A divine herbal together with a forrest of thorns In five sermons. ... By…A divine herball together with a forrest of thornes In five sermons. ... By…

Gain said I? Where is it? Did you ever know Enclosers prosper? I will speak boldly. I never knew great man grow greater by his depopulations: and I hope no man will say, he hath grown ⟨p. 129⟩better by them. Corn-fields are turned to sheepwalks; once-inhabited towns feed Oxen; and Churches are made Shepherds Cottages: and yet the doers of all this never the richer. They keep less Hospitality; for a few rooms in London serve their turns: they extort sorer rents, and yet they have never the more money. It cannot be denied, but the main end of these courses was profit, and enhancing their estates: and lo, in this very end GOD crosseth-them. Speak what you will of their pride, of turning the alms they should give to the poor into feasts for the rich, of their infrugal courses: I say confidently, hic digitus Dei: here is the very hand of God striking them. Man, though he hath authority, will not look to these Field-briars; but let them waste and forage, and play the Abimelechs; but God will. But if we do not look to it, let me say to you, as Jotham to the Shechemites of that aspiring Bramble, Judg. 9.¹ If fire come not out of Shechem to devour Abimelech; fire will come from Abimelech to devour Shechem. If you undo not the oppressions of the Field-briers, their oppressions will undo us all.

Gaine said I? Where is it? Did you euer know Inclosers prosper? I will speake boldly. I neuer knew great man grow greater by his depopulations: and I hope no man will say, he hath growne ⟨p. 129⟩better by them. Corne-fields are turned to sheepwalkes; once-inhabited townes feede Oxen; and Churches are made Shepheards Cottages: and yet the doers of all this neuer the richer. They keepe lesse Hospitality; for a few roomes in London serue their turnes: they extort sorer rents, and yet they haue neuer the more money. It cannot bee denyed, but the maine end of these courses was profite, and euhansing their estates: and loe, in this very end GOD crosseth-them. Speake what you will of their pride, of turning the alms they should giue to the poore into feasts for the rich, of their infrugall courses: I say confidently, hic digitus Dei: here is the very hand of God striking them. Man, though hee hath authority, will not looke to these Field-bryars; but let them waste and forrage, and play the Abimelechs; but God will. But if wee doe not looke to it, let me say to you, as Iotham to the Shechemites of that aspiring Bramble,