bee not prevented the Starre-chamber will become a Court of Revenue and it shall bee made crime not to collect or pay such taxes as the State shall require The eleventh Hee said hee was gone very The Kings edicts and Proclamations high yet hee must goe a little higher that great and most eminent power of the King of making Edicts and Proclamations which are said to bee Leges Temporis with which our Princes have used to encounter with sudden and unexpected danger as would not indure so much delay as assembling the great Councell of the Kingdome This which is one of the most glorious beames of Majestie most rigorous in commanding reverence and subjection For the erecting of Monopolies to our unspeakable griefe hath been often exercised for the enjoyning and maintaining sundry Monopolies and other grants exceeding burdensome and prejudiciall to the people The twelfth Although he was come as high The word and truth of God as he could upon earth yet the presumption of evill men did leade him one step higher even as high as Heaven as high as the Throne of God It was now he said growne common for ambitious and corrupt men of the Clergie to abuse the truth of God and the bond of conscience preaching downe the lawes and liberties Pretended for the absolute power of Kings of the Kingdome pretending Divine authoritie for an absolute power in the King to doe what hee would with our persons and goods this hath beene often published in Sermons and Printed bookes and is now the high way to preferment The last Parliament wee had a sentence for an offence of this kind against one Mannering The offence of D. Mannaring then a Doctor now a Bishop concerning whom hee said hee would say no more but this that when hee saw him at his Barre in the most humble dejected posture that ever hee observed hee thought hee would not so soone have leapt into a Bishops chaire but his successe hath emboldened others therefore he said this may well bee noted as a double grievance that such doctrine should bee allowed Now practised by others that such men should bee preferred yea as a roote of grievances whereby they indeavour to corrupt the Kings conscience and as much To the great hurt and grievance of the people as in them lyes to deprive the people of that Royall protection to which his Majestie is bound by the fundamentall Lawes of the Kingdome and his owne personall oath The thirteenth The long intermission of The Intermission of Parliaments Parliaments contrary to the two statutes yet in force whereby it is appointed there should bee Parliaments once a yeare at the least and most contrary to the publike good of the Kingdome for this being well remedied would produce remedies for all the rest Having put through the severall heads of The subjects grievances hurtfull to the King grievances hee came to the second maine branch propounded in the beginning That the disorders from whence these grievances issued were as hurtfull to the King as to the people of which hee gave divers reasons 1 The interruption of the sweet communion Bb interrupt their communion which ought to bee betwixt the King and his people in matters of grace and supply They have need of him by his generall pardon to be secured from projectors and informers to bee freed from obsolete lawes from the subtle devices of such as seeke to restraine the Prerogative to their owne private advantage and the publike hurt and he hath need of them for councell and suport in great and extraordinary occasions This mutuall intercourse would so weane the affections and interests of his subjects into his actions and designes that their wealth and their persons would bee his his owne estate would bee managed to most advantage and publike undertakings would bee prosecuted at the charge and adventure of the subject The victorious attempts in Queene Elizabeths time upon Portugall Spaine and the Indies were for the greatest part made upon the subjects purses and not upon the Queenes though the honour and profit of the successe did most accrew to her 2 Those often breaches and discontentments By domesticall breaches and discontents betwixt the King and the people are very apt to diminish his reputation abroad and disadvantage his treaties and alliances 3 The apprehension of the favour and incouragement By weakning his partie abroad given to Poperie hath much weakned his Majesties partie beyond the Sea and impared that advantage which Queene Elizabeth and his Royall Father have heretofore made of being heads of the Protestant union 4 The innovations in Religion and rigour of By forcing his subjects to leave the Kingdome Ecclesiasticall Courts have forced a great many of his Majesties subjects to forsake the land whereby not onely their persons and their posteritie but their wealth and their industrey are lost to this Kingdome much to the demolishing of his Majesties Customes and Subsidies Amongst other Inconveniences this was especially to be observed that divers Clothiers driven out of the Countrey had set up the manufacture of Cloth beyond the Seas whereby this State is like to suffer much by abatement of the price of Woolls and by want of imployment