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A91185 The fourth part of The soveraigne povver of parliaments and kingdomes. Wherein the Parliaments right and interest in ordering the militia, forts, ships, magazins, and great offices of the realme, is manifested by some fresh records in way of supplement: the two Houses imposition of moderate taxes and contributions on the people in cases of extremity, without the Kings assent, (when wilfully denyed) for the necessary defence and preservation of the kingdome; and their imprisoning, confining of malignant dangerous persons in times of publicke danger, for the common safety; are vindicated from all calumnies, and proved just. Together with an appendix; manifesting by sundry histories and foraine authorities, that in the ancient kingdome of Rome; the Roman, Greeke, German empires; ... the supreame soveraigne power resided not in the emperours, or kings themselves, but in the whole kingdome, senate, parliament, state, people ... / By William Prynne, utter-barrester, of Lincolnes Inne. It is this tenth day of July, ordered ... that this booke .... be printed by Michael Sparke senior. John White.; Soveraigne power of parliaments and kingdomes. Part 4 Prynne, William, 1600-1669.; England and Wales. Parliament. House of Comomns. 1643 (1643) Wing P3962; Thomason E248_4; ESTC R203192 339,674 255

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great Councell of Parliament at Paris where among many Acts made for the weale of the Realme he with the assent of the Lords and Commons there assembled enacted for a Law after that day to be continued That all Heires of the Crowne of France their fathert being dead may be crownned as Kings of France so soone as they attained to the age of fourteene years And in the fifteenth yeare of his reigne the Duke of Flanders granted to those of Gaunt such Articles of agreement for the confirmation of their liberties the repealing of illegall taxes the electing of their owne Officers the Dukes Councellours and the like which you may read in Fabian as plainly manifest this whole Dukedome and people to be of greater jurisdiction then himselfe though invested with regall authoritie and that he had no power to impose any taxes on them without their grant and consent the contrary whereof caused many bloudy warres among them Charles the seventh after Fabians account but sixt after the French History a Childe of thirteene yeares by reason of the difference between the Lords who should be Vicegerent was by the advice of the major part of the Lords for the common good of the Realme Crowned at Raynes within the age of fourteen yeares contrary to a Law made in the eleventh yeare of his Father In the fourth yeare of his reigne the Citizens of Paris murmuring and grudging for divers impositions and taxes unduely leavied upon them suddenly arose in great multitudes intending to have distressed some of the kings Houshold Whereupon soone after the Kings Councell considering the weaknesse of the Treasure and his great charges and needs and assembling a Parliament of the Rulers of Paris Roan and other good Townes exhorted them to grant the King in way of Subsidy twelve pence in the pound of all such Wares at that day currant for the defence of the Realme and subjects To the which request after consultation taken it was answered That the people were so charged in times past that they might not beare any more charges till their necessity were otherwise relived and so the King and his Councell at this time were disappointed In his seventh yeare by the Duke of Angeau his procuring a tax was laid upon the Commons of France without the three Estates Which to bring to effect many friends and promoters were made as well of Citizens as others Whereupon the Commons of Paris and Roan became wilde assembled in great companies chose them Captains and kept watch day and night as if enemies had been about the Citie utterly refusing to pay that Tax This Charles being none of the wisest Prince ruled by his houshold servants and beleeving every light Tale brought unto him marching against the Duke of Brittaine as he came neare a wood was suddenly met of a man like a Beggar which said unto him Whither goest thou Sir King beware thou goe no further for thou art betrayed and into the hands of thine enemies thine owne Army shall deliver thee With this monition the King was astonied and stood still and began to muse In which study one of his followers that bare his Speare sleeping on Horsback let his Spear fall on his fellowes Helmet with which stroke the King was suddenly feared thinking his enemy had come unawares upon him wherefore in anger he drew his sword slew foure of his owne Kinghts ere he refrained and took therewith such a deadly fear as he fell forthwith distracted and so continued a long season being near at the point of death VVhereupon his brother Lewes of Orleans being but young the States of France thought it not convenient to lay so heavy a burthen upon so weake shoulders wherefore his two Vncles the Dukes of Berry and Burgaine BY AVTHORITY OF THE STATES OF THE LAND specially assembled in Parliament upon this occasion tooke upon them to rule the Realme for that season it being ordered by a speciall Law that they should abstain from the name of Regent unfit in this sudden accident the King being alive and of years And because the Duke of Berry had but an ill name to be covetous and violent and was therefore ill beloved of the French his younger brother Philip Duke of Burgoyn had the chiefe charge imposed on him and though the Title was common to both yet the effect of the author tie was proper to him alone who changed divers Officers After which the Duke of Orleance was made Regent being the Kings younger brother who pressing the people with quotidian taxes and tallages and the spirituall men with dismes and other exactions he was at length discharged of that dignitie and the Duke of Burgoyne put in that authoritie After this our King Henry the fift gaining a great part of France and pretending a good title to the Crowne recited at large by Hall and Iohn Speed the Frenchmen to settle a peace made this agreement with King Henry That he should marry Katharine the French Kings daughter and be admitted Regent of France and have the whole government and rule of the Realme during Charles his life who should be King of France and take the profits of the Crowne whilest he lived and that after the death of Charles the Crowne of France with all rights belonging to the same should remaine to King Henry and to his Heires Kings That the Lords spirituall and temporall and the Heads and Rulers of Cities Castles and Townes should make Oath to King Henry to be obedient to his lawfull commands concerning the said Regency and after the death of Charles to become his true subjects and liegemen That Charles should in all his writing name King Henry his most dearest sonne Henry King of England and inheritour of the Crowne of France That no imposition or tax should be put upon the Commons of France but to the necessary defence and weale of the Realme and that by the advice of both Councels of the Realmes of England and France such stablished Ordinances might be devised that when the said Realme of France should fall to the said Henry or his Heires that it might with such unity joyne with the Realme of England that one King might rule both Kingdomes as one Monarch reserved alwayes to either Realme all Rights Liberties Franchises and Lawes so that neither Realme should be subject unto other c. VVhich Articles were ratified and agreed with the consent of the more part of the Lords spirituall and temporall of France But Charles dying his sonne Charles the eight was by some part of France and many Lords reputed and knowledged King but not crowned whiles the Duke or Bedford lived and remained Regent our Henry the sixth both in Paris and many other cities being allowed for king of France After his death his sonne Lewes the eleventh 〈◊〉 Fabian accounts by strength of friends was crowned king of France who refused the counsell and company of his Lords and drew unto him as
