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PART also imprisonment of his body at the king's will: in witness whereof we have set our names to this present, the last day of February, in the first year of the reign of our sovereign lord king Edward the 6th, by the grace of God, king of England, France, and Ireland, defender of the faith, and in earth of the church of England, and also of Ireland the supream head; and have likewise, for more ample testimony of this our opinion of, and upon the premisses, put and subscribed our names to this present duplicate of the same here asserted, in this present act of this 6th day of the month of March accordingly.

Ex libro

concilii. fol. 62.

Number 6.

The duke of Somerset's commission to be protector. EDWARD the 6th, by the grace of God, king of England, France, and Ireland, defender of the faith, and of the church of England, and also of Ireland, in earth the supream head. head. Whereas our council, and divers of the nobles and prelates of this our realm of England, considering our young and tender age, have thought meet and expedient, as well for our education, and bringing up in knowledg, learning, and exercises of good and godly manners, vertues, and qualities, meet and necessary for a prince of our estate, and whereby we should, and may at our full age be the more able to minister and execute the charge of our kingly estate and office, committed unto us by the goodness of Almighty God, and left, and come unto us, by right inheritance, after and by the decease of our late sovereign lord and father, of most famous memory, king Henry the 8th, whose soul God pardon. As also to the intent, that during the time of our minority, the great and weighty causes of our realms and dominions may be set forth, conducted, passed, applied, and ordered, in such sort, as shall be most to the glory of God, our surety and honour; and for the weal, benefit, and commodity of us, our said realms and dominions, and of all our loving subjects of the same, have advised us to nominate, appoint, and authorize some one

I.

meet and trusty personage, above all others, to take the BOOK special care and charge of the same for us, and in our name and behalf; without the which the things before remembred could not, nor can be done so well as appertaineth. We therefore using their advices and counsels in this behalf, did heretofore assign and appoint our dear and well-beloved uncle Edward, now duke of Somerset, governour of our person, and protector of our said realms and dominions, and of our subjects and people of the same. Which thing, albeit we have already declared heretofore, and our pleasure therein published by word of our mouth, in the presence of our said council, nobles, and prelats of our said realm of England, and not by any writing set forth under our seal for that only purpose. Yet for a more perfect and manifest knowledg, and further corroboration and understanding of our determination in that behalf; and considering that no manner of person is so meet to have and occupy the said charge and administration, and to do us service in the same, as is our said uncle Edward, duke of Somerset, eldest bro ther to our natural most gracious late mother queen Jane, as well for the proximity of blood, whereby he is the more stirred to have special eye and regard to our surety and good education, in this our said minority; as also for the long and great experience which our said uncle hath had in the life-time of our said dear father, in the affairs of our said realm and dominions, both in time of peace and war; whereby he is more able to order and rule our said realms, dominions, and subjects of the same: and for the special confidence and trust that we have in our said uncle, as well with the advice and consent of our council, and other our nobles and prelats, as also of divers discreet and sage men that served our said late father in his council and weighty affairs; we therefore, by these presents, do not only ratify, approve, confirm, and allow, all and every thing and things whatsoever devised or set forth, committed or done by our said uncle, as governor of our person, and protector of our said realms and dominions, and of the subjects of the same, sith the time he was by us named, appointed, and ordained

II.

PART by word governor of our person, and protector of our said realms and dominions, and of the subjects of the same, as is aforesaid, or otherwise any time before, sithence the death of our said late father. But also by these presents, we for a full and perfect declaration of the authority of our said uncle, given and appointed as aforesaid, do nominate, appoint, and ordain our said uncle, governor of our said person, and protector of our said realms and dominions, and of the subjects of the same, until such time as we shall have, by the sufferance of God, accomplished the age of eighteen years.

