IN my last return from Edenborough in Scot­land, comming homeward through York­shire: I traueled somewhat out of [...]he com­mon high London way, of purpose t [...] sée the Cuntrie. And one day among oth [...]rs, to­ward euen: I chaunced to come to a little through fare Towne called Rippon, where at the [...]ery en­tring into the town I met a poore olde Woman, of whom I asked if there were any good lodging in the town. She answered mee that there was good lodging at the signe of t [...]e Gréek Omega. The Gréek Omega (quoth I) What doo yo [...] meane by that? Nothing said she, but that there is good lodging and honest entertainment, which (I suppose) is all tha [...] you re­quire. Then I asked her what was the good mans [...]ame of the house. His name (quoth she) is Simon Certain we call him commonly Sim Certain. Sim Certain (quoth I [...] surely these are very strange names, and so bidding her fa [...]ewell: I departed into the towne warde, much more desire is to be come to my lodging, for the strangenes of the names, aswell of the Signe: as also of the Good man of the House. By that time I had entred a little way into the Town: I w [...]s ware of a very faire Gréek Omega hanging foorth as a c [...]mmon Signe, euen as the olde woman had tolde me before. And thether I went, and entring into the house: I foun [...] in the Hall the Good man, his two Sonnes, his Chamberl [...]in, and his Hostler singing the Ciiij. Psalme of Dauid very [...]istinct­ly and orderly. The Goodwife with her two Daugh [...]ers sat spinning at their Whéeles a little distaunce from th [...]m. All which things when I beheld: I thought with my se [...]fe that these things were yet more strange to beholde, the [...] were [Page] either the Signe or els the good mans name to heare. So I bad them God spéed. The Hoste very curteously arose, and bad me welcome, so did the wife also, and asked mée whether I meant to tary all night. I answered yea. Then he asked mée if I would sée my Chamber. No gentle Hoste (quoth I) I will not hinder so much your good exercise, for I am sure I cannot be lodged amisse in this house. Not so sir (quoth he) but ye shall haue the best that we haue and welcome. I gaue him harty thanks. Then hée enquired of mée, of whence I was, where I had béen, and whether I was bound. I tolde him I was a Southern man borne and dwelling, and that I had béen at Edenborough in Scotland, and was thus farre in my way homeward. In good time sir (quoth hée) and yée are hartely welcome into this part of Yorkshire. I thank you gentle Hoste (quoth I.)

BY that time we had talked scant half an hou­re: there came in a Cuntrie man a Neigh­boure, a iolly olde fatherly man, bringing vn­der his arme a fardell of Bookes, as many as hée might well holde vnderneath one of his armes, he gaue vs the time of the day. What Neighbour Pierce (quoth our Hoste) welcome from London Sir (quoth he to me) this Neighboure of mine is lately come from where you are going God willing. Truely (qooth I) and this is happily met by grace of God, and as I verily sup­pose néere in the mid way betwéene Edenborough and Lon­don. With that Neighbour Simon quoth this Pierce Plow man (for that was his name) I am come to desire your help. What is the matter Neighbour Pierce (quoth our Hoste?) [Page] Neighbour (quoth hée) to lend mée fiue pound for half a yéer, for truely (quoth hée) I haue spent all my mony at London, and haue not left my self so much as to buy my séed Wheat, wherwith to sowe my land this season. No haue neighbour Pierce (quoth hée) that was very ill handled, ye sh [...]ould al­waies so vse your matters that y ^e main stock be sau [...]d whole. Fye neighbour Simon quoth he, speak no more of th [...]t for the reuerence of God, for truely I am ashamed of my self, but what remedy now saue patience, and to learne to [...]e wiser héeafter. What meanes all these paper Books (quoth our Hoste. Mary neighbour quoth Pierce they shalbe s [...]retie vn­to you for the repaiment of your fiue pound. With that they were vnbound, and béeing opened and looked vpon: t [...]ey were Billes, Answers, Replications, Reionders Coppie [...] of Depositions, and such like. Some out of one Court, some out of an other. When our Hoste had séen them all: why Neighbour (quoth hée) doo you think to méet with any man that is so mad to lend v. pence vpon such trash? Trash Neighbour quoth Pierce they stand me in aboue fiftie pound. Peradventure so quoth our Hoste, but that prooueth not that they a [...]e woorth fiftie points, sauing vnto him that were as mad to [...]uy them of you: as you bought them at their hands that s [...]lde them vnto you. But or you méet with any such chapman: I beléeue you will be weary of kéeping them. With that Pie [...]ce began to be half offended. Neighbour Pierce quoth our Hoste, fiue pound is a small matter betwéen vs twain, you s [...]all haue it vpon your woord. But as for your Books: héer d [...]elleth a Lady not far hence, carie them to her, for they are f [...]r fet and déer bought, and such things men say are good for Ladies.

NEighbour Simon (quoth Pierce) I can put vp that mock at your hands, for I knowe ye meane me no euil but good therby, but veri­ly me thinketh it standeth hardly with their existimation that will be holden and termed woorshipfull yea honorable, to take so extremly for things, wherof no better returne is to be made, yet must wée pay them with great attendaunce, with cap in hand and all reuerence. Great reason quoth our Hoste, for they are woorshipfull, and right woorthy of all those duties. Then haue I béen in an errour a long time (quoth Pierce) for I haue alwaies hetherto thought that woorship and honor had stood in geuing: & not in taking, in helping, reléeuing and doo­ing good: and not in their contraries, and this séemeth vnto mée both reasonable and also common experience, for we ho­nor God at whose hands we receiue all goodnes, and therfore properly vnto him is all honor and woorship due, and vnto men but so far foorth as they approchen vnto God in qualitie of vertue, iustice, mercy and other goodnes, wherfore in all reason he ought to be moste honorable and woorshipfull that dooth the moste good, and vnto the greatest number, for sure­ly in my discretion, the woorship and the gaine ought to bée deuided, and he that gayneth, or is reléeued, and is holpen: ought to honor and woorship him by whom he gayneth, is holpen and reléeued, for otherwise why dooth the Seruant woor­ship his Maister and not e conuerso. Neighbour Pierce quoth our Hoste, our honorable & reuerend forefathers with great wisdome and discretion, assessed these Fées and charges, and that for the great zeale and looue which they bare vnto God­lines and vertue, and to the persons quallified therwith.

With P that ierce clapped his hand vpon the boord. I make God a vow (quoth hée) whatsoeuer he was that first praised a shéet of paper with twelue lines written therin at eight pence, nay at xij. pence, for I am sure I haue CC. that cost me after that rate, he was neither fréend to godlynes ne vertue, to God, neither to good man or woman. Neighbour Pierce quoth our Hoste, this is but the errour of your Iudgement, [Page] and that shall appéere vnto you so euidently, that your self shall confesse that these fées and charges which you [...]hink so great and so exccessiue had so great reason in their beginning as that greater had neuer any ciuil ordinance or cōs [...]itution. Whether yée will regarde the honor and glory of G [...]d or the preseruation of the common Welth which chéefly de [...]endeth therupon. That séemeth wunderfull strange vnto m [...] (quoth Pierce) that in such extreme taking and so small rendring there should lye hidden so great mistery of good meaning and therfore gladly would I heare your reasons therupon. Very well Neighbour Pierce (quoth hée) then I will take in hand to prooue it vnto you, which I trust I shall doo sufficiently if I can prooue these are no proper nor priuate gain or proffit, but a publique and a common treasure to the ease and reléef of the whole common welth and of the best and godli [...]st & Members of the same, yea verily (quoth Pierce) very well (quoth our Hoste.)

FIrst I think yée will graunt (quoth h [...]e) that Maiestrates and Officers are the Deputies and Liuetenaunts of GOD héerin Earth, high and honorable, for that they are [...]n very déed the hand and mouth of the Lawe, and in fewe and plain woords the speaking a [...]d woor­king Law, for by them the law commandeth and forbiddeth So that their end and purpose is that God may be honored and glorified, good and godly People cherished, shor [...]ly that peace and concord may be maintained. I graunt you all this (quoth Pierce) you will graunt (quoth hée) that she way and meane to woork all these things is to punish and chastice the wicked and the vngodly, and to giue as little fauour vnto sinne as is possible, that is very true also (quoth Pie [...]ce) Yée will graunt (quoth our Hoste) that the wayes and meanes to [Page] punish sinnes and wickednes are diuers, according to the qualitie of the offence, as some by death, some by other punnish­ment of the body greater or smaller. And that there is also a pecuniall punishment by the pursse, as by fine and ransome, and such like. I graunt you all this (quoth Pierce). You will graunt me also (quoth hée) that all punishments are gréeuous vnto the sufferers therof, neither are or ought to be pleasant vnto the dooers and executors. That is very true also quoth Pierce, except they be wicked persons both the sufferer and the executor. Then quoth our Hoste, séeing all punishments are fearfull and gréeuous vnto the sufferer therof, & no plea­sure, but rather sorrowe and gréef of hart vnto the executors therof, such and so must néeds be the first causes and occasi­on therof. That is very true quoth Pierce. You know quoth our Hoste, that the causes and occasions of punishment is sin, wickednes and misgouernment of life, for the woord of God telleth vs, that the reward of sinne is death. All that is very true quoth Pierce. Very well then quoth our Hoste, these Propositions which you haue graunted: doo suffise for the matter which I haue taken in hand to prooue, which is, that these great Fées and charges were neuer ment, nor yet are receiued or conuerted into priuat or proper vse. I pray you Neighbour quoth Pierce, let me heare how it is prooued, for I promise you faithfully for any thing I haue yet heard: your prooues are farther to fet.

You know quoth our Hoste, that the nature of the vn­godly is to be quarelous and contencious, and dayly prouo­king one an other, and also to take no wrong and do no right. That is very true quoth pierce. You know quoth our Hoste that the common weapon wherwith they wil be auēged vpon eche other is the Law, which indéed is the Magistrate, as ye haue already graunted, so that vpon the matter: hée is made the executor of their wilfunes and vengeaunce, which they will néeds doo vpon eche other, which thing you haue already confessed to be gréeuous and vnpleasant to euery good man. Therfore hath it euer béen, and yet is thought, and that very wisely and truely, that the likeliest way & meane to disswade [Page] their wilfulnes which no reason, looue nor feare of GOD could disswade was to make their wilfulnes as déere and as heauy vnto them as reasonably might be doon, to the [...]nd that they should not so lightly and for euery trifle vex and trouble both the Magistrate & one an other, which effect although it failed to woork, & that their madnes would not be res [...]rayned therby: that yet their vngodlynes might return to the profit and reléefe of others their neighbours & Brethern that were better affected, & so by one selfe and same mean: the [...]ngodly punished & fléeced, and the godly amended & inriched herby, & that this was their meaning y ^t was the first assessors ther­of: common experience teacheth vs, for in néedfull and ne­cessary actions, as debt, detinew, and account and such like: the charges are so reasonable, as that no man would in con­science giue lesse.

The reason is, for that they are actions of common right, and such as must néeds day by day arise betwéen a man and his Brother, neither doo they dishonest either of the [...]arties which I dare not affirme vpon actions vpon cases, neither did they so iudge of them, as I verily beléeue, and therfore did they set double and treble charges thereupon, for greater is the charges in a brabble for a woord spoken: then f [...]r thrée hundred pound of honest debt.

So that the Magistrate, who for such Ale-house [...]ctions and brabbles: should otherwise neuer be at rest, except he should deny them his help, which might be slaunder [...]us and perillous to the whole estate.

The Magistrate I say of pure pittie and compassi [...]n, was forced to set great charges vpon them, for the small fauour that he bare vnto them, & vnto their first causes & occasions.

The greatnes of all which charges not withstand [...]ng, yet doo we dayly sée how the vngodly run togither by hea [...]s like brute beasts, and yet I dare safely say, that by the greatnes of these charges, and the terrour therof: many a brabling matter hath béen and is dayly put vp without any r [...]uenge sought therof, and many a one hauing pursued and [...]ecoue­red in his action, yet haue his charges so gallded him: that [Page] he hath béen easier to deale with all his life after. And so by this meane many a wilfull body brought to knowe him self: and to honor God therby.

I cannot tell Neighbour Simon quoth Pierce, but I my self haue had two or thrée brabbles that haue kept me dooing these seuen yéeres, in which time I am suer I haue spent a­booue fiftie pound, beside my charges to and fro, losse of time, and my hinderance at home. And what haue ye gotten for all this quoth our Hoste? These papers quoth he. Wel woorth fiftie points quoth our hoste. I think verily quoth our Hoste if any honest Neighbour had néeded to haue borowed ten pound therof: you would not haue it so ready to haue pleasured him withall. If I should say truely (quoth Pierce) I think the very same. What are you assessed vnto the poore in your Parish quoth our Hoste? A peny a wéek quoth Pierce, And think you that enough quoth our Hoste? Yea verily quoth Pierce. Loe Sir quoth our Hoste, whether commeth this vnto my saying and maintenaunce of these great Fées and charges or not? Who can deny the excellency of this in­stitution? wherby the Couetuous and vngodly men are shot one against an other, and doo punish eche other, and wherby also so plentiful prouision is made for the godly poore at their charges, and yet no thank to them therfore, and that those things from the which they would depart vnto any Ho­nest or godly vse or purpose, with as good will as from their eyes to be plucked out of their heads, or their tripes out of their bellyes, by this meane vndesired of their owne accord, they bring it in by handfuls, and so as it hath béen said, plen­tiful prouision made for their godly Neighbours at their charges and yet no thank vnto them therfore.

