[Sidenote: Alia exclamacio soldariorum ultimo in Normannia commorancium.] [Sidenote: Deploracio miseriæ.] O mighetie king, and ye noble lordes of this roiaume, if ye were wele advertised and enfourmed of the gret persecucions, by way of suche oppressions and tirannyes, ravynes, and crueltees, that many of suche officers have suffred to be done unponisshed to the pore comons, laborers, paissauntes of the saide duchie of Normandie, it is verailie to deme that certe[gh] ye of noble condicions, naturally pitous, wolde not have suffred suche grevous inconvenientis to be redressid and amendid long or the said intrusion fille, and the regalite of justice had be in tho daies in youre possession. For often tymes suche as have pretendid theym officers wastid of youre [predecessour[168]] is livelode more than nedithe, and often tymes suffred them to be manassed [and] beten, and mischieved theire bestis withe theire wepyns, that they were nighe out of theire wittis for sorow, and so enforced for duresse to forsake youre title and youre lawes, and but esilie relevyd and socoured. And therto they have ben so often surcharged grevouslie withe paieng of tasques, tailis, subsides, and imposicions beside theire rentis, paieng to the somme righte importable sommes, paide to your predecessours for youre demains, and to theire landlordis that halden of you, and many of theym duelling upon the marches patised to youre adverse partie also to dwelle in rest, and this innumerable charges and divers tormentis have ben done to theym to theire uttermost undoing. He allas! and yet seeing they bene christen men, and lyvyng under youre obeissaunce, lawes-yovyng, and yeldyng to youre lawes as trew Englisshe men done, by whome also we lyve and be susteyned, and youre werre the bettir born out and mainteyned, why shulde it here after be suffred that suche tormentrie and cruelte shulde be shewed unto theym? O God! whiche art most mercifulle and highest juge, soverein, and just, how maist thow long suffre this regnyng without the {74} stroke of vengeaunce and ponisshement commyng upon the depryvyng or yelding up of that dukedom? [Sidenote: Nota tria.] [Sidenote: Prima.] [Sidenote: .ij^{a}.] [Sidenote: .iij. causa.] [Sidenote: Conciderandum est super omnia.]