of Abbies c. There were several Auditors and Receivers appointed to bring in the Kings Revenue which was then very great and troublesom to collect out of several Demisable Lands Profits of Courts Wood-sales c. which are since reduced to certainties of Fee-Farms and Tenths being such dry Rents that neither rise nor fall Yet to the wonder of the World as Sir Robert Cotton observes although the cause be taken away the effect continues And notwithstanding the â—ings Revenue in all Counties of England is brought from one shilling to a peny yet the supernumerary â—fficers remain to the great charge of the King and grievance of the People ANCIENTLY The Sheriff of every County was accountable for the Kings Rents and it would conduce much to the Kings benefit and common good of the Subject if it were reduced into the same Method The King would then be certain of his Rents and the Tenants of a good discharge and still keep their money in the Countrey their travel and pains spared to carry their money to Audits There being several very considerable Fee-Farm Rents viz. in Yorkshire one Fee Farm Rent of 800 l. per Annum In other Counties many Tenants pay 500 l. others 7 8 900 l. per Annum of Fee-Farm Rents It is therefore very absurd unsafe and chargeable That the Kings great Rents should be payd to a Receiver and he to pay them afterwards into the Receipt So that when the Auditors Receivers Clerks Fees Dyet Poundage Arrears supers eight thousand pounds respite money upon Accompt always left in the hands of one and twenty Receivers at 3 or 400 l. a piece and other allowances considered the Noble is brought to nine pence the King impoverished and those Officers inriched which hath been the continual practice ever â—nce the Auditors and Receivers were appointed to the dammage of the Crown many hundred thousand pounds part of which is not pardoned That they stand accountable for at this day The Proposals of Walter Devereux and George Carew FIRST That all the Kings Rents shall be charged in the great Roll of the Exchequer And that the Tenants chargeable with any of the said Rents above 20 l. per Annum shall pay the same into his Majesties Receipt of the Exchequer half-yearly and be discharged of their payments according to the course of the Court as by the Statute of 51. H. 3. and 10. E. 1. is directed And such as fail to pay their Rents to be levied by the Process of the Court. SECONDLY That all the Kings Rents under 10 l. per Annum in every County except the Collection of the Chantry Rents to be charged in the Sheriffs Accompts THIRDLY That the Stewards and Bayliffs of the Kings Honours Mannorâ— Courts and Baylywiâ—ks shâ—ll take the Iâ—sues of their Offices or any others that will give most at certain rates by Lease according to the Quit-rents Fines casualties and other perquissts that they have yielded for 21 years before the late War and to pay the said Farms into the Receipt or to the Sheriff according to the value respectively This being done the King cannot be defrauded his Revenue will be certainly payd The people duly discharged and accommodated The yearly Accompt without difficulty declared by two Auditors The rest and the 21. Receivers wholly laid aside as useless All things then remaining upon Record to publique view for the common safety of King and People Arguments raised from the Proposals WHEREIN will the supernumerary Auditors and all the Receivers be prejudiced if the King allow them Pensions answerable to their Salleries and save forty thousand pounds per Annum to the King and People As King Henry the 8th did when he suspended many of them as useless before Or wherein will the Kings Tenants that pay the great Rents be prejudiced if they pay the money into the Receipt and receive legal Discharges which are recorded for the security of the People rather then to trust to Auditors Accompts in their own keeping or to Receivers Acquittances which are often lost and many years after the Kings Tenants sued and vexed with process causlesly Or wherein will the Kings Tenants of small Rents be prejudiced if they pay them into the Sheriffs hands whose Deputies Bayliffs and Officers in every Division are ready at their own doors to receive them rather then ride twenty or thirty miles to an Audit waiting and loosing their time and often veâ—ed with Messengers to the great Outcry of all people throughout the Kingdom The like convenience will be to the Kings Tenants of the Chantery Rents as in the Method already proposed by the said Walter Devereux and George Carew to the Lord chief Baron Or wherein will the Kings Honour or Profit be lessened by this Method it being more advantagious for all men to pay their Rents at home then ride far to an Audit to pay one shilling and to eat and drink two shillings upon the Kings Accompt neglecting their own occasions to a far greater lossâ— otherways Objections raised by the Auditors and Receivers THAT