The Poor Mans Plea: BEING An expedient to make proviſion for all poor People in the Kingdome.
IF all men were rich, Charity would be but little exerciſed, therefore Chriſt ſaies, The poor yee have alwaies with you that rich men may have occaſion to doe good; what a ſad thing is it, that in a plentifull Kingdome, any man, woman, or child, ſhould be ready to famiſh for want of bread: that hunger ſhould kill whom the Sword hath left alive! Of all judgments, Famine is the ſoreſt; to prove which, there need no other argument, but that the Peſtilence is more deſireable: that which is worſe then the Plague, muſt needs be a moſt heavie affliction: and this is very conſiderable, that all evills may be overcome by patience, except Famine; for a hungry man cannot by patience overcome that: For, it ſtill increaſes, and makes him more and more impatient. There is a Famine of Gods ſending, and a ſcarcity of ſome mens making. He that ſtores and hoards up Corne in a plentifull yeare to prevent a dearth, is a good Common-wealths-man; and he that will ſell it in a deer yeare at a reaſonable rate, ſo as the poore may live by him, is a charitable man: For, when Barley is at 18. pence, or 20. pence a Strike, there is commonly too much havock and ſpoile made of it, not eating up our cruſts, as we uſe to ſay; and brewing Ale and Beere exceſſive ſtrong, which occaſions drunkenneſſe, and many enormities; as if God gave abundance of his good creatures to abuſe them; as ſome that will lie in bed till nine or5 ten a clock, becauſe they have nothing to do when they are up, which if their hearts were bent heaven-wards, they would find imployment. Others, when things are cheap, think they may eat and drink their fill, becauſe God ſends plenty: But, as heavenly Doctor Sibbs was wont to ſay,When thou canſt not ſleep in the night, that's a ſpeciall time appointed by God to make thy peace with heaven, for no worldly buſineſſe can then hinder:So when God ſends plenty of graine in this Kingdome, we ſhould conſider, that God would have ſome of it ſpent another yeare: The husbandman fills his barnes but once a yeare, and he's all the yeare long in emptying them; and this yeare corn goes very cloſe together, as they ſay, it lies in a little room. But if they complain that have ſome, what ſhall the poore do that have none? But now to hoard up corne, or to reſerve old ſtores to make a dearth, as ſome cruell Huckſters have done in this Kingdome, is like the ſin of murder, that is very ſeldome unpuniſht in this world: He that fills his coffers and barnes, and will not relieve the poore, for whom nothing is prepared, and ſuch it may be for whom Chriſt died, goes ſeldome unpuniſht to his grave: For, it is a double iniquity, the ſin of robbery and ſtealth: as if a man be robbed and bound hand and foot, and caſt into a wood by the robbers, if an honeſt man that paſſes by, will not play the good Samaritan, but ſuffer the man to periſh, whoſe life he might eaſily have ſaved, this man is guilty both of theft and murder.
There was never more need to make ſome proviſion for the poore then this yeare; for there is leſſe work for them then ever; a Labourer will thraſh as much corn in a day, as the laſt yeare in two; and corn being deere, thoſe that kept three ſervants the laſt yeare, will keep but two the next; thoſe that had two but one, and thoſe that had one, will do their work themſelves; and every one projects for himſelfe, to ſpend as little as may be, but who takes care for the poore, how ſhall they be provided for? If a poor man have work all this winter, and get ſix pence a day; what will three ſhillings a week do to maintain himſelfe, his wife, and three or foure children? For Engliſh families commonly conſiſt of ſix or ſeven.
6Butter and cheeſe are exceſſive deare, by reaſon of the dry Summer; the earth having not yeelded her increaſe ſo kindly as other yeares; and if the poore have not bread to eat, what will become of them? He that will not feaſt till his neighbours have ſufficient to eat, is the moſt tender-conſcienc'd man; and he that deſires it ſhould raine as well in his neighbours garden as his own, is the beſt neighbour.
I know it has been attempted in deer yeares, to ſet a rate upon corne, that no man ſhould exceed: every man will agree that this is likely to be an extreme hard yeare for the poore; for bread is the ſtaffe of their life; and he that defrauds them of it, is a man of bloud; and it is a truth as cleer as Chriſtall, that as obedience is due to the Magiſtrate for conſcience ſake; ſo it lies upon him in point of conſcience to provide for the ſuſtentation of all that are ſubject to the civill government: for ſubjection drawes protection and proviſion with it: but the queſtion is, what is the moſt proper expedient, and ſpeedy way, to abate and bring down the prices of corne, eſpecially Barley: I confeſſe I am out of my proper element, it being a matter rather of diſcretion and State-policy then of Law: therefore my needle having not been toucht in corne matters, if I varie a little in the compaſſe, or meet with a rock, & preſent any thing crude or undigeſted to mature and deep judgments: If the ſtrength of my affection towards the poore, whoſe good I hope every honeſt man will deſire, ſhall diſcover any weakneſſe in judgment, I hope it will eaſily find favour with all charitable men; and for others, I know little uſe of them, eſpecially this deer yeare: he that will not be liberall this yeare, does not deſerve the name of a Chriſtian.
Chriſt was moved with compaſſion when the people were hungry, and he wrought a miracle to feed their bodies; let every man ſtudie this point as the onely neceſſary thing, and be humble ſuitors to the Parliament all as one man, to ordaine ſome effectuall meanes and preſent remedy to bring down the price of corne, for poor people muſt not be famiſht. I have ridden ſome miles, to talk with thoſe that are honeſt and judicious in ſuch matters; and I ſhall humbly preſume to expreſſe the reſult of what I have heard, with all dutifull ſubmiſſion to Authority.
7Some are very zealous that men ſhould be enforced to ſell Barley at 10. groats, or 3. ſhillings 6. pence a Buſhell, which in Leiceſterſhire, is our Strike, as thinking there is great ſtore of old Corne in the Kingdome: but herein I rather commend their zeale then diſcretion, for I do not ſee how men can be conſtrained to ſell their Corne at a certaine rate, they may eaſily pretend want of it themſelves, and who can tell how much of it they may have occaſion to uſe? beſides, I ſuppoſe the ſtock of corne would quickly be ſpent; for if the poore might have as much corne as they would ſpend, for 3. ſhillings or 10. groats a Buſhell, they would ſpend more by halfe then now they do: they are forced to make a Buſhell go as farre now, as a Buſhell and halfe the laſt yeare: I heare many ſay, that they which allowed themſelves 12. pence bread in a week, make ſhift with two ſix penny loaves as formerly, though they be farre leſſer; therefore it was a good policy in Caeſar, when corne was deare, to command that they ſhould not raiſe the price of loaves, but make them leſſe, which is well obſerved ſtill to make halfe penny and penny loaves, though leſſe then before: I know in other Countreyes the price of corne is appointed by the Magiſtrate, the great Baker at Rome has all the Corne brought into his Granary,Non Pontifex ſed potifex, non potifex ſed panifex, non panifex ſed carnifex, eſt Papa pater Pontifex. and he ſells it out as he liſts, and ſo it is in the moſt free States where there is the leaſt ſhew of Tyranny; but I ſuppoſe it was long before things were brought to ſo good order, and alteration in States are not eaſily to be admitted, unleſſe in caſe of pregnant neceſſity: England is a Kingdom very populous, and people very querimonious, how faine would this Kingdome have made themſelves ſlaves, and fought themſelves into a perfect bondage? What ſaies the husbandmen, if Corne be dear but one yeare in ſeven, then every one labours to abate the price, but in plentifull years, when the husbandmen can ſcarce ſell for 2. ſhillings a Buſhell, who labours to make it dearer, taxes have been multiplied and much free-quarter upon the Yeomanry, and how ſhall they pay their rents and defray extraordinary charges, unleſſe corne beare a good price? and every man that hath Corne to ſell ſaies, let me ſell as deare as the Market goes, though I buy againe and pay dearer for it; as Sir Iohn Needham8 alwaies about Michaelmas time goes with his ſack to the Market, and muſt ſell what Corne he hath, and buyes again about ſeeds time, ſo impatient are men of the leaſt reſtraint and regulation, though it be for the beſt.
Others are of opinion, that the beſt way is to reſtraine maulting, or to ordaine that no man ſhall ſell any Mault this deare time above 4. ſhillings a Buſhell, by which meanes much Barley will not be maulted, and ſo they think it a better policy to reſtraine maulting, or the ſelling of Mault above ſuch a rate, then to injoyne the ſelling of Barley at a certaine moderate price, as being generally conceived, that above half the Barley in the Kingdome is maulted, and above half that ſpent in Innes and Ale-houſes.
But it will be difficult to prove what is paid for every Buſhell of Mault, Ale-men and Tipplers will have it whatever it coſt: therefore that which I humbly conceive to be the moſt effectuall remedy pleaſing to God and all good men, will be the preſent ſuppreſſion and putting downe of all Ale-houſes, and the reforming of Innes, which have beene guilty of more enormities, and occaſioned more miſchiefs and diſcommodities to this Kingdome, then the Starre-Chamber, High Commiſſion Court, Councell Table, Court of Wards, and all the Arbitrary Courts have done: And new Licences to be granted in every Pariſh where there is need to ſuch only as know not how to ſubſiſt otherwaies, and are well-affected to the Parliament.
Some conceive it would be ſufficient to reduce and abate the number of Ale-houſes, as where there is foure in a Town to permit but one or two; but this is but pairing the nailes or rather drawing the bloud into one veine: for, if there be any ſtrong Ale in a County, all the good fellowes will flock thither, and good Wine needs no Buſh, men naturally run upon things prohibited, one Ale-houſe will ſpend as much as thoſe foure: rather then ſo, it were better for the Kingdome that every man that would might brew to ſell, for then they would out-vie one another, and ſtrive who ſhould make the beſt drink to gain the confluence of cuſtomers: where the moſt ſhops are, there is alwaies beſt choice of commodities;9 but the firſt thing abſolutely neceſſarie for the ſafety of this Kingdome in point of reforming generall abuſes, is a provident care that no debaucht, diſſolute, or licentious perſons, which are notoriouſly diſ-affected to the Parliament, ſhould be permitted to vend any ſtrong Beer or Ale, becauſe it is but putting a ſword into a mad mans hand, he that takes away a knife or a ſword from a foole or a mad-man, offends no juſt Law, to prevent the miſchiefe is not to deprive him of his property; is it fit for mad-men to keep Gunpowder-houſes? In Sicily no man of a looſe behaviour is permitted to weare a ſword for feare of doing miſchief, preventing juſtice, like Phyſick at the Spring taken for prevention, is more noble then executing, becauſe there is neither offence nor puniſhment.
Vintners, Inne-keepers, Ale-men and Hoſteſſes had need to be the moſt abſtemious, temperate and ſober men and women in the Kingdome, becauſe they are moſt familiar and converſant with perſons of contrary diſpoſitions, what the wind is to the waters to make them rage, and the evill Spirit to a wicked man by working upon his corrupt humours, ſuch are licentious and diſorderly Inne-keepers and Ale-men to their daily cuſtomers and aſſociates; they ſay every man is free to call for what he pleaſes, but they are diſpleaſed if a man depart ſober and there be not the Drunkards foure outs as they call it, all the money out of the purſe, all the wit out of the head, all the grace out of the heart, and all the Ale out of the pot, and then the Hoſt reckons as he liſt, 2. ſhillings to pay and you are welcome, and one having ſo much wit left by the help of his buttons to ſay, that he had drunke but ſix pots, ſayes the Hoſt you have ſix in your belly and ſix in your head. For as the caſe ſtands, any man that will may be drunk when he liſts, if he have no company, he knowes where the Hoſt is a bonius ſocius and no ſtarter, it is a ſad obſervation that Drunkards came not into this Kingdome till the Reformation of Religion, and a ſadder obſervation which I have found true, that Proteſtants generally are greater Drinkers then Papiſts, who are farre more libidinous and unchaſt, what a mercie is it, that in Italy, Spaine and thoſe hot Countreyes, Wine ſhould better agree with the conſtitution of their bodies10 then beere, and that with us and in Northerne Clymates Beere ſhould beſt agree with our bodies, I verily believe that our Engliſh Mault would make ſuch ſtrong beere, being well boiled, hopped and kept its full time, that it might ſerve inſtead of ſack, and be as pleaſing and cordiall Engliſh ſack as the beſt Canary, to the great encouragement of husbandmen, and improvement of Hop-grounds: but this muſt be when Barley is about two ſhillings the Buſhell, ſo as a poore man may get a Buſhell of Corne weekly for his Family, and twelve pence for other neceſſaries; I wiſh it were high Treaſon to ingroſſe any Corne to make a Dearth, ſuch men deſerve the puniſhment of a Patricide, which was in this cruell but proper manner: He that killed his Father was to be put into a great barrell made of leather, with a Dog, a Jackanapes, a Cock and a Viper, and caſt into the Sea, that he might be deprived of all the elements, fire, water, earth and ayre, (for the leather kept out the water, and no more aire came in then to live) whereof all creatures are made, who had killed him that gave him his being, the Dog an uncleane yet faithfull creature to his Maſter, to vex him for his unthankfulneſſe, and after for hunger to teare him in pieces, the Ape to ſhew that he that would imbrew his hands in his Fathers bloud, had nothing of man in him, but a humane figure like an Ape; the Cocke that he might never ſleep, but be perpetually vexed, and the Cock is an enemy to the Viper, and that Saylors hearing the Cock might know the man, the Viper a thing fearefull to men, and obnoxious to the ſame offence, coming to light by the Parents death: what gre•ter ingratitude can there be that poore people ſhould take all the pains to plough the ground and bring in the harveſt, and then miſerable Huckſters ſhould ſuffer them to be famiſhed for want of bread? a few Ingroſſers may undo a whole Towne or Countrey: but may not I doe with my owne what I liſt? (ſayes the old Cormudgin,) No, that thou maiſt not thou Devill in the the ſhape of a man, a man may not be drunke with his own wine, nor play the Glutton at his own table, but it is none of thine, thou art a Lyar, thou miſerable wretch,11 truly miſerable in ſoule and bodie, thou haſt no money, the money hath thee, it is none of thine, it is the poore mans bread which thou lockeſt up in thy barnes, when thou takeſt ſix ſhillings for a Buſhell of Barley from him which thou maiſt well afford for three ſhillings, thou ſqueezeſt too much bloud out of his veines, and God will call thee to an account for it, however the law of man may be defective; if thou eſcape puniſhment here, thy reſervation is but a preſervation to a greater miſerie; how many Ingroſſers have had their Barns burnt and Corn conſumed that would not ſell at reaſonable rates? we have good bookes printed of Gods judgements againſt ſwearers, and drunkards, and Gods revenge againſt Murders, I wiſh ſome able man would take the pains to make a collection of Gods revenge againſt Ingroſſers and Uſurers of Corn, and covetous cruell men of all ſorts, who deſerve to be kicked out of all honeſt mens companies, for God abhorres them, as being moſt contrary to his diffuſive nature.
But, what Law is there to puniſh ſuch men? all the reaſon in the world for it, for the health of a ſick man is the Phyſitians ſupreme Law, Law muſt give place to neceſſity, if there be ſuch an inundation of waters that a man cannot paſſe in the ordinary road, a man may juſtifie to go through the next Lands, for the diviſion of Lands was made with this condition, reſerving a liberty for everie man to paſſe in ſuch a caſe of neceſſity, and ſo every man muſt have a way through his neighbours ground to goe to his own Land, for by the grant of the ground all things are granted to make it profitable, and when the Magiſtrate inforces men to ſell their Corne at reaſonable rates,Non eſt involuntaria venditio ſed accommodatio proximi. ſo as the poore may live by the rich, this is not in judgement of Law, an unvoluntary and inforced ſale, but an accommodation of ones neighbour in charity, naturall equity and humanity, according to the condition of the fields and nature of the place and ſociety of men with whom we live. Valde bonum, à commodum Gen. 1.31.And God ſaw every thing that he made, and it was very good, the Caldeans read, very profitable for man.
At Naples the great treaſurer of corn being intruſted with many thouſand quarters at 3. s. the buſhell for the common-good,12 finding an opportunity to ſell it for 5. ſhillings the Buſhell to forraigne Merchants, inriched himſelfe exceedingly thereby, and Corne growing ſuddenly deare, the Counſell called him to account for it, who proffered to allow 3. ſhillings for it as it was delivered into his cuſtody, and hoped thereby to eſcape, but for ſo great a breach of truſt nothing would content the people but to have him hanged, and though there was no poſitive Law for it to make it Treaſon, yet it was reſolved by the beſt Politicians, that it was Treaſon to breake ſo great a truſt, by the fundamentall Conſtitution of the Kingdome, which by all intrinſicall Rules of Government ought to preſerve it ſelfe, and that for ſo great an offence he ought to die, that durſt preſume to inrich himſelfe by that which might indanger the lives of ſo many Citizens; for as ſociety is naturall, ſo Governours muſt of neceſſity and in all reaſon provide for the preſervation and ſuſtenance of the meaneſt member, he that is but as the little toe of the Bodie Politique.
To ſpeake a word how farre the Magiſtrate is to regulate and give a Law to the prizes of Commodities for the publike good, I agree with Ariſtotle and all the Roman Authours againſt that erroneous opinion of Plato, that Property and Diviſions of Lands and Goods is by the Law of God and nature, yet ſo as one man is not to feaſt and another be famiſh'd: Contracts are by a naturall Law and right of all Nations, yet ſo as Gods divine Law is the efficient cauſe of Contracts amongſt men, for we are bound to ſell to one another by Gods Law, elſe mankind could not continue, for all things are made and created for mans ſake, as that Propheticall Pſalmiſt David ſaies,Omnia ſubjeciſti ſub pedibus ejus. thou haſt put all things in ſubjection under his feet; the materiall cauſe of contracts are all things neceſſary for mans ſuſtentation: for if there were no meanes to buy thoſe things we want, or to exchange other things for them, as formerly, men when there was a little money, exchanged Corne for Cattell, we ſhould teare and deſtroy one another like brute beaſts. Now the formall cauſe is the form and manner of buying and ſelling, for money, or by way of exchange, if the owner will not ſell, then he may lend or pledge, or hire the uſe of it as he pleaſeth; and the finall cauſe of every contract is that we13 may uſe and enjoy Gods good creatures honeſtly and profitably, that one man be not grievous to another, that ſo a commutative equality may keep the peace, and peace may make the Kingdome happie, wherein we are all, as in the ſame ſhip, therefore all Contracts muſt benefit our neighbours, every wiſe man looks at the end, when I ſell a Buſhell of Corne, the Law ſaies I do thereby do good to my neighbour, yet ſo as that he wants my Corne, ſo I ſtand in need of his money, which is a leſſe principall end and conſideration in the eye of Law; for money is but artificiall, a thing that is turned Trump by policy, not by any naturall inherent vertue that there is in it in compariſon of living creatures, or the naturall fruits of the earth created for mans ſuſtenance; therefore I may take a moderate gaine for my Corn, but not exceſſive, let no man weakly object that, for the Magiſtrate to ſet a price upon Corne or Cattell, is againſt the Freedome and Liberty of the Subject, as if the harmony of health ſhould endanger the body naturall, when the ſpleen ſwells the body pines; if a cruell miſer have 100. quarters of Corne to ſpare, and 100. of his poor neighbours are ready to famiſh for want of bread, who have not money to pay him an extraordinary rate, if the Magiſtrate inforce him to ſell it at a reaſonable rate, it is but juſt by the Law of God and nature: we have been ſo long accuſtomed to the yoke, that moſt in this Kingdome had rather be in ſubjection to their old Task-maſters, then to be ſet at Liberty by our noble Reformers, if there were 100. Marriners in a ſhip, and one ſhould keep bread ſufficient for 20. and the reſt have nothing to eat, does not that Pilote deſerve blame who will not force him to contribute of his ſuperfluity to his brethrens neceſſity? the rule of charity is, that one mans ſuperfluity ſhould give place to another mans conveniency, his conveniency to anothers neceſſity, his leſſer neceſſities to anothers extreamer neceſſities, and ſo the mechanicall poore to relieve the mendicant poor in their extreamer need, and this is but the Dictate of the Law of Nature: and can any man queſtion but that the Magiſtrate is impowred by God to command every man to live according to the rule of nature and right reaſon? The Romans were never more free then when14 they had a certaine price ſet, and taxed upon all manner of commodities and things which were bought and ſold; and ſo it is for many commodities in that well governed State of Venice, the Magiſtrate ſets the price of all fleſh that no man can be deceived in buying in the beſt ground in Spaine: neer Granata, the Land-lords may not plant Olives, nor make Vineyards as they deſire, that ſo there may be more ſtore of Corne for the poor, and more plentifull paſture for cattell, which are brought to that City: by Gods Law a man might refreſh his horſe upon his neighbours ground, and himſelfe in the Vineyard,Deut. 23. Mark. 12. though it was not in a caſe of neceſſity, as the Diſciples pluckt the eares of Corne and the gleanings are reſerved for the poore; how much more then may and ought the Magiſtrate to take ſpeciall care that corne be ſold at ſuch a rate as the poor be not famiſhed, for to offer him a Buſhell of Barley for 5. ſhillings, who hath but 3. ſhillings to give for it, is to deny him bread to eat, or to ſet the loafe upon an high place and bid the little child eat, who cannot reach it: every man is bound to love his neighbour more then his owne goods, we are commanded to give our goods to ſave another mans life, much more to ſel our goods at a reaſonable rate, it is a common errour that all charity is in giving, not in ſelling; if I give I ſhall be thanked for it, but let me ſell as deare as I can, is the language of ſuch as will give away but little.
He that will ſell ſo much Barley as he can reaſonably ſpare this deare yeare, to poore men for two ſhillings or halfe a Crowne a buſhell, is a more charitable man then he that now and then gives an Almes to a beggar at his door; no man ought to defraud, or go beyond his brother in bargaining, we ſay in Law that a thing is worth ſo much, as it can be ſold for,Preci•m Suprem•m, medium & infimum. but in conſcience no more then the buyer is able to give: there are three prizes of things, ſupreme when things are dear, moderate when things are at an ordinarie rate, and inferiour when things are at a low rate; within which latitude buyers and ſellers may deceive one another, becauſe an exact and Mathematicall equality of price would hinder contracts: but there is a difference (as we ſay proverbially) between ſtaring and ſtark blind, if the thing that is ſold for 20. pound be not15 really worth ten pound, this bargaine ought not to ſtand, for the hurt is above halfe the juſt price, I know the price of a thing is perpended by the common eſtimation of men, not from the nature of the thing, for then every living creature ſhould be dearer then things inanimate, a Pigeon ſhould coſt more then a Diamond, but if a man ſhall ſell a Jewell for 100. pound which is not worth 50. pound, this ought not to be ſuffered in a Kingdome well governed; for the buyer muſt either be deceived, or was in great neceſſity, and being againſt the end of Contracts (which is the good of the party with whom you contract) it is a meer nullity and not binding: that old ſaying, let the buyer beware,Caveat Emptor. takes all care from the Magiſtrate, as if men might cozen or ſurprize one another, and the Judge was not to rectifie all abuſes and extremities in that kind, whereas it is a ſin to offend my brother in bargaining,1 Theſ. 4. Nemo ſuperveniat. & Lev. 25. Non fratrem tuum. or to contriſtate his ſpirit againſt commutative Juſtice, that of Paul to the Theſſalonians is, let no man overcome his neighbour; truly, it is a great ſhame to conſider how men (for the moſt part) abuſe their callings, as I have often ſaid.
