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21.1. A letter of the ladie Marie sent to the lords of the councell, wherein she claimeth the crowne now after the decease of hir brother king Edward.

A letter of the ladie Marie sent to the lords of the councell, wherein she claimeth the crowne now after the decease of hir brother king Edward.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 _MY lords we gréet you well, and haue re|ceiued sure aduertisement, that our dearest brother the king our late soue|reigne lord is departed to Gods mer|cie: which newes, how they be wofull to our heart, he onelie knoweth, to whose will and pleasure we must and doo humblie submit vs, and all our wils. But in this so lamentable a case, that is to wit, now after his maiesties departure and death, concerning the crowne & gouernance of this realme of England, with the title of France,The ladie Maries chal|lenge to the crowne by right of suc|cession. and all things thereto belonging that hath béene prouided by act of parlement, and the testament and last will of our dearest father, besides other circumstances aduan|cing our right; you know, the realme, and the whole world knoweth, the rolles and records appeare by the authoritie of the king our said father, and the king our said brother, and the subiects of this relme, so that we verelie trust that there is no true subiect that is, can, or would pretend to be ignorant thereof: and of our part we haue our selues caused, and as God shall aid and strength vs, shall cause our right and title in this behalfe to be published and proclamed accor|dinglie. And albeit this so weightie a matter séemeth strange, that the dieng of our said brother vpon thursdaie at night last past, we hitherto had no knowledge from you thereof: yet we consider your wisedomes and prudence to be such, that hauing eftsoones amongst you debated, pondered, and well EEBO page image 1085 weighed this present case with our estate, with your owne estate, the commonwealth, and all our honors, we shall and may conceiue great hope and trust, with much assurance in your loialtie and seruice, and ther|fore for the time interpret and take things not to the worst, and that ye yet will like noblemen worke the best. Neuerthelesse, we are not ignorant of your con|sultations to vndoo the prouisions made for our pre|ferment,She certi|fieth the lords that she know+eth what is intended a|gainst hir. nor of the great bands and prouisions for|cible, wherevnto ye be assembled and prepared, by whome, and to what end, God and you know, and na|ture can feare some euill. But be it that some consi|deration politike, or whatsoeuer thing else hath moo|ued you thereto, yet doubt you not my lords, but we can take all these your dooings in gratious part, be|ing also right readie to remit and fullie pardon the same, with that fréelie to eschew bloudshed & venge|ance against all those that can or will intend the same, trusting also assuredlie you will take ani [...] ac|cept this grace and vertue in good part, as appertei|neth, and that we shall not be inforced to vse this ser|uice of other our true subiects and freends, which in this our iust and rightfull case, God (in whome our whole alliance is) shall send vs. Wherefore my lords, we require you, and charge you, and euerie of you, that euerie of you of your allegiance which you owe to God and vs,She chargeth the lords vp|on their loial|ties to cause hir right to the regiment to be procla|med. and to none other, for our honour, and the suertie of our realme, onelie imploie your selues and foorthwith vpon receit hereof cause our right and title to the crowne and gouernment of this realme, to be proclamed in our citie of London, and such o|ther places as to your wisedoms shall seeme good, and as to this case apperteineth, not failing hereof, as our verie trust is in you: and thus our letter signed with our owne hand shall be your sufficient warrant in this behalfe. Yeuen vnder our signet at our ma|nor of Keningall the ninth of Iulie 1553.

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21.1. To this letter of the ladie Marie, the lords of the councell answered againe as followeth.

To this letter of the ladie Marie, the lords of the councell answered againe as followeth.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 _MAdam, we haue receiued your letters the ninth of this instant, declaring your sup|posed title, which you iudge your selfe to haue to the imperiall crowne of this realme, and all the dominions thereto belonging. For answer wherof, this is to aduertise you, that for|somuch as our souereigne ladie quéene Iane is, after the death of our souereigne lord Edward the sixt,The lords ad|uertise the la|die Marie that the ladie Iane is queene. a prince of most noble memorie, inuested and possessed with the iust and right title of the imperiall crowne of this realme, not onelie by good order of old anci|ent good lawes of this realme; but also by our late souereigne lords letters patents, signed with his owne hand, and sealed with the great seale of Eng|land, in presence of the most part of the nobles, coun|cellors, iudges, with diuers other graue and sage per|sonages, assenting and subscribing to the same: we must therefore, as of most bound dutie and allegi|ance, assent vnto hir said grace, and to none other, except we should (which faithfull subiects cannot) fall into gréeuous and vnspeakeable enormities. Where|fore we can no lesse doo, but for the quiet both of the realme and you also, to aduertise you, that forsomuch as the diuorse made betwéene the king of famous memorie king Henrie the eight, and the ladie Katha|rine your mother, was necessarie to be had, both by the euerlasting lawes of God, and also by the ecclesi|asticall lawes,A subtill shift to prooue the ladie Marie illegitimate. and by the most part of the noble and learned vniuersities of christendome, and confirmed also by the sundrie acts of parlements, remaining yet in their force, and thereby you iustlie made illegi|timate, and vnheritable to the crowne imperiall of this realme; and the rules, dominions, and possessi|ons of the same: you will vpon iust consideration hereof, and of diuers other causes lawfull to be alled|ged for the same, and for the iust inheritance of the right line, and godlie orders taken by the late king Edward the sixt, and greatest personages aforesaid, surcease, by anie pretense to vex and molest anie of our souereigne ladie quéene Iane hir subiects, from the true faith and allegiance due vnto hir grace; assu|ring you, that if you will for respect shew your selfe quiet and obedient (as you ought) you shall find vs all, and seuerall, readie to doo you a [...]e seruice that we with dutie may, and to be glad of your quietnesse, to preserue the common state of this realme, where|in you may be otherwise gréeuous vnto vs, to your selfe, and to them. And thus we bid you most hartilie well to fare. From the tower of London this ninth of Iulie.

Your ladiships freends shewing your selfe an obedient subiect, Thomas Canturburie, the marquesse of Winche|ster, Iohn Bedford, William Northampton, Tho|mas Elie chancellor, Iohn Northumberland, Hen|rie Suffolke, Henrie Arundell, Francis Shrewes|burie, William Penbroke, Cobham, R. Rich, Hun|tington, Darcie, Cheineie, R. Cotton, Iohn Gates, William Peter, William Cecill, Iohn Chéeke, Iohn Mason, Edward North, Robert Bowes.