hall. After a proeme, in which he soothes the Royal ear with that flattery and those learned allusions which were so acceptable to the Monarch, he tells him that, "there was no greivance in his Kingdom so general, so continual, so sensible, and so bitter to the common subject, as that which he was then speaking of; that they do not pretend to derogate from his prerogative, nor to question any of his regalities or rights; they only seek a reformation of abuses and restoration of the laws to which they were born. He complains that, the Purveyors take in kind what they ought not to take; they take in quantity a far greater proportion than cometh to the King's use; and they take in an unlawful manner. They extort money in gross, or in annual stipends, to be freed from their oppression. They take trees, which by law they cannot do; timber trees which are the beauty, countenance, and shelter of men's houses, that are a loss which men cannot repaire or recover. If a gentleman is too hard for them whilst at home, they will watch him out, and cut the tree before he can stop it. When a poor man hath his goods taken away from him at an under value, and cometh to receive his money, he shall have twelve pence in the pound deducted; nay, they take double poundage, once when the debenture is made, and again when the money is paid.

"As to the second point, he tells the King that there is no pound of profit to him but begetteth three pound damages on the subjects, besides the discontent; and, to avoid a discovery, they never register and attest what is taken, as they are required by law to do.

"As to the third, by law they ought to take as they can agree with the subject; by abuse they take at an enforced price. By law they ought to make but one apprisement by neighbours in the country; by abuse they make a second apprisement at the Court-gate; and when the subject's cattle come up many miles, lean and out of plight by reason of great travel, they prise them anew at an abated price. By law they ought to take between sun and sun; by abuse they take by twilight and in the night. By law they ought not to take in the highwayes, by abuse they take in the ways. This abuse of Purveyance, if it be not the most heinous abuse, yet it is the most common and general abuse of all others in the Kingdom."

This representation, together with a case which was solemnly resolved by all the Judges and Barons of the Exchequer, produced a Proclamation against this and other abuses of Purveyance.

It was about the same time that the number of Carts used in Progresses was reduced from 600 to 220. Two pence a mile was paid for them, and they were not to go more than twelve miles a day, unless on occasions of great necessity. The proportions to be furnished by eight several Counties were as follow; on the removal of the Court from

the total in every case being 220 1.

100

There occurs, however, a letter dated 1606, alleging that the King's Cartakers oppressed those who brought provisions to London, requiring 40s. a year and 4s. quarterage of the owners of such carts to be exempt from being pressed into the King's service.

In the case of Richards, anno 3 Jac. Purveyance was allowed by the Judges in the Star-chamber to be a Royal prerogative, but they denied that timber could be cut, or fruit-trees transplanted. This Richards, on being examined, made a curious confession of the rogueries practised by him and his brethren. He mentioned several kinds; they charged ten times the quantity wanted, sold the overplus, and shared the money. They went to the most remote places to make their Purveyance, in order to induce the people to come to a composition. They conspired with the High-constables to charge more than enough, and took half the money of them, but gave receipts for the whole, the Constables taking the rest. The Clerk of the Market set the prices below the value, and shared the gain. This confession did not save him. He had also extorted money under pretence of having a grant for compounding fines on penal statutes, and was sentenced to stand in the pillory in Westminster, Cheapside, three market Towns in Dorsetshire, and three in Somersetshire; to lose one ear at Dorchester, the other at Wells; to ride on a horse with his face to the tail, and papers pinned on him. expressing his crime; to pay one hundred pounds fine, and to be imprisoned during the King's pleasure.

'From the Introduction to Manning and Bray's History of Surrey, p. Ixiv, where the proportions furnished by the Hundreds of that County at each remove are printed at length.

In 1607 the 'parish of Weybridge made complaint of the continual burden which they sustained, when the King or Prince was at Oatlands, in carrying goods thither from the water-side, having but one cart in the parish. The Parish was consequently discharged from serving on any remove of the Court, except from that House only. About the same time the Bailiwick of Surrey (embracing all that part of the County which was reserved as forest by Richard the First when he disafforested the rest) was occasionally exempted during pleasure both from purveyance and cart-service, on every removal of the Court except from Windsor or any house within the Bailywick. This privilege is said to have been granted on condition of the inhabitants preserving the deer within their neighbourhood. But, notwithstanding this exemption, they seem to have been still harassed, till after the Earl of Nottingham had written the following letter in their behalf:

"Bailyweeke of Surrey in Windsor Forrest.-The copie of a l're from the Lord Admyrall, directed to the Lords, &c. towchinge the Baylywicke of Surrey; the originall whereof remayned in the Compting-house.

