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A56211 The soveraigne povver of parliaments and kingdomes divided into foure partsĀ· Together with an appendix: wherein the superiority of our owne, and most other foraine parliaments, states, kingdomes, magistrates, (collectively considered,) over and above their lawfull emperours, kings, princes, is abundantly evidenced, confirmed by pregnant reasons, resolutions, precedents, histories, authorities of all sorts; the contrary objections re-felled: the treachery and disloyalty of papists to their soveraignes, with their present plots to extirpate the Protestant religion demonstrated; and all materiall objections, calumnies, of the King, his counsell, royallists, malignants, delinquents, papists, against the present Parliaments proceedings, (pretended to be exceeding derogatory to the Kings supremacy, and subjects liberty) satisfactorily answered, refuted, dissipated in all particulars. By William Prynne, utter-barrester, of Lincolnes Inne. It is on this second day of August, 1643. ordered ... that this booke ... be printed by Michael Sparke ...; Soveraigne power of parliaments and kingdomes Prynne, William, 1600-1669. 1643 (1643) Wing P4087A; ESTC R203193 824,021 610

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Realme of England have heretofore suffered throught default of the law that failed in divers cases within the said Realm our soveraign Lord the King for the amendment of the land for the reliefe of his people and to eschew much mischiefs dammages and dis-inherisons hath provided established these Acts underwritten willing and commanding that from henceforth they be firmely kept within this Realme The Statutes of Westminster 2. in his 13. year begin thus Whereas of late our soveraigne Lord the King c. calling his Counsell at Glocester and considering that divers of this Realm were disherited by reason that in many cases where remedy should have been had there was none provided by him nor his Predecessors ordained certaine statutes right necessary and profitable for his Realm whereby the people of England and Ireland have obtained more speedy Iustice in their oppressions then they had before and certaine cases wherein the law failed did remaine undetermined and some remained to be enacted that were for the reformation of the oppressions of the people our soveraigne Lord the King in his Parliament holden c. the 13 ear of his reign at Westm. caused many oppressions of the people and defaults of the lawes for the accomplishment of the said statutes of Glocest to be rehearsed and thereupon did provide certaine Acts here following The s●atute of Quo Warranto An. 1278. the 6. year of this King made at Glocest. hath this exordium The King himself providing for the wealth of his Realm and the morefull administration of Iustice AS TO THE OFFICE OF A KING BELONGETH the more discreet men of the Realm as well of high as of low degree being called thither it was provided c. The sta● of York 12 E. 2 hath this Prologue Forasmuch as people of the Realm of England and Ireland have heretofore suffered many times great mischiefs damage and disherison by reason that in divers cases where the law failed no remedy was purveyed c. our soveraign Lord the King desiring THAT RIGHT BE DONE TO HIS PEOPLE at his Parl. holden at York c. hath made these Acts statutes here following the which he willeth to be straitly observed in his said Realm In 9. Ed. 3. in a Parliament held at York the Commons desired the King in the said Parliament by their Petition that for the profit and commodity of his Prelates Earls Barons and Commons of his Realm it may please him WITHOVT FVRTHER DELAY upon the said grievances and outrages to provide remedy our soveraign L. the K. desiring the profit of his people by the assent of his Prelates c. upon the said things disclosed to him found true to the great hurt of the said Prelates c. and oppression of his Commons hath ordained and established c. In 10. E. 3. stat 1. there is this introduction Because our Soveraigne Lord the King Edw. 3. WHICH SOVERAIGNLY DESIRETH the maintenance of his peace and safeguard of his people hath perceived at the complaint of the Prelates Earls Barons and also at the shewing of the Knights of the shires and the Commons in their Petition put in his Parliament c. divers oppressions and grievances done to his people c. COVETING to obvent the malice of such felons and to see a covenable remedy hath ordained c. for the quietnes and peace of his people that the articles underneath written be kept and maintained in all points 14. E. 3. stat 1. To the honor of God c. the King for peace and quietnesse of his people as well great as small doth grant and establish the things underwritten The like we have in 15. E. 3. stat 1. and in this kings Proclamation for revoking it there is this passage We considering how BY THE BOND OF OVR OATH WE BE BOVND TO THE OBSERVANCE AND DEFENCE OF THE LAWES AND CVSTOMES OF THE REALME c. So in 20. E 3. Because that by divers complaints made to us we perceived that the law of the land which WEE BY OVR OATH BE BOVND TO MAINTAINE is the lesse well kept and the execution of the same disturbed many times c. WE GREATLY MOVED OF CONSCIENCE IN THIS MATTER and for this cause desiring as much for the pleasure of God and ease and quietnesse of our Subjects AS TO SAVE OVR CONSCIENCE AND TO KEEPE OVR SAID OATH by the assent of the great men and other wise men of our Counsel we have ordained these things following 23. E. c. 8. That in no wise ye omit the same as ye love us and the Commonwealth of this Realme 25. E. 3. stat 2. Because that statutes made and ordained before this time have not been holden and kept as they ought to be the King willing to provide quietnesse and common profit of his people by the assent c. hath ordained and established these things under-written The passage in the statute of Provisors 25. E. 3. Parliam 6. is notable Whereupon the said Commons have prayed our Soveraigne Lord the King that SITH THE RIGHT OF THE CROWNE OF ENGLAND AND THE LAW OF THE SAID REALME IS SVCH that upon the mischiefes and dammages which hapneth to his Realme HE OVGHT AND IS BOVNDEN OF THE ACCORD OF HIS SAID PEOPLE IN PARLIAMENT THEREOF TO MAKE REMEDY AND THE LAW OF VOIDING THE MISCHIEFES and dammages which thereof commeth that it may please him thereupon to ordain remedie Our Soveraigne Lord the King seeing the mischiefes and dammages before named and having regard to the statute made in the time of his Grandfather and to the cause contained in the same which statute alwayes holdeth his force and was never defeated nor annulled in any point and by so much AS HE IS BOVNDEN BY HIS OATH TO DOE THE SAME TO BE KEPT AS THE LAW OF THIS REALME though that by sufferance and negligence it hath been attempted to the contrary also having regard to the grievous complaints made to him by his people in divers his Parliaments holden heretofore willing to ordain remedy for the great dammage and mischiefs which have hapned and daily do happen to the Church of England by the said cause By assent of the great men and Commonalty of the said Realm to the honor of God and profit of the said Church of England and of all his Realme hath ordered and established c. 28. E. 3 The King for the common profit of him and his people c. hath ordained 36. E. 3. To the honour and pleasure of God and the amendment of the outragious grievances and oppressions done to the people and in reliefe of their estate King Edward c. grant●d for him and his Heires for ever these Articles underwritten 1. R. 2. To the honour of God and reverence of holy Church for to nourish peace unity and concord in all the parts within our Realm of England which we doe much desire We have ordained c. 3. R. 2. For the honour of God and of holy Church
onely the beating but killing of such persons who assault their Masters persons goods or houses as is expresly resolved by the Statute of 21. E. 1. De malefactoribus in Parcis By 24. H. 8. cap. 5. Fitzherbert Corone 192. 194. 246. 258. 261. 330. 21. H. 7 39. Trespas 246. Stamford lib. 1. cap. 5. 6. 7. 22. Ass. 46. 11. H. 6. 16. a. 14. H. 6 24. b. 35. H. 6. 1. a. 9. E. 4. 48. b. 12. E. 4. 6. a. 12. H. 8. 2. b. Brooke Coron 63. Tr●spas 217. Therefore they may justly defend themselves resist oppose apprehend and kill his Majesties Cavalliers notwithstanding any Commissions and make a defensive Warre against them when as they assault their persons houses goods or habitations without any Treason Rebellion or Crime all against the King or Law Thirdly It is past dispute That the Sheriffes Iustices of Peace Mayors Constables and all other Officers of the Realme may and ought by our Lawes and Statutes to raise the power of the Counties and places where they live and command all persons to arme themselves to assist them upon their Command when they see just cause which commands they are all bound to obey under paine of imprisonment and fines for their contemptuous disobediene herein to suppresse and withstand all publicke breaches of the Peace Riots Routs Robberies ●raies Tumults Forcible Entries and to apprehend disarme imprison and bring to condigne punishment all Peace-breakers Riotors Trespassers Robbers Plunderers Quarrellers Murtherers and Forces met together to doe any unlawfull Hostile act though by the Kings owne precept and in case they make resistance of their power they may lawfully kill and slay them without crime or guilt if they cannot otherwise suppresse or apprehend them yea the Sheriffes and all other Officers may lawfully raise and arme the power of the County to apprehend Delinquents by lawfull Warrants from the Parliament or Processe out of other inferiour Courts of Iustice when they contemptuously stand out against their Iustice and will not render themselves to a Legall triall in which service all are bound by Law to assist these Officers who may lawfully slay such contemptuous Offenders in case they cannot otherwise apprehend them All which is Enacted and Resolved by 19. E. 3. cap. 38. 3. Ed. 1. cap. 5. 2. R. 2. cap. 6. 5. R. 2. cap. 5. 6. 7. R. 2. cap. 6. 17. R. 2. cap. 8. 13. H. 4. cap 7. 1. H. 5. cap. 6. 2. H. 5. cap. 6. 8. 19. H. 7. cap. 13. 3. E. 6. cap. 5. 1. Mar. cap. 12. 31. H. 6. cap. 2. 