for the poore both which likewise tend to his Majesties particular losse 5 It puts the King upon unproper wayes By unproper wayes of supply of supply which being not warranted by law are much more burdensome to the subject than advantagious to his Majestie In France not long since upon a survey of the Kings Revenue it was found that two parts in three never came to the Kings purse but were diverted to the profit of the officers or ministers of the Crowne and it was thought a very good service and reformation to reduce two parts to the King leaving still a third part to the Instruments as were imployed about getting it in It may well bee doubted that the King may have the like or worse successe in England which appeares already in some particulars The King hath reserved upon this Monopoly of Wines Thirty thousand Pound Rent a yeere the Vintner payes Fourty Shillings a Tun which comes to Ninty thousand pounds the price upon the Subject by retaile is increased Two pence a Quart which comes to Eight pound a Tun and for Fourty five thousand Tun brought in yeerly amounts to Three hundred sixty thousand pounds which is Three hundred and Thirty thousand pounds losse to the Kingdome above the Kings Rent other Monopolies as that of Soape have beene very chargable to the Kingdome and brought very little Treasure into his Majesties Coffers The law provides for that revenue of the Crowne which is Naturall and proper that it may be safely collected and brought to Account but this illegall Revenue being without any such provision is left to hazard and much uncertainty either not to be reteined or not duly accounted of 6 It is apt to weaken the
of the Realme against their owne private disposition yea against their owne reason and judgement to obey him to whome they have especially the Iesuiticall partie absolutely and intirely obliged themselves not onely in spirituall matters but in temporall as they are in order ad Spiritualia Henry the third and Henry the fourth of France were no Protestants themselves yet were murthered because they tolerated the protestants by which and many other presidents it appeares that the King that the Kingdome can have no securitie but in their weaknes and disabilitie to doe hurt 2 A second incouragement is their admission into Admission into places of power places of power and trust in the Common wealth whereby they get many dependants and adherents not only of their owne but even of such as make profession to be protestants 3 A third their freedome of resorting to London Free resort to London and the Court. and the Court whereby they have opportunitie not only of Communicating their Counsels and designes one to another but of diving into his Majesties Counsels by the frequent accesse of those who are active men amongst them to the tables and company of great men and under subtile pretences and disguises they want not meanes of cherishing their owne projects and of indeavouring to mould and biasse the publike affaires to the great advantage of that partie 4 A fourth that as they have a congregation of Cardinals at Rome to consider of the aptest wayes and meanes of establishing the Popes authoritie and Religion in England so they have a Nuncio here to act and dispose that partie to the execution of those counsels and by the assistance of such cunning and Iesuiticall spirits as swarme in this town to order and mannage all actions and events to the furtherance of that maine end 2 The second grievance in Religion was from Innovations in matters of Religion those manifold innovations lately introduced into severall parts of the Kingdome all inclining to poperie and disposing and fitting men to entertaine it the particulars are these 1 Divers of the chiefest points of Religion in Maintainance of popish tenets difference betwixt us and the papists have beene publikely defended in licensed Bookes in Sermons in Vniversitie acts and disputations 2 Divers popish Ceremonies have beene not only practised Practice of popish ceremonies but countenanced yea little lesse than injoyned as Altars Images Crucifixes bowings and other gestures and observances which put upon our Churches a shape and face of poperie Hee compared this to the drie bones in Ezekiel first they came together then the sinewes and the flesh came upon them after this the skin covered them and then breath and life was put into them so he said after these men had moulded us into an outward forme and visage of poperie they would more boldly endeavour to breath into us the spirit and life of poperie 3 The third grievance was the countenancing Preferment of men popishly inclined and preferring those men who were most forward in setting up such Innovations the particulars were so well knowne that they needed not to be named 4 The fourth was the discouragement of those Discouragement of true professors who were knowne to bee most conscionable and faithfull professors of the truth some of the wayes of effecting this he observed to be these 1 The courses taken to inforce and inlarge those Inlargement of the differences among our selves unhappy differences for matters of small moment which have beene