Compare 1577 edition: 1 The councell therefore made likewise prouision to be readie to resist all such attempts, as anie waie foorth might be made, to the annoiance of the realme. But as things fell out, the same stood in good stead, not against the forren enimie, but against a number of rebellious subiects at home, the which forgetting their dutie and allegiance, did as much as in them laie (what soeuer their pretense was) to bring this noble realme and their naturall countrie vnto de|struction. But first, for that it maie appeare, that the duke of Summerset then protector, and other of the councell, did not without good ground and cause mainteine the warres against the Scots, I haue thought good to set downe an epistle exhortatorie, as we find the same in the great chronicle of Richard Grafton, sent from the said protector and councell vn|to the Scots, Rich. Grafton in fol. 1294. to mooue them to haue consideration of themselues, and of the estate of their countrie, by ioining in that friendlie bond and vnitie with Eng|land, as had beene of the kings part and his fathers continuallie sought, for the benefit of both realmes, the copie of which exhortation here insueth.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 _COnsidering with our selues the present state of things,The epistle exhortatorie sent to the Scots. and weieng more déepe|lie the maner and tearmes wherein you and we doo stand, it maketh vs to mar|uell, what euill & fatall chance dooth so disseuer your hearts, and maketh them so blind and vnmindfull of your profit, and so still conciliate and heape to your selues most extreame mischiefs, the which we whome ye will néeds haue your enimies, go about to take awaie from you, and perpetuallie to ease you therof. And also by all reason & order of necessitie, it should be rather more conuenient for you to séeke and re|quire moderate agréements of vs, whome God hath hitherto according to our most iust, true, and godlie meanings and intents, prospered and set forward, with your affliction and miserie, than that we being superiours in the field, maisters of a great part of your realme, should seeke vpon you. Yet to the intent that our charitable minds and brotherlie loue should not cease, by all meanes possible to prouoke and call you to your owne commoditie and profit, euen as the father to the son, or the elder brother to the yoong|er;Herein appea|reth the lord protectors care for their good estate. and as the louing physician would doo to the mistrustfull and ignorant patient: we are content to call and crie vpon you to looke on your estate, to a|uoid the great calamitie that your countrie is in, to haue vs rather brothers than enimies, and rather countrimen than conquerors. And if your gouernor or capteins shall reteine and kéepe from you this our exhortation, as heretofore they haue doone our pro|clamation, tending to the like effect, for their owne priuat wealth & commoditie, not regarding though you be still in miserie, so they haue profit and gouer|nance ouer you, and shall still abuse you with feined and forged tales: yet this shall be a witnesse before God, and all christian people, betweene you and vs, that we professing the gospell of Iesus Christ, accor|ding to the doctrine thereof, doo not cease to call and prouoke you from the effusion of your owne bloud, from the destruction of the realme of Scotland, from perpetuall enimitie and hatred, from the finall de|struction of your nation, and from seruitude to for|ren nations, to libertie, to amitie, to equalitie with vs, to that which your writers haue alwaies wished might once come to passe.