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
is honored renowmed for wāt of thē subiects any kingdome or state doth decrease decay fró the glory and honour of the forenamed things for any Politicall state is called in the Scripture a Prince or King and all Dau. 8. 22. these things that are accompanied with honor or that procure the same are called also by the name of honor If therefore the right bee his let vs stand perswaded though all the world would say the contrarie the onlie way to attaine to riches honor and all kind of commodities is for conscience sake to yeeld to him his right For he that cannot lie hath said Godlinesse is great riches bringeth the contentation of minde in obedience to God there is wonderfull gaine So to finish this part of the pretended inconveniences I say that everie worldlie cōmoditie hath some discommodity inconveniences may be alleadged against the best actions and purposes that any man coulde ever haue intended or done but this si a sound Maxime embraced by all men that Any inconvenience is rather to be admitted then a manifest mischief Now let vs see what he is or where he is that may bee thought fitter then the Scottish King to carrie the sweigh the burthen of the Realme An English-man he must bee for it were too too bad yea intolerable to defeate the King of his right and to giue it to a stranger Which therefore of the English competitors is of that extraordinarie wisdome spirit action favour with the nobilitie commons power and force who shal be able with loue or feare to lead drawe after him all the rest of the competitors To mannage our state yea our troubled state at home to wage warres with the Scottish king with all the rest of our enemies abroad Or what respects hath anie of them all for whose sake all wee should vndertake so hard a matche as to encounter with God It is not my meaning to seek the disgrace or to lay open the weaknesse of any noble personage but if it be true that men of good credite who haue reason to know him doe confidently report All our Englishe competitors if in all kinde of respects they do freelie yeeld to him yet in my iudgement they shall doe themselves no wrong And I thinke that many of the state if not al be much of my minde for they think and call the Scottish king too deepe for his singular wit wisdome as it should seeme As for the hidden respects of our English competitors what should we talke of them seing they came never yet to the tryal they should much better appeare if the best respected of them all or they all iointlie had his place for a few yeeres to rule the vn-rulie Scots It were then to be feared that for want of respects without any respect the Scottishe prickers would ryde them yea I perswade my self it were by great ods a better choise for them to seek out this new kingdome of Guiana or to raigne in Vtopia then to vndertake the handling of such a heady people though they had this advantage that they were Scottish-men borne Yet he almost from his cradle hath kept them in by feare by authoritie or policie hee hath revenged the oppressed repressed mightily their deadlie feedes hath punished most severelie the mightiest offenders All this hath hee done with that liking and good loue of his people that none of his auncestors ever had and there is strong hope that he will continue to do so still Further to leaue the Scottish king if they be compared with themselves and al their respects being laide in true ballance be vprightlie iudged which of them for respects shal go beyond the rest will not every man think himself as fit as any other And if the matter go not by mens right but by their respects is there not some men in Engl. that wil look to be as much respected yea and a great deale more then any of them all Some men may answere that the Parliament will decide it And who shall call this Parliament Or at whose commandement will the states assemble for after that her Maiest breath is out of her bodie as the Erle of Leicester did not stick to tell her her highnes privie councell then is no more a councel And I wish that all the counsellers all the Nobilitie do not finde themselves otherwaies busied at that time then to be calling of Parliaments Yet admit that the councel may be most willing that it may be a councel stil and haue both the power and meanes to call the said Parliament what will we indeed be so stout as to call in question and handle that matter then which as we plainly do professe we are afraide to touche nowe or will the longest sword greatest power giue place and permit it to be a free Parliament Yet I will also yeelde that it may bee so though the like were never seene nor heard of before When the Parliament is set will the matter then be presently cleered no obiection made no stop hinderance inconvenience or respect alleadged against the first by the latter cōpetitors al without interruptiō wil go on peace-ablie And the Scottish king belike will bee so saint-hearted as hee dare not to demand his right then notwithstanding that by everie of his Embassadors almost