GREEVOVS GRONES FOR THE POORE.
Done by a Well-willer, who wisheth, That the poore of ENGLAND might be so prouided for, as none should neede to go a begging within this Realme.
LONDON Printed for MICHAELL SPARKE. 1621.
TO THE RIGHT Honourable, Right Worshipfull, and worthy Company of the Virginian and Sommer-Iland Plantations.
RIGHT HONOVRAble, Worshipfull, and Worthy: It is an old, and yet a true Prouerbe, Vis vnita fortior, Vnited force is most vigorous: I could haue commended this poore Fatherlesse Volumne to the simple perfection of some one man in eminence, vnder whose shade it might obtaine a quiet rest. But knowing your conioyned Society, doth extend the branches of Charity, to a farther limit then some one particular person, I am bold to present this Orphane to your tuition: assuring my selfe, that althogh scandals may derogate frō the worth in this our home bred Nation, your affection will finde it shipping to [Page] transport it to the Land of security, where no biting Satyre dares assayle it with his enuious teeth, or censuring Critick, carpe to catch it with his AEnigmaticke braine. The reasons why this long obscured Off-spring of Charity claimes your worthy particular Patronage, diuide themselues into a Tricotomie. The first Reason is drawne from the supposed parent, whose industrious seduline to the vast wombe of the Ocean, describes these two Lands, now Cities of refuge for poore impouerished persons. For his sake therefore, whose wisedome liues crowned with the Garland of Fame, though his bodie be buried in the Sepulcher of Obliuion, protect this his poore extant issue.
The second Reason, proceedes from the remarkeable note of Christianity, which is Charity: For, by this (saith our Sauiour) shal all men know that yee are my Disciples. As therefore you prize the segregation of your selues from woluish Worldlings, in Charity entertaine this submissiue petulent, prostrate at the Altar of your acceptance.
The third Reason, yssues from your continued and dayly exercise in the relapse of mean and decayed persons, by transporting of them to a Land, where they haue Corne which they sowed not, Vines which they planted not, and plenty which some of them deserued not.
[Page]Since therefore, so many haue felt the reuiuing heate of the Sunne-beames of your Charity, whose very intrals blesse you: amongst the multitude of these, let this tonguelesse Orphant be one, that by its birth into the World, though it cannot speake, it may proue your praise. Thus with my seruice, as appointed to speake for this infant, in the hehalfe of it, I rest a Well-willer to your Businesse.
A Diuision of the estate of the Poore.
THE poore of this Common-Wealth are of two sorts, viz The impotent persons not able to releeue themselues with their labor, & the idle Rogues, able to mintaine the selues, and do their Countrey good, if they were set on worke, as the Statute Lawes of this Land prescribeth.
The impotent is the blinde, lame, wounded souldier, fatherlesse childe, aged person, or diseased by Leprosie, Dropsie, or else visited with other greeuous sicknesse, not able to labour, to releeue themselues sufficiently.
The Idle poore is the Theefe, the Rogue, [Page 2] the Rogue, the Strumpet, the sturdy Beggar, the Filcher, the Couzener, Cut-purse, and such like.
The Misery of the Poore, with the danger of their soules.
GREAT is the misery that the Carkasses of the poore sustaine, as extreame hunger, pinching colde, pittifull nakednesse, great disdaine, strange surfeits, greeuous sores, deadly diseases, and painefull deaths: but greater and much more lamentable, is the daungerous distresse of their silly soules. For, they are the slaues of Sathan, in the Galley of Idlenesse, fastened to the seate of Pouerty, with the Chaine of Slothfulnesse, where extreame Cruelty, with his Whip of Necessity (whose biting Cords are Hunger and Cold) forceth them to haste the fearfull Voyage, vnto the dolefull Hauen of Hell, by greedie rowing with the Oares of Iniurious Wrongs, as Theft, Cozenage, Witchcraft, and such like: but I hope to see, that Serpent so encountered with that goodly Ship, called, The good Gouernment of [Page 3] England, and that Loue that good Gunner therein (with the Powder of Zeale) will so thunder forth those Bullets of Iudgement out of the battering peeces of the Law, that Sathan shall be enforced to deliuer those silly slaues out of his thraldome, and yeelde his huge Vessell, to remaine a famous monument, vntill the end of the World.
Excellently was that on-set giuen in the making of sundry Statutes▪ for the releese of the Impotent, and setting the ydle on Worke: but if we consider how Negligence hath ouerthrowne that Famous Worke; wee shall finde, how Selfe-Loue is setled farre into euerie mans heart, and that we so hotly hunt after priuate Gaine, that wee freezing coldly, seeke not any Publike Profite. Wee play the sloathfull hand, loath to come out of a warme pocket, to heale and helpe to couer the whole bodie from pinching cold.
