Christian Commonwealth, Part 5

Christian Commonwealth · Part 5

The duty of Maſters.

The 23. Chapter.

GReat is the folly of yong people in this our time, which by al meanes they may poſſible ſeeke to free theſelues from the eſtate of ſeruitude when they are therein, to the end they may be MaſtersA great folly in young people, that ſeeke to bee maſters before they know how to gouerne. and gouenors themſelues of others, before they hauehave either yeares or wiſedome ſufficient to manage ſo great a buſineſſe, or diſcharg ſo waighty a matter as they then take vponupon them in the eſtate of gouerning, neither able to make choyſe of their ſeruants p. 206with wiſedome as they ought, nor how to vſe them with a good conſcience as they ſhould.

But Dauid giueth vsus good inſtructionGen. 39.Gen 39 for this buſines, for he willeth vsus to chuſe him to bee our ſeruant, that is religious and vpright towards God, that ſo our affaires may proſper as Potiphers did thorough the ſeruice ofGen. 30.Gen 30 good Ioſeph and Laban by the ſeruice of Iacob, for he that is not a faithfull ſeruant vntounto God, will neuer be a faithfull ſeruant vntounto his Maſter, & as there doth come a bleſſing by the godly, ſo the wicked ſeruant bringeth a curſe where hee is, for as one ſcabbed ſheepe marreth a whole flocke, ſo often times one leawd ſeruant ſpoyles a whole family, but who followeth the rule of the ProphetHow to chuſe a good Seruant. Dauid in the choyſe of his family, he ſayth that he that hath a p. 207proud looke and a hauty ſtomacke ſhal not dwell with him.

But there be two many in theſe dayes of the contrary diſpoſition, for they will keepe none but ſuch as can fight, ſweare, and ſwager it out, well, Dauid would not doe ſo though hee were a King, no, he that leadeth a godly life ſhall bee his ſeruant, there ſhall no deceitfull perſon dwell Pſal. 101.Ps 101in his houſe, & he that telleth lies ſhall not tarry in his houſe, nor ſight, but I would there wereMaſters ſhould not ſuffer their ſeruants to ſweare, though in the ſale of their wares. not now two many which doe ſuffer their Seruants to lye, ſweare, yea and forſweare too, in the ſale of their wares, and yet theſe be counted good ſhopmen, and fine chapmen, indeede ſo they be for the Diuills wares, it is no maruaile if your Children ſpend that vnthrifitily which is ſo vngodly gotten.

p. 208But as you ſee it is a choyſeIt is not enough to chuſe a good ſeruant, but to preſerue him ſtill in goodneſſe. poynt of the Maiſter to bee carefull what ſeruant he taketh into his family, ſo the Maiſter muſt be carefull likewiſe to bring vp his ſeruants religiouſly, in the time of their ſeruice, & that muſt bee, in ſeeing that his ſeruants come to the publique exerciſes, of hearing the word of God in due time, & that they there remaine all the whole time of prayer and teaching, and that they bee in as conuenient place as they may, that ſo they may hauehave the ouerſight of them, for it is not enough that the Maſter bring his ſeruants vntounto the Church, and then let them giuegive them the ſlip at the Church dore, or goe o… ▪ as ſoone as they come in, and ſ… … to Tauernes, or Ale-houſes▪ or as bad places, or elſe get into ſome corner of the Church▪ p. 208where either they may ſit and talke all the time, or elſe ſleepe it out.

This the good Maiſter mayWhat good counſaile of a Maiſter giuen in due time may doe. prevent, by giuing them counſaile, that if they will ſerue him, they muſt bee carefull to ſerue God aboue all things, and be religious in Gods houſe, if they will hauehave any countenāce of him in his houſe: but many men are more carefull in planting of Orchards or Gardens, or chuſing of ſheepe for breede, or following their worldly profits, then they are in planting a godly family in their houſes, whereby God may be glorified & his Church profited.

