doe alleige for their proofe to the ende that by suche discourse on bothe parties the trueth may better appeare King Henry the seuenth The processe of the descent of the houses of York Lancastre and their diuersites in Armurye being descended of the house of Lancastre had for his wyfe Elizabeth eldest daughter of kyng Edward rhe fowrth and right heyr of the house of Yorke By which marieage the bloodye broyles cruell factions of those two noble howses which so many yeres had miserably afflicted the state of England being called the factions of the white Rose and the reade meaning by the white Rose the house of York and by the reade Rose the house of Lancastre vpon that diuersitie in Armurie were by the mercifull prouidence of God broken and ended For those two mightie families descending th one from Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancastre the other from Edmond Duke of Yorke two of the sonnes of king Edward the thirde striuyng for the kyngdome did drawe after them in contrary parties all the nobles and Cōmons of that Realme And no ende nor measure of ciuile dissentions slaughters and morders could be founde vntill suche tyme as the titles interests of those two houses were by the sayd mariage cōbyned in one and closed together and thereby all factions and domesticall dissentions ceased and determined The originall cause of those dissentions was as here after foloweth The cause of debate betvvene the houses of Yorke and Lancastre Kyng Edward of England the third had fower sonnes of whome there was yssue to witt Edward Prince of wales whiche was the eldest sonne Lionell duke of Clarence the next Iohn of Gaunt duke of Lancastre the thirde And Edmund of Langley Duke of Yorke the fowerth sonne Edward Prince of wales dyed before his father left a sonne which succeded his Graund father was called king Richard the second This Richard was by his cousin germain Henry sonne of the said Iohn of Gaunt by Blanche his wyfe deposed from hys kyndome and dyed in prison without yssue And then the kyngdome was translated to the heirs of the thyrd brother and so to the house of Lancastre by this meanes Lionell the second of the sayd fower brothers Duke of Clarence had one onely daughter heir called Philippe she was Maried to Edmund Mortimer Erle of Marche and by him had a sonne called Roger Mortimer Erle of Marche whose daughter and sole heir called Anne was the wyfe of Richard Erle of Cambringe And by him had yssue Richarde Plantagenet Duke of Yorke heyr in descent to Edmund of Langley the fowerth brother before named Thus the house of yorke by mariage of the sayd Anne heir of the house of Clarence gained a nearer title to the Croune of Englād And therupō folowed priuie grudge malice hatred and afterward horrible warres betwene those two families The thirde brother Iohn of Gaunt had to his first wyfe the Ladie Blanche daughter and sole heir of Henry Duke of Lancaster descēded of Edmond Erle of Lancastre called Edmonde crowcheback sonne of king Henry the third Polidor li. 16 〈◊〉 Some there were as Polidor writeth which afterward reported that this Edmond crowchebacke was the eldest sonne of the sayd king Henry the third and therfore his heir but by reason of his deformitie his brother Edward was perferred to the Croune In so muche as vnder pretense hereof the before named Henry sonne of Iohn of Gaunt by the sayd Blanche which deposed king Richard the second as is before mensioned to shewe some coloure of good title to the Croune and for to auoyde suspicion of iniuriouse intrusion was aduised by his freends at the tyme of his coronation to clame that kyngdome in the right of his mother the sayd Ladye Blanche But bycause that pretense was misliked the same kyng Henry the fowerth deuised other matter of title and published the same by proclamation Polidor li. 21. in initio as Polidor also writeth and vnder pretense thereof clamed the kyngdome and called hym selfe kyng Henry the fowerth After hym succeded his sonne king Henry the fyft maryed the Ladye Catharin the onely daughter of the sixt kyng Charles of France and by her had a sonne called Henry the sixt whome king Edward the fourth descēded of the house of Yorke dyd cast into prison where he dyed recouered the kyngdome to hym selfe and after the battail of Teukesbury caused Edwarde sonne of the same king Henry the sixt priuilye to be put to death Yet neuerthelesse the house of Lancastre did stand For Iohn of Gaunt before named by his third and last wyfe had a sonne called Iohn Erle of Somerset and Marques of Dorcestre And this Iohn had a sonne named Iohn Duke of Somerset and Erle of Montague and a daughter called Ioan she was maried to the first Iames