thys her Graces pleasure, or do contrary to the same, shall not only incurre her Majesties high displeasure and indignation, but allso be committed to prison without bayle or mayn-prize, to abyde there suche further punyshment, eyther by fyne or otherwise, as shall be thought agreeable to the qualitie of his or their offences, and maye serve for an example to other lyke disordred persons.
God save the Quene.
Anno m.d. liiii.
A SPEECH OF QUEEN MARY’S TO HER COUNCIL, UPON HER RESOLUTION OF RESTORING CHURCH LANDS. Anno. Reg. March 4. (1555–56.)
Source.—Somers: Tracts. Vol. i., p. 56.
We have willed you to be called to us, to the intent you might hear of me my conscience and the resolution of my mind concerning the lands and possessions as well of monasteries as other churches whatsoever, being now in my possession.
First, I do consider, that the said lands were taken away from the churches aforesaid in time of schism, and that by unlawful means, such as are contrary both to the law of God and of the church; for which cause my conscience doth not suffer me to detain them. And therefore I here expressly refuse either to claim, or retain, those lands for mine; but with all my heart, freely and willingly, without all paction or condition, here, and before God, I do surrender and relinquish the said lands and possessions or inheritances whatsoever; and renounce the same with this mind and purpose, that order and disposition thereof may be taken, as shall seem best liking to the Pope or his legate, to the honour of God, and the wealth of this our realm. And albeit you may object to me again, That the state of my kingdom, the dignity thereof, and my crown imperial, cannot be honourably maintained and furnished without the possessions aforesaid: yet notwithstanding I set more by the salvation of my soul than by ten such kingdoms: and therefore the said possessions I utterly refuse here to hold after that sort and title: and I give most hearty thanks to God, who hath given me a husband of the same mind, who hath no less good affection in this behalf, than I myself. Wherefore, I charge and command that my chancellor[6] (with whom I have conferred my mind in this matter), and you four,[7] to resort to-morrow together to the legate,[8] signifying to him the premises in my name. And give your attendance upon me, for the more full declaration of the state of my kingdom, and of the aforesaid possessions, according as you yourselves do understand the matter, and can inform him in the same.
A PROCLAMATION SETT FORTHE BY THOMAS STAFFORDE, FROM SCARBOROW CASTLE: EXCITING THE ENGLISH TO DELIVER THEMSELVES FROM THE SPANYARDS. (End of April, 1557.)
Source.—Strype: Ecclesiastical Memorials. Ed. 1822. Vol. iii., part ii., p. 515.
To all and every singular person and persons, of what estate or degree soever they be, that love the common wealthe, honoure and libertie of this ower native countrye, and moste for the realme of England, the Lorde Thomas Stafforde, son to the Lorde Henry, rightfull Duke of Bockingham, sendythe greetinge. Knowe ye, most dearlye belovyd countrymen, that we travellinge in strange realmes and forren nations, have perfectly proved owt manye detestable treasons, which Spanyards shamfullye and wrongfullye have pretended, and to this present have indevered themselves to worke against ower noble realme of Englande: we therefore more tenderlye favouringe, as all trewe Englishmen oughte to do, the common commodity and weal publycke of this ower natyve contrye, than ower welthe, treasure, safegarde, health or pleasure, have with all possible spede arived here in the castell of Scarborowe, levyng owr bande, wherwith we thoughte to have proved in other affayers, comynge after us, bycause we had perfect knowledge by certaine letters taken with Spanyardes at Depe,[9] that this same castell of Scarborow, with xij other of the most chefest and principall howldes in the realme, shalbe delyvered to xij thousand Spanyardes before the Kinges coronation: for the Spanyardes saye it were but vaine for the Kinge to be crowned, onlesse he maye have certaine of our strongest castelles and holdes, to resorte to at all tymes, till he maye be able to bringe in a great armye to withstonde his enemyes, that is to overrun and destroye the wholle realme: for, so long as Englyshemen have anye power, we trust they