not thankvvorthie Therfore I vvold not conceale that thing vvhich I thought moste auaylable to the accōplishing of the happie fuccesse intended in that acte but haue set forth in our vulgar tong the whole regimēt and gouernment of the Pouertie vvritten in the latin tong by a great lerned doctour of Theologie of our time D. Andreas Hyperius no lesse wisely orderly than learnedly and charitably A vvorke very necessary for the magistrate and profitable for the subiect and as it may serue to direct the one in administring of the said act so wil it teache the other to think vvel of the procedings VVhich maner of regiment if any do think vnpossible to be executed in such sort as this godlie mā hath prescribed they are much deceiued For vvhy may it not if vve vvil be circumspect diligent and vvilling as vvel be brought to perfection in this realme as in any other Nay why may it not as vvel be generally folowed in al parishes townes cities vvithin this realme as it is in one town corporate vvhich I vvil for their commendation name euen the tovvne of Newarke situate vppon the riuer of Trent in the countie of Nothingham I leaue it to be farther enquired of Great prouision and a large collection is also made for the poore in this citie of London but yet belike ther lacketh some peece of this good regiment For beggers and diseased people do both vvalke and lie in the stretes and other vnmeete places vvhich thing is both lothsom and lamentable A redresse may easily be accomplished by the order of this booke being assysted by the authoritie of the sayde acte Novv to the ende Right reuerend father that this treatise of that learned diuine mighte be the better accepted of our countrey men I thought it good to assygne your Lordshippe to be his patrone For to vvhome coulde I more safely committe this learned laboure of his thā vnto one vvhiche both loueth and is himselfe singularly learned To vvhome might I better commed so vvorthy a minister of gods church than to a godly Byshoppe VVho doth better deserue the dedicatiō of this booke thā he that hath deserued to be high Almener to so liberal a prince Yea vvho is better able both to defende this treatise to further the poore mens cause than he vvhose eloquence hath aduaunced him to so high dignities and vvho for his good affection tovvardes the poore is placed in the chiefe office appertayning to that businesse These and infinite other such respect haue moued me to offer vnto your Lordship this my trauaile in translating this godly treatise the vvhiche if it may be accepted of your Lordship and vvorke the effect vvhich I vvish it may among all good citizens I haue the recompence vvhiche I desyre and shal be encouraged hereafter to bring to lighte the more vvillingly my priuate labours to the benefite of the cōmon vvealth Your most humble oratour HENRY TRIPP The greatest faults escaped in printing Fol. 2. pag. 1. lin 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rede 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fol. 36. pag. 2. lin 11. 2. Thessa. 13. reade 2. Thessa. 3. Fol. cod pag. lin 22 Prop reade Prosper Fol. 56 pagin 1. lin 15. curious reade ruinous Fol. 61. pag. 2. lin 7. on reade to The Preface of the Authour TWo things specially do moue ech jodly and christian man destring the glorie of Christ and the weale publique to wish that the publique affaires of the Churche or common wealthe where he liueth may be better set in order The one is the memorie record of the gret diligēce of our elders in their good gouernmēt The other is the consideration of the greate negligence in the gouerners of our tyme in suche affayres Therfore when and as often as I call to mynde wyth howe greate fidelitie and endeuour the holy fathers oure auncesters in tymes past prouided that the poore people shoulde charitably he reléeued in euery parishe and Citie by the common almes And agayne I seacute e howe shamefully in these dayes the true pouertie is neglectéd without any care almost to releeue them These two things truly cause me not only to wishe and desyre hartily that the pouertie in our parishes and common wealth may better than they haue hitherto be bereafter prouided for but also I thinke it be houefull for me by all meanes to labour as much as in me lyeth to set foorth some order whereby we may at length remedie these present inconueniences For if there be yet any remnaunts of the Christian fayth wherein wée so muche glorie remayning if there bée any sparkles of charitie which necessarilie followeth a true and liuely fayth harboured in our breasts then truely wyll wée neuer suffer it to be thoughte that either we will not or can not persist in those vertues wherin our auncetours by reporte haue alwayes excelled when as suche as would haue their noble towardnesse where with they are endewed renoumed must not onely endeuour to match but also if it may be to surmoūt their elders in euery kinde of vertue It is a shame to boast of holy fathers and not to imitate their worthy examples For which thing Chryste vpbraydeth the Iewes who vaynely gloried that they were