suis volebant libertatibus gaudere as many as would enjoy their Liberties ut innovarent Chartas suas de novo Regis Sigiilo to renew their Charters from the Kings new Seal Some reason Richard had in the end to becoma a gatherer that had not long before by accompt of Chancellour Hubert then Archbishop spent infra blennium undecies centena millia Marcarum argenti de Regno Angliae within less then 2 yeares eleven hundred thousand Marks of silver current English money His brother Iohn succeeding took in the first of his Reign a Scutage assessed at two Marks For the two next years 3 shil of every Plough and the year following besides a Scutage as before the 40. part of the Revenues of the Clergie and Layety In the 4. year hee took the like Scutage and the seventh part of the moveable goods of the Baronage Clergie A Scutage assessed at 2 Marks in an 5. The like in the 6. and 7. years 20 shil Scutage and the 13 part of Moveables aswell of the Church as Layety in the year following In an 9. he exacted by redemption of the Concubines of the Clergie a great summe In the 11. extor sit tributum grave scil 140 millia librarum à viris Ecclesiasticis he extorted a great tribute viz. 140000 pounds of the Church-men And to furnish his Army Clericorum Horrea invadit he came upon the Barns of the Clergy In the 12. a Scutage assessed at two marks besides an exaction of 22000l from the Cistertians He took in the 13. year a Scutage assessed at 20 sh pro excrcitu Walliae for his Welsh Army exacting from the Ministers of the Church in the year following 40000 marks And in the 16. year Scutagium assessum fuit pro exercitu Pictaviae ad 3 Marcas a Scutage was assessed at 3 Marks so the Army in Poictou Thus in the space of 17 years the State was delivered but thrice from Impositions In the time of Henry the third upon the Clergie Nobility and Gentry there was assessed 15 Scutages one at 10 shillings two at 20 eight at two Marks and 4. at 40 shillings the Knights Fee The land of the inferiour sort twice taxed first at 2 shillings after at half a Mark the Plough And two Tallages upon the land of the Crown From out of the Lay Subjects moveable goods hath been taken 5 times as the 40. the 30. 20. and 15. parts and once the 16. of the Clergie for this King A Tenth he 9. times imposed upon the Church six times for a yeare onely and by it self once accompanied with the First-Fruits once for 3. yeares and once for 5. Besides 2. Aides the one moderate the other called gravis exactio a heavy exaction and worthily if to the 800. Marks imposed upon S. Edmunds Bury all the other Abberes were rated accordingly And by the accompt of Willihelmus de Midleton he received in the time of his government de exitu Iudaismi 4020000l And as in all the 56. yeares of his reign excepting five either the Church or Common-wealth were charged with contribution-money to relieve the expence of war so were they grieved with other Exactures either for Cariages or Victualls or personall attendance In the 16. yeare the inhabitants of Winchelsey were enjoyned ut providerent decem bonus naves magnas ad transfertandum in Pictaviam in servitium Regis to provide ten good and stout ships for the Kings service in Poictou And at another time 20. Dunwich and Ipswich 5. a piece and the Ports proportionable all at their own charge In the same yeare and for the same service there was transported 10000 quart of wheat 5000 of oates and many Bacons The Church not forborn in those charges For from Winchester 2000 quarters of Wheat and Oates and 1000 of Bacons was taken The other Bishops and Clergie bearing their parts of victualls in the like Exactions coming ut unda supervenit undae ac si esset Anglia puteus inexhaustus as wave follows wave as if England were a pit never to be drawn dry In the 12. and 14. the King levieth Souldiers for his wars beyond Sea collecting pro Exercitu suo de singulis duabus Hidis cur upon every two Hides so much for his Army and to bring secum victualia victualls with them and those for whose service the King dispenced et quos Rex vult remanere in partibus suis and such as he pleased should continue at home to contribute victuals to those that went for 40. dayes commanding the Sheriffs to sweare all ad Arma qui post eum remanebant in Anglia in forma qua jurati fuerant tempore Ioannis Patris sui to Armes who stayed behind him in England after the manner they were sworn in the time of King Iohn his father by which Ordinance of King Iohn all able Subjects from Youth to decrepite Age were bound to arme themselves and be in continuall readiness à sero usque ad mane from night to morning for so the Record is to attend the Kings pleasure And therefore Henry the third in anno 14. mandavit Vicecomitibus quod venire faciant ad excercitum Regis