Lord Bacon, no friendly critic, said of Richard III. that he was 'a prince in military virtue approved, jealous of the honour of the English nation, and likewise a good law maker for the ease and solace of the common people.'[14] In speaking of the parliament of Richard III. Lord Campbell says: 'We have no difficulty in pronouncing Richard's parliament the most meritorious national assembly for protecting the liberty of the subject, and putting down abuses in the administration of justice that had sat in England since the reign of Henry III.'[15] {135} [Sidenote: The revenue] King Richard III. introduced reforms in the revenue departments, which were prepared under his own eye. He ordered the Auditor of the Exchequer to submit an annual return of all revenues, issues, and profits; while the Lord Treasurer was to make a return of all money received and disbursed in his office. Formerly the Pell Issue and Receipt Rolls only showed net sums paid into the Exchequer, 'reprises' and direct payments being ignored. The principal source of revenue was from the customs. The 'antiqua costuma' consisted of 6_s._ 8_d._ on the sack of wool, and 13_s._ 4_d._ on the last of leather. The 'parva costuma' included 3_s._ 4_d._ on a sack of wool, a small tax on cloth and other imports and exports, and an _ad valorem_ duty of 2_d._ in the pound, and 3_d._ from foreigners, on general merchandise. Tonnage and poundage was 1_s._ in the pound on the value of most goods, except wool and leather, and 3_d._ on each tun of wine. The 'antiqua costuma' and 'parva costuma' were hereditary, but tonnage and poundage had to be voted by parliament at the beginning of each reign. Customs duties brought in 18,629_l._ in the first, and 20,743_l._ in the second year of King Richard's reign. The old crown revenues yielded 17,900_l._, Hanaper 2,930_l._, and other receipts 5,297_l_. The total annual revenue was 50,356_l._ in the first, and 57,122_l._ in the second year. [Sidenote: The navy] The navy in those days was small, indeed it had ceased to exist during the wretched misrule of Henry VI. Richard had, as Lord Admiral during his brother's reign, been gradually restoring the navy to efficiency, and in 1480 his brother appointed a 'Keeper of the Ships,' the officer who had control of naval organisation. Thomas Rogers, a merchant and fishmonger of {136} London, was continued as 'Keeper of the Ships' during King Richard's reign, the navy consisting of seven ships, the 'Nicholas,' 'Governor,' 'Grace Dieu,' 'Mary of the Tower,' 'Martin Garcia,' 'Falcon,' and 'Trinity.'