Ex

K. Henry VIII. when he demanded fome reasonable Anfwer, every Member held his Peace. At laft, the Speaker falling on his Knees, with much Reverence, cufed the Silence of the House; abafhed, as he faid, at the Sight of fo noble a Perfonage, who < was able to amaze the wifeft and moft learned Men in the Realm. But with many probable "Arguments he endeavoured to fhew the Cardinal, that his Manner of coming thither was neither expedient, nor agreeable to the antient Liberties of that Houfe.' And, in Conclufion, told him, That except all the Members prefent could put • their several Thoughts into his Head, he, alone, was unable, in fo weighty a Matter, to give his Grace a fufficient Answer.' Whereupon, adds our Authority, the Cardinal, difpleafed with the Speaker, fuddenly rofe up in a Rage and depart

Debate thereup

on.

་

6

ed 1.

Our Author may be fufpected here of a little Partiality to his truly great Anceftor;, fince, we are told by Lord Herbert, that Sir Thomas did temporize fomewhat with the Court at that Time. For the next Day, fays the Noble Hiftorian, Sir Thomas More, Speaker of the Houfe of Commons, enforced the Cardinal's Arguments, by endeavouring to demonftrate, That it was not a great deal, on this Occafion, to pay four Shillings in the Pound." To this he was answered, That tho' fome Men ' were well monied, yet, in general, it was known that the fifth Part of Men's Goods was not in • Plate or Money, but in Stock and Cattle; and that to pay away all their Coin would alter the whole Frame and Intercourfe of Things. For if • Tenants come to pay their Landlords in Corn and Cattle only, and the Landlords again could not · put them off from paying thefe Things they had

'

no

q Afterwards, in the Cardinal's Gallery at Whitehall, the Minifter faid to him, I would to God you had been at Rome, Sir Thomas, when I made you Speaker. Your Grace not offended, fo I would too, my Lord, replied Sir Thomas, for then have feen the Place I long have defired to vifit, &c. Sir Thomas Mare's Life, p. 52.

should

no Need of, there would be a Stop in all Traffic K. Henry VIII. ‹ and Merchandize, and consequently the Shipping of the Nation muft decay; and the Nation itself, 'for Want of Money, grow, in fome Sort, barbarous and ignoble. They were defired to confider "that the King had already got of them, by Way of Loan, two Shillings in the Pound, which amount'ed to 400,000l. and now to have four Shillings, ⚫ would come to, in the whole, 1,200,000l. which, first and laft, is full fix Shillings in the Pound, • and is almost a third Part of every Man's Goods, ⚫ and cannot be had, in Coin, in the whole King• dom. For Proof of this it was alledged, That, fuppofing 15,000 Parishes in England, and each • Parish fhould pay 100 Marks, this would only amount to 1,500,000 Marks, which is but • 1,000,000 7. And how many Parishes are there ' in England, out of Cities and Towns, one with another, able to fpare 100 Marks? It was faid, ' indeed, That there were no less than 40,000 Parish Churches in England, whereas it may be ' proved there are not 13,000 Parishes; then reckon that the whole Sum cannot amount to above 1,000,000l. and the King demanding 800,000l. and he, after this Valuation, having received 400,000. therefore it was judged impoffible to Slevy the Sum demanded; for if all the Coin 'fhould come into the King's Hands, how should • Men live?'

To these Arguments it was replied by the Courtiers, That the Money demanded ought not to be accounted as loft or taken away, but only to be transferred into others Hands of their Kindred or Nation; herein therefore that no more was 'done than that we fee ordinarily in Markets'; where, though the Money change Mafters, yet every one is accommodated. Howfoever, that 'no Man ought to refufe unto him that fighteth for "the Honour and Safety of his Country fo much as will maintain him, fince he denies it not even to his Labourer. That thofe who are employed must have been fed when they ftaid idle at home,

