Reader not thinking his Arguments of any Weight at all in the present case nor indeed does he make his comparison with English or Hollanders but with the Spaniards who nor the Grand Senior the latter of whom has greater advantages to be Powerful at Sea then the French King could never attain to any illustrious greatness in Naval Power having after attempted but never succeeded in the same nor is it easie to believe that the King of England should for so many Years have continued in his Title to the Soveraignty of the narrow Seas against his Neighbours ambitious enough to have gotten it from him had not their impediments been natural and perpetual and such as we say do obstruct the most Christian King CHAP. IV. That the People and Territories of the King of England are naturaly as considerable for Wealth and Strength as those of France THe Author of the State of England among the many useful truths and observations he has sets down the proportion between the Territories of England and France to be as thirty to eighty two the which if it be true then England Scotland and Ireland with the Islands unto them belonging will altogether be near as big as France tho I ought to take all advantages for proving the Paradox in hand I had rather grant that England Scotland and Ireland with the Islands before mentioned together with planted parts of new Found-Land new England new Netherland Virginy Mary-Land Caulin Jamaica Barmuda's Barbado's and all the rest of the Carib Islands do not contain more Territory then France and what planted Land the French King has also in America a. And if any man will be Heterodox in behalf of the French Interest I could be contented against my Judgment to allow the French King's Territories to be a seventh sixth or fifth part greater then those of the King of England believing that both Princes have more Land then they do imploy to its utmost use And here I beg leave among the several matters I intend for serious to interpose a jocular and perhaps a Ridiculous digression and which I indeed desire men to look upon rather as a Dream then a rational Proposition Which is if that all the moveables and People of Ireland and the High-lands of Scotland were transported into the Kingdom of Great Brittain that then the King and his Subjects would thereby become more Rich and Strong both offensively and defensively then now they are It s true I have heard many wise men say when they were bewailing the vast Losses of the English in preventing and suppressing Rebellions in Ireland and considering how little profit has returned either to the King or Subjects of England for these five hundred Years doing and suffering in that Countrey I say I have heard Wise men in such their Melancholies wish that the People of Ireland being saved that that Island were sunk under Water Now it troubles me that the Distempers of my Mind in this point carry me to Dream that the Benefits of these Wishes may Practically be obtained without sinking that vast Mountainous Island under Water which I take to be somewhat difficult for altho Dutch Engineers may drein its Bogs yet I know no Artists that could sink its Mountains If ingenious and Learned men amongst whom I reckon Sr. Thomas Moore and Des Cartes have disputed that we who think our selves awake are or may be really in a Dream And if the greatest absurdity of Dreams is but a Preposterous and Tumultuary Contexture of Reallities I will crave the umbrage of these great Men to say something too of this wild Conception with Submission to the better Judgments of all those that can prove themselves awake If there were but one man Living in England then the benefit of the whole Territories could be but the third Lively-hood of that one Man But if another man were added the Rent or Benefit of the same would be double if three triple and so forewards until so many were Planted in it as the whole Territory could afford Food unto for if a man would know what any piece of Land is worth the true natural question must be how many Men will it feed and how many Men are there to be fed But to speak more Practically Land of the same quantity and quality in England is generally worth three or four times as much as in Ireland And but one quarter and a third of what it is in Holland because England is four times so well Peopled as Ireland and be a quarter so well as Holland And moreover where the Rent of Land is advanced by reason of the multitude of People there the number of years purchase for which the Inheritance may be sold is also advanced tho perhaps not in the very same Proportion for twenty Shillings per Annum in Ireland may be worth but eight pound and in England where Tithes are very sure about twenty pound in Holland about thirty pound I suppose that in Ireland and the Highlands of Scotland there may be above 1800,000 People or about ⅕ part of what is in all the three Kingdoms Wherefore the first question will be whether England Wales or the Lowland of Scotland can't afford Food that is to say Corn Flesh Fish and Fowl to a ⅕ more People then are at present planted upon it with the same Labour that the said ⅕ part does now take where they are for if so then what is propounded is naturally possible Secondly it is to be inquired into what the moveables which upon such removable must be left behind are worth for if they are worth less than the advancement of the price of Land in England will amount unto then the Proposal is to be considered 3. If the relict Land and the immovables left behind upon them may be sold for money or if no other Nation shall dare to meddle with them without paying well for them and if the Nation who shall be admitted shall be less able to prejudice and annoy the Transplanters into England then before then I conceive the whole proposal will be a pleasant Dream indeed As to the first part whether England and the Lowlands of Scotland will mantain one fifth more then they now do that is to say nine Millions of Souls in all I say first that the said Territories of England c. contain about thirty six Millions of Acres that is four Acres for every Head Man Woman and Child but the united Provinces do not allow ½ Acre and England it self rescinding Wales has but three Acres to ever Head according to the present State of Tillage and Husbandry Now if so considered that England having but three Acres to a Head do so abound in Victuals as that it makes Laws against the importation of Cattle Flesh and Fish from abroad and that the Dreining of the Fens improving of Forrests inclosing of Commons Sowing of cinque-Foyl and Clover-Grass be grumbled against by Landlords are the way to depress the
the Vale of Evesham in Worcestershire so called of one Eoves a Swinheard to Egwin Bishop of Worcester so Renowned for its Fertility and excellent kind of Corn it yields that it is called the Granary of those parts The Vale of Alisbury in Buckinghamshire is also particularly taken notice of for its Pleasant Meadows and Rich Pastures Nor are the Sheep-Pastures near Knetworth in Hartfordshire which is called the Garden of England to be forgotten Portholm Meadow also in Huntingtonshire is reckon'd among the Notabilia of that County The like may be said in a great measure of the Pasturage However there are some places so peculiarly remark'd either for the Largeness or Richness of their Pastures that the mention of them cannot well be omitted The Isle of Shepey in Kent being about 21 Miles in compass is without question so denominated from the numerous Flocks of Sheep which it feedeth No less celebrated is Rumny-Marsh heretofore a part of the Sea under the Name of Romanum Mare which by common Speech is easily corrupted into Rumnense Marshium Of this Marsh Twine in his Commentary De rebus Anglicis making a particular mention thus concludes Denique unde tot pingues peeudes c. Lastly saith he Whence so many Fat Cattle come to the Shambles that not only all Kent is largely supplied from this place but even the City of London also in some measure fares the better In the Marsh-Country of Norfolk commonly called Marsh-Land the Soyl is so very Mellow and Fruitful that in a certain large Mead called Tilneysmeth there are said generally to feed no less than 30000 Sheep at a time Wormleighton in Warwickshire breeds Sheep of so large a size that there are scarce the like to be seen elsewhere Lemster upon the River Lug in Herefordshire feeds a Breed of Sheep which yields so Fine and Delicate a Wool that our Noble Poet Draiton in his Polyolbion compares it to the Wool of Apulia and Tarentum which hath been always accounted the Finest Wool of Europe The Bread also of Lemster is no less noted by reason of the Fineness of its Flower insomuch that Lemster Bread and Weably Ale are united into a Proverb as Leigh observes in his Description of England Likewise the Sheep of Cotswold i. e. a place of Sheep-Cotes or Folds upon a Hill in Glocestershire yield so Fine a Wool that nothing but the Spanish Wool can outvy it and this advantage it owes to a Present that was made by King _____ to _____ King of Spain very much to the prejudice of England as it hath since proved Somerton once the chief Town as some say of Somersetshire and gave the denomination to the Shire consists almost wholly with the Country thereabout of Grasiers and Breeders of Cattle After the Wool of Lemster and Cotswold that of the Isle of Wight comes next in estimation Besides those places above-mentioned there is one more which for its largeness and Fruitfulness alike is worthy to be mentioned viz. The Vale of the Whitehorse which is partly in Wiltshire and partly in Barkshire For Fruit there is scarce any County in England that is not tolerably well stor'd in one sort or other but above all for Cherries and now of late for Pippins Kent bears the Name and particularly Tenham which is commonly styl'd the Parent of Fruit Gardens But the first Pippins brought over that is about 100 years since were Planted in that part of Lincolnshire called Holland and about Kirton in the same Shire Nor are our Cherries of much longer date being first brought over from Flanders in the Reign of King Henry the Eight and Planted in Kent with that Success that one only Orchard of but 32 Acnes is said to have produced in one year as much as yielded 1000 l. For all sorts of Apples and Pears and for great quantity of excellent Syder which furnish London and many other parts Worcestershire Glocestershire and Herefordshire are the principal Counties Vines we have very frequent among us of several sorts producing for the most part a very Sweet and Pleasant Grape and good quantities of Wine I have heard say have been formerly made At this day there are two places principally Eminent for making of Wine viz. Claverton in Somersetshire a Seat of Sir William Bassets where there are said to have been made some years no less than 40 Hogsheads of a very pleasant and palatable Wine and in Kent belonging to Collonel Blunt At Hatfield-House in Hertfordshire belonging to the Earl of Salisbury there is a parcel ground called the Vineyard no doubt from the Plenty and goodness of the Vines there Planted And in Glocestershire there are several places called Vineyards out of which in former times they yearly payed Rent-Wines from the Plenty of Vines no doubt here growing Moreover it is found in Ancient Records that several Towns of this Shire payed Rent-Wines as Dr. Fuller in his Worthys particularly observes Of other Productions BEsides those Beasts and Cattel which are of advantage for Food and Cloathing and which no Country of Europe perhaps of the World bring forth more fair and large than England There are some Beasts of service which being common to England with other parts of Europe are generally commended to be of a more excellent Kind than any especially that which is the most serviceable of all others viz. the Horse with all manner of respects considered is doubtless the most noble and useful of all four-footed Beasts for though the Elephant Camel and Dromedary with which most places of Asia and many of Africa abound are more remarkable for vast bulk of body especially the Elephant and consequently more capable of carriage and bearing of great burthens yet the same greatness of bulk renders them on the other side more unfit for expedition and for the Ass and Mule which indeed are fairer larger and more numerous in Spain and other Countries of Europe than in this Kingdom they are not certainly to be compar'd either for shape service or expedition with the forementioned Animal nor was ever any Grandee of Spain journying on his Mule with the Grand Pa and Spanish gravity so comely a sight as a well accoutred Cavalier on horseback and of all parts of England Montgomeryshire is commended for excellent Horses The Truth is the Spanish Jenet that of Barbary Race commonly therefore called the Barbary The Count of Oldenburgh's Breed in Germany have the Name before all others for Swiftness delicacy of Shape and Neatness of Mark or Colour but for Courage Ability of Body either for Travel Draught or Carriage sufficient Swiftness and Agility Tractableness for the Great Saddle and Management in War the Horses of English Breed are reputed hardly matchable by those of any other Country And our Dogs much less by the Testimony of divers Eminent Authors Ortelius in his Theatrum Orbis Terrarum affirms that there is no part of the Earth where there are better and larger Dogs to be seen especially Hounds he might
River Tay which on the North side of it Flows like a large Sea when on the South the River Amster running through 3 Lakes enters its Streets and falleth into the River Tay aforesaid And by the addition or a new City to the old it is become Commodious and strong and by the advantage of the River passing through all Land-carriage is saved the Boats in the 5 Principal Streets coming up to the Doors especially where the Merchants Ware-Houses are The Inhabitants are generally Prompt to Navigation and have so improved themselves thereby that most of the Citizens are Merchants and have Vessels of their own or venture in other Vessels wholly relying â—pon the advantage that Accrues by Trading in forrain Countries as wanting Land to improve their Stock at home so that of late it has been observed they put out their Money to Interest in England and France to more considerable interest then it will allow in their own Country 4 or 5 per cent being great interest there which is so ordered that by such means People may be the willinger to venture in way of Trade by Merchandise which returns them for the most part 50. per cent and all charges pay'd The Commodities found in Amsterdam as Silks Cloath Woollen and Linnen Stuffs Drugs of all sorts Spices Dies Oyls Allum Brimstone Gold and Silver-Thread Wines and indeed all sorts of Commodities that are found of any use in the known World but the chief Commodities that the Country affords which may properly be called the Growth or Manufacture are Cattle Butter Cheese Flax Corn Linnen Cloath Coarse Woollen Cloaths Tapestry Pictures and all sorts of Fish but especially Herrings of which they make an Extraordinary advantage imploying in the Season for that Fishery 6000 Persons The Weight commonly used in Amsterdam is the pound of 16 Ounces 100 of which make 107 of Antwerp and of London 110. The Measure of length is the Ell 134 of which make 100 Yards of London or 100 London Ells make 167 1 â— Ells of Amsterdam Their Concave Measures are for Corn the Last the Barrel the Muyden the Sack the Archeteling and the Sheple as thus 24 Barrels make the Last each Barrel containing 1 1 â—2 Muydens a Muyden containing 1 2 24 Sacks each Sack being 3 Archetelings or 3 21 29 Shepels 108 Shepels making the Last The Measures for Wine Oyl Beer and other Liquids are for the most part the same with those of England and therefore I shall pass them over The Coyns in which the Accounts are kept are the same with Antwerp viz. Livers Solds and Deniers the Liver or Pound Flemish being 12 Shillings Sterling 6 Florins make the Flemish pound at 20 Stivers per Florin so that 120 Stivers are the Flemish pound or 12 Shillings English 5 Stivers being 6 pence Sterling or 5 Solds Turnois a Gross is 6 Deniers a Carolus Gulden is 20 Stivers or 2 Shillings Sterling or 2 Sols Turnois And besides these all the currant Coyns of Europe pass here according to their true value as they again may be payed for Merchandise to the Merchants of the Countries to which they are proper And thus much for Antwerp and Amsterdam as also for all the Provinces and Cities of the Netherlands the Trade of which being included in what I have lay'd down so that from hence I shall pass into Germany to take a View of that large Empire the Trade of which I reduce into a few heads or deliver it in the Description of the Trade of the Principal Cities CHAP. LXXX A View of Germany its Provinces and the Trade thereof HAving thus far proceeded as I hope to the content of the Reader I shall Survey the Empire of Germany which is bounded on the North with Denmark and the Danish Seas on the East with Prusia Poland and Hungary on the South with the Alps and on the West with France and Belgium and abounds in Silver Mines Copper Lead Tinn Iron Corn Wine Allum Quick-Silver Linnen Woollen Silks Stuffs Cattle Corn and other Commodities all of its own Growth and Manufacture The Cities and Towns of the Empire may by good Right be divided into 3 parts as first the Hans-Towns which enjoy large Privileges and Immunities and are computed to be about 70 which for the most par are accommodated with Navigable Rivers and abound in rich Manufactures Secondly those called the Imperial Cities which are imputed free Cities by Reason of their great Priviledges above the rest in Coyning money barring any acknowledgement of Subjection unless to the Emperor whom they only do acknowledge for their Protector and in lieu of it pay an annual Tribute being 60 odd in number And thirdly those that are under the Subjection of the Electoral Princes which are commonly called Principalities The Rivers by which these Towns for the most part are inriched are 4 viz. the Danube which running 1500 Miles receives about 58 Navigable Rivers and at last disimbogues it self into the Euzine or Black-Sea The River Rhine which after passing through Germany and Belgia for 800 Miles falls into the German Ocean the River Albis which is large and Navigable for near 400 Miles and the River Odera which passing 300 Miles through the Country falleth into the Baltick Sea There are likewise several other Rivers of note that greatly contribute to the Fertilizing the Country but these being the chief I shall pass over the rest unless the Description of some Cities require the mentioning of them CHAP. LXXXI A View of Strasburg and the Trade thereof STrasburg is an Imperial free City Seated upon a fair Plain about a furlong from the River Rhine over which they have lay'd a Bridge and a Channel cut which conveys Ships and Boats to the City which is 8 Miles in compass adorned with many stately Buildings and amongst the rest a Cathedral whose Steeple is for curious Architect accounted one of the 7 Wonders of the World and by Reason of the Generosity of the Inhabitants towards Strangers there is great resort thither especially of Lutherans Calvinists c. but above all it abounds in Handicrafts or Artizans who find great incouragement and by their Labour is the common Stock improved tho since its falling into the Hands of the French King they have not proceeded with such Alacrity as formerly by Reason of the little assurance they have of keeping what they acquire by their Labour The Commodities Traded for hither are Linnen Cloath Iron Diaper Rhenish Wine Copper Wax and Hemp for which they receive out of England Tinn Lead and Woollen Cloath out of Spain Fruits Wines Oyls Salt and Wool and out of Italy Silks both Raw and wrought The Weights are two viz. the Gross and Suttle where upon Tryal it has been found that the 100 pound Suttle of London has made Incirca 70 in 71 of the Gross of Strasburg which Gross Weight is 16 Ounces to the pound and the Suttle but 12 Ounces by the latter of which all Indian Commodities are
