THE RELIEF OF THE POOR, and ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING: Proposed.  
By HUMPHREY BARROW, (dureing the War) a Member of the Army.  Qui citò dat, bis dat. 
DUBLIN, Printed by WILLIAM BLADEN, Anno Dom. 1656.   

TO HIS EXCELLENCY The Lord HENRY CROMWELL, Commander in chief of the Forces of IRELAND.  
And the rest of the honourable Commanders, and inferior Officers, now, and late of the Army.  
THAT Glorious Success with which God hath crowned your honourable Actions, in the rescue of this precious Land out of those hands that without cause were imbrued in the blood of our Country; is yet so fresh and warm in every ingenious heart, that (I hope) a Proposal, tending to a sacrificious gratitude to the Lord of Hosts, (by whose mercy and mighty arm, we are what we are) will not be unseasonably presented to any person concerned in this Address. Wherein I have humbly assumed the confidence to mind You of the pious Customs of the Soldiers and Servants of GOD in former Ages; nay of the laudable (though blind) Devotions of Pagans and Infidels, as Sacred, and other History do (amply) manifest: who no sooner could sound Victoria after a War, but up go the Altars, and on go the Sacrifices, in retribution of thanks to that Deity each held in veneration.  
IT is true, we have (in the progress of this War) afforded GOD some Days of ; and he (at last) having given us the issue of our hopes; the Blessing and Harvest of our Blood and Sweat: those would all look like days of hellish Hypocrisy, if we should not now present him with some Deeds of ; and Sacrifices being ceased, we have an Opportunity to exercise what he loves better, which is, Mercy.  
Not then to hold You any longer in the Portch of Expectation, I here present You in one hand, the Aged, the Infirm, the Orphan, to be provided for by way of Hospital: and in the other hand, that yet-in-its-Morning (but hopeful) light of this Land, the University of DUBLIN, for Addition of Revenue. To carry on both which, I wish GOD would persuade each heart herein concerned, to allow one Acre of Land out of each hundred due to him; which granted, there is little doubt but the Adventurers, to whom GOD hath given so fair 〈◊〉 Return of their pious Loans; and Purchasers of Debentures, who have least reason to oppose, will do the like: And the same deducted from each man's Proportion, to be cast into a single, or what several Parcels, the wisdom of the Government sh●ll judge convenient.  
Perhaps some may object, That this Motion comes too late, much of the Land being already disposed of, (and I grant, had it been thought of sooner, it had been effected with less trouble, but) Volenti nil difficile, we should not in the least pa●●e at the difficulty, were it to serve our own particularss▪ and indeed, considered in the best sense, it is so, if we expect a blessing upon the rest of our Estates; or if there be any wisdom in laying up treasure in Heaven: for this shall be surer to your houses, than the brains of all the Lawyers that ever trod WESTMINSTER-Hall met in one scull, can make the rest.  
For who knows how soon, prodigal Heirs (ordinarily the Issue of penurious Fathers) shall make havoc of those Estates, the hundredth part whereof, might, though not merit, have brought a blessing upon you to all eternity. A fair warning for the observance of that precious inch of Scripture, Whilst you have time do good; lest whilst you are rotting, your Heirs, be revelling; and they damned for spending upon their lusts, what you were damned for denying the Lazar.  
And if there be any (though I hope better things) that shall strain at this Gnat, I wonder how they would have be haved themselves towards that Camel, laid before the Young man in the Gospel, Ali that thou hast. Remember the widow's mite, and the superlative testimony our Saviour gave of it. Poor woman! it was all she had, and this a fleece out of a flock.  
And I dare affirm Ananias and Sapphira (laying aside their lie) were Saints, compared to such as shall say to this Proposal, I'll consider of it.  
If we can pay the fourth part of our Rents to these Commonwealths, we may blush before the Angels to deny the hundredth part to the Commonwealth of CHRIST: For this is not to denude your walls of their hang, to cover the flesh of the poor; nor your Coaches of their leather, to make them shoes; your supernecessarie pampered Steeds of their Horse-cloaths, to make them Shirts; nor your Mangers of their Provender, to fill their Ovens; though all these might well be abated to relieve the meanest Member of CHRIST. GOD hath given to many amongst us vast Estates, large possessions; he hath given us the Land and labours of our Enemies, beings that we neither built nor planted; nay he hath given us our lives for a prey, when thousands as valiant, as precious, as worthy, as we, lie now rotting in contemptible ditches. And shall we not help our Brethren to live with us? That Saying is as good as old. Non nobis sol●m nati sumus, we are not born only for ourselves; and I hope we did not altogether fight for ourselves; but shall be tried by this trifle, though what is here urged as an act of Charity, and as yet carries no other face, may to after ages be rendered an act of Polity; and that thus Sustenance and Science being the subject matters here pressed, who knows but that casting his bounty and bread upon the waters now, he may after many days find them in the bellies and brains of his needy posterity.  
