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CHAP. LXVI.
Of Oeconomy in general.
UNder the Title of Government-administration Oeconomy is contain'd, which is the Govern∣ment of a Family, Republick, or a private Monarchy; of which there are several sorts. For Oeconomy is partly Regal and Noble, partly Military, partly Pub∣lick, or in Community, as in Covents and Colledges, partly Private and Monastick. This Private Oecono∣my teaches how Wives, Sons, Nephews, Servants, and whole Families are to be govern'd; how to enlarge and increase an Estate; how to manage Expences. Under the notion of Publick Oeconomy, goes that Craft or Cunning which is us'd in ordering great Re∣venues, as Gabels, Customs, Tithes, great sums of Inte∣rest,
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Monopolies, and whatsoever other Arts of ad∣vancing the publick Revenue, or in the management of Treaties and Leagues. National Contests and Wars, which admitting of no certain Rule or Method, is therefore call'd Anomalous. Therefore cannot Oeco∣nomy be said to be either an Art or a Science, but a certain Domestick Discipline or Doctrine made up of Opinion, Use, Custome, Prudence, and Craft, whereto all your labouring Handicrafts, and Mechanick Arts relate; such as work in Linnen, Wool, Wood, Iron, Brass, and other Metals: as also the more servile Trades of Barbers, Cooks, and Victuallers: together with the several ways of getting Livelihoods, and in∣creasing private Wealth, which neither belong to Rule or Magistracie, nor conduce at all to the Government of the Commonwealth; aiming at nothing Divine, Ingenious or Heroick. Of which there are so many, and those mean and poor, that they are not to be numbred: some of these that get their Livings by mean things, are generally noted for particular Vices; as Car∣ters, Mariners, and Victuallers are commonly said to be very great Lyars and Tale-bearers, as likewise are Barbers and Bakers. So Songsters, Fidlers, and Pipers, men altogether Mercenary, made use of to Sing and Play at great Feasts and Entertainments, are gene∣rally of lewd and vicious Conversations. But the Life of a Mariner, as it is the most unhappy for hardship, so is it the most vitious and dishonest, who always live as it were in Prison, feeding hard and slovenly, their Apparel Nasty, unprovided of all sorts of Convenien∣ces, perpetual Exiles and Vagabonds, never at rest, tost with uncertain Waves and rage of Winds, ly∣able to all the hazards of Summer, Cold, Storms, Thunder, Hunger, Drowth and Diseases; to these we may add the dangers of Rocks, those Insects of the Seas, and Hurricanes; not omitting Tempests, than
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which there is nothing more dreadful or horrible: which makes it seem more strange, that as Mariners are the most unhappy of men, and always in most dangers, so they are the most wicked and desperate. But among the whole Croud of Mechanick Arts, there are none that bear so great sway as Merchandize, Til∣lage, Warfare, Chirurgery, and the meaner part of Law. Of all which we shall discourse in their Or∣der. Though before we begin, let us look into the Fundamentals of Oeconomy.
Of Oeconomy in general.
UNder the Title of Government-administration Oeconomy is contain'd, which is the Govern∣ment of a Family, Republick, or a private Monarchy; of which there are several sorts. For Oeconomy is partly Regal and Noble, partly Military, partly Pub∣lick, or in Community, as in Covents and Colledges, partly Private and Monastick. This Private Oecono∣my teaches how Wives, Sons, Nephews, Servants, and whole Families are to be govern'd; how to enlarge and increase an Estate; how to manage Expences. Under the notion of Publick Oeconomy, goes that Craft or Cunning which is us'd in ordering great Re∣venues, as Gabels, Customs, Tithes, great sums of Inte∣rest,
Page 217
Monopolies, and whatsoever other Arts of ad∣vancing the publick Revenue, or in the management of Treaties and Leagues. National Contests and Wars, which admitting of no certain Rule or Method, is therefore call'd Anomalous. Therefore cannot Oeco∣nomy be said to be either an Art or a Science, but a certain Domestick Discipline or Doctrine made up of Opinion, Use, Custome, Prudence, and Craft, whereto all your labouring Handicrafts, and Mechanick Arts relate; such as work in Linnen, Wool, Wood, Iron, Brass, and other Metals: as also the more servile Trades of Barbers, Cooks, and Victuallers: together with the several ways of getting Livelihoods, and in∣creasing private Wealth, which neither belong to Rule or Magistracie, nor conduce at all to the Government of the Commonwealth; aiming at nothing Divine, Ingenious or Heroick. Of which there are so many, and those mean and poor, that they are not to be numbred: some of these that get their Livings by mean things, are generally noted for particular Vices; as Car∣ters, Mariners, and Victuallers are commonly said to be very great Lyars and Tale-bearers, as likewise are Barbers and Bakers. So Songsters, Fidlers, and Pipers, men altogether Mercenary, made use of to Sing and Play at great Feasts and Entertainments, are gene∣rally of lewd and vicious Conversations. But the Life of a Mariner, as it is the most unhappy for hardship, so is it the most vitious and dishonest, who always live as it were in Prison, feeding hard and slovenly, their Apparel Nasty, unprovided of all sorts of Convenien∣ces, perpetual Exiles and Vagabonds, never at rest, tost with uncertain Waves and rage of Winds, ly∣able to all the hazards of Summer, Cold, Storms, Thunder, Hunger, Drowth and Diseases; to these we may add the dangers of Rocks, those Insects of the Seas, and Hurricanes; not omitting Tempests, than
Page 218
which there is nothing more dreadful or horrible: which makes it seem more strange, that as Mariners are the most unhappy of men, and always in most dangers, so they are the most wicked and desperate. But among the whole Croud of Mechanick Arts, there are none that bear so great sway as Merchandize, Til∣lage, Warfare, Chirurgery, and the meaner part of Law. Of all which we shall discourse in their Or∣der. Though before we begin, let us look into the Fundamentals of Oeconomy.