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A43901
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The history of naturalization with some remarques upon the effects thereof, in respect to the religion, trade and safety of His Majesties dominions. Printed according to order.
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1680
(1680)
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Wing H2127; ESTC R215940
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5,517
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5
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THE HISTORY OF NATURALIZATION With some Remarques upon the Effects thereof in respect to the Religion Trade and Safety of His Majesties Dominions Printed according to Order THE first Notices of Naturalizing Alien Merchants under the name of Endenization are handed to us by the Statute of the 1 mo of Henry the 7 th cap. 2 d. in these words Whereas in time past divers Grants have been made by King Edward as well by his Letters Patents as by Acts of Parliament to divers Merchant Strangers born out of this Realm to be Denizons whereby they have and enjoy such Freedoms and Liberties as do Denizons born within the said Realm as well in abatement of their Custom which they should bear as if they were no Denizons as in buying and selling of their Merchandize to their great avail and lucre and oft-times suffer other Strangers not Denizons deceitfully to ship and carry great and notable substance of Merchandize in their names by the which the said Goods be fâ—â—e of Custom In likewise as if they were the Goods of a Denizon where of right they ought to pay Câ—stâ—m as the Goods of Strangers by the which they be greatly advanced in Riches and Honour and after they be so enriched for the most part they convey themselves with their said Goods into their own Countries wherein they be naturally born to the great impoverishing of this Realm and to the great hurt and defraud of the King's Highness in payment of his Customs Wherefore it is Enacted Established and Ordained by the Advice of the said Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in the said Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same That any person made or hereafter to be made Denizon shall pay for his Merchandize like Custom and Subsidy as he ought or should pay before that be were made Denizon any Letters Patents or other Ordinances by Parliament or otherwise notwithstanding And to the same purpose is the Statute of 11 th Henry 7 th cap. 14 th And to the like purpose is the Statute of 22 th Henry the 8 th cap. 8 th During the Reigns of Edward the 6 th Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth nothing is recorded touching Naturalization But when King James happily added the Diadem of Scotland to this of England so cautious were our Ancestors that they would never admit the ther Natives of Scotland though His Majesties Subjects to the priviledge that Aliens naturalized do now enjoy And by the Statute the 7 th Jacobi cap. 2 d. It is provided by Parliament in these words For as much as the Naturalizing of Strangers and restoring to blood persons attainted have been ever reputed matters of meer Graâ—â—â—nd Favour which are not fit to be bestowed upon any others than such as are of the Religioâ— now Established in this Realm Be it therefore Enacted by the Kings Most Excellent Majestieâ— the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled That 〈◊〉 Person or persons of what quality condition or place so ever being of the Age of Eighteen years or above shall be Naturalized or Restored in blood unless the said person or persons have received the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper within one month before any Bill exhibited for that purpose and also shall take the Oath of Supremacy and the Oath of Allegiance in the Parliament-House before his or her Bill be twice read And for the better effecting of the Premises Be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the Lord Chancellour of England or Lord Keeper of the Great Seal for the time being if the Bill begin in the Upper House and the Speaker of the Commons House of Parliament for the time being if the Bill begin there shall have Authority at all times during the Session of Parliament to miniâ—ter such Oath and Oaths and to such person and persons as by the true intent of this Stature is to be ministred In the Reign of King Charls the First of blessed memory the Englâ—sh Merchant had a Trade to profit so that many of them arrived to great Estates some to 100000 l value several to fifty thousand pounds Estate And in all the Reign of King James and King Charâ—es the First not above Ten Aliens Merchants were naturalized and those such as by long abode in England had merited the kindness of the Nation and then it was rare to hear of an English Merchant that failed so that the Clothiers then grew rich by the good payments the English Merchants made them and the Clothing of this Kingdom was in great request abroad And the Gentry then began to put their Sons Apprentices unto Merchants and it was thought a very good Provision for Gentlemens youngest Sons O fortunati si sua bona norint But this growing happiness of the English Merchants was soon Ecclipsed by the late Oliverian Usurpers who being fond of the Hollanders Coalition with us and that failing them those Usurpers did more greedily