sort to excuse them They are the best that your starued both cause and conceipt can possibly affoord and you haue also some fellowes in your folly Heliogabalus did solemnely ioyne the statues of the Sunne and of the Moone in mariage together Nero was maried to a man and tooke also a man to his wife The Venetians doe yearely vpon Ascention day by a ring and other ceremonies contract mariage with the sea But now in earnest men do dye whensoeuer it pleaseth God to call them but it is a Maxime in the common law of England Rex nunquam moritur The king is alwaies actually in life In Fraunce also the same custome hath bene obserued and for more assurance it was expresly enacted vnder Charles the fifth That after the death of any king his eldest sonne should incontinently succeede For which cause the ParliameÌ„t court of Paris doth accompanie the funeral obsequies of those that haue bene their kings not in mourning attire but in scarlet the true ensigne of the neuer-dying Maiestie of the Crowne In regard of this certaine and incontinent succession the Glossographer vpon the Decrees noteth That the sonne of a king may be called King during the life of his father as wanting nothing but administration wherein he is followed with great applause by Baldus Panormitane Iason Carol. Ruinus Andreas Iserna Martinus Card. Alexander Albericus Fed. Barbatius Philip Decius Ant. Corsetta Fra. Luca Matthe Afflict And the same also doth Sernius note out of Virgil where he saith of Ascanius Regemque requirunt his father Aeneas being yet aliue But so soone as the king departeth out of life the royaltie is presently transferred to the next successor according to the lawes and customes of our Realme All Writs go foorth in his name all course of iustice is exercised all Offices are held by his authoritie all states all persons are bound to beare to him alleageance not vnder supposall of approbation when hee shall be crowned according to your dull and drowsie coniecture but as being the true Soueraigne king of the Realme He that knoweth not this may in regard of the affaires of our state ioyne himself to S. Anthony in glorying in his ignorance professing that he knoweth nothing Queene Mary raigned three monâ—ths before she was crowned in which space the Duke of Northumberland and others were condemned and executed for treason for treason I say which they had committed before she was proclaimed Queene King Edward the first was in Palestina when his father dyed in which his absence the Nobilitie and Prelates of the Realme assembled at London and did acknowledge him for their king In his returne homeward he did homage to the French king for the lands which he held of him in France He also repressed certaine rebels of Gascoine amongst whom Gasco of Bierne appealed to the court of the king of Fraunce where king Edward had iudgement that Gasco had committed treason and therupon he was deliuered to the pleasure of king Edward And this hapned before his coronation which was a yeare and nine monâ—ths after he began to raigne King Henry the sixth was crowned in the eighth yeare of his raigne and in the meane space not onely his subiectes did both professe and beare alleageance but the King of Scottes also did sweare homage vnto him What neede I giue any more either instance or argument in that which is the cleare lawe the vncontroulled custome of the Realme Against which notwithstanding your weather-beateÌ„ forehead doth not blush to oppose a blind opinion that heires apparant are not true kings although their titles be iust and their predecessors dead This you labour to prooue by a few drye coniectures but especially and aboue all others you say because the Realme is asked three times at euery coronation whether they will haue such a man to be their king or no. First wee haue good reason to require better proofe of this question then your bare word secondly although we admit it to be true yet seeing the aunswer is not made by the estates of the Realme assembled in parliament but by a confused concurse necessarie Officers excepted of all sorts both of age and sexe it is for ceremonie only not of force either to giue or to increase any right Another of your arguments is for that the Prince doth first sweare to gouerne well and iustly before the subiects take their oath of alleageance which argueth that before they were not bound And further you affirme that it happened onely to king Henry the fifth among his predecessors to haue fealtie done vnto him before hee was crowned and had taken his oath I confesse indeed that Polydore and Stâ—w haue written so but you might easily haue found that they write not true the one of them being a meere straunger in our state the other a man more to be commended for indeuour then for art King Iohn being in Normandie when his brother dyed sent into