The bright star which leadeth wise men to our Lord Jesus Christ, or, A…

So among us, cruel enclosers that set themselves to unpeople the land, and weaken the strength of the country, by joining house to house, and land to land, indeed for houses they do not so much delight in joining house to house as in pulling down houses, but all the land they would by their good will get into their own hand. These caterpillars what do they? what say they? goodly words & fair pretences you shall have. O this will be for the good of the commonweal & of the inhabitants, this will prevent much strife & contention, when things be parted, and every man knows his own, and they lie not ⟨image 166⟩in common thus, and beside it will nourish wood, and I know not what; and thus under pretence of a common good seek to get all to themselves, and sweep out men from of the earth. These commonly be great thieves, but there is a great judge that will proceed against them, his word hath passed sentence already, and it shall not be long afore the execution come upon such as do harm by colour of doing good. The like may be said of those that having the goods of men deceased put into their hands by will, deal unfaithfully, and put them from the right owners into their own purse; this is plain theft, and yet it goes for currant often among men, because it takes some show of warrant from the law of men, but Gods law will allow it no colour. So Solomon speaks of theft by buying and selling, it is naught, it is naught saith the buyer, but after he boasteth, such as will depress a thing above measure, and against their conscience and knowledge if they be to buy, but if they be to sell will extol and praise the same thing far beyond that they know and persuaded it is worth.

So among vs, cruell enclosers that set themselues to vnpeople the land, and weaken the strength of the countrey, by ioyning house to house, and land to land, indeede for houses they doe not so muche delight in ioyning house to house as in pulling down houses, but all the land they would by their good wil get into their owne hand. These caterpillers what doe they? what say they? goodly words & fayre pretences you shall haue. O this wil be for the good of the cōmonweale & of the inhabitants, this will preuent much strife & contention, when things be parted, and euerie man knowes his owne, and they lie not ⟨image 166⟩in common thus, and beside it will nourish wood, and I know not what; and thus vnder pretence of a common good seeke to get all to themselues, and sweepe out men from of the earth. These commonly be great theeues, but there is a great iudge that will proceed against them, his word hath passed sentence alreadie, and it shall not be long afore the execution come vppon such as doe harme by colour of doing good. The like may be said of those that hauing the goods of men deceased put into their hands by will, deale vnfaithfully, and put them from the right owners into their owne purse; this is plaine theft, and yet it goes for currant often among men, because it takes some shew of warrant from the law of men, but Gods law will allow it no colour. So Salomon speakes of theft by buying and selling, it is naught, it is naught saith the buyer, but after he boasteth, such as will depresse a thing aboue measure, and against their conscince and knowledge if they be to buy, but if they be to sell will extoll and praise the same thing farre beyond that they know and perswaded it is worth.