Resuscitatio, or, Bringing into publick light severall pieces of the works, civil, historical, philosophical, & theological, hitherto sleeping, of the Right Honourable Francis Bacon, Baron of Verulam, Viscount Saint Alban according to the best corrected coppies : together with His Lordships life / by William Rawley ...

A Speech made by Sir FRANCIS BACON Knight, chosen by the Commons, to present a Petition, touching Purveyors, delivered to his Majesty, in the with-draw∣ing Chamber, at White-Hall, in the Parliament, held ••^o. & 2^o. Iacobi, the first Session.

IT is well known, to your Majesty, (excellent King) that the Emperours of Rome, for their better Glory, and Ornament, did use in their Titles, the Additions of the Countries and Nations, where they had obtained victories: As Germanicus, Britannicus, & the like: But after all those Names, as in the higher place, fol∣lowed the Name of Pater Patriae, as the greatest Name of all hu∣man Honour, immediatly preceding that Name of Augustus; whereby they took themselves, to expresse some Affinity, that they had, (in respect of their Office,) with Divine Honour. Your Majesty mought, with good reason, assume to your self, many of those other Names; As, Germanicus, Saxonicus, Britannicus, Francicus, Danicus; Gothicus, and others, as appertaining to you; Not by Bloud-shed, (as they bare them,) but by Bloud: your Majesties Royall Person, being a noble confluence, of streams, and veynes, wherein the Royall Bloud of many Kingdoms of Eu∣rope, are met, and united. But no Name is more worthy of you, nor may more truly be ascribed unto you, then that Name, of Father of your people, which you bear, and express, not in the For∣mality of your stile, but in the reall Course of your Government. We ought not to say unto you, as was said to Caesar Iulius; Quae miremur, habemus, quaelaudemus, expectamus: That we have alrea∣dy, wherefore to admire you, And that now we expect some∣what, for which to commend you. For we may, (without su∣spicion of Flattery) acknowledge, that we have found in your Majesty, great Cause, both of Admiration, and Commendation. For great is the Admiration, wherewith you have possessed us, since this Parliament began, in those two Causes, wherein we have had accesse unto you, and heard your Voice: That of the return of Sr. Francis Goodwine; And that of the Union: Whereby it seemeth unto us; The one of these, being so subtile a Question

of Law; And the other, so high a Cause of Estate; That, as the ••cripture ••aith, of the wisest King; That his Heart was as the Sands of the Sea; which, though it be one of the largest, and vastest Bo∣dies, yet it consisteth, of the smallest Moates, and Portions. So (I say) it appeareth unto us, in these two examples, that God hath given your Majesty a rare sufficiency, both to compasse, and fathome, the greatest matters, and to discern the least. And for matter of Praise, and Commendation, which chiefly belongeth to Goodness, we cannot but with great thankfulness profess; That your Majesty, within the Circle of one Year, of your Raign, (infra Orbem Anni Vertentis) hath endeavoured, to unite your Church, which was divided; To supply your Nobility, which was diminished; And to ease your People, in Cases, where they were burthened, and oppressed.

In the last of these, your high Merits; That is the Ease, and Com∣fort, of your People; Doth fall out to be comprehended, the Message, which I now bring unto your Majestie; concerning the great Grievance, arising, by the manifold Abuses, of ••urveyors; Differing, in some Degree, from most of the things, wherein we deale, and consult; For it is true, that the Knights, Citizens, and ••urgesses in Parliament assembled, are a Representative Body, of your Commons, and Third Estate: And in many matters, although we apply our selves, to perform the trust, of those that choose us; yet, it may be, we do speak much, out of our own Senses, and Discourses. But in this Grievance, being of that Nature, where∣unto the poor People is most exposed, and Men of Quality less; we shall most humbly desire your Majesty, to conceive, That your Majesty, doth not hear, our Opinions, or Senses, but the very Groanes, and Complaints t••emselves, of your Commons, more truly, and vively, then by Representation. For there is no Grievance, in your Kingdome, so generall, so continuall, so sen∣sible, and so bitter unto the common Subject, as this whereof we now speak. Wherein, it may ple••se your Majesty, to vouchsafe me leave; First, to set forth unto you, the dutifull, and respective Carriage, of our proceeding; N••xt the substance of our Petiti∣on; And Thirdly, some Reasons and Motives, which, in all Humbleness, we do offer to your Majesties, Royall Consideration, or Commiseration: we assuring our selves, that never King raigned, that had better Notions of Head, and Motions of Heart, for the Good, and Comfort, of his loving Subjects.