THE Present State OF ENGLAND PART III. and PART IV. CONTAINING I. An Account of the Riches Strength Magnificence Natural Production Manufactures of this Island with an exact Catalogue of the Nobility and their Seats c. II. The Trade and Commerce within it self and with all Countries traded to by the English as at this day established and all other Matters relating to Inland and Marine Affairs Supplying what is omitted in the two former Parts useful for Natives and Foreiners London Printed for William Whitwood near the George Inn in Little Britain 1683. THE THIRD PART OF THE Present State OF ENGLAND WHEREIN Is set forth the Riches Strength Magnificence Natural Production Manufactures Wonders and Rarities Progress of Learning Arts and Ingenuities c. WITH A more perfect and Methodical Catalogue of the Nobility with their Seats than any hitherto extant LONDON Printed for William Whitwood next the George Inn in Little Britain 1683. THE PREFACE IT is commonly said among Gamesters that the Standers by oft-times see more than the persons themselves that play The like may be said as to the Writing of Books That the Critical Reader soon discovers the Errors and Defects of the Writer Withall it is a common Observation even of the Vulgar and Inferior sort of the People of France that when any Stranger chanceth to trip or falter either in the Pronunciation or Idiom of their Language they instead of laughing at their failings are still ready to help them out and inform them better In our present Affair therefore there is no more to do than to wish the good fortune of falling into the hands of the most courteous and best natured of Readers and indeed there is a kind of necessity for it for in treating of the Productions Manufactures Inventions and other things herein contained there is if not more at least as much need of Converse as of Books of consulting the Living as the Dead Whatever then through haste Inadvertency or want of convenient Assistance either of Mistake or Omission of what is most Curious or Remarkable I say most Curious or Remarkable since a too particular and Minute Account would swell each Head into a distinct Volume may have escaped in this present Work those Gentlemen who shall think it worth their while and will give themselves the trouble are humbly desired against the next Impression if the VVork shall be thought worthy of it to impart their Advice and Informations Small Beginnings oft times grow up to considerable Improvements and a little Cottage may be inlarged to a Commodious if not stately Habitation ERRATA OMISSA PAge 13. line II. after King read Edward the Fourth ibid. after to r. Alphonso p. 19. l. 6. after from r. Bamba l. 7. after from r. Guinea p. 21. l. 25. In the Blank after in r. Herefordshire p. 22. l. 10. r. Vulpanser What other Mistakes or Omissions have escaped the Press by reason some Sheets were wrought off before the Author's Perusal are submitted to the Courteous and Judicious Reader 's Emendation THE Present State OF ENGLAND PART III. THE Island of Great Britain the largest of the European Islands and to very few Islands of the World inferiour in bigness to none in Fertility Power Good Government and the Glory of its great Actions lies between 52 and 58 degrees of Northern Latitude England the noblest and largest part thereof and a distinct Kingdom of it self though at present united under one Monarch hath undergone four several grand Revolutions Not to mention the Samotheans Albionists and Brutus his Trojan Dynastie whose credit depends rather upon fabulous Tradition than real History the ancient Inhabitants of this Island are scarce taken notice of by any Author of account but by the name of Britains and the first certainly known Attaque that ever was made upon them was by the Romans under Julius Caesar and after that several others by the Lieutenants of several succeeding Emperors not without a World of Bloodshed The Natives no less stoutly resisting than the Romans furious assaulting till at length they gain'd a no less quiet than perhaps advantageous Possession among us I mean advantageous to this Island so that the Losers may be said to have been the greatest Gainers the Conquered the greatest Triumphers For if we consider from the several Descriptions that have been written thereof what barbarous and absurd Customs the Ancient Britains had among them we may conclude that Civility and Arts were so much the earlier introduced by the coming in of the Romans who also by their long Habitation here and Familiar Converse with the Old Inhabitants were of Foreigners become as it were Natives of Enemies Protectors insomuch that when they were call'd away for the Defence of their Provinces Abroad their Departure was no less regretted than their Arrival was oppos'd The next Attempters upon this part of the Island were the Saxons who being at first Invited in for their Assistance against the Invading Picts and other Borderers became at length themselves the greatest Invaders and playing upon the Easie and Luxurious Temper of the Prince that first Incourag'd their coming over they got a Footing which by continued fresh Supplies sent over from time to time they made so sure that all the Force the Britains were able to make against them for several Ages was not able to unfix it For notwithstanding this great Opposition in which several of the British Kings Signaliz'd themselves even to the Fame of Heroes especially the Great King Arthur whose Glory nothing hath so much Eclips'd as that his Actions great enough in their Truth are blown up into Storys so Romantick and and Surpassing all Credit maugre I say all the Force could be Mustered against them They still Increased in Number and Strength till in the end the Britains quite tir'd out were glad to retire into the Mountainous and remote parts of the Land by which they kept themselves for many Ages a people intirely distinct and their Language to this very day unmixt the Root of ours being evidently the Saxon so that the other must needs be the Ancient British and leave all the rest to be shar'd among the new Possessors who there being so many Proprietors in the Conquest dealt out the British Monarchy into seven Parcels which sevenfold Partition it may well be wondred how it could keep up so long considering the Confusions and as it were Civil Wars that arose as how could they but arise among so many Petty Monarchs upon one Continent that is as to the bounds of each Kingdom till at length one swallowing up the other the stronger the weaker this Seven-headed Hydra of Government came to a Period and one bright face of Monarchy shot up again and spread its Lustre over all this better part of Britain which hath ever since been called the Kingdom of England and hath so continued with little or no Interruption from the Raign of the Great Egbert He it was who first reduc'd this
also have added Mastives To the same effect Cambden writes of our Dogs in general in his Hantshire and Middlesex Burton also in his Commentaries on Antoninus his Itinerary prefers the British Hounds and Mastives before those of any other Country whatsoever And of our Mastives a Spanish Geographer of good Account Lucas de Linda in his Descriptio Orbis saith That they are the Bravest the Largest and the Fiercest of any in the World beside Moreover that they were in great Request Anciently among the Romans and made use of in their publick Games and Baitings exhibited in their Amphitheaters appears by this Verse of the Poet Claudian Magnaque Taurorum fracturi Colla Britani There are likewise some other sorts of Dogs of English Breed which though not so much taken notice of by Authors I am apt to imagine are no less excellent and supereminent in their kind than those above mention'd as namely Water-Spaniels Grey-Hounds Setting-Dogs and such like of Sport and Game Lastly that sort of Dogs that serve only for Show and the slightest of Divertisement I really believe that for Neatness of Mark and Delicacy of Shape there are scarce to be found elsewhere the like to our Beagles and little Spaniels and this will appear the more evident to those that shall observe this one thing namely that whereas it is a general Curiosity not to say Vanity among our English Gentry to admire and delight in Birds Beasts and other things brought over from France and other Foreign Parts as Parots from _____ Monkeys from _____ we find few or none of these above-mention'd Creatures but what are English at least none so curiously Mark'd and Limb'd as ours There is said to be bred about Portsmouth a race of very little Dogs which by their shape seem to be of the Species of Beagles As for the Cats of England it is observable that the number of Fine Tabby-Cats that are finely Spotted and as it were Marbled hath very much increased of late years whereby it may be probably conjectur'd that some kinds of those so Curiously Cloathed Cats have been brought hither from other parts and particularly those of Cyprus have been accounted for their Marbled Coats the choicest of all others but setting aside the consideration of the Curious Mark or Colour to shew how far ours have the Preeminence in the exercise of that faculty which nature hath implanted in this sort of Creature that is the Catching of Mice and other such Vermine there needs no other instance than the History of a very Rich Lord Mayor of London some few Ages ago who first raised his Fortune from the Venture of an English Cat. As for the Eatable Cattle and several Beasts of Game some places we find there are which claim a special Propriety to this or that particular kind The best Oxen in England are said to be in Lancashire In the New-Forrest in Hantshire there is very great store of Red-Deer A late Park near New-market in Cambridgeshire was called Hare-Park by reason of the multitude of Hares Rabbetts the best and most are said to be in Norfolk yet I cannot think they much exceed those of Auburn-Chace belonging to my Lord of Pembroke in Wiltshire The best Hogs in Hantshire Of Birds there are few if any sorts wanting here which are frequent in other parts of England whether the most Curious of Singing Birds the choicest Fowl both Wild and Tame for the Table or Birds of Game and Delight But of some it is observ'd that what are bred in this Country are peculiarly commendable above others especially the Gallinaceous kind Pliny observes of the Cock that it is a Bold and Stout Bird and crows in sign of Triumph immediatly after Victory and doubtless scarce any Country affords so Couragious and Martial a Race of Game-Cocks as England a right Cock of the Game seldom or never ceasing on this side Death or Victory Nor do I remember to have read or heard Report of any Country where the Sport of Cock-Fighting of which our Countryman Ascham hath written a Learned Treatise is so much used as here Thus the Dog among Beasts and the Cock among Birds seem proper Emblems of true English Valour However let us not repose our chiefest glory in this Vertue alone but strive to excel in others of a higher nature which are proper to man alone since Valour we see is a Vertue common to Man with Brute In the Rocks of Pembrokeshire are Hawks of an extraordinary kind but chiefly of the Species of the Faulcon In the Forrest of Shirwood in Nottinghamshire and in the Forrest of Dean in Glocestershire the Hawk called the Lanar whose Female is the Laneret is very frequent Near Kinsland in _____ is often seen the Hawk called Lanius the Butcher or Murthering Bird. Along the Sea-Coasts of England from the West as far as Dover but chiefly upon the Sea-Coasts of Cornwal there frequents a sort of Chough or Jack-daw which is thence commonly called the Cornish Chough supposed the same with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Aristotle In New-Forrest in Hantshire chiefly breeds the Vpupa or Hoop In the Fens of Lincolnshire the Attagen or Godwitt On Newmarket-Heath and Salisbury-Plains the Bistarda or Bustard In the Isle of Thanet a sort of Wild-Goose commonly called a Birgander in Latin Vulpancer In several parts of Cornwal two sorts of Birds rarely seen elsewhere viz. the Puffin and the Ganet Also in Lincolnshire the Foolish Bird called the Dottrel is so frequent that the people of those parts have very good Sport in the Catching of it as Cambden relates The places of England most eminenly Famous for several sorts of Fish are New-castle upon Tine for Salmon as also Bywell in Northumberland and the River Wye in Herefordshire also the River Lune near Cockerfand-Abbey in Lancashire The Coast of Cornwall for Herrings there being there so great a Trade of Herring-Fishing that there is scarce the like again in any place of Europe at Limmouth also in Dorcetshire there is taken great quantity of Herrings at Yarmouth in Norfolk the Herrings are very large and good and are therefore called Yarmouth Capons Shrewsbury and some other places thereabout upon the Severn for a Fish call'd a Mort which in Taste hath very much of the Salmon in it Sussex in general for Carps For Lobsters Chichester the chief Town of Sussex and Selsey so called qu. Isle of Seals or Sea-Calves in the same County the first for small ones but very Sweet and well Tasted the second for those esteemed not only because of their Goodness but also their Fulness and Largeness for Cockles the same Selsey For Oysters Colchester the chief Town of Essex and several places of Kent especially Whitstaple and Reculver which for Oysters of savoury saltness exceed all other parts of that County especially Reculver There is a sort of small Fish called a Pilchard commonly about the bigness of a Herring though I have heard say that in some parts
three Miles of London And within the City several but the most noted that at the Postern-gate by Tower-hill and that called Crowders-Well hard by Cripple-gate Aleyceston in Huntingtonshire where there are two small Springs one whereof being fresh is accounted good for the Eyes the other a little Brackish for Scabs and Leprosy Buxton in Derbyshire where within the compass of 24 Foot there arise out of a Rock from under a Square Structure of Free-stone 9 Springs whereof one only is cold all the rest very warm But among all these it would be an unpardonable oversight to pass by unmention'd that famous Well of St. Winifrid commonly called the Holy-Well in Flintshire formerly much frequented partly by way of Pilgrimage partly for the great Virtue it was reputed to have in the Cure of many Maladies through the easie Faith no doubt and fond Credulity of the deluded Vulgar who are always apt to pay high Adoration and ascribe miraculous Cures to the Bodies â—elicks or any Memorials of persons recommended to them for Saints for here the Tradition goes that the Virgin Saint Vinifrid being here Beheaded a Fountain immediatly sprung up as if the Earth bewailing her Martyrdom burst forth into a â—ood of Tears and the Pebble-stones at the bottom of the said Fountain being observed to be of a Reddish colour we are to suppose that they retain to this day the tincture of the Virgins Blood Those Springs and Waters that are on the top of high Hills must be allowed to have something of Rarity in them in regard to those that are not sufficiently vers'd in the knowledge of natural Causes and Productions it may seem wonderful that the Water should rise so high above the common Surface of the Earth Particularly on the high Hills of Carnarvanshire are two Meers Also a Spring on the top of MoilenlyHills in Denbyshire Likewise among the Wonders or Rarities of England may be reckoned those Ditches which stand yet as Monuments of the Art and Industry of our Forefathers First That on Newmarket-heath which is commonly called the Devils-Ditch Secondly Wansdike in Wiltshire a work of many Miles extent cast up in memory of a Battle between the Mercians and West-Saxons Thirdly Clough d'Offa or Offa's ditch a work not inferior to the former mention'd and much upon the same occasion made Of the Populacy of the English Nation THe Populacy of a Nation is best estimated from the number of its Towns and Cities The Kingdom of England proportionably to its circumference is scarce inferior to any Kingdom or Country of Europe which is also accounted the the most Populous of all the four parts of the World except France and the Low-Countries which last being accounted no bigger in compass than York-shire is judged to contain as many Towns and Inhabited places as ten times the Circuit thereof in most other Countries and to some much superior particularly Spain late esteem'd the most considerable Monarchy of Christendom and that it continues not so to this day we may in a great measure imâ—â—te to the paucity of people in that kingdom for doubtless there is nothing that conduceth more to the Strength Grandure Prosperity and Riches of a Nation than the Populousness thereof especially where Industry is in the least incourag'd and Idleness discountenanc'd Wherefore that Nation that will ever hope to flourish ought to use all means and endeavours possible for the increasing of its People and to avoid as much as may be all occasions of Depopulation The principal causes of the Dispeopleing of Spain which according to the Testimony of several Creditable Authors hath been Anciently much better Peopled than at present have been first the multitude of Monasteries and Religious Prisons those Receptacles of forc'd Chastity and as they are ordered Impediments of the Worlds Lawful Increase Next the Violent Expulsion of the Moors out of Spain after that by a long establish'd settlement and being habituated to the same Customs Manners and Religion they were become as it were one Body with the rest of the People Lastly Those vast Colonies sent out of Spain to maintain and possess the ample Conquests or rather Ambitious and Bloody Invasions and Depopulations made by the the Spaniards there The Cities and Market-Towns of England are in number 607. to which the rest of the Burrough Towns that is such as send Burgesses to Parliament and all the Inhabited Villages whereof some are conderable being added make above 10 times the number so that all the Parishes of England and Wales are reckon'd 9285. and doubtless within the said circumference which is generally computed to be about 1352 Miles might be very well comprehended five times as many Towns or Places of Habitation if all the Forrests Chaces and unimproved vast Heaths and Commons were taken in and improved to the best advantage It is not to be wondred at that next to being born under a Happy Climate the living under a Happy Government the greatest advantage and Strength of a People is to be numerous proportionably to the extent of Territory they possess Since in the first place it is apparent enough that in a well Inhabited City the People must needs be so much the better able to defend themselves from any Force or Opposition Next if it be a place of any Trade take any particular number of what Trade soever and it is not to be imagin'd that they should be e're a whit the poorer but rather the richer than if the Inhabitants had been fewer For admit them of the same Trade or Imployment a profitable and corresponsible Trade is the more lively and vigorously carried on by many hands and suppose them of several Occupations the circulation of Money from the one to other helps all in general Though 't is true that in a straggling Town or City whose parts lye disjoyn'd and far asunder the people however considerable in number cannot be so assistant to each other in mutual Aid Society or Commerce as in a regular and well compacted City So likewise in a Kingdom that Prince who hath never so large an Empire yet if thinly Peopled or divided into several parts remotely distant and interrupted from mutual intercourse by long Voyages of Land and Sea cannot be look'd upon as so powerful a Prince as he that hath the like number of People in one intire and united Dominion Certainly no Monarch of the World much less of Christendom whoever he be that hath added most to his Empire by never so many new made Conquests can pretend to so large a share or portion of the Earth as the King of Spain who nevertheless as the transactions of a few late past years have made appear hath born but his fourth part with other Princes and States in opposition to a Prince far inferior to him in Jurisdiction and what should be the reason of this but that his Dominions lye so remote from each other and his Kingdom of Spain which his Residence there chiefly enables
