An Essay
AN
ESSAY
To the Restoring of our decayed
TRADE.
That I may proceed in as good an Order
as I can, (although I cannot pretend
to Learning, or Ability to Compose
a Book in a Methodical way,) but do
wish that such a task as this, had been
undertaken by some other, that might
have been able abundantly better to
have mannaged it, to satisfaction of the
Reader; Yet by reason of my former imployment in the
Trade of a Cloathier, and afterwards in the Office of Surveyor
of one of the Ports of this Kingdom, at the Custom-House,
I am experimentally enabled to speak to those things,
which shall follow.
[Pg 2]
And if there fall not out such an Harmonious Order,
in the ensuing Discourse, by the necessary connection, or
orderly introduction of one thing to another, as might be
expected, (as before in my Epistle so again,) I do humbly
beg the best and most favorable construction, and censure
of the matter; for having in my breast, the true heart, and
Spirit of an English-Man, for his King and Country;
I cannot bear with those dayly abuses, and evil practices,
so frequently and notoriously put upon the King and Kingdom,
but that I do reckon my self Obliged, in all duty and
good conscience to my King and Country, to make them
as publiquely known and manifest as I can, and then leave
the Remedies, to be provided and answerably applied, by
the Ministers of State, which I hope in a short time will be
effected.
The Advantage
by the
Manufacture of
Wooll.
And here I shall endeavour, First, to make it to appear,
that there is no Nation nor Kingdom in the World, that
hath those advantages, whereby to inrich themselves, as this
our Kingdom of England, by the Manufacture of our
Wooll, and consequently to maintain our strength, and
Honor; omitting to speak of many other staple Commodities,
of this our Kingdom, though many Rich and Profitable,
because I am intended to Treat principally about the
Subject of Wooll, and the Manufactures thereof with the
dependancies thereupon.
Now that such advantages as might accrue to the Kingdom
are not laid hold on, and the Commodities improoved
to what it might be, is too too evident to all men, that have
any feeling of the case, or that do make any inspection into
it; which may also be sufficiently confirmed to all others,
by the sad complaints, and frequent moanes, that are dayly
made concerning the miserable decay of Trade, to the great
loss of many perticuler men, and to the King, and Nation
in General, and principally in the Trade of Cloathing.
[Pg 3]
But if the Wooll of England, and Ireland were improoved
to the best advantages, and secured from exportation
to Forreigners, doubtless England would be the
General Market for the whole Universe, for matter of
Cloathing, and what would soon be the Riches, greatness,
and Splendor thereof, (by the Almighties blessing)
is not a thing very difficult to be imagined, by any sober
judicious Person, Merchant, or Traveller.
No Wool so
good as
English.
And that no Nation hath such good Wooll, for the general
Trade of Cloathing is evident, elce what makes so many
Forreigners of other Nations, so greedy of our English
Wooll, if they had as good, or near as good of their own,
and how highly was it formerly esteemed, by the Dukes
of Burgundy, and what benefit and advantage did that
People under his government make of it; when they paid
but sixpence the pound for our English Wooll, they returned
it to us in Cloath at Ten shillings the Yard; by
which may very easily be computed, what profit did redound
to that people, in the working up the Wooll, which
thing occasioned many English Families, to transport themselves
into those parts, for their profitable livelihood and
subsistence.
Cloathing
set up in
England.
But after the Victorious Conquest, made by Edward the
third, of Famous Memory, he caused to be ordered and set
up the Manufactures of Wooll in this Kingdom, to the
great increase of the Riches of his own People; the memory
of whom, for his provident care for the wellfare of
his People; is worthy to be perpetuated to all succeeding
Generations.
Forreigners
do covet
our Wooll.
And what now a days makes Holland, and France, so
covetous of our Wooll, and what large quantities by sinister
meanes, do they procure to serve themselves, and their
Countries; and what Riches do they acquire to themselves
thereby, may in some measure be guessed at, for by having
our good English Wooll, they can mix their own course[Pg 4]
Wooll with it, and so make good Cloath, or Stuffes, which
otherwise they could not do.
To instance perticulerly in the French, it is taken for
granted, and sufficiently known, that their Wooll is very
course, and of it self fit for little, but to make a sort of
Cloath which is worn by Sea-men, and Fisher-men, &c.
But by the help of our good Wooll, they make very good
work, and send to other parts of the World their druggets,
&c.
Much
French
Wooll
wrought up
by mixing
with ours.
And by having our good English Wooll, they can spend
two or three Packs of their own Wooll, mixing it with ours,
by which meanes they make their Cloath and Stuffes pass
very acceptably, both among themselves, and other Nations.
Yea we our selves in England not being so wise, as
we should be, for our own advantage, do buy the French
druggets, &c. Made of our Wooll, mixed with theirs, and
give great Prices for them too, when we do, or at least may
make better of our own.
The care then being taken for granted, that English
Wooll is the best, and most fit for Cloathing, Stuffes,
Stockins, &c.
How necessary may it be rationally supposed then, for
our own People to be imployd in the working up our own
Wooll, and how many thousands would be imploy’d of the
Poorer sort of people, about such work, who might thereby,
gain to themselves a very comfortable living, and free
the Kingdom from those great burdens in maintenance of
the Poor; they being able by their Labour, (if Imploy’d)
comfortably to provide for themselves; for it is not the
numerous multitude of people in a Kingdom, or Common
Wealth, that makes it to be Poor, that they cannot live one
by another, but the contrary, if all were imploy’d, and set
at work, as there is imployment enough to be had, they
would prove the especial meanes, to make a Kingdom Rich;
as may be clearly instanced by the Dutch, how many scores
of thousands of their Poor people are imployed about the[Pg 5]
Herring Fishing, which makes them very Rich, and brings
in yearly, near two Millions of Money, or other commodities
necessary for the Land, which are equivalent to
Money, besides what they spend in the Land; this may
seem to some to be a thing incredible, but I am able to make
it cleare to any intelligent Person.
Poverty for
want of
Imploy.
Thus then by the neglect of our own Manufactures of
our Wooll, flowes in like an inundation, the poverty of the
Land; and hence arise those sad complaints, that fill every
mans Eares, throughout the Kingdom, Alas! What shall
we do to live, we have no Imployment; for if the Trade of
the world abroad, for Cloath and Stuffes, &c. Be supplied
from other Lands, which make their Cloath and Stuffes of
our English Wooll, being Clandestinely Transported into
Forreign parts; our English Trade for that commodity,
must answerably decay; and if the English Merchant hath
not vent for that commodity abroad, to other Nations, the
Country Cloathier must strike off in a great measure, and
consequently many of the Poor work folkes, are answerably
taken off from their imployments, which formerly
for many years, they had been exercised in, and so having
no work, they get no Money, and so are reduced to a begging
condition, or worse: these things are to be discerned
clearly, without the help of a Perspective-Glass, by those
that are in any measure intelligent in Politique affaires.
Thus the profit of the Poor, that they should get to
themselves for a maintenance is lost, and the profit gotten
by their labour to the Kingdom is also lost, in the General,
and this is brought to pass by the quicksightedness, and
diligence of our Neighbour Nations; who finding dayly
the sweetness of the Trade, and so exceedingly enriching
themselves, by our commodity, Viz. Wooll; doe endeavour
more and more, to carry it on to their own advantage,
whiles we in England, in the mean time neglect
our own opportunities, and advantages, which do so clearely
lie before us.
[Pg 6]
From what hath been before hinted, doth necessarily
follow the vast dammage, and prejudice done to this our
own Nation, and Kingdom, by the exportation of our
Wooll; for the dammage doth evidently appear, thus.
Had not the French our English Wooll to work withall,
they could not work up their own Wooll, into any Manufactures
that should be acceptable, or saleable in other
Countries, no nor in their own Land, but they would be
ready as formerly to buy our English commodities; but
now having our English Wooll so frequently among them,
privately gotten from England, or Ireland; they mix
their own Wooll with it, and work up two or three Packs
of their course Wooll, with one pack of ours, so that every
Pack of English Wooll exported from us, and carried to
France is treble loss, if not more to England, and on the
contrary so much profit to France.
Other Countries
grow
Rich.
Undersel
us.
Custom Officers
unfaithful.
Thus then any man may perceive, how Rich other
Countries grow by our means, by obtaining our commodity
to work upon, and there People also do generally live
at a lower rate, and work cheaper by the day or otherwise,
than our People in England do, by which means they may
afford to under-sel us, as usually they do at a Forreign
Market, so that hereby they do acquire to themselves, both
good credit, as well as great profit: and this Originally as
aforesaid is by our commodity; which if it was carefully
looked after, by the Officers of the Customes, in the out-ports
cheifly; there might be speedily, a good stop put to
this their Trade, for if they got not our wool from England,
or Ireland; they could not go on with this their Trade of
Cloath and Stuffes, but the great negligence, or unfaithfullness
of some Officers, belonging to the Customes, is
the Principal occasion, of the exportation of our wooll into
Forreign parts, and consequently of the loss of the Trade
of the Nation, in so great a measure, in this perticuler;
from whence followes clearely, and undeniably, the poverty
of the Kingdom in general.
[Pg 7]
Cloathing
Trade
Failing.
Many other
Trades
fail also.
