quoth our Hoste but that prooueth not that they aâ—e woorth fiftie points sauing vnto him that were as mad to â—uy them of you as you bought them at their hands that sâ—lde them vnto you But or you méet with any such chapman I beléeue you will be weary of kéeping them With that Pieâ—ce began to be half offended Neighbour Pierce quoth our Hoste fiue pound is a small matter betwéen vs twain you sâ—all haue it vpon your woord But as for your Books héer dâ—elleth a Lady not far hence carie them to her for they are fâ—r fet and déer bought and such things men say are good for Ladies ¶ Pierce findeth it strange that men should pay so â—eer for things which in their hands are so vile and little woorth as concerning their return Chap. 3. NEighbour Simon quoth Pierce I can put vp that mock at your hands for I knowe ye meane me no euil but good therby but verily me thinketh it standeth hardly with their existimation that will be holden and termed woorshipfull yea honorable to take so extremly for things wherof no better returne is to be made yet must wée pay them with great attendaunce with cap in hand and all reuerence Great reason quoth our Hoste for they are woorshipfull and right woorthy of all those duties Then haue I béen in an errour a long time quoth Pierce for I haue alwaies hetherto thought that woorship and honor had stood in geuing not in taking in helping reléeuing and dooing good and not in their contraries and this séemeth vnto mée both reasonable and also common experience for we honor God at whose hands we receiue all goodnes and therfore properly vnto him is all honor and woorship due and vnto men but so far foorth as they approchen vnto God in qualitie of vertue iustice mercy and other goodnes wherfore in all reason he ought to be moste honorable and woorshipfull that dooth the moste good and vnto the greatest number for surely in my discretion the woorship and the gaine ought to bée deuided and he that gayneth or is reléeued and is holpen ought to honor and woorship him by whom he gayneth is holpen and reléeued for otherwise why dooth the Seruant woorship his Maister and not e conuerso Neighbour Pierce quoth our Hoste our honorable reuerend forefathers with great wisdome and discretion assessed these Fées and charges and that for the great zeale and looue which they bare vnto Godlines and vertue and to the persons quallified therwith With P that ierce clapped his hand vpon the boord I make God a vow quoth hée whatsoeuer he was that first praised a shéet of paper with twelue lines written therin at eight pence nay at xij pence for I am sure I haue CC. that cost me after that rate he was neither fréend to godlynes ne vertue to God neither to good man or woman Neighbour Pierce quoth our Hoste this is but the errour of your Iudgement and that shall appéere vnto you so euidently that your self shall confesse that these fées and charges which you â—hink so great and so exccessiue had so great reason in their beginning as that greater had neuer any ciuil ordinance or coÌ„sâ—itution Whether yée will regarde the honor and glory of Gâ—d or the preseruation of the common Welth which chéefly deâ—endeth therupon That séemeth wunderfull strange vnto mâ— quoth Pierce that in such extreme taking and so small rendring there should lye hidden so great mistery of good meaning and therfore gladly would I heare your reasons therupon Very well Neighbour Pierce quoth hée then I will take in hand to prooue it vnto you which I trust I shall doo sufficiently if I can prooue these are no proper nor priuate gain or proffit but a publique and a common treasure to the ease and reléef of the whole common welth and of the best and godliâ—st Members of the same yea verily quoth Pierce very well quoth our Hoste ¶ Simon approoueth their great Fees and charges as things ment to be a reward and nurishment of Knowledge learâ—ing and Vertue and punishment of vngodlines and vice and therfore true and iust Chap. 4. FIrst I think yée will graunt quoth hâ—e that Maiestrates and Officers are the Deputies and Liuetenaunts of GOD héerin Earth high and honorable for that they are â—n very déed the hand and mouth of the Lawe and in fewe and plain woords the speaking aâ—d woorking Law for by them the law commandeth and forbiddeth So that their end and purpose is that God may be honored and glorified good and godly People cherished shorâ—ly that peace and concord may be maintained I graunt you all this quoth Pierce you will graunt quoth hée that she way and meane to woork all these things is to punish and chastice the wicked and the vngodly and to giue as little fauour vnto sinne as is possible that is very true also quoth Pieâ—ce Yée will graunt quoth our Hoste that the wayes and meanes to punish sinnes and wickednes are diuers according to the qualitie of the offence as some by death some by other punnishment of the body greater or smaller And that there is also a pecuniall punishment by the pursse as by fine and ransome and such like I graunt you all this quoth Pierce You will graunt me also quoth hée that all punishments are gréeuous vnto the sufferers therof neither are or ought to be pleasant vnto the dooers and executors That is very true also quoth Pierce except they be wicked persons both the sufferer and the executor Then quoth our Hoste séeing