The debtors apologie, or, A quaint paradox proving that it is good to be in debt, and, in this age, may be usefull for all men by T. J. Jordan, Thomas, 1612?-1685? This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A46241 of text R13851 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing J1025). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 13 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 9 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A46241 Wing J1025 ESTC R13851 13325785 ocm 13325785 99065 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A46241) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 99065) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 459:31) The debtors apologie, or, A quaint paradox proving that it is good to be in debt, and, in this age, may be usefull for all men by T. J. Jordan, Thomas, 1612?-1685? [2], 14 p. s.n., [S.l. : 1644] Reproduction of original in Huntington Library. eng Debt -- England -- Early works to 1800. A46241 R13851 (Wing J1025). civilwar no The debtor's apologie or, A quaint paradox proving that it is good to be in debt, and (in this age) may be usefull for all men. By T.J. Jordan, Thomas 1644 2460 26 0 0 0 0 0 106 F The rate of 106 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the F category of texts with 100 or more defects per 10,000 words. 2003-01 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2003-02 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2003-06 Jonathan Blaney Sampled and proofread 2003-06 Jonathan Blaney Text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-08 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion THE Debtor's Apologie OR , A QUAINT PARADOX Proving That it is good to be in Debt , and ( in this Age ) may be usefull for all Men . By T : I. Written in the yeer of Engagements , 1644. That it is good to be in Debt . WE are fallen into that dotage of the world , in which the worst thin●s do overtop the worthiest , Sence doth besot the understanding , drinke overcometh the brain , and the eye beguileth and mis-leadeth the sight ; And therefore in tender commiseration of mankinde , I will endeavour to rectifie their Judgements in a Paradox , then which there hath none more intricate been discussed and canvased among the Stoicks in Zeno's Porch , that is , That it is better for a man to live in Debt , then otherwise : Ordiar ab ovo , I will begin from an Egge , that your concoction may be the easier . In the whole course and frame of Nature , we see that nothing is made for it self , but each hath a bond of duty , of use , or of service , by which it i● , indebted to other ; The Sunne by his splendor to enlighten all the world ; by his warmth and heat , to cherish and comfort each living and vegitable creature . Yea , Man himself is so framed of God , that not onely his Countrey , his Parents , and his Frien●●s claim a share in him , but he is also indebted to his Dog , and to his Ox , the one for hunting for his pleasure , the other for labouring for his profit , so that quicquid babet genii ingenii moris amoris , the abilities of his spirit , the affections of his mind , he hath them for others as much as for himself ; nay , the more for others , by how much he desired to be the greater Lord over others . Let him but look into himself , and see how his constitutive parts are debters each to other ; the soul doth qui●ken and give life to the body , the body like an Automaton , doth move and carry it self and the sou● ; survey him in his parts , the eye seeth for the foot , the foot standeth for the hand , the hand toucheth for the mouth , the mouth tasteth for the stomack , the stomack eateth for the whole body , the body repayeth back again that nutriment which it hath received to all the parts , dis●harging the retriments b● the Port Esquiline ; and all this in so comely an order , and by a Law so certain , and in so due a time , as if Nature had rather man should not have been at all , then not to be a Debter in every part of him ; which hath made me resolve , That to whomsoever I mean to be a friend , I will strive to be in his debt : and what can I do lesse ? for to him that doth me a good turn , I am bound to return him the greatest pleasure , which I can no way do , but by being in his debt ; for what contentment will it be unto him , when I shall repay him his own again ? The Alchimist● who promise to themselves to turn Tin into Silver , and Copper into Gold , how will they be transported out of themselves with joy , if they should but see a happy issue of their