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land_n	pay_v	rent_n	tenant_n	2,576	5	9.7256	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09659	A godlie exposition vpon certeine chapters of Nehemiah, written by that worthie byshop and faithfull pastor of the Church of Durham Master James Pilkington. And now newly published. In the latter end, because the author could not finish that treatise of oppression which he had begonne, there is added that for a supplie, which of late was published by Robert Some, D. in Diuinitie	Pilkington, James, 1520?-1576.; Foxe, John, 1516-1587.; Some, Robert, 1542-1609. Godlie treatise of the church. In the ende .. a treatise against oppression.	1585 (1585)	STC 19929; ESTC S114273	162,441	172

and countrie-men that they shall be compelled willinglie though against their wills to sell their children for slaues or else die for hunger At straungers hands and speciallie if they be of another religion no man looketh for anie fauour and if anie doe come it is more then looked for and so much the more welcome when it commeth but at a friend and countrie-mans hand where all courtesie is to be looked for and to finde none but all extremitie is a griefe aboue all griefes and mans hart can neuer digest it It is against God against nature and common reason which teacheth all gentlenes to such nay it is worsse then beastlines for one beast will not deale so cruellie with another of his owne kinde and one theefe will not robbe another therefore to be spoiled and robbed by them of whom they should be defended releeued it is a griefe that passeth all sorowes But if these sorowes could haue an end or there were anie hope to haue release of them in time we could take it the better and haue some comfort but all hope is taken away for we haue no powre left we haue nothing to help our selues withall we haue wrastled as long as we might and made shift as long as it would be but now we are able to beare it no more we haue nothing left all is spent and gone and we cannot deuise where to get anie more our houses our lands and vineyeards other men haue cruellie gotten from vs and vnmercifullie doe keepe them haue no regard to help vs in this our great and extreame necessitie We can doe nothing but crie out on heauen and earth but they hardned their harts and stopt their eares that they will not heare nor pitie vs. Mercie is gone crueltie oppression and greedines carie them away that both forget God and themselues This was the miserable state of that time a man would haue thought that the miserie slauerie and bondage that they them-selues were in oflate vnder heathen princes in strange coun tries and so late being restored through Gods free and vndeserued goodnes to their owne countrie with libertie great gifts and liberalitie to build their temple and Citie should not haue bene so sone forgotten but as they then would haue bene glad of some releefe succor courtesie to be shewed vnto them at straungers hands so they should now shew the like vnto their breethren and countrimen But such is the wickednes of mans hart that the more mercies we receiue at Gods hand the more vnthankefull we be and such is the malice of Sathan against God his Church and people that when the Lord of his owne free will and vndeserued goodnes bestoweth his mercie vpon his seruants the Deuill by his membres and all deuises possible goeth about to ouerthrow and withdraw all sorts of men so much as in him is to a forgetfulnes of such merciful goodnes bestowed vpon them and maketh them vnmercifull to their breethren which haue receiued so great mercie at the Lords hand Religion is the chiefest help that God hath giuen vs to knowe him by to bridle our ill affections and desires withall to make vs loue one another and set forth his glorie aud yet if we looke into our selues in these daies we shall finde that there was neuer greater crueltie oppression of the poore Hypocrisie and dissembling in Gods cause and vnmercifulnes amongst men in this land then hath bene since the beginning of the reforming of Religion amongst vs yea and that is more wonderful of such as would pretend to be fauourers of Religion Hypocrites as they vse nothing well so they misuse Religion for a cloake to worke their owne wil and pleasure by to the defacing of all good Religion Things be fresh in memorie and cannot be forgotten of them that will not willinglie be blind but they that list to reede may see in that worthie Father master Latimers Sermons manie such things opened that then were preached would to God they were now reformed or not fallen to worsse and more shameful dealings without hope of amendment As for begging or buiyng good things at the Kings hand then selling the woods surueying the land to the vttermost acre or roods of land inhaunsing of rents to the highest from twentie pounds to an hundreth racking the Tenants by intollerable fines and Incomes Sine fine euerie 5. or 7. yeare commonlie laying load on them to carie and recarie whatsoeuer is to be done paying neuer a pennie for their labour ride and runne when he is commaunded c. Then turne it into the Princes hand againe get as much and vse it as ill or worsse This practise hath bene so common and declared by diuers that few can be ignorant of it and manie crie out on it at this day but remediles Yet this is not the worst if there be anie broken title of the land