Somerset and others attainted added by King Edward the sixth the forfeitures of the Duke of Northumberland William Parr Marquess of Northampton John Earl of Warwick Sir Thomas Wyat and others to Queen Mary the Lands of the Duke of Norffolk Philip Earl of Arrundel the Earls of Westmerland Essex and Southampton Sir John Perrot Leonard Dacres and others in the reign of Queen Elizabeth and hers as well as King Edward the sixth's ill advised and unhappy clypping and lessening the Lands and Revenues of many Bishopricks Deans and Chapters forfeitures of the Lord Cobham Sir Walter Rawley and of Winter Grant and other the Gunpowder Traytors the great revenues of the Earles of Tyrone and Desmond and other large confiscated Escheats and forfeited Estates in Ireland which came to King James for before his reign and the subduing of Tyrone that Kingdome as to the publick was a greater charge then profit addition of Scotland and all the Appennages and Lands of the royal Brethren and Princes of the blood of England in their several times and ages falling into the Regal Revenues would have made a plentifull support for the Crown of England if they had tarried as they did not one for another and continued unwasted and unaliened CHAP. II. Supplies and Additions to the Royall Revenues and the many cares taken therein by Parliaments and otherwise WHich could not be prevented by a thousand sixty one pounds and three half pence per diem revenue ex justis reditibus which William the Conqueror had in daily revenue after his Knights Fees and his large gifts and rewards given to his friends and followers which in the now value of money and rates of provision would a great deal more then treble that summe as Ordericus vitalis who was born in his reign and died in the beginning of the reign of King Stephen hath informed us exceptis muneribus regiis reatum redemptionibus aliisque multiplicibus negotiis quae Regis Aerarium quotidie aduagebant besides Gifts Presents Confiscations and other things which did daily increase his riches nor by sixty thousand pounds sterling 〈◊〉 by him in his Treasury his Censas Nemorâ—m rents or profits of Woods Escheats and incidents of Tenures in Capite and by Knight service Hidage Danegeld Sponte oblata for all Grants or Favours which passed from him Cambium Regium or benefit of Exchanges rating of the Fees of the Officers of his Household to a certainty per diem taking accounts upon oath for all his monies issued out or imprest for repair of his Castles and Houses and fines for granting of Priviledges and Liberties Contributions to William Rufus towards the building of Westminster-Hall three shillings upon every hundred Acres or Hide of Land in England to King Hen. 1. and his providence in making every third year a survey of his Woods and Forrests changing of the penalites of mutilation of members into pecuniary mulcts turning of his rents which were formerly paid in corn and other houshold provisions into money and six pence overplus in every pound for any loss or abatement which might happen in the value of money which being then by reason of his often absence and residence in Normandy reckoned to be good husbandry proved shortly afterwards by the change of times dearer rates of provision to be the contrary and a great disadvantage to his Successors one hundred thousand pounds in money besides Plate and Jewels left by him in his Treasury and possest by King Stephen resumption of divers Lands aliened from the Royal Revenue reforming of the Exchequer by Hen. 2. revoking of all Grants of Lands aliened from the Crown of the Castles of Clebury Wigmore and Bridgnorth from 〈◊〉 Mortimer City of Gloucester and Lands belonging unto it from Roger Fitz Miles Earl of Hereford Castle of Scarborough from William Earl of Albemarle with many other Lands Towns and Castles and from William Earl of Mortain and Warren base Son to King Stephen the Castle of Pemsey and City of Norwich notwithstanding that himself had granted them to the said William Earl of Mortaign in his agreement with King Stephen alledging that they were of the Demeasnes of the Crown and could not be alienated calling of certain of his great Ministers of Estate to account and imposing a Tax of two pence upon every yoke of Oxen in Ireland and two pence in the pound by Act of Parliament of every mans Lands and goods in Normandy to be paid in the year 1166. and a penny in every pound to be paid for four years following for the relief of the Christians in the Holy warre enquiring by his Justices Itinerants and Articles in Eyre in England of the rights of his Crown and Exchequer taxing in the 32. year of his reign all his Dominions in France with the Tenth of the Revenues for that year of all as well Clergy as Laity but such as went in person to the Holy warre the tenth of all their moveables as well gold as silver and the tenth of the moveables of two hundred of the richest men in London and of one hundred in York banishment of William de Ipre Earl of Kent with his Countrymen and followers when they grew to be a burden to the Kingdome nine hundred thousand pounds in money besides Plate and Jewels inestimable left in the Treasury to his Son King Richard the first great summes of money gained by him by renewing Charters and Fines imposed upon Sheriffs and Accomptants and such as had taken part with his Brother John in his usurpations the tenth of all moveables granted to him and the City of London giving him a voluntary contribution towards his voyage into the Holy Land banishment of Otho Earl of York the Son of his Sister and all the Bavarians a fourth part given him by Parliament of all spirituall and temporall Revenues as much for moveables and twenty shillings for every Knights Fee resumption of many Grants of Lands and Annuities two shillings of every plough land taken for preparation of a journy to Normandy examination of the Accounts of his Exchequer Officers five shillings laid upon every plough land for another forrain voyage and a general survey made of his Lands and Profits Three shillings for every plough land granted by Parliament to King John for his affairs in Normandy one hundred thousand pounds taxed upon the Clergy towards his charges in Ireland a thirteenth of all Spirituall and Temporall mens goods twenty six shillings eight pence for every Knights Fee two shillings upon every plough land an Ayde of twenty six shillings and eight pence of every Knights fee towards his warres in Wales with Escauge of such as held of him besides Benevolences Escheats and Americiaments twenty shillings of every Knights see towards his charges in Normandy forty shillings at another time and an Ayde for the marriage of his Sister Isabel to the Emperor Frederick The fifteenth part of every mans moveables to King Henry the third for a confirmation of
be by some good Laws restrained and suppressed and that the Aulnage aswell of Cloth as Stuffs may according to sundry Acts of Parliament and other provisions be better looked unto and put in execution That the great and many Deceipts Abuses and Adulterations now used in most or too many Trades and Manufactures surpassing all the Cheats and Tricks of Hocus Pocus or which the Pillories the Court of Star Chamber heretofore punished ingrossings of Commodities or carrying them beyond the Seas on purpose to make a scarcity and bring them in again at double or greater Rates unlawful confederacies to make the Manufactures so slight or evil wrought as they may the sooner be worn out or by a small price paid to the Workmen get the greater Rate in the Retail Bonds or Securities enforced from Workmen not to make or sell at that rate to any other Combinations to inhaunce Prices and so many more ungodly Artifices imployed as Tricks and Trades are now grown to be Termes convertible and the Divels Registers have not precedents enough for them whereby not onely numberless great oppressions are daily exercised upon the people to the impoverishing of many of them by those that like Pikes in the Fish Ponds do live only better then others by devouring and undoing the smaller Frye and industriously imploy themselves therein and at the same time cry out of injustice and oppression where it was not and busied themselves about Religion and Gospel Purity when they never intended nor could not afford to practice it whereby all our English Trade and Manufactures are disparaged and brought into a slight esteem and made to be unsaleable or at very low rates in the parts beyond the Seas and to give place to the Commodities and Manufactures of other Nations more honestly made and if not speedily remedied will render all his Majesties cares of reviving and promoting the English Trade and Merchandise of no avail as long as that Canker or a principal cause of the decay and ruine of it shall be permitted may by some good Laws be restrained and suppressed That the many good propositions heretofore made by Mr. Henry Robinson and some others concerning the Regulation or bettering of the ways of Trade and Merchandise may now after a Committee of Trade in the times of Usurpation and Confusion sleeping too much over it and doing nothing whilst Trade it self came to be almost ruined be taken into a more serious consideration and some good Laws enacted in pursuance of them That the Manufacture of Linnen Cloth the importation whereof from Flanders and other Foreign parts expends the Nation little less then 100000 l per annum by reason that too many of our Wives in England have exchanged their good Housewisfery for Gallantry and Spinning for spending may be more incouraged in England by Injoyning six Acres in every hundred Acres of errable Land in England and Wales to be yearly sowed with Hemp Flex and that there be an Aulnage of Linnen Cloth as well as of Stuffs and Woollen Cloth That our Laws be not as too many of them use to be Still Born or expiring by that time they can be read or recorded or Starved at Nurse but that some good Laws may be made to prevent or cure their Swouning or Convulsion fits and bring them up to the good ends or purposes for which they were ordained and put them in execution That our Paths being restored we