both these Trades would be profitable to the Nation in the outward freight so might the Returns the Trades and Navigation might be constant and in the seasonable Times of Navigation and for ought I know we might constantly employ double the Sea-men and Mariners in these Trades to the Mariners and Navigation we employ for French Wines and Brandies in the Moneths of October November and December For the Importation of Salt I say it may be one Vessel of Salt may with that Commodity supply a hundred Vessels for the Fishing Trade c. And in case Forreigners import Salt cheaper than the English all these hundred Vessels will have the benefit of it And whether we ought to prefer the English Navigation for one Vessel of Salt or the Fishery of a hundred Vessels and the Navigation which depends upon it I leave to any one to judge Besides the cheap Importation of Salt has not onely an Influence upon the forrein Trade of it but upon all the Vessels which take in Provisions of Salt-Beef and Pork c. Prop. 17. Theorem 17. The free permission of the English in English-built ships to export Newcastle-Coals and make Returns into the Ports of England may more secure the Sovereignty of the British Seas to the Crown of England 2 Ax. 4. For things will be so much more secured as the means of preserving them are increased 4 Pet. 4. But the Navigation of England is a mean of preserving the Sovereignty of the Brittish Seas to the Crown of England 2 Coroll And the free permission of the English in English-built ships to export Newcastle-coals and make Returns into the Ports of England may increase the Navigation of England Therefore it may so much more secure the Sovereignty of the British Seas to the Crown of England Annot. This permission will not only secure the Sovereignty of the British Seas to the Crown of England by how many more Mariners are employed in it whereby the King upon all occasions may have them to help to man his Fleet but even Colliers ships make very good Men of War as the Nation found in all the late Wars with the Dutch But if the increase of Mariners and English ships secure the Sovereignty of the British Seas to the Crown of England then by the Rule of Contraries the loss of English Shipping and Mariners in Trading for French Wines by English and in English-built ships in the dangerous seasons of Navigation so much more endangers the Sovereignty of the British Seas to the Crown of England by how many more Mariners and Ships we lose in so fruitless and unnecessary a Navigation EPILOGUE THus have I so well as I can endeavoured to describe the benefits which may arise to my native Country from those Natural Endowments wherewith God has adornâ—d it above any other But as the Law against Naturalization restrains the Improvement of our Native Commodities only to English whereby infinite benefits might accrue to the Nation and the priviledges of Corporations restrains the improvement of very few yet veryer poor Freemen whereby both ways the Navigation as well as the Forein and Domestick Trade of the Nation is hindred So the Act of Navigation restraining the forrein vent of our Commodities and making Returns into the Ports of England not only by the scarcity and dearness of Shipping endangers the Trade and Navigation of the Nation but prohibiting upon terms of Confiscation of Ships Goods Guns Tackle Ammunition and Apparel all Nations to import Goods into any of the Ports of England unless by the Natives and Ships of the place not only the export of French Wines Salt Brandies and other Commodities with the growths and Manufactures of the Nation becomes impossible to the infinite hindrance of the forrein Trade of them but also by reason of the dearness and scarcity of Pitch Tar Timber Ruff Hemp and Flax and all sorts of Dying stuff the Domestick working of our Manufactures as well as the forrein Trade and Navigation which depends thereon is forely damnified Add hereto the intolerable injuries all the Natives of England suffer unless in the Turkie and East-Indie-Companies by the Masters of all ships in almost all the Trades they now drive in the World nor is it possible to be remedied as the case stands for if the Nation be not content herewith they must have no forrein Trade at all Whereas it hath been always the practice of the Wisest Princes and States by all just means to enlarge the Trades and Navigation of their Countries and where Nature hath not granted them convenient Ports by Art to supply Natures defects With what wonder is the Mole of Genoua founded for reception of Shipping whereby to enlarge Trade to and from it The Pen of Great Yarmouth is a rarity equal to any the Nation can boast of by the benefit whereof this Town after London and Bristol excels all others of England in Trade and Navigation Our King in his Princely Wisdome at great expence endeavours to finish the Mole at Tangier thereby reasonably hoping that that place may become famous for Trade and a secure Harbour for his Men of War and the Merchants of England upon all occasions both in Peace but more in time of War With a diligence and industry equal to his power the French King endeavours to make the Port of Havre de Grace more deep and commodious for Shipping thereby to advance the Trade and Navigation of France especially of Normandy and Britain Even the Act of Navigation with reason prohibits the Trade of our Plantations to Forreigners because thereby though it would enrich them by how much more their Trade would become greater yet this would be so much to the loss of the Nation and permits a free Trade to Tangier because it may enrich the place and make it more frequented I am sure the reason is the same by making the Ports of England free which have no need of the Mole of Genoua or Tangier nor is Trade to and from them interrupted by any Stoad or Gluckstadt the World by Trading to them need not fear to encounter the Rocks before Gottenburg or the Sands before Zealand or the Mouth of the Maze No danger of stranding ships in our Ports as at Amsterdam Harlem Enchuysen and other Ports within the Zuyder-Sea By a benignity peculiar to our Country no where else to be found in the same Climate but in Ireland so gentle a Temper thaws the sharp Frosts so as our Ports are always open and free for any Trade especially to the Western Southern and South-East and South-West parts of the World whereas those upon our opposite Shores are commonly frozen three or four Moneths in the year And though all the Shipping and Goods thus imported by Forreigners were no longer ours than the Merchants and Owners pleased yet by reason of the Intercourse and Commerce the Trade would so much more fix as the Commerce is more free the World would finde the benefit of Traffick from
may be Transported to Forrein parts by Water As if Staples of Woollen-Manufactures were erected at Nottingham Gainsborough Lincoln Boston Stamford Bedford Cambridge Lyn Oxford or Abbington Ware or Hartford Windsor and Winchester whereas the bringing the Wools of Gloucester-shire Lincoln-shire Leicester-shire Oxford-shire Warwick-shire Northampton and Rutlandshire c. being by a tedious Land-carriage and commonly in the depth of Winter to Colchester and Norwich the charge by Land is above treble to the Water-carriage from Lincoln-shire to Holland or from Kent Sussex Hampshire or Dorset-shire into France This is one Reason to many more which makes our people more miserable in working them than the Dutch or French Prop. 5. Theorem 4. The free Admission of Forreigners to work Woollen-Manufactures in England may encrease them in England 3 Ax. 3. For if things may be encreased they may be encreased by more Agents 3 Prop. 3. But Woollen-Manufactures may be encreased in England 12 Pet. 3. And the free Admission of Forreigners to work Woollen-Manufactures in England will add so many more Agents as the Forreigners are more Therefore it may encrease Woollen-Manufactures in England Annot. By free Admission here I mean in all places of England where these Manufactures may be most conveniently wrought and the Wools cheapest bought and if hereby Forreigners would be invited to work them these benefits would among many others accrue to the Nation First Every Forreigner which improves Woollen-Manufactures tenfold more or less above the value of the Wooll in Forreign Trade gains so much to the Nation but if he so instruct our Youth that more be so instructed in any Manufacture this will be infinitely so much more as the Youth instructed is more The Walloons whom Edw. 3d invited into England and taught our English the Mystery of working the Manufactures of Cloath were very inconsiderable in numbers to those who now work them so were the Walloons Queen Elizabeth permitted to work in Norwich Colchester and places thereabout the Stuffs Bayes and Sayes c. which are now wrought in them And if this permission obtained by Jumps in the Reigns of these two Princes as prudent as any who ever swayed the English Scepter had been constantly continued the Dutch and French would not have supplied so many other places and themselves with Woollen-Manufactures our Wools Fullers-Earth and all things else conducing to the Instruments of Woollen-Manufactures being so much cheaper and better here in England As the Improvement of Woollen or any other Manufacture would thus be infinitely beneficial to the Nation as the Improvement is more so the losing of Woollen or any other Manufacture in England will be equally mischievous to it In the years 1636 37 and 38. when Ecclesiastical discipline was so severely exacted about two hundred Families left the Counties of Norfolk and Suffolk and planted themselves at Leyden Alkmare and other places of Holland where they instructed the Dutch in the Woollen-Manufactures of Norfolk and Suffolk And I have heard Sir Charles Harbord a person of great Wisdom and Insight in Forrein as well as the Interest of this Nation say that if all the Bishopricks of England were sold and given to the Nation it would not neer compensate the loss the Nation sustained thereby Coroll By the same Reason the free Admission of Forreigners to work the Manufactures of Tin-Plates may encrease them in England 1 Cor. Prop. 3. For the Manufactures of Tin-plates may be encreased in England 13 Pet. 3. And the free Admission of Forreigners to work Tin-plates in England will add so many more Agents in them as the Forreigners are more Annot. If Forreigners by this freedom or further encouragement could be invited to work the Manufactures of Tin here in England the benefits which would redound to the Nation hereby would be the same as in the increasing our Woollen Manufactures Herein this difference happened that those most Excelling Princes Edward 3d and Queen Elizabeth gave encouragement to Forreigners to instruct our Natives in Woollen-Manufactures but no King of England ever did it to Forreigners in the Manufactures of Tin whereby though we have Tin in England in greater aboundance than any other place has and as I am told the Iron made in England is more temperate and pliable than any other for making Tin-plates yet to this day we know not how to make one Coroll 3. By the same Reason the free Admission of Forreigners to work all sorts of Earthen ware may encrease the Manufactures of them in England Cor. 2. Prop. 3. For Earthen Manufactures may be encreased in England 14. Pet. 3. And the free Admission of Forreigners to work Earthen Ware in England will add so many more Agents as the Forreigners are more Annot. As no Prince ever permitted or gave encouragement to any Forreigner to instruct the Natives in the Manufactures of Tin so neither have they in the Manufactures of Earthen Ware though our Lead and Potters-Earth be more plentiful here in England than elsewhere And the Dutch have little Lead or Potters-Earth for all those incredible quantities of Earthen Ware which they vend here and in other Countries and also supply themselves with but what they have from us So that we are but their Drudges to seek Mines and work them for their enriching and employment of their people Nor do we more enrich them hereby than impoverish our selves for we pay above sixfold to them for the Manufactures more than we receive for the Principles In this Discourse I desire the Improvement of the Manufactures which proceed from our own Principles more than those which proceed from Forrein as of fine Linnen and Silks c. for these Reasons First We may cheaper employ our people on them than Forreigners can be in other Countries so much as the Principles are cheaper had here whereas we must have the Forrein Principles dearer Secondly We are more secure of our Employments having the Principles in our own power whereas in cases of War or Interest it is in the power of other Princes whether our People shall be employed or not in any Manufacture whose Principles are in their power Even here in England though we be at Peace with all the world yet we permit not our Woolls to be exported to any part of the world And how mischievous it must be to any place to have People bred to an Employment and to want matter to work on I leave it to others to judge Prop. 6. Theorem 5. Forreigners may cheaper encrease Woollen Manufactures in England than France or the Vnited Netherlands 1 Ax. 3. For things will be so much cheaper done as done with less charge 3. Prop. 3. But Forreigners may encrease Woollen Manufactures in England 15 Pet. 3. And Forreigners may work Woollen Manufactures in England with less charge than in France or the Vnited Netherlands Therefore they may cheaper encrease them Annot. If Forreigners did cheaper encrease the Woollen Manufactures in England which the Dutch supply Hamburg
Sweden Poland Muscovy Spain Italy and Turky with and which the French supply Spain Italy and Turky with and with which the French and Dutch cloy our Markets here in England we might then so far as the Woolls of England and Ireland would permit not onely cheaper supply all those places which the French and Dutch do but also so much better as our Woolls and Fullers-Earth is better in England than in France or the Vnited Netherlands And also conserve all that Treasure in the Nation which is expended in buying the Dutch Blacks French Druggets and other Woollen Manufactures of those Countries An ingenious Gentleman not long since said that the Dutch supplied Sweden with course Woollen Clothes for the Souldiery and poor people of Sweden and that by order of the Councel of Trade there I wish such a thing might ever be heard of in England many people attempted without Success and much loss to make these Clothes in Sweden But about four years since the Lord Landscroone of a Merchant made one of the Nobility of Sweden and a Member of the Council of Trade propounded the working these Manufactures in Sweden in case the Council would represent it to the King when he came to his Majority as an acceptable service and that for some time the Council would take of the Manufactures at the same terms the Dutch supplied them The Council assented to both and a piece of those Clothes was divided and the Arms of Sweden and of the Lord Landscroone stamped upon both that the Goodness of the future Cloath to be made in Sweden might be compar'd with the Dutch Hereupon Landscroone at his own charges hires Artificers from England and Holland who so well plied their business that last year Sweden was supplied with these Clothes by the work of the Natives and upon the same terms the Dutch supplied them And for the future the Lord Landscroone expects to be a considerable gainer as he well deserves I am sure the Kingdom of Sweden will be much more Prop. 7. Theorem 6. Forreigners may more securely encrease Woollen or any other Manufacture in England than in France or the Vnited Netherlands 5 Ax. 3. For things may be more securely done where the Agents are more safe in doing them 6 Prop. 3. But Forreigners may encrease Woollen Manufactures in England 16 Pet. 3. And Forreigners are more safe in working them in England than France or the Vnited Netherlands Therefore they may more securely encrease them in England Annot. After mens Interest they consult their Security and herein as Forreigners may encrease Woollen Manufactures cheaper and better in England than France or the Vnited Netherlands so are they more secure in working them than in either or any other place upon the Continent by reason they are more secure from the Invasion