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 so great trauels watch studie so many and so great hazards by Sea land so many shifts sleights deceite and oppressions of all which this world hath béene 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 possession is the greater that for two causes First for that in his errour of life fall and misgouernment lyeth the fall ruin and decay of a number what of his owne blood what of his tenaunts faith full fréends and seruants Secondly for that his estate is subiect vnto many enemyes of whom the greatest moste dangerous is the flatterer the olde enemye of all man kinde as the story of our father Adam and mother Eue and the Serpent dooth well declare This mooued Iuno as Ouid fableth to commit Io her Cow vnto Argus to kéep which Argus had an hundred eyes in his head and therfore much a dooe had Mercury to deceiue him with all his swéet songs Musick for when he had brought one of his eyes a sléep yea diuers of them yet waked diuers others and stood vpon their ward and whether his face or his back were toward Io yet he all way behéeld her A reason vvhy Copyholdes Customes and Corporations vvere first ordayned and hovv that Pride Flatterye are the cheefe causes that many a young Gentleman commeth to sell his Lands Chap. 18. ANd surely in mine oppinion this mooued the wise and honorable fathers and Magistrates of olde time to incorporat so great liuings and possessions and also to erect and establish in Lordships so many coppy holdes and custummary tenures as the moste souereign remedy against pride and surcuydrie which commonly accompanieth the priuate singuler sole proprietie in lād possession office or any other thing whatsoeuer also a way and meane to furnish the common welth with many bothe able to deserue wel and to doo good also glad and willing therto vnto the which pride is either the only lot and impediment or els of all other the greatest as he vpon whō flatterie attendeth yea and in such sorte that he leadeth him by the nose vp and down the house making him to beléeue of him self any thing causing him also to delight no while in any one thing whether it be apparail or the fashion therof place person dyet fréend seruaunt Tenaunt or other thing whatsoeuer 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 twain by that time he hath takē foorth his lesson kindely I dare be his suretie he will 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 lest him at all or if he haue any he shall be glad to let thē déerer then the any honest man shall doo good thereon so that in conclusion bothe the Landlord and the Tenaunt shal be miserable The cause héerof is Pride moste and chéefly as I haue said and often times youth good nature or peraduenture excesse of Pleasure and Sensuall delights where through young Gentlemen are often snared through euill company béeing ouertaken sometime by giuing their woord sometime through bribe of a little present mony sometime by one deceit sometime by an other wherin men are soone pampred uamely 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 bothe 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 ioint and in common neither can one dooe 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 oppinion or his fréends Pride atteinteth them not for who is proud or at the least so proud of any thing wherein a number hath to commaund as much as he and without whō he can doo nothing then béeing armed against Pride the Father of necessitie and néed they are better fréely to afforde their good woord or déed and therfore in vayne were it to bribe them But admit that any of them would be bribed it were also in vain and would procure the euel wil of all the rest without bribing them all which were heauie and harde to doo So that in any competition made vnto such persons against any olde Fréend Tenaunt Officer or seruaunt it is verie harde to preuaile except it be through his owne great misbehauiour And where it is betwéen méere Sraungers one of them against an other there the best and moste woorthie is sure to spéed for certainly and infallibly there is nothing in all this world so amiable so belooued and fauoured as honestie vertue and godlynes 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 Corporatiōs of their effects Now to speake of the customes of Manours the very sāe or like in effect may be said for the Inheritour of customary Land although hée be seased therof to him and to his heires yet can hée not sel it without licence of the Lord and that solemnly graunted by his Steward in open Court and there entred nay hée cannot set or let the same or otherwise impaire the wood or other commodities therof without the licence aforelaid So great an entresse and commaundement hath the Lord therin and yet not to the hinderaunce or preiudice of the Inheritaunce but econtra namely that the selling setting or other gouernment of such a royall possessiō as land is should stand in the Iudgemēt discretiō of diuers those of the ripest best aduised and not to be solde wasted or spoiled through the intemperaunce of one foolish or vngodly man or woman either for néed or necessitie or other wise for flatery or other fōd or foolish affection what soeuer wherin the Lord and his lerned Stuard and the homagers of the Court are Iudges In all which cases it may euidently appéer how great a care those honourable and reuerend Forefathers