hee renueth his claime now Hee nor his friends will make no manner of sturre in the North because he is forsooth too weake to matche any of the Competitors that bee nowe notwithstanding that by the skilfull wise iudgement of her Maiestie in the third yeere of her most happy raigne the com petitors that then were could not in respectof favor or of force be compared to his mother No man wil presume to proclaime him till such time as they shall heare what will be the resolution of the Parliament whither it is given to some that he can like of or not Neither York Berwick nor Bishoprick nor no place els there will receiue him he must therefore keep himselfe close because the matter doth not concerne him All the Welsh gentlemen as degenerated will dis-regarde their kindred whollie abandon him Naturall blindnes or foolishnes is to be pitied but wilfull blindnes and foolishnes is to be condemned Yet to goe a little further When the Parliament hath saide and resolved will they all indeede take it for a finall iudgement Nay I warrant you All the Competitors that misse of the crowne will bee highly displeased and a great manie more that can pretend no claime and it is like that all these will plainly disclaime it and call it vnlawfull and there will not be wanting some that for privat respects wil egge on the competitors to take exceptions against it Heere it may be imagined that the Parliament will carefullie and providentlie provide for such issues either by taking recognizāces of great summes of the parties grieved for the keeping of the
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-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
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-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
bene taken to mak publiklie knowne and to establish the right of succession and it seemeth also that he feared no lesse evils to ensue after him if hee in his life-time shewed not himself carefull in this point And trulie Madame we think there is none that dulie The application and enforcing of this example of K. Henry 8. to her Maiestie considereth in what termes the title of the crowne after you standeth nowe amongst vs but he presentlie seeth that if it were so dangerous then when your father vttered these words he hauing then issue of his owne bodie to leaue the Realme vnto without further determination declaration of his right heire that it cannot but be far more dangerous for you nowe to leaue it quyte without establishment to whomsoever can catch it The fore-sight of mischief to ensue by reason of not making knowne in his life his certain heire apparant was reason of sufficient waight and force to moue incline and to binde your noble fathers heart notwithstanding he could foresee and forecast as wiselie as anie the reasons to the contrarie to bee most forward to determine it therefore so should you his naturall daughter and heire do vpon the like ground and bee therein likewise affected Otherwise you see your owne father being your iudge that al your noble acts done in your life time are not onlie blemished but also clearlie defaced and worthy of no memorie It is glorious for you to bee the daughter and heire of so noble a king in so noble a kingdome but trulie farre more glorious to bee also his naturall daughter and true heire in his princelie affection towards your subiects And therefore as you are his naturall daughter and true heir in the one so shewe yourself to bee as naturall also in the other Thinke not moste deare soveraigne The 7. argument from the examples of the heathen The heathen by the light of nature did see this duty to be necessarie and performed the same to their subiects much more ought Christian Princes to do the same that this was anie singularitie in your father and that you may doe well enough though you be not like him therein for besides that therein he did but as the examples of Moses and Dauid taught him and bound him to do he did that which verie nature it self vsuallie hath taught even heathen Princes from time to time to doe For we reade that it was an vse amongest the Medes and Persians when they went but forth to battel therein being some danger of their life before they went to make knowne who shoulde succeede them insomuch that the better to make him knowne he was appointed to raigne in the stead of the Prince absent vntill his returne as was Cambyses in the rowme of Cirus whilest hee went to warre against the Scythians and Darius long-hand in the rowme of Xerxes whilest he warred against the Greeks Hence also it came that wee reade that the Romane Emperours when otherwise their successor was not known did in their life-time adopt them heires to whome by order of that gouernement they caused the right to succeede them to be established Suetonius Thus Iulius Caesar adopted Octavius Augustus and hee Tiberius Caesar Dion Spartianus Nerua Traian Adrian Antoninus Pius and hee againe Antoninus Philosophus And for further proofe of the force of the light of nature yet remaining in a meere naturall