The prisoners enlargement, or, The poor mans release out of prison discovering the misery that poor men endure through the cruelty of their hard-hearted creditors : and the worthy behaviour and carriage of the referrees [sic] concerning prisoner : and their releasing by their meanes great number of poor souls : also, shewing how poor men may be relieved, and releas'd out of prison that have hard-hearted creditors to deal withall : desiring all men whatever to prevent imprisonment / written by a sufferer and wel-wisher to poor prisoners, L.P.

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Title: The prisoners enlargement, or, The poor mans release out of prison discovering the misery that poor men endure through the cruelty of their hard-hearted creditors : and the worthy behaviour and carriage of the referrees [sic] concerning prisoner : and their releasing by their meanes great number of poor souls : also, shewing how poor men may be relieved, and releas'd out of prison that have hard-hearted creditors to deal withall : desiring all men whatever to prevent imprisonment / written by a sufferer and wel-wisher to poor prisoners, L.P.
Author: L. P., sufferer and wel-wisher to poor prisoners.
Publication: London :: Printed by W.G. [i.e. W. Godbid] for Richard Harper in Smithfield,; 1656.
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Cite this Item: "The prisoners enlargement, or, The poor mans release out of prison discovering the misery that poor men endure through the cruelty of their hard-hearted creditors : and the worthy behaviour and carriage of the referrees [sic] concerning prisoner : and their releasing by their meanes great number of poor souls : also, shewing how poor men may be relieved, and releas'd out of prison that have hard-hearted creditors to deal withall : desiring all men whatever to prevent imprisonment / written by a sufferer and wel-wisher to poor prisoners, L.P." In the digital collection Early English Books Online 2. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/B43590.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 18, 2024.

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The hard hearted Creditor speaks.

GEntlemen,

What's my own, I hope by vertue of the Law, I may claim: the Execution against the prisoner is for Body or Goods; and one I will have, or ready money: what if his Wife and Children beg & starve, at their own charge be it, not mine, the Law being just, then my looking for my own, is not unjust: what's forty in the hundred, to a man in good Trading? men are not born to pick straws, or maintain prodigalls: the commodities were fresh, and vendable; and had my Debtor had but a Merchant-like conscience, and a nimble wit, he had been better for himself, and me both: my pure silver hath been in his hands this 4. tearms, and I have sent good Angels an unhappy way to fetch in the rest, with the disturbance of my nocturnal rest; and this I have undergone to obtain my own, yet I cannot have it, besides bribes and many a pint of Wine, spent on costly Lawyers. 15 s. Composition money, ile first be hanged, conscience is no part of my Trade, I have left him this thirty years; and if the seeking to obtain a desperate debt, be the fruits of a bad conscience, then God help the good: he that would thrive, must gripe, and have a good pledge; for my com∣fort is in a well crammed bag: away with your childish nicities, I had rather oppress, then be oppressed. I look for my own, and I have the Law on my side, therefore his body must suffer.