Answer t o Doctor Fearne, Addendum
Phillip de Commins Lib. 5. part of Chap. 18. It belongs to the margin, Pag. 23.
IS(1)Philip. de Com. was a man of great employment, first under the Duke of Burgundy, being his Secretary, afterwards under Lewys the 11. and Charles the eight, by whom he was made Lord of Argenton. there any King or Prince that hath power to levie one penny upon his Subjects besides his demaines, without leave or consent of those that must pay it, unlesse it be by tyranny and violence? A man will say that sometime a Prince cannot tarry to assemble his estates, because it would require too long time. Whereunto I answer, that if he move a warre offensive, there needeth no such(2)Surely this Author would not if he had beene a Judge, conceived the danger to have beene so imminent that Ship-money must be raised without the meeting of the Estates. hast, for hee may have leasure enough at his owne pleasure to make preparation; and further hee shall be much stronger and much more feared of his enemies, when he moveth warre with the consent of his Subjects than otherwise. Now as touching a warre defensive, that cloud is seene long before the tempest fall, especially when it is a forraine warre, and in this case good Subjects ought not to complaine, nor to refuse any thing that is laid upon them. Notwithstanding such invasion cannot happen so suddenly, but the Prince may have leasure at the least to call together certaine wise personages, to whom he may open the causes of the warre, using no collusion therein, neither seeking to maintaine a trifling warre upon no necessitie, thereby to have some colour to leavie money. Money is also necessary in time of peace to fortifie the Frontiers for defence of those that dwell upon them, least they be taken unprovided, for this must be done measurably. In all these matters the wisedome of a sage King sufficeth; for if hee bee a just Prince, he knoweth what he may doe and not doe, both by Gods Lawes and mans. To be short, in mine opinion of all the Seniories in the world that I know, the realme of England is the countrey where the Commonwealth is best governed; the people least oppressed and the Fewest buildings and houses destroyed in Civill Warre, and alwayes the lot of misfortune(3)To this I pray, Amen. falleth upon them that be Authours of this War: Our King is the Prince in the whole world, that hath least cause to alledge that hee hath priviledges to levie what him listeth upon his Subjects; considering that neither he nor any other Prince hath power so to doe: and those that say he hath, doe him no honour, neither make him to bee esteemed any whit the mightier Prince thereby; but cause to bee hated and feared of his neighbours, who for no thing would live under such a government; but if our King or those that seeke to magnifie and extoll him should say, I have so faithfull and obedient Subjects, that they deny me nothing I demand, and I am more feared, better obeyed, and better served of my Subjects than any other Prince living, they endure patiently whatsoever I lay upon them, and soonest forget all charges past: This me thinks (yea I am sure) were greater honour to the King than to say, I leavie what me listeth, and have priviledge so to doe, which I will stoutly maintaine. King Charles the fift used no such tearmes, neither did I ever heare such language proceed from any King, but from divers of their servants, who thought they did their Master great service in uttering such speeches: but in mine opinion they misbehaved themselves towards their Prince, & used such language partly because they would seeme to be good servants, and partly because they knew what they said: but for a manifest proofe of the French mens loyaltie and obedience to their Prince, wee need alleadge none other example than that we have seene our selves of late by experience, when the three estates were assembled at Tours, after the death of our master King Lewis the eleventh, which was in the yeare of our Lord 1483. A man might have thought this good Assembly to bee dangerous for the Kings estate; yea and divers there were of meane calling, and lesse honestie, that said then, and often said since, that it is treason to make mention of assembling the estates, and a thing tending to the diminishing of the Kings authoritie; but themselves are those that worke treason against God, the King, and the Commonwealth; neither doe any use these speeches, but either such as are in authoritie without desert and unworthy thereof, or such as are common tale-carriers, and accustomed to talke of trifling matters; or such as feare great Assemblies, lest their doings should there be ripped up and reprehended, &c.
End of the text · Charles Herle, Answer t o Doctor Fearne (1642)