Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	earl_n	lord_n	viscount_n	6,197	5	12.0408	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96861	Anglo-tyrannus, or the idea of a Norman monarch, represented in the paralell reignes of Henrie the Third and Charles kings of England, wherein the whole management of affairs under the Norman kings is manifested, together with the real ground, and rise of all those former, and these latter contestations between the princes, and people of this nation, upon the score of prerogative and liberty. And the impious, abusive, and delusive practises are in short discovered, by which the English have been bobbed of their freedome, and the Norman tyrannie founded and continued over them. / By G.W. of Lincolnes Inne.	Walker, George, of Lincoln's Inn.	1650 (1650)	Wing W340; Thomason E619_1; ESTC R203987	46,665	64

Walker To the Reader HE must rise betimes saith the proverb who will please all which may cease our wonder that the Common-wealth is so displeasant to some which hath gotten up so late yet better late than never But though some dotarts square all by antiquity supposing none so wise which are not so old and guesse at the understanding by the gray hairs which in truth are rather a badge of imperfection and the declension of nature and which came into the world at the back doore being a part of that fatall offspring begot between the Serpents craft and our first Parents disobedience I speak not this in scorn of age which I honour when found in the way of righteousnesse and truth nor in deniall of its advantage over youth by experience but to oppose that errour spred amongst many that all wisdome deceased with their Grandsires and they are onely to travell in their tracks an opinion more agreeable to a pack horse than a man endued with a rationall soul which is not to lie idle and which indeed the word of God and universall experience which even make fools wise contradicts the one infallibly declaring that in the latter dayes the Spirit of Truth shall more abundantly be poured forth into earthen vessels the other visibly informing us of the daily advantages we have above our ancestors to attain Knowledge for admit they were such G●y ants in understanding yet we poore dwarfes being upon their shoulders may see further than they but I say though some doe thus yet the sons of reason measure by another standard as knowing that if worth should be prised by antiquity the rotten would becom of more value than the ripe to such therefore do I present this Discourse who judge by reason not passion which so often makes the Crow seem white the Bells to tink as the fools do think and in confidence Reader that thy ingenuity is such that no byas of interest will wheel thee narrow and thy capacity able to draw thee from running wide of reason the only mark men in civil games should bowl at I have taken the pains to present thee with a map of Englands condition under her Monarchs wherein thou mayst view how justly Magna Charta is cast in our Governours teeths to beget a belief of their being more tyrannous than our Kings were admit it be not observed in every tittle now what are we the worse when some fresher and more apposite remedy is applyed to heal us let us consider that it was constituted under another Government and so cannot square to the present and that the makers of it were but men nay and such as had not that roome to act in as we have and so could not foresee or at best provide for all that now providence hath wrought amongst us but I shall not detain thee with a long Preface from the Book wherein an ingenuous and rationall spirit will discern that if our present Governours had been bound up to former rules we could never have attained that estate which now by Gods mercy and their prudence we enjoy and may so still if our own perversnesse hinder us not Truly that Fahle in Pliny of certain monstrous people in Africk which had one foot and that so big that they covered and shaded with it their whole body may be a perfect embleme of our Kingly Government which being at first instituted for a firm basis and prop to the body politick what by the fatall sloath and stupidity of the people and the industrious craft and activity of Monarchs was turned topsie turvie and had got so between heaven and us that it wholly deprived us of that free light and happinesse which God and nature held forth unto us and thus in stead of a support was become a burden under the weight of which the whole groaned nay was almost pressed to death but thou being a member and sound canst not but be as sensible of this as I and for dead slesh and rotten limbs corrosives and cuttings are onely proper it will be weaknesse in me therefore to doubt of the plaudit to the Common wealth so farewell till we meet in the book Anglo-Tyrannus Or the Idea of a Norman MONARCH c. FAtall and Bloody have Crowns and Scepters been in generall to all Nations in particular to this in England and that not only in regard of the strife between competitours who in pnrple gore deeply dyed their regall roabs and by the slaughtered carcasses of