The ancient latine reading doth well expresse the meaning ; Captans pretia frumenti , ( so c c Ambr. Offic. l. 3. c. 6. Saint Ambrose alleageth the place . ) Hee that catcheth at all aduantages by the price of Corne , and endeuours to raise it higher , being more greedy of his priuate gaine , than affected with the publike good , euery one that doth so , commeth within the compasse of this curse . So that not onely hiding or hording , but selling and buying too , in some cases , are here forbidden ; when they are so done in priuate , as that the price is thereby enhanced in publike : whereof we shall haue occasion to say more ( God willing ) in prosecution of this Text.

d d Vnder the word , Corne euery publike commodity is comprehended . I doubt not but that vnder this one word , Corne , is comprehended any other Commodity , vsefull for the Countrey ; but the Times doe confine my intendements to that particular which my Text doth here assigne ; namely , against all auaritious horders or hucksters , who pinch the guts of the poore , to fill and extend their owne purses ; taking aduantage by the dearth of Corne , to make it more deare : on which ground I may safely lay downe this doctrinall Position . Doctr. 1.

When publike necessity doth require , and our owne ability doth permit vs to send abroad our Corne by reasonable and seasonable selling , then to with-hold it in hope of greater Dearth , this is a great sinne : For it is odious vnto God , opposite vnto Nature , iniurious vnto mankinde , and therefore condemned by the Lawes of Grace , of Nature , and of Nations . Reasons .

First , 1. It is odious vnto God . it is odious vnto God , as being directly a breach of his Law , a rebellion against his Ordinance . Otherwise hee would neuer haue inueighed against these Corne-horders so bitterly as he doth , by his Prophet Amos , saying , e e Amos ● . ● , 5 , 6 Heare ye this , ô yee that swallow the poore , and make the needy of the Land to faile , saying , When will the new Moone be gone , that we may sell Corne ; and the Sabbath , that wee may set forth Wheat ; and make the Epha small , and the Shekel great ; and buy the poore for siluer , and the needy for shoes , and sell the refuse of the Wheat ? If any doe except and say , What is this against horders ? this is rather against sellers of Corne : I intimated at first , that there may be as great a sinne , in some kinde of selling , as in keeping : and those Iewes who sold at last , they did hord vp Corne at first , to this purpose : that when the time serued their turne , they might sell it at their owne pleasure and price : f f Dod ad Text. and now the time is come , they must sell it in all haste , lest the price should fall againe : They were now so eager after selling , that they thought the dayes of Gods Seruice too tedious till they were at it . They kept it in while it was good , and sold it when it was worse , they abated the measure and augmented the price ; they made the people pay for the best , when they sold but the refuse ; and so instead of selling to the poore , they enforced the poore to sell themselues at a vile rate for necessary sustenance , and so to become their slaues . g g vers. 8. The Lord threatneth a fearefull iudgement on the whole Nation , for this inhumane cruelty of some particular persons towards their poore brethren . The detaining of other commodities not so necessary for the life of man a Corn , forbidden by God .

Lesser sinnes than this in comparison , the ingrossing of commodities not so necessary for the life of man as Corne is , are threatned with heauy iudgements in the word of God . The imprisoning of coyne in Coffers , when it should bee dispersed abroad vnto pious and charitable vses , is condemned by the holy Ghost , who saith by Saint Iames h h Iam. 5. 1 , 2 , 3. , that The very rust thereof shall be a witnesse against the keepers , and that the canker of their siluer shall eat vp their flesh as fire . The like iudgement is denounced in the same place against those who keep their garments close in their ward-robes to clothe the Moaths , Much more of bread-Corne , without , which the life of man can hardly , yea , not at all , be sustained . rather than they will produce them to clothe Christ his naked members . What then shall become of them who are kinder to Rats and Mice , than to their Christian brethren , being contented that vile vermine shall deuoure that for nothing , which poore Christians cannot get of them for money . i i The necessity of bread vnto mans life . Bread is called in Scripture the k k Isa. 3. 1. Leuit. 26. 26. Ezech. 4. 16. 5. 16. 14. 13. stay and staffe of life , because life is thereby sustained as by a Staffe : and when God doth threaten one of his heauiest punishments on a Land for sinne , hee doth threaten to breake the staffe of Bread ; So necessary it is for this life , that all necessaries are comprized vnder this one , Giue vs , this day , our daily bread . Christ calleth himselfe the bread which came downe from heauen : his Word is called the bread of life . All which doe shew how necessary bread is for the vse of man : so necessary , that neither body nor soule can well bee fed without it ; not the body without common bread , nor the soule ( in those of discretion ) without Sacramentall bread : so necessary , that although a man haue diuers varieties of meats , and doe want bread , the best is failing , because the binder of all the rest is wanting : other meats , without bread , are but beesomes without a band , they cannot sweepe away hunger from nature ; Satis est homini fluuiusque Ceresque . but if a man haue onely bread and water , sufficient for quantity , and conuenient for quality , hee may liue and doe well : so that to with-hold Corne , and thereby to breake the staffe of bread , is not onely sinfull , but sauage ; not onely against the Law of God and grace , but against the Law of Nature .

