present Prince whose successor is made knowne by him and is also advanced to that cleere hope by him is to feare anie such perill from the successor In which case wee haue shewed in our reasons before that hardlie in anie storie anie such example can be found Yet seeing these examples are alleadged it shall not be amisse some-what to consider of them Edward the third was but 15. yeres Edward 2. deposed by his sonne Ed. 3. and how olde when his father was deposed and therefore not likelie to bee contriver of his fathers deposing Nay who so readeth Grafton pag 213. 214. 215. the storie he shall finde that he was deposed by his Nobilitie and commons as one in their iudgement not worthie to be a king Their reason was for that he was altogether ruled by the lewde counsell of the two Spensers Robert Baldock Pierce of Gauestone and other ill counsellours whereby he vainelie consumed the treasure of the land and overthrewe King â—ich 2â— deposed by Hen â—â— why Grafton pag. 401. the nobilitie and state And king Richard the sec was deposed not by one whome he had made his knowne successor but by Henry the fourth no successor to him by right but an vsurper and that for his great misgovernment as it doth appeare in the storie by 28. articles obiected against him at his deposing wherein his nobility and commons shewed that they liked rather to haue an vsurper to raigne over theÌ„ that would preserue the crowne them then a rightfull king that would perill the crowne and state also So Henrie Hen. 6. deposed by Ed. 4. the sixt was deposed by Edwarde the fourth who had a present right to the crowne and was neither heire apparant nor knowne successor vnto him but he was deposed for the causes for the which God is often angrie with princes namelie as witnesseth the storie for being to much advised by the wicked counsell of William de la Poole Duke of Suffolke by whose meanes as the historie saieth the good Duke of Glocester the kings vncle was put to death and the countries that the crown of England did then possesse in France were delivered and loste hee beeing the swallower vp of the kings treasure wherby the warres were not maintained and the expeller from the King of all good and vertuous counsellours and the bringer in and the advancer of vitious persons common enemies apparant adversaries to the publike weale Heere be manie hard points discovered in a counsellour the which a Wise Princes will look narrowlie into the affections of their counsellers wise Prince will narrowlie looke into least anie of his be infected with anie of these faults His wife also and others did likewise so over-rule him so that the state was by his evill governement greatlie troubled vexed and the nobility much perilled Nowe King Edwarde the fift was murdered being but a childe by his Ed 3. murthered by Rich. 3. wicked and trayterous vncle Richard the third who was neither his heire nor successor by right So that these examples rather proue that there is perill to the present governor from secret ambitious and vnknowne competitors than from known successors for three of these were neyther heyres nor successors by right to them whome they deposed and the fourth had the Crowne throwne in his lappe both vnlooked and vnwished for And in deede and truth princes are in far more danger succession not beeing established then when it is setled The reason is forcible for the neglect thereof produceth the disfavour of God and his subiects whereof we haue a good example of David who before he did establish the succession in Salomon was in farre more danger then afterwards for before first Absolon then Adoniiah were vp in armes for the crown but Salomon once setled in the title of succession we reade of no more such dangerous attemptes in his time And certaine it is that your Maiestie hath beene in much more danger hitherto the title to succeed you beeing vndetermined then you can be by anie likelyhoode when soever it shall be declared who hath the right of succession And so by this that is said alreadie it sufficientlie appeareth that the perilles by having a known successor are rather shadowes of perilles then perilles in deede whereas by concealing of the succession and not declaring where it resteth your Maiestie knoweth a successor how weaklie soever supposed yet mightilie supported both by domesticall traitours and forrayne enemies hath bred you manie evident and dangerous perilles The Lord be blessed who hath delivered you out of their snares pits and hath intrapped themselues therin But you haue no cause yet to thinke moste gratious Ladie but that the popish faction which other malcontents having nowe lost the staffe of their hope but that they ere this haue The Queene of Scots busied themselues to finde another for you may assure your selfe the more silent you are to make knowne your successor the glader are they for they thinke they may thereby the more boldlie set vp one to themselues in their owne conceites wherein when their devises and plots are come to anie ripenesse former experience hath taught you what to looke for from