will never submitte themselfes to vile Spanyardes. Which treason we have disappointed; trustinge, and firmelye belevinge, by the mighte of the omnipotente, everlastinge God, with the ayde and helpe of all trewe Englyshmen, to deliver our country from all presente peril, daunger, and bondage, whereunto it is like to be broughte, by the most develyshe devize of Mary, unrightful and unworthye Quene of England, who, both by the will of hir father, Kinge Henrye the viijth, and by the lawes of this noble realme of England, bathe forfette the crowne, for marriage with a straunger. And also hathe most justlye deserved to be deprived from the crowne, because she being naturallye borne haulfe Spanyshe and haulfe Englyshe, bearythe not herselfe indifferentlye towardes bothe nations, but showinge herselfe a whole Spanyarde, and no Englyshe woman, in lovynge Spanyardes and hatinge Inglyshemen, inrichinge Spanyardes and robbinge Inglyshemen, sending over to Spanyardes continuallye the treasure, gowlde, and silver of our realme, to maintaine them for owr destruction, sufferinge poore people of England to lyve in all carefull miserye, manye of them dyinge for verye hunger: and not contented with all thes myschyfes, she sekynge ernestlye by all possyble meanes to place Spanyardes in our castelles and howldes, contrarye to all statutes, customes and ordinaunces within this realme, that they maye burne and destroye the countrye iij or iiij times yerelye, till Englyshemen can be contented to obeye all their vyle customes, and most detestable doinges, whereby the whole commonalite of Inglande shalbe broughte to perpetual captivitie, bondage and most servyle slaverye, as evidentlye shalbe proved before all men, at owr fyrste assemble.
We therfore, dearly beloved countrymen, preventinge these miserable mischefes, have purposed here to remayne and tarrye to receve all such faythfull and trewe Inglyshemen as willinglye will worke to preserve their owne lyves, landes, lyvynges, tresures, wyves, childerne, yea, and to speake bryflye, the crowne of the whole realme, from the possessyon of prowde, spytefull Spanyardes, whose Morysh maners and spytefull condytions no natyon in the worlde is able to suffer. And therfore we are fully determyned to wythstande them in all their doinges for the defence of owr countrye, not myndinge to worke to owr own advancement touchinge the possessyon of the crowne, but onlye to restore our bloude and howse to the owlde pristinate estate, which all men knowe hathe bin most wrongfully suppressd by the malyse of Cardynall Wolsey: and not for any offence that we commytted towardes the realme or the crowne: but have always endevered ourselves, as we pretende at this present, to withstablishe the crowne to the next righteful heyrs of the realme. So that yt maye remayne successyvely to the trewe Inglyshe bloude of our owne naturall countrye, banyshinge and expellinge all straungers, marchauntes onlye excepted: and to restore againe all suche actes, lawes, lybertyes, and customes, as were establyshed in the tyme of that most prudente prince, King Henrye the viij. Wherby this whole realme of Englande shall not onlye be preserved from the tyrannie of forrayne princes, but also be delyvered from all suche powlinge[10] paymentes, as the Quene dothe daylye geve to Spanyardes: and will geve contynuallye, till she have beggered and destroyed all the whole realme. We therfore are fullye determyned moste thankefullye to receve all persons, of everye state or degre, that willingelye wil wythstande thes myserable myschefes; and as the Dukes of Buckingham, our forefathers and predecessors, have always byn defendores of the poor commonaltye againste the tyrannye of princys, so shoulde you have us at this juncture, moste dearlye beloved frendes, your protector, governor and defendor, againste all your adversaries and enemyes: myndinge earnestlye to dye rather presentlye and personallye before you in the felde, than to suffer you to be overrun so miserably with straungers, and made moste sorrowfull slaves, and carefull captyves to suche a naughtye natyon as Spanyardes, who affirme openlye, that they will rather lyve with Mores, Turkes, and Jues, than with Inglyshemen: whereby all men may perceyve plainelye, that ever lyke as they do use Turkes, Mores, and Jues, which be their captyves, so muche