homines juratos ad ferrum commanded the Sheriffs to send all those to his Army who had been so sworn bringing with them Loricas Habergiones c. Coats of Maile Habergeons c. And to such as neglected this service he sent his Writs reprehending them at first Jurgatorie e quòd c. tartly for that c. and after fining them according to their abilities and Tenures Taking an 26. of Willihelm de Umfrevile pro quietatione passagii for the securing of his passage into Gascoign 100 Marks and so in proportion of many others Edward the first exacted from the land of his Subjects 4. times Scutage assessed every time at 40. shillings the Knights Fee And once an Aide called Auxilium novum a new Aide which he farmed out for ready money Of the Rents of the Clergie he took a Tenth part twice for one yeare and once for six and the 20. part twice from both the Provinces and once for two yeares from Canterbury only The possessions of the Priors Aliens he seized once into his own hands putting the Monks to a bare Pension of 18. pence a week Of the goods of the Clergie he took the 30. the 15. and the 5. part once the Moietie three times and the Tenth seven times whereof the Grant was first for two yeares and then for three yeares and once for six yeares Of the goods of the Commons the 8. the 9. and the 12. part he took once twice severally the 10. and 11. the Sessors being sworn to levy and rate truly Three times he had the 15. part and once the moiety
of a 15. From the Clergie and Laietie together the King had granted of their Moveables a 10. a 15. and a 30 part Of the Cities and Boroughs besides a great Loan once the 7. and 8. and twice the 6. part From the Merchants a 20. and a 7. portion once of their Commodities imposing a new Custome of a Noble upon every Sack of Wooll which he let out to Farm And under pretence of some breach of Amity with those parts whether his Merchants traded he seized anno 22. all the Woolls into his hands and made of them instant Sale to the best value leaving them upon security to a short price and a long day of payment He took the same yeare to the distaste of the Pope and murmure of the Clergie all the money gathered in sub sidium Terrae Sanctae for the succour of the Holy Land to furnish his Journeyes Upon the persons of his Subjects he imposed one Tallage sessed either in communi in generall or per capita by the Poll. And twice the like upon the Iews whereof the one amounted to 50000 Marks Neither were his people by continuall payment for there was but one yeare of intermission all his Reign freed from attendance in their Persons For in record there appeareth plentifully his writs to the Sheriffes as an 31. de poditibus eligendis de tota Anglia for the chusing of foot-Souldiers throughout all England and to be found and furnished by their severall Countryes calling his Earls Barons and Knights to personall service according to their Tenures His Son the second Edward assessed upon the lands of his Subjects twice Scutage once at two Marks once at 40. sh the Knights Fee From the Revenues of the Clergie rated by the book of Tenths he at distinct times took 4d. 5d. and 12d. in the Mark and once the 15. part of the whole From the goods of the Clergie a Tenth for three yeares And twice a Loan from the Abbots and Bishops From the Layetie besides a Tallage of their Moveables in Cities and Boroughs once a Tenth twice a 15. and twice a 20. part of their goods Besides a Loan from the Commons and 10. shillings borrowed upon every Sack of Wooll from Merchant Strangers and a Noble from others From the Clergy and Layetie together of their goods a Tenth a 15. and twice an 18. part besides a Loane He augmented his fathers new Custome with an Imposition of a Noble more upon every Sack of Wool And anno 10. quia exitus Regni sui terrarum because the profits of his Realm and dominions elsewhere together with all the money granted by the Church and Layetie ad sumptus Belli sufficere noluit was not enough to defray the charges of his wars and that he must infinitam pecuniam effundere spend a vast deal of mony he sesseth and increaseth an Imposition upon all Commodities inward and outward to an extreme Rate and caused the Commons in every Shire to lay down money in deposito to pay his Souldiers and took from the Nobility and Gentry a large contribution towards his wars and seized omnes Lanas Coria Mercatorum data securitate Possessoribus derationabili pretio postea solvendo All the Woolls and Hides of the Merchants giving security to the Owners that a reasonable price should be paid for them afterwards He charged the Ports and Sea-Townes 12. severall yeares ad costos suos sumptibus villarum at their own costs and the charge of the Villages about them as the Record saith to set to Sea in his service Ships