For one Trade depends upon another, as it is in the body
natural, so it is in the body politique, in the body natural,
one member depends upon another, and is serviceable to the
other, by a natural Harmony and Correspondence, even
so doth one Trade, or occupation closely, and necessarily
depend upon another, here in England, and such a connection
there is in this point, that if one chiefe Trade fail,
very many also do fall with it, more or less, according to
their proximity, or remotenes from it, in their dependance,
and this may be applied cheifly, and principally to the Trade
of Cloathing, and the Manufacture of wooll in other respects;
how many several Trades are there, that must of
necessity depend on the Cloathing Trade, as Card-makers,
Spinners, Weavers, Fullers, Dyers, Cloath-workers, Packers,
and those Trades which make Tooles, and instruments
for these; are not also the Farmers at work, in the mean
time, to provide bread for all these People, and their Families,
and breeding up his Oxen, Sheep, Hogs, &c. That
they may have Meat to eate, are not the Merchants and
Sea-men, imploy’d in a great measure by this Trade, and
these last mentioned (the Sea-men) are the men, who principally,
and cheifly bring in the wealth of the Nation: the
Gentry of the Land, and all sorts of Shop-keepers, are the
receivers of this profit, which the Sea-men by their adventures,
and industry do bring into the Nation; all sorts of
Lawyers, Phisitians, and Clergy-men, are receivers, and get
their Money by their Tongues, while the Adventurous
Merchant, and undaunted Marriner, carries on the Trade
of the Nation, exporting our native staple commodities
(of the which through Gods abundant goodness,) this land
of ours is so well stored, in several perticulers, as might be
instanced in Tin, Lead, Cloath, Stuffes, Stockins, Herrings,
of which might be an hundred times as many if look’t
after, and Sale enough for them too, at Forreign Markers:
but the Dutch run away with the profit of these goods,
making two Barrels for our one; Pilchards are a very[Pg 8]
good commodity, of which we do get good store in the
West Country, and they do bring in good profit to the Nation,
either in Gold or Silver, or such commodities, as the Kingdom
stands in need off.
By what hath been said, it plainly appears how from the
highest to the lowest, there is a necessary dependance of one
imployment upon another, and the falling off from one
general Trade, occasions the ruin of many inferior Tradesmen,
who had subsistence for themselves, and Families thereby;
and this in our Kingdom of England, is seated principally,
and cheifly, in the Trade of Cloathing, and the
Manufacture of Wooll.
So that upon the failing of this Trade, of which there
is too great a cessation and decay, in many parts of this
Kingdom, there comes in inevitably such a general loss,
to the whole Nation, for first and most principally the King
loseth hereby, and that extreamly, not only because his
Subjects are not set at work, and so are unabled to live comfortably,
and to pay such Taxes, and impositions, as are
requisite for his Majesties support, and defence against his
powerful Enemies.
Nor in that the Honor, and splendor of the Kingdom,
is hereby so much advanced and promoted, as it might be,
but also because his Majesty looseth so great a revenue,
which would accrue to him in his Customes, if the Cloathing
Trade was carried on with Vigor, so that the effectual
carrying on, or desisting from the Cloathing Trade, is of
very high Concernment, and Importance to the King;
in profit or loss, and so it runs through the meaner sort
of People also, as hath allready in part been spoken
to.
For what Customes come in yearly to his Majesty concerning
the Manufactures of Wooll, in its several, and perticular
sorts, of the Old and New Drapery, in all the Varieties
of Stuffes, made now a days, and Stockins, by being
Transported to Forreign parts, and what store of Money,[Pg 9]
and other goods, (equivalent to Money) being necessary commodities
for the Kingdom, do they bring in again, for our
Cloath, Stuffs, &c. so sold or bartered; and what Customs
again do all those imported goods bring into His Majesties
Coffers, may not be difficult to be computed, besides the imployment
of so many Ships and Seamen, and training up
young Seamen, than which nothing in this age of ours, is
more necessary to be taken care about; for there is (I believe)
the greatest want of this sort of men in the Kingdom,
for although there may be enough found in the Kingdom,
to Man His Majesties Royal Navy, and it may be some to
spare, yet it is believed there are not neer enough for His Majesties
Service, and for Merchants service too, which may
many times be carried on both together, as occasion may require;
The Companies
of
Merchants.
And if we do but look back a little, to a few Generations
past, we may soon find what high Advantages have accrued
to His Majesty in His Customs; and to the Kingdom in general,
by the Cloathing-trade, being lively managed by the
Merchants, and what worthy and noble Companies of Merchants,
have been Associated and Incorporated; whose Trading
hath for the most part, consisted in Woollen cloaths, as
in the Merchant Adventures Trading to the East-lands, and
in what esteem their Agents and Factors were in Forreign
parts, and how Rich and great their Stock and Treasure hath
been, in so much that they have been able to lend a very considerable
supply and assistance to the King or Queen upon any
Occasion; and Particularly and Eminently (may it be spoken
to their Honor) their Assistance of Queen Elizabeth of most
happy Memory, in the year Eighty Eight; and since upon
any Occasion of the like nature.
Neither is here to be omitted that company which is called
the East-land Company, whose principal Trading also consists
in the same commodity of Woollen-Cloaths, by
which they do furnish all those Eastern Countries about the
Baltick-Sea, and to Russia, by which means also our disco[Pg 10]veries
of those Northern parts of the World, have bin made
very Evident, and well known to Us, to the great Advancement
of our Navigation to the Northward, as far as Green
Land; and of late years hath given occasion of that Discovery
about Hudson’s Bay, commonly now called the North-west
Passage, made by that stout and adventurous Seaman,
Captain Zachariah Gillam.
But the main and cheif Trades of all, are the Turkey and
East-India Trades, and the Riches by those Companies procured,
cheifly by Woollen-cloaths, So highly Advantagious
to the King in His Customs, to the Companies in particular,
and to the whole Kingdom in the general, as is not a
thing easily to be known or computed.
East-India
Company.
The Dutch
have spoiled
our
trade in the
South seas.
How the Turkey Company in particular by their discreet
management of the Trade in those parts, with that commodity
of Woollen-cloaths chiefly, do bring into England, all
the rich Goods from all parts of the Streights, and how the
East-India Company, by their Trade in the same commodity,
(in a great measure) do purchase the Rich commodities
of India, Persia, China, and the South-seas, with the
Odoriferous Drugs of Arabia, and all such Goods as those
countries afford for necessary Use and Delight, although of
late years the Dutch have wrought us out of a great part
of the South-Sea Trade, of which more might be largely
spoken concerning their usage of our English-men in those
parts; but that it hath bin already sufficiently laid out in
Print, to the veiw of the English Nation.
Good ships
built yearly.
Seamen
bred up.
Merchants
grow rich.
Can lend
the king
money.
And to add a little to what was before intimated, what excellent
Ships are annually built and prepared for the services
of these two Honorable Companies, whose imployment as
aforesaid, is principally for the Exportation of our Woollen-cloaths,
and if we do look back but to thirty years past, four
or five Ships of the Turk’s men of War durst not adventure
upon one of our Smirna Ships, and also how worthy is it of
Consideration, to take notice how many of our best Seamen,
and Artists are bred up in those imployments by the two last[Pg 11]
worthy Companies Imployment; So that besides what Revenue
is brought to the King in his Customs, by these great
Sea-Trades of these worthy Companies mentioned, both
for the Exportation of their cloaths, &c, and the Importation
of all manner of Goods, by this Stock so purchased
abroad in Forreign parts, our Merchants are grown marvellous
Rich, in so much that they are able upon any necessary
Occasion that His Majesty hath for Money, to furnish him at
a weeks warning; and that which is worthy the noting also,
our Seamen are grown of late years to be the most famous in
the world, to the great glory, honor, and safety of His Majesty
and the Kingdom, and all this is evident by what hath bin
said, to arise cheifly (next to the blessing of Heaven) from
the Manufacture of our Wool in England, by our own people,
which how much it ought to be incouraged, and of
what high concernment it is to the Honor, Wealth, and Security
of the Kingdom, let the Sober and Judicious consider.
And if I should adventure to give my opinion freely, touching
the matter in hand, I am very much induced to believe,
that were it not for the Cloathing-trade (which imploys so
many Ships and Men into several other Countries, and for
the value of our Cloaths bring their Goods, by which means
the poor also are set on work) that a great part of the Traffick
and Commerce of the world would fail; and this Trade
as formerly intimated, is, and may be most readily, roundly,
and advantagiously driven in England; were we but so pollitique
and carefully, as to keep our Wooll to our selves and
within the King’s Dominions of England and Ireland, and
to set the people closly to their work again.
English
Cloath and
Stuffs
serve all
the world.
And before I do leave the Argument I have ingaged in, let
there be considered the good quantities of Cloath and Stuffs
that did go over continually to Holland and Flanders, and
by them there dispersed otherways; the large quantities of
Stuffs and Bays that are sent over to Portugall, and thence
Transported to Brazilia, &c., with a very considerable number[Pg 12]
of Cloaths and Stuffs that go to Spain, and by the Spaniards
Transported to the West-Indies all over, the good
quantities of Perpetuanies, and such like Stuffs that are carried
out for Guinea, together of late days, with the large
stores of Broad-cloaths, Kersies, Sarges Cottons, Pennistons,
Duffels (or Hogs) Transported to our own Plantations
of New-England and Virginia, with what also must
supply Barbadoes, Jamaica, and our other Islands in the
West-Indies, and forreign Plantations; all which are the
manufacture of Wooll.
Clothing
more worth
to England
than the
commodity
of any Country
whatsoever.
The Premises considered, I hope I may make bold to say,
that setting aside all the rest of the Rich and Staple commodities
of England, which nevertheless are as good as any
Country can parrallel in the world, as Tinn, Lead, Iron,
&c. this very commodity produced from our Wooll, is of
more worth and value to England, (that is to say) will bring
in more profit to the Kingdom of England, than all the
Silks or rich commodities of any Country whatsoever; Yea
doubtless more than all the Spices of the South-Seas, yea, I
do believe, and I have reason enough to lead me so to do,
than all the Spaniards Gold and Silver Mines in America;
for none of these I am throughly perswaded, can any way
equallize that yearly Revenue, that doth, or may come into
the Kingdom of England by this one commodity diversly
made up of our Wooll.
Encrease
of Seamen.
The King’s
care
for the Security
of
the Nation.
Neither doth any Nation in the world get so much by any
of their Goods, as England doth by this, to the great enriching
and advancement of the Merchant, and the Companies
Stocks, trading and adventuring in these goods to Sea,
the enriching of His Majesty, the encrease of our strength
in Shipping, and consequently the breeding and training up
of Seamen, and increase of them, wherein as before intimated,
a great part of the welfare & safety of the Kingdom doth
consist in these our days: and the incouragement of whom
is of great concernment to the Kingdom, as the case now
stands with England and her neighboring Nations; or as the[Pg 13]
case may hereafter fall out to be; for our Land is an Island,
as is known well enough, not only to its Inhabitants, but to
all Europe, and we have not, nor cannot have Castles and
Garrisons round about the whole kingdom by the Sea-side
to beat off a forreign Enemy, and to keep him from landing
and invading our Nation; for in fair weather in Summer
time, there may be landing in hundreds of places about the
Kingdom, where there is neither Town nor Castle neer;
but such is His Majesties great prudence and care for the safety
of his Land and People, that he doth highly esteem and
promote the affairs of Shipping, more than ever any of his
Royal Predecessors have done, well knowing that his Ships
and Seamen are the strength and security (next to the protection
of the Almighty) of his whole kingdom.