he had suffered the Royall Rights especially the Dukedome of Millain to be taken from him In the Polish kingdom there is an ancient Law of not alienating the Lands of the Kingdom of Poland renewed An. M.CCCLXV by king Lewes There is the same Law in the Realm of Hungary where we reade that Andrew king of Poland about the year M. CCXXI was accused before Pope Honorius the third that neglecting his Oath he had alienated the Crown Lands The like in England in the Law of K. Edward An. M.CCXCVIII Likewise in Spain by the Constitution made under Alphonso renewed again MDLX in the Assembly at Toledo which Lawes verily were enacted when as custome for a long time before had obtained the force of a Law But verily in the kingdome of France wherein as in the pattern of the rest I shall longer insist this Law was ever sacrosanct It is the most ancientest Law of the Realme I say the Law born with the Kingdom it self Of not alienating the Crown or demesne Lands renewed in the year M D 66. although it be ill observed Two cases onely are excepted Panage or Apennage aliments to be exhibited to his children or brethren yet so as the clintelary right be alwayes retained again if warlike necessitie require it yet with a pact of reddition Yet in the interim both of them were heretofore reputed void unlesse the Assembly of the three Estates had commanded it but at this day since a standing Parliament was erected it is likewise void unlesse the Parliament of Paris which is the Senate of Peers and the Chamber of publike accounts shall approve it and the Presidents of the Eschequer also by the Edict of Charles the 6 and 9. And this is so farre forth true that if the ancient Kings of France would endow any Church although that cause then seemed most favourable they were bound to obtain the consent of the Nobles as king Childebert may be for an example who without the consent of the French and Normans durst not endow the Monastery of S. Vincents in Paris as neither Clodoveus the second and the rest Moreover they cannot release the Royalties or the right of nominating Prelates to any Church but if any have done it as Lewes the eleventh in favour of the Church of Sennes and Philip the fourth of Augiers Philip Augustus of Naverne the Parliament hath pronounced it void The king of France when he is to be Crowned at Rheimes sweares to this law which if he shall violate it avails as much as if he contracted concerning the Turkish or Persian Empire Hence the Constitutions or as they callit the Statutes of Philip the sixt John the 2 d Charles the fift sixt eight of resuming those things which were alienated by their Ancestors of which resumptions there are many instances cited by Hugo Grotius de Jure Belli Pacis l. 2. c. 14. n. 12. 13. Adnotata Ibid. Hence in the Assembly of the three Estates at Towres An. 1323. 1360. 1374. 1401. 1483. in which Charles the eight was present many Towns of the alienation of Lewes the eleventh his Father which he had by his own Authoritie given to Tancred Castellan who demerited well of him were taken from his Heirs which even in the last assembly of the three Estates held at Orange was again decreed Thus concerning publike Lands But that it may the more evidently appeare that the kingdome is preferred before the king that he cannot by his private Authoritie diminish the Majestie which he hath received from the people nor exempt any one from his Empire nor grant the right of the Soveraign Dominion in any part of the Realm Charles the great once endeavoured to subject the Realm of France to the German Empire but the French vehemently withstood it a certain Vascon Prince making the Oration The matter had proceeded to Arms if Charles had proceeded further Likewise when some part of the Realm of France was delivered to the English the supreme right was almost perpetually excepted but if Force extorted it at any time as in the Brittish League wherein king Iohn released his Soveraign Right in Gascoigne and Poytiers the king neither kept his Contract neither could or ought he more to keep it then a Captain Tutor or Guardian as then he was who that he might redeem himselfe would oblige the goods of his Pupils By the same Law the Parliament of Paris rescinded the agreement of the Flusheners wherein Charles of Burgundy extorted Ambian and the neighbour Cities from the king and in our time the agreement of of Madrit between Francis the first a Captive and Charles the fift the Emperour concerning the Dukedome of Burgundy was held void and the Donation of Charles the sixt of the kingdom of France by reason of death conferred on Henry king of England may be one apt argument of his extreme madnesse if others be wanting But that I may omit other things which might be said to this purpose by what right at last can a king give or sell his kingdom or any part thereof seeing they consist in the people not in the walls now there is no sale of free men when as Land-Lords cannot so much as constrain their free Tenants that they should settle their Houshold in any other place then where they please especially seeing they are not servants but Brethren neither onely are all kings Brethren but even all within the Royall Dominion ought to be so called But whether if the king be not the proprietorie of the Realme may he not at least be called the usufructuary or receiver of the profits of the Crown Lands Truely not so much as an usufructuary A usufructuary can Pawn his lands but we have proved that kings cānot morgage the Patrimony of the Crown A fructuary can dispose or give the profits at his pleasure contrarily the great gifts of the king are judged void His unnecessary expences are rescinded his superfluous cut off what ever he shall convert into any other but the Publike use he is thought to have violently usurped Neither verily is he lesse obliged by the Cincian Law then any private Citizen among the Romanes especially in France where no gifts are of force without the consent of the Auditors of the Accounts Hence the ordinary Annotations of the Chamber under prodigall kings This Donation is too great and therefore let it be revoked Now this Chamber solemnly swears that whatsoever rescript they shall at any time receive from the king that they will admit nothing which may be hurtfull to the kingdom and Commonweale Finally the Law cares not how a Fructuary useth and enjoyeth his profits contrarily the Law prescribes the king in what manner and unto what use he ought to put them Therefore the ancient kings of France were bound to divide the Rents into four parts one part was spent in sustaining the Ministers of the Church and the poor another upon