amongst our selves and to raise up new occasions of further division whereby many have beene induced to forsake the land not seeing the end of those voluntarie and humane Injunctions in things appertaining to Gods worship whereas those who are indeed lovers of Religion and of the Churches of God would seeke to make up those breaches and to unite us more entirely against the common enemie 2 The over rigid prosecution of those who are Over-rigid prosecution of the scrupulous for things indifferent scrupulous in using some things enjoyned which are held by those who enjoyn them to be in themselvs indifferent It hath beene ever the dersie of this House exprest in many Parliaments in Queene Elizabeths time and since that such might bee tenderly used It was one of our petitions delivered at Oxford to his Majestie that now is but what little moderation it hath produced is not unknowne to us all any other vice almost may be better indured in a Minister than Inconformitie 3 The unjust punishments and vexations of sundry Vnjust punishments for matters not by law persons for matters required without any warrant of Law as For not reading the booke concerning recreation Reading the booke on the Lords day For not removing the Communion Table to bee The Table set Altarwise set Altarwise at the East end of the Chancell For not comming up to the Railes to receive the Comming to the Railes Sacrament For preaching the Lords day in the afternoone For catechising in any other words and manner Preaching upon the Lords day Varying from the chatechism than in the precise words of the short chatechisme in the Common prayer booke The fifth and last grievance concerning Religion Abuse of Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction was the incroachment and abuse of Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction the particulars mentioned are these 1 Fining and imprisoning in cases not allowed In fining and imprisoning by law 2 Their challenging their jurisdiction to be appropriate Claiming jurisdiction to be Jure Divino to their order which they alledge to be Iure Divino 3 The contriving and publishing of new articles Articles of the visitations upon which they inforce the Churchwardens to take oathes and to make inquiries and presentments as if such articles had the force of Canons and this he said was an effect of great presumption and boldnesse not onely in the Bishops but in their Archdeacons Officials and Chancellours taking upon themselves a kinde of Synodall authoritie and the Injunctions of this kinde might well partake in name with that part of the common law which is called the Extravagants Having dispatcht these severall points hee proceeded Grievances concerning the libertie of persons and estates to the third kinde of grievances being such as are against the common justice of the Realm in the libertie of our persons and proprietie of our estates of which he said he had many to propound In doing whereof hee would rather observe the order of time wherin they were acted than of consequence but when hee should come to the cure hee should then perswade the House to begin with those who were of most importance as being now in execution and very much pressing and exhausting the Common wealth He began with the Tonnage and Poundage and Tonnage and Poundage impositions other impositions not warranted by law and because these burdens had long lyen upon us and the principles which produced them are the same
the last Parliaments the burden upon Merchandize and now Tonnage Poundage old and new impositions are all taken by Divers mischiefes from these grievances Prerogative without any grant in Parliament or authoritie of law as we conceive from whence divers inconveniences and mischiefes are produced 1 The danger of the president that a judgement in The Kingdom bound by one private case one Court and in one case is made binding to all the Kingdome 2 Mens goods are seized their legall suits are stopped Interruption of justice and justice denyed to those that desire to take the benefit of the Law 3 The great summs of money received upon these Misimploymēt of the summes received impositions intended for the guard of the Seas claimed and defended upon no ground but of publike trust for protection of Merchants and defence of the ports are dispersed to other uses and a new taxe raised for the same purposes 4 These burdens are so excessive that trade is The burdens excessive thereby very much hindered the commodities of our own groweth extreamly abased and those imported much inhaunsed all which lies not upon the Merchant alone but upon the generalitie of the subject and by this means the stock of the Kingdome is much diminisht our exportation being lesse profitable and our importation more chargeable And if the warrs and troubles in the neighbour parts had not brought almost the whole streame of Trade into this Kingdome we should have found many more prejudiciall effects of these impositions long before this time To the American plantations especially than yet we have done especially they have beene insupportable to the poore plantations whither many of his Majesties subjects