Inheritance and have Families depend upon them Now if by Law there should be any Restraint of wearing English made Silks and Hair Stuffs for any part of the Year they would be deprived of their said Freehold and Inheritance and must of necessity not only be impoverished but want bread in one year nay the greatest part of them in one Months time they having nothing but from hand to mouth and what they get by their daily Labour to supply their daily Wants and consequently the greatest part of them must be necessitated in a short time either to take rude and desperate courses or transport themselves into Foreign Parts to get their Bread there being no other Imployment either Handicraft or others that can receive one fourth part of so great a Number considering that the Old and Young are hereby imployed and cannot otherwise but be chargable to the places of their Abode If it be objected that this Restraint is intended but for five Months in the Year and therefore cannot have such dismal Effects as are before mentioned For Answer it is said That these five Months Restraint of wearing them will take off the Imployment of the Manufacturers thereof eight Months in the Year and in little time amount to little less than a total Prohibition of them for that the persons that wear English made Silks and Hair Stuffs are generally of the best Quality and all of them either Leaders or Followers of the newest Modes and Fashions and therefore it cannot be supposed that they will buy Silk Garments to lay by them all the Winter to wear in Spring for that then newer Modes and Fashions will come in and there cannot be allowed less one with another than three or four Months for them to wear out a Silk Garment So that take the five Months in the Year wherein they are not to be worn at all and the three or four Months before which must be allowed for the wearing of those they have already bought there will not remain above three or four Months at most for the Manufacturers to sell their Silks and Stuffs which amounts to little less than a total Prohibition for this reason for that the Merchants either cannot or at least will not give credit to the Weaver or Throwster the Year round and if they should yet is there not one Weaver or Throwster in a thousand that is able to supply their Workmen and Windsters with Money so long time without Returns of Money for their Commodities So that it is manifest notwithstanding this Objection the forementioned mischiefs of Poverty and Depopulation must ensue upon it And if it be objected That it is not intended to restrain the wear of Stuffs made of Mohair Yarn commonly called Chamlets or other Stuffs whereof the Woof or Warp shall be of Mohair Yarn This must be acknowledged to be so but withall these Chamlets and Stuffs are limitted to be used for Cloaks and Coats for Men only which do not work up the fourth Part of the Mohair Yarns imported nor do they imploy one sixth Part of the Hands that Mohair Yarns would imploy for it is to be noted that the several Commodities hereafter named viz. Barratines Prunella's Crispiana's Tamaleta's Calamantoes Mohairs Farrendines Morella's and divers other Stuffs are made up of three Parts of Mohair Yarn and but one Part of Silk and these are chiefly for the use of Women and Children in the Winter season who are not allowed to wear the same That as this will impoverish the Manufacturers of Silk and Hair Stuffs so it will also diminish the consumption of Wooll and impoverish the Manufacturers thereof and consequently cause yet a greater Depopulation of the Nation Because the greatest part of our Cloths and Stuffs made here of English Wooll are transported beyond the Seas and chiefly to Turky in exchange whereof the Merchants bring raw Silks and Mohair Yarn which sets so many thousand people to work again and if the Consumption of Silk and Hair be abated in England as it must needs be by the Restraint of the Wear thereof the Exportation of Cloth must needs abate proportionably thereunto for that there is little other Commodities proper for England to be had there in exchange for our Cloths so that whereas the Turky Company in particular have of late exported twenty five or thirty thousand Cloths in a Year they may be reduced to ten or twelve thousand and by degrees to little or nothing and consequently there will be eighteen or twenty thousand Cloths lie on the Clothiers hands in one Year more than they can vend and that there will be such an Abatement in the Exportation of English Cloths if English made Silks and Hair Stuffs be not allowed to be worn five Moneths in the Year will appear not onely from the former Argument that there are little other Commodities to exchange in Turky for them but Silk and Hair but also because the Winter Season wherein these Silks and Stuffs are prohibited to be worn is the chief time for the Consumption of Silk and Hair Stuffs for that the richest Silks and Stuffs are worn in that season and is the principal time for the Consumption of them And if this be true as most certain it is that this will cause so great an Abatement in the Exportation of our Cloths made of English Wooll what miserable Poverty and Desolation will it bring upon the Manufacturers of the Staple Commodity of this Nation and in little time force them also to transport themselves to Forein Parts to the great Depopulation Dishonour and Danger of the Nation for hereby there will not be People sufficient to eat up the Corn nor strength to defend the Nation If it be objected That the enjoyning the wearing of Woollen Manufacture five Months in the Year will answer the Consumption of Wooll that is abated in the Exportations It is answered That it had need exceed it three times over for that the making 60000 Cloths in a Year more than now is will not set so many people at work as the other will throw out of work and if it could be supposed that there would be vent for so many more it is presumed there would not be found Wooll enough to make them it being now somewhat a scarce Commodity and raised in price a third part to what it was some years past So that indeed at this time there is no just cause to complain of the want of Consumption of Wooll it being a good scarce and ready money Commodity but that the Restraint of Silk and Hair Stuffs and the enjoyning the Wear of Woollen will neither increase the Consumption of it to such a degree nor yet answerable to the Abatement of the Exportation of it by 15 or 20000 Clothes per annum is proved thus because the Nobility Gentry and better sort of Tradesmen will not wear our course Cloths made of English Wooll onely but fine Dutch Cloth and Cloth made of Spanish
