A Pithy Exhortation to Her Majesty, Part 5 – Title page
NOw let vsus conſider what commoditie or benefite would growe to him thereby: or whither he ſhould not (therby) make a rodde to ſcourge himſelfe withall?
To the which ende I deſire to hauehave the queſtions enſuing conſidered of.
Whither were he ever the neerer the attaining of Crowne of England, if the Spaniardes had conquered it, or the farther off?
Whither will his owne experience moue him to expect better neighbourhoode at our ſoveraigne her hand during her life, & (after her deceaſe) at the hand of an Engliſh Prince, or at the Spaniards hand, if he were king heere?
Whither the malice that the Spaniards, and all the princes of the league of Trent, doe beare vntounto this land, bee not chiefly for Religion?
If it be for Religion, whither the like malice be not borne vntounto him, and to his countrie by them, for the ſame?
Whither, if one ſelfe ſame cauſe, moue a like hatred and malice to both the Realmes of England and Scotland, will not the enviers giuegive a like revenge, when abilitie and opportunitie ſerveth?
Whither were it good policie, wiſdome, or naturalneſſe, to kindle a fire in his neighbours houſe, the which hee is aſſured will ſet his owne houſe in fire, or rather to quenche that fire with all his power.
Whither Scotland were able to reſiſt the malice of the Spaniard, if hee were King of Spaine, Flanders, England, Ireland, &c.
Whither the Scottiſh King deſire or ſeeke the crown of England by conqueſt, or by good right and title therevnto after her Maieſties deceaſe.
If by right and good title, what preiudice or offence were it vntounto him to hauehave it iudged and eſtabliſhed by act of Parliament, whereby he may come by it, and enjoy it with peace: and with the louelove & good-will of all your nobilitie, and commons of this land? For God forbid, that he ſhould not hauehave it willinglie yeelded vntounto him, if it be his right: for god would accurſe this land for their iniurie and iniuſtice, if they ſhould wrongfullie detain it from him.
If he hauehave no right or title thereunto, would it not be a great benefite vntounto him to hauehave his expectation and opinion opened and ſatisfied by large argumentes: yea, and iudged by Parliament, thereby to keep this Realme, & his alſo, in peace, louelove and quietneſſe, avoiding open hoſtilitie: the which (by manie bloodie battailes) would ſo weaken both the Realmes, as they were like to become a praie to the enemie: and thereby alſo to nouriſh, entertaine, and continue that louelove & amitie which is now betweene both the Realmes, to both their preſervations here after and great comforts, and alſo to the preſervation of the holie Religion of Ieſus Chriſt, now eſtabliſhed, preached, & openlie profeſſed and taught in both theſe bleſſed Realmes, the onelyonly cauſe of all the malice to both, by the Princes of the league.
If the ſucceſſor were ſetled by Parliament, and the title of the crowne given from the Scottiſh king (lawfullie) to another: hee having the fore-knowledge of the Parliament, and of the intent of the calling thereof: and beeing required eyther to bee preſent thereat, or to ſend his learned counſell thither, and allowed to hauehave and retaine Lawiers learned in our Engliſhe lawes, to pleade and defend his title: I ſay, if this true iuſtice be duelie & vprightlie weighed in an equal ballance, and this kindnes offered vntounto the Scottiſh King, what cauſe hath he to become our enemie: or (for revenge ſake) to let in, or aide the Spaniard to ſubvert our ſtate: & conſequentlie to endanger his own. And all becauſe her Maieſtie ſhould (by godlie, lawfull, and the moſt peaceable meanes that could be poſſiblie deviſed) ſeeke and indevour to preſerue both the Realmes of England & Scotland: Both which beeing faſt linked and chained together with the ſtrong and godlie linkes and chaines of true louelove, and Religion, and with the ſure amitie thereof: God will ſo take their parts, and ſtrengthen them, that they ſhould not neede to feare the malice, and enemitie of anie Princes of the earth. And I doe perſwade my ſelfe, that the chriſtian Scottiſh king, and his chriſtian nobilitie, hauehave ſuch a naturall louelove and care to the preſervation of their common-wealth, that if they were conferred with, they would yeeld willinglie to hauehave his title to the crowne, quyetlie, vprightlie and lawfullie iudged and determined by Parliament: to the preſervation of both the realmes. Sure I am, that both godlines and wiſdome woulde it ſhoulde be ſo: in reſpect of both their ſafeties.
I aſtlie, if it ſo fall out, that he will (of will) be offended for ſetling of the ſucceſſor, yet it will betoken in vsus a more godlie regarde and truth to the ſtate, rather to offend him by preſerving of it, then to pleaſe him, either be perilling of it, or ſuffering this worthie realme to be vtterlie ſubverted. For it will be (farre) an eaſier matter to recover his favour, beeing loſt, then to recover the ſtate, being overthrowne: And the ſtate is, and ought to be a Iewell of greateſt price, and of moſt account with vsus, next vntounto the Goſpell of Ieſus Chriſt.