the Revenue hath been brought in by them above eighty years That they have Patents for their lives under the great Seal to receive the said Rents and Audit the Accompts That they bought their places at great Rates That the Kings Rents cannot be so speedily and safely answered by the Tenants Sheriffs or general Collectors And that the Method of the Kings Houshold expences will not be observed if the course be altered in bringing in of the Revenue Answered by Walter Devereux and George Carew THAT It was never intended that Receivers should be continued in that way of Receipt after the Rents were ascertained But that the Revenue should be brought in again by the ancient way of the Sheriffs As by the Statute de Scaccario made the 5â— H. 3. and the Statute of Rutland in the 10th E. 1. The Kings Paâ—ents granted to Auditors and Receivers for their lives were ex gratia mero motu And if they have since bought their places of others their Advantages must accruâ— to them from the Injuries done to the King or People That the Sheriffs of all Counties are persons chosen to serve the King and Countrey being Landed men and of ability there to answer the King and Subjects dues they taking Security of the Under Sheriffs Bayliffs Deputies and other Officers to be answerable to them for the Issues of their Offices at a day certain And the Lord Treasurer may design the payments of the Kings Revenue according to the several purposes ordained ORIGINALLY The Kings Rents were payd in kinde by Cattle Corn Hay Oats and other Provisions for the Kings Houshold The inconveniency of that was found great for Tenants to bring their Carriages from places far distant to the Court so then by Agreement they payd their Rents to the Sheriffs the grand Officers of the several Shires who payd the said Rents Scaccario nostro
in those times All which I have according to my promise avoiding Prolixity put into some kind of Method under several Titles describing the several Tempers of such Persons as are guilty of defrauding the Crown I have been true to my own Resolutions and dealt impartially with all Men as the Creditors desired I did also according to their Request before Apply my self to his Majesty at White-Hall where I found many Petitioners some craving Reward others begging Relief for Sufferings and Services done both to his Majesty and His Royal Father of ever Glorious Memory neither of them minding how the King should now support himself in his Imperial Estate answerably to the Majesty of so great a Prince and the Honour of so great a Nation I then cast about me to find out some expedient whereby I might be rather Serviceable to the King than Burthensome or Grievous to the People and yet satisfie my self In order thereunto I presented these Petitions following according to their several Dates Whereupon there have been some Proceedings but nothing finally determined All which rest under the Consideration of his Majesty and his most Honourable Councel in Parliament I have contracted all things into as narrow a compass as I could of so much matter not doubting but that it may find Room amongst other Weighty Affairs I leave it therefore at the Parliament-Dore for them to do what in Honour and Equity the Merits of the Cause require April 23. 1661. Veritas non quaerit Angulos George Carew To the King 's Most Excellent MAJESTY The Humble Petition of Walter Devereux and George Carew Esquires SHEWETH THAT there are divers Collections in your Majesties Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales that were formerly Granted to several Men of mean Quallity and Condition by Patents out of the Exchequer during pleasure to receive the Chantry Rents Pensions Portions and Forreign Rents amounting formerly to Six Thousand Pounds yearly or thereabouts belonging to the Crown of England And that the said Collectours were allowed the certain Fees or Sallaries which were annexed to those Collections in the Times of the Abbots and Friers That through the Neglect Poverty or other Dafault of the said Collectours and Accomptants the Crown of England hath lost Two hundred thousand Pounds in that Part of the Revenue since the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's Reign which stands charged in Super upon those Bayliffs or Collectours in the several Auditours and Receivers Accompts to the great prejudice and Dishonour of your Majesties Revenue which may hereafter be more faithfully discharged with advantage and conveniencie to your Majestie and your Subjects Your Petitioners therefore humbly pray That your Majesty would be graciously pleased to Grant your Petitioners a Patent under the Great Seal for their Lives to Collect the said Chantry Rents Pensions Portions and Forreign Rents allowing them the said Fees of the several Collections and your Petitioners shall give good Assurance of their Fidelity and Trust in your Majestie 's said Service And your Petitioners shall pray c. Walter Devereux Geo. Carew His Majesty was graciously pleased afterwards to refer the Contents of the Petition to the Lord High Treasurer of England who made another Reference as followeth viz. September 17. 