Aurum Regina, License – Dedication
THis Book having been peruſed and approved by Sir Robert Atkins, Sollicitor General to the QƲEENS MAJESTY, I think it fit to be Printed.
Orl. Bridgeman C. S.
Aurum Reginae; OR A Compendious Tractate, and Chronological Collection of Records in the TOWER, and Court of EXCHEQUER Concerning QUEEN-GOLD: EVIDENCING The Quiddity, Quantity, Quality, Antiquity, Legality of this Golden Prerogative, Duty and Revenue of the QƲEEN-CONSORTS of ENGLAND. The ſeveral Oblations, Fines out of which it Springs both in England and Ireland; the Queens Officers in the Exchequer to Receive, Collect, Account to Her for it, with their Patents; the Lands, Tenements, Goods, Chattels, Perſons liable to ſatisfie it; the Queſtions in Law about it; the Kings Title to the Arrears thereof by the QƲEENS DECEASE; the Proceſs by which it is to be levyed, and what elſe concerns it. With an Addition of ſome Records concerning our ROYAL MINES of Gold and Silver, and four Patents of K. Henry the 6. by Authority of Parliament, for finding the Philoſophers Stone, to Tranſubſtantiate baſer Metals into ſolid real GOLD and SILVER, to ſatisfie all the Creditors of the King and Kingdom in few years ſpace.
By WILLIAM PRYNNE Eſq a Bencher of Lincolns-Inne, Keeper of his Majeſties Records in the Tower of London.
Rom. 13. 7.
Render therefore to all their Due, Tribute to whom Tribute, Cuſtom to whom Cuſtom belongeth.
LONDON, Printed for the Author by Thomas Ratcliffe, and are to be ſold by Edward Thomas at the Adam and Eve in Little-Britain, and Joſias Robinſon at Lincolns-Inne Gate. Anno 1668.
To the Most Illuſtrious Princeſs KATHERINE, Queen Conſort to his Sacred Majeſty CHARLES the II. King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland.
IT being the principal Part of my ſolemna1 Eliz. c. 1. 5 Eliz. c. 1. 3 Ja…. c. 4. Oaths to the KING Your HUSBAND, as his Subject and Servant, That to my power I ſhall aſſiſt and defend all Juriſdictions, Priviledges, Preheminences and Authorities granted or belonging to the IMPERIAL CROWN of this REALM; I thereupon reputed it no ſordid Court-flattery, but a commendable bounden Duty, to contribute my beſt aſſiſtance, not only to vindicate and defend the Soveraign Eccleſiaſtical Iuriſdiction of His MAJESTY and our Britiſh, Roman, Saxon, Daniſh, Norman, Engliſh KINGS, againſt all Uſurpations, Encroachments of Popes and Prelates, in ſeveral bThe Firſt, Second, and Third Tomes of an Exact Chronological Vindication, and Hiſtorical Demonſtration, &c. London 16…6, 1667, & 1668.Folio Volumes; but likewiſe to endeavour to reſtore to Your ROYAL MAJESTY in this ſmall Tractate, one of the Antienteſt, Royaleſt, Richeſt Civil Prerogatives, Duties, and caſual Revenues belonging time out of minde in England and Ireland, (by the Laws, Cuſtom thereof) to the QUEEN-CONSORTS of ENGLAND, commonly ſtiled AURUM REGINAE, or QUEEN-GOLD; which all Your Noble Predeceſſors have ſucceſſively claimed, if not enjoyed, from the time of our moſt renowned cHere p. 9, 10▪Queen HELENA, (Wife to CONSTANTIUS, and Mother to the famous Chriſtian Emperor CONSTANTINE the Great, born and proclaimed Emperor in this our Iſland; the firſt Chriſtian QUEEN, EMPRESSE in the World, canonized as a SAINT for her tranſcendent Piety, Charity, Munificence to propagate the true Chriſtian Faith) till this preſent age.
In which, as ſome of the richeſt Veins of this Gold Mine have been quite cut off from the Crown by d12 Car. 2. ch 24 & 27 Car 1. ch. 20.two late Acts of Parliament, aboliſhing and taking away the Court of Wards, Wardſhips, Tenures in Capite, and Writs to receive the Order of Knighthood, with all Fines and Oblations ariſing from them, out of which QUEEN-GOLD was conſtantly due, paid in all former ages; ſo the remaining Branches thereof are in great danger to be totally, yea finally loſt and buried in Oblivion, not only to the grand diſhonour, prejudice of Your MAJESTY, and all ſucceeding QUEEN-WIVES of this Realm▪ but alſo to the eSee page 46.Exheredation of the KING and his Succeſſors, (from whom this Prerogative-Duty originally ſprings, and to whom all the Arrears of QUEEN-GOLD accrue after fSee pag 7. 51, to 56.Queens deceaſes) if not ſpeedily claimed, revived, recovered by Your MAJESTY for time to come, though perchance neceſſary, or convenient to be pretermitted and remitted for time paſt.
If theſe Collections of Records, publiſhed in their original Dialects, to evidence and vindicate Your MAJESTIES undoubted Right to this juſt legal Debt, (which I moſt humbly preſent to Your Royal Hands, as a VOLUNTARY OBLATION, and FREEWILL-OFFERING) ſhall prove Inſtrumental to yield any Aſſiſtance towards the recovery of, and re-adorning Your ROYAL CROWN with this GOLDEN GLOBE, now ſevered from it; or the enriching Your Wardrobe with this GOLD FLEECE, or to the advancement of Your MAJESTIES Honour and Glory, it will be a ſufficient Recompence to,
Your Majeſties moſt Humble devoted Servant, WILLIAM PRYNNE.