salt Francis the first made the same perpetuall as the domaines of the crowne and all men are compelled to buy it at the Magazins vpon paine of punishment This impost is letten to farme for two millions of crownes or six hundred thousand pound sterling yearely The right of the sea belongeth to the King and he may lay impositions thirtie leagues from the land into the sea if no other soueraign prince be not within that precinct There are eight courts of Parlement in France and eight chambers of account At Paris erected 1302 by Philip le Bell. At Paris Courts of parlements At Tholouze also and confirmed by Charles the 7. In Britaigne At Grenoble 1453 by Lewis the 11. At Dion Courts of accounts At Bourdeaux 1462 by Lewis the 11. At Monpellier At Aix 1501 by Lewis the 12. In Dolphine At Dion 1476 by Lewis the 11 for Burgondie In Prouence At Roan 1449 by Lewis the 12 for Normandie At Blois At Rheames 1553 by H. the 2 for Britainie At Roan Of the Salique Law of France IT is an vsuall receiued opinion that Pharamond was the author of this law others thinke it was so called of the Gaules that were called Salie amongst whom that law was established for the auncient Gaules termed all their lawes either Ripuarie or Salique and in the time of Charlemaine they were called Saliques Neuerthelesse it is thought to haue beene inuented of latter time as by Philip le Long to frustrate the daughters of Lewis Huttin or else to haue had the first strength from an vsuall custome of all Barbarians which was neuer to suffer the females to inherit the crowne and so being begun in the first and second line of the kings it hath continued in the third and by custome it is rather confirmed than to be proued to be a law at any time ordained hauing beene little account made thereof vntill the controuersies betweene Philip le Long and Endes duke of Burgondie who claimed it for his neece Iane daughter to Lewis Huttin and Philip de Valois with Edward king of England The booke of the Salique lawes is but a collection howbeit there is no example euer heard of that any woman gouerned Of the lawes of the higher and low Germanie concurring with the Ciuile Law and the Courts of Equitie in substance THe courts of Equitie beyond the seas after bill and answere replication and reioynder and sometimes duplication and at last conclusion with the examination of witnesses in serious manner The whole proceedings are deliuered to certaine Doctors or learned men which are as masters of the Chancerie or belonging to certaine Vniuersities to be abreuiated which is called ad rotulandum who doe cut off all superfluous things which vpon the matter are confessed on both sides To abreuiate long processe or are not materiall to the state of the cause to bring the differences betweene the parties to certaine points or heads wherupon the said parties with the aduice of the aduocates or learned counsell do dispute and debate the said differences to bring them as it were ripe and perfected before the Iudge For if the defendant will take couertly any exceptions against the Iudge of that iurisdiction he may haue the whole processe made vp in the name of A.B. and C.D. as it were complainant and defendant without naming either of the parties and the same to be sent vnder the towne seale vnto Doctors or other learned men of Vniuersities elected thereunto in other iurisdictions which do giue their sentence or iudgement thereupon and returne the same back againe vnder seale before the Iudge where the cause was depending who calling both parties before him demandeth of them whether he shal open the proces and whether they will stand to the iudgement therein contained and if the complainant descend thereunto then is the defendant thereby concluded seeing he had his choice and did in a maner appeale from the Iudge whereupon execution is presently had and matters are ended with expedition By the premisses we may obserue how other lawes are variable and subiect to alteration and that the Law-Merchant is constant and permanent in her customes which therefore are not to be infringed but seriously to be maintained by all the foure precedent meanes or some selected course of execution to be deuised concurring with the same For the better furtherance wherof and more exact explanation by contraries I haue for a Corrollarie of this worke added hereunto three Paradoxes alluding to the said three Essentiall parts of Trafficke which will illustrate the most materiall consideration to be had in the course of Trafficke and Trade CHAP. XVIII Three Paradoxes alluding to the three Essentiall parts of Trafficke HAuing heretofore published a Treatise intituled Englands view in the vnmasking of two Paradoxes which had beene presented vnto the French King Henrie the fourth as a matter of great consequence and considerable in the gouernement of common-weales and finding that the true vnderstanding of them with a third Paradox obserued by me did properly allude to the contents of this booke or the three Essentiall parts of Trafficke namely Commodities Money and Exchange