losers whereby having your Lands free and renting it out to the true value as it is most in use and not imployed as heretofore at an old Rent and small â—ines you may then rent it out for at least four or five times more mony then the old Rent comes unto So as if your Majesties â—onds be already but sixty thousand pounds per Annum by this course it will be augmented at the least two hundred thousand pounds per Annum and to buy out the Tenants estates will come to a small matter by the course to make them no losers considering the gain they have already made upon the Land And this is the rather to be done and the present course changed because it hath been a custom used meerly to cousen the King Item Whereas most Princes do receive the benefit of Salt in their own hands as a matter of great profit because they receive it at the lowest price possible and vent it at double gain yearly the same course used by your Majesty were worth at least one hundred and fifty thousand pound per Annum It is likewise in other parts that all Weights and Measures of the land either in private Houses Shops or publick Markets should be viewed to be just and sealed once a year paying to the Prince for it which in England applyed to your Majesty with order to pay six-pence for the sealing of each said Weight or Measure would yield near sixty thousand pounds per Annum Item Though all Countries pay a Gabella for transportation of Cloth and so likewise in England yet in Spain there is Impost upon the Wools which in England is so great a wealth and benefit to the Sheep-Masters as they may well pay you five pound per cent of the true value at the shearing which I conceive may be worth one hundred and forty thousand pounds per Annum Item Whereas the Lawyers Fees and gains in England be excessive to your Subjects prejudice it were better for your Majesty to make use thereof and impose on all Causes sentenced with the party to pay five pound per cent of the true value that the Cause hath gained him and for recompence thereof to limit all Lawyers Fees and gettings whereby the Subject shall save more in Fees and Charges then he giveth to your Majesty in the Gabella which I believe may be worth one year with another fifty thousand pounds Item Whereas the Innes and Victualling-houses in England are more chargeable to the Travellers then in other Countries it were good for your Majesty to linâ— them to certain Ordinaries and raise besides a large Imposition as is used in Tuskany and other parts that is a prohibiting all Innes and Victualling-houses but such as shall pay it and to impose upon the chief Inns and Taverns to pay ten pounds a year to your Majesty and the worst five pound per Annum and all Ale-houses twenty shillings per Annum more or lesse as they are in custom Of all sorts there are so many in England that this Imposâ— may well yield one hundred thousand pounds per Annum to your Majesty Item In Tuscany and other parts there is a Gabella of all Cattle or Flesh and Horses sold in Markets paying three or four per cent of what they are sold for which by conjecture may be worth in England two hundred thousand pounds per Annum using the like Custom upon Fish and other Victualls Bread excepted and for this cause Flesh and Fish and Victualls in the Markets to be priced and sold by weight whereby the Subject saveth more in not being cousened than the Imposition impaireth them Item In Tuskany is used a Taxation of seven per cent upon all alienation of Lands to the true value As also seven per cent upon all Dowries or Marriage-monies The like if it be justly used in England were worth at least one hundred thousand pound per Annum with many other Taxations upon Meal and upon all Merchandises in all Towns as well as Port-Towns which here I omit with divers others as not so fit for England And in satisfaction of the Subject for these Taxes your Majesty may be pleased to release them of Wardships and to enjoy all their Estates at eighteen yâ—ers old and in the mean time their profits to be preserved for their own benefit And also in forfeitures of Estate by condemnation your Majesty may release the Subject as not to take the forfeiture of their Lands but their Goods High-Treason onely excepted and to allow the Counsell of Lawyers in case of life and death as also nor to be condemned without two Witnesses with such like benefit which importeth much more their good then all the Taxations named can prejudice them Item Some of the former Taxations used in Ireland and in Scotland as may easily be brought about by the first example thereof used in England may very well be made to increase your Revenue there more then it is by two hundred thousand pound per Annum Item All Offices in the Land great and small in your Majestie 's grant may be granted with condition to pay you a part yearly according to the value This in time may be worth as I conceive one hundred thousand pound per Annum adding also Notaries Atturneys and such like to pay some proportion yearly towards it for being allowed by your Majesty to practise and prohibiting else any to practise in such places Item To reduce your Majesties houshold to Board-wages as most other Princes do reserving some few Tables this will save your Majesty sixty thousand pounds per Annum and ease greatly the Subject besides both in Carriages and Provision which is a good reason that your Majesty in honour might do it Item I know an assured course in your Majestie 's Navy which may save at least forty thousand pounds per Annum which requiring a whole Discourse by it self I omit onely promise you to do it whensoever you command