1660. I Desire the Lord Chief Baron and the rest of the Barons of his Majesties Exchequer and Master Surveyour General of his Lands calling to them the Clerk of the Pipe his Majesties Auditours and Receivers of his Revenue in the several Counties or whom else they please to examine the Reason why this Part of his Majesty Revenue mentioned in this Petition is so ill Answered and so great Arrears upon it And to Consider the best way to prevent it in the future And in Case the Proposition of the Petitioners for reducing all into one Hand or Collection may contribute thereunto to Certifie me there Opinion And to that end I pray them to hear what the Petitioners shall in that kinde Propose and what Security the Petitioners will give to acertain those Rents And upon the whole Matter to certifie their Opinions what is best to be done in Order to this Part of his Majesties Revenue and his Majesties Service therein THO. SOVTHAMPTON To the King 's Most Excellent MAJESTY The Humble Petition of George Carew Thomas Gould and John Culpeper Esquires on behalf of themselves and the rest of the Creditours of Sir William Courten and Sir Paul Pinder Knights Deceased SHEWETH THAT King CARLES the First of ever Blessed Memory for the ordinary support of himself in his Royal Estate at home and for the necessary supply of his Embassadours abroad borrowed several great Sums of Money of Sir William Courten and Sir Paul Pinder and others amounting to 150000. Pounds and upwards which was taken up by the said Sir William and Sir Paul and others of several Men upon Bonds That many of those Persons are since deceased and have left their Widows and Orphants in a sad and perishing Condition for want of Bread That for security and re-payment of the said Money with Interest his late Majesty did for himself His Heirs and Successours before the year 1640. by Letters Patents under the Great Seal of England and other Assignments upon the Lands and Revenues within the Snrvey of the Exchequer give Warrant and Commandment to the Lord High Treasurer Chancellour Vnder-Treasurer Chamberlains and Barons of the Exchequer for the time being to pay the said Debt That there is yet notwithstanding resting due unpayed of the said Debt the Sum of 140000. Pounds or thereabouts as by the Books of Issues remaining with Sir Robert Pye Auditour of the Receipts and the Accompts stated remaining with the Auditours of the Imprest may plainly appear That the Money now belongs to your Petitioners by Virtue of Letters of Administration to them granted in right of themselves and other Creditours and the poor Orphans and Widows aforesaid That the Revenue of First-Fruits and Tenths is not duly answered by the Clergie into your Majesties Exchequer according to Law and the Rights of Proportion which belongs to the Crown of England there being great Improvements made of New-buildings draining of Fens taking in of Sea-grounds breaking up of Parks and Chases Increase of Rents and many other wayes of advantage and profits to the Clergy which ought to be accordingly considered to your Majesty and paid in proportion into your Exchequer as a means to give satisfaction to your Petitioners most just Demands The Premises considered and for as much as your Petitioners may be partly satisfied out of the improvement of First-Fruits and Tenths and your Majesties Revenue made treble as much as hath been formerly paid into your Treasury The Nation generally satisfied therewith Religion and Learning both advanced by considerable Augmentations that may be further given to poor livings besides Your Petitioners therefore do humbly pray that your Majesty would Grant them a Patent of the First-Fruits and Tenths for the Term of one and thirty
A RETROSPECT INTO THE KINGS CERTAIN REVENUE ANNEXED TO THE CROWN Under the SURVEY of his Majesties Court of Exchequer WITH THE Proceedings upon two several Petitions Presented to his MAJESTY Concerning the Chauntry Rents c. And the First Fruits and Tenths of the CLERGY AND Several Considerations Offered to the High Court of Parliament shewing how all the Kings Rents above twenty Shillings a year may be more speedily brought into His MAJESTIES Coffers without Charge according to the Antient Course of Exchequer and the Laws of ENGLAND WITH Some Reasons and Arguments given for the due payment of Tythes Annexed Inseparably to the Office of the Ministry With further Perswasions to the Bishops and the Rest of the Clergy to render the just Proportion of their Livings and Spiritual Promotions according to the improved Value due to the King as Supream Pastor and Governour of the Church AND Divers Observations concerning the Rights and other Revenues of the CROWN