them or at their hands God preserue you alwaies from them and their treacheries and giue you grace ever to beware of them and never to trust them Againe what daunger is there that you can suppose to be likelie to arise by making known your successor that evidentlie ariseth not of keeping him vnknown for it is to bee thought that where the best right is it is well knowne to him that hath it Then the more the right of his title be sought to bee suppressed and concealed the more it is likelie it will stirre the coales of wrath in his heart and the sooner it will cause him to put forth himselfe least he should by silence misse of that which he accounted his right And will not the concealing therof cause manie to flatter themselues that they haue a title and so danger may spring vnto your Maiestie from manie fountaines and froÌ„ some perhaps that are not thought of And all reason perswadeth that there is lesse daunger to be feared from him that hath right to succeede especiallie being bound vnto your maiestie for publishing and manifesting of his right then by one that is grieved offended with your maiestie for hiding and suffering his title to lie hid And every one seeth that the danger that ariseth from one him known is easilier prevented then that which ariseth from manie some of them also vnknowne It were questionlesse therefore everie way the safest way for your maiestie to binde him that hath the best right to succeed to you to all loue and thankfulnes towards you and consequently by that kinde meanes from seeking to endanger you anie way but especiallie by your kind cleering declaring his right and then also to put out of hope all others
hearts most deerlie and therefore to backe you against all dangers most couragiouslie faithfullie No no there will be none of them if you take this course but they will evidentlie see thereby that you and your freends are grown so strong that for anie of them to burst out of due order were but even willinglie to bring vppon them-selves and their families vtter destruction Adonijah was vp in armes for the crown when his father David lay on his death bed and hee had gotten Ioab the mightiest captaine of Israell and Abiathar the high Priest on hisside and yet when David had according to the order of the governement setled established Salomon to succeed him though before Adonijah was grown to strength and so by possibilitie able to haue withstoode both his father David and Salomon yet when he heard thereof he and al his partakers were so dasht and crusht that everie one straight ranne home to his house and Adonijah himselfe tooke sanctuary and so this broile notwithstanding David continued out his time in peace and Salomon his sonne raigned manie yeares triumphantlie after him Howe much more if Queene Elizabeth yet in health and prosperity doe once by this orderlie meane establish the succession will all aspiring Adonijahs howe strong soever they haue made themselves before stay from beginning to doe as Adonijah did least they bee inforced with shame as he was to giue over straight againe Let this example encourage you most noble Queene not to bee afraide of the crossing and disappointing in this case of all the proud Adonijahs in the world for no doubt of it if you do herein seeke to please God and benefite all your subiects as he did God beeing the same nowe that hee was then you may confidentlie look for the same blessing at his hands that David had that is peace in your owne daies and for ever after wealth and prosperitie to all your dominions after you Now this obiection drawne from the difficultie of determining this matter thus answered let vs nowe proceede to the rest which are grounded vppon the perill heerby supposed to ensue to your noble person and dignitie And concerning The obiection grounded vppon perill of naming of the successor confirmed by 3. reasons your person first it is feared that the knowne successor partlie through his owne longing after the highest place partlie through the provocation of others will breede perill to your person And it is likelie that in this respect your feare is encreased by your owne experirience in your sisters time when it may be you were provoked by some to hasten your course Another feare may growe also by the sundrie examples of these Princes as namelie of Edward the second deposed by Edward the third King Richard the second by Henry the fourth Henrie the sixt by Edward the fourth And of Edward the fift murthered by Richard the third And as for your honour and dignitie perhaps you imagine your successor once knowne it will every day more and more decay in that as you know it to be a proverb that men honor the sunne rysing and withdrawe it from the sunne setting Even so you think subiects are given naturallie to prefer their new maister before their olde mistresse These haue bene the cheef causes reasons that hitherto haue staied you frō listning vnto this motion as we suppose and yet make you afraide to yeelde therevnto Before wee come to the answere to these obiections which in effect we do thinke are