furnished Armis victualibus with Armes and Victualls sometimes for one month as anno 11. sometimes for 4. as 12. and sometimes for 7. as anno 4. the number of Ships more or lesse as occasion required In an 17. Southampton was charged with six and 118. Sea-Towns more with rateable proportions for the Kings service Sometimes as anno 18. embarguing all the Ships in any Port that were of forty Tunnes or upwards or of 50. Tunnes and upward as an 20. contra hostiles aggressus Gallorum against the hostile attempts of the French Causing the town of Southampton anno 6. to build a Galley for himself of 120. Oares Commanding all the Sheriffes for provision of Victuall as anno 1 2 3 4 9. to provide de Exitibus Comitatuum certum pretium at the charge of the County a certain Rate to the proportion sometimes of 30500 Quarters of Corn and many Bacons as anno 16. and to send them to the Kings Army As also Carrecta Carra cum Equis Bobus Carts and Waggons with Oxen and Horses out of the Countyes severally for the use of war Sometimes he made the Ports to send provision themselves as anno 7. and not to suffer any Ships with victualls ibidem discariari to be there unladed but to order them by security for those parts where the Kings Army was lodged And not sparing the Church exacted his three first yeares Frumenta alia victualia pro exercitu suo Corn and other Victualls for his Army from them Besides the former Charges the Persons of Men aswell of the Nobility as meaner rank were at their own Charge often enjoyned to serve by reason of the wars As in 6 7 8 9 10. and 16. of this King when they were called singulatim man by man aswell Widowes as Knights and Noblemen and such as held 40. l. land according to their Tenures sub forisfactura terrarum Catallorum Equis Armis sumptibus propriis to appear with Horse and Armes at their own charge under penalty of forfeiting their Lands and Chattels to provide de hominibus ad Arma ultra famulos suos consuetos men for the service besides their ordinary Servants according to Augustus rule Viri Foeminaeque ex Censu coactae dare Militem both men and women were forced to find their Souldiers And of this the Clergie was not exempted anno 16. of this King And out of every town one sumptibus propriis at their own charges for 40. dayes as anno 15. 1. or for 60. as anno 9. 1. or pro 7. Septimanis for 7. weeks as anno 4. Sometimes 1000. in one Countrey as anno 3. Sometimes an entire Army of 18300. an 11. and 48800. at the charge of all the Countyes anno 15. London sumptibus Civitatis at the Cities charge found 500. men for 40. dayes anno 12. and the like anno 18. contra insultus Regis Franciae against the invasions of the King of France The King commanded anno the 16. that all of 40. shil land upwards should rateably send to his service men And annis 9. 10 15 and 16. that all jurati adarma sworn to Armes or from 16. to 60. secundum Statutum Wincestriae according to the Statute of Winchester
should attend their Services And anno 13. injoined all from 20. to 60. to be armed and victualled at their own charge And commanded the Sheriffs annis 6. 7. 8. 12. 16. and 18. to see all the able men of England so furnished that Parati sint muniti ad veniendum ad Regem quando vocati fuerint they should be provided and in a readiness to march to the King when he should call them their weapons to be provided ad sumptus Incolarum at the charge of their neighbour dwellers and themselves enjoyned to muster and train every six weeks If any neglected his appointed service there was sent ot the Sheriff a writ de habendo illos coram concilio qui praemoniti non venerunt in expeditione Regis to bring them before the Councel who knowing of it before refused the expedition as anno 15. 1. the parties imprisoned and their goods seized into the Kings hands as anno 9. et 16. or else redemption by fine as the Sheriffes of Buckingham and Bedford did their men for 600. Marks anno 15. The owner of 40. shillings land to redeem his first default cum tertia parte Bonorum with the 3. part of his Goods the second cum tota residua with the remaining parts at the third sint Corpora eorum ad voluntatem Regis their Bodies to be at the Kings disposall and of Knights qui non fuerunt in exercitu Regis 20. l. de qualibet Hida which were not in the Kings Army 20. l. for every Hide as anno 13. I have the longer insisted upon this King that tanquam in speculo as in a glass we may behold the intolerable miseries of the Nobility and Commons inseparably accompanying the times of war Edward the third charged the lands of his Subjects twice 40. shillings of every Knights Fee and 5. l. 16. shillings of every Parish in the 48. yeare of his Reign Out of the Goods of the Commons he took once the 9. part and 15 th of Forest and Wast