A briefe discouery of the damages that happen to this Realme by disordered and vnlawfull diet THE BENEFITES AND COMMODIties that otherwaies might ensue With a perswasion of the people for a better maintenance to the Nauie Brieflie compiled by Edward Ieninges ROMANS XIIII Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not And let not him which eateth not iudge him that eateth For the kingdome of God is not meate nor drinke but righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Imprinted at London by Roger Ward dwelling vpon Lambart Hill neere old Fish-streete 1590. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE SIR Charles Haward Lord high admirall of England knight of the moste honourable order of the Garter and one of her highnesse priuy Counsel Edward Ienings wisheth long and prosperous health with increase of all happinesse RIght honourable and my good Lord after long consideration had of the sundrie and great discommodities that happeneth to this Realme by the misdemeanour of diuers disordered persons contrarie to manie good commendable lawes carefully ordayned heaping harmes on our own heades thorow wilfull disobedience As a poore meÌ„ber amongst the rest lamenting this carelesse contempt I pondred earnestly in my minde what way to imploy my labour and small skill for some redresse herein to the benefit of my countrie and considering amongest manie other thinges the great harmes that happen to this realme sundrie waies by the contempt of fish and inordinate or vnlawfull expence of fleshe growing as may be supposed through want of true vnderstanding to what end the law in that behalfe made is ordained as one amongest manie muche vnable effectually to discharge so great a worke of a zealous minde I haue compiled this small treatise for the persvvasion of such as herein will be persvvaded And aduenturing to proceede with all humblenesse I haue made bold for the better publishing thereof to shroud my selfe for defence vnder the protection and fauour of your good honour as a speciall and carefull magistrate for such things as concerne the common-vvealth of this realme ordained of God vnder her Maiestie to haue the ouersight and gouernement in these affaires which concerneth moste chiefly a maintenance to her highnesse Nauie besides the sundrie and great commodities othervvaies grovving to the vvhole common-wealth Not onely needfull to be published but moste carefully also considered and remembred as by the discourse follovving shall manifestly appeare But the common sorte of people to auoyd the ceremonicall abuse heretofore vsed by obseruation of fish daies notvvithstanding the paines and penalties by the lavv threatned not onely neglecteth but vtterly contemneth the same nothing remembring the harmes that to them thereby may happen And some reason is for that no matter hath heretofore bin shewed so largely explained to persvvade them as in this my small vvorke is rudely compiled Most humbly crauing your honours fauourable patience in considering the contents thereof not respecting the rude still but my affectioned heart and minde for the benefite and safetie of my Prince and country then as vnvvorthie of such acceptation I shall finde my selfe for this small paines most bountifullie satisfied and according to dutie pray for your honorable and prosperous estate long to continue To the gentle Reader Gentle Reader haue patience to peruse The rude contentes which in me are contained My authours faultes very faine I would excuse But that they are so manifestly explayned Iudge therefore the best let rigor be restrayned Accept his heart his hand and willing minde Then all is well what fault soeuer you finde For well he meant and well he hopes t'will proue Well to perswade such as well will be content But those that well nor ill their affection can remoue My author forceth little he doth him not repent Of anie thing here done which he hath said or meant Hoping the wise of his willing minde will conceaue To whose iudgementes he that his small workes doth leaue Much more there might by argumentes be aleag'd Then are here set downe for proofe sundrie waies But by fewe thinges the wise will be perswaded Considering the contentes he seeketh no further praise But good acceptation graunt therefore no denayes And his small paine and trauell he hath spent He will right well accept and finde himselfe content FINIS CONCERNING OBEDIENCE TO THE polliticke lawes ordained by Princes Their care for the commoditie of the people The disobedient are to be punished some lavves are more earnestlier to be cared for then other some AS it hath pleased almightie God to ordaine Princes to rule and gouerne So hath hee also commanded that the subiectes should obey For confirmation whereof S. Paule in his 13. chap. to the Romanes saith Let euerie soule be subiect to the higher powers for there is no power but of God The powers saith hee