Chapter III: Part 3

Why should the humour of our people in _England_ so far engage them to an old custome of burying the dead in Linnen, as to contradict and disobey so good a Law as was lately made by Act of Parliament, for the burial of our dead in Woollen, doubtless there was reason enoug then produced in Parliament, to sway with the King and those two Honourable Houses for the Enacting the same, and whether it be not as decent to cover the dead Corps in Flannel, as it is with Linnen; beside the burial of the dead in Flannel will greatly advance the Manufacture of the Nation, and in reason advance the prizes of all other Woollen wares, and this Woollen Cloth is of our own production, and when we bury our people in Linnen, that causeth so much expence (for the generality) of the goods of other Countries; and whether it ought not to be considered, that the Law provided in this case, ought to be re-inforced.

Now to draw towards an end, I have met with an Objection to this Treatise, that it may be judged Superflous, because several Books are extant concerning this Subject; to which I Answer.

Though I have reason to beleive them that told me so, yet I do beleive that the Reader will find a great difference between this and any other, if they be compared together, and that in many respects.

And again I Answer, that the more Complaints are made, of the Abuses and great Losses to the Kingdome, so much the more ought all good men to enquire into the truth of those Complaints, and endeavour for sutable Remedies; in Tendency whereto, I have presented something here by way of Quære, _&c._

And now methinks I hear some wise men say, that it is Reason that such abuses should be punished, and that severely, if any should presume to act such things, as are here complained of, or any waies vindicate those that do them; to the which I answer, that I wish that I were called to prove my knowledge of those things, without too much charge or Attendance, before any that should be appointed, to enquire into and to regulate the same, for I do not make it my business to set forth in this discourse the perticuler abuses of those Countrey Atturneys, Under-Clerks, Under-Sheriffs in their returns, and the abuses of their Officers, and the Assistance that some great Smugglers have, from some Magistrates and Justices of the Peace in the Countrey, together with the affronts that have been offered to our good Lawes, of which I have had a large and sad experience: And although our Lawes are good, and our Judges are just, yet the corruption in the practice of the Law, by under-Officers, is so exceeding bad and destructive to the Trade and publique good of the Kingdome, that in case I should perticularly recite those abuses that I my self have met with among the Practicers of the Law, I should fill a Book many times bigger than this.

And now I shall conclude, with the true and hearty wishes of an _Englishman_, that all our Ministers of State may so agree especially in this juncture of time, that they may unanimously joyn together, as one intire body, against all Intruders upon our Trade and Priveledges both at Sea and Land; that the Walls of this Kingdome may be built up and preserved, and our Tradeing may encrease and flourish, so that no cunning Usurpers may rob us of our old Prerogatives of the Seas, or the Manufacture of our native Trade upon the Land.

FINIS.

Poscript.

That these things are considerable to be looked into, and that a stock may be raised to employ the poor out of misimployed Charity, I have given a breif account of the abuses of Charity, in the place where I now inhabit, with a short Description of the River of _Medway_, alias _Chatham_, and the fraudes practised there and of some notorious abuses put upon me for doing my duty, and endeavouring to prevent those fraudes complained of in this Book, with the foul Practise of some under-Clerks, and cunning devices of some other Lawyers, which I shall Present to his most Sacred Majesty, and to the great Councels of the Kingdome; to the end it may be known what need there is of better encouragement to honest Officers, and those who put the Laws in Execution against such Offenders, being also ready to prove what is alledged in every particular clause before his Majesty in Councel.

_England_ is exceeding happy in a good and gracious King, but extreamly unhappy in some unfaithful Officers, and divided people, we are also happy in good Lawes, but unhappy in that they are so much corrupted, it is nothing with some Councel to make good, bad, and bad good; and in case they abuse a man never so much, this is sufficient, _They ought to do what they can for their Client_: by this course, our most gracious King, and the Honourable Courts are often misinformed, honest men discouraged, and unjust Stewards preferred, let Attorneys and Clerks use never so unjust practice, honest and just Lawyers will seldome complain, or move against those of the same profession. This Nation is puffed up with Pride, and grown idle with plenty, the meanest vie with the greatest, and will do any unjust thing to maintain it, Playes are more regarded then Prayers, Drunkenness than Study, the Clerks pens, than Trades-mens hands, so that our Trade is lost, our people live idle, Charity Robbed, our Poor starved, our Lawes not regarded, our Consciences fast asleep.

The Scene is so much altered in 25 or 30 years, that then a man thought his Son well provided for, if placed with a Clothier, and now nothing will do but Law, so that they multiply like Catterpillers in a dry Summer, insomuch that the increase of the Land cannot feed them, but they swallow up the earth also, what I write is no Romance, I have had sad experience of the truth of it, and according to the good old Proverbs, _The Loser may have leave to speak, And truth may be blamed, though not shamed_, that doth make a man as bold as a Lion, and I bless God in all my sad Afflictions, that very thing, and God’s promises hath kept up my spirits, and without reason I still hoped to be delivered from those wolves, as _Daniel_ was delivered out of the Lyons Den, which hath been done, some of my Enemies falling before me, and others have confessed their faults, and I have as freely forgiven them, as I hope God will forgive me, others whose actions are so foul, they blush and hang down their heads when they see me, though they will endeavour behind my back, & where it’s not known, to excuse themselves, I declare I desire to be in peace with all men, though I do endeavour to get my right, vindicate my self, and for publique good punish Offenders.

_Vale._

Transcriber’s Note

There are some inconsistencies with numbering in this book. There are no pages numbered 24 to 32, and Quære 17 appears before Quære 16.

Changes that have been made are:

Near end of the introductory address:
From (aiming at no other,
To (aiming at no other,)

Page 21: From and then to mind the pulique good,
To and then to mind the publique good,

Page 24 (sidenote): From 27. Ed. Ed 3. ca. 3.
To 27. Ed. 3. ca. 3.

Page 37: From cheifly intending thereby,
To (cheifly intending thereby,

Page 40: From which by these and such like Practies are stollen,
To which by these and such like Practices are stollen,

Page 41: From these the honest good men ’&c.
To these the honest good men, &c.

Page 49: From said Office in such cases,
To said Office in such cases,)

Page 49: From or complying with them, or negliectng
To or complying with them, or neglecting