19. E. 2. Fitz Execution 247. 8. H. 4. 19. a. 22. Ass. 55. 3. H. 7. fol. 1. 10. 5. H. 7. fol. 4. Register f. 59. 60. 61. Fitz. Coron 261. 288. 289. 328. 346. Stamford lib. 1. cap. 5. 6. Cooke lib. 5. fol. 92. 9. 3. with sundry other Bookes and Acts of Parliament and Walsingham Hist. Angliae pag. 283. 284. Yea the Statute of 13. Ed. 1. cap. 38. recites That such resistance of Processe out of any the Kings Courts much more then out of the Highest Court of Parliament redounds much to the dishonour of the King and his Crowne and that such resisters shall be imprisoned and fined because they are desturbers of the Kings Peace and of his Realme And the expired Statute of 31. H. 6. cap. 2. Enacted That if any Duke Marquesse Earle Viscount or Baron complained of for any great Riots Extortions Oppressio●s or any offence by them done against the Peace and Lawes to any of the Kings Liege people should refuse to obey the Processe of ●he Kings Court under his Great or privie Seale to him directed to answer his said offenes either by refusing to receive the said Processe or despiting it or withdrawing h●mselfe for that cause and not appearing after Proclamation made by the Sheriffe in ●he County at the day prescribed by the Proclamation that then hee should for this his contempt forfeit and lose all his Offices Fees Annuities and other possessions that he or any man to his use h●th of the gift or grant of the King or any of his Progenitors made to him or any of his Ancestors And in case he appeares not upon the second Proclamation on the day therein to him limited that then he shall lose and forfeit his Estate and place in Parliament and also All the Lands and Tenements Wh●ch he hath or any other to his use for terme of his life and all other persons having no Lands not appearing after Proclamation were to be put out of the Kings Protection by this Act. Such a heinous offence was it then repu●ed to disobey the Processe of Chancery and other inferiour Courts of Iustice even in th● greatest Peeres how much greater crime then is and must it be contemptuously to disobey the Summons Processe and Officers of the Parliament it selfe the supremest Court of Judicature especially in those who are Members of it and stand engaged by their Protestations trusts and Places in it to maintaine its honour power and priviledges to the uttermost which many of them now exceedingly vilifie and trample under feete and therefore deserve a severer censure then this statute inflicts even such as the Act of 21. R. 2. c. 6. prescribed to those Nobles unjustly fore judged in that Parliament That their issues males now begotten shall not come to the Parliaments nor to the Councells of the King nor his heires nor be of the Kings Counsell nor of his heires Therefore it is undubitable that the Sherifes Iustices of Peace Majors Constables Leivtenantes Captaines and other Officers in every County through the Realme may by their owne Authority much more by an Ordinance and Act of association of both houses raise all the power of the County all the people by vertue of such commands may lawfully meete together in Armes to suppresse the riots burglaries rapines plunders butcheries spoyling robberies and armed violence of his Majesties Cavaleers and apprehend imprison slay arraigne execute them as common enemies to the kingdomes peace and welfare even by the knowne Common Law and Statutes of the Realme and feise Delinquents notwithstanding any royall Commission or personal commands they may or can produce Fourthly it is most certaine that every Subject by the very Common Law of the Realm yea Law of Nature as he is a member of the State and Church of England is bound both in duty and conscience when there is necessary occasion to Array and Arme himselfe to resist the invasions and assaults of o●en enemies of the Realme especially of Forraigners as is cleare by infinite * Presidents cited by the Kings owne Councell and recited by Iudge Crooke in his Argument concerning Ship-money in both the Houses two Remonstrances and Declarations against the Commission of Array and the Answer of the first of them in the Kings name all newly Printed to which I shall referre the Reader for fuller Satisfaction and by the expresse statutes of 1 E. 3. c.
forraign Enemies but only with the sword of the spirit prayers and tears and that his calling only was the ground of this his speech is infallible by the latter clause thereof which our Opposites cunningly conceale Prayers are my Armes For such are the Defensive Armour OF PRIESTS Otherwise I NEITHER OVGHT NOR CAN RESIST Why so Because he was a Minister a Bishop and Paul prohibites such to be STRIKERS Tit. 1. 7. 1 Tim. 3. 3. and because Priests under the Law did but blow the Trumpets and never went out armed to the warres Iosh. 6. Upon which ground Divers Councells Decretalls Canonists expresly prohibit and exempt Priests and Bishops from bearing Arms or going to Warre though many of them have turned great Souldiers and been slain in warres Hence Anno 1267 in a Parliament held at Bury K. H. 3d. and Ottobon the Popes Legat demanded of all the Bishops and Clergy men holding Barronies or Lay-fees that they should go personally armed against the Kings enemies or finde so great service in the Kings expedition as appertained to so much Lands and Tenants To which they answered That THEY OUGHT NOT TO FIGHT WITH THE MATERIALL SWORD no not against the Kings Enemies But with the spirituall to wit with humble and devoute tears and prayers using these words of Ambrose And that for their benefices they were bound to maintain Peace NOT WARRE Hence our King Richard the first taking the Bishop of Beauvoyes in France his great Enemy armed from top to toe prisoner in the field commanded him to be strictly kept in prison in his arms and would by no means suffer him to put them off for which hard usuage he complained to the Pope and procured his letter to King Richard to free him from his arms and restraint in which Letter the Pope sharply reproves the Bishop for preferring the secular warfare before the spirituall in that he had taken a Speare insteed of a Crosier an Helmst in liew of a Miter an Habergion insteed of a white Rochet a Target in place of a Stole an Iron-sword insteed of a spirituall sword After which the King sent his Arms with this Message to the Pope See whether this be thy sonnes Coat or not Which the Pope beholding answered No by Saint Peter It is neither the apparell of my sonnes nor yet of my Brethren but rather the vesture of the sonnes of Mars And upon this ground Our Bishops anciently when Members of Parliament departed the house when Cases of Treason or Felony came in question because they might not by the Canons have their hands in bloud This then being Ambrose his direct words and meaning That he neither ought nor could use any other Weapons against the invading Gothes and their forces but prayers and tears because he was a Minister not a Bishop a Lay-man The genvine Argument that our opposites can thence extract is but this Priests must use no other Defensive Arms but prayers and tears against invading forraign Enemies Ergo The Priests and Ministers in his Majesties Armies who bear Offensive Arms must now in conscience lay them down and use no other resistance but prayers and tears against the Parliaments forces where as their former inference against resistance Ergo It is altogether unlawfull for the Parliament or any Lay-Subjects by their command to defend Religion Laws Liberties against his Majesties invading forces who intend by force to subvert them is but ridiculous nonsence which never once entred into this Fathers thoughts and can never be extorted from his words Ministers of the Gospel must not use any Arms but prayers and tears to resist a forraigne Enemy Ergo None else may lawfully use them to withstand an invading adversary is a conclusion fitter for Anabaptists then Royallists who may now with shame enough for ever bid this authority adieu with which they have hitherto gulled the ignorant World And henceforth turn it against the Commission of Array enjoyning Bishops and Clergy men to array and arme themselves as well as other men as the Presidents cited in Iudge Cooke his Argument against Ship-money in the Parliaments two Declarations against the Commission of Array and in the Answer published in the Kings name to the first of them plentifully evidence Finally Hence I infer That Clergy men may and must fight against their invading Enemies with prayers tears the Weapons which they may lawfully use as proper for their callings Ergo Lay-men may and must resist and fight against them with corporall Arms since they are as proper for them in cases of needfull defence as these spirituall Arms are for Priests The second Authority is that of Nazienzen Oratio 2. in Julianum Repressus of Iulianus Christianorum lachrymis quas mult as multi profuderunt HOC VNUM or Solum as Grotius translates it adversus persecutionem medicamentum habentes To which I shall adde by way of supply this other passage Nos autem quibus NVLLA ALIA ARMA nec muri nec praesidia praeter spem in Deum reliqua erant Vtpote OMNI HVMANO SVBSIDIO PRORSVS DESTITVTIS ET SPOLIATIS quem tandem alium aut precum auditorem aut inimicorum depulsor●m habituri eramus q●am Deum Iacob qui adversus superbiam jurat From whence they conclude that Christians must use no other weapons but prayers and tears against Tyrants and oppressors To which I answer First that it is cleare by this that Christians may use prayers and teares against Tyrants and oppressors Secondly that these are the most powerfull prevailing Armes both to resist and conquer them This the opposites readily grant Therefore by their own confession Christians both may and must resist tyrants by the most powerful effectual means that are Tyrants therefore are not the higher Powers Kings Rulers which Paul and Peter in the fore-objected texts enjoyne men under paine of damnation to be subject and obedient to for conscience sake and no waies to resist since they may resist them with the powerfullest armes of all others prayers and teares Thirdly if they may be lawfully resisted with these most prevailing armes notwithstanding Pauls Peters objected inhibitions then à fortiori they may be with corporall which are lesse noxious and prevalent he that may with most successeful meanes resist vanquish and overcome his tyrannizing oppressing Soveraigne may likewise doe it by the lesse noxious Armes If Christians may repulse and subdue a Tyrant with their Prayers Teares then why not with their Swords Doth God or the Scripture make any such distinction that we may and must resist them under paine of damnation with these kind of weapons and shall it be no lesse then Treason Rebellion Damnation to resist them with the other what difference is there in point of Allegiance Loyalty Treason Conscience to resist an oppressing tyrannizing Prince and his Forces with a Praier or with a Sword with a Teare or with a Speare Are they not all one in substance By
