proued that the said pretensed Wil lacked the Kinges hande yet neuerthelesse say they the very copies we haue spoken of being written and signed or at least interlined with his owne hande may be saide a sufficient signing with his owne hande For seing the scope and final purpose of the statute was to haue the succession prouided for and ascerteined whiche is sufficiently done in the said Wil and seing his owne hande was required but onely for eschewing euil and sinister dealing whereof there is no suspicion in this Will to be gathered what matter in the worlde or what difference is there when the King fulfilled and accomplisihed this gratiouse Acte that was loked for at his handes whether he signed the Will with his owne hande or no If it be obiected that the King was obliged and bound to a certaine precise order and forme which he could in no wise shift but that the Acte without it muste perish and be of no valewe then say they wee vndoe whole Parlamentes aswel in Queene Maries time as in King Henry the eightes time In Queene Maries time bycause she omitted the Style appointed by Parlamente Anno 〈◊〉 octauiâ—rice simo quinto In King Henries tyme by reason there was a statute that the Kinges royal assent may be geuen to an Acte of Parlamente by his Letters Patentes signed with his hande though he be not there personally And yet did the saied King supplie full ofte his confente by the stampe only This yet notwithstanding the said Parlamentes for the omission of these formes so exactely and precisely appointed are not destroyed and disannulled After this sorte in effecte haue the Aduersaries replied for the defence of the said pretensed Will. To this we wil make our reioynder and saye Firste that our principall matter is not to ioyne an islewe whether the saide Kinge made and ordeyned any sufficient Will or no. We leaue that to an other time But whether he made any Testament in suche order and forme as the statute requireth Wherefore if it be defectiue in the said forme as we affirme it to be were it otherwise neuer so good and perfect though it were exemplified by the great Seale and recorded in Chancerie and taken commonly for his Wâ—ll and so accomplished it is nothing to the principal question It resteth then for vs to consider the weight of the Aduersaries presumptions whereby they would inforce a probabilitie that the Testament had the foresaide requisite forme Yet first it is to be coÌ„sidered what presumptions and of what force and number do occurre to auoide and frustrate the Aduersaries presumptions and all other like We say then there occurre many likelyhoddes many presumptions many great and weightie reasons to make vs to thinke that as the king neuer had good and iuste cause to minde and enterprise suche an Acte as is pretended so likewise he did enterprise no such Acte in deede I deny not but that theâ— was such authoritie geuen him neither I deâ—y but that he might also in some honorable sort haue practised the same to the honour and wealth of the Realme and to the good coÌ„tentation of the same Realm But that he had either cause or did exercise the said authoritie in suche strange and dishonorable sort as is pretended I plainely denie For being at the time of this pretensed Wil furnished and adorned with issue the late king Edward and the Ladies Marie and Elizabeth their state and succession being also lately by Acte of Parlament established what neede or likelyhod was there for the king then to practise such newe deuises as neuer did I suppose any king in this Realme before and fewe in any other byside And where they were practised commonly had infortunate and lamentable successe What likelyhode was there for him to practise such deuises especially in his later daies when wisdome the loue of God and his Realme should haue bene moste ripe in him that were likely to sturre vppe a greater fier of greeuouse contention and woful destruction in England then euer did the deadly factioÌ„ of the red Rose and the white lately by the incorporation and vnion of the house of Yorke and Lancaster in the person of his father through the mariage of Ladie Elizabeth eldest daughter of king Edwarde the fourth most happily extinguished and buried And though it might be thought or said that there would be no such eause of feare by reason the matter passed by Parlament yet could not he be ignorant that neither Parlamentes made for Henry the fourth or continuance of twoo Descentes whiche toke no place in geuing any Title touching the Croune in King Henry the sixt nor Parlamentes made for King Râ—chard the third nor Parlaments of attainder made against his father could either preiudice his fathers right or releaue other against such as pretended iust right and title And as he could not be ignoraÌ„t therof so it is not to be thought that he would abuse the great confidence put vppon him by the Parlament and disherite without any apparent cause the next royal blood and thinke all thinges sure by the colour of Parlament The litle force whereof against the right inheritour he had to his fathers and his owne so ample benefit so lately and so largely sene and felt And yet if he minded at any time to preiudice the said Lady Marie Queend of Scotland of al times he would not haue done it then when al his care was by al possible meanes to contriue and compasse a mariage
euidently tende to this ende and scope if a zealous minde to the common Wealth if prudence and wisdome did not rule and measure al these doinges but contrariewise partial affection and displeasure if this arbitrement putteth not away al contentions and striffes if the mind and purpose of the honorable Parlament be not satisfied if there be dishonorable deuises and assignmentes of the Croune in this Wil and Testament if there be a new Succession vnnaturally deuised finally if this be not a Testament and last Wil such as Modestinus defineth Testamentum est tusta voluntatus nostra sententia de eo quod quis post mortem suam fieti velit then though the Kinges hand were put to it the matter goeth not altogether so wel and so smothe But that there is good and great cause farther to consider and debate vpon it whether it be so or no let the indifferent when they haue wel thought vpon it iudge accordingly The Aduersaries them selues can not altogether denie but that this Testament is not correspondent to such expectation as men worthely should haue of it Whiche thing they do plainly confesse For in vrging their presumptions whereof we haue spokē and minding to proue that this wil whiche they say is commonly called King Henries Wil was no new Wil deuised in his sicknes but euen the very same wherof as they say were diuers olde copies they inferre these wordes saying thus For if it be a newe Wil then deuised who could thinke that either him selfe would or any man durst haue moued him to put therin so many thinges contrary to his honour Much lesse durst they themselues deuise any new successiō or moue him to alter it otherwise then they foūd it when they saw that naturally it could not be otherwise disposed Wherein they say very truely For it is certaine that not only the common lawe of this Realme but nature it selfe telleth vs that the Queene of Scotlād after the said Kinges children is the next and rightful Heire of the Croune Wherefore the King if he had excluded her he had done an vnnatural acte Ye wil say he had some cause to doo this by reason she was a forainer and borne out of the Realm Yet this notwithstanding he did very vnnaturally yea vnaduisedly inconsideratly and wrongfully and to the great preiudice and danger of his owne Title to the Croune of France as we haue already declared And moreouer it is wel to be weighed that reason and equitie and Ius Gentium doth require and craue that as the Kings of this Realme would thinke them selues to be iniuriously handled and openly wronged if they mariyng with the heires of Spaine Scotland or any other Countrey where the succession of the Croune deuolueth to the woman were shutte out and barred from theyr said right dewe to them by the wiues as we haue said so likewise they ought to thinke of women of their royal blood that marie in Scotland that they may wel iudge and take them selues much iniured vnnaturally and wrongfully dealt withall to be thruste from the succession of this Croune being thereto called by the nexte proximitie of the royal blood And such deuolutiōs of other Kingdoms to the Croune of England by foraine mariage might by possibilitie often times haue chaunced and was euen nowe in this our time very like to haue chanced for Scotland if the intended mariage with the Queene of Scotland that now is and the late King Edward the sixt with his longer life and some issue had takē place But now that she is no suche forainer as is not capable of the Croune we haue at large already discussed Yea I wil now say farther that supposing the Parlament minded to exclude her and might rightfully so doe and that the King by vertue of this statute did exclude her in his supposed Wil yet is she not a plaine forainer and incapable of the Croune For if the lawfull heires of the said Ladie Francis and of the Ladie Elenour should happē to faile which seeme now to faile at the least in the Ladie Katherin and her issue for whose title great sturre hath lately ben made by reason of a late sentence definitiue geuen against her pretensed mariage with the Earle of Herford then is there no stay or stoppe either by the Parlament or by the supposed Will but that she the said Queene of Scotlande and her Heires may haue and obteine their iust Title and claime For by the said pretensed Wil it is limited that for default of the lawfull Heyres of the said Ladre Francis and Elenour the Croune shall remaine and come to the next rightful Heires But if she shal be said to be a forainer for the time for the induction of farther argument then what saye the Aduersaries to my Ladie Leneux borne at Herbottel in England and from thirtene yeares of age brought vppe also in England and commonly taken and reputed as well of the King and Nobilitie as of other the lawefully Neece of the said King Yea to turne nowe to the other Sister of the King maried to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke and her children the Ladie Francis and the Ladie Elenour why are they also disherited Surely if there be no iust cause neither in the Lady Leneux nor in the other it seemeth the King hath made a plaine Donatiue of the Croune Whiche thinge whether he could doe or whether it be conformable to the expectation of the Parlament or for the Kinges honour or for the honour for the Realme I leaue it to the farther consideration of other Nowe what causes should moue the Kinge to shutte them out by his pretensed Will from the Title of the Croune I minde not nor neede not especially seeing I take no notice of any such Wil touching the limitation of the said Croune here to to prosecute or examine Yet am I not ignorant what impedimentes many doo talke of and some as well by printed as vnprinted Bookes doe write of Wherein I will not take vppon me any asseueration any resolution or iudgement Thus only will I propound as it were by the way of consideration duely and depely to be wayed and thought vpon that is for as muche as the benefitte of this surmised Wil tendeth to the extrusion of the Queene of Scotland and others altogether to the issue of the French Queene whether in case the King had no cause to be offended with his sisters the Frenche Queenes children as the Aduersaries them selues confesse he had not and that there was no lawful impediment in them to take the succession of the Croune it were any thing reasonable or euer was once meant of the Parlament that the King without cause should disherite and exclude them from the Title of the Croune On th' other side if ther were any such impediment whereof this surmised Wil geueth out a great suspicion it is to be considered whether it standeth with reason and iustice with the honour of the King and the
the said statutes And therefore in that respect the said Wil is insufficient in lawe And to aggrauate the matter farther ye shal vnderstand of great inconueniences and imminent dangers which as yet are likely to ensue if that supposed Wil should take place It is not vnknowen but that at the time of the making of the said Wil the said Ladie Francis had no issue male but onely three daughters betwene her and Henrie Duke of Suffolke Afterward in the time of our late soueraigne Ladie Queene Marie the said Duke of Suffolke was attainted and suffered accordingly After whose death the said Ladie Francis to her great dishonour and abasing of her selfe toke to husbande one Adrian Stokes who was before her seruant a man of very meane estate and vocation and had issue by him Which issue if it were a son and be also yet liuing by the wordes of the said supposed Wil is to inherite the Croune of this Realme before the daughters betwene her and the said late Duke of Suffolke begotteÌ„ which thing was neither intended nor meant by the makers of the said Actes Who can with any reason or common sense thinke that al the states of the Realme assembled together at the said Parlament did meane to geue authoritie to King Henry the eight by his Letters PateÌ„ts or last Wil to disherit the Queene of Scotland lineally descended of the blood roial of this Realme and to appoint the sonne of Adrian Stokes then a meane seruing man of the Duke of Suffolks to be King and Gouernour ouer this noble Realme of EnglaÌ„d The inconueniences whereof as also of the like that might haue followed of the preteÌ„sed Mariage of M. Keies the late Sergeante Porter I referre to the graue consideratioÌ„s and iudgementes of the honorable and worshipful of this Realme Some peraduenture wil say that King Henry the eight meant by his Wil to dispose the Croune vnto the Heires of the body of the said Ladie Francis by the said Duke lawfully begotten and not vnto the heires by any other person to be begotteÌ„ Which meaning although it might very hardly be gathered vpon the said supposed Wil yet can not the same be without as great inconueniences as the other For if the Croune should nowe remaine vnto the heires of the bodie of the said Ladie Francis by the said Duke begotten then should it remaine vnto two daughters ioyntly they both being termed and certainly accompted in law but one heire And by that meanes the state and gouernment of this Realme should be changed from the auncient Monarchie into the gouernement of many For the Title of the Ladie Francis being by way of remainder whiche is compted in law a ioynt purchase doth make all the issue female inheritable a like and cannot go according to the ancient law of a desceÌ„t to the Croune which is that the Croune by descent must go to the