al that can be vsed in this case wee protest vnto your Maiestie that such is our tender loue and loyall affection towardes your Maiesties noble person and to the preservation thereof in long life and princely honor that vnlesse we were most fullie perswaded that the yeelding there-vnto notwithstanding these obiections woulde not at all proue perilous but rather very beneficiall and profitable to the safetie and securitie both of your person and honor albeit wee had given leaue vnto our selues some-what to haue thought of this motion yet would we never haue proceeded thus farre therin for we wish your dayes to be extended as far as Methushelahs in all princelie honour and felicitie and we covet not to liue one howre after you This truly faithfully protested to these obiections we answere Answered generallie 3. waies first generallie and then particularlie for generall answere vnto them we say first that the perill vpon these grounds supposed to arise either to your person or honor is but an imagined or supposed perill that also inferred but by probable arguments not by evident demonstratiō which being so doth not discharge you from doing so necessarie profitable and honorable a duty to God to your people as this is where-vnto you are nowe moved Secondlie we say suppose there were asmuch perill vnto your person as is pretended yet the peril of your worthy Realme beeing so great and palpable as it hath beene proved to be through the want of the establishment of a knowne successor it may not therefore be left vndone for never so evident a perill your wisdome knoweth freeth any from doing of that dutie that the Lord enioyned them to doe for obedience to his will is to be preferred before our owne honour Confirmed by the example of Esther and safetie Alwaies Queene Hester the wife of Ahashuerosh king of 127. provinces vnderstanding into what extreame perill her countrie people the Iewes wer brought by the meanes of Haman put her life and honour in evident perill wittinglie and willingly deserving death by law to prevent the danger towardes her naturall people For to the hazard of her life as appeareth in the storie she came into the Kings presence without leaue the which was death by the Lawe to make meanes for their safetie saying that if I perishe I perish therby carrying a resolute minde that though shee did perishe yet not to omit to doe what possiblie shee might for the safetie of her people In deede shee prepared her selfe to this action with long fasting and earnest praier and so wee woulde wishe all such weightie and necessarie services to God our countrie especially when there is feared some danger and difficultie in the accomplishing of them to bee taken in hand But this storie sheweth especially seing this is reported of her in the Canonicall Scripture to her commendation that heerein she did well that others may lawfullie and ought even though they bee Queenes to offer themselves to perill for the good safetie of their countrie when otherwise without their so doing it must needes come to some extreame miserie What doubt can there be of this seing we read that even the light of nature hath taught Codrus Athen Decij Rom. manie heathen Princes to offer themselves to extreame perill for the good of of their country And your Maiestie hath And of King Henry the 8. a Christian and domesticall example of your noble father hereof who
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
as with the said number of the privy counsell shall make vp the number of 24 at the least having with them for their assistance in that behalfe such other of the Iudges of the Courtes of Recorde at Westminster as her highnesse for that purpose shall assigne or appoint or the more part of the same Counsell Lords and Iudges shall by vertue of this act haue authoritie to examine al everie of the offences aforesaid all circumstances thereof and thervpon to giue sentence or judgement as vpon good proofe the matter shall appeare vnto them And that after such sentence and judgement given declaration thereof made and published by her Maiesties proclamation vnder the great seale of England ALL PERSONS against whome such sentence or judgement shall be so given and published shall be excluded and disabled for ever to haue or claime or pretend to haue or claime the crowne of this Realme or of any her Maiesties Dominions any former Lawe or statute whatsoever notwithstanding And that therevpon all her highnes subiects shall and may lawfullie by vertue of this act and her Maiesties direction in that behalfe by all forcible and possible meanes pursue to death every such wicked person by whome or by whose meanes assent or priuitie anie such invasion or rebellion shall bee in forme aforesaid denounced to haue beene made or such wicked act attempted or any other thing compassed or imagined against her Maiesties person and all their actors comforters and abettors If anie such detestable act shall bee execute against her Maiesties most royall person whereby her self shall be taken away which God of his great mercie forbid that