Item Whereas your Majesties Lawes do command the strict keeping of Fasting-daies you may also prohibit on those daies to eat Eggs Cheese and White-meats but onely such as are contented 〈◊〉 pay eighteen pence a yeer for the liberty to eat them and the better sort ten shillings The employment of this may be for the defence of the Land in maintaining the Navy Garrisons and such like much after the fashion of a Crusado in Spain as your Majesty knoweth being first begun there under the pretence to defend the Land against the Moors And the same used in England as aforesaid may very well yield one yeer with another one hundred thousand pounds without any disgust to any because it is at every ones choice to give it or no. Lastly I have a course upon the Catholicks and very safe for your Majesty being with their good liking as it may be wrought to yield you presently at least two hundred thousand pound
Peace as they doubted he would not be brought to enter into War But Count Mansfield procured the King of France to Contract to receive our Troops with promise to enter into the War upon condition it might be regulated by the Council of the French King and England This favor to Count Mansfield That France agreed that his Armies should joyn with the Kings Troops wrought the Princes of Germany to believe that the King would enter into a War Thereupon the Imperialists left their Dyet and sent Tilly to Friezland and to take up the River of Embden which if he had obtained they would have trampled the Low-Countreys under foot and would have become Governors of the Sea Upon this the King of Denmark sent to our King and offered to raise an Army of Thirty thousand men if our King would allow Thirty thousand pounds a Moneth and said He would admit no time of respite for if Tilly had not been presently met and headed all had been lost Whereupon our King called a Counsel and appointed Commissioners and from that time all the Warrants for the issuing of the Moneys were all under the Kings own hand to the Council of War and from them to the Treasurers and the Warrants were from the Lords of the Council for the Levying of Men and for Coats and Conduct-Money A List whereof is hereunder specified Thereupon the Duke asked the Question Whether any thing was done by single Council To which the Lord Conway answered No. For the Treaty of Denmark Project of Count Mansfield Treaties with France and the business of the Navy were done all by the King himself and who can say it was done by single Council when King Iames commanded it whose Council every man ought to reverence especially in matters of War whereunto that King was not hasty The Total of Moneys paid by Warrants of the Treasurers of the Subsidy Money IN Toto for the Four Regiments of the Low-Countries from the Thirtieth of Iune 1624. till the One and twentieth of Iuly 1624. 99878 l. 00 s. 06 d. For the Navy from the Thirteenth of Iuly 1624. till the Three and twentieth of December 37530 l. 08 s. 04 d. For the Office of the Ordinance and Forts in England from the Twentieth of Iuly 1624. till the Fifteenth of Iune 1625. 47126 l. 05 s. 05 d. To defray Charges for Forts in Ireland about October 1624. 32295 l. 18 s. 04 d. For the Service under Count Mansfield for Provisions of Arms transporting of Soldiers from the Fourth of October 1624. till the Tenth of December 1624. 61666 l. 13 s. 04 d. Sum Total 278497 l. 04 s. 11 d. MEmorandum That over and above the several Services before specified and the several Sums issued and to be issued by our Warrants for the same We did long since resolve and order accordingly that out of the Moneys of the Second and third Subsidies these further Services should be performed and Moneys issued accordingly viz. In full of the Supply of all the Forts and Castles before-mentioned Surveyed per Sir Richard Morison Sir Iohn Ogle Sir Iohn Kay in September 1613. with all sorts of Munitions according to several Proportions and Warrants for the same 4973 l. In full for the Reparations of all the said Forts and Castles according to the said Survey 10650 l. 06s 08 d. But the said Subsidies being not like to afford means to perform these so necessary Works We humbly commend the supply of what shall be wanting for the same unto your Majesties Princely consideration Whilest the Commons were inquiring into Publick Grievances the Lords represented to the King a Grievance to their own Order in this following Petition To the Kings most Excellent Majesty The Petition of your ever Loyal Subjects the Lords Spiritual and Temporal now in Parliament Assembled In all humility sheweth THat whereas the Péers and Nobility of this Your Kingdom of England have heretofore in Civility yeilded as to strangers Precedency according to their several degrées unto such Nobles of Scotland and Ireland as being in Titles above them have resorted hither Now divers of the natural born Subjects of those Kingdoms resident here with their Families and having their cheif Estates among us do by reason of some late created Dignities in those Kingdoms of Scotland and Ireland claim Precedency of the Péers of this Realm which tends both to the disservice of Your Majesty and these Realms and to the great disparagement of the English Nobility as by these Reasons may appear I. It is a novelty without president that men should inherit Honors where they possess nothing else II. It is injurious to those Countreys from whence their Titles are derived that they should have a Uote in Parliament where they have not a foot of Land III. It is a grievance to the Country where they inhabite that men possessing very large Fortunes