eldest daughter only as is aforesaid For great differeÌ„ces be in law where one cometh to any Title by descent and where as a purchaser And also if th' one of those issues female dye then were her heire in the Title as a seueral tenant in tayle And so there should follow that so many daughters so many general Gouernors and so might their issue being heirs females make the gouernmeÌ„t grow infinite Which thing was most farre from the meaning of the makers of that Acte of ParlameÌ„t What if the said King had by his last Wil disposed this realme into two or three parts diuiding the gouernement thereof to three persons to rule as seueral Kinges as for example Wales vnto one the Northe partes vnto an other the South partes vnto the third and by that meanes had miserably rent this Realme into partes Had this ben according to the entent and meaning of the said Acte of Parlament Or had it bene a good and sufficient limitation in law No verily I thinke no man of any reasonable vnderstanding wil so say And no more can he either say or thinke of the remainder limited vnto heires of the body of the said Lady Francis by the said supposed Wil. Now to coÌ„plete and finish this our Treatise touching the Queene of ScotlaÌ„ds Title to the fuccession of the Croune as we haue done so let vs freely and liberally graunt the Aduersaries that whiche is not true that is that the said supposed Wil was signed with the Kings owne hand Let the heires of the Lady Francis come forth in Gods name and lay forth to the world their demauÌ„d and supposed right against the said Q. of Scotlandes interest The Quene on th' other side to fortifie and streÌ„gthen her claime laieth forth to the open sight of al the worlde her â—ust title and interest signed and alwaies afore this time allowed not onely as with the Seales but with the othes also of al the Kings that euer wer in EnglaÌ„d takeÌ„ at the time of their Coronation for the coÌ„tinuance of the lawes of this noble Realme of England signed and allowed I say almost of al the world by sides yea signed with God and natures owne fingers Her right is as open and as clere as the bright Sonne Now to darken and shadow this glorious light what doe the heires of the said Ladie Francis or others bring forth to grouÌ„d their iust claime and demauÌ„d vpoÌ„ When al is done they are faine to ruÌ„ne and catche holde vpon King Henry the eightes written Wil signed with his owne hande Wel let them take as good handfast thereon as they can but yet lette them shewe the said Queene the said original Wil. It is wel knowen that they themselues haue said that that to doe they can not Yet let them at least lay forth some autheÌ„tical Record of the same It is also notorious that they can not If then the foundation of their claime being the Wil of such a Prince and of so late and fresh memorie made neither the original nor yet any good and worthy Recorde sufficiently authorised remaine of the same by what colour wil they exclude the saide Queene They must claime either by proximitie of blood or by Charter For the first nature hath excluded them Charter they haue none to shew They wil perchance crie out and complain of the losse and imbeaseling of the same and say that such a casualtie should not destroye and extinguish their right This were some thing perchance if it were in a priuate maÌ„s case It were somewhat if their demauÌ„d did not destroy the coÌ„mon law and the law of nature also It were somewhat if their supposed Charter were perished or by any frau duleÌ„t meanes intercepted by the said Quene Vpon whom in this point it is not possible to fasten any the very least sinister suspicioÌ„ It were somewhat if they did not aspire to take gaine and lucre or if the Queene sought not to auoide daÌ„mage For daÌ„mage it is when any person is spoiled of any right due to him by law and reason And there is
he maketh as it it were a plaine demurre with vs in law that we haue pleaded our matters al this while in a wrong Court. For lo this matter by this sobre mans iudgement seemeth not triable either in the Arches or Consistorie of Poules by the Ciuil or CannoÌ„law or in Westminster Hal by any law or Acte of ParlameÌ„t This plee must be only mainteined with the recordes of holy Scripture but of his owne sobre braines interpretatioÌ„ only and holdeÌ„ before himself and his new erected tribunal furnished and adorned with such quiet and sobre spirits as hiself is Th'infallible verity the high M ie of the sacred scriptures I do most hartly coÌ„fesse and most humbly reuerence But yet if ye wil intrude your selfe and others with the promulging from your new Tribunal seate such and so strange paradoxes and sentences to the vtter ouerthrowing of al humaine policies and lawes yea to the present and and iÌ„minent danger not only of this of Scotland but also of al other whatsoeuer Queenes we must be bold to see what warrant and commission you haue and to examine and well to vew the same we must buckle with you and trie whether the autoritie of holy Scripture whiche is your only refuge wil vpholde and beare out your strange and stout conclusion The place then wherevpon he grouÌ„deth him selfe is this Thow shalt make him King ouer thee whome thy Lorde thy God shal choose from amongst thy brethern him shalt thou make a King amongst them From this authoritie he fetcheth out al his high mystical and supernatural conclusions And first he excludeth the Queene of Scotland bycause she is an alien and not ex fratribus and therefore not chosen of god Wherevnto he addeth that the King must be suche as the people may say to him as the Israelites said to King Dauid Ecce â—s tuum caro tua nos sumus We are of one nation and blood Therevnto he adioyneth that it is assigned as one iuste cause why Athalia was turned out of her kingdome bycause she was alienigena an alien maternum genus ducens à Tyriis Sidoniâ—â— These now are all the proufes deducted by this man out of holy Scripture For other hath he none why the Queene of Scotland being a stranger ought to be disherited and reiected from al such claime as she pretendeth to the Croune of England Now for answere and first to the 17. of Deuteronomie wherein as I wil not quarel with you for the shrewde meaning that perchaunce some man may probablie gather out of this Treatise and smal liking that ye haue to the Gouernment proceeding from succession onely so I plainly affirme first that we are not bound to the Ceremoniall or Iudicial or other preceptes of the Iewish law except the Decaloge farther then the Churche or Ciuil policie haue renued againe I say then farther that this authoritie of Deutronomie can not fitly serue your purpose for that it taketh place when the people chooseth a King and not when there is a lawful and ordinary Succession as was euen amongest the Iewes from King Dauides time Albe it he and King Saul before him came in by Gods and the peoples special election Wherefore I doe admit your Principle to be wel grouÌ„ded vpon Scripture That the choise and election of Princes must be directed and measured by Gods Holy Worde wil and pleasure What then I would fame know by what Logike by what reason a maÌ„ may thus conclude we ought to choose no straunger to our Prince ergo a straunger though he be the iust and next inheritour to the Croune must be displaced The one dâ—pendeth of our owne free wil and election which we may measure and rule as we see good cause the other hangeth only vpoÌ„ the disposition and prouidence of God. There we may pick out choice here we must take such as God sendeth There consent beareth the stroke here proximitie of blood beareth the sway There we offre no iniurie to any partie in accepting the one and leauing th' other here do we iniurie to god that doth send and to the partie that is by him sent And to say the trueth it is but a malaperte controlment of Gods owne direction and prouidence For in the former parte we be the choosers and must direct and gouerne our choise by reason and discretion by the merit and worthines of the person here al the choice al the voices are in Gods haÌ„d only As good right hath the infant in the swadling clothes as hath any man called at his perfect age and wisdom It is a true saying Christiani fimus we are made ChristiaÌ„ menâ— we are not borne ChristiaÌ„ men noÌ„ nascimur But in this case of successioÌ„ Reges nascuÌ„tur noÌ„ fium men are borne and not made kings Let this fellow therfore coÌ„clude as stroÌ„gly as he caÌ„ or wil against the chosing of strauÌ„gers yet if he bring forth no place out of Scripture against the SuccessioÌ„ of a stranger claiming by proximitie of the blood Roial as farre as the man shoteth he shoteth to short to hit the marke But Lord what an â—lfauored short shote wil it be accoÌ„pted if she be found no strauÌ„ger at al It is very probable that in this place the scripture meaneth of a mere foreiner and straunger such as were neither borne in Iewrie nor of the Iewishe blood For with suche Aliens they were forbidden also to couple in mariage by reason they were Idolatours and might thereby them selues be occasioned as they were oftentimes in deede to abandone and forsake their true and sincere Religion Such a stranger I am wel assured this Ladie is not to vs if she be any straunger at al. The Scottesmen and we be al Christians and of one Iland of one tonge and almost of one fashion and manners customes and lawes So that we can not in any wise accompt them amongest such kinde of straungers that this place of Moyses mentioneth namely the Ladie Marie the Quene of Scotland being not only in hart wel affectioned and minded to al Englishmen as hath by many experiments ben wel knoweÌ„ but also by descent and Roial blood all English whiche she taketh from the noble Kinges longe before the Conquest and after the Conquest from the worthie Princes Henry the first and Edward the third and of late daies from the excellent Prince King Henry the seuenth and his daughter Ladie Margaret her grandmother Al which causes with some other in such number concurrant ought rather to inforce vs to thinke and to take her as no straunger to vs rather then to estraunge her from vs by the only place of her Natiuitie which is yet neuerthelesse within the fower seas and very nigh to England by Osbred bounding at Starling bridge Last of al touching the forsaid Chapter of Deuteronomie we affirme that it is vntrue that ye say aswel that this lawe of Gouernment bindeth our Kinges to the
For the haue in al these their worslipful procedinge against her made suche a hotchepoche suche a minglemangle suche a confuse anâ— disordered Chaos against Iustice and Nature that they them selues were the Accusers they them selues the witnesses they them selues the Iudges and examiners of her cause Is there any honest meaning and gentle natured harte that can once patiently abide and suffer to heare these their taunting and intolerable outragious inueyings and accusations especially of the Earles Murray and MurtoÌ„ the Capiteines ringleaders and chief practitioners thereof against her to whome they are most depely bound aswel for high preferment vndeserued as for diuers pardons of death by manifolde treasons worthely deserued To whom the one of them is by nature and blood albe it base as a brother entierly conioyned And to whome they both ought to be with the rest as to their Irege Ladie most loially subiected Shal they now with the Lord Lindzay be admitted to staine and defile her honour to seeke her harts blood who long sithens had worthely lost ther ingrate chorlishe traiterouse blood if they had not ben preserued by her singuler and incredible clemencie Yet let vs coÌ„sider their precise and most holy forme of Iudgement The Queene was disorderly and rebelliously appreheÌ„ded she was cast in prison not once heard to answer for her selfe most instantly and pitifully crauing audience She was forced and constrained by most vehement and iust feare to geue ouer her Croune and dimisse the regiment to the Earle Murray One great argument of the said constraint and compulsion among other is that she neuer readde such writinges as were offered to her to be by her subscribed nor entred into any couenant or talke for the maintenance of her liuing or safegard of her life Which thing she would neuer by any indifferent mans iudgement haue done if she had freely and voluntarily yelded vp her Regal Dignity Neither can the pretensed ParlameÌ„t be preiudicial to her standing vpoÌ„ no better nor surer grouÌ„d then vpon such as we haue rehearsed and vpon such worshipful letters missiue as are by them I can not tel more falsly or more fondly counterfeited Surely such Traitours as durst laye violent handes vppon their Queene and intrude them selues into the Regal Gouernement will make but smal â–ª curtesie in the faining and forging a letter thereby to worke their purposed mischiefe I would then father demaund of them what authoritie they had to somon and assemble a Parlament And whether this fact of hers supposing she were therein guilty deserueth in her being a Prince and considering how heinously the Lorde Darley had offended her and the Croune of Scotland such extreme punishment to be leuied vpon her for one simple murther especially by them that committed that shameful murther vpon her Secretarie that haue committed so many treasons and daily do committe so many horrible murthers vpoÌ„ the Quenes true louing subiectes How many and how cruel and terrible deathes do such Traitours deserue We haue moreouer to demaund of them whereas they pretende a merueilous and a singuler zeale to religioÌ„ and holy Scripture and to measure al their doinges precisely by Scripture and order thereof what sufficient warrant they haue therein by their priuate authoritie to set violent handes vpon their annointed Prince I find ther that King Dauid was both an adultrer and also a murtherer I finde that God was highly displeased with him therfore Yet find I not that he was therefore by his subiectes deposed And here might I take occasion out of the sacred Scriptures to declaime and discours against your disordered doinges but that it is nedelesse and our matters otherwise growe long But yet consider ye with your selfe you the Earles Murray and Murton with your consociats that euen adiudging the Queene were culpable and in some fault as she is not in this matter whether it had not ben much better and more auaileable to your commoÌ„ wealth and to the state thereof prudently to haue dissembled the matter as your forefathers haue heretofore done in a greater cause then this namely in Duke Robert the Gouernour Kings Roberts brother then to haue permitted your coÌ„mon wealth to haue commen into so miserable and wretched a state as it is now falleÌ„ in and dayly like to be in worse case and worse I suppose it wil be found that it