of his most noble auncestor King Henrie the seventh who in answere of the same doubt affirmed to his honorable counsell that he made no question if any such thing should fall out but the Scottish king beeing as all Princes are by their royall nature enclined to Maiestie to statelines to eloquence to policie to civilitie should frame and conforme himselfe to the better countrie be taken with a liking of the more honorable discipline fashions and carriage of England the rather for that hee hath so ample and large a rewarde proposed to him for the same The meanest Scottishmen that are setled in England are content to forget their countrie kindred Parents and to frame and apply themselves vnto vs that they may freelie enjoy their poore condition or calling And is it like that hee who may still retaine his subjectes his countrie his Queene and children will not apply himself to vs in our lawfull and honourable desires that hee may rule vs Likenesse of manners doeth conciliate and fasten affections Therefore for mine owne part I doubt not but ere he haue beene any long time with vs he shall be so wonne to vs englished with vs by our naturall and reverent obedience to our Prince aboue other Nations and by al the verteous and commendable parts of our civilitie that Scotland shall haue more cause to feare their subiection to some Englishe deputie then wee haue nowe to feare our subiection to the Scots Trulie I mervaile not a little when I do consider how vnwilling and froward wee are to receiue that kingdome beeing offered which we haue fought for moste egerlie for manie hundreth yeers Is not this the way to subordinate if not to subdue to vs that people by policie whome wee coulde not by force Who beares the losse when we get the gain They depart with the best member that their bodie can afforde that they may become one bodie with vs. And to speake as I thinke in taking their King wee take also their kingdome which was wiselie foreseene of the afore-said Prince who stoode perswaded that the worthier kingdome would annexe and drawe to it the lesser and weaker and for the same purpose his moste famous sonne King Henrie the eight did earnestlie affect and go about at severall times by promises policies giftes and threatninges to vnite the two Realmes and their two Princes first when with the allegation and aunswere of this our doubt hee made offer of his onlie daughter and heire Ladie Mary to king Iames the fift the place of Holins is worth the reading And after when he sought in mariage for Prince Edward his sonne the young Princesse the late Queene of Scotland so as the refusall of the first and breache of the last beeing once agreed vppon was the occasion of bitter warres and great blood-shed betweene the two nations And nowe the difference is no other then this that wee did seek before to annexe them vnto vs and that they do seeke now to be annexed vnto vs. Therfore the ods is ours that they who did latelie refuse to giue vs their Queene are now most willing and content that wee doe take their King Wherein in my opinion we should bee as forward to receiue them as they are willing to make offer of themselves seeing it is plaine by proofe of experience that we shall no lesse keep our preheminence aboue the Scots though wee submit our selves to the Scottish king then wee haue kept it to this present day over the Walsh-men notwithstanding wee did submit our selves to King Henrie the seaventh Yet on the part wee are not to think or expect that he will quite abandon or banish them frō being about him for that were rather to rent them of from vs then to encorporate them with vs in one Politicke bodie The second point for the commodity it will bee much more then the bare encrease of subjectes if the opinion of a most faithfull and wise counseller as any this land hath may haue anie credite with vs who thought it the onlie safetie of England to stand fullie assured of our back dore And indeede wee had never more neede to haue it fast then at this time being environed and compassed about with so manie malicious and hatefull enemies as in a manner having no faster friends then such as are our friends for their owne advantage which giveth me occasion to distrust greatlie this new confirmed league with the French king which notwithstanding I wishe it may stand alwaies inviolable yet I greatlie feare by the president of former experience that it will no longer stand then the Frēch-mē may see how to help themselves better by newe friendship be it with This prophecv of that prudent man is now prooved true Spaniards or others And if we account it a great benefite that the Scottish king is not our enemie in these broken times is it not to be esteemed a thousand times a greater benefite to haue him made as fast and sure to vs as if he were our countrie-man or natiue English-man borne and one of our selves and that we be encreased and made vp with the accesse of his strength and