their Rivals and partakers ascended the Imperiall throne but in respect of the iterated contests between Prerogative and Liberty the Kings aiming at uncontrolable absolutenes the people claming their Native Freedome The verity of this assertion we may see deeply imprinted in bloody Characters throughout the whole series of English history yea so deeply that it may even create an envy in us of the Turkish happinesse and beget a wish after their bondage who though they go for absolute slaves yet cannot shew such dire effects of tyranny as we and our ancestors have felt and groaned under That policy of State impious and inhumane enough of destroying the younger Brothers of the Ottoman line though decried by us and all who write Christians yet compared with our Monarches politick arts and actings may seem to have been founded on the advice of their own and mankinds better genius to prevent the efusion of blood and deliver millions from the shambles there a few males of his own Family fall a victime to their Tyrant when whole Hecatombs can scarse appease the thirsty ambition of an English pretender ther one house suffers here none escapes as but to instance in one contest between Henry the sixth and Edward the fourth wherein was fought ten bloody battles besides all lesser scirmishes thousands of Lords Gentlemen and Commons slaine and one halfe of the Nation destroyed to set up a King to trample upon the other for in that quarrell between the Houses of Lancaster and Yorke fell 80998. persons 2. Kings 1. Prince 10. Dukes 2. Marquesses 21. Earls 2. Viscounts 27. Lords 1. Prior 1. Iudge 1 39. Knights 441. Esquiers this hath been the happiness and peace which a successive and hereditary Monarchy hath afforded England For our liberty we can indeed shew many of our Kings large and good deeds but few or none of their actions their hands alwaies having been too hard for their Seals Parchments and Charters we purchased of them with the price of Millions both in Blood and Treasure but let us but pass by their promises and view their performances and we may set aside Turkie and term England the slave and this appears in our Chronicles where though in the Theorie and System the English Government hath been limited and bounded by good and distinguishing lawes yet in the exercise and practic part of every Kings raign we shall find it deserve as bad a name as others who are called most absolute The Poets fable of Tantalus

that had before in the eighth year of his Raign made himself of age for his own ends yet now is not ashamed upon the same score to pretend nonage in the ninth year wherein he confirmed both the Charters Thus if the King say 8. is more than 9. the people must believe it for it is treason no doubt to question their Soveraignes words or actions and Rebellion to chop Logick with him And now this cancelling having annulled all hopes of a subsidie He hath a new shift to drain the peoples purses by making a new Seal and forcing all which held any thing by the old to renew their Patents fining at the pleasure of the Chief Iusticiarie not according to their ability It seemes the Old Seal was under age too and for this he had a Bul but whether from the Pope or somebody else is the question These perfidious and oppressive courses so incense the people that the Lords appoint a Randezvouz at Stamford intending it seems to bait these Buls by force to keep them from goring The King is startled at this news hearing his Brother the Earl of Cornewall was also joyned to them and by feare brought to promise a redresse and so pacifies them at Northampton and buyes his brother to side with him with his mothers Dower and all the Lands in England belonging to the Earl of Britain and late Earl of Bullogne These are the uneven paths which necessity forces Tyrants to stagger through scraching up here and leaving a piece there using the Rake with this hand and the Fork with that Peter must be rob'd to pay Paul these pilled and polled to bribe the other but these shifts will be quickly thredbare by which what is got in the Hundred is lost in the Shire The King having bound himself by his Procurators at Rome to the payment of Tenths it seems the Pope would not do a job of journeywork for nothing cals a Parliament that the Legat might demand them but though the Legat was impudent enough to ask the question yet the Laity were so modest as to deny him the Clergy being over-reachd by Segrave one of the Kings Counsell consented and found a very hard bargain of it for the ravenons Legat exacted them at a set day and those that miss'd it were sure to be hit home with an Excommunication Thus between the Lyon and the Wolf the Flock went to wrack for no doubt but the King had a feeling in the cause or his Counsell would never have beene so diligent in the businesse but all this would not do he therefore exacts great summes of the Clergy whom the Pope could rule and would it being his turn now and the City of London for redemption of their liberties an excellent way to make them free for they seldom are so of themselves yet have they given down largely in this Cause to