may rejoyce in our Laws and Constitutions and abhor those wandring after Dark Lanthorns or the ignis fatuus of newlights which have lead us into many great miseries and confusions That the Excise of Ale Beer Perry and Syder and the charges affliction and troubles which it brings upon the people which before our times of misery would have brought death and ruine any private contriver and was at the first created by Oliver and his Impes to maintain a cursed Rebellion and set up a destroying and detestable Anarchy may be abolished and taken away and the Nation restored to the freedom and quiet which they formerly enjoyed under this our ancicent and excellently composed Monarchy That his Majesties Ancient and just Rights of Royal Pourveyances upon a due Regulation of any evils or oppressions which may be proved to have been committed in the manner of taking of them may be restored to his Majesty his Heirs and Successors and that very great Consumption of his Estate occasioned by an enhaunce and trebling of the Rates and prices of Provision for his Houshould which hath laid heavy burdens upon his too small and overmuch impoverished Revenues multiplyed his wants and necessities disturbed and disparaged the order and honor of his house and produced very many great Inconveniences worthy to be remedied by the Parliament and the care which they usnally take for the support of his Imperial Crown and Dignity may be cured And when a long and generall observation and experience can tell every man who is not a stranger to his own affairs or of other men how hard a thing it is for one that is behind hand to overcome his Povertie and get before hand how impossible it will be for a private man to live out of Debt when his yearly and necessary expences and disbursements shall far surmount his Receipts and Revenues how necessary a Treasury Banke or overplus of money which is Robur belli fundamentum ac firmamentum pacis is for a King in times of War and its many chargeable occasions and the power and reputation of it in times of Peace to preserve it and that all Kingdoms and people never were or could think themselves safe without it That in order to publick good and to consolidate the hoped for happiness of King and People which the pretended Parliaments of our late Times of Usurpation busying themselves in laying Burdens and Taxes upon the People for the maintenance of a War and an Arbitrary power and Tyranny and the continuance of their miseries could never find the way or leisure to establish A Royal and Princely yearly Revenue may be settled upon his Majesty his Heirs and Successors and to the end to make the Plaister or the Tent proportionable to the wound and to the cure intended and not make the repaires of his Revenues to be insufficient or more chargeable and burdensome by doing it by parcels or at several times whereby it may ruine before it can be repaired or suddainly after and for the better satisfaction of some of the Purchasers who were the cause of their own and his Majesties troubles and miseries and of the Kings Loyal Party who suffered with him in it The highest monethly Assessement or Tax which in our late times of confusion was One hundred and twenty thousand pounds per mensem may by Assessement or Subsidies or some other way proportionable unto it for the next two years if the Parliament shall think fit be assented unto and yearly collected
most of their servile works without money and paid them besides an annual Rent in corn and other houshold provisions was to quiet the ruined English and by intermarriages of them and the Normans and Forreigners and other establishments to assure what was gained to their posterities the plenty and abundance whereof continuing through the reigns of King Stephen and King Henry the Second who greatly inlarged his Dominions by the Dutchy of Aquitain Earldomes of Aniou Main Poictou Touraine and other Provinces and parts of France the Lands of Henry de Essex his Standard-bearer by inheritance forfeited for the treason of throwing it down and flying and reporting that he was slain the Earldome of Lincoln Earldomes being then and long after not without great Possessions and Revenues belonging to them the Lands of William Peverell Lord of Nottingham Conquest of Ireland and whole Counties and Provinces thereof comming to be the Kings Demeasnes and the forfeitures to Richard the First of many of his Nobility and others who had taken part with his Brother John in his usurpation of the Regall authority All which with the Escheats and Forfeitures of the Terra Normanorum in England upon the losse of Normandy by King John unto the French confiscated Lands of a great part of the English Nobility and Gentry after the misfortune of Henry the Third in the unquietness of many of his Barons and People his better fortune in the battel of Evesham and subduing them in the forty ninth year of his Reign the accession to the Crown of the Earledoms of Derby Leicester Salisbury and the County Palatine of Chester with the vast Territories and Estates which belonged unto them and many other lesser Escheats and Forfeitures the Forfeiture of Roger Bigod Earl of Norfolk and his Earldome and great Possessions with divers other Escheats and Forfeitures the Principality of Wales and the Conquest of Scotland in the Reign of King Edward the First confiscating of the lands of inheritance for from the making of the Statute de Donis or Entails in Anno 13. of Edward the first untill Anno 5 6 of Edward the sixth Lands entailed were not forfeited for Treason of Thomas Earl of Lancaster Lincoln and Derby Humphrey de Bohun Earl of Hereford and Essex of the Lords Clifford Warrein Lisle Tutchet Cheney Mowbray Teyes Aldenham Badlesmere and Gifford and many other men of great note and eminencie to King Edward the second the lands of Mortimer Earl of March Edmund Earl of Kent and the Escheat of the great Estate and Inheritance of Hastings Earl of Pembroke to King Edward the third with several other confiscations and forfeitures and his Conquest of a great part of France the forfeitures of Robert de Vere Duke of Ireland Michael dela Pooli Earl of Suffolk of the Duke of Gloucester Earles of Arundel and Warwick and divers other great Inheritances to King R. 2. the marriage of John of Grant fourth son to King Ed. 3. to Blanch the sole daughter and heir of Henry Duke of Lancaster Earl of Derby Leicester and Lincoln making that of Lancaster to be as a Principality or little Kingdome which by Henry 4 5 6 and 7th Kings of England coming afterwards to attend the Royal Dignity accompanied by the forfeitures of the Dukes of Exeter and Albemarle Mowbray Earl Marshal Earles of Kent Salisbury Huntington Northumberland Stafford March and Worcester Owen Glendour Lords Hastings Despencer Falconbridge Bardolph and many others to King H. 4. and the lands of the Earldome of Oxford long detained by him confiscation of the lands of the Prior Aliens and all France conquered and in possession and many other great Estates coming to Hen. 5. by the Attainders of Richard Earl of Cambridge Earl of Northumberland Henry Lord Scroop the lands of Widevill Earl Rivers and divers other Barons the Dukedomes of Exeter and Somerset and Earldome of Devonshire and many other Lands and Inheritances forfeited to King Edward the Fourth the Lands and Estate of Henry Duke of Buckingham Earl of Stafford and Northampton and Lord of Brecknock and Holderness Henry Earl of Richmond and Jasper Earl of Penbroke with some other to King Richard the Third accumulated by the great and Princely Inheritance of Richard Duke of York and all the partakers of him and King Edward the fourth his brother with the Lands and great Inheritance of the Countess of Warwick gained by King H. 7. his fortune at Bosworth-field and the marriage and inheritance of the Royal and principall heir of the white Rose the confiscations of the lands of John Duke of Norfolk Earls of Surrey Warwick Lincoln Lords Lovel Welles Audley and divers others like many great rivers running into the Ocean of the Crown revenues made its Lands and Estate to be as vast in Demeasnes and Service as they were Princely and honourable Which being likewise abundantly enlarged by King Hen. 8. by the unprosperous dissolution of the Abbey and religious Lands which the envy of the Laity in the reign of King H. 4. had over and above as they said what would serve for the remaning Clergy computed to be sufficient and enough to maintain fifteen Earles which after the rate of Earls in those dayes and their grand revenues could not be a little fifteen hundred Knights six thousand two hundred Gentlemen and an hundred Hospitals besides twenty thousand pounds per annum to be given to the King which was then more then one hundred thousand pounds per annum is now and were at their dissolution six hundred forty and five Abbeys Priories and Nunneries ninety Colledges one hundred and ten Hospitals and two thousand three hundred seventy and four Chanteries and free Chappels then valued at one hundred-eighty six thousand fifteen pounds eight shillings penny farthing per annum And together with the forfeited Lands and Inheritance of Empson and Dudley George Lord Rochford Edmond de la Poole Duke of Suffolk the Duke of Buckingham Earl of Surrey Lord Dacres and divers others and the confiscation of his two great Favourites Wolsey and Cromwell the former of which left him the stately Palaces of Hampton-Court and Whitehall and the recontinuing of divers liberties withheld from the Crown by the Lords Marchers of Wales made so great an accession and increase as the Court of Exchequer was not thought to be comprehensive enough for the care and governance thereof without the short-lived Courts of the Survay and Augmentation and First-fruits erected by Act of Parliament for the separate management of the Ecclesiasticall Revenues By the dissolution whereof shortly after and not trusting the Exchequer with the better care thereof the regal revenues if Mr. Christopher Vernon a late antient and expert Officer of that Court hath not been mistaken or miscast it were not so little damnified as six hundred thousand pounds sterling or if plenty had not as it most commonly useth introduced profusion and carelesness might otherwise have been saved Which with the Lands and Inheritance of the Duke of
