Object. Your great Objection is that of 2 R. 2. Parl. Roll pars 1. Rot. 15. The Killing Record, that the People should not be charged but in Par∣liament: The Grandees were there assembled, Scroope, then Chancellor, made a Speech, That there was no Ordinance made for salvation of the Realm: And the said Councel answered, They durst not take upon them alone to make an Ordi∣nance of so High a business, as to lay a General Charge upon the Subject, but advistes a Grand Councel of the Lords and Commons of the Realm might be called for the doing thereof. Upon this all the Prelates, as well Abbots as other Ba∣rons, &c. & autres Sages, m••et. Oh forsooth, it is said, autres Sages, was the Judges, but by that is meant the other minores Barones of the Realm. It was said in the said Councel, This mischief they could not remedy without charging the Sub∣jects, and that cannot be done but by Parliament; and for that end a Parliament was summoned. The Lords did lend Money voluntarily unto the King in that Councel, and so did the good Peo∣ple of London; to whom the King (by assent made in the said Great Councel) engaged Himself for Repayment thereof. I pray you note, That in this Case, this was before any actual Charge im∣posed. King Richard the 2d. He was in His Mino∣rity: The Law is not clear concerning the Kings Infancy; whether the Infancy of a King be not a disability: The Example of Latimer was fresh in those Lords Memories, they took heed by other mens Harms.
My true Answer is, The thing was done ano∣ther way; by lending the King Money, provisi∣on was made for the Defence of the Kingdom: If it had not been done that way by a voluntary lending of Money, it must have been charged without Parliament; scarce a good Subject that will let the Kingdom be destroyed rather than lend Money without Parliament▪
Rot. Parl. 1. R. 2. m. 52. A Command for the making of Barges; here was cause to complain, if this had been a wrong. The Record saith, Be∣cause they were good Subjects, the King did con∣firm their Franchises unto them: Many things may be grievances and yet no wrong; there may be a loss without a wrong. The Commission in R. 2ds time expired with His Death. And in H. 4ths time, the Commons petition, That he would live of His own, and not charge the Subjects for the Defence of the Realm, as heretofore hath been done by His Progenitors. The King answer∣eth, He will advise with His Lords.