Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	king_n	lord_n	treasurer_n	6,502	5	10.8931	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A07552	The customers replie. Or Second apologie That is to say, an aunswer to a confused treatise of publicke commerce, printed and dispersed at Midlebourghe and London, in fauour of the priuate Society of Merchants-Aduenturers. By a more serious discourse of exchange in merchandise, and merchandising exchange. Written for vnderstanding readers onely, in fauour of all loyall merchants, and for the aduancing of traffick in England.	Milles, Tho. (Thomas), 1550?-1627?	1604 (1604)	STC 17932; ESTC S114604	32,899	48

THE CVSTOMERS REPLIE OR SECOND APOLOGIE That is to say An Aunswer to a confused Treatise of Publicke Commerce printed and dispersed at Midlebourghe and London in fauour of the priuate Society of MERCHANTS-ADVENTVRERS By a more serious Discourse of EXCHANGE in Merchandise and Merchandising EXCHANGE Written for vnderstanding Readers onely in fauour of all loyall Merchants and for the aduancing of TRAFFICK in ENGLAND AT LONDON ¶ Printed by Iames Roberts dwelling in Barbican 1604. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE LORD BVCKHVRST L. High Treasurer of England The Lord Henrie Howard L. Warden of the Cinq-Ports and the Lord Cecill of Esenden Principall Secretarie of Estate to the Kings Maiestie and of his Highnesse most honourable Priuie-Counsell THE NVMBER IS BVT small at least not very great of men so sencelesse or weake of iudgement but generall inconveniences they readily see and can easily discerne Notwithstanding to find out the grounds of publique harmes and the meanes how to cure them is a studie so intricate a practise so dangerous that wary men hold it safer to prouide for priuate ease in regard of the times then to busie theyr wits for anie common-good But how aduised soeuer and respectiuely wise in this kinde the most sort seeme to be as wishing onely that all might goe well though not long of themselues fewe or none are found of so still a temper as not to complaine when publique greefes worke theyr owne sencible smart Such then as by long and extraordinary patience supping vp theyr priuate wrongs haue endeuoured to giue way to the streame of publick contumelies in hope of better dayes must needes be excused if compelld at the last by lawlesse necessitie to referre euents to GODS prouidence in discharge of their Duties to Him their Prince and Country they vndertake the defence of their owne reputations in a Cause publicke and generall The rather when as without purpose of offence towards any their Intentions appeare to giue onely a reason of such Disorders in their present Functions as for want of serious Inspection or true Information haue hetherto by Iealousie and misconceit yeelded matter and occasions from time to time of their speciall Disgraces and obloquie Such and none other was the drift and scope of a late Discourse of the present Estate of Customes not so publiquely printed as priuately directed To the Graue and godly vvise in highest Authoritie by the Title and Inscription of THE CVSTOMERS APOLOGIE But. Pro captu Lectoris habent sua fata Libelli For the booke being written for vnderstanding Readers and so digested that by reading alone without passion or partialitie such might be their own and onely Iudges hath notwithstanding by the Ignorant beene lately censured and strangly mistaken Vainely striuing to commend make good that within Booke which neuer was in question and maliciously vrging some things without Booke that neuer were meant by words nor writing to be defended But with such successe as still befalls Folly who delighting to see her owne shadow daunce hath not the grace to conceale her owne shame ¶ About such time as by the goodnes of GOD the light of the Gospell beganne to lay open the Errors of Superstion in these parts of the world and by the hands of our Soueraignes to disperce them in this Kingdome many Questions were mooued to vphold sundry poynts of the Popish religion but none so hotly disputed for the time as that which they terme the Sacrament of the Alter and Praying to Saints Whereof amongst others a certaine young Scholler more confident then wise hauing vndertaken a serious Defence as one sicke of loue with the thing he had begotten and ambiciously affecting the publishing of it entreated a learned friend of his well-minded to the Cause to read it ouer The request was performed But looking for Arguments sitting the Question When nothing was found but a needlesse labour to approoue and maintaine by the Catholick CREEDE That IESVS CHRIST was the true SONNE of GOD very GOD and very MAN that redeemed the Worlde And that there was also a COMMVNION OF SAINTS The Booke was returned without applaude or shew of satisfaction RIGHT HONORABLE Such hath beene of late yeeres the successe of a like learned Writer who printing A Treatise of publique Commerce in fauour of the priuate Societie of the Merchants-Aduenturers hath with much a-doe and a heape of sillie words farre vnfitting the