What the Antiquity is of Corn Wind-mills is hard to determine whether in this or any other Nation The Paper-Mill is certainly of no modern Invention and it may be wonder'd that in all this time Paper-making hath not been brought to a greater height in this Nation it being judg'd very possible that as good Paper might be made in England as any is brought over from France Holland or any other foreign Part. The Powder-Mill cannot be of very long standing since it is scarce 200 years that Gunpowder it self hath bounc'd and made a smoak in the World Moreover of these grand performing Engines there is a very great number even of late Invention of which I shall endeavour to call to mind at least the most noted For the grubbing up of Stumps of Oak there is an Engine call'd the German Devil which Mr. Evelin in his incomparable Treatise of Forest-trees affirms to have been made use of by a Noble Person of this Nation with that success that by the help thereof one Man was able to do more than could otherwise have been done by 12 Oxen He also in the same Treatise p. 22. gives a description of another Engine for the transplanting of Trees The silk-Stocking Frame is surely one of the most curious Contrivances of this Age. It is said to have been first us'd at Nottingham and was as I have been told the seasonable Fancy of a poor Oxford Scholar who to inch out the slender pittance of a small Living he had thereabouts was glad to make use of his Wives manual Assistance but that not sufficing neither to satisfie the importunate Stomachs of an increasing Family he prompted by Necessity which is the Mother of Art as ancient Authors affirm joyn'd his Head to her Hands his Ingenuity to her Industry and thence brought forth this rare Device to shorten the labour and increase the profit of her Work The Saw-Mill or Engine for sawing of Timber is of Dutch Original and about 25 or 30 years ago first brought in use among us for so long it is since that on the Thames over against Durham-yard was first erected The Wire-Mill of Mr. Mumma a Dutchman was first set up at Sheen within these 20 years All the Money coin'd in the Tower of London almost ever since his Majesty's Restoration hath been by an Engine or Coining-Mill brought in by the Rotiers who thereupon became and so continue to this present his Majesty's chief Moneyers The Weavers Loom-Engine hath not been in use many years in England especially the highest Improvement thereof call'd the Dutch Loom brought in about 5 or 6 years since by Mr. Crouch a Weaver in Bishopsgate-street A very useful Invention was that Engine call'd the Persian Wheel for the watring of Meadows which lye uncapably of being overflow'd The first of these Engines brought to any considerable perfection was erected at the end of Wilton-Garden by the Direction of the above-mention'd Mr. Worlidge Wood-Steward to the Earl of Pembroke in the year 1665. who in his Systema Agriculturae takes notice of another Engine to the same purpose call'd the Horizontal Windmil And in his Treatise of Sider he describes the Ingenio or rare Sider-Engine a Contrivance doubtless very profitable for those that drive a Trade in the making of this Liquor There is also very lately found out the admirable Water-Engine for raising of Ballas and towing of Ships Yet as excellent as these Inventions are and as useful to the Publick by dispatching at one instant the tedious drudgery of many Hands yet there are not wanting high Clamours against them as robbing poor men of their Imployments and consequently of their Livelihoods so hard it is to find any Convenience totally exempted from Cavil and Exception Even the Quench-fire Engine that most excellent and salutiferous Invention of Sir Samuel Moreland 't is possible may be an Eye-sore to such Neronian Tempers as love to see Towns and Cities on fire However the World is oblig'd to this learned Mechanick as well for this as several other useful and ingenuous Contrivances particularly his Arithmetical Instrument and his Stenterophonick or Speaking Trumpet the chief use whereof is to treat or parly with an Enemy at a distance There is to be seen by all Lovers of Art a rare Invention of Mr. Edgebury call'd the Horizontal Corn-mill upon a piece of Land at Deptford belonging to my most Honour'd Friend Mr. Evelin junior It is now about 7 or 8 years since a Printing-Press for the printing of Callcoes was set on foot by Mr. Mellish but he soon desisting the Design was taken up by Mr. William Sherwin living in Little-Britain and ever since carried on with great vigour and success To conclude There remains yet to be spoken of one rare Engine and in some sence above all that have been yet mention'd since it brings back Old Age to Youth and makes threescore and ten appear as fine and gay as five and twenty I do not mean simply the Perruke or Frame of Artificial formerly worn for that may possibly be as ancient as the Emperour Carolus Calvus his Time who wanting Hair of his own is reported to have call'd a Councel of French Barbers to contrive an artificial Supplement of Natures Defect But I mean that lofty towring Structure or Machine of Hair so heighten'd and ornamented as it hath been by Tonsorian Art and Industry within these last 20 years so frounc'd so curl'd in a 1000 amorous Annulets so plump'd up so streaming in the Air like a Ships Top-gallant that certainly never any Cincinnatus or Capillatus whatsoever could boast a natural Head of Hair comparable to this artificial much more may it be judg'd easily to outvye the ancient Median Cidaris the Persian Tiara or the now Ottoman Turbant and doubtless had it been devis'd in Homer's Time it would quickly have put out of countenance the best of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE MAGNIFICENCE OF ENGLAND THE Magnificence of England consists in the principal Towns and Cities Palaces Royal and belonging to several of the Nobility Cathedrals and other Churches Castles Bridges and erected Monuments The 3 principal Cities of England are London York and Bristol Besides which there are many other Cities and Towns of sufficient Note for pleasantness of Situation and neatness of Building As the Cities of Canterbury Rochester Exeter Salisbury Gloucester Worcester Oxford Bath Durham Lincoln Winchester and Coventry The Towns of Ipswich St Edmundbury Maidston Feversham Kingston upon Thames Guilford Lewis Colchester Buckingham Ailsbury Reading Cambridge Southampton Marlborough Warwick Shirburn Northampton Leicester Nottingham Newark Manchester Wakefield Boston Stamford Barstable Tavistoke Taunton Shrewsbury Bridgenorth Tewksbury and Cirencester besides several others which are to be mention'd among those Places signaliz'd by their several Remarks and Transactions London being at large describ'd by Stow Howel and others it will be sufficient to name the Magnificences thereof viz. The Cathedral of St Pauls destroy'd by the late Fire and now upon
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
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
