councel was helde at Claringdone and before the King the Bishoppes and nobilitie were sworne to kepe and confirme many decrees and ordinaunces Iohn Stow writes in his Summary of the Cronicles of Englande that the 34 of his ragne at Geldington about ten myles from Northamton he shoulde holde a Parliamentâ— touching a voyage to be taken to the holy lande But if you consider the haste the king made thether the state at that present he stode in the place the shortnesse of the time and the matters there communed of you shall finde that in terming this or suche like consultation Parliaments Maister Fabian Stow Harding and other Englishâ— writers do rather vse the worde as in deede it is proper where any conference is than that it carries with it where it coÌ„mes the same to be vnderstand to be the greate Courte of Parliament in such general forme and vniuersall manner as nowe and since the time of Kyng Henrie the thyrde we haue and do vse it as you knowe the worde is Frenche and this much importeth A debating together A conference A consultation A conferring An enterspeech A Communication A discoursing one with another which may bee aswel with Ten for the worde as with Tenscore Kyng Richard the first in the eighte yeare of hys raigne retourning from the holy lande his brother Iohn in his absence vsurping the Crowne summoned a counsell of hys Lords at Winchester where by auctority of the said counsell 〈…〉 ments and landes whyche before hee hadde bestowed on hym After Richards deceasse he possessed the Crowne and in the firste and thirde yeare by the holding of two counsels as some affirme hee had certaine exactions agreed vppon for the maintenaunce of his wars others write that of himselfe hee leuied the sayd summes The eleuenth yeare all men toke the othes of Allegeance too hym from 12 yeres vpward The fourthteenth yere here is some difference for the yere the Lordes and Barons required the vse of Saint Edwardes Lawes and the reuoking of other wicked ordinaunces the which he not harkening to the ciuil warre begonne yet at Barhamdowne the king and nobilitie meeting they confirmed so much as they departed quietly The sixtenth of his raigne the king being slowe to performe that which he was brought to perforce the nobility toke them againe to armes and so hardlye sette hym as in a meadowe betweene Windsor and Staynes in a manner Nolens volens hee graunted their liberties and the Charter for their confirmation thereof is dated at Rime meade betweene the places beforenamed to the which al the Realme was sworne In the same yere the Lords perceiuing the Kings disposition to shifte from that hee hadde agreed on sente into Fraunce for Lewes the sonne of Philip the Frenche king who arriuing here was receyued by the Barons and Londoners honorably who sware fealty to hym and did him homage and then al with one crye they séeke oute the king who being at Winchester was driuen to flye whyche towne yeelded was sworn to Lewes whether also repayred in a maner al the nobility For al this sturre King Iohn procured the Pope by meanes of Pandolphe the legate to dispence with his othe to reuerse the Charter and liberties graunted and also excoÌ„municate the Barons and Frenchmen Henrie his sonne of the age of nine yeres yong enough 〈…〉 Kingdome and specially during such garboyles yet by the good gouernemente of Marshal Erle of Penbroke many of the Lordes drewe to him and very shortly after Lewes was driuen to leaue the land and being released of his excommunication the peace was agreed on the ninth yeare of his raigne of his age the seuententh or thereabout At the motion of the Archbishoppe of Caunterbury and other the Lordes the king graunted and confirmed the greate Charter whereuppon as I can gather by some records the warde and mariage of our children was graunted to the king and his successours the twelfth yeare the king refused to perfourme the liberties Charter graunted as before for that the ratification past in his minoritie and that now being of ful yeres to beare the sway himselfe hee woulde bee better aduised The twentith of his raigne is found the first Parliament of name and record and yet not to be so thought a Parliament as now we vse ours It is entituled The statuts made at Merton And further he sayes It was prouided in the Courte of our soueraigne Lord the king holden at Mertoâ— the morrowe after the twentith day of Saint Vincent the twentith yere of the raigne of king Henrie the son of king Iohn before VVilliam Archbishoppe of Caunterburie and other his Bishoppes and suffraganes and before the greater parte of the Earles and Barons of England there assembled c without addition of the thyrde state of this land Also you haue a statute made the yeare after entituled for the leape yeare beginning The King vnto the iustices of his Bench greeting The 42. yere or