twice the tenth thirteen times a fifteenth for one yeare and twice for three yeares and once the 20. part of all moveables and 30000. Sacks of Wooll upon conditions Of the Boroughs and Cities 4. Tenths and one for three yeares From the Lords the tenth Sheaf Lambe and Fliece who with the Bishops and Knights grant 20000. Sacks of Wooll for payment of the Kings debts giving in the interim security themselves by Bond to the Earle of Brittain to whom their Soveraign stood ingaged Of the Clergy alone one Tenth for 4. yeares three for three yeares and one for one yeare Besides a Contribution in the 12. of his Reign seizing in the same yeare all the Goods of the Cluny and Cistertian Monks Of the Church and Laiety together he received 6. times the 10. of all their Moveables From the Merchants and State a Subsidy of Wool for 3. yeares Imposing anno 33. 26. shil 8d. upon every Sack transported which doubled the Impositions of his Father and Grandfather Advancing it after for 6. yeares to 40. shillings and in an 38. being the yeare he resumed his Stile of France to 46. shillings 4d. the Sack of Wooll Taking Poundage 6d. of all Commodities inward and outward and enjoyning the Marchants for every Sampler of Wooll transported to return in 40. shillings Bullion to his Minte Himself becoming Merchant of all the Tinne in Devonshire and Cornwall anno 12. in auxilium supportationis onerum Belli to help him bear the burthen of his wars assessing upon the heads of his Subjects a fine of 4d. severally anno 51. Besides in anno 20. he took a Loane of the Bishops Abbots Justices et aliis potentioribus Regni de diversis pecuniarum Summis inter Summas de 1000. l. 40. l. and other wealthy men of his Realm in several summes of mony betwixt the summes of 1000. l. and 40. l. In the first of his Reign he commandeth all the Sea-towns to attend with Ships his service sumptibus propriis duplici Eskâ—ppamento at their own proper charge and with double Skippage and to provide as many as they can of 60. Tun and upwards And the yeare following layeth the like charge upon 76. Port-Townes for all Ships of 40. Tunne and more And anno 10. the like at their own charge besides a contribution of mony for payment whereof the Officers are commanded ut eas per districtiones alias punitiones prout expedire viderint compellent to force it by distraining and what other punishments they shall find expedient Injoyning such Merchants of London qui ex transmarinis passagiis lucra adquirunt who had traffick in forreign parts to furnish Ships for war at their own Charge And anno the thirteenth the Cinque-Ports set out to sea 30. Ships and maintain them during the service half at their own half at the Councells charge Fourscore Ships being furnished defrayed by the Out-Ports the Admirall directed to embargue all other Ships for the Kings service And although the Subject found this an infinite grievance yet could he upon humble complaint in Parliament receive no further relief then that the King would not have it otherwise then before For Provision of his Armes the King took at one time and at a rate of losse to the Subject 19000. quarters of Grain 2200. Oxen salted 3000. Bacons besides of other Provisions an infinite quantity The like very frequent all his Reign pro guerris necessariis ubi id magis commode fieri poterat for the necessities of his wars where it could be done with more conveniency The Persons of all his meaner Subjects from 16. to 60. he causeth to be armed in readiness ad praemonitionem 5. dierum at 5. dayes warning the Decrepite to contribute ad expensa praemissorum towards the expenses of the rest and to arrest the Bodies of the disobedient that de ipsis tanquam de inimicis sumat vindictam they might be dealt withall as enemies The Gentry and Nobility supplying the King in his wars and at their own Charge sometimes with 7. or 800. men at Armes and 2. or 3000 Archers as anno 13. with other proportions at divers yeares following And the Bishops ordered to furnish Armis Equis competentibus serviceable Armes and Horses so many as occasion required and their Persons together with the Laye Nobility commanded quod sint parati Equis Armis toto servitio debito with Horse and Armes and all necessary accoutrements to attend the King in his wars These wars which as Edward the third professeth himself in Parliament could not without his great danger and losse of Honour be maintained unlesse by perpetuall Aide from the Subjects were so grievous to them that in anno 22. they complain in Parliament of the miseries they underwent thereby As of their Aides advanced to 40. shillings Fine that by law