had ben a much better policie to haue reserued the punishment thereof to Gods owne rodde and iustice in this or in an other worlde then to haue taken from him that he hath reserued to his owne only iudgemeÌ„t and to haue geuen to the subiects of other Princes suche a wicked president that if these other subiectes treade fast vppon your steppes there wil shortly fewe Kinges and Princes haue any sure and fast holde of their Sceptre and Roâ—al Dignitie We conclude then against you speake and doe the worste by her that ye can inuent that your proceedinges be not agreable or correspondent to law order and Iustice and therfore to be reuoked and adnulled We say that the common rule of the lawe ought here to take place Spoliatus ante omnia restiâ—uendus est vnlesse where all lawes aswel Gods as mans lawe doe fauour and preferre Princes causes with singuler priuileges and prerogatiues ye haue now espied out a newe law whereby Princes shal haue and enioye lesse benefits and preeminences in their owne defence then other priuate persons We say that for these and many other good and necessary considerations all is voide that ye haue busied your selues about We say that al your dooinges ought to be remoued reuersed and clearly annulled and the Queene wrongfully by you displaced to be restored to her state and former dignitie and honour Then let the whole matter be if there be any iuste cause before competent and meete Iudges to sitte vppon a Prince iustly and orderly heard and determined For as for you especially the Earle Marray and Murton ye are to be charged and chalenged byside al other iust exceptions euen as the principal inuentours mainteiners and workers of this shamefull and cruel murther for the whiche ye haue made al this hurly burly and as I may say stirred heauen and earth against your owne very natural Prince Neither may the Lord Lindzay be heard or suffred to intermedle against her if lawe take place for diuers his demerites among which he standeth charged aswel for that that he was one of the chiefe instrumentes in the slaughter of the Queenes Secretarie Dauid as also in the apprehending and imprisoning of her Grace But I much muse and merueyle how the Bisshoppe of Orkney for shame coulde so presumptuously and heynously inueigh and declaime before the Commissioners of Englande against his Maistresse pretensed mariage with the Earle Bothwell seeinge that he him selfe did celebrate the solemnitie thereof Who also was your onely Bifshop that was present at the Coronation of your newe erected king A man moste apte and ready to serue
Liberi Therefore doo we supply it as wel as we may by this worde children The Spaniardes also vse this worde Infantes in this ample sorte when they call the nexte heire to the heire apparēt Infant of Spaine euen as the late deceased Lorde Charles of Austrich was called his father and grandfather then liuing Yf then the original word of the statute declaring the said rule may naturally and properly apperteine to al the Descendants why should we straine and binde it to the first degree only otherwise then the nature of the worde or reason wil beare For I suppose verely that it wil be very harde for the Aduersarie to geue any good and substantial reason why to make a diuersitie in the cases But touching the contrarie there are good and probable consideratiōs which shall serue vs for the seconde cause As for that the grādfathers cal their nephewes as by a more pleasant plausible name not only their children but their sonnes also and for that the sonne being deceased the grādfather suruiuing not only the grādfathers affection but also such right title and interest as the sonne hath by the lawe and by proximitie of blood growe and drawe al to the nephew who representeth and supplieth the fathers place the father and the sonne being compted in person and in flesh in maner but as one Why shal then the bare and naked consideration of the external and accidental place of the birth only seuer and sunder suche an entier inwarde and natural coniunction Adde therevnto the many and great absurdities that may hereof spring and ensue Diuerse of the Kinges of this Realme as wel before the time of King Edwarde the third in whose time this statute was made as after him gaue their daughters out to foraine and sometimes to meane Princes in mariage Which they would neuer so often times haue done if they had thought that whyle they wente about to set forth and aduance their issue their doinges should haue tended to the disheriting of them from so great large and noble a Realme as this is which might haue chanced if the daughter hauing a sonne or daughter had died her father liuing For there should this supposed Maxime haue ben a barre to the children to succede their grandfather This absurditie would haue bene more notable if it had chanced about the time of King Henry the secōd or this king Edward or king Henry the firste and sixte when the possessions of the Croune of this Realme were so amply enlarged in other Countries beyond the seas And yet neuer so notable as it might haue bene hereafter in our fresh memorie and remēbrance if any such thing had chanced as by possibilitie it might haue chanced by the late mariage of King Philippe and Queene Marie For admitting their daughter maried to a foraine Prince should haue dyed before them she leauing a sonne suruiuing his father and grandmother they hauing none other issue so nigh in degree then would this late framed Maxime haue excluded the same sonne lamētably and vnnaturally from the succession of the Croune of Englande and also the same Croune from the inheritance of the Realmes of Spain of both Sicilies with their appurtenāces of the Dukedō of Milan and other landes and Dominiōs in Lumbardy and Italie as also from the Dukedomes of Brabant Luxēburg Geldres Zutphan Burgundie Friseland from the Countreies of Flandres Artois Holland Zealād and Namurs and from the new found lands parcel of the said Kingdome of Spaine* Which are vnlesse I be deceued more ample by dubble or treble then al the Countreies now rehearsed Al the which Countreies by the foresaid Mariage should haue bene by al right deuolued to the said sonne if any such child had bene borne If either the same by the force of this iolye newe found Maxime had bene excluded from the Croune of England or the saide Croune from the inheritance of the foresaid Countreies were there any reason to be yelded for the maintenance of this supposed rule or Maxime in that case Or might there possibly rise any commodity to the Realme by obseruing therein this rigorous pretensed rule that should by one hundred part counteruaile this importable losse and spoile of the Croune and of the lawful inheritour of the same But perchance for the auoiding of this exception limited vnto the blood roial some wil say that the same was but a priuilege graunted to the Kinges children not in respect of the succession of the Croune but of other landes descending to them from their Auncestours Whiche although we might very wel admit and allow yet can it not be denied but that the same priuilege was graūted vnto the Kinges children and other descendantes of the Blood roial by reason of the dignity and worthines of the Croune which the King their father did enioy and the great reuerence which the law geueth of dewtie therevnto And therefore if ye would go about to restraine and withdraw from the Croune that priuilege whiche the lawe geueth to the Kinges children for the Crounes sake ye should doo therein contrarie to al reason and against the rules of the Arte of Reasoning which saith that Propter quod vnumquodque illud magis Byside that I would faine knowe by what reason might a man saye that they of the Kinges Bloodde borne out of the allegeaunce of Englande maye inherite landes within this Realme as heires vnto their Ancestours not being able to inherite the Croune Truly in mine opinion it were against al reason But on the contrarie side the very force of reason muste driue vs to graunt the like Yea more great and ample priuilege and benefit of the law in the succession of the Croune For the Roial blood where so euer it be found wil be taken as a pretious and singuler Iewel and wil carie with it his worthie estimation and honour with the people and where it is dew his right withal By the Ciuil law the right of the inheritance of priuate persons is hemmed and inched within the bandes of the tenth degre The Blood roial runneth a farther race and so farre as it may be found wherewith the great and mightie Conquerors are glad and faine to ioine withal euer fearing the weaknes of their blooddie sworde in respect of the greate force and strength of the same For this cause was Henrie the firste called for his learning and wisedome Beauclerke glad to consociate and couple him self with the auncient Roial blood of the Saxons which cōtinuing in the Princely Successiō from worthie king Alured was cutte of by the death of the good king Edward and by the mariyng of Mathildis being in the fourth degree in lineal descent to the said king Edward was reuiued and revnited From this Edward the Queene of Scotlād as we haue before shewed taketh her noble auncieht Petigrue These then and diuers other reasons and causes mo may be alleaged for the waying and setting foorth of the true meaning
only Of the like weight is his other coÌ„sideration imaginiÌ„g and surmising this statute to be made bicause the King had so many occasioÌ„s to be so oft ouer the sea with his spouse the Queene As though diuers Kings before him vsed not often to passe ouer the seas As though this were a personal statute made of special purpose and not to be takeÌ„ as a declaratioÌ„ of the coÌ„mon law Which to say is most directly repugnant and contrary to the letter of the said statute Or as though his children also did not very often repaire to outward Countries as Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster that maried Peters the King of Castiles eldest daughter by whose right he claimed the Croune of Castile as his brother EdmuÌ„d Erle of Cambridge that maried the yongest daughter as Lionell Duke of Claraunce that maried at Milaine ViolaÌ„t daughter and heir to Galeatius Duke of Milan But especially Prince Edwarde whiche moste victoriously toke in battaile Iohn the French King and brought him into England his prisoner to the great triumphe and reioysing of the Realme whose eldest sonne Edward that died in short time after was borne beyond the seas in Gascome and his other sonne Richard that succeded his grandfather was borne at Burdeaux as these noble King Edwardes sonnes maried with forainers so did they geue out their daughters in mariage to foraine Princes as the Duke of Lancaster his daughter Philippe to the king of Portingale and his daughter Catherin to the King of Spaine and his Neece Iohan daughter to his sonne Earle of Somerset was ioyned in mariage to the King of Scottes Iohan daughter to his brother Thomas of Wodstocke Duke of Gloucester was Queene of Spaine and his other daughter Marie Duchesse of Britannie Now by this mans interpretation none of the issue of al these noble Women could haue enioyed the Croune of England when it had fallen to them though they had bene of the neerest roial blood after the death of their Auncestours Which surely had bene against the auncient presidentes and examples that we haue declared and against the common Lawe the whiche muste not be thought by this Statute any thing taken away but only declared and against al good reason also For as we would haue thought this Realme greatly iniured if it had ben defrauded of Spaine or any of the foresaid couÌ„treies being deuolued to the same by the foresaid Mariages as we thincke our self at this day iniured for the withholding of France so the issue of the foresaide noble womeÌ„ might and would haue thought them hardly and iniuriously handled yf any such case had happened Neither suche friuolous interpretation and gloses as this man nowe frameth and maketh vppon the statute woulde then haue serued nor nowe wil serue But of all other his friuolous and folish ghessing vpon the clause of the statute for Infantes de Roy there is one most fond of al. For he would make vs beleue such is the mans skil that this statute touching Infantes de Roy was made for the great doubte more in them then in other personnes touching their inheritance to their Auncestours For being then a Maxime saieth he in the lawe that none could inherite to his Auncestours being not of father and mother vnder the obedience of the King seing the King him selfe could not be vnder obedience it plainely seemed that the Kinges children were of farre worse condition then others and quite excluded And therefore he saith that this statute was not to geue them any other priuilege but to make them equall with other And that therefore this statute touching the Kinges children is rather in the superficial parte of the worde then in effecte Nowe among other thinges he saieth as we haue shewed before that this word Infantes de Roy in this statute mentioned must be taken for the children of the first degree whiche he seemeth to proue by a note taken out of M. Rastal But to this we answer that this maÌ„ swetely dreamed when he imagined this fonde and fantasticall exposition And that he shewed him selfe a very infante in law and reason For this was no Maxime or at lest not so certaine before the making of this statute whiche geueth no new right to the Kinges children nor answereth any doubt touching them and their inheritance but saith that the law of the Croune of England is and alwaies hath bene which lawe saith the King say the Lordes say the Commons we allowe and affirme for euer that the Kinges children shal be hable to inherite the Landes of their Auncesters whereâ—oeuer they be borne Al the doubt was for other persons as appeareth euideÌ„tly by the tenour of the statute whether by the coÌ„mon law they being borne out of the allegeance were heritable to their Auncestours And it appeareth that th' Aduersary is driueÌ„ to the hard wal when he is faine to catch hold vpon a selie poore marginal note of M. Rastal of the Kinges childreÌ„ and not of the Kings childrens children Which yet nothing at al serueth his purpose touching this statute But he or the Printer or who so euer he be as he draweth out of the text many other notes of the matter therin coÌ„prised so vpoÌ„ these FreÌ„ch wordes Les enfants de Roy he noteth in the MargeÌ„t The Kings childreÌ„ but how far that word reacheth he saieth neither more nor lesse Neither it is any thing preiudicial to the said Queenes right or Title whether the said wordes Infants ought to be takeÌ„ strictly for the first degree or farther enlarged For if this statute toucheth only the succession of the Kings children to their Auncestours for other inheritaÌ„ce and not for the Cround as most men take it and as it may be as we haue said very wel takeÌ„ and allowed then doth this supposed Maxime of forain borne that seemeth to be gathered out of this statute nothing anoy or hinder the Queene of Scotlandes Title to the Croune as not therto apperteining On the other side if by the inheritance of the kings childreÌ„ the Croune also is meant yet neither may we enforce the rule of foraine borne vpoÌ„ the kings children which are by theâ—presse wordes of the statute excepted neither enforce the word Inâ—â—â—s to the first degree only for such reasons presidents and examples and other prouffes largely by vs before set forth to the coÌ„trarie seing that the right of the Croune falling vpoÌ„ them they may wel be called the kings ChildreÌ„ or at the lest the childreÌ„ of the Croune Ther is also one other cause why though this statute reach to the Croune and may and ought to be expouÌ„ded of the same the said Queene is out of the reach and coÌ„passe of the said statute For the said statute can not be vnderstanded of any persons borne in Scotlande or Wales but onely of persons borne beyond the sea out of the allegeance of the King of England that is to wrtte France Flandres and such like For England