of Forreign Princes and States It is true indeed that one great reason of the encrease of the Strength and Trade of the Vnited Netherlands was the security men apprehended there as well as Freedom For the great Power of the Dutch by Sea was such as was not to be controuled by any or all other Princes except the King of England and the weakness of the bordering Princes by Land was such as the States gave Laws to them at pleasure But the terrour of the French Invasion in 1672 has much abated the opinion the World had of their Security in the Vnited Netherlands And now the Marquiss of Brandenburg the most powerful of all the Princes in Germany has recovered the Dominion of Wesel Rees Emrick and Orsoy which Commands the Rhine and is possessed of Skinkersconce which Commands the Rhine and Wael the opinion of this Security is not only much abated but the Dutch Trade to Germany and other places up and down the Rhine must be precarious as the Marquiss pleases Nor will the Dutch easily free themselves from the Neighbourhood of the French in Maestricht Maseike and other places Prop. 8. Theorem 7. The free Admission of Forreigners to work Woollen or other Manufactures in England will so much encrease Trade in England as the Forreigners are more 2 Ax. 1. For in every thing the effects will be as the causes are 4 Pet. 1. But greater numbers of People encrease Trade 18 Pet. 3. And the free Admission of Forreigners to work Woollen and other Manufactures in England will cause so many more People in England as the Forreigners are more Therefore it will so much encrease Trade in England Annot. This is evident as hath been said in that every one of these must wear Hats Shooes Clothes and many other necessaries whereby Trade and Employment of other people would be so much more as these Forreigners by this free Admission shall be more Prop. 9. Theorem 8. The free Admission of Forreigners to instruct the Nation of England in Woollen and other Manufactures may so much encrease Trade in England as the Natives Instructed in those Manufactures are more 7 Ax. 3. For things may be so much encreased as the Means are more 19 Pet. 3. But Employment of People is a mean to encrease Trade 20 Pet. 3. And the free Admission of Forreigners to Instruct the Natives of England in Woollen and other Manufactures may so much employ the Natives as the Natives instructed are more Therefore it may so much encrease Trade in England Annot. So that this Admission of Forreigners to work and instruct the Natives of England in Woollen and other Manufactures doubly encreases Trade in England viz. In the persons of the Forreigners but much more by instructing the Natives whereby they may be enabled better to maintain themselves and Families with all sorts of Conveniencies than if they were worse employed or not employed which is worst of all for then they become a Charge and Burden to the Nation The numbers of the Walloons which Edw. the 3d and Queen Eliz. invited and permitted in England and who first instructed the English in Woollen Manufactures were very inconsiderable to the numbers of the Natives of England who are now employed in them and by that means only are enabled to provide for themselves and Families to the encrease of Trade to those people from whom they are supplied So that that saying That there is but such a Trade in the world is only true by accident not necessarily for many thousands of people might encrease Trade in the world if they had means which being denied they cannot do Corollary By the same reason the free admission of the Natives of England to work Woollen and other Manufactures in Corporations in England may so much encrease Trade in England as the Natives so Admitted are more 19 Pet. 3. For Employment of People is a mean to encrease Trade 21 Pet. 3. And the free admission of the Natives of England to work Woollen and other Manufactures in the Corporations of England may so much more employ the Natives as the admission is more free Annot. If five pounds given with
from this one Port of London And if two in the hundred charge in any Trade in one place above another endangers the loss of the Trade to that other I wish it were calculated with how many two's in the hundred we besides the Restrictions vainly charge all the forrein Trades we drive in the world upon the account of Woollen and other Manufactures Prop. 27. Theorem 25. The free permission of Forreigners to Import forrein Goods into England will so much more conserve peace abroad as the Goods imported are more 15 Ax. 3. For things may be so much more conserved as the means are encreased 8 Pet. 1. But Trade is a mean to conserve Peace 44 Pet. 3. And the free permission of Forreigners to import forrein Goods will so much encrease Trade in England as the Goods imported are more Therefore it will so much conserve Peace abroad Annot. So that to this Plenty Wealth and Employment of our people at Home this permission will establish forrein Trades which we are strangers to and also add the blessing of Peace abroad The Interest of Princes and their Subjects employed in this Trade will have the same Influence on any other who would endeavour to interrupt it as our jealousies are upon any who should attempt to invade our Properties in our Lands and Goods In case of War their Interest would be involved with ours Hereof you may more largely read in the Annot. upon the 11 Prop. of the Reasons of the encrease of the Dutch Trade Whereas when the State of the Nation was much more free in reference to Trade than it now stands by the Act of Navigation yet by the Authority of the 1 Eliz. 13. this caused great displeasure between the Kings of this Realm and forrein Princes as well as the Merchant and people were sore damaged and agrieved thereby Prop. 28. Theorem 26. The free permission of Forreigners to import forrein Goods into England will so much encrease the valuable Trades of England as the Forreigners importing Goods are more 2 Ax. 1. For in every thing the Effects will be as the Causes are 2 Pet. 1. But greater numbers of people encrease Trade 45. Pet. 3. And the free permission of Forreigners to import forrein Goods into England will cause so much greater numbers of people in England as the Forreigners importing Goods are more Therefore it will so much encrease the valuable Trades of England Annot. They would for the many reasons heretofore said encrease Trade in themselves and also enable many poor people to Trade and procure a livelyhood by lading and unlading their Vessels by mending and trimming their Vessels Sails and Rigging and more other benefits would accrue to poor people which can neither be well foreseen or enumerated Coroll 1. By the same reason the free permission of Forreigners to import forrein Goods into England will so much encrease the value of the Lands of England as the Forreigners importing Goods are more 6 Pet. 1. For Lands are valuable as the Trade of the place is valuable Prop. And the free admission of Forreigners to import forrein Goods into England will so much encrease the valuable Trades of England as the Forreigners importing Goods are more Annot. If this number of Ships now employed in the Ports of England makes Lands of such value by victualling these Ships and employing people in them then if the number of Shipping be encreased so would be the employment of the people who thereby would be enabled to buy the Farmors Commodities and the Farmor too would finde so much more vent for his Commodities in victualling Ships as the Ships are more By means whereof not only the wast and untill'd Grounds upon the Coast might be improved but even those in Mediterrane places might finde encouragement and vent for their Commodities the Houses in the Towns upon the Coast would let better to receive the Goods imported and new ones would be built for the same purpose Coroll 2. By the same reason the free permission of Forreigners to import forrein Goods into England will so much encrease the value of the Revenues of the Church as the Forreigners importing Goods are more 7 Pet. 1. For the Revenues of the Church of England are valuable as the Lands are valuable Coroll 1. And the free permission of Forreigners to import forrein Goods will encrease the value of the Lands of England Annot. And so they would encrease the Revenues of the Crown not only by the comsumption of all sorts of forrein Commodities which pay the King Duties but also of all the Beer Ale and all other Domestick Exciseable Commodities which they consume and freight their Vessels with EPILOGVE THus by freedom of working our Woollen and other Manufactures and by the benefit of free Importing and Exporting Forrein Commodities with them in Forrein Trade the Reader may understand how many ways the Nation may be Strengthened Enriched and poor people employed whereas by restraining and unnecessary charging these we weaken and impoverish the Nation condemn many thousands of people to Misery and Poverty and establish all the benefits we might enjoy in other places to the endangering the Trade and Employment of people we now possess I know nothing worse resented in our Parliaments or in ordinary Discourse than Monopolies and that deservedly for they render the Ingenuity and Industry of many people useless and the Improvement of any new Invention for the publick more difficult whilst the Monopolists do things dearer and worse Therefore I wish that encouragement were given to Inventors of any beneficial Mystery any other way than by Patent of the sole use for fourteen years for by that means the use of it becomes less and dearer to us and may be more useful and cheaper to other Nations who do not Monopolize it whereby they may enjoy more benefit by it than can be hoped for by us But if a Monopoly be the restraining the doing or vending things exclusive to other men I do not understand but the restraining the benefit of the Improvement of the Growths and Manufactures of England to the Natives is a Monopoly to all the world besides And the restraining the free exercife of Arts and Mysteries in any Manufacture to the Freemen of Corporations is a Monopoly to all the Nation befides so is the forrein Trade by Companies of our Growths and Manufactures exclusive to other men a Monopoly to the World as well as Nation and the pre-emption of Freemen a Monopoly and grievous to both And the restraining the vending the Growths and Manufactures of England in forrein Trade and to make returns into England only in English-built Ships and Sailed by ¾ English is a Monopoly to both Trades So is the vending Cattle to the Eastern and Southern parts of England by the Scots Northern and Western people of England exclusive to the Irish a Monopoly I speak this only in reference to Trades which are beneficial especially those which more depend upon Employment of
people at home For it is advantageous in Trades which impoverish and debauch the people to have them driven by few and in Companies and those restrained both to managing the Trades and the prices of the things imported as in the Trades for French Wines and Brandies Italian and Spanish Wines and Fruits and all sorts of fine Linnen Lace and Ribbons c. which are consumed among us for by this mean so much cheaper as they are imported and restrained so much more the Nations Wealth and Stock is preserved Before 1641 the Canary Trade was managed by a Company the Prices were set and the Wines imported were in Barter of our Commodities so as the Nation was not considerably damnified by that Trade But aster that Trade by the Company was left the Vintners in London to get the Flowers as they call them of those Wines outbid one another so high that the prices became near double and rather than lose them they would pay in the Canaries ready Money And so we lost the Barter of our Commodities for them to boor but as well in the Beneficial as Hurtful Trades of the Nation we invert the means by which those may be more improved and these rendred less hurtful For almost all the outward Trades of our Growths and Manufactures are managed by Companies clogged with pre-emption of Freemen But the inward Trades of French Italian and Spanish Wines and Fruits and of fine Linnen Ribbons Lace c. and which are all consumed among us are driven at large by any English or other people of those places who will import them And as by our Monopolizing Trade we restrain the Employment of our people and the Wealth and Strength of the Nation to what the Monopolists please so we had better charge Lands 40 per Cent. than the forrein Trade of our Manufactures two For Lands are only valuable as our Trades especially Forrein are valuable and therefore in case we could doubly encrease the forrein Trade of our Woollen and other Manufactures our Lands would be of double the value whereas in case we charge the forrein Trade of our Woollen and other Manufactures two per Cent. above another place we endanger the whole and fix the Trade in that other place See more in the Annot. upon the 26 Prop. of this Discourse HOW THE NAVIGATION OF ENGLAND MAY BE ENCREASED AND THE SOVERAIGNTY OF THE British Seas More SECURED TO THE CROWN of ENGLAND TREATISE IV. By ROGER COKE LONDON Printed by J. C. for Henry Brome at the Gun at the West-end of St. Pauls 1675. PREFACE TO THE READER TO Introduce a happy Reign Queen Eliz. before she called a Parliament fitted up and repaired her Navy Royal so as it was far superiour to any other this gave her Reputation at home and Fame abroad And well knowing how highly the safety of her Subjects did depend upon conserving the Soveraignty of the British Seas though afterwards she protected the Infant Dutch States to give a check to the growing Austrian Greatness yet would she never permit the Dutch to build such Men of War as thereby to be enabled to question her Dominion in the Seas which beat upon the English Shores And it is said that when Henry the great of France after the Peace of Vervins designed to enlarge the Dominion of France as well by Sea as Land she forhad his building great Ships or she would fire them in his Harbours whereupon this great Monarch did desist King James however he loved Peace did rightly judge he could no way secure it so well as by fortifying the strength of his Navy Royal and to that left by Queen Elizabeth he added the Prince Royal the Old James and several others King Charles the first a Prince of Sacred memory not knowing where the swelling Dutch Navigation would end and how much it might tend to the diminution of his Honour and endangering the safety of his Subjects judged it necessary for conservation of both yet further to enlarge his Navy yet was unhappy that his Subjects did not or would not rightly understand him in it This was a Navy so Invincible to any Humane Power that though Sir William Batten in 1648 carried a very considerable part of it to his now Majesty yet with the residue of it and the Speaker and Warwick Frigats one of the third rate the other of the fourth rate conjoyned with some Hired Merchants-ships the Rump-Parliament in 1651 1652 and 1653 without difficulty overcome the Dutch in all Fights and had without doubt subdued them if Oliver had not first turned them out and after in 1654 made an unsetled and dishonourable Peace with the Dutch The Dutch secured by this Peace to prevent the Ruine of their State by another War with the English immediately built much larger and more Men of War than they had which could not be concealed from Oliver who encreased the English Fleot with many more and very considerable men of War And after the King's Restauration before the next Dutch War in 1664 the King added many more so as the English Navy Royal was more than twice as formidable as it was when the Rump Engaged the Dutch But the Dutch having greater quantities and more choice of Timber and many more Builders than could be found in England though the experience the English acquired in Naval fights with the Dutch in the former War were much augmented yet could not the English obtain so easie a Victory as before and at this time it is said the Dutch have above 50 Men of War more than the King has and of equal if not greater Bulk in the main and above 2500 pieces of Cannon The Kings of Sweden and Denmark and much more the French King Alarm'd by this encrease of the English and Dutch Fleets in proportion enlarged theirs so that the French Fleet is in number and bigness Superior to the English but by reason of want of Mariners none of them is comparably so formidable But because Ships without Mariners and Mariners without Ships signifie but little in War let us see from what Causes the Dutch are become so formidable to the English by Sea above the French Dane or Swede After Queen Elizabeth had fitted and repaired the Navy Royal as has been said in the first Parliament of her Reign chap. 13. she enlarged the Trade of the Nation by permitting the English to Trade in any Vessels paying Strangers Duties as this encreased the Trade of the Nation so did it Mariners whereby her Navy might be more and better supplied by them This paying strangers Duties for Goods Imported into England was the principal cause the Dutch found an easie Foundation of their future great Trade and encrease of Mariners above what could be employed from the Ports of England For about fourteen years after the Dutch Government began to Bud in t o States and being pressed in their Wars against the Spaniards permitted all Nations to Import and Export Goods paying
