pounds to his Coffers But in the carriage of this businesse there must be much caution to prevent commotion for in them there are many that have right in Common sans numbre And the resolution in agreement with them must be sudden and confident for multitudes are jealous and inconstant and the instruments to effect this must be such as be neighbours interessed and popular not strangers And the first demise to the Inhabitants and at under and easie values 3 By manuring of Lands R t. Câ—â—â— â—no 1â— 3. M â—â— Thus did H. anno 13. in removing out of most of his Parkes as Gillingham Brigstocke Chiffe Woodstocke Haverell all mens Cattell pro bobos pro lardaria Regis in parcis praediâ—â— is impinguendis And E. 1. commanded all the Escheators in England ex colore seminarâ— appropriare ad maximum Regis proficium omnes terras quae Regi Corona suae devonerint per mortem aliquorum vacatione Epiâ—copatum Râ—◠〈◊〉 2. â— b 1. c. The Kings raise money and improve the Revenewes of the Crowne By Merchandise 1 Trading themselves 2 Licencing others to Trade Commodities 3 Improving Customes 1 Lawfull 2 Vnlawfull 1 Trading themselves thus did Edw. 1. Anno 22. Rot. voscon 22. E. 1. who seised into his hands all the Woolls in the Kingdome as the Merchants were lading them in the Ports giving them security of payment at a long day and a shortprice and then transported them to his owne best and readiest sale Thus did Edw. 3. Anno 12. with all the Tinne and H. 6. Rot. Almgne 12. E. 3. Act. Cons An. 20. H. 6. Anno 20. by advice of his Counsell tooke up by way of purveyance a great quantity of Graine and transported it into Cascoigne where by reason of a Dearth the price was extreame and in Anno 31. he arrested all the Tinne in South-hampton and sold it to his owne present use and in the yeare following using the advantage of the Statute which bound all men to trade the Staple commodities to no other place but Calice Ex billa signat An. 31. 32 H. 6. vented himselfe many sackes of wooll to other Ports of better advantage And the late Queene Anno 1567. Warrant sub privat sigillo An. 9. Eliz. Reginae caused by Warrant of privie Seale a great quantity of Beere to be purveyed transported and sold to her owne use beyond the seas 2 By lycencing others to trade Commodities 1 Lawfull or 2 Vnlawfull First Lawfull but solely Thus did H 6. Rot. Par. An. 29. H. 6. N. 15 by approbation of Parliament with all the trade of Allome for two yeares granted to the Merchants of South-hampton for 8000. pound and againe for the like summe to those of Geneway Secondly Vnlawfull or prohibited Thus did many of the Kings after such time as the heavy burthen of imposition began in the miserable necessity of H. 3. called then by no better name then Maltolt and continued untill the 15 Rot. Claus. Anno 19. H. 3. yeare of R. 2. by diverse intermissions for then I find the last Petition of many in Parliament against it was altogether taken away Rot. Par. 15. R. 2. For when R. 2. and his Successors found the Revenue lessened by the importunate cry of the people whereby impositions were laid aside then began to advise an other supply out of the unbounded Prerogative and finding a greedy desire of one Merchant to prevent another of his market restrained by that Statute which tyed them to one time Ex. Bill Signar Anno 20. R 2. and one Port Calice for all Staple commodities they used to sell Licenses with clause of Non obstante whereby they dispenced with multitudes to trade what commodities and to what places they would To the Merchants of New Castle R. 2. gave leave to carry Wooll Fells c to any Port besides Calice upon condition that they should pay for them Custome and Subsidie according to Le sage discretion de vous vostre Councel to diverse Citizens of London H. 4. in like sort dispenceth for great quantities of Tynne for seaven yeares paying 1000. Ex Pet. Anno 7 H 4 Ex. Pet Anno 5 R. 6. Ex. Act. Com. yearely above the custome H. 6. Anno 5.21 30. reneweth to the Towne of New Castle the same License they had Anno 20. R. 2. and granteth 600. sacks of wooll to Benedict Benony Merchant of Florence with an obstante any Statute or restraint In this yeare such Licenses were so frequent that the Towne of Calice complained in Parliament of their decay thereby yet without reliefe as it seemeth for the same King Anno 36. giveth leave to Lawrence Barbarico to transport from London or Cicister 12000. Ex. B llâ— Orig An. 10. â— 4. sacks of Wooll to what Ports he list and Edward the 4. Anno 10. borrowing 10000. pound of diverse Merchants permitted them non obstante any Law to carry any Staple Commodities to the straights