The Civilians, who are the beſt moderatours of naturall equity, ſay, that a Magiſtrate may inforce a man to ſell his Patrimony for publique neceſſity, not for the Princes pleaſure,Eſt neceſſitas quoad rem non quoad precium. Neceſſitatem non utiltiate, pro conſtructione non ampliatione. but then a reaſonable price muſt be given for it, for the State muſt not want money in that caſe: as if any man have a large houſe which is conceived neceſſary to make a Court of Juſtice, the owner ought by the Law of God and nature, to ſell it at a reaſonable price for that purpoſe, and ſo a piece of ground for Martiall Diſcipline, or to erect fortifications for the publike ſervice, and the reaſon is evident, becauſe the right which he hath to his houſe or land is by the Law of that Kingdome, which cannot be maintained but by doing juſtice, therefore that which is moſt conducible to publike Juſtice muſt be preferred, and every man is to preferre the publike good before his own private; a man is bound to do good to his Countrey and acquaintance when he may do it without his owne deſtruction. Is it not a ſad thing that the poore people which plow the ground, manure it, and ſow it, weed it, and get in the harveſt, and take all the paines, ſhould bring it into a16 Miſers Barne and then be famiſhed themſelves for want of bread? in a time of warre corne was ſo deare that the ſouldiers had ſcarce bread: ſaies the Emperour, ſhall the poor men defend your City, and keep your corne in your Barns, and will you not feed them? and conſtrained them to relieve the poore.
Let no man pretend that he may want the next yeare for his owne family, and therefore will not ſell to the poor at a moderate price, for this is a manifeſt diſtruſting of Gods providence, as if he could not ſend plenty next yeare, and putting too much confidence in an arme of fleſh; how different is this from that excellent Petition of Give us this day our daily bread? not ſo much corne in my barnes this yeare as may ſerve me ſeven years, ſuppoſe a man did certainely know, which cannot be imagined, that there were ſeven years of ſcarcity approaching, may any man therefore ingroſſe all the Corne in the Kingdome to ſell it as they pleaſe, and ſuffer the poore to famiſh in the mean time? nothing leſſe: the Holy Ghoſt in Deuteronomie moſt convictingly meets with ſuch Objectors, Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart,Deut. 15.9, 10.11. ſaying, the ſeventh yeare, the yeare of releaſe is at hand, and thy eye be evill againſt thy poor brother, and thou giveſt him nought, and he cry unto the Lord againſt thee, and it be ſinne unto thee, thou ſhalt ſurely give him, and thine heart ſhall not be grieved when thou giveſt unto him: becauſe that for this thing the Lord thy God ſhall bleſſe thee in all thy workes, and in all that thou putteſt thine hand unto, for the poore ſhall never ceaſe out of the Land; therefore I command thee, ſaying, thou ſhalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poore and to thy needy in thy Land.
The Argument is unanſwerable, if I muſt lend to my poor brother when I am ſure to loſe it, much more am I bound to ſell my corn unto him at reaſonable rates, though hard time; ſhould come, which yet are not likely; for God that provided for us in times of warre, when we had more cauſe to feare a famine, will undoubtedly bleſſe this Kingdome with increaſe in times of peace, if our ingratitude and uncharitableneſſe to the poor do not ſet bounds to his mercies.
17If any man object, that this generall ſuppreſſion of Ale-houſes is like Lycurgus his Law, to ſtock up all the vines and ſuffer no more wine to grow to prevent drunkenneſſe, as if the uſe of meat ſhould be prohibited, becauſe many Gluttons ſurfeit upon it, and no uſe of candles, becauſe ſome negligent people have thereby ſet houſes on fire: theſe are as weak Argumentations as that the Poiſoner ought not to die, becauſe not he but the poiſon was the immediate cauſe of death: to reforme abuſes is not to extinguiſh or diminiſh the uſe of the creature, there is a neceſſitie to drink, but a greater neceſſity not to be drunke; as the faithfull Meſſenger,Sola neceſſitas eſt non peccandi. who being imployed about the ſafety of a Kingdome, was diſſwaded from imbarking in a great ſtorme, ſayes he, it is neceſſary that I goe not that I live;Peccatum eſt Semper mavis malum. a man muſt ſuffer the greateſt evill of paine rather then commit the leaſt evill of ſin, of two evills we muſt chooſe the leaſt, but the leaſt ſin is the greateſt evill: this giving liberty to none, but ſuch as are well-affected to the Parliament, to ſell Ale or Beer is to prevent ſinfull diſorders;Obſtare principiis. for they are generally ſuch as doe not allow drinking of precurſory healths, which is like giving the firſt blow; it hath ever been obſerved that the firſt health hath been like opening the floud-gates, I have in my thoughts compared it to S. Bartholomewes Iſland in Rome, which began by one corne that arreſted at a tree, ſticks and other things came to it which obdurated; and in proceſſe of time became an Iſland, or as the King of Sweden was wont to ſay, the loſſe of a naile may be the loſſe of an Army; for the loſſe of a naile may be the loſſe of the ſhooe, the loſſe of a ſhooe may lame the horſe, and ſo indanger the rider, and the fall of the rider may diſorder the Troup till at laſt all be routed.
I wiſh the application were not too true, I am confidently perſwaded that the diſorders in Taverns, Innes and Tipling-houſes, have been chiefe motives and occaſions of this Kingdomes miſeries; what miſchiefes almoſt are at any time brought to light, but have been hatched and conceived in ſome of thoſe wombes, to the great diſhonour of Almighty God, and the inſufferable abuſe of his good creatures? and18 when the goods are ill ſpent, the maſter muſt needs be angry: what a monſtrous thing is it for a man to make himſelfe a beaſt, to unman himſelfe and become a Lion for fierceneſſe, a Hog or a Dog for beaſtlineſſe, as the boy that waited upon a great Drinker, who gloried in making others drunk, intreated his Maſter to make him a ſheep, how can I doe that ſaies the Maſter, yes Sir, ſaies he, as well as you made Mr. ſuch a one a Lion, and another a Beare, and a third a Hog, why may not you make me a ſheep?
A Drunkard breaks all Gods Commandements, he acknowledges no God but his belly, he commits Idolatry, drinking healths alwaies uncovered, many times ſtanding and ſomtimes upon his knees, a geſture fit for a prayer, unleſſe ſitting may better elevate the affections, what fearfull Oathes and horrid Execrations are daily belcht out in Tippling-houſes, no wonder that the plague invades them, how ſhamefully are Sabbaths prophaned, notwithſtanding good Lawes and Ordinances to the contrary, which are contemned and broken like Spiders webs, for becauſe the doores are kept ſhut in Sermon time, that good fellowes cannot enter, therefore they make a perambulation in Moorefields, Iſlington and other places, till Sermon be done, and then ſwallow it downe with better appetite, and ſo make good Lawes as good ſawces to drink Ale without an Orenge.
Theſe places principally are the corrupters of youth, and the firſt riſe of diſobedience to Parents is commonly from a Tavern or a Tipling-houſe; youth is like a faire built houſe, an Ale-houſe is the bad Tenant that lets it raine in: is there any quarrelling? it begins there; as there was ſeldome or never any Treaſon in times of Popery, but there was a Prieſt or a Jeſuite in it, ſo is it in point of murder, the quarrell commences or is fomented in ſome drinking-houſe,Nunquam Ebrium putabo caſtum. the verieſt coward is pot-valiant, and never was any Engliſh Drunkard chaſt: however the Germanes and Dutch from whom this Nation hath unhappily contracted the guilt of this beſtiall ſinne of drunkenneſſe, are yet accounted chaſte, either becauſe their drinking procures ſpeedy ſleep and evaporations,19 as ſome ground is made fruitfull by that raine which gluts other land and hinders it from producing naturall operations, or it proceeds from ſome occult quality in nature, but a particular inſtance againſt a generall obſervation is ſophiſticall.
A Drunkard is the greateſt Felon, he robs himſelfe of all that is worth owning, a moſt odious creature to every honeſt man, how many Raſcalls drink the very bloud of their poor wives and tender Infants in a Tippling-houſe, and ſpending that riotouſly that would refreſh a wearied family? Drunkenneſſe by the Turks Law is puniſhed with death for the ſecond offence, and whether he that ſteales a ſtrike of Corne this deer yeare, or he that ſhall conſume 20. ſtrike more then he needs, which is but in effect robbing of the poore, better deſerves death, let every ſober man ſeriouſly conſider.
For my owne part, I thinke it would be a moſt excellent Law, as the caſe ſtands, to make drunkenneſſe for the firſt offence impriſonment three daies, and to live with bread and water; for when a poor man is drunk to make him pay 5. ſhillings is but to puniſh and adde affliction to the innocent and afflicted wife and children for the guilty husband, I wiſh ſuch penall Lawes were reformed, and more proper puniſhments inflicted: for the ſecond offence a fine to the poore, to the full value of ſo much as according to the diſcretion of a good Judge and Jury he hath conſumed and waſted in exceſſive drinking; as for example, if a man have been a common frequenter of Tavernes or Ale-houſes, or a great drinker in private houſes, for the ſpace of twenty yeares, it is probable he hath ſpent in that ſpace a Crowne a week at the leaſt in exceſſive drinking, more then would have preſerved health and increaſed ſtrength, the only lawfull ends of eating and drinking, which amounts to above 200. l. it is juſtice to make him pay it if he be able, if not let him be whipped or burnt in the hand: The third offence to be Fellony, yet ſo as onely to beare the ſhame20 and reproach of it by holding up his hand and tried for his life, but to be ſaved by ſomthing equivalent to Clergie as a matter of form, and for the fourth offence to ſuſtaine the paine of death, as unworthy to live in a well-governed Kingdome, a Drunkard being the greateſt robber of poore people which are readie to famiſh for want of bread, a rebell againſt divine and humane authority, and a ſworne enemy to all humanity, what lies and inventions are daily hatched and contrived in theſe ungodly Seminaries? how are honeſt men diſgraced and ſcandalized, godlineſſe ſcoffed at, and honeſty traduced by theſe vermin and Catterpillars of the Commonwealth? All the lies, calumnies, and falſities that have been contrived, invented, and fabricated againſt the Parliament, Army, and all the godly honeſt men in the Kingdome, what have they been but the ebullitions of ſome tipſey Taverne, or frothy Ale-bench? and if the moſt godly men are exceeding privy to their daily failings and infirmities which breake forth in the firſt motions and riſings of the heart againſt the deliberate bent of their wills, and yet are ſins againſt the laſt Commandement, how guilty is the Drunkard that is a Maſſe of himſelfe, and makes it his daily trade to break the whole Law of God, which is holy, juſt and good? ſo that the Drunkard is the grand Antinomian, againſt whom the Parliament, Army, and all honeſt men are by the Lawes of God and Nature, to ſhoot all the arrowes of their deepeſt diſpleaſures. If Sack were but at ſix pence a quart, and Barley but at twelve pence a buſhell; but now that Barley is at five ſhillings, and in probability will be ten if this drinking continue: but I truſt our noble Worthies in Parliament will ſpeedily take a ſevere courſe to reſtraine it: when one is drunke they uſe to ſay he hath got a Fox, and ſo make but a jeſt of it, but he deſerves to be hunted as a Fox, theſe are the Foxes that ſpoile the vines, that drinke the poor mans bloud, and are guilty of the death of every poore man, woman, and child21 that ſhall be famiſhed to death for want of bread, as it is greatly to be feared many will be: there was a Law of Wolfehead in this Kingdome, he that had killed a Wolfe had ſo much for his pains, and we reward him who kills Moles, Hedge-hogs, or ſuch noxious creatures; I remember that a late Favorite in Dublin had a project to get a Patent for all the foxed groats in that City, that every one that was drunk over night ſhould pay him a groat in the morning, conceiving upon good grounds it would have been worth many hundreds a yeare, though that ſucceeded not: yet really, I would now have a Law of Foxhead, every man that can find out a Drunkard to be well rewarded, not to kill him, becauſe the Magiſtrate muſt have a care of his ſoule in ſuch a caſe, and if he ſhould die drunk then one great Drunkard was afraid that he ſhould riſe drunk at the Reſurrection, but to bring him into the gates of the City, the Courts of publike Juſtice, that the poor people may throw dirt in his face, and ſay, this is that monſter in nature that drinks as much in a week in wine and ſtrong drinks, as would relieve many of our hungry ſouls, he ſurfeits and vomits it up again and our little cruſe is almoſt ſpent, we muſt this night ſit downe and eat the laſt bread and die, for there is no more corn to be had, this Raſcall that hath a Devill in his belly, that devoures as much ſtrong drink as the Idoll Bell did, for he had but 6. pots of wine every day; which ſufficed Bells Prieſts being 70. in number, beſides their wives and children, which was not two barrels a day, is there not as much ſpent in many drinking-houſes in this Kingdom? let us have juſtice upon him or we will ſtone him, or rather hang him upon a Gallows,22 and ſtarve him to death, a proper end for all Cormorants and devouring Gluttons; the Eagle that King of birds dies for hunger, the upper beake ſo inclaſping the other, that it cannot eat: Oh that theſe myſticall Foxes, five times more dangerous then Wolves, which prey upon ſheep, might be hunted into the Sea, that delight ſo much in liquid elements, that they might be abjured the Realm and ſent beyond ſea whence they firſt came, and goe chin deep in water every day, untill they find a convenient paſſage: theſe Serpents ſting poor people to death, I hope there will be a preſent Hue-and-Cry after all theſe exceſſive drinkers, let them be inquired after with Eagles eyes ſome honeſt ſober men in every Pariſh appointed to bring them to condigne puniſhment.
Queſt. But the doubt is, who ſhall be ſaid to be drunk, which makes the Statutes againſt drunkenneſſe to be of little uſe, becauſe it is ſo hard a thing to prove a man drunk, for penall Lawes are to be conſtrued ſtrictly.
Reſp. Tradition ſaies that he is not drunke that can creep out of the cart way from the danger of the cart-wheel, like that of killing a Swan, that it muſt be hanged up by the head, and the killer or ſtealer muſt cover it over with wheat, which muſt goe to the owner. I find no ſuch caſe in Law, but ſomething to that purpoſe of a hog rooting in another mans ground,Dominus porci tenetur verrificationes frumento implere.He that ree•s or ſtaggers is drunk. the holes muſt be filled up with corn; David ſeemes to compare a drunken man to a ſhip at ſea, they reel to & fro like a drunken man and are at their wits ends; we ſay commonly the man is drunk or mad that does not underſtand himſelf, and ſo make drunkenneſſe to be a privation of ſence and underſtanding: but for my owne part I love to adhere to the Scripture, and judge that man to be drunk who hath taken more then his body requires for health or ſtrength inordinately: no drunkard like the old Drunkard that can ſit all day from morning to night, & by the help of that witch Tobacco (againſt the moderate or unluſtful uſe whereof I except not,) as K. James calls it, which wil make a drunken man ſober, & a ſober man drunk, wil be as freſh at night as at the firſt cup; oh that ever ſuch deſtroyers of the poor23 ſhould be ſuffered to live in a deere year, I know a man may rejoyce more freely in a lawfull uſe of the creature ſometime then others, but never immoderately, for there is no degree beyond moderation; a man may drink to refreſh himſelfe,ut vires reficiant••non ut opprimantur Ebrioſus non ſolum peccat ſed ipſe totum est peccatum. but not to oppreſſe nature; and the Cannoniſts hold that if the Phyſitians ſhall preſcribe a pinte or quart of White-wine, to a weake braine, to make a vommit for healthes ſake, it may be done with muc•caution, ſo as health be only intended; becauſe the end of meat and drinke is health, and ſtrength, and the creature is not abuſed to any unworthy end; but, a man may not commit Fornication by any adviſe for healths ſake, becauſe coppulation was appointed for other ends: but a man muſt nor overcharge and oppreſſe nature, as pot companions do, for ſuch a man does not only ſin, but is himſelfe wholy ſin.
Therefore an Ordinance to ſuppreſs and reſtraine exceſſive drinking, would be moſt excellent for mens ſoules, bodies, and eſtates; what an Angellicall and Divine Ordinance would it be to preſerve, by Gods bleſſing, the Soules, Bodies, and Eſtates, of many thouſands in this Kingdome from Ruine, Conſumtion, and Perdition; what an infinit happyneſſe would hereby accrue to this Kingdome, if the Taverns and Inns were regulated, and Ale-houſes Univerſally ſuppreſſed and reſtrained from ſelling Ale, and ſtrong Beere, after ſuch a time, and in the mean time, to Licence ſo many as are well-affected to the Parliament, honeſt ſober men, that ſhould not ſuffer any diſorder in their houſes; and to ſell no Beere or Ale ſtronger then what they can afford for a penny a quart, unleſſe it be to ſick or poore people, or ſuch as they are ſure will not abuſe themſelves with it.
Queſtion. But is it not ſufficient to diminiſh the number of Ale-Houſes or to ſuppreſſe and reſtraine unlicenſed and more diſorderly Houſes,
Re. Truly I feare that will not do the deed, that plaiſter will not be wide enough: It is conceived upon good grounds, that above two parts of all the Barley throughout the Kingdome wil be Ma••ed this yeare,Licentia omnes deteriores ſumus which if that were reſtrained then might the poore buy it for about 3 s. a Buſhell, which is a reſonable price for buyer and Seller: thoſe Ale houſes which are licenced do but maintaine Idleneſſe, Drunkeneſſe, and all mannor of Exceſſe and Riotouſneſſe by authority; and that conceit of my Lord Bacon may fitly be applied, that for Licences we are al the worſe.
22But why all Ale-houſes to be reſtrained? Truly becauſe that is ſooneſt done, and never did any diſeaſe in the Body Politque ſince the Gunpowder plot, require a more ſpeedy remedy, for the Malſters are traveling up and down the Country in every place, to buy Barley at any rates, to make ſport for Drunkards.
A more dangerous generation of men then the late ſpyes were, I doe not finde that a Maulſter is an addition in Law, Maulting is no legall trade, but a craft and miſtery whereby they ingroſſe much money, moſt of them being men of other trades; laſt yeare they bought Barley for 7 groats and halfe a crowne a buſhell, and ſell it for 5 ſhillings and ſixteen groates a buſhell in malt, and yet gaine a ſtrike in a quarter, which is not worth above a groat a b•ſhell Malting, and ſome of them ſould the ſame Barley againe for four ſhillings, and four ſhilllings and ſix pence a buſhell, and ſo they grind the faces of the poore, and keep them hungery in ſpite of their teeth, and theſe tipling houſes will have vent for it if it were at 10 s. a buſhell, for Ale, in many places, is ſould already for a groat a quart.
But is it juſtice to deprive men of their callings; what ſhall theſe Ale-men and favorites of Bacchus do, they have been fed with the fineſt of the Wheat, and their joynts annointed with the Oyle of Sir Iohn Barlycorne; how would you have them live.
I confeſſe it is a weighty queſtion, therefore I would have honeſt poore men to be Licenced to keepe Uictualling houſes, ſuch as have no other trades or calings to maintaine them, and ſome muſt worke for their livings as others doe, If the Majeſtrate would be pleaſed to provide continually corne for the poore at eaſy•ates, they would make a pretty ſhift to ſubſiſt; ah, ſays many a poore Creature, if I can but get bread for my poore wife and ſmall Children this deare yeare I care not; I would worke almoſt my heart out, but I can ſcarce get a dayes work, every thing riſes in price, but that which ſhould riſe, the day-Labourers wages, many work now for a groat a day which had 6. d. and 8. d. Certainly it lies upon the Magiſtrate to provide bread for every honeſt man at ſuch rates as men be not enforced to ſteale?
I obſerve a great diſproportion between the prices of things, and the poore hirelings wages, moſt day-Laborers in matters of Husbandry yerne but 6. d. a day, who being 6. or 7. in Family, what will 3. s. a weeke do to maintaine them, It will but halfe buy bread,25 for they have little elſe to eat; England is a famous Kingdome for corn, eſpecially for Barley, we exceed all other Countries. Tis marvaile that we have not alwayes 2. or 3 yeares proviſion before hand, but the leaſt immoderate raine, or unkind and unfruitfull yeare cauſes a Dearth that the poore people who live from hand to mouth are in danger to be ſtarved, whats the matter in the name of God? Is there not corne ground enough in the Kingdome, why ſo many incloſures ſuffered, there is no neceſsity of having ſo much Mutton and Beefe in the Kingdom, let it be as dear as it will, poor people can live without it, It would be a happy thing if the Juſtices of Peace in every County were authoriſed and enabled to take care and make proviſion that there might be corn ſufficient for every poore man at a reaſonable rate, why are not many Forreſtes (where the poor people will not ſuffer in point of fewell) which have been receptacles for wild Beaſts and Dens, and Nurſeries of Licentious people, where there are many cloſe Ale-houſes that are receivers of Rogues, and Theefes, he being as guilty that holds the Bag, as he that fills it) diſ-aforeſted and converted into tillage and many large farmes erected there and made comfortable habitations for Laborious Husbandmen; I know the preſervation of wood very neceſſary for the well-being of this Kingdome; but under pretence of nouriſhing wood, there is abundance of Depopulation permitted, and the poor people driven into Market-Townes and Corporations, which are ſo populous, that every unſeaſonable year for Corne threatens a preſent dearth, which is ſad in the contemplation of it, but will be heavy and fatall to this Kingdome if not timely prevented. See the Stat. 1 Iac 9.4 Iac. 21. Iac. 7. Dal 26.31
But for the matter of Juſtice, this is the caſe that all Ale men are in a Praemunire and have all forfeited their Lycences, ſo viſibly, that it needs no further proofe, for the law is poſitive and plaine, that whoſoever ſhall ſell leſs then a full ale quart of the beſt and ſtrongeſt Beere or Ale for 1. d. Is diſabled to keepe an ale houſe for three yeares, after, nay if ſuch a man be licenced againe within 3 yeares ſuch licence is void, and he is to be puniſht as victualling without Lycences
I Beleeve there is no Alehouſe in this Kingdome but is guilty of the breach of this Law. and therefore it is but juſt to ſuppreſs them all for 3. years, or rather then fail, but for this yeare according to the ſtatute, for they have occaſioned this threatned dearth, we have had plenty of late yeares to admiration, and there might26 have been barley enough in the Kingdome for the releef of poore people, at 2. s. a Buſhwell if it had not been ſuperfluouſly conſumed and ſquandred away in Ale-houſes, and though ſome houſes have been more orderly and civill then others, yet all are guilty, and the beſt way to avoid exceptions, and to prevent a Famine, is to ſuppreſſe them all after ſuch a time, and in the interim to lycence ſo many honeſt men as are needfull in every place to keepe Ale-houſes, obſerving the ſtatutes, and ſelling a quart a penny, which they might well affoord if Mault were at eaſie rates, Beſides Ale houſes are none of thoſe trades, wherein men have a free-hold for their lives, no man need to ſerve a Prentiſhip to learne to ſell a quart of Ale or Beere for a penny, and no man ought to live by a ſinfull calling, tis a lamentable caſe that people cannot live unles men be diſorderly, and drinke exceſſively in their houſes, tis a cruell courteſie to afford a man his ſupper, for 6. d. at an Inne, but then he muſt ſpend 6. d. or more in drink after ſupper, and commonly goes foxt to bed, or elſe the Landlord gets nothing by his gueſts company, If any man cannot live but by the ſins of other men, ſend him to Bride well, and he will learn a better trade, for he that will not work if he can let him not eate, tis no charitie to ſuffer the childrens bread to be eaten up by ſuch ungodly wretches, But it will be objected that there are many good and profitable lawes made to this purpoſe, which if carefully put in execution might be preventing Phiſick to cure a Famine which is ſo juſtly feared, I confes the Lawes are very excellent, and by putting of one ſtatute in execution might do the deed; for the Iuſtices of Peace, or the greater part of them may in open quarter-ſeſsions reſtraine the converting of Barley into Mault. 39 Eliz. 16.But they are not pleaſed to do it, and laws without execution, are like Bells without Clappers I know not by what unhappy fate many rich men, and men in office, are turned Maulſters, and ſell Ale and ſtrong Beere, and theſe Cormorants wil not ſuffer any Barley to come into the Market, I know a Mayor of a Towne that now ſels Ale for a groat a quart.
