An EASY WAY To Get Money, CUM PRIVILEGIO, Without Fear or Cumber.  Proverbs Chap. 1. vers. 11, 12, 13, 14. 
If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for Blood; Let us Lurk privily for the Innocent without cause.  
Let us Swallow them up alive, as the Grave; and whole, as those that go down into the Pit.  
We shall find all precious substance; We shall fill our Houses with spoil  
Cast in thy ●ot amongst us; let us have all one Purse.  
Printed for the Society of Informers, in the Year 1671.   

An Easy Way to Get Money, Cum Privilegio, without Fear or Cumber.  
TO all you that can work, and will not; and to all those that through other ways of Extravigancy have brought yourselves into Debt, Necessity, or other Wants, (for your speedy supply, and future support) there is an opportunity put into your hands, that is both Safe, Profitable, and Honourable, etc. (It is to be Informers.)  
First, it is an Easy Way; it is no more than this, Seek out where there is in any House, Barn, Stable, or Backside, five Persons, besides the People of the Family; though they spoke never a Word; yes if you Swear it is a Conventicle, than it is a Conventicle; it is no matter if there were never a thought in their hearts, as to Plotting, or Contriving Insurections, (for which the Law was made) they being there, its sufficient to have them Fined five Shillings apiece, the first Time, and Twenty Pounds for the House; and for the second Time ten Shillings apiece, and if the Justice be not well advised, it may be for the second Time for the House, you may get twenty Pounds more, although the Act doth not grant it. And of all this it is said the thirds is yours, this you may easily have; for the Justices are afraid of your power; for you have them under your ice, so they will not much question you, lest they be counted fanatics; and they know that if they do not please your wills, your power is such, that you may recover fifty Pounds, for your parts, by Action Suit, Bill or Plea in any of his Majesty's Courts at Westminster: wherein no essoign, Protection, Wager of Law shall Ly. Can your hearts desire more? Who will nor be Informers? That must have all Clauses construed most largely, and Beneficially to their Justification, and Encouragement.  
Secondly, it is Profitable, For beside the twenty Pounds, and ten Shillings apiece for Meeting. Yet if you can but Tempt any by your Questions, or other Provocations to Speak but a Word, to Answer you, it will serve to make him a Preacher, and then for the first there is twenty Pounds, and the second forty Pounds, it's no matter what is Spoke, or to what Concern, if you Swear, you did hear such a One spoke, it is enough to make him a Preacher.  
And as to the inability, there is no danger, that you should fall short of your Salary. For you can by your Power make void (that old and supposed true Proverb) where it is not to be had the King must lose his Right. But your Prerogative is such, that if the Offender hath it not, you can command your Servants, to Levy it on any other that is not an Offender in that nature, provided he be there, otherwise an Apeal will be granted.  
And for certainty of your Salary, you exceed all Lords of Manners, who have only Manner Courts, with Stewards, Reeves, and Tenants. For you have four Sessions in the Year, and instead of Stewards, all the Justices of each County, sit to gather your Rents (gratis) and all the Constables, Churchwardens, and Overseers, in the County, are your Reeves, to bring in your Rents, on Penalty of forfeiring five Pounds apiece; and some through your dread have ventured so far as to break Locks (which is a Power more than the Barons of the Exchequer can grant to serve an Execution) so that none must gainsay your will; and if any Action be disputable, all must be Construed most Largely, and Beneficially, for your Justification, and Encouragement; that is, to put you in heart in your erterprises. The Justices must have a regard to your diligence: So no Error shall be counted an Error in you, though you Swore there were above four, though you were not there; and this must be a Record and a sufficient conviction against any whom you please to accuse.  
And though that People, that do not know your Power, may prate of Magna Charta, with his Trial by two Juries of their, equals, and in open Court, where they may have Council to plead for them; You may tell them, that that is common Law, but this is a special Law, made only for you; and all things therein must be construed in Favour to you; and the Justices must have a special regard to your diligence. And as to Magna Charta that allows of so much disputing in public, by Lawyers and Councillors, which make a linger business of a small matter, with their Writs of Error, and Removes to London, and then down again: So that a man is along time before he is undone; so that a man is keep in hopes and fear, which is worse than death itself.  
Now this special Law foreseeing the inconvenience of the former tract and common road, by which men came to a linger death, hath provided a more speedy way, by making Informers; for now a man (by them) may be Convicted in private, (without having so many scolding Lawyers) and have all his Goods taken from him in two hours' Time, and the man not know of it before it be done: So a man cannot be long in Trouble, but may be upon a new resolve, and his mind quiet.  
