A Pithy Exhortation to Her Majesty, Title page – To the reader
A PITHIE EXHORTATION TO HER MAIESTIE FOR ESTABLISHING HER SVCCESSOR TO the crowne.
WHEREVNTO IS ADDED A DISCOVRSE containing the Authors opinion of the true and lavvfull ſucceſſor to her Maieſtie.
Both compiled by PETER WENTWORTH Eſquire.
Prudens Princeps haeredem nominando Regno proſpiciet, & ſi deſit filius de ſucceſſore ſeriò cogitabit. Ex Spart.
A wiſe Prince by naming his heire will provide for the ſafetie of his kingdome: and if hee hauehave no ſonne, he will be the more carefull to eſtabliſh his ſucceſſor. Out of Spart.
IMPRINTED. 1598.
Thomas Foley of Great Witley Court in the County of Worceſter Esq.
TO THE READER.
GOOD Reader the two Treatiſes enſuing were written by M. WENTWORTH, whoſe zealous affection to the preſervation of Religion, his Prince & countrie, hath bene made better known to al her Maieſties good ſubjects, by his patient and conſtant indurance for ſo good a cauſe as he maintained, then it can be by any mans reporte or commendation. In the former (which by the adviſe of ſome friends he preferred to her Maieſtie in forme of a ſupplication) is prooved, that for the ſafetie of the kingdomes of England and Scotland, and of the Religion profeſſed in them, it is abſolutelie neceſſarie that al the claimes and titles to the crowne of this Realme be tried by Parliament, and that the rightfull ſucceſſour to her highneſſe be declared and confirmed nowe in her Maieſties life-time. I doubt not but every religious and true hearted ſubiect is of his minde. The latter declaring his opinion concerning the perſon of the true & lawfull ſucceſſor, he ſent to ſome privie friends at their inſtant requeſt: it may ſeeme ſtrange that hee woulde venture to write it, in reſpect of theſe tickliſh times, and of his preſent troubles for a leſſer matter: but yet there was ſtrong reaſons leading him to doe the ſame. I hauehave publiſhed them both not ſo much to procure commendation & praiſe to the dead, though he iuſtlie deſerue it for his moſt worthie parts, as to worke a due regarde of right and equitie, to the good and behoofe of all my countriemen: and that he whoſe mouth was ſtopped from ſpeaking the good which he would when he did liue, might now without danger openlie proclaime the ſame, (though ſome would not) after his death. And as he was accuſtomed to ſay to his friends, if it bee a duetie required of vsus to communicate our knowledge in the meaneſt matters for mutuall inſtruction: who in any good conſcience can ſuppreſſe his knowledge in matters ſo greatly importing every private and publick eſtate of theſe Realmes? yea both earthlie kingdomes and the kingdome of Chriſt. For theſe reſpects I hauehave thought it expedient, that hee who hath ſpoken in the Parliament with ſo great regarde and good liking of all the hearers, ſhoulde nowe as it were with his owne mouth ſpeak to all the ſubjects of England, ſeing it is a matter that ſo greatly concerneth vsus all. I hauehave altered or ſuppreſſed no thing in either of them, vnles it be titles and names of perſons, & places, & words of courteſie, which were not at al requiſite to be knowne. Some things I hauehave quoted in the margent for thy better vnderſtanding, being acquainted with his meaning, and hauehave alſo engliſhed ſome things for the help of the vnlearned. Now for my ſelf (good Reader) I ſpeak my opinion in the trueth of my conſcience, that the Scottiſh King (for anything I knowe) hath the beſt right to ſucceede to our gracious and Soveraigne Ladie. Wherein I am the more confirmed for that I know it to be the opinion of ſome mē, who make as much conſcience of their doings, and hauehave as much wiſdome & law in their budgets, as any man whatſoever that is in this land. And to mee it ſeemeth a thing altogether needleſſe, yea voide of common ſenſe and reaſon, to fetch with ſo great adoe the branches and pedegrees from William the Conqueror, Edward the firſt, or Edward the third, and to contend and to diſpute a freſh for the houſes of Lancaſter and Yorke, ſeeing all good men confeſſe, that the right muſt hauehave beene in the children of Henrie the ſeaventh, and Elizabeth eldeſt daughter to Edward the fourth. And if by all our judgemēts the two titles were in them moſt happily joined he muſt be vnhappie, that would ſeek to diſſolue them. We hauehave paide too deare for pleading broken titles: and other ſervice will pleaſe God better, then to purge this land with our bloode for our vnthankfulneſſe of all the benefites which wee doe at this preſent enjoy. But to goe a little further, if her Maieſtie had a daughter or ſiſter, I dare be bolde to avouche that none in all Engl. durſt preſume to ſpeak againſt her: yet ſhe could not poſſibly hauehave any better rightor title, I ſpeak of the ground of it, then the heires of the Lady Margaret Teuther may claime by her. For if the right of the brother King Henrie the 8. and his children be good, the right of his eldeſt ſiſter Ladie Margaret and her heires cannot be badde, & for want of his iſſue, hers muſt needes come in. The acts and ſtatutes wreſted againſt the Scottiſh king, are, in my conceit▪ by diverſe ſufficientlie anſwered. The inconveniences pretended for barring him, are but ſuſpitions and ſurmiſes alleadged without any colourable ground, and though they were true, yet they were rather to be admitted, then the manifeſt ruine of the Realms. Finally, I wiſh thee ſo to read theſe treatiſes of M. Wentworths, as hee was accuſtomed to read other mens, to wit, to yeeld tot he reaſon, and not to the man, for if he or I be deceived, it is enough that wee beare the blame of our owne error, though wee bee not alſo burdened with thine, and therefore do as thou will anſwere for it, for I ſeek thy good, and not to hurt thee. Thus proteſting that with my hart I deſire hereby nothing more then the preſervation and advancement of Religion, the ſtanding of my natiue Prince and countrie, and that if I did knowe a better right then the Scottiſh kings, I would vnfainedlie favour it, I leaue thee for this matter to the gracious direction of the Almighty.
Fare-well.