and upwards and to make them ready by the same day and to defray the charges of them as farre as was requisite and for the residue the Kings Counsell were to send them a summe of money for their aide but not as wages but of speciall grace and a Clerke was ordained to survey the charges of the Mariners of the West and of the Cinque-ports Num. 23. All the ships of Portsmouth and the West were to meet at Dartmouth at the day assigNed and the Earle of Arundell was assigned their Admirall And the ships of the Cinque-ports and the River of Thames were to meete assemble at Winchelse and the Earle of Huntindon appointed their Admirall and that all these ships should be ready by the middle of Lent Num. 19. The Admiralls of all parts were commanded to arrest all other ships that might passe the Seas for feare of being surprised by the enemies that 200. men s●ould man those to whom the smaller ships belonged to bring them into such havens where they might be safest from the Enemies Num. 15. Writs were directed to all Sheriffes of England to make Proclamation that all those who had Charters of pardon should repaire towards the Sea in the service of the King and at his wages by the middle of Lent upon paine of losing their Charters and being put to answer the things contained in them in case they should not goe Num. 16. It was accorded and assented in Parliament that Master Richard Talbot ordained to guard the Towne of Southampton which he had undertaken to doe should have a company of men at Armes and Archers at the Kings wages which he might increase if there were cause that he and they should have their wages paid them monethly from the second Sunday in Lent and so forwards whiles they continued in that Service that he should receive 200. pounds in money and 200. markes in Wooll in respect of his said service and to defray his ancient debts And he had power given him to assesse and levy monies upon the said Town towards its defence and if the Towne were not able to defray all the charge the King should ayde them for the residue Num. 18. The Bishop of Winchester the Prior of St. Swithin of Winchester and the Abbot of Winchester were commanded to have the people of their Manners next the Towne of Southhampton well a●med and arrayed that they might be ready to their power to defend the said town upon summons of the Guardians thereof that no perill might happen thereunto Num. 19. That two Pinaces one of Melbroke and the other belonging to Roger Norman● should be assigned to remaine in the port of Southampton at the appoi●tment of the said Mr. Richard for the safety the●eof Num. 20. All the Burgesses and Sea-men of the Town which had departed thence were ordered to goe and abide therein 〈◊〉 the defence thereof and of their owne possessions and in case they refu●ed that their Lands and Possessions should be seized into the Kings hands and the profits of their Lands which should be found elsewhere Num. 21. That a Commission should be made to Stephen Butterly and William Weston Serjeants at Armes to take Timber Bords and other things necessary for the safety of the said Towne at certaine prises upon endenture made between them and the owners of the said goods and that the King should pay or give them other satisfaction Num. 22. 23. That all the Armes Engines Ammunition Iron and Lead in the said Towne should be delivered to the Gardian of it by Indenture who should have the same power in all things within that Towne as the Earle of Warwicke had when he was Governour Num. 24. That the Sheriffe should have a Writ of attendance to be attendant on the said Mr. Richard with Victuals and all other things necessary for the safegard of the said Towne Num. 25. 26. 27. Certaine Merchants are appointed and take upon them to the Parliament to buy great proportions of Corne Peas Oates Hay and other provi●ions the quantities whereof are particularly expressed at certaine rates to victuall Barwicke the Castles of Edenburg and Strivelyn which Castles Mr. Thomas Rokeby Guardian thereof promised to keep till Saint Iohns day then next to come upon condition to receive his wages formerly due out of the first moneys granted to the King in this Parliament by a certaine day provided they shall carry no victuals to the enemies of the King and Realme and that they should be payd out of the first moneys arising out of the ayde granted to the King Num. 28. 29. The inhabitants of the ●sle of Wight were respited of the ayd granted to the King according as their good carriage should be during the war and it was agreed in Parliament that no Commandement nor Ordnance or license granted under the great or privy Seale to any of the said inhabitants bound to defend the said Isle should licence any to absent himself from it during the war unlesse it were for feare of disinheriting or other great necessity with which the Councell should be acquainted or upon in quests Num. 30. 31. Provides that the Castle of Caresbr●● in the I le of Weight should be furnished with a certa●ne proportion of Wine Corn Peas O●ts Hey Coles Iron Salt and that a Commission should be granted to Robert Vandalym Sheriffe of Southampton and to William of Kekenwich joyntly and severally to purvey and deliver the same provisions over by Indenture to the Constable of that Castle and a Writ directed to the Kings Botteller to deliver the Wines assigned to wit ten Tonne out of the Wines then in or which should first come into his hands Num. 32. Mr. Thomas Ferrers undertakes to the Parliament to send without delay a sufficient man to the Castle of Iernsey to survey she defaults and state of the said Castle to certifie the Councell fully of them and in the meane time to finde the wages of those remaining there in garrison to the summe of an hundred pounds and a Writ is directed to the Sheriffe of Southampton to furnish the said Thomas with a convenient quantity of Powder and Iron and other necessaries for the defence of that Castle And because Thomas Peyne one of the Jurates of that Isle was gone to the enemies contrary to a defence made that a Writ should issue to the Bayliffs and Jurates of the same Isle to choose another sufficient man in his place and to seize his Lands goods and Chattels into the Kings hands and answer the meesne profits of them Num. 34. dorso There is an exact Array or List of all the Captaines and men at Armes and archers under their severall commands for defence of the borders of Scotland amounting in all to 4715. Num. 35. Those of the Counties of Nottingham Derby Yorke were to goe to Newcastle upon Tine at the Countries charges and then to receive the Kings wages and those of Westmerland Cumberland and Lancashire to marth
resolved That the Church-Wardens with the greater part of the Parishioners assents may lay a Taxe upon all the Parishioners according to the quantitie of their Lands and Estates or the number of Acres of Land they hold the Taxe there was four pence an Acre for Marsh-Land and two pence for Earable for the necessary reparation of the Church and that this shall binde all the Inhabitants so as they may be Libelled against in the Spirituall Court for non-payment thereof and no prohibition lieth The like hath been resolved in sundry other Cases And by the Common-Law of England whereby the breach of Sea-Walls the Country is or may be surrounded every one who hath Lands within the levell or danger which may have benefit or losse by the inundation may and shall be enforced to contribute towards the repair and making up of the Sea-walls and a reasonable Tax assessed by a Iury or the Major-part shall binde all the rest because it is both for their own private and the common good If the Law be thus unquestionably adjudged in all these Cases without the Kings assent then much more must this Assessement imposed by both Houses be obligatory in point of Law and Justice though the King consented not thereto since the Houses and whole Kingdom consented to it for their own defence and preservation Sixthly This is a dutie inseparably incident by the Fundamentall Law and originall compact of every Kingdom Citie Corporation Company or Fraternitie of men in the World that every Member of them should contribute proportionably upon all occasions especially in Cases of imminent danger toward the necessary charges defence and preservation of that Kingdom Citie Corporation Company or Fraternitie of which he is a Member without which contribution they could be neither a Kingdom Citie Corporation Company Fraternitie or have any continuance or subsistence at all Which Contributions are assessed by Parliaments in Kingdoms by the Aldermen or Common-Councell in Cities by the Master and Assistants in Fraternities and what the Major part concludes still bindes the Residue and the dissent of some though the Major or Master of the Company be one shall be no obstacle to the rest This all our Acts concerning Subsidies Aydes Tonnage and Poundage the daily practice and constant experience of every Kingdom Citie Corporation Company Fraternitie in the World manifests past all contradictions which being an indubitable veritie I think no reasonable man can produce the least shadow of Law or Reason why the Parliament representing the whole Body of the Kingdom and being the supream Power Counsell in the Realm bound both in Dutie and Conscience to provide for its securitie may not in this Case of extremitie legally impose this necessary Tax for their own the Kingdoms Subjects Laws Religions preservations of which they are the proper Judges Gardians and should not rather