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
must take aduise howe they may best prouide for theyr pouertie as place and time requireth 4 That certayne fitte men must be chosen by voyces to take charge of that whole busines 5 What belongeth to those mens office 6 Whiche way the true pouertie may be discerned from the counterfaites and howe they muste be particularly searched and knowne 7 Howe the money and necessarie charges may be raysed without any great griefe to the Cittizens 8 Howe the almes must be distributed to the néedy particularely 9 It must be prouided that they which be the distributers be knowne to be faithful and trusty men whose estimation may not be empayred 10 It must be prouided that the reléese appointed for the poore when it is once wel established be alwayes after continued All the which things when we haue explicated I trust it shall appere that we haue prepared a safe and ready way for all wel disposed persons where soeuer inhabiting whose worthy minde shal be in any wise stirred to exercise liberalitie towards the poore so that they may cherefully and constantly followe it And these things we will so euidently discusse by the holie Scriptures and commentaries of the auncient fathers by the Ecclesiastical histories Synede Canons of Godlie Bishops that such men as are not too vnapte to cenceyue may without any paine learne out of this our coÌ„mentarie what is conuentent in this businesse for euery time and place ⸫ Chapter I. That it be belongeth ioyntly bother to the Ecclesiasticall and Politike gouernour to take care for the reliefe of the poore IF it may liek vs to make rehearsall from the olde ages euen vnto ours tyme of the wortheir sorte of deuout works which did shine in the holy fathers liues we shall finde them especially suche as faythfully gouerned the Churche of God very studiously bente to liberalitie towards the poore For the admirable hospitalitie of the reuerende Patriarches Abraham and Loth is very famous in the holy Scriptures Moyses the chiefe minister of the holy lawe did set foorthe many holsome preceptes for reliefe of the poore in the Churches of God at the commaundement of God him selfe Deut. 10.15 Leui. 19. c. The greator parte of the Prophets as Eâ—â—zeus Esaie eremie and other bothe in their Sermons and in sundrie their actions did euidently declare their excéeding care for the poore as long as they erecuted their office in the Church But in the new Testamente we haue plentie of worthy examples and precepts For howe many and howe swéete Sermons do we reade made by our sauiour Chryst in which he exciteth all men to minister necessaries to the néedy in which also he techeth vs how to bestow our almes well Mat 5.6.8 c How often and how many hungry people did he féde howe diligent did he shewe him selfe in healing the diseased It were too long to recken in this behalfe his mercifull pitie beautiffed by a miraculous power After Chryst the Apostles thoght that nothing did more appertayn to their office than to inuente some good meanes to cherishe the poore Acts. 4. 6. Iames Cephas and Iohn after they had conferred with Paule about weightie matters of the Gospell required this one thing of him especially that he would remember the poore brethren dwelling at Ierusalem when he came among the Gentiles among whom he was purposed to preache the Gospell Gol. 2. In which thing how greatly Paule laboured in Asia Europe Achaia Macedonia Galatia and at Covinthum Rome and else where his owns writing Rom. 15. 1. Cor. 16. 2. Cor. 8. and. 9. 0695 3 do declare The holy fathers which suceeded 0695 3 the Apostles in ruling and ouersight of the church are neuer fouÌ„d to haue reiected the charge of the pouertie from theÌ„ Their coÌ„mentaries sermons and other treatises wherof we may marke that most part of theÌ„ to haue ben published for this proper vse do playnly shew the same Peruse Tertullians Apologeticum Cap. 39. the third booke of Ciptians Epistles epist. 9. and 10 to the Ministers and Deacons and. Lib. 3. agaynst the Iewes Gregorie Nazanzen his sermon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of compassion toward the poore Many and very vehement hemilies of Chrisostome whereof many entreat wholly of the commendation of liberalitie towards the poore The summe of Christian doctrine written by Epiphanius in the last part of that work against heresies Hicromes epistle against Vigilantius or his coÌ„mentaries vpon the third chap. of Malachie the prophet sundry sermons of Anstine whereof some intreate wholly of this argumente to conclude as many of the holy fathers as haue taken vpon them any enarration of any booke of the olde or newe Testament when they hytte on any place touching the commendation of liberalitie then they stoutly mayntayne the cause of the poore And who would require of vs at this present a rehearsal of suche places which are infinite Now marke with how great diligence at all times in the Synodes and Ecclesiastical councels prouision hath bene made for the helpe of the poore The first generall councel which was among the Christians mencioned Acts. 4. was assembled to choose