within the citie of London being the kings Chamber After this follow the particular Letters for the deliuerie of seuerall countries and townes as Caours Carsin Monstreull Calice Rochell Turaine Poitiers Poitou Xantes Xantogne Dagonois Perigot and diuers others besides many Letters concerning the French Kings libertie and his Hostages and of the homage to be made by the Earles and Barons to the King of England who remaineth with the title of Soueraignetie and Domayne besides many other memorable things so that all matters concerning the seas and land were established for those seas and King Eâ—ward tooke sixe pence a tunne for fishing ships King Henrie the fifth who did conquere all France and had the possession of Mare Britanicum lost nothing of his right no more did Henrie the sixth and King Henrie the seuenth as may appeare by their Proclamations Treaties Chro Hollâ—ngshed and Contracts not onely with the French but with the Archdukes of Burgondie as by Guicchardins Chronicle Chr. Froiszart Guiccâ—arâ—in and the said Treatise or Historicall description of the Low-countries appeareth And as Docter d ee in his booke of Nauigation affirmeth King Henrie the seuenth in consideration of the fishing trade properly belonging vnto England in his seas and dominions had resolued to settle a trade thereupon which he preferred aboue all voyages for in those daies there was no fishing trade established in the Low-countries By original antiquitie And it is not yet one hundreth yeares compleate that one Violet Stephens and other discontented Fishmongers departed the realme of England and went into Holland to the towne of Enckhusen where they procured the inhabitants to fish for them in his Maiesties of great Brittaine seas streames and dominions which inhabitants vpon the decease of the said Englishmen Fishmongers tooke the whole trade to themselues dispersing the same into many other townes whereby the same is admirably increased Queene Marie being maried with King Philip the second of Spaine vnder whom all the seuenteene Low Prouinces were vnited granted a lease vnto the said King for the fishing of his subiects in the North parts of Ireland for one and twentie yeares for a certaine fine and paying one thousand pound yearely into the Treasurie of Ireland and Edward Fitton knight then Treasurer And the Companie of the old Haunce in primo of the said Queene Marie had also libertie to sish within the said seas vpon certaine conditions as appeareth in the Chappell of the Rolls of the Chancerie And for England Northwards licences were giuen at Scarborough Castle To this distinction of dominion of the Seas Inuention of the Porteullis I call to memorie the proceedings of that victorious King Henry the eight who during the time that Calice was vnder the Crowne of England as it hath beene full 211 yeares vsed the inuention of the signe of the Portcullis signifying the power of locking vp of the narrow Seas betweene Douer and Calice which was thought conuenient to bee vsed vpon the coyne made for the East-Indies at the beginning of that trade being peeces of the value of eight Royalls of Spaine whereof there was coyned in the Tower of London for a triall in Ianuarie 1600 some six thousand pounds which could not be made currant there because the Spanish peeces of eight Royalls had beene before that time counterfeited by other nations which made the East-Indians to doubt of our coyne although without cause This noble King Henrie hauing procured the Emperor Charles the fifth to meet with the French King went ouer in person with a great power to besiege the towne of Bulloigne in France and when he saw that the Emperors Tent or Pauillion was made with the two pillars of Hercules and the inscription Plus vltra and likewise the French Kings Tent with the three Flower deluces and the title of Primus Christianorum Rex He caused an Archer to be made vpon his Pauillion with Bow and Arrowes and his inscription was Cui adherio praeest declaring thereby his present strength whereby hee did qualifie those warres and peace was made between the Emperor and the said French King it being true that the state of a Prince doth as much consist by reputation as by strength Our Soueraigne Lord King Iames hath also beene mindfull of his right of distinct dominion for the great blessings which almightie God hath allotted to the Kingdomes of Great Brittaine Ireland and the Isles adiacent vnder his Maiesties Dominions is so visible to all the world as that thereby they are rauished with admiration For albeit that the earthly blessings are produced in seasonable times yet the blessings of the Seas are directed and pointed at by the finger of God at infallible seasons causing those watrie creatures to offer themselues for our sustenance and for the generall good of all creatures in places certaine within his Maiesties Seas Streames and Dominions and not into the maine where fishing cannot bee effected Whereupon his Maiestie before his comming into England did let the fishing of Scotland to the Hollanders for fifteene yeares it being agreed by more ancient Treaties betweene them that the fishing then agreed vpon should be eightie miles from the Coast to the end the Scoles of Herrings should not bee interrupted His Maiestie in the fourth yeare of his Raigne of Great Brittaine made a Graunt to one Collyns of Couentrie for twentie one yeres for the fishing in some parts of Ireland Graunts made for fishing and the like Graunts haue beene made for the Isles of Garnesey and Iarnesey according to the Common Law of England By the Common Law which in this point concerning his Maiesties right of dominion is very copious the handling whereof I leaue to the learned and judicious of the said Law In the seuenth yeare of his Maiesties said raigne his Highnesse caused a Proclamation to be made concerning his Dominion of fishing which being compendious and substantiall I thought conuenient here to be inserted Verbatim IAMES By the Grace of God King of Great Brittaine France and Ireland Defendor of the Faith c. To all and singular persons to whom it may appertâ—ine greeting Although We doe sufficiently know by Our experience in the Office of Regall dignitie in which by the fauour of Almightie God Wee haue beene placed and exercised these many yeares as also by obseruation which Wee haue made of other Christian Princes exemplarie actions how far the absolutenesse of Our Soueraigne Power extendeth it selfe And that in regard thereof Wee need not to yeeld account to any person vnder God for any action of Ours which is lawfully grounded vpon that iust Prerogatiue Yet such hath euer beene and shall be Our care and desire to giue satisfaction to Our neighbour Princes and friends in any action which may haue the least relation to their Subiects and Estates as We haue thought good by way of friendly Praemonition to declare vnto them all and to whomsoeuer it may appertaine as followeth Whereas Wee
5400 Geometricall Miles or 21600 ordinarie Miles But whereas the Miles in all Kingdomes and Countries and almost in euerie Prouince or Shire doe differ I haue thought conuenient to admit one measure of one million of Acres of ground to measure the whole Globe therby according to the Map which is not only intelligible vnto al men but al merchants also may haue vse hereof For by the number of the millions of Acres comparing one Kingdome vnto another or one Countrie vnto another Countrie they may know the bignesse and spaciousnesse thereof which we haue particularly obserued in Europe with a distinction also of the Dominion of Princes in these seuerall Countries knowne by the name France Italy Germany and others which many times falleth into consideration vpon singular occasions This Globe of the world is diuided to be two third parts Water or Seas and one third part Land and of this Land there is one third part not inhabited and the other two third parts are as followeth The whole Circumference by the aforesaid measure is 19 803 575000 which is 29 milliars 803 millions 575 thousand Acres and the milliar is tenne hundreth millions A Milliar is ten hundreth Millions So the ⅔ part water is 19 milliars 869 millions and 50 thousand acres of ground answerable and the other part third is 9 milliars 934 millions 525000 acres Hereof deduct ⅓ part not inhabited which is 3 milliars 311 millions 508 thousand acres So rest 6 milliars 623 millions 17 thousand acres of land inhabited whereof followeth a particular distribution First for Europe or Christendome England containeth 29 millions 568 thousand acres Scotland containeth 14 millions 432 thousand acres Ireland containeth 18 millions So these three Kingdoms with all their dominions of lands and Ilands adiacent vnder the Diademe of King Iames containe 62 millions of acres of ground c. England is by this computation accordingly with the dominion of Wales and all Islands thereunto belonging the thousand part of the whole Globe or the 222 part of the earth inhabited or the 333 part of the whole earth and Scotland may be full the one halfe of this computation that is the 444 part of the earth inhabited or the 666 part of the whole earth and the Monarchie of great Brittaine and the Kingdome of Ireland is the 480 part of the whole Globe vnnecessarie fractions in cypher omitted The bodie of the Sunne is 166 times bigger than the whole Globe of the world and so accordingly for the seas and earth as aforesaid The 17 Prouinces of the Low-countries Containe 10 millions 797 thousand acres whereof The reconciled prouinces with Spaine containe 7 millions 197 thousand acres The vnited prouinces vnder the States containe 3 millions 599 thousand acres The Kingdome of France diuided into 32 prouinces containeth in all 82 millions 879 thousand acres The kingdomes of Spaine being eight in number containe as followeth   m. Castile 25 Millions 730. Andalusia 2 millions 425 Granado 2 millions 128 Nauarre 1 million 458 Leon galisia 9 millions 124 Arragon 13 millions 104 Biscaye 3 millions 412 Portugal 10 millions 154 In all containing 67 millions 535 thousand acres ITALIA Vnder Spaine   m. Naples 11 millions 704 Lombardie 1 million 640 Vnder Venice   m. Treuisana 2 millions 584 Verona 0 millions 480 Frioul 1 million 047 Mantua 0 millions 480 Vnder Rome   m. Liguria 1 million 415 Romagnia 1 million 085 Latium 0 millions 480 Hetruria 0 millions 540 Sauoy 1 million 910 Piedmont 1 million 160 Toscana c. 4 millions 785 Suria and Florence 480 Marca 1 million 412 Ancona Parma 0 millions 885 Sicilia 3 millions 113 Cypres 1 million 601 Candia 2 millions 060 Corsica 1 million 395 Sardegna 4 millions 089 Containing in all 44 millions 257 thousand acres GERMANIA   m. Saxonia 3 millions 484 Misina 3 millions 249 Turnigia 1 million 093 Lusatia 2 millions 572 Bauaria 3 millions 249 Helsatia 3 millions 644 Heluetia 12 millions 328 Basle 0 millions 842 Swebourgh 2 millions 109 Salsbourgh 1 million 063 Trier Ments 4 mill 237 Spiers Strasbourgh and Wormes Iuliers 0 millions 348 Cleaue 0 millions 258 Westphalia 2 millions 300 Osnab 0 millions 358 Silesia 5 millions 706 Bohemia 7 millions 024 Austria 6 millions 121 Morauia 4 millions 114 Pomerania 3 millions 249 Brandenbourgh 6 millions 208 Machalbourgh 2 millions 107 Franconia 6 millions 361 Tiroll 3 millions 249 Carinthia 1 million 588 Stiria 1 million 779 Palantine Rhene 4 millions 361 Wirtenborgh 1 million 223 Embden 0 millions 230 Oldenbourgh 0 millions 449 Liege 0 millions 548 Coloigne 0 millions 215 Containing in all 95 millions 646 thousand acres Prussia 10 millions 240 thousand acres   m. Russia 9 millions 607 Volhimia 5 millions 762 Massouia 1 million 916 Liuonia 34 millions 115 Poland 19 millions 205 Heretofore named Polonia containing in all 80 millions m. 845. DENMARKE   m. Denmarke 10 millions 426 Norway 28 millions 492 Holsten 1 million 065 Ditinars 0 million 337 Containing in all 40 millions 326 thousand acres SVVETHEN Sweathen 57 millions 430 thousand acres Finland 7 millions 531 thousand Gothia 20 millions 936 thousand Containing in all 85 millions 897 thousand acres Part of Russiia or Moscouia and Situam vnder Europe 232 millions 558 thousand acres so that whole Europe or Christendome doth but containe 802 millions 740 thousand acres EVROPE which is not the 12 part of the whole earth Hungarie Dalmatia Transyluania and all Turkie 385 mill m. 367. Moscouiae Pars 128 millions 817 thousand acres Tartaria 299 millions 110 thousand ASIA Persia 385 millions 367 thousand Calicut and East-India 587 millions 200 thousand acres Africa containeth 1541 millions 883 thousand acres AFRICA America containeth 1152 millions 400 thousand acres AMERICA Noua Hispania 1349 millions 133 thousand acres Summa totalis of the inhabited parts of the World six Milliars six hundreth and twentie three Millions and seuen tenne thousand Acres of Land Vt supra THE vse of this description to know the bignesse of one Countrey compared vnto another Countrey is for example England containeth twentie nine Measures and odde Bohemia containing seuen Measures and odde is the fourth part of England or thereabouts The seuenteene Prouinces of the Low Countryes being tenne Measures and odde is the third part of England or thereabouts The Monarchy of Great Brittaine being fortie foure Measures and odd is as big as all Italy and the fiue Ilands of Sicilia Cyprus Candia Corsica and Sardignia and is also more populous And so for all other Countryes insomuch that England onely containing twentie nine of those Measures or Millions 568 thousand Acres of ground if wee deduct the fiue Millions and 568 thousand Acres for wilde waste grounds and High-wayes One penny an Acre is one hundred thousand pounds in England there will remain foure and twentie Millions of Acres which at one penny an Acre amounteth to one hundreth thousand pounds a
