was made many yeares since in seeking to send nothing but dyed and dressed Cloth into Germany and the Low-Countreyes and how prejudiciall it proved to us in teaching them to make cloth of their owne rather than bee so stinted by us and since chiefely in Holland by imposing dayly new taxes and customes upon all our Cloth spent there both white and cullour'd but if at that time in a quiet way wee had onely taken the Custome and charge off from the Cullour'd and by degrees put it upon the white still raysing it insensibly it might in all probability have done the feate the cheape collour'd beating the deere white Cloth quite out of service and for present wee can onely make this use of it that unlesse wee give our Cloth both white and colour'd at cheaper rates than they make theirs of the same goodnesse wee must looke quite to loose the trade But for the searchers of the Cloath that it bee compleat in all the perquisites mee thinks it might well be compassed and it is of great consequence for the Marchants here in England who deale for great summes and quantities cannot looke so precisely on every Cloth examining of it end for end and when it comes beyond sea hee that buyes it can only see the muster and the outside receiving the greatest part of it upon trust and publique faith which Marchants deale more in than for readie money and afterwards perhaps it may bee sent hundreds of miles farther before it bee opened or the defects knowne untill it come to bee measur'd out Wherefore this charge and care of searching and sealing all Woollen goods may very well bee intrusted to the next towne where the cloth is made and they imploying whome they please to receive the benefit for their behoose may bee obliged to utmost dammages and penalties upon every oversight therein committed And for Fullers-earth Woolls or any other materialls which conduce to cloathing wee must not onely forbeare to carry them our selves but hinder others what we can from doing so 7. The seventh is the encouragement of all manufactures at present practised in England and bringing in of new which is of wonderfull consequence and benefit especially to a populous commonwealth in regard it sets multitudes of poore people a worke who thereby maintaine their wives and families in good order which otherwise might bee burdensome and perhaps starve These manufactures are one maine cause hath made the Hollanders so numerous and brought them to this greatnesse wherefore in imitation of them weâ— ought to cherish all those that are already setled as Weavers of Woollen and Silke stuffes Weavers and Knitters of Silke and Woollen stockins with which latter a pretty trade hath formerly beene driven but almost quite declined since our last warre with Spaine during which time through want of ours they began to make them in the Countrey improving it ever since and thereby with the great customes upon ours at home bereaved us of that trade so as when wee loose one if wee bee not ingenious to get another insteed thereof wee shall bee stript of all at last The very varying and new fangling of manufactures is considerable causing them to finde vent both at home abroad as they happen to please the fancie of those Nations to which wee send them and if such as set their wits a work herein were taken notice of and rewarded by such a commission or peculiar standing Magistrate who should have the superintendencie over all trade and trafficke many would likely be encouraged by the credit of it but gaine would provoke all And the same Magistrate to punish all abuses in manufactures of what sort soever either in personall or penall mulcts â…“ whereof to go unto the King â…“ unto the Magistrate and â…“ to the Informer who if he so desire is to be concealed Weavers then of all sorts of linnen both fine and course are to bee invited out of France and the Low-Countreyes and Walloones and other French both for making of lighter and finer sorts of Wollen stuffes and are generally farre more ingenious for inventing of Laces Buttons and what else is deem'd requisite to the accomplish't apparelling so thought at present à la mode wherein all Europe speake true French though not the same Dialect for where all use not the selfe same fashion yet they varie theirs as much as French but these Laces and Buttons may perhaps onely helpe to encrease our owne expences at home and are scarce likely to grow exportable into forraine Countreyes where out Woollen commodities are chiefeâ—y requested because good cheape The multiplying of salt but chiefely making it with salt water deserves likewise particularly to bee continued and cherished not so much for imploying many people but that wee cannot well passe without it being as necessary to us in a manner as is our meate Our fish imployment cannot subsist without it and the preserving both of fish and flesh the chiefe sustenance of our long voyages and Navigation so that if possibly it may bee compassed and made in England to bee afforded hereafter when brought to full perfection at the same or somewhat a higher price than wee used to bee served at from abroad questionlesse it will bee good pollicie rather than expect it from others who will denie it us in greatest neede and wee found both unskilfull and unprovided of most of the materialls to furnish us therewith yet somewhat wee may pay more for this since as it is said the flesh and fish cured with this salt eates more pleasant and besides making it our selves wee shall not onely have