imbibe the opinion and practice of Naturalization hoping thereby to weaken the Hollanders by drawing over numbers of Dutchmen and so gave this singular priviledge to all that ask'd it not forbidding the Jews but encouraging their admission and abode with us and laid aside the said Statutes for difference in Customs and that also of the 7 â—h Jacobi And thus the industrious English Merchant who cannot live so poorly as a Jew or other Aliens that lives onely in a Chamber was much discouraged nor was this free admission of Forein Merchants any weakening to the Dutch or other Forein States for there came no number of Artificers with Families but the greatest part that câ—me to be Naturalized were such as rather lived like Spies than Inhabitants amongst us And though some hundreds of Aliens Merchants were then and since Naturalized yet they are no accession of Strength or Interest to this Kingdom nor any advance of our Lands but on the contrary are a great cause of distraction in Religion dangerous to the Government and ruinous to the English Trade and Merchant 1. That this Naturalization hath been a great cause of our distraction in Religion is evident in 〈◊〉 Effect and the worthy Author of the compassionate Enquiry amongst the Causes of the neglect 〈◊〉 contempt of our Religion brings in Judaism and this pretence of the enlargement of Trade as 〈◊〉 of the Causes it being saith that Authour most remarkably true of the English thâ—t their good 〈…〉 prompts them to look and think favourably of such things as they see in request with others 〈◊〉 â—â—om thence they proceed to affect the Novelty or at least become unstable in their own Religion And when the said Usurpers thought it convenient to make England an Amsterdam of all Religions the admission of Foreiners was a most effectual means to introduce that great diversity of Opinions amongst us which hath ever since abated mens zeal for and reverence of our Established Religion and its worthy Observation that not onely
the Jews but those of all other Nations who have obtained this priviledge do no way incorporate with the English but continue a distinct body in all Ecclesiastical Affairs not only in their own persons but also in their children to after generations 2. This introducing of Merchants Aliens is dangerous to the Government for Aliens will not have their Affections changed nor their Alliances exstinguished by Naturalization for it is engraven in every man's heart with indelible Characters ever to love his Native Soil and Country best witness the late Wars we had with Holland and France what advices what amusing Stories at the Coffee-houses weakening the hands of His Majesties Subjects by misreporting all our Naval Actions and it hath ever been found that a Babel in Languages begets confusion in Kingdoms and tendeth to beget fear and diffidence amongst the Natural born Subjects 3. This favour to Aliens is ruinous to the English Trade and English Merchant for before this Naturalization the English Merchants had many Forein Commissions very advantagious to them which these Aliâ—â—â—â—ow â—njoy and the English had Factories setled in all Countries and by these Factories influenced 〈◊〉 â—â—erned the Trade of the world these Factors were honourable to our Nation encourage◠〈◊〉 Manufactories and a great Addition to the Capital Stock of the Kingdom by the great Eâ—â—h 〈◊〉 generally gained abroad and brought home amongst us By these Factories the English 〈◊〉 â—â—quainted with the Secrets and Mysteries of other Kingdoms and the Youth of our Nation 〈◊〉 â—â—â—chandize had many great opportunities beyond that of other Gentlemen Travellers 〈…〉 in the works of God and man of Nature and of Art to enlarge their minds as well as 〈…〉 to be inured to hardship and danger and instructed in subtilty and all the Arts of liâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 â—elf-security But since this particular Naturalization of Merchant Aliens our our Factories in France the Netherlands Holland and the best part in Portugall are ruined and the French Fâ—andrians Dutch and Portugals have so far gained this point of us since this Naturalization as that they have set up Factories here in England and the Italians have attempted the like also to the great spoil of our English Trade and Merchants This Encouragement to Aliens is but a transplanting the Trade from Natives to Aliens for Aliens naturalized beside the cheapness of living here as Lodgers have four or five per Cent. advantage in Trade above the Natives by the Interest of money wherewith they Trade and by having the Commission of all their Kindred and Friends abroad so that the ancient distinction of one fourth part in Customs upon Aliens naturalized more then English doth but put the English upon equal terms in Trade with these Aliens The English Merchants have both inclinations and stock sufficient to drive the Trade of this Kingdâ—m and the encrease of Aliens Merchants is but the decrease and ruine of Natives for before this frequâ—nt Naturalization there was no complaint of the want of People amongst us and although these Aliens naturalized and all other Aliens by the Statue 25. of his Majesties Reign are to pay no other Cuâ—â—omes for any of the Native Commodities of this Realm Exported than are paid by His Majâ—â—â—ies Natural-born Subject yet it s found by Experience that they Export very little of our English 〈◊〉 but generally make their