This was thought to be so sore a proclamation, as that a more gréeuous had not lightlie béen heard of. Men in euerie place made complaint and shewed themselues gréeuouslie offended, so that the king by meanes thereof came in great hatred of his people: but the meane sort of men, though they stood in defense of their right, yet it auailed them but little, bicause they had no euidence to shew, so that they were constreined to be quiet with losse, rather than to striue against the streame. Manie were thus called to answer, till at length the lord Iohn Warren earle of Surrie, a man greatlie beloued of the people, perceiuing the king to haue cast his net for a preie, and that there was not one which spake against him, determined to stand against those so bitter and cruell procéedings. And therefore being called afore the iustices about this matter, he appeared, and being asked "by what right he held his lands?" suddenlie drawing foorth an old rustie sword; "By this instrument (said he) doo I hold my lands, and by the same I intend to defend them. Our ancestors comming into this realme with William the Conquerour, conquered their lands with the sword, and with the same will I defend me from all those that should be about to take them from me; he did not make a conquest of this realme alone, our progenitors were with him as participants and helpers." The king vnderstanding into what hatred of his people by this meanes he was fallen, and therfore desirous to auoid ciuill dissention and war that might thereby insue, he left off his begun practise: so that the thing which generallie should haue touched and béene hurtfull to all men, was now suddenlie staied by the manhood and couragious stoutnesse onelie of one man, the foresaid earle, who in his rare act of defending c[=o]mon equitie against the mightie in authoritie (who spared not to offer extreme iniurie) shewed himselfe a verie true and naturall branch of nobilitie, ---- cupit quæ grandia semper, Vilia contemnit, quæ sursum tendere vt ignis Nititur, & summas penetrat velut ardea nubes. [Sidenote: A synod at Lambeth.] [Sidenote: A parlement.] [Sidenote: The archbishop of Yorke.] [Sidenote: The archbishop of Canturburie.]