Deacons to distribute the almes which was gathered Afterwarde in processe of time many councels were holden wherein it is grauely and denoutly enioyned that the Churche shoulde relieue the poore helpe the widdowes orphanes diseased and impotent people shoulde erect and mayntayne Almes houses hospitals burial places and spittles Prouision also was made for the due distribution of the goodes of the Churche into foure portions whereof the one and that the greater portion was lotted to the needie people onely the other portions were bestowed in lodging straungers burying the dead and healing the diseased and it was straightly looked vnto that the goods of the Churche shoulde not be alienated or conuerted to any other vse By whiche things we may conceyue that the church of God dothe acknowledge that this office of prouision for the poore belongeth to hir as by a peculiar commission or charge from Almightie god Moreouer in the Cannon lawe very many Cannons are extant to the same effect wherof parte were collected out of the Councels which we haue mentioned but the greater parte wore borrowed from the rescriptes and answeres of Bishops out of the learned commentaries of the holy fathers aliunde as shall further appeare in our discourse In whiche Cannons that is worthy to be obserued and noted of all men which dothe so often occurre to wit that the goods of the church by a vsuall kinde of spéech are called the goods of the poore Therfore these CannoÌ„s do also declare that the churches are by a certayne right hound to norish and succor their pouertie The hystories especially Ecclesiasticall do teach vs moreouer that the gouernours of all congregations euen from the beginning after that religion began to spread it selfe somwhat at large and that Christians mighte as it were breath and recouer them selues vnder fauourable princes did with great care and fidelitie
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
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
familie or kinrede For when the treasorie of the church and the daily allowance of almes was not sufficient to susteyne all those which sought to be reléeued of the common liberalitie then necessitie inforced the godly men to bethinke them of a new aduise to ease the burthen of the parishes and cities by inducing the riche men after this forte to reléeue them in their families We reade that it was decréed of this matter in the synode at Arelas holden at the commaundement of the Emperor Carolus in the Can. 14. it is thus set foorth That euery one in the time of famine or any necessitie should relieue acording to his power such as appertayn to them bicause it is written Blessed are the mercyfull for they shall obteyne mercie and againe Giue and it shal be giuen to you remit and yours shall be remitted c. Againe in the synode at Turon vnder the same Carolus Can. 36. It is commonly enioyned to all that euery one should endeuor to nourish refresh all the pouertie appertaining to theyr familie accordyng to the season of the yere bicause it is vngodly and odious in the sight of God that they which abound in riches excéede in welth should not help the miserable and néedie people In the meane tyme the later Canons of this synode the. 10.11.16 doe playnly testisse that the poore were prouided for in euery citie and parishe of the cōmon treasorie of the church and the dayly collections among the saythfull Christians For in those Cannons it is straightly commaunded that the Byshopps shoulde haue a great care and respecte to the poore and shoulde in the presence of the elders and deacons assembled for to conferre of other matters of the Church circumspectly as the ministers of God dispose and deale them to the poors of the same parishe as euery one hath néede according to the meaning and intente of the Cannon And without doubte thys greate fidelitie and diligence of the Churche rulers in the pouerties behalfe dyd moue Charles the greate at that tyme and many other after hym that partly in France and partely in Germanie they did erecte many houses of religion and many fraternities whyche were no other at that tyme but harbourehouses for the poore and they endued them wyth greate ryches Therefore that order which was in tymes paste so constantlye kepte for the mayntenaunce of the poore to wit that euery citie and parish did foster their domesticall and home dwelling pouertie the same would now bée well put in vre agayne and euery Citie with one consente muste consulte thereof accordyng to their state and abilitie Chapter 4. That certen fit men must be chosen by voyces to take charge of the vvhole businesse BEfore all things it behoueth to choose in euery parishe and circuite certaine menne of tryed honestie whose fidelitie pietie grauitie and integritie is well knowen by whom it shal be foreséene how all the pouertie ascribed to their ciuill societie or circuits may be broughte in order whiche men must be chosen by the cōmon consent as wel of the church gouerners as the magistrates vnder which name I cōprehend al those which are put in trust in any office in citie borough or village For it is