for Money I did resolue to handle the substance of them for a Corrollarie of the same Paradox what it is the rather because Paradoxes are things contrarie to the vulgar opinion and will also make all the premisses more manifest and apparant by their conclusion The said two Paradoxes presented by Monsieur Malestroit one of the officers of the Finances or Treasurie in France were as followeth saying 1 That to complaine of the generall dearth of all things in France was without cause Commodities for there was nothing growne deere these three hundreth yeares 2 That there is much to be lost vpon a crowne Money and or any other money of gold and siluer albeit one do giue the same in payment at the price he did receiue the same The third Paradox which I haue added hereunto is 3 That the imaginarie moneys supposed in Exchanges for money Exchange made by Bills of Exchanges do ouerrule the course and propertie of Reall and Substantiall moneys in specie Monsieur Malestroit saith that since the ancient permutation hath beene changed in buying and selling and that the first riches of men which consisted of cattell was transferred to the gold and siluer whereby all things haue receiued their estimation Gold and Siluer are the Iudges of good cheape or dearth it followeth that those mettalls are the right judges of good cheape or dearth of all things Wee cannot say that any thing is deerer than it was three hundred yeares ago vnlesse that for the buying thereof wee must now giue more Gold and Siluer than wee did then But for the buying of all things wee doe not giue now more Gold or Siluer than wee did then therefore saieth he nothing is growne deerer in France since that time To proue this he doth alledge That during the raigne of
subiect to be numbered by Ages Yeares Moneths Daies Houres Minutes and their diuisions and subdiuisions wee cannot in this place omit to particularise concerning the same albeit it may be thought inconuenient to touch the obseruation of the period of Monarchies and Common-weales Periods of Monarchies Common-weales made by some Authors which by many important reasons may be amplified Some distribute the whole ages of the world into three parts ascribing to euerie age 2000 yeares which procâ—edeth from that common opinion of Elias a certaine Rabbin or Iew affirming that the world should stand 6000 yeares and then be disolued of the which they reckon 2000 yeares before the Law 2000 yeares vnder the Law and 2000 yeares vnder Christ which shal be shortned for the elects sake which opinion hath beene receuied by diuers godly fathers supposing that as the world and all things therein was created in six daies So the same should endure 6000 yeares taking each thousand yeares for a day according to the saying of Saint Peter 1. Pet. 3. That one day before the Lord is as a thousand yeares and a thousand yeares as one day In this supputation is some reason for from the beginning to Abraham with whom the first couenant was made and to whom the law of circumcision was giuen wee find to be neere 2000 yeares Of the ages of the world and likewise vnder the law vntill Christ about 2000 yeares and now vnder Christ is aboue 1620 yeares reckoning towards the last 2000 yeares Augustin writing of these ages diuideth them into sixe and reckoneth the first age to be from Adam to Noah the second from Noath to Abraham the third from Abraham to Dauid the fourth from Dauid to the captiuitie of Babylon the fifth from the Captiuitie to Christ the sixt and last vnder the kingdome of Christ vntill the end of the world Others there be that doe distribute the same into foure according to the nature of foure kinds of mettals the Golden Siluer Brasse and Iron Ages alluding to the Prophecie of Daniel of the foure Monarchies Others doe account the same by thousands or millinaries according to certaine obseruations of 6000 yeares in the alterations of things Others doe calculate according to the ages of men supposing 100 yeares for an age and so now being 56 ages and more the number 60 or before the end of the world shall come But let vs obserue the true computation of the Church most generally approoued hitherto Computation of ages by Scripture and reckon from the Creation vntill Noah 1656 yeares when hee entred into the Arke and from the Flooâ— to Abraham 367 yeares and from the departing of the Israelites out of Egypt 430 yeares and from the departing to the building of the Temple by Salomon 430 yeares and from that time to the eleuenth yeare of King Zedekiah deduced by Scripture is 427 yeares So the whole summe of these yeares commeth iustly to 3360 yeares Hereunto 70 yeares being added of the captiuitie of Babylon is 3430 yeares which are 790 Sabbaticall yeares of seuen yeares euery Sabbaticall yeare without any odde number and from that time vntill Christ there is no momentarie difference by Historicall account whereof vnderstanding Merchants ought to bee informed all men take pleasure of this obseruation in their Almanacks From the Creation of the World Aâ—no Domâ— 1620. vntill the last yeare 