other cannot possibly be severed in debate of either we alledge that your Majesties prerogatives of that kynd coÌ„cerning directly the subjects right and interest wee dayly handled and discussed in all courts at Westminster and have been ever freely debated vpon all fit occasions but in this all former Parliaments without restraint Which being forbidden it is impossible for the subject either to know or mainteine his right propertie to his owne landes and goods though neuer so just and manifest It may further please your Most excellent Majesty to vnderstand that wee have no minde to impugne but a desire to informe ourselves of your highnes prerogative in that point which if ever is now most necessary to be knowne And though it were to no other purpose yet to satisfie the generality of your Majesties subjects who finding themselves much grieved by these new Imdositions do languish in much sorrow and discomfort These reasons dreade soveraigne being the proper reasons of Parliament do pleade for the vpholding of this our ancient right and liberty Howbeit seing it hath pleased your Majestie to insist vpon that judgement in the Exchequer as being direction sufficient for us without further examination upon great desire of leaving your Ma vnsatisfied in no one point of our intents and proceedings wâ— professe touching that judgement That we neither doe nor wil take upon us to reverse it but our desire is to know the reasoÌ„s whereupon the same was grounded And the rather for that a generall coÌ„ceipt is had that the reasons of that judgement may be exteÌ„ded much further even to the utter ruine of the ancient libertie of this kingdome and of the subjects right of propertie to haue landes and goods Therefore the judgement it self being the first and the last that ever was given in that kind for ought appearing unto us and being onely in one case and against one man it can binde in law no other then that person and is also reversable by writ of error graunted heretofore by act of Parliament And neither hee nor any other subject is debarred by it from trying his right in the same or like case in any of your Majesties Courts of record at Westminster Lastly wee nothing doubt but your intended proceeding in a full examination of the right nature measure of these new impositions if this restraint had not come betweene should have been so orderly and moderately caried so applied to the manifold necessitie of these tymes and given your Majesty so true a view of the state and right of your subjects that it would have been much to your Majesties content and satisfaction which wee most desire remoued all cause of feares and jealousies from the loyall hearts of your subjects which is as it ought to be our carefull indeavour Whereas contrarywise in that other way directed by your Majesty wee cannot safely proceed without concluding for ever the right of the subject which without due examination thereof wee may not doe We therefore your highnes loyall and dutifull commons not swerving from the approved steps of our ancestors most humbly and instantly beseech your gracious Majesty that without offence to the same we may according to the vndoubted right and libertie of Parliament proceed in our intended course of a full examination of these new impositions that so we may cheerefully pass on to your Majesties busines from which this stâ—p hath by diversion so long with held vs. And wee your Majesties most humble faithfull and loyall subiects shall ever according to our bounden dutie pray for your Majesties long and happie raigne over vs. Delivered by 20. of the lower howse of Parliament the 24. of May 1610 Petitions MOst gracious and dread soveraigne Sith it hath pleased Almightie God of his unspeakable goodnes mercie towards us to call your Majestie to the government of this kingdome and hath crowned you with supreme power aswell in the Church as in the coÌ„mon wealth for the advancement of his glorie the generall benefite of all the subjects of this land Weo doe with all humilitie present at the feet of your excellent Ma our selves and our desires full of confidence in the assurance of your religious minde and princely disposition That you wil be graciously pleased to give life and effect to these our petitions greatly tending as undoubtedly we conceive to the glorie of God the good of his Church safetie of your most royall person wherein we acknowledge our greatest happines to consist 1. Whereas good and provident lawes have beene made for the maintenance of Gods true religion safetie of your Majesties most royall person issue and estate against Iesuites seminarie Priests and popish recusants And although your Majestie by your godly learned and judicious writings have declared your princely christian zeale in the defence of the religion established have very lately to the comfort of your best affected subjects published to both howses of Parliament your