the King, whatsoever is faid to the contrary; for as all King Henry the Sixth's gifts and grants were made void by the Duke of York when he was in poffeffion of the Kingdom by Parliament, fo in the time of King Henry, when King Edward was beaten out again, the Parliament of Westminster made all his Acts void, made him and all his followers Traytors, and gave the King many of their Heads and Lands. The Parliaments of England do always ferve the King in poffeffion. It ferved Richard the Second to condemn the popular Lords. It ferved Bullinbrook to depofe Richard, when Edward the Fourth had the Scepter. It made them all beggars that had followed Henry the Sixth. And it did the like for Henry, when Edward was driven out. The Parliaments are, as the friendship of this World is, which always followeth profperity. For King Edward the Fourth, after that he was poffeffed of the Crown, had in his Thirteenth year a subsidy freely given him and in the year following he took a benevolence through England, which arbitrary taking from the People, ferved that ambitious Traytor the Duke of Bucks. After the Kings death was a plaufible argument to perfwade the multitude, that they fhould not permit (faith Sir Thomas Moore) his line to reign any longer upon them.

Couns. Well Sir, what fay you to the Parliament of Richard the Third in his time? Juft. I find but one, and therein he made divers good Laws. For King Henry the

Seventh

Seventh in the beginning of his third year,he had by Parliament an aid granted unto him, towards the relief of the Duke of Britain, then affailed by the French King. And although the King did not enter into the War, but by the advice of the Three Estates, who did willingly contribute: Yet thofe Nor thern Men which loved Richard the third, raifed rebellion under colour of the money impos'd, and murthered the Earl of Northum berland whom the King employed in that Col lection. By which your Lordship fees, that it hath not been for taxes and impofitions alone, that the ill difpofed have taken Arms; but even for thofe payments which have been appointed by Parliament.

Couns. And what became of thefe Rebels?

Juft. They were fairly hanged, and the money levied notwithstanding. In the Kings first year he gathered a marvellous great Mals of money, by a benevolence, taking pattern by this kind of levy from Edward the fourth. But the King caufed it firft to be moved in Parliament, where it was allowed, becaufe the poorer fort were therein fpared. Yet it is true, that the King ufed fome art, for in his Letters he declared that he would meafure every Mans affections by his gifts. In the thirteenth year he had alfo a fubfidy, whereupon the Cornish Men took Arms, as the Northern Men of the Bishoprick had done in the third year of the King.

Coun

Counf. It is without Example, that ever the People have rebelled for any thing granted by Parliament, fave in this Kings days.

Juft. Your Lordship must confider, that he was not over-much beloved, for he took many advantages upon the People and the Nobility both.

Counf. And I pray you what say they now of the new Impofitions lately laid by the Kings Majefty? do they fay that they are justly or unjustly laid?

Juft. To impofe upon all things brought into the Kingdom is very ancient: Which impofing when it hath been continued a certain time, is then called Customs, because the Subjects are accuftomed to pay it, and yet the great Tax upon Wine is still called Impoft, because it was impofed after the ordinary rate of payment had lafted many years. But we do now a days understand thofe things to be Impofitions, which are raifed by the command of Princes, without the advice of the Commonwealth, though (as I take it) much of that which is now called cuftom, was at the firft impofed by Prerogative Royal. Now whether it be time or confent that makes them juft, I cannot define. Were they unjuft because new, and not justifiable yet by time, or unjust because they want a general confent, yet is this rule of Ariftotle verified in respect of his Majesty. Minus timent homines injuftum pati à principe quem cultorem Dei putant. Yea, my Lord, 0 2

they

they are also the more willingly born, becaule all the World knows they are no new Invention of the Kings. And if those that advifed his Majefly to impofe them, had raifed his Lands (as it was offered them) to 2000 l. more than it was, and his Wards to as much as aforefaid, they had done him far more acceptable fervice. But they had their cwn ends in refufing the one, and accepting the other. If the Land had been raised, they could not have felected the best of it for themselves: If the Impofitions had not been Jaid, fome of them could not have their filk: other pieces in farm, which indeed grieved the Subject Ten times more than that which his Majefly enjoyeth. But certainly they made a great advantage that were the advi fers, for if any tumult had followed, his Majefties ready way had been to have delivered them over to the People.

Counf. But think you that the King would have delivered them, if any troubles had followed ?

Just. I know not, my Lord, it was Machiavels counfel to Cafar Borgia to do it, and King Henry the Eighth delivered up Empson and Dudley: Yea, the fame King, when the great Cardinal WOOLSET, who governed the King and all his Eftate, had (by requiring the Sixth part of every Mans goods for the King) railed a Rebellion, the King I fay difavowed him abfolutely; that had not the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk appeafed the People, the Cardinal had fung eo more Mafs:

for

Ki

na

cil

t

th

I

for

for these are the words of our Story: The King then came to Westminster to the Cardinals Palace,and affembled there a great Council, in which he protested, That his mind was never to ask any thing of his Commons which might found to the breach of his Laws Wherefore he then willed them to know by whole means they were fo ftri&tly given forth. Now my Lord, how the Cardinal would have fhifted himself, by faying, I had the opinion of the Judges, had not the rebellion been appeafed, I greatly doubt.

Coun. But good Sir, you blanch my queftion, and anfwer me by examples. ask you whether or no in any fuch tumult, the People pretending against any one or two great Officers, the King fhould deliver them, or defend them?

Juft. My good Lord, the People have not ftaid for the King's delivery, neither in England, nor in France; Your Lordship knows how the Chancellor, Treafurer, and Chief Juftice, with many others at feveral times have been used by the Rebels: And the Marfhals, Conftables, and Treafurers in France, have been cut in pieces in Charles the Sixth's time. Now to your Lordhips question,! fay, that where any Min fhall give a King perilous advice, as may either caufe a Rebellion, or draw the Peoples love from the King, I fay, that a King thall be advised to Banith him: But if the King do abfolutely command his Servant to do any thing dif bleafing to the Common-wealth, and to his