always meete the euery of these in any waightie or godly businesse shoulde lay to their helping hande And it is sufficient if in a village or streate thrée or foure bée appoynted for thys purpose accordynge as tyme and place serueth but in greater Citties it is méete that in euerye Parishe or warde as manye ouerséers be chosen And if necessitie require in a populous citie it shal be wel that foure other be set ouer the reste as of a higher dignitie and hauing the chiefe rule ouer the rest to whom the other foures which are elected in euery parish shal haue recourse sometyme to consulte wyth them and to open vnto them the harder cases whiche happen to come in question to whome also the pouertie themselues may resort and if they haue any complaintes may opē thē vnto them by whom also if néede require the other ouerséers maye be admonished and the disobedient pouertie may be corrected and punished to cōclude before them shal be pleaded and discussed all matters which appertaine to good order in the pouerties behalfe This manner of electing aproued men to take charge of the pouertie is set forth in the primatiue Churche by the Apostles themselues For all the faithfull did by al meanes laboure for that that none among them myght be séene to lacke So that such as possessed lands and houses sold them layde the price downe at the Apostles féete whiche was expedient at that time to be done at Hierusalem and not els where partely for the crueltie of the vngodly magistrates who enterprised then echewhere to robbe the Christians good from them violently and partely bycause the faithfull by the ordinaunce of God not long after shoulde fléete from thence to seeke other dwellings and to preache and plant the Gospell in sundry coasts whiche was afterward distributed faithfully to echo man and womā as they had néede Act. 4. but when that office of receyuing and laying ou agayne of the dayly charges was so trouble some to the Apostles that for it they dyd intermitte often tymes a better work to wit the preching of the Gospell and besydes many controuersies did rise aboute the daily waiting The Apostle calling the multitude togyther gaue this counsell Act. 6 It lyketh vs not inquiūt that we shold leaue the preaching of the word of God to serue tables wherefore brethren looke you out among you seuen men of honeste report and full of the holy Ghost and wisdom which we may appoint to this businesse and we wil giue our selues continually to prayer and to the ministration of the worde and this saying pleased the whole multitude and they chose seuen men which are there named The Corinthians also 1. Cor. 16. ar bidden by Paule to appoint whom they wold haue to bring their liberalitie vnto Hierusalem and again 2. Cor 8. 9. he sayth that he hath sent situs a worthie and diligent minister of the Churche and with him an other brother whose praise is in the gospell whom some geasse to be Luke some Barnabas a third man also whō he had oftē proued trustie diligent in many things these were apointed by Paule to preferre to the Corinthians the cause of the brethren which were appressed with extreme penurie at Ierusalem Therfore let it not gréeue vs to consider the example and purpose of the holy apostles and as time and place will beare followe them But whether more or lesse than wée haue spoken of must be chosen to sée to this businesse we will not greatly striue séeing the regard of the place nūber of pouertie will teache vs what is néedful to be done in it Much lesse will we contend of the names of the officers For the primatiue churche called them
them to be well prouided for The others idlenesse béeing founde out dothe make them to be brought in order and restrayne them from liuing by other mens sweat which doth redoūd to the vtilitie both of them and others For he committeth a gréeuous offence which impudētly dares craue to liue of an other mans trencher when he might get his owne liuing with his labor Moreouer it is euident that the pouertie when they are demaunded of their estate they dissemble many things slyly they forge not a fewe things impudently in the ende they open nothing but that which they thinke may auayle to moue mens hearts to pitie and to wrest from them a greater alowance of almes But all men know that not euery one is worthy to be pitied which desireth to be thought worthy And truely if euery ones tale shuld be credited as they can set it foorth you shoulde haue strayghtway suche a number of pouertie as the welthiest citie in a realme could not mayntaine or relieue Bicause therfore it can neuer be perfectly knowne by their owne report in what state they be it is not only lawful but also very néedfull to haue a more diligent view or searche But after that it is once known how great a multitude of nedie people is in the citie it resteth that it be determined with iugement defined who ought of equitie to be reléeued who to be excluded from the publike liberalitie And truly I do not sée how we may more spéedily prudently determine in this behalf than if we follow the custome iudgemēt of the old church Let vs séeke therfore what they were whō the old