University of Virginia Library

A Usurer.

Be it known to all men by these Presents, that
This great Extortor, was a spurious Brat,
Sprung from the Spawn of Mammon, now, the Actor
Of Man's Confusion, Pluto's chiefest Factor,
Oblig'd unto him in a thousand Scrowles
To ingrosse the VVorld, and lie Leiger for Souls:
One blest with Curses, and such Men do least
Love him, in whom he hath most Interest:
His Life is Contradiction, and all
His thrifty Actions, Paradoxical:
He's Poor ith' midst of Plenty, and doth grutch
Himself enough, because he hath too much:
Extreamly Avaritious, yet would die
VVith grief, were't not for Prodigality:
Cruel ith' Act of Charity, for when
He parts with Coin, 'tis to undo the Men
That have it, which (if punctually they pay)
He curseth them, because they keep their Day;
And well he may, for it proves fatal to him,
His very Guardian Angels do undo him:
Money was onely made for Use, yet we
In him, finde Use the greatest Injury:
Fear of the latter Day keeps him in aw,
For he fears Justice, though he lives by Law:
And doth much doubt the fatal Day should come,
To hinder the receiving of a Summ:
Good Acts and Deeds he loves, if they conduce
To Gain, Seal'd, and Deliver'd for his Use:
And is so jealous, that he will not deal
VVith his own Father, without Hand and Seal:
These words in Leases are his Luxurie,
To have, to hold, enjoy, and occupy;
VVhich by a vain Construction, (us'd in Mirth)
Makes him Incestuous with his Mother Earth:
He hath a hundred Sutes, and yet his Back
Knows but one Garment, greasie, patch'd, & black
As his own in-side; He is much at strife,
That Law can grant no Leases for long Life:
And gratulates the happinesse of them,
That liv'd i'th' Days of old Methusalem:
That he hath read ith' Bible, yet his Faith
Is more in Statutes, than what Scripture saith;
And (like a Sectarist) would fain consent,
To nullifie the Last Commandement:
Nor doth he like the Second, it doth hold
Much against Graven Images, and Gold:
To a young Heir he's worse than all the Birds
Of Rapine, that the whole Country affords:
He sucks the Marrow, and it doth him good,
To glut his Avarice with humane Bloud
Of undone Debtors; till they grow so poor,
They're forc'd to beg an Alms at their own Door:
Gallants more spirited, are forc'd to spread
Their Wings in other Climes, and fight for Bread;
Knowing not how their Hungers to refresh
But with expence of Bloud, to purchase Flesh:
His hoorded Summs are but so many Stealths,
Conducing to the Bane of Common-wealths;
The State and People suffer, where such Men
Ingulf the usefull Treasure, so that when
A State-securing Army should be paid,
Unequal Rates, unwillingly, are layd
On weaker Shoulders, which, too oft, have drew in
A Forreign Power, and prov'd a Nations Ruine:
Him and a Conjurer, Sathan doth fool
Alike, they both are practiz'd in one School:
The sweet Sin makes his Intellect so dim,
He thinks he hath the Devil, when he hath Him;
The Scrivener, and the Broker, are his two
Assisting Suffragans, that must undo
The sliding Knots, of such mens Fortunes which
Contemn the paltry Pride of being Rich:
Thus doth he waste his ne'r-returning years,
In Dayly Stratagems, and Nightly Fears:
Whilest the poor Widows Tears, & Orphans Cries,
Like the first Bloud-shed, do ascend the Skies,
Till Death's Arrest his greedy Corpes assail,
With such an Action, that admits no Bail:
But must Eternally in Prison lie,
Who, all his Life, dealt in Security.