The ART of THRIVING Or, The way to GET and KEEP MONEY: Being, A Seasonable Caution to Slothful Drones and Prodigal Spend-thrifts: Containing sundry Excellent Rules and Observations for Promoting Good-Husbandry, and Banishing Idleness and Profuseness, the certain Parents of Poverty: Principally intended for an Admonition to Youth, but necessary to be practised by all persons in these hard Times; and to be set up in every Family.  
THough Complaints of Poverty and scarcity of Money are unhappily become no less general than lamentable; so that wherever we go, our Ears are assaulted with the sad rhetoric of Beggary; and our Eye with deplorable objects of pity: yet must it be acknowledged, That we rail Impertinently at the hardness of the Times, since 'tis ourselves that make them such; men generally by sloth or vanity, negligence or extravagance, twisting those chains of necessity wherein they lye entangled; wherefore since Diseases are not cured with our Cries, nor Miseries redressed by Lamentations, let every one wipe his Eyes, and make use of his Head and his Hands to preserve or recover himself out of the Quagmire of Want: It being certain that still every man in Health and Strength; may forge himself out a Fortune by Industry and Frugality, and obtain( though not a splendid yet) a comfortable subsistence.  
The general Cause of Poverty, is either Profuseness, or not Improving those Talents God hath lent us: Of the first Kind, we may reckon up,  
1. One to be gaudy in apparel, and we will rank it first, because 'tis most visible; How do many shipwreck their Credits, and score vast sums in Silk-mens, Mercers, Drapers, Taylors, or Semstrisses Books; onely to follow some foolish New Fashion, and make themselves ridiculous Apes; or at best but like the Cynnamon three, whose bark is more worth than its body: when a thrifty wise person can accouter himself with good decent and creditable Apparel for half or a third part of the others charge. Can our best studied Fashion-mongers tell us what use there is of Lace-bands of six, seven, or eight pounds, nay forty or fifty pounds a Hand? Or of such daubing of Coats or Petticoats with Gold Lace, or Silver Points of Five or Eight pound the dozen, merely to dangle at their Knees? Persons that have the Kernel of Wisdom and Magnanimity, seldom give much regard to the Shell of gaudy Apparel; and a Gentleman in a plain Cloth sui● well made, may decently appear in the presence of the greatest Monarch in Christendom.  
2. A Liquorish Tooth or Extravagant Diet: What waste do our young Gallants make at their Treats at Taverns or French Ordnaries? I have known three or four of them spend Forty or Fifty Shillings a piece, for a Dinner or Supper; when two Dishes of seven or eight shillings price, had been as pleasant, and much more nourishing and wholesome. No less vain is extravagancy in ordinary House-keeping, variety of Dishes does but oppress Nature and disturb Digestion; the Belly never balances accounts: What madness is it therefore to keep such a stir to gratify it? especially where all things are to be bought in by the penny, and Servants are trusted to be our Purveyors.  
3. Drinking, or( as they nick-name it) Good-fellowship, is not onely a shrewd Drainer of the Purse, but a great Consumer of Time; thereby causing neglect of business, and many times rendering one incapable of doing any thing some dayes after: besides it weakens the Body, impairs the Intellectuals, brings into ill company, ruins ones credit, and leads to a thousand inconveniences: for what folly, mischief, or villainy, will not a man engage in when he is drunk?  
4. Courting of Women; Experienced Solomon calls a Whore a deep Ditch, and certainly whosoever follows her Enticements, though his way seem paved with Delight, treads to paths of Destruction: and though he have never so plentiful an Estate, shall in short time find emptiness in his Purse, rottenness in his Bones, horror in his Conscience, and infamy entailed upon his memory: Nor is it any other than a foolish vanity to treat any Women often at extraordinary expenses; for if they be virtuous, they will not expect it, if otherwise they do not deserve it.  
5. game, Is the High-way to Beggars-Bush; a bewitching vanity, that will not suffer a man to keep his money in his pocket, without putting it to the hazard of a Throw, whether it shall continue his own, or be anothers I have known a poor Citizen so be sotted with this itch of Shaking the Elbow, that no sooner could he get Half a Piece or a Piece, but away he must go, till he had played it away every farthing; though his poor Wife and half a dozen small Children, were ready in the mean time to starve for want of Bread; and himself glad to drink Water or Small Beer for a Fortnight after.  
6. Suretyship, has been an Eminent Gulf to swallow fair Estates; so much the more lamentable, because it falls upon persons of the best nature; easily inveigled by Crafty Knaves to engage for their own debts, which they never intend to pay themselves. That old Emblem I have seen, was very significant in such Cases; of a brisk gallant young Heir, sliding down the great end of a Hunters Horn with ease; but cruelly pinched and tatterred at the coming ●orth at the small end; with one of his Brother fools standing hard by, laughing at him; and this Motto, 
Facilis descensus Averni,  
At revocare gradum, &c.  
'tis easy into Hell to fall,  
But to get back from thence is all.   
