A very soueraigne oyle to restore debtors; being rightly and seasonably vsed Extracted out of that most tried and quintessensed oyle, by the prophet Elisha. By vertue whereof the vviddovv indebted, (mentioned in the second booke of the Kings) was restored out of debt, and her children released of the bondage whereof they were in danger. Written by Samuel Cotesford, late minister at Stepney: and now newly published by W. Crashavve ...

TO THE HONOVRABLE Knight, S^r. Edward Sackvyle, a worthy member of the COMONS House of PARLIAMENT.

Honourable Sir;

AMongst the many honourable motions and worthy intentions of the present Parliament, you did great honour to your selues in hearing the cries of so many hundred poore prisoners, whose bloud, and the bloud of their Children, cries I feare, for iudge∣ment mercilesse, against those mercilesse Creditors, that value not the precious life of a man, at the rate of an Oxe or a Horse: But for farre lesser summes, doe keepe many able and actiue men in Prison, till they either dye, or be∣come vnable to serue the Common-wealth. Heauie and bitter are the lamentations, cries, and complaints, that are daily brought to vs, the Preachers of this Cittie, by the poore wiues and Children of those distressed prisoners, of whom some lie in prison for a blowe giuing, some for a

word speaking, some for a quarters rent, some for a small remainder of an olde debt, some for a debt paid already, but the Bond could neuer be got out of the Vsurers hand, some for a iust debt, but some small matter; some for no debt of their owne, but onely other mens, and that for which they would be content to strippe themselues of all they haue, so they might but enioy their life and liber∣ties. But what say many of these greedy cormorants, It shall cost me more then my debt, but I will haue him; I care not so much for my money, as that I may haue my will of the villaine: Now I haue him, he shall lye by it, I will haue his skin, I will make Dice of his bones? Such vnmercifull and vnmanly words are vttered by these cru∣ell-hearted men. We brag that wee haue no Gallies, nor Gally-slaues: If it be a glory to our Nation, then woe to them that make many a poore man liue so in prison, as they had rather be a slaue in the Gallies. Wee boast wee haue no Wolues in England; but if it be a blessing, then pittie is it wee haue such woluish and wicked natured men, that like hungry Wolues deuoure their poore neigh∣bours; They say, that rauenous creature will dare to set vp∣on a man, if he be alone, and will howle and yell to call together his fellowes, that they may eate him amongst them. So, if a decayed Gentleman come within their clutches, or the honest Marchant (whose estate is lost by Sea) fall within their danger, forth-with one of them giues notice to another, like Wolues, one howling for another, presently they all fall vpon him, and striue who shall first haue his heart out, like so many Rauens, Vul∣tures, Kytes, or Cormorants, that eate vp amongst them and teare in pieces the silly dying horse, which happily a little before carried the King.

You cannot better commend your selues to the pre∣sent, and your memories to future ages: you cannot a∣mongst temporall things more aduance the honour of

the English Parliament, then by taking away one of the foule staines of this our Nation, euen by taking some wise and godly order for the releasing of the poore prisoners of this kinde. It is said by the wise, and I feare it is too true an obseruation, that all Europe hangs not vp so many proper men, nor keepes in bondage so many men fit for imployment, for vniust or small debts, as England doth. Deepe, and foule, and large, are these staines, they be dyed in graine, nay alas, in the bloud of many thousands. Oh happy, and to be honoured for euer, they that haue skill, and will, and power together, to wipe off these vnworthy staines from off the face of our State! Some rich ones haue the skill, but want will, they know well enough how this might be helped, but for certaine carnall and worldly respects they would not haue it so. Some good honest men haue the will to reforme this, but want the skill; they know not how it may be done. Some learned, wise, and godly men, haue both skill and will, but being priuate persons, they want power. You of this high and thrice-Honorably assembly of the Parliament, being so many godly men, cannot want will; being so many learned and wise, cannot want the skill; being the Councell of the Kingdome, and hauing especially so wise and mercifull a King to second you, you cannot want power; nay, the high and Soueraigne power is in your hands. Put to therefore your powerfull hands, for the furthering and effecting of this worthy worke of God, and the Common-wealth, for sauing the liues of some hundreds, and redeeming the li∣berties of some thousands. How to saue the liues of so many executed yearely in this Land, and yet to redresse the euills, I will not enter, nor venter to set downe to them that know better then my selfe; and now I hope haue taken that consideration to heart afore this day; at least I will reserue it for another, and happily a more seasonable time. That which the present Subiect puts vs principally

in minde of, is the helping of those many poore priso∣ners, that consume their best yeares in prison, for Debts ei∣ther of an vngodly nature, or of a trifling quantity; for such are they onely that here are spoken for, or else such as being of moment, and iust also, and yet too cruelly sought for.

I confesse there are an euill generation of such as care not to get mens goods into their hands, and then take prison, as a Sanctuary, and can pay well enough, but will not; and others worse then they, that wilfully breake when they need not, or take mens monyes or goods, when they haue a purpose to breake, and consequently a pur∣pose not to pay: These two sorts of people are plaine theeues, and many lesser before God goe to Tyburne euery yeare: Euen with the same breath, I begge mercie for the former, I craue iustice and reuenge vpon those, as be∣ing one of the worst kinde of Caterpillers, that eate out the life of this Citties Common-wealth: Draw the sword of Iustice against those, and spare not; let them be known and vsed like great theeues, and robbers, as they are, and much worse then many by the high-way: But pittie and relieue those poore men, whom Gods hand, by fire or wa∣ter, or the ineuitable misfortunes of Sea and land, haue made poore, such as would gladly pay it if they had it, and are well content to pay all they haue, or can make, nay, would be glad to worke, and yeeld the benefit of their la∣bours to their Creditors. That such honest poore men, and some poore Gentlemen, should not in these cases bee relieued, and either set at libertie, and put into imploy∣ment (paying all they can presently, and more as they may hereafter) or else those made to maintaine them that keepe them in prison, let others consider how it stands with ciuill pollicie and good gouernment; I am sure it is farre from the rules of Christianitie, and (I take it) worse then the custome and practise of other Nations.

You of this noble Parliament, that haue Power in your hands, Mercy in your hearts, Experience before your cies, and the cries of the oppressed in your eares euery day, helpe forward this blessed worke: If they shall be so high∣ly rewarded at the last day, that visite poore prisoners, how glorious shall those bee that mooue a meanes to redeeme them? If this Treatise may stirre vp your zealous and no∣ble hearts, or set the least edge vpon your godly affecti∣ons hereunto, I shall hold it a happie houre when I found it amongst the writings of that deceased Deuine, that good man that wrote it.

You, noble Sir, haue had a noble name for standing vp, and opening your mouth in good causes and charitable motions, at Sessions in Parliament, and other publique meetings; Goe forward in the name, and with the bles∣sing of the God of mercie; Adde this to the manifolde honours God hath already layd on you, and to the loue that thousands beare you: Thus shall you purchase the prayers and praises of many hundred poore men, their wiues and children, and hereby shall you gaine one poore friend more, and euer binde me to remaine

White-chappell Nouēb. 3. 1621.

Your Seruant in Christ,

W. CRASHAVVE.