Call you this a prouiding for the poore? Neighbour (quoth Pierce) I would I had giuen you the best horse in my Plough to make this saying true, and I sweare to you (quoth he) prooue it true: and you shall haue him yet or this day Seuen night, for that would ease my hart if I might perceiue that any godly person hath fared the better or were amended by any parte of all my great expences. For then yet should I [Page] think that I haue doone some good with all the losse of my money. Why Neighbour Pierce (quoth Simon) doo you doubt that all these summes or the greatest part therof: commeth not to the vse of the common wealth, and to the reliefe and sustenance of the godly poore, and other easements of com­mon things in maintenaunce of the common Wealt [...]? Nay Neighbour Simon (quoth he) I doubt it not, for I am fully perswaded the contrary. Truely Neighbour Pierce (quoth he) this is an vncharitable and a very erronious op [...]inion, and that I will proue vnto you by reasons manifest [...]nd ap­parant, and such as your self haue alredy graunted & c [...]nfessed. I pray you neighbour Simon (quoth Pierce let me hea [...]e how.

WHosoeuer he be that Coueteth priuately to gaine and profit by any thing (quoth our Hoste▪) coueteth the thing wherby he gay­neth and profiteth, this is so true (quoth he) that I will not desire you to graunt t vnto me, for it is a necessary argument from the effect vnto the cause, and therfore if ye wil affirm [...]hat the Magistrate and officer coueteth these great fées and [...]harges and priuately to thriue and wax rich therby: you mus [...] neces­sarily conclude, that he fauoureth all the first & mea [...] causes therof, which were a horrible & a fearfull conclusion, [...] yet as I haue said followeth necessarily vpon y ^e premises g [...]aunted & therfore is couetise so much more odious & detesta [...]le in a Magistrate then in a common person, for couetise as he excée­deth all other vices simply considered: euen so respecti [...]ely he excéedeth him self, I say respectiuely to wit, qualifie [...] by the person in whome he dwelleth, for in a priuat person: he is but a priuat sin, & extendeth vnto his M. only, but in a Magistrate he is a publique and general corruptiō of al y ^e people, for ther's no couetoꝰ person béeing but a priuate man or womā y ^t wish­eth any other to be such as they thē selues are, the re [...]son is, for that the Couetise of others: is nothing whereby they [Page] should gayne or be aduaunced, but rather lose therby.

Therfore could they be content that there were few or no o­thers such as they are, wherby it apéereth that couetise in a priuate Person neither woorketh nor wisheth any general corruption and yet fulfilleth the talent and habit of his sub­iect and so much the more. The very same is to be said of all other vices in all other persons without exception of degrée, as Whoordome, Pride, Gluttony, Drunkennes and all o­ther excesse in voluptuous pleasure, in al which things what soeuer hath or euer had the greatest felicitie & enioyed moste therof: yet would they not that others did the like, or at the least no more then they them selues muste necessarily vse for the accomplishment of their pleasures which requireth some company. The reason is already shewed, to wit for the other Folkes pleasures are not their pleasures, neither doo increase the same, but rather their paines and misery.

For the hunger, scarcitie and want of others giueth a good taste and sauour vnto the voluptuousnes and pleasures of the vngodly, and therfore could they be very wel content to en­ioy their owne wickednes thē selues, for pleasure haue they none nor gain in the lewdnes or the misgouernaūce of other. And if they had: yet want they power to corrupt others ther­by otherwise then by example which can not doo much in any one priuate man or woman, for that they haue but the lea­ding of their owne liues. But of Couetise in the Magistrate it is otherwise, for hée hath the leading and the fourming of other mens liues and therfore differeth from the cōmon and priuate person both concerning his wil and also concerning his habilitie and power to execute the same.

¶ First concerning desire and will: hée cannot wish that the common people should be godly and vertuous, for neither standeth his great gain, nor his Ambition therin, for why they are two things incompacible and contrary.

Then concerning his power to execute his wil and de­sire: it is so great and so mighty that the olde Proouers hath no [...] doubted to call the common People the Image of their Magistrates and o [...]ficers for as certainly as this antecedent.

The man eateth and drinketh inferreth this co [...]sequent the man is a liue: euen so certainly this propositio [...] the Ma­gistrates and officers are couetous inferreth this cōclusion.

The People are vngratious and vngodly. The [...]eason is peremptory for the Magistrate and Officer hath t [...]e Bridle rain in his hand either to giue libertie vnto vngodl [...]nes and dissolution of life: or els to refrain the same.

Now all men may dayly sée by proof that there is no wilde Beast so very brute and barbarous as man will war and hée through libertie and that for the excellency of h s nature abooue all other Creatures and his great vnderst [...]nding in good and euil.

¶ And therfore to admit in a Magistrate a coue [...]ise and a desire of priuate and proper gain, Namely by fées [...]nd char­ges arising and growing is as alredy confessed, th [...]se were to conclude an odious and detestable Consequence against y ^e Magistrate and Officer of whome wée are forbidde: by God to speak or think saue all honor and reuerence.

¶ Wherfore I say it standeth not with the reue [...]ence and honourable opinion that wée are bound to haue of t [...]e Magi­strate to say or to think that these great gaines & s [...]es doo re­turn to him in priuate and proper vse: but rather t [...] Iudge & think that the Magistrate & Officer receiueth them [...]s things excommunicate and as a common Treasure dedic [...]ted vnto godly vses and purposes in ease and reléef of the w [...]ole com­mon wealth.

¶ Would God this were true quoth Pierce, for I da [...]e lay my life (quoth hée) that if all the summes of money that [...]re leud­ly and shamefully spent in one Terme about vain [...]tes and brabbles were reserued and accounted in the end of [...] Term: they would amount to more then all the Collectio [...] for the Poore through out all the parishes in England for h [...]lf a yéer neuerthelesse many a o [...] thinketh him selfe sore [...]harged, namely my selfe God forgiue mée.

Truely Neighbour (quoth our Hoast) I am of [...]o other Opinion, neither doo I Iudge that all these great Fées and Reuenewes are any other thing but a Collection fo [...] the purposes [Page] and intents aforesaid, neither that the receiuers of the same doo differ frō those other Collectors in parish Churches sauing in the greatnes of their receit and also sauing that they are not forced to craue it at the parties hands and some time to conuent him before a Iusticer of peace for a grote or six pence as the others oft times are. And also sauing that for their reuerend and honorable estemation they are not accoū ­table. Sauing vnto the Lord God the Author generall and vnto their owne Consciences.

NEighbour Simon quoth Pierce you haue al­leaged many fair and coulorable propositiōs and conclusions and haue gone about mée w ^t this reason and with that.

I am no Schoole man, Neighbour quoth hée, but yet some reason I haue and some ex­perience I haue séen, and some héed I haue taken thereof, wherfore if you wil giue mée leaue to answere you: you shall hear mée as probably disprooue these your allegations as you prooued them, for I shall proue all your propositions are pro­bable and not necessary, neither doo inferre a necessary con­clusion as you haue pretended. For the better dooing wherof: first for orders sake, I wil rehearse your propositions, reasons and arguments, wherof the first is, that the Magistrate and Officer is to be had in all honor and reuerence because hée is the Law which is moste honorable and reuerend, this I con­fesse as an vndoubted trueth, namely for that the end aswel of the one as of the other, is that God may be honored and glo­rified, godly People cherished, and maintaine peace and con­cord strengthned and furthered, wherupon standeth the pros­peritie & the good estate of all Cuntries and common welths, their wayes and meanes you haue alleaged are these.

To punish and chastice the wicked and the vngodly, and to restraine their libertie as much as is possible. Yée haue further alleaged that punishments are diuers, some corporall, [Page] some pecuniall, and that all punishments are gréeu [...]us bothe vnto the sufferers, and also vnto the dooers therof, but that I wil not graunt ye without distinction.

Very true it is that all punishments without e [...]ception, are gréeuous vnto the sufferers therof, but vnto the executor therof: they are not all so, namely such as are pecu [...]iall and the gaine therof returning vnto the executor. For although that to beat, burn, hang or whip any creature of God, name­ly a Christian man or woman: is an odious thing & wher­in no good or Godly hart can haue pleasure: yet for aduaun­tage sake it is often otherwise, for otherwise ther [...] would not so many Oxen, Shéep and Calues be murthere [...], and so few Hogs, Dogges or Cats, their offences béeing o [...]ly their good flesh.

Wherfore, although that in all Godly reason [...]our ar­guments haue great necessitie: yet in humaine reaso [...] and ex­perience it hath but bare probabilitie and is no m [...]re. But as if for example you wil say Women ought to be [...]shamed to be séen bibbing wine in common Tauernes, or to be séen at common lasciuious and bawdie Stage Playes: therfore they are ashamed therof.

This is an argument gathered from posse to est [...], to wit, from should or ought to be, to is simply, and hath not any necessitie nor firmitie, and that shall you see if you will goe with me to London this next Terme.

How be it, you séem to inforce your anteceden [...], by the honorable existimation wherin I am bound to haue the Ma­gistrate and Officer, and therby you think that of dutie I ought to graunt it you for the shamefull consequenc [...] whiche necessarily ensueth vpon the deniall therof.

Truely that notwithstanding, me thinketh all this but a very bare and naked proof.

CAll you this a bare and naked proof Neigh­bour Pierce quoth our Hoast, if you denye this proof (quoth hée) you reuerse & ouerthrow all humain societie which is maintained and vpholden by giuing vnto God y ^t which is due vnto God, and vnto man y ^t which is due vnto man. But vnto God what can wée giue saue honor, praise & glory, first and immediatly vnto him self, and secondly vnto his Deputies and Lieutenants, to wit, Magistrates & Offi­cers whose calling and appointing therunto as it is of God: so must and ought wée to think that it is for their godlynes and vertues, for God him selfe hath said them that honor me I will honor, and they that dishonour mée I wil dishonour, wherfore our wise and reuerend Elders and Forefathers in their assessing these great fées and charges: did mean to ho­nor them whome God honoured. And therfore vnto their callings appoīted they great and honorable reuenues, knowing that their gain is the punishment of vice and the rewarde of Vertue, and that the part & portion of all the godly is therin, knowing also that there is not so great Incouragement vn­to Vertue and Godlynes: as the liberall rewarde therof, and that all vngodlynes and vnthankfulnes is measured by the greatnes of thy goodnes and benefit receiued either at y ^e hāds of God or man. Lastly knowing that they might not prosecute but persecute the causes & occasiōs of these gains as hath alredy béen prooued, and therfore I say abooue all common rea­son and discretion they assessed these Fées and reuenues that the gains might be great and yet the causes therof few, quite contrarie to all other estates and faculties, for what other reason is there that one man shall labour sore a whole day & at night shall receiue twelue pence or eight pēce for his hire: Another for half or a quarter of an houres easie trauail shall [Page] receiue xx. shillings or sometime more, what is th [...] cause of this diuersitie? euen this, the one is a hire and a pric [...] of a ser­uile labour and trauell, and is receiued in proper a [...]d priuat vse, the other is an honor doone vnto vertue, Godl [...]nes and knowledge: which doo receiue nor holde, or accou [...]t any so base things proper or priuate, or can be so basely m [...]nded, as to ioy therin, further then they may glorify God the [...]by.

what other reason is there, that one man in the returne of a Reame of paper, shall gaine xij. pence or xvi. pe [...]ce cléer, and yet where he layd out ij. pence: the other laid ou [...] x. shil­lings. And after the same rate in Wax, that one [...]an shall sell more for vi. pence: then an other shall sell for viij pound, which neuerthelesse bought as déer as he, within [...]ij. pence at xx. shillings waring, and both laid out more mon [...]y, & lon­ger looked for the return therof. I say there is no rea [...]on other then is already made.

NEighbour Simon (quoth Pierce) wh [...]ras you maintaine your assersion by the w [...]orthines of the Magistrate and Officer, and doo insist thervpon, alledging that they are [...]alled by God, and that for their godlines an [...] vertue. The first part I greatly dout, for th [...]t many of them buy their offices, and pay very déerly therf [...]re, yea some sell their very inheritaunces for that purpose, I mean to buy offices, now did I neuer read that euer God receiued Money for an office, how be it I referre my self héer [...]n to my Maisters that are learned.