also have added Mastives To the same effect Cambden writes of our Dogs in general in his Hantshire and Middlesex Burton also in his Commentaries on Antoninus his Itinerary prefers the British Hounds and Mastives before those of any other Country whatsoever And of our Mastives a Spanish Geographer of good Account Lucas de Linda in his Descriptio Orbis saith That they are the Bravest the Largest and the Fiercest of any in the World beside Moreover that they were in great Request Anciently among the Romans and made use of in their publick Games and Baitings exhibited in their Amphitheaters appears by this Verse of the Poet Claudian Magnaque Taurorum fracturi Colla Britani There are likewise some other sorts of Dogs of English Breed which though not so much taken notice of by Authors I am apt to imagine are no less excellent and supereminent in their kind than those above mention'd as namely Water-Spaniels Grey-Hounds Setting-Dogs and such like of Sport and Game Lastly that sort of Dogs that serve only for Show and the slightest of Divertisement I really believe that for Neatness of Mark and Delicacy of Shape there are scarce to be found elsewhere the like to our Beagles and little Spaniels and this will appear the more evident to those that shall observe this one thing namely that whereas it is a general Curiosity not to say Vanity among our English Gentry to admire and delight in Birds Beasts and other things brought over from France and other Foreign Parts as Parots from _____ Monkeys from _____ we find few or none of these above-mention'd Creatures but what are English at least none so curiously Mark'd and Limb'd as ours There is said to be bred about Portsmouth a race of very little Dogs which by their shape seem to be of the Species of Beagles As for the Cats of England it is observable that the number of Fine Tabby-Cats that are finely Spotted and as it were Marbled hath very much increased of late years whereby it may be probably conjectur'd that some kinds of those so Curiously Cloathed Cats have been brought hither from other parts and particularly those of Cyprus have been accounted for their Marbled Coats the choicest of all others but setting aside the consideration of the Curious Mark or Colour to shew how far ours have the Preeminence in the exercise of that faculty which nature hath implanted in this sort of Creature that is the Catching of Mice and other such Vermine there needs no other instance than the History of a very Rich Lord Mayor of London some few Ages ago who first raised his Fortune from the Venture of an English Cat. As for the Eatable Cattle and several Beasts of Game some places we find there are which claim a special Propriety to this or that particular kind The best Oxen in England are said to be in Lancashire In the New-Forrest in Hantshire there is very great store of Red-Deer A late Park near New-market in Cambridgeshire was called Hare-Park by reason of the multitude of Hares Rabbetts the best and most are said to be in Norfolk yet I cannot think they much exceed those of Auburn-Chace belonging to my Lord of Pembroke in Wiltshire The best Hogs in Hantshire Of Birds there are few if any sorts wanting here which are frequent in other parts of England whether the most Curious of Singing Birds the choicest Fowl both Wild and Tame for the Table or Birds of Game and Delight But of some it is observ'd that what are bred in this Country are peculiarly commendable above others especially the Gallinaceous kind Pliny observes of the Cock that it is a Bold and Stout Bird and crows in sign of Triumph immediatly after Victory and doubtless scarce any Country affords so Couragious and Martial a Race of Game-Cocks as England a right Cock of the Game seldom or never ceasing on this side Death or Victory Nor do I remember to have read or heard Report of any Country where the Sport of Cock-Fighting of which our Countryman Ascham hath written a Learned Treatise is so much used as here Thus the Dog among Beasts and the Cock among Birds seem proper Emblems of true English Valour However let us not repose our chiefest glory in this Vertue alone but strive to excel in others of a higher nature which are proper to man alone since Valour we see is a Vertue common to Man with Brute In the Rocks of Pembrokeshire are Hawks of an extraordinary kind but chiefly of the Species of the Faulcon In the Forrest of Shirwood in Nottinghamshire and in the Forrest of Dean in Glocestershire the Hawk called the Lanar whose Female is the Laneret is very frequent Near Kinsland in _____ is often seen the Hawk called Lanius the Butcher or Murthering Bird. Along the Sea-Coasts of England from the West as far as Dover but chiefly upon the Sea-Coasts of Cornwal there frequents a sort of Chough or Jack-daw which is thence commonly called the Cornish Chough supposed the same with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Aristotle In New-Forrest in Hantshire chiefly breeds the Vpupa or Hoop In the Fens of Lincolnshire the Attagen or Godwitt On Newmarket-Heath and Salisbury-Plains the Bistarda or Bustard In the Isle of Thanet a sort of Wild-Goose commonly called a Birgander in Latin Vulpancer In several parts of Cornwal two sorts of Birds rarely seen elsewhere viz. the Puffin and the Ganet Also in Lincolnshire the Foolish Bird called the Dottrel is so frequent that the people of those parts have very good Sport in the Catching of it as Cambden relates The places of England most eminenly Famous for several sorts of Fish are New-castle upon Tine for Salmon as also Bywell in Northumberland and the River Wye in Herefordshire also the River Lune near Cockerfand-Abbey in Lancashire The Coast of Cornwall for Herrings there being there so great a Trade of Herring-Fishing that there is scarce the like again in any place of Europe at Limmouth also in Dorcetshire there is taken great quantity of Herrings at Yarmouth in Norfolk the Herrings are very large and good and are therefore called Yarmouth Capons Shrewsbury and some other places thereabout upon the Severn for a Fish call'd a Mort which in Taste hath very much of the Salmon in it Sussex in general for Carps For Lobsters Chichester the chief Town of Sussex and Selsey so called qu. Isle of Seals or Sea-Calves in the same County the first for small ones but very Sweet and well Tasted the second for those esteemed not only because of their Goodness but also their Fulness and Largeness for Cockles the same Selsey For Oysters Colchester the chief Town of Essex and several places of Kent especially Whitstaple and Reculver which for Oysters of savoury saltness exceed all other parts of that County especially Reculver There is a sort of small Fish called a Pilchard commonly about the bigness of a Herring though I have heard say that in some parts
Christmass till Midsummer is of so Brackish a nature that all that time they boil great quantities of Salt out of it in Furnaces which for that end are erected near the Wells whereas all the rest of the year the water is so fresh that no Salt can be extracted out of it As for those Plants and Shrubs which are most peculiarly of the growth of England it would be too particular a Subject for this so general a Work to assign each its several place as there are very many places where this or that Herb Tree or Shrub hath as it were its peculiar nativity and education All the whole County of Buckingham is denominated from the great number of Beech-Trees there growing The Isle of Scalny in Pembrokeshire is almost all over grown with Wild-Time But there are some Plants which being of themselves not ordinary or common or of a more than common Vertue or Efficacy do so much the more signalize the places where they grow especially being the only noted places of their production The Saffron about Walden in Essex is so eminently reputed above the Saffron of any other parts that that Town is never mentioned but by the name of Saffron-Walden Pomfret in Yorkshire so called quasi Pontfract or Broken-Bridge besides its strong and stately Castle is noted for the great quantity of Liquorice that grows thereabout as also a sort of Plant called Skirworts whose Root is much esteem'd and Eaten by the Curious for a great delicacy by reason of its Richness and high Nourishment Nor is Worksop in Nottinghamshire less eminent for Liquorice Hallifax in the West-Riding of Yorkshire is noted for several things which we shall have occasion to make mention of elsewhere But among other things the Nuts growing thereabout are by way of eminency call'd Hallifax Nuts At Barklow in Essex there grows in great abundance an Herb bearing Red-Berries called Danewort from a Tradition that it sprang first from the Blood of the Danes On the Cliffs between Deal and Dover great plenty of Samphire grows Westward from Dengeness in Kent Pease spring up naturally in Clusters like Grapes and differ not much in Taste from common-field Pease Between Sandwich and the Isle of Thanet a kind of Hops is observed to grow naturally among the Beach and Pebbles Garlick is no where better nor more plentiful than at Stratton in Cornwall Several parts of Devonshire and Porbery most peculiarly in Somersetshire produce wild Strawberies in abundance no less noted is Axminster in Devonshire for Hurtleberries At Summervil near Chappel two Mile from Blanford in Dorcetshire on on the hither side of the River at Sturpain there is a most