The gentlemans monitor, or, A sober inspection into the vertues, vices, and ordinary means of the rise and decay of men and families with the authors apology and application to the nobles and gentry of England seasonable for these times / by Edw. Waterhous[e] ...

SECT. XLI.

Suggests the Convenience and Commen∣dation of Great mens living within bounds of their Fortune, and by such frugal living not contracting Debts.

SIxthly, That which I shall further hum∣bly beg of them, is, That they would live on, and within bounds of their For∣tunes: For, to spend beyond what is ones own, is to borrow of others, and to pay them either in the ruine of the Creditor, or the misery of their Debtor in his Im∣prisonment, or whats worse then it, an ill Conscience, which abuses the Law into Patronage of Injustice: For what greater abuse can be offered to the Law, which is

the Rule of Right, then to make Prisons her Punishment, to become Sanctuaries to dissolute and injurious men, whose Vices have run their Fortunes into Arrears, and whose resolves are to pay them off onely by the colour of Imprisonment, which is a privilegiated freedom. And what readier way is there to become infamous for dis∣honesty, then to borrow and pay not, pro∣mise and perform not, be security for mo∣ney, and therby insecure the money they subscribe to pay; and all this when they have reason to tell them they ought, and fortune to enable them, to answer their un∣dertakings. Indeed it is one of the things to be deplored, that many men of Place and Fortune, who in their places are examples to common People, and Ministers of Justice & Government over them, should be so re∣miss to their own reputations, as to lesson them in their practice the evasion and pro∣stitution of the Equity and Majesty of the Law, of which they themselves are Con∣servators; yet so it is, that moral virtue and conversational Justice and Sobriety, is less Debtor usually to Greatness then to Communities: What a shame is it that the Houses of Greatmen should be receits of Vice, and lodges of Luxury, nests of Idle∣ness, and pests of Prophaneness, which

ought to be the shame and bane of such Courses; or that those who have ample fortunes should pinch Virtue to pamper Vice by them. It is the great Cry and Clamour of the People against men of E∣states, That they let their Lands at a Jew∣ish wrack, maintain their Servants at a thriftless highth, spend their Fortunes at a merciless rate, gratifie their vices be∣yond measure, spend their bodies and souls for that which is a pittiful exchange for either, disoblige their Neighbours, ne∣glect their Children, overlook the Poor, discourage their Minister, undo their Cre∣ditors; To please the state of an humour, and conceit that to look after their For∣tunes does not become them, when as in∣deed there is nothing so praise-worthy ••nd noble, as to be aforehand and pay ••ell, and nothing so ungenerous as the ••••ntrary, when the effect of pride and care ••••sness. If therefore the Nobles and Gen∣••••y, (whose Residence is Country, and who 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the major part of the considerable men 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in England, (Officers of State excepted) ••ould either please to look over their Fa∣••ilies, and cause them to be over-looked ••nd not augment the Expences of it; if ••••ey would raise their Cattel, Bread, and ••••her Viands from their own, proportion

servants to their degree, amputing un∣necessary suckers, allow them free and compleat salaries, without taking Fees from their Lords Farms, or cutting large Thongs out of his hide, supply other pro∣visions at reasonable rates, by just and seasonable payments, necessitate no dreins out of their Estates by vices, which suck them dry, leave them needy, and then borrowing, and then mortgaging or sel∣ling; breed their Children to honest and gainful Callings, and furnish them with competent Portions to follow them; and marry their Daughters in good time, and not let them out-stay their desire or prime, till they forestall their fathers in∣tents, and engage to their own undoing. If they would come to London but to fur∣nish themselves, and see fashions, and after a whiles stay here, and the Feaver of thei•• purse breath'd out at their purs-strings, re••turn to their Countrey; if this they woul•• do, they need not be behind hand for mo••ney, questioned in credit, denied to bor••row, dishonoured by Writs, and Summo•• to answer Suits, and give bayl to Act••••ons; but would be rich, full of credi•• free to prefer their Children, and to kee•• their Estates from Engagement; and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 nothing to full and free living, would the•• be wanting.

But the misery is, there is nothing thought so un-genteel a quality, as honou∣rable Thrift, and vertuous Frugality, the best title to which, that most of the high-flown spirits give, is narrowness and misery of nature; when as the discreet and creditable Thrift (for I commend no course or port of life beneath the degree of Nobles and Gentry) is the only display of true Oeconomique Magnifi∣cence: For as he that over-sayls his Bark, or over-lades his Boat, will sink them; and he that over-stocks his Ground will starve his Cattel; and he that over-charges his stomack will surfeit his body, and ruin those which he intends his health good to; so to overcharge an Estate, and make it answer more rent-charges then it can de∣fray, is to destroy and null it. And there∣fore, when as men will study beyond their strength, and lift above their power, and run beside their breath, and wrastle beyond their match, there is more desire then discretion expressed. So, when ••en live and spend beyond their ability and degree, their necessities will become their punishment sooner then their ex∣••ess therein be accounted their Magni∣••••cence. Indeed it is a brave humour, to be free and generous, and it well becomes