The Juſtices of Peace have abſolute authority to authorize or ſuppreſſe Alehouſes in part, or in all, as they pleaſe, and have the correction and regulation of all diſorders and Irregularities there committed; all immoderate tipling; and Exceſsive drinking is punniſhed by ſtatute, Learned and Reverend Mr. Iuſtice ROLLS, in his Mediterranean Circuit with much Wiſdome and Integrity, declared the Lawes in that particular, and gave them charge in a27 moſt Excellent manner deſiring the worthy Ivſtices and grand Iurors every where to be very vigilant and active in putting thoſe good and wholſome Lawes in Execution. His Lordſhip preſsing the neceſsity and uſefulnes thereof with much life and Iudgement, omiting nothing that could be ſaid materially, either to Informe the Cuntrymens underſtanding, or to worke upon their affections but good charges are but like good Sermons,, If Iudges could ſtay till all things were put in Execution, it would be happy for this Kingdome, the truth is that Alehouſes like untoward ſtubborn children are growne too headſtrong and maſterleſſe for their Parents, they are ſo numerous, and ſuch abundance of tipling in every Country Towne, that it is a difficult taske to reſtraine it, every man findes ſome freinds or other to Ingratiate himſelfe for the continuance of his Licence, and before this Epedemicall diſeaſe can be cured in an ordinary way, I feare all our Barley will be maulted.
As for ſome Market Townes I may truely ſay, as the Ingenious Biſhop did; All our houſes are become Alehouſes, No Galants but in their Gallons; was it ſo in the dayes of Noah? ah no, to conſider which of theſe are fitteſt to be ſupreſt, will require much time and deliberation, which this violent diſeaſe will not permit, therefore one good Ordinance to batter them all downe, roote, and branch, No more ſtrong beere or ale to be ſold by retaile after ſuch a day, but good wholſome drink of a 1 d. a quart, by honeſt ſober men, licenſed to keepe victualing houſes, and to lodge Travellers where need requires, never was any Law more ſeaſonable and reaſonable; the very wind of ſuch an Ordinance would kill half the Maulſters, ſuch an Ordinance of Parliament being like an Ordinance of God, not to be diſputed, but obeyed; ſuch a Parliament muſt needs be bleſt that has the prayers of ſo many poore people, If God to ſave the life of a poore ſheep, was pleaſed to diſpence with his Holie Law, at leaſt in the Letter of it, being delighted in works of mercy, how active and zealous ſhould good Magiſtrates bee, to ſave the lives of many thovſand of poore men and woemen, and Children, who are likely to be famiſhed, and pined to death, before the next harveſt, if ſome ſpeedy courſe be not inſtantly taken to prevent it.
For thus it ſtands, either the poore mans wages muſt be raiſed, or the price of Corn abated, or this poore man muſt make bold with them•ha•have it, or he muſt be famiſht in probability, for28 mens hearts are as hard as the nether milſtone, beleeve it, this argument is made of braſſe, and cannot eaſily be batter'd; the beſt peace & ſettlement which we have ſo long prayed for, and can be imagined will not make us happy, if there be a famine of bread; all the Malignant blood is not as yet drawn out of this Kingdome, there are thoſe that are negotiating to ingage us in a Second and more bloody and deſtructive Warre, and where bread is wanting, Mens humors are ſo corrupt, that the leaſt ſcratch may turne into a Gangraen, the leaſt ſparke into a great flame, the poore wil riſe upon ſmall occaſions if they want bread, which muſt unavoidably follow for ought I can ſee to the contrary, unles Alehouſes be ſuppreſt, and Innes and Victualing houſes regulated, and the Statutes for ſelling a quart 1. d. executed withall vigilance and ſeverity.
We have been beholding to our Neighbours for Dans Rye, which hath ſomething kept downe the prices of Corne, by furniſhing Sea Townes, and London, which makes them I feare not ſo ſenſible of the poore Countries.
In many places great Farmers have ſcarce their ſeed againe, and now that the wayes have been faire, Husbandmen, have little to doe, and Rents, muſt be paid, ſome Corn is brought to the Market, & the poor by help of their gleanings have not been much hunger bitten, This firſt quarter but the rich Farmers that threſh but little, the corn being well inned they expect better Markets, and if they reſolve to ſell barley for 10. s a buſhell they know the Maulſter will buy it, and the Aleman may well afford to give 12, s. a buſhell for Mault, if he may ſell his Ale for a groat a quart as they begin to do, but what ſhall•he poore man do in this Caſe, that has his Wife and 5. or 6. ſmall Children, that gets but 3. s a week at the moſt, and ſome weekes not 12, d, he muſt beg, ſteale, or ſtarve, a great ſtrait, ſomething like Davids caſe, for ſtealing brings the ſword of Juſtice, and begging does but prolong the Malady, the laſt deere Yeere, barley was not above 6. s. a Buſhell, and yet many were famiſhed in ſeverall places, and dyed for want of bread, yet Fleſh and other Proviſions were cheaper then now they are, what will become of poore Priſoners? who muſt Inevitably be ſtarved to death, for three halfe pence will not buy a pound of bread,
But I meet with two Rubbs 1. what ſaies one, will you work a miracle to feed many with a little Corn, if God ſend ſcarcity who can help it, if there be not barley enough, the poor muſt pinch.
29I Agree, that there is generally leſs Corn this yeere then the laſt, but were it not for the hardneſſe of ſome mens hearts; and the riotous exceſſe and Intemperance of others, we need not much fear a Dearth, tis a fond obſervation that a famine followes the Sword, Unles the Husbandman cannot Labour, and be diſabled by the war, for when God gives victory to the truth, as bleſſed be his Name he hath done,**If we be true to our firſt Principles and do not deſtroy our ſelves. it is a ſign of his love, and he will accompany it with plenty, if the faithfull Magiſtrate do not neglect his duty, I am confident Englands glorious dayes are approaching for peace and plenty, the next yeere is likely to be fruit full, Quick and cheape, juſtice will make this Kingdome happy.
But without all queſtion there is barley enough for all the poor in the Kingdome at reaſonable rates, if it be not converted into mault, it were better there ſhould not be one drop of ſtrong beere or ale brewed in the Kingdome this yeare, then that the poore ſhould periſh for want of bread; but neither is there any ſuch neceſſity; men of eſtates may keepe good beere for there own Families; and when Alehouſes are ſuppreſt in little villages, what a great matter is it if the Lord of the Town, or the rich men would bee pleaſed to beſtow a quart or two of Strong Beere, or Ale, upon a poore Neighbour, that is ſick or weake, many Honourable Gentlemen and rich men have begun a very Laudable cuſtome in their Families, to make but one ſet meale a day, and ſome curſorie Collation at night, if need require; which in a great family, ſaves much expence, but poſsibly the poore may ſuffer in point of broken meat, if this Faſhion was taken up out of a covetous and pennurious deſire to ſave Charges (as ſome conceive that not ſetting beere upon the table, proceeded from covetouſneſſe to ſave drink, Strangers being loath to trouble the Servitors, notice being taken what every man drinks) then it is unworthy the name of a Gentile cuſtome, poſsibly it began and proceeded partly for healthes ſake, and partly by the ſtraightneſſe of the times, occaſioned by taxes, and non payment of Rents, for one fruit of this War will be I hope, to teach men good Husbandry, and frugality at their owne Tables, that they may the better remember them for whom nothing is provided, and if that which is ſaved by ſparing ſuppers were given to the poore, how many prayers would the rich man have? as the Spaniſh beggar ſayes, give me an almes for your owne ſake God will repay you in Paradiſe; the corn is not the grounds but the ſowers, the poor are the beſt Debtors, what30 is given to them for Gods ſake ſhall ſurely be repayed, I profeſſe I cannot tell how to Judge him a Chriſtian that is not a mercifull man, he that ha's found mercy from Heaven to this poore ſoule, cannot but be a good Samaritan.
But if there be no ſtrong beere or Ale to be ſold in common Alehouſes, what ſhall poore men doe that are not able to brew it for themſelves? will you turne our Engliſh ſack, and our Native wine into Water; our ſtrong beere which breeds good bloud into ſmall beere, that affords little nouriſhment, and Hop it ſo, that if it hop one foot further It will hop into the Water, does not good Liquor cheriſh the vitall Spirits, and prove a reſtorative to weake mankind, eſpecially ſuch as are oppreſſed with hard labour all the day to ſend for a quart of Ale and a white loafe at night, how merry are they with it, as Vitellius with all his Dainties,
God forbid that we ſhould deny or diminiſh the vertue of any of Gods good Creatures, but rather admire ſo great a mercy, that the ſame Corn ſhould make good bread, and ſuch wholſome Liquor for ſo ungratefull a people, that have abuſed his good creatures by beſtiality, and exceſſe; and far be it that ſober men ſhould be deprived of comfortable refreſhment of thoſe good Creatures which ſome have prodigally waſted in drunknes and exceſſe.
good Liquor is no more to be diſcommended, then the Candle for burning bright, or a woman for that which is the Priviledg of her Sex Modeſt beauty, If wine be a mocker, and ſtrong drink raging, or a man thruſt his finger into the Candle, the fault was not in the wine or Ale, but in him that abuſes it, from which abuſe the Creature in its kind groanes to be delivered,noneſt culpa vini ſed culpa bibentis. and if it had a tongue to ſpeak would curſe the drunkard for ſo doing.
It is in ſeverall ſorts of beer, as in peeces of Gold, of greater and les values, hee that commends a 22, s. peece does not undervalue a 20. and he that preferres a Diamond to a peece of Gold, does the Gold no wrong, he that commends one ſort of beer, does not diſgrace the reſt, but certainly middle beere not too ſtrong nor too ſmall is the beſt for moſt bodies, for it cooles a hot body, and warmes a cold bodie, I will not argue whether ſtrong Ale or beere be neceſſary for health or ſtrength, this is obſervable, that the greateſt drinkers are the leaſt eaters, for the drink nouriſhes, and if they would drinke les, they might eat more, Now as Phyſitians obſerve, meat affords a far better and more ſolid nouriſhment31 then drinke does for drink is more properly taken to diſtribute the meat and helpe concoction, rather then for nouriſhment, many Germans and Italians which drinke nothing but water have ſtrong appetites, and are generally the ſtrongeſt men, beſides the generall abuſe of ſtrong Ale and Beer which hath ſo long continued in this Kingdom, worſe then the ſweating ſickneſſe, hath occaſioned the wiſdome of ſtate to Enact that no beer or ale ſhould be ſold for above a quart a penny, and barley was not then much dearer then a yeeres ſince, I would faine know why men ſhould drinke better drinke at Faires, and Markets or at Inns and Alehouſes, when they lodge abroad, then they doe at home; tis but a vaine cuſtome which occaſions much expence of time, and Coyne to make Bargaines over a Cup of ſtrong Liquor, whereby many honeſt people come to be ſurprized and defrauded in barganing, though a man canot ſtand upon his legs when he contracts, yet as the Law ſtands he muſt ſtand to his bargain, though it•e to the utter undoing of himſelfe, his Wife and Children, and ſome Crafty ſtrong brained Chapman will abuſe 20 honeſt ſimple men by the help of an Alehouſe, I profeſs theſe things ought not to be ſuffered in a well governed Kingdome, good wholſom drink of a quart for a 1 d. and no better for, there is no degree beyond wholſomneſs will remedy and prevent one Thouſand miſcheifes exorbitances and extreamities, which otherwiſe will fall out in this nation, If ſtrong beere be uſefull at any time it is a cup in the morning, to keep out the cold, or at night comming out of the cold for a weak body, but that in Market townes every houſe ſhould, ſel ſtrong drinkes, is but a ſnare to intrap weake braines, and miniſters daily occaſions of Riot and exceſs.
The Hollanders call their Strong beere great Pharoah, their middle beere little Pharaoh, and their ſmalleſt beere Iſraell, finding by experience (which is the beſt learning) that the Stronger-beere men generally drinke, the more they rebell againſt God and they that drinke the ſmalleſt beere are the moſt healthfull men, and beſt Chriſtians, and I beleeve our learned Phiſitians for the moſt part, drinke but little either ſtrong beere or Ale, as being not good freinds to L••ga vitie, it were the moſt innocent thing in the world but if it once come•to be a generall greivance to the Kingdome, as Alehouſes are at this day, as they are uſed, are the moſt greivous nuſances, and juſt offence to the whole kingdome,32 Deſtroyers•f poore people, Corrupte•s of good ma•ners the rec•ptacle of all•d ſorderly and Law les perſons: and the nurſeries of all ſenſualties and prophaneſſe therefore they ought〈◊〉all reaſon to be reduced and reformed.
For the queſtion is but whether ſtrong drinkes ſhall be made in abundance is formerly or the poore to be pined for want of bread, oh bread, oh precious bread how much more excellent art thou then ſtrong drinke, for the life and ſervice of man: thou maintain•ſt his beeing, ſtrong drinke at the beſt is but for his well being one man writes of the Ve•t••e of Noble Ale another of the Vertue of Warme beere, and other things are highly commended, but who writes in commendation of that which is worth all other things in the world that is food for man, bread and faire water, and the Goſpell is good cheare for a chriſtian, Veniſon and fair water, is not ſo good: a man may live better with bread alone, without any other thing, then with all the fleſh and dainties in the World and want bread therefore is Jeſus Chriſt the bread of beleevers, as being abſolutely neceſsary to ſalvation let us have bread at any rate, and part with it at no rate, it is better for this Kingdom to have Bo••e and Mutton at 10 s. a••ou••hen barley at•0 s.
Buſhell, but let us hope the beſt and feare the worſt, for that put upon Action to prevent it.
Heere I muſt needs take notice of a late printed ſheet called a Vindication of ſtrong beere and ale [to be ſold in Licenced Ale-houſes,] written I am perſwaded by a ſober man, for he declaimes againſt drunknes, and intemperance, his principall drift being firſt•o vindicate the Company of Brewers, which he call•a diſtreſſed•ompany whoſe ſad Condition groanes for releife, who are looked upon with an unkind aſpect, as if they were guilty of the drunkards ſins, becauſe they brew ſtrong beere and Ale, which I conceive is to ſet up a man of Clout•and to ſhoot at him, or to fight with his owne ſhaddow for no man that is but halfe ſound in his Intelectuall, will blame the Brewer for ſelling good Liquor•o them that are Licenced to buy it, no more then the Cutler can be blamed for making a Sword, wherewith another man is unjuſtly kill'd, the Brower muſt be acq••ted by the Law of God, and man, as be••g neither principall, nor acceſſary to the Prodigalls intemperance, I rather w•ſh that the Brewer be not blame worthy for making his Beere to ſmall, for no pure Element can nouriſh, I confeſſe Immediatly upon the Excize which concerned not the33 Brewer i•point of Damag•, being paid by the houſe-kee•••,•t was generally obſerved that the brewers made their〈◊〉Beere ſmaller then before, though Mault were at the ſame•at••; and I have obſerved for this 20. yeare that a man might ſenſibly caſt the dearneſſe of Mault in 6. s. Beere, but not the•heapnes of it, Good my Maſters of the Company of Brewers theſe things ought not ſo to be: If you cannot afford to make good beer when mault in very deare, you may make it better then ordinary when Mault i•very cheape; I will not be of Counſell againſt you, for Matter of ſtrong•eere, let your cuſtomers looke to it; I but I profeſſe in the words of ſobriety, that if you do not make your 6. s. beere this yeare as good as poſſibly you can afford it, for the ſuſtenance of poore people, you muſt expect to heare of it, you that have gained much in cheape yeares, ſhew your ſelves charitable men, and put in the other handfull of Mault for poore mens ſ•k•, you, and the Bakers, ſhould now ſtrive this hard yeer who ſhould deale the moſt honeſtly and kindly with poore people, you ſhould not thinke to increaſe your eſtates in a deere yeer, he that does ſo abuſes his calling, to an unworthy end, we have a curſed Proverb; every man for himſelfe, and God for us all, God will not be for that man that uſes it, the end of your Trades is not to gain riches to your ſelves, but to do good to your Neighbours, the maine end of our lives is to ſerve God in ſerving of men in the workes of our callings,Col. 3.24. and God allowes us to gaine moderately for ou•Labours, but•ot to gaine great eſtates, for there is neither precept nor e•ample in Scripture their ever any man prayed that he might be rich, and get a great eſtate, more then what in the Judgement of wiſe and godly men was ſufficient to maintain himſelfe, and comfortably provide for thoſe that depended upon him though it be got honeſtly in regard of mans Law, yet it is againſt the mind of God, Give•s this Day our daily bread, and and give me neither poverty n••riches, He that prayes not according to the Lords prayer, ſaies learned Auſtin, his prayer is ſin, what you may not pray for you may not labour after, Not one Godly man in Scripture that ever got a great eſtate by his owne induſtry, many were left rich by their Anceſtors, Abraham,Gen. 28.20. Pro. 30.8. Solomon, and others, were rich by Gods ſending but not by their ſeekinge, Iacob ask't•nt food and rayment.
He that Impl•ye•his Talent onely to get Honours, pleaſures, of profits, prophanes his calling, living to another end then God has34 appointed, and an action will lye at the day of Judgement, againſt many rich men of all Trades and profeſſions, for abuſing their riches, For God commands them that are rich to be rich in good workes,A contra formam colationis f•offamenti. and releeve the poore, eſpecially in a deare time as this is, and many that put out their money to that unnaturall act of Generation for 100. l. to beget another and they will have the Intereſt, though the Creditor have loſt the principall, in theſe late calamities, a horrible ſhame that ſuch things ſhould be ſuffered, honeſt men plundered of their eſtates to lye in Goale for Intereſt, againſt the Law of God, and the Law of the Land, for all Intereſt money is forfeited by ſtatute, if but ſix pence be taken, againſt all reaſon and humanity for the Iriſh Rebells had ſo much mercy to Ordaine that no Uſury ſhould incurre in time of Warre, nor would the late Oxford party I am confident have ſuffered any of their Adheerents to have fotted in Priſon for principall or Intereſt, that Vſerers which have no lawfull calling, but a thing permitted for the hardnes of mens hearts, ſhould gaine in a time of Warre? fie upon it; fie for ſhame, but I truſt our moſt Honorable Worthies will ſtop that torrent of cruelty, and order a repayment to ſuch from whom it had been extorted. And others lock up their Gold or•ather their God in an Yron Cheſt, and leave their hearts there, as St. Anthony told a Uſurer that his heart was in his coffer, and the Legend ſaies that ſo it was,
But is not abundance, the gift of God, and a great eſtate, a bleſsing and may not every bleſsing be ſought, I anſwer, A bleſſ•ing may not be ſought, unleſſe it be a bleſſing to every one that hath it, as faith, Patience, Humility, &c. riches in our Saviours time were of the nature of thornes and bryers, th•y that will be rich fall into many ſnares, may any man Labour for ſnares, they have not changed their qualities, I know a rich Saint may doe abundance of good this deare yeere, and I would earneſtly entreat all rich Beleevers for the Honour of the Goſpell this dear time to do good to all, and eſpecially unto ſuch as be of the houſhold of faith Almes are the beſt Sermon noates in a deare yeere, and when rich men are liberall then the poor receive the Goſpell, but yet a man may not pray for a great eſtate, though he intend therewith to releeve the poore, for he that is of a bountifull affection being poor, poſſibly being rich may be of a covetous diſpoſition, for one poor man to love another is but Narciſſus like to love himſelfe, we ſee the love of money increaſes as the money35 comes in, and for any man to thinke if he had a great eſtate, hee would do much good with it, ſavors of pride as if a man ſhould brag that he could go upon Mountaines, and rough craggy places and tred upon thornes; how doeſt thou know but that thou maieſt be Covetous if thou wert rich, and no wiſe Saint will deſire more then is ſufficient for him in the Judgement of Godly men, for being liberall in affection, and reſolution, God accepts the Will for the deed, as in the Widdowes caſe, and it muſt needs be ſo for God workes both the will and the deed,Phil. 2 1• whereas if he were rich in poſſeſſions he might be covetous at leaſt he runs a hazard which no wiſe man will do, when he may go upon certainties, I wiſh the Saints would weigh this argument and tell me wherein it i•light, the caſe is thus, a Chriſtian that hath for the purpoſe 100. l, per annum or 2000, l. in perſonall eſtate, this man may live comfortably and make proviſion for poſterity, and doe many good charitable offices for the poore, now if this man can get another 1000. l. he reſolves to give it away to the poor, for effecting weereof he muſt ingage himſelfe in many troubles, riſe early, go to bed late, eate the bread of carefulneſſe, and ſcarce take time for moderate refreſhments; much leſſe can he afford to allow any time for the Excerciſes of Godlineſſe, to keep Religion alive in the power and purity of it, and nothing is more deceitfull then his owne heart, whether it be wiſdome for this man to imbarque into an angery Sea when hee may reſt in a ſecure harbour, in a Condition pleaſing to God and good men; Is the queſtion, which I conceive no wiſe Chriſtian but will diſlike it, beſides who knows whether it be not Gods will to exerciſe a Chriſtian impoverty, or a meane condition for the tryall of his Faith, and other glorious ends, beſt known to his divine Majeſty; but then what incouragement ſhall men have in their honeſt callings? much every way, if heavenly commodities were more eſteemed then earthly; what an excellent thing is it for a man to do good to all men in his generation! I am aſhamed to hear men commended forgetting great Eſtates, there is a noble Gentleman, if all be true that is reported of him, deſerves more commendation for his Liberality then many o•hers,Sir Paul Pindar. a wiſe man will make his owne hands his Executors, and his eyes his overſeers for the ſurpluſage of his eſtate, beſides what is convenient for poſterity.