Or if they hauehave ſeruants vnderunder them to doe their worke and labor for them, that ſo they may liue at the more eaſe, pleaſure, & idleneſſe themſelues, then all is p. 210well as they thinke, or turne it otherwiſe if you pleaſe, and make the beſt of it by the way of good husbandry, as a meane for them to thriue by, and yet you ſhall find the end thereof to bee onelyonly this, to ſatiſfie their neuer ſatiſfied coueteouſneſſe.

Men do regard their beaſtes as much as this, their oxe, their aſſe, their horſe, and ſuch like, yea & will bee very carefull for the keeping of them, to the end their profit may ariſe by them: the wiſe traueller wil be ſo carefull for his horſe (which but onelyonly for his pleaſure he is to ride on) that hee will ſpare time euen from his owne meate and reſt, to ſee that his beaſt ſhall both be made cleane, lye cleane, and hauehave his fill of prouender, to the end hee may bee the better able to beare him on his iourney: the p. 211husband man likewiſe in the care of his cattle is very laborious for his profit, protecting them from weather, water, and ſuch like dangers, and is continually amongſt them, ſhifting them frō ground to ground, & frō paſtuer to paſture, to the end they may the better feede & profit, & thatMany leawd Maiſters doe make leſſe account of their ſeruants, then others doe of their beaſts. if any diſeaſe do befall them, he may the ſooner remoue it from amongſt them, & in theſe things men are wiſe & carefull enough as is fitting: but my deare bretheren, there bee many amongſt vsus which beare the name of Chriſtians, and hauehave the gouerment of ſeruants, which to their ſhame I ſpeak it, do make leſſe account of their ſeruants, thē theſe men do of their beaſtes, for they will looke to their beaſts themſelues carefully enough, ſo doe no… many a one to their ſeruants, p. 211but God forbid it ſhould bee ſo withal, yea, I know there be many that are very carefull to performe this their duty, as well in prouiding and giuing them all things needefull for them, as in ſetting them to their worke and labour, and I doubt not but that the fruit therof they find in their ſeuerall callings.

But I ſpeak of thoſe who can be content, & do carefully enough ſet their ſeruants vntounto their labors, as it is fit indeed they ſhould, but doe giuegive them ſmall comfort and cheriſhing in their labours, loading them with labours like Pharoahs taske maſters,Exo. 5. The cruelty of bad maſtersExod 5 but not halfe filling their bellies with victualles as the traueller I ſpake of doth his horſe, ſo that many times the poore ſeruant hauing labored all day, and had but a ſmall dinner, yet at p. 212night commeth to ſo ſhort commons, that when hee hath ſaued the mayde a labour in making cleane the diſhes which were ſet before him, hee hath yet a freſh ſtomacke to a good ſupper if he might come at it, is not this a hard caſe? yet I would it were not true.

And I will tell you the cauſe of this, your ſelues are in theThe negligent care of the maiſter bringeth the ſeuruants want. fault of it: you are carefull enough to looke to hauehave your owne due, as it is fit you ſhould, but not careful enough in giuing them their due, for too many of you doe put that off to be performed by a falſe ſteward, and ſo many a poore ſeruant is puniſhed both in belly and backe, to helpe to maintayne the pride & pleaſure of his Dame or Miſtris.

You put them in truſt with theſe things to ſee them fed, p. 211duplicate page p. 212duplicate page p. 211duplicate page p. 212duplicate page p. 214ſweet kept, & wholſomely lodged, thinke you that theſe thinges do not belong vntounto you, to ſee them done as well as vntounto your wiues? yes ſurely they do, & yet I ſay in them to do them is more fitting, but to you it belongeth to ſee them faithfully done as theyThe duty of the Maſter bindeth him to ſee that the want of his ſeruant be by himſelfe ſupplyed. ought to bee, for how canſt thou looke that thy ſervant ſhal labor faithfully with the ſtrength of his body for thee, or to ſay the truth, how can he do it, when his body is enfeebled by meanes of due nouriſhing, with hole ſō food or things vſefull for him, which ſhould nouriſh & ſtrengthē him, this is too common a thing amōgſt vsus, & it is a great reproach vntounto this our Engliſh nation, & yet this is not all neither.

