British Library, Additional MS 11600
Wherein three kin thinges are considered.
unitinge of kingdomes and dominions togeather, wherby may be
conceaved w
As touchinge the first namely a considerac
of such vnion theise motives amonge many others may be remembred.
brought vp vnder severall lawes and yett subiect to one kinge or
Monarchy, are not w
in vnitie or good agreem
may be devised to continewe and unite them togeather /
Therefore such vnion is necessarie and the fruite thereof is tranquillitie
peace and future felicitie of government when boeth people shalbe
equally respected yf the lawes stand vpon equall termes in the
favor of their Soveraigne and enioye equall ymmunitie and priviligs
of theire p
the bond of league loyaltie and obedience w
estate and condic
there muste of necessitie ensue a greater civillitie and a better
temperature in the people soe knitt and conioyned togeather whereof
the dominion of Wales wholie united by the statute of 27 Hen: 8
unto the realme of England doth yeald plentifullie example
sithence wEngland the same hath
produced instead of continuall rebellions and tumults tranquillitie
of state civillitie of manners better manurance of soile more
wealth and abillitie in the welsh then was found formerlie in
that nation for that they nowe are capable of the same ymmunities
and stand in equall degree w
naturallie given (where nature by eerror and barbarisme is not corr=
pted) to communitie societie, and civillitie . / .
w
Territorie into another where they thincke that the sworde
of Iustice either cannot att all or at least might not w
difficultie pursue them, and hence it is that the confines frontiers
borders and marches of kingdomes are most subiect to incursions
spoiles rapines and other detestable outrages, the offendor flyinge
from the one into the other vpon hope they haue to eschewe the
punishm
kingdomes into one whereby the batable groundes are confined
partlie into the one and partlie into the other kingdome and the
borderinge people brought vnder the obedience of the lawe w
manifestly sheweth it selfe when kinge Edgar reduced the
heptarchie or seven severall kingdomes in this Countrie into
one Monarchie so that the miserable estate of this land torne
into sundrie empires and soe consequentlie being full of
incomodities was thereby in short season exceedinglie reduced
The avoidinge of w
occasion of impunities of offendors is recited in the preamble of
the Statute made the 27 yeare of Hen: 8: to haue bene the
cause of the vnitinge of Wales unto England made by
that Statut . /.
regard either in respect of fertillitie of soile comerce of
traffique riches of Minnerall or the like, the people of the
greater dominion will soe fasten theire foetinge therein as that
they will be never thence roeted out or removed againe w
benefitt to the kingdome to the w
The considerac
hee attempted the conquest of Fraunce and had proclaimed
him selfe kinge, thereof the 14th yeare of his Raigne to provide
by act of Parliam
eu
from the kingdome of Fraunce fearinge as it seemeth least soe in
tyme the lesser (namelie Englands territorie might be confounded in
the greater as to the dilligent reader of the Act of Parliament made
14 Edw: 3 Statute 4th may appeare . / .
The difficulties and discomodities that might result
of such vnion . / .
mutuall retribution, that is where the people of one kingdome cannot
in shewe enioye as much benefitt and proffitt by that vnion as the people
of the other kingdome there such vnion cannot be made w
and discontent of that Nac
advantage thereby for such vnion may drawe a greater number of the
people vnited into the other kingdome than is convenient of whose multitud
the people of that other kingdome wilbe ever ielous and maligne theire
p
Comon Soveraigne . / .
or att the least of one of them is introduced, but lawes were neu
in any kingdome totallie altered w
of the whole state, And therefore it is said well by the interpreters
of Aristotle that lawes are not to be chardged but uppon those
cautions and circumspections, 1 Raro, ne incomodam 2 In melius
ne periculum, 3 prudentur et sesim, ne reipublicæ naufragiu m
ex innouatione sequatur: Lawes are to be changed, 1 seldome least
such change prove to the disadvantage of the State 2 for the better
least it breade danger to the State, 3 warelie and by little and litle
least the Shipwrack of the Comon wealth and the totall everc
be occasioned by such innovation /
There can be no p
a meeting of boeth States and as it were a com
boeth kingdomes, for the gen
boeth people, such parliamCantons and
confederate estates of Heluetias or Swisars for theire gen
causes although eu
and peculiar parliam
assemblie of boeth Nac
vigilancie is to be vsed in apointing what persons shalbe called togeather
of those estates least the one exceed the other in number of suffrage or voice
et sio sepe numero maior pars unicat meliorem . / .
