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TO THE NOBILITY OF ENGLAND.
My LORDS,
EXample has ever been reckon'd amongst the Cheifest motives of Perswasion: and of all Examples, those certainly are most prevalent to particular Persons, which can be drawm from their own Families. 'Tis a debt which you owe to your Ancestors, to inherit their Virtues, and brave Actions, as wall as their Lands, and Titles, and therefore it concerns you to know them: and perhaps, a more Signal Instance can hardly be found in all History, of their Loyalty to their king and Country, than this Ancient Record which is here presented to your LORDSHIPS: which shews you with what couragious unanimity, your Fore-fathers did disown, and resist the Authority of Rome usurped over this Crown. You have this resolute answer ratified by the Seals of the whole Lay Nobility, and the Contents will tell you, that what they Seal'd with their Hands, they would likewse Seal with their Bloud; totis Viribus defendere. Now this was done at a time, when the Popes power was almost at the heighest in this Kingdome; not long after the pretended resignation of the Crown by King John: and in a cause, when only one branch of the Royal Prerogative was violated, by the Popes interposi∣tion in the Settlement of the Title of Scotland; and if the infringment of this one Right, was so highly resented by these Nobles, what would their undaunted Resolutions have been, if the whole Supream Prerogative had been at stake? Your LORDSHIPS are referred to the Letter it self to guesse.