all punishments are fearfull and gréeuous vnto the sufferer therof no pleasure but rather sorrowe and gréef of hart vnto the executors therof such and so must néeds be the first causes and occasion therof That is very true quoth Pierce You know quoth our Hoste that the causes and occasions of punishment is sin wickednes and misgouernment of life for the woord of God telleth vs that the reward of sinne is death All that is very true quoth Pierce Very well then quoth our Hoste these Propositions which you haue graunted doo suffise for the matter which I haue taken in hand to prooue which is that these great Fées and charges were neuer ment nor yet are receiued or conuerted into priuat or proper vse I pray you Neighbour quoth Pierce let me heare how it is prooued for I promise you faithfully for any thing I haue yet heard your prooues are farther to fet You know quoth our Hoste that the nature of the vngodly is to be quarelous and contencious and dayly prouoking one an other and also to take no wrong and do no right That is very true quoth pierce You know quoth our Hoste that the common weapon wherwith they wil be aueÌ„ged vpon eche other is the Law which indéed is the Magistrate as ye haue already graunted so that vpon the matter hée is made the executor of their wilfunes and vengeaunce which they will néeds
x.l. and behinde him was trussed a fat Buck which he presented vnto the Gentlemen by one of his seruants To be short he was willed â—o come in to the M. into a close little Parlor whether were called also this olde farmer and I my self whom it pleased hiâ— to vouch safe all curtesie and humanitie both in this and also in other matters so that only we foure were there sauing a yong man attendant vpon his person This doon the Gentleman began fréend quoth he what accusation doo you bring against this poore man pointing him to the Farmer Sir ê™ he none I doo not know the man No quoth the Gentleman except ye can accuse him of euel ye haue already condemned your self therof and would doo me Why so sir quoth he Mary Sir quoth the Gentleman for he cannot be guiltlesse of euil that séeketh the destruction and death of a guiltlesse man Sir quoth the fellowe ye charge me wrongfully I neuer sought any mans death Sir quoth the Gentleman he that séeketh to take away the sustenaunce of a mans life that man say I séeketh his death that by so much a more cruel mean as it is a more cruell and fearfull death to starue of hunger or colde then it is to be quickly and readily dispatched and murthered and so soon rid out of pain Ye haue quoth hée desired to take this poore mans farme from him béeing his only stay and haue so bidden for it that I know he may not liue but in extreme misery if he take it at your hands Sir ê™ he yée are the first great purchaser that euer I heard of this opinion I haue six Farmes quoth he taken all after this maner at their hands that doo think them-selues both wise and woorshipfull yet was there neuer put vnto me such a problem as this by any of them yet drink In C. â— a yéer by them aboue all charges Fréend quoth the Gentleman other mens dooing are no president vnto me further then they stand with my dutie vnto God and with the discharging of my calling for he hath bidden vs by his prophet to stand vp and enquire after the olde waies and if they be good then to goe in them or els not which béeing spoken generally vnto all estates how much more vnto them of my calling and therfore admitting that such hard extreme dealing might stand with the dutie of euery priuat person either vnto God or vnto their Cuntry and common welth or els with their owne assuraÌ„ce-which I vtterly deny yet could it not stand with my dutie nor of any man of my calling First for the priuat person to reproue that such extreme dealing staÌ„deth not with his dutie towards God of his â—â—mandements dâ— manifâ—â—ly prooâ—â— wherin he so straightly commaâ—â—â—eth vnto vs â—hâ—re is loue benignitiâ— one towards an other wtout the which maÌ„ dare not â—ay â—haâ— hée looueth God whom he neuer saw neither thâ—â— he hath any faith now what loue or â—harâ—tie in there in him that letteth vnto his Neighbour a lease of hunger â—â—nt â—ll misery calametie so â—hole â—â—th ytâ—â—n which God forbad to doo vnto the Oxe The next to witâ— it standeth noâ— with his dutie to the common welth the very woord coâ—â—â— welthe doth sufficiently showe for if a man liue in the coÌ„mon-welth he must haue some of the ioyes and fruits therof or els it is to him no common welth namely traueling and laboâ—ring sore therin neither wil he that a man bearâ— any good wâ—l toward that common welth wherin the ioyes and sorowes welth wee are so vnequally deuided and this standeth noâ— with the assurance of the common welth which increaseth by the vniâ—ie looue concord falleth â— decayeth by their â—on â—aryeâ— These the two first béeing prooue 〈◊〉 resteth 〈◊〉 to pâ—ooue that such extreme taking exacting standeth all with thâ— assurance of the very partie himself euery priuate mans câ—se this séemeth stranger and harder to prooue then the resâ—due hath béen but it is not so namely vnto him that goeth with the Prophet Dauid into the house of God therâ—â—nquiâ—eth therof for there hee shall plainly vnderstand that all is â—ot cleerly gotten that is put into the pursse for I my