Hallam states that the book was far from being
a libel on the Virgin Queen, but that it was written with great affection.
However, it was pronounced to be "a fardell of false reports, suggestions,
and manifest lies." Its author and Page, the bookseller, were brought into
the open market at Westminster, and their right hands were cut off with a
butcher's knife and mallet. With amazing loyalty, Stubbs took off his cap
with his left hand and shouted, "Long live Queen Elizabeth!"
The autocratic Queen had a ready method of dealing with obnoxious authors,
as poor Peter Wentworth discovered, who wrote _A Pithy Exhortation to Her
Majesty for establishing her Successor to the Crown_, and for his pains
was committed to the Tower, where he pined and died. This work advocated
the claims of James VI. of Scotland, and was written in answer to a
pamphlet entitled _A Conference about the Next Succession to the Crown of
England_, published by R. Doleman (1594). The Jesuit R. Parsons, Cardinal
Allen, and Sir Francis Englefield were the authors, who advocated the
claims of Lord Hertford's second son, or the children of the Countess of
Derby, or the Infanta of Spain. The authors were safe beyond seas, but the
printer was hung, drawn, and quartered.
John Hales wrote _A Declaration of Succession of the Crown of England_, in
support of Lord Hertford's children by Lady Catherine Grey, and was sent
to the Tower.
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