man to teach him this lesson it is written in Chronicle that the Emperour Tiberius Caesar a little before his death said That of all the griefs and troubles that the greuous pangs of death brought with it this greeved troubled him most how to preserue the kingdome committed to him of trust and also to see the inheritance thereof conveied vnto him to whome of right it did appertain concluding with these words This is the dutie of a king Oh what a strange thing were it then for a Christian Prince hauing not onelie light of nature but also the light of the word shining vnto her to direct her heerevnto if all examples both divine and humaine forraine and domesticall of all ages and times provoking also therevnto she should not or would not suffer her self to bee drawne vnto this Christian dutie trulie strange it were yet God forbid but that wee should conceiue verie good hope and ere it be long see and vnderstand according to our hope that we your subiectes shall finde you willing for your and our good to deale effectuallie heerein and that spedilie Howbeit yet the better to hasten you to this resolution that wee to our comforts may see the effects thereof First let your pitifull and merciful heart enter into consideration of the miserable state that you shal leaue euerie way your dominions The 8. argument is the avoyding of manifold calamites like to ensue her Maiesties death if the successor be not before knowne established and subiects of all sorts in if you should bee translated hence to the Lord before you haue yeelded vnto this present motion and effected it Whereof when we thinke wee may tremble everie iointe For when that day shall come which God for his mercies sake put far off and graunt that wee neuersee then straight al the competitors and their partakers wil bee vp in armes and the common people that are not acquainted with their titles will then of necessitie be at their wits end not knowing what part to take and yet some they shal be driven to followe so that presentlie the whole Realme wil be rent into as many shivers as there be competitors at the least And thus while the title to the crowne is in trying in the fielde by the dint of bloodie The lamentable miseries of civil warrâ— sword one part will consume deuoure another and so the land is like to be everie way so weakned that it may easily become a praie to any of our forraine malitious enemies Oh the riuers of blood which then by these doleful consequents will ouerflowe euery where this noble Iland the strong men shall be slaine in the fielde children and infants murthered in euerie towne honest matrons maides euerie where ravished then also strong holdes shall bee razed and burned with fire faire buildings in cittie and countrie defaced made even with the ground the riche shall not bee able to say this is mine but they aswell as the poore shall think themselves happy if they may haue their life for a praie To bee short then then alas all the mischiefes that the mischeevous wit of man can deuise will be practised amongst your louing subiectes by one towardes another without controlement For all the bandes of all good order and Policie will then be broken asunder Religion and all the good exercises thereof will be laid in the dust with small hope of euer rysing vp againe and neither God nor man will be regarded but according to the variable suggestions of Satan all kinde of
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
then so to behaue themselues towardes their subiects as that thereby there may bee bred and nourished in them an heartie vnfained loue and affection towardes their soveraigne For by this meanes chieflie Princes grow strong and invincible for thereby they finde that not the bodies on lie of their subiects be theirs at commandement but their harts also And when occasion serues by experience they learne that the heartie good-will and liking of their subiects towards them is a farre better and stronger meane of their preservation then either riches strong Anno 1588. when the Spanish fleet was in the narrow 〈◊〉 holdes or any such outward thing whatsoever as lately your Maiestie hath had good experience thereof And therefore in all stories it appeareth that those kings that haue carried anie note of wisdome haue alwaies studied most carefullie for the heartie loue of their subiects Now then seeing the not making your successour known is a matter of such dangerous and perilous consequent to all your good and kinde subiects and the establishing of succession the verie ordinarie meane to prevent these dangers and perils towardes them and also to continue your subiectes and their children in quiet and peace-able possession of all the good things they now enioy your wisdome may easilie conceiue that there is no one thing whereby you can more greeue daunt alienat the harts of all your subiects then by not going about to preuent their destructions by making your successour known For that will cause them to think that you loue them no farther then for your owne safetie sake for that in not doing