their Honour be it spoken and may they be so moderate as not to kick over the palle in the upshot and forces the Iews to pay the third of all their moveables to maintain his Warres he then began in France whither he goes leaving them to pray that he might deal more Christianly with them for the future But his evill gotten goods thrived not and the King besides an infinite expence of treasure having lost divers Nobles and valiant men without any glory returns home bringing with him the Earle of Britaigne and many Poictovins to suck up what could further be wrung from the poor people of England and in order to this calls a Parliament wherein upon pretence and promise of sending supplyes into Spain against the Saracens he obtains a fifteenth of the Laity and Clergy but the Popes turn it seems was come who falls a cursing all that had any hand in with-holding Tithes from those multitudes of strangers which he had preferr'd to benefices and the King makes a strict inquisition after them forces them all to runne to Rome for absolution of this horrible sin of resisting his Pastors in the main work of their Ministery few of them having more English than would serve to demand their tithes but it was enough with the Pope they had that whose special care was to see the Flock might be fleec'd for teaching that might have spoyl'd devotion to Rome which ignorance is the sirurest Nurse too a strange way to Heaven that the blindest hit best Christs servants are the Children of Light Sure then his Holinesse must be Vicar to the Prince of Darknesse whose best Subjects see least A Parliament also is called at Westminster which expecting deeds from him before they would do any thing and he not being poor enough nor so shiftlesse as to fall to mending so soon breaks up with a flat denyall of any money Hereupon by the advice of the Bishop of Winchester sith the Parliament was so drie he fals to squeeze his own Spunges and amongst the rest his darling Hubert de Burgh Earl of Kent and his Chief Iusticiarie feels the weight of Kingly kindnesse which loves a man so long as he is usefull but if any advantage shall accrue it is very Rebellion should affection be so saucy as to plead privilege against Royall profit and naw kenning of Kingcraft for Kings to be more nice than wise O the wretched estate of that man who to curry favour with a Tyrant cares not how he acts nor what he does aside he is thrown so soon as his great Master hath served his turn on him and being down is sure to be trampled on to some purpose by the enraged people who in the servants misery seek a recompence for the Masters tyranny and this hath been told us by a King and Prophet long ago Put not your trust in Princes men of high degree area lye And now the Bishop of Winchester is the Court Minion but as he tript up the Earl of Kents heels so will he be laid on his back shortly and the same noose he made for others will catch the Woodcock himselfe ere long who was returned from the Holy Wars abroad to begin it seems wicked discord at Home for he shewing the king that Foraigners were the only journey-men to drive on his trade of Tyranny and fittest instruments to keep the English in slavery causes him who for his own ends cared neither whom nor what he made use of to displace all the chief Counsellors and Barons of the kingdom and to bestow all places of concernment either Military or Civill on strangers These strains of so strange and insufferable violences so exasperate the Nobility that many combine for defence of the publique and the Earl of Pembroke in all their names tels the King how pernicious and dangerous these courses would prove whom the Bishop of Winchester insolently answers That it was lawfull for the K. to call what strangers he would to defend his Crown and compell his proud rebellious Subjects to their due obedience that is tame slavery

The Lords netled with this Prelats peremptorinesse which the King bore him out in depart with more indignation vowing to spend their Lives in this cause concerning their liberties so much hereupon the K. sends for whole Legions of Poictovins then summons them to appear in the Parl. called on purpose to intrap them but they were so wise as to avoid the snare so resolute as to send him word That unles he would mend his manners by the common Counsel of the kingdom they would expell both him and his evil Councellors the Land But all this avayled them not for upon their refusall to repair to him at Glocester the King without the judgment of his Court or their Peers causes them to be proclamed Out-Laws seizes upon all their Lands which he divides among his Poictovins the Panisaries that guarded and boulstered out this Grand Sultan and his Visier Basha Winchester in their tyrannies and directs out Writs to attach their Bodie But now give me leave a little to digresse and shew how our bloud-hounds have run counter on the same foile have acted the most of this scene in our dayes For thus though our King wanted not so great a stock of strangers to set up with there being so many base spirited Englishmen which would be instrumentall in enslaving