5582. From the said Creation vntill the Flood 1656. From the said creation vntil the Birth of our Sauior Christ 3962. Since Brute did enter the Iland of Great Brittaine 2727. Since the building of the Temple by Salomon 2649. Since the building of the Citie of Rome 2371. Since the captiuity of Babylon 2258. Since Iulius Caesar was slaine 1669. Since the Birth of our Sauiour Christ vntill the last yeare 1620. Since the Conquest of England by Duke William 553. Since the beginning of the raigne of King Iames the first of that name of England vntill the 24 of March 1620 is 17 yeares compleate but currant 18. Concerning the yeare there are many obseruations Of the seueral beginnings of the yeare and euen of the seuerall beginnings of it And let vs note Obiter that the bodie the soule of man consisting in the bloud hath 365 veines as residences agreeable to so many dayes of the yeare All our Almanackes or Kalenders beginne the yeare from the first day of Ianuary albeit this beginning differeth in many other countries which is conuenient for Merchants to obserue The Astrologians begin at the entrance of the Sun in Arijs which is the 21 of March at 12 of the clocke at noone The old Romanes did begin their yeare ab Hieberno solstitio The Egyptians and old Iewes from the 21 of March with the Astrologians Those of Asia and India ab aquinoctio Autumnali being the 23 of September at 12 of the clocke at noone The Grecians of the longest day of the yeare The Venetians of the first of March The Spaniards from the Annuntiation of the Virgin Marie the 25 of March as England Scotland and Ireland The Portugals and the East-Indies Barbarie Preste-Iohn the 29. of August Moses by Gods commandement ab equinoctio verno which is Easter according to which Easter day Easter day was ordained vpon the full Moone being the foureteenth day of the first Moone after the Sunne entred into the signe of Aries which is also vsed in Aegypt Afterwards in the yeare of our Lord 328 the Councell of Nice did ordaine Easter day alwaies to be vpon the Sabbath day or Sunday next after the full Moone And the Bishop of Alexandria made thereupon a list according to the Circle or Golden number of the Moone beginning from the figure 1 vntill number 19 for that in 19 yeares the Moone maketh her compleate reuolution concurreth with the Sun And if the number did fall out vpon a Sunday then the Sunday after was Easter day The List appointed for Easter day according to this abstract which is now altered by ten daies vpon the alteration of the Kalender by Pope Gregorie the 13. Golden numberâ— 1. The 5 of Aprill 2. The 25 of March 3. The 13 of Aprill 4. The 2 of Aprill 5. The 22 of March 6. The 10 of Aprill 7. The 30 of March 8. The 18 of Aprill 9. The 7 of Aprill 10. The 27 of March 11. The 15 of Aprill 12. The 4 of Aprill 13. The 24 of March 14. The 12 of Aprill 15. The 1 of Aprill 16. The 21 of March 17. The 9 of Aprill 18. The 29 of March 19. The 17 of Aprill Reuolution of the Sunne and Moone The yeare being exactly calculated according to the course of the Sunne or Reuolution in the Zodiake through all the twelue Signes consisteth of 365 daies 5 houres 49 minutes and 16 seconds And the reuolution of the Moone in her going course is 27 daies and about 8 houres and in her returning course about 29 daies and one halfe
the Sea is adioyning and in proprietie to bee esteemed accordingly taking their names of the Countries and Kingdomes adiacent or of their scituation as Mare Britannicum Mare Germanicum Mare Hibernicum and for scituation Mare Mediterraneum obserued by Cosmographers Historiographers and Mathematicians this is performed with the helpe of the Compasse counting of courses soundings colour of the grauell or sands and other wayes to designe Finitum ab ' iâ—finito By the Ciuile Law so farre as is expedient for the certaine reach and bounds of Seas properly apppertaining to any Prince or people wherein the Doctors of the Ciuile Law haue recorded excellent obseruations By the Law of Nation and Customes Baldus saith Vidimus de iure gentium in Mare esse Regna distincta sicut in terra Auda Ad legem 1. de ter diuisione In §. nullius in tratt de iâ—sula Bartolas doth in his opinion allow for princes and people at the sea-side Centum mitliaria which is one hundreth leagues of sea from their coast if they extend their protection so farre called by them Districtus maris territorium which is most plaine in those seas where the Isles of Garnesey and Iarnesey are so sensible and visible to the realme of England Visible Markes of Dominion or where there are such rockes or eminent marks as the Washes at the West seas thereof to which purpose Paulus a renowmed Ciuilian saieth That it is not needfull for him who would possesse himselfe of any land to go about and tread ouer the same but it is sufficient to enter in vpon any part thereof with a mind to possesse all the rest thereof euen to the due marches to be made apparant by the instruments of Geometricians And the like may be designed vpon the seas notwithstanding the soliditie of the one and