7. Trusting to Servants, We use to say, The Eye of the Master. makes the Horse fat; Sure I am, the not having an eye to Servants, will make his Purse lean; what with Idleness, Waste, and Embezlements, he will find a sensible Consumption in his Estate, if he do not well examine their accounts, and continually suspect their doings.  
In short, whoever would Thrive, must continually have an eye to Frugality, a virtue that is the Root of all Liberality: For that by Retrenching unnecessary expenses, avi ding much Buying, continual Borrowing, superfluous Buildings, vexatious Law-suits for Trifles, chargeable Recreations, and Expensive Studies, as the philosophers ston, or the like; preserves and maintains a plentiful Estate: which not onely renders the owners life comfortable, but also serves as a Spring, whence he can sand forth streams of Bounty upon any necessary occasion; which prodigality would soon dry up, and leave him miserable in himself and useless to others: Thus sings the witty Randolph, 
Spare not, nor spend too much, be this thy care,  
Spare but to spend, and onely spend to spare:  
Who spends too much, may want, and so complain;  
But he spends best, that spares to spend again.   
Defects of Improving what we have, are either by Sloth, one of the greatest baits the Devil has to all kind of wickedness; He that will not work, deserves not to eat; by the Apostles Rule: Remember the end of the Sluggard is miserable Beggary. Be curious sometimes to see the Morning Star draw the Curtain of the Day, or behold the Sun in Summer scatter glories as he climbs over the Eastern Hills. What a shane it is to spend half ones life-time in Dreams and Slumbers; Leave your Bed therefore, when first Sleep hath left you; left Custom renders your Body sluggish; or( what is worse) your mind a Cage of unclean thoughts. 
A●count no labour slavery,  
If honest gain accrue thereby.   
Man is born to labour, as the sparks sly upwards; saith Job: And as he shall onely fill his Throat with Air, that sits lazily expecting Fortune to drop an Estate from the Clouds into his Mouth, w●… it can onely be attained by the care of a Vigilant Head, and sweat of a Laborious Brow; so 'tis a most foolish proud humour, to continue in a wretched, sharking, necessitous condition, rather than embrace any honest Employment, that might be advantageous, merely because 'tis not so neat and genteel as we would have it: Just as if a condemned Malefactor should refuse a gracious Reprieve, because 'tis not brought him in a Silver Box, or by the hands of a Privy councillor.  
The Serious spaniard when he would bestow the bitterest Curse upon an Enemy, is wont to wish, He may be a Beggar when he is old. And truly there can scarce be a greater misery in this life, than to be then in want, when all the faculties both of mind and body being disabled to labour for supplying our necessities; leave us not so much as hope ever to raise ourselves again. The consideration of which, should effectually warn All, whilst Youth and Strength last, not to trifle them away in Vanity or Debauchery: but endeavour to lay up something as a Reserve for Gray Hairs, or a Bed of Sickness: not to speak of a thousand other across Accidents that happenning suddenly, may utterly ruin a person, if he be not a little before-hand in the world. Most true is the Proverb, 
In Summer of Youth, take pains with the Ant;  
Or in Winter of Age, live poor and in want   
The general means of Thriving, are for a man to be diligent; Nulla dies sine linea, always employed in some honest Calling, or Designs suitable to his condition, advantageous in themselves, and feasible for him to accomplish; to be vigilant, and way-lay opportunities: there being undoubtedly some offered in the course of every mans life, that may make him reasonably happy, if he have but the wit to neck them luckily. Add to this a wariness in his expenses and Bargainings, buying if possibly with ready money; preserving his Credit, by keeping touch when he appoints any payments: Affability and obliging Carriage to all in matters that cannot damnify him: but to avoid ●… gagements for any to his prejudice; nor to concern himself in others matters; not to go to law but upon necessity; then first to take good advice on his case, and afterwards to prosecute it with all imaginable vigour; that so the success may make others afraid to contend with him unjustly. 
Besides all this, discreetly for to wive,  
Is held by Wisemen a main help to thrive.   
I am not ignorant with what clamour the Libertines of the Age decry that Sacred Institution; but those that think Wedlock so Insupportable a yoke, may fancy their Gartars to be Shackles, and their Bands Halters. I fear not many have received so fully the Gift of ꝯtinence, as to observe a Single Life with a pure and inviolated Chastity( thrice happy are those that can) but if they do fly out, most certain I am, besides the wounds to their Soul, 'tis no small prejudice to their Estates and Business; having always esteemed a mistress a more chargeable convenience than a Wife; the first having still an eye to her own profit, lest her Gallant should prove unconstant; whereas the interest of the last is inseparably twisted with that of her Husband: Nor is she of small advantage to him in the management of his Affairs: Hear old Yasser on the point, 
The care of the Husband enricheth the Hutch,  
The Eye of the housewife availeth as much.  
What he does provide with Money his Drudge  
She still must look to which way it doth trudge.   
As to the choice of a Wife, having little experience myself, let me advice you in the words of the same Poet, 
Though love be in choosing far better than Gold,  
Let love come with somewhat, the better to hold.   