The next part that they are called for their V [...]rtue and Godlines, surely then I verily suppose some of the [...] are cal­led for the things that neuer were in them before, [...]nd then were the caller deceiued, which God cannot be, e [...]cept you will say that God of his méere goodnes and mercy called them [Page] for the vertues and godlynes which he meaneth to call them vnto, and in this order beginneth to woork, I meane in be­stowing vpon thē so liberally, and by that meanes to charge them with his expectation, in respect of their great Tallent committed vnto them, which thing you séem to alledge, as no small cause and consideration of the high assessing of the fées and charges aforesaid, and that so great mercies & gra­ces bestowed vpon them by God, and so liberall reward ap­pointed vnto them by men: should suffise to make them god­ly and vertuous from thence foorth: what so euer they were or had béen before. All which arguments, although they be godly and probable: yet as I said before they stand doubtful, for the olde Prouerb, Honors chaunge manners. I beléeue the godly and the learned doo dout whether it be taken in the better part, or in the wursse, for I am very sure, that many are wurse disposed, and much more vngodly in high and ho­norable calling: then while they were in meane estate and degree.

Neighboure Pierce (quoth our Hoste) there is no rule so generall, that it admitteth not exception, albeit I dout not nor euer did, that honours chaunge manners, is and euer was meant in the better parte. For the wiseman saith. He that is vngodly in welth: how much more vngodly would he be in pouertie? The examples are many that doo prooue that honors chaunge men to the better, namely of Saule, of whome it is said that béeing called from a simple boy after his Inau­guration: he felt him selfe suddainly chaunged, and as the book saith: he felt a new hart in him.

The like example we haue of many Kings and Prophets in the Scripture. But to come néerer, both for the time and also the place, in our English History we read of that no­ble King H. the fifth, who in his Fathers life was of euil go­uernment, and kept company with riotors and vnthrifts, so that there was small hope of him, but after the death of H. y ^e fourth, when this yung man was placed in his kingdom: he sent for all his olde companions, who were not a little glad therof, but when they weare come into his presence: he sharply rebuked them, and giuing them small rewards, yet [Page] better then he thought them woorthy, he forbad them during their liues to come within xij. miles of the Court, [...]nd that vpon great penaltie. All these examples doo manifest [...]y prooue that liberall reward of vertue, and high and Honorable calling doo increase vertue in them in whome it is al [...]edy and causeth them in whom it is not saue only in appara [...]nce, yet for pure shame to imbrace it, séeing that otherwise h [...]t coales are heaped vpon their heads, through their shamelesse vn­thankfulnes vnto them that haue so thorowly prouo [...]ed them with the greatnes of their benefits.

And therfore against all these reasons and proof [...], to say that the Magistrate and Officer should priuatly C [...]uet and conuert so great summes of treasure: it were to shamefull and slaunderous, considered that they are the effect [...] of so e­uill causes as hath already béen shewed And consid [...]red also the horrible and wicked conclusion that would ensu [...] therup­on, as also hath already béen prooued.

Neighbour Simon (quoth Pierce) neuer tel me what might or dooth insue therupon: but consider the tr [...]eth and the matter as it is in déed. And if these great fées a [...]d char­ges doo not come vnto their receiuers and takers in proper and priuate: what meane they to make so great labo [...]r, sute, fréendship and cost to get those offices and callings. [...]nd how commeth it to passe that by the meanes of such off [...]ces: such as before were of small habilitie, come to purcha [...]e a Ba­rons liuing, yea twaine or thrée. Shortly, that their care is greater to heare and learne where any Land or Lordship is to be solde: then for the Money whorwith to pur [...]hase the same.

NEighbour Pierce (quoth our Hoast) all these matters are easely deuided, vnto the which thus I answere. To the first which is their great desire to be in such Offices of receit, I say you mis-iudge of their desire because you doo not vnderstand the meaning of this woord Office and doo think him to be an Englishman wheras in very déed his Father is an Italian, whose proper significati­on and meaning you doo not vnderstand, for in our English tung Office is no more to say nor nothing els but Seruice, so that whosoeuer desireth an Office hée desireth to doo ser­uice or els a place wherin to doo seruice, now all men knowe that a priuate man is not able to compare with the Magis­trate or Officer in abilitie and power. Therfore to desire an Office is to desire to be better abled, to expresse and de­clare the hart [...]e good wil and affection which hée hath to bée seruiceable vnto God and his common welth, for that in pri­uat estate his power answereth not vnto his good will therin, and therfore the better man the more desirous to be in Of­fice and in the more Offices, for the greater is his power to shew his good affection towards God who is the Giuer of all these things.

¶ Neighbour Simon quoth Pierce, I connot tel what Cuntrie mans Office is, neither doo I greatly force whether his Father be an Italian, Spaniard or Frenchman, but if he be the same in Latin that seruice is in English: I am suer that both in Lattin, French, Spanish and English hée stinketh when he is to fréely offered, and that (I am very sure) did Aesop mean in his Fable of the Sowe great with pig vnto whome (saith hée) there came a Fox who alleadging vnto her his great skil in the art of a Midwife profferd her his seruice toward her deliuerance, vnto whome she answered, that the greatest and best seruice that he could doo vnto her, was to kéep him far inough from her, which shée also praied him to doo, wher­by you may gather what the Authors opinion was vpō this voluntary offer of seruice and yet hée dooth not alleadge that the Fox offered any money, I suppose because hée had no mo­ney to offer. But Simon Magus offered money in y ^e Acts of y ^e [Page] Apostles, and what the holy Ghost thought therof: [...]ou may there vnderstand. Neighbour Pierce quoth our Hoas [...] this is a colde reason and no Argument, to say that a mans earnest desire to haue an Office argueth his desire of priuat [...] gaine & proffit, and so for his great desire to doo good: conde [...]me him of euil without proof therof. Neighboure Simon (quoth Pierce) I doo not so barely reason, neither so nakedly as you haue alleaged if you did mée right in repetition of m [...] Argu­ment, not intercepting the same nor seuering the pa [...]ces therof as you haue doon, and so haue answered the first p [...]rt by it self which is the weakest and haue said nothing to th [...] second part which is their great purchase and the strength & effect of the first, for my Argument taken wholy togithe [...] is thus much to say, that their great desire to haue the Offices, and their great purchase of Landes and liuing following the same: sheweth that from the beginning there was m [...]nt nou­ght els but priuate pouching, for euer the act that is last in exception: is the first in Imaginatiō in all mens dooings this is moste assured. Neighbour (quoth our Hoast) th [...]s Argu­ment of yours which you holde so forcible is of no fo [...]ce at all whether the parties therof be considered ioyntly or s [...]uerally neither dooth this great desire to be in Office, neithe [...] y ^e great purchase ensuing the same in any wise disprooue my first A­ssertion and maintenaunce of this great reuenues, fées and charges as you suppose, construing and taking m [...] saying to néer vnto the letter. For wheras I haue alle [...]ged the Magistrates and Officers to be the Patrons and Fathers of the common welth, and these great reuenues a publi [...]ue trea­sure in their hands to the vses and intents abooue r [...]hersed: yée alleadge against mée their great purchase of Lo [...]dships, Lands and Liuings as a repugnancie and disprais [...] therof, which it is not but the greatest & strongest confirma [...]ion therof that I my self haue alleaged, for although I ha [...]e made them receiuers: yet haue I not charged them méerly as Re­ceiuers, but as baylifs & Gardens of trust whose authoritie extendeth to improoue for y ^e benefit of their Cuntrie [...]. But a better Improouement can there not be made, the [...] by al­tring of money which is transitory: into land whi [...]h is per­manent, [Page] namely béeing deliuered vnto them at their yéers of discretion vpon the account of their said Balifs or gardēs. And euen as it fareth betwéen the Garden and his pupil, y ^e Bailifs and him to whose vse he is put in trust. So fareth it betwéen these Magistrates and Officers and the common welth as touching these receits.

And therfore those purchases of lands and possessions the best and moste allowable discharge vpon their account that can possible be made vnto God, the greatest and highest aduaūce­ment of his honour and glory, the greatest and moste assured comfort and stay of his godly people and seruants vnto whōe the payment of the money from hand to hand had been but a temporall and a short reléef, for euery man hath not the go­uernment ne right vse therof, so slipper is it and fugitiue.

But these Lands in the hands of these Landlords are a stay perpetuall and permanent wherunto the godly and ho­nest person t [...] sure of preferment and that for reason for why the Owners are such in whome is no acceptaunce of Woor­ship, Fréendship, or of the greater offer, neither of other thīg then vertue and godlines, and therfore their rent must néeds be easie, for who should rate it by out bidding when the vn­godly is no chapman neither dare presēt him self in the place for the godly person dooth it, no not vnto the wicked, much lesse vnto his godly Brother or Neighbour. This is no small commendation of Vertue and godlines and no small encou­ragement therto, namely where a man may make as suer & a more sure account of his Farme: then some other can make of their inheritaunce and patrimony. which thing although it séem straunge: yet is it commonly verified in the Farmers of such Landlords. For wée sée to often that diuers honest and godly Men leaue their Inheritaunce vnto vngodly and vn­thriftie Children (who falling into the hands of th'executor) doo little while inioy the same. The cause wherof is for that they came to their lands before they came to their Wit, and béeing Owners wared therby proude and in flatte béeing vn­der no mans check and disdaining al mens counsel and so for­getting God and them selues fall to folly and then (as the Prophet Dauid saith) Their table is made a snare to take them [Page] and the things which should haue been for their pro [...]fit, are vnto them an occasion of falling. So fearfull and daunge­rous is the singuler and sole proprietie of great La [...]des and possessions, as that oftentimes it not only bereaueth the ow­ners of their right wit and Iudgemēts: but also through their pride, vnthriftines and prodigallitie it hazardeth the sincere administration & execution of lawes and Iustice, p [...]ocuring partialitie and fauour to vngodlynes and dissolute liuing, whilste they (whose dutie were to rebuke such perso [...]s and to restraine their libertie) had rather enter into their [...]arge re­uenues and possessions and to take and vse the oppo [...]tunitie of their wickednes and retchlesnes as the méetest occasion héerto. But in these Farmers and in their posterit [...]e other­wise it is and that for the reuerend and honourable regarde between them and their Landlords at whose hands [...]nd du­ring whose good wil and pleasure they holde their liuings and whose great liberalitie and benignitie chargeth th [...]m with no small expectation aswel of godly and honest con [...]ersation of life, as also of hospitalitie and charitable dealīg with their Bretheren and Neighbours béeing by their mea [...]es very wel enabled therunto. These things (I say) are l [...]oked for at their hands and that by them whose expectation they dare not nor cannot without great shame falsifie, whic [...] godly­nes, thriftines and liberallitie in them is of no small force to mooue others therunto, and so mutuall looue and charity che­rished betwéen euery degrée, & where these things are, God hath promised to blesse that house, Town, Cittie or Cuntry.

It can hardly be spoken and much hardlyer wri [...]ten how greatly and how mightely this procureth and ad [...]aunceth Learning, Godlynes and Vertue, how much it fu [...]thereth the desire of contemplation and godly exercises of th [...] minde, against which there is no Impediment nor hinde [...]aunce so great as either the destitution or want of a compete [...]t liuing and maintenaunce, or els the dayly feare to be supp [...]anted or disappointed therof, and consequently the thoughts and cares either to prouide for a competent liuing or els to maintaine and defend the same against the dayly Allarms and assaults of the Couetous and the vngodly against which the benigni­tie [Page] and goodnes of Owners and Landlords is the greatest yea the only protection. These are the effects and frutes of these purchases alleadged by you to be made by y ^e gains, fées and reuenues aforesaid which doo far differ from the common purchasing of other priuate persons by whome (through your Ignoraunce or els of malice) you doo Iudge & measure these which are nothing like nor comparable, as the effects and frutes therof will euidently declare, namely in the purchase of the Merchant, the Chapman, the Grasier, the clothier and such other like Artificer what soeuer, at y ^e hands of all which persōs no such thing is hoped or looked for. First for that they doo not sustaine any such charge of expectation, neither is any reason that they should, except a Shoomaker bying an Oxe hide for thrée shillings & foure pēce, might sel shooes for twentie shillings a paire: for that would alter the case. Therfore as his calling is base and mean: so is his iudgement as tou­ching Vertue and y ^e Felicitie and end of mans life, which hée Iudgeth to consist in getting and hauing, for that hée sée'th men accounted and estéemed therafter, and other or farther Contemplation hath hée very little or none. So that in his Oppinion hée spéedeth his matters wunderfull wel if hée re­turn his Chaffer to his gain, & the more and greater: so much the better, be it land or lease of Farme or house, if he can sel it again for duble or treble that it cost him or let it for thrée times the rent that hée payeth him self for it. All this hée ac­counteth honest gain and very wisely handled, so that when he hath any thing to let or set, vp goeth the Drum & as wel­come to him the Deuil of hel, yea Belzabub him selfe as the Godlyest person in England, yea as an Angell of heauen, for godlynes, vertue or honestie is the last question that hée wil aske, only Quid vultis mihi daré? Thus is the godly per­son sure to be put back or els to take the thing to his vtter detriment, so that vpon the matter no question or difference whether of them spéed, for the euil man is made a great deale wursse, namely for that the greatnes of his rent stoppeth the mouth of him whose reduke hée should moste feare & whome hée would and should moste reuerence and regarde, and ther­fore wil hée be as wicked and as vngratious and corrupt as [Page] many others as hée can and dare for feare of the law [...]s. The godly person although he gladly would doo good: yet wanteth hée power therto being ouer set with the greatnes o [...] his rēt, so that in conclusion whether the good or euil may spéed: they are forced to deale hardly with the world wherby a [...]iseth lit­tle or no amitie, fréendship or charitable looue, amo [...]g men, but euen all for the peny as among méer Straunge [...]s nor a­ny zeale vnto God nor to doo any good for his sake.