And we also do grant to our said uncle, by these presents, full power and authority, from time to time, until such time as we shall have accomplished the said age of eighteen years, to do, procure, and execute, and cause to be done, procured, and executed, all and every such thing and things, act and acts, which a governor of the king's person of this realm, during his minority, and a protector of his realms, dominions, and subjects, ought to do, procure, and execute, or cause to be done, procured, and executed; and also all and every other thing and things, which to the office of a governor of a king of this realm, during his minority, and of a protector of his realms, dominions, and subjects, in any wise appertaineth or belongeth. Willing, authorising, and commanding, our said uncle, by these presents, to take upon him the name, title, and authority of governor of our person, and protector of our realms, dominions, and subjects; and to do, procure, and execute, and cause to be done, procured and executed, from time to time, until we shall have accomplished the said age of eighteen years, all and every thing and things, act and acts, of what nature, quality, or effect soever they be or shall be, concerning our affairs, doings, and proceedings, both private and publick, as well in outward and forreign causes and matters, as also concerning our affairs, doings, and proceedings within our said realms and dominions, or in any of them, or concerning any manner, causes, or matters, of any of our subjects of the same, in such like manner and form as shall be

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thought, by his wisdom and discretion, to be for the ho- BOOK nour, surety, and prosperity, good order, wealth, or commodity of us, or of any of our said realms and dominions, or of the subjects of any of the same.

And to the intent our said uncle should be furnished with men qualified in wit, knowledg, and experience, for his aid and assistance, in the managing and accomplishment of our said affairs, we have, by the advice and consent of our said uncle, and others, the nobles, prelats, and wise men of our said realm of England, chosen, taken, and accepted, and by these presents do chuse, take, accept, and ordain to be our counsellors, and of our council, the most reverend father in God, Thomas arch-bishop of Canterbury, and our right trusty and well-beloved William, lord St. John, great master of our houshold, and president of our council; John lord Russel keeper of our privy-seal; and our trusty and right well-beloved cousins, William marquess of Northampton; John earl of Warwick, great chamberlain of England; Henry earl of Arundel, our lord chamberlain; Thomas lord Seymour of Sudley, high admiral of England; the reverend father in God, Cuthbert bishop of Duresme, and our right trusty and well-beloved Richard lord Rich; sir Thomas Cheney knight of our order, and treasurer of our houshold; sir John Gage knight of our order, and comptroller of our houshold; sir Anthony Brown knight of our order, master of our horse; sir Anthony Wingfield knight of our order, our vicechamberlain; sir William Paget knight of our order, our chief secretary; sir William Petre knight, one of our two principal secretaries; sir Ralph Sadler knight, master of our great wardrobe; sir John Baker knight, Dr. Wotton dean of Canterbury and York; sir Anthony Denny and sir William Herbert kts. gentlemen of our privy-chamber; sir Edward North kt. chancellor of our court of augmentations and revenues of our crown; sir Edward Montague kt. chief justice of our common pleas; sir Edward Wotton kt. sir Edmund Pekham kt. cofferer of our houshold; sir Thomas Broomley kt. one of the justices

PART for pleas before us to be holden, and sir Richard South

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well kt.

And furthermore we are contented and pleased, and by these presents do give full power and authority to our said uncle, from time to time, until we shall have accomplished, and be of the full age of eighteen years, to call, ordain, name, appoint, and swear such, and as many other persons of our subjects, as to him our said uncle shall seem meet and requisite to be of our council; and that all and every such person or persons, so by our said uncle, for and during the time aforesaid to be called, named, ordained, appointed, and sworn of our council, and to be our counsellor or counsellors, we do by these presents name, ordain, accept, and take our counsellor and counsellors, and of our council in like manner and form, as if he, they, and every of them, were in these presents by us appointed, named, and taken to be of our council, and our counsellor or counsellors, by express name or names. And that also of our forenamed counsellors, or of any others which our said uncle shall hereafter at any time take and chuse to be our counsellor or counsellors, or of our said council, he our said uncle shall, may, and have authority by these presents, to chuse, name, appoint, use, and swear of privy-council, and to be our privy-counsellor or counsellors, such and so many as he from time to time shall think convenient.

And it is our further pleasure, and also we will and grant by these presents, for us, our heirs and successors, That whatsoever cause, matter, deed, thing, or things, of what nature, quality, or condition soever the same be; yea, though the same require, or ought by any manner, law, statute, proclamation, or other ordinance whatsoever, to be specially, or by name, expressed or set forth in this our present grant or letters patents, and be not herein expressed or mentioned, specially which our said uncle, or any of our privy-counsellor, or counsellors, with the advice, consent, or agreement of our said uncle, have thought necessary, meet, expedient, decent, or in any manner-wise convenient to be