their Countrey a thing our noble and generous Ancestors abhorred to do yet German horse were to have bin brought over to help to improve the Trade and lye for factourage of Tyranny in every County Thus the Earl of Straffora tels the King he had an Army in Ireland which might be brought over to bring England under the yoak a Counsel which cost the Giver his Head Thus were Swedes Danes French Scots Irish and Dutch sent for over and invited by the King to help him Thus the Members were illegally proceeded against the Lords summoned to York and the Parliament commanded to Oxford and all that refused handled without mittens their Estates being conferred on those who would engage for Tyranny and themselves proclamed Traytors and Rebels indeed these things considered it was no marvell God was so often called to witnesse that Tyranny was not intended and impiety used to create credulity God mocked that men might be abused sith no reason could be given to gain our belief and make us give our own eyes the lye The Lords though much weakned by the revolt of some of themselves the King having won the Earl of Cornwall and Winchester with a thousand marks bought the Earls of Chester and Lincoln to his party repair into Wales at that time very sensible of their oppression and the Earl of Kent to cry quittance with the K. and make amends for his former faults breaks prison and joyns with them hereupon the K. in person marches against them but he is beaten and forced to retreat with dishonor to Glocester his Foraigners also being again sent against them runne the same chance their Generall and thousands of them being slain on the place being frustrated therefore in his design of force the King employes a Fryer to cajole the Earl of Pembroke General of the Forces raised by the Barons but all the flatteries promises and threats of that crafty instrument could not shake the constancy of that Noble Lord who gallantly told him That he feared no danger nor would ever yeeld to the Kings will which was guided by no reason that he should give an evill example to relinquish the justice of his Cause to obey that will which wrought all injustire whereby it might appeare he loved worldly possessions more than Right and Honour Thus the promise of restauration of his former estate with the addition of great Lands in Herefordshire nothing prevailed with him in whose heroik Mind Honour and his Conntryes good were Commanders in chief No way therefore now being left but that the King tryes what may be done by Treachery and takes a truce with them in the mean while seizing all those great possessions which were left the Earl in Ireland by his famous Ancestor the Earl Strongbow that thereby he might draw the Earl over thither this design takes effect and the Earl endeavouring to regain his livelihood lost his life circumvented by treachery Thus noblest souls are soonest intrapt who measuring others their own thoughts are the least suspicious but his death wrought such effects as caused the King to disown the businesse and lay the load upon his Counsellors shoulders In a Parl. at Westminst. the King being plainly told his own the Bishops threatning to proceed by Ecclesiasticall censure both against him and his Counsellors and seeing no way to subsist and get his ends but by temporizing consents to them calls home the Lords removes the strangers and brings his new officers to account now the storm fals so violently that Winchester with his Bastard are forced for shelter to take Sanctuary untill by large Fines the King was appeased who to get money was very ready to doe any thing Escuage is granted toward the marriage of his Sister whom he bestowed on the Emperour with 30000 marks for a Dowry besides an Imperiall Crown and other Ornaments to a great value The King marries Elianor Daughter to the Earl of Provence a match which beside the distance of the place was infinitely disadvantagious having no Dowry getting a poor kindred which must needs draw means from this kingdome A Parliament also is assembled at London which the King would have held in the Tower but that the Lords refused to come in which Sheriffs were removed for corruption and the new ones sworn to take no bribes Now the King endeavours to change his officers and to take the Seale from the Chancellor the Bishop of Chichester who refuses to deliver it which he had by the Common Councell of the kingdom without assent of the same and having carryed himself unblamably in his office is much favoured by the people Also he receives some old cast officers into favour such was his levity and irresolution moved with any Engine to doe and undo and all out of time and order wherein he ever loses ground and goes about by the Popes Authority to revoke his former Grants which addes to the already conceived displeasure of the people In another Parliament or the same adjourned the King demands relief and upon promise to confirm the Charters and not seek to infringe them upon any pretence as want of the Popes confirmation c. a thirtieth part of all moveables is granted yet upon condition that it should be gathered by four Knights in every shire and laid up in Abbies or Castles that if the King performed not his promise it might be returned that he should leave the Counsell of Aliens and use only that of his Naturall Subjects Which being done and to make shew on his part some old Counsellors suddenly removed and others chosen which were sworn to give him good and faithfull advice yet I hope he

