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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91487	Severall speeches delivered at a conference concerning the power of Parliament, to proeeed [sic] against their King for misgovernment. In which is stated: I. That government by blood is not by law of nature, or divine, but only by humane and positive laws of every particular common-wealth, and may upon just causes be altered. II. The particular forme of monarchies and kingdomes, and the different laws whereby they are to be obtained, holden and governed ... III. The great reverence and respect due to kings, ... IV. The lawfulnesse of proceeding against princes: ... V. The coronation of princes, ... VI. What is due to onely succession by birth, and what interest or right an heire apparent hath to the crown, ... VII. How the next in succession by propinquity of blood, have often times been put back by the common-wealth, ... VIII. Divers other examples out of the states of France and England, for proofe that the next in blood are sometimes put back from succession, ... IX. What are the principall points which a common-wealth ought to respect in admitting or excluding their king, wherein is handled largely also of the diversity of religions, and other such causes.	Parsons, Robert, 1546-1610, attributed name.	1648 (1648)	Wing P573; Thomason E521_1; ESTC R203152	104,974	80

named Ethelw●lfe or Ad●●ulte or Edolph an 829. for all is one who succeeded him in the kingdom and was as worthy a man as his Father and this Adeluulfe again had four lawfull Sons who all in their turns succeeded by just and lawfull order in the crown to wit Ethelbald Ethelbert Ethelred and Alfred for that none of the former three had any children and all the latter three were most excellent Princes especially Alfred or Alured the last of all four whose acts are wonderfull an 8●2 and who among other his renowned Guests drove Rollo that famous Captain of the Danes from the Bo●ders of England with all his company into France where he got the country or Province named then Neustria and now Normandy and was the first Duke of that Province and Nation and from whom our William Conquerour came afterwards in the 6. discent This man also erected the University of Oxford being very learned himselfe builded divers good Monasteries and Churches dying left as famous a Son behind himself which was Edward the first surnamed the senior or elder Anno 900. This King Edward dying left two Sons lawfully begotten of his wife Edgina the one named Prince Edmund the other E●●●ed and a third illegitimate whose name was Adelstan whom he had by a Concubine But yet for that this man was esteemed to be of more valour then the other he was preferred to the crown before the other two Princes legitimate an 924 for so testifieth Po●dor in these words Ad●●anus ex concubina Edwardi filius rax a populo consalutatur atque ad Kingstonum opidum more majorum ab Ath●●lmo cautuariensi Arel lepiscopo cor●natur Pol. l. 5. hist ang which is Adelstan the Son of K. Edward by a Concubine was made King by the People and was crowned according to the old custome by Athelme Archbishop of Canterbury at the town of Kingston Thus far Polidor and Stow addeth further these words His coronation was celebrated in the Market place upon a stage erected on high that the King might better be seen of the multitude he was a Prince of worthy memory valiant and wise in all his acts and brought this land into one perfect Monarchy for the expelled utterly the Danes and quieted the Welch men Stow p. 136. an 924. Thus much Stow of the snccesse of chusing this King bastard to reign To whose acts might be added that he conquered Scotland and brought Constantine their King to doe him homage and restored Lewis d'Outremer his sisters Son to the Kingdom of France an 940. This man dying without issue his lawfull brother Edmond put back before was admitted to the crown who being of excellent expectation dyed after 6 yeers and left two lawfull sons but yet for that they were young they were both put back by the Realm their uncle E●dred was preferred before them an 946. so saith Palidor Genu●t Edmondus ex Egilda uxore Edvinuus Edganum qui cum etate pueri esse●● post Eldredum deinder regnarunt Pol l. 6. King Edmond begat of his wife Egilda two Sons named Edwin and Edgar who for that they were but children in yeers were put back and reigned afterward after their uncle Eldred The like saith Stow and yeeldeth the same reason in these words Eldred succeeded Edmond his b●other for that his Sons Edwin and Edgar were thought to young to take so great a charge upon them This Eldred though he entred as you see against the right of the Nephews yet saith Polidor and Stow that he had all mens good will and was crowned as his brother had been at Kingston by Odo Archbishop of Canterbury and reigned 9 yeers with great good will and praise of all men He dyed at last without issue aud so his elder Nephew Edwin was admitted to the crown but yet after 4 yeers he was deposed again for his lewd vicious life and his younger brother Edgar admitted in his place in the yeer of Christ 959. This King Edgar that entred by deposition of his brother was one of the rarest Princes that the world had in his time both for peace and war justice piety and valour Stow saith he kept a Navy of 3000. and 600 ships distributed in divers parts for defence of the Realm Also that he built and restored 47 Monasteries at his own charges and did other many such acts He was Father to King Edward the Martyr and Grandfather to K. Edward the confessor though by two different wives for by his first wife named Egilfred ●hee had Edward after martyrized and by his second wife Alfred he had Etheldred Father to Edw. the confessour and to the end that Etholdred might reign his mother Alfred caused K. Ed. the son of Egilfred to be slain after King