selfe haâ—e known a number quoth he that haue raised iiij times double the reuenues that their ancesters liued welthily woorshipful vpon yea and before their death would fain haue solde land if they had had any The cause wherof is for that God who is not pâ—esent nor called to councell in such extreme taking wil neuer be present nor giue counsel or aduise in the bestowing 〈◊〉 spending of the same either to his honor glory or els to their owne benefit but giueth them ouer to delight in vile and vaine pleasures and to be gainfull and benâ—ficiall vnto the Ministers of voluptuousnes and sensualitie and flatterâ—rs whose fréendship endeth when the tap leaâ—â—th running and when strange and â—â—â—uelous vnto you I will tell you another matter which is an true as this and of mine own experience also I pray you let mée heare Neighbour â—uoth Pierce ¶ An other tale by the Hoast of a yong Gentleman that had morgaged his Land comming to an other great Officer of the Law to whome hee offered to sel his land of whome hee had great comfort Chap. 16. IT fortuned an other time I was in Kent also at the house of an other great and rich Officer towards the Laws where I had occasion to soiourne certain daies during which time there câ—me thether a yong geÌ„tleman to offer his Land to sel and made an offer therof vnto this man in my presence vnto whome this Woorshipfull Lawyer spake in this maner Wherfore wil you fel your Lands quoth hée béeing an ancient possession and a fair liuing Sir quoth this yong man I am fallen into great det comming to my Lands before I was wise and haue morgaged any Land for two hundred pound which except I come within these ten dayes I vtterly lose any Land You haue brought your self into great extremitie quoth this Gentleman how be it to â—el your Land mée think a very â—arâ— remedie therof and great pittie if any other way mightie taken for 〈◊〉 that â—â—lleth away his Land felleth away his best and moste assured Frâ—â—â—d Besides that to sel away namely his â—â—cient Patremony and which hée neuer â—ought â—is both shamefull and slaunderous as to haue disherited deâ—â—â—yâ—â— his name house familie which is an odious thing â—t be thing which the good Nabothe the Israelite denyed thervnto the King of Israel for when Achab demaunded of him his Vineyard for as much as it was woorth God forbid 〈◊〉 the poore 〈◊〉 that I should sell thée my Fathers Inheritaunce â—éeing yet but a poore â—iniard yet did hiâ— deâ—â—â—â—d it is the 〈…〉 may read in the old Testament how greatly God himself fauored the maâ—ntenance and preseruation of Inheritaunce possession
beare office and authoritie in your Parrish yée iâ— the whole Shire where we both dwell so that I hope from hencefoorth we shall haue great store of you and that of the greatnes of such fées and charges of sutes in Law and of the fiâ—st Assessors and the now receiuers therof ye are vtterly coâ—cluded estopped to speak or think saue in all honor reueâ—ence Doo you think so Neighbour quoth he Yea verily quoth he for you haue confessed all this your reformatioÌ„ aâ—endment to haue commen thence and look what effect it hatâ— wrought in you ye are of charitie bound to think that it hath wrought woorketh wil woork in a number mo then you and the mony that you haue or rather think that haue departeâ— from is in their hands who are treasurers therof as I haue aleaged towards the good and godly vses intents purposes that may or shall arise héerafter in coÌ„mon benefit to wit serâ—ice of the whole common welth wherin your part is as farrâ— foorth as theirs Doo you call this a mending Neighbour Simon quoth Pierce In very déed quoth he I must néeds confesse that these great and excessiue Charges and large Expences haue rebuked me haue chasticed and amended me but to say that I think or iudge it thank woorthy vnto them that haue receiued my money I say the Deuil kisse his arsse that so amendeth me or any fréend of mine for verily such amending in my iudgement deserueth asmuch and the very like thanks as did the Wife who gaue her husband two strong poisons meaning to spéed him in déed but the poysons béeing of contrary natures wrought one vpon an other and destroyed either others force wherby the man béeing hardly handled for a season yet béeing driuen into a lask by their extremitie auoyded them bothe and with them much corruption so that where before he was a very corrupt body he was by their clensings the better xx yéers after Thus she did him good by accident but far from her intent or purpose and vtterly against her will And surely they that take so excessiuely of me and of others our money by that kinde of punishment amend and refourme vs I holde them woorthy as much thank therfore as was this Wife at her husbands hand for his amendment which was wrought by her meane For I dare safely vndertake that for our affliction and punishment or for the dishonour of God and other vngodlynes that dependeth therupon they are as sorowful as was the parish Clark of a Town that was sore visited with the Plague who said vnto his wife vpon a day Wife quoth he if there come two corpses to day we will haue a shoulder of Mutton and a quart of Sack to supper if there come but one wée will haue a shoulder of Mutton and but a pinte of Sack Content husband quoth she And verily I think that as