after some the 41 the barons vnwillingly bearing the kings driuing off for the restitution of certaine auncient lawes there was a Parliament at Oxforde which was called the madde Parliament yet not so mad but the king his brother king of Romains and Edward his sonne must and did agrée thereto tho much against their willes bycause many matters were ordeyned greatly and too much against the kings prorogatiue for the sure establishing and execution whereof there were 〈…〉 charge auctority to see the ordinaunces made maintayned whether for the small worthynesse of the lawes or the disorder in making or the shortnesse of the continuaunce I knowe not but I finde not any of those statutes with the rest which are rekened to be King Henrie the thirds These twelue noble meÌ„ were no soner in coÌ„mission but they begaÌ„ roughly presently exiling foure of the Kings brethreÌ„ by the mother The 43. and 44 yere of his raigne there were certain assemblies sometime of the nobility without the King and of the king without the Lordes without any mention of our thirde interest and al called Parliaments Thys yere in a Folkmote at London were al aboue twelue yeres sworne to the king In the 45. yeare he had obtained from Rome a dispensation for his othe and all others of his which he and they had taken for the maintenance of Oxforde folly The péeres during this pastime vnwitting vnwilling the kyng discharged Hugh le Spencer chiefe Iustice and put an other in his place expelled officers and Sherifes admitted by the king appointed other to supplie their romes Further the king was growâ—n to harde termes which was hee shoulde not passe ouer the Seas hauing large Territories in other countries without licence obtained as in this yeare appeareth The next yeare as before in the. 44 were al men in London aboue twelue yeares of age sworne too the king and his successours The 47 of his raigne the barons armed themselues the Kyng Queene fled from the tower to
Windsor by the way were too too vnkindly vsed of the Londoners The king Lords fel to agreement as Fabian writes were coÌ„tented to be ordered by the doome of the FreÌ„ch king who they agreed to be iudge betweene them the king giuing sentence the Barons refuse and fal to war. The yeare following the King his brother and sonne were taken in the Battayle at Lewes by meanes whereof the king grauntes a new the confirmation of the former statutes till matters accordingly be perfourmed Prince Edwarde and the king of Romaines sonne remaynes pledges wyth the Barons The 49. yeare Prince Edwarde being deliuered a Parliament or rather a counsell bycause I finde no statute thereof was helde at Winchester and all matters and decrees passed at Oxforde were vtterly vndone reuoked and called in and all writings and assuraunces sealed for the same were cancelled defaced You haue certaine statutes concluded I thinke at Winchester in your firste volume made in the yeare 51 of thys king in all the which you finde no other wordes for the moste parte but the king willeth or he commaundeth Unlesse hee firste alleadge an inconuenience happened which to redresse he vses it is therefore prouided and ordained The yeare after there were certain statutes passed at Marlebridge or Marleborowe wher you haue this beginning The yeare of grace 1267. the. 25. yeare of the raigne of king Henry sonne of king Iohn in the vtas of Saint Martine for the better estate of the Realme of England and for the more speedie administration of iustice as belongeth to the office of a king the more discrete men of the Realme being called together aswel of the higher as of the lower estate it was c. in all these statutes no word of enacted or ordained by the aucthority of this presente Parliament c. is founde but it is prouided and agreed whiche shal be and shal not bee as the matter which is stablished doth importe In the ende of these lawes and decrees and conclusion of agréement béetwéene 〈◊〉 king and his subiectes the Bishoppes doe pronounce aâ— men accurssed who shall go about to breake infringe or alter the liberties and free customes conteyned in the Charts of the coÌ„mon liberties and of the Forrest c. The preamble to the which Charters is in this manner Henrie by the grace of God c. To all Archbishoppes c. our faithfull subiectes greting know yee that wee vnto the honor of almighty god and for the saluation of the soules of our progenitors and successours kings of Englande to the aduauncemente of holy Church and amendement of our Realme of our mere and free will haue giuen and graunted c. Edwarde his sonne confirmed these Charters graunted by hys father and the thyrde yeare of his raigne helde a Parliament wherein were made diuers statutes and thus it saith These be the actes of King Edward sonne to King Henry at the first Parliament general after his coronatioÌ„ on the