Edgar her husband was dead After this so shamefull murther of K. Edw many good men of the Realm were of opinion not to admit the succession of Etheldred his half brother both in respect of the murther of K. Ed. his elder brother committed for his sake as also for that he seemed a man not fit to govern and of his opinion among others was the holy man Dunston Archbishop of Canterbury as Polidor saith Pol. l. 7. hist Ang. who at length in flat words denyed to consecrate him but seeing the most part of the Realm bent on Etheldreds side he foretold them that it would repent them after and that in this mans life the Realm should be destroyed as indeed it was and he ran away to Normondy and left Sweno and his Danes in possession of the Realm though afterward being dead hee returned againe and dyed in London This Etheldred had two wives the first Ethelgina an English woman by whom he had Prince Edward surnamed Iron-side for his great strength and valour who succeeded his Father in the Crown of England for a yeer and at his death left two Sons which after shall be named And besides this Etheldred had by his first wife other two Sons Edwin and Adelston and one Daughter named Edgina all which were either slain by the Danes or dyed without issue The second Wife of Etheldred was called Emma sister to Richard Duke of No●mondy who was Grandfather to William the Conquerour to wit Father to Duke Robert that was Father to William So as Emma was great Aunt to this William and shee bare unto King Atheldred two Sons the first Edward who was afterward named King Edward the Confessor and Alerud who was slain trayterously by the Earl of Kent After the death also of King Etheldred Queen Emma was marryed to the Dane King Canutus the first of that name surnamed the Great that was King of England after Etheldred and Edmond Ironside his Son and to him she bare a Sonne named Hardicanutus who reigned also in England before King Edward the Confessour Now then to come to our purpose hee that will consider the passing of the Crown of England from the death of Edmond Iron-side elder Sonne

Authority they have great limitation neither can they do any thing of great moment without the consent of certain principal men called Palatines or Castellians neither may their children or next of Bloud succeed except they be chosen as in the Empire Herbert l. 9. Hist Pol. Cromerus l. 3. Hist Polon In Spain France and England the priviledges of Kings are farre more eminent in both these points for that both their Authority is much more absolute and their next in Bloud do ordinarily succeed but yet in different manner for as touching authority it seemeth that the Kings of Spain and France have greater than the King of England for that every ordination of these two Kings is Law in it selfe without further approbation of the Common-wealth which holdeth not in England where no general Law can be made without consent of Parliament but in the other point of Succession it appeareth that the restraint is farre greater in those other two Countries than in England for that in Spain the next in Bloud cannot succeed be he never so lawfully descended but by a new approbation of the Nobility and States of the Realme as it is expresly set down in the two ancient Councels of Tolledo the fourth and fifth Concil blet 4. c. 74. coneil s c. 3. In confirmation whereof we see at this day that the King of Spain's own son cannot succeed nor be called Prince except he be first sworne by the said Nobility and States in token of their new consent and so we have seen it practised in our dayes towards three or four of king Philips children which have succeeded the one after the other in the Title of Princes of Spain and at every change a new Oath required at the Subjects hands for their admission to the said Dignity which is not used in the Kings children of France or England In France the World knoweth how Women are not admitted to succeed in the Crown be they never so near in Bloud neither any of their Issue though it be Male for which cause I doubt not but you remember how King Edward the third of England though he were son and heir unto a daughter of France whose three brethren were kings and left her sole heir to her father king Philip the fourth sirnamed the Fair yet was he put by the Crown Anne 1340. Anil hist Franc. l. 2. Gerard. du Haylan l. 14. hist Franc. as also was the king of Navar at the same time who was son and heir unto this womans eldest brothers daughter named Lewis Huttin king of France which king of Nav●r thereby seemed also to be before king Edward of England but yet were they both put by it and Philip de Vallois a brothers son of Philip the fair was preferred to it by general decree of the States of France and by verdict of the whole Parliament of Paris gathered about the same affaires Franc. Belfor l. 5. c. 1. Anno 1327. Neither did it avail that the two kings aforesaid alleadged that it was against reason and conscience and custome of all Nations to exclude women from the Succession of the Crown which appertained unto them by propinquity of Bloud seeing both Nature and God hath made them capable of such Succession every where as it appeareth by example of all other Nations and in the old Testament among the people of God it selfe where we see Women have been admitted unto kingdomes by succession but all this I say prevailed not with the French as it did not also since for the admission of Dona Isabella Eugenia Clara Infanta of Spain unto the said Crown of France though by dissent of Bloud there be no question of her next propinquity for that she was the eldest childe of the king's eldest sister The like exclusion was then made against the prince of Lorain though he was a man and nephew to the king for that his Title was by a Woman to wit his mother that was younger sister unto king Henry of France And albeit the Law called Salica