Annesley - Houston-Packer Collection BX9327 .M6 1664

rvhereis lies that exa ,Righteoafinefs, whkh Seim. io. things ) no other Rule can be given but the common and market-price. There are fome things which are fixedly certain, Re Cop ; there 1 have no latitude at all ; I may not put off a piece of money for more than its value, though a perfon our of ignorance would cake it for more; Thereare [Dane commodities which in ordinary plenty being of an or- dinary goodnefs, have an ufu.al price here I have but little latitude, vò . that of the market : In the riling and falling of commodities, 1 have a greater latitude, but ufually in there cafes the Market fets forre kinde of price ; unless I be the foie Mafier of a commodity, and here the latitude is the greateff , and my own reafon and moderation muff limit me : And if any ask why I make the Marker the Rule, feeing this feems to be as if I fhould fay, Let every man get as much as he can, for fo men in the Market do ; I anfwer, The Market is ufually more reafonable than the particular appetites of men ; and though e- very man be apt toget as much as he can, yet men generally have an appetite to fell, as well as to fell dear, and that checks this, and men are brought to moderation, becaufe they are unwilling co loft; cu(iome ; fo that he that governs himfeif by the Market-prizes, not catching at particular advantages,feems tome tofollow the fafeff Rule. 7. ThereareTome things allowed in common intercoarfe, which are fe rigoroas a that theyare hardy jarjl , which are rather tollerable than commendable. I will give one infiance inflead of many : Aman hath a fmall piece of ground lying within another mans efface, he is wil- ling to fell, but requires (poffbly) forty or fixty years purchafe, or more, according to the particular appetite of the purchafer : This feems not to be fo agreeable to this great rule of equity ; I deny not but force advantage may be made in this cafe, and I will not fet any perempto- ry limits; I fhall onely fay this in general, we thould fct a moderate value upon another mansappetite and convenience. 8. It is to be feared,that fomething very lifennrighteoufnefs,is woven in- to the myliery ofmoll Trades. And like Phideas his image in Minerva's fhield,cannot be defaced without the ruine of ir. I think this is not a groundlefs jealoufie,but the confetlion& complaint of the moll know- ing and underffanding perfons in humaneaffairs. I (hall inffance one- ly in thefleightnefsof work,, the imbaf:ng of commodities,and fettingtheata offby indirect advantages. I canonely bewail this, for unless the world could generally be convinced of this,it is not like tobe amended. Per- feetion is not to be looked for in this imperfcc`f Rate, w,e mull be con- tent if things are paffable. 9. Neverthelefs we ought to afpire after as great a degrte of Righte- fnefia

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