Anglo-Tyrannus, Or the Idea of a NORMAN MONARCH, Represented in the parallel reigns of Henry the Third and CHARLES Kings of ENGLAND, Wherein the whole management of affairs under the Norman Kings is manifested, together with the real ground, and rise of all those former, and these latter contestations between the Princes, and people of this Nation, upon the score of Prerogative and Liberty. And the impious, abusive, and delusive practices are in short discovered, by which the English have been bobbed of their freedom, and the Norman tyranny founded and continued over them.  
By G. W. of Lincoln's inn.  Nihil medium Libertas habet, quae aut tota est, quod debet, aut amissa parte sui tota fuit, et extinguitur: Quam ideirco non ignavis, neque Brutis, & ad serviendum natis, sed erectis animabus Deus immortalis conservandam tradit. Heinsius orat. 4. 
— Iustitia, pietas, fides,  
Privata bona sunt, qua juvat Reges eant.  
London printed for George Thompson at the sign of the white horse in Chancery Lane. 1650.   

To the Right Honourable the Lord President BRADSHAW.  
My Lord,  
THough I may seem bold, I am not so blind, but that I perceive your Lordship taller by the head than most I can set by you, and so come for patronage in hopes of a favourable smile, being sure to have frowns enough from them, who not able to look over the heads of others, crowd as it were hood-winked after those that go before them. It was the ancient practice of enslaved Rome, after death to deify her Tyrants, and this her badge of slavery we in England have long worn as a Livery of our bondage; whose Kings (when dead) must be of Famous, and Blessed Memory, though they lived most infamous for cowardice, and detestable for Tyranny; and though this was acted to flatter their Successors at first, yet by custom it hath so prevailed, that notwithstanding the cause is now taken away, the effect remains among the multitude (to whom logic must give place in their irrational actings) and from a natural necessity is become a divine institution; so that immortal, as earthly crowns are givem them Iure Divino, to die Saints, as they live Kings: Indeed Rome may have something pleaded in her excuse, for she had her infernal Gods, whom by sacrifice she endeavoured to appease from doing mischief, so little inferior was her superstition to her slavery, which was as great as tyranny could create. I know our royal Idolaters will lay hold of the Horns of this, De mortuis nil nisi bonum; but it can afford them little safety, and me less danger, whom the metaphysics have taught, that bonum & verum convertuntur, that i cannot write good, unless i write truth; thus what they have taken for their shield, is the dart which pierceth their Liver, and by what they would ward off, they are smitten with the blow of high-treason, themselves being the only and grand transgressors against the majesty of History, whose Prerogative it is not only to reward the good, with honour and renown, but also to punish the evil, with ignominy and reproach. The case standing thus, I am assured of your lordship's protection, against all storms such enchantments may raise against me, whose rational eye being able to pierce these fogs doth perceive what hath so long been enveloped in the mist.  
Thus my Lord, having looked aside at self, yet I constantly kept your Lordship in my eye,, and your honour stood foreright, my safety but on one side in my choice, not out of presumption that my weak endeavours could add any thing to you, but in assurance that others seeing what profit they have received, what misery they have escaped in the book, will return to the Dedication, and with honour read your name, who have been so great an iustrumet under God of their deliverance.  
God hath chosen you to judge between a King and a people, and your sentence hath shown you are sufficiently informed of what this Discourse treats: yet as a Pharos may be useful to delight a man with the prospect of those rocks, shelves, and sands he hath escaped, to whom it was a sea mark to guide safe into the Port; so may your Lordship with comfort cast your eye upon the ensuing Discourse, viewing the dangers you and all good Patriots have past, especially having had so great an hand in the steerage into the Harbour.  
And now give me leave to mention your worthy acts, that it may be known I am not unmindful of a good turn, it is the only thanks I am able to repay in the behalf of my country and self: I know some will be apt to condemn such an action as savouring of flattery, but the most free from that vice, the most severe, the most rigid in the School of virtue, a Cato himself hath done the like, and that not only upon the Score of gratitude, but to encourage and incite to further gallantry, and the most censorious of them may perchance perceive their own black Shadows by your light, and from your example take out a new lesson of duty to their country whom they ought to serve before themselves.  
You have undauntedly stood the shock of what ever slavish malice could bring against you, and have been eminent in vindicating the right God and nature invested the nation with from the power of usurping tyranny, no counterfeit rays, no glittering impostures gilded with pretences of sacred, and majestic have dazzeled your eyes, but with a steady and impartial hand you have guided the Scale of justice, wherein that bubble of worldly honour hath been found too light to counterpoise those sins of murder and oppression, which brought such heavy judgements on the land, whose yo●e hath been broken, whose guilt hath been removed in a great measure, by having justice executed without respect of persons.  
{non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} saith the Philosopher, to do good to one is honourable, to a nation is heroical; to perform the first, is the private man's duty, to be able to do the latter is the public magistrates divinity. God hath not only given you power, but a mind also to employ it well, you have been good as well as Great, and God hath preserved you, & honoured you in your integrity, of which we have received such sure signs, that it must argue us more severe than just, more suspicious than Charitable, but to doubt that the Honour of God, the good and freedom of your country shall not still possess the first part of your affections, and be the ultimate end in all your actions, that so the goodwill of him that dwelled in the Bush being with you and your fellow Builders may enable you to perfect the great work of Reformation to his glory, your own honours, and the happiness and freedom of this nation, all which are vufeignedly desired by him who craving pardon for this bold approach as by duty obliged subscribes.  
My Lord Your lordship's most humble servant George Walker.   

To the Reader.  
HE must rise betimes (saith the proverb) who will please all, which may cease our wonder that the commonwealth is so displeasant to some, which hath gotten up so late, yet better late than never. But though some dotarts square all by antiquity, supposing none so wise, which are not so old▪ and guess at the understanding by the grey hairs, which in truth are rather a badge of imperfection, and the declension of nature, and which came into the world at the back door, being a part of that fatal offspring begot between the serpent's craft, and our first Parents disobedience: I speak not this in scorn of age, which I honour when found in the way of righteousness and truth, nor in denial of its advantage over youth by experience, but to oppose that error spread amongst many that all wisdom deceased with their Grandsires, and they are only to travel in their tracks, an opinion more agreeable to a pack horse, than a man endued with a rational soul, which is not to lie idle, and which indeed the word of God, and universal experience which even make fools wise contradicts, the one infallibly declaring that in the latter days the Spirit of Truth shall more abundantly be poured forth into earthen vessels; the other visibly informing us of the daily advantages we have above our ancestors to attain Knowledge; for admit they were such G●y ants in understanding, yet we poor dwarfs being upon their shoulders may see further than they: but I say though some do thus, yet the sons of reason measure by another standard▪ as knowing that if worth should be prised by antiquity, the rotten would become of more value than the ripe, to such therefore do I present this Discourse, who judge by reason, not passion, which so often makes the Crow seem white, the Bells to think as the fools do think: and in confidence Reader that thy ingenuity is such that no bias of interest will wheel thee narrow, and thy capacity able to draw thee from running wide of reason, the only mark men in civil games should bowl at, I have taken the pains to present thee with a map of England's condition under her Monarchs, wherein thou mayst view how justly Magna Charta is cast in our governor's teeth to beget a belief of their being more tyrannous than our Kings were: admit it be not observed in every tittle now, what are we the worse, when some fresher and more apposite remedy is applied to heal us? let us consider that it was constituted under another Government, and so cannot square to the present, and that the makers of it were but men, nay and such as had not that room to act in as we have, and so could not foresee or at best provide for all that now providence hath wrought amongst us: but I shall not detain thee with a long Preface from the Book, wherein an ingenuous and rational spirit will discern, that if our present governors had been bound up to former rules, we could never have attained that estate which now by God's mercy and their prudence we enjoy, and may so still if our own perverseness hinder us not. Truly that Fahle in Pliny of certain monstrous people in afric which had one foot, and that so big, that they covered and shaded with it their whole body, may be a perfect emblem of our Kingly Government, which being at first instituted for a firm basis and prop to the body politic, what by the fatal sloth and stupidity of the people, and the industrious craft, and activity of Monarchs was turned topsy-turvy, and had got so between heaven and us, that it wholly deprived us of that free light and happiness which God and nature held forth unto us; and thus in stead of a support was become a burden under the weight of which the whole groaned, nay was almost pressed to death; but thou being a member and sound, canst not but be as sensible of this as I, and for dead flesh and rotten limbs, corrosives, and cuttings are only proper, it will be weakness in me therefore to doubt of the plaudit to the Common wealth, so farewell till we meet in the book.   

Anglo-Tyrannus, Or the Idea of a Norman MONARCH &c.  
Fatal and Bloody have Crowns, and sceptres been in general to all Nations, in particular to this in England, and that not only in regard of the strife between competitors, who in pnrple gore deeply died their regal robes, and by the slaughtered carcases of their Rivals, and partakers, ascended the imperial throne, but in respect of the iterated contests between Prerogative, and Liberty, the Kings aiming at uncontrollable absoluteness, the people claming their Native freedom.  
The verity of this assertion we may see deeply imprinted in bloody Characters, throughout the whole series of English history, yea so deeply, that it may even create an envy in us of the Turkish happiness, and beget a wish after their bondage, who though they go for absolute slaves, yet cannot show such dire effects of tyranny, as we and our ancestors have felt and groaned under.  
That policy of State (impious and inhuman enough) of destroying the younger Brothers of the Ottoman line, though decried by us and all who write Christians, yet compared with our monarchs politic arts and actings, may seem to have been founded on the advice of their own, and mankind's better genius to prevent the effusion of blood, and deliver millions from the shambles; there a few males of his own Family fall a victim to their Tyrant, when whole Hecatombs can scarce appease the thirsty ambition of an English pretender; their one house suffers, here none escapes, as but to instance in one contest between Henry the sixth and Edward the fourth, wherein was fought ten bloody battles, besides all lesser scirmishes, thousands of Lords, Gentlemen, and Commons slain, and one half of the Nation destroyed, to set up a King to trample upon the other; for in that quarrel between the Houses of Lancaster and York fell 80998. persons, 2. Kings, 1. Prince, 10. Dukes, 2. Marquesses, 21. Earls, 2. Viscounts; 27. Lords, 1. Prior, 1. Judge, 1▪ 39 Knights, 441. Esquiers: this hath been the happiness and peace which a successive, and hereditary Monarchy hath afforded England.  
For our liberty, we can indeed show many of our Kings large, and good deeds, but few or none of their actions, their hands always having been too hard for their Seals, Parchments, and Charters we purchased of them with the price of Millions, both in Blood, and Treasure, but let us but pass by their promises, and view their performances, and we may set aside Turkey, and term England the slave: and this appears in our Chronicles, where though in the theory and System the English Government hath been limited, and bounded by good, and distinguishing laws, yet in the exercise and practic part of every King's reign, we shall find it deserve as bad a name as others, who are called most absolute. The poet's fable of Tantalus hath been verified in us, who though we have been set up to the chin in freedom, and have had liberty bobbing at our lips, yet never could we get a drop to squench our thirsts, or a snap to stay our stomachs, this being added to our sufferings, to want in the midst of seeming abundance, and as the vulgar have it, to starve in a cook's shop, a trick those Lords we term absolute were never ingenuous enough to torment their slaves with.  
Were there then no more but this, we might well command those Roman and Turkish Tyrants with a Cede Majoribus, to give place to ours: How much of a puny did thy wish savour dull Caligula, that all Rome had but one neck that thou mightest smite it off at a blow? How short of art doth thy rage fall unskilful Sultan with a Bowstring or Scymiter to snatch life from an offending slave? Behold, and blush you who wear the title of Master Tyrants, at the Norman exactness, which hath thought it beneath a Prince's anger to give sudden death a quick riddance, and not worth the name of slavery unless he can make his vassals feel the lingering effects of his Tyranny: it was not enough for us to be slaves unless we knew it, lest otherwise not desiring freedom, we should not have been so sensible of their power; we must with Erasmus be hung between Heaven, and Hell, that we might see our loss as well as feel it; but yet this was not enough, something must be added to make their Tyranny most exquisite, for we could not enjoy this condition unless we paid soundly for it; how many Battles have been fought for a piece of Parchment to instruct us but with our miseries? and how many millions granted to our Kings but to play the Hocus-pocusses and cheat us to our faces.  
Happy and thrice happy may England call the condition of Turk, Russe, or Moor, who depending only upon their tyrant's wills, know no Law but their Commands, a head now and then pays the shot there, when two and twenty of the chiefest Lords' heads must off at once here, besides thousands of Gentlemen and Commons butchered, for but acting according to those laws which their King and his predecessors had an hundred times sworn to grant, and maintain inviolable; as but to instance in the reign of Edw. 2. omitting the innumerable carcases of England's noblest sons, which have been so often forced to rampire in parchment liberty from the fury of other Tyrant, and as their last wills to deliver a few written Charters to their sons, who were also to fight, and pay for them as they did, and be as much the better than too as they were: For to sum up all, these our so dear liberties were of no other use than to drain our purses as well as veins, that when England's generous blood seemed increased too to tamely suffer Norman Lords to trample on her upon this pretence it might be let out; or when her Kings wanted money, they might by these lures draw subsidies to their fists, and so hang them by till the next occasion; but I humbly conceive that if our Ancestors had taken that course a natural once did, when he was chosen to judge between a Cook, and a countryman, and as their Kings fed them with a sight of Liberty, supplied them again with chinking of money, & have executed justice without respect of persons, they had in all probability diverted those plagues, which the crying sins of oppression and murder have brought down from Heaven upon this Nation. But let us descend from generals, and view but the reign of Henry the third, the very Idea of Tyranny, and exact copy after which all other Kings have writ, especially the last, and we shall not only behold the map of our Ancestors misery, and folly, but also perceive our own happiness, and God's mercy in not suffering us to be deluded and baffeled as they were.  
In the midst of the civil flames kindled between Tyranny and liberty, King John expiring, his son Henry the third, a child of nine years of age, by the power of William Martial Earl of Pembroke, and the consent of most of the Barons, ascends the Throne: and here we may observe the unadvised lenity of the English Lords, who not considering what was bred in the bone would not easily out in the flesh, so easily accepted of the son, though the Father had played the Tyrant, and Traitor to the height, giving the Crown to the Pope (he would be a slave himself rather than they should not) trampling upon the people, yea detesting the whole Nation, as his grief because corn was so cheap when he thought he had wasted all may make out: But God's time was not come, and he was pleased to set their example to guide posterity from splitting on that Rock, I mean such of them who when they have eyes will make use of them.  
But to say the truth they were Lords, whom Kings knew so well to cajole, or at worst set so together by the ears, that they could command them into their traps at list; let but one have that earldom, the other this Lordship, and their turns were served, others may shift for themselves if they can; besides it was none of their interest to stub up Tyranny by the roots, for then down had gone their branches too; for they knew that when that tree was field, the Rooks nest, must to ground with it; but we may be silent in this and give experience leave to speak for us.  
And yet let us but look a little further than the gilded, and embroidered superficies, and we shall perceive that these Lordlings estate was but even by so much more free, and happy than the Commons, by how much that King of Cypresses condition was bettered, when his Iron shackles and chains were converted into silver fetters: they enjoyed a little more gaudy servitude, and to speak to the capacity of our Countryman were as the Fore-horses in the team, which though they wear, the Feather, and have the bells about their ears, yet must draw themselves as well as those that follow; nay and if they did seem unwilling to lead, they were sure to be lashed by the royal Carters till the blood came, and have their gay trappings to boot pulled over their ears: and this the wise and generous of them knew, and often endeavoured to remedy, but were still prevented by the envy and jealousy one of another, which was created and cast in among them by their Kings, as partly will appear in the following story.  
Henry being thus Crowned at Gloucester, and many great Barons daily resorting to his party (moved both by the proud carriage of the Frenchmen, and the confession of the Viscount Melun, That Lewis had taken an Oath, and all his Lords, to destroy the English Nobility) raiseth a great Army, defeateth at Lincoln his enemies, and forceth Lewis to condescend to an accord, depart the Land, and abjure his claim to the Crown, which for two years he had worn over the greatest part of the Land: for John by his tyranny so galled the people's necks, that for ease they were forced to get a new yoke, and elect Lewis, the French King's son, to defend them against his cruelty, such effects wrought the violence of an unruly King, and the desperation of an oppressed people.  

