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
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
THE Present Interest OF ENGLAND STATED BY A Lover of his King and Countrey LONDON Printed for D. B. 1671. THE PREFACE INterest is a word of several definitions but that which in Creatures having reason or sense is preservation and propagation is that in a State which I mean by Interest and this is either Domestick looking inward as relating to the particular frame and kind of government or foreign looking outwards as regarding such alterations abroad as may be of good or evil consequence to a State and such counsels deliberations or actions as may improve good or prevent evill are according to the Interest of a Nation and the contrary against it And taking the words thus the prosperity or adversity if not the life and death of a State is bound up in the observing or neglecting of it's Interest For as no Countrey was ever unhappy that followed it so none ever prospered except by chance that forsook or missed it and consequently it is matter of the greatest concernment to a Prince to studie and make himself Master of it that in keeping his Counsellors in awe by his own knowledge and experience in matters of State he may have his affairs the better and faithfuller prosecuted but in searching for his Interest he ought to be exceeding carefull of not being misled by former examples which are to Politicians as of old the Stars to Navigators rightly understood the best guide and mistaken the most dangerous For Interest in all Countreys is changeable that which was in one Age not being alwayes the same in the next as the Crowns of Spain and France do sufficiently evince For Spain being by corruption in Counsellors and Ministers of State fraud oppression and cousenage in Officers and Servants with persecution in the Church and severity in government causing several revolts brought at this time low and into a languishing condition the Interest of the European Princes is changed from that of being against the house of Austria and for France to that of being for it and against France the latter being at present under more than suspition that having now got the advantage of Spain they intend to improve it to an universal Monarchy as Spain formerly designed But as a Prince ought to be studious in discovering of his Interest so to be solicitous in examining the Integrity of Counsels given him lest by corrupt Counsellors he should be put for private ends upon designs prejudicial if not contrary and destructive to the Interest of his Countrey And because the wisdome or defects of Princes appears much in their choice of Counsellors and Ministers of State who under them are the managers of their Interests there ought to be in the Election of such a special eye to their principles as well as abilities avoiding with care all avaricious persons as men who for advantage will upon all occasions forsake and desert fidelity the chief ingredient of a good Counsellor For when men have parts without honesty they are but the greater instruments of mischief and we find that little more than common parts assisted with integrity industry and diligence have done and do the greatest things in the world Nay that ordinary parts with such qualifications do more than the sublimest without them the art of Government not being so misterious as State Monopolists would make it honesty as King James used to say being the best policy and surely that is the best Government that provides most for the imployment of the honestest men For as no State can flourish where their Interest is not pursued so publick Interest will never be the rule where Counsellors are not faithful and when publick principles do not govern men private Interest will and render their Countrey as Merchandize for the highest Chapman so that although the Notion that Interest cannot lye is true yet it is not in Subjects singly to be trusted For since private worldly and carnal Interest which in persons wanting honesty is alwayes mercenary may be changed by the bribing bounty of other Princes or States it is a great error in those understanding their Interest to rely upon their Counsellors or Officers without examining whether their counsels and actions are pursuant of and consonant to their Interests or yet in great trusts to presume upon any other qualifications in Counsellors and Civil and Military Ministers then either truly religious or truly honourable moral principles which cannot change as private simple Interest not bottomed upon the one or the other principle will surely do according to the greatness of temptations and therefore as upon good or bad Counsellors and Ministers depends the happiness or infelicity of a Prince and State Sir Walter Rawleigh affirming that a Commonwealth is more secure where the Prince is not good then where the Ministers are bad so they cannot shew more wisdome then insignally rewarding and incouraging the former and exemplarily punishing the latter I know that Counsels are not alwayes to be judged of according to success it being possible that honest and well grounded counsels may miscarry and to punish men in such cases were to discourage the ablest and most virtuous Persons from serving of their Prince or State but sometimes designs are written in such large characters of selfishness and corruption the foundations of them being laid in lyes and forgeries as is legible to every impartial eye and when such appears by a true discovery upon inquiry the Criminals ought to be made examples to posterity Formerly the affairs of Christendom were supposed to be chiefly swayed by the two great powers of Austria wherein Spain is understood and France from whom other Princes and States derived their Peace and Warr according to the several parties they adhered unto But now the puissance of the former being so much abated that it deserves no rank above its Neighbours France of the two remains the only formidable Potentate of whose greatness all Princes and States are as much concerned to be jealous as formerly they were of that of Austria For considering the French King in relation to France stored with good Officers Men Money and Ammunition to his several augmentations gained from all his Neighbours by conquest exchange or purchase as from Spain Italy Germany Lorrain and the Spanish Netherlands giving him free passage into their several Dominions and to his present Naval strength increased lately by an unhappy accident he is accommodated for any design his ambition shall prompt him to or at least should the sickly and weak young King of Spain dye childless to dispute uncontroulably his right to all the Countreys in Europe belonging to that Crown as also to contend for the Imperial dignity should be survive the present Emperor if he stayes till then and if his aims may be guessed at by the writings of his Subjects which are commonly the the transcripts or presages of their Princes sence and mind he pretends to all the Lands lying on his side the River Rhein as belonging