that maie make question in the Law or if there be anie daunger of waters or extraordinarie charges reparations c. then it is meete for the Prince by exchaunge When it is rackt to the highest and a good thing gotten in steede of it yet that the Prince shall not be thought to haue an ill bargaine he will desire to be fermer of it him selfe after the same rate to stop mens mouthes for a time As it is reason honorable and Godlie that the Prince should liberallie reward and encourage the good seruitor so is it reason againe that the Princes goodnesse nor the subiect be misused Master Latimer did freelie speake of these things not without blame as peraduenture this wil be to but would to god this had bene vsed only in the Princes state but he that will looke abroade and see shal finde the like to common in meane mens doings As for pulling downe of Townes turning tillage to pasture and turning out the tennants as Achab did to Naboth for his vineyeard that they maie haue elbow roume make them large demeans or set a shepheard and his dogg where so manie haue dwelt and that a poore man may not dwel so neere a man of worship these be so common among the meanest sort of Purchasers that men neede not to studie where to finde them Raising of Rents taking vnreasonable fines gressans is thought no faulte it is so common but some are waxen so cunning that it is straunge to thinke of A land-lord is hungrie and needes must haue fines euen of the poorest sort and because he wil be thought to deale mercifullie this waie is deuised The poore man hath no money and yet he must pay his goods and speciallie his sheepe though they be few shall be preised and according to the rate out of those goods the fine shalbe raised And that some pitie shalbe thought to be shewed the poore man shall haue his goods againe by the price to pay his fine withall and for occupying of those his owne goods he shall pay a yearlie rent or interest as it were

may not at any tyme require a safe conduct of Princes to whom it belongeth to prouide in daungerous times that passage by the hie way may be safe and quiet Paul as we reed when the Iewes had sworne that they would neither eat nor drinke vntil they had killed him desyred an vnder Captaine to bring his Nephew who tolde him of that conspiracie to the high Captaine to declare so much to him and desyred that he would prouide some safetie for him that he were not murthered by the way and in this doing Paul neither offended man nor distrusted of Gods prouidence and care toward him Againe in that great and long storme that Paul his fellowes were in on the sea where they looked for nothing but to be drowned the Angell of God tolde Paul that god had giuen him the liues of all that were with him in the ship none of them should perish yet afterward when the maryners would haue cunningly conueied them-selues out of the ship vnder pretence to haue cast anker Paul tolde the high Captaine that if he suffered them to goe out of the ship they should all perish this he did not saie as doubting of the Angels true message nor of gods good will and mightie hand able to deliuer them but to teach vs that although god haue made vs promisse of his mercy we may not tempt him lie downe and sleepe carelesly but diligently to looke for vse such helps meanes as god hath apointed vs to worke by god worketh al goodnes in vs him selfe yet hath appointed means for vs to vse doe such things the which we may in no case neglect yet al praise is due to him whatsoeuer we doe for it is he that both ordeyneth the end of all things how they shal come to passe and also the meanes how they shal be brought to passe prospereth al them that forsaking them-selues vse such meanes hang on him knowing the beginning middest end to be ruled com to passe as he appointed God inspired the Apostles with all knowledge of the scriptures sodenly which were vnlearned neuer went to the schoole yet male not we thinke that we will be learned after the same sorte without studie and praier for then we tempt God refusing such helps as he hath appointed for vs to come to learning by And though we studie and pray neuer so much yet we shal vnderstand nothing vntil he giue vs his holy spirit the schoolmaster of all trueth to lighten our mindes and giue vnderstanding of his holie will We be like an axe in the carpenters hand which though it be a good one yet the praise of the good worke that is done with it is to be giuen to the man and not to the axe Such things be we in gods hand by whom he worketh his will and glory though not vnsensible as dead things be yet as vnable to worke any good thing without him as the axe is without the carpenter for of our selues we are not able to thinke a good thought as the Apostle saith that all praise may be his that blesseth and prospereth both vs and the meanes that he hath appointed for vs to worke by and bringeth it to a good end We must thinke likewise of Gods doings and our selues in all other things sinne except that he worketh all in all yet not without vs that all maie saie with Dauid Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue all praise and glorie Thus we see that some man maie at some times doe that another maie not yea one man him-selfe cannot doe at all times that he maie well doe at sometimes But this general rule being kept that Gods glorie be not defaced by doing of it it maie be done