A SPEECH TOUCHING PURVEYORS. 7 



allege unto your majesty, a comparison or simili 

 tude used by one of the fathers* in another matter, 

 and not unfitly representing our case in this point : 

 and it is of the leaves and roots of nettles ; the leaves 

 are venomous and stinging where they touch; the 

 root is not so, but is without venom or malignity ; 

 and yet it is that root that bears and supports all the 

 leaves. This needs no farther application. 



To come now to the substance of our petition. 

 It is no other, than by the benefit of your majesty s 

 laws to be relieved of the abuses of purveyors ; which 

 abuses do naturally divide themselves into three 

 sorts : the first, they take in kind that they ought 

 not to take ; the second, they take in quantity a far 

 greater proportion than cometh to your majesty s 

 use ; the third, they take in an unlawful manner, in 

 a manner, I say, directly and expressly prohibited by 

 divers laws. 



For the first of these, I am a little to alter their 

 name ; for instead of takers, they become taxers ; 

 instead of taking provision for your majesty s service, 

 they tax your people &quot; ad redimendam vexationem:&quot; 

 imposing upon them, and extorting from them, divers 

 sums of money, sometimes in gross, sometimes in 

 the nature of stipends annually paid, &quot; ne noceant,&quot; 

 to be freed and eased of their oppression. Again, 

 they take trees, which by law they cannot do ; 

 timber-trees, which are the beauty, countenance, 

 and shelter of men s houses ; that men have long 

 spared from their own purse and profit ; that men 



* St. Augustine. 