princely will and pleasure that recusants should not be concealed but derected and convicted yet for that the lawes are not executed against the Priests who are the corrupters of the people in religion and loyaltie and many Recusants haue already compounded and as it is to be feared more and more except your Ma in your great wisdom preveÌ„t the same will coÌ„pound with those beg their penalties which maketh the lawes altogither fruitless or of litle or none effect the offenders to become bold obdurate and unconformable Your Majestie therefore would be pleased at the humble sute of your commons in this present Parliament assembled in the causes so highly concerning the glorie of God the preservation of true religion of your Majestie and state to suffer your highnes naturall clemencie to retire it self and to giue place unto justice and to lay your royall coÌ„mand upoÌ„ al your ministers of justice both ecclesiastical civil to see the lawes made against Iesuites seminarie Priests and Recusants of what kind and sect soever to be duely and exactly executed without dread or delay And that your Majestie would be pleased likwise to take into your owne hands the penalties due for recusancie and that the same be not converted to the priuate gaine of some to your infinite losse the imboldning of the Papists and decay of true religion 2. Whereas also divers painfull and learned Pastors that haue long traveiled in the work of the Ministerie with good fruit and blessing of their labours who were ever ready to perform the legal Subscription appointed by the Statute of 13. Elizab which onely concerneth the confession of the true Christian faith and doctrine of the Sacraments yet for not conforming in some points of ceremonies and refusing the subscription directed by the late Canons have been removed from their ecclesiasticall livings being their freehold and debarred from all meanes of maintenance to the great griefe of sundry your Majesties well affected subjects seing the whol people that want
A RECORD OF SOME WORTHY PROCEEDINGS IN THE HONOVRABLE WISE AND FAITHFVLL HOWSE OF COMMONS IN THE LATE Parliament Iustitiae est suum cuique tribuere 1611. Contents 1. A Preface to true English men 2. A memorable speach in Parliament 3. A Petition for the Parliaments libertie 4. Particulars of the great contract 5. Petitions for grace in ecclesiasticall causes 6. Grievances in temporall matters To all true hearted English men dwelling in their native soile HOwsoever my deare country-men it is mine hap to abide on this side the seas yet I cannot but hearken after the prosperitie of my gracious Soveraigne naturall countrey especially in the Parliament time I am not indeed in any such eminent place as where I may be sure to have a perfect relation of all remarkeable affaires yet by my diligent indevour I obteyne in time more probable intelligence than many of you doe Of which the love of my countrey compelleth to make some present vse occasioned by a Publication for not one word thereof is in the Kings name dated 31. December last Wherein the worthiest house of Commons that ever was is covertly traduced for spending long time and great charges and yet failing an earnest expectation of a good conclusion for the Ease and Freedome of his Maiesties subiects I could not therefore but indevour to prevent as I may the heart-burning which I feare that publication may occasion between the King and his Commons and 2. to make it appeare that no house of Commons had ever a greater zeale for the ease freedome of the subiects than the late house had The former by demonstrating that the sayd covert imputation is not the Kings but the pen-mans For whereas Proclamations in deed speake in the first person as thus Our subjects We are resolved that publication speaketh in the third person thus His Maiesties subiects His Maiestie is resolved Therefore it was not penned by his Maiestie Againe How can close suggesting the said imputation to be cause of dissolving the Parliament agree with that which is expresley said That his Maiesty for many good considerations knowne to himselfe determined to dissolve c Doth not this shew that the over large preamble of that publication is the pen-mans onely the body thereof was by the Kings direction Moreover In a Proclamation dated 24. September last his Majesty findeth fault with former proclamations in regard of their penning Which sheweth that when his Majesty hath signified his mind touching the substance of a proclamation he doth not alwayes review the penning thereof Therfore it may be supposed that he did not peruse the penning of the publication So that I think it may be well concluded that the said imputation is not the Kings but the pen-mans As for the Zeale of the commons in parliament for the ease freedome of the subjects let that appeare by that which is here published Onely I suppose it not amisse to remember that in the second