Which small punishment the king will not to be an example to other offendors, but clearelie decla|reth, that whosoeuer hereafter shall make like at|tempt, or commit like offense, shall not escape with like punishment. And bicause you of the common house be a grosse multitude, and can not speake all at one time: therefore the kings pleasure is, that you shall resort to the nether house, & there amongst your selues, according to the old and ancient custome, to choose an able person to be your common mouth and speaker: and after your election so made, to aduertise his grace thereof, which will declare to you his plea|sure, what day he will haue him present in this place. After this doone, the commons resorted to the nether EEBO page image 911 house,Thomas [...]udleie cho|sen speaker. and they chose for their speaker Thomas Aud|leie esquier, and attourneie of the duchie of Lanca|ster: and the same daie was the parlement adiorned to Westminster.

On the sixt daie of the same moneth, the king came to the parlement chamber, and all the lords in their robes. And there the commons of the nether house presented their speaker, which there made an e|loquent oration,An oration made by the speaker of the parlement. which consisted in two points. The first point was, that he much praised the king for his equitie and iustice, mixed with mercie and pitie, so that none offense was forgotten and left vnpunish|ed, nor in the punishment the extremitie nor the ri|gor of the law cruellie extended: which should be a cause to bridle all men from doing like offenses, & also a comfort to offendors to confesse their crime and offense, and an occasion of amendment and re|conciliation. The second point was, that he disabled himselfe, both for lacke of wit, learning, and discreti|on to so high an office, beseeching the king to cause his commons to resort eftsoones to their common house, and there to choose an other speaker for that parlement.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 To this the king (by the mouth of the lord chancel|lor) answered; that where he disabled himselfe in wit and learning, his owne ornate oration there made testified the contrarie. And as touching his discreti|on and other qualities, the king himselfe had well knowne him and his doings since he was in his ser|uice, to be both wise and discreet: and so for an able man he accepted him, and for the speaker he him ad|mitted. When the commons were assembled in the nether house,The commõs of the lower house com|plaine against the clergie. they began to commune of their griefes, wherewith the spiritualtie had before time greeuouslie oppressed them, both contrarie to the law of the realme, and contrarie to all right: and in spe|ciallie they were sore mooued with six great causes.