[“It is pity,” quoth[1865]one, “that the meeter is no better, seeing the matter is so good: you may do very well to helpe it, and a lytle filing would make it formal.” “The author him selfe,” quoth[1866]I, “could haue done that, but hee would not, and hath desired me that it may passe in such rude sort as you haue heard it: for hee obserueth therein a double decorum both of the Smith, and of himselfe: for hee thinketh it not meete for the Smith to speake, nor for himselfe to write in any exact kinde of meeter.” “Well,” sayd another, “the matter is notable to teach al people, as well officers as subiects, to consider their estates, and to liue in loue and obedience to the highest powers, whatsoeuer they bee, whome God either by birth, law, succession, or vniuersall election, doth or shall aucthorise in his owne roume to execute his lawes and iustice among any people or nation. For by all these meanes God placeth his deputies. And in my iudgement there is no meane so good eyther for the common quiet of the people, or for God’s free choise, as the naturall order of enheritaunce by lineall discent: for so it is left in God’s handes, to creat in the wombe what prince hee thinketh meetest for his purposes: the people also knowe their princes, and therefore the more gladly and willingly receiue and obay them. And although some realmes, more carefull then wise, haue entailed theire crowne to the heire male, thinking it not meete for the feminine sexe to beare the royall office: yet if they consider all circumstaunces, and the chiefest vses of a prince in a realme, they shall see how they are deceiued. For princes are God’s lieutenauntes or deputies, to see God’s lawes executed among theire subiects, not to rule according to their owne lustes or deuises, but by the prescript of God’s lawes: so that the chiefest poynt of a prince’s office consisteth in obedience to God and to his ordinaunces, and what shouldelet but that a woman may bee as obedient vnto God, as a man? The second poynt of a prince’s office is to prouide for the impotent, nedy, and helples, as widowes, orphanes, lame, and decrepite persons: and seing women are by nature tender harted, milde and pitifull, who may better then they discharge this duty? Yea but a woman lacketh courage, boldnesse, and stomacke, to withstand the aduersarie, and so are her subiects an open spoyle to their enemies.Debora,Iaell,Iudith,Thomeris, and other doe proue the contrary. But graunt it were so: what harme were that, seing victory consisteth not in witte or force, but in God’s pleasure.[1867]I am sure that whatsoeuer prince doth his duty in obaying God, and causing iustice to bee ministred according to God’s lawes, shall not only lacke warre (bee hee man, woman, or childe) but also bee a terroure to all other princes. And if God suffer any at any time to be assayled, it is for the destruction of the assayler, whether he bee rebell or forayne foe, and to the honour and profit of the vertuous prince, in whose behalfe, rather then hee shall miscary, God himselfe will fight with enfections and earthquakes from the lande and waters, and with stormes and lightenings from the ayre and skies. Moe warres haue bene sought through the wilfull and hauty courages of kings, and greater destructions happened to realmes therby, then by any other meanes. And as for wisdome and pollicy, seing it consisteth in following the counsayle of many godly, learned, and long experienced heades, it were better to haue a woman, who considering her owne weaknes and inability, should be ruled thereby, then a man which presuming vpon his owne fond brayne, will heare no aduise saue his owne. You muse peraduenture wherefore I say this. The franticke heades which disable our queene, because shee is a woman, and our king because hee is a straunger, to bee our princes and cheife gouernours, hath caused mee to say thus mutch. For whatsoeuer man, woman, or childe, is by the consent of the whole realme established in the royall seate, so it haue not bene iniuriously procured by rygour of sworde and open force, but quietlyby tytle, either of enheritaunce, succession, lawfull bequest, common consent or election, is vndoubtedly chosen by God to bee his deputye: and whosoeuer resisteth any suche, resisteth agaynste God himselfe, and is a ranke traytour and rebell, and shalbe sure to prosper as well as the blacke Smith and other suche haue done. All resist that wilfully breake any lawe, not being agaynst God’s lawe, made by common consent for the wealthe of the realme, and commaunded to be kept by the authority of the prince: or that deny to pay such duties, as by consent of the high court of parliament, are appointed to the prince, for the defence and preseruation of the realme.” “You haue saide very truly herein,” quoth[1868]I, “and I trust this terrible example of the blacke Smith, will put all men in minde of their duties, and teach them to bee obedient to all good lawes, and lawfull contributions. The scriptures do forbyd vs to rebell, or forcibly to withstand princes, though they commaund vniust things: yet in any case wee may not doe them: but receiue quietly at the prince’s hand whatsoeuer punishment God shall suffer to bee layd vpon vs for our refusall. God will suffer none of his to bee tempted aboue their strength.”[1869]This talke thus being ended: “I was willed my maisters,” quoth I, “by maisterHolinshed, to bring sirNicholas Burdetvnto you.” “Were you?” quoth they: “on his word we will heare what he sayes.” “Read it, I pray you,” quod one. “You must thinke then,” quoth I, “that you see him all wounded as he was slaine atPontoise, to say as foloweth.”]