England Hubert Archbishop of Canterburie VVilliam Marshall Earle of Strigvile and Geoffrie Fitzpeter Lord chiefe â—ustice who assembled the States of the Realme at Northhampton and tooke of them an oath of obedience to the new king Also king Henry the third caused the Citizens of London the Guardians of the Cinque-ports and diuers others to sweare fealtie to Prince Edward his sonne who being in Palestina when his father died the Nobilitie and Prelates of the Realme assembled in the new temple at London and did acknowledge him for their king And in like manner king Edward the third tooke an oath of all the Nobilitie of the Realme of faith after his death to Richard Prince of Wales and so did king Henry the first for his daughter Mawde and her yong sonne Henry After the death of king Henry the fifth that subiects did often sweare alleageance before the coronation and oath of the king you had neither countenance nor conscience to deny but it was neither of these two which did restraine you it proceeded onely from the force of truth which will manifest it selfe whatsoeuer art we vse to disguise it For otherwise what countenance what conscience had you to affirme that it is expresly noted by our English Historiographers That no alleageance is due vnto kings before they bee crowned Who are these Historiographers where doe they so write you that search euery dustie corner of your braines for a fewe ragged reasons to vphold your heresie should not either haue mentioned or omitted such pregnant proofes for in that you affirme and do not expresse them you condemne your selfe by your owne silence If you meane that which you alleadge out of Polydore and Stowe That an oath of fealtie was neuer made before coronation vntill the time of king Henry the fifth it is neither true nor to any such sence If you meane that of Polydore in tearming Henry the fift Prince and not King before he
not bene so foolishly eyther suspitious or fonde that when King Richard sent for him they refused to commit him into his Vncles hands But after the death of king Richard his brother Iohn seized vpon his treasure in Normandie came ouer into England and in an assembly onely of the Nobilitie was crowned king Of these many he wonne with such liberall protestations and promises as men carelesse of their word are wont to bestowe others were abused by the perswasions of Hubert Archbishop of Canterburie and a fewe others saith Polydore not well aduised Nic. Triuet saith that Iohn pretended for his title not the election of the people but propinquitie of bloud and the testament of king Richard The same also is affirmed by Walsingham And this is the question betweene the Vncle and the Nephewe of which I shall haue occasion to speake hereafter But Polydore saith that diuers noble men did account this to be a fraudulent iniustice and therevpon did ominate those euils which afterward did ensue And when the Archbishop was charged that vnder colour of reason partly subborned and partly weake he had bene the occasion of all those mischiefes Polydore saith that he was both grieued and ashamed at nothing more Rog. Wenden affirmeth that he excused himselfe that he did it vpon oracles and by the gift of prophesie King Iohn hauing locked himselfe into the saddle of state made one wrong which he had done to be the cause of a greater wrong by murthering his Nephew Arthur Duke of Britane whose inheritaÌ„ce he did vniustly vsurpe For this fact the French king depriued him of all the landes which he helde in fee of the crowne of France prosecuted the sentence to effect After this as men are easily imboldened against an vsurper when once he declineth eyther in reputation or in state diuers of the Nobilitie especially they of the North confederated against him but being neither able to endure his warre nor willing to repose trust in his peace they coÌ„tracted with Lewis the French kings sonne to take vpon him to be their king And so it often happeneth in ciuill contentions that they who are weakest do runne with a naturall rashnesse to call in a third Lewes being arriued vpon the coast of Kent the Nobilitie of that faction came and sware alleageance vnto him The Londoners also many vpon an ordinarie desire to haue new kings others for feare and â—ome for company ioyned to the reuolt Hereof a lamentable presence of all miseries did arise whereby as well the libertie as the dignitie of the Realme were brought to a neare and narrowe iumpe The poore people naked both of helpe and hope stood at the curtesie and pleasure of the men of armes the libertie of warre making all things lawfull to the furie of the strongest The Nobilitie feeling much and fearing more the insolencie of the French NatioÌ„ who as Vicount Melin a noble maÌ„ of France confessed at his death had sworne the extirpation of all the noble bloud in the