Compare 1577 edition: 1 This man therefore (as I was about to tell you) by the long & often alternate proofe, as well of prospe|ritie as aduerse fortune, had gotten by great experi|ence (the verie mother and mistresse of wisedome) a déepe insight in politike worldlie drifts. Whereby perceiuing now this duke glad to commune with him, fed him with faire words, and manie pleasant praises. And perceiuing by the processe of their com|munications, the dukes pride now and then belking out a little breath of enuie toward the glorie of the king,Bishop N [...]tons sub [...]ll vndermini [...] of the du [...]e. and thereby feeling him easie to fall out if the matter were well handled: he craftilie sought the waies to pricke him forward, taking alwaies the oc|casion of his comming, and so kéeping himselfe so close within his bounds, that he rather séemed to fol|low him, than to lead him. For when the duke first be|gan to praise and boast the king, and shew how much profit the realme should take by his reigne: my lord Morton answered thus.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Suerlie, my lord, follie were it for me to lie, for if I would sweare the contrarie, your lordship would not (I weene) beléeue; but that if the world would haue gone as I would haue wished, king Henries sonne had had the crowne, and not king Edward. But after that God had ordered him to léese it, and king Edward to reigne, I was neuer so mad that I would with a dead man striue against the quicke. So was I to king Edward a faithfull chapleine, & glad would haue béene that his child had succéeded him. Howbeit, if the secret iudgment of God haue other|wise prouided, I purpose not to spurne against a pricke, nor labour to set vp that God pulleth downe. And as for the late protector and now king. And euen there he left, saieng that he had alreadie medled too EEBO page image 737 much with the world, and would from that daie med|dle with his booke and his beads, and no further.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Then longed the duke sore to heare what he would haue said, bicause he ended with the king, and there so suddenlie stopped, and exhorted him so familiarlie betweene them twaine to be bold to saie whatsoeuer he thought; whereof he faithfullie promised there should neuer come hurt, and peraduenture more good than he would weene; and that himselfe intended to vse his faithfull secret aduise & counsell, which (he said) was the onelie cause for which he procured of the king to haue him in his custodie, where he might rec|kon himselfe at home, and else had he béene put in the hands of them with whome he should not haue found the like fauour. The bishop right humblie thanked him, and said: In good faith my lord, I loue not to talke much of princes, as a thing not all out of perill, though the word be without fault:Princes mat|ters perillous to meddle in. forsomuch as it shall not be taken as the partie ment it, but as it pleaseth the prince to construe it.