officers as they have hadde, whiche wastithe and destroiethe youre saide
peple by undew charges to enriche hemsilfe; and many of the officers have
be but esy vaileable to the defense of youre countre, thoroughe negligence
of exersising of armes for theire defense and proteccion in tyme of
necessite. For it was never seen that any countre, cite, or towne did
encrece welle wherover many nedeles officers and governours that onlie
wolde have a renomme, and {73} undre that colour be a extorcioner, piller,
or briboure, was reignyng and ruling over theym.

[Sidenote: Exclamacio.]

[Sidenote: De lamentabili oppressione subditorum nostrorum in Frauncia.]

[Sidenote: Alia exclamacio soldariorum ultimo in Normannia commorancium.]

[Sidenote: Deploracio miseriae.]

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 maint