and Estates should by reason of Foreign Titles be exempted from those Services of Trust and Charge which through their default become greater pressures upon others who bear the burthen IV. It is a shame to Nobility that Persons dignified with the Titles of Barons Viscounts c. should be obnoxious and exposed to arrest they being in the view of the Law no more then méer Plebeians We therefore humbly beséech your Majesty That you will be pleased according to the examples of the best Princes and times upon consideration of these inconveniencis represented to Your Majesty by the nearest Body of Honor to Your Majesty that some course may be taken and an order timely setled therein by Your Princely Wisdom so as the inconvenience to Your Majesty may be prevented and the prejudice and disparagement of the Péers and Nobility of this Kingdom be redressed To this Petition the King gave Answer That he would take order therein The Earl of Bristol who continued under Restraint and was debarred Access to his Majesty ever since his return out of Spain had been examined touching his Negotiation there by a Committee of Lords appointed by the King Certain Propositions were tendred unto him in order to his Release and composing of that Affair concerning which he had written to the Lord Conway and about this time received the ensuing Letter from him The Lord Conway to the Earl of Bristol My Lord I Received a Letter from your Lordship dated the Fourth of this Moneth written in Answer to a former Letter which I directed to your Lordship by his Majesties Commandment This last Letter according to my duty I have shewed unto his Majesty who hath perused it and hath commanded me to write back to you again That he findes himself nothing satisfied therewith The Question propounded to your Lordship from his Majesty was plain and clear Whether you did rather chuse to sit still without being questioned for any Errors past in your Negotiation in Spain and enjoy the benefit of the late gratious Pardon granted in Parliament whereof you may have the benefit Or
Answer in writing under their hands whether they would conform to the Lord Conways Letter and to the Instrument peraffetted at Rochester for delivery over of the said ships yea or no offering to procure them a sufficient discharge to their contentment for their so doing The same day also Sir Ferdinando Gorge and the rest by writing under their hands subscribed did declare as followeth namely That they were willing to obey our King but held not the security peraffetted at Rochester by the three Ambassadors to be sufficient though honorable and so they absolutely refused to deliver their ships upon that security desiring better caution in that behalf 1. By Merchants of Paris 2. To be transferred to London 3. Irrevocable 4. And such as might not be protected by Prerogative and to have this under the Hands and Seals of both Kings All this while our King or body of the Council knew nothing in certain of any other design of the French then only of their pretence against Genoa and believed that all the Articles and Instruments that had passed between the French and us or the Captains Masters and Owners of the English ships had been penned and contrived with full and good Cautions accordingly for pâ—evention of all dangers that might grow to the contrary Also the same 28 Iuly the Captains and Masters taking notice of Mr. Nicholas pressing them to deliver their ships before security given to their content contrary to former Propositions which they held unreasonable did make answer unto the Marquis in writing That until they should have security to their contentment they would not quit the possession of their ships unto the French which was but reasonable and they sent therewith a valuation of their several ships as they would stand to They likewise demanded a performance of all things formerly sent to his Lordship from them by Mr. Nicholas save only for the security by money deposited saying that for all the rest they durst not proceed otherwise Lastly they prayed for a speedy Answer that the delay in this business may not seem to be in them But D' Effiat being confident of the Duke of Buckingham's Letters promises and proceedings aforesaid would not consent to these reasonable demands of the Captains and Masters of the English ships protracting the time till he might hear further from the said Duke out of England While these things were thus in handling both in France and in England there were written over out of France into England Letters of advertisement how and upon what ground or by what act or means procured or occasioned appeareth not yet from one Mr. Larking a servant to the Earl of Holland and a kind of Agent a person some way imployed by our State or under some of our Ambassadors or Ministers in France That the Peace was concluded with those of our Religion in France and that within fourteen days the War would break forth or begin in Italy with a Design upon Genoa a matter of great importance for annoying the Spaniard This Letter of Larking came to the English Court at Richmond 28 Iuly when the Duchess of Chevereux Child was there Christened and the Contents thereof as hath been alleaged were confirmed by the Ambassadors of Savoy and Venice By the advantage and colour whereof the Duke of Buckingham drew the King who all this while knew nothing of the Design upon Rochel or those of our Religion but thought the â—ormer Articles had been safe and well penned both for him and his Subjects according to the most religious and politick intention and Instructions in that behalf originally given by his