still shews the ruins of a strong and stately Castle built upon a hill Stony-Stratford was a Station of the Romans and by them call'd Lactorodum Here the said King Edward the Elder gave a stop to the violent incursions of the Danes upon those parts and this is one of those places where the first of that name since the Conquest rais'd a stately monumental Cross in memory of Queen Eleanor At Chilton in this Shire was born that learned Writer in the Law Sir George Crook Amersham so call'd qu. Agmondsham is not only eminent by the name of the great Agmond from whom it takes denomination but by the birth of several learned Writers especially John sirnamed from the place of his Nativity Amersham and John Gregory of the present Age whose posthume works are worthily reckon'd among the principal of English Writings At Windover was born Roger thence sirnamed de Windover Historian to King Henry the third At Houton Roger Goad a man of good repute for learning In Barkshire are several places of note Reading boasts the Interment of King Henry the first in a Collegiate Church of an Abby founded by himself together with his Queen and his Daughter Maud the Empress He also built here a strong Castle which was rased to the ground by King Henry the second But this Town is yet more remark'd by the birth of William Laud who of a poor Clothiers Son of Reading was advanc'd to the highest Ecclesiastical Office and Dignity of the Nation viz. the Archiepiscopal See of Canterbury nor is it to be forgotten how manfully this Town was held out in the time of the late Civil War by Sir Jacob Aston against the whole power of the Earl of Essex General of the Parliaments forces for a whole twelve month's time but at length it was taken by the said Earl And from this place in the Reign of King Henry the second a learned Writer viz. Hugh of Reading took both Birth and Sirname At Inglefield the Danes received a great defeat from King Ethelwolf Wallingford the Gallena of Ptolomy was an ancient Station of the Romans and the chief City of the Atrebates From this place Richard of Wallingford took his birth and consequently his Sirname Abington besides that it was a place of much action in the time of the Civil Wars in his late Majesties Reign gave birth to Sir John Mason Privy Counsellor to King Henry the eighth King Edward the sixth Q. Mary and Qu. Elizabeth as also to Sir John Smith Latin Secretary and Master of Requests to King James Windsor is renowned as having been built by King Edward the third and as the place where was first instituted that most illustrous Order of the Knights of the Garter by that most victorious Prince and of which the greatest Kings and Princes of Europe have been fellows from the first Institution to this day and likewise for the Interment of King Henry the sixth King Edward the fourth King Henry the eighth and King Charles the first whose Body hath been since remov'd to Westminster and interr'd in King Henry the seventh's Chappel Moreover this place gave birth to a person of great fame for his learned Writings viz. Roger hence sirnamed of Windsor Eaton nearly adjoyning and almost contiguous to Windsor is a place besides the fame of being built by King Henry the sixth trebly renown'd for learning first as a Nursery for the bringing up of Youth being one of the chiefest Free-schools in England secondly as a place of maintenance and encouragement for the studious and well advanc'd in learning thirdly as the Birth-place of several learned men particularly Samuel Collins William Oughtred the great Mathematician and Matthew Stokes At Ratcot Bridge Robert Vere Duke of Ireland was put to flight by the Duke of Glocester the Earls of Arundel Warwick and Derby with the slaughter of Sir Thomas Molineux Constable of Chester This Radcot is by some reckon'd in Oxfordshire Sunning is sufficiently signal in history as having bin an Episcopal See for the residence of eight Bishops which See was translated to Shirbourn and afterwards to Salisbury where it still remains Wantage is enobled by the Birth of that great mirrour of a Prince for Virtue Learning and Valour King Alfred sirnamed the Scourge of the Danes Waltham in the East of this County was an ancient Station of the Romans so likewise Sinodum in the North. Newbury a Town of sufficient note in this Shire is yet more noted by the birth of Thomas Hide a learned Writer and also by two great Fights fought in the time of the late Civil Wars between the Forces of his late Majesty and the Parliament Army under the Earl of Essex Spene and Pesemere two places of no other note than by the birth of two eminent Writers the first of William Twisse the other of William Lyford In Hantshire Winchester the ancient Venta Belgarum of the Romans is said to have been built by that famous Rudhudibras great in the Catalogue of the old British Kings It was the Seat Royal of the West Saxons and chief Epicopal See and still remains the Episcopal See of a great part of that which was the West Saxon Kingdom It was honour'd with the Coronations of King Egbert and King Alfred and the Birth of King Henry the third Here in the Cathedral built by King Kenwolf King of the West Saxons were interred King Egbert King Ethelwolf King Alfred with his Queen Elswith the first Edmund King Edred and King Edwy Queen Emma and her Husband the Danish King Canutus as also his Son Hardy-Canutus and after the Conquest King William Rufus and his Brother Richard Here King Athelstan kept his Mint At St. Peters in the Suburbs of this City was born John Russel created Bishop of Lincoln by King Edward the fourth and Lord Chancellour of England by King Richard the third This City also brought forth two persons of illustious memory for learning viz. Lampridius sirnamed of Winchester a Benedictine Monk who flourisht An. 980. and Wolstan of Winchester a Benedictine likewise accounted in those times an eminent Poet who flourisht An. 1000. Southampton built out of the ruines of the ancient Clausentium and after many devastations reedified in King Richard the second 's time is a most pleasant and well fortified Town with a goodly Castle proudly advanced on a Hill In a Maison dieu or Hospital here lies interr'd the body of Richard Earl of Cambridge who was executed for Treason in the Reign of King Henry the fifth In the Parish of St. Michael in Southampton was born Arthur Lake Bishop of Bath and Wells who died An. 1602. as also Sir Thomas Lake Secretary of State to King James At Basingstoke John sirnamed of Basingstoke the first English Author of a Greek Grammar who died An. 1252. William Paulett Baron of Basing and Marquess of Winchester 〈…〉 to King Henry the seventh and Lord Treasurer to King Henry the eighth Edward the sixth Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth
he died An. 1572. and lastly Richard White who studying at Doway began to grow famous for Learning An. 1611. At Andover was born Robert Thomson a man of Military fame who made an Expedition to Spain An. 1553. At Warblington Henry Bishop of Salisbury in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth He died An. 1615. At Hide John stil'd the Monk of Hide an Historian who flourish'd An. 1284. Odiam hath its chief repute from the birth of William Lilly the first Master of Pauls School He died of the Plague and was buried in the Porch of St. Pauls Anno 1522. Ilchester seems by its ruins to have been a very eminent City of the Romans and the principal of these parts in antient times At Wickham in this Shire was born the famous William thence sirnamed of Wickam Bishop of Winchester who died An. 5 H. 4. At Okeley William Warham Bishop first of London afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury in the Reign of King Henry the 7th In the Isle of Wight Thomas James the chief if not only Ornament of that Island for eminence of Learning Other famous men this Shire hath brought forth Beavise of Southampton whose acts of Chivalrie had perhaps stood greater in real History had they not been so much falsified by Romantick stories Sir John Wallop whose valour and conduct in Sea-affairs have kept his memory alive Richard Rich Baron of Lees Abby in Essex and Lord Treasurer of England in the Reign of King Edward the sixth and Ancestor to the present Earls of Warwick And for Learning R. Sherburn Bishop first of St. Davids then of Chichester under King Henry the seventh John White Bishop first of Lincoln then of Winchester and accounted in his time not the meanest of Poets who died about 1560. Thomas Bilson Bishop of Winchester who died about An. 1618. Michael Reneger William Alton a Dominican who flourisht An. 1330. David Whitehead who died An. 1571. Nicholas Fuller who died An. 1626. Charles Butler who died An. 1640. Thomas Sternhold Groom of the Bed-chamber first to King Henry the eighth then to King Edward the sixth who owes his fame in Poetry not so much to the Elegancy of Rhimes as to the fortune of his having been one of the first Translators of Davids Psalms into English Metre which by reason they hapned to be generally sung in Churches have been ever since preferred to several better Translations In Bedfordshire Bedford the County Town hath to its cost been the Scence of much action in the Civil Wars between King Stephen and the Empress Maud it suffer'd much havock and devastation and afterwards fell into the hands of the Barons in their Wars against King John And lastly was ras'd to the ground by King Henry the third but being rebuilt again hath flourished ever since in much tranquility and splendour In a Chappel not far from this Town the Body of the great Mercian King Offa is said to have been interr'd concerning which there goes a pretty odd story which it were pity to forget viz. that the Chappel being overwhelm'd by an Inundation of the River Ouse upon whose banks it stood the Leaden incloser of King Offa's body hath been often seen of those that declin'd the sight but never could be seen of those that sought to see it Dean in this Shire is eminent for the birth of Francis Dillingham a person of good note for Learning as likewise Laiton Buzzard for the birth of William Sclator Sandy was an ancient Roman Station by the name of Selenae and Dunstable another by the name of Magintum however some vainly have deliver'd that it was built by King Henry the first to repress the insults of a notable sturdy Thief call'd Dun and thereupon call'd Dunstable This Town is moreover signalliz'd by the learned Author John sirnamed hence of Dunstable In Suffolk Ipsich qu. Gipswich from Gipsa is said to be the Founder thereof besides its flourishing Estate in shipping-trade goodly buildings populacy of inhabitants though much harrass't in ancient times by the Danes is particularly noted for the birth of that great Pageantry of Fortune Cardinal Woolsy whose father was a Butcher of this Town St. Edmundbury a Town which seems to commence its Fame from the barbarous Murther of that Royal St Edmund King of the East-angles by the Danes For the Expiation whereof Canutus erected here that Stately Monastery which was once accounted the most Rich and Magnificent of Europe This place is also memorable for a Parliament here held in the Reign of King Henry the sixth Exning the Birth-place of St Audri sister to King Ina. Renlisham the place where Redwald the first Christian King of the East-angles kept his Court. Lidgat a place chiefly memorable for the Birth of John thence Sirnamed Lidgate one of the chief of our ancient Enlish Poets In Hertfordshire St Albans rais'd out of the ruins of Old Verulamium an ancient Roman station is extoll'd not only for the memory of that great British Protomartyr Albanus and that most stately Monastery erected by the Mercian King Offa but also for two great battels here fought the first on the 23d of May Anno 1455 between Richard Duke of York and King Henry the 6th in which the King was defeated with the slaughter of the Duke of Somerset the Earl of Northumberland and the Lord Clifford and 5000 common Souldiers the 2 d. on the 17 th of February Anno 1460. where King Henry and his Queen Margaret had the better against the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk and the Earls of Arundel and Warwick Nor is it to be omitted that Sir John Mandevil famous for his Travels had here his birth Barnet is not more fam'd for its rich Market and the great concourse to its Wells than for the memory of that grand Victory gain'd by King Edward the fourth on an Easter-day being the 14 th of April An. 1471. against the Earls of Warwick and Oxford in which Field the great Earl of Warwick was slain But had there been nothing else to give Fame to this Town it must have been mentioned for the Birth of John Barnet Bishop first of Worcester then of Bath and Wells lastly of Ely and Lord Treasurer of England in the Reign of King Edward the 3 d. Langly commonly call'd Kings Langly is of repute in History for the Birth of Prince Edmund thence sirnamed of Langly fifth Son to King Edward the third and the first interment of King Richard the second whose body was afterwards removed to Westminster Nor much less Abbots Langly so is another Langly term'd that lyes Easterly for the birth of Nicholas Break-spear advanc't to the See of Rome by the name of Pope Adrian the fourth a man of true English mettal and that would not bate an Ace of his Pontifical greatness for he made the Emperour Frederick hold his Stirrup the better to help him into the Saddle Oister near St Albans is supposed by Cambden to have been the Camp of the Roman Lieutenant Ostorius Weathamstead qu.
Collonel Massy against his late Majesty King Charles the First and the great Battle here fought for the raising of the Siege It was won from the Britains by Cheulin King of the West-Saxons An. 570. Here a Monastery of Nuns was founded by Osric King of Northumberland of which three Queens of the Mercians were successively Prioresses viz. Kineburg Eadburg and Eve Here was born Robert called the Monk of Glocester who flourish'd under Henry the second and also Osbernus sirnam'd Claudianus a Benedictine Monk Alny Isle a place near Glocester where after several bloody Battles between King Edmund Ironside and Canutus the Dane the matter was at last decided between them by single combat and a division of the Kingdom made Cirencester or Circester a place of memorable note as won from the Britains by Cheulin the West-Saxon this City is doubtless Ptolomies Corinium Antonines Durocornovium Giraldus his Vrbs Passerum which last denomination it takes from a tradition of one Gurmund an African Tyrant who set it on fire by tying to the tails of Sparrows certain combustible matter which he put fire to It was won from the Britains by Cheulen King of the West-Saxons next possess 't by the Mercians lastly by the Danes under Gurmund An. 879. But that which is to be said greatest of this for it's antiquity and remark is that that it was anciently one of the principal residencies of the Romans by whom it had been rais'd to a high pitch of magnificence and grandure At Cicester was born Thomas Ruthal Bishop of Durham At Duresby Edw. Fox Bishop of Hereford At Cam near Duresby Edward Trotman Judge of the Common Law who was buried in the Temple Church May the 29th An. 1643. At Todington Richard Son to Sir William Tracy who flourish'd under King Henry the second This Richard wrote a Book entitled Preparatio ad Crucem of much esteem in those times At Yate Thomas Neal Chanter to Bishop Bonner he was eminent for Learning and flourish'd An. 1576. At Westbury John Carpenter Bishop of Worcester At Sudely Castle Ralph Lord Sudely Lord Treasurer and Knight of the Garter under Henry the sixth Other Noted men of this Shire were Tideman de Winchcomb the Kings Physitian Abbot of Benle Bishop first of Landaff afterwards of Worcester John Chedworth Bishop of Lincoln Anthony Fitz-Herbert Judge of the Common Pleas. Thomas de la More Knighted by King Edward the first he wrote the Character of King Edward the second a Manuscript now in Oxford Library Sir Thomas Overbury Son to Sir Nicholas William Winter Vice-Admiral of England under Queen Elizabeth John Sprint John Workman and Richard Capel Tewksbury-field gave a very fatal blow to the House of Lancaster An. 1471. in which Prince Edward was slain and Queen Margaret taken Prisoner together with the Duke of Somerset the Earl of Devonshire and others who were beheaded Here was born the famous Alan of Tewksbury who flourish'd under King John Hales a once flourishing Abby but chiefly to be remembred for the birth of Alexander de Hales sirnamed Dr. Irrefregabilis who died An. 1245. In Worcestershire Worcester the chief City is questionless the ancient Branconium of Antoninus and Ptolomie though since call'd by the Latins Vigornea and by the Britains Caer Wrangon some think it to have been built by the Romans for a bound to the Britains The Cathedral of St Mary in Worcester besides the fame of its State and Beauty is the Repository of the Bodies of King John and Prince Arthur Eldest Son to King Henry the seventh But that which gives greatest renown to this City is the memory of the happy preservation of his present Majesty from being taken at the fatal Battle of Worcester where the great Gallantry and Valour of His Majesty and his Party was utterly overpowr'd by the treble forces of the Usurpers At Eversham An. 1265. King Henry the third gain'd a most triumphant Victory over his Barons with the slaughter of Simon Montford and seventeen Lords and the taking of Humphry Bohun Prisoner In Herefordshire the City of Hereford besides that it is the Principal City an Episcopal See and noted for its Cathedral is also memorable for the birth of Adam de Orleton Bishop of Hereford Roger of Hereford a Writer of Astronomy who flourish'd under Henry the second An. 1170. John Davies of good repute for Poetry And also Charles Smith Bishop of Glocester in the reign of King James Bradwardin Castle gave both birth and sirname to that Thomas de Bradwardin Arch-Bishop of Canterbury who for his deep knowledge in Theologie and skilful management of Disputations is stiled the profound Doctor At Ashperton was born John Grandison Bishop of Exeter Other memorable persons of this Shire were Robert Devereux Earl of Essex great in deeds of Arms and a person of great power and favour with his Prince yet brought to an untimely end Richard Hackluit whose Book of Voyages is of good repute among the studious in Geography and History William Lemster a Franciscan and learned Doctor John Guillam the noted Herald whose Systeme of Heraldry is accounted the best that hath been written of this Subject In Shropshire besides Shrewsbury the County Town a noted Mart for Cloth and Frizes brought hither from Wales and sent to London and other parts of England there are very remarkable ruins of some ancient places which were certainly Towns or Cities of great spendour or resort as Wrocckester Vriconium the ancient Vsoconia of which Okenyate is a small remainder Oswaldstree retains its name from Oswald the 11th King of Northumberland who was here slain in battel by Penda King of the Mercians In Staffordshire the County Town Stafford anciently Bitheny from Bertelin a holy man is said to have been built by King Edward the Elder and was made a Corporation by King John Tamworth was doubtless anciently a place of more spendour and amplitude than at present for here the Mercian Kings for a long time kept their Court. Litchfield though not the County Town is yet the most eminent place of the County as being a City and Episcopal See joyntly with Coventry the chief Church and now Cathedral was built by the Northumbrian King Oswin upon the Conquest he gain'd over the Pagan Mercians and here Wulferre and Celred were interr'd it was for some time an Arch-bishoprick by the means of King Offa at the request of Bishop Eadulph At Bloreheath in this County a cruel battel was fought between the two Houses of York and Lancaster in which there fell on the Duke of York's side Sir Hugh Venables Sir William Trowthec Sir Richard Mollineux and Sir J. Egerton c. with 2400 and the two Sons taken prisoners of the Earl of Salisbury General of the Yorkists In Darbyshire besides Derby the County town there are memorable Ripton Ripandunum where was interr'd Ethelbald the 9th King of the Mercians who was slain at Egiswald by his Subjects and whence Burthred the last King was expell'd by the Danes with
the Emperour Constantius but this is more certain that it was made an Archbishoprick in the year of our Lord 625. At Leeds in the West-Riding Oswye King of Northumberland encountred the united Forces of Ethelbald Son of Oswald King of Northumberland Ethelbert King of the East-Angles and Penda King of the Mercians to all whom he gave a mighty defeat slew Penda and Ethelbert and put Ethelbald to flight Selby a Town of good trade and resort but most memorable for the birth of King Henry the first this is by some accounted in Lincolnshire Wakefield is a Town not more considerable for its Cloathing than for the memory of a great battle fought between the Houses of York and Lancaster besides a defeat given in the late Civil Wars to the Earl of Newcastles Forces by Sir Thomas Fairfax Pomfret Castle was built by Hildebert de Lacy a Norman Hallyfax qu. Holy Hair anciently Horton the birth-place of Joannes de Sacrobosco Rotheram chiefly boasts in the birth of Thomas of Rotheram Archbishop of York In the East-Riding Stanford Bridge from the battle there fought commonly called Battle-Bridge Drifield is remembred by the Tomb of Alfred King of Northumberland here buried Beverly though a Town of flourishing trade is yet more fame-worthy as the last retirement and place of decease of the Learned John Archbishop of York in the Reign of Oswick An. 721. who was thence sirnamed John de Beverly Newborough Abby gives fame to it self by giving name to that Old English Historian William of Newborough Kingston upon Hull besides the repute of its Trade and Merchandise is honour'd with the fame of being built by King Edward the first nor are there wanting who will add the reputation of Andrew Mervail a Burgess of this place of whom elsewhere Exeter in Devonshire is both of sufficient antiquity for the Castle call'd Rugemont was once the Palace of the West Saxon Kings and afterwards of the Earls of Cornwal and the Walls and Cathedral were built by King Athelstan and also memorable for several transactions here was born that most renowned Latin Poet of England Josephus hence sirnamed Iscanus or Joseph of Exeter At Plimouth that great Honour of England for Sea affairs Sir Francis Drake took Shipping for the Circum-navigation of the World An. 1577. Teignmouth is noted for the place of the Danes first arrival in England Hubbleston the Burial place of Hubba the Dane Crediton the ancient Episcopal See of this County till it was removed to Exeter Camelford in Cornwal is guess'd by those pieces of Armour that have been digged up thereabout to have been the place of Battel where Mordred was slain and where King Arthur received his mortal wound Tintagel Castle gave birth to this great Miracle of British Valour King Arthur At Castle Denis the Ruins of those Trenches are yet to be seen where the Danes encamped at their first Invasion of this Land At Caradoc was born John Trevisa a learned Writer who died Anno 1400. St. Germains a place chiefly fame-worthy for having been an ancient Episcopal See At Truroe was born John Arundel a renowned Sea-man in the Reign of King Henry the Eighth Bodmin the next place to which the Bishop's Chair was removed from whence it was translated by King Edward the Confessor to Exeter where it hath remained ever since This County hath brought forth several learned men viz. Hucarius sirnamed the Levite who flourished Anno 1040. Simon Thurway who flourished Anno 1201. John Sir-named of Cornwal who flourished Anno 1170. Michael Blawnpain who flourished Anno 1350. Godfrey Sir-named of Cornwall In NORTHVMBERLAND at a place called Otterburn a great Field was fought between the English and Scots Alnwick is of note for the mighty Victory which the English here gained over the Scots and for that the Earls of Northumberland in ancient times here kept their Court. Emildon brought forth that great Contradiction of his own name for Niceties of Wit and Subtilties in School-Philosophy Duns Sir-named Scotus In the Western parts of Northumberland are yet to be seen some parts of the Picts Wall In WESTMORLAND The Aballaba of Antoninus is thought to have been a place of very great note in the time of the Romans by the antique Roman Coins that have been there found in digging and the station of the Aurelian Maures and it is still so considerable that the Castle thereof is the place where the Assizes for the County are kept Burgh or Burgh under Stainmore is undoubtedly the Ruins of an eminent Town which was called Verterae and where a Roman Commander in the declining time of the Empire is said to have kept his station with a Band of Directores Ambleside Amboglana not far from Winander Meer is judged the Ruins of some famous City of Roman foundation or improvement both by the paved ways that lead to it and the Coins of Roman Stamp oft digged up there In CVMBERLAND Carlisle Luguvallum or Leucophibia of Ptolomie if not illustrious in its Original for it is delivered to have been built by that Leil who is great in the Catalogue of British Kings was at least a flourishing City under the Romans and being demolished by the Picts and utterly ruined by the Danes was restored by King William Rufus who also built there a Castle and by King Henry the First made a Bishop's See The Bishoprick of DVRHAM gained that Title and Privilege by the great fame and renown of St. Cuthbert for the interment of whom the Cathedral of Durham was first built by Bishop Aldwin and afterwards pulled down and rebuilt by Bishop Careleph The Tomb of this adored Saint was visited with great devotion by King Egfred Alfred Danish Guthrun Edward and Athelstan This City was by King William the Conqueror raised to a County Palatine There is a place called Gallile in the West end of the Church where is to be seen the Tomb of Venerable Beda Binchester Benovium by the Coins there digged up seems to have been a place of great account among the Romans So likewise Chester in the Street Condercum At Nevil's Cross near Durham the Scots were defeated by Queen Philippa Wife to King Edward the First by the Conduct of the Lords Piercy Moubray and Nevil In LANCASHIRE Lancaster the County-Town gives Title of Family from John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster to four Henries Kings of England viz. Henry the Fourth Fifth Sixth and Seventh Manchester Mancunium an ancient Fort and Station of the Romans Rible-Chester from Rhibel a little Brook near Clithero a Town of Antiquity and Station of the Romans as appears by the pieces of Coin and Statues there found But that which renders it most of memory is that it hath been reported the richest Town of Christendom Near Duglas a small Brook not far from the Town of Wiggin King Arthur is said by Ninius to have put the Saxons to flight At Billangho Anno 789. Duke Wade was put to flight by Ardulph King of Northumberland In CHESHIRE Chester is famous
