The common People at this time were very Poor and Low; for they had usually many Children in their Families that called for more Bread than their single hands could purchase for them; and yet they had heavy Taxes which the the Necessity and Calamity of their ⟨p. 4⟩Affairs compelled them to the payment of. The People had no way, but the Borrowing of Money to defray all these Charges; but the Rich Lenders took them at this Disadvantage, so as not only to squeeze the cruel Interest of twelve in the Hundred from them, but also to seize upon their Lands which they had Mortgaged for the Principal: Yea they hooked the very persons of their Brethren into Slavery. Very loud complaints were now made, of these oppressions; whereupon the Governor called a General Court, and procured the Relaxation of these Difficulties; he seems to erect a Bank of Credit among them, and render Credit so passable, that the indigent people might still enjoy their Livings, and yet have Credit enough to demand from one another what their Exigencies called for. In the Speech which this Honourable Person made upon this occasion, he mentions his own Example as one Article, for the conviction of those who did in this time of Distress Exact upon their Neighbours. They had just before been under a Governor who not only made his Domestic Expenses to stand the People in Five Pounds a Day, besides large quantities of Provisions, for his Table; but also he had his little creatures about him, whom he used as Tools for the getting of Money, as often as he ⟨p. 5⟩or they found a want thereof. But says our Nehemiah: So did not I, because of the fear of God! No, he would make none of those great Bargains, for which he had an opportunity in the Poverty and Penury of the People; but instead thereof, He denied himself of what was his Right. He refused the Salary which was due unto him as a Magistrate; and this, tho' he spent more time than ordinary in the Affairs of the Government: yea, He employed his own Servants in those matters for which there seemed a lack of Hands; and He fed many scores above an hundred, of those that were proper Subjects for his Invitations, out of his own Estate. It was not with any Vanity that He mentioned these things, but he brought them as a demonstration of his Desire, to ease the People of their Burdens.
The common People at this time were very Poor and Low; for they had usually many Children in their Families that call'd for more Bread than their single hands could purchase for them; and yet they had heavy Taxes which the the Necessity and Calamity of their ⟨p. 4⟩Affairs compelled them to the payment of. The People had no way, but the Borrowing of Money to defray all these Charges; but the Rich Lenders took them at this Disadvantage, so as not only to squeeze the cruel Int'rest of twelve in the Hundred from them, but also to seize upon their Lands which they had Mortgaged for the Principal: Yea they hook'd the very persons of their Brethren into Slavery. Very loud complaints were now made, of these oppressions; whereupon the Governour called a General Court, and procured the Relaxation of these Difficulties; he seems to erect a Bank of Credit among them, and render Credit so passeable, that the indigent people might still enjoy their Livings, and yet have Credit enough to demand from one another what their Exigencies called for. In the Speech which this Honourable Person made upon this occasion, he mentions his own Exemple as one Article, for the conviction of those who did in this time of Distress Exact upon their Neighbours. They had just before been under a Governour who not only made his Domestick Expences to stand the People in Five Pounds a Day, besides large quantities of Provisions, for his Table; but also he had his little creatures about him, whom he used as Tools for the getting of Money, as often as he ⟨p. 5⟩or they found a want thereof. But sayes our Nehemiah: So did not I, because of the fear of God! No, he would make none of those great Bargains, for which he had an opportunity in the Poverty and Penury of the People; but instead thereof, He denied himself of what was his Right. He refused the Salary which was due unto him as a Magistrate; and this, tho' he spent more time than ordinary in the Affairs of the Government: yea, He employed his own Servants in those matters for which there seem'd a lack of Hands; and He fed many scores above an hundred, of those that were proper Subjects for his Invitations, out of his own Estate. It was not with any Vanity that He mentioned these things, but he brought them as a demonstration of his Desire, to ease the People of their Burdens.