of Morocco untill they were satisfied their summe H. 7. raised much money by giving leave to many Merchants to trade inward and outward commodities prohibited as to Alonso de Burgues great proportions of Wood Anno 6. H. 7. Ex. lib. Comp. in t H 7 Dudley and to a multitude of others all kinds of graine and other forbidden things as in Anno 20 21 22. Improving of Customes by 1. Farming out of Ships 2. Raising the booke of rates 3. Farming the Customes 1. Ex. lib. H. 7. Farming out of Ships to the Merchants and taking security of them either to bring in or carry out yearly as much Commodities as shall yeeld the King in Customes the summe agreed on or else to make it up out of their own money thus did H. 7. many years not only with his ships but with divers stocks of money 2. Rot. Claus 29. E. 1. Rot. Almaigne 3. E. 3. Extract Brux Ellâ— Raising the booke of Rates this was in some sort done Consensu Mercatorum by Ed. 1. and Ed. 3. And againe in H. 8. time of which the house of Burgundy complained as against the treaty of entercourse and of late so stretched as it is feared it will prove the overthrow of Trade Neither doe I finde this course at any other time as a branch of this may partly fall out the benefit Princes made by Prerogative power of imposing inward and outward upon Commodities over and above the ancient Custome or Subsidie The first that used this course after the State was setled from a King of a Voluntary government after the Conquest when as Kings ruled more by the edge of the sword then by rule of Law was H. 3. about the entrance of his Reigne Mag. Charta Dors claus An 16. H 3. N. 20. but finding it to bee an apparent overthrow of Commerce and Trade against the great Charter made proclamation Anno. 16. H. 3. in all the Ports of England that
to bee certaine in allowances making thereof a Booke by way of Ordinance which is called Aula Regis Act Conc. 8. H. 4. Marked P P. Henry the fourth counselled his sonne the Prince and the rest of his Councell to ordaine such moderate governance of his house that may continue Au pleiser du Dieu et du peuple Hen. 6. Anno 27. Mich. recept 27. H. 6. reduced his charge of house to 12000. l' whereof 2000. l' was out of the Queenes Joynture Ed. 4. Anno 12. reformeth it againe Ex lib. Ordin hospitiâ— temp E. 4. and publisheth a booke of Orders for their better direction which afterwards Cardinall Wolsey for the more honour and profit of the King amendeth Ordinat Card. Wolsey temp H. 8. And that still remaineth the ground-work of the present government which being now so much corruâ—ted it may seeme fit either to put down the Tables and leave all the attendants to allowance of money as France and Spaine doth or else by setting up the Hall againe reduce the Houshould to the best first and most magnificent order So all things being spent in publick will be to the Kings honour and the secret waste by chamber-diet purloyning prevented to the Kings benefit For there is never a back doore in Court which costs not the King so little as 2000 l' yearly And few meane houses in Westminster that are not maintained with food and firing by stealth of the Court Instruments 2. By abating and reforming the excesse of Retinue and Favorites Thus Henry the second did with William de Ipre Earle of Kent a Netherlander Ex Gerratio Dorobornens and all his Countrey men and followers when they grew heavie and a burden to the State unable to foster more then her owne naturall children Thus Richard 1. did with Otho Earle of Yorke Ex Ric. Canonico in vita R 1. and all thâ— Bavarians although hee was the sonne of his sister taking from him that Earldome for that the people opposed it and giving him in exchange the Title of Poictou Thus Henry the third did with his halfe brethren the Earle of Pembroke and Bishop of Winchester Ex libro sancti Alâ—an Wil. Râ—shâ—nger liber Baron P P. and all the Poictors their followers Ex ordinat 3. E. â— in libro lâ—gum M S. fol. â—85 Thus Edward 2. did by his Ordinance Lâ—â— toâ—â—â—gâ—age sire Pieres de Gaveston sâ—it entirement â—â—stre desire entâ—vi◠〈◊〉 Roy de son servis Item Burgois de Till soit ouste son fiaâ— quod est Marâ—scall del Exchequer Iteâ— quod Bertram Assabi son frere ceux de Gascoigne Aymerick de Triscâ—mband seiâ—s oustre ses Terres prises en le main le Roy. Ex rot Par. anno 10 R 2. Thus Richard 2. did with the Bohemians anno 10. by an Act of Parliament at the petition of the people surcharged Thus Henry 4. did with the Gascoines and Welsh in like sort overburdening and impoverishing the King and Realm Ex rot Par. anno 7. 