And because I will herein proceede in the most acceptable maner that I may , I wil seeke to wring nothing out of your cofers , for I know they haue too many bolts , bars , and lockes vpon them : It is but your countenance , your commendable labours , and examples which are in authority that I require , it is but that which now you loose , & without me you cannot saue , nay they are but the very crums that fall from Diues table wherwith I wil vndertake to relieue poore Lazarus , who neither as yet with the saltish drops of his body , is able by his labour , nor yet by the bleeding teares of his soule is able by his misery to procure sufficient maintenaunce the one way , or compassion the other way , to relieue himselfe , and his distressed family .

Suppose then that whatsoeuer might be saued in fewel , and fire by some such art as I would discouer & make manifest in most plaine and naked tearmes , were speedily , and cheerefully gathered , and brought into a common treasury , which cannot be lesse then the one halfe of all that which now is spent in brewing throughout the whole realme of England : suppose also that hereunto were added the one third of al other fires which may also be saued in al such shires where any seacoale is vsually burnt , at the rate of 8. s . the chawdren or vpwarde , what a yearly summe , and masse of treasure would this amount vnto throughout this populous Island ? Naie what an infinite number of poore , and sillie wretches might be profitably employed in the composition of so manie colebals , as would be necessarie in so great an expence of fewell as cannot otherwise bee auoided ? Hereunto I may also further adde the full halfe or moity of all such fewell , as is dayly , and grosselie spent in all the peterworkes of this Realme , which by a third inuention ( allowing the petermen their vsual coales , vessels , and furnasses ) might well be saued , and is now most vainly , & absurdly wasted and consumed . Where in me thinks such a sottish and stifnecked people might be forced by some authority to compound , bycause this violence should concerne their owne good , and now their stubbornes worketh a wilfull wasting both of great store of wood , & seacoale that might be seruiceable for as good or better vse ?

All this being presupposed , and warranted to be true , and that these secrets when they shal be put in practise , shal be found reall , and substantiall in all their proofes , & trials , then let vs consider aduisedly of all those questions or obiections , that do presently arise concerning the same .

The first and principall ( as I suppose ) will be concerning the Authoritie of such as shal be thought fit assessors of so new , and weightie a charge . Herein I must needs confesse that I can shew no president , but I thinke in steede of authoritie to commaund , these few reasons may serue to perswade al such as shal be vnwilling to contribute in so great a worke of charitie . First their owne safetie , and security which in these late yeares of dearth hath bene a little touched , & more feared , and we haue an old prouerbe that hunger breaketh through stone walles . Secondly a sufficient employment of all such poore as are willing to worke , and all excuse of idlenes remoued from lazie and loytering rogues . Thirdly the easines of the charge or rather the gaine that shall hereby growe vnto the ritch , for my purpose is that euery contributor should onely giue the moity of that which he shal saue , and to retaine the other moitie to himselfe , so that he shall giue with the one hand , and yet receiue with the other . Fourthly the auoiding of many pettie charges , which shal be royally supplied in this . Fiftly the manifestation of a trewe and a charitable faith in relieuing the extreame wants , and miseries of their poore , & needie neighbors . Sixtly , & lastly the great encouragement of the Author who meanes as a principall Actor to come in for an enitia pars as the Lawyer termeth it , and by his good successe in this kind wil be readie both himselfe to propound and discouer , some farther matter of skill then as yet he thinketh meet to publish , and also draw in others of his owne consort , that shall most royally both enrich and beautifie this little Iland with their admirable , and most profitable inuentions .

Then we are to consider how this charge shall be equally imposed , & who shall be exempted in this charg . I thinke herein we shall not neede to vse any exact Geometricall or Arithmeticall proportion , but the same discretion that hath bene alwaies vsed in other taxes may likewise serue in this : only my desire is that all the poorer sort should scape skotfree . But here will also arise an other doubt how all these persons shal be assessed that be of good abilitie , and dwell either in such shires where they haue no vse of seacoale , and thereby canne make no benefite of my fire , or dwell in corporate townes or els where , and so being serued of a common Brewer , haue no need of my sauing vessell .