Where vnion of twoe kingdomes is made there consequentlie doe followe theise
inconveniencies the people of the one Nation as they stand in the favor of theire
Prince maay procure vnto them selues the greatest offices the ecclesiasticall
dignities, the possessions of the forts and millitarie strength boeth by
land and Sea of the other nac
that Nation w
The third thing proposed was the considerac ion
of the diuers formes of Vnited States and
Kingdomes wherby may be obserued
which shalbe the best to be followed.
the goverment of one Soveraigne the first may be called the
vnion of freedome and denizac
boeth kingdomes is made free of each other Nac
liberties and ymmunities in boeth States and to be capable to
purchase landes and to beare office in eache other dominion
w
or birth in that manner the Scotts were free in Fraunce
by an edict made by Hen: 3. and likewise the French were
free in Scotland, As by a lyke Act of Parliament made
octauo Parliamento Mariæ Regine cap: 65 in the
Scottish Statuts w
Queene with the Daulphin of Fraunce. And this is not
greately preiudiciall to be yealded unto by parliaments
of boeth Nations for that the Subiects of eache nation, w
heareafter shalbe borne and hauinge noe kinge and Soveraigne
wilbe such even by their birth and that by the lawe of Nac
and it is only a benevolence and a grace to those that were
borne before both kingdomes descended into the one hande, and
such a grace it is as the kinge of those Nac
and bestowe by his regall pwer w
States, For it is a prerogatiue royall and incident and
belonginge to every kinge to naturalize and make denizen
whome he shall thincke expedient by his Charter And this
manner of vnion is easiest to be assented vnto and a good ground
and foundac
p
of lawe and Iustice when as besides the priviledge of denzac
enioyed equallie by boeth people, boeth Nac
the selfe same lawes. / This kinde of union conquer
p
conqueringe Callice Gascoyne & Guynes in Fraunce, and
Barwick in Scotland conioyninge the same to the Crowne of
England causinge the English lawes to be there practised and
ruled formerlie by seuerall constituc
is more difficult to accomplish because noe Nac
theire lawes to the w
provinces of Netherland may well wittnes w
waged warre and endured sundrie assaults of the kinge of Spaine
for the mainten
abandoninge of the inquisic
them And therefore this kinde of vnion requireth tract of tyme ve leges
mutentur in melius idque seu sim et peditentem ne republice
naufragiu m ex innouatione sequatur . / .
The third kinde of vnion is the most absolute vnion of kingdomes that
may be when not only the people enioy like libertie of denizac
are ruled by the selfe same lawes but alsoe the name of the kingdomes
is abolished and surrendred in the other or ells a newe name devised
for boeth soe that there is made onelie one ymperiall Crowne of
boeth And this union is was used by kinge
Aluered
by beinge
seaven sevarall pettie kingdomes in this Countrie now spoken of into
one entire
state Meltinge as it were all theire Crownes into one and
intitulinge himselfe in sundrie of his Charters totius Anglie
Monarchus. This mann
as meanes to worke the dominaation of theire Styles and titles. And
therefore the kinge of Spaine havinge vnited the severall kingdomes
of that countrie did nevertheles in there styles preserve
and titles of those dominions and kingdomes of Castile Arragon
Lions Catalonia Mauricia Granado &c /
The meanes to accomplishe this Vnion.