that be are ordained of God Whosoeuer therefore resisteth that power resisteth the ordinance of God Hee saith further that Princes are not feared for good workes but for euâ—ill If therefore thou wilt be without feare doe well so shalt thou haue praise of the same for he is the minister of God for thy wealth But if thou doe euill feare for hee beareth not the sword for naught but is the minister of God to take vengeance on them that do euill Further he saith obey your Magistrates not for feare of vengeance onely but for conscience sake If this lessen of S. Paule were perfectly remembred there should be little cause to put so manie pennall statutes in execution as at this day there be But wee consider not besides this good lesson of S. Paule what great care studie and labour our Prince and Magistrates accompanied with the most learned of the land not onely hath but dayly doth by their earnest labour practise and deuise by sundry godly and polliticke lawes for the maintenance preseruation and continuance of y e whole common-wealth like as carefull parentes cease not to studie and labour for the education or bringing vp of their children Gently admonishing and earnestly commaunding to obserue and keepe the said good lawes and ordinances which for our owne benefites by them are so made and ordained But we like carelesse children little regarding the carefull trauell that herein by them for vs is taken looke onely to the time present satisfieng our sensuall lust and desire not remembring the dangers and damages that thereby may vnto vs afterwardes insue and so runne headlong negligently and thorow disobedienee into our owne decay contemning the princes commaundement which is Gods ordinance Wherefore diuers pennalties and punishmentes are by vertue of those lawes appointed to be laid vpon the disobedient which being executed seeme grieuous and painefull and the informer greatly abhorred and euill thought on whereas in trueth such as giue information to the magistrate of offences with an earnest desire of reformation and not only for couetousnesse ought of good men rather to be loued and commended for the life of the law is execution Therefore
a lawe made and not executed lieth dead small auaileth to the intēt for which it was made And as all pennall lawes at this day inforce appeare verie needefull to be obserued yet are some of them more requisite to be looked into for the vniuersall benefite of a common-wealth then some other for that by proofe they import matters of greater waight yet the effect not considered of they seeme of little valew Amongest which there is one a most necessarie and polliticke lawe not so much esteemed as the effect doth importe for diuers benefites that thereby may growe vnto the realme ordaine moste specially for better maintenance of the Nauie a thing earnestly to be regarded which concerneth the expence of fish and sparing of flesh And the same not onely ordayned for the sparing of flesh whereof thorow the great goodnesse of almightie God we are sufficiently furnished But for diuers and sundrie discommodities dangers and damages which thorow neglecting the times and seasons for expence of fishe not onely hath but dayly doth and will bring vpon our realme and the whole common wealth thereof except earnest reformation be had and vsed amongest the common people for whose commoditie the said law was made with a great penaltie vpon the offender And for that the greatest number of people doth not perfectly vnderstand the commodities that may grow vnto them by obseruation heereof nor the discommodities that may happen by neglecting the same neyther yet the certaine cause wherefore this lawe of abstinence is ordained For the better instruction and pesrwasion of such persons hereafter followeth certaine argumentes which concerne a reason and cause that this law amongst others ought most carefully to be obserued That although feare of the penaltie will not force them or forgetfulnes of dutiful obedience hath caused a neglegence or y e ceremonicall abuse which in times past thereby was vsed doth perswade a contempt yet a consideration had of the commodities that may therby growe the discommodities that may happen wil happily perswade such persons as beare a christian and brotherly loue to their countrie after the counsell of Saint Paul to obey euen for conscience sake considering the same doth concerne not onely their owne benefite but the benefite of their children that shall come after them Great numbers of shippes haue bene maintained by the certaine expence of fish The cause of their decay A remedie sought to repaire them againe TO this realme of England in times past belonged a strong nauie of shippes maintained chiefly by fishing wherewith the Prince and countrie were compassed for their defence as with a forcible wall the repaire whereof was very well supplied by the certaine vtterance and expence