Greuous grones for the poore Done by a well-willer, who wisheth, that the poore of England might be so prouided for, as none should neede to go a begging within this realme. 1621 Approx. 22 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 15 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2003-05 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A02255 STC 12391 ESTC S105876 99841602 99841602 6198 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A02255) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 6198) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 888:16) Greuous grones for the poore Done by a well-willer, who wisheth, that the poore of England might be so prouided for, as none should neede to go a begging within this realme. Sparke, Michael, d. 1653, attributed name. Dekker, Thomas, ca. 1572-1632, attributed name. [8], 22, [2] p. Printed [by William Jaggard] for Michaell Sparke, London : 1621. Sometimes misattributed to Michael Sparke and to Thomas Dekker. Printer's name from STC. The first leaf is blank; the final leaf contains verse. Reproduction of the original in the Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. 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Done by a Well-willer , who wisheth , That the poore of ENGLAND might be so prouided for , as none should neede to go a begging within this Realme . The Poore afflicted are , So that they perish fast : If now no order taken be , Then Ruine comes at last . · HEB ·D●●●· ✚ HEB·D●●●●· LONDON Printed for MICHAELL SPARKE . 1621. TO THE RIGHT Honourable , Right Worshipfull , and worthy Company of the Virginian and Sommer-Iland Plantations . RIGHT HONOVRAble , Worshipfull , and Worthy : It is an old , and yet a true Prouerbe , Vis vnita fortior , Vnited force is most vigorous : I could haue commended this poore Fatherlesse Volumne to the simple perfection of some one man in eminence , vnder whose shade it might obtaine a quiet rest . But knowing your conioyned Society , doth extend the branches of Charity , to a farther limit then some one particular person , I am bold to present this Orphane to your tuition : assuring my selfe , that althogh scandals may derogate frō the worth in this our home bred Nation , your affection will finde it shipping to transport it to the Land of security , where no biting Satyre dares assayle it with his enuious teeth , or censuring Critick , carpe to catch it with his AEnigmaticke braine . The reasons why this long obscured Off-spring of Charity claimes your worthy particular Patronage , diuide themselues into a Tricotomie . The first Reason is drawne from the supposed parent , whose industrious seduline to the vast wombe of the Ocean , describes these two Lands , now Cities of refuge for poore impouerished persons . For his sake therefore , whose wisedome liues crowned with the Garland of Fame , though his bodie be buried in the Sepulcher of Obliuion , protect this his poore extant issue . The second Reason , proceedes from the remarkeable note of Christianity , which is Charity : For , by this ( saith our Sauiour ) shal all men know that yee are my Disciples . As therefore you prize the segregation of your selues from woluish Worldlings , in Charity entertaine this submissiue petulent , prostrate at the Altar of your acceptance . The third Reason , yssues from your continued and dayly exercise in the relapse of mean and decayed persons , by transporting of them to a Land , where they haue Corne which they sowed not , Vines which they planted not , and plenty which some of them deserued not . Since therefore , so many haue felt the reuiuing heate of the Sunne-beames of your Charity , whose very intrals blesse you : amongst the multitude of these , let this tonguelesse Orphant be one , that by its birth into the World , though it cannot speake , it may proue your praise . Thus with my seruice , as appointed to speake for this infant , in the hehalfe of it , I rest a Well-willer to your Businesse . M. S. A Diuision of the estate of the Poore . THE poore of this Common-Wealth are of two sorts , viz The impotent persons not able to releeue themselues with their labor , & the idle Rogues , able to mintaine the selues , and do their Countrey good , if they were set on worke , as the Statute Lawes of this Land prescribeth . The impotent is the blinde , lame , wounded souldier , fatherlesse childe , aged person , or diseased by Leprosie , Dropsie , or else visited with other greeuous sicknesse , not able to labour , to releeue themselues sufficiently . The Idle poore is the Theefe , the Rogue , the Rogue , the Strumpet , the sturdy Beggar , the Filcher , the Couzener , Cut-purse , and such like . The Misery of the Poore , with the danger of their soules . GREAT is the misery that the Carkasses of the poore sustaine , as extreame hunger , pinching colde , pittifull nakednesse , great disdaine , strange surfeits , greeuous sores , deadly diseases , and painefull deaths : but greater and much more lamentable , is the daungerous distresse of their silly soules . For , they are the slaues of Sathan , in the Galley of Idlenesse , fastened to the seate of Pouerty , with the Chaine of Slothfulnesse , where extreame Cruelty , with his Whip of Necessity ( whose biting Cords are Hunger and Cold ) forceth them to haste the fearfull Voyage , vnto the dolefull Hauen of Hell , by greedie rowing with the Oares of Iniurious Wrongs , as Theft , Cozenage , Witchcraft , and such like : but I hope to see , that Serpent so encountered with that goodly Ship , called , The good Gouernment of England , and that Loue that good Gunner therein ( with the Powder of Zeale ) will so thunder forth those Bullets of Iudgement out of the battering peeces of the Law , that Sathan shall be enforced to deliuer those silly slaues out of his thraldome , and yeelde his huge Vessell , to remaine a famous monument , vntill the end of the World. Excellently was that on-set giuen in the making of sundry Statutes ▪ for the releese of the Impotent , and setting the ydle on Worke : but if we consider how Negligence hath ouerthrowne that Famous Worke ; wee shall finde , how Selfe-Loue is setled farre into euerie mans heart , and that we so hotly hunt after priuate Gaine , that wee freezing coldly , seeke not any Publike Profite . Wee play the sloathfull hand , loath to come out of a warme pocket , to heale and helpe to couer the whole bodie from pinching cold . But come , come , deere Christians , let euerie man now bee more mooued with pittie . And according vnto their seuerall Callinges , so charitably to further some good prouision , that the poore heereafter may be otherwise releeued , and not bee forced to beg or steale for maintenance . And the ydle so set on Worke , that they be not compelled to runne about the Countrey , haunting of Ale-houses , and vsing all bad and wanton exercises , to driue away the time withall . And let not Parishioners do stil ( as some do now ) beare out theeues in their theeuerie , for that they take their prey with the Foxe , farre from his home , which otherwise should charge the town . Let them not winke at the matter , when they finde the Theefe , and so the thing stolne , nor make the Host of the Alehouse their Constable , that diligent Setter for all misorder , and Maister of mis-rule , their cheefe Officer , to see good Order kepte . Let them not suffer suspected persons , to be playing in Ale-houses , especially in the time of Diuine Seruice , nor play there for more ( at any time ) then they haue honestly gotten . And , whereas many poore Parents be so foolish , to plant their Children on the roote of ydlenesse , which will yeelde no other fruite , but the Berries of Iniquitie ; whereby our Countrey is pittifullie and greeuously pestered , with such as for want of other Trade or meanes to liue by , doe practise Robbing , Filching , Stealing , Cozening , and such like . Now therefore , I would heartily wish , that euerie Christian ( as his Calling serueth for that purpose ) should be some meanes , that those youthfull plants , may be trained vp in some honest course of life ; whereby they may hereafter get their liuings by some good and lawfull meanes : so shall they greatlie glorifie God , by their dutifull diligence in doing of his will , ouerthrow the power of Sathan by the confusion of Idlenesse : rescue those silly soules out of that Tyrantes thraldome : and worke a publike profite to the whole Land , by freeing it from that extreame charge , to maintaine so manie thousands of people without their labor . The Euill of Idlenesse , and what men do for want of Exercise , and Maintenance . IDlenesse maketh mens bodies the Demeanes of the Diuell : for the bodie of an Idle