and the Florentines who all allowing the exercise of Traffick in their Nobility and Gentry reap the benefit of such prudence as appears in the three first exceeding their Neighbours much in prosperity and wealth and the Prince and People of the last being abundantly the better by it for were it not for their principle of Commerce incouraged by some Liberty in Conscience connived at in Leghorne the only Port-Town of Trade under that Prince the people would be as poor as they are thin not able to live under the severity of that Government but if these Instances be not sufficient to prove the profit that accrews unto a Countrey by a trading Gentry there needs no further travelling for demonstration than England where before the reformation of Religion that Gentlemen had idle Convents to put their younger Sons into Trade was there so small that the Customs amounted not to 10000 l. per an whereas they are now or have been lately more than fifty times as much which proves First the advantage that Trade brings both to King and People and Secondly that Trade hath been much increased by taking younger Brothers off from their sloathful way of living and applying them with their Patrimonies to Trade and Commerce The experience of this may reprove those who both in discourse and writing plead for the vain antient custom of Idleness in the younger brothers of England as if they preferred being their eldest brothers servants with the priviledge of filling up the lower end of their Tables before the present laudable practice and incumbant duty of industry inabling them to live in equality with their eldest brothers And surely it is the glory and not shame of England as our new pretenders to Politicks would have it that by Commerce they have made themselves so formidable in the world whilst all other Northern Countreys the United Netherlands as to their Gentry not excepted by their superstitious adhering to their old customs are so inconsiderable And certain it is that England could not have had those great things to have boasted of at Sea as now they have nor could they stand before their Neighbours were it not for Traffick which is the only thing that makes a Countrey rich Law and Physick by great Fees and corrupt Practice having a great share in impoverishing this Nation but none in the inriching of it fees to both Professions being in all other Countreys very moderate compaired with England a Physician in no other place having for a visit above 18 d. star except at Venice where it is 2 s. 6 d. and in some places as at Newport and Lisle in Flanders c. but 6 d. and even at Amsterdam and at Antwerpen the first equal to any place for wealth and the latter next considerable not above 12 Stivers which is about 13 d. and Lawyers 2 s. 6 d. for their opinion and as much an hour for a business that requires long consultation and work much of their pleading being cast into that price so that England may be reckoned to exceed in their fees to both Professions ten times the rates of other Countreys But if the benefit of Commerce be not sufficient to convince the enemies of trading Gentlemen peradventure the impossibility of reducing the Gentry and Nobility of England to the mode of other Countries without utter ruine to them may do it and therefore they may do well to consider that to answer other Countries in their Rules First All the Families of the Gentry must be so stated as that no way not even by desert may be left for increasing the number of them Secondly None descended from them either Males or Females must marry any but such as are of those Families Thirdly None of their Sons must be bred to any Callings either the Ministry Law or Physick nay nor be Court-Officers except such as they account Noble which are not many Secretaries not being in that number they reckoning all Callings a debasement of Gentility as well as Trade and he that marries with the daughter of any person of a Calling to deserve the punishment of degrâ—dation And therefore should Trade be maintained in England in such a way as the riches got by it would remain in the Trading partie the Gentry would consequently be poor compared with the Trading-Families and as honours and respect will follow Estates so the Gentry would be little regarded whilst the Traders would carry away all Interest and esteem in their Countries as the Trading-Families of Holland do at present from the poor Gentry of Gelderland and Overyssel two provinces of the United Netherlands But if these new Statists shall still desire the want of Trade with poverty rather than riches with the practice of that they call the debasement of Gentility they ought farther to consider that the Case of England is not the same with other Northern Nations for Denmark Sweeden and Poland being all upon the same Principle of despising Trade in their Gentry are alike poor wanting Commerce and so under the less danger one of another But England having rich and potent Neighbours Trade is absolutely necessary for their preservation in rendring them equal in power both at Sea and Land to their great and opulent emulators so that in true English they that plead for less plenty in the People of England do no less in effect though in Charity I will hope they think not so than argue for exposing them as a prey to their enemies but these principles are not strange in them who in pleading for keeping the people low seem to have lost all Natural affection to their Countrey in accusing the Commons by which I suppose is meant the Yeomandry of England who without ostentation may be called the best of their kind in the world the Pesants of other Countries being Brutes in Religion good Nature and Civility compared to them of being the coursest Bran and the worst of People c. saying they are so distasteful to their Gentry that they wish their Country less plentiful or more burthened with Taxes as the way to refine the manners of the Common people But although the Competitors with England in Trade may be glad of having a Confession of Pride Insolence and ill Conditions in the English from one of themselves to make use of abroad for their own advantage and to the prejudice of the English Nation yet if it be believed by any that know England they must have changed their observations of it that people having never lain under such a censure until now that it is untruly maliciously and imprudently clapped upon them by I may say a degenerate Countryman who in his reproaches sheweth little of that natural affection that every one oweth to the Land of their Nativity nor suitableness to the Care his Majesty and Council take for promoting Trade by several Councils appointed to that end but what use soever Foreiners may make of these accusations against the English Traders
