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<DATE>2013-10-30</DATE>
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<NAME>John Pas</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
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<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed as part of batch B130310.apex.</ITEM>
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<BIBNO T="oclc">11949059</BIBNO>
<VID>51359</VID>
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<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB N="16" REF="1">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P> <HI>AN ACCOUNT OF D^r</HI> A&s;&s;heton<HI>'s PROPOSAL (As Improved and Managed by the Wor&s;hipful Company of</HI> Mercers, London) <HI>for the Benefit of</HI> Widows <HI>OF</HI> Clergymen <HI>and</HI> Others;</P>
<P><HI>By Settling</HI> Joyntures <HI>and</HI> Annuities <HI>at the Rate of</HI> Thirty per Cent.</P>
<Q><P>What&s;oever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might: for there is no work, nor de|vice, nor knowledge, nor wi&s;dom in the Grave whither thou goe&s;t, <BIBL><HI>Eccle&s;.</HI> 9. 10.</BIBL></P></Q>
<Q><P>Plead for the Widow, <BIBL><HI>I&s;aiah</HI> 1. 17.</BIBL></P></Q>
<P>LONDON: <HI>Printed for</HI> B. Aylmer, <HI>again&s;t the</HI> Royal Exchange <HI>in</HI> Cornhil. 1699.</P>
<PB REF="2">
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="text">
<PB N="1" REF="2" MS="y">
<HEAD>An ACCOUNT OF D^r <HI>A&s;&s;heton</HI>'s PROPOSAL, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></HEAD>
<P>TO Relieve poor <HI>Widows</HI> of the <HI>Clergy,</HI> is a truly Charitable Work. But to find out &s;ome <HI>Expedient,</HI> whereby the Poverty of &s;uch Per&s;ons may for the fu|ture be prevented, is a more de&s;irable Un|dertaking.</P>
<P>In order to which good De&s;ign, the Oc|ca&s;ions of &s;uch Poverty mu&s;t fir&s;t be inqui|red; and how it comes to pa&s;s, that the Re|licts of &s;ome Churchmen are expo&s;ed to &s;o much Want. Which being di&s;tinctly known and con&s;idered, we &s;hall then better be ena|bled to apply the Remedy.</P>
<PB N="2" REF="3">
<P> And, <HI>Fir&s;t,</HI> Several <HI>Church-Livings</HI> (being Impropriate) are of &s;o &s;mall a value, that the <HI>Incumbents</HI> are &s;carce able to <HI>Sub&s;i&s;t,</HI> much le&s;s can they expect to make Provi&s;ion for Po&s;terity.</P>
<P>This is indeed a very &s;ad Truth. And though there is a way to redre&s;s this Grie|vance, yet it is too big for our pre&s;ent Thoughts. And therefore,</P>
<P><HI>Secondly,</HI> It mu&s;t further be acknowledged, That &s;ome <HI>Churchmen</HI> who have competent Preferments, do not yet make over-plentiful Provi&s;ion for their <HI>Wives</HI> and Children. And the cau&s;e &s;eems to be this:</P>
<P>The&s;e <HI>Gentlemen,</HI> though otherwi&s;e well De&s;cended and of good Families; yet being younger Brothers, or the Sons of &s;uch, they have &s;eldom any E&s;tates in <HI>Land;</HI> but ac|cording to the Cu&s;tom of our Country, ei|ther a Sum of <HI>Money,</HI> or &s;ome yearly Annui|ty for their Lives: The Effects of which be|ing u&s;ually expended in a Chargeable Edu|cation, when the nece&s;&s;ity of their Affairs doth incline them to Marry, they cannot expect con&s;iderable Portions with their <HI>Wives,</HI> becau&s;e for want of <HI>real E&s;tates,</HI> they are not in a Capacity to &s;ettle <HI>Joyntures</HI> upon them. Hence it too often comes to pa&s;s; That a free and generous Way of living, a &s;canted Portion, and a fruitful Wife (who brings a
<PB N="3" REF="3" MS="y"> Charge without a Competency to maintain it) do &s;o entangle his Affairs, that our ho|ne&s;t <HI>Churchman</HI> is not only di&s;turbed in his Thoughts, diverted from his <HI>Studies</HI> with per|plexing Cares, but al&s;o is &s;o clogged with the Nece&s;&s;ities of a <HI>Family</HI> and other Ex|pectations, that his Widow is many times left in a very mean, if not indigent Condi|tion.</P>