12. H. 4. with perpetuall suits so that in Court as the Record saith there were Ne ad nul substance des personnes vaylantes suffesants si besâ—igne seroit mes de Rascailâ— par la grendre part 3. By abating and reforming the excesse of Gifts and Rewards Hence was it that the wisedome of former times foreseeing the mischiefe that the open hand of the Soveraigne may bring the State into made a Law 11. R. 2. That whatsoever cometh to the King by Judgement Rot. Par. anno 11. R. 2. Anno 2. 4. 5 H. 4. Escheat Forfeiture Wardship or any other wayes shall not be given away and that the procurer of any such gift shall be punished Rot. Par. anno 7. H. 4. Thus the Parliament continued 7. H. 4. untill the King was out of debt making frustrate the grant and ordaining a penalty of double value to every mover or procurer of any such Rot. Par. anno 11. H. 4. N. 23. The like anno 11. H. 4. and that no petition for any thing should be delivered the King but in the presence of the Councel who might examine it lest the Kings wants should light upon the Commons Rot. par 2. anno 25. H. 6. M. 24. And to keep the hands of King Henry 6. from wastfull â—iving the Councell induced him to convey to the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and others all profits of Words Marriages Reliefes Escheats and forfeitures to defray the charge of his house It is one of the greatest accusations against the Duke of Summerset Ex Rot. Par. anno 28. H. 6. for suffering the King to give away the possessions of the Crowne in manner of a spoile for so are the words of the Record And it was made the first and chiefest Article to depose King Richard for wasting and bestowing the Lands and Revenue of the Crowne upon unworthy persons Ex rot Par. anno 1. E. 4. and thereby over-charging the Commons by exaction 3. By raising of money and improving the Revenue of the Crowne either By the 1. Grant of the Subject which is 1. generall as Parliament Or 2. Particular 2. Power absolute in the Soveraigne as by Loanes Or Benevolence 1. Generall as in the Parliament Ex lib. Rubro in Scaccario ex Ioh. Eversden wherein they give the King part of their owne by way of retribution onely as for I. defence of the State hence grew the scrâ—tage granted to H. 2. R. 1. King John and H. 3. To E 2. Ex histor Roffensi Ex Rot. tempore Ed. 3. Ex rot Par. anno 2. 3. 7. R. 2. diverse Fifteenes and Tenths for his warres against the Scots and Welshmen The Subsidie of Woolls and other contributions to Edw. 3. for his wars And the like granted to Rich. 2. an 2.3.7 so they may be imployed in the wars and particular Treasurers to account in Parliament So in the 8. and 9. H. 4 on the like condition Tonnage and Poundage began an 5. E 3. Rot. Pâ—r. anno 8. 9 H. 4. had thence his originall And therefore 13. Ed. 4. and 1. Hen. 5. they are granted so in expresse words and that they proceed of good will and not of duty Presidents of this nature are plentifull in all the Rolles of Parliament Ex benedicto Monacho in vita H. 2. II. For maintenance of Religion and Church as in the yeare 1266. Ex Adamo Merioneth To H. 2 was given 12 d. in the pound And in the 18. of E. 1. a Fifteenth was granted to expell the Iewes Ex rot Par. anno 4 R 2. And anno 4. R. 2. a Tenth of the Clergy and Fifteenth of the Commons for his help to suppresse the Wicklivian heresie Ex Radulpho Cogshâ—ll ex hist Roffensi Rot. Par. anno 23. E. 1. 13. E. 3. 7 H. 4. III. For support of the lawes and liberty of
de juâ—o vindicare potest Yet did H. 6 anno 20. in an Instruction to Commissioners imployed in procuring a benevolence say that forasmuch as by the Law he might compell all his Subjects Ex instruâ—tione â—rig â—â—no 2. H 8. and at their owne charge to attend his warres hee was contented to spare such as would contribute but as much after his degere and reputation as two dayes in his personall service would stand him in thereby implying a necessity in them to give to escape a further expence This Law upon which H. 6. grounded himselfe was by a Statute in Queen Maries time repealed and that since repealed this last year hath made a reviving of the former whereby the King is remitted into his former advanâ—age Ex act Par. anno 5. Mariae and the subject in the former mischiefe And 8. H. 8. anno 17. although he moveth for a benevolence hee sought it with no other stile then Amicable grant yet hee threatned the refusers with convention before his Councell and confiscation of goods The Kings raise money and improve the Revenues of the Crowne By power absolute in the Soveraigne in the disposing 1. Lands 2. Merchandise 3. Regalities 1. Lands as by selling which hath been often and old if they were not of the ancient demeasne