the people say The Fox the more he is cursed the better he fares Let them curse and spare not as long as such curses doe fill my Coffers Know you that the curse of the people iustly caused is a vapor exhaled from earth or rather indeed a thunder which causeth a thunder-bolt to be cast downe from heauen Let the oppressor poste from it as fast as he can it shall ouertake him r as the arrow of Iehu did Iehoram and smite him betweene his armes and runne thorow his heart let him fence himselfe with the best amunition that hee may it shall pierce him thorow No coate of male shall rebate the edge no armour of proofe shall beare off the stroke of the peoples curse when it is edged with iustly conceiued passion and backed by the Almighties approbation Wise men therefore will hearken vnto the counsell of wise Syrachides Make not an hungry soule sorrowfull neither prouoke a man that is in distres Adde not more trouble to an heart that is vexed defer not to giue to him that is in need Turne not thine eyes from the needy and giue him no occasion to curse thee for if he curse thee in the bitternesse of his soule his prayer shall be heard of him that made him And among all grinders of the poore tremble you who with-hold from them that which they should grinde for the necessary sustenance of life and so grinde them the more because you keepe them from grinding You rurall Tyrants who by with-holding your Corne doe enforce the miserable people to flie to their for lorne hope of ringing a peale of curses against your couetousnesse in the eares of the Almighty If the hire of the labourers who haue reaped downe your fields being by fraud kept backe cryeth and those cries doe enter into the eares of the Lord of Sabboth then doubtlesse the deserued curses of those who are ready to perish because you will not so much as fell vnto them that which they laboured to reape and to saue for you and which without the sweat of their browes and galling of their hands you could not haue saued doe sound like a volley of shot in the eares of the God of mercies and will awake him to take vengeance on your cursed cruelties If any widdow or fatherlesse childe be afflicted by thee saith the Lord and in their affliction doe at all cry vnto me I will surely heare their cry and my wrath shall wax hot and I will kill you with the Sword and your wiues shall bee widdowes and your children fatherlesse Will God heare the cry of one widdow of one fatherlesse childe being afflicted and can his eares be shut at the generall cry of the whole multitude among whom are so many widdowes so many Orphans and some of them doubtlesse his owne children the sonnes and daughters of his deare Saints the linely members of his onely begotten sonne Christ Iesus And that these enforced curses are not alwayes effectlesse in this life witnesse the fearefull iudgements which God hath inflicted on some Nabals for terror vnto others I could tell you old Chronicle-stories out of Matthew Paris and others of terrible examples in our owne Land vpon offenders in this kinde As that of Walter Grey an Archbishop of Yorke in the yeare of grace 1234. Who hauing fiue yeares Corne vnder-hand would not thresh it out for the releefe of the poore in three yeeres famine hoping still that the price would encrease Being aduertised by his Officers that it was greatly to be feared lest the Corne were consumed by Mice he willed them to deliuer it to the Husband-men who dwelt in his Mannor vpon condition that they should pay him as much new Wheat for it after Haruest They attempting to take downe a great mow of Corne which hee had at Rippon saw the heads of many Snakes and Toads and other venemous creatures peering out at the end of the sheaues This being related to the Archbishop hee sent his Steward with diuers of good credite to enquire the truth thereof who seeing what others had seene enforced not withstanding certaine poore men to goe vp to the top with ladders They were scarcely vp when they saw a great smoake arising out of the corne and felt withall a loathsome stinke which compelled them with all haste possible to hye them downe againe Moreouer they heard an vnknowne voyce saying vnto them Let the Corne alone for the Archbishop and all that he hath belongeth to the Diuell In fine saith the Story they were faine to build a wall about the corne and then to set it on fire fearing lest such an huge number of venemous creatures should empoison at least annoy the whole Country I could tell you out of forraine Authors of a German Bishop who in time of dearth kept in his Corne and called the poore which came about him begging reliefe the Rats and Mice which deuoured his Corne. But God retorted his malicious scomme vpon his owne head for he himselfe was soone after deuoured aliue by Rats and Mice notwithstanding that he immured