For the first; In the Course of Remedy, which we desire, we pretend not, nor intend not, in any sort, to derogate from your Majesties Prerogative; Nor to touch, diminish, or question, any your Majesties Regalities, or Rights. For we seek nothing, but the Reformation of Abuses, and the Execution of former Laws, whereunto we are born. And although, it be no strange Thing in Parliament, for new Abuses, to crave new Remedies; yer never∣theless in these Abuses, (which, if not in Nature, yet in extremi∣ty,

and Heigth of them, are most of them new) we content our selves with the old Laws: Onely we desire a Confirmation, and Quickening of them, in their Execution; So far are we, from any Humour of I••novation, or Incroachment.

As to the Court, of the Green-Clo••h, ordained, for the Provision, of your Majesties most Honourable Houshold, we hold it Anci∣ent, we hold it Reverent. Other Courts respect your Politick Person, but that respects your Naturall Person. But yet not∣withstanding, (most Excellent King,) to use that Freedom, which to Subjects, that poure out their Griefs before so gracious a King, is allowable, we may very well alledge unto your Majesty, a Com∣parison, or Simitude, used by one of the Fathers, in another Mat∣ter; And not unfitly representing our Case, in this point: And it is of the Leaves, and Roots, of Net••les. The Leaves, are veno∣mous, and stinging, where they touch: The Root is not so, but ••s without Venome, or Malignity: and yet it is that Root, that bears, and supports, all the Leaves.

To come now, to the substance, of our Petition. It is no other, then by the Benefit of your Majesties Laws, to be relieved, of the Abuses, of Purveyors; Which Abuses, do naturally divide them∣selves, into three sorts. The first, they take in Kind, that they ought not to take. The second, they take in Qu••ntity, a far greater proportion, then commeth to your Majesties Use. The Third, they take in an unlawfull manner: In a manner, (I say) directly, and expresly, prohibited, by divers Laws.

For the First of these; I am a little to alter their Name. For instead of Takers, they become Taxers: Instead of taking Provisi∣on for your Majesties service, they tax your people, ad redimendam vexationem: Imposing upon them, and exto••ting from them, di∣vers sums of Money, sometimes in gross, sometimes in the na∣ture of Stipends annually paid, Ne noceant, to be freed, and eased, of their oppression. Again, they take Trees, which by Law they cannot do; Timber-Trees, which are the Beauty, Countenance, and Shelter, of Mens Houses; That Men have long spared, from their own purse, and profit; That Men esteem, (for their use, and delight,) above ten times the value: That are a Loss, which Men cannot repair, or recover. These do they take, to the De∣facing, and Spoyling, of your Subjects Mansions, and Dwellin••s; Except they may be compounded with, to their own Appe∣tites. And if a Gentleman, be too hard for them, while he is at home, They will watch their time, when there is but a Bayliffe, or a Servant, remaining, And put the Axe to the Root of the Tree, ere ever the Master can stop it. Again they use a strange, and most unjust, Exaction; In causing the Subjects, to pay Poundage, of their own Debts, due from your Majesty unto them: So as a poor Man, when he hath had his Hay, or his Wood, or his Poultry, (which, perchance, he was full loath to part with, and had, for the Provision, of his own Family, and not, to put to Sale,) taken

from him; And that not at a just Price, but under the value; And commeth to receive his Mony, he shall have, after the rate, of 12. pence in the Pound, abated, for Poundage, of his due Pay∣ment, upon so hard Conditions. Nay further, they are grown to that extremity, (as is affirmed, though it be scarce credible; save that in such Persons, all things are Credible) that they will take double Poundage; Once when the Debentur is made; And ••gain the second time, when the Money is paid.

