The same MS. contains the following Speeches of Lord Delamere and Lord Montague.

Lord Delamere.-I have long thought myself absolved from

I am satisfied that I owe him pay him any. And if King

my allegiance to King James. none, and I resolve never to James comes again I will fight against him and will die single with my sword in my hand, rather than pay him any obedience.

Lord Montague.-I am so perfectly satisfied of the throne's being vacant, that I have a dispensation within myself without the help of one from my Lord Jeffreyes or Sir W. Herbert, and therefore I do declare that from this day I look upon myself to be absolved from all allegiance to King James.

See further on the subject of the above Protest, Burnet's History of his own times, last Edition, Vol. III, p. 376, Note “u.”

No. II.

The following Extracts from FORTESCUE'S Treatise on Absolute and Limited Monarchy, are offered for the purpose of shewing how far his sentiments respecting the liberty of the subject, which he expressed during his exile, and whilst he held the office of Chancellor to Henry VI, are consistent with the writings which he subsequently composed for the instruction of Edward IV, after his reconciliation to that Prince. Thus the reader will have placed before him some opinions respecting the freedom of the People of England, which were delivered in the reign of a Sovereign, as well of the York as of the Lancastrian family. These Extracts will also confirm a belief which cannot fail to arise from a perusal of the tract "De Laudibus," that the English in early times enjoyed more liberty than the inhabitants of France and other Continental Nations, and that they were themselves sensible of their superior privileges.-The specimen of the language of this Country as written in the reign of Edward IV, may likewise be thought a matter of curiosity. (For an enquiry respecting the date of the Treatise on Monarchy, see Biog. Brit. Art. Fortescue.)

"CHAP. XII.

Hereafter ys schewyd, what Harme would come to Englond, if the Commons thereof were Pore.

SOME Men have said, that it war good for the Kyng, that the Comons of Englond wer made poer, as be the Comons of Fraunce. For than, thay would not rebell as now thay done

often tymes; which the Comons of Fraunce do not, nor may do; for they have no Wepon, nor Armor, nor Good to bye it withall. To thees maner of Men, may be said with the Philosopher, Ad parva respicientes, de facili enunciant; that is to say, thay that seen fewe thyngs, woll sone say their Advyse. Forsothe thoos folkys consyderyn litil the Good of the Realme of Englond, wherof the Might most stondyth upon Archers, which be no rich Men. And if thay were made porer than they be, they schuld not have wherewith to bye them Bowys, Arrowes, Jakkes, or any other Armor of Defence, whereby thay might be able to resyste our Ennymyes, whan thay liste to come upon us, which thay may do on every syde, consydering that we be an Ileland; and as it ys said before, we may not have sone Socors off any other Realme. Wherfor we schuld be a Pray to al other Ennymyes, but if we be mighty of our self, which Might stondith most upon our poer Archers; and therfor thay nedyn, not only to have such Abilyments as now is spoken of, but also thay nedyn to be mich exercysyd in schotyng, which may not be done without right grete Expensys; as every Man experte theryn knowyth right well. Wherfor the makyng poer of the Comons, which is the makyng poer of our Archers, schuld be the Distruction of the grettest Might of our Realme.

Item,. It is the Kyngs Honor, and also his Office, to make his Realme riche; and yt ys Dishonor whan he hath a poer Realme, of which Men woll say, that he reygnyth upon Beggars; yet it war mych gretter Dyshonour, if he fownd his Realme riche, and than made it poer. And also as it were gretely ayenste his Consyence, that awght to defend them, and their Goods, if he toke from them their goods, without lawfull Cause; from the Infamye whereof God defend our Kyng, and gyve him Grace to augment his Realme in Rycesse, Welth, and Prosperyte, to his perpetual Lawde and Honour. Item, The Realme of Fraunce gevyth never frely of their own good Will, any Subsydye to their Prynce, because the Comons therof be so poer, as thay may not gyve any thyng of their own Goods. And the Kyng ther, askyth never Subsydye of his Nobles, for

drede that if he chargyd them so, thay would confedre with the Comons, and peraventure putt hym downe; But our Comons be riche, and therfor thay gave to their Kyng, at sum tymys Quinsimes and Dismes, and often tymys other grete Subsydyes, as he hath nede of their Goods for the Defence of his Realme. How grete a Subsydye was it, whan this Realme gave to their Kyng, a Quinsime and Disme Quinquinall, and the ixth Flees of their Wolls, and the ixth Scheff of their Graynys, for the Terme of five Yers. This might thay not have done, if thay had ben empoveryshyd by their Kyng, as the Comons of Fraunce; nor such a Graunte hath byn made by any Realme of Cristyndome, of which any Cronycle makyth mention. Nor non other Realme may, or hath Cause to do so. For thay have not so mich Fredome in their own Goods, nor be entreatyd by so favourable Lawys as we be, except a feme Regyons before specyfyed. Item, Wee see dayly, hou Men that have lost their Goods, and be fallyn into Povertie, becomyn anon Robbers and Thefes, which would not have be such, yf Povertie had not brought them thereto. How many a Thefe than wer like to be in this Land, if al the Comons were poer. The grettest Sewertie truly, and also the most Honour that may come to the Kyng is, that his Realme be riche in every Astate; for nothyng may make his People to arise, but lacke of Goods, or lacke of Justyce. But yet certeynly whan thay lack Goods thay will arise, sayyng thay lack Justyce. Nevertheless if thay be not poer, thay will never aryse, but if their Prince so leve Justice, that he gyve himself al to Tyrannye."

СНАР. Х.

Hou that the Crown may be best endowed.

*

WHEREFORE ther is no parte of thoos maner of Subsydeys that might be good for owr Soveryng Lord, but if it war, that he might sell to his Subgetts the Salte that comyth hether.

S

Yn which thyng he schall have more Grutch of the People, than Profyte. For in Fraunce, the People salten but litill meate, except their Bacon, and therfor they would bye lityl Salt; but yet they be artyd to bye more Salte than they would. For the Kyngs Officers bryng to their Housys every yere, as moch Salte as by their Conjecture ys reasonable, to the nomber of Men, Women, and Children that dwellyn theryn, for which they schal pay though they wold not have so myche. This Rule and Order wold be sore abhorred in Englond, as well by the Merchaunts that be wontyd to have their Freedome in byyng and sellyng of Salte, as by the People that usen mich to salte their Meats more than do the French Men; by occasyon wherof thay wol than at every Meale grutche with the Kyng, that entreatith them more rigorously than his Progenitours have done. And so his Highness schal have therof, but as had the Man that scheryd his Hogge, moche Crye and no Wull. In Flanders and other Lordscippis of the Duke of Burgoyne downward, he taketh certeyn Imposicions made by hymself upon every Oxe, every Schepe, and upon other thyngs sould, and also upon every Vessel of Wyne, every Barell of Beer, and other Vytayls sould in his Lordschip, which is no litill Revenue to hym yerely: but yet he doth it magre the People, which God defend that the Kyng our Soveryng Lord schuld do upn his People, without their Graunts and Assents. Nevertheless with their Assents, such maner of Subsydye, if ther could not be found a better Meane of the encreasing of the Kyngs Revenuz, were not unreasonable. For theryn, and yn the Gable of Salt, every Man schal bere the charge therin equally. But yet I would not, that such a new Custome and Charge were put upon the People, in our Soveryng Lords dayes, with which his Progenitors chargyd them never, if a better and more convenient way could be found.