the Herring from Scotland to Yarmouth whilest the wretched people upon our Coast stand starving and looking on and cannot employ one Vessel or Mariner in it Even in the Herring-fishing before Yarmouth we fish little above one fortnight and in that fishing the Dutch employ above threefold the Vessels we do and above twofold the Mariners Consequences From whence the Dutch are able without Pressing to Man their Men of War against us and at the same time to drive incredible Trades abroad when we by Pressing and Land-Souldiers to boot though we drive no Trade if we had not advantage by the goodness of our Men of War finde it difficult enough to oppose them whereas in case this Fishery and the Trades and Navigation depending thereon were driven by these Dutch-men or any numbers of them from the Ports of England the Dutch would have so much less means to oppose the English and dispute the Sovereignty of the British Seas and the English would have so much more means to defend themselves and bring the Dutch to Reason Prop. 8. Theorem 8. The free permission of the English to buy forrein Ships in all other Trades but the Newcastle East-Indie and Turkie Trades will so much more preserve the Timber of England as the Ships so bought are more 11 Ax. 3. For things will be so much preserved as less of them is expended 12 Pet. 4. But so much less English Timber will be expended in building English Ships for all other Trades but the Newcastle East-Indie and Turkie Trades by so many forrein Ships as the English buy in other Trades 13 Pet. 4. And the free permission of the English to buy forrein Ships in all other Trades but the Newcastle East-Indie and Turkie Trades may cause so many more forrein Ships to be bought as the permission is more free Therefore it may so much preserve the Timber of England Annot. And if it may preserve the Timber of England I am sure it is more than time the English were permitted to buy Ships in all other Trades but the Newcastle East-Indie and Turkie Trades for by reason the Act of Navigation confines the English to Trade and make Returns into the Ports of England only in English-built Ships the English have not only not been able to build one ship for the Norway-trade for Timber or the forrein Trade of white Herring or Cod caught upon the Coasts of England and Scotland since the Rump-Parliament contrived the Act of Navigation but to maintain the niggardly Trades we now drive wherein upon the matter we consume all the Returns of our Manufactures and the Product of our Plantations The Timber of England is so wasted that in any convenient distances for building Ships there is not ¼ of Timber left standing as was when the Rump-Parliament invented this Law See more hereof in the Annot. upon the 10 11 12 and 13 Propositions of The equal Danger of the Church State and Trade of England I have with as much Zeal endeavoured yet without success to represent this to the Parliament and the dire Consequences of it so far as I understood the Timber of England to be wasted upon the Coasts of Norfolk Suffolk and Essex And being last Easter-Eve was twelvemonth at Bristol some Gentleman and I went to see the Oxford Frigat then ready to be Lanched and built by Captain Baily a very Civil person and I believe an excellent Builder After some discourse I asked him if English Timber were plentiful in the West of England and he told me he with great difficulty got Timber to build this Frigat and that in building the Edgar-frigat he bought the Timber twelve miles beyond Worcester which is 50 miles from Bristol I then asked him what he thought of the State of the Nation as it now stands in reference to the Navigation of it in English-built Ships whenas the Ring with such difficulty built one Man of War he told me it was impossible to be continued and that he had more reason than another to know it for besides his long being accqstiomed to build Ships he had order from the King to survey his Western and Southern Forests and to return an Account of it to the King himself I thanked him and told him I was equally sorry with him for the condition of the Nation yet was glad a man of his Knowledge and Experience had the same apprehensions as I had though with all the Sollicitations I could use I was so far from getting relief to the Nation herein as that I could not get the Apprehensions he had herein to be received by the Parliament Prop. 9. Theorem 9. The free permission of the English to buy Ships in all other Trades but the Newcastle East-Indie and Turkie Trades will more secure them and also the Sovereignty of the British Seas to the Crown of England 2 Ax. 4. For things will be so much more secured as the means of preserving them are more 14 Pet. 4. But the Turkie East-Indie Newcastle-Trades and the Sovereignty of the British Seas to the Crown of England are more secured by means of ships built of English Timber 8 Prop. 4. And the free permission of the English to buy Ships in all other Trades but the Newcastle East-Indie and Turkie Trades will more preserve the Timber of England Therefore it will so much more secure the Newcastle East-Indie and Turkie Trade and the Sovereignty of the British Seas to the Crown of England Annot. If we consider how much the Newcastle-trade increases as does the East-Indie-trade and how much greater the Dutch War-fleet is than the King 's of England And that as the case stands the Newcastle-trade is necessary and the East-Indie-trade very beneficial to the Nation it may be a question if the growth of these Trades and the necessities of increasing the Navy Royal will not require greater quantities of Timber than for the future can be found in convenient distances in England however to preserve these it is very reasonable the English be permitted to buy Ships in all their other Trades Prop. 10. Theorem 10. The free permission of the English to buy Ships in all their other Trades but the Turkie East-Indie and Newcastle-Trades may increase the Navigation of England 3 Ax. 4. For things may be so much increased as the means are increased 22 Pet. 1. But Ships are means in Navigation 15 Pet. 4. And the free permission of the English to buy Ships in all other Trades but the Newcastle-trade c. may increase the ships of England Therefore it may increase the Navigation of England Annot. So that this permission as it will more secure the Sovereignty of the British Seas the Newcastle East-Indie and Turkie Trades so it may increase the Navigation of England in our Trades to and from our forrein Plantations the Trades to Hamburg into the Sound Muscovy France and Spain but especially to Norway for Timber Pitch and Tar in which Trade as we never built one ship
Turkie we have the benefit of compounding Freights with Pepper and Callico's better than they and if we please may have as much benefit above them in Ballasting Ships with Coals and with compounding Freights of Lead Tin Leather Calve-skins of Sugars and Chocoletta Tobacco's and other products of our Plantations as the Dutch have over us in their Spice-trade which takes up but little lading in these Trades and Navigation Coroll By the same reason the free permission of Forreigners to make Returns of Goods exported into the Ports of England and to export them may increase Navigation to and from the Ports of England 1 Pet. 4. For Trade to and from the Ports of England is a principle of Navigation to and from the Ports of England 2 Pet. 4. And the free permission of Forreigners to make Returns of Goods exported into the Ports of England and export them may increase Trade to and from the Ports of England Annot. This permission will increase Navigation to and from the Ports of England so will the Returns of these and exporting them again and so infinitely And in all these Trades and Navigations the forrein Trades of our Manufactures and Growths and Fish caught upon our Coasts will receive this benefit that if any part of the World wants any of these Goods and but in a little measure stand in need of our Goods these Goods of ours may finde forrein vent which otherwise would not of themselves pay the charge of the Voyage This permission also would create a constant Trade and Navigation to and from the Ports of England whereby the people upon the Coast and from all parts of England would finde a constant employment infinite other benefits would accrue hereby to the Country and Lands of England in Victualling Ships c. which can neither be foreseen or enumerated This King's Duties and the employment of English Ships and Mariners are usually opposed to this Permission But the Opposition is without consideration of the nature of Trade the King's Revenue or Navigation For Trade being a principle to the King's Revenue and Navigation which depends upon it both the King's Revenue and Navigation may be infinitely increased as the forrein Trades of the Nation or the forrein Trade of other Commodities driven from the Ports of England are increased But if men begin at the Consequences viz. the King's Revenue and Navigation and Tax Trade higher than it can bear or restrain it only to such Ships so that Trade hereby becomes lost so does the King's Revenue and the Navigation But because of the Importance of it we will therefore more intently compare the Loss the King shall receive by this Permission and what will be the damage of our English Navigation and Mariners and if any be to either whether it may not be otherways over-ballanced Herein I say that this permission of Forreigners to inhabit and Fish from the Ports of England and to vend their white Herring in forrein Trade and to import and export all sorts of forrein Commodities and make Returns into the Ports of England will not diminish the Kings Revenue though they paid no Duties nor the employment of English Ships and Mariners for we employ no Shipping or Mariners in it nor hath the King any Revenue thereby whereas by it the King's Revenue would be hereby so much increased as the consumption of Beer Ale and all other Exciseable Commodities are more and our English Mariners in all outward and inward Voyages may finde employment I do not believe unless it be for French Wines imported and consumed in England the King's Duties imported and exported out of Harwich-Haven from whence all the Trade the Dutch drive in the East and North-East might be better driven than from all the Ports of the Vnited Netherlands amount to 300 l. per Annum Nor do we employ one Vessel or Mariner to any part of the World from thence upon the forrein Trade of Goods imported Even the Town of Tarmouth which we so much boast of is so far from carrying on any Trade upon this account that I am told they cannot supply any part of the World with a piece of Norwich-stuff though the Navigation between Norwich and them be very commodious Is it not a shame then that such prodigious Trades and Navigations upon this account should from the other side of the Water be driven from worse and more incommodious Harbours whilest we employ not one Vessel or Mariner in any of them And what is affirmed of Yarmouth and Harwich I believe is as true of all the other Ports of England except London As Harwich is of all others the most opportune and excellent Harbour for the East and North-East parts of Europe so is Falmouth for the South South-East West and South-West parts of the World I cannot tell what the King's Duties for Goods imported there yearly arise to nor whether within the Harbour there be any good Towns for reception of Merchants and Storehouses for Goods But I think I may safely affirm that in all Christendom is not so healthful and delicate a place for Warehouses and reception of Merchants as Ipswich is the Town so clean though an even Level that after the greatest Rains in the depth of Winter a man in Slippers may walk the Town over without wetting his Feet And though Ships of 200 Tun burthen may come up to the Key yet every Street is watered with the purest and sweetest Water of any place I ever came in To these may be added that standing in the Bosome of the most Fertile County of Suffolk which conjoyns with the no less Fertile County of Essex it is or I am sure might be supplied with all sorts of Provisions by Land equal to any other And if these two Ports were made free for Importation and Exportation of Goods by all Nations and the same Revenue continued to the King and that it were free for all people to inhabit in England and to Fish and Trade with Fish into forrein parts and make Returns into England I should be content the rest of the Ports of the Nation should enjoy their Priviledges so long as they pleased The King of Sweden made Gottenburgh free but for seven years which has made it the most flourishing Town for Trade in the North-East So did the Duke of Florence Legorne whereby it excels all other Ports in the Mediterranean yet neither of these any ways comparable in any respect to Falmouth or Ipswich But if this cannot be had I must submit yet I hope it will not be urged it will be to the detriment of the King's Revenue or hinder the English Navigation or employment of our Mariners Another Objection made against the free permission of Forreigners to import Goods is that the greatest Returns which the Dutch make from Dantzick is in Corn whereby they supply their own necessities which in case it were imported into England would make a glut here and bring down the prices of our