Demonstrating the several Conditions and Qualities of those men that Diminish the KINGS Tributes Quisquis Deum reveretur Regem honorat diligitque proximum is Deo quae Dei sunt Caesari quae Caesaris denique revera suum cuique tribuit By George Carew of Grayes Inn Esq. LONDON Printed Anno Dom. 1661. TO THE Right Honourable EDWARD Lord HYDE Baron of Henden Lord Chancellour of England THOMAS Earl of Southampton Lord High Treasurer of England And the Rest of His Majesties most Honourable Privy Council Right Honourable I Observe in the Act of Free and General Pardon passed at the Parliament begun at Westminster the 25 day of April in the 12th year of the Raign of our most Gratious Soveraign Lord King Charles the Second That in the very next Clause of Exception after Offences for Conjurarations Witchcrafts and Charmes are Rancked Accomptants Receivers and Collectors that detained the publike mony of the Nation in their hands The Antient Genious of our Fore-Fathers in Framing the Court of Exchequer with that Policy and Art was such That all parts of the World admired that Court for the Excellency and Invention of it wherein was observed a Method that although Land and Mony there was ever in plenty Ebbing and Flowing Yet the Prodigal Coveteous and Ambitious Minister Receiver or Accomptant with all his Sleights and Stratagems could not deceive the King without Discovery The Course of that Court being altered upon the Dissolution of Abbies there followed great Losses to the Crown and many Inconveniencies and Grievances to the People In the Imperiall Chambers abroad The publike Books of Revenues lies open to the view of all people that any kind of Fraud may be discovered or better advantages found out for the Imperial Estate My Lords I am confident your own Honours binds you beyond all other Obligations in the world to Promote those things that may be for the Preservation and Improvement of the Kings Prerogatives Honours and Revenues Annexed to his Crown wherein truly consists the Happiness and Glory of the whole Kingdom There be two Contradictions used amongst men easily Reconciled by your Lordships Summa ratio est summum jus and Summum jus summa injuria In Extraordinary matters not properly relieveable in any other Court The Lords in Parliament have the Prerogative for their Excellency in Knowledge and Wisdom to Determine such Cases by their own Power May it please your Lordships I am Intrusted as an Executer to pay several Portions and Legacies to Hospitals Free-Scholes and poor Children out of mony left in the hands of Sir William Courten and Sir Paul Pinder who parted with it to the late King upon his Letters Patents and other Assignments out of the Revenue in the Exchequer before the late War Not doubting the Credit of the great Seal of England and payment of the Exchequer I took upon me the Execution of the Trust and paid some part of the Legacies out of my own Estate And notwithstanding I have used my indeavours with others to get in the said Debt yet I am daily sued by the Legatees for not recovering the Money charged upon the Revenue wherefore I humbly conceive that such Accomptants and Receivers which Convert the Kings Revenue to their own Use do not only Wound the King in Cheif but the whole Nation in General and those poor Hospitals and Orphans in particular that I am troubled for All which I submit to your Honours Considerations and Subscribe my self April 20. 1661. Your Faithful Servant THOMAS GOULD THE PREAMBLE IT was the Practice of former Ages when they met in Parliaments to examine the Causes of the Kings Necessities and to make those that were not Faithfull in their Offices to Relieve the King as they did by Hugo de Burgo and the Accomptants of the Revenue in HENRY the thirds time King JAMES and King CHARLES the first of ever Blessed Memory were both Large-Hearted and as Princes naturally are inclined very Bountiful Q. ELIZABETH left a Plentiful Revenue to the Crown of England King JAMES in Favour of the People sold most of the Lands in Fee-Farm An Invention found out to prevent an Act of Resumption The Flowers of the Crown ever since have been gathered by those that gave the King onely the Stalks which brought the King into many great Debts that stand Charged upon the Revenue left unsold And it so happened I became Intituled to a Considerable part of the Mony and in Prosecution of the said Debt by Administring upon some Estate I was Involved with a Corporation of Creditors that were likewise Concerned for divers Summs of Mony which Sir William Courten and Sir Paul Pinder had lent to the King This gave me Occasion to look into the Revenue of the Crown and to make several Applications to Committees in the Violent and Distempred times for satisfaction of the said Debts but I could have no other Tearms offered then Allowances as Debentures towards purchasing Crown Lands Bishops Lands or Delinquents Lands so called which I