ment, it may be concluded that they were more inclined to overlook such spurious branches of the king's revenue than to supply its deficiencies by new grants or taxes. The immense extent and value of the crown lands, with their various feudal prestations in the reign of William the Conqueror, and some of his successors, were abundantly sufficient to support them in affluence and splendour, with little or no dependence on their subjects; but succeeding princes, by engaging in unnecessary and expensive wars; by liberal, profuse, imprudent grants; by founding and endowing monasteries, &c. &c. diminished the royal demesnes to such a degree, that the victorious Henry V. was reduced to the hard necessity not only of pawning his crown, his jewels, and his furniture, but alienated so many of the crown lands, that in the last year of his reign the whole produce of the remainder yielded only fifteen thousand and sixty-six pounds eleven shillings and one-penny, equivalent to one hundred and fifty thousand one hundred and seventy-one pounds eleven shillings and ten-pence. As to the several customs and duties on merchandize, the account delivered to Henry V. in 1421, by William Kenwolmersh, dean of St. Martin, treasurer of England, evinces that their total amount was only of forty thousand six hundred and eighty-seven pounds nineteen shillings and nine-pence half-penny, equi valent to four hundred and six thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine pounds seventeen shillings and eleven-pence. It appears also by the same account, that the whole stated revenue of the crown amounted to no more than fifty-five thousand seven hundred and fifty-four pounds ten shillings, equivalent to five hundred and fifty-seven thousand five hundred and forty-five pounds eight shillings and six-pence half-penny,

From that curious account it is likewise evident that Henry V. after paying his guards and garrisons, the expenses of his civil government, the salaries of the collectors of his customs, the pensions to dukes, earls, knights, &c. &c. which were charges on his ordinary revenue, had only three thousand five hundred and seven pounds thirteen shillings and eleven-pence half-penny, equivalent to thirtyfive thousand and seventy-seven pounds, remaining to defray all the expenses of his household, his wardrobe, his works, his embassies, and various other charges, while the only expense of his household amounted to about twenty thousand pounds, equivalent to two hundred thousand pounds at present. (Anderson's Hist. of Commerce, vol. 1. p. 237.) The consequence was, that the kings, in this period, lived in difficulties, and died deeply involved in debts, (Edward IV. alone excepted, as he succeeded to an enemy and an usurper, whose debts he did not pay,) which accounts for the various expedients, some of them neither honourable nor lawful, which those princes employed to procure money. Edward IV. for example, not only carried on trade like a common merchant, but also repeatedly solicited from his subjects charities, which he called benevolences, or free gifts.

The feudal military services, always performed with reluctance, gradually decreased in efficacy, and, at this time, were not to be depended upon for raising an army, especially for a foreign expedition, which obliged the king to raise the best part of his army by entering into indentures with his own dukes, earls, barons, and knights, and even with foreign chieftains, who engaged to serve him on such an expedition, for a specified term, with a stipulated number of men at arms, and archers, at a fixed price. The daily pay of a duke was equiva

lent to seven pounds of the present money, of an earl to three pounds, of a baron to two pounds, of a knight to one pound, of an esquire or man at arms to ten shillings, and of an archer to five shillings. (Rymer.) The expense of an army of this kind soon exhausted all the revenues of the crown, and almost all the resources of the country. But in cases of invasion or rebellion, the king summoned all the military tenants of the crown, to attend him in arms, and sent letters to the archbishops, bishops, &c. &c. to arm and array all their clergy to defend the church and kingdom against the enemies of God and the king. By these means considerable armies were soon raised at a very small expense; but if they were formidable by their number, they were far from being so in point of discipline.

Among the prerogatives of the kings of England at that period, was that of pressing not only sailors and soldiers, but also artificers of all kinds, and even musicians, goldsmiths, and embroiderers into their service.

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APPENDIX.

The most important Occurrences belonging to this Period are proved by the Testimony of the following Historians.

For the Reigns of Henry IV. Henry V. and Henry VI.

For the Reigns of Edward IV. Edward V. and Richard III.

MEMORANDA

Of some principal Events which occurred in the other States of Europe from the Year 1399 to

1485.

A.D.

1402 Bajazet is defeated by Tamerlane, and the power of the Turks almost entirely destroyed.

1409 Council of Pisa, where the Anti-popes Gregory XII. and Benedict XIII. were deposed, and Alexander V. proclaimed Pope; but as that council was not generally acknowledged, this proclamation had no other effect than that of adding one Anti-pope to the two already existing; and the schism ended only at the council of . Constantia in 1414.

1414 Pope John XXIII. opens the council of Constantia on the 5th of November. It was attended by twenty-two cardinals, twenty archbishops, ninety-two bishops, one hundred and twenty-four abbots, and more than eighteen thousand persons belonging to the clergy, while the number of those who composed the retinue of the princes, counts and noblemen who had convened there from all parts of Europe, was above sixteen thousand.

The famous Heresiarch John Huss, who had been summoned by the Pope before the council to answer for his dogmas, came with a safe conduct from the emperor, and attended by many Bohemian deputies who were to protect him, but they could not prevent his being arrested soon after his arrival at Constantia, and thrown into the prison of the Dominican friars. 1415 The fathers of the council of Constantia, notwithstanding the opposition of the cardinals, declare as a fundamental maxim, that the council is superior to the Pope, and that the only means to re-establish peace and concord in the church, was to compel the three Popes to give in their resignation. John XXIII. acquiesces to the decision, and proclaims his acquiescence by a bull, but soon after he retires secretly to Schaffouse, where he enters into a solemn protest against all that was done by the council; he then undertakes to