There were some shiriffes and bailiffes also, which by the kings commandement were arrested and put in prison, and diuerse of all sorts did kéepe themselues out of the waie, and would not as yet be found. In like maner, Hubert earle of Kent, lord chéefe iustice, was accused to be chiefe transgressour in this matter, as he that had giuen foorth the kings letters patents to those disguised and masking threshers, who had taken vpon them so to sequester other mens goods, whereto they had no right. There came also to the king one sir Robert de Twing, a knight of the north parts, (which named himselfe William Wetherse, and had led about a companie of the foresaid maskers) protesting that he had doone it vpon iust cause to be reuenged vpon the Romans, which went about by sentence of the pope, and manifest fraud to spoile him of the parsonage of a certeine church which he held, and therefore he said he had rather stand accursed without iust cause for a time, than to lose his benefice without due iudgement. Howbeit the king and the other commissioners counseled him in the end to go to Rome to purchase his absolution, sith he was fallen in danger of excommunication, and there to sue for his pardon in the popes consistorie. And to incourage him the better so to doo, the king wrote also in his fauour to the pope, testifieng the right which he claimed to the church, whereby at length he obteined his suit (as after ye shall heare.) [Sidenote: _Polydor._] [Sidenote: A parlement.] [Sidenote: A subsidie demanded, and denied.] [Sidenote: The bishop of Winchesters counsell giuen to the king.] The king called a parlement at Westminster, wherein declaring what charges he had béene at diuers waies, he required to haue a subsidie granted him, for the reléefe of his want, which was flatlie denied, the Nobles and other estats excusing the pouertie amongst all degrées of men, by manie euident reasons. Herevpon the bishop of Winchester being a verie eloquent and faire-spoken man, openlie counselled the king to fauour his people, whom he had alreadie made poore and bare with continuall tributes and exactions. And if it were so that he stood in such néed as was alledged, that then he should take into his hands againe such possessions and things, which during the time of his yoong yéeres he had bestowed vpon his seruants, without any good aduised consideration, for lacke of ripe iudgement and discretion, and againe to take from certeine couetous persons, who now were become horsseleches and caterpillers in the common-wealth, all such offices as they held, and had verie much abused, causing them to yeald vp their accounts, and to vse them after the manner of sponges, so that where he had in times past made them full of moisture, he might how wring them drie, following herein the example of Vespasian. And by this means it was not to be douted but he should haue inough of his owne, without dooing iniurie to any man.