<P>If therefore &s;uch an Expedient can be found, whereby <HI>Clergymen</HI> may, upon ea&s;y Terms, &s;ettle competent <HI>Joyntures</HI> upon their <HI>Wives;</HI> if, for in&s;tance, they may be enabled to &s;ecure them <HI>Thirty per Cent.</HI> to be yearly paid during their Natural Lives; This would not only take off the Reproach of <HI>Steepl<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">|hou&s;e</HI> Joyntures, but would al&s;o encourage that <HI>Ho&s;pitality</HI> which is an Ornament to their Profe&s;&s;ion. They may then be obliging to their Pari&s;hioners, Charitable to the Poor, and may live without Di&s;traction. And though their Death &s;hould be &s;udden and unexpected, yet their Wives are competent|ly provided for. The very Thoughts of which will compo&s;e their Spirits, rai&s;e their Parts, and make the whole Cour&s;e of their Lives comfortable and ea&s;y to them.</P>
<P>And not only <HI>Churchmen,</HI> but al&s;o all other Orders of Men may receive the Benefit of this Propo&s;al.</P>
<PB N="4" REF="4">
<P> There are &s;everal <HI>Phy&s;icians, Lawyers, Mer|chants, Traders,</HI> &amp;c. who, during their own Lives, are either Men of competent E&s;tates, or have the Credit to be thought &s;o: and con&s;equently their Wives are &s;uitably main|tained. But at their Deaths, <HI>their</HI> Wives (as well as tho&s;e of the <HI>Clergy)</HI> are &s;ometimes left in a mean, if not indigent Condi|tion.</P>
<P>For as a <HI>Churchman</HI>'s Preferments are on|ly for his Life; &s;o neither can a <HI>Phy&s;ician</HI> Practice, nor a <HI>Lawyer</HI> Plead in the other World. I have therefore &s;ometimes won|der'd, why the Clergy &s;hould be upbraided with <HI>Steeple-hou&s;e</HI> Joyntures: Since the Wives of other Profe&s;&s;ions, are in this re&s;pect as liable to be expo&s;ed as the Clergy.</P>
<P>For as the Clergy (who are of a Gene|rous Di&s;po&s;ition) do too often Live above their pre&s;ent Preferments; &s;o <HI>Phy&s;icians</HI> and <HI>Lawyers</HI> do &s;ometimes yearly expend to the utmo&s;t of their Practice. In &s;uch Ca&s;es (which too often happen) it mu&s;t needs be acknowledg'd a great Advantage to &s;uch Per&s;ons, to have 30, or 60, or 90 <HI>l. per Ann.</HI> Settled upon their Wives, by way of Joyn|ture or Rent-charge, in ca&s;e they &s;urvive them.</P>
<P>Nor is this Propo&s;al le&s;s u&s;eful to <HI>Traders,</HI> than to Men of Profe&s;&s;ions.</P>
<PB N="5" REF="4" MS="y">
<P> For though Trade is a Gainful, yet it is an hazardous and uncertain way of Living; Wherein the mo&s;t Sober, Sagacious, and Indu&s;trious Per&s;on may without his own fault, be &s;unk and ruined by the mi&s;car|riage of others.</P>
<P>The Fal&s;ene&s;s of a Partner, or Treachery of a Corre&s;pondent, with many other Acci|dents, may bla&s;t him in a moment.</P>
<P>And though he may make &s;ome tolerable Shift to Trade on (as we phra&s;e it) and may keep his Shop open, even during his Life; yet &s;ince he lives only by his Credit, it hence unavoidably follows at his Death, that his Wife (who was ignorant of his In|trigues) in&s;tead of her <HI>Thirds</HI> (the only Joynture &s;ettled for a 1000, or 1500 <HI>l.)</HI> is &s;adly entertained with the &s;urprizing News, <HI>That All is &s;eized.</HI></P>
<P>Now had this Per&s;on immediately after his Marriage, when his Portion was Re|ceived, or at any other time when he flou|ri&s;hed in Money, had he, I &s;ay, then Paid in <HI>Three,</HI> or but <HI>Two</HI> Hundred Pounds to the <HI>Mercers</HI> Company; what a &s;ea&s;onable Sup|port would the Effects of it have been, to his now poor di&s;con&s;olate di&s;tre&s;&s;ed Wi|dow?</P>
<PB N="6" REF="5">