be credited herein then a private Cabinet Court-Counsell of persons disaffected to the Republike who impose now farre greater Taxes on the Subjects and plunder spoyl destroy them every where directly against the Law of purpose to ruine both Parliament Kingdom Religion Laws Liberties and Posteritie Seventhly It is confessed by all That if the King be an Infunt Non-Compos absent in Forraign remote parts or detained prisoner by an Enemy that the Kingdom or Parliament in all such Cases may without the Kings actuall personall assent create a Protector or Regent of their own Election and not onely make Laws but grant Subsidies impose Taxes and raise Forces for the Kingdoms necessary defence as sundry domestick and forraign Presidents in the preceding Parts and Appendix evidence And Hugo Grotius Iunius Brutus with other Lawyers acknowledge as a thing beyond all dispute Nay if the King be of full age and within the Realm if a forraign enemy come to invade it and the King neglect or refuse to set out a Navy or raise any Forces to resist them The Lords and Commons in such a Case of extremitie may and are bound in Law and Conscience so to do for their own and the Kingdoms preservation not onely in and by Parliament but without any Parliament at all if it cannot be conveniently summoned lawfully raise forces by Sea and Land to encounter the Enemies and impose Taxes and Contributions to this purpose on all the Subjects by common consent with clauses of distresse and imprisonment in case of refusall as I have elsewhere proved And if in Case of invasion even by the Common-Law of the Realm any Captains or Souldiers may lawfully enter into another mans ground and there encamp muster or build Forts to resist the Enemy or pull down the Suburbs of a Citie to preserve the Citie it self when in danger to be fired or assaulted by an Enemy without the speciall consent of King Parliament or the Owners of the Lands or Houses without Trespasse or offence because it is for the publike safetie as our Law Books resolve Then much more may both Houses of Parliament when the King hath through the advice of ill Councellors wilfully deserted them refused to return to them and raised an Army of Papists and Malignants against them and the Realm now miserably sacked and wasted by them as bad as by any forraign Enemies both take up Arms raise an Army and impose Assessements and Contributions by Ordinances unanimously voted by them against which no Lover of his Country or Religion no nor yet the greatest Royallist or Malignant can with the least shadow of Law or Reason justly except Eightly If they shall now demand what Presidents there are for this I Answer First That the Parliament being the Soveraign Power and Counsell in the Realm is not tyed to any Presidents but hath power to make new Presidents as well as new Laws in new Cases and mischiefs where there are no old Presidents or vary from them though there be ancient ones if better and fitter Presidents may be made as every Court of Justice likewise hath Power to give new Judgements and make new Presidents in new Cases and may sometimes swerve from old Presidents where there were no ancient Presidents to guide them even as Physitians invent new Medicines Chyrurgions new Emplaisters for new Diseases Ulcers or where old Medicines and Balsomes are inconvenient or not so proper as new ones And as men and women daily invent and use new Fashions at their pleasure Tradesmen new Manifactures without licence of King or a Parliament because they deem them better or more comely then the old Secondly I might demand of them by what old domestick lawfull Presidents His Majestis departure from the Parliament His Levying Warre against it His proclaiming many Members of it Traytors and now all of them Traytors and no Parliament His unvoting of their Votes in Parliament out of Parliament His imposing of Taxes and Contributions in all Countries where His Forces are beyond mens estates and annuall revenues His burning sacking pillaging murdering ruining of His own
ruine the Parliament Kingdom Religion and re-establish Popery in its universall extent with the large of progresse the Papists have lately made in Ireland Scotland and England to accomplish this their long-agitated Conspiracie and the late strange proceedings in Ireland where the best Protestants are displaced disgraced restrained the Popish Rebels advanced and a truce negotiated if not fully concluded with the Rebels to the end that all their forces may be speedily transported hither to ruine our Religion and cut all our throats enough to awake the most stupid English spirits and rouze them up to a speedy unanimous resolution to unite all their purses and forces to the Parliament against the Popish Conspirators and these bloody Butchers now ready to devoure us and then I doubt not if they have any true love to God Religion King Countrey themselves or their Posterities they will soon change their former opinions and practises against the Parliaments just proceedings and joyn hearts hands forces yea their uttermost endeavours with them to prevent and ward off that imminent destruction which now hangs over our heads and will in short time wholly ruine us if God open not our eyes and unite not all our hearts and mindes unto the Parliament with one unanimous resolution to oppose these cursed Confederates who have plotted occasioned all these warres and miseries under which our Kingdomes now groan and languish which long plotted Treacherie in humane probabilitie can no wayes be prevented nor a settled peace and Reformation established but with the totall suppression of the Popish partie now in Arms and by rescuing His Majesties person Children forces out of their Trayterly hands and power whose death they have conspired long agoe if he refuse to grant them an universall open toleration of their Antichristian Religion in all His Kingdoms and then to seise upon the Prince and train him up in their Religion which how easie it is for them to effect now they have the King Prince Duke the Kings Forts his Forces in their power yea potent Armies of their own in the field here and such a force of Irish Rebels now ready to be shipped over to Chester Milford and Bristoll for their assistance and enfor●ement to over-power the Protestant party in the Kings Armies no understanding man can withou● fear and trembling co●sider O then if ever we will shew our selves faithfull valiant couragious magnanimous bountifull really cordiall and loyall to our King Kingdoms Countrey Parliament Religion Laws Lives Liberties Kinred Families Posterities Let all who professe themselves Protestants lay aside all causelesse jealousies and prejudices against the Parliament or any others and now speedily unite all their Prayers Hearts Hands Purses Forces Counsells and utmost endeavours together to defend secure them all against these forraign and domestice Jesuiticall Romish Confederates and if any prove traiterous fearfull cowardly unfaithfull base or faint-hearted in this publike Cause as too many who deserve to be made spectacles of treachery and cowardise to posteritie and cannot without injustice or dishonour to the Parliament and Kingdom be suffered to scape scot-free without severe exemplary punishment have done to their eternall infamy and betraying of their Countrey the present generations shall abhorre them posteritie curse and declaim against them as most unnaturall Monsters unworthy to breath in English ayre or enjoy the name the priviledges of English men or Protestants There is a double kinde of Treachery in Souldiers both of them adjudged Capitall The first proceeds from a sordid pusillanimous fear unworthy the spirit of a Souldier and this is Capitall both by the Civil and Common Law By the Civill Law The Souldiers who first begin to flye or but fain themselves sick for fear of the Enemy are to be adjudged to death for t●is their cowardize Yea Lacaena and Dametria two magnanimous Women slew their timorous sonnes who fled basely from the battle with their own bands disclaiming them as degenerous Brats and not their sonnes the latter of them inscribing this Epitaph on her sonnes Tombe Hunc timidum Mater Dametriam ipsa peremit Nec dignum Matre nec Lacedaemonium Indeed Charondas and the Thurians enacted That cowards who basely fled or refused to bear Arms for their Countries defence should set three dayes one after another in the open Market-place clad in Womans apparell a pun●shment farre worse then death it self writes Diodorus Siculus where as all other Lawyers made it Capitall yea our Common Law adjudgeth it Treason Witnesse the notable Cases of G●mines and Weston 1. R. 2. num 38 39. who were adjudged Traytors in Parliament for surrendering two Castles in France onely out of fear when they were strongly besieged and battered sooner then they needed without any compliency with the enemy The Case of Iohn Walsh Esquire accused of high Treason in Parliament against the King and Kingdom for yeelding up the Castle of Cherburg in France to the enemy when as be might have defended it And the Case of Henry Earl of Essex in the second yeer of Henry the second accused of high Treason by Robert de Monfort and vanquished by him in a Duell waged thereupon for throwing down the Kings Standard which he bare by inheritance and flying in passing a straight among the Mountains when fiercely encountred by the Welsh For which though his life was pardoned yet he was adjudged to be shorne a Monke put into the Abbey of Reading and had his Lands seised into the Kings hands And as for treacherous revolting to or delivering up Castles to the Enemy it is Capitall and high Treason by all Laws and so the resolved in Parliament 3. R. 2. in the Case of Thomas Ketrinton Esquire accused of high Treâson by Sir John Ann●sley Knight for delivering up the Castle of Saint Saviour in the Isle of Constantine to the French for a great summe of Money when as he neither wanted provisions nor means to defend it As for those unnaturall Vipers and Traytors who shall henceforth after this discovery joyn with the Popish Conspirators to ruine their Religion Countrey and the Parliament for private ends as Count Iulian the Spaniard joyned with the Mores An. Dom. 713. whom he brought into Spain his native Countrey furiously pursuing his own private injury with the Ruine of the publike I shall onely bestow his Epitaph upon them with which I shall conclude this Treatise Maledictus furor impius Iuliani quia pertinax indignatio quia dura vesanus furià ammimosus furore oblitus fidelitatis immemor religionis contemptor divinitatis crudelis in se homicida in vicinos reus in omnes Memoria ejus in omni ore amarescit nomen ●jus in ●●ternum pu●r●scet FINIS AN APPENDIX Manifesting by sundry Histories and Authors that in the ancient Roman Kingdome and Empire in the Greek and German Empires derived out of it in the old Graecian Indian Aegytian Realmes in the Kingdomes of France Spaine Italy Hungary Bohemia