king of Scotland the third of the house of Stewards after the two Roberts the second and third This Iames the first was father to Iames the secōd father of Iames the third father of Iames the fowerth kynges of Scotland VVhich Iames the fowerth maried the said Queene Margaret eldest sister to kyng Henry of England the eight and by her had Iames the fyft father of Marie now Queene of Scotland The sayd Iohn Duke of Somerset and Erle of Montague had one onely Daughter called Margaret Duchesse of Somerset whiche was maried to Edmond afterward Erle of Richemond brother of the halfe blood to king Henry the sixt by one the same mother the sayd Queene Catharin for his fathers name was Owen Teuther the second husband of the same Queene Catharin This Edmond had by the said Lady Margaret Duchesse of Somerset a sonne called Henry who vpō the death of that Tyranne the third kyng Richard obteyned the kyndome of England and was named king Henry the seuenth But to come to the house of york descended of the fowerth sonne of kyng Edward the third so it is that Richard the before named Erle of Cambridge by his sayd wyfe the Lady Anne mortimer before named the only heir of the house of Clarence had as is before sayd a sonne called Richard Duke of York This Richard the principal persone of the faction whiche dyd beare the white Rose after great warres with king Henry the sixt the cheefe of that syde whiche dyd beare the read Rose was slayne in the battail of VVakefeild And had three sonnes Edward Duke of Yorke George Duke of Clarence and Richard Duke of Glocestre This Edward Duke of York as is before mentioned put the sixt king Hēry in prison obteined the kingdome and so brought the Croune to the house of York and was called king Edward the fowerth He had a sonne whiche succeded hym and was called kyng Edward the fyft and a Daughter the Lady Elizabeth afterward wyfe to king Henry the seuenth The second brother George Duke of Clarence was by his brother kyng Edward the fowerth put to death he had a daughter
sufficient to satisfie euery honest and indifferent persone and able to persuade all such as are not obstinatly bent to their own partiall affections or not gyuen ouer to some sinister meanyng and factiouse dealing TO THE NOBILITIE AND people of England and Scotland A Poesie made by T. V. Englishman Dravve neare vvith heedfull eyes this booke peruse VVho that desires assuredlie to knovve Those iust decrees that English people vse For rightfull heyres to whom the Croune dothe grovve VVith gloriouse Rases of so riche a soyle And golden bondes of most assured peace VVhiche after vvarres and many a bloodie broyle Hath long time lasted and dothe still encrease By Henries vvyfe vvhom Stories seuenth doe name From vvhose renoumed stocke and princelie straine Marie novv present Quene of Scotland came And Iames her sonne as king to rule and raigne Vnder that Pole vvhiche vve the Northern call This ladie by her predecessors right Dothe looke the Englishe Croune to her shall fall Vertue to defend and people by her Might To guyde in peace vvhen Henries heyres are dead VVhiche vvas the eight in great renoume of late For then vvith right pretence vvho can procede To gayn saye her and spoyle her of her state And right to beare the svvaye in Englishe land But lest the simple man should grovve in doubt VVhat lavve allovves her for their heyr to stand Lesley vvell knovveing all the cause throughout As one that loues his Quene and common peace By busie toyle hathe brought this thing aboute And dothe his best to make false practise cease You Britaine 's therfore vvith attentiue heede Dravve neer and reape the croppe of this his seede Esteme his vvorke and vveighe his vvarninges vvyse That telles the truthe still one in vvoorde and mynde Regarde the right of her vvho once may ryse And rule in state your Quene to heauens resigned That onlie Realm is in most happie state VVhiche beares no Tyrannes rule nor blody band And whose renowmed Prince doeth euell hate And rules in peace the people of her land A TREATISE TOVVCHING THE RIGHT TITLE AND interest asvvell of the most excellent Princesse Marye Queene of Scotland as of the most noble Kyng Iames her Graces sonne to the succession of the Croune of England And first touching the Genealogie or pedegrue of suche Competitors as pretend title to the same Croune A DECLARATION OF THE TABLE folovveing touching the rase progenie of suche persones as descēding from the Princely families of Yorke and Lacastre doe eyther Iustlye clame or vniustlye aspire vnto the Croune of England set foorthe for this speciall intent that all men may clearlye see as by a plain demonstration and by the best proofe that