it at a constant price which before did much varie rising and falling exorbitantly as more or lesse store came from abroad which was so much the more hazardous in regard many ships brought it only when they could get no other imployment thereby telling us there was no gaine in it and wee cannot expect men will bring it us to losse But the importation thereof being continually prohibited and freedome for all to make it in the Kingdome where and when it may bee most for their advantage I conceive they may have Ware-houses and Magazins up and downe the Countrey to conserve it in and afford it all yeare long at such a rate as may be for our common good and benefit And surely it may serve us for a Maxime of direction in all such like cases that whatsoever is necessary or so usefull as probably wee cannot bee well without it wee should by all meanes possible seeke to secure our selves of it within our owne jurisdiction without being subject to the mercie and reliefe of others in our greatest miserie and distresse thus standing upon our owne foundation what ere befall other parts oâ— Countreyes of the world we may not onely still remaine the same amongst our selves but be Arbitrators of their welfare also The making of Cabells and all manner of cordage is likewise considerable for which cause the groweth
which in Christianity wee owe to our very enemies much more our Christian neighbours and Protestants most of all which makes mee wish even with zeale and servencie the Hollanders proceedings and carriage towards us were such as might not make them jealous of us in this or any other respect the omission whereof in us God Almighty knowes how to punish even with Lex talionis if hee please yet I thinke we are not the only sinners in this kinde conceaving that Nation uses their utmost art against us and all the world besides in this respect the French having likewise of late yeares much encroach'd herein And it is remarkeable how our Tin not long since being raised from Duckets 16. to Duckets 26. in Legorne and other forraine parts proportionably a mine of Tin is lately found in Barbarie from whence quantity being brought for Italy hath pull'd the price of ours back-againe to about Duckets 16. as it was heretofore and may perhaps finde the way to France Turkie and other Countreyes too hereafter And in furnishing our enemies with provisions and ammunition defensive or offensive me thinks there is a policie not a little considerable in that they being fitted from time to time by us at a moderate price makes them live securely and seeke no farther expecting to have it brought unto them according to their custome in which case if for our advantage at any time wee have just cause to denie it them it is very likely we may supprize them on a sudden before others not being used thereto can bring it them or they perhaps bee able to provide themselves elsewhere 4 The fourth meanes is by increasing and improving our new Plantations in the Westerne Ilands and encouraging to others this is a matter of exceeding great moment enlarging both our Dominions and our Traffike if people of good report and ranke could be prevailed upon by immunities and priviledges to bee the first Inhabitants in any new discoverie certainly the businesse through their orderly and good government might succeede more prosperously but for want of such it were farre better there were power and authority given to take up all beggars both men and women throughout these Kingdomes and send them for some of the new Plantations all delinquents for matters which deserve not hanging might bee served so too without sparing one of them and all such persons in the meane time bee kept in houses for the same purpose and forced to worke or starve untill the time of the yeare and ships were ready to carry them away and as these might likely doe better there betaking themselves to get a living so should wee not onely free the streetes and countrey of such rascals and vagrant people that swarme up and downe at present but prevent many others some whereof are successively borne and bred so the rest brought to the same begging lasie life by their ill example and a great summe of money saved which uses yearely to bee given to such vagabonds to no purpose but to make them worse through the encouragement they have to continue so by our misled charity and daily almes But of all other Plantations that of New found Land may deserve to be furthered not only in regard of the fertilitie of the Iland reported to bee great but also for the more secure and commodious prosecution of our fishing trade on those banks in which imployment a dozen of men only in a few moneths time are able to improve their labour to farre greater advantage than by a whole yeares toile in tilling of the ground or any handicrafts mysterie whatsoever and this leades me to 5. The Fishing trade upon our owne Coasts the fifth meanes of enlarging commerce and of such great importance as that upon due consideration it may chance bee found not onely the Grand but 〈◊〉 meanes of our future commerce and propriety for however of late ages and even at present we are of considerable strength and credit to all the world for cloathing so many of them with our Wollen commodities yet if we consider seriously thereof and see wee cannot at present vent in Germanie and the Low Countreyes one third part of what wee used in former times being beaten out of it by their subtilty and industrie in making the same themselves wee may perhaps deservedly have cause to feare that our Woollen Staple and Manufacture especially will by degrees wheele away from us in that vicissitude whereto wee finde all other sublunarie States and things obnoxious And though as it were to recompence those losses and encourage our farther endeavours Divine Providence hath discovered us how to utter a considerable quantity of cloth though not answerable to the decay in Germanie and the Low Countreyes for Turkie and Muscovia yet for the latter wee are scarce likely to enjoy it long the Hollanders serving the same market with our owne Cloth carried thither from Hambrough upon better termes than wee can which might perhaps be prevented by putting a greater charge and custome on such sorts of Cloth sent for those parts which are not spent there but carried for Muscovia or Barbarie were it not that hereafter they will likely be able to make the Cloth themselves and so debarre us totally But for Turkie whereas some few latter yeares wee have sent above 20 m. Clothes died and dressed it is certaine we cannot continue the trade in the future with any profit for above halfe that quantity especially since wee must likely forbeare those Countrey Cotton-Woolls which used to furnish us for returnes being now served with better cheape of our owne plantation in the Westerne Ilands But for my part I shall not thinke our selves secure of any trade or ought wee have which the craft or power of Neighbouring Nations shall any wayes bee able to beguile us of and therefore most earnestly doe wish wee may whil'st that we may endeavour to establish our security and trade upon our owne foundation and that must bee our fish imployment able to beget and draw after it all trade besides being the Schoole and Nurserie of Marriners and Navigation and briefely a Treasure more rich and in sundry respects to be preferred before the Spaniards in the West Indies whose store with Gods blessing will continually encrease as often as the Moone whose influence so much predominats those Creatures and though another Kingdome of fish should bee discovered such Nations as are situated neere us will bee necessitated to feed on ours What pittie is it then that so many fishing Townes alongst our Coast should bee decay'd nay what ignominie and bad goverment to pay and maintaine Strangers for taking of our owne fish Certainely if ever wilfulnesse or negligence of not improving a Talent in this World bee punished hereafter ours will bee inexcusable My purpose is not to enlarge since others are better able and I cannot so much as think seriously thereof without a profound disturbance and vexation to my selfe whil'st I revolve in my mind the
our exportation which in such case must needs bee paid for one way or other and so invite our monies over what remedy can bee taken without disturbance of the whole trade If flatly you prohibite the bringing in of forraine goods forraine Nations will doe the like with ours and at last both bee reduced to receive from one another such onely as are necessarie or most usefull wherefore a better course to moderate this ballance would be with dexterity to lighten or lade either scale in the custome and other charges which may insensibly make one deare and the other cheap as is afore declared with sundry such other meanes all tending to enlarge traffique And although other Princes might likewise doe the same in their dominions yet many of them are so necessitous at present as will perhaps rather suffer some inconvenience and runne the hazard of a greater but absent and fuâ—ure dammage than lessen their revenues For if the trade were ballanc'd we are lesse able to reduce that first and therein prevent the exportation of monies then first by hindring monies through strictest diligence and severe penalties from being exported and so in consequence secure the over-ballancing of trade for to use this diligence rests in our selves and being independant we may practise it without exceptions to other Nations and if oncâ— effected though no more Bullion should be brought in which yet will alwayes come more or lesse nothing could prejudice us or breed scarcitie herâ—after But before the exportation of monies can be prevented throughly 't is necessarie wee know who are those that may likely transport them and the causes that move and enable them so to doe Such then as transport monies are either Merchants or Travellers and both moved thereunto either because there is more to be gotten by transporting them in specie than delivering by Exchange or else because they have no experience or acquaintance with Merchants here or abroad or desire not to trust them but thinke it securest to adventure their monies with their persons which in such case they have alwayes ready about them where ere they goe but delivering by Exchange cannot many times receive the value where they will if they resolve to goe any other way but where their Merchants hath credit and promised to pay them and these later are chiefely either such as goe away to enjoy the libertie of Amsterdam and for most part they goe privately and will not be knowne by delivering their monies by Exchange and therefore carrie them in specie or else are Ambassadors or private Gentlemen that goe abroad to travell but in such number and each carrying with him for the most part fiftie or one hundred pound nay many times double as much which at yeares end draines the Kingdome of a very considerable summe and therefore perhaps it might not be found amisse that a Banker or Exchanger were established at Dovâ—r Rie or some other Port where all Travellers especially should be obliged to imbanke that of himselfe were enabled with credit and obliged to give Bills of Exchange and Letters of credit for most places of France Holland Italy Germanie and Spaine unto all Travellers they delivering him first such monies as they had there present to carry along with them or afterwards to deliver other Bills for other monies brought and delivered them in like manner and all at the true and just value of the Exchange for herein Traveâ—lers to my kâ—owledge have suffered much which being prevented by setling the course afoâ—esaid every Passenger Marriner or other of what sort soever may well â—ee prohibited upon strictest penalties of life and goods to carrie aboard either Boat or Ship above twenty shillings steâ—ling at the most And for Merchants unlesse some podling French Merchants they commonly understand themselves and seeking their owne advantage may either deliver their monies by Exchange or send or carrie them over in specie according as one or other seems most beneficiall to them Now it may not be amisse to take notice that it hath never or very seldome beene observed more advantagious to carry monies over in specie for what forraine parts soever than deliver them by Exchange and therefore probable that Merchants who understand their profit and so much aime at it have delivered their monies by Exchange from time to time and not sent them over in specie as is supposed yet I must tell you there was perhaps a time which I well believe and may too often bee so againe hereafter that strangers shall have so great quantities of monies by them all which if they should resolve to deliver by Exchange the Exchange would fall so low in their owne disadvantage for more or lesse deliverers or takers raise or bring downe the Exchange which will more plainly appeare hereafter as it might cause the transportation in specie to bee more beneficiall than the Exchange and certainly wee had neede provide for such a time for if Merchants have exceeding great summes to deliver and finde no Takers save at extravagant low rates nor Wares to imploy them in to profit they will run the hazard of conveying them away privately in specie to prevent a greater dammage and losse of time by keeping them dead in England And these Merchants questionlesse for most part are strangers and furnished with these monies three manner of wayes First by great sums of monies made over to them by Exchange from forraine parts in regard the Exchange of London hath used to bee so advantagious to the deliverer abroad through the under-valuâ—ng of our monies in respect of other Countries occasioned because there are or would bee more deliverers of them than takers Secondly by sale and proceed of goods that strangers bring in which they doe in great quantitie because they pay buâ— little customes onely 2 ½ per cent more than Dennizens and export none of our Native commodities because they pay greater customes on some I think as much againe as wee doe and that which is the greatest shame the Herring and other sorts of fish taken by them in our Seas nay verie Ports and sold to us for a verie round summe yearely a great part whereof received in the Port Towns where we buy the fish cannot easily be prevented without stricter diligence aâ—d execution is carryed away never to returne againe Thirdly by their infallible halfe yeares incomes and Revenewes of such vast summes of money as they keep continually at interest in London and if you demand the summa totalis which all these make I can onely answer you Pauperis est numerare pecus but howsoever indefinite that it is immense will hereby appeare Consider the great quantities of goods of all sorts wee export hence for forraine parts the greatest part whereof is sold for money and many hundred thousand pounds sterling thereof made over hither by Exchange and yet strangers have more monies to send out of England than we have to bring into England which
of Hempe in our Kingdomes might bee encouraged and may well hereafter bee more practized because it sets many a worke and being so inseparable to navigation with many others which are all to be furthered by priviledges and immunities to the workemen especially the new Inventors and Promotors and the materialls which are thus imployed in manufactures to be imported with little charge and custome to the end the Marchants and Manufactors may finde a competent gaine and make a trade of it By this meanes the Hollanders who have little of their owne growth to feed upon cloath or promote Navigation save butter and cheese have yet such store and provision of corne wine fish shipping ammunition and all other things necessary and delicious as their owne naturall wants are not onely aboundantly supplyed but severall other Provinces of larger circuit than their owne replenished with their store to the great wonder of the world in that they having no materialls conduceable to shipping can build sell ships and let them out to fraight cheeper than any other Nation 8. The eight is making England the Emporium or Warehouse from whence other Nations may bee furnished with forraine commodities of all sorts and this may likely have effect if such forraine wares bee not onely exported free of charge but most of the duties which were pay'd at their importation bee restored againe especially if a Denizen brought them in and carries them out againe wherein the chiefe rule to governe our selves must be by ordering it in such manner as that we may furnish other Nations with them full as cheape as they can have them elâ—ewhere for this is a maine engine wherewith some people advance themselves and hinder others This transportation and serving other Nations with forraine commodities is of greater benefit and consâ—quence to some States than the exportation of their owne and yet in this wee are equally with them capable of the same imployment by reason of our situation nay some of our Sea-Townes where these Magazines may be raysed and Marchants invited to inhabit lie more neere severall Neighbouring Provinces than they and whereas some Countreyes during the Winter season have their ships often kept in by ice some moneths together we may from hence put out all windes and weather and a ship at Sea seldome but advances somewhat towards her Port Besides the Hollanders having no native commodities to follow the Turkie trade and by reason of the Algier Pyrates so much infesting and the Spaniards no little awing them at entring in and out the straights they are quite driven out of it so that were it well ordered we might serve them and the French too bought out of the turkie trade by us in cheape-selling of our cloth to our owne losse with all manner of Turkie commodities Cotton-Wools and such others as come from our Westerne Plantations and upon dearth of Corne or scarcity of any other thing wee providing to furnish other Nations and keeping their Ware-houses as I may say in our Kingdome shall not onely not want our selves but bee furnished far better cheape than they and necessitate them to have continuall dependency upon us 9. The ninth is the promoting of the East India Trade which however hitherto dammageable to those that followed it in particular yet upon due search and estimation will bee found wounderfully considerable the rather because those Territories being so vast farther discoveries of new trades might be expected dayly as well for venting of our owne commodities as importing others at cheaper rates if that society were better countenanced at home and not so grievously disturbed abroad the Hollanders in policie of State have reason to desire nothing so much as to weary out and constraine them to abandon it which unlesse it bee prevented wee may justly feare will take effect being to be observed and collected by the proceeding of the Amboina businesse that nothing will bee left unattempted for full accomplishing whatsoever may farther advance their strength and profit And although at present the Flemmings carry little of their spices into the Straights because they sell them better neerer hand as also in regard the Pyrates of Algier doe oftentimes make prey of them so much raise the insurance as they thrive not in the trade yet if wee suffer them to beate us quite out of the East Indies we must not only loose the trade wee drive in other parts with the advance of India Commodities and pay deere for what wee spend our selves but when ere this come to passe being then stored with spices Callicoes and other East India wares enough to serve all Italie Turkie and Barbarie which so soone as they begin to practise the rest of our trade in the Mediterranean Sea will then as fast decline the Hollanders cheape fraight being able of it selfe to eate us out in time without any other Stratagem or plot Wherefore there is no longer time for dallying wee must whilest wee are able make our owne lawes and conditions still keeping our selves so mucst more stronger as no Nation may ever have power or ability to spurne against us and for to warrant and encourage us in executing of it we have not onely the maine ground and pollicie of the State to keep Neighbouring Nations from growing over powerfull especially such as above others are more subtill and forward to offend us when craftily and securely to bee compassed but too too just cause of revenge have wee against the Hollanders for their unheard of cruelties and injuries done us in the Indies whereof we have required justice and restitution in so milde a manner as taught them hitherto onely to sleight and put us off by which proceedings though the East india Companie being wearied out for want of the States protection and assistance should bee prevailed upon to receive an inconsiderable despicable allowance holding no proportion with their wrongs because they can get no more at present yet I hope his Majestie will never passe it over in such manner as may enbolden them to attempt the like againe None admires their industrie more then may selfe or desires their good successe but with the same charity reflecting on our selves at some desire withall wee may rather bee alwayes able and willing to aide them than ever neede or have necessity to be aided by them But vaine it is for us to thinke or study the enlarging trade unlesse we prosecute the East Indian with all might and maine for if trade must chiefely bee advanced by Exportation Importation and Transportion as I said at first That of Importation we generally exclaime against our selves and justly too for being so great and overballancing our Exportation as is objected that brings us so farre in debt as nothing but our moneys the blood of traffike will satisfie and of Exportation what can wee farther hope from it hereafter hath not all the Cloth we vented from North to East of late yeares beene sould to losse Certainly our Marchants will