in the 9. yeare of his Reign a peaceable succession and Heire nimium felix malo suo too happy to his own undoing as the event proved For retaining nothing ex paterna Majestate praeter speciem nominis of his Father's Greatness more then the specious Name of a Great King by Fear and Facility he laid the way open to his Factious Ambitious kindred to work themselves into popular Favour and himself into Contempt which was soon done by leading the easy King by Expence into Extremity For besides the Resumptions he took of his own and Fathers Grants which was of purpose plotted to make a consumption of Duty and Affection towards him he out of the old inheritance of his Subjects exacted 6d. in the pound anno 14. and doubled twice that valuation not onely on all lands purchased from the entrance of Edward the first but of all Free-hold and Coppy-hold under 200. l. and two in twenty of all above He further imposed first 6. shil 8d. and then 20. shil upon every Knights Fee Out of the goods of the Commons he had 6. Tenths whereof one for 3. yeares besides 3. Moieties and one third of fifteens 3. halfs one third and eight entire of which there was of two a 3 yeares grant Besides these former out of the woolls he had 37107 l. raised by a Moiety of a 10 th and 15 th and again of all goods 6. shil 8d. in the pound Of the Merchant of Subsidies rated as in former times he had then by grant once but for a yeare trebled for three and a half This Subsidy advanced to 33. shil 4d. of Denisons and 53. shil 4d. of Aliens The Sack of Wooll was twice granted for 4. years at a time and an 31. for term of the Kings life Besides a Subsidy alone of Aliens goods Tonnage and Poundage improved to six shillings 8d. he took in his 18. yeares And after the Rates of his Fathers time he had it first thrice by his severall grants and yeares then as often for two yeares and again by a new grant for 5. yeares and in the end for term of his life Of the Clergy he had besides one half of Dismes 4. entire Tenths And by the State in generall anno 31. 2000. Archers maintained for half a yeare at the common Charge By the Poll he exacted anno 18. of every Merchant Stranger if a householder 16. shillings a piece if none 6d. And anno 27. 6. shillings 8d. every such stranger and 20d. of their Clerks An. 13. he had granted for term of life ten pounds a year of all Inhabitants mere Aliens and a third lesse of Denizons and 20 shil of every Stranger Merchant that came into the land The first Monopolies I find were grounded upon the extremities of these times for in anno 29. the Spinellos Merchants of Genua had by grant for 8000. l. the sole Trade of many Staple-Commodities As the Merchants of Southampton had all Allome for the like summe Yet for all the Contributions Taxes and Shifts whereby the impoverished People were enforced to petition redresse for which a Parliament was anno 10. summoned onely the Kings Coffers were so empty and the yearly Revenues so short as the Lord Treasurer was constrained an 11. to complain in Parliament of the one and declared there the other to want 35000. l. of the needfull expence as the best motive to work a Relief from the Common-wealth which was by the people in part effected But by an 18. the debts were swoln again so great that the Parliament was reinforced not onely to see them but to support and victuall his houshold Thus was this unhappy Princes Reign all war and waste and in the end as one saith of Lepidus à Militibus à fortuna deserebatur being forsaken both of Souldiers and Fortune he was left a while to a disgraced life spoliata quam tueri non poterat dignitate and despoiled of that Dignity which he was not able to maintain Edward the fourth besides two resumptions not only of the Grants of such Kings as he accounted de facto and not de jure to Reign but also of those made by himself and that Sea of profit that by infinite Attaintures flowed daily into his Treasury took notwithstanding of the Lords Spirituall and Temporall onely a Tenth of their yearly possessions and of the Commons six Tenths three quarters and the like proportion of Fifteens A Benevolence in an 14. which Fabian calleth a new Contribution And charged them anno 12. with wages of his Archers to a Summe of 51117. l. Of the Merchant he had Tonnage and Poundage for term of life Besides of Strangers as well Denizons as others a Subsidie the 22. yeare of his Reign Leaving his Kingdome in the next to the few dayes of his son Edward the fifth For Ostendunt terris hunc tantum Fata nec ultra Esse sinunt The Fates only shewed him to the world and took him away again Richard his Uncle succeeded homo ingeniosissime nequam facundus malo publico a man mosting eniously mischievous and full of Art to beguile the people He to make a just semblance of his unjust entry besides his Act of Parliament full of dangerous Untruths dissembled the part of an excellent Prince making the Commons believe