betwene his sonne Edward and the said Lady and Quene Surely he was to wise of him selfe and was furnished with to wise CouÌ„sailours to take such an homely way to procure and purchase the said mariage by And least of all can we say he attempted that dishonorable disherision for any special inclination or fauour he bare to the French Queene his sisters children For there haue bene of his neere and priuie Counfaile that haue reported that the King neuer had any great liking of the mariage of his sister with the Duke of Suffolke who maried her first priuily in France and afterward openly in England And as it is said had his pardon for the said priuy mariage in writing Howe so euer this matter goeth certeine it is that if this pretensed Wil be true he transferreed and traÌ„sposed the reuersion of the Croune not only from the Queene of ScotlaÌ„d from my Ladie Leneux and their issue but euen from my Ladie Francis and my Ladie Elenour also daughters to the Frenche Queene whiche is a ching in a manner incredible and therefore nothing likely I must now gentle Reader put thee in remeÌ„brance of two other most pregnaÌ„t and notable coniectures and presumptions For among al other incoÌ„ueniences and absurdities that do and may accoÌ„panie this rash and vnaduised acte by this preteÌ„sed Wil inconsiderately mainteined it is principally to be noted that this Acte geueth appareÌ„t and iust occasion of perpetual disherison of the Style and Title of FraÌ„ce incorporated and vnited to the Croune of this Realme For whereby do or haue the Frenchmen hitherto excluded the Kings of this Realme claiming the Croune of France by the Title of Edward the third falling vpon him by the right of his mother other then by a politike and ciuil law of their owne that barreth the female from the right of the Croune And what doth this preteÌ„sed Act of king Henrie but iustifie and strengthen their quarel and ouerthoweth the foundatioÌ„ and bulworke wherby we mainteme our foresaid Title and claime If we may by our municipal law exclude the said Queene of Scotland being called to the Croune by the Title of general heritage then is their municipal law likewise good and effectual and coÌ„sequently we 〈◊〉 and haue made al this while an vniust and wrongful claime to the Croune of France But now to go somewhat farther in the matter or rather to come neerer home and to the quicke of the matter we say as there was some apparent and good cause why the king should the twentie and eight yeare of his reigne thinke vpon some limitation and appointement of the Croune king Edward as yet vnborne so after he was borne and that the Title and interest of the reuersion of the Croune after him was the thirtie and fifte yeare by Parlament confirmed to the late Queene Marie and her sister Elizabeth it is not to be thought that he would afterward ieoparde so great a matter by a Testament and Wil which may easely be altered and counterfeyted And least of al make such assignation of the Croune as is nowe pretended For being a Prince of such wisdome and experience he could not be ignorant that this was the next and rediest way to put the state at least of both his daughters to great peril and vtter disherison For the Kinges exaÌ„ple and boldnes in interrupting and cutting away so many branches of the neerest side and line might sone breede in aspiring and ambitious hartes a bolde and wicked attempte the way being so farre brought in and prepared to their handes by the King him selfe and their natures so readie and prone to follow euil presidents and to clime high by some colourable meanes or other to spoile and depriue the said daughters of their right of the Croune that should descend and fal vpon them and to conuey the same to the heires of the said Ladie Francis. And did not I pray you this drift and deuise fal out euen so tending to the vtter exclusioÌ„ of the late Queene Marie and her Sister Elizabeth if God had not of his mercy most gratiously and wonderfully repressed and ouerthroweÌ„ the same These reasons then and presumptions may seme wel able and sufficient to beare doune to breake doune and ouerthrow the weake and slender presumptions of th' Aduersaries grounded vpon vncertaine and mere surmises ghesses and coniectures as among other that the King was offended with the Quene of Scotland and with the Ladie Leneux Which is not true And as for the Ladie Leneux it hath no manner of probabilitie as it hath not in dede in the said Queene And if it had yet it is as probable and much more probable that the King would haue especially at that time for such cause as we haue declared suppressed the same displeasure Graunting now that there were some such displeasure was it honorable either for the King or the Realm or was it thinke ye euer thought by the Parlament that the King should disherite them for euery light displeasure And if as the Aduersaries confesse the king had no cause to be offended with the FreÌ„ch Quenes childreÌ„ why did he disherite the Ladie FraÌ„cis and the Ladie Elenor also Their other presumption whiche they ground vpoÌ„ the auoyding of the vncertenty of the succession by reason of his Wil is of smal force and rather turneth against them For it is so farre of that by this meanes the succession is made more certaine and sure that contrarywise it is subiecte to more vncerteintie and to lesse suertie then before For whereas before the right and claime to the Croune hong vppon an ordinarie and certaine course of the common lawe vpon the certaine and assured right of the royall and vnspotted blood yea vppon the very lawe of nature whereby many inconueniences manie troubles daungers and seditions are in al Countries politikely auoided so now depending vpon the statute onely it is as easie by an other statute to be intringed and ouerthrowen And depending vppon a Testament is subiect to many corruptions sinister dealinges cauillations yea and iust ouerthrowes by the dishabilitie of the Testatours witnesses or the Legatorie himselfe or for lacke of dewe order to be obserued or by the death of the Witnesses vnexamined and for many other like considerations The Monumentes of al antiquitie the memorie of al ages and of our owne age and dayly experience can tel and shewe vs many lamentable examples of many a good and lawful Testament by vndue and craftie meanes by false and suborned witnesses by the couetous bearing and main tenance of such as be in authoritie quite vndone and ouerthrowne Wherefore Valerius Maxtmus crieth out against M. Crassus and Q. Hortensiu Lumina â—uriae ornamenta Fori quod scelus vindicare debebant inhonesti lucri captura inuitati authoritatibus suis texerunt This presumption then of the Aduersaries rather maketh for vs and ministreth to vs good occasion to thinke that the King would not hasard
the weight and importaÌ„ce of such a matter to reste vpon the validitie or mualiditie of a bare Testament only By this that we haue said we may probably gather that the King had no cause to aduenture so great an interprise by a bare Wil and seâ—tament Ye shal now heare also why we think he did neuer attempt or enterprise any such thing It is wel knowen the King was not wonte lightly to ouerslippe the occasion of any great commoditie presently offered And yet this notwithstanding hauing geuen to him by Acte of Parlament the ordering and disposition of al Chantries and Colleges he did neuer or very litle practise and execute this authoritie And shall we thinke vnlesse ful and sufficient prouse necessarily enforce creditte that the King to his no present coÌ„moditie and aduantage but yet to his great dishonour and to the great obloquie of his subiectes and other Countries to the notable disherison of so many the next royal blood did vse any such authoritie as is surmised Againe if he had made any such assignation who doubteth but that as he conditioned in the said pretensed Wil with his noble daughters to marie with his CouÌ„sels aduise either els not to enioy the benefitte of the succession he would haue tyed the said Ladie Francis and Ladie Elenours heirs to the same condition Farthermore I am driuen to thinke that ther passed no such limitatioÌ„ by the said king Henries wil by reason there is not nor was these many yeares any original copy therof nor any autheÌ„tical Record in the ChaÌ„cerie or els wher to be shewed in al EnglaÌ„d as the Aduersaries theÌ„selues confesse and in the copies that be spread abrode the witnesses preteÌ„ded to be present at the signing of the said Wil be such for the meanesse of their state on the one side and for the greatnesse and weight of the cause on th' other side as seme not the most sufficient for suche a case The importance of the cause being no lesse then the disherision of so many heires of the Croune as wel from the one sister as froÌ„ the other required and craued some one or other of the priuie CouÌ„saile or some one honorable and notable person to haue ben present at the said signing or that some notificatioÌ„ should haue ben made afterward to such persons by the King him selfe or at least before some Notarie and autheÌ„tical person for the better strengthening of the said Wil. Here is now farther to be coÌ„sidered that seing the interest to the Croune is become a plaine testamentarie matter and claime and dependeth vpon a last Wil when and before what Ordinarie this Wil was exhibited al lowed and prooued Where and of whome toke the Executours their othe for the true performaÌ„ce of the Wil Who coÌ„mitted to theÌ„ th'administratioÌ„ of the Kings goods and chattles When and to whome haue they brought in the InueÌ„tory of the same Who examined the witnesses vpon their othe for the tenour and trueth of the said TestameÌ„t Namely vpon the signement of the Kinges hand wherein only consisteth the weight of no lesse then of the Croune it self where or in what spiritual or temporal Courte may one find their depositions But it were a very hard thing to finde that that as farre as men can learne neuer was And yet if the matter were so plaine so good and so sound as these men beare vs in hand if the original TestameÌ„t had ben such as might haue biddeÌ„ the touchstone the trial the light and the sight of the worlde why did not they that enioyed most commoditie therby and for the sway and authorite they bare might and ought best to haue done it take coÌ„uenient and sure order that th' original might hane ben duely and safely preserued or at the least the ordinarie Probate which is in euery poore mans Testament diligeÌ„tly obserued might haue ben procured or sene one or other auteÌ„tical InstrumeÌ„t therof reserued The Aduersaries theÌ„selues see wel inough yea and are faine to coÌ„fesse these defectes But to helpe this mischief they wold fame haue the EnrolmeÌ„t in the Chancerie to be taken for a sufficient Probate by cause as they say both the spiritual and temporal authoritie did concurre in the Kings person Yet do they know wel inough that this plaister wil not cure the sore and that this is but a poore helpe and a shift For neither the Letters Patents nor th'EnrolmeÌ„t may in any wise be counted a sufficient Probate The ChaÌ„cerie is not the Court or ordinarie place for the probate of Willes nor the Rolles for recording the same Both must be done in the Spiritual Courts where th'Executours also must be impleaded and geue their accompt where the weakenes or strength of the Wil must be tried the witnesses examined finally the probate and al other thinges thereto requisite dispatched Or if it may be done by any other person yet must his authoritie be shewed The probate and al thinges must be done accordingly And among other things the vsual clause of Saluo iure cuiuscunque must not be omitted Which things I am assured the recording in the ChaÌ„cerie caÌ„not import But this caution and prouiso of Saluo iure cuiuscunque which is most coÌ„formable to al law and reason did litle serue some mens turne And therefore there was one other caution and prouiso that though the poorest mans TestameÌ„t in al England hath this prouiso at the probate of the same yet for this Testament the weightiest I trow that euer was made in England no suche probate or clause can be found either in the one or the other court Yet we nedes must al this notwithstanding be borne in hande and borne doune that there was a TestameÌ„t and Wil formably framed according to the purpose and effect of the statute yet must the right of th' imperial Croune of EnglaÌ„d be coÌ„ueied and caried away with the color and shadow only of a Wil. I say the shadow only by reason of another coniecture and presumptioÌ„ whiche I shal tel you of Whiche is so liuely and effectual that I verily suppose it wil be very harde for any man by any good and probable reason to answere and auoide the same And is so important and vehemeÌ„t that this only might seeme vtterly to destroie al the Aduersaries coniectural prouffes coÌ„cerning the maintenance of this supposed Wil. We say therfore and affirme that in case there had ben any good and sure helpe and handfast to take and hold the Croune for the heirs of Lady Francis by the said Wil that the faction that vniustly intruded the Lady Iane eldest daughter to the said Lady FraÌ„cis to the possession of the Croune would neuer haue omitted to take receaue and imbrace the occasioÌ„ and benefit therof to them presently offered They neither would nor could haue ben driuen to so harde and bare a shifte as to colour their vsurpation against the Late Queene Marie only and her Sister Elizabeth with the