hartely as this good man his Wife praied for their recouery that were visited so hartely pray these for peace quietnes and the honor and seruice of God and the Godly charitable dealing and liuing of their Neighbours and Bretheren Pierce prooueth that the sufferaunce of wickednes and vngodlynes increaseth their gaine who are and should be therebukers and punishers therof and that to be the cause of great in iustice and vnrighteousnes Cap. 14. NEighbour Pierce quoth our Hoste I pray you let me further vnderstand wâ—at yée doo meane by this history for it should séem that ye haue alleadged it against mee not with standing that it maketh for me by â—he wunderfull effect which you your self â—re forced to confesse that it hath wrought vpon you I knâ—we what I haue confessed Neighbour quoth Pierce and also in what maner I haue confessed it far enough from your â—urpose or any confirmation therof And where in maintenanâ—e of these great fées and reuenues you haue alleaged that theâ— are publique and also how many and how good godly are the'ffects and fruits therof without proof made of them or oâ— any one of them either by your owne experience or by othâ—r necessary demonstration There in proof of the contrary tâ— wit that they are proper and priuate and therfore excessiuâ— and vnreasonable which is my assertion I haue brought you this proffe of mine owne experience wherby I haue sâ—fficiently shewed that the first causes of all these great gaineâ— and profits are prosecuted as I haue affirmed and not perâ—ecuted as you pretend For I haue partely shewed you héer what leaue and libertie the common people namely youth haue to follow their own lust and desire in all wantonnes and dâ—ssolution of life For further proof wherof I call to witnesse â—he Theaters Curtines Heauing houses Rifling boothes Bowling alleyes and such places where the time is so sâ—amefully mispent namely the Sabaoth daies vnto the great â—ishonor of God and the corruption and vtter distruction of youth All which I say are either the causes or the effecâ—s of these great gaines and reuenues or els both causes aâ—d effects interchaungeably For I dare vndertake that if eitâ—er these gains and profits were publique as you pretend or els if there were as great gain and proffit to the Maiestâ—ates and Officers in the godly liues and honest conuersation of the common people as there is in the contrary these haâ—bours of vngodlines misnurture would haue lesse fauour and maintenaunce then they haue and godlines Sobrietie and modestie of liues maners would be in greater estimation then they are and the honor and glory of God more aduaunced therby But alas that the honor and glory of God and the vaine glory pompe and maiestie of man cannot stand together and that one of theÌ„ must néeds fall in the others exaltation for certainly the more libertie vnto wickednes sinne and the more falling from God through the same and the more humbly complainings vnto your good Lordships and vnto your good Woorships The more Recognances for the peace and good a bearing aswel by the Godly as by the vngodly the one inuading and the other defending the more praying paying waiting attending dowking crowding courtesing procuring of fréendship by meanes bribing of his flatterer bribing of her flatterer this driueth the great welth and abundance into few mens hands For where the vngodly through misgouerment is fallen into daunger of the Law what wil he not giue to redéem his life or his infamye yea euen vnto them who were the first causes and occasions of his fall into such folly and mischaunce through libertie and not restraint of the contempt of God his Lawes and seruice which he will not fayle to measure and fully to reward vnto all libertines contemners and despisers of his maiestie and will giuen them ouer into a reprobate minde from vice to vice vntil he hath fully brought him to naught So dangerous and fearfull a thing is libertie and not restraint of the beginning of euil which
And this is the very law of kinde which can not effectually woork among neighbours of whome some are dayly or yéerly flitting and giuing place vnto new namely such as will bid more the which commonly are the wurser sorte as hath béen already alleaged These are two effects The third is the sinceritie of Iustice and also of dicipline both which it greatly hazardeth namely for the buyers and sellers are Corelatiues and that the one cannot be without the other and for that also the causes of selling spoyling of patrimonies are such as I haue already declared These things are right perillous in a common welth and yet doo almoste necessarily followe the too often and common translation of possession and inheritaunce namely where it is by peny purchase against the which neuerthelesse it is meruelous hard to foresée and to prouide I meane for heires and inheritours of Lordships Lands and possessions to continue in the same béeing things that so many desire to haue yea oftentimes such as haue in their hands the bridle of libertie or restraint of good and euill and of the liues and manners of men for what is there in all this earth so much desired as houses landes Lordships and possessions and to commaund ouer people What els is the end of all so many and great trauels watch studie so many and so great hazards by Sea