[1] ¶It was suerlie a rufull thing to consider the estate of this realme at that present, when as the king nei|ther trusted his péeres, neither the nobilitie fauou|red the king; no, there were verie few that trusted one another, but ech one hid & hourded vp his wealth, looking dailie when another should come and enter vpon the spoile. The communaltie also grew into fa|ctions, some fauouring, & some cursing the king, as they bare affection. The cleargie was likewise at dis|sention, so that nothing preuailed but malice and spite, which brought foorth and spred abroad the fruits of disobedience to all good lawes and orders, greatlie to the disquieting of the whole state So that herein we haue a perfect view of the perplexed state of prin|ces, chéeflie when they are ouerswaied with forren & prophane power, and not able to assure themselues of their subiects allegiance and loialtie. Whereto this clause alludeth,

M. Pal. in suo Le [...].—cruciat comes improbus ipsos

Assiduimetus atque timor, suspectáque ijsdem

Omnia sunt: hinc insidias, hinc dira venena

Concipiunt, soli nec possunt ire nec audent,

Nec sine fas illis praegustatore comesse.