CHARGE AGAINST MR. OLIVER ST. JOHN. 143 



true and pure benevolence ; not an imposition called 

 a benevolence ; which the statute speaks of ; as you 

 shall hear by one of my fellows. There is a great 

 difference, I tell you, though Pilate would not see it, 

 between &quot; Rex Judaeorum&quot; and (f se dicens Ilegem 

 &quot; Judseorum.&quot; And there is a great difference be 

 tween a benevolence and an exaction called a bene 

 volence, which the duke of Buckingham speaks of in 

 his oration to the city ; and defineth it to be not what 

 the subject of his good-will would give, but what the 

 King of his good-will would take. But this, I say, was 

 a benevolence wherein every man had a prince s prero 

 gative, a negative voice ; and this word, &quot; excuse 

 &quot; moy,&quot; was a plea peremptory. And therefore I do 

 wonder how Mr. I. S. could foul or trouble so clear 

 a fountain ; certainly it was but his own bitterness 

 and unsound humours. 



Now to the particular charge : Amongst other 

 countries, these letters of the lords came to the jus 

 tices of D shire, who signified the contents thereof, 

 and gave directions and appointments for meetings 

 concerning the business, to several towns and places 

 within that county : and amongst the rest, notice was 

 given unto the town of A. The mayor of A conceiv 

 ing that this Mr. I. S. being a principal person, and 

 a dweller in that town, was a man likely to give 

 both money and good example, dealt with him to 

 know his mind : he intending, as it seems, to play 

 prizes, would give no answer to the mayor in pri 

 vate, but would take time. The next day then being 

 an appointment of the justices to meet, he takes 



