Page 121
THE RAIGNE OF King Iames.
IAMES the fourth King of Scotland, marryed Margaret eldest daughter of Henry the 7 K. of England, by whom he had Iames the 5, who had one only child Mary Q. of Scots, who had one only son Iames the 6, who from Iames the fourth had undoubted right to the Kingdome of Scotland•• and from Margaret, King Henry the 7 eldest daughter (the male line being cleane extinct) unquestionable title to the Crown of England: whereupon Q. Eliz. being dead about 10 a clock in the morning, K. Iames the 6, K. of Scotland was the very same day (M. Secretary Cecill himself reading his Title, and Q. Eliz. Will) proclaimed K. of Eng. Scot. and Ireland, by sound of Trumpet, first at White-Hall, and then in Cheapside, in presence of all the Lords and the Counsell, and other of the Nobility, with a generall acclamation of all sorts of people, that we may truly say, sorrow was never more deceived than at this time; for where upon the death of Q. Eliz. It was expected there would be nothing for a long time but sorrowing and lamenting. Now that very sorrow was swallowed up of joy, her death bringing with it no other alteration but only of sex, in all other points in a manner the same, the like wisdome, the like learning, the like Iustice, the like religiousnesse in them both: only bettered in this, that we changed a Q. of 70 years old, whom we could not look to keepe long, for a K. of 36, whom we might well hope to enjoy many years.
Q. Eliz. was not sooner dead•• but Sir Robert Cary a younger son of the Late L. Hunsdon, posted away unsent, to K. Ia••es in Scotland, informing him of the ac∣cident•• for bringing which news, the K. afterwards rewarded him with making him a Ba••on of the Realm, and L. of Leppington. But though it were sufficient for the K. information that he heard the news by Sir Robert Carye; yet it was not sufficient for the Lords of the Counsell in discharge of their duty, if he heard it not from them, and therefore within a very few dayes, as soon as they could pro∣vide fit men, they sent first Sir Charles Percy and Mr. Thomas Somerset, and after them Sir Thomas Lake Clerk of the Signet, a man well acquainted with the State of the Kingdome, both to acquaint him with the generall applause of all the Re∣alme, to receive him for their Soveraigne, and also informe him in what termes the State of the Kingdom stood, that so he might not come altogether a stranger when he came into it.
Q. Elizabeth indeed had left him not only a Kingdom, but a Kingdom without incombrance; No wars abroad, no sedition at home, and not only so, but a kingdom furnished with all the fruits of Peace, plenty of all things necessary, and of all necessary things; the chiefest a wise Cousell, for the left Sir Thomas E∣gerton L. Chanselor, Thomas L. Buckhurst, L. Treasurer: Charles E. of Nottingham, L. Admiral & Sir Rob. Cecill principall Secretary. Foure such men that the mean∣est of them were sufficient to sit at the Helme of any Kingdom. Yet to these