Profit by
working up
wooll.
Poor idle.
Poor get
Money if
Imployed
I shall now endeavor to give some particular account, but
very briefly, of the Profits arising to England, by working
up our Wooll into Cloth: every two pounds of Wooll
which is worth about twenty pence, will make a yard of
Karsey, worth five or six shillings; and every four pounds of
Wooll, worth about three shillings four pence, will make a
yard of broad-cloth, worth eleven or twelve shillings: so
that two thirds, is the least profit, that doth arise by putting
our Wool into Manufactures; which doth amount to
above 230 pounds sterling profit, in every Tun of Wooll so
wrought up, accounting twenty hundred English wait to the
Tun; so that if we should suppose, but an hundred Tuns of
Wooll transported, out of the Kingdome, in a year to France
unwrought, it will amount to 22400 ll. sterling, which is so
much clear loss to the Kingdome, and trebble so much profit
to France, by their working up three times so much of their
own, with ours, as hath been formerly intimated: besides,
it is worthy of consideration, that so many of our poor lye
idle, and lose their imployment, being ready to perish for
want of necessary food, notwithstanding the great plenty in
the Land; and no Kingdome hath the like advantages, for the
imployment of the poor, in any Trade or occupation (within[Pg 14]
doors) whatsoever, as we have for the poor in his Majesties
dominion of England, about the old and new Drapery:
and yet those poor, that had their hands full of work,
in one kind or another, according to what they were most
accustomed, either by sorting of wooll, mixing, breaking,
carding, spinning, spoling, quilling, weaving, making of
cards, picking of Tesels, and many other imployments, concerning
the working up wooll into cloth, which have kept
many thousands of men women and children at work, who
knew not how to get a penny another way; but by this way
of working, could in some comfortable manner live. When
the trade of clothing was driven roundly, one family, that
doth not get twelve pence a week now, have then received
twelve, fifteen or eighteen shillings a week, which money
went round to the Farmer for provision, or to the Shopkeeper
for necessaries for their Families, and this again to the Merchant,
or to the Landlords, according to each man’s Trade,
and correspondence.
So that the profit arising, by the working up of our Wooll
into cloth or Stuffs here in England, by our own people is
almost unspeakable, and is the great and chief wheel in the
Kingdome, to set all others at work, as hath been already in
several Trades mentioned, and more do attend upon it, when
it is made into cloth, as the Clothworkers, Drawers, Dyers,
Fullers, Packers, Merchants and Seamen.
Exporting
wooll.
Fall of
Rents.
The poors
labor profit
to the Nation.
But then to enter into the consideration of the contrary,
what an unspeakable loss is it to the Kingdome, to have such
a Trade fall to decay, and so many thousands of poor must of
necessity be multiplyed in the Land, which must beg, steal or
starve, for want of imployment. But what think you if three
or four hundred Tuns of Wooll in a year be exported out of
the Kingdome (for so I have been informed) what a stroke
doth that give, to the beating down of our Trade in England,
and what a vast loss comes thereby to the Kingdome; and
may we not justly be induced to believe, that the decay of
our Trade in this respect, doth occasion the fall of the rents[Pg 15]
of Lands in the Countrey, and houses in the City of London
and else where; so that the Nobility, and Gentry of the
Kingdome, have a sensible feeling of the decay of this Trade
of clothing, for all that the poor do get for their labour about
this Imployment, goes from them again to others, as hath
been already intimated, and so the money goeth round according
to its figure, and passeth from one to another, according
as one trade hath dependance upon another.
Fullers
Earth carried
out of
the Land.
Into Holland.
It may not be here unseasonable, to insert a word or two, concerning
our Fullers Earth, for cloth cannot be perfectly finished
without our Fullers Earth, to scoure and cleanse the fine
clothes, that are milled with Castle sope, and all other midling
cloths that are fulled with Sope; so that none but course
clothes that are milled with Medicine can be well done, without
the assistance of our Fullers earth, except at a greater charge,
neither is there any other Countrey, besides our King’s Dominions,
that have any Fullers Earth like ours in England; &
it is so reported, that the Dutch have gotten enough of it into
Holland to serve them for many years to come, which was certainly
transported out of the River of Medway, (alias Chatham)
for we have none in England, but what is about Maidstone,
on the said River of Medway, that ever I could hear
of, except at Wooburn in Bedfordshire, which is an Inland-town,
and many Miles from the Sea; yet I have been a diligent
inquirer into this matter: so that if the Transportation
of this commodity, into Forrein Countries, was carefully
looked after, it could not possibly be carried out of the Land,
without a discovery of it, especially from the River of Medway
aforesaid, so that forreigners must of necessity be at the
greater charge, in finishing their clothes, which could not be
done, without the help of our Fullers Earth. Now that there
is a prohibition of Exportation of our Fullers Earth, to Forreign
parts, is well enough known to the Officers of the Customehouse,
but it is not looked after as it should be, for either
some of them are negligent, not regarding their duties,
and behaving themselves with that vigilance and circumspection,[Pg 16]
as such places of Trust do necessarily call for at their
hands; or else they wink at such miscarriages, and suffer
our Fullers Earth to be carried away, as the like is commonly
done concerning our Wooll.
Wooll carryed
to
France,
&c.
And although most part of our Lawes are binding enough
with severe Penalties annexed to them, if they were but duly
observed and well put into Execution, yet not one of ten
thousand doth know the Lawes of Prohibition throughout
the Kingdom, and how to put them into Execution; and although
many people do certainly know that Fullers Earth is
certainly carried out of the River of Medway, (alias Chatham,)
and our Wooll commonly shipped off from Dover-Cliffs
by night, from Rumney-Marsh, the Isle of Wight,
Purbeck, and about Waymouth, and in several other parts
of England; and too much from Southhamton: under the
pretence of an Allowance by the Law, for the supply of Jarsey;
Yet no body doth, or dareth to prosecute the Offenders
for the breach of our good and wholesome Laws, because
the very principles of Nature in every man, teach himself
Preservation, and he that minds but that, is afraid to
meddle with these offenders who are commonly Rich men,
and strengthened both with Money and Friends in the Counties
where they dwell; so that every man that is willing to
preserve himself, his Estate and Family, is afraid of appearing
against these Transgressors in the behalf of the King,
though it be never so much conducible to the good and welfare
of the whole Kingdom; for fear they should be dealt
withal as I have been.
And while I am speaking about the negligence and unfaithfulness
of the Officers of the Customs; give me leave in two
or three words for a Digression concerning the importation
of Forrein prohibited Commodities, to the utter ruine of
many poor Tradesmen, with their Families in this our Kingdom;
as Ribbon Weavers, and Silk weavers, and other such
like Artificers in & about London, and several other parts of
the Kingdom, that they are so miserably Impoverished that[Pg 17]
they are ready to perish, for want of necessary food, to keep
life and soul together; (as our English Proverb is) notwithstanding
the great plenty of all sorts of Provision in the Nation,
(through the goodness and bounty of God to us.)
Smugglers
prosecute
honest men.
That discover
them.
But all these errours, and miscarriages, might and may easily
be prevented, by the care and vigilancy of the Custome
Officers, especially in the out-Ports: But some Officers
finding a perticular, and present profit, by being invested
with a Golden Livery, do rather choose that, than to do
their King and Countrey faithful service, although it be also
running the hazard of losing their present Imployment, and
future Preferment; for things of this Nature, are now grown
to that height of perfidiousness, and confidence, (I might say
Impudence) that two or three golden Decoys are sufficient
to intrap an inclining Surveyor, and if there should chance
to be a discovery, or a surprisal, there shall be all present
help at hand, if need require, for the carrying off the matter
smoothly, and Witnesses in any case shall not be wanting, to
counterfeit Truth and Justice, when it is directly contrary;
by which malicious, and unnatural courses, those that would
be just and honest in their places and Offices, are disheartned,
through the leud and deceitful practices, of these Catterpillars;
who by such indirect Courses are disobedient to the
Lawes, and the Smugglers that imploy them, do multiply
great troubles, upon such as at any time discover these Offenders,
yea and do violently prosecute them at the Law, to
make them Examples and terrors to others, that so they
might drive on their cheating trade without controul; and yet
such honest well-minded men do nothing but their duty, but
for that they have this odium cast upon them, they are called
Informing Knaves, &c. notwithstanding the welfare of
the whole Kingdome, doth in a great measure depend upon
the discovery of such abuses.
How much necessary may it then be supposed that there
should be very good incouragement given to such honest publique
spirited men, as should diligently enquire after such sinister[Pg 18]
practices: and as it was before touched, those Smuglers
are not only well acquainted with some Attorneys and
Clerks, who will either use undue practices, or make delaies;
but they make good interest with the Under-Sheriffs,
in the Countyes where they drive their Trade; and then these
Undersheriffs also have strange tricks and delays in their returns,
in which some of them will take part with the Offenders,
instead of executing the Law against them, so that such
Offenders are incouraged; and by this means it is, that our
Wooll and Fullers Earth, and other prohibited Goods, are
exported so frequently out of the Kingdom, and Forrein
prohibited Goods, and Merchandize imported; so that our
Manufacture is in a great measure gone to decay: other
Countries are greatly enriched, who also live at a lower rate,
and work cheaper than our People in England, whereby our
Trade is much taken off in Forrein parts, and our poor live
idle, with the other inconveniences consequent thereto, as
hath been already spoken to.
By this means it is, (in good part) that so much of the
Treasure of the Kingdom is exhausted and drawn away to
other Lands; the general complaint now, being what shall we
do, there is no Money stirring; and Lands are reduced to a
lower value than formerly they were.