Sith nothinge but tract of tyme can consolidate this kinde of
vnion Let vs consider by what meanes in tyme the same may
be first accomplished . / .
vndoubted vnion of hearts when they doe agree in the profession of on
faith. for where there is noe vnitie of religion there can be noe hartie
loue And therefore although Cantons of the Swysars beinge of
some difference of religion amongest them selues are neverthelesse
combined yett that league is not grownded vpon hartie loue
iniurye and is many tymes subiect to sondry and sinister
opinions conceaved each of other whoe therefore will
attempt the vnion of twoe kingdomes must not only endeavor
to haue theire religion and doctrine to be one but alsoe must
introduce by litle and litle church discipline in them boeth
And that discpline must alone be imbraced of either w
is fardest of from popular facc
the Ecclesiasticall and civill Magistrate and least subiect
to mutabillitie and phantasticall opinions . / .
whereby is ingendred betweene the parties in present
loue and good likinge and in future betweene theire
posteritie comixture of blood whereof sondrie alliances
haue theire ofspringe and originall w
afterwards into manie branches doe drawe the knot of this
vnion as close as the same may be knitt by an arme of flesh
for soe is this Comunitie somtimes called: of boeth theise speakes
the sonnes of Jacob. unto Shem and Hemore his Father
wherein although the meaninge of the said sonnes of Jacob
was deceitfull yett theire p
effectuall. If you wilbe as wee are that eu
amonge you bee circumsised (there is vnitie of religion
required) then will wee gyve o
will take yo
of marriage offered) and will dwell w
people: there is vnitie promised as the conclusion resultinge
out of the twoe former proposic
induccConqueror of England
amonge many other seeke to settle and secure this Conquest
and washed out the blouddie spotts of his sword in the
bride cupp of sundry of his most powerfull subiects.
For the greatest wardes of the English bloud he married
to the Norman nobillitie from whome are descended o
most auntient and honorable families remayninge at this
of vse, that yf any p
died havinge noe masculine yssue but only dawghters and the elder of
them married in theire fathers life tyme the kinge bestowed the youngest
dawfter w
where it pleased him, the words of w
in the boekes of lawe, Si aliquis Baro d omini Regis tenens de rege
obisset et non haberet hæredem nisi filias et primogenite filiæ
maritatæ sunt in vita patris Dominus rex daret post natam
filiam quæ remanet in hereditate patris alicui militum suoram
cum totæ hereditate patris suæ de qua obisset sesitus Ita
quod aliæ filiæ nihil recuperent versus post natam filiam
in vita sua et omnes reges habuerunt hanc dignitatem a
Conquesta. . /
that those of them w
vpp either in the vniuersitie or at or neere the Court in the other
kingdome where the kinge in p
they bee by nature of the one Nac
nurture and instituc
of both. Of this will result a double comoditie to the kinge, for
not only by this meanes theire educac
his highnes good likinge and theire aquaintance and familiaritie
grow stronge towards them w
theire youth but alsoe they may serve as secrett hostages of theire
parents fidelitie vnder the pretence of theire civill educac
may boeth states rest by so much the more secure to the kinge and
his posteritie. This stratagem hath beene often put in practise
to exceeding good purpose in sundrie seasons and is very auncient
as may appeare by the Babilonian Monarche whoe after
theire conquest of the Isarilites especiallie retained the children
of the nobillitie of that NacBabilon
under the MEvenuckes that they should teach them
the arts and tounge of the Caldeans soe to waine them from theire
religion and make them more assured of that state and soveraingnitie
used by sundrie nac
narchies wher they transplanted the tribes of Isaraell into
Babilon and into other the regions of the east placinge theire
owne people in theire roome from whome descended those
Samaritans that after enioyed the best and greatest parte
of the promised land w
Conqueror was not unaquainted when hee carried w
into Normandie some of the English nobillitie whose
fidelitie hee stood then most doubtfull of and placed them
there w
hee ymployed them to w
and alsoe was free of all feare of theire revolte in England. /
Certein Examples of Vnited Kingdomes
most famous of the Kingdomes of
Europe. /
In England. The principallitie of Wales vnited to the Crowne
of England by the Statute. 27. H: 8.
