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
seruants vnto whoÌ„e the payment of the money from hand to hand had been but a temporall and a short reléef for euery man hath not the gouernment ne right vse therof so 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 tâ— 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 thiÌ„g then vertue and godlines and therfore their rent must néeds be easie for who should rate it by out bidding when the vngodly is no chapman neither dare preseÌ„t him self in the place for the godly person dooth it no not vnto the wicked much lesse vnto his godly Brother or Neighbour This is no small commendation of Vertue and godlines and no small encouragement therto namely where a man may make as suer 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 diuers honest and 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 that they came to their lands before they came to their Wit and béeing Owners wared therby proude and in flatte béeing vnder no mans check and disdaining al mens counsel and so forgetting God and them selues fall to folly and then as the Prophet Dauid saith Their table is made a snare to take them and the things which should haue been for their proâ—fit are vnto them an occasion of falling So fearfull and daungerous is the singuler and sole proprietie of great Laâ—des and possessions as that oftentimes it not only bereaueth the owners of their right wit and IudgemeÌ„ts but also through their pride vnthriftines and prodigallitie it hazardeth the sincere administration execution of lawes and Iustice pâ—ocuring partialitie and fauour to vngodlynes and dissolute liuing whilste they whose dutie were to rebuke such persoâ—s and to restraine their libertie had rather enter into their â—arge reuenues and possessions and to take and vse the oppoâ—tunitie of their wickednes and retchlesnes as the méetest occasion héerto But in these Farmers and in their posteritâ—e otherwise it is and that for the reuerend and honourable regarde between them and their Landlords at whose hands â—nd during whose good wil and pleasure they holde their liuings and whose great liberalitie and benignitie chargeth thâ—m with no small expectation aswel of godly and honest conâ—ersation of life as also of hospitalitie and charitable dealiÌ„g with their Bretheren and Neighbours béeing by their meaâ—es very wel enabled therunto These things I say are lâ—oked for at their hands and that by them whose expectation they dare not nor cannot without great shame falsifie whicâ— godlynes thriftines and liberallitie in them is of no small force to mooue others therunto and so mutuall looue and charity 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 wriâ—ten how greatly and how mightely this procureth and adâ—aunceth Learning Godlynes and Vertue how much it fuâ—thereth the desire of contemplation and godly exercises of thâ— minde against which there is no Impediment nor hindeâ—aunce so great as either the destitution or want of a competeâ—t liuing and maintenaunce or els the dayly feare to be suppâ—anted or disappointed therof and consequently the thoughts and cares either to prouide for a competent liuing or els to maintaine and defend the same against the dayly Allarms and assaults of the Couetous and the vngodly against which the benignitie and goodnes of Owners and Landlords 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 fées and reuenues aforesaid which doo far differ from the common purchasing of other priuate persons by whome through your Ignoraunce or els of malice you doo Iudge measure these which are nothing like nor comparable as the effects and frutes therof will euidently declare namely in the purchase of the Merchant the Chapman the Grasier the clothier and such other like Artificer what soeuer at the hands of all which persoÌ„s no such thing is hoped or looked for First for that they doo not sustaine any such charge of expectation neither is any reason that they should except a Shoomaker bying an Oxe hide for thrée shillings foure peÌ„ce 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 sée'th 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 wunderfull 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 duble 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 gain and very wisely handled so that when he hath any thing to let or set vp goeth the Drum as welcome to him the Deuil of hel yea Belzabub him selfe as the Godlyest person in England yea as an Angell of heauen for godlynes vertue or honestie is the last question that hée wil aske only Quid vultis mihi daré Thus is the godly person sure to be put back or els to take the thing to his vtter detriment so that vpon the matter no question or difference whether of them spéed for the euil man is made a great deale wursse namely for that the greatnes of his rent stoppeth the mouth of him whose reduke hée should moste feare whome hée would and should moste reuerence and regarde and therfore wil hée be as wicked and as vngratious and corrupt as many others as hée can and dare for feare of the lawâ—s The godly person although he gladly would doo good yet wanteth hée power therto being ouer set with the greatnes oâ— his reÌ„t so that in conclusion whether the good or euil may spéed they are forced to deale hardly with the world wherby aâ—iseth little or no amitie fréendship or charitable looue amoâ—g men but euen all for the peny as among méer Straungeâ—s nor any zeale vnto God nor to doo any good for his sake By all these arguments it appéereth manifestly hâ—w much it were to be wished and desired at the hands of Almightie God that only or chéefly such were purchasers Laâ—d-lords whose very estates and callings and the