Realme began to deuise how they might returne into the alleageance of king Iohn in so much as a litle before his death Letters were bâ—ought vnto him from certaine of his Barons to the number of fortie who desired to be receiued againe into his peace But after his death which happily did happen within fiue moneths after the arriuall of the French both their hatred and their feare being at an ende they were all as readie to cast out Lewes as they had bene rash to call him in This History you corrupt with verie many odious vntruthes which are more harsh to a well tuned eare then the crashing of teeth or the grating of copper As namely in affirming that Arthur was excluded and Iohn crowned King by the states of the Realme that God did more defend this act of the Common-wealth then the iust title of Arthur that by the same states king Iohn was reiected Prince HeÌ„ry his sonne depriued and Lewes of France chosen to be king that the same states recalled their sentence against Prince Henry disanulling their oathe and alleageance made vnto Lewes A shamelesse tongue gouerned by a deceitfull minde can easily call faction the Common wealth rebellion a iust and iudiciall proceeding open an often periurie an orderly reuoking of a sentence Gods secret iudgement in permitting iniustice to preuaile a plain defence and allowance thereof Of the diuision of the houses of Lancastar and Yorke it is but little that you write whereto I haue fully answered before you do wisely to giue a light touch to this example it is so hotte that it will scalde your throate King Henry the fourth more caried by cursed ambition then either by necessitie or right laide an vniust gripe vpon the Realme which afterward he did beautifie with the counterfeit titles of conquest and election So violent are the desires of Princes to imbrace streined titles by whiche they may disturbe the states of other not remembring that right may be troaden downe but not troaden out hauing her secret both meanes to support and seasons to reuiue her For although the lawfull successor did warily strike saile to the tempest because neither the time running nor the opportunitie present which are the guiders of actions did consent as then to enter into enterprise Yet so soone as one heare of occasion was offered his progenie did set vp a most doubtfull warre wherein thirteene battailes were executed by English-men only and aboue fourescore Princes of the royall blood slaine Loe now the smiling successe of these vsurpations loe what a deare purchase of repentance they did cause Were it not that passion doth blind men not only in desire but in hope they might suffice to make vs aduised to keepe rather the knowne beaten way with safetie then vpon euery giddie and brainlesse warrant to engulphe our selues in those passages wherein so many haue perished before vs. It belongeth to wise men to auoide mischies and it is the reward of fooles to lament them Goe too then conclude if you please that the people are not bound to admit him to the Crowne who is the next successor by propinquitie of blood but rather to weigh whether it is like that hee will performe his charge or no. Conclude this I say to be your opinion and that it seemeth to you to be conforme to all reason lawe religion pietie wisedome and policie and to the custome of all Common wealthes in the world and I wil assuredly conclude against you that you prate without either warrant or weight To the ninth Chapter which beareth title VVhat are the principall points which a Common-wealth ought to respect in admitting or excluding any Prince wherein is handled largely also of the diuersitie of religions and other such causes IN this passage you handle what cause is sufficient either to keepe in or to cast the next in blood out of state In which question you determine that God doth
true heire to the crowne Between these two as in all vsurpations it is vsuall vvar vvas raised but by the vnsearchable iudgement of God the duke of Lorraine vvas cast to the ground And there is little doubt but if he had preuailed Lorraine had bene at this day a member of the crowne of France The like answer may be giuen to your example of Suintilla this beside that the kingdom of the Gothes in Spaine vvas not then setled in succession chiefly during the reigne of Victeric Gundemir Sisebuth Suintilla Sicenand Cinthilla and Tulca The historie of Alphonso another of your examples standeth thus Alphonso had a sonne called Ferdinand who died during the life of his father left two yong sons behinde him After the death of Ferdinand his yonger brother Sancho practised with D. Lope Diaz de Haro Lord of Biscay to procure him to be aduanced to the successioÌ„ of the kingdom before his nephewes D. Lope vndertoke the deuise drawing some other of the nobilitie to the partie they so wrought with the