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
keep Magazines of goods ready for transportation to other Countries according to the encouragement of Markets abroad are great increasers of Trade and Navigation and so of riches as appears not only by Holland which is a Commonwealth but also by St. Mallows under the Monarchy of France and Leghorne under that of Tuskanie the first for its bigness which contains but thirty six Acres of ground being the richest City in France and the latter all the places in that Princes Dominions which compared to former times can truly be said to flourish Eleventhly Making business at the several Offices for Custome and Excise and in all other places as easie and as little vexatious as may be in employing such persons of honesty integrity and discretion as will not abuse their trusts no more in insolency than falseness is a great encouragement to Traders as also making passing in and out of the country by Strangers and Travellers untroublesome is a motive and inducement to them to satisfie their curiosity in visiting the Kingdome and spending their money in it For to object that the incivilities travellers meet with in going in and coming out of France hinders no resort thither is more than can be proved besides that admit it is not yet the like usage in any other country would be a prejudice to it and would be surely so to France were it not the humour at present of this giddy age to run a madding after them and certainly the facility that is in doing business in Holland and the unmolested egress and regress that Strangers and Travellers meets with there is a great benefit to them Twelfthly Would the Trading Corporations choose after the example of London and according to their own Interests and reason of their institution their members for Parliament out of themselves the Interest of Trade would probably be better understood and faithfullier prosecuted than it is and it cannot but be a prejudice to Commerce that they generally send Courtiers Country Gentlemen or their Recorders to Parliament who will be sure to prefer their particular Interests before that of Trade it being natural to all men to seek their own profit before that of others Thirteenthly As England hath some beneficial Customes which other Countries are strangers unto so it hath others as prejudicial not known to Forein Governments as the great expences of Corporations undoing many Citizens and Townsmen a Freeman of York or Southampton not being able to go through all their Offices according to Custome and expectation in the first under seven or eight hundred pound and the latter six or seven hundred which may well be judged one cause why York is so poor and the other thrives no better and the like observation may be made of the most of the other Corporations The great charge of Sheriffs of the Counties hath decayed if not ruined many Families and the expence of Barristers at their Readings is a provocation to them to increase their sharking and growing upon the people all which bad effects are to be wished were remedied so far as taking away these unnecessary expences will do it for I am not of their opinion who think popular feastings and good fellowship called Hospitality to be the Interest of the Nation because it consumes the growth of the Countrey but on the contrary that it is altogether against it For besides the provoking of the Judgments of God by such inordinate living Excess weakens mens bodies spends vainly their time dulls their wits and makes them unfit for action and business which is the chief advancer of any Government and to supply the want of people in any Land by a riotous wasting the growth of it is at best but a bad effect of a bad cause and against that rule which forbids doing evil that good may come of it and therefore the true Interest of any Country is by immunities priviledges and libertie of Conscience so to encourage and encrease the number of people as they may rather be in a sober way of living too many than to few for their provisions and we do find that in former times when Hospitality was in England much greater than at present and that merely in the expence of their own provisions without French dishes or much of either Spanish or French Wines the Country was poor to what it now is and that it hath been the encrease of the Trade and People of that Nation by Liberty and Priviledges indulging tender Consciences that hath advanced them And as to the retrenching of expences this seems to be agreeable to the principles of that wise and great States-man Sir Walter Rawleigh who saith that taking away all superfluous charges and expences as well in Hospitality as in lessening the fees allowances and wages of Ministers of little necessitie as also of pensions rewards entertainments and donaries to be a laudable parsimony used by the Romans and other well-governed States But fourteenthly imposing upon Conscience in matters of Religion is a mischief unto Trade transcending all others whatsoever for if the Traders and Manufacturers be forced to flye their Countries or withdraw their stocks by vexatious prosecutions the having Natural Commodities in a Countrey or no great impositions upon them will signifie little to the Prince or People And Liberty of Conscience is not only the Common Interest of all the Nation but especially of his Majesty in that First By it he obligeth all his Subjects equally to him no man having just cause to be offended at another mans liberty since he enjoyes the same himself and more particularly he obligeth all the Non-consormists to him who can have no other Interest than his that in grace and favour gives them Liberty securing thereby in an especial manner all the several perswasions from agreeing upon any thing to the prejudice of their Common friend whereas the Papists have as others may have other Interests And although a Prince arrived to that height which is above Envy and all sear from abroad may sometimes adventure in imposing in matters of Religion it is not in any kind excusable in them that are not in such a condition but that stands in need in reference to the potency of their Neighbours of the hearts of all their people especially in this age when the large experience the world hath had of the insuccessfulness and evil of it hath made even in the greatest Potentates a general abatement therein and now when it is too late they grow weary of their rigour The last Pope as is affirmed having disswaded the French King from attempting Geneva when he thought to have obliged the Church of Rome by reducing of it And oh that England whilst they have time would be warned by the miseries of others to avoid the rock they have split upon Had the former Kings of Spain used in any degree the lenity that that Crown at present practiseth in their Netherlands where now a known protestant may obtain his freedome of several