session of the late parliament there passed these billes in the house of commons 1. An act for the better observing and keeping holy the Sabbath day or Sunday 2. An act against such as cōming to church doe refuse to receive the sacrament of the Lords supper 3. An act for the providing of a learned godly Ministery and 4. An act to inable suspended and deprived Ministers to sue prosecute their appeales I remēber these because that worthy Knight or burgisse whose speach is here recorded doth not speak of them Intending belike to mencion no other billes but such as passed in the house of commons in the fourth that is the last session of parliament I say The last because the fifth cannot be accompted a session seeing nothing was concluded therein the Speaker sundry mornings before the house met togither adjourning the same from day to day til the parliament was prorogued there dissolved Well I pray God that whensoever we shall haue an other parliament Counties cities and burroughes may not be moved by letters from such common-wealth-men as the pen-man of the said publication is feared to be to chuse such Knights and burgisses as will have less Zeale for the ease and freedome of the subjects than had the Knights and burgisses of the late parliament A memorable speach in the house of Commons MR. Speaker I perceive we are all much troubled by the evill successe which we have had in the great contract concerning tenures and purveiance after our long travell and much tyme spent therein and in other causes of good importance so as many have taken occasiō therby to say of us that although there was never a more honourable assembly in the Cōmons howse of Parliament of godly wise and learned men then at this time that yet there did never less fruit appeare of their labour to the world at any time before then now which fruitlesse labour if it might be truly imputed unto us it might worthily grieve vs all but I hope that in seeking out meanes of redresse or reliefe in this case I shall make it appeare to all that will rightly weigh of the thinges that if furtherance had been given by others whom it concerns to our labours and good indevours many abuses had been reformed much good done to the common wealth of England But as it is true which that great wise Lord who hath the chief charge of the treasure of the Realme sayd unto vs at our last meeting with the honourable Lords of the vpper howse of Parliament in the paynted chamber at Westin touching the great contract viz. that he did well perceiue that we had a great desire to haue effected that great contract that the Kings maiesly had willingly given his assent to the same that yet neverrhelesse it proceeded not wherein he could not finde the impediment but that God did not blesse it so is it likewise true of the rest of our proceeding in Parliament that God hath nor blessed the same with good successe which troubled me at the first vntill I did further consider of many other parties of the Realme and many other callings and societies of the Realme to whom God hath given as little blessing as to the Parliament howse For it did appeare plainely to vs in this howse vpon the treatie and examinations of the grievances of the Church and common wealth that the Merchants of England who were a calling of very great vse in this Realme for the wealth strength and credit thereof and as it were the leggs of the common wealth whereon it goeth had not received such blessing of late yea in their merchandizing as in former times although they labor asmuch and adventure asmuch as in former times they did And that likewise the clothiers being a trade whereby many thowsands subjects are mainteyned although they labour in their calling as much at this time as ever before they did doe of late finde so litle fruit of their labour as that many
instruction are by this meanes punished and through ignorance lye open to the seducements of popish and ill affected persons Wee therefore most humbly beseech your Majesty would be gratiously pleased that such depriued and silenced ministers may by licence or permissioÌ„ of the reverend fathers in their severall diocesses instruct and preach vnto their people in such parishes and places where they may be imployed so as they apply themselves in their Ministery to wholsome doctrine and exhortation and live quietly and peaceably in their callings and shall not by writing or preaching impugne thinges established by publick authority 3. Whereas likewise through pluralitie of benifices toleration of non recidencie in many who possess not the meanest livinges with cure of soules the people in diverse places want instruction and are ignorant easy to be seduced whereby the adversaries of out religioÌ„ gaine great advantage and although the pluralists and non-residents doe frame excuse of the smalnesse of some livinges and pretende the maintenance of learning yet we finde by experience that