that it hath upon tryal been sound that in going from the City of Rouen in Normandy to the Protestants Church two English miles and an half out of town to give every beggar but that which they call a double hardly the sixth part of a penny will cost a Lewis d'or which is at least 17 s. sterling These Instances cannot be denied by any traveller that hath been curious to enquire into the condition of these places and examples are the same in Politicks as experience is in Naturals Upon my own observation hereof being inquisitive after the reason a person of Quality and Minister of State to one of the Electors of Germany with whom I had the honour to be acquainted granted the truth of these things but went no farther for the reasons than that the Religion of the reformed was an argument of their wit and that their Understandings made them the abler Merchants And now upon the whole since it appears that Trade depends much upon Liberty of Conscience the suggestions against it either from unexperienced or concerned persons are not to be regarded Country Gentlemen bred only at home to a Religion which exacts little from them besides Conformity to humane Ceremonies with opposition to every thing that is contrary being tenacious of that which is so pleasing and grateful to snail Nature are not generally competent Judges of this Interest nor yet any sort of people who having spent their dayes in studying Books more than Men or Things employing themselves more in punishing tender Consciences for not obeying in the Worship of God the Commandments of men than in the weightiest duties of their Callings as in suppressing Papists ignorant debauched and scandalous Ministers rendring their actions thereby to proceed more from Self-interest than an enlightned and sincere Conscience are not in this case against demonstrations to be harkened unto And indeed it is a work most suitable unto Soveraignty the Grand child of Henry the great of France and the large experience of his Majesty in cases of Religion in other Countries to surmount all selfish opposition in this matter for the advancement of his own Interest and the good of his people which whatsoever flatterers may suggest to the contrary are bound up together I know that the enemies to Liberty of Conscience do impose upon the world an apprehension of danger in it but the position hath no foundation in reason presidents or any thing else save a confident running down of truth for their own advantage it no where appearing that ever Protestants dissenting from their National Church having Liberty of Conscience given them did rise up against their King or disturbed the quiet of their Countrey as those of the Romish Church have in all Ages and Nations done For as the Reformed Religion obligeth its Members to worship God according to his will revealed in his word so keeping good Consciences in that it teacheth them obedience to their Soveraigns in civil commands It is confessed that the old Waldenses Subjects of the Duke of Savoy have sometimes fled to Arms for defence of themselves in the exercise of their Religion but although the advantages they have often had of their Princes have been great yet no sooner was ever Liberty granted them then they laid down Arms returning again to obedience in which they alwayes continued until their Articles were broke which contrary to Faith was frequently done and the like cannot be denyed unto the Protestants of France Hungary and other places whereas on the contrary antient and modern Story afford us plentiful relations of those of the Romish Religion rising up against their Kings when they have had full liberty in Religion and no restraint upon them in their worship as who were greater Instruments in the Barons Wars in England against their Kings and in the changes that followed thereupon than the Church in time of Popery were not the many Tragedies acted antiently in Scotland in such times when they were all Papists Did not the Romish Catholicks in France notwithstanding theirs was the National Religion depose and degrade their lawful Soveraign Henry the 4th the Parliament of Tholouse in his absence arraigning and condemning him to death executing him in his Effigies by Harquebushes none of which Traiterous and Rebellious usage did that great and excellent King Grandfather of His Majesty of England although he recovered all by force of Arms in the least revenge by which generous as well as politick carriage he added to the Conquest of his Country the conquest of the hearts of all his people reconciling at once all the animosities and factions which had been the product of near forty years civil war Are they not Papists in Spain and Portugal where in our time have been so many revolts and mutations with the deposition or confinement of the present King of Portugal the late Confederates in Poland against their King were all Papists and of a Country where Popery is the National Religion The present French Kings danger in 1650 c. was from his Popish and was delivered chiefly by his reformed Subjects The Papists in Ireland had as none can deny liberty for exercise of their Religion exceedingly above what the Non-conformists had at that time when they committed that not to be parallelled bloudy and more than barbarous Massacre in the year 1641. Nay the steadie greatness and quiet of Sweeden is of no elder date than since they cast off Popery pulled down their Bishops and embraced Protestantism the Church having been until then the occasion of much trouble unto that Kingdome And none of these particulars being deniable the Papists cannot without great impudence boast as many of them do of their fidelity to their Princes accusing the Protestants with want of