by a Statute to which he gave first form as life discharging them for ever from all exactions called Benevolences that his opinion was Ditare majus esse Regium quam ditescere that it was more Kinglike to enrich his Subjects then to grow rich himself Whereas he did but lively imitate Nero that took away the law Manlia de vectigalibus only ut gratiosior esset populis to ingratiate himself the more with the people And so all his short Reign I find recorded but once any Tax upon the people and that was Tenths granted by the Clergy of both Provinces Henry the seventh succeeding resumed in the 3. of his Reign most of the grants of Office made by the Usurper his brother assessed upon the land onely of his Subjects but one Aide in an 19. out of their Goods and Lands a tenth peny and of their Goods onely 3. times the tenth five Fifteens besides a Tenth and Fifteenth arising to 120000. l. He took three Subsidies whereof the last was not above 36000. l. and one Benevolence the proportion of every Alderman being 300. l. and the entire Summe of the City of London 9688. l. 17. shillings 4d. Of the Clergie he had twice the Tenth 25000. l. by way of Subsidie And of them and the Commons 2. Loans the City of London rated at 6000. l. the other not definite in proportion but so assessed as Commissioners and the Lenders could agree And aswell to ease the expence of wars as issue of the good money going over to Bullen he stamped an allayed Coyn then usually termed Dandeprats A course
and Abbots sessing upon them and at their charge a proportion of Souldiers for his service exiling many worthy men that opposed this thraldome William Rufus anno 7. set upon the heads of so many as he mustered up for the French wars 10. shil a man and so discharged them In an 9. he to the same end spoiled the Churches of their Ornaments and Holy vessels and levied 4 Hidages of every Plough-land Tributis Angliam non modo abradens sed excorians not only shaving but even flaying England with his impositions so that wearied with warre and expence ne respirare potuit Anglia sub ipso suffocâ—ta England was quite stifled by him and could not so much as breath Quid jam non Regibus ausum Aut quid jam Regno restat Scelus What durst not Kings then do What mischief could the Nation suffer more in this Kings time Henry the first anno 5. magnam à Regno exegit Pecuniam exacted a great summe of his Kingdome with which the passed into France and by this means gravabatur terra Angliae oppressionibus multis England was born down with many oppressions He took in the 10. year 6. shillings Danegeld And in the 17. Quod inter eum Regem FrancoruÌ„ magnuÌ„ fuit dissidium Anglia fuit variis depressa Exactionibus Bonis sine peccato spoliata by means of the great difference betwixt him and the King of France England was oppressed with divers exactions men spoild of their goods for no offence at all Of King Stephen there need no more then the words of the Monk of Gisborn Post annum sextum Pax nulla omnes partes terrebat violenta Praedatio after the 6. year of his reign there was no quiet but all parts of the land became a prey and spoil to violent men Henry the second alluding not unlike to the Feoda given the Eremitae in the decline of the Empire as Salaries by which they stood bound to defend the Frontiers against the Incursions of the Barbarous Nations continued the Policy of his Progenitours who allotted the land into such and so many equall protions as might seem competent for supportation of a Knight or man at Armes from whom as occasion required they received either service or contribution This Tenure now esteemed a Thraldome began upon a voluntary and desired submission for who from his gift would not of the Prince accept land upon the like conditions so it toucheth not the Soveraign as a wrong to the Subject but as in right his own And therefore respecting their first immediate dependency upon the Crown which is a great part of the Kings Honour their duties and Escheats a great benefit and their attendance by Tenure in warre at their own charge to the number of 60216 at the least for the Knights Fees in England are no lesse a great ease strength and security to his State for they are totidem Hostagia so many Hostages as Bracton saith it were a thing perillous now to alter after such a current of time custome This King to understand the better his own strength publico praecepti edicto quod quilibet Praelatus Baro quot Milites de eo tenerent in Capite publicis suis instrumentis significarent he caused it to be proclaimed that every Prelate and Baron should notify by publick deed how many Knightships they held of him in capite By this rule of Scutage constant in the number he levied alwayes his Subsidies and relief though divers in the rate Of the