222 A REPORT OF THE SPANISH GRIEVANCES. 



king s supremacy ecclesiastical, the other, touching 

 the order of weights and measures; The former of 

 them was in the time of king Richard II. at what 

 time the commons complained against certain en 

 croachments and usurpations of the pope ; and the 

 king s answer was, &quot; The king hath given order to 

 &quot; his council to treat with the bishops thereof.&quot; The 

 other was in the eighteenth year of king Edward I. 

 at which time complaint was made against uneven 

 weights : and the king s answer was, &quot; Vocentur 

 &quot; partes ad placita regis, et fiat justitia ;&quot; whereby 

 it appeared, that the kings of this realm still used to 

 refer causes petitioned in parliament to the proper 

 places of cognizance and decision. But for the 

 matter of war and peace, as appears in all the former 

 precedents, the kings ever kept it in &quot; scrinio pec- 

 &quot; toris,&quot; in the shrines of their own breast, assisted 

 and advised by their council of estate. 



Inasmuch as his lordship did conclude his enume 

 ration of precedents with a notable precedent in the 

 seventeenth year of king Richard II. a prince of no 

 such glory nor strength ; and yet when he made 

 offer to the commons in parliament that they should 

 take into their considerations matter of war and 

 peace then in hand ; the commons, in modesty, ex 

 cused themselves, and answered, &quot; The commons 

 &quot; will not presume to treat of so high a charge.&quot; 

 Out of all which precedents his lordship made this 

 inference, that as &quot; dies diem docet,&quot; so by these 

 examples wise men will be admonished to forbear 

 those petitions to princes, which are not likely to 