of such fishe as was taken and prouided which grewe by the obseruation of suche daies as was appointed for the abstinence from fleshe and eating of fish and thus was this wall or nauie kept in a sufficient repaire as a redye defence for the Prince and this Realme agaynst all forraine assaultes whensoeuer or howsoeuer the same shoulde happen vntill the superstitious abuse thereby vsed caused some fewe to omit the obseruation of fishe daies according to the accustomed order which at the first appeared no harme Then some moe did the like and yet little harme appeared But in continuance of time in maner the whole multitude by ensample of others did breake that order some in part and some in the whole whereby the accustomed buying and expence of fish whereupon the continuall maintenance of the sayde Nauie grewe became so small that there appeared a great decay in the Nauie neuerthelesse euerie man proceeded from time to time in breache of the said accustomed order which before was certainely obserued and so in fewe yeares the Nauie was abated from fiue shippes to two in diuers partes of this realme whereupon the force thereof touching that matter was weakened much to the great perill of this realme and incouragement of the enemie In auoiding whereof with earnest consideration had by the nobles and commons of the whole realme considering the danger that thereby might ensue it was by them thought necessarie to deuise some meanes how the nauie might be repaired againe being assembled in the parliament holden at Westminster the fift yeare of the Queenes highnesse most gratious raigne a law was there made and ordained that the accustomed order for fish daies should be obserued in abstaining from flesh that fish might be the more plentifullier spent Which law for a time of great numbers was obserued but from thence grewe not sufficient contribution to repaire and maintaine the Nauie for that the vniuersall multitude had litle regard thereunto whose ensample diuers other followed and so manie of the greater sort ioyning with the lesser sort became more carelesse for want of due execution then anie time before they had bin And thus the trade of fishing and prouision of fish out of which exceeding great maintenance grew vnto y e Nauy was brought frō great to greater decay which decay increseth For which cause her Maiestie with the nobles and commons of the realme considering the disordered behauior concerning breach of y e said lawe most commonly vsed in many common Iunes tauerns tabling-houses cookes houses and other cōmon vitlers in which place a wonderful nūber of fish might be spent if the said law by them were duely obserued In a parliament holden at Westminster the 27. yeere of her most gratious raigne a law for the better obseruation of the said dayes and times was further ordayned against them with a greater penaltie then before had bin set downe for the other that reformation therein might be had if by anie meanes it were possible But thereof in like case so little care of obedience is vsed that the offence in most places rather increaseth then decreaseth to the wonderfull great damage of this realme as by the argumentes following may well be considered Certain arguments concerning vnlawful diet Reasons alleaged for the expence of flesh with the answers to thē The Nauy may be maintained by other trades then fishing but not without perill the commoditie of fishing IF the realme in defence thereof be furnished with fiue hundred ships and that we should suffer the enemie by pollicie or open force to consume or destroy three hundred of them were it not a great and a reprooueable negligence But if the naturall subiectes of this realme by their negligent maners shall consume or destroy three hundred of them is not their so doing worthy grieuous punishment But if they shall obstinately or wilfully doe the same what punishment such ought to haue I leaue to the iudgement of those that haue a wisedome to consider thereof In asmuch therefore as by our dyet we abate the Nauie by proportion from fiue ships to two is it not to bee accompted great negligence and worthie of punishment But after we haue espied this negligence wee doe wilfully continue the the same can it bee
vs from God for our sustenance which being taken prouided may be brought or carried vnto cities townes and markets and there sold and vttered to such as wil buy on euerie day in the weeke and at all times and seasons when it is taken Herein we must consider that if it should so be obserued the vncertaintie of sale would cause the prouiders of fishe to forsake their trades and the fisherman his fishing in a short time first for that most men by nature in these daies are affectioned from fish for diuers causes by them conceiued secondly when the same is solde at a deare price so that their prouision may be made of flesh a great deale better cheape But we must consider that although wind and weather serueth wel at some times that there is great plentie of fish taken and by reason thereof solde reasonable good cheape yet other sometimes either the winde and weather or the time and season serueth not so that little store of fish is taken Neuerthelesse as afore hath bene said the fishermans liuing depending onely thereupon must haue a sufficient maintenance to liue for him and his familie beeing continued therein with great charges diuers waies and therefore if hee be not certaine to sell that small store of fish which he hath taken in such a time of scarsitie and that also at some good round price to recompence the trauell and charge which with the aduenture of his life and goods he hath obtained he neither would nor could continue his sayd trade and this hath bene and is the onely cause that many sea-faring men doe leaue the trade of fishing and settle themselues to other exercises rather hurtfull then beneficiall to the commonwealth Further it is to be considered concerning the vncertantie of time in prouiding salted fishe to be by the fishmonger readie seasoned for the peoples diet As Samon Lings Haberdines Greenefish Heringes and such like if there shoulde not be a certaine time for the spending the prouiders coulde in no case season or make the same readie to be sufficient for the eater or spender when it should be eaten or spent which being seasoned for one day will scarse serue for another Especially when the weather is warme and therefore being vncertaine of his sale although he make some prouision of fishe to sell drie or in the salte yet he will not season anie with water fit to be eaten for the vncertaintie of his sale by reason he knoweth not when the people are minded to eate fishe except a day or a time bee appoynted certaine for the same Also it is a victuall not to be had as biefes muttons veales and such like in the pastures feeding at al times in a readinesse to be spent but is at libertie in the wide and large seas vppon the taking and prouiding whereof diligent attendance must be giuen and also some sortes or kindes of fish must be taken and prouided long time before it will be sufficient to be spent so that if there be not certaine daies and times appoynted for the certaine expence of fishe The fisherman shall be vncertaine to sell as he may be a gainer thereby when the same is taken the marchant or vtterer of fish vnwilling and discouraged to buy and prouide for the markets and thereby a more scarsitie of fishe and a greater decay of fishing will dayly increase to the woonderfull decay of the Nauie and dammage of the whole realme sundrie waies It may well be thought therefore that this thing manie yeares since was carefully considered of with the commodities and discommodities that would grow by the vncertaintie of the vtterance of fish that certaine daies and times might be appointed for the fishe to be vttered and eaten whereby a certaine and sufficient prouision might be also made or prouided and although as before hath bene sayd abuse in continuance of time did growe by obseruation of the saide dayes and tymes so appointed yet the necessarie vse thereof considered it is not for the same to be refused especially for that by the assent and consent of her Maiesties learned and wise counsellors it hath bene not onely thought good for speciall cause that the accustomed times and seasons shoulde bee obserued But by her highnesse also straight commaundement and earnest charge giuen from time to time for the due obseruation thereof Concerning abstinence from fleshe there is a conscience to bee made in transgressing the lawe for what cause obedience herein ought to be shewed the iudgement of some men which answere thereto NOw for that I woulde not anie man shoulde mistake me concerning my opinion and true meaning in the premises I haue thought good vnder correction of the better learned to set downe the same as followeth Wherein I doe pronounce that the eating of fleshe or forbearing to eate fleshe is not anie matter or thing concerning saluation of man or that it is the seruice of God otherwaies then all other polliticke lawes are and be for it is not the abstinence from flesh that pleaseth God nor the eating thereof that offendeth him But it is the obedience which God requireth to be yeelded and borne vnto the Prince and the care of the benefite of hys people that pleaseth him and it is disobedience to the Prince and the neglecting of his peoples benefite that displeaseth hym I doe also affirme that there is no conscience to bee made in eating of fleshe at anie time as touching the fleshe that is eaten but there is conscience to be made in that the Prince is disobeyed whiche is a contempt of Gods ordinance and the peoples benefite neglected which God requireth to bee earnestly sought and therefore a disobedience of the Princes lawes cannot bee done without offence to God for as God hath ordained that Princes should gouerne so hath hee in sundrie places of the Scriptures commaunded that subiectes shoulde obey and the offence in euerie transgression is the more by how much the damage vnto the people thereby groweth greater For we are taught to obey the necessarie lawes and commaundementes of Princes and not to neglect and contemne them to labor and seeke for publike wealth and the vniuersall commoditie of others with carefulnes not to be wilfull ouerthrowers and destroyers of the same wherby we may gather that a man without offence may do all things which by y e scriptures are not forbidden vntill they are forbidden by lawfull authoritie Likewise what is commanded by lawfull authoritie and not by the scriptures forbidden a man is bound to obey cannot without offence omit the same We must also consider that God hath disposed things so by creation that the encrease of the earth doth not suffise for the sustentation of the people but such things as he hath created in the seas and waters must also be prouided and it may be remembred but few yeares past that fish did wel nigh as much sustentation to the people of this realme as the flesh and
notwithstanding I speake not this that it were necessarie for such trades to be left off or extinguished for thereby groweth great benefites to the Realme sundrie waies not onely for sufficient and seruiceable shipping but other necessarie commodities also But contrariewise concerning the trade of fishing it is all wayes commodious and no wayes discommodious it encreaseth wealth and prouision of sustenance but abateth none And the more for that fish is alwayes spent for the necessarie sustentation of mens bodies and not for superfluitie There is yet another thing to be considered off concerning the trade of marchandize that in all manner of trafickes where marchants must come within the Dominions of other Princes much daunger and perill may happen for that it is in the wils of those Princes within whose dominions they are to stay such shippes as there be and imploy them at their pleasures in their seruice And so England w t great perill may encrease mariners shipping to serue other Princes which may happen sometimes to be against our selues Also in diuers traficke many mariners trauell far iournies by meanes wherof it may be that the Realwe shal want them whē it should be needfull that they were at home to be imployed for the defence of y e realm Therefore it may plainely appeare that the trade of marchandize only for breeding maintenance of mariners though it be necessary needfull to the realme yet y e same is not w tout great doubts perils Wheras contrariwise by the trade of fishing if such fish might be certainly spent w tin this realme as might be takē proued a sufficient nūber of mariners other seafaringmē for y e supply of those y e then may want might be much more profitabler and saflier bredde and maintained at home all times in a readines to be imployed for the necessarie seruice and defence of the Realme how suddainely so euer the same should require Fishing is the greatest Nurse for to increase Marriners the deere prises of fish how it may become cheape THere is yet further to be considered that the trade of fishing is a wonderfull great Nurse for the breeding or bringing vp of Marrineas for whereas a Merchants shippe vsing the traficke with merchandize being furnished for the voyage with twentie men there is amongst them not past two or three boyes which in that trade is brought vp and instructed And if it be so the daunger of the voyage considered that these children can and commonly do endeuour to be brought vp and instructed herein yet the encrease of them will not be sufficient to furnish the Nauie especially in the time of wars But the Fisherman going to the sea or vpon other waters in great or small vessels for euerie one man there is of them commonly two boyes who being trained vp therein are so accustomed with the hardnesse and painefull toile which in that exercise they are vsed to that they are not onely able to sustaine al labour to a seafaring man belonging but in short time become a sufficient sailor master or Pilot as well for seruice in her maiesties shippes as in the merchants shippes They are also acquainted and know the rockes sandes and other daungers vpon the seacostes where they lye and how to auoid them by reason of their accustomed haunting the seas in the trade of fishing And by meanes of their trauell from one port to another for the sale or vtterance of the said fish and other things wherein at vnseasonable fishing times they are imployed These and diuers other arguments before rehearsed might be a sufficient occation to cause vs without penaltie or pennall law for the benefite of our countrie to restraine and bridle our selues from our accustomed and vnlawfull diet but many there be that will and may truely say the