Heptarchy into a Perfect Monarchy though it was tending toward it sometime before even to this day and from him the Aera of our English Monarchies by Historians and Chronologers are reputed to commence So that from the said Egbert his present Majesty that now Happily Reigns is reckon'd the fourty sixth sole Monarch of England But scarce was this Government well setled when the expected Tranquility thereof was disturbed by a new Generation of Invaders more Barbarous and Mischievous than ever any either before or since Committers of far greater Outrages and Cruelties Yet so often either driven out or totally extirpated so often bravely Conquered in the Field by the high Valour and Conduct of several of our English Saxon Monarchs whose Fame stands great in History to this day for their Vertue and Gallantry both in Peace and War that it may well be wondred how any one Country could spare such Multitudes of People as continually pour'd in upon us for several Ages together and how such numerous Forces could make such frequent Landings with so little Opposition But then it must be considered that we had no Summer Guards Abroad no Squadrons of First Second and Third Rate Frigats to Cruise about and Guard the English Coasts what kind of Ships there were in those either for War or Trade cannot be collected from any Account or Description we find recorded or publish'd but thus much may well be concluded that the best Man of War of those times was far Inferior to the meanest Merchant-Man now adays For the space of about 174 years viz. from 833 to 1017. was this poor Kingdom harrass'd by the continual Invasions of these Northern Pirates yet could they not in all this space catch hold of the Crown of England till the said year 1017. and then they held it no longer than during the Reign of three Kings after which it reverted again to the Saxon Line The Fourth and last Invasion was that of the Normans if he can properly be call'd an Invader who seems to have come in with the Consent at least if not Invitation of several of the Nobility and Prelacy for else doubtless his claim could not have been so easily decided by the dint of one Battle and he so readily have had the Crown put on his Head by Aldred Archbishop of York who with several other Bishops and Noblemen met him upon the way and pay'd him their Allegiance and from this Norman Conqueror the Monarchy of England hath been kept up in a continued though not Lineal Succession to this day Among the Prae-eminences which this Kingdom hath above all the other Kingdoms of Europe the chiefest and which most redounds to its Glory is that it was first Enlightned with the Knowledge of True Religion so that whatsoever place it may claim in Europe it deserves at least to be esteemed the first Kingdom of Christendom And admit that Joseph of Arimathea were not the first that Preached the Gospel here though there are not wanting Testimonies to make it out not altogether contemptible However it is most certain that the Christian Religion here is of a much elder date than the coming over of Austin the Monk that is even in the very Apostles time by the Testimony of Gildas and as it appears by the mention of a Noble British Lady Claudia Rufina in one of St. Paul's Epistles and it was not much above 100 years after e're it was own'd by publick Authority For the first Christian King mention'd in History is our British King Lucius who was Contemporary with the Emperor Commodus also the first Christian Emperor at least the first that publickly Profess'd Protected and Maintain'd the Christian Faith for before him Philippus Arabs is said to have been a a Christian and Baptiz'd was Constantine Surnamed the Great a Britain Born the Son of Constantius Chlorus who also was a Favourer of the Christians and died at York by the Daughter of King Coilus Helena a Princess most renowned for her Christian Piety and for being the Inventress of the Cross And as this Nation boasts Antiquity equal with Rome it self for the Dawning of the Gospel's Light among us so it claims a Prerogative of Lighting the first Lamp of Reformation to the Christian World and highly glories in this that there is no where to be found so excellent and moderate an Establishment of Church-Government among all the Reformed Churches The Riches of the English Nation And first of the Arable Pasture and Fruitage THe Riches of any Nation I mean the Native and Inland Riches for by Imported Commodities the Barrenest Nation in the World may be Rich consist chiefly in the Arable the Pasturage the Fruits and other Plants of peculiar Use and Advantage The Rich Veins of Earth for Mettals and other sorts of Minerals and the Plenty of Fish and Fowl all which things are both profitable in themselves and for the Manufactures they produce and though common to this Nation with the greatest part of the Earth in general yet it will not be from the purpose to discover how far the English Nation excels in each of them and what parts of the Nation are most peculiarly fam'd and commended for this or that Production As to the Arable it would be in vain to particularize any one part of England more than another since so great Plenty of all sorts of Corn and Grain is produced in all parts of this Nation Nevertheless it is worth the observing how some Counties are more peculiarly celebrated for this or that Grain I have heard it affirm'd that the very best Wheat in England is from a Vale near Hessen in Middlesex lying Southward of Harrow on the Hill however among the four W's of Herefordshire Wheat is one the other three being Wool Wood and Water Moreover for Oates if there be any where one sort better than another the best Oats are said to be in Lancashire and in greater abundance than any other County and for Barly and Malt Bedfordshire hath among some a particular mention Moreover for what is said in general of some places above others It is sufficiently considerable which is reported of the Town of Godmanchester in Huntingtonshire in reference to the great Name that Town hath for Tillage and its Prae-eminence above all the Towns of England besides for number of Stout and Able Husbandmen namely that the Inhabitans of this Place us'd in former times to meet the Kings of England as they pass'd this way in their Progress in a kind of Rural Pomp and Pageantry of show with no fewer than 180 Ploughs and in this manner King James at his first coming to the Crown of England was received in his Journey from Scotland with 70 Team of Horses fitted with all their Furniture to as many New Ploughs the King expressing much Delight and Satisfaction at so Brave and Happy a Sight and highly applauded the Industry and well deserved Prosperity of the people of that Place Remarkable also is
the Vale of Evesham in Worcestershire so called of one Eoves a Swinheard to Egwin Bishop of Worcester so Renowned for its Fertility and excellent kind of Corn it yields that it is called the Granary of those parts The Vale of Alisbury in Buckinghamshire is also particularly taken notice of for its Pleasant Meadows and Rich Pastures Nor are the Sheep-Pastures near Knetworth in Hartfordshire which is called the Garden of England to be forgotten Portholm Meadow also in Huntingtonshire is reckon'd among the Notabilia of that County The like may be said in a great measure of the Pasturage However there are some places so peculiarly remark'd either for the Largeness or Richness of their Pastures that the mention of them cannot well be omitted The Isle of Shepey in Kent being about 21 Miles in compass is without question so denominated from the numerous Flocks of Sheep which it feedeth No less celebrated is Rumny-Marsh heretofore a part of the Sea under the Name of Romanum Mare which by common Speech is easily corrupted into Rumnense Marshium Of this Marsh Twine in his Commentary De rebus Anglicis making a particular mention thus concludes Denique unde tot pingues peeudes c. Lastly saith he Whence so many Fat Cattle come to the Shambles that not only all Kent is largely supplied from this place but even the City of London also in some measure fares the better In the Marsh-Country of Norfolk commonly called Marsh-Land the Soyl is so very Mellow and Fruitful that in a certain large Mead called Tilneysmeth there are said generally to feed no less than 30000 Sheep at a time Wormleighton in Warwickshire breeds Sheep of so large a size that there are scarce the like to be seen elsewhere Lemster upon the River Lug in Herefordshire feeds a Breed of Sheep which yields so Fine and Delicate a Wool that our Noble Poet Draiton in his Polyolbion compares it to the Wool of Apulia and Tarentum which hath been always accounted the Finest Wool of Europe The Bread also of Lemster is no less noted by reason of the Fineness of its Flower insomuch that Lemster Bread and Weably Ale are united into a Proverb as Leigh observes in his Description of England Likewise the Sheep of Cotswold i. e. a place of Sheep-Cotes or Folds upon a Hill in Glocestershire yield so Fine a Wool that nothing but the Spanish Wool can outvy it and this advantage it owes to a Present that was made by King _____ to _____ King of Spain very much to the prejudice of England as it hath since proved Somerton once the chief Town as some say of Somersetshire and gave the denomination to the Shire consists almost wholly with the Country thereabout of Grasiers and Breeders of Cattle After the Wool of Lemster and Cotswold that of the Isle of Wight comes next in estimation Besides those places above-mentioned there is one more which for its largeness and Fruitfulness alike is worthy to be mentioned viz. The Vale of the Whitehorse which is partly in Wiltshire and partly in Barkshire For Fruit there is scarce any County in England that is not tolerably well stor'd in one sort or other but above all for Cherries and now of late for Pippins Kent bears the Name and particularly Tenham which is commonly styl'd the Parent of Fruit Gardens But the first Pippins brought over that is about 100 years since were Planted in that part of Lincolnshire called Holland and about Kirton in the same Shire Nor are our Cherries of much longer date being first brought over from Flanders in the Reign of King Henry the Eight and Planted in Kent with that Success that one only Orchard of but 32 Acnes is said to have produced in one year as much as yielded 1000 l. For all sorts of Apples and Pears and for great quantity of excellent Syder which furnish London and many other parts Worcestershire Glocestershire and Herefordshire are the principal Counties Vines we have very frequent among us of several sorts producing for the most part a very Sweet and Pleasant Grape and good quantities of Wine I have heard say have been formerly made At this day there are two places principally Eminent for making of Wine viz. Claverton in Somersetshire a Seat of Sir William Bassets where there are said to have been made some years no less than 40 Hogsheads of a very pleasant and palatable Wine and in Kent belonging to Collonel Blunt At Hatfield-House in Hertfordshire belonging to the Earl of Salisbury there is a parcel ground called the Vineyard no doubt from the Plenty and goodness of the Vines there Planted And in Glocestershire there are several places called Vineyards out of which in former times they yearly payed Rent-Wines from the Plenty of Vines no doubt here growing Moreover it is found in Ancient Records that several Towns of this Shire payed Rent-Wines as Dr. Fuller in his Worthys particularly observes Of other Productions BEsides those Beasts and Cattel which are of advantage for Food and Cloathing and which no Country of Europe perhaps of the World bring forth more fair and large than England There are some Beasts of service which being common to England with other parts of Europe are generally commended to be of a more excellent Kind than any especially that which is the most serviceable of all others viz. the Horse with all manner of respects considered is doubtless the most noble and useful of all four-footed Beasts for though the Elephant Camel and Dromedary with which most places of Asia and many of Africa abound are more remarkable for vast bulk of body especially the Elephant and consequently more capable of carriage and bearing of great burthens yet the same greatness of bulk renders them on the other side more unfit for expedition and for the Ass and Mule which indeed are fairer larger and more numerous in Spain and other Countries of Europe than in this Kingdom they are not certainly to be compar'd either for shape service or expedition with the forementioned Animal nor was ever any Grandee of Spain journying on his Mule with the Grand Pa and Spanish gravity so comely a sight as a well accoutred Cavalier on horseback and of all parts of England Montgomeryshire is commended for excellent Horses The Truth is the Spanish Jenet that of Barbary Race commonly therefore called the Barbary The Count of Oldenburgh's Breed in Germany have the Name before all others for Swiftness delicacy of Shape and Neatness of Mark or Colour but for Courage Ability of Body either for Travel Draught or Carriage sufficient Swiftness and Agility Tractableness for the Great Saddle and Management in War the Horses of English Breed are reputed hardly matchable by those of any other Country And our Dogs much less by the Testimony of divers Eminent Authors Ortelius in his Theatrum Orbis Terrarum affirms that there is no part of the Earth where there are better and larger Dogs to be seen especially Hounds he might
is the least Peopled of all the rest and his Viceroys of Peru and Mexico the possession whereof hath been main occasion of Impoverishing Spain of its people are in effect setting aside the Title as great Kings as himself nor much less are those of Naples Sicily Millain and what remains of Flanders so that he seems in reality King of Spain alone and of the rest of his Dominions but in Title only And to come a little nearer the matter if all the Kings Subjects in new-New-England Virginia Maryland c. were planted in those unpeopled Regions of this Island their Native Soyl which are more than large enough to receive them there is no doubt to be made but that they would be more capable of serving their King than they can possibly be at such a distance thus transplanted to the other end of the World To be short no Rational man will deny but that that Prince who from a Territory no larger than the County of Kent is able to bring 100000 men into the field is no less Potent than he who from a Territory 20 times as large is able to raise a not much greater number and so much the more by how much he levies them with less Trouble and Charge That Soveraign Conquers best who wins the hearts of his people by Moderation Justice good Government and wholsome Laws He best plants Colonies who maintains a flourishing Trade to Forraign parts he best inlarges his Territory who husbands his People to the best advantage and consults best for their Preservation and Increase hereby approving himself all this while a true Christian Prince not in Name only but in reality no less and upon this score let the World judge whether our Defensor Fidei have not a just Title to that of Christianissimus also When as for any Potentate or Grandee of the World Pontifical or otherwise to grasp at Power and Empire by War Bloodshed and Rapine though under never so spacious a pretence even propogating the Faith it self and at the same time to take upon him the Name of Christian must needs be the highest affront to Heaven and shame to Religion imaginable The Stile of Christian Cut-throat for that must necessarily follow implying a cnntradiction not to be reconcil'd by all the art of Sopistry and Jesuitism since he that hath but heard of the Christian Religion cannot be ignorant that Peace and Charity are the very root and foundation of Christianity and that Religion under what Title soever which is otherwise grounded is to be abhorr'd by all sober men The Creator said to the Earth at the beginning Increase and be Replenish'd The Destroyer hath been saying to the same Earth from the beginning from Age to Age be ruin'd laid wast and Dispeopled by humane Slaughter Now how far the parallel will hold between the greater and Man the lesser World as to the necessity of Purging and Bleeding and whether it be so wholsom as some would have us think that the superfluous blood of the World should be let out by the Phlebotomy of War we shall wave the inquiry at this present only I am of opinion that it would be better to leave the Physicking of the World to the great Physitian thereof than that man upon man should so often practice his Fatal Chyrurgery There is sufficient reason to believe that those frequent Inundations of People those numerous swarms of Cimbrians Teutones Longobards Huns Goths and Vandals which Scythia in former times pour'd out into the milder Regions of Europe were not so much the Luxuriance and off-scouring of an over-peopled Nation since not any one denomination of Country besides takes up so large a part of the earth or hath so many vast unhabited Vacancies but a kind of agreement among certain numbers of men to carve themselves out better Commons than their own Country afforded and throw off the Scythian Frost and roughness by the Warm Sun-shine of Gallia Spain and Italy Now to come closer to the design of our Discourse Three things are to be considered First Whether this Nation have not been in former Ages more Populous than at present Next what the occasion of this Dispopulation hath been Lastly The means of restoration to pristine Populacy or at least of Replenishment in some degree The first consideration is answered by the second There is no question to be made but that the complicated Invasions of Romans Saxons and Danes especially the last so dreadfully Barbarous was the Destruction of a World of People and the Demolishment of many Towns and Cities and after the Norman Conquest the Bloody Civil Wars amongst us first of the Barons next of the two Roses As for the Norman Invasion it self it occasion'd indeed no great matter of Devastation since except a few inconsiderable Insurrections that happen'd afterwards the business was decided by the dint of one Battle and happily the Conqueror had not been sorry had more of the English fallen in that quarrel since like a true Stepfather and Foraign Invader more than like a Native Father of the Country he could find in his heart to lay waste 28 Towns and Villages to make a large habitation for wild Beasts The last and main consideration is how to repair this loss of People shall we call the English of America back to their Native Soyl or shall we invite the Industrious or the Distressed of other Nations to come over and live among us or shall we indeavour to People the Nation better with those People if I may so call them we have already that is turn Drones into Bees and two Legg'd Cattle into Men The first I take altogether to be Impracticable and Irrational to go about for it would be an endless thing for such multitudes of People to unfix themselves from their setled Imploys and Habitations and to be put to remove their Effects back to a Country now grown as strange and uncouth to them as any other Foraign Nation The second according to my poor judgment cannot be disadvantageous to this Kingdom could it be well compas'd and well manag'd so as to give no distaste to the present Inhabitants for it hath been a general and frequent Complaint in my hearing among some Tradesmen of London that Foraigners especially these French Dogs as they stile them come over settle themselves among us and eat the Bread out of our Mouths Nevertheless it is certain that in many Towns of England as Canterbury Norwich c. many Families of Foraigners are well setled exercise the Epidemick Trade of those Places peaceably and prosperously enough and without envy or disturbance Hospitality is a certain evidence of a good Nature and Generous Inclination and it hath been formerly and doubtless still is in a great measure the particular Credit of the English Gentry to keep Plentiful Houses on purpose to Entertain Strangers give Shelter to benighted Travellers and Succour all persons in Distress And as among particular persons no man but an Indigent
Politick what Exercise is to the Body Natural viz. Prosperity to the one Health and Soundness to the other Ildleness being alike pernicious to both and causing to both alike Debauchery of Manners Distemper and Beggary There are few Nations in Europe as well a mother parts of the World wherein some particular Towns are not particularly Eminent for some or other Manufacture as in Andalusia a Province of Spain Corduba for the curious Dressing of Leather which is thence called Cordovan-Leather in Biscaia Bilboa for the making of excellent Temper'd Blades Faenza in Italy for fine Earthen Ware Venice for that rare sort of Drinking Glasses which are thence called Venice-Glasses which Art of Glass-making is by a late Discovery from thence Improv'd to a very great heigth in England though we cannot bring Glasses to that perfection for want of those Materials which are only to be had in those viz. two sorts of Plants called Gazul and Subit out of whose Liquified Ashes the right Venice-Glasses are blown The most general Manufacture of England is that which of all others is certainly the most useful and profitable and which from Ancient time hath in a measure conduc'd to the Wealth and flourishing Estate of the Nation that is to say the Woollen Manufacture or the making of Woollen Cloths or Stuffs which being encourag'd and rightly manag'd is the chief prop of our Trade and Commerce and till the Fishery be set up according to the Proposals of several Worthy Persons the chief Support and Honest Maintenance of the Poor whom could there be work enough found out universally to imploy it would be a happy means to take off that Lewd and Sordid course of Vagabond Begging which introduces all those Thievish and unlawful practices that bring so many daily to shameful and untimely ends The first Broadcloth so called because of the Broad-Looms wherein it was wrought made in England is said to have been wrought by Jack of Newbury in the Reign of King Edward the Third The first famous Clothiers were the Webscloths and Clutterbucks in Glocestershire For this Ingenious and profitable Art or Mystery of Lanifice or Woollen-work there is no place in England more fam'd than the City of Norwich which hath for a long time flourish'd by the making of Worsted-Stuffs which being wrought here more Curiously than elsewhere are thence called Nerwich-Stuffs which Work hath been brought to the greater perfection by the Industry of several Dutch and French Families who have been here planted for several years No Nation ever loseth but gets by the Transplantation of Industrious Foraigners who by Interest and Converse soon become one with the People among whom they Inhabit The Stuffs here vended the chief Trade whereof as also of Stockings is to London are esteemed at 100000 l. per annum which Stuffs are under the Government of two Companies the Worsted Company and the Russel Company The Stockings at 60000 l. per annum But there is another Town in this County which being called Worsted seems to have been the first noted place wherein these Stuffs were substantially made in regard they thence took their denomination Kidderminster in Worcestershire drives a very Trade in the making of certain Stuffs which are thence called Kidderminster-Stuffs and in the same Shire the City of Worcester it self And also Malmsbury for Woollen-Cloth In Warwick-shire Coventry In Lancashire Manchester is much Enrich'd by the Industry of the Inhabitants in making Cloth of Linnen and Woollen Taunton in Somersetshire drives so great a Trade in Mixt and White-Serges that there are said to be sent up Weekly to London and other places no less than 700 pieces a sort of them besides a sort of course Bays in the making whereof there are Weekly imployed no less than 8500 persons No less doth Wakefield in the West-riding of York-shire Leeds also in the same County is accounted a Wealthy Town by reason of its Cloathing Exeter by the quantity of Serges there made returns to London a 10000 l. a Week Stroud in Gloucestershire is a Town not only full of Rich Clothiers but is also particularly Eminent for the Dying of Cloths by reason of the peculiar quality of the Water for that purpose Teuxbury also in the same County is very Rich in Clothing Likewise Sudbury or Southbourg in Suffolk Hadly in the same County Reading in Bark-shire which through the greatness of its Trade is a very Wealthy Town and Newbury in the same County So likewise Shirburn in Dorcetshire upon the same account And also in Essex Colchester Dedham Coxal and other places abound in Bays Says and other new Drapery Appleby in Cumberland is no less Eminent for its strong Castle and for being the place where the Assizes for the County are held than for its great Cloth Manufacture the like is Kendal in the same County Among the woollen Manufacture of England may be reckon'd the weaving and knitting of Stockings the use of which woven and knit Stockings hath not been in this Nation longer than about the beginning of K. James's Reign It being very memorable what Dr Fuller relates of one William Rider an Apprentice at the foot of London-Bridge over against St Magnes-Church who seeing in the House of an Italian Merchant a pair of knit worsted Stockings which he brought from Mantua and taking special observation of them made a pair exactly like them which he presented to William Earl of Pembroke and they are said to be the first of that sort worn in England and thence-forward they became more and more in use so that for many years they have been very much and are now altogether worn and are a great part of the Trade in most Places where there is any thing of woollen Manufacture especially at Norwich yet Jersie Stockings have for a long time had a particular name The Next Place may properly be allow'd to our making of Bone-lace which is the chief of the Ornamentals worn in this Nation though not so totally as before the Needle-works came in fashion which though brought to great perfection yet have obtain'd so much the less esteem by how much those of Flanders and the Points de Venice in Italy and Larron in France came more in fashion as all foreign Artifices usually especially the French have ever the chiefest vogue among our Gallants So general is this Manufacture in many Parts of England that the Poor of whole Towns are almost totally imploy'd and in a great measure maintain'd thereby Particularly Honiton in Devonshire is a noted Town for his sort of Workmanship as likewise Salisbury and Marlborough in Wiltshire Ouldny in Buckinghamshire Amersham and Chesham in the same Shire Blandford in Dorcetshire which last Place hath been famous also for making of Band-strings and now Point-â—aces it is said are much made there It is observ'd that the only Thread made in England till within a few years was at Maidstone in Kent Besides the Cottons of Manchester the Tickin Pins Points and
