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 XI. HERE IS SHEWID, WHAT OFF THE KYNGES LIVELOD GEVEN AWEY, MEY BESTE BE TAKEN A GEYN.

THE holy patriarke Joseph, while he, vndr Pha|raho kyng, gouerned þe lande off Egipte, rulid and so entredid þe peple þeroff, þat thai graunted to pay, and paid to the same kynge, the v^th parte of thair graynes, and off all oþer thynge that growed to thaim yerely off þe erthe; wich charge thai berun yet, and euer shall beyre. Wherthro thair prince, wich now is the Saudayn off Babilon, is on off the myghtyest princes off þe worlde; and that notwithstondynge þe same Egipciens bith the most riche commons þat liven vndre any prince. Wherby we bith lerned þat it shalnot only be goode to owre prince, but also to vs selff, that he be well indowed; ffor ellis the patriarke wolde not haue made such a trety. The Ffrench kyng in on thynge, þat is to say in wyne, takyth more off is peple than dothe þe Saudan; ffor he takith þe iiij^th peyne þeroff. But yet he takith no thynge off thair graynes, wolles, or off any other gode þat growith to hem off thair lande. The kynge owre souerayn lorde hade be tymes, sithen he reigned vpon vs, livelod in lord|shippes, landes, tenementes, and rentes, nerehand to the value off þe v^th parte off is reaume, aboff the possescions off þe chirche. Off wich livelod, yff hit hade abiden still in his handes, he hade ben more myghty in good revenues than any off þe said ij kynges, or any kyng þat now reigneth vppon cristen

men. But this was not possible to haue ben done. Ffor to some parte þeroff the eyres off thaim þat some tyme owed it be restored; some bi reason off tayles, some bi reason off oþer titles, wich the kyng hath considered and thought hem good and reson|able. And some off þe said livelod is god grase hath geuen to such as haue serued hym so notably, þat as thair renounne wolbe eternall, so it be sate the kynges magnyficence to make thair rewardes euerlastynge in their heyres, to thair perpetuall memorie and honour. And also the kyng hath geven parte off this livelod to his moste worshipfull brotherryn, wich not only haue serued hym in the maner ffor said, but bith also so nygh in blode to his highnes, that it be satte not is magnificence to haue done in oþer wyse. Neuerthelesse somme men haue done hym seruice, ffor wych it was reson|able þat his grase hade rewarded hem; and ffor lakke off money, the kyng than rewarded þam with lande. And to some men he hath done in lyke wyse aboff thair merites, through ymportunite off thair suyttes. And it is supposed þat some off hem haue goton an c. li. worth lande, þat wolde haue holde hym content with cc. li. in money, yff thai myght haue hade it in hande. Wherfore it is thought, þat yff suche gyftis, and namely tho wich haue be made inconsideratle, or aboff the merytes off hem that haue thaim, were refourmed; and thai rewarded with money, or offices, and some with livelode terme off lyff, wich aftir thair dethis wolde than retorne to the Crowne, þe kyng shulde haue suche livelod as we now seke ffor, sufficiante ffor the mayntennance off his estate. And yff it wolde not than be so gret, I holde it for

vndouted, þat the people off his lande woll be well wyllunge to graunte hym a subsidie, vppon suche comodites off his reaume as bith be ffore specified, as shall accomplishe that wich shall lakke hym off such livelod; so that is highnes woll establyshe þe same livelod than remaynynge, to abide perpetuelly to his crowne, with owt translatynge þeroff to any oþer vse. Ffor ellis whan þat shall happen hereaftir to be gyven awey, it shall nede þat is commons be charged with a newe subsidie, and thus be kept alway in pouerte.