Hereby it doth manifestly appeare that worldly wise men do call their purses to a more strict accompt then they do their consciences , & though they care not how many sins they dailie commit , yet they keepe a perfect booke of Debitor and Creditor for euery penny which they spend . Well yet to giue these frugal men also some contentment . As concerning the first they cannot chuse but reape thus much benefite by the fire , that the more wood that shall bee spared in other shires by reason of this new kind of fiering they are also like to haue their vsuall woode , or coale the cheaper , and likewise their own store to last the longer . And this may also be some reason to satisfie all those , who ( either vpon some pretence for a time , or vpon a wilful stomack perhaps longer ) will contribute nothing to this fier , because they happilie will alleadge that they meane not at any time to vse the same in their own houses . But there is yet another reason , and that is the freeing of al such shires from al their idle vagabonds , who then insteede of sending them to the place where they were borne according to the statute , may now conuey them ( bee it spoken vnder correction , and with all reuerence to al good lawes , and magistrats ) into these exercising shires , where they shal finde sufficient employment for them .

Touching the second sort of Recusantes , it maie be , yea and it is very probable and likely , that these vessels may also serue for diuers other necessary vses , besides brewing , whereof some are not as yet meet to be disclosed . But suppose there were no other , yet some reasonable contribution on their parts , ( either in respect of the fire , or in respect of some of the former reasons , which do also fall into the same mood and figure , or in respect of the best reasons whereof these present times affoord to too many though in good discretion I forbeare to vrge them ) is both to be wished , and expected .

Yet if this publike good cannot bee wrought in this publike manner , without bringing in of a daungerous president to the ouerboldning of all good wittes that woulde from time to time shewe themselues pregnant in this kind , then I submit my selfe to the direction of those who beeing in higher place , of riper iudgement and greater experience then my selfe , wil happily finde 〈◇〉 some better course therein then either my shallow 〈…〉 conceiue , or my slender penne is able to describe .

And because these Eagles egges be long in hatching , and seeing daily experience hath now assured me , that though many hands make light worke , yet manie wits for the most part conclude nothing , I am resolued ( as neither expecting , nor refusing any good course that shal be offered me herein ) to entertain the present time not with a theorical wit any longer , but with a practical hand , and free spirit being ready to maintaine the credit of my former labors , as wel by discouery of diuers secret and gentlemanly skils vnto such as shall repaire vnto me for the same , as also by furnishing of all trauailers with light and comely garmentes , not as a Taylor or a Shomaker in the fashion , but as an artist in giuing a defensatiue vnto them against al wet and stormy weather , so as euen in a slender hat , cloake , cassocke , or basses of taffata , satten , or grogeram , and other mercery stufs , & in a sweet , and cleanly boot , or shoe of spanish , or bonauenter or any other drie leather and vncorried , each Gentleman may be sufficiently armed at all pointes either on foote or horsebacke in the greatest shower of raine , that can happen .

And lastly because I haue alwaies founde it in mine owne experience an easier matter to deuise many , and very profitable inuentions , then to dispose of one of them to the good of the author himselfe , and because I know that there be many gentlemen in good fauor that be alwaies ready , and willing to entertaine good suites , I haue thought it not amisse to let them vnderstande , that I am also as yet well furnished for them if they come in time , and whilest my small store lasteth . For I haue referred them all vnto my title of priority , and posteriority . All which suites as they are for the most part new , & fresh from the mint , so they are by their natures and quality either fit for a priuiledge , or for some newe officers that may vndertake such seruices of charge , as are greatly wanting though daily wished for in this realme , & in these times . And had the author himselfe found any fauour in his first suites , he would then haue conferred those secrets freely vpon his country , which now ( by reason of his further charge , and greater losse of time that is irrecouerable ) he is forced to offer in this kinde , neither pleasing himselfe , nor satisfying others , nor answering the worth of those skils which he purposeth to disclose .