Now, though all these Mischeifes do not flow in at one
time and place, yet it is like a Pond that is soon filled with
many Springs, when as one Spring would do it in length of
time: that which may seem to be at first but a small Evil,
will in process of time with constant Practice, destroy the
happiness of the whole Kingdom; as a little Leak if not taken
notice of and amended, will in time sink the greatest
Ship or empty the greatest Cistern: even so will Offenders &
unfaithful Officers, being the only persons in trust with those
affairs, fill the Kingdom with Forrein prohibited goods and
commodities, and empty it of our Wooll and Fullers Earth,
with other prohibited goods; which evil Practices are now
so frequent, that if not timely prevented by our Ministers of[Pg 19]
State, our Kingdom will be soon filled with Poverty, and
emptied of Wealth and Happiness, by this loss of our Trade
and Manufacture, which now is in so great danger of sinking,
(and that without all hope) unless those that guide the Helm,
do steer the great Concernments thereof into some secure
Harbor, and there amend what may by searching be found
amiss, by displacing such Officers as have proved in the least
unjust, either by conniving at the Offenders or abetting and
assisting them, to the great discouragement of those that are
faithful in their Imployments; and that care also be taken
that all due encouragement and countenance be shewed to
such as are found to be just, faithful, and exact observers of
the Lawes that are extant against such Smugglers and abusive
persons.
And without doubt, there is much Wooll Shipped off
from Ireland annually, unto forreign parts; which might be
as well wrought up in the countrey among themselves, there
being no want of people, and such as for the most part live a
lazy kind of life, (as I have credibly been informed) or elce
their Wooll (if they work it not up) might soon be transported
over into England in twenty four hours time, or
thereabout with a fair wind, and be wrought up in England,
which would turn to a treble account of profit, as hath been
already demonstrated; but this I shall refer to others, that
are more knowing in the Irish trade; but I am very apt to
beleive the reports that I have heard, concerning great quantities
of Wooll carryed from thence, both to France and Holland;
but to lay aside the informations of others, although
very well worthy of belief in all points, I shall according to
my promise, in my Epistle, speak to those things of which I
have had some large experience.
I was a Clothier my self, and Apprentice to the Trade,
many years, and afterwards set up for my self, and followed
my Trade many years, thriving very well thereby, till about
nineteen years agoe, that I was burnt out of all, and put upon
the adventures of fortune; and taking notice of the occurrances[Pg 20]
of affairs, I did find large testimonies of the decay
of Trade, with the occasions thereof, but while I did keep
the Trade going, I have rode far and near, to get Spinsters,
and other work folkes, and gave great Wages, as also did all
other Clothiers, and yet could not procure half so many as
we would have imploy’d: but suddenly after our disorders,
and disregard to our Lawes as aforesaid, the Market fell, and
many Clothiers were forced to leave off their Trades, because
they could not vend their commodity.
All those poor people formerly so imploy’d, were ready
to starve for want of bread, in and about those places, where
the Clothiers left off and failed; and every day it grew worse
and worse, and those confusions among us increased more
& more, that very few men were of one mind, and hardly any
at all, that minded the publique good: but now some thoughts
are busied of restoring things to their Lustre, and trade to
what it was before the decay.
Some wise men have been of the opinion, that the abating
the interest of money, would greatly increase and advance
trade, and very probable it might be a good lift to it.
Others again, being out of hopes of the recovery of the
former trade, think men must imploy their wits, and knowledge,
in the invention of some new sorts of Manufacture;
and some covetous wretches, have been very ready to declare
their opinion, that the increase of the interest of money, and
the abatement of Servants and Workmens wages; to which,
adding great frugality, and good husbandry, would make the
Kingdome to be happy, and flourishing again; and many
there are, that make it their business and study, to outwit and
destroy other men, and under pretence of honesty, and many
by clandestine means, swallow up the good and pious gifts,
of our Ancestors, belonging to the Church and to the Poor;
for in this our Iron age, men have left off to do good, and lost
their obedience to the Lawes of the Land, and have ceased
from the exercise of those two unspeakable graces, Faith and
Charity.
[Pg 21]
Kingdome
flourished
under King
Charles
the first.
And therefore truly I fear we have little hopes of happiness,
or being restored to our Pristine flourishing condition,
till we do return to our old obedience, and exercise our
selves in love and good works, fearing God and honouring
the King, and not giving our minds to change, but let every
one endeavour to amend one, and strike off from the error of
his own waies, and endeavour his utmost to discharge a good
conscience, first to God, and then to mind the publique good,
calling to mind the happy condition of Trade in the Reign of
King Charles the first of blessed memory, when all men
dreaded his Lawes, and lived in love one with another,
which made the Kingdome flourish, in our trading with great
success, and increase of Riches; and indeed we enjoyed so
much happiness as made us proud, and forgetful of God’s
mercies, and so murdered the best King in the world, by
which we stript our selves of all but God’s just judgements
upon the Nation, and left our selves certain of nothing but of
uncertainties.
Staples
appointed.
Many good
Lawes
made.
I find by our good Lawes, that great care was taken about
Wooll, and all other prohibited commodities; as first in the
Reign of King Edward the Third, Cap. 1. then wooll was
wholly prohibited to be exported, which was the first beginning
of the promotion of making Cloth in England, but it
seems the Nation at first could not work up all the Wooll,
that was of our own growth, till the Trade was dispersed
throughout the whole Kingdome, and people instructed in
the Art. So that an Act of Parliament was made for the transportation
of Wooll into other Countries, to a Staple appointed,
at first at Callis, paying their due Custome first in
England; so that those which had our Wooll in those daies
paid well for it: another Statute was made to this purpose,
that if any Forreigner would have any of our Wooll out of
England, and found none at the Staple, he was to bring to the
King’s Mint, an Ounce of Gold, as a duty for every sack of
Wooll; and many other good Laws I find for the prevention
of Abuses concerning Wooll and Cloath; and for the prevention[Pg 22]
of the Transportation of Wooll, but what did first
pay the King’s duty in England; and was to the intent that
our People might afford their Cloaths so, as to undersel
Strangers; And several Staples were appointed in England
where Wooll was to be sold and bought, and not elsewhere;
and none to be carried or lodged neer to the Water-side, nor
bought nor bargained, but by Cloathiers and such as wrought
it up, or by Merchants and their Factors under several Penalties:
Many other good Laws have been made since the
time of King Edward, for the keeping our Wooll and Fullers-earth
in England, to imploy our own poor People, and
advance the Manufacture of the old and new Drapery, so happily
set on foot by the prudence and diligence of that King, &
then there was Obedience from all persons rendred to the
good Laws of the Land; which good Laws have been Successively
ever since continued, by almost every Parliament,
with such Additions or Exemplifications as were found to be
necessary, for the prohibition of the Exportation of Wooll
and Fullers-earth; by which means we both got, and kept
the whole Manufacture of our own Wooll, and a good part
of other Countries among our selves in this Kingdom, till
the time of our late unhappy Confusions.
And if the Book called the Golden Fleece, with some of
Sir Walter Rawleigh’s Works, which do fully demonstrate
the great blessings of God on this Kingdom of England above
any other, for the imployment of the poor people were
well inspected, and answerably improved, it would be a
means to make the Kingdom happy and flourishing.
Stat. 15. of
Ed. 3. ca. 8.
First, that no Cloath made beyond Seas, shall be brought
into the King’s Dominions, on pain to forfeit the same,
and to be further punished at the King’s will.
Stat. 15. of
Ed. 3. ca. 5.
That all Cloath-workers, and Artificers in the trade of[Pg 23]
Cloathing, that came out of other Countries into the Kingdom,
had the King’s Protection to dwell where they pleased,
and convenient Franchizes and great privilidges were at first
allowed them for their incouragement; maintained at a publique
charge out of the King’s Exchequer.
Stat 18. of
Ed. 3. cap.
3.
Stat. 8.
Hen. 6. ca.
22.
Stat. 23. H.
8. cap. 17.
Stat. 31.
Ed. 3. ca. 8.
Stat. 13. E.
3. cap. 9.
I find there that Strangers as well as Natives, might have
bought Wooll as they could agree, and that great care was
taken to avoid Deceits, to abate and lessen the prices of wooll,
and to avoid false Packing, false Winding, and false Ballances,
and to have one just Weight throughout England, proved
and tried by the respective Sheriffs of every County,
according to the Standard of the Exchequer: and that no
buyer of Wooll, (Stat. 13. of Edw. 3. cap. 2.) should make
any refuse or wast, but an equal hand should be carried between
buyer and seller; and this upon grievous Forfeitures,
as Stat. 12. Rich. 2. cap. 9. Also that all Wooll-felles and
Leather bought in the Countries, should be brought to the
Staples which were appointed on purpose, where Wooll and
such commodities were to be sold, and should remain there
fifteen days at least, for the supply of our own people who
were to have the first choice, or as much as they would work
up, and then the remainer which could not be wrought up in
England, were to be sent to publique places in the day time,
and from thence to the Ports appointed on purpose for the staples
to be Transported, after the Buyers had paid their due
Customs and Subsidies, (Viz.) for every sack of Wooll,
which contained 94 Pounds, 2 pounds 10 shillings: and for
every 300 of Wooll-felles two pounds ten shillings, and for
every last of Leather, five pounds; and that no wooll vendible
should be lodged, shewed or sold, within three miles of
the Staple, by any Merchant, Buyer, or Transporter, or any
others, but such as had of their own growth, and no other:
And the Chancellour, Treasurer, with the advice others
of the Kings Councel, had power to defer the Transportation
of Wooll, when, and as often as they saw it convenient.
[Pg 24]
It was then ordered, that no Merchant of the Staple, should
Transport Wooll, Woollfells, Lead, or Tin, without the
King’s Licence, until they were brought to the Staple, on
pain to forfeit the same.
27. Ed.
3. ca. 3.
28. Ed. 3.
8 Hen. 5.
cap. 2.
It was then made Fellony to Transport Wooll, by the Statute
of the Staples, as you may find it concerning the Transportation
of Wooll, by English Merchants, but this Statute
for Fellony was repealed, the 38 of Edw. 3. Stat. 1. and 6.
and the forfeiture for Lands and Goods, was still continued,
and in March the 37. of Edw. 3. the Staple for the sale of
Wooll was fixed at Callis.