they coupling many of the greatest livings doe leave the least helpless the best as ill served supplied with preachers as the meanest And where pluralists heaping vp many livings into one hand doe by that meanes keep divers learned men froÌ„ maintenance to the discouragement of Students the hinderance of learning the non-residents for seeking or absenting themselves froÌ„ their pastorall charges doe leave the people as a prey vnto the popish Seducers It might therefore please your most excellent Majestie for remedy of these evils in the Church to provide that dispensatioÌ„s for plurality of benefices with cure of souls may be prohibited that toleration of non-residencie may be restrayned So shall true religion be better vpheld and the people more instructed in divine and civill duties 4. And for asmuch as excommunication is the heaviest censure for the most grievous offences which the Church doth reteine yet exercised and inflicted vpon an incredible number of the common people by the subordinate officers of the jurisdiction ecclesiasticall most coÌ„monly for very small causes grounded vpon the sole information of a base apparitour in which case the parties before they can be discharged are driven to excessive expence for matters of very small moment so that the richer break thorough more heynous offences and escape that censure by commutation of penance to the great scandall of the Church government in the abuse of so high a censure the contempt of the censure it selfe and grievance of your Majesties poore subjects Wherefore your Majesties dutifull commons most humbly beseech your highnes that some due and fit reformation may be had in the premisses Grievances To the Kinges most excellent Maiestie Most gracious Soveraigne your Majesties most humble commons assembled in Parliament being moved aswel out of their dutie and zeale to your Majestie as out of the sense of iust griefe wherewith your loving subiects are generally through the whole Realme at this tyme possessed because they perceive their coÌ„mon ancient right libertie to be much declined infringed in these late yeares Doe with all dutie humilitie present these our iust complaints thereof to your gracious viewe most instantly craving iustice therein and due redresse And although it be true that many of the particulars whereof we now complaine were in some use in the late Queenes time then not much impugned because the usage of them being then more moderate gave not so great occasion of offence and consequently not so much cause to inquire into the right and validitie of them Yet the right being now more throughly scanned by reason of the great mischiefs and inconvenienâ—es which the subiects have thereby sustained wee are very confident that your Maiestie wil be so farre from thinking it a point of honour or greatnes to continue any grievance vpon your people because you found them begun in some of your Predecessors times as you will rather hold it a work of great glorie to reforme them since your Maiestie knoweth well that neyther continuance of time nor errours of men can or ought to preiudice truth of iustice and that nothing can be more worthy of so worthy a King nor more answerable to the great wisdome and goodnes which abound in you then to understand the griefes redresse the wrongs of so loyall and well deserving a people In this confidence dread soveraigne we offer these grievances the particulars whereof are hereunder set downe to your gracious consideration and we offer them out of the greatest loyaltie and duetie that subjects can beare to their Prince Most humbly and instantly beseeching your Majestie aswell for justice sake more then which as we conceiue in these Petitions we doe not seek as also for the better assurance of the state and generall repose of your faithfull loving subjects and for testimonie of your gracious acceptation of their full affections declared aswell by their joyfull receiuing of your Majesty at your happy entrance into this kingdom which you have been often pleased with favour to remember as also by their extraordinarie contributions graunted since vnto you such as haue been never yeelded to any former Prince upon the like termes and occasions that we may receive to these our coÌ„plaints your most gracious answer which we caÌ„not doubt but wil be such as may be worthy of your princely selfe and will give satisfactioÌ„ great coÌ„fort to all your loyall and most dutifull loving subjects who doe and will ever pray for the happy preservation of your most royall Majestie THe policie and constitution of this your kingdome appropriates unto the Kings of this Realme with the assent of the Parliament as well the soveraigne power of making lawes as that of taxing or imposing upon the subjects goods or merchandizes Wherein they haue justly such a proprietie as may not without their consent be altered or changed This is the cause that the people