lands which our fore-fathers held impious to alienate from the Crown And those were such Lands as go under the title of Terra Regis in the book of Doomsday â—â—ber Doomesday and were the lands of Edward the Confessor of other lands I never observed question neither doe ever finde that acts of Resumption ever reached to lands that were sold for valuable consideration By passing in Fee â—arme except places of the Kings residence Parkes spacious wastes or Forrests all the lands of the Crowne which remaines either in the annexation custody landâ— or the Queenes joincture and exceed not yearly 32000 l' These although largely estated out in severall natures some for lives some for yeares will one with the other bee advanced to a treble rent which amounting to 96000 l' leaving an annuall improvement of 64000 l' And if the offer be not made restrictive for the new Tenant there is no doubt but his Majesty shall finde ready and hearty undertakers amongst the Gentry and Nobility too who have any place of residence neere any of his Majesties Manors And the Kings security the better since their abilities will settle the Fee-farme rent upon more land then the purchase If any shall object against this a losse by fines and profits of Courts a prejudice in not serving necessity as of late by sales or diminution of Regalities in seisure of so many Royalties It may be answered to the first that the casuall profits of Courts never defrayed to the present Officers their fee and expences And this appeareth from a collection made the 44. yeare of the late Queene where the totall issue of such certain charge exceeded the receipt of such chances above 8000 l' To the second if looking upon the severall Rates of the Kings lands exposed to Fee-farme sales we finde some of 50. others at 21 yeares as to the late contractors and make out of these extreams a Medium of the largest forty yeares and set on the other side the common and current estimate for dâ—ad rents 15 yeares purchase we must finde that 5 l' land sold unimproved respectively to the like trebled by a Fee-farme will be 250 l' losse to his Majesty in the sale As for Regalities though it may adde somewhat to the Subject in increasing such his petty command it can nothing to a Soveraigne whose transcendent power drowneth in it all such subordinate Dependencies and Regards But if we consider besides the former improvement the encrease of casual advantage at diminution of certain charge wee shall have just cause not to continue this course For if the Commissioners in this businesse may be ordered by instruction to reserve upon every Mannor of above 30. l' per annum a tenure in a Knights service by halfe a Fee and of above 50 l' in Capite by an intire fee and by the purchase to pay his Rent into the receipt himselfe halfe yearly and strike there his Tally the former will advance the Revenue accidentall of the Crowne in Wardships primer seisin Alienations and Aides and the latter cut off at once so many their unnecessary Receivers Auditors Stewards Bailiffes and Clarks as stand the King in yeerly above 12000. l' As for other dues or casuall Revenues which now fall under the charge of these Officers The collection and payment may be as it hath been with the rest from the time of H. 2. untill of late dayes laid â—on the Sheriffes of the Shires and all the accompts left to the two Auditors of the presse to draw up and the Clerkes of the Pipe to enter in Magno Rotulo as in former times for it must seeme strange to all men of judgement that it should be with those Officers who had their beginning but since the 25. yeare of King Henry the eight by addition of his new Revenue of 150000 l' from the suppressed Monasteries otherwise then with all things in Nature and reason Cessante causa effectus not to be discontinued when as all Crown annexed Lands that gave them their just imployment for the most part passed from the Soveraigne into the Subjects possession Besides this of a generall disposing in Fee Farme there hath been a project in particular to infranchise the Copyholders in the several Manors which I should hold to be of more prejudice to his Majesty then the other bringing with it all the former inconveniences losse of Fines Regalities and advantages of Sale and being without many of the advantages as Wardships Primer seisin Alienation and Aids for no man will buy quillets but in soccage and discontinuance of Officers who must still remaine though they can bring but lâ—ttle benefit Rot Par. anno 7 H. 4. 