20.1. A speech vttered by Empson to the lords of the councell to find fauour.

A speech vttered by Empson to the lords of the councell to find fauour.

[1] _I Know (right honorable) that it is not vnknowne to you, how profitable and necessarie lawes are for the good preseruation of mans life: without the which neither house, towne, nor citie can long continue or stand in safetie. Which lawes heere in England, thorough negligence of magi|strates, were partlie decaied, and partlie quite forgotten and worne out of vse; the [page 816] mischeefe whereof dailie increasing, Henrie the seauenth a most graue and prudent prince wished to suppresse, and therefore appointed vs to see, that such lawes as were yet in vse might continue in their full force; and such as were out of vse might a|gaine be reuiued and restored to their for|mer state; & that also those persons which transgressed the same, might be punished according to their demerits. Wherein we discharged our dueties in most faithfull wise, and best maner we could, to the great aduantage & commoditie (no doubt) of the whole commonwealth. Wherfore we most humblie beseech you in respect of your ho|nours, courtesie, goodnesse, humanitie, and iustice, not to decree any greeuous sentence against vs, as though we were worthie of punishment, but rather to appoint how with thankfull recompense our paines & trauell may be worthilie considered.