grauitie of his Theame endeuoured to perswade his Readers That Trafficke rightly ordered is the honor of Kings and prosperitie of Kingdoms And that Merchants in that respect were to be cherished fauoured and encouraged in all Common-wealths Quia VITA CIVILIS IN SOCIETATE POSITA EST SOCIETAS AVTEM IN IMPERIO ET COMMERCIO It is strange to obserue what strong apprehentions are able to worke in weake mens braines For as a plaine simple man was sometimes perswaded that if Pontius Pilate had not beene a Saint the Apostles would neuer haue suffered his Name to stand in the Creede so this Treatise-Writer by a strong imagination of the Merchant-Adventurers extraordinary deserts seeing the admirable effects of the golden blessings of England by turning Creekes into Ports Read the Treatise printed at Midleburgh anno 1601. ioyning Ports vnto Townes raysing Townes into Citties and enriching whole Countries with Artificers and Trades Marriners Shipping Applauding withall theyr singuler happines and great good fortunes to haue the managing thereof within themselues Commending their * The Merchants Aduenturers boast themselues to bee able to make and diuert a Trade at their pleasures Page 23. dexterities in disposing diuerting deuiding mincing abridging restrayning and lastly confining the Store and Staple thereof within the Walles of some one two Townes for best aduantage in * Marke this well by the way for heerein lyes hid The Pot of Roses Forraine Countries culloured with the Title of their speciall Mart-Townes And aboue all things extolling their excellent wits and absolute cunnings in moulding Lawes by meere Discretion to hold all men vnder and themselues aboue Onely for sending or sayling crosse the Seas from Coast to Coast without hazard of their Persons or losse of their Goods more then vsuall ordinary And for wearing * Page 154. 155. 156. Chaines of gold about their Necks Caps and greene Feathers Hats and white Feathers Buskins of purple Veluet guilt Rapiers Daggers Bridles Stirrops Spurres and such like at Tryumphs and publique meetings But specially for feeding maintayning and setting * At Antwerpe 20000. About Antwerpe 30000. In Flaunders 60000. Page 24. thousands on worke beyond-Seas when God knowes the wants heares the cryes at home would faine perswade others beeing bound to admire them himselfe That their Gouernour is for Skill the * Pontius PILOT for Grauitie the Iudge and for Wisedome the Oracle of all orderly Commerce Their priuate * Talmud DECREES aboue COMMON LAVVES and FORRAINE-TREATISE Theyr particuler * Synhedry SYNODES aboue GENERALL COVNSAILES and their

trade of Merchandize and buying and selling whereby they haue beene and might be profitable and commodious to there common Wealth and to followe this filthy vnlawfull and too farre exceeding gaine and lucar of practising wicked Vsurary chopping and changing of Money and all for the hope they conceiue thereby to obtaine and get both a more abundant and certaine gaines and that also with lesse labor charges perrill and aduenture CHAP. X. How by whom the practising of the Merchandising Exchange is the Cause of all excessiue prices in Commodities things vendible to the preuenting and peruerting of all lawfull Traffick and orderly Dealing within the Realme and Common-wealth of England THe necessity of conseruing an equallity in contracts of buying and selling and a fit meanes for the exportations and importations of things necessary and commodious for a Common Wealth hath caused all wise politick Rulers of Regions and Countries to iudge the vse of coyned Money signed with some publick figures notes and carrects to be the most conuenient thing that could be deuised In like manner hath it beene iudged and thought no lesse expedient and necessary by all such wise and experienced Men that the same coynes and Money should haue their indication valuation price and estimation onely by publick Rulers common authoritie of euery Common Wealth from the which no priuate Person Order or Societie in the same may or ought to swarue or vary nor alter vnder capitall paine Forsomuch as the sayd publick valuation is as it were the essentiall part whereby any kinde of matter substance or mettall is receiued and accepted for Money and for a lawful meane to buy sell withall in euery well ordered Common Wealth And whereas the valuation of this common and lawfull meane of price is not well knowen or not worthily accepted straightly duly obserued of all manner of Persons Societies and Orders there doth experience teach that thereof followeth confusion and disorder with excessiue and immoderate prices in the commutations of all things Vendible in the Common Wealth As for example when a Prince or Ruler of any Country doth decry and disalow any kinde of coyne and Money which he hath suffered before time to be currant at a certaine price and valuation throughout his Realme the same coyne immediatly as it is so decried leseth the estimation it had before and is of no value to buy any kinde of ware with amongst all the common people of the same Realme so that