sorely that the King what to pacifie the people and what for fear nothing would be left him should this cormorant fish on humblie beseeches the Pope that Fleece Skin Flesh and all might not be torn away and nothing but the Bones left him for his fees but he might have had as much kindnes of a Wolfe for a good word and as soon have kept that hungrie Beast from the folde by a Petition as his Holinesse who though he appeare in sheeps cloathing hath the wolfes conditions and is onely to be hunted or cudgeled from worrying the flocke No doubt this tender hearted Vicar had such a care of their soules that regarding neither his owne nor their bodies he endeavoured to begger them if possible in hopes that being poore they would receive the Gospell and in truth next unto Gods goodnes the Popes wickednes was the meanes of this nations receiving the truth who by his pride and covetousnesse caused Henry the 8th a King as proud as he for his heart and in more want for his purse to kick him out which was the first step to Reformation of Religion Yet though the King could obtain no redress of the Pope he prevails with him to lay on more loads getting Letters to the Lords Spirituall and Temporall to help him to money in the Parliament now assembled at Westminster which notwithstanding the Kings personall and Popes literall entreaties will grant none untill he give assurance of Reformation and the due execution of Lawes they require also that 4 Peers should be chosen as conservators of the Kingdom which should be sworn of the Kings Counsell see justice observed and the treasure issued out That the cheife Iusticiar and Chancellor should be of the four or chosen by the Parliament together with two Iustices of the Benches two Barons of the Exchequer and one Iustice for the Iewes that as their function was publike so might also their Election be but as the Devill would have it sayes one the Popes Nuncio spoyls all by demanding money of them towards the Popes Wars against the Emperour a Son in Law to England having married one of her Daughters thus was not the Pope ashamed to demand money for the King but to sing the second part to the same tune in the same Parliament on his own behalf an impudency so monstrous that we might well question it came it not from that strumpet of Rome and seting aside doctrine by practice we may easily perceive who is meant in the Revelation by the Whore of Babylon but the peremptory demand received an absolute repulse the Pope could get nothing but they granted Escuage towards marriage of his eldest daughter to the King twenty shillings of every Knights fee The King also upon a light occasion makes a great and expensive preparation against Scotland and the Earl of Flanders thirsting after his money comes over with a ragged Regiment to help whose unnecessary presence was nothing acceptable to the Barons as if the strength of England could not be sufficient without him for that action which was as suddainly ended as undertaken by a faire conclusion of peace The King assembles another Parliament which would grant Him no more money though he told them his debts were so great that he could not appear out of his Chamber for the clamour of those to whom he owed money for his Wine Wax and other necessaries of his House hereupon he falls to other violent courses and first he picks a quarrell with the Londoners and makes them pay 15000 marks for receiving a banished man into their City notwithstanding they produced his pardon under the great Seal which they were told was purchased when the King was under age Thus because the Lyon would have it so the Asses ears must be horns well fare the Fox therefore which had the wit not to come to Court Observe here the happy estate of our Ancestors under Monarchy who if they gained but this advantage though attended with many inconveniences and mischiefs incident to all Nations in their Kings minority of receiving a few good Grants and enjoying a pittance of Freedom once in 4 or 5 ages when their King was too young to play Rex and there hapned a wise and honest Protector yet were sure to pay through the nose for it afterwards with double and treble interest for forbearance Then employes one Passeleave in a peremptory Commission to enquire of all Lands which had been dis-forested and either to fine the occupiers at pleasure or take them from them and sell the same to others if they would give more for them and in this such rigour was shewn that multitudes were undone yet Passeleave should have been preferred to the Bishoprick of Chichester for his good service had not the Bishops opposed the King therein Thus have we not seen with our own eyes whole Counties almost to be challenged for Forest and our selves like to