ENGLAND's Improvements In Two PARTS In the Former is Discoursed How the Kingdom of ENGLAND May be Improved In STRENGTH EMPLOYMENT WEALTH TRADE By Encreasing The Value of Lands The Revenues of the Crown and Church Peace and Amity with Forein Nations Without any Charge to the Subject In the Latter is Discoursed How the Navigation of ENGLAND May be Increased And the Soveraignty of the British Seas more Secured to the Crown of England TREATISE III. By ROGER COKE LONDON Printed by J. C. for Henry Brome at the Gun at the West-end of St. Pauls 1675. To his Highness The most Illustrious Heroick Highborn PRINCE RVPERT Count Palatine of the RHINE AND Duke of BAVARIA and CUMBERLAND c. THe Common Law of England most eminent Prince makes great difference between the Inheritance of the Crown of England and the Estates of Subjects for the next Heir though of half Bloud shall inherit the Crown Thus did Queen Mary inherit the Crown from Edward though but of half Bloud to him So did Queen Elizabeth from Queen Mary yet was but of half Bloud to her But no Subject of half Bloud shall inherit any Estate but for want of an Heir of the whole Bloud it shall Escheat to the King or the Lord upon whom the Estate was held And as the Common Law makes this difference in Bloud so does it in the Inheritance of the Crown and men born out of the Allegeance of the King For no person born out of the Allegeance of the King shall Inherit any Estate from any English Subject but the Heir of the Crown shall Inherit wheresoever he be born Thus did King James your Highness Grandfather and the happy Vniter of the British Monarchy Inherit the Crown of England yet was not born in the Allegeance of it The King of England though born a Forreigner may purchase and hold an Estate in England but no other Forreigner though born of Subjects to the Crown of England shall take an Estate by Purchase but the King shall have it The Reason of these differences I do not understand For as the Law secures the Inheritance of the Crown so doth it make a bar between this Nation and all others who desire to become Subject to it But if there were anciently any reason for this Law it is now ceased since the peopling the American Plantations the repeopling Ireland the Wars and late Great Plague have lost and consumed so many people out of England As the Common Law debars the Nation of any future supply for all these Losses so some Acts of Parliament have put the Nation into a Hostile condition with the World There was a Law made in the 5 of Rich. 2. c. 3. which forbid the English to carry forth or bring in Merchandize but in Ships of the King's Allegeance and the Marriners or more part Subjects but this Law was so intolerable that the next year viz. 6 Rich. 2. c. 8. the English had liberty to Trade in Forrein Vessels where others could not be had But this Law thus qualified by the Authority of the 1 Eliz. cap. 13. caused great displeasure between Forrein Princes and the Kings of this Realm and the Merchants were sore grieved and damaged thereby Therefore for the encrease and Continuation of Amity both the Laws made by Rich. 2. were Repealed and the English had liberty given them to carry out and bring in Merchandize in any Vessels paying Strangers Duties but if there were War or any restraint of English Ships then to pay but ordinary Duties But the English had liberty given them at all times to import Masts Raff Pitch and Tar in any Vessels paying ordinary Duties the former being for the preservation of the Timber of England the latter for the benefit of the Navy But the Rump-Parliament designing a War against the Dutch without any consideration of this Law or of the Statute of 14 Rich. 2. c. 6. whereby the Merchants of England in any Realm might freight forrein Ships to that Realm if the Ships of that Realm would not take reasonable Gains or of the 35 Eliz. 11. for the preservation of the Timber of England or of the 17 Car. 1. for Importation of Gunpowder which themselves had made all which yet stand in force and are unrepealed made a Thing Intituled An Act for encouragement and encrease of Shipping and Navigation commonly called The Act of Navigation whereby the English are forbid to import any forrein Goods unless in English-built Ships whether they can get them or not and Sailed by ¾ English upon penalty of confiscation of Goods Guns Tackle Apparel and Ammunition A War they designed and a War they had with the Dutch which lasted longer than their Government and so they left the Nation engaged in a War abroad and the Laws at War at home But though the Nation be freed from the Tyranny of the Rump yet it still labours under the miserable effects of this Law for with some few alterations it twice received the Royal Stamp viz. 12 Car. 2. 18. and 13 Car. 2. 14. As the terrour of this Law has put this Nation into a Hostile condition with the World so hath it suspended all those good Laws made by Queen Elizabeth and King Charles the first for preservation of the Timber of England and the maintenance and support of the Navy Royal whereby the Nation may be best secured from the danger of a forrein War Your Highness at your leisure may read how many other ways the Trade and Navigation of England have suffered under this Law as well in the former Treatises as these which now implore your Highness Protection In this condition then was the Nation involved in a War with the Dutch under the Glory and Conduct of your Highness who though descended from the Royal Extraction of the first Monarch of Great Britain yet is your Highness a Forreigner born and so not regarded by these Laws and therefore had little reason to expose your self to such imminent danger in defence of them if your innate affection for the Honour and Happiness of the English Nation did not otherways transcend all obstacles against it The Nation as well as his Majesty by a universal suffrage was satisfied with the necessity of your Conduct for the preservation of it I wish it were as well understood that these Laws and some other Grants and Vsages have made the Dutch so powerful to oppose it and the Nation in no better condition to prescribe Laws to them But Sir the vertue of your Noble minde is not circumscribed within the Pale of Military Discipline but extends to an Integrity and Judgement in Counsel equal to your Valour and Conduct in War And the Nation stands not in less need of your Counsel at home than it did of your Conduct abroad for as the Case stands though God should have Crowned your Conduct with such desired success as to have obtained an entire Victory against the Dutch yet could not this
any forrein Government becomes subject to the Government of it not to the Religion of it and though God often punished the Jews for not observing the Religion and Ceremonies he prescribed them yet for conservation of Society and Commerce does he often pronounce great Judgments to them if they oppressed the Stranger in the Land though perhaps in less than paying Strangers duties Nor did I ever read of any forrein people who in any Country where they enjoyed a Religion they were bred in did make any disturbance upon the account of it But suppose which I do not grant that liberty of Religion to the Natives of a place be necessary for inlarging Trade and Commerce yet is this more tolerable in a Monarchy than a Commonwealth For Monarchy is one and Indivisible and therefore diversities or Factions in Religion can make no Confusions in it whereas Popular Governments being compounded of many are easily obnoxious to both Nor is it necessary that Trade and Commerce should only flourish in Popular Governments but within such places where it is more free and men are more secure their Interests may be better advanced This is evident in that the State of Genoua imposing 16 per Cent. upon goods imported made the Trade uneasie and the Duke of Florence who is as absolute a Prince as any with whom the Pope has to do taking the advantage of this Imposition by the States of Genoua did make Legorne a free Port whereby it is now under a Prince become the most flourishing place of Trade within the Streights And I have it from a good hand that when the French King about seven years since made Marseilles a free Port the Jews in Legorne considering that Marseilles was a better Harbour and France a nobler Country for Trade than Italy resolved to leave Legorn and establish themselves at Marseilles The Duke of Florence hereupon made an Edict That in case any Christian bought a Jews house it should be forfeit and this kept the Jews constant to Legorne where as in England if a Jew buys a house it is forfeit to the King I now desire my Reader to consider me in manifold respects and to bear with the Imperfections which I or it may be any other man may be subject to in a work of much less moment than one of this kinde For the Introduction of any business is more difficult than the progress And I do not know of any which has made an attempt upon this Subject in the differing parts of it before me I am also assured these Treatises will encounter many difficulties and discouragements Difficulties in being opposed by the Ignorant and Interessed for many particular persons may be interessed to the publick Detriment and these are known and many whereas in contending for the Publique I know not one who will be my Second Besides no man can so establish any Humane Action or Learning but he must submit the ends he designes to Gods Blessing which in a Luxurious and Effeminate Age cannot reasonably be expected yet I am assured no man can justly accuse me of any private designe of mine or reward I propound to my self other than if it pleases God now or hereafter to bless me so that these Treatises or any part of them may be useful to my Country or any one in it I may thank God I have not spent all my life in vain PETITIONS 1. MOney is Treasure 2. The Admission of forreigners to purchase Lands in England will add so much money to that of England as is expended therein 3. The admission of Forreigners to purchase Lands in England will cause so much greater numbers of people in England as the Purchasers are more 4. The admission of Forreigners to purchase Lands in England will cause so many less numbers of those in other places who may be Enemies of England as the Purchasers are more 5. Vnwrought Wools are Principles in Woollen Manufactures 6. The unwrought Wools of England and Ireland are more than are wrought in Woollen Manufactures in England 7. Tin and Iron are Principles in the Manufactures of Tin-plates 8. Lead and Potters Earth are Principles in many sorts of Earthen Manufactures 9. The Tin and Iron of England are more than is used in the Manufactures of Tin Plates 10. The Lead and Potters Earth of England are more than are used in Manufactures in England 11. The French and Dutch may have the Wools of Ireland Lincoln-shire Kent Sussex and Hampshire cheaper than the Wools of Ireland Derby-shire Nottingham-shire and other Midland Countries of England can be had at Colchester and Norwich 12. The free admission of Forreigners to work Woollen Manufactures in England will add so many more Agents therein as the Forreigners are more 13. The free admission of Foreigners to work Tin Plates in England will add so many more Agents in them as the Forreigners are more 14. The free admission of Forreigners to worke Earthen Ware in England will add so many Agents therein as the Forreigners are more 15. Forreigners may work Woollen and other Manufactures in England with less charge than in France or the United Netherlands viz. by the height of the Kings Duties upon Salt and Wine c. and the height of the Excise upon all sorts of Commodities consumed in the United Netherlands 16. Forreigners are more safe in working Woollen Manufactures in England than in France or the United Netherlands 18. The free admission of Forreigners to work Woollen and other Manufactures in England will cause so many more people in England as the Forreigners are more 19. Employment of people is a mean to encrease Trade 20. The free admission of Forreigners to instruct the Natives of England in Woollen and other Manufactures may more instruct the Natives of England 21. The free permission of the Natives of England to work Woollen and other Manufactures in the Corporations of England may so much more Employ the Natives of England as the Permission is more free 22. Corporations are the most convenient places in England to increase Trade 23. The free admission of Forreigners to work Woollen and other Manufactures in England will cause so much greater numbers of people in England as the Forreigners are more 24. The Crown Church State Laws Trade and Liberties of England are protected by the strength of England 25. The buying the Woollen and other Manufactures of England is a mean to vend them in forreign Trade 26. The Pre-emption of Freemen of Corporations restrains the buying our Woollen and other Manufactures to the Free-men of Corporations 27. Freedom in Trade is a mean to vend our Woollen and other Manufactures in forrein Trade 28. Trading in Companies exclusive to other men restrains the freedom of Trade of our Woollen and other Manufactures to such Companies 29. Exchanging forrein Goods for our Woollen and other Manufactures is a mean to have a Domestick Trade of our Woollen and other Manufactures 30. The Act of Navigation restrains the Importation
of Forreign Goods to English-built Ships and Sailed by ¾ English or the Ships and ¾ of the Natives whether they have Ships or Mariners or not 31. The Returns of Forreign Commodities Exchanged for our Woollen and other Manufactures is a mean to conserve a Forreign Trade of our Woollen and other Manufactures 32. The Act of Navigation restrains the Importation of Forrein Goods exchanged for our Woollen and other Manufactures to English-built Ships and Sailed by ¾ English 33. The free admission of Forreigners to buy the Woollen and other Manufactures of England will add so much more Money to the Money of England as is expended therein 34. Timber Pitch Tar Rough Hemp and Flax all sorts of Dying-Stuffs and many other Forrein Commodities may be made more valuable than the Manufactures exchanged for them in building Ships and Houses and in the Manufactures of Ropes Nets Sails and in Dying our Woollen Manufactures as they are more and cheaper 35. The free admission of Forreigners to exchange Timber Pitch Tar Rough Hemp and Flax all sorts of Dying-Stuffs and many other Forreign Commodities for our Woollen and other Manufactures may make those more and cheaper in England 36. Timber Pitch Tar Rough Hemp and Flax all sorts of Dying-Stuffs and many other forrein Commodities may be made more valuable by employing our people in Building and Manufactures than the Money paid for them as they are more and cheaper 37. The free Permission of Forreigners to sell Timber Pitch Tar Rough Hemp and Flax all sorts of Dying-Stuffs and many other forrein Commodities in England may make them more and cheaper 38. Less Treasure will be expended in Norway timber Pitch Tar forrein Hemp and Flax all sorts of Dying-Stuffs and all other forrein Commodities if they be cheaper vended in England 39. The free permission of Forreigners to import all forrein Goods may make them cheaper vended in England 40. The Importation of Irish Cattle is a mean whereby the Kingdom of Ireland may hold a Trade with us for our Woollen and other Manufactures 41. The Repealing the Acts of the 18 and 20 Car. 2. cap. 1. makes the Importation of Irish Cattle more into England 41. Goods are Riches 42. The free admission of Forreigners to import Goods into England may add so much more Goods to those of England as the Importation is more free 43. The Exporting forreign Commodities with our Manufactures those of our Plantations and the Fish caught upon our Coasts is a mean to encrease the forreign Trade of them 44. The free Importation of forreign Goods may so much encrease the Exportation of them with our Manufactures those of our Plantations and the Fish caught upon the Coasts of England and Scotland as the Importation is more free 45. The free Permission of Forreigners to import forreign Goods into England will cause so many greater numbers of people in England as the Forreigners importing Goods are more 46. The Ports of England are more better more conuenient and safe than those of France or the United Netherlands 47. The forreign Trade of forreign Goods with our Woollen and other Manufactures is a mean to encrease the forrein Trade of our Woollen and other Manufactures 48. The free Importation of forrein Goods into England may make them so much cheaper as the Importation is more free 49. The free Exportation of Money with our Woollen and other Manufactures may cause more Money to be Exported in the forreign Trade of them 50. The Returns of Commodities Exchanged in Forreign Trade for our Woollen and other Manufactures is a mean to encrease the forrein Trade of them 51. The Returns of forrein Commodities exchanged for our Woollen and other Manufactures may be so much more as the Returns are more free Common Notions or Axioms 1. EVery thing will be so much encreased as is added to it 2. Things may be so much cheaper done as the Principles may be cheaper had 3. If things may be encreased they may be encreased by more Agents 4. Things may be so much cheaper done as done with less charge 5. Things may be more securely done where the Agents are more safe in doing them 6. Things may be so much encreased as the means are more 7. Things may be more conveniently done where the places are more convenient 8. Things will be so much more secure as the means of protecting them are encreased 9. Things will be so much endangered as the means of doing them are restrained 10. Any place will be so much enriched as things are made more valuable than the charge 11. Things will be so much conserved as they are less expended 12. Things may be so much cheaper done as the means are cheaper 13. Things may be so much conserved as the means are encreased 14. If more be added to more the whole will be more ENGLAND's Improvements Prop. 1. Theorem 1. THe Admission of Forreigners to purchase Lands in England will so much encrease the Treasure of England by how much more Money is Expended therein Act. The Admission of Forreigners to purchase Lands in England Question Whether it will so much encrease the Treasure of England c. I say it will 1 Ax. 3. For every thing will be so much encreased as is added to it 1 Pet. 3. But money is Treasure 2 Pet. 3. And the Admission of Forreigners to purchase Lands in England will add so much Money to that in England as is expended therein Therefore it will so much encrease the Treasure of England which was to be demonstrated Annot. And we retain the Land still and so the Gain is clear to the Nation Mr. Mun in his Excellent Treatise chap. 4. of English Treasure by Forreign Trade affirms it to be the onely expedient to encrease the Treasure of the Nation whereas it is demonstratively apparent that the Admission of Forreigners to purchase Lands in England will encrease it and that more certainly and surely I say this will more certainly encrease the Treasure of England for it necessarily so much encreases it as the Money expended in it does amount to Whereas sometimes the Merchant loses by Forrain Trade whereby the Nation as well as Merchant loses of the Treasure of the Nation And in the Purchasing of Land by Forreigners the Nation ventures nothing and so cannot lose any Treasure or Land by it whereas oftentimes the Ships and all the Lading is lost in Forrain Trade to the loss of the Nation and undoing the Merchant But the Purchasing Lands by Natives does not encrease the Treasure of England but diverts so much Money from carrying on the beneficial Trades of England as is expended therein and many other Inconveniencies accrue to the Nation by it which do largely appear in the Annot. upon the 3d Cor. of the 26 Prop. of the Equal Danger of the Church State and Trade of England Prop. 2. Theorem 2. The Admission of Forreigners to purchase Lands in England will so much encrease the Valuable Trades of England
