THough Complaints of Poverty and scarcity of Money are unhappily become no less general than lamentable; so that where-ever we go, our Ears are assaulted with the sad Rhetorick of Beggary; and our Eye with deplorable objects of pity: yet must it be acknowledged, That we rail Impertinently at the hardness of the Times, since 'tis our selves that make them such; men generally by sloth or vanity, negligence or extravagance, twisting those chains of necessity wherein they lie entangled; wherefore since Diseases are not cured with our Cries, nor Miseries redrest by Lamentations, let every one wipe his Eyes, and make use of his Head and his Hands to preserve or recover himself out of the Quagmire of Want: It being certain that still every man in Health and Strength; may forge himself out a For­tune by Industry and Frugality, and obtain (though not a splen­did yet) a comfortable Subsistance.

The general Cause of Poverty, is either Profuseness, or not Im­proving those Talents God hath lent us: Of the first Kind, we may reckon up,

1. One to be Gawdy in Apparrel, and we will rank it first, be­cause 'tis most visible; How do many Shipwrack their Credits, and score vast summs in Silk-mens, Mercers, Drapers, Taylors, or Semstrisses Books; onely to follow some foolish New Fashion, and make themselves ridiculous Apes; or at best but like the Cyn­namon Tree, whose bark is more worth than its body: when a thrifty wise person can accouter himself with good decent and creditable Apparel for half or a third part of the others charge. Can our best studied Fashion-mongers tell us what use there is of Lace-bands of six, seven, or eight pounds, nay forty or fifty pounds a Hand? Or of such dawbing of Coats or Petticoats with Gold Lace, or Silver Points of Five or Eight pound the dozen, meerly to dangle at their Knees? Persons that have the Kernel of Wisdom and Magnanimity, seldom give much regard to the Shell of Gawdy Apparel; and a Gentleman in a plain Cloth sui [...] well made, may decently appear in the presence of the greatest Monarch in Christendom.

2. A Liquorish Tooth or Extravagant Diet: What waste do our young Gallants make at their Treats at Taverns or French Ordnaries? I have known three or four of them spend Forty or Fifty Shillings a piece, for a Dinner or Supper; when two Dishes of seven or eight shillings price, had been as pleasant, and much more nourishing and wholesome. No less vain is extravagancy in ordinary House-keeping, variety of Dishes does but oppress Na­ture and disturb Digestion; the Belly never ballances accompts: What madness is it therefore to keep such a stir to gratifie it? espe­cially where all things are to be bought in by the penny, and Ser­vants are trusted to be our Purveyors.

3. Drinking, or (as they nick-name it) Good-fellowship, is not onely a shrewd Drainer of the Purse, but a great Consumer of Time; thereby causing neglect of business, and many times ren­dring one incapable of doing any thing some dayes after: be­sides it weakens the Body, impairs the Intellectuals, brings into ill company, ruins ones credit, and leads to a thousand inconvenien­ces: for what folly, mischief, or villany, will not a man engage in when he is drunk?

4. Courting of Women; Experienced Solomon calls a Whore a deep Ditch, and certainly whosoever follows her Enticements, though his way seem paved with Delight, treads to paths of De­struction: and though he have never so plentiful an Estate, shall in short time find emptiness in his Purse, rottenness in his Bones, horror in his Conscience, and infamy intailed upon his memory: Nor is it any other than a foolish vanity to treat any Women often at extraordinary Expences; for if they be vertuous, they will not expect it, if otherwise they do not deserve it.

5. Gaming, Is the High-way to Beggars-Bush; a bewitching vanity, that will not suffer a man to keep his money in his pocket, without putting it to the hazard of a Throw, whether it shall continue his own, or be anothers I have known a poor Citizen so be sotted with this itch of Shaking the Elbow, that no sooner could he get Half a Piece or a Piece, but away he must go, till he had plaid it away every farthing; though his poor Wife and half a dozen small Children, were ready in the mean time to starve for want of Bread; and himself glad to drink Water or Small Beer for a Fortnight after.