it and especially since if these instances were not enough to make good the assertion that the Protestants are the best and Papists the woâ—st of Subjects the like might be observed of every individual Country and Nation in the Christian part of Europe in the times of Popery but supposing these to be sufficient I shall not give my self any farther trouble upon this point or other domestick concern of England but proceed to the external importances of that Kingdome And first As the Foreign Interest of a Nation looks outward and in order to its good and preservation regards the actings and designs of Foreign Princes and States especially their Neighbours endeavouring to reduce them to that which may most agree with their own good and safety so it is the Interest of the King and Kingdome of England to make use of the advantages their strength and situation gives them in weighing the Imperial powers of Christendome keeping the balance by adding to or diminishing from any of them as best suits with Justice and their own Interests And as undoubtedly His Majesty hath done more than any since good Queen Elizabeth if for a short time a sort of people not fit to be remembred did not
and Merchants in other Countries I suppose the new Philosophy of Poverty and the transplantation of all Non-conformists called the Sons of Belial the ready way to penury being best for a Nation will have but few disciples for though all is thought to be made good by accusing the People of England of want of that humble respect and awful reverence to the Nobility Gentry and Clergy that is due to them those to whom the Commons of England are not strangers know that they are not wanting in good nature or due observance to any of the three Orders where there is Justice and not Oppression in the two first nor Cruelty Ignorance Profaneness or Debauchery in the last for although Greatness may procure Fear nothing but Virtue Honesty and Justice can Love and true Reverence It may well be questioned who it is that the men of these principles aim to gratifie by them for nothing can be more prejudicial to His Majesty than publickly to maintain that Plenty in his people is inconsistent with Peace and good Order in his Government or that reducing the people to a complaining condition is the way to make them happy as this Gentleman insinuates This seeming digression is necessitated for Trade being the true and chief intrinsick Interest of England without which it cannot subsist thus much could not well be avoided in the making out that as well by some Constitutions and Customes as by its Native Commodities and Conveniencies it so far excells all other Kingdomes and Commonwealths in worldly advantages that Providence may be said to have lest nothing more to the People of England to do in order to their earthly felicity than desiring of it the matter of Trade being naturally so prepared and fitted for them that it may even be a reproach to them not to advance Trade though no great glory to do it nothing except some accidents extraordinary or violent obstructions as imposing upon Conscience c. or want of good Laws or the execution of them being capable of hindring the increase of it And now as from the growth of Trade there doth naturally arise not alone riches to the Subject rendring a Nation considerable but also increase of Revenue and therein power and strength to the Soveraign so it is the undoubted Interest of his Majesty to advance and promote Trade by removing all obstructions and giving it all manner of incouragement As First By lessening the over-great Impositions upon Native Commodities and upon such as are necessarily imported to be manufactured in England or to be again transported Secondly By causing the Native Commodities to be faithfully and truly made and ordered Thirdly By laying all Companies open or at least by leaving them free for all to come in to them that please without fines more than a small acknowledgement tying them in such case from burthening their own Manufactures with Taxes as they usually do for the raising money to spend profusely and wantonly what objections may be made against this general rule in reference to the East-Indi's Joynt-Stock I know not but this I am sure may be said for it that the Hollanders driving their East-India Trade by a Joynt-Stock is no argument for England to do the same for they having by the publick purse of the Company purchased and conquered several Countreys and petty Kingdoms which ingageth them often in Warrs with their Neighbours and necessitateth them to keep up a standing Militia of 30 or 40000 men with many Garrisons and 100 or more Ships equipped as well for Men of War at Sea as for Merchants use the carrying on of such a Government and desraying the charge of it is no otherwise feasable than by a Society and Joynt-Stock the maintaining of their propriety being impracticable by an open Trade but the case not being the same with England they having nothing in propriety save the insignificant Castle of St. George upon the Coast of Cormandel their Trade being all by Factories there is not that reason nor necessity upon them for a Joynt-Stock as upon Holland and Societies in restraining the number both of Buyers of the Native and Sellers of Forein Commodities must consequently tend to the abating the price of the first and inhancing the rate of the latter nothing being more plain to reason than that the fewer buyers of Native Commodities the cheaper they must be as the sewer sellers of Forein the dearer they must be and that which abateth the price of Native Commodities and raiseth the price of Forein must be against the Interest of a Nation and theresore the Netherlanders who certainly understand the Interest of Trade equal to any people living though by making the Interest of Trade matter of State they have an eye of regulation upon it yet admits of no restraining Companies as in England except in their East and West-India Trades where they have great possessions in propriety Fourthly By carefully protecting Merchants abroad from the wrongs and injuries of other Nations Fifthly By making the transferring bills of debt good in Law it being a great advantage to Traders especially to young men of small Stocks to be