late Father to write a Letter dated at Richmond the same 28 Iuly directed to the said Captain Pennington to this effect viz. His Majesty did thereby charge and command the said Captain Pennington without delay to put his Highness former Command in execution for consigning the Vantguard into the hands of the Marguis D'Effiat for the French with all her Furniture assuring her Officers his Majesty would provide for their Indemnity And to require the seven Merchants ships in his Majesties name to put themselves into the service of the French King according to the promise his Majesty had made unto him And in case of backwardness or refusal commanding him to use all forcible means to compel them even to sinking with a Charge not to fail and this Letter to be his Warrant This Letter was sent by Captain Thomas Wilbraham to Captain Pennington who was yet in the Downs In the beginning of August 1625. Captain Pennington went over again to Diep carrying with him the said Letters of his Majesty and certain Instructions in writing from the Duke of Buckingham to Mr. Nicholas agreeable in substance to the former verbal Instructions given by the Duke to him at Rochester as the said Nicholas alleadgeth who also affirmeth that in all things what he did touching that business he did nothing but what was warranted by the Dukes Instructions to him which if it be true then the Duke of Buckingham who commanded and imployed him therein must needs be guilty of the matters so acted by the said Mr. Nicholas If there be any subsequent act or assent of Council or of some Counsellors of State for the going of these ships to the French or for putting them into their power it was obtained only for a colour and was unduly gotten by misinforming the Contents of the sealed Articles and concealing the Truth or by some other undue means Neither can any such latter act of Council in any sort justifie the Dukes proceedings which by the whole current of the matter appears to have been indirect in this business even from the beginning About the time of Captain Pennington's coming over to Diep the second time Mr. Nicholas did in his speeches to the Captains and Masters of the seven Merchants ships threaten and tell them That it was as much as their lives were worth if they delivered not their ships to the French as he required which put them in such fear as they could hardly sleep And thereupon two of them were once resolved to have come again away with the ships and because the former threats had made them afraid to return into England therefore to have brought and left their ships in the Downs and themselves for safety of their lives to have gone into Holland Captain Pennington being the second time come into Diep there forthwith delivered and put the said ship the Vantguard into the absolute power and command of the French King his Subjects and Ministers to the said French Kings use to be imployed in his service at his pleasure and acquainted the rest of the Fleet with the effect of his Majesties Letter and Command and demanded and required them also to deliver and put their ships into the power and command of the French King accordingly The Captains Masters and Owners of the seven Merchants ships refused so to do as conceiving it was not
the Kings pleasure they should so do without security for redelivery of their ships or satisfaction for the same to their good contentment Hereupon Pennington went on shore at Diep and there spake with D'Effiat the Ambassador and shortly after returned aboard and gave the Captains Masters and Owners an Answer resting upon the validity and urging the performance of the former Contract made and peraffetted in England Then the said Masters and Captains prepared to be gone and weighed anchor accordingly Whereupon Captain Pennington shot at them and forced them to come again to anchor as yielding themselves for fear to his mercy and disposal Upon this Captain Pennington and the Frenchmen that now commanded the Vantguard came aboard the Merchants ships and there proposed unto them a new way for their security touching their ships namely to accept the security of the Town of Diep Whereupon they all went ashore except Sir Ferdinando Gorge who with his ship the Great Neptune adventured to come away as not liking these new and unreasonable Propositions At their coming ashore they spake with Mr. Nicholas and there by his enforcement came to a new Agreement to accept the Security of the Town of Diep upon certain hard Conditions namely The said Marquis d' Effiat as Extraordinary Ambassador in England and as having power by deputation from the Duke of Chevereux and Villocleer on or about August 15. 1625 did agree and promise to the said Moyer Touchin Thomas Davies Dard John Davies Lewen as Captains and Owners of the said ships called the Industry the Pearl the Marigold the Loyalty the Peter and Iohn and the Gift of God then being in the Road of the Town of Diep That the French King should give and furnish to the said Owners they being present and accepting it in this Town this sufficient security That within fifteen dayes after the said French King should be in possession of the said ships he should give sufficient caution in London for the sum of Two hundred and thirteen thousand Livres whereat the said ships were estimated with all that appertaineth to them as Cannons and other Munitions of War viz. Fifty thousand pounds And in or about the same 15 August 1625. the Commonalty of the said Town of Diep entred security and bound the goods of their Commonalty to the said English Captains and Owners That the said French King and his Ambassadors should furnish the security within the City of London within the time and for the sum aforesaid On or about August 16. 