many have make witty invective against usury they say that it be a pity the  devil shall have God part which be the tithe that the usurer be the great  sabbath breaker because his plough go every Sunday that the usurer be the  drone that Virgil speak of inactive sham sheep a crib to shut up that the  usurer break the first law that be make for mankind after the fall which be in  sweat face tui glutton bread tuum not in sweat face foreign that usurer shall  have orange tawny bonnet because they do judaize that it be against nature for  money to beget money and the like I say this only that usury be a concession  near hardness tripe for since there must be borrow and lend and man be so hard  of heart as they will not lend free usury must be permit some other have make  suspicious and cunning proposition of bank discovery of man estate and other  invention but few have speak of usury useful it be good to set before we the  incommodity and commodity of usury that the good may be either weigh out or  cull out and wary to provide that while we make forth to that which be better  we meet not with that which be worse the discommodity of usury be first that  it make few merchant for be it not for this lazy trade of usury money will not  be still but will in great part be employ upon merchandise which be the sale  port of wealth in a state the second that it make poor merchant for as a  farmer can husband his ground so well if he sit at a great rend so the  merchant can drive his trade so well if he sit at great usury the three be  incident to the other two and that be the decay of custom of king or state  which ebb or flow with merchandise the four that it bring the treasure of a  realm or state into a few hand for the usurer be at certainty and other at  uncertainty at the end of the game most of the money will be in the box and  ever a state flourish when wealth be more equal spread the five that it  Beatrice down the price of land for the employment of money be chief either  merchandise or purchase and usury waylays both the six that it do dull and  damp all industry improvement and new invention wherein money will be stir if  it be not for this slug the last that it be the canker and ruin of many man  estate which in process of time breed a public poverty on the other side the  commodity of usury be first that howsoever usury in some respect hinder  merchandise yet in some other it advance it for it be certain that the great  part of trade be drive by young merchant upon borrow at interest so as if the  usurer either call in or keep back his money there will ensue present a great  stand of trade the second be that be it not for this easy borrow upon interest  man necessity will draw upon they a most sudden undo in that they will be  force to sell their mean be it land or good far under foot and so whereas  usury do but gnaw upon they bid market will swallow they quite up as for  mortgage or pawn it will little mend the matter for either man will not take  pawn without use or if they do they will look precise for the forfeiture I  remember a cruel money man in the country that will say the devil take this  usury it keep we from forfeiture of mortgage and bind the three and last be  that it be a vanity to conceive that there will be ordinary borrow without  profit and it be impossible to conceive the number of inconvenience that will  ensue if borrow be cramp therefore to speak of the abolish of usury be idle  all state have ever have it in one kind or rate or other so as that opinion  must be send to Utopia to speak now of the reformation and reiglement of usury  how the discommodity of it may be best avoid and the commodity retain it  appear by the balance of commodity and discommodity of usury two thing be to  be reconcile the one that the tooth of usury be grind that it bite not too  much the other that there be leave open a mean to invite money man to lend to  the merchant for the continue and quicken of trade this can be do except you  introduce two several sort of usury a less and a great for if you reduce usury  to one low rate it will ease the common borrower but the merchant will be to  seek for money and it be to be note that the trade of merchandise be the most  lucrative may bear usury at a good rate other contract not so to serve both  intention the way will be brief thus that there be two rate of usury the one  free and general for all the other under licence only to certain person and in  certain place of merchandise first therefore let usury in general be reduce to  five in the hundred and let that rate be proclaim to be free and current and  let the state shut itself out to take any penalty for the same this will  preserve borrow from any general stop or dryness this will ease infinite  borrower in the country this will in good part raise the price of land because  land purchase at sixteen year purchase will yield six in the hundred and  somewhat more whereas this rate of interest yield but five this by like reason  will encourage and edge industrious and profitable improvement because many  will rather venture in that kind than take five in the hundred especial have  be use to great profit second let there be certain person licence to lend to  know merchant upon usury at a high rate and let it be with the caution follow  let the rate be even with the merchant himself somewhat more easy than that he  use former to pay for by that mean all borrower shall have some ease by this  reformation be he merchant or whosoever let it be no bank or common stock but  every man be master of his own money not that I altogether mislike bank but  they will hardly be brook in regard of certain suspicion let the state be  answer some small matter for the licence and the rest leave to the lender for  if the abatement be but small it will no whit discourage the lender for he for  example that take before ten or nine in the hundred will soon descend to eight  in the hundred than give over his trade of usury and go from certain gain to  gain of hazard let these licence lender be in number indefinite but restrain  to certain principal city and town of merchandise for then they will be hardly  able to colour other man money in the country so as the licence of nine will  not suck away the current rate of five for no man will send his money far off  nor put they into unknown hand if it be object that this do in a sort  authorize usury which before be in some place but permissive the answer be  that it be better to mitigate usury by declaration than to suffer it to rage  by connivance