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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	appear_v	common_a	great_a	350	4	2.1119	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93715	A modest plea for an equal common-wealth against monarchy. In which the genuine nature and true interest of a free-state is briefly stated: its consistency with a national clergy, mercenary lawyers, and hereditary nobility examined; together with the expediency of an agrarian and rotation of offices asserted. Also, an apology for younger brothers, the restitution of gavil-kind, and relief of the poor. With a lift at tythes, and reformation of the lawes and universities. All accommodated to publick honour and justice, without injury to any mans propriety, and humbly tendered to the Parliament. By a lover of his country in order to the healing the divisions of the times.	Sprigg, William, fl. 1657.	1659 (1659)	Wing S5078; Thomason E999_11; ESTC R203651	64,567	117

younger Sons of our Gentry which though a digression yet being not altogether impertinent to our present strain I shall make bold to insert it An Apology for younger Brothers IT hath been a long received custome in this Land or at least of as ancient date as the Norman Monarchy that notwithstanding the elder Son obtains the whole inheritance yet to bestow a generous and liberal Education on the younger in which considering the circumstances of those times together with the complexion of their Government I find no cause wherefore to accuse our Ancestors of their imprudence or injustice For first the levelling of Estates hath alwayes and that justly enough been accounted altogether unsutable to the Majesty and gaudy splendor of Monarchical Government which hath sometime though falsly been supposed not onely the most absolute and perfect form but that which by long experience hath been found most sutable to the Genius or humour of the English People the interest of which Government is rather to have large publick Revenues with a vast stock of Preferments wherewith to gratifie the ambition of the more ingenious part of the Gentry who have nothing to rely on save what they can purchase in the favour of their Prince Nor was Antiquity herein deceived for when the greatest part of the Nation by this means reap their chief subsistence from the publick Revenues of the Commonwealth and favour of the Prince in whose sole dispose they are and on whom for this cause they look upon as their common father and indeed to whom they have greater obligations then to their own Parents there appears little probability how the Pillars of such a Government should be easily shaken whose basis is founded on the interest of so great a part of the Nation to defend it with the utmost peril of their lives and blood Nor have we more reason to accuse our Ancestors of impiety or injustice then imprudence since heretofore so great and ample were the publique Revenues that a younger Son could either in Church or State by the wings of his own industry or merits have raised himselfe to as high a pitch of honour and fairer fortunes then those of his elder Brothers birth-right so that to be the first-born was scarce a priviledge except to such as wanted worth to advance them Wherefore while the Church and Court were open with their large train of preferments to entertain the more ingenious of the Gentries younger Sons and Monasteries to intombe those of a less Mercurial Genius there was little reason for commenceing this complaint for this I am compelled by the violence of truth to confess in defence of the ancient Constitution of the Laws and Government of this Nation that whatever were their other faults they were not injurious to younger Brethren till after the sale of Church-Lands and the abrogating those many preferments that were their former inheritance This was the former state of the Nation in which if younger Sons were debarred a share in their Fathers inheritance they might receive an ample compensation from the Church their Mother whose joynture was no less then two thirds of the whole Land so that they might seem rather own'd as the only Children of the Common-wealth and honourably maintained at the publick charge thereof then difinherited by the unkindness of the Laws A Generous Education was then a sufficient portion which is now for want of sutable employment become a curse instead of a blessing serving to no other end then to discover if not augment their misery so much is the scene of things changed since Hen. 8. spoiled the Church of her Revenues and by consequence these of the fairest part of their Inheritance and yet nothing of the rigor of the Antient Laws are herein abated towards them It is not my intention God knows my heart to speak a word in approbation of those superstitious uses to which any Abby or Bishops Lands were heretofore imployed but with reflection on those good and pious to which in the opinion of some they might have been converted Nor is it the design of these discourses to retrive Ecclesiastical promotions or demonstrate a necessity of rebuilding the things we have so lately destroyed but rather to show how unsafe and injurious it would be to establish and fix a Commonwealth upon the ruines and tottering foundation of a decayed Monarchy nor do I blame the prudence of our late Reformers that unhorsing the pride of the Clergy and putting down the Hierarchy they rather sold then reserved in a publique stock the Revenues of the Church by reason it may seem more safe for a Commonwealth to keep nothing may incourage an invasion of its liberty or become the reward of usurpation and Tyranny onely I could wish that since the Reason and Circumstances of our Laws are quite altered we might not still build on old foundations and intail the whole Land on a few Proprietors or elder Brethren to the exclusion and utter ruine of the greatest part of the Nation and contrary to the interest of a free State or Common-wealth I dare not charge all our late changes and many burnings in the ballance of affairs on this account though I cannot but observe that our times have rung more changes been tuned to more different instruments and ran through several forms of Government than were from the time of the Norman Conquest known before to which how much the discontent and poverty of our Gentry may have contributed I know not but Solomon saith Oppression will make a wise man mad I am sure the younger Brothers are by far the greater number and through Natures curtesie commonly as rich in intellectual endowments as poor in fortunes and being by the Tyranny as affairs now stand of Law and custome debarred sharing in their Parents Estates to which they conceive Nature equally intitles them with their elder Brother it s no wonder if they desire to interrupt the Peace and Tranquillity of the Commonwealth since by the shakings thereof they may probably root themselves in fairer fortunes then from its peace and settlement they may with reason expect and that which arms their discontent with fit weapons for revenge and renders them more formidable is their generous Education for certainly it s of very unsafe and dangerous consequence to qualifie such for great and noble undertakings that are Heirs to no other fortunes then what their valours can purchase with the ruine of the Commonwealths Peace and Government Therefore had those that made the publique Revenues a prey to their Ambition also drunk up those streams of bounty by which the Schools and Universities are fed and maintained and so taken away the means as well as the incouragement of liberal Education they had better consulted the Peace though not the honour of the Nation for so long as these are open if not better ordered I doubt there will be Vipers hatched to eat through the wombe of Government by which they conceive themselves