first which was neare the beginning of his Reign there is no record The second Scutage which was anno 5. amounted to 124 millia librarum argenti thousand pounds of silver which reduced to the standard of our mony 5 shil the ounce whereas that was not five groats will amount to near 400000l An. 7. ScutagiuÌ„ fuit assessum ad duas Marcas pro Exercitu Tholosae a Scutage was assessed 2 Marks for the army at Tholouse w ch if summed up by the received number of Knights Fees being 60216 in the hands of the Layety onely of our moneys cannot be lesse then 250000l The like in the next year In an 11 there was an Aid pro servientibus inveniendis in exerciu to find men to serve in the wars of 2d. de unaquaque libra in every pound And 4. sequentibus annis de singulis libris singulis denariis in the four following yeares a penny in the pound was taken of all men the estates of mens Fortunes being delivered upon their Oaths In the 14. yeare a Scutage was assessed ad Marcam unam de singulis Feodis one Mark on every Fee And anno 18. Scutagium pro quo libet Feodo a Scutage for every Fee A Tenth of all moveables was granted in the 35. of his Reign In which year dying 900 millia librarum in auro argento praeter utensilia jocalia reliquit he left in mony 900000 pounds besides Plate and Jewels Richard the first in the beginning besides Scutagium Wallae assessum a Scutage assessed upon Wales at 10. shil levied as in the succour of the Holy Land a Subsidie out of all the Moveables in the Realm to his own use Et eleemosynae titulo vitium Rapacitatis inclusit cloaking his ravenous extortion under the fair name of a pious almes A contribution there was in the 6. yeare of 150 millia marcarum argenti ad pondus Columniensium 150000 marks of silver to pay his ransome as also a Scutage assessed at 20 shil In the 7. he imposed for his warrs a contribution called Tenementale Extremity for by his waste and imprisonment he had almost exhausted the wealth of the State invented nova varia praedandi vocabula new and sundry words to expresse his exactions as Tacitus saith of Centesima Quinguage fima an hundredth part and a fiftieth part names that since have found reception and use with us This was 2. shillings of every Plough-land from the Husbandman and from the Gentry and Nobility the third part of their Military service He inforced the Cistertian Monks to redeem the same yeare their woolls fine Pecuniaria at a Fine For his Army into Normandy he took a Scutage assessed at 20 shillings And 4. years after of every Plough-land 5. shillings and of every Borough and City duos palfridos totidem summarios 2. horses and as many summaryes and of every Abbot half asmuch Then loosing of purpose his great Seale proclaimed that Omnes Chartae Confirmationes novi Sigilli impressione roborarentur all Charters and Assurances should be confirmed by the new Seal Whereby anew he drew from all men a composition for their Liberties This fashion was afterwards taken up by some of his Successours as of Henry the 3. when all again were enjoyned qui
that necessity after enforced his Son and Successors to practice and is an apparent Symptome of a consumed State But that whereby he heaped up his masse of Treasure for he left in Bullion 4. millions and a half besides his Plate Jewells and rich attire of house was by sale of Offices redemption of Penalties dispencing with Laws and such like to a yearly value of 120000. pounds His Successour reaping the fruit of his Fathers labour gave ease of burthen to the Subjects his first two years taking within the compasse of his other 34. three Tenths of the Commons four Fifteens 6. Subsidies whereof that an 4. amounted to 16000. l. and that an 7. 110000. l. Tonnage he had and Poundage once for a year and after for term of Life Of the Clergy 4. Tenths by one grant and 3. by severall every of them not lesse then 25084. l. Of Subsidies he had one of the Province of Canterbury another of both the Stipendary Ministers there to be taxed according to the rate of their wages In an 22. they granted a Moiety of all their Goods and Lands payable by equal portion in 5. years every part arising to 95000. l. to the yearly Revenues of his Crown by an inhumane spoil of sacred Monuments and impious ruine of holy Churches if Gods blessing could have accompanyed so foul an Act. And as these former Collections he grounded upon Law so did he many upon Praerogative As Benevolences and Loans from the Clergy and Commons Of the first there were two remarkable that in an 17. acted by Commissioners who as themselves were sworn to Secrecy so were they to swear all those with whom they conferre or contract The Rates directed by instructions as the thirds of all Goods Offices Land above 20. l. and the 4 th under And although the Recusants