law of the 25 Ed. III., for treasons,¹ did not take away those at ye Common Law;—That beeing penall it might bee construed by equyty;² —That though wee give law to Hares and Deere, yet it was not cruelty to knock foxes and wolves on ye head as they could bee found ;"³ —That they did not so much seeke to redresse things amisse as to spend tyme in setting out ye miseries wee lay under, in quarrelling at Offenders or indeed any man allmost had got an estate in these tymes, I confesse I beegan to bee much troubled, and fear if wee did change our Task Masters, our burthens would not bee lesse. And what was it to me, whither ye Duke of Buckingham or my Lord Treasurer Weston were auctor of an illegalyty; whither the Earl of Stratford or Mr. Pym sate at the helme of government, if their commands carryed equall pressure ? The Howse of Commons endeavouring to remove one in auctoryty, might advance such as hoped to succeede hym; but for me, a private man, there would be much more advantage by compounding for ye Court of Wards, by remoeving a taxe by a good law, wch the King in justice and honor was tyed to maynteyn, then by inquyring who was ye occasion of
imposing it.
   3. In January, 1640-1, his Maties Justices of ye peace of ye South Division of ye Lath of Aylesford received two orders, the one of the date of ye 7th of December, under the hande of the Clark of ye howse of Commons, requyring and enjoyning them to command ye Churchwardens, and other Officers wthin their parishes and precincts, to certyfy the names of all Recusants, to the end they might bee proceeded against according to law at the next Sessions. The other of ye 24 of the same month, That if any, upon inquyry, refused to make
  ¹ p. 24.—T.                     ² p72.—T.
   ³ See Clarendon's ' History of the Rebellion,' edit. 1702, fol. 13, p. 183. —ED.