He discourses of several of his Masters Cheats, whereby he gets his Estate.

With this Stock of 350l. my Master set up all his Knaveries, and being unwilling to venture it all in one bottom, he lent a 100l. of it in small sums to House-keepers, which they paid again by the week, and gave him at least 40l. per Cent. for the use of it; for if he lent five pound, they paid it by five shillings per week, and had but four pound ten shillings for their money, and my Master making the Bond in another mans name, he had commonly five shillings, and sometimes ten shillings for Procuration, and sometimes I had a shilling or two: thus did he dispose of some. Others he lent upon Bommeree, which was thus: If he lent ten pound, he was to have fifteen pound for it on such a day, or the return of such a ship, which should first happen; and though there was no such ship in the world came home, yet the time would come, and then it must be paid; and this being counted an adventure, he could take what interest he pleased, as it is customary with Merchants to venture upon Bottomrie; that is, on the bottom or keel of the ship and then for security of payment of the money, though the ship should miscarry, they are wont to insure it at the Insurance-Office; but my Master needed no such charge or trouble for insuring any ship, for he was sure the day would come, though the ship never did; and thus did he make forty or fifty pound in the hundred: but he being once bit and sued in equity, afterwards took a more strict course, for he seldom lent any money thus, but he would include in the Condition of the Bond a warrant to confess a Judgement, upon default of payment: and to be sure when the time came, and the money not paid, he filed his Bond, which was warrant to confess Judgement, and thereby obtained a Scieri facias, to take execution on the body or goods of the debtor, who little dreamt thereof, and then he seized all the penalty, to the undoing of some; and he seldome lent unto any, but he had two or three bound for security, and that he might not be blamed nor sued, he made his Bonds and Judgements in the name of one who was his Confederate, and was was a Prisoner in the Kings-Bench, so that when the penalty was recovered, it was to no purpose to sue him. And by degrees being now in Credit, and having moneys of other persons to dispose of, he would seldome lend any but upon morgages, because under the pretence of being paid for writings (which he would be sure to make large enough) he would sometimes take five pound for procuring a hundred, and say, though indeed six per Cent was as much as his friend the Usurer would take, yet he was forced every six moneths to present him with somewhat that should be equal to eight pound per Cent, and withal, that he was at charge not only to imploy one at first to enquire of the Security, but he was at the charge of a Coach to go to see the estate, and then he will reckon so much for his pains, so much for loss of time, so much for writings, and so much for expences, and so much for expedition, and all this must be deducted out of the money: when the six moneths came that the money was due, then he must have the interest, and so much for Continuation; and this was a courtesie if he let them go so: but if the borrower came not, and readily at the time brought the interest and Continuation-money, he had several wayes to bring them in, for suddenly a Declaration of Ejectment was drawn up and delivered to the Tenant or Tenants in possession of the premises, who being frighted at the matter, presently goes to the Landlord, who sensible of the matter, hies him to us. If this will not do, then an Officer is feed to enter an Action and Arrest the Borrower, who then is forced to come and comply upon extraordinary disadvantageous terms; for after much entreaty, my Master may be perswaded to continue it, the interest-money being paid, as also Continuation-money, charge of Declarations of Ejectment (for which we will rekon five or ten shillings paid to an Attorney, though it were done by my Master, or me by his command) it may be twenty shillings, or forty shillings, for the Arrest, though it may be not above half a Crown was paid for it; and then there must be at least twenty shillings, or forty shillings, to my Master for his pains, and if the borrower be not willing to pay all this charge, then will my Master see an Attorney in earnest, and proceed upon the Declaration of Ejectment, and in short time get the possession of the estate: and thus put the poor borrower to ten pound charge, and if he refuse to pay this, he shall fair worse; for although in equity the lender of the money can hold the premises no longer in his hands than till he is paid his Debt, Interest, and charges out of the rent, yet my Master will so order the matter, that the borrower shall never have the estate again; for (pretending that the lender wanted his money, and was forced to sell the estate to raise it) he will pass it away to another, a Confederate, for the bare money, interest, and charges that is due on it, or it may be, five or ten pound more; and this is all the poor borrower can get in equity, which will cost him more the recovering than it is worth. Thus have we often had an estate worth two hundred pound, for only fifty pound and interest, and the poor borrower is forced to be quiet, not having any remedy. When an estate is mortgaged to us, we seldom let it go out of our hands; for if the money lent be not brought and paid just on the day, then we put the borrower off till the next six moneths, refusing to deliver up the writings, and then it becomes forfeited, so that we force them to sell it to us, or give extraordinary fees, to cause us to release our interest; especially if we discover it to be sold to another, we refuse to shew the writings, and so weary out the borrower with delays and pretences, &c. But this was but small game, to what we after played, as I shall presently tell you, for the 350l. being all put out in parcels, and though they often returned with profit enough, yet it was very hard to get 400l. together to pay the money that was borrowed, for now it had been lent a year, and the Usurer, though he hath never so good security, yet he loves to see his money sometimes, especially when he deals with a stranger, as the man was that borrowed it; and though my Master might have cheated him of his money, yet he was unwilling so to give over, but proceed in his Trade which had gained him so much: wherefore my Master upon search and inquiry, found that the same Company (whose Seal he had Counterfeited) had a parcel of Land in the Countrey, not far from London, which they had let to a wealthy Citizen, who had given over Trading for some years, and now lived in the Country: My Master getting the particulars of this Land soon makes a Lease, and with the help of his Counterfeit Seal, makes it authentick, so that without much trouble he procures a thousand pound to be lent upon it by another Usurer who lived private, and the business was so ordered, that the Usurer was well