kingdome by which we shall be so fenced and fortressed on that quarter without our charges or imployment of our men as now we are forced to doe that no port or part of Engl. shall be surer Nay whereas now we are driven to seeke the amitie and in a sort beg the favour of forrain nations yea of the heathen and Turkes and with infinite charges and lose of our men to entertaine their friendship beeing once enlarged and strengthened with the forces power of Scotland wee shall not neede to currie favour with Mahomet or Muscovite or weigh the displeasure or offence of all the Princes in the world And Ireland which now stealing furniture and provision of munition from thence doth with flashing flames of rebellion consume our people and emptie our coffers shall then being not onelie destitute of that aide but having it all emploied against it self be content with lesser charges then the owne revenewes to bee ruled and to be kept in loyall obedience having England on the one side Scotlād on the other to command it Thus our treasures powers shal be encreased our people spared our subsidies eased our charges abated Lastlie the encrease of subiectes which some esteeme but as a matter of small or no importance I affirme it to be the greatest cōmodity that anie kingdome could ever afford I haue for my warrat the words of as wise rich a king as ever did raigne who sayeth not Prov. 14 28. that wealth or riches but that the multitude of subiectes are the honour of the Prince and that for the want of subiects cōmeth the destruction of a Prince That is the multitude of subiects is the riches strength power protection stay of the kingdome and it is the cause of al things for which any state
villanies wil be freelie in euerie corner committed Oh therfore but once to think that this land is like to come to these woful calamities will teare anie godlie pitifull or natural English hart in peeces Beholde therefore most gracious Ladie your Nobles Commons yea euen all your people men weomen and children lye prostrate now before your feete most lamentably humblie beseeching you to saue them and to preserue them from these heapes of confusions and chaos of miseries and most instantlie with bitter teares beg at your handes that you leaue them not who are now most readie to lay downe their liues for you in this lamentable miserable case to lose their liues with all that they haue and all at the beck and pleasure of euerie furious peasant Remember that Moses tooke the people without a certaine knowne head and governour as sheepe without a sheep-herd and that your most noble father fore-saw that no better then the fore-rehearsed calamities would be the state of this land if hee had died before hee had made his heire knowne yea that hee imputed all the miseries that this land had abode through the contention betwixt the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster to this to wit that the order right of successiō had not bene in former time carefullie enough looked vnto made publikely knowne And so you may perceiue that herein we doe not forecast more perils then these wise and graue persons haue done in the like case Yet for further That calamities doth befal any nation where the Prince dieth without a knowne successor proued by the example of the Israelites The booke of Iudges ground of this our fore-casting of perils the whol book of the Iudges of Israel serueth most fitlie for through that book we see how that when soeuer they were left without a knowne gouernour as in those times they were often they fell into extream miseries were straight brought into slauerie vnder the hands of their enemies the Cananites the Moabites the Midianites the Amalekites Philistins in which state sometimes they continued 18. yeeres sometimes 40. yeeres sometimes more sometimes lesse Wee reade also that Alexander the great when hee Of Alexanders empire Arrianus Q. Curtius had made himself the greatest Emperor in the world yet dying not determining of his successor before hee died but leaving his noble Empire to them that could catche it and hold it that therevpon immediatly after his death there grew most hote fierce bloodie warres amongst his noble Dukes Captaines and so in the end his kingdome or Empire was rent and torne into as manie severall kingdomes as he had noble Dukes able to take them and keep them Wee Of Scotland after Alex. 3. read also in the Scottish Chronicles of Alexander the third king there who lived in the time of Edward the first King of England that hee dying leauing his heire and successor vnknowne it came to passe that vppon his death his kingdome was torne into two parts the one part following one Bayllioll studied to make him King and the other fauoring one Brussius sought to advance him But in the meane time whiles thus the title was in debating it appeareth in the storie that the whole kingdome was brought to extreame desolation But what need we in this case to peruse