himselfe in a strong Tower which is reported to be yet standing and in the name it beareth to retaine a memoriall of the strange Iudgement I had rather preferre to your consideration the pious action of Ethelwald a Bishop of Winchester before the Conquest who in a great Dearth did breake vp all the Plate belonging to his Church and gaue it to the poore saying that the Church in good time might be prouided of necessary ornaments but the poore that perished for want of food could not be recouered But these examples of ancient times doe lesse affect and may be held fabulous That God hath made the curses of the poore effectuall vpon such couetous Corne-horders euen in recent remembrance may appeare by this that some of this cursed crue haue become their owne executioners and in kindnesse haue saued the Hang-man a labour by haltering themselues when contrary to their expectation the price of corne hath sodainly fallen and this both in other Countries and among vs as Diuines of good reputation haue deliuered vpon their owne knowledge But worst of all will be when Christ at the great and terrible day of his comming shall adde vnto all these the insupportable weight of his heauie and intolerable curse when he shall say vnto these as vnto others in some respects more excusable then these Depart ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Diuell and his Angels for I was hungry and yee gaue me no meate I was thirstie and you gaue mee no drinke nay you would not so much as sell mee meate and drinke for ready money and at a deere rate when by relieuing mee you might haue enriched your selues by feeding me you might haue filled your owne purses Oh what shall be said to them who will not sell for money when Depart from me ye cursed is the
The Curse of Corne-horders WITH The Blessing of seasonable Selling. In three Sermons on PRO. 11. 26. Begun at the general Sessions for the County of Cornwall held at Bodmyn and continued at Fowy By CHARLES FITZ-GEFFRIE D. Cyprianus ad Demetrian §. 8. Miraris in poenas generis humani iram Dei crescere cum crescat quotidiè quod puniatur De sterilitate aut fame quereris quasi famem maiorem siccitas quà m rapacitas faciat quasi non de captatis annonarum incrementis pretiorum cumulis flagrantior inopiae ardor excrescat Quereris cludi imbribus coelum cum sic horrea cludantur in terris Printed at London by I. B. for Edward Dight dwelling in Excester 1631. To the truly ennobled and rightly honored Sir REGINALD MOHVNE Knight and Baronet Grace Mercy and Peace be multiplied SIR THE end of Gods punishments is to bring sinful man vnto Repentance In afflicting vs he intends not our affliction but our reformation Hee who delights not in the death of sinners takes no pleasure in their sufferings but in compassion causeth sometimes temporall suffering to preuent eternall aking according to that of the Apostle We are chastened of the Lord that we may not be condemned with the world If he attaine not this end by one rod he vseth another If the Pestilence preuaile not he sends the sword if that workes not he inflicteth Famine and like a good Physitian by diuers medicines he tendeth to the same cure If the same crosse haue not effected the end for which it was sent he sends it the second time as a man doth his seruant who hath not fully done his errand at first Thus doth he with particular persons thus doth hee with whole Nations whose good he intendeth He visited our sinnes with the Pestilence this wrought not a sound recouery he lanced vs with the Sword there yet remained many peccant humours those hee sought to cure by Famine as the ancient Physitians vsed to cure all diseases by Abstinence We seemed to be on the mending hand but we relapsed and God was faine to go to work with vs again as we renewed our old sins so did he his old iudgements He sent the Plague the second time threatned it the third About seuen yeeres sithence the creature suffered and we by it for our abuse of it and for our vnthankefulnesse to the Creator The same punishment hee hath inflicted this yeere on sundry places of the land Thus is God enforced to re-assume his rods when we renew our sins and as wee vse to take from our children their Bread when they doe wanton with it so by want he correcteth our former wantonnesse taking from vs that which wee abuse thereby teaching vs to vse it better when wee haue it that by want we may know how to vse abundance These two yeeres of dearth in some distance called from mee these three Sermons That which in the first was summarily deliuered in one vnto the eares of that Bench on which you haue sate sundry yeeres as chiefe is vpon this yeeres occasion enlarged into three and now sent abroad into publike for the benefit of many is first presented vnto your eies In this Dedication I craue not patronage but onely