plentiful production of Madder how long this Plant hath been in England is uncertain but it is above 50 years since a considerable quantity of it was produced at Barn-Elms in Surry and Sir Nicholas Crisp sow'd several sorts of it as Crop-Madder Umber Ow and Pipe or flat Madder at Deptford in Kent which County affords plenty of Flax but the best Hemp is said to grow between Bemister and Birdport in Dorcetshire St. Foin or Holy-Hay was first brought out of France from about Paris and first sow'd at Copt-Hall in Kent Tamarisk was first brought over from Switzerland by Bishop Tindal in the days of Queen Mary from whose displeasure he fled and planted in his Garden at Fullham On the top of Pendle-hill in Lancashire there grows a Plant peculiar to that place called Cloudesberry probably for that it seems as it were to come out of the Clouds In the Fens of Cambridgeshire there is commonly gathered an Herb call'd Water-Germander in Latin Scordium which being the chief Ingredient consequently gives name to that great Alexipharmacon so much known and used among us called Diascordium About Glastenbury in Somersetshire there is plenty of Woad and at Cashalton in Surry of excellent Walnuts Of the Wonders and Rarities of England THe Wonders of England consist chiefly in Stones Caves Lakes Fountains Ditches and several prodigious Tumuli or Hillocks cast up by Art and Labour there was never doubtless heard of in any part of the World so miraculous a Monument of Stones for so it is generally supposed to be as that on Salisbury-Plain within six or seven Miles of Salisbury commonly called Stone-henge it appears to have been a treble row of Stones circularly plac'd one within another and rear'd streight up on end notwithstanding they are of a prodigious bigness that is to say 28 Foot long for the most part and 7 Foot broad besides others of a vast bulk though not so big as the upright ones which lye overthwart from one to another and are fastened with Tenent and Mortis but the form of this wonderful Structure is very much defac'd some of the greater Stones being either fallen or reclining towards the ground and many of the overthwart Stones being fallen how such huge Stones could be brought thither by whom and upon what occasion is disputed by Writers the most that hath been said on this Subject is written by Mr. Inigo Jones Surveyor General to King James and his late Majesty King Charles the first and Dr. Charleton both various and oft times contrary in their Opinions and possibly neither of them altogether in the right About half a dozen Mile further on the Plain towards Hungerford I have observed nor do I remember it to have been taken notice of by any one else a Stone of a great bulk but not above a Foot and a half in heighth from the ground which though of the same hardness and solidity with those above mentioned hath the top of it driven all over full of Nails of the largest size There is also a part of the Plain between Marleborough and Caun which being strew'd all over with Stones of a Grey colour is therefore called the Grey Weathers the least of these Stones being of a considerable bigness and some very large those of the ordinary size seeming to be of about half a dozen or half a score Pound weight one with another and here and there in some odd nooks a little out of the Road a large Stone reared up on end like those at Stone-henge and sometimes not much inferior in bulk In Staffordshire there is a Market-Town called Stone from a large heap of Stones cast up there as a Monumental mark of Infamy upon Wulpher the Mercian who in this very place sacrific'd to his Heathenish fury his two Sons Wulfald and Rufinus for no other cause than their imbracing the Christian Faith Near Burrowbridge a little Town in Yorkshire there are four Stones of a very vast bulk and Pyramidally shap'd suppos'd to be erected by the Romans in memory of some great Victory thereabouts obtain'd Upon the Hills near North-Tine in Northumberland though Boggy and full of water there are great heaps of Stones which some take for a Memorial of some great Battle there fought Near Enisham in the South part of Oxfordshire there are Stones called
Wretch or Ill-natur'd Churl will deny Relief to a person that through real and remediless want makes application to him So likewise among Nations that People that refuseth the Accomodation of their Country to their supplicant Neighbours who unjustly Banished their own Native Land or driven out by Persecution and Tyranny fly to them for Refuge must needs be the Inhabitants of a Beggarly and Unhospitable Soyl or be themselves a sort of Inhumane and Savage-Bores Our Kingdom God be thanked is sufficiently Fertile our Natives not accounted Ill-natured and for Room we have not only to spare but within the whole Circuit of England enough as we have said before to contain a far greater power of People twice if not thrice the number So that an accession of peaceable Strangers can be no injury may be a considerable benefit to us so that in being Charitable to others we shall be no losers our selves and never was there so important and seasonable an occasion offered as now for the receiving of Foraigners among us since never did any persecuted people so want our Entertainmen and Succour as at this time these our Protestant Neighbours who in their own Native Country and among the Professors of Christianity are denyed that Protection which living peaceably they could not doubt of among the severest of Turks or Ethnicks and all this for no other reason then denying to fall down before the obtruded Idol as the Israelites were dealt with in the days of the Tyrant Nebuchadnezzar But by Divine Providence it falls out happily to be at a time that England is govern'd by the most Just and Benevolent of Princes who out of his Concernment for the Protestant Religion and that innate Generosity and Clemency wherewith he delights to oblige all mankind hath by an Order of Councel of the _____ of September this present year 1681. promised all those that shall come over such ample Priviledges and Immunities as will much soften and allay their present Afflictions and in a great measure compensate for their being forc'd to abandon their Native habitations The last cannot be reasonably judg'd unfeasible and is certainly the most absolutely necessary since those many thousands of Unimployed persons burthens of the earth who presume they were only born to Eat and Drink are no better than so many Ciphers being perfectly lost to their Country Nay which is worse they may justly be reckoned as so many Vermine and Noxious Animals for Idleness it self cannot always subsist in its own station but oftentimes is forc'd upon Action but 't is the worst part of Action Mischief As admit a Nation never so thinly Inhabited and yet a Million of those Inhabitants prove utterly useless and unprofitable that Nation may well be said to be too Populous by that Million Insomuch as Cut-purse Pick-pocket House-breaker Highway-man and whatever besides can be imagin'd mischievous are but the several Metamorphoses of an Idle Liver and thus Idleness tends to a more fatal kind of Depopulation The unworking person indeed who in some sence may be said to be no person but dead to the service of his Country yet is capable of being quickned and inspir'd with the life of Action but the worker of Iniquity who is commonly the result of the unworking Person takes courses which tend to an irrevivable Destruction The first is but that Malefactor in Posse which the Thief and Robber is in Esse and doubtless were the Potential Maleficence which is Idleness severely inquired into and regulated by the Discipline of Law and Government so many of the Kings Subjects would not yearly at every Session and Assize as Essential Malefactors be made sad Examples of Justice and cut off from the Land of the Living to which in this World there is no return But what hath been said all this while of the unworking Person whom to compel to work that he may be kept from Starving and restrain from Stealing that he may be restrained from the Gallows is no Injurious but Charitable part of a Magistrate it is to be understood only of those narrow Soul'd Loiterers who being not worth