IMPOSITIONS ON MERCHANDISES. 53 



of these statutes of tonnage and poundage, some 

 times by way of protestation, and sometimes by way 

 of condition, that they shall not be taken in prece 

 dent, or that the king shall not impose any further 

 rates or novelties, as 6 R. II. 9 R. II. 13 H. IV. 

 1 H. V. which subsidies of tonnage and poundage 

 have such clauses and cautions. 



To this objection I give this answer. First, that 

 it is not strange with kings, for their own better 

 strength, and the better contentment of their people, 

 to do those things by parliament, which neverthe 

 less have perfection enough without parliament. We 

 see their own rights to the crown which are inherent, 

 yet they take recognition of them by parliament. 

 And there was a special reason why they should do 

 it in this case, for they had found by experience that 

 if they had not consent in parliament to the setting 

 of them up, they could not have avoided suit in par 

 liament for the taking of them down. Besides, there 

 were some things requisite in the manner of the levy 

 for the better strengthening of the same, which per- 

 case could not be done without parliament, as the 

 taking the oath of the party touching the value, the 

 inviting of the discovery of concealment of custom 

 by giving the moiety to the informer, and the like. 



Now in special for the statutes of subsidies of 

 tonnage and poundage, I note three things. First, 

 that the consideration of the grant is not laid to be 

 for the restraining of impositions, but expressly for 

 the guarding of the sea. Secondly, that it is true 

 that the ancient form is more peremptory, and the 