Laces of that Place have been thought not unworthy to be mention'd by several of England's Topographers so likewise the Gloves Purses and leathern Points of Congleton a Market Town of Cheshire the Pins of Aberford in York-shire The making of Ropes and Cables for Ships was heretofore not onely especially eminent at Birtport in Dorsetshire above all other places but also so highly approv'd for the goodness and curiosity of the Workmanship that a Statute is said to have been made for a time ordaining that no Ropes or Cables for the King's Ships should be made any where else but that Act appears to have been long since out of date for there are great Rope-yards belonging to all the Ship-docks of England particularly at Deptford there are very famous and large ones Smiths-work whatever it is at present hath been heretofore peculiarly attributed to the Artists of Salisbury in Wiltshire Bremicham in Warwickshire Chedder in Somersetshire Sheffield in Yorkshire Malton in the same Shire and Walsal in Staffordshire particularly Salisbury is commended for Razors Bremicham and Sheffield for Blades of Knives Chedder for Teasels or Instruments used in the dressing of Cloth Malton for Instruments used in Husbandry and Walsal for Bits and Snaffles for Horses moreover this last Town is noted as well for Pewterers as Smiths But by the way the mention of Knives hath brought to mind a just occasion of admiration that is since the English have been observ'd and not without just cause to be a good stout eating People there being more substantial Joynts of Beef and Mutton c. consum'd among us than perhaps in any part of the World besides how it should come to pass that we should be so tardy in the Art of Knife-making or what Invention we had in former days to avoid those Indecencies at the Table which the want of Knives must in all likelihood be the cause of For it is credibly reported that one Thomas Matthews living on Fleet-bridge was the first that made Knives in England which was in the 5th year of the Reign of Q. Elizabeth The best Tobacco-pipes for neatness of shape and form and for a curious shining gloss are made at Ambresbury vulgarly call'd Emsbury in Wiltshire about a mile or two from Stonehenge they are commonly call'd Gantlet-Pipes having the mark of a Gantlet impress'd on the flat bottom of the Bowl from Mr. Hugh Gantlet who was the first that brought them to this perfection There are also several edible and potable Works of Art which may in my opinion properly enough come under the Head of English Manufactures The Coagulation of Milk into the Consistence of Cheese is said to have been the first Invention of the Osci an ancient People of Italy but whence or from whomsoever proceeding this sort of artificial Food is the most common and universal in all Parts of the World where the most rational and civil way of Eating is in use Of all the Shires of England Cheshire for this kind of Edible may I judge be allow'd the Bays above all other Parts at least of this Kingdom and for ought I know a true Cheshire Cheese if rightly valu'd may stand in competition with the Parmesan of Italy the Angelot of France and the Full-moon of Holland only with this pre-eminence reserved to the last that but for the bigness it might serve as well for the Bowling-green as the Table Suffolk in this particular challenges the next place but doubtless in respect rather of quantity than quality for this County furnishes with Cheeses not only several other Parts of England but also Spain France and Italy a lean Traveller may possibly be thought able to endure a long Journey better than one that 's plump and fat These are the two principal Cheese-Counties of England but in other Counties this Pretension is fixt to particular Places as in Somersetshire to Chedder before-mention'd the Cheeses whereof are of that repute as to be frequently preferr'd even before those of Cheshire Opinion and Imagination are two great things In Warwickshire Banbury hath a Name both for Cheeses and Cakes the justification of which Name is best left to the experienc'd taster of both For Sugar'd-Cakes Shrewsbury is without controversie allow'd to bear away the Bell from all other Places But to save the Reputation of the Cake-makers of other Parts this Super-excellence is attributed to the nature of the Severn-water in that Place Other Places there are that challenge their Peculiars of this nature but the most proverbially eminent are the Whitepot of Devonshire and Dumpling of Norfolk Nor must the Potables of England be altogether forgotten For Ale Derbyshire and particularly Derby-Town also Hull Northdown and Sandbitch and Weably afore-mention'd are most especially fam'd for Sider all Gloucestershire Worcestershire and Herefordshire for Metheglin Shropshire Herefordshire and some Parts of Wales To the Manufactury of England may not unfitly be added an account of those curious Arts and Inventions which are now flourishing in this Nation whether newly or for some Ages last past And among these the first and principal is the excellent and by some highly applauded and by others most condemned Art of Printting This noble Invention in many respects useful and no way so pernicious as some would have it thought was first exercis'd by William Caxton Mercer who in the Reign of K. Edw. the IV. kept his Printing-house in Westminster-Abbey by the permission of Simon Islip Abbot of Westminster and the first Book set forth some say was Tully's Offices others say a Book treating of the way of playing the Game at Chess The next Invention appearing here among us must be allow'd little less ingenious than the former but wonderfully more capable of doing mischief I mean the truly black Art of Gunpowder the swarthy Invention of a swarthy Monk and possibly by the Inspiration of the Prince of Darkness Yet one thing is worthy to be observ'd viz. that since the discovery of this gloomy Drug whatever destruction hath been committed by whole-sale something of amends hath been made by retail For whereas in former Times when the Bow Lance and Javelin were in use History makes nothing of 40 or 50000 slain in the Field now that the Musket Dragoon and Pistol came in fashion even with the Cannon to boot it is a great matter to hear of the fall of 10 or 20000. besides as a Member sometimes is not ill lost to save a Man so in greater Bodies a House may be better spar'd than a whole Street or Town which deliverance nothing but Gunpowder can effect But then against this benefit may be oppos'd the springing of Mines to blow up Castles Forts and Cittadels meerly for destructions sake It is not to be doubted and it appears from Histories that the Chariot hath been known in England as well as in other Parts of the World time out of mind but the use of those portable Houses call'd Coaches which at this day being increas'd to a vast multitude
and Wat Tiler in East-Smithfield where in an overture of treaty Wat Tiler behaving himself with extraordinary insolence was in presence of the King stabb'd by Sir William Wallworth Lord Mayor of London with a Dagger in memory whereof the City of London hath to this day a Dagger for its Coat of Arms. This City hath had the honour to entertain several great Kings Princes and Nobles but the grandest transaction that London can boast of was that most stately Cavalcade which his present Majesty made through it the 29th of May An. 1660. when he returned from a long Exile to the Government of these Kingdoms But the year 1666. was fatal to it by reason of that most dreadful fire that consum'd all before it from Grace-Church Street to the Inner Temple destroying to the number as is generally computed of 13000 dwelling-houses and this preceded but the year before by the fiercest Pestilence that ever raged within the cognisance of the Weekly Bills In this City King Stephen kept his Court at Crosby-house in Bishopsgate-street King Edward the third in Cornhil where now the Pope-head Tavern stands King Henry the eighth at Black-friers and sometimes at Bridewell once a Regal Palace where also the Emperour Charles the fifth was lodg'd when he came over into England The Palace of St. James's which is in the Pomaeria of London and which was first built for a Spittle for Maiden Lepers hath been the Birth-place of his present Majesty K. Charles the 2d his Highness James Duke of York Henry late Duke of Glocester the Lady Elizabeth the Lady Mary late Princess of Orange and all the Children of his present Highness by his late Dutchess Edgar Duke of Kendal James Duke of Cambridg deceast the Lady Henrietta and the Lady Lady Katherine deceast Mary now Princess of Orange the Lady Anne yet unmarried as also of two Daughters both soon hasten'd to a better World by his present Dutchess Other persons of eminent note and immortal memory were born at London viz. Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury in the Reign of K. Henry the 2d by four of whese Courtiers he was murther'd in Canterbury Church Anno 1170. after a long contest with the King Sir Jeoffry Chaucer the most famous of ancient English Poets who flourisht in the Reigns of K. Henry the 4th Henry the 5th and part of K. Henry the 6th Edmund Spencer styl'd also the Prince of English Poets who flourisht in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth John Leland Sir Thomas More Bishop Andrews The Tower of London is very eminent for the Confinement Murther and Execution of Illustrious persons to mention all especially those who have been meerly Prisoners would be almost endless but the most memorable Imprisonment was that of two Kings at one time in the Reign of King Edward the third viz. of David King of Scots and of John King of France the first a Prisoner 11 years the other four Here the unfortunate King Henry the sixth after Edward the fourth had got the Crown from him by Conquest was basely murther'd by King Edward's Brother Richard Duke of Glocester afterward King of England Here George Duke of Clarence another Brother was by the practice of the said Duke of Glocester drown'd in a Butt of Malmsey but the most fatal Tragedy of all was the murther of King Edward the fourth's two Sons poor harmless children viz. Edward commonly entitled King Edward the fifth and his Brother Richard Duke of York and all by the order and contrivement of their Dear Uncle of Glocester who as most great persons have their peculiar Sports and Recreations was principally taken with that of killing men especially those of nearest kin for such he chiefly markt out for death out of meer kindness to himself that he might the sooner obtain the possession of that Crown he had long since aspir'd to and indeed he got it sooner and kept it longer so easie it is for one witty man to delude a Multitude than a curious descanter upon the worlds affairs would have allow'd a person so getting it however what he got by the death of others he lost by his own only more handsomely not by treachery but fairly in the field In Christ-church in London three great Queens had their Sepulture viz. Margaret the Daughter of King Philip of France sirnamed the Hardy and second Wife of King Edward the second of England Isabel the Daughter of the French King Philip the Fair and Wife to King Edward the second of England Joan the Daughter of the said Edward and Isabel and married to David King of Scots Westminster hath been the most constant residence of the Kings of England since the Conquest till Whitehall was built by Cardinal Wolsey It will be needless to mention all the Kings that have been crown'd and buried here in regard since the Conquest there are not very many who have not been buried and fewer that have not been crown'd in Westminster Abby At Isleworth now Thistleworth a Village pleasantly situate upon the River Thames Richard King of the Romans and Earl of Cornwall had a stately Palace which was burnt to the ground in a tumultuous sally that was made upon it by certain Malecontents of the London Mobile In Surry are places of as eminent note as in most Counties of England In the first place Lambeth is chiefly renowned for being the principal Palace and most usual residence of the Archbishops of Canterbury from the time of Archbishop Baldwin who first founded it and made it his Seat in the year 596 and from whom it hath continued so to this day the most reverend and learned Prelate Dr. Sancroft late Dean of Pauls being worthily advanc'd to this high Dignity and having here his present residence Here Canutus sirnamed the Hardy the third and last of our short-liv'd Dynasty of Danish Kings ended his days of a surfeit as most Writers affirm by eating and drinking over freely at a Wedding Feast Croydon is another Seat belonging to the Archbishops of Canterbury and where the Reverend Dr. Gilbert Sheldon late Archbishop lies buried having a most statety Monument newly elected to his memory the Artful Contrivance and skilful Workmanship of Mr Jasper Latham the present City Mason At Ockly in this County Ethelwolph Son of Egbert won a great Battel over the Danes Oatlands is not more famous for being a Royal Palace than for the Neighbourhood of Coweystakes where Julius Caesar pass'd the Thames into the Borders of Cassibesaunus Putney is chiefly considerable in story as being the Birth-place of one of the most advanced Statesmen and Favourites for he was but the Son of a Black-smith that our Nation hath produced viz. Thomas Cromwell chief Minister of State for the time to King Henry the eighth and by him created Earl of Essex who nevertheless had the ill fate falling under his Princes displeasure to be beheaded on Tower-Hill Wimbleton where the Earl of Bristol hath a pleasant seat still retains the memory of a
notable defeat given by Cheaulin King of the West-Saxons to Ethelred King of Kent with the slaughter of two of his Dukes in the year of our Lord 560. At Richmond to which in former ages the Kings and Queens of England retired for pleasure as of late to Hampton-Court and Windsor there deceased that victorious Prince King Edward the third Anne the Daughter of the Emperour Charles the fourth and Wife of King Richard the second Henry of Richmond the seventh of that name King of England and that learned and renowned Princess Queen Elizabeth of happy memory Kingston upon Thames a very pleasant and much frequented Market Town was probably the usual place of Coronation of the Saxon Monarchs for there was kept the Chair of Instalment but the Kings most particularly mentioned to have been there crown'd were King Athelstan Edwin and Ethelred Guilford a Town otherwise of especial note is also famous for having been the Royal Seat of the English Saxon Kings Merton is doubly upon record first for the untimely death of Kenulph King of the West-Saxons who was here slain by Kineaâ—d King Sigeberts Brother next for the Parliament there held An. 21 of K. Henry the third which Parliament produc'd an Act which to this day is called the Statute of Merton Okeham hath its chief credit as being the native place of that famous English Philosopher William de Okeham Likewise Ripley no less by the birth of that learned Chymist George de Ripley In Essex Colchester which is the County Town hath the honourable tradition of having been built by the ancient British King Coilus but that which redounds chiefly to its honour is that it is said to have brought into the world three persons of immortal memory viz. Lucius the first not only British but European King that embrac'd the Christian Faith Constantine the first Roman Emperour who openly proprofessing Christianity gave countenance and protection to the Christians of all parts and put an end to those heavy Persecutions which they groaned under so many Ages and if by his extraordinary bounty and munificence to the Clergy he made an inlet to that pride and ambition among them which hath proved mischievous to Christendome ever since it was an errour on the right hand and however succeeding otherwise an evidence of his pious generosity and zeal for Religion and Vertue Helena the Wife of Constantius born also in England and as it is generally suppos'd in York and Mother of the said Constantine her fame shines bright in History for her piety in general and particularly for the fame of her being Inventrix Crucis The next Town of note in this County is Maldon a very ancient Town and the Seat Royal of the Trinobantes of whom Cunobelinus was King about the time of our Saviours Nativity it was taken by the Emperour Claudius and made a Roman Garison being call'd by the Romans Camalodunum rased to the ground by Queen Bunduca or Boadicia after a mighty defeat given to the Romans in revenge of some high affronts and indignities she received from them but was afterwards rebuilt and is of some reputation at this day though doubtless far short of its pristine splendor At Walden famous for Saffron as is already mentioned was born Sir Thomas Smith Secretary to Queen Elizabeth Kent as it is a large County is enobled with very many Towns and places of note in the first place Canterbury is a City of that eminence that next to London there is hardly a City in England memorable upon so many accounts It is said to have been built 900 years before Christ it is the principal of the Archiepiscopal Sees of England it was given by Ethelbert King of Kent to Austin the Monk and his Companions upon whose preaching 10000 were baptized in one day By the said Austin the Cathedral is said to have been founded in which eight Kings of Kent were interred Even the misfortunes of this City have been also memorable for it suffer'd very much several times by the fury of the Danes especially in the Reign of Ethelred when 42000 of the Inhabitants were sacrific'd to their fury and revenge it hath had the honour of the Coronations Nuptials and Interments of several great Kings and Princes Here King John and his Queen Isabel were Crown'd King Henry the third and King Edward the first Married Edward the Black Prince King Henry the fourth and his Q. Joan were Interred and also with far more cost and magnificence that great Prelate and even to adoration adored Saint Thomas a Becket of whose rich and stately Tomb mention hath been elsewhere made Rochester said to be built by one Roff Lord thereof is also a City and not much inferiour in repute to Canterbury Several Counties there are which have no City the Bishops See being but in one of half a dozen Counties but Kent is the only one County that hath two This City was also miserably harrass'd by the Danes and suffer'd very much ruine by two dreadful Fires viz. in the Reign of King Henry the first and King Henry the second but being very much restored by the munificence of King Henry the third it hath continued a flourishing City ever since Maidstone a pleasant and well-seated Town is the more memorable by the great defeat given there to the Earl of Holland who headed the Kentish-men rising for the King by Fairfax General of the Parliament Forces Feversham is enobled by the Burial of King Stephen and his Queen Maud. Dover besides the renown of its Castle said to be built by Julius Caesar and the great honour of the Government thereof hath given reception and entertainment to many great Kings and Princes Queenborough Castle was built by King Edward the third Wye a Sea-port Town where the learned and famous J. Kemp Archbishop of Canterbury was born Horsted is chiefly noted for the Monument now defaced of Horsa one of the first Leaders of the invading Saxons the Brother of Hengift The like Monument was made for Catigern another of the Brothers at Circotes-house which is standing to this day Black-heath hath been the place of several grand Recounters in the Barons Wars in King Henry the third's time as also of Wat Tiler in King Richard the second 's time and of Michael Joseph and the Lord d' Auhenie in King Henry the seventh's time But that which gives the greatest glory and re-renown to this place is the memory of that grand appearance at his Majesties Restoration when all the Gentry and Nobility of the Nation and all the Pomp and splendor of the City of London met to receive his Majesty and his two Brothers and conduct them through the City to the Royal Palace of Whitehall and even the armed part of the Nation that but lately had drawn the Sword against him now met him with the highest acclamations of welcome In Buckinghamshire Buckingham the Shire Town was fortified by King Edward sirnamed the Elder against the fury of the Danes and
Wheathamstead chiefly noted for the birth of John of Wethamstead a profound Philosopher Other places Hertfordshire noted for famous men Ware for Richard de Ware Treasurer of England under Edward the first and William de Ware who was Scotus his Teacher and flourisht under King Henry the third Baldock for Ralph Baldock created Bishop of London by King Edward the first Rudburn for Thomas Rudburn Bishop of St Davids who flourisht An. 1419. Helmstedbury for Sir Edward Waterhouse Chancellour of the Exchequer in Ireland under Queen Elizabeth Gatesden for John de Gatesden who flourisht An. 1420. Hamstead for Daniel Dike Cottered for Edward Symonds Gorham-berry for Sir Nicholas Bacon Nor may we here omit other eminent men of this Shire viz. Sir Henry Cary a great Souldier in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth by whom he was created Baron of Hunsden and Lord Chamberlain John Boucher Baron Berners And of learned men Alexander Nequam who died An. 1227. Nicholas Gorham who flourisht An. 1400. Roger Hutchinson Thomas Cartwright and Hugh Legat. In Norfolk the chief City and Episcopal See Norwich seems to have sprung out of the ancient Venta of the Romans and is chiefly Famous for its sufferings having been sackt and burnt by the Danes in the year 1004. And in the Conquerours time reduc't to utmost exigence for siding with Earl Radulph against the said King William The Cathedral was Founded by Herbert who translating the Bishoprick ftom Thetford to Norwich was the first Bishop of Norwich Thetford the ancient Sitomagus of the Romans is a place of much remark for antiquity It was the Royal Seat of the Kings of the East-Angles and the unfortunate place where King Edmund the Martyr was overthrown by the Danes The Bishoprick which is now of Norwich was translated from Elmham to Thetford in the Reign of King William the Conquerour Lyn a Sea Port Town was made Liber Burgus and honoured with the gift of a rich Cup by King John and had their Charter inlarg'd by King Henry the third for their good Service against the Outlawed Barons and in King Henry the eighth's time other priviledges were added and the name changed from Lyn Episcopi to Lyn Regis Yarmouth boasts the antiquity of its foundation from the time of the Danes Elmham is considerable for having been a Bishops See for several Ages first divided with Dunwich in Suffolk next sole till it was translated to Thetford thence to Norwich In Sussex the City Chichester boasts the Foundation of Cissa the second King of the South-Saxons and had the Bishoprick translated thither in King William the Conquerours time from Selsey which till then had been the Episcopal See Lewis a Town little if ought inferiour to Chichester is sufficiently of name in History as having been one of the places appointed by King Athelstan for the Coinage of his Mony and for the strong Castle built by Earl William de Warren Here also was a bloody battel fought between King Henry the third and his Barons in which the King receiv'd a cruel Overthrow Pensey a little Sea Town but great in Story as the Landing place of King William the Conquerour when by one Victorious battle he gain'd the Crown of England with the slaughter of King Harold and his two Brothers Leofwin and Goroh and about 67000 men Hastings being the Town near which this successful held was fought hath gotten so much the greater name and the very place of fight retains to this day the name of Battle-field Buckstead a place in some respect of as great note as any hath been nam'd For here in the thirty fifth year of King Henry the eight the first Great Iron Guns that ever were cast in England were cast by Peter Baude and Ralph Hage In Cambridge-Shire the Town of Cambride is of too high a renown for its many Halls and Colledges the habitations of the Muses richly indow'd for the advancement and incouragement of Learning to be here pass't by and too well taken notice of and describ'd by others to be longer insisted on Eli the Bishops Seat and denominating City of the Diocess is said to have been built by one Audry who was first wife of one Tombret Prince of these parts and afterwards of Egbert King of Northumberland from whom departing She here betook her self to a devout life and built a most stately Monastery of which She her self became the first Abbess This place is also recordable for the Birth of several Learned men viz. Andrew Willet who died An. 1621. Sir Thomas Ridly Dr. of the Laws who died An. 1629. Richard Parker who died here An. 1624. Everton in this Shire gave Birth to John Tiptoft Son of John Lord Tiptoft Earl of Worcester and Lord High Constable of England Triplow is memorable by the Birth of Elias Rubens a Writer of grand repute who flourisht An. 1266. Everden gave both Birth and Sirname to John Eversden another learned Writer Of this County were also Matthew Paris and Sir John Cheek Tutor to King Edward the sixth and Richard Wethershet who flourisht in the year 1350. At Caxton was born William thence Sirnamed Caxton the first Printer in England Wisbich brought forth Richard Hocloet a man eminent for Learning An. 1552. Linton is only note-worthy for the Birth of Richard Richardson one of the Translatours of the Bible who deceas't An. 1621. Milton as 't is generally believ'd gave birth to Thomas Goad a Writer of good note Mildred brought forth Andrew Mervail Minister of Hull a Learned Father of a Learned and Witty Son for so was that Andrew who died but a few years since he was a Member in the late long Parliament for the Town of Hull a man of very acute parts had he not fail'd in his affection to the Government as several of his Writings testifie Of this County were Michael Dalton a Learned Writer and also Edward Norgate In Huntington-Shire St Neots so call'd from Neotus a Holy and Learned man is memorable for the defeat given to the Earl of Holland by the Parliament Forces in the late Civil Wars An. 1648. as also for being the Birth-place of two eminent men viz. Francis White Bishop of Ely and Hugh thence Sirnamed of St Neots who deceas't Anno 1340. Godmanchester qu. Gormoncester from Gormon the Dane is concluded to have been the Old Durisiponte of the Romans and some think from the nearness of the name the same with Gunicester where Macutus had his Bishoprick At this Godmanchester was born a man who made too much noise in the world to be forgotten Stephen Marshal one of the chief of those Zealous Trumpetters of the late times who from the Pulpit stirr'd up to War and Bloodshed in the Name of the Lord. At St Ives was born Roger thence Sirnam'd of St Ives who flourisht An. 1420. At Cunnington the Learned Antiquary Sir Robert Cotton Moreover from Huntington the Capital place of this Shire sprung two very famous men Gregory of Huntington who died An. 1610. and Henry
of Huntington renowned for his History who flourish't An. 1248. Other Celebrated men of this Shire were William Whitlesey Archdeacon of Huntington who died An. 1375. Henry Saltry who flourisht 1140. William Ramsey a famous Poet. John Young and John White In Wiltshire Wilton the Denominating and once the Principal Town of the Shire is so much the more notable a place by how much the more despicable it now appears as a strange example of the various turns of fortune and mutations of human affairs having only the name left of a Market Town else but a pitiful Village consisting of one only Parish Church which is said to have been a Town of about seventeen or eighteen Parish Churches and having no Memorial or Monument of antiquity which hath been the Theater of so many grand Transactions Here Egbert the Westsaxon and at last Sole Monarch of the English encountred Bernulf King of Mercia and slew him in Battle but in this very place he afterwards received a terrible overthrow from the Danes At Edindon King Alfred gave the Danes a very notable defeat Bradford is memoris'd for a bloody Battle fought between two great Competitors in the Saxon Heptarchy At Woodensbury An. 590. Cheaulin King of the West-Saxons encountring the Britains who joyn'd with his Nephew Cealrick was put to flight and his Son Cuth slain Here also Ina the West-Saxon fought with Ceolred the Mercian Old Sarum was a place made choice of by the Romans for a strong encamped habitation as by the ruins thereof at this day appears Here the Britains receiv'd a fatal overthrow from Kenrick the Saxon besides what spoil was afterwards done by Canutus Caln is famous for that great Assembly which put an end to the controversy about the Marriage of Priests by reason of a disaster which happened by the fall of the Room to the destruction of several people of all sorts Brokenbridge and Cosham places doubly famous in History First as having been ancient Roman Seats next as the Courts of some of the Saxon Kings Crekelade memorable for the Fame of an University said to have been anciently here erected and from hence removed to Oxford Malmsbury qu. Maidulphsbury from Maidulphus a person of renown both for Sanctity and Learning is no less memorable for the famous Monastery there erected by the said Maidulphus then for the birth of two great men viz. William thence sirnamed of Malmesbury a Celebrated Historian and Thomas Hobbes of this present Age and but a few years since deceast a man of much Earning and more cunning Sophistry for the maintenance of those principles he maintained thereby In Dorsetshire Dorchester the chief Town only boasts of some antiquity as from the Roman name Durnovaria Badbury was anciently the Court of the West-Saxon Kings At Cern Austin broke down the Idol of the Saxon God Hell Shaftsbury is fam'd for the History of the Prophesying Eagle most probably a man whose name was Aquila Here was enterr'd the Body of Edward the Son of Edgar Murthered by his Mother-in-Law at Corfe Castle At Winburn-Minster built by Cuthburga Wife in second Marriage to a King of Northumberland the Body of King Ethelred was buried Shirburn was an Episcopal See for a long time in the Cathedral whereof were buried the bodies of King Ethelbald and King Ethelbert In Somersetshire the principal place is the City of Bath Brit. Akamancester Lat. Aquâ solis Badissa very famous and much frequented for its hot Bathing-Springs which our old British Traditions will have to be the invention of Bladud an ancient British King Bath and Wells joyntly together make one Bishoprick Wells is principally esteem'd for its Cathedral which is said to have been built by Inas King of the West-Saxons Pen now a small Village is memoris'd for a great overthrow given to the Britains by Kenwald King of the West-Saxons and afterwards to the Danes by K. Edmund Ironside Bridgewater is otherwise a Town of very good note and of memory for a notable defeat given here to the Danes by Ealstan Bishop of Shirburn An. 845. Glastonbury Avalonia is principally renowned for its Monastery deliver'd to have been founded by Joseph of Arimathea the first Preacher as some Writers affirm of the Gospel in this Island In the Church-yard of Glastonbury in King Henry the second 's Reign was found a Corps of a large demension which by several circumstances was concluded to be the Body of King Arthur Cadbury is recordable for the defeat given by King Arthur to the English Saxons Banesdown Mons Badonicus is a place renown'd for several other of King Arthurs Victories and where King Alfred overthrew the Danes and brought Gorrum to the Sacred Font. Camalet a steep Hill was doubtless some Fort or Encampment of the Romans as appears by the Coins there found moreover on the top thereof there remains to this day the Vestigia of some noble Castle which is said to have been a Palace of King Arthur This Town some Writers have placed in Cornwal Ilchester appears also by the like demonstration to have been a station of the Romans and is still of that repute that it is the chief place of Gaol-delivery for the County In Oxfordshire Oxford besides the glory of its famous University and the Magnificence of its Stately Colledges Here more frequent Parliaments have been call'd than in any place of England next to Westminster and particularly the last Parliament call'd by his present Majesty and held here in March 1681. Here Maud the Empress was besieg'd by King Stephen and with great difficulty made her escape in a disguise by night and got over the Thames on the Ice This place his late Majesty King Charles the first made his chief Head Quarters during the greatest part of the Civil War between him and the Parliament till the City was taken by Sir Thomas Fairfax General of the Rebels Forces It is moreover famous for being the birth-place of that Martial Prince King Richard the first sirnamed Ceur de Lyon Woodstock besides that it hath been anciently a stately Palace belonging to the Kings of England claims a particular place in the book of Fame upon several accounts In the first place here it was that King Henry the second built a sumptuous Bower for his Paramour Rosamund Clifford who for her singular beauty and in allusion to her name was styl'd Rosa Mundi Next it was the Birth-place of Edward the Black Prince lastly in the Town of Woodstock was brought up and educated that most renowned of English Poets Sir Geoffry Chaucer Islip cannot be forgotten so long as the memory of King Edward the Confessour lasts who was here born In Glocestershire the City of Glocester Glenum Colonia Glenum eminent for its Cathedral of which more elsewhere is also not obscure in History Here Earl Robert Brother to the Empress Maud was kept prisoner for some time but much more famous if we may not say infamous was the keeping of this City by the Parliament-Forces under