a summe of money of the owners of a ship in consideration that he fraighteth the said ship for a voyage promising to repay the said money at the returne of the said voyage if the said Factor haue fraighted this ship for another mans account this Merchant is to haue the benefit of this money during the time and if the Factor conceale the same he is to repaire the damage thereof which is to be considered both for the interest and aduenture of the seas for the said owners beare the same and it is supposed that the Merchant would haue assured so much the lesse or by imploying that money towards the lading of the ship he should disburse to much money lesse to make the said voyage and it may be thought that in regard of that money the fraight is made the greater whereof the said owners of the ship haue had a consideration by disbursing the same Assurance If a Factor be required to make assurance for a Merchant vpon a ship or goods laden for a certaine voyage and haue moneys in his hands to pay for the Premio or the price of assurance and this Factor doth neglect the same and giueth no notice of it to the Merchant who might haue made assurance in another place and the said ship or goods do perish at the seas this Factor is to answere the damage vnlesse he can giue some sufficient reason for the non-performance of the said order or Commission Composition made without order If a Factor hauing made assurance vpon goods laden which afterwards are taken by the enemie maketh any composition with the assurers for the same without order or Commission for it he is to answere the whole assurance to the Merchant A Merchant caused a ship to be fraighted and laden with commodities for Constantinople by a Factor of London himselfe dwelling at Antuerpe and being a subiect to the king of Spaine in the late warres caused 2000 ll to be assured at London vpon the said goods the ship and goods was taken by the Gallies of Sicilia and brought to Palermo where it was proued that the goods did appertaine to the King of Spaine his subiects but that there was 2000 ll assured at London by English Merchants their enemies in those daies pretending thereupon to take the said goods for forfeited or so much of them as should amount to the summe so assured Hereupon the Assurers hauing intimation from the Factor of it desired to make some composition to auoid that danger whereby the goods also might bee sooner cleered and the possession obtained for the owner and proprietarie thereof which was the Merchant of Antuerp wherein expedition was required The Factor in regard of the said expedition did not stay to receiue an answere from the Merchant what hee should doe but maketh a composition with the assurors for 60 pound for the hundreth pound to be payed instantly The goods were afterwards all recouered whereof so much as had beene assured was formerly relinquished to the assurors for the Merchant would not condescend to make any composition with the assurors So that the Factor did beare the aduenture to lose 2000 ll for some 1200 ll which hee had receiued if the goods had not beene recouered and therefore the said Factor tooke to himselfe the benefit of this composition by the aduice of the experienced Merchants If a Factor by errour of account doe wrong vnto a Merchant Accounts hee is to amend and to make good the same not onely for the principall but also with the interest for the time So on the contrarie if a Factor for his owne wrong haue forgotten to charge the Merchants account with some parcells payed out for him or made ouer by exchange the Merchant is to answere for it with interest for the time In these precedent obseruations are comprised all other cases of differences which may happen betweene Factors and Merchants CAHP. XVII Of the beginning of Sea Lawes HAuing in the former Chapters methodically intreated as also in this hitherto of the matters therein intended neuerthelesse according to the Contents of them the matter being of seuerall natures runneth promiscuously but in the end will performe the worke For as the roundnesse of the Globe of the world is compounded of the Waters and the Earth So this worke of the Law-merchant cannot be compleat without the Sea Lawes so called Lawes because they are written and knowne for without Nauigation Commerce is of small moment so that the Land affaires shall be intermixed with Sea-faring matters accordingly Some doe attribute the first making of Sea Lawes to the Pheniciaus and Carthaginians because Plinie doth ascribe the Art of Sayling vnto them But by the most ancient Records the Beginning must be from the inhabitants of the Island of Rhodes Rhodian Law scituated within the Mediterranean Sea who were most famous for shipping and sayling as Strabo hath written and surpassing all Nations in knowledge of equitie in Maritime causes and the Mediterranean Sea was for aboue one thousand yeares onely ruled by their Law called the Rhodian Law although augmented with some additions of the Romanes At last as some haue recorded when all sorts of Lawes by the euersion and lacerating of the Romane Empire were in a manner buried the Rulers of Rome in the yeare 1075 made new Sea Lawes and Statutes and so did euery chiefe Seafaring Towne vpon the said Mediterranean Coast adding thereunto other ordinances So did they of Marseilles in the yeare 1162 Genoa in the yeare 1186 they of Peloponessus called Morea in the yeare 1200 the Venetians in the yeare 1262 Constantine 1270 Iames King of Arragon the said yeare Peter King of Arragon 1340 and they of Barselona 1434 Which Lawes are collected and extant vntill this day But on the great Ocean Seas The Law of Oleron the first Lawes were made by the inhabitants of the Island of Oleron scituate on the Sea-coast of France neere Saint Martin de Rea against the Riuer of Charante which was called Le Roll d' Oleron by which the controuersies on that Coast were determined and the said Lawes were afterwards dispersed and brought in vse in England and the Low Countries whereupon diuers Statutes both in England and Scotland haue been enacted for Sea-faring businesse and in like manner diuers ordinances in the Low Countries especially since their fishing trade began Edward the third King of England caused with the aduice of diuers men of knowledge and experience in Maritime causes diuers Articles to be set downe Admiraltie Court in France and these were enrolled and obeyed for the gouernement of the Admirall Court and the French King Iohn made his Contracts with King Edward accordingly concerning the fishing trade as by the Records extant in the Tower of London where I haue seene them may appeare Francis the French King and Henrie the third of France haue made some Statute Lawes concerning the Courts of Admiraltie but the substance of all
vpon the decease of the said Englishmen tooke the whole trade to themselues which afterwards hath beene disperced into many other Townes whereby the trade is so increased that Holland and Zealand haue aboue 2000 Busses or Fishing Ships which doe make ordinarily two or three voyages yearely albeit their countrey is remote from our Seas and England Scotland and Ireland haue the fishing as it were at their doores And such is the blessing of almightie God that aboue sixe hundreth thousand Lasts of fish are taken yearely in the dominions of the King of Great Brittaine onely ommitting the quantitie of fish taken in Denmarke Seas Russia New-found-land Spaine Italy and other dominions And here I am to make a little abridgement of the collection of one Tobias Gentleman a Fisher-man who made a Treatise touching the same intituled Englands way to win wealth and to imploy Ships and Mariners That fishing is lawfull â—easible and profitable proouing first The lawfulnesse of it by his Maiesties subiects of Great Brittaine secondly How feasible it is for them by the exemplarie actions of other Nations that haue nothing growing in their owne land for that vse but are constrained to fetch all out of other countries lastly That the trade of fishing is profitable by the successe seene with the Hollanders being rich and opulent notwithstanding their long warres and which themselues doe call to be their chiefest trade and principall Gold-mine whereby many thousands of their people of trades and occupations are set on worke maintained and doe prosper Proclamation of the States of the vnited Prouinces as may bee seene by their Proclamation annexed to the said Treatise Hereupon hee sheweth That about Mid-may they make readie their Busses and Fisher-fleetes and by the first of Iune their Stile they are seene to sayle out of the Mase Texell and the Vly a thousand sayle together for to catch Herrings in the North Seas being most of them ships of 120 or 100 tunnes and the other 60 tunnes or thereabouts hauing in them 24 men and some 16 and 20 in euery ship they continue their course North-west and by North vntill they arriue at the Isle of Shotland The scituation of Shotland Isle which is the dominion of the king of great Brittaine and the greatest Island of the Orcades lyeth in the height of 60 degrees of Northerly latitude And by the 14 day of Iune which is by their law a time limited to lay their nets they begin to fish do neuer leaue the skoales of herrings but come along amongst them following 500 miles in length lading their ships twice or thrice before they come to Yarmouth sending them away by the Merchants ships that send them victuals barrels and more salt and nets if they need any which ships are called Yagers that is to say Hunters or Doggerbotes and these ships docarry them and sell them in the East countries some to Riga and Reuell some to the Narue Russia Places to sell Herrings Stockholme and all Poland Prussia Pomerland Lituania Statin Lubek and Denmarke returning Hemp Flax Cordage Cables Iron Corne Soapashes Wax Wainscot Clapboord Pitch Tar Deales Hoopes and other commodities with plentie of money and for France they send for Burdeaux Rochell Nantes Morliaix and San Mallous Cane in Normandie Roan Paris Amiens and all Picardie and Calice with the Low-countries of the Archduke of Austria reconciled with the king of Spaine returning other commodities and moneys for the prouenue of their fish For by their laws all those Herrings that they do catch in Yarnmouth seas from Bartholomew tide vntill saint Andrew which are rope-sicke they may not bring home into Holland and these they sell vnto Yarnmouth men for readie money Their fishing for Cod and Lings continually is done with smaller ships of 40 tun burden called Pinkes and Welboats and all this is done with so good order and prouision Good orders in the fishing trade that by night and day all is supplyed and fish taken off instantly And of mine owne knowledge they are so constant in their fishing that they are contented to haue one good yeare for fishing in seuen yeares All fishermen are prouided for and their wiues at home cannot want for in their care they may be compared to Ioseph in Aegypt prouiding for the time of famine They haue besides all this continually in the season another fleete of Fisher-men called Flyboats which are in number some two hundreth or more and these be at the North-East of Shotland hauing small boats with them called Cobles and by meanes of them Lings are taken in great aboundance which they do not barrell but splet and salt them in the ships bulke To say nothing of fresh Fish and other prettie obseruations of the said Tobias Gentleman let vs note the commodious fisher-townes of England as Colchester Harwich Orford Alborough Donwich Commodious towns for fishing in England Walderswike Sould Yarnmouth Blackney Wels Linne Boston and Hull by him named whereunto I may adde Scarborough Hartlepole Whitby Marske Stockton Gysborough New-Castle and other places in the North. And it is to be much admired that this trade hath been so long neglected howbeit some are of opinion That it would hinder much to the trade of cloth if fishing were entertained especially in the returne of our commodities and that the priuiledges granted to diuers societies as the Merchants Aduenturers East-land The first obiection to the fishing trade and Russia Merchants should be infringed therby and so both trades cannot subsist together Others say The second obiection That other nations are more painefull and industrious than we can be and haue more skill in the cutting packing and salting of the Fish and which is more they can send away their Fish and pay no fraight by their ships going otherwise emptie for corne and salt for they pay but foure shillings for a Last which is drinking mony And the Hamborgers hauing heretofore imitated the Hollanders to fish with Buffes for Herrings after 5 or 6 yeares triall haue beene compelled to abandon the fishing and suffer their ships to lie by the rotting because they found a losse and that the Hollander did out sell them hauing the better and cheaper fish and the like would befall England as some haue alreadie found To these two obiections The one being Domesticke and the other Forraine I make this answere which is referred to the iudicious reader Answere to the first That the trade of cloth should be hindered by the fishing trade is not probable being a distinct commoditie which serueth for the bellie and the other for the backe and both are sold by vs and other nations in one more places and we both make our returnes homewards by commodities money and exchange for moneys by Bills so that the difference of the persons maketh not any sollid argument for if we returne commodities for commodities and they returne moneys we may returne both the one and the
coynes which is of late yeares established to preuent the inhancing of coyne and yet it cannot be sufficient to preuent the said incertaintie of the price of commodities If the standards of the said moneys were by allay of copper altered much lesse would the aduice giuen that Merchants accounts should no more be kept in liuers and soulz but in French crownes to hinder the inhauncing of moneys which in some countries is secretly practised to bee done of meere policie when by publicke authorie it is forbidden and might be effected as within the realmes of England Scotland and Ireland and other his Maiesties dominions where the moneys are not inhaunced betweene man and man and remaine currant according to their price vntill the kings authoritie doe alter the valuation by Proclamation albeit by exchange it is not so and therefore according to my third Paradox we shall find That the imaginarie moneys in exchaunge doe ouerrule the substantiall moneys in specie The third Paradox For the Merchants valuation of moneys in exchange doth ouerrule the Kings valuation of moneys within the realme For when the King hath valued the shilling peece at twelue pence Merchants vndervalue the same in exchange at 11 ½ d and 11 d not only in the price of exchange but also receiuing beyond the seas the inhanced moneys aboue their values and not valuing of them in exchange accordingly as before hath been obserued concerning the valuation of moneys and the imaginarie coines or rather moneys wherupon exchanges are made for so many seuerall places The late Earle of Donfermelling Lord Chancellor of Scotland did propound vnto the Kings maiestie in the yeare 1610 Proposition of the Earle of Donfermelling a certaine proposition touching the inhauncing of gold his lordship being of an excellent iudgement in mint affaires That the French crowne of the Sunne which went neuer in England to vse his owne phrase all Queene Elizabeths time aboue six shillings English money went now for seuen shillings and three pence and that the English double soueraign of twentie shillings went in France for eleuen francque or twentie two shillings and that both waies there had bin no alteration in the standard Whereupon he did demand in writing what was the cause of the said difference or alteration if this proceed said he from the goodnes of the gold that it is better in finenesse and allay or in weight or from the weakenes of the siluer that it be worse than it was either in finesse allay or in weight then is the cause intrinsick and substantiall and may be easily considered and resolued if it bee good or euill to be intertained maintained and set forward or reiected and stayed from all further course if there be any other cause or reason it must of force bee extrinsicke and accidentall let the same bee searched out if it bee good to the Prince and estates weale and commoditie it should be assisted and continued if it be tried euill proceeding from the policie and craft of trades-men tending onely to priuate gaine and commoditie preiudiciall to the Prince and State to be gainestood and expelled This proportion being sent vnto mee by a great personage then in high place was made plaine by demonstration to proceed of an accidentall cause by aduancing the Valuation of gold partly in England when Crowne gold was valued from fiftie fiue shillings the ounce to three pound and partly in France when they did aduance the French Crowne in specie fiue soulz aduising therewithall that to remedie the same it was not to bee done by inhauncing of our gold still more and more but in the price of exchange betweene France and vs otherwise wee should vnderualue too much the siluer of the Realme to our exceeding losse shewing withall how easily this might bee done without alteration of the proportion obserued betweene gold and siluer for most places But the contrarie was approued and Crowne gold was more inhaunced to sixtie six shillings the ounce by two seuerall Proclamations Nouember 1611. which hath proued the losse of our Siluer in bullion or weightie coyne daily breeding greater inconueniences by the want of our moneys which by reason of the vndervaluation in exchange and not by vndervaluation in specie are continually exported none imported but diuerted by gaine for other places as hath beene declared All which commeth to passe for want of true iudgement and experience in mint affaires with the consideration of the said Essentiall parts of trafficke so often mentioned whereof I hope that in generall meetings for the publicke more regard will be had to the end it bee not recorded of vs as it hath beene of some Parlements in Fraunce that in populi republica sententiae numerantur non ponderantur and then we shall be said to vnderstand the Par by right distinction betweene the actiue and passiue Pâ—ys 3. lib. ca. 3. Aristotle saith that Action and Passion are meerely Relatiues and that they differ no more than the way from Thebes to Athens and from Athens to Thebes let vs discerne therefore the one from the other and we shall find that as the Liuer Money ministreth spirits to the Heart Commodities and the heart to the Braine Exchange so doth the Braine Exchange minister to the whole Microcosme or the whole Bodie of trafficke Let the Heart therefore by the Liuer receiue his tintured Chylus by his owne Mouth and Stomach and the Bloud full of Spirits shall fill all the Veines and supplie the want of moneys the easie course and recourse of whose Exchange shal bring all things in tune serue all mens turnes For euen as there are two courses obserued of the Sun Two courses of Exchange like the two courses of the Sunne the one annuall and the other by dailie declination rising and going vnder within the Aecliptique line euen so must we obserue in Exchange two courses the one according to par pro pari or value for value the other rising or falling from time to time as hath beene sufficiently declared whereof the said Aristotle Seneca nor Cicero nor any other Phylosopher or Orator could take notice in the infancie of trade Exchange not being then inuented neither do we find that any Temporall or Ciuile Lawyer hath entred into this important studie for the welfare of kingdomes and Common-weales by the rule of Equalitie and Equitie hitherto To conclude therfore this Paradoxicall discourse I cannot omit to doe the same with another Paradox by me obserued in the making of moneys of gold and siluer namely That a man may commixe Bullion to make a certaine standard of moneys either of gold and siluer A very strange Paradox and after the commixture made shall alter the standard and make the same better or worse without putting any allay or siluer and gold vnto it That is to say I will melt downe eleuen ounces and two pennie weight of fine siluer and eighteene pennie weight of copper both one pound Troy