But may not men get great eſtates honeſtly, I will not argue how great Eſtates are got in this Kingdome, but this I obſerve, that the36 richeſt men, are not the moſt liberall to the poore, the more ſhame for them, there are a Generation of miſerable wretches that like the Auncient Jews have ingroſſed a great part of the publique treaſure, and have vaſt eſtates, but do no good to any living creature, many of them are haters of their owne fleſh, and will dye Indebted to their backs and bellies, ſure t'is that they might be thought to be very poore, but Cardinall Richlieu would have told ſuch a fellow, you ſpend little in Clothes and dyet, therefore ſure you are full of money, tax him ſoundly, if a rich man did weare good cloths, and fared well, Sir ſayes he ti's a ſigne by your Clothes and dyet that you are full of moneys, I hope theſe Cormoggians will be met withall, one time or other, I am not a Jugde to name any man in particular, but let them take it for a warncing; If I doe not heere of their good deeds this deer yeare, (I doe not meane their bonds, and ſpecialties which they ſo dearly love and count their good Deeds ſealed and delivered) but if they be not charitable to the poore, I will doe my beſt to get a catalogue of them, that if they ſhall perſiſt in their baſeneſſe and cruelties they may be publiſht to the world and hooted at as Enemies, of humane ſociety. I would not be miſtaken as if I were an enemy to great Eſtates, the God of order hath appointed ſeverall degrees of men, and ſet them in their ſeverall ſtations; the rich to be liberall to the poore, and the poore to be ſerviceable to the rich, the greateſt Prince ſometimes or other may have need of the pooreſt man living, at leaſt of his prayers, therefore he ought not to ſuffer that man to famiſh for want of bread.
I am not of their opinion that drive at a parity to have all men a like, ti's but a Vtopian fiction, the Scripture holds forth no ſuch thing; the poore ye ſhall have alwayes with you, but there ought not to be a Beggar in England, for they live raher like beaſts them men; Holland is a true Common wealth, where none are ſo exceeding rich, nor any beggars permitted, yet different degrees amongſt them, Lords and others, but in Kingdomes and larger territories, there will be a larger diſproportion, corragious Noblemen are the walls of a Kingdome, and a rich bountifull man is like a Sun E••ll in the high way, every man is the better for him; and though he••give much away, yet in realitie he looſes no more by his Charity, then the Sun does by comparting his beames upon the earth, for it is but a ſowing, he that caſts his bread upon the waters ſhall finde it againe, And that Kingdome is moſt flouriſhing where the beſt37 men are the greateſt men, and the greateſt men, are the beſt men, at leaſt morrally good, for Juſtice, liberality, valor, and ſuch noble vertues, unleſſe a rich man be liberall and bountifull, there is no more need of him in a Kingdome, then of a Croſſe which the ſilly Papiſts put off their Hats too, leaſt they ſhould be hurt in their Journey, poore people are faine to reverence many cruell Ingroſſers, as the Indians do the Devill leaſt he ſhould get them into his clawes, or like the Baſilisk kill them with a frown, as for any hopes to right themſelves by Law, tis for a Lamb to contend with a Lyon, but when a rich man in place of authority is curteous to all, and liberall to the poore, the Kingdome is preferred in that mans Honors, and ſuch a man is a beautifull proſpect; I am no Advocate, for the poore further then to provide bread & neceſſaries for them, without which, life cannot be maintained, let rich men feaſt, and the poore make a hard meale, but let them have bread ſufficient.
Kings and Potentates, Noblemen, and Gentlemen, may rejoyce in their great eſtates, left unto them, and look upon them as tokens of Gods love, if they be bountifully minded, and give their bread to the hungry, and more then ordinarily in ſuch a deere yeere as this is likely to bee, but they may not by the Law of God make it the chiefe end and main ſtudy of their lives, to multiply riches, nor ſo much as to Improve their eſtates, unles they have a greater charge then their Anceſtours had, men of Honourable profeſſions as the law Phyſick and armes, and of publique Imployments in the Kingdome, may gaine a competence to raiſe their families, being eminent for vertues and deſert, yet there is a meane in ſuch a caſe to be uſed; but for Marchants and Trades-man, and Uſurers to gaine ſuch vaſt eſtates, as many have done It is neither warrantable in religion nor policie, for men in ſelling their commodities ought not to ſell as dear as they can, but as others may live by them and as they can afford it for a moderate gaine. As put caſe there were 6. ſhips of ſeverall owners laden with Sugars, Spices, Drugs, or any commodities to be Imported for the ſervice of this Kingdome, which all ariving ſafe the commodity would be afforded at 20. d. a pound, but it pleaſes God that 5. of them ſuffer ſhipwrack, now the 6th man ſels his Comodity for 5. s. a pound, and by 3. or 4. ſuch providences he becomes rich I ſay this ought not to be permitted, he ought in conſcience to have ſold his commodity as cheape as if the other ſhips had arrived, the Kingdome is but one body politique, and every member ought to38 have a care of the others preſervation, this Kingdome Is ſo populous and there are ſo manie of a trade, that one man can ſcarce live by another, In the Infancy of the world there was enough for every man,Gen. 30. therefore that pretty policy which Iacob uſed to make himſelfe rich with Labans loſs is no objection for Laban was willing to give him what he pleaſed, the Scripture is cleare in it, that every man is bound to do good according to his ability,Deut. 17.16.17, and that the King may not ſeeke abundance nor accumulate treaſure, and if not Kings certainly not Subjects.
I have read that in ſome places there are Herculean Pillars ſet to mens eſtates, that a Marchant ſhall get but 10000. l. another Tradeſman 5000. l. and ſo for others. and when they are worth ſo much, they muſt either trade for the publique good, or elſe give over their callings and give way to others, betaking themſelves to Gods immediate ſervice, or taking paines for Orphans, and Widdowes, that having ſmall perſonall eſtates left them, if they ſhould live upon the principall, it would quickly conſume and know not how to Improve it themſelves, therefore able experienced men beſtow their paines freely for them, for all Catholique Councells have ever condemned Vſury in point of Conſcience, by this meanes men would not be ſo covetous as now they are, for now mens deſires are infinite, the Covetous man is in a dropſie the more he gets, the more he deſires, the laſt thing that dyes in him, is a deſire of having more he makes no will till he lyes a dying & then dyes to think he muſt make his wil, ſome ſayes he, are wiſer then others & puts gold in his mouth becauſe he wil not give al away, he would fain keep ſome for another world, as the old wretch that ſent for a Prieſt to make his will, who bad him pray, not I ſayes he do you pray for me, or elſe why ſhould I pay you tithes, well ſayes the Preiſt ſhall I Write, do as I bid you ſayes Dives, Firſt I bequeath the ſoule of our Pariſh Prieſt to the Devill, what my ſoule ſayes the Scribe, no ſuch matter, yes thy ſoule ſayes he, for thou never reproveſt me for my covetouſnes, whereas if there were a Law that no man ſhould be worth above ſo much, then no man would deſire more, mens affections would not be ſo infinitely ſet upon wealth, but their deſires would be finite, and ſo much ſinne would be prevented, now that is ever the moſt Angelicall Law, which prevents ſin, and Politique, it muſt needs be, for one man cannot poſſibly be ſo exceſſive rich, but it muſt be upon the ruines of others, you may obſerve, that where there is one man ſo exceeding39 rich, thoſe that live neer him are moſt of them poore, for hee looks as eagerly after every ſmall purchaſe to joyne houſe to houſe, or rather to pluck down all the houſes but his owne, that the poor may not live too neer him, as a Hawke lookes after the Partrige; I like not alterations in government, when a Kingdome is well ſettlkd, but when we are upon the wing of Reformation, I wiſh it might be to purpoſe, but my deſire is not to write any thing herein, but what may advance Liberality, and advantage the poore theſe ſtrait times.
He argues for the continuance of ſtrong Beer and Ale, as being neceſſary for poore people, a preſervative of health, and a reſtorative in ſickneſſe, ſurely the man is extreamly miſtaken, for poore people cannot afford to buy any ſtrong Liquor, whil'ſt bread is ſo ſcarce, I meane principally the Country poore; who begin to make lamentable complaints already, many of them being ready to die for feare of being famiſhed to death.
If the poore drink any Ale this yeare, it muſt be very ſparingly, as ſome Italians uſe Wine inſtead of Oyle, or Butter, to get down breap (which ever loves a Companion) in the way of Toſts, now a Toſt in Ale hath 7. excellent properties.
- 1. It ſatisfies hunger.
- 2. It quenches thirſt.
- 3. It helps concoction, by removing obſtructions.
- 4. It cauſes ſleep.
- 5. It exhilerates the Spirits.
- 6. It gets a good Color, a lover of Toſts has ever a ruddy and a cheerefull countenance.
- 7. It keeps the to the fleame, therefore let no Toſt be loſt, as there hath been too much abuſe in that kinde.
If I may have bread ſayes one, I care not though I drink water all the winter.
In the laſt deare yeare, when Barley was about a Noble a Buſhell, Peaſe, and Oates, Fleſh, Butter, Cheeſe, and other Proviſions were plentifull; a poore man might have bought him a paire of ſhooes for 2. s. which now coſt him about 4. s. Oh ſaies a poore man laſt night, I would be content to goe barefoot this winter, if I were ſure to get bread for my poore Wife and Children; I confeſſe it melted my heart to heare it: I remember that Sir Knevet being to looſe one of his hands for ſtriking in the preſence Chamber; he Petitioned King H. 8. to vouchſafe him a pardon40 for his right hand, and he would willingly looſe his left, ſayes King H. ſince he is ſo ingenuous let him keep both his hands, oh, that the patient humility, and meeke ingenuity of the poore, that would be well contented with bread and Water might move the heart of the Kings moſt excellent Majeſty, the Nobles and Honourable Worthies in Parliament, the Noble Generall Sir Thomas Fairfax, and the Army under his Excellencies Command, the Aſſembly, and every honeſt man of abilities in the Kingdome, to reſolve as one man acting in their ſeverall ſphears of Government, and ſubjection to find out ſome timely expedient to prevent this eminent dearth and death of poore people, and to ſay with that Noble King Henry ſince the poore will be content with bread and Water without ſhooes; they ſhall have both Bread Beere and Clothes, to defend them from hunger, and thirſt and from the cold Winter,
But I hear the husbandmen cry out, that taxes and extraordinary charges are ſo great that he cannot ſubſiſt unles corne be deare; mark the conſequence, then it ſeemes the poore labouring man muſt pay for all, if there be barley enough to be had at 5. or 6, s. a buſhell, why may there not be ſome ſpeedy way thought upon to eaſe the Farmer, that he may afford to ſell it for halfe a crown, and 3. s. ſo as the poore may live, but whether barley be at 2 s, or 1. s. a buſhell it makes neither more nor leſſe in the Kingdome, there is a Myſtery in it, which I hope the Wiſdome of State will unfold, and prevent the ſad conſequences, which are otherwiſe likely to enſue before another Harveſt.
But it may be ſaid, what need any ſuch ſupplication ſince the worthy Juſtices may in every County if they pleaſe, reſtraine malting, & conſequently Alehouſes will fall with the weight of their owne Luxuriance; I agree it, and the Lord•tirre up their Hearts to bee faithfull and Couragious, but I conſider that the worthy Juſtices, are otherwiſe burdened with Country affaires, many weighty buſineſſes Incumbent upon them, for the publique good, therefore if they were for the preſent disburdened, and exonerated of ſo great a charge, and trouble, and that it were ſpecially recommended to the Committees in every Country or a Committee of moderation Accomodation, or proviſion, for the poore, appointed in every County to licence ſuch onely in every neceſſary place to keepe Victualling houſes and to ſell good wholſome drink for paſſengers, as are the moſt ſober and beſt affected perſons to the Parliament,41 I ſuppoſe the price of barley, and conſequently all other g•aine and proviſion would deminiſh and abate, ſuch victuallers to be preſented and commended to the ſaid Committee by the Miniſter of every pariſh, where one or more Alehouſes are neceſſary if he be a man well affected to the publique, and ſuch and ſome of the beſt affected perſons in every Pariſh to be by the Committee appointed Superviſors of ſuch Victualling houſes, to looke diligently and narrowly into all exceſſive and exorbitant courſes, that ſhall be acted there, and to bring offendors before the ſaid Committee, to receave ſuch condigne puniſhment, as the wiſdome of Parliament ſhall ordaine drunkeneſſe and diſorders to be puniſh't five times more ſeverely then formerly, for the neceſſity of the Kingdome to provide bread for the poore, does neceſſarily require it.
But ſayes one, have not the Vintners given you a Fee to Plead againſt Alehouſes, that ſo Taverns may be more frequented? For good fellowes will be merry at any rate, and ſack will make them madder then ſtrong Ale or beere Nothing les, if it ſhould be ſo it is beſides my intentions, I wiſh that Sack might be ſold againe in Apothecaries ſhops as formerly, as being an occaſion of much ſin and wickedneſſe in this Kingdome, and if men of eſtates and ſober men finde it healthfull for them, let them keepe it; in their owne ſellars, for their private refreſhments, but to ſell it ſo publiquely as it is, is but to put a ſword into a mad mans hand, every man that can borrow but 5. s may go and be drunk with it, and then contemnes both divine and human authority; and ſcornes to be reproved by any man living, it is not ſo in other Countryes men dare as well be hanged as be drunke, the Vintners, Drawers, and exceſſive drinkers are all throwne into a Pond to coole themſelves, but pluckt out againe alive like drowned Rats and fined halfe their eſtates, and if they will not take warning, ſuch men ought not to live, It was but juſt to make a Law that every Vintner, that ſuffers a man to drink drunke in his houſe ſhould be fined 100. l. to the poore, and ſome corporall puniſhment, tis a fond objection that ſome men will be drunke with a little, 3. or 4. Gallants come in and drinke a Gallon or more of Spaniſh wine at a meeting, and yet Mr. Vintner minces the matter, and ſayes they drunke but little in his houſe, they had it before. A pint of Sack is a moderate refreſhment for 3. or 4. men, if they drinke a quart upon buſineſſe it may tollerably paſſe; but to carrouſe healthes and call for quart42 after quart, this ought to be ſeveerly puniſhed, if any mans braine be ſo weak, that a Glaſſe or two diſtempers him, this may be given in evidence without much difficulty and indoubtfull caſes, let the Vintners be acquitted conſult with the beſt Phyſitians, and they will tell you that a Pinte of Sack is more then ſufficient for any man to drink at one ſitting, but I do not yet conceive that the Taverns have any great influence upon the prices of Barley, I beleeve the Taverns have made many poore, but now the Alehouſes threaten to deſtroy them:Nemo Athleta ſine ſudore coronatur difficile e•t ſed tendit ad ar••a vi tus I know it is hard to reforme abuſes, and exorbitances in every trade and profeſſion, but no wraſtler or champion, is crowned without ſwearing, great Reformations are for the greateſt Courts, what miſcheifes are not occaſioned by drunkenneſſe, but what may not a Parliament do to prevent it?
A Parliament can do every thing for the publick good of the Kingdome, and certainly a greater good cannot be thought upon, then to prevent drunkennes, & to provide bread for poore people, without which we ſhall put the Lord upon a miracle for the preſervation of this Kingdome;Quid non corietas &c. ſed quid non Parliamentum. Therefore I ſ••ll in the loweſt degree of humility, Crave leave In forma pauperis to move our moſt Honourable Worthies for all the poore people in this Land, whoſe feares are very great, and their complaints and cryes already in many places moſt lamentable.
That Bread, Bread, Bread, for the Lord Jeſus Chriſts ſake bread, which we heare at New gate, Ludgate, and other Priſons, is but a fancy in compariſon, we are a Company of poore Priſoners, almoſt ſtarved and pined to death, if it be ſo indeed, the more ſhame to the Government of the Citty, and others who muſt anſwer for the bloud of every man that is famiſh't in Priſon for want of bread, be his offence what it will, for no Offendor may be poiſoned or famiſhed to death by the Law of Nations, it being abhorred by the Law of Nature; there needs no other ſin to bring the Plague into the Citty, which the Lord in his goodneſſe remove, and make the higher powers wiſe as Angells of light, before the wrath of the Lord break forth upon us, for ſuffering ſuch unmercifull domineering, over the bodies of poore creatures; poſſibly one old Vſurer has 20. ſlaves rotting and famiſhing to death, in ſeverall Dungeons: that he may make Dice of their Bones, as the Cuſtome is when the Priſoner is dead in Execution, the Creditor has Dice delivered him at the Office ſuppoſed in a fiction of Law to be made of the Creditors bones, and that is all that he gets by his cruelty, till he be delivered43 to thoſe Infernall Goalers to be tormented for ever, and if it were poſſible for ever after,Mat. 8.23.30.34. becauſe he had no pittie of his fellow ſervant: If there be ſo much barbarous cruelty uſed in all the world, as there is in this Kingdome concerning poore Priſoners, I dare looſe my life for it: the Turks and others beat their Galley ſlaves for their pleaſures, but they feed them that they may endure the blowes, but we caſt men into a Dungeon; and ſuffer them to rot and famiſh, now I hyſitians will agree with me that a death by Famine, is moſt cruell and painefull of all other deaths, and the Law ſaies that they muſt ſtarve before they come there, for the writ whereby they are impriſoned imports, foraſmuch as the Debtor has no eſtate, therefore take his body for ſatisfaction.
And here give me leave to put this Caſe, ſuppoſe (which God forbid) that Barley this yeare, ſhould be at 10. s. a buſhell, or ſo exceſſive deare, that the poore labouring man that hath nothing but what he gets by his day labour, can gaine but 2 s. a week, as many already work hard for no more; every man now ſtriving to get work out of one anothers hands, as rich men contend for a good bargaine, this man having a wife, and 5. or 6. ſmall children to maintaine, tells his Neighbours that he and his Family are ready to ſtarve, and famiſh, they have not their bellifull of bread once in a week, well ſaies the Miſer, Corne is a precious commodity this yeer, I cannot help you, when corne is cheap, every man will give an Almes to the poore, but now corne will make money, oh this yeallow Earth, how does the Miſer love that which has one Letter more in it then the name of God? his beloved Gold.
This poore man to keep his Family alive, finding an opportunity takes away ſome corne, from one of theſe miſers Rickes, or ſtackes of corne, for his Barnes will not hold halfe his Proviſions, and hee will not build greater Barnes as Gods foole, but the worldlings wiſe man did, who thereby ſet the poore on work, the Queſtion is whether this be Felony by the Law of God,Luk 12.20 for which this poore man ought to ſuffer death by any juſt poſitive Law of man.
Certainely Chriſtians ought to be more mercifull then the Jews, and therefore the judgement of the beſt Chriſtian polititians, ha's ever beene, that no offence ought to be death under the Goſpell, which was not death by Moſes Law, but many offences which were death by that Law ought not to be death, under the Goſpell, becauſe Chriſtians ought to be more mercifull then the Iewes; who being by nature, a cruell people: God gave them Lawes accordingly,44 as the Adulterer, Sabboth breaker, and the diſobedient child were to be ſtoned, certainly our Fore-fathers were either very covetous or cruell. to make it fellony to ſteale a Lambe, or a Pig, which by the Law of God was onely puniſht by reſtitution, but the Scripture puts a difference between a theef who ſteales for neceſſity, men doe not deſpiſe him that ſteales to ſatisfie his hunger (ſayes Solomon) and a preſumptious Theefe, who has no neede to ſteal that does it not for want but for wantonnes, ſuch a one was to dye, our law is exceeding ſeveere, and never Inquires after the motive and impulſive cauſe, if a man that is ready to ſtarve or famiſh, take away from his Neighbour a ſuit of Clothes, or a ſtrike of Corn this man muſt dye the death, as if he had killed a man, I know there is a culpable neceſſity, as my Lord Bacon calls it, if a man ſhall waſt his eſtate, and then pretend want, he deſerves the les pity, and there is alight neceſſity, a great neceſſity, and an extreame neceſſity, If a poore man farre from any Towne, that is almoſt famiſht, for want of foode, meets with a Baker, who will not be intreated to give him a loafe and he takes away by force ſo much bread from him, as in the Judgement of wiſe men is neceſſary to keepe him alive, In this caſe I conceive he hath not offended the Law of God; and therefore ought not to be puniſht by any Law of man; becauſe the Law of property muſt not derogate from the Law of nature, much leſſe abrogate it, I am not of opinion that all things were at any time in Common, by the Law of nature, for then the eighth Commandement would not have been morrall and the very dictates of nature and right reaſon as Sir Walter Rawley — moſt learnedly evinces them to be,2, Acts 44. but thoſe Authors which ſpeake of all things being in common are to be underſtood in the ſame ſenſe as the Apoſtles are ſaid to have all things in common viz: they lived ſo lovingly and contributed ſo freely to the neceſſities one of another, as if all things had been in common, howbeit, there was a law of property, yet every man diſpenſt with his owne right to preſerve his brother, the rich mans ſuperfluities gave place to anothers convenience, his conveniences to another mans neceſſities, his Neceſſities to another mans extremities, one mans les Extremities to his Neighbours greater Extremities, and ſo Mecanicall poore muſt releeve Mendicant poore, rather then they ſhould periſh, out the true reaſon of State is this, In the begining of all Kingdomes, States, and ſocieties, It was mutually a greed that ſo long as there was ſufficient to preſerve all men alive45 in that Kingdome, one man ſhould not feaſt, and another man faſt, and be ſtarved, If thy barnes be full of Corn, and thy neighbour almoſt ſtarved, and famiſhed, It is his bread which thou unjuſtly detaineſt from him in thy barnes,Math. 13. Math 21. and his cloathes that lye a molding and moth eating in thy Trunkes, we ſee the diſciples being hungry pluckt the eares of Corn, upon the Sabboth day, and the queſtion was not about the Corn, which was none of theirs, but beeing upon the Sabboth day, Chriſt ſaies I will have mercy and not ſacrifice and his ſending for the Aſſe, though that example argues him to be Lord of all yet that reaſon, For the Lord hath need of him, is Emphaticall, For neceſſity, paſſengers might enter into a Vineyard, and refreſh themſelves, ſo as they carried none away with them, I would Chriſtians were ſo mercifull, to part with their ſuperfluities, without queſtion, that which is exceſſively ſpent in apparrell and Dyet would comfortably releeve all the poor in the Kingdom.