forrain stories O that your Maiestie would but remember And of England after Lucius and Gorbodug the miserable state of this land after King Lucius and after the death of King Gorbodug and his two sonnes Ferrex and Porrex for you shall in those hystories finde that the root and fountaine of all those lamentable miseries of 15. and 50. yeares civill dissension grewe of this that then the land was left without a certain known successor Yea infinite be the stories in all Chronicles that lay forth most doleful sequels alwaies of this And sure wee are such is your Maiesties wisdom that you must needs fore-see that if you should so leaue vs it wer neuer more likely that thervpō would follow the extreamest miseries that euer befell kingdome Wherfore once again most mercifull Lady cast your pitifull merciful eies vpon your noble Realme all your subiectes who with stretched out hands cry vnto you to shewe mercie vnto them in this point in delaying no longer to the hazard of the spilling of all their bloode and losing all their good to make knowne vnto them who of right is to succeede you O sweete Ladie let this long longed for and looked for most necessary drop of mercie drippe nowe at last downe from you to the chearing and comforting of all your true English subiects and so shal you establish your throne in mercie and purchase vnto your self the moste glorious title of a most mercifull Queene to the comfort of your owne conscience both before God and man and to your perpetuall good name and fame with all posteritie The 9. argument is from the safety honor and profit which will ensue the establishing of a successor both to her maiesty and to her subiectes But to prouoke you the more easilie to yeeld to shew this especial point of mercy cōsider yet further that so to do is not onlie verie necessarie both for you vs in respect of both our safeties and also that it is not onlie profitable to vs but also euen very profitable and honorable to you both in respect of God man That it is verie necessarie and profitable for vs the contemplation of the good that wee shall reape and quyetlie enioye by it and the viewe of the euill that directlie shall therby be turned from vs maketh it most euident And that it is necessary for you also yea profitable honourable as we haue said diuersly it may appeare for first it cannot be denyed that amongst all the meanes that otherwise Princes haue amongst men in this world to make them selues strong by and to sit safe in their throne this is a principall one That they alienate not the hearts of their subiectes from them by their vnkinde and mercielesse dealing towardes them For howe stronglie soever Salomon left his sonne Rehoboam established in his kingdome yet hee by listning rather to the counsell of young greene heades about him then Princes that woulde establishe their thrones must deale kindlie with their subiectes plant in their hearts lone and affection 1. King 1◠to the advise of the graue and auncient and so by his vnkinde and hard answere to his subiects alienating the heartes of them grew so weak that a mean man a servant of his Ieroboam by name rose vp against him and ten Tribes of twelue farre the greater part of his kingdom revolted from him did cleaue to Ieroboam and neither hee nor anie of his successors could euer recouer them againe And on the otherside there is no one thing in the foresaid respect more necessarie profitable and honorable to anie King Queene or Emperour
A PITHIE EXHORTATION TO HER MAIESTIE FOR ESTABLISHING HER SVCCESSOR TO the crowne WHEREVNTO IS ADDED A DISCOVRSE containing the Authors opinion of the true and lavvfull successor to her Maiestie Both compiled by PETER WENTWORTH Esquire Prudens Princeps haeredem nominando Regno prospiciet si desit filius de successore seriò cogitabit Ex Spart A wise Prince by naming his heire will provide for the safetie of his kingdome and if hee haue no sonne he will be the more carefull to establish his successor Out of Spart IMPRINTED 1598. Thomas Foley of Great Witley Court in the County of Worcester Esq. TO THE READER GOOD Reader the two Treatises ensuing were written by M. WENTWORTH whose zealous affection to the preservation of Religion his Prince countrie hath bene made better known to al her Maiesties good subjects by his patient and constant indurance for so good a cause as he maintained then it can be by any mans reporte or commendation In the former which by the advise of some friends he preferred to her Maiestie in forme of a supplication is prooved that for the safetie of the kingdomes of England and Scotland and of the Religion professed in them it is absolutelie necessarie that al the claimes and titles to the crowne of this Realme be tried by Parliament and that the rightfull successour to her highnesse be declared and confirmed nowe in her Maiesties life-life-time I doubt not but every religious and true hearted subiect is of his minde The latter declaring