were still accountable for their actions and misgovernment This Iohn Bodin a famous learned French Lawyer of great experience in State affaires surpassing all who writ before him of Republikes plainly affirmes in these words The Roman Emperours were at first nothing else but Princes of the Common weale that is to say the cheife and principall men the SOVERAIGNTY neverthelesse still RESTING IN THE PEOPLE AND SENATE the Emperour having the Soveraigne authority only infact not in right the State being but a very Principality wherein THE PEOPLE HAD THE SOVERAIGNTY So the German Empire at this day is nothing else but an Aristocraticall Principality wherein the Emperour is head and chiefe the POWER and majesty of the Empire BELONGING● VNTO THE STATES THEREOF who thrust out of the Government Adolphus the Emperour in the yeare 1296 and also after him Wenceslaus in the yeare 1400 and that BY WAY OF IVSTICE AS HAVING IVRISDICTION AND POWER OVER THEM And so properly ancient Romans said Imperium in Magistratibus Auctoritatem in Senatu Potestatem in Plebe Maiestatem in Populo Command to be in the Magistrates Authority in the Senate Power in the Maeniall People and Majesty in the People in Generall The Senate in Rome did consult the people command for Livy oft times saith Senatus decrevit populus iussit the Senate hath decreed and the People commanded Which he there more largely prosecutes as you may read at leysure To all which Bishop Bilson himself doth fully assent affirming that Germany is a free state that the Emperour holds the Empire by election and that but on condition which he takes an oath to performe And if he violate their liberties or his oath they may not only lawfully resist him by force of armes but repell and depose him as a tyrant and set another in his place by the right and freedome of their Countrey And Cassanaeus holds that the people may take away the very name of the Emperour at this day degrade him and resume his royall power This then being an unquestionable verity disproves that palpable common mistake of Dr. Ferne with other ignorant Court Doctors and Royalists who would make the world and Kings beleeve that the Roman Emperours were of greater power and authority than the Senate people the highest powers upon earth to which all persons yea the Senate and people collectively considered ought to submit and that it was unlawfull either for the Senate or people forcibly to resist Caligula Claudius N●ro and other their wickedest and most tyrannicall Emperours much lesse to depose take armes against or call them to a strict just account for their Tyranny Oppression or Misgovernment it being directly contrary to Pauls Doctrine Rom. 13. 1 to 6. Let every soule be subject to the higher powers c. which false groundlesse principle is the sole foundation upon which all their late Sermons Books and rayling Discourses against this Parliaments proceedings and taking up of defensive armes are built when as in truth the Sen●te people were the highest powers to whō the Roman Emperours themselves were to be obedient in all iust requests commands under paine of damnation and subiect to the Senates sword of ●ustice in case of disobedience misgovernment as all the premises evidence yea it likewise manifestly evidenceth that whole States Parliaments are the highest power and above their Kings who are subject to thē since the Roman and Greek Senates and people heretofore the very German States at this day are the highest power and above their Emperours though ever reputed of greater power Soveraignty and dignity than any Kings and the greatest Monarchs in the world and that therfore Kings even by Pauls Doctrine Rom. 13. ought to be subiect to the higher power and Iurisdiction of their Parliaments the Laws and Statutes of their Realmes and to be accountable to them if not subiect to their censures as some affirme in exorbitant cases of misgovernment which concern the Kingdomes and peoples safety If Kings iniuriously take away the lands goods or imprison the persons of any particular subjects the Law gives every one a particular remedy against them by way of Action or Petition of Right If then every private subiect may have redresse much more the whole Kingdome in and by Parliaments only not in inferiour Courts against their Soveraigns which oppresse them who being subiect unto the Lawes of God and their Realmes which have no respect of persons may as many affirme be questioned and iudged by them in their Parliaments as well as other princes great officers of State and Magistrates who in scripture are called Gods the higher powers and said to be ordained to rule judge by and for God as well as Kings and Emperours It is branded as a spice of Antichristian pride in Popes and their Parasites to deem themselves so High above other men that they are accountable to none but God for their wicked actions though many Popes in former and later times have been questioned censured imprisoned and deposed both by Emperours Kings and Councels for their intollerable misdemeanors And is it not the very selfe same crime in Kings in Emperours and their flatterers to hold this Popish erronious opinion that they are in no case responsible to their whole Kingdomes or Parliaments for their gross●st exorbitances Our Popish Prelates and Clergy generally heretofore and some of our Protestant Bishops and Divines of late times from St. Ambrose his practise have held that ●●ings for murthers rapes and great crying offence● may be Lawfully excommunicated and censured by the spirituall Law and sword as sundry Emperours and Kings have been then why not likewise by the temporall when their Parliaments and whole Kingdoms see just cause the case of hundreds of Emperours and Kings in former time as the Histories of all Nations and ages prove abundantly beyond all contradiction I shall here instance in some few Kings censures subject to the Roman State and Empire with whom I shall conclude this discourse touching the Roman Monarchs Deioratus King of Galatia under the Romans I●risdiction and one of their allies was accused of Treason and condemned to lose both his head and estate for certaine offences against C. Caesar and the Roman State as appeares by Tullies Oration to Caesar in his behalfe to procure his pardon which because it was the first president of this kinde made his advocate say tamen ita inusitatum est Regem capitis reumesse ut ante hoc tempus non sit auditum yet long before that Zedechiah King of Iudah rebelling against the King of Babylon was brought prisoner to the King of Babylon to Riblah where hee gave judgement upon him slew both his sonnes and Princes before his eyes and then put out his own eyes bound him with fetters of brasse and carried him prisoner to Babylon where hee died 2 Kings 25. 1. to 8. Ier. 52. 1. to 12. And after De●oratus Antigonus King of the Iewes being taken prisoner by Antonius for
the long was elected by the Estates of Navarre to be their king in right of his wife but it was upon conditions drawn in writing which they tendered to him and the Queen to subscribe and sweare to before the solemnities of their Coronation in the Estates assembled at Pampelone which they yeelded willingly unto whereof the principall Articles were these 1. First to the Estates to maintain and keep the Rights Lawes Customes Liberties and priviledges of the Realme both written and not written whereof they were in possession to them and their successours for ever and not to diminish but rather augment them 2. That they should disannull all that had been done to the preiudice thereof by the kings their Predecessors and by their Ministers without delay notwithstanding any Let. 3. That for the tearme of 12. yeares to come they should not coyne any money but such as was then currant within the Realme and that during their lives they should not coyne above one sort of money and that they should distribute part of the revenues profits and commodities of the Realme unto the Subiects 4. That they should not receive into their service above foure strangers but should imploy them of the Countrey 5. That the Forts and Garrison of the Realme should be given unto Gentlemen borne and dwelling in the Countrey and not to any stranger who should do homage to the Queen and promise for to hold them for her and for the lawfull Heire of the Countrey 6. That they should not exchange nor engage the Realme for any other Estate whatsoever 7. That they should not sell nor engage any of the Revenues of the Crowne neither should make any Law nor Statute against the Realme nor against them that should lawfully succeed therein 8. That to the first sonne which God should give them comming to the age of twenty yeares they should leave the kingdome free and without factions upon condition that the Estates should pay unto them for their expences an hundred thousand Sanchets or other French money equivalent 9. That if God gave them no children in that case they should leave the Realme after them free with the Forts in the hands of the Estates to invest them to whom of right it should belong 10. That if they infringe these Articles or any part of them the Subiects should be quit of their Oath of subiection which they ought them These Articles being promised and sworne by the king and Queen they were solemnly crowned and the Deputies of the Estates Noblemen and Officers of the Crown took their obedience to them Vpon this agreement all the Castles and places of strength in Navarre were put into the hands of the Estates who committed them unto the custody of faithfull knights in whose keeping