subiect to be numbered by Ages Yeares Moneths Daies Houres Minutes and their diuisions and subdiuisions wee cannot in this place omit to particularise concerning the same albeit it may be thought inconuenient to touch the obseruation of the period of Monarchies and Common-weales Periods of Monarchies Common-weales made by some Authors which by many important reasons may be amplified Some distribute the whole ages of the world into three parts ascribing to euerie age 2000 yeares which procâ—edeth from that common opinion of Elias a certaine Rabbin or Iew affirming that the world should stand 6000 yeares and then be disolued of the which they reckon 2000 yeares before the Law 2000 yeares vnder the Law and 2000 yeares vnder Christ which shal be shortned for the elects sake which opinion hath beene receuied by diuers godly fathers supposing that as the world and all things therein was created in six daies So the same should endure 6000 yeares taking each thousand yeares for a day according to the saying of Saint Peter 1. Pet. 3. That one day before the Lord is as a thousand yeares and a thousand yeares as one day In this supputation is some reason for from the beginning to Abraham with whom the first couenant was made and to whom the law of circumcision was giuen wee find to be neere 2000 yeares Of the ages of the world and likewise vnder the law vntill Christ about 2000 yeares and now vnder Christ is aboue 1620 yeares reckoning towards the last 2000 yeares Augustin writing of these ages diuideth them into sixe and reckoneth the first age to be from Adam to Noah the second from Noath to Abraham the third from Abraham to Dauid the fourth from Dauid to the captiuitie of Babylon the fifth from the Captiuitie to Christ the sixt and last vnder the kingdome of Christ vntill the end of the world Others there be that doe distribute the same into foure according to the nature of foure kinds of mettals the Golden Siluer Brasse and Iron Ages alluding to the Prophecie of Daniel of the foure Monarchies Others doe account the same by thousands or millinaries according to certaine obseruations of 6000 yeares in the alterations of things Others doe calculate according to the ages of men supposing 100 yeares for an age and so now being 56 ages and more the number 60 or before the end of the world shall come But let vs obserue the true computation of the Church most generally approoued hitherto Computation of ages by Scripture and reckon from the Creation vntill Noah 1656 yeares when hee entred into the Arke and from the Flooâ— to Abraham 367 yeares and from the departing of the Israelites out of Egypt 430 yeares and from the departing to the building of the Temple by Salomon 430 yeares and from that time to the eleuenth yeare of King Zedekiah deduced by Scripture is 427 yeares So the whole summe of these yeares commeth iustly to 3360 yeares Hereunto 70 yeares being added of the captiuitie of Babylon is 3430 yeares which are 790 Sabbaticall yeares of seuen yeares euery Sabbaticall yeare without any odde number and from that time vntill Christ there is no momentarie difference by Historicall account whereof vnderstanding Merchants ought to bee informed all men take pleasure of this obseruation in their Almanacks From the Creation of the World Aâ—no Domâ— 1620. vntill the last yeare 5582. From the said Creation vntill the Flood 1656. From the said creation vntil the Birth of our Sauior Christ 3962. Since Brute did enter the Iland of Great Brittaine 2727. Since the building of the Temple by Salomon 2649. Since the building of the Citie of Rome 2371. Since the captiuity of Babylon 2258. Since Iulius Caesar was slaine 1669. Since the Birth of our Sauiour Christ vntill the last yeare 1620. Since the Conquest of England by Duke William 553. Since the beginning of the raigne of King Iames the first of that name of England vntill the 24 of March 1620 is 17 yeares compleate but currant 18. Concerning the yeare there are many obseruations Of the seueral beginnings of the yeare and euen of the seuerall beginnings of it And let vs note Obiter that the bodie the soule of man consisting in the bloud hath 365 veines as residences agreeable to so many dayes of the yeare All our Almanackes or Kalenders beginne the yeare from the first day of Ianuary albeit this beginning differeth in many other countries which is conuenient for Merchants to obserue The Astrologians begin at the entrance of the Sun in Arijs which is the 21 of March at 12 of the clocke at noone The old Romanes did begin their yeare ab Hieberno solstitio The Egyptians and old Iewes from the 21 of March with the Astrologians Those of Asia and India ab aquinoctio Autumnali being the 23 of September at 12 of the clocke at noone The Grecians of the longest day of the yeare The Venetians of the first of March The Spaniards from the Annuntiation of the Virgin Marie the 25 of March as England Scotland and Ireland The Portugals and the East-Indies Barbarie Preste-Iohn the 29. of August Moses by Gods commandement ab equinoctio verno which is Easter according to which Easter day Easter day was ordained vpon the full Moone being the foureteenth day of the first Moone after the Sunne entred into the signe of Aries which is also vsed in Aegypt Afterwards in the yeare of our Lord 328 the Councell of Nice did ordaine Easter day alwaies to be vpon the Sabbath day or Sunday next after the full Moone And the Bishop of Alexandria made thereupon a list according to the Circle or Golden number of the Moone beginning from the figure 1 vntill number 19 for that in 19 yeares the Moone maketh her compleate reuolution concurreth with the Sun And if the number did fall out vpon a Sunday then the Sunday after was Easter day The List appointed for Easter day according to this abstract which is now altered by ten daies vpon the alteration of the Kalender by Pope Gregorie the 13. Golden numberâ— 1. The 5 of Aprill 2. The 25 of March 3. The 13 of Aprill 4. The 2 of Aprill 5. The 22 of March 6. The 10 of Aprill 7. The 30 of March 8. The 18 of Aprill 9. The 7 of Aprill 10. The 27 of March 11. The 15 of Aprill 12. The 4 of Aprill 13. The 24 of March 14. The 12 of Aprill 15. The 1 of Aprill 16. The 21 of March 17. The 9 of Aprill 18. The 29 of March 19. The 17 of Aprill Reuolution of the Sunne and Moone The yeare being exactly calculated according to the course of the Sunne or Reuolution in the Zodiake through all the twelue Signes consisteth of 365 daies 5 houres 49 minutes and 16 seconds And the reuolution of the Moone in her going course is 27 daies and about 8 houres and in her returning course about 29 daies and one halfe
Kintalls Centeners Talents Thousands Waighs Skipponds Charges Lispounds Rooues Stones and such like The second fort of Weights is by Pounds Mina Manes Rotulus c. The third diuision of Weights doth consist in the smaller diuisions of 12 14 16 18 20 and 30 ounces to a pound and the subdiuisions thereof The Talent of the Grecians 60 Minas Talentum euerie Mana 100 Dragmes so a Talent is six thousand Dragmes 8 of them to one ounce is 750 ounces Another Talent of Greece is 16 Sestertios being 40 Minas or Pounds of 18 ounces as also of 20 ounces In Aegypt it was 32 Sestertios or 80 Pound The 50 Sestertios of Cleopatra are 125 ll In Thratia 48 Sestertios being 120 Pounds In Africa 24 Sestertios are 60 ll differing also in the pound weight Cantar or Kyntall Cantar or Kyntall or Centener called hundreths of 100 112 120 125 128 and 132 pounds The Hebrews did call Cicar to bee 50 Minas or Maneg Weighs Weighs are commonly 165 ll or 180 ll or 200 1 â— for acharge Skippound Skippounds of 300 320 340 and 400 pounds the Skippound Lyspound Lyspounds of 15 and 16 pounds to the Lyspound Rooues Rooues or Arrobas of 10 20 25 30 and 40 pound to the Rooue Stones Stones of 6 8 10 14 16 20 21 24 and 32 ll and also 40 ll as more particularly appeareth hereafter in their proper places Mixias Mixias are also vsed whereof we find mention made in some books is ten thousand and is commonly vnderstood for 10000 Dragmes of 8 to an ounce and 12 ounces to the pound Markes Besse The pound is also diuided by Markes of 8 ounces and Besse of 12 ounces euerie ounce was amongst the Hebrews 2 Sicles or Stater Sicles Stâ—ter Gerag Siclus is sometimes taken for an ounce also halfe an ounce and quarter of an ounce which is Gerag or Obolus Mina Ptolomaica is 1 ½ Rotulus which is diuided into small parts viz. 18 ounces of 12 to one Rotulus 144 Dragmes of 8 to one ounce 432 Scruples of 3 to a Dragme 846 Obulus 1296 Lupes 2592 Siliquas or Carrats Inna or Maaâ—g Mina of the Grecians otherwise called Inna or Maneg is a pound 12 ½ Ounces 25 Staters or Ciclos 100 Dragmes or Rosoli 300 Scruples 24 to an Ounce 600 Obolus 900 Lupines 1800 Siliquas 3600 Areola or Chalcos Rotulus in Arabia Siria Asia Minor Aegypt and Venice is 1 ll 12 Ounces or Sachosi 24 Septarios or Cicles 84 Deniers of 7 to an Ounce 96 Dragmes or Darchiny 288 Scruples or Grana 576 Obolus or Orlossat 864 Danig 1728 Carrats or Siliqua 6912 Kestuff The 7 Deniers make an Ounce and there were Dragmes also of 1 ½ Dragme and of 1 ½ Dragme and of one Dragme called Alby In the Low-countries the Pounds are diuided diuersly in 16 Ounces euerie Ounce in 8 Dragmes or fifths and 8 parts And in France they call them 8 Grosses the 128 make one pound In other places they diuide the pound in 12 14 and 15 Ounces Difference of Pound and Ounces whereof the Pounds and Ounces both do differ which is the cause that hereafter euerie countrie hath a declaration thereof At Bridges in Flaunders they vse Pounds of 14 Ounces The Pound weight of Bridges and of 16 Ounces whereof the 100 ll of 16 Ounces make 108 ll of 14 Ounces which Ounces of 14 to the Pound are heauier for 100 Ounces of these are 105 â…“ Ounces of the 16 to the Pound which Ounces are diuided in halfe Ounces or Loot and euerie Loot in 2 Sizayns and euerie Sizayne in 2 Dragmes or Quintes The smaller proportions and subdiuisions of other places are as followeth Italian Pounds for physicke vsed in other places also 12 Ounces 24 Loot 48 Sizaynes or Siliqua 96 Dragmes 288 Scruples 576 Obolus 1728 Siliqua 5760 Graines The said Weight of physicke is at Lyons in France as the Merchants ll 12 Ounces 96 Dragmes 288 Scruples 5760 Graines The Pound weight of Venice 12 Ounces 72 Sextulas 1728 Siliqua 6912 Graines The Pound at Paris in France 16 Ounces 128 Grosses 384 Scruples 9216 Graines In Italie the Pound is also diuided 12 Ounces 24 Staters 96 Dragmes Vienna in Austria the Pound iâ— 32 Loott 128 Quintes 512 Pennings 12800 Graines Forasmuch as it falleth out most commonly that vpon triall of an vnknowne Weight we doe beginne from the smallest Weight or Graine and so ascend to the other proportions and to the Pound by comparing the same to our Graines and diuisions of the Pound Differences of Graines which in matter of mint for gold and siluer is of great moment when the pennie weight is diuided into 24 Graines in England and in the Low-countries into 32 Grains Let vs note the great diuersitie abouesaid of 5760 Graines to 12800 vsed at Vienna and other places proportionably to their pound and consider how easily we may be ouertaken therein whereof a more ample declaration is in the mint affaires There is also a great obseruation to be had in the correspondencie of Weights of one countrie to the Weights of another countrie vpon the hundreth subtle that is to say 100 pounds euen Weight And because in England all wares of Volume or Bulck is sold some by the hundreth weight of 112 ll and some is sold by the pound as spices sugars and such like yet are weighed by the said weight of 112 ll and that moreouer there is an ouer-weight allowed called Trett which is 4 vpon the 112 ll and also 2 ll vpon euery skale of 3 hundreth weight called Cloff which is abated betweene the buyer and seller Trett and Cloffe and so there is a losse of weight by this Trett and Cloff and especially because the commodities imported are bought by the weight of forreine nations I haue thought conuenient to describe the said correspondence of Weight according to the 100 ll subtle of Antuerp being generally knowne in all places and for the Weight of London to make some obseruations particularly The correspondencie of Weight of most places of Trafficke Antuerp THe Custome of Antuerp is to weigh by the hundreth pounds euen weight called Subtle for the which commonly there is allowed at the weigh-house 101 ll A Stone weight is 8 ll the Skippound 300 ll the Weigh 165 ll the Carga or Charge 400 ll which are two Bales of 200 ll for an horse to carrie on either side and the Pound is diuided into 16 Ounces The said 100 ll weight of Antuerp weigheth in the places following London At London and all England 104 ll subtle weight and of the Kyntall weight of 112 ll it weigheth 91 ½ ll At Dublin and all Ireland also Dublin 104 ll and 91 ½ by the great hundreth At Edenburgh in Scotland 96 ll and all Scotland ouer Edenborough and 103 â…“ for 112 ll The said 100 ll make 189