Then the Staple aforesaid was removed from Callis, and
clearly put down, 43. Edw. 3. Cap. 1. and the Staples appointed
and fixed in England, at the places following: Viz.
at Newcastle, Kingston upon Hull, St. Buttolphs Boston,
Yarmouth, Quinborough, Westminster, Chester, Winchester,
Exeter, and Bristol, and the Staples of Ireland and Wales,
were to be kept where first they were ordained, and several
other good clauses were added concerning the Regulation
of the Staples, as may be seen at large, in the Statute of
the Staple, 27. Edw. 3.
Sta. 8 Hen.
5. cap. 2
Stat. 8. He.
5. cap. 2.
Stat. 1. Ed.
6. cap. 6.
Stat. 2.
Stat. 3. Ed.
4. cap. 5.
It was there appointed, that all Merchants, Strangers,
that bought wooll in England, to conveigh to the West parts,
or elsewhere, that did not bring them to some of the Staples
to be sold, were to bring to the Master of the Kings Mint, for
every sack of Wooll which contained ninety four pounds, an
ounce of Gold Bulloin, or the value in silver Bulloin, on pain
to forfeit such Wooll, or the value thereof to the King absolutely.
I also find that great care was taken that no persons
in Norfolke should buy wooll there, and in divers other
Countries thereabout, for fear they should Transport it, but
only those Merchants which carried it to the Staples, or those
which did convert it into Yarn, Hats, Girdles or Cloth:
And that such woolls as were bought in Norfolke, and Norwich,
and those Countries, were to be sold and retailed in
the open Market, if not carryed to the Staples: And that[Pg 33]
those in Hallifax, were to sell what Wooll they bought to
those poor people in the town, or parts adjacent; who to
their knowledge did work up the same into Cloth, or Yarn:
and if the Wooll driver did sell his wooll out of Hallifax, or
if any of the town bought to sell again, unwrought, into
yarn, or cloth, every such Offender did forfeit their double
value of the wooll, so sold, or uttered, the one half to the
King, and the other half to the Prosecutor, and the Justices
of the Peace, in their Sessions, were to determine the same.
Many sorts of wares and Merchandises were prohibited to
be brought into the Realm, ready wrought, which were
wrought and made by Hand-crafts-men.
That all forreign Bone lace, cuttings, Embroydery, French
Bandstrings, buttons, needle-work, &c. were prohibited to
be brought into this Realm.
None shall export any sheep, or wooll, wooll felles, Martlings,
Yarn, Fullers earth, Fulling clay, nor carry, load, nor
convey the same to be transported, upon several penalties,
as well upon the owners of the sheep, as the persons that shall
convey the same. This Statute at large is worth the perusing,
and might do much good to the Kingdome, if it was duly observed,
by all the Kings Subjects; but the behaviours of our
people in England, are not as they were in former times, for
then a Law was no sooner made, but all men took immediate
notice of it, and did willingly yield their obedience thereto;
but the people have been so accustomed to the breach of Law,
and Rebellion, that in reason, it cannot suddenly be forgotten,
and desisted from, by many people, for men now adayes are
grown so Critically wise to do evil, that let the King, with
the advice of the Lords and Commons, make use of their best
discretion, and judgements, in framing Laws for the publique
good, and wording them according to the most proper sence,
by them intended, yet some ordinary fellow, that hath store
of confidence, and a little money, (and that it may be gained
by Cheating too,) one way or another will find a hole in
them, to transgress those Lawes, and if they are called in[Pg 34]
question, then they have tricks and evil devices, enough to
torment those that do faithfully discharge their Oathes, and
Consciences for the publique good, as I my self can speak
sufficiently, concerning this and such like cases, by my sad
experience.
It was made Fellony for any English, Welsh or Irish, to
transport Wooll, wooll felles, Leather, Lead, &c. and a second
clause in the last Act was, that no English, Welsh, or
Irish-man shall transport any of the said commodities, in any
strangers name, or keep a servant beyond the Seas, to survey
the sale thereof, or to receive money therefore; a third clause
in the said Act was, that there should be no exchange of wares
for Merchandise of the Staple, but Gold or Silver, or English,
Welch or Irish Merchandise, neither shall any Merchant
make any confederacy, in fraud or deceipt to this Ordinance,
upon the paines aforesaid. A fourth Clause in the said Act
was, that it should be lawful for every man to carry his own
Wooll, Wooll felles, Leather or Lead, to the Staple, warranting
the packing of this Wooll.
Merchants were prohibited the exporting the money,
which they received in England, for their Merchandise, and
goods imported, but they were to lay out their money again,
upon some of the Merchandise of this Realm, except their
reasonable Expences.
All Merchants strangers, were enjoyned to lay out their
Money, they received for their Merchandise imported into
this Realm again, in some Merchandise of this Realm, and
to prove the laying of their money so out, and by whom it
was so layd out, before the Officers of the Port, where it was
so disposed of, or laid out, upon the penalty of forfeiting all
his goods found within the Realm, and to suffer a years Imprisonment.
Stat. 15.
Hen. 4. ca.
Stat. 1. Ric.
3. cap. 16. 9.
All Merchants strangers were bound to give security, to
the King’s Customer and Controller, to imploy their money
upon the commodities of this Realm, their reasonable costs
excepted, and Italian Merchants were to sell their Goods[Pg 35]
where they did land them in gross, and not by retail, and their
money so received, to be laid out again in the Realm, within
the space of eight moneths.
These and such like Statutes and Lawes might do very
much good, to encrease the Tradeing of the kingdome, if they
were enquired into, and revived with such addition as might
be necessary, for now we send all our money out of the
Kingdome, and vend but small quantities of our Manufactures,
but onely our native commodities, which are prohibited,
which quite ruines our Trade.
It shall be Fellony for any that shall transport any Sheep,
Wooll, wooll fells, martlings, shorlings, yarn made of wooll,
wooll flocks, fullers earth, fulling clay, Tobacco-pipe clay,
&c. this Act I do beleive if not repealed, will do much injury
now adaies, although it was intended for publique good,
for I fear it will hinder many people from discovering the
Offenders, and breakers of the Law, though they were sure
to have never so great a reward for it, for many men will be
very cautelous, how they touch the life of a man, though
they do deserve death, more a thousand times than the Theif
that robs on the High-way, for a Theif doth but take away
part of a particular mans Estate, but these wretches that
transgress the Kings Laws in transporting Wooll, &c. to forreigners,
destroy as much as in them lyes, the happiness of a
whole Kingdome, and are the procuring causes and Instruments,
to bring many thousands to great miseries and languishing
deaths.
There were many good Laws made, for the setling the Aulingers
Office, and preventing frauds and deceipts in work, in
all sorts of Drapery, both old and new, which are too tedious
to recite, though many of them be very necessary to be
observed, for the credit and reputation of our Manufacture,
but I shall only set forth, where they are to be found, and refer
the ingenious, and judicial, to the perusal of the Statutes
themselves, which are the Statutes concerning Wooll and[Pg 36]
clothing. 25. of Edw. 3. Cap. 4. 27. Ed. 3. Stat. 4. 50. Ed.
3. Stat. 7. and 8. 3. Ric. 2. cap. 2. Stat. 7. Ric. 29. 13. Ri.
2. Stat. 10. 13. Ric. 2. Stat. 11. 17. Ric. 2. Stat. 2. and 13.
13 Hen. 4. Stat. 24. 9 Hen. 4. Stat. 2. 11 Hen. 4. Stat. 6.
11 Hen. 6. Stat. 9. 4 Ed. 4. Stat. 1. 7 Edw. 4. Stat. 2.
17 Edw. 4. Stat. 3. 7 Edw. 4. Stat. 5. 1 Rich. 3. Stat. 3.
and 4. 3 Hen. 7. Stat. 7. and 71. 3 Hen. 8. Stat. 7. and 8.
5 Hen. 2. Stat. 8. 1 Hen. 8. Stat. 11. 6 Hen. 8. Stat. 9.
25 Hen. 8. Stat. 18. 27 Hen. 8. Stat. 11. 6 Hen. 8. Stat.
9. 25 Hen. 8. Stat. 18. 27 Hen. 8. and Stat. 13. 33 He.
8. Stat. 3. 33 Hen. 8. Stat. 19. 4 Eliz. 6. Stat. and 2.
and 5. 3 Phil. and Mary 11. 4 and 5 Stat. 3 Phil. and M.
Stat. 4 and 5. 5 Phil. and Mary Stat. 5. and 8. 7 Eliz.
Stat. 12. 33 Eliz. Stat. 9. 27 Eliz. Stat. 18. 39 Eliz. Stat.
11. 29 Eliz. Stat. 20.
Cards for Wooll, were prohibited to be brought out of
other Countries into England or Wales; none were to transport
sheep beyond Sea, without the King’s Licence, there
was a limitation upon keeping Sheep, and an appointment
how many sheep each man should keep, upon the penalty of 3
Shill. 4 pence, for every sheep more than his number.
Loss by the
Poor not
set at
work.
And if it be as the Company of Silk-Weavers, and Ribbon-weavers
say, (as doubtless it is,) there are an hundred thousand
people small and great, that depends upon that trade in
and about the City of London, then how many may be supposed
rationally to be in the whole Kingdome, that have their
dependance on the trade of clothing, in the old and new Drapery,
and other Trades, which have a dependence upon, or
relation unto the Trade of Clothing, and which know not
how to earn a penny any other way, since that trade is in a
great measure lost, and left off; but these poor people live
idly, and go a begging for their bread, among which also are
many children from 8 years of age to 15, which can very
well get a living about the trade of clothing, for that they can
sort Wooll, mix it, Spole, Quil, Pick Teasels, prick Card-wiers,
&c. and which in the time of good trading, could constantly[Pg 37]
earn eighteen pence, twenty pence or two shillings a
week, but now very few of them, have any imployment as
aforesaid; and if I should suppose but a Million of such poor
people, throughout the Kingdome, which should every one
get his eighteen pence a week, it would amount to, Three
Millions nine hundred thousand pounds in a year, which is
so much clear loss to the Kingdome; besides I know that there
are many hundred thousands more of such people which
live idly, and get nothing. Since we have left off so much of
the Clothing trade in England, as hath been already intimated,
the evil effects and consequents thereof, I humbly desire
to leave and commit to the consideration of those that are
more judicious in the Political affairs of the Common-wealth,
to have suitable Remedies, as to their grave wisdome and Prudence
might seem to be meet and necessary, I endeavouring
only to be a layer open of the sore, and refer to the skilful
Chyrurgeon for a healing Plaister.