Magna Charta and Charta Foreste fortieth part of every mans goods towards the payment of his debts and a thirtieth part afterwards granted by Act of Parliament much of his Forrests and Woods converted to errable land his Parks of Woodstock and Gillingham ploughed many Grants made in his minority revoked his great Officers as Hubert de Burgh Earl of Kent Chief Justice of England and others called to account Ranulph Britton Treasurer of his Chamber fined in one thousand marks a great summe of money given by the City of London to be made Toll-free every one that could dispend in land fifteen pound per annum ordered to be knighted or pay a Fine great summes of money gained by composition with Delinquents at seven years value of their Lands by the DictuÌ„ de Kenilworth his houshold charges lessened a meaner Port kept less Almes given his Jewels and the Crown royal pawned Plate sold to pay his debts at no greater a value then the weight though the workmanship did cost as much and the golden Shrine of Edward the Confessor forty shillings for every Knights see twice assessed for his warres in Gascony great sums of money raised of the Iewes the banishment of the Poictouins and his half-brothers who had made it too much of their business to beg what they could of the Revenue and by his own sometimes sitting in the Exchequer to preserve it thirty two thousand pounds sterling received of Leolin Prince of Wales propaee habenda and a resumption of divers of the Crown Lands which had been aliened Nor by an Inquiry in Anno 4. of King Ed. 1 by Act of Parliament of the Castles Buildings Lead and Timber of the Kings his Demeasnes Parks Woods extent of Manors forrain Parks and Woods Pawnage Herbage Mills Fishings Freeholds Cottages Curtilages customary Tenants Patronages Perquisitâ—s of Courts Liberties Customes and Services a Subsidie in Anno 6. of his reign of the twentieth part of every mans goods towards the charges of his warres in Wales the Statute of Quo warranto in Anno 18. to inquire and seise into the Kings hands all liberties usurped a Subside in anno 22. of his reign upon Woolfels and Hydes transported a tenth of all goods the eighth of the goods of the Citizens and Burgesses a twelfth of the rest of the Laity and a moiety of the Clergy in anno 25. and in anno 26. the ninth penny of the Commons the tenth penny of the Clergy of the Province of Canterbury and the fifth of York taking away much monies from the Priors Aliens payment by the Clergy in anno 23 of all such summes of money which they had promised to pay to the Pope towards the maintenance of the Holy warres and half a years value of their Ecclesiasticall livings and promotions abased monies four hundred and twenty thousand pounds fifteen shillings and four pence raised from the Jewes and a farre greater summe afterwards contribution of ships and ship-money by the maritime Coasts and Counties in case of danger and invasion sixty five thousand marks of silver received for Fines of some corrupt Judges and great summes of money likewise for forfeitures by an Inquisition or Commission of Trail Baston A fifteenth of the Clergy and a twentieth of the Temporalty to King Edward the Second in anno primo of his reign the moveables and personal Estate of the Knights Templers in England Contribution of ships and ship-money by the maritime Counties a fifteenth in anno 6. and the great and rich confiscated personall Estates of the two Spencers Father and Son and an Ordinance made pro Hospitio Regis concerning the regulation of his Houshold Thirty thousand marks paid to King Edward the third in anno 2. of his reign by Robert Bruce King of Scots to release his Soveraignity to that Kingdom a tenth of the Clergy Citizens and Burgesses and a fifteenth of others granted in anno 6. of his reign Aids of ships ship-money by the Sea-coasts and in an 13. the tenth sheep of all the Lords Demeasnes except of their bound Tenants the tenth fleece of wool and the tenth lamb of their store to be paid in two years and that such of them or their Peers as held by Baronie should give the tenth of their grain wool and Lamb and of all their own Demeasnes and two thousand five hundred sacks of wool given by the Commons anno 14. the ninth of the grain wool and lamb of the Laity to be paid in two years the ninth of the goods of the Townsmen and the fifteenth of such as dwelt in Forrests and Chases anno 17. forty shillings for every Sack of wool over and above the old rate anno 18. a Disme by the Clergy of Canterbury for three years two fifteenths of the Commons and two dismes of the Cities and Towns to be levied in such wise as the last in an 20. two fifteens to be paid in two years anno 21. two shillings upon every Sack of wool granted by the Lords without the Commons in anno 22. three fifteens to be paid in three years All such treasure as was committed to Churches throughout England for the Holy warre all the goods of the Cluniacques Cistercians and some other Orders of Monks half the wools of the Laity and the whole of the Clergy the jewels of the Crown pawned imprisonment of his Treasurer abasing some of his 〈◊〉 and ordaining some of his Exchanges of money to be at London Canterbury and York monies abated in weight and made to pass according to former value and the profits which the forrain Cardinals enjoyed in England during their lives taken into his hands one hundred thousand pounds received for the ransome of John King of France great sums of money for the ransoming of David King of Scotland Philip afterwards Duke of Burgogne Jaques de Bourbon and many of the French Nobility fifty shillings granted by Parliament in anno 43. for every sack of wool for six years by which imposition only as the Trade of Wools and Cloathing then flourished the King as it was computed might dispend one thousand marks per diem fifty thousand pounds by the Laity and as much by the Clergy granted him by the Parliament in anno 45. to resume his right in France a Poll-money by Act of Parliament of four pence for every person of of the Laity that took not almes of every Clergy-man beneficed twelve pence and of every Religious person four pence in anno 50. and a resumption of divers of his Crown Lands A Subsidie in the first year of K. Richard the second levied upon the great men to spare the Commons Poll-money of every person above fifteen years old Fines of seaventeen shires in anno 21. and causing them to pay great summes of money for aiding the Duke of Gloucester and Earles of Arrundel and Warwick the Bohemians which pestered his Court banished and a resumption of divers of his Crown Lands A tenth of the Clergy and a Subsidie
of the Revenues BY reason of the great charges and expences which the Kings of England were at through their severall Generations to protect and defend themselves and their people though some of them as in all other conditions and sorts of men were sound to be less provident then others and more easie to the flatteries of Courtiers or the necessities or importunities of Favourites or Followers as King Edward the second and King Richard the second sixty thousand Knights Fees or maintenance for them given away by William the Conquerour of which the Religious Houses then or in the near succeeding times came to be possessed of 28115. the yearly value of which number of Knights Fees if now they should be estimated but at ten thousand and valued but at the rate of twenty pounds per annum as they seemed to be at the making of the Statute of 1 Ed. 2. would be worth two hundred thousand pounds per annum and if at three hundred pounds per annum which is now the least of the improvement Sir Edward Coke reckoning eight hundred and others six hundred and eighty acres to a Knights Fee and others at the least allowing a large proportion would make three millions per annum sterling two hundred and eighty Manors given to Godfry Bishop of Constance which he left to his Nephew Moubray the Isle of Wight Earldome of Devon and Honour of Plimpton given by Henry the first to Richard de Ripariis or Rivers Earldome of Gloucester to Robert Fitz Henry great possessions given away by King Stephen to purchase love and fidelity the great Estates in Land which Maud the Empress was inforced to grant and her Son King Henry the second afterwards to confirme to divers of the great men and Nobility as the Earldom of Oxford to Awbrey de vere Earldome of Arundel to William de Albeney Earldome of Hereford to Miles of Gloucester and of Essex to Jeofrey Magnauile to forsake the usurping King Stephen and the great charge which those twenty years warres expended the wars of King H. 2. in France and with his own Sons there and at home and of seven and forty thousand three hundred thirty three pounds six shillings eight pence expended and given towards the warres of the Holy land great somes of gold and silver sent to the Pope charges of the voyage or expedition which King Richard the first made in person into Asia and the Holy Land and his ransome the Earldomes of Mortaigne Cornwall Dorses Somerset Nottingham Derby and Lancaster with all their great possessions being a great part of the Crown Revenues given to his brother John and a great part of the remainder sold The troubles of King John with his boisterous Barons the Stanneries Castles and Honor of Barkhamstead and County of Cornwall granted by King Hen. 3. to his Brother Richard his great warres and turmoils in the Barons warres which drove him to such wants and perplexities as he and his Queen as Matthew Paris tells us were somtimes enforced to seek their daily and necessary sustenance from Monasteries charge of endeavoring at a great rate and price though unsuccesfully to make his Son Edmond King of Sicily and furnishing his Son Edward afterwards King E. 1. with an Army to Jerusalem that of King Ed. 1. in his wars against the Scots and subduing that Kingdom the raising and advancing the unhappy Favorites Gaveston and the two Spencers Father and Son by King Edward the Second and his troubles