2. By farming out for yeares Lands Casualties or Wastes as in the 7. of H. 4. the State held it more just to helpe the King out of his owne then to burthen the common-wealth and therefore gave way by Parliament to the King to improve up his Lands though in Lands though in Lease provided that the Lessee should have refusall of the bargaine if he would Rot â—nâ— anno 2. E 1. Edw. the 1. anno 2. granted a Commission to farme out all such Waste quod absque injuria alterius sieri potest And in anno 15. asserted a great part of his Woods for rent and dissafforrested in most Counties of England for a summe of money which they gave him Rot. Par. aâ—â— 0 15. E. 1. And it was not the least of charitable thrift in the King to reduce much of his waste to habitation of Christians especially the remote Forrests which would encrease many thousand families for his service and bring many thousand
all Merchants might come faciendo rectas et debitas consuetudines sed tibi timeant de Malistoltis for it had no better name then Maltolts Stat An. 25. E. 1. Some Impositions being laid by Ed. 1. he in Anno 25. taketh them away with promise that neither hee nor his Successours should doe any such thing without assent of Parliament Rot. Par. 31. E. 1. M. 42. granting in Anno 31. to the Merchants many immunities as release of prisage for which they requite him with some encrease of Customes but not as imposed by his owne power Stat. 34 E. 1. Ca 1. 2. for he in Anno 34. declareth that no tallage or ayde should bee levyed without the assent of Parliament nor nothing to be taken of wools by colour of Maltolt in E. 2. it appeareth that levying of new Customes and raising olde was the destruction of Traffique and therefore repealeth all Maltolts onely in Anno 11. 12. he taketh by way of Loane Rot. Clâ—us An. 11. E. 2 and with leave of the Merchant some former encrease upon wooll ascribing nothing to any supream power to impose Rot. Finem 4 E. 3. The like did E. 3. Anno 1. confirming in Anno 2. the great Charter for free Traffique But having about Anno Quinto granted certaine Commissions for a new kinde of raysing Tallage Stat. 2. E. 3. Ca. 9. rhe people complayned the yeare followng whereupon he repealeth the said Commissions and promiseth never to assesse any Stat. An 11 E 3. Cap 1. but as in time of his Ancestors After in Anno 11. by reason of a Statute then made restraining all men upon paine of death from transporting any woolls without Licence from the King and Councell Rot. Almaine 12 E. 3. M. C. 22 in Dors E. 3. made great advantage by selling of dispensations of that Law and grounded upon it many impositions but it fell so heavy upon the people that their discontents so farre increased that the King was enforced to cause the Archbishop of Canterbury to perswade them to patience by his godly exhortations Stat. 13. E. 3. Rot. Parâ— 13. E Stat 14. E 3. yet notwithstanding hee continued by gentle intermissions the advantage hee had by that Law taking an improvement of Custome for opening the passage that thereby was shut in Anno 13. untill the same yeare the State made purchâ—se of their former freedome and discharge of the Maltolt by granting the tenth Sheafe and fleece c. And thus it continued all his Raigne being a time of great necessity and expence by reason of the warrs he sometimes taking the advantage either to raise an imposition or else to gaine an aide from the people in discharge thereof they continually urging the injury in barring them their Birth-right and the King on the other side the greatnesse of his owne occasions and it may be gathered by Record that thus it held on untill the fifteenth of R. 2. in which yeare is the last Petition against Impositions generally grounded in likelihood from the Kings power in restrayning or permitting trade all the time after though License with Non obstante were ordinary Lcience grantâ—d by H. 4. H. 5. H. 6. to many Merchants with Non obstante any Statute yet were they to private persons and for particular proportions of commodities whereby the King succeeding raised no lesse benefit then by sale of any generall permission To this of impositions I may adde the Rule I find Anno 20. H. 6. made in counsell That all goods for payment of Subsidie shall berated of commodities domestick as they may be sold betweene Merchant and Merchant and if forraine then so as it shall appeare upon Oath of the Merchant or his Factor they stood them in at the first and the generall Maxime which limits all Regall advantage upon Trade of Merchants is Vt causa honesta sit necessaria ratio faciliâ— tempus idoneum Farming out of Customes So did Ed. 3. Claus Au. 5. E. 3. Orig. 17. E. 3. Rot. with the new and old customes at London for 1000. Markes monethly to be paid into