But come, come, deere Christians, let euerie man now bee more mooued with pittie. And according vnto their seuerall Callinges, so charitably to further some [Page 4] good prouision, that the poore heereafter may be otherwise releeued[?], and not bee forced to beg or steale for maintenance. And the ydle so set on Worke, that they be not compelled to runne about the Countrey, haunting of Ale-houses, and vsing all bad and wanton exercises, to driue away the time withall. And let not Parishioners do stil (as some do now) beare out theeues in their theeuerie, for that they take their prey with the Foxe, farre from his home, which otherwise should charge the town. Let them not winke at the matter, when they finde the Theefe, and so the thing stolne, nor make the Host of the Alehouse their Constable, that diligent Setter for all misorder, and Maister of mis-rule, their cheefe Officer, to see good Order kepte. Let them not suffer suspected persons, to be playing in Ale-houses, especially in the time of Diuine Seruice, nor play there for more (at any time) then they haue honestly gotten.
And, whereas many poore Parents be so foolish, to plant their Children on the [Page 5] roote of ydlenesse, which will yeelde no other fruite, but the Berries of Iniquitie; whereby our Countrey is pittifullie and greeuously pestered, with such as for want of other Trade or meanes to liue by, doe practise Robbing, Filching, Stealing, Cozening, and such like. Now therefore, I would heartily wish, that euerie Christian (as his Calling serueth for that purpose) should be some meanes, that those youthfull plants, may be trained vp in some honest course of life; whereby they may hereafter get their liuings by some good and lawfull meanes: so shall they greatlie glorifie God, by their dutifull diligence in doing of his will, ouerthrow the power of Sathan by the confusion of Idlenesse: rescue those silly soules out of that Tyrantes thraldome: and worke a publike profite to the whole Land, by freeing it from that extreame charge, to maintaine so manie thousands of people without their labor.
The Euill of Idlenesse, and what men do for want of Exercise, and Maintenance.
IDlenesse maketh mens bodies the Demeanes of the Diuell: for the bodie of an Idle person is the Diuels home, Viz: Empty of Grace, swept of all Goodnesse; and so garnished with Naturall Euils, that it may well entertaine Sathan, and seuen more as bad as himselfe.
The Euill of Idlenesse.
Idlenesse, is the head of that Serpent Sathan, which where it entreth, windeth in his whole bodie, with all the poyson of Iniquitie. For first, for want of exercise, wee see idle people hunt and runne after euill Company: seeke out disordered Alehouses, where they sweare and forsweare, Banne, Cursse, Blaspheme God, disdaine good things, slander and backe-bite their Neighbours, vse all vnlawfull Exercises; [Page 7] tell Tales, that are taken for Tales, and lies of others that are taken for truth, so setting much variance, yea often among Friends, and driuing away the time with the wretched workes of Wantonnesse, and disfiguring themselues with the loathsome sin of Drunkennesse. Then, for want of maintenance, they practise Pilling, Polling, Promooting, Wrangling, Defrauding, Robbing, Begging, Filching, Stealing, Iuggling, Connicatching, Cosening, False Dicing, and with such like shifting: like Caterpillars, Waspes, and Droanes, they eate and deuoure vppe the Fruites and sweet Commodities of this Commonwealth.
But how might I enlarge this Volume (if I so entended) with painting foorth the deformitie, which Idlenesse hath bred in these Roguish Trauelling people, which in their Common Whoredome, resemble lawlesse Beastes; in their Cousening, Filching, Stealing, and Deuouring, imitate vilde Vermine; in their Drunkennesse; do [Page 8] shew themselues loathsome Swine; and in Banning, Cursing, Forswearing, Lying, Out-facing, and egregious Dissembling, both with GOD and the World, painted forth, the verie perfect pictures of Sathan: O that Christian hearts can abide the sights of these most greeuous and monstrous Euilles.
Come then therefore, O yee painefull Iudges, and carefull Iustices of this Land: Yee watchfull Magistrates, and diligent Labourers in the Lords Vine-yard: cutting of the branches will not suffice, but strike at the Roote (which is Idlenes) with the Axe of Iudgement, and the flourishing Tree of all Iniquitie, will quickely fade away.
Reasons to releeue the Impotent, and to reforme the Idle.
