No post from heaven, nor yet from hell but a true relation and animadversions, written and sent as an antidote to all unbelieving Brownists, prophane Anabaptists, schismaticall monsters, and such like incendiaries of the state : proving by histories, records, and examples that His Majestes taxations have not been unusuall, nor his government tyrannicall, though falsely so imputed, invented, divulged and scattered abroad / collected by Sir Robert Cotton ; and now put to presse and dedicated to His Sacred Maiestie, by G.A., Gent.

Henry the sixth.

HEnry the sixth, Nimium foelix malo suo, as the event pro∣ved; for retaining paternae Majestatis, nihil praeter spe∣ciem nominis, By feare, and facility laid the way open to his facti∣ous and ambitious kindred, to work themselves into popular fa∣vour, and himself into contempt, which was soon done by leading the easy King by expence into extremity.

For, besides the resumption, he took on his own and his Fa∣thers grants, which was of purpose plotted to make a consump∣tion of duty, and affection towards him, he, out of the old in∣heritance of his Subjects, exacted six pence in the pound, in Anno the 14 and doubled twice that valuation, not onely of all Lands purchased from the entrance of Edward the first, but all free-hold and copy-hold, under 200^l. and two in twenty of all above.

He further imposed, first 6^s. 8^d. and then 20^s. upon every Knights fee.

Out of the goods of the Commons, he had six tenths, where∣of, one for three yeares besides three moities, and one third of fifteens, three halfes, one third, and eighth entire.

Besides these former, out of the wools he had 37 thousand, 1071 raised by a moity of a tenth.

And againe, of all goods 6 shillings and 8 pence in the pound of the merchants. Of Subsidies, rated as in former times, he had then by grant, once, but for a yeare trebled; for three and a half this Subsidie was advanced to 33^s. and 4 pence of denizens, and 53^s. 4 pence of Aliens.

Besides a Subsidie, a loane of Aliens goods, tonnage, and poun∣dage, improved to 6 shillings and eight pence. He took in his 18; yeare, and after the rates of his Fathers time, he took it first, thrice 10 yeares, then, as often for two yeares, and againe by a new grant for five yeares, and in the end for terme of his life.

Of the Clergy, he had besides one half of Dismees, foure en∣tire tenths, and by the State in generall in Anno the 31. of Hen. 6. 2000 Archers maintained for half a yeare at the Common charge.

By the Poll, he exacted in Anno the eighteenth of every mer∣chant stranger, if an housholder 16 shillings a piece, if none six shillings.

And in Anno the 27; 6 shillings 8 pence of every such stranger, and 20^d. of their Clerks.

In Anno the 13, he had granted for terme of his life 10^l. a yeare of all inhabitants, meere denizens, and 20^s. of every stranger mer∣chant that came into the Land.

The first Monopolies I find, were grounded upon the extremity of these times.

For in Anno the the 29, th Spinalloes Merchants of Genoa had by grant for 8 thousand pounds, the Sole trade of many Staple commodities, as the merchants of Southampton had all Allome for the same summe.

Thus was this unhappy Princes Raigne all war and waste, and in the end, as one saith of Lepidus, A Militibus, & à fortuna de∣seritur, he was left a while to a disgraced life, Spoliata quam tueri non poter at dignitate, A wofull example, and still fresh bleeding in our memories.

Notes

• Anno 3i H; 5
• Anno 18 H; 6
• Anno 27 H; 6
• Anno 13 H; 6
• The first Monopolies
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Patereu•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