Nature teacheth men to seeke good and shunne euill , to pray and striue to auert those publike punishments , 2. It is opposite to nature . Sword , Pestilence , and Famine . Nature teacheth vs that wee are not borne onely for our selues , and that publike vtility is to be preferred before priuate commodity . This could Cicero say out of Plato , one heathen out of another . It was the praise of Cato l l Hi mores , haec duri immota Catonis secta f●it , scr●are modum , finemque tenere , Naturamque sequi patriaeque impendere vitam . Nec sibi , sed toti genitum se credere mundo . Lucan l. 2. that he was , In Commune bonus , good for the Commonalty , being resolued , that hee was borne , not for himselfe , but for all mankinde .

But these Antipodes to Nature as well as vnto Grace , these Man-haters , opposite to the Common good , as if the world were made onely for them , would appropriate the earth , and the fruits thereof , wholly to themselues , thinking that they can neuer haue enough , vnlesse they haue all ; and that while others haue any thing , they themselues haue nothing . Wherefore as Quailes grow fat with Hem locke , which is poison to other creatures , so these grow full by Dearth , which is the famishing of others . Their whole study and endeuour is to trouble the pure streames of publike plenty , that they may haue the better angling for their priuate commodity . m m Eccle. 5. 9. The profite of the earth is for all ( saith Salomon ) and the King himselfe is serued by the field . But these , as if the earth , and the profits thereof , were proper to them alone , as if they were the Kings of the field , and the whole tribute thereof were to be payed into their insatiable Exchequer , , doe study how they may dry vp the publike fountaine , or draw the whole streame thereof into their owne Cisterne . n n Corn-horders traitours to nature . Traitors they are vnto Nature ; for that o o That which Nature most desireth , they detest ; that is , Plenty . which Nature most desireth , they detest ; and that which Nature teacheth most to detest , that doe these most desire : Plenty is desired by euery well minded man , naturally , and Grace doth allow such desire ; for Plenty is a sweet effect of Gods goodnesse and fauour , therefore called by Dauid , the Crowne of the yeere : p p Psal. 65. 11. Thou crownest the yeere with thy goodnesse , and thy steps drop fatnesse . But these desire to pull the Crowne of Plenty from the head of the yeare , and instead thereof , would put thereon a crowne of thornes , as the miscreant Iewes did on the head of Christ . Plenty is one of Gods chiefest earthly blessings ; but these enuious children doe thinke that their poore brethren haue too much of their heauenly Fathers blessing . Againe , And that which nature teacheth most to detest , they doe most desire , namely , Dearth and Scarcity . that which Nature teacheth most to detest , they doe most desire ; namely , Dearth and Scarcity : that which Nature teacheth to preuent , they endeuour to procure ; they pray for that which all men else doe pray against ; angry , in their mindes , at our Leiturgie for hauing prayers against Dearth and Famine , and thanksgiuings for seasonable weather , which they cannot endure saue in their owne fields ; ready to chide God because he is so prodigall of his temporall fauours , as to cause q q Mat. 5. 45. his Sunne to arise on the euill as well as on the good , and his raine to fall on the iust and on the vniust ; whereas these , by their wils , would haue the Sunne to warme , and the raine to moisten no fields nor gardens , but of the euill and vniust , that is , their owne . What then can we thinke of them but as enemies both to God and man , opposite both to Grace and Nature ? Salomon at the consecration of the Temple r r 1 King . 8. 38. making way for the peoples prayers by his owne , for the remouing of common calamities , setteth Famine in the fore-front of them , as the first and worst of all . What shall we thinke of them who pray for tht which Salomon prayed against , esteeming that a benefit to them , which is one of the greatest curses that can fall on a Nation ? When God threatneth foure heauy iudgements on a Land , wherein if these three Worthies , Noah , Iob , and Daniel were , a a Ezech. 14. 13 , 14. they should deliuer none but their owne soules , he giueth the precedence vnto Famine . What then shall wee thinke of those who care not though Iob , Noah , and Daniel , and all the righteous men in the Country starued , so they may be filled ? When God by his Prophet makes a briefe Catalogue of the crying sinnes of Sodome , this comes in at last , not as the least of them , b b Ezec. 16. 49. Manum pauperis & egentis non confirmauit ; Shee did not strengthen the hands of the poore and needy : It is not not said that shee weakned , but that she did not strengthen ; & that not the heart , but the hand of the poore and needy ; and yet God rained hell out of Heauen , fire and brimstone on her to consume her . What then shall become of them who doe not strengthen , but enfeeble , not the hands , but the hearts of their poore brethren , by with-holding from them that which is the staffe of their hands , and ( vnder God ) the strength and life of their hearts ?

