Baxters Narrative of His Life and Times, Appendix · Section 6
Numb. VII. A Letter of Mr. Baxter's about the Case of Nevil Symmons.
SIR,
I Think not the Confuting of any of the Calumnies that are cast upon me by Backbiters (whether from Ignorance or Envy) worth any great care or labour, were it not for the sake of the Guilty themselves, and others whom they may draw into the same Guilt, or hinder from profiting by my Labours, in the Calling that God hath placed me in. But I will not despise all these so much, as not to think them worthy the labour of a few Lines.
It is not long since some Gentlemen at a Coffee-House affirmed, That I had kill'd a Man in cold Blood with my own Hand, that is, a Tinker beating his Kettle at my Door, and disturbing me in my Studies, I pistoll'd him, and was tired at Worcester for my Life. But these Gentlemen were so ingenuous as to ask Forgiveness, and confess their Fault, and one of them openly to my Vindication. Though Dr. Boreman, Parson of St. Giles's in the Fields, that in a printed Pamphlet led the way, never did so. (Yet lived three or four years Suspended, or supposing himself Suspended, and so died). Another (caracterized Iames 3.) reporteth that I am so hot a Disputant, that at a Gentleman's Table, I threw the Plate at him that I disputed with. The whole Story feigned; nor did I ever know the least occasion for the Report. The greatest Reproach that's laid on me, is by Conformists for not Conforming, or not giving over my Preaching and Ministry: And if they accuse me for not turning Papist, and for not giving over Prayer as they did Daniel, it would have the same effect with me.
But now comes a new one (my Sufferings are my Crimes) my Bookseller, Nevil Symmons, is broken, and it is reported that I am the Cause, by the excessive Rates that I took for my Books of him; and a great Dean (whom I much value) foretold that I would undo him. Of all Crimes in the World I least expected to be accused of Covetousness. Satan being the Master of this Design, to hinder the Success of my Writings when I am dead, it is part of my warfare under Christ to resist him. I tell you therefore truly all my Covenants and Dealings with Booksellers to this day.
When I first ventured upon the publication of my Thoughts. I knew nothing of the Art of Booksellers. I did as an act of meer kindness, offer my Book called The Saints Rest to Thomas Underbill and Francis Tyton to print, leaving the Matter of Profit without any Covenants to their Ingenuity. They gave me Ten pounds for the first Impression, and Ten pounds apiece, that is, Twenty pounds for every after Impresion till 1665. I had in the mean time altered the Book by the Addition of divers Sheets: Mr. Underhill dieth; his Wife is poor: Mr Tyton hath Losses by the Fire 1666. They never gave me nor offered me a Farthing for any Impression after, nor so much as one of the Books, but I was fain, out of my own Purse, to buy all that I gave to any Friend or poor Person that asked it.
This loosening me from Mr. Tyton, Mr. Symmons stept in, and told me, That Mr. Tyton said he had never got Three pence by me; and brought witness. Hereupon I used Mr. Symmons only. When I lived at Kidderminster, some had defamed me of a covetous getting many hundred pounds by the Booksellers. I had till then taken of Mr. Underhill, Mr. Tyton and Mr. Symmons (for all save the Saints Rest) the fifteenth Book, which usually I gave away; but if any thing for Second Impressions were due, I had little in Money from them, but in such Books as I wanted at their Rates. But when this Report of my great Gain came abroad, and took notice of it in print, and told the World that I intended to take more hereafter; and ever since, I took the fifteenth Book (for my Friends and self) and Eighteen pence more for every Rheam of the other fourteen; which I destinated to the Poor. With this, while I was at Kidderminster, I bought Bibles to give to all the poor Families: And I got Three hundred or Four hundred pounds, which I destinated all to Charitable Uses: At last, at London, it increased to Eight hundred and thirty pounds, which delivering to a worthy Friend, he put it into the Hands of Sir Robert Viner (with an Hundred pounds of my Wives) where it lyeth setled on a Charitable Use after my Death, as from the first I resolved: If it fails I cannot help it. I never received more of any Bookseller than the fifteenth Book, and this Eighteen pence a Rheam. And if for after Impressions I had more of those Fifteenths than I gave away, I took about two third parts of the common price of the Bookseller (or little more) and oft less: And sometimes I paid my self for the printing many Hundreds to give away, and sometimes I bought them of the Bookseller, above my number, and and sometimes the Gain was my own necessary Maintenance; but I resolved never to lay up a Groat of it for any but the Poor.
Now, Sir, my own Condition is this: Of my Patrimony or small Inheritance, never took a Penny to my self, my poor Kindred needing much more. I am fifteen or 16 years divested of all Ecclesiastical Maintenance: I never had any Church or Lecture that I received Wages from: But within these three or four years, much against my Disposition, I am put to take Money of the Bounty of special particular Friends; my Wives Estate being never my Propriety, nor much more that half our yearly Expence. If then it be any way unfit for me to receive such a Proportion as aforesaid, as the Fruit of my own long and hard Labour, for my Necessary and Charitable Uses; and if they that never took pains for it, have more right than I, when every Labourer is Master of his own, or if I may not take some part with them, I know not the reason of any of this. Men grudge not at a Cobler, or a Tailor, or any Day-labourer, for living on his Labours: And why an ejected Minister of Christ, giving freely five parts to a Bookseller, may not take the sixth to himself, or to the Poor, I know not. But what is the Thought or Word of Man?
Dr. Bates now tells me, that for his Book called the Divine Harmony, he had above an Hundred pounds, (yet reserving the Power for the future to himself): For divers Impressions of the Saints Rest, almost twice as big, I have not had a Farthing: For no Book have I had more than the fifteenth Book to my self and Friends, and the Eighteen pence a Rheam for the Poor and Works of Charity, which the Devil so hateth, that I find it a matter past my power, to give my own to any Good Use; he so robs me of it, or maketh Men call it a Scandalous Thing. Verily, since I devoted all to God, I have found it harder to Give it (when I do my best) than to get it: Though I submit of late to him partly upon Charity, and am so far from laying up a Groat, that (though I hate Debt) I am long in Debt, &c. &c. &c.
SIR, Yours, R. B.