his nobles and prelates. The duke of Gloceiei; was now prefent, and leant much to the petitioners j but, in the anfwer which was made to them, he diflembled his real thoughts, in order that the king, his brothers and the members of the council might not nonce them. ' - The duke of Lancaster replied for the king, and, addreflîng himfclf to the Londoners, as they com-pofed the majority, faid,—r Ye citizens of London, it pleafes my lord the king that I give an anfwer to your petition :. in obedience to his command, I fhall declare to you what the king and his coun-cil have determined upon. Ye know, that to pro-vide againft dangers to the kingdom, ye, as well as the other cities and towns within the realm, agreed, about fix years ago, that a tax of thirteen per cent, fhotild be laid on all merchandifc that was fold, and for which the king granted to you many privileges fuch as he will not take from you, but on the contrary may augment, if ye prove not undeferving of the favour. But fince ye feem now to turn rebellious, and draw back from what ye hadvwillingly before agreed to, he recals his for-mer favours ;.and here are his nobles and prelates, who have fworn to fupport him in all his lawful meafures to the utmolt of their power, and are now willing to continue their aid in maintaining all legal grants. Confider, therefore, calmly, this matter, and that the ftate of the king demands great ex* pcnje ; if his revenue is augmented one way, it is dtminifhcd another ; befides, his receipts are not fo confiderable as they were in former times. The . 347 " -