can be of a true and laufull succession hovv the most Graciouse Princesse Marye Queene of Scotland and from by her the most noble King Iames the sixt of that name her Graces sonne ought Iustlye to barre all others contending to intrude them selues into the Royal Throne of the Realme of England before their time CERTAINE IT IS Queene of Scots right heir apparent of the Croune of England and assuredlie tried and knowen to all men that after the decease of Elizabeth now Queene of England without laufull yssue of her bodie the Soueraigne Gouernement of that Realme by right and iust title of a laufull succession is to remayn and come to Marie the most noble Queene of Scotland and from her to the sayd Kyng Iames. And this is suche an vndoubted truthe as the Aduersaries them selues are not able to denye it yf they will cast away all partiall affection of priuate quarrelles and sincerely discouer their owne consciences For A vvomā may haue the kingdome of England to let passe as sufficiently by others aunswered and clearly confuted that absurde paradox heretical assertion blowen abrode by vndiscrete and seditiouse libells against the regiment of women I make this full accoumpt and reckening as of a thing most clearly knowne and confessed in the hartes and myndes of euery true English man and as agreable with the lawes of God and nature that for default of heyr male inheritable to the Croune of England the next heir female in an ordinary course of inheritance succession is to be inuited called to the laufull possession of the Croune And that aswell by the auncient common lawe and custome of England yet in force as also by the Statutes and actes of Parliaments of that Realm and by the vsuall construction and continuall practise of the same In like manner it is euident and playne that the right noblye renoumed Princesse of famouse memorye Lady Margaret some tyme Queene of Scotland eldest daughter of the seuenth Henry King of England and of his most noble wyfe Queene Elizabeth the vndouted heir of the howse of Yorke was maried to Iames King of Scotland the fowerth of that name by whome she had one only sonne called king Iames the fift that the said most excellent Princesse Marye now Queene of Scotland is the sole daughter of the same King Iames the fift VVherupon it falleth owt that after the decesses of the heirs males of the bodies of the sayed kyng Henry the seuenth and Queene Elizabeth his sayd wyfe whithout laufull issue of their bodies then the right title and interest to the Croune of England ought to descend Margaret King Hēry the seuenth his eldest daughter graundmother to the Scottish Queene and come by a laufull course of inheritaunce and succession first before all others to the sayd most gracious Lady Marie Queene of Scotland as next heir in a laufull descent from her sayd graundmother the sayd Queene Margaret eldest daughter of the sayd King Henry the seuenth and of Queene Elizabeth his sayd wyfe Now this is a briefe narration of suche an vndoubted truthe as should nede no further explication if men were deuoutlye inclined to credit a truthe But because some men are by ambition so blynded caried away with their own phantasies as they mynd nothing more than with cōtentiouse quarrelles to obscure and deface this matter I must fet a further course and though the thing be playn enough of it selfe yet must it be delated with a larger discourse of many proofes experimentes and examples to the intent that all those Competitors and Chalengers whiche oppose them selues against her Maiesties right albeit of them selues they will not yeeld to reason may neuerthelesse be so conuinced and daunted as they shall haue nothing left to gaynsaye when the truthe of the cause shal be clearlye reuealed and sincerely layd open to the vewe of Princes and people of all nations Fyrst therefore I will set downe a Genealogie The argumēt of this vvorke and Pedegrue of the Kinges of England And I will deriue the same frome king Edward the thirde And so frome the most noble houses of Yorke and Lancastre in manner of an historie vntil these our dayes Then will I duelie examin suche argumētes as the Competitours