his Queen Ethelwith At Melburn John D. of Bourbon taken at Agin Court was kept prisoner Little Chester an ancient Colony of the Romans as appears by what Coins have been digg'd up thereabout In Nottinghamshire the County Town Nottingham hath not wanted its share in the grand rencounters that have been in this Nation the Castle hereof was kept by the Danes against the Mercian King Burthred and also against the English Saxon Monarchs Elthelred and Alfred At Newark in this County King John who was poyson'd at Swinsted Abby is said to have drawn his last breath At Stoke near Symnel's party was utterly defeated and his upholders John de la Pool Earl of Lincoln Thomas Garadine Chancellour of Ireland Fr. Lord Lovel and others were slain with 4000 of their men and he himself taken prisoner June 16th An. 1487. At Mansfield was born the first Earl of Mansfield in Germany one of the Knights of King Arthurs Round Table In Warwickshire the Town of Warwick is sufficiently fam'd in story over and above what is related of Guy of Warwick and his great adventures and above all things the antiquity of the foundation is remarkable if as the tradition goes it were built by Gurguntus 375 years before the Nativity of our Saviour however the Castle looks great and savours much of Antiquity Coventry being joyntly one Bishoprick with Leichfield is memorable besides the beauty of the brave action of Countess Godiva the wife of Leofrick the first Lord thereof well known in History One of the Gates of this City is call'd Gofford Gate which is the more notable by the Shield-bone of some very large beast some say a wild Bore slain by Guy of Warwick some say an Elephant with the snout whereof a pit was turn'd up which is now Swanes Mear At Backlow-hill in this County Pierce Gavestoâ— was taken and beheaded by a party of the Nobles At Wolny An. 1469. King Edward the fourth his Forces were discomfited by his brother George Duke of Clarence and Richard Earl of Warwick and the King himself taken prisoner In Northamptonshire the County Town Northampton hath been the Subject of many warlike bronts An. 1106. it suffered much by the contests of the Conquerours three Sons Robert William and Henry An. 1263. being held by the Barons against King Henry the third it was taken by surprize and the Walls thrown down An. 1459. King Henry the sixth was here taken prisoner by the Earl of Warwick and March with the slaughter of Humphry Stafford Duke of Buckingham John Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury the Lords Egremont and Beaumont but the greatest misfortune that e're befel this Town was in this our Age viz. An. 1675. when by an accidental Fire it was almost all burnt down to the ground yet lay it not long buried in ruin for it was immediately rebuilt and now appears in far greater splendour then ever Here Earl Rivers Father to Edward the fourth's Queen taken at Grafton was beheaded by Robin of Risdal together with his son John Higham Ferrers in this County hath been honour'd with the birth of a very great Prelate of this Nation viz. Henry Chichly Cardinal and Arch-bishop of Canterbury in the Reign of King Henry the sixth This Chichly was the founder of All-Souls Colledge in Oxford Edgecot is signalis'd by a bloody battle fought near it on Danes More July the 26th An. 1469. by Robin of Risdal and Sir John Coniers against William Herbert Earl of Pembroke who together with his Brother Richard the Lord Rivers the Queens Brother and Richard Woodvil were taken prisoners carried to Banbury and beheaded At Fotheringhay Castle Mary Queen of Scots was kept a long time prisoner and was at last beheaded In Leicestershire Leicester the County Town is principally famous by the tradition of its having been built by King Leir great in the Catalogue of ancient British Kings qu. Leir-cester Lutterworth in this County ows its chief credit to the famous John Wickleff who was Parson of this place in the reign of King Henry the 4th Bosworth a Town of no great note but for the memory of a most signal battle fought near it on Redemore August 22d 1485. which put an end to all Controversies between the two houses of York and Lancaster and in which fell that most Tyrannical of English Kings Richard the third with four thousand of his men and some say though we are not bound to believe it with the loss but of ten men on the Earl of Richmonds side Cleycester of which there are now scarce any ruins remaining was once a famous City in the West part of this Shire and by the Romans call'd Bennone In Rutlandshire some mention as close adjoyning though generally affirm'd to be situate rather in Lincolnshire the Town of Stamford for the reputation of an ancient University and said to have been founded by that Ancient British King Bladud who found out the vertue of the Bath-Waters In Lincolnshire Lincoln the chief Town and only City of this Shire is not only eminent for its antiquity and for that it was once acounted one of the chiefest and the best traded Cities of England and made by King Edward the third the chief Mart for Lead Wool and Leather But also for a great battle fought by Randolph Earl of Chester and Robert Earl of Glocester against King Stephen who was here taken prisoner as also for the success of King Henry the third who won it from the Barons it is said to have had once fifty Parish Churches Wainfleet had been doubtless a place of little note but for the birth of William Wainfleet Bishop of Winchester who living in the reign of King Henry the sixth with whom he was great in favour built here a Free-School and founded Magdalen Colledge in Oxford Grimsby likewise though an ancient Market Town hath its chiefest repute from its being the Birth-place of Dr. Whitgift Archbishop of Canterbury in the reign of King James Bullingbrook is enobled by the memory of the Birth of King Edward the first and King Henry the fourth Swinesstead Abby the place where King John received from the hands of Simon a Monk thereof that baleful potion that gave him his end at Lincoln Harstill laments the death of that mirâ—our of that Conjugal love Queen Eleanor the wife of King Edward the first In the North-Riding of Yorkshire York the chief of this Shire and second City of England was a Colony of the Romans and a place of great account among them and ever since to this day a splendid and flourishing City several Emperours here kept their Court and particularly Severus had a Palace here in which he breathed his last Here also Constantius Chlorus the Father of Constantine the Great is said to have departed this life nor does the death of these two Emperours more ennoble this Place than the Birth of the Learned Alcuin who was Tutour to the Emperour Charles the Great Some write that it was first made an Episcopal See by
in many respects as for its Minster for its Entertainment of King Athelstan who hence settihg forth in a Barge upon the River Dee was rowed by Kennadie King of the Scots Malcolm King of Cumberland Macon King of Man and several Princes of Wales By being made so great a Principality by the Investiture of Hugh Lupus by King William the Conqueror The Minster of this City was built by Earl Leofric to the Honour of St. Werburga repaired by Hugh Earl of Chester And in this Minster was buried the Body of Henry the Fourth Emperor of Germany At Calvely was born Sir Hugh Calvely a Soldier of great fame in the Reign of King Edward the Third As likewise was Sir Robert Knowles of this Shire Ecleston gave Birth to Thomas thence Sirnamed Ecleston Bunbury is noted by the birth of Robert Braffy who died Anno 1558. Wrenbury boasts of George Patin another learned Writer Moreover the World owes to this Shire several other great men viz. Sir Thomas Aegerton Lord Keeper Anno 1596. Sir Humphrey Starky Sir Henry Bradshaw Sir Randal Crew and Sir Humphrey Davenport all grand Pillars of the Law Ralph Ratcliff a person eminent for Learning and Captain John Smith the first setler of the Plantation of New-England in the Reign of King James In FLINTSHIRE The Castle of Flint which was founded by King Henry the Second and finished by King Edward the First gave Reception to King Richard the Second when he came out of Ireland In DENBYSHIRE Denby was walled about and fortified with a Castle by Henry Lacy Earl of Lincoln in the Reign of King Edward the First In CAERNARVONSHIRE Caernarvon is memorable as having been raised by King E. 1. from the Ruins of that ancient City which is called by Antonine Segontium and by Ninius Caer-Custenith and where as Matthew Westminster reports was found the Body of Constantius the Father of Constantine the Great Anno 1283. In MERIONETHSHIRE the principal Town Harlech is only worth memory for its stately Castle In CARDIGANSHIRE Cardigan the Shire-Town was walled about and fortified with a Castle by Gilbert de Clare who was Lord of the whole County by the Gift of King Henry the First In BRECKNOCKSHIRE Hay is remembred by its Ruins to have been once a place of Account for it is reported in History to have been ruined and demolished in the Rebellion of Owen Glendour It is judged by the Coins there found to have been an ancient Seat of the Romans Bealt Buelth the Buleum Silurum of Ptolomy is famed as the Seat of Aurelius Ambrose who possessed the whole Country and after gave it to Pascentius Son of Vortiger And likewise for the last Prince of the Britains who was here by Treachery slain But Brecknock being now the fairest Town of the Shire carries the Name and Primacy In CAERMARDENSHIRE Caermarden the Shire-Town the Maridunum of Ptolomy and Muridunum of Antonine is not so note-worthy for its large Castle and strong Wall as for being the Birth-place of that most famous old British to give him the most favourable Title Prophet Merlin In GLAMORGANSHIRE The chief Town and Episcopal See Landaff with its Castle and Cathedral is not so famous as the Town of Caerdiff as having been the Seat and Residence of that renowned Fitz-Hammond and his Norman Knights who after the Conquest of Rhesus Prince of Wales kept here his Court in the Reign of William Rufus and built here a strong Castle in the Hall whereof are yet to be seen the Ensigns of the said Fitz-Hammond and his Knights In this Castle hath been for a long time and is still kept the Audit for the Earl of Pembroke's Estate in Wales In MONMOVTHSHIRE Monmouth the County-Town is yet far more considerable upon several respects first as being delivered by Geraldus to have been the place where great King Arthur kept his Court. Next as an Academy of Philosophy and Arts giving Residence to two hundred Scholars and Birth to Amphibalus whose Disciple our great Protomartyr St. Albanus was and two other noble persons of our first Martyrs And likewise as the Birth-place of that noble Prince King Henry the Fifth In RADNORSHIRE Radnor the ancient Magnos of Antonine and the station of the Pacentian Regiment and fortified with a Castle is yet inferior in beauty of Buildings to Prestain In PEMBROKESHIRE though Pembroke is the County-Town yet St. Davids is the more remarkable as being an Episcopal See and once an Archbishoprick translated from Isca Legionum by that great Archbishop Devi whom we call St. David In MONTGOMERISHIRE Montgomery is remarkable for its pleasant scituation and strong Castle and the Title of an Earldom first given by King James Anno 1605. to Philip second Son to Henry Earl of Pembroke and still continuing in his Grandchild Philip now Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery In the Isle of ANGLESY Beaumorris is not more noted for being the principal Town than for the frequent transportation of Passengers hence to Ireland and the fame of having been built by King Edward the First A true and perfect LIST OF THE NOBILITY OF ENGLAND With their principal HOUSES and the COUNTIES which they are in DUKES * HIS Royal Highness James Duke of York and Albany and Earl of Vlster His Seats St. James's Middlesex Richmond Surrey The Dukedom of Cumberland extinct by the death of Prince Rupert The Lord High Chancellor of England The Lord High Treasurer of England The Lord President of the Privy Council The Lord Privy Seal Henry Howard Duke of Norfolk and Earl Marshal of England Earl of Arundel Surrey Norfolk and Norwich Baron Howard Moubray Segrave Brewes of Gower Fitz-Alan Clun Oswaldestre Maltravers Graystock and Castle-Rising His Seats Norfolk House in Arundel Buildings Middlesex Arundel Castle Sussex Albury and Waybridge Surrey Duke's Place in Norwich Norfolk Work-Sop Nottingham Sheffeild-Mannor York Graystock Castle and Drumbugh Castle Cumberland Charles Seymour Duke of Somerset Marquess of Hertford Viscount Beauchamp and Baron Seymour His Seats Marlborough House and Allington House Wilts * George Villers Duke Marquess and Earl of Buckingham Earl of Coventry Viscount Villers and Baron of Whaddon His Seats Wallingford House near Whitehall Middlesex Colledge-Hill London Buckingham House and Whadon Buckingham Bishop's Hill in the City of York and Helmsey Castle York * Christopher Monk Duke of Albemarle Earl of Torrington Baron Monk of Poltheridge Beauchamp and Teyes His Seats Nun Appleton and Burley on the Hlil Rutland Garrenton Leicester Albemarle House Middlesex New Hall Essex Potheridge and Wenbury Devonshire Cletherow Castle Lancaster * James Scot Duke of Monmouth and Bucclugh Earl of Doncaster and Dalkelth Baron of Tindal Winchester and Ashdale His Seat More Park Hertford So-Ho Square Middlesex * Henry Cavendish Duke Marquess and Earl of Newcastle Earl of Ogle Viscount Mansfeild Baron Ogle Beutram and Bolsover His Seats Welbeck Abby and Nottingham Castle Nottingham Bolsover Castle Derby Ogle Castle Bothal Castle Heple Tower Northumberland Slingsby Castle York Blore Hall Stafford
Original of the Companies of London and how and when Incorporated Chap. 2. Of the English Merchants trading into most parts the time of their Incorporating and the Improvement of Navigation Chap. 3. Of Englands Trade in general a Survey of the Weights Measures Coyns Comerse of most of the Counties Chap. 4. Of the Traffick of London Chap. 5. Of the Coyns of England settled by the Tower Standard Chap. 6. Of the Weights and Measures used in England established by a Standard Chap. 7. Of the Trade of Scotland as to its dependencies with England Chap. 8. A View of Ireland and its present State and Trade Chap. 9. A View of the Ocean and the Islands belonging to the Isle of great Britain Chap. 10. Of the Measures Breadth and Length of English Cloath Chap. 11. A View of America and its Trade with England Chap. 12. A View of Virginia of the Trade Names Customs and Government of it Chap. 13. A View of New-England and the Trade thereof Chap. 14. A View of Maryland the Customs and Trade thereof Chap. 15. A View of the Peruanan Provinces their Trade and Customs Chap. 16. A View of Affrica and of the Manners Customs Trade Coyns and Commodities Chap. 17. Of Tunis the Trade Manners and Customs thereof Chap. 18. A View of Argiers of their Trade Manners and Customs and Methods for selling of Slaves Chap. 19. Of the Kingdom of Fez and its Trade with England Chap. 20. Of the Kingdom of Morocco the Customs and Trade thereof with England Chap. 21. Of Nurâ—idia and Lydia and their Trade Chap. 22. A View of Ethiopia and the Trade thereof Chap. 24. A View of Mosambique and its Trade Chap. 25. Of Egypt and the Trade thereof Chap. 26. Of Grand Cairo and its Trade Chap. 27. Of the Isles appertaining to Affrica the Commodities Trade Weights and Measures Chap. 28. Of Asia the Trade Manners and Customs thereof of the Money currant and Commodities Weights and Measures Chap. 29. A View of Syria and its Trade Chap. 30. Of Aleppo and the Trade thereof and the Customs of that famous City Chap. 31. Of Damascus and its Trade Chap. 32. Of Tripoly and the Trade thereof Chap. 33. Of Palestine Chap. 34. Of America and its Trade Chap. 35. Of Assyria Mesopotamia and Caldea Chap. 36. Of Media and its Trade Chap. 37. Of Persia its Trade and Commodities Chap. 38. Of Hispaan and its Trade Chap. 39. Of Tartaria its Trade Coyn and Customs Chap. 40. Of India Intra and Extra Gangem Chap. 41. A View of Cambaia and its Trade Chap. 42. A View of Goa its Trade Commodities and Customs c. Chap. 43. Of Musulipatan Chap. 44. Of the City of Satagan the Metropolis of Bengala Chap. 45. Of Peru the Trade Coyns and Customs Chap. 46. Of Syan and Malacca Chap. 47. Of China and their Trade with England Chap. 48. Of the Islands in the Asian Seas Chap. 49. Of the Isles of Molucco's c. Chap. 50. Of Javas and the Trade thereof Chap. 51. Of other Islands in the Indian Seas Chap. 52. Of Cyprus its Trade Growth and Coyns Chap. 53. A Discourse of Gold and Silver its true intrinsick value their Fineness and Allayes c. Chap. 54. Of Diamonds and precious Stones and their value and goodness Chap. 55. Of the Trade of Europe and their dependencies on England Chap. 56. Of Sevil in Spain and its Trade Chap. 57. Of Malaga the Customs Weights and Measures Chap. 58. Of Alicant and its Trade Chap. 59. Of Madrid its Trade and Customs Chap. 60. Of Lisbon its Trade Weights Measures and Coyns Chap. 61. A View of France its Trade Custom Weights and Measures c. Chap. 62. Of Rouen and the Trade thereof Chap. 63. A View of Paris its Trade Custom and Commodities c. Chap. 64. Of Lyons and its Trade Chap. 65. Of Marselia and its Trade Chap. 66. Of Naples and its Trade Chap. 67. Of Italy and its Trade Chap. 68. Of Florence and its Trade Chap. 69. Of Millain and its Trade Chap. 70. Of the Dukedoms of Mantua and Urbin and their Trade Chap. 71. Of Venice and its Trade Chap. 72. Of Parma Chap. 73. Of Leghorn its Trade Customs Weights and Measures Chap. 74. Of Genoa its Trade and Commerce Chap. 75. Of Luca and its Trade Chap. 76. Of Rome and its Trade and Customs Chap. 77. Of Flanders and Holland their Weights Measures Coyns Customs Traffick Chap. 78. Of Amsterdam and its Trade Chap. 79. Of Germany its Provinces and Trade Chap. 80. Of Stratsburg and its Trade Chap. 81. Of Vicura its Trade Weights and Customs and Coyn. Chap. 82. Of Hamburg its Trade Commodities Coyns c. Chap. 83. Of Denmark its Trade c. Chap. 84. Of Elsinore and the Trade thereof Chap. 85. Of Norway its Customs and Tade Chap. 86. Of Sweedland its provinces and Trade Chap. 87. Of Moscovia and its chief City Mosco its Trade and Customs c. Chap. 88. A View of the Kingdom of Poland its Trade c. Chap. 89. Of Hungary and the adjacent Provinces their Trade and Manufacture c. Chap. 90. A View of Greece and its Trade the Manufacture and Trade of Constantinople with England Chap. 91. A View of the Islands in the Egean and Mediterranean Sea c. Chap. 92. Of Candia and other Islands Chap. 93. Of Zant Zeffalonia and their Trade Commodities Coyn c. Chap. 94. Of Sicilia Malta and Sardinia their Trade Chap. 95. Of Greenland other Northern Islands Ch. 96. Of the Practice and Custom of Exchanges and the Benefit thereof Chap. 97. Of four Bills of Exchange of presenting paying and protesting the Laws and Customs of Merchants therein asserted Chap. 98. Of the Pair in Exchange and form of English Dutch and French Bills Chap. 99. Vseful observat on Bills of Exchange page 300. Of Letters of Credit and why drawn p. 312. A Survey of Customs of Tonnage and Poundage of Wines of the Growth of France Germany Spain Portugal p. 314 Of Policies of Assurance their Original Legality Nature and Quality p. 325. Of Bottomery the Signification of it the Commodity or Discommodity of it p. 332. Of the Rights and Priviledges of Owners of Ships and Rules to be observed by them according to Laws Marine p. 335. Instructions to be observ'd by Masters of Ships p. 337. Of Fraight and Charter part according to Laws Marine p. 340. Of Wrecks and Instructions for Masters and Owners in case of Wrecks p. 344. Of Averidge and Contribution and what Goods maybe cast over-board in case of a Storm p. 347. A View of London with the Customs Priviledges and Exemptions thereof according to the Charters of several Kings of England p. 351. A Survey of the remaining Ports of England with their Members Creeks c. together with the Goods Imported and Exported p. 358. A Table of the Contents of the second Treatise Intituled A Discourse of Trade CHAP I. THat a small Country and few people by Situation Trade and Policy may be
Equivalent in Wealth and Strength to a far greater people and that Conveniencies for Shipping and Water-Carriage do most eminently and fundamentally conduce thereunto CHAP. II. That some kind of Taxes and Publick Levies may rather increase then diminish the Wealth of the Kingdom CHAP. III. That France cannot by Reason of natural and perpetual impediments be more powerful at Sea then England and the low Countries CHAP. IV. That the people and Territories of the King of England are naturally as considerable for Wealth and Strength as those of France CHAP. V. That the impediments of Englands greatness are Contingent and removable CHAP. VI. That the Power and Wealth of England has increased these last 40 years CHAP. VII That one 10 part of the whole Expences of the King of England Subjects is sufficient to maintain 100000 Foot 40000 Horse and 40000 men at Sea and defray all other charges of the Government both ordinary and Extraordinary c. CHAP. VIII That there are spare Hands enough amongst the King of Englands Subjects to earn two Millions per Annum more then they now do and that there are also Imployments ready proper and sufficient for the purpose CHAP. IX That there is Money sufficient to drive the Trade of the Nation CHAP. X. That the King of Englands Subjects have Stock Competent and Convenient to drive the Trade of the Whole Commercial World THE INTRODUCTION OR THE ORIGINAL OF TRADE PLAINLY Demonstrating it's Increase The Means and Methods used to bring it to the Perfection it is arrived to at present And of the great Benefit reaped thereby both in General and Particular CHAP. I. THat Inland Maritim Trade Traffick are with Gods Blessings on mens Indeavours the chief Pillars and â—upport of all Nations and from whence they had their first rise and greatness is so evident that Arguments to prove it would be ineffectual yet from the World 's Original it had not it's perfection nor indeed could it till Mankind increased and by spreading wide in the Earth Peopled it's vast Immensity nor then for some thousands of Years was it National but rather in secret between man and man few People knowing the Benefit of any other commodities then what were of the native growth of those Countries they inhabited nor so could Riches abound for Coyn was for the most part useless or indeed not mentioned till the days of Abraham the Patriarck Exchange of Goods being the only Traffick and consequently on that score few Traded for more then they had present occasion to use by Reason many things were not of lasting quality and for that they for the most part Travelled from place to place Their chiefest Riches consisted in Cattle but at last when they Builded Cities and Towns and found the conveniency of a Settlement they extended their Traffick farther and one City Traded with another which still spread wider yet long was it ' er they found means to plough the Bosom of the Sea and to hold Commerce and Traffick with remote Nations which no sooner was brought to my Perfection but Riches abounding and Plenty Flowing in on every side men then and not till then began to give their thoughts large scope and not contented with the Portion of Earth alotted them began to grow emulous aspire to universal Soveraignty as likewise to plant Colonies in till then unhabitable Islands which had not Shipping been invented must have continued without inhabitants as at this time past doubt for want of discovery many do in the remote Seas especially under the Artick Pole whose extremity renders them unaccessible or at least unhabitable and of all Nations the Greeks were the first that brought Navigation to any Perfection by which they grew opulent and extended their Colonies to thâ— utmost Orient acquiring the Empire of the then known World their Fame growing every where great nor could the Romans bring their Warlike Expeditions to any perfection till they were Lords of the Sea and inriched themselves by Traffick bringing into that one City the Stores of all Nations so that from Cottages of Shepherds who lay'd her first Foundation she soon became Magnificent thrusting up her Lofty Spires bedecked with Gold so high that they in a manner kissed the Clouds and rendered her the awfull Mistriss of the Universe and by Trade and Industry more then by Arms kept up her Reputation for six hundred Years when ranging the World to find out Countries unconquered at last from Gallia or France under the leading of Caesar they entered Brittain a Place then wild and rude not knowing how to use the abundant plenty that Nature bestowed upon them but refusing all manner of Dainties fed upon Roots of Herbs and Barks of Trees not Tilling any Ground nor sowing Corn otherwise then scattering it on the untilled Surface of the Earth and harrowing it over with Bushes suffering their Cattle Fowl and Fish of which they had store to continue useless scarcely knowing any shoar but their own Their Traffick or Merchandise for the most part amongst themselves and that but mean their chief Riches consisting as Strabo saith in Ivory-Boxes Sheers Onches Bitts Bridles Chains of Iron Wreaths Glass coloured and the like which they usually delivered to each other as currant Coyn for what their necessity required but no sooner had the Romans Civilized them and instructed them in such Arts as were most sutable to their Capacities and might stand them in greatest stead but they began to Build Houses living before for the most in Huts and going naked and turned their Leather Boats into Tall Ships Furrowing the Seas broad back and discovering many Nations to them till then unknown So that by Traffick abroad and Improvement at home this Island grew famous and spread it's Name to the utmost Limit of the known Earth so that being rightly termed the Store-House of the Western World all the Neighbour-Nations Traded hither so that those Ports and Havens that were for a long time useless were now filled with Ships of all Nations So that Silver and Gold was had in Abundance and Coyns in imitation of those the Romans Stamped with the Effigies of their Kings and Princes which then were many each County containing two or three and they for the most part at variance amongst themselves which gave the Romans an opportunity to become Conquerors at an easier rate then otherwise they could During the four hundred Years and odd that the Romans Governed here by their Lievetenants and sometimes by their Emperors in Person Rome and after her Constantinople the new Seat of Empire abounded with our Stores so that more Tribute was pay'd by this Island then by France and Germany tho Ten times as large but the fame of Brittains Wealth proved her unhappyness for the Goth breaking in upon the Roman Empire whose spreading Top was too large to be supported by the slender Bole her Branches was torn off on every side so that to support their own the Romans were forced to recall