Wooll which in some of the finest Cloths have not above five or six pounds of English Wooll in a whole Cloth as the Makers of fine Cloths will acknowledge so that little English Wooll will be consumed by them that use to wear Silks and Stuffs and on the other hand the poor Manufacturers both of Woollen Silk and Hair they generally wear our course Cloths and Stuffs made all of English Wooll and these being either impoverished hereby that they cannot cloath themselves but with Rags or be forc'd beyond the Seas must necessarily cause a far less Consumption of our English Wooll For it cannot be supposed that the expence of English Wooll in fine Cloths can answer to the loss of that expence which is now worn by these poor Creatures So that indeed the expence of English Wooll will by this means be abated in England not onely so much but much more than what the Abatements of the Exportations of our Woollen Manufactures amount unto by means of such a Restraint of the one and enjoyning the other That by Restraint of the Wear of any part of Silk the Consumption of Wooll must needs be lessen'd for that the several Stuffs hereafter mentioned viz. Bombazines Anthorines Silk Sayes Crape Silk Masquerades Stript Cheneys Virgins Beauty Drafts of all sorts Druggets of all sorts Silk Calamantoes Silk Gloriosa's of all sorts Silk Shades Worsted Barratines Glassamines Katherina's Tameenes Estameenes Effegenes and all or most of Norwich Stuffs with great numbers of other Stuffs too many to be here inserted having but one part of Silk in them and nine parts of Worsted which is our English Sheeps Wooll which through the Ingenuity of the Weavers and others concern'd therein are made very acceptable for the use and wearing of divers persons in the Winter Season yet because of that little part of Silk in them cannot then be worn in Apparel to the lessening the Consumption of Wooll and to the taking away the chief part of the Trade and Imployment of many thousand persons This Injunction of the one and Restraint of the other will much depress the Protestant and advance the Papal Interest not only in England but throughout Europe and were it not but that by the unanimous Votes of this present Protestant Parliament wherein to the chearing of English Hearts they have manifested so much zeal for the Protestant Interest and the Rights and Privileges of Englishmen it would cause great suspicion of ill designs for there is nothing more conducing to the destruction of the Protestant Religion and the advancement of Popery than the disuniting of the Hearts and Affections of the English people who are generally Protestants and the best sort of Protestants And this the Jesuits have not been wanting by all means to effect and there is nothing more proper thereunto than to bring off the Affections of the People from the Love of Parliaments by any means whatsoever which they know are the greatest Anticipation and Obstruction of their damnable designs but through the mercy of God they have in a great measure been hitherto prevented and it 's hoped yet will by a timely prospect of those things that may cause it And though it cannot be thought that any true Englishman would knowingly countenance but detest such designs yet it is feared if such an Act should pass it would not only alienate the Affections of many thousand Protestants by exposing them to Want and Penury and to beg their Bread and seek it in other Countries but also would make this great and populous Nation which at present under God is the Fortress of the Protestant Religion indefensible against the Papal designs by scattering up and down in other parts of the World those that are ready at all times and best adapted to defend it and put them upon a temptation by their necessities and dwelling amongst them to turn Papists And this also in a short time will carry away the Trade of the Nation which is now increasing and flourishing to other parts of the World that are generally our Enemies to the utter ruine of the whole Nation both in Trade and Navigation and the sacred Religion thereof And of what evil consequence this will be to the Nobility and Gentry by bringing down the price of their Lands may easily be conceived by an ordinary Capacity Again If this Injunction of the one and Restraint of the other do pass into a Law it will not only destroy the most chief and principal Manufacture of the Nation whereby so many Thousand Native Protestants get their livelihood and subsistance but which is considerable it may truly be called the Protestant Trade for it sets to work and employs most of the Strangers and Foreign Protestants that fly from the tyrannical Persecutions of the Papist 〈◊〉 other Countries and They must be forced also to return again for it is judged th 〈…〉 Parts of ten of the Protestant Strangers that comes over into England are employ 〈…〉 Trade of Silk and Hair to their great comfort both of Soul and Body And the 〈…〉 London do freely receive them and that in so great numbers that a very great 〈…〉 Silk and Hair-weaving Trade is managed by them and their Dependants And 〈…〉 Silk and Hair Trade encouraged as it 's hoped it will by this Parliament there might y 〈…〉 received 100000 more into the Trade so beneficial is it to England and so considerable to the strength of the Protestant Interest But now if it shall please the Parliament instead of restraining the wear of our own Manufactures to prohibit the wearing of Silks and Stuffs Manufactured in Foreign Parts this would certainly inrich and people the Nation and cause a greater Consumption of Wool as also advance and strengthen the Interest of the Protestant Religion It will inrich and people the Nation for that a great deal of the Money that is sent out of the Nation to purchase the Silks and Stuffs Foreign Manufactured will be kept among us as also all that Money that is paid to Workmen abroad for the Manufucturing of these Silks and Stuffs will be earned by the Natives and Strangers in England and so make way for the Employment of many Thousands more than is in the Nation It will also increase the Consumption of English Wool abundantly for that there being more expence of Silk because of the Manufacturing of those Silks here that use to come from other Parts there will be also far greater quantities of Cloths made of English Wool exported in exchange for Silk and besides the expence of English Wool will not only be increased by the exportation of more Cloths but a great deal more than is will be worn in England and the Plantations belonging thereunto by this means for that Foreign Silks that come ready wrought from other Parts especially from Holland France and East-India with their painted Calicoes are generally slight and very cheap and set up the meaner sort of People as Maid-Servants and