1625. the said Marquis d' Efâ—iat as well in his quality of being Ambassador as by vertue of his said Deputation did by a publick Act promise unto the said Moyer Touching c. to give and furnish to them they being present and requiring it in the Town of Diep sufficient security in the City of London within fifteen dayes after the French King should be in peaceable possession of the said ships for the sum of Two hundred and thirteen thousand Livres Turnoys whereat the said ships were valued namely for the said ship called the Industry and so a several sum for every ship which security should remain for assurance to pay to every of them the prices of their ships before specified in that Act in case they should be left in the French Kings hands with other particulars in the said Act mentioned without derogating nevertheless from the Clauses of the said Contract March 25. 1625. Albeit because the said Ambassadors had found it good now to discharge the English Mariners out of the said ships that therefore the freight agreed upon by the said former Contract should not be wholly paid but only for the space of the first six moneths yet if the French King would use them for twelve moneths longer or for any less time that then he should pay freight for the same according to a new particular rate and manner expressed in the said Articles and bound the goods of himself and the said Duke of Chevereux and Monsieur Villocleer for the performance hereof as by the said Article it self reference being thereunto had amongst other things more fully appeareth This Article being passed and recorded at Diep all the said seven Merchants ships except the Great-Neptune who was gone away in detestation of the action intended by the French were forthwith delivered into the absolute possession power and command of the French King and of his said Ambassador d' Effiat and other the Ministers and Subjects of the French King to be imployed by him in his service at his pleasure and not one of all the English Company Man or Boy other then one onely man a Gunner as it should seem would stay in any of those ships to serve against the Rochellors or those of our Religion As soon as these ships were thus delivered into the possession and power of the French the said Ambassador then moved them and dealt earnestly with them for the sale of their ships Mr Nicholas having finished the work he went for at his coming from Diep he recei-a Diamond-Ring worth Fifty pounds and a Hatband set with Sparks of Diamonds worth One hundred Marks of the Ambassador as a recompence for his pains taken in this Imployment which although Ambassadors do confer greater rewards sometimes at their parting upon persons of Mr Nicholas his quality for less service done yet was it more then so ill an office as he was imployed in could in any sort deserve The said Captain Pennington returned speedily into England and took his journey towards the City of Oxford where the Parliament was then sitting by adjournment from Westminster thither and there several Propositions were taken into debate for the good of our Religion and the supply of his Majesties occasions For the well resolving and setling whereof the true knowledg how and upon what occasions and terms the several ships were sent delivered imployed and to be imployed was very requisite Afterwards neverthertheless upon or about August 6. 1625. at a meeting and conference between both the Houses of Parliament in Christchurch-Hall after the reading there of his Majesties most gracious Answer to a Petition of the Lords and Commons formerly exhibited unto his Majesty touching our Religion and much for the good thereof the Duke of Buckingham well knowing all the passages which I have now related to your Lordships to be true did not onely cautelously conceal the same but also much boldly and untruely by colour of a Message delivered from his Majesty to both the Houses affirm unto them touching those ships to this effect That it was not alwayes fit for Kings to give accompt of their Counsels and that about five of the six Moneths were already past and yet the said ships were not imployed against Rochel willing and advising the said Lords and Commons to judge the things by the event to which he seemed to refer the matter By which cunning Speeches the Duke intended and accordingly did make the Lords and Commons
whence he came and whither to go And that the Gates of each City be shut all night and keyes kept by the Mayor or Governour 5. Also Inn-keepers to deliver the names of all unknown passengers that lodge in their houses and if they stay suspitiously at any time to present them to the Governour whereby dangerous persons seeing these strict courses will be more wary of their actions and thereby mischievous attempts will be prevented All which being referred to your Majestie 's wise consideration it is meet for me withall to give you some satisfaction of the charge and time to perform what is purposed that you may not be discouraged in the difficulty of the one or prolongation of the other both which doubts are resolved in one and the same reason in respect that in England each chief Town commonly hath a ruinated Castle well seated for strength whose foundation and stones remaining may be both quickly repaired for this use and with little charge and industry made strong enough I hope for this purpose within the space of one year by adding withall Bulwarks and Rampiers for the Ordnance according to the rules of