And if any shall object against you, and call you Knights of the Post, and that you swear for a Reward, and that the Law doth not admit of any to swear, that is to have any Profit by swearing. For answer, you may tell them, that the Knights of the Post do take money to swear, for one man against another, to carry a Trial: But you do as duty binds you, to swear for the King; and if for this, the Law allows you a reward, who shall gainsay you? Your Law is as good as any other Law, which none dare gainsay.  
Moreover, you may tell them, That there was a necessity of making this Law after this manner; For there was a dull spirit in Magistrates and Officers every where; and therefore those Former Laws became a dead Letter, and died through want of Execution; But since that we have been Booted and Spurred, we have Spared them up, with our Hundred and five Pound Spurts, that we have tried the mettle of all; So that there is none we know of, but what runs agallop; and some run so fast, by reason of our Spurs, that they put more Spirit in the Law, than ever was intended by the Parliament.  
And moreover, this way of Information is the way of all ways; For it is like to bring all to your Reformation, without they will choose Desolation; So that all the former Limited Acts of great Fines, Banishment, and upon Return Death, all these were of no value; For these though they were great Fines, yet the Distresses were according to Law, to be Praised, and over plusses to be returned; But now, though the Fine be but small in words, yet a hundred pounds worth of Goods may be taken for ten shillings; For there is no overplus to be Returned back, nor no Goods to be Praised; so there is no value to be put on any thing that is taken; So there is no withstanding the Informers unlimited power; they can command all the Militia, House and Foot, with the Deputies Lieufienants, Sheriffs, and other Officers, in every County to serve their will in all things, and at all times; as if the Sabbath were only made for them.  
Thirdly, it is safe; For the back Door is shut, for that none can appeal from your Servants, nor to them neither, if they neglect but seven Days, and they having had a hand in your business; for you have forced them to give out Warrants, in the Execution of your power; so there is no fear of letting it pass against themselves: For your swearing offends none, neither can you be troubled; it is the Justices that give the Warrant, and Officers that Execute it; never fear that they will condemn themselves; so all must pass for you; and you can terrify them with this Clause in the Act, that all must be Construed most Largely, and Benificially, to your Justification and Encouragement: So do what you will, you need not fear to be condemned; For than they will condemn themselves.  
And here you will have treble Cost too; so you will be Gainers on all hands; And never fear of bringing Suits in other Courts; For your Servants, the Justices, must finally determine all.  
Again, consider, besides the power granted you, the dread and fear that People are in, that are under your Task-mastership, how irregularly they break the Laws to please you; So Terrible you are to them, that one Constable shall undo ten men, rather than call your will in Question: Now the ●aw saith that rationally (considering there is no order of Praising and returning overplusses) that the levying of the Distresses, should not be in any one Office, or Officers hand, in any Parish; but doth authorise and require, every Constable Headborough, Tythingman, Churchwardens, Overseers of the Poor, Respectively to do it; it doth not say, either of them, or any of them, or the major-part of them; But every of them. And so according to this Act, is the Justice's Warrant to be made, which is but Rational, like the eight or twelve men of a Parish to make a Rate, and not for a Covetous Envious Constable to be Informer, Distrainner, and Levyer, and never give an account for any thing above five shillings; and of that he hopes to have a third Part too; and it is a great Question in Law whether there be to be a Pluralliy of Offices, especially when the Informer is one.  
Fellow my fancy; whether wilt thou go? out of the way, well to return again.  
To encourage those new installed Officers, which regard must be had unto; I say, if any should be so mad, as to pretend a disorderly proceeding, in the taking away of his Goods; Yet it will not fall upon you; it will fall upon your Vassals and Slaves, who do your druggery, who enter into men's Grounds, and take away their Cattle, and enter into men's Houses and Shops, and take away their Goods and Tools, by which they should get Bread for their Children: but for your parts, who are the Informers, you need not take the trouble, nor fear the Danger, only to come at the Sessions, to receive your Rents, of your Stewards; it is no question but that these your Reeves will bring it in; For they are responsable Men; For they are the full Body of Officers in every Parish, as Constables, Headboroughs, Tything-men Church wardens, Overseers. And moreover, they can take all that a man hath for ten shillings, and if one man hath it not, they may take it from another that hath it, and sell good Pennyworths; For they shall never be questioned for the Price, nor return any back; so you are upon better, and more sure Terms, than the best Lords in the Land, for any Estate they hold; For if those men, aforesaid, do Omit or Neglect their Duty, there is a Penalty of five Pounds apiece for their so Neglect; and in some Parishes there are so many of those your Servants, as it may come to Forty or Fifty Pounds; the least Parish comes to Thirty Pounds; and of all this, the Third part is yours. So let it go which way it will, Money will be sure for you; For all must be most Largely Construed to your Benefit, Justification and Encouragement.  