have beene transported in divers parts of the Continent and Islands of America being a designe tending to the honour of the Kingdome and the inlargement of his Majesties dominions The adventurers in this noble worke have for the most part no other support but Tobacco upon which such a heavie rate is set that the King receives twice as much as the true value of the commoditie to the owner 5 Whereas these great burdens have caused divers Impositions upon trade intercoursorie Merchants to apply themselves to a way of traffique abroad by transporting goods from one Countrey to another without bringing them home in to England It hath beene lately endeavoured to set an Imposition upon this trade so as the King will have a dutie out of those commodities which never come within his dominions to the great discouragement of such active and industrious men The next generall head of Civill grievances was inforcing men to compound for Knighthood which Compositions for Knighthood though it may seeme past because it is divers yeares since it was used yet upon the same grounds the King may renew it as often as he pleaseth for the composition lookes backward and the offence continuing is subject to a new fine The state of that businesse he layed downe thus Heretofore when the services due by tenure were The Originall ground of the charge taken in kind it were fit there should be some way of tryall and approbation of those that were bound to such services Therefore it was ordained that such as were to doe Knights services after they came of age and had possession of their lands and should bee made Knights that is publikely declared to bee fit for that service divers ceremonies and solemnities were in use for this purpose and if by the parties neglect this was not done he was punishable by fine there being in those times an ordinary and open way to get Knighthood for those who were borne to it Although the use of this hath for divers ages been An old grievance in the kind but New in the manner and excesse in Respect of The generality Greatnesse of fines discontinued yet there have past very few Kings under whom there hath not been a generall Summons requiring those who had lands of such value as the law prescribes to appeare at the Coronation or some other great solemnitie and to bee Knighted and yet nothing intended but the getting of some small fines So as this grievance is not altogether new in the kind though it bee new in the manner and in the excesse of it and that in divers respects 1 First It hath beene extended beyond all intention of and colour of law not onely Inneholders but likewise Lease-holders Copy-holders Merchants and others scarce any man free from it 2 The Fines have beene Immoderate far beyond thproportion of former times 3 The proportion have beene without any example president or rule of justice for though those that were summoned did appeare yet distresses infinite were made out against them and issues increased Multiplication of distresses issues and multiplyed and no way open to discharge those issues by plea or otherwise but onely by compounding with the commissioners at their owne pleasure 3 The third was The great Inundation of Monopolies whereby heavie burthens are laid not only Monopolies introduced by the Sope patent undertaken by papists upon forraigne but also Native commodities These began in the Sope-Patent the principall undertakers in this were divers popish Recusants men of estate and qualitie such as in likelyhood did not only aime at their private gaine but that by this open breach of Law the King and his people might bee more fully divided and the wayes of Parliament men more throughly obstructed Amongst the infinite inconveniences and mischiefes Full of mischiefe which this did produce these few may bee observed 1 The impairing the goodnesse and inhauncing the price of most of the Commodities and Manufactures 1 The price of commodities increast and goodnes abated of the Realme yea of those who are of most necessarie and common use as Salt Sope Beere Coles and infinite others 2 That under colour of Licences Trades and Manufactures are restrained to a few hands and many Restraint of trade of the Subjects deprived of their ordinary way of livelyhood 3 That upon such illegall grantss a great number of persons had beene unjustly vexed by Illegall imprisonments and vexations Pursevants Imprisonments attendance upon the Councell Table seisure of goods and many other wayes 4 The fourth that great and unparalleld Shipmoney grievance of the Shipmoney which though it may seeme to have more warrant of Law than the rest because there hath a judgement past for it yet in truth it is thereby aggravated if it bee Aggravated not supported by the judgement considered that that judgement is founded upon the naked opinion of some Iudges without any written law without any custome or authoritie of Law bookes yea without any one Which is not grounded upon any law custome president or authoritie of law bookes president for it Many expresse lawes many declarations in Parliaments and the constant judgment and practice of all times being against it yea in the