vtterers of fish sell the same at such excessiue prises diuers and sundrie times that it discourageth men to buy thereof And the more for that they can a great deale better cheape make their prouision with flesh as well for their familie as themselues Many arguments are to be made that will be sufficient to answere this matter And first we are to consider the times and seasons of the yeare that it serueth not alwaies alike for sufficient prouision of freshfish at which time little store being taken by reason of contagious and contrarie weather wherein the fisherman aduentureth both life and goods not onely himselfe but many other hath their liuings theron depending great reason is that the same be sold the dearer for besides his saide aduenture he hath bene at no lesse charge then though he had taken great quantities And for remedie hereof that mē might haue in such a scarsitie some other good sorts of fish not commonly vsed To satisfie their diet in times past there hath bene prouided for the markets these sorts of fish that is to say Puffens Tunney Porpus Seall Holibut finnes Holibut heads many other things wherof was made fine delicate dishes which now for lacke of vse is not onely left vnprouided but also vtterly forgotten how or in what sort it should be vsed dressed or serued and worst of all how it should be eaten and disgested for that the proportion and substance of them is by many forgotten and the vse and tast forgotten of all There were also the sounds heads of the Cods which in fishing time were salted and preserued to be a diet in such scarsitie for the poorer sort all these things being by Gods creation ordained for our sustenance ought rather to be thankefully receiued thē contemtiously cast off and refused Besides this that wind and wether being contrary for fishing is a great cause that fish is many times very scarse deere yet the chiefest thing that generally causeth the same is lacke of certaine vtterance as by these fewe arguments following doth plainly appeare wherein it may be said As vtterance encreaseth or abateth in any trade so the trade will encrease or abate The trade being abated the commoditie therein vsed will waxe scant and lesse prouision thereof made The lesse prouision that therof is made the dearer the commoditie is The cause of smal prouision is the vncertainty of sale or vtterance certaine sale or vtterance encourageth many prouiders to buy of the commoditie Which in the beginning though it be chargeable to y e buyer or spender it wil by certaintie of vtterance become cheaper For the dearenesse thereof will cause many prouiders of the same to encrease The encrease of thē wil make plentie of the commoditie The plentifulnes whereof doth make cheapnesse Whē there was spent in this realme more fish in one yeare then there is at this day in fiue yeare they might haue had for one shilling that which now we pay twaine God is the onely nurse or heardsman to feed cherish that kind of victuall without any helpe of man he blesseth multiplieth thē according to his good
pleasure wil. The contempt of whose blessings may be cause of the scarsitie that now is in taking of fish more then in then in times past hath bin and no doubt but the imbracing therof with thankfulnes for the same God may and will cause it againe to multiply The harmes that happeÌ„ to the realme by the vnlawful expence of flesh what numbers of people are thereby put froÌ„ their liuings the discommodity therof the remedy FVrther and greater matters then yet hath bene spoken off are to be considered that by the vsuall and vnlawfull eating of flesh the vttrance of fiâ—h being small vncertain hath caused a great number to forsake the accustomed haunting of y e seas for taking of fish whereby three things doth happen The Nauie decaied a multitude of persons are put out of worke and the prouision of sustenance for the people greatly abated from which other three euils do spring The strength of the realme decaieth much idlenes many Rogues and theeues are bred and famine and distres the rather happeneth amongst the people These are such euils as bring decay and daunger vnto the common welth and therefore it may be said that the vsual and vnlawfull eating of flesh bringeth decay and daunger vnto the common welth It may further be saide that by the small vtterance of fish the accustomed haunting of the seas for taking of fish is abated from fiue parts to one By the abating whereof we may make account that tenne thousand persons which heretofore haue might still liue by fishing on the seas are thereby put out of worke and liuing Also there were very many besides fishermeÌ„ that by means of fishing liued vpon the land As shipwrites cowpars smithes weauers sailemakers netmakers dressars vtterars and cariars of fish with such like which may be accounted to extende in number to other ten thousand these are hereby in like case put from their