and land so many shifts sleights deceits and oppressions of all which this world hath béen is euer wil be full against all which who so will holde a thing of so great value he must be well prouided and of great defence and hath néed to haue in him self the strength wisdome councell and iudgement of many and so much the rather by how much his possessioâ— is the greater and that for two causes First for that in his eâ—rour of life fall and misgouernment lyeth the fall ruin and decay of a number what of his owne blood what of his tenaunts faithfull freends and seruants Secondly for that his estate is subiect vnto many enimies of whom the greatest and moste dangerous is the flatterer the olde enemie of all mankinde as the story of our Father Adam and mother Eue and the Serpent dooth well declare This mooued Iuno as Oâ—id fableth to commit Io her Cow vnto Argus to kéep which Argus had an hundred eyes in his head and therfore much adooe had Mercury to deceiue him withall his swéet songs and Musick for when he had brought on of his eyes a sleep â—ea diuers of them yet waked diuers other and stood vpon tâ—eir ward and whether his face or his back were towards Io yet he alway beheld her ¶ A reason why Coppyholdes Customes and Corporations were first ordained and how that Pride and Flattery are the cheef causes that many a yong Gentleman commeth to sell his Lands Chap. 1â— ANd surely in mine oppinion this mooued the wise honorable fathers Maiestrates of old time to incorporat so great liuings possessions also to erect establish in Loâ—dships so many coppy holds and custummarâ— tenures as the moste soueraigne remedy against pride and surcuydrie which commonly accompanieth thâ— priuate singuler sole proprietie in land possession office or any other thing whatsoeuer also a way and meane to furniâ—h the common welth with many both able to deserue well and to doo good also glad and willing therto vnto the which pâ—ide is either the only let and impediment or els of all otheâ— the greatest as he vpon whom flattery attendeth yea and in such sorte that he leadeth him by the nose vp and down the house making him to beléeue of himself any thing causing him also to delight no while in any one thing whether it be apparell or the fashion therof place person dyet fréend seruant Tenaunt or other thing what soeuer and this as dayly experience teacheth is the high and ready way to the Vsurers house and from thence to the Extorcioner who dwelleth hard by of which twaine by that time he hath taken foorth his lesson kindely I dare be his suretie hée wil not be hasty to doo good to any good body neither if he would shall he haue wherwith all for either shall he haue no lands left him at all or if he haue any he shall be glad to let them déerer then that any honest man shall doo good thereon so that in conclusion both thâ— Landlord and the tenaunt shal be miserable The cause héerof is Pride moste and chéeftly as I haue said and oftentimes youth good nature or peraduenture excesse of Pleasure and Sensuall delights where through yong Gentlemen are often snared through euill company béeing ouertaken sometime by giuing their woord sometime through a bribe of a little present mony sometime by one deceit sometime by an other wherin men are soone pampred namely such as are of small experience and iudgement and knowe not the false lures of the wicked and vngodly against all which these Corporations and customes are of great force and a great defence for in both these cases hardly can they be assaulted much lesse inuaded by any of the enemies aforesaid First for that a corporation is neuer vnder age as for example Maior and Comminaltie Deane and Chapter Wardens and Fellowes and such like whose succession is by election their proprietie is ioynt and in common neither can one doo any thing without the rest and therfore to flatter any one of them vaine and to flatter them all very hard namely mens Natures Wit Iudgements and Affections béeing diuers and euery man willing to maintaine and prefer his owne opinion or his fréends Pride atteinteth them not for who is proud or at the least so proud of any thing wherin a number hath to commaund as much as he and without whom he can doo nothing then béeing armed against Pride the Father of necessitie and néed they are â—etter fréely to afforde their good woord or déed and therfore in vaine were it to bribe them But admit that any of them would be bribed it were also in vaine and would procure the euill will of all the rest with out bribing them all which were heauy and hard to doo So that in any competicion made vnto such persons against any olde Fréend Tenaunt Officer or seruant it is very hard to preuaile except it be through his owne great misbehauiour And where it is betwéen méere Sraungâ—rs one of them against an other there the best and moste woorthy is sure to spéed for certainly and infallible there is â—othing in all this world so amiable so beloued and fauoured as honestie vertue and godlines are Where priuate flatterie or briberie stand not in their light as in the case of priuate Owners and proprietaries I haue alleadged that it both may and often dooth And thus much of the Corporations of their effects Now to speake of the customes of Manours the very same or like in effect may be said for the Inheritour of