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The first entryng of Queene Mary to the Crowne, with the
alteration of Religion, and other perturbations happenyng the same tyme in
this Realme of Englande.
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WHat tyme Kyng Edward by long sicknes beganne to
appeare more feeble and weake, in the meane while duryng the tyme of this
his sicknes, a certaine mariage was prouided, concluded, and shortly also
vppon the same solemnised in the moneth of Maye,
betweene the Lord
Gilford, sonne to the duke of Northumberland, and the Lady Iane the duke
of Suffolkes daughter, whose mother beyng then aliue, was daughter to Mary
kyng Henryes second sister, who firste was maryed to the French king.
&
afterwarde to Charles
Duke of Suffolke. But to make no long tarriance hereupon, the
marriage being ended and the kyng 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 his Testament dyd appoynt
the foresayd Lady Iane, daughter to the duke of Suffolke, to be
inheretrice vnto the crowne of England, passing ouer his two sisters Mary
and Elizabeth.
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1553. The reigne of Queene Mary.
Mariage
betwene the Lord Gilforde and the Ladye Iane.
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To thys order subscribed all the kinges Counsaile, and chiefe of the
Nobilitie, the Maior and citie of London, and almost all the Iudges and
chiefe Lawyers of the Realme,
Syr Iames Hales standeth with
Queene Mary.
sauyng onely Iustice
Hales of Kent, a man both fauoring true Religion, and also an
vpright Iudge as any hath ben noted in this Realme, who geuyng his consent
vnto Lady Mary, would in no case subscribe to Lany Iane. Of this man (God
wyllyng) you shal perceyue more in the sequele of this storie. The causes
laid against Lady Mary, were as well for that it was feared shee woulde
marrye with a Straunger, and thereby entangle the Crowne: as also that
shee would cleane alter Religion, vsed both in kyng Henry her father, and
also in king Edwarde her brothers dayes, and so bring 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 wel appeare.
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Syr Iames Hales standeth with
Queene Mary.
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Much probable matter they had thus to coniecture of her,
by reason of her great stubburnnes shewed and declared in her brothers
dayes, as in the letters before mentioned, passing betweene her and kyng
Edward, & the Counsaile, may appeare. The matter being thus
concluded,
and after confirmed by euery mans hande, kyng Edwarde an Impe of so great
hope, not long after this departed, by the vehemencie of his sicknes, when
he was sixteene yeares of age: with whom also decayed in maner the whole
floorishing estate and honour of the English nation.
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Two
thinges feared in Q. Mary.
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sel and kyng Edward there was litle difference in age, though in learning
and knowledge of the tongues she was not onely equal, but also superiour
vnto hym, beyng instructed of
a Maister
right notably learned. If her fortune had ben as good, as was her
bringing vp, ioyned with finenesse of wyt: vndoubtedly shee might haue
seemed comparable, not onely to the house of the Vaspasians, Sempronians,
and mother of the Grachies, yea, to any other women beside that deserued
high prayse for their singular learning: but also to the Vniuersitie men,
whiche haue taken many degrees of the Schooles.
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This
instructer of the Lady Iane was M. Elmer.
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In the meanetyme, while these thinges were a workyng at Londen, Mary which
had knowledge of her brothers death, writeth to the Lordes of the Counsayle in forme as foloweth.
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¶ A letter of the Lady Mary, sent to the lords of
the
Counsaile, wherin shee claimeth the crowne, after the decease of king
Edward.
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MY Lordes, we greete you well, and
haue receiued
sure aduertisement that our dearest brother the king our late soueraigne
Lord, is departed to Gods mercye: whiche newes howe they be wofull to our
hart, he onely knoweth to whose wyll and pleasure we must and doo humbly
submit vs and our wylles. But in this so lamentable a case, that is to
wyt, now after his maiesties departure and death, concernyng the Crowne
and gouernaunce of this Realme of England, with the title of Fraunce, and
all thinges thereto belonging, what hath bene prouided by acte of
Parlament and the Testament and last wyll of our dearest father, besides
other circumstaunces aduauncing our right, you know the Realme, and the
whole world knoweth, the Rolles & Recordes appeare by the authoritie
of
the king our said father, and the king our said brother, and the subiectes
of this Realme, so that we veryly trust that there is no good true
subiect, that is, can, or would pretende to be ignorant therof, and of our
part we haue of our selues caused, & as God shall ayde and strength
vs,
shal cause our right and title in this behalfe to be published and
proclaymed accordingly. And albeit this so weighty a matter seemeth
straunge, that the dying of our sayd brother vpon Thursday at night last
past, we hytherto had no knowledge from you therof, yet we consider your
wisedomes and prudence to be such, that hauyng eftsoones amongst you
debated, pondered, and wel wayed this present case with our estate, with
your owne estate, the common wealth, and al our honours, we shal and may
conceiue great hope and trust with much assurance in your loyaltie and
seruice, and therefore for the tyme interprete and take thinges not to the
worst, and that ye yet wil like Noble men worke the best. Neuerthelesse
we are not ignoraunt of your consultations, to vndoo the prouisions made
for our preferment, nor of the great bandes and prouisions forcible,
wherewith ye be assembled and prepared, by whom, and to what ende, God and
you knowe, and nature can but feare some euyll. But be it that some
conside-
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Lady
Maryes letter sent vnto the Counsayle, wherin shee clameth the
Crowne.
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