and our Plantations in the room of our own Manufactures viz. their Wrought Silks Bengall's Painted and Dyed Callico's in the room of our Silks Half Silks Worsted Stuffs Say's Perpetuano's and divers other Commodities not only for Vestments for both Sexes but for Hanging of Rooms Beds c. That the India Trade was encreased before the War to a very great height and their Manufactures in so great request that they from being a Scandal to be worn a few years before soon after became the general Wear of almost all sorts and degrees of Persons by which means our own Manufactures were neglected and our Manufacturers thereby under great discouragement being not able to carry on their Trades many were forced to give over whereby the Poor wanted Employment the Price of Wool reduced very low and great quantities of Wool could not be Manufactured Whereupon the Parliament thought it necessary to make a Law for Burying in Woollen thereby to consume some of the Wool that lay heavy upon the Growers Hand That the Indians have Provisions and Materials very cheap and Wages at three Half-pence or two pence a Day which disables us and the rest of the European Traders to contend with them and for this reason their Trade did encrease apace until this War and unless restrained will most certainly encrease to the ruining of our best Fabricks and the vast number of People that have their Livelihood and Dependance thereupon That since this War the India Company have laboured under some Discouragements and but small quantities of their Manufactured Goods in proportion to what they formerly brought in have been Imported by reason thereof great Encouragement hath been given to the Manufactures of Silk Half Silk and Worsted which have been very much improved in a great variety of Figured Strip'd and other sort of Stuffs which have been made not only in London Norwich and Canterbury in much greater quantities than ever but this Manufacture has now spread it self to Bristol Newbury and divers other Parts of the Kingdom and will yet encrease if due Encouragement be given thereto That since our Trade hath encreased greater numbers of Poor have been employed and greater quantities of English Wool consumed so that the Price of the Wool is advanced and the Labour and Wages of the Poor encreased which enables them to live comfortably and consume the Product of the Land to support themselves and Families which is of great Advantage to the Landlords and Tenants and the Benefit of the whole Nation That in case the East-India Stock should be enlarged and that Trade settled by Act of Parliament it will be in the power of that Company to ruine our Woollen and Silk Manufactures and bring down the Price of Wool and Work-mens Labour and Wages as low if not lower than ever unless the Wearing of the said Manufactured Goods be prohibited in England and the Plantations That such Prohibition would not only encourage our own Manufactures upon which the Value of Lands and the Employment of our Poor depends but prevents the Exportation of much of our Coin which at this time can be very ill spared and also prevent many of the Inconveniences feared from the Scotch East-India Company That since there is a Trade found out to the Indies no Objection can well be made against their Trade in Spices Drugs Salt-petre c. nor against the Manufactured Goods that are brought in and again exported to Foreign Markets because it will be carry'd on by others if we should neglect it But certainly it must be accounted very ill Husbandry and will be of fatal and ruinous consequence to despise our own Manufactures and send our Gold and Silver to the Indies from whence it will never return to purchase Manufactur'd Goods to be consumed at Home when our Money may be kept here to circulate among our selves and is so necessary to our Commerce and payments of our Fleets and Armies without which we can neither be rich or safe That the great Argument that is used in favour of the East-India Company is That although they Export great Quantities of Bullion yet they bring in much more for the Goods they sell in Foreign Markets Supposing their Assertion to be true this can be no Argument against the prohibiting their Manufactures to be worn in England and our Plantations but rather an Argument for it for what is consumed at Home brings in no Bullion and if none be consumed at Home more may be sent Abroad for it will make the Company more industrious to find out either New Commodities to deal in or Markets for the vending thereof whereby they may make their Trade more Profitable to the Nation It is also alledged in favour of the East-India Trade That there have of late years been great Quantities of English Cloth Exported by the Company To which this Answer is to be given That the Cloth by them Exported more than formerly is not consumed in India but sent thence to Persia which hinders the Turkey Merchants who formerly used to supply those Markets So that the East-India Company sending away our Cloth proves no Advantage to us and is only done to gain a good Opinion and make the Nation believe that their Trade is not so prejudicial to us as has been represented or as in reality it is That the sending our Money to the East-Indies to purchase Goods perfectly Manufactured there may Advance Lands Enrich the People Employ the Poor in India But such as are spent here in the room of our own Manufactures must have the quite contrary effect with us Whether it be for the Interest of England to Settle the East-India Trade without Restrictions is humbly