thereof you shall shewe your self carelesse what shall become of them after your time which thing of what force it will bee to abate their hartie and true loue and affection towards you your wisdome will easilie ghesse And you may also heereby perceiue that there is no readier way to binde your subiects more tenderly to loue and reverence you even in their secrete chambers and so to bee readie most willinglie rather to die them selves in your quarrell at all times then that anie danger or perill should come neere you the◠forth with in Parliament to cause this great controversie lawfully to be determined and so the right of succession made publikely known For heerby your subiects cannot but see that you loue them even for their owne sakes and that you loue them tenderlie and vnfainedlie yea this wonderfull mercy and kindnes would make them in al thankful manner to acknowledge and confesse that you had not onelie by this meanes preserved them from all the fore-saide evils but that you had also by this godlie meanes euen giuen them againe their liues their wiues their children their lands their goods and their countrie yea that which is most pretious therewith the fruition of the glorious Gospel of Iesus Christ Which two-folde good would so inflame their heartes towardes you that never Prince had more loving and heartie subiectes then your Grace should haue Doeth it not then follow that it is necessarie profitable and honorable for your owne self to yeelde to this motion Againe necessarie it is because otherwaies you take the onelie high way to abate the loue of all your faithfull subiects which is most necessarie for you to haue especiallie these dayes and times considered when you haue so manie enemies both at home and abroad secrete and publike Profitable also it is in that wonderfullie it will strengthen the heartie good-will and loue of your subiectes towards you which will be at all times a most strong meane of defence refuge for you against all your enemies And how can it choose bot bee very honorable vnto you to do so honorable profitable and necessarie a thing vnto yourself your people and countrie Further the truth heereof may and will more clearly appeare vnto you if it fall out as most likelie it will that the right of succession be found and declared to bee in a Protestant He meaneth the king of Scots for then not onelie be that meanes should you make the harts of euerie true Protestant like the heart of a Lyon ready and courageous at al assaies to performe the dutie of faithfull subiectes but you should so break the neck of the Popishe hope of their golden day that the despaire thereof would presently cause most of them in reverence bee it spoken vnto your Maiestie either to hang or conforme themselues and the rest woulde also giue over all detestable practises against your noble person yea they would be glad to pray with vs to vse all good meanes with vs for your preservation Great reason may moue it for they will feare least it will bee much worse with them when you are gone vnder your successor then it is nowe vnder your so happie gouernement And therfore we may now conclude that to make your successor knowne is a thing moste necessarie profitable and honorable for your self But wee said it was necessarie profitable and honorable also in respect of God or before him And this may be most easilie and stronglie prooued for besides that al the reasons that hitherto we haue vsed doe proue the same wee say confidentlie now further first it is necessarie for Princes aswell as for others to doe those things that are pleasing and acceptable to God and therefore when they shall sit vppon the throne of their kingdomes they are commanded to haue the booke of God and to studie it not to departe there-from either to the right hand or to the left and they are willed yea they namelie especiallie to bee wise and learned and to shewe their learning and wisdom in serving the Lord in feare And that this is a thing both pleasant acceptable to God we neede not proue it againe for we haue alreadie proued it sufficientlie both by reasons and renowmed examples and therefore in this respect it is necessarie before God Secondlie that also it is profitable before him heereby it is evident for it is a thing in No surmise of hurts to ensue or hope of purchasing gaine should draw vs from that which is right and equitie before God deede and truth alwaies most profitable for Princes to obey the will of God and most hurtfull and vnprofitable to refuse so to doe for it is written Psalme the 2. verse 12. as vttered to Kings Kisse the Sonne least he bee angrie and so yee perish out of the way if his wrath bee kindled yea but a litle And wee reade that 1. Sam. ◠30. God said vnto Eli a governour of Israel Them that honour mee I will honour they that despise mee shall bee despised And we read that Azariah the Prophete 2. Chro. 15. 2. said vnto King Asa The Lord is with you whiles yee are with him and if yee seeke him hee will bee found of you but if yee forsake him he will forsake you This is a caveat even to Princes for a