able to supplie themselves with monie by the sale of their own bills of debt Sixthly By constituting a Court Merchant after the example of other Countries to prevent tedious and chargeable Sutes in Law taking men off from their business and in making the advancement and protection of Trade matter of State Seventhly By having Registers of all Real Estates as is profitablie practised in other Countries and in this within the Jurisdiction of Taunton which in a natural way will abate the Interest of mony and make Purchases certain for it is no little prejudice and blemish to England that of all the Countries in Europe there is none where Purchasers or Lenders of monie upon Land are upon such uncertainty in their dealings as in England Eighthly By taking away all privileges except of Parliament from persons and places tending to the defrauding Creditors of their debts and extending the Statute of Bankrupt against all persons not Trading as well as Traders it being but equal Justice that all men should be a like liable to the payments of their debts Ninthly Banks not Bankers but such as are in use at Venice Amsterdam and Hamburg where the States are security keeping particular accounts of Cash for all men desiring it are of great advantage to Merchants and Traders in securing their monies from many casualties and making receipts and payments speedie and easie besides so certain without the danger of losing acquittances or the death or want of witnesses as takes away all occasions of suits about them Bank accounts being allowed for undeniable testimonies in Law but of these I confess there are no thriving and flourishing examples save under Republicks Tenthly By making Free Ports which England of all Countries in Europe is most proper for giving liberty to Strangers as well as Natives upon payment of a small duty to
Cities without having his Religion enquired into as at Bruges Newpart c. those Countries had not been so thin of people nor Spain so depopulated as they are nor yet the whole house of Austria so low as it now seems to be Nay had the Pope made formerly so little use of his Inquisition as he doth at this time few places being less inquisitive after mens belief than Rome where one may be as good as he will and spend all his dayes without being proceeded against either Ecclesiastically or Civilly for not coming to their Churches Italy had had more people than it hath and been more considerable than it is The French could never advance by Massacres of which they are reckoned to have had thirty or forty at several times in several places nor yet get forward in power and greatness until they laid aside Persecution confessing as Lewis the 13th did at the taking of Rochell that although it would rejoyce him to have all his Subjects of the same belief with himself and that he should use all sweet means possible to draw them to it yet since the experience of times past had sufficiently made France to know that Religion is not to be planted by the Sword but to use his own words that it is God alone that must incline the heart and illuminate the understanding with his knowledge he assured them he would never use Violence in matters of Religion and to give that King his due he truly inherited the merciful good Nature of his incomparable Father Secondly It may be concluded to be the Interest of the King and Kingdom of England to grant Liberty of Conscience because by a general consent of Nations liberty in ceremonies invented by men seems to be accounted necessarie for the good of humane society For I believe I may without boldness affirm that England is singular in prosecuting them who are one with them in Doctrine for differing only in ceremonies no other Christian Church that I know of doing the like In Germany the Lutherans have scarce in any two Cities or Countries the same ceremonies Nurenburg and Leipsigg having almost as many as the Papists and yet differ in them Hamburg hath fewer and Strasburg none at all and so it is through all the Lutheran Cities and Countries in the Empire and yet agreeing in Doctrine their differing in circumstantials make no breach of charitie amongst them although at the same Communion I have seen some receive standing as others have kneeling The Church of Rome in their using the inventions of men in the worship of God seems their Principles considered to act rationally because they pretend to the assistance of an infallible Spirit but for the Reformed Churches who do not pretend to any such help to maintain that the Lord of Heaven and Earth who is so jealous of his own worship that under the Law he severely prohibited the adding to or diminishing one little from what he had commanded and under the Gospel gave no other Commission than to teach according to what he had commanded that he hath left his Worship to the inventions of corrupt frail man inclinable above all things to superstition and idolatry and who are by nature endlesly various in their imaginations sense and understandings seems to be irrational and to accuse Christ of not having been as a Son so careful of his Church as Moses a Servant was of the Church of God under the Law for had Christ intended to have left his Church under a negative obedience in worship making all things lawful that he had not forbidden the command had been as readily made to do whatsoever he had not prohibited as it was to do whatsoever he hath commanded And that the Church of Rome who pretends to infallibility should not exact Conformity in Ceremonies where there is an agreement in Doctrine as they do not even in Rome it self where they might force it without prejudice to Trade having little to obstruct there being in that City several Popish Churches differing from one another in Ceremonies and all abundantly from that properly called the Roman Church and yet agreeing in Doctrine have publick toleration without exceptions And yet that the Church of England who pretends not to infallibility should to their civil prejudice be rigid in imposing them upon those that agree with them not only in Fundamentals but in all material points of Faith Worship and obedience with punishment for denial I cannot conceive the reason except without Ceremonies to administer matter of employment