the continuall flowing too and fro of the other This distinction of dominion hauing continued so many hundreth yeares needeth not to be corroborated with other proofe and arguments yet let vs note obiter That if the same were not distinguished as aforesaid Cases of ciuile Law or Admiraltie one borne vpon the seas should haue no countrie or nation to appeale vnto and a man dying intestate vpon the seas should minister occasion of question to know who should administer his goods and making of a Will how the same should be proued and executed by law without approbation of some Court or Iurisdiction whereas we find many Admiralls of the seas and their seuerall iurisdictions vpon the seas as deputies to their Princes or States who are alwaies absolute Commanders in their precincts according to the treaties and contracts made betweene Princes which are in the nature of lawes and inseperable of the said Princes right on the land concerning the possession of their Kingdomes or Common-weales as the fundamentall cause of their dominion wherein discontinuance of any part of their right cannot be pleaded against them The Kings of England neuerthelesse haue beene prouident and carefull herein for Historiographers haue recorded That King Edgar one of the Saxon Kings long before the Conquest made a suruay yearely of the foure great seas Mathew of Westm. and stiled himselfe lord thereof euen vntill Norway Ranulph Cestriensis and his progresse was most towards the North. It is also affirmed Anno 973. That the said King Edgar caused an inscription to be made vpon his Tombe for a monument calling himselfe Dominus quatuor Marea and as Papinian the Iurisconsult saieth In finalibus questionibus vete ra monumenta sequenda sunt Mare Britanicum But this for the dominion of the Kings of England ouer their seas Mare Hibernicum is not needfull For afterwards William Duke of Normandie after he had subduâ—d the realme of England by conquest Mare Germanicum caused himselfe not onely to be proclaimed King Mare Deucalidon but also that all the goods of the subiects were his and so caused the land to be diuided and yet was contented to change the title of a Monarchie by conquest into a Monarchie Royall and was also Lord of the said foure seas Io Bodinus de Resp. by the former assumpsit which had then continued 200 yeares and his progresse by sea was most Westward For when Princes or Kings do stile themselues by proclamation then the continuance thereof without opposition of other princes is holden and obserued as inuiolable and permanent Now King Henrie the second succeeding William the Conqueror Graftons Chronicle within one hundreth yeares did ioine Ireland to the crowne of England and did reduce Normandie and other places in France to the crowne taking as it were a new possession of the said seas and Henrie the first euerie yeare or within three yeares at the furthest crossed ouer into Normandie hauing taken Robert Duke of Normandie prisoner In the time of King Edward the third Chro. Malmesbuâ—e there was a disputation held with France concerning the fishing of the seas about Brittaine in which it was proued to belong to England Ioh. Hayward and thereupon Fraunce disclaimed therein By ancient records and Treaties c. as appeareth by the said King Edward the third his Proclamation yet extant Which arguments and contracts are as a law effectuall And here I must remember the singular care which the right reuerend father in God doctor Abbot now Archbishop of Canturburie A rare booke remoining with the Archbishop of Canturburie and Metropolitane of England hath had in procuring at his great charges for the good of our posteritie an excellent great Volume or Manuscript which was heretofore taken at Calice in France when the Spaniards tooke the same Anno 1596 and caried to Bruxels in the Low-countries whereof I haue had the perusall and made an Abstract of the Chapters of the same viz. The Treatie of Peace betweene Edward the third king of England and Iohn king of France for themselues and their eldest sonnes namely Edward the Blacke Prince of Wales and Charles Duke of Normandie Regent the French King his father being prisoner to the said King Edward which Treatie was made the eight of May 1360 in Britanie neere Chartres and confirmed at Calice whereupon sixteene Hostages were giuen to the King of England by the French King who was to come thither in person and to pay three millions of crownes for his ransome of two crownes to bee reckoned for an English noble called in King Henrie the eight his time Angell noble being some 750000 〈◊〉 sterling The ransome o' King Iohn of France The ship whereof vpon the one side did signifie the dominion of the seas whereunto old Chaucer the Poet did allude in Henrie the fifth his time This money was to be paied to weet six hundreth thousand crownes at Calice within 4 months after King Iohns arriuall there more foure hundreth thousand crownes within the yeare and so much yearely vntill the full paiment made