submitted to the Consideration of the Parliament REASONS Against Wearing of India Wrought Sikls Bengals and Callicoes In England and the Plantations The WEAVERS of London do humbly offer to the serious Consideration of both Houses of Parliament That this Kingdom of England will sustain great Evils and Damage by enjoyning the Wear of Woollen Manufactures and Leather both by Men Women and Children by a Law and so consequently restraining the Wear of Silks and Hair Stuffs manufactured in England And that great benefit may ensue to the English Nation by prohibiting the Use and Wear of Silks and Stuffs Foreign manufactur'd appears by these following Particulars viz. THE Restraint of wearing Silks and Stuffs made of Mohair Yarn manufactured in England will necessarily impoverish and depopulate the Nation there being no Trades in England that imploy so many People as those relating to the Manufacturing of Silk and Hair for upon the most modest computation they are judged to be above Three hundred thousand Souls Weavers Throwsters Windsters Dyers and other Dependents thereupon that do subsist thereby and that have no other way of Livelyhood and a great part of these have served seven years Apprentiship to their several Trades according to the Laws of this Nation which makes their Trades a Freehold and
That it is an advantage to any Nation to abound with People especially such as are Laborious and Industrious they help to consume our own Product their Labour produces what turns into Money at home or abroad and the more populous any Nation is the stronger and better able it is to defend it self against any Foreign Power It is also agreed that the means to promote and encrease any Manufacture in England is to render those employed therein as easy as may be and especially to take care if possible that other Nations have not any Advantage of us and this has continually been the care of the Crown and the Parliament as any new Manufacture has been set up here We have gained upon other Nations in the Manufacture of Silk c. which are the Product of other Countries What then should hinder us from out-doing all others in the Manufacture of our Sugar which is our own Product and wherein we have in our Power the advantage of all other People the only reason I think which can be assigned is that as yet this matter has not met with the favourable occasion to be duely Considered in Parliament for want whereof other Nations have beaten us out of the Trade of Exporting our Refin'd Sugar and if the Scotch settle in any Plantation and produce Sugar it may become past Remedy or by a quicker Method by enticing away our Workmen they will at once Disable us from carrying it on It is therefore to be seen how the Case stands  s. d. Raw or Unpurged Sugar from the Plantations pays Custom for a Hundred Weight 1 6 Purged or Clay'd Sugar from the Plantations under the degree of White the same Custom for a Hundred Weight 1 6 White Sugar from the Plantations for a Hundred Weight 5 0 Three Hundred Weight of Raw or Muscovado Sugar is computed to make One hundred Weight of White Sugar On Exportation of these Sugars half the Duty is paid back On Exportation of White Sugar made in England a Duty is paid for 100 Weight 6 d. Whereby it appears that other Nations have our raw or unpurged Sugar 9 d. per 100 weight cheaper than the English Refiners which in 100 weight of White Sugar makes 2 s. 3 d. per 100 weight difference and the White Sugar from the Plantations paying Inwards 5 s. per 100 weight and drawing back half on Exportation pays but 2s 6d per 100 weight whereas if our Refiners Export White Sugar it stands them in 5 s. per 100 weight Duty viz. 1 s. 6d per 100 weight on the raw Sugar Imported whereof 300 going to make 100 weight of White makes 4s 6d and 6d per 100 weight paid on Exportation makes 5 s. per 100 weight So that on all hands the English Refiner is under great disadvantage and discouragement which is further considerably increased by the high Duty of about 18 l. per Ton on Spirits drawn from English made Melasses And hence it comes to pass that Foreigners work up our raw Sugars and furnish with White Loaf Sugar those Markets which England might and would highly be our advantage to supply And it is in some degree as if we should send our Wool abroad to be Manufactured and thence to be dispersed to Foreign Markets For it is plain in fact that now none of our White Load Sugar 〈…〉 difficulties which the Refining Trade in England labours under for the removing which in some measure it is humbly proposed That in Case the high Duty on Spirits drawn from English Melasses be continued a Duty of 4 or 5 s. per 100 weight may be laid upon all Melasses Imported from the Plantations to be Repaid on Exportation which will not hurt the Plantations it being better for the Planters that no Melasses were Exported from thence That 2s 6d per 100 weight may be drawn back upon White Sugar made in England as is upon White Sugar Imported from the Plantations whereby the Crown will receive no prejudice for that the more English Refined Sugar is Exported the greater quantity of White Sugar from the Plantations will be Expended in England on which the King has the Duty of 5 s. per 100 weight That nothing be drawn back on Exportation of raw or unpurged Sugar which will give some small encouragement of working it up here That whereas Sugars wrought and clayed in the Plantations called Purged Sugars which are under the degree of Whites pay only 1s 6d per 100 weight as raw unpurged Sugars the said Sugars may pay 1 s. 6 d. per 100 only more which will then make an indifferent equality and then the Duties will be thus viz. On White Sugars 5 s. per C. weight On Clay'd Sugars under the degree of White 3 s. per C. weight On Raw or Muscovado Sugars 1 s. 6 d. per C. weight This will encourage the Refining in England and encrease the King's Revenue in all probability near 10000 l. per Annum and without prejudice to any but the Scotch and Foreigners FINIS Eleven Queries Humbly tender'd Relating to the Bill for Prohibiting the Wearing of East-India Silks and Printed and Dyed Calicoes I. WHY Should East-India Silks and Bengals be prohibited which to the Nation are three times as cheap as Dutch French and Italian Silks II. Why East-India Silks Bengals and Printed Calicoes that pay Five times the