3. year  The agreement on Henry's part was to restore to the Barons, and people all rights and heritages, with the Liberties for which the discord arose between John, and them, to pardon all that had aided Lewis, and set free all Prisoners of war, and to do this he takes his Oath, or for him the Pope's legate, and protector.  
The protector dies, 
4. Year.  a man of great wisdom and valour, and who had managed affairs to the great settlement of the State: and the King is again Crowned, and Escuage of 2. marks a knight's Fee granted him in Parliament he promising to confirm their Liberties when he came of age.  

8. Year.  Henry having gotten some of his father's old Counsellors about him, begins to play Rex, and obtains a Bull from the Pope, whereby he was adjudged of age sufficient to receive the Government into his own hands (the power of making & altering times and seasons it seems being then in the Romish prelates Power) and now sith He would be of age, in the Parliament at Westminster, the Archbish. of Canterbury and the Lords' desire him to confirm according to Covenant their promised Liberties. This was impiously oppugned by some (as Princes shall ever find mouths to express their pleasures) of his Ministers, who urged it to have been an act of Constraint; yet at last it was promised to be ratified by the King, and so by that usual shift of prolongation was put off for that time, to the greater vexation of that following; for this all his reign caused the embroilments, rendered Him odious to the people, and made him a far less King by striving to be more than he was, a just reward of violations.  
But this pause turned the blood, and showed how sensible the State was, in the least stoppage of that tender vein: For the Lords began to assemble at Leicester, but the Archbish of Canterbury (whom the King by fair words soothed into a fool's paradise) by menacing excommunication brought them in; the King also to be even with them, demands a restauration of all those things they had received from his Ancestors, and to terrify them for the future, falls upon the chief sticklers, taking divers Lordships from them, thus were they forced to sit down with loss of both Lands and Liberties, and such of them whose spirits could not brook the sight of the court abusive proceedings secretly to jog away into the country.  
The royal gamester having dealt so well for himself, yet on the sudden is put to his trumps, yea forced to shuffle, and cut too; Money is wanting to maintain his Wars in France, and this his ranting counsellors cannot help him too; they who were so high in the last Parliament, are fain now to lower their sails, the lion's hide must be patched up with the fox's skin, he must promise and do any thing for present cash: A Parliament therefore is summoned to Westminster, and of them a relief demanded, but no penny, 
IX▪ year,  without a Pater noster, no money unless their Liberties be confirmed; and now necessity which makes the Old Wife trot, persuades Henry to be so gracious to himself as to comply with them. Thus Magna Charta and Charta de Firesta were confirmed, which though purchased before, and then entered upon and possessed by the people, yet have been paid for to some purpose if we consider the sums given since, and to little or none if we sum but up the profit our Landlords let us reap by them. Thus the Petition of Right and other later acts were obtained by us, which being acts of grace were to cease when our King pleased to turn graceless, which he never did, nor intended to do until the first opportunity, wherein a small rub called impossibility might be removed out of his way.  
These laws thus obtained; down go the forests, and men repossess their habitations, which the Norman Lords had outed them of and bestowed upon Wild Beasts, yet more inoffensive than themselves, for if Cato have any credit, we must believe Kings to be de genere Bestiarum rapacium, no better nor worse than ravenous beasts, and indeed that undeniable Author Doctor Experience hath by arguments not to be disputed against confirmed that wise Romans assertion, indeed the last of Romans who abhorred to outlive the freedom, and honour of his Country.  
And now if we will believe one Writer, the very dogs rejoiced, being freed from the customary danger of losing their claws; but though the Gentleman is so sanguine now, yet he afterwards becomes as choleric, and from playing with, turns to play the very cur, barking and snarling at all those Lords which stood for these laws: O the ridiculous power of slavish flattery, working more than a brutish change in low Souls, making a man out of his own mouth judge himself less deserving of Liberty because less sensible of it than a dog that will fawn and wag his tail at him who unchains him, whilst he crouches, and licks his fingers who enslaves and fetters him. But take one observation along: That as the Norman Conqueror first appropriated all old Forests, and dispeopled places to make new ones, and still when any parcel of Liberty was regained, those Forest Tyrannies were diminished; so now when that Norman yoke is thrown off our necks, Forests and Parks are broken open with it; a certain sign that tyranny is expired now that its pulse is ceased in the main artery. Thus the Historian reports the Grove of Bayes died, which was planted by Augustus, when Nero was executed, in whom ceased that proud, and bloody Family.  
Another Parliament is called, wherein nothing was done by reason of the King's sickness, 
10. Year.  but only the legates unreasonable demands denied, the Pope being become more than quartermaster in England, by the King's good father's means; in this year also the Londoners were fined 5000 marks, and the Burgesses of Northampton 1200 pounds (for their former aiding Lewis) contrary to the Oath and Pardon passed at the agreement, as the Prelates were before, who were made to pay such large sums that the legate got 12000 marks for his share.  
A Parliament is summoned at Oxford, where the King declaring himself to be of lawful age, 
11. Year  assumes the power of Government to himself; this he had done before by the Pope's Bull, but it was requisite for his design to grow child again, and the Pope was contented to have his Bull turn Calf to help his Son, whom he knew might make him amends; and now to show what metal he was made on, he cancels and disannuls the Charters as granted in his nonage, and so of no validity. Here we may behold the wretchless impudence of these royal Creatures, he that had before in the eighth year of his reign, made himself of age for his own ends, yet now is not ashamed upon the same score to pretend nonage in the ninth year, wherein he confirmed both the Charters: Thus if the King say 8. is more than 9 the people must believe it, for it is treason no doubt to question their sovereign's words or actions, and Rebellion to chop logic with him,  
And now this cancelling having annulled all hopes of a subsidy, He hath a new shift to drain the people's purses, by making a new Seal, and forcing all which held any thing by the old to renew their Patents, fining at the pleasure of the Chief justiciary, not according to their ability; It seems the Old Seal was under age too, and for this he had a bull, but whether from the Pope, or somebody else, is the question.  
These perfidious and oppressive courses so incense the people, that the Lords appoint a rendezvous at Stamford, intending it seems to bait these bulls, & by force to keep them from goring. The King is startled at this news, hearing his Brother the Earl of Cornwall was also joined to them, and by fear brought to promise a redress, and so pacifies them at Northampton, and buys his brother to side with him, with his mother's Dower, and all the Lands in England belonging to the Earl of Britain, and late Earl of Bullogne. These are the uneven paths which necessity forces Tyrants to stagger through, scratching up here, and leaving a piece there, using the Rake with this hand, and the Fork with that; Peter must be robbed to pay Paul; these peeled and polled, to bribe the other: but these shifts will be quickly threadbare, by which, what is got in the Hundred is lost in the Shire.  
The King having bound himself, by his Procurators at Rome▪ 
13. Year.  to the payment of Tenths, it seems the Pope would not do a job of journeywork for nothing, calls a Parliament that the legate might demand them; but though the legate was impudent enough to ask the question, yet the Laity were so modest as to deny him; the Clergy being over-reachd by Segrave one of the King's counsel consented, and found a very hard bargain of it; for the ravenous legate exacted them at a set day, and those that missed it, were sure to be hit home with an Excommunication. Thus between the lion and the Wolf, the Flock went to wrack; for no doubt but the King had a feeling in the cause, or his counsel would never have been so diligent in the business; 
14. Year.  but all this would not do, he therefore exacts great sums of the Clergy (whom the Pope could rule and would, it being his turn now) and the City of London for redemption of their liberties, (an excellent way to make them free, for they seldom are so of themselves, yet have they given down largely in this Cause, to their Honour be it spoken, and may they be so moderate as not to kick over the pall in the upshot) and forces the Jews to pay the third of all their moveables to maintain his wars he then began in France, whither he goes, leaving them to pray, that he might deal more Christianly with them for the future.  
But his evil gotten goods thrived not, and the King, besides an infinite expense of treasure, having lost divers Nobles and valiant men, without any glory returns home, bringing with him the Earl of Britaigne, and many Poictovins, to suck up what could further be wrung from the poor people of England: and in order to this calls a Parliament, 
15. Year.  wherein upon pretence and promise of sending supplies into Spain against the Saracens, he obtains a fifteenth of the Laity, and Clergy; but the Popes turn it seems was come, who falls a cursing all that had any hand in withholding Tithes from those multitudes of strangers which he had preferred to benefices, and the King makes a strict inquisition after them, & forces them all to run to Rome for absolution of this horrible sin of resisting his Pastors in the main work of their ministry, few of them having more English than would serve to demand their tithes but it was enough with the Pope they had that, whose special care was to see the Flock might be fleeced, for teaching, that might have spoiled devotion to Rome, which ignorance is the furest Nurse too: a strange way to Heaven that the blindest hit best. Christ's servants are the Children of Light; Sure than his holiness must be Vicar to the Prince of darkness, whose best Subjects see least.  
A Parliament also is called at Westminster, 
16. Year.  which expecting deeds from him, before they would do any thing, and he not being poor enough, nor so shiftless as to fall to mending so soon, breaks up with a flat denial of any money: Hereupon by the advice of the Bishop of Winchester, sith the Parliament was so dry, he falls to squeeze his own sponges, and amongst the rest his darling Hubert de Burgh Earl of Kent, and his Chief justiciary feels the weight of Kingly kindness, which loves a man so long as he is useful; but if any advantage shall accrue, it is very Rebellion should affection be so saucy as to plead privilege against royal profit, and naw kenning of Kingcraft, for Kings to be more nice than wise. O the wretched estate of that man, who to curry favour with a Tyrant, cares not how he acts, nor what he does! aside he is thrown so soon as his great Master hath served his turn on him, and being down is sure to be trampled on to some purpose by the enraged people, who in the servant's misery seek a recompense for the Master's tyranny; and this hath been told us by a King and Prophet long ago, Put not your trust in Princes, men of high degree area lie. And now the Bishop of Winchester is the Court Minion, but as he tripped up the Earl of Kent's heels; so will he be laid on his back shortly, and the same noose he made for others, will catch the Woodcock himself ere long; who was returned from the Holy Wars abroad, to begin it seems wicked discord at Home: for he showing the king, that foreigners were the only journeymen to drive on his trade of Tyranny, and fittest instruments to keep the English in slavery, causes him, who for his own ends cared neither whom nor what he made use of, to displace all the chief Counsellors, and Barons of the kingdom, and to bestow all places of concernment, either Military or civil, on strangers.  
These strains of so strange and insufferable violences so exasperate the Nobility, that many combine for defence of the public, and the Earl of Pembroke in all their names tells the King how pernicious and dangerous these courses would prove, whom the Bishop of Winchester insolently answers, That it was lawful for the K. to call what strangers he would to defend his Crown, and compel his proud & rebellious Subjects to their due obedience, that is, tame slavery; The Lords nettled with this prelates peremptoriness, which the King bore him out in, depart with more indignation, vowing to spend their Lives in this cause concerning their liberties so much, hereupon the K. sends for whole Legions of Poictovins, & then summons them to appear in the Parl. called on purpose to entrap them, but they were so wise as to avoid the snare, & so resolute as to send him word, That unless he would mend his manners, by the common Counsel of the kingdom, they would expel both him and his evil councillors the Land; But all this availed them not, for upon their refusal to repair to him at Gloucester, the King without the judgement of his Court, or their Peers, causes them to be proclaimed outlaws, seizes upon all their Lands, which he divides among his Poictovins (the Panisaries that guarded and boulstered out this Grand Sultan and his vizier bassa Winchester in their tyrannies) and directs out Writs to attach their body.  
But now give me leave a little to digress, and show how our bloodhounds have run counter on the same foil, have acted the most of this scene in our days. For thus, though our King wanted not so great a stock of strangers to set up with, there being so many base spirited Englishmen, which would be instrumental in enslaving their country, a thing our noble and generous Ancestors abhorred to do; yet German horse were to have been brought over to help to improve the Trade, and lie for factourage of Tyranny in every County. Thus the Earl of Straffora tells the King he had an Army in Ireland, which might be brought over to bring England under the yoke, a Counsel which cost the Giver his Head; Thus were Swedes, Danes, French, Scots, Irish, and Dutch sent for over, and invited by the King to help him. Thus the Members were illegally proceeded against, the Lords summoned to York, and the Parliament commanded to Oxford, and all that refused handled without mittens, their Estates being conferred on those who would engage for Tyranny, and themselves proclaimed traitors and Rebels, indeed these things considered, it was no marvel God was so often called to witness, that Tyranny was not intended, and impiety used to create credulity, God mocked that men might be abused, sith no reason could be given to gain our belief, and make us give our own eyes the lie.  
The Lords though much weakened by the revolt of some of themselves (the King having won the Earl of Cornwall, and Winchester with a thousand marks bought the Earls of Chester, and Lincoln to his party) repair into Wales, at that time very sensible of their oppression and the Earl of Kent, to cry quittance with the K. and make amends for his former faults, breaks prison and joins with them: hereupon the K. in person marches against them, but he is beaten, and forced to retreat with dishonour to Gloucester, his foreigners also being again sent against them run the same chance, their general and thousands of them being slain on the place, being frustrated therefore in his design of force, the King employs a friar to cajole the Earl of Pembroke, General of the Forces raised by the Barons, but all the flatteries, promises, and threats of that crafty instrument, could not shake the constancy of that Noble Lord, who gallantly told him, That he feared no danger, nor would ever yield to the Kings will, which was guided by no reason; that he should give an evil example to relinquish the justice of his Cause, to obey that will which wrought all injustire, whereby it might appear he loved worldly possessions, more than Right and Honour. Thus the promise of restauration of his former estate, with the addition of great Lands in Herefordshire, nothing prevailed with him, in whose heroik Mind Honour and his conntryes' good were Commanders in chief.  
No way therefore now being left but that, the King tries what may be done by Treachery, and takes a truce with them: in the mean while seizing all those great possessions which were left the Earl in Ireland, by his famous Ancestor the Earl Strongbow, that thereby he might draw the Earl over thither; this design takes effect, and the Earl endeavouring to regain his livelihood lost his life circumvented by treachery. Thus noblest souls are soonest entrapped, who measuring others their own thoughts are the least suspicious; but his death wrought such effects as caused the King to disown the business, and lay the load upon his Counsellors shoulders.  

