230 A. D. 1625. 



fubje6i:s of our brother the king of Spain, and of the Low countries, 

 but alfo by thofe under the ftates of the United Netherlands ; and all 

 fair courfes and due proceedings have been in vain ufed, in demanding 

 reftitution or reparation thereof; and that thereupon our faid fubjedts 

 have made humble fuit unto us for letters of reprifal : we therefor 

 will, require, and authorize you to grant your commiffion for appre- 

 hending and taking the goods, fhips, and merchandize of the king of 

 Spain's fubjeds of the Low countries, as alfo thofe of the fubjedts of 

 the United Netherlands, for the fatisfadion of our loving fubjeds fo 

 damnified ; and in fuch manner and form as {hall be agreed on by our 

 privy-council, or any fix of them, in writing under their hands. [Fcedera, 

 V. xvii, p. 667 *.] 



King James died 27th March 1625. His lofty ideas of his preroga- 

 tive are difplayed in numerous proclamations and injundions, com- 

 manding and prohibiting fuch things as in later times would not be 

 fubmitted to under any other authority than that of parliament. His 

 getting his attorney-general. Sir John Davis, to write, and dedicate to 

 him, a treatife in favour of his prerogative of levying the tonnage and 

 poundage-duty by his fole authority, encouraged his fon and fuccefl^or 

 to levy fiiip-money in the fame manner ; which proved his ruin. Such 

 dodrines, which Davis endeavoured to fiapport by quoting precedents, 

 did virtually deftroy all the efl'ential rights of parliament ; and parti- 

 cularly that of giving money for the public fervice. Davis's book (the 

 title whereof was, the Quefi:ion concerning impofitions, tonnage, 

 poundage, prizage, cuftoms, &c. fully ftated and argued from reafon, 

 law, and policy) was reprinted in the year 1656, probably by conniv- 

 ance of the government, for expofing the arbitrary tempers of both fa- 

 ther and Ton. Its conclufion runs thus: ' that by virtue of an antient 

 ' prerogative inherent to his crown, the king of England may jufi;ly 

 ' and lawfully fet impofitions upon merchandize, and may limit and 

 ' rate the quantity and proportioia ther«of, by his own wifdom and dif- 

 ' cretion, without an ad of parliament.' 



On the 30th of March 1625, Charles I king of England ratified the 

 contrad, which his father King James had made jufl: before his death, 

 for his marriage with the princefs Henrietta Maria, fifter of Louis XIII 

 king of France. Her portion was 800,000 crowns of 3 livres each (or 

 L240,ooo fi:erling) ; half to be paid down, the other half in one year 

 after. She was to have Li 8,000 flerling (or 60,000 French crowns) 

 yearly, for her feparate ufe. So that 3-^ French crowns, or i o livres, 



* We fee a like warrant for veprifiils a few in neither of thofe warrants are the particular da- 

 months after by his fon King Charles I againft mages complained of at all fpecified. {Taidcra, 

 both the faid nations, exaftly in the flile and form V. xviii,//. 12, l88.] 

 hereof; and another again in the fame year. Yet, 



