Ebook The Reign of Henry VII From Contemporary Sources

[Edmund Dudley's "Tree of the Commonwealth," ed. 1859, pp. 8-9.]

And nowe to speake of the Tree of commonwealth. It is that thinge, for the wch all true englishmen haue greate neede to praie to god, that our Lorde and Kinge will thereon haue a singuler regarde and favor, for principallie by god and him yt must be holpen. And therefore god hath ordayned him to be our Kinge, and thereto is euery Kinge bounde, for that is his chardge. For as the subiectes are bounde to theire prince of their allegiaunce, to loue, dreade, serue and obey him, or else to be punished by him, as straightlie is the Prince bounde to god to maintaine and supporte as farre as in him is or lieth, the commonwealth of his subiectes. And all they abide and see the punishment of god, for though the people be Subiectes to theire Kinge, yet they be the people of god. And god hath ordained theire Prince to protecte them, and they to obey theire Prince.

(Ibid. p. 25.) For whoe of his subiectes maie mynister anie pointe of Justice betwene partie and partie, except he haue his aucthoritie from his Soueraigne? and theis be twoe of the highest of his Regallities, and given to him onlie from aboue.