whether from Disobedience or Inability are threatned with Convention before the Councell Imprisonment and Confiscation of Goods yet in the Designe Originall under the Kings hand it hath so fair a name as an Amicable Grant The other about an 36. exacteth out of all Goods Offices land from 40. shillings to 20. l. 8d. in the pound and of all above 12d. And amongst the many Loans there is none more notorious then that of an 14. which was 10. l. in the hundred of all Goods Jewels Utensils and land from 20. l. to 300. l. and twenty marks of all above as far as the Subjects Fortune revealed by the extremity of his own Oath would extend And to stop as well intentions if any had been as expectations of repayment of such Loans the Parliament in an 21. acquitteth the King of every Privy Seal or Letter Missive Edward the sixth his Son besides Tonnage and Poundage for life an 1. received of his Law-Subjects six Fifteens and of both three Subsidies leaving one of the Temporalty ungathered which his Sister Mary remitted in an 1. of her reign yet after incited by the French King succouring her Rebells and suffering her money adulterated in his Dominions purposely to be hither transported as also to side the quarrell of Philip her husband against him being drawn into wars she was inforced to presse upon her people and besides the Loan in an 1. for term of life granted unto her by Parliament took five Fifteens of the Commons and of them and the Clergie three years Subsidies Her Sister of happy memory succeeding besides divers Loans of her people and others in forraign parts as anno 5. when William Horle was dispatched into Germany to take up at Interest for 6. years great Summes of money the like an 18. from the Merchants of Colen and Hamburgh upon Bond of the City of London and again of Spinello and Pallavicini upon the former security strengthened with the assurance also of many of her chiefest Councellors had by grant of her Subjects 38. Fifteens 20. Subsidies of the Commons and 18. of the Clergy All which together rose to a summe of two Millions and 800000. l. HAving thus far with as light a hand as I could drawn down the many and mighty burdens of the Common-wealth if but with a touch of the Princes Extremities beyond the ease of these former helps I heighten up this draught it will with much more life and lustre expresse the Figure of wars Misery The Credit of Kings it hath brought to so low an ebbe that when by force of necessity they borrowed money they could not take it up but by collaterall security and extreme Interest As Edward the 3. in the Patent to William de la Poole confesseth that propter defectum pecuniae negotia sua fuerunt periculo sissime retardata for want of money his affaires were dangerously delayed they are the words of the record and the honour of him and his Royall Army magnae fuit depressioni patenter expositus progressus non sine dedecore suo perpetuo impeditus he was brought to a manifest low condition and his proceedings to his great dishonour had been constantly hindered if De la Poole had not as well supplied him with the credit of his Security as with the best ability of his own Purse For which service he honoured him and his posterity with the degree of Baronets and 500. l. land of inheritance The interest of Henry 3. ad plus quam centum quotidie libras adscenderat ita ut imminenet tam Clero quam Populo Angliae Deso latio Ruina came to more then a hundred pound a day so that present ruine desolation hung over the heads as well of the Clergy as the People Q. Mary borrowed in Flanders at 14. in the hundred besides Brocage upon collaterall security The late Queene was inforced to the like thrice with Strangers upon the City of Londons assurance as before and with her own Subjects after upon Mortgage of Land A course more moderate then either that of the first William that took out of Churches such money as severall men had committed thither for more security or that of Charles the fifth that to repaire the waste of his Italian wars went in person to Barcilona to seize into his hands a Masse of money called Depositum Tabulae which as well Strangers as Subjects had there laid up in Sanctuary But these are not the conditions of Princes of our times onely for in the lives of Caligula Nero and Vespasian Suetonius of them severally writeth Exhaustus egenus calumniis rapinisque intendit animum being drawn dry and grown poor they bent their minds to Calumnies and Rapines For Perniâ—losâ—â—res est in imperante tenuitas Want in a Prince is a dangerous thing and as Theodoricus said Periculosissimum animal est Rex pauper a Poor King is the most dangerous creature living It hath abated the Regalties of Houses an 16. of Richard the second and 18. of Henry 6. when as well from want of