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I Cannot call Riches
better, then the Baggage of Vertue. The
Roman Word is better,
Impedimenta. For as
the Baggage is to an
Army, so is Riches to Vertue. It cannot
be spared, nor left behinde, but it hindreth
the March; Yea, and the care of it, sometimes, loseth or disturbeth the Victory.
Of great Riches, there is no Reall Vse, except it be in the Distribution; The rest is
but Conceit. So saith Salomon; Where
much is, there are Many to consume it; And
what hath the Owner, but the Sight of it, with
his Eyes? The Personall Fruition in any
Man, cannot reach to feele Great Riches:
There is a Custody of them; Or a Power
of Dole and Donatiue of them; Or a
Fame of them; But no Solid Vse to the
Owner. Doe you not see, what fained Prices, are set vpon little Stones, and Rarities?
And what Works of Ostentation, are vndertaken, because there might seeme to
be, some Vse of great Riches? But then
you will say, they may be of vse, to buy
Men out of Dangers or Troubles. As Salomon saith; Riches are as a strong Hold, in
the Imagination of the Rich Man. But this
is excellently expressed, that it is in Imagination, and not alwaies in Fact. For certainly Great Riches, haue sold more Men,
then they haue bought out. Seeke not
Proud Riches, but such as thou maist get
iustly, Vse soberly, Distribute cheerefully, and Leaue contentedly. Yet haue no
Abstract nor Friarly Contempt of them.
But distinguish, as Cicero saith well of Rabirius Posthumus; In studio rei amplificanda, apparebat, non Auariticæ Prædam, sed Instrumentum Bonitati, quæri. Hearken also
to Salomon, and beware of Hasty Gathering of Riches: Qui festinat ad Diuitias,
non erit insons. The Poets faigne that
when Plutus, (which is Riches,) is sent
from Iupiter, he limps, and goes slowly;
But when he is sent from Pluto, he runnes,
and is Swift of Foot: Meaning, that Riches gotten by Good Meanes, and Iust
Labour, pace slowly; But when they
come by the death of Others, (As by the
Course of Inheritance, Testaments, and
the like,) they come tumbling vpon a
Man. But it mought be applied likewise
to Pluto, taking him for the Deuill. For
when Riches come from the Deuill, (as
by Fraud, and Oppression, and vniust
Meanes, ) they come vpon Speed. The
Waies to enrich are many, and most of
them Foule. Parsimony is one of the
best, and yet is not Innocent: For it
with-holdeth Men, from Workes of Liberality, and Charity. The Improuement
of the Ground, is the most Naturall Obtaining of Riches; For it is our Great
Mothers Blessing, the Earths; But it is
slow. And yet, where Men of great
wealth, doe stoope to husbandry, it multiplieth Riches exceedingly. I knew a
Nobleman in England, that had the greatest Audits, of any Man in my Time:
A Great Grasier, A Great Sheepe-Master,
A Great Timber Man, A Great Colliar,
A Great Corne-Master, A Great LeadMan, and so of Iron, and a Number of
the like Points of Husbandry. So as the
Earth seemed a Sea to him, in respect of
the Perpetuall Importation. It was truly obserued by One, that Himselfe came
very hardly to a Little Riches, and very easily to Great Riches. For when a
Mans Stocke is come to that, that he
can expect the Prime of Markets, and ouercome those Bargaines, which for their
greatnesse are few Mens Money, and be
Partner in the Industries of Younger
Men, he cannot but encrease mainely.
The Gaines of Ordinary Trades and Vocations, are honest; And furthered by
two Things, chiefly: By Diligence; And
By a good Name, for good and faire
dealing. But the Gaines of Bargaines,
are of a more doubtfull Nature; When
Men shall waite vpon Others Necessity,
broake by Seruants and Instruments to
draw them on, Put off Others cunningly that would be better Chapmen, and
the like Practises, which are Crafty and
Naught. As for the Chopping of Bargaines, when a Man Buies, not to Hold,
but to Sell ouer againe, that commonly Grindeth double, both vpon the Seller, and vpon the Buyer. Sharings, doe
greatly Enrich, if the Hands be well chosen, that are trusted. Vsury is the certainest Meanes of Gaine, though one of
the worst; As that, whereby a Man
doth eate his Bread; In sudore vultûs
alieni: And besides, doth Plough vpon
Sundaies. But yet Certaine though it
be, it hath Flawes; For that the Scriueners and Broakers, doe valew vnsound
Men, to serue their owne Turne. The
Fortune, in being the First in an Inuention, or in a Priuiledge, doth cause sometimes a wonderfull Ouergrowth in Riches; As it was with the first Sugar Man,
in the Canaries: Therefore, if a Man can
play the true Logician, to haue as well
Iudgement, as Inuention, he may do great
Matters; especially if the Times be fit. He
that resteth vpon Gaines Certaine, shall
hardly grow to great Riches: And he that
puts all vpon Aduentures, doth often times
breake, and come to Pouerty: It is good
therefore, to guard Aduentures with Certainties, that may vphold losses. Monopolies, and Coemption of Wares for Resale,
where they are not restrained, are great
Meanes to enrich; especially, if the Partie
haue intelligence, what Things are like to
come into Request, and so store Himselfe
before hand. Riches gotten by Seruice,
though it be of the best Rise, yet when
they are gotten by Flattery, Feeding Humours, and other Seruile Conditions, they
may be placed amongst the Worst. As for
Fishing for Testaments and Executorships
( as Tacitus saith of Seneca; Testam\-eta et Orbos, t\-aquàm Indagine capi;) It is yet worse;
By how much Men submit themselues, to
Meaner Persons, then in Seruice. Beleeue
not much them, that seeme to despise Riches: For they despise them, that despaire
of them; And none Worse, when they
come to them. Be not Penny-wise; Riches haue Wings, and sometimes they Fly
away of themselues, sometimes they must
be set Flying to bring in more. Men leaue
their Riches, either to their Kindred; Or
to the Publique: And moderate Portions
prosper best in both. A great State left to
an Heire, is as a Lure to all the Birds of
Prey, round about, to seize on him, if he
be not the better stablished in Yeares and
Iudgement. Likewise Glorious Gifts and
Foundations, are like Sacrifices without
Salt; And but the Painted Sepulchres of
Almes, which soone will putrifie, and corrupt inwardly. Therefore, Measure not
thine Aduancements by Quantity, but
Frame them by Measure; And Deferre
not Charities till Death: For certainly, if
a Man weigh it rightly, he that doth so, is
rather Liberall of an Other Mans, then of
his Owne.
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