person is the Diuels home , Viz : Empty of Grace , swept of all Goodnesse ; and so garnished with Naturall Euils , that it may well entertaine Sathan , and seuen more as bad as himselfe . The Euill of Idlenesse . Idlenesse , is the head of that Serpent Sathan , which where it entreth , windeth in his whole bodie , with all the poyson of Iniquitie . For first , for want of exercise , wee see idle people hunt and runne after euill Company : seeke out disordered Ale-houses , where they sweare and forsweare , Banne , Cursse , Blaspheme God , disdaine good things , slander and backe-bite their Neighbours , vse all vnlawfull Exercises ; tell Tales , that are taken for Tales , and lies of others that are taken for truth , so setting much variance , yea often among Friends , and driuing away the time with the wretched workes of Wantonnesse , and disfiguring themselues with the loathsome sin of Drunkennesse . Then , for want of maintenance , they practise Pilling , Polling , Promooting , Wrangling , Defrauding , Robbing , Begging , Filching , Stealing , Iuggling , Connicatching , Cosening , False Dicing , and with such like shifting : like Caterpillars , Waspes , and Droanes , they eate and deuoure vppe the Fruites and sweet Commodities of this Common-wealth . But how might I enlarge this Volume ( if I so entended ) with painting foorth the deformitie , which Idlenesse hath bred in these Roguish Trauelling people , which in their Common Whoredome , resemble lawlesse Beastes ; in their Cousening , Filching , Stealing , and Deuouring , imitate vilde Vermine ; in their Drunkennesse ; do shew themselues loathsome Swine ; and in Banning , Cursing , Forswearing , Lying , Out-facing , and egregious Dissembling , both with GOD and the World , painted forth , the verie perfect pictures of Sathan : O that Christian hearts can abide the sights of these most greeuous and monstrous Euilles . Come then therefore , O yee painefull Iudges , and carefull Iustices of this Land : Yee watchfull Magistrates , and diligent Labourers in the Lords Vine-yard : cutting of the branches will not suffice , but strike at the Roote ( which is Idlenes ) with the Axe of Iudgement , and the flourishing Tree of all Iniquitie , will quickely fade away . Reasons to releeue the Impotent , and to reforme the Idle . IF the body haue a lame and withered foote , whereof it can haue small vse , yet if it bee whole and sound , and the blood of the bodie hath the course therein ; wee see euery member is helping the same with necessaries , and assisting the same from hurt : but beeing infected with a running or rotting sore or Thistela , that sharpe Corsies cannot eate out the filthy corruption thereof : then all the members ( not regarding the present paine ) giue their consents , that the same shall bee cut off with the Saw of the Chirurgeon , least it bee the decay of the whole body : Euen so the Impotent with the lame foote , is to bee defended and sustained by euery member of the body of this Commonwelth ; hauing a will ( although it want power ) to requite the same . But the idle persons , infected with that running and rotting sore of Whoredome , Theft , Cozenage , and such like ; must bee cut off with the sword of Iudgement , if the sharpe Corsies of Correction , cannot eate out the filthy Corruption thereof , least it runneth vp so neere the hart , that it ouerthrow and bring vnto ruine the whole body of this Commonwealth . This Rotting sore hath runne farre of late , if wee consider how many of these people the Warres hath swallowed vp : How many of them are shipped to that famous Plantation of Virginia & Sommer Islands : How many the Judgement of the Law hath turnd ouer : How many of them greeuous diseases haue ended their dayes : How many haue perished in the fields : And how the realm is yet pittifully pestered with them : so that it is more then time for the Eye , with stedfastnesse to visit the same ; the Head with carefulnesse to deuise a help , & the Hand with maruailous diligence to minister it thereunto . The Husbandman couereth close his Hiues of Bees from colde stormes , and setteth watchmen to preserue them from the stinging Waspe and the ydle Drone : Euen so our Soueraign Prince , whose Highnesse Hiue is this Land , couereth the same from the stormes of Oppression ; and setteth his Watchmen to take away Waspish Theft , and Dronish