of all men at all times Paul wrought for his liuing when he preached which others did not nor are bound to doe and he might haue liued of his preaching as well as others did yet the time was such and the people so peeuishlie bent to sclaunder the Gospel of God that Paul forbare to vse that libertie which God gaue him and would not be thought to preach for gaines but wrought for his liuing would not be chargeable to any man Such was the case here that Ezra might not aske help and Nehemiah might 8. And letters also Nehemiah wiselie considering what he wanted yet to the finishing of such a worke as he went about perceiued he should neede timber and therefore desired the Kings letters of warrantie to Asaph keeper of his woodes that he might deliuer him such trees and so manie as would serue his purpose both for the building of the gates the towres of the Pallace neere to the Temple the Citie walles and the house that he should dwel in him selfe And here we shall see the King worthie great praise though he was but barbarous that for pollicies sake and wealth of his countrie both preserued his woods and set a keeper ouer them that they should not be wilfully wasted A good example for Princes to foresee the like in their countries in all ages for common-wealths cannot stand without the vse of woods in manie kind of things Nehemiah is also much to be commended that although he was in so great authoritie and fauour with the King yet he would not take of his woods without his licence and warrant as manie doe If these tow things were kept in this land that both the Princes woods and others to should be preserued faithful keepers set ouer them and none deliuered without sufficient warrant we should not finde the great lacke that we generally doe What spoile hath bene made of woods in our remembraunce wise men haue noted but few gone about to amend it though manie haue lamented it What common dealing hath bene practised to get such lands of the Prince and other men as were well woodded into their hands and when they had spoiled the woods rackt the rents deepely fined the tenants then to returne the same land into the Princes hand againe or sel it ouer to others and get as much it is to well knowne throughout the Realme and to the hurt of manie at this daie Nehemiah could aske nothing so much but the King did graunt it speedelie God did so mooue the Kings heart and prospered Nehemiahs doings in so much that he giueth all the praise to God alone and saith the hand of his God was good toward him to set forward his good purpose of building Ierulem Nehemiah knew well that God was the common God of all people and nations both by creation and gouernement of them but because he seemed to fauour him more then he did other in giuing him boldnes to open his griefe vnto the king wisdome to make his humble sute without offence vnto the King and so good successe to haue all things graunted that he required of the King so vnlooked for he calleth him

midst of the great riuer of Rhene which yet standeth there to be seene in the middest of the riuer he thought him selfe sure if he could slie thither notwithstanding the Rats swam after him thither and there deuoured him and it is called the Rats tower at this daie Salomon saieth he that hideth vp his corne shalbe cursed among the people but blessing shalbe on them that sell it God graunt the richer sort pitifull hearts to open their barnes and pursse to the reliefe of the poore that they maie escape Gods plague and mans cursse 3. And there were some that sayd Thus farre goeth the cry of the poorest sort now followeth another company that crie as fast but they are not altogether so poore They were pinched with hunger but they had some lands vineyards and houses to lay to pledge that they might haue some corne to fill their bellies withall These men were hungerbitten also for though they had land yet they were not able to store it nor husband it as husbandry required and therefore had no profit by it And like ynough they were such as Aggeus the Prophet complained on saying that euerie man buildeth for him selfe faire houses and Gods house lay vnbuilt and therefore God plagued them They had sowen much and reaped litle their corne wasted in their Barnes and their grapes consumed awaie in the winepresse These daies were like the time of Micheas the Prophet who crieth out against the rulers for their oppressing of the poore so extreamlie saying they plucke of their skinnes frrom them and their slesh from their bones And they eate also the flesh of my people and flay of their skinne from them and they breake their bones and choppe them in pieces as for the pot and as slesh within the caldron 4. And there were some that said Yet commeth another sort but they were in some better case for they had some corne and no money and they crie out as fast as the rest The King of Persia although they had giuen the Iewes licence to goe home to build their Temple and Citie yet they laid a great taske on them which they should paie in token of their subiection and recompence for their liberties sake The Rulers and chiefe of the Iewes had ingrossed vp in their hands vnmercifullie all the corne and money that could be come by so that litle or nothing could be gotten to fill their bellies and to pay the kings tribute withall therefore these men must pledge their lands and vineyeards toget