16.1. The words of king Edward vttered by him on his death-bed.

The words of king Edward vttered by him on his death-bed.

_MY welbeloued and no lesse betrust|ed fréends, councellors, and alies, Abr. Fl. ex Edw. Hall, [...] Ccxlviij, Ccxlix. if we mortall men would dailie and hourlie with our selues reuolue, and intentiuelie in our hearts ingraue, or in our minds seriouslie ponder, the fraile and fading imbecillitie of our humane na|ture, and the vnstablenesse of the same: we should apparantlie perceiue, that we being called reasona|ble creatures, and in that predicament compared and ioined with angels, be more worthie to be na|med and déemed persons vnreasonable, and rather to be associate in that name with brute beasts called vnreasonable (of whose life and death no creature speaketh) rather than in that point to be resembled to the angelicall societie and reasonable companie.

For while health in vs florisheth, or prosperitie a|boundeth, or the glosing world laugheth, which is he, so reasonable of vs all, that can saie (if he will not [...]r from the truth) that he once in a wéeke remembreth EEBO page image 709 his fatall end, or the prescribed terme of his indu|ring; or once prouided by labour, studie, or otherwise, to set a stedfast and sure order for the securitie, profit, and continuance either of his possessions & domini|ons, or of his sequele and posteritie which after him shall naturallie succéed. Such is the blindnesse of our fraile and weake nature, euer giuen to carnall con|cupiscence and wordlie delectations, dailie darke|ned and seduced with that lithargious and deceiua|ble serpent called hope of long life, that all we put in obliuion our duetie present, and lesse remember the politike purueiance for things to come: for blindlie we walke in this fraile life, till we fall groueling with our eies suddenlie vpon death.

The vanities of this world be to vs so agreeable, that when we begin to liue, we estéeme our life a whole world; which once ouerpassed, it sheweth no bet|ter but dust driuen awaie with a puffe of wind. I speake this to you of my selfe, and for your selues to you; sore lamenting and inwardlie bewailing, that I did not performe & finallie consummate such politike deuises, & good and godlie ordinances, in my long life and peaceable prosperitie, which then I fullie de|termined to haue begun, set forward, and completlie to haue finished. Which now for the extreame paines and tortures of my angrie maladie, and for the small terme of my naturall life, I can neither performe, neither yet liue to sée either to take effect, or to sort to anie good conclusion.

For God I call to record, my heart was fullie set, and my mind deliberatlie determined, so to haue a|dorned this realme with wholesome lawes, statutes and ordinances; so to haue trained and brought vp mine infants and children in vertue, learning, actiui|tie, and policie, that, what with their roiall puissance, & your fréendlie assistance, the proudest prince of Eu|rope durst not once attempt to mooue anie hostilitie, against them, you, or this realme. But oh Lord, all things that I of long time haue in my mind reuol|ued and imagined, that stealing théefe death goeth about to subuert, and in the moment of an houre cléerelie to ouertred. Wherefore (as men saie) I now being driuen to the verie hard wall, haue perfect confidence and sure hope in the approoued fidelitie, and constant integritie, which I haue euer experi|mented and knowne to be rooted and planted in the hearts of your louing bodies, towards me and mine.

So that I may saie and auouch, that neuer prince bearing scepter and crowne ouer realmes and regi|ons, hath found or prooued more faithfull councel|lors, nor truer subiects, than I haue doone of you; nor neuer potentate nor gouernour put more affi|ance and trust in his vassals and seruants, than I, since the adeption of the crowne, firmelie haue fixed in your circumspect wisedoms and sober discretions. And now of very force compelled, lieng in a doutfull hope, betwéene liuing and dieng, betweene remem|brance and obliuion, I doo require you, and instantlie mooue you, that as I haue found you faithfull, obedi|ent, and to all my requests and desires (while I was here in health conuersant with you) diligent and in|tentiue: so after my death, my hope is with a sure anchor grounded, & mine inward conceipt vndoub|tedlie resolued, that the especiall confidence and in|ward fidelitie, which so long hath continued betwéene vs, being together liuing, shall not wholie by my death be extinct and vanished like smoke.