Conſider you that be rich, God might have made you the tayle and the poore the head, when you have feaſted at the upper end of the Table tis but good manners to ſend downe the diſhes, that the Maſter of the Feaſt may be praiſed, Now for a good Gains and a Marie to power forth ointments and liberalities, which will not onely cauſe thankes to be given to Almighty God, but procure bleſſings upon the Donors and Benefactors for God is the poore mans ſurety, He that hath Pity on the poore, lendeth,Proverbs. the 19.17, unto the Lord, and that which he hath given, will he pay him again but let not him that is poore ſay how liberall he would be if he had an eſtate, we little know the temptation of that condition, we ſee by wofull experience, that riches are of a dropſie nature but ſay thus; there is a rich man, how rich might he be in good Works, what meanes has he to do good he might reach out his hands 20 wayes to the poore (he that has made 100. poore, why ſhould not he releeve 20. In humane probability, nothing but Gods bleſsing upon the ſublime wiſdome of State can prevent this growing evill, and epidemicall diſeaſe, and ſtarving and famiſhing the poore (which I had rather dye then then live to ſee, and I hope every mercifull man is of my oppinion) by taking ſpeedily, and inſtantly ſome ſuch effectuall opperative Courſe, as in their peircing Judgments and deepeſt apprehenſions in whom reſides the publique Judgement and reaſon of State, to bring downe the price of Barley, and conſequently of all other graine and commodities in the Kingdome, for if Gods good creatures be not abuſed, and waſtfully46 expended, there will be more plenty, and things muſt needs be cheaper, for the poore have not much money, to keep up the price of any thing, whereof, there is ſtore.
And becauſe I know, it is the generall deſire of all honeſt men that the poore ſhould be every where provided for, and I think there has been ſeverall meetings in the City to reſtraine the Beggers, by providing for ſuch as are impotent, and not able to work, and forceing ſuch as can take paines to get their owne bread, by the ſweat of their brows, as the Law of God requires; which I marvill why any man ſhould demurre, and ſtick upon it in a matter ſo eaſie, and ſo much concerning the Honor of the Citty which Gundamor ſaid, was like a continued: Hoſpital, where he was beſieged with Begers, which a Crown laid upon every houſe in Lond. & Middleſex, to be paid by the Landlord would do it abundantly, a courſe which was taken in Paris where the Streets were covered with Beggars, and in a weeks ſpace not a Begger to be ſeene, but becauſe it will require time to ſettle this Kingdome in a better poſture for poore people, for if the Lawes were diligently executed, the poore might rather be ſaid to languiſh then to live, we give a poore man a peece of bread upon his knees lying by a wall, but we do not ſet him upon his legs, that he may help himſelfe, as they do in other places, I ſhall in the interim, make ſome propoſals and preſent ſome expediences to every true Samaritan, that has the bowells of mercy, and compaſſion, and that is affectionatly ſencible of want and poverty, hoping that ſuch a man will cordially concurre with mee, in all juſt and reaſonable demands, for me thinks no legall thing ſhould be denyed to poore people in a hard time, and my Propoſitions are 12.
12. motions for the poore.1. I ſhall humbly pray, not only that all juſt penall lawes, where any part of the forfeitures are given to the poore, may be carefully and ſpeedily put in Execution, and the poore imburſed without charge or diminution which is but juſt, and if it might pleaſe the higher powers that the poore might have the whole forfeitures upon all juſt penall Lawes, ſome little to be allowed to the Informer, for his incouragement, or rather that ſome Sollicitors for the poore might be appointed in every County, to inquire after forfeitures and duties as ſhould belong unto them.
But in particular that the poore might but have the benefit of ſome few Statutes, one whereof lies Dormant, and I marvill, noe man look•s after it, ti's the Statute of 39. Eliz. by which all intereſt47 money is forfeited, though the Uſurers take but 5.l. or 12.d. in the hundred, ti's a moſt excellent Law, and in effect the Law of God never to be repealed, the ordinary way to recover this uſe money, is by information in ſome Court, but that is too tedious, and circular, ti's for a poore man to go 5. miles for a peece of bread, if there were a Committee for the poore to examine all ſuch forfeitures, that the rich Vſurers might quickly untruſſe, and fetch out their Baggs, and make reſtitution, or repayment to any that are in need, or to the poore that have moſt need of it, this very Law being executed, according to the true and plaine meaning of the Law makers, would make proviſion for poore people; and what reaſon can any man aſſigne why this Propoſition, ſhould not take effect the Law in it ſelfe is moſt juſt grounded upon the Law of God, and common honeſty,39. E. l. 18. the law of England does not allow Vſury in point of conſcience, the Stat. of 13. Eliz. and other Statutes do not allow the taking of 10. and 8. but reſtraine the lender from taking more, but this Statute 39. Eliz. enacts that whatſoever the lender takes above the Principall, it ſhall be taken from him, and ſo the Law connives and winks at the Uſurer with one Eye, ſuffering it ſo to be, for the hardneſſe of mens hearts, but yet tells him the danger of it, that if any man will informe againſt him it muſt all be forfeited, like him that with a Gun winks at the Bird with one Eye, and ſhoots it to death with another: the Law of England calls Vſury a deteſtable thing, aginſt the Lawes of God, and Charity, and if any man ſayes that the old Vſurers, will lend no more upon theſe Tearmes, I anſwer, let Juſtice be done, and feare nothing, let them hang themſelves in Chaines of Gold: I hope the Magiſtrate knowes how to order them, I doe not ſpeak againſt Vſury in point of Exchanges, nor in the Caſe of Orphans, Widdowes, or a Generation of middle people that have but a litle money to live upon, and cannot finde a faithfull freind to imploy it in ſome honeſt trade, and if he ſhould ſpend upon the principall, muſt quickly beg, not knowing themſelves how to make uſe of it; but I ſpeak againſt ſuch as make a trade of uſury, all their dayes, that have gained thouſands by it, that have ſufficient to live upon without Vſury, that will have money o•the Debtors Boues, whether he gaine or looſe, whereas a man may better take 15. l. from him that gaines 30.l. in the 100.l. then 5. l. from him that looſes 15. l. that will rather let a poore man ſtarve then abate his Intereſt that accurſed thing, what vaſt eſtates have many men got by Vſury;48 like him that ſold a horſe for a penny a naile to double 34. nailes, or the Butlers Box that gaines all incenſibly which the Gamſters never think of, this Vſury like a Canker eats out many mens eſtates, 100. l. at 10. in the hundred in 70. years amounts to 100000 pounds. I am ſure many poore Creatures have ſuffered extreamly upon pae•all Lawes, the Law is ſo ſaies one, who can help it, if in many caſes they have been greived, why in this particular, ſhould they not be releived.
1. Iac. 9. 4. Iac 5. 7. Iac. 10. •1. Iac. 7.The next is the ſtatutes againſt Drunkenneſſe, and tipling, he that is convicted of Drunkenneſſe before one Juſtice of peace, upon the oath of one witneſſe forfeits 5. s. to the uſe of the poor, and if the Officer be negligent he looſes 10. s. to the ſame uſe.
Brewers that ſell any Ale or Beere, to unlicenced Victualling houſes, more then for neceſſary ho•ſhold proviſions, forfeits after the rate of 6 s. 8. d. for every Barrell, Alehouſe keeper or Inn-keeper; ſuffering any tipling contrary to any Statutes, forfeits 10. s and every ſuch tipler 3. s. 4. d. ſelling of les then a quart of the beſt Beere or Ale for 1. d. and 2. quarts of ſmall, the penalty is 10. s. and whoſoever tiples in any Inne or Alehouſe where his habitation is, forfeits 3. s. 4. d. and the Inne-keeper, Victualler or Alehouſe keeper, that ſuffers any to continue ſo tipling forfeits 10. s. If theſe ſtatutes were executed upon Offendors, it were both juſt and ſeaſonable.
The third is the ſtatute againſt ſwearing; He that ſweareth or curſeth, is for every ſuch offence to forfeit 12. d. How many men are there and ſome of great eſtates, that owe more to the poore then they are worth, and I doubt, make little conſcience either of the Lawes of God, or man, for a good Law binds in conſcience, being the Law of God, put in execution by man, and they are as really and conſcionably indebted to the Poore 12. d. for every time that they ſweare or curſe, as if they had given Bond for it, for a debt by ſtatute Is the higheſt Bond of record that can bee; the mad Roiſter that was convicted of 3. oathes, threw down a twentie ſhillings peece, and ſaid he would ſweare it out before he was much elder; I wiſh heartily that all ſwearers and Curfers would break of ſuch prodigious ſins by repentance, and their paſt Iniquities, not by ſhewing mercy but doing Juſtice to the poore, paying them but what they owe them, for how many profane people, curſe, and ſweare continually, and being lovingly admoniſht of it, Friend what hurt hath God ever done you that you ſhould thus49 diſhonour him, either ſweare that they did not ſweare, for they void their excrements without taking notice of it, or elſe they rage at him who askes them when they came from Hell, for one man knowes another by his language, and ſay their lips are their owne, who is Lord over them, however I would have them pay their Debts to the poore and ſo ſatisfie the Law of man, though not the Lawes of God, for they are but the poore mans Pursbearers, and this is the firſt expedient to bring money into the poore mans Box. Onely I could heartily with that Commiſſions were freely granted and ſpeedily executed upon the ſtatutes of Charitable uſes, for I am confident there is a maſſe of many thouſand pounds due to the poore by gifts and Legacyes moſt unconſcionably detayned from them.
2ly. My ſecond propoſition for the benifit of poore people is that ſome way may be deviſed to ſend poore people ſmall ſummes of money upon ſecurity, without paying any intereſt, untill this Kingdome ſhall be ſo ſtrong in Faith, as to truſt God with it's ſafety, and preſervation in his owne way without the help of uſury, ſending that packing after the Biſhops, who ſuffered it to take ſuch deepe rooting in this Kingdome ſince the time of Reformation, for in times of Popery it was an odious thing, and a Vſurer as much deteſted, as one that had the French Pocks, or a Leproſie, hee was excommunicated as a Haeretique, and by the Civill Law a notorious Vſurer can make no will, in the interim I wiſh that a poore man that would borrow 5. s. upon any houſhold ſtuffe or pledge, might have it freely without ſuch horrible extortion, as the poore in this Kingdome, ſpecially about London undergoe, for put caſe a poore labouring man hath got 20. or 30. l. in houſhold ſtuffe, and ſome ſmall Commodities in his trade, if this man fall ſick what a ſad condition is he in, he knowes not where to borrow 20. s. without a pledge, and to the Broker hee muſt goe, the Broker will have 12 d. a moneth for the 20. s. and 6. d. for the Bill which comes to 18. s. a yeare for 20. s. which is 9. l. a yeare for 100. l. a poore Creature for 12 d. muſt pay 2. d. a week which is 800. l. a yeare for 100. l. to prevent ſuch like cruelties, they have in many places banks of piety, that the poore may bring a pledge or good ſecurity, and have 5. or 10. l. to begin a trade,Montes Pietatis. and by that meanes comes to get a ſtock; for whats the reaſon that ſo many young tradſmen in this City and other plac•s miſcarry, and are undone before they underſtand themſelves; they take up money at 8 per Cent. and if they come to a bad market, they muſt ſel though if be to loſſe, or the Intereſt will eat them out, there is a great error in this Kingdome, that all charity is in giving, and not in lending, he that lends a poore man〈…〉to follow his trade, does a more charitable deed in the fight of God and good men, then he that gives him 20. Almes to keep him in a conſumption of beggery, neither dead nor a live, as•ias ſaid of them that were at Sea; There are three ſorts of poore; the Mendicant Beggar; the poore that are maintained by Collections, and receive Almes from the Pariſh, which ſort of poore are intended in all our Statutes, that provide for the poore, for the Law intend no Beggars, and there is a needy labouring mecannicall man, that is oppreſſed with a great charge, and many times does not make his wants knowne; wraſtles with poverty, but it comes like an armed man upon him, he cannot reſiſt it; the tru•ſt charity is to releeve ſuch a man, to lend this man money to buy him a Cow, a Sheep, and a Hog, or ſome ſuch neceſſaryes,50 I know if the Kingdome were in a goſpell frame every man would quickly be provided for, in conſcience and right reaſon; every man ought to have a Cow and 2. or 3. ſheep to give milk for his poore Children and to cloath them. And what a great matter was it, if every poore man had a peece of Beefe every Sabbath day, to rejoyce with his family that poore Creatures taſting how gracious the Lord is to them in temporall bleſſings, might be thereby incouraged to looke after the Lord Ieſus for eternall ſalvation, and how cordiall would their obedience be to th•higher powers, who might eaſily effect greater matters for honeſt poore people; How ridiculous is it; that one man ſhould have 3. or 4000. ſheep, and ſit Rent-free, and his next Neighbour go all tattered, and not a Coat to put on; Is England famous for the Golden Fleece, and muſt Engliſh men goe up and downe naked like beaſts, no cloathing but their bare skins? has one man ſo many Ricks and Stacks and Barnes full of Corne this deere time? and muſt his Neighbours be pyned for hunger? and all this forſooth for feare of a paritie: Hell is in ſome Miſers certainely; (Pardon the expreſſion) when I ſpeak any thing about releeving the poore, what ſayes one; I ſee your ayme is to have all men a like, becauſe I intreat that man that has 1000 ſheep, and ſits Rent-free, to give his poore, honeſt, painefull, thankfull, and ſerviceable Neighbours as much Wooll as will apparell his Family once a yeare, or to let him have it at an eaſie rate, and work it out for him by degrees; and becauſe I earneſtly deſire all thoſe men that have ſtore of corne this yeare, to let their poore Neighbours have it at a reaſonable rate, at 2. s. or rather then faile 2. s. 6. d. a Buſhell, is this to deſire a parity, how does pride and Covetouſneſſe, fill Bedlam? but till the poore mans cauſe can be better heard, I wiſh no poore man might be deſtroyed by Vſury, me thinks every honeſt man ſhould lend freely that is ſure to be repayed, without troubling the ſupreame Juſtice, to make any ſuch proviſion.
3. I propound on the Poores behalfe, that all the earneſt money in the Kingdome, upon contracts, may be given to the poore, as it was originally, for earneſt money is Gods money, the earneſt is that which ſecures the bargain, and the uſage was, that, when the buyer put earneſt into the Sellers hand, the Sellar prayes to God to bleſſe the bargaine to him,Ar•ha dicitur Denarius Dei. which we call ſtrike him good luck, and the earneſt money was to be given to the poore, that God may bleſſe the bargain to both parties, the money to the ſellar, and the Commodity to the buyer, and in ſome places the Papiſts make conſcience of giving the earneſt money to the poore to this day, unleſſe the bargaine be under 20. s. and then the Law was otherwiſe, becauſe it was preſumed to be a bargain, made between poore people; now what if ſuch a Law or Cuſtome was revived, ſuch ſmall matters would refreſh the poore and not prejudice the rich for few men, ſpecially Tradeſmen will ſell to loſſe; If a man for every Commodity that he ſold ſhould give 4. d. 6. d. or 12 d. to the Poore according to the value of the thing, I am confident he would dye never the poorer.
There are many poore Market Townes very populous where there are ſold at ſome Faires or Markets, it may be 100. Horſe, 200. Beaſts, and 500. ſheep, with many other bargaines of great value.
Now if every man that has ſold his Commodity, would give 2. d. 4. 6. or 12. d. to the poore, how merily would he rejoyce over his browne Loafe, and51 ſome hot Broth made of Oat-meal•and water, and ſleep more ſecurely then hi•rich Neighbour.
4. My two next Propoſitions are by way of intreaty, firſt to all thoſe perſ•ns of Honor, quality and eſtates that in ſtead of covering twice a day, make b•t one ſet meal, & ſome ſho•t refreſhment at night, that what they ſhal really ſave by ſuch a provident frugility, they would nobly, and freely, give it to the poore till things be Cheaper, poſſibly by this meanes there are not ſo many•roken Baskets left for the poore, for Servants muſt needs have ſtronger appetites, and make fewer Cruſts where they eat but once a day; but I had rather fetch a motive from their noble breaſts, and charitable diſpoſitions, It may be there was a vertue mads of neceſſity in military times, and taxes, but now that there is a mitigation, and no ſuch neceſſity of parcimoney for them that have this worlds ſubſtance, I would nor have them grow richer in a time of ſcarcity, which yet they may do notwithſtanding this happy converſion of turning ſuperfluous eating and drinking, (for their familyes are as healthfull and luſty as when they had large ſuppers) into a comfortable refreſhment for poore people, the French man ſayes, hee that is provident at his Table makes money with his teeth, I am ſure this courſe would acquire much honour and eſteeme. He that is the moſt charitable man this yeare, ſhall be the moſt Honourable man in my eſteeme, let his opinion be what it will, for Charity belongs to men as they are men, not as Chriſtians; Hee that ſhall give a Cup of cold water to a Deſciple in the name of a Diſciple, argues himſelfe to be a good Chriſtian; And he that will find out the poore this deare yeare in backe Lanes, and deale bountifully with them ſhall not looſe his reward, for Gods bleſſing ſhall attend him
5. Next, I would intreat for the preſervation of Barley, that there may be no drinking of Healths, and as little drinking to one another as poſſibly can be, for I obſerve, that to drink to a man caryes a kind of neceſſity with it to pledge him, at leaſt it was an Invitation to make him drink when he is not a dry, and conſequently there is much more Beer waſted in the Kingdome then need to be, It is but a groundles Ceremony of drinking to one another, for which there can be no reaſon given, more then ancient cuſtome, for why may not we aſwell eat one to another, and ſay here is a bit to ſuch a one, as well as drink to one another, or to the remembrance of any freind.
If the faſhion were taken up in the time of the Daines, or in Civill Warres, that men were afraid to be kild as they were drinking, therefore deſired one to be their pledge, and ſurety to protect them from any hurt as they were drinking, and he to do the like for him when he drank; which is ſomething Improbable that ſuch deſperate Enemies ſhould dine together, yet grant it were ſo, what reaſon is there, for the continuance of it, a Law is of force•n an Inſtant, and the life of a cuſtome is time Immemoriall, and continuance without Interruption, but neither of them ought to continue longer then the reaſon lives, for reaſon is the life of all mortall and civill Actions, without exception; I know Health drinking is now out of Faſhion, and of evill report amongſt godly ſober men, but this drinking to one another yet continues which however it be not abuſed, by ſober perſons, yet their lives being exemplary, the contrary is to be wiſhed, for Pot Companions could object that52 the Puritans would drink no healths, yet they would drink one to another; All things are lawfull, but all things are not expedient; I will not diſpute the lawfullneſſe of it, but the convenience in point of abuſe, the beſt things are not to be diſuſed for the abuſe of them, when they are neceſſary; but when Indifferent things are generally abuſed, then in good policy they ought to be removed; I ſhall Inſtance in that which is divine and morrall; the Primitive Chriſtians were Commanded to ſalute one another with a holy kiſſe, a chaſt ſalutation of love, and Charity, which was accordingly practiſed at their ſolemne Feaſt meetings, but afterwards Gods people perceiving a Generall abuſe of it, that it gave offence and matter of ſcandall, to the Heathens, and unbeleevers, that came into the Aſſemblies, who thought to juſtifie their uncleaneneſſe by the Chriſtians ſaluting each other, for ſay they, If thoſe that profeſſe Chriſt and ſo much ſtrictneſſe may ſalute one another, why not we? and the beſt men perceaving that they have not their owne hearts under Lock and Key, and that the firſt motions of the ſoule are not ſo in their owne power, but that there may be a titillation of the Concupiſcible appetite the higheſt poinr of Chriſtian prudence being to avoid the firſt occaſions of ſin, and all apperance of evill, they diſcontinued that injunction in the letter of it, A Chriſtians ſincerity being principally diſcovered in avoyding all temptations to vanity, for that the moſt holy man caryes about him the ſpawn and root of all Enormityes, which will have a being in him, ſo long as he hath a being in this world; Not to condemne him (a beleever muſt not feare that) but to humble him, and ſhow him the more want of a Saviour; Job rhat durſt talke with the Devill, durſt not look upon a Maid; and herein the Churches of Chriſt do not diſobey the mind of God, In forbearing the holy kiſſe, though in expreſſe words commanded; becauſe the thing Injoyned is love, and entirenes of affection, which if it be expreſſed and demonſtrated any other way, the Command is ſatisfied, for the manner of expreſſion of love to one another may alter,Conſuetudo pro more Loci eſt obſervanda. but love is the•nſtinct of the new creature which muſt alwayes continue; and ſo it was a practiſe temporary, or Cuſtomary; as the Corinthians ſhort haire, and propheſying with the head uncovered, which the French Miniſters preach with their Hats on, as conceaving the Miniſter to be as good a man, as any in the Congregation, and conſequently to have as much right to be covered as any of them.
Michael de Montaigne.One of the gallanteſt men that ever France bred, who reſolved never to marry if he might have wiſdome herſelfe, but uſed the French Cuſtome of ſaluting Woemen, as we doe, till at laſt he was much troubled about it, and ſaid his affection was for it, but his judgement ſtrongly againſt it, as being a temptation to incontinence, for ſayes hee, if the party be hanſome, there is a naturall Cupidity that it might continue, if otherwiſe, ti's don with a reluctancy, and many grave Matrons complained that they were conſtarined to kiſſe ſlubbery fellowes, leaſt they ſhould be counted uncivill and violaters of an ancient cuſtome, his Gentleman who was an Inſtrument of much good to his Country, and counted it the moſt Honourable vocation to ſerve the publique, was ſo far poſſeſſed with the Inequity of that Ceremony as it was by the moſt abuſed, that he prevailed with many juditious ſober men and woemen to break it off, as being an off••ce to good men, and an Incentive to Laſcivious53 ſpirits; and made it his whole Study to Invent Arguments againſt it: The French Gentry argued ſtifly for the continuance of it, till hee convinced them of the danger of it from the ſweet ſavor that cauſes a naturall delectation, or a malevolent odoure that makes a diſguſtfull reliſh, that lovers of vertue ſhould not run ſo great a hazard in turning their lips to one another, it carrying with it a naturall tendencie and uninforced proclivi•y to wanton coggitations, and hee that loves danger ſhall periſh in it, that the Mounſieurs, had nothing to ſay for it but this, that they would uſe it in France, becauſe the Spaniard never uſed it in Spaine, for a French man is that which a Spaniard is not, and by his wiſdome there was an Edict about Burdeaux where he was borne, that men and woemen ſhould not ſalute by turning the lip to one another, as formerly to prevent the firſt occaſions of loſt, which is the true ground why the Italians, and Spaniards deteſt it, for my owne part, I love all demonſtrations of Amity and affection that are not offenſive, to grave godly men, and woemen, and againſt which no ſolid reaſon can be proved; but I wiſh heartily that this preſenting of our loves and ſervices to one another by the Cup, unleſſe it be for the better handing of the Cup or Glaſſe, from one to another when there is but one Glaſſe, and every one ready to drink, was diſcontinued, as being an unneceſſary Complement, that may very well be ſpared; and though ſober and temporate people do not abuſe it, yet the continuance of the Cuſtome mak s many to drink exceſſively both in Ale-houſes, and in Noblemens, and Gentlemens Sellars, where there is much waſt of that, which might be better given to the poore, much Liquor abuſed and ſpilt in unneceſſary ceremonyes, which if godly ſober people would diſcontinue, it would come at laſt to be a thing deteſted, and I am confident that this yeare very much might be ſaved by it, and therefore I hope thoſe that deſire to be accounted temperate, will not any longer uſe it, unleſſe they drink to ſuch, as they are ſure will not drink any more, for being drunke unto, then what is convenient, for certainely, If a divine ſanction when it comes to be abuſed may be omitted, much more all human Ceremonyes in Civill Actions, which have no foundation in ſolid reaſon, ought to be abandoned, and ſpecially when it is demonſtrable that utility and advantage may thereby accrew to the publike, as in this caſe.