a Groat in the World choose rather to go squandring up and down Beg Filch and be Lowsy than Honestly to get their Bread by cleanly Industry and wholesome Labour Whereas for him that hath enough to Live on who shall hinder him if he please and have the Conscience to be Idle and good for nothing at his own Charges As for those who are great in Money Lands or High Offices great also are their Priviledges for the World hath generally a very great favour and respect for such as flourish and are prosperous in it as well as contempt for the Poor and Unfortunate and except they shall unfortunately happen to become Envy'd-Favourites will be apt to have a favourable excuse for whatsoever is either omitted or committed by them However there is a real merit that cannot be denyed them which is that they have wherewithal to be serviceable to their King and Country A Rich man meerly as a Rich man must needs be acknowledged a useful person in his Generation especially if his Heart be answerable to his Purse or however where something is to be had there is a possibility of obtaining On the other side though it be just and rational to give Law to those who will not give Law to themselves to compel men to their own as well as the publick good to work that they may not Starve to do well that they may not suffer for doing ill It is not yet so consonant to reason that any one should be forc'd to performance though of things never so just above Ability or to make satisfactions out of nothing That the Idle and Industrious alike to satisfie the rigorous Justice of a Self-loving Creditor should for being Idle or Unfortunate be condemned to perpetual Idleness and Misfortune and for no other cause than not working Impossibilities be constrain'd to lie starving and stinking to death in a loathsom Gaol is a piece of Judiciality I do not understand and I verily believe that it is no less unjust for any one to be Cruel and Rigorous in the exacting of his Own from him that Hath not than for him that Hath to forbear the payment of what he Owes who also if not willing of himself may and ought to be made so by force and rigour Which may be inflicted otherwise than by Confinement for a Prison is least a punishment to those that most deserve it To conclude a too rigorous procedure either to Death or Imprisonment seems an over-acting in Justice and as it were tending much alike towards a kind of Depopulation there being no great difference between not to be at all and not to be at Liberty the first totally the second after a manner depriving the World of those whose Lives and Liberties might happily have been usefully enough spar'd for the Commonwealth Of the Manufactures of England MAnufacture is to the Body
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
make such a clutter in the Streets of London to the great disturbance of the poor Foot-Passenger is said to have first commenc'd about the year 1556. till when 't is to be presum'd that great Persons seldom stirr'd out but in fair weather whereas now all Seasons for Visits are alike otherwise the Cavalcade of Princes and Nobles on Horseback may doubtless afford the Beholder as comely a Spectacle as a long train of Coaches Together with the Coach or not long after I guess came in the Coaches Epitome the Sedan more elegantly styl'd a Chair a much more easie sort of passage as perform'd not by draught but carriage and that by the more rational sort of Animal But there is another kind of moving Domicil of much later date call'd a Calesh which seems like a Coach cut off in the middle wherein commonly the Driver and the Driven is one and the self-same person Watches and other horary Motions of that nature it is certain came out of Germany and according to the best conjecture somewhat more than a 100 years since The principal Artists of this kind mention'd are Janus Torrianellus and Cornelius van Drebble but since all kind of automatous Motions by Clock-work have been wonderfully improv'd by those of our own Nation particularly Mr Davie Mell besides his excellent judgement and fancy in Musical Compositions and his great performance on the Violin above all others of his Time for within these 20 years the very quintessence of that Instruments Musick hath been extracted as being chiefly in fashion was so prodigious an Artist in all Mechanick Motions by Clock-work that if any one since hath equall'd him in Art he hath at least fallen short in Fame But of all Inventions of this kind the Pendulum of latest date is also of greatest curiosity and use being generally acknowledg'd the Design of Mr Hook Fellow of the Royal Society a Person of much Esteem among the Learned and Vertuous for his Mathematical and Mechanick Improvements however Mr Oldenburg late Secretary to the said Society made some Dispute in this Matter as asserting it of German Original All sorts of Optick Glasses and Tubes as the Telescope the Invention of the noble Galileo the Microscope c. have been of late years wonderfully improv'd especially by the Directions of the fore-mention'd Mr Hook Mr Flamstead and others of this most renowned Fellowship But the first famous Artificer of these Tubes and Glasses was Mr Reeves in Long-acre after whom Mr Cock hath continued the Imployment with prosperous success and approbation The Barometer Thermometer Hydroscope and such like Contrivances for the discovery of the Change of Weather have certainly been the result of those unwearied Endeavours and Enquiries that have been made into the depth of Natural Knowledg since the foundation of this Noble Society And among the sagacious Enquirers into Meteorological Philosophy Dr Goad late Master of Merchant-Taylors-School must be allow'd a principal place But for the Air-Pump the rarest Invention ever found out for the proof of a Vacuum in rerum Natura it particularly owns the Honourable Robert Boil its Inventor who by his many Writings and Inventions hath been a Worthy Contributor to the Advancement of Experimental Philosophy The Art of Torning as it appears to have been not much less ancient in the World than Sculpture it self so doubtless it is not very Modern in this Nation But that curious Improvement of Torning call'd the Rose-work doubtless claims here but an Ages Antiquity The first celebrated Person for Work of this nature was Mr Reeve the Brother of the above-mention'd Artist in Optick Glasses And though this sort of Work hath since been very frequent among us yet I cannot omit the mention of a Person who from his own natural Fancy and Ingenuity hath arriv'd to that perfection as well in this as all manner of Torning else that he is judg'd by knowing Persons not to be exceeded if equall'd by any that have been bred up to the Art Mr John Gearie living in St Anns-Lane in Westminster Our Sculpture in Stone appears plainly not to be of Modern Invention or Discovery in this Nation by the delicate Workmanship in several of our Cathedrals and other Churches and in the Schools at Oxford and at this present time it is not any way diminish'd but rather improv'd by the Art and Industry of several eminent Men Mr Pierce Mr Latham Mr Pennel c. But for Carving in Wood never was any thing in England seen more curious and exquisite than the Workmanship of Mr Gibbons his Majesty's Carver and a great Contributer to the Ornaments of the Royal Palace at Windsor Graving in Copper seems not to have been brought to any perfection in England till this present Age. The first Person very eminent among us in this Art was Mr William Faithorn now living in Black-friers and since there have sprung up several other ingenuous Artists in this kind viz. Mr Loggan Mr White Mr Sherwin and others The best for Etching not only in England but perhaps in any other Parts was Mr Wenceslaus Hollar who died here not many years since But that rough sort of Graving or rather pecking upon Copper call'd Mezzo Tinto hath been us'd but lately being either the Design or Encouragement of his late Highness Prince Rupert There is also a peculiar Art in the graving of written Letters from the Copies of the most exact writing-Masters The first eminent in this way was Mr Cocker who was also himself a writing-Master to whom others that have succeeded have not