of sixteen Ounces to the pound and is called Garbel by Reason a Draught or Wast is allowed to every weighing Seven pound of this Weight is accounted to weigh a Gallon of Wheat and so Multiplyed to fifty six pound the Bushel seven pound Averdupois is one hundred and two Ounces of Troy from whence it is accounted that a Bushel of Wheat must weigh one hundred and twelve pound and a quarter four hundred forty eight pounds Averdupois and so consequently fourteen pound Averdupois is sixteen pound eleven Ounces Troy and as one penny Sterling is the twentieth part of an Ounce Troy so seven pound twelve Shillings Sterling is eighty four Ounces a half and two penny Weight of Troy and six pound eight Shillings Sterling is eighty two pound ¾ Ounce and one penny Weight and from these two are the Weights of Houshold Wheaten and White Bread Calculated The Weigh of Cheese is by Averdupois and runs thus The Weigh of Cheese one hundred and twelve pound Averdupois and the two hundred containing two hundred twenty four pounds consists of thirty four Cloves every Clove being seven pound The Weigh of Suffolk Cheese is two hundred fifty six and the Weigh of Essex Cheese three hundred thirty six pound Averdupois A Sack of Wool was accounted three hundred fifty four pound Averdupois two Weighs of Wool make a Sack and two Sacks a Last The last of Herrings is ten thousand every one thousand to contain ten hundred and every hundred sixscore that is before they are Barrell'd Lead is sold by the Fodder containing nineteen hundred and ½ at one hundred and twelve per cent Averdupois This Weight likewise of sixteen Ounces to the pound is made three several Quintars for Weighing several sorts of Merchandise the first is of fivescore pound just to the hundred and called one hundred Sutle whereby fine Commodities as Spices Drugs and the like are sold which are accounted by the pound and to which over and above is allowed by the Seller four pound upon one hundred and four pound taken from the overplus derived from the Weights of Antwerp for Spices and called by the name of Tret The second of the Quintars is one hundred and twelve viz fivescore and twelve to the hundred by which all Gross Commodities are weighed The third is sixscore to the hundred by which Tinn is weighed to his Majesties Farmers and some other few Commodities and is called by the name of the Stannery hundred From this Averdupois Weight by division the Weight called the Stone which is twofold the long and the short the long is accounted four pounds Averdupois and the short eight but in this there is no certainty for it differs according to the Customs of Counties and Markets There is an other thing in use called a Tod some places seven pound others eight and some again ten being altogether variable They have likewise a Clove of twenty pound twenty eight pound thirty two pound and the like There are likewise in most Markets for weighing of Flesh Stillyards used but without the Approbation of the Buyers they being unintelligible to many and oftentimes false first invented for the Weighing Hay and Straw for which uses indeed they are only proper Averdupois consists of sixteen Ounces every Ounce consisting of eight Drams and every Dram of sixty Grains so that by it the Raw-Silk of Persia and Turky are sold but then twenty four Ounces are allowed to the pound or a pound and an half c. Thus having distinguished these Weights which are of such use in this Nation it is not amiss that I shew you what accord the one hundred and twelve pound Suttle has with other Nations and Places of Traffick as for the Equality of Weight tho they differ in number In Europe it agrees with the Weights of Mersella the Venetia Sotile the Venetia Gross Sicilia Lisbon Florence Anvers Lions Sevil Dantzick Bruges In Africa and Asia with the Weights of Aleppo Aleppo Tripoly Syria Tripoly Barbaria Alexandrio-Zera Alexandria Forfar Forfar Scio Constantinople Rhodes Acria Babylon Balsola and Ormus And thus you see Reader the Industry and Improvement of the English Nation which now I must leave and take a View of Scotland CHAP. VIII A view of Scotland and the Trade thereof in General together with the Coyns Customs and Increase of that Ancient Kingdom SCotland by Reason of it's continuing a distinct Kingdom for so many hundred Years even till the happy Union by King James and indeed does yet in most things unless the Prerogative Royal is thought worthy to be Treated of seperately tho indeed the North part of Brittain and only seperated from England by the Rivers Tweed Salway and the Cheviot-Hills It 's chief City is Edenburg which contains the Kings Pallace the Courts of Justice consists of one great Street of a Mile in Length into which all the Petty Streets and Lanes open The next chief Cities and Towns are Glasgow the See of an Arch-Bishop and an University St. Andrews Sterling Perth Aberdeen Dondes St. John's Town c. The currant Money consists of Gold and Silver and are as followeth Pieces of twenty two Shillings Sterling Pieces of eleven Shillings Sterling Pieces of five Shilings six pence Sterling Pieces of two Shillings nine pence Sterling Pieces of four Shillings four pence â…œ Sterling Pieces of one Shilling one half penny Sterling Pieces of nine Shillings six pence being â…” of the thirteen pence half penny One Mark Pieces of four pence half penny Sterling But note that thirteen pence half penny Sterling is accounted a Scotch Mark or thirteen Shillings four pence Scotch six-pence three-farthings a Scotch Noble accounted six Shillings and eight pence twenty pence Sterling is accounted a Mark and a half Scotch or one pound Scotch of twenty Shillings Sterling is eighteen Scotch Marks so that Strangers unacquainted with their Money hearing them discourse about it think them far Richer then they are They have other Pieces of Copper Money of small Value as Babaes Bodles hard Heads and the like but indeed they have Principally the money of England which is currant in that Kingdom and of late have abounded in Silver The chief Commodities of the Country are Cloath Freezes Fish Hides Salt Lead Ore Tallow Grain of all sorts Feathers Iron Allum Seacoal commonly called Scotch-Coal and are divided into two parts viz. The Highland and Lowland which are divided into Sherifdoms and Fifes They have an Exchange in imitation of â—urs at London but especially used for the Exchange of monies with England The keeping of their accounts divers ways some keep them according to the Method of England others according to the Ancient use and Custom of their own Nation which is in Marks valuable as aforesaid Their Weight for weighing Merchandise is but one and with that they buy and sell throughout the Kingdom it contains sixteen Ounces to the pound and one hundred of those pounds make their Quintal which in England is one
hundred and eight pounds Averdupois and one hundred pound London Suttle Weight makes ninety two of theirs or one hundred and twelve English one hundred and three and a half of Scotch their Measures for Linnen Stuffs Cloath or Silk is the Ell which is wanting of ours insomuch that it differs from our Yard four per cent that is four Yards in a hundred Ells so that seventy five Yards or sixty Ells English make seventy two Scotch but in Tale to every hundred they Reckon six-score In Measure for Corn Coals Salt Wine Beer Ale Oyl and the like they come near at one with ours Their Navigation is but small for the most part Trading with England and Ireland yet are they a People frugal and much bent to improve the growth of their Country And thus having taken a view of Scotland and the Trade thereof I must pass over into Ireland the third Diamond in the British Diadem CHAP. IX A view of Ireland and of the Trade Manners and Present State of that Kingdom IReland is divided into four Provinces viz. Lempster Munster Connought Vlster and Meath and is four hundred Miles in Length and two hundred in Breadth the chief Cities and Towns are Dublin Kinnsail London Derry Limrick Cork Waterford Armah Dungannon Marleburg Phillips-Town Kildare and Tradah This Kingdom abounds in Navigable Rivers store of Fish Cattle and Hides which are Transported into Spain France and Italy Salmon are caught in such abundance in July and August that many Servants in the places of that Fishery Covenant with their Master upon their being hired that they will not feed upon Salmon but only so many days in a Week These they Salt and Barrel up sending them into all the Neighbouring Countries where they are received as good Merchandise the Herring Fishery is likewise used and improved by them as likewise Pilchards which are taken in August September and October and Transported into Spain France and the Streights of Gibraltar they have store likewise of Butter Cheese Calves-Skins and other necessary Commodities Their Corn for the most part is the same with ours yet in value not the same for a pound Sterling Irish is worth according to the Intrinsick value no more then fifteen Shillings English and the Shilling consequently but nine pence Sterling six pence Irish but four pence half penny Sterling The Exchange is practised in the City of Dublin but of little use as to any Transmarine Places unless England and there Principally London and Bristol commonly running at eight pence upon the pound or at most but one Shilling which is but five pound per cent The Weights and Measures are or for the most part consistent to those of England and in fine it is a Country exceeding fertil abounding in all things necessary for the use of man which would turn to great advantage were the Inhabitants but Industrious especially in fitting out Ships for Navigation but they for the most part roave abroad improving other Countries and neglecting their own Their chief Merchandise are in Fish which they send into France Spain England Scotland and other parts of Europe And thus I shall leave this Kingdom and return or rather Sail round Brittain to take a View of the Islands of the Sea or Ocean Islands CHAP. X. A view of the Ocean Islands and of their Trade viz. such as are Subject to his Majesty of great Britain THe Ocean Islands are scattered in the British Sea like so many Pearls to adorn the Imperial Diadem and are first the Orcades or Isles of Orkney thirty two in number The chief of which is Pomonia which abounds in Mines of Tinn and Lead The next Hethy and the other there being only three of them of note Shethland bearing Fruit-Trees of strange kinds Especially those whose Blossoms dropping into the Warter become Flying Birds The next are the Islands of the Hebrides in number forty four the chief whereof is Illa abounding with store of Venison And Jona famous for the Sepulchers of the Scottish Kings as likewise Mulla where the Redshanks inhabit once so fearful to England the rest are of little note The Islands called the Sorlings are one hundred forty five The Principal are Armath Agnes Samson and Scilly after which name all the rest are called The Inhabitants thereof Trade in Fishery sow Corn and addict themselves to Manufacture The Isle of Man is a square Island being ten Miles in Length and as many in Breadth the growth of it is Flax Hemp Oats Barly and Wheat having store of Cattle and other Merchandise brought in thither by Shipping the chief Towns are Ballacury Russin or Chasteltown The Isle of Anglesey is accounted a Shire of Wales and by some called the Mother of Wales being twenty four Miles in Length and seventeen Miles over Fruitful it is even beyond report in Corn Fruits Cattle Fowl and Fish improved by several Profitable Manufactures The Inhabitants making great store of Butter and Cheese and send out of it yearly three thousand Head of Cattle It 's chief Town is Beaumaris very Commodious for Shipping Jersey is a fair Island in Compass twenty Miles peopled with Industrious Inhabitants yearly improving their Commodidities and vending them to good advantage Trading with England and France especially famous for the many fine Orchards and Gardens the chief Towns and places of Traffick being St. Mallo and St. Hillary the former being nightly Guarded without the Walls From this Island twenty Miles distant is Guernsey Surrounded with spacious Harbours and in every part Fertile stored with Cattle and lying Commodious for Shipping Facing the Coast of France and hath for it's chief Town St. Peters The last of the Isles Surrounding Britain is the famous Isle of Wight which is twenty Miles long and twelve over and abounds with all things wherewith England is stored divided from Portsmouth but by an Arm of the Sea lying most Commodious for the Reception of Shipping and for it 's chief Towns has Yarmouth New-Port and Bradring And thus much for the Islands of the Sea surrounding Britain And now I shall only take a short Survey of some things further appertaining to the Trade of Britain and so Lanch into the Ocean and take a view of the remotest Parts of the World especially such as are Traded to by the English What more remains is an account of such Commodities of English-growth and Manufacture as are Exported being Staple Commodities and the common Cargo of outward bound Vessels CHAP. XI A further Account of the Measures of England with a true Proportion of the Weight of English Cloths FIrst for the Breadth Measure and Weight of English-Cloath that chief of Staple-Commodities Kent York and Redding Cloaths are six quarters and a half broad and ought to weigh eighty six pounds the Cloath in the Peice are in length thirty and thirty four Yards Suffolk Norfolk and Essex Cloaths of seven quarters wide are eighty pounds Weight twenty nine and thirty two Yards in Length Worcester Coventry
cent and by the Weight thereof all Customs are Proportioned This large Town Beam for Gross Goods is accounted likewise 100 pound of 16 Ounces to the pound the third Weight is known by the name of the pound of Mark and is only used in weighing of Silks containing 100 pound of 15 Ounces being the least of the three The Measure of Lyons is the Auln which is 46 English Inches 7 of them being found to make 9 English Yards and 100 pound of London Suttle is found to make in Lyons 96 2 2 pound Silk Weight and one Liver or pound Sterling of London is 10 Livers Turnois And thus much shall Suffice for Lyons and the Trade thereof CHAP. LXVI A View of Marselia the Trade Weights Measures Coyns and Customs thereof MArselia is a fair Port and the principal Place of Trade in Provence whither resort many Merchants and from which Port the Ships Sail that maintain the Trade with Turky Barbary Spain Italy Flanders and England tho indeed not much the French Nation not affecting Navigation but rather choose to improve the growth of their own Country for which they have brought home to 'em the Commodities and growth of all Nations The Exchange that is wanting here is supplyed by the currant and intercourse of Lyons it being Governed thereby in matters of Trade And hither the English bring Bays Cloath Lead Tinn Herrings Pilchards Newland-Fish Affrican Hides Wax Calves-Skins Salmond c. and in Exchange receive Oyls Wines Verdigreese Paper Linnen and other Manufactures at this Port they have free Licence to Transport Spanish Ryals of 8 8 which are found in abundance and by that means preserve their Trade with Turky and other Places of Traffick in the Mediterranean from whence they bring Silks and some spices but of late have not been so venturous as formerly for fear of the Pirates by whom they have sustained within a few Years dammages to the value of 3 Millions of Crowns which has much impaired their Traffick in those parts The Accounts here are kept in Deniers Solds and Livers and in Ryals of 8 which sometimes are Inhaunced to a ¼ part more then their true value The Weight is Originally the pound of 16 Ounces 100 of which make the Quintal and 3 Quintals the Cargo the Quintal is found to make English 88 ½ The Measure of Length is the Cane which they divide into 8 Palms which are found to be 2 ⅛ English Yards The concave Measure is the Mine of which the Sack of Leghorne makes 1 ◠3. The Customs outwards are 1 ¼ per cent and inwards 3 ¼ per cent this is meant of Commodities of the growth of the Country but if Pepper Ginger Indico and such like Commodities be imported they pay the Kings Customs which are 15 per cent And thus I shall conclude the Trade of France and proceed to take a View of Italy and the Trade thereof CHAP. LXVII A View of Italy and the Trading Cities thereof together with their Manner of Traffick Weights Measures Coyns c. ITaly is bounded with the Alps the Ionian Tyrrhenean and Adriatick Seas and is exceeding Fertile lying in a Temperate Clime and is divided into 10 Provinces viz. the Kingdom of Naples the Dukedom of Florence the Dukedom of Millain the Dukedom of Mantua the Common-Wealth of Venice the Dukedom of Vrbin the Principality of Parma the estate of Genoa the estate of Luca and the Papacy Of the chief City or Town of Trade of each in order CHAP. LXVIII A View of the City Naples and the Trade thereof together with the Weights Measures Coyns Customs c. IN Describing the Trade of this City from whence the Kingdom takes its Name I shall lay down what is found of value or Merchantable throughout the Province The City of Naples is a fair City and accounted 7 Miles in compass formerly called Parthenope and is now Governed by a Vice-Roy to the Behoof of the King of Spain and yieldeth divers Mettals brought from adjacent Mines likewise Saffron Raw and wrought Silk Oyls Anniseed Brimstone Argals Corn Cattle in abundance and other things of value for which they receive out of England Bays Says Serges Cloath Lead Tinn Herrings Pilchards and Newland-Fish There is found likewise the growth of Spain Portugal and many East-Indian Commodities and it was formerly a City of great Traffick The Country generally abounds in Mulberry-Trees and other pleasant Fruit-Trees The Weights of this City and consequently of the whole Kingdom are the Rotolo and Cantar 100 of the former making the latter which is accounted 196 pound English Averdupois Weight as likewise in Goeta they have a Cantar by which all Gross Commodities are weighed which is reckoned 254 pound of Leghorn The Measure of Length is the Cane divided into 8 Palms nine of which Palms make the Auln of Lyons and the Cane is 18 ½ English inches The Concave Measures of Naples are the Salmo and Staio by which they Measure Oyl Wine Corn c. The Customs are for some Commodities 2 ½ for other 4 ½ per cent more or less as the Vice-Roy gives order to these that are appointed to receive them the King of Spain receiving yearly for Customs upon the Oyls of Gallipoly adjacent to this Kingdom one hundred thousand Ducats CHAP. LXIX A View of the City of Florence the Trade thereof Comprehending the whole Trade of the Florentine Dominion THe City of Florence gives name to the Provence or Dukedom of Florence and is a very fair City Seated near the Rivers Arne and Chian Beautifyed it is with many stately Edifices and much addicted to Merchandizing the Duke being accounted the richest and chiefest Merchant in Italy and is now more commonly known by the Title of great Duke of Tuscany The Commodities are very rich the famous Port of Leghorn being Governed in Trade by this City and Pisa For hence for the most part come the Merchandise that are there found as Marble Rice Wines Oyls Silks Raw and wrought Sattins Taffatas Velvets Grograms Plushes Stuffs of curious Texture for which they receive of our Merchants Pepper Mace Cloves Indicoes Callico Lead Tinn Cloath Bays Says Serges Perpetuanos c the Inhabitants for the most part being very rich by Reason of the great Banks maintained in this City where is practised exchange from all parts Their accounts are kept in Livers Solds Deniers 12 Deniers making a Sold and 20 Solds accounted a Liver and some in Crowns 7 ½ Livers making a Crown they have currant in Trade the Florence Ducat worth 7 Livers each Liver accounted 9 pence Sterling The Weight is the Quintal or 100 pound of 12 Ounces the pound and is found to make 98 pound English The Measure of Length is the Brace 100 of which has been known to make 49 Ells English and the Cane which is 4 Braces but all wrought Silks are here sold by the pound Wine is sold by the Cogno which is 10 Barrels 40 Metadels 20 Flasks and each
Barrel to weigh 120 pound Oyl is sold by the Orcio which is a Barrel and accounted 85 pound Weight Grain is sold by the Moggio which is 24 Staios each Staio accounted 5 pound Salt is sold by a Staio of 72 pound And thus much shall Suffice for Florence CHAP. LXX A View of Millain of the Trade Weights Measures Coyns Customs and Commodities thereof THe City of Millan being the Center of the whole Dukedom in all respects I shall only insist upon it Then this City is the fairest of Lomberdy being seven Miles in compass and Furnished with all Commodities of the growth of the Dukedom nay of all Italy being now in Subjection to the Spanish King the chief Commodities are Oyl Wine Rice Corn Raw Silk which is wrought by the Inhabitants into curious Fabricks Chambets Fustians Gold Thread and Iron which are dispersed over all Italy Savoy France Flanders Holland England c. Their Accounts are kept in Deniers Solds and Livers which are in effect Pence Shillings Pounds c. and their other currant Coyns are the Ducat of Gold which is worth about 100 Solds of that money the Crown of Gold of the Sun which is worth 97 Solds The Italian Gold Crown which is worth 5 Livers The Ducat of Gold of 5 Livers and 18 Solds is worth 6 Livers Imperial the Ducat Imperial is esteemed worth 4 Livers The Ducat of Millain or Imperial of 4 Livers is accounted in exchange 101 Solds the Ducat and sometimes in Merchandise 110 and in way of Trade the Coyns of Spain and France are here Currant The Weight used here is the pound 100 of which make a Quintal which is accounted 70 pound English The Measures of Length are the Braces one for Cloath and the other for Silk the 100 Braces of the last containing 43 Ells of London The Customs for the most part the same with the other Cities of Italy CHAP. LXXI A View of the Dukedoms of Mantua and Urbin and of their Trade Weights Measures c. OF the Dukedom of Mantua the City of that Name is the chief and is a fair and strong Place on 3 sides invironed with a wide Lake through which runneth a Stream or River into the famous River Poe and is surrounded with pleasant Pastures and Fruitful Gardens Orchards and Vineyards but the Trade as to Merchandise is inconsiderable for want of a Harbour or Haven for the reception of Shipping only here are found several Fabricks of Silk as Taffatas Sattins c. also Watered Chamblets the Accounts are kept as in Millain and their money much the same unless the Ducatoon which is 115 Solds of Millain The Weights of Mantua are the Peso which is 25 pound and the Quintal which is 100 pound making English 71 pound Averdupois The City of Vrbin from which the Dukedom takes its Name is Seated under the Appennine Hills and has 2 famous Sea-Ports viz. Pisauro and Fano where formerly our Merchants held considerable Commerce but of late it is decayed yet some Trade is still held there especially by such as go Trading Voyages who there find the growth of most Parts of Italy for which they exchange Cloath Tinn Spices and some Drugs Their Accounts are kept in Deniers Solds and Livers and the rest of the Coyns those for the most part currant throughout Italy The Weights are the pound and the Quintal 100 of the former making the latter and is found to be 77 pound of London Averdupois The Measures of length are the Braces one for Cloath and the other for Silk 94 of the former making 100 of Venice but the Venice Brace for Silk renders the Vrbin Brace for Silk 102 or 103 c. CHAP. LXXII A View of the Common-Wealth of Venice and of the Trade Weights Measures Customs Coyns c. THe City of Venice gives Name to the Territories and has been and yet is famous for Trade by Navigation being so Commodiously Seated for the reception of Shipping that nothing can be more as thus it is Seated at the bottom of the Adriatick Sea or Venetian Gulph upon 72 Islands 5 Miles distant from the main Land and is defended against the rage of the Sea by a Bank of 20 Leagues through which are cut several passages for Boats but no Ships are capable of passing but at Malamecco the mouth of which is guarded with strong Castles and at the Castles of Lio the Sea runs through most of the Streets so that the commerce is held by Boats and Bridges 12000 of the first and 4000 of the last and as for the Inhabitants they are naturally addicted to Merchandise and once made their City the Store-House of the Commodities of India Persia Arabia Egypt and Greece being both Politick and Powerful at Sea so that for those Commodities most European Merchants Traded thither as the Principal Mart of the World but of late the English Dutch and Portugals have found the way to purchase them at the first hand and by that means much impaired the Traffick of that Common-Wealth yet still they have Factories at Aleppo Constantinople and Alexandria and Trade in Silk Spices Drugs c. but the chief Commodities found here are Cloaths of Gold and Silver Wine Oyl Woollen Cloath Paper Anniseeds Agal Looking-Glasses Drinking-Glasses and Quick-Silver for which the English Merchants Trading thither exchange Bays Furs Perpetuanos Lead Tinn Cloves Nutmegs Pepper Ginger Serges Says Woollen Cloath Herring Pilchards Salmond and Newland Fish Indico c. and serves for a Mart to Austria and upper Germany The Weights of Venetia are 4 the first and greatest is called the pound Gross and 100 pound with which they weigh Wool Brass Iron Copper Flesh Fish and other Gross Commodities The second is the Golden Weight in use for weighing Gold Silver Precious Stones and Pearls only and is called the Mark consisting of 8 Ounces and each Ounce of 144 Cariots the third is applyed to the Weight only of Gold and Silver Thread the fourth is the pound Suttle with which are weighed Silks Drugs Spices Cottons Cotton-Yarn viz. by the 100 Weight composed of the Suttle pound 100 pound Gross being of this Suttle pound 158 pound and so on Proportionablely but in Gold and Silver Thread 100 pound Gross is Suttle but 116 pound 8 Ounces the Mark of Gold 8 Ounces and from these our English Traders have derived their Weight commonly called Venice Weight 100 pounds of Venice Suttle make of London Weight 64 pound and Gross 106 pound The Liquid Measures for Wine are the Amphora the Bigonsa the Quart the Sachio and Lyre viz. the Bigonsa 4 of them make the Amphora and each Bigonsa is 4 Quarts and 1 Quart is 4 Sachi each Sachi being 4 Lyras and each Lyra a pound Weight tho in Gross the lesser Measures hold not out as for Oyl it is sold both by Weight and Measure the Weight is called the Staliero and the Measure the Miaro and is 40 Mire which is Gross Weight 120 pound one Mire by