Letters Patents of King Edward the sixt and with the coÌ„sent of such as they had procured Which King by law had no autoritie as it is notorious to make any limitatioÌ„ and assignation of the Croune otherwise then the commoÌ„ law doth dispose it It was neede for them I say as they procured suche Letters Patentes so to haue set forth also the said pretensed Wil if ther had ben then any such Wil in deede sufficiently and dewly to be proued as is now surmised there was The Recorde of the said surmised Wil was in the ChaÌ„cerie which they might haue vsed with the pretensed witnesses and with the original preteÌ„sed Wil and with al other things therto beloÌ„ging to their best aduantage It can not be thought that either they were ignoraÌ„t of it or that they would forbeare and forgoe so greate a commoditie offered and such a plausible pretext of their preteÌ„sed vsurpatioÌ„ bearing the contenance and authoritie of the Kings Wil and of the whole Parlament for the exclusion of the Quene of Scotland and others of the nerer royal blood Neither can it be said that the Letters Patentes were made as it were for a stroÌ„ger corroboratioÌ„ and coÌ„firmatioÌ„ only of the said pretensed Wil for that there is not so much as one worde in their whole preteÌ„sed proclamation for the supposed right of the said Lady Iane by the force of that surmised Wil whereby it might any thing appeare that king Henry the eight made any manner of limitation or assignation of the Croune to the heires of the Lady Francis. Wherevpon it may wel be gathered that either they knew of no suche limitation to the children of the Lady Francis by the said supposed Wil or toke it to be such as could geue no good and lawful force and streÌ„gth to ayde and mainteine their vsurpation for the manifest forgerie of the same And therfore they purposely for ignorance can not be pretended in them kepte backe and suppressed in the said Letters Patentes this pretensed limitation surmised to be made for the childreÌ„ of the said Lady Francis. Which neuerthelesse the Aduersaries do now with so great and vehement asseueration blowe into al mens cares which is vtterly reiected and ouerthroweÌ„ and it were by nothing els but by this Proclamation for the pretensed Title of the said Lady Iane. So that we nede to trauaile no farther for any more proufe against the said asseueration But yet in ease any man do loke for any other and more persuasioÌ„ and proufe which as I said neede not ô the great prouideÌ„ce of God ô his great fauour and goodnes to this Realme of the which it hath bene said Regnum Angliae est regnum Det and that God hath euer had a special care of it ô his great goodnes I say to this Realme euen in this cafe also For he hath opened and brought to light the very truth of the matter which is burst out though neuer so craftily suppressed and kept vnder We say then that the King neuer signed the pretensed Will with his owne hande neither do we say it by bare hearsay or gather it by our former coniectures and presumptions only though very effectual and probable but by good and hable witnesses that auouche and iustifie of their owne certaine knowledge that the Stampe onely was put to the said Will and that euen when the King him selfe was now dead or dying and past al remeÌ„brance The Lorde Paget being one of the priuie Counsaile with Queene Marie of his owne freewil and godly motion for the honour of the Realme for reuerence of truth and iustice though in the facte him selfe culpable and in a manner thereto by great authoritie forced did first of al men disclose the matter first to the said Counsaile and then before the whole Parlament Sir Edward MouÌ„tegue also the chief Iustice that was priuie and present at the saide doinges did confesse the same as wel before the Counsaile as before the ParlameÌ„t Yea William Clarke ascribed among other preteÌ„sed witnesses coÌ„fessed the premisses to be true And that him self put the stampe to the said Wil and afterward purchased his Charter of pardon for the said fact Vpon the which depositions wel and aduisedly weied and pondered Queene Marie with the aduise of her Counsaile to the honour of God and this Realm to the maintenance of trueth and iustice and the rightful succession of the Croune for the eschewing of many foule mischieffes that might vpon this forgerie ensue caused the Recorde of the said forged Wil remaining in the Chancerie to be be cancelled defaced and abolished as not worthy to remaine among the true and sincere Recordes of this noble Realme Which her noble fact deserueth iÌ„mortalitie of eternal prayse and fame no lesse then the fact of the Romaines that abolished the name and memorie of the Tarquinians for the foule act of Sextus Tarquinius in defiling Lucretia No lesse then the fact of the Ephesians who made a lawe that the name of the wicked Herostratus should neuer be recorded in the bookes of any their Historiographers No lesse then the fact of the familie of the Manlians at Rome taking a soleÌ„ne othe that none amoÌ„g them should euer be called Capitolinus by cause M. Manlius Capitolinus had sought to oppresse his CouÌ„trey with tyraÌ„nie And to come nerer home no lesse then our forefathers deserued whiche quite rased out of the yeares and times the memorie and name of the wicked Apostates Osricus and Eanfridus numbring their time vnder the reigne of the good king Oswald The Aduersaries therefore are much to be blamed going about to staine and blotte the memorie of the said Quene and Magistrats as though they had done this thing disorderly and as though there had bene some special commoditie therein to them which is apparently false For as the said abolition was nothing beneficial to other Magistrats so if it hadde bene a true and an vndoubted Will the said Queene woulde neuer haue caused it to be cancelled as wel for her honour and conscience sake as for priuate respect seeing her owne royall estate was by the same set foorth and confirmed Yet would they faine blemish and disgrace the testimonie of the said Lorde Paget and S. Edward MouÌ„tigue They set against them eleuen witnesses thinking to matche and ouermatche them with the number But here it muste be remembred that though they be eleueÌ„ yet they are to sleÌ„der and weake for the weight and importance of the matter It is againe to be remembred that often times the lawe doth as wel weigh the credit as number the persons of the witnesses Alias saith Calistratus numerus aliâs dignitas authoritas confirmat rei de qua agitur fidem According to this saith also Arcadius Confirmabit ludex moâ—um animi sui ex argumentis testimoniis quae rei aptiora vero proximiora esse compererit Non enim ad multitudinem respicere
oportet sed ad sinceram testimoniorum fidem testimonia quibus potius lux veritatis assistit It hath not lightly bene heard or sene that men of suche state and vocation in so great and weightie a cause would incurre first the displeasure of God then of their Prince and of some other of the best sorte if their depositions were vntrue and would purchase them selues dishonour slaunder and infamie yea disclose their owne shame to their owne no manner of way hoped cōmoditie nor to the commoditie of other their frendes or discommoditie and hurte of their enemies This sufficiently doth purge them I wil not say of their fact and fault from al sinister suspicion for this their deposition and testimonie their deposition proceding as it plainly seemeth from no affection corruption or partialitie but from a zeale to the trueth and to the honour of the Realme And though perchance if they had bene thereof iudicially conuicted and condemned and had not by dew penance themselues reformed some exceptiōs might haue bene layed against them by any partie iudicially cōuented for his better aduantage yet as the case standeth nowe there is no cause in the worlde to discredit their testimonie yea and by the way of accusation also such persons as be otherwise dishabled are in treason and other publike matters touching the state enhabled both to accuse and testifie As for the eleuen witnesses the beste of of them Sir Iohn Gates we know by what meanes he is departed out of this life One other the said William Clarke is so gone from them that he geueth good cause to misdeeme and mistrust the whole matter Howe many of the residue liue I know not To whom perchaunce some thing might be said if we once knowe what them selues say Which seeing it doth not by authentical recorde appeare bare names of dumme witnesses can in no wise hinder and deface so solemne a testimonie of the foresaid L. Paget and Sir Edwarde Mountague Neither is the difficultie so great as the Aduersaries pretend in prouing Negatiuam facti Which as we graunt it to be true when it standeth within the limites of a mere negatiue so being restrained and referred to time and place may be as wel proued as the affirmatiue It appeareth now then by the premisses that the Aduersaries argumentes whereby they would weaken and discredit the testimonie either of the witnesses or of the executours that haue or may come in against the said pretensed Wil are but of smal force and strength And especially their slender exaggeration by a superficial Rhetorike enforced Whereby they would abvse the ignorance of the people and make them beleue that there was no good and substantial prouffe brought foorth against the forgerie of this supposed Wil by cause the vntrueth of the same was not preached at Poules Crosse and declared in al open places and assembles through the Realme when they knowe wel inough that there was no necessitie so to doe And that it was notoriously knowen by reason it was disclosed by the saide Lorde Paget as wel to the Counsaile as to the higher and lower house of the Parlament And the foresaid forged Recorde in the Chancerie therevpon worthely defaced and abolished The disclosing whereof seing it came foorth by such and in such sort and order as we haue specified as it doth nothing deface or blemish the testimonie geuen against the said supposed Wil whether it were of any of the witnesses or executours so is ther no nede at al why any other witnesses bysides those that haue already impugned the same should be now farther producted I denie not but that if any such witnesse or Exeoutour had vpon his othe before a lawful Iudge deposed of his owne certaine notice and knoweledge that the said Wil was signed with the Kinges owne hande in case he should afterward contrarie and reuoke this his solemne deposition it ought not lightly to be discredited for any suche contradiction afterward happening But as I haue said suche authentical and ordinarie examinations and depositions we find not nor yet heare of any such so passed Now contrariwise if any of the said witnesses or executours haue or shal before a competēt Iudge especially not producted of any partie or against any partie for any priuate suite commenced but as I haue said moued of conscience only and of a zeale to truth and to the honour of God and the Realme freely and voluntarie discouer and detecte such forgerie although perchance it toucheth them selues for some thing done or said of them to the contrary or being called by the said cōpetent Iudge haue or shal declare and testifie any thing against the same this later testimonie may be wel credited by good reason and law Whereas they would nowe inferre that either this pretenfed Will was King Henries Wil or that he made none at al I doo not as I haue said entende nor neede not curiously to examine and discusse this thing as a mater not apperteining to our principal purpose And wel it may be that he made a Wil conteining the whole tenour of this pretensed Wil sauing for the limitation of the Croune and that these supposed witnesses were present either when he subscribed the same with his owne hand or when by his cōmaundment the Stampe of which and of his owne hand the common sort of men make no difference as in dede in diuers other cases there is no difference whiche these witnesses might take to be as it were his owne hand was set to the Wil. This I say might after some sort so be And yet this notwithstāding there might be as there was in deede an other Wil touching the pretēsed limitation of the Croune by the Kinges owne hande counterfeyted and suborned after his death falsly and coulorably bearing the coūtenance of his owne hand and of the pretensed witnesses names How so euer it be it is but to smal purpose to goe about any full and exquisite answere touching this point seeing that neither the original surmised Wil whereof these witnesses are supposed to be priuy is extant nor their depositions any where appeare nor yet that it appeareth that euer they were as we haue said iudicially examined Seeing nowe then that if it so falleth out that the principal Wil and that that was by the great Seale exemplified and in the Chācery recorded had not at least touching the clause of limitation and assignment of the Croune the Kings hand to it we neede not nor wil not tarie about certain scrolles and copies of the said Wil that the Aduersaries pretend to haue ben either writte or signed with his hand A kingdom is to heauy to be so easely caried away by suche scrolles and copies When al this faileth the Aduersaries haue yet one shift left for the last cast They vrge the equitie of the matter and the mind of the Parlament Which is they say accomplished and satisfied by making this assignation for