Begging : which if it were effected ( according to his Highnesse intention ) then no doubt , the labouring Bees would worke with Comfort , Courage , and Strength , filling their Hiue full of Hony , his Highnesse Countrey full of sweet Commodities . The wise Housholding Husbandman , will suffer no ydle persons in his house , onely for two causes . First , hee knoweth , it is a charge to maintaine them that doenothing : And then , that those ydle people , with their Wanton and vaine Exercises , bring his whole housholde out of Order . Euen so , let the Wise Husbandmen of this Common-wealth , consider ; That it is not onely a charge to the Land , to mainetaine so many thousands of those ydle people without their labour , but also it bringeth the whole Common-wealth so out of Order , that euery man wanteth now , that seruice at his Seruants hands , that heeretofore they haue had . For our yonglings heads , are alwayes occupied with those wanton Exercises , which they see ydle people dayly deuise and practize . THE POORE WITHout Releefe . LOOKE with hearts of Charity , and eyes of pittie , vnto the distressed estate of the poore ( good Christians ) for first , although the Commons with cōmon Commodities in some Towne be woorth an hundred , or two hundred pounds a yeere , or more ; yet the poore of the same Towne , vnto the third part of the Towne in number , shall not bee thereby releeued , to the value of fortie shillings in a yeare : So are the Commons surcharged by the Rich : and the profit of their Towne-lands ▪ employed to beare other common Charges withall . And how may I complaine therewith of the decay of Hospitality in our Land , whereby many poore soules are depriued of that releefe which they haue had heeretofore . The time hath bene , that men haue hunted after Worshippe and Credite by good House-keeping , and therein spent great part of their Reuennewes : but now commonly , the greater part of their Liuings , is too little to maintaine vs and our Children in the pompe of Pride : yea , and yet all is well if wee may maintaine that , though no Hospitallitie be maintained there withall . And thus , though the number of the poore do dailie encrease , all things yet worketh for the worst in their behalfe . For , there hath beene no Collection for them , no not these seuen yeares , in many Parishes of this Land , especiallie in Countrie townes ; but many of those Parishes turneth forth their poore , yea and their lustie Labourers that will not worke , or for any misdemeanor want worke , to begge , filtch , and steale for their maintainance , so that the Countrey is pittifully pestered with them : yea , and the maimed Soldiours , that haue ventured their liues , and lost their limbes in our behalfe , are also thus requited : For when they returne home , to liue by some labour in their naturall Countrey , though they can worke well in some kinde of labour , euerie man sayeth , Wee will not bee troubled with their Seruice , but make other shifte for our businesse So are they turned forth to Trauaile , in Idlenesse ( the highway to Hell ) and seeke their meate vppon Meares ( as the Prouerbe goeth , ) with Begging , Filching , and Stealing for their maintenance , vntill the law bring them vnto the fearefull end of hanging . But our Sauiour Christ hath taught vs Christians to do good vnto our Ene mies , and shall we then do nothing for our Friends ? If wee ought to loue them that hatevs , shall we thus recompence them that haue ventured life and limbe for vs ? No , no , for their good Seruice , let vs see their bodies heereafter better releeued , and some good and godlie meanes vsed , to saue their soules from the Torments of Hell , that GOD may be better pleased , and those poor Soules that fight for vs , much more animated . And I would wish all men to consider , that the Lord of Heauen , hath retained those poore Soules , with the hyring-penie of Life , that they might Labor in this his Vineyard or Common-Wealth , and make it flow with all kinde of Commodities . Then may not wee which are Stewards , turne them foorth of his seruice , to Cozen , Begge , Filch , Steale , & such like ; excusing our selues , that it is a trouble to vs to keepe them in order , and so put vp the Lords allowance in our owne purses : For then , hee hauing tried and found vs vnfaithfull with the dust of the earth , will