fons, and their Affigns, and great Dammage and Prejudice hath likewise fallen and lighted upon your People, not only by inhancing the Prices of Wines, licencing over-many Tavernes, and appointing of unmeet Perfons, in untit Places, to keep the fame : But alfo by reason that corrupt, mingled, evill, ard unwholefome Wines have been uttered, and fold, to the great hurt of the Health of your Highneffe People; One Man fometimes ingroffing all the Licences defigned for that Place. Whereupon Complaint being made to your Majefty, amongst other Grievances of your People, in the fecond Seffion of this prefent Parliament, your Highneffe was pleased to answer, that your Grants in that behalfe were no other, than fuch as were warrantable by the Law. Whereas the Grievance was the greater, for that all Lawes concerning the Sale of Wines, being intended, and conceived to be repealed, there were nevertheleffe, by the Over-fight of them which were trufted in that Bufineffe, cafually omitted, and left unrepealed, certaine abfolute Lawes, impoffible to be obferved: as namely, one made in the time of King Edward the Firft, commanding Wines to be fold at twelve pence the Sexterne, and one other made in the 28. of King Henry the Eight, prohibiting all Perfons, under penalty, to fell any French Wines above eight pence the Gallon, and other Wines, as Sacks, and fweet Wines, above twelve pence the Gallon: and one Branch of a Statute made in the feventh Yeare of King Edward the Sixt, prohibiting Men to fell anyWines by Retaile in their Houses. Whereupon your Majefty hath been induced and drawne to ground new Patents of Difpenfation, and to grant the Benefit thereof unto the Lord Admirall whereby the like Difcommodities and Inconveniences have fithence infued unto the Common-wealth, as formerly did arife and grow upon the other repealed Lawes, whereof, in the former Petitions of your Subjects, exhibited unto your Majefty in the faid fecond Seffion, your Highneffe never had any direct, and cleare Information. May it therefore please your most excellent Majefty at the humble Request of your Commons (who have taken into Confideration the great Charges and Expences, which the faid Lord Admirall hath been at, in your Majefties Service, and have confidered likewise the present Licences, and Grants for valuable Confideration unto many hundred of your Highneffe Subjects, which without great Loffe to the faid Grantees, cannot be fuddenly made voide) out of your Princely Wisdome and Goodneffe, wherein you have profeffed not to extend, and ftraine your Prerogative Royall against the publique Good of your People, for the particular Gain of any private Perfons, to vouchsafe, that from hence forwards, there may no moe Grants, of that Nature, be made unto any of your Subjects whomfoBut that the said Statute of 5. Elizabeth, for the apprifing of Wines, to be published by Proclamation, as Time and Occafion fhall require, may be put in Execution. And that your Majefty will likewife vouchfafe to grant your. Royall Affent to a Bill of Repeale of the faid obfolete Statutes, and all other, whereupon any fuch Non obftantes, and Difpenfations might be grounded upon. In which Statute of Repeale, provifo fhall be made for the Indemnitie of all fuch, as under your Majefties great Seale have already procured Licence for fuch Sale of Wines.

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VOL. I.

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ALEHOUSES.

HEREAS, by the Lawes of this your Majefties Realme of England, no Taxes, Ayds, or Impofitions of any kinde whatsoever, ought, or can be laid, and impofed upon your People, or upon any of their Goods, or Commodities, but only by Authoritie and Confent of Parliament. Which being undoubtedly the ancient, and fundamentall Law of the Land, is yet, for more abundant Clearneffe exprefly declared in fundry Acts of Parliament, made and inacted in the Time of fundry your Majefties Progenitors, the nobleft, and moft prudent Kings of this Realme. Your Commons with juft Griefe doe complaine unto your Majefty, of the late Tax, and Impofition laid, and imposed yearely upon fuch, as are allowed to keepe Victualing Houfes, or fell Ale, and Beere by Retaile. Which Impofition not being taxed by Affent of Parliament, but commanded, and directed onely by Letters and Inftructions, your Commons are perfwaded that the fame proceeded rather upon Mifinformation, then by the Direction, and Judgement of your owne most noble and royall Heart. Wherefore your faid Commons knowing the Griefe of your People in this behalfe, doe (according to their Duties) in all Humilitie informe and fignifie unto your Majeftie: firft, that the faid Taxation being fingular, and without Example, is in it felfe a Prefident of dangerous Confequence, and (as your People feare) may eafily (in time) bee extended further; as to Badgers of Corne, Makers of Malt, Drovers of Cattell, and fuch like, who in fuch Sort are to bee licenced by Juftices of Peace, as thofe Perfons are, upon whom, at this Time, this prefent Charge and Taxe is laide.