his opinion concerning the person of the true lawfull successor he sent to some privie friends at their instant request it may seeme strange that hee woulde venture to write it in respect of these ticklish times and of his present troubles for a lesser matter but yet there was strong reasons leading him to doe the same I haue published them both not so much to procure commendation praise to the dead though he iustlie deserue it for his most worthie parts as to worke a due regarde of right and equitie to the good and behoofe of all my countriemen and that he whose mouth was stopped from speaking the good which he would when he did liue might now without danger openlie proclaime the same though some would not after his death And as he was accustomed to say to his friends if it bee a duetie required of vs to communicate our knowledge in the meanest matters for mutuall instruction who in any good conscience can suppresse his knowledge in matters so greatly importing every private and publick estate of these Realmes yea both earthlie kingdomes and the kingdome of Christ For these respects I haue thought it expedient that hee who hath spoken in the Parliament with so great regarde and good liking of all the hearers shoulde nowe as it were with his owne mouth speak to all the subjects of England seing it is a matter that so greatly concerneth vs all I haue altered or suppressed no thing in either of them vnles it be titles and names of persons places words of courtesie which were not at al requisite to be knowne Some things I haue quoted in the margent for thy better vnderstanding being acquainted with his meaning and haue also englished some things for the help of the vnlearned Now for my self good Reader I speak my opinion in the trueth of my conscience that the Scottish King for anything I knowe hath the best right to succeede to our gracious and Soveraigne Ladie Wherein I am the more confirmed for that I know it to be the opinion of some mē who make as much conscience of their doings and haue as much wisdome law in their budgets as any man whatsoever that is in this land And to mee it seemeth a thing altogether needlesse yea voide of common sense and reason to fetch with so great adoe the branches and pedegrees from William the Conqueror Edward the first or Edward the third and to contend and to dispute a fresh for the houses of Lancaster and Yorke seeing all good men confesse that the right must haue beene in the children of Henrie the seaventh and Elizabeth eldest daughter to Edward the fourth And if by all our judgemēts the two titles were in them most happily joined he must be vnhappie that would seek to dissolue them We haue paide too deare for pleading broken titles and other service will please God better then to purge this land with our bloode for our vnthankfulnesse of all the benefites which wee doe at this present enjoy But to goe a little further if her Maiestie had a daughter or sister I dare be bolde to avouche that none in all Engl. durst presume to speak against her yet she could not possibly haue any better rightor title I speak of the ground of it then the heires of the Lady Margaret Teuther may claime by her For if the right of the brother King Henrie the 8. and his children be good the right of his eldest sister Ladie Margaret and her heires cannot be badde for want of his issue hers must needes come in The acts and statutes wrested against the Scottish king are in my conceit by diverse sufficientlie answered The inconveniences pretended for barring him are but suspitions and surmises alleadged without any colourable ground and though they were true yet they were rather to be admitted then the manifest ruine of the Realms Finally I wish thee so to read these treatises of M. Wentworths as hee was accustomed to read other mens to wit to yeeld tot he reason and not to the man for if he or I be deceived it is enough that wee beare the blame of our owne error though wee bee not also burdened with thine and therefore do as thou will answere for it for I seek thy good and not to hurt thee Thus protesting that with my hart I desire hereby nothing more then the preservation and advancement of Religion the standing of my natiue Prince and countrie and that if I did knowe a better right then the Scottish kings I would vnfainedlie favour it I leaue thee for this matter to the gracious direction of the Almighty Fare-well Faults escaped in the printing Page 3. in the margent cause reade offence Pag. 6. in the margent 46. reade 49. Page 11. Lin. 22. vveighie reade vveightie Page 45. Li. 14. discomfort reade discomfite Page 52. Lin. 17. perserue reade preserue Pa. 83. L. 8. vvhich reade vvith Page 89. L. 3. and reade adde In the second Treatise Page 30. Line 3. therevpon reade therefore Page 48. L. 5. leadged are reade leadged are Page 81. L. 8. 7. roote reade roote Pag. 75. Li 12. vp reade vpon P. 81. L. 17. lose reade losse AN EXHORTATION TO HER MAIESTIE FOR ESTABLISHING HER SVCCESSOR TO THE CROVVN MOSTE high and The bounden dutie of a faithful hearted subiect to God his Prince and countrie is the cause of this Treatise mightie Prince our deare soueraigne leige Lady we