attempt ? how much more a Creditor , when he shall recover a desperate debt ? it is like the joy of a Father that receives his lost Child . Again , he that is in de●t , hath this great privil●dge above other men , that his Creditors powre out ● ear●y prayer● for him , the● wish that he may live , thrive , prosper , and g●ow rich , all for t●eir own advantage , they seem to be carefull for their debtors , that they may not lose their principall with the interest , for their Money is their life ; witnesse those Usurers of France , who when they heard that the price of Corn was fallen , went and hang'd themselves for grief . What a command doth the Debtor g in over his Creditors ? he becometh in a manner their Land-Lord to whom they cap , crouch , and kneel , as if they did owe him all suits and services , and are as ambitious of their favours , as they who in Rome did canvase the people for their voyces to attain the greatest offices : but here is their cunning , laudant ut laedant , they praise them that they may prey upon them . And therefore you brave Gallants & Spend-thrifts , who find by your wofull experience , that no whip gives a shrewder lash then the labells of a Bond or Obligation , with a Noverint universi , Skinner and Lacy , whensoever y●u fall into the Mercers Books , never take care or make conscience of paying your debts , for by that means you shall keep your Creditor in awe ; and shall have him wonderfull courteous , officious , and obsequious towards you , and a great Mint-Master of fair words . Without debt and loan , the fabrick of the world will be dis-joynted and fall assunder into its first Chaos ; the beauty of the Starrs , what would it be but vastnesse , and deformity , if the Sun did not lend them light ? the earth would remain unfruitfull , if it did not borrow refreshing dews from the watery Signes and Planets ; the summer is pleasant and promiseth great hopes of plenty , but it is , because it taketh up much upon trust from the friendly and seasonable temperment of the Elements . And , to say the truth ; there is nothing good or great in the world , but that it borroweth some thing from others to make it great , or lendeth to another to make it good , and therefore I marvell why Antiquity , who made Mildew , Feaver , and Scurvig●asse Goddesses , did not Matriculate Loan and Debt among the rest . The Elements who are linked together by a league of Association , and by their symbolizing qualities , do barter and truck , borrow and lend one to another , as being the Burse and Royall-Exchange of Nature , they are by this traffique and intercourse the very life and nourishment of all sublunary bodies , and therefore are called Elimenta , quasi Alimenta , whose happy concord and conjunction hath brought forth those , whom the world for the good done to mankinde , hath esteemed Gods , as Bacchus the great Vintner , Ceres the Meal-mother , Flora the Tutty-maker , Vertumus and Pomona Costard mongers . Now if every man would render and repay in full weight , that which by due debt he oweth , and hath borrowed from others , Saturns golden age would return again , in which there was no difference of Mettalls , but Gold and Silver were all one Oare , and made the yelk of the earth , Natures great E●g ; neither did Meum & Tuum bound out , and apportionate Lands and Lordships , by Mear-stones , and diversity of tenures of socadge and focadge ; since when , qui habet terras , habet guerras , and the King of heavens peace hath been disturbed amongst men : but then all things were all mens , as necessity did allot and award , who was then the onely Judge and Arbitrator , competently allowing to every man , that which he stood in need of . With what dearnesse have both Gods and good men countenanced and gra●ed debtors ? to whom Diana the great Goddesse of Ephesus , granted her Temple for a Sanctuary , to keep them out of Pagwell Pigeon Houses , or if they were caught , Solon , by a sollemn law infacted , would not have their bodies to be fettered or manicled amongst Malefactors , but that they should enjoy their liberty throughout all the Parks and Purlues of the Prison , or , to speak more mildly , of their restraint and indurance ; for the Prison is built Purgatory-wise , after the architecture of Rome with a Limbus and Tullianum ; The Dungeon is the Devills pinfold and the very suburbs of hell , where Varlets , Roarers , and stiletto-stabbers are let down , as the proper food that stuffs that greedy Ma● ; the next Room is the Lollard of Trunck-hosed Famelists and Separatists , who after they