Sure I am, and in reaſon it cannot be avoided, but the time will come (and the wiſeſt knoweth not how ſoon) that if this title bee not quietlie determined and ſetled by authoritie of Parliament in her Maieſties life (the which God long lengthen) that both the realmes of England and Scotland, will dolefullie rue it. For they both are like to become (through their vngodlie diſſenſion) prayes for a ſtrange people. O wofull, cruel & lamentable time, Let ſuch as ſit at the helme, & rule the ſtearns of the ſhips of both theſe our common-wealths (with great care) hauehave dutiful regard vntounto this weighty ſervice in time, if there be in thē either louelove naturall care to poſteritie, or pitie and compaſſion to avoide the ſhedding of ſo much innocent blood, by manie bloodie battailes, as may make rivers to runne. Let ſuch (eftſoones I ſay) as rule the ſtearns of both the common-wealthes of England & Scotland, lovinglie & kindlie conferre, conſult and prevent the overthrowes of both Church and commonwealthes in both their countries, & that ſpedily: for the holy Ghoſt ſaith, whatſoeverEzra 7. 23. is by the commādement of the God of heaven, let it be done ſpeedilie for the hous of the God of heavē: for why ſhould he be wroth with the king and his children. And I thinke it no preſumption to affirme, that princes and magiſtrates are ordained and commanded of God, to preſerue both Gods Church and Gods people (as the text ſaith) and that ſpeedilie, even when they ſee them in vnavoydable perill without their helpes: and much the more, ſithence that perils may come vnexpected and ſodainlie. And ſithence that the wiſeſt knoweth not how ſoone: let wiſe magiſtrats and counſellors beware of that wofull counſellor, Had I wiſt: who ever cometh to late, and is alwaies a repentant coūſellor, remedileſſe.
My ſimple capacitie iudgeth it to be a fearefull & preſumptuous ſinne, yea, and a tempting of God, in both Engliſh and Scottiſh magiſtrates, to hazard the pretious pearles of the imperiall crownes of both theſe noble realmes, vppon the vncertaine life of one, albeit never ſo much wiſhed & deſired to be drawne on length by all true and faithfull Engliſh hearts: yet, not to be attained, for God hath appointed the certaine time, though it bee vncertaine and vnknowne to anie. And when that dolefull time ſhall once come, no earneſt wailing, wiſhing or ſighing can recover it againe. And ſo I recommend this ſimple labour to your honors wiſe & graue iudgements, deeming, that the preſervation or ruine of the realme of England in this caſe, will be the ſame vntounto the realme of Scotland: and therefore to be carefullie conſidered of both.
And ſo to conclude, I may affirme (in my ſimple iudgement) that the ſetling of the ſucceſſor by Parliament, equity & authoritie, will be an eſpeciall good meane to increaſe, and long to continue true & faithfull louelove and amitie betweene our Chriſtian Queene, her chriſtian nobility and commons: and the chriſtian Scottiſh king, his chriſtian nobilitie & commons: albeit the imperiall crowne of this worthie realme, ſhoulde be given (after her highnes deceaſe) from the ſaid Scottiſh king: ſithence hee and his nobilitie may (hereby) plainelie and evidentlie ſee, that we kindlie deſire and imbrace his louelove, and neither envie him nor his title: neyther (yet) his rule nor government: but deſire (onlie) that the right may be carefullie and vprightlie examined, ſought our, & given to him, to whom (of right) it duelie appertaineth: wherby God may giuegive a bleſſing to both theſe noble Realmes for this heavenly iuſtice, by means whereof, the vnnaturall and vngodlie ſubverſion of both theſe worthie common-wealthes may be avoyded.
If the Scottiſh king were conferred with in this matter of great importance, as much concerning his ſafetie and the ſafetie of his realme, as the ſafetie of our ſtate, and ſhoulde refuſe and denie this godlie and quiet triall offered in the ellevinth queſtion: thereby perilling both theſe worthie Common-wealthes: it would wound all hearts. And God (in his iuſtice) would revenge himſelfe, who is the Lord of anger, and the mighty revenger.Nahum. 1. 2. And the Prophet Ezekiell ſaith, AsEzech. 35. 6. I liue (ſaith the Lord God) I will prepare thee vntounto blood, except thou hate blood, even blood ſhall purſue thee.
FINIS.
A TREATISE CONTAINING M. WENTWORTHS IVDGEMENT CONCERNING THE PERSON OF THE TRVE and lawfull ſucceſſor to theſe Realmes of England and Ireland.
WHEREIN THE TITLE IS BRIEFLY AND PLAINLIE SET down: DOLMANS objections refuted, and inconveniences remoued.
Made two yeeres before his death, but publiſhed a yeere after his death for the publick benefite of this Realme.
IMPRINTED 1598.