great expences of Edward the Third in his Conquering of France the Dukedom of Cornwal and Earldoms of Chester and Flint setled upon the Black Prince his Son and the eldest Sons and Heirs of the Kings of England successively preferring of Lionel Duke of Clarence and his many other Sons restoring of Don Pedro to the Kingdom of Castile by the aid of the Black Prince the Earldom of Salisbury Isle of Man Castle and Barony of Denbigh given to Mountacute and one Thousand Marks Lands per annum besides to him and his Heirs for taking Roger Mortimer Prisoner at Nottingham Castle one thousand pounds per annum with the Town and Castle of Cambridge to William Marquess of Juliers and the Heirs of his body Honor of Wallingford and Earldome of Cornwall escheated given to John of Eltham his Brother the penalties and fines of Labourers Artificers and Servants in anno 36. of his reign given to the Commons for three years to be distributed amongst them the maintaining and humoring of severall Factions of the great Nobility by King Richard the second his voyage into Ireland and after misfortunes raising of John Beaufort Earl of Somerset and John Holland his half-Brother to be Earl of Kent and Duke of Exeter dissentions and troubles in the Reign of King Henry the fourth preferring another of the Beauforts to be Earl of Dorset and his establishment as well as he could in his own usurpations Chirk and Chirk Lands in Wales given by King Henry the fifth to Edmond Beaufort second Son of John Beaufort Earl of Somerset the charge of his Conquest of France the seeking to preserve and keep it by Henry the sixth long and bloody Factions and Warres of York and Lancaster Kendal and other great possessions given to John de Foix a Frenchman in marriage with Margaret the Sister to William de la Poole Duke of Suffolk the Earldome of Shrowsbury to the high deserving Talbot the Isles of Guarnsay and Jersey and the Castle of Bristol to Henry Beauchamp Duke of Warwick the charge of King Edward the fourth in his getting the Crown the Earldome of Pembroke given by him to William Lord Herbert the making of friends and parties by King R. 3. pacifying of Interests by King Hen. 7. his gifts and grants to Stanley Earl of Derby and the dying the white Rose into the Red or uniting of them the voyages and warres of King H. 8. in France preferring of Charles Brandon to be Duke of Suffolk Seymour to be Earl of Hertford Ratcliffe Earl of Sussex Thomas Manors Earl of Rutland Sir Thomas Bolein to be Viscount Rochford and Earl of Wiltshire his contest with the Pope and other great Princes large and great quantities of Religious and Ecclesiasticall Lands given away to divers of his Nobility many of whom had been the former Donors thereof and to divers of the Gentry to corroborate what he had done bring them into a better liking of that action and to be the more unwilling to leave those Lands which he had given them a remission of all debts without schedule or limitation in anno 21. of his Reign endowing six Bishopricks and Cathedrall Churches Pensions for life to many which were turned out of their Cloisters a perpetuall maintenance to the Professors of the Greek and Hebrew Tongues Civill Law Divinity and Physick in both the Universities and to twelve poor Knights at Windsor the warres of King Edward the sixth in Scotland creating of John Dudley Earl of Warwick Duke of
Northumberland Seymour Duke of Somerset Russell Earl of Bedford St. John Earl of Wiltshire Rich Willoughby Paget Sheffeild Barons his giving away great quantities of Ecclesiasticall and Chantry Lands Viscount Mountague Lord Howard of Effingham Lord North advanced by Queen Mary the Subsidie of four shillings in the pound for Lands and two shillings for Goods granted to King Edward the sixth in the last year of his Reign remitted by her and nine thousand two hundred pounds land per annum of the Crown given away paying at the same time twelve pound per cent Interest for twenty thousand pounds borrowed of the City of London and the greater charges and Expences of Queen Elizabeth in protecting the Neatherlands and United Provinces which cost her five hundred thirty four thousand pounds and four hundred thousand pounds in succouring King H. 4. of France besides what was disbursed for other Protestant Allies guarding the Back-door of Scotland relieving guarding the young King who was afterwards her Successor endeavouring to reduce Ireland to its former obedience which in a few years cost her as the Lord Treasurer Cecill Earl of Salisbury in the Reign of King James informed the Parliament nineteen hundred twenty and four thousand pounds and defending her self from the Assaults and machinations of the Pope King of Spain and other Catholick Princes advancing and enriching Cecil L. Burghley Sackvile L. Buckhurst Charles Blount Lord Mountjoy Knowles Wotton Sidney Carew Petre Compton Cheney Norris and Stanhop to be Barons and creating of the Earls of Essex Leicester Lincoln and Warwick Remission of a Subsidie granted to Q. Mary Farming of her Customs to Smyth but for thirteen thousand pounds per annum afterwards to forty two thousand pounds and raising them after that only to no more then fifty thousand pounds per annum five hundred thousand pounds spent by King James in a totall subduing of Ireland three hundred and fifty thousand pounds paid for Queen Elizabeth's debts to the City of London for which some of the Crown Lands were mortgaged and for debts to the Army Admiralty and Wardrobe and discharging the reckoning of brass money in Ireland with the same sums in silver his vast expences by Treaties and Ambassadours amounting in the seventh year of his Reign unto five hundred thousand pounds to keep us in our envied peace and plenty four hundred thousand pounds disbursed in relieving the Dutch besides what was spent in satisfying the greedy cravings of the Scottish Nation preferring and raising of the Duke of Richmond Ramsey Earl of Holderness Earls of Carlisle Kelley Morton and Dunbarre Howard Earl of Northampton Carr Earl of Somerset Herbert Earl of Montgomery Villers Duke of Buckingham Cranfeild Earl of Middlesex Cecill Earl of Salisbury Howard Earl of Suffolke Mountague Earl of Manchester Ley Earl of Marleborough and Digby Earl of Bristol All which and many more which might be here enumerated did not only as was usuall in the Reigns of our former Kings by necessary bounties encouraging of virtue and valour rewarding of merits and high deservings of Ministers of State and great Atchievements of men of warre through a successiion of ages accidents occasions and reasons of State draw and derive their honours from those fountains of Honour but large Revenues and Lands many times likewise to support and maintain their Dignities and sometimes upon the Petitions of the Commons in Parliament as to conferre upon John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster the Dukedome of Acquitaine in the reign of King Edward the third to make John Holland the Kings half-Brother Earl of Huntington in the reign of King Richard the second and to preferre and advance the Lords John and Humphrey Sons of King Henry the fourth and sometimes great Pensions and Annuities were given for life untill Lands could be provided to support them in reward of virtue and their services done or to be done for the good of the Nation and to continue them and their posterities as props and pillars of the Royall Throne in a gratefull acknowledgment of the favours received from it And besides those former rewards and Ennoblishments puts it at this day for Creation money paid to the Dukes Marquesses and Earls to no less a charge then one thousand pounds per annum by which the people were in all ages no loosers when the Honour strength and defence of the Kingdome was maintained and increased by them and themselves kept in peace and plenty the manner of living in ancient and better times being with little money and small rents great services by the thankfull and ready duty and affections of Tenants to their Benefactors and mesne Lords not only made them great in power but enabled them to imitate their Princes as much as they could in great hospitalities deeds of charity and almes building and endowing of Churches Abbies Priories and Religious Houses and giving large Inheritances to their Servants Friends and Followers pro homagio servitio and other dependances Common of Estovers and of great quantities of Lands to severall Cities Towns and Villages and in such a plentifull manner distributed and gave their Lands as if the Lands in Capite by Knight Service Coppyhold Lands Commons which our King's Nobility and Gentry bestowed heretofore upon the inferiour sort of people and what they dedicated to God by giving to Churches Religious Houses Colleges Churches and Chappels should be surveyed and measured they would amount to no less then two parts in four of the Lands of the Kingdome The quondam lethargie sleepiness and unactivity of many of the Officers of the Exchequer who should be as the Argus eyes to guard the Royall Revenue the indulgence heretofore or neglect of some of her Officers and their not remembring that they were to be the Kings and his Treasurers Remembrancers respiting or nichiling of his debts upon feigned Petitions which can tell how to deceive the most carefull Barons or Judges of that Court when their Soveraign suffered in the mean time very great damage for want of the money the not duly estreating of all Fines and Amerciaments corrupt compounding for such as were estreated by under Officers at easie rates granting to the City of London their Fines and Amerciaments want of looking after as they doe in other Nations the execution of those multitudes of penall Lawes which otherwise will be to little purpose and assisting the collection of the Kings legall profits arising thereby the heretofore carelesness or corruption of some of our former Kings Officers who for fees of favour enlarged their Charters and Grants to bodies politique Cities Towns and Corporations and to as many private persons as would petition for them and decked them with the flowers of the Kings Crown which were not to be parted with so easily So as what by Grants or Prescription which in many cases is but the incroachment or filchings of liberties and priviledges concealed or not well looked after covered and drawn into a property by a time beyond
