Selected quad for the lemma: land_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
land_n	penny_n	pound_n	shilling_n	5,001	5	11.2551	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01679	The order of equalitie Contriued and diuulged as a generall directorie for common sessements. Seruing for the indifferent defraying, taxing, and rating of common impositions and charges, lyable to citties, townes, or villages, that they may be done in some equall and proportionable order, for the benefit of the common-wealth. Very necessarie for all persons, to whome the execution and apprehension of this businesse appertaine.	Gibbon, Charles, fl. 1589-1604.	1604 (1604)	STC 11817; ESTC S116511	27,104	40

condemned in the lawe of God Inequalitie is condemned by positiue and nationall lawes if you haue recourse to the Statute made in Anno 43. of our late soueraigne Lady of famous memorie Queene Elizabeth there is a clause concerning the Sessement of subsidy inserted in these words The said Commissioners to whome it shall appertaine shall Indifferently set taxe and sesse themselues and the said Assessors This is spoken demonstratiuely to shewe that indifferencie not inequalitie should be vsed in all Sessements to all persons for indifference est quasi non differens that is there ought to be no difference in these dealings in regard of persons but that euery one should haue a proportionable penniworth according to his portion as well as another What should I speake more of Inequalitie doe we not see that as Cockes cannot fight well that are vnequally matched so men can neuer agree wel that are vnequally charged for wheras Equalitie is the cause of loue and is therefore called vnitatis nutrix the nource of vnitie this Inequality is nothing els but the cause of discontent and is therefore called seditionis altrix the nource of sedition for as wheeles going vpon vnequall ground will make a rumbling so men pressed with vnequall rates will make a murmuring as appeares by the labourers in the Vineyard for if they did murmure in receiuing of money because their wages was equall when their worke was vnequal what will they doe in departing from money where their estates are equall if they be vnequally taxed Chap. 10. That euery one is to be charged respectiuely according to the Qualitie of the Sessement whether it be in lands or goods AS euery one ought to be taxed properly according to his owne estate comparatiuely according to generall taxations so he must be vsed respectiuely according to the qualitie of the Sessement whether it be in terris or bonis or els it is no better then inequalitie If a leuie be made for a common charge in money and the direction or warrant be generall to collect sixe pence in the pound as well of lands as goods without difference this is meere iniurie because that proportion is not obserued which aimeth at equalitie For the Statute it selfe concerning Sessement of subsidies doth make a diaphora or distinction therein for landes bee at foure shillings and goods at two shillings and eight pence the pound and therefore to make lands and goods all at one rate in other charges is repugnant to the equalitie and equitie of the lawe aequalitas quam Magistratus statuit seruanda which as Hemingius saith ought to be obserued but yet this is made but a superficiall and light matter in many places amongest such no doubt as are more forward to impose then to pay charges which that learned man D. Chytraeus noted in his time and therefore he left this sentence to all Sessors Quae alijs praecipis ipse facere primus videare That which thou doest command others to doe see that thou thy selfe first doest it for that common wealth must needs doe well where precepts and presidents goe togither as Plato saith The rate of the Subsidie is or ought to be aequabilitatis Normam the very rule of equalitie to deriue and direct all other charges by for this cause many respect not altogether the proportion obserued in the Subsidie but because in most places especially in cities or great townes collections are made commonly by the rate of the subsidie such as are therein vnequally taxed are made subiect to infinit inequalities and iniuries in all other charges In common charges to see one that is set at twentie shillings to pay foure pence when another of his value paieth two shillings by the rate of the subsidie to see one that may dispend in annuall reuenews two hundred pounds taxed at two shillings when another that hath not the tythe of his liuing laid as much by the rate of the subsidie what greater inequalitie and iniury can there be that these which disdaine to consort with the lowest in cases of countenance should be linked with the lowest in matters of charge so the old prouerbe is still approoued The weakest must to the wall For as wormes breed soonest in the softest wood so wrongs are soonest offered to the weakest person These Inequalities are so apparent that in most places when a Charge is imposed the better sort with the Constables of the towne assemble together about the equall taxation and collection of it if it be in Hundreds they deuide themselues into Villages if in great towns they deuide themselues into Wards and so taxe men not according to the rates in the Subsidie but in some measure according to their abilities agreeable to the generall proportion of others which must needs be a very indifferent and discreet course for the conseruation of the people in much vnitie where there is so great circumspection to equalitie and sithence it is plebeiae publica expensa the commō charge of the vulgar sort it is great reason they should proportion their owne rates so the charge which is imposed be discharged as Bullinger deliuereth in his Decades Chap. 11. The probable causes and coniectures why men are so vnequally taxed in common Impositions and charges repugnant to generall proportions THese vnequall proportions are committed by the Sessors either of negligence for want of dutie or of indiscretion for want of iudgement or of ignorance by way of Apologie or of wilfulnesse by way of affection These inequalities are committed of Negligence for want of dutie for there are some which rate men vpon rumors and reports nowe as it is a maxim amongest Philosophers in vniversalibus versatur dolus so it is a principle of experience in the world that generall relations are but common fallations I will not say but that sometime vox vulgatis veritatis est the vulgar voice may be verified but yet as the Phisition in some cases saith that Vrina est fallax so in these cases I would haue men thinke that fama est mendax rumor is but a flatuous eccho of idle tongues and therefore Thales Milesius beeing demanded howe much trueth did differ from rumors so much said he as the eies are distant from the eares noting thereby that men ought to be oculer and not auriculer agents if they wil know the trueth for many are blazond to be persons of great liuing which when they come to be founded it appeares but a false allarum and thus are many hindred by heare-say It was well said of one melius est it is farre better to fall into the hands of the iudge then into the mouthes of the common people for hee will not sentence any without examination proofe when the other will censure euery one by rumors and reportes If you looke into all our statutes concerning the sesment of subsidies and taxes there is a prouision made for the appointing of certaine persons with the Constables of euery Towne to be sessors