f filling his exchequer. Notwithstanding the former
abolition of his debts, he yet required new loans from his subjects; and
he enhanced gold from forty-five shillings to forty-eight an ounce,
and silver from three shillings and nine-pence to four shillings.
His pretence for this innovation was, to prevent the money from being
exported; as if that expedient could anywise serve the purpose. He even
coined some base money, and ordered it to be current by proclamation.
He named commissioners for levying a benevolence, and he extorted about
seventy thousand pounds by this expedient. Read, alderman of London,[*]
a man somewhat advanced in years, having refused to contribute, or not
coming up to the expectation of the commissioners, was enrolled as a
foot soldier in the Scottish wars, and was there taken prisoner. Roach,
who had been equally refractory, was thrown into prison, and obtained
not his liberty but by paying a large composition.[**] These powers
of the prerogative, (which at that time passed unquestioned,) the
compelling of any man to serve in any office, and the imprisoning of
any man during pleasure, not to mention the practice of extorting loans,
rendered the sovereign in a manner absolute master of the person and
property of every individual.

Early this year the king sent a fleet and army to invade Scotland. The
fleet consisted of near two hundred vessels, and carried on board ten
thousand men. Dudley, Lord Lisle, commanded the sea forces; the earl
of Hertford the land. The troops were disembarked near Leith; and after
dispersing a small body which opposed them, they took that town without
resistance, and then marched to Edinburgh. The gates were soon beaten
down, (for little or no resistance was made,) and the English first
pillaged, and then set fire to the city. The regent and cardinal were
not prepared to oppose so great a force, and they fled to Stirling.
Hertford marched eastward; and being joined by a new body under Evers,
warden of the east marches, he laid waste the whole country, burned and
destroyed Haddington and Dunbar, then retreated into England; having
lost only forty men in the whole expedition. The earl of Arran collected
some forces; but finding that the English were already departed, he
turned them against Lenox, who was justly suspected of a correspondence
with the enemy. That nobleman, after making some resistance, was obliged
to fly into England, where Henry settled a pension on him, and