cannot choose but see that immediatlie after your death there is nothing else to bee looked for but extreame confusion and subversion of the whole estate of this your noble land As therefore you are our head shew your self to haue dutifull care and loue to your bodie that if you may help it as by yeelding heerevnto in time you may you leaue it not headles as a dead trunk And seeing God hath ordayned you our nursing mother wee your children cry vpon you most earnestlie beseech you that by neglecting this motion you vnnaturallie leaue vs not vnto the evident spoile of the mercilesse bloodie sword And seing God hath honored you with his owne name most deare soueraigne take heed you doe not vnto him vnto your self that dishonor for lack of listning to this counsell contrary to his wil nature to leaue vs your people wittingly willingly at random to the rage furie of hell helhounds But to proceed secondly in the word it is also written That hee hath denyed The second 〈…〉 5. 8. the faith and is worse than an infidell that prouydeth not for his owne as Maisters of families are bound to prouyde for their families after their death therefore the Queene for her kingdome namelie them of his familie where this word prouydeth biddeth not onlie such whiles they liue to prouyde what they may for the necessary good of theirs during their owne liues but also after they be gone as reason nature and experience hath taught in al ages all Christian housholders to take it Now what be your subiectes and al the inhabitantes of your noble dominions else but your Graces Royall familie Doubtlesse you are the Mistresse head housholder appointed of the Lord to this honourable familie And you may not think that the holie Ghost hath thus tied bound pettie housholders to care and to prouyde thus euerie way both for their owne time and after for their small and little families and that he leaues such mighty parents and housholders as you Princes be at libertie to prouyde for the good of your Politique families but for as long and as little a tyme as you list Nay without all doubt hee that hath thus taught care and prouision to bee made for the lesse he would not in anie case haue the greater neglected yea certaine it is that seing vnder this penaltie euerie meane housholder is to prouyde for his familie much more stronglie such as you are be therefore bounde to prouyde for yours wherfore to make your successor known being an especiall meane to prouide for the good of your people as most certain lie it is you see by this place that you are bound thervnto most strictly as you are desirous to be counted our Christian Queene and Mistresse and as you would bee loath to bee accounted of the Lord one that had denied the faith so worse then an infidell euen so in no case you may not omitte this Christian point of prouision for vs. Furthermore Saint Paule giueth this as a generall rule to all Christians of The 3. argum Philip. 4. 8. what degree soeuer that they woulde think of and seek after what things soeuer Princes are bound to seek after things that be iust ho are honest iust and of good report to the end that they might practise and performe the same Of which kinde to nest and commendable of which sort is this especially to make their successour knowne make your successour knowne in manner afore-said is one for who can denie but that it is honest iust and of wonderfull good report for a Christian Queene to haue that care and tender loue towards her naturall subiects as for their peace tranquillity and to preuent infinite most euident euils that otherwise shee seeth they must needes fall into to establish where and in whom the right of succession to the Crowne resteth Wherefore by this rule of the Apostle you are to thinke of it and carefullie to go about it The iustnes of this conclusion wil cleerlie appeare vnto you if you doe but a little weigh with your self first how honest a thing it is for you to seek by such a lawfull meane to preserue your natural subiects and dominions secondlie how iust a thing it is that you should in this so great and weighie a controuersie determine in whome the right is and thirdly of howe good and honorable report it must needs be that you therein thereby should shewe your selfe most louing and carefull ouer all your subiects in so honorably prouyding for their good safety both during your owne time and after Moreouer least you should think that wee goe about by these argumentes to The 4. argument The president of Moses and Dauid who established their successors before they died perswade you to that which others of your place haue not thought themselues vpon consideration of the same or the lyke arguments bound to shewe themselues mindeful of may it please you further to call to minde that it is written to the everlasting commendation of Moses that famous and first publick governour of the people of Israell that hee vnderstanding that shortlie he should die and foreseeing into what confusion that people would be brought if hee should leaue them without a knowne successor made this earnest prayer vnto the Lord saying Let the Lord God of the spirites Numb 27. 