the children of Abraham when in no poynt they did expresse the fayth or works of Abraham Therfore in all other vertues but esecially in liberalitie towards the poore it is requisite that we frame our whole studie to followe the holy fathers whose examples wée sée commytted to writing and deliuered ouer to vs their posteritie Which thing the more readily and easily that we may in oure parishes and common wealthe perfourme I will assay to gather and set foorthe certayne fitte orders whiche partely our aunceffors were wonte to vse in reléeuing the poore and partely are suche as may for the time present honestly procure that euery Citie may foster their pouertie by their Publique liberalitie In whiche thyng bycause I shall sufficiently declare bothe my great studie in setting foorthe the glorie of God within our Churches which I wishe alwayes moste earnestly to profite yet dayly more and more in the knowledge of spirituall things and also shall expresse my godly desire to helpe the true pouertie whom no man dothe not greatly lament either that they shuld shamefully be neglected or perishe excepte his heart be altogither as harde as Adamant Therfore I trust this my labour to all honest and godly men as well gouernors of Churches as cōmon wealths shall be acceptable and thank worthy But I suppose I may with more fruicte to all good men of whatsoeuer degrée accomplishe this which I haue taken in hande if I expounds these titles in order as they followe 1 That it belongeth iointly both to the Ecclesiastically and politique gouernors to take care for the releefe of the poore 2 How many things there be in these wretched times which ought to moue vs to healps the poore 3 That euery parishe and Citie
omnibus and in the thrée other that folow And for this cause especially were the cells and consisteries in times past grauÌ„ted to the byshops And fyrste for a certaintie they did heare in them the causes of the ministers of the churche if at any tyme any suche matter dyd rise among them as ought to be referred to the bishops next they discided matters as touching the Churche-goodes and possessions as letting of lands the accountes of the vintage haruest buying and fellying of fruites and prouision of the hospitals with the whiche manner of busynesse Chrysostome Homil. in Matth. 86. complayneth that he was greatly hindered Thirdly they vnderflode the causes and quarels of the poore whiche were fostred by the churche and tooke vpon them to maynteyne or ende them as they could But where as Saint Augustine and perhaps some other bishops did sometymes permit the controuersies of other menne which are called secular to be broughte before them to the ende that eyther they myght breake of the controuersies or be some meanes to take them awaye wée must thinke that was extraordinarie and that they did it rather to cutte off contentions quickely and lauingly than to prolong them after the maner of the courtes Whiche is euidently to bée gathered out of the verie woordes of Augustine Libr. de opere monachorum cap. 29. when hée sayeth That hée is not bounde to those troubles by the precepte of the Apostle 1. Corin. 6. but that hée tooke that paynes with the comforte of the Lorde with the hope of eternall lyfe and that he myghte bryng foorth fruite thoroughe pacience because there wanted some other to susteyn that labour Hereby I trust it may be known from whence wée haue borrowed the reasons and groundes of our counsell when wée persuade the viewers of the pouertie to sit togither once euerye wéeke in some open place to vnderstande the causes and quarels of the poore soothely herein wée would haue them to perfourme the worthie office of the auncient bishops 9 We haue spokeÌ„ inough before of such as come as wayfarers Only it lyketh vs to note this that it is good somtimes to enquire whether they haue about them any letters to testifie of what behauior they be c. Which is especially expedieÌ„t to be done then when any publike danger eyther of warre or sedition or treason is feared 10 Those whom the vewers shal vnder stand to be very sick they shall prouide the they may be led or traÌ„sserred forthwith to the publike spittles if there be any in the town or citie where such conuenient discrete lodgyng the attendance of women the counsel of Physitians shal be so redily prepared that euery one shall séele theyr present comforte and reléefe and shall beholde euery one about them very carefull for their health and recoucrie But being recouered lette him not tarie long there neyther let him colour his sleuth with a counterfait disease But in suche places as there is no spittle there the viewers shal prouide that the diseased lying in their owne houses may with al charitie be looked vnto eyther of their owne wyues or other women but especially widows wel stricken in age And that al things that the poore haue néed of may the better be prouided it behoueth especially in great cities that a stipend be appointed of the common boxe to a physition an apothecarie a chirurgian a barber a midwife and women to giue attendance c. 11 The vewers