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 my saying to néer vnto the letter For wheras I haue alleadged the Magistrates and Officers to be the Patrons and Fathers of the common welth and these great reuenues a publick treasure in their hands to the vses and intents abooue rehersed yée alleadge against mée their great purchase of Lordships Lands and Liuings as a repugnancie and dispraise therof which it is not but the greatest strongest confirmation therof that I my self haue alleaged for although I haue made them receiuers yet haue I not charged them méerly as Receiuers but as Baylifs Gardens of trust whose authoritie extēdeth to improoue for the benefit of their Cūtries But a better Improouement can there not be made then by altring of money which is transitory into land which is permanent namely béeing deliuered vnto them at their yéeres of discretion vpon the account of their said Balifs or gardēs And euen as it fareth betwéen the Garden and his pupil the Balifs 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 these purchases of lands possessions the best and moste allowable discharge vpon their account that can possible be made vnto God the greatest and highest aduaūcement of his honour and glory the greatest and moste assured comfort and stay of his godly people and seruants vnto whōe the payment of the money from hand to hand had béen but a temporall and a short reléef for euery man hath not the gouernment ne right vse therof to slipper is it and fugitiue But these Lands in the hands of these Landlords are a stay perpetuall and permanent wherunto the godly and honest person is sure of preferment and that for reason for why the Owners are such in whome is no acceptaunce of Woorship Fréendship or of the greater offer neither of other thig then vertue and godlynes and therfore their rent must néeds be easie for who should rate it by out bidding when the vngodly is no chapman neither dare presēt him self in the place for the godly persō dooth if no not vnto the wicked much lesse vnto his godly Brother or Neighbour This is no small commendation of Vertue and godlynes and no small encouragement therto namely where a man may make as sure a more sure account of his Farme then some other can make of their Inheritaunce and patrimony which thing although it séem straunge yet is it commonly verified in the Farmers of such Landlords For wée sée to often that diuerse honest godly Men leaue their Inheritaunce vnto vngodly and vnthriftie Children who falling into the hands of th' executor doo little while inioy the same The cause wherof is for the they came to their lands before they came to their Wit and béeing Owners waxed therby proude and in state béeing vnder no mans check and disdaining all mens councel so forgetting God and them selues fall to follie and then as the Prophet Dauid saith Their table is made a snare to take thē and the things which should haue been for their proffit ar◠vnto them an occasion of falling So fearfull and daungerous is the singuler and sole proprietie of great Lands and possessions as that often times it not only bereaueth the owners of their right wit and Iudgemēts but also through their pride vnthriftines and prodigalitie it hazardeth the sincere administration execution of lawes and Iustice procuring partialite and fauour to vngodlynes and dissolute liuing whilste they whose dutie were to rebuke such persons and to restrain their libertie had rather enter into their large reuenues and possessions and to take and vse the opportunitie of their wickednes and retchlesnes as the méetest occasion herto But in these Farmers and in their posteritie otherwise it is and that for the reuerend and honourable regard◠betwéen them and their Land Lords at whose hands and during whose good wil and pleasure they holde their liuings whose great liberalitie and benignitie chargeth them with no small expectation aswel of godly and honest conuersation of life as also of hospitalitie and charitable dealing with their Bretheren and Neighbours béeing by their meanes very wel enabled therunto These things I say are looked for at their hands and that by them whose expectation they dare not nor can not without great shame falsifie which godlynes thriftines and liberalitie in them is of no small force to mooue others therunto and so mutuall looue and charitie cherished betwéen euery degrée where these things are God hath promised to blesse that house Town Cittie or Cuntry It can hardly be spoken and much hardlyer written how greatly and how mightily this procureth and aduaunceth Learning Godlynes and Vertue how much it furthereth the desire of contemplation and godly exercises of the minde against which there is no Impediment nor hinderaunce so great as either the destitution or want of a competent liuing and maintenaunce orels the dayly feare to de supplanted or disapointed therof and consequently the thoughts and cares either to prouide for a competent liuing orels to maintaine and defend the same against the dayly Allarmes and assault◠of the Couetous and the vngodly against which the benignitie and goodnes of Owners and Land lords is the greatest yea the only protection These are the effects and frutes of these purchases alleadged by you to be made by the gains fees and reuenues aforesaid which doo far differ from the common purchasing of other priuate persons by whōe through your Ignoraūce orels of malice you doo Iudge and measure these which are in nothing like nor comparable as the effects and frutes therof will euidently declare namely in the purchase of the Merchant the Chapm ā the Grasier the Clothier and such other like Artificer whatsoeuer at the hands of all which persons no such thing is hoped or looked for First for the they doo not sustain any such charge of expectation neither is any reason that they should except a Shoomaker bying an Oxe hide for thrée shillings fourepēce might sel shooes for twentie shillings a paire for that would alter the case Therfore as his calling is base and mean so is his Iudgement as touching Vertue and the Felicitie and end of mans life which hée Iudgeth to consist in getting and hauing for that hée séeeth men accounted and estéemed therafter and other or farther Contemplation hath hée very little or none So that in his Oppinion hée spéedeth his matters wunderful wel if hée return his Chaffer to his gain the more and greater so much the better be it land or lease of Farme or house if he can sel it again for double or treble that it cost him or let it for thrée times the rent that hée payeth him self for it All this hée accounteth honest
