“We have received your letters the 9th of this instant, declaring your supposed title, which you judge yourself to have, to the imperial crown of this realm, and all the dominions thereunto belonging. For answer whereof, this is to advertise you, that for as much as our sovereign lady queen Jane is after the death of our sovereign lord Edward the 6th, a prince of most noble memory, invested and possessed with the just and right title in the imperial crown of this realm, not only by good order of old ancient laws of this realm, but also by our late sovereign lord’s letters patent, signed with his own hand, and sealed with the great Seal of England, in presence of the most part of the nobles, councillors, judges, with divers other grave and sage personages, assenting and subscribing to the same. We must therefore of most bound duty and allegiance assent unto her said grace, and to none other, except we should, which faithful subjects cannot, fall into grievous and unspeakable enormities. Wherefore we can no less do, but for the quiet both of the realm and you also, to advertise you, that forasmuch as the divorce made between the King of famous memory Henry 8th and the lady Katherine, your mother, was necessary to be had, both by the everlasting laws of God, and also by the ecclesiastical laws, and by the most part of the noble and learned universities of Christendom, and confirmed also by the sundry acts of Parliament, remaining yet in their force, and thereby you justly made illegitimate and unheritable to the crown imperial of this realm, and the rules and dominions, and possessions of the same, you will, upon just consideration hereof, and of divers other causes lawful to be alleged for the same, and for the just inheritance of the right line and godly order, taken by the late King our sovereign lord King Edward the 6th, and agreed upon by the nobles and great personages aforesaid, surcease by any pretence, to vex and molest any of our sovereign lady Queen Jane her subjects, from their true faith and allegiance unto her grace: assuring you, that if you will for respect, show yourself quiet and obedient, as you ought, you shall find us all and several ready to do you any service that we with duty may, and be glad with your quietness, to preserve the common state of this realm: wherein you may be otherwise grievous unto us, to yourself and to them. And thus we bid you most heartily well to fare. “From the Tower of London, in this 9th July 1553. “Your ladyship’s friends, showing yourself an obedient subject.” Then follow the signatures of all the members of the Council, thus:—