they continued a Catalogue of which Castles with the names of the knights that guarded them by the Estates appointment in the yeare 1335. you may read at large in the Generall History of Spaine Before this Anno 1328. the Estates of Navarre assembled at Puentala Reyna to resolve without any respect TO WHOM THE REALM OF NAVARRE BELONGED whether to Edward king of England or to Iane Countesse of Eureux The Estates being adjourned to Pampelone the chief Town of the Realme their opinions were divers many holding that king Edward should have the Realm as Granchilde born of the daughter to Queen Iane daughter to King Henry rather then the Countesse of Eureux in regard of the Sex others with more reason held for the Countesse who was in the same degree but daughter to a Son and Heir to Queen Iane. These prevalled drawing the rest to their opinion whereupon the Countesse was declared true and lawfull Queen of Navarre the Realm having been vacant above four Moneths And untill that she and Count Philip her husband should come and take possession of the Realm they declared the Regent and Viceroy Don Iohn Corberan of Leet Standard bearer of the Realm and Iohn Martines of Medrado Lo here a Parliament of the Estates of Navarre summoned by themselves without a King determining the Right of succession to the Crown appointing a Vicegerent and prescribing such an Oath and Articles to their king as you heard before Anno 1331. king Philip of Navarre to administer justice erected a new Court of Parliament in Navarre which was called New to distinguish it from the old HE AND THE THREE ESTATES of the Realm NAMING MEN WORTHY OF THAT CHARGE Queen Iane and Philip deceasing their son Charles the second surnamed the Bad for his crueltie and ill manners was called by the three Estates of Navarre to Pampelone and there crowned in their Assembly after the manner of his Ancestors swearing to observe the Lawes and Liberties of the Country A●ter which a far stricter Oath was administred to Charles the 3 An. 1390. Anno. 1325. In a generall assembly of all the Estates of Arragon Don Pedro son to the Infant Don Alphonso was sworn presumptive Heir and Successor to the Crown after the decease of his Grandfather and Father the which was there decreed and practised for that Don Pedro Earl of Ribagorca did maintain that if his brother Don Alphonso should die before their Father the Realm did belong to him by right of propriety being the third brother rather then to his Nephew the son of the second brother In this Assembly the Articles of the generall priviledges were confirmed and it was ordained for a Law That no Freeman should be put to the Racke and that confiscations should not be allowed but in Cases of Coyning and High Treason Anno 1328. Alphonso King of Castile treacherously murthering Don Iohn the blinde his Kinsman in his own Court when he had invited him to dinner on all Saints day and then condemning him for a Traitor confiscating his lands a fact unseemly for a King who should be the mirrour of Iustice Hereupon Don Iohn Manuell stood upon his Guard fortified his Castles revolted from the King for this his Treachery allyed himself with the Kings of Arragon and Granado overran the Countries of C●stile from Almanca unto P●gnafield the Prior of Saint Iohns Don Fernand Rodrigues hereupon caused the Cities of Toro Zamora and Vailledolit to rebell and shut their ga●es against the King and many others likewise re●olted from him At last he was forced to call an Assembly of the Estates who gave him Subsidies to ayde him in his wars against the Moors and to conclude a peace with Don Manuel and his other discontented Subjects whom he afterwards spoiling of their lawfull inheritances and pursuing them in their honours and lives by Tyrannous crueltie extending his outragious disdain even to women of his own blood he thereby so estranged most of his Princes and Nobles from him that they revolted from him and j●yned with Mahumet king of Granado and the Moors in a warre against him which lasted three or four yeers putting him to infinite troubl● exations and expences enforcing him to make a
some private Lords or Courtiers shall recommend in whom the Kingdome and Parliament in these jealous deceitfull times dare not confide The yeelding to the Parliament in this just request will remove all feares and jealousies restore our peace re-gaine his Majesty the reall affections of his discontented Subjects the persisting in the contrary course will but adde fuell to our flames feares doubts dangers and frustrate all hopes all endevours of Peace From the Militia it selfe I descend to the consequencies of its denyall the Parliaments seising upon Hull with other Ports and Forts the Royall Navy Ammunition Armes Revenues and detaining them still from his Majesty the grand difference now pretended whence the present warre hath emerged which these ensuing considerations will in a great measure qualifie if not altogether satisfie First his Majesty and all Royalists must necessarily yeeld that the Ports Forts Navy Ammunition Armes and Revenues thus seised on by the Parliament though his Majesties in point of possession yet are not his but the Kingdomes in point of right and interest they being first transferred to and placed on his Predecessors and himselfe by the Parliament and Kingdome not in right of propriety but conditionally upon trust his Majesty being but a publike Officer for the defence and safety of the Realme and though his Majesty came to them by descent yet it was but in nature of the Heire of a Feoffee in trust for the use and service of the kingdome as a King in his politicke not as a man or Proprietor in his naturall capacity as our Law Bookes Terminis terminantibus resolve Hence it hath been oft adjudged that the King can neither by his will in writing nor by his Letters Patents Devise or alien the Lands Revenues Jewels Ships Forts or Ammunition of the Crowne unlesse it be by vertue of some speciall Act of Parliament enabling him to doe it by the kingdomes generall consent and if any such alienations be made they are voyd in Law and may be yea have beene oft resumed reversed by the Parliament because they are not the Kings but kingdomes in point of intere●t and propriety the Kings but in possession and trust for the kingdomes use and defence Hence it is that if the King dye all his Ships Armes Ammunition Jewels Plate Debts to the Crowne Moneyes Arrerages of Rents or Subsidies Wards and Rights of presentments to voyd Churches goe onely to his Successors not to his Executors as in case of a common person because he enjoyes them not as a Proprietor as other Subjects doe but as a Trustee onely for the kingdomes benefit and defence as a Bishop Abbot Deane Mayor or such like Corporations enjoy their Lands not in their naturall but politicke capacities for the use and in the right of their Churches Houses Corporations not their owne Upon this ground King Harold pleaded his Oath and promise of the Crowne of England to William the Conquerour without the Kingdomes consent to be voyd and King Philip with all the Nobles of France and our owne Parliament 40 E. 3. rot Par● nu 8. unanimously resolved King Iohn his resignation and grant of the Crown and Kingdome of England to the Pope without the Nobles and Parliaments consents to be a meere nullity voyd in Law binding neither King nor Subject the Crowne and possessions of it being not the Kings but kingdomes And before this Anno Do● 1245. in the great Councell of Lyons under Pope Innocent to which King Henry the third sent foure Earles and Barons together with the English Prelates and one Master William Powyke an Advocate to complaine of the Popes exactions in the Councell which they did where they likewise openly protested against the annuall tribute extorted by the Pope by grant from King Iohn whose detestable Charter granting that annuall tribute was reported to be burnt to ashes in the Popes closet by a casuall fire during this Councell as a meere nullity and that in the behalfe of the whole kingdome of England EO QUOD DE REGNI ASSENSU NON PROCESSERAT because the kingdome consented not thereto and because the King himselfe could make no such Charter to charge the kingdome Which Matthew Paris thus expresseth W. De Poweric Anglicanae Vniversitatis Procurator assurgens gravamina Regni Angliae ex parte universitatis Angliae proponens satis eleganter conquestus est graviter quod tempore Belli per ●●uriam Romanam extortum est tributum injuriose in quod nunquam patres Nobilium regni vel ipsi consenserunt nec consentiunt neque in futurum consentient unde sibi petunt justitiam exhiberi cum remedio Ad quod Papa nec oculos elevans nec vocem verbum non respondit Upon this reason l Matthew Paris speaking of King Henry the third his morgaging his kingdome to the Pope Anno 1251. for such monies as he should expend in the Warres useth this expression Rex secus quam deceret aut expediret Se suumque Regnum sub paena exhaeredationis QUOD TAMEN FACERE NEC POTUIT NEC DEBUIT Domino Papae obligavit Hence King Edward the third having the Title of the King and Crowne of France devolved to him which made some of the English feare that they should be put in subjection to the Realme of France against the Law the Parliament in the 14. yeare of his Reigne Stat. 4. passed a speciall Act declaring That the Realme of England never was nor ought to be in subjection nor in the obeysance of the Kings of France nor of the Realme of France and enacting that the King of England or his Heires by colour of his or their Titles to the Crowne Seale Armes and Title of the King of France should not in any time to come put the Realme of England or people of the same of what estate or condition soever they be in subjection or obeysance of him nor his Heires nor his Successors as Kings of France nor be subject nor obedient but shall be free and quite of all manner subjection and obeysance as they were wont to be in the time of his Progenitors Kings of England for ever By the Statute of 10 R. 2. c. 1. it is resolved That the King could not alien the Land Castles Ships Revenues Jewels and Goods of the Crowne and a Commission is thereby granted to inquire of and resume all such alienations as illegal Hence the Commons in the Parliament of 16 R. 2. c. 5. of Praemunire in their Petition to the King and the whole Parliament in and by that Law declared That the Crowne and kingdome of England hath been so free at all times that it hath beene in subjection to no Realme but immediately subject to God and to none other which by the prosecution of suites in the Court of Rome for Benefices provided against by this Act should in all things touching the Regality thereof be submitted to the Bishop of Rome and the Laws