by the French-men by vertue whereof they pretend to exclude the Succession of Women be no very ancient Law as the French themselves do confesse and much lesse made by Pharamond their first king or in those ancient times as others without ground do affirme Gerard. du Hail l. 13. hist Fra●c Anno 1317. l. 14. Anno 1328 l. 3. de l'Estat defrunce Yet do we see that it is sufficient to binde all Princes and Subjects of that Realme to observe the same and to alter the course of natural Discent and nearnesse of Bloud as we have seen and that the king of Navar and some others of his race by vertue of this onely Law did pretend to be next in Succession to this goodly Crown though in nearnesse of Bloud they were farther off by many degrees from king Henry the third than either the foresaid Infanta of Spain or the prince of Lorain who were children of his own sisters which point yet in England were great disorder and would not be suffered for that our Lawes are otherwise and who made these Lawes but the Common-wealth it selfe By all which we see that divers Kingdomes have divers lawes and customes in the matter of succession and that it is not enough for a man to alleage bare propinquity of blood thereby to prevaile for that he may be excluded or put back by divers other circumstances for sundry other reasons which afterward we shall discusse Yea not onely in this point hath the common-wealth authority to put back the next inheritors upon lawfull considerations but also to dispossesse them that have bin lawfully put in possession if they fulfill not the lawes and conditions by which and for which their dignitie was given them Which point as it cannot serve for wicked men to be troublesome unto their Governours for their own interests or appetites so yet when it is done upon just and urgent causes and by publique authority of the whole body the justice thereof is playne not onely by the grounds and reasons before alleaged but also by those examples of the Romans and Grecians already mentioned who lawfully deposed their Kings upon just considerations and changed also their Monarchie and Kingly Government into other forme of regiment And it might be proved also by examples of all other nations and this perhaps with a circumstance which every man considereth not to wit That God hath wonderfully concurred for the most part with such juditiall acts of the common-Wealth against their evill Princes not onely in prospering the same but by giving them also commonly some notable successor in place of the deposed thereby hath to justify the fact and to remedy the fault of him that went before I am far from the opinion of those people of our dayes or of old who make so little account of their duty towards Princes as be their title what it will yet for every mislike of their owne they are ready to band

and did drive him out of his Realme into Castilla where he lived all the rest of his life in banishment and dyed in Toledo without ever returning and this Decree of the Councell and Pope at Lyons for authorizing of this fact is yet extant in our Common Law in the sixt Book of Decretal● now in print Lib. 6. de cret tit 6. de supplenda cap. Grand 1. And this King Don Alonso the third which in this sort was put up against his brother was peaceably and prosperously King of Portugal all the dayes of his life Garibay in hist de Portug lib. 34. cap. 20. 21. and he was a notable King and among other great exployts he was the first that set Portugal free from all subjection dependence and homage to the Kingdome of Castile which unto his time ●t ha● acknowledged and he left for his successor his so●● and heire Don Dionysi●el Fabricador to wit the great builder for that he builded and founded above forty and foure great towns in Portugal and was a most rare Prince and his off-spring ruleth in Portugal unto this day Infinite other examples could I alleage if I would examine the lives and discents of these and other Kingdoms with their Princes and namely if I would speak of the Greek Emperours deprived for their evill government not so much by popular mutiny which often hapned among them as by consent and grave deli●e●ation of the whole State and Weal-publick Glicas in Annal. part 4. Zon. Annal. co 3. in vita Michael Calapha as Michael Calaphates for that he had troden the Crosse of Christ under his feet and was otherwise also a wicked man as also the Emperor Nicephorus Botoniates for his dissolute life and preferring wicked men to authority and the like whereof I might name many but it would be too long What should I name here the deposition made of Princes in our dayes by other Common-wealths as in Polonia of Henry the third that was King of France and before that had been sworne King of Polonia of which Crowne of Polonia he was deprived by publick act of Parliament for his departing thence without license and not returning at his day by the said State appointed and denounced by publick Letters of peremptory commandement which are yet extant In literis reip Polon ad Henr. Valesium pag. 182. 184. Vide Gagneum part 1. de rebus Polon In Suetia What should I name the deprivations of Henry King of Suetia who being lawfull successor and lawfully in possession after his Father Gustavus was yet put downe by that Common-wealth and deprived and his brother made King in his place who was in England in the beginning of Queen Elizabeths reigne whose sonne reigned King of Polonia Polin 1. 