382 HISTORY OF KING HENRY VII. 



which upon outlawries giveth forfeiture of goods ; 

 nay, contrary to all law and colour, they maintained 

 the king ought to have the half of men s lands and rents, 

 during the space of full two years, for a pain in case 

 of outlawry. They would also ruffle with jurors, 

 and inforce them to find as they would direct, and, 

 if they did not, convent them, imprison them, and 

 fine them. 



These and many other courses, fitter to be bu 

 ried than repeated, they had of preying upon the 

 people ; both like tame hawks for their master, and 

 like wild hawks for themselves ; insomuch as they 

 grew to great riches and substance : but their prin 

 cipal working was upon penal laws, wherein they 

 spared none, great nor small ; nor considered whe 

 ther the law were possible or impossible, in use or 

 obsolete : but raked over all old and new statutes, 

 though many of them were made with intention ra 

 ther of terror than of rigour, having ever a rabble of 

 promoters, questrnongers, and leading jurors at their 

 command, so as they could have any thing found 

 either for fact or valuation. 



There remaineth to this day a report, that the 

 king was on a time entertained by the Earl of Ox 

 ford, that was his principal servant both for war and 

 peace, nobly and sumptuously, at his castle at Hen- 

 ningham : And at the king s going away, the earl s 

 servants stood, in a seemly manner, in their livery 

 coats, with cognizances, ranged on both sides, and 

 made the king a lane. The king called the earl to 

 him, and said, &quot; My lord, I have heard much of your 



