Compare 1577 edition: 1 Rog. Houed. Order taken for leuieng monie to paie the kings ransome.These letters being come to the quéene mother, and other that had charge in gouernance of the realme, tooke order that all maner of persons as well spiritu|all as temporall, should giue the fourth part of their whole reuenues to them for that yeare accrewing, and as much more of their mooueable goods, and that of euerie knights fée there should be leuied the sum of twentie shillings. Also that the religious houses of the orders of the Cisteaux and Sempringham should giue all their wools for that yeare towards the kings ransome.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 Now those that had commission to leuie this mo|nie,The hard dealing of of|ficers in the collection. being poisoned with couetousnesse, and incensed with a gréedie desire (than the which as the poet saith,
vsed much streightnesse in exacting it, not onelie le|uieng it to the vttermost value and extent of mens lands, goods, and possessions, but after their owne willes and pleasures: so that vnder colour of the kings commission, and letters to them directed, there séemed not a tribute or subsidie to be raised, but by some publike proclamation all the goods and sub|stance of the people to be appointed as a prey to the kings officers, whereby it came to passe, that not onelie priuate mens goods, but also the chalices, iew|els,Church iewels. and vessels belonging to the church were tur|ned into monie, and a farre greater summe made than was at the first commanded, a great part of the ouerplus being conuerted to the vse of those, through whose hands the receipt passed. There was no priui|lege nor freedome allowed to exempt any person or place for being contributorie towards the paiment of this monie. The order of Cisteaux that were neuer charged with any paiment before, were now assessed more déepelie than the rest.—nulla est hac maior Erinnys,Hanc memorant Acheronte satam, per tristia DitisRegna truces agitare faces, &c.)
Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 The bishop of Norwich lamenting the iniurious dealings of the pettie officers,The bishop of Norwich. and pittieng the peo|ple of the church, collected halfe the value of all the chalices within his diocesse himselfe, and to make vp the other halfe of the whole summe, he spared not to giue a great portion of his owne treasure. The ab|bat of S. Albons acquitted all those churches with|in the compasse of his iurisdiction,The abbat of saint Albons. by the gift of an hundred marks.The bishop of Chester. But the bishop of Chester had verie ill lucke with his collections; for hauing gathered a great summe of monie to the kings vse, he was spoi|led thereof in one night, as he lodged neere vnto Canturburie, being vpon his iournie towards the king.Matthew de Cléere. And bicause Matthew de Cléere that laie in the castell of Douer was knowne to aid those that robbed the said bishop, the archbishop of Canturburie pronounced him accurssed.