Lawes to be
Prosecuted.
Punishment
of
Offenders.
And if our Parliament men, and Ministers of State should
take into their serious consideration, the great troubles, that
are multiplyed upon those that endeavour faithfully to prosecute
the execution of the King’s Laws, against the Offenders,
(cheifly intending thereby, a future prevention of their
fraudulent dealings and threatning practices,) and would
give incouragement to such publique spirited men, by some
especial care taken, for the preservation of their Credits and
Reputations, and their persons from troublesome Arrests,
and vexatious Suits and molestations, which the Delinquents
do multiply against them, by false and feigned Actions, and
those coloured over with very specious pretences, but the
truth and reality of their intentions and designs is, to ruine and
destroy the Reputations, Estates and Families of such as shall
discover them, or appear against them. This I say (viz.
the countenancing and encouraging of all faithful Officers
and others,) would strike a kind of terrour to these transgressors,
(Smugglers and others,) that do deceive his Majesty[Pg 38]
of his due Customes, and be a great means to keep them
in awe, and good order, and encourage all men to be ready to
discover such Offenders, as they might any way find them
out by their opportunities, being abroad early and late; and
to add to this, that there should be very severe Prosecutions
against such Offenders, and let them be abated nothing of the
Justice of the Law, which is in such cases provided, and established
throughout the Nation: for now it is a sufficient
crime, (as the case of late hath stood) to be by such branded
with the ignomy of an Informer, or an Informing Knave,
though he discover nothing, but what doth immediately concern
the King’s Interest and publique good. And by these
Smugglers and their Companions, he shall be reputed and said
to be, a troublesome fellow, an evil neighbour, a disturber of
the Peace among friends, &c. because he doth faithful service,
according to his Duty, Conscience, and Office, in labouring
to prevent their Frauds, and abuses, as frequently
by them practised as they can. And if such Officers in the
Customes, Atturneys and Clerks, which do connive or comply
with such Offenders, were removed from their Places,
and Offices, and severely punished, the publique good would
be much preserved, Trading greatly advanced, and thereby
Gentlemens Estates largely augmented, in their yearly value
of Rents.
Injury to
the Silk-weavers.
I shall now give a brief description of several Springs, that
fill our Kingdome with Prohibited goods, and of several
Leaks, that empty the Kingdome of other sorts of our goods,
which are prohibited to be Exported out of the Nation: As
our Wooll, and Fullers Earth, formerly spoke to, which are
by stealth carryed out of the Kingdome, to the great damage
and prejudice of the Nation, and many Forreign Prohibited
goods, are brought in among us, to the great injury, and undoing
of many Tradesmen; as Silk and Ribbon Weavers, and
other Artificers in and about London, and several parts of
the Kingdome, which occasions the great decay and loss of
our own Manufacture, with the loss of the imployment of the[Pg 39]
Poor, to the ruine of many thousands, of men women and
children, that have had their dependance, cheifly, if not only,
on those Merchandises, which are dayly Imported from
France, Flanders, and other Sea-ports, secretly into this our
Kingdome.
There are many of our Sea-Port Towns, and several Creeks,
and holes along the South-shore of England, besides Dover,
Rumney Fairlee, Hastings, Poleston, Rye, Bredhempston,
&c. where these things are practised; and indeed in the Summer
time, when it is fair weather, goods may be Landed on
the Shoar, and Shipped off from the Shoar, on Vessels all along
the Coast, almost from Dover to the Lands end, in
Cornwal; and many times there are both brought ashore, and
carried off such Goods as are Prohibited both wayes, both
for coming into the Land, and carrying out of the Land, and
this done in a fair night, and the goods brought in, lye sheltred
in Countreymens houses, which can hide and secure them
till there be a convenient opportunity to dispose otherwise of
them with safety, and these Countreymen help them to Horses,
to carry them to London or other Markets.
Neither do I here mention any thing of the North-Coast,
because I have hitherto been altogether unacquainted with
those parts, although I have reason to beleive, that the same
Smuggling Trade is also practised in those quarters, for their
Coast lying over against Holland, doubtless the people there
are as ready to comply privately, in forbidden tradeing with
the Dutch, as along the South-Coast, they are with the
French, notwithstanding there is sufficient Provision made,
in our Lawes against such sinister and evil Practices: But about
Kent and Sussex, are most frequently imported Prohibited
goods from France and Flanders, and they are goods
of such value, that a single Horseman may carry five, or six
hundred pounds worth about him, and yet it shall hardly be
known that he hath any thing with him.
Now if these things were well considered, what quantities
of goods are privately imported, and so as that they are seldome[Pg 40]
discovered, with what also comes into the River of
Medway (alias Chatham) which lies about twenty seven
miles from London, by Land; and the most convenient River
in England, (I beleive) to Land goods privately: it would
easily appear, what loss it is to his Majesty in perticular, in
his Customes, which by these and such like Practices are stollen,
and in general to the Trade of the whole Kingdome.
Smugglers
make many
friends.
It is also well known, that those which steal the Duties of
the King’s Customes, and do Import and Export Prohibited
Goods and Commodities, are none of the meanest persons
in the places where they dwell, but such who oftentimes
have great interest with the Magistrates about those places,
and seeing they get their money so easily, by not paying the
Kings due Custome for their goods, as honest Merchants do,
and being Purse-proud, do not value what they spend, to ingratiate
themselves into the favour of such Gentlemen, as
have authority as aforesaid; and then make it their business
by the assistance of such Magistrates, and their countenance,
to destroy all such as shall discover their fraudulent dealings,
or elce by some small Bribes to stop their mouths, that so these
Cheats may avoid the penalty of the Law, and prevent others
from the future from discovering their doings.
The King’s Customehouses, ought to be so many locks
and Keys to the Kingdome, to let what is warrantable and
lawful to come in, and to keep out what is forbidden its entrance,
and to prevent the great abuses that are so frequently
complained of, both in the Exportation of our Prohibited
goods, and the Importation of Forreign goods forbidden by
Law; and if the Officers were but as vigilant and faithful as
they ought to be, they might easily and readily prevent these
enormities with their care and diligence, which are so dayly
practised.
Blank Certificates
a
Cheat.
Exchanging
the Master
of the
Vessel.
But it is too well known, how remiss and careless the
Officers are, and neglectful of their duties in many of the
out-Ports especially, that it is a thing very usual with Smugglers
to get blank Certificates, with the Seal of the Customehouse,[Pg 41]
to take up their Bonds that are given for the true delivery
of their goods at some other Port in England; and
moreover there is a great cheat in the shifting Masters of
such Vessels, as take in such goods, they will oftentimes exchange
the Master, before he goes out of the Liberty of the
Port, where the goods were Shipped; and yet if all these
things fail, and their coast Bonds come to be forfeited and
put into Suit, it is not to be exprest, the delayes, shifts and deceitful
tricks that are practised by some undersheriffs and
their Deputies, in their returns, and in the Execution of the
Law, which ought to be done both with speed and justice,
but both these are by such persons omitted, and these kind
of doings do highly incourage these offenders, in their sinful
practices.
Farming
the King’s
Customes.
Injury to
the Kingdome.
Springs to
fill us with
Forreign
goods.
I have also observed that the Farming the King’s Customes
hath been an occasion of great prejudice to the trade of the
Kingdome, and the publique good; for when the weal and
good of the whole Nation, comes in competition with the
present profit of the Farmers, they are apt to resolve the question
for their own advantage, permitting Prohibited goods
to be Landed, so long as the due Customes, for them come
into their Coffers, and the under-Officers, knowing what
the Farmers their Masters do, are very apt to learn the trade,
to let pass our goods out of the Land that are also prohibited:
and those Smuggling Merchants that deal in such kind
of wares, can easily find out the blind side of such Officers,
& that will be bribed, to wink at such their deceitful practises,
such an unfaithful Officer shall be highly commended among
these theevish Merchants for a brave fellow, one that knows
his business, and for a very civil person, that will do a Merchant
a kindness upon occasion. Thus evil is called good,
and good is stiled evil, as I said before; those Officers that
are faithful to King and Countrey, are called Knaves, Troublesome
fellowes, evil Neighbours, &c. these the honest
good men, &c. Good Lord! what a pass are we come to in
this Nation? people account it no sin to steal from the King,[Pg 42]
and now a daies those that practice such things have changed
the terme, it is not (by them) called stealing Custome, but saving
custome; for my part I am of the opinion, that he that
steals Custome from the King to the value of twenty shillings,
deserves to be punished as well as he that steals so much from
any other man. For as I heard a Scholler once a reasoning,
either it is this or that, &c. so I say here, either Custome is
the Kings due, or it is not, but no man dares be so impudent
as in words to deny it, but they must needs acknowledge it a
truth, that it is his due, and if so, why then do they not give
to Cæsar the things that are his, according to the Commandement
of our Saviour, and the Commandement of the King,
and Parliament, it being established by Law, and constituted
for the publique good, and the general advancement of the
Trade of the Nation, and such Officers as will not comply
with these sort of people to cheat the King, are called Fooles,
men that do not know their business, but if another had that
Office, he would make something of it, &c. but such men
minding the faithful and conscionable discharge of their duty
to God, to the King and Kingdome; with the blessing of God
live better, and do a thousand times more good than others,
and may be principal Instruments to make the Kingdome happy
and flourishing.
Pattent against
Transporting
Wooll
do more
harm than
good.