Secondly, fuch Houses, being often times (at the best) the Harbours of Idleneffe, Drunkenneffe, Whoredome, and all maner of Felonies, the Licences arenow (the honefter fort, in most Places, refufing to undergoe the new Charge) rented and taken by the loofer, and bafer fort of People, who have no Conscience how they gaine: By reason whereof all manner of Vice, and evill Behaviour is likely every Day to encrease: neither can Juftices of Peace conveniently prevent the fame: for that the Perfons licenced under the late Contribution, affirme, with Clamour, that they have a Toleration for a Yeare, and that fuch Perfons are not Friends unto the Crowne, that seek to fuppreffe them, and thereby to diminish your Highneffe Revenewes. Thirdly, many Justices of Peace, (being fworne to execute their Office) which for this particular they conceive to be, that Alehouse Keepers formerly licenfed, are not to bee fuppreffed without just and reasonable Cause, cannot bee fatisfied touching their faid Oath, but are much distracted and perplexed what to doe (the late Inftructions notwithstanding) against fuch Perfons, as otherwife being not knowne to be of evill Behaviour, only refufe to pay this late taxed and impofed Summe of Money. In confideration whereof, your humble Commons moft inftantly befeech your most excellent Majeftie, that the former Letters and Inftructions may be countermanded, or ftayed, and all further Directions, and Proceedings in that kinde forborne.

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MONG many Refemblances, which are observed to be betweene naturall and politique Bodies, there is none more apt, and naturall than this That the Diseases of both doe not, at one Inftant, commonly feife upon all Parts But beginning in fome one Part, doe, by Tract of Time, and by Degrees, get Poffeffion of the whole, unleffe by applying of wholfome and proper Remedies, in due Time, they be prevented. Which, as it is in many things very visible, fo it is in nothing more apparent, then in this Matter of Impofitions which beginning at the firft either with forraigne Commodities brought in, or fuch of our owne, as were ttanfported, is now extended to thofe Commodities, which growing in this Kingdome, are not tranfported, but utter ed to the Subjects of the fame : for Proofe whereof, wee doe, with all Humilitie prefent unto your Majefties View the late Impofition of 12. Pence the Chalder of Seacoale rifing in Blith and Sunderland, not by vertue of any Contract, or Grant (as in the Coales of New Castle) but under a meere Pretext of your Ma jefties moft Royall Prerogative: which Impofition is not onely grievous for the prefent (efpecially to thofe of the poorer Sort, the Price of whofe onely, and moft neceffary Fewell is thereby, to their very great Griefe inhaunced) but dangerous alfo for the future; confidering that the Reafon of this Prefident may be extended to all the Commodities of this Kingdome. May it therefore please your most excellent Majeftie, who is the great, and foveraigne Phyficion of this State, to apply fuch a Remedie as this Disease may be presently cured, and all Diseases for Time to come, of like Nature, prevented.

A trve RELATION of that memorable Parliament, which wrought Wonders, begun at Westminster, 1386, in the Tenth Yeare of the Reign of King Richard the Second. Whereunto is added an Abstract of thofe memorable Matters, before and fince the faid King's Reign, done by Parliaments. Together with the Character of the said amiable, but unhappy King, and a briefe Story of his Life and lamentable Death.

Printed in the Yeare, 1641.

HIS prefent Occafion fo opportunely befitting me, I am refolved to treat of that which hath beene omitted, and flipped out of Memory long fince,

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Concerning divers and fundry Changes and Alterations in England, in former Times: Nor will it be any way burthenfome to write of that, whereby every good and carefull Reader may learne to avoid Diverfities of Miseries, and the Danger and Feare of cruell Death. I will therefore fpeake of that which bath lain bid in the darkfome Shade of Forgetfulneffe, concerning Men who have been led away by the deceitfull Path of Covetoufneffe, and have come to a most shamefull and ignominious Death: a famous Example, to deter all Men from practising thofe or the like Courses.

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Bout the Yeere of Christ, 1386, at fuch Time as Richard, the fecond of that Name, then in Prime of his Youth, fwayed the Imperiall Scepter of our Realme, there flourished, famous in his Court, certain Peers, though fome of them not of any honourable Defcent, yet favoured by Fortune; by Name, Alexander Nevill, Archbishop of Yorke; Robert Vere, D. of Ireland, Michael de la Poole, Earl of Suffolk, then Lord Chancelor; Robert Trefilian, Lord Chiefe Juftice of England; and Nicholas Bambre, fometimes Major of London.