<P> From the&s;e Premi&s;&s;es it appears, That the Advantages of this Propo&s;al (even to All Orders and Profe&s;&s;ions) are not to be doubt|ed. But the chief Que&s;tion is, <HI>How the&s;e Joyntures can be &s;ecured?</HI> What Security &s;hall be given to the Sub&s;cribers, that their Wi|dows &s;hall not be Defrauded, but that the Joyntures and Annuities here promi&s;ed &s;hall be punctually paid them?</P>
<P>This is that which for many years did ex|erci&s;e Dr. <HI>A&s;&s;heton</HI>'s Thoughts.</P>
<P>For though he was encouraged by &s;everal knowing Judicious Per&s;ons (whom he had con&s;ulted, and to whom he had communi|cated his Propo&s;al) that the De&s;ign was Pra|cticable; yet where to fix it, or how to pro|vide &s;uch a Fund as might &s;ecure the Sub|&s;cribers, was a matter of &s;ome Difficulty, not only to him&s;elf, but al&s;o to the Under|taking.</P>
<P>As to <HI>Him&s;elf,</HI> He was fully convinced, not only of the Trouble and Charge in ma|naging &s;uch a Work, but al&s;o of the hazard to his Reputation if it &s;hould mi&s;carry. For the generality of Men are very unju&s;t in their Cen&s;ures, and will allow nothing to be well De&s;igned, that &s;hall want Suc|ce&s;s.</P>
<PB N="7" REF="5" MS="y">
<P> However, he did re&s;olve to go on; and if po&s;&s;ible, to fini&s;h what he had &s;o long Pro|jected.</P>
<P>His <HI>Fir&s;t</HI> Addre&s;s was to the <HI>Corporation</HI> of the <HI>Clergy.</HI> Who indeed received him with the greate&s;t Kindne&s;s and Re&s;pect; But withal Declared, for Rea&s;ons not now to be repeated, that they were not capable to accept his Propo&s;al.</P>
<P>His next Application was to the <HI>Royal Bank</HI> of <HI>England.</HI> Where he did not doubt of &s;ufficient Security for the Subcribers. But for &s;ome Rea&s;ons, which are obvious to Men of Bu&s;ine&s;s, this Royal Bank, at pre|&s;ent, is not &s;o Modell'd, as to manage this Propo&s;al.</P>
<P>Though thus far di&s;appointed, yet Dr. <HI>A&s;&s;heton</HI> was not Di&s;couraged. And be|ing admoni&s;hed, that a <HI>City-Company</HI> was ve|ry capable to Undertake his Propo&s;al: And that the <HI>Mercers</HI> was the Be&s;t, both for Ma|nagement and Revenue, he immediately applied him&s;elf to that Company. And ha|ving fir&s;t waited upon the pre&s;ent <HI>Ma&s;ter,</HI> (who&s;e known Worth, and inclination to promote Charitable De&s;igns, gave him great encouragement of Succe&s;s) he next attend|ed the <HI>Wardens,</HI> and &s;everal others of the Members.</P>
<PB N="8" REF="6">
<P> After &s;ome time, a General Court of the &s;aid Company was held, on <HI>Friday</HI> the 11th of <HI>November</HI> 1698. Where Dr. <HI>A&s;&s;heton</HI>'s Propo&s;al was read to the &s;aid Company. And the Doctor being then asked, what he had further to &s;ay; he Replyed to this Ef|fect, <HI>viz.</HI></P>
<Q>He was very &s;en&s;ible, that Wi&s;e men, who are not apt to be impo&s;ed on, do look upon Pro|jects with Caution, and at a di&s;tance. And therefore he was not &s;o vain as to expect, that this Propo&s;al &s;hould be unanimou&s;ly received, after one &s;ingle Reading, at a General Court. For the Rea&s;ons of &s;uch an Undertaking are not always obvious, but require &s;ome Thought and Applicati|on of Mind. He therefore humbly moved, That a Committee might be appointed, to con&s;ider and examine the Rea&s;ons of the Propo&s;al, together with &s;uch a Method, as &s;hould be thought mo&s;t Expedient for the Management of it.</Q>
<P>Whereupon a <HI>Committee</HI> was appointed to con&s;ider of the &s;ame, and what Security the Company could give to the Sub&s;cribers.</P>
<P>The which Committee (after &s;everal Meetings, and Di&s;cour&s;es with Dr. <HI>A<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;heten)</HI> made <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">eir Report to another General Court the 23<HI>d</HI> of <HI>December,</HI> 1698. Which Court having read the Report of the Committee, d<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> &s;u&s;pend their Re&s;olution of the &s;ame for that time. And another General Court was