I have had discourse with some persons who have had the
thoughts of getting a Pattent, to put the Laws into Execution,
that are against the Transportation of Wooll, and other
prohibited commodities; but I can hardly think they would
be careful and diligent in that imployment, except they
should reap a considerable profit for their labour, how
should they expect to ballance their expence. I refer to the
censure of the judicious, except it be by conniving at, (or
compounding with) the Offenders; so that by such a design
as this, the transgressors may be encouraged to sin more,
and more; for if such Patentees should too much discourage
that sort of people, that carry off the Wooll, &c. to other
Nations, (who are the only men that must bring grists to[Pg 43]
their Mill) it would be as ridiculous a thing, as for Lawyers
to perswade people to peace, and by that means lose
their Practice; and it is generally beleived, that there would
be more Prohibited goods transported then, than what have
been before, if the care for the putting the Lawes into Execution,
were once committed to Pattentees, for as in other
cases of the same nature, the love of Money is so natural, and
money so much hunted after, that it may be acquired, that
the minding of putting the Lawes into Execution, and men
doing faithfully and uprightly their duty, is not a thing now
a dayes at all regarded, or taken into consideration as it ought
to be.
But I hope that his Majesty with all the Peers of the Realm,
and all others, are made in some good measure sensible of the
great concernement of Trade, and the sad effects and consequents
of exporting our Wooll, Fullers earth, &c. as also
of the idleness of our poor people, occasioned by the loss of
forreign Markets, for our woollen Manufactures; that I think
it is high time for all Loyal Subjects, to give their utmost assistance
to discover all Offenders, and make them manifest in
their kind, and for all Superiors to give their just assistance
that the Lawes may be put into a speedy and severe execution
against all Delinquents as soon as made visible.
In the dayes of King Edward the third (formerly spoken
of) and since, to the times of our late unhappy confusions,
the Trade of Clothing made the Kingdome flourish for many
years together, and doubtless would do so again, if our
Lawes were but put into Execution, and every one were
obliged to discover, and make manifest the Transgressors,
for this is not a business for two or three men to do, let them
imploy themselves with all endeavours imaginable, but the
eyes of all men must be about this matter, tending to such a
Reformation; and the Courts of Judicature must be expeditious
and severe in the administration of Justice against such
Offenders, when once convicted, and let not one of them
be spared, who deserve to be punished without mercy: because[Pg 44]
for a little private advantage, they do their utmost to
bring ruine on the whole kingdome: I could also declare other
things that might be very assistant to the increase of
Trade, and the prosperity of the Kingdome, which is not so
convenient to be made publique, before it be debated among
the Clothiers and Tradesmen.
It hath pleased his Majesty to plant such Commissioners
now, for the management of his Customes, that it is hoped
they will do much good, especially in the regulation of the
Out-Ports, concerning those notorious evil practises, which
have been continually done among them, and for the encouraging
of those Officers that are honest and faithful, if
they should be troubled at any time, or be any wayes damnified
about lawful seizures, by reason of Actions brought
against them, that they shall be releived by the Commissioners,
and the charges that may arise in such cases at the Law,
to be born by the common stock.
Concerning
Staplers.
Quære 1.
I could say something for the Staplers, though not much,
because I cannot find by our Lawes, that any such people
were in those dayes, when the Trade and Manufacture of
Wooll was first brought into England; and yet Wooll was
sent to the Staples, and all the Manufacturers thereof, had
those sorts that suited best for their trade, and we got and
kept the whole trade of our English wooll, and of other
Countries to our selves, in this Kingdome, and had the command
of the forreign Markets, which was the occasion of the
first setling all those Companies, as hath been formerly and
briefly set forth; and I doubt not, but that those Staplers will
set a gloss upon their business, and without question their
money doth speak much for them, lying for the most part in
and about London, so near to the Fountain of the Lawes; yet
I do verily beleive those people have much to answer for, as
to the ruine of many poor people, occasioned by their Exportation
of Wooll beyond Sea, by which evil practice, the
Trade of the kingdome is in a great measure lost, as hath
been set forth already something largely; by reason whereof[Pg 45]
many of our poor people in the kingdome are ready to
perish for want of Bread, notwithstanding the great plenty
in the Land, and this is because they want work.
I should lose time further to complain, seeing all people
are experimentally sensible of the loss and decay of Trade,
to the great disadvantage of the Nobility, and Gentry in
the Land, as also to the great detriment of the Farmer, and
Merchant; although indeed the Poor are most pinchingly
sensible hereof, throughout the King’s Dominions, and hence
ariseth the want of Money, (the thing by all men complained
of) and the fall of Rents occasioned thereby.
Whether it would not be convenient to have a Committee
of Clothiers, some of the principal of all
Counties, with Merchants of the several Cities, and some other
Tradesmen, and Artificers, to be appointed; whose other
weighty affairs might not obstruct this great design of reviving
and advancing our Trade, to its former height, and
luster, and that some of those Gentlemen sit at a certain known
place, as their occasions may permit, so that some of them
may be ready at all times, to receive Petitions, or Projections
from workmen, which may any way tend to the encrease
and encouragement of Trade; and for such Committees, to
prepare and digest the same, into such a Method and form,
as might occasion the Production of such further Lawes (if[Pg 46]
so thought necessary) for the future, as might restore and
advance the Clothing Trade, and the well making of Cloth,
and all sorts of goods, both in the old and new Drapery; and
the rectifying such abuses among all other Tradesmen, that
are any way imployed about the said Draperies.
Whether all those Laws against Exportation, and Importation
of Prohibited goods, and for the punishment of unfaithful
Officers of the Customes, and others intrusted that do
connive at such abuses (to the King and Kingdome) and neglect
the faithful performance of their duty, ought not to be
put into effectual Execution, and whether all other Lawes,
tending to the same matter, or have any relation to these
things, ought not once in a moneth, upon the market day to
be publiquely read and declared, especially in the Sea-Port
townes, round about the Land, that by this means all the
common people, who have the best and greatest opportunities
for discovering Offenders, might know the Law, and so
consequently know how, and wherein to do the King and
Countrey service, such as might be very acceptable to them,
and should not be unprofitable to themselves, if they would
be careful and diligent to watch and look out.
Whether all people ought not to be encouraged, that shall
discover such as Transport Prohibited goods, either into the
Kingdome or out of it; and that care should be taken for
them in a very special manner, that they might be protected
from vexatious Suits, and Troubles, which are usually
brought upon them that do discover such transgressors, that
so others may be terrified from such like discoveries, all-though
therein, by making known such Smugglers, that
they may receive the justice of the Law, they do the King
and Kingdome the highest service that may be; and that care
may be taken how their Credits, Families and Fortunes may
be preserved against the malice of such Miscreants, whose
common practice is to multiply troubles on all such as do
any way molest them in their unjust designes.
Whether the evil presidents, on some faithful Officers (being[Pg 47]
vexed and molested by these Smugglers and their Adhærents)
for doing their duty and being just in their places, for
the publique good both of King and Kingdome, may not give
occasion to many other Officers, to take Bribes, and comply
with those Smugglers to cheat his Majesty of his due
Customes, rather than to run the hazard of such molestations,
to the utter ruine of themselves and Families.
Whether it may not be necessary to put those Laws into
Execution, that appointed Staples on purpose to sell Wooll
at, and that none should be bought, sold, or bargained for
but in the publique Market, by the Clothiers, or the Manufacturers
therof, or should be carryed too or from, any place
or lodged near the water-side, under any pretence whatsoever,
without the Licences of some Officers, appointed on
purpose, except only in the day-time, by publique and open
carriages from the place of its growth, to the publique Market,
so that all those which shall carry Wooll concealed, and
others who with force of armed men in the night, transport
it to the water side, in order to their private Shipping it off,
with as much obscurity as they can, might be discovered by
some honest Shepherds, Husbandmen, Porters, or Watermen,
whose occasions call them to be abroad both early and
late, and so they have more convenient opportunities to find
out such evil doers, than other people have; and that such as
do give in Information of such transgressors, shall be Protected
and well rewarded.
Whether the wilful transgression of the Laws of the Land,
made & setled by the King, Lords & Commons in Parliament,
& continued in, & obstinately practised; be not the ready if not
the only Introduction to Rebellion, when such evil doers, as
have been formerly spoke of, do make it their utmost endeavour,
to destroy the publique for a little private advantage,
as hath been already so much complained of, having no respect
to the Laws of the Land, that Prohibit such evil practices
as theirs, and whether this be not a high contempt of
the Authority aforesaid, that Enacted those good Lawes.
[Pg 48]
Whether it would not forward the great work of reviving
our Trade, and prevent those abuses complained of, if
an Office was appointed in every County, to be kept by some
honest upright men, who have a clear respect to the publique
good, and advancing the National Trade, that might receive
all Informations of such abuses, and transgressions of
the Laws of the Land, in the case before mentioned, from
any people that should be the discoverers of the same, and
that such Officers may have power to examine Witness upon
Oath, and if there be found a real guilt, in the Accused person
or persons, that such Officer shall give to such discoverer,
of his or their good service, and the matter to be Prosecuted
at Law by a publique charge; and the persons, though
never so mean, that have given the Informations, should be
assured to receive his reward, by vertue of his Certificate,
without any manner of trouble or charge to himself, as soon
as the Suit shall be determined; all which would be carryed
on with much ease, and be accomplished in a short time if
such an Officer as did Prosecute for the King had the countenance
of the Courts of Judicature as they ought to have, and
the Cities and Countries made throughly sensible, that this
matter is of so great concernment to the publique good, so
that all Smugglers might be so much discountenanced, by all
people both high and low, that none should dare to presume
to transgress the King’s Laws, or for the future, endeavour a
publique destruction to the Kingdome, for their private and
perticuler advantage.
Whether it may not be judged to be more convenient, upon
the discovery of such Offenders, to Prosecute them in the
King’s Court of Exchequer, rather than in any Countrey
Court adjacent, where such Fact was committed; or where
the Offender dwells, least there should be some special correspondence
held thereabouts, or interest more readily made
in such Courts.