6. Suretyship, has been an Eminent Gulf to swallow fair E­states; so much the more lamentable, because it falls upon per­sons of the best nature; easily inveigled by Crafty Knaves to en­gage for their own debts, which they never intend to pay them­selves. That old Emblem I have seen, was very significant in such Cases; of a brisk gallant young Heir, sliding down the great end of a Hunters Horn with ease; but cruelly pinched and tat­terred at the comming [...]orth at the small end; with one of his Brother fools standing hard by, laughing at him; and this Motto,

7. Trusting to Servants, We use to say, The Eye of the Ma­ster. makes the Horse fat; Sure I am, the not having an eye to Ser­vants, will make his Purse lean; what with Idleness, Waste, and Embezlements, he will find a sensible Consumption in his Estate, if he do not well examine their accompts, and continually suspect their doings.

In short, whoever would Thrive, must continually have an eye to Frugality, a Vertue that is the Root of all Liberality: For that by Retrenching unnecessary Expences, avi ding much Buying, continual Borrowing, superfluous Buildings, vexati­ous Law-suits for Trifles, chargeable Recreations, and Expen­sive Studies, as the Phylosophers Stone, or the like; preserves and maintains a plentiful Estate: which not onely renders the owners life comfortable, but also serves as a Spring, whence he can send forth streams of Bounty upon any necessary occasion; which prodigality would soon dry up, and leave him miserable in himself and useless to others: Thus sings the witty Randolph,

Defects of Improving what we have, are either by Sloth, one of the greatest baits the Devil has to all kind of wickedness; He that will not work, deserves not to eat; by the Apostles Rule: Re­member the end of the Sluggard is miserable Beggary. Be cu­rious sometimes to see the Morning Star draw the Curtain of the Day, or behold the Sun in Summer scatter glories as he climbs over the Eastern Hills. What a shame it is to spend half ones life-time in Dreams and Slumbers; Leave your Bed therefore, when first Sleep hath left you; left Custom renders your Body sluggish; or (what is worse) your mind a Cage of unclean thoughts.

Man is born to labour, as the sparks sly upwards; saith Job: And as he shall onely fill his Throat with Air, that sits lazily expe­cting Fortune to drop an Estate from the Clouds into his Mouth, w [...] it can onely be attained by the care of a Vigilant Head, and sweat of a Laborious Brow; so 'tis a most foolish proud humor, to continue in a wretched, sharking, necessitous condition, rather than embrace any honest Employment, that might be advantageous, meerly because 'tis not so neat and genteel as we would have it: Just as if a condemned Malefactor should refuse a gracious Re­prieve, because 'tis not brought him in a Silver Box, or by the hands of a Privy Councellor.

The Serious Spanyard when he would bestow the bitterest Curse upon an Enemy, is wont to wish, He may be a Beggar when he is old. And truly there can scarce be a greater misery in this life, than to be then in want, when all the faculties both of mind and body being disabled to labour for supplying our neces­sities; leave us not so much as hope ever to raise our selves again. The consideration of which, should effectually warn All, whil'st Youth and Strength last, not to trifle them away in Vanity or Debauchery: but endeavour to lay up something as a Reserve for Gray Hairs, or a Bed of Sickness: not to speak of a thousand o­ther Cross Accidents that happenning suddenly, may utterly ruin a person, if he be not a little before-hand in the world. Most true is the Proverb,

The general means of Thriving, are for a man to be diligent; Nulla dies sine linea, always employed in some honest Calling, or Designs suitable to his condition, advantageous in themselves, and feasible for him to accomplish; to be vigilant, and way-lay opportunities: there being undoubtedly some offered in the course of every mans life, that may make him reasonably happy, if he have but the wit to nick them luckily. Add to this a wari­ness in his Expences and Bargainings, buying if possibly with ready money; preserving his Credit, by keeping touch when he appoints any payments: Affability and obliging Carriage to all in matters that cannot damnifie him: but to avoid [...]gagements for any to his prejudice; nor to concern himself in others mat­ters; not to go to law but upon necessity; then first to take good advice on his case, and afterwards to prosecute it with all imaginable vigor; that so the success may make others afraid to contend with him unjustly.

