Moreouer, this yeare he caused seuenteene shires of the realme by waie
of putting them to their fines to paie no small summes of monie, for
redéeming their offenses, that they had aided the duke of Glocester,
the earles of Arundell, and Warwike, when they rose in armor against
him. The nobles, gentlemen, and commons of those shires were inforced
also to receiue a new oth to assure the king of their fidelitie in time
to come; and withall certeine prelats and other honorable personages,
were sent into the same shires to persuade men to this paiment, and
to sée things ordered at the pleasure of the prince: and suerlie the
fines which the nobles, and other the meaner estates of those shires
were constreined to paie, were not small, but excéeding great, to the
offense of |850| manie. Moreouer, the kings letters patents were sent
into euerie shire within this land, by vertue whereof, an oth was
demanded of all the kings liege people for a further assurance of their
due obedience, and they were constreined to ratifie the same in writing
vnder their hands and seales.
[Sidenote: Indirect dealings.]
Moreouer they were compelled to put their hands and seales to certeine
blankes, wherof ye haue heard before, in the which, when it pleased
him he might write what he thought good. There was also a new oth
deuised for the shiriffes of euerie countie through the realme to
receiue: finallie, manie of the kings liege people were through spite,
enuie, and malice, accused, apprehended, & put in prison, and after
brought before the constable and marshall of England, in the court of
chiualrie, and might not otherwise be deliuered, except they could
iustifie themselues by combat and fighting in lists against their
accusers hand to hand, although the accusers for the most part were
lustie, yoong and valiant, where the parties accused were perchance
old, impotent, maimed and sicklie. Wherevpon not onelie the great
destruction of the realme in generall, but also of euerie singular
person in particular, was to be feared and looked for.
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl._ out of _Thom. Wals._ pag. 395.]
¶ About this time the bishop of Calcedon came into England, with
letters apostolicall of admonition, that the faithfull and loiall of
the land should of their goods disbursse somewhat to the emperour of
Constantinople, who was extremelie vexed and troubled by the Tartars,
and their capteine called Morect. And to the intent that the peeres
of the land might be made the more willing and toward to bestow their
contribution in this behalfe, the pope granted vnto all benefactors
(trulie contrite and confessed) full remission, and wrapped in his
bitter censures all such as hindered those that were willing to bestow
their beneuolence in this case; considering, that although the emperour
was a schismatike, yet was he a christian, and if by the infidels he
should be oppressed, all christendome was in danger of ruine; hauing in
his mind that saieng of the poet full fit for his purpose,
Tunc tua res agitur paries cùm proximus ardet.
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl._ out of _Thom. Wals._ pag. 395.
_Polydor._
A iusts at Windesor.