King for the two next yeares so as the custome of Mal-tolt newly imposed on Woolls should be released and this grant not drawne hereafter into custome as a precedent to their prejudice Who acquainting the Commons therewith they after deliberation As to the Kings supply returned this Answer Num. 8 9. That they thought it meet the King should be supplyed and were ready to ayde him as they had alwayes formerly beene but yet as the ayde was granted in this case they durst not assent to it untill they had consulted and advised with the Commons in the Country for which end they craved time to goe into their Counties and that Writs might issue to summon another Parliament on the Octaves of Saint Hillary of the richest Knights in every Shire at a short day to come which was condescended to After which Num. 9 10 11. they gave this answer in writing concerning the three Articles propounded to them First As to the keeping of the peace of the Realme that the Justices of the Peace had sufficient power already to that purpose onely they adde that disturbers of the peace should not be let out of Prison but upon sufficient Bayle and that no Charters of pardon should be granted to Felons but by common consent in Parliament and all other pardons held as voyd To the second they answered That the King before his going beyond the Seas had taken so good order and appointed such sufficient Guardians to defend the Marches of Scotland who were best able to guard those parts that the enforcement of them by the Kings Councell would be sufficient without any charge to the Commons Only they ordered that every man who had Lands in the Marches of Scotland of what condition soever they were should reside upon them to defend them as it had beene formerly ordained without charge to the Commons To the third concerning the guard of the Seas The Commons prayed that they might not be charged to give Counsell in things of which they had no conisance or charge and that they were advised that the Barons of the Ports which at all times have honours before all the Commons of the Land and are so enfranchized to guard the Sea betweene us and strangers if so be it fals out that they will enter and assaile our Land that they contribute to no aydes nor charges on the said Land but receive profits without number arising by the Sea for the Guard aforesaid Wherefore the Commons are advised that they ought to maintaine a guard upon the Sea as the Commons do upon the Land without taking or demanding wages Likewise there are other great Townes and Havens which have a Navy that are in the same case and are bound to guard the Sea And as for the safeguard of the Watch-houses upon the Sea by Land let the guard of them be made by the advice of the Knights of the Shire where the said Guardians are assigned in the safest manner that may be without charge of the Commons And that the people of the Land of what condition soever which have lands on the Coast shall keepe residence upon those Lands the better to repulse the enemies from the Land so that for their abiding there they shall be discharged to give any aide toward the same guard elsewhere Num. 13. The Commons frame and demand a generall pardon upon grant whereof they promise to aide the King with monies Num. 14. They make an Ordinance for increase of monies in the Realme Num. 15. Because the ships of England went not out together in Fleetes to trade but severally out of desire of gaine and covetousnesse and so many of them were taken by the Enemies of the King and the men slaine and murthered to the dishonour of the King and the whole Realme it was agreed and assented in full Parliament that all the Navy should stay and be arrested till further order were given to the contrary Num. 16. It was accorded and assented in Parliament that the Bishops and Lords in the Parliament should send Letters to the Archbishop of Yorke and the Clergy of his Province under their Seales to excite them to grant a convenient ayd for the guard of the Marches of Scotland for the defence of the Church the Realme and themselves as the Clergy of the Province of Canterbury had done Num. 17. It is accorded that Master Robert de Scardeburgh shall be put into the Commission which shall be sent into the County of Yorke to survey the Array of the people which shall be chosen for the defence of the Realme in lieu of Sir Thomas de Blaston That Sir Richard Chastell shall be put in the Commission to survey the Array in the Counties of Notingham and Derby and Iohn Feriby in the County of Lancaster Num. 18. It is assented that the people of Holdernes shall be Arrayed taxed and make ayde for the guarding of the Marches of Scotland and other businesses of the King in those parts notwithstanding the Commission made to them to guard the Sea Num. 21. The Lords who have Lands towards the Marches of Scotland are commanded and prayed by writs and Letters to repaire thither for defence thereof namely the Lords of Ros Wake Mowbray Clifford and Master William Daubeny Steward of the Earle of Richmond and that those who could not in this case goe in proper person should send their people to the Lords in the Marches In the second Parliament held this yeare by appointment of the first Octabis Hilarii 13. Ed. 3. Num. 2. 5. Edward Duke of Cornwall Guardian of England in the Kings absence being hindered by other businesses to be present in this Parliament by Letters Patents under the Kings great Seale appointed the Archbishop of Canterbury and others to supply his place and hold the Parliament Num. 6 7 8 9. The Commons for the defence of the Realme Sea and Marches of Scotland granted the King thirty thousand sackes of Wooll and the Earles and Barons the ninth sheafe Fleece and Lambe within their Demesne Lands and agreed to raise a great summe of money presently to set out a fleet of Ships to Sea fraught with men of armes and archers for defence of the Realme Num. 10. All the Merchants of England were summoned by writ to appeare at Westminster in proper person to conferre upon great businesses concerning the Kings honour the salvation of the Realme and of themselves Num. 11. The Mariners of the Cinque-ports upon their departure promised to make their ships ready by Mid-Lent and were to receive a summe of money to helpe defray their charges herein and the men of the Cinque-ports promised to defray the moity of the costs and the Kings Counsell the other moity but not in name of wages but out of speciall grace and the Cinque-ports were to finde 21 ships of their owne and nine ships of the River of Thames Num. 12. The Mariners towards the West promised to finde 70. ships of an hundred Tunne
Commons and the Lords and they the whole Realm and all the people of England so that what ever Tax is imposed and assented to by them or by both Houses onely without the King who represents no man but Himselfe alone is in point of Law imposed and assented to by all the Commons and whole Realm of England as the recitals in all our Statutes and Law-bookes resolve though the King assent not to it If therefore as our Law-books clearely resolve without dispute and the experience of all Corporations Parishes and Mannors evidenceth past contradiction all Ordinances and Bylaws made for the common good of Corporations Parishioners Tenants of a Mannor and the like by all or the greater part of the Corporations Parishioners Tenants and Taxes imposed by them for the Common good as repairing of Churches High-waies Bridges reliefe of the poore and the like shall binde the rest even in point of Law without the Kings assent Then by the same or better reason the imposi●ions and Taxes now laid upon the subjects by the assent and Ordinances of both Houses of Parliament representing the whole Commons and Realme of England who actually assent likewise to these Taxes and Assessements in and by them must and ought in point of Law to oblige all the Subjects in this case of necessity at least as long as the Parliament continues sitting and this their representation of them remains entire especially being for the necessary defence of the Parliament Kingdome Religion all our lives estates liberties lawes against an invading Army of Papists and Malignants in a case of extraordinary extremley This I shall further cleare by some ancient and late judgements in point M●ch 14. Ed. 2. rot 60. in the Kings Bench William Heyb●rne brought an Action of Trespasse against William Keylow for entering his house and breaking his chests and taking away 70 pounds in money the Defendant pleading Not guilty the Jury ●ound a speciall Verdict that the Scots having entred the Bishopricke of Durham with an Army and making great burning and spoyles thereupon the Commonalty of Durham whereof the Plantiffe was one met together at Durham and agreed to send some to compound with them for a certaine summe of money to depart the Country and were all sworne to performe what compositions should be made and to performe what Ordinance they should make in that behalfe and that thereupon they compounded with the Scots for 1600 Ma●kes But because that was to be paid immediately they all consented that William Keylow the Defendant and others should goe into every mans house to search what ready money was there and to take it for the raising of that summe and that it should be suddenly repaid by the Communalty of Durham And that thereupon the Defendant did enter into the Plaintiffs house and broke open the chest and tooke the seventy pounds which was paid accordingly towards that composition And upon a Writ of Error in the Kings Bench it was adjudged for the Defendant against the Plaintiffe that the action did not lie because he himselfe had agreed to this Ordinance and was sworne to performe it and that the Defendant did nothing but what he assented to by Oath and therefore is accounted to doe