32. Histor de Franc. An. 1568. and this fact was not only allowed of at home by all the States of that countrey but also abroad as namely of Maximilian the Emperor and appointed also by the King of Denmarke and by all the Princes of Germany neer about that Realme who saw the reasonable causes which that Common-wealth had to proceed as it did And a little before that the like was practised also in Denmarke against Cisternus their lawfull King if we respect his discent in blood for he was sonne to King Iohn that reigned afore him and crowned in his fathers life but yet afterwards for his intolerable cruelty he was deprived and driven into banishment together with his wife and three children all which were disinherited and his Vncle Frederick Prince of Holsatia was chosen King who●e Progeny yet remaineth in the Crowne and the other though he were married to the sister of Charles the fifth last Emperour of that name and were of kin also to King Henry the eight in England yet could he never get to be restored ●●●pessed his time miserably partly in banishment and partly in prison untill he died Sleydon l. 4. hist An. 1532. Mu●st lib. 3. Cosmogra in d●script D●●i'e Paulus Iovius in viris illust But it shall be best perhaps to end this narration with example out of England it selfe for that no where 〈◊〉 have I read more markeable accidets touching this point then in England and for brevity sake I shall touch only a few since the Conquest for that I will goe no higher though I might as appereth by the example of King Ed●in and others neither will I begin to stand much upon the example of King Iohn though well also I might so that by his cruell government he made himselfe both odious at home and contempt●ble abroad After him King Henry the third was admitted and he proved a very worthy King after so cruell a one as had gone before him and had been deposed which is a circumstance that you must alwayes note in this narration and hee reigned more yeares then ever King in England did before or after him for he reigned full 53 years and left his son and heire Edward the first not inferiour to himselfe in manhood and vertue who reigned 34. yeares and left a son named Edward the second who falling into the same defects of government or worse then King John his great Grandfather had done was after 1. yeares reigne deposed also by act of Parliament holden at London the yeare 1326. Polyd. l. 18. hist Anglicanae Anno 1326. and his body adjudged to perpetuall prison in which he was at that present in the Castle of Wallingford whither divers both Lords and Knights of the Parliament were sent unto him to denounce the sentence of the Realme against him to wit how they had deprived him and chosen Edward his son in his place Stow in the life of King Edward the 2. for which act of choosing his son he thanked them heartily and with many teares acknowledged his owne unworthinesse whereupon hee was degraded his name of King first taken from him and he appointed to be called Edward of Carnarvan from that houre forward And then his Crowne and ring were taken away and the Steward of his house brake the staffe of his office in his presence and discharged his servants of their service and all other people of their obedience or allegiance toward him and towards his maintenance he had only a 100 marks a year allowed for his expences and then was hee delivered also into the hands of certain particular keepers who led him prisoner from thence by divers other places using him with extreme indignity in the way untill at last they took his life from him in the Castle of Barkley and his son Edward the third reigned in his place who if we respect either valour prowesse length of reigne acts of chevalry or the multitude of famous Princes his children left behind him was one of the noblest Kings that ever England had chosen in the place of a very evill one But what ●hall we say Is this worthinesse which God giveth commonly to the successours at these changes perpetuall or certaine by discent no

had some hope to have her sonne Reigne after David upon a certaine promise that David in his youth had made unto her thereof as also she had in the speciall favour and friendship which Nathan the Prophet and Sadock the Priest who could do much with the ould King David did beare unto her sonne Solomon aboue all the rest of his Bretheren Hereupon I say these two that is to say Queene Bersabee and Nathan the Prophet comming together to the old man as he lay one his bed and putting him in mind of his promise and oath made to Bersabee for the preferment of her Son and shewing besides how that Adonias without his order and consent had gathered an Assembly to make himselfe King even that very day which did put the old King in very great feare and anger and further also telling him which pleased him wel quod oculi totius Israel in eum ●espicerent ut indicaret eis quis sederet in solio suo post ipsum 3. Reg. 1. that is that the eyes of all Israel were upon him to see whom he would commend unto them to sit in his seat after him which was as much to say as that the whole common-wealth referred it to his choise which of his Sonnes should reigne after him Vpon these reasons and perswasions I say the good ould King was content that they should take Solomon out of hand and put him upon the Kings owne mule and carry him about the streets of Ierusalem accompanied with his guard and court and crying with sound of Trumpets Vivat Rex Salomon 3. Reg 1. and that Sadock the Priest should anoint him and after that he should be brought back and placed in the royall Throne in the palace and so indeed he was at what time King David himselfe being not able through impotencie to rise out of his bed did him honour and reverence from the place where he lay for so saith the Scriptures Adoravit Rex in lectulo suo king David adored his Sonne Salomon thus Crowned even from his bed all which no doubt though it may seeme to have been wrought by humane meanes and policy yet must we confesse that it was principally by the speciall instinct of God himselfe as by the sequell and succes we see so that hereby also we are taught that these and like determinations of the people Majestrates and common wealths about admitting or refusing of Princes to Reigne or not to Reigne ever them when their designements are to good ands