utterly refused Since his Majesties Restauration the Creditors have been more earnest upon me some crying out I should appeal to the King The Mirrour of Justice Others to the Hierarchy of the Church and perswade them to render that Part of the Revenue due to the King improved to their hands with the Creditors money by those Men that obstructed the Payment of the Kings Debts Others to the Lords that have a great Sence of the Kings Honour and the Regalia he lately parted withall Others to the Commons that hold the Purse-strings of the Nation have been pardoned great Arrears and Accompts which should have satisfied the Creditors Demands Being so divided in their Judgements and Opinions they brought me several Papers of perplext Notions concerning the Revenue of First Fruits and Tenths of the Clergy belonging to the King for his Supream pastoral Charge and Government of the Church with several Observations on that and the rest of the Revenues shewing how the King was made insolvent
ordain such moderate Governance of his house that may continue au plaisir de dieu du peuple to preserve the Kings honour and prevent secret waste 9. It was a question put to a noble man in Henry the 3s time whether Honour or Religion tyed him most to the service of the Crown he answered they were individual Concommitants and had equal operation upon persons of worth and understanding Honours being sacred orders and are used both as Sheilds and Ensigns and they are obliged to defend the cause of the Orphan and Widdow next to the Honour of the King of whom they hold their Dignities The King preserves the Law in its Force and Vigour by his subservient Ministers of Justice whom all Estates are bound to observe And in token of subjection the Prince himself disdained not the old Saaxon word Ichdien I serve The chief Justice in Henry the 4. time committed the Prince for Contempt of the Court and upon his complaint The King greatly rejoyced that he had such a Judg that durst administer Justice upon his Son and that he had such a Son so gracious as to obey and afterwards Kings Henry the fifth himself charged the Judges to minister the Law indifferently that the oppressed might be eased by speedy Justice and the Offendors discouraged by Judgment executed that the Land might not longer morn for the iniquity of former ages 10. The certain Revenue of the Crown was surveied and sold by the late pretended powers wherein many Fee-farm â—ents that before were continued as supers in the Auditors books and receivers accompts The purchasors made good to themselves which the King was either defrauded of by Auditors receivers collectors Bayliffs or tenants And upon inquiry into the revenues and profits issuing out of all his Majesties Honours castles Mannors Lands possessions demeasn-lands rents customary rents fee-farms farm-rents and tenths reserved upon Charters or letters Patents of perpetuity granted from the Crown which made such a noise in the World considering the vast charge and expence of Bayliffs Stewards accomptants Auditors Receivers Bedles Collectors and other that are paid out of the Kings money besides allowances to stypendaries and sallaries to Vicars chorals Curates and Chaplains to Hospitals and free Schools for procurations and Synodals to Arch-Deacons and stypends to Auditors Clarks for writing their accompts and perpetual Pentions Annuities and Corrodies and yearly fees to Constables of Castles Keepers of houses Parks Forests and Chases Surveyers fees Woodwards fees Reparations respites and other allowances incident to this receipt upon examination it was found that there came not clearly into the Kings Coffers above 97000 pounds per annum but into the purchasers purse far greater sums so that most of the Kings small rents as now ordered are rather burthâ—nsom then advantagious to the Crown the King having granted away his wardships Reliefs Marriages c. for which tenure many of those rents were continued 11. The Tenants and common people of England ought to be kept in love and strength to serve the King The State and Majesty of the Kingdom also to be continued that the King may be feared abroad and honoured at home And if the revenue formerly had not been intercepted exhausted or misapplyed those many evils upon all estates of the Kingdom had been prevented And if the Parliament did seriously consider that the Kings wants and engagements are as well encouragements to Enemies as dishearâ—ning to Friends they would labour to fill his Coffers out of his own and annex a revenue inseparable from the Crown answerable to the support of his Majesty the defence of the Kingdom and that also might reward his Servants by sufficient pentions out of his Exchequer rather then to give away old Lands of the Crown or new Escheats and forfeitures which come by Gods gift to preserve Justice and Equity and the splendour of the Royal Family There be many millions of people in