And never fear Old Magna Charta's After-claps, which was made in time of Popery, with his public Authorising, Scowlding before the Country, with Lawyers Contending one against the other, and troubling the Country to come to Assizes and Sessions,  
But this is New Magna Charta, that puts you in Office, whose Oath in a private Chamber, is a full Conviction; and must be a Record, though it be but before one Justice: So you being Fstablished, end all the Former Labyrinth of Trouble and Cumber, which was made in time of Popish Darkness.  
And if any yet will contend with you about the Constitutions of it, the Nation, & their Privilleges, to have their Accusers Face to Face, and to be Judged by their Equals, Twelve honest Men of the Neighbourhood, and in Case of any Corruption there, to Appeal to the King's Court at West-minster, or to the King himself in Chancery, which is called the Court of Conscience.  
As in answer to that, tell them, the Parliament now is of as much Power to Repeal that, as they were to make it; For they are the Legislative Power; and is not the Last Will, and Testament of a dead Man, the standing Will, that must be put in Execution. As for having the Accusers Face to Face, and Appeals, this was Romish, in Bloody Bonner's Time, and we must not take a precedent of his Romish Laws, for Christians: What a Cumber was about Paul, with their Tedious Laws? As when the Captain of the Castle took him from the Jews, and Commanded him to be Examined with Scourging, and as they bond him with thongs, Paul said to the Centurion that stood by; is it lawful for you to scourge a Roman uncondemned? this their Romish way was, to set Offenders before the Council, and then again to the Council, and Accusers brought, and then again with two Hundred Soldiers, and Seventy Horse men, and Speer men, two Hundred to go to the Governor, and to defend the Accused against his Adversary's; And then again to Caes●r; and all this Troublesome and Chargeable Way was, because they did not know this quick, and easy Way of Informers.  
Fourthly, As to the Honourableness of the Office, Is it not Honourable enough to command Lieutenants of Counties? Deputy Lieuftenants, Sheriffs, Captains of all the Militia Horse and Foot, to follow the Informers, where they will? Are not you Generals? This is more than to be a Centarlon, that had only Soldiers under him. So much for the Militia.  
As to the Civil Power, the Justices are your Secretaries, and all other Parocal Officers, (as aforesaid) are your Slaves and Vassals, only the Judges are freed from your Servitude, only they have their Laws by themselves, that you are not to meddle with, and you your Laws that they are not to meddle with, And is as the Laws of the Meads and Persians, not to be altered, till the Parliament see your Ambitious Tyranny.  
As to the obtaining of this Office you need not to be at any great Charge or Cost to Purchase it, not to run in Debt to fit yourselves with Cuterments, to set you forth: For be you in what Equipage you will, all Officers Dread you. And your very Name is enough to make Hundreds flee before you; and the very first Conventicle, you Enter, you may Commence Doctors; the Study is not long, that you should lose so much time at the Ends-of-Court, to Study the Old Magna Charta; that one becomes an Old Man, before he be able to Construe it; For the Egyptians did figure Justice to be a Blind Old Man, with an equal Balance in his Hand, and Studients and People have ever since been looking, and wagering, which way the Balance would Turn; And some presume to say this was Old Magna Charta: But now, as to you, there is no need to study Contrivances, or which Way the Scale shall Turn; For all may see plainly the Scale Turns to you; For all must be Construed most Largely and Beneficially to your Justification and Encouragement.  

And if you will not this believe,  
The Act confirms, though some do grieve.   
And that there may be no exceptions against any that shall take this Office upon them, observe these Cautions.  
First they must be neither Payers nor Receivers, in any Parish; For then the Lawyers will Object, that they are Parties; For that either of them will have a Benefit by it, which they call Illegal  
And as for Profession they must be no Jews; For they were not to Covet their Neighbour's Ox, nor Ass, nor any thing that was their Neighbour's.  
Neither Gentiles; For they had Conscience accusing, and did by Nature the things Contained in the Law, having the Law writ in their Hearts.  
Neither Christians; For they say, they Forsake the Devil, and all his Works, and all the Lust's of the Flesh; and not to hurt any by Word, nor Deed; Which is less than Sweeting.  
And as for the Turk's Profession, I know not what it is; If there may arise any, so be it; For the Rest Profess the Contrary.  
A true Bill is no Lybil; And for any in whose Hands, this may come, If they fear any Danger in it, they ought not to Conceal it; But to bring it before some Justice, or the chief Magistrate of the Place, with an account how they came to it, and then they are Innocent: then if it cannot clear itself, let it lie in Prison tell it Perish.  
And so there's an end.