y's departure and death, concerning the
crown and governance of this realm of England, that which hath been
provided by act of parliament and the testament and last will of our
dearest father, you know--the realm and the whole world knoweth. The
rolls and records appear, by the authority of the king our said
father, and the king our said brother, and the subjects of this realm;
so that we verily trust there is no true subject that can pretend to
be ignorant thereof; and of our part we have ourselves caused, and as
God shall aid and strengthen us, shall cause, our right and title in
this behalf to be published and proclaimed accordingly.

"And, albeit, in this so weighty a matter, it seemeth strange that the
dying of our said brother upon Thursday at night last past, we
hitherto had no knowledge from you thereof; yet we consider your
wisdom and prudence to be such, that having eftsoons amongst you
debated, pondered, and well-weighed the present case, with our estate,
with your own estate, the commonwealth, and all our honours, we shall
and may conceive great hope and trust, with much assurance in your
loyalty and service; and therefore, for the time, we interpret and
take things not for the worst; and that ye yet will, like noblemen,
work the best. Nevertheless, we are not ignorant of your consultation
to undo the provisions made for our preferment, nor of the great
banded provisions forcible whereunto ye be assembled {p.009} and
prepared, by whom and to what end God and you know; and nature can
fear some evil. But be it that some consideration politic, or
whatsoever thing else, hath moved you thereunto; yet doubt ye not, my
lords, but we can take all these your doings in gracious part, being
also right ready to remit and also pardon the same, with that freely
to eschew bloodshed and vengeance against all those that can or will
intend the same; trusting also assuredly you will take and accept this
grace and virtue in good part as appertaineth, and that we shall not
be enforced to use the service of other our true subjects and friends
which, in this our just and rightful cause, God, in whom our whole
affiance is, shall send us.

"Whereupon, my lords, we require and charge you, and every of you, on
your allegiance, which you owe to God and us, and to none other, that
for our honour and the surety of our realm, only you will employ
yourselves; and forthwith, upon receipt hereof, cause our right and
title to the crown and