well of the Church as Common-wealth of Realme may be restrained expelled and punished by the people Both these we have already proved by reasons But because such is the fraud of Tyrants or such the simplicity of subjects for the most part that they are scarce known before that they have spoyled or these scarce thinke of their safety till they have almost perished and are reduced into those straits out of which they cannot get out with their owne forces so as they are compelled to implore the aide of other it is questioned Whether they defending the cause of Religion or of the Common-wealth of the Kingdome of Christ or of their owne Kingdome other Christian Princes may lawfully assist them And truly many whiles they have hoped to increase their wealth by ayding the afflicted have presently judged it to be lawfull For thus the Romans Alexander the great and many others under pretext of suppressing Tyrants have frequently enlarged their Dominions and not long since we have seen Henry the second King of France to have made warre with the Emperour Charles the fifth and that under pretext of succouring and defending the Princes of the Empire and of the Protestants too as also Henry the eighth King of England was ready to aide the Protestants in Germany to make worke for Charles the fifth But if any danger may be feared from thence or little gaine may be expected then verily they must heare most Princes disputing whether it be lawfull or no And as those under a pretext of piety did cover either ambition or gaine so these pretend justice for their sloathfulnesse when as verily neither did piety exhort them which seekes onely the good of others nor yet justice ought to dehort these which looks wholly abroad and is as it were cast out of its owne doores Therefore discharging both these let us see first in the cause of Religion what true piety and what true justice may perswade First let it be agreed that there is but one Church whose head is Christ and whose members so cohere and agree among themselves that none of them even the smallest can suffer violence or hurt but the rest are hurt and suffer griefe as the whole Scripture teacheth Therefore the Church is compared to a body Now the body is oft-times affected not onely with the hurt of the arme or legge but even of the very the least finger or perisheth with its wound Therefore in vaine may any one boast that he is cordially affected with the safety of the body who when he may defend the whole yet suffers it to be torne and mangled limb after limb It is compared to a building Now where mines are made against any part of the building the whole building oft-times fals downe to the ground and the flame which invades any part thereof endangers the whole Therefore he should be ridiculous who because he dwels in the cellar perchance should delay to drive the flame from the top of the house He should be scarce in his wits who would not prevent mines with countermines because they are made against this wall not against that It is also compared to a Ship Now the whole Ship is endangered together the whole perisheth together Therefore those are equally safe who are in the fore part as those who are in the puppe those who are in keel as safe as those in the shrouds if the storme rage when verily even in the common proveb those who are conversant in the same danger are said to be in the same Ship These things laid downe verily he who is not moved with its griefe burning tossing is not of that body is not accounted of the family of Christ hath no place in the Arke Yet he who is but a little moved ought no more to doubt whether he ought to aide the afflicted members of the Church then whether he may helpe himselfe since in the Church all are one but rather every one is bound in his place to afford his helpe and assistance to them and so much the more helpe by how much the more riches he hath received from God not so much to be possessed as expended This Church as it is but one so likewise it is universally and intirely committed commended to all Christian Princes severally For because it had beene dangerous to commit the whole Church to any one and to commit the severall parts thereof to particular persons had beene clearely contrary to its unity God hath committed all of it to every of them and its particular parts to any of them Nor yet so as that they should onely defend it but also that they should have a care to propagate it as much as they are able Therefore if the Prince of the Countrey takes care of one part thereof perchance the German or English but yet deserts and neglects the other oppressed part if he be able to relieve it he is judged to have deserted the Church since the spouse of Christ verily is but one which he ought to defend and protect with all his might lest it should be violated or corrupted any where The instauration of this universall Church as private men are bound to promote with bended knees so Magistrates I say are obliged to doe it with their feet hands and all their strength Neither is the Ephesian Church one the Colossian another and the rest but all these particular Churches are parts of the universall now the universall is the Kingdome of Christ which all private men ought to desire but Kings Princes Magistrates are bound to amplifie dilate defend and propagate every where and against all whomsoever Therefore among the Jewes there was one onely Temple built by Solomon which represented the unity of the Church Now he should be a ridiculous Churchwarden and to be punished who should take care onely to preserve one part safe and sound but suffer the rest to fall to decay likewise all Christian Kings when they are inaugurated receive a sword of purpose to defend the Catholike or universall Church which taking into their hand they point out all the quarters of the world and brandish it towards the East West South and North lest any part thereof should be thought excepted Since then they receive the protection of the Church in this manner without doubt they understand the true not false Church Therefore they ought to doe their endeavour to defend and to restore intirely that Church which they professe to be true and pure Now that thus it was observed by pious Princes examples may teach us In the time of Hezekiah King of Judah the Kingdome of Israel was long before enthralled to the King of Assyria to wit from the time of King Hoshea therefore if that Church of God onely which is in the Kingdome of Judah and not also the universall had beene committed to Hezekiah and if the bounds of the Realmes had been to be kept in defending the Church in the same manner as they are in
to procure his pardon which because it was the first president of this kinde made his advocate say tamen it a inusitatum est Regem capitis reum esse 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 Detoratus Antigonus King of the Iewes being taken prisoner by Antonius for moving sedition against the Roman State was beheaded with an axe at Antioch without any legall triall to prevent further seditions which never befell any King before that time writes Alexander ab Alexandro And Agrippa not long after put Bogus King of the Mores to death for siding with Antonius Of later times I read that Ludovicus Pius the Emperour taking Bernard his Nephew King of Italy prisoner for rebelling and denying his superiority over him carried him into France to determine what should be done with him according to Iustice for this his offence where though a King hee was condemned to death and executed as some or at least cast into prison and had his eyes put out as others write So Charles of France taking Conradine King of Sicily prisoner publikely arraigned and condemned him of high Treason and cut off his head Anno 1208. Yea our owne King Iohn being a Feudatary to the King of France was by Philip the French king in a full Parliament there during his absence in England arraigned condemned to death and deposed from his Crown by the sentence of his Peeres for murthering his Nephew Arthur then a Subject of France with his owne hands So Iohn Bailiol king of Scotland renouncing his homage for that Crowne to king Edward the first was for this offence compelled to resigne his Crown with all his right to the kingdome of Scotland to King Edward the first and sent Prisoner to the Tower of London and Mary Queene of Scots within many mens memories after long debate in Parliament was condemned and beheaded at Fothringhom Castle Febr. 8. An. 1587. for laying claime to the Crowne of England and other particulars mentioned in our Historians And thus much for the Roman Grecian German Emperours kings and kingdomes I shall now give you a briefe Survey of what Greeke Authors write concerning Kings and Kingdoms and of the power the kinds of ancient Kings and Kingdomes in Greece and other places That great Father of Learning and policie Aristotle Tutor to the greatest Emperour Alexander the Great whose Authority