Compare 1577 edition: 1 This yeare the king by counsell of some that were about him, called the nobles and great men of the realme togither, and as they were set in the councell chamber staieng till he came: at length he entring into the same chamber, and taking his place to sit a|mong them, demanded of them,The kings question to his lords and others in the councel cham|ber. of what age he was now? Whereto answer was made, that he was full twentie years old. Then (said he) I am of years suffi|cient to gouerne mine owne house and familie, and also my kingdome: for it séemeth aginst reason that the state of the meanest person within my kingdome should be better than mine. Euerie heire that is once come to the age of twentie years, is permitted, if his father be not liuing, to order his businesse himselfe: then that thing which is permitted to euerie other person of meane degrée by law, why is the same de|nied vnto me? These words vttered he with the cou|rage of a prince, not without the instigation and set|ting on of such as were about him, whose drift was by discountenancing others to procure preferment to themselues, abusing the kings tender years and gréene wit, with ill counsell for their aduantage: where as it had béene more méete to haue giuen him those precepts which Claudianus hath in his tract of the institution of a prince; and among others this:

Non tibi quid liceat, Claudian. sed quid fecisse decebit

Occurrat, mentém domet respectus honesti.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 When the barons had hard the words of the king, being therewith astonied, they made answer, that there should be no right abridged from him, but that he might take vpon him the gouernment as of rea|son was due. Well said he, yée know that I haue beene a long time ruled by tutors, so as it hath not béene lawfull to me to doo anie thing, were it of neuer so small importance, without their consents. Now therefore I will, that they meddle no further with matters perteining to my gouernment,The king ta|king vpõ him the gouerne|ment of all things displa|ceth diuers of|ficers & set|teth others in their roomes. & after the maner of an heire come to lawfull age, I will call to my councell such as pleaseth me, and I will deale in mine owne businesse my selfe. And therfore I will first that the chancellor resigne to me his seale. When the archbishop of Yorke (who in the yeare last past ha [...] béene remooued from Elie vnto Yorke, and Alexander Neuill displaced) had deliuered vnto him the seale, the king receiuing it of him, put it in his bosome, and suddenlie rising, departed foorth of the chamber, & after a little while returning, sat downe againe, and deliuered the seale to the bishop of Win|chester, William Wickham,Wickham bi|shop of Win|chester made L. chancelor. and so made him chan|cellor, although sore against the same bishops will. He made also manie other new officers, remoouing the old, and vsed in all things his owne discretion and authoritie. The duke of Glocester, the earle of War|wike, & other honorable and worthie men, were dis|charged and put from the councell, and others placed in their roomes, such as pleased the king to appoint. At the same time he made fiue new iustices.

¶Of this assuming the regiment to himselfe, Abr. Fl. out of Henrie Knigh|ton canon of Leicester abbeie. as di|uerse diuerslie report: so Henrie Knighton a man li|uing in those daies, and committing to writing the occurrents of that tumultuous time, saith as follow|eth. In the moneth of Maie, the king held a councell at Westminster, and in the feast of the Inuention of the crosse, comming personallie to the councell house he remooued all the great officers (contrarie to expec|tation and thinking) from their offices, and at his pleasure placed in their roomes whome he list. He re|mooued the archbishop of Yorke lord chancellor, and put in his place the bishop of Winchester: he remoo|ued the bishop of Hereford lord treasuror, and put an|other in his place: he remooued the clearke of the priuie seale, and all other: so likewise did he the iusti|ces of either bench. But least the affaires of the realme should in the meane while be hindered, he commanded the iustices of law to follow and prose|cute EEBO page image 467 things requisite as they were woont, till such time as he was better aduised touching the proui|ding of other iustices. The erle of Arundell likewise, vnto whome the gouernment of the parlement was committed, and the admeraltie of the sea, was remoo|ued; and the earle of Huntington put in his roome. In like sort dealt the king with the residue of his offi|cers, saieng that he ought not to be inferior in degree & of lesse account than an other ordinarie heire what|soeuer within the realme of England; sith the law and custome of the realme of England auerreth, that euerie heire being in the gardianship of anie lord, when he is growne to be one and twentie yeares of age, ought presentlie to inioy the inheritance left him by his father, and is lawfullie to possesse his pa|trimonie, and freelie to dispose and order his owne goods and chattels to his liking. But now it is come to passe, that I thus manie yeares haue liued vnder your counsell and gouernement; and now first to God, secondlie to you, I giue manifold thanks, that you haue gouerned and supported me, mine inheri|tance, and my realme of England, as well within as without, & speciallie against our enimies round about vs, all renowme of honour and praise to vs and our kingdome alwaies safelie reserued. But now God hath so dealt for vs, that we are of full age, so that we are two and twentie yeares old at this present: and we require that we may fréelie and at libertie from this time forward rule and gouerne both our selues and our inheritance; and we will haue our kingdome in our owne hands, and officers and seruitors of our owne appointing at our plea|sure; secondlie, as shall seeme to vs more auaileable, by Gods grace, to elect, choose, and preferre vnto offi|ces such as we doo well like of, and at our pleasure to remooue such as be presentlie resiant, and in their roomes to substitute and set others wheresoeuer and whomsoeuer we list. The king hauing thus spoken, there was not one that went about to breake him of his will, but they all glorified God, who had proui|ded them such a king, as was likelie to prooue discreet and wise.