16. â—â— of all flesh appoint a man ouer the congregation who may go in and out before them and lead them out and in that the congregation of the Lord bee not as sheepe without a sheep-heard And that it may appeare how well this care of his to make his successor knowne before he died was liked approued of the Lord it followeth immediatlie in the same place that the Lord gaue him direction Numb 27. 18. to appoint Ioshuah the sonne of Nun to be the man According to which direction it is recorded also in another place that Moses most willingly faithfullie did ordaine him to succeed him By this president good example Nathan Numb 27. 22. 23. Deut. 31. 5. had a good warrant to moue Bathshebah as the fittest person to make the motion to go vnto king Dauid and to put him in remembrance of the dangerous consequent of not notifying in his life-time who should succeed him Who beeing therevpon mooued by her to declare who it should be as it appeareth in the storie most readilie and speedilie in most solemne manner caused Salomons 1. King 1. from the 11. verse vnto the 41. verse title to be published to be the right and the next And so danger was preuented though Adoniiah was then vp in armes for it olde Dauid went vnto his graue in peace and the kingdome was established to Salomon his sonne and most notably it flourished in his time There was likelie then to haue bene great contention about the title of succession amongst the sonnes
that Dauid had by diuers wyues and so great perill to the kingdome The comparison of Israell and England and subiects of Dauid The consideration whereof made Dauid carefull to end the controuersie in his life-life-time But now amongst vs the contention for the crowne when God hath once taken you hence if by like meanes by you it be not preuented is like to bee amongst the children of diuerse families and therfore the more deadlie and consequentlie the more dangerous Wherefore as the state of Israell then mooued Dauid to make his successor knowne so nowe the state of England ought to moue you for herein he did but that which Moses example taught him to doe and therefore that which as a king he was bound to doe Againe it is euident in the story that the Lord did lyke and allowe of his so doing and therefore there was obedience therein to the Lordes will for mans owne will-works he neuer delighteth in An example then it is to follow in the like case to all good Kings and Queenes and as a mirrour it remayneth still to all such to teache them to doe the like when like neede requyreth For whatsoeuer is written in the Scripture Application of the former examples to her Maiestie Rom. 15. 4. is written for our learning Think therefore moste gratious soueraigne that these facts of Moses and Dauid are thus recorded in the holiestoric not onlie that you should knowe that God his Magistrates thus gouerned but especiallie that hereby you may learne to gouerne to the safetie of your subiectes as they did Thus you see that neither perill to their persons nor feare of Eclipsing of their owne present honors could stay either of these from gouerning to the safetie of their people and yet they had sufficient wisdome to foresee what might befall them that way And therefore if it were vertue and obedience to God in them and so no worke of supererogation as sufficientlie it hath alreadie appeared how can it be but a falt and disobedience to his holy will in your Maiestie if vppon so vrgent and iust occasion as they or euer any Prince had you refuse to doe as they did Further we reade that when Esay the Prophet brought Hezekiah word that he should set his house in order for that hee should die that the king wept sore of Esay 38. 1. 2. The fift argument from the example of Ezechiah who wept when he heard that he should die becaus then there was no heire apparant to succeed him which his weeping S. Augustine vppon Esay affirmeth this to bee the principall cause that if theÌ„ he had died he had died without an heyre apparant And very well may it be so for if it had so falne out to his griefe he foresawe that not onely great calamities and troubles therevpon would haue ensued to his people but also that it was some testimonie of the Lords wrath towards him if in him God should haue ceased from performing his promise to Dauid of neuer leauing him without one to sit on his throne after him which caused him rather to weepe then the newes of his death saieth Augustine And to vse a good proofe for the truth heereof this is certaine that Manasses his heire