And that these Cormorants are such enemies to the publike good , 3. Condemned by the Lawes of Nations . all wise men who desired to procure it , haue perceiued . Therefore this cursed practice of imprisoning the Countries prouision , hath euer beene condemned by the Lawes of Nations . These Cankars of the Common-wealth were by the ancients branded with odious appellations , commonly called by the old Romans , Dardanarians , vexers , scourgers , torturers , of the store of the yeare . c c Annonam vexare et tentare vel maximè Dardanarii solent , quorum auaritia itum est tam mandatis quàm costitutionibus . Vlpian . in leg . Annon . D. de extraordinar . criminio . These Dardanarians ( saith Vlpian their great Ciuilian ) are they who chiefly doe vex and persecute the annuall prouision , against whose Auarice Princes and States haue alway opposed the barres of edicts and constitutions .

There is extantan Epistle or Edict of Apollonius , an ancient Gouernour , against those scourgers of the Country , by enforced Dearth and scarcity ; the beginning whereof , in effect is this ; d d Terra communis omnium mater est , propterea iusta ; vos autem iniusti , qui eam duntaxat vestram matrem esse voluistis ; quod nisi ab huiusmodi incepto destiteritis , diutiùs vos in ea permanere non sinam . Epistol Apolloniꝭ ad a●nona vex●tores in princip. The Earth ( saith hee ) is the common mother of all , and therefore iust , but you are vniust who would ingrosse her wholly to your selues , and make a monopoly of the Common mother , as if shee were bound to be a mother onely to you , and a step-mother to all her children besides : but if you desist not from your doings , I will take order that she shall not long be a mother vnto you , but I will root you out of her , as being vnworthy to be a burthen vnto her .

I speake nothing of our Nationall Lawes , because I speake before them , who can better informe mee herein , than I can others . The last Proclamation , together with the booke , published by authority , for fuller declaration of his Maiesties minde and purpose , for preuenting the Dearth by punishing these Dardanarians , hath breathed some life into the poore Countrey , from whom these doe labour to take away life , by with-holding the stay thereof . God put it into the hearts of Gouernours to act , as well as to enact ; to performe , as well as to proclaime ; that the Proclamation against these horders and hucksters be not like that Senatus consultum against the Mathematicians in Rome , e e De Mathemalicis Italia pelend is factum Senatus consultum atrox et irritum . Tacit. Annal. l. 12. c. 52. Atrox at irritum , fierce , but effectlesse : and that these may not be among vs , f f Genus hominum quod in Ciuitate nostra & vetabitur semper & retinebitur . Tacit. hist. l c. 22. as the Historian complained , the others were among them , a kinde of people alway condemned , but euer repriued , if not acquitted . Affliction is euer fearefull , and misery still mistrusteth the worst : No maruell then if the poore people doe misdoubt , because there seemeth a doore left open to these their oppressors , that they shall not carry their life from them without license : wherefore finding after so much thunder by edicts , little lightning by effects , no lightening of their afflictions : they feare that they haue cause to complaine , We are all the worse for licenses . These feares would soone be remoued , and peraduenture these afflictions too , if but one or two of the offenders in a Country were punished for terror to the rest , Tacit , Annal. l. 2. c. 31. as Pituanius and P. Martius were , when all the Mathematicians and Magicians were banished out of Italy .