as the Purchasers are more Act. The Admission of Forreigners to purchase Land in England Question Whether it would so much encrease the Valuable Trades of England I say it would 2 Ax. 1. For in every thing the Effects will be as the Causes are 2 Pet. 1. But greater numbers of People encrease Trade 3 Pet. 3. And the Admission of Forreigners to Purchase Lands in England will cause so much greater numbers of people in England as the Purchasers are more Therefore it will so much encrease the Valuable Trades of England which was to be demonstrated Annot. Greater numbers of People encrease Trade This is evident as hath been said in the Nature of Man in that every man stands in need of being supplied by another Every one of these Forreigners and of their Family will wear Clothes Stockings Shooes and other necessaries and furnish their Houses whereby so much a greater Trade must ensue as the Forreigners are more and so many poor people employed by them who otherways can have no Employment By the Rule of Contraries then so many People as leave the Country to encrease other places so much decreases the Trade of the Country and encreases it in those other places And I appeal to any man who hath been conversant in the Country these last twenty years whether he hath not found this to be so by Experience Coroll By the same Reason the Admission of Forreigners to Purchase Lands in England will so much encrease the Value of the Lands of England as the Purchasers are more 6 Pet. 1. For Lands are valuable as the Trade of the place is Prop. And the Admission of Forreigners to Purchase Lands in England will so much encrease the valuable Trades of England as the Purchasers are more Annot. As these Forreigners would employ so many more people in supplying their Necessities as the Forreigners are more whereby those people would be enabled to pay for what they buy of the Country-Farmor so would the Forreigners themselves eat drink whereby the Farmor's Vent would be still encreased and so the Lands both ways become more Valuable It is an old saying and true That Plenty makes Cheapness Wheresoever therefore that Lands are plentiful in Proportion to the People there the Lands are Cheap And wheresoever the people are plentiful in Proportion to the Lands they are Dear I may give an instance herein in Ireland and the Isle of Ely and many other places of England where though the Lands themselves be fruitful yet by reason of the Thinness of People and little Trade they are of little Value Whereas the Lands of the Province of Holland not so good by reason of the multitudes of People and greatness of Trade were lately at 40 years purchase Mr. Mun in the 5th Chap. of England's Treasure by Forrain Trade affirms it to be the onely mean or expedient to improve the Value of the Lands of England whereas from the Reasons in this Coroll the Admission of Forreigners to Purchase Lands in England will more certainly and securely do it though it be onely upon the account of the encrease of Our Domestick Trade Thus we see that Lands which lie near places where great Markets and Fayrs are kept though upon things in our Domestick Trades are so much more valued as the Markets and Fayrs are greater If Lands be only Valuable as the Trade of the places is It is unreasonable then to have so many Courts of Judicature in reference to the Title and Security of the Lands of England and none for the Trade of it whereby they onely become Valuable Coroll 2. By the same reason the Admission of Forreigners to Purchase Lands in England will so much encrease the Value of the Revenues of the Church of England as the Purchasers are more 7 Pet. 1. For the Revenues of the Church of England are valuable as the Lands are valuable Cor. 1. And the Admission of Forreigners to purchase Lands in England will so much encrease the value of the Lands of England as the Purchasers are more Annot. And so would this Admission encrease the Revenues of the Crown not only in the value of the Crown-Lands but in the consumption of all Exciseable Commodities which will be so much more as the Purchasers are more Coroll 3. By the same reason the Admission of Forreigners to purchase Lands in England will so much encrease the Strength of it as the Purchasers are more 4 Pet. 1. For greater numbers of People encrease Strength 3 Pet. 3. And the Admission of Forreigners to purchase Lands in England will cause so much greater numbers of People in England as the Purchasers are more Annot. The Glory Majesty and Grandeur of every Prince consists not in the greatness of their Territories but in the number of their Subjects and good government of them but the Subject must first be before they can be well governed From hence it is that the Vnited Provinces dare oppose two so great Monarchs as the King of Great Britain and the French King by Sea and Land though their Territories be above three hundred times greater more Healthful and better seated for Trade And I think that though the Countries of Norway Finland Lapland and Muscovy be above ten thousand fold more yet the one Province of Holland was more considerable for Strength and Wealth than all of them for though the numbers of those People be above one thousand fold more than them of Holland yet by reason of the vastness of those Territories the people are Thin in proportion to the Lands and therefore neither for Strength or Commerce scarce useful By the Admission of Forreigners to purchase Lands in England we Conquer without a War we make no man miserable or impose any unwilling subjection upon any man we run no hazard of uncertainty we impose no Taxes and by it we encrease the Treasure and Trade of the Nation the value of the Lands of the Nation and of the Revenues of the Crown and Church and of the Strength of the Nation Coroll 4. By the same reason the Admission of Forreigners to purchase Lands in England will so much diminish the strength of those who may be Enemies of England as the Purchasers are more 5 Pet. 1. For lesser numbers of People diminish strength 4 Pet. 3. And the Admission of Forreigners to purchase Lands in England will cause so many less numbers of those who may be Enemies of England as the Purchasers are more Annot. So that the Admission of Forreigners to purchase Lands in England is doubly beneficial to it not only in strengthning of it but in diminishing the strength of them who may be the Enemies of it I believe no man thinks but if the Progenies of so many Progenitors of English and French as were born in the Vnited Netherlands when they supported them against the Spaniard were now in England and France but that England and France would have been much more able to have opposed them and the
Dutch in so much worse a condition to have made War against either Prop. 3. Theorem 3. Woollen Manufactures may be so much encreased in England as the unwrought Wools of England and Ireland are more Subject Woollen Manufactures Question Whether they may be encreased in England c. I say they may 1 Ax. 3. For things may be so much encreased as the Principles are more than are used 5 Pet. 3. But unwrought Wools are Principles in Woollen Manufactures 6 Pet. 3. And the unwrought Wools of England and Ireland are more than are used in Woollen-Manufactures in England Therefore Woollen-Manufactures may be encreased in England Annot. If we encrease our Woollen-Manufactures in England these Benefits will accrue to the Nation First If one pound of Wooll worth one shilling made into one piece of Cloath or Stuff becomes worth ten shillings then is the Manufacture nine times more valuable to the Nation than the Land on which it is renewed and ten times more people are employed therein than the Shepherds and Clippers of the Wooll are And this Employment not only at one time of the year as the Shearing of Sheep is but always Secondly This would be a great comfort and encouragement to the Country Farmer to pay his Rent and maintain his Family whereas now the Wools of England not being wrought at home and so the Farmer not finding a Market at home becomes undone and not able to pay his Rent and if he seeks a Market abroad with it to sustain his Family and pay his Rent he commits Felony by the Law made 14 Car. 2. 18. Thirdly The working the Wools of Ireland in England would be ninefold more beneficial to England than the Wools to Ireland whereas by Transporting our Wools other places get so much benefit to our loss Corollary 1. By the same Reason the Manufactures of Tin-Plates may be encreased in England 7 Pet. 3. For Tin and Iron are Principles in the Manufactures of Tin-Plates 9 Pet. 3. And the Tin and Iron of England are more than is used in the Manufactures of Tin-Plates Annot. If we wrought the Manufactures of Tin in England the Nation would not only gain so much as the Manufacture becomes more worth than the Principles in Forreign Trade but we might employ many thousands of poor people who are and will be a Burthen to the Nation and also preserve all that Treasure which is expended by buying them of the Dutch and Hamburger Coroll 2. By the same Reason many sorts of Earthen Manufactures may be encreased in England 8 Pet. 3. For Lead and Potters Earth are Principles in many sorts of Earthen Manufactures 10 Pet. 3. And the Lead and Potters Earth of England are more than are used in Manufactures Annot. It is almost incredible what sums of Money are yearly sent into Holland for Earthen-ware though it be evident they have their Lead and Potters Earth from England whereby we do as much inrich them as impoverish our selves by not working them in England But our Manufactures both in Tin and Earthen-ware are so inconsiderable in England that Lead and Tin is Transported paying the King some Duties but by reason of the benefits which accrue to the Nation by Woollen-Manufactures Wooll is totally prohibited to be Transported whereas if the Manufactures of Lead and Tin were established in England the Reason against Exportation of them would be the same as of Wooll Prop. 4. Problem 1. How the Dutch and French may and do work Woollen-Manufactures made of the Wools of Ireland and the Eastern and Southern parts of England cheaper than the English at Colchester and Norwich Agents Are the Dutch French and English Question How the Dutch and French may and do work Woollen Manufactures c. cheaper Construction By the 11 Pet. 3. the Dutch and French may have Wools from Ireland the Coast of Lincoln-shire Kent Sussex and Hampshire cheaper than the Woolls of Ireland Derby-shire Nottingham-shire Lincoln-shire c. can be had at Norwich or Colchester by Water and Land-carriage I say the Dutch and French may work the Manufactures cheaper 2 Ax. 3. For things may be so much cheaper done as the Principles may be cheaper had 5 Pet. 3. But Wools are Principles in Woollen Manufactures 11 Pet. 3. And the French and Dutch may have the Wools of Ireland and Lincoln-shire c. cheaper by Water than they can be had at Norwich and Colchester by Land and Water-carriage Therefore the Dutch and French may work the Manufactures cheaper Annot. Though the smalness of the difference of the Prices of Land and Water-carriage from Ireland and the Midland-parts of England to Norwich and Colchester more than the Water-carriage from Ireland Lincoln-shire c. to the Ports of France or the Vnited Netherlands seem inconsiderable yet in the prospect of the consequences of it in reference to the Forrein Trade of them it is very considerable For if it be better as it is for any Nation to earn one thousand pound more or less by the employment of People as in the Vnited Netherlands than to have one thousand pound gotten to a Nation and the People not employed in it as in Spain And if two in the hundred charge in any place more than in another not subject to it may gain the whole hundred pound where otherwise they Trade upon equal terms then the whole hundred pound as it will be lost to that place will be gain'd to this It is true indeed if we had a Monopoly of Vending our Manufactures in Forrein Trade small charges were inconsiderable but now the Swede Silesians the Elector Palatine and other Princes of Germany have established Woollen Manufactures in their Countries and the French Dutch and Venetians have enlarged their Forrein Trades of Woollen Manufactures we are only secure of a Forrein Trade of our Woollen Manufactures so long as we can supply the World cheaper and better than they can Having so often given instances in the former and this Treatise of the Subject Agent Act and Question of every Prop. for the future we shall omit repeating them Coroll By the same Reason the English may work Woollen Manufactures made of Irish wooll in the Western parts of England and Wales and also Woollen Manufactures made of the Wools of the Midland Eastern and Southern parts of England cheaper than the French or Dutch 5 Pet. 3. For Wools are Principles in Woollen Manufactures 12 Pet. 3. And the English in the Western parts of England and Wales may have the Woolls of Ireland cheaper than the French or Dutch 13 Pet. 3. So the English may have the Wools of the Midland Eastern and Southern parts of England cheaper Annot. And as they have the Wools cheaper so may the Wools of Ireland be wrought in the Port-Towns of the West of England and Wales And the Wools of the Midland Southern and Eastern parts of England may be wrought in Port-Towns or places where the Manufactures without much Land-carriage of the Wools and