Monday of Easter vtas the thirde yeare of his raigne by his councel and by the assente of the Archbishoppes Bishops Abbots Pryors Erles Barons and al the comunaltie of the Realme being thether sommoned c. And for diuers considerations named the booke sayth The king hath ordeyned and established these Actes vnderwritten whiche he entendeth to be necessary and profitable vnto the whole Realme And in the first Chapter First the king willeth and commaundeth c. The yeare following other statutes were set downe by this Auctority In the presence of certaine reuerende fathers Bishoppes of England and others of the Kinges councell the constitutions vnder written were recited and after hearde and published before the King and his councell for asmuche as all the kinges councell aswell Iustices as others did agree that they shoulde bee put in writing for a perpetuall memory and that they shoulde bee stedfastlye obserued The next yeare hee made certaine lawes at Gloucester and hath thus For the great mischiefes c. Our soueraign lord the king for the amendmet of the laÌ„d c. hath prouided and established these Actes vnderwritten willing and commanding that from henceforth â–ª they bee firmely obserued within this Realme In the ende of the Chapters of the same ParliameÌ„t there is an explanation of it termed Expositions vppon the Statute of Gloucester which begin Afterwarde by the king our soueraigne Lorde and his Iustices certaine expositions were made vpon some of the Articles aboue mentioned c. The seuenth yeare other statutes were made the notice of the first was giuen to the Iustices of the Kings Bench with thys preamble Edwarde by the grace of God King of Englande Lorde of Ireland Duke of Aquitaine to his iustices of his benche greeting Whereas c. as it folowes in the act And now in our Parliament at Westminster after the said treatise the prelats erles barons and the coÌ„munaltie of our realme there assembled c we coÌ„maunde you that you cause these things â—o be redde before you in the said bench and there to be enrolled The ninth the 11.13 in the which he had three Parliaments as it semeth the first wherin the statute of Acton Burnel was made the second he helde the parliament at Westminster wherin very many statuts passed the thirde was at Westminster the eighteenth the 20.21.24.25.27.28.29.30.33 the thirtie foure yere there were statuts made as apeares by the records in all which these wordes passe of Aucthoritie for enacting and confirmation The King hath commaunded our soueraigne lorde the king hath ordained the king chargeth all his iustices vppon their faithes and othes that they owe him that they shal see this and that executed according to the statutes It is prouided our soueraigne Lorde the King to abate the power of fellons hath established a payne in this case and for asmuch as the king wil not that his people should bee sodainelye impouerished by reason of this penaltie that seemeth verie harde to many The king graunteth The king and his councell at his Parliament holdeÌ„ at Acton Burnel hath ordeined these establishments our soueraigne Lorde the king at his Parliament holden at Westminster in the eightenth of his raign of his special grace for the singuler affection that he beareth vnto his prelates Erles and Barons and other of his Realme hath graunted Wherefore our soueraigne Lorde the king considering fraude c. hath streightly commaunded our soueraigne Lorde the King in his full Parliamente holden the day after the feaste of the Purification in the twentith yere of his raigne by a general couÌ„cel hath ordained froÌ„ henceforth hath commaunded to be straightly obserued our soueraigne Lorde the king at his Parliament after Easter the 21. yeare of his raigne at the instance of the nobles of his Realme hathe graunted and commaunded too bee from henceforth firmely obserued we haue also ordeined by the aduise of our councell at the Parliament of our soueraigne Lorde the King holden at Lincolne in the vtas of
Parliament M Mallerie coulde not be contented with a Recognizaunce of M. Halles as it was decreed but muste haue his minde satisfied with the infringement of the resolution of that place and what soeuer coÌ„mes of the rest his quietnesse must be prouided for for forsooth he doubted further trouble nothing done Chambers was willed to proue a day or twoo for prouision of the money whiche if he could he would not haue done without commission thereto he therfore might haue played Coleprophetes parte if he had pleased one of the xxiiij orders and told his message before he went aboute it The recognizaunce M. Mildmay kéepes and Chambers goes aboute to see if he can finde an hundred pounds in the streates or meete with some one wil giue him so much M. Mallerie hath Smalley faste the bonde no doubte if the worst fall will at length be payde tho