Three sorts of people are found among vs , Application . Three sorts of people guilty of this sinne . guilty of this sinne , and consequently lyable to the ensuing Curse : 1. the greedy Farmar : 2. The couetous Marchant : 3. The cunning Huckster , or Badger , as they are called . I adde these Epithites to distinguish between the guilty and the guiltlesse in euery profession .

The greedy Farmar sometimes with-holds Corne by selling it ; 1. The greedy Farmer , who sometimes with-holds Corne euen in selling in . with-holding it from those who need it , to sell it to those who will make greater profit by it ; so that the needy shall more need it : For who so selleth at a price too high for the poore , hee with-holds it from the poore , as he doth meat from a childe , who sets it on a shelfe whereto hee cannot reach . Now what is this , but Captare pretia frumenti , to make the price too heauie , when either hee will not send it to the Market , or if hee send , will not sell but at his owne price ?

Thou sayest , I thresh out my Corne as fast as I can , and doe fell it , and therefore I am not guilty , I am no with-holder of Corne. Thou sellest , but to whom ? to the poore ? No , vnlesse as the Iewes did , of whom Amos complained , that they sold the refuse of the Wheat , and yet at the price of the best , as if thou wouldest adde to the badnesse of the graine , and want of measure , the greatnesse of the price , to make a sorry satisfaction . Thou sellest it , but to whom ? to them who helpe thee to sell the rest the deerer , to the Merchant or Badger , who by exporting or transporting it farther , doe cause it to be scarser and deerer at home . Thou sellest it , but where ? at home , in priuate , and so causest the Markets to be vnfurnished . For how canst thou haue time to thresh for the Market , when all is too little to thresh for the Merchant , whom thou hast promised to furnish with so many scores of bushels by such a day . The Markets are the Commons of the common people , and of many who vse good hospitality ; let them be inclosed , soone will these grow leane : The Markets are their Magazines ; if the poore buyers be not there prouided , how shall their wants be supplied ? The Markets are their Wels , if the couetous Farmers dry vp these , as the enuious Philistims did the Wels of Isaac , these poore sheepe must needs perish . Thou sellest , but in what manner ? In grosse , or by such quantities as the poore cannot accomplish ; whereas if thou wilt shunne the curse threatned , and obtaine the blessing promised , thou must doe as the Word importeth in the second part of my Text , Perfringere frumenta , breake it out from the heape by small parcels , as the poore doe need for the present and are able to compasse . Breake thy Bread to the hungry ; so breake thy Corne by halfe bushels , by peckes , by gallons to the needy , as their ability meeteth with their necessity . To set a whole loafe before a childe who hath neither strength to breake , nor knife to cut , is not to feed him , but to famish him .

I am not vancquainted with some of their Apologies : I haue made a Purchase , or taken a Lease , or bought so much at a suruey to be paid on such a day , and I must sell many Bushels together to make vp a good summe of money , I cannot tarry the leasure of these lingring Markets . All this while I heare no arguments but drawne from the common place of thine owne profit ; and thou maiest remember that the buying of a Farme , and a yoke of Oxen excluded the vnworthy guests from the great marriage Feast ; these excuses are worse . Thou hast made a purchase , and the calamity of the Countrey must pay for it : thou hast bought a bargaine , and thy poore brethren , their wiues and children must pinch for it . A bad bargaine ( bare-gaine it may well be called ) to buy the curses of God and man . Say not that I condemne purchasing , because I am no purchaser , God grant I neuer bee in such manner . Buy Farmes , take Leases , make bargaines for Oxen , Cattell , Corne , or what you will , as long as you wrong not your own soules , which you cannot chuse but doe , if you wrong or pinch the poore members of the Sauiour of soules .

