Selected quad for the lemma: land_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
land_n	pay_v	rent_n	tenant_n	2,576	5	9.7256	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B00562	Two godlie and fruitful treatises of the foule and grosse sinne of oppression. The one taken out of the exposition vppon the fift chapter of Nehemiah, written by that worthy bishop and faithfull pastor of the church of Durham, Master Iames Pilkinton. The other published of late by Robert Some Doctor of Diuinitie.	Pilkington, James, 1520-1576.; Some, Robert, 1542-1609.	1585 (1585)	STC 19929.5; ESTC S94728	18,655	46

see the thing to be true and not feigned some of our daughters are in bon dage 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 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 it 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 sorowe But if these sorowes could haue an end or ther were anie hope to haue release of them in time we could take it the better 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 deuize where to get anie more our houses our lands and vineyeardes 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 cry out on heauē earth but they haue hardned their harts and stopt their eares that they will not heare nor pitie vs. Mercie is gone crueltie oppression and greedines cary thē away that both forget god them-selues This was the miserable state of that time a mā would haue thought that the miserie slauerie and bondage that they them-selues were in of late vnder heathen Princes in straunge countries 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 citie should not haue bene so sone forgotten but as they th●● would haue bene glad of some releefe succour courtesie to be shewed vnto them at straungers hands so they should now shew the like vnto their breethren 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 members 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 mercifull 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 and yet if we looke into our selues in these daies we shal 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 will 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 Latimer his 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 amendement 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 what soeuer 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 farmer 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 will be to but would to God this had bene vsed only in the princes state but he that wil looke and see shall 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 elbowroume 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 and 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

hideth vp his corne shal be cursed among the people but blessing shal be 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 said our fields and our vineyeards and our houses we haue laid to pledge that we might haue Corne in this hunger 4. And there were some that said we haue boromwed onie of the Kings tribute vppon our landes and vineyeards 5. And now as the flesh of our breethren is so is our flesh and as their children be so are our children and marke we bring into bondage our sonnes and our daughters as seruants and there besome of our daughters in bondage alreadie and there is no powre in our hands our lands our vineyeards are in other mens hands 3. And there were some that sayd Thus farre goeth the crie 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 hunger-bitten 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 com-plained on saying that euery 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 from them Mich and their flesh 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 flesh 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 Kings 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 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 to get 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 oppression 〈◊〉 8. that the richer sort vsed toward the poore in his time When wil 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 needie 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 scattred 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 and frozen vp with cold and so is ours Their bellies cleaue to the verie back for hunger and so doe ours Ther 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 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 slauerie 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 kinds of sorow are laide vppons vs without mercie If this sorow were laide on vs alone we could better beare it but when we see our children yong 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 but loe marke and consider farther and these dealings that folow are much worse 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 verie 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 a wake them to the consideration of the weightie matter that 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 and willingly to bring offer our sonnes and daughters to them to be their bond-seruants slaues vsed as beasts at their commaundement that we they may liue though it be in great miserie rather then perish for hunger or penury And that ye may

not regarding how he commeth by it by hooke or by crooke by right or wrong be it short or long Here is nothing spoken particularlie against any mans vocation or occupation nor anie man that dealeth honestlie in them but generallie to note the generall faults of the offenders that euerie man may looke into his owne bosome consider his doings and amend one If euery one wold amend one all should be wel streight but euerie one would amend another see other mens faults but not his owne and therefore all lie still as they did nothing amended and euerie one maketh curtesie who shal begin first Sophony the Prophet complaineth of his time saith thy rulers are roaring lions thy iudges are rauening wolues and will not leaue the bones vntill morning by prophets are lewd and vnconstant thy Priests haue defiled the holy place and broken thy law Micheas crieth out and saieth there is not a good man left 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 graunt our 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 many and great miseries The pride of women is through the fault of men therefore 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 47. 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 labouring to till the ground And where we thinke we deale courteouslie if we let them 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 meete 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 encrease these men restore nothing and yet take interest As this cruell dealing toward their breethren and countriemen 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 so mercifullie restored vnto vs so freelie taught greater crueltie should be found 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 al deuises that may be and by all powre that he can ouerthrow it 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 offered vnto vs as though it were not the true word of God because men liue so far contrary 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 〈◊〉 23.3 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 is a Lanterne to our feete Psa 〈◊〉 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 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 euill liuing A TABLE OF SVCH POINTS AS ARE CONTEINED IN the second Treatise 1. What oppression is 2. It is not lawfull for anie man to oppresse another 3. They which haue done wrong vnto or oppressed anie must make actuall restitution 4. It is the duety of the Magistrate to deliuer the oppressed out of the hands of the oppressour 5. The Magistrate looseth nothing by deliuering the oppressed 6. Oppressours shall be grieuouslie punished 7. Oppressours haue no Religion in them 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 verie slaūderous and my treatise against oppression is argument ynought 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 faile in this cleare point we deserue great condemnation at almightie Gods hands I confesse that a man is good therefore iustified in Gods fight before he doth good workes but withall I set downe this that good workes doe followe him that is truelie iustified and that such as haue oppressed or iniured any man