6. My next deſigne to releeve the poore is an Impeachment drawne up againſt Gameſters, in love to their poore ſoules, that they would reſtore what monyes they have won at play to the looſer, if hee have any need of it, or elſe to the poore, for the winner has no conſcionable Evangelicall right, to the money which he wins, however the Law may be defective, in not enjoyning him to make reſtitution, for I challenge all the wits in the world, to bring a reaſon why the Law ſhould ſuffer any man to undoe himſelfe by play, as many Familyes have been utterly ruined thereby, Is there any ſence why a man ſhould looſe that which ſhould buy his Family bread, becauſe his Chance at Dice is, 1. 2. 3. 0. and 4. and the other throwes 4. ſixes; As for the others adventure, that he might aſwell have loſt, thats nothing to the reality of a conſideration, becauſe I might have 100. l. from you for nothing, therefore you ſhall have 100. l. from me for•uthing; this is no reall merit, but a54 Vtopian Imaginary conſideration; as if a man ſhould have money be•auſe he dreames of it; ti's but a ſhadow, and a formality, nothing in eſſence and ſubſtance therefore it were very fit that there were a Law made to inforce the redelivery of all ſuch monyes as have been loſt at play within 10. yeers•aſt paſt; where the loſſe has been great, and where the wager has been but ſmall, and the ſport rather for victory then Covetouſneſſe; I wi•h the poore might have it, for let me tell that man who ever hee be, that has got another mans money by play which hee could nor well ſpare, he is in Gods accompt but that mans Pursbearer, and owes him ſo much mon•y, for howbeit the Commo•es of it takes away the ſcandall, as in matters of forfeiture, which is but a k nd of double dealing yet the ſin is not taken away untill the money be reſtored; And if it be ſaid that a man may freely give away his Eſtate, I agree it, if his Wife and Children do not ſuffer by it; but the winner ſcornes to take it a•a gift, nor is it ſo Intended by the looſer, I have heard much of a faire ho•ſe and Land loſt at a throw at Dice, and the looſer ſtab'd himſelfe, and ſome of his blood falling upon the Chimney peece, will not be wiped off, for my part I think the Houſe ought in Law and conſcience to be no leſſe the looſers heyre then it was before for a poſſeſſor by an evill faith cannot preſcribe in Conſcience, where continuall claime is made, there was one pretty caſe in France, a feme ſole Merchant promiſed her Apprentice to make him free if he would lye with her, who did ſo, and was made free, but the Court unde•ſtanding what the conſideration was, adjudged his freedome void, and him to ſerve another Apprenteſhip, upon the reaſon of our Law, that no man ſhall take benefit of his owne wrong, and if I give Bond to I. S. in conſideration, that he ſhall beat I. D. this Bond ought not to ſtand, and ſo when there is no conſideration, A Chancellor is not only to reforme and rectifie maters of fraud and apparant deceit, but all over reaching and circumvention being a ſinfull practiſe, ought alſo to be redreſſed, but certainly the beſt way to quiet the Conſciences of Gameſters, that know not of whom they hev•won money, is to be liberall to the poore, for Goods ill gotten are like Children ill begotten, a diſparagement to their Parents, and if it be not given to the poore; It may be a means to conſume the reſt of the Eſtate ſenſibly, And now all yee by what means or titles ſoever you be diſtinguiſhed th••cannot paſſe your time, without ſportive Recreations, [which indeed are r•ther loſt times then paſt times, and you would think ſo if your hearts were fully bent towards Heaven, and your ſoules inflamed with the love of Jeſus Chriſt.]
I am no enemy to thoſe condements and ſaucies of life which are lawfull o•expedient, that have a divine ſtamp upon them to fit you for Gods ſervice, as Lead will go current if it have the Kings ſtampe upon it, upon this condition, that what you win, you will faithfully and juſtly give it to the poore, and abate nothing of your other intended Charity; If this be your reſolution, and your recreations be helps and furtherances to your Callings, and lawfull as Bowles, Cheſts, Shooting, and ſuch gentile exerciſes, where the mind may have a ſpeciall working, and that more time be not allowed in playing, then in praying, I have nothing to ſay againſt it, and why ſhould not this requeſt be granted, for you ſay that little which you play for is not a mark of Covetouſneſſe,55 but of victory, for the priſe of your skill and Judgements, therefore if there be no Covetouſneſſe in that which you pretend to be only matter of recreation, I hope you will put your winnings in your eye, and the money into the poore mans hand who will bleſſe God for you;
7. I ſhall earneſtly deſire all thoſe p•rſons that have found, or hereafter ſhall caſually find any loſt goods to b•ſtow them upon the poore, for they have no property by finding, but untill the owner be knowne, which if he never be, then certainly it is the owners deſire that the poore ſhould bothe better for what he loſt, and therefore I could wiſh that all eſtrayes, and Fellons Goods which no body can challenge might come into the poore mans Box, the reaſon why ſuch priviledges have belonged to the Lords of the ſoiſe, where the goods are found, was to make ſatisfaction for the keeping of the Cattle or hurt which ſuch goods did to the ground, which is but little in Compariſon, to the value of the thing loſt; we have a rule in Law, that, that which no body can challenge, is the Kings, as preſuming the Kings Majeſty to be moſt charitable, and that he will give it away to the poor, by his Majeſties Almoner, and ſo if there be any Mynes diſcovered in the Kingdome; wee have many learned Arguments in our books to whom ſuch extraordinary profits do of right belong; for my owne part I differ from all my Maſters, and conceave that by the Lawes of God, and nature, ſuch emergent profits and caſualtyes do of right belong to the poore, for nature provides for all, and would have every man to live, and when any Mine is diſcovered and found out in the bowells of the earth in ſome barren place (as moſt commonly they are where the ſuperficies and outſide of the earth affordeth little or no profit for poore people,) that the benefit thereof ſhould wholly redound to a rich man to caſt water into the Sea, how impolitique is this in an ancient Kingdome: Is this to ſend our portions to the needy, and to make proviſion for them for whom nothing is prepared, that one man ſhould have 1000. buſhels, and another nothing, and if God ſend one Buſhell extraordinary this muſt be given to him that has the 1000. buſhells and hee that has nothing may ſtarve and famiſh. Is not the Law of England grounded upon the Law of God, and nature? If 20. men ſhould be at dinner together, and all the meat ſhould be laid upon one mans Trencher, how Ridiculous would it be? but what the wiſedome of our Forefathers did not reach our experience muſt amend, In the interim what is negligently•or caſually loſt and cannot be reſtored to the owner, let it be given to the poore.
8. But as the charitable man ſaid in making his will, that had bequeathed bread to every poore man in the Pariſh, ſtay ſayes hee to the writer, put in ſomething for Drink and for Cloaths, truly I feare the poore muſt drink but little B•ere this yeare, God grant they may have bread inough, I confeſſe it is of l•s concernment, for Thirſt is an appetite that will die of it ſelfe; I conceave moſt men drink more then they need, in moyſt weather, and I am of opinion that, that hatred which Chriſt requires, that his Members ſhould beare to their proper life, conſiſts in this, that they take no more of the Creatures then what is ſufficient for their Corporall neceſſities, Not to live to eat, but eat to live for health and ſtrength? and if men would accuſtome themſelves to drink leſſe, they migh•be more charitable, and not leſſe healthfull;56 one in Spaine by diſuſing himſelfe from drinking could travaile in th•heat of Summer ſome hundred miles between Lisbone and Madrid and never drink; but give me leave to propound one thing to cover the poore mens backs which is thus.
If that which is yeerely beſtowed in mourning in this Kingdome, might be laid out in ſtrong courſe Cloth and Shooes for the poore; I dare ſay i•would be much more pleaſing to God, and farre more Chriſtian like; for there is no ſolid reaſon can be given for it, for thus I argue, either the mour•ers are very ſorrowfull for the death of the party, and ſo mourne naturally, or elſe they are only ſorrowfull in ſhew, and ſo mourne artificially.
If the heart be oppreſſed with griefe, mourning Apparell does but help to aggravate, and continue it, and ſo makes it Immoderate, which ought not to be, moderate lamentation for the Dead, becomes a Chriſtian, but we may not ſorrow as thoſe that have no hope,1 Theſ. 4.13. Navigare non naufragare Lach•mis. in Theſſalonica, and many places which are now under the Turk, they wore black to teſtifie their mourning for the Dead, which the Spirit of God reproved in the Church of the Th•ſſalonians, and the Heathens generally uſe it to this day, but a Chriſtian that grieves inwardly for the loſſe of a friend, ſhould not in reaſon weare that which is an occaſion to keep the loſſe freſh in his memory, who can put on a mourning Weed for a whole yeare, as it is uſed, but it muſt daily renew his grief, and ſorrow; but if they that weare black for mourning do not mourne inwardly and in truth, but only in outward appearance, to make the world beleeve ſo; Then certainly it muſt needs be groſſe diſſimulation, and Hypocryſie, to make men beleeve that to be, which is not, and diſſimulation to diſſemble, that rejoycing, and Joviality; which really is is the heart and ſpirit; for certainly the chief Mourners as we call them, are not alwayes the moſt ſorrowfull for the death of a party; we uſe to ſay that hee mourn•like an heyre which come•to his Inheritance, and if it be to ſave charges, it is Hypocryticall and Ignoble.
The Jews indeed made very ſolemne Mournings, and Lamentations for their friends, but they were a people too frugall to beſtow any unnceſſary Pomp, they had not ſuch cleere apprehentions of the reſurrection, only ſcripture deductions, and conſequences, I am the God of Abraham ſaith the Lord, therefore Abraham muſt be Immortall as God Is, was all they had for it, for one Relative being granted, the other followes, And they were very curious and exact in their Oyntments, Embalments, and Interments, as the Aegyptians are to this day, but the longeſt mourning was but 70. dayes, and 7. dayes for others, and their mournings were not ſo coſtly, as we make ours; but if any man ſhall argue for the lawfulneſſe and conveniency of mourning Apparrell from the Jews, we may aſwell revive other Ceremonye•, and profits our ſelve•to be rather Jews then Chriſtians; I wiſh we were really ſuch as they are, inproviding for the poore, they ſuffer not a Begga•amongſt them; by their Law, every male is to marry at 23. and Females at 18. if they be poore, the rich provide Mariages, which are moſt eq•all, and give them an eſtate to begin the world withall, and if that faile by Shipwrack: Ill Debtors, or ſuch human caſualties, they impute it not to them, but renew their ſtock, and ſet them upon their Legs againe, whereas we in ſuch a caſe count a man••famous fo•that which is no fault of his, for if other•br•••with him, how57 can he hold with his Creditors, and when Corne has been at 12. and 16. s. a buſhell in an extraordinary deere yeare, at Venice, Rome, or Amſſerdam, where Iews are permitted to live quietly, with the freedome of their Conſciences, in the excerciſe of their Religion, the pooreſt Iew ha's not wanted his bellyfull, and though they are but few of them in compariſon, thats not the matter, for where there is ſufficient by the Law of God, the pooreſt Member in a Kingdome ought to be provided for; I confeſſe this mourning Apparell is uſed in France and other Civill Countryes, with this difference, that the Chancellor of France and the chief preſidents in Iuditiall places, muſt never mourne, no not upon the death or demiſe of the King, for Iuſtice is a divine thing, which muſt not reſent any humane Infirmity, he that ſirs in the ſeat of Iuſtice ought not to have his mind troubled with the death of his Father, or deareſt conſort, And that money which is daily expended unneceſſarily, and improperly in Wine and ſweet-meats at Funeralls, would make the poore leap for joy, and think themſelves in Heaven, I ſay unneceſſarily, becauſe it ſerves neither for Dinner nor Supper; and very improperly for the Friends that come to accompany the Corps to the Grave have more reaſon, to bring Wine and Cordialls with them to comfort the Widdow, and Children, who have the greateſt loſſe, and ſtand in moſt need of refreſhing, I am not againſt wearing a Ribben, or ſome ſuch ſignificant Ceremonyes, to give notice to others, that ſuch a friend is dead; As in Paris, when any Cittizen, or man of quality is dead, there are 24. Cryers that go about with a Bell, to give notice to all the City that ſuch a man, or woeman is dead, and as the poore are either joyfull or ſorrowfull at the Newes, ſo you may conclude, that the man was either mercifull or miſerable, for thoſe are the beſt Elections into places of authority, when the poor•generally rejoyce at ſuch a mans preferment.
9. And now I ſhall make an humble requeſt to all ſorts of perſons that deſire the proſperity of this Natinn (About which I have ſpent many ſerious thoughts, and if God ſpare health, I intend with all poſſible ſpeed to caſt in a Students Mite, and to publiſh my Conceptions by the name of Englands happineſſe, therein declaring, what I conceive may by Gods bleſſing make this Kingdome the moſt happy Kingdome in the world, that every mans moderation might be knowne this deere yeare to help to bring down the deareneſſe of Corn, & all other Commodities, that the greateſt gallants would be ſencible of the poore mens Condition this hard time, and a little ſtrike the topſaile, & top-gallant of al improvident waſting, that they may the more freely diſtribute to the poore mans neceſſities, and that all rich men would now more then ever ſtudy the Art of winning hearts, which of all Trades and profeſſions is the moſt Noble, that Land-Lords would ſtrive to excell one another in winning and refreſhing the hearts of their poore Tennants, by the cherefull and continuall drops of true liberality, but my 9th. deſigne is principally a requeſt to Maſters of Mills and Millars, which I conceive to bee a matter of great concernment, for poore people; I have heard many ſad complaints from poore people, of Millers for taking exceſſive tole from them, t'is a lamentable caſe when a poore man hath work't himſelfe almoſt off his legs to get a peck or halfe a ſtrike of Corne to make 2. or 3. Loaves for his poore Children, that cry for bread (the ſaddeſt cry that can be in any Kingdome,58 that a treacherous Miller ſha••iminiſh this poore mans griſt, & take out of it what pleaſes him, for he is upon the matter, a Iudge in his owne Caſe, as for feitures make the Vſurer his owne Judge, that he may take what he liſt when the poore Lamb fall's into his clawes, ſo may the Miller take without controle a diſhfull, 2. 3. or 4. as it pleaſes him, who can tell how much he takes, we call it Toll, from taking away; by the Law of the Land, I conceive that the Miller is to take more or leſſ•,Toll a Tollendo. according as the party owes ſuit to the Mill, from a Tennant at will, the Lord in the beginning of Tennus took what he pleaſed, if the Corne grew upon his Jnheritance afterwards a 16th. part from a free Tennant a 20th. and from ſtrangers a 24th. part; and by the Law if the Tennant buy his Corne hee may have liberty to grind where he pleaſes, which is the caſe of moſt poore men, and yet they are tyed up to grind at the Kings Mills, and Lords Mills, and there is a kind of Monopoly of Mills in this K•ngdome, which is a moſt greivous oppreſſion to the poore people; if all were free to erect Mills, a poore man might have his Corne ground for a ſong in Compariſon, but poore men are inforced to grind at the Kings Mills as they call them, and the Lords Mills from an ancient Cuſtome [J profeſſe I marvaile how the tenure in villinage came to be taken away in this Kingdom, and if a third part be taken away, the poore man dare not complaine, for the remedy will be worſe then the diſeaſe.
Dealing herein with poore men, as ſome that keep Victualling houſes in hot Countryes, where they make but few Fiers, 20. Neighbours will come to an Hoſt, and bring a peece of fleſh of 2. or 3. pound to have them all boyled in a great Caldron, one diſhoneſt raſcall, if the poore woemens backs were but turned, uſed to mince, and paire the ſeverall peeces, and pretended that it ſhrunk and grew leſſe in the boyling, till at length it was diſcovered by the little peeces which he cut of, and ſold them in ſtewed meat, for which I heare he was executed, and that but juſtly; I wiſh all ſuch Millers that are too nimble in poore mens Baggs might have ſome ſuch ſevere puniſhment, for though it be hard to hang a man for ſtealing a Ship or a Cow, yet domeſticall theft is puniſhed with death, by all Lawes, becauſe it is both Fellony and Treaſon. The poore man truſts the Miller with his bag, and workes merrily in hope of a Cake, and the Miller it may be takes as much as would make a cupple, but I wi•h ſome of them were Indicted for example to terrifie others, and that poore men might have their Griſts ground Toll free this deare yeare, or elſe that the owners of Mill•might take but very little? I know there are charges and caſualities Incident to Mills, but however they deale with the rich mans baggs, I would have all kindneſſe and tenderneſſe exerciſed towards the poore.
10 My next requeſt is to the Miniſters, and ſpecially to Impropriators in this Kingdome, in two particulars; That they would be examples of Charity and Hoſpitality to others, by the Cannon Lawes, a Miniſter ought to give away to the poore of the Pariſh at the leaſt one tenth part of his Tithes, and impropriations are by Statute for maintenance of the poore, wee know the Levites had a tenth from the Prieſts, and by the equity of that law, thoſe that receive Tithes ſhould allow a Tith of their gaines, as well as others, and who ſuch fit objects of Liberality as the poore, but truly the Avarice59 and Covetouſneſſe, of many Engliſh Miniſters, would make a man think that Religion was but a policy, to keep men in ſubjection, for how improper is it, for a covetous Earth-worme to tell others of the danger of riches, and the difficulty for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of Heaven, when this covetous Earth-worme minds nothing but the Fleece and ſatisfies himſelfe with a toothleſſe ſapleſſe preaching in a cuſtomary formality, not falling out with the richeſt Pariſhoners for their handfaſtedneſſe, and hard-heartedneſſe in not releeving the poore, but wrangling and brangling with poore men, about an Egg at Eaſter, I could find in my heart to publiſh it to the world, how one of them vexes his poore Neighbours about ſmall Tithes, for Milch Cowes, and ſowes Piggs and Poultry, putting 13. poore people into one bill, not charging them all to the value of 5. l. which ſuit hath or will in probability coſt above 100. l. Indeed if the grand Tithes had been detained, and he could not otherwiſe have ſubſiſted; It had been another matter, but for a man of peace to bring a conſerve of Weſtminſter-Hall Wormewood for every petty oblation. Is this to feed men with the ſincere Milk of the word; to torment 30. poore men about Tith milk, methinks an Ingenious man ſhould be aſhamed of it.
Thou that ſayeſt a man ſhould not be covetous, (for a mans life conſiſteth not in abundance of riches,) doeſt thou heap up more then is ſufficient for thee, thou that ſitteſt to Judge according to Law diſhonoureſt thou God? Luk 12.15But ſecondly, let me intreat all thoſe that are able Miniſters of the Goſpell in this Iuncture of time to ſhoot out all the Arrowes of Gods indignation againſt Covetouſneſſe which is Idolatry, filthy Lucre, Mammon of unrighteouſneſſe, deceitfull riches, briars, and thornes, and the covetous whom God abhorreth, and to preach nothing elſe to Covetous men, till they leave their Covetouſneſſe, what ſhould a Covetous man do with a mercifull Saviour; If he had the graces of the ſpirit he would lock them up that none ſhould be the better for him.