matter groweth to faction and from factiō bursteth out to plain and open hostilitie wherevpō foloweth passing great perilles and oftentimes detestable alterations and subuersions of the plublick state For the better auoyding of suche and lyke inconueniences albeit at the beginning Princes reigned not by descent of blood and succession VVhy all the vvorld almost embraceth succession of princes rather than election but by choyse and election of the worthiest the world was for the most part constreyned to reiect and abandon election and so oftentimes in stead of a better and woorthier to take for their Gouernour some certain issue ofspring of one family though otherwyse perhappes not so mete VVhich defecte is so supplied partly by the greate benefit of the good reast and quyetnesse that the people vniuersally enioye by this course of succession and partly by the industrie and trauail of graue and sage personages whose counseil Princes doe vse in their affaires that the whole world in a manner these many thousand yeres hath embrased successiō by blood rather than by election And all politike Princes wanting issue of their own bodies to succede them haue euer had a speciall care foresight for auoyding of ciuil dissention that the people allwayes myght knowe the true and certain heyr apparent of the Croune specially when there appeared any lykelyhode of varitie of opinions or factions to ensue about the true and laufull succession in gouernement The care of English kinges to haue the successour to be knovvn This care and foresight doeth manifestly appear to haue bene not only in manye Princes of forain Countreis but also in the kynges of England aswell before as after the Conquest namely in S. Edward kyng of England that holie Confessour by declaring and appoynting Edgar Atheling his nephews fonne Flores hist anno 1057 to be his heyre as also in kynge Richard the first who before he interprised his Iourney to Ierusalem Richard Chanon of the Trinitie ī Londō assembled his Nobilitie and Commons together and by their consentes declared Arthure sonne of his brother Duke of Britain to be his next heir and Successour of the Croune Of whiche Arthure flores hist anno 1190 Poli. l. 14. as also of the sayd Edgar Atheling we will speake more hereafter This care also had king Richard the second what time by authoritie of Parlament he declared for heir apparent of the Croune the Lord Edmond Mortymer that Maried Philip daughter and heyr of his vnkle Leonell Polid. l. 20. duke of Clarence And to descend to later times the late kyng Henry the eight shewed as it is knowen his prudence and zelous care in this behalfe before his last voyage in to Fraunce And nowe if almightie God should as we be all bothe prince and others subiecte to mortall chaunces once bereaue the Realme of England of their present Queene the hartes and mindes of men being no better nor more firmely setled and stayed towardes the expectation of a certain succession than they seme now to be then woe alas it woundeth my very hart euen once to thinke vpon the imminent and almost ineuitable perilles of that noble Realme being lyke to be ouerwhelmed with the raiging roaring waues stormes of mutuall discorde and to be consumed with the terrible fire of ciuil dissention The feare whereof is the more by reason that already in these later yeres some flames of this horrible fire haue sparkled and flushed abroad some part of the rage of those fluddes haue beaten vpon the Englishe shores I mean the hote contention that hath there bene sturred in so many places and among so many persones Of bookes also dispersed abroode so many wayes fashioned framed as either depraued affection peruersely lusted or zelous defense of truthe sincerely moued men Seing therfore that there is iust cause of fear and of great daunger lykely to happen by this varietie of mennes myndes and opinions so diuersely affected aswell of the meaner sort of menne as of greate personages I take it to be the parte of euery naturall Englishe man of suche as fauoure them to labour and trauaile eache man for his possibilitie and for suche talent as God hath gyuen hym that this so imminent a mischiefe may be in conuenient time preuented VVe see what witt policye paynes and charges men employe with dammes weares and all kynde of ingenious deuises to prouide that the sea or other riuers doe not ouerflowe or burst the bankes in suche places as are most subiecte to suche daunger VVe knowe also what politike prouision is made in many good Cities and townes that no daungerous fires do aryse through negligence and that the furie therof if any happen may speedilye be repressed with diligence VVherein Augustus the Emperour among other his famours actes is woorthely commended honored for appointing in Rome an ordinary wache of seuen companies in seuerall places to preuent suche mischiefes as come by fyre being hereunto induced by reason that the Citie was set on fire in seuen seuerall places in one daye And shall not then euery man for his part and vocation haue a vigilant care and respect to extinguishe and quenche fuche a fyre alreadye bursten owt as may if the matter be not wyselye looked vnto subuert distroy and consume not one