Page:Englishhistorica36londuoft.djvu/524

 516 THE SUCCESSION QUESTION October but when frindes fall out the truth doth appeare accordinge to the ould prouarbe, and wear yt not for my honor ther knauery should be knowne. Ther wer occasione in me that tyme I stood In daunger of my lyfe my sister was so insensed against me : I did diferr from her in religione and I was sought for diuerse wayes. so shall neuer my Successor bee. I haue conferred before this tyme with them that ar well lerned and haue asked ther oppiniones touchinge the limitacion of successione, who hath been silent ; not that by ther sillence after lawelyke mannor they haue semed to assent unto yt, but that indeed they could not tell what to saye con- sideringe the perrill to the realme and most danger to my selfe. But now the matter must needes goe uery trymely and plasanbly when the bowle runeth all on the one side and alas not one amonst them all would answeare for us but all the speaches wear for the suertie of ther country. They would haue xiii or xiiii limited in successione and the mor the better and those shalbe of such uprightnes and so deuine as they shalbe dyuinitie it selfe. Kinges wear wont to honor Philosophers, but if I had such I would honor them as angells that should haue such puerty in them that they would not seeke when they ar the second to be the firste and when they ar third to be the second &c. It is sayd I am no deuine. Indeed I study[d] nothinge ells but deuine till I came to the crowne and then I gaue my selfe to the study of gouernment as was meet for me and I am not Ignorant of histories wherin hath appeareth what hath fallen out for ambitione of kingdomes as in Spaine Naplles Portugall and at home and what cockinge hath been betweene the father and the sonne for the same, you would haue a limitacion of Succesione. Truly if reasonn did not subdue will in me I would cause you to deale in yt, so pleasant a thinge yt should bee unto me. but I stay yt for your benifitt for yf you should haue libertie to treat of yt ther be so many compitores [com- petitors], some kindfiolke some seruante some tenantes some would speake for ther master some for ther mistris and euery man for his frend, That yt would be an Occasion of a greater charge then a Subsidie. And if my will did not yeld to reasonn yt should be the thinge I would gladlie desire to se you deale in. Ther hath beene error : I will not say errors for they wear to many in the proseeding in this matter, but we will not Iudge that these attemptes were done of any hatred to our personn but euer for lacke of good fore sight. I doe not maruell thought [though] with you my Llordes two of the Bishoppes did misuse them selues ther in, sithens after my Brothers death two of them openly preached and set forth that my sister and I was Basterdes : wel I wish not the death of any man. But only this I desire that they which haue been the Practizer ther in, may be 1 before ther deathes repent the same and shew some open con- ffesione of their faulte wher by the scabhed [? scabbed] shipe may be knowne from the whole. As for myne owne part I care not for death, for all men are mortall and though I be a woman I haue as good a courage aunswerable to my plac[e] as euer my ffather had. I am your anoynted Queene. I will neuer be by uiolence constrained to do any thinge. I thanke God I am endued with such qualities that if I weare turned out of the Kealme in my peticote I wear able to Hue in any place in christome. Your peticion 4 ? omit the word ' be '.