A modest plea for an equal common-wealth against monarchy.: In which the genuine nature and true interest of a free-state is briefly stated: its consistency with a national clergy, mercenary lawyers, and hereditary nobility examined; together with the expediency of an agrarian and rotation of offices asserted. Also, an apology for younger brothers, the restitution of gavil-kind, and relief of the poor. With a lift at tythes, and reformation of the lawes and universities. All accommodated to publick honour and justice, without injury to any mans propriety, and humbly tendered to the Parliament. By a lover of his country in order to the healing the divisions of the times.

Of Tythes.

HAving thus with great freedom disburthened my thoughts concerning the function of the Ministers, I shal now craveleave to speak aword or two, to that Grand question now in debate concerning their maintenance by Tythes, which having for a long time been look'd upon with an evil eye, and that not only by such worldlings as are eaten up with Covetousness, and into whose souls hath entered an eager thirst and pursuit after riches, but also such whom in charity and conscience we are bound to believe are the people of God.

And since for the space of these many years, they have from all parts of the Nation been complained of as a great burden and grievance; and that they are be∣come so fruitful an occasion or Law-suits and unchristian contentions, to the inriching indeed of the Lawyers more then the Clergy: I say, considering these things, toge∣ther with the manner of their first introduction and esta∣bishment by Law, which seems to have been not altoge∣ther without wrong to the poor (who both by the Law

of God and their first concession were to share therein) as also injury to the propriety of the first owners, it being well known that Tithes were originally the voluntary benevolence of the people towards the relief of the poor, together with the better supports of those that ministred in spirituals, and were never impropriated to the Clergy, to the exclusion of the poor, till the darkness of Popery and superstition had ore-spread the face of the Earth, it being then that Kings took upon them either out of de∣votion, or being suborn'd by fear of the Popes Thunder to make these Concessions and Donations to the Church, to the injury and disinheriting of the first proprietors. Or if we consider the nature of the thing it selfe, without respect to the unjustness of their original (it being a thing that hath not the least countenance of reason, that men should be compelled to pay not onely beyond the pro∣portion of the tenth part of their substance, but also of their labours, that strangers should not onely reap where they have not sown, but also inherit the sweat of the poor mans brows) and that under the countenance of law contrary to all right and equity, imposing a kind of soccage or slavish tenure by the plough upon the Nation, whereby to hold their Lands on their Lords the Clergy) I presume there will be found reason enough why the Parliament (whose duty it is, as the peoples stewards, from whom as they received the Tallents of their power, so ought to give an account of their stewardship, and in all things lawful to obey their voyce as the voyce of God, according to the command was sometime given Samuel, though upon a worse occasion, even then when they had rejected the Lord, and desired a King) should hearken unto this voyce of the good people of the Land,

in the abolishing of Tythes, that are so great an eye sore and grievance to them, which I humbly conceive might be best done for the advantage of the state and satisfacti∣on of the people, if the Parliament would please to grant their Lands, might be totally discharg'd thereof at a rea∣sonable rate and composition with the State, which would not only give incouragement for a more cheerful payment of future taxes, as the exigencies of affairs shall require, but also supply the State with a vast sum of pre∣sent moneys, not onely to satisfie Impropriators, and pay the Arrears of the Army, but also discharge the pub∣lique debts, and probably raise pensions for the necessary support and maintenance during life of such of the pre∣sent Incumbents, which if not imploy'd as Itinerantes, or in some other service of the State, must on this account be put by their Free-holds according to Law, and therefore in conscience ought to be considered either by Pension or employment (as heretofore on like occasion the Monks) having done nothing, whereby to forfeit the favour of the State, or their interests in those publique Revenues; for though (as I said before) I am of opini∣on, that the first introduction of Tythes, or rather their establishment by Law, was not altogether without inju∣ry to the first proprietors; yet since they have continu'd so many ages, and that the Lands have run through so many hands, and their purchase hereby rendered so much the more easie: I humbly conceive with submission to better judgements, that prescription of so long time, hath not onely begot a title in the present incumbents as Te∣nants for life, but also setled the Inheritance or Reversion (as of all other publique Revenues, so of these) in the

State. And therefore as it seems unreasonable any should expect to have their Lands discharg'd gratis of an incum∣brance, that hath continu'd so many Centuries, nor indeed can without injury, there being no other way as yet dis∣covered to raise Moneys for satisfaction of either Impro∣priators or Incumbents; and should the State give up their title to the Reversion freely, they must necessarily lay the greater taxes on the Nation, for payment of the Souldiers Arrears, &c. so likewise, since no time can ••lead prescription, or give a just title to the sweat and la∣bour of a Freeman, whence the profit of Tythes seem rather to result, then to be accounted the natural increase of Land; it seems no less unequitable they should be ra∣ted by the State, at their rack or utmost value to the peo∣ple, but rather at a moderate or under rate, by reason they may (not without reason) suppose, their labour gives them in equity the best title, if not in the whole, yet at least to the greater share of them. But should the State indea∣vour to sell them at a full value, or continue them, either in kind or converted into a Rent-charge upon their Lands either to the same, or alienated from the Clergy to any other use whatsoever: I doubt the Nation would be so far from receiving satisfaction, that they would rather think themselves agriev'd, then gratified thereby. Now to how considerable, or rather vast a sum the composition for Tithes, though at a low or undervalue, would amount un∣to, may be easily calculated by Dr. Bradly's present to Caesar. For if the very improvement of first fruits and tenths, according to the present value of livings, would have yeilded Caesar 100000 in hand, and 50000 pounds per annum, as he pretends to evince in his said Book Dedi∣cated

to the Late Protector; how much more magnifi∣cent a present would the sale of Tythes afford the Parlia∣ment for the above mentioned publique uses, &c.