acceptance The Kings command my calling the necessity of the times are sufficient to patronize it Neither haue I cause to doubt of your acceptance your care for your Countries good and your endeuour in this particular doe assure me that you will approue his labours who according to his calling addeth the best aduancement hee may vnto yours Whereunto hee will not cease to adioyne his continued prayers to the fountaine of Grace for all gracious blessings on your person on your publike imployments on your noble Family who is and will be while he is Your worships in all Christian dutie and seruice most ready Charles Fitz-Geffry A briefe view of the ensuing Sermons Concio prima THe occasion of the choyce of this Text. page 1 The diuision thereof into two parts In the former part are considered 1. The sinne 2. The sequel p. 3 1 ma. me The sinne with-holding Corne. ibid. All conseruation of Corne not vnlawfull What is vnlawfull herein ibid. Vnder the word Corne euery publike commodity comprehended p. 4 Doct. 1. It is a grieuous siune to procure or further famine by seeking to raise the price of Corn. ibid. Reasons 1. It is odious vnto God The detaining of other commodities not so necessary for the life of man as Corne forbidden by God Much more of this without which the life of man can hardly yea not at all be sustained The necessity of bread vnto mans life p. 5 6 2. It is opposite to Nature vnto which Corne-horders are traytors For 1. That which Nature most desireth they doe most detest that is plenty p. 7 8 2. And that which Nature most detesteth they most desire namely Dearth and scarcity ibid. 3. Condemned by the Lawes of Nations p. 9 Application Three sorts of people guilty herein p. 11 1 The greedy Farmer who sometimes with-holdeth Corne euen in selling it ibid. 2 The couetous Merchant p. 13 3 The Hucksters or Badgers of Corne. p. 14 Concio secunda SEcunda primae The sequell The curses of the People p. 17 A Common sinne drawes on a common curse p. 18 Doct. 2. The peoples curse iustly procured is a fearfull iudgement p. 19 The peoples curse twofold 1. Causelesse or vniust this not to be feared nor regarded ibid. Exhortation to Magistrates and Officers to doe their duties though the people doe causelesly curse them For such curses God will blesse them ibid. 2 The iustly caused curse of the poore and oppressed this curse very fearefull p. 20 Vse Terror to all kinde of Oppressors p. 21 Especially to Corne-horders p. 22 That these curses are not effectlesse in this life shewed by examples A story out of Matthew Paris of Walter Grey Archbishop of Yorke a couetous Corne-horder Anno Dom. 1234. p. 23 Another of a German Bishop deuoured by Rats An. 930. p. 24 The effect of these curses in latter times wherein some of these Nabals haue hanged themselues when the price of Corne hath fallen ibid. The greatest curse of all at the day of iudgement p. 25 Obiections answered 1. May I not doe with mine owne what I list p. 26 Answer Christ onely may both say and doe so Man cannot without limitation who can cast nothing his owne properly but his sinne ibid. Men may not vse their owne to the hurt of others ibid. It is damnable to with-hold our owne when our brethren are ready to perish for want of that which we may well spare p. 27 Two other Obiections Ioseph and Gedeon their examples answered p. 30 31 Famine a grieuous punishment p. 31 It is proper to God alone to punish a sinfull Nation with famine or any other iudgement p. 32 We haue deserued to be thus scourged But this famine is not inflicted immediately by
a Corn forbidden by God h Iam. 5. 1 2 3. Much more of bread-Corne without which the life of man can hardly yea not at all be sustained i The necessity of bread vnto mans life k Isa 3. 1. Leuit. 26. 26. Ezech. 4. 16. 5. 16. 14. 13. Satis est homini fluuiusque Ceresque 2. It is opposite to nature l Hi mores haec duri immota Catonis secta fâ—it scrâ—are modum finemque tenere Naturamque sequi patriaeque impendere vitam Nec sibi sed toti genitum se credere mundo Lucan l. 2. m Eccle. 5. 9. n Corn-horders traitours to nature o That which Nature most desireth they detest that is Plenty p Psal 65. 11. And that which nature teacheth most to detest they doe most desire namely Dearth and Scarcity q Mat. 5. 45. r 1 King 8. 38. a Ezech. 14. 13 14. b Ezec. 16. 49. 3. Condemned by the Lawes of Nations c Annonam vexare et tentare vel maximè Dardanarii solent quorum auaritia itum est tam mandatis quà m costitutionibus Vlpian in leg Annon D. de extraordinar criminio d Terra communis omnium mater est propterea iusta vos autem iniusti qui eam duntaxat vestram matrem esse voluistis quod nisi ab huiusmodi incepto destiteritis diutiùs vos in ea permanere non sinam Epistol Apolloniê ad aâ—nona vexâ—tores in princip e De Mathemalicis Italia pelend is factum Senatus consultum atrox et irritum Tacit. Annal. l. 12. c. 52. f Genus hominum quod in Ciuitate nostra vetabitur semper retinebitur Tacit. hist l c. 22. Tacit Annal. l. 2. c. 31. Application Three sorts of people guilty of this sinne 1. The greedy Farmer who sometimes with-holds Corne euen in selling in 2. The couetous Marchant g Gen. 43. 