If you expect to be called the Engliſh Clergy, every one of you now become an Advocate for the poore of your Pariſh, as by example, ſo by doctrin, Trumpet out that of Saint James, go to now ye rich men, weep, and howle for your miſery that ſhall come upon you, your riches are corrupted, and your Garments Moth-eaten, your Gold and ſilver is cankered, and the ruſt of them ſhall be a witneſſe agaiſt you, and ſhall eat your fleſh as it were fire, charge them that be rich in this world, to be rich in good works; but do not only whiſper it into their Eares, but fall upon the Covetous and the Dunkards when they come into the Congregation (for they come moſt commonly the laſt) when a Covetous wretch comes in, bid the people look as if there was ſome African Monſter; one that can eat 10000. l. of Gold, and 10000. Quarter of Corne, 100. beaſts, and 2000. ſheep, and ſits Rent-free, and no body muſt have a bit with him, and when a notorious Drunkard comes in, tell them here comes one, that he and his Companions devoure as much every week as Bells Prieſts did, you muſt needs know every Covetous wretch in your pariſh, fall upon him, as you would fall upon the Devill, if he ſhould come into the Congregation, tell him that he is like H•ll, that is inſatiable, and that it is impoſſible for him to be ſaved, ſo living and dying;40 tell the Covetous and the Drunkard, that God abhors them, all honeſt ſober men will kick them out of their Companies, that unleſſe they repent the Devill will provide a place for them in Hell by themſelves in the loweſt Dungeons (next unto the Jeſuits) who yet are better Commonwealths-men) for ſayes hee, theſe men never did good to any men in their lives, the Covetous will hoard up all, and the Drunkard will devour all, let them fight Dog, fight Bear together, they are now aſleep in theſe groſſe enormities, thunder out Gods Iudgements againſt them; dart the very flaſhes of Hell fire from your Pulpits, into their ſoules and conſciences, Oh, that the Lord would teach the Miniſters how to preach to purpoſe to ſuch miſcreants, methinks 2. or 3 powerfull Sermons ſhould either by Gods bleſſing work upon the Covetous miſerable wretch to part with his ſuperfluities, or elſe make him forſake the Congregation, if it were well ſet on, charge him home to give away ſo much to the poore the next week, or to ſell his Corne at a reaſonable rate, and if it be not done tell him hee ſhall heare of it to his ſhame the next day, and I warrant you he will either obſerve it, or come no more there to heare you, and if he go to heare another Miniſter. I intreat every faithfull watch-man to ſtand ready for him with a whole peale of Curſes at the doore when he comes in, and tell him, Oh, thou Covetous wretch, thou run'ſt away from ſuch a man, becauſe thou wilt not releive thy hungry Brother, and ſell thy Come at a reaſonable rate, which God commands thee to doe; thou art curſed in the City, and curſed in the Feild, curſed ſhall be thy basket, and thy ſtoare, the Lord ſhall ſmite thee with the Peſtilence, Conſumption, Fever, Inflamation and extreame burning, with the Botch, the Emrods, the Scabs, and the Itch, thou ſhalt grope at noone-dayes, and thy Carcaſe ſhall be meat to all the Fowles of the Ayre, and no man ſhall fray them away, thou ſhalt become an Aſtoniſhment, a Proverb and a byword to all people, tell him that this and all the Curſes in the Book of God ſhall come upon him, purſue him and overtake him, till he be deſtroyed, put him this caſe, ſuppoſe a Priſoner was to ſtand a whole day together at the barre of Iuſtice, to heare the Iudge pronounce Iudgement, and ſeveral ſorts of puniſhment againſt him, you muſt go from hence to the Priſon, to lye in Irons, eat moldy bread, and drink puddle water, then be branded, next have thy fleſh pluck't of with hot pinſers, then put into a barrell of nailes, drawne in peeces with wild Horſes; or the moſt exquiſite torments that cruell Tyrants could imagine, ask him what he thinks of that Priſoners condition, I know hee will ſay it is very ſad, then reply with Authority, and tell him this is thy Caſe, ſay as Nathan did to David thou art the man, bid him read his condition in the glaſſe of the Scripture, and turne to thoſe Curſes in the 28. of Deut. and marke I pray you how the ſpirit of God, having denounced a Catalogue of Curſes againſt ſuch as will not obey his Commandements, in the 29. Chapter tells in particular, who it is that ſhall be thus curſed; it is the man, that let the Miniſter ſay what hee will, bleſſes himſelfe in his heart, and ſayes I ſhall have peace, though I walk in the Immaginations or ſtubbornneſſe of my owne heart,Deut. 29.19. TO ADD DRVNKENNES TO THIRST, of the Drunken to the Thirſty; which in my opinion comprehends both Drunkards, and covetous perſons, for they are both Hydroptique, the Drunkard heats himſelfe till he be thirſty, and41 the Covetous man drinks downe all the broth of commodity, as the Fiſh drinks up water, but tell them likewiſe that if they will reforme themſelves, there are bleſſings in ſtore for them, in that former part of the 28. of Deut. But me thinks I heare an objection that Covetouſneſſe is none of thoſe ſcandalous ſins, for which by the Ordinance, any man is to be debarred the Sacrament; We ſay in Statutes that there are many Caſes omitted, which are within the meaning of the Law, and to be taken by equity, certainely to deny the poore bread to eat at reaſonable rates; if it bee not neere kin to murder, ti's a horrible ſin as viſible, as the green graſſe, therefore I pray you profeſſe your ſelves implacable Enemies to all Intemperance, and uncharitableneſſe; for which not only the higher powers, but every honeſt man in this Kingdome will thank you for it, beleeve it, it is an Angelicall thing to get the love of poore people.
11. A word to the Learned Phyſitians in this Kingdome (whereof God Increaſe the number) pray deale kindly with poore people when they are ſick, for a poore man to give 10. s. for a viſit, is as greivous many times as the Diſeaſe it ſelfe; and yet life is ſweet, Phyſick muſt be had at any rate; But ſome may beeter afford to give 100. l. for a cure, then others to give 5. s. Methinks if I had an old Vſurer in cure, I would adviſe him to be very Charitable, certainly the poore in this Kingdome ſuffer very much for want of a Phyſitian or two, in every Market Towne, at the leaſt.
The Doctors of Padova ſay that in Fevers and ſuch violent diſeaſes, the Patient is in danger, if the Phiſitian do not viſit him three times a day, how many people in this Kingdome dye yearely, that can never get any Phyſitian to viſit them in their ſickneſſe; and how many poore people are there about Lendon that had rather die then ſee an Appothicaries Bill; the thing I intreat of you is that you would viſit the poore without Fees, for why ſhould not Phiſitians be as well aſſigne Jn forma Pauperis, as Lawyers, and Appothicaries as well as Atturneys, and Chirurgians as well as Clarks.
But if you cannot be at leiſure to preſcribe to the poore Gratis, pray do not hinder any man that would be the poore mans Doctor; And here give me leave ſoberly and ſeriouſly to intreat you learned Gentlemen of the Corporation, not to moleſt or interrupt Doctor Trigg [who has been ſo called to my knowledge this 20. yeares, and three yeares is ſufficient in Law, in point of Appellation] in his practiſe any longer, I can aſſure you thouſands of poore people, in and about the City ſpeak hardly of you for troubling h•m, and had it not bin for ſomebody, there had bin before this a Petition with at leaſt 30000. hands humbly preſented to the Parliament for his freedome to practiſe, though he is not incorporated into your Colledge; and ſo by a penall Law principally intended againſt ſome Italian Mountebanks, and for the avoyding of Sorceries and Witchcrafts for f•its, 5. l. for every mone•h that he practiſes in this City without your leave, and you have got a judgement, and Execution as [I heare] for 115. l. againſt him, and for what I beſeech you? Why ſhould he pay you ſo much money? is it, becauſe he hath by Gods bleſſing cured ſome, which ſome of you had left for deſperate? as you know it was proved upon Oath at Guild-Hall, where you Indict•d and Impeached him of Ignorance, and•buſing the people, endeavouring to prove62 that he had given unwholſome Phiſick to a Woman about 17. yeares agoe; who ſaid upon her Oath that the Phiſick made her ſick, and work't ſtrangly with her, but the Woeman hath bin well ever ſince, and a luſty merry old Woeman who poſſibly might, but for that Phiſick, have bin long ſince in her Grave; another Evidencer ſaid, that Doctor Trigg confeſt himſelfe that hee was a foole, which rather proved him to be a knowing man. For Saint Paul ſayes, yee are wiſe, J am a foole, that is, the Doctors thought him to be one,2 Cor. 11.19. and Solomans foole was wiſe in his owne conceit, but there was pregnant proofe for the Doctor, that ſince the Great Sickneſſe (at which time he firſt grew famous; for many of the Doctors being out of Towne, he did abundance of cures upon poore people, which are yet living.) He hath cured every yeare many people of all ſorts of Feavers, Plague, Palſies, Agues, Gout, Conſumptions, Dropcies, Collicks, and all ſorts of Diſeaſes, and his manner of practiſe is, to take little or nothing from the poore, and from the rich, 2. s. or 2. s. 6. d. at the moſt for his advice and Phiſick, for he compounds all his Phiſick himſelfe which no ignorant man can do, and buyes the beſt Drugg•he can get, as the Drugſter a man of credit, teſtified. Now the Caſe ſtands thus; a man lyes deſperatly ſick, and the Colledge Doctors give him over for a dead man, a friend of his tells him, that Doctor Trigg has cured many in his condition, that have been as neare death as himſelfe, the man has a ſtrong conceit that Doctor Trigg may help him, (and truly a good conceit of the Phyſitian is many times half the Cure) if this man ſhould recover by Gods bleſſing upon Doctor Triggs Phiſick, is it not a hard caſe, that Doctor Trigg ſhould pay 5. l. to the Colledge for curing this man without their Lycence, will they neither give Phiſick themſelves nor ſuffer others to do it?
Worthy Gent. You know what offers, we that were Doctor Triggs Counſell have ſeverall times made you; that if we do not prove that our Clyent hath done good to above 30000. Men, Woemen, and Children; in and about this Citty ſince the yeare 1624. Hee will quit his practiſe without more a doe; or if you can prove that ever he did hurt to any man, Woman, of Child by his Phiſicks; He will be content to be your Bondſlave; I know there were above 100. witneſſes more then thoſe that gave evidence, which hearing that Doctor Trigg had a Tryall about his Nonſufficiency flocked in readily, to teſtifie what Cures he had wrought upon them, but the Honorable Iudge thought it needleſſe to heare any more, for when a weight can be carryed by foure men to what purpoſe is it to imploy 10. but why will he not be admitted of the Colledge? It may be he thinks it a Monopoly, for by the Common-Law every man may Adminiſter Phiſick that hath any skill therein, and if we hurt any through Ignorance or negligence, an Action upon the Caſe lyes againſt him, and why are not Country mens healths and lives as precious to them as Cittizens? or why may not the Butchers, Cookes, Bakers, and Brewers being Free-Tradeſmen of the City of London, compell the Citizens to buy all their Victualls of them, and nor to dreſſe it in their Houſes, why will not ſome men have the lyne of Ordination ſtretched over them; becauſe they conceive themſelves more free without i•, He ſayes that thoſe old Receits which agreed with Engliſh bodyes. 500. years63 agoe are not ſo proper for theſe times, and therefore would make no further uſe of the Pharmatopia then he ſees reaſon of it, but he is of Age and Abilities to anſwer better for himſelfe, for my owne part, I take him to be a rationall man, and of Excellent parts, but in Phiſick I preferre experience before reaſon and Authority, that is if there were but two Phyſitions extant, the one counted an Ignoramus, which yet had cured 1000. men of I•evers, and ſuch dangerous diſeaſes, the other a notable Scholler, and of fluent diſcourſe that never cured 20. of all diſeaſes; I would rather Intruſt my ſelfe with the former; he was a famous Practiſer in Aleppo above 25. yeares ſince, and purchaſed much skill beyond Sea, and of great practiſe and experience, with whom Sir Theodore Mayerne, Doctor Moore have joyned in adviſe, a man Hoſpitable and charitable to the poore, therefore my ſubject leads me to commend him, he gives away as much Phiſick weekly to the poore people, as coſts him 30 or 40. s. and which ſome Appothycaries would ſell it, may be for five times as much; for I know not how it comes to paſſe, there is more gotten by Drugs, Roots, Weeds and Hearbs in this City yrarely, then the Bakers, Brewers, Butchers, and many others get by their ſubſtantiall Commodities, let no man think I write this for my Fee; 'tis the poore mans Caſe that I plead, ſhould he be ſuppreſſed, I profeſſe for any thing I can imagine to the contrary, thouſands of poore people muſt periſh for want of meanes to recover them, for where is there a man that will give his adviſe and Phyſick for nothing as this man conſtantly doth: If any Patient tell him that he is poore and wants money, he takes not a penny from him; nor let any man ſay that it is not uſuall for Councell to print their Clyents Cauſes; for my part I know no hurt in it, but ſo far as it concerns the poore this hard yeare, I would not gladly omit any thing for their advantage; extraordinary diſeaſes muſt have extraordinary cures, for my owne part, If I thought or credibly heard that the man did practiſe upon mens bodies, and abuſe poore people; I would be the firſt that ſhould him, and pluck his fleſh in peeces, but ſo long as that man does good in his practiſe, every honeſt man ſhould take his part; for why ſhould not that be judged a good Tree that brings forth (not yearely but daily) good fruit, his caſe ſtands thus, The Colledge Doctors have obtained a Judgement of 115. l. againſt him, and by the Law a writ of Error lyes before rhe Right Honourable the Lords in Parliament, but the King being concerned in it; the courſe was to procure his Majeſtyes hand for the writ of Error; and it hath pleaſed their Good Lordſhips for a ſupply thereof as Aequavalent thereunto in Judgement of Law to grant an Order for a writ of Error; which is now obtained, beſides he ſtands Indicted by the name of VVilliam Trigg Shoo maker, al•as VVilliam Trigg Heele maker, alias VVilliam Trigg Laſt maker, alias VVilliam Trigg Gent. and one ſayes hee will take a Courſe with him for his ſhort Cures, another ſayes this Trigg workes by the Devill or elſe he could never do ſuch cures, and there are ſo many Actions againſt him, and ſuch deſignes to ruine him, that I feare whether there be not ſome Ingredient of malice or tincture of Emulation in the violent proſecution of it? for though it be well knowne that the worthy Preſident of the Colledge, and many of the Doctors are Godly judicious and Learned men [for which I honour and highly eſteeme them] yet whether the Proſecutors doe really, ſinceerely, and entirely ayme at the health and welfare of poore people,Mr. Dr. Clarke. in putting him downe from practiſe as is pretended; ſeemes to me very queſtionable; for I conceive a greater diſpleaſure and prejudice cannot be done to the poore people of this City then by his ſuppreſſion. But though, by one Statute. He may64 be greived I hope by another Statute, he will be releeved; [for truly when a Clyent has an honeſt juſt cauſe and delights in doing good we ought to lay his ſufferings to heart as if it were in our owne Caſes) The Statute of 34. H. 8. is to this effect; That it is well knowne that ſome will doe no cure to any perſon, but where they are ſure to be rewarded with a greater ſumme or reward then the Cure extendeth unto,34. H. 88. for in Caſe they would miniſter their cunning to poore people unrewarded, there ſhould not ſo many rot and periſh to death for lack of Surgery as daily doe, for though the moſt part have ſmall Cunning, yet they will take great ſummes of money, and do little therefore, and by reaſon thereof doe often Impaire and hurt their Patients rather then do them good, Therefore for eaſe, comfort, ſuccour, help releife, and health of the Kings poore Subjects, that ſhall be pained or diſeaſed, be it ordained and enacted, that every perſon having knowledge and experience of the nature of Hearbs, Roots, and Waters, or of the opperation of the ſame by ſpeculation or practiſe, may lawfully practiſe Surgerie, or Adminiſter any Drinks for the Stone, Strangerie, or Agues, which by a former Statute they were prohibited to do by certaine perſons whom this Statute brands with a noat of Infamy that they minded only their owne Lucres, and nothing the profit or eaſe of the diſeaſed, or Patient, therefore ſued, troubled, and vexed divers honeſt perſons, whom God had endued with the knowledge of the nature, kind, and opperation of Hearbs, Rootes, and Waters; I ſhall not make any application, but hope that the Learned Doctors will upon mature conſultation, ſurceaſe all further proſecution againſt my Clyent, and either undertake the care, and charge of all ſick poore people in and about this City, or elſe quietly permit and ſuffer others to practiſe, who as leſſer lights may doe much good in their ſtations and places to poore People; though they be not ſuch good Linguiſts and great Schollars as themſelves; for certainely it was never the intent of any Engliſh Parliamentary Worthies to puniſh any man for doing good to the poore.
And here I would make but ſome few quaeries.
1. What ſhall I poore people do in time of great mortality and ſicknes when moſt of the Colledge Doctors having houſes in the Countrey have left the Citty as in the late great ſickneſſe, if none may be permitted to Practiſe but themſelves, for it pleaſes God that the Plague moſt commonly inflicts and viſits the poorer ſort of people ſuch as live in Cloſe Allyes, and out places of the City.
2. The Doctors not making their owne Medicines, but ſending poore people to the Apothycaryes, where no penny, no Pater Noſter, no money, no Medicine, [though I ſpeak not againſt the profeſſion, every man muſt live by his Trade; I beleeve many of them to be very honeſt and a moſt neceſſary Profeſſion] and conſequently have no Medicines by them, for the ſpeedy releife of the poore, whether in probability thoſe that compound their owne Medicines, are not more Charitable and helpfull to poore people then ſuch as keep no Medicines by them, it being ſeldome ſeene that he that buyeth all his meat at the Cookes, ſerves many Beggars at the Dore.
3. Whether it be for the health and welfare of this Kingdome which is the ſupreame Law that the Doctors Recepts and Art of Phyſick ſhould be practiſed in ſuch an unknowne tongue, that no man knowes what he buyes, or what he payes for it being wholly upon the Doctors and Appothycaries Conſciences, what name and price they pleaſe to give the Phyſick, ſo that at the beſt it is but a Pig in a Poak as we ſay proverbially, contrary to the practiſe of all other Callings where65 every man knowes what he buyes, and if they pleaſed, they might as well ſet down in plaine Engliſh words what they preſcribe, and what they pay for.
Laſtly, what ſhall we think of denying to teach ordinary Medicines to poore people, as good Drinks and Poſſits made of Hearbs, whereby the end for which God made Medicinable H•arbs and Roots is fruſtrated and made void, and the Common knowne uſe of Hearbs growne out of uſe and knowledge of poore people in this Kingdome, ſpecially in this City of London, which if we knew how to make uſe of Gods good Creatures, we might prevent many diſeaſes, and maintaine our ſelves in bodily health and ſtrength, much better then now we doe, ſpecially in ſuch places where there are neither Phyſitians nor Appothicaries.
12. But that I may be juſt and impartiall, let me ſpeak a word to my owne Profeſſion; I would humbly beſeech the Reverend Judges before they condemne any man for ſtealing a Horſe, a Cow, or a Sheep, from him that has 100. or 1000. that they inquire whether the Priſoner was not neceſſitated to do it, to buy bread for his family, or for milk or Clo•ths, for his poore Wife and Children? or whether it were poſſible for him, by his beſt Induſtry and labour to keep himſelfe alive, and familie, without ſtealing; for if ſo, then hee's a preſumptious theefe, that ſteales not for want, but for wantonneſſe, and by the Law of the Land, the Gallowes is his juſt guerdon, but if the man be extreamely neceſſitated, and cannot live without a miracle, then that he may not ſuffer but be put into ſuch away and condition, that if he will take paines he might live, and then if he ſteale any more, he is to be proceeded againſt as Incorrigible, this is a ſweet temper, both of Iuſtice and mercy, thoſe that have acquired Honours, and great Eſtates by the Law, ſhould be an Honour to the Law; which cannot better ſhew it ſelfe then by diſpatching poore mens Cauſes firſt, and ſpeedy executing all Lawes and Statutes, which give any proviſionall releefe to the poore, in point of penalty; and as I do earneſtly intreat every man that has the ſubſtance of this world, and ſee's his brother to be in want; not to ſhoot his bowells of Compaſſion, but to releeve his neceſſities, or elſe the love of God cannot abide in him, ſo in a more eſpeciall manner, I would intreat all that have got any conſiderable Eſtates, by the Law; to adorne their Profeſſions this deere Yeare, by their good works; for my part I ſhall count him the Flower, Ornament, and Garland of his profeſſion, that ſhall moſt advantage the poore mans Cauſe, both by his Pen, by his Tongue, and by his Purſe, and the rather for that, I think the great Practiſers get much monie as eaſilie as any men do in the Kingdome, but my deſigne is, that every 10th. Fee, ſhould be given to the poore; I find in ſome of our Hyſtorians, that in times of Popery, the Prieſts challenged every tenth Fee, as a perſonall Tith, and ſince ſome have continued the payment of it, and when men went to Confeſſion they durſt not deceive the Prieſt, nor give him a light peece of Gold, and not long ſince it was attempted to make us pay perſonall Tithes.
I wiſh all men were more fearefull to diſpleaſe God, then the Papiſts are to offend their ſpirituall Fathers, (which have no Wives but many Children;) In France the Advocates have a Palmary Fee in token of Victorie after the Judgement pronounced for their Client, and that is given to the poore; All Fees which have been taken from the poore men that could not ſpare them, ought in reaſon to be reſtored and no more to be taken, and certainly reaſon is the root of our profeſſion, and whatſoever is againſt the Law of true reaſon, let it be diſclaimed by all Ingenious men.
66My learned Maſters, and all yee that live by the Law, whom I may without preſumption call Brothers; I have a word concerns us all, pray marke it well, the Kingdome is drawing up an Impeachment againſt us, for the Errors and corruptions that are in the Law and Lawyers, every man complaines of the horrible delaies in matters of Iuſtice, that we, have an Action to our Clients purſes, and ſpin out Cauſes to an unreaſonable length, as Covetous Surgeons keep the wounds raw for their owne profit, that there is ſo much expence of Coine, and time, that the remidie is worſe then the diſeaſe, that a man had better looſe his right, then go to Law for it, and that deles in Courts of Iuſtice are the greateſt Nuſance, and grievance to this Kingdome: They think it the greateſt miſterie in the world that a man cannot get a Cauſs ended in two or three yeares, and yet Iuſtice not delayed; that a man muſt ſpend above 10. l. to recover 5. l. and yet Juſtice not ſold; they think Magna Carta is extremely violated, you may pleaſe to remember what occaſioned me to write our Vindication ſo far forth as Scripture and reaſon would plead for us, and if we be caſt at either of theſe Barres, I am ſure no Court of Equity can releive us; and now I ſuppoſe you have met with the Lawyers bane, written by〈…〉Nicholſon who falls upon us with a Scriptury weapon. VVoe unto you Lawyers, for yee load men with burdens greivious to be borne, and yee your ſelves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers; Truly though the man diſcover a weak Iudgement, yet he manifeſts ſtrong affections to the publick, for all this ſmoak is not without ſome fire; he that knowes any thing in politiques may eaſily foreſee that there is a great ſtorme ariſing in this Kingdome againſt us; now what muſt we do to prevent it, the only way is to keep cloſe to the principles of right reaſon, and we are out of Gun-ſhot to diſpatch poore mens Cauſes, gratis this hard yeare; In doubtfull matters let us diſſwade our Clyents from going to Law, and tell them the danger of it, adviſing them to doe, as they would be done unto; let us contend earneſtly for the truth, more then for victorie; and ſo ſoone as we diſcover the injuſtice of the Cauſe, let us leave it, and adviſe our Clyents to make their peace, never ſpeaking any thing but what we beleeve to be true, if they tell us they have no money, let us do their buſineſſe for thanks; and I warrant you we are Parliament proofe, and Kingdome proofe, the people will quickly find the uſefullneſſe of us; and an honeſt Lawyer will be a neceſſary member in a Kingdome, for the wiſdome of the Common Law is highly to be admired and honored of all underſtending men (without ſome Competent underſtanding wherein no man can poſſibly be a Polititianiſt, being the beſt Iudge, and Arbiter of life and death and all things that are for the maintenance thereof, but if we make the diſquiet and trouble of poore people, the baſis, and fuondation of our Grandor and Renowne, beleeve it, the Kingdome will be as wearie of us, as ever they were of the Biſhops, or any Arbitrary Court, In a word (for I know your Iudgements are ſo mature you love not many, that which can only prevent the ruine of our profeſſion, is, That the Reverend Iudges, Learned Lawyers, and experienced Officers and Clarkes of all Courts ſpeedily conſult and agree together to propound ſome proper expedient to the High Court of Parliament, f•r cheap and ſummary Iuſtice, throughout the Kingdome; for the beſt policie is to prevent an accuſation; better the Fees of ſome Courts ſhould be reduced, and regulated, then the Court it ſelfe to be ſuppreſſed; It were better for the 6. Clarkes that poore men might pay but 4. d. a ſheet, then 8. d. for moderate gainns laſt long, we ſee the moderate eſtates of Widdowes laſt longer and prove better, then ſome vaſt ſuperfluous Eſtates,67 which make them but a prey for ſome young Gallant; what a ſhame is it that Irregularities and obſtructions in the Adminiſtration of publique Iuſtice ſhould not be diſcovered (and preſented to the higheſt Court for ſpeedy redreſſe) by the Profeſſors of the Law, who ſhould ſtand as Sentinells for the ſecurity of mens perſons and Eſtates, to diſcover the leaſt approaching danger, and all delayes or rubs in Iuſtice, but that the Army ſhould be inforced to make it one of their propoſalls for the Kingdomes good; And you my worthy Maſters that under your good favours are ſo many Ingroſſers of all the Practiſe within the Statutes of pluralities and Ingroſment of Corne, and Cattell (for the reaſon of all ſuch Statutes, is, that one man may live by another, that one ſhould not feaſt, and another faſt:) The Harveſt of great Cauſes, (much good may it do you) Is yours, we are content to gleane after you, with a motion now and then, which comming like Summer fruits, ſhould not be rejected for variety ſake, pray let us be heard when we have any thing to ſay, I profes it is an intollerable injury that you daily offer to young Practiſers, and heavier then the ſhoulders of rationall men can long beare 10. or 20. of you to move every morning before or after the cauſes, and there is no time for us, [though one of your motions ſpends more time then ſix of ours] to be heard; If the Cuſtome of the Court were as auncient as Adams time, yet reaſon muſt be preferred before it; I aſſure you, there is all the policy and ſelfe love in it, as you can imagine to let us be heard when we have any thing to move for, if the practiſe be do not not diſtributed into more hands, that every man may live by his profeſſion; if you fal by your own waite; I dare burn my Books, King James ſaid it was a great cheat put upon the Kingdome, for Gentlemen to maintaine their Sons at the Inns of Court at a great rate: And being called to the Barre, may expect 7.10. or it may be 20. yeares before they be known in a Court of Juſtice, or can be heard to move above twice or thrice in a Tearme, which will not quit the coſt, nor pay for Commons; And by this means the Subject ſpends at leaſt 50. or 100000. l. a yeare in ſuperfluities, for if the Tearmers, and ſuch Counſell as draw Bills and Anſwers, and adviſe in the Countrie, might be heard at the Barre as often as the Cauſe required, then would not many of the great Practiſers be retayned, untill the hearing of the Cauſe, or upon ſome ſpeciall difficulty, but now the Clyent is inforced to have one Counſell in the Countrey, in the Vacation, and another in the Tearm to this double Charge, or elſe may chance to attend all the Tearm before his Counſell can he heard, to his farre greater expences, whereby the Honourable Courts of Iuſtice, come to be diſhonoured and hardly thought of.