haue beene contented since Our comming to the Crowne to tollerate an indifferent and promiscuous kind of libertie to all Our friends whatsoeuer to fish vpon Our Streames and vpon any of Our Coasts of Great Brittaine Ireland and other adiacâ—â—t Islands so farre forth as the permission or vse thereof might not redound to the impeachment of Our Prerogatiue Royall nor to the hurt and damage of Our louing Subiects whose preseruation and flourishing estate We hold Our selues principally bound to aduance before all worldly respects so finding that Our coniuence therein hath not onely giuen occasion of ouer great encroachments vpon Our Regalities or rather questioning of Our right but hath been a meanes of much daily wrongs to Our own people that exercise the trade of fishing as either by the multitude of strangers which doe preoccupie those places or by the iniuries which they receiue most commonly at their hands Our Subiects are constrained to abandon their fishing or at the least become so discouraged in the same as they hold it better for them to betake themselues to some other course of liuing Whereby not onely diuers of Our Coasts Townes are much decayed but the number of Marriners daily diminished which is a matter of great consequence to Our estate considering how much the strength thereof consisteth in the power of Shipping and the vse of Nauigation Wee haue thought it now both iust and necessarie in respect that Wee are now by Gods fauour lineally and lawfully possessed as well of the Island of Great Brittaine as of Ireland and the rest of the Isles adiacent to bethinke Our selues of good and lawfull meanes to preuent those inconueniences and many others depending vpon the same In the consideration whereof as Wee are desirous that the world may take notice that Wee haue no intention to deny Our neighbours and allies those fruits and benefits of peace and friendship which may be iustly expected at Our hands in honour and reason or are affoorded by other Princes mutually in the point of Commerce and Exchange of those things which may not prooue preiudiciall to them So because some such conuenient order may be taken in this matter as may sufficiently prouide for all these important considerations which doe depend thereupon Wee haue resolued first to giue notice to all the world That Our expresse pleasure is that from the beginning of the moneth of August next comming no person of what Nation or qualitie soeuer being not Our naturall borne Subiect be permitted to fish vpon any of Our Coasts and Seas of Great Brittaine Ireland and the rest of the Isles adiacent where most vsually heretofore any fishing hath beene vntill they haue orderly demanded and obtained licences from Vs or such Our Commissioners as Wee haue authorised in that behalfe viz. at London for Our Realmes of England and Ireland and at Edenborough for Our Realme of Scotland Which licences Our intention is shall be yearely demanded for so many Vessells and Ships and the Tunnage thereof as shall intend to fish for that whole yeare or any part thereof vpon any of Our Coasts and Seas as aforesaid vpon paine of such chastisement as shall be fit to be inflicted vpon such wilfull offenders Giuen at our Palace of Westminster the sixth of May in the seuenth yeare of Our Raigne of Great Brittaine France and Ireland Anno Dom. 1609. By this Proclamation is his Maiesties Right and Dominion of the Seas expressed in two words by Lineall and Lawfull possession of an hereditarie Kingdome or Kingdomes whereunto those Seas are ioyned and appertaining It is not a Dominion obtained by an electiue Kingdome as Poland Hungarie and others neither is it had by any first discouerie wherein the Pope must be a mediatour as Alexander the sixth was between the King of Castile and Portugal vpon the discouery of the East and West-Indies by drawing a line vpon the Globe from the Island of the Canaries to make the diuision betweene them Neither is it like to the Whale fishing in Greeneland where some vpon their discouerie tooke neither possession much lesse had any occupation which maketh the stronger right Neither is it by gift or purchase as some Italian Princes in the Mediterranean Seas which doe neuerthelesse inioy both freedome and benefit thereby but it is vndoubted and indisputable as aforesaid To conclude this Argument The best mark of distinct dominions vpon the Seas the distinct dominion of a bordering Prince vpon the Seas is best seene by the Tribute or Taxe which hee taketh vpon fishing ships whereof we haue many presidents In Russia many leagues from the Maine Fishermen doe pay great taxes to the Emperour of Russia and in most places none but his subiects are permitted to fish and the Hollanders doe giue him the tenth fish The King of Denmarke taketh great tribute both at Wardhouse and the Sound The Kings of Sweathen haue done the like which is now continued by the King of Denmarke for Norway The Duke of Medina Sidonia taketh for Tunyne King Edward the third of England tooke six pence for euery Tun in his time which by inhauncing of the money is now 18 pence All the bordering Princes of Italy doe take tribute