Citie onlye but also a whole Realme Countrye VVhiche to suppresse one ready and commodiouse waye as I thinke is that the Countrey men people of that nation may throughly vnderstand and knowe from time to time in what persone the right of succession of the Croune of that Realme doeth stande and remayne For now many men partly through ignorance of the sayd right title partly through sinister persuasion of some lewd pamphlets whereunto they haue too lightly giuen credit are seduced and caried away quite from the right opinion and good meaning whiche once they had conceiued and from the reuerence and duetie that they other wyse woulde and shoulde haue VVhiche corruption of Iudgement and opinion I doe hartely wishe to be plucked out of the hartes and mindes of men and shall in this Treatise doe my best indeuoure with moste strong reasons and prooses to remoue the same not presuminge vpon my selfe that I am better able than all others this to doe but vpon duety and zeal to open a waye fot the knoulege of trueth whiche by so many indirect meanes is restreined obscured and persecutde after reading and vewing of suche bookes and the argumentes therof as haue bene set forth by the aduersaires to the contrarie whiles I was in England Ambassador for my most gratiouse Soueraigne ladye the Quene of Scotland I attempted this woork not vnrequested of some noble personages then of great accompte nor without the aduise counsail and Iudgement of some verie skillfull in the customes lawes and statutes of that Realme VVherein I verily hope to showe suche good matter for euident demōstration of the truth as semeth to me
is set foorth VVherein it may appearo at first sight how by the Mariage of King Henry the seauenth and Queene Elizabeth his wyfe the vndoubted title of that Croune was shut vp in them two in their issue How they lost but thre children hauinge yssue to witt King Henry the Eight Margaret their eldest daughter wyfe of Iames the .4 King of Scot. And mary wyfe of Charles Duke of Suffolk And that after the decesses of K. Henry the .8 and of his issue the right of succession of the said Croune is to remayn to the yssue of the sayd Margaret before all others And that is to the most gracious Lady Mary now Queene of Scotland and from and by her to the sixt King Iames of Scotland her Graces most noble sonne To the wellwilling Reder Here thou haist wellwilling Reder the cōtinuall Rase processe of Succession of the triumphāt Croune of England set forth before thy eyes not so muche thereby to gratifye my vndoubted Soueraignes as to dissolue all doubtes touching the laufull succession of that Croune to shew some aduise for the dignitie peace and weale publique of the whole yle of Britaine to the ende that all matter of sedition may be extinguished Farewell and take in good parte this my trauail IOHN LESLEY Byshop of Rosse VVilliam Duke of Normandie subdued and slewe in battail at hay stinges Herold the vsurpor in the yere of our lorde 1066. and obteined the kingdome to hym selfe whose posteritye hath enioyed the same till this daye 1. Kyng VVilliam Conquerour 2. Kyng VVilliam Rufus 3. Kyng Henry 1. Maried to Maude daughter of Malcom 3. K. of Scot. Maude daughter of Henry .1 maried to Henry .5 Emperour first husband of Maude Geoffrey Plātagenet second Husband of maude 5 King Henry 2. sonne of maude by G. Pl. 6. Kyng Richard 1. Called cuer de Lyon 7. Kyng Iohn Ioan wyfe of Alexāder .2 Kyng of Scotlād Alexander 2. Kyng of Scotland Alexander 3. Kyng of Scotland 8. Kyng Henry the third The house of Lancastre Edmond Erle of Lancastre Henry Erle of Lancastre Henry Duke of Lancastre Blāche heir of Henry D. of Lancastre vvife of Iohn of Gaunt Margaret wyfe of Alexāder .3 Kyng of Scotland 9. Kyng Eddward the first 10. Kyng Edward the second maried to Isabel daughter of Philip le beau Kyng of France Ioan wyfe of Dauid de bruise king of Scotlād Dauid de bruise Kyng of Scotland 11. King Edward the thyrd Iohn of Gaunt D. of Iāc in right of his wife Philip wyfe of Iohn 1. Kyng of Portugal Edward Kyng of Portugal The line of Poratugl Ferdinand Emanuel Kyng of Portugal Isabel the eldest daughter of Emanuel and vvife of Charles 5 Emper. Philip Kyng of Spayn D. Iames. D. Philip. Eleonor wyfe of Frederik Emperour Maximilian .1 Emperour Philip king of Castill in right of his wife Catharin wyfe of Henry .3 Kyng of Castil The lyne of Castil Iohn Kyng of Castil Elizabeth heyr of Castil vvyfe to the Kyng of Aragon Iohn Quene heir of Castil wyfe of Philip. Charles .5 Emperour and kyng of Spayn Ferdimand Emperour and Archeduke of Austriche Maximilian Emperour Archeduke of Austriche Mary daughter of Charles and vvife of Maximillam Emperour Rudolphe