it to the wurst especially if there ensue any euil vnto the partie therby it shal not help the party to say that hée ment him good or at y least no euil therby for although that in felony the intent 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 the yée had come in found thē dooing some felonious or vnlawful act by means wherof yée had had sufficiēt coullour to haue laid yourhāds vpon thē for euery man is an Officer for peace sake for the preseruaciō therof then quoth hée your case had béen otherwise vnto this wée aunswered that our act in all reason séemed more lawful and tollerable then theirs for that in their exercise there is little good purpose or none at all nor better end or purpose then to induc◠such euil and vnhappy euents and consequents as hapned in this case of ours and that therfore their cause ought not to haue fauour against vs as if wée had hindred or interrupted their honest or lawful exercise in any godlynes or in any thig tending vnto vertue to the glory of God or to the proffit of the common welth His aunswere vnto that was that we are not to dispute of that which the reuerend and honorable Magistrates haue established yea holden in no small reputatiō it falleth for y Magistrates Rulers Officers to beare with them in all incidents casualties otherwise should they disalowe their owne Acts and be contrary vnto them selues which were inconuenient Then wée demannded of him why for the first Viall that was broken the Maister should not bring the action against the Dauncer who in very déed was the breaker therof and not the other man His aunswer therunto was that in very déed wée were bothe Trespassers vnto him alike he at his libertie election to take his remedy aginst vs bothe or against any of vs for quoth hée although the daūser were the materiall cause yet was y other man y efficiēt cause therof asfor proof if a carter wilfully driue his cart 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 excusable 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 Musitions them selues should not be said to be the first efficient cause séeing that without their noise the Daūcer 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 haunt 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 the wée be not snared in euil thorugh 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 be Magistrates vnto our selues and in such cases to blame and reprooue our selues and our owne sences and inordinat desires either in due time before wée are fallen orels 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 condemn 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 thervnto 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 self recouereth for that To be short his resolution was that for all our harmes and losse that wée had gotten wée weare so far from all hope of redresse or amends that wée were in the wurse case in our defēce against thē very like to yéeld amends by iudgement of law And thus you sée quoth Pierce how poore 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 truely Neighbour you had but euil successe in going to sée pleasure and to heare Musick and yet trust mée if yée wil I suppose the you sped a great deale better then a nūber spéed in such like places who think neuerthelesse them selues to haue sped there wel and come away right wel contented which in very déed is the only cause why in my fantasie they spéed wurse then you for why you are hurt and féel it but they are hurt but haue no féeling therof vntil their hurt be past all cure for a man is neuer so daungerously sick or sore as when hée hath lost the sence and féeling of 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 radicall causes of great Infortunes as the woful and lamentable end of many a good mans Childe hath witnessed dayly dooth wil. But truely Neighbour Pierce quoth our 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 self in a mischaunce about a foure yéeres past I pray yée let vs heare it quoth our Hoast marry quoth Pierce thus it hapned A Fréend of mine would néeds giue mée my dinner at an Ordinary table where wée fared very daintily but I promise you for myne owne parte I haue thought my self better at ease many a time oft with bread chéese in other Company So Sir in the name of God when dinner was doon in stéed of grace to the dice they went on euery side vpon proper square tables fit I warrāt you for the purpose there to the hazard they go xx s. xl s. v. l. vi l. a cast I stood by and beheld Anon there came a Straunger a plain homely felowe of the Cuntrye much like my self and hée séeing such sums of
