Cafes about Landlords OppreJSion. ·• ···- · -'-·-·-·· ::._ ____ cnhaunfethe Rent to the full worth. 2· If il be one that you are obliged ro Ow.v l\1trcy as well as Jufiice to, you may nor take the full worth. 3· The common cafe in Engla1:d is,that the Landlords are of rhc Nebility or Gentry, and the Tenants are poor men, who have nothing but what they get by their hard labour out of the L:md which they hold: And in this cJf<.: fame abucmcnt of the tull worth is but (uch a nwlfary Mercy, as may be called Jufi:cc. Note lli\1, that by [ 1he fuU wor1h J I mean, fo muchas you could ttt ir for to a (hanger who expeCb:th nothing but Hrid: ]utlice, as men buy and fell rhings in a M.ukcr. Bur l· lf you deal with a Tenant as rich or richer than your fdf, or with ene that needcth not your mercy, or is no fir objLCl of it: 2. And if it be Land that no man can by cuflome claim equitably ro hold on lower terms; and fo it is no injury to another, nor jufl fcandal, then you may lawfully raife it to the lull worth. Sometimes a poor man fctrcth a Hou~ or L1nd to a rich man, where the fcruple lu rhno place. · Qlcll. 3· hl.:y a Landlord r:zife hU Renti, tbough be tak._e not tlu ft1Uworth l ~t~· 3• An[w. He may do it when there is jufi reafon for ir, and none againlt. it. There is jufi: reafen for lr, whtn I· The Land was much undcrfct befOre: 2. Or when the Land is proportionably improved : 3· Or when the plenty of money maketh a greater fumm to be in effect no more rhan a ldfer hereto~ ton:: t}· Or when an increafe of perfons, or other accident maketh L:md dearer than ir was. But then it muH be furpofcd , I· That no Contract, 2· Nor Cufiome, 3· Nor S~rvice and Mtrit, do give the T cm.nt any rquitab1e right to his better pcnny·wonh. And alfo tlut Mercy prohibirc not the.change. Q!dl. 4· Hun> m;;c{, mufl a Landlord fit hi! Land below"" JuU rvor1b, •h•t be m.•y be'" opprtjJ'or 0!_rf!. 4· or umnerciful to bl-1 'lwants.? Anfir. No one proportion can be determined of; becau{e a great alteration may be made in rcfpcct: to the Tenants ability, his merir~ to the time, and place:, and other accidents. S:Jme T cn1nts are fo rich, as is fa id, that )'OLt are not bou11d to any abatement. Some arc fo bad, that you are bound to no more than fhiCl: Jut\ice and common humanity to them. Some years ( like the tall, when :tlonger drowth than any man alive had known, burot up the Grafs) difJ.bleth a T enant to p1y his Rent: Some Counncys are C.> {Carce of money, that a·linle abatement is more than in another place: But ordi11arily the common fort of Tenants in England fhould have fo much abated of the fu!Jefi worth, that they m:!y comfortably li\!e on ir, and follow their labours with checrfulnefS of mind, and liberty to (erve God in their families, and to mind the matters of their f11lva1ion, and not to be neceflitated ro (uch toil, and cueJand pinching want, asfhall m<~ke them likcr Sb.vcs than Free-men, and make their lives uncomfonabic to them, and make them unfit to tCrvc God i~ their families, and feafonably mir1d c:tcrnal things. . Q«fl. 5· Wha1if 1he Landlord be i11 dtbt , or have fome prrftnt wanI ofmoney, may be not then raife f!Cej!. 5• the Kem of tbofe Lar.dJrvhichwere under-let before l A~fw. lf his pride pretend want where there is none, ( 3.5 to give extraordjnary portions with his d<~ught.ers, to ereCt fumptt<ous buildingsJ&c.) this is no good cxcufe fot oppreffion. But ifhe really fall into wanr, then all that his Tenants hold as meer gifu ftom his liberality, he ma)' withdraw, (as being no longer able to give). But that which they had by col\ome an cquir.ablc title to, or by con· u aCt alfo a lc.:gal title to, he may not withdraw. (And yc::t :o.ll this is his fin, if he brought that poverry cuipably on himfelf: it is his fin in the caufe, though, fuppofing. that caufe, the raifing of his R<.nt be lawful·). But it is not every dtbt in a rich man, who harh othtr wayes of paying it, which is a true neceffity in this Cafe ; And if a prcfent debt made it neceffuy only at that time, it is bcttcr ( by Fine or otht'rwile ) make a prcfcntfupply,rhanthereupo'n to lay a perpetual burden on the Tt:· nants, when the caurc is ceafed. ~tfi. 6. ll'hat if tbtre be ab1mdance of ho11rft pcaple in far greater want tban my Tenant.J arr, .Q:.eft. Q. (yea, perhap.1 PreaciJCrJ nf the Gofptl ), and I have no otbrr way to rt~icvt thrm unltfi I raife my Rents l Am I not ht'Ui1d n.uhcr tngiue to the btft and puorrjt, tha>t to otbtrJl . Anfrr. Yes, if it were: a cafe that concerned mecr giving : Hut when you mull tal{.c away from one to give to another, there is more to be confidcred in it. Therefore at Icall in tht:ft: two cafes you may not raife your Tenants Rents to relieve the befl or poorefl whofot:v~.:r : I· In cafe that he have fame equitable title ro yam Land) as upon the eaficr Rent: 2· Or in ca.f, rlut the fcandal of feeming in– jullicc or cruelty, is like to do more hurt to the interefl of Rtligim and mens fouls, than your re~ litving the poor with the addition would do good : (which a prudent mm by collation of pro– bab1e conftqucnts may fatisfaCtorily difcern :) But if it wc:re not only to preferve thecomfortJ, but eo fove the livu of others in their prefcm famine, nature teacheth you to n~c that which is truly yo:tr nwn, borhJrom your T enants, and your Servant~, and your own mouths, to relieve men in fuch ' extream difirds: and NJtmc will teach all men to judge it your duty) and no lcandalous oppreffion. Bur when you cannot relieve the ordinary wants of the poor) without fi1ch a fcanda\ous raifing of your Rents as will do more harm, than your alms would du good, God doth not than call you to . give fuch Alms; but )'OU are robe: fuppol{d to be unable. ~dl. 7· }(fay I ralfc a 1cnants Rmt, or turn him out ofhiJ Houfe~ bcc;ufe he if a b.Jd m:m? by a ~ej1. 7· k,i~<d of pmally! Anfi.~. A bad man hath a title to his Own, as well as a good man: And therefore if he have either lrgal or equitable title, you may nor; Nur yet if the fcandal of it is like to do more hurr, tlun the good can countcrvail which you intend. Orherwife you may ei:her raife his Rem, or turn him out, u he be a wicked, profligate, incorrigible perfon, after due admonirion : Yea, and you ougbt to do it, Ttttttt lcll
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=