In Spaine. The kingdome of Navarr and Arragon w
that of Castile and of Spaine and Portugall
In Fraunce The Duchie of Normandie and the Duchie of
Brittanie to the Crowne of Fraunce. / .
In Germanie The Netherlandes and vnited provinces of the
lowe countries to the howse of Austria /
As for theire vnion of kingdomes they are lesse famous or ells amonge
barbarous nac
and deduced. And therefore somewhat shalbe said of everie of the
former in order as they are proposed in what manner the same
were made . / .
The principallitie of Wales was ancientlie a dominion of it selfe
yet holden in fee of the Crowne of England and governed by
a prince of the welsh NacBrittons (from whome
the Welsh challenge to descend) were invaded by the Saxons and
the remnant of them that escaped the Invaders sword were fledd
into the mountaines of Cornewall and Wales for theire refuge
The Cornish men were subdued afterwards by kinge Athelston
and the welsh constituted certein principallities of their owne
as the principallitie of Northwales Southwales Pewesland
w
by a prince of theire one NacEdward the first
made a Conquest of Wales in the 11th yeare of his raigne shortlie
after wRuthlan in
Wales where a Statute was made for the vnion called
comonlie Statutum Wallia and hath theise words diuinæ
prouidentia que in sui dispositione non fallitur inter alia
suæ dispositionis numera quibus nos et regnum nostrum
angliæ decorari dignitata est terra walliacum incolis
suis prius nobis iure subicta iam sui gratia improprietatis
nostræ dominian obstæcules quibuscumq ue cessantibus
totalliter et cum integritate connexit et coronæ Regni
predicti tanquam partem corporis eiusdem annexit et vnicuit
and so procedeth on devidinge certen parts of Northwales
into Sheires as Anglesey Carnaruon Monmouth and
Flint, appointinge A Iustice for theire regiment and strange
writts after the manner of the English lawes for theire iudiciall
proceedingEdward
Surnamed of Carnarvon (be cause he was borne at Carnaruo n
Castle beinge his sonne and heire apparant of the Crowne),
prince of Wales . / .
Neverthelesse Wales was not totallie governed by the lawes of
England untill the 27 yeare of kinge H: 3 that the rest
of the dominion of Wales not beinge formerlie Shire ground
togeather w
Sheires and officers appointed for the goverment of the same
as Iustices . Itenerant Sherifes . Corroners Escheators.
Iustices of peace and residinge counsell appointed vppon
the borders afterwards some defects of this Statute were
amended in the 34 yeare of the same kinge and soe was that
vnion dominion subdued wholie to the lawes of England
and made parte of the bodie of this realme as by those
Statutes appeareth and in that manner was the vnion made
of the dominion of Wales vnto the kingdome of England /
The union of the kingdomes of Navarr
Touchinge the vnitinge of the kingdomes of Navarr and
Arragon to the kingdome of Castile in what manner the
same was made may best appeare by certaine constituc
of the lawes of those countries called Tanrine constitutiones
wherein to this purpose are inserted theise wordes . licet
regna Nauarriæ Arragoniæ fuerunt adiuncta Coroniæ
Castiliæ non tamen submissa hoc facto nec regno Castilio
illa regna sunt submissa seu pristino et solito robore reman
serunt et suas proprias leges retinuerunt et ipsoru m legibus
et consuetudinibus defici enerbus ius ciuile et canonicum
obseruerant legibus Castiliæ pretermissis veram quam ius
Reges Castiliæ Arragoniam et Nauarram iure optimo
obtineant originarij tamen Arragoniæ quod regni
Castiliæ benificia sunt eterni et alieginæ originarij
Nauarræ naturales Castiliæ quoæd beneficia
reputantur. Moreou
notw
lawes and customes even untill our tyme may appeare by the
Anthonie Perrez in the late kinge of Spaines daies which