well enough be insisted on for its elegancy of Building and pleasant Situation but that other special Remarks require the mention of it elsewhere The like may be said of Cirencester which hath yet some Ruines left of that Beauty and Magnificence which it receiv'd from the Romans of whom it was anciently one of the principal Residences The Palaces Royal of England are in the first place Whitehal built by Cardinal Woolfie and from K. Henry the 8th to his present Majesty the principal and Imperial Residence of all our Kings This Palace is in general rather to be commended for its large Capacity and Convenience than for State and outward Shew yet that part which is call'd the Banquetting-house for its sumptuous Appearance and Regularity of Architecture is judg'd by most of the Curious fit to stand in competition with the chief Structures of Europe Next St James's a House somewhat more sightly to view and delicately situated in the most pleasant of Parks it hath been usually the Residence of the Princes of Wales but is now of his Royal Highness the same in Effect though not in Title Somerset-house is the usual Residence of the Queens of England as it is now of her present Majesty Hampton-Court in Middlesex hath been of late the Principal of our King's Residences out of London a brave large Noble House in the midst of a most stately Park But at present Windsor-Castle in Barkshire is his Majesty's chosen Place of Pleasure and Retirement being besides its most delightful Situation as being advanc'd upon a high Hill rising with a gradual ascent which affords the sweetest Prospect imaginable a Place of great Magnificence and now improv'd to a wonderful heighth of State and Beauty Other Places of Note for Royal Seats are Richmond or Sheen Nonsuch in Surry Greenwich and Eltham in Kent Enfield and Hanworth in Middlesex Holdenby in Northamptenshire The Noblemens Palaces we shall have occasion to give a full account of in the Catalogue of the English Nobility The Cathedrals of England are perhaps take them one with another as remarkable as those of any Country whatsoever but the most eminent besides St Pauls are those of Westminster Salisbury Canterbury York Worcester Glocester Chichester Norwich Winchester Exeter Wells and Peterborough Most of which have been already touch'd upon in the several Places to which they belong however it will not be improper to speak a little more particularly of them in this Place St Pauls before its last fatal destruction by Fire had nothing to stand in competition but St Peters of Rome what it will be when rebuilt may be in some measure conjectur'd by the Grandure which already appears Westminster-Abbey is a Noble Piece of Work and is said to have been 50 years in building and it receives a great addition of lustre by the addition of K. Henry the 7th's Chappel the Workmanship whereof for curiosity of Carving is hardly to be parallel'd Salisbury-Minster is fam'd in general for one of the stateliest of English Structures and particularly noted for its high spired Steeple its double cross Isles its Windows answering to the Days its Pillars to the Hours and its Gates to the Months of the Year besides a Cloister belonging to it famous for Largeness and fine Workmanship Canterbury-Cathedral hath been famous for its rich Window and the Tomb of Thomas a Becket That of York seems next of Note and Esteem for an ample and stately Fabrick Worcester-Cathedral is by a learned Writer deservedly entitled a passing fair Building adorn'd with many Princely and Noble Monuments Nor is Glocester-Cathedral accounted inferior besides the Fame of its Whispering Place Also that of Litchfield before its demolishment is said for elegant and proportional Building to have yielded very few The Church of Chichester is not so large as neat having a Spire-Steeple which advanceth it self up to a majestick heighth The Cloister of the Cathedral of Norwich is accounted the fairest in England Winchester-Cathedral is a brave old solemn Structure so likewise is that of Lincoln which last is also famous for its great Bell call'd Tom of Lincoln the biggest in England Exeter-Cathedral is remarkable for its brave noble carv'd Work at the West-end thereof so likewise are those of Wells and Peterborough In fine There are few or none of the Cathedrals of this Nation of whose Grandeur there is not enough to be said to make a Volume There are a number of Parish-Churches that deserve particular mention In London there are many especially since the rebuilding of the City remarkable for Beauty and State But the chief are St Sepulchre and St Maries le Bow whose Steeple is such that certainly a nobler is scarce to be seen The Church of Covent-Garden is much admir'd for a Fabrick of such Magnitude and State unsupported with Pillars The like may be said of Lincolns-Inn-Chappel which is also observable for the curious vaulted Walk over which it is built Likewise that round vaulted Roof of the Inner-Temple-Church under which lye upon the ground several Sepulchral Statues of Knights Templars within a four-square Empalement of Iron-work is a Structure of that kind not to be parallel'd by any Nor is the new built Church of St Clements to be wholly pass'd by as exceeding much both for the outward and inward Workmanship and particularly the fine Fret-work on the Cieling The Church of Bath though Litchfield be the Bishop's principal Seat is by some call'd a Cathedral and for largeness and elegance of Building may well enough be so accounted Of the 5 Churches of Derby that nam'd All-Hallows is of chief Reputel for its Tower-Steeple of a stately heighth and excellent Structure and whose Foundation was laid and part of it built by young Men and Maids as appears by Letters graven thereon The Church of Shirburn in Dorsetshire is much noted for its curious Workmanship within The Church of Grantham chiefly eminent for the excessive heighth of its Steeple which possibly gives occasion of that vulgar Report of this Steeple's standing awry and of that fabulous Tradition of its having been built by Hell's great Architect who misliking something or other gave it such a Blow with his Ruler that it hath stood awry ever since St Maries of Ratcliff in Bristow for the stately ascent to it its largeness curious Workmanship embowed Arch of Stone and its lofty Steeple hath been accounted the noblest Parish-Church of England Another Church in the same City call'd the Temple is remarkable for its Tower which whensoever the Bell is rung divides from the rest of the Building with a Cleft from the bottom to the top which gapes the breadth of three Fingers In Lancashire the Collegiate Church of Manchester hath a Quire which though not very large is remarkable for its rich adornment of Wood-work Among the Churches of Coventry two standing near each other viz. Trinity-Church and St Michaels are commended for their rare Workmanship and stately heighth Coln a little old Town in Wiltshire
Bonese an Italian first taught the English to spin with a Distaff 20 H. 7. Fine Spanish Needles were made in Queen Maries Reign by a Negro in Cheapside who refused co communicate his Art but it was afterwards taught by Elias Crouse a German Anno 8º Elizabethae In the tenth year of the said Queen Richard Dyer came from Spain and taught his Country-men the way of making Earthen Fire-Pots Furnaces and Transportable Ovens for baking of Earthen Ware He had the first sole profit by Patent Anno 1555. Walter Rippon is said to have made the first Coach in England for the Earl of Rutland Anno 1564. a hollow turning Coach for the Queen Anno 1585. a rare Chariot Others say William Boonen a Dutch-man Coach-man to Queen Eliz. first brought the use of the Coach into England And about the same time came in Long Waggons Making of Copperas in England was first practised by Cornelius de Vos a Merchant An. 1587. William Saunders a Fishmonger was the first that brought our Caelestial and Terrestrial Globes to any considerable perfection but since they have been much improved William Matthews in the 5th of Queen Elizabeth was the first rare Artist in the making of fine Knives and Hafts which were marked with a Half Moon and for which he had the Queens Letters Patents About the same time Pins which were formerly brought in by Strangers to the value of 60000 l. per Annum were first made in England and now excell all that are made in any other part of the World One Bourass first made the Engin for Scale-Board One Ross is said to have been the first that made Bandores in England and to this day that called the Ross Viol is accounted the choicest of all other Viols The ancient way among us of keeping Accounts was by Tallies and is in some measure and on some occasions retained to this day The most considerable instance is in the Tallies of the Exchequer And not only common Accounts but the Account of Time and the Motions of the Sun Moon and other Planets anciently in some parts of Derbyshire and some say Staffordshire also were usually notched and marked out upon a piece of Wood. This sort of Calender-Log or Wooden Almanack hath scarce been taken notice of till of late and now some few there are who understand the way of it The only one I have seen of them is in the custody of Mr. John Bagford a Searcher into Antiquities Arts and Ingenuities much above what might be expected from one of his Education and Literature An Engin for Clock-Wheels was invented about a hundred years since An Engine for the speedy cutting down of Wheels for Watches forty years ago none now made after the same manner An Engin for drawing of Pinion Wire of Steel for Watches about ten years ago Mr. Tomakee about ten years since was famous for making Chains for Watches especially as being the first His Wife lives in Rose Street near Long Acre Other late Inventions there are not unworthy to be mentioned An Engin for Rasing of Glass an Engin for Spinning of Glass the Engin for Cutting Tobacco the Rolling Press for Printing off from Copper Plates Damask Linnen and the Watering of Silks The way of separating Gold from Silver Enamelling in Gold Silver and Brass Boulting Mills Dark Lanthorns the Trumpet-makers Trade Cane-Chairs a choice way of Colouring used by Book-binders boyling of Whalebone making of Hornware Perriwigs Womens Masks Busks and Fans and Muffs are said to have come in here about the time of the Paris-Massacre The first pair of black Silk Stockins in England presented to Queen Elizabeth Anno 1660. Sir Walter Raleigh reputed by some the first Improver of our late Models of Ships The best Saddle-Trees are said to be made at Burford in Oxfordshire and some parts of the North of England The best Riding-Whips at St Edmundbury in Suffolk Besides the Fire-Engin above mentioned there is lately brought into use a portable one of extraordinary advantage in regard it is capable of being directed into any particular Room or Chamber FINIS THE FOURTH PART OF THE Present State OF ENGLAND RELATING To its Trade and Commerce within it self and with all Countries Traded to by the English as it is found at this Day Established giving a most exact account of the Laws and Customs of Merchants relating to Bills of Exchange Policies of Ensurance Fraights Bottomery Wreck Averidge Contributions Customs Coyns Weights Measures and all other matters relating to Inland and Marine affairs To which is likewise added Englands Guide to Industry or Improvement of Trade for the good of all People in General Written by a Person of Quality LONDON Printed by R. Holt for William Whirwood near the George Inn in Little Britain 1683. TO THE READER REader wonder not that I present you with the third part of the present state of this famous and Flourishing Island the which tho it has been already largely discoursed on in the former parts yet it yields such Varity if considered aright in its several Capacities that it is a kind of Ingratitude to pass over in Silence the materialest part of its Glory which has of late rendered the Brittish Empire famous throughout the known World and caused the Barbarous Nations with admiration to bless our happy Shoars and those whose Industries have rendered the Commodities of this Islands natural Growth valuable as the Gold of Peru Jemms of India Spices of Arabia or Silks and Golden Woofs of Persia No Nation is there which the Sun 's large eye beholds that ever heard of rich Albion but were desirous to have Correspondence with her Merchants and as from the Store-House of the Western World covet a supply of all things necessary for the use of man in Lieu whereof the Pregnant Quarters of the Earths vast Globe sends us yearly tributes of all that can contribute to our Temporal happiness then take it not amiss if after long experience I have ventured to unlock this Cabinet of rarities and expose it to the publick view which nought but Envy has the power to shut and sure that cannot be conceived in any English brest to stifle that whose hughest aim is at the Publick good or if those of other Nations be ashamed to see the Glory of their native Soil so far eclipsed by ours should endeavour it yet let them know therein they wrong themselves by repining at the light which like a favourable Guide to a lost Traveller would put them in the right way to imitate that which through want of better Experience and Insight they emulate yet if any such this Age produce it matters not I referring this work to stand or fall by the Approbation of my judicious Country-men for whose Sole Benefit it was compiled by him Who is Reader yours to command J. S. A TABLE OF THE CONTENTS OF the Original of Trade its Increase and the Method to bring it to its present perfection c. Chap. 1 Of the
Original of the Companies of London and how and when Incorporated Chap. 2. Of the English Merchants trading into most parts the time of their Incorporating and the Improvement of Navigation Chap. 3. Of Englands Trade in general a Survey of the Weights Measures Coyns Comerse of most of the Counties Chap. 4. Of the Traffick of London Chap. 5. Of the Coyns of England settled by the Tower Standard Chap. 6. Of the Weights and Measures used in England established by a Standard Chap. 7. Of the Trade of Scotland as to its dependencies with England Chap. 8. A View of Ireland and its present State and Trade Chap. 9. A View of the Ocean and the Islands belonging to the Isle of great Britain Chap. 10. Of the Measures Breadth and Length of English Cloath Chap. 11. A View of America and its Trade with England Chap. 12. A View of Virginia of the Trade Names Customs and Government of it Chap. 13. A View of New-England and the Trade thereof Chap. 14. A View of Maryland the Customs and Trade thereof Chap. 15. A View of the Peruanan Provinces their Trade and Customs Chap. 16. A View of Affrica and of the Manners Customs Trade Coyns and Commodities Chap. 17. Of Tunis the Trade Manners and Customs thereof Chap. 18. A View of Argiers of their Trade Manners and Customs and Methods for selling of Slaves Chap. 19. Of the Kingdom of Fez and its Trade with England Chap. 20. Of the Kingdom of Morocco the Customs and Trade thereof with England Chap. 21. Of Nurâ—idia and Lydia and their Trade Chap. 22. A View of Ethiopia and the Trade thereof Chap. 24. A View of Mosambique and its Trade Chap. 25. Of Egypt and the Trade thereof Chap. 26. Of Grand Cairo and its Trade Chap. 27. Of the Isles appertaining to Affrica the Commodities Trade Weights and Measures Chap. 28. Of Asia the Trade Manners and Customs thereof of the Money currant and Commodities Weights and Measures Chap. 29. A View of Syria and its Trade Chap. 30. Of Aleppo and the Trade thereof and the Customs of that famous City Chap. 31. Of Damascus and its Trade Chap. 32. Of Tripoly and the Trade thereof Chap. 33. Of Palestine Chap. 34. Of America and its Trade Chap. 35. Of Assyria Mesopotamia and Caldea Chap. 36. Of Media and its Trade Chap. 37. Of Persia its Trade and Commodities Chap. 38. Of Hispaan and its Trade Chap. 39. Of Tartaria its Trade Coyn and Customs Chap. 40. Of India Intra and Extra Gangem Chap. 41. A View of Cambaia and its Trade Chap. 42. A View of Goa its Trade Commodities and Customs c. Chap. 43. Of Musulipatan Chap. 44. Of the City of Satagan the Metropolis of Bengala Chap. 45. Of Peru the Trade Coyns and Customs Chap. 46. Of Syan and Malacca Chap. 47. Of China and their Trade with England Chap. 48. Of the Islands in the Asian Seas Chap. 49. Of the Isles of Molucco's c. Chap. 50. Of Javas and the Trade thereof Chap. 51. Of other Islands in the Indian Seas Chap. 52. Of Cyprus its Trade Growth and Coyns Chap. 53. A Discourse of Gold and Silver its true intrinsick value their Fineness and Allayes c. Chap. 54. Of Diamonds and precious Stones and their value and goodness Chap. 55. Of the Trade of Europe and their dependencies on England Chap. 56. Of Sevil in Spain and its Trade Chap. 57. Of Malaga the Customs Weights and Measures Chap. 58. Of Alicant and its Trade Chap. 59. Of Madrid its Trade and Customs Chap. 60. Of Lisbon its Trade Weights Measures and Coyns Chap. 61. A View of France its Trade Custom Weights and Measures c. Chap. 62. Of Rouen and the Trade thereof Chap. 63. A View of Paris its Trade Custom and Commodities c. Chap. 64. Of Lyons and its Trade Chap. 65. Of Marselia and its Trade Chap. 66. Of Naples and its Trade Chap. 67. Of Italy and its Trade Chap. 68. Of Florence and its Trade Chap. 69. Of Millain and its Trade Chap. 70. Of the Dukedoms of Mantua and Urbin and their Trade Chap. 71. Of Venice and its Trade Chap. 72. Of Parma Chap. 73. Of Leghorn its Trade Customs Weights and Measures Chap. 74. Of Genoa its Trade and Commerce Chap. 75. Of Luca and its Trade Chap. 76. Of Rome and its Trade and Customs Chap. 77. Of Flanders and Holland their Weights Measures Coyns Customs Traffick Chap. 78. Of Amsterdam and its Trade Chap. 79. Of Germany its Provinces and Trade Chap. 80. Of Stratsburg and its Trade Chap. 81. Of Vicura its Trade Weights and Customs and Coyn. Chap. 82. Of Hamburg its Trade Commodities Coyns c. Chap. 83. Of Denmark its Trade c. Chap. 84. Of Elsinore and the Trade thereof Chap. 85. Of Norway its Customs and Tade Chap. 86. Of Sweedland its provinces and Trade Chap. 87. Of Moscovia and its chief City Mosco its Trade and Customs c. Chap. 88. A View of the Kingdom of Poland its Trade c. Chap. 89. Of Hungary and the adjacent Provinces their Trade and Manufacture c. Chap. 90. A View of Greece and its Trade the Manufacture and Trade of Constantinople with England Chap. 91. A View of the Islands in the Egean and Mediterranean Sea c. Chap. 92. Of Candia and other Islands Chap. 93. Of Zant Zeffalonia and their Trade Commodities Coyn c. Chap. 94. Of Sicilia Malta and Sardinia their Trade Chap. 95. Of Greenland other Northern Islands Ch. 96. Of the Practice and Custom of Exchanges and the Benefit thereof Chap. 97. Of four Bills of Exchange of presenting paying and protesting the Laws and Customs of Merchants therein asserted Chap. 98. Of the Pair in Exchange and form of English Dutch and French Bills Chap. 99. Vseful observat on Bills of Exchange page 300. Of Letters of Credit and why drawn p. 312. A Survey of Customs of Tonnage and Poundage of Wines of the Growth of France Germany Spain Portugal p. 314 Of Policies of Assurance their Original Legality Nature and Quality p. 325. Of Bottomery the Signification of it the Commodity or Discommodity of it p. 332. Of the Rights and Priviledges of Owners of Ships and Rules to be observed by them according to Laws Marine p. 335. Instructions to be observ'd by Masters of Ships p. 337. Of Fraight and Charter part according to Laws Marine p. 340. Of Wrecks and Instructions for Masters and Owners in case of Wrecks p. 344. Of Averidge and Contribution and what Goods maybe cast over-board in case of a Storm p. 347. A View of London with the Customs Priviledges and Exemptions thereof according to the Charters of several Kings of England p. 351. A Survey of the remaining Ports of England with their Members Creeks c. together with the Goods Imported and Exported p. 358. A Table of the Contents of the second Treatise Intituled A Discourse of Trade CHAP I. THat a small Country and few people by Situation Trade and Policy may be