do vnderstand that it is a parte of their office to send the aged persons that haue néede to be cherished in the gerontocomies or houses appoynted for the aged or to procure otherwise that they may receyue in tyme all things necessarie for this life for they only do thoroughly vnderstande the state of euery of the pouertie 12 Wée may well vse the same rule towarde them which are from riches brought to pouertie if they come to vs from other places which we sayd was to be vsed towardes strangers wayfarers For it is expedient for many causes to exact of them publike letters by the whiche they maye be credited for the reporte of theyr mysfortune whiche did befall them But there néedeth a singular prudence to search out those citizens whiche being borne of honeste parentage dare not for shame bewraye their lacke suche as are often to be found in the citie and many of them deseruing no blame whom without great sin we may not let passe so long till either they perish with famine or for necessitis be prouoked to do some wicked act Therefore where any suche is suspected the viewers withoute delaye shall sende for their neyghbors or some that are nere in kinred to them or their creditoures of whom they haue marked that they dayly haue receyued some things but neuer paying any mony of whom they shall narowly enquire of all their whole estate And for these mens sakes the preachers shal otherwhiles signifie out of the pulpit that this is the godly desire of the vewers that if there be any shamefast or bashefull pouertie that they will not hencefoorthe doubt priuily to vtter their lacke to any of the worshipfull ministers of the Churche or to what trustie frend they please which may make report after to the viewers Moreouer the viewers hauyng intelligence of the matter shall endeuour that suche as are priuily oppressed with lacke may priuily be reléeued Neyther shall it gréeue the viewers themselues to visyte sometymes the houses of those Cyttyzens not as to distribute Almes but vnder pretence to doe some other busynesse For as muche as they blushe to aske any thyng openly so much ought the viewers blushe to giue any thing to them openly But who is able to comprehend in wordes al things which might be here heaped togither for good causes For there are many craftie and subtill pouertie who studie onely howe to deceyue and by all meanes to begyle other and to wrest an almes from eche man But when we set foorth these things suche as they be we are persuaded that plentifull occasion is giuen howe to inuent many other fitte for this businesse Neither can these to say the truthe be so exactly once discussed but that it is néedefull daily to meditate newe deuises according to the diuersitie of places times and persons Finally the very vse of things and the continuall practise of the businesse dothe teache by little and little these things which none is able before to prouide or explicate in words But none can iustly by any meanes disalowe this diligence in serching True it is that Chrysostome hath set foorth an Homilie de non scrutandis curiosâ—… pauperibuâ— that the pouertie ought not curiously be searched But Chrysostome framed his Oration to mollifie the hearts of certayne couetous men which pretended a search to the end they might giue nothing at all we haue propounded a searche not that we might not giue any thing but the whatsoeuer we haue once decréed to giue we might
to the ouerseers and not only their néede but also their modestie faythe honestie and what soeuer vertues or vices remayne in them If any of the pouertie be so vndiscrete that whatsoeuer money they receiue they are not ashamed straight waye to waste and consume it priuily with quaffing or like vnhonest meanes it shall be beste to giue them no money at all sith it is vnto them as a baite or instrument of wickednesse but according to the proportion of their money allowance it shall be prouided that they may haue after a certayne waight or measure for euery day frō one place bread from an other meate from the thyrd drinke and from other places other things necessary hauing a bill or tallie giuen them for the prouision of euery thing and what soeuer these do receyue in that sort would be paide and discharged euery wéeke for sundrye causes Let vs adde this also it is necessarye that these kind of mē or women be sharply admonished to repent and amend otherwise that they shall be sure not to escape the rod of correction or goe vnpunished 3 That which we haue nowe sayde of the prodigall and such as sinne maliciously we woulde haue also to be vnderstood of such as are out of measure negligent and carelesse of all things not knowing howe to vse that which they get or is giuē them and vtterly ignorant howe to guyde theyr householde it is certayne that many suche are often to be found If any do lacke the counsell of other these truly ought most of all to be vnder ouerséers tutors as are childrē Therfore the officers shal neuer suffer any money to come in their fingering 4 It is also warelye to bée prouided that as many as are susteyned by the common almes