it tarry long spite of all M. Halles debts for yet he is a free holder The viij of May God be thanked the money is reddy somewhat before appoyntmeÌ„t with harde shift inough for beggers without daunger of lawe cannot haue money when they woulde before sir â—ater Mildmay it is by Huyt the Malleries receiued the releases performed a warraÌ„t for the prisoner to goe play him selfe signed by M. Mildmay the whiche nowe the Recorder firmes with William Fleetâ—wood the ix of the same paying xij pound to the Leuetenaunt M. Hals cosen without dayes giuen and other charges bâ—sides of xliij shillings and ten pence he was turned forth â—nd bycause he haâ—h song in so worthy a Gayle his Mastâ—r thought him not meete to chaunte in so mâ—ane a Cadge as the beste house he is like to haue so that now he may beyng Sommer learne a new note in the gréene fields Here haue you the end of this great cause thuâ— far to the excessiue charge of M Hal one way other trouble of Frendes and minde and slaunderous reporte among such as know not the truth and therfore to the more preiudice of his simple reputation My excuse I made to you at the beginning and I nothing doubt of your good accepting of my well meanyng if by accident or otherwise than I desire or hope this priuate certificate hap to the handes of any who be offended for not beyng soothed beare malicâ— for being contraried thinke vnkindnesse bicause they are not coÌ„mended as other quarrel bicause I wrote the truth or for affection sake can daunce nothing but theyr owne galliarde I must thus answeare that I haue wronged them for naming any person in this manner particularly and not put too my name your selfe knowes my stile simple God wote and therefore neede I the lesse to auoyde further question if my letters should be intercepted to set to my hande Contra verbosos nolo contendere verbis I loue no disputatioÌ„ but where I may learne Quoniam senex esse volo citò si possem eâ—o olde I must be or die yong And therefore will I yeelde ouer to the yonger to play with the worlde who carelesse hope with vncertaine likyng for great things while I with regarde to my whyte heares comming on with coÌ„tentement am glad to enioye mine owne small porcion for my paynes I craue no thankes of any straunger neyther yet of M. Hall him selfe whose good partes I muste of force confesse I do vnfaynedly loue for the rest I am sory and remayne with his enimies in one predicament for the conceyuing of his wantes but differ in desire with them towardes him bycause I pray the amendment which I doubt not of and they gape for his ouerthrow whiche were pitty if my request would come to passe I wishe truth to be reported in all causes whiche if it had bene I had saued this labour for at my beyng at Killingworth in the beginning of Aprill laste where what greate company were assembled what liberall cheere spent what familiar welcome vsed and Honorable consideration of all sortes had I referre to them that know what is incorporate to that house since it came into the handes of hym that now hath it There I say I sawe M. Hall by his owne brother in lawe M. Henry Skipwith by M. George Holte M. Iames Cressey and others who loue the man well so loden with euil fame and opinion that went of him for the premisses herein recited and that vntruly as of myne owne knowledge I am assured that I pitying the case determyned at the last with you who tenders him not to suffer so vniustly his credite tho small to be so wildly tyred on with my old and accustomed well thinking and praying for you I leaue you From London the xix of May. 1576. Your Frende no chaungeling F. A. 〈…〉 haue obtayned for you my place in the common house of Parliament for the increase of your knowledge you growing to the worlde and I from it I thought to bestowe a few lynes vpoÌ„ you tho I had long since yelded my pen to be quiet my ability to write being decayd which neuer was great and my memory alway bad now in a maner grown to litargie wherin to lay before you as wel as I could such aduises as to folowe I haue founde profitable But considering mine owne wants I withdrew my selfe froÌ„ my determinatioÌ„ Yet minding with whoÌ„ I shold deale whom I should counsel to whom I shoulde sette abroade the shewe of my experience in good houre I hope I proceeded herein for straungers will take thankfully what is don by others of a good meaning for their behouf and muche more children that whiche is done in the same kinde by their parents I suppose it not needelesse lightly to runne ouer as I can call to minde by what Lawes this Realme of England hath beene gouerned where altered where cleane abrogated and others confirmed which laste of al is your Parliament whereto I meane to come Wee alow the report of Brutes arriuing inhabiting this I le the yeare of the worlde after the most writers 2855. before the incarnation of Christ. 