that desires more Now that such an Agrarian which for its proportion is submitted to the wisdom of our Senators may be introduc'd without breaking down the hedge of any mans propriety it is humbly proposed that there may be a time assigned wherein they that want posterity or a noble spirit to part with any of their wealth to their poor relations may convert their lands into a personal estate or otherwise dispose of them by reason that an excess or redundancy in that as exposed to greater casualty and hazard so is of less danger to the Commonwealth then the other which time expired that all taxes publike charges may be laid on such as have not conformed thereto til their estates be crumbled down to the common standard or due proportion that the State or Commonwealth may be declared heir and to inherit whatever beyond the just proportion of the fixed Agrarian any man shall leave unto his heir or posterity Of the Militia 2. THat at all those that have been true to and by the free expence of their bloud and treasure have purchased a share and interest in the cause God hath pleased to crown with so great success and victory may be put in posture to defend their Liberties and trained up to the use of Arms and Military Discipline in all places throughout the Land untill time shall have worn out all animosities and that the whole Nation shall become intirely united in their affections one to another and be as of one lump and then that all may be exercised in Arms that are not uncapable either through age or infirmity I need not I presume shew how commendable a thing it is for a Nation to be of a couragious and martiall spirit or how necessary they should bear their own Arms and not to put weapons into the hands of strangers or their slaves to make them their Masters and become subject to a base and mercenary Army being things so clear that he that hath but halt an eye may reade and foresee their inconveniences Of Elections to Offices c. 3. THat certain fundamental Constitutions by which both the spiritual and civil Liberties of the people may be secured be agreed on and all that expect the priviledge of vote or suffrage in Elect●ons of Knights of the Shires c. or to bear any office of trust in the Commonwealth may be sworn thereto and that men may be esteemed qualified not so much by their estates as Religion and Virtue of bearing the chief offices of trust in the Commonwealth and to this end that the qualifications according to which they are to be capacitated may be so stated and limited as to bear the access of all unworthy persons that are like to betray their trust or connive at the springings up of Usurpations Tyranny and Oppression and by reason the Elections of Parliament men are at present managed with so much tumult and noise that the more sober and modest people are ashamed and discouraged to be present at them that the Parliament would think of some other way by Subscriptions in each Parish or the like less subject to popular tumults in which the more rude and violent carry it from the more discreet and sober not so much by plurality of voices as by noise and violence being as commonly managed more like an Assembly met to choose the Lord of a Whitsun-Ale then Knights of the Shire As also that none may be trusted with more power then God hath furnished them with a capacity to understand and abilities to administer without stain to the reputation of the Commonwealth and therefore that no Apes in purple or Asses with golden Trappings may be admitted to sit and bray upon our Tribunals and Seats of judicature to bring Authority into contempt and disgrace But that every one may carry their own brains and not understand their Places by Proxy or have the Orbs and Sphears of their understandings turned about and governed by a mercenary intelligence as is the Custome of some Reverend Mayors by their Learned Recorders c. I confess here to fore for the encouragement of Trade there might be some Reason of endowing Corporations with large priviledges but since all Trades have been overstock'd the case is much altered It might also be more the interest of Princes to trust a good share of power in the hands of sheepish and tame Citizens that are content not only to pay dearer for their honour but also depend more upon their will and humour then those that better understand themselves Whereas the interest of a Commonwealth is to employ such as are less flegmatick and more mercuriall of greater spirit prudence and activity for the management of their several Trusts and Provinces then are usually found among such as have had the advantage of no better Education then their Trades or known other Academy then their Shops or Exchange Of Rotation LAstly That there may be such an equal Rotation of all Offices of Trust and Places of power that all that are capable may alike taste of Rule as well as subjection By reason that fixed powers like standing waters are apt to corrupt and stink in the Nostrils of the people The Conclusion MAny other things might have been proposed but not knowing what Reception will be given to what hath already been said I shall at present for bear I have not presumed to chalk out any particular modell referring that to the wisedom of our Senators that are best able to determine thereof And were they pleased to borrow light from any others apprehensions there are not wanting whose thoughts and Pens having been well traversed on that Subject may better expect that honour then I My designe being only to propose some Fundamental things that may lay a firm Basis for an equal Common-wealth to be founded on leaving the form and superstructure thereof to be erected by the hands of our Master-builders which through the blessing of God have never miscarried in any of their Heroick Undertakings And whatever others may think of the designe of these discourses I am so well satisfied in my own breast that I think I may be bold to say it is that God hath signally owned and what his people the good people of this Land are by a spirit of faith strongly carried forth in expectation of Certainly such a Common-wealth as is here pleaded for is the best and most happy of all Governments is the best and most religious of all Causes and whatever of Religion is pleaded against it is either of ignorance or malice for what detriment can this bring to Religion Is it because a mercenary Ministry is more holy more acceptable then one that is free or to preach for hire be better then out of zeal and conscience or is a Clergy taken from the meanest of the people more holy more righteous then the heads and Princes thereof Is not the first-born as acceptable as the younger Brethren How then may