For what auaileth fréendship in life, when trust deceiueth after death? What profiteth amitie in appa|rant presence, when confidence is fraudulentlie be|guiled in absence? What loue groweth by coniunc|tion of matrimonie, if the ofspring after doo not a|gree and accord? Or what profiteth princes to ad|uance and promote their subiects, if after their death, the bountifulnesse by them shewed, be of the recei|uers of the same and their sequele neither regarded nor yet remembred? The parents make the marri|age for an indissoluble amitie. Princes promote som|time for fauour, sometime for desert, & sometime for pleasure: yet (if you will consider) the verie scope, to the which all gifts of promotions doo finallie tend, is to haue loue, fauour, faithfull counsell, and diligent seruice, of such as be by them promoted and exalted, not onelie in their owne liues, being but bréefe and transitorie: but also that they and their progenie, calling to remembrance the fauor, estimation, and aduancement, which they of so liberall and muniff|cent a prince had receiued and obteined, should with speare and shield, toong and wit, hand and pen, conti|nuallie studie to defend, counsell and preferre, not onelie him during his life; but also to serue, assist, and mainteine his sequele and line all succession, as the verie images and carnall portratures of his stirpe, line, and stemme, naturallie descended.

In this case am I, whome you know, not without vnspeakable trouble & most dangerous war to haue obteined the scepter and diadem [...] of this realme and empire. During which reigne, I haue had either litle peace, or small tranquillitie: and now when I thought my selfe sure of a quiet life, and worldlie rest, death hath blowne his terrible trumpet, calling and sum|moning me (as I trust) to perpetuall tranquillitie and eternall quietnesse. Therefore now, for the per|fect and vnmoueable confidence that I haue euer had in you, and for the vnfeined loue that you haue euer shewed vnto me, I commend and deliuer into your gouernance, both this noble realme, and my naturall children, and your kinsmen. My children by your diligent ouersight and politike prouision to be taught, informed, and instructed, not onelie in the sciences liberall, vertues morall, and good litera|ture: but also to be practised in trickes of martiall actiuitie, and diligent exercise of prudent policie. For I haue heard clarkes saie, although I am vnlette|red, that fortunate is that realme where philosophers reigne, or where kings be philosophers and louers of wisedome.

In this tender age, you may writh and turne them into euerie forme and fashion. If you bring them vp in vertue, you shall haue vertuous princes. If you set them to learning, your gouernours shall be men of knowledge. If you teach them actiuitie, you shall haue valiant capteins. If they practise poli|cie, you shall haue both politike and prudent rulers. On the other side, if by your negligence they fall to vice (as youth is to all euill prone and readie) not onelie their honor, but also your honestie shall be spotted and appalled. If they be sluggards and giuen to slouth, the publike wealth of this realme must shortlie decaie. If they be vnlearned, they may by flatterie soone be blinded, and by adulation often de|ceiued. If they lacke actiuitie, euerie creature (be he neuer so base of birth) shall foile and ouerthrow them like dum beasts and beastlie dastards. Therefore I desire you, and in Gods name adiure you, rather to studie to make them rich in godlie knowledge, and vertuous qualities; than to take paine to glorifie them with abundance of worldlie treasure, and mundane superfluitie.

And certeinlie, when they come to ripenesse of age, and shall peraduenture consider, that by your o|mission and negligent education, they haue not such graces, nor are indued with such notable qualities as they might haue béene, if you had performed the trust to you by me committed: they shall not onelie deplore and lament their vngarnished estate, and na|ked condition; but also it may fortune, that they shall EEBO page image 710 conceiue inwardlie against you such a negligent vn|truth, that the sequele thereof may rather turne to displeasure than thanks, and sooner to an ingratitude than to a reward. My kingdome also I leaue in your gouernance, during the minoritie of my chil|dren, charging you (on your honors oths and fideli|tie made and sworne to me) so indifferentlie to or|der and gouerne the subiects of the same, both with iustice and mercie, that the wils of malefactors haue not too large a scope, nor the harts of the good people by too much extremitie be neither sorowfullie daun|ted, nor vnkindlie kept vnder. Oh I am so sléepie, that I must make an end. And now before you all I commend my soule to almightie God my sauiour and redeemer, my bodie to the wormes of the earth, my kingdome to the prince my sonne: and to you my louing fréends my heart, my trust, and my whole confidence. [And euen with that he fell on sléepe.]