few or none will receiue the sayd Money for any manner of ware though one would offer it at much lower price then it was before currant for and if it chaunce any doe bargaine to take it they will raise and inhance the price of the wares they vtter much aboue the ordinary price thereof all because it lacketh their Princes and common valuation of their Country In like manner do the common people of all Countries esteeme forraine strange and vnknowne coynes brought vnto them not valued by the common authority of their Country how fine and pure soeuer the matter or mettall of them be onely as is sayd before for lacking the publick valuation of the Country Wherby it is apparant that the Princes and publick valuation of Money is of so great efficacy and authority in euery ciuill Common Wealth that not only it maketh it a meane to buy things withall but also it preserueth a moderation equallity and indifferency in the prices of all things so bought and sold betweene party and party Therefore is the sayd valuation solemly and as a man may say religiously to be kept and obserued of all manner of sorts of persons in a Common Wealth And the Alterars Changers of the same by their priuate authority are worthily to be reprehended and reproued how craftily and subtilly soeuer they doe it for the manifold inconueniences they thereby bring into their Country With a number of which the Common Wealth of England is sore troubled at this day through the frequent practising of Merchandising Exchange by the two Societies of Merchants Staplerers and Aduenturers of England betweene their owne Country and the Marting Townes of Flanders with slights crafts and subtilties continually thereby altering the price and valuation of their Princes coyne by the occasion whereof all manner of wares and commodities only sold in the Realme of England be brought and grow to such inordinate and excessiue prices as they beare at this Day for the proofe of the premisses this reason may be first made Afore this Merchandizing Exchange was practised by the English Merchants Staplers and Aduenturers betweene the Marting-Townes of Flaunders Brabant their owne Country in the trafficke of Merchandise to and fro no person complained vpon any manner of Merchandize or commoditie of the Realme nor of forraine Realmes brought into England did at any time grow or arise to inordinate or excessiue prices yet were the commodities of the Realme abundantly plentifully yea more liberally exported and transported into all forraine Countries then at this day But there were not in those dayes so many forraine wares brought in againe into the Realme as be at this day For from the raigne of the famous King Edward the third in whose dayes the trade of Merchandize began cheefely to be exercised in England vnto the end of Edward the fourth which is the space of aboue 150. yeeres Acts of Parliament were prouided thereby forcing all maner of men that occupied and fold the wares and commodities of the Realme to forraine Merchants to raise and keepe vp the prices of them and penalties layd vppon those which went about to diminish and bring downe the prices of them And in all this space of time not onely Wooll and Felles Staples wont to be alwayes in England and not beyond Seas were Staple wares at Callice and other Staple-townes in England and at length Broad-clothes transported into Flaunders and Brabant but all other manner of commodities of the Realme as Leather Lead Tinne Butter and Cheese Free transportation of home Commodities naturall for Traffick beneficiall for the Cōmon-Wealth were Staple-wares and freelie onely paying the Kings custome for them carryed exported out of the Realme into all forraine Realmes But sithence these two Societies of English Marting-Merchants practising the Merchandising Exchange haue made the exporting and transporting of the commodities and Merchandizes of the Realme to the Staple of Callice Marting-townes ☞ of Brabant a priuate trade to themselues the Princes of this Realme haue beene constrained to restraine and prohibite not onely the going out of certaine of the aforesaid commodities of the Realme but also haue beene compelled to studie and deuise meanes by Acts of Parliament to bring keep downe the prices as well of the commodities of the Realme as of all forraine Realmes Therfore it must needes be concluded that Merchandizing Exchange and the practising thereof is the occasion of this great inconveniencie and Mischiefe