some money for this purpose O miserable wretches that had thus miserablie oppressed their poore breethren and countriemen who had taken as much paines as they or more for the defence of their countrie building of their Temple and Citie and now in their great neede could finde no comfort nor reliefe at their hands But these be no new things in the world for Amos the Prophet complaineth likewise of the opression that the richer sort vsed toward the poore in his time When will this moone passe away saie they that hath so much plentie and the time come that we may make the measure lesse and buy the poore for Siluer and the needic for shoes and sell the out cast of the wheat 5. And now as the flesh of our breethren is But now come they all howling and crying together and saie what better case are we in that be come home to our countrie then our breethren which liue in captiuitie vnder the Chaldies Assirians Babylonians Medes Persians or any other countrie where-soeuer they be scattered on the face of the earth They liue in penury hunger so do we They be oppressed with their Rulers so be we Their flesh is partched with toiling in the heat frosen vp with cold and so is ours Their bellies cleaue to the verie back for hunger and so doe ours There is no strength nor courage left in them no more is there in vs. They be wearie of their liues and so be we They haue not where with to fil their bellie and couer their back no more haue we They pine away for sorow and so doe we They haue nothing left but skinne and bones and those will scarse cleaue together for sorow and in the same case be we If they get a pennie with great labour one or other is readie to snatch it from them and so it is with vs. As their children liue in as great slaueric and miserie as their fathers so doe our children liue as miserablie as we doe There is no respect of age nor youth neither there nor here but all kindes of sorow are laide vppon vs without mercie If this sorow were laide on vs alone we could better beare it but when we see our children young infants that cannot help them-selues to be wrapt in the same miserie that we be and can help neyther them nor our selues it doubleth and tripleth our sorow and yet both is remediles endles and comfortles These be straunge things which were laid to their charge for their vngentle dealing butloe marke and consider farther and these dealings that folow are much worsse monsters in nature and things intollerable both afore God and man This word loe marke or behold Ecce euer betokneth throughout the scripture some notable thing eyther verle good or verie ill that is spoken of immediatlie afterward and such a one as commonlie falleth not out among men And the holie Ghost of purpose vseth to marke such notable things with this word Loe Ecce marke or behold to put men in remembrance and awake them to the consideration of the weightie matterthat followeth that they should not lightlie passe ouer it but deeplie marke consider it Marke the greatnes of this oppression and vnmercifull dealing of the richer sort toward vs their poore breethren and countriemen of the same religion and seruing the same God that they doe haue taken as much paines in building the Temple Citie and defending our countrie as they haue done or more and yet can finde no mercie at their hands but are made their slaues For behold in straunge countries where our breethren dwell straungers take their sonnes and daughters by force and make them bond-men and slaues but we are brought into such miserie that we our selues are driuen by necessitie through the oppression of our rulers against our will willingly to bring offer our sons daughters to them to be their bond-seruants slaues and vsed as beasts at their commaundement that we and they may liue though it be in great miserie rather then perish for hunger or penurie And that ye may see the thing to be true and not feigned some of our daughters are in bondage to them alreadie It is a great griefe to parents to see their owne children taken by straungers made slaues in their owne sight but it is a greater grief for fathers to be so cruellie delt with in their owne countrie at their friends hands

euerie one would amend another see other mens faults but not his owne and therefore all lie still as they did nothing amended and euery one maketh courtesie who shall beginne Sophonie the Prophet complaineth of his time and saith Thy rulers are roaring Lions thy iudges are rauening wolues in the euening and will not leaue the bones vntill morning thy prophets are lewd and vnconstant thy Priests haue desiled the holy place broken thy law Micheas crieth out saieth there is not a goodman lest on the earth and not a righteous man among men all lie in waite for blood euerie man hunteth his brother vnto death c. God grauntour times were not like Among vs it is merilie said of some that there be some Courts where law is executed without conscience Another where conscience is without law the third where neyther law nor conscience the fourth where both law and conscience shall rule I can rather pray for then looke for vntill the last day come when the righteous Iudge shall iudge both with law conscience In the meane time we may mourne and turne vnto the Lord that he may forgiue vs and receiue vs in his manie and great mercies for we are full of manie great miseries The pride of weomen is