A SPEECH TOUCHING PURVEYORS. 9 



art of multiplication. For it is affirmed unto me by 

 divers gentlemen of good report, and experience in 

 these causes, as a matter which I may safely avouch 

 before your majesty, to whom we owe all truth, as 

 well of information as subjection, that there is no 

 pound profit which redoundeth to your majesty in 

 this course, but induceth and begetteth three pound 

 damage upon your subjects, besides the discontent 

 ment. And to the end they may make their spoil 

 more securely, what do they ? Whereas divers 

 statutes do strictly provide, that whatsoever they 

 take, shall be registered and attested, to the end, 

 that by making a collation of that which is taken 

 from the country, and that which is answered above, 

 their deceits might appear ; they, to the end to 

 obscure their deceits, utterly omit the observation 

 of this, which the law prescribeth. 



And therefore to descend, if it may please your 

 majesty, to the third sort of abuse, which is of the 

 unlawful manner of their taking, whereof this omis 

 sion is a branch ; and it is so manifold, as it rather 

 asketh an enumeration of some of the particulars, 

 than a prosecution of all. For their price : by law 

 they ought to take as they can agree with the sub 

 ject ; by abuse they take at an imposed and enforced 

 price : by law they ought to make but one apprise- 

 ment by neighbours in the country ; by abuse they 

 make a second apprisement at the court-gate ; and 

 when the subject s cattle come up many miles lean, 

 and out of plight, by reason of their great travel, 

 then they prize them anew at an abated price : by 



