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Queene Mary. The comming in of Queene Mary. |
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Queene Mary. The comming in of Queene Mary.
1553.
¶ The fyrst entring of Queene Mary to the crowne, with the
alteration of Religion, and other perturbations happening the same tyme in thys Realme of England.
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W
HAT tyme Kyng EDWARD by long
sicknes began to appeare more feable and weake, in the meane while
durīg the tyme of this his sicknes, a certayne maryage was prouided,
cōcluded, and shortly also vpon the same solemnised in the moneth
of May,
betwene the Lord
Gilford
, sonne to the Duke of Northumberland,
and the lady
Iane
the Duke of Suffolkes daughter, whose mother
being thē alyue, was daughter to Mary king
Henries second syster, who fyrst was maryed to the French king, and
after to
Charles Duke of Suffolke. But to make no long
tariaunce hereupon, the mariage being ended, and the king waxing euery day
more sicke then other, where as in deede there seemed in hym no hope of
recouery, it was brought to passe by the consent not onely of the
Nobilitie, but also of all the chiefe Lawyers of the Realme, that the king
by hys testament dyd appoynte the aforesayd Lady Iane, daughter
to the Duke of Suffolke,
to be Inheretrice vnto the crowne of
England, passing ouer hys two systers Mary &
Elizabeth.
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1553.
The reigne of Queene Mary.
Mariage
betwene the Lord Gilforde and the Lady Iane.
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To this order subscribed all the kinges Counsayle, and chiefe of the
Nobility, the Maior and City of London, and almost all the
Iudges and chiefe Lawyers of the Realme, sauing onely Iustice Hales
of Kent,
Syr Iames Hales standeth with
Q. Mary.
a mā both fauoring true religion, and also an vpright Iudge as
any hath ben noted in this Realme, who geuing his consent vnto Lady
Mary, would in no case subscribe to Lady Iane. Of this
man (God willing) you shall perceiue more in þe sequele of
this story. The causes laid agaynst Lady Mary, were as well
for that it was feared she woulde marry wyth a Straunger, and thereby
entangle the crowne: as also that she would cleane alter religion, vsed
both in king Henrie her father, and also in king
Edward her brothers dayes, and so bryng in the Pope, to the vtter
destruction of the realme, which in deede afterward came to passe, as by
the course and sequele of this story may well appeare.
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Syr Iames Hales standeth with
Q. Mary.
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Much probable matter they had thus to coniecture of her, by reason of
her great stubbernes shewed and declared in her brothers dayes, as in the
letters before mencioned passing betwene her & king Edward,
and
the Counsayle, may appeare. The matter being thus concluded, and after
confirmed by euery mans hand, king Edward an Impe of so great
hope, not long after thys departed by the vehemencie of hys sicknes, when
he was. xvj. yeares of age: wyth whom also decayed in maner the whole
flourishing estate and honour of the English nation.
When king Edward was dead,
this Iane was established in the kingdome by the Nobles
consent, & was foorthwith published Queene by proclamation at
London, and in other Cities where was any great resort, and was
there so taken and named.
Betwene thys young Damosel and king Edward, there was litle
difference in age, though in learning and knowledge of
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Two
thinges feared in Queene Mary.
Q. Jane
proclaimed in London.
Cōparison betwene young K. Edward and younge lady Iane.
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the tounges she was not onely equall, but also superior vnto him, being
instructed of
a Maister
right notably learned. If her fortune had bene as good, as was her
bringing vp, ioyned with fynenes of wytte: vndoubtedly she might haue
seemed comparable, not onely to the house of the Aspasians,
Sempronians, or mother of the Grachies, yea to any other
women beside, that deserued high prayse for theyr singuler learning: but
also to the Vniuersitie men, which haue taken many degrees of the
Schooles.
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Thys
instructer of the Lady Jane was Maister Ælmar.
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In the meane time while these thinges were a working at London,
Mary which had knowledge of her brothers death, writeth to the
Lordes of the Coūsell in forme as followeth.
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¶ A Letter of the Lady Mary, sent to the Lordes of the
Counsell, wherin she claymeth the crowne after the deceasse of Kyng
Edward.
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MY Lordes, we greete you
well,
& haue receaued sure aduertisement that our dearest brother the kyng
our
late soueraigne Lord is departed to Gods mercy: which newes how they be
wofull to our hart, he only knoweth to whose wil and pleasure we must and
do humbly submit vs & our willes. But in this so lamētable a
case, that is to witte, now after his maiesties departure and death
concernyng the crowne and gouernaunce of this realme of England with the
title of
Fraunce
& all thynges
therto
belongyng, what hath bene prouided by act of Parlament and þe
Testament & last will of our dearest father, besides other
circumstaunces
aduauncing our right, you know, the Realme and the whole world knoweth,
the roles and recordes appeare by the authoritie of the kyng our sayd
father, and the kyng our sayd brother, and the subiectes of this Realme,
so that we verely trust that there is no good true subiect, that is, can,
or would pretende to be ignoraūt therof, and of our part we haue
our selues caused, and as God shall ayde & strength vs, shall cause
our
right and title in this behalfe to bee published and proclaymed
accordyngly. And albeit this so weightie a matter seemeth straunge, that
the dying of our sayd brother vppon Thursday at night last past, we
hetherto had no knowledge from you therof, yet we cōsider your
wisedomes and prudence to be such, that hauing eftsones amongest you
debated, pondered, & well wayed this present case with our estate,
with
your own estate, the common wealth, and all our honours, we shall and may
cōceiue great hope and trust with much assuraunce in your
loyaltie and seruice, and therfore for the tyme interprete & take
thinges
not to the worst, & that ye yet wil like noble men worke the best.
Neuerthelesse we are not ignoraūt of your consultations, to vndoe
the prouisiōs made for our preferment, nor of the great bandes
and prouisions forcible, wherewith ye be assembled & prepared, by
whom,
and to what end, God & you know, and nature can but feare some euill.
But
be it that some cōsideration politicke, or what soeuer thyng els
hath moued you therto, yet doubt you not my Lordes, but we cā
take all these your doings in gracious part, being also right ready to
remit & fully pardon the same, with that frely to eschue bloudshed and
vengeaunce agaynst all those that cā or will intende the same:
trusting also assuredly you will take and accept this grace & vertue
in
good part as apperteineth, and that we shall not bee inforced to vse the
seruice of other our true subiectes and frendes which in this our iust and
rightful case, God in whom our whole affiaunce is, shall send vs.
Wherefore my Lordes we require you and charge you, and euery of you, that
euery of you, of your allegeance which you owe to God and vs and to none
other, for our honour and the suretie of our pardon, onely employ your
selues, and forthwith vpon recept hereof, cause our right and title to the
crown and gouernement of this Realme to bee proclaymed in our Citie of
London, and such other places as to your wisdomes shal seeme good, and as
to this case appartei-
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Lady
Maryes letter sent vnto the Counsaile, wherin she claimeth the
crowne.
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