By all these arguments, it appéereth manifestly h [...]w much it were to be wished and desired at the hands of Almightie God that only or chéefly such were purchasers & La [...]d-lords whose very estates and callings and the manner of the get­ting of their gaines wherwith they purchase doo cha [...]ge them with a reuerend and fatherly regarde in letting and setting the same to the honor and glory of God who hath so mightely blessed them, yea so far abooue all that they euer co [...]ld with out shame haue wished or desired, so heaping hot coales vpon their heads in their vnthankfulnes and dealing ot [...]erwise, which (as I haue alredy said) is not or at the least no [...] so greatly to be hoped or looked for at their hands of bace an [...] meane calling. And therfore Neighbour Pierce (quoth hée) admit­ting and confessing the greatnes of their purchase: y [...]t can yée not conclude against mée the proper or priuate rece t or im­ploying of Charges, fées and reuenues aforesaid ne ther wil I graunt it vnto you for the slaunderous and shame full con­sequence which it inferreth necessarily as hath alr [...]ady béen duly prooued.

Neighbour Simon (quoth Pierce) yée haue made as your self dooth suppose many strong reasōs & conclusiōs to aprooue y ^e first asessing and y ^t now receiuīg of eight pence or twelue pence for a shéet of paper, and other excessiue and vnreasonable Fées and charges of sutes as not only tollerable, iust and reasonable: but also godly and moste conducible vnto the common welth, and to the pros­perous and good estaste therof, namely for that these fées and charges were ment and yet are the punishment of vice and the reward of godlynes and vertue. And also that they were and yet are ment a publique treasure in the hands of the re­ceiuers therof, to all godly vses, intents and purposes.

Wherunto I answered, alleadging the great purchase of Lands and Lordships by the receiuers of the same as a thing repugnant and contrary to your Assertion, wherunto you haue replied that their great purchase is not only contrary to your first Assertion: but a confirmation of the same.

For you say that their porchase of lands is a prouision with out comparison more assured and permanent then were or could haue béen the distribution of the money or any parte therof from hand to hand, and also that the effects and fruits therof are moe and greater and doo stretch farther and more generally and vniuersally doo procure the honor and glory of God, and the publique welth, peace and quietnes.

To prooue that these things are so: you haue alleadged the honorable calling of the Magistrate and Officer, and y ^e great expectation that hée sustaineth both before God and men, and also the reuerend opinion that we are bound to haue of him. Yée haue also alleadged that the first causes of all these great gaines and proffits are such as of duty he is bound to per­secute and not to prosecute, namely for that they are vngod­lynes, wickednes and all kinde of vice, by the gain wherof (say you) no honest nor godly person can without great shame thriue and wax rich, much lesse the Magistrate and Officer vpō whose great expectation héerin you doo so greatly insist.

Truely Neighbour (quoth hée) all these are goodly and al­so godly reasons and doo very wel prooue how things either [Page] haue béen or els how things ought to be.

But that they are so presently: these are either n [...] prooues at all or very small and so your argument gathered [...]nd con­cluded from posse to esse as I haue said already, and as I wil further prooue by Arguments gathered from t [...]e cause vnto the effect and from the effect vnto the cause eue [...] the ve­ry same that you haue alleadged, tying them together in the same maner and fourme as your selfe haue alleadge [...] them.

First you say that the originall cause of these gre [...]t gains, Fées and reuenues was the hate that the first Assess [...]s ther­of bare vnto vngodlines, wickednes and all kinde of vice, the fauour and good affection which they bare vnto Vertue, and godlynes, and therin they ment the punishme [...]t of the one and the preferment and aduauncement of the o [...]her, and so you conclude lewdnes, vnthriftines and vngodlynes to haue béen and yet stil to be the first cause of these great gains, Fées and reuenues, and these great Fées and reuenues their effect, the effect of these fées, profits and reuenues [...]ée haue alleadged or rather I my self haue alleadged, and [...]ou haue confessed and iustified to be the great perpuisition [...]nd pur­chase of Lordships, lands and possessions by the Magistrates and Officers Receiuers of the same.

The effect of their great purchase is by you ale [...]dged to be a prouision, a stay of liuing and patry mony for the Godly and honest People of the common welth, and for their assu­raunce, peace and quietnes. The effect of so good a p [...]ouision for the Godly: you haue alleadged to be the increase [...]f them, and the decrease of the wicked, vnthriftie and vngodly, the effect of the increase of godly people you haue alleadged to be mutuall looue & charitie and all good affection both [...]owards God and also one to an other, the effect wherof you haue al­leadged to be the manifolde blessings of God accordi [...]g to the saying of the Prophet in the hundred thrée & thirtie Psalme.

Thus haue you argued from the first causes pr [...]ducing their effects, and from those effects as from causes of their effects very orderly and very probablie, but not nec [...]ssarilye as I haue already alleadged, and as I doubt not héerafter [Page] I shall prooue vnto you so directly and so euidently that you shall either confesse your owne prooues fallible and false: or els you must and shal say that causes produce no effects or els clean contrary effects, which is to reuerse and to ouerthrowe the order of Nature and all the law and rule of reason as to say there can be a Father or a mother without a Sonne or a Daughter or that betwéen a man or a woman there should be begotten a dogge or a cat. And for proof héerof I wil aleage bothe reason as strong as you haue alleaged any: and also mine owne experience which I my self haue déerly bought and paid for. I pray you Neighbour let mée héer that (quoth our Hoast).

AT my béeing in London this last term (quoth Pierce) it fortuned one afternoone hauīg little or nothīg to doo, as God knoweth what Idle­nes & vngodlines commeth of our idle waitīg & attending vpon our dayes of hearīg as they tearm them, when in the mean time we run vp and down in the stréets, and if happely wée méet with any Fréend or acquaintaunce: it is holden great humanitie to of­fer him the curtesie of Londō, which is as much to say to haue him to the Tauern & there to sit bibbing vntil neither of thē can scant finde the way foorth again. So as I was about to tel you, one day amongst all others wée met a company of Neighbours and Fréends together in Poules, six in number all Cuntrie-men and Neighbours, saue one that was a Lon­doner a Neighbour borne of ours, who was our Leader to many a good place dout you not, so on Gods name néeds wée must to the Tauern, and so wée went to the Tauern, there fast by, wherby that time we came forth again: our heds were better laden with heare then with Wit, so on Gods name [Page] when our heds were wel fraughted: wée must née [...]s go to sée some pleasures of the Cittie that were straunge an [...] noueltie vnto vs of the Cuntrie, and so on Gods name wée [...]ent into a dauncing Schoole not very far thence, now was [...]here one man of our Company that was as deaf as a doore [...]ile.

¶ When wée weare come into the Schoole: the Musitions were playing and one dauncing of a Galiard, an [...] euen at our entring hée was beginning a trick as I remem [...]er of six­téens or seuentéens, I doo not very wel remēber bu [...] wunder­fully hée leaped, flung and took on, which the de [...]f man be­holding, and not hearing any noyse of the Music [...], thought verily that hée had béen stark mad and out of his wit, and of pure pittie and compassion ran to him and caught [...]im in his armes and held him hard and fast. The Dauncer [...]ot know­ing his good meaning and taking it to the wurst, and hauing a Dagger drew it out and smot the man a great bl [...]we vpon the hed, and brake his hed very sore.

The man sore mooued and gréeued therewitha [...]l, and béeing a man of great strength: threw him from hi [...] with all his strength among the Musitiōs, and hee lighting vpon one of the greatest and fairest Vialls, brake it all in pée [...]es.

Therwithal vp start the Musitions for him and we for to help the other béeing our Fréends and Neighbours and then went out Daggers, vp went Pantostes, al the rest of the In­struments in the throng were all to trodden and [...]roken, and but that Neighbours hearing the noise and bu [...]līg came in and parted vs: surely some of vs had béen in grea [...] daunger to haue béen slain.

I lost my Cloake and had my hed broken and so h [...]d thrée of my Neighbours moe, and hardly the Musitions [...]nd their partakers went not scotfrée. But shortly to end a [...] come to my purpose: you shall heare what followed.

First and formoste wée were all arrested and c [...]mmitted to Prison for a fraie and bloodshed, where I think you may make no question if it cost vs any thing before w [...] gat out again. But hauing paid our Fées there, and thin [...]ing veri­ly that the wurst had béen past: euen at our comm [...]ng foorth from thence wée were all newly arrested by latita [...]es and remained [Page] vntil wée had put in Sureties to appéer at the day of the return of the writ in the Kings bench. So wée laid our purses togither and went to a woorshipful and learned Law­yer that had béen of our counsaile aforetime, and shewed him the declarations that were against vs, wherof the first was at the sute of the Owner of the schoole, wherin hée alleadged that with force and armes wee had entred into his house and beaten, wounded and euil intreated his Seruants, by reason wherof he had lost their seruice by the space of eight dayes, to his hinderaunce and damage six pound, and also then and their thrée Instruments of Musick commonly called Vialls did spoile and break to his losse and hinderaunce six pound.

Besides this, euery of his Seruants the parties thē selues seuerally declared against vs all ioyntly of an assault and battery made vpon them, and that wée had beaten, wounded and euil intreated them to their seuerall damages fortipence, the Dauncer himself declared seuerally against the deaf man for assaults and battery, vpon all which matters wée praied his counsel and aduice, his answer was shortly that in his opini­on the law was against vs in all and euery of our cases wherof he gaue vs the causes & reasons as I shal reherse vnto you.

To the first point of the first declaration for forcible entry wée praied his reason, how or by what reason our entrie mi­ght be said forcible séeing the doores were open, and if they had béen shut our cōming in was but to hear & sée, & our mea­ning not hurtfull to any man. His answere therunto was that a mans meaning that commeth into my house shalbe cō ­strued and taken to haue béen such from the beginning as is his act there doon after he is entred, for y ^t shalbe taken for his meaning & the declaration therof, namely where hée entreth w ^tout special commaundemēt or licēce of the party, & because (saith hée) that after your entry into y ^e house yée did there cō ­mit a force & vnlawful act: therfore your first entry and com­ming into the house shalbe déemed & iudged vnlawful & forci­ble. Then we asked how or by what reason our act could bée said vnlawful which was but y ^t taking of a man in his armes of very good wil to stay him thinking that he had béen mad & out of his wit and might haue mischeiued him self. His an­swere [Page] therunto was that therin the act was not lawfull nor iusticiable but a Trespassers although no farther h [...]rme had ensued therupon, which yet (by your confession) the [...]e did for to speak generally: it is not lawful to imbrace or [...]rain any man against his wil, for if him list to take it to the burst (es­pecially if there insue any euil vnto the partie ther [...]y) it shall not help the party to say that hée ment him good or it y ^e least no euil therby, for although that in felony the inte [...]t doo qua­lifie the fact it is not so in Trespassers wherfore your act was not lawful nor Iusticiable except yée had béen Officers or o­therwise y ^t yée had come in & found thē dooing some [...]elonious or vnlawful act, by means wherof yée had had suffi [...]ient coul­lour to haue laid your hands vpō thē, for euery man [...]s an Of­ficer for peace sake & for the preseruation therof, & then (quoth hée) your case had béen otherwise, vnto this wée [...]nswered that our act in all reason séemed more lawfull and tollerable then theirs, for that in their exercise there is little good pur­pose or none at all, nor better end or purpose then [...]o induce such euil and vnhappy euents and consequents as hapned in this case of ours, and that therfore their cause oug [...]t not to haue fauour against vs as if we had hindered or interrupted their honest or lawful exercise in any godlines or in any thīg tending vnto vertue, to the glory of God, or to the proffit of the common wealth. His answere vnto that was that we are not to dispute of that which the reuerend and h [...]norable Magistrates haue established yea & holden in no small repu­tatiō, it falleth for y ^e Magistrates, Rulers & Officers to beare with them in all incidents & casualties otherwise should they dissalow their owne Acts and be contrary vnto the [...]selues, which were inconuenient. Then wée demaunde [...] of him why for the first Viall that was broken: the Maister should not bring the action against the Dauncer who in [...]ery déed was the breaker therof, and not the other man. His answere therunto was that in very déed wée were both Tr [...]spassers vnto him alike, & he at his libertie & election to take his re­medy against vs both or against any of vs for (quoth hée) al­though y ^e dauncer were y ^e material cause yet was y ^e other man y ^t efficiēt cause therof, as for proof, if a carter wilfully driu his [...]art [Page] ouer a man, woman or Childe, bothe the Cart, the Horses, and the Carter are guiltie of the fact wherof the deaf man is not excuseable neither can plead not guiltie to the fact, be­cause hée was the first and chéef efficient cause, therupon wée mooued vnto him this question, why the Musitians them selues should not be said to be the first efficient cause séeing y ^t without their noise the Dauncer would not so haue fared nor taken on, neither the deaf man haue taken him for a madde man, as bothe you and wée would haue doon if wée had béen in his case, and had heard no more then hée heard.