is irrefragable in our Schooles resolves That true Kingdoms were erected at first and conferred on the worthiest men by the free voluntary joynt consent of the people and founded confirmed by the customes and Lawes of each country which Polibius also affirmes That there are 4 severall sorts of Kings some of greater some of lesser Authority and continuance then others some elective some successive some during life some Annuall all of them receiving their distinct jurisdictions Formes Limitations and different Royalties from the peoples primitive or subsequent institutions and consents For all men being equall by the Law of nature can have no dominion nor Supercrity one over another but by their own voluntary consents That the Lawes not the Kings Princes or Magistrates be they one or more or never so good ought to be the sole Lords or Rulers of the Common-wealth and that Princes and Governours ought to governe by the Lawes who cannot command what the Lawes doe not command That those who command that the Law should rule command that God and the Lawes should rule but he that commands a man to be a Prince he commands that both a man and beast should be Princes for covetousnesse and the lust of the minde is a certaine beast which poverts both Magistrates and the very best men but the Law is a constant and quiet Minde and Reason voyd of all motions of lusts and desires That the power of the greatest things and greatest power ought DE IVRE of right to be in all the people because their wisdomes resolutions and revenues considered altogether are greater and more considerable then those of a few wise or honest men placed in the highest offices of Magistracie who are but a small particle of the State in respect of all the people That the people ought to be of more power then the King or greatest Magistrates to prevent their Tyranny and Oppression and that a King ought to governe by his Lawes and not to doe any thing against them according to his lust wherefore he ought to have so much power and force wherewith he may protect the authority of the Lawes yea he must necessarily have forces and power yet so much onely as thereby he may be able to curbe every particular man or many also yet not so great power but that a populo autem universo idem REX ILLE IPSE COERCERI POTEST the very King himselfe may yet BE CVRBED by all the people such Guards verily the Ancients gave to their Kings when they would set any Tyrant or Governour over the City And when Dionysius required Guards a certaine Syracusan perswaded them to curbe such Guards to which Polybius also suffragates According to these Rules of Aristotle I read in Dionysius Halicarnassaeus and Polybius that in the Lacedemonian Common-wealth the Kings had not the chiefe Dominion so as they might doe what they pleased sed summa totius Reipub. administratio penes Senatum erat but the chiefe Government of the whole Commonweale was in the Senate from whence the Romanes tooke their patterne Alexander ab Alexandro Boemus and Xenophon write That the Lacedemonians sometimes elected a King out of the Family of the Heraclidae or of Agis but more often two joynt Kings of equall Authority out of the stock of Proclus and Aemisthenes who yet had not the chiefe Command as Kings Quia juris omnis publici potestas penes Senatum erat because the power of all publike law or rule was in the Senate the better to keep their Kings from attempting and usurping a Tyranny they being Kings rather in name then Dominion and like the Athaean two Annuall Praetors whence Aristotle makes them the lowest ranke of Kings Iohn Bodin informes us That in the Lacedemonian Aristocracie the Soveraignty remained in the State wherein were two Kings without any Soveraignty at all being indeed nothing else but Captains and Generals for the managing of their Warres and for that cause were by the other Magistrates of the State sometimes for their faults condemned to pay their fine as was Agesilaus and sometimes to death also as was
put him under good and convenient guiding and of assent they chose Eudo a man of great fame and worth to be King of the Land for the terme of his life and to guide the Land till Charles should come to his lawfull age whom they put under Eudo his tuition making him King in his stead who was crowned of Walter then Archbishop of Senys After which when Eudo knew he should dye he called before him the Lords and Nobles of France charging them by solemne Oath that after his death they should immediately crowne Charles for their King whom he had brought up with diligence in learning and all Princely vertues being then of age to governe Charles comming to the Crowne the Danes miserably walled his Kingdomes Whereupon his Nobles and people assembled themselves in sundry companies and went to the King shewing their misery and blaming his fearfulnesse and negligence that he no more for him resisted the Danes cruelty Whereupon he out of feare belike lest they should chuse another King to protect them compounded with Rollo chiefe Commander of the Danes giving him all Normandy and his owne Daughter in Marriage to purchase peace Charles being afterwards slaine by Hebert Earl of Vermendoyes Algina his wife mistrusting the Frenchmen fled secretly with her young sonne Lewes Heire to the Crowne to Edward the Elder into England Whereupon that the Land might not be without a Ruler the Lords of France assembled at Paris and there tooke Councell to elect a new King where after long debate they named and crowned Raulfe sonne to Richard Duke of Burgundy King as next Heire to the Crown but young Lewes Raulfe dying after he had reigned 12 yeares the Nobles hearing that Lewes was alive in England sent for him into France and crowned him their King Lewes the 6. dying without issue being the last King of Pipens blood who enjoyed the Crowne 10. discents Hugh Capet usurped the Crowne putting by Charles Duke of Loraigne Vncle and next heire to Lewes whom by the Treason of the Bishop of Laon he took prisoner After which the Crowne continued in this Hugh and his Heires Philip the 2. of France by a counsell of his Prelates was excommunicated for refusing to take Ingebert his wife whom he unlawfully put from him and to renounce Mary whom he had married in her stead And calling a Parliament they concluded that King Iohn of England should be summoned to appeare as the French Kings Liege-man at another Parliament to be holden at Paris within 15. dayes after Easter to answer to such questions as there should be proposed to him for the Dutchy of Normandy and the County of Angeou and Poytiers who not appearing at the day Philip hereupon invaded and seized them After which Lewes the 9. and Henry the 3. of England in a parliament at Paris made a finall composition for these Lands Lewes the 10. being under age was thought of many unsufficient to govern the Realm and when he had a mind to goe to the holy Warre as it was then deemed he did not undertake it but by the advice of his great Councell of Spirituall and Temporall Lords and persons who assisted him therein Philip the 4. in the 27. yeare of his Raigne raised a great Taxe throughout France which before that time was never heard nor spoken of by his absolute Prerogative without consent of his Estates in Parliament which had the sole power of imposing Taxes Which Taxe all Normandy Picardy and Champaigne allying themselves together utterly refused to pay which other Countries hearing of tooke the same opinion so that a great rumour and murmur was raised throughout the Realme of France in such wayes that the King for pacifying the people was faine to repeale the said Taxe Lewes 11. of France dying without issue male left his Queen great with child whereupon Philip his Brother reigned as Regent of France till the childe was borne which proved a male named Iohn who dying soone after Philip was crowned King at Paris albeit that the Duke of Burgoyn and others