our Hoast for there is no courage in him neither hath he the way to help him self to keep you in dooiÌ„g in y he giueth such couÌ„cel to peace quietnes vnto such fellowes as you the would gladly cut hi out woork if him self were not his owne hinderaÌ„ce Nay surely Neighbour ê™ Pierce what councel soeuer he had giuen me therin or what councel he or any other of them all shall héerafter giue me in such matters I am taught alredy though to my cost while I liue to looue peare ensue it to looue mine owne house my honest labour trauel and chéefly abooue all other things to serue God wherin I finde the only stay and comfort of mans life to rest that when all is sought and tried there is none other rule ne leuel wel and surely to guyde order our affaires dooings The application of Pierces tale by the Hoste that the great charges of the Lavv is profitable to the common vvelth and a repressing of vice and sinne Chap. 13. AHa very wel said then quoth our Hoste I am glad that yet at the last ye are come to y point whereunto I haue all this while laboured to bring you which is to coÌ„fesse that these great and excessiue charges and expences haue reformed and changed you from an vngodly troublesome man to a godly wise and prudent man able to giue councell not only priuatly and to your owne fréends and family but also to beare office and authoritie in your Parish yea in y who le Shire where we bothe dwel 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 first Assessors and the now receiuers therof ye are vtterly concluded estopped to speak or think saue in all honor reuerence Doo you think so Neighbour quoth he Yea verily quothe he for you haue confessed all this your reformation amendmeÌ„t to haue comen thence look what effect it hath wrought in you ye are of charitie bound to think that it hath wrought woorketh wil woork in a number moe then you the mony that you haue or rather think that haue departed froÌ„ is in their hands who are treasurers therof as I haue alleaged towards the good and godly vses intents purposes the may or shall arise héerafter in coÌ„mon benefit to wit seruice of the whole common welth wherin your parte is as far foorth as theirs Doo ye call this a mending Neighbour Simon quoth Peirce In very déed quoth he I must néeds confesse that these great and excessiue Charges and large Expences haue rebuked me haue chastised and amended me but to say that I think or iudge it thank woorthy vnto them that haue receiued my money I say the Deuill kisse his arse 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 poysons meaning to spéed him in déed but the poysons béeing of contrary natures wrought one vppon an other and destroyed either others force wherby the man béeing hardly handled for a season yet béeing driuen into a lax by their extremetie 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 yéeres 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 kinds 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 dishonor of God and other vngodlines that dependeth therupon they are as sorowfull 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 we will haue a shoulder of Mutton and but a pinte of Sack. Content husband quoth she And veryly I think that as hartily as this good man his Wife prayed for their recouery that were visited so hartily 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 vvickednes and vngodlines increaseth their gayne vvho are and should be the rebukers and punishers therof and that to be the cause of great iniustice vnrightuousnes Chap. 14. NEighbour Pierce quoth our Hoste I pray you let me further vnderstand what yée doo meane by this History for it should séeme y ye haue alleadged it against me not with standing that it maketh for me by the wunderfull effect which you your self are forced to confesse that it hath wrought vpon you I knowe what I haue confessed Neighbour quoth Pierce and also in what maner I haue confessed it far enough from your purpose or any confirmation therof And where in maintenance of these great fées and reuenues you haue alleaged that they are publique also how many and how good and godly are the'ffects and frutes therof without proofe made of them or of any one of them either by your owne experience or by other necessary demonstration There in proofe of the contrary to wit y they are proper and priuate and therfore excessiue and vnreasonable which is my assertion I haue brought you this proofe of mine owne experience wherby I haue sufficiently shewed that the first causes of all these great gaines and profits are prosecuted as I haue affirmed and not persecuted as you pretend For I haue partely shewed you héere what leaue libertie the coÌ„mon people namely youth hath to followe their owne lust and desire in all wantâ—nnes and dissolution of life For further proofe wherof I call to witnesse the Theaters Courtaines Heauing houses Kissing boothes Bowling alleyes and such places where the time is so shamefully mispent namely the Sabaoth dayes vnto the great dishonor of God and the corruption and vtter destruction of youth All which I say are either the causes or the effects of these great gaynes and reuenues or els bothe causes and effects interchaungeably For I dare vndertake that if either these gaynes and profits were publique as you pretend or els if there were as great gayn and profit to the Magistrates and Officers in the godly liues and honest conuersation of the common people as there is in the coÌ„trary these harbours of vngodlines misnurture would haue lesse fauour and maintenaunce then they haue and godlines Sobrietie and modestie of liues maners would