6

• and

K. Henry VIII, and yet that they afked no more now, to give the • uttermoft Proof of well-deferving Patriots. How

beit, you may reply, This will exhaust the Coin from the poorer Sort; but, to avoid this Objection, let the Richer go themselves. Let them 'fhew, in defending their Country, that they merit the better and greater Parts thereof. Our King will not deny them this Honour. Or, when they would defire to be exempt, and lay the Burden and Hazard upon others, let them not grudge yet the giving fo poor a Stipend as fome of their Servants at home would fcarcely take to ftand bare-headed to them. Neither are they to value themselves more than others, because they have larger Poffeffions, unless they employ it for the Public Good; fince, in antient Times, and · even true Reason of State, they deserved not fo • much who tilled and manured a Country, as they who defended it. Nor is it well faid of you, when you object that this will carry the Money "out of England, and leave it in France; for doth it not carry the Men too, and fo, in Effect, prove but the fame Expence? Notwithstanding, if you be so obftinate as to believe that making War in a Country brings Money to it, do but conceive a while that the French had invaded us; • would the Money they brought over, think you, enrich our Country? Should any of us be the better for it? Let us therefore lay afide thofe poor Scruples, and do what may be worthy the Dignity and Honour of our Nation. When you did conceive the worst that can fall out, you 'fhould yet eat your Beef and Mutton here, and wear your Country Cloth; while others, upon 6 a fhort Allowance, fought only that you might enjoy your Families and Liberty. But I fay confidently you need not fear this Penury or Scarcenefs of Money, the Intercourse of Things being fo eftablifhed throughout the whole World, that there is a perpetual Derivation of all that can be neceffary to Mankind. Thus your Commodities will ever find out Money; while, not to go

• far,

* far, I fhall produce our own Merchants only, K. Henry VIII, who, let me affure you, will be always as glad of your Corn and Cattle, as you can be of any Thing they bring you. Let us therefore, in God's Name, do what becomes us; and, for the reft, entertain fo good an Opinion of our Soldiers, as to believe that, inftead of leaving our Country bare, they will add new Provinces to it; at leaft, bring rich Spoils and Triumphs home. At laft, after much Debate and Contention, it was agreed by the Commons, That every Man

or,

of Eftate of 20 1. yearly and upwards, fhould pay A Subfidy granttwo Shillings in the Pound; and from 20 l. a Year ed. downwards to 40 s. one Shilling in the Pound; and under 40 s. every Head of fixteen Years old or more should pay 4 d. in two Years. The Cardinal hearing no more was intended, feemed much troubled; and therefore, coming to the Lower House of Parliament, he told them, That he defired to reafon with those who oppofed his Demands; but being anfwered, That it was the Order of that Houfe to hear, and not to reason, but amongst themselves, the Cardinal departed. Yet, by the liberal Motion of fome of the Lower House, thofe of 50. Land and upwards were induced to give 1 s. more, being 3 s. in the Pound, for three Years to come; which at length being continued to the fourth Year, and extended to those who were worth 50. in Goods, was all that could be obtained.'

We have chofe to give this Account in Lord Herbert's own Words, as it is chiefly extracted from Hall's Chronicle, a contemporary Hiftorian of those Times. But fince we think that he hath curtailed his Author too much, we shall add, from the Chronicle itself, what is omitted.

Hall writes, That it was one Sir John Husee, a Lincolnshire Knight, who, to please the Cardinal, firft made the Motion in the Houfe of Commons, for 12 d. in the Pound on Land, upon all those who were worth 501. a Year and upwards; to be paid VOL. III.

C

Chronicle, Fol. x. Henry VIII.

in

K. Henry VIII. in three Years. That, on the Queftion's being put, ten or twelve Gentlemen said Yea; and on the Negative's being asked, not one Nay was heard: For, adds he, the Commons would not condemn nor hinder the landed Men from charging themfelves; fo that by ten or twelve Perfons the Gentlemen were burdened with 12 d. more than others, for which the faid Sir John had much evil Will.

diffolves the Convocation.

This Grant, our Author fays, was paffed on the 21ft Day of May; at which Time, because that Whitfuntide was near, the Parliament was adjourned to the 10th of June; in the mean while the Members of the Houfe of Commons were taunted publickly with fuch Sayings as these, by the People, Sirs, we hear that you say you will grant 4s. in the Pound; we advise you to do it, that ye may go home with Threats and Curfes.

In this Interval the Cardinal, by his Power Legantine, diffolved the Convocation at St. Paul's, Cardinal Wolfey which had been called by the Archbishop of Canterbury; and fummoned him and all his Clergy to his Convocation at Westminster; a Thing that had never been done before in England. On which Occafion Skelton, the Wit of that Age, and Poet Laureat, made this Diftich;

Gentle Paul laie downe thy Sweard,

For Peter of Westminster hath shaven thy Beard. Hall proceeds and tells us, That when the Parliament began again, the landed Men, who were charged 12 d. in the Pound on 50 l. a Year and upwards, moved the House, that all fuch as were worth 50l. a Year, or upwards, in Goods, fhould pay the fame Tax in four Years. This Motion occafioned a great Debate in the Houfe; and, June the 22d, the Question was put, and it being doubtful whether the Yeas or Nays had it, the Houfe divided the Citizens and Burgeffes by themselves, and the Knights of Shires on the other Side; the former ftiffly affirming, that the Motioners were Enemies to the Realm. At the laft the Speaker called them all together, and, after long Perfuafion, and tampering by private Means, it was agreed that 12 d.