And here I meet with my deare freind vertuous Mr. Hugh Peters who for his Active ſerviceableneſſe to the publique deſerves much from all honeſt Men. In his three words, I find much marrow and ſweetneſſe,Mercurius Evangelitus virtus in fictione conſiſtt. and an excellent ſperit tending to Vnity, between all honeſt men, and that which I heare hath given much ſatisfaction to all ſober men in the City, and cured many diſcontents and diſtempers who now ſee their Error, and perceive that they were violently plucking a ruinous houſe upon their owne heads, and peſting into a poſture of ſlavery, whereas now by Gods bleſſing upon our noble Worthies in Parliament and Army, they are likely to be in true eſteeme, the moſt glorious Citizens in all the world; and therefore I thank him for ſaving me that labour, having compiled a Students mite which I intended humbly to preſent by the name of LONDONS HAPPINES, or Counſell given without a Fee to the Right Honorable the Lord Major, the Right Worſhipfull the Sherifes, and Aldermen, the worthy Common Counſell men,68 the honeſt Common Hall, the hopefull Apprentices, and every Free-man of that famous Incorporation, which ſhall not now be caſt into the Treaſury, nor the Preſſe oppreſſed with it; I muſt needs, unles I will betray my owne Judgement acknowledge it to be a moſt rationall peece, and many of his Cures, welbecoming the great Phyſitians of ſtate,Magnum in parvo. and I hope the reaſons will be weighed in the juſt ballance of their moſt ſublime wiſdome; and what an Angellicall Ordinance would it be that honeſt men ſhould never fall out, or at leaſt that there might be fre ndmakers in every Pariſh for matters of ſmall concernment, that trench not upon mens inheritances and utter undoings, and I would have this Golden ſentence written in Capitall Letters over Weſtminſter Doores, QVICK JVSTICE MAKES A QVIET KINGDOME. But Truth is my neareſt freind, therefore good Sir, I muſt be bold to take exceptions, and that without any violation of the divine injunction, of telling my Brother in private for a printed objection requires a printed Anſwer) to part of your 10th. cure, where your words are I would ſay the &c.
I take your matter to be erroneous, for multitude of Lawyers, is not ſo much an Argument of the ſlavery, as the wealth of a Kingdome; I confeſſe it is a ſad thing, that after 80. yeares preaching the Goſpell of peace; there ſhould be ſo many Suits in Law, but Rich men wil be at variance, & who can help it, I wiſh poor men that are not worth above 2. or 300. l. might not either be permitted to wage Law, or to have Juſtice without paying any thing for it, and I wiſh from my ſoule, that this Kingdome were in ſuch a Goſpell frame, that there were nothing for us to do, but to ſettle mens Eſtates, it being better to get one Fee to prevent differences and juſt quarrells, then 20. Incontentious wranglings; but as matters ſtand, call us what you pleaſe, neceſſary evills, we are as neceſſary in a Kingdome, as Women more neceſſary in a Kingdome, then Miniſters or Phyſitians which are but for the well being of a State, Kingdome, and Common-wealths have and may ſubſiſt without them, but Juſtice is as neceſſary as the Sun in the Firmament; ſuſpend the Lawes but one day, and the Kingdome is undone, no man but has ſome Enemy that will kill him, and ſo long as the Law is neceſſary, there muſt be Lawyers to contend for the Clyents right, untill the cure be perfected, that men can plead their owne Cauſes which I ſhould much rejoyce to ſee, for the end of the profeſſion of the Law which is peace, and of the profeſſors ought to be the ſame, but if I were convinced that my wearing of a Gown at Weſtminſter, were any mark of, or tended to continue, or countenance the ſlavery of this Nation in the leaſt meaſure, I would hang it up in Long-Lane, and burne all my Books but the Bible, which poſſibly ſome out of a ſtrong zeale and weak Iudgement would have us to doe;Acts 19.19. like thoſe curious Artiſts in the 19th. of the Acts; that burnt their Conjuring Books, though I know Mr. Peters is no enemy to learning, I wiſh the Law being peoples guid and rule to walk by, were more plaine and eaſie, and in our Engliſh Toung that the Normans might not underſtand them ſooner then wee.
But I am for a Reformation in Courts of Juſtice, and not an exterpation, it muſt never come to Root and branch in point of Civill Government; this I had not added but for pure neceſſity for I muſt either quit the profeſſion or Anſwer every objection that is made againſt it, though by my deare Father, and at laſt I hope truth will get ground of Errors.
For my owne part if any poore man want any aſſiſtance, I ſhall freely give him my beſt adviſe as cordially without a Fee as with it.
69And now I might conclude, having kept my promiſe, but being willing to give the poore all poſſible advantage as I hope the Bakers will in every dozen, one Loafe more then ordinary; I ſhall adviſe all honeſt poore men, without a Fee, and that is to ſtudy Chriſt and good Husbandry, more then ever; truly ti's a deere yeare, poore hearts, you muſt be content to pinch, it wi•l not looſe many words to tell you what inventions the Italians and the good Husbands at Naples had in a deere yeare, to ſave charges, they were called the Company of Leſinants, intruth rich Marchants, but what was vituperable in them, may be commendable in you, their Motto was, be ſober and frugall, and their principalls ſuch as theſe, never to to take any Phyſick in hopes to recover by faſting, becauſe every purge weakens the body, as waſhing does Linnen, to weare but one Glove at a time,Sobrius eſto parſimonia magnum Vectigal. and that being loſt, another may be had for little, to eat roſt meat but once a yeare, not to break bread too ſmall, for it crumbles away, tread nimbly to ſave Shooe-Leather, to put 3. or 4. Soales on their ſhooes for duration, to warme themſelves in the Sun, never to ſend their Servants far in a morning for feare of getting too good a ſtomack, nor to entertaine Cholerick ſervants, for they are alwayes hungery, but flegmatick that eat little, and to take little Prentices, that ſpend leſſe in Cloathes, and Bedding, not to trouble themſelves too much when a freind comes unexpectedly to ſee them; for if he be a freind he will be content with ſuch ae he finds, if an Enemy ti's too good for him, to make a new Garment of two old ones, for variety pleaſes, and from ſeverall grafts comes new fruit,Semel in anno ridit Appollo, vis unita fortier Sol et bomo generant heminem. alwayes keep an empty Paſty covered upon the Table, to offer a ſtranger, which if it be accepted, a freind will conceale it, and he that wiſhes you ill, will not be beleeved, when your ſervant goes to draw th•beſt drink, make him ſing all the while, that ſo he may have no time to drink, ſometimes an Egge muſt dine a whole family, the Maſter and Miſtris to have the Yelk, the Children the white, and the Servants the ſhell in powder with Vinegar, ſpend alwayes pigmey Candells for they leaſt hurt the ſight, and make a little hole in thy Neigbours wall to ſee by his Candell to go to Bed, never be without fingle money, for that's a good groat that ſaves a 6. d. take heed when thou art at a Feaſt, for Phiſick may coſt more then three meales are worth, with two Faggots in a winter to be continually hot, throw them out at thy Chamber Window into the back yeard, and run downe in thy old ſhooes, and bring them up againe, and out with them againe till thou be hot, one had a great Iugge with a narrow mouth, whereinto he put a ſpong, and goes to an Oyle ſhop for ſeven or eight pound of Oyle, which being fill'd, he offers counterfeit money, which the Shopkeeper refuſes, I have no other ſayes hee, then reſtore my Oyle ſayes the other, which he powers out, but leaves a pound or more in the ſponge, one diveliſh principall is, to receive many curteſies, and then ſpeak ill of the party, and ſo he is requited, drink but thrice at a meale, for need, for pleaſure, and for ſleep, that the hand is the Inſtrument of Inſtruments, which ſerves for a Glaſſe, the fingers for a knife, the nailes for a Combe, and the palme for a hankercheife, if a freind come in dinner time, tell him, oh Sir, if you had come a little ſooner, you had been moſt welcome to a Capon, and to make it good there are ſome Feathers in the roome, and one braggadochio having eaten an Egge, ſome of it ſtuck upon his Beard, who uſed the ſame Complement; I belveeve it Sir ſayes hee, for ſome of the Feathers ſtick upon your Muſtachoes, lend a poore man money at firſt, but never take it againe, though he offer it, for that is but a trap to borrow more, Prentices not to count the clock when it ſtrikes a 11 or 12. for it looſes too much time, therefore70 the Duke of Florences Secretary was commended for an invention that the Clock ſhould never ſtrike more then ſix, his Maſter having Exciſe for every ſuit of Cloathes that was made, the Taylors loſt time in counting the ſtroake•; and ſtriking but to 6. made one ſuit more in a moneth then before, and ti's an Irrevocable Inſtitution, to cut their hayre at the decreaſe of•he Moone, for that ſaves charges to the Barber, in that it will not grow ſo faſt, when one is cold and dry, drink Vinegar and water, to quench thirſt, heat the body, and ſo ſave•ire, a Campſtrial wild Salat is beſt, becauſe it conſiſts of pure naturalls, and in a Salat put good ſtore of Salt, and Vinegar, but little Oyle, and if there be any Vineger left, keep it till the next time.
Neceſſitas docuit Pſiticum ſuum〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉Neceſſity was at firſt the mother of all inventions, and hunger taught the Parrat to ſpeak, but we have now too many Cormorants, that are of the Company of the Leſinants, and not all vertuous, becauſe we follow extreames too much, one man is too prodigall, his mouth like a Sepulcher, his throat like a hot Oven, that conſumes all; the Drunkard and intemperat perſon, an other is ſo extreamly penurious, that he will not afford himſelfe food, and rayment, according to his quality, and betweene theſe two M•llſtones, the poore labouring man is ſqueeſed to death, when I perceived that the greater part of the Jtalian and Spaniſh Gentry ſtudied nothing ſo much as Parſimonie, and frugality to make a little, go farr, ſeeing a Neapolitan Cavalier, marching out of his Palace in State, in a morning with his basket on his riſt, pretending that hee was going to buy fleſh, and fiſh, obſerving him firſt to go into the Hearb market, and lay the foundation and ballaſt of his Veſſell in roots, and hearbs, and comming by the butchery, it may be buyes a pound of Fleſh, and ſmells to the Capons, Feaſants, and beco•ſich poſſibly may buy a Leg or a wing, but fills it up with a peniworth of figs, and returnes with as much gracae, and ſtate, as if he had conquered a City. I inquired a little into the reaſon of it, and found it to be for neceſſity, let me expreſſe it thus, men that travile to inrich their minds are not ſo exact and curious to behold the ſtately Architectures, pleaſant Gardens, artificiall paintures, and contrivances, which are but the inanimate parts of travaile, but to ſtudy the conſtitution, and frame of the government, and thereby to gueſſe at the happines or unhappines of that ſtate or Kingdome, in point of duration, and he that hath but halfe an eye in reaſon of ſtate may eaſily foreſee that Rome is now like a Candell, blazing a little before the extinguiſhment, the whore is ſo proud, that ſhe has no more Trinkets to put on and a fatall blow, ſhe will have ſuddainly, therefore it conc•rns all Proreſtants to agree, though of different judgements, and prepare to fight with her, for the Pope will have an Army of 60. or. 70. thouſand luſty Monks, that at laſt Pinch ſhall ſight for him the great battell neare unto Rome, without the City, upon Peters Patrimony, which one way is reconed 1600. furlongs, being 200. miles, and thoſe luſtfull Monſters will ble•d hy a P•oteſtant Army, commanded by ſaints,Rev. 14.20 ſuch as are holy, faithfull, and choſen; And as eaſily foreſee, that the Spaniard did ſo univerſally•ax and oppreſſe the Neopolitans, that they muſt of neceſſity take up Armes to redeem•their juſt liberties, which fire is new kindled, and will not be quenched till the Spaniard be driven out of that Kingdome, a patterne to all Princes to yeeld to the juſt int eaties of their Subjects, before it be too late, for the Neopolitans ſaid long ſince that the voice Roy, and the Church took above halfe their Eſtates from them, but if hee did not71 give over taxing, they would give over paying, a juſt Guerdon for all cruell Princes, and ſuch as act by Tyrannicall principles, of taxing the people ſo exceſsively, that having work inough to do to live and maintaine a being, they may never think of a well being, and that it is a great favour that they enjoy their lives, and keep out of priſons, as if it were a great Favour for a Theefe that ſteales a Gooſe, to leave ſome Feathers behind him; I find ſubjects in many places beyond Sea, are faine to make a vertue of neceſsity, being like thoſe that ſaile between Scilla and Caribdis in danger to be ſpilt upon one of thoſe Rocks, which are immoderate taxations, and maintenance of many Thouſand Monks an unprofitable Generation of Abby Lubbers that eat up the very fat and Creame of the Kingdome, that the Bees muſt work to maintain ſuch droanes is a moſt abominable thing, to make poore people give their goods to preiſts, Monaſtries, and Nunneries, (for they dare do no otherwiſe for feare of damnation) 4. 5. or 600. of the Divells Miniſters to be maintained in ſome one convent; and have often in my thoughts reſembled them to the Drunkards, Gluttons, and Prodigalls of this Kingdome, that ſpend that in Luxurie, Rioting, Surfeiting, and exceſſe, which would make poore people leap for joy, and the other extremity in this Kingdome, is the cruelty and miſerable baſeneſſe, and nigardlineſſe of many Avaritions, evill minded men, that get the poore into their Dens, and grind their very backs and belly, baſe earth-wormes, that count gaine, godlineſſe, that care not what become of the poore, ſo as they may fill the other Bagge, or buy the other purchaſe, that will hold with the hound, and run with the Hare, and be of any opinion to get money, they laugh who ever cryes, and get money which ſide ſoever prevailes, theſe are the Myſticall Wolves and Monks that deſtroy poore Engliſh Lambs, and theſe men I count to be the Generation of Leſinants, that love none but ſuch miſerable Huckſters, and Ingroſſers as themſelves, they will be ſure to help one another; abuſing Scripture, that to him that hath ſhall be given, and he that hath little ſhall have leſſe, an old Vſurer of the Fraternity, making his will, the Counſell finding him inclined to give all his Eſtate to a rich Nephew, that had no Iſſue, knowing that he had many poore kindred, intreated him to be mindfull of his owne fleſh and blood that were neerer allied unto him, then that rich Coſen, no ſayes hee, I muſt doe as I was do•unto, my Eſtate came unto me by fortune, and good luck, in barganing, and this Coſen is a fortunate man, I muſt favour them whom fortune favours, Concell replyed he ha's no child to leave it unto, and is72 old, what would you have him to do with it; ſayes hee, let him find out ſome rich man to make his heyre that will improve it; but what ſhall become then of the poore ſayes hee? ſayes the old Vſurer (that was going I will not ſay whither, but I can never advance Gods mercy, nor free grace more then when I think of a Pope, and a byting VSVRER) VVhat doe you tell mee of the poore, I never cared for a poore man in my life, Conſcience ſometimes ſpeakes out, there is not a greater Antipathie betweene a Spaniard and a French-man, or the Hound and the Hare, then between a rich miſerable, greedy Cormorant, and a poor man; ſuch cruell natures are no more moved with the cry of a poore man, who tells them he is ready to be ſtarved, then the Rocks are moved by the waters, you ſhall ſee him flee from a poore man, as if he had the plague, as if poverty were infectious. Like the old Churle that came twice a yeare for his Rent, an Old woman pray'd him for a Penny, away you Old Witch ſayes he, I come to receive money, not to give.
If a poore man petitions him, Oh, times are ſtraite, he has no money,Stulte hac nocte is the miſers caſe. if a rich man deſire 2. 3. 4. or 5000. l. he ſhall have all poſſible aſſiſtance to helpe him to it, ſpeake aloud, thou covetous wretch hadſt not rather lend a rich man (that has no need of money then the ſea has of waters unles it bee for the other purchaſe) 1000. l. then a poor man 10. l. to buy bread for his family, and darſt thou profes thy ſelfe to be a Chriſtian, before thou art a Morrall Man.
The Lord make our Nobles, and Worthies in Parliament, (thoſe that be truly Noble) whoſe Veines are full of Generous bloud, that are mercifull to the poor, and contribute liberally to their Neceſſities, that hate this abominable project of covetouſneſſe and oppreſſion, worſe 10000. times to the poor then that of Ship-money or Braſſe money) wiſe as Angels of light, to diſcover theſe bloody wolves, and crafty Foxes, which are yet many of them in Sheepe-skins, not uncaſed, but hug themſelves, in the contemplation of their riches; and being found out to be diveſted and denuded of all publique Imployment in the Kingdome, it being moſt unfit that they ſhould be honored by the Kingdome who are the greateſt reproach and diſhonor of it, though I rather pity, then envy them, there caſe is, Thou foole this night &c. ſome of them which have compounded, and quietly enjoy their eſtates; ah, what a ſad thing is it to think, that poore men ſhould pay their Compoſitions; now poor Tennants, and others are arreſted, by ſcores for Old Debts, ands32 Rents upon extremities, when they could keepe no Cattell in the grounds, for feare of plundring, but ſaies the Old miſer, I muſt pay many thouſand pounds to the Parliament, and muſt get it up again; I profes it melt's my very heart to think upon it, how happy a thing had it been, if Old Vſurers and griping Landlords, which have been Delinquents had been Ordered upon their compoſitions, to have releaſed and diſcharged all poor men, which were not able to pay them, at leaſt to have provided that they ſhould not preſently caſt ſuch poore wretches impriſon, ſpecially If a poor man have been well affected to the Parliament, and ſtands any wayes ingaged to a Compounder, oh, ſayes he Il'e be ſure to be revenged on that Round head, juſt like the Devill, that becauſe he cannot hurt the Divine Majeſty, he vents his malice againſt Gods people, becauſe the Parliament is out of his reach. Therefore the poore man that honors, and prayes for them, ſhall be ſure to feele the ſmart of his diſpleaſure how Cordial will poor mens obedience be, to the ſupreame Juſtice of the Kingdome, and every other Court, when they ſee that their miſer••le condition is taken into their ſpeedy and moſt ſerious conſultation tell not me, the Kingdome is not yet ſetled to make proviſion for all poore people that none be famiſhed, is the firſt ſtep to the happines and proſperity of this Kingdome. And the firſt thing to be done in right reaſon.
Neither can the King, Parliament, nor any ſubject be truly happy without this, he that can feaſt when his Neighbours want bread, is rather a De ill then a man, he is no Politician that ſayes there is any thing of ſuch abſolute neceſſity, as to provide bread for the poore, without this we are undone, King, Lords, Commons, Army, Aſſem-City, Country, Miniſters, People, all undone every Mothers Child of us will be undone, for if the poore be famiſhed to Death, God will never bleſſe the rich in this Kingdome, but I am confident God will bleſſe this nation, and therefore the poore ſhall one way or other bee provi•ed for, I hope the worke of reformation will be glorious in this Kingdome, it is now in the hands of the noble reformers, and refiners, and when the reformers are vertuous and religious men; all the Divills and their ſollicitors cannot hinder a bleſſed reformation, the ſword is the moſt uſefull ſervant, that Lady juſtice hath, without which never was the yoake of oppreſsion broken in any Kingdome, and where the noble ſenators, Gowne men74 and ſword men, are good men, I meane mercifull men, for that expreſsion in Scripture, that for a good man paradventure one may dye, is ment, a charitable man that ſayes what is mine is thine, not the righteous man that ſayes what is mine is mine, and what is thine is thine, much leſſe the covetous miſer that ſayes what is thine is mine, and what is mine is my owne, good Chriſtians & eminent for cheap and ſpeedy juſtice, that Reformation muſt needes be glorious; In confidence whereof I ſhal humble aquieſce, beſeeching God to bleſſe and proſper his owne workes (for hitherto he hath done all) in the hands and indeavours of thoſe Noble truſtees, that every owne in this Kingdome may have his due, and thoſe that have inſtrumentally ſaved the Kingdome, eſteemed as elder brothers, with a double portion; and every poore Man, Woman. and Child, to have bread and cloathes to preſerve them from hunger, and ſterving, in this deare yeare whereof there was never ſo much danger, which God grant; no period — better then prayer, therefore here I caſt Anchor ▪ and ſubſcribe my ſelfe my ſelfe: