doo vpon eche other which thing you haue already confessed to be gréeuous and vnpleasant to euery good man Therfore hath it euer béen and yet is thought and that very wisely and truely that the likeliest way meane to disswade their wilfulnes which no reason looue nor feare of GOD could disswade was to make their wilfulnes as déere and as heauy vnto them as reasonably might be doon to the â—nd that they should not so lightly and for euery trifle vex and trouble both the Magistrate one an other which effect although it failed to woork that their madnes would not be resâ—rayned therby that yet their vngodlynes might return to the profit and reléefe of others their neighbours Brethern that were better affected so by one selfe and same mean the â—ngodly punished fléeced and the godly amended inriched herby that this was their meaning that was the first assessors therof common experience teacheth vs for in néedfull and necessary actions as debt detinew and account and such like the charges are so reasonable as that no man would in conscience giue lesse The reason is for that they are actions of common right and such as must néeds day by day arise betwéen a man and his Brother neither doo they dishonest either of the â—arties which I dare not affirme vpon actions vpon cases neither did they so iudge of them as I verily beléeue and therfore did they set double and treble charges thereupon for greater is the charges in a brabble for a woord spoken then fâ—r thrée hundred pound of honest debt So that the Magistrate who for such Ale-house â—ctions and brabbles should otherwise neuer be at rest except he should deny them his help which might be slaunderâ—us and perillous to the whole estate The Magistrate I say of pure pittie and compassiâ—n was forced to set great charges vpon them for the small fauour that he bare vnto them vnto their first causes occasions The greatnes of all which charges not withstandâ—ng yet doo we dayly sée how the vngodly run togither by heaâ—s like brute beasts and yet I dare safely say that by the greatnes of these charges and the terrour therof many a brabling matter hath béen and is dayly put vp without any râ—uenge sought therof and many a one hauing pursued and â—ecouered in his action yet haue his charges so gallded him that he hath béen easier to deale with all his life after And so by this meane many a wilfull body brought to knowe him self and to honor God therby I cannot tell Neighbour Simon quoth Pierce but I my self haue had two or thrée brabbles that haue kept me dooing these seuen yéeres in which time I am suer I haue spent abooue fiftie pound beside my charges to and fro losse of time and my hinderance at home And what haue ye gotten for all this quoth our Hoste These papers quoth he Wel woorth fiftie points quoth our hoste I think verily quoth our Hoste if any honest Neighbour had néeded to haue borowed ten pound therof you would not haue it so ready to haue pleasured him withall If I should say truely quoth Pierce I think the very same What are you assessed vnto the poore in your Parish quoth our Hoste A peny a wéek quoth Pierce And think you that enough quoth our Hoste Yea verily quoth Pierce Loe Sir quoth our Hoste whether commeth this vnto my saying and maintenaunce of these great Fées and charges or not Who can deny the excellency of this institution wherby the Couetuous and vngodly men are shot one against an other and doo punish eche other and wherby also so plentiful prouision is made for the godly poore at their charges and yet no thank to them therfore and that those things from the which they would depart vnto any Honest or godly vse or purpose with as good will as from their eyes to be plucked out of their heads or their tripes out of their bellyes by this meane vndesired of their owne accord they bring it in by handfuls and so as it hath béen said plentiful prouision made for their godly Neighbours at their charges and yet no thank vnto them therfore Call you this a prouiding for the poore Neighbour quoth Pierce I would I had giuen you the best horse in my Plough to make this saying true and I sweare to you quoth he prooue it true and you shall haue him yet or this day Seuen night for that would ease my hart if I might perceiue that any godly person hath fared the better or were amended by any parte of all my great expences For then yet should I think that I haue doone some good with all the losse of my money Why Neighbour Pierce quoth Simon doo you doubt that all these summes or the greatest part therof commeth not to the vse of the common wealth and to the reliefe and sustenance of the godly poore and other easements of common things in maintenaunce of the common Wealtâ— Nay Neighbour Simon quoth he I doubt it not for I am fully perswaded the contrary Truely Neighbour Pierce quoth he this is an vncharitable and a very erronious opâ—inion and that I will proue vnto you by reasons manifest â—nd apparant and such as your self haue alredy graunted câ—nfessed I pray you neighbour Simon quoth Pierce let me heaâ—e how ¶ Simon approoueth these fees and charges as publiâ—ue and not priuat by argument taken from effects vnto theiâ— causes Chap. 5. WHosoeuer he be that Coueteth priuately to gaine and profit by any thing quoth our Hoste coueteth the thing wherby he gayneth and profiteth this is so true quoth he that I will not desire you to graunt t vnto me for it is a necessary argument from the effect vnto the cause and therfore if ye wil affirm â—hat the Magistrate and officer coueteth these great fées and â—harges and priuately to thriue and wax rich therby you musâ— necessarily conclude that he fauoureth all the first meaâ— causes therof which were a horrible a fearfull conclusion â— yet as I haue said followeth necessarily vpon the premises gâ—aunted therfore is couetise so much more odious detestaâ—le in a Magistrate then in a common person for couetise as he excéedeth all other vices simply considered euen so respectiâ—ely he excéedeth him self I say respectiuely to wit qualifieâ— by the person in whome he dwelleth for in a priuat person he is but a priuat sin extendeth vnto his M. only but in a Magistrate he is a publique and general corruptioÌ„ of al the people for ther 's no couetoê° person béeing but a priuate man or womaÌ„ that wisheth any other to be such as they theÌ„ selues are the reâ—son is for that the Couetise of others is nothing whereby they should gayne or be aduaunced but rather lose therby Therfore could they be content that there were few or no others such as they are wherby it apéereth that couetise in a priuate Person neither
they dissalow their owne Acts and be contrary vnto theâ—selues which were inconuenient Then wée demaundeâ— of him why for the first Viall that was broken the Maister should not bring the action against the Dauncer who in â—ery déed was the breaker therof and not the other man His answere therunto was that in very déed wée were both Trâ—spassers vnto him alike he at his libertie election to take his remedy against vs both or against any of vs for quoth hée although the dauncer were the material cause yet was the other man that efficieÌ„t cause therof as for proof if a carter wilfully driu his â—art ouer a man woman or Childe bothe the Cart the Horses and the Carter are guiltie of the fact wherof the deaf man is not excuseable neither can plead not guiltie to the fact because hée was the first and chéef efficient cause therupon wée mooued vnto him this question why the Musitians them selues should not be said to be the first efficient cause séeing that without their noise the Dauncer would not so haue fared nor taken on neither the deaf man haue taken him for a madde man as bothe you and wée would haue doon if wée had béen in his case and had heard no more then hée heard Vnto that his answere was that whatsoeuer it séemed vnto him or vnto vs it is quoth hée at your peril and at all mens perils els that resorte and hauÌ„t to such places to put on all our Sences wits and vnderstandings and also to desire God to giue them wisdome and his grace to Iudge wisely wel to digest such things as they heare and sée therin and that wée be not snared in euil through ignorant appetite of our sences vnto our hinderaunces more then wée our selues are able of our selues to Iudge or think for saith hée séeing wée are not able neither is our authoritie to blame or chalenge the places neither to disalowe the things there professed which were to derogate from the Magistrate Yet if wée haue so much grace of God as to the Magistrates vnto our selues and in such cases to blame and reprooue our selues and our owne sences and inordinate desires either in due time before wée are fallen or els in some reasonable time and with our reasonable losse and hinderaunce it may suffice for answere vnto vs by them vnto whome otherwise wée must créep and pray our redresse neither able to craue it at their hands without an inconuenience aforesaid which is condemne and disalowe the things by them selues allowed and established Wée asked him what reason there was that wée should be charged in seuerall actions and vnto seuerall persons for one trespasse as namely vnto the Maister and also to the seruants His answere therunto was that the Maister hath a speciall interest in his seruant for the proffit hée is to receiue by his seruice for which seruice hée is to recouer not for the hurt doon vnto the person for the partie him selfe recouereth for that To be short his resolution was that for all our harmes and losse that we had gotten wée were so farre from all hope of redresse or amends that wée were in the wâ—rsse case in our defence against theÌ„ very like to yéeld ameÌ„dâ— by iudgement of law And thus you sée quoth Pierce how po re guiltlesse simple men in a far honester cause are put to the wurser end Neighbour Pierce quoth our Hoast as for the be as bée may But truly Neighbour you had but euil succe se in going to sée pleasure and to heare Musick and yet trâ—st mée if yée wil I suppose that you sped a great deale better thâ—n a number spéed in such like places who think neuerthelâ—sse them selues to haue sped there wel and come away righâ— wel contented which in very déed is the only cause why iâ— my fantasie they spéed wurse then you for why you are huâ—t and féel it but they are hurt but haue no féeling therof vâ—til their hurt be past all cure for a man is neuer so daungeâ—ously sick or sore as when hée hath lost the sence and féeling oâ— the sore or of the sicknes So fareth it in such persons as these for although they féel no euil that they contract and yet in such places yet doo they carry thence with them the séeds and radical causes of great infortunes as the wofull and â—amentable end of many a good mans Childe hath witnessâ—d dayly dooth and wil. But truly Neighbour Pierce quoth oâ—r Hoast you are waxen more then half a Lawyer by these meanes Nay soft quoth Pierce I haue an other matter to tel you and that almoste as straunge as this and that chaunced to my selfe in a mischaunce about a foure yéers past I pray yée let vs heare it quoth our Hoast mary quoth Pierce thus it hapned A fréend of mine would néeds giue mée my dinner at an Ordinary table where wée fared very daiâ—tely but I promise you for mine owne parte I haue though my self better at ease many a time oft with bread chéese in other Company So Sir in the name of God when diâ—ner was doon in stéed of grace to the dice they went on euery side vpon proper square tables fit I warraÌ„t you for the purpoâ—â— there to the hazard they go xx sÌ„ xl sÌ„ v. l. vi l. a cast I stood by and beheld Anon there came a straunger a plain homely fellowe of the Cuntrye much like my self and hée séeing such summes of money vpon the boord the dice trotting to and fro and that now one snatched a heap and now an other snatched and heap and therwithall such deuout swearing he came to mée and rounding me in the eare asked me whose weare all those heaps of money that were laid foorth mary quoth I his that can get them get them quoth hée how Marry quoth I by hazard say you so quoth hée claime they no farther propertie in their money but by hazard whether themselues shall haue their money or an other man no verily quoth I What are those white things ful of black spots that are so chased to and fro Those quoth I are called dice vpon whome standeth the hazard and therwithal my Fréend and I hauing dined and dispatched went our way foorth toward the Temple and before we had gon so farre as a man might shoot a Bird bolte there arose an outcry behinde vs stop the théef stop the théef and therwithall I looked behinde mée and loe the fellowe of whome I tolde you came running with both his hands ful of money and after him ran the ruler of the Ordinary and thrée or foure of his seruants as fast as euer they could run with hue and cry we turned not back neither made vs to doo therin So they followed him vntil they came as farre as Saint Dunstones Church and there the fellowe being out of breath turned again and catching the Maister of the dicing house in his armes cryed I
although they appéer not such at the first yet when they are come to their ripenes and haue brought foorth their increase to wit Fellonyes Thefts Man slaughter Murder and such like there is not so ignorant a person that will not say the man or woman was neuer like to come to better end namely for his euil and dissolute life in the beginning This libertie is in the hands of Maiestrates and Officers to bid or to forbid euen after as they will prefer the honor and glory of God or els their owne welth pomp and vaine-glory And therfore how hartely were it to be desired at the hands of GOD that such as are Maiestrates and Officers should not be couetuoê° or els such as are couetoê° should not be Magistrates for héerof Iethro did warne Moyses in the xviij of Exodus talking with him concerning the election and choise of Maiestraâ—s and Officers and bad him chuse such as hated couatise and spake of no other vice The cause wheâ—of is apparant to wit least the wickednes and vngodlines of the people came to be valuable let and set rented and farâ—ed bought and solde for what other thing is valluing leâ—ting and setting renting buying and selling of offices whose value is more or lesse according to the state of the people and their dishonouring of God therby And where you maintâ—ine these great gains by their godly and woorthy effects the fâ—rst wherof you alleadge to be their great purchase of lordships lands and possessions and the effect therof you alleadge to be a prouision and patrimony for the good and godly the efâ—ect wherof yée say is the increase of them and the decrease of the contrary the effect wherof you say is godlines vnanimitie loue charetie and benignitie one towards an other And last of all the effect therof be the manifold graces and blessings of God promised by God in the Psalmes to the house town Cittie or Cuntry where these things are From the first cause to his effect I graunt your argument that these great gains are cause of great purchase but from the purchase to his effects yée shew not how it is but how it ought to be for instéed of the effects wherof you haue spoken I sée many gay houses â—ul of gay châ—â—â—is costly banqueting houses Galleries bowling Allâ—is strange toies of point deuise and woorkmanship but with in I finde no man dwelling saue pride who hath châ—sed theÌ„ce hospitalitie and charitie and as for other preferment that the godly haue at their hands in any of their purchases I sée not but euen who wil giue moste and can make mightâ—est freÌ„ds anâ— who those are in our daies the vngodly vnfaiâ—hfull and vncharitable dealing so vniuersally doo plainly declâ—re The people so euel giuen both yong and olde so vngodly in liuing so vnciuil yea so rude barbarous in manners wherin me thinketh they haue preuailed increased more more all after as these offices haue waxen more gainfull and the desire to haue them greater And therfore your distinction betwéen their purchase and the merchant chapman and â—ther toÌ„â—â—â— persons what soeuer sauing his probabilitie vain and rediculous to the purpose Therfore Neighbour Simon quoth Pierce your reasons are weak to maintain the greatnes of their fées vnable Abide Neighbour Pierce quoth our Hoaste giue me leaue to answere vnto these matters first because that in very déed probable reason giueth place to necessary proof demonstration wherin â—e suppose that ye haue you beyond me because the against my bâ—â—e naked reasons as you terme them ye haue alleadged authoritie and that of your owne experience I wil answere you with the like and that of mine owne experience also and more direct vnto my matter then any of yours which are indéed indirect and stand in different and I wil proâ—â— that the Magistrate and Officer in the beginning was and yet is such aâ— I haue aleadged and also the first assessing of the said fées and reuenues and their great vtillitie and necessitie namely for the vses intents and purposes aforesaid For proof wherof I wil rehearse vnto you a matter which I my self did bothe heare and sée The Hoste maintaineth the contrary and for disproofe therof and for the proofe of his assertion alleadgeth the purchase of a certain welthie Officer towards the Law Chap. 15. ABout two yeeres agon it was mâ— fortune to be beyond London in Kent at the house of a worshipfull Officer towards the Law who not pâ—st a Moneth before my comming thither had purchased a Lordship wherin were diuers good formeâ— and their leases too expire at Micheâ—â—as thâ—n to come twelue Moneths It came to passe one day of my béeing there thither came a rich man dwelling not farre thence whose sute was to this Gentleman to take one of his said Farmes in â—euertion and comming to him thus he began Sir quoth he I vnderstand ye haue bought suâ—h a Lordship God â—â—ne ye joy thereof Very true it is quoth hée Sir ê™ this rich man I pâ—ay you let me be your tenaunt of such a Farm geuing more then any other man wil giue for a fine The rent of the Farm was v. l. What will ye giue me for a lease for xxj yéeres quoth this Gentleman Sir quoth he I wil giue ye an C.l. and vnto our Mistresse a Veluet gown and xx Angels to buy hâ—r pines be sides You haue bidden like a Chapman said the Gentleman giue me leaue to be aduised vnto Munday next said he and then I shall giue you an answere héerin so causing him to tary dinner he let him departe and this was vpon a Thursday The next day béeing Friday this Gentleman sent for the Farmer of the same péece of land who came thither and with him thrée hansome yong men his sonnes So when he was by the Landlords commaundement brought beforâ— him hée asked him of what age he was He answered lxxv yéeres He asked him how long he had dwelled in that Farm He answered that he had dwelt there all his life for he was â—orne in it and his father before him You know quoth the Gentleman that I am now become your Landlord I knowe iâ— very wel quoth he and I beséech you of your fauour What will you giue for a new lease of xxi yéeres quoth the Gentleman for you knowe your olde lease is néer an end Sir quoth the poore man let me giue you reason only that I may be â—ble to doo my Prince and your woorship seruice to reléeue my poore neighbours as hetherto I haue doone and haue beâ—n well able Very wel quoth the Gentleman be héer again vpon Munday next and then ye shall vnderstand more The poore man his duty doon departed The next Munday beeing munday next before Bartholmew day the poore man was come again and brought with him a couple of fat Capons about an houre or twaine after came this Churle very wel mounted his Gelding not déere of
But as if for example you wil say Women ought to be â—shamed to be séen bibbing wine in common Tauernes or to be séen at common lasciuious and bawdie Stage Playes therfore they are ashamed therof This is an argument gathered from posse to estâ— to wit from should or ought to be to is simply and hath not any necessitie nor firmitie and that shall you see if you will goe with me to London this next Terme How be it you séem to inforce your antecedenâ— by the honorable existimation wherin I am bound to haue the Magistrate and Officer and therby you think that of dutie I ought to graunt it you for the shamefull consequencâ— whiche necessarily ensueth vpon the deniall therof Truely that notwithstanding me thinketh all this but a very bare and naked proof ¶ Simon maintaineth his assertion by authoritie of holy Scripture and diuersitie taken between the reward of Vertue Learning and Knowledge and the hire of seruile trauaile and labour Cap. 7. CAll you this a bare and naked proof Neighbour Pierce quoth our Hoast if you denye this proof quoth hée you reuerse ouerthrow all humain societie which is maintained and vpholden by giuing vnto God that which is due vnto God and vnto man that which is due vnto man But vnto God what can wée giue saue honor praise glory first and immediatly vnto him self and secondly vnto his Deputies and Lieutenants to wit Magistrates Officers whose calling and appointing therunto as it is of God so must and ought wée to think that it is for their godlynes and vertues for God him selfe hath said them that honor me I will honor and they that dishonour mée I wil dishonour wherfore our wise and reuerend Elders and Forefathers in their assessing these great fées and charges did mean to honor them whome God honoured And therfore vnto their callings appoiÌ„ted they great and honorable reuenues knowing that their gain is the punishment of vice and the rewarde of Vertue and that the part portion of all the godly is therin knowing also that there is not so great Incouragement vnto Vertue and Godlynes as the liberall rewarde therof and that all vngodlynes and vnthankfulnes is measured by the greatnes of thy goodnes and benefit receiued either at the haÌ„ds of God or man Lastly knowing that they might not prosecute but persecute the causes occasioÌ„s of these gains as hath alredy béen prooued and therfore I say abooue all common reason and discretion they assessed these Fées and reuenues that the gains might be great and yet the causes therof few quite contrarie to all other estates and faculties for what other reason is there that one man shall labour sore a whole day at night shall receiue twelue pence or eight peÌ„ce for his hire Another for half or a quarter of an houres easie trauail shall receiue xx shillings or sometime more what is thâ— cause of this diuersitie euen this the one is a hire and a pricâ— of a seruile labour and trauell and is receiued in proper aâ—d priuat vse the other is an honor doone vnto vertue Godlâ—nes and knowledge which doo receiue nor holde or accouâ—t any so base things proper or priuate or can be so basely mâ—nded as to ioy therin further then they may glorify God theâ—by what other reason is there that one man in the returne of a Reame of paper shall gaine xij pence or xvi peâ—ce cléer and yet where he layd out ij pence the other laid ouâ— x. shillings And after the same rate in Wax that one â—an shall sell more for vi pence then an other shall sell for viij pound which neuerthelesse bought as déer as he within â—ij pence at xx shillings waring and both laid out more monâ—y longer looked for the return therof I say there is no reaâ—on other then is already made ¶ Pierce denyeth the calling to office to be such as Simon hath alleaged Cap. 8. NEighbour Simon quoth Pierce whâ—ras you maintaine your assersion by the wâ—orthines of the Magistrate and Officer and doo insist thervpon alledging that they are â—alled by God and that for their godlines anâ— vertue The first part I greatly dout for thâ—t many of them buy their offices and pay very déerly therfâ—re yea some sell their very inheritaunces for that purpose I mean to buy offices now did I neuer read that euer God receiued Money for an office how be it I referre my self héerâ—n to my Maisters that are learned The next part that they are called for their Vâ—rtue and Godlines surely then I verily suppose some of theâ— are called for the things that neuer were in them before â—nd then were the caller deceiued which God cannot be eâ—cept you will say that God of his méere goodnes and mercy called them for the vertues and godlynes which he meaneth to call them vnto and in this order beginneth to woork I meane in bestowing vpon theÌ„ so liberally and by that meanes to charge them with his expectation in respect of their great Tallent committed vnto them which thing you séem to alledge as no small cause and consideration of the high assessing of the fées and charges aforesaid and that so great mercies graces bestowed vpon them by God and so liberall reward appointed vnto them by men should suffise to make them godly and vertuous from thence foorth what so euer they were or had béen before All which arguments although they be godly and probable yet as I said before they stand doubtful for the olde Prouerb Honors chaunge manners I beléeue the godly and the learned doo dout whether it be taken in the better part or in the wursse for I am very sure that many are wurse disposed and much more vngodly in high and honorable calling then while they were in meane estate and degree Neighboure Pierce quoth our Hoste there is no rule so generall that it admitteth not exception albeit I dout not nor euer did that honours chaunge manners is and euer was meant in the better parte For the wiseman saith He that is vngodly in welth how much more vngodly would he be in pouertie The examples are many that doo prooue that honors chaunge men to the better namely of Saule of whome it is said that béeing called from a simple boy after his Inauguration he felt him selfe suddainly chaunged and as the book saith he felt a new hart in him The like example we haue of many Kings and Prophets in the Scripture But to come néerer both for the time and also the place in our English History we read of that noble King H. the fifth who in his Fathers life was of euil gouernment and kept company with riotors and vnthrifts so that there was small hope of him but after the death of H. the fourth when this yung man was placed in his kingdom he sent for all his olde companions who were not a little glad therof but when they weare come into his presence he
sharply rebuked them and giuing them small rewards yet better then he thought them woorthy he forbad them during their liues to come within xij miles of the Court â—nd that vpon great penaltie All these examples doo manifestâ—y prooue that liberall reward of vertue and high and Honorable calling doo increase vertue in them in whome it is alâ—edy and causeth them in whom it is not saue only in apparaâ—nce yet for pure shame to imbrace it séeing that otherwise hâ—t coales are heaped vpon their heads through their shamelesse vnthankfulnes vnto them that haue so thorowly prouoâ—ed them with the greatnes of their benefits And therfore against all these reasons and proofâ— to say that the Magistrate and Officer should priuatly Câ—uet and conuert so great summes of treasure it were to shamefull and slaunderous considered that they are the effectâ— of so euill causes as hath already béen shewed And considâ—red also the horrible and wicked conclusion that would ensuâ— therupon as also hath already béen prooued Neighbour Simon quoth Pierce neuer tel me what might or dooth insue therupon but consider the trâ—eth and the matter as it is in déed And if these great fées aâ—d charges doo not come vnto their receiuers and takers in proper and priuate what meane they to make so great laboâ—r sute fréendship and cost to get those offices and callings â—nd how commeth it to passe that by the meanes of such offâ—ces such as before were of small habilitie come to purchaâ—e a Barons liuing yea twaine or thrée Shortly that their care is greater to heare and learne where any Land or Lordship is to be solde then for the Money whorwith to purâ—hase the same ¶ Simon confirmeth his assertion touching the desire to beare office to be good by the Ettimologia â—n exposition of the woord Officium Cap. 9. NEighbour Pierce quoth our Hoast all these matters are easely deuided vnto the which thus I answere To the first which is their great desire to be in such Offices of receit I say you mis-iudge of their desire because you doo not vnderstand the meaning of this woord Office and doo think him to be an Englishman wheras in very déed his Father is an Italian whose proper signification and meaning you doo not vnderstand for in our English tung Office is no more to say nor nothing els but Seruice so that whosoeuer desireth an Office hée desireth to doo seruice or els a place wherin to doo seruice now all men knowe that a priuate man is not able to compare with the Magistrate or Officer in abilitie and power Therfore to desire an Office is to desire to be better abled to expresse and declare the hartâ—e good wil and affection which hée hath to bée seruiceable vnto God and his common welth for that in priuat estate his power answereth not vnto his good will therin and therfore the better man the more desirous to be in Office and in the more Offices for the greater is his power to shew his good affection towards God who is the Giuer of all these things ¶ Neighbour Simon quoth Pierce I connot tel what Cuntrie mans Office is neither doo I greatly force whether his Father be an Italian Spaniard or Frenchman but if he be the same in Latin that seruice is in English I am suer that both in Lattin French Spanish and English hée stinketh when he is to fréely offered and that I am very sure did Aesop mean in his Fable of the Sowe great with pig vnto whome saith hée there came a Fox who alleadging vnto her his great skil in the art of a Midwife profferd her his seruice toward her deliuerance vnto whome she answered that the greatest and best seruice that he could doo vnto her was to kéep him far inough from her which shée also praied him to doo wherby you may gather what the Authors opinion was vpoÌ„ this voluntary offer of seruice and yet hée dooth not alleadge that the Fox offered any money I suppose because hée had no money to offer But Simon Magus offered money in the Acts of the Apostles and what the holy Ghost thought therof â—ou may there vnderstand Neighbour Pierce quoth our Hoasâ— this is a colde reason and no Argument to say that a mans earnest desire to haue an Office argueth his desire of priuatâ— gaine proffit and so for his great desire to doo good condeâ—me him of euil without proof therof Neighboure Simon quoth Pierce I doo not so barely reason neither so nakedly as you haue alleaged if you did mée right in repetition of mâ— Argument not intercepting the same nor seuering the paâ—ces therof as you haue doon and so haue answered the first pâ—rt by it self which is the weakest and haue said nothing to thâ— second part which is their great purchase and the strength effect of the first for my Argument taken wholy togitheâ— is thus much to say that their great desire to haue the Offices and their great purchase of Landes and liuing following the same sheweth that from the beginning there was mâ—nt nought els but priuate pouching for euer the act that is last in exception is the first in ImaginatioÌ„ in all mens dooings this is moste assured Neighbour quoth our Hoast thâ—s Argument of yours which you holde so forcible is of no foâ—ce at all whether the parties therof be considered ioyntly or sâ—uerally neither dooth this great desire to be in Office neitheâ— the great purchase ensuing the same in any wise disprooue my first Assertion and maintenaunce of this great reuenues fées and charges as you suppose construing and taking mâ— saying to néer vnto the letter For wheras I haue alleâ—ged the Magistrates and Officers to be the Patrons and Fathers of the common welth and these great reuenues a publiâ—ue treasure in their hands to the vses and intents abooue râ—hersed yée alleadge against mée their great purchase of Loâ—dships Lands and Liuings as a repugnancie and dispraisâ— therof which it is not but the greatest strongest confirmaâ—ion therof that I my self haue alleaged for although I haâ—e made them receiuers yet haue I not charged them méerly as Receiuers but as baylifs Gardens of trust whose authoritie extendeth to improoue for the benefit of their Cuntrieâ— But a better Improouement can there not be made theâ— by altring of money which is transitory into land whiâ—h is permanent namely béeing deliuered vnto them at their yéers of discretion vpon the account of their said Balifs or gardeÌ„s And euen as it fareth betwéen the Garden and his pupil the Bailifs and him to whose vse he is put in trust So fareth it betwéen these Magistrates and Officers and the common welth as touching these receits And therfore those purchases of lands and possessions the best and moste allowable discharge vpon their account that can possible be made vnto God the greatest and highest aduauÌ„cement of his honour and glory the greatest and moste assured comfort and stay of his godly people and
manner of the getting of their gaines wherwith they purchase doo chaâ—ge them with a reuerend and fatherly regarde in letting and setting the same to the honor and glory of God who hath so mightely blessed them yea so far abooue all that they euer coâ—ld with out shame haue wished or desired so heaping hot coales vpon their heads in their vnthankfulnes and dealing otâ—erwise which as I haue alredy said is not or at the least noâ— so greatly to be hoped or looked for at their hands of bace anâ— meane calling And therfore Neighbour Pierce quoth hée admitting and confessing the greatnes of their purchase yâ—t can yée not conclude against mée the proper or priuate rece t or imploying of Charges fées and reuenues aforesaid ne ther wil I graunt it vnto you for the slaunderous and shame full consequence which it inferreth necessarily as hath alrâ—ady béen duly prooued ‡ Pierce repeateth the Reasons and Arguments of Simon and confuteth them by proof and expecience deâ—onstratiue as froÌ„ the cause to the effect and that vpon his owne knowledge Cap. 10. Neighbour Simon quoth Pierce yée haue made as your self dooth suppose many strong reasoÌ„s conclusioÌ„s to aprooue the first asessing and that now receiuiÌ„g of eight pence or twelue pence for a shéet of paper and other excessiue and vnreasonable Fées and charges of sutes as not only tollerable iust and reasonable but also godly and moste conducible vnto the common welth and to the prosperous and good estaste therof namely for that these fées and charges were ment and yet are the punishment of vice and the reward of godlynes and vertue And also that they were and yet are ment a publique treasure in the hands of the receiuers therof to all godly vses intents and purposes Wherunto I answered alleadging the great purchase of Lands and Lordships by the receiuers of the same as a thing repugnant and contrary to your Assertion wherunto you haue replied that their great purchase is not only contrary to your first Assertion but a confirmation of the same For you say that their porchase of lands is a prouision with out comparison more assured and permanent then were or could haue béen the distribution of the money or any parte therof from hand to hand and also that the effects and fruits therof are moe and greater and doo stretch farther and more generally and vniuersally doo procure the honor and glory of God and the publique welth peace and quietnes To prooue that these things are so you haue alleadged the honorable calling of the Magistrate and Officer and the great expectation that hée sustaineth both before God and men and also the reuerend opinion that we are bound to haue of him Yée haue also alleadged that the first causes of all these great gaines and proffits are such as of duty he is bound to persecute and not to prosecute namely for that they are vngodlynes wickednes and all kinde of vice by the gain wherof say you no honest nor godly person can without great shame thriue and wax rich much lesse the Magistrate and Officer vpoÌ„ whose great expectation héerin you doo so greatly insist Truely Neighbour quoth hée all these are goodly and also godly reasons and doo very wel prooue how things either haue béen or els how things ought to be But that they are so presently these are either nâ— prooues at all or very small and so your argument gathered â—nd concluded from posse to esse as I haue said already and as I wil further prooue by Arguments gathered from tâ—e cause vnto the effect and from the effect vnto the cause eueâ— the very same that you haue alleadged tying them together in the same maner and fourme as your selfe haue alleadgeâ— them First you say that the originall cause of these greâ—t gains Fées and reuenues was the hate that the first Assessâ—â—s therof bare vnto vngodlines wickednes and all kinde of vice the fauour and good affection which they bare vnto Vertue and godlynes and therin they ment the punishmeâ—t of the one and the preferment and aduauncement of the oâ—her and so you conclude lewdnes vnthriftines and vngodlynes to haue béen and yet stil to be the first cause of these great gains Fées and reuenues and these great Fées and reuenues their effect the effect of these fées profits and reuenues â—ée haue alleadged or rather I my self haue alleadged and â—ou haue confessed and iustified to be the great perpuisition â—nd purchase of Lordships lands and possessions by the Magistrates and Officers Receiuers of the same The effect of their great purchase is by you aleâ—dged to be a prouision a stay of liuing and patry mony for the Godly and honest People of the common welth and for their assuraunce peace and quietnes The effect of so good a pâ—ouision for the Godly you haue alleadged to be the increase â—f them and the decrease of the wicked vnthriftie and vngodly the effect of the increase of godly people you haue alleadged to be mutuall looue charitie and all good affection both â—owards God and also one to an other the effect wherof you haue alleadged to be the manifolde blessings of God accordiâ—g to the saying of the Prophet in the hundred thrée thirtie Psalme Thus haue you argued from the first causes prâ—ducing their effects and from those effects as from causes of their effects very orderly and very probablie but not necâ—ssarilye as I haue already alleadged and as I doubt not héerafter I shall prooue vnto you so directly and so euidently that you shall either confesse your owne prooues fallible and false or els you must and shal say that causes produce no effects or els clean contrary effects which is to reuerse and to ouerthrowe the order of Nature and all the law and rule of reason as to say there can be a Father or a mother without a Sonne or a Daughter or that betwéen a man or a woman there should be begotten a dogge or a cat And for proof héerof I wil aleage bothe reason as strong as you haue alleaged any and also mine owne experience which I my self haue déerly bought and paid for I pray you Neighbour let mée héer that quoth our Hoast ¶ Pierce Plowmans first tale for that purpose where he sheweth how his Neighbour and hee went to the Tauern and to the daunsing Schoole and what hapned there Chap. 12. AT my béeing in London this last term quoth Pierce it fortuned one afternoone hauiÌ„g little or nothiÌ„g to doo as God knoweth what Idlenes vngodlines commeth of our idle waitiÌ„g attending vpon our dayes of heariÌ„g as they tearm them when in the mean time we run vp and down in the stréets and if happely wée méet with any Fréend or acquaintaunce it is holden great humanitie to offer him the curtesie of LondoÌ„ which is as much to say to haue him to the Tauern there to sit bibbing vntil neither of theÌ„ can scant finde the way
foorth again So as I was about to tel you one day amongst all others wée met a company of Neighbours and Fréends together in Poules six in number all Cuntrie-men and Neighbours saue one that was a Londoner a Neighbour borne of ours who was our Leader to many a good place dout you not so on Gods name néeds wée must to the Tauern and so wée went to the Tauern there fast by wherby that time we came forth again our heds were better laden with heare then with Wit so on Gods name when our heds were wel fraughted wée must néeâ—s go to sée some pleasures of the Cittie that were straunge anâ— noueltie vnto vs of the Cuntrie and so on Gods name wée â—ent into a dauncing Schoole not very far thence now was â—here one man of our Company that was as deaf as a doore â—â—ile ¶ When wée weare come into the Schoole the Musitions were playing and one dauncing of a Galiard anâ— euen at our entring hée was beginning a trick as I rememâ—er of sixtéens or seuentéens I doo not very wel remeÌ„ber buâ— wunderfully hée leaped flung and took on which the deâ—f man beholding and not hearing any noyse of the Musicâ— thought verily that hée had béen stark mad and out of his wit and of pure pittie and compassion ran to him and caught â—im in his armes and held him hard and fast The Dauncer â—ot knowing his good meaning and taking it to the wurst and hauing a Dagger drew it out and smot the man a great blâ—we vpon the hed and brake his hed very sore The man sore mooued and gréeued therewithaâ—l and béeing a man of great strength threw him from hiâ— with all his strength among the MusitioÌ„s and hee lighting vpon one of the greatest and fairest Vialls brake it all in péeâ—es Therwithal vp start the Musitions for him and we for to help the other béeing our Fréends and Neighbours and then went out Daggers vp went Pantostes al the rest of the Instruments in the throng were all to trodden and â—roken and but that Neighbours hearing the noise and buâ—â—liÌ„g came in and parted vs surely some of vs had béen in greaâ— daunger to haue béen slain I lost my Cloake and had my hed broken and so hâ—d thrée of my Neighbours moe and hardly the Musitions â—nd their partakers went not scotfrée But shortly to end aâ—â— come to my purpose you shall heare what followed First and formoste wée were all arrested and câ—mmitted to Prison for a fraie and bloodshed where I think you may make no question if it cost vs any thing before wâ—â— gat out again But hauing paid our Fées there and thinâ—ing verily that the wurst had béen past euen at our commâ—ng foorth from thence wée were all newly arrested by latitaâ—es and remained vntil wée had put in Sureties to appéer at the day of the return of the writ in the Kings bench So wée laid our purses togither and went to a woorshipful and learned Lawyer that had béen of our counsaile aforetime and shewed him the declarations that were against vs wherof the first was at the sute of the Owner of the schoole wherin hée alleadged that with force and armes wee had entred into his house and beaten wounded and euil intreated his Seruants by reason wherof he had lost their seruice by the space of eight dayes to his hinderaunce and damage six pound and also then and their thrée Instruments of Musick commonly called Vialls did spoile and break to his losse and hinderaunce six pound Besides this euery of his Seruants the parties theÌ„ selues seuerally declared against vs all ioyntly of an assault and battery made vpon them and that wée had beaten wounded and euil intreated them to their seuerall damages fortipence the Dauncer himself declared seuerally against the deaf man for assaults and battery vpon all which matters wée praied his counsel and aduice his answer was shortly that in his opinion the law was against vs in all and euery of our cases wherof he gaue vs the causes reasons as I shal reherse vnto you To the first point of the first declaration for forcible entry wée praied his reason how or by what reason our entrie might be said forcible séeing the doores were open and if they had béen shut our coÌ„ming in was but to hear sée our meaning not hurtfull to any man His answere therunto was that a mans meaning that commeth into my house shal be coÌ„strued and taken to haue béen such from the beginning as is his act there doon after he is entred for that shal be taken for his meaning the declaration therof namely where hée entreth wtout special commaundemeÌ„t or liceÌ„ce of the party because saith hée that after your entry into the house yée did there coÌ„mit a force vnlawful act therfore your first entry and comming into the house shal be déemed iudged vnlawful forcible Then we asked how or by what reason our act could bée said vnlawful which was but that taking of a man in his armes of very good wil to stay him thinking that he had béen mad out of his wit and might haue mischeiued him self His answere therunto was that therin the act was not lawfull nor iusticiable but a Trespassers although no farther hâ—rme had ensued therupon which yet by your confession theâ—e did for to speak generally it is not lawful to imbrace or â—rain any man against his wil for if him list to take it to the burst especially if there insue any euil vnto the partie therâ—y it shall not help the party to say that hée ment him good or it the least no euil therby for although that in felony the inteâ—t doo qualifie the fact it is not so in Trespassers wherfore your act was not lawful nor Iusticiable except yée had béen Officers or otherwise that yée had come in found theÌ„ dooing some â—elonious or vnlawful act by means wherof yée had had suffiâ—ient coullour to haue laid your hands vpoÌ„ theÌ„ for euery man â—s an Officer for peace sake for the preseruation therof then quoth hée your case had béen otherwise vnto this wée â—nswered that our act in all reason séemed more lawfull and tollerable then theirs for that in their exercise there is little good purpose or none at all nor better end or purpose then â—o induce such euil and vnhappy euents and consequents as hapned in this case of ours and that therfore their cause ougâ—t not to haue fauour against vs as if we had hindered or interrupted their honest or lawful exercise in any godlines or in any thiÌ„g tending vnto vertue to the glory of God or to the proffit of the common wealth His answere vnto that was that we are not to dispute of that which the reuerend and hâ—norable Magistrates haue established yea holden in no small reputatioÌ„ it falleth for the Magistrates Rulers Officers to beare with them in all incidents casualties otherwise should
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
Nevves from Malta written by a Gentleman of that Iland to a friend of his in Fraunce Shewing the desperate assault and surprising of twâ— Castles of the Turkes by the Italians Forces vpon the eight day of September last past Translated according to the Italian Copie TC VIRESSâ—T VVâ—NERE VERITAS LONDON Printed by Thomas Creede for Iohn Hippon and are to be sold at his Shop in Watling-streete adioyning to the Red Lyon Gate Anno. 1603. To my very louing and much beloued Couzen Signior M. P. MY good Couzen I know you expect from me somewhat touching the occurrents of this place the haste of this bearer makes me briefer then I would be yet as time would giue me leaue I haue written you the truth of a peece of seruice lately done by our Cauelires and Souldiers vppon two Castles of the Turkes by the helpe of a Greeke the maner whereof and the meane whereby I haue truly though briefely set you down in which I know you wil reioyce with vs in Christ vnder whose banner we fight and to whome wee giue the glory of our victories Malta the 9. of October 1603. Your very louing Couzen P. M. News from Malta writen by a Gentleman of that Iland to a friend of his in France IN the moneth of September 1603. about the eight day the great master of our Iland séeing the necessitie of Corne in this place and determining by all meanes he could to make prouision for the supply of such want had intelligence of a Grecian who for some priuate discontentment in his bosome concealed hauing stollen from the Turkes came vnto our Iland that there was in two Castles of the saide Turkes great store of Corne lately laide in and very shortly were two vessels more of great burthen loaden with corne expected to come to them all which if it would please our Gouernour to followe his aduise he would not doubt to deliuer into his hands who noting all circumstances by him deliuered and vpon the nature of his discontentment the rather giuing credit to his report did forthwith man out foure gallies with foure hundreth meÌ„ oâ— Armes and two Galleons with two hundreth souldiours in the Gâ—diies were a hundreth Knights of greate valor and resolution who hauing put to sea with a prosperous winde fell within a few dayes vpon the mouth of the Gulf which brought theÌ„ vnder one of the Castles of the Turkes called Panto about the twelfth hower of the night where the Greeke with a better in his hand counterfaited for the purpose being a shore with fifty of the Knights and a hundreth and fifty souldiours was descried by a Scintinell standing vpon the walls of the Castle who cried out Solinga chi va la who goes there was answered by the Gréeke here is one come from the Bassa to your Gouernor who hath sent me vnto him with this letter and certaine souldiours to doe a sodeine exploit of importance so with a long speare gaue him the letter the watche not mistrusting the coÌ„ming of any enemy hauing drunke heard and so fallen a sléepe the Scintinell carries the letter vnto the Gouernour willing him to staie and he should presently haue his answer which Scintinell was no sooner gone off the walls but they hauing set vp their engines and ladders scaled the walls entred the Castle and hauing taken the ordinance bent them against the house of the Gouernour who vpon the shot of one Cannon finding himselfe betraied came forth and submitted himselfe with all his people into the hands of our Caualierio some fewe of the souldiours leaping ouer the walls fledde away in which time the other fifty Knights with a hundreth and fifty souldiours going on shore vnder the other Castle called Petractio causing the Galleons to discharge a Bullet or two vpon the walles the souldiers séeing the fifty of the other from the other castle and hearing them crie Treason treason as men amazed strooken with a sodain feare left the castle and made all the spéed they could to be gone to a cittie distance two miles or more from that place so that our men entred the castle without resistance in which they found greate store of corne and other riches of good value in the other Castle likewise they tooke besides Corne and other riches the Gouernour his Lady and their children women of great beawty all which they with foure hundreth other souldiours and other people they brought home and solde for slaues to their great commodity they tooke further a hundreth great pieces of Artillery of which were forty of Brasse full Cannons and fit for battry in these Castles they staied foure dayes expecting the coÌ„ming of the greate shippes with corne in which time the Turks fallying out of the Citie made a brauado vpon our people who encountring with them slue some fifty of their vangard and so draue them to retire the next day following they made away our two Galleons brought with corne and spoile beside the foure hundreth slaues which they sent home before them the galleies staying some halfe a day or more after them putting out to Sea met with the two ships loaden with corne whom they tooke with forty pieces of Ordinances ten of them of brasse and foure Cannons in the shippes they had a hundreth slaues other wealth more then corne was little in them but the vessels were good and of good burthen all which with the losse but of one Caualierio and ten souldiours our men with great Triumphe brought home vnto our ports to the greate glory of God and the comfort of all Christians Had not the hast of this bearer hindred me I would more at large haue written vnto you of other points as of the nature of the Gréekes discontentment his reward from our Gouernour for his seruice who hath here a yearely pension and hath here set downe the ende of his daies amonge vs God increase vs in these and other of his blessings and send vs more such good intelligence for our comforts and prosper vs in all such and other enterprises to his glory FINIS ⧠To the Right honorable and his singuler good Lord Sir Henry Sidney Knight of the moste honorable Order of the Garter Lord President of Wales and Marches of the same ALthough there can be no â—reendship right Honorable and my singuler good Lord to speak properly wheâ—e there is no equallitie between the pa ties yet may the simplest and the meanest looue and honor the highest and grâ—atest yea so much the more as their inequallitie is the greater But that is not properly called freendship but rather a dutifull looue and is harde to be expressed and shewed for the inequalitie aforesaid For Fâ—eendship is between equalls or at the least where the inequallitiâ— is not so very great that the Offices and duties of Freendship which are the bondes and sinewes therof can haue no entercoursâ— I speak this for my self that haue long desired occasion to sheâ— my hartie goodwil and