Equivalent in Wealth and Strength to a far greater people and that Conveniencies for Shipping and Water-Carriage do most eminently and fundamentally conduce thereunto CHAP. II. That some kind of Taxes and Publick Levies may rather increase then diminish the Wealth of the Kingdom CHAP. III. That France cannot by Reason of natural and perpetual impediments be more powerful at Sea then England and the low Countries CHAP. IV. That the people and Territories of the King of England are naturally as considerable for Wealth and Strength as those of France CHAP. V. That the impediments of Englands greatness are Contingent and removable CHAP. VI. That the Power and Wealth of England has increased these last 40 years CHAP. VII That one 10 part of the whole Expences of the King of England Subjects is sufficient to maintain 100000 Foot 40000 Horse and 40000 men at Sea and defray all other charges of the Government both ordinary and Extraordinary c. CHAP. VIII That there are spare Hands enough amongst the King of Englands Subjects to earn two Millions per Annum more then they now do and that there are also Imployments ready proper and sufficient for the purpose CHAP. IX That there is Money sufficient to drive the Trade of the Nation CHAP. X. That the King of Englands Subjects have Stock Competent and Convenient to drive the Trade of the Whole Commercial World THE INTRODUCTION OR THE ORIGINAL OF TRADE PLAINLY Demonstrating it's Increase The Means and Methods used to bring it to the Perfection it is arrived to at present And of the great Benefit reaped thereby both in General and Particular CHAP. I. THat Inland Maritim Trade Traffick are with Gods Blessings on mens Indeavours the chief Pillars and â—upport of all Nations and from whence they had their first rise and greatness is so evident that Arguments to prove it would be ineffectual yet from the World 's Original it had not it's perfection nor indeed could it till Mankind increased and by spreading wide in the Earth Peopled it's vast Immensity nor then for some thousands of Years was it National but rather in secret between man and man few People knowing the Benefit of any other commodities then what were of the native growth of those Countries they inhabited nor so could Riches abound for Coyn was for the most part useless or indeed not mentioned till the days of Abraham the Patriarck Exchange of Goods being the only Traffick and consequently on that score few Traded for more then they had present occasion to use by Reason many things were not of lasting quality and for that they for the most part Travelled from place to place Their chiefest Riches consisted in Cattle but at last when they Builded Cities and Towns and found the conveniency of a Settlement they extended their Traffick farther and one City Traded with another which still spread wider yet long was it ' er they found means to plough the Bosom of the Sea and to hold Commerce and Traffick with remote Nations which no sooner was brought to my Perfection but Riches abounding and Plenty Flowing in on every side men then and not till then began to give their thoughts large scope and not contented with the Portion of Earth alotted them began to grow emulous aspire to universal Soveraignty as likewise to plant Colonies in till then unhabitable Islands which had not Shipping been invented must have continued without inhabitants as at this time past doubt for want of discovery many do in the remote Seas especially under the Artick Pole whose extremity renders them unaccessible or at least unhabitable and of all Nations the Greeks were the first that brought Navigation to any Perfection by which they grew opulent and extended their Colonies to thâ— utmost Orient acquiring the Empire of the then known World their Fame growing every where great nor could the Romans bring their Warlike Expeditions to any perfection till they were Lords of the Sea and inriched themselves by Traffick bringing into that one City the Stores of all Nations so that from Cottages of Shepherds who lay'd her first Foundation she soon became Magnificent thrusting up her Lofty Spires bedecked with Gold so high that they in a manner kissed the Clouds and rendered her the awfull Mistriss of the Universe and by Trade and Industry more then by Arms kept up her Reputation for six hundred Years when ranging the World to find out Countries unconquered at last from Gallia or France under the leading of Caesar they entered Brittain a Place then wild and rude not knowing how to use the abundant plenty that Nature bestowed upon them but refusing all manner of Dainties fed upon Roots of Herbs and Barks of Trees not Tilling any Ground nor sowing Corn otherwise then scattering it on the untilled Surface of the Earth and harrowing it over with Bushes suffering their Cattle Fowl and Fish of which they had store to continue useless scarcely knowing any shoar but their own Their Traffick or Merchandise for the most part amongst themselves and that but mean their chief Riches consisting as Strabo saith in Ivory-Boxes Sheers Onches Bitts Bridles Chains of Iron Wreaths Glass coloured and the like which they usually delivered to each other as currant Coyn for what their necessity required but no sooner had the Romans Civilized them and instructed them in such Arts as were most sutable to their Capacities and might stand them in greatest stead but they began to Build Houses living before for the most in Huts and going naked and turned their Leather Boats into Tall Ships Furrowing the Seas broad back and discovering many Nations to them till then unknown So that by Traffick abroad and Improvement at home this Island grew famous and spread it's Name to the utmost Limit of the known Earth so that being rightly termed the Store-House of the Western World all the Neighbour-Nations Traded hither so that those Ports and Havens that were for a long time useless were now filled with Ships of all Nations So that Silver and Gold was had in Abundance and Coyns in imitation of those the Romans Stamped with the Effigies of their Kings and Princes which then were many each County containing two or three and they for the most part at variance amongst themselves which gave the Romans an opportunity to become Conquerors at an easier rate then otherwise they could During the four hundred Years and odd that the Romans Governed here by their Lievetenants and sometimes by their Emperors in Person Rome and after her Constantinople the new Seat of Empire abounded with our Stores so that more Tribute was pay'd by this Island then by France and Germany tho Ten times as large but the fame of Brittains Wealth proved her unhappyness for the Goth breaking in upon the Roman Empire whose spreading Top was too large to be supported by the slender Bole her Branches was torn off on every side so that to support their own the Romans were forced to recall
of sixteen Ounces to the pound and is called Garbel by Reason a Draught or Wast is allowed to every weighing Seven pound of this Weight is accounted to weigh a Gallon of Wheat and so Multiplyed to fifty six pound the Bushel seven pound Averdupois is one hundred and two Ounces of Troy from whence it is accounted that a Bushel of Wheat must weigh one hundred and twelve pound and a quarter four hundred forty eight pounds Averdupois and so consequently fourteen pound Averdupois is sixteen pound eleven Ounces Troy and as one penny Sterling is the twentieth part of an Ounce Troy so seven pound twelve Shillings Sterling is eighty four Ounces a half and two penny Weight of Troy and six pound eight Shillings Sterling is eighty two pound ¾ Ounce and one penny Weight and from these two are the Weights of Houshold Wheaten and White Bread Calculated The Weigh of Cheese is by Averdupois and runs thus The Weigh of Cheese one hundred and twelve pound Averdupois and the two hundred containing two hundred twenty four pounds consists of thirty four Cloves every Clove being seven pound The Weigh of Suffolk Cheese is two hundred fifty six and the Weigh of Essex Cheese three hundred thirty six pound Averdupois A Sack of Wool was accounted three hundred fifty four pound Averdupois two Weighs of Wool make a Sack and two Sacks a Last The last of Herrings is ten thousand every one thousand to contain ten hundred and every hundred sixscore that is before they are Barrell'd Lead is sold by the Fodder containing nineteen hundred and ½ at one hundred and twelve per cent Averdupois This Weight likewise of sixteen Ounces to the pound is made three several Quintars for Weighing several sorts of Merchandise the first is of fivescore pound just to the hundred and called one hundred Sutle whereby fine Commodities as Spices Drugs and the like are sold which are accounted by the pound and to which over and above is allowed by the Seller four pound upon one hundred and four pound taken from the overplus derived from the Weights of Antwerp for Spices and called by the name of Tret The second of the Quintars is one hundred and twelve viz fivescore and twelve to the hundred by which all Gross Commodities are weighed The third is sixscore to the hundred by which Tinn is weighed to his Majesties Farmers and some other few Commodities and is called by the name of the Stannery hundred From this Averdupois Weight by division the Weight called the Stone which is twofold the long and the short the long is accounted four pounds Averdupois and the short eight but in this there is no certainty for it differs according to the Customs of Counties and Markets There is an other thing in use called a Tod some places seven pound others eight and some again ten being altogether variable They have likewise a Clove of twenty pound twenty eight pound thirty two pound and the like There are likewise in most Markets for weighing of Flesh Stillyards used but without the Approbation of the Buyers they being unintelligible to many and oftentimes false first invented for the Weighing Hay and Straw for which uses indeed they are only proper Averdupois consists of sixteen Ounces every Ounce consisting of eight Drams and every Dram of sixty Grains so that by it the Raw-Silk of Persia and Turky are sold but then twenty four Ounces are allowed to the pound or a pound and an half c. Thus having distinguished these Weights which are of such use in this Nation it is not amiss that I shew you what accord the one hundred and twelve pound Suttle has with other Nations and Places of Traffick as for the Equality of Weight tho they differ in number In Europe it agrees with the Weights of Mersella the Venetia Sotile the Venetia Gross Sicilia Lisbon Florence Anvers Lions Sevil Dantzick Bruges In Africa and Asia with the Weights of Aleppo Aleppo Tripoly Syria Tripoly Barbaria Alexandrio-Zera Alexandria Forfar Forfar Scio Constantinople Rhodes Acria Babylon Balsola and Ormus And thus you see Reader the Industry and Improvement of the English Nation which now I must leave and take a View of Scotland CHAP. VIII A view of Scotland and the Trade thereof in General together with the Coyns Customs and Increase of that Ancient Kingdom SCotland by Reason of it's continuing a distinct Kingdom for so many hundred Years even till the happy Union by King James and indeed does yet in most things unless the Prerogative Royal is thought worthy to be Treated of seperately tho indeed the North part of Brittain and only seperated from England by the Rivers Tweed Salway and the Cheviot-Hills It 's chief City is Edenburg which contains the Kings Pallace the Courts of Justice consists of one great Street of a Mile in Length into which all the Petty Streets and Lanes open The next chief Cities and Towns are Glasgow the See of an Arch-Bishop and an University St. Andrews Sterling Perth Aberdeen Dondes St. John's Town c. The currant Money consists of Gold and Silver and are as followeth Pieces of twenty two Shillings Sterling Pieces of eleven Shillings Sterling Pieces of five Shilings six pence Sterling Pieces of two Shillings nine pence Sterling Pieces of four Shillings four pence â…œ Sterling Pieces of one Shilling one half penny Sterling Pieces of nine Shillings six pence being â…” of the thirteen pence half penny One Mark Pieces of four pence half penny Sterling But note that thirteen pence half penny Sterling is accounted a Scotch Mark or thirteen Shillings four pence Scotch six-pence three-farthings a Scotch Noble accounted six Shillings and eight pence twenty pence Sterling is accounted a Mark and a half Scotch or one pound Scotch of twenty Shillings Sterling is eighteen Scotch Marks so that Strangers unacquainted with their Money hearing them discourse about it think them far Richer then they are They have other Pieces of Copper Money of small Value as Babaes Bodles hard Heads and the like but indeed they have Principally the money of England which is currant in that Kingdom and of late have abounded in Silver The chief Commodities of the Country are Cloath Freezes Fish Hides Salt Lead Ore Tallow Grain of all sorts Feathers Iron Allum Seacoal commonly called Scotch-Coal and are divided into two parts viz. The Highland and Lowland which are divided into Sherifdoms and Fifes They have an Exchange in imitation of â—urs at London but especially used for the Exchange of monies with England The keeping of their accounts divers ways some keep them according to the Method of England others according to the Ancient use and Custom of their own Nation which is in Marks valuable as aforesaid Their Weight for weighing Merchandise is but one and with that they buy and sell throughout the Kingdom it contains sixteen Ounces to the pound and one hundred of those pounds make their Quintal which in England is one
hundred and eight pounds Averdupois and one hundred pound London Suttle Weight makes ninety two of theirs or one hundred and twelve English one hundred and three and a half of Scotch their Measures for Linnen Stuffs Cloath or Silk is the Ell which is wanting of ours insomuch that it differs from our Yard four per cent that is four Yards in a hundred Ells so that seventy five Yards or sixty Ells English make seventy two Scotch but in Tale to every hundred they Reckon six-score In Measure for Corn Coals Salt Wine Beer Ale Oyl and the like they come near at one with ours Their Navigation is but small for the most part Trading with England and Ireland yet are they a People frugal and much bent to improve the growth of their Country And thus having taken a view of Scotland and the Trade thereof I must pass over into Ireland the third Diamond in the British Diadem CHAP. IX A view of Ireland and of the Trade Manners and Present State of that Kingdom IReland is divided into four Provinces viz. Lempster Munster Connought Vlster and Meath and is four hundred Miles in Length and two hundred in Breadth the chief Cities and Towns are Dublin Kinnsail London Derry Limrick Cork Waterford Armah Dungannon Marleburg Phillips-Town Kildare and Tradah This Kingdom abounds in Navigable Rivers store of Fish Cattle and Hides which are Transported into Spain France and Italy Salmon are caught in such abundance in July and August that many Servants in the places of that Fishery Covenant with their Master upon their being hired that they will not feed upon Salmon but only so many days in a Week These they Salt and Barrel up sending them into all the Neighbouring Countries where they are received as good Merchandise the Herring Fishery is likewise used and improved by them as likewise Pilchards which are taken in August September and October and Transported into Spain France and the Streights of Gibraltar they have store likewise of Butter Cheese Calves-Skins and other necessary Commodities Their Corn for the most part is the same with ours yet in value not the same for a pound Sterling Irish is worth according to the Intrinsick value no more then fifteen Shillings English and the Shilling consequently but nine pence Sterling six pence Irish but four pence half penny Sterling The Exchange is practised in the City of Dublin but of little use as to any Transmarine Places unless England and there Principally London and Bristol commonly running at eight pence upon the pound or at most but one Shilling which is but five pound per cent The Weights and Measures are or for the most part consistent to those of England and in fine it is a Country exceeding fertil abounding in all things necessary for the use of man which would turn to great advantage were the Inhabitants but Industrious especially in fitting out Ships for Navigation but they for the most part roave abroad improving other Countries and neglecting their own Their chief Merchandise are in Fish which they send into France Spain England