River Tay which on the North side of it Flows like a large Sea when on the South the River Amster running through 3 Lakes enters its Streets and falleth into the River Tay aforesaid And by the addition or a new City to the old it is become Commodious and strong and by the advantage of the River passing through all Land-carriage is saved the Boats in the 5 Principal Streets coming up to the Doors especially where the Merchants Ware-Houses are The Inhabitants are generally Prompt to Navigation and have so improved themselves thereby that most of the Citizens are Merchants and have Vessels of their own or venture in other Vessels wholly relying â—pon the advantage that Accrues by Trading in forrain Countries as wanting Land to improve their Stock at home so that of late it has been observed they put out their Money to Interest in England and France to more considerable interest then it will allow in their own Country 4 or 5 per cent being great interest there which is so ordered that by such means People may be the willinger to venture in way of Trade by Merchandise which returns them for the most part 50. per cent and all charges pay'd The Commodities found in Amsterdam as Silks Cloath Woollen and Linnen Stuffs Drugs of all sorts Spices Dies Oyls Allum Brimstone Gold and Silver-Thread Wines and indeed all sorts of Commodities that are found of any use in the known World but the chief Commodities that the Country affords which may properly be called the Growth or Manufacture are Cattle Butter Cheese Flax Corn Linnen Cloath Coarse Woollen Cloaths Tapestry Pictures and all sorts of Fish but especially Herrings of which they make an Extraordinary advantage imploying in the Season for that Fishery 6000 Persons The Weight commonly used in Amsterdam is the pound of 16 Ounces 100 of which make 107 of Antwerp and of London 110. The Measure of length is the Ell 134 of which make 100 Yards of London or 100 London Ells make 167 1 â— Ells of Amsterdam Their Concave Measures are for Corn the Last the Barrel the Muyden the Sack the Archeteling and the Sheple as thus 24 Barrels make the Last each Barrel containing 1 1 â—2 Muydens a Muyden containing 1 2 24 Sacks each Sack being 3 Archetelings or 3 21 29 Shepels 108 Shepels making the Last The Measures for Wine Oyl Beer and other Liquids are for the most part the same with those of England and therefore I shall pass them over The Coyns in which the Accounts are kept are the same with Antwerp viz. Livers Solds and Deniers the Liver or Pound Flemish being 12 Shillings Sterling 6 Florins make the Flemish pound at 20 Stivers per Florin so that 120 Stivers are the Flemish pound or 12 Shillings English 5 Stivers being 6 pence Sterling or 5 Solds Turnois a Gross is 6 Deniers a Carolus Gulden is 20 Stivers or 2 Shillings Sterling or 2 Sols Turnois And besides these all the currant Coyns of Europe pass here according to their true value as they again may be payed for Merchandise to the Merchants of the Countries to which they are proper And thus much for Antwerp and Amsterdam as also for all the Provinces and Cities of the Netherlands the Trade of which being included in what I have lay'd down so that from hence I shall pass into Germany to take a View of that large Empire the Trade of which I reduce into a few heads or deliver it in the Description of the Trade of the Principal Cities CHAP. LXXX A View of Germany its Provinces and the Trade thereof HAving thus far proceeded as I hope to the content of the Reader I shall Survey the Empire of Germany which is bounded on the North with Denmark and the Danish Seas on the East with Prusia Poland and Hungary on the South with the Alps and on the West with France and Belgium and abounds in Silver Mines Copper Lead Tinn Iron Corn Wine Allum Quick-Silver Linnen Woollen Silks Stuffs Cattle Corn and other Commodities all of its own Growth and Manufacture The Cities and Towns of the Empire may by good Right be divided into 3 parts as first the Hans-Towns which enjoy large Privileges and Immunities and are computed to be about 70 which for the most par are accommodated with Navigable Rivers and abound in rich Manufactures Secondly those called the Imperial Cities which are imputed free Cities by Reason of their great Priviledges above the rest in Coyning money barring any acknowledgement of Subjection unless to the Emperor whom they only do acknowledge for their Protector and in lieu of it pay an annual Tribute being 60 odd in number And thirdly those that are under the Subjection of the Electoral Princes which are commonly called Principalities The Rivers by which these Towns for the most part are inriched are 4 viz. the Danube which running 1500 Miles receives about 58 Navigable Rivers and at last disimbogues it self into the Euzine or Black-Sea The River Rhine which after passing through Germany and Belgia for 800 Miles falls into the German Ocean the River Albis which is large and Navigable for near 400 Miles and the River Odera which passing 300 Miles through the Country falleth into the Baltick Sea There are likewise several other Rivers of note that greatly contribute to the Fertilizing the Country but these being the chief I shall pass over the rest unless the Description of some Cities require the mentioning of them CHAP. LXXXI A View of Strasburg and the Trade thereof STrasburg is an Imperial free City Seated upon a fair Plain about a furlong from the River Rhine over which they have lay'd a Bridge and a Channel cut which conveys Ships and Boats to the City which is 8 Miles in compass adorned with many stately Buildings and amongst the rest a Cathedral whose Steeple is for curious Architect accounted one of the 7 Wonders of the World and by Reason of the Generosity of the Inhabitants towards Strangers there is great resort thither especially of Lutherans Calvinists c. but above all it abounds in Handicrafts or Artizans who find great incouragement and by their Labour is the common Stock improved tho since its falling into the Hands of the French King they have not proceeded with such Alacrity as formerly by Reason of the little assurance they have of keeping what they acquire by their Labour The Commodities Traded for hither are Linnen Cloath Iron Diaper Rhenish Wine Copper Wax and Hemp for which they receive out of England Tinn Lead and Woollen Cloath out of Spain Fruits Wines Oyls Salt and Wool and out of Italy Silks both Raw and wrought The Weights are two viz. the Gross and Suttle where upon Tryal it has been found that the 100 pound Suttle of London has made Incirca 70 in 71 of the Gross of Strasburg which Gross Weight is 16 Ounces to the pound and the Suttle but 12 Ounces by the latter of which all Indian Commodities are
very advantagious to the Hungarians so that leaving it s to recover its Trade by Submiting to its rightful Soveraign the Emperor of Germany and not longer trust the Flattery of the perfideous Ottomans I shall take a View of Dacia and Sclavonia Dacia is bounded with the Euxine on the East and on the West with Hungary on the North with the Carpathian Mountains and on the South with Greece and is divided into these Provinces viz. Transylvania Moldavia Servia Valachia Russia Bosna and Bulgaria all subjected to the Grand-Seigniour and are Branched and Fertilized with these Rivers viz. Danubius Alata Salvata Cockle and Morus besides others of lesser note The Commodities found in the several Provinces are Cattle Wax Honey Butter Cheese Tallow Wool Silk Cloath Mines of Gold and Silver Salt-Pits Wines and Mountains of Brimstone which Commodities they send to Constantinople Aleppo and other Marts of the Turkish Empire and receive in exchange the Commodities of all Nations as for Weights and Measures they are rarely in use they selling and buying for the most part by those of the Marts whether they resort with their Commodities their Coyns are those currant throughout the Ottoman Empire Of which I shall come to speak in the View of Constantinople Sclavonia is bounded on the South with the Adriatick Sea on the North with Hungary on the West with Italy part and on the East with the River Drinus and a Line that passes from thence to the Sea and is chiefly divided into 2 parts viz. Illyria and Dalmatia the name of the former being lately by the Turks changed into that of Windismark the which abounds in Butter Cheese Cattle Corn Oyl Wine Hemp Wool Wax Honey Tallow Iron and the like Of Dalmatia Rhagusa is the Principal City so that I will not be amiss to reduce the Trade of that Province which is not Extraordinary into its Metropolis Rhagusa formerly called Epidaurus is Seated on the Adriatick Shoar and was once a Common-Wealth of great Traffick and the first in those parts that Furnished out Ships of War of considerable force with which they awed their Neighbours and gave Laws in those Seas but since the English and Dutch Navigators have turned the currant of Traffick another way and drained those parts of the Commerce that was wont to Flow in upon them like the Ocean The Inhabitants are no ways considerable yet the Commodities of the Province are found there as Honey Wax Horses for War Hides Tallow Silver and Gold unrefined some Amber Corral and the like but of small value for which they receive of those English that make Trading Voyages Hampshire Carsies and other Coarse Cloath Lead Tinn and such like and that mostly for provision The Coyns in use here is the Gross 59 of which are accounted a Sultany or 8 Shillings Sterling The Weight is the pound 100 of which make 80 pound English which is the Quintal of Rhagusa Their Measure of Length is the Brace according with the Venetian Brace thus 100 Braces of Rhagusa of the Cloath Brace are 120 in Venice of the same and of the Silk Brace 116 of Venice make the 100 of Rhagusa And thus leaving Hungary Dacia and Sclavonia I shall pass into Greece and take a Survey of the Trade of that once famous Empire CHAP. XCI A View of Greece and of the Trade thereof Comprized in the Trade found at the famous City of Constantinople together with the Weights Measures Customs and Coyns thereof GReece famous for being once Mistriss of the Vniverse is bounded on the South with the Ionian Sea on the North with the Mountain Hemus on the East with the Hellispont Aegean Sea Propontis and the Thracian Bosphorus and is Fertilized by these considerable Rivers viz. Cephius Erigon Alicmon Sirmon Alicus and Nisus and is divided into 8 Principal Provinces viz. Peloponnesus Achaia Epirus Albania Macedonia Thessalia Migdonia and Thracia all of them replenished with Cities of note but seeing their Trade Centers in Constantinople thither I shall refer it The famous City of Constantinople once the Seat of the Roman Eastern Empire and now of the Ottoman Emperor for the most part is Seated upon a large Stream that passeth from the Euxine to the Mediterranian Sea commonly called the Black and White Seas so that by such means Ships from either Sea have a free passage which causes a quicker return then otherwise could be made by Reason from one part or other the Wine rarely fails It Fronts likewise Asia receiving most of the Commodities by Sea and Land that are found in that large quarter of the World and stands as it were the Bulwark of Europe lastly founded by Constantine the great and made the Seat of the Roman Empire as aforesaid being taken after a long Siege by the Turks Anno 1453 who ever since have possessed it it being Builded in a Triangle having the 2 large Angles Bordering on the Sea and the other stretched into the Land and is incompassed with a Triple Wall upon which are divers Towers and the Walls themselves Guarded by deep Ditches and Cannons all along the works to the Sea the Buildings for the most part are very stately but especially the Grand-Signeours Pallace on the point of the Angle being surrounded with a Wall of 3 Miles in compass and strong works furnished with great and small Artiliry This City is the common Mart for all Commodities of the Empire receiving dispersing inwards and outwards the growth of each Province And hither the Merchants of London first began to Trade Anno 1586 and in a short time found such incouragement upon Queen Elizabeths sending an Ambassador to mediate on their behalf that they soon obtained to be incorporated by the said Queen and growing in Trade were confirmed by King James with an Augmentation of their Priviledges and then by King Charles the first under the Title of the Merchants of England Trading in the Levant Seas or Levant Merchants upon whose account a Leiger Ambassador remains at Constantinople to protect the Companies Factories and take care that right be done them who before his departure from England is always approved of by his Majesty but himself and retinue have their charges defrayed by the Company which Honourable trust now remains in the right Honourable the Lord Shandois they have likewise several Consuls to protect their Factories throughout the Empire who keep Janizaries Druggermen or Interpreters Secretaries and Ministers with other the like necessary attendants in Sallary being permitted free exercise of Religion And hither it is at present that the English are found the Principal Traders tho the Venetians French and Dutch by sundry devices have indeavoured to insinuate themselves into the good opinions of the Turkish Merchants who are accounted 4 kinds viz. the Native Greek the Turks the Armenians and lastly the Jews The chief Commodities found here are Grograms Mohairs Chamlets Persian-Silk wrought and unwrought Gold Carpets Anniseeds Cumminseeds Cottons Galls Pepper Jndico Nutmegs Cinamon Mace
any Goods be secretly brought into the Ship contrary to the knowledg of the Master and Purser be ejected no contribution shall be made And by the Law Marine the Master may refuse in case of ejection to deliver the remainder of the Goods before the Contribution is setled or if in a storm part of the Goods are dammaged without any neglect of the Master or Sailers such Goods for so much as they are dammaged ought to come into the contribution If two Ships meet and strike each other and if it can be proved that either of them did it willfully or by carelesness then that Ship shall satisfy the damage received by the other but if either Ships crew Swear their innocency then the dammage is to be Levyed proportionable between them if any Ejection of Goods happen by the indiscretion of the stowers in lading the Ship above the Birth mark or the like then the Master or Owners ought to make satisfaction If when a Vessel is entering a Port or otherwise part of the Goods be put into a Lighter or Ship-Boat and the Boat be cast away there Contribution must be made but if the Ship be cast away and the Lighter or Boat saved then no Contribution for note where the Ship at any time Perishes tho a great part of the Goods be saved yet they allow no Contribution If a Ship be taken by Pirates or Enemies and the Master contracts with them for the dismission of the Ship at such a Summ of money and till the same be pay'd yields himself Prisoner in that case Contribution must be levyed upon the Ship and lading for the Ransom of the said Master and so where a Pirate by consent takes part of the Goods to spare the rest Contribution must be made but if he takes them by force or at his own pleasure then no contribution is to be made unless the Merchants yield so to do after the Ship is Robbed but if taken by an Enemy Letter of Marque or Reprisal the contrary If Jewels be on Board in a Box and not discovered and they be cast overboard Contribution shall be for no more then they appeared viz. a Parcel If any thing in a storm be cast into the Sea and afterward recovered then Contribution shall be made for no more then the damage sustained The Master and Purser in case of a storm shall contribute towards Goods Ejected for the preservation of the Ship and Passenger for such Wares as they have and if they have no Wares then for their Cloaths Rings c. according to estimation Contribution is to be pay'd for a Pilots Fee for bringing a Ship safe into any Harbour where she is not bound If the Master of a Ship after he has received his Complements takes in Goods contrary to the knowledge of the Merchant and part of the Merchants Goods in case of a storm are thrown overboard then the Master is lyable to make Satisfaction If Contribution be setled and the Merchant will not consent to pay it the Master may refuse delivering the Goods and if an Action be brought he may Barr the Plaintif by pleading the special matter yet in a storm there are some Ladings which ought not to be ejected As Pieces of Ordnance Ammunition or Provisions for the relief of a City Besieged or in danger so to be for there the Law implyes that the Subject ought to prefer the good of his Prince before his own life CHAP. CXXI A View of the Port of London and of the Customs Priviledges Exemptions and Revenues of that great City according to the Charters Grants c. of several Kings of England SEeing the Port of London is the Principal Port of this Kingdom it will not be amiss to set down the Priviledges and Customs thereof and what Revenues by way of Exportation and Importation accrues to the Honourable City in order to support its Grandure First then the Port of London as by Exchequer setled and declared extends from the Promontory or Point called the North Foreland in the Isle of Thannet Thence Northward to the Nase Point beyond the Sunfleet upon the Coast of Essex and so continues Westward up the River of Thames and the several Channels Streams and Rivers falling into it to London-Bridge The usual known Rights Liberties and Priviledges to the Ports of Sandwich and Ipswich and their Members excepted and in regard that Ships did formerly come up to the Port of London and unlade in several obsure Creeks at Staires to defraud his Majesty of his Customs it was therefore ordained that a Commission should be forthwith Issued out of the Exchequer to affix and nominate all such Wharfes Keys and other places as his Majesty by virtue of such Commission should appoint in pursuance of which his Majesty has been pleased to Nominate and Constitute as Lawful Keys Wharfs c. these following for the Landing of Goods Merchandise c. viz. Brewers-Key Chestors-Key Wool-Dock Porters-Key Bear-Key Wiggons-Key Youngs-Key Ralphs-Key Smarts-Key Lyons-Key Buttolf-Wharf Hammons-Key Cocks-Key Fresh-Wharf Billingings-Gate and the Bridge-House The former of the two latter being appointed a common open place for the Landing or bringing in of Fish Salt Victuals or Fuel of all sorts Fruit of all sorts Grocery excepted all Native Materials for Building and for exporting the like but no other Merchandise and the latter viz. the Bridge-House is appointed for the Landing of Corn for the City store tho under pretence of the same several Persons at this Day Landed their proper Corn moreover there are these Keys viz. the Custom-House Key some Stairs on the West side whereof are declared not to be places for Lading or Shipping of Goods Sabs-Dock has a pair of Stares not held Lawful for the Landing or lading of Merchandise The like has Dice-Key Summers-Key and Gaunts-Key tho otherwise allowable Therefore it is to be supposed those Stairs that are accepted against were built for Conveniency since the declaring them free places of lading and Landing Merchandise These Keys Wharfs and Docks yearly produce a great Income to the City of London by Scavage Portage Packing and Water-Bailage As first Scavage being an Ancient Toll or Custom taken by the Majors Sherifs c. for Wares shewed or offered to Sail within their Precincts consists of two parts viz. that which is payable by the Denizen that which is payable by the Alien or Stranger and that all Persons Subject to such Duties may not be imposed on by such as take them there are Tables mentioning each particular set up and approved of by the Lord Chancellor Treasurer President Steward and two Justices of the Common-Pleas and by them Subscribed or some four of them at least and are to be levyed on Goods inwards and outwards As all Goods mentioned in the Table of Scavage and not included in the Table of Rates shall pay after the rate of one penny in the pound according as they are expressed or valued in his Majesties Book of rates and
work and Rich and Poor young and old must study the Art of Number Weight and Measure must fare hard provide for Impotents and for Orphans out of hope to make profit by their Labours must punish the Lazy by Labours I say all these particulars said to be the subtile Excogitations of the Hollanders seem to me but with what could not almost have been otherwise Liberty of Conscience Registry of Conveyances small Customs Banks Lombards and Law-Merchant rise all from the same Spring and tend to the same Sea As for Loans of Interest 't is also a necessary effect of all the premises and not the fruit of their contrivance Wherefore we shall only shew in particular the Efficacy of each and first of Liberty of Conscience but before I enter upon these I shall mention a practice almost forgotten whether it refers to Trade or Policy is not material which is the Hollanders undermasting and sayling of such of their Shipping as carry cheap and gross Goods and whose Sail doth not depend much upon Season It is to be noted that of 2 equal and like Vessels if one spreads 1600 yards of like Canvas and the other 2500 their Speed is but as 4 to 5 so as one soon brings home the same Timber in 4 days as the other will in 5 now if we consider that although those Ships be but 4 or 5 days under Sayl that they are perhaps 30 upon the Voyage so as the one is but 1 30 parts longer upon the whole Voyage than the other tho â…• longer under Sail now if Masts Yards Rigging Cables and Anchors do depend upon the quantity and extent of the Sails and consequently hands also it follows that the one Vessel goes at 3 1 less charge losing but 1 80 of the time and of what depends thereupon I come to the first Policy of the Dutch viz Liberty of Conscience which I can conceive they grant upon these grounds but keeping up always a force to maintain the Common Peace 1st They themselves broke with Spain to avoid the Imposition of the Clergy 2dly Dissenters of this kind are for the most part thinking sober and patient men and such as believe that Labour Industry is their duty towards God how Erroneous soever their Principles be 3dly These People believing the Justice of God and seeing most licentious persons to enjoy most of the World and it's best things will never venture to be of the same Religion and Profession with voluptuaries and men of extreme Wealth and Power who they think have their Portion in this World 4thly They cannot but know that no man can believe what himself pleases and to force men to say they believe when they do not is vain absurd and without Honor to God 5thly The Hollanders knowing themselves not to be an Infallible Church and that others had the same Scriptures for guide as themselves and withal the same Interest to save their Souls did not think fit to make this matter their business no more but to make Bonds of the Seamen they imploy not to cast away their own Ships and lives 6thly The Hollanders observe that in France and Spain especially the Latter the Church men are about 100 to one to what they use or need the principal care of whom is to preserve Uniformity and this they take to be a superfluous charge 7thly They observe where most endeavours have been used to keep Uniformity their Exterodoxy hath most abounded 8thly They believe that if â…• of the People were Exterodox and that if the whole quarter should by Miracle be removed that within a small time 4 1 of the Remainder would again become Exterodox some way or other it being Natural for men to differ in Opinions in Matters above sense and reason and for those who have less Wealth to think thry have the more Wit and Understanding especially in the things of God which they think chiefly to belong to the Poor 9thly They think the case of the Primitive Christians as it is represented in the Acts of the Apostles looks like that of the present Dissenters I mean externally moreover it is to be observed that Trade does not as some think best flourish under popular Government but rather that Trade is more vigorously carried on in every State and Government by the exterodox party of the same and such as profess Opinions differ from what are publickly established that is to say in India where the Mahumetan Religion is Authorized There the Banians are the most considerable Merchants in the Turkish Empire the Jews and Christians at Venice Naples Legorn Genica and Lisbon Jews and now Papists Merchants Strangers But to be short in the part of Europe where the Roman Catholick Religion now has or lately has had Establishment there 3 qrs of the whole Trade is in the hands of such as have separated from the Church viz. The Inhabitants of England Scotland and Ireland as also these of the United Provinces with Denmark Sweden and Norway together with the Subjects of the Norman Protestant Princes and the Hans-Towns do at this day possess a quarter of the Trade of the World and even France it self the Hugonets are proportionably far the greatest Trades nor is it to be denyed but that in Ireland where the said Roman Religion is not Authorized but the professors thereof have a great part of the Trade from whence it follows that Trade is not fixed to any Species of Religion as such but rather as before hath been the said to the heterodox party of the whole the truth whereof appears also in all the particular Towns of greatest Trade in England nor do I find reason to believe that the Roman Catholick Seamen in the whole World are sufficient to man effectually a Fleet equal to what the King of England now has but the now Papist-Seamen can do above thrice as much Wherefore he whom this latter party does effectionately own to be their Head cannot probably be wronged in his Sea-concernments by the Author from whence it follows that for the Advancement of Trade if that be a Sufficient Reason indulgence must be granted in matters of Opinion those Licentious Actings as even in Holland be restrained by force The 2d Policy or help to Trade used by the Hollanders is Securing the Titles to Lands and Houses for although Lands Houses may be called Terra firma et res immobiles yet the Title unto them is no more certain then it pleaseth the Laws and Authority to make them wherefore the Holanders do by Registries and other ways of assurance make the Title as immoveable as the Lands for there can be no incouragement to Industry where there is no Assurance of what shall be gotten by it and where by Fraud and Corruption one man may take away with ease and by a trick what another has gotten by extream labour and pains There has been much Discourse about introducing of Registories into England the Lawyers for the most part do