Emperour archeduke of Austriche Anne wife of Philip kyng of Spayn 13. Kyng Henry the foworth 14. King Henry the fift 15. King Henry the sixt Edward Iohn Erle of Somerset Ioan wyfe of Iames .1 king of Scotland Iames .1 Kyng of Scotland The lyne Iames .2 Kyng of Scotland Iames .3 Kyng of Scotland Iames .4 king of Scotland maried to Iohn Duke of Somerset Margaret maried to Edmond Erle of Richemōd 19. Kyng Henry the seauenth maried to Margaret first maried to King Iames 4. and after to Of Scotland Iames .5 Kyng of Scotland Marye Queene of Scotlād maried to Archebald Erle of Angus secōd husbād to Queene Margaret Margaret wyfe of Mathew Erle of Leneux Henry Stuart second husband of Mary Queene of Scotland Iames .6 Kyng of Scotland Mathew Stuart Erle of leneux Charles Stuart maried to Elizabeth Canendish Arbella 20. King Henry the eight 21. king Edward the sixt 23. Queene Elizabeth 22. Queene Marye Edward called the blacke prince 12. King Richard the second Lionel Duke of Glarence Philip maried to Edmōd mortimer Erle of marche The house Edmond of langley Duke of Yorke Richard Erle of Cambridge maried to Anne mortimer Anne mortimer maried to Richard Erle of cambringe Roger mortimer and Eleonor hys sister died vvithout yssue Rogermor timer .4 Erle of marche Edmond mortimer .5 Erle of marche died without isse of Yorke Richard Plantagonet Duke of Yorke 18. King Richard the third Edward dyed without issue George Duke of Glarence Margaret Countise of Sarisbury maried to R. Pole Reinald Pole Cardinal and Geffrey Pole Henry Pole Baron of Montague The house of huntingdon VVenefride wyfe of Barington knight Catharin maried to Frācis Erle of hūtingdon Henry Erle of huntingdon George hastings others Arthur Pole Mary wyfe of Iohn Stannay Margaret wyfe of tho fitzherbert 16. kyng Edward the fowerth Elizabeth maried to king Henry the seuenth The howse of Suffolke Mary daughter of K. Henry 7 maried to Charles Duk of Suffolk Francise wyfe of marques dorcet 1. Iane wyfe of Guilford dudley 2. Catharin Henry sonne of Catharin by the Erle of hereford Edward 3. Mary Eleonor maried to George Erle of cūberlād Margaret maried to the Erle of darby Ferdinand VVillyam Francis 17. Kyng Edward the fyft Adela wife of Stephan Erle of Bloys 4. Kyng Stephan A FVRTHER PROOFE OF THE SAYD TITLE OF SVCCESSION VVITH A RESOLVTION OF the obiections of the Aduersaries VVE SAY THEN and affirme that the next right Heire Successour apparent vnto the Croune of the Realme of England is at this time suche a one as for the excellent guiftes of God and nature in her most princely appearing is worthie to inherit either that noble Realme or any other be it of much more dignitie and worthines But nowe I clame nothing for the worthines of the persone whiche God forbid should be any thing preiudiciall to the iust title of others Yf most open and manifeste right iustice and title do not concurre with the woorthines of the persone then let the praise and woorthines remaine where it is and the right where God and the lawe hath placed it But seing God Nature and the lawe doth call the person to this expectation whose interest and clame I do now prosequute I meane my vndouted soueraine Ladye Marye Queene of Scotlande I hope that when her right and iuste title shal be throughly heard and considered by the indifferent Reader if he be persuaded already for her right he shal be more firmelye setled in his true and good opinion and that the other parties being of a contrarie minde shall finde good causes and groundes to remoue them from the same and to geue ouer and yelde to the truthe Her Graces Title then as it is
ere the first yere of his vsurped reigne turned about he was spoiled and turned out of both Croune and his life withal Yea his vsurpatiō occasioned the cōquest of the whole realme by VVilliā Duke of Normandie bastard sonne to Robert the sixt Duke of the same And may you thinke al safe sound now from like dāger if you should tread the said wrong steppes with Harolde forsaking the right and high way of law and iustice VVhat shal I now speake of the cruel ciuil warres betwene king Stephen and king Henry the second whiche warres rose by reason that the said Henry was vniustly kept from the Croune dew to his mother Maude and to him afterwardes The pitiful reigne of the said Iohn who doth not lamēt with the lamentable losse of Normandie Aquitaine the possibilitie of the Dukedome of Britanie and with the losse of other goodly possessions in France whereof the Croune of England was robbed and spoiled by the vnlawfull vsurping of him against his nephew Arthur VVell let vs leaue these greuouse and lothsome remembrances let vs yet seeke if we may finde any later