nothing but by his consent as a servant to him and the Commonalty of Durham therefore he was no tresp●sser Which case was agreed for good Law by all the Iudges in the late Case of Ship-money argued in the Exchequer Chamber though neither King nor Parliament consented to this Taxe or Composition This is the Parliaments present case in effect The King having raised an Army of Papists Delinquents Forraigners Irish Rebels disaffected Persons and actually invading the Kingdom and Parliament with it Hereupon the Parliament were inforced to raise an Army to defend themselves and the Realm against these Invasions For maintenance where of they at first made use onely of voluntary contributions and supplies proceeding onely from the liberality of some private persons best affected to the publike service Which being xehausted the Lords and Commons considering what a solemne Covenant and Protestation themselves had made and taken and the Subjects likewise throwout the Realm to maintain and defend as farre as lawfully they might WITH THEIR LIVES POWER AND ESTATES The true Reformed Prote●tant R●ligion c. As also THE POWER AND PRIVILEDGES OF PARLIAMENT THE LAWFULL RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES OF THE SUBJECT And every person that maketh this Protestation in whatsoever he shall do in the lawfull pursuance of the sam c. as in the Protestation made by both Houses consents when fullest And considering that the whole Commons and Kingdoms assents were legally and actually included in what they assented in Parliament for the necessary defence of the Realm the Subjects Parliaments Priviledges Rights and the Reformed Religion all actually invaded endangered by an Ordinance of both Houses without the Kings consent then absent from and in open hostilitie against them impose a generall Assessement upon all the Subjects NOT EXCEEDING THE TWENTIETH PART OF THEIR ESTATES And for non-payment prescribe a distresse c. Why this Assessement in this case of necessitie being thus made by assent of both Houses and so of all the Kingdom in them in pursuance of this Protestation should not as legally yea more justly oblige every particular subject though the King assented not thereto as well as that agreement of the men of Durham did oblige them even in point of Law Justice Conscience transcends my capacitie to apprehend and if the first Case be Law as all the Judges then and of late affirmed the latter questionlesse must be much more Legall and without exceptions M. 32. and 33. Eliz. in the Kings Bench in the Chamberlain of Londons case it was adjudged That an Ordinance made by the Common Councell of London only that all Clothes should be brought to Blackwell-hall to be there veiwed searched and measured before they were sold and that a penny should be paid for every Cloth for the Officer that did the same and that six shillings eight pence should be forfeited for every Cloth not brought thither and searched was good to binde all within the Citie and that an Action of Debt would lye at the Common Law both for the duty and forfeiture because it was for the publike benefit of the City and Common-Wealth M. 38. Eliz. in the Common-Pleas it was adjudged in Clerks Case That an Ordinance made by assent of the Burgesses of Saint Albanes whereof the Plaintiffe was one for ass●ssing of a certain summe of Money upon every Inhabitant for the erecting of Courts there the Terme being then adjourned thither from London by reason of the Plague with a penalty to be levyed by distresse for non-payment of this Tax was good to bind● all the Inhabitants there because it was for the publike good Mich. 31. and 32. Eliz. in the Kings Bench William● Iefferies Case and Pasch. 41. Eliz. Pagets Case it was
RIGHTFVLL LAWES and Customes the which THE COMMONS OF YOVR REALME SHALL CHVSE in the future and where but in the Parliament House when and where they meet together to make good Laws and shall strengthen and maintain to the worship of God after your power The King shall answer I grant and behe●e But that which puts this past all doubt is the Coronation Oath of K. Edward the 6. thus altered by the Lord Protectour and Kings Councell in words but not sence Doe you grant to make NO NEW LAWES but such as SHALL BE to the honour and glory of God and to the good of the Common-wealth and that the same SHALL BEE MADE BY CONSENT OF YOVR PEOPLE AS HATH BEEN ACCVSTOMED Where this clause of the Oath referres wholly and onely to future new LAWES to be chosen and made by the Peoples consent not to Lawes formerly enacted And certainly it must do s● else there would be much Tautology in this short solemne Oath unsutable to the grave wisdome and judgement of an whole Kingdom to prescribe and continue for so many ages and for our Kings in discretion to take For the first clause of the Oath both in the Latin French and English Copie● of ancient and present times is this Sir will you grant and keep and by your oath confirme to the people of England THE LAWES AND CVSTOMES GRANTED TO THEM BY ANCIENT KINGS OF ENGLAND rightfull men and devout to God and namely the Lawes and Customes and Franchises granted to the Clergy and to the people by the glorious King Edward to your power Which clause relating to all Lawes and Customes granted by forme● Kings to the people if this latter clause should be in the pretertense too HATH CHOSEN as the King and his mistaken Counsell object it would be a meer Su●plusage or Battology yea the same insubstance with the first part of the oath and ou● Kings should be onely bound by their oathes to observe their Ancestors Lawes not their owne as they now argue the reason perchance why the Petition of Right and our other new Lawes are so ill observed which is ridiculous to imagine And whereas they obiect that the word CVSTOMS joyned to lawes in the last clause cannot be meant of such Customes as the people shall chuse after the Oath made because all Customes are and must be time out of minde The Answer is very easie For Customes here are not taken strictly for ancient usages time out of minde but for Statutes Franchises just Liberties or Taxes for the Kingdoms defence chosen freely granted by the Commons or people and to be confirmed by the King in Parliament as appears by the first clause of the oath the laws customs granted to them by the ancient Kings of England And by Bracton himself who expounds this clause of the oath to relate to future Laws newly made by our Kings after their Coronations in this observable passage Hujusmodi vero leges Anglicanae CONSVETVDINES regum authoritate jubent quandoque quandoque vetant quandoque vindicant puniunt transgressores quas quidem cum FVERINT APPROBATAE CONSENSV VTENTIVM ET SACRAMENTO REGVM CONFIRMATAE mutari non poterunt nec destrui SINE COMMVNI CONSENSV EORVM OMNIVM quorum CONSILIO ET CONSENSV FVERVNT PROMVLGATAE Now no Customes properly so called can commence by way of grant especially of the King alone but only by the people and common usage for a good space of time as the Customes of Gavelkinde Burrough English and such like never granted nor commenced by Charter or Act of Parliament did and if the King by Charter or Act of Parliament should grant a new Custome before it were a Custome in this sense it would be utterly void in law because there was no such custome then in being and no gran● or act can make or create a custome or prescription that had no former being Therefore Custome in this oath coupled with just and reasonable must needs be meant only of such iust and reasonable statutes liberties privilidges immunities aides taxes or services for the subjects ease and benefit and the publike service as they upon emergent occasions shall make choice of in Parliament of whose iustnesse and reasonablenesse not the King alone but the grand Councell of the Kingdom assembled in the Parliament to this very end to iudge of make and assent to iust and profitable Laws are and ought to be the proper Iudges as I have elswhere manifested and the very words of the oath QVAS VVLGVS ELIGERIT to which justas leges consuetudines relates resolve beyond contradiction And King David and Achish both were of this opinion 1 Chron. 13. 1. to 6. 2 Sam. 18 2 3 4. 1 Sam. 29. 2. to 11. and King Hezekiah too 2 Chron. 30. 1. to 7. 23. yea God himselfe and Saunel too 1 Sam. 8. 4 to the end Fifthly Because it is directly contrary to the preambles and recitals of sundry Acts of Parliament in most of our Kings reignes comprising the two last reasons To instance in some few of many the ancient statutes of Marlbridge begin thus The yeare of grace 1267. for the better estate of the Realme of England and for the more speedy ministration of Iustice AS BELONGETH TO THE OFFICE OF A KING the more discreet men of the Realme being called together as well of the higher as of the lower estate It was provided agreed and ordained that whereas the Realme of lat● had beene disquieted with manifold troubles and distractions for reformation whereof statutes and lawes BE RIGHT NECESSARY whereby the peace and tranquility of the people may be conserved wherein the King intending to devise convenient remedy hath made these Acts underwritten The statutes of 3 Edw. 1. have this Prologue These be the Acts of King Edward c. at his first Parliament generall after his Coronation Because our Soveraigne Lord the King hath great zeal in desire to redresse the state of the Realm in such things AS REQVIRED AMENDMENT for the common profit of the holy Church and of the Realme c. the King hath ordained and established these Acts underwritten which he intendeth TO BE NECESSARY AND PROFITABLE unto the whole Realme And cap. 17. in the Marches of Wales and elsewhere where the Kings Writs be not currant the King which is chiefe and soveraigne Lord there SHALL DOE RIGHT THERE unto such as will complaine And cap. 48. The King hath ordained these things unto the honour of God and holy Church and for the commonwealth and for the remedy of such as be grieved and for as much as it is great charity which is oft times put for Iustice as here TO DOE RIGHT VNTO ALL MEN AT ALL TIMES WHEN NEED SHALL BE by assent of all c. it was provided The statute of Glocester in the 6. year of King Edw. 1. is thus prefaced For the great mischiefs and disinherisons that the people of the