of the fish taken within the Mediterranean Seas for their seuerall Territories In Lappia Fishermen doe pay monyes in the Sound for passage to fetch it ouer and aboue the tenth fish The Earle of Orkney taketh the tenth fish for the Isles of Orcades vnder his iurisdiction as the Fishermen doe to the Lords of the Manors in the West parts of England for Pilchards Hake and Conger The States of the vnited Low Countries doe take an Imposition vpon fish taken within the Seas and Streames of other Princes as also neere their Coast and their subiects trafficking with the Russians as Haunce Noblett Haunce Van stracle Robert Englegraue and others do continually pay the tenth fish vnto the Emperour of Russia All which is requisite for Merchants to know to preuent troubles or losses for the pretence of ignorance doth not excuse as our Merchants of Kingstone vpon Hull haue found to their exceeding losse heretofore CHAP. XXXVI Of Customes Subsidies and Impositions payed vpon Commodities WHereas Customes Subsidies Impositions Toles Customes vpon commâ—dities due by the Law of Nations Accizes Imposts and other duties by the exemplarie actions of Princes and Common-weales are due by the Law of Nations as a matter inherent to their Prerogatiues because they are absolute Commanders in their Harbours Hauens and Ports where commodities are exported and imported euery Merchant is bound to take notice thereof and to obserue the same according to the ordinances and proceedings vsed therein in all countries respectiuely to auoid the danger of the losse and forfeiture of his commodities and to make a true calculation how to buy and sell to profit obseruing how much vpon the hundreth pounds in value of his commodities rated by the orders of diuers countries the same amounteth vnto and to adde the
made an offer to buy the 80 tunnes remaining in the Tower to a great personage to giue it for 24 pound the tun to be transported to my friend into Holland paying readie money time was taken to giue me an answere and then difficultie was made for that treasure was not to be exported vnlesse by returning the quantitie of siluer by weight heereupon conclusion was made to bring in so much Bullion of siluer or royalls of plate But when all came to all with running vp and downe and further offering to deale for greater quantities and to take it in Scotland I was put off with this consideration That it was a dishonour to England not to haue men of as good experience as any were beyond the seas whereby the Kings losse was 2000 ll for his Highnesse gaue the same afterwards vnto Iames Achinson his Grauer of the Mint heeretofore who brought the same to nothing being vnskilfull of the refining of it And thus are good matters marred in the handling Good matters marr'd in the handling and workes brought at a stay or hindered as I haue before set downe There are many rich Mines in Scotland if wee compare them to the West-India Mines and in Wales Plus Pencer que dire where the Lead Mines are poore they containe the more siluer of 1 ½ two and three ounces in the hundreth of the Ore which will not yeeld aboue 40 or 44 ll weight of Lead and the Ore of the Mine which holdeth three ounces containeth but 25 pound of Lead The Mines most knowne are those in Cardiganshire in Wales where master Hugh Middleton of London Gold-smith hath bestowed very great charges as he did in bringing the water-workes to the Citie of London so he bringeth now siluer to the Tower to bee minted the Ore being foure ounces in the hundreth or 80 ounces in the tun and the lesse in Lead for the richer the Ore is in Lead the poorer it is in siluer So one hundreth of the best Ore of Lead will make neere 70 ll of Lead and holdeth but 1 â— ounce of siluer not worth the charges of refining as we shall declare The Lead Mines in Ireland doe containe more siluer than these Mines of Darbieshire and Somersetshire called Peake and Mendisse Lead The Saxons which were procured to come into England had no more no not so much experience as our refiners of London for by sauing of Lead they found lesser quantitie of siluer and so all was giuen ouer The third sort of Mines Royall are the Copper Mines Copper Mines which are found also in diuers Countreys which are not so plentifull in Hungarie where the best is as in times past but are very aboundant in Sweaden howbeit that it is very meane and inferiour in goodnesse There are also Copper Mines in Germany and the Duke of Brunswickes countrey as also certaine naturall Copperas waters wherein they cast from time to time great quantitie of old Yron which within sixe weekes or two moneths doth transmute into Copper Naturall water of Copperas England hath diuers Copper Mines at Keaswike neere Scotland are made some fortie tunnes yearely by certaine Germanes there inhabiting it containeth some Gold Some Mines of Copper Ore are found in Yorkeshire and albeit the charge of making one tunne of Copper be commonly 30 ll yet if seuen tunne of Copper Ore make one tunne of Copper it may yeeld good benefit for whereas 22 fires haue beene vsed