These Men being raised from meane Eftates by the fpecial Favour of the King, and advanced to the Degree of Privie Counsellors, were the Men who had the onely Rule of the Common-wealth, which they, under the King, governed for fome fmall Space with careful Diligence, meriting thereby deserved Commendations. But not long did they thus fteere the Ship of the Kingdome; for many of them being of inferiour Ranke, by Birth, nor having their Veines dignified with the Streams of noble Blood, they were the fooner enticed with the libidinous Baits of Voluptuoufneffe, and infected with infatiable Itch of Avarice: infomuch, that defpifing the Authority of the King, and neglecting the Commoditie of the Realme, but onely defiring to keepe up the Revenues of the Kingdome, fo wrought, that by their Policie the King is impoverished, the Treasure exhausted; the Commons murmure at the Multiplicity of Tenths, Levies, and Subfidies; the Peers repine to fee themselves difgraced, and their Inferiors honoured; and in a Word, the whole Kingdome endures an univerfall Miferie.

The Nobility seeing the miserable Estate wherein the Kingdom lay bleeding, as it were, to Death, urged their King to fummon a Parliament; which was done shortly after. In which, amongst many other Acts, the afore-named Michaell de la Poole is difmift of his Chancellourfhip; and being accused of divers and many Points of Injuftice, as Briberie, Extortion, and the like, he was fone after caft into the Caftle of Windfor, and all his Lands, which were of no small Revenue, were confifcated to the King. Neither did the Parliament here give over, but provided further for the whole State; but the mutuall Consent of the King and Prelates, Barons, and Commons, with an unanimous Conjunction, they conftitute and give plenarie and abfolute Power to certain Commiffioners, as well of the Spiritualty as of the Temporalty; for the ordering and difpofing of the publique Affaires, according as fhall feeme

beft

best and most neceffary for the defperate Eftate of the Common-wealth, to depreffe civill Diffentions, and to pacifie and appease the Grudgings of the People.

Of the Spiritualty, were chofen the Archbishop of Canterbury, the aforenamed Bishop of Yorke, the Bishop of Ely, lately made Chancelor of England, the Bishop of Winchester, Bishop of Hereford, Lord Treasurer, Bishop of Exeter, Abbot of Walebam, and the Lord John of Waltham.

Of the Layty were elected the Duke of Yorke, the Earle of Arundel, the Lord Coltham, the Lord Scroope, and John Devereux Knight: these, as Men eminent in Vertue, were chofen by the generall Suffrage, and fworne to carry themselves as dutifull and obedient Subjects in all their Actions. And it was further enacted, That if any fhould refuse or disobey the Ordinances so made for publique Good, the Punishment of his firft Offence, fhould be the Confifcation of his Goods; and for the second, the Loffe of Life. Thus difpofing all Things for the best, the Parliament being diffolved, every Man returned to his own House.

Soone after, the afore-named Chancelor, with others their Confederates, being moved with implacable Fury against the Statute of the late Parliament, they buzzed into the Kings Eares, That the Statutes lately enacted, were very prejudiciall to the Honour of his Crowne, and much derogatory to his Princely Prerogative: infomuch, that he should not have Power, without the Confent of the new appointed Commiffioners, to doe any thing befitting a King, no, not so much as to beftow a Largeffe; a principal Means to gain the People's Love upon any, though never fo well deferving.

By thefe and other the like impious Inftigations, with which the Devil (as never unmindfull of the End of thofe, who by their Lives doe prove themselves) did continually fupply them, they practifed to annihilate and difanull these Acts of the Parliament, which feemed any wayes to abbreviate or curbe their ufurped Authority.

And first, by their ferpentine Tongues, ambitious Projects, Flattery painted out with glofing Difcourfes, and covered over with the Shadow of Vigilancie for the Good of the Kingdome, they fo bewitched the noble Inclination of the youthfull King, whom they induced to beleeve, that all the Ill they did was a generall Good; that hee began to diftafte, and at laft to abhorre the laft paffed Acts, as treacherous Plots and moft wicked Devices

Next, they ftudied how to ingroffe all or most part of the Wealth and Riches of the Kingdome into their owne Coffers; and to the fame End, dealt fo cunningly, yet pleasingly, with the King, that hee gave to the D. of Ireland, John of Bloys, the Heire of the Duchie of Britaine, and his Ranfome; to others Townes; to others, Cities; to others, Lands; to others Mony, amounting to the Summe of 100000 Marks, to the great Impoverishment both of King and Kingdom: Neither did thefe King-eaters and Realme-devourers any thing regard it, but fetting unfkilfull and infufficient Captaines and Governours over Townes and Forts fo obtained, gave occafion to the Enemies of the Crowne to furprize them, and difpoffeffe the King of them.

Thirdly,