Scotland and other parts of Europe And thus I shall leave this Kingdom and return or rather Sail round Brittain to take a View of the Islands of the Sea or Ocean Islands CHAP. X. A view of the Ocean Islands and of their Trade viz. such as are Subject to his Majesty of great Britain THe Ocean Islands are scattered in the British Sea like so many Pearls to adorn the Imperial Diadem and are first the Orcades or Isles of Orkney thirty two in number The chief of which is Pomonia which abounds in Mines of Tinn and Lead The next Hethy and the other there being only three of them of note Shethland bearing Fruit-Trees of strange kinds Especially those whose Blossoms dropping into the Warter become Flying Birds The next are the Islands of the Hebrides in number forty four the chief whereof is Illa abounding with store of Venison And Jona famous for the Sepulchers of the Scottish Kings as likewise Mulla where the Redshanks inhabit once so fearful to England the rest are of little note The Islands called the Sorlings are one hundred forty five The Principal are Armath Agnes Samson and Scilly after which name all the rest are called The Inhabitants thereof Trade in Fishery sow Corn and addict themselves to Manufacture The Isle of Man is a square Island being ten Miles in Length and as many in Breadth the growth of it is Flax Hemp Oats Barly and Wheat having store of Cattle and other Merchandise brought in thither by Shipping the chief Towns are Ballacury Russin or Chasteltown The Isle of Anglesey is accounted a Shire of Wales and by some called the Mother of Wales being twenty four Miles in Length and seventeen Miles over Fruitful it is even beyond report in Corn Fruits Cattle Fowl and Fish improved by several Profitable Manufactures The Inhabitants making great store of Butter and Cheese and send out of it yearly three thousand Head of Cattle It 's chief Town is Beaumaris very Commodious for Shipping Jersey is a fair Island in Compass twenty Miles peopled with Industrious Inhabitants yearly improving their Commodidities and vending them to good advantage Trading with England and France especially famous for the many fine Orchards and Gardens the chief Towns and places of Traffick being St. Mallo and St. Hillary the former being nightly Guarded without the Walls From this Island twenty Miles distant is Guernsey Surrounded with spacious Harbours and in every part Fertile stored with Cattle and lying Commodious for Shipping Facing the Coast of France and hath for it's chief Town St. Peters The last of the Isles Surrounding Britain is the famous Isle of Wight which is twenty Miles long and twelve over and abounds with all things wherewith England is stored divided from Portsmouth but by an Arm of the Sea lying most Commodious for the Reception of Shipping and for it 's chief Towns has Yarmouth New-Port and Bradring And thus much for the Islands of the Sea surrounding Britain And now I shall only take a short Survey of some things further appertaining to the Trade of Britain and so Lanch into the Ocean and take a view of the remotest Parts of the World especially such as are Traded to by the English What more remains is an account of such Commodities of English-growth and Manufacture as are Exported being Staple Commodities and the common Cargo of outward bound Vessels CHAP. XI A further Account of the Measures of England with a true Proportion of the Weight of English Cloths FIrst for the Breadth Measure and Weight of English-Cloath that chief of Staple-Commodities Kent York and Redding Cloaths are six quarters and a half broad and ought to weigh eighty six pounds the Cloath in the Peice are in length thirty and thirty four Yards Suffolk Norfolk and Essex Cloaths of seven quarters wide are eighty pounds Weight twenty nine and thirty two Yards in Length Worcester Coventry
the City Gouga which is likewise a place of great Trade but as for Berneo the Inhabitants thereof are for the most part Breeders of Cattle and Hunters of Wild-Beasts The Commodities of these Countries are Corn Sugar Cattle Rice Fruits Gold Sands and Ingots which they expose to Sail for Cloath Callicoes Copper Basons Iron-work Guns Shot Glass Beads and the like but Principally Salt of which Commodity that Country is deficient but the chief Maritim parts are Guinny and Benin first discovered by the Portugals and for the abundance of Gold the Country affoards called the Golden Coast the Rumour of which spreading wide in Europe the English soon found it out and after them the Dutch and now the French have some Trade there The manner of Trading thus The Ships coming into the Road cast Anchor and the Merchants or Factors going on Shoar declare what Wares they have on Board to the Persons called Tolkens or Brokers which live in little Huts along the Coast and when the Moors come down with their Gold they are informed by them that such and such Commodities are to be had upon which taking Boat together they come on Board and laying by such things as they like propose what Gold they will give for them which if accepted the Bargain is made and they return with their Goods on Shoar The Customs are various Particular Officers being set in every Port to take an Account of what is bought and sold and every one that comes to buy tho he buy nothing must pay a small Stipend for his Person upon his returning from on Shipboard and to prevent defraud there is still a Son Brother or Kinsman of the Kings to whom the Port belongeth to see the Toll be duly taken and he that buyes Commodities under the value of 2 Ounces of Gold makes his price for Customs as he can but he that buy 's above which they call a Benda pays to the Value of an Angel in Gold for every Benda As for Coyns they have none the Trade among themselves being for Gold-Sands or Ingot by Weight the fineness of which they try with Artificial Needles in number 24 in some Places they melt their Gold and draw it into Wire and so cut into small pieces the better to divide it as occasion requires and in other places they have pieces of Iron which goes Currant instead of Mony Their Weights consist of Copper the greatest of which is a Benda containing 2 Ounces Troy a Benda offa or half a Benda The Asseva which is two Pesoes and a half the Egebba or 2 Pesos which is half an Ounce and so lesser tell they come to Drams and Scruples of Troy Weight but their pound is found the ¾ part of an Ounce heavier than ours Their Measures for Cloath is a Jactam accounted 12 Foot English which they divide into two parts as for their Woollen Cloath they cut it into long Slips and make Girdles of it Formerly the Trade in those parts was very advantagious but of late one Nations striving to outvye each other have given them an insight into the true value of Gold and of such Commodities as they receive for it The Sugar Trade which is considerable is ingrossed by the Portugals at a certain Annual rate and no other Nation suffered to deal therein the Sugar made there being Transported to Lisbon is from thence dispercsd throughout Europe And thus much for Negrita and the Guinny Trade CHAP. XXIV A View of Aethiopia Superior and Inferior But of the last especially and of the Trade thereof c. THe Superior Ethiopia otherwise called Abasine is a Plentiful Country Governed by Prester John and the Inhabitants for the most part Christians it abounds in Cattle Fruits and Minnerals but being an Inland Province yields little Trade to Merchants The Inferior Ethiopia is bounded on the West with the Ethiopian Ocean on the East with the Red-Sea and contains Provinces or divisions Ajan Zanbiar Monomotapa Caffaria and Monicongo Ajan is chiefly Traded to by the Portugals and yields store of Cattle Wax Hony Corn Gold Ivory c. Zanibra contains 15 Towns from which 15 Petty Kingdoms take their Names and was first discovered by the Portugals abounding in Ivory and Gold the chief Town being Mosambique where they have a Castle and ingross the Trade for the most part Monomotapa is almost invironed round with Water And is stored with Gold Mines and Elephants of which 5 or 6000 are yearly killed for their Teeth Manicongo was discovered by the Portugals Anno 1486. And for a long time yielded them 30000 Slaves yearly which they carryed to Brasile to dig in their Silver Mines The Principal Port and Center of all their Trade being at Mosambique I shall not instance the Trade thereof because that in View of that all the Trade of the Provinces is Comprehended CHAP. XXV A View of Mosambique and of the Trade thereof MOsambique is for the most part inhabited by Portugals and has in it a strong Castle wherein lives the Portugal Captain who has a grant of free Trade for himself either in the Country or in the Indies which is not above 16 days Sail from thence but when there they must stay near 5 Months ' er they can return or lose their Season by Reason of the Mouson as they call it or Trading-Wind Blows all one way for so long As for his Place it is very advantagious yet of but 3 Years Continuance at the Expiration of which he is obliged to go into India and serve under the Vice-Roy The Commodities are chiefly Ingot and dust Gold or Sand Gold which is found in abundance there being severâ—â— Rich Mines adjacent as well in the Islands as on the Continent where the King of Portugal keeps Factors to manage the trade who barters and sends Merchandise from one place to another and so increase in the growth of each Province nor is it less commodious for the reception of the Portugal Fleet either in their way to or from the Indies There is found likewise Elephants Teeth Ebony Ambergrease c. and from thence they carry Slaves to India Their Coyns of which there are but few are the same with those of Portugal as also are their Weights and Measures a description of which I shall give when I come to take a View of the Trade of the Kingdom of Portugal CHAP. XXVI A View of Aegypt and the Provinces thereof as also of the Trade Commodities Coyns Weights Measures and Customs ON the East Egypt is bounded by the Red Sea on the South with Aasia on the West with Cyrene and on the North with the Mediterranean Sea and Watered with the Fruitful River Nilus which dividing it self into 7 Channels and about the middle of June Annually overfloweth it's Banks and continues so to do for 4 days laying all under Water by Reason of which the Towns are seated upon Hills and during the Inundation their Commerce is by Skiffs and Boats This River is in
3 chief Scales of Europe CHAP. LXI A View of Lisbon the Metropolis of Portugal of the Trade Growth Weights Measues Coyns and Customs thereof LIsbon is the Metropolis of the Kingdom of Portugal commodiously Seated upon the Banks of the River Tagus the City and Suburbs being 10 Miles in compass and not imagined to contain less then 38000. Families Beautifyed with 67 Towers placed upon the Walls and 22 Gates all the Houses being Built Magnificent and indeed the People given to great Industry but especially to Navigation as appears by the many Discoveries they have made they being the first that Discovered the Eastern Tract even to the Indias and there by Trade and force got Footing and shewed the way to England and Holland who have now brought it to perfection even to the great Inriching either Nation and of all the Commodities brought from India and other parts of the World by the Portugals this City is the Scale for hither come yearly the Spices of Arabia the Silks of Persia the rich Commodities of China and the Gold Silver precious Stones and Spices of India and especially Pearls the Fishery thereof remaining for the most part in the right of the King of Portugal which being brought to Lisbon and afterwards dispersed throughout Europe To this City Flows the Trade of the whole Kingdom and also that of Spain from which Kingdom it is now separated as formerly The Weights of this City and consequently of the whole Kingdom are Principally the small and the great Cantars the Latter of which is divided into 4 Roves and each Rove contains 32 Reals which is 128 pounds at 14 Ounces per pound and of Florence Weight is computed 149 pound their small Quintar for Pepper and Ginger is between 110 and 112 pound English the Rove or Quartern being 27 ½ and sometimes 27 ◠4 pound but the great Quintal is 15 or 16 per cent more than our 112 pound The Quintar commonly called the King 's Quintar used in his Contractation House for weighing the Spices and Drugs of India is 114 pound English and the great Cantar of Lisbon is mostly computed 130 pound English c. The Measures of length used in this City are the Coueda which is the third part of an English Yard and the Ware which wants but a Nale of an English Ell by the former they Measure Woollen Cloaths c. and by the latter Linnen c. The Concave Measures of Lisbon is the Alquire 3 of which are found to make an English Bushel and 5 a Spanish Hannep They have an other Measure by which they meet their Salt called Muy which is 60 Alquires and 2 Muys and 15 Alquires are a Tunn Bristol Water Measure The Custom inward is 23 per cent that is to the Dechima 10 to the Sisa 10 and to the Consolado 3 and outward Merchants pay only 3. The Coyns are the Croisado of Gold computed to be worth 400 Reas. The Ducat of Portugal which is ten Reals and accounted 5 Shillings Sterling or the Croisado The Ryal which is 40 Reas and accounted 6 pence Sterling The Golden Mirle which is worth 1000. Reas and accounted 2 5 2 Ducats the Ducat is 2 ½ Ryals or 15 pence Sterling The Vintin which is 20 Reas or 3 pence Sterling the single Ryal of Spain which is 2 Vintines there are likewise the Coyns of Spain passable in this City but seeing they are not the proper Coyns of Portugal I shall pass them over as having already mentioned them in the Description of the Trade of that Kingdom And now leaving Portugal I shall pass into the Kingdom of France and in viewing the Trade of some Cities thereof give a Summary account of the whole Kingdoms Commerce both Inland and by Navigation CHAP. LXII A View of France the Provinces Trade Customs Weights Measures and Currant Coyns reduced into the view of the Principal Trading Cities of that Kingdom FRance is a large and Fertile part of Europe bounded on the North with the Brittish Ocean on the West with the Aquitanian Sea on the South with the Mediterranian and on the East with the Pirenaean Hills and River Rhine and is divided into several Provinces the Trade of which I shall instance in these following Cities viz. Burdeaux Rouen Paris Lyons and Marselia of these in order Burdeaux is Situate on the Banks of Geronde being the Principal City of the Province of Aquitain and is placed in a very Fruitful Soil especially for Wines The Principal Vineyards of France being accounted in its Neighbourhood of the Grapes therein growing are made Whitewines and Claret in abundance and of late all Palled Wines and such as otherwise are foul not Merchantable they Lmibeck off into Brandies which for the most part is vended in England and Holland They have likewise several Vineyards yielding Grapes that make Sweet-Wines commonly called high Country Wines the which lest it should hinder the Sail of the other they prohibit to be sold in their City till Christmass day when the high Country Merchants bring it in and sell it to Strangers there resident and such is the Custom of the place that that Vessel or Lighter that first sets her Head on Shoar is accounted free from Impost or Custom yet must in lieu thereof for that day give Wine on Free-cost to such as come on Board to Drink it To this City it is that our English Merchants Trade and from whence they yearly bring 20000 Tuns of Whitewine Claret Sweet and Brandy Wines in times when no prohibition is layed this City formerly for many Years having been English there are found great quantities of Prunes of the Neighbouring growth and some other Commodities tho these are the chief and to this place monies are remitted for which mostly the Inhabitants Trade not as in other places ef Traffick freely bartering Goods for Goods Their Accounts are kept for the most part in Livers Sold's and Denies as indeed throughout the Kingdom Their Weight is the pound 100 of which are reckoned a Quintar or 110 English 90 ¾ pound being 100 pound English Their Measure of length is an Auln accounted 42 English Inches their Wines are computed by Hogs-Heads and Tearces viz. Claret and White-wines and their Brandy by Punchings of no certain Gauge CHAP. LXIII A View of Rouen and the Trade thereof ROuen is the Principal City of Normandy being the Parliamentary Seat of that Province and is Seated on the Banks of the River Sein all its Territories being Fertile and it abounding with rich Merchandise as well of other Nations as the Growth of the Kingdom of France and is visited by most of the Merchants of all the Northern Kingdoms Trading in the Growth of France the place affording of natural Growth and Native Manufactury fine and coarse Linnens Buckrams Paper Cards Wine Stuffs Combs c. for which the Inhabitants or such French Merchants as send their Commodities thither to be vended receive of the English Kersies of Devonshire and