found prettie store of Pearles and the climate being colder maketh the colour of them to be dimme albeit I haue seene some very faire and pendants also The small Pearle is also very wholesome in medicinable Potions Of the Commodities of Great Brittaine England THe Commodities of Great Brittaine containing the Kingdomes of England and Scotland and the dominion of Wales are rich and Staple wares and very aboundant with a continuall increase namely Woollen Clothes of all sorts broad and narrow long and short called and knowne by the names of seuerall Shires being 250 thousand Clothes made yearely besides the new Draperies of Perpetuanaes and the like commodities Tinne wrought and vnwrought aboue twelue hundreth thousand pounds yearely Lead transported and vsed aboue eight thousand Fodders euerie yeare Allomes made in aboundance aboue seuen hundreth Tunnes yearely Copperas made according to the quantitie vsed some 250 Tunnes yearely Yron of all sorts setting 800 Furnaces on worke Yron Ordnance or cast Pieces according to occasion made Wools and Woolfels and Calfe skinnes in great quantitie and Conie skins Stockins of all sorts of Silke Wooll and Yarnsey Yearne and Woolls Buffins Mocadoes Grograines Sattins Calamancos Veluets Worsteds Sarges Fustians Durance Tukes and all other Norwich wares and Stuffes Saffron the best that can be found in any countrey Glasse and Glasses of all sorts Venice gold Sea-coale and Salt Scotland Scots-coale Wheat Barley and all kind of graines in both Kingdomes Linnen Cloth and all Ironmongers wares Hides Tallow Leather drest and vndrest Trayne Oyle Salmons Pilchards Herrings Hake Conger Red-Herring Hops Woad Butter Cheese Beere Salt-peter and Gun-powder Honny and Wax Alablaster and many other Stones The Commodities of the Kingdome of Ireland are Ireland VVOolles Felles Yarne Furres Flax Linnen Cloth Hides Tallow Hempe Honny Wax Herring Cods Hake-fish Salmonds Eeles Ruggs Mantles Irish Cloth Pipestaues Yron and Lead Wheat and all kind of graine Salt-beefe Butter and Cheese and many Manufactures The Commodities of the Kingdome of France are WInes Prunes Canuas Linnen cloth Salt Veluets Raw silke France and diuers stuffes of Silke Buckrames Boxes with Combes Paper playing Cards Glasse Graine to dye Rozen Wheat and all kind of Graine corne The Commodities of Spaine and Portugall are WOols Madera Sugar Almonds Wines Oyles Anny-seeds Spaine and Portugall Anchoues Bay-berries Bariglia Figs Raisons Traine-oyle Yron Oranges Leamons Sumacke Saffron Soape Coriander Cork Licoras Woad and the commodities of the West Indies Sugar of Brazill Fernandebucke Wood Tabacco and other commodities The Commodities of Italy and certaine Ilands VEnice Gold Veluets Sattines Cipres Silkes Italy Cloth of Gold and Siluer Cottones Fustians Wines Currans Cloues Rashes Rice Sarcenets Raw Silke Allomes and Vitrioll Glasses and other Manufactures The Commodities of Germany and places adioyning WOolles Argall Steele Latine Copper Yron̄ Germany and all kind of Manufacture made of them Copperas Allomes Lead Fustians Paper Linnen cloth Quick-siluer Bell-mettall Tinne Renish Wines and Mather The Commodities of East-land and thereabouts AShes Bowstaues Cables Canuas Buffe-hides Flaxe Hempe Eastland Honny Wax Stock-fish Spruce Yron Match Wheat Rye Meale Woolles Waynscott Pitch and Tarre and Linnen cloth Cordage and Ropes The Commodities of Denmarke and Norway and Sweaden WHeat Rye Woolles Deales Clap-boord Pipe-staues Denmarke Norway Sweaden Masts Waynscot Copper Timber Fish and Furres Allomes in some places The Commodities of Russia Russia TAllow Hides Caueare aboundance of rich Furres Blacke Fox Martins Sables and the like Honny Wax Cables Ropes and Cordage The Commodities of Barbary Barbary GOat skinnes Almonds Dates Aneale Gumme Feathers Salt-peter Gold plentifully and from Guynea Hides Oliphant teeth and Graine The Commodities of the Low Countries Low Countries TApestrie Battery worke Steele Cambrickes Lawnes Hoppes Mather Butter Cheese Grograines Bozatoes Chamblets Mocadoes Brushes Tape Linnen cloth Pots Bottles Wheat Rye Salt Chimney backes Blades Horses Soape Fish Herrings Cods Ling and many things as Diaper Smalt Hoopes of Yron The Commodities of the West Indies FRom the Low Countrie beginning the West India Trade let vs set downe the commodities of it seeing that the States of the vnited Prouinces haue made lately a Societie of Merchants bearing date the ninth of Iune 1621 wherein other Nations may be aduenrors as by their letters Pattents appeareth prohibiting all other their subiects or inhabitants that they shall not trade from the said countries nor out or from any other kingdome and countrie whatsoeuer Letters Pattents for the West India Trade by the States c. vnto the coasts and countries of Africa from Tropicus Cancri along to the cape of Bona Speranza neither in the countries of America from the South end of Magellanes le Mary and other straits to the straits of Anian on euery side Noua Guinea included vpon forfeiture of the ships and goods and all their possessions within their iurisdiction and command and arrests of their persons vnlesse they be of the said Company made and established for the West India Trade Gold and Siluer Cucheneale Sugars rich Indico Donnigo Ginger Pearles Emeraulds Hydes Campeche or Logwood Salsaparilla Tabacco Canafistula Cocos-wood Lignum vitae Cottonwooll Salt and some other druggs for Physicke or dying of Stuffes And this may suffice for a declaration of the principall commodities of most countries CHAP. VIII Of Commutation or Bartring of Commodities WE haue compared Commodities vnto the bodie of trafficke which did vphold the world by commutation and Bartring of Commodites before money was deuised to be coined whereof we are now to intreate For commutation barter or trucke of Commodities was first effected in specie by deliuering one Commoditie for another according to the commodious and behoofull vse of man so that one did deliuer so many measures of Corne for so many measures of Salt as was agreed vpon another so many pound of Wooll against so many pound of Pepper Sugar or other commodities an other so many peeces of such a commodity for such a commodity or so many Hides for one barre of Yron or so many peeces of Siluer vncoyned but weighed and exchanged as yet is vsed in some places of America Barbarie and Guynea and other countries This may be properly called an exchange of commodities or rather a permutation of commodities albeit the Ciuilians when there is scarcitie of Gold and Siluer in a countrie and when the commodities in value surmount the money paied for them they do call that a permutation and denie the same to be an emption by their distinctions how soeuer this manner of commutation or barter was made by number weight and measure of commodities in kind but moneys being inuented and valued by the publicke authoritie of princes according to their seuerall stampes or coyne and by common consent made Publicae Mensura or the publicke measure to set a price vpon euerie thing This commutation barter or exchange of commodities for commodities was and is since that time made
haue beene contented since Our comming to the Crowne to tollerate an indifferent and promiscuous kind of libertie to all Our friends whatsoeuer to fish vpon Our Streames and vpon any of Our Coasts of Great Brittaine Ireland and other adiacâ—â—t Islands so farre forth as the permission or vse thereof might not redound to the impeachment of Our Prerogatiue Royall nor to the hurt and damage of Our louing Subiects whose preseruation and flourishing estate We hold Our selues principally bound to aduance before all worldly respects so finding that Our coniuence therein hath not onely giuen occasion of ouer great encroachments vpon Our Regalities or rather questioning of Our right but hath been a meanes of much daily wrongs to Our own people that exercise the trade of fishing as either by the multitude of strangers which doe preoccupie those places or by the iniuries which they receiue most commonly at their hands Our Subiects are constrained to abandon their fishing or at the least become so discouraged in the same as they hold it better for them to betake themselues to some other course of liuing Whereby not onely diuers of Our Coasts Townes are much decayed but the number of Marriners daily diminished which is a matter of great consequence to Our estate considering how much the strength thereof consisteth in the power of Shipping and the vse of Nauigation Wee haue thought it now both iust and necessarie in respect that Wee are now by Gods fauour lineally and lawfully possessed as well of the Island of Great Brittaine as of Ireland and the rest of the Isles adiacent to bethinke Our selues of good and lawfull meanes to preuent those inconueniences and many others depending vpon the same In the consideration whereof as Wee are desirous that the world may take notice that Wee haue no intention to deny Our neighbours and allies those fruits and benefits of peace and friendship which may be iustly expected at Our hands in honour and reason or are affoorded by other Princes mutually in the point of Commerce and Exchange of those things which may not prooue preiudiciall to them So because some such conuenient order may be taken in this matter as may sufficiently prouide for all these important considerations which doe depend thereupon Wee haue resolued first to giue notice to all the world That Our expresse pleasure is that from the beginning of the moneth of August next comming no person of what Nation or qualitie soeuer being not Our naturall borne Subiect be permitted to fish vpon any of Our Coasts and Seas of Great Brittaine Ireland and the rest of the Isles adiacent where most vsually heretofore any fishing hath beene vntill they haue orderly demanded and obtained licences from Vs or such Our Commissioners as Wee haue authorised in that behalfe viz. at London for Our Realmes of England and Ireland and at Edenborough for Our Realme of Scotland Which licences Our intention is shall be yearely demanded for so many Vessells and Ships and the Tunnage thereof as shall intend to fish for that whole yeare or any part thereof vpon any of Our Coasts and Seas as aforesaid vpon paine of such chastisement as shall be fit to be inflicted vpon such wilfull offenders Giuen at our Palace of Westminster the sixth of May in the seuenth yeare of Our Raigne of Great Brittaine France and Ireland Anno Dom. 1609. By this Proclamation is his Maiesties Right and Dominion of the Seas expressed in two words by Lineall and Lawfull possession of an hereditarie Kingdome or Kingdomes whereunto those Seas are ioyned and appertaining It is not a Dominion obtained by an electiue Kingdome as Poland Hungarie and others neither is it had by any first discouerie wherein the Pope must be a mediatour as Alexander the sixth was between the King of Castile and Portugal vpon the discouery of the East and West-Indies by drawing a line vpon the Globe from the Island of the Canaries to make the diuision betweene them Neither is it like to the Whale fishing in Greeneland where some vpon their discouerie tooke neither possession much lesse had any occupation which maketh the stronger right Neither is it by gift or purchase as some Italian Princes in the Mediterranean Seas which doe neuerthelesse inioy both freedome and benefit thereby but it is vndoubted and indisputable as aforesaid To conclude this Argument The best mark of distinct dominions vpon the Seas the distinct dominion of a bordering Prince vpon the Seas is best seene by the Tribute or Taxe which hee taketh vpon fishing ships whereof we haue many presidents In Russia many leagues from the Maine Fishermen doe pay great taxes to the Emperour of Russia and in most places none but his subiects are permitted to fish and the Hollanders doe giue him the tenth fish The King of Denmarke taketh great tribute both at Wardhouse and the Sound The Kings of Sweathen haue done the like which is now continued by the King of Denmarke for Norway The Duke of Medina Sidonia taketh for Tunyne King Edward the third of England tooke six pence for euery Tun in his time which by inhauncing of the money is now 18 pence All the bordering Princes of Italy doe take tribute of the fish taken within the Mediterranean Seas for their seuerall Territories In Lappia Fishermen doe pay monyes in the Sound for passage to fetch it ouer and aboue the tenth fish The Earle of Orkney taketh the tenth fish for the Isles of Orcades vnder his iurisdiction as the Fishermen doe to the Lords of the Manors in the West parts of England for Pilchards Hake and Conger The States of the vnited Low Countries doe take an Imposition vpon fish taken within the Seas and Streames of other Princes as also neere their Coast and their subiects trafficking with the Russians as Haunce Noblett Haunce Van stracle Robert Englegraue and others do continually pay the tenth fish vnto the Emperour of Russia All which is requisite for Merchants to know to preuent troubles or losses for the pretence of ignorance doth not excuse as our Merchants of Kingstone vpon Hull haue found to their exceeding losse heretofore CHAP. XXXVI Of Customes Subsidies and Impositions payed vpon Commodities WHereas Customes Subsidies Impositions Toles Customes vpon commâ—dities due by the Law of Nations Accizes Imposts and other duties by the exemplarie actions of Princes and Common-weales are due by the Law of Nations as a matter inherent to their Prerogatiues because they are absolute Commanders in their Harbours Hauens and Ports where commodities are exported and imported euery Merchant is bound to take notice thereof and to obserue the same according to the ordinances and proceedings vsed therein in all countries respectiuely to auoid the danger of the losse and forfeiture of his commodities and to make a true calculation how to buy and sell to profit obseruing how much vpon the hundreth pounds in value of his commodities rated by the orders of diuers countries the same amounteth vnto and to adde the
same with the charges vpon commodities to the price whereat the said commodities were bought as well in his natiue countrie as in other countries where hee doth trafficke and trade In Russia Denmarke and Sweathen Rigorous dealing for Customes the Custome and Ordinances is if a Merchant doe not declare all his commodities which he importeth or exporteth but concealeth some part of them all the commodities of that kind are forfeited to the Prince and hee shall find but small fauour to redeeme them In Spaine and other Dominions of the King of Spaine the commodities concealed are onely forfeited vnlesse they bee prohibited and vnlawfull goods In England Scotland and Ireland is the like and onely the goods concealed are forfeited and may be had againe vpon reasonable composition for the Statute Law giueth authoritie to the Officer who maketh the seizure that vpon licence sued forth to compound hee may doe it safely for his part which is the one moitie and for the other moity which is the Kings Merchants are graciously dealt wichall by the Iudges or Barons of the Kings Exchequer Abuse of fauourable dealings or others thereunto authorised Insomuch that it hath happened that some Merchants relying vpon this fauourable dealing haue aduentured to expose their commodities vnto the forfeiture thereof being commodities which pay much Custome and Imposition as Cambrickes Lawnes Tabacco Cutcheneale Venice gold Threed and other things because they were in a manner assured to make composition vnder the summe which they were to pay for Custome and Imposition In France and Germany is the like for concealed commodities which are not declared in the Custome-house and Iewels and precious Stones and Pearles are freed of Custome And so was it in England vntill of late yeares since the Customes were taken to farme and yet they pay but three pro cent of the value of their appraisement Strict orders for Customes at London c. to bee rated by the Officers of the Custome-house at London But if any Merchant or Ieweller bring ouer any Iewells or precious Stones and Pearles he is to declare them to the Officers or Waiters of the place where hee landeth otherwise they will bee seized by water or land as forfeited to the King wherein more strict dealing hath beene vsed of late since the King hath letten to farme his moitie of the Seizures So that first of all the Custome of concealed goods must be payed before any composition bee made next the composition being made then may the Informer bee agreed withall And no commodities can bee deliuered vpon securitie to the owner as formerly by the Law was accustomed to be done but they must remaine in some sufficient custodie vntill the matter bee tried by Law or compounded by agreement But prohibited commodities as Allome and other things by Letters Patents and Proclamation the possession may be had vpon securitie to bee giuen to answere the value thereof according to the appraisement made of them And these commodities if the Master of the ship doe not declare them vpon his entrie made in the Custome-house vpon his oath are also subiect to the forfeiture although they come consigned vnto a Merchant or Factor vnawares by another Merchant that knew not that such commodities were prohibited to bee imported The like is it for a Merchant shipping out vnlawfull wares but heerein hee may haue intelligence by the Customer before hee doe lay them vpon the water to bee shipped Againe if a Merchant carrie money by water downe to Grauesend with an intention to bestow the same in Bayes at Sandwich or in other commodities at Canturburie hee is first to declare the same in the Searchers Office or else the money is lost and three times the value vpon information For no money of Gold or Siluer or any forrein Coyne or Plate brought into the Kingdome can be transported only for Passengers expences some foure or fiue pounds may be carried out But for commodities brought in which haue payed Custome the same may bee shipped out againe by Cocket without paying any more Custome and Imposition so it bee done vpon good Certificate that it is the same commoditie and that the propertie thereof is not altered and this must be done within sixe moneths after their importation All Merchants ships being laden Permitted to breake bulke at Tilburie-hope haue alwaies time out of mind beene permitted to breake bulke below or at Tilburie-Hope and to pay no Custome but for the goods they brought vp or landed in England and not for the goods which they did transport in the said ship or in any other vessell or ship which priuiledge and certainetie of Merchants Custome ought to be seriously obserued better than it hath beene of late And of this and other obseruations Merchants and Factors are to giue notice to their friends and Masters to the end they do not incur any danger To enter goods vpon sight which to auoid in some sort is effected by entring the goods vpon sight of the Customers view by opening of them In Barbarie and other places where the Customes are paied in kind or Species if any part bee concealed and not entered that onely will be forfeited and yet the losse is greater because they will make choice of the best as for example Suppose a Merchant doth enter diuers sorts of Linnen-cloth and concealeth some pieces the Officers will take both the tenth piece for the Custome and all the concealed pieces of the best and finest sorts to your exceeding great losse In the Low-countries and Germanie as also in most places of Italie and Turkie you shall onely forfeit the goods concealed and bee permitted to compound for them as you can agree wherein the circumstances in some places will be considered and the manner how the error grew or whether it were done with a set purpose There are also in diuerse places allowances made as in England vpon Wines in regarde of lecage of tenne or fifteene vpon the hundreth or else all the Buts and Pipes are to be filled vp Allowances made vpon Customes and Impositions and so to pay accordingly wherein the time of the voyage foule weather and other accidents are to be considered to make your composition thereafter Vpon Clothes to be shipped out Allowance vpon Clothes there is allowance made of the tenth Cloth for a wrapper which payeth no Custome and so of all other woollen Commodities which pay after the rate as three Northeren Kersies for a Cloth foure Deuonshire Kersies two single Dozens one double Dozen six Cardinals Pin-whites Statutes Stockbridges Straites and Tauistockes foure Cornish Dozens Pennystones vnfriezed Island Dozens and Northeren Plaines for one Cloth two Bridgewaters Cornish and Deuonshire double Dozens Florentines Northren Dozens single and pennystones for a Cloth to be vnderstood for a short Cloth coloured or white of twentie and foure yards long waighing 60 ll vntill 64 ll whereof English Custome was a Noble and the Merchant Straunger
care must be had herein both by the parties and Scriueners which make the bonds Concerning agreements to be made between Bankrupts and their Creditors there is a question made That if Creditors do agree with their Debtors for some part of their debts Agreements to be made between a Bankrupt and his Crediâ—ors because of the Debtors losses and misfortunes Whether when the parties being become rich againe may reuoke their agreement And the law hath determined this question That if vpon the agreement there be an Acquitance made by the Creditor then the same agrement is absolute and cannot be reuoked vnlesse the Acquittance were conditionall The greatest number or the greater summe of the Creditors being agreed with the Debtor are bound to be conformable with the other and to do the like with the helpe of authoritie not onely by the Ciuile law but also by the Merchants Court of Prior and Consuls which authoritie is alreadie noted before to bee in the Lord Chauncellor But the difference is great betweene the greater number of the Creditors or the greater summe for a man may haue an infinite number of small Creditors or few Creditors for verie great summes by him owing so that the greater number should ouerrule the greater summes It is therefore thought conuenient to follow the greater summes which neuer the lesse doth not hinder the smaller number to proceed vpon goods appertaining to the partie if they can find them if by the said authoritie the whole estate of the Decoctor be not managed Bills of conformitie in Chancerie wherupon the Bills of conformitie were of late yeares vsed in the Chauncerie which by the Parlement Anno 1621 are made void because of diuers great abuses committed in thedefence of Bankrupts who to shelter themselues from the rigor of the Common-lawes did preferre their Bills of complaint in Chauncerie which was in the nature of a Protection and the parties broken became to be releeued for easie compositions with their Creditors albeit at charges another way extraordinarie Now concerning fugitiue persons being indebted if they be Merchants they are taken pro confesso to be Decoctors or Bankrupts Fugitiue Merchants for they in substance by their absence denie to giue a reason of their losses to their Creditors which they ought to do if by fortune they are to haue good and fauourable dealing if it shall appeare that by losses and not by wastfull or lewd behauiour they came behind hand whereby the Creditors are induced to diuide in some measure the parties goods amongst them as they may by the law and custome of Merchants The statute made in the 34 yeare of King Henrie 8 hath well prouided against these fugitiue persons Proclamation against fugitiue Merchants that a Proclamation shall be made against them That if they doe not returne within three moneths after they shall haue notice of it which by Affidauit must be certified to present themselues in some conuenient place to be declared that then they shall be proceeded against as if they were contemners of the lawes of the realme And in the meane time by order from the Lords of the priuie Councell who haue authoritie to grant a warrant for the Proclamation all such reuenues of lands or goods to be sequestred and afterwards to be sold as cause shall require for the paiment of the Creditors which execution hath lately beene practised against diuers but lyeth onely against the kings subiects but not against strangers nor other persons which are not Merchants or trades-men All meanes of strict proceeding are to be vsed against those fugitiue Merchants as also other Decoctors and against them that do giue them any aide or assistance which is not tollerated by the law for he that will helpe them because he may the sooner recouer of him his owne payment may be conuicted of fraud by the law when it is found out and discouered besides that the other Creditors may call that mony backe againe to be distributed amongst them And the Dictio Nullo modo How to be takâ—n nullo modo is to be vnderstood at no time and without any reason of excuse in all other things prohibited by the law especially in this which concerneth the disturbers of commerce so much to be celebrated And because many questions do arise by the meanes of the interruption of trafficke by Bankrupts and that as I haue noted alreadie the lawes in most countries doe differ in the proceedings against them I haue therefore in this Chapter made a more ample discourse both of the Ciuile Law the customes of the Merchants courts and the examples and lawes of other countries to preuent the multiplicities of cases which might be alledged by true obseruation of the premisses A question which concerneth the estate of Bankers The question concerning Bankers which haue their seuerall places or Bankes in diuers iurisdictions and become Bankrupt How their Creditors shall be dealt withall in the diuiding of their estates betweene them is worthie the obseruation for whereas they keepe two three or more Bookes of account in seuerall places and therein distinguish the Creditors of their seuerall Bankes The Ciuilians are of opinion for the most part That the Creditors of one iurisdiction should not participate with the Creditors of another iurisdiction and haue put the same in practise but the court of Merchants do vse to take an account of the state of the Bankrupt dispersed in all countries and diuide accordingly * ⎠* CHAP. XLV Of Manufactures HAuing so often inculcated that important argument whereby true Merchants are to be carefull That trafficke and commerce may be profitable as well to the common-wealth as to themselues we may not omit to intreate of Manufactures as an important matter to the customarie Law of Merchants considering the aboundance of materials and stuffe which the realms of England Scotland and Ireland doe affoord Idlenesse the root of all euill whereby the people may be set on worke to auoid idlenesse which is the root of all euill most dangerous in countries which are populous Experience demonstrateth vnto vs how many other nations hauing not stuffes of their owne but from others do neuerthelesse set their people on worke vpon the stuffe and materialls of other countries making and dispersing the same into a large trade Therefore it is conuenient to incourage all men to reward new inuentions with some priuiledges for a time and not for euer New inuentions to be rewarded to auoid the course of Monopolie and to make the benefit to the common-wealth more generall which maketh men painefull by the radicall moisture of gaine whereof Merahants are to haue a consideration so to reward the artificers and handy-crafts-mens labours that they may liue by their worke according to the Dutch Prouerbe which themselues vse so frequently Leuen ende laeten leuen To liue and to let others liue This is to be regarded also by states-men Liue and let liue forbearing to
impose ouer great Customes to be paied vpon commodities whereby the people is set on worke both vpon goods imported and exported It is therefore prohibited in France that tallow be brought in but not candles old shoes but not cobled paper but not cards and the like much more for richer wares as silkes cotton-wools and linnen c. The commodities which are not made at all or but in small quantitie in England and may be practised are manie as Buckrams Tapistrie Bustians Cambrickes Canuas Cables Babies cloth of Gold and Siluer Damaske Diaper Mather Paper and diuers other things all which may bee made in time Quia nemo nascitur artifex And herein is to be considered That all other nations being carefull to maintaine manufactures cannot but take an offence if any other nation will endeauour to doe all and to exclude others which extremitie enforceth another One extremitie enforceth another as we haue found by the enterprise of the late new companie for dressing and dying of all the white clothes in England which caused other nations to make clothes of their owne by the woolls of other nations For as hath beene noted it is contrarie to that common entercourse and mutuall course of commodities whereof some countries are destitute and other countries do abound thereby supplying the barrennesse of the one with the superfluities of the other maintaining a friendly correspondence and familiaritie The Impresa Sceptra foeuent Artes may better be attributed to common-weales or popular gouernments than vnto Monarchies or Kingdomes because experience proueth the same vnto vs by the great quantities made of manufactures and dispersed by way of trade as we haue noted by the laudable engrossing of them at Norenbourgh To vndersell commodities is verie dangerous The striuing of making commodities and to vndersel one another are dangerous and preiudiciall to both parties for by their contention they hinder each other and bring commodities to be lesse esteemed This is a matter of great consequence for statesmen to be taken into their serious consideration for as the Spaniard saieth Quien todo lo quiere todo lo pierde Setting the fishing trade apart which causeth all sorts of poore to imploy their hands though they want legs let me recommend vnto you Bogging of Peate and Turfe the making and bogging of Peate and Turfe the rather for the want of wood which England is like to haue in progresse of time the woods being much decayed and inhaunced in price and Peate and Turfe may bee made seruiceable to supplie the vses of wood and set an infinite number of people on worke As the making of Yron and all other mettalls made in fowndries and fineries the boiling of mineralls as Allome Salt-peeter Copperas and the like the burning of Brickes and Tyles the making of Glasse the refining of Sugar besides the common vse for brewing baking dying and other professions and euerie man consuming wood more or lesse in his house besides sea-coale Commodities by the bogging of Turfe And here I cannot omit to say something of the commodities which wil redound hereby to the commonwealth namely all boggie wast grounds and quagmires vnprofitable and dangerous for feeding of cattle and deere shall be conuerted to profitable vses in the making of Peate and Turfe and in time with the oft dreaning of the waters turne to firme ground and fish-ponds It will preuent the oft drowning of deere and cattell venturing for some grasse growing in bogs and quagmires whereby also many of them become rotten by drinking the vnwholesome red waters thereof All the said grounds wil be safer and pleasing for hunting and planting of woods and the fish-ponds may be planted round about with Osiers hazelwood for hoopes with diuers other profitable meanes as in Holland for the said turffe is to bee made according to their manner auoiding the sulphurous smell by two yeares drying of them before their vse and then they will in time bee vsed by most men which now find the said turffe to bee offensiue as they did in the beginning when sea-coales came to bee vsed in priuate mens houses if this had beene followed the bogging of turffe had beene alreadie pleasing and profitable Next let vs somewhat digresse from Manufacture to Apifacture Apifacture of Hony Wax and with Salomon the wise send the sluggard to imitate the painefull and laborious Bees for the increase of Hony and Waxe in England Scotland and Ireland and others of his Maiesties dominions and let mans helpe succour this Apifacture if it may be so called as followeth The meanes to increase Hony and Wax doth properly consist in the preferuation of Bees and the making of conuenient Skepes or Bee-hyues after a new inuention Namely you may make your Skepes either with Straw or Wicker of two sorts The Beehyue of two pieces and to bee of two pieces to take off at the crowne or neere the midst of the Hyue that when they haue gathered and filled vp their house and that the roome is scant within then take away the vpper halfe and clap on a boord or the bottome or head of a pitch Barrell or tarre Barrell or the like hauing pitch on it casting Mault meale or Beane meale vpon the same and then daube it well with clay about the skirts and setting on with your clay mixt with some salt and when you haue thus done then raise it vp below with so many wreythes as you tooke aboue for the gelding of your Hyues before which is verie needfull to make the greater plentie and increase For making your Skepes in this manner the Hony may bee taken at all times but especially when you doe perceiue by the lifting vp of your Skepes that your Bees are well prouided for the Winters prouision and that there bee plentie of food yet to gather then cappe them Take a strong wyer make it flat and cut your combes in two and then haue a parchment in readinesse to follow the wyer to keepe a sunder the wax from cleauing laying on your boord with pitch and meale as aforesaid This to be done in Summer Preseruation of Bees for the Climate of Great Brittaine c. 1 IN Mareh your Bees doe beginne to breed and then they beginne to sit let them at that time bee serued twice euerie weeke because 2 In Aprill your Bees beginne to hatch serue them in hard and rugged weather whereby they are hindred to be abroad 3 In May is your Bee comming forth looke to serue them vntill Midmay 4 In Iune are your Bees in their strength for casting and then there is great plentie of Flowers and Dewes for them to feed vpon 5 In Iuly they are full of Hony therefore cap your first swarmes and take vp the rest for Hony that you meane to take vp for that yere and cap as followeth 6 In August is the most breed of Bees past and you may cappe likewise those you meane to keepe ouer the yeare I meane
inhabite in Virginia where they shall haue houses and lands for themselues and their heires for euer and their worke shall be taken from them and they shal be duely paied and that a certaine number onely shall haue this priuiledge for certaine yeares and none others to be admitted albeit the number of people doe increase wherby they may be sure of a certain beneficial liuing And no doubt they wil aduenture that little they haue to inrich their means and estate and persuade their wiues and seruants to go with them who may succeed them vpon other good conditions The like is to be done with Taylors Bakers Brewers and other handicraftes-men and so conceauing a common-wealth within themselues wil resolue and encourage many that are of some meanes to accompanie others of smaller means whereby the base minded will be brought to be also painefull and industrious in time and the charge of the vndertakers will be lesse and more commodious to prouide the voyages with facilitie The like was to be put in practise by the Hollanders in the Island of saint Thomas vnder the line but the extreamitie of the heate of that Climate did bring a disorder and the attempt was giuen ouer It is more like to be established in other places for albeit the warres in Europe will diminish the people yet most countries are populous Politicians although they are much mistaken in the number of parishes of seuerall kingdomes yet are they not in the number of the persons or inhabitants France containing by late estimation about 27400 parishes What people in France in numbers c. esteemed in 44 hundreth thousand families of fiue persons to a familie where in England six persons are accounted to be in a familie is 22 millions of persons England containing 9725 parishes 52 shires and 26 cities is esteemed in 28 hundreth thousand families of six persons which maketh 16 millions and 800 thousand persons Scotland containing aboue 4000 parishes is esteemed to haue about 1500 thousand persons or families of six persons is nine millions of persons Ireland containing 5500 parishes was esteemed not to containe the two third parts of Scotland which is now much increased The prouince of Flanders one of the 17 Netherlands esteemed to containe 140 thousand families of fiue persons is 700 thousand persons which is more than the kingdome of Denmarke being ten times more spacious Now omitting to speake of other countries Too populous is dangerous in Monarchies let vs obserue that in all popular gouernments be it an Aristocracie or Democracie the meanes to make countries populous is thought reasonable which in Monarchies is held to be dangerous The concourse of people causeth the greater consumpsion of all things and the reuenues are great by Impositions and it giueth life to trafficke and commerce The Plantation of Vlster one of the foure Prouinces of Ireland is now verie great and the meanes to set the people on worke are to be taken in hand which may be done by a Corporation of English and Irish Merchants there inhabiting and English Merchants in England to vent the superfluities of the commodities of that kingdome and to increase the manufacture of many needfull commodities to bee made there the realme affording stuffe and materialls thereunto plentiously And here I remember a good obseruation heretofore made touching the kingdome of Ireland Why the same was not brought vnto perfect obedience to their soueraigne these 400 yearâ—s but vnder our most gratious king Iames which is attributed to the mistaking of the place of the plantation of the first aduenturers that were deceiued in their choice Fit places for plantation to be considered of for they sate downe and erected their castles and habitations in the plaines and open countries where they found most fruitfull and profitable lands turned the Irish into the woods and mountaines which as they were proper places for Outlawes and Theeues so were they their naturall castles and fortifications thither they draue their preys and stealths the lurked there waited to do euill and mischiefe for these places they kept vnknowne by making the waies and entries thereunto impassible there â—hey kept their cattle liuing by the milke of the cow without husbandrie or tillage there they increased and multiplyed vnto infinit numbers by promiscuous generation among themselues there they made their assemblies and conspiracies without discouerie but they discouered the weaknesse of the English dwelling in the open plaines and thereupon made their fallies and retraits with great aduantage Whereas on the other side if the English had builded their castles and townes in those places of fastnes had driuen the Irish into the plaines and open countries where they might haue had an eye and obseruation vpon them the Irish had beene easily kept in order and in short time reclaimed from their wildnesse and would haue vsed tillage and by dwelling together in towneships learned mechanicall Arts and Sciences This discourse may seeme strange to the Law of Merchants but when Merchants vndertake Plantations as we see they do no man will hold the same to be impertinent The discouerie of the Southerne countries called Terra Australis And for as much as diuers Mathematicians heretofore haue according to those discoueries made their maps and vpon good probabilitie affirmed and set downe Terra Australis incognita whereof discouerie hath beene made in the yeare 1615 by Ferdinand de Quir a Spanish Captaine let vs consider that many other countries may also be found out albeit this containeth a fifth part of the world for as he saieth to Philip the third late king of Spaine the length thereof is as great as all Europe and Asia the lesse vnto the sea of Bachu Persia and all the Isles as well of the Ocean as of the Mediterranean sea taking England and Island into this account seated within Zona Torrida and a great thereof reacheth vnto the Equinoctiall Circle eleuated vnto them to 90 degrees aboue the Horizon and in some places a little lesse There they liue without Kings or Lawes and know no neighbourhood either of Turkes or Moores and according to this maner of life although they want Yron and Guns they haue not need of any thing But they abound with many excellent commodities whereof the Spaniards will in time make vse especially if they be more assured of Gold there to be found as in part they are of Siluer and Pearles for these are the three most pretious darlings that lie and are cherrished in the bosome of Nature To say nothing of Spices and Drugs whereof they abound with many other commodities by the said Captaine declared And here we may not omit to remember That it is not enough to discouer countries and leaue them without plantation or at the least neglect the vse of them if Merchants do giue ouer their enterprises But it is the part of Princes to see plantations made True causes to make plantations for two maine reasons
other hauing meanes more than sufficient to maintaine the trades considering the great summes of money deliuered at interest although the money in specie be wanting which by these meanes would be supplyed And concerning the priuiledges graunted to seuerall societies it will bee easie to reconcile them by good orders to be obserued in the fishing trade wherein all men of seuerall companies may participate and the generall good is alwaies to be preferred before the particular and that societie which is against the common good ought not to bee admitted or continued for any priuate respect Answere To the second obiection That other nations are more painefull and industrious and haue more skill in the cutting salting and packing of fish and pay no fraight for the transportation of their fish Suppose it be so as you say for the present yet you cannot denie but that the same may be amended by vse and custome seeing our people can endure all climates and hardinesse as well as others and by good orders and gaine may be allured to vndertake labour and pains when want breedeth industrie and gaine is like a second life The managing to make fish more merchantable and vendible may be learned of others in time and for wages men will be procured that shall teach others we know that the prouerbe is true omne principium graue The like may bee said touching the fraight of shipping which in processe of time may be had in the same manner if the coast Townes of England were made and appropriated to bee the Ware-houses or Megasins for the grosse commodities of those countries where the Herrings are sold For the scituation of England is farre more commodious to send away the said commodities for all other countries and in diuers places at all times and seasons of the yeare when their countries are frozen for many moneths together or want many times winde and weather to performe their voyages which was the cause that the Hamburgers could not conueniently continue their fishing trade as is alledged Hauing answered sufficiently as I hope the two maine obiections against the fishing trade let vs now examine the benefit of it by the calculation made by the said gentleman Now to shew truely saith he what the charge of a Busse will be with all her furniture as Masts The whole charge of a Busse Sailes Anchors Cables and with all her fishers implements and appurtenances at the first prouided all new is a great charge she being betweene 30 and 40 Last will cost fiue hundreth pounds and may continue 20 yeares with small cost and reparations but the yeâ—rely slite and weare of her tackle and war-ropes with her nets wil cost 80 pounds And the whole charge for the keeping of her at sea for the whole Summer or three voyages for the filling of a hundred Last of caske or barrels 100 Last of barrels 72 ll For salt 4 moneths 88 ll Beere 4 moneths 42 ll For bread 4 moneths 21 ll Bacon and butter 18 ll For pease and billets 6 ll For mens wages 4 moneths 88 ll 335 ll A hundred Last of barrels filled and sold at 10 pounds the Last is 1000 ll 0 0 The charge deducted 335 0 0 Gotten 665 0 0 Here saith he plainely appeareth The profit of one Busse that there is gotten 665 pounds in one Summer whereof if that you do deduct one hundreth pounds for the wearing of the ship and the reparations of her nets against the next Summer yet still there is 565 ll remaining for cleere gaines by one bâ—sse in one yeare rating the Herrings sold but at ten pound the Last which is commonly sold by the Hollanders at Danske for fifteene and twentie pounds The charge of a Pinke of eighteene or twentie Last Of â— Pinke making fifteene Last of barrel fish he accounted accordingly to cost 260 ll and the prouision and wages to be for two moneths 57 ll and the Last sold at 14 ll 8 ss or 24 ss the barrell there is resting gaine for fifteene Last of barrell fish 158 ll He hath noted moreouer that besides the Hollanders the French men of Picardie haue also a hundreth saile of fishermen onely for Herrings on his maiesties seas euerie yeare in the Summer season and they be almost like vnto Busses but they haue not any gagers to come vnto them but they do lade themselues and returne home twice euerie yeare and find great profit by their making of two voyages yearely And hereupon he concludeth with an exhortation to all noble Exhortation for the fishing trade worshipfull and wealthie subiects to put too their aduenturing and helping hands for the speedie launching and floating forward of this great good common-wealth businesse for the strengthning of his maiesties dominions with two principall pillars which is with plentie of coine brought in for fish and Herrings from forraine nations and also for the increasing of mariners against all forreine inuasions and for the bettering of trades and setting of thousands of poore and idle people on worke But now returning to the lawfulnesse of fishing wherein we are to obserue That albeit hunting hawking and fishing be of one kind as subiect to a like law and libertie because that any wild beast fowle or fish being once taken by any man commonly it becommeth his owne proper by the law of nations yet there is a difference between these three and although hunting and hawking be almost euerie where lawfull yet fishing is forbidden in other mens ponds stankes and lakes as comparable vnto theft Statute Lawes of England Scotland and Ireland concerning fishing THe seuerall Statutes of these kingdomes haue established good orders concerning the fishing trade whereunto relation may be had containing in substance the ordinances to build ships and boats and appointing of certaine times for fishing and then onely to fish vpon paines not onely of forfeitures and fines but death also according to the manner of offence made and contempt of those decrees and ordinances Prohibiting for the increase of fishes the making setting and vsing of crowes yarres dams ditches tramlets parkings dyking in any waters where the sea ebbes and flowes and albeit some are permitted to lay nets and to make weares yet must he keep the Saturdaies slop that is to lift the same from Saturday in the afternoone vntill Monday And he is to make each space or mesh of his nets three ynches wide except for taking of Smelts and other fish which will neuer be bigger and the same is to be set vpon the water that the midstreame may haue the space of six foot wide vpon paine of fiue pounds The priuiledges of fishers And concerning the fishers safetie and priuiledges it is prouided That all ships sayling to catch Herrings shall during the taking of them let downe saile after day-light is past and let their anchor fall and keepe watch with lanterne and light vntill the day light appeare least otherwise the poore fishers should be
are but one and so is Coniunction and Putrifaction likewise Cibation and Fermentation then followeth Congelation and at last Multiplication and Proiection which are also but one For mine owne part seeing that no man can be perfect in any one Science I hold it not amisse for a man to haue knowledge in most or in all things For by this studie of Alcumie men may attaine to many good experiments of distillations Chimicall Fire-workes and othâ—r excellent obseruations in Nature which being farre from Merchants profession I hope shall not giue offence to the Reader of this Booke seeing it is but in one Chapter accidentally handled Neither will I craue pardon of the Muses as it were insinuating to the world to haue a far greater knowledge in these trialls or conclusions but to satisfie the curiositie of some that it may be with a gaping mouth expect to vnderstand somewhat of the Stuffe put into these glasses I may say as I was informed That in some was the calcined ore of Silâ—er and Gold in some other Mercurie calcined and Sulphur in some other Arsenike for the Ayre Sulphur for the Fire Mercury for Water and Seacoale for the Earth were put altogether as the four Elements In some other glasse was Vitrioll and Orpiment and what more I doe not now remember concluding That where Nature giueth abilitie Art giueth facilitie I haue read all the Bookes of Paracelsus that I could find hitherto and in his Booke De Transmutatione Rerum I doe find to this purpose the obseruations following concurring with my friends opinion concerning Ripleys 12 Diuisions comprized into sixe and the seuenth is the matter it selfe and the labour or working resteth wherewith I doe end this Chapter and proceed to the surer ground of the Mines of Mettalls Omne quod in Friâ—ore soluitur continet Aerum Spiritum salis quem in sublimatione vel distillatione acquirit assumit Omne quod in Frigore vel Aere soluitur iterum calore Ignis coagulatur in Puluerem vel Lapidem Solutio verò Caloris soluit omnia pingua omnia Sulphurea Et quicquid calor ignis soluit hoc coagulat Frigus in massâ—m quicquid calor coagulat hoc soluit rursus Aeer Frigor Gradus ad Transmutationem sunt septem Calcinatio Sublimatio Solutio Putrifactio Distillatio Coagulatio Tintura Subgradus Calcinationis compraehenduntur Reuerberatio Cementatio Sub Sublimatione Exaltio Eleuatio Fixatio Sub Solutione Dissolutio Resolutio Sub Putrifactione Digestio Circulatio qui transmutat colores separat purum ab impuro purum superius impurum inferius Sub Distillatione Ascensio Lauatio Fixatio Coagulatio est duplex vna Aeris altera Ignis Tintura tingit totum corpus est fermentum massae farinaceoe panis Secundum est Quod calidius liquescunt eo celerius tintura transcurrit sicut fermentum penetrat totam massam acetositate inficit c. Sequitur Mortificatio Fixatio sulphuris in Libro de Resuscitatione Rerum Reductio metallorum in mercurium vivum CHAP. II. Of Mines Royall THe Mines called Royall are only of Gold Siluer and Copper of which three mettalls Princes made choice to make their moneys of simple or mixed as shall be hereafter declared But for as much as Siluer is found in the lead Mines and that the siluer Mines haue their Ores mixt with hard lead also it happeneth many times that there are great questions about these Mines when Princes will claime their interest in some lead Mines because they are rich in siluer as of late yeares betweene Queene Elizabeth and the Earle of Northumberland as you may read in Master Plowdens Commentarie of Booke Cases where it was adiudged That if a Mine be found richer in siluer of more value within the Ore than of lead all charges of the working of both mettalls being fully paied the Prince may claime the same to be a Mine Royal wherein must be had great aduisement some Ore in one place being richer than other Ore in another place of the same Mine whereof we may handle in his proper place of other Mines Beginning therefore with Gold the most precious mettall Gold Mines let vs obserue That the same is found in hills riuers and in the earth but not mixt in Ore as Siluer Copper and other mettals That which is found in the riuers is the finest as containing lesse corruption and is all of one goodnes otherwise There is Mayden-gold so called because it was neuer in the fire Naturally all Gold hath a little Siluer in it as also some Copper and comming out of the ground it is soft and doth harden by the ayre Such Gold as hath no need to be refined but may be vsed according to his finesse in workes or to make money is called Aurum obrison such was the Gold which sir Beuis Bulmer knight brought out of Scotland found in the sands of the riuers neere vnto the Gold Mines of Crayford-moore Crayford Moore in Scotland which was aboue twentie and two Carrats fine and better than the French crowne Gold I saw some eighteene ounces of it which was in big graines some like pease found out by the Sheepheards by whose meanes that place hath beene discouered in the latter time of queen Elizabeth Some other Gold hath beene found out also in Scotland within a white sparre wherin it groweth neere the superficies of the earth runneth into smal veyns like pins fit to be refined by quicksiluer from the sparre because it is as pure Gold as any found in Africa or Barbarie which we call Angell Gold holding but halfe a graine of Allay I haue seene the like sparre of Gold which was found in England in countie of Lincolne at Brickell hill neere Spilsbie by Lincolne Brickell Hill in England But neither this place or any other are lookt into for the reasons hereafter declared being right worthie to be regarded with a curious eye and an industrious vnderstanding and consequently many other whereof this Monarchie of Great Brittaine is rarely blessed and especially in Scotland where much barren ground is for God in his diuine wisdome doth counteruaile the said barrennesse of the soile with the riches contained within the bowels of the earth as in fertile ground with the Corne and fruits growing vpon the superficies thereof An obseruation to find out any Mines which may serue vs for an obseruation especially where we find riuers of water running about the hillie places in dales which the Spaniards did so much regard in the West-Indies seeking after Mines that in all places where they found not the same they presently gaue ouer the search after them Gold doth come out of many countries as out of the mountaines in Bohemia riuers of Pannonia in Hungarie out of the kingdome of Sweaden but it is all exhausted There was wont to come out of Spaine of the riuers and mountaines aboue twentie thousand pound weight yearely
made an offer to buy the 80 tunnes remaining in the Tower to a great personage to giue it for 24 pound the tun to be transported to my friend into Holland paying readie money time was taken to giue me an answere and then difficultie was made for that treasure was not to be exported vnlesse by returning the quantitie of siluer by weight heereupon conclusion was made to bring in so much Bullion of siluer or royalls of plate But when all came to all with running vp and downe and further offering to deale for greater quantities and to take it in Scotland I was put off with this consideration That it was a dishonour to England not to haue men of as good experience as any were beyond the seas whereby the Kings losse was 2000 ll for his Highnesse gaue the same afterwards vnto Iames Achinson his Grauer of the Mint heeretofore who brought the same to nothing being vnskilfull of the refining of it And thus are good matters marred in the handling Good matters marr'd in the handling and workes brought at a stay or hindered as I haue before set downe There are many rich Mines in Scotland if wee compare them to the West-India Mines and in Wales Plus Pencer que dire where the Lead Mines are poore they containe the more siluer of 1 ½ two and three ounces in the hundreth of the Ore which will not yeeld aboue 40 or 44 ll weight of Lead and the Ore of the Mine which holdeth three ounces containeth but 25 pound of Lead The Mines most knowne are those in Cardiganshire in Wales where master Hugh Middleton of London Gold-smith hath bestowed very great charges as he did in bringing the water-workes to the Citie of London so he bringeth now siluer to the Tower to bee minted the Ore being foure ounces in the hundreth or 80 ounces in the tun and the lesse in Lead for the richer the Ore is in Lead the poorer it is in siluer So one hundreth of the best Ore of Lead will make neere 70 ll of Lead and holdeth but 1 â— ounce of siluer not worth the charges of refining as we shall declare The Lead Mines in Ireland doe containe more siluer than these Mines of Darbieshire and Somersetshire called Peake and Mendisse Lead The Saxons which were procured to come into England had no more no not so much experience as our refiners of London for by sauing of Lead they found lesser quantitie of siluer and so all was giuen ouer The third sort of Mines Royall are the Copper Mines Copper Mines which are found also in diuers Countreys which are not so plentifull in Hungarie where the best is as in times past but are very aboundant in Sweaden howbeit that it is very meane and inferiour in goodnesse There are also Copper Mines in Germany and the Duke of Brunswickes countrey as also certaine naturall Copperas waters wherein they cast from time to time great quantitie of old Yron which within sixe weekes or two moneths doth transmute into Copper Naturall water of Copperas England hath diuers Copper Mines at Keaswike neere Scotland are made some fortie tunnes yearely by certaine Germanes there inhabiting it containeth some Gold Some Mines of Copper Ore are found in Yorkeshire and albeit the charge of making one tunne of Copper be commonly 30 ll yet if seuen tunne of Copper Ore make one tunne of Copper it may yeeld good benefit for whereas 22 fires haue beene vsed it is brought to 12. I haue seene excellent Copper Ore of some Mines in Staffordshire in the hands of master Stonewell Staffordshire Copper Mines which absolutely is the best Ore that euer was found in England hee doth assure mee of great store of Ore It is lamentable that such workes should lye dead for want of vndertakers which indeed are discouraged by the great charges In mine opinion the charge of a tunne of Copper of this goodnesse of Ore will be made for 15 ll There are also good Copper Mines in the West parts of England where I haue seene good Ore in diuers places which must be roasted to destroy the Antimonie Arsenicke and other corruptions which are in it The working of copper Ore by Allome and Copperas water A certaine Nobleman now deceased was imbarked in those Westerne Mines which were promised to be wrought by imbibition of Allome and Copperas water and the Ore after digestion with raine-water would make of six tuns one of Copper hereupon for 300 ll by him disbursed he was offered 1800 ll It pleased his Lordship to take my aduice and to conclude the bargain for when I did calculate the charge of grinding and roasting of the ore the making of the great quantitie of Allome water and Copperas the consumption of yron plates decreasing in weight with all the tubs and vtensills the long time of imbibition and consequently workemens wages I found the charge to exceed and that the course of ordinary melting was to be preferred and so experience hath since proued the same to the great losse of the vndertakers For when workes are clogged with immensiue charges in the beginning it choketh the benefit euer after as we shall presently declare Seeing that profit is the radicall moisture of such and the like actions his Maiestie hath beene graciously pleased to incorporate a Companie of worthy persons The Compaâ—ie of Royall Mines for all Royall Mines by Letters Pattents and hath reserued but one fifteenth part to himselfe But there is none of that Companie that doth aduance any works that I can learne I would to God that the Mines Royal or others would proue to be worth ten thousand pounds yearely and aboue whereby his Highnesse according to the ancient Maxime of the Law might claime his interest as they say for it is well knowne how gracious and bountifull his Maiestie is alwayes The great wealth of the West-Indies would not bee so admirable vnto vs A Spanish Million is 300 thousand pound sterling the Report whereof is greater than the Truth and the Spanish Millions are not sterling Millions Neuerthelesse let vs reckon them with the most which is three hundreth thousand pound sterling And when the Fleet of the West-Indies and Noua Espagna bringeth eight or nine Millions it is a great matter And to make this apparant I haue heere set downe the greatest Treasure that euer came at any one time which was in the yeare 1587 as a prouision for the great Armada then preparing whereunto unto great beneuolences had beene gathered in regard of the meritorious action which God from Inuincible made Inuisible The Register of the treasure was with the most namely From Noua Espana and Terra firme For the King 8100 Ingots of Siluer 12 Chests with Gold 300 thousand Royals of eight 20 Cases with Pearles 1 Chest with Emeraulds 5600 Roues of Cutchenille For particular persons A remembrance of the greatâ—st reuenue of the West-Indies 5 millions Teasted siluer
that our Yron is best for the casting of Ordnance and that the Sweaden cast Yron Peeces are brittle and commonly one in seuen will not abide the triall and of late the broken peeces of ours are made seruiceable for Yron in bars to be cast againe Quicksiluer Mines Mercurie or Quicksiluer naturall is not yet found in England but onely in Germanie in verie cold places and within these thirtie yeares there are two Mines of Qâ—icksiluer discouered in the West-Indies which is a helpe to the quantitie which they yearely buy to refine their Siluer Mines Sulphure Mines or Brimstone Sulphure or Brimstone being found in diuers countries cannot be better than we haue in some mountaines in Wales from whence I haue had diuers sorts of Sulphure earth or mine verie rich Some there is also in Blackemoore and Basedale in Yorkâ—shire as also many other Minerals which my workmen did shew me Minerals of diuers sorts as Terra sigillata Oacre red and yellow Bole Armoniacke Tera d' Vmbra Antimonie Salniter Blacke lead Vitrioll to be made of Copporas to say nothing of such things as are made of Mettals nor of Salt-peeter which is plentifull Allomes are made oâ— stone slate and earth And now I cannot omit to treat of the Allomes whereof in many countries great store is made but the best is at Ciuâ—ta Vecchia in Italie called Romish Allome made with small charges out of a kind of stone which yeeldeth aboue the one halfe of Allome without vsing any vrine or saltish mixture as they do in Germanie where they haue both red and white Allome at reasonable rates so they haue in many places of the Straits at Constantinople Carthagena and other places Sweaden and Poland are not without it In Scotland and Ireland great quantities can be made had not England vndertaken so much whereof I haue set downe the originall progresse and continuance concerning those workes at large the substance whereof followeth in briefe Queene Elizabeth of blessed memorie did in the sixt yeare of her raigne grant by Letters Pattents vnto one Cornelius de Vos the sole making of Copperas and Allomes within the Realme of England which was assigned by him to Iames Lord Mountioy and being renewed for twentie one yeares was confirmed vnto him by an Act of Parliament by vertue whereof one master Lane his workemaster made great quantitie of Copperas in Dorsetshire and the Isle of Purbeke and some Allome and Copperas was then sold at 30 ll the tun now vnder three pounds Afterwards about the yeare 1604 one master Atherton beganne to practise the making of Allomes in Yorkeshire about Gisborough with whom one master Bourchier now Sir Iohn Bourchier Knight did ioyne to bring it to some perfection in hope whereof and at the sute of the said Sir Iohn the King in the fourth yeare of his raigne granted certaine conditionall Letters Patents to the Lord Sheffield President of the North Sir Thomas Challoner Sir Dauid Fowles Knights and the said master Bourchier for twentie one yeares for the sole making of Allomes in Yorkeshire onely where in building of seuen houses and the vtensills for working and charges Aboue Blackâ— Moores with other extraordinaries they were out of purse in two yeares some 33 thousand pounds and could proceed no further without bringing in new men for some of the other gaue ouer in time and would proceed no further although the Germanes were now come which they had sent for There are rich Allome Mines in the Isle of Wight Hereupon other Letters Patents were obtained for thirtie one yeares for all England Scotland and Ireland without conditions and then they were out aboue 40 thousand pounds and no Allomes made to benefit although the price was raised at a certaintie and all forraine Allomes prohibited to come in And his Maiestie hath beene pleased to enter into the said workes and layed out so many thousand pounds as is not fitting to bee expressed Thus by ouercharging the workâ—s in the beginning are good businesses ouerthrowne many are the particulars which I haue obserued in writing concerning these workes But leauing this I wish good successe therein for there is Allome earth enough to continue for euer and in places