spak these naturall words to his nobilitie and commons Grafton pag. 1278. namelie For your defence my tresure shall not be hidden nor if necessity require my person shal not be vnadventured And so Madame giue not your maiesties kind subiects cause once to imagine that a conceit onlie of fear to peril either your person or honour can or will stay you from doing so great a duetie as to perserue all your most loving subiects and whole countrie by this meanes from vtter confusion and desolation otherwise palpably sene to be vnavoidable ready to come vpon them euerie howre Nay how can it be but you having so oft yea so miraculouslie and sensiblie found God readie to protect and saue you from manie perils but you must needes gather to your comfort that much more if you honour him in this case hee will shewe that both hee can and will preserue you from all your enemies Therefore let not your noble heart perswade it self for fear of perill either to your person or honor to omit the doing of that which in al honour dutie and conscience both to god and man you are most bound to doe for the furtherance of Gods glorie and safetie of al your people and countrie Howbeit for a third generall answere to these obiections of peril the making your successour knowne hauing such reasons to warrant and iustifie the doing of it as we haue shewed so farre off it is that there is any peril indeed therin or therby like to arise vnto you that it is an especiall meane of your safety honor For out of what fountain spring al the calamities ruines of princes but from the neglect of Gods glorie of their dutie to the people committed to their charge or what castle and tower of defence proved ever so safe to princes as the favour of God and loue of his subiects which he vouchsafeth ever to them that preferre his will before their owne and obedience to him before their own safetie Let all histories both sacred and profane be perused and it shal be throughout all ages found true God give th◠blessing to those that obey him in actions that seeme verie dangerous that those princes even in shew and apparance of greatest perils haue alwaies beene most safelie protected preserved by the Lord which for doing their duties to God and their people haue hazarded themselues And therefore in doing this so needfull mercifull honorable dutie your Maiestie needes not once doubt of Gods providence protection towardes you therein but boldlie this shew of perils notwithstanding and confidentlie resting on the Lords safegarding of you therein you may when you wil most safelie go about and effect it Yet for your Maiesties full satisfaction The obiectiō of peril answered particularlie let vs by your Graces patience proceed to lay before you in order as they were propounded the weaknesse of everie one of these obiections The first feare ariseth from the longing that is supposed wil be in your successour when hee is once knowne after the highest place The second from the provocation that hee is like to haue that way by others Wherin first wee will answere the obiection concerning his owne ambition and then the other concerning provocation by others It is supposed in the obiection that it cannot be but that there will bee such a desire to climme in the once made knowne successor as will perill the present Prince Wee grant that naturallie fleshe blood is prone to be so affected but yet this is certaine that where the sprit of God is this corruption of nature The knowne successor doth strengthen the present Prince is so bridled that it bringeth foorth no dangerous fruits to the present governor Let King David beare witnesse heerevnto whose succession beeing appointed Confirmed by the example of David and confirmed by God and hee himself long time most iniuriouslie and cruellie persecuted by the present king Saule and he having oportunitie twise to haue slain his enemie and to haue saved his owne life and also to haue taken the crown yet neither the glorie of a kingdome the desire of revenge nor the care of preserving his owne life could make him once to lay hands on the Lords annointed to perill him Nay not onelie the spirit of God in Gods children but also naturall pietie and humanitie hath so much prevailed And of the heathen in this case that we read that Antoninus Philosophus beeing made the known successour to Antoninus Pius in the Romain Empire hearing that Antoninus Capitolinus Pius did lye in most extreame miserie even wearie of his life and to be ridde thereof had commanded one of his men to kill him This Antoninus Philosophus hearing thereof with a forcible hand staied that vnnatural murther for the which fact the story saith that the present Prince with furious words rebuked his successor bitterlie and that yet his said successor answered him againe thus Were I worthie to succeede so noble a Prince in so high a dignitie if I did not vse my best endeuor to preserue your life seeing it in perill No surelie I were not worthie thereof Loe heere an heathen knowne successor not by nature but by