A Chronicle of the Kings of England from the Time of the Roman Government, Royal biography 7 · Part 4 – Part 5
Of King Edwards Acts after the death of the Prince.
IN the time of the Princes sicknesse, King Edw…rd cals a Parliament at Westminster; in which, when demands were made for supply of the King, demands were presently made for redresse of grievances for the subjects. It was required that the Duke of Lancaster, the Lord Latymer then Lord Chamberlaine, Dame Alice Pierce the Kings Concubine, and one Sir Richard Sturry might be removed from Court. And this was so vehemently urged by their Speaker, Sir Peter la Moore, that the King, rather then not to be supplied, gave way unto it; and thereupon all these persons are presently put from Court: but the Prince soone after dying, they are all recalled to Court againe, and restored to their former places.
About this time ex…mplary justice was done upon Sir Iohn Minsterworth knight, who was drawne, hanged, and quartered at Tiburne, for Treason, by him committed, in defrauding Souldiers of their wages.
Thi… was now the f…ftieth yeare of King Edw…ds Raigne, and he for another Iubilee, gra…s another generall pardon to his subjects… onelyonly William Wic…ham Bishop of Winchester is excepted, being lately, by procurement of the Duke of Lancaster, fallen into the Kings displeasure… and forbidd… to come to the Parliament. This Parliament was called the good Parliament… …ough it wrought ill effects; for Sir. Peter de la Mare, at the suite of Alice Pierce, is committed to perpetuall imprisonment at Not…ingham, though within two years after, by importunate suite of friends; he regained his liberty. This Alice Pierce presuming upon the Kings favour, grew so insolent, that she entermedled with Courts of Justice, and other Offices, where …he herselfe would fit, to countenance her Causes. And now the Duke of Lancast… is come to have the Regencie, and to manage all the affaires of the kingdome; but King Edward to prevent the mischiefes, when by disordering the succession might grow in the kingdome, providently settled the same in Parliament upon Richard of Burdeaux; …reating him first Earle of Chester and Cornwall, and then Prince of Wales, and caused all the Lords of the Realme to tal…e an Oath, to accept him for their King, as his lawfull Heire, when himselfe should be dead. In this meane time a Treaty was had about a marriage betweene this Prince Richard, and M…ry a daughter of Charles King of France: and an offer was made to King Edward, to leave him foureteene hundred Townes, and three thousand fortresses in Aq…itaine, upon condition he would render Callice and all that he held in Picardy; but before any thing could be concluded, King Edward died.
Of his Taxations.
IN the eighth yeare of his Raigne, in a Parliament holden at London, there was granted him a fifteenth of the Temporalty, a twentieth of the Cities and Boroughs, and a tenth of the Clergy. In his tenth yeare, in a Parliament at Northampton, is granted a tenth penny of Cities and Boroughs, a fifteenth of others, and a tenth of the Clergy. Also all such treasure as was committed to Churches through England for the Holy Warre, is taken out for the Kings use, towards his warres with France. The next yeare after, all the goods of three orders of Monks, Lom…ards, Cluniakes, and Cistercians; are likewise seised into the Kings hands: and the like Subsidy as before granted at Nottingham. In his twelfth yeare (and as some write, in absence of the King) in a Parliament at Northampton, is granted by the Laity, one halfe of their Wooll, but of the Clergy the whole. The next yeare after a fifteenth was likewise paid in Wooll by the Commonalty. In his foureteenth yeare, in a Parliament at London, is granted him for Custom… of every sacke of Wooll forty shillings, for every three hundred Wooll Fells forty shil… for every Last of Leather forty shillings; and of other Merchandises according to the rate: the same to endure from that Easter to the Whitsontide twelve monethmonth after. Besides, there was granted of Citizens and Burgesses, a ninth part of goods; of forraine Merchants and others, a fifteenth; of Husbandmen, the ninth Sheafe, the ninth Fleece, the ninth Lamb for two years; also another tenth of the Clergy: and for his present supply, he had Loanes of divers persons; and the City of London lent tw…nty thousand Markes. For the grant of which mighty Subsidy, the King (besides his Pardon to divers kinds of offendours) remits all Amerciaments for transgressions in his Forests, Reliefs and Scurage, to the first time of his going into Flanders, besides all aides for the marriage of his sonnes and daughters during his Raigne; pardoning and remitting all ancient debts and …rr…rages, both of his Fermors and others, till the tenth yeare of his Raigne; and likewise confirmes the great Charter of Magna Chartae: In his eighteenth yeare, in a Parliament at London, a tenth was granted by the Clergy, and a fifteenth by the Laity… Besides a Commission is sent into every Shire to inquire of mens abilities, and all of five pounds to tenne of Lay Fee, were appointed to finde an Archer on horsebacke; of twenty five, a Demilaunce; and so ratably above. There had formerly been made a certaine coyne of Gold called the Floren, of base alloy, for the Kings benefit, towards his warres in France, but this was now called in… and Nobles of finer metall coyned, to the great contentment of the people. In his nine and twentieth yeare, he hath by Parliament granted unto him fifty shillings upon every sack of Wooll, for six years next ensuing; by which Imposition, it was thought, the King might dispend a thous…d Markes Sterling a day, the vent of Wooll was so great in that time. But that which exceeded all his Taxations, was the Ransome he had in his foure and thirtieth yeare, of the King of France, three millions of crownes of Gold. In his twelveth yeare, he had taken from the Priors Aliens, their houses, lands, and tenements, for the maintenance of his French warres, which he kept twenty yeares in his … and then restored them againe. In his six and thirtieth year was greater twenty sixe shillings eight pence, for transportation of every sacke of Wooll for three yeare…. In the five and fortieth yeare of his Raigne, in a Parliament at Westminster, the …lergy granted him fifty thousand pounds to be paid the same yeare, and the Lai…y as much; which was lev…ed by setting a certaine rate of five pounds fifteene shillings upon every Parish, which were found in the 37… Shires to be eight thousand and sixe hundred; and so came in the whole to fifty thousand one hundred eighty one pounds and eight pence: but the 181. li. was abated to the Shires of Suffolk… and Devonshire, in regard of their poverty. In his eight and fortieth yeare, in a Parliament, is granted him a tenth of the Clergy, & a fifteenth of the Laity. In his fifti…h year, a Subsidy of a new nature was demanded by the young Prince Richard, whom (being bu… eleven years of age) the Duke of Lancaster had brought into the Parliament of purpose to make the demand; to have two tenths to be paid in one yeare, or twelve pence in the pound of all Merchandises sold, for one yeare; and one pound of silver for every knights Fee, and of every Fire-house, one penny: but instead of this Subsidy, after much altercation, there was granted another of as new a nature as this; that every person, man and woman, within the kingdome, above the age of foureteene yeares, should pay foure pence, (those who lived of Almes onelyonly excepted) the Clergy to pay twelve pence of every Parson Beneficed, and of all other religious persons foure pence; a mighty aide, and such as was never granted to any King of England before.