king that in an assembly of the states at Segouia Sancho was declared successor the childreÌ„ of Ferdinand appointed to be kept in prison But Sancho either impatieÌ„t to linger in expectatioÌ„ or suspicious that his father grew inclinable towards his nephewes made league with Mahomed Mir king of Granado a Moore by whose ayde by the nobilitie of his faction he caused him selfe to be declared king Heerevpon Alphonso was enforced to craue assistance of Iacob Aben Ioseph king of Maroco who before had bene an enemie to AlphoÌ„so but vpon detestatioÌ„ of this vnnatural rebellioÌ„ he sent forces to him protesting notwithstaÌ„ding that so soone as the war should be ended he wold become his enemie againe So Alphonso by help partly of the Marocco Moores partly of his subiects which remained loyall maintained against his sonne both his title state during his lyfe but not without extremitie of bloudshed opportunitie for the Moores being assistaÌ„t to both parties to make themselues more strong within the countries of Spaine For this cause Alphonso disinherited his sonne by his testament and cast a cruell cursse vpon him his posteritie afterward it vvas ordeined in an assembly of the states holden at Tero that the childreÌ„ of the elder brother deceased should be preferred before their vnckle How then will you verifie your two points by this historie First that Alphonso vvas depriued by a publick act of parlament secondly that it turned to the great coÌ„moditie of the state It is not a millioÌ„ of Masses that are sufficieÌ„t to satisfie for all your deceitful malicious vntruthes I meruaile how the rebellion of Absolon against king Dauid his father escaped you Oh it wanted successe you could not so easily disguise the report You write that the common wealth of Spaine resoluing to depose D. Pedro the cruell sent for his brother Henry out of france required him to bring a strength of frenchmen with him but hereby you make it plain that the common wealth was not fully agreed The truth is that this was a dangerous deuisioÌ„ of the state between two concurrents some holding for Henry some for Pedro. Henry obtained forren asistance by the french Pedro by the english In the meane time whilst Peter was throwen out of state by the forces of france after that Henry by the armes of england againe Peter deiected both from dignitie and life by his brother Henry the poore country became a spectacle for one of your enterludes Your example of Don Sancho Capello king of Portugal containeth many intollerable vntruthes For neither was he depriued of his dignitie neither did the Pope counsell of Lions giue either authoritie or consent that he should be depriued neither was he driuen out of his realme into Castilla neither died he in banishmeÌ„t neither was Alphonso his brother king during his life These fiue vntruths you huddle into one heape The counsaile of Lions wholy opposed against the deposing of Don Sancho notwithstanding many disabilities were obiected against him in regard wherof they gaue directioÌ„ that Alphonso his brother should be regent of the realme as in that case it is both vsuall fit But Sancho taking this to dislike did seeke aide of the king of Castile in that pursuite ended his life without issue wherby the right of succession deuolued to Alphonso To your examples of greeke Emperours I will answer by your words which are that for the most part they came not orderly to the crowne but many times the meanes thereof were tribulent and seditious The deposing of Henry king of Polonia I acknowledge to be both true iust I haue nothing to except against it When the crowne of France did discend vnto him he forsooke Polonia refused to return again to that swaggering gouernment wherevpon they did depose him Giue vs the like case you shal be allowed the like proceeding but you esteeme your examples by tale not by touch being not much vnlike a certaine mad fellow in Athens who imagined euery ship which was brought into the hauen to be his for vvhatsoeuer you finde of a king deposed you lay claime vnto it as both lawfully done and pertayning to your purpose whereas one of these doth alwaies faile Concerning your two examples one of Sueden and the other of Denmarke I shall haue occasion to speake hereafâ—er The nobility of those countries preteÌ„d that their kings are not soueraigne but that the power in highest matters of state pertaineth vnto them If it bee thus the examples are not appliable to the question if it be otherwise then the princes had wrong Wee are come now to our domesticall examples the first whereof is that of king Iohn who was deposed by the Pope you say at the suite of his owne people All this people was the Archbishop of Cant. the bish of London and the bish of Ely at whose coÌ„plaint the Pope did write to Phillip king of France that hee should expell