adoption as it is cleere in the storie for al that which is obiected against a known successor hath not onlie not perilled but preserved the life of him that had made him his successor And infinit be the exāples in all stories of such as beeing next to succeede yet haue never perilled the present governour and in comparison verie few be the examples to the contrarie And why then may not your Maiestie rather presume to finde the like good affection in him whome you shall make your successour then otherwise Trulie the reason is verie strong that maye bee yeelded to proue why he wil as little perill you as David did Saul or Antoninus Philosophus the other Antonine that was in the place before him for who soever it be the title now standing so doubfull as it doth when you haue cleered his title and by Parliament authority established it he must of necessity confesse and take himselfe so bound to you therefore as though you had even given him the kingdome for the which your wonderfull goodnes and bountie if there be but common reason and nature in him it will binde both his heart tongue and hands from ever contriving any thing to your perill Yea who can bee so monstrouslie brutish and voide of reason as having received such a benefit at your hands as the cleering of his title to such a noble kingdome so much also to the good safetie of al your subiects but he will thinke that by this meanes you must needs so winne the hearts of all your subiects and binde them to such an heartie loue and thankfulnes in such fast sort to you that if he should once but offer you vnkindnes he should be thought generallie a monster amongst
that now wrongfully imagine they haue right there-vnto whose ambition may stirre them vp to seeke the diademe This as I haue plainelie prooved is the way that best pleaseth God that standeth best with the discharge of your dutie both to him to your people and therfore it cannot be but that it is farre more safe for your noble person so to doe then otherwise because as al stories experience teache it is alwaies the safest way both for Prince subiect to please God and verie dangerous to thinke that there is more safety in following our owne devises and phantasies then his will and pleasure Saule you know was threatned for that he had broken Gods commandment to haue his kingdome rent from him and it was so And the rather may you see that there is no reason in respect of perill to your person to stay you from thus doing because not onelie it hath beene made to appeare manifestlie vnto you that they are rather phansied perils then perils in deede And now lastlie evident reason hath shewed you that what soever those perils be yet the same and rather greater are more iustlie to be feared of the not setling of the succession Wherefore we conclude that notwithstanding the former obiections there is no sufficient cause why you should not make your successor knowne in respecte of anie perill to your person seeing wee haue rather proved it much more safer then perillous for your highnes so to do And the danger that might come vnto your honour thereby is also the lesse to The other branch of the obiectiō groūded vpon perill concerning the decay of the princes honor dignitie if the successor should bee made knowne answered and refuted be feared for that no act can be more honorable then that whereby you shoulde provide for the continuall safetie of your kingdome and people And who can with a reverent opinion think that ever your Maiestie would desire to maintaine the full brightnesse of your glorie by hazarding the glorie of God and the vtter overthrow of your kingdome For who knoweth not but that your Maiestie hath read and heard not onlie how farre noble King David in dauncing before the arke was content to debase himself thereby 2. Sam. 6. 14. to advaunce the glorie of God but also that verie heathen Princes haue often bene found ready with their lives as pretious Codrus Athen Decij Rom. as their honour to redeeme the safetie of their countries As for the reason to proue it perillous to your honour in that as men are given rather to honor the Sunne rysing then the setting therof so it is thought in this case that they are given to preferre their newe Maister before their olde Mistresse but these be arguments of smal moment for the Barbarians that doe worship the Sunne doe aswell fall flat on their faces when it setteth as when it riseth And reason teacheth wise men rather to honor that sunne the rysing whereof hath already much benefited them then that which they cannot tell whither it will benefite them in like measure or no Indeede if the sunne setting hath bene all the former day but a glowming and vn-comfortable Sunne then there is some reason why the next daies Sunne rysing in hope that it wil be more comfortable and lightsome shuld be rather honoured then the other But if the sunne setting hath beene all the day before a cleere lightsome and comfortable sunne all wise and honest men will bee so farre in loue with it that they will be exceeding loath to parte with it