e proved against them, and without any presentment in the
visitation: and your said poor subjects be thus inquieted, disturbed,
vexed, troubled, and put to excessive and importable charges for them to
bear--and many times be suspended and excommunicate for small and light
causes upon the only certificate of the proctors of the adversaries, made
under a feigned seal which every proctor hath in his keeping; whereas the
party suspended or excommunicate many times never had any warning; and yet
when he shall be absolved, if it be out of court, he shall be compelled to
pay to his own proctor twenty[221] _pence_; to the proctor which is against
him other twenty pence, and twenty pence to the scribe, besides a privy
reward that the judge shall have, to the great impoverishing of your said
poor lay subjects.

"IV. Also your said most humble and obedient servants find themselves
grieved with the great and excessive fees taken in the said spiritual
courts, and especially in the said Courts of the Arches and Audience; where
they take for every citation two shillings and sixpence; for every
inhibition six shillings and eightpence; for every proxy sixteen pence; for
every certificate sixteen pence; for every libel three shillings and
fourpence; for every answer for every libel three shillings and fourpence;
for every act, if it be but two words according to the register, fourpence;
for every personal citation or decree three shillings and fourpence; for
every sentence or judgment, to the judge twenty-six shillings and
eightpence; for every testament upon such sentence or judgment twenty-six
shillings and eightpence; for every significavit twelve shillings; for
every commission to examine witnesses twelve shillings, which charges be
thought importable to be borne by your said subjects, and very necessary to
be reformed.

"V. And also the said prelates and ordinaries daily do permit and suffer
the parsons, vicars, curates, parish priests, and other spiritual persons
having cure of souls within this your Realm, to exact and take of your
humble servants divers sums of money for the sacraments and sacramentals of
Holy Church, sometimes denying the same without they be first paid[222] the
said sums of money, which sacraments and sacramentals your said most humble
and obedient subjects, under protection of your Highness, do suppose and
think ought to be in most reverend, charitable, and godly wise freely
ministered unto them at all times r