Perrez havinge beene one of the Secretaries of State to the same kinge
fallinge into disgrace wCastile shifted
him selfe thence and being an Arragonist by birth fled into that
Territorie challenginge the benefitt of the lawes of that countrie
different from those of Castile from whence he had fled w
beinge denied vnto him hee then remaininge a prisoner at Carægossa
in Arragon was an occasion that the said countrey made an insurrecc
and were upp in armes for the mainten
and customes and iurisdicc
Navarr and Arragon vnto Castile /
Touchinge the vnion of the kingdomes of Spaine and Portugall
what articles were graunted to the Portugalls by kinge Phillipp
the second late kinge of Spaine for preservac
liberties aand Iurisdicc
of portugall written in Spanish by Anthoni de Ferara and
printed att Mad rill in the yeare of oGod 1591 w
by the same Author in the third boeke of the said historie are compre=
hended in 24 seuerall articles the effect of w
collected as followeth /
forme for the preservac
privilidges of that kingdome granted by the kings predecessors . / .
out of that kingdome and that noe treatie of state touchinge that
kingdome should bee dealt in out of that kingdome .
the same should bee a Portugall or of the bloud royall the sonne
brother or kinsman of the king /
executed by portugalls and noe strangers . / .
kingdome should stande and contynewe and be exercised
by portugalls . /
and small w
vsuall in places of defence of that kingdome should be portugalls /
Indea and Guinea as
well then discovered as after to be discouered appertaine to
portugalls should not be in other manner then was then and
had beene formerlie vsed and that the officers in those busines
should be portugalls and should accomplish theire Navigac
and traffiques in Portugall Shippes . / .
onlie w
Ecclesiasticall w
onlie vppon portugalls . / .
or place w
Portugalls . /.
rr to all Escheats w
of new to graunte to portugalls well deservinge of the
kinred of them by whome such escheats haue happened, and
yett not to exclude the Spaniards w
portugall and had served the former kinge . / .
be in noe case altered . / .
Portugall they doe not take vpp lodgings for theire
traine after the manner of Castile but after the
antient manner of portugall . / .
shall take w
Secretarie A Chancellor and twoe Iudges portugalls w
shalbe of the Councell of portugall and alsoe twoe clerkes of
the treasurie and twoe Clerkes of the Chamber And the kinge
of portugall and that in th langwage of portugalls . / .
Coridgos and others havinge charge of Iustice shall be
and stand in the Realme in the absence of the kinge and hath beene
formerlie vsed and that the like be vsed and all the offices of Receavors
and Auditors of the Treasure . / .
determined w
in Lisboan as the former kings haue done except when the kinge
in person viceroy or governor shalbe in any other place w
Realme where then alsoe the same Chappell may bee . / .
portugalls as well as Spaniards equallie . /
of honor aswell portugallesses as Spanish and seeke to advance
them equallie /
merchandize in and through the borders and frontiers of eache
kingdome w
of bread and corne out Portugall . / .
benevolence of 300000 Cruzadoes to bee disposed after this
mann
ted att the discretion of the bretheren of the Miserecordia of Lisboa n
and 150000 to be layd out and disposed of in such places necessarie
as the Chamber of Lisboan should ordaine & the 30000 remaininge
for the releife of the countrie beinge visited w
then it was) the same to be distributed by order of the Archbishopp
and the Chamber of Lisboan . / .
for the defence of the realme Chastisment of pirats and the
conservacAffrica the kinge should take such
advise w
although it were w
expence of his royall Treasure . / .