in punishing tender Consciences they think they should be without work in any kind adequate to their great Revenues and that they dread the consequent of uselesness Thirdly Liberty of Conscience to all Protestant Non-conformists is the true Interest of King and Kingdome in that it is absolutely and indispensibly necessary for raising the value of Land which at present is miserably mean and low and advancing the Trade and Wealth of the Kingdome First Because imposition upon Conscience hinders the resort of Strangers and so the encrease of people whereof England is greatly wanting coming so far short of Holland in numbers whereby that Province alone is made more considerable than all the other six that whereas they are calculated to have six Souls for one Acre of ground England I fear hath hardly one for ten and the riches of Holland under such multitudes as the provisions of their own Country are said not to be sufficient to nourish above an eighth part of their People all the rest being supplied by the Sea and Trade with other Countries argues Plenty of Inhabitants to be a benefit to Trading Countries and Foreign Conquests or Plantations exhausting men and money where there is not an overplus of both a prejudice which ought to be avoided Secondly Imposition upon Conscience drives the soberest and most industrious sort of Natives into corners leaving trade into too few hands and to a kind of people that do but rarely mind it amongst whom though there are some that get large estates it is not the thriving of a small number but diffusive wealth that makes a Country rich And as most of the Corporations in England have declined in their flourishing condition since many of the soberest and publick spirited Citizens and Townsmen have by the imposition of Oaths they could not comply with been barred all share in Government so the influence would have been the same upon the whole Nation had not His Majesty wisely considered the good of his Kingdome in expressing his sense for Liberty and in some kind conniving at it And if men setting aside passion would but seriously remember and ponder the sad consequence of ancient popish Episcopal Persecutions in the deaths by several brutish wayes and torments of many millions of precious Christians in France England Netherlands Germany the Alpine Vallies Italy and Spain producing no other effects than the depopulating of the two last and increasing the number
from any kindness he can have for the Protestants in other Countries Nor do I know how to reconcile his boasting of the transcending Charity of the Church of England towards other Churches with his accusing them of looking upon the Non-consormists of England as bastards or making no account of any other Interest in them than a man makes of the Vermin which breed out of his excrementitious sweat or those Ascarides which comes sometimes in his most uncleanly parts but for such homely expressions surely the Church of England will not think themselves beholding to him no more than for rendring them so charitable to those that differ from them both in Doctrine and Discipline as the Papists do who are the Church he must mean and so uncharitable to those that agree with them in all material points of Doctrine and differ only from them in circumstantials as the Non-conformists do Secondly The growth of Papists in England ought to be prevented because there is a kind of natural unaptness to business in that Religion compared to the reformed as Italy and Spain where they are the greatest Bigots do evidence besides that the same seems to be made good in England in that for one Papist stranger of business that is in it there is thought to be fifty Protestants or more though I fear that the difference in the number of the one and th' other Religion is not much and the fewer idle and unprofitable persons any Country hath the more prosperous it must needs be Thirdly Because the vast sums of money that go out of England sent by Papists to such uses as they call pious for putting young Gentlewomen into Nunneries and breeding Gentlemens sons in Popish Schools and Universities is a great impoverishing of the Nation and so a prejudice to Trade the School at St. Omers having seldom less than an hundred and twenty English youths and the Colledge at Doway eighty or more Students besides their other Schools Universities Convents and Nunneries scattered over all the Popish territories sounded on purpose to encrease that Interest in England corrupt and pervert their Gentry which are too many to enumerate And lastly Because the multitude of lazie Priests and Jesuits sent as Emissaries to seduce Protestants and encourage Papists in their errours are a vast charge to those of that Religion and in them to the Nation without contributing any thing to the good of mankind And if the French King thinks it his Interest in order to the rendring himself Protector of the Romish Religion to suppress his Protestant Subjects who by Law have a right to Liberty of Conscience equal with the Papists who own no other Head but their Native King and who were so faithful to him that when reduced to the greatest extremities at Rochel and forced to implore the assistance of England yet would never depart from their Allegiance in putting themselves under England when sollicited to it The King of England hath much more reason to think it his Interest in order to his safety and making himself Head of the Protestant Party to suppress the Papists who own another Head and so have a Forein Interest and who are bred to Principles which lead them to a restless plotting against their Sovereigns if contrary to them in Religion never joyning with such but upon design for themselves holding the murther of King and people rebellion or any thing else which they judge may tend to the propagating of their Religion lawful in the case of such as they call Hereticks as those who have conversed with Papists abroad where they sometimes speak their hearts and own their principles do know as well as the Gun-powder Treason the Massacre in Ireland and the many plots in Queen Elizabeths dayes which cannot be forgotten do sufficiently witness In contemplation whereof were I suppose made those wise Statutes enacting that