cent and by the Weight thereof all Customs are Proportioned This large Town Beam for Gross Goods is accounted likewise 100 pound of 16 Ounces to the pound the third Weight is known by the name of the pound of Mark and is only used in weighing of Silks containing 100 pound of 15 Ounces being the least of the three The Measure of Lyons is the Auln which is 46 English Inches 7 of them being found to make 9 English Yards and 100 pound of London Suttle is found to make in Lyons 96 2 2 pound Silk Weight and one Liver or pound Sterling of London is 10 Livers Turnois And thus much shall Suffice for Lyons and the Trade thereof CHAP. LXVI A View of Marselia the Trade Weights Measures Coyns and Customs thereof MArselia is a fair Port and the principal Place of Trade in Provence whither resort many Merchants and from which Port the Ships Sail that maintain the Trade with Turky Barbary Spain Italy Flanders and England tho indeed not much the French Nation not affecting Navigation but rather choose to improve the growth of their own Country for which they have brought home to 'em the Commodities and growth of all Nations The Exchange that is wanting here is supplyed by the currant and intercourse of Lyons it being Governed thereby in matters of Trade And hither the English bring Bays Cloath Lead Tinn Herrings Pilchards Newland-Fish Affrican Hides Wax Calves-Skins Salmond c. and in Exchange receive Oyls Wines Verdigreese Paper Linnen and other Manufactures at this Port they have free Licence to Transport Spanish Ryals of 8 8 which are found in abundance and by that means preserve their Trade with Turky and other Places of Traffick in the Mediterranean from whence they bring Silks and some spices but of late have not been so venturous as formerly for fear of the Pirates by whom they have sustained within a few Years dammages to the value of 3 Millions of Crowns which has much impaired their Traffick in those parts The Accounts here are kept in Deniers Solds and Livers and in Ryals of 8 which sometimes are Inhaunced to a ¼ part more then their true value The Weight is Originally the pound of 16 Ounces 100 of which make the Quintal and 3 Quintals the Cargo the Quintal is found to make English 88 ½ The Measure of Length is the Cane which they divide into 8 Palms which are found to be 2 ⅛ English Yards The concave Measure is the Mine of which the Sack of Leghorne makes 1 ◠3. The Customs outwards are 1 ¼ per cent and inwards 3 ¼ per cent this is meant of Commodities of the growth of the Country but if Pepper Ginger Indico and such like Commodities be imported they pay the Kings Customs which are 15 per cent And thus I shall conclude the Trade of France and proceed to take a View of Italy and the Trade thereof CHAP. LXVII A View of Italy and the Trading Cities thereof together with their Manner of Traffick Weights Measures Coyns c. ITaly is bounded with the Alps the Ionian Tyrrhenean and Adriatick Seas and is exceeding Fertile lying in a Temperate Clime and is divided into 10 Provinces viz. the Kingdom of Naples the Dukedom of Florence the Dukedom of Millain the Dukedom of Mantua the Common-Wealth of Venice the Dukedom of Vrbin the Principality of Parma the estate of Genoa the estate of Luca and the Papacy Of the chief City or Town of Trade of each in order CHAP. LXVIII A View of the City Naples and the Trade thereof together with the Weights Measures Coyns Customs c. IN Describing the Trade of this City from whence the Kingdom takes its Name I shall lay down what is found of value or Merchantable throughout the Province The City of Naples is a fair City and accounted 7 Miles in compass formerly called Parthenope and is now Governed by a Vice-Roy to the Behoof of the King of Spain and yieldeth divers Mettals brought from adjacent Mines likewise Saffron Raw and wrought Silk Oyls Anniseed Brimstone Argals Corn Cattle in abundance and other things of value for which they receive out of England Bays Says Serges Cloath Lead Tinn Herrings Pilchards and Newland-Fish There is found likewise the growth of Spain Portugal and many East-Indian Commodities and it was formerly a City of great Traffick The Country generally abounds in Mulberry-Trees and other pleasant Fruit-Trees The Weights of this City and consequently of the whole Kingdom are the Rotolo and Cantar 100 of the former making the latter which is accounted 196 pound English Averdupois Weight as likewise in Goeta they have a Cantar by which all Gross Commodities are weighed which is reckoned 254 pound of Leghorn The Measure of Length is the Cane divided into 8 Palms nine of which Palms make the Auln of Lyons and the Cane is 18 ½ English inches The Concave Measures of Naples are the Salmo and Staio by which they Measure Oyl Wine Corn c. The Customs are for some Commodities 2 ½ for other 4 ½ per cent more or less as the Vice-Roy gives order to these that are appointed to receive them the King of Spain receiving yearly for Customs upon the Oyls of Gallipoly adjacent to this Kingdom one hundred thousand Ducats CHAP. LXIX A View of the City of Florence the Trade thereof Comprehending the whole Trade of the Florentine Dominion THe City of Florence gives name to the Provence or Dukedom of Florence and is a very fair City Seated near the Rivers Arne and Chian Beautifyed it is with many stately Edifices and much addicted to Merchandizing the Duke being accounted the richest and chiefest Merchant in Italy and is now more commonly known by the Title of great Duke of Tuscany The Commodities are very rich the famous Port of Leghorn being Governed in Trade by this City and Pisa For hence for the most part come the Merchandise that are there found as Marble Rice Wines Oyls Silks Raw and wrought Sattins Taffatas Velvets Grograms Plushes Stuffs of curious Texture for which they receive of our Merchants Pepper Mace Cloves Indicoes Callico Lead Tinn Cloath Bays Says Serges Perpetuanos c the Inhabitants for the most part being very rich by Reason of the great Banks maintained in this City where is practised exchange from all parts Their accounts are kept in Livers Solds Deniers 12 Deniers making a Sold and 20 Solds accounted a Liver and some in Crowns 7 ½ Livers making a Crown they have currant in Trade the Florence Ducat worth 7 Livers each Liver accounted 9 pence Sterling The Weight is the Quintal or 100 pound of 12 Ounces the pound and is found to make 98 pound English The Measure of Length is the Brace 100 of which has been known to make 49 Ells English and the Cane which is 4 Braces but all wrought Silks are here sold by the pound Wine is sold by the Cogno which is 10 Barrels 40 Metadels 20 Flasks and each
Weight is 30 pound 3 Ounces and by Measure 25 pound Corn is sold by the Staio each Staio being Gross 132 pound of Venetian Weight The Accounts are kept several ways according to the Pleasure of the Merchant as sometimes in Ducats and Grosses accounting 6 Livers and 4 Solds to a Ducat or 24 Grosses others again in Solds and Grosses As for their Exchanges to their great advantage in way of Trade they make a difference between their money payed for Merchandise and that returnable upon Bills the disproportion being between 20 and 21 per cent their Customs are Extraordinary especially upon the English Trading to Zant for Currans which is in Subjection to that Seignory both upon Goods imported and exported the which has caused the decay of Trade and was the main Reason of removing the Scale of Trade to Leghorn a place no ways so Commodious nor abounding in Commodities of the Native growth CHAP. LXXIII A View of the Principality of Parma and of the Trade Weights Measures Customs c. PArma the chief City of this Principality gives it a Name and is a pleasant City abounding with all the Commodities of Italy as Silks Stuffs Oyl Wine Copper Rice Corn c. and as for the Weight used in the City it is the pound of 12 Ounces 100 of which make about 60 Suttle English The Measure of length is the Brace concording with the Brace of Florence The Coyns are Deniers Livers and Solds in which their Accounts are kept But having thus far proceeded I shall here take a View of the famous Port of Leghorn and of the Trade thereof CHAP. LXXIV A View of Leghorn the Trade Custom Weights Measures and Coyns c. LEghorn the Principal Port and Scale of Trade in the Mediterranean Sea is Situated on a large Plain and accomodated with a good Harbour for the reception of Shipping so that almost the whole Scale of Trade is removed from the City of Venice thither it is now a part of the Florentine Dominion having some time past been purchased by the Duke of Tuscany for 120000 Ducats of the Genoese and from him received large Priviledges and Immunities being inlarged by a new City Builded to the old and by Reason of the small Customs taken there it is of a Nest of Pirates Murtherers c. who formerly Inhabited it become famous throughout the World in this Port the great Duke keeps his Gallies and here are found all the sorts of Commodities Italy yields the Trade of it being as aforesaid regulated by Florence and Pisa and to this Port are brought the Commodities of England Spain France Holland India Arabia Persia Egypt and other Countries The Accounts of Merchants in Leghorn are kept in Livers Solds Deniers 12 Deniers being a Sold and 20 Solds a Liver and their other monies are the same with Florence except Quadrins and Craches 8 Craches being accounted worth 6 pence Sterling and of Quadrins 60 to a Liver tho sometimes a different value is fixed upon the Mony of either place but it continues not long The Weights are the same with Florence viz. the pound of 12 Ounce 100 of which make a Quintal which is computed to make 75 pound English and by this they weigh their Gross Commodities An other Quintal they have of 150 pound which makes of London Weight 113 pound as also an other of 160 pound making with us 121 pound by which they weigh Fish woolls c. The Kintar of Allum is at Leghorn 150 pound but in England found to make but 143 ⅞ pound the Kintar of Sugar 15◠the Kintar of Fish 160 pound and make English Weight proportionably The Measures are the Brace and Cane 4 of the former making one of the latter each Brace being 23 Inches English 100 Braces making 60 Yards or 48 Ells. The Concave Measures for Corn and Salt are the Stare the Sack and the Salmo 3 of the first making one of the second and 3 ⅔ of the second making one of the third which is a London Quarter they have a Measure likewise called a Maggio which contains 8 Sacks The Custom of this Port is that any Merchant may Land his Goods without paying any Custom so be they are sold within a Year but if not he must pay Custom but if for the better disposal of Commodities they are sent into any other part of Tuscany they must pay Custom at Pisa CHAP. LXXV A View of Genoa the Weights Measures Coyns and Trade thereof THe Metropolis of the Republique of Genoa is the City of Genoa from whence the Territories have Name and is 8 Miles in compass being Commodiously Situate for Commerce and has been formerly a City of great Trade but of late the Citizens are turned Userers which has put a stop to their Navigation and the Excessive Customs upon Goods imported deters Merchants from Trading thither to any purpose The Merchantable Wares that are found in this City are Silks Stuffs Damasks Drugs Wine Oyl and some Fruits for which they receive the growth of the Countries whose Merchants Trade thither Their Accounts especially as to Merchandise are kept in Deniers Solds and Livers 12 Deniers being a Sold and 20 Solds a Liver which is 16 pence Sterling Their other Coyns for the most part Concord with those of Florence The Weights are the pound of 12 Ounces and Quintal 100 of the former making the latter which is accounted the Quintal Suttle the Gross Quintal being 150 pound and makes Suttle Weight of London 105 pound and by the Gross Quintal are sold Anniseeds Honey Rice Brass Lead Tinn Sope Wools and other Weighty Commodities The Measure of Length is the Cane found to make 9 Palms or 4 Braces of Florence which is used in the Measuring Stuffs and Silkes and for Measuring of Linnen the Cane is 10 Palms 100 of which Palms have rendered 27 English Yards and consequently one Cane of Genoa is 2 ⅞ Yards English Corn is sold by the Mine each Mine paying Custom 6 ½ Solds and Weighs 270 pound 2 ½ of which are found to be a Harwich Quarter Oyl is sold by the Barril 7 ½ of which make a Neapolitan Butt Wine is sold by the Mesorole 5 of which make a Botta Dimena of Naples All Goods entering the River or Port pay Consolato of the River 6 Denier per Liver which is payed by the Buyer if a contract be not before made with the seller for the discharge thereof And thus much for the Republique of Naples CHAP. LXXVI A View of Luca and the Trade thereof LVca is the principal City of the Republique and is Situate on the River Serchio being 3 Miles in compass and so adorned with Trees that such as pass a far off think it to stand in a Wood. The most Merchantable Commodities here found are Silks as Damasks Sattins Taffatas c. which are here made and sent to other Cities of Italy and for them have returned the growth of most Countries Their Accounts are kept in Solds
which are yearly laded for England and other Countries but especially Oyl Their Monies are for the most part those currant in Spain Their Weights 2 viz. the Rotolo and Cantar 100 of the first making the last called Barbaresco which there is 117 pound making in London 110 pound they have likewise another Cantar of 104 pound called the Cantar of Majorica they likewise sell some Commodities by the Cargo as Pepper Ginger Cinnamond Nutmegs Rice and the which Cargo is 3 Cargo's of 104 pound The Measure of Length is the Cane found to make 67 in 68 London Inches The The Oyl Measure is the Quartano 12 of which make the Odor and 212 that of 126 Gallons which is a Tun of Oyl according to London Gauge and the Customs and other charges are reckoned to 2 pound 7 Shillings 6 Pence per Tun. In this Sea are the Islands of Javisa affording store of Salt as also the Isles Lipara Promentary Pantcleria Caprea Ischia Progitue Elba Gages or Cales with some others of smaller note affording Cattle Corn Olive Oyl Wine Gapars Cavere Oranges Limons Citrons Fish and the like most of them in the possession of the Spaniard And thus leaving the Medeterranian I shall enter the North Ocean to take a View of the Islands not as yet mentioned in this Treatise CHAP. XCVI A View of Greenland and the Whale Fishery with an account of several Islands in the Northern Seas GReenland or Gronland is Seated under the Frozen Zone doubtful whither an Island or a Continent by reason part of those Seas are not Navigable upon the account of the Mountains of Ice that Float therein and for that none ever yet passed over Land to the extent of that dismal Country where from the 14 of October to the 12 of February no Sun appears but the Moon shines as in England and for 3 Months and a half in Summer time they have no Night as for humane Inhabitants there are none yet the Woods and Caves abound with Bears Foxes and Dear and the Voyages the English make thither are upon the account of the Whale Fishery Whales in abundance being found in those deep Seas the Ships seting out in May and Arriving in June at Green-Harbour and Bell-Sound They set up their Caldrons Presses and other necessaries then put again to Sea and when they perceive the Whales coming by the rising of the Water they send out Skiffs with Hasping-Irons and Cables when the men therein taking their advantage strike the Whales who no sooner find themselves wounded but Plunge to the Bottom those in the Boat giving them Rope and by their Sinking know where they will rise and give notice to the Ships who stand off for fear of being overset when they rise with horrible Bellowing they make towards the Shore spouting Blood and Water the Reason of their so doing is to indeavour the rubing out of the Irons upon the Sands but in vain for then by force of Cables they draw them on shoar and their cut out their Pulps of which they make the Oyl and their Fins of which our Whalebone is made by drying and preparing so that sometimes one Whale is found to yield 3 Tuns of Oyl and half a Tun Weight of Whalebone Here it was that several Persons were left a whole Winter the Ship going away during their Hunting up in the Country and lived in a Hutt upon Bears-Flesh Venison Wild-Foxes Birds and the Greens or pressings of the Whales till next year the Ships came again and fetched them off For 7 Months all the Seas are Frozen over and the Country is covered with Mountains of Snow In this Tract is Nova Zembla where the Pole is elevated 76 degrees and whither the Dutch yearly resort to Fish for Whales and such other Fish as yield matter for Oyl It abounds in Dear Wild-Foxes and the like as Greenland and in it likewise not long since several Dutchmen were forced to Winter suffered great Extremity by Reason of the excessive cold There are found likewise Sr. Willoughby's Island called Queen Elizabeths Foreland likewise Freezland Iceland and others of lesser note but by Reason of the excessive cold few of them are Inhabited and the chief Commodities they yield are Ling Cod and Fish Oyls And thus according to my promise having taken Survey of the Trade of all the known part of the Vniverse as near as can be gathered from long experience and credible Authority I shall return with Joy to Tread my Native Soil and there take a View of what yet remains in relation to Trade and Commerce And first I shall begin with Exchanges that one necessary part of all Navigational and Inland Commerce CHAP. XCVII A View of the Practice of Exchanges in General and the advantage accruing thereby THat Exchanges are a Principal part of Merchandise it is most certain and has been so found for 200 Years pâ—st tho not brought to perfection till of late Days The places most apt for Exchanges are those where many Merchants of divers Nations reside and have frequent meetings in relation to Trade and Prizes of Commodities whose returns are Subject to great Exchanges which are ever advantageous to the place where they are Practised Now some places there are that have Exchanges in themselves yet are compelled to depend upon other places having only certain times or Fairs appointed by the Custom of Exchangers in which or to which Bills of Exchange are either expired renewed or dated one of which is Placentia and indeed all Towns in Countries where there is more then one Exchange established the Metropolis or Principal Exchange gives Rules and Rates to the rest provided the Coyns be of equal value and goodness nor indeed tho many places have attributed the name of Exchanges yet that Exchange remains not so much in Esse as in the will of the Merchants Bankers and Exchangers in whose Power it is to assign the place as they think convenient and for the most part pitch upon Principal places where their Bills are sure to have a quick dispatch Now there are several Cities that exchange in one and the same Monies Coyns and Denomination as Naples Lechie Barry the two latter included in the former Palermo and Messina comprehended in Sicilia Valentia Saragosa and Barselona in Cattalonia Sevil Alcala and Medina-del-Campo in Castilia Frankford Colona Noremburg and Augusta in Germany with many other of less note But exchange now from a Plain and easie Method is reduced to so many mysterious Points that it is extraordinary difficult to understand it aright in all places therefore I shall only lay down such Particulars as chiefly concern English Merchants and are conducing to the Trade of the Brittish Empire The first thing then that is to be observed is the true value of the Coyn of the City or Port where you make your exchange which is not to be taken according to the value of the Coyn as it is currant but according to its Weight and fineness