have been forced to purchase our own estates from Charles to save our habitations from becomming the places of Wilde Beasts The Lords also making bold to open the Popes packet to Martin found therein such vilany that the Nuncio was forthwith commanded out of the Land who so basely had behaved himself that he both needed and yet could hardly obtain a safe Conduct to preserve him from the violence of the enraged people and now the King being incensed also at the Popes oppressions or at least seeming to be so sith his cheats were made publike the Parliament make use of the good mood he was in and lay before him how that Italians Revenues in England amounted to sixtie thousand marks yearly besides the Popes Exactions which so moved him that he caused all to be notified by Commissioners sent to the Generall Councell at Lions demanding redresse which together with Martins usage so vexed the Pope that he endeavoured to set the French King upon his back In the Parliament holden at Westminster upon the Popes rejecting the Consideration of these grievances and despising the Kings Messages saying that he began to Frederize it was Enacted and Ordained under great penalty That no Contribution of money should be given to the Pope by any Subject of England and the same confirmed in a Parliament at Winchester and another at London The King also bustles against the Popes Exactions in such sort that it gave hope of redress but this heat was soon chill'd by the Popes threats of so irresolute and wavering a nature was the King Woman-like giving over what he manfully undertook but this may seem to confirm what was hinted before that what he did was rather out of policy to delude the people whose rage was risen so high that he fear'd to meet it than a just sence of their misery who in all things else which stood with his humour or advantage was more than enough stubborn and stiffe And now the Pope having given or rather taken the foile continues his former rapine yet fearing

if he kicked too hard he might be thrown out of the Saddle he seems openly to surcease and promises never to send any more Legats into England and underhand effects his will by other Ministers termed Clerks who had the same power though a different title the former being too eminent for his clandestine transactions which the King furthers him in all he can so cordiall was the reconcilement which shewes it was not effected by fear And to give them their due both play'd their parts very dexterously if the term may be proper for a sinister practice The Pope ranting as high in the Counsel as the King vapoured in the Parlament saying It is fit that we make an end with the Emperour that we may crush these petty Kings for the Dragon once appeased or destroyed these lesser Snakes will soon be trodden down But had he thought Henry one in earnest he would not so soon have received him into his bosome Peter of Savoy before made Earl of Richmond comes over again it may seem the King by his pretended forwardnes against the Pope had got some money bringing with him young wenches out of Provence which were married to Noblemen who were the Kings wards as to the Earls of Lincoln Kent c. and to be sure Peter lost nothing by such bargains though the Nobility were abused in a barbarous and tyrannicall manner Comes again the Countesse of Provence who lost nothing by the voyage though she had delivered Provence and sixteen Castles as a dowry with her Daughter married to Charls the French Kings Brother unto the French contrary to equity the Queen of England being the eldest Daughter and Covenant too having promised it to the King and received for five years 4000 marks annuall pension in consideration of the pact so fatally infatuated was this King that he cared not how he lavished out upon such cheats what he scrued and wrung from his Subjects And besides Thomas of Savoy titular Earl of Flanders who came over with her three of the Kings half-Brothers are sent for over to be provided of Estates in England which it seems he intended to divide between his own and his Wives beggarly kindred truly by this Kings actions a man would guesse he thought he had been set up onely to impoverish his Subjects and enrich Aliens and as he so almost every King plaid their prizes the only difference being that strangers were not alwayes the objects of their profusenesse yet King James imitated him in every circumstance who gave away so fast unto Scots the English Lands and they to relieve their penury fell'd the woods so lustily that for ought could be guessed Trees would have been as thin here as in Scotland had not the Lords by money hyred his jester Green to give a stop to his Carriere they themselvs not daring to give check to the Magisteriall Scot in his vanity by making a Coat with Trees and Birds on them and telling him questioning and wondering at the humor That if the Woods were fell'd so fast by his Countrey men a little longer Birds must perch upon Fools Coats for no Trees would be left them to sit upon Thus also was the Lord Cobham and Sir Walter Rawleys estates conferr'd on favourites and they made Traytors