withstood his Coronation and would have preferred the Daughter of King Lewes But other of the Lords and Nobles of France would not agree that a woman should inherit so great a Kingdome it being contrary to the Salique law This Philip by advise of evill counsell set a great Taxe upon his Commons to the Fifth part of their movable goods at which they murmured and grudged wondrous sore and before it was levied hee fell into a Fea●●r Quartan and great Flixe whereof hee dyed which Sickenesse fell upon him by prayer of the Commons for laying on them the said grievous Taxe Charles the fifth of France having a purpose to drive all the English cut of Aquitaine and other parts of his Kingdome and being provided of all things which he thought needfull for the doing of it yet would not undertake the warre without the counsell and good liking of the Nobility and people whose helpe he was to use therein Wherefore he commanded them all to be assembled to a Parliament at Paris to have their advice and by their wisdome to amend what had by himselfe not altogether so wisely been done and considered of And this warre being at last decreed by the Councell prospered in his hand and tooke good successe Whereas when the Subjects see things done either without counsell or contrary to the wills and decrees of the Senate or Councell then they contemne and set them at naught or else fearfully and negligently do the command of their Princes of which contempt of Lawes Magistrates and seditious speeches ensue among the people and so at length most dangerous rebellion or else open conspiracy against the Prince as Bodin observes This Charles dying without Issue Maie leaving his Wife great with Childe Philip Earle ofValoyes his Nephew was by the Barons and Lords made Protector and Regent of the Realme of France untill such time as the Queene was delivered who being brought to bed of a Daughter onely hereupon Philip was crowned King Betweene him and King Edward the third of England and their Councells arose great disputations for the Right and Title to the Crowne of France for it was thought and strongly argued by the Councell of England for so much as King Edward was sonne and sole Heire to his Mother Queene Isabel daughter to King Philip le Beaw that he should rather be King of France then Philip de Valoyes that was but Cousin German to Philip le Beaw Of which disputations the finall resolution of the Lords and Parliament was That for an old Decree and Law by Authority of Parliament long before made which the English much oppugned that no woman should inherite the Crowne of France therefore the Title of Edward by might of the Frenchmen was put by and Philip by an Act of the whole French State by which his right was acknowledged admitted to the Government of the same After
which Lewes Duke of Orleance should be President Lewes discontented with the device seekes to hold his ranke he pretends that being the first Prince of the blood the Regency belonged unto him he assists at the Councell in Parliament and in the assemblies in Towne and notwithstanding the last VVill of King Lewes and the Decree of the Estates yet will he by force have the name and effect of Regent VVhereupon discontents arising he leaves the Court in discontent and raised a civill warre However the Estates setled the Regencie and affaires of the Realme Anno 1525. Francis the first King of France was taken prisoner by the Emperour Charles the fifth in the Battell of Pavia who by mediation of Friends for his enlargement sent the Earle of Reux his Lord Steward to offer the King Liberty so as he would resigne all the rights he pretended in Italy restore the Dutchy of Burgongue as belongeth to him by right with Provence and Dolphine for the Duke of Bourbon to incorporate them with other Lands which he had formerly enjoyed and to make all together a Kingdome Moreover the Emperour offered to give him his sister in marriage propounding many other conditions so absurd and void of reason as it is better to let the curious reade them in the Originalls themselves Amongst all losses that of Liberty toucheth neerest but Francis having learned to withstand all adversity with a constant resolution said I will dye a Prisoner rather then make any breach in my Realm for my deliverance whereof I neither WIL NOR CAN alienate any part without the consent of the Soveraign Courts and Officers in whose hands remains the authority of the whole Realm We preferre the generall good before the private interest of Kings persons If the Emperour will treat with me let him demand reasonable things which lye in my power then shall he finde me ready to joyne with him and to favour his greatnesse The Emperour seeing the King constant in this resolution in the end yeelded to his delivery upon these termes That within six weekes after his delivery he should consigne the Dutchy of Burgengue to the Emperour with all the dependancies as well of the Dutchie as of the County the which should hereafter be sequestred from the Soveraigntie of the Realme of France That he should resigne to the Emperour all his rights pretended to the Estates of Naples Milan Genoa and Ast That he should quit the Soveraignty of Flaunders and Arthois c. Hereupon the King being enlarged and arrived at Beyonne he was required to ratifie the Accord which he had promised to doe when hee came to a free place but he delayed it with many excuses giving the Emperour to understand that before he proceeded to such an act it was necessary that he should pacifie his Subjects who were discontented with bonds which tended to the diminution of the Crowne of France c. After which the Pope and the Venetians sending Messengers unto him he complained of the Emperour that he had wronged him in that he had forced him to make impossible promises and that he would be revenged if ever occasion were offered and that he had often told him that it was not in the power of a French King to binde himselfe to the alienation of any thing depending of the Crowne without the consent of the Generall Estates that the Lawes of Christians did not allow that he which was taken in Warre should be detained in perpetuall prison which was a punishment proper to Malefactors and not for such as had bin beaten by the cruelty of fortune that all men knew that Bonds made by constraint in prison were of no value and that the capitulation being of no force the faith likewise which was but accessary and the confirmation of the same could not be bound that by the oath which he had taken at Rhemes at his Coronation he was bound according to the custome of other Kings of France not to alienate the patrimony of the Crowne and therefore for these reasons he was no lesse free then ready to abate the Emperors pride The Emperor growing jealous of the Kings delayes for ratification thereof sent one unto him to be certified of his intent who found him very unwilling to leave Burgundy which being very prejudicall to the Crowne of France he said was not in his power to observe and that hee could not alien the Bourguinans without their assents in an assembly of the Estates of the Country which he intended to call shortly to know their minds By which it is most apparent that the Kings of France have no power at all to dispose of their Crown lands or alienate them to others as other Subjects may doe because they hold them onely in the right of their Crowne for their Kingdomes use and service the true proprieters of them Upon which very ground Philip Augustus King of France Anno 1216. in a solemne Assembly of the States at Lyons told Walo the Popes Legate who came to prohibit his Sonne Lewes to goe to receive the Crowne of England because King Iohn had resigned it to the Pope That no King or Prince can give away his Kingdom without the consent of his Barons who are bound to defend the Kingdome and if the Pope decreed to defend this errour he should give a most pernitious