For there be ſome which can be content to maintayne their ſeruants reaſonable well, for their p. 215profits ſake which may ariſe by their labours, while they are able to do any for thē, but if God doe ſend his viſitation vponupon them, eitherA great fault in many Maſters. by ſicknes or lamenes, then if they hauehave not an out garden houſe, or ſom backe place to put them into, where they ſhall bee ſure to hauehave but a ſlender looking to, thē to an Hoſpital with them, and ſo rid thēſelues of them, or elſe baſely, nay graceleſly turne them out of doores to ſhift for themſelues in that heauie caſe▪ what an vncharitable, yea an vnchriſtian-like part is this? & yet ſuch there be, the more the pitty.

But if it bee not lawfull to muzell the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth in the corne, how much more is it vnlawfull for thee to keepe backe the due from thy ſeruant that laboureth with the ſtrength of his body for thy p. 215profit, or if thou caſt him off, or into an Hoſpitall when hee is lame or ſicke, how canſt thou ſeeke of him the labour of his hands when he is well againe?

The 24. Chapter.

THe good Centurion did not thus, he did neither caſt off hisThe charecter of a good maſter. ſick ſeruāt nor ſend him vntounto any Hoſpitall till he were healed, no, he kept him ſtill at home in his owne houſe, and did not put others in truſt to ſeeke helpe for his ſeruant, but carefully performing the duty of a good maſter,Mat. 8.Matt 8 ſetting aſide all his affaires & buſineſſe, hee goeth himſelfe to ſeeke helpe for him.

p. 216How many maſters being rich men in ourtime will doe the like, no, they thinke it will bee a diſgrace vntounto them, & abaſe thing for themſelues to doe ſuch a buſineſſe, eſpecially for his ſeruant? but if it were for his wife, ſonne or daughter, whom hee dearely loueth, then happily hee would not ſticke to goe himſelfe, but for his ſeruant hee hath other enough to ſend about ſuch a buſineſſe.

So had this Centurion, & you ſe he went himſelfe, & I tell you whome ſoeuer you are, that you ought to hauehave as great a care for the health and welfare of your ſeruant, for the time he is in yourCor. 7. ſervice, as if he were either your ſonne or daughter, nay, is hee notColl. 4. the Lords free man, & hauehave you1. Cor. 7.1 Cor 7 not all one maſter in heauen? and you not both bought with one p. 218price, and is hee not fellow heire with you of the ſame kingdome of grace, which you hope to bee of? yes verily he is.

And beleeue mee brother, for I tell you no leaſſing, father, mother, ſonne or daughter, maſter, ſeruant, King and ſubiect, be but names and titles in this worldly regiment, in Chriſt Ieſus wee are al one, none better then another, all bretheren, and muſt all ſeekeAll one by Chriſt. Chriſt, and our brothers good in Chriſt, or elſe wee neuer ſhall hauehave benefit by Chriſt, how can you then or how dare you abuſe your brother though he be your ſeruant, in keeping from him ſuch thinges as be neceſſary for him, or due vntounto him, whether it bee his foode, his cloathing, or his wages, or any other neceſſaries? …r oppreſſe him with labour as Phar…ahs task maſters did p. 219the Children of Iſraell? there be too many ſuch which are euenThe law a hi… drance vntounto many euill Maiſters. as tyrants vntounto their ſeruants, and more would bee, were it not for the law.

I ſpeake not this to abridge the priuiledge or authority which the Maſter hath ouer his Seruant as occaſion ſerueth, I know that the maſter hath ful authority, not onelyonly to imploy his Seruant to labour, but alſo to correct his Seruant as accaſiō ſhal be miniſtred, for the wiſe man telleth vsus, that Eccle. 33.Sir 33meete correction and worke belongeth How euill ſeruants muſt be puniſhed.vntounto the Seruant, I know he goeth farther & ſayth: The yoake and the whip bringeth downe the hard necke, ſo taine thy euill Seruant with whips and correction, but yet I pray you note that he giues this rule, not to be exceſſiue towards any, and without diſcretion faith he, doe thou nothing.