Freight and Twenty per Cent. more Custom than Dutch and Italian Silks III. Why Persia Silks purchased with English Cloth and Stuffs more than Dutch French and Italian Silks bought with our Money IV. Why should Painted Calicoes from India be prohibited when we must in their Room Print Dutch French Scotch or German Linnens which will cost the Nation three times the price V. Why should we enrich our Neighbours by Prohibiting East-India Silks and wearing of theirs when at one time or other they may employ the costs of those Silks against us VI. Why should we interrupt that Trade which not only affords us the cheapest Commodities in the World but likewise encourages the Buidling large Ships which in cases of necessity may be useful for the defence of this Kingdom VII What advantage will it be to England that her Manufactures whether at low or high price are consumed within it self the Nation being thereby never the Richer VIII Why should we Raise up some Artists to oppress others For if Spinning and Weaving be English Manufactures so is Dyeing Calendring Stiffning Glazeing and Printing IX Why should we prohibit the wearing East-India Manufactures which are so cheap to encourage the wearing our own which are much dearer and yet give liberty to Export them into other Countreys where they will have the same effect upon ours there X. What encouragement will it be to bring hither those far setch'd Commodities when we have no vent for them at Home but must send them to be blown upon in a Forreign Market XI Why should we Cut off this profitable Trade from the English and let the
Dutch French Sweeds and Scotch run away with it For Trade like the Sea never loseth Ground in any one place but she gains it in another and if checked or restrained takes it flight and carries its Blessiings to more Hospitable Countreys Eleven Queries Relating to the Bill for Prohibiting East-India Silks and Printed Callicoes AN ANSWER TO THE Eleven QUERIES Humbly tender'd Relating to the BILL for prohibiting the Wearing of East-India Silks and Printed and Dyed Callicoes QUERIES ANSWERS I. WHY should East-India Silks and Bengalls be prohibited which to the Nation are three times as cheap as Dutch French and Italian Silks I. THE Cheaper they are the more damage they do to our own Growth and Manufactures and therefore the more necessary and reasonable to be prohibited II. Why East-India Silks Bengalls and Printed Callicoes that pay five times the Freight and Twenty per Cent. more Custom than Dutch and Italian Silks II. The difference in Custom is not true in Fact and their great Freight will not recompence the Damage the Nation receives by wearing them instead of its own Manufactures III. Why Persia Silks purchased with English Cloth and Stuffs more then Dutch French and Italian Silks bought with our Money III. Persia Silks so called are made in the Bay of Bengall and bought with Money Dutch French and Italians are almost all beat out by our own Silks IV. Why should painted Callicoes from India be prohibited when we must in their Room print Dutch French Scotch or German Linnens which will cost the Nation three times the price IV. Because Floured Strip't and Printed Worstead and half-Silk Stuffs are now worn and with English or Irish Linnen may be worn and supply all the uses of Callicoes and not Dutch Linnens c. V. Why should we enrich our Neighbours by Prohibiting East-India Silks and wearing of theirs when at one time or other they may imploy the Costs of those Silks against us V. This Kingdom and not our Neighbours will receive great Advantage and be inricht thereby and by that means the better able to support and defend our selves both at home and abroad VI. Why should we interrupt that Trade which not only affords us the cheapest Commodities in the World but likewise encourages the building large Ships which in Cases of Necessity may be useful for the defence of this Kingdom VI. The first part is answered already in the Answer to the first Query and as to the Shipping it may in a great measure be imployed in bringing over Raw Silk and other Commodities which may be Manufactured here and turn to good account to the Nation VII What advantage will it be to England that her Manufactures whether at low or high price are consumed within it self the Nation being thereby never the Richer VII This Nation will be the richer by consuming its own Manufactures then it will be by consuming Forreign purchased with our Money though at very cheap rates VIII Why should we Raise up some Artists to oppress others For if Spinning and Weaving be English Manufactures so is Dying Calendring Stiffning Glazing and Printing VIII That the Printers c. are very inconsiderable in number to the Spinsters and Weavers and some of them now are and the rest may as well be imployed in printing our own as India Manufactures IX Why should we prohibit the wearing East-India Manufactures which are so cheap to encourage the wearing our own which are much dearer and yet give liberty to Export them into other Countreys where they will have the same effect upon ours there IX Our own Manufactures are cheaper to the Nation than East-India Manufactures are or can be and as to the damage they will do us in other Countreys we are sensible of it but cannot prevent it for if we will not carry them thither other Nations will and therefore the more need to hinder it at home X. What encouragement will it be to bring hither those far fetch'd Commodities when we have no vent for them at Home but must send them to be blown upon in a Forreign Market X. As much as formerly when that Trade was in a flourishing Condition Then three parts in four was Exported as appears by their printed Books the Bill takes away but part of the home Consumption which may be supplied by Raw Silks c. XI Why should we Cut off this profitable Trade from the English and let the Dutch French Sweeds and Scotch run away with it For Trade like the Sea never loseth ground in any one place but she gains it in another and if checked or restrained take its flight and carries its Blessings to more Hospitable Countries XI If this Trade be profitable it is only so to some private Persons and not to the Nation so better lost than kept But by this neither Dutch French Swedes or Scotch can be benefitted so that the Trade loosing Ground it will be no