Prayer for Fair Rents, Read in all Churches in 1552
"We heartily pray Thee to send Thy Holy Spirit into the hearts of them that possess the grounds and pastures of the earth, that they, remembering themselves to be Thy tenants, may not rack or stretch out the rents of their houses or lands, nor yet take unreasonable finesor moneys, after the manner of covetous worldlings,but so let them out that the inhabitants thereof maybe able to pay the rents, and to live and assist their families, and remember the poor.
Give them grace also to consider that they are but strangers and pilgrims in this world, having here no dwelling-place, but seeking one to come; that they, remembering the short continuance of this life, may be content with that whichis sufficient, and not to join house to house and land toland to the impoverishment of others, but so behave themselves in letting their tenements, lands, and pastures that after this life they may be received into everlasting habitations." Read more....