for hée neither eateth Buls flesh nor drinketh the blood of Gotes It resteth then that wée giue vnto them that are héer his Bayliffes and Receiuours for that intent and purpose and vnto them in whose persones hée hath figured him self vnto vs to wit vnto his poore and godly Saints and seruaunts that are héere vpon Earth among vs vnto whome whatsoeuer wée giue hée hath promised to accept it as giuen vnto him as a payment of so much det a testimonie not of our merit but of our woorking faith in his grace and mercie and in this only sence and meaning giuing and lending are vertues and proper vnto the Children of God. 2. THe next Question put by our Hoast was whether is the harder matter to make a Lord or a Gentleman Pierce answered y in all coÌ„mon reason also by experience the harder thing the harder is the dooing therof a Lord 〈◊〉 hée is greater degrée then a Gentleman and therfore harder to be made then a Gentleman I answered that I thought and knew the contrary by experience for I know quoth I where a Churle by his purchase of a Mannour is become Lorde of a number better men then him self and so is hée a Lord and yet no Gentle man. 3. THe next Question of Pierce Plowman was why poore men are not called to office of estate gouernment in common welths but euermore the rich and welthy OVr Hoast answered because quoth hée the poore would be rich and so are not content with their present estate but desire alteration and chaunge and all such persones are more méet to be coÌ„maunded then to commaund in a common welth But of the rich and welthie it is clean otherwise for they are alredy that which the poore haue desire to be and therfore content and consequently Fréeâ—ds and furtherers of peace and vnitie which is neuer nor neuer wil be where they haue authoritie in their hands that are not content with their owne present state so great hazard of the common peace lyeth therin 4. THe next Question by mée what is the reason that the Sonnes and Children of great purchasers namely Lawyers and Merchants are commonly such horrible and shameles vnthrifts Pierce answered that hée knew no reason therin but hée thought it a very secret Iudgement of God vpon the parents that haue eaten soure Grapes and set their Childrens teeth an edge OVr Hoast said it argued great equitie and consience in their Children in that they ment to buy wit and to pay as déer therfore as their fathers and fréends had solde theirs 5. THe next questioÌ„ by our Hoast what was first y reason of giuing and wearing of mourning gownes garments for such as are disceassed Pierce answered hée thought it was in fauor of our imbicilitle and weaknes and for that reason are not so prone and redy to wéep so sore namely rich widowes who cannot wéep so redily as a dog can make water and therfore it was thought expedient that such mourning were and that such as could not mourne for other busines there might be allowed vnto them some honest and coullorable meanes to mourn by attourney as wee se y in matters of law he that for other nescessary busines cannot attend vpon his causes is receiued by his Attourney and of these great heires executors and rich widdowes that are otherwise necessarily occupied and haue no leisure to wéep it was thought in like maner Also it was thought profitable for the parties them selues for that it is an honest mean of publicatioÌ„ aâ—wel of the widowhed as also of her great heuines therfore wherby the more Counselers may resorte vnto her for in straunge place a widowe is knowen from other by her mourning and sorow 6. THe next Question by Peirce what differeth a couetous person from a Niggard ¶ Our Hoast answered a niggard is affraid to want him self and therfore husbandeth and spareth and oft liueth besides his owne But the â—ouetous is wurse affraid least others should not want and therfore kéepeth and engrosseth all to defraude the hungrie soule and to make the poore want bread 7. THe next Question by me why such folke as delight in rich and costly apparel and also in delicat and daintie meantê and drinks do not eat and drink in y open streats as they do weare their apparel ¶ Pierce answered because that for their delicat fare no body would honor or reuereÌ„ce them except they gaue them part with them which because they purpose not to doo therfore they holde it best to eat it within doores and in seceret but in their braue apparel there lieth some honor at the least as they suppose because they se many y méet them strike their sailes therat although as great and the like reason in the one as in the other 8. THe next Question by our Hoast why the best and daintiest meats drinks and such as bréed and make the moste best nurishment in the body doo not also bréed the best maner but rather the contrary I Answered because that commonly folke take to much of them and haue so great felicitie therin the rather that the ministers of voluptuousnes and sensualitie may thriue but the chéefest and best reason séemeth to be this that men may knowe that Godlines and vertue are not tied vnto meat and drink neither doo consist therin as Christe hath said The kingdome of heauen is neither meat nor drink to mooue vs therfore to eat and drink to liue and not to liue to eat and drink 9 THe next Question by me what possession is the best and surest and least subiect vnto rauin and violence OVr Hoste answered the best things the wurst for vertue which is the best possession a man may cary farre enough without béeing robbed therof and or that either man or woman offer to take it from him and as it is of the best so is it of the wurst for once quoth he I lost a Gloue which was taken vp and brought after me 10 THe next Question by our Hoste whether beautie honestie may dwell togither in one house and be tenaunts bothe vnto one Landlord or not PIerce said he knew no cause to the contrary except the Landlord quoth he be a Purchaser of Land or a great builder or bothe then Beautie must haue a Licence of the Iustice to kéep a Seller or a Bowling alley or an inordinary table or els all thrée and then honestie must take a house farther of 11 THe next question by Peirce what is the reason that some Women doo so curle and lay foorth their heres THe answere by our Hoste for that to be beardlesse is in a man monstrous and to be bauld headed in a woman as in a trée neuer to haue leaues or ground grasse and therfore lest for want of shewing their heres they might peradumture be suspected to be monsters they make them selues â—â—ry monsters in déed Dum vitant stulti vicua in contrarium