=Source.=--_Statutes of the Realm_, 1 Richard III., c. ii.
The King remembering how the Commons of this his realm by new and
unlawful inventions and inordinate covetise, against the laws of this
realm, have been put to great thraldom and importable charges and
exactions, and in especial by a new imposition named a benevolence,
whereby divers years the subjects and Commons of this land against
their wills and freedom have paid great sums of money to their almost
utter destruction; For divers and many worshipfull men of this realm
by occasion thereof were compelled by necessity to break up their
household and to live in great penury and wretchedness, their debts
unpaid and their children unpreferred, and such memorials as they had
ordained to be done for the wealth of their souls were anentised and
annulled to the great displeasure of God and to the destruction of
this realm. Therefore the King will it be ordained, by the advice and
assent of his lords spiritual and temporal and the Commons of this
present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, that
his subjects and the commonalty of this his realm from henceforth in no
wise be charged by none such charge or imposition called benevolence,
nor by any such like charge; And that such exactions called benevolence
before this time taken, be taken for no example to make such or anylike
charge of any his said subjects of this realm hereafter, but it be
damned and annulled for ever.