been inferiour as Mr Sturt who grav'd the Copies of Mr Aires and Mr Elder who grav'd an ingenious Piece entituled Brachyarithmia of Mr Edw. Noon Teacher of Writing and Accounts at the Hand and Pen in Maiden-lane in Covent-Garden For Graving in Steel never was any Man so famous in England as Mr Thomas Rawlins last Graver of the Mint both to his late and to his present Majesty the grand Excellency of whose Art was his graving the Effigies of any one true and exact upon a small Letter-Seal As for Painting our Nation can boast nothing like the Works of the great Sir Anthony Vandike who though born a Foreigner died an Englishman Nor hath he wanted several famous Successors as Dobson Fuller Walker Lillie Greenhill c. The first Person famous among us for Painting in Miniature was Mr Oliver after whom Francis Clein and his Brother John had been the Prodigies of the Age had they lived Mr Cooper's loss comes next to be lamented the Persons living are Mr Gibson Mr. Flattman c. For Crayons or dry Colours Mr. Ashfield lately deceas'd Scene-Paintings and Machines have not been known in England till within these 20 years and the only eminent Men in this kind have been Mr. Streeter and Mr. Stevenson some years since deceased In Musick it would be too tedious to determine whether the Improvement or Alteration hath been greater Certain it is that several old English Instruments are laid
aside as the Orpharian the Polyphone an Instrument surely not to be despis'd considering its rare Structure and the Esteem had of it by learned and therefore most judiciously Musical Persons of this Age viz. Sir Francis Prujean and Dr. Rugely The Stump whereon about an Age ago Andrew Mark was famous for his rare performance The Bandore the Ghittern Cittern c. The treble Viol also is much out of doors since the Violin came so much in request The Base and Lyra Viol in the making whereof Wroth was without dispute the best Workman that ever wrought keep pretty well in repute especially the first in regard it cannot well be wanted in Consort Nor did ever any Age produce such wonderful Performers upon this Instrument as this present Age particularly Pol-wheel Theodore Stephkins deceas'd his Son Frederick Mr. Young Sir John Bolls of Scampton in Lincolnshire Mr. Roger l'Estrange Mr. Smith Mr. Gregory c. The Lute is not wholly laid aside but within these 20 or 30 years much neglected to what it was formerly notwithstanding the great Improvement of this Instrument among us within a 100 years by reason of the diversity of Tunings receiv'd from France some of whose best Lute-Masters brought over not only these Harp-tunings but themselves also and by their active Hands and airy Fancies oblig'd the Musick-lovers of our Nation with transcendant Harmony viz. Goutier Penel Merceur Mesanges Du Faulx c. after whom of our own Nation came Mr. Goutier's Scholar Captain Hill Dr. No Mr. John Hubbard and Mr. John Wootton now living And no less famous in their kind that is for Workmanship were old Allaby and Walter Johnson But the fine easie Ghittar whose performance is soon gain'd at least after the brushing way hath at this present over-topt the nobler Lute Nor is it to be denied but that after the pinching way some good Work may be made of the Ghittar by such as Sir Francesco Corbetto Mr. Janvier Signor Pedro Mr. Wootton aforemention'd and the like Nevertheless the Theorbo which is no other than an Arch-Lute keeping to the old Tuning is still generally made use of in Consorts And there are yet among the judicious who think it the most agreeable and becoming Associate to vocal Musick remembring how nobly it sounded in the Hands of Dr. Wilson Mr. Henry Ferabosco Mr. Edward Coleman Mr. Alphonso Marsh lately deceased c. Play'd on alone never did it speak such harmonious things in our English Climate as when touch'd by the famous Dr. Walgrave Physician at present to his Royal Highness to whom Mr. Shadwell comes nearest for an excellent Hand For Consort our chief Theorbo-men at this day are Mr. Brockwell and Mr. Flower The Organ cannot well be laid aside as being an Instrument of highest perfection and the most proper of all others for Cathedral Service What Antiquity it challenges in our Nation is uncertain but as no Nation can boast of greater Masters than old Bull Tomkins Jeffreys Dr. Gibbons Dr. Child Mr. Matthew Lock and at present Dr. Bleau Organist to his Majesty Mr. Henry Pursel Organist to the Abbey Mr. Michael Wise Mr. Francis Forcer c. so it hath been wonderfully advanc'd of late years by the addition of several melodious Stops the greatest Artist at present not to mention Pease Burral and others of late years being Mr. Smith living in the So-ho The Harpsicon is of late wonderfully improv'd by the Invention of the Pedal which brings it so much nearer to the Organ that it only seems to come short of it in Lungs The greatest Master on it now living in our Region especially since the decease of Mr. Thatcher is Mr. Disnier and the greatest Fabricator Mr. Howard And here also may not unfitly be mention'd that pretty Fancy of a Musical Automaton being a kind of Harpsicon which by a Clock-work-motion discharcheth a certain set number of Tunes according as it is wound up to this or that Tune Of this sort of Automata there is to be seen a very neat piece of Art of Reed-work at a House at St Mary-overs-Dock the Artificer thereof Mr. Thomas Hill of Westminster being a Person of remarkable Ingenuity as well Musical in respect of his performance as Mechanical for making of several other Instruments His Pitch-Pipe for the tuning of Musical Instruments to consort Pitch is particularly worthy note for exactness variety and curious Work above any thing that is to be seen elsewhere of this nature The Harp is rather increas'd than diminish'd in repute and though the Welsh Gut-string formerly gave place to the Irish Wire-string by reason of the masterly Hands of Mr. John Cob and Mr. Lewis Williams now the Spanish Gut-string comes up with it through the excellent Mastery of Mr. Maurice Mr. Evans Mr. Bedhurst Mr. Webster Mr. Robert Grant living with my Lord Mountague and for the Outlandish way of Playing Mr. Arn. The Violin is now of all others generally of highest esteem and is indeed a very useful Instrument in Consort and now arriv'd to that perfection of performance that it were endless to enumerate all that have been of late accounted great Violin-Masters Wherefore let the mention of Farmer Twiss Ailworth Ayrs Claiton Tomlins serve for all The best Workmen for the making of this Instrument have been accounted Comer Raimund Florence Barnet Of Wind-Instruments the Flageolet within this 20 years and since that the Flute have been highest in vogue and frequentest in use The chiefest Performers on it being Mr. Banister Mr. Sutton Mr. Young Mr. Car the chiefest Artisans Mr. Scottny in Lincolns-Inn-fields But for all sorts of Musical Instruments in general the Violin the Base and Lyra Viol the Harp the Ghittar the Lute even the Flageolet and Flute not altogether excepted Mr. John Shaw living near the May-pole in the Strand is acknowledg'd by the most skilful in Musick of all sorts to be a Workman in a great measure superiour to any that have been in this Nation Nor have the Cremona Violins or Loxmollar Lutes been lately of such excessive prices as formerly For Pegs for Lutes Viols c. Mr. Bland is reported the only Man at present that serves all the Instrument-makers in Town It is not very many years since the several sorts of fine Varnish have come into knowledge and use among us which give so beautiful a gloss to Musical Instruments Cabinets Tables Picture-frames and the like so that many of our varnish'd Cabinets may vye even with those of Japan and China themselves their ways of Varnish being now not altogether unknown unto us whereof the rarest of all is accounted that of Ceo. The first Persons eminent for Varnishing were Mr. Lilly and Mr. Racket since whom it is grown very common But that noble Lacka-varnish which imitates the Gold-colour and hath sav'd much cost that was formerly bestow'd in the guilding of Coaches was brought into England about 30 years since by the learned Advancer of Learning and all Noble Arts and my best of Friends Mr.