IF the body haue a lame and withered foote, whereof it can haue small vse, yet if it bee whole and sound, and the blood of the bodie hath the course therein; wee see euery member is helping the same with necessaries, and assisting the same from hurt: but beeing infected with a running or rotting sore or Thistela, that sharpe Corsies cannot eate out the filthy corruption thereof: then all the members (not regarding the present paine) giue their consents, that the same shall bee cut off with the Saw of the Chirurgeon, least it bee the decay of the whole body: Euen so the Impotent with the lame foote, is to bee defended and sustained by euery member of the body of this Commonwelth; hauing a will (although it want power) [Page 10] to requite the same. But the idle persons, infected with that running and rotting sore of Whoredome, Theft, Cozenage, and such like; must bee cut off with the sword of Iudgement, if the sharpe Corsies of Correction, cannot eate out the filthy Corruption thereof, least it runneth vp so neere the hart, that it ouerthrow and bring vnto ruine the whole body of this Commonwealth.
This Rotting sore hath runne farre of late, if wee consider how many of these people the Warres hath swallowed vp: How many of them are shipped to that famous Plantation of Virginia & Sommer Islands: How many the Judgement of the Law hath turnd ouer: How many of them greeuous diseases haue ended their dayes: How many haue perished in the fields: And how the realm is yet pittifully pestered with them: so that it is more then time for the Eye, with stedfastnesse to visit the same; the [Page 11] Head with carefulnesse to deuise a help, & the Hand with maruailous diligence to minister it thereunto.
The Husbandman couereth close his Hiues of Bees from colde stormes, and setteth watchmen to preserue them from the stinging Waspe and the ydle Drone: Euen so our Soueraign Prince, whose Highnesse Hiue is this Land, couereth the same from the stormes of Oppression; and setteth his Watchmen to take away Waspish Theft, and Dronish Begging: which if it were effected (according to his Highnesse intention) then no doubt, the labouring Bees would worke with Comfort, Courage, and Strength, filling their[?] Hiue full of Hony, his Highnesse Countrey full of sweet Commodities.
The wise Housholding Husbandman, will suffer no ydle persons in his house, onely for two causes. First, hee [Page 12] knoweth, it is a charge to maintaine them that doenothing: And then, that those ydle people, with their Wanton and vaine Exercises, bring his whole housholde out of Order. Euen so, let the Wise Husbandmen of this Common-wealth, consider; That it is not onely a charge to the Land, to mainetaine so many thousands of those ydle people without their labour, but also it bringeth the whole Commonwealth so out of Order, that euery man wanteth now, that seruice at his Seruants hands, that heeretofore they haue had. For our yonglings heads, are alwayes occupied with those wanton Exercises, which they see ydle people dayly deuise and practize.
THE POORE WITHout Releefe.
LOOKE with hearts of Charity, and eyes of pittie, vnto the distressed estate of the poore (good Christians) for first, although the Commons with cō mon Commodities in some Towne be woorth an hundred, or two hundred pounds a yeere, or more; yet the poore of the same Towne, vnto the third part of the Towne in number, shall not bee thereby releeued, to the value of fortie shillings in a yeare: So are the Commons surcharged by the Rich: and the profit of their Towne-lands▪ employed to beare other common Charges withall.
And how may I complaine therewith of the decay of Hospitality in our Land, whereby many poore soules are depriued [Page 14] of that releefe which they haue had heeretofore. The time hath bene, that men haue hunted after Worshippe and Credite by good House-keeping, and therein spent great part of their Reuennewes: but now commonly, the greater part of their Liuings, is too little to maintaine vs and our Children in the pompe of Pride: yea, and yet all is well if wee may maintaine that, though no Hospitallitie be maintained there withall.
And thus, though the number of the poore do dailie encrease, all things yet worketh for the worst in their behalfe. For, there hath beene no Collection for them, no not these seuen yeares, in many Parishes of this Land, especiallie in Countrie townes; but many of those Parishes turneth forth their poore, yea and their lustie Labourers that will not worke, or for any misdemeanor want worke, to begge, filtch, and steale for [Page 15] their maintainance, so that the Countrey is pittifully pestered with them: yea, and the maimed Soldiours, that haue ventured their liues, and lost their limbes in our behalfe, are also thus requited: For when they returne home, to liue by some labour in their naturall Countrey, though they can worke well in some kinde of labour, euerie man sayeth, Wee will not bee troubled with their Seruice, but make other shifte for our businesse So are they turned forth to Trauaile, in Idlenesse (the highway to Hell) and seeke their meate vppon Meares (as the Prouerbe goeth,) with Begging, Filching, and Stealing for their maintenance, vntill the law bring them vnto the fearefull end of hanging.