more than thus the East-India Company will lose some part of their Trade in Manufactured Goods and the Nation be great Gainers thereby An ANSWER TO THE QUERIES Relating to the BILL for Restraining East-India wrougt Silks c. in England REASONS Humbly Offered For Restraining the Wearing of Wrought Silks Bengals and Dyed Printed and Stained Callicoes of the Product and Manufacture of Persia and the East-Indies in England and our Plantations THE Goods Imported from the East-Indies for several Years after the East-India Company were first Established were Drugs Spices Salt-petre c. and some Course Callico's which were most Exported again The Members of that Company being then afraid to adventure on other Manufactured Goods because they well knew it would prejudice our own and raise a Storm against the Company as they often-times declared That the Charter of the East-India Company was Confirmed by King Charles II. in the Thirteenth Year of his Reign and the Law for permitting Bullion to be Exported was made soon after at the Solicitation of that Company and till then little Silver or Gold was Exported After that Law was made begun the great Exportation of Bullion to India That in Anno 72 or 73 several Artificers were sent over by the Company with great quantity of English Patterns to teach the Indians how to Manufacture Goods to make them Vendible in England and the rest of the European Markets After which began the great Trade in Manufactured Goods from the Indies That this was complained of and proved before several Lords appointed by King Charles II. in Anno 1680 or 81. Whereupon the Company received some Discouragement but finding great Gain by Wrought Silks Bengals and Callico's would not desist Trading in them upon which great Complaints were made in Parliament against the growth of the East-India Trade That about 500000 l. in Bullion and but small quantities of our Manufactures have been Yearly Exported and vast quantities of Manufactured Goods Imported for several Years before the War That a great part of the India Manufactured Goods were spent in England
others in the garbs of Gentry which otherwise would wear the decent useful and profitable wear of Cloth Kersies and other Stuffs made of Wool as they would also do in the Plantations for that our English Silks being generally rich and well made Silks they cannot so well go to the price of them and that this prohibition of Foreign-wrought Silks will certainly promote the Consumption of Wool is manifest by Experience for since the late good Act was made for the prohibiting of French Silks which it 's hoped this Parliament will renew there has been greater quantities of raw Silk imported as also greater quantities of Woollen Cloths exported than was in former years besides greater numbers of People employed both Native and Foreign Protestants to the great benefit of the Nation which expence of English Wool has been chiefly occasioned from this cause that more Silks has been made here in that time than before which is an undeniable Argument to prove that the more Silks are worn in England if Manufactured here the greater is the Consumption of English Wool for such person as wears a Silk Garment doth certainly expend more English Wool that being the return of Woollen Cloth than twenty Gentlemen that wears Cloth made of Spanish Wool and fine Dutch Cloths And in all probability if Silks Manufactured here were encouraged and Silks Foreign made prohibited to be worn it would reduce and bring back the whole Trade of the Woollen Manufacture into England in a little time by preventing the exportation of Wool for if Wool yeild as good or better price here than it doth in other Parts as it will do if there be more occasion for it it will not be transported as now it is to France and Holland by which means they gain a considerable share of our Woollen Trade to their great benefit both at home and abroad and to our great loss and detriment This must needs corroborate and strengthen the Interest of the Protestant Religion for that this Nation being the chief of all the Protestant Countries the Riches and Populousness of it must needs strengthen it as well as the Unity of them one unto the other and this will certainly cause the Nation to flourish both in Riches and People and through the Mercy and Blessing of God make us yet more formidable and strong against our implacable Enemies by enabling of us not only to defend our selves against them but to root Popery out of this Nation and the rest of His Majesties Dominions For these Reasons and many others that may be given it is humbly prayed That the Parliament would be pleased to lay aside that Bill which would restrain the wearing of Silks and Stuffs Manufactured in England which are so beneficial and instead thereof order a Bill to be brought in for the prohibiting the importation and wearing of Silks and Stuffs Manufactured in Foreign Parts which are so plainly detrimental to the Interest of England And the English Artists shall continue to pray That as this Parliament have begun so God would honour them so far as to finish the deliverance of this Nation from Popery and Slavery the effect of it FINIS Weavers of LONDON An ANSWER to the most Material Objections against the Bill for Restraining the East-India Wrought Silks c. Humbly offered to the Consideration of the Lords Obj. THAT Trade is in its Nature free finds its own Channel and best directs its own Course Ans All trading Nations have and do at this Day put a restraint upon Trade according as their Circumstances require The French have many Years since by extraordinary Impositions prohibited all our Woollen Manufactures and by that means have set them up in their own Country to their great Advantage The Dutch who are little more than Carriers of Goods from one Country to another yet do often prohibit and for Instance have by great Impositions prohibited our Dyed Woollen Manufactures by which means they have gained that profitable Imployment The Venetians have prohibited our Cloth The Sweeds and Danes the like The French have by severe Edicts prohibited all Indian Silks Bengalls and Painted Calicoes and a Multitude of Instances might be given of this Nature Our own Statute-Books are full of them the Act of Navigation and the Act for Preventing the Exportation of Wooll have been and