to the damage done by such attempts and Rebellions and the charge of suppressing them and defending themselves and their people to reconcile the Heirs Posteritie and Allies of such as had been attainted and induce them to a better obedience and love of their Country The no small charges susteined heretofore by granting yearly Pensions or Annuities to severall of the Nobility to serve extraordinary besides the ordinary duty of their Tenures with certain numbers of gens d' armes and Bowmen in times of warre or upon necessity the building and endowing of many Colleges and Halls in the Universities Eaton and Winchester Schools and endowing with great yearly Revenues the Famous Hospitalls of Bridewell and Christ-Church in London and St. Thomas in Southwark building and endowing a great part of the Cathedrals in England the Castle and Chappel of Windsor and Palaces of Sheene Woodstock Richmond repair of the Tower of London Castle of Dover c. Charges for the honour of the King and Kingdome in making and installment of Knights of the Garter and the costly ceremonies thereof and not seldome sending Ambassadours with it to forraign Princes expences in making of Knights of the Bath and in the reign of our more antient Kings for Furres and rich Vestments in making Knights Bachelors Charge of the Courts of Justice and Circuits to preserve the peoples Rights Properties and Liberties protect them from injuries and punish the transgressors now taking away yearly from the regal Revenue fifteen or sixteen thousand pounds per ann which in honester and cheaper times was in the Reign of Henry the sixth as much as worshipfully defrayed as the Record saith the expences of his then no small retinue and houshold with the greater charges now more then formerly in all other the necessaries and affairs belonging to the Kingly Office A daily and almost hourly distribution and giving of Royall favours and munificence and necessity of much of it when as that which amongst private men is accounted providence thrift and good husbandry would be an unbecoming sparing in Princes and an avarice and temptation to oppress the people and that which in others would be prodigality or a wast and consumptions of their Estates and reckoned as a folly is in Kings and Princes most necessary in their bounties and favours wherewith to satisfie and keep in quiet as well as they can multitudes of people whose numberless passions iniquities ill humors designs necessities and interests are by the Sword of Justice in one hand and the Royal Scepter of grace and Benevolence in the other to be kept in order by love honor obedience and loyalty the best increasers maintainers and preservers of publick peace and tranquility which those who have suffered in the want of it but some daies or moneths or a year or few years or our last twenty years folly and miseries may know how to esteem and value A dayly or very often craving and petitioning of some or many of his Subjects and the largeness of a royal heart and hand like an over indulgent Parent taking a pleasure and content to divest himself to enrich and give them content The vast difference betwixt the charges of Navies and Armies now more then formerly when a Hobler or Dragoon Horseman which was wont to be heretofore hired at three pence per diem now hath no less then two shillings six pence a Footman eight pence the pay of a Troop of horse cannot be under four thousand pounds per annum and of one hundred and eighty men in a Garrison three thousand six hundred pounds per annum The course of warre iâ— the later ages growing more and more tedious and chargeable and so immense as the Dutch notwithstanding their sout gelt or Tax upon salt their vectigal frumenti for corn grinded at their Mills the eighth part of the price of Pears and Apples a seventh of all Cattel sold to the Butchers an eighth for wood a Tax upon Candles and an Ezcise upon all things eaten drunk or worn upon Law Suits Servants Wages Ships Coaches and Carts a sixth penny upon all lease Lands Assessments upon demeasne Lands Gardens and planted Grounds an eighth upon Houses demised or let hooft gelt being a Dutch Floren for every poll or head scoorsâ—engelt a like payment for Chimney money with many other great Taxes besides their many profitable and succesfull depredations in the East and West Indies c. great aides from France and England of men and money for many years during their warres great riches got by the greatest commerce of Christendom and ransacking Sea and Land for it have been in sixty years warres with Spain left very much in debt at the end of the warres And are yet notwithstanding since the warres ended some millions of money in debt and so much as they were for many years after and are yet enforced to continue their Excise and most of their Assessments and Taxes upon the people When the King of Spain notwithstanding his vast Dominions twenty millions of Duckets which is above six millions of our sterling money yearly Revenues great exactions and impoverishing of his people by yearly Taxes and Assessments the golden Mines of Peru Mexico and Potozi and other inestimable treasures of the West Indies which Pâ—â—hero a Spanish Ambassadour in a brag or vie with the treasurie of Venice could say had no bottom and having the Sun for its Lord Treasurer daily to generate and increase its gold hath yearly for many years yeilded the Crown of Spain by and out of the Fifths sometimes ten and sometimes fifteen millions of gold and so much as in the year 1638. two hundred and sixty millions of gold did by the Records of the Custome-house of Sivill appear to have been in seventy four years then last past brought from the West Indies into Spain and from Potozi in nine years inclusivè from 1574. to 1585. one hundred and eleven millions of silver hath notwithstanding with his wars with the Dutch and a warr of late years with France chargeable bribes and intelligences and a thirst after an universal Monarchy consumed that and all that he could borrow besides from the Bankers of Genoa And France with all her Taxes and Gabells beggering and very much enslaving of her common people hath in a warre of thirty years last past with the Spaniards fought it self almost off its legs and into a consumption Which a long and late experience may forbid our wondring at when as the late long pretending but no performing Parliament could with the spoils of the Kings and Churches Revenues the Estates of the Nobility Gentry and good people in England Scotland and Ireland and more Taxes and burdens imposed by them and Oliver their man of sin in twenty years then our Kings of England in five hundred years last past all put together had before laid upon them could not leave their Oliver when their sins and his tricks had made him to be
their Master any more then three hundred thousand pounds sterling in Cash and ready money and that with that and such of the Royall Revenues as they left him and those vast Spoils Rapines Taxes Assessments and pillage of all that were not as bad as himself and his Predecessor Common-wealth Contrivers in the three Kingdomes of England Ireland and Scotland which amounted unto above forty millions he was not able in a few years wars with the Dutch and Spaniards to bring about his expences support the Protection as he called it of the people with it but died above three millions in debt which the debts of our famous King Edward the third and Henry the fifth who conquered France and the most of our indebted Kings never amounted unto When our English Kings and Princes having never received of the people by their Aides and Subsidies the twentieth penny towards their expences in the preservation of them and the honor peace plenty of the Kingdom could never do as the Field Marshals Stadt Holders or Generals in Commonwealths have done or as the late Princes of Orange did for severall successions in Holland and the united Provinces receive great allowances and Sallaries keep and greatly improve and increase their own Revenues and make the Publick bear and defray its vast charges as well in warres as the cares and defence of peace in the absence of it but did bear and sustein the brunt of all that was not extraordinary and the charge of many a warre abroad and suppressing of insurrections and rebellions at home out of their own Estates and Revenues and made many a hard shift even to the pawning of their Jewels and mortgaging of their Lands without an often calling to the People for Subsidies or other Aids or Assistance to preserve them and their Estates and Posterities Nor took to themselves the liberty which many Subjects doe to put into their Accounts and Bills of charges to their Princes their Damnum emergens damage happening by any service done for him or their Country and many times their Lucrum cessans gain or improvement lost though every mans particular in the defence of their King and Country is involved in the generall that the service was not altogether or immediately done or tendred to him or for the preservation of him or his Estate only and Posterity but as much if not more for their own concernments and think themselves to be ill dealt with if they be not speedily and abundantly rewarded To help on which consumption of the Royal Revenues came also the great charges which King Charles the first upon whom the decay of the Royal Revenues occasioned by the necessities and indulgences of his Predecessors at once falling might have made him crie out with King Henry the third as the Monk of St. Albans relates it seducor undique mutilatus sum Rex et abbreviatus was at in leagues and confederacies with forreign Princes maintaining Armies in the Palatinate and Germany aiding the Kings of Bohemia Denmark and Sweden engaging in a warre against Spain and sending a great Fleet and Army to invade him great expences in sending a Navy and Army to the Isle of Rhe and two others to aid the Rochellers to furnish part