History of English Literature Volume 1 (of 3)Taine, Hippolyte
History
History of English Literature Volume 1 (of 3)
Taine, Hippolyte
English literature -- History and criticism
"The same Commons be so impoverishid and distroyyd, that they may unneth
lyve. Thay drink water, thay eate apples, with bred right brown made of
rye. They eate no fleshe, but if it be selden, a litill larde, or of the
entrails or heds of bests sclayne for the nobles and merchants of the
land. They weryn no wollyn, but if it be a pore cote under their
uttermost garment, made of grete convass, and cal it a frok. Their hosyn
be of like canvas, and passen not their knee, wherfor they be gartrid
and their thyghs bare. Their wifs and children gone bare fote. ... For
sum of them, that was wonte to pay to his lord for his tenement which he
hyrith by the year a scute payth now to the kyng, over that scute, fyve
skuts. Wher thrugh they be artyd by necessite so to watch, labour and
grub in the ground for their sustenance, that their nature is much
wasted, and the kynd of them brought to nowght. Thay gone crokyd and ar
feeble, not able to fight nor to defend the realm; nor they have wepon,
nor monye to buy them wepon withal.... This is the frute first of hyre
Jus regale.... But blessed be God, this land ys rulid under a better
lawe, and therfor the people thereof be not in such penurye, nor therby
hurt in their persons, but they be wealthie and have all things
necessarie to the sustenance of nature. Wherefore they be myghty and
able to resyste the adversaries of the realms that do or will do them
wrong. Loo, this is the fruit of Jus politicum et regale, under which we
lyve."[172] "Everye inhabiter of the realme of England useth and
enjoyeth at his pleasure all the fruites that his land or cattel
beareth, with al the profits and commodities which by his owne travayle,
or by the labour of others, hae gaineth; not hindered by the iniurie or
wrong deteinement of anye man, but that hee shall bee allowed a
reasonable recompence.[173]... Hereby it commeth to passe that the men
of that lande are riche, havying aboundaunce of golde and silver, and
other thinges necessarie for the maintenaunce of man's life. They drinke
no water, unless it be so, that some for devotion, and uppon a zeale of
penaunce, doe abstaine from other drinks. They eate plentifully of all
kindes of fleshe and fishe. They weare fine woolen cloth in all their
apparel; they have also aboundaunce of bed-coveringes in their houses,
and of all other woolen stuffe. They have greate store of all
hustlementes and implementes of householde, they are plentifully
furnished with al instruments of husbandry, and all other things that
are requisite to the accomplishment of a quiet and wealthy lyfe,
according to their estates and degrees. Neither are they sued in the
lawe, but onely before ordinary iudges, where by the lawes of the lande
they are iustly intreated. Neither are they arrested or impleaded for
their moveables or possessions, or arraigned of any offence, bee it
never so great and outragious, but after the lawes of the land, and
before the iudges aforesaid."[174]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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