19 Year  In a Parl. at Westminst. the King being plainly told his own the Bishops threatening to proceed by ecclesiastical censure both against him, and his Counsellors, and seeing no way to subsist and get his ends but by temporising, consents to them, calls home the Lords, removes the strangers, and brings his new officers to account; now the storm falls so violently, that Winchester with his Bastard are forced for shelter to take Sanctuary, until by large Fines the King was appeased, who to get money was very ready to do any thing.  

20. Year.  Escuage is granted toward the marriage of his Sister, whom he bestowed on the Emperor with 30000 marks for a Dowry, besides an imperial Crown, and other Ornaments to a great value.  

21. Year.  The King marries Elinor, Daughter to the Earl of Provence; a match which beside the distance of the place, was infinitely disadvantageous, having no Dowry, getting a poor kindred, which must needs draw means from this kingdom.  
A Parliament also is assembled at London, (which the King would have held in the Tower, but that the Lords refused to come) in which Sheriffs were removed for corruption, and the new ones sworn to take no bribes: Now the King endeavours to change his officers, and to take the seal from the Chancellor, the Bishop of Chichester; who refuses to deliver it which he had by the Common council of the kingdom, without assent of the same, and having carried himself unblamably in his office is much favoured by the people. Also he receives some old cast officers into favour, such was his levity and irresolution, moved with any Engine to do and undo, and all out of time and order, wherein he ever loses ground; and goes about by the Pope's Authority to revoke his former Grants, which adds to the already conceived displeasure of the people.  

22. Year.  In another Parliament, or the same adjourned, the King demands relief, and upon promise to confirm the Charters, and not seek to infringe them upon any pretence, as want of the Pope's confirmation, &c. a thirtieth part of all moveables is granted yet upon condition that it should be gathered by four Knights in every shire, and laid up in abbeys or Castles, that if the King performed not his promise, it might be returned, that he should leave the counsel of Aliens and use only that of his natural Subjects. Which being done, and to make show on his part, some old Counsellors suddenly removed, and others chosen, which were sworn to give him good and faithful advice (yet I hope he had a Negative voice, and might choose whither he would harken unto them and be no King or no?) the Parliament concluded, and with it ended all his goodly Promises.  
For he presently hastens to Dover, receiving a legate without acquainting the Lords with the cause of his coming, exacts the subsidy contrary to order, is wholly swayed by the counsel of his Queen's uncle an Alien, sends for his father in Law to help away with his money, marries Simon Mountford to his sister the widow of William Earl of Pembroke, a professed nun, and of a banished Frenchman makes him Earl of Leicester: But the legate and Earl of Leicester proved better than was expected (no thanks to the King, who doubtless was no Prophet) the one endeavouring to pacify, not foment divisions, which before was held a property inseparable from his office; The other becoming a most earnest assertor of the English Liberties, as the sequel will manifest.  
The Lords incensed with these perfidious and tyrannous dealings, Remonstrate against him, and tell him of the profusion of his Treasure, gotten by Exaction from the Subject, and cast away upon strangers, who only guide him, of the infinite sums he had raised in his time, how there was no archbishopric or bishopric, except York Lincoln, and Bath, but he had made benefit by their vacancies, besides what fell by abbeys, Earldoms, Baronies, and other Escheats; and yet his Treasure which should be the strength of the State was nothing increased. Lastly, That despising his Subjects Counsels he was so obsequious to the will of the Romans, that he seemed the Pope's feudary: the King hearing this harsh note, and perceiving the Londoners and whole people ready to rise against him, 
23. Year.  first by the legate attempts to win his Brother, now the head of the Lord's party, to side with Him, but failing in this he calls a Parliament, whether the Lords come armed: Whereupon to gain time, the business is referred to the order of certain grave personages, Articles drawn, sealed, and publicly set up with the eals of the legate and divers great men, the King taking his Oath to stand to their determinations: but whilst the business was debating, he corrupts his Brother, and the Earl of Lincoln, whereby the Lords are weakened, the business is dashed, and the miseries of the Kingdom continued.  
Simon Montford is thrown out of favour, 
24. Year  and the Seal taken from him, and his brother Geoffrey a Knight Templer, put out of the Counsel, Men much maligned, as evil Counsellors, so inconstant are Tyrants in their favours: they lost their places for refusing to pass a grant of 4 pence upon every sack of wool made by the King to the Earl of Flanders the Queen's uncle, to whom the next year he gave a pension of 300 marks per annum out of the Exchequer: and here by their dejection we may observe, that Officers under bad Princes are not always so bad as men account them, and that when the Master plays the wreaks, the servant bears the burden.  
But it seems one gulf sufficed not to swallow up the substance of the Kingdom, and therefore the Pope adds extortion to the King's exaction, and sends to have 300 Romans preferred to the next vacant benefices in England, which mandate so amazed the Archbishop of Canterbury, that seeing no end of these Concussions of the State, and liberties of the Church, he gives over his Sea, and pays 800 marks to the Pope for his Fine: We need never doubt sure but that they paid well for it who were to have it, when so much was given by him that left it. He demands a tenth also of the Clergy; who flying to the King for protection against the Pope's rapine, were referred to the Legat: yea and the chief of them offered to be delivered up unto him by the King, who joined with the Pope we may see to awe and punish the Kingdom: and though they in the council then called stood out for a while against the legate, yet at length by the Treason of division, the body of the council is entered into, and the Pope prevails in this business.  
Neither was Pope, and King enough, the Queen's kindred must have a share, one of whose uncles comes into England, is feasted sumptuosly, Knighted, and the Earldom of Richmond with other gifts bestowed on him, and the archbishopric of Canterbury conferred on his Son; but the poor Jews fasted for this, who were forced to pay 20000 marks at two Terms that year.  
The King being set agogg to be doing in France, 
29. Year  by his Father in Law and others, the authors of his first Expedition, summons a Parliament, and moves the matter therein; but it was generally opposed as a design not feasible and expensive, besides the unlawfulness of breaking Truce; Money also was denied, though the King came in person most submissively craving their aid, with a letter from the Pope to boot in his hand. Nevertheless, what by gifts and loans from particular men, by begging and borrowing, he scraped so much together, that he carried over with him 30 barrels of Stirling Coin, and yet before the end of the year he got Escuage toward his charges, which he lay spending at Bourdeaux to little or no purpose.  
He sent for Grain & Bacon, & had 10000 quarters of Wheat 5000 of Oates, 
27. Year.  and as many Bacons shipped away, most of which perished by shipwreck, the very Elements seeming discontented, as well as the English Lords at his unworthy carriage in undervaluing their Counsels, and preferring strangers, upon whom he consumed his treasure in such sort, as caused his Brother and most of the English Lords to desert him and come over, the wiser they, for the Earl of Leicester and others which stayed behind, ran behind hand too as well as the King, by borrowing large sums to defray their expenses; at last He was driven to make a dishonourable Truce with the French King, and return, having not gained so much as 30 empty barrels were worth.  
The Stangers having made up their mouths of him abroad, follow him hither also, so greedy were these Harpies after prey, and so easy and ready was he to be made one to them: and now the Countess of Provence the Queen's Mother bringing another daughter with her arrives at Dover, is sumptuously entertained, and sent away richly rewarded; her daughter being immediately bestowed on the Earl of Cornwall, who it seems had as good a stomach to foreign flesh as the King his brother, that he could fall too so soon without sauce; but the Earl was well beforehand in the world, and so might the better dispense with the want of a portion.  
Next slips in Martin the Pope's collector, furnished with such ample power of cursing, suspending, excommunicating, pardoning (having whole droves of blank Bulls which might be filled up according to occasion) and all other accoutrements belonging to, and necessary for St. Peter's successors trade, which was fishing for money not men, that the former legates were but fleas if compared with this horseleech, who sucketh so sorely, that the King, what to pacify the people, and what for fear nothing would be left him, should this cormorant fish on, humbly beseeches the Pope, that Fleece, Skin, Flesh and all might not be torn away, and nothing but the Bones left him for his fees, but he might have had as much kindness of a wolf for a good word, and as soon have kept that hungry Beast from the fold by a Petition, as his holiness, who though he appear in sheep's clothing, hath the wolves conditions, and is only to be hunted or cudgeled from worrying the flock.  
No doubt this tender hearted Vicar had such a care of their souls, that regarding neither his own, nor their bodies, he endeavoured to beggar them if possible, in hopes that being poor they would receive the gospel; and in truth next unto God's goodness, the Pope's wickedness was the means of this nations receiving the truth, who by his pride and covetousness caused Henry the 8th (a King as proud as he for his heart, and in more want for his purse) to kick him out, which was the first step to Reformation of Religion.  
Yet though the King could obtain no redress of the Pope, he prevails with him to lay on more loads, getting Letters to the Lords spiritual and temporal to help him to money in the Parliament now assembled at Westminster, which notwithstanding the King's personal, and Popes literal entreaties, will grant none until he give assurance of Reformation, and the due execution of laws; they require also that 4 Peers should be chosen as conservators of the Kingdom, which should be sworn of the King's counsel, see justice observed, and the treasure issued out; That the chief justiciar and Chancellor should be of the four, or chosen by the Parliament, together with two justices of the Benches, two Barons of the Exchequer, and one justice for the Jews, that as their function was public, so might also their Election be: but as the devil would have it (Says one) the Pope's Nuncio spoils all by demanding money of them towards the Pope's Wars against the Emperor, a Son in Law to England, having married one of her Daughters; thus was not the Pope ashamed to demand money for the King, but to sing the second part to the same tune in the same Parliament, on his own behalf; an impudence so monstrous, that we might well question it, came it not from that strumpet of Rome; and setting aside doctrine, by practice we may easily perceive, who is meant in the Revelation by the Whore of Babylon; but the peremptory demand received an absolute repulse, & the Pope could get nothing, but they granted Escuage, towards marriage of his eldest daughter, to the King, twenty shillings of every knight's fee.  
The King also upon a light occasion makes a great and expensive preparation against Scotland, and the Earl of Flanders thirsting after his money comes over with a ragged Regiment to help, whose unnecessary presence was nothing acceptable to the Barons, as if the strength of England could not be sufficient without him for that action, which was as suddenly ended as undertaken, by a fair conclusion of peace.  
The King assembles another Parliament, which would grant Him no more money, 
29. Year.  though he told them his debts were so great that he could not appear out of his Chamber, for the clamour of those to whom he owed money for his Wine, Wax, and other necessaries of his House, hereupon he falls to other violent courses, and first he picks a quarrel with the Londoners, and makes them pay 15000 marks for receiving a banished man into their City, notwithstanding they produced his pardon under the great Seal, which they were told was purchased when the King was under age: Thus, because the lion would have it so, the ass's ears must be horns, well fare the Fox therefore which had the wit not to come to Court.  
Observe here the happy estate of our Ancestors under Monarchy, who, if they gained but this advantage (though attended with many inconveniences and mischiefs, incident to all Nations in their King's minority) of receiving a few good Grants, and enjoying a pittance of Freedom, once in 4 or 5 ages when their King was too young to play Rex, and there happened a wise and honest Protector; yet were sure to pay through the nose for it afterwards with double and treble interest for forbearance.  
Then employs one Passeleave in a peremptory Commission to inquire of all Lands which had been disforested, and either to fine the occupiers at pleasure, or take them from them, and sell the same to others, if they would give more for them, and in this such rigour was shown, that multitudes were undone, yet Passeleave should have been preferred to the bishopric of Chichester for his good service, had not the Bishops opposed the King therein.  
Thus have we not seen with our own eyes, whole Counties almost to be challenged for Forest, and ourselves like to have been forced to purchase our own estates from Charles, to save our habitations from becoming the places of wild Beasts?  
The Lords also making bold to open the Pope's packet to Martin, found therein such villainy, that the Nuncio was forthwith commanded out of the Land, who so basely had behaved himself, that he both needed, and yet could hardly obtain a safe Conduct to preserve him from the violence of the enraged people; and now the King being incensed also at the Pope's oppressions, or at least seeming to be so, sith his cheats were made public, the Parliament make use of the good mood he was in, and lay before him, how that Italians Revenues in England, amounted to sixty thousand marks yearly, besides the Pope's Exactions, which so moved him that he caused all to be notified, & by Commissioners sent to the general council at Lions demanding redress; which together with Martin's usage, so vexed the Pope, that he endeavoured to set the French King upon his back.  