affection vnto your Lordship which hath been somewhat hard for me to doo for the cause abooue remembred And therfore hauing gathered this little conference I â—ade bold to dedicate it vnto my good Lord. A thing meeter to bâ— my gift then woorthy to be presented vnto your Honor or to go further vnder the name of such a Patron Howbeit my trust is â—hat your Lordship of your accustomed clemency will accept a simple thing of him at whose hands nothing at al was looked for and will alowe my good will towards the reparation of such faults and Imperfections as are heerin So praying God to blesse your Lordship and prâ—sper you From London the twentie six of Nouember 1579. Your Lordships in all humillitie T. F. ¶ TO THE GODLY and Gentle Reader THou hast heer Godly and gentle Reader the Conference betwéen Sim Certain and Pierce Plowman two great Clarkes as thou maist vnderstand by their Discourse which I haue gathered and reported as faithfully and as truely as my simple memory could retaine the same and that with some trauaile which I occounted my dutie First vnto them and others by them héerin mentioned And secondly vnto all and euery good man and woman whose mindes and harts God may sturre vp vnto Godlynes and Vertue by their good ensample Namely all such as are Fathers and Maisters of housholdes but chéefly and principally of common Innes and Tauerns whose good or euill example spreadeth far and wide and I feare in these our daies rather in corruption of life and maners then in edifiyng or increase of Vertue and Godlynes according to the saying of Iesus of Sirach that it is as hard for a Merchant to be no lyar and for a Tauerner or Inholder to be no drunkerd which thing although hée hath said to be very hard yet for the Inholder that his rule admitteth exception thou maist héer finde with out traueling to Rippon in Yorkshire to learne and so for a grote or sixpence thou maist know that which cost mée aboue fiue markes to learne besides my trauail and time spent which yet if it please thée to accept I shal account right wel bestowed which God graunt and that in all thy Iourneis thy head ake not before thou alight in such an Hostry Farwel Aut bibe aut abi The Printer to the Reader GENTLE READER IF THOV finde any Imperfection in this woork either for the matter in substance or els for the deuision the maner and forme therof I trust thou wilt alow a râ—asonable excuse aswel vnto the Author as vnto mâ—e betwen whome thy blame is otherwise to be deuided Thou knowest that to write and reporte a thing at the mouth of the Speaker asketh a nimble haâ—d and a great memory if a man had his Tooles ready for the purpose which yet this Author had not ready for nothing so like as any such matter and therfore was forced to put his braine-pan in trust withall and to write it in his way homeward In dooing wherof his care was greater to couch the matter truely in substance then to parte or to deuide or otherwise to digest the same Which he referred vnto mee and which also I haue doon as the shortnes of the time gaue me leaue Both which excuses if it please thee to admit thou maist in time to come receiue it in more perfection aswel for his part beeing the matter in substance wherof I dout not much hath escaped him and also for the diuision beeing mine Farwell W. M. in Commendation of the Author LEauing at large the Brunts of brinish flood The pitched Feelds and fables finely pend This Author heer to doo his Cuntry good One woork of woorth his time toile dooth spend The busie Brain with cankred Enuie fraught That sues and striues for sturring of a straw May read heerin his lesson largely taught And by the same descrie him selfe a Daw. The Counsailer the spokesman and the rest Who simple soules to needlesse lawing eg May learne heerby such dealings to defame As driue poor men their bread with teares to beg The prating Sot whose peremptory speech Is brayed foorth all Lawyers to defame Not far from hence may finde a cunning Leech To charme his tung and shroud it in with shame But in few woords my meaning to imparte If you demaund what mine opinion is Hee hath doon wel Gods blessing on his hart Who send me store of Books so good as this Coelum non Solum W. M. Anthony Munday to all curteous and freendly Readers in commendation of this Woork AS Tully did of vertuous life define And Ouid paint the odde conceits of looue And Maro squared in a direct line The hard assaults that valiant harts did proue In bloody Battails for their fames behoue As fliering Fortune should them chaunce to pâ—y In vaunting verse as Maro tells the way But leauing now at large such fond delights Such Fables fond as pratling Poets vse This Author heer presenteth to your sights Such tales of trueth as may you force to muse To iudge aright the crime of eche abuse As heer twixt Sim and Pierce he dooth compâ—und Such wise conceits as seldome hath been fouâ—d When you haue read Iudge then the Authors pains His tedious toyle in wishing well to thee Thy freendly thanks he craues no other gaineâ— Which vnto him more welcome sure shall bâ—e Then riches store if thou couldst giue it free Wherfore my Freends doo this at my request To heare and see and alway say the best Honos alit Artes. A. M. * Thomas Procter in reporte of the Authors good wil. AMong the woorthy woorks whith learned Tully pend The care of Cuntrie and of Freends he greatly dooth commend ¶ Which lesson in my minde the Man which took in hand To pen this pleasant History did perfect vnderstand ¶ For in the same he showes a looue vnto his Frends Beside a zealous minde of good that to his Cuntrie tends ¶ Of Louers liues of Warres ne yet of Wunders great Hee seemes to publish vnto vs but simply dooth intreat ¶ Of silly Men whose proof dooth such experience giue As for Examples of our liues learnes eche estate to liue ¶ Wherin the Author sought such meanes to publish it As in my simple Iudgement sure might seem to prooue his wit ¶ But for the careful paines which he hath spent heerin Hee only craues for recompence your fauours good to win ¶ wherby you may him mooue to vtter his good wil when as occasion shall him serue in woorks of greater skil Nil Melius Arte. T. P. ✿ Iohn Peeterhouse to the Reporter of this Historie THou that hast reported this pleasant History Wherof thine eyes and eares are a witnâ—sse And hast intreasured the memory Of Pierce and Simon for their woorthines Withouten hope of hire or recompeâ—ce For thy long Iourney or for thy disâ—ence ¶ Thou hast acquit thy dutie vnto them In this behalf and if I gesse aright Thou hast deserued well of other men