of this Kingdome as they ever shewed themselues faithfull and loving to their Kings and ready to ayde them in all their just occasions with voluntarie contributions so have they been ever carefull to preserve their owne liberties and rights when any thing hath been done to prejudice or impeach the same And therefore when their Princes occasioned eyther by their warres or their over great bountie or by any other necessitie haue without consent of Parliament set impositions eyther within the land or upon coÌ„modities eyther exported or imported by the Merchants they have in open Parliament complained of it in that it was done without their consents And thereupon never failed to obteyne a speedie and full redresse without any claime made by the Kinges of any power or prerogative in that point And though the lawe of proprietie be originall and carefully preserved by the coÌ„mon lawes of this Realme which are as ancient as the kingdome it selfe yet these famous Kings for the better contentment and assurance
men at what price they please f. 161. 4. Proclamations referring punishmēt to be done by Iustices of peace Majors Bailives Constables other Officers or seisure by persons who have no authoritie to require heare and determine of those offences So it is to be inflicted before lawfull triall cōviction 8. Ian. 2. Ia f. 72. A Proclamation for folding wooles 23. Aug. 5. Ia. f. 151. seisure of starch c. f. 154. 5. Proclamations penned with penalties in forme of penal Statutes 4. No. 1. Ia. f. Paine of confiscation of goods f. 56. 18. Ian. 2. Ia. f. 72. Ten dayes imprisonment standing in the pillory f. 72. Iustices of peace to forfeyt 20. pounds if they see not the Proclamation of folding wooles executed f. 75. 23. Aug. 5. Ia. f 151. forfeyture of one moitie of starch c. seised c. 154. 6 Punishment of offenders in courts of arbitrary discretion as starre chamber 1. Mar. 2. Ia. f. 102. Proclamation for building f. 103. 12. Oct. 5. In. 159. Proclam for building f. 160. 5. Iul. 6. Ia. f. 177. Procl for starch f. 180. 25. Iul. 6. Ia. f. 180. Procl for building f. 181. 7. Proclam former become Presidents and vouched in later Proclam 18. Iun. 2. Ia. f. 75. avoucheth 5. E. 6. 4. Eliz. f. 73. 25. Iul. 6. Ia. f. 180. mentioneth former Proclam against buildings explaineth and qualifieth them f. 180. Your Majesties commons in this session of Parliament assembled doe cheerefully acknowledge the spring and fountaine of the publique justice of this state to be originally in your Ma from the benefite therof is conveyed and derived into every member of this politique body by your Highnes writs Amongst which none are more honourable for the support of the common justice of the realm then the writes of prohibition habe as corpus de homine replegiādo writs have been ever held and found to be a chief meanes of reliefe vnto the poore distressed and oppressed subjects of this kingdome and can be no inconvenience at all Seing they are no way conclusive against any man and doo draw no benefit to the procurers but rather a fruitless charge if they be obteined vpon any vnjust ground or pretence In the free granting of proceccing vpon some of which writes especially that of prohibition there hath of late been observed to be some obstruction by reason that vpon the complaintes and the importunity of some who desire the support of inferiour courts against the principall courts of the common law wherewith your Majesty hath been greatly troubled you have taken into your royall consideration the severall extents of the jurisdiction of the sayd severall courts Since which time the said writes have been more sparingly graunced and with stricter cautiōs then anciently hath been accustomed It is therefore most humbly desired that it may please your Majestie whose glory is never more cōspicuous then when the poorest of the commonalty are blessed with the influence of the ancient beames of justice to require your judges in the courts of Westminster to grant the said writes in cases wherein such writes doe lye and by law are grantable And in such sort as that such persons whose bodies being eyther cōmitted to prison or their causes like to receive great prejudice by procedings against them in times of vacation may not be debarred nor deferred from hauing the speedy reliefe benefite of those writes more then in former times For asmuch as the exercise of authoritie over the counties of Glocester Hereford Wigorne and Salope by the president councell of Wales by way of instructions vpon pretext of a statute made in the 34. yeare of the reigne of King Henry the 8. is conceived not to be warranted by that or any other lawe of this Realme of England And for that in the 2. session of this present parliament there did a bill pass the house of the Commons whereb◠it was declared that the true intent and meaning of that before mentioned statute was not thereby to subject these countries to