that succeeded him was not either borne or begotten when he so wept For it is said that he was but twelue yeares old when he began to raigne and Ezechiah vppon his repentance had 15. yeares added to his life after thus he had wept Least therefore your Maiesty haue iust cause bitterly to weepe for the denying of this mercie to your naturall people euen then when you woulde moste gladelie haue comfort and consolation and doe moste ferventlie craue it at the Lords hand Sweet Ladie prouide aforehand that there may be one known who of right is to sit vppon your throne after you when you be gone to the Lord. The rather most noble soueraigne The sixt argument from the example of her Maiesties father King Henrie the eight your Maiestie is to take these examples to heart and to imitate them because your owne most noble Father King Henrie the eight of famous memory shewed himself as appeareth not onelie by diverse statutes made in his time and by him produced to that end but also by his wordes yet in Chronicle to his great â—â—â—â—ton pag. â—â—76 honor and renowne most carefull willing to imitate the same for it is chronicled that hee saide thus in Parliament to his subiects When wee remember our mortalitie and that we must die then do we think that our doings in our life-time are cleerlie defaced and worthie of no memorie if wee leaue you in trouble at the time of our death for if our true heire be not knowne at the time of our death see what mischief and trouble shall succeede to you and your children Marke gracious Queene your deare father in his wisdom fore-saw wonderfull miseries immediatlie and directlie arising from his leaving of his subiectes without succession knowne and established and that of his compassion and commiseration that therein hee had of his naturall subiectes hee was a prouoker of them that therein sufficient order might bee taken to preuent it Marke also that hee contented not himself with ruling of them well and protecting of them in safetie peace whilest hee himself liued but that his care for them stretched to their children childrens children God for his Christs sake grant your grace to proue his naturall childe heerein But that it might appeare that vppon sound aduise and good experience he had spoken the former words he addeth a dole-full president saying vnto his Nobles The experience whereof some of you haue heard what mischief and man slaughter continued in this Realme betwixt the houses of Yorke and Lancaster By which dissention this Realme had like clearlie to haue bene destroied O Christian and sweet words worthie such an heroicall and mightie Potentate of the world truly worthy to be written in letters of gold and alwaies to be carried and drawne in a Table before the eies of all his successors to the worldes end for though the things done by him in his life-time for the good of his people were manie and great euen such as ought neuer to be for gotten yet see he counted al them clearlie defaced and worthie of no memorie if before his death to prevent the mischiefs that otherwise would ensue to his subiects hee did not make knowne vnto them who of right ought to succeede The lamentable euils that befell this land by the dissension of the houses of Yorke and Lancaster proceeded hence that the right of succession was not cleered and established him yea it seemeth by his speach that he was of opinion as indeed it may be well gathered that all the euils that came to this Land by the dissention of the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster whiche were infinite arose even hence that ther had not sufficient care
publick peace or pledges for their loialty to the new elected Prince or in case they refuse these things by cōmitting thēselves to prison A iolly roūd tale to remedy the matter if they did forfeat their bonds in what court should they sue them for it carrieth no sense to thinke that they will answere in the lower Court who do disclaime the highest and take the best pledges that they can giue will they bee more carefull of them then desirous of the kingdome But it might bee that they would find meanes to set them at libertie and if that shoulde not fall out so durst the king elected in case of rebellion execute the pledges or when they were executed were he then anie surer Nay I dare assure you in a more dangerous case for the execution of great personages is never free from hatred envy The committing of themselves I confesse is the onlie way if it haue this Proviso that all their adherents favourers friendes bee at once laide vp with them And who shall commit all these and to what prisones for it is like they will bee much about two parts of England The Lord graunt wee deceiue not our selves with our owne conceits for our comfort or helpe that we may looke for to come from other nations it will be iust none at all Rebellion in Ireland all in armes in Scotland God knoweth what in Wales And if anie realm should