But our Sauiour Christ hath taught vs Christians to do good vnto our Ene| mies, and shall we then do nothing for our Friends? If wee ought to loue them [Page 16] that hatevs, shall we thus recompence them that haue ventured life and limbe for vs? No, no, for their good Seruice, let vs see their bodies heereafter better releeued, and some good and godlie meanes vsed, to saue their soules from the Torments of Hell, that GOD may be better pleased, and those poor Soules that fight for vs, much more animated.
And I would wish all men to consider, that the Lord of Heauen, hath retained those poore Soules, with the hyring-penie of Life, that they might Labor in this his Vineyard or Common-Wealth, and make it flow with all kinde of Commodities. Then may not wee which are Stewards, turne them foorth of his seruice, to Cozen, Begge, Filch, Steale, & such like; excusing our selues, that it is a trouble to vs to keepe them in order, and so put vp the Lords allowance in our owne purses: For then, hee [Page 17] hauing tried and found vs vnfaithfull with the dust of the earth, will neuer trust vs with the heritage of heauen.
But no doubt some wil say, the fault is in those poore people, that they are not set on worke; they are either vntrue, froward, vnruly, slothfull, or some such matter, which indeede I cannot deny: but if there bee not the like, or worse in vs, let vs be thankefull to God; who thorough Grace hath made vs Conquerors, of those naturall euilles. And let not vs, because they of weakenesse, goe ouer the shooes in sin, shew so much vnchristian Crueltie to them, to thrust them ouer head and eares into Hell, by forcing them to liue by vnlawfull meanes.
Can wee not content our selues with the Priest and Leuite to see their misery being thus robbed, bound, and wounded [Page 18] by that Theeuish Sathan, but wee must much more cruelly, with our swords of extreamity, smite them vnto death? O when and where shall they then finde, the Neighbour-hood of the good Samaritanes, to binde vppe their wounds with compassion, carrie them home with troble, moue others to take care of them, and prouide for them sufficiently with charge.
What filleth this Land with Poore.
THree kindes of Oppressions much pestereth the same with pouertie, Viz. The taking in to the Lords hands of Coppy-hold Lands: whereby many Housholders are vtterly decayed.
Secondly, the surcharging of Commons, so that the poore cannot haue any benefit of them.
And lastly, the purchasing of Land [Page 19] vnto Land, vntill rich men get whole Townes into their hands: and then dispeopling the same, by letting downe of Houses, and turning forth of Tenants, they recouer the Commons from the poore, and make them their owne seuerals▪ And therewithall, they take the cheefe Commodities with ten or twelue Husbandmen, omitting the rest: whereas before that time vpon that Ground, were set on worke and maintained, not lesse then a hundreth men, women, and children: yet the Landlords had their rents duly paide them, and the poore amongst those Farmers otherwise prouided for. This is the Incroachment, that will bring the woe of the Prophet vpon the Land.
Euen thus as you see, the poore man with that which heretofore he had, and of right should now haue, is swallowed vp into the rich mans possession: but let mee shew those people their folly, by a simple simile.
[Page 20]The subtile Fisherman hideth his Angling hookes in the backes of little Roaches, and draweth the same too and fro in the sight of deuouring Pikes (within the Water) which after long dalliance, vnaduisedly swalloweth the same vp with greedines into their hungrie bellies, and thinking themselues fully possessed thereof, the Fisherman draweth the hookes, pulleth them from their Fellowes, carrieth them vnto his home, fryeth them vppon the Coales, and with sharpe Vinegar maketh them dishes fit for his owne dyet. Euen so, that subtle Fisherman the Diuell, hath Hookes in the backs of all those Rochlike Little-loues, being heere vppon earth, drawne too and fro in sight of those deuouring people, which swalloweth them vppe with all greedinesse into their vnsatiable possessions.
But let them know, that when they [Page 21] thinke themselues fully possessed of this their prey, and say with the Rich man, Now soule take thy rest, the Fisherman-like Diuell by the strength of the strings of Gods vengeance and Iustice, will drawe the Hookes of death, pull them from their fellowes, carrie them to his homely Hell, dresse them after a diuellish fashion, fry them vvith vnquenchable Coales: and so sowsed and soaked in the sharpe sawce of Gods euerlasting wrath, he will make them a dish whereon he will feed, world without end.
Yet I hope the LORDE of his mercie, will breath nowe vppon the bodie, the blessed quickening spirit of life, that all the members hauing their senses so restored, may perfourme theyr seuerall duties: to the helpe, succour, and sustentation one of another: which GOD graunt for his owne clorie, the peace of his Church, [Page 22] the Ioy and pleasure of our Soueraigne Prince, the releefe of the needie, and the publike Honour and profite of this Christian Commonwealth.