enough contented without seeing the Land: my Master gave his old Confederate forty pound to personate the borrower, and then he paid in the four hundred pound that was formerly borrowed, so that only he thereby engaged that Usurer to him, who now had so good an opinion of my Master, that he soon made it up fifteen hundred pound, and desired him to procure him either good security, or a purchase for it: all which was done in a fair way, to the Usurers content, and my Masters profit; and thus did our Trade increase, my Master getting much money, and many a Crown, and half piece came into my pocket; for he knowing that I was privy to the first Cheat, did humor me very much, and took his Son off from abusing me, and caused every body that borrowed money to give me some gratuity for expedition, so that I had money enough, and the keeping of all my Masters Cash is committed to my charge: My Master had one rare contrivance lately, which I will tell you of whilst it is in my minde; and thus it was, he had a Kinswoman who had long lived with him, and some moneys he had of hers in his hands, which was a Legacy formerly given her by another. This Maid being Courted by a Shop-keeper in way of Marriage, the match went forwards, and was agreed upon on these terms; the Shop-keepers Father was to give him a hundred pound in money to put him into Stock, and my Master was to give his Kinswoman fifty pound, this being agreed on, my Master takes the young man aside, and thus discourses him: Young man, here have I agreed to give fifty pound with my Kinswoman, which gains you a hundred pound of your Father, now I having not ready money by me, must borrow this fifty pound, for which you must be bound with me, and when it becomes due I will pay it; This I say you must do without acquainting your Father, and so the business shall be done, and I pray be a good Husband, &c. The young man soon consented, the marriage was consummated, and all things went well for a while, but within twelve months the young couple having run out all, my Masters Kinswoman came again to her Uncle to acquaint him with their condition, and desire his advice and assistance; my Master was much troubled at this chance, for he expected the contrary, and intended to get back the fifty pound for which end he had the young man bound, that he might be forced to pay the money, when in a condition; but seeing it was otherwise, he considered the matter, and wish’d her to send her Husband to him, and be patient, and make no words, and all should be well: her Husband according to order came, and after several checks past for his ill husbandry, he asked him if his Father knew any thing of his Condition? no, said the young man, I have kept it from his knowledge, and he thinks I thrive in the world, and is glad of it; well then, said my Master, you know I gave you fifty pound, for which you were bound, and indeed it is still unpaid: now if you will be contented to pay that fifty pound in, I will raise you two hundred pound, so that you shall have fifty pound more in ready money, and then see how good a Husband you will be. To this the young man gladly consented, and my Master soon after took occasion to meet and drink with his Father, and after some other discourse, they joyntly talked of the young mans thriving in the world, and were both glad of the match, and good husbandry: but said my Master, now I think on it, there is now an opportunity of doing him much good if he had more money, and therefore you would do well to furnish them; I shall not be backward, replies the Father, upon a good account, therefore I pray tell me the business: My Master thereupon told him, that with two hundred pound more he might be bravely settled and furnished, for the Lease of his House is to be sold, and I can get it for a hundred pound, and that is a rich penny-worth, and the other hundred pound, I would have him to lay out in furnishing his shop more plentifully, than now it is. Truly reply’d the old man, this would do well: but I have no money at present, neither if I had, should I be willing to part from any more than a hundred pound at a time; Well for that, said my Master, if you please, I will manage the matter: Thus will I procure two hundred pound for the young man; nay, and I have so great a love for him, that I will be bound with him and you for it, and when it shall be due, you shall only pay a hundred pound of the money, and your Son the t'other: To this the old man after some pause, and a little consideration consented, the business was done, and the money paid. My Master indeed being acquainted with the Landlord of the young man’s House, gained a Lease of it for eighty pound, and made the young man allow a 100l. and deducting the fifty pound he had formerly given him, he gave him the t'other fifty pound. Thus had my Master his fifty pound again, and twenty pound for his pains in the business. When the money became due, my Masters Confederate, the Usurer, in whose name the Bond was made, demanded the money of the young man, where there was none to be had; and the old man was willing to pay only a hundred pound of it according to Contract, where shall I have the rest, said the Usurer? why truly said the old man, if my Son cannot pay you, then let his wives Uncle, meaning my Master: But course was soon taken otherwise, and my Master being first, and principle in the Bond, made no more ado, but confessed Judgement, and thereupon Execution was taken out against them all, but served only upon the old man, who was forced to pay all the money. Thus my Master, by being principle in the Bond saved himself, regained the fifty pound he had formerly lent, and gained twenty pound, besides making of Writings; and this, said he, will serve to help my Kinswoman when I see occasion. I having heard him with good attention, and considering with my self my own petty Rogueries, and how inconsiderable they were in comparison of what he had related to me, could not but burst out into admiration, and told him, that I saw the world was an absolute Cheat: and now I find that saying to be verified which I had often heard, That the World consisted but of two sorts, Knaves and Fools, and that the one lived by out-witting and Cheating the other; and if there were any honest men, they were such as onely lived a contemplative life, and dealt not in this world; their whole thoughts being taken up in the Contemplation of another; Truly, reply’d the Scrivener, if you had known so much as I of all sorts of people (for we deal with people of all Qualities and Professions) you would conclude so indeed: and as the poor mans ability will not carry him high enough to Cheat so much at first, so he attempting it, and being discovered, is quite lost: but if a rich man, or any who had success in Knavery sets upon it to get an Estate, it is soon compassed, and the folly and easiness of many honest borrowers enriches the Knavish lender. Thus we both concluded, as sufficiently evidenced by the Examples he had given me: and therefore I desired him to proceed, which he did in this manner.