into Prop. 11. Theorem 10. The free Admission of Forreigners to work Woollen and other Manufactures in England may encrease the value of the Land of England 2 Ax. 1. For in every thing the Effects will be as the Causes are 6 Pet. 1. But Lands are valuable as the Trade of the place is 6 Prop. 3. And the free Admission of Forreigners to work Woollen and other Manufactures in England may encrease Trade in England Therefore it may encrease the value of the Lands of England Coroll 1. By the same reason the free Admission of the Natives of England to work Woollen and other Manufactures in England may encrease the value of the Lands of England 6 Pet. 1. For Lands are valuable as the Trade of the place is Coroll 3. Prop. 10. And the free Admission of the Natives of England to work Wollen and other Manufactures in England may encrease Trade in England Annot. upon this Prop. and Coroll So that though the Benefits which the Nation will reap by the free Admission of Forreigners and the Natives of England to work Woollen and other Manufactures would begin at Corporations yet would they not end there For Lands are onely valuable as the Crop or feeding Cattle on them finde a Market and therefore no man will Plow Sow or seed Cattle when he cannot hope for a Market and by consequence Lands are of little or no value where the people are few or none or if the people be poor they are of a poor value But both ways the free Admission of Forreigners and the Natives of England to work Woollen and other Manufactures will not only encrease the Markets with more people but also enable them to give the Farmor so much better prices for his Commodities as their Employments are better and therefore the Interest of the King Nobility Gentry and others who are owners of Lands are so much concerned herein as the value of their Lands would be hereby improved Coroll 2. By the same reason the free Admission of Forreigners to work Woollen and other Manufactures in England may encrease the value of the Revenues of the Church 7 Pet. 1. For the Revenues of the Church of England are valuable as the Lands of England are valuable Prop. And the free Admission of Forreigners to work Woollen and other Manufactures in England may encrease the value of the Lands of England Coroll 3. By the same reason the free Admission of the Natives of England to work Woollen and other Manufactures in England may encrease the value of the Revenue of the Church of England 7 Pet. 1. For the Revenues of the Church of England are valuable as the Lands of England are valuable Coroll 1. And the free Admission of the Natives of England to work Woollen and other Manufactures in England may encrease the value of the Lands of England Annot. upon the 2d 3d Corollaries As this free admission would encrease the value of the Revenues of the Church of England in reference to the Glebe-Lands and the Tythes of the Crops renewed upon the Lands in Villages so would it encrease the value of the Revenues of the Church in Corporations by how much the places would be better and more built and inhabited by a richer and better sort of Inhabitants And as this Admission may encrease the value of the Revenues of the Church so it may the Revenues of the Crown not only in the value of the Lands of the Crown but in the consumption of Beer Ale and all other Exciseable Commodities in England which will be so much more as the Forreigners by this Admission are more and may be so much more as the Natives by this mean may be better enabled to eat and drink more and better Coroll 4. By the same reason the free Admission of Forreigners to work Woollen and other Manufactures in England may encrease the strength of England 4 Pet. 1. For greater numbers of People encrease strength 23 Pet. 3. And the free admission of Forreigners to work Woollen and other Manufactures in England will cause so much greater numbers of People in England as the Forreigners are more Annot. Though Tradesmen and Artificers make not so good and hardy Souldiers as those who live in the Country and are of more robust lives yet I am sure they are better than none and the late King found by woful experience that the Companies made up of the Apprentices and Tradesmen of London were very good Souldiers and by good experience found that both were very serviceable to him Prop. 12. Theorem 11. The free Admission of Forreigners to work Woollen and other Manufactures in England may more secure the Crown Church State Laws and Liberties of England 9 Ax. 3. For things will be more secure as the means of Protecting them be encreased 24 Pet. 3. But the Crown Church State Laws Trade and Liberties of England are protected by the strength of England Coroll And the free admission of Forreigners to work Wollen and other Manufactures in England may encrease the Strength of England Therefore it may more secure the Crown Church State Laws Trade and Liberties of England Annot. Though I could not give particular instances hereof in England yet I am as well assured of the reason in this Proposition as if I could Sure I am it was the errour of Christian Princes especially of Spain by first imposing upon their Subjects in their Religion and neglecting to take care of preserving them in their native Countries which hath so encreased the Dutch strength by Sea and Land that they are not only able to protect their own Trade Church State Laws and Liberties but to give Laws to very many of the Princes in Christendom and to most of the Mahumetan Princes in the East-Indies Besides this free admission of Forreigners to work Woollen Manufactures as it will encrease the strength of England so much more as the Forreigners are more and so much more secure the Crown Church State Laws Trade and Liberties of England so it will so much weaken those places from whence the Forreigners come as the residue will be less able to endanger the Crown Church c. of England But all these benefits as they receive their birth by the free admission of Forreigners and the Natives of England to work Woollen and other Manufactures in England so will they necessarily be strangled in their future growth if with equal freedom they finde not vent in Forrein Trade whereby the Nation may be as well supplied with Forrein Commodities whereof it stands in need as also other parts of the World enabled to hold Traffique and Commerce with us by mutual Exchange for our Manufactures whereof they stand in need But before we proceed herein it is requisite to introduce this Proposition and Corollaries which though more proper for the Treatise of The Danger of the Church State and Trade of England yet not being said there it is convenient they be inserted here Prop. 13.
Linnen Salt and other Commodities of France and so much lessen the Manufactures of France as he encreases his Navigation But the Dutch War is but an accident of the time and it is probable when the French King pleases he may make Peace with the Dutch and so restore the Dutch Navigation again to the trade of France But alas who can ever untwist the Treefold Cord of the Law against Naturalization the Act of Navigation and the Freedom of Corporations here in England Each of these is more mischievous to us here in England than the Dutch-War is to France for France as it is a Kingdom above threefold greater than England so in that proportion it is doubly more peopled and therefore may much better endure the Sequestration of the Dutch Navigation and establish it upon the account of the French than we can our Coast being almost desolate and so poor that they can scarce maintain their poor and so have neither Men nor Means to conserve the little Trades they have much less to encrease them and the Country scarce half Inhabited and so the Lands of England not half improved and at this day I believe the Nobility and Gentry have above twenty thousand Farms in their hands and to take these from Husbandry to people our Coast and encrease our Navigation will leave so many fewer in the Country yet to Eternity for ought is known we must continue in this Condition Coroll 1. By the same reason the free permission of Forreigners to sell Timber Pitch Tar Rough Hemp and Flax and many other sorts of Forrein Commodities in England may so much enrich the Nation as they may be made more valuable by the employment of our people 36 Pet. 3. For Timber Pitch Tar c. may be made more valuable by employing our people in building and their Manufactures as they are more and cheaper 37 Pet. 3. And the free permission of Forreigners to sell these in England may make them more and cheaper Annot. Though Trade where the Commodities are consumed to loss becomes so much more prejudicial and impoverishes any place so much as such consumption is And therefore as all beneficial Trades ought to be made free and by all means encouraged so it may seem reasonable that destructive Trades where things are vainly consumed and the employment of our people hindred thereby as are our Trades to France and Spain for Wines and to France for fine Linnen Lace Points and the importation of Dutch Black Clothes and French Hats and Druggets whereby the employment of our people is hindred and so much of the Treasure of the Nation exhausted as is spent in our consumption of them ought totally to be prohibited yet neerly looking into it such prohibition will prove dangerous to our Trade at home and abroad and also to the Peace of the Nation For first as every man stands in need of being supplied by another so does every place and therefore if we should prohibit the Importation of the Commodities of France though it be evident the Nation consumes them all to loss except Salt and Sails yet we cannot then but expect the French will likewise prohibit the Importation of our Welch Frizes and Exeter Carseys Leather Gloves Ribbons and several other Commodities whereby the employment of all our Artificers in them being taken away they become miserable and the Lands on which the Wools and the Cattle were renewed become less valuable The reason is the same if we prohibit the Importation of Dutch Black Clothes who take off many of our White Clothes and other Manufactures of England Secondly If we prohibit the French Hats Druggets and Dutch Black Clothes we put our selves and the World upon the Monopoly of having only such as the English make who will soon know the prerogative they enjoy hereby and make the English pay more for worse work than they did before and make them so dear and bad that we shall establish the Forrein Trade of such things to the French and Dutch whereas the Importation of these will be an Awe upon the English to make ours so good and cheap as to supply us and the world better or they will lose their employment And Lastly Such Prohibition causes Haâ—red and Heart-burning between Princes whereby oftentimes Wars ensue though under other pretences Therefore if my opinion were worthy to be admitted no Goods of any sort should be Prohibited but if any be imported which are Luxuriously consumed with little or no employment of the people as the Wines imported are they should pay the King the full value in their consumption but little or nothing if they could be again Transported for the importation is beneficial to the Nation by improving the Rents of Houses the employment of People in Lading and Ualading and in vending our Corn and Provision to the Importer But if an employment may happen to the People of the Nation if things were not imported as in fine Linnen Lace Points Blacks and Druggets encouragement should be given to all people to instruct ours in those Manufactures and such duties for some time imposed on the Importation that better hopes might be expected here than otherwise in working them Prop. 19. Theorem 18. The free permission of Forreigners to Import Timber rough Hemp and Flax all sorts of Dying-Stuffs and all sorts of Forrein Goods will so much conserve the Treasure of the Nation as they are cheaper sold 12 Ax. 3. For things will be so much conserved as they are less expended 38 Pet. 3. But less Treasure will be expended in Norway-Timber Pitch Tar Forrein Hemp and Flax and all sorts of Dying-Stuffs and all other Forrein Commodities if they be cheaper vended 39 Pet. 3. And the free permission of Forreigners to import Forrein Commodities will make them cheaper vended Therefore it will so much conserve the Treasure of the Nation Annot. Mr. Mun observes in his 4th chap. of England's Improvements by Forrein Trade that as Legorne is the most flourishing part in the Mediterranean in Trade so the Inhabitants have little Trade but for Goods imported by the Dutch and English which they buy for ready Money and that the Great Duke lent him 40000 Crowns for a year gatis though he knew it would be presently sent out of Italy into Turky to buy Commodities the Great Duke well understanding the returns would be profitable to him and his Subjects yet not by Manufactures which is the most profitable by employing people but by vending them and that by Land-carriage to Milan Piedmont and other places in Italy But if by reason of the Freedom of Legorne wrought Goods imported by Forreigners and bought with ready Mony be so profitable to the Duke of Florence and his Subjects I am sure the free Importation of unwrought Goods into England by Forreigners might be much more profitable to the King and his Subjects by employment of the English in their Manufactures And if that Permission which Oliver dispensed to the
English Norway-Traders for Timber had been continued by the King since his Restauration all that Money had been still conserved in the Nation which was expended in dearer buying Norway Timber imported by the Norwegians in building the City and Suburbs of London and other places and in building and repairing the Navy Royal and other ships of the English Navigation and so might all that superfluous dearness of rough Hemp and Flax whereby our people lost their employment yet in all England the King's duties did not amount to little more than 1500 l. per Annum and perhaps 20000 people might have been employed in the Manufactures of Cordage and Sails so we needed not have vainly been necessitated to have bought them of the Dutch and in our Wars with them of the French Prop. 20. Theorem 19. The free Admission of Forreigners to import Goods into England will so much encrease the Riches of England as the Goods imported are more 1 Ax. 3. For every thing will be so much encreased as is added to it 41 Pet. 3. But Goods are Riches 42 Pet. 3. And the free admission of Forreigners to import Goods into England will add so much Goods to those of England as the Importation is more free Therefore it will so much encrease the Riches of England Annot. I say this free admission of Forreigners to import Goods into England will more certainly enrich the Nation than can be reasonably expected by the returns of the Growths and Manufactures of England and our Plantations in Forrein Trade For the Nation is necessarily enriched so much as the value of the Goods imported by Forreigners amounts to Whereas the Merchant in return of Goods by Forrein Trade is not so secure but he may become a loser or if he or the Nation gains by the returns yet the gain is no more than the value of the Goods returned exceed the value of the Goods Exported which if 1 10 is very considerable whereas the Nation entirely gains the value of the Goods imported by Forreigners And in case the Merchant loses the outward Fraught or the returns of the Goods of England or our Plantations the Nation loses so much as the value of the Goods amount to But the Nation ventures nothing by the Importation of Goods imported by Forreigners yet necessarily gains so much as the Goods imported amount to in value And herein I observe that Goods being valuable as they can be vended the places where they are vended generally receive greater benefit by the Intercourse of People and the varieties of Trades and Traders than the places whereon the Goods are wrought and renewed So that though neither London Amsterdam Hamburg Legorne and many other frequented places have little or no Good of their own growth or Manufactures yet by reason of the frequencles of people in many varieties of Trades they receive much greater benefit than the places on which the Goods are wrought and renewed And I see no reason but if the Importation of Goods were as free in England as in Holland Zealand Hamburg Gottenburg Legorne c. but that our Ports might be as rich and flourishing as these and so much more as ours are better and more convenient Whereas by denying the World this freedom we continue the Poverty of the Towns upon the Coast of England which daily decline and even become desolate and necessitate the world to enrich and strengthen other places with those Riches and People which might be much better and securely enjoyed by us Prop. 21. Theorem 20. The free Importation of Forrein Goods into England may better more safely and conveniently encrease Riches in England than in France or the Vnited Netherlands 8 Ax. 3. For things may be better more conveniently and safely done where the places are better more convenient and safe 41 Pet. 3. But the Ports of England are more better and more convenient and safe than those of France or the Vnited Netherlands 20 Prop. 3. And the free Importation of Forrein Goods into England will so much encrease Wealth in it as the Goods imported are more Therefore it may better more safely and conveniently encrease Wealth in England than in France or the Vnited Netherlands Annot. If the Ports of England were as free as those of the Vnited Netherlands Hamburg or Gottenburg can any man believe the world would pass