<PB N="9" REF="6" MS="y"> appointed to be held the <HI>13th</HI> of <HI>January</HI> following, that &s;o all the Members of <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="3 letters"> &s;aid Company might have time to con&s;ider <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> the &s;aid Propo&s;al, and the Report of the Committee thereupon; that &s;o they might the better be enabled to give their Re&s;oluti|ons in the whole Affair. And at this <HI>Third</HI> and La&s;t General Court, the <HI>Company</HI> did ac|cept of the &s;aid Propo&s;al. And did Publi&s;h and Declare their Acceptance in Manner and Form following.</P>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD><HI>By the</HI> Wardens <HI>and</HI> Commonalty <HI>of the My&s;tery of the</HI> MERCERS, <HI>at</HI> Mercers-Hall <HI>in</HI> Cheap&s;ide, London, <HI>the 8th Day of</HI> Februa|ry, 1698.</HEAD>
<P>THE Reverend <HI>William A&s;&s;heton,</HI> Doctor in Divinity, Rector of <HI>Beckenham</HI> in <HI>Rent,</HI> and Chaplain to his Grace the Duke of <HI>Ormond,</HI> having out of a Charitable De|&s;ign, for the Maintenance and Relief of <HI>Widows of the Clergy,</HI> (which very frequently are left in a poor Condition when their Hu&s;|bands dye) employ'd his Thoughts to con|&s;ider of a Way for their Relief and Support;
<PB N="10" REF="7"> and thereupon thought of a Propo&s;al, in which he includes al&s;o others be&s;ide <HI>Clergy|men,</HI> viz. <HI>Phy&s;icians, Lawyers, Merchants, Tra|ders,</HI> or any other Per&s;ons that &s;hall Sub&s;cribe the Sum of 100 <HI>l.</HI> or more, during the Time of their joint Lives; in ca&s;e the Husband &s;hall die, and leave his Wife a Widow, that then there &s;hould be paid her, during her Life, the Sum of 30 <HI>l.</HI> a Year <HI>per Gent.</HI> free of all Charges; at the two u&s;ual Fea&s;ts of the Annunciation of the Ble&s;&s;ed <HI>Virgin Mary,</HI> and St. <HI>Michael</HI> the <HI>Archangel;</HI> and that the Sum to be Sub&s;cribed &s;hould be limited to 100000 <HI>l.</HI> And in ca&s;e the Wife dye, du|ring her Husband's Life-time, the &s;ame to go to the Benefit of tho&s;e that did undertake the &s;ame.</P>
<P>The &s;aid Reverend Dr. <HI>A&s;&s;heton</HI> con&s;idering w<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">here the &s;aid Sub&s;cription-Money might be lodged &s;afely, and rea&s;onable Security given for the due Payment of the Widows, did think it could not be better &s;ecured than in the Hands of the Wor&s;hipful Company of <HI>Mercers, London;</HI> and did at a General Court of the &s;aid Company, held on <HI>Friday</HI> the 11th of <HI>Nov<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">mber</HI> 1698, make this Propo&s;al to the &s;aid Company, who thereupon ap|pointed a Commi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">tee to con&s;ider of the &s;ame, and what Secu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">y the Company could give; which Committe had &s;everal Meetings th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">re|upon;
<PB N="11" REF="7" MS="y"> and having had &s;everal Di&s;cour&s;es with Dr. <HI>A&s;&s;heton,</HI> and acquainted him what E&s;tate they had to &s;ettle for Security, being clear rents, 2888 <HI>l.</HI> 8 <HI>s.</HI> 10 <HI>d. per. Ann.</HI> (be|&s;ides the Payments by the Benefactors to be paid out of the &s;ame;) which, by a mode|rate Calcuation would yield, when the Lea|&s;es come out, above 13500 <HI>l. per Annum</HI> clear, as afore&s;aid; And the &s;aid Dr. <HI>A&s;&s;heton</HI> judging the &s;ame to be rea&s;onable Security, the &s;aid Committee made their Report to a General Court the 23d of <HI>Decemb.</HI> 1698. Which Court having read the Report of the Committee, did &s;u&s;pend their Re&s;olution of the &s;ame for that time, and another Ge|neral Court was appointed to be held the 13th of <HI>January</HI> following; that &s;o all the Members of the &s;aid Company might have time to con&s;ider of the &s;aid Propo&s;al, and the Report of the Committee thereupon; that &s;o they might the better be enabled to give their Re&s;olutions in the whole Affair; And at the &s;aid General Court the Company did accept of the &s;aid Propo&s;al. And do hereby publi&s;h and declare,</P>