But ſayth he, If thou hauehave a faithfull How highly a good ſervant ought to bee reſprcted.ſeruant, let him bee vntounto thee as thine owne ſoule, for in blood haſt thou gotten him, whereas thy ſeruant worketh truly, intreate him not euill, if thou hauehave a ſeruant intreate him as a brother, for thou haſt neede of him as of thy ſelfe: And S. Paule, whē hee had declared vntounto ſeruants their duty, hee admoniſhed maſters in like manner ſaying, and you maſters doe you the ſame thinges Ephe. 6.Eph 6vntounto them, putting away threatenings, and know alſo that euen your mrſter alſo is in heauen, neither is there any reſpect of perſons with him: And againe, you maſters doe v… Collo. 4.your ſeruants that which is iuſt and equall, knowing that you alſo hauehave … Maſters ought to doe nothing but that which is iuſt vntounto their ſeruants.maſter in heouen, and thus you ſee that both Saint Paule here & the wiſe man in his Booke, doe both agree in this, that the Maſter ought to ſhew lenitie and gentleneſſe p. 220vntounto his ſeruant, and ſo by louing & kind vſage, with friēdly ſpeech as to a brother, winne him to the performance of his duty, for ſurely very willingly doth the ſeruant labour when the maſters countenance is …hearefull towards him, but where theThe Maſters countenance ought to bee chearefull vntounto his ſeruants Maſter doth not onelyonly ſhew a chearefull countenance, but alſo vſeth friendly words among his ſeruants, and giueth them their due beſides, it cannot be but with great ioy and comfort, theſe ſeruants do paſſe ouer their labors how hard ſo euer they ſeeme to be vntounto others, and the maſter finds great comfort in them alſo.

The 25. Chapter.

THus you ſee what Iuſtice Saint Paule would hauehave Maſters to vſe vntounto their ſeruāts, namely to do vntounto them as you would hauehave them to doe vntounto you, and as it he ſhould ſay, would you hauehave your ſeruants to deale iuſtly and truly with you? then doe you deale ſo with them: would hauehave them to be kind and louing vntounto you? then bee ſo vntounto them alſo: nay, you ſee he would not hauehave you threaten them, and the wiſe man in his booke giueth the ſame counſell, for ſaith he, if thou intreate thy ſeruant euill, and he run away, wilt thou ſeeke him, for indeed p. 223many times the Maſter threatning to giuegive his SeruantThe ſeruant through threatning, running away is oft times the vndoing both of himſelfe and Maſter. ſeuere correction for ſome fault committed, and yet paraduenture not meaning ſo to doe, yet the ſimple ſeruant hee knowing or fearing the rigorus correction of his Maiſter, forſaketh his ſeruice and runneth away: ſometime to the vndoing of both, if in this nature hee goe away from you, how can you ſeeke after him when you your ſelues are the onelyonly cauſe thereof? keepe ſecret therefore your mind, and if you ſee iuſt cauſe to vſe correction, doe it priuately in his due time, but ſay not in his hearing or that he may heare thereof what you intend for to doe, and ſo you ſhall performe the counſaile of the wiſe man which ſaith without diſcretion doe thou nothing.

But this iuſt and equall dealing p. 223of the Maſter ſtretcheth it ſelfe yet farther, as againſt theſe euill minded men, which ſeeke to abridge their ſeruants of their due liberty, I meane when they hauehave obtayned thereunto, by their continuance and faithfull ſeruice, the wiſe man ſayth, Let thy ſoule louelove a good ſeruant, and defraud Eccle. 7.Eccl 7him not of liberty, neither leaue him a poore man: but there are ſome ſo farre off from performing this, that they ratherA good ſervant muſt not bee defrauded of liberty. will vſe all meanes though never ſo vnlawfull, to detayne them longer then their prefixed time, eſpecially if there may come any profit by their ſeruice, but as for rewarding them for their good ſeruice doing, they are ſo farre off from that, that in ſtead of inriching them, they will impoueriſh them, for if the poore ſeruant wil hauehave his liberty, how p. 225ſoeuer his right, it ſhall coſt him money before hee hauehave it, and eſpecially if he be able, but the iuſt God who ſeeth theſe vniuſt dealings of ſuch maiſters to their ſeruants, will himſelfe puniſh the ſame.