the Popish Recusants shall be restrained to their private houses in the Country and not at any time after to pass or remove above five miles from thence upon pain of forfeiture for life of all lands goods and chattels That none of them convicted or to be convicted shall remain within ten miles of London nor come into the Court or House where his Majesty or Heir apparent shall be nor have in their own houses or in the hands or possession of any others at their disposition any Arms Gun-powder or Ammunition whatsoever and by the Book of Thanksgiving appointed for the fifth of November set forth by King James and the Parliament it is enjoyned to pray upon that day for the strengthening of the hand of the King and Magistrates of the land to cut off with Judgment and Justice those workers of iniquity the Papists whose Religion is Rebellion whose Faith is Faction whose practice is the Murthering of Souls and Bodies and to root them out of the Confines of the Kingdome And now since the wisdome of the Nation hath judged the Papists so dangerous it may seem strange that putting the Laws in execution against the Non-conformists should be thought a good reason for the prosecution of them and be none against the other of whose dangerons principles there hath been such large experience some observations here may peradventure be thought strained and new as that is a kind of Natural unapness in the Popish Religion to business whereas on the contrary amongst the Reformed the greater their zeal the greater is their inclinations to Trade and Industry as holding Idleness unlawful but experience in most places makes it good as in Spain and Italy no one City can boast of any great Trade driven by their Natives the greatest part of their Commerce being carried on by Protestant strangers Amsterdam alone having more Trade than all the Sea Towns of Italy and Spain have put together but to come closer to the Observation In Germany even in those Cities where they are Papists without toleration to any other there the Reformed may be said to carry all the Trade as at Colne in other Towns where they are Lutherans with a publick toleration to Papists which is denied to Calvinists there the reformed carry the Trade clearly from both Lutherans and Papists the latter having little as at Frankford upon the Main In other places where the Cities are half Papists half Lutherans without toleration to any other there the latter have the Trade as at Augsburgh In France the Reformed for their number are the greatest Traders though that people being looser from the Bishop of Rome than Spain or Italy are more given to Industry than either of those Nations but yet that the Reformed are by much the more Industrious appears in that they have no beggars amongst them though calculated to exceed three or four millions of souls it having been observed by one that travelled France round and crossed it several wayes that in all his travels in it he never met with one Protestant beggar and yet the multitudes of Popish are such
the same in hitting upon his true Forein Interest in that triple League of which he was the Author and into which he hath with so much wisdome and prudence lately entered for opposing all growing greatness by Sea or Land in the French they being already too potent for their bordering Neighbours so constantly and effectually to adhere thereunto in joyning with all others to that end and particularly with Spain with whom England hath a much more profitable Trade than with France is according to present affairs the same For should France by the acquisition of those convenient Provinces and ports of the Netherlands become Competitors with England in Trade to say no worse of them they would in a short time make good Sir Walter Rawleighs Character of them in being false insolent and covetous neighbours Secondly As England and the Vnited Netherlands which are in ordinary discourse understood by the name of Holland that Province by way of eminence giving denomination unto the whole are the two great Masters of Naval strength and seated with such advantages for assisting each other that whilst a true intelligence is preserved betwixt them it is not in nature for all their enemies combining together to prejudice either of them so it is the true Interest of England to maintain a firm and perpetual friendship and union with them and that First Because as the Netherlands are naturally strong so they are above all other Countries fitted by situation for the use of England to give check to any aspiring Prince and be as invincible bulwarks against the all devouring designs of the French King in being able at any time with the countenance of England to destroy him at Sea who being brought down there and so in his Commerce will soon abate of his power at Land and surely nothing can be more for the security of Europe than to reduce the Naval strength of that threatning King within former bounds for the world found that untill the Spaniard lost his Maritime force in the year 1639. which he never after recovered he maintained his design for the Universal Monarchy very vigorously and never sunk till then Secondly Because it is equally their Interest with England in reference to their Navigation to keep the ballance betwixt the Northern Kings and Sovereigns not suffering any of them to engross that Sea because Naval Commodities coming thence neither of them can be safe longer than the Sea remains divided among several Princes and States whose general Interest it can never be to deny them necessaries for their shipping the chief walls of their several Countries or a general Trade with them as a Monarch he being sole Master of the whole would peradventure in some cases judge it his and presume to refuse them all accommodations and this principle the States of Holland have wisely in our dayes several times owned as in the years 1643. in siding with the Crown of Sweeden when the Danes would had not the States assistance been in the way have run them down at Sea as also on the contrary in the year 1658 in taking part with the Danes when the Swedes had otherwise done the like by them by which means both the Crowns are preserved and kept within tolerable limits and bounds Thirdly Because that