<P N="1">1. That in ca&s;e 100000 <HI>l.</HI> &s;hall be &s;ub&s;cri|bed and paid in to the Company in &s;uch manner as i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> hereafter mentioned; The &s;aid Company do undertake to pay unto the
<PB N="12" REF="8"> Widows of the Sub&s;cribers, according to the afore&s;aid Propo&s;ition, 30 <HI>l. per Cent. per Ann.</HI> free of Taxes and Charges, at the two u&s;ual Fea&s;ts of the Annunciation of the Ble&s;&s;ed <HI>Virgin Mary,</HI> and St. <HI>Michael</HI> the <HI>Archangel.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. That for better Security of the Pay|ments, as &s;oon as the &s;aid 100000 <HI>l.</HI> &s;hall be Sub&s;cribed, the &s;aid Company will &s;et|tle and convey in due Form of Law the Lands, Hou&s;es and E&s;tate before mention|ed, in Tru&s;tees, for the due payment of the &s;aid Annuities.</P>
<P N="3">3. That all married Clergymen, and o|ther married Per&s;ons, (Except as hereafter is Excepted,) that inhabit in the Kingdom of <HI>England,</HI> and do not exceed the Age of 60 Years at the time of the Payment of the Money, and receiving the Company's Bond, and are then in good and perfect Health, and have Sub&s;cribed any Sum not le&s;s than 50 <HI>l.</HI> nor exceeding the Sum of 300 <HI>l.</HI> in ca&s;e they die in the Kingdom of <HI>England,</HI> and leave their Wives Widows, the &s;aid Widows &s;hall receive, as before-mentioned, the Sum of 30 <HI>l.</HI> yearly for every 100 <HI>l.</HI> &s;o Sub&s;cri|bed; and &s;o proportionably for a greater or le&s;&s;er Sum, as before-mentioned.</P>
<P N="4"><PB N="13" REF="8" MS="y"> 4. That every Per&s;on at the time of his Sub&s;cription (which &s;hall be made in Per|&s;on) &s;hall expre&s;s the Place of his Abode, the Name of his Wife, and his and her &s;eve|ral Age in &s;uch manner as is hereafter men|tioned.</P>
<P N="5">5. That no Per&s;on that goes to Sea, nor Soldier that goes into the Wars, &s;hall be ad|mitted to Sub&s;cribe to have the Benefit of this Propo&s;al, in regard of the Ca&s;ualties and Accidents that they are more particu|larly liable to.</P>
<P N="6">6. That the Book of Sub&s;criptions &s;hall be laid open at <HI>Mercers-Hall</HI> on or before the Fir&s;t day of <HI>March</HI> 1698, and &s;hall continue to the 24th day of <HI>June</HI> 1699, (in ca&s;e the 100000 <HI>l.</HI> be not Sub&s;cribed &s;ooner) and Members of the Company &s;hall attend to take the &s;aid Sub&s;criptions on <HI>Tue&s;days, Wed|ne&s;days</HI> and <HI>Fridays</HI> every Week during that time, between the Hours of 9 and 12 in the Forenoon, and 3 and 6 in the Afternoon.</P>
<P N="7">7. That as &s;oon as the &s;aid 100000 <HI>l.</HI> is Sub&s;cribed, publick Notice &s;hall be given in the <HI>Gazette;</HI> and all Per&s;ons that have Sub|&s;cribed are then, within 30 Days next follow|ing, to Pay in the Moneys by them Sub&s;cribed,
<PB N="14" REF="9"> at <HI>Mercers-Hall</HI> to the &s;aid Company, for which purpo&s;e, Members of the &s;aid Com|pany &s;hall attend on the Days and Times afore&s;aid.</P>
<P N="8">8. That on the Payment of the Mone<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&punc; the Per&s;on &s;hall have a Writing under th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> Seal of the Company, acknowledging the Receipt thereof; and ingaging, That if his Wife be left a Widow, &s;he &s;hall receive the Moneys in proportion to his Sub&s;cription a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> before &s;pecified, but unle&s;s the Money be actually paid within the Time limited, the Widow to have no Benefit by the Sub&s;crip|tion; and at the &s;ame time the &s;aid Per&s;on Sub&s;cribing, &s;hall give a Bond to the Com|pany, That in ca&s;e his Wife &s;hall dye before him, to give notice to the Company thereof within one Month after her Decea&s;e.</P>
<P N="9">9. That any Widow that &s;hall have Right to receive any Annuity by this Sub&s;cription&punc; &s;hall give notice of the Time of her Hu&s;|band's Death to the Company within one Month after his Decea&s;e; and when &s;he comes to receive the Benefit of this Propo&s;al, &s;hall bring a Certificate, Signed by the Mi|ni&s;ter, Church-Warden or Church-Wardens, and Pari&s;h-Clerk of the Place where he<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> Husband died and was buried, if her Hu&s;|band
<PB N="15" REF="9" MS="y"> was not a Mini&s;ter; but if her Hu&s;|band was the Mini&s;ter of the Pari&s;h where he was buried, then to have the Mini&s;ter's Hand of the next neighbouring Pari&s;h; and the other Hands as before-mentioned.</P>
<P N="10">10. In ca&s;e it &s;hall happen that any Man who has Sub&s;cribed, &s;hall voluntarily make away him&s;elf, or by any Act of his, occa|&s;ion his own Death, either by Duelling, or committing any Crime whereby he &s;hall be Sentenced and put to Death by Ju&s;tice; in any or either of tho&s;e Ca&s;es his Widow to receive no Annuity, but upon delivering up the Company's Bond, to have the Sub&s;crip|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ion money paid to her.</P>
<P N="11">11. In ca&s;e any Per&s;on that &s;hall Sub|&s;cribe &s;hall not pay in his Money within the Time limited, &s;uch Per&s;on's Sub&s;cription &s;hall be e&s;teemed null and void, and the Company may admit any other Per&s;on, duly qualified, to Sub&s;cribe in his &s;tead.</P>
<FLOATEXT LANG="eng" TYPE="form template">
<HEAD>The Form of the Sub&s;cription.</HEAD>
<P N="12">12. <HI>I A. B.</HI> inhabiting in the Pari&s;h of <GAP DESC="blank" EXTENT="1 span"> in the <GAP DESC="blank" EXTENT="1 span"> of <GAP DESC="blank" EXTENT="1 span"> do Sub|&s;cribe and Promi&s;e to pay <GAP DESC="blank" EXTENT="1 span"> Pounds on the Terms before-mentioned, for the Benefit of <GAP DESC="blank" EXTENT="1 span">
<PB N="16" REF="10"> my now Wife, Aged <GAP DESC="blank" EXTENT="1 span"> Years, the Daugh|ter of <GAP DESC="blank" EXTENT="1 span"> of <GAP DESC="blank" EXTENT="1 span"> in ca&s;e I dye before her.</P>
</FLOATEXT>
<FLOATEXT LANG="eng" TYPE="form template">
<HEAD>The Obligation of the Company.</HEAD>
<P N="13">13. WE the Wardens and Commonalty of <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> My&s;tery of the <HI>Mercers</HI> of the Ci<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> of <HI>London,</HI> do acknowledge to have Receiv<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> of <HI>A. B.</HI> Inhabitant in the Pari&s;h of <GAP DESC="blank" EXTENT="1 span"> in the <GAP DESC="blank" EXTENT="1 span"> of <GAP DESC="blank" EXTENT="1 span"> the Sum of <GAP DESC="blank" EXTENT="1 span"> Pounds, which he hath Sub&s;cri<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="3 letters"> for the Benefit of <GAP DESC="blank" EXTENT="1 span"> Aged <GAP DESC="blank" EXTENT="1 span"> Years, the Daughter of <GAP DESC="blank" EXTENT="1 span"> his pre&s;ent Wife; And we <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> promi&s;e and oblige our Selves, and our Succe&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">or<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">, in ca&s;e the &s;aid <HI>A. B.</HI> &s;hall Dye (Except in &s;u<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> manner as is Excepted in the General Propo&s;al) before his &s;aid Wife, and leave her a Widow, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> pay unto her, during her Life, the Sum of <GAP DESC="blank" EXTENT="1 span"> Yearly, free of all Charges, being 30 <HI>l per Cent. per Annum</HI> of the &s;aid <HI>A. B.