likewise the statute made in Anno 32. H. 8. geueth auctoritie to dispose landes and Testamentes by last Wil and Testament in writing If a man do demise his lande by his last Wil and Testament nuncupatiue without writing this demise is insufcient in law and not warranted by the said statute We leaue of a number of like cases that we might multiplie in the prouffe of this matter wherein we haue taried the longer by cause th' Aduersaries make so great a coūtenance therevpon and bycause al vnder one it may serue for the answere also touching the Kinges royal assente to be geuen to Parlamentes by his Letters Patentes signed with his hande which is nothing else but a declaration and affirmāce of the common lawe and no newe authoritie geuen to him to do that he could not doo before or any forme prescribed to bind him vnto Bysides that in this case there is no feare in the worlde of forging and counterfeyting the Kinges hande whereas in the Testamentarie cause it is farre otherwise as the worlde knoweth and dayly experience teacheth And so withal do we conclude that by reason this surmised Wil was not signed with the Kinges hand it can not any way hurt or hinder the iuste right and claime of the Quene of Scotland to the succession of the Croune of England Now supposing that neither the L. Paget nor Sir Edward Montague and Williā Clarke had testified or published any thing to the infringing annd ouerthrowing of the Aduersaries assertiō touching the signing of the said Wil yet is not therby the Queene of Scotlandes title altogether hindred For she yet hath her iust and lawfull defence for the oppugning of the said assertion as well against the persons and saying of the witnesses if any shal come foorth as otherwise shee may iustly require the said Wil to be brought forth to light and especially the signing of the same with the Kings hand to be duely and consideratly pondered we yed and conferred She hath her iust defence and exceptions and must haue And it were against al lawes and the lawe of nature it selfe to spoile her of the same And all good reason geueth that the said original Wil standing vppon the triall of the Kinges hande be exhibited that it may be compared with his other certaine and wel knowen hand writing And that other things may be done requisite in this behalfe But yet all this notwithstanding let vs nowe imagine and suppose that the King him selfe whose harte and hande were doubtelesse farre from any suche doinges lette vs yet I say admitte that he had signed the said Will with his owne hande Yet for al that the Aduersaries perchance shal not finde no not in this case that the Queenes iuste Title right and interest doth any thing fayle or quayle Or rather lette vs without any perchance say the iustice and equitie of her cause and the inuincible force of trueth to be such that neither the Stampe nor the Kinges owne hande can beare and beate it downe Which thing we we speake not without good probable and weightie reasons Neither do we at this time minde to debate and discourse what power and autoritie and how farre the Parlament hath it in this and like cases Which perchance some other would here do We wil only intermedle with other thinges that reache not so farre nor so high and seeme in this our present question worthy and necessarie to be considered And first before we enter into other matters we aske this reasonable and necessarie questiō whether these general words wherby this large and ample autoritie is cōueied to king Henry must be as generally and as amply taken or be restrained by some māner of limitation and restrictiō agreable to such mind and purpose of the Parlament as must of very necessitie or great likelihod be construed to be the very mind and purpose of the said Parlamēt Ye wil say perchance that the power and autoritie of assignatiō must be taken generally and absolutely without exception sauing for the outward signing of the Will. Trueth it is there is nothing els expressed but yet was there some thing els principally intended and yet for al that needed not to be specified The outward maner was so specially and precisely appointed and specified to auoyde suspitious dealing to auoide corruption and forgery And yet was the Wil good and effectual without the Kinges hande Yea and the assignatiō to had ben good had not that restrainte of the Kinges hande bene added by the Parlament But for the qualification of the person to be limited and assigned and so for the necessarie restriction and limitation of the wordes were they neuer so large and ample there is though nothing were spoken thereof an ordinary helpe and remedie Otherwise if the Realme had ben set ouer to a furious or a madde man or to an idiote or to some foraine and Mahometical Prince and to such a one our stories testifie that King Iohn would haue submitted him selfe and his Realme or to any other notorious incapable or vnhable person the generalitie of the wordes seeme to beare it but the good minde and purpose of the Parlament and mans reason doe in no wise beare it If ye graunt that these wordes must nedes haue some good and honest constructiō and interpretation as reason doth force you to graunt it yet wil I aske farther whether as the King cutte of in this pretensed Wil the whole noble race of the eldest sister and the first issue of the yongest sister so if he had cutte of also al the ofspringes as wel of the said yongest sister as of the remnante of the royal blood and placed some being not of the said blood and perchance otherwise vnable this assignatiō had bene good and vailable in law as conformable to reason and to the mind and purpose of the Parlament It were surely to great an absurdity to graūt it There must be therefore in this matter some reasonable moderation and interpretatiō as wel touching the persons cōprehēded within this assignation and their qualities and for the persons also hauing right and yet excluded as for the manner of the doing of the Acte and signing the Wil. For the king as King could not dispose the Croune by his Wil and was in this behalfe but an Arbiter and Commissioner Wherefore his doinges must be directed and ruled by the lawe and according to the good minde and meaning of those that gaue the authoritie And what their minde was it wil appeare well inough euen in the statute it selfe It was for the auoiding of all ambiguities doubtes and diuisions touching the Succession They putte theyr whole truste vppon the King as one whom they thought most earnestly to minde the wealth of the Realme as one that woulde and could best and most prudently consider and weigh the matter of the Succession and prouide for the same accordingly If the doinges of the King do not plainely and
whole Realme or with the minde purpose and intente of the said Parlament that the King should not onely frustrate and exclude suche whose right by the common lawe is moste euidente and notoriouse but call and substitute suche other as by the same lawe are plainely excluded In consideration whereof many notable Rules of the Ciuil lawe doo concurre First that who soeuer geueth any man a general authoritie to do any thing seemeth not to geue him authoritie to do that thing which he would not haue graunted if his minde therein had bene seuerally and specially asked and required Againe general wordes either of the Testatours or of suche as make any contract and especially of statutes touching any persons to doe or enioy any thing ought to be restrained and referred to hable mete and capable persons only It is further more a rule and a Principle that statutes must be ruled measured and interpreted according to the minde and direction of the general and common lawe Wherefore the King in limiting the succession of the Croune in this sorte as is pretended seemeth not to answere and satisfie the expectation of the Parlament putting the ease there were any such surmised impediment as also on the other side likewise if there were no such supposed impedimēt For here an other rule must be regarded whiche is that in Testaments Contractes and namely in statutes the generalitie of wordes must be gently and ciuilly moderated and measured by the common law and restrained when so euer any man should by that generalitie take any dāmage and hurte vndeseruedly Yea the Statute shal rather in that case ceasse and quaile and be taken as void As for example it appereth by the Ciuil law that if it be enacted by statute in some Cities that noman shal pleade against an Instrument no not the Executour yet this notwithstanding if th'Executour make a true and perfect Inuentarie of the goodes of the Testatour if he deale faithfully and truely rather then he should wrongfully and without cause paie the Testatours debt of his owne he may come and pleade against the Instrument Wherefore the Kinges doings seeme either muche defectiue in the said Ladie Francis and Ladie Elenour or much excessiue in their children And so though he had signed the said Wil with his hand yet the said doings seme not cōformable to the mind and purpose of the Parlamēt We wil now go forward and propound other great and graue cōsiderations seruing our said purpose and intent Whereof one is that in limiting the Croune vnto the heires of the bodie of the Ladie Francis the same Ladie then and so long after liuing the said King did not appoint the Succession of the Croune according to th' order and meaning of the honourable Parlament forasmuch as the said Acte of Parlament gaue to him authoritie to limite and appoint the Croune to such person or persons in reuersion or remainder as should please his Highnes Meaning thereby some person certaine of whom the people might haue certaine knowledge and vnderstanding after the death of King Henrie the eight Which persons certaine the heires of the Ladie Francis could not by any meanes be intended forasmuch as the said Ladie Francis was then liuing and therfore could then haue no heires at al. By reason wherof the people of this Realme could not haue certaine knowledge and perfit vnderstanding of the Succession according to the true meaning and intent of the said Acte of Parlament But to this matter some peraduenture would seeme to answere and say that although at the time of the said King Henries death the Heires of the bodie of the said Ladie Francis begotten were vncertaine yet at suche time as the said remainder should happen to fal the said heires might then certainly be knowen In deede I wil not deny but that peraduenture they might be then certainly knowen But what great mischieffes and inconueniences might haue ensewed and yet may if the Wil take place vpon that peraduenture and vncertaine limitation I would wishe all men well to note and consider It is not to be doubted but that it might haue fortuned at such time as the remainder shuld happē to fal to the said heires of the Ladie Frācis the same Lady Frācis should then be also liuing who I pray you then should haue had the Croune Paraduēture ye wold say the heires of the body of the Ladie Elenor to whō the next remainder was apointed Vndoubtedly that were cōtrarie to the meaning of the said supposed Wil forsamuch as the remainder is therby limited vnto the heires of the body of the Ladie Elenour only for default of issue of the Ladie Francis. Wherby it may be very plainly gathered vpō the said supposed Wil that the meanīg therof was not that the childrē of the Lady Elenour should enioye the Croune before the children of the Lady Francis. But what if the said Ladie Elenour had ben then also liuing which might haue happened forasmuch as both the said Ladie Frācis and Ladie Elenour by common course of nature might haue liued longer then vntil this day who then should haue had the Croune Truly the right Heyre whome this supposed Wil meante to exclude so long as there should remaine any issue either of the body of the said Ladie Francis or of the bodie of the said Ladie Elenour lawfully begotten And therefore quite contrarie to the meaning of the said supposed Wil. Wherfore I doe verely thinke that it would hardly sinke into any reasonable mans head that had any experience of the great wisdom and aduised doings of King Hēry the eight about other matters being of nothing like weight that he would so slenderly and so vnaduifedly dispose the successiō of the croune whervpon the whole estate of this Realme doth depend in suche wise that they to whom he meant to geue the same by his wil could not enioye it by the lawe Wherevpon ye may plainely see not only the great vnlikelihod that King Hēry the eight would make any such Wil with such slender aduise but also that by the limitation of the said Will the succession of the Croune is made more vncertaine and doubtful then it was before the making of the said Actes of Parlament Which is cōtrary to the meaning and intent of the said Actes and therfore without any sufficient warrant in law But peraduenture some here wil say that although these dangers and vncertainties might haue ensewed vpon the limitation of the said wil yet forasmuch as they haue not happened neither be like to happē they are therefore not to be spoken of Yeas verely it was not to be omitted For although these things haue not happened and therefore the more tolerable yet forasmuch as they might haue happened by the limitation of the said supposed Wil cōtrary to the meaning of the said Actes the Wil can not by any meanes be said to be made according to the meaning and intent of the makers of
hauing and following of this law as we haue said vnlesse to omitte other thinges ye would bind our Kinges also to receaue the Deuteronomie at the haÌ„ds of the Leuitical Tribe as that ye say that God gaue here a lawe to the Iewes to make or choose a King and so consequently al your illations out of this place seeme to be of smal force For to say the trueth as God neither gaue them this or any other lawe for choosing of a King nor did bid or will them to choose a King so did the people most greeuously offend God in demanding a King. For though by the iudgement of Aristotle and other Philosophers Monarchie wel and orderly vsed is the best kinde of al other Regiments which God doth also wel like yet would he haue no such magistrate among the Iewes But as he chose them for his propre peculier and selecte people and ruled them as wel in the Desert as in Iudea by a seueral peculier and distinct order and Gouernement from other Nations and after suche wonderful and miraculous sort as the like was neuer harde of in any Regiment by sides so would he also reserue to him selfe only the said Supremacie and Monarchie Neither was he a litle angrie with the Iewes nor they committed any smal fault but as it were renounced and reiected Gods owne Monarchie in crauing a King as holy Scripture plainely and openly testifiet Nonâ—ie inquit reiecerunt sed me ne regnem super eos And the people afterwardes acknowledged their fault Addidimus vniuersis peccatis nostris malum vt peteremus nobu Regem God therefore did not bidde them or wil them to choose a King but forknowing long before by his eternall forsight what they would do though contrarie to his blessed wil and pleasure did in this as in other matters beare with their weakenes and condescended vnto the same and fortold them in the said 17. Chapter that in case they would needes haue a King of what kind and sort he should be And therefore immediatly before the wordes that ye recite thou shalt make him a King ouer them is this texte Cum ingressus fuer is terram quam Dominus Deus dabit tibi possederis illam habâ—â—auerisque in illa dixeris constituam super me Regem sicut habent omnes per circuitum Nationes â—um constitues c. And when thou shalt come into the laÌ„d which the Lord thy God geueth thee and shalt possesse yea and dwel therein if thou say I wil set a King ouer me like as all the Nations that are about me then thou shalt make him King ouer thee whome c. Whiche wordes making for the illustratioÌ„ of this place ye haue omitted Wherfore as this place serueth nothing for any absolute election of a King the second which you seeme especially to regard and ground your selfe vpon so doth it as we haue shewed as litle relieue you