'tis the most critical action of a mans life; not onely his own happiness or ruin, but his relations and posterity are concerned in it; and since it can be done but once, it concerns us to consider more than twice before we undertake it: the fear of God, consent of Parents, and a fitness between the parties for each other, are requisite: A true mutual affection above all things should precede; for nothing can be a greater torment than a loathed Bed. Yet since Love is a flamme, 'tis convenient it should have some fuel of Estate, left damps of necessity extinguish it. He that weds merely for money, turns Marriage into a Bargain and Sale; and he that marries one wholly portionless, does the worst of Drudgeries for no thing. I would take the Woman for her own sake; but wellcom a bag or two as good additions, considering Wealth in Relation to her, as ciphers in arithmetic, which though signifying nothing themselves, do yet much vary the signification of those figures wherewith they are joined.  
Another way whereby some ruin themselves, is folly; undertaking things impossible or dangerous, or suffering themselves to be cheated and rook'd of what they have: For the prevention whereof there is no better way than to deal as securely with all men as if they were the veriest Knaves; then let them prove as they will, you are safe. If a man impose on you once, 'tis his fault; if twice your own: always suspect the smoothest tongues and fairest pretenders. In this sense many a man is saved by his Infidelity.  
Above all, to thrive, be very punctual in your Accounts; Register all Receipts and Disbursements, and delight often to balance them; never slight little advantages, nor contemn small expenses: The Scotch Proverb says well, Every little makes a mickle; and the Wiseman tells you plainly, That he that contemneth little things, shall fall by little and little. What vast sums do some men trifle insensibly, Hang't one pint with such a friend, t'other pot with such an Acquaintance; 'tis but twelve pence, 'tis but two pence: whereas if these superfluous expenses had but been laid up together, they might have paid the Rent at the years end, or stopped some other gap: for which now perhaps thy goods are like to be ●eized, or thy person haled away to Jail. That none may pretend ignorance, for want of arithmetic; we shall here insert,  

A Table of expenses or Wages, whereby knowing what is for one Day, you may see what it is in a Week, Month, or Year.  By the day By the week By the mon. By the year     li. sh. d. li. sh. d. li. sh. d. Pence 1 0 0 07 00 02 04 01 10 05 2 0 1 02 00 04 08 03 00 10 3 0 1 09 00 07 00 04 11 03 4 0 2 04 00 09 04 06 01 08 5 0 2 11 00 11 08 07 12 01 6 0 3 06 00 14 00 09 02 06 7 0 4 01 00 16 04 10 12 11 8 0 4 08 00 18 08 12 03 04 9 0 5 03 01 01 00 13 13 09 10 0 5 10 01 03 04 15 04 02 11 0 6 05 01 05 08 16 14 09 Shillings 1 0 07 00 01 08 00 18 05 00 2 0 14 00 02 16 00 36 10 00 3 1 01 00 04 04 00 54 15 00 4 1 08 00 05 12 00 73 00 00 5 1 15 00 07 00 00 91 05 00 6 2 02 00 08 08 00 109 10 00 7 2 00 00 09 16 00 127 15 00 8 2 16 00 11 04 00 146 00 00 9 3 03 00 12 12 00 164 05 00 10 3 10 00 14 00 00 182 10 00 11 3 17 00 15 08 00 215 15 00 12 4 04 00 16 16 00 219 00 00 13 4 11 00 18 04 00 237 05 00 14 4 18 00 19 12 00 255 10 00 15 5 05 00 21 00 00 273 15 00 16 5 12 00 22 08 00 292 00 00 17 5 10 00 23 16 00 310 05 00 18 6 06 00 25 04 00 328 10 00 19 6 13 00 26 12 00 346 15 00 20 7 00 00 28 00 00 365 00 00  
This Table is so plain, the meanest capacity cannot but understand it; Find the sum of pence or shillings spent in one day, in the first Column on the left hand, and just against it you have the sum in pounds, shillings, and pence, which it makes by the Week, by the Month, or Year; according to the respective Titles above.  
Hereby it appeareth, That one penny a day comes to one pound ten shillings and five pence in a Year; and therefore in 21 years it will come to 31 l. 18 s. 9 d. onely by the saving thereof. But if you also employ this, so that it may gain after the rate of Ten in the Hundred; it will amount to above Fourscore and six pounds, in the said time: which may be a good portion for a mans Child. 
A penny is a small regardless sum,  
Yet in a while we see to pounds 'twill come;  
He then that carelessly his pence doth spend,  
Will quickly bring his pounds unto an end.   
But to conclude, take these words of Advice, 
First worship God, his blessing to obtain;  
For without that, man toils and moils in vain.  
These Lessons approved, if wisely ye note,  
May save and advantage you many a Groat:  
Which if you can follow, occasion found,  
Then every Lesson may save thee a pound.    

With Allowance,  
May 2.   

Printed for J. Coniers, and are to be sold at the Entrance into Popes-head Alley, next Lombard-street, 1674.