then every such person by or for whome anie such act shall be executed Mark this clause * and their issue beeing in anie wise assenting privie to the same shall by vertue of this act bee excluded and disabled for ever to haue or claime or to pretend to haue or claime the said crowne of this Realme or anie other her Maiesties Dominions c. AND TO the end the intention of the Lawe may bee effectuallie executed if her Maiesties lyfe shall bee taken away by anie violent or vnnatural means which God defend BE IT further enacted by the authority aforesaid that the LL. and others which shall bee of her Maiesties privie Counsell at the time of her decease or the more part of the same couÌ„sel joining to theÌ„ for their better assistaÌ„ce fiue other Earles seuen other LL. of Parliam at the least foreseeing that none of the saide Earles LL. or counsell be known to be persons that may make any title to the crouÌ„ choose persons which were chief Iustices of either bench maister of the Rolles and chiefe Baron of the Exchequer at the time of her Maiesties death or in default of the said Iustices maister of the Rolles and chief Baron some other of those which were Iustices of some of the Courts of record at Westminster at the time of her decease to supply their places or anie 24. or more of them wherof eight to be LL. of Parliament not beeing of the privie counsell shall to the vttermost of their power and skill examine the cause and manner of such her Maiesties death and what persons shal bee any way guiltie thereof and all circumstances concerning the same according to the true meaning of the Act and therevpon shall by open proclamation publish the same without any delay by all forcible and possible meanes prosecute to death all such as shall be found to be offenders therein all their aiders and abettors And for the doing whereof and for the withstanding and suppressing of any such powers and force as shall anie way bee leuied sturred for the disturbance of the due execution of this Law they shall by vertue of this act haue power and authoritie not onlie to raise and vse such forces as shall in that behalfe be needfull and convenient but also vse all other things and meanes possible and necessarie for the maintenance of the same forces prosecution of the same offenders And if any such force shall bee levied or sturred in disturbance of the execution of the Law by any person that shall or may pretend anie title to the crown of this Realme whereby this Law may not in al things be fullie execute acording to the true effect and meaning of the same THAT then euerie such person shall by vertue of this act bee excluded and disabled for ever to haue or claime or to pretend to haue or claime the crowne of this Realme or of any other her Maiesties Dominions anie other forme Law or statute whatsoever to the contrarie BE IT further enacted c. That all and everie the subiects of her Maiesties Realmes and Dominions shal to the vttermost of their power aide and assist the said Counsell and al other the Lords and other persons to be adjoined to them for assistance as is aforesaid in all things to beâ— done and executed according to the intention effect of the Lawe And that no subiect of this Realme shall in anie wise bee impeached in bodie lands or goods at any time heereafter for any thing to be done or executed according to the tenor of the Law anie Law or statute heertofore made to the contrarie in any wise notwithstanding And whereas of late manie of her Maiesties good and faithfull subiects haâ—â— in the 〈◊〉 of God and with the testimonie of good conscience by one vniforme manner of writing vnder their hands and seales and by their severall oathes voluntarilie taken joined themselues together in one bond association to withstand to the vttermost all such malicious actions and attempts against her Maiesties Royall person Nowe for the full explaining of all such ambiguities and questions as otherwise might happen to grow by any sinister or wrong construction or interpretation to bee made or inferred of or vpon the words and meaning thereof BE IT DECLARED and enacted c. That the same association and everie article and sentence therein contained aswell concerning the disallowing excluding and disabling of anie person that may or shall pretend anie title to come to the crowne as also for the pursuing and taking revenge of anie person for any such attempt shall or ought to be in all things expounded and adjudged according to the true intent and meaning of this act not otherwise nor against any other person or persons c. THese acts of association and Parliament Dolmans ignorance are by Dolman confounded as if they were both one vncertain whither of grosse ignorance or deep malice In the margent hee calleth them the statute of association whereby if he meane the act of association severallie it seemeth he knew not the statute which expouÌ„deth the act and giveth it the force that it hath and without which it may be as lightlie reiected as it is by him weightily vrged for it is well knowne that by this act of association