that kind of government by instructions And yet notwithstanding the inhabitāts of those Counties are since vtterly discouraged and in effect debarred from triall of the right of that kind of jurisdiction over those countries by the ordinarie course of the cōmon lawes of this land by reason of Prohibitions which were heretofore frequently granted vpon suggestion that those countries are not part of Wales or of the marches of the same which is the very point in question are now become very hard to be obteyned except in cases where those of that councell doe exceed the instructions set downe to them by your Majestie As also for that in cases where actions have been brought at the common law whereby that question might haue come to dicision the plaintifes haue been stopped sometimes by injunctions out of your Majesties court of Chancery from their proceedings sometime before sometime after judgemēts and some time also by imprisonment The precedent of which proceedings doth concern all your Majesties loyall and dutifull subjects of this kingdome aswell in respect of the stopping of the free course of Iustice as also by reason that if that kinde of jurisdiction were at first extended over those 4. counties and be now still continued without warrant of law then consequence of this example may in future times give countenance to the erecting of like jurisdictions in other places of this Realme And for asmuch as your Majestie was pleased to commaund all the Iudges to consider of this question and that they thereupon bestowed very many dayes in hearing the cause argued by learned counsaile on both sides And in viewing and considering of great numbers of recordes produced before them concerning that cause whereby they have no doubt throughly informed themselves of the right It is therefore the most humble petition of the commons in this present Parliament assembled that your most excellent Majestie will also be pleased to commaund that the Iudges may deliver their opinion upon that so exact and deliberate hearing which was had before them concerning the right of the foresayd jurisdiction over those 4. Counties by force of that statute And that the opinion which they shall deliver therein may be in such sort published as that all your Majesties subjects whome it may concerne may have meanes to take knowledge thereof And that your Ma will vouchsafe to declare it by your most princely pleasure that any of your Maiesties subiects who may have occasion thereof may trye his or their right in that point by due and ordinarie course of the common lawe eyther by suing out of prohibitions or any other your Maiesties writs without restraint And that if the sayd iurisdiction over those 4. Counties shall appeare to your Maiestie by the opinion of the Iudges or otherwise not to be warranted by law that then your Maiesty be pleased out of your most princely and gracious favour towards all
your loyall and dutifull subiectes to order the ceasing of the sayde iurisdiction over those counties to the great comfort of the inhabitants of those counties and the rest of your Maiesties subiects of all the kingdome Complaint was made in all humble manner the second session of this present Parliament of many disorders outrages oppressions committed vpon occasion of letters patents granted to the Duke of Lenox for the searching and sealing of stufs and manufactures called by the name of new draperie which patent wee held in all or the most partes of it to be questionable and in many apparantly vnlawfull and the execution thereof we found stretched by the farmers and deputies beyond the extent of the sayd letters patents as appeares in the particulars set downe in the said greivance To which it pleased your Majestie to give this gracious answer that the validitie of the sayd patent should be left to be judged by the law And whensoever any abuse arising in the execution thereof should appeare it should be severely punished Which was for that time to our good satisfaction yet finding by divers complaints made now in Parliament that not only the said letters patents are still in force and the validity of them undecided by iudgement but disorders in the execution of them are so farre off from being reformed that they multiply every day to the grievance of your Maiesties subiects And those of the poorer sort who exercising these manufactures are subiect to much oppressioÌ„ to the great hindraÌ„ce of some utter undoing of many as hath appeared in the particularities of the complaints presented unto us Our humble desire is that your Ma wil be pleased according to your former resolutioÌ„ to give order that this cause which hath thus long hung in suspence be speedily brought to iudgement and that before all the Iudges because it concernes all the subiects of the land And in the meane time that the execution of the said letters patents so farre forth as they concerne the said new