Example to all kingdomes Whereupon all the Nobles of France began to cry out with one mouth That they would stand for this Article unto death That no King or Prince by his sole pleasure could give his Kingdome to another or make it tributary whereby the Nobles of the Realme should be made servants And the next day Lewes his Advocate alledged that King Iohn for his homicides and many other enormities was justly rejected by his Barons that Hee should not reigne over them That he could not give the Crowne of England to any one without the assent of his Barens and that when he had resigned it he presently ceased to be a King and the Kingdome became void without a King and being so vacant could not be disposed of without the Barons who had lawfully elected Lawes for their King who in pursuance of this his Title which the Estates of France held just sailed into England took possession of the Kingdome received homage of all the Barons and Citizens of London who joyfully received him taking an Oath upon the Evangelists to restore them their good Lawes together with their lost Inheritances Henry the 2. of France being casually slaine by the Earle of Montgommery in running at the Tilt left the Crowne to Francis the 2. being but about 16. yeares of age the Queen Mother with his wives Vncles the Duke of Guise and the Cardinall of Loraigne hereupon usurped the Government of his person and Realme dispossessed the chiefe Officers of the Crowne kept backe the Princes of the Blood from Court the true and lawfull Governours of the State during the Kings minority
and terms of the Oath And not being able to agree of themselves both parties submitted to the judgement of king Philip Augustus and of his Court of Parliament furnished with Peeres So that by order given at Melum in Iuly 1204. the form of the said Oath was prescribed and registred in the Parliament Register at request of the said parties and sent unto Otho to render it to the said Pope Innocent who sent this assurance and Certificate to the said Parliament for Registring it being performed Innocentius Episcopus servus servorum Dei charissimo filio nostro Philippo Francorum Regi charissimo salutem Apostolicam benedictionem absque dubitatione noveritis quod secundum formam a vobis Curiae Regni vestri paribus praescriptam habetur apud nos jusjurandum charissimi Filii nostri Othonis Romanorum Regis illustris aurea Bulla munitum nobis Ecclesiae praestitum Ego Otho Romanorum Rex semper Augustus tibi Domino meo Innocentio Papae Ecclesiae Romanae spondeo polliceor juro quod omnes possessiones honores jura Romanae Ecclesiae proposse meo bona fide protegam ipsam ad eas retinendas bona fide juvabo Quas autem nondum recuperavit adjutor ero ad recuperandum recuperatarum secundum posse meum ero fine fraude defensor quaecunque and manus meas devenient sine difficultate restituere procurabo Ad hanc autem pertinent tota terra quae est de Radicafano usque ad Ceperanum Exarcatus Ravennae Pentapolis Marchiae Ducatus Spoletanus terra Conitissae Mathildis Comitatus Bricenorij cum alijs adjacentibus terris expressis in multis privilegijs Imperatorum à tempore LVDOVICI PII FRANCORVM ET ROMANORVM IMPERATORIS CHRISTIANISSIMI Has omnes pro posse meo restituam quietè dimittam cum omne jurisdictione districtu honore suo Veruntamen cum adrecipiendam Coronam Imperij vel pro necessitatibus Ecclesiae Romanae ab Apostolica sede vocatus accessero demandato summi Pontificis ab illis terris praestationes accipiam Praetere● adjutor ero ad retinendum defendendum Ecclesiae Romanae REGMVM SICILIAE Tibi etiam Domino meo Innocentio Papae Successoribus tuis omnem obedientiam honorificentiam exhibeo quam devoti Catholi●● Imperatores consueverunt Sedi Apostolicae exhibere Stabo etiam ad consilium arbitrium tuum de bonis consuetudinibus populo Romano servandis exhibendis de negotio Tusciae Lombardiae Et si propter negotium meum Romanam Ecclesiam oportuerit in●urrere guerram subeniam ei sicut necessitas postulaverit in expensis Omnia vero praedicta tam juramento quam scripto firmaho cum Imper●● Coronam adeptus fuero Actum Aquis-Grant Anno Incarnationis Dominicae Millessimo Ducentessimo Quinto mense Marcij Regni nostri septimo William Rishanger Monk in the Abbey of Saint Albane in England continuer or the History of Matthew Parts observeth under the year 1263. that the king of England Henry the third and the Barons of England who made warreupon him committed their whole difference and quarrell to be judged by the Parliament of France Vt pax reformaretur inter Regem Angliae Barones ventum est adistud ut Rex proceres se submitterent ordinationi Parliamenti Regis Franc●ae in the time of Saint Lewis in praemissis provisionibus Oxoniae Nec non pro depraedationibus damnis utrobique illatis Igitur in crastino S. Vincentij congregato Ambianis populo pene innumerabili Rex Franciae Ludovicus coram Episcopis Comitibus alijsque Francorum proceribus solemniter dixit sententiam pro Rege Angliae contra Barones statutis Oxoniae provisionibus ordinationibus ac obligationibus penitus annullatis Hoc excepto quod antiquae Chartae Joannis Regis Angliae universitati concessae per illam sententiam in nullo intendebat penitus derogare In this Parliament at Amiens were present the King of England Henry the third Queen Elenor his wife Boniface Archbishop of Canterbury Peter Bishop of Hereford and Iohn Maunsell and on the Barons of Englands side a very great number of choice elected Lords who the same year repasted back into England after the Parliament as the same Monk speaketh Thus Favino in the behalfe of the French Parliaments concerning whose power and priviledges you may read much more in him and others But to returne to the former History The Queen Mother was much discontented with this Remonstrance of the Parliament pretending that they had an intent to call her Regency in question which all had commended that they could not speak of the Government of the affaires of the Realm without touching her c. Whereupon she commanded the Chancellour to give them this answer in the kings name That France was a Monarchy wherein the king alone commanded helding his Realm Soveraignly from God That he had Lawes and Ordinances by which to governe them for the which he was not to give an account to any man That it did not belong unto the Parliament to controll his Government That they neither could nor ought to complain of the Queens Regen●● which had been so happy That the Queen was not to give an account of her Regency but to God onely That no man could prescribe unto the King what Councellers he should entertain c. with many other such bigge words After which there was a Decree made in the Councell of State against the Decree and Remonstrance in Parliament disanulling and revoking them as void and forbidding the Parliament hereafter to meddle with affairs of State The Court of Parliament in generall complained much of this Decree the kings learned Councell refuse to carry or cause it to be read in Parliament because it would cause an alteration of the good affections and devotions of the Kings good subjects and the dis-union of the greatest companies of the Realme who administer justice which makes kings to Reigne After which this controversie was compremised and the Decree of the Councell against the Parliament suspended and not enrolled Soon after the prince of Conde with divers others seeing all things disordered at Court and little or no reformation of their former grievances desert Paris expressesse their grievances in sundry letters and Articles of complaint wherein they complain of the want of freedom and redresse of their grievances presented in the last assembly of the three Estates of the Decree and proceedings against the Iurisdiction Remonstrance and proceedings of the Parliament of Paris Of suffering some Councellors of State to usurpe all the power of the Kingdom to pervert the Lawes and change all things as they list with sundry other particulars In these they intreat and exhort all men of what condition or quality soever that call themselves Frenchmen to assist and ayde them in SO IVST A CAVSE conjuring all Princes and forraign Estates to do the like and not to suffer such good and loyall subjects to