that Court Hang-bies might be made Lords and Gentlemen and to say the truth in this point all or most of our Monarchs have so behaved themselves as if with the Countrey fellow at Doctors Commons they thought England was dead detestable had made them her executioners and they were come to the Crown to diminish her goods But to return where we left Henry was so lavish and his Guests so unwilling to seem unmannerly and refuse his kindnesse that his baggs were now become as empty as his barrels were before A Parliament therefore is summoned at London and money demanded but they put him in minde of his Guests and besides sharply reprehended Him For his breach of promise in requiring another aid having vowed and declared upon his last supplie never more to injure the state in that kinde for his violent taking up of provisions for diet wax silkes robes but especially wine contrary to the will of the owners whereby Merchants will withdraw their Commodities and all Trade and Commerce utterly ceases to the detriment and infamy of this Kingdome That his Judges were sent in Circuit under pretence of justice to fleece the people That Passeleave had wrung from the Borderers on Forests vast sums of money they wonder therefore he should now demand relief from the impoverished Commons They advise him to pull from his favourits inriched with the Treasure of the Kingdom to support his prodigality sith his needlesse expences amounted to above 800000 l. since he began his destructive Raign postquam Regni caepit esse dilapidator thus plainly durst our generous Ancestors tell a Tyrant his own to his teeth Then they reprove Him For keeping vacant in his hands Bishopricks and Abbeys contrary to the Liberties of the Church and his Oath taken at his Coronation Which it seems was judged more than a Ceremony in those dayes though in ours the contrary hath so falsly and impudently been asserted Lastly they generally complain for that the chief Iusticia Chancellor Treasurer c. were not made by the Common-Councell of the Kingdom according as they were in the time of his magnificent predecessors as as it was fit and expedient but such advanced as followed his will in whatsoever tended to his gaine and sought promotion not for the good of the Kingdom but their own profit Here we may obsetve that it was no new doctrin which our Parliament in the beginning taught us but that it was practised as well as thought fit so to be by our Ancestors though the Royall Pen-men in their Declarations boldly and publickly avowed the contrary With this reprehension the King was netled as his speech the next Session makes out for though he promised amendment they would not beleeve him and therefore prorogued the Parliament till Midsummer that they might see whether he would be as good as his word We must know Kings were not grown so impudent and daring then as to dissolve Parliaamens at their own pleasures But he mended like sour Ale in Summer his heat it seems increasing with the Seasons and in the next Session with an Imperious and Magisteriall brow thus expostulates with them Would you curb the King your Lord at your uncivill pleasure and impose a servile condition on him will you deny unto him what everyone of you as you list may doe it is lawfull for every one of you to use what Counsell and every Master of a Family to prefer to any office in his house whom he pleases and displace again when he list and will you rashly deny your Lord the King to do the like Whereas servants ought not to judge their Master and Subjects their Prince or hold them to their cond●tions

the provident example of his Brothe● who absolutely refused it in regard it lay so far off so many Nations between the cavils of the Popes the infidelity of the People and the power of the pretenders They also repeat the Kingdoms grievances The breach of his promises and most solemn Oathes the insolence of his Brethren and other strangers against whom by his Order no Writ was to pass out of the Chancery how they abounded all in riches and himself was so poor that he could not repress the Welsh who wasted his Countrey but going against them was forced to return with dishonor The King seeing his friend Necessity was at his Elbow humbles himself tels them how he had often by evil Counsell been seduced and promises by his Oath which he takes on the Tombe of Saint Edw. to reform all these Errors but the Lords not knowing how to hold this ever-changing Proteus for security adjourn the Parliament to meet at Oxford in which time they provided for their own and the Kingdoms safety The King in the mean while is put to his shifts and upon promise of high preferment gets the Abbot of Westminster to put his and his Covents Seal to a Deed obligatory as a surety for threehundred marks sending by Passeleave this Deed with his Letters unto other Monasteries to invite them to do the like but notwithstanding his threats telling them how all they had came from the benignitie of Kings ●nd how their Soveraigne was Lord of all they had They refused to yeeld to any such deed saying They acknowledged the King to be Lord of all they had