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
of Dissenters in all the rest besides the irrepairable damage of this Kingdom in their former Bishops driveing the woollen Manufactures back into the Netherlands as the King of Spain had before driven them into England by Persecution where they have ever since increased and where they now remain sad Monuments to this Nation of the impolitick severity of those times they could not but be convinced of the vanity and wickedness of such practices as well as of the civil prejudice they bring to Nations in destroying of their people and therein depriving them of the benefit of Industry thinking charitably of that saying which was antiently in Voge and is still in some places remembred that when a Bishop is created the Devil enters into him and makes him his Executioner which as it had its original in times of Popery so it concerns their Bishops only Fourthly and Lastly As it is the King and Kingdome of Englands Interest to give Libertie of Conscience to all Protestant Dissenters so it is not only to deny it to the Papists after the example of other reformed countries as Denmark Sweeden several Princes in Germany and the reformed Cantons in Switzerland but also to take care to prevent the growth of them and that upon a civil score as first because they own a forein head upon the account of their Religion in which they are carried on by such a blind zeal as cannot render them less than Spies and Intelligencers for that Interest and ready upon all occasions to appear for it And even the wisest Popish States acknowledge the reason of this principle Sir Walter Rawleigh affirming that the Venetians as not holding it safe to have any in their Counsels who have dependance by Oath Homage natural Obligation Pension or Reward when their Senate is Assembled causeth Proclamation before shutting of the doors to be made for all Priests to depart and he who in this Commonwealth is called the Divine of the State an Ecclesiastical Person to be advised within matters of Religion is commonly chosen such a one as is reputed the least Bigot in that Religion as in the memory of some living Padri Pauli and after him Fulgentio both Successively performed that office and were esteemed favourers of the Reformation and corresponders with Diodati of Geneve and if Papists dare not trust their own Clergy in their Counsels upon the account of their forein dependance Protestants upon the same account have no cause to trust Popish Subjects in their Countries longer than until they that are now living die away and that they can breed their Children to the Protestant Religion I am not ignorant that there are a sort of men who with the Author of that Book intituled The State of England seek to infuse a belief into the people that the dispensing with the Laws against the Papists is necessary for the prevention of persecution to Protestant Subjects by their Popish Princes but the imposers of that opinion persumes more upon ignorance and easie nature in the most of men than upon any strength there is in their arguments for this suggested danger must referr to Spain Italy the Emperour or the French King and for the two first they have by former Persecutions though not without depopulating of their several Countries left no Native Protestants in them so that however England shall deal with their own Papists the King of Spain nor the Pope have any Protestant Subjects to use better or worse and for the few reformed Merchant-strangers that are among them they must for their own Interest in reference to Commerce suffer them to enjoy a trading liberty without having their Religion inquired into and more than that they are never likely to have And as to the Emperour he being through facility of Nature acted by the Church hath to almost the ruin of himself as well as his Protestants spent all his Reign hitherto in a grievous and sore persecution of the Reformed in his Hereditarie Countries having no power over them in other places of Germany for by it he hath lost a great part of Hungaria and in a fair way of losing the rest besides that he hath thereby much prejudiced Trade and lessened his people for even the Protestant Gently and Nobility who by birth have great Immunities and ought not to be imposed upon in matters of Religion were lately some forced to leave their Countries and others who stayed to entertain none but Papist Servants in their Families so that England by no kind of treatment of their Papists can increase the Emperours persecution which is already so high of his protestant Subjects And for the French King he cannot persecute his Reformed without breach of the Edict of Nantes their Magna Charta and several other Laws giving them as good a right to exercise their Religion as the Papists have for theirs making them also capable of all civil offices privileges and preferments equal with Papists and that upon consideration of having been alwayes loyal and faithful to the Crown so that there is no parity betwixt the French Kings Arbitrary breaking of his Laws against the reason of them which hath not yet been forfeited and which were made with acknowledged gratitude for the preservation of the reformed And the King of England with the continued reason of his Laws witness the Massacre in Ireland his keeping and executing them against his Papists but further those that observe any thing of France must confess that that King in matters of Religion regards no examples of others or any thing but his own designs as in his present persecution of his reformed Subjects he may well be judged to aime at the advancing of his reputation with the Church of Rome as a means to help him forward in his aspiring designs for but few years since when the Papists were under the most severity in England the Protestants were under most liberty in France and now they enjoy the greatest liberty in England the Reformed are the most persecuted in France but besides these circumstances it cannot but be of evil consequence and a lessening unto Soveraignty to own the having an eye to other Princes in the execution of their Laws for nothing can be more dishonourable to a Prince than to be under the awe of Forein Potentates in his administration within his own Dominions but this Gentleman doth not alwayes ponder what he writes for when I consider his sharpness against the Presbyterians c. in England calling them Mushromes Tares and the Sons of Belial insinuating the transplantation and extirpation of them I cannot but wonder he should have so much concern for the reformed abroad who are the same with the Presbyterians of England and therefore must judge it to proceed from favour to the Papists towards whom he so tenderly avoids all reflections and severity as if he thought the revolt of a Presbyterian c. to Popery to merit a pardon from transplantation or extirpation and not
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