by a claimant of the Crown, it has been observed,* implied that of the Empire. Our ancient Kings always occupied that fortress, previously to their coronation.

JANE THE QUENE.

Right trustie and right welbeloved, we grete you well, advertising the same, that where' (whereas) yt hath pleased almighty God to call to his mercie out of this lief our derest cousen the King, your late sovereigne lorde, by reason wherof and suche ordenñces as the said late King did establishe in his lief tyme for the securitie and welthe of this Realme, we are entrerid into our rightfull possession of this kingdome, as by the last (will) of o' said derest cousen our late pgenitor, and other severall instruments to that effect, signed w'th his owne hande and sealed w'th the grete seale of this realme in his own presence. Wherunto the nobles of this realme for the most pte, and all our counsaill and Judges, wth the Mayo' and Aldermen of our Cytie of london, and dyvers other grave psonages of this o' realme of England, have also subscribed there names as by the same will and instrument it maye more evidently and plainly apere. We therfore doo yo' to understand, that by th'ordenñce and sufferunce of the hevenly Lord, and by assent and consent of o' said nobles and councellors, and others before specifyed, we doo this daye make our enterye into our Towre of London as rightfull Quene of this realme, and have accord

* Page 17.

ingly sett furthe our pclamac'ons to all o' loving subjects, gyveing them therby to understande there duties and alegeunce w'ch they now of right owe unto us, as more amplie by the same you shall briefly pceyve and understand, nothing doubting right trustie and right welbeloved cosen, but that you will indever yourself in all things to the uttermost of yo' powre not only to defend our just title but also assist us in our rightfull possession of this kingdom, and to disturbe, repell, and resist the fayned and untrue clayme of the lady Mary, basterd daughter to our grete uncle Henry the eight of famous memory. Wherin as you shall doo that w'ch to yo' hono', truthe, and dutie apteyneth, so shall we remember the same unto you and yours accordingly. And our further pleas' is, that you shall contynue, doo, and execute every thinge and thinges as our lieutenant wth in all places, according to the tenor of the comission, addressed unto you from our late cousen King Edward the vi, in suche and like sort as if the same hadd byn, as we mynde shortely it shalbe, renued and by us con confyrmed under our greate seale unto you. Geven under our Signet at our Tower of london this with of July, the furst yere of our reign.*

Indorsed, To our right trusty

and right welbeloved Cousyn and Counsaille' the Marquis of North

* Filled up in a different hand.

ampton, our lieutenant of our County of Surrey, and our trusty and welbeloved the deputes of that Lieutenancye and the Sheriff and chief Justices of Peas and the worshypfull of that Shire.

( 46. )

Jane the Queen, under her signet and sign manual to the Sheriff, the Justices, and the Gentlemen of Surrey, exhorts them to be stedfast in their obedience to the Imperial Crown, notwithstanding the slanderous reports published by the Lady Mary and her adherents, derogatory to her (the Queen's) title and dignity royal.

By the Quene.

JANE THE QUENE.

Trustie and wel beloved, we grete you well. Albeit that o' estate in this imperiall Crowne, whereof we be actually and really possessed, as p'tely may appere by o' proclamac'on, wherin our tytle is published, is not ne can be any wise doubtfull to all such our good and faithfull subjectes, as, setting blynd affection apart, do in reason and wysdome considre the very foundacon and grounde of o' tytle, wt the grete comodities therby coming thorough God's providence to the preservacon of o' comon weale and polycie, yet for that we understande the Ladye Marye dothe not cease by l'res in hir name, provoked therto by hir adherents enemyes of this realme, to publishe and notifie sklaun

derously to dyverse of o' subjects, matter derogatory to our title and dignitie royall, withe the sklaundres of certen of o' nobilitie and counsell. We have thought mete to admonishe and exhorte you, as o' true and faithfull subjects, to remayne fast in yo' obeysaunce and duetie to the impiall Crowne of this realme, wherof we have justely the possession, and not to be removed any wise from yo' dutie by sklaunderous reportes, or of l'res dispsed abrode, either by the said Lady Marye, or by hir adherents, for truely like as the nobilitie of o' realme, our Counsell, our prelates, our judges, and lerned men, and others, good, wise, godly, and naturall subjects, do remayne fast and surelie in their allegiaunce towards us, redy to adventure their lieves, landes, and goodes, for o' defence, so can a greate numbre of the same nobilitie, counsaile, and judges truely testiefye to all the worlde in savetye of their conscience, howe carefully and earnestly the late king of famous memorye, o' dere cousen king Edwarde the sixt, from tyme to tyme motioned and provoked them ptely by pswasions, ptely commaundements, to have suche respect to his succession, if god shuld call him to his mercye w'out issue, as might be the preservacon of the crowne in the hole undefyled Englishe bloude. And therfore of his owne mere močon, both by graunt of his l'res patents, and by declaračon of his will, established the successors as it is declared by o' proclamacon

And for the testimonye hereof,

to the satisffaction of suche as shal conceyve any doubt herin, we understand that certen of o' nobilitye have written to you at this present in some pte to admonishe you of yo' duties, and to testiefie their knowledge of the truethe of o' tytle and right. Wherfore we leave to procede further therin being assured in the goodnes of god that yo' harts shalbe confirmed to owe yo' duetye to us yo' Soveraigne Ladye, who meane to preserve this Crowne of Englande in the royall bloude, and out of the D'mon (dominion) of straungers and papists, wt the defence of all you o' good subjects, yo' lieves, landes, and goodes, in o' peace, against the invasions and violences of all foreen or inward enemies and rebells. Geven undre o' Signet at o' Tower of London, the xvith day of July, in the first yere of our Raigne.

Indorsed, To our trustie and wel beloved the Shrief, Justices of Peas, and other gentilmen of our Countie of Surrey, and to every of them.

Original Documents, (some under the sign manual of Queen Mary) relating to Wyatt's Rebellion.

Mary, who had the scheme of re-converting her subjects to the Popish faith so much at heart, with this view formed an alliance with Philip Prince of Spain, son of the Emperor Charles the Fifth; her decision on this head had been