If money be lent to spend upon necessaries, there is no question made, but the Borrower is sore bitten in paying Usury, when he hath spent the principal: If it be lent to lay out for gain, then must the Borrower first be sure of so much clear gain, as will pay the use; which is a reasonable gain of it self: For the Usurers of nine, or ten in the hundred do live richly of that accursed trade: yea many honest Tradesmen, will confess, that if they could with their own free stock, raise the like gain, one time with an other, that the Usurer doth with his money; and with the like security of the principal, they would think, they had made a very good market, notwithstanding all their care, and travel. This reasonable gain then, ⟨p. 15⟩must first be raised by the Borrower, to pay the Usurer; and over and above, He must exceed this reasonable gain, to maintain Himself, and His Servants, because this gain is none of His. If He do not exceed then, and that in some proportion, He hath lost His labour, and shall feel Himself sore bitten. And if the Borrower do exceed the Usurers gain, to maintain Himself; I demand then who payeth this excessive gain over and above that reasonable gain, of ten in the Hundred? Who but the Common-weal? Not so, saith the Usurer; For the Borrower must sell, as the Market goeth. It is very true. Therefore, say I, If He and His fellows be not able to raise the Market, to their own price, they shall be losers: If they can enhance it, (as they may the more easily, because the number of such Borrowers is great, and because the rest desiring to sell as dear as they can, will most willingly join with them) then the Common-weal must needs bear the burden, and especially the poorer sort, who buying all by piece-meal, at the last hand, must be sore bitten, though they know not by whom.
If money be lent to spend upon necessaries, there is no question made, but the Borrower is sore bitten in paying Usury, when he hath spent the principall: If it be lent to lay out for gaine, then must the Borrower first be sure of so much cleare gaine, as will pay the use; which is a reasonable gaine of it selfe: For the Usurers of nine, or ten in the hundred doe live richly of that accursed trade: yea many honest Tradesmen, will confesse, that if they could with their owne free stock, raise the like gaine, one time with an other, that the Usurer doth with his money; and with the like security of the principall, they would think, they had made a very good market, notwithstanding all their care, and travell. This reasonable gaine then, ⟨p. 15⟩must first bee raised by the Borrower, to pay the Usurer; and over and above, He must exceed this reasonable gaine, to maintaine Himselfe, and His Servants, because this gaine is none of His. If He doe not exceed then, and that in some proportion, Hee hath lost His labour, and shall feele Himselfe sore bitten. And if the Borrower doe exceed the Usurers gaine, to maintaine Himselfe; I demand then who paieth this excessive gaine over and above that reasonable gaine, of ten in the Hundred? Who but the Common-weale? Not so, saith the Usurer; For the Borrower must sell, as the Market goeth. It is very true. Therefore, say I, If He and His fellowes be not able to raise the Market, to their owne price, they shall bee loosers: If they can inhaunce it, (as they may the more easily, because the number of such Borrowers is great, and because the rest desiring to sell as deare as they can, will most willingly joyne with them) then the Common-weale must needs beare the burthen, and especially the poorer sort, who buying all by peece-meale, at the last hand, must bee sore bitten, though they know not by whom.