Royal Navy can be made which till it be is of no Effectual use but lies at charge And we see likewise upon their occasions that Merchants are put to great straights and inconveniencies and do pay excise-rates for the carrying on their Trade Now if 24,000 able Bodyed Tradesmen whereby 6000 per Annum brought up and fitted for Sea-service and for their incouragement allowed twenty Shillings per Annum for every Year they had been at Sea even when they stay at home not exceeding six pound for those who have served six years or upwards it follows that about 72000. pound at the medium of three pound per man would so satiate the whole number and so forasmuch as half the Sea-men which manage the Merchants Trade are supposed to be always in Harbour and are about 40000 together with the said half the Auxiliaries last mentioned would upon Emergencies man out the whole Royal Navy leaving to the Merchant 12000 of the able Auxiliaries to perform their business in Harbour till others come home from the Sea I say that more then this Summ 72000 pounds per Annum is Fruitlesly spent over-paid by the Merchants whensoever a great Fleet is to be fitted out Now these whom I call Auxiliary Seamen are such as have another Trade besides wherewith to maintain themselves when they are not imployed at Sea and the charge of maintaining themselves the 72000 pounds per Annum I take to be little or nothing for the Reasons above-mentioned and consequently an easie Tax to the people because levied by and paid to themselves As we propounded that Ireland should be Taxed with Flax and England by Linnen and other Manufactures of the same so I conceive that Scotland might be Taxed as much to be paid in Herrings as Ireland in Flax. Now these three Taxes of Flax Linnen and Herrings and the maintenance of the Triple Militia and of the Auxiliary Seamen above-mentioned do all five of them together amount to 1,000,000 pounds of money the raising whereof is not a Million spent but gain'd to the Common-Wealth unless it can be made appear that by Reason of all or any of them the Exportations of Wollen Manufactures Lead and Tin are lessened or of such Commodities as our own East and West India Trade do produce for as much as I conceive that the Exportation of these last mentioned Commodities is the Touch-stone whereby the Wealth of England is Tried and the Pulse whereby the Health of the Kingdom may be discerned CAP. III. That France cannot by Reason of natural and perpetual Impediments be more Powerful at Sea then England or the low Countries POwer at Sea consists chiefly in men able to fight at Sea and that in such Shipping as is most proper for the Seas Wherein they serve and those are in these Northern Sea-Ships from between 300 to 1300 Tuns and of these such as Draw much Water and have a deep latih in the Sea in order to keep a good Wind and not to fall too Leward a matter of vast advantage in Sea-Service wherefore it is to be Examined first Whether the French King has Ports in the Northern Seas where he has most occasion for his Fleets of War in any Consists above to receive the Vessels above-mentioned in all Weather both in Winter and Summer Seats for if the French King could bring to Sea an equal number of Fighting men with the English or Hollanders in small Float Leward Vessels he would certainly be of the weaker side for a Vessel of 1000 Tuns man'd with 500 Fighting men with five Vessels of 200 Tuns each man'd with 100 men apiece shall in common Reason have the better offensively and defensively for asmuch as the great Ship can carry such Ordnance as can reach the small ones at a far greater distance then these can reach or at lest hurt the other and can batrer and sink at a distance when a small one can scarce pierce Moreover it is more difficult for men out of a small vessel to enter a tall Ship then for men from an higher place to leap down into a lower nor is small Shot so effectual upon a tall Ship as vice versa And as for Vessels drawing much Water and consequently keeping a good Wind they can toke or tear Leward Vessels at pleasure and secure themselves from being boarded by them Moreover the Windward Ship has a fairer mark at a Leward Ship then vice versa and can place her shot upon such parts of the Leward Vessel as upon the next tack will be under Water Now the French King having no Ports able to receive large Windward Vessels between Dunkirk and Vshant what other Ships he can bring into those Seas will not be considerable as for the wide Ocean which his Harbours of Breas◠and Brovage do look into it affordeth him no advantage upon an Enemy there being so great a Latitude of engaging or not even when the Parties are in sight of each other◠wherefore altho the French King were immensly rich and could build what Ships he pleased both for number and quality yet if he have not Ports to receive and shelter that sort and size of Shipping which is fit for his purpose his Riches will in this case be Fruitless and a meer expence without any return or profit Some will say that other Nations can't build so good Ships as the English I do indeed hope they can't but because it seems too possible that they may sooner or later by Practice and Experience I shall not make use of that Argument having only bound my self to shew that the Impediments of France as to this purpose are natural and perpetual Ships and Guns do not fight of themselves but men who act and manage them wherefore it is more material to shew that the French King neither has nor can have men sufficient to man a Fleet of equal Strength to that of the King of England The King of England's Navy consists of about 70,000 Tuns of Shipping which requires 36,000 men to man these men being supposed to be divided into eight parts 1 ◠part must be Persons of great Experience and Reputation in Sea-Service another ⅛ part must be such as have used the Sea seven Years and upwards half of them or ¼ part must be such as have used the Sea above a twelve Month viz. 2 3 4 5 or six Years allowing but one quarter of the whole compliment to be such as never were at Sea at all or at most but one Voyage or upon one Expedition so that at a medium I reckon the whole Fleet must be men of three or four Years growth one with another Fournier a late judicious Writer making it his business to persuade the World how considerable the Kings of France was or might be at Sea in ninety two or ninety three Pages of his Hierography saith that there was one place in Britany which had Furnished the King with 1400 Seamen and that perhaps the whole Sea coast of France
might have furnished him with fifteen times as many Now supposing the whole Allegation were true yet the same number amounts but to 21,000 all which if the whole Trade of Shipping in France were quite and clean abandoned would not by above a third man in a Fleet be equivalent to that of the King of England and if the Trade were but barely kept alive there would not be one third part men enough to man the said Fleet. But if the Shipping Trade of France be not above a quarter as great as that of England and that one third part of the same namely the Fishing Trade to the Banks of new-found Land is not peculiar nor Fixed to the French then I say that if the King of England who has Power to press men cannot under two or three Months time man his Fleet then the French King with less then a quarter of the same help can never do it at all for in France as shall be elsewhere shewn there are not a 15000 Tun of Trading Vessels and consequently not above 15,000 Seamen reckoning a man to every tenth Tun and it has been shewed that the French King can't at present man such a Fleet as is above described We come next to shew that he never can bring under natural and perpetual impediments viz. First if there be but 15,000 Seaman in all France to manage it's Trade it is not to be supposed that the said trade should be distinguished nor that it should spare above five of the said 15,000 towards managing of the Fleet which requires 35,000 men now the deficient 30000 must be supplyed out of these four ways ether by taking in Land-men of which sort there must not be above 10,000 since the Seamen will never be contented without being the Major part nor do they Heartily wish well to Land-men at all or rejoyce even at those Successes of which the said Land-men can claim any share thinking it hard that themselves who are bred to Miserable and Painful and dangerous imployments and yet profitable to the Common-Wealth should at a time when Booty and purchase may be gotten be Dog'd or hindred with any Conjunction which Land-men are forced to admit these to any equal share with themselves Secondly the Seamen which are supposed 20,000 must be had that is shired from other Nations which can't be without Tempting 'em with so much wages as exceeds that given by Merchants and withal Counterpoyse the dammage of being hanged by their own Prince and allowed no quarter if taken the trouble of carrying themselves away when restraints are upon 'em and also the infamy of having been Apostates to their Country and Cause I say their wages must be more than double to what their own Prince gives them and their Aurum must be very great that they shall not at long run be abused by those who imploy them as hating the Traytor tho loving the Treason I say moreover that those who will be thus tempted away must be of the basest lewdest sort of Seamen such as have not enough of Honor and Conscience to qualifie them for any Gallant performance 3. Another way to exonerate Seamen is to put great numbers of Land-men upon Ships of War in order to bring always Seamen but this course can't be effectual not only for the abovementioned Antipathy between Land-men and Seamen but also because 't is seen that men at Sea do not apply themselves to Labour and Practice without more necessity then happens in over man'd Shipping For where there are fifty men in a Vessel that Ten can sufficiently Navigate the Supernumerary forty will improve little but where there shall be often but one or two Supernumeraries then necessity will often call upon every one to set his hand to the work which must be well done at the Peril of their lives moreover Seamen shifting Vessels every six or twelve months do sometimes Sail in small Barges sometimes in midlingships and sometimes in greater Vessels of defence sometimes in Lighters sometimes in Hoyes sometimes in Ketches sometimes in three wasted Ships sometimes they go to the northward sometimes to the Southward sometimes they Coast sometimes they Cross the Ocean by all which Varieties of Service they do in time compleat themselves is every part and Circumstance of this faculty Whereas those who go out for a Summer in a man of War have not the Variety of Practice nor a direct necessity of doing any thing at all besides it is three or four Years at a medium that a Seaman must be made neither can there be less then three Seamen to make the fourth of a Landman consequently the fifteen thousand Seamen can increase but five thousand Seamen in three or four Years and unless their Trade should increase with their Seamen in Proportion the King must be forced to be at the charge of this improvement out of the quick Stock which is intolerable so as the question which now remains is whether the Shipping Trade of France is like to increase upon which account it is to be considered that France is stored with all kind of necessaries within it self as Corn Cattle Wine Salt Linnen-Cloth Rape Silk Fruit c. As they need little Shipping to import more Commodities of Weight and Bulk neither is there any thing of Bulk exported out of France but Wines and Salt the Weight whereof is under 1000,000 Tun per Annum yielding not imployment to above twenty five thousand Tun of Shipping and these are for the most part Dutch and English who are not only already in possession of the said Trade but also are better fitted to maintain it then the French are or perhaps ever can be and that for the following Reasons viz. Because the French can't Victual so cheap as the English or Dutch nor Sayl with so few Hands Secondly the French for want of good Coasts and Harbours can't keep their Ships in Port under the charge that the English or Hollanders can Thirdly by Reason of the paucity and distance of their Harbours one from another their Seamen and Tradesmen relating to Shipping can't correspond with or Assist one another so easily cheaply advantageously as in other places wherefore if their Shipping-Trade is not like to increase within themselves and much less to increase by their beating out the English and Hollanders from being the Carriers of the World it follows then their Seamen will not be increased by their increase of their Trade wherefore and for that they are not like to be increased by any of their several ways above specifyed and for that their parts are not fit to retain Ships of Burthen and quality fit for their purpose and that by Reason of less fitness of their Ports then those of their Neighbours I conceive that which was propounded has been competently proved The aforenamed Fournier has Laboured to prove the contrary to all this in the ninety Second and ninety eight Page of his Hydrography unto which I refer the
Reader not thinking his Arguments of any Weight at all in the present case nor indeed does he make his comparison with English or Hollanders but with the Spaniards who nor the Grand Senior the latter of whom has greater advantages to be Powerful at Sea then the French King could never attain to any illustrious greatness in Naval Power having after attempted but never succeeded in the same nor is it easie to believe that the King of England should for so many Years have continued in his Title to the Soveraignty of the narrow Seas against his Neighbours ambitious enough to have gotten it from him had not their impediments been natural and perpetual and such as we say do obstruct the most Christian King CHAP. IV. That the People and Territories of the King of England are naturaly as considerable for Wealth and Strength as those of France THe Author of the State of England among the many useful truths and observations he has sets down the proportion between the Territories of England and France to be as thirty to eighty two the which if it be true then England Scotland and Ireland with the Islands unto them belonging will altogether be near as big as France tho I ought to take all advantages for proving the Paradox in hand I had rather grant that England Scotland and Ireland with the Islands before mentioned together with planted parts of new Found-Land new England new Netherland Virginy Mary-Land Caulin Jamaica Barmuda's Barbado's and all the rest of the Carib Islands do not contain more Territory then France and what planted Land the French King has also in America a. And if any man will be Heterodox in behalf of the French Interest I could be contented against my Judgment to allow the French King's Territories to be a seventh sixth or fifth part greater then those of the King of England believing that both Princes have more Land then they do imploy to its utmost use And here I beg leave among the several matters I intend for serious to interpose a jocular and perhaps a Ridiculous digression and which I indeed desire men to look upon rather as a Dream then a rational Proposition Which is if that all the moveables and People of Ireland and the High-lands of Scotland were transported into the Kingdom of Great Brittain that then the King and his Subjects would thereby become more Rich and Strong both offensively and defensively then now they are It s true I have heard many wise men say when they were bewailing the vast Losses of the English in preventing and suppressing Rebellions in Ireland and considering how little profit has returned either to the King or Subjects of England for these five hundred Years doing and suffering in that Countrey I say I have heard Wise men in such their Melancholies wish that the People of Ireland being saved that that Island were sunk under Water Now it troubles me that the Distempers of my Mind in this point carry me to Dream that the Benefits of these Wishes may Practically be obtained without sinking that vast Mountainous Island under Water which I take to be somewhat difficult for altho Dutch Engineers may drein its Bogs yet I know no Artists that could sink its Mountains If ingenious and Learned men amongst whom I reckon Sr. Thomas Moore and Des Cartes have disputed that we who think our selves awake are or may be really in a Dream And if the greatest absurdity of Dreams is but a Preposterous and Tumultuary Contexture of Reallities I will crave the umbrage of these great Men to say something too of this wild Conception with Submission to the better Judgments of all those that can prove themselves awake If there were but one man Living in England then the benefit of the whole Territories could be but the third Lively-hood of that one Man But if another man were added the Rent or Benefit of the same would be double if three triple and so forewards until so many were Planted in it as the whole Territory could afford Food unto for if a man would know what any piece of Land is worth the true natural question must be how many Men will it feed and how many Men are there to be fed But to speak more Practically Land of the same quantity and quality in England is generally worth three or four times as much as in Ireland And but one quarter and a third of what it is in Holland because England is four times so well Peopled as Ireland and be a quarter so well as Holland And moreover where the Rent of Land is advanced by reason of the multitude of People there the number of years purchase for which the Inheritance may be sold is also advanced tho perhaps not in the very same Proportion for twenty Shillings per Annum in Ireland may be worth but eight pound and in England where Tithes are very sure about twenty pound in Holland about thirty pound I suppose that in Ireland and the Highlands of Scotland there may be above 1800,000 People or about ⅕ part of what is in all the three Kingdoms Wherefore the first question will be whether England Wales or the Lowland of Scotland can't afford Food that is to say Corn Flesh Fish and Fowl to a ⅕ more People then are at present planted upon it with the same Labour that the said ⅕ part does now take where they are for if so then what is propounded is naturally possible Secondly it is to be inquired into what the moveables which upon such removable must be left behind are worth for if they are worth less than the advancement of the price of Land in England will amount unto then the Proposal is to be considered 3. If the relict Land and the immovables left behind upon them may be sold for money or if no other Nation shall dare to meddle with them without paying well for them and if the Nation who shall be admitted shall be less able to prejudice and annoy the Transplanters into England then before then I conceive the whole proposal will be a pleasant Dream indeed As to the first part whether England and the Lowlands of Scotland will mantain one fifth more then they now do that is to say nine Millions of Souls in all I say first that the said Territories of England c. contain about thirty six Millions of Acres that is four Acres for every Head Man Woman and Child but the united Provinces do not allow ½ Acre and England it self rescinding Wales has but three Acres to ever Head according to the present State of Tillage and Husbandry Now if so considered that England having but three Acres to a Head do so abound in Victuals as that it makes Laws against the importation of Cattle Flesh and Fish from abroad and that the Dreining of the Fens improving of Forrests inclosing of Commons Sowing of cinque-Foyl and Clover-Grass be grumbled against by Landlords are the way to depress the
price of Victuals then it plainly follows that till then three Acres improved as it may be will serve the turn and consequently that four will Suffice abundantly I could here set down the very number of Acres that would bear Bread and Drink Corn together with Flesh Butter and Cheese sufficient to Victual nine Millions of Persons as they are Victualled in Ships and regular Families but I shall only say in general that 12,000,00 will do it with supposing that Roots Fruits Fish and Fowl and the ordinary profit of Lead Tin Iron-Mines and Woods would piece up any defect that may be found As to the second I say that the Land and Housing of Ireland and Highlands of Scotland at the present Merchant-Rates are not worth ten Millions of money nor would the actual charge of making the Transplantation amount to two Millions more so then the question will be whether the benefit expected from this Transplantation will exceed two Millions To which I say that the advantage will probably be six times the last mentioned Summ or about seventy two Millions For if the rent of England and Wales and the low Land of Scotland be above nine Millions per Annum and if this fifth part of the people be Superadded unto the present inhabitants of these Countries then the rent will amount to 10,800,000 and the number of Years purchase will rise from seventeen ½ to ⅕ more which is twenty one so that the Land which is worth but nine Millions at seventeen ½ Years purchase making an hundred fifty seven Millions and a half will then be worth 10,800,000 at one and twenty Years purchase viz. 226,800,000 that is 69,300,000 more then was before and if any Prince willing to enlarge his Territories will give three Millions for the said relinquished Land and Housing which were estimated to be worth ten Millions then the whole profit will be above 72,000,000 or six times the value as the same was above computed but if any man should object that will be dangerous unto England to be put into the Lands of any other Nations I answer in short that that Nation who ever shall purchase it being divided by means of the said purchase shall not be more able to enjoy England then now in it's united condition Now if any man shall desire a more clear explanation how and by what means the Rents of Lands shall rise by this closer cohabitation of people above described I answer that the advantage will arise in Transplanting about eighteen thousand people from the Poor and Miserable Trade of Husbandry to more Beneficial Handicraft for which the Superaddition is to be made a very little addition of Husbandry to the same Lands will produce a fifth part more Food consequently the additional Hands earning but forty Shillings per Annum more as they may very well to eight pound per Annum at some other Trade the superlucration will be above 3,600,000 pound which at twenty Years purchase is seventy two Millions Moreover as the Inhabitants of Cities and Towns spend more Commodities and make greater consumption then those who live in wild thin Peopled Countries so when England shall be thicker Peopled in manner before described the very same people shall then spend more then when they lived more sordidly inurbantly and further asunder and more out of the sight observation and Emulation of each other every man desiring to put on better Apparel when he appears in company then when he has no occasion to be seen I further add to the charge of the government Civil Military and Ecclesiastical would be more cheap safe and effectual in this condition of close habitation then otherwise as not only Reason but the example of the united Provinces do demonstrate But let this whole digression pass from a meer Dream I suppose will serve to prove that in case the King of Englands Territories should be a little less then those of the French King that forasmuch as neither of them are over Peopled that the difference is not material to the question in Hand wherefore supposing the French Kings advantages to be little or nothing in point of Territory we come next to examine and compare the number of Subjects which each of those Monarchs do govern The Book called the State of France makes the Kingdom consist of twenty seven Parishes and another Book written by a Substantial Author who profoundly enquires into the State of the Church and Church-men of France sets down as an extraordinary case that a Parish in France should have six hundred Souls where I suppose the said Author who has so well examined the matter is not of opinion that every Parish one with another has above five hundred by which reckoning the whole people of France are about thirteen Millions 500,000 Now the people of England Scotland and Ireland with the Islands adjoyning by computation from the number of Parishes which commonly have more people in Protestant Churches then in Popish Countries as also from the Hearth-money Post-money and Excise do amount to above nine Millions there are in new England about fifty thousand men mustered in Arms about eighty thousand able to bear Arms and consequently about five hundred thousand in all but this last I leave to every man's conjecture and I see no Reason why in all the rest of the Plantations there should not be five hundred thousand more and consequently I suppose the King of England hath above ten Millions of Subjests ubivis terrarum orbis Altho it be very material to know the number of Subjects belonging to each Prince yet when the question is concerning their Wealth and Strength it is also material to examine how many of 'em do get more then they spend and how many less in order whereunto it is to be considered that in the King of Englands dominions there are twenty thousand Church-men but in France as the aforementioned Author of theirs does aver who sets down the particular number of each Religious order there are about 270000. viz. 250000. more then we think are necessary that is to say two hundred and fifty thousand with-drawn out of the World now the said number of adult and able-Bodyed Persons are equivalent to about double the same number of the Promiscuous Mass of Mankind and the same Author affirms that the said Religious Persons do spend one with another above eighteen pence per diem which is Triple to what a Labouring man requires Wherefore the said two hundred fifty thousand Church-men living as they do make the French King 13,500 thousand to be really no better then twelve Millions or thereabouts In the next place it is to be considered that the inhabitants of the inner parts of France remote from the Sea can't be probably Superlucrators Now if there be two Millions in the King of England's Dominions more then in the French Kings who earn more then they spend or if ten men in England earn more then twelve in France then the
Subjects of England are as effective as to the gaining of Wealth and Riches as those of France and if Ten men can defend themselves as well in Islands as twelve men upon the Continent then the said Ten being not concerned to increase their Territory by the invasion of others are as effectual as the twelve in point of Strength also wherefore that there are more Superlucrators in the English then in the French Dominions we say as followeth There be in England Scotland and Ireland about sixty Millions Seamen in France about a quarter so many but one Seaman earns as much as three common Husbandmen wherefore this difference of Seamen added to the account of the King of Englands Subjects the equivalent of 90,500,000 Husbandmen There are in England Scotland and Ireland six thousand Tuns of Shipping worth about 4500,000 4 ½ and the actual charge of maintaining the Shipping aforesaid by new building and reparation is about ⅓ of the said Summ which is the wages of 150. Husbandmen but it is not the wages of above ⅓ so many Artisans as are imployed upon Shipping of all sorts viz. Shipwrights Calkers Joyners Carvers Painters Blockmakers Rope-makers Mastmakers Smiths of several sorts Flagmakers Compassmakers Brewers Bakers and all sorts of Victuallers all sorts of Trades-men relating to Guns and Gunners-Stores wherefore there being four times more of these Artisans in England then in France they further add to the account of the King of Englands Subjects the equivalent 80 m. Husbandmen more The Sea line of England Scotland and Ireland and the adjacent Islands is about 3,800 Miles according to which length and the whole content of Acres the said Land would be an oblong or Parallelogram Figure of 3,800 long and twenty five Miles broad and consequently every part of England Scotland and Ireland is one with another but about twelve Miles from the Sea whereas France containing but about one thousand Miles of Sea line is like the computation above sixty five Miles from the Sea-side and considering the paucity of Ports in comparison to what are in the King of Englands Dominions as good as seventy Miles distance from a Port upon which grounds it is clear that England can be supplyed with all Gross and Bulky Commodities of Forreign growth and manufacture at far cheaper rates then France can be viz. above four Shillings per Annum Rent cheaper the Land carriage for the difference betwen England and France of the distance from a Port being so much or near thereabouts now to what advantage this convenience amounts upon the importation and exportation of Bulky Commodities can't be less the Labour of one thousand of People meaning by Bulky Commodities all sort of Timber Blank and Staves for Cask and all Iron Lead Stones Brick and Tiles for building all Corn Sart and Drink all Flesh and Fish and indeed all other Commodities wherein the gain and loss of four Shillings per cent is considerable Where note the like Wines are sold in the inward parts of France for four or five pounds a Tun which near the Ports yield seven pound Moreover upon this principal the decay of Timber in England is no very formidable thing as the rebuilding of London and of the Ships wasted by the Dutch-War do clearly manifest nor can there be any want of Corn or other necessary provision in England unless the Weather has been universally unseasonable for growth of the same which seldom or never happens for the same cause which makes dearth in one place does after cause plenty in another wet-weather being propitious to Highlands which drowneth the low It is observed that the poor of France have generally less wages then in England and yet their Victuals are generally dearer there which being so there may be more Superlucration in England then in France Lastly I offer it to the consideration of all those who have travelled through England and France whether the Plebeian of England for they constitute the Bulks of any Nation do not spend one sixth more then the Plebeian of France and if so it is necessary they must first get it and consequently that Ten Millions of the King of Englands Subjects are equivalent to twelve of the French Kings and upon the whole matter to the thirteen ½ Millions at which the French Nation was estimated It will be here objected that the Splendor and Magnificences of the French King appearing greater then those of the Kings of England that the Wealth of France must be proportionably greater then that of England but that does not follow forasmuch as the apparent greatness of the King does depend upon the quarter parts of the peoples Wealth which he levieth from them for supposing the People are equally Rich if one of the Sovereigns levy fifth part and the other fifteenth the one seems actually thrice as Rich as the other whereas potentially they are both equal Having now dicoursed of the Territory People Superlucration and defensibleness of both Dominions and in some measure of the Trade so far as we had occasion to mention Ships Shipping and nearness to Ports we come next to enlarge a little further upon the Trade of each some have estimated that there are not above three hundred Millions of people in the whole World whether that be so or no is not very material to be known but I have fairer Ground to conjecture and would be glad to have it more certainly that there are not above eighty thousand with whom the English and Dutch have commerce no Europeans I know of Trading directly or indirectly where they do not so as the whole commercial World or World of Trade consists of eighty thousand of Souls as aforesaid And I further estimate that the value of all the Commodities yearly exchanged among them does not exceed fourty five thousand now the Wealth of every Nation consisting chiefly in the share which they have in forreign Trade with the whole commercial World rather then in the Domestick Trade of ordinary Meat Drink Cloth c. And which brings in little Gold Silver Pearls and other universal Wealth we are to consider the Subjects of the King of England Head for Head have not a greater share hereof then those of France To which purpose it has been considered that the manufactures of Wool yearly exported out of England into sevesal parts of the World viz. all sorts of Cloth Serg Stuff Cotton Bayes Frize or also Stockens Caps Rugs c. exported out of England Scotland and Ireland do amount unto five hundred thousand pound per Annum The value of Lead Tin and Coals to five hundred thousand pound The value of all Cloths Houshold-Stuf◠c. carried into America two hundred thousand pound per Annum Silver and Gold taken from the Spaniards sixty thousand pound The value of Sugar Indico Tobacco Cottham and Catao from the Southward part of America six hundred thousand pound The value of Wool Butter Hides Beef Herrings Pilchers Salmon exported out of Ireland