interpretatiō either of the said statute or rather of the common law for our purpose And lo the great goodnes and prouidence of God who hath if the foresaid exāples would not serue prouided a later but so good so sure apt mete interpretatiō for our cause as any reasonable hart may desire The interpretatiō directly toucheth our case I meane by the mariage of the Lady Margaret eldest daughter to King Hēry the vij vnto the fourth king Iames of Scotland and by the opinion of the same most prudent Prince in bestowing his said daughter into Scotlād a matter sufficient enough to ouerthrow all those cauilling inuētiōs of the aduersaries For what time King Iames the fourth sent his Ambassadour to King Henry the seuenth to obteine his good will to espouse the said Lady Margaret Polid. 26. there were of his Counsaile not ignorant of the lawes and Customes of the Realme that did not well like upon the said Mariage saying it might so fal out that the right title of the Croune might be deuolued to the Lady Margaret and her children and the Realme therby might be subiect to Scotland To the whiche the prudent and wise king answered King H. 7. vvith his Counsaile is a good interpretor of our present cause that in case any suche deuolution should happen it would be nothing preiudiciall to England For England as the chief and principal and worthiest parte of the I le should drawe Scotland to it as it did Normandie from the time of the Conquest VVhich answere was wonderfully well liked of all the Counsaile And so consequently the Mariage toke effect as appereth by Polydor the Historiographer of that Realme and suche a one as wrote the Actes of that time by the instruction of the king him selfe I say then the worthy wise Salomon foreseeing that such deuolution might happen was an interpretour with his prudente and sage Counsaile for our cause For els they neaded not to reason of any such subiection to Scotlande if the children of the Ladie Margaret might not lawfully inherite the Croune of England For as to her husband Englād could not be subiect hauing him selfe no right by this mariage to the Title of the Croune of that Realme VVherevpon I may well inferre that the said newe Maxime of these men whereby they would rule and ouer rule the successiō of Princes was not knowen to the said wise king neither to any of his Counsaile Or if it were yet was it taken not to reache to his blood royall borne in Scotlande And so on euery side the Title of my Soueraigne Lady Queene Marie is assured So that now by this that we haue said it may easely be seen by what light and slender cōsideration the aduersaries haue gone about to strayne the worde Infantes or children to the first degree only Of the like weight is their other consideration imagining and surmising this statute to be made bicause the king had so many occasions to be so oft ouer the sea with his spouse the Queene As though diuers kings before him vsed not oftē to passe ouer the seas As though this were a personal statute made of a special purpose and not to be taken as a declaration of the common law VVhiche to say is most directely repugnant and contrary to the letter of the said statute Or as though his children also did not very often repaire to outward Countries The mariages of King E. 3. sonnes as Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancastre that Maried Peters the king of Castiles eldest daughter by whose right he clamed the Croune of Castile as his brother Edmund Erle of Camhridge that maried the yongest daughter as Lionell Duke of Clarence that maried at Milaine Violant daughter and heir to Galeatius Duke of Milan But especialy Prince Edwarde whiche moste victoriously toke in battaile Iohn the French King and brought him into England his prisoner to the great triumphe and reioysing of the realme whose eldest sonne Edward that died in short time after was borne beyond the seas in Gascoine and his other sonne Richard that succeded his grandfather was borne at Burdeaux And as these noble King Edwardes sonnes maried with forainers so did they geue out their daughters in mariage to foraine Princes as the Duke of Lancaster his daughter Philip to the King of Portugall and his daughter Catherin to the king of Spaine his Neece Iohan daughter to his sonne Erle of Somerset was ioyned in mariage to the king of Scottes Iohan daughter to his brother Thomas of wodstocke Duke of Gloucester was Queene of Spaine and his other daughter Marie Duchesse of Britānie Now by these mennes interpretation none of the issue of all these noble women could haue enioyed the Croune of England when it had fallen to them though they had bene of the neerest roial blood after the death