the Wardrobe The like he did Anno 17. R. 2. Anno 20. letteth out for terme of life the Subsidie of Cloth in diverse Countries and E. 4. Anno 1. the Subsidie of ulnage of Cloth Thus did H. 8. with his Customes and since his time the late Queene and our late Soveraigne Lord King Iames and it was so then in use in the best govern'd State Rome which let out their portions and Decims to the Publicans Kings raise money and improve the Revenewes of the Crowne By Regalities 1 Temporall or 2 Mixt. As for 1 Liberties c. 2 Penalties of Lawes 3 Letters of favour 1 Liberties in granting restraining or renewing them It is a course usuall that the Kings have raised money by calling in question the Charters and Liberties of Corporations Leetes free Warrens and other Royalties Thus did R. 1. proclaiming Quod omnes Chartoe confirmationes quae prioris Sigilli impressione roboraverint irrita forent nisi porsteriori sigillo roborentur Ex. Rado Cogsh ll And H. 3. Anno 10. enjoyned all qui suis volebant libertatibus gaudere ut innovarent Chartas suas de nova regio sigillo getting money thereby Edw. 1. by diverse Commissions with Articles called Articuli de Ragman annexed to them Rot. Ragman Anno 7. E. 1. called in question about Anno 7. all the liberties and freedomes of England Gilbert de Thornton his Attourney putting in information by quo warranto against all persons as well bodies politicke as others whereby they are inforced anew to renew their Charters and Fine for their Liberties Ex. quo Warrant 13. E 3. The like was in Anno 13. E. 3. in whose time Anno 9. Al clauses of allowances by Charter of Amerciaments Fines c. imposed by the Kings Ministers upon any of the Tenants of other men were adjudged voyd and the penalties made payable to the Kings Officers Com. term Hill An 9. E 3. 9. 3. Rot. 8. unlesse they made a new purchase of their Liberties and this was one of the usuallist and easiest meanes to raise money from the people because it lighteth only upon the best abilities and if there were now but twenty pound taken of every Corporation of every Person that holdeth by Charter his liberties 50. pound for renewing of them And of every one that claimeth by prescription ten pound for purchase of a Charter All which would bee easie and acceptable it would amount to above one hundred thousand pound 2. For penall Lawes they have been sometime but with ill successe wrought upon When R. 2. Anno 22. began his Course Instruct Orig. 22. R. 2. appointing in all his Commissions Bushey onely to be of the Quorum for compounding with Delinquents it wrought in the affections of his people such distaste that it grew the death of the one and
deposition of the other No lesse fatall was the like to Empson and Dudley Proc. contra Dudley An. 1. H. 8. and there is no string will sooner jar in the Common-wealth then this if it be generally touched 3. For Letters of favour either for mitigation or dispatch of Iustice Of the first sort there be many found in H. 6. and E. 4. their times sometimes of Protection although by course of the Common Law none are warrantable but to such as are going in Obsequium Regis or Ibidem Moraturi sometimes freeing men from Arrests by calling them up to appear before the Kings Councell sometimes in cases highly criminall releiving the Prisoner in commanding the Judges to make stay of all proceedings upon supposall of indirect practises untill the King was better informed Of the second sort there are many in H. 7. Lib. Acquit inter H. 7. Dudley his time where the King hath taken for writing to the Iudges of Assize money for his Letters of favour 4. For Offices thus did King Iohn with the Chancellorship selling it for terme of life to Gray for five thousand Markes Divers Offices now in the gift of the Master of the Rolls were engaged to the Chancellor and Treasurer of England as are to be found in Records of H. 4. H. 5. and H. 6. to bee passed by warrant under the Kings hand and upon some Consideratâ—on And H. 7. renewed this course using Dudley as his instrument to compound with Suitors for those and any other places and by that Record we finde the Chancellor the chiefe Iustice the Keeper of most of the Record the Clerks of the Assizes and peace the Masters of the game and Parkes and what else carrying either profit or reputation paid to the King Familius in vita Lewis 12. some proportion of money for their places Neither is this different from the course of other States for in France Lewis the 12. called the father of his Countrey did so with all the Offices not being of Iudicature which his Successors did not forbeare Vasques C. 12 40 43. In Spaine it is