A Chronicle of the Kings of England from the Time of the Roman Government, Regnal history 13 · Part 1 – Part 2
Of his Taxations.
IN his fourth yeer, in a Parliament at Westminster, was granted to the King, two Fifteens of the Temporalty, and two Tenths of the Clergie, and Head-money; of every Duke ten marke, an Earle five pound, a Barron …oure pound, a Knight foure markes, and every man valued at eight hundred pounds in goods, to pay …oure markes, and so after that rate till him that was valued at forty shillings, and he paid twelve pence, and every man and woman of fifteen yeers & upward four pence. In his sixth yeer, a Parliament was holden, wherin divers subsidies were granted to the King, towards the charges of his wars in France: in his fourteenth yeer, order was taken by the Cardinall, that the true value of all mens substance might be knowne, and he would have had every man swom, to tell what they were worth, and required a …enth part thereof, towards the Kings charges in his present wars, as the spiritualty had granted a fourth part: this the Londoners thought very hard, and thereupon were excused for taking oath, and were allowed to bring in their bils upon their honesties; but when all was done, after much labouring by the Cardinall, the Clergy granted one halfe of all their yeerly Spirituall Revenues, for five yeers, and the Temporalty two shillings in the pound, from twenty pounds upwards, and from forty shillings to twenty pounds, of every twenty shillings twelve pence; and under forty shillings, of every head of sixteen yeers and upwards four pence, to be paid in every two yeers: in his sixteenth yeer, the Cardinall of his owne head, attempted by Comission, to draw the People to pay the sixth part of every mans substance in plate or monie; but this was generally opposed, and the People in many Countries rise upon it, so as comming to the Kings knowledg, …e utterly disavowed it, and blamed the Cardinall exceedingly for attempting it. In his foure and twentieth yeer in a Parliament then holden, a fifteenth was granted to the King, towards his charges of making fortifications against Scotland. In his one and thir…ieth yeer, a Subsidie of two shillings in the pound of lands, and twelve of goods, with foure fifteenes were granted to the King, towards his charges of making Bulwarks. In his five and thirtieth yeer, a Subsidie was granted to be paid in three yeers, every English-man being worth in goods twenty shillings and upwards to five pounds, to pay four pence of every pound, and from five pounds to ten pounds eight pence, from ten pounds to twenty pound six pence… from twenty pounds and upwards, of every pound two shilings; strangers as wel denizens as others, being inhabitants to pay double, and for lands, every English-man paid eight pence o… the pound, from twenty shillings to five pounds, & from five pounds to ten pounds sixteen pence, and from ten pounds to twenty pou…d… two shillings, and from twenty pounds and upwards, of every pound three shillings, strangers double; the Clergy six shillings in the pound of Benefices, and every Priest having no Benifice, but an Anual stipend, six shillings eight pence yeerly, during three yeers.
Of Lawes and Ordinances in his time.
IN a Parliament holden in his sixth yeere, diverse Lawes were made, but two most spoken of; one for Apparell, another for Labourers. In his twelvth yeere, he caused the Statutes against Inclosures to be revived, and Commanded that decaied houses should be built up againe, and that inclosed grounds should be laid open; which though it did some good, yet not so much as it might have done, if the Cardinall for his owne benefit, had not procured liberty for great men, to keep up their inclosures, to the oppression of poor men. In his seventeenth yeer, the King lying at Eltham, diverse ordinances were made b… the Cardinall touching the Governance of the Kings House, and were long after called the Statutes of Eltham. In his eighteenth yeere, in the month of May, Proclamation was made against all unlawfull games, so that in all places tables, dice, cards and Bowles, were taken and burnt; but this order continued not long, for young men being restrained from these Games, fell some to drinking, some to stealing of Conies and Deere, aud such other misdemeanours: also in this yeere, was an inhauncing of Coyne, for preventing the carrying it over to places where it went at higher rate, so that the Angell which went before but for seven shillings, should now goe for seven and six pence, and every ounce of Gold should be five a…d forty shillings, which was before but forty, and other Coynes accordingly. In his twentieth yeer Sir Iames Spencer being Major of London, the watch used on Mid-somer night was laid downe. In his three and thirtieth yeer, in a Parliament then holden, an Act was made, that whosoevet should poyson any person should be boyled to death, by which Statute one Richard Roose, who had poysoned diver…e persons in the Bishop of Rochester place, was boyled to death in Smithfield, to the terrible example of all other. In his two and twentieth yeer, three Acts were made, one fo… probate of Testaments, another for Mortuaries, the third against plurality of benefices, Non-Residence, buying and taking of Farmes by spirituall persons. In his thirtieth yeer, it was ordained by Cromwel the Kings Vicar General, that in al Churches a Register should be kept of every Weddng, Christning, and buriall within the same Parish for ever. In his one and thirtieth yeer, the King first instituted and appointed fifty Gentlemen called Pensioners, to waight upon his person, assighning to each of them fifty pounds a yeer, for the maintainance of th…mselvs and two horses, in his six and thirtieth yeer, Proclamation was made for the inhancing of Gold, to eight and fort… shillings, and silver to foure shillings the ounce, also he caused to be coyned base money, mingling it with brasse which was since that time called downe the fifth yeere of Edward the sixth, and called in the second yeer of Queen Elizibeth. In his seven and thirtieth yeer, the brothell houses, called the Stewes on the Bank-side in Southwarke, were p…t downe by the Kings Commandement, and was done by proclamation and sound of Trumpet. In his three and twentieth yeer, it was enacted, that Butchers should sell their meat by weight, Beef for a half-peny the pound, and Mutton for three farthings, also at this time forraigne Butchers were permitted, their flesh in Leadenhall-market, which before was not allowed; in his time also, the Government of the President in the North was first instituted, and the first President there, was Tunstall Bishop of Durham.