eight hundred thousand pound The value of Coals Salt Linnen Yarn Herrings Pilchers Salmon brought out of Scotland and Ireland five hundred thousand pound The value of Salt-Peter Pepper Callicots Diamonds Drugs and Silks brought out of the East-Indies above what was spent in England eight hundred thousand pound The value of Slaves brought out of Africa to serve in the American Plantation twenty thousand which with the freight of the English Shipping Trading into forreign parts being above fifteen hundred thousand makes in all Ten Millions and a hundred and eighty thousand Which computation is sufficiently justified by the Customs of three Kingdoms whose intrinsick value are thought to be near about one Million per Annum viz. Six hundred thousand Payable to the King one hundred thousand for the charge of collecting c. two hundred thousand Smackled by the Merchants and one hundred thousand gained by the Farmers according to the common opinion and men saying and this agrees also with that proportion or part of the Trade of the whole World which I have estimated the Subjects of the King of England to be possessed of viz. for about Ten of forty five Millions but the value of the French commodities brought into England notwithstanding Mr. Fortree's estimates are not above twelve hundred thousand per Annum and the value of all the export into all the World besides not above three or four times as much which computation also agrees well enough with the accompt we have of the Customs of France so as France not exporting above half the value of what England does and for the commodities of France except Wines Brandy Paper and the first Patterns and Fashions for Cloths and furniture of which France is the mint are imitable by the English and having withal more people then England it follows that the people of England c. have Head for Head near thrice as much forreign Trade as the people of France and above two parts of nine of the Trade of the whole commercial World and 2 7 of all the Shipping notwithstanding all which is not to be denied that the King and some great men of France appear more Rich and splendid then those or the like quality in England all which arises rather from the nature of their Government then from the intrinsick and natural cause of Wealth and Power CHAP. V. That the Impediments of England's Greatness are contingent and removable THe first impediment of Englands Greatness is the Territories thereunto belonging are too far asunder and divided by the Sea into so many several Islands and Countries and I may say into so many Kingdoms and different Governments viz. There be three distinct Legislative Powers in England Scotland and Ireland the which of instead of uniting together do often cross one and others Interest putting Bars and Impediments upon one and others Trades not only as they were forraigners to each other but sometimes as Enemies The Islands of Jersey and Guernsey and the Isle of Man are under jurisdictions different from those either of England Scotland and Ireland The Government of New-England both civil and Ecclesiastical do so differ from that of his Majesties other Dominions that it is hard to say what may be the Consequence of it And the Government of the other Plantations do also differ very much from any of the West altho there be naturally substantial Reasons for the Situation Trade and Condition of the People why there should be such differences from all which it comes to pass the small divided remote Governments being seldom able to defend themselves the Burthen of the Protecting them all must lye upon the chiefest Kingdom of England and all the small Kingdoms and Dominions instead of being additions are really diminutions The Wealth of a King is three-Fold one is the Wealth of Subjects the second is the quota parts of his Subjects Wealth given him for the Publick Defence Honour and Ornaments of the people and to manage such undertakings for the common good as no one or a few private men are sufficient for The third sort are the quota of the last mentioned quota parts which the King may dispose of as his own Personal inclination and discretion shall direct now it is most manifest that the aforementioned distance and differences of Kingdoms and jurisdictions are great impediments to all the said several sorts of Wealth as may be seen in the following particulars 1. In case of War with forraign Nations England commonly beareth the whole Burthen and charge whereby many in England are utterly undone 2. England sometimes prohibiting the Commodities of Ireland and Scotland as of late it did the Cattle Flesh and Fish of Ireland did not only make Food and consequently Labour dearer in England but also has forced the People of Ireland to fetch these commodities from France Holland and other places which before was sold them from England to the great Prejudice of both Nations 3. It occasions an unnecessary trouble and charge in collecting of Customs upon Commodities passing between the several Nations 4. It is a dammage to our Barbadoes and other American Trades that the Goods which might pass thence immediately to several parts of the World and be sold at moderate Rates must first come into England and there pay Duties and afterwards if at all passing to those Countries whither they might have gone immediately 5. The Islands of Jersey and Guernsey are protected at the charge of England nevertheless the Labour and Industry of that People which is very great redound most to the profit of the French 6. In New-England there are vast numbers of able Bodied English-men imployed chiefly in Husbandry and in the meanest part of it which is breeding of Cattle whereas Ireland would have contained all those Persons at the worst would have afforded them Lands in better Terms then they have them in America if not some other better Trade withal then now they can have 7. The Inhabitants of the other Plantations altho they do indeed Plant commodities which will not grow so well in England it grasping at more Land then it will suffice to produce the said exotics in a sufficient quantity to serve the whole World they do therein but distract and confound the effects of their own Indeavours 8. There is no doubt that the same people far and wide dispersed must spend more upon their Government and Protection then the same living compactly and when they have no occasion to depend upon the Wind Weather and all the Accidents of the Sea A second impediment to the greatness of England is the different understanding of several material points viz. The Kings Prerogative Priviledges of Parliament the obscure differences between Law and Equity as also between Civil and Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction doubts whether the Kingdom of England has Power over the Kingdom of Ireland besides the wonderful Paradox that the English-men lawfully sent to suppress Rebells in Ireland should after having effected the same be
as it were disfranchised and loose that interest in the Legislative Power which they had in England and pay Customes as forraingers for all they spend in Ireland whither they were sent for the Honour and Benefit of England The third impediment is that Ireland being a conquered Country and containing not the Tenth part of as many Irish Mastives as there are English in both Kingdoms that natural and firm Union is not made between the two Peoples by Transplantation and proportionable Mixture so as there may be a Tenth part of Irish in Ireland and the same Proportion in England whereby the necessity of maintaining an Army in England at the expence of the quarter of all the Rents of that Kingdom may be taken away The fourth impediment is that the Taxes in England are not levied upon the expences but the whole Estate not upon Lands Stock and Labour but chiefly upon Land alone and that not by any equal and indifferent Standard but the casual Predominacy of Parties and Factions and moreover that these Taxes are not levied with the least trouble and charge but let out to Farmers who also let them from one to another without explicit knowledge of what they do but so are to conclude the poor people pay twice as much as the King receives Now the fifth impediment is the inequality of Shires Diocesses Parishes Church-livings and other Precincts as also of the Representations of the people in Parliament all which do hinder the operations of Authority in the same manner as a Wheel irregularly made and excentrically hung neither moves so easily nor performs it's work so timely as if the same were duly framed and poised 6. Whether it be an impediment that the Power of making War and raising money be not in the same hand much may be said but that I leave to those who may more properly meddle with Fundamental Laws None of these impediments are natural but did arise as the irregularities of Buildings do by being built part at one time and part at another and by the changing of the State of things from what they were at the respective times when the Practice we complained of were first admitted and perhaps are but the warpings from the rectitude of the first institution As these Impediments are contingent so they are also removable for may not the Land of Superfluous Territories be sold and the people with their moveables be brought away may not the English in the American Plantations who Plant Tobacco Sugar c. compute what Land will serve their turns and then contract their Habitations to that proportion for quantity and quality As for the people of New England I can but wish they were Transplanted into old England or Ireland according to Proposals of their own made within this twenty Years altho they were allowed more liberty of Conscience then they allow one another May not the three Kingdoms be united into one and equally represented in Parliament might not the several Species of the Kings Subjects be equally mixt in their habitations might not Parishes and other Precincts be better equaliz'd might not jurisdictions and Pretences of Powers be determined and ascertained might not Taxes be equally aplotted and directly applyed to their ultimate use might not dissenters in Religion be indulged they paying a competent force to keep the Publick-Peace I humbly venture to say all these things may be done if it be thought fit by the Soveraign Power because the like has often and Succesfully been done already at Several Places and Times CHAP. VI. That the Power and Wealth of England has increased these last forty Years IT is not much to be doubted but that the Territories under the Kings Dominions have increased for as much as new-New-England Virginy Barbados and Jamaica Tangier and Bombay have since that time been either added to his Majesties Territories or improved from a desert condition to abound with the People Building Shipping and the Production of many useful commodities And as for the Land of England Scotland and Ireland as it is not less in quantity then it was forty Years since so it is manifest that by Reason of dreining of Fens Watering of dry Grounds improving of Forrests and Commons making of Heaths and barren Grounds to bear Cinquefole and Clovergrass meliorating and multiplying several sorts of Fruits and Garden-stuff making some Rivers Navigable c. I say it is manifest that the Land in it's present condition is able to bear more provision and commodities then it was forty Years ago 2. Altho the People of England Scotland and Ireland which have Extraordinarily Perished by the Plague and Sword within this last forty Years do amount to about three hundred thousand above what have dyed in the ordinary way yet the ordinary increase by Generation of Ten Millions which doubles in two hundred Years as has been shewn by the observations upon the Bills of Mortality may in forty Years which is a fifth part of the said Time have increased near a fifth part of the whole number or two Millions Where note by the way that the accession of Negroes to the American Plantations being all men of great Labour and little Expence is not considerable Besides it is hoped that New-England where few or no Women are Barren and must have many Children and where people live long and Healthfully has produced an increase of as many people as were destroyed in the late tumults in Ireland As for Housing these Streets of London it self speaks it I conceive it double in value in that City to what it was forty Years since and for Housing in the Country they have increased at Bristol New-Castle Yarmouth Norwich Exeter Portsmouth Cowes Dublin Kingsale Londondary Coolervin in Ireland far beyond the Proportion of what I can learn has been dilapidated in other places for in Ireland where the ruine was greatest the Housing taken altogether is now more valuable then forty Years ago nor is this to be doubted since Housing is now more splendid then in those days and the number of Dwellers is increased by near a fifth part as in the last Paragraph is set forth As for Shipping his Majesties Navy is now triple or quadruple to what it was forty Years since and before the Soveraign was Built the Shipping-Trading to New-Castle which are now about eighty thousand Tuns could not then be above a quarter of that quantity first because the City of London is doubled secondly because the use of Coal is also at least doubled because they were heretofore seldom used in Chambers as now they are nor were there so many Bricks Burned with them as of late nor did the Country on both sides the Thames make use of them as now besides there are imployed in the Guinny and American Trades above forty thousand Tun of Shipping which Trade in those days was inconsiderable the quantity of Wines imported was not near so much as now and to be short the Customs upon imported and exported
commodities did not then yield a third part of the present Value which shews that not only Shipping but Trade it self has increased somewhat near that Proportion As to money the interest thereof was within these fifty Years at Ten pound per cent forty Years ago at eight pound and now at six pound no thanks to any Laws which have been made to that purpose for as much as those who can give good security may now have it less but the natural fall of interest is the effect of the increase of money Moreover if Rented Lands and Houses have increased and if Trade has increased also it is certain that money which payeth those Rents and driveth on Trade must have increased also Lastly I leave it to the consideration of all observers whether the number and Splendor of Coaches Equipage and Houshold Furniture have not increased since that time To say nothing of the postage of Letters which have increased from one to twenty which argues the increase of Business and Negotiation I must add that his Majesties Revenues is near triple and therefore the means to pay and Bear the same has increased also CHAP. VII That one tenth Part of the whole expence of the King of England's Subjects is sufficient to maintain one hundred thousand Foot forty thousand Horse and forty thousand men at Sea and defray all other Charges of the Government both ordinary and extraordinary if the same were regularly Taxed and raised TO clear this point we are to find out what is the middle Expence of each Head in the Kings Dominions between the highest and the lowest to which I say it is not probably less then the Expence of a Labourer who earns about eight pence a day for the wages of such men is four Shillings a Week without Victuals or two Shillings with it wherefore the value of his Victuals is two Shillings per Week or five pound four Shillings per Annum Now the value of Cloaths can't be less then wages given to the Poorest Maid-Servant in the Country which is thirty Shillings per Annum nor can the charge of all other necessaries be less then six Shillings per Annum more wherefore the whole charge is seven pound It is not likely that this Discourse will fall into the Hands of any that lives at seven pound per Annum and therefore such will wonder at this Supposition but if they consider how much the number of the Poor and their Children is greater then that of the Rich altho the personal Expence of some Rich men should be above twenty times more then that of a Labourer yet the expence of a Labourer above mentioned may well enough stand for the Standard of the expence of the whole Mass of Mankind Now if the expence of each man one with another be seven pound per Annum and if the number of the Kings Subjects be Ten thousand then the tenth part of the whole Expence will be seven thousand but about five thousand or a very little more will amount to a years pay for one hundred thousand Foot forty thousand Horse and forty thousand men at Sea Winter and Summer which can rarely be necessary and other ordinary charge of the Government in the time of deep and secute peace was not 600000 per Annum Where a People thrive there the Income is greater then the Expence and consequently the tenth part of the Expence is not the tenth part of the Income Now for men to pay a tenth part of their expence in a time of greatest exigency for such it must be when so great forces is requisite can be no hardship much less a deplorable conditon for to bear the tenth part a man must needs spend a twentyeth part less and Labour a twentieth part more for half an hour per diem extraordinary both which in common Experience are very Tolerable here being very few in England who do not eat by a twentieth part more then does them good and what Misery were it instead of wearing Cloaths of twenty Shillings per Yard to be contented with that of nineteen Shillings few men having skill enough to discern the difference Memorandum that all this while I suppose all of these Ten thousand of people are obedient to their Soveraign and within the reach of his Power for as things are otherwise so the Calculation must be varied CHAP. VIII That there are spare Hands enough amongst the King of England's Subjects to earn two Millions per Annum more then they now do and that there are also Imployments ready proper and sufficient for the purpose TO prove this point we must inquire how much all the People could earn if they were disposed or necessitated to Labour and had work whereupon to imploy themselves and compare the Summ with that of the Total Expence abovementioned deducting the Rents and profit of their Land and Stock which properly speaking saveth so much Labour Now the proceed of the said Land and Stock in these Countries is about three parts of seven of the whole Expence so as where the expence is seventy thousand the Rent of the Land and profit of all Personal Estate interest of money c. must be about thirty thousand and consequently the value of the Labour forty thousand that is four pound per Head but it is to be noted that about a quarter of the Mass of Mankind are Children Males and Females under seven Years old from whom little Labour is to be expected it is also to be noted that about another tenth part of the whole people are such as by Reason of their great Estates Tythes Dignities Offices and professions are exempt from that kind of Labour we now speak of their business being or ought to be to Govern Regulate and direct the Labours and Actions of others so that of Ten Millions there be about six thousand a half or two thirds which if need requires might actually Labour and of these some might earn three Shillings a Week some five Shillings and some seven Shillings that is all of them might earn five Shillings a Weak at a medium one with another or at least Ten pound per Annum allowing for Sickness and other Accidents whereby the whole might earn fifty six thousand pound per Annum that is twenty five more then the Expence The Author of the State of England saies that the Children of Norwich between six and sixteen Years old do earn twelve thousand pound per Annum more then they spend Now for as much as the people of Norwich are a three hundredth part of all the people in England as appears by the Accompt of Hearth-money and about the five hundredth part of all the Kings Subjects throughout the World it follows that all his Majesties Subjects between six and sixteen Years old might earn five thousand per Annum more then they spend Again forasmuch as the number of People above sixteen Years old are double the number of those between six and
sixteen and that of each men can earn double to each of the Children it is plain that if the men and Children every where did do as they do in Norwich they might earn twenty five thousand pound per Annum more then they spend which estimate grounded upon matter of Fact and Experience agrees with the former Altho as has been proved the people of England do thrive and that 't is possible they might Superlucrate twenty five thousand pound per Annum yet 't is manifest they do not nor twenty three which is less by two thousand herein meant for if they did Superlucrate twenty five thousand then in about five or six Years time the whole Stock and Personal Estate of the Nation would be double which I wish were true but find no manner of Reason to believe wherefore if they can Superlucrate twenty five but not actually Superlucrate twenty three nor twenty nor ten nor perhaps five I have then proved what was propounded viz. that there are spare hands among the Kings Subjects to earn two Millions more then they now do But to speak a little more particularly concerning this matter it is to be noted that since the fire of London there was earned in four Years by Tradesmen relating to building only the Summ of four Millions or one Million per Annum without lessening any other sort of Work Labour or Manufacture which was usually done in other four Years before the said occasion but if the Tradesmen relating to Building only and such of them as wrought in and about London could do one Million-worth of Work extraordinary I think that from thence and from what has been said before that all the rest of the spare Hands might very well double the same which is as much as was propounded Now if there were spare Hands to Superlucrate Millions of Millions they signifie nothing unless there were Imployment for them may as well follow their Pleasures and Speculation as Labour to no purpose therefore the more material point is to prove that there is two Millionsw-orth of Work to be done which at the present the Kings Subjects do neglect For the proof of this there needs little more to be done than to compute how much money is paid by the King of Englands Subjects to Forreingers for freight of Shipping 2. The Hollanders gain by their Fishing-Trade Practised upon our Seas 3. What the value of all the commodities imported into and sent into England which might by diligence be produed and Manufactured here to make short of this matter upon perusal of the most authentick accompts relating to these several particulars I affirm that the same amounteth to above five Millions whereof I propounded but two Millions For a further proof whereof Mr. Samuel Fortry in his ingenious discourse of Trade exhibited the particulars wherein it appears that the Goods imported out of France only amount yearly to 2600,000 pounds and I affirm that the Wines Paper Cork Rosin and Capers and a few other Commodities which England can't produce do not amount to one fifth part of the said Summ from whence it follows that if Mr. Fortry has not erred the two Millions here mentioned may arise from France alone and consequently five or six Millions from all the three Heads last above specifyed CHAP. IX That there is money sufficient to drive the Trade of the Nation SInce his Majesties happy Restauration it was thought fit to call iâ— and now Coyn the money which was made it the times of Usurpation Now it was observed by the general consent of Casheers that the said money being by frequent revolutions well mixed with the Gold was about a seventh part thereof and that the said money being called in was about 800,000 pound and consequently the whole 5600,000 pound or five Millions and a half whereby 't is probable that some allowance being given for hoarded money the whole Cash of England was then about six Millions which I conceive is sufficient to drive the Trade of England not but that the rest of his Majesties Dominions have the like means to do the same respective fully If there be six Millions of Souls in England and that each spendeth seven pound per Annum then the whole expence is forty two Millions or about 800,000 pounds per Week and consequently if every man did pay his expence Weekly and that the money could circulate within the compass of a Week then less then one Million could answer the ends proposed But forasmuch as the Rents of the Lands in England which are paid half yearly are eight Millions per Annum there must be four Millions to pay them and forasmuch as the Rent of Housing of England paid quarterly are worth about four Millions per Annum there needs but one Million to pay the said Rent wherefore six Millions being enough to make good the three sorts of Circulation above mentioned I conceive what was proposed is proved at least till something better be held forth to the contrary CHAP. X. That the King of England's Subjects have Stock competent and convenient to drive the Trade of the whole commercial World NOw for the further Incouragement of Trade as we have shewn that there is Money enough in England to manage the affairs thereof so we shall now offer to consideration whether there be not competent and convenient Stock to drive the Trade of the whole commercial World To which purpose it is to be remembred that all the Commodities yearly exported out of every part of the last mentioned World may be bought for forty five Millions and that the Shipping imployed in the same World are not worth above fifteen Millions and consequently that sixty Millions at most will drive the whole Trade abovementioned without any trust at all but forasmuch as the Grovers of Commodities do commonly trust them to such Merchants or Factors as are worth but such a part of the full value of their Commodities as may possibly be lost upon the sail of them which is rather to be expected it follows then less then a Stock of sixty Millions nay then half of the said Summ is sufficient to drive the Trade above mentioned it being well known that any Tradesemen of good Reputation worth five hundred pound will be trusted with above one thousand pounds-worth of Commodities where less then thirty Millions will suffice for the said purpose of which Summ the Coyn Shipping and Stock already in Trade do at least make one half And it has been shewn how by the Policy of a Bank any Summ of money may be made equivalent in Trade unto near the double of the same By all which it seems that even at present much is not wanting to perform what is propounded but suppose twenty thousand or more were wanting it is not improbable that since the generality of Gentlemen and some Noble-men do put their Younger Sons to Merchandise that they will see it reasonable as they increase in the number of Merchants