Falmouth the most excellent Port of the world and the most convenient for the Southern Western South-Eastern and South-western Trades the noble Ports of Plymouth Dartmouth Exmouth Falmouth the famous Ports of Portsmouth and Harwich equal to any other and of all others the most convenient for the Trade of the East and North-East parts of the World to encounter the Sands upon Zealand or the Rocks before Gottenburg or to be conveyed through the Vly and Texel into the Zuyder-Sea where they are so far from safety that 500 Sail have been stranded by one nights Tempest Our Ports and always as open for any Forrein Trade especially to the South or West as safe for Ships to come in Theirs are dangerous in the approach are unsafe within and commonly frozen up three or four Moneths in the year We have no need of the Mould of Genoua nor take care to draw our Ships over any Pampus to secure them from Storms in the Winter Though Hamburg be a mighty Town of Trade yet we have neither Gluestadt or Stoad to give Laws to our Trade in any of our Ports as both those do to Hamburg We have nothing to say for our selves but though God and Nature never did any thing in vain yet we have made our Ports vain to all the World and almost to our selves The King was pleased about the beginning of the late War with the Dutch to Issue out a Proclamation to invite the Dutch to come into the Ports of England and they and their Ships should enjoy as much priviledge as if they were Natural-born English and their ships English-built But then they had incurred the danger of Confiscation of Ships Goods Guns Tackle Apparel and Ammunition by the Act of Navigation They could not have unladed their Goods in any Port of England because they were not Free-men of Corporations they must have paid the King above twenty times the Duties before they broke Bulk more than at Hamburg or any Port of the Vnited Netherlands whereby they could never hope for any Forrein Trade by them or expect to vend one half of them in England And this must have been much to the detriment of the English Merchant who either had sufficient or expected to supply England in his future Trade so as not one Vessel came in upon that Proclamation The King was also pleased in that Proclamation to invite all sorts of Artificers to come into England and they should enjoy the benefits of Natural-born English but if they had come and had enjoyed them yet all other English-men are Forreigners to the Freedom of Corporations and so these could have
encrease the Navigation of England Therefore it will so much secure the Soveraignty of the British Seas to the Crown of England Annot. I say the Repealing of these Laws may encrease or rather restore the Navigation of England which it formerly enjoyed before them And in truth I am content this Trade and Navigation should so far as it can be carried on only by English yet in such Vessels as the English can manage it to their best benefit whereby only this Nation might be the Store-house of supplying the Irish with all sorts of Commodities they want and that the Nation might have the home-benefit of working their Wools and the forrein benefits of vending their Hides Tallow and Yarn c. for it is as much our Interest the English should enjoy these Trades and Navigation depending thereon as that only the English should have the benefit of the Trade and Navigation to our Plantations or the Dutch Interest alone to have the Spice-Trade and the Navigation which depends thereon But since Navigation is a mean of preserving the Sovereignty of the British Seas to the Crown of England the loss of it is as much dangerous to it It is not the number and greatness of the French Navy Royal which makes the French King neer so formidable at Sea as either the English or Dutch but their want of such Trades as might encrease their Navigation and Mariners Prop. 3. Theorem 3. The free admission of Forreigners to inhabit in England and in any Vessels to Fish and Trade into forrein parts with Fish caught upon the Coasts of England and Scotland may encrease the Navigation of England 1 Ax. 4. For business may be so much encreased as the Principles are encreased 5 Pet. 4. But Trade to and from the Ports of England is a principle of the Navigation of England 6 Pet. 4. And the free admission of Forreigners to inhabit in England and in any Vessels to fish and trade into forrein parts with Fish c. may encrease the Trade of England Therefore it may so much encrease the Navigation of England Annot. After the Navigation which may arise from the Trade of our Manufactures and the free Intercourse between England and Ireland I desire Navigation in England may be encreased by the Fishing Trade especially of the Fish caught upon the Coasts of England and Scotland not only as the Fish may be more conveniently caught by such as fish from the Ports of England if the King pleases to deny others to dry their Nets or take in Fresh Water in any of his Dominions but also the Freighting of Vessels with Beer and Provisions may be cheaper in the Fishery and forrein vent of Fish from the Ports of England besides the employment of many thousands of our poor people would be of infinite benefit to the Lands of England as the Fishery and forrein Trade of them should be encreased and the Towns upon the Eastern Coast of England which are now even desolate would become rich and populous Moreover it is a Scandal and dishonour to the Crown of England which contains the Sovereignty of the British Seas that the benefits which arise from these Seas should be lost to this Nation and established in others to their enriching and encrease of Navigation I say this free admission of Forreigners to inhabit in England and in any Vessels to fish and Trade into forrein parts with Fish caught upon the Coasts of England and Scotland may encrease the Navigation of England for thereby their Interest being planted in the Nation it would enjoy the fruits of their Trade and Navigation Nor do I understand how otherwise at least at present this Nation can hope to enjoy the Fishery upon the Coasts of England and Scotland or the forrein Trade of it or any part of it For the Inhabitants upon the Eastern Coast of England are so thin that the Towns upon it except Great Yarmouth are even desolate and so poor that they have no means to build or buy Vessels for this Trade nor have Factors or Agents in forrein parts whereby to entertain Trade and Commerce And also the Timber of England is so destroyed by the niggardly Trades we now enjoy whereby we can do little more than consume in England the Returns of our Manufactures and the Product of our Plantations that it is not long possible by it to maintain these Trades therefore less possible by it to establish the Fishing Trade which it may be will require more Shipping than we now employ in all the Trades we drive in the World Or in case we had quantities of Timber sufficient for carrying on the Fishing Trade yet would it be of no benefit to us in this Trade for the Fish cost nothing but the catching and the Hull of a Vessel for the Fishing Trade or Fishery may be built for ⅔ of what one of equal dimensions can be built in England and those built of English Timber are so heavy that they require ½ more Sails and Cordage to fit them up and so more Hands to manage them whereby it becomes impossible to the English to Fish and Trade so cheap as the Dutch and Hamburger Nor is this Mischief as the case stands possible to be remedied by Vessels built of forrein Timber in England for by reason of the high Duties upon it and the Advantages the Norwegians have by imposing their own Terms upon us the English at this day pay 30 l. per Cent. more for Timber imported than the Dutch or Hamburgers do Prop. 4. Theorem 4. The free Admission of Forreigners to Inhabit in England and in any Vessels to Fish upon the Coasts of England and Scotland and to Trade into forrein parts will so much encrease the Riches of England as the Vessels they Fish and Trade in are valuable 1 Ax. 3. For things will be so much encreased as is added to them 7 Pet. 4. But Fishing and Trading Vessels are Riches 8 Pet. 4. And the free admission of Forreigners to inhabit in England and in any Vessels to fish c. and Trade c. will add so many Vessels to those of England as they Fish and Trade in Therefore it will so much encrease the Riches of England Annot. This Admission of Forreigners to inhabit in England c. as it will so much enrich the Nation as the Vessels they Fish and Trade in are in value in case they bring Vessels into England so will it so much enrich the Nation in case they bought the Vessels here in England and employed them from the Ports of it For then the Nation retains the Vessels still and so much as is expended therein will be added to the Treasure of the Nation Since therefore the Nation will be so much enriched as the Vessels wherein Forreigners Fish and Trade from our Ports are in value I say that in case a Revenue for some time were established to pay every Forreigner who would inhabit in England and Fish upon the Coasts
of England and Scotland from any of the Ports of England â…“ or half the value of his Vessel the Nation would be â…” or twice so much a Gainer more than if any Native bought such forrein Vessel and for my part as poor as I am I should most willingly Contribute to such a Tax Prop. 5. Theorem 5. The free permission of Forreigners to make Returns of the Fish caught upon the Coasts of England and Scotland into the Ports of England and to export them may increase the Navigation of England 1 Ax. 4. For business may be so much increased as the principles are increased 5 Pet. 4. But Trade to and from the Ports of England is a principle to the Navigation of England 9 Pet. 4. And the free admission of Forreigners to make Returns of Fish caught upon the Coasts of England and Scotland into the Ports of England c. may increase the Trade of England to and from the Ports of England Therefore it may increase the Navigation of England Annot. And this Navigation may be so much better more conveniently and safely increased as our Ports are better more convenient and safe than those of Hamburg or the Vnited Netherlands Which being so I see no reason but that the Groenland Fishing and the returns thereof may be better more conveniently and safely carried on from the Ports of England than from Hamburg or the Vnited Netherlands in case the Fishing and Returns were as free here as there As the free Fishery upon the Coasts of England and Scotland may increase the Navigation of England so will the forrein vent of Fish and so will the Returns and Exporting them again from the Ports of England c. But as the dearness of Navigation may strangle the forrein vent of our Fish and fix the Trade and Navigation to other places so unless the Returns be as free and cheap in England as other places whereby they may again finde vent in forrein Trade though the outward Trade were as free and cheap as in other places yet it would be impossible to increase the fishing trade beyond the consumption of the Returns in England and the Moneys paid for them Prop. 6. Theorem 6. The free admission of Forreigners to Inhabit in England and to Fish and Trade in any Vessels to Forreign parts for Fish caught upon the Coasts of England and Scotland may more secure the Sovereignty of the British Seas to the Crown of England 2 Ax. 4. For things will be so much more secured as the means of preserving them are increased 10 Pet. 4. But Navigation is a mean of preserving the Sovereignty of the British Seas to the Crown of England 3 Prop. 4. And the free admission of Forreigners to inhabit Fish and Trade c. may increase the Navigation of England Therefore it may more secure the Sovereignty of the British Seas to the Crown of England Coroll By the same reason the free permission of Forreigners to make Returns of Fish caught upon the Coasts of England and Scotland and to Export them may more secure the Sovereignty of the British Seas to the Crown of England 10 Pet. 4. For Navigation is a mean of preserving the Sovereignty of the British Seas to the Crown of England 5 Prop. 4. And the free permission of Forreigners to make Returns of fish caught upon the Coasts of England and Scotland into the Ports of England and export them may increase the Navigation of England Annot. upon this Prop. and Coroll Navigation is a mean of preserving the Sovereignty of the British Seas to the Crown of England which being so the Navigation which arises from the Fishing-trade and the Returns into the Ports of England and exporting them again c. above all others will more secure the Sovereignty of the British Seas For in the Navigation which arises from the forrein Trade of our Manufactures it may be we employ not one Mariner to one thousand of those who are employed in working the Manufactures and it may be not one Vessel to ten thousand whereas even in the catching and curing the Fish we employ Vessels in Navigation and all the Men are Mariners or such as by it become Mariners Besides the Bulkiness of the Fish in forrein Trade employ so many more Vessels and Mariners as they are more Bulky than other Goods and the free Importing and Exporting of the Returns creates a new Trade and by consequence a new Navigation to the further employment of Shipping and Mariners so may the free returns of these and exporting them again and so infinitely whereby the Sovereignty of the British Seas may be infinitely more secured to the Crown of England Prop. 7. Theorem 7. The free admission of Forreigners to Inhabit in England and to Fish and Trade into forrein parts with Fish caught upon the Coasts of England and Scotland and freely to make returns into the Ports of England and Export them will so much diminish the Navigation of those who may be Enemies to the Crown of England as the Navigation of England shall be thereby increased 2 Ax. 1. For in every thing the Effects will be as the Causes are 11 Pet. 4. But the increase of the Navigation of England by Forreigners will so much diminish the Navigation of others who may be Enemies to the Crown of England 3 Prop. 4. And the free admission of Forreigners to Inhabit in England and to fish and trade into forrein parts c. will increase the Navigation of England 5 Prop. 4. So will the free permission of Forreigners to make Returns into the Ports of England and Export them c. Therefore it will so much diminish the Navigation of those who may be Enemies to the Crown of England Annot. It is said in a Treatise Licensed by the Authority of the Rump-Parliament in the additional Evidences p. 488. after Mr. Selden's Mare Clausum that the Dutch in the Fishery upon the Coasts of England and Scotland employed 8400 Vessels and 168000 Mariners and Fishers which however it may seem incredible yet if we consider the vast Fleets they yearly send into the Sound to Muscovy France Spain and Italy whose Freight is in a great measure made up of Fish caught upon the Coasts of England and Scotland besides the Busses and Mariners employed in the Fishery and the multitudes of Shipwrights Carpenters Smiths and all sorts of people employed in making Ropes Nets and Sails for the Fishery and Trades depending upon it without doubt the employment of people is very considerable and the Navigation even incredible it being the Basis of all the Trades the Dutch drive in the world all their other Trades and Navigation being upon the Principles acquired from other places originally derived from the Fishing-Trade It is a Shame and Scandal then besides the danger of it to the English Nation that it was never in any well-weighed Counsel considered from what Causes the Dutch in numerous Fleets for four Moneths in the year follow