given their Attendance by way of Prevention not out of Duty or Right and are not accounted lawful places to Land or Lade any Goods without Licence or sufference from the Port or Members under which any such Creek or Creeks is placed all which as they be at present accounted at the Custom-House are as aforesaid being respectively in the Body of the Counties and consequently out of the Jurisdiction of the Admiralty in case any thing more then ordinary is done or sustained in any of them And now I shall only inform the Reader that Commodities of English Growth and Manufacture may be exported when sold in England at certain rates according to the Statute made in the 12 of Car. 2. and so put an end to this Work Gunpowder when it exceedeth not the price of five pound per Barrel may be exported Wheat Rye Pease Beans Barly Malt Oats Pork Beef Bacon Butter Cheese and Candles when they do not exceed the Prizes following at the Ports where they are Laded at the time of their Lading viz. Wheat the quarter forty Shillings Rye Beans and Pease the quarter twenty four Shillings Barly and Malt the quarter twenty Shillings Oats the quarter sixteen Shillings Bief the Barrel fifty pound Pork the Barrel six pound ten Shillings Bacon the pound six Pence Butter the Barrel four pound ten Shillings Cheese the pound thirty Shillings Candles the dozen pounds five Shillings paying the respective rates according as they are set down in the Book of rates always provided that his Majesty may when he sees occasion prohibit the Exportation of Gunpowder and other Ammunition And thus Reader have I with much Labour Sailing through many Tempestuous Seas once again cast Anchor in safe Harbour hoping this Work may be advantageous unto many and useful unto all who are any ways concerned in Trade or Commerce whether by Navigation or otherwise the which if it does I have obtained the end of my Design FINIS ENGLAND'S GUIDE TO INDUSTRY OR Improvement of Trade for the good of all People in general LONDON Printed by R. Holt for T. Passinger at the three Bibles on London-Bridge and B. Took at the Ship in St. Pauls-Church-Yard 1683. THE PREFACE FOrasmuch as men who are in a decaying condition or who have but an ill opinion of their own concernments instead of being as some think the more industrious to resist the evil they apprehended do contrarywise become the more Languid and ineffectual to all in all their endeavoures neither caring to attempt or prosecute even the probable means of their relief I as a member of the Common-Wealth next to the knowing the precise truth in what Condition the common interest stands would all in doubtful cases thinkthe best and consequently not dispair without strong and manifest Reasons carefully examining what ever tends to lessen my hopes of the Publick Wellfair I have therefore thought fit to examine the following perswasions which I find too currant in the World and too much to have affected the minds of some to the prejudice of all viz. That the Rents of Lands are Generally fallen that therefore and for many other Reasons the whole Kingdom growes poorer and poorer that formerly it abounded with Gold but now there is a great Scarcity both of Gold and Silver That there is no Trade nor imployment for the people and yet that the Land is underpeopled that Taxes have been many and great That Ireland and the Plantations in America and other additions to the Crown are a Burthen to England that Scotland is of no advantage that Trade in General doth lamentably decay that the Hollanders are at our Heels in the Race of Naval power the French grow too fatt upon both and appear so Rich and Potent that it is but their Clemency that they do not devour their Neighbours and finally that the Church and State of England are in the same danger with the Trade of England with many other dismal Suggestions which I do rather Stifle then repeat 'T is true the Expence of Forraign Commodities have of late been too great Much of our Plate had it remained money would have better served Trade too many matters have been regulated by Laws with natures long Custom and general consent ought only to have Govern'd the Slaughter and Destruction of men by the late Civil Wars and Plague have been great the Fire of London and disaster at Chattham have begotten opinions in the Vulgar of the World to our prejudice the Nonconformists increase the people of Ireland think long of their settlement The English there apprehend themselves to be Aliens and are forced to seek a Trade with Forraigners which they might maintain with their own Relations in England but notwithstanding all this the like whereof was always in all places the Buildings in London grow great and Glorious the American Plantations employ 400 Sail of Ships Auctions in the East-India Company are above double the principal money Those who can give good Security may have money under the Statute interest materials for Building oven Oaken Timber are little the dearer some cheaper for the rebuilding of London the Exchange seems as full of Merchants as formerly no more Beggers in the Streets nor executed for thieves as heretofore the number of Coaches and Splendor of Equipage exceeding former times the publick Theatres very magnificent the King has a greater Navy and stronger Guards then before our Calamities the Clergy rich the Cathedrâ—ls in repair much Land have been improved and the price of Food Reasonable and in Brief no man needs to want that will take moderate pains that some are poorer then others ever was and will be and that many are Querulous and Envious is an Evil as old as the World These general Observations and that men Eat and Drink and Laugh as they use to do have incouraged me to try if I could comfort others being satisfied my self that the Interest and Affairs in England are in no deplorable condition the Method I take to do this is not yet very usual for instead of using only Comparative and Superlative words and Intellectual Arguments I have taken the course as a Specimen of the Political Arithmetick I have long aimed at to express my self in Number Weight and Measure A Discourse of Trade Being a Comparison between England and other parts of Europe wherein the Incouragement of Industry is promoted in these Islands of Great Britain and Ireland CHAP. I. That a small Country and few People by Situation Trade and Policy may be equivalent in Wealth and Strength to a far greater People and Territories and particularly that conveniencies for Shipping and Water-Carriage do most eminently and fundamentally conduce thereto THe first principal Conclusion by reason of it's Length I consider in three parts whereof the first that a small Country and few People may be equivalent in Wealth and Strength to a far greater People and Territories This part of the first principal Conclusion needs little proof forasmuch
object against it alledging the Titles of Lands in England are sufficiently secure already wherefore omitting the considerations of small and oblique Reasons pro et contra it were good that enquiry were made from the Officers of several Courts to what Sum or Value purchasers damnified for these last 10 Yeahs by such fraudulent conveyance as Registries would have prevented the 10th part whereof at a Medium is the annual loss which the People sustain for want of them and then Computation is to be made of the annual charge of Registring such extraordinary conveyances would secure the Titles of Lands more by comparing these two Summs the Question so much agitated may be determined Their third Policy is their Bank the use whereof is to encrease money or rather to make a small Sum equivalent to Trade in a greater for the effecting whereof these things are to be considered First how much Money will drive the Trade of the Nation 2dly how much current Money there is actually in the Nation 3dly how much will serve to make all payments of under 5 Pound or any other convenient Sum throughout the year 4thly for what Sum the Keepers of the Bank are unquestionable security If all these 4 particulars be well known then it may be also known how much of ready Money above mentioned may safely and properly be lodged in the Bank and to how much ready current Money the said deposited Mony is equivalent as for example suppose 100 thousand pounds will drive the Trade of the Nation and suppose there be but 60 thousand pounds of ready Mony in the same suppose also the 20 thousand pound will drive one and answer all payments made of under 150 pound in this case 40 of the 60 being put into the Brank will be equivalent unto 80 which 80 and 20 kept out of the Bank do make up 100 viz. enough to drive the Trade as was purposed Where note that the Bank-keepers must be responsible for double the Sum intrusted with them and must have power to levy upon the General weight they happen to lose unto particular Men upon which grounds the Bankers may freely make use of the received 40 pound whereby the said Sum and with the like Sum in credit makes 80 pound and with the 20 reserved 100. I might here add many more particulars but being the same has already been noted by others I conclude only with adding one observation which I think to be of consequence That the Hollanders do ridd their hands of 2 Trades which are of great turmoil and danger and yet of least profit The 1st whereof is that of a common and private Soldier for such they can hire from England Scotland and Germany to venture their Lives for 6 pence a day whilst themselves safely and quietly follow such Trades whereby the meanest of them gain 6 times as much and withal by this entertaining of Strangers for Souldiers their Country becomes more and more peopled forasmuch as the Children of such Strangers are Hollanders and take to Trades whilst new Strangers are admitted in finitum besides these Souldiers at convenient intervals do at least as much work as is equivalent to what they spend and consequently by this way of imploying of Strangers for Souldiers they people the Country and save their own Persons from Danger and Misery without any real Expence effecting by this Method what others have in vain attemped by Laws for naturalizing of Strangers as if men could be charmed to transport themselves from their own native into a forreign Country meerly by words and for the bare leave of being called by a new Name In Ireland Laws for Naturalization have had little Effect to bring in Aliens and 't is no wonder if Englishmen will not go thither without they may have the pay of Souldiers or some other Advantage amounting to Maintainance Having intimated the way by which the Hollanders do increase their People I shall here digress to set down the way of computing the value of every Head one with another and that the instance of People in England viz. Suppose the People of England be six Millions in number that their Expence at 7 pound per head be forty two Millions suppose also that the Rents of Lands be eight Millions and the profit of all the personal Estate be six Millions more it must needs follow that the Labour of the People have supplied the remaining thirty six Millions the which multiplyed by twenty the mass of Mankind being worth twenty years Purchase as well as Land makes five hundred and twenty Millions as the value of the whole People which number divided by six Millions makes above eight Pound Sterling to be the value of each Head Man Woman and Child and of a dull Persons twice as much From whence we may learn to compute the Loss we have sustained by the Plague by the slaughter of Men in War and by sending them abroad unto the Service of forreign Princes The other Trade the Hollanders have ridd their Hand of is the old patriarchal Trade of being Cowkeepers and in a great measure of which concerns plowing and sowing of Corn have put that Imployment upon the Danes and Polanders from whence they have their young Cattle and Corn. Here we may take notice that as Trades and curious Arts increase so the Trade of Husbandry will decrease unless the Wages of Husbandmen must rise and consequently the Rents of Lands must fall For proof whereof I dare affirm that if 〈…〉 â—andmen of England who now 〈…〉 Pence a day or thereabouts could become Tradesmen and earn sixteen Pence a day which is no great Wages two Shillings and two Shillings and six Pence being usually given that then it would be the Advantage of England to throw up their Husbandry and make no use of their Lands but for Grass Horses Milch-Cows Gardens and Orchards c. Which if it be so and that Trade and Manufacture have increased in England viz. If a quarter part of the People apply themselves to these Faculties more then they did heretofore and if the price of Corn be no greater now then when Husbandmen were more numerous and Tradesmen fewer It follows from the single Reason tho others may be added that if the Rents of Lands must fall as for Example suppose the price of Wheat be fifty or sixty Pence the Bushel now if the Rent of the Land whereon it grew be the third Sheaf then of the sixty Pence twenty Pence is for the Land and fourty Pence for the Husbandman but if the Husbandman's Wages should rise â…› part or from eight to nine Pence per diem then the Husbandman's Share in the Bushel of Wheat raised from fourty to fourty five Pence and consequently the Rent of the Land must fall from twenty to fifteen Pence for we suppose the price of the Wheat still remains especially since we can't raise it for if we did attempt it Corn would be brought unto us as unto Holland
Royal Navy can be made which till it be is of no Effectual use but lies at charge And we see likewise upon their occasions that Merchants are put to great straights and inconveniencies and do pay excise-rates for the carrying on their Trade Now if 24,000 able Bodyed Tradesmen whereby 6000 per Annum brought up and fitted for Sea-service and for their incouragement allowed twenty Shillings per Annum for every Year they had been at Sea even when they stay at home not exceeding six pound for those who have served six years or upwards it follows that about 72000. pound at the medium of three pound per man would so satiate the whole number and so forasmuch as half the Sea-men which manage the Merchants Trade are supposed to be always in Harbour and are about 40000 together with the said half the Auxiliaries last mentioned would upon Emergencies man out the whole Royal Navy leaving to the Merchant 12000 of the able Auxiliaries to perform their business in Harbour till others come home from the Sea I say that more then this Summ 72000 pounds per Annum is Fruitlesly spent over-paid by the Merchants whensoever a great Fleet is to be fitted out Now these whom I call Auxiliary Seamen are such as have another Trade besides wherewith to maintain themselves when they are not imployed at Sea and the charge of maintaining themselves the 72000 pounds per Annum I take to be little or nothing for the Reasons above-mentioned and consequently an easie Tax to the people because levied by and paid to themselves As we propounded that Ireland should be Taxed with Flax and England by Linnen and other Manufactures of the same so I conceive that Scotland might be Taxed as much to be paid in Herrings as Ireland in Flax. Now these three Taxes of Flax Linnen and Herrings and the maintenance of the Triple Militia and of the Auxiliary Seamen above-mentioned do all five of them together amount to 1,000,000 pounds of money the raising whereof is not a Million spent but gain'd to the Common-Wealth unless it can be made appear that by Reason of all or any of them the Exportations of Wollen Manufactures Lead and Tin are lessened or of such Commodities as our own East and West India Trade do produce for as much as I conceive that the Exportation of these last mentioned Commodities is the Touch-stone whereby the Wealth of England is Tried and the Pulse whereby the Health of the Kingdom may be discerned CAP. III. That France cannot by Reason of natural and perpetual Impediments be more Powerful at Sea then England or the low Countries POwer at Sea consists chiefly in men able to fight at Sea and that in such Shipping as is most proper for the Seas Wherein they serve and those are in these Northern Sea-Ships from between 300 to 1300 Tuns and of these such as Draw much Water and have a deep latih in the Sea in order to keep a good Wind and not to fall too Leward a matter of vast advantage in Sea-Service wherefore it is to be Examined first Whether the French King has Ports in the Northern Seas where he has most occasion for his Fleets of War in any Consists above to receive the Vessels above-mentioned in all Weather both in Winter and Summer Seats for if the French King could bring to Sea an equal number of Fighting men with the English or Hollanders in small Float Leward Vessels he would certainly be of the weaker side for a Vessel of 1000 Tuns man'd with 500 Fighting men with five Vessels of 200 Tuns each man'd with 100 men apiece shall in common Reason have the better offensively and defensively for asmuch as the great Ship can carry such Ordnance as can reach the small ones at a far greater distance then these can reach or at lest hurt the other and can batrer and sink at a distance when a small one can scarce pierce Moreover it is more difficult for men out of a small vessel to enter a tall Ship then for men from an higher place to leap down into a lower nor is small Shot so effectual upon a tall Ship as vice versa And as for Vessels drawing much Water and consequently keeping a good Wind they can toke or tear Leward Vessels at pleasure and secure themselves from being boarded by them Moreover the Windward Ship has a fairer mark at a Leward Ship then vice versa and can place her shot upon such parts of the Leward Vessel as upon the next tack will be under Water Now the French King having no Ports able to receive large Windward Vessels between Dunkirk and Vshant what other Ships he can bring into those Seas will not be considerable as for the wide Ocean which his Harbours of Breas◠and Brovage do look into it affordeth him no advantage upon an Enemy there being so great a Latitude of engaging or not even when the Parties are in sight of each other◠wherefore altho the French King were immensly rich and could build what Ships he pleased both for number and quality yet if he have not Ports to receive and shelter that sort and size of Shipping which is fit for his purpose his Riches will in this case be Fruitless and a meer expence without any return or profit Some will say that other Nations can't build so good Ships as the English I do indeed hope they can't but because it seems too possible that they may sooner or later by Practice and Experience I shall not make use of that Argument having only bound my self to shew that the Impediments of France as to this purpose are natural and perpetual Ships and Guns do not fight of themselves but men who act and manage them wherefore it is more material to shew that the French King neither has nor can have men sufficient to man a Fleet of equal Strength to that of the King of England The King of England's Navy consists of about 70,000 Tuns of Shipping which requires 36,000 men to man these men being supposed to be divided into eight parts 1 ◠part must be Persons of great Experience and Reputation in Sea-Service another ⅛ part must be such as have used the Sea seven Years and upwards half of them or ¼ part must be such as have used the Sea above a twelve Month viz. 2 3 4 5 or six Years allowing but one quarter of the whole compliment to be such as never were at Sea at all or at most but one Voyage or upon one Expedition so that at a medium I reckon the whole Fleet must be men of three or four Years growth one with another Fournier a late judicious Writer making it his business to persuade the World how considerable the Kings of France was or might be at Sea in ninety two or ninety three Pages of his Hierography saith that there was one place in Britany which had Furnished the King with 1400 Seamen and that perhaps the whole Sea coast of France