England and Wales represented onely by the King in Parliament that have not fourty shillings per annum free-hold nor their voices in Cities or Burroughs at Elections who were born loyal and suckt in Alleagiance with their Mothers milk their constitutions naturally inclining and submitting to the King and are most willing to pay the Excise for ever out of their labours and Bowels if the charge in the collecting of it might be payed by those that receive the benefit and allow nothing in recompence for the Court of Wards and purveyance to the benefit of the Crown or Advantage of those Creditors to whom the profits of the Court was assigned by the King for money lent upon that security 12. Solomon saith That money answers all things oppression makes wise men mad Honours are but small additions if they must be supported by the people and the persons that wears them exceeds not others in Virtue and Merit as well as in order and title Men of true learning and understanding do good offices for goodness sake and study the benefit of their Country by easing the burthens of the poor and yielding comfortable maintenance and encouragement to them that make others rich and honourable by their labours In Italy Princes and the rest of the nobility account it no indignity to deal in Merchandizing affairs in other parts of France and Germany far remote from the Seas where they live not so plentifully they esteem it below their quality and out of a Custom choose rather to put their younger sons into the Wars then adventure them for wealth and experience into the World abroad as Merchants which hath given such advantages to the Hollanders to engross the trade and money of Vrope into their hands And it s observed that Church-men of these times are not so publique spirited as in the former ages which makes money so scarce and Citizens complain of them as much as their Tenants and the whole Nation for their unkindness to the King not rendring him the tenth part of that he willingly and freely gave them of late which the King might have kept in Commendam many years together as Queen Elizabeth often used to do The Church of Rome takes the advantage of raising considerable sums of money by Ecclesiastical offices and dignities above the degrees of secular Priests which claim tythes ex condigno from God and the people the others ex dono from the Pope and his favourites therefore no symoney in opinion where the benefit accrues to a Common Good of the Country Lewis the 12th of France that was called the Father of his Country raised a considerable revenue by offices that were not Judicial and Charles the fifth prescribed it to his Son as a rule in his last Instructions drawing His ground and reason from the practise of the antient Romanes for that the Fees of writs c. were as trespass offerings and ought to come into the Publick Treasury rather then into any private Purse to enrich particular Men. Those potent
seasonable Releif after so many Years sufferings and forbearance of their Debts And by this way of improvement I fear not but their Cause will finde Patrons and Advocates if they consider rightly the Benefit and convenience that all Estates may reap where the whole Design looks towards the Glory of God the Honour of the King the Advantage of the Clergy and the prosperity of the whole Nation to which all Men should subscribe Connecta pacis Deo concordia vinctus Gratia soli Deoque Gloria GEORGE CAREW Some Objections have been raised against the particulars following which shall be fully answered and further invincible reasons given and expedients offered to the Parliament in convenient time which will appear conducing to the benefit and advantage of the King and Subject Some Obstructions have been met withall from several persons that would rather continue mistakes and keep those things in obscurity which ought to be brought to Light and discoursed properly to a Parliament Some Grievances there may be deserâ—ed upon due examination of the Contents which cannot properly be relieved any where but in Parliament unto whom the persons concerned do make it their Humble desires that A Committee may be appointed to debate those things which may give a General satisfaction to the Nation and a speedy remedy of several abuses and inconveniences daily suffered by the King and Kingdom THE CONTENTS AN Epistle to the Lord Chancellour Lord Treasurer and the rest of his Majesties most Honourable Privy-Councel 3. A Preamble to the whole Treatise and Proceedings 4. A Petition of Walter Devereux and George Carew for the General Collection of Chauntry rents pentions portions and forein rents in England and Wales 5. The Lord Treasurers referrence upon that Petition to the Barons of the Exchequer and others ibid. An order of the Barons on the Lord Treasurers Referrence 8. The second Order of the Barons in relation to the Lord Treasurers referrence ibid. A Methode of the antient way concerning accompts in the Exchequer 9. A Certificate of the sworn Clerks of the Pipe concerning the accompts and miscarriages of Auditours Receivers and Collectors 9. 