of which for it amounted to a great deal more he sold at once at too easie rates to the City of London above twelve thousand pounds Land per annum rent of Assize the payment of fifty thousand pounds per annum Pensions aud Annuities out of the Exchequer as it was industriously computed by that factious party of Common woe contrivers to diverse of the Scottish Nation many of whom did afterwards joyn with his enemies to ruine him the great and necessary yearly Pensions and Annuities paid to the King and Queen of Bohemia and their children charges of going with a great Army to the Borders of Scotland against the Covenanting Scots and maintaining another in England with the payment of 120000l principall money borrowed by his Father of divers Citizens of London with interest at 8. per cent Which with the many great cares troubles wants and necessities which compassed him in on every side whilst his great virtues for want of necessary supplies of money and treasure were not able to support or bear him up against the storms of an hideous Rebellion escape the snares and pursuit of a rebellious party or scour and cleanse that Augaean Stable which had ruined and weakned his Revenues made him a glorious Martyr for the Laws and Liberties of England and those that were the causers of it the great Examples of a Divine Justice overtaking them And enforced him to leave his troubles to descend upon his Son our most gratious Soveraign Charls the Second with a small and despoyled Revenue which by its fluidness and the gnawing and deflux of time was as to his Crown Lands brought almost to an Exinanition and his casuall and other receipts bearing no more proportion to his expences and disbursements then a Dwarfe or Pigmey doth to a Giant or Poliphemus could doe no less then bring the remainder of that little which was left into a Tabes and almost incurable consumption when there is so great a difference betwixt the rates of provisions and livelyhood and all manner of things bought or used in the beginning of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth and what is now paid for them when he is at greater expences then any of his Progenitors and a less receiver receives at the old rate and buyes at the new his demeasn Lands besides his Pastures at Creslâ—w in Buckinghamshire which were hertofore imployed for the keeping of some Oxen for his household provisions and his parks and some adjacent Grounds to his Houses of residence and all his Land and certain Revenues are not above reprizes one hundred thousand pounds per annum and two parts of three of that consisting in Fee Farm Rents which admit of no improvement when his Customes which should now amount to as much or more then what they were in his late Majesties Reign by the addition of an Excise amounting to one hundred and forty thousand pounds per an now yeilds not near so much as it did formerly the Excise of Ale and Beer ill collected oâ— so chargeable in the gathering of it as it yeilds little more then the half of what the Parliament estimated and intended it to be great yearly Revenues Inheritances in Lands given to men of high deservings both of him and the Kingdom all the Confiscations of the late Traitors of a great yearly value with the benefit of the Post-Office Wine Lycences and many discoveries of personall Estates due to the King given to his Brother the Duke of York to make him a Princely Revenue When his ordinary expences doe so much exceed his ordinary receipts and his extraordinaries are six or seven to one of his ordinaries is sixteen hundred thousand pounds in debt spends more then as much again
in his houshold expences as formerly now that his Pourveyance is taken away looseth two hundred and fifty thousand pounds per annum by the loss of his Tenures and Pourveyance is at eighty thousand pounds per annum charge for the maintenance of the Garrison of Dunkirk above five hundred thousand pounds per annum for the Navy and Land forces hath to procure a publick quiet paid many hundred thousand pounds of the Arrears of the Navy and Army employed against himself and left in Arrears by his Enemies must be ten times a giver if he should grant every ones Petition to one that he shall be a gainer or receiver discontents himself to content others and forgetting that old rule and practice of the world sibi proximus is enforced to provide for others and not for himself and in the midst of his own necessities is to be the rewarder of virtue and still as well as he can the raging waves of the multitude is the Asylum or refuge of all that are distressed and bears or lessens their burdens out of his own Revenues And when Neighbour Princes are not usually without ambitions and taking all opportunities to enlarge their power and Dominions by the weaknesse of others or to weaken and oppress any of their Neighbours and make advantages of their troubles and necessities doe seldome want pretences of titles or revenging Injuries done to them or their people by Kings or their people and can lay aside their sworn Leagues and Confederacies as soon as their Interest or Designs shall invite them thereunto when the French King hath by computation an ordinary yearly Revenue of above twenty millions of Crowns which makes above five millions sterling per annum besides his extraordinaries which by Taxes and Tallages in the late warres being now by a habit and custome grown something easie and familiar to them may be raised to vast yearly sums of money and more then treble the ordinary when the King of Spain aboundeth in his Revenues in his Dominions in Christendom besides his extraordinary Aids Assesments and vast treasures and supplies from the West Indies which is a ready or rich pawn or credit for borrowing of monies upon all extraordinary emergencies occasions or necessities of State affairs The City of Venice with her Territories hath above a million sterling per annum in her yearly Income besides extraordinaries and a treasure of money enough to pay six Kings ransomes with Jewels and Plate unvaluable And the Dutch have one million and two hundred thousand pounds sterling per annum yearly ordinary Revenue out of Amsterdam besides what they have yearly out of all other Cities Towns and Places by their huge Excises and Assessments upon all the seven United Provinces And the King of England who was wont to be Arbiter totius Europae hold and keep the Ballance of Christendom even and if he do not it cannot be either safe or well for his own Kingdomes and People and their Trade and Commerce must pine and wither away languish and groan under so great expences and necessities whilest he is to preserve himself and people in peace plenty and safety and hath so little to doe it withall when at home all men do seem to love and serve him very many doe ask and get what they can from him and too many deceive him And as that prudent and great Statesman Cecil Earl of Salisbury Lord Treasurer of England observed to the Parliament in the Reign of King James it is a certain rule that all Princes are poor and unsafe who are not rich and so potent as to defend themselves upon any sodain offence and invasion or help their Allies and Neighbours Hath a small Revenue to govern an unruly People one part of them ready to runne mad with mistaken opinions in Religion and too many of the residue overgrown with vice and luxury a burden of burdens laid upon him the burdens of his people and the burdens of his Ancestors by their bounties expence and necessities and are by so much greater or heavier then theirs as his Revenues are consideratis considerandis a great deal lesser CHAP. I. The Remedies WHich a small or ordinary repair will not help but requires new and more sollid and lasting foundations endeavoured seriously and attempted by King James about the seventh year of his Reign by the advice of his Parliament and Privy Council but not then or any time since brought to perfection And may in a legall and well pleasing way to the people without the unwelcome raising of the Tenths of the Abbie and religions Lands to the present yearly value which may be of dangerous consequence and the Tenths and First-fruits of the Bishops and Clergy of England who have been over much pared already or a Resumption of the Crown Lands which unless it be of such wherein the King or his Father have been grossely deceived and the first money paid for the purchase upon an account of the mesne profits and interest satisfied will hugely disturb the Interest and House-gods of too many of the Nobility Gentry and rich men of the Kingdome and without any new or forreign devices or Talliages to raise monies and Fricasser or tear in pieces the already too much impaired estates of a Tax-bearing tired people which that Monarch of virtues and blessed Martyr King Charles the first did so abhorre as he caused Mr. Selden Mr. Oliver St. John to be imprisoned in the Tower of London a bill to be exhibted in Star-chamber against them and the Earl of Clare and others for having only in their custody and divulging a Manuscript or writing of certain Italian projects proposed to him by Sir Robert Dudley a Titulado Duke in Tuscanie and with out the gawling grating and most commonly unsuccesfull way of Projects which if set up will be thrown down again by the after Complaints and discontents of the people or hunting and vexing them with informations or calling their Lands and Estates in question to the ruine of them and their Families upon defective Titles or by Monopolies or a trebling abuses by pretending to reform them or Essayes of new wayes of profit framed or found out by such as designe more to themselves then for the good either of King or People and either know not or cannot or will not foresee the many evills and sad consequences which may as effects from causes fatally and unavoidably follow such or the like attempts which the necessities of Kings or want of competent revenues may either put them or their servants and followers upon Be as is humbly conceived prevented by severall Acts of Parliament to be made upon the propositions following which will not only encrease the Kings Revenues but encourage and make the People very willing and well contented therewith when as what they shall for the present loose thereby shall at the same time by enacting of some good Laws for them be abundantly repenced By a generall inclosure of