to prooue therby your conclusions especially against the ordinarie successioÌ„ either of a strauÌ„ger or of a woman that ye would gather and conclude out of the same Thus haue we sufficiently answered the place of Deuteronomie for this one purpose Th' other two autorities may be much more easely answered The people meant nothing els by their said wordes spoken to Dauid but that they were the seede of Abraham Isaac and Iacob as wel as he and intended with true and sincere hartes vnfainedly to agnise him as their chiefe Lord and Soueraigne For at that time the Tribe of Iuda only whereof King Dauid came by lineal descent did acknowledge him as king Now the residue which before helde with Saules sonne did also incorporate and vnite themselues to the said kingdome If this man looke wel vpon the matter he shal find I trowe that the Queene of Scotland may as wel cal her selfe the bones and fleshe of the Noble Princes of England as this people cal them selues the bones and sheshe of King Dauid But yet the great terrible battering Cannon Athalia is behind She being in possessession of the kingdome seuen yeares was iustly thrust out by cause she was an Alien We may then saith this man iustly denie the Queene of Scotland the right of that which if she had in possession she should not iustly enioy Yet Sir if the Queene of Scotland be no Alien as we haue said then is your Cannon shot more feareful then dangerous We deny not but that Athalia was lawfully deposed but we beseche you to tell vs your Authours name that doth assigne the cause to be suche as you alleage Surely for my part after diligent searche I finde no such Authour Trueth is it that Iosephus writeth as ye doe that she descended by the mothers side of the Tyrians and Sidonians yet neuerthelesse he assigneth no such cause as ye doe And as ye are in this your preatie poisoned pamflet the first I trow of al Christian men I wil not except either Latin or Greke vnlesse it be some fantastical fonde and new vpstart Doctour as M. Knoxe or some the like neither Iew Chaldee nor Arabian that hath thus straungely glosed and deformed this place of holie Scripture against the ordinarie succession of women Princes so are you the first also of all other Diuines or Lawiers throughout the world that hath set forth this new fonde foolishe lawe that the Kings childe must be counted an Alien whose father and mother are not of the same and one CouÌ„trie If the French or Spanish King chaunce to marâ—e an English woman or the King of England to marie a French a Spanish or any other Country woman their Children by this new Lycurgus are Aliens and so consequently in al other Nations al such are haue ben and shal be AlieÌ„s by this your new oracle For what other cause shew you that this Athalia was an Alien but by cause her mother was an Alien genus duceÌ„s say you à Tyrijs Sydoâ—iis coming by lineal descent by the mothers side from the Tyrians and Sydonians King Achas maried her mother doughter to Ithobal King of the said Tyrians and Sydonians This Athalia whom Iosephus cal leth Gotholio Achas daughter maried IoraÌ„ King of uda her brother called also Ioram being king of Israel after the decease of his father Achas So then ye see that this Athalia was nomore an Alien among the Iewes then â—â—ing Edbalde Baldus was the sonne of Bertha a FreÌ„ch womaÌ„ and of King Ethelbertus the first Christian King of th' English nation no more then was the noble King Edward the third borne of a French woma â—more then Queene Marie was no more â—en should haue bene the issue of the said Q. Marie in case she had had any by the king â—f Spaine I perceaue that your felowes that â—ould faine make King Stephen King HeÌ„â—e the second and Arthur Neuew to King â—ichard the first Aliens had but rude dul â—nd grosse heades in comparison of
burge who therby inioyed the Countie Pâ—latine The like may be said of diuers othâ— partes of the Germanical Empire yea a wâ— maÌ„ hath ruled and gouerned the said who Empire as it is euident in Agnes the wiâ— of the Emperour Henry the third duriâ— the time of the minoritie of her sonne Hâ—rie the fourth And yet the same Empire ye wote wel passeth by choise and election and not by lineal succession of bloode yeâ— many hundereth yeares ere she was borne and in the florishing time of the olde Roâ—maine Empire Mesa Varia grandmother to the Emperour Heliogabalus and Alexander Seuerus sate with the Senate at Rome heard and examined the weighty causes oâ— the Empire and set her hand also to suche thiÌ„gs as passed touchiÌ„g the publike affaires I do now adioyne the kingdom of Sicile and Naples in Italie of the whiche Italie Noah whom the prophane Writers cal Ianus made Crana his daughter ruler and Quene wher also Lauinia reigned after the death of Aeneas And as for Naples this presideÌ„t of womanly Gouernment is not there only of later yeares in both the Queenes called Iohanne but euen from very auncient time which thing the stories do recorde in Amalasintha that gouerned after the death of her father King Theodoricus with her sonne Athalaricus The said Amalasintha was mother to Almaricus King of Spaine and after his death ruled her self the said Realme Let vs nowe adde farther the Dukedoms of Loraine and Mantua the kingdome of Swetia and Dania and of Noruegia whereof Margaret the daughter of Waldemarus was gouernesse and Quene the kingdom of Beame and of HuÌ„garie And to draw nere home the Realm also of ScotlaÌ„d which realm hath denomination of a woman as their stories report as hath likewise Flaunders The like some of our stories report of EnglaÌ„d wherin I wil make no fast footing Now touching the feminine Successâ— to the right of the Croune of England itâ— no new found Succession and much leâ— vnnatural We reade in our Chronicles Queene Cordel the thirde heire and daugâ—ter of King Leyre the teÌ„th King of Eritanâ— that restored her father to the kingdomâ— being deposed by her two other sisters Wâ— reade that about three hundered fifty anâ— fiue yeares before the Natiuitie of Christâ— Martia Proba during the nonage of heâ— sonne did gouerne this Realme ful politikâ—ly and wisely and established certaine laweâ— called Leges Martianae There be aswel of our owne as of exterternal historiographers that for a most certeinty affirme that Helena the noble Constantine his mother was a Britaine and the only daughter and heire of Coelus King of Britanie and that the said Constantine was borne in Britanie Surely that his father CoÌ„stantinus died in Britanie at Yorke and that the said Constantinus began his noble Victorious race of his most worthy Empire in Britany it is reported by auncient Writers and of great faith and credit And that likewise long before the said Helens time women bare the greatest sway both in warre â—nd peace and that the Britaine 's had womeÌ„ or their Capteines in warfare AmoÌ„g other Cornelius Tacitus writeth thus His atâ—e allis inuicem instructi Voadica generis regij â—mina Duce neque enim sexum in Impertis â—scernunt sumpsêre vniuersi bellum We haue now already shewed of Henry he seconde who obteined the Croune by â—he mothers right Which said King by the Title of his wife and after him his Succesâ—ours Kings of England did inioy the Dukeâ—omes of Aquitania and the Dukedome of Poiters as the said Kings Successour should â—aue done also as we haue shewed before the Dukedome of Britanie if Arthur King Richardes Neuew had not by the vsurping of King Iohn and his vnnatural crueltie died without issue And by what other right then by the womans inheritance dew to King Edward the third by his mother the Frenche Kings daughter doe the Kinges of this Realme beare the Armes and Title of the Kings of FraÌ„ce And though the FreÌ„ch men thinke their parte the better against vs it is not but vpoÌ„ an old politike law of their owne as they say and not vpon any suche fonde ground as ye pretende that women Regiment is vnnatural Which RegimeÌ„t ye stoutly affirme to bâ— farre a sunder from any natural RegimeÌ„t yeâ— truely as farre as was the boies head froÌ„ the shoulders the last Bartholmew Faire at LoÌ„don which many a poore foole did beleeue to be true For as the boies head remained stil vpon his necke and shoulders though iâ— seemed by a light liuely legerdemaine to be a great way from the bodie so would you now cast a mist before our eies and make vs beleue that womans gouernmeÌ„t and nature be so diuided and sundred that they may iâ— no wise be lincked and coupled together But surely the French nation was neuer so vnwise to thinke this kind of GouermeÌ„t repugnant to Nature or to Gods holy Word For then they would neuer haue suffered their Realme to haue ben so often gouerned and ruled by women in the time of the nonage or absence of their Kings As by Adela the mother of King Philip and by Blanche the mother of S. Lewis and by the wife of the late King Frauncis taken prisoner at Paura and by diuers others Neither should the said Adela and Blanche haue ben so coÌ„mended of their said noble and worthy rule and â—uernmeÌ„t The said FrenchmeÌ„ though by â—oliâ—ie they haue prouided to exclude foâ—iners from the inheritance of the Croune 〈◊〉 they themselues holde at this day by â—e womaÌ„s title and interest the Dukedom â—f Britanie with diuers other goodly posâ—ssions And we haue shewed before how â—ewis the Dolphin of France made a Title 〈◊〉 the Croune of this Realme in the right â—f his wife Thus I haue as I suppose sufficiently proued that this kinde of RegimeÌ„t 〈◊〉 not against Nature by the auncient and â—ontinual practise of Asia Aphrica and Euâ—â—pa For the perfecting of the whiche laste â—â—rte of Europa and of the whole three â—artes I ende with the notable Poet Virgils verses Filius huic fato Diuûm prolesque virilis Nulla fuit primaque oriens erepta iuuenta est Sola domum tantas seruabat filia sedes We knit vp therfore our conclusion against you after this sort That law and vsage caÌ„not be compted against the law of nature or ius GeÌ„tiuÌ„ which the most part of al couÌ„tries and one great or notable part of the whol world doth and hath vsed but this lawe or vsage is such Ergo it is not against the law of Nature The Maior nedeth no proufe and foâ— the proufe of the Minor we neede to imploy no farder labour then we haue already done Whervpon the consequeÌ„t must nedeâ— be inferred that this law or vsage doth weâ— agree and stand with the law of nature The reason thereof is that it
ciuil gouermēt more or lesse be annexed and vnited to this inheritāce as it is not only in Empires and Kingdomes but in many Dukedōs Earldoms yea and Lordships also whether she shal be excluded from the said her inheritance If ye say yea then you say against Scripture If you say that the inheritance must remaine in her and the ciuil gouernment to others then say you against al reason against the vse manner and custom of the whole world it is but your own fond folish glosse Whervpō I do inferre that womanly gouernment is admitted not only by these exāples but euen by the very wordes rules and decrees of holy Scripture And so I trust you are or haue cause to be fully satisfied aswel touching your allegatiō that womāly Regimēt is against nature as also touchīg a brother to be chosen king And therfore I cōclude against you that neither the law of God nor of Nature nor yet reason vpon the which also you ground yourself doe reiect the said Queene Marie from the succession of the Croune of England You reason that where the people erect themself an Head of their owne kinde and Nation there nature assureth the people of natural gouernment and where a stranger carieth opinion of vnnatural tyranny it assureth the ruler of vnnatural subiection To a straunger is murmurre and rebellion threatned But now if this excellent Ladie and Princesse be no straunger and be of our owne kinred and of the auncient and late Roial bloud of this Realme as we haue declared then is your reason also withal auoided which may and doth oftētimes take place in more straungers cōming in by violent and forceable meanes But here as natural a man as you make your self ye seeme to goe altogether against reason and against nature also If Princes Children were to be counted strāgers and Aliens or to be suspected as enemies and Tyrantes succeding to their owne Progenitours inheritance it was an vnnatural parte and a great folie in the noble Kinges of this and of many other Realmes to geue out their daughters to foreine Princes in mariage And in steade of preferring and aduancing them by their mariage and procuring thereby frindship and amitie with other Princes to disable their said children from ther Auncestours inheritāces in those Coūtries from whence they originally proceded And as it seemeth by your kind of reasoning to purchase and procure byside to them thereby an opinion of enmitie and tyrannie This this I say is a frowarde and an vnnatural interpretation Nature moueth and driueth vs to think otherwise and that both a Prince wil fauour loue and cherishe the people from whence he fetcheth his roial blood and by whō he must now mainteine keepe and defende his roial estate and that the people likewise wil beare singuler loue and affection to such a one specially of such knowē Princely qualities as this noble Ladie is adorned withal Surely it is no more vnnatural to such a Prince descending from the anncient and late roial blood of the Kinges of England to beare rule in Englād and as it were to returne to the head and foūtaine from whence originally she sprāg then it is for al fluddes and riuers which as Homer saith flow out of the great Oceā sea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to reuert returne and reflow againe to the said Ocean This coherence coniunction copulatiō inclinatiō and fauour running interchangeably betwixt such a Prīce and the people is no more strāge to nature then is the cōiunction of the tree and the rote thereof then of the fountaine and the Riuer issewing frō thence then of the sonne and of the sonne beames and finally then is the coniunction betwixt the old auncient liuing grandmother and her yong and tendre daughter Neither do I wel know how I may better cal noble England then a liuing grandmother to this good gētle Ladie whō we I doe not doubt if euer God cal her to the Roial state therof shal not only find a louing and gratious Maistresse but a most deare and tendre good doughter For these and other cōsideratiōs the lawes of the Realm do not nor euer did estrāge such Princes from the successiō of the Croun of this realm which by reason of the said mutual inclination and beneuolēce of th' one to the other standeth with the law of God and nature and with al good reason And therfore your cōclusion is against Gods law Nature and al good reason Wherby you ful vngodly vnnaturally and vnreasonably do cōclude