aide vs al their aide must be this that by their helpe wee are furthered to roote out ourselves warres shal devoure everie-where our safetie shall be no-where The Protestant shall yarne for the bloode of the Protestant the papist athiest for the blood of them both no regarde shall be had of profession sexe or age And which of al miseries is most dolefull and lamentable wee can no sooner expect an end of this tragedie then our realme or rather both realmes be vtterly exstirped and brought to an end For the Scottisheking can not in anie reason thinke himselfe or his posteritie sure so long as their professed enemie or anie of his posterity shall raign kings in England seeing he that taketh a mans living will also seek to take his life if he may come by it And on the other part the king of England must think that he standeth most ticklous and slippery so long as either the Scottishe king his posteritie complices or anie other of the competitors doe liue according to the speeche of the Poet Nulla fides regni socijs Then we which cannot nowe be content with the ordinance of God shall suffer against our willes the lustes and pleasures of men for beeing enemies to our selves to God how can we thinke that others will be our friends Then for our prophaned Sabothes we shall haue Sabothes enough and a number of vs who are not moved with this question now may perhaps then for the same and it may bee in the maintenance of the wrongfull querrell be brought not to rest lay downe our bodies in honorable peace in our ancestors graue but to be buried in the bellies of the beasts or in the mawes of the fowles of the aire I am grieved to thinke or to talke of this lamentable subiect it may please God that I shal not liue to see it debated Therefore to surcease more So it pleased God to call him to his hevenly kingdome in the time of his imprisonment in the Tower where he was committed writing of that which both mine eares do tinckle to heare I will giue you that counsell and advise which I could wishe if it pleased God all England did take to witte That seeing they who are bound in consciēce to cleare this question haue for making petition to haue the title to the crowne decided by Parliament forsaken and abandoned it and that the tryall of it must certainelie come the Lord knoweth how soone and that every man is to satisfie his owne conscience because he shall bee accountable for his owne doinges that therefore I say you would never giue sleepe to your eies nor slumber to your eye-lids till such time as by conference with the most wise and religious who will make conscience of their speeches by searche by reading by all other possible meanes you haue satisfied your self concerning the true titler For I would bee loath that this my opinion should be a ground for you or for others to rest vppon Wise men will build their actions vpon knowledge not do as beastes doe goe whither they are led A foole saieth Salomon doeth beleeue every thing but the wise wil consider his steps and will worke by vnderstanding It is the wisdome of the prudent to vnderstand his way but the foolishnes of fooles is to be deceived Good Sit if you doe see or discerne more then I bee willing for conscience to communicate it with friendes for all doe stand bound to yeelde to better reason And they that haue any means of knowledge vouchsafed them from God ought to vse them to the best benefite and instruction of others this they ought to do while they breath in this life for there is neither conference nor advise nor counsell in the graue whither wee must goe By these meanes having the blessing direction of God we shall notstand amazed and as out of our wits in the day of triall but by certainty of knowledge perswasion of a good conscience shall cleaue ioine our selves to the best right A man halfe warned is whollie armed but the armour of a good conscience is like to a brasen wall Having thus both attained to this knowledge yourself and for conscience sake holpen others to the same the second third fourth fift all the rest of the parts of mine advise are that stoutlie and with a good honest heart you follow the knowne trueth without any respect of country or kindred for he whom we are to preferre before our children wiues hath assured vs that the vprightnesse of the vpright shall guide his way that the wicked shall bee taken in his owne wickednesse That a man shall not be established by wickednesse and that the roote of the righteous shal not be remooved So to conclude mine opinion to make an end of this Treatise I had rather choose to die in defence of the good right then once wishe to liue to maintaine a bad quarrell The Lord onlie wise mercifull and gracious cleare our vnderstandings minds in this case and strengthen and direct all our hearts that wee in obedience to him may giue the crowne and Realme with cheerefulnesse and peace to that man to whome he hath beene pleased to giue the right Amen FINIS