1108. He builte London calling it Troynouant wherein he stablished with the name the Troyan Lawes what they were I finde no recorde but that King Alured about the time of Christes birth 872 did gather the same Lawes together and translated them into english But for the religioÌ„ it seemed he followed the Paganisme then vsed through the whole worlde as a greate number of yeares after it did continue Til the 441 yere before the comming of Christ this lande was ruled nowe with law and now without lawe bycause of the ciull dissention therein at which time Mulmutius Dunwallo or Dunwallo Mulmutius chose you the sonne of Cloten Duke of Cornewayle by strong hande bringyng the new righte called Lawe Moluntine which graunted great priuileges to Temples to plowes to fayres and markettes and too the way leading to them prohibiting men to bee troubled for any cause in the same the wars among themselues had so
finde that Egbert who was an vnder Kyng in West Saxons was expelled by Brithricus the King there and fled into Fraunce but Brithricus being poysoned by his wife Ethelburga Egberte retourned and obtayned the whole principality the yere 793 others say 802 and withal brought the most parte of England vnder his obeysance tamed the Welchmen and toke from them Chester by meanes of which his good fortunes he called a counsel of hys Lordes at Wynchester and by their aduises and agreements was crowned kyng and chiefe Lord of the land whervpon he sent forth commaundemente thorowe out his country straightlye charging the people thenceforth to bee called Angles and no more Britains and the kingdome Anglia and not Britaine In the yeare 800. some accompte thirteene lesse the Danes being also Paynims firste entred this region according to the most The Danes inuaded the seconde tyme the yere 838 Athelwolph raygning who of himselfe first graunted the tyth of corne Hey and Cattel to the cleargy And after toke such fast footing as they continually infested this Iland with cruell wars vsurpation and conquest til the death of Hardicanutus or Hardiknought the last king of that breed 1034 some accompt two sewer Alured alias Alphred before spoken began to gouerne the West Saxons who beyng a most iuste Prince very wel learned and carefull for the makyng and execution of good lawes collected and caused to be brought into the Saxon or English tong al such as by the kings his forgoers were stablished selecting out of them such as were thought most fit for the gouernement confirming them and secluding the rest reciting many of the commaundements and precepts giuen by God to Moyses and the message that the apostles and elders sent to Antiochia Siria and Cilicia by Saint Paul Barnabas Iudas and Silas touching the diuerting of themselues as we haue it in the Acts of the Apostles and also by the assembly and conference of the Bishoppes and other noble and wise counsellours diuers money penalties and others were appointed and the same not onely declared in their sermons but also put in writing He proceedes in the beginning of such as are allowed by him In haec verba These decrees and ordinaunces I Alured King haue gathered together and caused to be written a greate parte whereof our auncestours haue carefully kepte with manye other that I haue thoughte worthye in this our age to be helde and maintained with the like obseruation other some which I haue thought not to be so needful I haue with the conference of considerate couÌ„sellors in parte abrogated and partly established And bycause it maye seeme a pointe of too much rashnesse of a mans owne heade to adde any thing more also that it is vncertaine what credite our posteritie will giue thereto which we make greate reconing of what euer I haue founde worth the regarde in the Actes of my kynnesman and countryman Inas of Offa the King of Mertia or of Ethelbert the first christened of the Angles I haue brought together omitting the rest And in the consultation of them I Alured King of West Saxons haue vsed the couÌ„sell of the grauest of our people to al the whiche I haue commanded that the same be executed and kept Moreouer in this kings time Gutteron alias Gowthram alias Gythrun alias Gurmund of some named king of Danes by some king of Denmarke ariued in this land and sometime hauing the better in armes and sometyme put to the worse was at the last christened and named by Alured Athelstane the yere 878 to whom he gaue the kingdome of East England with the gouernemente of Saint Edmundes kingdome and also some write NorthumberlaÌ„d with whome making league and agreing in the confynes of their countries beginnes in this manner The truce aliaunce which Alured and Guthrun kings haue agreed by the aduise of the wise of the English nation and of all the inhabitauntes of East England to the which they not onely for