30. Year.  In the Parliament holden at Westminster, upon the Popes rejecting the Consideration of these grievances, and despising the King's Messages (saying, that he began to Frederize) it was Enacted and Ordained, under great penalty, That no Contribution of money should be given to the Pope by any Subject of England, and the same confirmed in a Parliament at Winchester, and another at London: The King also bustles against the Pope's Exactions, in such sort that it gave hope of redress; but this heat was soon chilled by the Pope's threats, of so irresolute and wavering a nature was the King, Woman-like, giving over what he manfully undertook; but this may seem to confirm what was hinted before, that what he did was rather out of policy to delude the people (whose rage was risen so high, that he feared to meet it) than a just sense of their misery, who in all things else which stood with his humour or advantage was more than enough stubborn and stiff.  
And now the Pope having given, or rather taken the foil, continues his former rapine, yet fearing if he kicked too hard, he might be thrown out of the Saddle, he seems openly to surcease, and promises never to send any more legates into England, and underhand effects his will by other Ministers, termed Clerks, who had the same power, though a different title, the former being too eminent for his clandestine transactions, which the King furthers him in all he can, so cordial was the reconcilement, which shows it was not effected by fear.  
And to give them their due, both played their parts very dexterously (if the term may be proper for a sinister practice) The Pope ranting as high in the Counsel, as the King vapoured in the parliament, saying, It is fit that we make an end with the Emperor, that we may crush these petty Kings; for the Dragon once appeased or destroyed, these lesser Snakes will soon be trodden down. But had he thought Henry one in earnest, he would not so soon have received him into his bosom.  
Peter of Savoy, 
31. Year  before made Earl of Richmond, comes over again, (it may seem the King by his pretended forwardness against the Pope, had got some money) bringing with him young wenches out of Provence, which were married to Noblemen, who were the King's wards, as to the Earls of Lincoln, Kent, &c. and to be sure Peter lost nothing by such bargains, though the Nobility were abused in a barbarous, and tyrannical manner.  
Comes again the Countess of Provence, 
32. Year,  who lost nothing by the voyage, though she had delivered Provence and sixteen Castles as a dowry with her Daughter, married to Charles the French King's Brother, unto the French, contrary to equity, (the Queen of England being the eldest Daughter) and Covenant too, having promised it to the King, and received for five years 4000 marks annual pension in consideration of the pact; so fatally infatuated was this King, that he cared not how he lavished out upon such cheats, what he screwed and wrung from his Subjects.  
And besides Thomas of Savoy titular Earl of Flanders, who came over with her, three of the King's half-Brothers are sent for over to be provided of Estates in England, which it seems he intended to divide between his own and his Wives beggarly kindred; & truly by this King's actions a man would guess he thought he had been set up only to impoverish his Subjects, and enrich Aliens; and as he, so almost every King played their prizes, the only difference being that strangers were not always the objects of their profuseness; yet King James imitated him in every circumstance, who gave away so fast unto Scots the English Lands (and they to relieve their penury felled the woods so lustily) that for aught could be guessed, Trees would have been as thin here as in Scotland, had not the Lords, by money, hired his jester Green to give a stop to his career (they themselves not daring to give check to the magisterial Scot in his vanity) by making a Coat with Trees and Birds on them, and telling him, questioning and wondering at the humour, That if the Woods were felled so fast by his country men a little longer, Birds must perch upon Fools Coats, for no Trees would be left them to sit upon: Thus also was the Lord Cobham and Sir Walter Rawley's estates conferred on favourites; and they made traitors, that Court hangs-by might be made Lords and Gentlemen; and to say the truth, in this point, all or most of our Monarchs have so behaved themselves, as if, with the country fellow at doctor's Commons, they thought England was dead detestable, had made them her executioners, and they were come to the Crown to diminish her goods.  
But to return where we left. Henry was so lavish, and his Guests so unwilling to seem unmannerly, and refuse his kindness, that his bags were now become as empty, as his barrels were before; A Parliament therefore is summoned at London, and money demanded; but they put him in mind of his Guests, and besides sharply reprehended Him, For his breach of promise in requiring another aid, having vowed and declared, upon his last supply, never more to injure the state in that kind; for his violent taking up of provisions for diet, wax, silks, robes, but especially wine, contrary to the will of the owners, whereby Merchants will withdraw their Commodities, and all Trade and Commerce utterly ceases, to the detriment and infamy of this kingdom; That his Judges were sent in Circuit under pretence of justice to fleece the people: That Passeleave had wrung from the Borderers on Forests vast sums of money, they wonder therefore he should now demand relief from the impoverished Commons; They advise him to pull from his favourites, enriched with the Treasure of the Kingdom, to support his prodigality, sith his needless expenses amounted to above 800000 l. since he began his destructive reign. (postquam Regni caepit esse dilapidator) thus plainly durst our generous Ancestors tell a Tyrant his own to his teeth. Then they reprove Him, For keeping vacant in his hands, bishoprics, and Abbeys, contrary to the Liberties of the Church, and his Oath taken at his Coronation. Which it seems was judged more than a Ceremony in those days, though in ours, the contrary hath so falsely, and impudently been asserted. Lastly, they generally complain, for that the chief justicia, Chancellor, Treasurer, &c. were not made by the common-council of the Kingdom, according as they were in the time of his magnificent predecessors, & as as it was fit and expedient; but such advanced as followed his will, in whatsoever tended to his gain, and sought promotion not for the good of the Kingdom, but their own profit.  
Here we may obsetve that it was no new doctrine, which our Parliament in the beginning taught us, but that it was practised, as well as thought fit so to be, by our Ancestors, though the royal penmen in their Declarations boldly and publicly avowed the contrary.  
With this reprehension the King was nettled, as his speech the next Session makes out, for though he promised amendment they would not believe him, and therefore prorogued the Parliament till Midsummer, that they might see whether he would be as good as his word. (We must know Kings were not grown so impudent and daring then, as to dissolve parliaamen at their own pleasures.) But he mended like sour Ale in Summer, his heat it seems increasing with the Seasons, and in the next Session, with an Imperious and magisterial brow thus expostulates with them, Would you curb the King your Lord at your uncivil pleasure, and impose a servile condition on him? will you deny unto him what everyone of you as you list may do? it is lawful for every one of you to use what counsel, and every Master of a Family to prefer to any office in his house whom he pleases, and displace again when he list, and will you rashly deny your Lord the King to do the like? Whereas servants ought not to judge their Master, and Subjects their Prince, or hold them to their cond●tions. For the Servant is not above his Lord, nor the D●sciple above his Master; neither should he be your King, but as your Servant, who should so incline to your pleasure. Wherefore know I will yield to none of your desires.  
A brave ranting speech, yet I hope it will not be denied but they were evil Counsellors, which put this into that King's mouth, though they have been, who penned the late King's Declarations, which were so like this speech, as they could not be more, though Charles his Declarations had been spit out of Henry's mouth; in both we may perceive the humour equally proud in the Kings, and jointly mischievous in their Counsellors, the first accounting their Subjects but their slaves, the second making themselves such to curry favour with their Lordly Masters; for let what palliations or disguises soever of evil Counsellors be made to cover the shame of evil Princes, wise men know, and it hath always been found by experience, that the Tyranny of the Kings, bears the first, and the slavery of the instruments but the second part, in the causality of the mischiefs, and that these Lions rampant, will make use of none but Asses couchant, which are most willing, as well as most able, to bear the load.  
Thus Henry he heaps his favours upon Strangers most, because they were aptest to serve his turn; and thus many in our days have been preferred and enriched, not because the King loved Laud, Wentworth, Buckingham, D●gby, &c. better than others, but because these were the fittest instruments to drive on the trade of Tyranny.  
But to the story. Herry would have money, and the Parliament would have a redress of grievances, which his speech absolutely denies they should, and so they break up in discontent: but though his stomach was so high, his purse was so low as he was forced to sell his plate, and jewels of the Crown. We see here that the late King had a precedent for what he did, and a very goodly one too; but what will not Princes devoted to Tyranny sacrifice, to obtain their luings? give, pawn, sell all they can lay their clutches on to carry on their design, which being accursed, and abominable, none will be subservient to, but they will be soundly paid paid for it: and truly these slavish wretches buy their Gold too dear, selling their fame, together with their honesty for a little trash, which commonly is torn from them by the hand of justice, which makes them behold the loss of all they accounted and purchased so dear, before it puts out their eyes by a shameful death: no marvel therefore Tyrants are so beggarly, being forced to hire their journymen at such high rates.  
He sends his letters Imperiously deprecatory to aid him with money, 
33. Year  which with much grudging they do, to the sum of 20000l. having the Christmas before required new-year's gifts of the same Londoners, in hope (no doubt) but to get some of his plate and jewels again, which they had bought of him a little before: Also by calling the Nobles and wealthiest persons apart, he scrapes up something; yet when the Abbot of borough denied him a 100 marks as he required, he told him it was more Charity to give an alms to him, than to a Beggar that went from door to door; to this lowness had his profufe and tyrannical courses exposed him.  
The Jews also were fleeced by the King again, of whose sufferings we may take a guess, by what one of them protested upon the faith he owed to his law to be true, to wit, that the King had within 7. years' space taken from him thirty thousand marks in Silver, besides 200 in Gold given to the Queen.  
And the Londoners, in requital of their bounty, forced to shut up their shops, and keep St. Edward's Fair 15 days together at Westminster, in a very wet and dirty season, being also fined 1000 marks for beating some of the King's Servants who came and reviled them, as they were at their sport of running at the Quintan: Thus his very Servants were willing to be beaten, that their Master might get money by it.  

