<p>Edward VI's "devise for the succession", 1553, written in his own hand. (Inner Temple, Petyt MS 538, vol. 47 fo. 317.) In this document, Edward bypassed the claims to the throne of his half-sisters Mary and Elizabeth in favour of Lady Jane Dudley (née Grey). In the fourth line, Edward has changed "L Janes heires masles" to "L Jane and her heires masles".
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The document, in the form of a rough draft of a will, cannot be precisely dated, but is thought to be c. January 1553, revised in May or early June 1553. The original draft provided for the king's own marriage and heirs, which suggests that it was drawn up before Edward realised he was terminally ill.
Edward VI of England
circa 1553 <div style="display: none;">date QS:P,+1553-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1480,Q5727902</div>
Source of image: Jennifer Loach, Edward VI, New Haven: Yale University Press, 1999, <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0300079923" title="Special:BookSources/0300079923">ISBN 0300079923</a>.