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15.1. The duke of Yorks oration made to the lords of the parlement.

The duke of Yorks oration made to the lords of the parlement.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 _MY singular good lords, maruell not that I approch vnto this throne: for I sit here as in the place to me by verie iustice law|fullie belonging; & here I rest, as to whom this chaire of right apperteineth, not as he which requireth of you fauour, parcia|litie, or bearing, but equall right, friendlie indifferencie, and true administration of iustice. For I beeing the partie greeued, and complainant, can not minister to my selfe the medicine that should helpe me (as expert leeches & cunning surgians maie) except you be to me both faithfull aiders & also true councellors. Nor yet this noble realme and our naturall countrie shall ne|uer be vnbuckled from hir dailie feuer, ex|cept I (as the principall physician, and you as the true and trustie apothecaries) consult togither in making of the potion, and trie out the cleane and pure stuffe from the corrupt and putrified drugs.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 For vndoubtedlie, the root and bottome of this long festured canker is not yet ex|tirpate, nor the feeble foundation of this fallible building is not yet espied, which hath beene and is the dailie destruction of the nobilitie, and the continuall confusion of the poore communaltie of this realme and kingdome. For all you know (or should know) that the high and mightie prince king Richard the second, was the true and vndoubted heire to the valiant conqueror and renowmed prince king Edward the third, as sonne & heire to the hardie knight and couragious capteine Edward prince of Wales, duke of Aquitaine and Corne|wall, eldest sonne to the said king Edward the third: which king was not onelie in deed, but also of all men reputed and taken for the true and infallible heire to the wise and politike prince king Henrie the third, as sonne and heire to king Edward the se|cond, sonne and heire to king Edward the first, the very heire and first begotten sonne of the said noble and vertuous prince king Henrie the third.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 EEBO page image 656Which king Richard of that name the second, was lawfullie & iustlie possessed of the crowne and diadem of this realme and region, till Henrie of Derbie duke of Lan|caster and Hereford, sonne to Iohn of Gant duke of Lancaster, the fourth begotten sonne to the said king Edward the third, and yoonger brother to my noble ancestor Lionell duke of Clarence, the third begot|ten sonne of the said king Edward, by force and violence, contrarie both to the dutie of his allegiance, and also to his homage to him both doone and sworne, raised warre and battell at the castle of Flint in North|wales, against the said king Richard, and him apprehended, and imprisoned within the Tower of London: during whose life and captiuitie, he wrongfullie vsurped and intruded vpon the roiall power, and high estate of this realme and region, taking vpon him the name, stile, and authoritie of king and gouernour of the same.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 And not therewith satisfied, and conten|ted, compassed and accomplished the death and destruction of his naturall prince, and most worthie souereigne lord, not as a com|mon homicide and butcherlie murtherer, but as a regicide, and destroier of his king. After whose pitious death, and execrable murther, the right and title of the crowne, and superioritie of this realme was law|fullie reuerted & returned to Roger Mor|timer earle of March, sonne and heire to ladie Philip the onelie child of the aboue rehearsed Lionell duke of Clarence, vnto which Rogers daughter called Anne, my most deerest and welbeloued moother, I am the verie true and lineall heire, which des|cent all you can not iustlie gainesay, nor yet trulie denie. Then remember this, if the title be mine, why am I put from it? If I be true heire to the crowne (as I am in deed) why is my right withholden? If my claime be good, why haue I not iustice? For suerlie, learned men of great science and knowledge say and affirme, that line|all descent, nor vsurped possession can no|thing preuaile, if continuall claime be law|fullie made, or openlie published.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 For the auoiding of which scruple and ambiguitie: Edmund earle of March my most welbeloued vncle, in the time of the first vsurper, in deed but not by right called king Henrie the fourth, by his coosines the earle of Northumberland, & the lord Per|sie, he being then in captiuitie with O|wen Glendouer the rebell in Wales, made his title & righteous claime to the destruc|tion of both the noble persons. Likewise my most deerest lord my father, so farre set foorth that right and title, that he lost his life & worldlie ioy at the towne of South|hampton, more by power than indifferent iustice. Since whose death, I comming to my full age, haue neuer desisted to pursue my title, and require my right, which by meanes of sinister counsell and vniust de|tention, I can neither obteine nor recouer. So that of fine force I am compelled to vse power in steed of praier, and force in steed of request; not (as I said before) for my priuat emolument and peculiar profit: but to restore peace, loue, and quietnesse to this our naturall region, which euer since the first vngodlie vsurpation of the afore|named Henrie, vntrulie called king Henrie the fourth, hath beene cleerelie banished, and out of the same vniustlie exiled.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 What murthers and manslaughters haue beene perpetrated and committed within this countrie, since the beginning of that vngratious vsurpation? What num|ber of noble men haue beene slaine, destroi|ed, & executed since that infortunate daie? It is too lamentable and manifest. For al|though Henrie of Lancaster earle of Der|bie tooke vpon him the scepter and the crowne, and wrongfullie bare the name and stile of a king; and was not much tick|led with mine vncle the earle of March, at that time being within age: yet was he neuer in suertie of himselfe, nor had or in|ioied any profit & quietnesse either in mind or in bodie.

For suerlie, a corrupt conscience neuer feeleth rest, but looketh when the sword of vengeance will descend and strike.

His sonne also called king Henrie the fift, obteined notable victories, and immortall praises for his noble acts doone in the realme of France: yet God (for the offense of his vntrue parent) suddenlie touched him, vnbodieng his soule in the flower of his youth, and in the glorie of his conquest.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 And although he had a faire sonne and a yoong heire apparant: yet was this or|phan such a one (as preachers say) that God threatned to send for a punishment to his vnrulie and vngratious people, saieng by his prophet Esaie;

I shall giue you chil|dren to be your princes, and infants with|out wisedome shall haue the gouernance of you. The prophet lied not, if you note all things in an order: for after this Henrie the fift (whose fame no man can iustlie re|prooue or deface) succeeded his sonne, whom all we haue called our naturall prince, and obeied as his heire.

In whose time and wrongfull reigne, I require you diligent|lie to consider, with what great torments and afflictions God hath whipped & scour|ged this miserable Ile: yea with such and so manie scourges and plagues, as no na|tion (the Aegyptians onelie excepted) were euer tormented or afflicted withall. I will not speake of rebellious murthers and op|pressions, which of late haue beene doone and exercised heere among vs. But I will declare & manifest to you, how the crowne and glorie of this realme is by the negli|gence of this sillie man, and his vnwise councell minished, defaced, and also disho|noured.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Is not Normandie, which his father gat, regained & conquered againe, by the insolencie of him & his couetous councell? Is not the whole duchie of Aquitaine, by two hundred and odyeares peaceablie pos|sessed by the kings of this realme, in one EEBO page image 657 yeare and a little more, gotten out of our hands & seigniorie? What should I speake of Aniou & Maine, or the losse of the Ile of France, with the rich citie of Paris. Alas it is too apparant. Neither will I molest you with the recitall of all the particulars thereof. But now in the middest of this af|fliction, and to make an end of the same: God of his ineffable goodnesse, looking on this countrie with his eies of pitie & mer|cie, hath sent me in the truth, to restore a|gaine his decaied kingdome to his ancient fame and old renowme whereof heere in o|pen parlement, according to my iust & true title, I haue and doo take possession of this roiall throne: not putting diffidence, but firme hope in Gods grace, that by his di|uine aid, and assistance of you the peeres of this realme, I shall beautifie & mainteine the same to the glorie of him, honour of my bloud, and to the publike wealth as well of you all heere present, as of all the poore com|mons and subiects of this kingdome and regiment.