A12367:310
A preparative to marriage The sum whereof was spoken at a contract, and enlarged…A preparatiue to mariage The summe whereof was spoken at a contract, and inlarged…
A preparative to marriage The sum whereof was spoken at a contract, and enlarged after. Whereunto is annexed a treatise of the Lords Supper, and another of usury. By Henry Smith.A preparatiue to mariage The summe whereof was spoken at a contract, and inlarged after. Whereunto is annexed a treatise of the Lords Supper, and another of vsurie. By Henrie Smith.
London: printed by Thomas Orwin for Thomas Man, 1591
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
If some may borrow upon Usury, it doth not follow that all 1may borrow upon Usury, because all have not the like cause: therefore do not say that I teach you to borrow upon Usury, for I think that the most in this city which borrow upon Usury, should not borrow as they do, because they rather maintain Usury, than supply their necessity. ⟨image 164⟩Some I know borrow for mere necessity; if any may be allowed, those are they: but there is a kind of borrowers in this City which feed Usurers as the bellows kindle the fire; for they have no need to borrow, but because they would be rich, and richer, and richest of all: therefore they will employ all the money which they can borrow, thinking to get more by the use of it, than the Usury of it doth come too. This maketh them sell their wares so dear, because they must not only gain the price but the interest beside, and more than the interest too, or else they gain nothing. These borrowers are in another predicament than those which borrow for necessity: and therefore if they be not old enough to answer for themselves, I am too young to answer ⟨image 165⟩for them. There are other borrowers as I have heard, which for some secrete cause would seem barer and needier than they are, either because they would not be charged deeply with Subsidies, or else because they would compound with their Creditors for a little: therefore they will have always some thing for Usury, that their Creditors may think them bare of money, or that other may pity them in their charges. These are like those Foxes which have wealth enough to pay their debts, and yet lie in prison because they would defraud their Creditors. I doubt not but there be moe sorts than I know, I cannot hunt every corner because I want experience: but this is my conclusion, I would 2have no man pay interest unto Usurers but for necessity, even as a ⟨image 165⟩traveller giveth his purse to a thief, because he cannot choose. Thus you have heard what I can say of them which take Usury, and them which give Usury.