In case any publique Officer should be surprized, by the
subtil contrivance of such Smugglers, with their Atturnies and[Pg 49]
Clerks, (who frequently use foul practices also,) and that
such Officer shall be put to great Charges, possibly beyond
his Ability, before he can obtain releif according to the
rules of the Law: whether it would not be convenient that
such Rules should be made and practiced in all Courts of
Judicature, that such publique Officers for the King, should
not be exposed to so great charges, by Actions brought against
them, meerly out of malice, which are done purely
out of design to terrify such Officers, (and to prevent if possible,
for the future, the due and faithful Execution of their
said Office in such cases,) wherein the Kingdomes good is so
much concerned, and that a place was appointed where they
might be speedily heard without tedious attendance.
Whether any Officer that formerly did, or now doth belong
to the Customes, or was any wayes intrusted in his Majesties
Service, who hath proved unjust, and unfaithful in his
Office, either by conniving at such Smugglers, or complying
with them, or neglecting (upon complaint made to him) to
bring them to condigne punishment, according to the Justice
of the Law, ought ever to be intrusted in any publique Imployment
for the future.
Whether by our Laws, any Under Sheriff ought to continue
in his Office, more than one year, or to act as Under-Sheriff
upon any pretence whatsoever; considering they have
such opportunities, to be prejudicial to any person, according
to their Interests and inclinations; and they may delay
and vex one party, and in the mean time unjustly incourage,
and heighten the other; and this is such a thing as often
proves very prejudicial to His Majesties Affairs in the Prosecution
of such Informations, as may be brought, touching
the abuses here mentioned.
Whether these Officers, that are in Commission or Imployment,
that do joyn with, or countenance such as do
transgress the King’s Laws, and make it their business to defraud
the King of his Dues, or are not ready and forward to[Pg 50]
do that justice against the Delinquents that so do, ought not
to be Displaced, and some way severely Punished?
Whether those Jurors that will give up their Verdict contrary
to Law, and Evidence, ought not to be forced to give
satisfaction to the party so greived, and injured; or to be
made to suffer one way or another, as examples in such cases;
without any tedious trouble to the party greived, as may be
judged requisite, and reasonable; for as our Laws stand in
that case, it is almost impossible to punish a Jury that doth
offend, and act contrary to Law; for it is too much become
the custome of many Juries, to act to the dammage of one
person, out of favour and respect to the other, so that all people
are sensible of the great abuses that are put upon one party,
where the Adversary can carry a great interest, either in
Cities or Countrey.
Whether it would not be as great a renown to His Majesty,
if the Trade of Clothing was recovered to its height,
as it was to King Edward the Third, of Famous Memory,
by whose Providence, and Industry it was first brought into
England, which hath been so exceedingly advantagious to
this Kingdome, for many years, and doubtless might be revived,
to as great a strength as ever; if such things were consulted
and practiced, which might be the proper and effectual
means, conducible thereunto; and the people of the
Kingdome brought to a ready observation, of the Lawes of
the Land, which would turn to his Majesties great advantage
in his Customes, &c. and put all his Subjects in general into a
capacity of paying their Taxes willingly, according as his
Majesty should have occasion, the Springs of Trade then being
open and running, would bring in supplies to all people.
Whether it would not be necessary that all those Laws not
yet Repealed, relating to the furtherance of Trade, and
promiscuously scattered in the Law Books, ought not to be
revived, and re-Printed in one Volume, that so all people
might readily know those Laws, and be by Authority strictly[Pg 51]
commanded the observance of the same, with incouragements
to the obedient, and punishments to the disobedient.
In case any Laws be wanting, or are not full enough, against
the Transportation of our Prohibited goods, or the
Importation of Forreign Prohibited goods, as new sorts of
Stuffs, that may be made beyond Sea, or any thing elce, that
is not perticularly provided against, whether it may not be
very necessary to have such a defect supplyed.
Whether there ought not to be a Statute for the regulation
or well making of such Staffs, &c. which were not used
in former times, that so all deceits in work may be avoided,
which if done, would doubtless very much advance the credit
of the English goods, and greatly further the sale of them
at a Forreign Market.
Whether it is convenient that our Manufactures of Cloth
and Stuffs, should be allowed to be transported out of the
Land white (or undied) because it is a very common practice
of the Dutch and English too, so to do, and then they
Dye them and Dress them in Holland, by the which they set
many people on work, and all that imployment is lost to England:
but this is not all, for the Dutch do so handle the
matter, as that they mak our own goods more acceptable and
saleable in Forreign Countries, than we usually do, with the
same sort of goods which we Dy in England, to the great
profit and credit of the Dutch abroad among strangers, and
to the great loss and dammage of England, besides the disreputation
by that means to England, yea many times the
same goods that were carryed over to Holland white, are returned
to us again, when the Dutch have Dyed them and
dressed them, and then they are esteemed the best Colours,
and therefore most vendible among us.
Whether it would not be very conducible to the publique
good, that those perticuler Statutes should be put into effectual
Execution, which do positively appoint, that all Merchants
Forreigners, Tradeing into England with Commodities
of their own Countrey growth, and vending them[Pg 52]
here, should lay out their money again in our English Manufactures,
and not be permitted to carry money out of the
Land, directly nor indirectly; but lay it out in the goods,
and wares of England (their necessary expences excepted)
according to the true intent and meaning of the said Statute.
Whether it be not worthy to be taken into consideration,
concerning the fineness and weight of our English Coin, above
and beyond the Coin of our neighbouring Nations, and
whether that be not the cause of its Exportation out of the
Land; a broad twenty shillings peice of Gold, being worth
in France, Flanders, and Holland, twenty seven shillings,
and a Crown piece of silver worth six shillings; so that I suppose
we may cease wondring, what is become of the money
of the Kingdome, considering it is such profit to the Merchant
to transport it beyond Sea.
Whether it would not very much increase Trading, and
be highly advantageous to the King’s Majesty, to have money
plentiful in the Land, and greatly benefit the Common-Weale,
if money in England was in some measure made
sutable or equal, to the weight and fineness of money in other
Lands, and whether this would not be a great means of
bringing in money from other Lands, and then keep it in the
Kingdome being brought in; by such means the King would
be sure to have a speedy supply on all demands, for his occasions;
and it is granted on all hands, that good Treasures of
Money are the principal Sinews of War.
Whether we in England, ought not in reason, to take the
same care, for the preservation and advancement of our Native
Commodities, as every other Kingdome and Countrey
doth for theirs, as in Spain, the labour of the people is in
their Vineyards, for the Production of Wine and Fruit, concerning
which they take great care, that they make the utmost,
and spend little of these things themselves, that they
may make money of them to furnish their needs, with what
is sutable, and many times they will not part with these their[Pg 53]
goods, for Barter, or Exchange for other goods, but will
have ready money, and at dear rates too, as I have heard by
those that have traded into those parts; some have given to
the Spaniards, at the Canaries 100 peices of Eight, for an
ordinary Pipe of Wine, in ready money; which 100 Peices
of Eight are well worth twenty two pounds Sterling, with us,
and likewise in France concerning their Wines, Salt, Brandy,
&c. what care is by them taken to make the best of
them, that may be, and what vast quantities of French
Wines, Brandy, Vinegar, &c, do come over into England
in a year; to pay for which I doubt, there goes a great deal
of ready money: and if so in other Countries, why should
not the same care be taken in England, for the advancement
of our Manufactures, endeavouring thereby to imploy our
Poor, and so to inrich the Kingdome, especially considering
the far greater advantages of so doing, that we have in England,
than any other Nation hath, as hath been already at
large set forth.
Why should the humour of our people in England so far
engage them to an old custome of burying the dead in Linnen,
as to contradict and disobey so good a Law as was lately
made by Act of Parliament, for the burial of our dead in
Woollen, doubtless there was reason enoug then produced
in Parliament, to sway with the King and those two Honourable
Houses for the Enacting the same, and whether it be
not as decent to cover the dead Corps in Flannel, as it is with
Linnen; beside the burial of the dead in Flannel will greatly
advance the Manufacture of the Nation, and in reason advance
the prizes of all other Woollen wares, and this Woollen
Cloth is of our own production, and when we bury our
people in Linnen, that causeth so much expence (for the generality)
of the goods of other Countries; and whether it
ought not to be considered, that the Law provided in this
case, ought to be re-inforced.
Now to draw towards an end, I have met with an Objection
to this Treatise, that it may be judged Superflous,[Pg 54]
because several Books are extant concerning this Subject; to
which I Answer.
Though I have reason to beleive them that told me so, yet
I do beleive that the Reader will find a great difference between
this and any other, if they be compared together,
and that in many respects.
And again I Answer, that the more Complaints are made,
of the Abuses and great Losses to the Kingdome, so much
the more ought all good men to enquire into the truth of
those Complaints, and endeavour for sutable Remedies; in
Tendency whereto, I have presented something here by way
of Quære, &c.
And now methinks I hear some wise men say, that it is Reason
that such abuses should be punished, and that severely,
if any should presume to act such things, as are here complained
of, or any waies vindicate those that do them; to the
which I answer, that I wish that I were called to prove my
knowledge of those things, without too much charge or Attendance,
before any that should be appointed, to enquire
into and to regulate the same, for I do not make it my business
to set forth in this discourse the perticuler abuses of
those Countrey Atturneys, Under-Clerks, Under-Sheriffs
in their returns, and the abuses of their Officers, and the Assistance
that some great Smugglers have, from some Magistrates
and Justices of the Peace in the Countrey, together
with the affronts that have been offered to our good
Lawes, of which I have had a large and sad experience: And
although our Lawes are good, and our Judges are just, yet
the corruption in the practice of the Law, by under-Officers,
is so exceeding bad and destructive to the Trade and
publique good of the Kingdome, that in case I should perticularly
recite those abuses that I my self have met with among
the Practicers of the Law, I should fill a Book many
times bigger than this.
And now I shall conclude, with the true and hearty wishes
of an Englishman, that all our Ministers of State may so agree[Pg 55]
especially in this juncture of time, that they may unanimously
joyn together, as one intire body, against all Intruders
upon our Trade and Priveledges both at Sea and
Land; that the Walls of this Kingdome may be built up and
preserved, and our Tradeing may encrease and flourish, so
that no cunning Usurpers may rob us of our old Prerogatives
of the Seas, or the Manufacture of our native Trade upon
the Land.
FINIS.