and will highlie honour it setting and also dolefullie mourne when it is set And the like affection wise and discreet men cannot carrie to the next sunne rysing for that they know not whither it will proue comfortable or not vnto them Let your Maiestie therefore goe on as your Grace hath begunne in sending forth the glorious beames of the Gospell of Christ thoroughout your dominions and now and this kinde comforte to your loving and kinde subiectes to wit to make your successor knowne and assure your selfe that you shall be more infinitlie honored setting for these benefits alreadie received then the next sunne rising can be possibly whosoever he be for benefites but barelie hoped for And further you know that though manie things bee moste desired when they are new yet manie are greatliest esteemed when they are olde But what if some light persons doe withdraw then some honour from you and giue it to your successor what can that eclipse your honour when by making your successor knowne you are grown great and mightie with a setled and vn-remoueable loue in the heartes of all the graue faithfull and godlie wise men of the land And what losse of honor can it be to you to lose a little at the handes of vaine and light persons who are of verie small or none accompt and to get ten thousand times more honour at the hands of the other namelie of all your graue wise and faithfull subiectes yea and to gaine immortall honour both with God and man also by doing so famous and worthie a deed Thus we hope your Maiestie doeth plainelie see that there appeareth as litle force in this obiection as in anye of the former and that therefore wee may conclude also that the perill in the setling of the succession is nothing so dangerous to your Princelie honour and dignitie as the contrarie And certainlie deere soveraigne the The last arg the establishing of a successor will take away all forraine conspiracies Proved surest meanes to kill the hearts of all your enemies both heer and in forraine countries and to stop their greedie hungring to advaunce anie to the Diademe and also to stay their bloodie desires to take away your Maiesties life by murther of your noble person or anie other wicked meanes is the setling of succession onlie The reason is the cheefe cause and ende that moveth traiterous Papists and your forraine enemies to hunger so eagerly after your life is this they are certainelie perswaded and it is holden for a resolute opinion amongst them that if they could bereaue your Maiestie of your life that then your good subiects had no one onlie head to cleaue and resorte vnto for succour but should by inclyning to sindrie factions and following of as manie heades at the least as there woulde bee claimers of the crowne growe to civill warre and vnnaturall division and so bee readie everie one of vs to cut one anothers throat and then were we easily all over-runne by them and the common enemies the strangers The onelie good surest meanes to alienate all their minds from intending the murther of your Maiesties person the which otherwise they will never cease to practize is to settle the succession of the crowne successiuelie to as manie one after another as the Lawe shal take notice of to be inheritable thervnto For thereby they shall see that they are never a
white the nearer winning of the goale though they should take away your Maiesties life For that notwithstanding yet no civill warre or discorde within this Realme the onelie cause of their greedie thirsting after your Maiesties blood were like to ensue therof for that your subiects wits and mindes would not thereby bee distracted seeing they then should know and be certaine what head to leane and cleaue vnto and woulde so be all vnited in one minde to follow one and the selfe same head Manie therfore great are the benefits which your Maiestie and the whole Realme should reap by the present establishment of succession for assoone as this were done those English traitours which are vsed by the strangers as wicked instruments to shorten your Maiesties daies would presently desist from practizing of that vile enterprise your Maiesties enemies will likewise desist from hyring and pricking anie forward therevnto for that no civil warre the onlie mark wherat they aime would ensue thervpon And further they should see that by executing their malicious longed for attempt the Realme shoulde be governed by such a man who in their They closelie meane the King of Scots who in everie mans judgement is moste able to defend it but chieflie in the opinion of strangers opinions would defend it more strongly and stoutlie then anie woman Further the consideration heereof by the straungers will be heere after a good meane to stay their purpose of comming againe if they heare of it before if they heare of it after their landing it will hasten them faster away then a thousand peales of gunnes for small is their hope of over-running this land without the advantage of domesticall warre amongst our selues And it is not like that they will leaue off with this