For he will hauehave a yeare of Iubile for your ſeruant as well as there was for you, thou ſhalt not rule ouer him ſeuerely, but ſhaltLeu. 15.Lev 15 feare the Lord thy God, ſo that he that doth wrong vntounto his ſeruants, is voyd of the feare of God, you ſee this is playne, but we wil ſee further what the Lord will hauehave done▪ then ſee what heA duty which Maiſters ſhould performe, but who doth it? commanded his choſen people, the children of Iſraell to doe, the words … theſe, If thy brother an Hebrew ſell himſelfe vntounto thee, or an Deu. 15.Deut 15…eſſe, and ſerue thee ſixe yeares, e… in the ſeauenth yeare thou ſhalt let him goe out from thee, thou ſhalt p. 226not let him goe away empty, but ſhalt giuegive him a liberall reward of thy ſheepe and of thy corne, and of thy wine, thou ſhalt giuegive him of that wherewithall the Lord thy God hath bleſſed thee, and remember that thou waſt ſeruant in the land of Egypt, and the Lord thy God deliuered thee: therefore I cōmand thee this thing this day.

What ſay you now to this you cruell and vniuſt Maiſters, of whom I hauehave before ſpoken, wil you like Pharoah ſtill harden your h…rts againſt them, and will not obey: then harken what the Lord by his Prophet Ieremiah ſayth further vntounto theſe men which hauehave detayned the… A heauie iudgement pronounced againſt ſuch Maſters which detayne their ſeruants contrary to right. Ier. 34.Jer 34ſeruants contrary to his command, Becauſe you hauehave not obeyed me, in giuing freedome and liberty eueryevery man vntounto his brother and ſeruant, behold I proc… … liberty for p. 227you ſayth the Lord to the ſword, to the peſtilence, and to the famine, & I wil make you a terror to al the kingdomes of the earth, and I will giuegive theſe men which hauehave broked my couenant, into the hands of them that ſeeke their life, and their dead bodies ſhall be for meate vntounto the foules of the ayre, & to the beaſts of the earth.

Now you ſee how God himſelfe doth take in hand the cauſe of the wronged ſeruant, and how ſeuerely he doth puniſh it: therefore you that bee maiſters deale you iuſtly with your Seruants, and as Saint Paule ſayth,Collo. 4. Remember that your maiſter alſo is in heauen, and as it muſt bee thus with your houſhold ſeruant, euen ſo it muſt be with the hireling which laboureth for you, you muſt not defraud him of hisLeuite. 19. due, nor put him off from day to day, and ſuffer him to come with p. 228cap in hand to intreat for thatThe labourer muſt not bee put off for his wages. which by his labour hee hath hardly earned, but remember that the Lord commandeth that the workemans hire abide not with thee till the next morning, Behold the hire of the labourers Iam. 5.Jas 5which hauehave reaped your fields, which is of you kept backe by fraud crieth, and the cryes of them which hauehave reaped are entred into the eares of the Lord of hoaſts ſayth Saint Iames, and againe the Lord ſayth, thou ſhalt not oppreſſe an hired ſeruant Deu. 24.Deut 24that is needy and poore, neither of thy bretheren, nor of the ſtranger that is in the land within thy gates, thou ſhalt giuegive him his hire: for his day, What a man ought to doe to the hired ſeruant or day labourer.neither ſhall the ſunne goe downe vponupon it, for he is poore and therewith ſuſtayneth his life, leaſt he cry againſt thee vntounto the Lord, and it bee ſinne vntounto thee: I neede not amplifie theſe thinges any farther, ſeeing p. 229that the Lord himſelfe hath ſo plainely deſcribed it vntounto you.

The 26. Chapter.

