COMMENDAMS. 327 



that the king should thereby receive harm, before 

 he be forewarned thereof; neither can you deny, 

 but that every term you will out of your own discre 

 tions, for reasons known unto you, put off either the 

 hearing or determining of any ordinary cause betwixt 

 private persons till the next term following. Our 

 pleasure therefore is, who are the head and fountain 

 of justice under God in our dominions, and we out 

 of our absolute power and authority royal do com 

 mand you, that you forbear to meddle any farther 

 in this plea till our coming to town, and that out of 

 our own mouth you hear our pleasure in this busi 

 ness ; which we do out of the care we have, that our 

 prerogative may not receive an unwitting and indi 

 rect blow, and not to hinder justice to be adminis 

 tered to any private parties, which no importunities 

 shall persuade us to move you in. Like as, only for 

 the avoiding of the unreasonable importunity of sui 

 tors in their own particular, that oath was by our 

 predecessors ordained to be ministered unto you : so 

 we wish you heartily well to fare. 



POSTSCRIPT. You shall upon the receipt of this 

 letter call our attorney-general unto you, who will 

 inform you of the particular points which we are 

 unwilling to be disputed of in this case.&quot; 



This letter being read, his majesty resolved to 

 take into his consideration the parts of the judges 

 letter and other their proceedings in that cause, and 

 the errors therein contained and committed ; which 

 errors his majesty did set forth to be both in matter 