king Iohn out of his realme If not conscience if not ordinarie honestie pure shame should haue drawen you to another forme of writing Hee was also depriued you say afterwards by his Barons Heauy beast call you this a depriuation The commons were neuer called to consent the Clergie were so opposite to those that stoode in armes against king Iohn that they procured excommunication against them first generally then by name lastly Lewes the French kings sonne was also included of the Nobilitie which is onely the third state of the realme I make no doubt but some reserued themselues to bee guided by successe others and namely the Earles of Warren Arundell Chester Penbrooke Ferrers Salisburie and diuers Barons did openly adhere vnto king Iohn you may as well call any other rebellion a depriuation as affirme that the rest either did or might depriue him And whereas you bring in king Henry the third as a most worthie successour after this depriuation I will derogate nothing from his worthinesse but there was neuer king in England who
kingdome of Persia was setled in succession when Darius the King had foure sonnes Artaxerxes the eldest Cyrus the next and two other Parysatis his wife hauing a desire that Cyrus should succeede in the kingdome pressed in his behalfe the same reason wherewith Xerxes had preuailed before affirming that shee had brought forth Artaxerxes to Darius when hee was a priuate man but Cyrus when he was a king Yet Plutarch writeth that the reason which shee vsed was nothing probable and that the eldest was designed to be King Howsoeuer the right stoode betweene Robert Duke of Normandie and his younger brothers the facte did not stande eyther with the quiet or safetie of the Realme For during the raigne of VVilliam Rufus it was often infested vpon this quarell both with forren armes and ciuill seditions which possessed all places with disorder and many also with fire rapine and bloud the principall effects of a liâ—entious warre These mischiefes not onely continued but encreased in the raigne of King Henry vntill Robert the eldest brother was taken prisoner in the fielde which put a period to all his attempts So dangerous it is vpon any pretence to put bye the next in succession to the crowne This Henry the first left but one daughter and by her a young sonne named Henry to whom hee appoynted the succession of the Realme and tooke an oath of all the Bishops and likewise of the Nobilitie to remaine faithfull vnto them after his decease Yet you write that because Stephen sonne of Adela sister to King Henry was thought by the states more fit to gouerne he was by them admitted to the Crowne In which assertion you cannot be deceiued you do not erre but your passion doth pull you from your owne knowledge and iudgement Polydore writeth that hee possessed the kingdome contrary to his oath for which cause the mindes of all men were exceedingly mooued some did abhorre and detest the impietie others and those very fewe vnmindefull of periurie did more boldely then honestly allowe it and followed his part Further he saith that he was crowned at Westminster in an assembly of those noble men who were his friendes Nubrigensis affirmeth that violating his oath hee inuaded the kingdome William Malmesburie who liued in King Stephens time saith that he was the first of all lay men next the King of Scots who had made oath to the Empresse Mawde and that he was crowned three Bishops being present of whom one was his brother no Abbot and a very fewe of the Nobilitie Henry Huntington who liued also in the same time saith that by force and impudencie tempting God he inuaded the Crowne Afterward he reporteth that being desirous to haue his sonne Eustace crowned king with him the Bishops withstood it vpon commaundement from the Pope because hee tooke vpoÌ„ him the kingdom against his oath Roger Houeden writeth that he inuaded the Crowne in manner of a tempest This is the report of those writers who came nearest both to the time and truth of this action whom other Authors do likewise follow Polydore and after him Hollingshead do write that he tooke vpon him the Crowne partly vpon confidence in the power of Theobald his brother Earle of Blois and partly by the aid of Hen. his other brother Bishop of Winchester Walsinghame addeth that Hugh Bigot who had bene King Henries Steward tooke an oath before the Archbishoppe of Canterburie that King Henry at his death appointed Stephen to be his successour Wherevpon the Archbishop and a fewe others were ouer-lightly ledde like men blinded with securitie and of little foresight neuer considering of daungers vntill the meanes of remedie were past You write that they thought they might haue dâ—ne this with a good conscience for the good of the Realme But what good conscience could they haue in defiling their faith such consciences