Vnto that his answere was, that whatsoeuer it séemed vnto him or vnto vs, it is (quoth hée) at your peril, and at all mens perils els that resorte and haūt to such places to put on all our Sences, wits and vnderstandings, and also to desire God to giue them wisdome and his grace to Iudge wisely & wel to digest such things as they heare and sée therin, and y ^t wée be not snared in euil through ignorant appetite of our sences vnto our hinderaunces more then wée our selues are able of our selues to Iudge or think, for (saith hée) séeing wée are not able, neither is our authoritie to blame or cha­lenge the places, neither to disalowe the things there pro­fessed, which were to derogate from the Magistrate.

Yet if wée haue so much grace of God as to the Magistrates vnto our selues and in such cases to blame and reprooue our selues, and our owne sences, and inordinate desires, either in due time before wée are fallen, or els in some reasonable time, and with our reasonable losse and hinderaunce it may suffice for answere vnto vs by them vnto whome otherwise wée must créep and pray our redresse neither able to craue it at their hands without an inconuenience aforesaid, which is condemne and disalowe the things by them selues allowed and established.

Wée asked him what reason there was that wée should be charged in seuerall actions and vnto seuerall persons, for one trespasse, as namely vnto the Maister and also to the ser­uants. His answere therunto was that the Maister hath a speciall interest in his seruant for the proffit hée is to receiue by his seruice for which seruice hée is to recouer & not for the [Page] hurt doon vnto the person for the partie him selfe recouereth for that. To be short, his resolution was that for all our har­mes and losse that we had gotten: wée were so farre from all hope of redresse or amends, that wée were in the w [...]rsse case in our defence against thē & very like to yéeld amēd [...] by iudgement of law. And thus you sée (quoth Pierce) how po re guilt­lesse & simple men in a far honester cause are put to y ^e wurser end. Neighbour Pierce (quoth our Hoast) as for y ^e, be as bée may. But truly Neighbour you had but euil succe se in go­ing to sée pleasure and to heare Musick, and yet tr [...]st mée if yée wil, I suppose y ^t you sped a great deale better th [...]n a num­ber spéed in such like places, who think neuerthel [...]sse them selues to haue sped there wel, and come away righ [...] wel con­tented, which in very déed is the only cause why i [...] my fan­tasie they spéed wurse then you, for why you are hu [...]t and féel it, but they are hurt but haue no féeling therof v [...]til their hurt be past all cure, for a man is neuer so daunge [...]ously sick or sore as when hée hath lost the sence and féeling o [...] the sore or of the sicknes. So fareth it in such persons as these, for al­though they féel no euil that they contract, and yet in such places, yet doo they carry thence with them the séeds and ra­dical causes of great infortunes as the wofull and [...]amenta­ble end of many a good mans Childe hath witness [...]d dayly, dooth and wil. But truly Neighbour Pierce (quoth o [...]r Hoast) you are waxen more then half a Lawyer by these meanes.

Nay soft (quoth Pierce) I haue an other matter to tel you and that almoste as straunge as this, and that chaunced to my selfe in a mischaunce about a foure yéers past, I pray yée let vs heare it quoth our Hoast, mary quoth Pierce, thus it hapned. A fréend of mine would néeds giue mée my din­ner at an Ordinary table where wée fared very dai [...]tely, but I promise you for mine owne parte I haue though my self better at ease many a time & oft with bread & chéese in other Company. So Sir in the name of God when di [...]ner was doon: in stéed of grace to y ^e dice they went on euery side vpon proper square tables fit I warrāt you for the purpo [...], & there to the hazard they go xx. s̄. xl. s̄. v. l. vi. l. a cast, I stood by and beheld. Anon there came a straunger a plain homely fel­lowe [Page] of the Cuntrye much like my self and hée séeing such summes of money vpon the boord, & the dice trotting to and fro and that now one snatched a heap and now an other snat­ched and heap, and therwithall such deuout swearing, he came to mée and rounding me in the eare, asked me whose weare all those heaps of money that were laid foorth, mary (quoth I) his that can get them, get them (quoth hée) how? Marry (quoth I) by hazard, say you so (quoth hée) claime they no farther propertie in their money but by hazard whether themselues shall haue their money or an other man? no veri­ly (quoth I) What are those white things ful of black spots that are so chased to and fro? Those (quoth I) are called dice vpon whome standeth the hazard, and therwithal my Fréend and I hauing dined and dispatched: went our way foorth to­ward the Temple, and before we had gon so farre as a man might shoot a Bird bolte: there arose an outcry behinde vs, stop the théef, stop the théef, and therwithall I looked behinde mée: and loe the fellowe of whome I tolde you, came running with both his hands ful of money and after him ran the ru­ler of the Ordinary and thrée or foure of his seruants as fast as euer they could run with hue and cry, we turned not back neither made vs to doo therin. So they followed him vntil they came as farre as Saint Dunstones Church, and there the fellowe being out of breath, turned again and catching y ^e Maister of the dicing house in his armes: cryed I haue him I haue him, this is the théef (quoth hée) Now was the throng so great y ^t a man could not know which was which vntil at the last the Officers came and took them bothe and knowing the Maister of the dicing house: asked him what the matter was.

Mary (quoth hée) this Villain Théef hath robbed diuers Men of Woorship my Guests of great summes of money and I haue followed him for he fled vpon the fellony. And there hée had spied mée in the Company & bad thē lay hold vpon me for this knaue (quoth he) gaue him y ^e coūcel & is as false a théef as hée. There was no more to say, I was laid hold vpon & ap­prehended, and bothe hée and I caried before a Iusticer of peace the fellow and I, my fréend would not leaue mée but went with mée to sée and heare the end. So sir, when wée [Page] were come before the Iusticer: hée laid sore to the Fellowes charge that hée had broken his house forciblie and burglarlie and had felloniously robbed foure Gentlemen of wo [...]rship his Guests of diuers summes of money feloniously an [...] against the Quéens lawes and peace. Sirra (quoth the Ius [...]ice) what saist thou to this? Sir quoth the fellowe I beseech y [...]u to stād my good Fréend and Maister and let mée haue but law & rea­son at your hands, I trust it appéereth vnto your [...]iscretion (quoth hée) that this matter alleadged against mée [...]s not suf­ficient to put me to answere therunto. First for the for­cible entrie into his house and burglarye supposed: I say his house was open, and dayly is and to long hath béen and vnto to many if it pleased God and the Maiestrates such as your Woorship is, for I vndertake hée that hath any thi [...]g to lose and cast away: néed neither break doore nor walle t [...] leaue it behinde him there, and so much for my answere vnto that part. As to the money supposed to be stolne: hée declareth no certaintie therof, neither conueieth to him self any property therin, and so no fellony of y ^e thing wherto no man [...]laimeth propertie, very true it is (quoth hée) that I came into his house and séeing a company standing about a square Table & diuers great heaps of money laid foorth therupō: I asked this honest man that was a stander by meaning (mée) what was ment thereby, and also by two white square things full of black spots that were chased to and fro vpon the b [...]rd, hée answered mée that they were playing at the dice, [...]r that is quoth he the name of those square bones, and said farther that the name of their game was hazard. When I h [...]d heard him say so: I considered with my self that there mig [...]t be good to be doon for me among them, for hauing wel mar [...]ed their order: I found them the moste indifferent People t [...] gain by that euer I met withall in my life, for I perceiued that hée that laid the money downe: the rest meant that h [...]e should neuer take it vp again, and for his parte hée me [...]t aswell vnto them and that all this stood in the fauour of haz [...]rd, and so often time it chaunced accordingly, to wit that th [...] box bée­ing the third person: caught a share and by no other [...]or better title then mée thought my self to haue, for me thoug [...]t I was [Page] as indifferent to euery of them as was the box or as any of them was to other, for I verily thought and yet doo that if neither of them euer fingered that laid down either had his de­sire against other, moreouer quoth hée, when I beheld such lewd and shameful mispending of y ^e time, such horrible swea­ring and blaspheming & knew not where neither vnto whōe to complain for reformation therof and thought in conscience I ought not to suffer it as far foorth as it were in my might & I saw no way so likely to redresse it as to take away y ^e cause which I perceiued was the money. I thought that both by law and good conscience I might doo it and ought also, and in this deliberation I awaighted my time & snatched vp al that I could lay holde vpon and came my way, wherupon I pray your discretion and whether this be fellony wherin there is title or at y ^e least cullour of title. A Sirra quoth the Iusticer, you are acūning théef indéed, it is time to look to such knaues as you are. Sir quoth the poor fellowe, I beséech you be good to me, I am a poore man and I trust, sauing against them y ^t lost the money the money is mine against all men and as vn­to them when they demaund me: let me answere. And as touching that honest man quoth heby me, I neuer delt with him nor neuer saw him before, to be short the Fellowe was com­mitted to Newgate, and I was fain to finde surety by recog­nisaunce to appéer at the next sessions there to make answere to such matter as should then and there be laid to my charge and that cost me fiue shillings and this was all that I got by hauing my dinner giuen mée.

And what said your Lawyer to you for this said our Hoast, what comfort dooth he giue you of a mendes against the par­tie that thus misused you, truely (quoth Pierce) hée vtterly discourageth mée to stur or meddle farther therin, and all vp­on the same reasons that hée made before or els the very like in effect. Truely Neighbour quoth our Hoast, that Lawyer was no Counceller neither for your purpose and much lesse for his owne. Why so Neighbour (quoth Pierce?) marry quoth our Hoast, for there is no courage in him neither hath he y ^t way to help him self, & to kéep you in dooing, in y ^t he giueth such coūsel to peace and quietnes, vnto such fellowes as you y ^t [Page] would gladly cut him out woork if hmself were not [...]is owne hinderāce. Nay surely Neighbour ꝙ Pierce, wha [...] counsel soeuer he had geuen me therin, or what counsel he or any o­ther of them all shall héerafter giue me in such matters: I am taught alredy though to my cost, while I liue to loue peace & ensue it, & to looue mine owne house, my honest lab [...]ur & tra­uel and chéefly & aboue all other things to serue Go [...] wherin I finde the only stay and comfort of mans life to res [...], & that when all is sought and tried: there is none other [...]le ne le­uel wel and surely to guid and order our affairs an [...] dooings.

AHa, very wel said thē (quoth our Hoste) I am glad y ^t yet at the last ye are cōe to y ^e [...]oīt wherunto I haue al this while laboured to brīg you which is to cōfesse y ^t these great and excessiue charges & expences haue reformed [...] changed you from an vngodly and troubles [...]me man: to a Godly, wise and prudent man, able to giue co [...]nsell not only priuatly and to your owne fréends and famely: but also to beare office and authoritie in your Parrish, yée i [...] y ^e whole Shire where we both dwell, so that I hope from hencefoorth we shall haue great store of you, and that of the greatnes of such fées and charges of sutes in Law, and of the fi [...]st Asses­sors and the now receiuers therof ye are vtterly co [...]cluded & estopped to speak or think saue in all honor & reue [...]ence. Doo you think so Neighbour (quoth he?) Yea verily quoth he, for you haue confessed all this your reformatiō & a [...]endment to haue commen thence, and look what effect it hat [...] wrought in you: ye are of charitie bound to think that it hath wrought, woorketh & wil woork in a number mo then you, and the mo­ny that you haue or rather think that haue departe [...] from: is in their hands who are treasurers therof, as I haue aleaged towards the good and godly vses, intents & purposes that may or shall arise héerafter in cōmon benefit, to wit, ser [...]ice of the whole common welth, wherin your part is as farr [...] foorth as theirs. Doo you call this a mending Neighbour Simon quoth [Page] Pierce? In very déed quoth he, I must néeds confesse, that these great and excessiue Charges and large Expences haue rebuked me, haue chasticed and amended me, but to say that I think or iudge it thank woorthy vnto them that haue re­ceiued my money: I say the Deuil kisse his arsse that so a­mendeth me or any fréend of mine, for verily such amen­ding in my iudgement, deserueth asmuch and the very like thanks as did the Wife, who gaue her husband two strong poisons, meaning to spéed him in déed, but the poysons bée­ing of contrary natures: wrought one vpon an other, and destroyed either others force, wherby the man béeing hard­ly handled for a season, yet béeing driuen into a lask by their extremitie: auoyded them bothe and with them much cor­ruption, so that where before he was a very corrupt body: he was by their clensings the better xx. yéers after. Thus she did him good by accident, but far from her intent or pur­pose, and vtterly against her will. And surely they that take so excessiuely of me and of others our money, & by that kinde of punishment amend and refourme vs: I holde them woor­thy as much thank therfore as was this Wife at her hus­bands hand for his amendment which was wrought by her meane. For I dare safely vndertake, that for our affliction and punishment, or for the dishonour of God and other vn­godlynes that dependeth therupon: they are as sorowful as was the parish Clark of a Town that was sore visited with the Plague, who said vnto his wife vpon a day. Wife (quoth he) if there come two corpses to day: we will haue a shoul­der of Mutton and a quart of Sack to supper, & if there come but one: wée will haue a shoulder of Mutton and but a pinte of Sack. Content husband (quoth she) And verily I think that as hartely as this good man & his Wife praied for their recouery that were visited: so hartely pray these for peace, quietnes and the honor and seruice of God, and the Godly & charitable dealing and liuing of their Neighbours and Bre­theren.