are of infinite Benefit to this Kingdom Obj. That the East-India Trade is greatly beneficial to England Ans If what the Writers for the East-India Company have asserted be true That Three Parts of Four of the whole imported have been again exported to Foreign Parts or if what the late Author of the Essay on the East-India Trade asserts be true That one half has been exported and has brought in 600000 l. more than the prime Cost in India then this Trade in that Respect may well be accounted a profitable Trade to this Nation But this though often asserted has not been made appear in such manner as a Business of so great a concern to the East-India Company ought or might have been and we have great Reason to believe that no such Quantities are or ever were exported But supposing that great Quantities were exported this Bill does not extend to hinder that Trade Obj. That it must be granted that the East-India-Trade in General is prejudicial to Europe and if all by common Consent would agree to deal no more with them it would save the Expence of a great Treasure but since that cannot be done it would be Egregious Folly in us to quit it Ans The Reason why the East-India Trade is prejudicial is because we draw from thence nothing of solid use Materials to support Luxury Perishable Commodities and send thither Gold and Silver which is there buried and never returns and the Burden of this bears hard only on the Countries which consume them as the Author of the Essay has very well observed and from thence inferr'd That the French did wisely to prohibit Now if this be true as undoubtedly it is there cannot be greater or more cogent Arguments for the passing this Bill which is not to destroy the whole Trade but only part of that which their own Advocate acknowledge is very hard upon us who are the Consumers Obj. The Bill now proposed will be absolutely destructive to the East-India Trade and should we quit the Hold we have in India the Dutch will undoubtedly ingrose the whole which will be of dangerous Consequence Ans That what by this Bill is to be restrained cannot be computed to above one half of the home Consumption and the whole is accounted by the Author of the Essay but one half of the Trade so that at most it will be lessen'd but one Fourth Part which by the Addition that may be made by bringing home Raw-Silks Cotton Yarn c. may in a great measure be made good And why Three Parts and more should not be carry'd on without the remainder is very hard for us to
imagine The French have prohibited all Wrought Silks Bengalls and Printed Callicoes and yet they carry on their East-India Trade and in case the East-India Company either through Poverty or any other Reasons should not be able or willing to carry it on there are Merchants enough in England to take it up But if we cannot trade there without the Consent of the Dutch who are now very powerful and can bring together 40 strong Frigats as the Author of the Essay tells us which is much more than we are able or can pretend to do they may as easily beat us out of the whole as of what will be still left Therefore the best way as we humbly conceive to secure us from those Fears is to keep our Treasure to imploy our own people and increase our strength at home Obj. The Company send great quantities of our Manufactures and have in return Wrought Silks Ans The Company are obliged to send 100000 l. worth of our Manufactures but have not done it for by Accounts taken out of the Custom house Books there cannot be found 100000 l. worth in Two years last past and not 20000 l. worth last year and how much of this has been really Exported and sent to India we know not but have great reason to believe that great Quantities were either not shipt off or not sent thither but to Spain or other Parts where they take in Bullion for this is most certain that the Indians wear none or so little of our Manufactures as is not worth mentioning 'T is true that since the Company have been obliged they have sent some Cloth which they have sold in the Gulph of Persia and brought in returns Raw Silk which have been wrought up by the Indians in the Bay of Bengall into silks commonly called Persian Taffeties and the like and from thence brought to England whereas formerly the Turkey Merchants used to supply the Persians with cloth and brought in Return Raw Silk and might do so again if the Trade were turned into its old Channel Obj. That no Country Manufactures are made so dear as the English and if we would have a Trade we must make our Manufactures cheaper Ans To this we think we cannot give a better Answer than what Sir Jos Child gave in the like Case which we find in the Preface of his Book called A Discourse on Trade his Words are these I affirm and can prove be 's mistaken in Fact for the Dutch with whom we principally contend in Trade give generally more Wages for all their Manufactures by at least Two Pence in the Shilling than the English And adds farther That wheresoever Wages are high universally throughout the whole World it is an infallible Evidence of the Riches of that Country and wherever Wages for Labour runs low it s a Proof of the Poverty of that Place That it is multitude of People and good Laws such as cause an increase of People that principally enrich any Country And if we retrench by Law the Labour of our People we drive them from us to other Countries that give better Rates and so the Dutch have dreined us of our Seamen and Woollen Manufactures And we the the French of their Artificers and Silk Manufacturers And in Pag. 175. discoursing of the ways of enlarging our Trade among many others he gives this Advice That it 's our Interest by Example and otherwise not distastful above all kinds of Commodities to prevent as much as may be the Importation of Foreign Manufactures and to encourage those Trades most that vend most of our Manufactures and supply us with Materials to be further Manufactured Obj. That we want Hands not Manufactures in England and Laws to compel the Poor to work and therefore want more an Act to set up publick Work-houses to force them that are not willing Answ as the Case now stands we have Hands more than sufficient to carry on the Manufactures which the East-India Trade leaves us but if this Bill pass we have great Reason to believe that in a very shortime Imployment