excepte the sicke and féeble alwayes may haue some worke to occupy them which we shewed before was néedfull Wherfore before either occasion to worke or to gayne do faile them it behoueth the ouerséers to goe vnto and to admonish euery riche Cittizen sometimes also the common counsell and senate that they procure them some work either priuate or publike as to dresse the walles of the cittie to clense the trenches or ditches to repayre or amende the publique edifices which are curiouse and suche lyke 5 Furthermore once euery wéeke or where there is a great multitude twice the vewers or stewardes shall sitte togither in certayn houses in some publike chamber or place sitte for the state and countenaunce of a counsell to heare and vnderstande the causes quarels requests and suites of the poore which by their coūsell and ayde they shall endeueure so to frame and set in order that they suffer no man to depart cut of their presence sadde or miscontented For otherwhiles some sodein casualtie maketh that a poore man hath more néede than he had ere while one hath some of his household tying sick another hath a wife traueling in child birth or deliuered lacking cherishment another lacketh some handy worke wherof he was wont to be occupied gaine some thing in fine this man is in debte to the Phisition another to the chirurgian another to the midwife c. Therfore all these must be heard courteously and be releeued as farre as the substance of the treasurie wil permit In like manner if any be founde to abuse the publique allowance to leese the money whiche they receyue at game or to wast it at bibbing to pamper themselues in idlenesse without cause or to refuse to worke to rage cruelly at home with hys wife and children or to rayle and often moue dissention among the neighboures the ouerséers shall call for thē to the same place and shall seuerely rebuke them in the presence of all that sit there shal warne them to amend and returne into the right way and otherwhiles shall depriue them for a space of some part of the allowance which they were wont to receyue Prouided alway that in the meane tyme it shal be lauful for the ministers of the churche the Senators yea and for euery citizen to come to this session or court of the viewers as often as it lyketh them and not only to marke with what discretion integritie and trust the viewers speake and do eche thīg but also if they think any thing worthy to be ordained or changed aperteining to the commoditie of any of the pouertie priuatly or to the vtilitie of the whole businesse they may modestly and gently declare it wherof the vewers themselues at their discretion may afterwardes deliberate and define or if the matter so require may reserre it to the Senate and churche rulers to the ende that béeyng honest and profytable it may haply be finished by publyke authoritie These cautions are generall now we will adde certaine that are speciall to the sundrys sortes of pouertie But bycause wée haue explicate manye things belonging héereto in the place where wée entreated of searchyng and discernynge of the pouertie therefore wée wyll here be more bréefe 6 As touching widdowes especially the yonger sort the vewers shall narowly examine whether they lyue in good name chastely and sobrely If any lyue otherwyse those they shall rebuke seuerely in the open session wherof we haue spoken and not without deserts also shall spoyle them of the benefite of the almes for a season Whiche thing is therefore expedient to be done fyrste to make them abhorre and be aferde to sinne and if any haue sinned to make them repente and also that the ryche menne maye not complayne that their liberalitie is euill bestowed and reporte that harlots and all naughtypacks are maynteyned by the publique almes 7 The vewers shall oftentimes carefully enquire of Orphantes and suche children with whome and howe they are brought vppe and instructed The whiche thing that they may the more diligentlye perfourme it shall not gréeue them some times at some sette time of the yeare to vewe one while the scholes an other while the craftes mens shops to whome the orphants were sent to learne that they may iudge of their profiting or corruption and prouide betymes howe to remedy those which haue bin neglected or are of themselues stowe and dull 8 Moreouer the vewers must vnderstande that it apperteyneth to their offics with all diligence to mainteyne or to further the causes as well of the widdowes as Orphantes if they haue any matter to be pleaded in the place of iudgemente before the Iudges beséeching the ministers of the Churche to entreate the lawyers to healpe to maynteyne the cause the Iudges to be fauorable according to the commaundement of God the whiche office the Byshops did once take vppon them at suche time as they were the general tutors and ouerséers of al the youertie as witnesse sundrye Cānons repeated in diuers councels and namely Can. 12. of the councell of Matispon the 2. which was holdē about the yeare 580. Item certayne rescripts of byshops are extant to the same effect Distinct 87. Can. licet