The Holinshed Project

Holinshed Project Home

The Texts
1587

Previous | Next

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Moreouer, this yeare he caused seuenteene shires of the realme by waie of putting them to their fines to paie no small summes of monie, New exac|tions. for redeeming their offenses, that they aided the duke of Glocester, the earles of Arundell, and Warwike, when they rose in armor against him.The nobles, gentlemen, and commons of those shires were inforced also to receiue a new oth to assure the king of their fidelitie in time to come;The paim [...] of these [...] Was called [...] plesance as [...] were to pleas [...] the K. with|all, but y^ [...] [...] displeased ma|nie that were thus constrei|ned to paie a|gainst thei [...] willes. and withall certeine prelats and o|ther honorable personag [...]s, were sent into the same shires to persuade men to this pain [...]ent, and to sée things ordered at the pleasure of the prince: and suer|lie the fines which the nobles, and other the meaner estates of those shires were constreined to paie, were not small, but excéeding great, to the offense of ma|nie. Moreouer, the kings letters patents were sent into euerie shire within this land, by vertue whereof, an oth was demanded of all the kings liege people for a further assurance of their due obedience,The people confirme the oth of allegi|ance by wri|ting sealed. and they were constreined to ratifie the same in writing vnder their hands and seales.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Moreouer they were compelled to put their hands and seales to certeine blankes, wherof ye haue heard before, in the which, when it pleased him he might write what he thought good. There was also a new oth deuised for the shiriffes of euerie countie through the realme to receiue: finallie, manie of the kings liege people were through spite, enuie, and malice, ac|cused, apprehended, & put in prison,Indirect dealings. and after brought before the constable and marshall of England, in the court of chiualrie, and might not otherwise be deliue|red, except they could iustifie themselues by combat and fighting in lists against their accusers hand to hand, although the accusers for the most part were lustie, yoong and valiant, where the parties accused were perchance old, impotent, maimed and sicklie. Wherevpon not onelie the great destruction of the realme in generall, but also of euerie singular per|son in particular, was to be feared and looked for.

¶ About this time the bishop of Calcedon came into England, with letters apostolicall of admonition, Abr. Fl. out of Thom. Wa [...]. pag. 395. that the faithfull and loiall of the land should of their goods disbursse somewhat to the emperour of Con|stantinople, who was extremelie vexed and troubled by the Tartars, and their capteine called Morect. And to the intent that the peeres of the land might be made the more willing and toward to bestow their contribution in this behalfe, the pope granted vnto all benefactors (trulie contrite and confessed) full re|mission, and wrapped in his bitter censures all such as hindered those that were willing to bestow their be|neuolence in this case; considering, that although the emperour was a schismatike, yet was he a chri|stian, and if by the infidels he should be oppressed, all christendome was in danger of ruine; hauing in his mind that saieng of the poet full fit for his purpose,

Tunc tuares agitur paries cùm proximus ardet.

Previous | Next