Evelin of Says-Court by Deptford The Bow-dy about 40 years since was brought into England by Kephler Our Tapistry-work now equal to whatever the Attalick-Court could anciently boast was brought in hither by Sir Francis Crane towards the latter end of K. James his Reign by the Encouragement of that learned Prince who gave 2000 l. toward the building of a House at Moreclack where Mr. Francis Clein was the first Designer Our Vasa Fictilia or Potters-Ware by the Art and Industry of Mr. Doight at Fullam are brought to that height of Curiosity that our common Vessels may easily out-vye the Dutch and the finest come not much short of China it self The making of Glasses is said to have been begun in England anno 1557. about which time there liv'd at Chiddingsfold a Person very famous for this Art which as it grew improv'd the finer sort were first made at Crotchet-friers but the making of the Flint-Glass which is the finest and clearest ever made here and very near if not altogether equal to those of Venice was first begun by Mr. Bishop and since carried on with good success by Mr. Ravenscroft There is now a Company of 12 Men of the Potters Trade who are Directors of this sort of Workmanship chiefly exercis'd at present at the Savoy-House in the Strand But the first Glass-plates for Looking-glasses Coach-windows c. in England were made at Lambeth now about 10 years since by the Encouragement of his Grace the Duke of Buckingham and the Direction of Mr. Reeves afore-mention'd The first in England who cast brass Guns viz. Cannons Culverines c. is said to have been one John Oaven after him Peter Band a Frenchman in the first year of the Reign of K. Edw. the VI. cast iron Falcons Falconets Minions c. but was exceeded by his Servant Thomas Johnson who liv'd till the year 1600. In Gunsmiths-work there hath been of late years discover'd a very large increase of Art and Ingenuity as to the Locks and Barrels of Muskets Carbines Pistols and the like In which sort of Artifice there have been many excellent Workmen whereof at this day Mr. Shaw and Giffard Gunsmiths to his Majesty and Mr. Sharp living in Exeter-street are esteem'd the chiefest Artists of London and by consequence in all probability of England Another principal branch of Smiths-work is the making of Locks and Keys in which nothing was ever seen so curious and ingenuous as what is done at this day by Mr. Wilkins Mathematical Instruments as Compasses Quadrants Rulers are most certainly now more exquisitely made than ever Herein Mr. Foster in Hosier-lane and Mr. Hays in Moor-fields were lately the most celebrated Workmen now Mr. Markham in the Strand and Mr. Winne in Chancery-lane The Projection of Globes Spheres and Maps is without controversie now more exactly understood than formerly through the Ingenuity first of Mr. Moxon now of Mr. Berry near Charing-Cross and Mr. Mordant in Cornhil Nor is there without all doubt in all things of this nature a better Graver than Mr. Lamb. And here may not unfitly be mention'd the new Invention of an Iron Pen which besides its lastingness is equally fit for use with the best Goose-Quill whatsoever By Mr. Smith Writing-Master to Christ-Church-Hospital Having spoken of Printing it will not be unseasonable to intimate how much Letter-founding hath been advanc'd of late S. Savil's silver Character for the printing of his Chrysostom was much admir'd at that time but of late we have had many Books printed in very delicate Characters both small and great especially the fine small Greek Character in which several Greek Poets have been printed at the Theatre at Oxford is so curious that nothing can be more not excepting the fine small Prints of Amsterdam or Leyden It would be endless to reckon up all the new Allamodes of Cloths Stuffs Silks Ribbands and the like But of the many curious Pieces in Wax-work Straw-work Acupiction in Silks and Sattins cutting of Paper Cloth or fine Leather into exquisite Figures folding of Napkins into the shapes of Birds Beasts or Fishes tho Ingenuity of former Ages as to most of these Artifices hath perhaps not receiv'd much addition Though in Wax there are to be seen very curious things of late Workmanship which possibly have arriv'd to utmost Improvement For Imbossment in Wax Mr. Houseman was certainly the best Artist that hath been known in these Parts The rich Embroidery of former Times as will appear to those who visiting the Houses of the old Nobility and Gentry behold the pompous Furniture left by the Ancestry of those Families is as I conjecture not easily out-done if equall'd by any thing this Age can produce The Art of making fine white Thread is said to have been brought into England about the year 1670. by Mr. Joseph Allen Citizen and Merchant-Taylor of London keeping a Thread-shop in Bishopgate-street at the Golden Anchor near Bethlehem even to the value of 3 l. the pound and vying with the Nuns Thread of Flanders The Glassen Bee-hive is mention'd by my Ingenious Friend Mr. John Worlidge of Petersfield to have been the Contrivance of Mr. William Mew Minister of Easlington in Gloucestershire He also mentions a wooden Hive of an Octangle form with a glass Window in one of the sides This glassen Bee-hive I remember about 30 years ago was much talk'd of as a great Rarity when the late Bishop of Chester Dr. Wilkins had of them in his Garden at Wadham-Colledg whereof he was then Warden both sorts are now sufficiently common but they are no where to be seen better order'd and more curious than at Mr. Evelin's Paradice of a Garden by Deptford The Plow though as ancient as Tillage it self the Improvements are but of late years The chief whereof mention'd by Mr. Blith and Mr. Worlidge are the single wheel'd Plow and the double wheel'd Plow and the double Plow which is in the nature of two Plows joyn'd together Mr. John Houghton also worthily for his great Ingenuity and Industry a Fellow of the Royal Society in that most useful Design of his call'd A Collection of Letters for the Improvement of Husbandry inserts an Invention of Thomas Llewellin at the George in Cateaten-street for plowing with one Man and two Horses or Oxen a greater quantity of Land than can be perform'd at the same time with double the number of Men and Cattel He also in the same Sheet gives a large description of a Malt-kill at Nottingham Engines of grand bulk force and performance are doubtless near as ancient as whatever Art or Invention have produc'd being of too great necessity to be unthought of by any thinking or inventing People Cranes and Engines for the drawing up of Goods of great bulk and weight such as we have at the Custom-house and such like Places are mention'd in ancient Authors Also in War the Arcubalistae and the Arietes or Battering-Rams which against the Walls of besieged Towns did more than multitudes of Men.