the same reason the free permission of Forreigners to import Pitch Tar Ruff Hemp Flax and Timber may cheaper increase the Navigation of England 22 Pet. 1. For Shipping is a mean to increase Navigation 13 Prop. 4. And the free permission of Forreigners to import Pitch Tar Ruff Hemp and Flax and Timber may cheaper increase Shipping in England Annot. It is said the Dutch build Busses and Vessels for the Norway Trade of little other Timber but Fir and that in the Fishery these Busses will weather a Storm when the Dutch Men of War cannot abide it And if the Importation of Ruff Hemp and Flax Pitch Tar and Timber were as free in England as the Vnited Netherlands we might have the convenience of building and fitting up Busses and Vessels for the Fishery and Norway-Trade as cheap as the Dutch and also have the convenience of our Ports better more safe and convenient than theirs for the Fishery and Norway-Trade to boot besides the benefit of fresh Water and drying our Nets in the Fishery which the King in case it were established from our Ports might deny to them and also can cheaper freight Vessels for the Fishery and Norway Trade than can be from Hamburg or any Port in the Vnited Netherlands whereas by restraining and charging the Importation of Pitch Tar Ruff Hemp Flax and Timber we do not only lose all these benefits but establish them to the Dutch and Norwegians who will never thank us for it Prop. 14. Theorem 14. The free permission of Forreigners to import Pitch Tar Ruff Hemp Flax and Timber may more and cheaper secure the Sovereignty of the British Seas to the Crown of England 5 Ax. 4. For things will be so much more and cheaper secured as the means of preserving them are cheaper increased 4 Pet. 4. But Navigation is a mean of preserving the Sovereignty of the British Seas to the Crown of England Coroll And the free permission of Forreigners to import Pitch Tar c. may cheaper increase the Navigation of England Therefore it may more and cheaper secure the Sovereignty of the British Seas to the Crown of England Annot. This permission will not only more and cheaper secure the Sovereignty of the British Seas by how much more the King may draw out so many more Mariners to man his Fleet as Navigation shall be hereby cheaper increased but it will also so much more secure the Sovereignty of the British Seas the Newcastle East-Indie and Turkie Trade by how much the plenty and cheapness of forrein Timber may supply the building and repairing Houses Ships and Inclosures c. in England whereby our English Timber will be so much preserved which otherwise would be expended in them Prop. 15. Theorem 15. The free permission of Forreigners to Import and Export all sorts of forrein Commodities into the Ports of England may cheaper increase Navigation to and from the Ports of England 1 Ax. 4. For business may be so much increased as the Principles are increased 1 Pet. 4. But the forrein Trade of our Manufactures is a principle of Navigation to and from the Ports of England 23 Prop. 3. And the free permission of Forreigners to Import and Export all sorts of forrein Commodities may cheaper increase the forrein Trade of our Manufactures Therefore it may increase Navigation to and from the â—…orts of England Annot. This permission may increase Navigation as the forrein Trade of our Growths and Manufactures and the fish caught upon the Coasts of England and Scotland is increased and it will much more increase Navigation to and from the Ports of England upon the account of the Goods themselves which are imported and exported The free Importation and Exportation of French Wines Brandies Salt Spice Fish caught upon the Coasts of England Scotland and the Woollen Manufactures of the Vnited Netherlands is the general Composition of those stupendious Fleets which the Dutch yearly send in times of Peace into the Sound whereas we for want of these send not above nine and seven of these outward laden only with Ballast To Muscovy by the benefit of these outward fraught they usually employ above forty we not above three in two years But in case Forreigners were permitted to inhabit and trade for Fish caught upon the Coasts of England and Scotland and to import and export from the Ports of England Salt French Wines and Brandies as free as from Hamburg or the Vnited Netherlands let us see if these Trades into the Sound and Muscovy might not be better and more beneficially carried on from the Ports of England than either from Hamburg or Holland Herein I know but of one advantage the Dutch have over us that is in the Spice-trade which in this respect is very considerable that having the sole Trade of it they can raise or fall the Prices of it so as to vend the rest of their Commodities cheaper than another Nation which cannot Counterpoise this some other way But in case the outward vent of Fish Salt Wine and Brandies were as free from the Ports of England as those of the Vnited Netherlands we should First have the benefit of our Ports more much better more convenient and safe than theirs Secondly We should have the benefit of vending our Manufactures at the best terms whereby we should have so much more benefit than the Dutch as our Wools and other Principles are better and cheaper than can be had in the Vnited Netherlands and as men can fare and be maintained cheaper here than there Thirdly We may Ballast all the Ships outward fraught with Coals as occasion serves cheaper than the Dutch Fourthly We can supply the people within the Sound better with Pepper than the Dutch Fifthly We may be may have as much benefit in vending our Sugars and Tobaccoes in this Trade above the Dutch as the Dutch have in the Spice-trade above us Sixthly We have the benefit of Trading for Cony-skins Lead and Tin which the Dutch have not So that in case the other Trades into the Sound were as free from the Ports of England as Holland I see no reason not withstanding the Dutch Monopoly of the Spice-trade but we might drive a much greater and more considerable Trade and Navigation from England and the reasons are the same in the Trade and Navigation to Muscovy And if the free permission may establish a better Trade and Navigation from England to the North and North-East than can be from the Vnited Netherlands so I see no reason but if we could vend the Fish caught upon the Coasts of England and Scotland so well as the Dutch in France Spain and Italy and were permitted to vend our Growths and Manufactures from the next Ports but we should have a much greater advantage above the Dutch in the South and South-East Trades and Navigation than in the North and North-East For without doubt we might under-sell the Dutch in all those Woollen Manufactures they vend in Spain Italy and
Lands To this I answer First That the Dutch do not onely hereby supply themselves plentifully so as the prices of Corn are constant and reasonable and so as whatever happens in other places they never fear a Famine but also upon all occasions supply other places with Corn so as a Famine or scarcity of Corn becomes their enriching whereas we are never at any certainty in the prices of our Corn but if a plentiful year happens whereby Nature has disburthened her self of more than she can renew the future year the Tenants are necessitated to vend it abroad at low prices to pay their Rent and when the dear year succeeds it may be we pay double for the same Corn again And I say also it is Plenty in all things which makes Cheapness and therefore wherever Corn is plentiful in proportion to the people or Market it will be cheaper But in case our Towns in the Mediterrane parts of England were replenished with all sorts of Artificers and the Ports of England abounded with the Dutch Navigation the prices of Corn would bear a proportion to the number of Artificers and Mariners and the means which by their Crafts and Traffick they should be enabled to buy Corn withal We then should not need to fear the Importation of Corn or Irish Cattle And I believe it would be a happiness equal to any Temporal both to the Land-lord and Tenant to have the prices of Corn constant and reasonable and that such stores were preserved in all great and Navigable places so as to prevent a Famine in England and to supply other places which labour under it Queen Elizabeth in the first Parliament of her Reign permitted the English in any Vessels to import Corn paying ordinary and but reasonable Duties which Law stands yet in force Corollary 2. By the same reason the free permission of the English in English-built Ships to export Newcastle-Coals and make Returns into the Ports of England may increase the Navigation of England 22 Pet. 4. For the forrein Trade of Newcastle-Coal by the English is a principle to the Navigation of England 23 Pet. 4. And the free permission of the English in English-built Ships to export Newcastle-Coals and make returns into the Ports of England may increase the forrein Trade of it Annot. By free permission here I intend such Duties only as that Newcastle Coal may with regard to the goodness of it be cheaper vended in forrein parts than Scotch-Coal from the Ports of Scotland for whilst the Duties of exporting Newcastle-Coal continue so high Forreigners paying above 16 s. per Chauldron and the English above 8 s. all Nations unless it be in working Iron Manufactures generally take in lading of Coals from Scotland We glory much that the Newcastle-Trade in our home-vent of Coals above all other Trades employs our Shipping and Mariners yet as has been said this Employment is to the loss of the Nation by how much Pitch Tar Cordage and Sails are consumed in it whereas the forrein Trade of it if free to the English for ought I know might employ more Shipping and Mariners and both the outward vent and the Returns may be profitable to the Nation I am sure the Coals under ground are no benefit to the Nation nor need we fear in case the collieries were drained ever to want Coals to supply our selves or Forreigners It is true Forreigners in France Flanders Holland and other places by this permission might work Iron Manufactures cheaper by how much cheaper the English should import Newcastle-Coal But to this I say that all Nations except the English in consuming Wines imported designe some benefit by Goods bought and sold and therefore in Traffick men compare the benefits in buying and selling and it is great Wisdome in any Nation so to establish Trade and Commerce that the Nations Traffick be improved and therefore in case the vending our Coals in forrein Trade and making Returns besides the employment of our Shipping and Mariners be more beneficial to this Nation than cheaper working Iron Manufactures be prejudicial to it this Exportation is to be prefer'd Another Objection against this permission is The King's Revenue will be hereby lessened by how much the Duties are less To this I answer First That the King's Revenue upon Trade is a Consequence to Trade and therefore if the King's Revenue upon Trade be higher than it can bear the Trade will be lost and then necessarily will be the King's Revenue and that it is the height of the Duties upon Coals exported which establishes so great a Trade of Coals in Scotland and makes our forrein vent so inconsiderable Secondly This Revenue upon Newcastle-Coals in the forrein vent of it is Farmed so that though the Duties be very high yet it may be the King's Revenue is not considerable Whereas Thirdly in case the forrein Duties were reasonable the greatness of the Trade might much more increase the King's Revenue than as it stands whenas the greatness of the Duties causes so small a Trade To sum up this Discourse and leave the Progress of so excellent a designe to others whose insight and abilities are better able to improve the Trade and Navigation of the Nation I say that in case we should reserve the East Indie the Turkie Trades and the Trades to our Plantations as also the home-vent and forrein Trade of Newcastle-coals to the Natives of England and again establish the Trade and Navigation to Ireland as it was before the Act against Importation of Irish Cattle and permit all Nations to inhabit and Fish from the Ports of England and import and export freely French Wines Brandies and Salt from France and Timber Pitch and Tar from Norway and Ruff Hemp and Flax from the Ports within the Sound I know not of any Trades or Navigation we should be in danger to lose so as not to employ our Shipping and Mariners but those to France Muscovy and into the Sound For the Trade and Navigation to Muscovy and into the Sound by English ships and Mariners only we have examined it in the Annot. upon the 13th Prop. the Coroll and 14th Prop. of this Treatise and finde it not only prejudicial to the Trade and Navigation of the Nation but dangerous to the conserving the Sovereignty of the British Seas to the Crown of England In the French Trade for Wines and Brandies I observe that this Trade above all others impoverishes the Nation not only as we debauch and impoverish our selves in drinking all the Wines good or bad imported but also in the Ware and Tare of the Vessels wherein we import them and the outward freight is with little else than Ballast and the Returns as well as outward Voyage in the most perillous seasons of Navigation of all others wherein we lose more Shipping and Mariners than in all our other Trades Navigation besides Whereas in case we should increase a forrein Trade of Newcastle-coals and restore the Trade we had to Ireland
the Excellency Convenience and Openness of our Ports which in time may invite them to establish their Riches and Trade in our Country and leave them to their Posterities with us in England In the mean time the Country-Farn or would finde vent of his Commodities in Vâ—ctualling the Vssels and poor people employment in mending the Ships and Rigging and in lading and unlading Goods and many thousands of desolate Houses upon the Coast would let for good Rents which now decay and fall down for want of Inhabitants By this free Importation of Goods into the Ports of England we may infinitely improve the benefits which will accure to a'l sorts of Artificers by the plenty and cheapness of all things they need and to the forrein Trades of our Woollen and other Manufactures by their Returns into the Ports of England the multitudes of Shipping and Traders will excite them to seek employment for their Shipping in all sorts of Commodities we can supply them with and they the World This Freedom and Intercourse in our Ports would establish an Interest with all those Nations which hold Trade and Traffick with us so as their Interest would become interwoven with ours in all discords and Wars between us and other Nations And I am not affraid to say that the City of London would equally if not more than any other place enjoy benefit by this freedom of Trade and Navigation for it is the Trade London now enjoys above any other place in England which makes it so eminent above all other places of England which might be so much more increased as the Nation by this Freedom may hold a greater Commerce with it Whereas in case we continue still to Tax and restrain our forrein Trades of all places London will suffer most For the Country of England may subsist though poorly without a forrein Trade or Trade with London But in case the Nation loses the forrein Trade of our Woollen and other Manufactures and the Country becomes so poor as they cannot hold Commerce with London London cannot subsist But though all Humane Wisdome is Lame and imperfect and without a Blessing by God's Providence upon it cannot reasonably hope to attain the designed end yet no man can reasonably hope for God's Blessing upon business where he designes by forceable means more than the Nature of it to attain his Ends. We have said the height of Duties upon Goods imported into England was the Cause the Dutch are become so powerful in Trade and Navigation above us and that it was the Imposition of 16 per Cent. upon Goods imported which lost the Trade of Genoua to Legorne and at this time we enjoy most infinite advantages above the Dutch as well in our Country as Coast And to these may be added the present Calamities the Dutch now labour under by the terrible Inundation of Waters which they can never securely prevent for the future But as the Dutch in their long Wars with the Spaniards built a Fort called Lillo upon the Scheld to interrupt the Traffick which many parts of the world held with Antwerp thereby to gain that Trade to themselves So the Act of Navigation Freedom of Corporations and the Law against Naturalization are Lillo's upon all the Ports of England yet was there no War between the Ports and Nation to cause them and this not to gain a Trade to the Ports or Nation but to establish it in other places And though the forrein Trade of our Manufactures and the Fish caught upon the Coasts of England and Scotland and the Navigation depending thereon be the Soul of the well-being and safety of the Nation yet in it is not so much as a Council of Trade or any established Power to Govern or Regulate it THE END * Hist An. L. 5. c. 19.