This, I say, is his getting; so that as David says, we may be bold to say too: I beheld the wicked in great prosperity, and presently I cursed his habitation: for it cannot prosper with him. Fluster and huff, and make a doe for a while he may, but God hath determined that both he and it shall melt like grease, and any observing man may see it so. Behold, the unrighteous man in a way of Injustice getteth much, and loadeth himself with thick Clay, but anon it withereth, it decayeth, and even he, or the Generation following decline, and return to beggery.
And this Mr. Badman, notwithstanding his cunning and crafty tricks to get money, did dye, no body can tell whether worth a farthing or no.
Atten. He had all the bad tricks, I think, that it was possible for a man to have, to get money; one would think that he should a been rich.
Wise. You reckon too fast, if you count these all his bad tricks to get money: For he had more besides. [114a]
If his customers were in his Books (as it should goe hard but he would have them there; at least, if he thought he could make any advantage of them,) then, then would he be sure to impose upon them his worst, even very bad Comodity, yet set down for it the price that the best was sold at: like those that sold the Refuse Wheat, or the worst of the wheat; making the Sheckle great, [114b] yet hoisting up the price: This was Mr. Badmans way. He [114c] would sell goods that cost him not the best price by far, for as much as he sold the best of all for. He had also a trick to mingle his comodity, that that which was bad might goe off with the less mistrust.
Besides, if his customers at any time paid him money, let them look to themselves, and to their Acquitances, for he would usually attempt to call for that payment again, specially if he thought that there was hopes of making a prize thereby, and then to be sure if they could not produce good and sufficient ground of the payment, a hundred to one but they payed it again. Sometimes the honest Chapman would appeal to his servants for proof of the payment of money, but they were trained up by him to say after his mind, right or wrong: so that, relief that way, he could get none.
Atten. It is a bad, yea an abominable thing for a man to have such servants. For by such means a poor customer may be undone and not know how to help himself. Alas! if the master be so unconscionable, as I perceive Mr. Badman was, to call for his money twice, and if his servant will swear that it is a due debt, where is any help for such a man? he must sink, there is no remedy.
Wise. This is very bad, but this has been a practice, and that hundreds of years agoe. But what saith the Word of God? I will punish all those that leap upon the threshold, which fill their masters houses with violence and deceit. [115a] [115b]
Mr. Badman also had this art; could he get a man at advantage, that is, if his chapman durst not go from him, or if the comodity he wanted could not for the present be conveniently had elsewhere; Then let him look to himself, he would surely make his purse-strings crack; he would exact upon him without any pity or conscience.
Atten. That was Extortion, was it not? I pray let me hear your Judgment of Extortion, what it is, and when committed?