security Nor is its Minster the least considerable among the Cathedrals of England for Structure besides the Monuments of Antiquity therein elsewhere mention'd Bath besides the Magnificence of its publick Bagno's is sufficiently recommendable for its private Buildings the Streets thereof when the season of the year renders them least frequented seem to represent a kind of solemn and majestick Solitude as may be fancy'd in several of those Towns and Cities of Italy which consist of splendid Buildings but thinly inhabited Durham consists of good handsom old fashion'd Buildings but for publick Structures besides its Church it chiefly boasts the Castle built there by K. William the Conqueror which advanceth its Head loftily upon a high Hill Lincoln is also one of the noblest Cities of England It hath at this day 15 Parish-Churches besides the Great Church yet seems it but the Epitome of what it was anciently for it is deliver'd to have had no less than 50 Parish-Churches was wonderful populous and well traded and hath been adorn'd with many fair and ample Buildings as well Monasteries as others as appears by the Ruines in which something of Magnificence is to be observ'd Winchester is a City pleasantly situated in a Valley and walled about with a strong Wall one thousand eight hundred and eighty paces in circuit and entred by six Gates on the East-side runs the River and on the West-side stands a strong Castle It hath seven Parish-Churches and a good old large Minster besides the Ruines of certain Monasteries and other publick Buildings moreover the Colledge and School may be reckon'd among the Ornaments of this Place though not standing in the City but about half a mile out of the Town Coventry is a City particularly noted by Speed for statelyness of Building and was encompass'd with a strong and stately Wall which with the Walls of several other Towns was pull'd down since his Majesty's Restoration The Walls had 13 Gates for Entrance and 18 Towers for Ornament but that which was heretofore the greatest Ornament of this City was that stately Structure of a Cross which was among the number of those erected to the memory of Queen Elianor and the most magnificent of all next to that of Cheapfide in London with which it underwent the same Fate that is to be demolish'd by the zealous multitude the most lewd reformers of Lewdness and the most superstitious haters of Superstition Ipswich besides that it is the Shire-Town of Suffolk is also generally accounted the principal Town of England and were it dignified with the title of City would be equal to many inferior to few of the Cities of this Nation It hath 12 Parish-Churches yet standing besides 6 fall'n to decay and several fair Streets full of goodly and substantial Buildings and a very commodious Haven St Edmondsbury in the same County excepting what it wants in ampleness of Circuit comes very near in other respects especially if we reckon the Grandeur of its once famous Monastery of which there yet remains something of it very great and stately But to sum up the Glory of this Place it will be sufficient to repeat what Speed quotes from Leyland viz. The Sun hath not seen a City so he calls it more finely and delicately seated upon an ascent of a Hill having a River running on the East-side nor was there ever a more noble Abbey either for Revenues or incomparable Magnificence in whose Circuit appeareth rather a City than a Monastery so many Gates for Entrance and some of Brass so many Towers and a most glorious Church upon which attend three others standing all in the same Church-yard all of them passing fine and of a curious Workmanship Maidston is pleasantly seated upon the River Medway and for a meer Town is reputed the handsomest and most flourishing of all Kent Feversham is also to be noted not only for its Antiquities but likewise for its pleasant and commodious Situation Kingston upon Thames so call'd to distinguish it from the other Kingston upon Hull stands very pleasantly and makes a fine Prospect upon the River Thames It hath a very fair and spacious Market-place and hath been in former Ages a Place of no mean Repute at least springs from such a one as will appear by what we shall have occasion to speak of it elsewhere Guilford comes here to be mention'd only as a pleasant and well built Town to which may be added that for the bigness there is scarce any other Place to compare with it for number of fair and large Inns so that this Town and Kingston Southwark being annext to London may pass for the two chief Towns of Surry Lewis is esteemed worthily to stand in competition with the City Chichester it self for largeness populousness and fair Building at least it is far surpassing all the other Towns of Sussex Colchester which Speed honours with the title of City is pleasantly situated upon the River Coln hath a Wall of 1980 paces in compass raised upon a high Trench and enter'd by 6 Gates and 3 Posterns Westward and being also adorn'd with 9 Watch-Towers within the circuit of which Walls there are 8 Parish-Churches besides 2 without Eastward an old strong Castle stands upon a strong Trench and upon another Trench hard by are to be discern'd the Ruines of an ancienter Castle and though there are some other noted Towns in this Shire as Maldon Chelmsford c. yet this Colchester however no City may well enough be allow'd to merit the Character it hath viz. of Shire-Town of Essex Buckingham is pleasantly seated upon the River Ouse with which it is altogether surrounded except on the North-side 3 fair Stone-Bridges giving entrance over the River and though but a Town hath the credit to be both the denominating and principal Town of the Shire Ailesbury of the same County is a Town well enough for Building and the handsomness of its Market-place but that which makes it most perspicuous is that it stands in the midst of most delightful Meads and Pastures and the whole Vale which being one of the pleasantest and fertilest of England is perhaps one of the pleasantest and fertilest of Europe is thence denominated the Vale of Ailesbury Reading a very ancient Town and as Leland and others observe excelling all other Towns in Barkshire as well for fair Streets and sightly Buildings as the Wealth of the Townsmen Cambridge a Town not despicable for its own proper Buildings were the Situation as little liable to exception but borrowing its chief Magnificence from the lustre of those 16 Colledges and Halls which shine like so many Gems about it yet far more illustrious by those bright Lamps of Learning which from this Place have shot their Lights into the World The most eminent Structure of all the rest in Cambridge is Kings-Colledge-Chappel but there is now a Library building in this University which it is thought will be able to compare with any of the best Buildings of this Age but
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
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
from Forraign parts where the State of Husbandry was not changed And thus I have done with the first Principal Conclusion That a small Territory and even a few people may by Situation Trade and Policy be made Equivalent to a far greater and that conveniences 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 IF the money or other Effects levied from the people by way of Tax were destroyed and annihilated then it is clear that such levies would diminish the Common-Wealth or if the same were exported out of the Kingdom without any return at all then the case would be also the same but if what is levied as aforesaid be only Transferred from one Hand to another then we are only to consider whether the said money or Commodities are taken from an improving Hand and given to an ill Husband or vice versa as for Example suppose money by way of Tax be taken from one who spendeth in Superfluous Eating and Drinking and delivered to another who imploys the same in improving of Lands in Fishing in working of Mines and Manufacture c. it is manifest that such Tax is an advantage to the State whereof the said different Persons are members nay if money be taken from him who spendeth the same as aforesaid upon Eating and Drinking or any other Perishing Commodities and Transferred to one who bestowed it on Cloaths I say that even in this case the Common-Wealth has some little advantage because Cloaths do not perish altogether so soon as Drinks but if spent in Furniture of Houses the advantage is yet little more if in Building of Houses yet more if in improving of Lands working of Mines and Fishing yet more but most of all in bringing Gold and Silver into the Country because those things are not only perishable but are esteemable for Wealth at all times and every where whereas other Commodities which are Perishable or whose value depends upon the Fashion or which are Contingently scarce and plentiful are Wealth pro hic nunc as has been elsewhere said in the next Place if the People of any Country who have not already a full imployment should be injoyned or Taxed to work upon such Commodities as are imported from abroad I say such a Tax does also improve the Common-Wealth moreover if Persons who live by Begging Cheating Stealing Gaming Borrowing without intention of Restoring who by these ways do get from the Credulous and careless more then is Sufficient for the Subsistance of such Persons I say that tho the State should have no present imployment for such Persons and consequently should be forced to clear the whole charge of their lively-hood yet it were more for the Publick Profit to give all such Persons a regular and Competent allowance by a Publick Tax then to suffer them to spend extravagantly at the only charge of careless and credulous and good natured People and to expose the Common-Wealth to the loss of so many other men whose lives are taken away for the crimes which ill Discipline does occasion on the contrary if the Stocks of Laborious and ingenious men who are not only Beautifying the Country where they live by Elegant Diet Apparel Furniture Housing Pleasant Gardens and Orchards and Publick Edifices c. but also are increasing the Gold and Silver and Jewels thereof by Trade and Armes I say if the Stock of these men should be Diminished by a Tax and Transferred