price of Victuals then it plainly follows that till then three Acres improved as it may be will serve the turn and consequently that four will Suffice abundantly I could here set down the very number of Acres that would bear Bread and Drink Corn together with Flesh Butter and Cheese sufficient to Victual nine Millions of Persons as they are Victualled in Ships and regular Families but I shall only say in general that 12,000,00 will do it with supposing that Roots Fruits Fish and Fowl and the ordinary profit of Lead Tin Iron-Mines and Woods would piece up any defect that may be found As to the second I say that the Land and Housing of Ireland and Highlands of Scotland at the present Merchant-Rates are not worth ten Millions of money nor would the actual charge of making the Transplantation amount to two Millions more so then the question will be whether the benefit expected from this Transplantation will exceed two Millions To which I say that the advantage will probably be six times the last mentioned Summ or about seventy two Millions For if the rent of England and Wales and the low Land of Scotland be above nine Millions per Annum and if this fifth part of the people be Superadded unto the present inhabitants of these Countries then the rent will amount to 10,800,000 and the number of Years purchase will rise from seventeen ½ to ⅕ more which is twenty one so that the Land which is worth but nine Millions at seventeen ½ Years purchase making an hundred fifty seven Millions and a half will then be worth 10,800,000 at one and twenty Years purchase viz. 226,800,000 that is 69,300,000 more then was before and if any Prince willing to enlarge his Territories will give three Millions for the said relinquished Land and Housing which were estimated to be worth ten Millions then the whole profit will be above 72,000,000 or six times the value as the same was above computed but if any man should object that will be dangerous unto England to be put into the Lands of any other Nations I answer in short that that Nation who ever shall purchase it being divided by means of the said purchase shall not be more able to enjoy England then now in it's united condition Now if any man shall desire a more clear explanation how and by what means the Rents of Lands shall rise by this closer cohabitation of people above described I answer that the advantage will arise in Transplanting about eighteen thousand people from the Poor and Miserable Trade of Husbandry to more Beneficial Handicraft for which the Superaddition is to be made a very little addition of Husbandry to the same Lands will produce a fifth part more Food consequently the additional Hands earning but forty Shillings per Annum more as they may very well to eight pound per Annum at some other Trade the superlucration will be above 3,600,000 pound which at twenty Years purchase is seventy two Millions Moreover as the Inhabitants of Cities and Towns spend more Commodities and make greater consumption then those who live in wild thin Peopled Countries so when England shall be thicker Peopled in manner before described the very same people shall then spend more then when they lived more sordidly inurbantly and further asunder and more out of the sight observation and Emulation of each other every man desiring to put on better Apparel when he appears in company then when he has no occasion to be seen I further add to the charge of the government Civil Military and Ecclesiastical would be more cheap safe and effectual in this condition of close habitation then otherwise as not only Reason but the example of the united Provinces do demonstrate But let this whole digression pass from a meer Dream I suppose will serve to prove that in case the King of Englands Territories should be a little less then those of the French King that forasmuch as neither of them are over Peopled that the difference is not material to the question in Hand wherefore supposing the French Kings advantages to be little or nothing in point of Territory we come next to examine and compare the number of Subjects which each of those Monarchs do govern The Book called the State of France makes the Kingdom consist of twenty seven Parishes and another Book written by a Substantial Author who profoundly enquires into the State of the Church and Church-men of France sets down as an extraordinary case that a Parish in France should have six hundred Souls where I suppose the said Author who has so well examined the matter is not of opinion that every Parish one with another has above five hundred by which reckoning the whole people of France are about thirteen Millions 500,000 Now the people of England Scotland and Ireland with the Islands adjoyning by computation from the number of Parishes which commonly have more people in Protestant Churches then in Popish Countries as also from the Hearth-money Post-money and Excise do amount to above nine Millions there are in new England about fifty thousand men mustered in Arms about eighty thousand able to bear Arms and consequently about five hundred thousand in all but this last I leave to every man's conjecture and I see no Reason why in all the rest of the Plantations there should not be five hundred thousand more and consequently I suppose the King of England hath above ten Millions of Subjests ubivis terrarum orbis Altho it be very material to know the number of Subjects belonging to each Prince yet when the question is concerning their Wealth and Strength it is also material to examine how many of 'em do get more then they spend and how many less in order whereunto it is to be considered that in the King of Englands dominions there are twenty thousand Church-men but in France as the aforementioned Author of theirs does aver who sets down the particular number of each Religious order there are about 270000. viz. 250000. more then we think are necessary that is to say two hundred and fifty thousand with-drawn out of the World now the said number of adult and able-Bodyed Persons are equivalent to about double the same number of the Promiscuous Mass of Mankind and the same Author affirms that the said Religious Persons do spend one with another above eighteen pence per diem which is Triple to what a Labouring man requires Wherefore the said two hundred fifty thousand Church-men living as they do make the French King 13,500 thousand to be really no better then twelve Millions or thereabouts In the next place it is to be considered that the inhabitants of the inner parts of France remote from the Sea can't be probably Superlucrators Now if there be two Millions in the King of England's Dominions more then in the French Kings who earn more then they spend or if ten men in England earn more then twelve in France then the
eight hundred thousand pound The value of Coals Salt Linnen Yarn Herrings Pilchers Salmon brought out of Scotland and Ireland five hundred thousand pound The value of Salt-Peter Pepper Callicots Diamonds Drugs and Silks brought out of the East-Indies above what was spent in England eight hundred thousand pound The value of Slaves brought out of Africa to serve in the American Plantation twenty thousand which with the freight of the English Shipping Trading into forreign parts being above fifteen hundred thousand makes in all Ten Millions and a hundred and eighty thousand Which computation is sufficiently justified by the Customs of three Kingdoms whose intrinsick value are thought to be near about one Million per Annum viz. Six hundred thousand Payable to the King one hundred thousand for the charge of collecting c. two hundred thousand Smackled by the Merchants and one hundred thousand gained by the Farmers according to the common opinion and men saying and this agrees also with that proportion or part of the Trade of the whole World which I have estimated the Subjects of the King of England to be possessed of viz. for about Ten of forty five Millions but the value of the French commodities brought into England notwithstanding Mr. Fortree's estimates are not above twelve hundred thousand per Annum and the value of all the export into all the World besides not above three or four times as much which computation also agrees well enough with the accompt we have of the Customs of France so as France not exporting above half the value of what England does and for the commodities of France except Wines Brandy Paper and the first Patterns and Fashions for Cloths and furniture of which France is the mint are imitable by the English and having withal more people then England it follows that the people of England c. have Head for Head near thrice as much forreign Trade as the people of France and above two parts of nine of the Trade of the whole commercial World and 2 7 of all the Shipping notwithstanding all which is not to be denied that the King and some great men of France appear more Rich and splendid then those or the like quality in England all which arises rather from the nature of their Government then from the intrinsick and natural cause of Wealth and Power CHAP. V. That the Impediments of England's Greatness are contingent and removable THe first impediment of Englands Greatness is the Territories thereunto belonging are too far asunder and divided by the Sea into so many several Islands and Countries and I may say into so many Kingdoms and different Governments viz. There be three distinct Legislative Powers in England Scotland and Ireland the which of instead of uniting together do often cross one and others Interest putting Bars and Impediments upon one and others Trades not only as they were forraigners to each other but sometimes as Enemies The Islands of Jersey and Guernsey and the Isle of Man are under jurisdictions different from those either of England Scotland and Ireland The Government of New-England both civil and Ecclesiastical do so differ from that of his Majesties other Dominions that it is hard to say what may be the Consequence of it And the Government of the other Plantations do also differ very much from any of the West altho there be naturally substantial Reasons for the Situation Trade and Condition of the People why there should be such differences from all which it comes to pass the small divided remote Governments being seldom able to defend themselves the Burthen of the Protecting them all must lye upon the chiefest Kingdom of England and all the small Kingdoms and Dominions instead of being additions are really diminutions The Wealth of a King is three-Fold one is the Wealth of Subjects the second is the quota parts of his Subjects Wealth given him for the Publick Defence Honour and Ornaments of the people and to manage such undertakings for the common good as no one or a few private men are sufficient for The third sort are the quota of the last mentioned quota parts which the King may dispose of as his own Personal inclination and discretion shall direct now it is most manifest that the aforementioned distance and differences of Kingdoms and jurisdictions are great impediments to all the said several sorts of Wealth as may be seen in the following particulars 1. In case of War with forraign Nations England commonly beareth the whole Burthen and charge whereby many in England are utterly undone 2. England sometimes prohibiting the Commodities of Ireland and Scotland as of late it did the Cattle Flesh and Fish of Ireland did not only make Food and consequently Labour dearer in England but also has forced the People of Ireland to fetch these commodities from France Holland and other places which before was sold them from England to the great Prejudice of both Nations 3. It occasions an unnecessary trouble and charge in collecting of Customs upon Commodities passing between the several Nations 4. It is a dammage to our Barbadoes and other American Trades that the Goods which might pass thence immediately to several parts of the World and be sold at moderate Rates must first come into England and there pay Duties and afterwards if at all passing to those Countries whither they might have gone immediately 5. The Islands of Jersey and Guernsey are protected at the charge of England nevertheless the Labour and Industry of that People which is very great redound most to the profit of the French 6. In New-England there are vast numbers of able Bodied English-men imployed chiefly in Husbandry and in the meanest part of it which is breeding of Cattle whereas Ireland would have contained all those Persons at the worst would have afforded them Lands in better Terms then they have them in America if not some other better Trade withal then now they can have 7. The Inhabitants of the other Plantations altho they do indeed Plant commodities which will not grow so well in England it grasping at more Land then it will suffice to produce the said exotics in a sufficient quantity to serve the whole World they do therein but distract and confound the effects of their own Indeavours 8. There is no doubt that the same people far and wide dispersed must spend more upon their Government and Protection then the same living compactly and when they have no occasion to depend upon the Wind Weather and all the Accidents of the Sea A second impediment to the greatness of England is the different understanding of several material points viz. The Kings Prerogative Priviledges of Parliament the obscure differences between Law and Equity as also between Civil and Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction doubts whether the Kingdom of England has Power over the Kingdom of Ireland besides the wonderful Paradox that the English-men lawfully sent to suppress Rebells in Ireland should after having effected the same be
as it were disfranchised and loose that interest in the Legislative Power which they had in England and pay Customes as forraingers for all they spend in Ireland whither they were sent for the Honour and Benefit of England The third impediment is that Ireland being a conquered Country and containing not the Tenth part of as many Irish Mastives as there are English in both Kingdoms that natural and firm Union is not made between the two Peoples by Transplantation and proportionable Mixture so as there may be a Tenth part of Irish in Ireland and the same Proportion in England whereby the necessity of maintaining an Army in England at the expence of the quarter of all the Rents of that Kingdom may be taken away The fourth impediment is that the Taxes in England are not levied upon the expences but the whole Estate not upon Lands Stock and Labour but chiefly upon Land alone and that not by any equal and indifferent Standard but the casual Predominacy of Parties and Factions and moreover that these Taxes are not levied with the least trouble and charge but let out to Farmers who also let them from one to another without explicit knowledge of what they do but so are to conclude the poor people pay twice as much as the King receives Now the fifth impediment is the inequality of Shires Diocesses Parishes Church-livings and other Precincts as also of the Representations of the people in Parliament all which do hinder the operations of Authority in the same manner as a Wheel irregularly made and excentrically hung neither moves so easily nor performs it's work so timely as if the same were duly framed and poised 6. Whether it be an impediment that the Power of making War and raising money be not in the same hand much may be said but that I leave to those who may more properly meddle with Fundamental Laws None of these impediments are natural but did arise as the irregularities of Buildings do by being built part at one time and part at another and by the changing of the State of things from what they were at the respective times when the Practice we complained of were first admitted and perhaps are but the warpings from the rectitude of the first institution As these Impediments are contingent so they are also removable for may not the Land of Superfluous Territories be sold and the people with their moveables be brought away may not the English in the American Plantations who Plant Tobacco Sugar c. compute what Land will serve their turns and then contract their Habitations to that proportion for quantity and quality As for the people of New England I can but wish they were Transplanted into old England or Ireland according to Proposals of their own made within this twenty Years altho they were allowed more liberty of Conscience then they allow one another May not the three Kingdoms be united into one and equally represented in Parliament might not the several Species of the Kings Subjects be equally mixt in their habitations might not Parishes and other Precincts be better equaliz'd might not jurisdictions and Pretences of Powers be determined and ascertained might not Taxes be equally aplotted and directly applyed to their ultimate use might not dissenters in Religion be indulged they paying a competent force to keep the Publick-Peace I humbly venture to say all these things may be done if it be thought fit by the Soveraign Power because the like has often and Succesfully been done already at Several Places and Times CHAP. VI. That the Power and Wealth of England has increased these last forty Years IT is not much to be doubted but that the Territories under the Kings Dominions have increased for as much as New-England Virginy Barbados and Jamaica Tangier and Bombay have since that time been either added to his Majesties Territories or improved from a desert condition to abound with the People Building Shipping and the Production of many useful commodities And as for the Land of England Scotland and Ireland as it is not less in quantity then it was forty Years since so it is manifest that by Reason of dreining of Fens Watering of dry Grounds improving of Forrests and Commons making of Heaths and barren Grounds to bear Cinquefole and Clovergrass meliorating and multiplying several sorts of Fruits and Garden-stuff making some Rivers Navigable c. I say it is manifest that the Land in it's present condition is able to bear more provision and commodities then it was forty Years ago 2. Altho the People of England Scotland and Ireland which have Extraordinarily Perished by the Plague and Sword within this last forty Years do amount to about three hundred thousand above what have dyed in the ordinary way yet the ordinary increase by Generation of Ten Millions which doubles in two hundred Years as has been shewn by the observations upon the Bills of Mortality may in forty Years which is a fifth part of the said Time have increased near a fifth part of the whole number or two Millions Where note by the way that the accession of Negroes to the American Plantations being all men of great Labour and little Expence is not considerable Besides it is hoped that New-England where few or no Women are Barren and must have many Children and where people live long and Healthfully has produced an increase of as many people as were destroyed in the late tumults in Ireland As for Housing these Streets of London it self speaks it I conceive it double in value in that City to what it was forty Years since and for Housing in the Country they have increased at Bristol New-Castle Yarmouth Norwich Exeter Portsmouth Cowes Dublin Kingsale Londondary Coolervin in Ireland far beyond the Proportion of what I can learn has been dilapidated in other places for in Ireland where the ruine was greatest the Housing taken altogether is now more valuable then forty Years ago nor is this to be doubted since Housing is now more splendid then in those days and the number of Dwellers is increased by near a fifth part as in the last Paragraph is set forth As for Shipping his Majesties Navy is now triple or quadruple to what it was forty Years since and before the Soveraign was Built the Shipping-Trading to New-Castle which are now about eighty thousand Tuns could not then be above a quarter of that quantity first because the City of London is doubled secondly because the use of Coal is also at least doubled because they were heretofore seldom used in Chambers as now they are nor were there so many Bricks Burned with them as of late nor did the Country on both sides the Thames make use of them as now besides there are imployed in the Guinny and American Trades above forty thousand Tun of Shipping which Trade in those days was inconsiderable the quantity of Wines imported was not near so much as now and to be short the Customs upon imported and exported