ANd as I hauehave in this Chapter before ſhewed vntounto you, that the Maiſter ought not to abridge his Seruant of his libertyThe Seruants that ru… into euill by too much liberty, the Maiſter is not onelyonly guilty of, but in election of a double puniſhment if he ſeeke not for to reforme it. whē it is due vntounto him, euen ſo alſo, the Maſter muſt ſee that his Seruants runne not into euill, by giuing them too much liberty in the time of their ſeruice, for this is an euill which alſo reyneth in our time, and of which the maſter is not onelyonly guilty, but alſo in danger of a double puniſhment by it, in regard that the redreſſe therof lyeth in his power, p. 230and he not onelyonly ſeeth it, but alſo ſuffereth it, and thereby commeth a chiefe author thereof himſelfe.

The wiſe man ſayth, If thou ſet thy ſeruant vntounto labour, thou Eccle. 33.Sir 33ſhalt find reſt, but if thou let him goe idle, he ſhall ſeeke librety, ſet him to labour that hee goe not idle, for idleneſſe Idleneſſe the ground of much euils.bringeth much euill: And againe, ſet him to worke, for that belongeth vntounto him: Oh that men would be carefull to follow this counſel of the wiſe man! he ſaith that labour belongeth vntounto the ſeruant, but the great men of our time will take no notiſe of this, or if they doe, they will ſeeke toThe want of imployment of ſeruants the cauſe of their euills many times. excuſe it, ſaying, I am no baſe mecanicall perſon, I hauehave ſufficient to to maintayne my ſeruants to attend me, & do nothing elſe: I do beleeue it to be ſo, and finde that to be the reaſon, that Cards, p. 231Dice, and Tables, are more commō in your houſes, then Bibles and other good Bookes.

Abraham was as rich a man asGen. 13.Gen 13 any of our time, the whole land could not beare the ſubſtance of him and his nephew both at one time, hee was ſo rich, hee was a Kings fellow, hee kept a great multitude of ſeruants, hee was able on the ſuddaine to make 300. and od men fit for warre of his owne houſhold, and yet weeAbraham and Iobe commended from Gods owne mouth, for bringing vp of thrir ſervants. finde not that hee kept any of thē idle, but imployed them all in ſome good exerciſe or other, & therefore for the good and vertuous bringing vp of his family, hee receiued commendations euen from God himſelfe: Iob was a mighty man alſo of wealth exceeding rich, the greateſt man euen of the whole …aſt country, hee kept a multitude of ſeruants, p. 232but none of them idle, that wee are ſure of, and therefore from the mouth of God himſelfe hee hath this high exaltation, that he was the Phaenix of the world in his time, he had no fellow, there be others likewiſe which will ſet their ſeruants to labour, but not regard whether they do it or no, but if they do bring them home the price of their dayes labour at night, then they are content, they looke no farther to that buſines, and ſo the lewd ſeruant may doe euen what hee will vnderunder ſuch a Maiſter, he may goe to playes, to whores, to drunkeneſſe, or any thing, as too many doe.The Maiſter not regarding how his ſeruant vſeth his time, becommeth guilty of the euil which his ſeruant abuſeth.

Is this the ſetting of your ſeruants to labour? nay, this is but your ſeruing own turnes, & your couetouſneſſe, and therefore you are guilty of the euill which they doe thus commit, becauſe p. 233you preuent it not by ſeeing how they diſpoſe of themſelues in this time wherein you appoynt them to labour, and if that your calling ſerue not to imploy them in ſome bodily labour, yet you ought to bee carefull that they hauehave not more time to ſpend abroad out of your ſight, thē that time onelyonly which your buſineſſe requireth, for theſe things alſo belong vntounto your charge.

For if that Maiſters were asThe euill of the Maſter, corrupteth the Seruants. carefull as they ought to bee, ſeruants could not hauehave that liberty to vſe and to abuſe as they doe, but where the Maiſter himſelfe is an euill liuer, as a drunkard, a haunter of brothell houſes, a gameſter, or an idle gadder from home, there the ſeruant muſt needs hauehave liberty, and no maruaile then if ſuch a maiſter hauehave ſuch ſeruants: and doe wee not p. 234ſee dayly, that too many doe wrong themſelues & their whole family by theſe abuſes? how vnfit are theſe men to gouerne others, which hauehave no power to gouerne themſelues: Oh you whom theſe things concerne be wiſe and circumſpect in your waies, and remember that the charge of the ſeruants which are committed vntounto you is not ſmal, but that a great account you muſt giuegive vntounto God, how you hauehave gouerned thoſe ſoules committed vntounto you.