[“It is pity,” quoth[1865]one, “that the meeter is no better, seeing the matter is so good: you may do very well to helpe it, and a lytle filing would make it formal.” “The author him selfe,” quoth[1866]I, “could haue done that, but hee would not, and hath desired me that it may passe in such rude sort as you haue heard it: for hee obserueth therein a double decorum both of the Smith, and of himselfe: for hee thinketh it not meete for the Smith to speake, nor for himselfe to write in any exact kinde of meeter.” “Well,” sayd another, “the matter is notable to teach al people, as well officers as subiects, to consider their estates, and to liue in loue and obedience to the highest powers, whatsoeuer they bee, whome God either by birth, law, succession, or vniuersall election, doth or shall aucthorise in his owne roume to execute his lawes and iustice among any people or nation. For by all these meanes God placeth his deputies. And in my iudgement there is no meane so good eyther for the common quiet of the people, or for God’s free choise, as the naturall order of enheritaunce by lineall discent: for so it is left in God’s handes, to creat in the wombe what prince hee thinketh meetest for his purposes: the people also knowe their princes, and therefore the more gladly and willingly receiue and obay them. And although some realmes, more carefull then wise, haue entailed theire crowne to the heire male, thinking it not meete for the feminine sexe to beare the royall office: yet if they consider all circumstaunces, and the chiefest vses of a prince in a realme, they shall see how they are deceiued. For princes are God’s lieutenauntes or deputies, to see God’s lawes executed among theire subiects, not to rule according to their owne lustes or deuises, but by the prescript of God’s lawes: so that the chiefest poynt of a prince’s office consisteth in obedience to God and to his ordinaunces, and what shouldelet but that a woman may bee as obedient vnto God, as a man? The second poynt of a prince’s office is to prouide for the impotent, nedy, and helples, as widowes, orphanes, lame, and decrepite persons: and seing women are by nature tender harted, milde and pitifull, who may better then they discharge this duty? Yea but a woman lacketh courage, boldnesse, and stomacke, to withstand the aduersarie, and so are her subiects an open spoyle to their enemies.Debora,Iaell,Iudith,Thomeris, and other doe proue the contrary. But graunt it were so: what harme were that, seing victory consisteth not in witte or force, but in God’s pleasure.[1867]I am sure that whatsoeuer prince doth his duty in obaying God, and causing iustice to bee ministred according to God’s lawes, shall not only lacke warre (bee hee man, woman, or childe) but also bee a terroure to all other princes. And if God suffer any at any time to be assayled, it is for the destruction of the assayler, whether he bee rebell or forayne foe, and to the honour and profit of the vertuous prince, in whose behalfe, rather then hee shall miscary, God himselfe will fight with enfections and earthquakes from the lande and waters, and with stormes and lightenings from the ayre and skies. Moe warres haue bene sought through the wilfull and hauty courages of kings, and greater destructions happened to realmes therby, then by any other meanes. And as for wisdome and pollicy, seing it consisteth in following the counsayle of many godly, learned, and long experienced heades, it were better to haue a woman, who considering her owne weaknes and inability, should be ruled thereby, then a man which presuming vpon his owne fond brayne, will heare no aduise saue his owne. You muse peraduenture wherefore I say this. The franticke heades which disable our queene, because shee is a woman, and our king because hee is a straunger, to bee our princes and cheife gouernours, hath caused mee to say thus mutch. For whatsoeuer man, woman, or childe, is by the consent of the whole realme established in the royall seate, so it haue not bene iniuriously procured by rygour of sworde and open force, but quietlyby tytle, either of enheritaunce, succession, lawfull bequest, common consent or election, is vndoubtedly chosen by God to bee his deputye: and whosoeuer resisteth any suche, resisteth agaynste God himselfe, and is a ranke traytour and rebell, and shalbe sure to prosper as well as the blacke Smith and other suche haue done. All resist that wilfully breake any lawe, not being agaynst God’s lawe, made by common consent for the wealthe of the realme, and commaunded to be kept by the authority of the prince: or that deny to pay such duties, as by consent of the high court of parliament, are appointed to the prince, for the defence and preseruation of the realme.” “You haue saide very truly herein,” quoth[1868]I, “and I trust this terrible example of the blacke Smith, will put all men in minde of their duties, and teach them to bee obedient to all good lawes, and lawfull contributions. The scriptures do forbyd vs to rebell, or forcibly to withstand princes, though they commaund vniust things: yet in any case wee may not doe them: but receiue quietly at the prince’s hand whatsoeuer punishment God shall suffer to bee layd vpon vs for our refusall. God will suffer none of his to bee tempted aboue their strength.”[1869]This talke thus being ended: “I was willed my maisters,” quoth I, “by maisterHolinshed, to bring sirNicholas Burdetvnto you.” “Were you?” quoth they: “on his word we will heare what he sayes.” “Read it, I pray you,” quod one. “You must thinke then,” quoth I, “that you see him all wounded as he was slaine atPontoise, to say as foloweth.”]