it is brought to 12. I haue seene excellent Copper Ore of some Mines in Staffordshire in the hands of master Stonewell Staffordshire Copper Mines which absolutely is the best Ore that euer was found in England hee doth assure mee of great store of Ore It is lamentable that such workes should lye dead for want of vndertakers which indeed are discouraged by the great charges In mine opinion the charge of a tunne of Copper of this goodnesse of Ore will be made for 15 ll There are also good Copper Mines in the West parts of England where I haue seene good Ore in diuers places which must be roasted to destroy the Antimonie Arsenicke and other corruptions which are in it The working of copper Ore by Allome and Copperas water A certaine Nobleman now deceased was imbarked in those Westerne Mines which were promised to be wrought by imbibition of Allome and Copperas water and the Ore after digestion with raine-water would make of six tuns one of Copper hereupon for 300 ll by him disbursed he was offered 1800 ll It pleased his Lordship to take my aduice and to conclude the bargain for when I did calculate the charge of grinding and roasting of the ore the making of the great quantitie of Allome water and Copperas the consumption of yron plates decreasing in weight with all the tubs and vtensills the long time of imbibition and consequently workemens wages I found the charge to exceed and that the course of ordinary melting was to be preferred and so experience hath since proued the same to the great losse of the vndertakers For when workes are clogged with immensiue charges in the beginning it choketh the benefit euer after as we shall presently declare Seeing that profit is the radicall moisture of such and the like actions his Maiestie hath beene graciously pleased to incorporate a Companie of worthy persons The Compaâ—ie of Royall Mines for all Royall Mines by Letters Pattents and hath reserued but one fifteenth part to himselfe But there is none of that Companie that doth aduance any works that I can learne I would to God that the Mines Royal or others would proue to be worth ten thousand pounds yearely and aboue whereby his Highnesse according to the ancient Maxime of the Law might claime his interest as they say for it is well knowne how gracious and bountifull his Maiestie is alwayes The great wealth of the West-Indies would not bee so admirable vnto vs A Spanish Million is 300 thousand pound sterling the Report whereof is greater than the Truth and the Spanish Millions are not sterling Millions Neuerthelesse let vs reckon them with the most which is three hundreth thousand pound sterling And when the Fleet of the West-Indies and Noua Espagna bringeth eight or nine Millions it is a great matter And to make this apparant I haue heere set downe the greatest Treasure that euer came at any one time which was in the yeare 1587 as a prouision for the great Armada then preparing whereunto unto great beneuolences had beene gathered in regard of the meritorious action which God from Inuincible made Inuisible The Register of the treasure was with the most namely From Noua Espana and Terra firme For the King 8100 Ingots of Siluer 12 Chests with Gold 300 thousand Royals of eight 20 Cases with Pearles 1 Chest with Emeraulds 5600 Roues of Cutchenille For particular persons A remembrance of the greatâ—st reuenue of the West-Indies 5 millions Teasted siluer
1500 Markes of Gold of eight ounces 1500 Markes of Pearles 1 Chest Emeraulds From Mexico For the King 1900 thousand Pesos of Siluer 1100 Markes of Gold For particular persons 2 millions in Siluer 64 thousand Hides 25 thousand ll Indico From Santo Domingo Island 35 thousand Hides 900 Chest Sugar of 1000 ll weight 22 thousand Kintals of Ginger 13 thousand Kintals of Logwood 50 Kintals of Salsaparilla 48 Kintals of Caniafistula 64 Roues of Cottonwooll All the Gold and Siluer was valued at thirteene millions and all the commodities at three millions whereof the King had twelue millions and one halfe De claro wherewith we conclude this Chapter of the Mines Royall and are moued to write also of other Mines and Minerals contrarie to our first intention but briefely as followeth * ⎠* CHAP. III. Of Mines and Mineralls THe next in order to be treated of are Tin Mines which are but few in number in all countries Tin Mines and in Germanie onely found somewhat plentifull but the Tin is blackish and corrupt so that our English Tin in Deuonshire and Cornewall is the only Tin of all the World which containeth foure ounces of Gold in a thousand whereof there is some twelue hundreth thousand made yearely It hath been sold for many yeares at an vnder value but his maiestie hath by way of Praeemption aduanced the price thereof which belongeth to the Dukes of Cornewall and consequently vnto the noble Prince of Wales Charles sonne and heire apparant to our soueraigne Lord king Iames. This Praeemption is letten to ferme to certaine Merchants and the gouernment of the Staneries with all the good orders obserued therein and the coynage of Tin to demonstrate the