usuall and Vasques the Spanish Advocate and Charles the fifth precsribeth it to his sonne as a rule in his last instruction drawing his ground of reason and Convenience from the example and practice of the Sea of Rome Instruct Car. 5 to Phil. 2. The like might bee of all inferior promotions that are or may bee in the Kings Guift whether Ecclesiasticall or Temporall if they were after the true value in profit and reputation listed into rankes according to the severall Natures of their imployments respectively 5 For honour and that either by power legall or election Of the first it is onely in respect of Land whereby every man is to find when the King shall require that hath ability to bee made a Knight and is not Of this sort there is plenty of examples The other out of choice and grace As Hugo de putiaco Bishop of Durham was by King R. 1. created Earle of Northumberland for a great summe of money And I doubt not but many of these times would set their ambition at as high a price And for his Majestie now to make a degree of Honour hereditary as Barronets next under Barons and grant them in Tayle taking of every one a thousand pound In Fine it would raise with ease ten thousand pound And by a Iudicious election be a meanes to content those worthy Persons in the Common-wealth that by the confused admission of Many Knights of the Bath held themselves all this time disgraced 6 For Coyne and Bullion by which although some Kings out of a last shift have seemed to relieve themselves yet was it in truth full of danger and distrust to the Common-wealth being assured token of a Bankerupt State and to the Prince in conclusion of most disadvantage for the Revenewes of the Crowne being commonly in certaine Rents they must in true value howsoever in verball sound bee abated to the proportion that the money shall bee abased and every man will rate his Commodity in sale not according to the accompt of pence or pounds but to the weight of the pure Silver contained in the current money As for example that which was before the descrying of the Coyne worth five shillings in the pound weight will if the allay bee to the halfe bee held at ten shillings and so in every proportion respectively for money is not meerely to bee esteemed in respect of the sculpture or figure but it must value in Pecunin quantum in Massa and Silver is a Commodity as other wares and therefore holdeth his estimation as they doe according to the goodnesse And the Lord Treasurer Burleigh in Anno one thousand five hundred sixty one when the Court of State affected an abasement of Coyne after a grave deliberation advised the Queene from it and never would give way to any such resolution in his time But that benefit which truely the King may make more of Bullion then now hee doth is to erect againe Cambrium Regis his owne Exchange an Office as antient as before H. 3. and so continued untill the middle of H. 8. the profit of it being now ingrossed amongst a few Gold-smiths and would yeeld above two thousand pound a yeare if it were heedfully regarded and then should the King himselfe never want the materialls if two things were observed the one to permit all men bringing in Bullion to Trade outward the value thereof in domesticke Commodities at an abated Custome the other to abate the mighty indraught of Forraine Manufactures and unnecessary Wares that the outward Trade might over-ballance the inward which otherwise will as it hath done draw on this desperate consumption of the Common-wealth which in Anno twenty seaven E. 3. was otherwise for then the exitus exceeded the introitus pounds and in the last times of the late Queene for at this time the unmeasurable use of Luxurious Commodities was brought in as Wine Spices Silke and fine Linnen c. For of the latter sort above ten Groates the Ell there is above 360000 pound yearely spent which is halfe the value of our Cloths transported maketh the State to buy more then they doe sell whereas a good Father of a Family ought to be Vendacem and not Emacem Besides the condition of our people is now such that the greater part neither get nor save which in a private house is an apparant Argument of ruining and must be no lesse in a Common-wealth And it is observed generally that hence the want of Bullion now is such that there is not money in specie sufficient to pay the Lenders their principall so that Usury is paid for money upon supposition and not really If then his Majesty shall be pleased to advise of his Counsell to advantage himselfe any otherwise by Coynage it will be safeâ— to doe it upon a simple Metall then by any impliant or better suite which well