as Providence seems to have placed them with conveniencies for joyning with England in keeping all other Maritime Princes or Powers in order so without any capacity of being dangerous to their Neigh-Neighbours their Constitution being such as will not well admit of any further acquists Fourthly Because as England and Holland are of one and the same Religion save in some Ceremonies so it would be of great incouragement and countenance to all the Protestant Countries to have a firm League betwixt two such for midable Powers of their own belief and as great a trouble and disturbance to all the Popish Counsels Fifthly Because the world having had such large experience of the happy success of their Conduct in being principal Instruments in preventing the House of Austria in their grand design for the universal Monarchy and consequently in the propagation of the reformed Religion as well as at several times in preventing both Dane and Sweed from either of them devouring the other it were surely high impolity as well as in some degree ingratitude to suffer such useful instruments and allies to whom this Generation is so much obliged for their wise and excellent management of the general Interest of these parts of Europe to be destroyed These States I know have many enemies some envying their Trade and Riches others their revolt from the King of Spain as of bad example and the Church of Rome their established National Religion as that which is past shaking but because none of these arguments can be plausibly made use of against them by the Papists who dreads the conjunction of England with them nor by those Princes and States who assisted them in their revolt the grand reason for subducing of them is made the greatness of their Trade which being destroyed would be divided amongst their Neighbours loading them sometimes untruly with accusations of unjust dealings exactions and falseness to which I shall only answer this that although I have no cause to become an Advocate for them from any advantages or benefit received yet having travelled their Countries observed their Manners and read their Disputes and Transactions with other Nations I think it but an Act of Justice to acknowledge that in the generality of their Morals they are a reproach to some Nations and particularly in so little using that art of over-valuing their Commodities in their selling to France who so shamefully use and practise it and as to their Treaties and Alliances after which I have been inquisitive I have sometimes found them wrongfully charged with breach of Articles and do not find cause to accuse them of having been in the observance of Treaties less candid or faithful than other Countries and I cannot think their Trade or Wealth although I believe that Holland singly taken is the richest spot of ground for its bigness that ever was since the Creation to be a good or honest foundation of a quarrel for their Commerce being alone the effects of Industry and Ingenuity it is no reason for any to be angry with others because they exceed them in these Virtues but besides that the destroying of the Netherlands would be the shaking the safety of these Northern Regions the increase of Trade to other Countries so much promised by some in their destruction would surely fail for were Trade ruined in Holland as less cannot be the effects of Conquest and Slavery the example and emulation of their Trade which hath been the great increase of it in other Countries being taken away and Trade fallen to a sort of people of less concern for it men would grow lazy and weary of Commerce every one thinking they did well so long as they were upon equal
terms with their Neighbours so that the subversion of Holland would be no benefit to any save to the French King into whose mouth their Country would most fall who wanting nothing for the making of him uncontroulable but Havens and Ports to harbour Ships nourish and breed Seamen would find supply there and whose Kingdom being over-stocked with people would be able to spair men to plant an un-inhabited Countrey as would certainly be the fate of Holland under a Conquest and Arbitrary Government as it hath been to all the free Cities in Tuscany and Italy since they lost their Liberty whereas England wanting neither Havens nor Ports nor having an over-plus of people it would be a dammage to them in the loss of their Inhabitants and an unprofitable charge to maintain Forein Colonies where the Seas must be perpetually crossed for supplying of them with men monie and necessaries insomuch that the Netherlands under such circumstances as they would be reduced unto by subduing of them would not be in the hands of the English so much for their own security as in theirs that now possess them for restraint and freedome makes so great difference in prosperity that less than Liberty incouraging Trade and Industry would never be able to maintain their Walls against the Sea which are kept up with incredible labour charge and ingenuity but expose those parts lying upon the Sea which are many times more considerable than all the rest to be devoured by it or laid much under water and so rendred inconsiderable And the truth of this principle in thus much advancing the benefit of freedom above Arbitrary Government which would be the lot of Holland under any Conquerour may be observed by the two Cities of Wesell and Mastrick which whilst in the hands of the Spaniard were without Trade miserable wretched and poor many of the houses of the latter being left in ruines by the Inhabitants as wanting ability to repair them and now in less than 38 or 39 years that the States have been Masters of them they are both become flourishing places the latter being in a great part new built with one of the fairest and best new publick Town-house that is ordinarily met with next Amsterdam and Augustbourg in Germany But if there were not these considerations in the case as well as that of the advantage that the fall of Holland would be to the French which alone is sufficient to ingage England to support them it could no way be the Interest of England to ruine them to the end to increase their own Trade because if their aims be only traffick the world affords matter enough to