35  The Monks of Duresme refusing to prefer his half Brother to that bishopric, he goes to Winchester to make sure of that by his presence for him: where entering the chapterhouse, he gets into the chair, begins a Sermon, and takes this Text, justice and Peace have kissed each other; which he thus handles. To me, and other Kings belongs the rigor of justice; to you, who are men of quiet, and religion, peace; and this day I hear you have for your own good been favourable to my request: Justice and Peace hath kissed each other. Once I was offended with you, for withstanding me in the election of your late Bishop, but now I am friends with you for this and will both remember and reward your kindness. As by a woman came destruction into the world, so by a Woman came the remedy: I to satisfy my Wife, and prefer her Uncle, disquieted, and damnified you: So now to advance my Brother by the Mother, will reconcile myself to you, &c. Thus went he on blasphemously wresting and abusing Scripture: yet could not the Geese beware when the Fox preached, for he gains his desire, and that Chair was more propitious to him, than the Speakers was to Charles, into which, in imitation of Henry, he violently thrust himself.  
At York the marriage of his Daughter with the King of Scots, was solemnised in the height of riot, and lavish expense, to recruit which, the King is forced to find a new shift to get money; He will needs take the cross upon him, and away to the Holy Wars, and to carry out the business the more impudently, takes his Oath, laying his right hand on his breast, and after on the Book, to perform the journey; Which all knew was pretended only to get Cash: and now his good friend at need the Pope, with a great deal of gravity, ushers on the Imposture, granting him a tenth of both Clergy and Laity for three years; which had it been collected, would have amounted to six hundred thousand pound: A sum which might have afforded him a large Bribe for a dispensation.  

36. Year.  A Parliament is called to London about this tenth, which was denied by all, this put the King in such rage, that he drove all out of his Chamber, as if he had been mad: but coming to himself again, he falls to his old trick of dealing with them apart, and first sends for the Bishop of Ely, who plainly telling him He neither could nor would go contrary to the whole State, and dissuading him from the journey, by the example of the King of France, on whom they might see the punishment of God to be fallen for his rapine, made on his people's substance, &c. drove him into such a passion, that he commanded the Bishop to be thrust out of doors.  
Being thus disappointed by the Parliament, he falls to his former violent courses, and maintenance of his strangers in all their riots and oppressions, insomuch that it was the general exclamation, Our Inheritance is given to Aliens, and our houses to strangers: but we shall perceive the oppressions then on foot, if we consider but what was told the King by divers to his face.  
The Countess of Arundel being harshly denied, by the King about a Ward detained from her in regard of a small parcel of Land held in capite, which drew away all the rest, thus spoke, My Lord, why turn you away your face from justice, that we can obtain no right in your Court? you are constituted in the midst betwixt God andus; but neither govern yourself, nor us discreetly as you ought; you shamefully vex both the Church and Nobles of the Kingdom, by all means you can. To which the King floutingly answered, saying, Lady Countess; have the Lords made you a Charter, and sent you to be their Prolocutrix? She replies, No Sir, They have not made any Charter to me; but the Charter which your Father and you made, and swore so often to observe, and so often extorted from your Subjects their money for the same, you unworthily transgress, as a manifest breaker of your faith: where are the Liberties of England so often written, so often granted, so often bought? Ay, though a Woman, and with me all your natural and faithful people, appeal against you to the tribunal of that high judge above, and Heaven and Earth shall be our witness, that you have most unjustly dealt with us, and Lord God of revenge, avenge us. Behold a generous and knowing Lady, it was the sufferings of her Country, not herself (of which we find no mention) extorted this true and resolute complaint from her. Upon the ruins of Henry's fame, hath Isabella raised an eternal trophy of her virtue, which shall stand conspicuous in English History, so long as any memory of England remains.  
Thus the Master of the Hospitallers tells the King, saying, he would revoke those Charters and Liberties inconsiderately granted by him and his Predecessors, and for it alleging the Pope's practice, who many times chashiered his Grants. So long as you observe justice you may be a King, & as soon as you violate the same, you shall leave to be a King A Truth more Sacred than his Majesty could be, and not to be violated for the sake of millions of Tyrants.  
But above all for wonder, is that of the friars Minors, who returned a load of Freeze he sent them with this Message, that he ought not to give alms of what he had Rent from the poor. Indeed obedience is better than sacrifice, but had this conscience been used by all the Romish Clergy, their bellies had been leaner, though their souls might have got by it their temporalities less, though their spirituality more; and this act deserves an Euge to these, though it create an Apage, to others, & rises in judgement condemning those great Clergy men, who have been less than these Minors in Conscience and Honesty.  
At last, 
37. Year.  the King having a mind to have another bout beyond Sea, summons a Parliament at London, and now there is no doubt, but he would be so gracious as to grant them what they could desire. O what a blessed thing is want of money, and how bountiful are Kings when they are quite beggared? they will pull down Star-chambers, High-Commission courts, Monopolies, suffer Favourites to be called to account for Treasons and villainies they set them a work to do, when they can do no other, can neither will nor chose; and will grant triennial Parliaments, and pass Acts that a Parliament shall sit so long as it will, and which it might have done without their leave, when all the devices and power they can make are not able to hinder it; well though that proverb says, Necessity hath no law, yet with reverence to its antiquity, I must contrarily affirm, that had it not been for necessity England had never had good law, made nor kept, neither ever should so long as the Norman yoke was in fashion.  
This Gaffer Necessity at the first word obtains what all the Lords, prelates, Parliaments, so long demanded in vain; Henry so the Parliament will but relieve him, will ratify and confirm their Liberties, they do it, granting him a tenth of the Clergy for three years, and Escuage three marks of every knight's Fee of the Laity for one year, towards his journey into the Holy Land, indeed Gascoigne; which how holy soever Henry accounted it, he could never yet bring any relics out of it, though he had carried many a cross into it and he accordingly ratifies those often-confirmed Charters, in the most solemn and ceremonial manner that the Religion of that time, and the wisdom of the State could then devise to do  
For the Parliament having so often found by experience, that no civil promise or verbal profession, would hold in these Norman Lords, raptured by Prerogative, and devoted to perjury to maintain tyranny; take now a more ecclesiastical, and divine way of Obligation, swearing to Excommunicate all who should be found infringers of the Charters.  
And the King with all the great Nobility, all the prelates in their Vestments, with burning Candles in their hands, assemble in the great Hall at Westminster to receive that dreadful sentence; The King having received a Candle, gives it to a prelate, saying, it becomes not me being no priest to hold this, my heart shall be a greater testimony; and withal lays his hand spread upon his breast the whole time the sentence was pronounced, which was Authoritate Dei Omnipotentis, &c. which done he causes the Charter of King John his Father to be read likewise openly; in the end, having thrown away their Candles, which lay smoking on the ground, they cried out, So let them which incur this sentence be extinct, and stink in Hell; and the King with a loud voice said, As God me help I will, as I am a Man, a Christian, a Knight, a King Crowned and anointed, inviolably observe all these things.  
Never were laws (saith that witty Historian) amongst men (except those holy commandments on the Mount) established with more Majesty of Ceremony to make them reverend, and respected, than these were; they wanted but Thunder and Lightning from Heaven, which likewise if prayers could have effected, they would have had, to make the sentence ghastly and hideous to the infringers thereof.  
Yet no sooner was this Parliament dissolved by a sacred and most solemn conclusion, but the King presently studies to infringe all, and with a part of the money he then got, purchasing an absolution of the Pope, returns to his former oppressive courses, with more violence and hardness; and for aught we know our late King had the like to help him over all those styles, for Master Prynne tells us, there was an English Lieger in Rome, and our own eyes, that there were nuntios here at home, to continue a correspondence between the Pope, and his royal favourite.  
Thus what the King does, the Pope undoes for money, so cursed a thirst after Gold was in both: It is no wonder therefore some of Henry's late successors were hieing so fast to Rome, who being troubled with the same disease, stood in need of the same mountebank: and no doubt but Venus hath obtained Armour of proof of Vulcan for her wandering AEneas, so that the King of Scots is well provided against the Covenants piercing him to the heart, by the care of his Mother, and art of his holy Father.  
But to return to Henry, whom we see the greatest security that could be given, and that under the greatest penalty, an Oath could not hold; who would therefore suppose that he or any Kings of such metal should ever be believed again by any who write themselves men (Creatures in whose composition are many ounces of reason) when the only chain upon earth besides Love to tie the consciences of men, and human society together (which should it not hold, all the frame of Government must fall asunder, and men like Beasts be left to force, that whosoever is the stronger may destroy the other) hath been so often and suddenly broken by the Norman tyrants, in whom this perjury ran in a blood almost to a miracle? or who could think Master Prynne who in print takes notice of their frequent violations, would ever be drawn by corrupt interest to have his country's Liberties sent to Sea to seek their fortunes in so rotten a bottom.  
These Deeds being done, succeeds one so monstrous, that we must almost run half way to Credulity to be able to meet it; for this perjured Prince was not ashamed to send his Brother over to summon the Estates, and demand of them (the Wounds yet fresh and bleeding made by his impieties) another Subsidy, but the parliament denied him, to the great exasperation of the Tyrant: yet the Earl of Cornwall forced the Jews to pay a great sum, that he might not return empty handed to his Brother, who stayed until he had consumed all that ever he could get in this journey, which with the other two made before, cost him seven and twenty hundred thousand pounds, more than all his Lands there were They to be sold were worth, besides thirty thousand Marks, with Lands, Rents, Wards, Horses, and jewels, to an inestimable price, thrown away upon his half-brothers.  
After all this he returns, and the first that felt their good Lord was come again, were the Londoners, and the Jews, who paid soundly for his Welcome. The Londoners presenting him with an hundred pounds were returned without Thanks or Money, for he was not altogether so unmannerly as to deny to receive it, then being persuaded Plate would be better welcome, they send him a fair vessel, worth two hundred pounds; this had some Thanks, but yet would not serve the turn.  
For the Pope having bestowed the Kingdom of Sicily on the King's younger Son (which the Earl of Cornwall wisely refused, 
39 Year.  knowing the Pope was never so liberal of any thing which was his own) the King to gain this makes all the money he can get out of his Coffers, and Exchequer, or borrow of his Brother, or scrape from the Jews, or extort by the rapine of his justice's itinerants, which he gives to the Pope to maintain his Wars against Conrad King of Sicily, (you see there was a right Owner of what the Pope was so liberal) and yet all this would not do, for the Pope writes for more, who was loath to be a Niggard of another's Purse; upon this Henry sends him Letters Obligatory, signed with his Seal, with Blanks left to put in what sums he would, or could get of the Merchants of Italy, desiring him to stick upon no interest, all which was so effectually performed, that he was put in Debt no lesser sum than three hundred thousand Marks, and yet no Sicily was got.  
Upon this a parliament is summoned, and of them money required, which though they promised to grant upon condition he would swear without all cavillation to observe the Charters, and let the Chief justiciar, chancellor and Treasurer be elected by the common council of the Realm, would not be harkened to: for though he cared not a fig for his Oath, yet it seems those Officers might have restrained him from disposing of his Cash at list, and not suffer his holiness to have a Penny, whereby he might have wanted his Dispensation, or else the humour of Tyranny was so high, that all his penury was not able to check it for one moment.  
The King thus being left unprovided, the Bishop of Hereford Agent for the Prelates at Rome, like a trusty Steward finds a shift to help him, for getting certain authentic Seals from them, upon pretence of dispatching some business for them, by Licence of the Pope and King, he sets them to writings of such sums of Money taken up of Italian Merchants for their use, and so makes them pay the King's scores.  
He seizes also the Liberties of the City of London, into his hands, upon the pretence of their letting a Prisoner escape, making them fine three thousand Marks to himself, and six hundred to his Brother; he requires of the Jews▪ upon pain of hanging, a Tallage of eight thousand Marks; and thus having fleeced them, he set them to farm to his Brother; who upon Pawns lent him a huge mass of Money; then the City Liberties are seized again, but upon payment of four hundred Marks restored.  
And to add to all, one Ruscand a legate from the Pope comes and demands the Tenth of England, Scotland, and Ireland, to the use of the King, and Pope, preaching the cross against the King of Sicily but the Clergy protesing rather to lose their Lives and Livings than yield thus to the will of the Pope, and King, who they said, were as the Shepherd and the Wolf combined to macerate the Flock; were ordered to some tune, for the legate suspended & excommunicated them, and the King if they submitted not in forty days spoiled them of all their Goods as forfeited.  

40. Year  All men by Proclamation that could dispend fifteen pound per annum were commanded to come in, and receive the Order of Knighthood, or else pay their Fines, as was before done in the 37. year: and every sheriff was fined 5 marks for not distreyning on all whom the Proclamation reached; this trick was shown in our days, lest any oppression should scape unexercised.  