dishonour but will another yeere giue a newe onset Lastly admit that they will presume vppon their owne strength without this advantage yet the establishment of the succession will so effectually and vnfainedly winne vnto your Maiestie the hearts of all your Nobilitie and commons some handfull of desperate Papists and Male-contents set a side and so reconcile their minds one towards another which are now distracted by favouring and inclyning to sundrie titles that the whole Realme without al doubt and difficultie will put on hearts like vnto the hearts of Lyons and so stick whollie and hartilie together for the defence of your Maiestie this their noble countrie If the setling of the succession proue not the surest and best meanes for your Maiesties present safetie and also for the discharge of your dutie to God and your people therby banqueting with the most daintie dishe of a quiet conscience and for the winning to your Maiesty of an honorable name and fame throughout the whole world and for the knitting of all your subiectes hearts fast vnto you with loue deserved and so vnremoueable let our heades pay our ransome for stirring vp your Maiestie heere-vnto Wherefore now to grow to an end A recapitulation of the arguments going before with a pithie exhortation annexed therevnto most gratious soveraigne if obedience to God examples of Kings both Christian and heathen yea and of your owne deare Father or care and compassion over all your owne naturall liege people otherwise sure to come to extreame cōfusion the necessarines profitablenes honorablenes of the action to the eie of the whole world and to your self also both before God man together with the weaknesse of all obiections that can be made to the contrare be of any force and accompt with your Maiestie as wee doubt not but they are then Princelie Ladie denie not to your most mercifull God this thankfulnes but in thankfull consideration of all his benefites bestowed vpon you yeelde in moste effectuall manner to this holie naturall and moste needfull motion denie not this Princelie mercie and dutie to your noble Realmes and Dominions that haue bred you and hitherto maintained you in all honour princelie estate and without the which you could not nor cannot bee preserved and so maintained And so not we only but all your people one and other that haue anie true feare of God or loue to their whole countrie generallie or anie naturall care to posteritie night day with teares gronings in most lamentable and pittifull manner doe cry and call vpon you sweet Ladie in this point for mercie as ever there was anie sparke of true mercie in your princelie heart that you will now with speede shew mercie on vs all all our wiues and children kindred friends al our whole posterities but especiallie to shew mercie vppon our soules for that otherwise as all your true faithfull subiects cannot but perish with the sword even so our soules will surelie sterue for want of the Word yea we in most fervent manner humbly beseech you God chargeth you to shewe mercie in this point if in anie to his whole Church throughout Christendome For it will receiue great strength by the establishment of the succession heere Alas if you should not what sinne impietie were it in you when by this onelie meane you may prevent vnavoidable perils to your whol people noble Realme to suffer so manie thousands of your loving subiectes who woulde willinglie haue shed their bloode in your defence to haue their blood most cruellie spilt by sundrie cruell and bloodie battailes yea to suffer such a florishing Church and common-wealth by your vnkinde leaving it without a known successor to be spoiled of al policie order government and Religion and to be brought to vtter desolation Oh in so dangerous times especially as these be in the midst of secrete enemies at home and mightie and malicious abroad provoke not moste noble soveraigne the wrath of your kinde God vppon you so iustlie neither offer any such vnkinde occasion of alienating the affections of your best subiects from you so deservedlie it tending so much as it doth to the weakning and perill of your self but in the feare of God and of desire everie way to please him and to the discharge of a good conscience take in hand and that without delay because delay breedeth danger this most godly honorable and naturall action And stil to whet you therevnto in stead of a finall conclusion wee leaue these short questions to be considered of by you and answered betweene God and you in your secrete chamber FIRST whither the Lord himself did Ten questions to be considered of by her Maiestie not set the crown on your head when your enemies earnest purpose was to haue taken your head away Secondlie whither the same Lord hath not with a mightie hand and out-stretched arme kept the same hitherto on your head in despite of all your foes Thirdlie whither hee hath not also wonderfullie in your regiment blessed you and made you so famous that you are a wonderment to all the Princes and their kingdomes round about you Fourthlie whither in