The Moral and Civil Works of Francis Bacon

History of King HENRY VII

...men of a higher condition The Latin text begins with the suffix -tioris, likely completing potentioris (more powerful/higher) from the previous page.. In those Acts of Attainder Original: Statutis Condemnatoriis. These were legislative acts that declared a person or group guilty of a crime—usually treason—and confiscated their property without a trial., several clauses of very just and temperate reservation and limitation were inserted, clearly indicating and foretelling the King’s great prudence and his sense of temperance and moderation; these measures even offered hope for the future of a balanced and mild government. However, as for the General Pardon, by which he intended to show mercy to others who had taken up arms against the King, the King—upon second thought—deemed it less fitting for such a thing to proceed from Parliamentary authority. Instead, since it was a gracious and honorable matter, he preferred to take the entire credit for the favor upon himself. He merely used the opportunity of the Parliament’s gathering so that the news of the deed might better spread into the veins of the whole kingdom. Therefore, while Parliament was still in session, he published a Royal Proclamation Original: Edictum Regium.; granting a pardon for past offenses and the restoration of fortunes to those who had borne arms against him or plotted hostilities, provided that, within a fixed day, they submitted themselves to his mercy and took the Oath of Allegiance. Because of this, many came out from Sanctuaries Original: Asylis. Historically, certain churches and locations offered legal protection to fugitives and political enemies.; and even more came out of fear, who were no less guilty than those who had taken refuge within the walls of Sanctuaries.

As for Finances Original: Pecunias., the King judged it was not the right time, and was less than fitting, to demand any funds from the Estates The three "estates" or orders of the realm: Clergy, Nobility, and Commons. during this session. This was partly because his subjects had already done him a great service in matters of such importance; and also because he had been unable to reward them with a general remission of debts (such as is usually granted in Parliaments) because this act of generosity had been forestalled by a similar remission which, according to custom, was issued shortly before at his Coronation. Most of all, however, it was because everyone could see before their eyes what great forfeitures and confiscations he had obtained at that time, which were sufficient to refill his treasures. Thus, those "Casualties of the Crown" Original: Casualia illa Coronæ. These were incidental revenues such as fines, forfeitures, and feudal dues, rather than regular taxation. could rightly spare the subjects from contributing, especially at a time when he enjoyed peace with all neighboring princes. Very few laws were passed in this assembly, almost as a matter of form. Among these, one was that foreigners, even if they had been granted citizenship, should nevertheless pay the same customs duties as are usually imposed on mere aliens. Another was that the fines of Italian merchants—incurred because the money coming from the sale of their wares was not reinvested in the native goods of the kingdom—should be paid into the Royal Treasury. Both laws were aimed at collecting money; a matter of which the King was not unmindful from the very beginning of his reign. It might have turned out more happily for him toward the end of his reign if that early foresight (which protected him from the kind of poverty that would make it necessary to burden his subjects) could have also restrained and tempered his natural disposition in this regard. During the time of the assembly, he also added other creations of Nobles, as we hinted at above. Baron Chandos of Brittany was made Earl of Bath. Giles Daubeney, a Knight of the Golden Spur Original: Eques Auratus. This term refers to a knight bachelor, often identified by gilded spurs., was made Baron Daubeney, and Robert Willoughby, likewise a Knight of the Golden Spur, was made Baron Brooke.

Furthermore, the King, with the greatest magnanimity and generosity (virtues which still held sway in him by turns), restored Edward Stafford (the eldest son of Henry, Duke of Buckingham, who had been condemned in the time of Richard)...