an exclusion of the Q. of Scotlād pretending her to be a strāger to that right that God Nature and reason and the true harts of al good natural English men do cal her vnto The which her said iust right title and interest we trust we haue now fully proued and iustified and sufficiētly repulsed the sundry obiectiōs of the aduersaries And as this being the principal ought to breede no doubt or scruple in any mā so many other folish fond and fantastical obiections not worthy of any answere that busie quarelīg heads do cast forth to disable her right or to disgrace her and bleamish either her honour or this happie vniō of both Realmes if God shal so dispose of it ought much lesse to moue any mā An happy vniō I cal it bicause it shal not only take away the long mortal enmitie the deadly hatred the most cruel and sharp warres that haue so many hundred yeares ben continewed betwixt our neighbours the Scotsmen and vs but shal so intierly consociate conioine and so honorably set foorth and aduaūce vs both and the whole Iland of Britanie as neither tonge cā expresse the greatnes of our felicitie and happines nor hart wish any greater The old enmitie hath trodden downe and kept vs both vnder foot and hath giuen occasion to the common enemie as the Danes and other to spoile vs both It hath caused for these thousand yeares and more so infinite and so ougly slaughters as it wil greeue and pitie any mans hart to remembre and yet neither to the great augmentatiō of our possessions at this day nor to their much losse they hauing lost nothing of their olde aunciene inheritance sauing Barwike only If this cōiunctiō once happē and if we be once vnited and knit together in one kingdome and dominion in one entier brotherly loue and amitie as we are already knit by neighbourhoode by tongue and almost by all manners fashions and behauiours then will al vnnatural and butcherly slaughter so lōg hitherto practised ceasse then wil rest quiet wealth and prosperitie increase at home then wil al outward Princes our frindes reioice and be comforted our enemies dread vs Then wil the honour fame and Maiestie of the Ilande of Albion daily growe more and more and her power and strength so greatly encrease as to the frinde wil be a good shield and to the enemie an horrible terrour Then shal the vtwarde enemie litle indāmage vs
the death of the Lorde Darley before the Counsaile of EnglaÌ„d The causes vvhy the Earle Murray vvent about asvvel to make avvay the L. Darley as to depose the Queene The Earle Murray de clared the day before that the L Darley should be slaine Diuers assembles of the Earle Murray aÌ„d his adherents to consult vpon the slaughter of the L. Darley Indentures made and subscribed for the execution of the said purpose Diuers excuted in Scotland for the said murther vvhereof none could charge the Queene The Q. in a maÌ„ner miraculously deliuered out of Lochleuen prison The Commissioners appointed in EnglaÌ„d to heare the Quene of ScotlaÌ„d her maters vvel liked of her faid innocency and of her title to the succession of the Cioune An exhortation to the Earles Murray aÌ„d Murton aÌ„d others to reconcile theÌ„selues to the Q. The Q. of ScotlaÌ„d ful of mercy The ende of Rebels euer vnhappy Other Princes vvil not suffer the Quene of Scotland to be iniuried by her subiectes Man only hath the pierogatiue of vvit and reason among al earthlye creatures Men are most bouÌ„d to the preseruation of their CouÌ„trey A great coÌ„moditie to the coÌ„moÌ„ vvealth to knovv the heire appa rente Why all the vvorld almost doth enbrace succession of Princes rather then election Flores histor anno 1057. Richardus Canonicus sanctae Trinit Lond. Flor. histo anno 1190. Polid li. 14 Polid li. 20 The Quene of Scottes is right heire apparent to the Croune of Englande Inst de iust iure §. fin The common lavve of this Realme is rather grounded vpon a general custom then any lavve vvritten In Prologo suo eiusdem li. fo 1. et 2. De dict Ra nulpho GlaÌ„uilla uide Giraldum Cambren in topogra de Wallia Fortescue de lau Leg. Angl. c. 17. â— E. 4.19.33 H. 6.51 Pinsons printe Inst de iure natura geÌ„t ciuil §. ex non script 25. E. 3. The adueâ— sacies case pettineth to subiects only No Maxime of the lavve bindeth the Croune vnles the Croune specially be named Of the Tenante by the curtesy Nor that the landes shal be diuided among the daughters Not the vvife shall haue the third part 5. E. 3. Tit. praerog 21. E. 3.9 28. H. 6. Nor the rule oâ— Possessio fratris c. Nor that the executour shall haue the goods and Chattles of the resâ—atour 7. H. 4. sol 42. Nor that a traitour i vnable to take landes by discente and vvithout pardoÌ„ An ansvvere to the Aduersary making a difference be tvvene Attainder aÌ„d the birth out of the allegeaÌ„ce 22. H. 6. fol. 43. The suppo sed Maxime of the Aduersaries touching not Kinges borne beyond the sea as appeareth by King Stephen and King H. 2. The Aduersaries obiection touching King H. 2. auoided As touching Arthur King Richardes nephevve Vt autem pax ista summa dilectio taÌ„ multiplici quaÌ„ arctiori uin culo connectatur praedictis curiae uestrae Magnatibus id ex parte uâ— stra tractaÌ„tibus Domino disponente coÌ„diximus inter Arthurum egregiuÌ„ Dâ— cem BritaÌ„niae nepoteÌ„ nostrum haeredem si forte sine prole obirâ— nos contigâ— rit filiaÌ„ uestraÌ„ matrimonium contrahendum c. In tractatu paciâ— inter Richa 1. TancreduÌ„ Regem Si ciliae Vide Reg. Houeden RicharduÌ„ Canonicum S. Trinitatis Londin A false Maxime set forth by the Aduersarie 7. E. 4. fo 28.9 E. 4. fo 5.11 H. 4 fo 25.14 H. 4. fo 10. the statute of Edvv. 3. An. 25. to â— cheth inâ—e ritaÌ„ce not purchase â— H. 4. fo 25. Scotland is vvithin the allegeance of EnglaÌ„d The Lorde loseth not his seignorie though the tenaÌ„te doth not his seruice The causes vvhy the Croune caÌ„ not be coÌ„prised vvithin the pretended Maxime Without the croune there can neither be King nor allegeance 40. E. 3. fol. 10. 13. E. 3. Tit. Bref 264.16 E. 3. iurans desait 166.17 E. 3. tit scire fac 7. A Deane a Person a Priour being an Alien may demande lande in the right of his corporation An 3. R. 2.6 C. 3. fo 21. tit droit 26. lib. Ass p. 54.12 li. Ass tit enfant 13. H â— fol. 14.7 E. 4. fol. 10.16 E. 3. iurans defait 9. H. 6. fol. 33.35 H. 6. so 35.5 E. 4 fol. 70.49 li. Ass A. 8â— 22. H. 6. fo 31.13 H. â— so 14. The King is alvvaies at ful age in respecte of his Croune The Kings children are expresly excepted from the surmised Maxime â— LiberoruÌ„ ff de uerbo ruÌ„ signific L. Sed si de in ius uo caÌ„do instit de haere ab intest L. Lucius ff de baered instit L. Iusta L. Nâ—toruÌ„ L. Liberorum de uerb signif L. 2. § sâ— mater ad S. C. Tertul L. Filius de S. C. Maced L. Senatus de ritu nugâ— L quod sâ— nepotes ff test cuÌ„ notatis ibid. Infantes in Frenche couÌ„teruaileth this vvorde liberi in lat The grand fathers cal their nephues sonnes L. Gallâ—◠§ InstitueÌ„s ff de liber Eâ— post l. ff C. de impub. Alâ—is substan c 1. q. 4 Father and son coÌ„pted in person aÌ„d flesh in maner one Great absurditie in excluding the true aÌ„d right successour for the place of his birth only An euasion auoided preteÌ„ding the priuilege of the KiÌ„gs children not to be in respect of the Croune but of other laÌ„des The royall blood beareth his honour vvith it vvhereso euer it be Vide Anto. Corsetum de potest et excell regi q. 106. CoÌ„querors glad to ioinevvith the ioyall blood Henry the first L. â— ff de legious Commonvse and pâ—â—ctise the best interpretation of the lavv Eodâ— anno Rex cuÌ„ in diebus suis processisset AeldredaÌ„ Vigornen sem Episco pum ad Regem Hunga riae trans mittens reuocauit inde filium fratris sui Edmundi Eduardum cuÌ„ tota fa milia sua ut uel ipse uel filij eius sibi succedereÌ„t in regnum Flor. histor 1057. Flor histo â—066 Aelredus Regioual lens de reg Anglorum ad Regem Henr. 2. King Stephen and King H. â— The aduer saries fond imagination that King H. 2. should come to the croune by composition not by proximitie of blood Rex Stepha nus omni haerede ui duatus prae ter solummo do Ducem Henricum recognouit in conuentu EpiscoporuÌ„ aliorum de regno Optimatum quod Dux HeÌ„r ius hae reditariuÌ„ in regnuÌ„ Angliae habebat Et Dux benigne concessit ut Rex Stepha nus tota uita sua suuÌ„ regnuÌ„ pacifice possideret Ita tamen confirmatum est pactuÌ„ quod ipse Rex ipsttuÌ„e praesentes cum caeteris regni optimatibus iurareÌ„t quod Dux Henr. post morteÌ„ Regu si illum superuiueret regnum sine aliqua contradictione obtincret Flor. histo An 1153. The like fond imagination touching King Richardes nephevv Diuersitie of opinioÌ„s touching the vncle aÌ„d nephue vvhether of them ought to be preferred in the royall gouernement
The possions of the Croune of Englad that vvere beyondthe seas sealed into the Frenche kings haÌ„ds for the murther of Arthur Polid. 15. flor histor An. 120â— Levvis the French Kings son claimed the Croune of this Realme in the Title of his vvise Pro hereditate uxoris meae scilicet neptis Regis loaÌ„ usque ad mortem â—â— necessitas exigeret decertabo Flor histo Anno 1216. Haroldus muneribuâ— genere fretê° regni diadema innasit H. Hunte hist Angli lib. 5 Cut regnuÌ„ iure hereditario debebatur Palredus Rhie ual in histo R. Angliae ad H. 2. Cui de iure debebatur regnum An glorum Io. Lond. in Chron. Angliae Eadem uerba sunt in Math West mon. in flor hist a. 1066 What calamities sell to this Realm by the vsurping of King Harolde King Stephen and Iohn Rex Eduar dus misit c. ut uel ipse Eduar uel filius e ius sibi succederent c. Rich. Cicest uid Wil. Malmest de reg Angl. E. 2. c. 45. lib. 3. c. 5. Polid. 26. king H. 7 vvith his Counsaile is a good interpretor of our present cause The mariages of King E. 3. sonnes A fond imagination of the Aduersarie of the statute of 25. E. 3. There vvas no doubt made of the Kinges children borne beyonde the seas This statute toucheth not the Q. of ScotlaÌ„d as one not borne beyond the seas Vide statuta Walliae in magna Charta Walesvvas vnder the allegeance of EnglaÌ„d before it vvas vnited to the Croune The statutes of King H. 8. touching the succession of the Croune An ansvves to the fore said statute The effect of the Aduersaries arguments for the exclusion of the Quene of Scotland by a pretensed vvil of King H. 8 An. H. 8.35 An. H. 8.33 21. An ansvvet by the vvay of reioindeâ— to the same Diuers presumptions and reasons agaiÌ„st this supposed vvil The supposed vvil is preiudicial to the Croune of Englande for the claime of the croune of France This supposed vvil geueth occasion of ambitious aspiring Succession to the Croune more vncerteÌ„ bi the supposed vvil then before Much forgene and counterfeyting of Testamets Valerius Maximus dict et fact lib. 9. c. 4. In this supposed vvil is no condition for the mariage of the heires of the L. Francis as is for the Kinges ovvne daughters No order taken for the probate of the supposed vvil The enrollement in the chance rie is not a probate A great presumption against the supposed vvil for that the late pretensed Q. Iane did not vse the benefit of the same against the Q. of Scotland and others See the proclamation made the x. of Iulie the first yeare of her pretensed reigne Polid. lib. 8. The forgetie of this 〈…〉 〈◊〉 discloseâ— before the Parlament by the L. Paget A vvorthy deede for à Prince to cancell false Recordes Cicero 3. offic Sueton. de uiris illustrib Bed. lib. 3. histor Ecclesiast c. 1. L. tefliuÌ„ ff de testibus L. Ob carnem ibid. No iust â—aâ—se to repel â—he testimonie of the L. Paget and others L. Famâ—â— ff ad 〈…〉 maies l. muliere ff de accusat Hovv a negatiue may be proued Gloss Doct. c. bo na de elect Hovv and vvhen the later testimonie is to be accepted before the former Why the stampe caÌ„not counteruaile the Kings hand in this case Ioan Andr. in adit spe cul tit de requisit consul ad finem L. Sifundus ff de rebus corumâ—c de rebus Ecelesiae in 6. An ansvvere to the aduersaries touchinge Actes of Parlament alleaged to proue that the Kinges ovvne haÌ„d vvas not necessarie to the supposed vvil 18. E. 3. fol. 30. 3. H. 4. fol. 3. 11. 11. H. 4. fol. 67.9 H. 6. fo 6. 19. H. 6. fo 7. et 10 35. H. 6. fol. 12. 10. H. 6. fol. 26. 3. H. 6. fol. 8. 33. E. 3. fo 13. Vide Prisot 33. H. 6. fol. 39. 9. H. 6. fol. 35.35 H. 6. fol. 34.40 E. 3. fol. 2. 40. E. 3. fol. 35.21 E. 4. fol. 97.7 H. 7. fol. 15. 9. E. 4. fo 2. 22. E. 4. fo 47. 29. H. 6. fol. 6.29 lib. Assis P. 64. 27. H. 8. c. 10. 32. H. 3. c. 1. The supposed vvil caÌ„ not preiudice the Q of Scot laÌ„d though it had ben signed vvith the Kinges ovvne haÌ„d Ther must needes be some qualification and restrait of the general vvordes of the statute Matthae us Paristensis in Iohan. L. 1. ff quâ— Testamenta facere The definition of a TestameÌ„t L. fl pater ff Quae in frau credit L. fill famil ff de Donat. L. 1. c quae res pign l. obligatione ff de pigno c in genera de Regum iuris in 6. L. quidaÌ„ ff de uerb sâ—g L. ut grada §. 1. de numer honor L. permitteÌ„do cuÌ„ notatis ff de iure dotiuÌ„ In geuing general au thoritie that seemeth not to be comprised that the partie vvould not haue graunted being specially demaunded General voordes must be referred to hable persons L. 2. c. de Nopal L. fin § in computatione De iure deliber ibi notat Alciat in l. 1. de uerb significat 11. H. 4. fol. 72. 9. H. 6. fol. 24.11 H. 6. fol. 15. Non est par ratiâ— lucra non capere damna sentire L. sin C. de co dicil L. Proculus ff de damno infect Insti de legat Si res L. qui â—eeâ— sare C. dâ— edendo §. commodum lust de indict L. st quiâ— iâ— aliquo documento C. de edendâ— An infamous libel made lately against the Queene of Scot. The Authour of the same seemeth litle to regarde touching the succession of the Croune any lavve but holy Scripture only He groundeh him self chefly vpon the 17. of Deuteron â— Samuel â— 2. Reg. 11. An ansvvere tou chinge the 17. of Deuteron Great difference be tvvixt successioÌ„ and clection August de merit remis pecc cont Pela li 3. c 8. 9. to 7 in quaest ex nouo Test ca. 8. to 4. Queene of Scotland no straunger 3. Politico 1. Reg. 8. 2. Reg. 12. An ansvvere to the 2. Samuel 5. Ioseph Iudaic An tiq lib. 9. cap. 6. A nevve fond and madde in terpretation vvho is an AlieÌ„ made by the Aduer sarie Ioseph ibi cap. 6. Athalia vvas no AheamoÌ„g the levves Who is an Alien by Vlpian Who is an Alien by Vlpian L. 1. ff ad municip Matth. 12 Iosue 6. Dauid and Christ descend of Obed Ruthes sonne 4. Reg. 11. An ansvvere to the Aduer farre touching the lavve of Nature vvhich he vvresteth against vvomens gouernement L. 1. ff de iust iure l. ueluti l. ex hoc l. omnes cod Est enim noÌ„ scripta sed nata lex c. Cicero pro Milone The practise of Womens Regiment in Asia Aphrica and Europa Straebo geâ— graph lib. 14. First in Asia Queene Artemesia Queene Ada. Solinus in collect lib. 67. Plinius lib. 6. cap. 20.