Compare 1577 edition: 1 Which saieng causeth me to consider in what case this realme my natiue countrie now standeth and in what estate and assurance (before this time) it hath continued: what gouernour we now haue, and what ruler we might haue. For I plainelie perceiue the realme being in this case, must needs decaie, and be brought to vtter confusion, and finall extermination. But one hope I haue incorporat in my brest, that is, when I consider,The duke of Buckingham highlie com|mended. and in my mind doo diligentlie re|member, and dailie behold your noble personage, your iustice, and indifferencie, your feruent zeale, and ardent loue toward your naturall countrie, and in like manner, the loue of your countrie toward you, the great learning, pregnant wit, and goodlie elo|quence, which so much dooth abound in the person of your grace, I must needs thinke this realme fortu|nate, yea twise more than fortunate, which hath such a prince in store, méet and apt to be a gouernour, in whose person (being indued with so manie princelie qualities) consisteth and resteth the verie vndoubted similitude and image of true honour.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 But on the other side,Dispraise of the lord pro|tector or king messe. when I call to memorie the good qualities of the late protector, and now called king, so violated and subuerted by tyrannie, so chan|ged and altered by vsurped authoritie, so clouded and shadowed by blind and insatiable ambition; yea, and so suddenlie (in manner by a metamorphosis) trans|formed from politike ciuilitie, to detestable tyrannie: I must needs saie, & iustlie affirme, that he is neither méet to be a king of so noble a realme, nor so famous a realme méet to be gouerned by such a tyrant [whose kingdome (if it were of more amplenesse than it is) could not long continue; neither would the Lord suf|fer him in his bloudthirstines to abuse the holie and diuine estate of a prince by the cruell title of tyran|nie. For such he will ouerthrow, yea he will bring most horrible slaughter vpõ them, as it is prophesied

Impius ad summos quamuis ascendat honores,

Aspice quas clades tempora saeua vehent.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 EEBO page image 738Was not his first enterprise to obteine the crowne begun and incepted by the murther of diuerse noble, valiant true, and vertuous personages? O holie beginning to come to a mischeeuous ending! Did he not secondarilie procéed (contrarie to all lawes of honestie) shamefullie against his owne naturall mo|ther, being a woman of much honour and more ver|tue, declaring hir openlie to be a woman giuen to carnall affection, and dissolute liuing? Which thing if it had béene true, as it was not indéed, euerie good & naturall child would haue rather mummed at it, than haue blasted it abroad, and especiallie she being aliue. Declaring furthermore his two brethren, and his two nephues to be bastards, and to be borne in ad|ulterie: yet was he not with all this content.