17.1. The oration of the king on his death-bed.
The oration of the king on his death-bed.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 _MY lords, my deere kinsmen and alies, in what plight I lie you see, and I feele. By which the lesse while I looke to liue with you, the more deepelie am I mooued to care in what case I leaue you, for such as I leaue you, such be my children like to find you. Which if they should (as God forbid) find you at variance, might hap to fall themselues at warre, yer their discretion would serue to set you at peace. Ye see their youth, of which I reckon the onelie suertie to rest in your concord. For it sufficeth not that all you loue them, if ech of you hate other: if they were men, your faithfulnesse happilie would suffice. But childhood must be mainteined by mens au|thoritie, and slipper youth vnderpropped with elder counsell, which neither they can haue but ye giue it, nor ye giue it if ye gree not.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 For where ech laboureth to breake that the other maketh, and for hatred of ech of others person impugneth ech others counsell, there must it needs be long yet a|nie good conclusion go forward. And also while either partie laboureth to be cheefe, flatterie shall haue more place than plaine and faithfull aduise: of which must needs insue the euill bringing vp of the prince, whose mind in tender youth infect, shall re|dilie fall to mischeefe and riot, and draw downe with his noble relme to ruine. But if grace turne him to wisedome: which if God send, then they that by euill meanes before pleased him best, shall after fall fur|thest out of fauour: so that euer at length euill drifts shall draw to nought, and good plaine waies prosper.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 Great variance hath there long beene betweene you, not alwaie for great causes. Sometimes a thing right well intended, our misconstruction turneth vnto woorse, or a small displeasure doone vs, either our owne affection or euill toongs aggreeueth. But this wot I well, ye neuer had so great cause of hatred, as ye haue of loue. That we be all men, that we be christian men, this shall I leaue for preachers to tell you; and yet I wot neere whether anie prea|chers words ought more to mooue you, than his that is by & by going to the place that they all preach of.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 But this shall I desire you to remember, that the one part of you is of my bloud, the other of mine alies; and ech of you with o|ther either of kinred or affinitie; which spi|rituall kinred of affinitie, if the sacraments of Christs church beare that weight with vs that would God they did, should no lesse mooue vs to charitie, than the respect of fleshlie consanguinitie. Our Lord forbid, that you loue together the woorse, for the selfe cause that you ought to loue the bet|ter. And yet that happeneth, and no where find we so deadlie debate, as among them, which by nature and law most ought to a|gree togither.The nature of ambition. Such a pestilent serpent is ambition and desire of vaine glorie and so|uereigntie, which among states where she once entereth, creepeth foorth so farre, till with diuision and variance she turneth all to mischeefe: first longing to be next vnto the best, afterward equall with the best, & at last cheefe and aboue the best.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Of which immoderat appetite of wor|ship, and thereby of debate and dissention, what losse, what sorow, what trouble hath within these few yeares growne in this realme, I praie God as well forget, as we well remember. Which things if I could as well haue foreseene, as I haue with my more paine than pleasure prooued, by Gods blessed ladie (that was euer his oth) I would neuer haue woone the courtesie of mens knees, with the losse of so manie heads. But sithens things passed can not be gaine called, much ought we the more beware, by what occasion we haue taken so great hurt afore, that we eftsoones fall not in that occasion againe.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 Now be those greefs passed, and all is (God be thanked) quiet, and likelie right well to prosper in wealthfull peace vnder EEBO page image 714 your coosins my children, if God send them life and you loue. Of which two things, the lesse losse were they, by whom though God did his pleasure, yet should the realme al|waie find kings, and peraduenture as good kings.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 But if you among your selues in a childs reigne fall at debate, manie a good man shall perish, and happilie he too, and ye too, yer this land find peace againe. Wherfore in these last words that euer I looke to speake with you, I exhort you and require you all, for the loue that you haue euer borne to me; for the loue that I haue euer borne vnto you; for the loue that our Lord beareth to vs all; from this time forward (all greefs forgotten) ech of you loue other. Which I verelie trust you will, if ye anie thing earthlie regard, either God or your king, affinitie or kinred, this realme, your owne countrie, or your owne suertie. And therewithall the king no longer induring to sit vp, laid him downe on his right side, his face towards them: and none was there present that could refraine from wee|ping.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 But the lords recomforting him with as good words as they could, and answering for the time as they thought to stand with his pleasure, there in his presence, as by their words appeared, ech forgaue o|ther, and ioined their hands togither, when (as it af|ter appeared by their deeds) their hearts were farre a|sunder.I counterfet and pretended reconcile|ment. As soone as the king was departed, the noble prince his sonne drew toward London, which at the time of his deceasse kept his houshold at Ludlow in Wales, which countrie being farre off from the law and recourse to iustice, was begun to be farre out of good rule, and waren wild robbers and reauers, wal|king at libertie vncorrected. And for this occasion the prince was in the life of his father sent thither, to the end that the authoritie of his presence should re|fraine euill disposed persons from the boldnesse of their former outrages.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 To the gouernance and ordering of this yoong prince at his sending thither, was there appointed sir Anthonie Wooduile lord Riuers, and brother vnto the queene,Lord Riuers. a right honourable man, as valiant of hand as politike in counsell. Adioined were there vnto him other of the same partie; and in effect euerie one as he was néerest of kin vnto the queene, so was he planted next about the prince. That drift by the queene not vnwiselie deuised, whereby hir bloud might of youth be rooted into the princes fauour, the duke of Glocester turned vnto their destruction; and vpon that ground set the foundation of all his vn|happie building. For whome soeuer he perceiued ei|ther at variance with them,The duke of Glocesters solicitations. or bearing himselfe their fauour, he brake vnto them some by mouth, & some by writing.