to such as do nothing at all but to Eat Drink Sing Play Dance nay to such as Study the Metaphysicks or other needless Speculations or else imploy themselves in any other way which produceth no material thing or things of real use and value in the common Wealth in this case the Wealth of the Publick will be diminished otherwise then as such exercises are Recreations and Refreshments of the minds and which being moderately used do qualify and dispose men to what in it self is more considerable Wherefore upon the whole matter to know whether a Tax will do good or harm the State of the People and of their Imployments must be well known that is to say what part of the People are unfit for Labour by their impotency and infancy and also what part are exempt from the same by reason of their Wealths Function or Dignities by reason of their charge and imployments otherwise Governing Directing and Preferring those who are appointed to Labour and Arts. In the next place Computations must be made what part of those who are fit for Labour and Arts as aforesaid are able to perform the Work of the Nation in it's present State and Measure 3. It is to be considered whether the remainder can make all or any part of these Commodities which are imported from abroad which of them and how much in particular the remainder of such Sort of People if any be may safely and without possible prejudice to the Common-Wealth be imployed in Arts and Exercises of Pleasure and Ornament the greatest whereof is the improvement of Natural Knowledge Having in general illustrated this Point which I think needs no other Proof but illustration I come next to intimate that no part of Europe has paid so much by way of Tax as Holland and Zealand for these last Forty years and yet no Country has in the same time increased comparably to them and it is manifest they have followed the general rates above-mentioned for they Tax Meats and Drinks most heavily of all to restrain the excessive expence of those things which twenty four hours do's as to the use of man wholly annihilate and they are more Favourable to Commodities to the greater duration nor do they tax according to what men gain but in extraordinary cases but alwaies according to what men spend and most of all to what they spend needlesly and without Prospect of return upon which Grounds their Customs upon Goods imported and exported are generally low as if they intended by them only to keep an Account of what Forreign Trade and to retaliate upon their Neighbours States the prejudices done them by their Prohibition and Imposition It is farther to be observed that since thâ— year 1636 the Taxes and Publick Levies made in England Scotland and Ireland have been Prodigiously greater then at any time heretofore and yet the said Kingdoms have increased in their Wealth and Strength for these last Forty years as shall hereafter be shewn it is said that the French King doth at present levy the Fifth part of his peoples Wealth and yet great Obstructions is made of the present Riches and Strength of that Kingdom altho great care must be had in distinguishing between the Wealth of the people and that of an absolute Monarch who taketh from the people where when and in what Proportion he pleaseth the Subjects of two Monarchs may be equally Rich and yet one
Monarch may be double as Rich as the other viz. If one take the Tenth part of the Peoples Substance to his own dispose and the other Twentyeth nay the Monarch of a poor people may appear more splendid and glorious then that of a Richer which perhaps may be somewhat the case of France as hereafter shall be examined As an Instance and Application of what has been said I conceive that in Ireland wherein is above one hundred thousand people near three hundred thousand Smoaks or Hearths it were more tolerable for the people and more profitable for the King that each head paid two Shillngs-worth of Flax then that each Smoke should pay two Shillings in Silver and yet for these following Reasons 1. Ireland being under-Peopled and Cattle and Land very cheap store of Fish and Fowl the Ground yielding every where excellent Roots and particularly that bread like Root-Potatoes and withal they being able to perform their Husbandry with such Harness and Tackling as each man can make living in such Houses as almost every man can Build and every Houswife being a Spinner and Dyer of Wool and Yarn they can live and Subject after their present Fashions without the use of Gold and Silver money and can supply themselves with necessaries above named without Labouring two Hours per diem Now it has been found by reason of insolvencies arising rather from the uselesness then want of Money amongst these poor People that from 300000 Hearths which should have yielded 30 thousand pounds not much above 15000 thousand pounds of money could be levied whereas it is easily imagined that 4 or 5 People dwelling in that Cottage which has but one Smoke could easily have Planted a ground-Plat of 40 Foot Square with Flax or the 50th part of an Acre for so much ground will bear eighth or Ten Shillings-worth of that Commodity and the rent of so much ground in few places amounts to a Penny nor is there any skill requisite to this Practice wherewith the Country is not already Familiar Now as for a Merchant for the said Flax there is imported into Holland it self over and above what the Country produces as much Flax as is there sold for between eighth Score and 200000 pound And into England and Ireland is imported as much Linnen Cloth made of Flax and there Spent as is worth above half a Million of money as hereafter shall be shewn Wherefore having shewn that Silver money is useless to the poor People of Ireland that half the Hearth-money could scarce be raised by Reason thereof that the People are ⅕ part imployed that the People and Land of Ireland are competently qualifyed for Flax that one Penny-worth of Land will produce Ten Shillings-worth of the same and that there is Market enow and enow for above 100000 pounds-worth I conceive my Proposition sufficiently proved at least to set forward and promote a practice especially since if all the Flax so produced should yield nothing yet there is nothing lost the same time having been worse spent before upon the same Ground the like Tax of two Shillings per head may be raised with the like advantage from the People of England which would amount to Six hundred thousand pounds per Annum to be paid in Flax manufactured into all sorts of Linens Threds Tapes and Laces which we now receive from France Flanders Holland and Germany the value whereof does far exceed the sum last mentioned as has appeared by the examination of Particulars It is observed by Clothiers and others who imploy great numbers of poor people that when Corn is extreamly plentiful the Labour of the Poor is Proportionably dear and Scarce to be had at all So licentious are they who Labour only to Eat or rather to Drink wherefore when so many Acres of Corn as do usually produce sufficient store for the Nation shall produce perhaps double to what is exported or necessary it seems not unreasonable that this common Blessing of God should be imployed to the common good of the People represented by their Sovereign much less that the same should be abused by the vile and brutish part of Mankind to the prejudice of the Common-Wealth and consequently that such Surplusage of Corn should be sent to Publick Store-Houses from thence to be disposed of to the best advantage of the Publick Now if the Corn spent in England at five Shilings per Bushel Wheat and two Shillings six Pence Barley be worth 10,000,000 It follows that in Years in great Plenty when the said Grains are ⅓ part cheaper that a vast advantage might accrue to the Common-Wealth which now is spent in once feeding the People in quantity or quality and so in disposing them to their usual Labour The like may be said of Sugar Tobacco and Pepper which Customs has now made necessary to all sorts of People and with overplanting them has made unreasonably cheap I say it is not absurd that the Publick should be advantaged by this Extraordinary Plenty That an Excise should be laid upon Corn also is not unreasonable not only for this but for other Reasons The way of the present Militia or train-Bands in a Gentle Tax upon the Country because it is only a few Days Labour in the Year of a few in respect of the whole using their own Goods that is their own Armes Now if there be 300,0000 of Males in England there be above 200,000 of them who are between the Age of sixteen and thirty unmarryed Persons and who live by their Labour and Service for of so many the present Militia consists and if 150,000 of these were Armed and trained as Foot and 50000 as Horse the said Force at Land together with 30,000 men at Sea would by Gods ordinary Blessing defend the Nation being an Island against any force in view but the charge of Arming disciplining and rendevouzing all their men twice or thrice a Year would be a very Gentle Tax levied by the People themselves and paid to themselves Moreover if out of the said number ⅓ part were selected of such as are more then ordinary fit for War and exercised and rendevouzed fourteen or fifteen times per Annum the charge thereof being but a fortnights pay in the Year would be also a very Gentle Tax Lastly if out of this last mentioned number ¼ again should be selected making 16,000 Foot and 6000 Horse to be Exercised and rendevouzed forty Days in the Year I say that the charge of all these three Militia's allowing the latter six Weaks pay per Annum would not cost per Annum above 120,000 pounds which I take to be so easie a burthen for so great a Benefit Forasmuch as the present Navy of England requires 36,000 men to man it and for that the English Trade of Shipping requires about 48,000 men to manage it it follows that there ought to be about 48,000 competently qualifyed for these Services for want whereof we see it is a long while before a
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
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
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-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
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