of their Aūcestours VVhich surely had bene against the auncient presidentes examples that we haue declared and against the common Lawe the whiche must not be thought by this Statute any thing taken away but only declared and against all good reason also For as the kings of England would haue thought that Realme greatly iniuried if it had bene defrauded of Spaine or any of the foresaid countreies being deuolued to the same by the foresaid Mariages so the issue of the foresaide noble women might and would haue thought them hardly and iniuriously handled yf any such case had happened Neither suche friuolous interpretations and gloses as these men nowe frame and make vpon the statute woulde then haue serued nor nowe will serue A fond imagination of the Aduersaries of the statute of 25. E. 3. But of all other their friuolous and folish ghessing vpō the clause of the statute for Infantes de Roy there is one most fond of all For they would make vs beleue
farre hath Polidor Thees are woordes of great importance putte our matter clear out of doubt for here it appeareth that the case solemnlie in counceil by a wyse and prudent King with wise graue and learned Counseilours was debated and with great wisedome resolued concluded and to this some lawyers of that land gyue great authoritie credit Thus it is euidently declared who are the true heires of the Crounes of Englād Scotlād and that the sayd mariage of Iames the fowerth and the sayd Lady Margaret is to be accompted a most fortunate benefit to the whole Yland For if it be true as in dede it is that the mariage of the seuenth Kyng Henrie with the daughter and heir of King Edward the fowerth was to be estemed as a most happie cōmoditie to all England because it dyd cutt of and dissolue all those tumultes and seditions betwene the howses of Yorke and Lancaster which so many yeres had miserablie afflicted all that nation I pray you what reckening is to be made of the matrimonie betwene King Iames the fowerth of Scotlād the Ladye Margaret daughter to the King of England sithe nowe at last by the benefit of this mariage bothe England and Scotland may be quite reskewed and deliuered from those most mortall warres and intestine dissentions whiche for preheminence sake haue bene so long continewed and maintened A happie prince therfore to Englād was King Henry the seuenth for that by him allmightie God abolished all seditions and vnited the two howses of yorke and Lancastre But most fortunate most gratiouse shall the renowmed Quene Mary of Scotland be her most noble sonne king Iames also to the Englishe and Scottishe Nations yf by them two the same God shall bringe the said twoe seuerall kyngdomes to a perfect vnitie reduce the whole Yle of Britaine to his moste auncient estate of dignitie and deliuer it from all ciuill warres and Barbarous crueltie Embrace therfore ye Britaine 's of all mortall men most fortunat and take holde of this singular great benefit when the same by the grace of the euerliuing God shal be bestowed vpō yow and in the mean time euer yeeld ye to him most hūble most hartie thankes for that he of his infinite clemency and benignitie hath at last produced out of booth you bloodes a Prince by whose helpe your domesticall troubles and dissentions may be extinguished a place left for this diuine lawe of peace and amitie to be planted by the same law a soueraigne safetye and wellfare of all the people establyshed For the wellfare of the people consisteth 〈◊〉 in peace and concord But perpetuall peace and quyetnesse can not be among you except these two Realmes be combined and made all one For the force of vnitie is suche as the preseruation therof is the vtter moste ende that nature intendeth Herehence also groweth among men charitie loue frendshipp so farre that many mindes are become all as one first to remember that they must be truely menne in dede and then that they leade a good blessed lyfe whiche is the last ende and perfection of mankinde Sithe therfore the matter goeth so if you will folow God and the law of nature if you desire the safety and wellfare of your countrie yf you will liue well and fortunatlie in this world and at last enioie the perfect blesse of eternall felicitie you must enforce your selues with all labour industrie and diligence that this dispersed people may be called together vnder the regiment of one rightfull Prince and Catholique Religion of their auncestors This will please allmightie God and bring great tranquilitie peace quiet to your selues and to all the people of England Scotland and Yreland And that it maye so be lett vs all continuallie pray to almightie God the supreme gouernour ruler of the whole worlde Amen