41. Year  A Parliament was held, wherein the prelates and Clergy offered him upon condition the Charters might be observed, 52000 marks, but it satisfied him not, for he demanded the Tenths for 3. years, without deduction of expenses, and the first fruits for the same time.  

42. Year  Another was called to London, wherein upon the Kings pressing Them for relief to pay his depts, He is plainly told, They will not yield to pay him any thing, and if unadvisedly he without their consents and counsels bought the Kingdom of Sicill, and had been deceived, he should impute it to his own imbecility, and have been instructed by the provident example of his Brothe●, who absolutely refused it, in regard it lay so far off, so many Nations between, the cavils of the Popes, the infidelity of the People, and the power of the pretenders. They also repeat the Kingdoms grievances, The breach of his promises, and most solemn oaths: the insolence of his Brethren, and other strangers, against whom by his Order, no Writ was to pass out of the Chancery; how they abounded all in riches, and himself was so poor that he could not repress the Welsh, who wasted his country, but going against them was forced to return with dishonour. The King seeing his friend Necessity was at his Elbow, humbles himself, tells them, how he had often by evil counsel been seduced, and promises by his Oath, which he takes on the tomb of Saint Edw. to reform all these Errors: but the Lords not knowing how to hold this ever-changing Proteus, for security adjourn the Parliament to meet at Oxford, in which time they provided for their own, and the kingdom's safety.  
The King in the mean while is put to his shifts, and upon promise of high preferment, gets the Abbot of Westminster to put his and his Covents Seal to a Deed obligatory, as a surety for threehundred marks; sending by Passeleave this Deed, with his Letters, unto other Monasteries, to invite them to do the like; but notwithstanding his threats, telling them how all they had came from the benignity of Kings, ●nd how their sovereign was Lord of all they had. They refused to yield to any such deed, saying, They acknowledged the King to be Lord of all they had, but so as to defend, not to destroy the same.  
And now the Parliament meets at Oxford, and in this it is Enacted that the Poictovins and strangers should avoid the Land, with many other profitable Laws for that time. The Charters are confirmed, and the King and Prince sworn to restore the ancient laws and Institutions of the Realm, and to observe inviolable the Ordinances of that Parliament. Now the chief justiciar, Chancellor, and all other great and public Officers, are elected by the common and public counsel, which power was, as we may see before, usurped by the Norman Tyrants, and worn as an especial flower of their Crowns, and fruit of our slavery: for it is manifest to any, unless such as will wink, that our English Kings were but as Generals in War, without any other great jurisdiction; our wise Ancestors knowing such a trust enough for one, and therefore kept the Election of other Great Officers in their own power, until it was wrested out of their hands by the Norman Tyrants, and that not so much by the Sword, as by craft; thus though William surnamed the Bastard had defeated Harrolld in the field; yet upon his Coronation he swore to maintain the ancient Laws, Liberties, and customs of the English Nation, and again renewed his Oath, and granted the same too by Charter, but when he was throughly settled in his seat he perfidiously broke all, imposed the Norman laws, and those in the Norman tongue, as a badge of our slavery, and a means to entrap the English, who not understanding them▪ knew not how to avoid the incurring the penalties; whereby his Normans mouths up were made with their Estates, & thus his Successors were forced to swear and forswear to maintain themselves in their Kingships.  
The Poictovins and strangers being banished, presently follows the death and sickness of divers Noblemen, who had been poisoned by their practice: and a Steward of the Earl of Gloucester's was executed for it, he having received a great sum of William de Valence the head of the Poictovins to work the feat. And though the King's Favourites cried out that he was condemned only upon presumption, yet the evidence will appear very strong, if we consider, that his Lord, and his Lord's brother were poisoned, the latter dying, the former lying sick a long while, having his body swelled, his nails and hair fallen off, and this Steward convinced to have received a great sum of the Poictovin their Enemy, for whom he could make out no service to be ever done, unless what was laid to his charge; besides, a Jew being conversed a little after, confessed the poison was prepared in his house.  
The Earl of Cornwall (now King of the Romans) returns into England, 
43. Year  and upon his arrival takes an Oath to observe inviolably, and obey the Statutes and Ordinances made by the late Parliament at Oxford.  
A Parliament was summoned at Westminster, 
44. Year  wherein were read and confirmed all the Statutes of Oxford, and such pronounced acursed by the prelates, which should attempt in word or deed to infringe any of the same: Whereupon Escuage is granted to the King, forty shillings of every knight's Fee; a very considerable sum in those days, for there were above forty thousand Knights Fees in England at that time.  
But the King having an intent to break more Oaths, and knowing that now it would not so easily be done, makes a Voyage over Sea to conclude a peace with France, that he might not be interrupted in the game he meant to play at home, having dispatched Messengers secretly to Rome, for absolution of his Oath, and to Scotland for aids to be ready upon occasion  
When he had concluded with the King of France, 
45. Year  having made an absolute resignation of the duchy of Normandy, the Earldoms of Anjou, Poictou, Tourenne and Main, upon the receipt of 300000 Crowns, and a Grant to enjoy what he had in Guien, Xantongue, &c. doing homage and fealty to the Crown of France, He returns, and comes to London, where he presently fortifies the Tower, caused the Gates of the City to be Warded, and then to pick a quarrel commands the Lords to come to a Parliament to be holden in the Tower, which they refusing, as he knew they would, he takes an Oath of all above 12 years of age in London, to be true to Him and His Heirs, and sets armed men to defend the City Gates, For fear sure the Parliament should have come in, and so spoiled the design, For neither Henry or any of our former Kings were ever so daring as to contest with a Parliament in the field or set up their standards against it, but were always forced to grant its demands, or quietly sit down without having their own turn served, when the Parliament was willing to dissolve.  
And now Henry being provided for the work, 
46. Year  causes the Pope's Bull, purchased for absolving himself, and all others sworn to maintain the Statutes of Oxford, to be read publicly at Pauls-cross, and makes Proclamation that all should be proceeded against as Enemies to his Crown and Royal dignity, who should disobey the absolution; and such was the blindness and slavery of many in those times, that one Bull begot thousands of Calves in an instant: and yet it seems veal was never the cheaper, for his Son the Prince was forced to rob the Treasury at the New Temple to buy him Provision, every one refusing to lend him or the King a groat, so great credit had their perfidy got them.  

