A BRIEF SURVEY OF THE Growth of Usury IN ENGLAND. With the Mischiefs attending it.  
London Printed in the Year 1671.   

A brief SURVEY of the growth of VSURY in ENGLAND, with the MISCHIEFS attending it.  
IT is by all confessed, That from the first planting of Christianity in this Island, the practice of Usury was not only branded with Church Censures, but exposed to grievous Penalties besies public Infamy: For by the Statute 3 H. 7. even the Brokers of Usurious Bargains were to stand in the Pillory. The Act 35 H. 8. (limiting it to ten per Cent.) was the first Law that gave it any protection, though without any Colour of Allowance in point of Conscience; Nevertheless, the Papists with open mouth than cried shame of it; And it grew to a Proverb, That Usury was the Brat of Heresy. Anno 5. E. 6. the said Statute was repealed, and Usury again condemned, whereby that Reproach for the time was silenced. The growht of Trade, and improvement after the dissolution of Monasteries, caused much more borrowing than in former times: And as the Usurers of that Age, did by their very practice declare how little they valued Conscience or Credit, (being ipso facto excommunicated) so were their terms of lending most exorbitant: Whereupon the Statute 35 H. 8. was 13 Eliz. seasonably revived and reinforced, and their boundless Extortions again limited to ten per cent. A Rate at that time judged not to be inconsistent with Improvements; But with how little Countenance to Usurers, the Act itself will witness by this Preamble; Forasmuch as all Usury being against the Law of God, is sinful and detestable, etc. The Papists however renewed their Clamours, not otherwise answered then by recriminating them with the allowance of Fornication at Rome, which when they alleged, That they did by no means allow but rather regulate, for that they could not suppress it. The Protestant than replied, that no more did they in the Case of Usury. That such was the sense of our first Reformers, appears not only by the last recited Act, but divers learned Treatises, and pious Sermons of that time, especially of those of Renowned Bishop Jewel, and Bishop Downham, who from their jealousy of our Church's honour could not brook the Calumny of an Usurer's Reformation, wherein none were more generous, than many honest Puritans, such as Whitaker, Smith, Rogers, etc. who scorned to come behind the best, in decrying Sin, or clearing Scandal: Nay we read of a famous Sect of Precifians about that time, who allowing Infant-Baptisme, yet denied it to the Children of notorious Libertines and Usurers.  
One would now marvel, how a Practice so generally and notably exploded, should so suddenly gain such Allowance, for in a slender interval of time, we find it creditably asserted faintly disputed; This Mystery may be worth unfolding. Certain it is, the Puritans of that Age, were at first highly confident of their Interest in the State, and hoped, if not to Engross, yet at least to Share the Government: The notable proofs they had newly given of their Constancy in Queen Mary's time, with the Turks, recommended by the Example of divers zealous Ministers, who themselves desired to pass for Orphans of the first Rank, swallowed without chewing, by their credulous Disciples, who never suspected poison having such tasters: From them easily dispersed, not more by the credit of its affectors, than its own allurements and singular convenience, to persons purely contemplative and men of profession: Thus Usury entered like a flood upon a breach, and With continual success carries all before it.  
For by this single stratagem, they avoid all contribution of Tithes and Taxes to the King, Church, Poor, etc. (A sovereign Cordial to tender Consciences;) they decline all services and offices of burden incident to visible Estates; They escape all Oaths, and Ties of public Allegiance or private Fealty; They little regard forfeitures or Penal Laws; They wave all manner of Hospitablity or honest expense; They sculk, yet swarm in Cities and good Towns; with no care or trouble, little notice, much leisure, and rare opportunity of running to Lectures and Conventicles, They enjoy both the secular applause of prudent conduct, and withal, the spiritual comfort of thriving easily and devourly, (no doubt by special privilege, for so most part of the Worldlings are observed not to do) leaving their Adversaries the censure of improvidence, together with the misery of Decay: They keep many of the Nobility and Gentry in perfect Vassalage, (as their poor Copyholders') which eclipses Honour, enervates Jústice, and  times protects them in their boldest contempts: By engrossing Cash and Credit, they in effect give the price to Land, and Law to Markets: By commanding ready money, they likewise command such Offices as they wisely affect, (viz.) of little Noise or Dignity, but great Profit and Influence: They undermine their Adversaries Estates, and weaken their Interests, but seather and enlarge their own Nests, the Corporations: They give vast Portions with their Daughters, which not only recommonds them to powerful Alliances, but sets the Dice upon the Nobility and Gentry, to the greater ruin and eclipse of Noble and Loyal Families. Lastly, they are perfectly weather-wise, and by the help of their Sentinels and perspectives, can upon timely foresight of a Storm, by cleanly conveyance, readily dispose of their Affairs, and shist their Country: For what is London more to them than Amsterdam, or Old-England than New? A Doctrine of such accommodation to the Godly, must needs be revealed from above, and who would not then be their Proselyte?  
The Result of my discourse is this, That as the Doctrine of allowing Usury for a Calling or Livelihood, is altogether new, so the present general practice is dangerous, the contrivance subtle and deep, That the concealment of great Estates thereby, (perhaps to near half the Capital Stock and real value of this Kingdom) hath long been, and now more than ever is the Canker of Loyalty, and Nurse of Disobedience Inhuman: The Discovery, Taxing, Reducement, or any other Curb of Usury, is in effect the Discovery, Taxing, Reducement, and Curb of Faction, the prefervative of the sound, and Corrosive of the unsound, So as it were hard to say, whether it more immediately concern the good of the Prople, or safety of the Crown, timely to provide for it.   
FINIS.