THE COUNTRY MAN.s.MANs CASE UNCASED
Or, The Plain-Dealers Prayer for a Registry.
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AND is the Bill Committed, Heaven be prais'd,
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So let all true and loyal English say;
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This to the highest pitch their hopes have rais'd,
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Of being happy in an honest way:
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Thanks to our worthy Patriots, Be their Name
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Ever Recorded in the Book of Fame.
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Nor can they be forgot, our Children shall
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Proclaim them bless'd, when they look back and see
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How bad Men brought their Fathers into thrall;
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Plunging them headlong into misery.------
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When Egypts Locust made them Egypts Slaves,
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Betraying all their Fortunes unto Knaves.
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Then 'twas in vain for them to Plow or Sow,
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To rise up early, or to lie down late,
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When none his dear-bought Penny-worth did know,
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But like an Almanack that's out of Date
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Their Purchase prov'd; a Prior Morgage shall
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Eject the Cullied Buyer out of all.
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This was the fate most commonly of those
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That trusted to Conveyance, Oath, or Deed;
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For by the Law the Fox no Title knows,
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Nor did the way of Banking better speed,
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To them who did with Paper-Credit meet;
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Their Bags were made their Moneys Winding-sheet.
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Such was the madness of that madder Age,
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Men stood amazed, knew not what to do,
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If by Complaint they thought their grief t' asswage,
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'Twas but increas'd, and often laught at too;
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Nor did their loss and misery stop here,
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They'r Jail'd at last for buying Wit so dear.
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This made the Money-monger hide his Gold,
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For want of Credit, that might Currant run,
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Lest he might share in others fate, when old;
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Therefore resolves it shall not see the Sun.
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This quickly brought Consumption to all Trade,
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And many a thousand Bankerupt was made.
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Whence Beggery ensu'd in every place,
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To every Parish did a Charge become,
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And others desperate, devoid of Grace,
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Anticipate their Life, the Gallows some:
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Nor could you step without your Doors but see
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Objects of pity, Souls in misery.
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Hither we have digressed from the way
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We first were in, to let you understand
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How we by folly have been led astray,
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Or madness rather throughout the Land:
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What doth remain, is, e're it be too late,
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To find a Mean, which may amend our fate.
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This in the judgment of all sober Men,
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Will be this long desired Registry,
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Upon whose Fund none can be cheated when
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They trade, or trust on that Security:
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Which if it pass as it is now committed,
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The Just are double blest, the Knaves outwitted.
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To tell the Nature of this Project here,
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Is but to hold a Candle to the Sun;
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Since 'tis to admiration done elsewhere,
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By such an Author never yet out-done;
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Whose publick Spirit, fo[r] [?] Country's [?]
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The Jaws of Death and E[n]vy hath withstood.
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In the Book
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call'd Eng-
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land's Im-
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provement by
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[Sea ]and Land
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[?]
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Year, 1698.
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Yet for to gratifie those honest minds
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Who never saw that Book, 'tis fit from hence
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Some satisfaction they in part do find;
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Both of its Use, and of its Consequence:
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The want of which, hath been the Traders bane,
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So being had will set them right again.
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First in abundance 'twill increase all Trade;
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The Rich, the Poor, will all be gainers by it;
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Witness our Neighbours who have tryal made,
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There's not a Man that can, or will deny it:
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For he that doth the Town of Taunton know,
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Is well convinced that in Fact 'tis so.------
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Their Mannor-Lands under a Registry,
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Not only hath advanc'd them, but hath made
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Plenty of Money, which their wants supply,
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The very Life and Sinews of all Trade,
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By which their Poor are by their Labours fed,
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Not one that's fit to work that asketh Bread.
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If this be so, as so in truth it is, -
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What's the Obstruction 'tis not so elsewhere?
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Is it because Men love to do amiss,
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Or does old Custome plead a Habit there?
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Neither's of force to keep them down, would rise,
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But rather Ignorance hath shut their Eyes.
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Then be perswaded, try for once Conclusion,
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Dare to be honest, 'tis best Policy;
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All other Projects hav[e] but wrought Confusion,
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Affix your Lands but in a Registry:
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This honest Credit answer will your End,
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Sooner, and cheaper than the Scriblers Friend.
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This brings out all the Money un-imployed,
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Which now in Corners hoarded up doth ly;
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The Borrower shall never be denyed,
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If he have ought within the Registry:
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For none will keep his Money in his Chest
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When 'twill be safer here, with Interest.
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The very Servants will their Wages bring,
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Which they most dearly earn, but can't augment;
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And 'midst their greatest drudgery will sing,
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When they have Lodg'd it to their hearts content.
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Both John and Joan will lay up all they may,
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Where't may be doubled 'gainst a Rainy-day.
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Nor is that all, when once abroad 'tis talk'd,
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That Margery and Nell have here a Stock;
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They then will pass for House-wives, Money'd Folk,
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And Sweet-hearts will apace unto them flock;
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Whence they may pick and chuse, and Husbands take,
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Will love them dearly for their Moneys sake.
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But above all, from hence will flow a Bank
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Of Lumber-Credit, will the Trades-man raise;
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Whose Art and Study's only for a Rank
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Of Egypts Taskers, they do wear the Bayes
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[?]urs, and the Artist's gains
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Are only Bread and Water for his pains.
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This they pretend, because they bear a stock,
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Which the poor Trades-man can by no means do,
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Nor never shall he by your bit and knock,
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When all his profit doth redound to you.
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But here's a Salve that cure will this Sore,
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He shall have Money on't to pay his Score.
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The honest Farmer also here will find
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Relief and Credit when the Market's dull,
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His Landlord may be needy, or unkind,
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His Rent is wanting, though his Barns are full.
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Money he hath not, sell to loss he's loth,
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Ingage it here, and so 'twill answer both.
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This will prevent the Law-less Massie Bill,
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Pretending Law, though in a Tyrants hand,
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And keep us quiet sore against their will,
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Who swarm like Flesh-Flies all about the Land:
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A sort of Vermin haunting every Village,
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That do their Food from Country People pillage.
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The Widow also, and the Fatherless,
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Whose Fortune's often left i'th hands of trust,
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By his default are oft made Penny-less;
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And then poor Souls they all a-begging must.
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Thus e're the good Man's cold within his Grave,
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His Children's ruin'd by this Trustee Knave.
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The Registry will hinder this abuse
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Done to poor Infants when their Friends are gone,
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If but incerted here unto their use,
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'Twill be secured unto every one.
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Hark, and be wise, ye tender Fathers all,
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Prevent the Cheats may on your Children fall.
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Here could I add above an hundred more
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That would be happy by this honest Deed
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For every one I named there's a score
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Would find relief and comfort at their need:
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Defending thousands from the Prisons ill,
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And with cheap Bread the hungry Bellies fill.
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Therefore in brief acquit your selves like those
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True English-men who Vertue did imbrace,
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No longer be a Prey unto your Foes,
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But let them know you'r of that Noble Race
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That scorn such Actions might dishonour bring
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Unto themselves, their Country, or their King.
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Now to conclude, let all of loyal mind
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Humbly beseech the King and Parliament,
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That of their goodness they would be so kind
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To pass this Act our Ruines may prevent,
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Grant England may a Registry but have,
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None need to fear the double-dealing Knave.
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