West-wards as good and better than any in Yorkeshire Now from the Mines of Gold being fallen to Allome and Copperas let vs end with the Coale pits or Coale Mines Coale Mines whereof they make more account in the North than of Lead Mines and yet they are aboundant more than in any countrey of the world In the lower parts of Germanie about Acon and Collogne they haue great store of Sea-coale but it doth not cake as our Coales they melt great quantitie of yron stone with it being like vnto the Coale in Nottinghamshire or thereabouts which flameth more like vnto the Scots Coales To know the goodnesse of the diuersitie of our Coale I haue noted in the fourth Chapter of the first Part of Weights and Measures and now I am to shew how Mines may bee wrought to benefit and profit for the good of Merchants and others CHAP. IIII. Of the profitable working of Mines PHillip the second late King of Spaine perceiuing that many blind Bayards were ouerbold to vndertake the working of his Mines of Siluer in the West-Indies and yet considering on the one side that without authoritie and priuiledge they could not bee incouraged thereunto and on the other side hauing obtained the same for certaine allotted grounds vnto them they did hinder other men and themselues proceeded not did very aduisedly make all his Letters Patents as wee call them conditionall with a Prouiso A good prouiso in Lettets Patents for Mines That if the Patentees did not proceed in the workes or discontinue the worke for two yeares the Patent was void of course and vpon Certificate made of it the King made new Grants vnto others If our King were pleased to doe so many Grants or Leases made by the Companie of the Mines Royall would be made void and other men would be incouraged to trie their fortunes vpon them The next consideration concerning Mines Mettaline and Minerall is That the workes in the beginning be not choaked or suffocated with extreame charges and expences which doth discourage the vndertaker and all others whereby the works are giuen ouer or meanes are deuised to charge Princes Coffers with them For it is true That things doe prosper best when they are vnderpropped by authoritie it selfe which to doe in the beginning were more profitable than when the charges and expences haue ouerburthened them For preuention whereof I made a contract for the Lead Mines in the North parts which being imitated shall cut off all such charges as commonly the parties doe runne into in the working of Mines vpon the conceited benefit which draweth more violently than the Adamant stone For as the Portugall Antonio Diaz told the King Todos los mineros son Ricos porque quando no
so many millions of Copper moneys in foure and eight Maluedies and otherwise and in Portugall of Vintenis Patacois of so many Reas that the halfe Ryall which is our three pence is onely of Siluer and all moneys vnder it are meere Copper without any mixture of Siluer This quantitie is almost incredible for it is not many yeres since during the Kings raign of Philip the third that certaine Italians finding fault that his Octauos and Quartillos were too big gaue the King sixe millions of Ducats to coyne them at halfe the weight within a time limited and as many as they could vtter within that time Necessitas non habet legem is true in some respects The Venetians also coyne meere Copper moneys Copper moneys of the Venetians they haue Sessini which are valued at two Quatrini and three Quatrini are one halfe pennie sterling for six Quatrini are one pennie Bagatini they haue also whereof foure make one Quatrini and twentie and foure Bagatini make one pennie sterling by calculation In France they haue Mailles petit Deniers Deniers Doubles Of Fraunce and Liarts in times past most of these had some Siluer in them but vpon due consideration that it was so much Siluer wasted because the charges of refining did surmount the value and that these moneys did serue for the commutation of pettie things and trifles they haue saued that Siluer Of Germanie The like they haue done of all the small moneys in Germanie but they cause them to be Alkimed like Siluer which is done with Tin and Sal Armoniake after they be coyned which holdeth fairer for a longer time than the moneys of siluer allayed with much copper being in a maner incorporated with the copper and taketh away the smel of it Such are their Hellers Albs Hallincke and the like small copper moneys Of the Low-countries In the Low-countries they haue Duyts Mites Negemanckens Ortkens whereof foure make a Styuer and fiue Styuers make sixe pence which we may well call a Styuer for a pennie sterling eight Negemanckens and twentie and foure Mites for one pennie also In some places as in Flanders the Mite is called Corte and in the Wallone countrie Engcuni and in other places Point Pite Poot being all subdiuisions of Obolus or the halfe pennie Of many other kingdomes and states gouernment In Bohemia Poland Sweaden Denmarke East-land and many other Kingdomes and States they haue meere copper moneys tedious to describe likewise in Italie in their seuerall principalities and dukedomes Of Scotland In Scotland they haue Turnoners and pence and halfe pence in their names and much base money of Achisons Plackx Babyes Nonsuits Of Ireland and the like In Ireland they had in Queene Elizabeth her time halfe pence and pence of copper which are most of them lost and consumed The necessitie of these small moneys did appeare here with vs in England where euerie Chandler Tapster Vintner and others made tokens of lead and brasse for halfe-pences and at Bristoll by the late Queenes authoritie Farthing tokens in England were made of copper with a ship on the one side and C.B. on the other side signifying Ciuitas Bristoll these went currant for small things at Bristoll and ten miles about Hereupon it pleased our soueraigne Lord the K. to approue of the making of a competent quantitie of farthing tokens to abolish the said leaden tokens made in derogation of the Kings Prerogatiue Royall which farthing tokens being made by Engines of meere copper in the yeare 1613 with certain cautions and limitations haue on the one side two scepters crossing vnder one diademe in remembrance of the vnion betweene England and Scotland and on the other side the harpe for Ireland and the inscription of Iacobus D.G. Magnae Britt Fra. Hiber Rex And the said farthing tokens haue not onely beene found very commodious and necessarie for pettie commutations but also to be a great reliefe of the poore and means to increase charitie without which many of them had perished euerie man hauing means to giue almes euen the mechanicall poore to the indigent poore Siluer moneys To come to the coynes of siluer we haue also noted that the Romanes made but moneys of siluer the 484 yere after the foundation of Rome which was in the yeare 3695 from the beginning of the world being now about 1900 yeres since and by some coyns models extant the goodnes of it was sterling siluer being aboue 11 ounces fine since which time many are the standards of siluer moneys made in diuers countries according to occasions both in time of peace and warres as you may find in the following Chapters where wee haue reduced them from the marke weight vnto the pound weight Troy of twelue ounces And concerning the Moneys of England of the sterling Standard more followeth hereafter The Moneys of gold were but made when the Romanes had taken great wealth from all Nations Gold Moneys and was sixtie two yeares after their beginning of the making of siluer Moneys and they were of fine gold since which time also there haue beene many Standards made of gold and that from about twentie foure carrats fine vntill seuen carrats c. CHAP. VI. Of the Officers of Mints THere are diuers Officers in all Mintes The principall Officer is the Warden of the Mint next is the Mint-master the one to looke to the making of Moneys compleat according to the Standards and the other with his workemen called Monyers to make them Then there is the Comptroller to keepe the Contrebookes for the Prince State to see the bullion receiued and the assayes made thereof and the compleat moneys returned for the same weight for weight paying coynage money forthe same which is done by the Warden by the said moneys in specie as they were coyned at the first There are commonly two Assay-masters one Grauer and his deputie one that keepeth the Yrons to deliuer them to the Monyers or the Prouost or chiefe of them to see them euery night returned againe then the Sincker Smith Porter and the like in their places all these haue wages for themselues or allowances yearely from the Prince or State The Mint-master and the Monyers are paied for euery pound weight they make whereof 30 ll weight they call a Iourney The Tellors Office is but vsed in England The Sheyre booke of Moneys which the Wardens deputies execute in other countreys to keepe a Sheyre Booke of the peeces contained in the marke or pound weight although the money be deliuered by weight and not by tale For although there be suppose eight or ten peeces ouer in 100 ll by tale it doth incourage the bringer in of Bullion for the â—â—act sizing is not so much to be regarded vpon the totall in quantitie as vpon the equalitie of weight in peeces for it happeneth sometimes that one shilling will weigh one farthing or halfe penny
accordingly The double Guilder of Albertus tenne ounces 15 pennie weight and 14 â…— peeces The single Guilder the halfe and quarters of the same finenes and peeces accordingly The peeces of foure two and one Stiuer since 1590. The peeces of eight Ryalls of Spaine of eleuen ounces foure pennie weight and 13 ½ peeces The said peeces made at Mexico in the Indies eleuen ounces fine and 13 â…” peeces The Lion Doller of the Prince of Orange of nine ounces fine and thirteene peeces The siluer Ryder of Guilders and Frize-land correspondent with the States Doller of nine ounces The Dollers of Guelders and Vtrecht tenne ounces tenne and twelue pennie fine and thirteene peeces The great siluer Royall of the States correspondent with the Phillip Doller The 1 20 part of the said great Royall with the Arrowes accordingly The Doller of Zealand with the Eagles of nine ounces fine and 13 ½ peeces The Edward Doller of England of eleuen ounces two pennie weight fine and 11 ¾ peeces The Doller of Scotland with the crosse Daggers eleuen ounces two pennie weight fine and 11 ¾ peeces The Marke of Scotland eleuen ounces two pennie weight fine and 54 peeces The Doller of Frize-land coyned 1601 of nine ounces fine and 13 ½ peeces Coynes made of meere Copper THe Ortgens whereof foure make one Stiuer and two the halfe Stiuer The Duyts also foure make one Stiuer The Negenmannekens the eight make a Stiuer and foure the halfe Stiuer The three Mites whereof eight peeces to the Stiuer is 24 Mites The sixteene pence Hollandts make one Stiuer and eight the halfe Stiuer For other Copper Moneys read the fifth precedent Chapter of Moneys Error of Triall peeces for the Standard So I doe conclude this Chapter with an errour committed in the making of the Standard Triall Peeces vsed in most Kingdomes and States to charge the Mint-masters to make the Moneys by wherein they doe not proceed according to the Rule of Arithmatike by obseruing true weight and finenesse For if it bee appointed to make a Standard peece of tenne ounces fine they will take certaine ounces of fine Siluer and Copper proportionable thereunto and melt them together and being made into a plate of Siluer diuide the same into three equall parts to be deliuered one to the King another to the Warden and the third to the Mint-master and hereof are Assayes made both of this peece and the moneys and so compared together As if a man should take eleuen ounces two pennie weight of fine Siluer and eighteene pennie weight of Copper both in weight and melt them together making twelue ounces by weight and neuer weight them after they bee commixed But say this is sterling Standard whereas the weight both of the one and of the other doth proportionate the Standard by weight for in regard of the waste of copper this is better than Standard and ought to bee made exactly so that the peeces also are to be correspondent to the pound weight for the foundation riseth from hence as in the following Chapter appeareth CHAP. IX Of the Valuation of Moneys and the Proportion betweene Gold and Siluer VAluation of Moneys is the Spirit which giueth life vnto coynes for without it weight and finenesse are in the nature of Bullion or Materialls This Valuation is twofold Two fold is the valuation of moneys the first is done by publicke authoritie of Princes and States whereby the peeces of coynes are esteemed at a price certaine both for Gold and Siluer to go currant for that value within their kingdomes and dominions the second is the Valuation of Merchants by way of Exchange betweene vs and other nations which is predominant and ouerruleth the former as heretofore hath beene touched and now will be proued The Kings or Princes Valuation is effected three manner of waies Kings valuation viz. by inhauncing the price of the coyne by Proclamation secondly by embeasiling the standard of money by allay and thirdly by altering the proportion betweene Gold and Siluer The Merchants Valuation is also effected three manner of waies Merchants valuation viz. by the price of Exchange for moneys rising and falling from time to time by the tolleration of the coynes at a higher rate betweene them and by the combination with Mint-masters inhanceing the price of the Marke of Gold and Siluer Of all these in order briefely The Kings Valuation is deriued or drawne from the verie peece or peeces made out of the pound weight of twelue ounces or the marke of eight ounces which the Romans did call Nummus à numerando to tell or reckon by The Saxons gaue it the name Pfemimg or Pennimick in Ducth from whence the word pennie is deriued for they cuttâ—ng twentie peeces out of the pound Troy of twelue ounces made twentie pence euerie way that is to say twentie pence in weight twentie pence in value Weight and finesse both alike with the number of peeces and consequently diuiding the finenesse also by twentie pennie weight and euerie pennie weight in twentie and foure graines which was the auncient sterling standard of Osbright the Saxon King seuen hundreth yeares past which Valuation so continued vntill King Edward the third and vntill Henrie the sixth and then was valued at thirtie pence the said ounce and continued vntill Edward the fourth The ounce of siluer aduanced because of the inhancing of money beyond the seas and then valued at fortie pence and so continued vntill King Henrie the eight and then was valued at fortie and fiue pence and so continued vntill Queene Elizabeth who after the decry of the base money made by King Edward the sixth which King Henrie his father had caused to be coyned did restore the sterling standard to her great benefit by valuing the said ounce at sixtie pence or 5 ss inhauncing the same one full third part so that one of those pence became three pence by valuation and Gold was raised according to the proportion of eleuen of fine Siluer to one of fine Gold or eleuen of standard Siluer to one of Crowne Gold which valuation of Siluer hath continued hitherto with little alteration But beyond the seas there hath been great inhancing both for the coynes of siluer and gold as wel in Fraunce as in the Low-countries and Germanie to Englands incredible losse as is at large declared in our * The Canker of Englands Common-wealth Treatise of Exchange This daily inhauncing beyond the seas began in the time of King Henrie the eight who went about to reforme the same but afterwards finding that if he should inhance his price of moneys likewise they would still aduance theirs more and more he began but moderately and whereas the Angell Noble so called was at six shillings eight pence Angell Noble inhanced he â—aused the same to be valued at seuen shillings and foure pence by a Proclamation in the eighteenth yeare of his raigne and within two moneths after at seuen shillings