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
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
hée saith The vngodly boroweth and â—ayeth not again but the righteous is mercifull and liberall Thus it appéereth quoth our Hoste that who so truely paieth â—is oâ—t hée can not therin be called an euil person or be said to haue 〈…〉 sted neither him self or any other â—odie and therin farre excelleth this quallitie both the other ¶ But now it resteth mée to prooue quoth hée thâ—t this word to pay a mans det dooth include both the rest so farre saith as they may or can be called vertues or properâ—ies of godlines which I wil prooue in this order ¶ First say that whatsoeuer wée haue héer in this â—orld wée haue it at the bountifull mercifull hands of our God as lent and which hée may at his pleasure take from vs as also wée dayly see him doo Then if wée haue nothing but tâ—at we haue receiued as Saint Paule saith wée must needs câ—nfesse wée are â—â—â—â—tted vnto him therfore How then can â—e pay vnto him our det for hée receiueth no money we cannoâ— feast him for hée neither eateth Buls flesh nor drinketh thâ— blood of Goates It resteth then that wée giue vnto them that are 〈◊〉 his Bayliffes and â—â—ereiuers for that intent aâ—â— purpose and vnto them in whose persouneÌ„s hée hath â—gaâ—â—d him self â—â—to 〈◊〉 to wit unto his poore and godly Saints aâ—â— seruaunts that are héer vpon the 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 testimony not of our merit but of our woorking faith in his grace and mercy 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 Hoste wâ—â— whether is the harder matter to make a Lord or a Gentleman Pierce answered that in all common reason also by experience the harder thing the harder is the dâ—â—ing therof â— Lord 〈◊〉 hée is a 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 knew quoth I where a Churle by hiâ— purchase of Mannour is become Lord of a number better men then himself and so is hée a Lord and yet no Gentlemen 3. THe next Question of Pierce Plowman was why pâ—oremen are not called to office of estate and gouernment in common welths but euermore the rich and welthy OVr Hoste answered because quoth hée the poore would to be rich and so are not content with their present estate but to desire alteration and chaunge and all such persones are more méet to be commaunded then to commaund in a commoÌ„ welth But of the rich and welthie it is clean otherwise for they are already that which the poore haue desire to be and therfore content and consequently Fréends 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 and so great hazard of the common peace lieth therin 4 THe next Question by méâ—â—â—hat is the reason that the Sonnes and Children of great purchasers namely 〈◊〉 and Merchants are common â—â— such hee riâ—â—â— and â—â—â—melesse vnthrifts PIerce answerered that hée knew no reason therin but hée thought it a very secret Iudgement of God vpon the parents that haue eaten foure Grapes and set their Childrâ—ns â—â—â—ch â—â—â—â—edge OVr Hoste said it argued great equitie and consience in tâ—eir Children in that they ment to buy wit and to pay as â—éer therfore as their fathers and fréends had sold theirs 5 The next Question by our Hoste what was first the reason of giuing and wearing of mourning gownes and garments for such as are deceased PIerce answered hée thought it was in fauour of our iâ—bicilitie and weaknes and for that reason are not so pâ—one and ready to wéep so sore namely rich widowes who caâ—not wéep so redily as a dog can make water and therfore it was thought expedient that such mourning were and that â—uch â—â— coâ—ld not mourne for other busines they might be alâ—owâ—d vnto theâ—â— soone honest and coulorable meanes to mâ—urn by atturney as wée sée that in matters of law he that for â—ther necessary busines cannot attend vpon his causes is receiued by his Attourney and of these great heires executorâ— and rich widowes that are otherwise necessarily occupied and haue no leisure to wéep it was thought in like maner Also 〈◊〉 thought profitable for the parties themselues for that it is an honest mean of publicatioÌ„ aswel of the widowhâ—â—d as also of her great heuines therfore wherby the more Counselers may resort vnto her for in strange places a widoâ—e is known from other by her wéeping and sorow 6 THe next Question by pierce what differeth a couâ—tous person from a Niggard ¶ Our Hoste answered a niâ—gard is affraid to want him self and therfore husbandeth aâ—d spareth and oft liueth besides his owne But the couetâ—us is cursse affraid least others should not want and therfoâ—e kéeâ—eth and engrosseth all to defraude the hungrie soule â— and 〈◊〉 the poore want bread 7 THe next Question by mée why such folâ—e as delight in rich and costly apparell and also in deliâ—â—t and dainty neats and drinks doo not eat and drink in the opeÌ„ stréets as they doo weare their apparell ¶ Pierce answered because that for their delicate fare no body would honor or reuerence theÌ„ except they gaue them part with them which because they purpose not to doo therfore they holde it best to eat it wtin doores and in secret but in their braue apparell there lieth some honor at the least as they suppose because they sée many that 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 Hoste why the best and daintiest meats and drinks and such as bréed and make the mosts and 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 meâ— 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 and to moue 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 and the wurst for vertue which is the best possession a man may carry 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