Edward VI of England
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In early June, Edward personally supervised the drafting of a clean version of his device by lawyers, to which he lent his signature "in six several places." Then, on 15 June, and under the watchful eye of the Duke of Northumberland, he summoned high ranking judges and lawyers to his sickbed, commanding them on their allegiance "with sharp words and angry countenance" to prepare his device as letters patent and announced that he would have these passed in parliament. His next measure was to have leading councillors and lawyers sign a bond in his presence, in which they agreed faithfully to perform Edward's will after his death. Finally, on 21 June, the device was signed by over a hundred notables, including councillors, peers, archbishops, bishops, and sheriffs, many of whom later claimed that they had been bullied into doing so by Northumberland—three earls were helped along with their decisions by a substantial land grant. When excusing his part in the business in a plea to Queen Mary a few months
later, Chief Justice Edward Montagu recalled that when he and his colleagues had raised legal objections to the device, Northumberland came "into the Council Chamber ... being in a great rage and fury, trembling for anger, and amongst his rageous talk called the said Sir Edward, 'Traitor', and further said that he would fight in his shirt with any man in that quarrel". Later, as Edward personally demanded their obedience, Montagu overheard a bunch of lords standing behind him conclude "if they refused to do that, they were traitors". Thomas Cranmer, who was on bad terms with Northumberland and very reluctant to sign the documents, gave in only as Edward said he had expected him above all others to respect his will. It was now common knowledge that Edward was dying and that some scheme to debar Mary was underway. France, which found the prospect of the emperor's cousin on the English throne disagreeable, gave indications of support to Northumberland. The foreign diplomats, although certain that the overwhelming majority of the English people backed Mary, were nevertheless confident that Queen Jane would successfully be established: "The actual possession of power is a matter of great importance, especially among barbarians like the English", Simon Renard wrote to Charles V. Edward had often drafted political documents as exercises; in his last year, he increasingly applied this practice to the real business of government. One such document was the first draft of his "devise for the succession". Edward provided, in case of "lack of issue of my body", for the succession of male heirs only, that is, Jane Grey's mother's, Jane's or her sisters'. As his death