themselues but also for their children to come are sworne Edward the first before the conquest called Edward the elder his eldest son beginning to raigne next after him the yeare 900. made and confirmed also certain lawes the first chapter wherof is intituled Of controuersie and iudgement and goes thus 1 king Edwarde do againe and againe commaunde all those who beare office in the common wealth that they beare themselues asmuch as in them lies iust â—udges to all men as it is written in the Iudiciall booke without feare boldely and freely to declare the common lawe and do appoint denounced daies wherein they will deale in euerye question and controuersie This Edwarde also confirmed the league with the fornamed Guthrun the Dane in this maner adding also to the former decrees by equal coÌ„sents these bee the councels institutes and ordinaunces whiche firste Alured and Guthrun then Edwarde and Guthrun kings at those dayes were agreed on when both the Danes and English accepted the treaty of peace Athelstane King Edwardes eldest sonne by whose prowesse and valure it is affirmed thys lande was reduced into one Monarchie againe and layde so sore too the Danes that since their first landing they were neuer so harde driuen did also constitute certaine lawes and ordinances beginning them wyth these wordes Athelstane King by the councel of the graue father Vlfhelme Archbishop and other my Bishops do wil and commaunde to al officers and such as haue charge of Iustice. 1 Athelstane king giue notice to all put in authority in our dominioÌ„s that with the aduise of Vlfhelme Archbishop and other Bishops and seruaunts of god haue ordered and set fourth In the ende of all he closeth with these woordes These be the ordinances decrees determined of in the honorable counsell of Grantamlean where was present VVolstane the Archbishop and with him great companie of the best and wisest sorte called togeather by Athelstane The asseÌ„bly parted the king had enquired how the peace was kept among his people fynding it and iustice smally to hys mind delt inioyned more laws to his first and thus shewes the cause â— Athelstane king will all men to know that hauing demanded why our peace is not manteyned according to my commaundement the decree at Grantamlean I am certefied from the experienced of my dominions that the same is happened by my ouermuche sufferance and remissnesse in punnishing But now at Christmas last at Exeter being attended on with grauewise men whom I found moste readye to venture their facultie themselues wiues and children to most greate hazarde that these peace breakers might vtterly without retourning be expelled the lande The yeare 946. Edmund his brother beganne to rule after him in whose time the Danes held Lincolne Nottingham Darby Stafford and Leicester who also erecting and confirming lawes shewes this by whom they were consented on Edmund King helde the solempne Feaste of Easter at London where were mette a greate companie of the Cleargie and laity
among whom were Oda and VVolstane Archbishoppes and many other Bishoppes to prouide for their soules health and theirs whom they had the cure of And in an other place I Edwarde King to all both yong ond olde in my iurisdiction giue knowledge that I in the solempne assemblie of the best seene of my kingdome aswel ecclesiastical as temporal haue carefully enquired and so foorth King Edgar his seconde sonne the yeare 959 was likewise a lawe maker and thus entitles them The lawes whiche 1 Edgar King in the freequented senate to the glory of God â–ª the dignity of my Maiestie and the profite of the common wealth haue past Etheldred or Eldred or Egelred the second son of Edgar the yeare 979 whiche alter a little who by the murder of Edward his elder brother named the Martire came to the crown in whose time the Danes so entred this laÌ„d as ere they had done the king fledde into Normandy and lefte his kingdome to Swanus the Tyrant Dane after whose decease retourning he not long after died hee also being doing with lawes termes them thus The councel of graue fathers which king Ethelred had at Woodstock in Marcia for the preseruation of the peace whiche is gouerned by the english lawes at the ende of suche perticulers as are agreed on he concluds on this maner This our commaundement decree if any shal neglect c. He shal pay to the king one huÌ„dred twenty shillings There was a league made also by the sayd King with the army of Aulavus Iustinus and Gustimundus the sonnes of Stegetie the Dane and goes thus The agreement or part which once or of late king Ethelred by the aduise of his wise confederates with them aforesayde did enter in His sonne Edmund surnamed Ironside parted the Realme with Canutus or Knought King of Denmark who being slayn by the treason of Edricke Canutus enioyed the whole principality and tho