For the loue that the portugalls bare to tke kinge they desired
amonge them his perpetuall residence but whereas the
goverment of his other dominions and estats would not p
the same they desired hee would be resident as longe tyme
as he might And in his absence he would apoint ou
such an one as would tender them esteeme and loue them
as his Maiestie did . / .
Theise graces were graunted and published as saieth the
Author in the Towne of Tomar 20 Maij 1580
and
after p
of
perpetuall memorye . / .
The vnitinge of the Duchie of
Normandie to the Crowne
of Fraunce . /
Kinge Iohn of England was the lawfull inheritor of the
Duchie of Normandie descended vnto him from his Ancestors
kings of England & Duks of Normandie but he beinge intang=
led w
in England in that intestine warr called comonlie the
Barrons warre the kinge of Fraunce taking that oportunitie
assaulted the Duchie of Normandie and obtained most
parte of the possessions thereof partlie by the Sword and
partlie by the Yealdinge of the Normans after the death
of kinge Iohn beinge Henrie the thirds sonne purposed to
levy a greate power and to pass into Fraunce thereby to
recover that w
to litle purpose there was a conclusion of peace betweene
the kinge of Fraunce and the said kinge Henry of England
whereby itt was agreed that the kinge of Fraunce should
hold the Duchie of Normandie to him and his successors
for euIsles of Gersey and Garnesey and other
the Isles formerlie beinge partes and belonginge to the
lyuers of Turrone and by this meanes became the Duchie annexed
to the Crowne of Fraunce and that nevertheles the antient Customes
lawes and privilidges of the said Duchie haue eu
inviolate and were confirmed to the estates of the said Duchie
aswell by kinge Lewes the tenth as by other the succedinge kings
of that kingdome as may appeare by the Coppies of the Charters
thereof published under the totall La Charter aux Normans
in that treatise wCustumers de pais de Normandi
printed att Auranch in the yeare of oGod 1593.
The vniting of the Duchie of Britanie
to the Crowne of Fraunce . / .
Certaine Brittaines beinge the antient inhabitants of this Land
passed into that parte of Gallia that then was called Armorica
and after of them Britania minor and there seatled a certein
dominion first under the title of kingdome and after vnder the
name of Dukedome the dukes whereof were of the number
of the peeres of the realme of Fraunce and some of them were
allied to the English were also Earles of Richmont heere
in England. This descent of the said duchie soe remained in the
bloud of the said Dukes by lyneall Succession untill the tyme of
kinge Henry the 7th the same came to the ladie Anne sole dawghter
and heire then left alyve of the last duke whose marriage beinge
much affected by Maximilian the Emperor he was neu
thereof prevented by the French kinge whoe married the said
ladie and thereby annexed the same to the Crowne of Fraunce
Yet notw
that Duchie theire former lawes Customes and privilidges
were euDuke
Duchie collected out of that Countrie by a learned man
of the same Nation not longe sithence imprinted
may appeare . / .
The Vniting of the lowe Countries of
Germany in the house of Austriæ
The Neitherlands or provinces of Belgiæ came for the
most parte by the title of seuerall marriages to the
howse of Burgundie and afterwards Marie the sole
daughter and heire of Charles the warrior the last
Duke of Burgundy by her marriage wMaximillian
the sonne of Fredericke the Emperor brought the title
of those dominions in the house of Austria Nevertheless
the States of the said provinces vsed their customes and
lawes and had theire convenc
taxe or imposic
lawe promulged And for the infringinge of those theire
liberties they toeke armes against the said Maximilian
after the death of their said Ladie Marie duringe the
nonage of her sonne Phillipp the first. This Phillipp
the first sonne of the said Maximilian and Marie
married Joan Sister to Phillip kinge of Castile
whoe afterward
from whome it descended to Charles the fifte her sonne
by the said Phillip wCharles was grandfather to
the kinge of Spaine. And thus as breifelie as I
could haue I shewed the comodities and discomodities
that may result by such vnion of twoe kingdomes
in the hands of one Kinge . /
finis