NEighbour Pierce (quoth our Hoste) I pray you let me further vnderstand w [...]at yée doo meane by this history, for it should séem that ye haue alleadged it against mee not with standing that it maketh for me by [...]he wun­derfull effect which you your self [...]re forced to confesse, that it hath wrought vpon you. I kn [...]we what I haue confessed Neighbour (quoth Pierce) and also in what maner I haue confessed it, far enough from your [...]urpose or any confirmation therof. And where in maintenan [...]e of these great fées and reuenues you haue alleaged that the [...] are pub­lique, and also how many and how good & godly are the'ffects and fruits therof: without proof made of them or o [...] any one of them, either by your owne experience or by oth [...]r necessa­ry demonstration. There in proof of the contrary t [...] wit, that they are proper and priuate, and therfore excessiu [...] and vn­reasonable which is my assertion, I haue brought you this proffe of mine owne experience, wherby I haue s [...]fficiently shewed that the first causes of all these great gaine [...] and pro­fits are prosecuted as I haue affirmed and not per [...]ecuted as you pretend. For I haue partely shewed you héer what leaue and libertie the common people namely youth haue to follow their own lust and desire, in all wantonnes and d [...]ssolution of life. For further proof wherof: I call to witnesse [...]he The­aters, Curtines, Heauing houses, Rifling boothes, Bow­ling alleyes and such places where the time is so s [...]amefully mispent, namely the Sabaoth daies vnto the great [...]ishonor of God, and the corruption and vtter distruction of youth. All which (I say) are either the causes or the effec [...]s of these great gaines and reuenues, or els both causes a [...]d effects interchaungeably. For I dare vndertake that if eit [...]er these gains and profits were publique as you pretend, or els if there were as great gain and proffit to the Maiest [...]ates and Officers, in the godly liues and honest conuersation of the common people as there is in the contrary: these ha [...]bours of vngodlines & misnurture, would haue lesse fauour and main­tenaunce [Page] then they haue, and godlines, Sobrietie and modes­tie of liues & maners: would be in greater estimation then they are, and the honor and glory of God more aduaunced therby. But alas that the honor and glory of God and the vaine glory, pompe and maiestie of man cannot stand toge­ther, and that one of thē must néeds fall in the others exalta­tion, for certainly the more libertie vnto wickednes & sinne and the more falling from God through the same: and the more humbly complainings vnto your good Lordships, and vnto your good Woorships. The more Recognances for the peace and good a bearing, aswel by the Godly as by the vn­godly, the one inuading and the other defending: the more praying, paying, waiting, attending, dowking, crowding, & courtesing, procuring of fréendship by meanes, bribing of his flatterer, & bribing of her flatterer, this driueth the great welth and abundance into few mens hands. For where, the vngodly through misgouerment is fallen into daunger of the Law, what wil he not giue to redéem his life or his infa­mye? yea euen vnto them who were the first causes and oc­casions of his fall into such folly and mischaunce through li­bertie and not restraint of the contempt of God, his Lawes, and seruice, which he will not fayle to measure and fully to reward vnto all libertines, contemners and despisers of his maiestie and will, giuen them ouer into a reprobate minde, from vice to vice, vntil he hath fully brought him to naught.

So dangerous and fearfull a thing is libertie and not restraint of the beginning of euil, which although they appéer not such at the first: yet when they are come to their ripenes and haue brought foorth their increase, to wit, Fellonyes, Thefts, Man slaughter, Murder and such like: there is not so ignorant a person that will not say, the man or woman was neuer like to come to better end, namely for his euil and dissolute life in the beginning.

This libertie is in the hands of Maiestrates and Officers to bid or to forbid, euen after as they will prefer the honor and glory of God, or els their owne welth, pomp and vaine­glory. And therfore how hartely were it to be desired at the hands of GOD, that such as are Maiestrates and Officers: [Page] should not be couetuoꝰ, or els such as are couetoꝰ should not be Magistrates, for héerof Iethro did warne Moyses in y ^e xviij. of Exodus, talking with him concerning the election and choise of Maiestra [...]s and Officers, and bad him chuse such as hated couatise, and spake of no other vice. The cause whe [...]of is ap­parant, to wit least the wickednes and vngodlines of the peo­ple came to be valuable let and set, rented and far [...]ed, bou­ght and solde, for what other thing is valluing, le [...]ting and setting, renting, buying and selling of offices whose value is more or lesse according to the state of the people and their dis­honouring of God therby. And where you maint [...]ine these great gains by their godly and woorthy effects, the f [...]rst wher­of you alleadge to be their great purchase of lordships, lands and possessions and the effect therof you alleadge to be a pro­uision and patrimony for the good and godly, the ef [...]ect wher­of yée say is the increase of them, and the decrease of the con­trary, the effect wherof you say is godlines, vnanimitie, loue, charetie and benignitie one towards an other. And last of all the effect therof be the manifold graces and blessings of God promised by God in the Psalmes to the house, town Cittie or Cuntry where these things are. From the first cause to his ef­fect I graunt your argument, that these great gains are cause of great purchase, but from y ^e purchase to his effects yée shew not how it is: but how it ought to be, for instéed of the effects wherof you haue spoken, I sée many gay houses [...]ul of gay ch [...]is, costly banqueting houses, Galleries, bowling Al­l [...]is, strange toies of point deuise and woorkmanship, but with in I finde no man dwelling saue pride, who hath ch [...]sed thēce hospitalitie and charitie, and as for other preferment that the godly haue at their hands in any of their purchases: I sée not but euen who wil giue moste, and can make might [...]est frēds, an [...] who those are in our daies: the vngodly, vnfai [...]hfull and vncharitable dealing so vniuersally doo plainly decl [...]re.

The people so euel giuen both yong and olde, so vngodly in liuing so vnciuil, yea so rude & barbarous in manners, wherin me thinketh they haue preuailed & increased more & more all after as these offices haue waxen more gainfull and y ^e desire [Page] to haue them greater. And therfore your distinction betwéen their purchase and the merchant, chapman, and [...]ther tō [...] persons what soeuer (sauing his probabilitie) vain and redi­culous to the purpose. Therfore Neighbour Simon (quoth Pierce) your reasons are weak & to maintain the greatnes of their fées vnable. Abide Neighbour Pierce quoth our Hoaste, giue me leaue to answere vnto these matters, & first because that in very déed probable reason giueth place to necessary proof & demonstration, wherin [...]e suppose that ye haue you beyond me, because y ^e against my b [...]e & naked reasons as you terme them, ye haue alleadged authoritie, and that of your owne experience. I wil answere you with the like, and that of mine owne experience also, and more direct vnto my mat­ter then any of yours, which are indéed indirect and stand in different, and I wil pro [...] that the Magistrate and Officer in the beginning was and yet is such a [...] I haue aleadged and also the first assessing of the said fées and reuenues, and their great vtillitie and necessitie, namely for the vses, intents and purposes aforesaid. For proof wherof I wil rehearse vnto you a matter which I my self did bothe heare and sée.

ABout two yeeres agon it was m [...] fortune to be beyond London in Kent, at the house of a worshipfull Officer towards the Law, who not p [...]st a Moneth before my comming thi­ther: had purchased a Lordship, wherin were diuers good forme [...], and their leases too expire at Miche [...]as th [...]n to come twelue Moneths▪ It came to passe one day of my béeing there▪ thither came a rich man dwelling not farre thence, whose sute was to this Gentleman to take one of his said Farmes in [...]euertion, and comming to him thus he began. Sir quoth he, I vnderstand ye haue bought su [...]h a Lordship, God [...]ne ye joy thereof. Ve­ry [Page] true it is (quoth hée) Sir ꝙ this rich man, I p [...]ay you let me be your tenaunt of such a Farm, geuing more then any other man wil giue for a fine. The rent of the Farm was v. l.

What will ye giue me for a lease for xxj. yéeres quoth this Gentleman? Sir quoth he I wil giue ye an C.l. and vnto our Mistresse a Veluet gown, and xx. Angels to buy h [...]r pines be sides. You haue bidden like a Chapman said the Gentleman, giue me leaue to be aduised vnto Munday next said he, and then I shall giue you an answere héerin, so causing him to ta­ry dinner he let him departe, and this was vpon a Thursday

The next day béeing Friday: this Gentleman sent for the Farmer of the same péece of land, who came thither, and with him thrée hansome yong men his sonnes. So when he was by the Landlords commaundement brought befor [...] him: hée asked him of what age he was. He answered lxxv. yéeres. He asked him how long he had dwelled in that Farm He answered that he had dwelt there all his life for he was [...]orne in it and his father before him. You know quoth the Gentleman that I am now become your Landlord. I knowe i [...] very wel quoth he, and I beséech you of your fauour. What will you giue for a new lease of xxi. yéeres quoth the Gentleman? for you knowe your olde lease is néer an end. Sir quoth the poore man, let me giue you reason, only that I may be [...]ble to doo my Prince and your woorship seruice, & to reléeue my poore neighbours as hetherto I haue doone, and haue be [...]n well a­ble. Very wel quoth the Gentleman, be héer again vpon Munday next and then ye shall vnderstand more. The poore man (his duty doon) departed. The next Munday beeing mun­day next before Bartholmew day: the poore man was come again, and brought with him a couple of fat Capons, & about an houre or twaine after came this Churle very wel moun­ted his Gelding not déere of x.l. and behinde him was trus­sed a fat Buck, which he presented vnto the Gentlemen by one of his seruants. To be short: he was willed [...]o come in to the M. into a close little Parlor, whether were called also this olde farmer and I my self, whom it pleased hi [...] to vouch safe all curtesie and humanitie both in this and also in o­ther [Page] matters, so that only we foure were there, sauing a yong man attendant vpon his person. This doon: the Gen­tleman began fréend quoth he, what accusation doo you bring against this poore man pointing him to the Farmer. Sir ꝙ. he none, I doo not know the man. No quoth the Gentleman? except ye can accuse him of euel: ye haue already condemned your self therof, and would doo me. Why so sir quoth he? Ma­ry Sir quoth the Gentleman, for he cannot be guiltlesse of e­uil: that séeketh the destruction and death of a guiltlesse man.

Sir quoth the fellowe, ye charge me wrongfully, I neuer sought any mans death. Sir quoth the Gentleman, he that séeketh to take away the sustenaunce of a mans life, that man say I, séeketh his death, & that by so much a more cruel mean as it is a more cruell and fearfull death, to starue of hunger or colde: then it is to be quickly and readily dispatched and murthered, and so soon rid out of pain. Ye haue quoth hée, desired to take this poore mans farme from him, béeing his only stay, and haue so bidden for it: that I know he may not liue but in extreme misery if he take it at your hands. Sir ꝙ. he, yée are the first great purchaser y ^t euer I heard of this opinion. I haue six Farmes quoth he, taken all after this ma­ner at their hands that doo think them-selues both wise and woorshipfull, yet was there neuer put vnto me such a pro­blem as this by any of them, yet drink In C. [...]. a yéer by them aboue all charges. Fréend quoth the Gentleman, other mens dooing are no president vnto me, further then they stand with my dutie vnto God, and with the discharging of my calling, for he hath bidden vs by his prophet to stand vp and enquire after the olde waies, and if they be good: then to goe in them or els not, which béeing spoken generally vnto all estates: how much more vnto them of my calling, and therfore ad­mitting that such hard & extreme dealing might stand w ^t the dutie of euery priuat person, either vnto God or vnto their Cuntry and common welth, or els with their owne assurāce-which I vtterly deny, yet could it not stand with my du­tie, nor of any man of my calling. First for the priuat person, & to reproue y ^t such extreme dealing stādeth not with his du­tie [Page] towards God, of his [...]mandements d [...] manif [...]ly proo [...] wherin he so straightly comma [...]eth vnto vs [...]h [...]re is, loue & benigniti [...] one towards an other, w ^tout the which mā dare not [...]ay [...]ha [...] hée looueth God whom he neuer saw, neither th [...] he hath any faith, now what loue or [...]har [...]tie in there in him that letteth vnto his Neighbour a lease of hunger, [...]nt & [...]ll misery & calametie, & so [...]hole [...]th y ^t [...]n, which God forbad to doo vnto the Oxe? The next to wit [...] it standeth no [...] with his dutie to the common welth, the very woord co [...] welthe doth sufficiently showe, for if a man liue in the cōmon-welth he must haue some of the ioyes and fruits therof, or els it is to him no common welth, namely traueling and labo [...]ring sore therin, neither wil he that a man bear [...] any good w [...]l toward that common welth wherin the ioyes and sorowes welth & wee are so vnequally deuided and this standeth no [...] with the assurance of the common welth, which increaseth by the vni­ [...]ie, looue & concord, & falleth [...] decayeth by their [...]on [...]arye [...].