the Parliament of 5. Henry 4. Num. 16. Upon certain prayers and requests made before by the Commons divers times touching the removing of divers persons as well aliens and others by reason of divers destructions by them moved and for certaine Articles appointed by the Lords upon the charges given to them by our Lord the King in Parliament and by the said Lords it was specially accorded That four persons to wit the Kings Confessor the Abbot of D●ne Master Richard Derham and Crosseby of the Chamber shall be quite ousted and voided out of the Kings house whereupon the ninth of February the said Confessor Master Richard and Crosseby came before the King and Lords in Parliament and there the King in excusing the said four persons said openly that he knew not by them any cause or occasion in speciall for which they ought to bee removed from his houshold notwithstanding our said Lord the King well considered that what the said Lords and Commons shhall do or ordaine was for the good of him and of his Realme and therefore he would conforme himselfe to their intentions and did well agree to the said Ordinance which charged the said Confessor Master Richard and Crosseby to avoid his said Court and like charge should have beene given to the said Abbot had he been present And our Lord the King said further That he would doe the like with any other which was about his royall Person if he was in hatred or indignation with his people And Numb 37. To the end that good and just government and remedy may bee made of divers complaints grievances and mischiefs shewed to our Lord the King in this Parliament our Lord the King to the honour of God and upon the great instances and requests to him divers times made in this Parliament by the Commons of his Realm for the ease and comfort of all his Realme hath ordained certain Lords and others underwritten to be of his great and continuall Councell to wit the Archbishop of Canterbury the Bishop of Lincolne Chancellour of England the Bishops of Rochester Winchester Bath and Bangor the Duke of Yorke the Earles of Som merset and Westmerland the Lord Roos Treasurer of England the Keeper of the Great Seale the Lord Berkley the Lord Willoughby the Lord Furnevall the Lord Lovell Mounsier Pierce Courtney Master Hugh Waterton Master Iohn Cheyne Master Arnald Savage Iohn Northbury Iohn Doreward Iohn Cawson In the Parliament of 7. 8. Henry 4. Numb 31. The 22. day of May the Commons came before the King and his Lords in Parliament and then Iohn Tibetot their Speaker reheased how they had prayed the King in the beginning of the Parliament and after to increase the number of his Councell for the better government of the Realme and prayed the King to put it in execution and further rehearsed how that the Archbishop of Canterbury had reported to them That the King would be counselled by the most sage Lords of the Realme the which ought to have the survey of all that which shall be done for the good government of this Realme which thing the King agreed to doe and rehearsed with his own mouth That it was his entire will And thereupon a Bill made by the King himselfe by his own will was delivered containing the names of the Lords which shall be of his Councell the tenour of which Bill ensueth It is to bee remembred that our Lord the King considering the great labours occupations and diligence which he ought necessarily to imploy about the good government of his Realme and other his possessions as well on this side the Sea as beyond it First of all for the preservation of our Lord the King and of his Crowne and that the revenues of the same may be the better collected to his profit and increase as much as a man may justly doe to the end that he may the better sustaine his honourable estate And secondly for the confirmation of the Lawes and Statutes of the Realme to the end that equall right may be done to every one as well poor as rich Our Lord the King of his proper and good will desirous to be supported in the foresaid causes because that he cannot attend thereunto in proper person so much as he would for the great love and good affiance which he hath among others in the most revered Fathers in God the Archbishop of Canterbury the Bishops of Winchester and Excester the Duke of Yorke the Earle of Somerset the Lord Roos the Lord Burnet the Lord Lovell the Lord Willoughbie the Chancellour Treasurer and Keeper of the privie Seale the Steward and Chamberlaine Master Hugh Waterton Master Iohn Cheyney and Master Arnald Savage hath chosen and charged them to be of his counsell praying and commanding them that in all the foresaid causes they will put to their intire diligences for the profit of our said Lord the King and likewise for the confirmation of the Laws and Statutes aforesaid In the Parliament of 2. Henry 6. num 15. After divers speciall requests of the Commons of the Realme being in the present Parliament made to my Lord of Glocester Commissary of the King and to other Lords Spirituall and Temporall there for to have notice and conusance of the persons assigned and elected to be of the Kings Councell to their great ease and consolation By advice and assent of all the Lords Spirituall and Temporall aforesaid were elected and named certaine persons as well spirituall and temporall to be Councellours assistant to the governance of the Realm whose names here ensue The Duke of Glocester the Archbishop of Canterbury the Bishops of London Winchester Norwich Worcester the Chancellour Treasurer and Keeper of the privie Seale the Duke of Excester the Earle of March the Earle of Warwick the Earle Marshall the Earle of Northumberland the Earle of Westmerland the Lord Cromwell the Lord Fitz-Hugh the Lord Bourchier the Lord Scroop Master Walter Hungerford Master John Tiptoff Thomas Chaucer William Allington In the Parliament of 29. Henry 6. num 16. Vpon the Petition of the Commons against divers Lords Bishops Knights Esquires and others to the number of 29. who mis-behaved themselves about the royall Person of the King and in other places by whose only meanes it was suggested the Kings possessions had been greatly diminished his Laws not executed the peace of the Realm not observed to the great hurt and trouble of the liege people of the Realm and likely subversion of the same of which misbehaviour universall noise and clamour was openly received thorowout all the Realme upon the same persons specified in the Petition all of them except the Lords and some few others without further evidence against them were by the King now removed from his presence and Court for a whole yeeres space within which time any man that could and would object against any of them should be patiently heard and intended to These few fresh Presidents added to the precedent