and for just respects and causes are allowed also by God and oftentimes are his owne speciall drifts and dispositions though they seeme to come from man Whereof no one thing can give a more evident proofe then that which ensued afterward to Prince Roboam the Lawfull Sonne and heire of this King Salamon who after his Fathers death comming to Sichem where all the People of Israel were gathered together for his Coronation and Admission according to his right by succession 3. Reg. 12. For untill that time we see he was not accounted true King though his Father was dead and this is to be noted the people began to purpose unto him certain conditions for taking away of some hard and heavy impositions laid upon them by Salomon his Father an evident president of the oath and conditions that Princes do swear unto in these dayes at their Coronation whereunto when Roboam refused to yeald ten Tribes of the twelve refused to admit him for their King 3. Reg 11. but chose rather one Ieroboam Robohams servant that was a meere stranger and but of poore parentage and made him there lawfull King and God allowed thereof as the Scripture in expresse words doth testifie and when Roboam that tooke himselfe to be openly Injured heereby would by armes have pursued his Title and had gathered together an Army of a hundred and foure-score thousand chosen souldiers as the scripture sayth 5 Rig. 12. and 21. to punish these rebells as he calle them and to reduce these 10. tribes to their due obedience of their naturall Prince God appeared unto one Semejah a holy man and bad him goe to the camp of Roboam and tell them plainly that he would not have them to fight against their Brethren that had chosen another King but that every man should goe home to his house and live quietly vnder the King which each party had and so they did and this was the end of that tumult which God for the sins of Salomon had permitted and allowed of And thus much by the way I thought good to touch on t of holy Scripture concerning the Iewish Common-Wealth even at the begining for that it may give light to all the rest which after I am to treate of for if God permitted and allowed this in his own Common wealth that was to he the example and patern of all others that should ensue no doubt but that he approveth also the same in other Realms when just occasions are offered either for his service the good of the people and Realm or else for punishment of the sinnes and wickednesse of some Princes that the ordinary line of succession be altered Now then to passe on further and to begin with the Kingdoms of Spayne supposing ever this ground of Gods Ordinance first I say that Spayne hath had 3. or 4. races or discents of Kings as France also and England have had and the first race was from the Gothe● which began their raigne in Spayne after the expulsion of the Romans about the year of Christ 416. Ambros Moral lib. 11. c. 12 to whom the Spaniard referreth all his old Nobility as the Frenchman doth to the German Franckes and the English to the Saxons which entred France and England in the very same age that the other did Spayne and the race of Gothish Kings indured by the space of 300. yeares untill Spayne was lost unto the Moores The second race is from Don Pelayo that was chosen first King of Asturias and of the Mountain Countrey of Spayne after the distruction thereof by the Moores about the year of Christ 717. Ambros Moral lib. 13. c. 2. which race continued and increased and added ●●●gdom unto Kingdom for the space of other 300 years until the year of Christ 1034. Moral lib. 13 c. 42 43 44. when Don Sancho Mayor King of Navarra got unto his power the Earldom also of Aragon and Castiliae and made them Kingdoms and divided them among his Children and to his second sonne named Don Fernando surnamed afterward the great he gave not only the said Earldom of Castilia with title of Kingdom but by marriage also of the sister of Don Dermudo King of Leon and Aust●rias he joyned all those Kingdoms together that day forward the 3 race of the Kings of Navair to reign in Castel and so indured for 500 years until the year of Christ 1540. when the house of Austira entred to reign there by mariage of the daughter heire Don Ferdinando

that her Mother Lady Elenor was their sister daughter to K. Henry the 2. and K. Iohn made this mariage therby to make peace with the French was content to give for her dowry for that he could not tell how to recover them again all those Townes Countries which the said K. Phil. had taken upon the English by this Kings evill Government in Normandy Gascoyn and moreover promise was made that if P. Henry of Spain that was the only brother to the said Lady Blanch should dye without issue as after he did then this Lady should succeed in the Crown of Spain also but yet afterward the State of Spain would not perform this but rather admitted her younger sister Dona Berenguela maryed to the Prince of Leon and excluded both Blanch her son the King S Luis of France against the evident right of succession propinquity of bloud the only reason they yeelded hereof was not to admit strangers to the Crown as Garabay testifieth This hapned then I do note by the way that this Dona Berenguela second daughter of Q. Elenor the English woman was maried as hath bin said to the Prince of Leon had by him Don Fernando the 3. of that name K of Castilia surnamed also the Saint so as the two daughters of an English Queen had two Kings Saints for their Sons at one time the elder of France the yonger of Spain After this again about 60 yeers the Prince of Spain named Don Alonso surnamed de la cerda for that he was borne with a great gristle haire on his breast called cerda in Spanish which Don Alonso was Nephew ●o the King Fernando the Saint marryed with the daughter of S. Lewis K. of France named also Blancha as her grand mother was had by her two sons called