you endeuour to frame in all men to breake an oathe with as great facilitie as a Squirrell can cracke a Nut. What good also did ensue vnto the Realme The Nobilitie were set into factions the common people into diuision and disorder and as in warres where discipline is at large there insolencies are infinite so in this confusion of the state there was no action which tended not to the ruine thereof the liues and goods of men remaining in continuall pillage Polydore saith Matrons were violated virgins rauished Churches spoiled Townes and Villages rased much cattle destroied innumerable men slaine Into this miserable face of extremities the Realme did fall into the same againe you striue to reduce it But you say that for the ending of these mischiefes the States in a Parliament at Wallingford made an agreement that Stephen should be King during his life and that Henry and his offspring should succeede after his death A man would thinke you had a mint of fables there is no historie which you handle but you defile it with apish vntruthes All our histories agree that king Stephen vnable to range things into better forme did adopt Henry to be his successor The second Huntington faith that this agreement was mediated by the Archb. of Cant. and the Bishop of Winchester who repented him of the furtherance he gaue to the aduancement of king Stephen when he sawe what miseries did therevpon ensue The like doth Houeden report and Holingshead setteth downe the forme of the charter oâ— agreement betweene them whereby it is euident that it was a transaction betweene them two and no compulsorie act or authoritie of the State I denie not but some Authors affirme that the King assembled the Nobilitie but neyther were they the States of the Realme neither were they assembled to any other ende but to sweare fealtie vnto Henry sauing the kings honour so long as hee should liue After the death of King Richard the first you affirme that the succession was againe broken for that Iohn brother to King Richard was admitted by the States and Arthur Duke of Britaine sonne to Geoffrye elder brother vnto Iohn was against the ordinarie course of succession excluded Well sir I arrest your worde remember this I pray you for I will put you in minde thereof in an other place That which here you affirme to be against the ordinarie course of succession you bring in an other place for proofe that the Vncle hath right before the Nephewe You do wildely wauer in varietie of opinion speaking flatte contraries according as the ague of your passion is eyther in fitte or intermission The Historie of King Iohn standeth thus King Richard the first dying without issue left behinde him a brother named Iohn and a Nephewe called Arthur sonne of Geoffrye who was elder brother vnto Iohn This Arthur was appointed by King Richard to succeede in his estate as Polydore writeth Nubrigensis saith that he should haue bene established by consent of the Nobilitie if the Britaine 's had
without concurrent in the title of the crowne did draw more bloud out of the sides of his subiects Your second example is of king Edward the second whom many of our histories report to bee of a good and courteous nature and not vnlearned imputing his defectes rather to Fortune then either to counsell or carriage of his affaires His deposition was a violent furie led by a vvife both cruell vnchast can with no better countenance of right be iustified then may his lamentable both indignities and death vvhich therupon did ensue And although the nobilitie by submitting thēselues to the gouerment of his sonne did breake those occasions of wars which doe vsually rise vpon such disorders yet did not the hand of God forget to pursue reuenge For albeit king Edward his son enioyed both a long prosperous raign yet his next successor king Richard the second vvas in the like violent manner imprisoned depriued put to death I will prosecute the successiue reuenge which heereof also ensued being a strange matter worthie to be rung into the eares of all ages King Henry the fourth by whom king Richard was deposed did exercise the chiefest acts of his raigne in executing those who conspired with him against king Richard His son had his vertue well seconded by felicity during whose raigne by meanes of the wars in France the humour against him was otherwise imployed spent but his next successor king Henry the sixth was in the very like manner depriued together with his yong son Edward imprisoned and put to death by king Edward the fourth This Edward died not without suspiciō of poison after his death his two sons were in like maner disinherited imprisoned murthered by their cruell vnkle the duke of Glocester who being both a tyrant and vsurper was iustly encountred and slaine by king Henry the seauenth in the field So infallible is the law of