80

ADVANCE OF PRICES

CHAP. XIX.

cause but the true one, which in his warmthagainst his neighbours he had totally overlooked,or was unacquainted with.

In uttering his indignation at the advance ofprices, he says, “ The phisition, if the poore man be“ diseased, he can have no help without to much;“ and of the lawyer the poore man can get no coun-“ sell, expedition, nor helpe in this matter, except“ he give him to much. At merchants’ handes, no“ kynde of ware can be had except we give for it to“ much. You landlordes, you rentraisers, I mav“ say you step-lordes, you unnatural lordes, you“ have for your possessions yearly to much. For“ that here before went for twenty or forty pound“ (which is an honest portion to be had gratis in“ one lordship of another man’s sweat and labour),“ now is it let for fifty or one hundred pound by“ yeare. Of this to much commeth the monsterous“ and portentous dearthe made by man, notwith-“ standing God doeth sendusplentifullythe fruites“ of the earth, mercifully contrary unto ourdesertes.“ Notwithstanding, to much, which these rich men“ have, causeth such dearth, that poor men (which“ live of their labour) cannot, with the sweat of their“ face, have a living, all kind of victuals is so deare,“ pigges, geese, capons, chickens, egges, &c. These“ things with others are so unreasonably enhansed,“ and I thinke, verily, that if it thus continue, we“ shall at length be constrained to pay for a pigge“ a pound.”

A sermon before a king must be necessarily