II. Henry, earl of Darby, son to John, duke of Lancaster, a BOOK second brother to the said Lionel, was by parlament made king. After whom his son Henry V. reigned. And after him his son Henry VI. In whose time was mervailous great civil wars; great ruines of great families, and great effusion of the bloud royal. For it is written, by the swarving in the right of succession after the death of Richard II. until the time that Edward IV. by mariage with the heir of Clarence, had gotten the quiet possession of the crown; there was in the mean season slain fourscore of the bloud royal. And in Richard III. his time, what mischief fell by his Edward V. taking the crown upon him; and disinheriting his brother Richard III. Edward IV. his children, I have heard divers men tell in my time, that they both knew it, and felt part of the smart of it. And then came that happy mariage, as I have said before, whereby the houses of York and Lancaster were conjoyned. Which happy conjunction of those two in one, if it should be broken, and brought to any one of the house of York alone, or of the house of Lancaster alone, as long as there is any alive that hath just title to them both, the child which is yet unborn may feel the smart of it: besides those which may suffer in the mean season. of the Now last in your majesties own days, what civil discord Jane. Mary. was like to have risen by swarving from the right line of descent; the lady Jane Gray taking upon her the crown of this realm, your majesty did see, if God had not provided otherwise. And some others did feel the smart of it. Whereof some yet remaining, I trust, will learn by the time past: and other will take example by them in the like hereafter. And because there be some that speak of the entailing of The entail the crown by your majesty, alledging examples of some of your auncestors: persuading therefore that there is no cause, why your majesty should fear to name your successor: truth it is indeed, that I have heard, that some of your auncestors did make the entail, but yet never to any other person than to their own children, or to their brethren or sisters children. And so left it to the next right heir; cutting off all other taile. Whether your majesty be in the case of your aunces crown. BOOK tor or no, I doubt not but by your wisdom you do consi II. The heir male of France. der. The government of the realm of France, in appointing the crown to the heir male only, cutting off the heirs general, causeth some men here to like well of the heir male here in this land. But whosoever shall read the story of France, sithence Philippus Purcher his days, shall find after the decease of his son without heirs, that by the disherison of Isa130 bel, Philippus his daughter, mother to Edward III. who was indeed, (and so is your majesty,) by descent from her, rightful heir to the crown of France; there was never realm that hath suffered more calamity in it, by us, and by our means, than that realm hath suffered, ever sithen it swarved from the right succession, until within these twenty years; the quarrel nevertheless remaining unto this day. ■ Blotted out. This discourse, wherein I note a disherison of some right heirs, and of calamities that fell thereupon, is to put your majesty in remembrance, to use great and deep deliberation, and to understand truly, where the right resteth by the law of this land. Which is the rule, whereby all your subjects must be ordered; and whereby they hold al that they have; and wherunto the princes of this realm use to promise solemnely at their coronation to have a special regard. If your majesty knew not already, where the right resteth by the law of this land, your majesty hath good means to know, (if it shall please you to use it,) by calling to your own self all your judges, barons of the exchequer, your sergeants, and atturneys general, of the dutchy and of the wards, and a solicitors: and in your majesties own royal person, to adjure them by such solemne and earnest word, as I know your majesty can use in such an earnest matter; not only to declare unto your majesty, after they have considered thereupon, in writing subscribed by their hands, in whom by the laws of this land the right resteth: and also to keep secret unto themselves their opinions therein; without disclosing the same unto any person without your majesties former licence; but to your majesty your self, as they will answer at their perills. And then may your majesty at your will and II. plesure, keep close or discover the same, as time shall re- BOOK quire; to whom and in such sort, either in open council, or in other open assembly, or in this parlament; or, if time will not serve, at another time of parlament, as your majesty shall think convenient, after a full and mature consideration had thereof. And your majesty may know the opinions, if it please you, also of other, though they be not of your council, grave and learned men in the laws of this realm; for the better conducing thereof, to effect a pedegree, to be delivered by your majesty to your said judges and learned council, with such objections as may be alledged against any person that hath at this time any maner of pretence to the succession. In this wise your majesty shall both preserve the dignity, prerogative, and majesty of your estate royal; and also satisfy the desire of your good subjects: avoiding thereby also all such partiality as at this day peradventure leads divers men to lean to divers, upon divers respects. And finally, so order the matter, as your majesty shall never be disquieted in mind. And so procede by your wisdom with good advice taken and followed, as the case shall so require. That neither the state of the laws of the realm at this day (which divers much do fear) neither yet any other thing, shall not be in any part or member altered or changed, contrary to the government already established. marry. And if it will please your majesty to be after a sort a Exhorts the Christ unto us, a redeemer and a saviour of us, by mortify-queen to ing your own affections for us and for our sakes, take the mariage, take the pains to bring forth princely children; then should you not need to fear the entail; then should your majesty be quiet; then should we be happy; and then might your majesty, with a better security, and with longer deliberation, (by understanding of every bodies pretence, and whatever each one of them could say for themselves,) establish the matter rightfully. But in this point I speak the less touching marriage, because I have heretofore, by your majesties goodness, presumed, not only to write unto you at large, but also presently to move your majesty eftsones by II. BOOK word of mouth therein. And I pray God direct your heart in these two points especially; and in all other your doings, according to his will and plesure. Thus ceasing to trouble your majesty any longer, I make my refuge where I began, to your majesties clemency; trusting that you will take this my writing in gracious part, ac131 cording to my true meaning. For I take God to record, I have no maner of respect in this matter to any maner of person, but only unto the right, upon whomsoever it shall fall by the laws of this land; for getting of you knowledge; whereof I have briefly declared mine opinion, for a mean to be used by your majesty, if it shall so please you. And I have summarily set forth before your eyes the civil wars within this realm, with their causes, times, and persons. And this I have done for the discharge of my conscience towards God, and my duty towards your majesty and my country. And I have done it rather, because I was appointed by your writ to be at your parlament with other noblemen, to give counsil in great and weighty matters concerning the publick weal of this realm. From whence being inforced by sickness to be absent, and having your majesties licence, (as my good lord Robert [Dudley] hath declared unto me on your majesties behalf,) I have thought it my part to write thus unto The words your majesty; and to your majesty alone: [a And therewithin these withal my poor opinion, that as soon as the subsidy shall be crossed out, granted to your majesty, and some such other thing brought to pass as your majesty liketh, it shall not be amiss that your majesty prorogue the parlament.] And so trusting, and also beseeching your majesty most humbly, that it will please you to take this my writing into your protection, as a thing submitted in every point to your majesties judgment and correction, I pray God preserve your majesty long, to his honour, your own contentation, and the comfort and quietness of us all, and of our posterity. a crotchets Number XXI. Cox, bishop of Ely, to the lord treasurer: upon the queen's leave to resign his bishopric. BOOK II. INCREDIBILIS ista tua humanitas, et benignitas, qua Epist. ep'al. veterem tuum amicum, licet jam tandem membrum invali- penes me. dum atque inutile, candide prosequeris, solidum mihi adfert gaudium. Probe autem intelligere te rationes meas omnes fere, quomodo tractatus fuerim in episcopatu meo hisce fere xxti. annis, tuam prudentiam non fugit. Somersamia aliquid negotii mihi facessivit. Jucundæ fuerunt nonnullis maneriorum meorum aucupationes. Nec te latet quanta pecuniæ summa mihi constiterit multiplex et frivola delatio illa ad regiam majestatem; cujus tua prudentia probe conscia est. Alia minutiora prudens prætereo. Tandem injustissima illa querela ex dni. Goodrici indentura, nihil minus sentiente, quam quod Richardus Bruchinus, magna aulicorum turba fultus, conatur invertere, vix dum in cancellaria finem obtinere potest. Nec unquam obtinebit, nisi ipsa majestas, sicut olim mandavit, ut in sua curia cancellariæ terminaretur, hoc negotium præceperit atque mandaverit: ita nunc pro æquitate et clementia sua, qua tantam litis materiam præbuerit, ut ipsa jubeat istam indenturam evacuari atque cancellari. Hoc enim postulat æquitas et bonitas. Atque hujus rei probe conscius est regius cancellarius. Quod vero regia majestas adeo candide acceperit literas meas qualescunque animi pii significationes, illius majestati me plurimum debere fateor: imo, alias, pro innumeris ipsius beneficiis. Maxime vero ingentem illam benevolentiam, nuper in me exhibitam ingenue agnosco, quod ætatis atque imbecillitatis memor, tanquam pia matrona, imo, indulgentissima. mater, mei rationem habet, ut ab onere episcopali, longe quam olim ad id muneris ineptiorem, eximat, alterisque benigne concedat. Et quoniam facile credo illius animum non esse alienatum ab episcopo Norvicense; teque non alienum ab eo animum gerere; equidem, si ita ipsius majestati æquum esse videatur, non ipsum successorem recusavero. Quod ad petitiones meas attinet, eas omnes exaravi, tuæ |