Selected quad for the lemma: majesty_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A43846
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Proposals for building, in every county, a working-almshouse or hospital as the best expedient to perfect the trade and manufactory of linnen-cloth
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Haines, Richard, 1633-1685.
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1677
(1677)
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Wing H205; ESTC R8843
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16,691
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31
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procuring the most Fine and curious Cloth as well as quantities sufficient of Courser for Domestick and Foreign Trade to be obtained with great expedition For so it is That when so many are imploy'd in sight of each other especially where incouragement is given and good Discipline maintain'd the strife of all both small and great will be to excell each other both in quantity and curiosity of Work Obj. This Manufactory being thus incouraged a considerable part of His Majesties Revenue now arising by Custom for Linnen Cloth will be diminished Answ I humbly Answer That the same may be easily compensated another way it being with all submission conceived That it would be happy for this Kingdom if an Imposition of 12 d. per quart more than now is were to be paid for all French-Wine and Brandy As also 5 s. in the Pound for all Hemp Flax and Linnen that is Imported 'T is possible some may suppose that my being thus intent and tedious is only an itch of Fame but I can justly assure the World I am so far from any such contemptible Vanity That I am rather a beggar for the Poor and Distressed and for their sakes would imitate the importunate Widow in the 18 th of St. Luke's Gospel who obtain'd her request meerly for the sake of her Importunity only this difference there is Her suit was for Revenge Mine for an Act of Charity she made her suit to such a Judge as neither feared God nor regarded man but my humble though earnest suit is To the Most Christian King a Defender of the Faith as also to the Great Wisdom of a Christian Nation all which strengthens my hopes that I shall not be more unfortunate than was that importunate Widow And why should I doubt it since it is so that even an unjust and ungodly Judge will redress the Grievances of the Oppressed shall not the Best and Most Christian Government exercise its power for suppressing and reforming intollerable Evils Oppressions and Disorders seeing the Wellfare and Prosperity of the whole Nation is as it were Intail'd to such an Act of Justice and Mercy It is said of Faith Hope and Charity That the greatest of these is Charity yes if a Man had all Faith and all Hope both which are most excellent and necessary yet it availeth nothing if Charity be wanting And since 't is a Maxim That the best of Men cannot be Vncharitable I chearfully hope that my humble Proposals for an Act of Charity will not be contemn'd by our Greatest Worthies since now in our view the Wealth and Prosperity of the Nation is in pursuit of the same I would not flatter my self or others but do confidently believe That what with the Decrease of Poor People The happy Reformation and total Restriction of Beggers Vagrants Nurses of Debauchery c. The yearly increase of Ten or Twelve Hundred Thousand Pounds which now will be kept at home that before went beyond the Seas for Linnen The great improvement of Lands The Exportation of Linnen of our own growth c. The worth and advantage of the whole cannot amount to less than Two or three Millions Sterling per Annum to the Nation and over and above many lives preserved and with Gods blessing on the means many souls saved which if so certainly it will be the best Bargain and happiest that ever the Nation made all circumstances considered Because where so much Money is disburs'd as will compass this great Wealth without which it is almost impossible to be attain'd our Posterity will have it for nothing yea the present Inhabitants have their Purchase Money still amongst themselves as it were in their own Sacks with their Corn seeing we Buy not this profitable Expedient of other Nations which if we were obliged to do to be sare they would make us pay dearly for it But suppose neither of these Advantages were to be reap'd for our Money only the Poor provided for and Reformation of Vagrants accomplish'd Must we do nothing for Charity Suppose any Opposers of this Dsign were worth 5000 l. or 10000 l. per Ann. a piece Can they be certain that none of their Posterity may within 200 years come to Poverty Why then should they be unwilling now to contribute freely seeing the Method proposed may secure both Rich and Poor from Extremity And how dishonourable is it to this Kingdom that so fruitful a Soil as England which by the Industry of its most unuseful Inhabitants might so easily become the Garden of Europe should by their sloth and obstinacy lie unimproved How many Hundred Thousand Beggers Vagrants Drones Nurses of Debauchery c. who are not only a Dishonour but a great Disadvantage to the Nation living in continual sinful Practices against the Laws of God and good Government depriving themselves of all means of Religious and Civil Education to the great danger of their own Souls Ill Example of others and destruction of their Posterity being neither serviceable to the Publick nor capable of raising themselves to any better condition might by this Method be wholly reform'd or prevented Wherefore upon these several weighty considerations and for that besides the Princely Encouragement before-mentioned I have had the Approbation of that great lover of Ingenuity The Right Honourable the Lord Viscount Brouncker President of the Royal Society who was pleas'd to peruse my Proposals and express his Sentiments very favourably thereupon As also having received by letter some considerable and pressing Incitements to proceed from an Eminent publick spirited Divine the Reverend Dr. John Beale one of His Majesties Chaplains and a Member of the said Royal Society I am therefore embolden'd particularly to entreat the Christian consideration of the most grave and pious Divines and all the Honourable and Ingenious Associates of that August Society in this matter and accordingly to give their Encouragement Approbation and Assistance or otherwise to discover my mistakes and rectifie any false Measures which through Inadverrency or over-zeal to the design I may have committed by publishing some more Feazible Methods from their better improved Reason whereby I shall at once be confuted and instructed and though failing in the means shall not miss of my desired End viz. The Glory of God the Prosperity of the Nation and the Happy Reformation of many thousands who are a dishonour to Both FINIS