The 27. Chapter.

ANd as the Maiſter ought not to giuegive his ſeruant more liberty then is fit, ſo alſo he may not ſuffer them to bee poſſeſſed withSeruants puffed vp in pride, ſeeke liberty and abuſe both themſelues and it. pride, by arraying them or ſuffering them to be arrayed aboue the eſtate of ſeruants, for this is one chiefe poynt which maketh them to ſeeke liberty, and this did Salomon well vnderſtand, & therefore telleth you plainely, that he that dilicately doth bring vp his ſeruant from his youth, at length he will be euen as his ſon, & our owne experience in theſe dayes confirmeth the truth of this vntounto vsus, to the griefe of p. 236many good minds, whoſe eyes and eares are dayly cloyd herewith, and who is in the fault of this? thy ſeruant, nay, you that be Maiſters are, you ſuffer & maintayne them in ſuch pride, that many forgetting their duty vntounto God and you, doe fall into ſuch lewdneſſe, as many times are both the ruine of your owne eſtate and of themſelues too: and were they not ſuffered thus to exceed the nature of ſeruants (as I ſayd before,) in pride and idleneſſe, there would not ſo many of them haunt the dauncing ſchooles, fencing ſchooles, tauernes, and alehouſes as do: can you excuſe your ſelues now, are you not guilty herein? oh I would you were not.

Indeed there be many of you, that if that which they ſpend in pride, and theſe abuſes did come p. 237out of your owne purſes, I doeMaiſter ought to ſee the laying out of mony giuen to their ſeruants that it be put to good vſe…. thinke that it would bee otherwiſe, will you ſay they hauehave it from their friends, I ſay ſtill the more vnwiſe then are you, which do ſuffer it to be thus idely ſpent, but ſome of you do know that it cōmeth in another nature, from whence it ſhould not come, and this you tollerate to ſaue your owne ſtakes, are you guilty herein then, or no?

Againe, there be ſome which can bee content to ſet their ſeruantsMaiſters ought not to ſuffer their ſeruants …o gad on the Sabborh day at their owne pleaſure. to labour all the weeke dayes, but when the Sabboth crmmeth which ought by Maſters and Seruants to bee wholy ſanctified vntounto God, with thankeſgiuing for the benefit of his bleſſings receiued the weeke paſt, many of them ſcarce ſee their ſeruants al that whole day, or if they doe ſee them at meate p. 238time, then all the reſt of the day they enioy wholy to themſelues without contradiction, which how leawdly they ſpend wee ſee with griefe, their pride is cauſe of this as well as liberty.

The time hath beene, that a Seruant might hauehave been known by his habite, but now the Maiſter is not knowne from the Seruant, nay, I hauehave ſeene the Seruant better maintayned in the time of his ſeruice, then he hath beene able to maintayne himſelfe when he hath come to labor for it with his own meanes, what folly is this in Maiſters thus to do? in time not long paſt, a good Marchant hath not been arrayed as now your Seruants be.

I could vnfould more abuſes growing from this pride in Seruants, and the Maiſters fault in ſuffering, then I am willing …o p. 239diſcloſe, or is fit I ſhould, lay no colours on it to hide it, they will not ſerue, I doe know you would excuſe it, and ſay you doe it forA bad fault in Maiſters when they will ſeeke to excuſe the pride of their ſeruants. your credit ſake, but in this you offend God, and diſcredit the common wealth, by making a breach in thoſe good lawes which hauehave beene ordayned againſt ſuch abuſes. I pray God to giuegive you grace to ſee theſe things, & wiſedome to redreſſe it, but it hath ſpread ſo farre, that I feare it hath taken ſuch deepe roote, as will not eaſily bee weeded out, except authority do put their vntounto a ſtrong hand.