Alonso Hernando de la cerda as the Prince their Father was named which Father of theirs dying before the King the Grand father left them commended to the Realm as lawful heire apparent to the crowne yet for that a certain Uncle of theirs named Don Sa●cho younger brother to their father which Don Sancho was surnamed afterward el brav● for his valour and was a great Warrier and more like to manage wel the matters of war then they he was made heir apparent of Spain add hey putb●ck in their Grandfa●hers time and by his and the Realms consent their Father as I have said being dead and this was done at a generall Parliament holden at Segovia in the yeer 1276. and after this Don Sancho was made King in the yeer 1284 the two Princes put into prison but afterward at the suit of their Uncle King Philip the 3 of France they were let out again endued with certain lands so they remain unto this day and of these do come the Dukes of Medina Celi all the rest of the hou●e of Cerda which are of much Nobility in Spain at this time K. Philip that reigneth cometh of Don Sancho the yonger Brother Not long after this again when Don Pedro surnamed the cruel King of Castile was driven cut his bastard brother H 2. set up in his place the Duke of Lancaster John of Gant Gar. l. 15. c. 1. an 1363. having maried Dona Constantia the said King Padroes daughter and heir pretended by succession the said● Crowne of Castile as indeed it appert●ined unto him but yet the State of Spain denyed it flatly and defended it by arms they prevailed against John of Gant as did also the race of H the B●stard against his lawfull brother the race of Don Sancho the uncle against his lawfull nephews that of Dona Berenguela against her elder sister all which races do reign unto this day these three changes of the true line hapned within two ages and in the third and principall discent of the Spanish Kings when this matter of suceession was most assuredly perfectly established yet who will deny but that the Kings of Spain who hold by the latter titles at this day be true lawfull Kings Well one example will I give you more out of the kingdom of Portugal so will I make an end with there countries This king Henry the bastard last named 〈◊〉 Spain had a son that succeeded him in the crown of Spain named Iohn the 1 who marryed the daughter he●r named Dona Beatrix of k Fernando the 1. of Portugal but yet after the death of the said k. Fernando the States of Portugall would never agree to admit him for their King for not subjecting themselvs by that means to the Castilians for that cause they rather took for their king a bastard brother of the said late k. Don Fernando whose name was Dondulan a youth of 20 yeers old who had bin Master of a military order in Portugal named de Avis so they excluded Dona Be●tr●x Q. of Cast l. that was their lawfull heire chose this young man marryed him afterwards to the Lady Philip da●ghter of Iohn of Gaunt D. of Lancaster by h●s first wife Blanch Duches heir of Lancaster in whose right the kings of Portugall their discendents do pretend unto this day a certain interest to the house of Lancaster Hereby we see what an ordinary matter in hath been in Spain Portugall to alter the line of next succession upon any reasonable consideration which they imagned to be for their weal publike and the like we shall find in France and England The eighth Speech AS concerning the state of France although since the entrance of their first king Pharaniond with his Franks out of Germany which was about ●he yeere of Christ 419. they have never had any stranger come to wear their crown which they attribute to their law Salike that forbiddeth women to reign ye among themselves have they changed twise their whole race linage of kings once in the entrance of k. Pepin that put out the line of Pharamond about the yeer 751. again in the promotion of k. Hugo Capetus that put out the line of Pepin in the yeer 983. so as they have had 3 discents races of Kings as well as the Spaniards the first of Pharamond the 2. of Pepin and the 3. of Capetus which endureth to this present if it be not altered now by the exclusion that divers pretend to make of the King of Navar and other Princes of the bloud Royall of the house of Burbon I will here set p●sse the first rank of all of the French Kings for that some men say perhaps that the common wealth and law of succession was not so well setled in those days as it hath been afterward in time of k. Pepin Charles the great and their discendanta● as also for that it were in very deed over edious to examine and peruse all three ranks or kings in France as you will say when you shall see what store I have

alleadged that diverse of our English Kings have come out of France as William Corquerour borne in Normands King Steven soune to the Earl of Blois and Bolen a French man and King Henry the Second born likewise in France and sonne to the Earl of A●iou but also for that in very deede the thing it selfe is all one in both Nations and albeit I have not seen any particuler Book of this action in England as in French there is yet it is easie to gather by stories What is used in England about this affaire For first of all that the Arch-Bishop of Ca●terbury did ordinarily doe this ceremony in England as the Arch-Bishop of Rhemes doth it in France there is no doubt and with the same solemnity and honour according to the condition and state of our Countrey and Polidor Virgill in his story Polid. ib. 13 Hist Angile in vita Henrici noteth that Pope Alexander did interdict and suspend the Arch-Bishop of Yorke with his two assistants the Bishops of London and Salisbury for that in the absence of Thomas Becket Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and without his licence they did Crown King Henry the seconds sonne named also Henry at his Fathers perswasion and divers do attribute the unfortunate successe of