An act for the establishing of the crowne in the line of Henrie the seauenth.
Be it ordeined, established, and enacted by this present parlement, that the inheritance of the crown of this realme of England, & also of France, with all the preheminence, and dignitie roiall to the same apperteining, all other seigniories to the king belonging beyond the sea, with the appurtenances thereto in anie wise due or apperteining, shall rest, remaine, and abide, in the most roiall person of our now souereigne lord king Henrie the seuenth, and in the heires of his bodie lawfullie comming, perpetuallie, with the grace of God so to indure, and in none other.
[Sidenote: The king redéemeth his hostages.]
Beside this act, all atteindors of this king enacted by king Edward and king Richard were adnihilated, and the record of the same iudged to be defaced; and all persons atteinted for his cause and occasion were restored to their goods, lands, and possessions. Diuerse acts also made in the time of king Edward and king Richard were reuoked, and other adiudged more expedient for the common wealth were put in their places and concluded. After the dissolution of this parlement, the king remembring his fréends left in hostage beyond the seas, that is to wit, the marquesse Dorset, sir Iohn Bourchier, he with all conuenient spéed redéemed them, and sent also into Flanders for Iohn Morton bishop of Elie. These acts performed, he chose to be of his councell a conuenient number of right graue and wise councellors.
[Sidenote: _Abr. Flem. ex subsequentib._]
[Sidenote: Sée the historie of Engl[=a]d pag. 124.]
[Sidenote: Sée also D. _Powels_ historie of Wales, pag. 2. and 376, 377, &c.]
[Sidenote: Sée before in Edward the fourth, pag. 302.]
¶ This did he, that he might the more roiallie gouerne his kingdome, which he obteined and inioied as a thing by God elected and prouided, and by his especiall fauour and gratious aspect compassed and atchiued. Insomuch that men commonlie report that seauen hundred nintie & seauen yéeres passed, it was by a heauenlie voice reuealed to Cadwalader last of king Britains, that his stocke & progenie should reigne in this land & beare dominion againe. Wherevpon most men were persuaded in their owne opinion, that by this heauenlie voice he was prouided & ordeined long before to inioy & obteine this kingdome. Which thing K. Henrie the sixt did also shew before, as it were by propheticall inspiration, at such time as the earle of Penbroke presented the said Henrie (at that time a proper child) vnto Henrie the sixt, whome after he had beheld, and a good while viewed the comlinesse of his countenance, and orderlie lineaments of his bodie, he said to such péeres as stood about him: Lo, suerlie this is he, to whome both we and our aduersaries, leauing the possession of all things, shall hereafter giue roome and place: & so it came to passe by the appointment of God, to whose gouernement, gift, and disposing, all realmes and all dominions are subiect, as king Dauid confesseth, saieng: