Plantations or to any Port of England or Ireland it is Forfeit Ship Goods Guns Tackle and Ammunition Pet. 20. Navigation is the only mean of vending our Growths and Manifactures in Forein Trade unless it be into Scotland Pet. 21. The Act against the Importation of Irish Cattel made 18. and 20. Car. 2. cap. 1. hath abated the Trade of England with Ireland for Beer Hops and Bills of Excharge for Money all sorts of Hats and Stockings Cloth and Stuffs of all sorts Victualing Ships of all as well Forein as English c. Pet. 22. All the Canary Wines Imported into England are consumed in it Pet. 23. The Canary Wines Imported do exceed in value the English Commodities Exported into the Canaries I cannot exactly compute the excess but have it from good hands that the Canary Wines yearly Imported are about 13000 Pipes which are valued at 20 l. the Pipe which amounts to 200000 l. yearly and that our Commodities Exported do not neer amount to ¼ so much in value before we did exceed so much in drinking them we Imported them at 10 l. the Pipe and Traded to the Canaries only upon the account of our Commodities in Barter for the Wines Actions or Common Notions 1. Where the means of Improving any business are wanting that business will be so much diminished as the means by which it might have been supplied are diverted 2. Where any thing is wanting and decaied that thing will be so much diminished as the means of supplying it are interrupted 3. If the means of doing any thing be wanting that thing will be so much hindred as the means are diminished 4. The doing of things will be so much hindred as the means of doing them are hindred 5. Every thing will be so much diminished as is abated of it 6. Any business will be so much hindred by how much the means of improving it are excluded 7. Where the consumption of things imported does exceed in value the things Exported the loss will be as the excess is Prop. 1. Theorem 1. The Trade of England and the Fishing Trade are so much diminished by how much they might have been supplied by those men who are diverted in our American Plantations Subjects The Trades of England and the Fishing Trade Question Whether they be so much diminished by how much they might have been supplyed c. I say they are Ax. 1. For where the means of improving any business are wanting that business will be so much diminished by how much the means by which it might have been suppliep are diverted Pet. 24. But men are necessary to improve Trade Pet. 25. And before we had our American Plantations we wanted men to improve the Trade of England and the Fishing Trade Therefore the Trade of England and the Fishing Trade are so much diminished by how much they might have been supplyed by those men who are diverted in our American Plantations Which was to be demonstrated Corollary 1. By the same reason the Trade of England and the Fishing Trade are so much more diminished by how many men are diverted from supplying them in Repeopling Ireland since the Late Massacre and War there Corollary 2. By the same reason the Trade of England and the Fishing Trade are yet so much more diminished by so many men as extraordinarily died in the late great Plague 1665. Annotations upon this Proposition and the two Correllaries Before we had our American Plantations the Coasts of England were in a convenient manner Planted and the Multitudes of Inhabitants in England such that in the 2. and 3. Ph. and Mary 3. the Parliament taking notice that a great number of persons within the Realm had laid their Lands Farmes and Pastures to Feeding of Sheep Oxen Runts Schrubbes Steers and Heifers and such like Cattel having no regard to breed and rear up young Beasts and Cattel whereby was grown great scarcity of Cattel and necessary victual for sustenance of divers sorts of People within this Realm and more like to be if speedy remedy were not provided therefore several provisions were made for breeding and rearing of Cattel Experience had made tryal and proof of the goodness of this Law to be very beneficial and profitable to this Realm and therefore in the 13. El. 25. it was made perpetual and as a very profitable Law the Act of 7. Jac. 8. makes it to extend to grounds which were since inclosed or hereafter should be inclosed Before the Dutch became States or when at least they were but The Poor Distressed States besides our staple at Antwerp we had the sole Trade into Muscovy Turkey and up the Elb whereby Germany Denmarks Jutland Holstein c. were supplyed with our Cloth and Wollen Manufactures We did moreover supply Muscovy with Fish and in a considerable measure France Spain Italy and several parts of the World within the Streights And for the further encouragement of the Fishing Trade and for the preservation of the breeding of Cattel In the 5. Eliz. 5. It was ordained that Wednesday as well as Friday and Saturday should be observed as a Fish day within this Realm upon pain that every person offending should for every time he or they should offend forfeit 3 l. or suffer three Months Imprisonment without Bail or Mainprize and every person who was knowing thereof and concealed it for every such offence should forfeit forty shillings which Act yet continues in force but only the Penalty of eating Flesh upon Fridaies Saturdaies and Wednesdaies is reduced by the 35 Eliz. 7 to twenty shillings and the concealing of it by any Person knowing it to ten shillings Consequences of this Proposition and the two Corollaries After our American Plantations became peopled by us the Dutch began to partake with us in the Turks and Muscovy Trades our Staple at Antwerp diminished in a very great measure to intend the Trades to our Plantations we neglected the Fishing Trade whereby except the Trade of red Herrings which cannot be cured by the Dutch the Dutch in a manner became solely in a short time possessed of it and thereby have accquired this incomparable advantage above us in the Trade of our Plantations that as we imploy only our ablest men in trading to them who in the diversity of Clime and Diet are very subject to Diseases and Mortality and leave the impotent Women and Children at home without imploiment they imploy three times more men in the Fishing trade and four times more to the benefit of their State and also all manner of impotent People Women and Children and have this advantage above us in time of War as well as Peace that all hands imployed in the Fishing Trade are at home and serviceable when they are at War whereas the Inhabitants in our Plantations are of no use or benefit to us in War which was very apparent in our late War with them The Coast of England which should be the Glory Strength and Ornament of an Island in peopling of
possible means of Relief So as our Native Commodities are not valuable as if Trade were free but as a few Merchants please to set a price upon them 2. As in our Native Commodities so in Forein the Merchant and Natives of the place may impose what rates they please and in the mean time we exclude multitudes and concourse of men and Traders which would infinitely advance our Trade thereby and now we complain for want of Trade when as by this Law it seemâ— impossible to be otherwise 3. As this Law makes a few Merchants Masters of all the Trade of England so it makes Mariners the Merchants Masters for being but few and the Merchant being restrained to them if he gives not them what wages they please he must not trade at all Annotations upon the Act of Navigation ingeneral 1. The Title of this Act is an Act for encouraging and encrease of shipping yet it restrains the Navigation of Engl. to English built ships upon no less penalty than confiscation whereas for above 120 years the want and decay of Timber hath been complained of in Parliament and how then this can be a means to increase shipping especially when we have so few builders I shall be glad to be informed But the consequences of Laws of like nature have been observed and reflected upon For by the 4 H. 7. 10. No Gaseoyn wine or Tholouse woad was to Laws of like nature found by experience mischievous to this Nation be imported into England but in Ships English Irish Welch or of the men of Barwick or Callice and the Mr. and greater part of the Mariners to be Subjects of the Realm of England upon pain to forfeit the said Wine and Woads which was supposed to be made for the maintenance of the Navy of this Realm and that the said Wines and Woad might be had at more easie prizes The experience whereof has ever since appeared to the contrary for that the said Wines and Woad were sold at such excessive rates as had not been before seen within this Realm and the Navy thereby never the better maintained and therefore the Stat. of 4 H. 7. 10. was repealed by the 5. and 6. Ed. 6 18. And liberty for all strangers in Amity with the King as well as Subjects to import the said Wine and Woad By the 5 R. 2 3. None of the Kings Subjects might carry forth or bring in any Merchandize but only in ships of the Kings Allegiance this was repealed by the 1 Eliz 13. because that by reason thereof there hath not only grown great displeasure betwixt Forein Princes and the Kings of this Realm but also the Merchants have been sore grieved and damaged Though the 5 of R. 2. 3. did not permit the Kings subjects The impossibility of Executing the Act of Navigation to trade but in ships of the Kings Allegiance yet by the 6 Rich. 2. 8. where no English ships were to be had English men might trade in strangers ships and though by the 4 H. 7. 10. Gascoin Wine and Tholouse Woad might not be brought into the Realm but by the English Ships and English Merchants and Mariners yet if they could not have Fraught in an English or Denizens Ships they might fraught a Strangers whereas by the Act of Navigation though we have not built one Ship for the Trades of Greenland Norway nor Muscovy since the Act of Navigation Yet if we buy any or Fraught any Strangers Ship for any of the Trades it is forfeit with all her Goods Guns Lading Tackle and Ammunition So that though we may possibly have some Trade to Norway for Timber when our Prize Ships are spent upon such terms as the Norwegians please and not otherwise yet it will be impossible to have any Trade to Muscovy or Groenland for the Muscovite Trades not with us and the Whales have no Shipping at all Other Mischiefs and Inconveniences which have ensued the Act of Navigation The 17 Car. 2â— complains that the Importation of Gunpowder from Forein Parts was against Law prohibited and All the mischiefs complained of 17 Car. 21. brought upon us by this Law the making thereof within this Realm ingrossed whereby the price of Gunpowder was excessively raised many Powder Mills decayed the Kingdom very much weakened and indangered the Merchants thereof much damnified many Mariners and others taken Prisoners and brought into miserable Captivity and Slavery Many Ships taken by Turkish and other Pirates and many other inconveniences have from thence enseud and more are like to ensue if they be not timely prevented and therefore this Law permits the Trade free to Strangers as well as English to import Gunpowder and though this Law stands yet in force yet against it and all the reasons in it the Act of Navigation makes it no less than confiscation of Ship Goods Guns Tackle and Ammunition for any English man to import any unless in an English built Ship and Sailed by ¾ English at least or for any Stranger not Native of the making it to import any whether he hath Ships or not Prop. 7. Theorem 7. The Trade of England is diminished by the Acts made 18. and 20. Car. 2. against the Importation of Irish Cattle Subject Is the Trade of England Question Whether it be diminished by the Act against the Importation of Irish Cattel I say it is Ax. 5. For every thing will be so much diminished as is abated of it Pet 21. But the Act against Importation of Irish Cattel hath abated the Trade of England with Ireland for Hops and Beer and in Returns of Mony by Bills of Exchange Cloth Stuffs of all sorts Hats and Stockings of all sorts Victualling Ships c. Therefore the Act against Importation of Irish Cattel hath diminished the Trade of England Which was to be demonstrated Annotations upon this Proposition The reason of this Act is by the Preamble expressed to be the lowness of the Rents of England caused by the multitudes of Irish Cattel imported into England It is true the Evidence of Fact is ever resolved by the testimony of Witness but this is ever done without reason and therefore for strengthening the Authority of him who testifies the Name of God is usually invoked that what is affirmed is true but in reasoning the Testimony of no man is more than another but as the Question in reason is resolved by anteâ—edent Causes nor herein is any man allowed to outsware another who gives a better reason by the 7. Pet. multitudes and concourse of people advance Trade and scarcity of people diminish Trade and therefore if all men should affirm that a great Trade should be made where people are scarce and thin this should never prevail with me since it is against the nature of Trade but on the contrary where people are scarce and thin they are rude Flat Heathenish idle and ever poor and when they take great pains which is very rare for want of Education it is to
little purpose By the first Proposition The multitudes of the English diverted into our Plantations hath diminished as well the Fishing Trade as the Trade of our Native Growths and Manufactures which is more diminished by our re-peopling Ireland since the late War and Massacre there and so much more diminished by how many extraordinarily died of the late great Plague and by the 6 Proposition the Growths and Manufactures of England in Forein Trade are diminished by the Act of Navigation and multitudes and entercourse of Foreiners are excluded by it whereby the Trade of England is every way interrupted and diminished And since the Rents of Land are valuable as the Trade of the place is It is from hence that the Rent of Land is so abated and fallen all over England but much more since the Act against Importation of Irish Cattel so as the end designed by the Law which was the raising the Rents of Land is so far from being attained that from these Reasons the Trade of England being more diminished by this Law the quite contrary hath ensued One of the Reasons alledged by the Act intituled An Act for the Encouraging of Trade made the 14 Car. 2. for the excluding Foreiners to Trade to our Plantations is to hold a greater kindness and nearer Correspondency between the English Nation and them which reason of mutual kindness I am sure will hold stronger between the English Nation and Ireland for if we lose them or any of them we lose no more than the Subjects in them who unless it be in reference to Trade are of no use to England whereas if by reason of this Act we lose Ireland or any part of it the safety of this Nation will be endangered thereby If the Importation of Irish Cattel had abated the Rents of England one half and thereby the Commodities of England had been reduced to half the price the Nation had not been poorer thereby however the Nobility and Country Gentlemen who were in Debt and the Poor Tenants who had Leases of their Farms would have been damnified and undone thereby but in General Navigation and the Trade of the Nation would have been advantaged by it The Reasons in the Act of Navigation are good for England against Foreiners Trading into our Plantations and so is the restraining them from the Trade of Ireland for otherwise other Nations especially the Dutch would have reaped more benefit by them than we should have done but without question our Plantations and Ireland too would have been much increased and inriched by a Free Trade more than by this restraint and by like Reason the Trade of England too would have been much more and the Nation much more enriched than now if no restraint had been put upon the Trade by the Act of Navigation For by the Act of Navigation the greater Trading part of the World are excluded the Trade of Ireland and by the Act against Importation of Irish Cattel upon the matter the Trade between England and Ireland is interrupted and destroyed and here let us see the Consequences hereof Consequences The Imaginary Reason that the Importation of Irish Cattel caused the abatement of the Rents of England is truly caused by the Act in the Southern and Eastern parts of England for the Northern People Welch and Scots taking advantage of this Law have raised the price of lean Cattel so excessively that very small or no profit arises to the Graziers when they are Fatted So as before the Act we bought cheap and sold cheap which was but reasonable whereas now we buy dearer and sell cheaper which is intolerable 2. Before the Act we could Victual Ships with good and substantial Food cheaper than the Dutch and upon all occasions the Dutch and French and other Nations when they were in our Harbours did take a very considerable quantity of our Provision whereas since the Act the Dutch and French Victual much cheaper in Ireland than we can do in England and in Holland and Zealand Irish Beef I am told by Traders thither is sold for a peny a pound so as having as the case stood but one advantage above the Dutch besides the excellency and conveniencies of our Harbours in Navigation by this Law we have given the Dutch a greater advantage over us than we had over them 3. Before this Act the Eastern and Southern parts of England did in a very considerable manner supply Flanders France Portugal and Spain with Butter which now we have interrupted the intercourse of Trade between England and Ireland we have thereby put the Irish upon necessities of making Butter which they do so much cheaper than is possible to be done in England notwithstanding the abatement of our Rents that they supply Flanders and France much cheaper than the English can whereby our Trade for Butter and Cheese is become much worse than that of Grazing of Cattel and now the Irish have established these Trades much more advantageous to them than their Trade was to us with their lean Cattel I understand no remedy hereof but they will increase their advantages and we must yet more continue losers 4. Besides the abatement of our Native Growths and Manufactures caused by the Act against the Importation of Irish Cattel as England was the Storehouse for all sorts of Commodities coming from our Plantations and other Forein Goods as all sorts of Dying stuffs Hides Fruit Sugars Tobacco's and of all sorts of Silks as well wrought as unwrought Ribbands Gold Silver and Silk-Lace so the Trade with Ireland was driven by Commutation of the Product of the mony for their Lean Cattel which being now interrupted this Trade of England with Ireland for these becomes proportionably lestened and diminished Whereas now they transport their Beef into France Holland Zealand and Flanders they make returns in the Growths and Manufactures of those Countries whereby the Irish Trade is become as beneficial to them as it was formerly to us 5. His Majesties Custom for the Lean Cattel is quite extinguished 6. The Shipping and Mariners imployed and built for this Trade are by this Act neglected and made useless about 100 Ships being before imployed in this Trade only 7. That as before English Shipping was generally imployed in the Trade with Ireland so the returns out of Ireland in Hides Tallow Wools and Yarn into Forein parts was in English Shipping whereas now we have not only lost the Profitable Returns of these Commodities but Forein Ships are only imployed in these Trades Proposition 8. Theorem 8. The Trade of England and the Fishing Trade are so much hindred by how many men and so much mony and stock as are excluded by Corporations Subject The Trade of England and the Fishing Trade Question Whether they be so much hindered by how many men and so much mony and stock as is excluded by Corporations I say they are Ax. 6. For any business will be so much hindered by how much the means of improving it
Crown of Spain in the West-Indies acquires new Subjects whereas we in our Plantations wholly people them from our selves And the King of Spain being head of the House of Austria besides the supplies which he draws out of Milan Naples Sicily and Switzerland hath upon all occasions large supplies of men out of Germany Before we had our Plantations England when it was not troubled with Civil Wars did usually in their offensive Wars prevail against France and Scotland I cannot tell whether the Coasts of England be better planted than the Coasts of the King of Spain's West-Indies I am sure the French King and Dutch are more able to attempt the invading of them than the Jamaicans those of the West-Indies By this Law against Naturalization we bid defiance to all the World to continue our Adversaries and deny the Assistance of all Proselytes who otherwise might be of us and assist us Whereas the Prudence and Practice of the Romans and greatest and wisest Princes and Potentates of the World for which they have been and now are celebrated famous have proceeded otherwise and this may be more fully understood in Sir Walter Rawleigh's Safety and Defence of People c. And God himself would not permit the Jews to continue in the Land he had given them unless they did not oppress the Stranger Jer. 7. 6 7. 1. As the Law of Naturalization debarrs us of any future Supply for all the Strength and Trade which this Nation loses in peopling our Plantations and repeopling Ireland so it was the Reason that before we had our Plantations this Nation lost to the Dutch above 48000 pounds per An. in dyng and dressing our Manufactures and above 1646000 pounds per An. in the Fishing Trade for this Nation could have better and by half cheaper have maintained the Managers if this Law had permitted 2. This Law is the Reason that those Multitudes of hands which are imployed abroad in our Woollen Manufactures are not imployed here So that by the severity of many Laws against the Exportation of Wool we restrain our Wool from forein Trade and by this Law we exclude the World from working it here whereby our Wool becomes a drug and of no esteem being neither well wrought at home and not permitted in forein Trade 3. This Law is the Reason that in our Tin and Lead we are the only Drudges to work it out of the Mines whilst all parts of the World but our selves improve Trade and grow rich by Manufactures thereon Corollary 3. By the same Reason the Trade of England and the Fishing Trade are so much more diminished by how much they might be supplied by those hands and so much Money as is diverted from them in relief of idle persons by the Statute of the 43 of Eliz. intit Who shall be Overseers for the Poor their Office Duty and Accounts Annotations Reader That the Mischiefs and Inconveniences which have ensued this Law may better appear take with thee these Considerations First That God hath made Man to eat his bread in the cares of Mind and sweat of his brows that man therefore who neither cares nor labours hath no reason to expect that he shall have any thing to care for Secondly Consider that the Nation was much more inhabited when this Law was made than now From hence then Reader take a Prospect of the Inconveniences which have ensued this Law 1. That where pure Necessity does not require it inverts the end which God hath by Nature made viz. That where Man does not care for and govern he should eat his bread by Labour and Industry 2. That notwithstanding our great loss and want of men for the reasons beforesaid these idle persons provided for by this Act are so more a loss to the Nation than if they had never been by how much the Nation loses in maintaining and providing for them and this is increased to such a height that notwithstanding the want of men more now than when this Law was made yet the charge of maintaining poor people in very many Places is 6 7 8 9 fold more than before and what the further consequences hereof will be if not prevented is most worthy the consideration of the Parliament 3. It is a discouragement to all industrious and labouring people when lazy and idle people shall be maintained in their idleness from the fruits of their Labour and Industry 4. It encourages wilful and evil disposed persons to impose what wages they please upon their labours and herein they are so refractory to Reason and the benefit of the Nation that when Corn and Provisions are cheap they will not work for less wages than when they were dearer so as it often happens that one days indifferent labour shall maintain these persons three or four days after in Idleness which if this Law had not been might have been for a reserve to support themselves and families in adversity and sickness 5. As sundry Laws provided against wandring Beggers and Vagabonds so this Law provides for and relieves stationary Beggers 6 This Law is the principal if not the only reason of the excessive wages of servants as well as labourers in making Provision for such who will neither serve nor labour 7. From this Law therefore it is principally and for the want of good education of the governing part of the Trade of the Nation of which we shall treat hereafter that as Mr. Mun observes in his excellent treatise of England's Treasure by Forein Trade cap. 19. that the English Nation is reproached commonly among strangers for the multitudes of People which in England Cheat Roar Rob Hang Beg Cant Pine and Perish which otherwise might help to encrease and maintain the Wealth and strength of these Kingdomes especially by Sea for our own safety and terrour of our enemies 8. The charity which might be imployed in the releife of truely impotent and aged people is heerby abated and diminished Corollary 4. By the same reason the Trade of England and the Fishing Trade are so much more diminished by how much they might be supplyed by those lazy and idle persons who are diverted from them by living upon Wasts Commons Chases and Forests Annotations So as this difference is between these persons and those maintained by the 43. El. 2. that as those are maintained by the loss of the Nation so these are maintained to no benefit of it but are dangerous as well to the Nation as Government of it This appeas by the Riots and Tumults which they make upon all Endeavours of Improvments notwithstanding compensations are made double and treble to the value of what they reaped thereby The number therefore of these kind of persons encreasing which daily does as well by a succession of those who are born upon such places as otherwise and being at liberty to work or not the Government will be so much more endangered by how much they are encreased and so much more by how much less these
men observe the Rules and Method by which it may be advanced more than in any other Place which hath equal conveniences If this Lady were to choose an habitation in all the known World she could not find any so capable of her reception as England I had almost said and Ireland whether it be in regard of the Multitude Excellency and Conveniency of our Ports Abundance of Wool better than in any other place of the World but Segovia and from us they had it Cattle of all sorts equal if not superior to any other place More Horses and more serviceable in Trade than any where else Timber for shipping the best in the World Lead Tin Seacoal and Fullers Earth not to be found out of England so much or so Good and capable of all other things but Wines and we were better without them which may any ways conduce to the supplying the necessities or adorning the convenience of Humane life equal with any other place The Coast enriched with a shore more worth than the King of Spains West-Indies The Inhabitants stout and valiant accompanied with a lively wit and healthful constitution and generaly disposed to her service One would think it strange I might say monstrous that the Dutch Nation who are denied these advantages and are of a more dull and heavy constitution than the English should out-wit us in that wherein God and Nature have given us all the Prerogatives we our selves can desire But we undo our selves by banishing this Lady we so desire and contend for she is already so farr withdrawn that we neither know where to find her nor much better how to recover her Though this beloved Lady is become very Coy to us by Land yet in reason we hope to prevail upon her by Sea In our application we tell her the Swelling Ocean every day beats round about our Shores to invite us to the enjoyment of her and that by a long and uninterrupted series of Ages we have been possessed of her before ever the Dutch Government was formed into States We have moreover in the year 1662. contributed several considerable sums of Mony toward the Advancement of the Fishing Trade but how the Monies have been disposed of and whether the Monies Collected be not yet in the Collectors hands unaccounted for may be worthy Consideration especially considering how great a discouragement it will be to all Publique undertakings when such benevolences are diverted from their designed end Many men not understanding the Reason of this Ladies strangeness to us of late have ascribed it to two causes viz. that we Import more than we Export and that men generally live above their Estate but neither of these though true are Reasons of the decay of Trade for the Dutch we see Import all yet thrive upon Trade and the Irish Export eight times more than they Import yet grow poorer And Trade if it be well managed no where thrives better than where men spend above the ordinary means of living We have lost the Trade upon the matter by Sea and Land at home but before we demonstrate from what causes or propound any Expedients by which we may be relieved let us see how it stands abroad We have lost the Trade to Muscovv and so have that to Greonland the Trade to Norway possessed by the Norwegians and the Reasons given in to the Parliament last Sessions The Trade to Guinney driven by a few and exclusive to other men The Spanish and Turkey Trades abated and in danger So that unless it be in the French and Canary Trades wherein we undo our selves we are making hast to betake our selves to our Plantations only yet shall not be long able to continue that Trade for want of shipping It is true indeed that England of late under King James By what accident England of late became so rich but more especially under King Charles did flourish by Trade and was more Rich than any other Kingdom in these Western Parts of the World but this was by an Accident of the Times not to be again hoped for For the Austrian Family under Maximilian the Second and Philip the Second attained to that Power and Riches when the Netherlands made their defection from the Crown of Spain that it was not only formidable to the Great Turk but to all the Christian Princes of Europe Queen Elizabeth therefore and the French Kings successively openly assisted them in their defection But Philip the Second dying and Queen Elizabeth soon after King James and Philip the Third in the beginning of their Reigns made Peace which continued neer 40 years with little Interruption During which the Warrs continued between the United Netherlands and Spain with little Intermission whereby the English became Proprietors of the Trade with Spain and by consequence great sharers in the Wealth of the West-Indies And this Benefit moreover the English reaped by these Warrs that the Merchant supplied the Spanish Netherlands with Commodities and both Spanish and United Netherlands were supplied with Souldiers from England whereby many of them on both sides especially Officers acquired much Wealth But the Nation not content to enjoy Peace Riches and Plenty From what cause it lost its Riches above any other Nation brought upon itself all the miseries and Calamities incident to a Civil Warr so that Regal Power as to the exercise of it for neer 20 years together was suspended during which in the year 1648. the Dutch made Peace with Spain and Oliver in the year 1654. brake with it which was a folly never to be forgiven in his Politicks nor the losses this Nation susteined thereby ever again to be repaired whereby the Condition of the English and Dutch in reference to the Trade with Spain became quite inverted and this continuing neer seven years the Dutch are so good Masters of Trade that little hopes is left the English of Enjoying it as before From hence it is which being past cannot be helped and for the Reasons in this Discourse which may be helped and for other Causes which only God in his goodness can help From hence it is I say that this Kingdom becomes decayed in Trade and must every day degenerate into worss unless some such Reformation be made with Gods great blessing upon it as may uphold the Riches and Glory of it REASONS OF THE DECAY OF THE English-Trade PART I. Definitions What is Trade Def. 1. Trade is an Art of Getting Preparing and Exchanging things Commodious for Humane Necessities and Convenience Annot. So as Trade happens three ways 1. By acquiring or getting things commodious which are called Growths 2ly By Preparing them which are called Manufactures 3ly By Exchanging these Growths and Manufactures for Mony or other Growths and Manufactures And Trade is twofold viz. Native and Forein 1 Native when the Growths or Manufactures are got Prepared and Exchanged upon the place 2ly Forein when Growths and Manufactures are exchanged in Forein Places What is Mony 2. Mony is the
Commons Chases Wasts and Forests can maintain them to supply which breaking Hedges cutting Woods and stealing Fowl c. are the usual means by which they make up their living How advantageous it would be to the Trade of the Nation if all these idle hands were imployed in it and how great a Reuenue might be raised out of these Wasts if they were improved and imployed in Trade and binding out Prentices and in defraying Publique charges were most worthy Consideration of the Parliament Corollary 5. By the same reason the Trade of England and the Fishing Trade are so much more diminished by how much they might be supplyed by those persons who are diverted form them in being hanged Apology I do not dispute the Authority of any Law in this Corollary or in any Corollary or Proposition in this discourse I only contend that the ends designed by Legislators are not always attained and therefore Anciently our Ancestors were so careful of preparing Laws that they usually made them not longer lived than the end of the next Session of Parliament so that if the end designed by them were not attained the Laws themselves should expire The end of punishing Malefactors is twofold viz. to deter others from Committing Crimes and for the Offender to make Restitution so far as he is able But I do not understand that the end of punishment is to destroy where murder or a higher Crime is not the offence Nor is Hanging which is transient so Permanent a Terror to offendors as a constant inflicting extraordinary duties upon Offendors whereby they might or in a great measure might expiate their Crimes by satisfying the persons Offended Nothing in nature but by some means or other might be made beneficial sure therefore much more man nor does man distroy in any thing else but on the life of Man where any other means can be found to preserve and the end in making restitution is holy lost Corollary 6. By the same reason the Trade of England and the Fishing Trade are yet so much more diminished by how much they might be supplyed by those men who are diverted from them in being imprisoned for debt Annotations Herein moreover is the end designed in Punishing Offendors inverted for in being committed prisoners the means which is thereby spent in paying Fees to Jaylots is inverted from that end to which it might have been imployed towards the Payment of his Debts and the persons of the Prisoners made useless any ways by labour or industry to contribute to the satisfaction thereof Corollary 7. By the same reason the Trade of England and Fishing Trade are so much diminished by how much mony and so many men as are diverted from supplying them in buying and morgaging Land Pet. 5. For mony is a convenient mean to improve Trade Annotations upon this Corollary Before we contended that the Law against Naturalization makes the Kingdom weak and unable to improve the Trade therof in this Corollary we complain of a practice against Law and Conscience too For by the Statute of Westminster 2. made the 13. Edw. 1. c. 4. it was provided that Estates in Tail should remain to the Donee and his Heirs according to the form of the gift of the Donor and for want of issue of the Donee to revert to the Donor and his Heirs And that Fines levied upon such claimes be void Yet by what practice or usage Fines come to Barr Heirs in Tail and recovery of those in remainder I cannot tell I am sure the Will of the Donor which in Conscience ought religiously to be observed is hereby violated And all that mony which is expended in Buying and Morgaging such Lands is diverted from the good use by which it might be imployed in Trade besides the multitudes of mischiefs which arise in vexatious Suits between Vendor and Vendee Morgager and Morgagee to the utter undoing one another whereby multitudes of Solicitors Bankers Usurers and Scriveners who no ways advance the Trade of the Nation become vastly rich whilest the Trade of the Nation hereby becomes starved and neglected and by consequence the Nation so much poorer By reason hereof the Stock of this Nation supposing it double to the Dutch yet do I not believe one sixt part so much is imploied by us in Trades beneficial to the Nation as by them and I wish this Quere were determined Whether from this cause the Bankers and Scriveners of London cannot raise more Money in one week than the Parliament of England can in two years How many ways this Kingdom might be enriched and the Trade thereof encreased if the Statute of Westminster 2. made 13. Edw. 1. c. 1. were observed 1. The Will of the Donor which by all Laws of Religion and Gratitude ought religiously to be observed would not be violated for which we may justly fear the Judgments and Vengeance of God 2. The vast and wild Prodigality of vain men and women would be restrained within the bounds of their Estates And the impoverishment which they bring upon the Kingdom by their Pride Vanity and Luxury in a very great measure would be abated 3. The Families of the Nobility and Gentry would hereby be preserved and continued 4. The multitudes of Solicitors Bankers Scriveners and usurers who row swarm more than ever and devour all the good of the Nation but no ways do any good to it would diminish and these very men be necessitated to seek some better means of subsistence whereby the Kingdom might receive benefit now we so much want hands to advance the Trade of the Nation 5. The Supernumerary Pages Lacquies and Waiting Women who are Moths to fret and consume their Masters and Ladies Estates might be imploied in ways beneficial to the Kingdom 6. The Stock of the Nation to be imploied in beneficial Trades would be tenfold more imploied in them 7. The Riches acquired by Trade would continually be imploied in it as well as in the Vnited Netherlands 8. The Interest of Mony without a Law would fall to be as low as in the Vnited Netherlands 9. Men would be more intent to improve their Estates when they know what they must betake themselves to and may more securely follow their business than when they are engaged in Law Suits about Morgages and Titles of Land Reader thou mayst add many more but if any man shall give me one for not observing this Law I will give him all my nine Proposition 2. Theorem 2. The Timber of England is diminished and is in danger to be destroyed by the Act of the 12. Car. 2. 18. and confirmed 13. Car. 2. 18. Entituled An Act for Encouraging and encrease of Shipping and Navigation and commonly called the Act of Navigation Subject Is the Timber of England Question Whether it be diminished by the Act of Navigation I say it is Ax. 2. For where any thing is wanting and decayed that thing will be more diminished if the means of supplying it be interrupted Pet. 4.
But the Timber of England was wanting and decayed before the Act of Navigation Pet. 17. And the means of supplying the Timber of England is interrupted by the Act of Navigation Therefore the Timber of England is diminished by the Act of Navigation Which was to be demonstrated Annotations upon this Proposition It is now above 120 years since the making of the Act of 35. of H. 8. 17. when without all question the Timber of England was above five times more than now it is yet notwithstanding the heat and distemper of those times so vigilant were our Ancestors in the preservation of the Timber of this Nation the best For Shipping in the world that though they did not foresee all ways for preserving and encreasing it yet they saw that the great decay of it was universally such in England that unless speedy remedy in that behalf were provided great and manifest likelyhood of scarcity and lack of Timber for building making repairing and maintaining Houses and Ships would be for prevention whereof several provisions were made but never put or at least not in my memory in execution Which is the fate in many of the Laws of these times Queen Elizabeth a Lady of incomparable Prudence and Foresight and more jealous of the Honour and Safety of this Nation than any of her Ancestors or predecessors as one of her chiefest cares in the first year of her Reign for the Preservation of the Timber of England gave free liberty to all men as well Subjects as Strangers freely to Import Masts and Raff Notwithstanding this provision this vigilant Queen taking notice of the great decay of Timber occasioned by converting the same into cloven board did in the 35. of her Reign cap. 11. Ordain that every stranger which should ship carry or Transport Bere or Fish except Herrings in Cask should before such Transportation and every Subject which should Transport Beer or Fish before or within four months aster for every six tuns of Beer or Fish should import from parts beyond the Sees 200 of clapboard fit to make Cisk to contain three foot and two inches in length at least upon penalty of forfeiture of such Fish Beer and Cask Yet though both these laws stand now in force and the good and safety of the Nation be so much concerned in them the Act of Navigation makes it forfeiture of Ship Goods and Guns to import any Raff Masts Timber or Clapboard unless by English ships though the English since the Rumps first institution of the Law have not built one ship for this Trade nor ever will so long as it stands in force and sayled by ¾ English and the Natives of the place whether the Natives have ships or not So that if an English man Dutch man Hamburger or any Easterling Trade for beer or fish and doe not import the clapboard prescribed by the 35 Eliz. 11. the goods and cask are forfeit But if they do import clapboard the ship and goods and guns are forfeit by the Act of Navigation I have often heard my Father complain of the vast destruction of our Timber by converting the same into Clapboard whereby all the best of our Timber is consumed for when any Oak will rend or so far as the ground end will rend Rift bearing about a third penny more price then if it were sawn into planck the converter intending his profit converts it into Rift and that if he could ever see a Parliament wherein he could ever hope to do any good he would bring in a Bill to prevent the destruction of our Timber hereby Old Oliver entertain'd this Law but coldly but however he were otherwise more careful of his own Interest than of the Nations yet he permitted the English Merchants to trade in Forein Bottoms for Timber whereby he was not only better and cheaper supplied than the Nation hath since been but he enforced the King of Denmarks Subjects to sell their ships built for that Trade and wherewith they used to impose what terms they pleased upon the English being better and cheaper supplyed than they could Consequences of this Proposition Besides the mischiefs and inconveniences which have come upon this Nation by not observing the Law made the 35 of Eliz. 11. these inconveniences have ensued the Act of Navigation in reference to the Trade of Timber which were proved before a Committee of the House of Commons last Session of Parliament 1. Before the Rump made this Law the Trade to Norway for Timber was generally driven by the English in better of our growths and Manufactures whereas now it is driven in Dollars and the Treasure of the Nation and those Growths and Manufactures of England which are exported into Norway are rarely exported but by Norwegians 2. That the prizes of Norway timber were become near double 3. That our own Timber was much wasted by reason of the dearness of Norway 4. That we had not built one ship for that Trade since the Law nor could ever hope to do so long as it stood in force because a forein ship may be built for half the price and be more free for Trade whereas the Norwegians had doubled their shipping and built them twice as bigg and from 600 Mariners encreased them to 6000 whereby the English in a short time must necessarily be excluded the Trade of Norway unless he drive it by Norwegians and in Norway bottoms 5. That the English are now almost wholly laid aside the Trade of Norway being generally driven in Norway bottoms and those sayled by Norwegians 6. That the English are wholly left to the King of Denmarkes disposing whenever he pleases to impose any further abuses upon them than were complained of which were that the English ever since 1646. and by the treaty made with his Majesty 1660. paid ⅘ of a Rixdollar per Last for the growths of Norway except the Town of Bergen but since the late War with them they paid custome for Timber a Rixdollar and half per Last for other growth a Rixdollar and ⅘ others 2 Rixdollars and ⅕ and others 3 Rixdollars and in measuring the Lastage the same ships which before the War had their measures adjusted were raised some 35 others 40 Lasts 7. That it was the Interest of the King of Denmark to make the Trade of Norway insupportable to the English for thereby as the case stood his Subjects would monopolize the Trade yet could no redress hereof be had untill in the years 1667 1668. his Majesty permitted his Subjects to Trade in Forein Vessels and strangers to import Timber and this reduced the Exorbitant Impositions of the King of Denmark to the Treaty of 1660 or otherwise he would have undone his own Subjects in that Trade as they were in the time of Oliver I insist more particularly hereon because that by the scarcity and waste of our Timber by reason of this Law and which must be in a vast measure increased in rebuilding the City of London the French
and Dane will have in their own Dominions and the Dutch may have down the Rhine Maze and Scheld out of Germany Liege and Lorrain such Quantities of Timber as between any of them and us will be no proportion and what the fatal consequence hereof will be to this Nation if no care or provision be had I almost tremble to consider Proposition 3. Theorem 3. The Building Ships in England is hindred by the Act of Navigation Subject is the Building Ships in England Quest Whether it be diminished by the Act of Navigation I say it is Ax. 3. For if the means of doing any thing be wanting that thing will be so much hindred as the means of supplying it are diminished Pet. 16. But the Timber of England before the Act of Navigation was wanting for Building Ships in England Pet. 14. And Timber is a necessary mean to build Ships Prop. 2. The Timber of England is diminished by the Act of Navigation Therefore the Building Ships in England is hindred by the Act of Navigation Which was to be demonstrated Annotations upon this Proposition It is agreed upon by all men that the Timber of England is of all other the best for Building Ships but then it must be understood that like choice may be had in England as in other places and so long as we had as good choice in our English Timber as the Dutch Dane and French we built better Men of War and stronger and more durable Merchants Ships than any of them But now all the choice Timber of England is wasted and consumed the Dutch Dane and French bave equal choice as before it is much to be feared that for the future we shall not long enjoy this Advantage but not be able without excessive charge to build so good Ships as any of them Proposition 4. Theorem 4. The Ships of England are diminished by the Act Navivigation Subject is the Ships of England Question Whether they he diminished by the Act of Navigation I say they are Ax. 3. For where the doing things are hindred and the less and decay of those things not otherwise supplied these things will be diminished Prop. 3. But the building Ships in England is hindred by the Act of Navigation Pet. 19. And the loss and decay of Ships of England must not be supplied in acquiring any Forein Ships by the Act of Navigation Therefore the Ships of England are diminished by the Act of Navigation Which was to be demonstrated Annotation I do not understand how this Law makes good the title of it For I am confident at this day is not one half of the Shipping in England take prize ships into the reckoning which I guess to be above 4 times more than the Englesh lost in both the late Dutch wars In Ispwich are somewhat above one third of what were when the Rump instituted this Law At Woodbridg not one third and at Alborough Dunwitch Walderswick and sould not one fourth as were before this Law And I wish some man would take pains to make further inspection herein to prove me mistaken Proposition 5. Theorem 5. The Navigation of England is hindred by the Act of Navigation Subject The Navigation of England Question Whether it be hindred by the Act of Navigation I say it is Ax. 2. For the doing things will be so much hindred as the necessary means of Doing them is Diminished Prop. 4. But the Ships of England are diminished by the Act of Navigation Pet. 3. And ships are necessary in Navigation Therefore the Navigation of England is hindred by the Act of Navigation Which was to be demonstrated So as we can neither build ships nor can we buy Annotations Nor must any English man navigate any English built ship to trade to any part of England Ireland or any of our Plantations unless she be sailed by ¾ English at least under no less penalty than loss of Ship Goods Guns Ammunition and Tackle though it be evident the Coast of England be desolate and almost uninhabited and the Country as well as Coast is so thin of People that it is not half peopled By the Act of 1 Eliz. 13. It was free for all men as well strangers as Natives to import Pitch and Tar which Law stands yet in force yet if by the Act of Navigation any English man unless in English built ships and sailed by ¾ English import any or any stranger not Natives whether the Natives have Ships or not import any the Ship Goods Guns Tackle and Ammunition are all forfeit So by the 1 Eliz. 13. All men might import hemp and cordage paying strangers duties Now if any English ship import any hemp or cordage and be not sailed by ¾ English at least she is forfeit c. nor must any stranger not Native upon any less penalty Yet it is evident that the Inhabitants of Leifland from whence the best hemp if not all is to be had trade not with us at all Consequencies From whence it came to pass that in two years after the Rump making this Law the building of ships became one third penny dearer and Sea-mens wages so excessive that we have wholly lost the Trades to Muscovy and Greenland thereby and from hence it is that all Forein Commodities imported into England except in the Turkey Trade and some Trifles from Guiney and the East-Indies are consumed in England whilst thereby we give the Dutch and other Nations a power of driving the Trade of the World where the Commodities are not English or subject to the Crown of England Proposition 6. Theorem 6. The Trade of England and of Fishing into Forein Parts is hindred by the Act of Navigation Subject The Trade of England and of Fishing into Forein parts Question Whether it be hindred by the Act of Navigation I say it is Ax. 4. For the doing things will be hindred so much as the necessary means of doing them are hindred Pet. 20. But Navigation is the only means of vending the Growths and Manufactures of England and Fishing in Forein Trade unless it be in Scotland Prop. 5. And the Navigation of England is hindred by the Act of Navigation Therefore the Trade of England and of Fishing into forein parts is hindred by it Which was to be demonstrated Annotations Nor must any Forein ship or vessel trade to England with any forein Commodities unless in ships or vessels of that place or Country and Navigated by the Mr. and ¾ Mariners of the place at least whether they have ship or not So as now we have neither ships nor Mariners sufficient for our Trade we upon the Matter exclude the Trading Part of the World from Trading with us from whence these Consequences follow Consequences 1. That the Growths and Manufactures of England to be exported in Forein Trade are reduced to a few English Merchants who may take what they please and at what terms they please and leave the rest upon the poor Natives hands without any other
are excluded Pet. 13. But men are necessary to improve Trade and Pet. 5. mony is a convenient mean to improve Trade and Pet. 12. stock is a convenient mean to improve Trade Therefore the Trade of England and the Fishing Trade are so much hindered by how many men and so much mony and stock as are excluded by Corporations Which was to be demonstrated Annotations So as the Trade of England and the Fishing Trade are diminished by our American Plantations by the re-peopling Ireland and the late great Plague and our late Forein and intestine Wars It is hindered by the Act of Navigation in Forein Trade abroad and the greater Trading part of the world are excluded from Trading with us at home and the greater part of the Nation excluded from Trading at all unless it be upon such terms as they cannot be any ways encouraged in it whereas in the mean time Supernumeraries of Solicitors Bankers Scriveners and Userers who instead of Trading divert all the means of improving Trade and engross I am confident above six times as much mony as is imployed in Trades beneficial to the Nation and I believe are more than the free Trading part of the Nation For my part as I desire the good of the Nation in what I have said free from any passion or affection to any party or person so do not I intend the prejudice but good of every Corporation for if men mony and stock be the only means to enrich and strengthen any place then every Corporation is so much more capable of Riches and Strength by how many more men and so much more mony and stock is imployed in Trade The Dutch who of all the world are the most considerable and richest and most mighty by Trade understand this and therefore Amsterdam of all other places the most famous for Trade is now designed to be enlarged â…– with free liberty for all the world to Plant and Trade with them In or about the years 1636. and 37. about 140 Families out of the Counties of Norfolk and Suffolk forsook us and went into Holland where the Dutch did not only entertain them but in Leyden Alkmert and other places planted them Rent-free and Excise-free for seven years Corollary By the same reason Forein Trade will be so much hindered by how much the means of Transporting mony in it are excluded Pet. 13. For mony is a convenient mean to improve Trade Annotations The Dutch Venetians and Florentines who understand this and have no mony of their own freely permit the Exportation of mony in Trade and grow rich thereby and the King of Spain who hath all the Treasure of the West-Indies upon the penalty of Death c. forbids the Exportation of it grows poorer and can keep none Mr. Mun a man of excellent knowledge and experience in Trade in the 4th Chapter of Englands Treasure by Forein Trade affirms he knew a Prince in Italy of famous memory Ferdinando the First great Duke of Tuscany who being very rich endeavoured thereby to enlarge his Trade by issuing out to his Merchants great summes of mony for very small profit He himself had of the Duke 40000 Crowns gratis for a whole year although the Duke knew it would be sent away in specie for the parts of Turkey to be imployed in Wares for his Country Afterwards Mr. Mun affirms he knew Legorn so much increased that of a poor little Town it was become a fair and strong City being one of the most famous places for Trade in all Christendom And yet it is worthy observation that the multitude of Ships and Wares which come from England the Low-Countries and other places have little or no means to make returns from thence but only ready mony See more herein in the said Chapter Though Trade may be maintained by barter of Commodities yet he who Trades in mony and barter shall have a vast advantage Proposition 9. Theorem 9. In the Trade of England with France the English Nation loses so much as the value of the French Commodities imported exceed the English exported which Mr. Fortry affirms to be above 1600000 l. yearly Subject is The English Nation Question Whether it loses so much by the Trade with France as the value of the French Commodities Imported exceed the English Exported I say it does Ax. 7. For where the consumption of things Imported does exceed in value the things Exported the loss will be as the excess is Pet. 2. But the English Nation consumes all the Commodities of France imported Pet. 3. And they exceed the Commodities of England Exported 1600000 l. a year if Mr. Fortry hath truly computed it Therefore the English Nation loses so much as the excess is Which was to be demonstrated Annotations upon this Proposition Nor is this all the loss the English Nation sustains by the Trade with France for Trading for French Wines in the perillous Months for Navigation of September October November and December we lose more Shipping and Sea-men in acquiring of them than in all our other Trades besides and in our immoderate drinking of them we more than ordinarily dispose our bodies to the Strangury Fevers Gout and Stone when they are pure and to so many more Diseases as when they are so many ways sophisticated and adulterated by Vintners so that instead of drinking Health to the King of England we drink Sickness to our selves and Wealth to the French King So that Reader thou mayest understand what vast Revenues the English and the Dutch much more than the English yearly bring into France by their Trade with it For though the Dutch Trade for Reasons hereafter specified be not managed to the loss of the Dutch as the English is yet I am confident and have it by good Authority that if a true estimate were made of it it would appear to be above sixfold more beneficial to France than the English Trade is Sir Walter Rawleigh takes notice that the Dutch Trade into all Ports and Creeks of France we chiefly into 5 or 6 and in those the Dutch have 4 times the Trade we have So that if the French King can establish a Spice Trade wherein he is wonderously industruous being King of a Flourishing Country he will have but little occasion to Export any Treasure nor need he fear but the English and Dutch will still continue carriers of all the Wealth they get by Spain and other places into France Consequences From hence it is that the French King becomes so rich above any other Prince or State in Christendom and being Prince of a noble and brave Kingdom which abounds with most things conducing to the benefit of Humane Life and very fruitful of men as well as other things and having few considerable Plantations to exhaust his men he becomes not less Potent and formidable to all Christendom than Rich and Glorious Nor can I ever hope the Pride and Luxury of the English and the necessities of the Dutch are
our Plantations have exhausted our men whereby our Trade and strength is abated and diminished so the Law against Naturalization debars any future supply of other men from Planting with us and the Law of Navigation excludes much the greater Trading part of the world from Trading with us from abroad and our Corporations restrain our Trade to as few at home so as Trade which ever flourishes in multitude and freedom is by us by all imaginable ways circumscribed taxed and reduced to a few While we are contriving newer and more severe Laws against the Exportation of Wool and neglect the careful inspection and management of our Woollen Manufactures whereby they have lost their Reputation abroad we put the world upon necessities of supplying themselves elsewhere and especially from Ireland whereby the Dutch not only partake with us in our Turkey Trade and up the Elb but the Dutch and French in our own Markets in England have a free and open Trade in Woollen Cloths and Stuffs and in the mean while our Wool becomes a Drug and of no price or esteem at home whereby notwithstanding the severity of all our Laws against the Exportation thereof great quantities are exported and so will be until we establish such a Trade in our Woollen Manufactures that men shall be better encouraged to work them here than elsewhere for all men will rather venture their lives than lose their means of living We neglect to give any encouragement in assisting Ingenuous and Industrious men in any undertaking for the Publick good I give one instance in the County of Suffolk and here in Clerkenwel The English during the late Dutch and French War did betake themselves to Weaving Poldavies or Buck which they did make into double Buck being two threds spun together and made of our English Hemp which Ipswich and Woodbridge men affirm to be better than any East Country Hemp for this use which made better Sails than any other and did manage a considerable Trade thereby to the great benefit of Suffolk but now the Dutch and French Buck is sold somewhat cheaper the English not being as yet so much Masters of the Trade as the Dutch and French This Trade begins to decline again and to be neglected for want of some small Encouragement which might be done by some small Imposition for some time upon the French and Dutch Buck until we should be enabled to work it as cheap as it is in France and Holland As we give no encouragement to our industrious Natives so we utterly discourage all industrious Foreiners from improving and increasing Trade I need not here repeat the discouragement put upon the Silk-throwers by the Corporation and Company of London wherein near 20000 people are imployed though the first introduction of Silk-throwing was by a Foreiner the worthy Father of Sir Thomas Chamberlain now a worthy Citizen of London because the Wisdom of Parliament hath provided security for the Silk-throwers But though the Weaving Silk be as much or more advantageous to the Nation yet certain ingenuous and industrious French Artificers who endeavoured to exercise their Trades last Summer in the Suburbs of London were Indicted at Hicks Hall by certain of the Yeomanry of the Company of Weavers Commissionated by the Bailiff Warden and Assistants of the said Company and committed to the New-Prison in Clerkenwel though the difference between the said Company and the Protestant Strangers using manual Occupation was upon the Address of the French and Dutch Churches depending before his Majesty and Council Nor could any relief herein be had though his Majesty in Council the 29. of October last referred the business to the Lords of the Committee of Trade until his Majesty in Council the 10th of November last was pleased to discharge them I need not here recite the benefits the Nation at this day reaps by the permitting the Walloons to establish their Trades at Canterbury Norwich Colchester and other places the Nation at least the Southern and Eastern parts know they are the best Trades we have now left Yet I cannot but take notice that within the memory of man the returns of Maidstone Market did not amount to weekly above 30 l. whereas since admitting about 60 Families of Foreiners in the thred Trade the returns are weekly now above 1000 l. to the incredible benefit of the Lands as well as all sorts of people adjoyning How pernicious this practice of excluding Foreiners must needs be to the Nation as it now stands if it be continued is understood by his Majesty And the French King so well understands how much it will conduce to the advantage of France to encourage the freedom of Trade by entertaining all sorts of Forein Artificers that in contradiction to all the Ecclesiastical Powers opposing it he hath granted free liberty to all sorts of Forein Artificers and Merchants to exercise their Consciences in all Ports and places in his Dominion and to have Churches allowed them with equal or more Priviledges than his natural Subjects Sure now it will be no ways prudent in us so to discourage any herein as to be entertained by the French King as well as Dutch So that all the good and beneficial ends designed by Trade viz. of imploying all sorts of Impotent People Women and Children of Strengthning and enriching our selves by Trade are quite inverted by us For the Fishing Trade and the Trades of Making Dying and Dressing our Cloaths and Stuffs wherein all sorts of poor people might have been employed is lost and neglected by us whilst we intend the Newcastle Trade the French Canary Turkey East-India Trade and to our Plantations wherein only lusty men are imployed and the Impotent People Women and Children are exposed to beggery and the publick charge Secondly Ireland and our Plantations Rob us of all the growing Youth and Industry of the Nation whereby it becomes week and seeble and the Strength as well as Trade becomes decayed and diminished I and the Law against Naturalization Bars us of any future supply And thirdly Our Affluence Luxury and irregular management of Trade renders us poorer and in a worse condition than if we had no Trade at all So as here Reader thou mayest understand the reason of the decay and falls of the Rents of Lands in England for by the 11 Petition the Rents of Lands are valuable as the Trade of the place is the Trade of England therefore being diminished the Rents of the Lands in England are consequently fallen and diminished in proportion to it REASONS OF THE INCREASE OF THE Dutch-Trade PART II. Wherein is Demonstrated from what causes the Dutch govern and manage Trade better than the English whereby they have so far improved their Trade above the English Petitions 1. MEN labour more industriously in Trade and upon easier terms in the Vnited Netherlands than in England 2. The Dutch have down the Rhine Maez and Scheld out of Germany France Lorrain Flanders and other Spanish Provinces greater
quantities of Timber more choice and upon less terms than can be had in England but more since the Timber of England is so much diminished by the Act of Navigation and much more when the City of London is rebuilt 3. The Dutch have Pitch Tar Hemp for Cordage Tackle and Iron in greater quantities and for less terms than the English can out of Norway Denmark and other Kingdoms within the Sound 4. Pitch Tar Cordage Tackle and Iron are necessary means in fitting up Ships for Navigation 5. The Dutch build Ships for Navigation more conveniently than the English 6. The Dutch acquire more Forein Commodities in Trade out of Germany cheaper and with more convenience than the English do out of Scotland 7. The whole world is Water and Land 8. The Dutch pay less Customs for Forein Commodities at home than the English 9. The Dutch pay less Customs for Forein Commodities in Forein Trade than the English do 10. The Dutch pay less interest for mony than the English 11. The Dutch States are more conversant in Trade than the Council of State in England or any other 12. The Dutch generally breed their youth of both Sexes in the Studies of Geometry and Numbers especially more than the English do 13. The Study of Geometry and Numbers is the best Education for understanding Trade 14. The Dutch States have equal or more means in Trade than the Council of State in England or any other 15. A Dutch Statesman is more interessed in Trade than a Counsellor of State in England or any else 16. Dutch Merchants and their Wives are generally more conversant in Trade than the English 17. Dutch Merchants have fewer impediments in Trade than English and have their Controversies in Trade sooner determined and with less charge and trouble 18. The Dutch pay less Customs for their Domestick Manufactures in Forein Trade than the English do Axioms or Common Notions 8. Where men labour more industriously upon less terms upon any thing this thing is cheaper managed 9. Any business which is more freely managed may be greatlier managed than if it were more restrained 10. More business is done by more means and cheap if the means be had upon easier terms 11. More business may be done by more means and cheap and more conveniently if the means be more convenient and cheaper 12. Who buyes cheaper than another and more conveniently may sell cheaper and with much more gain if the charge be otherways less 13. All things are either Forein or Domestick 14. They who are more conversant in any business and better Educated in it may understand it better than another 15. They who may understand any business better than another may govern it better than that other 16. Where men are more interessed in any business they are less subject to be corrupted to the prejudice of it 17. They who have fewer impediments in any business and less charge and trouble in it may improve it better than another who hath more 18. The whole is equal to all parts TREATISE II. Proposition 1. Problem 1. HOW the Dutch manage a greater Trade at home than the English Subjects Are the Dutch and English Question How the Dutch manage a greater Trade at home Construction By the 1 Pet. 1. the Dutch freely entertain men of all Nations in Trade and give them equal priviledges with the natural born Dutch By the 9 Pet. 1. The English by the Bar of Naturalization and freedom of Strangers restrain the Trade of England to the English only I say the Dutch may manage a greater Trade at home Ax. 9. For any business which is more freely managed may be and is greatlier managed than if it were more restrained Const But Trade is more freely managed by the Dutch at home than by the English Therefore the Dutch manage a greater Trade at home which was to be done Annotations From hence it is that the Dutch States without the danger of War or putting themselves into the power of fickle and unconstant Fortune and by destruction and devastation of other Countries killing and making men miserable by poverty and slavery from no principles from within themselves but by acquiring men and means from other places have attained the means though all the United Neatherlands do not in bigness exceed the County of York nor have half the conveniencies of that Country except in numbers of people to manage a greater Trade at home than any other Country of the world It is true the times since they became States have concurred much to their advantage herein for entertaining all sorts of persons who upon the account of either Religion or Faction forsook their Countries they have been much more enabled to do this But the Province of Holland above all other for no sort of people was denyed admission there whereby Holland as it is of more strength than all the other Provinces so it contributes 11 16 to all Publick Taxes Whereas this Nation does not only lye under the restraint of the Bar of Naturalization and Ireland and our Plantations are always open to exhaust us of our men but besides the multitudes of English which are dispersed in other places of the Netherlands Rotterdam Middleborough and Flushing are about ¼ English and of English Extraction About the Years 1636. and 37. about 140 Families out of Norfolk and Suffolk forsook us and Planted themselves in Leyden Alkmen and other places of the United Netherlands and there established the Woollen Manufactures of those places which at this day is as much advantageous to the Dutch and prejudicial to us as Queen Eliz. after the example of K. Edward 3. entertaining the Walloons persecuted by the Duke of Alva and planting them in Colchester Norwich Canterbury c. was advantageous to us and prejudicial to the King of Spain And sure it is worthy the consideration of the Parliament how this may be prevented for the future One Thomas Tilham born at Martley in the County of Worcester and formerly a Chirurgeon in Warwick treated with the Elector Palatine of Rhine about 6 years since to bring in a Colony to Inhabit and establish Woollen Manufactures in the Palatinate which the Prince allowing the said Tilham hath brought in a Colony of it s believ'd between 2000 and 3000 men who now manage a Trade upon Woollen Manufactures and for Tilhams Reward herein the Prince hath made him Commander of them Many of these people came to Tilham out of Essex and Suffolk One Skip of Herefordshire is gone to him with some people so are several others out of those parts So that though all Princes as well as States almost understood the wealth and strength which attends a Domestick Trade as well as the Dutch Yet we only of almost all the world are so careless herein that we neither care for encreasing our Domestick Trade nor to restrain our Artificers from betraying the mystery of ours though the free admission of People of all Nations was the