returns by paying money in Exchange beyond Sea for the Toyes and Baubles they bring us and they no way encrease the Consumption of our Provision by their Families for those that come to be naturalized are not any considerable number of â—â—tiâ—â—ers with their Families but are Merchants and are one of a Tribe two of a Town and five oâ— six of a Province fitted instruments to carry on the designs of their Employers and the greatest part of them are not intended to inhabit with us but like Summer Birds when they have filled their Poâ—â—ets or if trouble or War arise they will not forget their Fathers Land and in such case hereafter as formerly may be instruments of great inconvenience to His Majesty and His Natural-Born Subjects The advantages to the Nation by this particular Naturalization have been loudly proclamed as being tâ—e onely way to encrease His Majesties Subjects advance Trade and to raise the price of Lands but as hitherto it hath had no such effect So it will never produce any such or other advantage to this Kingdom unless it could be presumed that the liberal ofter of this priviledge had vertue and power in it to bring in such Persons for Number and Quality as the Kingdom may seem to stand in need of but as hath been said few or none of those come to accept these priviledges but such onâ—ly come as have designs upon the Kingdom for their own advantage and their practices have been and will be acâ—ording to their Principles and Interests for of the great number of Merchants that have been admitted not twelve of them have purchased Lands in England nor fifteen of them intermarried with English amongst us few of them live otherwise than as Lodgers and divers Aliens having got Credit amongst us have broke much indebted unto the English who are constantly loosers by them but their own Country-men are better treated it being the Principle of many of these Aliens to preserve the Capital Stock of their own Countryes for they use to set up one and make him great in Credit and then he breaks indebted to the English but salves his own Countrymen and then they set up another as hath been instanced in several of these Alien Merchants one after another Thus endeth the first part of the History of Naturalization whereby it appears that we have been abused by these Aliens for those who should come and be beneficial to us are not with us and those that have do come are prejudicial to us It remains therefore that all true Englishmen joyn in their supplications that Provision may be made to encourage Gentlemens Sons in Merchandize and that according to the President of the aforesaid Statutes this mischief be speedily retrieved not by forbiding Aliens from a peaceable Abode and Trade amongst us but by maintaining the ancient and equal difference between them and Natives by making all Aliens born liable to Aliens Customes for their Toyes and Baubles and other Merchandize which they shall import or that at least those who are either Papists or Infidels those who have got this priviledge by indirect means and all those Aliens Merchants who have no Family amongst us but live in Chambers as Lodgers may loose their priviledge of Naturalization And that it may be Provided for by a Law That no Aliens Merchant be hereafter admitted to the Priviledge of Naturalization until they have lived as Dezizons by His Majesties Letters Patents a certain number of years amongst us or until they have intermarried with English or Purchased Lands upon their Denization or otherwise merited is Majesties Favour and Bounty by some signal Service If it be Objected That there is an Experiment which may be more safely trusted to than Argument in that the Hollanders by the universal admission of all Foreigners unto equal Priviledge with Natives have arrived to a great Trade and thereby to Riches and Strength beyond other Nations The Answer is The Hollanders are only strong in Shipping which are Man'd by the Natives of the Country But how easily were they vanquished at Land when the French for asking got so much of their Country and the Reason is plain for all Foreigners are but as Sojourners and had rather change there Governours then venture either their Persons or Estates when troubles come The Hollanders are necessitated to give a free tolleration of all Religions without which Foreigners will not joyn themselves in numbers to that or any other Nation The Hollanders have no Lands to live upon nor other wayes then that of Trade to advance their Industrious and ingenious Youth and so all their Estates descend from Fathers to Sons in Trade and Merchandize and so need not fear the loosing of their Trade of Merchandizes by the Accession of Foreigners But in England we have Lands to live upon and have several other wayes for advancing Ingenious and Industrious Persons besides that good way of Merchandizâ—ng and if through frequent Naturalization of Alien Merchants the Trade of Merâ—â—â—â—dizing in England become a poor picquering Trade as it will quickly be if Forâ—â—â—â—ers be equal in Priviledges with 〈◊〉 â—â—en all oâ—â— Contry and men of Estates 〈◊〉 ingenuity will leave Merchandizing â—nto Foreigners and betake themselves 〈◊〉 more profitable Employments of the Court the Caâ—â—p Divinity the Law 〈◊〉 Physick And so in a short time we â—â—all loose the Trade of Merchandizing which is the Mistress of the World by the mistaken methods we pursue in the Câ—urtship of her