The couetous Marchant is also free of the company of these Corne-catchers . 2. The couetous Marchant . Hee with-holds Corn from the poore , by drawing it from Markets , to export it , or transport it into other parts or places whether neerer or more remote ; especially out of the Land , and that without regard of Religion , or charity , or any thing else , saue his owne gaine , which to him is godlinesse . Tros , Tyriusque , Protestant , Papist , Mahumetan , English , French , Spanish , Barbarian , all are alike to him , so hee may gaine by them . The sauour of lucre is sweet to him , though raked out of the puddle of the most filthy profession in Europe , or in all the world . Mistake me not , I traduce not the calling , not onely lawfull , but laudible , I may adde , honourable , the second supporter of the Kingdome . Not the Lyon and the Vnicorue , but the Plough and the Ship , vnder God , are the supporters of the Crowne . The Marchants by their trauels and aduentures ioyne together forraigne Nations which the Sea hath set farre asunder ; they make remote Countries to bee ours vpon the matter , causing their commodities to bee ours ; casting with their Ships such a Bridge ouer the Ocean , that the chiefest , profits of both the Indies doe come home to our houses . I haue often yearned that they haue beene no better considered of , but suffered to be a prey to Dunkers abroad , and to as bad at home . I know that it is lawfull to transport our commodities , particularly our Corne into other Nations , vpon some conditions , as other Nations doe make vs partakers of their profits : yea , this sometimes may be done to those who are of another , that is , of an euill Religion . Nature teacheth this : The Aegyptians releeued the Israelites in the Famine , g g Gen. 43. 32. though it were an abomination to the Aegyptians , in their peeuish superstition , to eat bread with the Hebrewes , yet they would , in common humanity , afford them bread to eat by themselues . But this I affirme ; to famish English , and to feed French or Spanish ; to starue brethren , and to nourish enemies ; to pinch the members of Christ , to preserue the limbs of Antichrist ; to thriue by the death of Saints , and life of reprobates ; this cannot possibly escape a curse ; and all Marchants that vse such courses , I can say no better of them , than a blessed Saint said at least three hundred yeares sithence , Basil . They are all Mercatores humanarum calamitatum●… Merchants of mens calamities .

The third sort are these whom we call Badgers of Corne , 3. Hucksters , or Badgers of Corne. who were not to be condemned for conueying Corne from those places where it may well be spared , to other places within the Countrey where there is more want , if they did not procure want in those places where it doth abound , nor forestall the Markets , but would take that which the Markets doe leaue , nor raise the price to make the poore to smart for it .

Sufficient hath beene said ( I hope ) to shew the impietie , the inhumanity , the iniustice of this sin of procuring a Dearth by with-holding Corne ; and that it is a lawlesse rebell against the laws of Grace , of Nature , The sinne of with-holding Corne , more hamous in our land , than in others . of Nations . Let this be farther added and considered , that this oppression is the more cruell , and this cruelty the more heauy in our Land , where Corne serueth both for Bread and Drinke ; whereas other Countries by the benefits of the soile doe abound with wine ; or because of the heate of the Climate , are contented with water . But among vs these with-holders of Corne doe doubly plague the poore people , staruing them with hunger , and choaking them with thirst ; depriuing them of that which they should both eat and drinke . Our children doe not say vnto their mothers , Lament. 2 , 12 , Where is Corne and Wine ? Keepe you the Wine , giue vnto their Mothers Corne , and they will finde in it both bread and drinke that shall content them as well as wine . But denie them Corne , you take from them bread , drinke , life and all . Wherefore the curses of these Corn-mungers are likely to be doubled ; for that is the recompence they must expect for their cursed couetousnesse , namely , curses : and as the mischiefe is common , so it is iustly pursued with a common curse , the curses of the Commons , The People shall curse him .