will be found for a great number of those now out of work and for some of the 1200000 which the Author of the Essay says he thinks there are now receiving Alms in this Kingdom It were to be wished that there were Publick Workhouses for the Imployment of the unwilling Poor but before they can be imploy'd in such Places it will be necessary to know how the Manufactures can be disposed And with Submission we humbly conceive there can be no better way found for their vent than by restraining the Expence of these Foreign Commodities and that this will be greatly for the Interest of this Kingdom To confirm us in this Opinion we have the Judgment of Sir Jos Child that great Champion for the India Cause who in the Preface of his Book of Trade says That the Expence of Foreign Commodities especially Foreign Manufactures is the worst Expence a Nation can be inclinable to and therefore ought to be prevented as much as possible Obj. That it 's the Interest of this Nation to have our own Wooll cheap and cheaply manufactured whereby we may be enabled to under-sell all Nations and discourage all People to set it up Ans To do this we must bring down the Price of Wool and Workmanship considerably and then Provisions must fall in Proportion to answer the Wages or else the Poor cannot purchase them and if so Rents must abate when this is done other Nations who contend with us in our Manufactures must do likewise and after all this the Indian that works for a Peny a Day will be able to undersell us all so that after all our reducing we are not like to undersell all Nations unless we should send our Wooll to India to be manufactur'd Obj. That the home Consumption is no Advantage to the Nation Ans If a Penny saved be the surest Penny got then the saving our Pence by the Home Consumption of our own instead of expending them for Foreign Manufactures must certainly be greatly for the Advantage of this Kingdom Obj. It 's the Interest of this Nation to wear East India Goods ' which are very Cheap and to Export our own which are much dearer Answ If we could find a Forreign Market for our own Manufactures this Objection would be of force but with submission we say that this is impossible for it is very well known that all Forreign Markets have been plentifully supplyed with as much of our Wollen Manufactures as could be vended and generally over-stocked and yet notwithstanding our Exporters do not carry off above one third part as the Persons concern'd in the Aulnage who best know how much is made have oft-times asserted and in case a stop be not put to the East India Trade our Export must be less for by reason of the great ware of Muslings and Callicoes we have already lost the greatest part of our Trade for Wollen Cloaths
along they foot it This humour strangely thus prevailing Set all the poorer sort a railing Or else with grief their Case bewailing The richer seeing what was doing And how the Nation ran to ruin To King in Council did complain In time of Charles the Second's Reign On which were several Lords appointed By him who was the Lords Anointed To hear the Case and sad Complainings Of those that Then were for Restrainings Who plainly did their Lordships tell What mischiefs to our Trade befel How both our Men and Bullion went To work in India and be spent In needless Toys and gawdy Dresses For Ladies Madams Trulls and Misses The Case thus heard they were inclin'd Some proper Remedy to find And something was in order doing To put a stop to further ruin But by the Craft of great Goliah Who all the Host stood in defy-a There is this story passing Current That say 't was he that stopt this torrent By pouring Gold in plenteous showers In Ladies Laps who bore great Powers Which strangely alter'd all their Measures Such charms there are in hidden Treasures Thus Barrocading all Complaints Drove Iehu-like without Restraints Fill'd Town and Country soon so full As ruin'd much our Trade in Wooll And such great Stocks of Wooll and Cloths Were hoarded up and eat by Moths Made Clothiers all and Growers grumble When Cloathes and Fleeces o'r they tumbl'd And further mischiefs to prevent Complaint was made in Parliament And ' cause the Wooll so near affected This Salvo for't was then projected That since the Living would not bear it They should when dead be forc'd to wear it This help'd in part but the Grand Ill Remains upon the Kingdom still Yet this our Ladies so offended As all our Female Sex contended And fain would had this Act rejected But then their Councels were neglected And Time has reconcil'd it so To this Wooll Act they 're now no Foe So that from Ladies great to Skullion All buried lay in our own Woollen And happy thrice would England be If while their Living we could see Our noble Ladies but beginning To wear our Wooll of finest Spinning Or in such Silks our Workmen make For which our Merchants Cloth do take Which soon wou'd bring them in such fashion As they 'd be worn throughout this Nation By all Degrees and Sex and Ages From highest Peers to lowest Pages Nor would the meanest Trull or Besses Delight to wear these Indian Dresses Which certainly wou'd Profit bring To them their Tenants and our King And Heavn's Blessings in the bargain Because they 'll keep our Poor from starving For they wou'd soon be then employ'd Our Money too at Home wou'd ' bide And happy then both great and small With Mirth in Parlour and in Hall When thus with Plenty Beards wagg all EPILOGUE AND now this Tale thus far being ended Methinks I see some Folks offended And ' gainst this Dogrel Poet rail Because he've told so plain a Tale And New and Old Stock Jobbing Throng Crying it down be 't right or wrong But if they do and away fling 'em 'T is a great Sign they 're Truths that sting ' em But let them spend their Lungs and hollow Such blustring Sparks he needs not value Since all his aim and his designs Are to beat down their Indian Blinds That all true English Men may see What cause their real Misery That so they may prevent their ruin And save this Nation from undoing But if they still will shut their eyes And demonstrations plain despise And if his Tale shall be rejected Or if this Cause be still neglected He only this has more to say That he can shift as well as they And that he writ this not for Pay LONDON Printed and are to be sold by A Baldwin in Warwick-Lane 1699