32. Basil 3. Hucksters or Badgers of Corne. The sinne of with-holding Corne more hamous in our land than in others Lament 2 12 The sequell The curses of the people A common sinne drawes on a common curse Doct. 2. A fearefull thing to be iustly cursed by the people The peoples curse two-fold 1. Causlesse or vniust this not to be feared or regarded a Pro. 6 2. b Sciendum est quòd scriptura sacra duobus modis maledictum memorat aliud videlicet quod approbat aliud quod damnat Aliud enim maledictum profortur iudicio iustitiae aliud liuore vindictae Greg. Moral l. 4. c. 5. c Ier. 15. 10. d Exhortation to Magistrates and Officers to doe their duties though the people do causlesly curse them Such curses shall not hurt their credits or consciences but rebound on those who do vse them e Psa 109. 28. f 2 Sam 16. 12. For such curses God will blesse them g Mat. 5. 11. 12 h Beati super quos talis maledictio cadit Vtinam vt super nos ista maledictio veniat Euseb Emis seu ser 4. post 4 Domini i Iâ—ai 51. 7. k lsai 8. 13. l Ephe. 1. 3. m Gen. 12. 3. 3. The iustly caused curse of the poore oppressed this is very fearefull n Prou. 24. 24. See Pro. 17. 15 o Isai 5. 30. 23 Vse Terrour to all oppressors of the poore Vt quidam memoratur Athenis sordidus diues vulgi contâ—mnere voces Sic solitus Populus me sibilat ac mihi plaudo Ipse domi quoties nummos contemplor in arca q Maledictio diuina sicut nunquam temerè emittitur ita nunquam re infecta reuertitur Cartwâ— ad Text. Horat. l 1. sat 1 â— 2 King 9. 24 Å¿ Ecel 4 2 3 5 6. Especially to Corne horders z Iam. 5. 4. u Exod. 2â— 22 23 24. That these curses are not effectlesse in this life shewed by examples A story out of Matthew Paris of Walter Grey Archbishop of Yorke a couetous Corn-horder An. Dom. 1234. x Another of a German Bishop deuoured by Rats Anno 930. Hatto Episcopus Moguntinensis Nomineq idem Episcopus et Pastor sed reipsa Lupus Scribunt quidam quòd mures quoqueâ—o men eius detentes a parietibus et tapetibus aebraserint Inde in hodiernum diem turris ipsa turris muriâ—m vocatu Iob Fincel Andr. Housdorphius Phil. Lauiâ—er in theat histor Theod. Zuinger in Theat vit human l. 18. Rauisius Textor y B. Godwin Catalogue of English Bishops z The effect of these curses in latter times wherein some of these Nabals haue hanged themselues when the price of Corne hath fallen a Lauater Cartwright ad Text. The greatest curse of all at the day of Iudgement b Mat. 25. 41 42. c Definita est sententia nihil disputationi relinquens Ambros. Offic. l. 3. c. 6. Obiections answered 1. May I not do with mine owne as I list Answ Christ onely may doe with his owne as he list Man cannot who can call properly nothing his own saue his sin Men may not vse their own to the hurt of others It is damnable to withhold our own when others are ready to perish for want of that which we may well spare d Videatur D. Basilius ser 1. in Auaros c Tristior est laetho laethi mora d Prob saeuior ense Parcendi rabies concessaque vitâ— dolori Claudian e Lutum sanguine maceratum Caligulaâ— f Ita ferivt sentiant se meri Sueton. Horat. Obiect 2. Iosephs example answered i Fortasse dicet Et Ioseph in abundantia frumâ—nta collegit in caritate vendidit Ioseph sanctus omnibus aperuit horrea non clausit nec pretia captauit annonae sed perenne subsidium collecauit nihil sibi acquisiuit sed quemadmodum fames etiam in posterum vinceretur prouida ordinatione disposuit Ambr. Offic. l. 3 c. 6. k Obiect 3. Gedeons example Iudg. 6. 11. Answered B. oâ— Exon. Contemplat vol. 3. l. 9. Gedeons calling l Famine agrieuous iudgement m Ezech. 6. 11 n B. Cowper on Rom. 8. 35. * 2 Sam. 24. 14 15. o Lamen 4. 9. Dira fames semper magnorum prima malorum 1st comesâ—â— Lucandâ— p Lam 2. 11 12 q Lam. 2. 20. It is proper to God alone to punish a sinfull Nation with famine or any other iudgement r Psal 107. 34. Å¿ Leu. 26. 29. t Deut. 11. 14. We haue deserued to be thus scourged But this Famine is not inflicted immediately by God but enforced by the cruell couetousnesse of Men. u Ioel 1. 10. x Frumentarii pretii captatores Amb Offic. â— 3. c. 6. y Hos 2. 21 22 z Ezech. 5. 16. a Sam. 24. 14 An inuectiue against couetousnesse b Itum est in viscera terrae c Itum est in viscera fratrum d Itum est in viscera Christi * These Corn-horders worse then Vsurers Latrocinium hoc an foenus appellem Captantur tanquaÌ„ latrociniê tempora quibus in visâ—era hominum clarus insidiator obrepas Ambr vbi supr e Lucri bonus est odor ex re Qualibet Iuuenal f Flumen habent Cicones quod