Perhaps there may be some who set a low rate upon that Beauty and Glory of Humanity, Learning, which sanctified, restores us nearest to the Image of GOD: but if there be, (as I hope few) they must give me leave to believe they are such as would have the eyes both of Church and Commonwealth put out, that they might have the leading of them.  
It was highly in question which was the saddest Persecution, that under Dioclesian, or that under Julian the Apostate; the first labouring the destruction of all the bodies of the Saints, and the last of all books, that no memory of GOD or Religion might remain: but the last was concluded infinitely transcendent, as a device that would have thrown the world into a deeper than Egyptian darkness.  
'Tis true, there are many who (I have charity to believe) mean well, and much mind the enlargement of the bounds of the Church, and opening a way for the light of the Gospel in its purity to shine upon the freckled face of the erroneous World: But alas! that's hard to be done by a language that hath no acquaintance abroad; nor could ever travel farther than the verges of our own shores, save amongst our own Colonies; and not communicable to other Nations by any universal Rule. I must needs grant that CHRIST in the election of his Apostles, made choice of poor ignorant labouring men; but I hope none will deny, that though he found them such, yet after the sealing of their great Commission to preach the Gospel by the Holy Ghost, in cloven tongues, they went away the most sublimated Scholars that ever were or shall be upon the world. That Great Schoolmaster in a moment dispelling the mist of despicable ignorance, and filling them with all Languages and requisite Knowledge. And it is observable, that when GOD had a purpose to stay the building of Babel, and scatter mankind into fractions; he confounds their speech, and divides tongues to the Nations: but when he resolves to build up his Church, he recollects them ●l● into the Mouths of his Apostles. With some measure of which Qualification (immediate gift of tongue's being ceased) the most eminent Servants of CHRIST, and faithful promoters of the purity of his truth, have from time to time, indefatigably laboured by Nurseries of Learning to endow the Ministry.  
'Tis true, Exhortations, Reproofs, Consolations and Directions in plain and patent matters, are highly commendable in those of meanest parts; for th●y that feared the Lord spoke often one to another: but Preaching, Exposition, and the unfolding of hidden Mysteries, do modestly call for sanctified Learning and Authority. The mannagement of which Assertion, I humbly leave to those Champions of the Truth, whose Shields I am not worthy to bear.  
And now craving pardon to my prolivity, glance once again upon the poor; and wish the most obdurate wretch to lay his hand upon his heart, and consider, how his ears will one day tingle to hear that Soul-crushing charge of unkindness from the mouth of the Son of GOD, I was hungry, and ye fed me not.  
Adding only this, If there be any heart so much adamant, brow so much brass, or mind so void of Mercy as to set himself in positive Opposition to what is here suggested; or that his evil Example or Coldness, cause this great Business to fall to the ground; he must give me leave to tell him, He runs the desperate hazard of eternally sinking under the weight of all the Curses, that shall in bitterness of Spirit fall from all the trembling Aged, Anxieted, Infirm persons, and friendless Orphans, that shall ever languish upon the face of this fruitful Land, from this day to the day of Judgement.  
In regard the effecting of this great Work, may (to some dull Spirits) seem difficult, the ensuing Suggestions are humbly offered to consideration.  
I. That Commissioners of active Spirits, and  Principles, be appointed to the mannagement and carrying on of this business.  
II. That the Muster-Masters in the respective Provinces of this Dominion, be ordered to offer it to the Subscription of every Officer relating to that part of the Army, the next Muster-day af●er he receives it from hence.  
III. That whereas some are in parcel possession of their Estates, and out of employment: the High Sheriff of every respective County, be ordered by himself or his Substitutes to tender it to the voluntary Subscription of every such person, as also to all personally possessed Adventurers and purchasers of Debentures; for the deduction of the proportion out of the part remaining due unto him.  
iv That whereas many are in possession of their full proportion of Lands, and consequently no convenient way left for contributing their proportions in kind; there are numerous precedents of persons so completed, that offer their return in money, rateably as they received each Acre.  
V That whereas it may be objected, that many so in possession of their full proportions, are not provided with ready money: the High Sheriff of every County be ordered, by himself or his Substitutes, to tender it to the voluntary Subscription of every such person, for the sum and time wherein they cheerfully consent to pay it.  
VI That what money shall so be received, be paid into a Treasury appointed for that purpose in Dublin, and laid out in purchase of land for the uses aforesaid.  
VII. That the Sheriffs of every respective County, be ordered yearly to give in their account to their Successors before a full Bench of Justices.  
VIII. That the Sheriffs and Muster-Masters aforesaid, be ordered to return hither the names of all the Dissenters, to the end that being here recorded there may be no mistake in the deductions.  
IX. That the Sheriffs do within twenty days, return all the Subscriptions to the Commissioners .  
X. That his Highness' Council for the affairs of Ireland be moved for their countenance to, and assistance in the promotion of it.  
XI. That his Highness the Lord Protector be moved to recommend it to the Adventurers in England, who are (ordinarily) cheerful contributers to works of this nature.  
XII. That the Chancellor of this University be moved to a speedy rectification, and rescue of it from disorder.  
FINIS.