An Acquittance from a Demand, Section 1
SECT. I.
Reaſons againſt Doctor H. his claim of a fifth Part, in Particular of the Rect. of Br.
TO theſe Reaſons againſt the paiment of a fifth part in general, I ſhall annex ſome others in particular: which may evince, That though a fifth part might juſtly be aſſigned to ſome outed Miniſter, from ſome Miniſter Incumbent, yet not in our caſe; for neither is the Doctor ſuch a man as is capable of it, nor am I in a condition to part with ſuch a portion of my dues to his uſe.
1. For the firſt, That he is not capable of the fifth part in the intent of the Ordinance (as the regular practice of the Committee for Plundered Miniſters at Weſtminſter expounds it) I ſhall ſhew by two Reaſons:
1. The one is that he needs it not.
2. The other is, That if he did, there are other wayes for ſupply of his wants.
1. That he needs it not, I can prove it by double evidence.
1. From Himſelf.
2. From Others.
1. From Himſelf, he hath ſaid divers times, But for the Means he hath in Wiltſhire the Parſonage of Br. would not have anſwered his Charge in the time of the Warres; how much that addition amounted unto, I have not been informed; but ſecondly, That it is enough now for a competent Subſiſtence himſelf confeſſed, when (March 24, 1649.) he ſaid, That he ſhould not need a fifth part above two years, and to both theſe Teſtimonies of his, I can produce ſufficient witneſſe upon Oath (if he dare for conſcience, or can for ſhame deny his own words) but I think he will not, becauſe he did not, when I had mine evidence ready to produce againſt him, before the Committee at R.
Now ſince he is known to be ſo good an Husband, as not onelyonly to know his own Eſtate, but how to manage it to his beſt advantage, and to ſpeak as much for his own Intereſt, and to purſue it as eagerly as any man can do, that makes not mammon his God, none that knows him, will ever believe he would have ſaid ſo much to the prejudice of his own profit, if it had not been true, and ſuch a truth as he was familiarly acquainted withall, and whereof he might be convinced if he ſhould ſay the contrary.
2. From Others: I was ready at R. upon the 19th of October, 1652. the day agreed upon by the Committee (our Judges) and the Doctor himſelf, and me (the parties) for the hearing of our differences, to produce my Witneſſes for proof, that in Wiltſhire he had Lands, let for the yearly value of about 80 l, and Woods upon them worth many hundreds. But he knows, who would not ſuffer them to give in their Evidence upon this pretence, That the Ordinance allots the fifth part without any exception, of other means or maintenance, more or leſſe, though he were ſo aſſuredly informed, That he could not but believe it, that the Committee for Plundered Miniſters at Weſtminſter, did by their ordinary practice clear the meaning of the Ordinance, to be for the allowance of a fifth part onelyonly, where other means of neceſſary Subſiſtance was wanting: and that upon good reaſon, for if a man may have a good Eſtate of his own, and nevertheleſſe, without any pains, may have a fifth part of his portion who bears the whole burden of Miniſteriall duties, in the Church, of Houſ-keeping and of Hoſpitality at home, and of all Taxes and Impoſitions for the Publique: the condition of many (both pains, means, and charge conſidered) will be better by putting out, then theirs who are put in to poſſeſſe their places, which ſurely cannot be according to the minde of the Parliament.
Beſides, for the Doctors wife and children (ſhe being an inheretrix of a fair Eſtate, when her father dieth, who is a weak man, and well ſtricken in years, if he be yet alive) there is no fear of their want, though they have neither Right nor part in the Rectory of Br.
2. For the other Reaſons, That if he had no means of his own, he ſhould be no ſharer with him in wages, who doth all the work (when he doth none of it for which it is due.) Beſides the Arguments againſt the fifth part in general, already produced, it may reaſonably be pleaded, in barre to his claim of the fifth part by particular application unto him, That
1. If he be not invincibly wilfull, againſt the Government which gives him Protection, he may no doubt have employment for his good parts, and a competent Salary, for the good ſervice he may do, in the uſe and exerciſe of them.
2. If he will not be taken off, nor abate any whit of his rigid miſconceits, and diſaffection to the preſent Government, and to their publick proceedings, nor forbear to do them as much diſſervice, as he can and dare (upon all occaſions in private and publique) they may think it a matter rather of favour, then of rigour, if he want to ſend him for ſupply to the known Laws of the Land (ſo much cried up by him and his party) and they will ſend his wife and children, to the able Gentleman, her Father and their Grandfather, for in ſuch a caſe it is thus ordered by Law, The Father and Grand-father, Mother and Grandmother, being of ſufficient ability, ſhall relieve them, in ſuch manner as the Juſtices of Peace, in that County where ſuch ſufficient Perſons dwell, at their quarter Seſſion, ſhall aſſeſſe. Dolt. Juſtice of Peace, printed for the Society of Stationers, an. 1619. p 84, 85.
But he and his, if they were in want (being ſuch as they are, with ſuch an one as his Father in Law is) would finde mercy ready enough to receive them, without any order of Juſtice of procure their entertainment.