raigning in the Common-wealth of England By the reason whereof all things be growne to excessiue prices Also since these two afore-saide Companies of English Merchants vsurped these Liberties and Priuiledges to themselues that the one of them should transport only Staple wares to the Staple of Callice and the other Broad-clothes Note Staple-Townes beeing called Mart-Townes began the decay of Trades Townes in England with such other Commodities vnto the Marting-Townes of Brabant the most part of all the good Townes of the Realme of England haue decayed and come to ruine which partly hath come to passe by the reason that many kinde of Artificers vvhich were wont to inhabite the said Townes maintaine and make th̄e prosperous by such artificialls as they made there by the meanes of these two fraternities of Marting-Merchants be vtterly destroyed consumed for that they were notable at length to liue by their arts and labours these fore-said Merchants deuising and causing the like Artificials as the said Artificers made in England to be made in forraine Countries and were by them brought and transported into England and sold better cheape some-what lower priced then those of English making might be aforded Thorough which occasion the English Artificers in continuance were worne out because none were brought vp vnder other to follow their said Art workmanship that they exercised forsomuch as they perceiued that they should not be able to liue by such kind of labour in time to come because the forraine workmanship was more regarded and sooner bought then theirs Partly also they haue beene the destruction decay and ruine of the said Townes by taking away the trade of the Staple from the said Townes for the vtterance of the commodities of the Realme which for the most part of all the time Staple Townes alwaies within England made the Realme full of Trafficke from Edward the third to the end of Edward the fourth were kept in good Townes of England or at least shipped from them when the Staple was kept at Callice by the occasion whereof there was so great resort of people vnto the said Townes that thereby they were enriched and daily prospered and flourished Wheresince for lacke of like resort and trafficke and the destruction of the foresaid Artificers they be altogethers ruinous and decayed and neuer like to be restored so long as these Merchants enioy theyr vsurped liberties Moreouer since these two Societies of English Merchants vsurped vnto them the priuate exportations of the commodities of the Realme The hindrance of bringing in of Bullyon the liberall vsuall and daily bringing in of Bullyon into the Realme by forraine Merchants out of all forraine Realmes to buy the commodities of England hath decayed and ceased and seuere and great punishments and penalties be prouided by the Princes of such forraine Realmes against all them which shall attempt the conueying of any such things out of theyr Realmes into England Where in times passed they most gladly suffered and concented vnto it for that it was openly knowne to all Princes and Rulers of Common-wealths in Christendome that what kinde of Merchant soeuer Staples euer kept within England resorted into England to the Staple-Townes for the and carrying away of the commodities Merchandises thereof were bound by the Acts and orders of the Realme to pay for them at the said Staples in ready gold and filuer afore their departure from thence as may appeare by diuers Acts made in diuers Kings dayes from Edward the third vnto the end of Edward the fourth and therefore at that time were all Princes well contented to suffer their Merchants to carry their coynes and Bullyon into England Which manner of Traffick continued betweene England and all other Realmes till that these Merchants became to be a priuate Society and so vvithin a while after compounded agreed with the Merchants of Holland Zeland Brabant Flanders and other Countries there-abouts which were the buyers of the Staple-wares to receiue their Money for such Staple-wares as the sayd Staplers sold them at Callice in Flemish Money at the Marting Townes of their owne Countries rating setting and valuing the English pound at a certaine stinted price of Flemish Money for euer thereafter to bee payed vnto them after the said price which was a drift driuen of the sayd Staplers of England to bring to passe this Exchanging Traffick to the intent they might make the returne of their Money from thence into England by Merchandising Exchange whereby they made a reckoning much more to their priuate gaines and lucar then to be payed in ready Money at the Staples of Callice or any place of England according to the olde custome although that manner of payment was much more beneficiall and commodious for the common Wealth of the whole Realme which they passed not vppon neither yet doe so they may gaine and get Money And thus the faire Lady Merchandising Exchange enticed and allured the Merchants Aduenturers of England Staples called Mart Townes a deceptio Visus to turne all Traffick beyond Seas to the ruine of England to procure themselues in fraternitie and to seeke meanes to plant their Marting Townes in a forraine Realme and Country for the vtterance of the commodities of the Realme because they might make their returne and imployments from thence into Englang by the reckoning of Money currant in the sayd Merchandising Exchange And by this meanes ceased and ended the franck and free bringing in of Money Bullion into England by forraine and strange Merchants after the English Merchants had nusseled themselues in the Marting Townes beyonde the Sea so that now a dayes no Money or Bullion is brought into