The following speech by Elizabeth on Nov. 5, given to an audience of some 30 members of the House of Lords and a similar number from the Commons, is printed in George P. Rice, The Public Speaking of Queen Elizabeth (1951). It was made in response to an audience which Elizabeth had held with some of the Lords on Oct. 22, when they had raised the "vexing question of marriage and the succession." Both Elizabeth and the members of parliament who had angered her, when they referred to a "limitation of succession," simply meant a public decision on who should succeed her, were she to die without children.

If that order had been observed in the beginning of the matter and such consideration had in the prosecuting of the same as the gravity of the cause had required, the success thereof might have been taken otherwise than now it is; but those unbridled persons whose mouth was never snaffled by the rider did rashly ride into it in the Commons House of public place where Mr. Bell with his accomplices alleged they were natural Englishmen and were bound to their country which they saw must needs perish and come to confusion unless some order were taken for limitation of succession of the Crown; and further to help the matter must needs proffer their speech to the Upper House to have you, my Lords, consent with them whereby you were seduced and of simplicity did assent unto it which you would not have done if you had foreseen ... the importance of the matter. So that there was no malice in you and so I do ascribe it, for we think and know you have cause to love us, considering our mercifulness showed to our subjects since our reign. But therein Sr. Domine Doctors with their long orations sought to persuade you also with solemn matters. As though you, my Lords, had not known that when my breath did fail me I had been dead unto you and then dying without issue what a danger were that to the whole state, which you had not known before they told you. So that it was easy to be seen quo oratio tendit, for they that should be stops and stays of this great good and avoiding so many dangers and perils, how evil willing might they seem so to agree the cause against me. Was I not born in this realm? Were my parents born in any foreign country? Is there any use that would alienate myself from being careful over this country? Is not my kingdom here? Whom have I opressed? Whom have I enriched to others' harms? What turmoil have I made to this commonwealth that I should be suspected to have no regard of the same? How have I governed since my reign? I will be tried by envy itself. I need not to use many words, for my deeds do try me.

Well, the matter whereof as I am informed they would have made their petition, consisteth in two points: in my marriage and the limitation of the Crown, wherein my marriage was first placed for manners' sake. I sent them answer by my council (that) I would marry although of my own disposition I was not inclined thereto. But that was not accepted nor credited although spoken by their prince. And yet I used so many words that I could say no more and were it not now I spake these words, I would never speak them again. I will never break the word of a prince spoke in a public place for my honor's sake, and therefore I say again I will marry as soon as I can conveniently, if God take not him away with whom I mean to marry or myself, or else some other great let happen. I can say no more except the party were present and I hope to have children. Otherwise I would never marry.

A strange order of petitions that will make a request and cannot otherwise be ascertained but by their prince's word and yet will not believe it when it is spoken. But they, I think, that move the same will be as ready to mislike with whom I shall marry as they are now to move it, and when it will appear that they never meant it. I thought they would have been rather ready to have given me thanks than to have made me a new request for the same. There have been some that ere this have said to me they never required more than that they once might hear me say I would marry. Well, there was never so great a treason but might be covered as fair a pretense. 

The second point was the limitation of the successions of the Crown, wherein was nothing said for my safety but only for themselves. A strange thing the foot should direct the head in so weighty a cause, which cause (has) been so diligently weighed by us for that it toucheth us more than them. I am sure there was none of them that was ever a second person as I have been and have tasted of the practices against my sister, who I would to God were alive again. I had great occasions to hearken to their motions of whom soome of them are in the Commons House, but when friends fall out the truth doth appear according to the old proverb, and were it not for my honour their knavery should be known. There were occasion in me that time I stood in danger of my life, my sister was so incenced against me: I did differ from her in religion and I was sought for diverse ways. So shall never my successor be. I have conferred before this time with them that are well learned and have asked their opinions touching the limitation of succession who hath been silent; not that by their silence after lawlike manner they have seemed to assent to it, but that indeed they could not tell what to say considering the peril to the realm and most danger to myself. But now the matter must needs go very trimly and pleasantly when the bowl runneth all on one side and, alas, not one amongst them all would answer for us, but all the speeches were for the surety of their country. They would have thirteen or fourteen limited in succession, and the more the better, and those shall be of such uprightness and so divine as they shall be divinity itself. Kings were wont to honor philosophers, but if I had such I would honor them as angels that should have such purity in them that they would not seek when they are the second to be the first, and when they are the third to be the second, and so forth. It is said I am not divine. Indeed I stud(ied) nothing else but divinity till I came to the Crown and then I gave myself to the study of government, as was meet for me and I am not ignorant of histories wherein hath appeareth what hath fallen out for ambition of kingdoms as in Spain, Naples, Portugal, and at home and what cocking hath between the father and the son for the same.

You would have a limitation of succession. Truly if reason did not subdue will in me I would cause you to deal in it, so pleasasnt a thing it should be unto me. But I say it for your benefit, for if you should have liberty to treat of it there be so many competitors: some kinsfolk, some servants, some tenants; some would speak for their master for their mistress, and every man for his friend, that it would be an occasion of a greater charge than a subsidy. And if my will did not yield to reason it should be the thing I should greatly desire to see you deal in. There hath been error: I will not say errors, for there were too many in the proceeding in this matter. But we will not judge that these attempts were done of any hatred to our person but ever for lack of good forsight. I do not marvel, though with you, my lords, two of the bishops did misuse themselves, therein, sithens my sister and I was bastards. Well, I wish not the death of any man. But only this I desire, that they which have been the practicers therein maybe before their deaths (will) repent the same and show some open confession of their fault whereby the scabbed ship may be known from the whole. As for mine own part, I care not for death, for all men are mortal and though I be a woman I have as good a courage answerable to my place as ever my father had. I am your annointed Queen. I will never be by violence constrained to do anything. I thank God I am endued with such qualities that if were turned out of the realm in my petticoat I were able to live in any place in Christendom.

Your petition is to deal in the limitation of succession. At this present it is not convenient, nor ever shall be without some peril unto you and certain danger unto me. But were it not for your peril at this time I would give place, notwithstanding my danger. Your perils are sundry ways, for some may be touched who rest now in such terms with us as yet is not meet to be disclosed either in the Commons House or in the Upper House. But as soon as they may be in convenient time and that (they) may be done with less peril unto you, although never without great danger unto me, I will deal therein for your safety and offer it unto you as your prince and head without request, for it is monstrous that the feet should direct the head.

And therefore this is my mind and answer which I would have showed in the two Houses. And for the doing thereof you, my lord chief justices, are meetest to do it in the Upper House. And you, Cecil, in the Nether House.