GOod morning to you, Sir, having a little business this way, I thought good to call upon you for that lit­tle Money, it is a great summ in my Purse; I have not troubled you for it this Twelve month.

You have troubled me as much as you can, and you would have me take it for a Curtesie that you can trouble me no farther.

I know you are able, you have grea­ter sums Owing unto you, which you may have when you please.

I confess I have Money abroad, pay­able at certain places upon Demand; but you have both tyed my Legs and my hands by your Execution, that I can not goe to demand it, without an escape, nor can you give me leave without quitting your Debt.

Truly I am sorry for it, but my At­torney over-ruled me to arrest you, and to get you in execution; I am sure it cost me 4 l. but [Page 4]I have considered of it since, and am well con­tented to free you, and take your own Bond for a year: for this is not the way.

This courtesse had been seasonable before I came to prison; you know I desired of your Atturney but six months, and he would not give a day: But now it comes too late, I have so many Executions upon me at other Mens suits, one Action of 500 l. for 20 l. debt; ano­ther of 200 l. for 10 l. debt; and by those that owe me greater sums.

But how cometh this abuse, this is un­sufferable, out upon it, out upon it; must I stay till all this is cleraed.

Do you wonder at this; let me tell you, imprisoning of mens persons was never inten­ded to help any man to his own, but to satisfie envious Creditors, and to undor peevish Deb­tors. It was made by Lawyers for their own gain; and Creditors have lost many a Million by it, for it made them careless of security by Estate, and the word was, He will not lye by it.

But what is to be done in this case?

Sit down a little, and you shall hear good sport; doe you see those two that come hither, one is a covetous and envious Creditor, the other a cunning Knave and his Prisoner.

I doe not mean to trouble my self with any more Journeys, if you will pay me, so, if not?

What doth it come to, charges and all.

About 500 l.

Make it up 600 l. and I will pay you in Three years.

I will not trust you for a Penny more.

Then I will not pay you a penny more.

Sirrah, I have you in Execution, and my Atrurney tells me you shall not stirr before you pay me.

Your Atturneys a Knave, and you are a Fool; goe ask your Atturney, whether I shall not eat nor drink, nor sleep till I pay you, un­less he tells you so, he tells you nothing.

You are a cheating Knave if you doe not pay me Sirrah.

You are the cheating Knave, and have cheated your self, and paid your self by your Execution, the Law is at an end, and you are satisfied in Law.

No, sirrah, you knave I am not satisfied; you shall lye here till you ro [...], and I will have your bones.

Now you put me in minde of death, Ile make my Will, and according unto Law (which you so much honor) I must give you by way of Legacy a bale of Dice in full satisfaction of your excellent Exeuction, and all the cutesle I will afford you, is, you shall take your choice whether you will have high Cuts or low Cuts; and let me advise you, that the first two men you play with be your Scrivener and your Atturney; for if you doe not winn your Money again of them, they have cheated you most basely; your Scrivener knew I would not pay you: I gave him 5 l. for the 100 l. and when you asked what [Page 6]Estate I had, he told you I would not lie by it for twice the summ: Next your Atturney cry­ed, Arrest him, lay him in the Jayle, get him into Exeuction, and then your Money is sure; he meant the Four pound he had of you was fure; he could not mean the 100 l. debt; I know he farther told you, it is no matter what charges you are at, I should pay all at last: And how­ever the reall Debt was but 100 l. yet I was in 5 [...]0 l. Execution to you, and that I had no re­medy at Law, or in Chancery after Execution, be it never so unjustly obtained. What do you think of this truth, who is the cheating Knave now, I that cozen you of 100 l. or you that would cozen me of 500 l.

I think in my conscience you all joined together to cozen me: What a pack of Villains are here discovered, that ever any honest Man should fall amongst them.

I hope you do not mean your self, and all the rest may be true enough, but you have got it a hundred times over where you met with time rous Fools, that would pay what you asked, ra­ther then endure to goe to prison.

I am sure enough to get this up again somewhere, for we are all promised, that if those that have Estates will not speedily pay us our Executions without dispute how the sums come due, that if they refuse or perform not, then we shall appoint others to sell their Estates and pay us.

And we are told, That we have now a Parliament of Religious and Charitable Men [Page 7]who will speedily take care, that Creditors be not defrauded of their just Debts, nor Priso­ners oppressed contrary unto the Lawes of God and Nature, and the Fundamental Laws of this Commonwealth.

The Law of God saith, an Eye for an Eye, a Hand for a Hand, not two for one; much less All for Dross and cheating Wares. Again, give Caesar his due in his own Coin, if thou hast it, (which is thy Estate) but if thou hast it not Cae­sor must lose his due.

The Law of Nature saith, That the Body ought to preserve the Members: And every Prisoner is a member of the Commonwealth.

The Fundamentall Lawes of the Common­wealth, saith, That no mans person ought to be imprisoned for Debt; and there is great reason why one Free born, should not implison ano­ther equally Free born with himself.

For in the time of Villenage (before Magna Charta) the Lord could not imprison any other Villain but only his own; nor could he assigne that power over unto any Third person, as it is ordinary in these times.