goodnesse is profitable to the kingdome and deserueth great commendation as is alreadie noted Lead Mines Leade Mines are found in all cold countries especially in Germanie in the dukedome of Brownâ—wike but it is blacke of colour and vntill it be refined it is vnseruiceable and consequently not vendible The old Duke had almost made a wall aboâ—t the citie of the sowes and pigges of Leade vntill our Leade became deere and scant and that an Antuerpian did teach them how to refine their Leade in taking away the cobble which is like vnto a knot in a peece of timber which made the Leade brittle and by his meanes all the Dukes Leade was sold in Italie Spaine and other places in France and elsewhere Scotland and Ireland haue many Leade Mines containing also Siluer The Leade Mines of England are scituated in diuers places of the kingdome but most in Darbishire in the hills of Peake Somersetshire and Wales There is great difference in the Ore as hath beene noted There are also many Lead Mines in Richmondshire vnder the countie of Yorke where I went to view them anno 1606 about Arkendale and the new Forest hauing prepared a long Yron boare of eighteene foot long for that purpose Description of many Leade Mines in Yorkshire and there I did obserue within the compasse of ten miles that the scituation of Arkendale iâ— betwixt two hills the one lying North called Windike and the other South-West called Moldersey adioyning vnto another hill called Pouncy lying West from Moldersey all belonging vnto the King and by lease vnto sir Iohn Maillorie knight There are also adioyning vnto it certaine other hills where lead Mines are as Swailedale where my lord Wharton hath his workes also Readhurst Cocka and Fellind being East from Wyndecke The Mines of Arkendale haue neuer been wrought to any purpose There is but three smelting cottages which do feed vpon the poore people and inhabitants thereabouts which at their leasure seeke for Lead Ore vpon sufferance and bring the same to the melting places where they fell the same for 20 or 24 ss the load giuing to the owners three or foure parts in ten as they can agree and one tenth to the Parson or Vicar of the Parish or Chappell A loade of Ore with them is as much as foure or fiue horses can conueniently carrie which by computation is some ten hundreth weight and is also deliuered by a measure called Load foure of these Loads will make a Fother of Lead of twentie hundreth their weight being 120 ll to the hundreth London weight so one hundreth of Lead Ore maketh but 30 ll of Lead which commeth to passe for that their manner of melting is by foot-blast and small furnaces with wood and charcoale Foolish maner of melting casting the Ore of Lead betweene them in small peeces and so still augmenting their melting which can yeeld but little the heat of the fire being choaked with the fewel and drosse of the Lead whereas flame is the greatest meane of melting of all mettaline Ores which require furnaces to be made accordingly where thirtie six or fortie hundreth may be molten together they melting three or foure hundreth There is no wood to be had but within two miles but sea coale and good peate is neere hand which may serue better cheape for they reckon 7 or 8 ss for the charge of a fother for the melting The Lead being cast into small Piggs of somewhat more than one hundreth weight are brought on horse-backe through Richmond to Burroughbridge being about thirtie miles distant and are conueyed by water to Yorke for 2 ss the hundreth and from Yorke to Hull for other two shillings so that a Fother of Lead with all charges will not stand in three pounds and there is a neerer way by Stockton on the sea-side about twentie and fiue miles which will lessen the said charges Now we are come to Yron mines Yron Mines whereof almost all countries in Europe are prouided which do much differ in goodnesse yet may be vsed according to the seuerall workes whereunto it is imployed as the Spâ—nish Yron seruing for Blades not so good for other things England hath great store of Yron Mines for by computation there are aboue eight hundreth furnaces The melting of it by flaming sea coale or Scots coale saueth a great deale of charges There are lately found more Yron Mines in Fraunce which Yron being made into bars is transported into Guinea Binea and other parts vpon the coasts of Africa where it hath continually beene in great estimation and now becommeth so aboundant that their profit is but small of those voyages and so it falleth out at this present for the price of Leade The Yron stone in Wales is found to differ from the Steele stone by meanes whereof a Germane made good Steele in barres Steele stone and also Gad Steele But the patent of sir Baesell Brooke for the making of Steele did hinder the proceedings therein and Germane Steele is best vntill of late that a Frenchman shewing the imperfection of ordinarie Steele caused his maiestie to make void the said patent and to grant another for the making of perfect Steele surpassing in goodnes the Steele of all countries So we find