Royal minds to appear in Royal actions. But then the actions that men Royally do must have a rectitude of Justice in the end, and in the means to it. If Alexander give a Talent to a Cynick, that desires only a mite, Alexander has considered himself right in giving what becomes him, whose the Talent was; but if Alexander had had of his own but a Mite, and gave a Talent which he bor∣rowed, and knew not how or when to pay, the Magnificence of the gift is no addi∣tion to its Donor, though a pleasure to the receiver; men may be free of what is their own, but to do great things by con∣tracting debts which are not possible or probable to be paid, is to be Generous and Noble in the sence that Solyman the Great Turk was Magnificent, who throws away 80000. men at Vienna, and yet went without it, and brought 500000. men be∣fore Gouza, losing a good part of them, and got it not, though a small Garrison: Tis to be magnificent by sacrificing mens lives to satiate a humour, and to violate sacred faith to please a leud Bassa, as his Magnificence did in the case of Iohn the King of Hungary, and his Wife and Chil∣dren. As this was Magnificence in Soly••man, so is living beyond mens abilities

Generosity and Nobleness in them, and no otherwise; for though extraordinary cases may make wise men evade their limits, and exceed their boundaries; yet is such profuse erogation in them no great∣ness of spirit, but the unhappiness of their encumbrance, and the consectary of un∣profitable accidents cogent thereunto; thats true Nobleness of mind which keeps Vice lean, and Vertue full; which can de∣ny it self to promote a general good, and abate superfluities to advantage Vertue in Men and Things.

Mistake me not, I beseech you, O Nobles and Gentry, as if I were senseless of your avocations, or knew not Yee that have great Estates, great Honours, great Rela∣tions, have great temptations, and great expences attending them; I know not England, nor the Great Men, and Estates in it, so little, as not to consider these as their apologies and defalcations: but have ye not, O Nobles and Gentlemen, great Fortunes, and high Tydes of Reve∣nue, to set you a float, and bring you off these quick-sands? are not your Estates well napp'd with Timber, and well laden with Mines and Minerals? have you not Casualties, Offices, Royalties, Alliances, and other means to bestow and prefer

Children, then meaner men have, whose Estates are less compleat, and accommo∣dated with casual profits then yours are; and if so, how comes it to pass, that you are wanting, and needy of money, when others less Estated and Nobly living also, are in Cash, and can give ready Money Portions, and make decent settlements on their children, without selling Land, fel∣ling Wood, signing Rent-charges, granting Lives, passing Leases, or enfranchising Coppy-holds; which are Docks and Bars to the Royalty and Freedom of Estates: when many of ye are fain to do some of these in every childrens dispose, or other sudden change in their lives: Whence, O whence can this disparity be, but from the ones frugality and resolution to look af∣ter, and live within compass of his Estate, and your pleasure and inadvertency, rather then Gods curse, unless it be a curse (as it is very like one) to live above the rate of prudence, and the Income of ones Estate? The benefit of avoyding which, those Lords and Gentlemen know and find who are their own Bayliffs, Treasu∣rers, and Overseers, that is, who take ac∣count of what their servants do, and of what they do not, and adjust the proceed of their receits and payments.

For Fortunes, like Cattel are best in ••ase, where inspected by the masters eye, and their Children and Tenants are best provided for, and dealt with, whose fathers and Landlords are frugal and forehanded men; who need neither to wrack their Lands, require their Rents before pay-day, or draw their Tenants into engagements for them. Nor are children tempted to pray for their pa∣rents deaths, or prey upon their parents credits, to supply their short allowances from their parents; when their parents living within their bounds, save the mat∣ter of such relief, and yet are in statu quo ••s to their Lands; so great advantages come not only by the real, but even re∣puted forehandedness of Noblemen and Gentlemen, that in letting of Lands, mar∣riage of Children, Purchase, choice of Se∣curity for Money, cheapness of House-ac∣comodations; yea in the common love and talk of the Countrey, it is a great grace and furtherance: for it is one of the great leures of the common Peasants to Markets, to talk of men and Countrey news, over the Pots and Pipes of which meetings they will arrogate the making men Angels or Devils, rich or poor, as they find them free or straight, needy or aforehand; so

potent is the Purse of great men to pur∣chase their adoration and good word, that there is no secret in Countrey life more gaining and useful, then not to be known to want money; for he that does, shall be pelted with as many detracting verdicts of the high-shoos, as they have Tongues to utter, Eares to hear, Oppor∣tunities to meet with, and envy to detract from a needy man, who shall need no o∣ther misery then to become cheap in his Countrey neighbours thoughts, and to need their supply before he may com∣mand it as his due. For as rich Princes, and sage, in the treasuring up their Re∣venues, and other accessions, never shall want love from the subjects they oppress not, nor fear hatred from the Foes and Traytors they are able by themselves to reduce and repel; so shall great men ne∣ver be abated the good respect and cha∣racter of those they live amongst, or deal with, where they spend nothing but what they can allow, and not pinch or defeat them that are to subsist upon what they serve in to support that greatness. Which I hope in the main irrefragable, makes me (in conclude to live within bounds of For∣tune and degree is worthy Noble and Gentlemens consideration.

Notes

• Sed hac domo ut cum familia dominum com∣prehendam ni∣hil est damna∣bilius ad me∣ritum, nihil se∣ditiosius ad consortium, ni∣hil inhonestius ad mores, nihil sordidius ad conscientiam, nihil cul••abil••∣us ad famam, nihil pernicio∣sius ad exem∣plum. Petrus Bles. Ep. 18.
• Turkish History p. 712.