I think you left something out here - who’s the object whose 4th son had subjects?
Sorry. Him.
That is…not a flattering picture. Lord help me, I’m waiting for him to say, “Giggity!”.
Sorry, back to topic. Has male-only primogeniture come and gone during the history of the monarchy in England?
“William the First was the first of our kings, not counting Ethelreds, Egberts & things…” 
LOL
I tried to leave your question for the English-history experts who would know for sure what they were talking about, but no one has stepped up.
To the best of my knowledge, male-precedence primogeniture has been the rule for succession by inheritance ever since the Norman conquest. Male-only primogeniture (“Salic law”) inheritance, as practiced in France, Hanover, etc., was never seriously contemplated in England, and strict gender-neutral primogeniture (as adopted by the Scandinavian countries) is a modern invention. That said, the other two means of becoming King (named by Parliament, and conquest) have come into play more than once, and there were at least a couple of monarchs who attempted to bestow the throne by will – but it didn’t “take”.