the said King Henry the younger that rebelled against his Father to this disorderly and violent coronation by his Fathers appointment Secondly that the first thing which the said Arch-Bishop requireth at the new Kings hands at his Coronation is about religion Church matters and the Clergie as in France we have seen it appeareth evedently by these words which the same Arch-Bishop Thomas surnamed commonly the martyr remaining in banishment wrote to the same King Henry the Second which are these Memores sitis confessionis quam fecitis posuistis super altare apud Westmonasteriam de servanda Ecclesiae liberiate quando consecrati fuistis uncti in regem a pradecessore nostro Thebaldo Invita D. Thom. Cantuar. apud surium in mense Decembris Which is do you call to your remembrance the confession which you made and laid upon the Alter at Westminster for keeping and defending the liberty of the Church when you were consecrated and Anointed King by Thebaldus our predecessour By which words appeareth that as the King of England was consecrated and anointed in those dayes by the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury so did he sweare and give up his Oath also in writing and for more solemnity and obligation laid it down or rather offered it up with his owne hands upon the Alter so much as was required of him by the said Arch-Bishop and Clergie for the speciall safety of Religion and these Ecclesiasticall liberties which is the selfe same point that we have seene before as well in the Oath of the Kings of France as also of Polonia and Spaine and of the Emperours both Grecian and German The very like admonition in effect I finde made by another Thomas Arch-Bishop of Canterbury to another King Henry to wit by Thomas A●undell to King Henry the fourth when in a Parliament holden at Coventry in the Yeare 1404. the King was tempted by certain temporall men to take away the temporalities from the Clergie whereunto when the said Arch-Bishop Thomas had answered by divers reasons at last turning to the King ●e besought him saith Stow in vita Henrici 4. to remember the Oath which he voluntarily made that he would honour and defend the Church and ministers thereof Whereof 〈◊〉 desired him to permit and suffer the Church to enjoy the priviledges and 〈…〉 of his prodecessours it did enjoy and to fear that King which reig●eth 〈…〉 by whom all other Kings do reigne moreover he desired him to consider his promise also to all the realm which was that he would preserve unto every man their wright and title so far as in him lay By which speech of the Arch-Bishop the King was so far moved as he would heare no more of that bil of the laytie but said that he would leave the Church in as good estate or better then he found it and so he did but yet hereby we come to learne what Oath the Kings of England do make at their Coronations touching the Church and Clergie The other conditions also of good government are partly touched in the speech of the Arch-Bishop Holinosh in his Cro. Page 476. and 1005. and much more expresly set down in the King of Englands Oath recorded by ancient writers for that he sweareth as both Holinshead and others do testifie in their English stories in these very words to wit That he will during his life beare reverence and honour unto almightie God and to his Ca●holique Church and unto his Ministers and that he will administer law and justice equall to all and take away all unjust Lawes Which after he had sworne laying his handes upon the Gospells then doth the Arch-Bishop turning about to the people declare what the King hath promised and sworne and by the mouth of a harrald at armes asketh their consents whether they be content to submit themselves unto this man as unto their King or no under the conditions proposed whereunto when they have yealded themselves then begineth the Arch-bishop to put upon him the regall Ornaments as the sword the ring the scepter Crown as before in the French Coronation you have heard and namely he giveth him the Scepter of Edward the Confessor and then he adeth also the same words of Commission and exortation as the other doth to wit stand and hold thy place and keepe thy Oath and thereunto adjoyneth a great communication or treat on the behalf of Almighty God if he should take upon him that dignity without firm purpose to observe the things which this day he hath sworn and this is the summe of the English Coronation which you may read also by piece meale in Iohn Stow. Stow in vita Richardi 2 in fine according as other things in that his brief collection are set down but especially you shall se it in the admissions as well of the said King Henry the 4 now last mentioned as also of K. Edward the fourth at their first entrances to the Crown for in the admission of K. Henry Stow sheweth how the people were demanded thrice whether they were content to admit him for their King and that the Arch-Bishop of Canturbury who was the same Thomas Arundell of whom we speak before did read unto them what this new King was bound by Oath unto and then he took the Ring wherewith he was to wed him to the Common-wealth which wedding importeth as you know an Oath and mutuall obligation on both sides in every marriage and the Earle of Northumberland high Constable of England for that day was willing to shew the said Ring to the people that they might thereby se the band whereby the King was bound unto them And then it was put upon his finger and the King kissed the Constable in signe of