</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> Sub&s;cription, at the two u&s;ual Fea&s;ts of the A<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">|nunciation of the Ble&s;&s;ed <HI>Virgin Mary,</HI> a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> St. <HI>Michael</HI> the <HI>Archangel:</HI> The fir&s;t <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">aym<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="3 letters"> to be made on the fir&s;t of the &s;aid Fea&s;t-days t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="3 letters"> &s;hall happen &s;ix Months or more after the Dece<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="3 letters"> of the &s;aid <HI>A. B.</HI> &s;he producing this Obligat<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="3 letters"> and due Certificates of her Husband's Death. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> the which Payment we bind our Selves and <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">
<PB N="17" REF="10" MS="y"> Succe&s;&s;ors firmly by the&s;e Pre&s;ents. In Te&s;timony whereof, We have hereunto affixed the Seal of the &s;aid Company the <GAP DESC="blank" EXTENT="1 span"> Day of <GAP DESC="blank" EXTENT="1 span"> <HI>Anno Dom.</HI> 169</P>
</FLOATEXT>
<FLOATEXT LANG="eng" TYPE="form template">
<HEAD>14. <HI>The Bond to be given to the Com|pany,</HI></HEAD>
<HEAD TYPE="sub">To be of the Penalty of the Sum Sub|&s;cribed.</HEAD>
<P><HI>The Condition to be as followeth:</HI></P>
<P>WHereas the above-bound <HI>A. B.</HI> hath Sub|&s;cribed and Paid to the Wardens and Commonalty of the My&s;tery of the <HI>Mercers</HI> of the City of <HI>London,</HI> the Sum of <GAP DESC="blank" EXTENT="1 span"> for the Benefit of his pre&s;ent Wife <GAP DESC="blank" EXTENT="1 span"> the Daughter of <GAP DESC="blank" EXTENT="1 span"> and Received an Obligation from the &s;aid Company for the due Payment to his &s;aid Wife, of the &s;um of 30 <HI>l. per Cent. per Annum,</HI> in ca&s;e &s;he &s;urvives him, during her Life. Now the Condition of this Obligation is &s;uch, That in ca&s;e his &s;aid Wife &s;hall dye before him, if he the above-bound <HI>A. B.</HI> &s;hall within 30 Days after his &s;aid Wi&s;e's De|cea&s;e, give Notice to the &s;aid Company of her Death, under his Hand and Seal, and deliver up the Obligation he had from the Company; and
<PB N="18" REF="11"> al&s;o if the &s;aid <HI>A. B.</HI> &s;hall remove his Habitati<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> or Dwelling-place, and &s;hall give Notice thereof <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> the &s;aid Company within 30 Days of &s;uch his Re|moval, with the Name of the Place and Par<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> to which he is removed; And in default of N<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">|tice to be given as afore&s;aid, Then, if the &s;a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> <HI>A. B.</HI> his Executors, Admini&s;trators or A&s;&s;igns, &s;hall pay One Pound <HI>per Cent.</HI> of his Sub&s;cription-Money for every Month he &s;hall delay &s;o to do; That then this Obligation to be void, and of no effect, or el&s;e to remain in full force.</P>
</FLOATEXT>
<P>THIS General Propo&s;al, now Publi&s;hed by the <HI>Company,</HI> is &s;o plain and intel|ligible, that I will not pretend to Paraphra&s;e upon it. But &s;hall only take notice of the <HI>Security</HI> here Propo&s;ed. Which if &s;ome Per|&s;ons &s;hall think too &s;mall, they are de&s;ired to con&s;ider the Nature of the E&s;tates to be Settled and Conveyed.</P>
<P>Here is a Rent of <HI>Two Thou&s;and Eight Hundred</HI> and odd Pounds <HI>per An.</HI> Propo&s;ed as a Security for <HI>One Hundred Thou&s;and</HI> Pounds.</P>
<P>Indeed were this E&s;tate of 2888 <HI>l. per An.</HI> now Rented at its utmo&s;t Extent, 'tis then undeniable the Security is not &s;ufficient. But when it is con&s;idered, That it is an improve|able E&s;tate: And that this 2888 <HI>l. per An.</HI> will in time be worth above 13500 <HI>l. per An.</HI> And when it is further con&s;idered, That the
<PB N="19" REF="11" MS="y"> 100000 <HI>l.</HI> now to be paid in to the Compa|ny, by their prudent Management will pre|&s;ently meliorate, and improve this their E&s;tate: I &s;ay, When the&s;e Things are duly con&s;idered, no Intelligent Per&s;on can pretend to be di&s;&s;atisfied with the Security here Pro|po&s;ed. E&s;pecially when it is further decla|red, That no Sub&s;criber is obliged to Pay in his Money, till he is fully &s;atisfied with the Security. Which is to be Settled and Con|veyed in due Form of Law, as the Able&s;t Council &s;hall advi&s;e and direct.</P>
<P>I &s;hall only add (which indeed is nece&s;|&s;ary in this Selfi&s;h Projecting Age) that as Dr. <HI>A<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;heton</HI> did not Project this <HI>Propo&s;al</HI> for his own Private Advantage, but doth &s;in|cerely de&s;ign a Publick Good: In like man|ner, the Worthy Members of the <HI>Mercers</HI> Company have undertaken to Manage this Propo&s;al, not from any pro&s;pect of Advan|tage to their own private Per&s;ons, but only out of a Generous De&s;ign to make the Com|pany more capable to an&s;wer the End and Rea&s;on of their Charter. Which is, To E&s;tabli&s;h and Manage Publick Charities. And thereby to enlarge their Capacity of Doing Good.</P>
<P>And having often con&s;idered the Thing, I pre&s;ume to declare,</P>
<PB N="20" REF="12">
<P> That the <HI>Company</HI> of <HI>Mercers,</HI> by Accep<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">|ing and Managing this Propo&s;al, will do <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> greater and more Publick Good to the whole Nation, than they could pretend to do b<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> founding an Ho&s;pital for Widows in eve<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> County of the Kingdom. And my Rea&s;o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> is this; Becau&s;e it is a much Nobler Chari<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> &s;o to &s;upport any Per&s;on, as to prevent hi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> from being Poor, than it is to Relieve the &s;ame Per&s;on when he is actually Poor.</P>
</DIV2>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
<BACK>
<DIV1 TYPE="publisher's advertisement">
<PB REF="12" MS="y">
<HEAD><HI>Books lately Writ by Dr.</HI> A&s;&s;heton.</HEAD>
<LIST>
<ITEM>A Conference with an <HI>Anabapti&s;t,</HI> Price 12 <HI>d.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>A Theological Di&s;cour&s;e of Wills. 12 <HI>d.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>A Di&s;cour&s;e of Death-Bed Repentance. 6 <HI>d.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>A Vindication of the B. <HI>Trinity.</HI> 12 <HI>d.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>A Di&s;cour&s;e again&s;t Debauchery and Pro|phanene&s;s. 2 <HI>d.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>A Conference with an Athei&s;t. 2 <HI>d.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>A Di&s;cour&s;e again&s;t Drunkenne&s;s, Cur&s;ing, and Swearing. 2 <HI>d.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>A Method of Daily Devotion. 2 <HI>d.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>A Method of Devotion for the Lord's-Day. 2 <HI>d.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>An Exhortation to the H. Communion. 2 <HI>d.</HI></ITEM>
</LIST>
<P>The&s;e are the Prices &s;ingle. But cheaper to tho&s;e who are &s;o Charitable to give away Num|bers.</P>
</DIV1>
</BACK>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