"After my very harty comendacens to your Lordships and the rest, because it is conceaved that his Majestie's removes from the Castle of Windsore, and other his howses of accesse within the Bailywicke of Surrey, cannot conveniently, be made withoute the assistance of the inhabitants of the Bailywicke, they are contented, notwithstanding his Majestie's gratious graunte unto them, by which they are freed from all manner of Carriages for removes or otherwise, except only the Carriages for that Castle and other his Majestie's howses of accesse within Surrey Bailywicke, to submitt themselves and to be ordered to serve hereafter with eighte Cartes and Carriages at all and everie of his Majestie's removes which shall be time made from his Castle of Windsore or any other of his Majestie's howses of accesse within Surrey Bailywick, and from his Majestie's howses of Easthamsteed in the County of Berck', unto Hampton Courte, Oatelandes, Richmond, and Farnham, or any of them, which, with the Carriages of those which inhabit on Berckshire side, I thincke, will well performe his Majestie's service at those removes. I pray therefor lett me in their behalf intreate your Lordships, and the rest of the officers, to cause an order to be entered in the Comptinghowse, expressing the inhabitants of Surrey Bailywicke to be charged to serve hereafter but with eight Carts, and with them but only from the Castle of Windsor and his Majestie's other howses of accesse within Surrey Bailywicke,

at any

and from Easthamsteed to those four howses before-named, and to be freed from all Carriages for any other removes. Even so I bid your Lordships and Your very loving friend, NOTTINGHAM. "From Whitehall, the viiith of January 1608.

the rest very hartelly farwell.

"ix January 1608. It is ordered by the Lord Knollys and the Lord Wotton [the Comptroller and Treasurer of the Household] that the contents of this l're of the Lord Admyrall's, in the behalf of Surrey Bailywicke, shall be observed, till there be further order taken to the contrary 1."

In 1621 another letter in the King's name is addressed to the Deputy Lieutenants and Justices of the Peace in Surrey, setting forth how ready and forward the King is to give ease to his subjects in the adjoining Counties, as to the charge of Carts for his Majesty's removals; he has desired them to agree on some [method] amongst themselves how it may be done with least charge and trouble; and to shew that he continues the same care, though he has not been answered with like respect from them, having had no answer from them to his former letters, yet he thinks fit to let them know that, on notice of some abuses, has committed some Cartakers to prison, and Constables are to return necessary proofs.

There is another in which the King says that on hunting parties he will pay Carts at his own expence9.

The following "Composition for Provision for the King's Household," in the Midland Counties, 1622, is from the Coucher-book of the Corporation of Newark 3: "Wee weare at Lecester upon the xvii day of August, to treate with the Commissioners, who weare then there, to compound with the Countries for all manner of Provisions for his Majesty's Household, and for Cart-taking. After long debate concerninge the same, we thought it good and profitable for the Countrie to compound, in regard that wee shall save some of that which the Countrie formerlie paid, and be freed from all the rest. That which the Countrie paid yearely to purveiors for beefes, muttons, and porkes, amounted to £.232. 138. 4d. beside that which was paid for waxe and for butter yearelie; and wee have compounded to paie but £.240 for all theis, and therein to be freed from takinge of carts, single horses, wheate, malt, pullen, and all other

'From the Records of the Board of Green Cloth, at St. James's Palace.

Communicated by Wm. Bray, Esq. F. S. A.

3 Communicated by W. E. Tallents, Esq. Town-clerk; see vol. II. p. 459.

things; soe that, if this £.240 be duelie paid, the Countrie shall bee freed from all kinds of takinge. And the rather wee are induced to compound, for that Leicestershire then compounded the same daie, and divers other Countries have formerlye compounded; soe that wee sawe that those Countries that will not compound wil bee wholy burdened with takers, and the rest freed. The Articles and Condicions agreed upon we have sent to the Justices of Peace to be condiscended to and subscribed; and those that like not thereof must signifie in writinge their dissent. Wee doe conceave that there is true and plaine dealing in the Commissioners, who did well satisfie us in all doubts. It wilbe expected that everie Justice of the Peace sett downe in writing his likinge or dislikinge of the Condicions thereof; and that it be speedilye sent from one to another, to the end that the Commissioners may have speedye notice of the Countrie's likinge, which wee have promised to send to them very shortly. And thus wee rest, HEN. SACHEVERELL.

"Your loving frendes,

"Leicester, the 17th daie of August 1622.

JOHN WOODE.

W. BURGHLEY.

THO. HUTCHINSON.

"I like well these Articles, and doe give my consent,

"I doe agree to these Articles,

"I doe agree to theis Articles, JOHN BYRON. W. COOPER. JO. THORNHAGHE. "I doe thinke they have done very well, and like very well of it,

DIGBYE.

"JOHN DigbyE. R. PIERREPONT. RO. SUTTON. FOULKE CARTWRight. "I like well these Articles, and assent thereunto, R. STANHOPE."

The Reader may now be dismissed from this portion of our subject by the following anecdote from Bacon's Apothegms:

"Sir Edward Coke being vehement against the two Provincial Councils of Wales and the North, said to the King, There was nothing there but a kind of confusion and hotch-potch of justice: one while they were in a Star-chamber; another while a King's Bench; another, a Common Pleas; another, a Commission of Oyer and Terminer.' His Majesty answered, "Why, Sir Edward Coke, they be like houses in Progress, where I have not, nor can have, such distinct. rooms of state as I have here at Whitehall or at Hampton Court."

Some dateless and doubtful Royal Visits shall also here be noticed. The most important of the former description is one of the King and Prince to Penshurst 1, thus mentioned in a Poem of Ben Jonson :

'The portion of the mansion of the Sydneys at Penshurst, which is still standing, is well known