The governance of England: otherwise called The difference between an absolute and a limited monarchy. A rev. text edited with introd., notes, and appendices by Charles Plummer.

CHAPTER VIII. YFF THE KYNGES LIVELODE SUFFICE NOT, HIS SUBGETTES AUGHT TO MAKE HIT SUFFICIENT.

HIT is shewid be ffore, how necessarie it is þat livelod sufficient be asseigned ffor the kynges ordi|narie charges, and that the same livelod be only applied therto, and not aliened in tyme comynge. Ffor that asseignement mey in no wise hurte þe kyng, considerynge þat yff any parte off þe revenues þeroff remayne ouer the paiement of the same ordynarie chargis, that so remaynynge is the kynges owne money, wich he mey than imploye to oþer vse at is owne pleasur. And it is vndouted that the kynge hath livelode sufficient wich mey be soo asseigned for his ordinarie charges. Wherfore we haue now no thyng ellis to be sercched, but what lyvelod þe kyng hath ffor the payment off his charges extraor|dinarie, ouer so moche livelod as shalbe asseigned

ffor his charges ordinarie; and yff he haue not live|lod sufficient þerto, how than his livelod mey be made sufficient. Ffor his reaume is bounde by right to susteyne hym in euery thyng necessarie to his estate. Ffor, as Seynt Thomas saith, Rex datur propter regnum, et non regnum propter regem. Wherfore all that he dothe owith to be referred to his kyngdome. Ffor though his estate be þe highest estate temporall in þe erthe, yet it is an office, in wich he mynestrith to his reaume defence and justice. And therfore he mey say off hym selff and off his reaume, as the pope saith off hym selff and off the churche, in þat he writithe, seruus seruorum Dei. By wich reason, ryght as euery seruant owith to haue is sustenance off hym þat he serueth, so aught þe pope to be susteyned by the chirche, and the kyng by his reaume. Ffor nemo debet propriis expensis militare. And owre lorde saith, dignus est operarius cibo suo. Wherfore þe appostill saith, commbnicet is qui cateȝiȝatur berbo, ei qui se cateȝiȝat, in omnibus bonis. Wherfore sithen euery reaume is bounde to susteyn is kyng, yet moch more be we bounde ther to, vppon whom owre kyng reignith by so ffauerable lawes as is be ffore de|clared.