iustice in reuenging cruelties and wrongs not alwaies obseruing the presence of times wherein they are done but often calling them into reckoning whē the offenders retaine least memorie of them Likewise the deposition of king Richard the second was a tempestuous rage neither led nor restrained by any rules of reason or of state not sodainely raised and at once but by very cunning and artificiall degrees But examine his actions vvithout distempred iudgement you will not condemne him to be exceeding either insufficient or euill weigh the imputations that were obiected against him and you shall find nothing either of any truth or of great moment Hollingshead writeth that he was most vnthankfully vsed by his subiects for although through the frailtie of his youth he demeaned himselfe more dissolutely then was agreeable to the royaltie of his estate yet in no kings daies the commons were in greater wealth the Nobilitie more honoured and the Clergie lesse wronged vvho notwithstanding in the euill guided strength of their will tooke head against him to their owne headlong destruction afterward partly during the raign of king Henry his next successor whose greatest atchiuements were against his owne people but more especially in succeeding times whē vpon occasiō of this disorder more english bloud was spent thē was in all the forren wars which had ben since the cōquest Three causes are commonly insinuated by you for which a king may be deposed tyranny insufficiencie impietie but what prince could hold his state what people their quiet assured if this your doctrine should take place how many good princes doth enuie brand with one of these markes what action of state can be so ordred that either blind ignorance or set mallice wil not easely straine to one of these heads euery execution of iustice euery demand of tribute or supply shall be claimed tyrannie euery infortunate euent shall be exclaimed insufficiencie euery kind of religion shall by them of another sect be proclaimed impietie So dangerous it is to permit this high power to a heedlesse and headlesse multitude who measure things not by reason and iustice but either by opinion which commonly is partiall or else by report which vsually is full of vncertainties and errors the most part doing because others doe all easie to become slauish to any mans ambitious attempt So dangerous it is to open our eares to euery foolish Phaetō who vndertaking to guid the chariot of the Sun will soone cast the whole earth into combustion You proceede that king Henry the sixth was also deposed for defectes in gouernment Let vs yeeld a little to you that you may bee deceiued a little that you may be carried by your affections how can you excuse these open vntruthes wherein it cannot bee but the diuell hath a finger you cannot bee ignorant that the onely cause which drevv the familie of Yorke into armes against king Henry vvas the title which they had vnto the crowne by vertue whereof it vvas first enacted that Richard duke of Yorke should succeed king Henry after his death but for that hee made vnseasonable attempts he was declared by parlament incapable of succession and afterwards slaine at the battaile of wakefield Then Edward his sonne prosecuting the enterprise hauing vanquished king Henry at the battaile of S. Albons obtained possession of the state caused king Henrye to be deposed and himselfe to be proclaimed crowned king Afterward he vvas chased out of the realme and by act of parlament both depriued and disabled from the crowne Lastly he returned againe and depriued king Henrye both from gouernment from life It is true that some defects vvere obiected against king Henry but this was to estrāge the harts of the peple frō him The main cause of the war did proceed frō the right of the one partie possessiō of the other The contrarietie of the acts of parlament vvas caused by the alternatiue victories of them both Your last example is of king Richard the third of vvhom you vvright First that although he sinned in murthering his Nephewes yet after their death hee vvas lawfull king Secondly that he was deposed by the common wealth who called out of France Henry earle of Richmond to put him downe Philosophers say that dreames doe commonly arise by a reflection of the phantasie vpon some subiect wherof we haue meditated the daie before It may be y◠your drowsie conceit vvas here cast into a dreame of that vvheron it had dozed in all this chapter Or at the best that you are like vnto those vvho haue so often tould a lie that they perswade themselues it is true King Edward the fourth left other children besides those that were murthered the duke of Clarence also vvho vvas elder brother to king Richard lest issue in life all vvhich had precedence of right before him And as for the second point tell mee I pray you by vvhat