Swanus were the firste Danish King here yet held hee not the kingdome so absolutely as thys man did Hee made more lawes than anye one before him which are thus intituled The decrees which Canutus king of English Danes and Norwayes at Winchester at Christmas hath appointed by the aduise of men of knowledge to the honor of the God of heauen the renoume of the kings Maiestie and the benefite of the common wealth Againe in an other place he vseth these wordes These are the humaine and lawes politique wherin vsing the counsel of the wise I command to be kept thorough Englande Hee began to raigne alone the yeare of grace 1019. Edwarde the Confessour after Hardikenitus the last king of the Danish bloud 1043. began to raigne he fouÌ„ded many holesome lawes and was the firste erector as it is written of the common law whych VVilliam Conqueror did after confirme wherof this I finde After the conquest of England the foresayde King William the fourth yere of his raigne by the persuasion aduise and councel of his nobility did sommon throughout his land the nobles the gouernours the graue heads and the Learned in the lawe to heare of them their rights customes and ordinances whereof chosing twelue of euery county who taking their othes before the king directly truely and so forth to shew declare the same they brought the lawes of Saint Edward as we haue them now and the king established them in that manner The Conqueror hym selfe began to rule this Ilande 1066 some recken a yeare more who also adding certaine ordinaunces in the entraunce hath these wordes Here beginneth what William king of the Englishe nation after the conquest with his nobility hath appointed to be perfourmed I reade that Henry the first his sonne who gouerned after VVilliam Rufus his brother did at the beginning of his raign lighten the great exactions imposed by his father and brother reduced and amended Saint Edwards lawes whiche as it should seeme were eyther forgotten or would not be remembred for al the fathers confirmation or rather shew therof reformed measures apoynted directions to be obserued Aboute the thyrtith yeare of hys raigne hee helde a counsel at LondoÌ„ wherin it was thought good he shold haue the Cleargy within his censure Maude the Emprice his daughter first marryed to Henrie the fourth Emperor of Almayne and afterwards to Geffrey Plantagenet Erle of Aâ—iou the 31. of his raigne had by hir husbande shortly after a son named Henrie vpoÌ„ the knowledge wherof he called hys nobles together decreed that his daughter the heires of hir body shoulde succeede him in the Kyngdome Grafton in the thirteenth yere of this King in hys Cronicle saith thus And in this time began the Parliament in Englande firste to be instituted and ordeyned for reformation and gouernement of this Realme The manner whereof as I haue fouÌ„d it set out in an olde pamflet I intende at large to set foorth in the raigne of King Edwarde the thirde when and where Parliaments were yearely and orderly kepte the whiche I sought to finde but promise was not kepte Turning his booke I founde in his preface to the Reader these wordes And where I haue in the â—3 yere of King Henry the firste promised to place the maner and order that first was taken for the holding of the parliamente in the time of king Edwarde the thirde I haue sith that tyme for sundry good causes thought meete to omit the same and therefore admonish the Reader not to looke for it Hereof iudge you and if you wyll haue hys reason he is not far to seke Stephen in a manner no sole sybbe to the Crowne the righte heyres being aliue was by the nobilitye admitted Kyng In hys time the Emprice by the aide of hyr Basterd brother Robert Earle of Gloucester the ciuill warres grew great wherin the King being taken and who now but the Emprice as it were confirmed according to hir iust title she was moued for the restitution of Saint Edwards Lawes but shee was deafe on that side The last yeare of thys Kings time he and Henrie the Emprice sonne grew to communication and agreement The King commaunded his Lordes to assemble at Winchester where Duke Henrie was honorably receyued and there it was agreed he shoulde adopte the Duke hys sonne and confirme too him the Crowne of Englande after his deceasse Henry the second hys follower in the gouernement of another clayme helde a councel at the beginning of his raign at Wallingforde where the Barons were sworne to the king The eyght yere of his raigne he caused all the subiectes to sweare fealty to his sonne Henrye touching the inherytaunce In the ninth yeare Fabian sayeth the kyng called a Parliament at Northampton and so termed it as also in some other places he doeth Councels and calling togethers of the Lordes by the prynce wherin him selfe vouches nothing was done but a pretence to reforme and somewhat gelde the preueleges of the Cleargy The same time a