neuer trust vs with the heritage of heauen . But no doubt some wil say , the fault is in those poore people , that they are not set on worke ; they are either vntrue , froward , vnruly , slothfull , or some such matter , which indeede I cannot deny : but if there bee not the like , or worse in vs , let vs be thankefull to God ; who thorough Grace hath made vs Conquerors , of those naturall euilles . And let not vs , because they of weakenesse , goe ouer the shooes in sin , shew so much vnchristian Crueltie to them , to thrust them ouer head and eares into Hell , by forcing them to liue by vnlawfull meanes . Can wee not content our selues with the Priest and Leuite to see their misery being thus robbed , bound , and wounded by that Theeuish Sathan , but wee must much more cruelly , with our swords of extreamity , smite them vnto death ? O when and where shall they then finde , the Neighbour-hood of the good Samaritanes , to binde vppe their wounds with compassion , carrie them home with troble , moue others to take care of them , and prouide for them sufficiently with charge . What filleth this Land with Poore . THree kindes of Oppressions much pestereth the same with pouertie , Viz. The taking in to the Lords hands of Coppy-hold Lands : whereby many Housholders are vtterly decayed . Secondly , the surcharging of Commons , so that the poore cannot haue any benefit of them . And lastly , the purchasing of Land vnto Land , vntill rich men get whole Townes into their hands : and then dispeopling the same , by letting downe of Houses , and turning forth of Tenants , they recouer the Commons from the poore , and make them their owne seuerals ▪ And therewithall , they take the cheefe Commodities with ten or twelue Husbandmen , omitting the rest : whereas before that time vpon that Ground , were set on worke and maintained , not lesse then a hundreth men , women , and children : yet the Landlords had their rents duly paide them , and the poore amongst those Farmers otherwise prouided for . This is the Incroachment , that will bring the woe of the Prophet vpon the Land. Euen thus as you see , the poore man with that which heretofore he had , and of right should now haue , is swallowed vp into the rich mans possession : but let mee shew those people their folly , by a simple simile . The subtile Fisherman hideth his Angling hookes in the backes of little Roaches , and draweth the same too and fro in the sight of deuouring Pikes ( within the Water ) which after long dalliance , vnaduisedly swalloweth the same vp with greedines into their hungrie bellies , and thinking themselues fully possessed thereof , the Fisherman draweth the hookes , pulleth them from their Fellowes , carrieth them vnto his home , fryeth them vppon the Coales , and with sharpe Vinegar maketh them dishes fit for his owne dyet . Euen so , that subtle Fisherman the Diuell , hath Hookes in the backs of all those Rochlike Little-loues , being heere vppon earth , drawne too and fro in sight of those deuouring people , which swalloweth them vppe with all greedinesse into their vnsatiable possessions . But let them know , that when they thinke themselues fully possessed of this their prey , and say with the Rich man , Now soule take thy rest , the Fisherman-like Diuell by the strength of the strings of Gods vengeance and Iustice , will drawe the Hookes of death , pull them from their fellowes , carrie them to his homely Hell , dresse them after a diuellish fashion , fry them vvith vnquenchable Coales : and so sowsed and soaked in the sharpe sawce of Gods euerlasting wrath , he will make them a dish whereon he will feed , world without end . Yet I hope the LORDE of his mercie , will breath nowe vppon the bodie , the blessed quickening spirit of life , that all the members hauing their senses so restored , may perfourme theyr seuerall duties : to the helpe , succour , and sustentation one of another : which GOD graunt for his owne clorie , the peace of his Church , the Ioy and pleasure of our Soueraigne Prince , the releefe of the needie , and the publike Honour and profite of this Christian Common-wealth . FINIS . THe Figge-tree without fruite , yet flourishing Leaues did beare : Our Sauiour Christ did Curse , which may make vs feare That beare the Leaues of Light , professing much his Name : And yet small Loue do shew to them that neede the same ▪