all wast Lands Commons belonging to the Kings Queens and Princes revenues in England and Wales allotting equall and reasonable proportions for satisfaction of Commoners and by disafforrestation of some Forrests and Chases remote from London or the Kings ordinary Residences the imbanking and taking in of all Lands infra fluxum refluxum Maris high and low watermarks derelicted and forsaken by the Sea or brought thither by Alluvion and added to the firme Land and together with the Lands and Revenues now belonging to the Crown of England never to be aliend rent-charged or leased more then for 21 years or three lives which besides the addition of revenues and profit to the King will very much adde to the livelyhood and industry of many of the people who will be maintained thereby better the Lands and increase subsidies when there shall be occasion And causing the like to be done by a generall inclosure of all that now lies wast and in common in particular and private mens Revenues in England and Wales amounting to some millions of Acres will produce the like benefits to the owners and Commoners who in a gratefull acknowledgement thereof may out of their severall allotments as freewill-offerings to their King pay yearly three pence per Acre to him and his Heirs and Successors That Banks or Mount Piete's be erected in several places of England and Wales as at London York Durham Golchester Norwich Ludlow Denbigh where mony may be lent and Pawns or Securities taken not exceeding the Interest of twelve per cent for a year or proportionably for greater or lesser times and that Commissioners in the manner of a Corporation or otherwise may in every of those places be from time to time appointed by his Majesty his Heires and Successors to order and supervise the management thereof for which his Majesty his Heires and Successors may out of the increase and profit of the said Interest receive and take forty shillings per cent no one particular person being permitted to imploy or put into the said Bank at interest above the sum of five hundred pounds and that no private or particular person putting their monies into the said Bank shall have and receive above the sum of the current or usual Interest in the Kingdom or any other gift or reward whatsoever whereby the intollerable oppression of publick and private Brokers those Baptizati Judaei and Pawn-takers which like Wolves gnaw and devour the poor as sheep when as driven to them by their necessities they are inforced to come to them for succour and give after the rate of fifty or sixty per cent which the hate of Jews to Christians never arrived to and a Christian and Protestant Kingdome ought not to countenance That by sumptuary Lawes concerning Apparrel to be worn by all degrees and orders of people the excess thereof may be regulated and abated with great penalties to the infringers thereof which Athens Sparta and Rome being heathen Common-wealths and England heretofore by sundry good Laws and Statutes unhappily repealed in anno 21 Jac. Spain by Pragmatico's and France by a late Reiglement have found to be an universall good and the Common-wealth of Venice held it to be necessary Nè civium patrimonia nimia intemperantia abliguriantur to keep their Citizens from wasting and spending their Estates being Laws now more then ever wanting in England when as that which wil quickly undo private or particular Families which by their universality do make a Kingdome is so frequent and every where almost to be found in a daily practise and pursuit of pride and that cheating one another to maintain it is the most of the peoples cares and consciences every house almost as to the excess of their vanities and expences beyond their Estates hath a Mark Anthony and Cleopatra in it and too many men and women though not so good or well able to bear it as King William Rufus doe think their clothes not costly enough many of the Nobility and Gentry have wasted and spent themselves almost quite out of themselves and left themselves little more then their Titles and Pedigrees The Citizens doe all they can to our-doe them infolly the Farmers Yeomanry and Countrymen all they can to overtake them and the Servants to come as near as they can to their Masters Ladies or Mistresses And they that first spend themselves to nothing or very near it are like to quit the race to those that come after and they which come last to the brink of ruining their fortunes which will be probably the common and lower ranks of the people are likely to learn by those that ruined themselves before them to stay where they left be Masters of the others Estates And that such as shall wear any habits or kinds of Apparrel forbidden be rated in all publick Assessments according to the estate and quality of such persons as are allowed to wear the like that whosoever shall not be of the degree and quality to keep a Coach or live in the Country not farre distant from the Parish Church and keepeth one shall forfeit and pay 5. l. for every year in which he shall so keep it that the Justices of Peace in every Country be the Collectors of all the penalties concerning Apparel Habits and keeping of Coaches and to have a â—ourth part of the forfeitures upon the receipt conviction or recovery thereof that the Masters and Mistresses of Servants trangressing that Act shall out of the wages due to such Servants pay and answer every of the penalties forfeited by the Servants not exceeding their said wages and stop and detain the same and for their care therein have and receive to their own use one third part in four to be divided of the said penalties and that the residue of all the said penalties ordained and forfeited by the said Act shall be collected and answered to the use of the King and his Heirs and Successors Whereby that grand improvement of all Sins and Wickedness which hath now overspread the Kingdome that consumption of Estates and destruction of good Manners And that high unparralleld and inordinate excess of Apparel and pride which being the canker of all honesty and virtue ruined Rome the Conqueror and Mistress of all the World and as Histories have told us never failed to undo many other Kingdoms permitting or allowing it which our Ancestors and former inhabitants of England would have abhorred and blushed at may be restrained and those sinfull necessities and plenty of all manner of knaveries dishonesties Cheatings and villanies to maintayne it depressed and extinguished which the book of God danger of Sinne Hell and Damnation and all that can be said and done by the Bishopps Ministers Preachers and men of holy Church without the assistance of such sumptuary Lawes can never as experience hath sufficiently told us be able to beat downe extirpate or lessen Which the pretended loss of the Kings Customes by Silkes
dayes often committed oppression by a tyranny of the rich over the poor and needy and to keep the Wolves from their morning and evening preys and rejoycing in the spoil of the widdows and fatherless the hungry and necessitous which by a cheating and blinding of their consciences they will whether the Laws of God and man will or no suppose to be lawfull because it is their Trade and the misteries of it or because their Fathers or their Masters did it before them every one else doth it and every man must live and make use of their time labour calling or opportunities The people of this Kingdom being so universally endamaged by the evils happening by them and concerned and like to be benefitted by the remedies may as those of Spain Florence and other forreign Countries who in bearing some burdens and Taxes laid upon them are many times rather gainers then losers by the benefit of a Bands or rule of rating Butchers and many other Commodities to be bought or sold so as children cannot be cozened Be very willing that their representatives in Parliament shall consent That upon every Tun of wine French Spanish and Rhenish to be vented in England there be by the first buyer forty shillings per Tunne paid to his Majesty his Heirs and Successors and accounted for half yearly in the Court of Exchequer That instead of an Excise upon Ale Beer Perry and Sider every one that shall in a publick Alehouse sell Ale Beer Perry or Sider shall yearly pay to the King his Heirs and Successors forty shillings per annum and every publick Brewer twenty pounds per annum and a further rate proportionable to the quantities of their Brewings And that to restore this antient Monarchy and heretofore famous and flourishing Kingdome to its former honour safety and defence and an ease from the charge of mercenary Armies and Guards and to prevent the great and many dangers and inconveniencies which may happen thereby as also to fatherless Children by Guardianships and breaches of trust his Majesty and his Heirs and Successors may have and enjoy his and their antient rights of Tenures in Capite and by Knight Service and all mesne Lords their Heirs their Tenures by Knight Service with all incidents thereunto belonging allowing unto every one holding of the King by those Tenures the liberty of being freed from the marriage of his Heir to be compounded for by yearly paying unto the King into the Exchequer or into the Court of Wards next after his age of one and twenty years and livery sued forth the sum of twenty pounds per annum rent for every Knights Fee which he shall hold or proportionably according to the partes thereof 1. That in the granting of Wardships to the Mother or next friends according to the Instructions of King James with those reasonable cares and considerations of debts and younger children used by the Court of Wards and Liveries the marriages of the Wards and Rents of their Lands during all the time of their minorities computed together be never above one years improved value which will be but the half of that which is now accompted to be a reasonable Fine and is frequently paid by many Copihold Tenants