but so as to defend not to destroy the same And now the Parliament meets at Oxford and in this it is Enacted that the Poictovins and strangers should avoid the Land with many other profitable Laws for that time The Charters are confirmed and the King and Prince sworn to restore the ancient Lawes and Institutions of the Realm and to observe inviolable the Ordinances of that Parliament Now the chief Iusticiar Chancellor and all other great and publike Officers are elected by the common and publike Counsell which power was as we may see before usurped by the Norman Tyrants and worn as an especiall flowr of their Crowns and fruit of our slavery for it is manifest to any unlesse such as will wink that our English Kings were but as Generals in War without any other great jurisdiction our wise Ancestors knowing such a trust enough for one and therefore kept the Election of other Great Officers in their own power untill it was wrested out of their hands by the Norman Tyrants and that not so much by the Sword as by craft thus though William sirnamed the Bastard had defeated Harold in the field yet upon his Coronation he swore to maintain the ancient Laws Liberties and Customes of the English Nation and again renewed his Oath and granted the same too by Charter but when he was throughly setled in his seat he perfidiously broke all imposed the Norman Lawes and those in the Norman tongue as a badge of our slavery and a means to entrap the English who not understanding them knew not how to avoid the incurring the penalties whereby his Normans mouths up were made with their Estates thus his Successors were forced to swear and forswear to maintain themselves in their Kingships The Poictovins and strangers being banished presently followes the death and sicknesse of divers Noblemen who had been poysoned by their practice and a Steward of the Earl of Glocesters was executed for it he having received a great sum of VVilliam de Valence the head of the Poictovins to work the feat And though the Kings Favourites cryed out that he was condemned only upon presumption yet the evidence will appear very strong if we consider that his Lord and his Lords brother were poysoned the latter dying the former lying sick a long while having his body swell'd his nails and hair fallen off and this Steward convinced to have received a great sum of the Poictovin their Enemy for whom he could make out no service to be ever done unlesse what was layed to his charge besides a Iew being converced a little after confessed the poyson was prepared in his house The Earl of Cornwall now King of the Romans returns into England and upon his arrivall takes an Oath to observe inviolably and obey the Statutes and Ordinances made by the late Parliament at Oxford A Parliament was summoned at Westminster wherein were read and confirmed all the Statutes of Oxford and such pronounced acursed by the Prelats which should attempt in word or deed to infringe any of the same Whereupon Escuage is granted to the King forty shillings of every Knights Fee a very considerable sum in those dayes for there were above forty thousand Knights Fees in England at that time But the King having an intent to break more Oaths and knowing that now it would not so easily be done makes a Voyage over Sea to conclude a peace with France that he might not be interrupted in the game he ment to play at home having dispatched Messengers secretly to Rome for absolution of his Oath and to Scotland for aydes to be ready upon occasion When he had concluded with the King of France having made an absolute resignation of the Dutchy of Normandy the Earldoms of Anjou Poictou Tourenne and Main upon the receipt of 300000 Crowns and a Grant to enjoy what he had in Guien Xantongue c. doing homage and fealty to the Crown of France He returns and comes to London where he presently fortifies the Tower caused the Gates of the City to be Warded and then to pick a quarrel commands the Lords to come to a Parliament to be holden in the Tower which they refusing as he knew they would he takes an Oath of all above 12 years of age in London to be true to Him and His Heirs and sets armed men to defend the City Gates For fear sure the Parliament should have come in and so spoyled the design For neither Henry or any of our former Kings were ever so daring as to contest with a Parliament in the field or set up their standards against it but were alwayes forced to grant its demands or quietly sit down without having their own turne served when the Parliament was willing to dissolve And now Henry being provided for the work causes the Popes Bull purchased for absolving himself and all others sworn to maintain the Statutes of Oxford to be read publickly at Pauls-Crosse and makes Proclamation that all should be proceeded against as Enemies to his Crown and Royal dignity who should disobey the absolution and such was the blindnesse and slavery of many in those times that one Bull begot thousands of Calves in an instant and yet it seems veal was never the cheaper for his Son the Prince was forced to rob the Treasury at the New Temple to buy him