through the fault of men therfore they be blameles God amend vs all It is written that Ioseph in Egipt vsed the people almost of like sort that they doe here and yet is he praised and these iustlie reproued which possiblie some marueile at not vnderstanding the diuersitie of their doings Ioseph laid vp corne in the time of plentie when euerie man had ynough these men did it at al times without respect in plentie and scarsitie Ioseph brought the monie into the Kings cofers to serue the common wealth these men laid it vp in their owne Cofers to their owne priuate vse Ioseph bought their cattell for such price as they were worth these men pay not the iust price for anie thing they take Ioseph buieth their land and maketh the people bond vnto the King restoring them againe the land the King finding the seede to sowe the people onelie laboring to till the ground And where we thinke we deale courteously if we let them sow to halfes the Egiptians haue the fourth part for their labour and paie the king the fift part of the encrease for the land and seede but these men kept all in their owne hands Ioseph bought not the Priests lands but gaue them alowance of such things as they wanted out of the kinges store and these men like vnto our daies if they can scrape anie thing from the Church that is a pastime among all other to laugh at and thought best gotten So much more is a minister of Gods gospell thought meeter to be spoiled by these cutpursses then Ioseph thought meet to doe to those Idolatrous priests Ioseph opened his barnes in time of dearth and sold liberallie to the needie these men the greater that the neede was the faster they lockt it vp vntill they had their desire of the poore Ioseph restored their land and tooke but the fift part of the increase these men restore nothing and yet take interest As this cruell dealing toward their breethren and countrie-men was thought straunge to be found amongst this people in the time that God had shewed to them such great mercies in restoring them againe to their countrie giuing them the liberty to build their temple and Citie with great gifts liberalitie and fauour of the kings vnder whom they were bondmen and slaues So it is much more marueil that among Christians in the time of the gospell 〈◊〉 mercifullie restored vnto vs so freelie taught greater crueltie should be found and exercised then among the hard harted Iewes or Infidell pagans But this is the common practise of Sathan that in no age people nor countrie he can be quiet to see Gods kingdom set vp and florish and his powre fall but he will rage storme besturre him and by all deuises that may be and by all powre that he can ouerthrowit And seeing this is no new thing but hath fallen out diuers times afore let vs not now be astonied nor dismaied at it nor murmure and grudge against the doctrine of our saluation so mercifullie offred vnto vs as though it were not the true word of God because men liue so far contrarie to that which is taught and they openlie professe The deuill is content when he cannot ouerthrow the trueth of the doctrine to deface it so much as he can with the ill life of those that professe it But the gospell teacheth vs what to doe in this case saying doe as they say but doe not as they doe The doctrine is good though they be ill The trueth and worthines of Gods word hangeth not on our life and doings but our life and doings should be reformed by Gods word for that it is a Lanterne to our feete and a light to our stepps that we may know when we be in the right way and how to come into it We must be iudged by Gods word and not it by vs we must be ruled by it and not ouerrule it according to our phantasies we must hang on Gods true saying and not on mans cuill liuing Because the Author being preuented by death could not finish the rest of this treatise much lesse of this and the other Chapters which remaine vntouched I thought it good for the better instruction of the reader and in stead of a supplie for this point of Oppression which that godlie zealous father had begonne to annex and set downe that which of late was published by Robert Some D. in Diuinitie To the Reader IT hath pleased an English papist to giue out in print that the Church of Roome doth both teach and require actuall restitution and that our Church doth neyther His speech of vs is verle slaunderous and my treatise against oppression is argument ynough to confute him If they of Rome teach and require actuall restitution it is no worke of supererogation they doe no more but their dueties If we should fasle in this cleare point we deserue great condemnation at almightie Gods hands I confesse that a man is good therefore iustified in Gods sight before he doth goodworkes but with-all I set downe this that goodworkes doe followe him that is truelie iustified and that such as haue oppressed or iniured anie man shall not be pardoned at Gods hands vnlesse they make actuall restitution if they be able to doe it If anie require proofe of this I referre him to this Treatise of mine against oppression A GODLIE TREATISE AGAINST the foule and grosse sinne of OPPRESSION Question VVHat is oppression Answere It is vniust dealing vsed of the mightier either by violence colour of lawe or anie other cunning dealing against such as are not able to withstand them The ground of this definition is conteined in these places of