Kingdom which if they contemned to do thy would with force of Arms and Banners disslayed MARCH AGAINST THEM AS PUBLIKE ENEMIES SUBVERT THEIR CASTLES BURN THEIR HOUSES AND EDIFICES AND NOT CEASE TO DESTROY THEIR PONDS PARKES AND ORCHARDS Whereupon all the Lords Knights and People d●serting the King who had scarce seven Knights in all left with him confederated themselves to the Barons in the Common Cause wherein to be a Neuter was to be an enemy and no member of the politicke body in which all were equally engaged Whereupon the King thus deserted by all condescended speedily to their demands and confirmed the great Charter much against his will A very apt President for these times which would make the people more unanimous faithfull and couragious for the Common Cause if but imitated in the commination onely though never put into actuall execution he being unworthy once to enjoy any priviledge of a free-born Subject in the Kingdom who will not joyn with the Parliament and Kingdom to defend his Libertie and the Kingdoms priviledges in which he hath as great a common share as those who stand pay and fight most for them It is a good Cause of disfranchising any man out of any Citie Corporation or Company and to deprive him of the Priviledges of them if he refuse to contribute towards the common support defence or maintenance of them or joyn in open hostilitie contributions or suites against them There is the same and greater reason of the generall Citie and Corporation of the whole Realm to which we are all most engaged and therefore those who refuse to contribute towards the defence and preservation of it if able or by their persons purses intelligence or counsell give any assistance to the common enemy against it deserve to be disfranchised out of it to have no priviledge or protection by it and to be proceeded against as utter enemies to it Christs rule being here most true He that is not with me is against me and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad The Common-wealth of which we are members hath by way of originall contract for mutuall assistance and defence seconded by the late Protestation and Covenant a greater interest in our Persons and Estates then we our selves or the King and if we refuse to ayd the republike of which we are members in times of common danger with our Persons Abilities Goods or assist the common enemy with either of them we thereby betray our trust and fidelitie violate our Covenants to the Republike and expose our bodies to restraint our estates to consiscation for this most unnaturall treachery and sordid nigguardlinesse as well as for Treason Fellony or other more petty injuries against the State or humane societie made capitall by the Laws most justly for the publike service of the State which hath a generall Soveraign Interest in them in all times of need paramount our private Rights which must alwayes submit to the publike and lose all our formerly enjoyed Priviledges either of Laws Liberties or free-born Subjects if we refuse to defend or endeavour to betray them as the Laws and common practise of all Nations evidence In the Barons warres against King John Henry the third and Edward the second in defence of their Liberties and Laws they seised upon the Castles Forts and Revenues of the Crown and upon the Moneyes and Goods of the Priors aliens and malignant Poictovines which they imployed in the Kingdoms service Eodem tempore Castellanus de Dovera Richardus de Gray vir fidelis strenuus qui ex parte Baronum ibidem constituebatur omnes transeuntes transituros diligenter considerabat cuncta prud●nter perscrutando invenit NON MODICUM THESAURUM paratum dictis Pictaviensibus clanculo deferendum qui TOTUS CAPTUS EST IN CASTRO RESERUANDUS Similiter Londini apud novum Templum THESAURUS MAXIMUS de cujus quantitate audientes mirabantur quem reposureunt Pictavienses memorati licet contradicentes reniterenter Hospitelarii CAPTUS est AD ARBITRIUM REGIS ET BARONUM IN UTILES REGNI USUS UTILITER EXPONENDUS writes Rishanger the continuer of Matthew Paris a good President for the present times After which the Barons banished all the Poictovine Malignants who miscounselled and adhered to the King out of England Anno 1260 who Anno 1261. were all ba●ished out of London and other Cities and Forts An. 1234. The Earl Marshall having routed John of Monmouth his forces which assisted King Henry the third against the Barons in Wales he wasted all the said Johns Villages and Edifices and all things that were his with sword and fire and so of a rich man made him poor and indigent In the very Christmas holy-dayes there was a grievous warre kindled against the King and his evill Counsellors For Richard Suard conjoyning other Exiles to him entred the Lands of Richard Earl of Cornwall the Kings brother lying not farre from Behull and burned them together with the Houses and the Corne the Oxen in the Ox-stalls the Horses in the Stables the Sheep in the Sheep-cots they likewise burned Segrave the native soyl of Stephen Justiciar of England with very sumptuous Houses Oxen and Corne and likewise brought away many horses of great price returning thence with spoils and other things They likewise burned down a certain village of the Bishop of Winchesters not farre from thence and took away the spoils with other things there found But the foresaid Warriers had constituted this laudable generall rule among themselves that they would do no harme to any one nor hurt any one BUT THE WICKED COUNSELLERS OF THE KING by whom they were banished and those things that were theirs they burnt with fire extirpating their Woods Orchards and such like by the very Roots This they did then de facto de Jure I dare not approve it though in Cases of Attaint and Felony the very Common Law to terrifie others gives sentence against perjured Juries Traytors and Felons in some Cases that their houses shall be raced to the ground their Woods Parkes Orchards Ponds cut down and destroyed their Meadowes and Pastures plowed up and defaced though not so great Enemies to the State as evill Counsellors Anno 1264. the forty eight yeers of Henry the third his raign The King keeping his Christmas with the Queen Richard King of Romans and many others at London Simon Montford the Captain of the Barons at the same time preyed upon the Goods of these who adheared to the King and especially those of the Queens retinue brought by her into England whom they called Aliens Among others some of the Barons forces took Peter a Burgundian Bishop of Hereford in his Cathedrall Church and led him prisoner to the Castle of Ordeley and divided his treasure between themselves and took divers others of the Kings partie prisoners Who thereupon fearing least he should be besieged in the Tower by the Barons army by
Brotherhood and Estates of this Province sent to K. Alphonso divers Articles which they beseeched him to confirme promising for their part that this should be their last Assembly and that the name and effect of their Brotherhood should remain for ever extinct and the Province be for ever united to the Crown of Castile if he would confirme those Articles to them being 17. in number which he did The chiefe were these That the King nor his Successors should not alien any place of his Demesnes That the Gentlemen and their goods should be free and exempt from all Subsidies as they had been heretofore That they and others of the Countrey should be governed according to the customes and rights of Soportilla And that divers Townes and Villages therein specified should be free from all Tributes and Impositions About the yeer 1309. Mahumet King of Granado becomming casually blind was soon after deposed by his own Brother and the great men of his Realme who were discontented and disliked to be governed by a blind King who could not lead them to the warres in person Which Kingdome went by Election commonly as is evident by his three next successours and Mahumet the sixth King of Granado Anno 1307. Lewes Hutin was crowned King of Navarre at Pampelone where he sware to observe the Lawes and Rights of the Realme After which Anno 1315. Philip 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 king● their Predecessors and by their Ministers without delay notwithstanding any Le● 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 inf●inge 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 Puenta la 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 Pampalone 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 prevailed 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 After 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 then Father the Realm did belong to him by right of propriery 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