liuing and maintenance and so in number they are togither twenty thousand persons their wiues women-seruants children whose liuings did depend on them now by their want made destitute of maintenaÌ„ce are thirty thousand at the least these in the whole extend to fiftie thousand persons whose liuings depended on fishing and is now abated Besides the vallew of the fish that was yearely taken and spent more then there is now towards the sustentation of the people which by estimation was worth three hundred thousand pounds at the least for there may be verie probable reasons giuen that there hath bene the vallue of so much fish spent yearely in this realme more then now there is Hereby we may vnderstand that a great number of able meÌ„ for seruice in time of war as masters pilates marriners sailers are greatly decaied abated by means wherof y e streÌ„gth of y e realm must needs be much weakned made of lesse force to encouÌ„ter or resist y e enimy vpon y e seas which is hath bene great part of defeÌ„ce seruice to y e realm by abating y e taking of fish vttrance thereof y e trade maintenance of the people on y e sea costes must needs abate also amoÌ„gst al sorts of people especially artificers whereby porte townes hath and dally doth fal in decaie waxing depopulated so daily grow of lesse and lesse habilitie to resist the enemy when necessitie shall require Also it is to be vnderstood that by the vsuall and vnlawfull eating of flesh the same victuall groweth or becommeth the dearer The dearenes of the said flesh victuall causeth great gaines to be raised by the fatting of cattell The rasing of such gaines causeth men to conuert their grounds and farmes from tillage to pasture By that meanes a multitude of people are put out of worke and from their liuings Therby a great number of them are constrained to become idle Roges or to practise other superfluous vaine things that breede diuers other great vices These be things that bring great detriment and decay vnto the common-welth and therefore as afore hath bene saide the vsuall and vnlawfull eating of flesh bringeth great detriment and decay vnto the common-welth Hereby it may also be vnderstood that by the decaie of tillage twentie thousand persons which haue and might still liue thereby are put from their accustomed worke and liuings Their wiues women seruants and children whose maintenance did on them depende are in number thirtie thousande at the least these in the whole extend to fiftie thousande beside the increase of a great number of sundrie fortes of victuall which in a farme house is encreased towards the sustentation of the people For a farme containing sixscore Acres of ground being imployed to pasture onely for the breeding and feeding of cattell there doth come no further increase of victuall but Biefes and Muttons onely and yt may bee prooued that the yearely encrease thereof will not finde yearely aboue ten persons of those that make their common and onely foode of flesh But let this farme be imployed into tillage there will be a reasonable encrease of Biefe and Muttons then is there account to be made of al kind of graine as wel for bread as drink which is the chiefest victuall for maintenance of the people Further there is in the said farme raysed and increased Veale Porke Bacon Pigges Geese Ducks Hennes Chickens Capons Milke Butter Cheese Egges and Fruite Drawe all these togither in accompt or comparison and they will sustaine and finde yearely twentie persons at the least I meane not those onely that are kept in the farme but such as are sustayned with the victuals that be sold out of the farme at the markets whereby it appeareth that ten persons that are fed and nourished with those victuals that are increased of the farme in pasture doth eate vp ten of those persons that should haue bene fed with such victuall as might haue bene increased of the same farme if it were in tillage This is a wonderfull decay in a common-wealth and ought with christian charitie of all men to be lamented That for the satisfieng of our lust contrarie to a good and commendable lawe for a common-wealth ordained we seeke our owne hurt and the vtter decay of our poore christian brethren may not this be called the eating vp of Gods people like bread agaynst whome the Psalmist earnestly crieth Psal 14.35 Thus we are to consider that by the vnlawfull eating of flesh three speciall dammages fall vpon vs. The realme is weakened and made of lesse force to encounter and resist the enemie both on the sea and seacoastes An hundred thousand persons are put from their worke and maintenance And of the victualles which heeretofore hath bene and still might be increased there is the vallew of three hundred thousand poundes yearely abated by reason whereof three greater damages and dangers proceedes that is to say By abating the force of the realm on the sea and seacoastes it is in the greater danger of