draperies may be suspended till iudgement be given whereby your subiectes who doe in all humilitie present this grievance unto your Maiestie may be relieved haue no occasion to reiterate their complaints Whereas by ancient and late statutes it hath been enacted that wines should be retayled at such lowe rates and prices as for these 50 yeares last past they could not be affoarded And for redresse thereof it was ordeyned by a statute in the 5. yeare of the late Queene Elizabeth that those former lawes notwithstanding wines might be solde at such prices as by Proclamation from time to time to be made by consent of divers great officers should be published and set downe which proclamatioÌ„ neverthelesse the late Queen your most excellent Ma have been drawn to forbear upoÌ„ the earnest sute of certein persons therein onely intended their private gaine By reason whereof both great summs of mony in fines rentes and annuall payments have been gotten and raysed vnto the said persons and their assignes and great damage and preiudice hath likewise fallen and light vpon your people not onely by inhancing the prices of wines licencing over many Tavernes and appointing of vnmeet persons in vnfit places to keepe the same But also by reason that corrupt mingled evill and vnwholesome wines have been vttered and solde to the great hurt of the health of your Highnes people One man sometimes ingrossing all the Licences designed for that place Wherevpon complaint being made to your Maiestie amongst other grievances of your people in the second session of this present Parliament your Highnes was pleased to answer that your grants in that behalfe were no other then such as were warrantable by the law Whereas the greivance was the greater for that all lawes coÌ„cerning the sale of wines being intended and conceived to stand be reptaled there were neverthelesse by the overfight of them which were trusted in that busienes casually omitted and left vnrepealed certaine absolute lawes impossible to be observed as namely one made in the time of K. Edward the first commanding wines to be sold at 12. pence the sexterne and one other made in the 28. of K. Henry the eight prohibiting all persons vnder penalty to sell any french wines above 8. pence the gallon and other wines as secks and sweet wines above 12. pence the gallon and one branch of a statute made in the 7. yeare of K. Edward the 6. prohibiting men to sell any wines by retaile in their howses Wherevpon your Maiesty hath been induced and drawne to ground new patents of dispensation and to grant the benefit thereof vnto the Lord Admirall whereby the like discommodities and inconveniences have sithence insued vnto the common-wealth as formerly did arise and growe vpon the other repealed lawes whereof in the former petitions of your subiects exhibited vnto your Maiesty in the sayd second session your highnes never had any direct and cleare information May it therefore please your most excellent Maiesty at the humble request of your commons who have taken into consideration the great charges and expences which the sayd L. Admirall hath been at in your Maiesties service and have considered likewise the present licences and grants for valuable consideration vnto many hundreth of your Highnes subiects which without great losse to the sayd grantees cannot be so suddenly made voide out of your Princely wisdome and goodnes wherein you have professed not to extend straine your prerogative royall against the publique good of your people for the particular gaine of any private persons To vouchsafe that from hench forwards there may no mo grante of that nature be made vnto any of your subiects whomsoever But that the sayd statute of 5. Elizabeth for the apprising of wines to be published by proclamation aâ— time and occasion shall require may be put in execution And that your Maiesty will likewise vouchsafe to grant your royall assent to a bill of repeale of the sayd obsolete statutes and all other wherevpon any such Non obstantes dispensations might be grounded vpon In which statute of repeale proviso shal be made for the indempnitie of all such as vnder your Maiesties great seale have alreadie procured licence for such sale of wines Whereas by the lawes of this your Maiesties realme of England no taxes aides or impositioÌ„s of any kinde whatsoever ought or can be laid and imposed vpon your people or upon any of their goods or commodities but onely by authority and consent of Parliament Which being vndoubtedly the ancient and fundamentall law of thâ—â— land is yet for more abundant clearnes expresly declared in sundry acts of ParliameÌ„t made and inacted in the time of sundry your Maiesties Progenitors the noblest most prudent Kings of this Realme Yâ—â—r comoÌ„s with iust griefe doe complaine vnto your Maiesty of the late taxe and imposition laid and imposed yearely vpon such as are allowed to keep victualing houses or