satisfie both Nations and that England hath so much the advantage of Holland in natural helps for Trade that if they do but improve them they cannot miss of exceeding all others in it and if they will be careless of their common concerns they ought not to draw an argument from their own neglects and sloth for the envying other mens activity and diligence And lastly so long as a firm Peace and amity is maintained by England with the Netherlands they may look upon them as the out-works which must be first taken in by any invader that will attempt them for as it never can be the Interest or in the power of Holland to invade England so their Interest in reference to Religion as well as Civil security will alwayes oblige them not to suffer any others to do it or to endanger them in whose safety they can onely be safe it being the clear Interest of England not to suffer any other Potentate to subvert their Government So that upon the whole since the subduing of Holland cannot be a benefit but losse to England and may be of great advantage to France and the Church of Rome against which they are impregnable Fortresses with some smaller profit to other Popish Soveraignes bordering upon them as to the Elector of Colne and Bishop of Munster c. It must be the chief Forreign Interrest of England to support the present Governmeut of Holland Thirdly It is the Interest of England to hold a good Correspondence with Spain not onely because that People being little inclinable to Commerce gives a Trading Countrey the more advantage in their Friendship but also for that that Crowne is necessarily to be made use of for the ballancing of France Fourthly and lastly as the French King striveth for the Protectorship of the Romish profession so it is surely the King of England's Interest to render himself wherein he can have no opposition the General Protector of the Protestant Religion whereby he will become more formidable and glorious then he can by other means For as Queen Elizabeth adhering thoroughly and cordially to that Party advancing the Religion holding intelligence and taking part with them in all their engagements and considerable treaties was not onely able in the infancy of the reformation in England to maintain the reformed in Scotland France and the Netherlands against their Enemies their then seveveral Soveraignes but also at last to bring down Philip the second of Spain one of the wisest and greatest Kings they ever had and in him the whole Popish Party by which her memory is made famous unto posterity so his Majesty having many lesse difficulties to struggle with than she had by espousing the same principles cannot fail of the like glorious success And now to sum up the Domestick Interest of England it lyeth in the advancement of Trade by removing all obstructions both in City and Country providing such Laws as may any way help it and make it most easie especially in giving Liberty of Conscience to all Protestant Non-conformists and denying it to Papists In not covering Foreign Conquests which have alwayes been prejudicial and can never be of advantage to them and retrench the unreasonable Fees of Lawyers Physicians and Officers as they are great iimpoverishers of the Nation And as to the Foreign Interest of England that may be calculated to be in keeping the balance among their Neighbours and other European Princes being in order thereunto firm to their present tripple League and in that especially to Holland in holding a good correspondence with Spain and in being jealous of all growing greatness in the French keeping the Baltick Sea open in His Majesties making himself Protector of the whole Protestant party and as Peace is the adadvancer of Trade to seek it and not war except an inavoidable necessity require it And thus I shall conclude this Chapter and in it the Interest of England with begging pardon of the Author of that Book intituled A Discourse of Ecclesiastical politie for my Non-conformity to his Doctrine which teacheth That it is safer for a Prince to allow Vice and Debauchery than Liberty of Conscience whereby he prefers the breach of the ten Commandments and that which the whole Word of God the Old and New Testament the Law and Gospel so dreadfully threatens and declares against before that which neither the practise of our Saviour nor his Apostles nor any Text in Scripture forbids or at least himself being Judge not positively and indisputably as they do the other wherein I confess I am so far from agreeing with him as also in many of his other railing principles not much better that I think the Church of England hath reason to wish his Book had been writ by some of another Coat and of a more remote relation to the Church then the Author is reputed to be by reason of the advantage that their enemies may have of drawing arguments from it to prove their old Charge that the power of godliness is so far from being held out in the Lives Conversations and Principles of many of their Priests that they rather seek to debauch and make the people wicked and profane This is all I have at present to say of this Country besides adventuring to Prophesie that when England neglecting Church Politicks which are commonly founded in passion revenge and self and Lawyers Divinity which is generally collected out of their own Books more than the Books of God will effectually pursue their true Interest they cannot fail their natural advantages for trade considered of being more great and glorious than any other Nation FINIS * The late Dutch War * State of England pag 434 435 436. State of England pa. 60. 61 62. State of England The History of the Siege of Rochell The Grecian and Armenian Popish congâ—egations c. Interest of Holland The Edict of Nantes granted by Henry 4th 30 April 1593. The Edict of Nantes confirmedly Lewis 13th the 22 May 1610. and again 10 Nov. 16â—5 and by Lewis 14th the 8 July 1643. confirmed in Parliament 3 Aug. 1643. and again confirmed by the said Lewis 14th this present King the 21 May 1652. State of England pa. 50 56 60. King James his Proclamations 22 Feb. 1603. and 10 Janu. 1606. the preamb. of the Stat. of 35 Eliz. cap. 2. 35 Eliz. ch 2. and 3 Jacob. ch 5. Duke of Rohan his Memoires Sir Walter Rawleighs Cabinet Counsellor