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Anno Primo Richardi Secundi. The Parliament holden at Westminster, in the Quindeane of St. Michael, in the first Year of King Richard the Second.
[unspec 1] AT the Quindean of St. Michael, being Tuesday the thirteenth of October, certain Bishops and Lords assembled at the Palace of Westminster in the Blanch Chamber there, where for that divers of the Bishops, and Lords were not come,* 1.1 the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, by the Kings commandment, adjourned the Parliament until the next day without any further declaration, willing them all to attend.
[unspec 2] At the which next day, as well the King as the two Arch-Bishops,* 1.2 with most of the Lords and Commons assembled in the Painted Cham∣ber,* 1.3 where the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury pronounced the cause of the Parliament, beginning with this Theam, Rex tuus venit tibi.
[unspec 3] The which his ••heam he divided into three parts saying, that for three causes every friend ought to be welcomed to another, viz. if he come to rejoyce, and to be merry with his friend, for any singular benefit or good hap fallen to his friend, and therefore alledged, Et ex∣ultavit in••ans in utero ejus. Another, if the said coming were to com∣fort his friend in adversity, as it is contained in the Book of Iob. And the third, for assaying his friend in time of necessity, according to the Scripture, in necessitate probabitur amicus.
He applieth, that the King their undoubted leige Lord, was now come unto them, not for one, but for all three causes. For the first, to rejoyce with them in the great providence, and grace of God by send∣ing his person among them, not by any collateral means, or election,* 1.4 but by special discent of inheritance,* 1.5 and for their good wil••s was he therefore come to give them thanks.
[unspec 5] To visit and comfort them in their great necessity,* 1.6 and adversities, He was also come, as not onely for the death of the noble King E. 3. and for the Prince his Son, but also for the great losses of them on the Sea-coasts,* 1.7 and elsewhere within the Realm, done by their enemies, whereunto he now was come, not onely to proffer himself in aid, but to confirm all their Liberties,* 1.8 to maintain the Laws, and Peace, to redress the contrary.
[unspec 6] * 1.9To assay them, He was also come as to councel with them for the depressing of the enemy, and to require aid of them, without which he could not perform the same; for all which, he willed them to con∣sult together.
[unspec 7] Receivers of Petitions for England,* 1.10 Ireland, Wales, and Scot∣land.
[unspec 8] Receivers of Petitions for Gascoyn, and other Countries beyond the Seas, and of the Isles.