the beginning OF the history OF great britain by the decease of Elizabeth  queen of England the issue of king Henry the that fail be spend in one  generation and three succession for that king though he be one of the goodly  person of his time yet he leave only by his six wife three child who reign  successive and die Childelesse make place to the line of Margaret his old  sister marry to James the that king of Scotland there succeed therefore to the  kingdom of England James the that then king of Scotland descend of the same  Margaret both by father and mother so that by a rare event in the pedigree of  king it seem as if the divine providence to extinguish and take away all note  of a stranger have double upon his person within the circle of one age the  royal blood of England by both parent this succession draw towards it the eye  of all man be one of the most memorable accident that have happen a long time  in the Christian world for the kingdom of France have be reunite in the age  before in all the province thereof former dismember and the kingdom of Spain  be of more fresh memory unite and make entire by the annex of Portugal in the  person of Philip the second there remain but this three and last union for the  counterpoise of the power of these three great monarchy and the dispose of the  affair of Europe thereby to a more assure and universal peace and concord and  this event do hold man observation and discourse the more because the island  of great Britain divide from the rest of the world be never before unite in it  self under one king notwithstanding the people be of one language and not  separate by mountain or great water and notwithstanding also that the unite of  they have be in former time industrious attempt both by war and treaty  therefore it seem a manifest work of providence and case of reservation for  these time insomuch as the vulgar conceive that now there be a end give and a  consummation to superstitious prophecy the belief of fool but the talk  sometime of wise man and to a ancient tacit expectation which have by  tradition be infuse and inveterated into man mind but as the best divination  and prediction be the politic and probable foresight and conjecture of wise  man so in this matter the providence of king Henry the that be in all man  mouth who be one of the deep and most prudent prince of the world upon the  deliberation concern the marriage of his old daughter into Scotland have by  some speech utter by he show himself sensible and almost prescient of this  event neither do there want a concurrence of diverse rare external  circumstance beside the virtue and condition of the person which give great  reputation to this Succession ache in the strength of his year support with  great alliance abroad establish with royal issue at home at peace with all the  world practice in the regiment of such a kingdom as may rather enable a king  by variety of accident then corrupt he with affluence or vain glory and one  that beside his universal capacity and judgement be notable exercise and  practice in matter of religion and the church which in these time by the  confuse use of both sword be become so intermix with consideration of estate  as most of the counsel of sovereign prince or republic depend upon they but  nothing do more fill foreign nation with admiration and expectation of his  Succession then the wonder and by they unexpected consent of all estate and  subject of England for the receive of the king without the least scruple pause  or question for it have be general disperse by the fugitive beyond the sea who  partly to apply themselves to the ambition of foreigner and partly to give  estimation and valve to their own employment use to represent the state of  England in a false light that after queen Elizabeth decease there must follow  in England nothing but confusion Interregs and perturbation of estate likely  for to exceed the ancient calamity of the civil war between the house of  Lancaster and York by how much more the dissension be like to be more mortal  and bloody when foreign competition shall be add to domestical and division  for religion to matter of itle to the crown and in special parson the jesuit  under a disguise name have not long before publish a express treatise wherein  whether his malice make he believe his own fancy or whether he think it the  fit way to move sedition like evil spirit which seem to foretell the tempest  they mean to move he labour to display and give colour to all the vain  pretence and dream of Succession which he can imagine and thereby have possess  many abroad that know not the affair here with those his vanity neither want  there here within this realm diverse person both wise and well affect who  though they doubt not of the undoubted right yet set before themselves the  wave of people heart guide no less by sudden and temporary wind then by the  natural course and motion of the water be not without fear what may be the  event for queen Elizabeth be a prince of extreme caution and yet one that love  admiration above safety and know the declaration of a successor may in point  of safety be disputable but in point of admiration and respect assure to her  disadvantage have from the beginning set it down for a maxim of estate to  impose a silence touch Succession neither be it only reserve as a secret of  estate but restrain by severe law that no man shall presume to give opinion or  maintain argument touch the same so though the evidence of right draw all the  subject of the land to think one thing yet the fear of danger of law make no  man privy to other think and therefore it rejoice all man to see so fair a  morning of a kingdom and to be through secure of former apprehension as a man  that awake out of a fearful dream but so it be that not only the consent but  the applause and joy be infinite and not to be express thronghout the realm of  England upon this Succession whereof the consent no doubt may be true ascribe  to the clearness of the right but the general joy alacrity and gratulation be  the effect of differ cause for queen Elizabeth although she have the use of  many both virtue and demonstration that may draw and knit unto her the heart  of her people yet nevertheless carry a hand restrain in gift and strain in  point of prerogative can not answer the vote either of servant or subject to a  full contentment especial in her latter day when the continuance of her reign  which extend to five and forty year may discover in people their natural  desire and inclination towards change so that a new court and a new reign be  not to many unwelcome many be glad and especial those of settle state and  fortune that the fear and incertainty be over blow and that the die be cast  other that have make their way with the king or offer their service in the  time of the former queen think now the time be come for which they have  prepare and general all such as have any dependence upon the late earl of  Essex who have mingle the secrecy of his own end with the popular pretence of  advance the king Title make account cause be amend again such as ought  misdoubt they have give the king any occasion of distaste do continue by their  forwardness and confidence to show it be but their fastness to the former  government and that those affection end with the time the papist nourish their  hope by collate the case of the papist in England and under queen Elizabeth  and the case of the papist in Scotland under the king interpret that the  condition of they in Scotland be the less grievous and divine of the king  government here accord beside the comfort they minister themselves from the  memory of the queen his moher the minister and those which stand for the  presbytery think their Cause have more sympathy with the discipline of  Scotland then the hierarchy of England and so take themselves to be a degree  near their desire thus have every condition of person some contemplation of  benefit which they promise themselves over reach perhaps accord to the nature  of hope but yet not without some probable ground of conjecture at which time  also there come forth in print the king book entitle in non-Latin alphabet  contain matter of instruction to the prince his son touch the ofice of a king  which book fall into every man hand fill the whole realm as with a good  perfume or incense before the king come in for be excellent write and have  nothing of affectation it do not only satisfy better then particular report  touch the king disposition but far exceed any formal or curious edict or  declaration which can have be devise of that nature wherewith prince in the  beginning of their reign do use to grace themselves or at least express  themselves gracious in the eye of their people and this be for the general the  state and constitution of man mind upon this change the action themselves pass  in this manner c the rest be want