England by Merchants but secretly and as it were by stealth and for the respect of priuate gaines and profite which they finde thereby after the reckoning they make thereof by currantnes of Money in their Merchandising Exchange Item when it pleased that famous Prince Henry the eight King Henry the eight vpon good considerations and purposes and for the great benefite of his people and common Wealth to augment and increase the valuation and price of his coyne and Money throughout all his Realme within a little processe and countinuance of time after it chanced by the malice and wickednes of men such a quantity of currupt and drossy coyne of Money to bee brought into the Realme out of forraine Countryes by the Ministery of Merchants as it hath beene supposed thought and gathered by certaine cercumstances which Money being currant as well as the true and lawfull Money amongst all manner of persons within the Realme by the reason of the likenes of the fashion and forme that it had with the true and lawfull Money caused many inconueniences to rise therby at length to the whole Common Wealth for such a meruailous desire and hastynes entred into all kinde of Occupiers by the lothsomnes and hatred they conceiued of the sayd Drosse coyne to bestow it

ruine and decay of most of the Ports Hauens Townes and Citties of this Realme the ouerthrow of sundry Artificers and Trades dwelling within them most necessary to haue beene maintained for the generall good of the Common-Wealth and speciall reliefe of the poore Secondly That Merchants by the Vnderpricing of the coyne of this Realme in there Merchandising Exchange at their priuat Mart-Townes haue beene the impediment that neither the Queenes Maiestie nor her Predecessors could bring to effect the thing which they went about by reforming and refining the drossy and lothsome coyne and Money currant in the Realme Thirdly the sayd Merchants by the practising of their Merchandising Exchange were the originall cause why all manner of wares Merchandizes and commodities as well of the Realme of England as of all other forraine Realmes rise to huge immoderate and excessiue prices Fourthly that all the excellent and necessary commodities of England bee vnprofitably exported and transported into forraine Countries at this day forsomuch as by the occasion of their Merchandising Exchange they bee better cheape solde abroade then they cost in England to the great disorder and hinderance of the Common-Wealth Fiftly the Queenes Maiestie is greatly defrauded by the sayd Exchange when her Maiesties affaires doe constraine her to prouide Money by that meanes at the foresayd Merchants hands contrary to the truth and valution of her owne coyne and so likewise be her Ambassadors sent in her Maiesties affaires and messages into any forraine Realme when soeuer they haue neede to prouide Money by the sayd Exchange Sixtly by the practising of the sayd Exchange all manner of Gold and Siluer is continually conuaied carried and transported out of the Realme and is the let and impediment why neither Bullyon of Gold or Siluer is so liberally and freely brought into the same as in times past it hath beene Seauenthly lastly the sayd Exchange causeth through the vile base and vntrue valuation the foresayd Merchants keepe the English pound at in their foresayd Exchange being so farre vnder the price it ought to haue that these immoderate and excessiue prices which they haue brought all things to be sold at in England cannot be diminished brought downe or mittigated to moderate reasonable and indefferent prices A generall Conclusion THis Treatise thus ended hath for warrant and Credite these foure Circumstances probability of Reason plaines of Stile speciall Experience and Time of writing From whence this Conclusion beeing drawne is heerevnto added That KINGS and KINGDOMS are heauenly Relatiues And TRVTH hath said it That the Desire of Money is the roote of all Euill that Couetousnes is flat Idolatry Which standing most true 1. Tim. 6.15 Coloss 3.5 it followes by Consequence that MERCHANDISING EXCHANGE is that Laborinth of Errors prinate Practise whereby though KINGS weare Crownes seem absolutely to raigne particuler BANKERS priuate SOCIETIES of Merchants Couetuous Persons whose End is Priuate gayne are able to suspend their Counsailes controle their Pollicies offering euen Bountie to KINGS the Fountaines of Goodnes lending Mony to Soueraigne STATES and EMPERORS themselues that onely can make Coyne and should haue to giue largely and lende vnto others Thus making KINGS to be Subiects and VASSALLES to be Kings Such hath been the strength of that Staine and Stay of Pietie that contempt of Iustice that seede of Dissention that world of Warres and Art of Witch-craft VSVRIE Such is and will be the power thereof at all occasions till KINGS and COVNSAILERS take their owne Charge in hand and next to RELIGION that sanctifies all relieue maintaine the Nurse of IVSTICE that rectifies all To wit free-borne TRAFFICK I meane in ENGLAND and English TRAFFICK In Magnis voluisse sat est sunt caetera DIVVM