47. Year  Many being clapped up in prison who would not be perjured, the Lords, and others whose consciences were more tender both of their Oath and Liberties than to believe the Pope, or trust the King, assemble together in arms for defence of themselves and their liberties, and first they send to the King humbly beseeching him to remember his many oaths, and promises, but when that would not avail them, they advance towards London, where the King lay in the Tower waiting the gathering of his forces, and the coming over of strangers which he expected; and now the Bishops (who as they were seldom in any good, so would be sure to be chief in every bad action) make such a stir to prevent bloodshed forsooth (of which their tenderness hath always been well enough known) that the controversy must be referred to the French King to decide; much honour got England, and much liberty was like to get by such an arbitrator, while she is forced to creep to foreigners, to know whether they will please to let her enjoy liberty or no, after 47 years' oppression under Henry, besides what his good Father and grandsires had loaded her with.  
But the Lords being persuaded that their Liberties and Rights depended not upon the will of any one Man refused to stand to the partial award of the French in the English tyrant's behalf. Thus concluded this business (as all others commonly did, which Bishops had a foot in●● with a mischief to the commonwealth, the King gaining by it not only time for raising, but a seeming justice for his using of Forces to compel the Lords to stand to the sentence, by which their liberties were adjudged from them.  
No doubt those wise and generous Barons not only disliked, but disdained such an umpire, as being sensible of the advantages Henry, of the dishonour their country, and of the discommodity their cause would reap by him; but that those Fathers in evil under the angelical shape of peacemakers, necessitated them to accept of him, to avoid the obloquy of being Incendiaries, the involvers of their Country in a miserable civil war.  
Let the English High Priests then, to their eternal infamy, carry a frontlet engraven with mischief to England on their foreheads, who were the fatal instruments of enforcing their Country to submit her liberty to a foreign tyrant's decision, whose corrupt interest lay in adding fuel to the flames, which consumed the Noblest fabrics, the uprightest and firmest pillars in the English Nation.  
Yet that Henry might make a little better market for himself, 
49 Year  he Summons a Parliament at Westminster, where whilst openly nothing but redressing grievances, composing differences, exclaiming against jealousies raised to scandalize the King, good man, as if he intended to levy War against his people, by factious spirits, proceeds from Henry, he underhand prepares for War, endeavouring to divide the Barons, and strengthen himself by all the plots and clandestine tricks he could; at last having by sprinkling Court holy-water, and promising fifty pound Lands per annum to such as would desert the Lord's party, drawn divers to revolt unto him, he secretly withdraws from Westminster to Windsor, and from thence to Oxford, & so on, traversing the Country, to patch up, and piece together an Army: And here we may see it was no new thing which was acted by his late successor, who in all his actions made it appear that he was a right chip of the old block.  
Now pretences of the Barons insolences against the King, and oppressions of the Subjects, Declarations of his being forced to take up arms for defence of the just laws and Liberties of the people, and his own safety, with protestations of his good intentions, and divers other such knacks are everywhere on the wing, as we have had flying up and down at the tayss of the royal paper Kites of our times.  
The Lords being thus left in the lurch, are not wanting in preparing for defence, being unanimously backed by the citizens of London, who have hitherto had the honour of bravely standing for Liberty; yet first they send to the King, putting him in mind of his oaths and promises, and desiring him to observe the great Charter and Oxford Statutes, but the Drums and Trumpets make such music in his ears, that Henry will hear no talk of any Law, but what his will and Sword shall give; and for their good counsel, returns them as tokens of his love the title of Rebels, and traitors, which he as frankly bestows on their persons, as he doth their Lands on his followers.  
By these course compliments the Lord's perceiving which way the game was like to go, leave off putting their confidence in the King, and trust their cause to God and their good Swords; then choosing the Earls of Leicester and Gloucester for their generals (whose hands no manacle of alliance could lock from defending their country's Liberties, though the first had married the Sister, the second the niece of the King) they take the field, may Towns are taken by each party, and many skirmishes pass, wherein sometimes the one party, sometimes the other get the better; at length divers Scotch Lords, and others with great forces being joined to the King, he marches against Northampton, where he heard Peter Montford was assembling forces for the Barons: the Town was very resolutely defended, until by the Treachery of some Monks within say some, by the subtlety of the King's Forces say others, (who advancing close under the Wall, undermined it, whilst the Captains within parlying with the King on the other side) a breach was made so large that forty Horse might enter a breast, by which Henry gained it by assault.  
This Town being taken ran the same fortune Leicester lately did, for Henry drunk with success, and rage, like a violent Torrent swept all before him, killing, burning, and spoiling where ever his Army came; but here, so unmanly was the cruelty of the Tyrant, that he would have hanged all the Oxford scholars (a band of which were in the Town) for their valour showed in the brave resistance of his forces, had not some of his counsellors persuaded him from so doing, for fear (the only curb to an ignoble soul) of exasperating their friends against him by his cruelty, many of the scholars being young Gentlemen of good quality.  
Here by the way we may observe the miserable effects of bad governors in the universities, by whom such degenerateness was wrought in our youth, that none in our times were found more desperate engagers against the cause of Liberty, than young scholars, who heretofore were the most resolute Champions for it: Let us therefore make no sinister constructions, when we see our governors diligent in purging the fountains, if we desire to have the streams run clear.  
But Northampton put a period to Henry's fortune, for although he caused the Barous to raise their siege from Rochester, yet in the height of his jollity he was defeated at Lews, such was the wages of Pride and Rage: And thus the sun setting at Leicester, went down at Naseby upon Charles, whose success kept time with his presumption and cruelty.  
And now Henry is pitched down at jews, where the Barons petitioning for their liberties, and desiring Peace, are answered by his proclaiming them rebels and Traitors▪ and sending his own, his Brothers and Sons Letters of defiance unto them: But this was too hot to hold, for the Lord's perceiving what they must trust to, notwithstanding the great numbers of the Enemy, the Banished Poictovins being returned with great forces for his aid, bravely resolve to give him battle, and as gallantly perform their resolutions, for fighting like men for their Liberties, they gain the day, and take Him, his Brother and his son, with many English and Scotch Lords prisoners.  
This victory was received with such universal joy, that when news came of the Queens having a great Army of strangers ready to set sale for England, such multitudes appeared on Barham Down to resist them, that it could hardly have been thought that so many men were in the Land: and at this appearance of the English the foreigners vanish and are dispersed, being terrified to hear the English were so unanimous in the defence of their Country and its freedom; Oh were we but thus united now within ourselves we need never fear the combination of foreigners.  
But these noble souls being more valiant than wary, more pitiful than just, upon a few feigned shows of amendment, and fawning promises of not entrenching upon their liberties, receive the Snake into their bosoms, which will reward their kindness with their ruin as soon as he is able.  
For in the Parliament assembled at London, the cry of blood and oppression being stopped and smothered up, 
49. Year.  Henry again is seated on the Throne, upon that poor and threadbare satisfaction of himself and his son, taking their Oaths to confirm the Charters and Statutes before at Oxford, and those now newly made: sure Mercury was ascendent at Henry's nativity, so potent were his stars in deluding those who had been so oft mocked, and beguiled before; when in reason we might suppose his former frequent violations and reiterated perjuries should have taught them what trust was to be given to a King's oath, in whose eye tyranny was so beautiful, that he never dallied to make market both of soul and body, so he might but purchase his desired Paramour.  
These oaths being past in order to the performance after the royal mode, the Earl of Gloucester is tampred with to leave the Barons; and by the artifice of those masters in the art of Division, who in all times knew how to work upon the covetous, ambitious and envious humours of great men, drawn to desert the cause of liberty: and of this we ourselves have had a sad and fatal experience, how many great ones were cajold by Charles at Newcastle, Hol●bie and the isle of Wight, even to the great danger of our Cause; nay the very House was not free, as those Tuesday nights votes may, and the Fridays had informed us with a witness had not Providence wrought miraculously for us, for it can be made out by good witness that there was a resolution to have dissolved the Parliament, and proclaimed the Army Traitors, had they all met.  
But Gold was too drossy to make Glocesters' towering soul stoop, and his free spirit could not be shackled with silver fetters, some other Lure must be used to bring him down: and now Leicester was mounted to so high a pitch in the people's favour, that Gloucester's weaker wings could not reach him, which whilst with an aspiring eye he gazes after, his sight was so dazzled with the others motion us gave check to his pursuit of the game. The crafty Prince marking his advantage, so works upon the weakness of this young Lord, that by it he effects what he could not do by his own force; thus Diamonds are cut by their own dust, and the Champion of England's liberty must be the man can ruin it: accursed be that sorceress envy, so fatal then to England's freedom, so mischievous lately to the same, whose menacing power had it not been stopped by the new model, had totally routed the Parliaments whole force, so many Divisions of them being charged through, and through, and needs must that Army become a Chaos, wherein Commanders consist of jarring Principles.  
Gloucester now being come to his fist, away flies Edward to the Lord Mortimer, notwithstanding his assurance given not to depart the Court: that fable of the wise men of Gotams hedging in the cuckoo, hits many of our ancestors home, who with oaths and promises went about to keep in their Kings, when one of the Norman brood could fly over such a fence with the very shell upon his head: and as the first part of that story may be applied to us, so the second is not altogether insignificant for our Kings, whom we shall always find (together with such as sing after them) in one tune, crying out disloyal, dissoyall, as if they could say as well as do nothing else: yet a Christian may conceive such a found should make them tremble, by bringing the sins of their fathers and their own iniquities into their remembrance, did they but believe there were a God, who will measure the same measure out unto them which they have meted to others, and will visit the sins of the fathers upon the children.  
Gloucester and Edward having done the Prologue, the Tragedy begins, wherein the Scenes were so well laid, that every actor was ready to enter, and each had his part so well by heart, that it is plain they had been long cunning their lessons; for no sooner were these two gone, but the Earls, Warren, Pembroke, with a whole shoal of Poictovins, and other strangers, come to land in Wales, which with the scattered relics of the battle at jews, gathered from all parts, embody in great numbers before the Lords who stood faithful were aware of them, yet they prepare for them as fast as they can: but their fortune was now in the wane, their pity and credulity had brought them into the snare, and their lives must go for suffering him to escape whom God had delivered into their hands: for to condemn the innocent and absolve the guilty, are equally abominable in the sight of heaven: and our ancestors to their cost have made experience of the truth of the Proverb, Save a thief from the Gallows, and he shall be the first will cut your throat.  
First the Armies meet at Killingworth, where the Lord Simon Montford son to the Earl of Leicester is defeated; this bad news meeting Leicester in Wales hastens him to repair the breach made in their fortunes, and he meets the enemy near Evesham, where in a bloody field fighting most valiantly, he loses life and victory both, and with him many more of the most noble English fall a victim to perjured Tyranny, whose rational and undaunted souls disdaininga Brutish slavery, freely offered up their bodies on the High places of the field, a rich oblation for England's freedom, which together expired, and lay butchered by them.  
The loss of this battle was imputed to the cowardice of the Welsh, who in great numbers ran away in the beginning of the fight, not to the injustice of the cause, of which the people had a sacred opinion: but the truth is, there was an accursed thing, an Achan in Leicesters' host, old Henry attended with whole troops of perjuries, matters, and oppressions, against whom incensed heaven was injustice engaged.  
And now that the world might take notice Tyranny was again in the saddle, cruelty in the height of revenge pranceth through the field; for the dead body of noble Leicester was most barbarously abused and cut in pieces, the head with the privy members fastened on either side the nose being sent as a Trophy to the Lord Roger Mortimer's wife, a present indeed as fitting for a Lady to receive, as it was becoming a Prince, who was Leicesters' nephew to send, but the people made a Saint of him whom his enemies by making relics of, rendered themselves little better than Devils, and the dismembered body gave a fragrant sent, whilst the dismemberers rotted and stank alive, thus after death Leicester leads a triumph over Tyranny, which may instruct us how far a free and generous soul is above its reach.  
And here notwithstanding the calumnies and reproaches wherewith the royal party backed with success, and parasitical Chronologers then and since have loaded Leicester; yet we may take a guess of the worth of that noble Lord by the love of the people, and malice of the Tyrant: the former cannonizing him for a Saint, do what the latter could for his heart: and sure the common people had more than ordinary cause, which could make them practice after an unusual manner, which was to judge contrary to event: had his pride and his son's insolency been such as some would make them (who endeavour with their shame to make a cloak for their adversary's knavery) Henry need never to have been so timorous as he was, who not only confessed he feared the father more than any storm, but could never be quiet until he ezpelled both mother and sons the Land, though she was his sister, a Lady of eminent note, both daughter and sister to a King, and they upon delivering up their strengths were seemingly received into favour: thus dreadful and hateful to a tyrant are free and generous spirits, which must expect such usage, when they are within the verge of his power, and such effects of an act of oblivion must our noble Patriots have felt from Charles, had not providence in men been pleased to have put bounds to the parallel, by erecting us a pillar with a ne plus ultra upon it.  
Let each following line then teach here thankfulness to Heaven, wherein we shall read, from what a labyrinth and maze of misery divine mercy hath freed our unworthy selves; in which our forefathers were miserably imprisoned and devoured: and let us prize the clue which hath led us out among our choicest jewels; that giving glory to the hand, and honour to the instrument, we may in some measure walk worthy of the mercies we have received.  
Henry now again where he would be, breathes nothing but blood, and revenge against all who had stood for liberty, following, and pursuing them with such unheard of fury, that had not some potent favourites interposed, he had burnt the whole City of London: Thus the Metropolis of England had been laid in ashes, which so generously and often hath ventured for Liberty, had not God had a work to do, wherein London was to be gloriously instrumental, and so delivered it out of the paw of the lion.  
A Parliament now is summoned to Winchester (which considering the season, was likely to do the people much good) and in this all who took part with the Lords are disherited, all the Statutes of Oxford are repealed, the wealthiest Citizens of London cast into prison, the City deprived of it's Liberties, and all the posts and chains taken away; These things being put in execution (for such Acts must be kept) another Parliament meets at Westminster, wherein the Acts of Winchester are confirmed; Thus topsy-turvy is the world changed, that Assembly, the only refuge and Assilum for the people to fly to, & so lately the assertor of their Freedoms is become the Mint, wherein the Tyrant stamps for current what he lists, and makes the basest metal pass for Gold, backing his lust with pretence of Law: O now I warrant you Henry's conscience is tender in keeping Acts of Parliament, and it is no less than a piaculum to go about to infringe them.  
Henry in this latter coming to Westminster, 
50. Year.  to show his goodness and bounty, freely bestows on his hangs-by sixty Citizens houses, together with their furniture, and all the lands, goods and chattels belonging to their owners; Yet at length he was pleased to pardon the City upon the payment of twenty thousand marks, and giving Hostages of the best men's sons, to be kept in the Tower at their Parents charges.  
Business thus dispatched at London, away hies Henry to Northampton, where the Pope's legate holding a Synod, curses all those who stood for Liberty: and Henry had been undutiful had he not helped his Holy-Father, who all along had been so kind to him, he good man was agreed with before, it was all the reason then in the World that the Pope should make his market; thus the poor slaves were to purchase their fetters double, so costly was slavery unto England; justly then may such be termed niggards and base, who will grumble now though with a round sum to purchase their Liberty. And now it seems Henry made not his journey for nothing, for the grateful Pope by his legate this Synod, grants the tenths of the Church for a year unto him, so bountiful in rewarding one another were these Foxes, with what they lurched from the Geese.  