For the second Point, (most Gracious Soveraign) touching the Quantity which they take, far above that which is answered to your Majesties use, they are the onely Multipliers in the world; They have the Art of Multiplication: For it is affirmed unto me•• by divers Gentlemen, of good report, and Experience, in these Causes, as a Matter, which I may safely avouch, before your Ma∣jesty, (To whom we owe all Truth, as well of Information, as Subjection;) That there is no Pound Profit, which redoundeth to your Majesty, in this Course; But induceth, and begetteth three Pound damage upon your Subjects; besides the Discon∣tentment. And to the end, they may make their Spoil, more se∣curely, what do they? whereas divers Statutes, do stric••ly pro∣vide, that whatsoever they take, shall be registred, and attested; To the end, that by making a Collation, Of that which is taken from the Countrey, and that which is answered above, their De∣ceits might appear; They, to the end, to obscure their Deceits, utterly omit the Observation of this, which the Law prescri∣beth.

And therefore to descend, if it may please your Majesty, to the Third sort of Abuse; which is of the unlawfull Manner of their Taking, whereof this Question is a Branch; It is so manifold, as it rather asketh an Enumeration, of some of the Particulars, then a prosecution of all. For their Price: By Law they ought to take, as they can agree with the Subject; By Abuse they take, at an imposed, and enforced, Price: By Law, they ought to make, but one Aprizement, by Neighbours, in the Countrey; By Abuse, they make a second Aprizement at the Court Gate; And when the Subjects Cattell, come up, many Miles, lean, and out of Plight, by reason of their Travell, then they prize them anew, at an a∣bated price: By Law, they ought to take, between Sun and Sun; By Abuse, they take by Twilight, and in the Night time, A Time well chosen for Malefactours: By Law, they ought not to take in the High wayes, (A place, by your Majesties high prero∣gative, protected; And by Statute, by speciall words, excepted;) By abuse, they take in the wayes, in Contempt of your Majesties prerogative, and Laws: By Law, they ought to shew their Com∣mission; And the Form of Commission, is, by Law set down; The Commissions, they bring down, are against the Law; And becau••e, they know so much, they will not shew them. A num∣ber of other particulars there are, whereof, (as I have given your

Majesty a Tast,) so the chief of them, upon deliberate Advise, are set down in writing, by the Labour of certain Committees, and approbation of the whole House, more particularly, and lively, than I can express them; My self having them at the second hand, by reason of my Aboad above. But this writing, is a Collection of theirs, who dwell amongst the Abuses of these of∣fenders, and Complaints of the People: And therefore, must needs have, a more perfect understanding, of all the Circum∣stances of them.

It remaineth only, that I use a few words, the rather, to move your Majesty, in this cause. A few words, (I say,) a very few, For neither need so great Enormities any aggravating; Neither needeth so great Grace, as useth of it self, to flow from your Majesties Princely Goodness, any Artificiall perswading. There be two Things onely, which I think good, to set before your Majesty. The one, the Example, of your most Noble Pro∣genitours, Kings of this Realm: who from the First King, that en∣dowed this Kingdom, with the Great Charters of their Liberties, untill the last, have ordained, most of them, in their severall Raignes. some Laws, or Law against this kind of Offenders: And specially the Example of one of them; That King, who for his Greatness, Wisdom, Glory, and Union of severall Kingdoms, resembleth your Majesty most, both in Vertue, and Fortune, King Edward the Third; who, in his time onely, made ten seve••rall Laws, against this Mischief. The second, is the Example, of God himself; who hath said and pronounced; That he will not hold them guiltless, that take his Name in vain. For all these great Misdem••anours, are committed, in, and under your Majesties Name. And therefore we hope your Majesty, will hold th••m twice guilty, that commit these offences: Once for the Oppres∣sing, of the People: And once more, for doing it, under the Colour, and abuse, of your Majesties most dreaded, and beloved, Name. So then, I will conclude, with the saying of Pindarus; Optima Res Aqua: Not for the Excellency, but for the Common use of it: And so contrary-wise, the Matter of Abuse of Purvey∣ance, (if it be not the most hainous Abuse,) yet certainly, it is the most common, and generall, Abuse, of all others, in this King∣dom.

It resteth, that according to the Command laid upon me, I do, in all Humbleness, present this writing, to your Majesties Royall Hands; with most humble Petition, on the Behalf, of the Com∣mons; That, as your Majesty, hath been pleased, to vouchsafe, your Gracious Audience, to hear me speak: So you would be pleased, to enlarge your Patience, to hear this writing read, which is more Materiall.