Fortification The Ordnance for these Forts may be of Iron not to disfurnish your Majestie 's Navy or be at a greater charge then is needfull To maintain yearly the Fort I make account in ordinary pay three thousand men will be sufficient and will require forty thousand pound charge per Annum or thereabouts being an expence that inferiour Princes undergo for their necessary safety All which prevention added to the invincible Sea-force your Majesty hath already and may have will make you the most powerfull and obeyed King of the world Which I could likewise confirm by many examples but I omit them for brevity and not to confuse your Majesty with too much matter Your Majesty may find by the scope of this discourse the means shewed in generall to bridle your Subjects that may be either discontent or obstinate So likewise am I to conclude the same intent particularly against the perversnesse of your Parliament as well to suppresse that pernitious humour as to avoid their oppositions against your profit being the second part to be discoursed on and therefore have first thought fit for better prevention thereof to make known to your Majesty the purpose of a generall Oath your Subjects may take for sure avoiding of all rubs that may hinder the conclusion of these businesses It is further meant that no subject upon pain of high Treason may refuse the same Oath containing onely matter of Allegiance and not scruples in points of Conscience that may give pretence not be denyed The effect of the Oath is this That all your Majestie 's Subjects do acknowledge you to be as absolute a King and Monarch within your Dominions as is amongst the Christian Princes and your Prerogative as great whereby you may and shall of your self by your Majestie 's Proclamation as well as other Soveraign Princes doing the like either make Lawes or reverse any made with any other Act so great a Monarch as your self may do and that without further consent of a Parliament or need to call them at all in such cases considering that the Parliament in all matters excepting causes to be sentenced as the highest Court ought to be subject unto your Majestie 's will to give the negative or affirmative conclusion and not to be constrained by their impertinencies to any inconvenience appertaining to your Majestie 's Regall Authority and this notwithstanding any bad pretence or custom to the contrary in practise which indeed were fitter to be offered a Prince elected without other right than to your Majesty born successively King of England Scotland and Ireland and your Heirs for ever and so received not onely of your Subjects but also of the whole world How necessary the dangerous supremacy of Parliament's usurpation is to be prevented The example of Lewes the Eleventh King of France doth manifest who found the like opposition as your Majesty doth and by his wisdom suppressed it And to the purpose here intended which is not to put down altogether Parliaments and their authority being in many cases very necessary and fit but to abridge them so far as they seek to derogate from your Majesties Regall authority and advancement of your greatnesse The caution in offering the afore-said Oath may require some policy for the easier passage at first either by singular or particular tractation and that so near about one time over the Land as one Government may not know what the other intendeth so it may passe the easier by having no time of combination or opposition There is another means also more certain then this to bring to passe the Oath more easily as also your profit and what else pretended which here I omit for brevity requiring a long discourse by it self and have set it down in particular instructions to inform your Majesty 2. The second part of this Discourse is touching your Majestie 's Profit after your State is secured Wherein I should observe both some reasonable content to the people as also consider the great expences that Princes have now adaies more then in times past to maintain their greatnesse and safety of their Subjects who if they have not wit or will to consider their own interest so much indifferently your Majestie 's wisdom must repair their defects and force them to it by compulsion but I hope there shall be no such cause in points so reasonable to increase your Majestie 's revenue wherein I set down divers means for your gratious Self to make choice of either all or part at your pleasure and to put it in execution by such degrees and cautions as your great wisdom shall think fit in a businesse of this nature Imprimis The first means or course intended to increase your Majestie 's revenues or profit withall is of greatest consequence and I call it a Decimation being so tearmed in Italy where in some part it is in use importing the tenth of all Subjects estates to be paid as a yeerly rent to their Prince and as well monyed men in Towns as landed men in the Countries their value and estates esteemed justly as it is to the true value though with reason and this paid yeerly in mony Which course applyed in England for your Majestie 's service may serve instead of Subsidies Fifteens and such like which in this case are fit to be released for the Subjects benefit and content in recompence of the said Decima which wil yield your Majesty more in certainly than they do Casually by five hundred thousand pounds per annum at the least Item That when your Majesty hath gotten monie into your hands by some courses to be set down it would be a profitable course to increase your Entrada to buy out all Estates and Leases upon your own Lands in such sort as they be made no