These the two first béeing prooue [...] resteth [...] to p [...]ooue that such extreme taking & exacting standeth all with th [...] assurance of the very partie himself euery priuate mans c [...]se, & this séemeth stranger and harder to prooue: then the res [...]due hath béen, but it is not so, namely vnto him that goeth with the Prophet Dauid into the house of God & ther [...] [...]nqui [...]eth ther­of, for there hee shall plainly vnderstand that all is [...]ot cleerly gotten that is put into the pursse, for I my selfe ha [...]e known a number quoth he, that haue raised iiij. times double y ^e reue­nues that their ancesters liued welthily & woorshipful vpon, yea and before their death would fain haue solde land if they had had any.

The cause wherof is for that God who is not p [...]esent nor called to councell in such extreme taking: wil neuer be pre­sent nor giue counsel or aduise in the bestowing, [...] spending of the same, either to his honor & glory: or els to their owne benefit, but giueth them ouer to delight in vile and vaine pleasures, and to be gainfull and ben [...]ficiall vnto the Minis­ters of voluptuousnes and sensualitie and flatter [...]rs, whose fréendship endeth when the tap lea [...]th running, and when [Page] strange and [...]uelous vnto you▪ I will tell you another matter which is an true as this and of mine own experience also. I pray you let mée heare Neighbour [...]uoth Pierce.

IT fortuned an other time I was in Kent al­so at the house of an other great and rich Officer towards the Laws, where I had oc­casion to soiourne certain daies, during which time there c [...]me thether a yong gētleman to offer his Land to sel, and made an of­fer therof, vnto this man in my presence, vnto whome this Woorshipfull Lawyer spake in this maner.

Wherfore wil you fel your Lands (quoth hée) béeing an ancient possession: and a fair liuing? Sir (quoth this yong man) I am fallen into great det comming to my Lands be­fore I was wise, and haue morgaged any Land for two hun­dred pound, which except I come within these ten dayes: I vtterly lose any Land.

You haue brought your self into great extremitie (quoth this Gentleman) how be it, to [...]el your Land: mée think a ve­ry [...]ar [...] remedie therof, and great pittie if any other way mi­ghtie taken, for [...] that [...]lleth away his Land: felleth a­way his best and moste assured Fr [...]d. Besides that to sel a­way namely his [...]cient Patremony and which hée neuer [...]ought [...]is both shamefull and slaunderous as to haue dishe­rited & de [...]y [...] his name, house & familie, which is an odi­ous thing [...]t be thing which the good Nabothe the Israelite de­nyed thervnto the King of Israel, for when Achab demaun­ded of him his Vineyard for as much as it was woorth, God forbid [...] the poore [...] that I should sell thée my Fathers Inheritaunce, [...]éeing yet but a poore [...]iniard: yet did hi [...] de­ [...]d it is the [...] may read in the old Tes­tament [Page] how greatly God himself fauored the ma [...]ntenance and preseruation of Inheritaunce & possession in their Tribes, houses, names and families. For he commaunded by Moyses expressely if any man solde his Inheritaunce béeing Land or house: it should return vnto him again in the yéere of Iubi­le which was euery fiftie yéeres. Also that Women vnto whom Lands and Inheritaunce were deuolute in default of heires males should not marry into any other Tril e. Wher­fore (ꝙ hée) I wish you to haue a great regarde in departing from your Inheritaunce so great a blessing of God for it is a great infamie & reproche to be said, an vnthrift an [...] y ^e first de­caier of a house & familie whether it were greater or smaller.

Alas sir (quoth this yong man) I am in greater distresse, yée knowe these Merchaunts of London are hard dealers with whome there is no mercy but for ready pain [...]ent, wel quoth the Gentleman, I will doo thus much for you, I my self wil lend you an hundreth pound which you shal repay by fortie pound a yéer, and that I suppose you may [...]asely doo ordering your self wisely, take that quoth hée & off [...]r it to the Merchaūt if happily he may be intreated to giue you a yéer or twain for the rest vpon reasonable consideration, y ^e yong man gaue him harty thanks, y ^e money was fetched down, counted & deliuered & th'assurāce made accordingly, which being doon y ^e yongmā took his leaue & hartily desired me (although améer stranger vnto him, (yet because I was present & a witnes of so great curtesie & humanitie) to go with him to London vn­to this Merchants house, which I also was cont [...]nt to doo, and hauing dispatched the occasion of my there béeing, and hauing likewise taken my leaue: to London wée came and to the Merchants house wée went, when wée came before this Merchant the yong Gentleman began to intreat him as feare as hée could and telling him of this good & godly Lawyer and of his great compassion, his good councell and perswasi­on: desired him to accept this C.l. in part of paiment, and to giue him a yéere or twaine for payment of the re t. This Merchant hauing heard all the matter: now GOD forbid [Page] (quoth he) that euer a Lawyer should heap coales vpon Mer­chants head, or that a Merchant should not be as willing and as ready to doo a godly déed as a Lawyer, hauing receiued at the hands of God the like habilitie therto. And therwithall hauing receiued the C.l. hée took his owne bond for the rest to be paid by x.l. a yéer, his first pay to begin after the Gen­tlemans C.l. ful paid, and deliuered vnto him all his Inden­tures and other assurances of the Morgage, and making vs great chéere he let vs departe. Now when I would haue ta­ken my leaue of this yong Gentleman: I could by no mea­nes forbid him to bring mée on my way hitherward, as farre as Ware xx. miles on this side London, where he paid all my charges for that night, and the next day wée took leaue eache of other and departed either of vs toward his owne. Thus ye sée how frutful was the good and gracious déed of one man, and how it prouoked the zeale of an other to doo the like.

A A A A A A A Amen (quoth Pierce.) Well quoth our Hoste, because you doo so hardly receiue my proofes: I will bring you more store of them, and such as I am ready to ve­rifye against whomsoeuer will deny their trueth.

I Was (quoth hée) in Buckingham Shire not very long sithence, at the house of a rich Offi­cer toward the Law whome I could name if néed required, who during the time of my bée­ing there, made vnto all his Tenants leases of their farmes, wherof I my self am wit­nes, present at their Sealing and deliuerye, The leases are for li. yéeres from the day of the date therof, the rent reser­ued as followeth. Yéelding and paying vnto the said Leassor and his heires yéerly during so many of the said li. yéeres as th'inheritaunce shall remaine in him or them, not solde, ex­chaunged, morgaged, forfaited, leased in reuertion or other­wise [Page] estraunged v.l. currant money of England, and yéel­ding and paying from and immediatly after any such act doon by him or them or any of them v. s̄. yéerly of like cu [...]rant mo­nie, and so after the rate of other rents were they greater or smaller. Prouided alwaies, that the tenaunt shall not sell, set nor let their said Farme or any percel therof, w [...]thout the assent and licence of the said Leassor or his heires, of which reseruation I asked him a reason, wherunto hi [...] answere was this. Sée (quoth hée) how hard a matter it i [...] for yong Gentlemē vnto whom it falleth by the grace and gift of God to be Landlorde and owners, wisely to order & gou [...]rn either their possessions, lands and reuenues or themselues. I know also (quoth hée) that in the wisdome, prudency an [...] good go­uernment of such, standeth the happy and prospere us estate of a common welth; and her misery in the contrary, and ther­fore in my iudgement ought all men generally to wish, yea and to endeuour that the greatest lands and posses [...]ions may be in their hands who both can and will order and dispose the same to the honor and glory of God and to the p [...]ofit of the common welth, wherin me thinketh sauing reformation, the to often and to common translation of possession is not the least matter nor last to be considered, as well for the causes therof which are euill [...] as also for the effects therof which are wurse. The causes that make men to sell their patrimo­nyes and to spoyle their inheritance, who knoweth not to be these, riot, gaine, whordome, delight in all vngodly pleasures and pastime of sensualitie, shortly the not fearing of God, nor seruing him, and the not caring to knowe his wil [...] and com­mandements, nor to liue therafter, these are the causes. The effects are these, first the spoyle of the land and th [...] making it barren and bare of all the commodities therof, secondly the dislodging and disapointing of the honest Farmers and good house kéepers, for their sakes that will doo more then they, without any other respect, and those are commonly the wic­ked and vngodly, and from thence ariseth infini [...] sutes and controuersies, maintenaunces, champerties and such like.

This causeth lands often to chaunge their tenaunts and [Page] inhabitants, and by that means breacheth and dissolueth one of the greatest and surest bonds of looue and fréendship that is or euer was, namely, coeducation, conuersation and acquain­taunce, which hatcheth, nourisheth and confirmeth looue and fréendship, not only betwéen men: but euen betwéen the brute and vnreasonable beasts, who hauing béene fostered long together in one place, will not only looue and defend one an other: but also euen the very place wherin they were bred and nourished, and they will very hardly be sundred or dri­uen there from. And this is the very law of kinde, which can not effectually woork among neighbours, of whome some are dayly or yéerly flitting and giuing place vnto new, namely such as will bid more the which commonly are the wurser sorte as hath béen already alleaged. These are two effects.

The third is the sinceritie of Iustice and also of dicipline both which it greatly hazardeth, namely for y ^e buyers and sellers are Corelatiues, and that the one cannot be without the o­ther, and for that also the causes of selling & spoyling of pa­trimonies are such as I haue already declared. These things are right perillous in a common welth, and yet doo almoste necessarily followe the too often and common translation of possession and inheritaunce, namely where it is by peny pur­chase, against the which neuerthelesse it is meruelous hard to foresée and to prouide, I meane for heires and inheritours of Lordships, Lands and possessions to continue in the same, béeing things that so many desire to haue, yea oftentimes such as haue in their hands the bridle of libertie, or restraint of good and euill, and of the liues and manners of men, for what is there in all this earth so much desired as houses, lan­des, Lordships and possessions, and to commaund ouer peo­ple? What els is the end of all so many and great trauels, watch, studie so many and so great hazards by Sea and land, so many shifts, sleights, deceits and oppressions, of all which this world hath béen, is & euer wil be full, against all which who so will holde a thing of so great value: he must be well prouided and of great defence, and hath néed to haue in him self the strength, wisdome, councell and iudgement of many, [Page] and so much the rather by how much his possessio [...] is y ^e grea­ter, and that for two causes. First for that in his e [...]rour of life fall and misgouernment: lyeth the fall, ruin and decay of a number, what of his owne blood, what of his tenaunts, faith­full freends and seruants. Secondly for that his estate is sub­iect vnto many enimies, of whom the greatest and moste dan­gerous is the flatterer the olde enemie of all mankinde, as the story of our Father Adam and mother Eue and the Ser­pent dooth well declare. This mooued Iuno as O [...]id fableth to commit Io her Cow vnto Argus to kéep, which Argus had an hundred eyes in his head, and therfore much adooe had Mercury to deceiue him withall his swéet songs and Musick, for when he had brought on of his eyes a sleep, [...]ea diuers of them, yet waked diuers other and stood vpon t [...]eir ward, and whether his face or his back were towards Io yet he al­way beheld her.

ANd surely in mine oppinion this mooued the wise & honorable fathers & Maiestrates of old time to incorporat so great liuings & possessi­ons, & also to erect & establish in Lo [...]dships so many coppy holds and custummar [...] tenures as the moste soueraigne remedy against pride and surcuydrie, which commonly accompanieth th [...] priuate, singuler & sole proprietie in land, possession, office or any other thing whatsoeuer, & also a way and meane to furni [...]h the common welth with many both able to deserue well and to doo good also glad and willing therto, vnto the which p [...]ide is ei­ther the only let and impediment: or els of all othe [...] the grea­test as he vpon whom flattery attendeth, yea and in such sorte that he leadeth him by the nose vp and down the house, ma­king [Page] him to beléeue of himself any thing, causing him also to delight no while in any one thing, whether it be apparell or the fashion therof, place, person, dyet, fréend, seruant, Te­naunt or other thing what soeuer, and this as dayly experi­ence teacheth, is the high and ready way to y ^e Vsurers house and from thence to the Extorcioner, who dwelleth hard by, of which twaine by that time he hath taken foorth his lesson kindely: I dare be his suretie hée wil not be hasty to doo good to any good body, neither if he would shall he haue wherwith all, for either shall he haue no lands left him at all: or if he haue any, he shall be glad to let them déerer then that any ho­nest man shall doo good thereon, so that in conclusion, both th [...] Landlord and the tenaunt shalbe miserable.

The cause héerof is Pride moste and chéeftly, as I haue said, and oftentimes youth, good nature, or peraduenture excesse of Pleasure and Sensuall delights, where through yong Gentlemen are often snared through euill company, béeing ouertaken sometime by giuing their woord, sometime through a bribe of a little present mony, sometime by one de­ceit, sometime by an other, wherin men are soone pampred, namely such as are of small experience and iudgement, and knowe not the false lures of the wicked and vngodly, aga­inst all which these Corporations and customes are of great force and a great defence, for in both these cases: hardly can they be assaulted, much lesse inuaded by any of the enemies aforesaid.