51. Year.  Henry passing his time in such pranks as these, at last Gloucester finding his turning not to serve his tongue as he expected, takes his time, changes his footing, and assembling an Army seizes on London: this puts the King and legate so to their trumps, as brought both unto their last stake, making the one pawn the shrines, jewels, and relics, the other spend the curses and excommunications of the Church most liberally; but the legate might have been sent packing with his son at his back in Pontificalibus, had not Henry's Golden Gods wrought the miracle, which having thousands of Angels at command, quickly brought in great Armies of foreigners, by whose aid Gloucester was forced to submit, he and all his partakers fining for their offence to Henry, who, no doubt, made them pay for putting him into such a fear, as well as unto such a charge, (which could be no small sum, were he like some of his late successors in defraying only the charges laid out for guilded clouts) besides what must be given to set the little Dagons' in their places again, and appease their and their priest's fury: Thus Gloucester received the reward of his base deserting Leicester, being forced by his kind Master to find sureties for his good behaviour.  
And now this Earl being brought under the yoke, Henry turns against those Barons who stood out, and were possessed of the Isle of Elie. These he first attempts by the legate (his forlorn Hope and reserve too it seems) who is beaten back with this repulse, That unless the Statutes of Oxford might be observed, and Hostages delivered, that they might peaceably enjoy the Island, until they should perceive how the King would perform his promises, they were resolved to stand it out, and with the venture of their bodies seek to preserve their Souls, upon which lay most sacred and solemn ties. So great an encouragement was the opinion of their cause, that it made them stand upright and undaunted after all these storms; and so great a distrust had Henry's perfidy created, that his subjects durst not let him come within their sword's point, without Hostage given to keep him to his word; and indeed this tyrant's gain by their violations, that none dare believe them but will rather fight it out to the last, as expecting revengeful and treacherous usage from them.  
This Answer to the legate so nettled Henry, that he could not choose but wince; and well it might, for his galled conscience could not endure the mention of keeping an Oath, which was a tacit exprobration of him, no more than his tyrannical humour could of the Oxford Articles, which carried in them a sound of Liberty, a thing he supposed he had by the sword ripped out of English breasts.  
And no doubt but it must be thought great incivility in these Barons to dare to believe their eyes before royal perjuries, and great sauciness in them, to make, or pretend to make more conscience of oaths than their King; for what was this other than to endeavour to appear more religious, more honest, more true, and more just than their sacred sovereign? Away with such precise, and puritannical fellows; there can never be a good world so long as such are suffered to go unpunished; into the High Commission Court with these Sectaries, that the legate may hamper them; bring these seditious fellows before the King, and the honourable privy council, that they may receive the reward of their presumptuous questioning the legality of obeying King and Cardinal, right or wrong; nay, what is more, they are not contented to be slaves as others are, let them be tried for traitors and rebels, for they have taken up Arms against the King, and talk of defending their Liberties by the Sword; Thus rang the peal among the flattering Courtiers, and the like verdict hath been past upon us by the royal jury men, who in all things have followed these their foremen. Here we may perceive then through the veil of pretended Protestantism, and Conscience, the rrue rise of the Royalists assertions, for the parasitical Papist hath done the like, to whom the reformed Religion was unknown or abhorred, flattery being the motive, not Conscience, the desire to cologue with a Tyrant, not the fear of displeasing God.  
And upon these worthy considerations Henry and his faction decree ruin to these Barons, and the fate of Liberty was unable to resist their vows; for Prine Edward with a great Army quickly forces them out of their strengths in that Isle whose courage was greater than their force, and their resolutions more numerous than their party; thus were the last glimmerings of Freedom extinguished, and the whole Land envolved in darkness, the English being left to grope in a blind obedience after the will of their tyrannical Master. 
52. Year   
Henry by treachery having thus triumphed over liberty, He convenes a Parliament at Marlborough, where in a flourish he confirms the great Charter, either on purpose to make their teeth water, or to quiet the grumblings on foot against his Tyranny, by this act of grace, which was likely to be kept now the Bugbears of prerogative, those resolute Lords and Gentlemen were destroyed.  
Now twentieths, & fifteenths, or what ever he would demand are readily granted, and glad he would be so contented, and all things go as well as Henry can wish, who promises to be a good Lord to them, so long as they shall continue humble vassals, contented slaves unto him; no mumbling or talking must be of Oxford Acts, which it was high treason but to think on, so wise the world was now grown over those former mad Parliaments.  
And thus after he had at least twenty times confirmed, and as often violated those just decrees, notwithstanding all the solemnities, both civil, moral, and ecclesiastical, used in the acts of ratification, and after all the hard strivings, and wrestlings between tyranny, and liberty, with such bad success to the people, whose foolish credulity and sinful pity undid them, in the seven and fiftieth year of his reign Henry and Magna Charta slept together, his son Edward succeeding him in his Tyranny, to which he was heir, as to the crown; for he made an higher improvement of his royalty, and got the domination of this State in so high and eminent manner, that (as one saith) he seemed to be the first Conquerout after the conqueror, his little finger was heaviour than his father's loins, laying insupportable taxes on both Clergy and Laity even unto the half of their Estates, the Barons and persons not daring to quitch, or move for removal of grievances, until at last needing a vast sum to maintain his Wars, he Summoned a Parliament, wherein he was pleased to confirm the Charters to stop their mouths and open their purses, and this he often did when his occasions urged him to it, which like all other royal promisers he performed by leisure; Never was Royalty more majestic, and glorious than in this King's reign, and the people less able to oppose; but I shall conclude his Character with what DANIEL saith of him, he was more for the greatness of the Kingdom than the quiet of it; for having been nursed up▪ in slaughter, he as it were thirsted after blood, so that never any King before or since (except our last Charles) shed, and caused so much to be spilled in the age following within this Isle of Britain.  
But all that we shall observe from his reign is this, that as it was said of the Emperor Frederick He was a good Emperor, but a bad Man, so the most warlike, politic, and temperate Princes have been the greatest Tyrants and oppressors of the people, the vicious and debauched by their lewd lives and unmartial natures, giving the people more advantage and better opportunity to regain and revive the claim of their liberties, which the other by oraft, force, and a kind of respect created by their morality kept them from: needs than must that trust of power be dangerous to the Nation which lighting upon the most able person proves most destructive to the people's just and native freedom.  
Thus having briefly represented the most signal and material passages throughout this tedious and long reign of Henry the third, in this short Discourse, where as in a perspective the Reader may not only descry actions far distant in time, and near hand, as done in our days, but also take an exact view of the whole management of affairs under the Norman monarchy, together with the real ground and rise of all those former, and these latter contestations between the Kings and people of this Nation, upon the score of Prerogative, and liberty. I shall forbear to swell into a volume by raising unnecessary observations, which I shall leave (as I have done the parallel, where it was plain to every eye) to be spun out by each Readers fancy, being assured that the most shuttleheaded adorer of our Monarchy must blush in affirming that a fine piece, which it appears hath been wrought of such course threads and will only in short set before you those tyrannical, abusive, and delusive practices by which our ancestors have been bobbed, of their freedom; and the Norman Tyranny founded and continued over them.  
William the Norman surnamed the Bastard, taking the opportunity of the Divisions among the English, invades the Land, and overthrows heralds, weakened much in a fight with the invading Norwegians, where though he got the victory, he lost the bodies of many, and the hearts of most of his soldiers by his partial dividing of the Spoil.  
Harrolld slain, and William victorious he is received, and crowned King by consent of the English, upon taking his oath to maintain the ancient laws and liberties of the Nation. And now being as the thought settled in the Throne, he begins to play Rex, in English the Tyrant, spoiling the English of their estates, which they were forced to purchase again of him, who nevertheless retained a propriety in them, and would have all held of himself as Landlord: thus came in the slavish Tenures, and the English, amongst whom were no bondmen before, both Nobility and Commons, were made subject to the intolerable servitude of the Norman.  
The English thus exasperated take up arms to regain their liberty, and that so unanimously; under the conduct of Edgar Etheling, then termed England's Darling, and Edwin and Morchar Earls of Mercia and Northumberland, that the tyrant not daring to fight them, assays to pacify them by large promises of addressing their grievances, and restoring their liberties, and by the help of some Clergy men he so prevails, that meeting at Berkhamsted an accord is made, William taking his personal oath upon the relics of the Church of Saint Alhans, and the holy Evangelists, from thenceforth to observe inviolably the ancient laws, especially those of Saint Edward, whom the Norman wickedness had sainted among the people, so transcendent was tyranny already grown.  
The English deceived by these specious shows lay down their arms, and repair to their homes, and now William having obtained his end, takes his advantage, and sets upon them dispersed, and never dreaming of any assault, imprisoning, killing, banishing all he could lay hands on, and forcing the rest to fly into Scotland, overthrowing their ancient laws, and introducing others in a strange language, appropriating the old Forests, and making new ones, by depopulating the country, and pulling down Churches, abbeys, and Houses for thirty miles together, and yet prohibiting the people the liberty of hunting upon great penalties, the ancicient privilege and delight of the English: thus by treachery and perjury cheating the English of their liberties, whom by force he could not bring under his yoke, he laid the foundation upon which his successors have erected the stately trophies of Tyranny amongst us.  
But the English being of a generous and free nature were so impatient of the yoke, that upon all opportunities they did endeavour to break it; whereupon our Kings were forced still to make use of other props to uphold their tottering edifice, which perjury alone was too rotten to sustain, and by the Pope, Prelates, and Lords, working upon the credulous, superstitious, and unstable vulgar, did even to admiration shore up their Babel to the confusion of liberty.  
1. The Pope was the chief Hobgob in in those dark times, that scared the people out of their wits; for through the superstitious ignorance of men, he had usurped the power of God; this juggler with the counterfeit thunder of his Excommunications, and curses, which his Bulls upon all occasions bellowed forth against the assertors of Liberty, and with the pretended omnipotency of his dispensations with the oaths of the Tyrant, so amazed the people, that he not only domineered himself, but, like the Lord Paramount, for great Fines let the Land out, to be harrowed, and the inhabitants to be handled like villains and slaves to his royal and well beloved sons (indeed he was a dear father to most of them) our immediate Landlords.  
2. The proud Prelates, the Imps of that great Diabolo of Rome, were many of them strangers, and all of them the Creatures of the Popes, and Kings (who would choose none, but such as were fit for their designs, by their good wills, and with their ill wills could out any that should thwart them) and so either regarded not our sufferings, or were bound to augment them to please their Patrons, as well as to pamper themselves, who being Diocesan Monarchs were no foes to Arbitrary power that themselves might tyrannize ad libitum over their Sees.  
And no doubt but Kings were so crafty as to persuade them No King, no Bishop, heretofore, to heighten their zeal to the royal cause, as prelates of late have stiffened them with No Bishop, no King, in obstinacy for Prelacy; yet these later have been Prophets against their wills, at their fall, who in their jollity had little or no will to be Preachers, and were so effectual in their doctrine, that they confirmed their calling to be jure divino, though Scripture was never so clear against it, in the royal conscience, to whom a Crown and sceptre must appear most sacred.  
And now the Father, and sons, the Pope and Prelates profit requiring it, what could there be imagined, but that it must be stamped with a divine right? alas it was easy with them to take sacred from an Oath, and confer it upon the perjured Violater; they had their holy oil sent from Heaven by an Angel to Thomas Becket that Metropolitan Saint, and Martyr of Canterbury, with which Kings were anointed, and divers other holy devices to make them sacred, not to be touched by profane civil laws, or questioned by any but men in holy orders; who being ghostly Fathers, might lash, curse, depose, and devote to the Knife, Sword, &c. (notwithstanding Sacred, and Majesty, and holy unction, and all the rest) Emperors, or Kings, if stubborn, or encroaching upon the usurpations of Holy Church.  
For you may observe that clause in the Coronation Oath to maintain the rights and privileges of Holy Church, to be indispensahle in former times as well as these latter, wherein conscience was only made of preserving Episcopacy: Thus one part of the Oath was not to be violated upon pain of the highest censures; all the rest but a mere formality, and we poor Lay-slaves not to question our King's doings, but in a blind and brutish obedience perform all their commands, just or unjust, good or wicked, our Clergy Impostures making the Pulpits ring with to obey is better than sacrifice, for Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, &c. Sacred writ being wracked to torment us, and the Scriptures perverted to subvert our Liberties, and notwithstanding the Cheat was so palpable, the people's understandings were lost in the fog, which these Gipsy Magicians raised by their charms.  
Behold then the reason of Episcopacies being so sacred and divine in the judgement of Kings, who were so devoted to Tyranny that they ventured all to maintain it.  
3. The Nobility were made the Whifflers to make room for the monarchical Masquers: and although many of these were so generous, that they disdained to be slaves, and so potent and valiant, that they regained their fredoms, and brought the Tyrants on their knees, yet so ambitious and envious were the most of them, that they were easily divided and made to ruin one another, every one choosing rather to be a slave to a Tyrant, than be equalled by his fellow, and gaping for advancement over the rest by his obsequiousness to his great master, thus by envy and Court preferment; being bewitched, they still undid what they had well done, and made the people's taking up of arms for Liberty the step to their own preferment, betraying them to curry favour with their oppressor.  
Thus were the people still betrayed by their Leaders, and so disabled and disheartened for the future to claim their rights by the present loss and expense of blood and treasure: and those who faithfully stood by them severely prosecuted and murdered; when the Tyrants though vanquished, still escaped upon swearing a little amendment, and were set up again to take revenge upon the peoples, and to reward and prefer their own partakers. Thus were good patriots dishearnted and depressed, whilst that the Imps of Tyranny were emboldened, and set aloft to the utter ruin of England's Freedom.  
Lastly, when it was apparent that the noble and free spirits of the English could never be so depressed but that still they would up again, and so might at last, in spite of all opposers break the yoke, with the noise of Parliaments and Charters, Kings often stilled the people's cries, when indeed the former were so stuffed with a King, Lords, and prelates, that the people's Representatives sat for little more than cyphers to make up thousands and ten thousands, when the others pleased to set the figure before them: and the latter were of little or no use to the People, who received no benefit by them, but stood Kings in great stead, helping them to Millions, when all other shifts failed to get money.  
And now these things premised, I appeal to the judgement of all rational creatures, whether it be not so perspicuous that the dimmest eye, on this side blindness, not winking our of design must perceive  
1. That continual claim hath been made by the English to their rights and Liberties, so that in point of Law no pretentended succession, continued by force, fraud, and perjury, can be a just plea to bar us of our inheritance, our Native freedom, which we have now gained possession of, the most high and just judge having given sentence for us upon our appeal, and of his free grace enabled us to enter in despite of those who so long kept possession against our Ancestors.  
2. That it would be the highest imprudency, if not folly and madness, in us for the future to trust the most promising and insinuating Princes with our liberties and privileges, which can be no longer expected to be preserved by them, than they may serve as footwools to advance them in the Throne of absolute Tyranny.  
3. That the whole frame of just Government, hath been dissolved by our Norman Lords, who have made their own proud wills the rules, and their own greatness and absoluteness the end of their Government. Sic volo sic jubeo, was Lex terrae, I mean the Law which was only in practice; and if this be not tyranny let our Royalists inquire of Lipsius no small Champion of Monarchy, who makes not the grandeur of the Court, but the Good of the commonwealth the mark that Princes are set up to aim at: neque enim principatus ipse finis est, absit, aut altitudoilla & splendour, sed populi ho●um, it is not the greatness and lustre of the Prince, but the good of the people that is the end of Principality, and that eloquent Panegyrist in his Oration in the Roman Senate shows that the Empereall dignity consisted not in sound or show; for saith he though we adorned our Emperors with majesty and pomp, yet is there far more due from them to us the authors and granters of their power, as to take care of the commonwealth, and setting aside self interest to intend the good of the people, &c. neque enim specie tenus, as nomine fortuna Imperii consideranda est, sunt trabeae & fasces, & stipatio, & fulgur, & quicquid aliud huic dignitati adstruximus, sed longè majora sunt qua vicissim nobis auctoribus, fautoribusque potentiae debent, admittere in animum totius Reipublicae curam, & oblitum quodammodo sui Geniibus vivere, &c. Yet thus to have taught his duty and the people's sovereign power had been little less than treason with one of our Monarchs, which a Roman Emperor disdained not to hear in the open Senate, though he was accounted a more absolute Lord by far than one of our Kings, and we were entitled to more liberty than the Romans.  
But to conclude, so great corruption hath invaded Monarchy in general; and so universally is it fallen from its primitive purity, that it is most evident its fate is not far off, quin ruet sua mole, and will be buried in its own rubbish, for there are symptoms by which the dissolution of politic bodies may be guessed at as well as natural, and too much surfeiting will bring both into the dust.  
And let us omit the tyrannies, murders, and idolatries, and take a view but of the perfidies, and perjuries, the main pieces of King craft, by which Monarchs have carried on their Designs a long while in the world, and we may without a spirit of prophecy foretell what is likely to befall royal families even by the light of nature, and a common observation of providence, for a very heathen Poet tells us, 
{non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}  
{non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman};  
{non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman},  
{non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman},  
{non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}.   
That though God may for a while defer his judgement against the violator of his oath and promise, yet h●mself, wife and children shall dearly pay for it at last; an oraculous truth▪ and confirmed in our eyes, and which may deter all of us who are on this side sorcery or obduration, from during t● engage against heaven, and oppose the Almighty in the execution of justice upon an offending family, by which we shall only draw down vengeance upon our own heads to the eternal confusion of both souls and bodies, for great is Jehovah, and only to be feared, and there is none can deliver out of his hand.  
FINIS.