but thinke how little good they do what great paines they take how they wery themselues and others how men smyle at their follies and they sée it not sure they are alwayes of the wise vsed as Aristotle vsed one who with a long proces de Lana Caprina had pattred vnto him in the ende quoth he Sir I haue thus troubled you with my spéeche not a whit quoth Aristotle for I toke no héede to any word you spake Demosthenes was an odde Orator of hys time as his Orations nowe extante do very wel witnesse and would you not thinke that he that found fault with theÌ„ for length wente aboute to finde a knot in a rush yet Phocion was prefered before him whose workes more the pity we haue not for his short compendious substanciall and sounde spéech If Demosthenes be long who is short to speake of our common talkers Againe there are diuers other very graue wise learned and perfect deeming men who neuer or verye seldome speake in parliament of which some I haue knowen my selfe and lamented their dumnesse bycause their spéeches I am assured most plentifully wold profit our coÌ„monwelth The men I honor for themselues but more for the good parts in them which sith god hath so liberally bestowed I woulde beseech theÌ„ and al others able to speake not to put their lights vnder a Bushel Pithagoras made a lawe that the tongtyed man who could not speake should be driuen out of the state and then with reuerence I write it what blame are they worthy to haue who can and wil not and in that place wher most néede is whereby their vttrance most fruite may begathered and their ability most able to performe it As no man can commend a yong experienced man who shall put foorthe himselfe in counsel to shewe his opinion before the aunciente and yeare beaten fathers so what good minde wil not greue to sée the studied Doctours still and the Children dispute in matters of greate weight both doth well Do not mistruste your own hability as Thophrastus did who taking vpon him to play the Oratour when he came to it coulde not vtter any one word You speake among your countrymen you speake for your countries aduauncement and like a CountrymaÌ„ of the wisest you shal bee accepted Although happily all things should not fal out so point deuise as either you wish or others loke for Isocrates that famous Oratours childishe timerousnesse who can allowe of who in Concione neuer durste open his lippes As this maidenly bashfulnesse is to bee diswaded so againe Cicero the Dad of the Romayne eloquence his carful heade is to be followed who with a warely feare entred OratioÌ„s The erst named Pericles vnwilling spake publikly yet neuer ommitted his furtherance where it coulde profitte his Country Wherfore as dainty regarde of spéech is to bée imbraced so dumnesse according to Pithagoras is vtterly to be bannished If you wil not speake dare not or cannot let another haue place England is no graunge it can sufficientlye supply Parliament men Thus as you sée haue I tumbled my tubbe and founde my selfe occupied to lay before you with good meaning whereout I truste you may reape some profit â—he notes minded in my passed yeares and now for this present called to remeÌ„brance I beséech god you al of this counsel of Parliament both now and alwayes hereafter in all causes and at al times may be lincked in one concorde frendship and amytie imbracing and respecting the wealth and estate of your Countrey that experience learning and wisedome abounde in you that your heartes be of flynte not of waxe wherin threats may not enter fayre words haue working nor briberie leaue print priuate affections to bée quite vanished malice and furie vtterly forsworn selfelyking detested vaine bablatiue speeches cryed out of needfull words and tymes obserued and tended and finally your trust as becomes your lykes discharged wherby religion shal be stablished and maynteyned the Prince strengthned and assured the Nobilitie honored and encreased the meaner sorte merelye enioy their labour with duetifull mindes to serue wyth body and pursse their country and king and with acknowledging due honour to their Péeres which wil make not only â— present age but our posteritie continually to sing Te deum Hosanna in excelsis for the pleasaunt and adamant state which England dwellers may iustly vaunte off which to graunte and continue in seculum seculorum God sende Amen FINIS Brute Mulmutius Gurgunstus Martia Lucius Seuerus Constantine Vortiger Hengist Arthur Cerdicus Ida. Ella Sebertus Penda Cadwallader Inas Egbert Danes Alured Edwarde â–ª Athelstane Edmunde Edgar Ethelred Edmunde Edwarde William Conqueror Henry 1. Stephen Henry 2. Richard â–ª 1 Iohn Henry 3. Edward 1 Edward â— Edward 3 Richard. 2 Henry 4. Henrie 5. Henry 6. Edward 4. Richard. 3. Henry 7. Henry 8. Edward 6 Queene Mary K. Philip. Queene Elizabeth