I am not ignorant with what clamor the Libertines of the Age decry that Sacred Institution; but those that think Wedlock so Insupportable a Yoak, may fancy their Gartars to be Shackles, and their Bands Halters. I fear not many have received so fully the Gift of Continence, as to observe a Single Life with a pure and inviolated Chastity (thrice happy are those that can) but if they do fly out, most certain I am, besides the wounds to their Soul, 'tis no small prejudice to their Estates and Business; having al­ways esteem'd a Mistriss a more chargeable convenience than a Wife; the first having still an eye to her own profit, lest her Gal­lant should prove unconstant; whereas the interest of the last is inseparably twisted with that of her Husband: Nor is she of small advantage to him in the management of his Affairs: Hear old Yasser on the point,

As to the choice of a Wife, having little experience my self, let me advise you in the words of the same Poet,

'Tis the most critical action of a mans life; not onely his own happiness or ruin, but his relations and posterity are concerned in it; and since it can be done but once, it concerns us to consider more than twice before we undertake it: the fear of God, consent of Parents, and a fitness between the parties for each other, are requisite: A true mutual affection above all things should precede; for nothing can be a greater torment than a loathed Bed. Yet since Love is a flame, 'tis convenient it should have some fuel of Estate, left damps of necessity extinguish it. He that weds meerly for mo­ney, turns Marriage into a Bargain and Sale; and he that mar­ries one wholly portionless, does the worst of Drudgeries for no thing. I would take the Woman for her own sake; but well­com a bagg or two as good additions, considering Wealth in Re­lation to her, as Cyphers in Arithmetick, which though signify­ing nothing themselves, do yet much vary the signification of those figures wherewith they are joyn'd.

Another way whereby some ruin themselves, is folly; under­taking things impossible or dangerous, or suffering themselves to be cheated and rook'd of what they have: For the prevention whereof there is no better way than to deal as securely with all men as if they were the veriest Knaves; then let them prove as they will, you are safe. If a man impose on you once, 'tis his fault; if twice your own: Alwayes suspect the smoothest tongues and fair­est pretenders. In this sense many a man is saved by his Infidelity.

Above all, to thrive, be very punctual in your Accounts; Re­gister all Receipts and Disbursements, and delight often to bal­lance them; never slight little advantages, nor contemn small ex­pences: The Scotch Proverb says well, Every little makes a mickle; and the Wiseman tells you plainly, That he that contem­neth little things, shall fall by little and little. What vast summs do some men trifle insensibly, Hang't one pint with such a friend, t'o­ther pot with such an Acquaintance; 'tis but twelve pence, 'tis but two pence: whereas if these superfluous expences had but been laid up together, they might have paid the Rent at the years end, or stopp'd some other gapp: for which now perhaps thy goods are like to be [...]eized, or thy person haled away to Jail. That none may pretend ignorance, for want of Arithmetick; we shall here insert,

This Table is so plain, the meanest capacity cannot but under­stand it; Find the sum of pence or shillings spent in one day, in the first Column on the left hand, and just against it you have the summ in pounds, shillings, and pence, which it makes by the Week, by the Month, or Year; according to the respective Titles above.

Hereby it appeareth, That one penny a day comes to one pound ten shillings and five pence in a Year; and therefore in 21 years it will come to 31 l. 18 s. 9 d. onely by the saving thereof. But if you also employ this, so that it may gain after the rate of Ten in the Hundred; it will amount to above Fourscore and six pounds, in the said time: which may be a good portion for a mans Child.

But to conclude, take these words of Advice,