whose Fines are certain 2. That the Archbishop of Canterbury and Bishop of Durham who by antient exemptions and priviledge are to have the wardships of Tenants holding of them by Knight service in their minorities though they hold other Lands in Capite and by Knight service of the King may be ordained to doe the like favours 3. That all that hold in Capite and by Knight service be according to their antient liberties and rights granted by the Charter of King Henry the first freed as in reason they ought from all Assessments of their demeasn Lands touching warre 4. That Primer Seisins be taken away of such kind of Tenures and no more paid 5. That the Lands holden in Socage or of any other mesne Lords in case of minority of any in ward to the King by reason of Tenure in Capite or pour cause de gard being taken into consideration only as to the Fine for the marriage may not be put under any Rent or Lease to be made by the Court of Wards but freed as they were frequently and antiently by Writs sent to the Escheators 6. That the King in recompence thereof may have and receive of every Duke or Earl dying seized of any Lands or Hereditaments in Capite and by Knight service two hundred pounds of every Marquess Viscount and Baron two hundred marks and of every one that holdeth by a Knights Fee twenty pounds for a Relief or proportionably according to the quantity of the Fee which he holdeth 7. That incroachments and wast grounds holden in Capite and by Knight Service may be no cause of wardship or paying any other duties incident to that Tenure if it shall upon the first proof and notice be relinquished 8. That only Escuage and Service of warre except in the aforesaid cases of the Archbishop of Canterbury and Bishop of Durham and all other incidents except Wardships due by their Tenants which hold of them by Knight service be restored to mesne Lords and that the Reliefs of five pounds for a whole Knights Fee or proportionably according to the quantity of Lands of that kind of Fee holden shall be after the death of every such Tenant twenty pounds 9. That to lessen the charges of Escheators and Juries for every single Office or Inquisition to be found or taken after the death of every tenant in Capite and by Knight Service the time of petitioning within a moneth after the death of the Ancestor may be enlarged to three moneths and the Shire Town City or principall place of every County be appointed with certain dayes or times for the finding of Offices to the end that one and the same Meeting and one and the same Jury with one and the same charge or by a contribution of all parties concerned may give a dispatch thereunto 10. That in case of neglecting to petition within three moneths after the death of the Tenant in Capite and by Knight Service or otherwise concealing any Wardships or not suing out of Livery if upon information brought issue joyned and witnesses examined or any time before Hearing or Tryall of the Cause the party offending or concerned shall pay the Prosecutor his double costs and satisfie the King the mesne rates he shall be admitted to compound 11. That the unnecessary Bonds formerly taken in the Court of Wards at two shillings six pence or three shillings charge upon suing out of every Diem clausit extremum or Writ to find an Office obliging the Prosecutor thereunto may be no more taken when as the time limited for petitioning to compound for Wardships and the danger of not doing of it will be engagement sufficient 12. That Grants Leases and Decrees of the Court of Wards may not to the great
and paid into such hands as they shall appoint and such part thereof not exceeding the sum of two hundred thousand pounds be destributed by his Majesty to the suffering and Loyal English who took Armes for him or his Royal Father and never deserted their Loyalty or to their Wives and Children surviving them as his Majesty under his sign Manual shall direct and some other part of the said moneys not exceeding the sum of one hundred thousand pounds arising out of the said Assessements be imployed for satisfaction without allowance for Interest which should not be for wickedness or sinfull contracts of such Wives and Children of Purchasers or the Purchasers of Purchasers which have yet received no satisfaction according to his Majesties Declarations by the Bishops Deanes and Chapters or Prebends or out of his Majesty or his Royal Mother the Queens Revenues or which have not been Purchasers by false Debenturs and the other remaining undisposed moneys as aforesaid of the said two years Taxe to be and remain to his Majesty his Heirs and Successors as a sacred Patrimony unalienable to be annexed inseparably to the Crown of England not to be Leased or Rent charged further then for one or two Lives or one and twenty years That after the end of five years next ensuing there be another monthly Tax or Subsidy of 120000 l. more for two whole years then next ensuing to be raised as aforesaid and disposed of by such as the Parliament shall appoint for his Majesties use of which if his Majesty shall please there may also be issued by Warrant under his Majesties sign Manual such moneys as his Majesty shall think fitting not exceeding the sum of two hundred thousand pounds to be imployed for the further relief of such of the Loyal suffering party in England for his Majesty or his late Royal Father as his Majesty shall appoint and that the residue of the monys to be collected and raised by the said monethly Tax or Assessement for two whole years be as soon as conveniently it may laid out and disposed for the purchasing of an honorable Revenue in Land for the King his Successors unalienable as aforesaid and to no other use or purpose which they that could pay as much and a great deal more to uphold a Slavery may be better contented to pay to establish a redemption and freedom And that after the end of three years next after the said two years there be a like monethly Tax gathered and collected for two whole years next ensuing to be disposed of by such as the Parliament shall appoint for the buying of an honorable and Princely Revenue in Lands of inheritance for the King and his Heirs and Successors never to be aliend from the Crown of England other then as aforesaid And although it may seem to be a great sum of mony in the Total to be raised out of the people yet it being the more probable and easie way and a great deal more necessary then what hath been done for worser ends and occasions and being to be born by so many Cities Towns Counties and people as are to contribute thereunto in several yeers and with several respirations will the eby not onely free them from many of the like publike Taxes and Assessements hereafter and save them in their purses and estates as much or more then that will amount unto by some good Laws and provisions to be made for the freeing of them from many of the gripings and oppressions of one another but entail our happiness and a greater then formerly freedom quiet and safety upon themselves and their posterity For there was is and ever will be a necessity of power strength and riches to be in a King that intends either to protect or make happy himself and his people as well as to have their love and affection and though David when he was in his private condition could before he was King of Israel rescue a Lamb of his flock slay a Lyon and a Bear and with a sling and a peeble stone kill the dreadful Goliah and that Nathan the Prophet no flatterer but a man of God had after he was a King said unto him The Lord is with thee and brought him a message from God that His house and Kingdom and throne should be established for ever yet neither he nor his subjects the men of Judah and Israel could believe him or themselves to be in any condition of safety without his mighty men of war Militia Captaines of thousands and Captains over hundreds nor did son Solomon after God had given him a large and understanding heart and a portion of wisdom beyond that which ever was granted to mankind with a promise likewise of riches and honor suppose it to be any policy to neglect his Tributes and Presents the improvement and well ordering of his Revenues and putting an honorable order in his houshold to build Cities of Store and Cities for his Chariots and Cities for his Horsemen and a Navy of Ships in Ezion Geber and send them to Ophir to fetch Gold Nor can it be certainly for the good and safety of the people to do by their earthly King who untied the chains and fetters of their folly restored them to their Laws and Liberties and as a balm of Gilead cured and healed the wounds of those that never could do it themselves Nor accord well with their gratitude or the many protestations and promises which they made of sacrificing their lives and fortunes and all that they had in order to his happiness Or with the repentance and satisfaction which makes repentance efficacious of those that were the causes of his twelve years misery and affliction greater longer and sharper then any of his own hundred and eight Royal Progenitors ever endured enough to have turned his youth into the gray hairs and infirmities of an old and decrepit age To doe by him as they doe by their heavenly King take get and receive all they can from him but return as little as they may for it or by the earth their common feeder and nourisher in their lifetimes and the receiver and entertainer of them at their deaths by making furrows on her back and enforcing it to serve all their designs and business and for all her fruits and kindness doe not so well by her as the Heathen who could sacrifice to Tellus and Ceres but think they do enough if in the moneths of April and May they shall be pleased to admire her beauty and beat Harvest well contented to fill their Barns with her bounty And will be as likely to be for their good as for children to have their parents so poor and impotent as not to be able to protect them or for those that are to go a Sea Voyage to have the ships ill or not at all victualled or to adventure in a War or Garrison when the Commander in chief or the General upon whose wisdom valour strength and conduct the