have been rowelled in the neck , to cure them of the Megrim of the head , they are by the gentle flame of this ●●ove , and the heat of their own zeal , made to sweat our their contumacy and other peccant humours ; the upper skirt and stage of this building , is the Garret of expencefull Wasters , Gamesters , and unthrifty Debtors , where though they live robbed of their liberty , as they rifled others of their Money , yet is it their great happinesse , that being glutted , as it were , with an Aplaustick voluntary life , they have an easie overture made to the contemplative and practick life of vertue : Who ever lived more like a souc'd Gurn-head amongst men , then Diogenes the Cynick , barrelling himself up in his Tub like a Kegg of Sturgion ? yet was the happinesse of his contented life envyed of the greatest Monarchs , who having made their throats the through-fare and the Cullenders of meats and drinks , found an over-gorged Belly to be Wits clog , Reasons Sepulcher , Lusts-Arsenall , the Magazin of lewd practises , and the Nursery of all Vices : all which provocations are defaulted by debts , wants , and indigency . And lastly , the Lumbards , Usurers , and Scriveners , who are the Bedles of begga●s , and are accounted the Tetters upon the body politique of the Common-weale , who turn the Kalends and new M●ons , and the festivall dayes of quarter gaudies , into the octaves of disaster , & Dooms-dayes-reckonings ; when any of these come to heaven , there is a wonderment amongst the Angells , and they cry out with Sir Guzman of Alfarache , fruta nueva , fruta nueva ; here is a new kinde of fruit start up , a Pum-paradice upon a Crab-stock , Lumbards and Scriveners are become the Popes cannonized and beatified Saints . Farwell then , Vlpianus , Modestinus and other Pettifoggers of the Law , Sollicitors and molesters of causes , who account being in debt a kinde of bondage and fervitude . I pitty Seneca's weaknesse , who blushed to borrow , Miserum verbum , & dimisso vultu proferendum , rogo : That Poet Laureat forfeited his wreath of Bayes and Ivy-twine , who made his prayers to his Purse , to keep him out of debt , in this manner . To you my Purse , and to none other wight Compla●n I , for you to be my Lady deer : I am sorry now that you be light , For certes yee now make me heavy cheer , Me were as lefe laid upon a beer . For which unto your mercy thus I cry , Be heavy again , or else mote I dye . Now vouchsafe this day , or it be night , That I of you the blisfull sound may heare , Or see your colour , like the Suny bright That of yellownesse had never pere Ye be my life , ye be my hearts fler● ; Queen of comfort and of good company Be heavy again , or else mote I dye . Now Purse , that art to me my lives light , And Saviour as down in this world here , Out of this Town help me by your might , Sith that you will not be my treasure , For I am shave as neer as any frere , But I pray unto your courtesie , Be heavy again or else mote I dye . Yet welfare the prodigall unthrift who is Magis promus quam condus , and serves at the Buttery hatch , whatsoever is in his Bin or his Barrell , and therefore could never endure the complaint of his Purse , who thus bemoan'd her self unto him . Materia infoelix , detracta cadavere , forma Tam varia , ut nec ego me mihi posse queam , Haud melius fatum , nam pendeo more latronis , Ingenium sic me fueris habere puyant . Si dederis servo , servatunt reddo petenti , Non nisi at auriculis tracta referre volo . A Skin flai'd off , makes my materials , My form is various , where my self I loose , My doom a fellons death and funeralls , For at a belt I am hang'd by a noose , I do not filch for mine own thrift and gain But what you give , I closely keep and bear , And when you aske , I it restore again , Yet not , except you pluck me by the eare . For the Al-te-maell , and foot of the reckoning , this is the summa summarum , debemur morti nos nostraque so that whil'st I live , I must resolve to live in debt , in debt to God for my Being , in debt to Christ for my Well being ; in debt to Gods sanctifying spirit , for my New being , and I will ever be ready to pawn my life for my Countreys liberty ; I will owe obedience to my parents , faith and loyalty to my Prince , and when I shall pay my great debt unto Nature , I will render my spirit into the hands of God , bequeath my Body to be deposed in the lap and bosom of the earth , and cry Domine Demitte debita mea . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A46241e-100 1 Aerugo ; 2 Febris . 3 Phoris . Ocleve in Chaucer .