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Compare 1577 edition: 1 The eight and twentith of Nouember next follow|ing, it was commonlie reported,A report that the quéene was with child. that the quéene was quicke with child, & therefore commandement was giuen by Edmund Bonner then bishop of London (and as it was said not without the com|mandement of the councell) that there should be made in most solemne manner one generall proces|sion in London, wherein the maior, and all the com|panies of the citie were in their liuerie [...], at whose returne to the church of Pauls, there was soong ve|rie solemnlie Te Deum for ioy therof. The same daie at this procession was present ten bishops with all the prebendaries of Paules. The copie of the coun|cels letter implieng the aforesaid commandement touching the generall procession here followeth, Ad perpetuam rei memoriam.

22.1. A copie of a letter sent from the coun|cell vnto Edmund Bonner bishop of London, concerning queene Marie conceiued with child.

A copie of a letter sent from the coun|cell vnto Edmund Bonner bishop of London, concerning queene Marie conceiued with child.

_AFter our hartie commendations vnto your good lordship.The councel [...] letter to bishop Bonner of the quéenes con|ceiuing of child. Whereas it hath plea|sed almightie God amongst other his in|finit benefits of late most gratiouslie powred vpon vs and this whole realme, to extend his benediction vpon the quéens maiestie in such sort, as she is conceiued & quicke of child; whereby (hir ma|iestie being our naturall liege ladie, quéene and vn|doubted inheritor of this imperiall crowne) good EEBO page image 1124 hope of certeine succession in the crowne is giuen vnto vs, and consequentlie, the great calamities, which (for want of such succession might otherwise haue fallen vpon vs & our posteritie) shall by Gods grace be well auoided,If Quéene Marie were quicke with ch [...]ld on the 1 [...] of the mo|neth of No|uember and afterward did labour in the moneth of Iune, then went she al|most seuen moneths quicke with child. if we thankefullie acknow|ledge this benefit of almightie God, indeuoring our selues with earnest repentance to thanke, honor, & serue him as we be most bounden. These be not one|lie to aduertise you of these good news, to be by you published in all places within your dioces; but also to praie and require you, that both your selfe doo giue God thanks with vs for this his especiall grace, and also giue order that thanks maie be openlie giuen by singing of Te Deum in all the churches within your said dioces; and that likewise all priests and other ecclesiasticall ministers, in their masses and other diuine seruices, may continuallie praie to almightie God, so to extend his holie hand ouer his maiestie, the kings highnesse and this whole realme, as this thing being by his omnipotent power gratiouslie thus begun, may by the same be well continued and brought to good effect, to the glorie of his name. Wherevnto albeit we doubt not ye would of your selfe haue had speciall regard without these our let|ters: yet for the earnest desire we haue to haue this thing doone out of hand, & diligentlie continued, we haue also written these our letters, to put you in re|membrance: & so bid your lordship most hartilie well to fare. From Westminster the 27 of Nouember. 1554.

Your assured and louing friends S. Winton. Chancel. Arundell. F. Shrewesburie. Edward Darbie, Henrie Sussex. Iohn Bathon. R. Rich. Thomas Warthom. Iohn Huddilstone. R. Southwell.

Upon this letter of the councels sent to bishop Bonner (signifieng the good news of quéene Marie to be not onelie conceiued, but also quicke with child, which was in the moneth of Nouember, the eight and twentith daie) it is out of count what great talke began at this time to rise in euerie mans mouth, with busie preparation and much adoo, especiallie among such as séemed in England to car|rie Spanish hearts in English bodies. In num|ber of whome here is not to be forgotten, nor defrau|ded of his condigne commendation for his woorthie affection toward his prince and hir issue, one sir Ri|chard Southwell, who being the same time in the parlement house, when as the lords were occupied in other affaires and matters of importance, sudden|lie starting vp for fulnesse of ioy, burst out in these words following:The words of sir Richard Southwell in the parlement house for his yoong maister. Tush my maisters (quoth he) what talke ye of these matters? I would haue you take some order for our yoong maister that is now comming into the world apace, least he find vs vn|prouided, &c. By the which words both of him, and also by the foresaid letters of the councell, and the common talke abroad, it may appeare what an assu|red opinion was then conceiued in mens heads of quéene Marie, to be conceiued and quicke with child. In somuch that at the same time, and in the same parlement, there was eftsoones a bill exhibited, and an act made vpon the same, the words whereof for the more euidence, I thought here to exemplificat.

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