church did estéeme to be poore worthy of the cōmon almes We sée the cause of widdowes fatherlesse childrē strangers cōmended studiously in the first place vnto al men thoroughout the law the prophets Deu. 14.24 And Chryst Math. 25. reckeneth those which are hungry thirstie not by their owne fault or wicked will but through very penurie He reckeneth the harborlesse that is straungers he reckneth the naked the diseased the captiues In the Parable of the riche man Luke 16. Lazarus is described to be full of sores and hungry destring to be refreshed with the crummes whiche fell from the riche mans table Againe Luke 14. Chryst speaking of the poore who should be bidden to the feast nameth the féeble the halfe and the blinde Acts. 3. A certayne man that hadde bene lame from hys byrthe lying at the gates of the Temple asked almes of those that went in and of Peter who had neither siluer nor golde to giue him but he gaue him strength to walke on his feete But these are to be reckened among the sicke persons Paule the Apostle oftentimes commendeth the poore dwelling at Ierusalem but they were suche as had bene hurte with many and greeuous iniuries and had suffered themselues to be spoyled of all their goods for the profession of the Gospell of Chryste as he declareth Hebr. cap. 10. and at such time as that great famine vnder Claudius Caelar did oppresse many Prouinces but especially Iewry whiche is mentioned Acts. 11. Eusebius hist Eccl. lib. 2. cap. 8. Tertullian Apolog. cap. 39. reporteth that the collections of the saythfull were wont to be bestowed in releeuing the poore burying the dead ou children and infantes destitute of parents on men broken with age on suche as had suffred shipwracke and if any were set to work in the mines or if any were in banishment or in prison so that it were in Gods cause that is for the profession of Christian religion Dionisius the Byshop at Corinthum writing to Soter Byshop of Rome as witnesseth Eusebius hist Ecclesi libr. 4. cap. 23. sayth that it was the maner of the saythfull men at Rome from the beginning to helpe all their brethren with sundrie benefites to lot out for many churches in diuers countreis al things which they vnderstoode they did lacke to comforte eche mans necessitie by all meanes they could to minister as néede required to the brethren dispersed through the mines Therfore you sée that the Churches haue bene wonte to reléeue those which dwelt farre off and were distant from them long iorneys and among them suche as were condemned to the mines Acatius the byshop of Ameden Socrat. hist Tripar li. 11. ca. 16. was very carefull for the redéeming of captiues in the warre for whom sainct Ambrose and after him sainct Augustine were so carefull that for the deliuerie of them they doubted not to bestow the golden vessels of the Church Possidonius the bishop at Calanen hath lefte this in wryting But Ambrose in his Offices dothe yet recken other which deserue to be pitied Age and debilitie sayth he must be considered and sometimes bashfulnesse which is a tokē of a toward nature which can not presently get their owne liuing and yet either in time to come may or in time past hath In like maner debilitie of bodie muste spéedily be holpen as also if any man from riches be come to pouertie and especially not through hys owne fault but either hath loste that he had by robbers or proscription or by vniust accusations And agayne the same Ambrose in the same worke sayth Perfect liberalitie is commended by sayth the cause the place the time first that it worke among them that are of the housholde of saythe For it is a great fault if any faythful man nede thou do not supply his lacke when thou knowest it if thou knowe him to be without money and hungrie and thou féede him not if he suffer griefe and thou comfort him not specially whē he would hide it and is bashefull to vtter it if he be conuicted to the imprisoning of hym selfe or his children or vniustly slaundered and thou helpe him not if he be layde in prison and extreamely dealte withall for some debt béeing a iuste and honest man thou arte muche to blame if thou succoure him not Which wordes are borrowed from him in the Distinct 86. Cannon Consideranda and Canon Non satis est Finally we finde that such as applied the scholes to get lerning especially studēts of the scriptures whom they call Clerkes were maynteined by the publike liberalitie when they were destitute of the helpe of friendes alied to them Which Sozemenus Tripart histo Lib. 6. Capi. 7. dothe playnely signifie to haue begunne firste in the tyme of Constantinus the Emperoure when he saythe that Iulianus commaunded that what soeuer the maydes and widdowes which for penurie were reléeued among the clerkes had receiued a little before out of the common liberalitie according to the appoyntment of Constantinus should be exacted of them agayne There are extant also many cannons many rescripts of Byshops in the which the same is declared as in the Councell at Braccara Can. 25. in the councell at Calcedon Can. 3. de cōsecratione dist 5. out of the booke of the fiue chapters Cannon In omnibus also in