First for that a corporation is neuer vnder age, as for example, Maior and Comminaltie, Deane, and Chapter, Wardens and Fellowes and such like, whose succession is by election, their proprietie is ioynt and in common, neither can one doo any thing without the rest, and therfore to flat­ter any one of them vaine, and to flatter them all very hard namely mens Natures, Wit, Iudgements and Affections béeing diuers, and euery man willing to maintaine and pre­fer his owne opinion or his fréends. Pride atteinteth them not, for who is proud, or at the least so proud of any thing, wherin a number hath to commaund as much as he, and [Page] without whom he can doo nothing, then béeing armed against Pride the Father of necessitie and néed: they are [...]etter frée­ly to afforde their good woord or déed, and therfore in vaine were it to bribe them.

But admit that any of them would be bribed, it were also in vaine and would procure the euill will of all the rest with out bribing them all which were heauy and hard to doo.

So that in any competicion made vnto such persons against any olde Fréend, Tenaunt, Officer or seruant: it is very hard to preuaile except it be through his owne great misbe­hauiour. And where it is betwéen méere Sraung [...]rs one of them against an other, there the best and moste woorthy is sure to spéed, for certainly and infallible there is [...]othing in all this world so amiable, so beloued and fauoured as hones­tie, vertue and godlines are. Where priuate flatterie or briberie stand not in their light, as in the case of priuate Ow­ners and proprietaries: I haue alleadged that it both may and often dooth. And thus much of the Corporations & of their effects. Now to speake of the customes of Manours the very same or like in effect may be said, for the Inheritour of custo­mary Land although hée be seased therof to him and to his heires yet can hée not sel it without licence of the Lord and that solemnly graunted by his Steward in open Court and there entred, nay hée cannot set or let the same or [...]therwise impaire the wood or other commodities therof without licēce aforesaid.

So great an entresse and commaundement hath the Lord therin and yet not to the hinderaunce or preiudice of y ^e Inhe­ritaunce but e contra, namely that the selling, setting or o­ther gouernment of such a royall possession as land [...]s: should stand in y ^e Iudgement & discretiō of diuers, & those of y ^e ripest & best aduised, and not to be solde, wasted or spoyled [...]hrough y ^e intemperaunce of one foolish or vngodly man or woman ei­ther formed or necessitie or otherwise for flatery or other fōd or foolish affection whatsoeuer, wherin the Lord and his ler­ned Stuard and the homagers of the Court are Iudges.

In all which case it may euidently appéer how great a care [Page] those honourable and reuerend Forefathers had to enact and establish the great possessions in the hands of such as were not like to misregarde so great and high a blessing of GOD, the effects and fruites wherof haue béen many and great as from time to time proof hath verified and yet dooth, for it hath alwaies béen accoūted & yet is a right happy thing to be tenāt or Farmer to a Corporation or enioy any commoditie vnder them. For woorshipful & honorable haue alwaies béen their dealing in ordering and gouernment of their Lands, liuings, and possessions. and of their Tenaunts and Farmers of the same. But chéefly and abooue all others to be Tenaunt vn­to the Prince, who indéed is a Corporation, for from the Prince, there can passe nothing but by writing vnder seale, neither dooth or can w ^tout the consent of diuers of the moste honorable and best aduised. These (quoth hée) are the cau­ses and the reasons that haue mooued mée to make these lea­ses, and therin these reseruations which vnto you doo séeme so very strange. For I suppose this to be a strong meane to vnite the Landlord and his tenaunt togither, and to coun­terballaunce the one of them against the other in fourme of a corporation, or els as néer vnto the Nature therof as I could deuise. For by this meanes, if my heires or any of them chaunce at any time héerafter to proue vnthrifty: his vnthrif­tines shall not be so gainfull vnto any man y ^t in hope to pur­chase his lands would therfore strengthen his hands therin and by these means I haue left them moe Frends and fewer Flatterers. For hée that shal buy his lands without the con­sent of the Farmer: hée shall for the time make as good a pur­chase as dooth hée that purchaseth of a Woman her Husbāds lands while hée is yet aliue, or he that goeth to the Poul­trie and buying there a Capon for two shillings putteth him into his bag, and when he commeth home he findeth there nothing but a Capons leg, for in this case of mine: the buyer buyeth lesse then the Seller selleth by xix. partes, which me think should kéep them from argument vpon the price whi­lest either of them would fain make the best bargain for him self, as the maner of all chapmen is. And for which reason [Page] Iesus Sirach saith of them, that sinne sticketh betwéen the bi­er and the seller as fast as dooth a nail stick betwéen two stōes in a wall.

This way haue I brought to be stronger and better assu­red then any entaile generall or speciall both whi [...]h priuate couetise hath found a way to destroy to the disheris [...]n of ma­ny a good kinred and to the great decay of vertue and godly­nes, and héerin (quoth hée) I haue doon my heirs n [...] wrong, for vpon this rent I haue liued contēt and doo, & if they prooue honest and vertuous: so may they doo, and then I haue left them inough. and if they prooue otherwise: then hau [...] I left to much and yet to little to serue them also.

Moreouer (quoth hée) I haue héerby prouided against the malice of such tenaunts as abuse the liberalitie of good Land lords fetting and letting ouer vnto the third and fourth hand racking and enhaunsing the things vnto excessiue and vnrea­sonable rents, and such as the Landlord him self would ne­uer haue doon for pure shame and pittie, which neuerthe­lesse béeing raised to his hand by others: is a perillous pre­sident vnto him at his return vnto the possession therof.

Thus you haue heard (quoth our Hoste) what a godly and Fatherly care this good and vertuous Maiestra [...]e had to preferre the honour and glory of God and also the [...]ommon welth of his Cuntry and People, whereby it may appéere how hartely to be desired is the purchase of such P [...]rsonnes whose riches is the Treasury and Storehouse of the com­mon welth, aswell for the sustenaunce of the sam [...] concer­ning worldly and bodily prouision of transitorie things: as also for the furtherance and increase of Vertue, godlines and Pietie, Looue and Concord.

Ho (quoth Pierce) lay a straw there for Gods sak [...], marry Sir héer is stuffe indéed (quoth he) heer hath béen a [...]ong dis­course indéed, and euen as true as all the rest, with t [...]at I en­terrupted their talke and spake vnto him.

FAther Pierce (quoth I) these matters are not so strange nor so incredible as you wéene, for proof wherof I will (if it please you to giue me leaue) to reherse a thing which I my self did se and that no longer a go then Easter Tearme last. It fortuned that I went into a Lawyers Chamber in Sergeants Inne with a Fréend of mine who was Plaintiff in a repleuin in Bedford shire, and being come into his Lawyers Chamber and hauing staied there a while about our busines: there came in an ancient Gentleman of the Cuntry, whome I know very wel by sight and haue doon long, whom when the Maister had espied comming vp euen at the top of the staires, hée spake to him as followeth. I know wherfore you come, go down again to my man and bid him come vp to mée, which the Gentleman bid, his seruant béeing come: he took foorth of his Cubbord (which was vnder the square table that stood before him) a bagge wherin was ten pound and deliuering it vnto his man bad him go down and pay it vnto the Gentleman, and if any of the golde lack waight chaunge it for him. The seruant went downe and did accordingly, I thought verily it had béen the rent of some house or land that he had holden of him. But euen while I was in this thought: the Gentleman comming vp again gaue him humble & har­tie thanks and that in the name and behalfe of a whole Cun­trie yea of diuers Shires. Wherupon I taking occasion to enquire farther of the matter: vnderstood that he gaue that ten pound fréely towards the erecting & building of a bridge, and that such charitable déeds as this are no new things vn­to him. I sooner wil beléeue this (quoth Pierce) hauing of a man learned in the Lawes and whom Vertue and Learning haue prefferred, then of the others that Fishen for Offices with the golden hook and neuer wist what Learning ment.

WIth that our Hoste took holde again, saying y ^t hée had yet one other matter to tell and ther­with he would conclude. I was an other time (quoth hée) at the house of an other rich Officer towards the Law, who d [...]elleth in Kent also and is a man of great w [...]lth, and one time of my béeing at his house as (I thank hi [...]) I haue béen very many times. There were two of his Tenaunts come to take new leases of their Farmes the land [...] béeing of equall rent & value, but yet the Farmers not equal in welth: the one hauing béen blessed (as it should seem) abou [...] the other for the one of them was very welthie and vpheld h [...]s Tena­ment in very good repaire & offered the Lord at the [...]irst woord forty pound for a fine for one and twenty yéers The o­ther was poore and yet his tenament in decay, ne [...]ther was hée able to giue fiue pounds for a fine, wherof the Landlord hauing challenged him and warning him to look to it theraf­ter: willed the other to lay down his forty pounds, which hée did without delay. The Gentleman when hée had coun­ted it: put it into a bagge and fréely gaue it vnto the poor man with these woords (one of you beare an others burd [...]n) wher­with the other was so farr from béeing ill content that hée humbly praised God, and gaue the Gentleman right hartie thanks therfore: and so he sent them away bothe very well contented. Since which time I héer of the poore man that hée is growen to great welth and of such benigniti [...] and hos­pitalitie as are not many Owners or Landlords dwelling néer him. Thus (quoth our Hoste) I haue confirmed my first Assertion and haue sufficiently auoyded your reasons and ex­amples alleadged in disproof of the same, and these haue I doon by Example and demonstrations dothe moe in number then yours are: and also more euident, apt and prop [...]r vnto y ^e [Page] purpose. That is not so Neighbour (quoth pierce) for ad­mitting that your Examples were all or any of them true, which for the moste parte I will not graunt, yet are they perticuler and cannot make any generall Conclusion, besides y ^t you tender mée an issue vpon two affirmatiues which is a­gainst the grounds of law as I haue learned by mine owne experience déerly bought. For I haue alleadged against you the penerall Corruption of liues and manners béeing the e­ffect of libertie vnto excesse and dissolution which I also haue alleadged and prooued to be an effect of priuate desire to pouch to purchase and to wax rich, from al which causes and effects conuertly my Argument is necessary and infallible and ther­fore béeing alleadged affirmatiuely it demaundeth a direct & generall trauerse to the effects, which effects béeing not dis­prooued: the causes therof cannot be denied, against all which matters you haue answered in the affirmatiue also, allead­ging the examples of some good men, which whether they be true or not, I doo not greatly force without a generall denyal of that which I haue alleadged, although that for euery ex­ample alleadged you had brought fiftéen, and so is my first Assertion maintained and standeth fast, and yours vtterly disprooued.

BY this time it was waxē euen dark night and our Hoast speaking vnto Pierce said vnto him Neighbour Pierce (quoth hée) wée haue rea­soned so very long to and fro that the night is stolen vpon vs, and the purpose of your com­ming hither vtterly forgoten through our earnest disputation in these matters.

Truely Neighbour (ꝙ Pierce) I cannot think this time ill spent, I would I had neuer spent time wursse if it had plea­sed [Page] God, and therfore quoth he, if it please you [...]o lend mée this v.l. I will be gon home, for I knowe the way at mid­night. Neighbour Pierce (quoth our Hoste) your v.l. is re­dy, and ye shall haue it with you but not to nigh [...], for hence shal ye not departe before to morowe God willing, and namely for this strangers sake, whome I wil desire yo [...] to accom­pany for this night, for in his Cuntry I haue re [...]eiued ma­ny folde humanitie, as partly ye haue heard, and therfore I gladly would doo him some héere to my power, and therfore this night or a conuenient part therof wée will in [...]euour our selues to spend together in honest mirth and exercises. And therwithall I spake, and geuing our Hoste harty [...]hanks: de­sired Pierce that it might so be. Who at my reque [...]t did soone condiscend, and was very wel contented therwith [...]ll.

Then quoth I, séeing that we haue so wel spe [...]t the fore part of the night wherin I my self haue doon nothing but har­kened: let vs agrée vpon some meane to passe the time with all after supper vntil bed time, no wursse then we haue doon the time before.

Now verily Gentleman (quoth our Hoste) and that is ve­ry well spoken, I be shrewe him that disagreeeth therunto, if it be my self. Amen quoth Pierce Plowman if it [...]e I. Very well then quoth I, this is my order if it may please you. Af­ter Supper euery man shall put his question and [...]el his tale in order, & by course wherunto eche of the others shall speak to wit vnto the question shall giue an answere of [...]issolution of the saying and vnto the tale shall shew their good or il like­ing, and hée that telleth the best and wisest tale to wit of highest and best sentence and putteth the sharpest and [...]isest question moste tending to vertue and edifying of the [...]earers or giues the wisest and best solution: hée shall haue his breakfast héer to morrow at the charges of the other twain. Content withall my hart quoth our Hoste. Content qu [...]th Pierce Plowman. But to whose Iudgement shal we stand héerin ꝙ hée? Truely ꝙ I, euen to the [...]oome of our Hostesse fit please her to take it vpon her, wherupon shée béeing calle [...] very wilingly vndertook it, so was the matter fully agrée [...]d and on [Page] hands giuen there vpon. And then was the fable couered for supper & (our Hoste hauing him sell first giuē thanks to God) to supper wée went where wée fared right wel & were mery, and when wée had supped: the Cloth béeing remooued, and thanks likewise giuen. After wée had sitten stil and reposed our selues a little while [...] my self began as followeth.