crown of whose election Morales writeth these words Muerto el Rey Don Alonso el casto fue eligido por los perlados grandes del reyno l Rey Don Ramiro primero deste nombre hyo del Rey Don vermudo el diacono Mor. c. 11. That is the K. Don Alonso the chaste being dead there was chosen K. by the Prelats Nobility of the Realm Don Ramiro the first of this name Son of K Vermudo the Deacon who resigned his crown to Don Alonso and it is to be noted th●t albeit this Don Ram●ro was next in bloud to the succession after the death of his uncle Don Alonso without children yet was hee chosen by the States as here it is said in expresse words Moreover it is to be noted that albeit this Author Ambrosio Morales other Spanish Writers do say that in the time of this K Ramiro the law of succession by propinquity in blond was so revived strongly confirmed that as the kingdom of Spain was made as Majorasgo as he termeth it which is an inheritance so intailed and tyed only to the next bloud as there is no possibility ●o alter the same and that from this time forward the King always caused his eldest Son to be named King or Prince so ever to be sworn by the Realm and Nobility yet shall we find this Ordinance and succession oftentimes to have been broken upon severall considerations as this Author himself in that very chapter confesseth As for example after four discents from this man which were Don Ordonio the 1. this mans Son and Don Alonso the 3. Don Garzia and Don Ordonio the second all four Kings by orderly succession it hapned that in the yeer of Christ 924. Don Ordonio the second dying left four Sons and one daughter lawfully begotten and yet the State of Spain displaced them all and gave the kingdom to their Uncle Don Fruela second brother to their Father Don Ordonio and Morales saith Mor. l. 16. cap. 1. an 924. ●hat there appeareth no other reason hereof but only for that these Sons of the King deceased were young and not so apt to govern well the Realm as their uncle was But after a yeers Reign this King Fruela dyed also left divers children at mans estate then did the Spaniards as much against them as they had done for him before against the children of his elder brother For they put them all by the crown and chose for their King Don Alonso the 4 which was eldest Son to Don Ordonio the 2. be●ore named that had been last King saving one and this man also I mean Don Alonso the 4 leaving afterward his Kingdom betaking himself to a religious habit offered to the Common●welth of Spain his eldest Son lawfully begotten named Don Ordonio to be their King but they refused him and tooke his Brother I meane this Kings Brother Uncle to the young Prince named Don Ramiro Moral lib. 19. cap. 20. An. 930. who reigned 19 yeers was a most excellent King gained Madrid from the Moors though noted of cruelty for imprisoning and pulling out the eyes afterward of this King Don Alonso the 4. and all his children nephewes for that hee would have left his habit returned to be King again But this fact my au●hor Morales excuseth saying that it was requisit for pcace safety of the Realm so as here you see two manifest alterations of lineal succession together by order of the Common-welth Furthermore after this noble King Don Ramiro the 2. succeeded as heire apparent to the Crown his elder Son Don Ordonio the 3. of his name in the yeer of our Savior 950. but this succession endured no longer then unto his own death which was after 7 yeers for then albeit he left a Son named el enfante Don Vermudo yet he was not admitted but rather his brother Don Sancho the first of his name surnamed el Gordo who was Uncle to the young Prince and the reason of this alteration Morales giveth in these words el succeder en el regno al hermano fue por la racon ordinaria de ser el enfante Don Vermudo nino y no bastante para ●l goviernoy difenca de la terra Mor. l. 16. c. 29. An. 950. which is the cause why the Kings brother not his Son succeeded in the Crown was for the ordinary reason so often before alledged for that the Infant or young Prince Vermudo was a litle child not sufficient for Government and defence of the Country Truth it is that after this Don Sancho had reigned his son heir named Don Ramiro the 3. after him for the space of 30. yeers in all Mor. l. 17. c. 1 2 3 4. Then was this youth Don Vermudo that is now put back called by the relm to the succession of the Crown made King by the name of King Vermudo the 2. who left after him Don Alonso the 5. he again his Son Don Vermudo the 3. who marying his sister Dona Sancha that was his heir unto Don Fernando first Earle then King of Castile who was second Son to Don Sancho Mayor K ing of Navarras before hath been said he j●yned by these means the Kingdoms of Leon Castile together which were separate before so ended the line of Don Pelayo first Christ●n King of Spain after the entrance of the Moors which had endured now 300. yeers the bloud of Navar entred as you see so continued therein untill the entrance of ●●ose of Au●tria as before hath been said which was almost 500. yeers together And thus much I thought good to note out of the stories of Spain for this first discent of the Spanish Kings after the entrance of the Moors neither mean I to passe much further both for that it would be over long as also for that mine Author Morales who is the most diligent that hath written the Chronicles of that Nation endeth here his story with King Vermudo the 3. last of the Gotish bloud Notwithstanding if I would go on further there would not want divers evident examples also to the same purpose which Stephen Garabay another Chronicler of Spain doth touch in the continuation of this story weereof for examples sake only I will name 2 or 3 among the rest And first about the yeer of Christ 1021. there was a marriage made by K Iohn of England for Dona Blancha his Neece that is to say the daughter of his sister Dame El●nor of Don Alonso the 9. of that name King Queen of Spain which Blancha was to marry the Prince of France named Luis son heir to K. Philip surnamed Augustus which Luis was afterward K. of France by the name of Luis the 8. was Father to Luis the 9. surnamed the Saint Car. lib. 11. c. 12. This Lady Blancha was Neece as I have said unto K. Iohn to K. Richard the ● of England for