A caution to keepe money: shewing the miserie of the want thereof. I. In a state or kingdome, to supply vvarre. II. In younger brothers pawning their lands, to redeeme them. III. In shopkeepers wanting stock to supply. IIII. In handicraft-trades by negligence. V. In handsome and honest maidens, wanting portions. Declaring their slight neglect and scorne in these hard and dangerous times.

Many reasons to shew and proove that they who live in this our Age, are farre more miserable, and in worse condition then they who lived formerly, and in the time of our Fathers, and first of the estate of Scholers.

In the beginning of the Raigne of Queene Elizabeth of blessed memorie, learning was advanced and admired, no poore Scholler (though but meanely learned) but could get preferment, yea many times were sought unto and entreated to take voide livin••s, the Ministers of the word were then had every where in great reve∣rence, and welcomed of Noblemen, Knights, and gentlemen to their houses, there being then no rent or Schisme in the Church, except now and then such brainesick fellowes as Penrie, Browne,

Coppinger, and some few other, who by night sowed their cockle in holes & corners, when Pluralities were hardly knowne or heard of, then wittie booke and Poems were published and high estee∣med of and admired, rewarded In these dayes we find the contrarie of all. A poore Scholler now in want shall now never come to any preferment whiles he live, hee shall finde neither countenance nor entertainement among our great ones, without the helpe of moni∣ed friends, Noblemen and our Gentry then tooke the dedication of books as honour unto them now no better then a begging, then was there, amongst us, Cor unum via una, but now our hearts and waies are divided, as manie severall opinions, as severall faces, a Broome maker or Cobler shall have as much respect as a Scholler, and a base Ironmonger shall dare to affront the most learned Bishop and that impune.

Most miserable is the estate of such in these daies who by their unthriftie courses have made away or sold their lands and faire e∣states, the time was when such have afterwards beene relieved and kept from want and begging by the purchaser of their said estates, but now woe be unto them if they have neither land nor mony left in these daies, they must doe as the Heires of Holland in Lincolne shire, when they have made a way to catch Pickerells in Dike, keepe a blinde Alehouse, or turne foulecatchers in the fennes, or hang upon their friends for reliefe as long as they live; and of all sorts of poore these deserve the least to be pittied, yet some times they shall be gathered for in Churches, and at other publike meetings, where God knowes they got in these times of so much imploy∣ment for money, but a small pitrance, for except in great Cities there is left little charity elsewhere.

Some having beene undone by craftie knaves whom they have employed as their Stewards or Bailies (who like young cuckowes grow many times to that greatnesse that they are ready to devoure their feeder) have beene faine to stand to their courtesie for a poore maintenance all their lives after, and I have knowne some of these.

Others make themselves contemptible and meere beggers by

marrying beneath their ranks and degrees, which in time they be∣ing sensible of, they care not what they spend or give away to knaves and parasites that hang about them, as one gets a lease of too or three hundred by them, another house and land for nothing perhaps for an hawke, a hound, or an horse upon Mounsieur Acola∣stus, and if he or such a one comes to miserie, especially in a strange Countrey there is none more miserable then hee, by reason of his estate and riches he would never give himselfe to learne or follow any as is the manner for the most part of our English breediug, that turne but himselfe and a common fidler in their doublets and hose to seeke their fortunes in anothey Countrey: the Fidler in a very short time would starue the Gentleman, as having no art to earne his bread, whereas in other Countries the Gentrie are able to live without their hereditarie meanes by some profession of the minde, or manuell trade or other. Rodolphe not long since Empe∣rour of Germany, could set stones in Iewells, and was an excellent watchmaker. Soliman the great Turke, practised the trade of ma∣king Arrowes heads. Mauris late Lantgrave of Hessen was an ex∣cellent composer in Musick have made neere forty severall Sets of Meeters or Church Songs, which upon festivall daies he himselfe would play upon the Organs, others have beene rare Painters, o∣ther excellent Chyrurgians and so of others in other Aarts and Sciences, so that in dispite of hard fortune & miserie they can never be brought to extreme want, as knowing the greatest Princes to have fallen from their Royall dignities, even to the meanest slave∣rie, as Se Sostris, Bagazet, and divers others.

Some so surfet of their fortunes, especially if unexpectedly they fall unto them, that they have not the grace to use them as they ought, but consumed them upon drinke, drabs, or playes, and af∣ter to have fallen into that miserie (even in our times) that they have ended their dies in ditches, countrey barnes, the Counters and such like places.

The time hath beene when to have had a place in Court was e∣steemed the Achme or highest pitch of preferment in the land, he was the prime man in the Parish where he liv'd, he was welcome in

a vacation to all the gentlemen and his neighbours hee had power in every office in the Court to bid his friend welcome, as the Pantrie Beere and wine∣sellers he could though but of the Guard, have commanded a peece of boyld Beefe for a breakefast, but Tempora mutantur et ie junamus in illis, he might formerly have obtained some suite of his prince, it is well if he can but get his owne due in money, which while he wanteth his case is hard and to be pittied, keeping as manie doe greate charges in the countrey.

The Tradesman now hath not halfe that employment, nor is so readily and well paid for his commodities as in former times, there being little store of mo∣nie by reason of so many and so huge summes disposed of this and that way, that the land it selfe is welnigh drawne dry, the pipes must needes bee stop't that should derive it to the Citie, so Tradesmen are compel'd to trust, whereby they loose nor a little.

Tenants in the Countrey have their rents so raised through scarcitie of mo∣ney, and so many levies to the King and Countrey, that they can hardlie sub∣sist to helpe themselves or relieve the poore in their parish, hence beggerie is become an Epidemicall disease raigning over the whole land.

Servingmen in timns past have lived as well as their Masters, gotten good leases and farmes under them, they could have go••e to ehe Kitchen of Butterie and bidden their kindred or friends welcome, but the pride and co∣vetuousnesse of our age hath turned both them and their Masters good house∣keeping out of doores, so that they are constrained to verifie the old proverbe, a young Servingman, and an old Begger. What multitudes of beautifull and honest maides in this Land which the world cannot match againe for good qu••li••••es and handsomenesse, are undone for want of portions to preferre them, for now genus & formam regina pecunia donat, they are constrained to turne druges and slaves so long as they live, except God in his Providence taketh not care of them.

If a stranger commeth to the Citie or any other publicke and pop••lus place, if his money faileth short, hee were better to bee a Galley-slave and ••ive with bread and water, water he may get at the Cundit, but not a bit of bread ex∣cept he paieth for it, such is the tharity of our miserable Age.

So for a conclusion, let no man cast himselfe upon friends, or the wide world, but endeavoring by all honest meanes to live, and to bee chargeable to as few as he can, let him referre the rest to Gods Providence, who never failed those who sincerely served and put their trust in him.