10. Several Proposals and Considerations of Walter Devereux and George Carew offered to the Lord Treasurer and others touching the Kings certain Revenue how it may be brought into his Majesties Receipt of Exchequer without Charge 11. 12. The Barons Report upon the Petition and Referrence concerning the Collection of the Chauntry rents Pentions Portions c. 13. A Petition of George Carew John Culpeper and Thomas Gould for a Patent of the first Fruits and Tenths at 60000 pounds per annum rent for the term of one and thirty Years 5. The Arguments and Propositions annexed to the Petition concerning the improved values of first Fruits and Tenths of the Clergy which ought to be paid to the King 6. 7. An Epistle to the Arch Bishop of Canterbury 14. Further Considerations offered by the Creditors to the Clergy concerning their due payment of first fruits and tenths to the King 15. The Kings right to the government of the Church and the original of the Popes Usurpation over Christian Princes 16 The office of Bishops and Dignitaries of the Church of England vindicated 17. The Inference or conclusion from the Considerations offered to the Clergy 18. Several Considerations of the Creditors offered to the Lords Spiritual the Lords temporal and Commons assembled in Parliament concerning the Kings Revenue and the debts of the Crown 19. 20. An appeale of the Creditors to the Kings most excellent Majesty and the Lords of his most honourable Privy-Councel concerning the island of 〈◊〉 and the Ship Bona Esperanza taken by the Dutch 21. The Epilogue 22. FINIS The King hath been paid most of his small Rents with Pen and Ink and Dog-Latine since the Course of the Excheq hath been Altered and the Subject often vexed grieved without cause as in Baron Trevers time a Tenant in York-shire was put to 3l charge by Tho. Westly a Messenger for 4d Rent Charged upon his Estate without his knowledge Many of the like cases have hapned by false returns and Allowances of Supers c. Damages is 346000l concerned in it are sixty four Persons of â—ons many of them â—verished for want of By the last general Pardon the Clergy were forgiven 50000. pounds which was due to the King upon Bonds for First-Fruits and Tenths The Layity by the King 's happy Restauration were put into possession of such Estates that were their own inheritance But the Bishops c. into improved vacancies that were under Consideration of the Law for many years together Note the Current money of England much infeebled since those times See the several Presidents and Commissions with Returns of full values in Queen Elizabeths Time 〈◊〉 nullo queat esse modo 〈◊〉 cujus Gubernandi 〈◊〉 non Regem sit 〈◊〉 Felicia illa olim tempora in quibus majus subditorum animis in sedit utilitatis Regiae studium quam rerum suarum cura familiarium Object 1. As the King was to the Church of Scotland Object 2. Vide Lord Burley 's Speech â—o Queen Elizabeth Object 3. Felo de se est quisquis de jure Regali demit The present yearly Revenue of the First-Fruits and Tenths not twenty thousand pounds all charges deducted See Selden upon Tythes of the Eastern Countryes Vide Doctour John Gersâ—n hâ—s Treatise called Regulae morales Ir. in t Com. Hill 1. Ma. Ro. 55. exparte Rem Thes. Article 8. Article 25. Article 32. Vide The Draught of a Warrant ready prepared and offered by the Auditours to the Barons to sign for Messengers to levy the Kings Rents although formerly adjudged illegal at the Councel Table A poor Messenger in Yorkshire purchased Land worth 300. pound per annum by exactions and oppressing the People By return of Clothiers â—rasiers and others that deal in Staple Commodities being advantagious to the Subject to pay their money in London where they sell their Commodities that are made in those Countries and where the Cattell are fed that serves both Countrey and City Sir Châ—â—stopher Hatton Mr. Lyons and Mr Wharton thâ—ee of the Receivers of the Revenue are 36000 l. in Arrear which was occasioned chiefly by the Auditours not duly declaring their Accompts so that they paid what they pleased and when they pleased being under no controll that would discover the fraud The Auditours and Receivers in many cases take upon them the Office of Treasurer Chancellour Barons Chamberlains and Remembrancers The Chantry Rents are troublesome to be brought into the Sheriffs Accompts it is therefore humbly conceived that that charge is most proper for the Collectour Generall Vide the Report of Sir Robert Cotton concerning the Collection of the Queen's Rents under halfe a Crown 4000. l. per Annum is now and hath been for many years paid into the Wardrobe by severall Fee-Farmers and other Tenants A Receiver for Yorkshire lately gave 1800. l. for his place aâ— Assignee from