Page:Church and State under the Tudors.djvu/345

custom, grounded upon no just or good title, and the payments thereof obtained by restraint of bulls, until the same Annates, or first-fruits, have been paid, or surety made for the same; which declareth the said payments to be exacted, and taken by constraint, which demands though made without any just title,against all equity and justice: the noblemen therefore of the realm, and the wise, sage, politick commons of the same, assembled in this present parliament, considering that the court of Rome ceaseth not to tax, take, and exact the said great sums of money, under the title of Annates, or first-fruits, as is aforesaid, to the great damage of the said prelates, and this realm; which Annates, or first-fruits, were first suffered to be taken within the same realm, for the only defence of christian people against the infidels, and now they be claimed and demanded as mere duty, only for lucre, against all rigid and conscience: insowhich that it is evidently known, that yet from the second H. 7. 160,000l. hath been paid for first-fruits, there hath passed out of this realm unto the court of Rome, sithen the second year of the reign of the most noble Prince, of famous memory. King Henry the Seventh, unto this pjresent time, under the name of Annates, or first-fruits, payed for the expedition of bulls of archbishopricks, and bishopricks, the sum of eight hundred thousand ducats, amounting in sterling money, at the least, to eight score thousand pounds, besides other great and intolerable besides other great sums; sums which have yearly been conveighed to the said court of Rome, by many other ways and means, to the great inpoverishment of this realm: and albeit, that our said sovereign the King, and all and though the King and his subjects are obedient children of holy church his natural subjects, as well spiritual as tempored, been as obedient, devout, catholick and humble children of God, and holy church, as any people be within any realm christned; yet the said exactions of Annates, or first-fruits, be so intolerable and importable to this realm, that it is considered and declared, by the whole body of this yet the said exactions being intolerable, the estates have represented, that the King is bound to repress them; especially now when divers prelates are in extream age. realm now represented by all the estates of the same assembled in this present parliament, that the King's Highness before Almighty God, is bound, as by the duty of a good christian prince, for the conservation and preservation of the good estate and commonwealth of this his realm, to do all that in him is to obviate, repress and redress the said abusions and exactions of Annates, or first-fruits: and because that divers prelates of this realm, being now in extream age, and in other debilities of their bodies, so that of likelihood, bodily death in short time shall or may succeed unto them; by reason whereof great sums of money shall shortly after their deaths be conveighed unto the court of Rome, for the unreasonable and uncharitable causes abovesaid, to the universal damage, prejudice, and impoverishment of this realm, if speedy remedy be not in due time provided: