ENGLAND'S Interest Asserted IN THE IMPROVEMENT OF ITS NATIVE COMMODITIES And more especially the Manufacture of WOOL Plainly shewing its Exportation Un-manufactured amounting unto Millions of Loss to His MAJESTY and Kingdom With some Brief Observations of that worthy Author Sir WALTER RAWLEY touching the same All Humbly presented to His MAJESTY and Both Houses of PARLIAMENT By a true Lover of His Majesty and Native Country Licensed by Roger L'estrange LONDON Printed for Francis Smith and are to be sold at the Elephant and Castle without Temple-Bar and by Henry Mortlock at the White Horse in Westminster-Hall 1669. Englands Glory BY THE Benefit of Wool Manufactured therein from the Farmer to the Merchant and the Evil Consequences of its Exportation Unmanufactured Briefly Hinted With Submission to better Judgments THere is no King nor Prince in the World known by experience or upon Record that hath such means to support their Splendour and Greatness as his Majesty of great Britain nor has any Country or Nation such variety of staple Commodities within it self and in such abundance as hath the Kingdom of England which are said by some to be a Hundred Native Commodities which produceth a Thousand sorts of Manufactures So that if those advantages were duly improved England might be a general Mart for the whole World and then by consequence be the glory thereof That those advantages are not improved is too too obvious to all that look into it by the sore complaint that are frequently made of the great poverty and decay thereof and indeed which is worst of all by that general desperation of spirit which will not put forth a hand to help support or prevent the total desolation of our Country upon a prepossest opinion that all endeavours will be rendred fruitless and abortive The consideration whereof hath greatly prompted me who must confess my self the meanest of Thousands more concerned to use the utmost of my little skill and unwearied diligence though but as the Womans mite to the right management of so great an undertaking that the threatned ruine of all may be prevented and if possible some good part of what is lost may be recovered And whereas many have taken in hand to set forth these things some treating of one thing and other of another which if all was collected and harmonized it might very much conduce to the promoting of this weighty affair of so publick a value I shall confine my self to those things only whereof I have had not only credible information but a considerable though a sad experimental knowledge and in a more particular and especial manner that of Wool and of its Manufacture and Consequences which amongst many is the Richest Treasure in his Majesties Dominions the flower strength and sinews of this Nation a Land uniting the People into Societies for their own Utility it is the Milk and Honey to the Grazier and Country Farmer the Gold and Spices of the East and West Indies to the Merchant and Citizens the continued supply of Bread to the Poor and in a word the Exchequer of wealth and staple of protection to the whole both abroad and at home and therefore of full merit to be had in perpetual remembrance defence and encouragement for the most advantageous improvement thereof The Wools of England before it was manufactured within it self have ever been of great account and esteem abroad sufficiently testified unto by the great amity which it begat and for many Hundred Years inviolably maintained between the King of England and Dukes of Burgundy only for the great benefit that from that Commodity did accrew to that People insomuch that the English Wools they receiv'd at 6 d. per Pound they returned again through their industrious manufacture thereof in Cloth at 10 s. per Yard to the great inriching of that State both in the advancement of the Revenues of their Soveraign and in a full employment thereby continued among the People whereby the Merchants of this Nation were occasioned as a People unwilling to be wholly dispriviledged of so great a benefit to transport themselves with their Families in great numbers into Flanders from whence they held a constant Commerce with most parts of the World this continued without intermission between England and Burgundy until King Edward the 3 d. made his mighty Conquests over France Scotland and as a suitable improvement of so great a mercy did wisely project and also accomplish the manufacture of Wools within the Bowels of this Kingdom to the great inriching of his own People and also to the Peopling of his new Conquered Dominions the memory of whose wisdome and care for his People is worthy to be had in remembrance by English Men unto the Worlds end The said King having thus setled the manufacture of Wools within the Kingdom of England confined it by a penal Statute which at first reached not only to Goods Chattels and Land but also to Members and Life it self but in a short time repealed the two latter thereof continuing the other in its full force to remain to future Generations which exceeding great advantage to the prosperity of the English Trade hath now continued these Three Hundred Years by the vigilancy of the Kingdoms Monarchs and the protection of its Laws in the continued careful execution thereof upon offenders with more than a little diligence to provide against the thirsting desires of Foreiners to wrest this Native priviledge of so great a moment out of English hands which by the providence of God through the great care of our Ancestors has been for many Ages enjoyed by the Nation as it is indeed its proper right But so it is that for some years past the diligence of Foreiners to enrich themselves upon us has so much exceeded our care to preserve our selves that it 's now come to if not beyond a question Who have the greatest benefit of the manufacture of English Wools they who have no right unto it or they to whom of right it doth belong That this is indeed so will appear by considering that not only Holland Flanders and Zealand have long sucked the sweetness of the sinews of our Trade but France is likewise learning to be too hard for us as is manifest by the great quantities of Wools that of late years have been transported from England and Ireland thither how injurious it must be to us is also unquestionable if we consider the consequence thereof which was without question much in the Eye of our Ancestors as appeares by what is above hinted in Edward the 3 ds time and in several Kings Reigns since Every Pack of Wool sent to France doth prevent us not only of the benefit of the manufacture thereof but of two Packs more besides it self viz. Thus it being combing and combed Wool for the most part exported thither the French having no Wools of their own but such as are very course are not able to make Cloth or fine Stuff without the conjunction
there is a new course or Trade erected they give free Custom inwards and outwards for the beter maintenance of Navigation and encouragement of the people to that business Thus they and others glean the Wealth and Strength from us to themselves and these reasons following procure them this advantage from us 1. The Merchant Staplers which make all things in abundance by reason of their Store-houses continually replenished with all kind of Commodities 2. The liberty of free Traffick for Strangers to buy and sell in Holland and other Contries and States as if they were free-born maketh great intercourse 3. The small duties levied upon Merchants draws all Nations to trade with them 4. Their fashioned Ships continually fraighted before ours by reason of their few Marriners and great Bulk serving the Merchant cheap 5. Their forwardness to further all manner of Trading 6. Their wonderful imployment of their Busses for Fishing and the great returns they make 7. Their giving free Custom inwards and outwards for any new erected Trade by means whereof they have gotten already almost the sole Trade into their hands All Nations may buy and sell freely in France and there is free custom outwards twice or thrice a year at which time our Merchants themselves do make their sales of English Commodities and do buy and lade their bulk with French commodities to serve for the whole year and in Rochell in France and in Brittain free Custom all the year long except some small Toll which makes great Traffick and makes them flourish In Denmark to encourage and inrich the Merchants and to increase Ships and Mâ—riners free custom all the year long for their own Merchants except one moneth between Bartholomew-tide and Michaelmass the Haunce-towns have advantage of us as Holland and other petty States have and in most things imitate them which makes them exceeding rich and plentyful of all kind of Commodities and Coyn and so strong in Ships and Marriners that some of their Towns have near one thousand sail of Ships The Marchandizes of France Portugal Spain Italy Turkey East and West-Indies are transported most by the Hollanders and other petty States into the East and North-east Kingdom of Pomerland Spruceland Poland Denmark Swedeland Leifland and Germany and the Merchandizes brought from the last mentioned Kingdoms being wonderful many are likewise by the Hollanders and other petty States most transported into the Southern and Western Dominions and yet the situation of England lyeth far better for a Store-house to serve the Southern East and North-East Regions then theirs doth and hath far better means to do it if we will bend our course for it No sooner a dearth of Fish Wine or Corn here and other Merchandize but forthwith the Embdeners Hamburgers and Hollanders out of their Store-house lade fifty or one hundred Ships or more dispersing themselves round about this Kingdom and carry away great store of Coyn and Wealth for little commodity in those times of dearth by which means they suck our Common-wealth of their Riches cut down our Merchants and decay our Navigation not with their natural Commodities which grow in their own Countries but the Merchandizes of other Countries and Kingdoms therefore it is far more easier to serve our selves hold up our Merchants and increase our Ships and Marriners and strengthen the Kingdom and not onely keep our money in our own Realm which other Nations still robb us of but bring in theirs who carry ours away and make the bank of Coyn and Store-house to serve other Nations as well and far better cheap then they Amsterdam is never without seaven hundred thousand quarters of Corn besides the plenty they dayly vent and none of this growth in their own Countrey a dearth in England France Spain Italy Portugal and other places is truly observed to inrich Holland seaven years after and likewise the petty States for example the last dearth six year past the Hamburgers Embdeners and Hollanders out of their Store-houses furnished this Kingdom and from Southhampton Exeter and Bristol in a year and a half carried away near two hundred thousand pounds from these parts onely then what great quantity of Coyn was transported round about your Kingdom from every Port-town and from your City of London and other Cities cannot be esteemed so little as two millions to the great decay of your Kingdom and impoverishing your people discredit to the Company of Merchants and dishonour to the Land that any Nation that have no Corn in their own Countrey growing should serve this famous Kingdom which God hath so inabled within it self they have a continual Trade into this Kingdom with five or six hundred Ships yearly with Merchandizes of other Countries and Kingdoms and store them up in Store-house here untill the prices rise to their minds and we trade not with fifty Ships into their Countrey in a year and the said number are about this Realm every Eastern wind for the most part to lade Coals and other Merchandizes unless there be a scarcity or dearth or high prices all Merchants do forbear that place where great Impositions are laid upon the Merchandize and those places slenderly shipped ill served and at dear rates and oftentimes in scarcity and want of imployment for the people and those petty States finding truly by experience that small duties imposed upon Merchandize draw all Traffick unto them and free liberty for Strangers to buy and sell doth make continual Mart therefore what Excises or Impositions are laid upon the common people yet they still ease uphold and maintain the Merchants by all possible means of purpose to draw the wealth and strength of Christendom to themselves whereby it appeareth though the duties be but small yet the customs for going out and coming in do so abound that they increase their Revenues greatly and make profit plenty and imployment of all sorts by Sea and Land to serve themselves and other Nations as is admirable to behold and likewise the great commerce which groweth by the same means enableth the common people to bear their burthen laid upon them and yet they grow rich by reason of the great commerce and trade occasioned by their convenient Priviledges and comodious Constitutions There was an intercourse of Traffick in Genoa and there was the flower of Commerce as appeareth by their ancient records and their sumptuous buildings for all Nations trade with Merchandize to them And there was the Store-house of Italy and other places but after they had set a great custom of 16. per Cent. all Nations left trading with them which made them give themselves wholly to usury and at this day we have not three Ships go there in a year but to the contrary the Duke of Florence builded Ligorn and set small custom upon Merchandize and gave them great and pleasing Priviledges which hath made a rich and strong City with a flourishing State Furthermore touching some particulars needful to be considered of the mighty huge fishing that
ever could be heard of in the World is upon the coasts of England Scotland and Ireland but the great Fishery is in the Low-countries and other petty States wherewith they serve themselves and all Christendom as it shall appear in four Towns in the East Kingdoms within the Sound Quinsbrough Elbing Statten and Dantzick there are carried and vented in a year between thirty and fourty thousand last of Herrings sold but at fifteen or sixteen pounds the Last is about 620000. and we none besides Denmark Norway Sweden Leifland Rye Nevil the Nerve and other Port-towns within the Sound therâ— is carried and vented above 10000. Last of Herrings sold at fifteen or sixteen pounds the last is 170000. pounds more yearly in such request are our Herring there that they are often times sold for 20 24 30 and 36. pounds the Last and send not one barrel into all those East-Countries The Hollanders sent into Russia near fifteen hundred Last of Herrings sold about 30. shillings the barrel amounteth to 27000. pounds and we but about 20 or 30. Lasts to Stoad Hambourgh Breamen and Embden upon the River of Elve Weafer and Embs are carried and vented of Fish and Herrings about 6000. lasts sold about fifteen or sixteen pounds the Last is 100000. l. and we none Cleafland Gulickland up the River of Rhine to Cullen Frankford or the Main and so over all Germany is carried and vented Fish and Herrings near 12000. sold at 20. pounds the Last is 44000 pound and we none Up the River of Maze leight Mastricht Vendloo Sutphen Deventer Campen Swool and all over Lukeland is carried and vented 7000. Last of Herrings sold at twenty pounds the Last is 140000. pounds and we none To Gilderland Artois Henault Brabant Flanders up the River of Antwerpe all over the Arch-Dukes Countreys are carried and vented between eight and nine thousand lasts sold at 18. pounds the last is 171000. pounds and we none The Hollanders and others carried of all sorts of Herrings to Roan onely in one year besides all other parts of France 50000. last of Herrings sold at 20. pound the last is 100000. pounds and we not one hundred last thither they are sould oftentimes there for 20 and 24 and 30. pounds the last between Christmass and Lent the duties for Fish and Herrings came to 15000. Crowns at Roan onely that year the late Queen deceased Sir Thomas Parrye was Agent there then and S. Savors his man knows it to be true who handled the business for pulling down the Impositions then what great sums of money came to all in the Port-towns to inrich the French Kings Coffers and to all the Kings and States throughout Christendom to inrich their Coffers besides the great quantity vented to the Straights and the multitude spent in the Low-Contries which is there likewise sould for many a hundred thousand pounds more yearly is necessary to be remembred and the stream to be turned to the good of this Kingdom to whose Sea-coasts God onely hath sent and given these great blessings and multitude of riches for us to take However it hath been neglected to the hurt of this Kingdom that any Nation should carry away out of this Kingdom yearly great masses of money for Fish taken in our Seas and sold again by them to us which must needs be a great dishonour to our Nation and hindrance to this Realm from any Port-Town of any Kingdom within Christendom the Bridgemasters or the Wharfmasters for twenty shillings a year will deliver a true note of the number of lasts of Herrings brought to their Wharf and their prices commonly they are sould at but the number brought to Danske Cullen Rotterdam and Enchusen is so great as it will cost three four or five pounds for a true note the abundance of Corn groweth in the East Kingdoms but the great Store-houses for grain to serve Christendom the heathen Countries in time of dearth is in the Low-countries wherewith upon every occasion of scarcity and dearth they do inrich themselves seaven years after imploy their people and get great straights for their Ships in other Countries and we not one in that course the mighty Vineyards and store of Salt is in France and Spain but the great Vintage and staple of Salt is in the Low-countries and they send near one thousand sail of Ships with Salt and Wine onely into the East Kingdoms yearly besides other places and we not one in that course the exceeding Groves of Wood are in the East Kingdoms but the huge piles of Wainscore Clapboard Fir Deal Masts and timber is in the low-Low-Countrys where none grow wherewith they serve themselves and other parts and this Kingdom with those commodities they have five or six hundred great long Ships continually using that Trade we none in that course the Wool Cloth Lead Tin and divers other commodities are in England but by means of our Wooll and Cloth going out ruffe undrest and undyed there is an exceeding Manufactury and Drapery in the Low-Countries wherewith they serve themselves and other Nations and advance greatly the imployment of the people at home and Traffick abroad and put down ours in Forreign parts where our Merchants trade unto with our own commodities we send into the East Kingdoms yearly but one hundred Ships and our Trade cheifly dependeth upon three towns Elbing Kingsborough and Danske for making our sails and buying their Commodities sent into this Realm at dear rates which this Kingdom bears the burthen of The Low-Contries send into the East Kingdoms yearly about three thousand Ships trading into every City and Port-town taking the advantage and venting their Commodities to exceeding profit and buying and lading their Ships with plenty of those Commodities which they have from every of those Towns 20. per Cent. better cheap then we by reason of the difference of the Coyn and their Fish yields ready money which greatly advanceth their Traffick and dacayeth ours they send into France Spain Portugal Italy from the East Kingdoms that passeth through the Sound and through your narrow Seas yearly of the East-Country commodities about two thousand Ships and we none in that course they Trade into all Cities and Port-towns in France and we cheifly into five or six they Traffick into every City and Port-town round about this Land with five or six hundred Ships yearly and we cheifly but to three Towns in their Countrey and but with fourty Ships notwithstanding the Low Countries have as many Ships and Vessels as eleven Kingdoms of Christendom have let England be one and build every year near one thousand Ships and not a Timber-Tree growing in their own Countrey and that also all their home-bred commodities that grow in their Land in a year less then one hundred good Ships are able to carry them away at one time yet they handle the matter so for setting them all on work that their Traffick with the Haunce-Towns exceeds in Shipping all Christendom We have
Flax Corn and other Commodities as they are bound to lade their Ships withall which Ships they engage themselves to relade within three weeks or a month and do give the price the Merchant Stranger asketh because he gives them Credit and lets them Ship away their Iron Flax and other Commodities before they have sold their Kerzies and other Commodities by which means extraordinary dear Commodities are returned into this Realm and the Servants also enforced to sell his Cloths under-foot and oftentimes to loss to keep his Credit and to make payment for the Goods before Shipped home having some twenty dayes or a months respite to sell the Cloths and to give the Merchant satisfaction for his Iron Flax and other Wares by which extremities our Home-bred Commodities are abased Touching Fishing THE great Sea-business of Fishing doth imploy near twenty thousand Ships and Vessels and four hundred thousand people are imployed yearly upon your Coast of England Scotland and Ireland with sixty Ships of War which may prove dangerous The Hollanders only have about three thousand Ships to Fish withall and fifty thousand people are imployed yearly by them upon your Majesties Coasts of England Scotland and Ireland These three thousand Fishing Ships and Vessels of the Hollanders do imploy near nine thousand other Ships and Vessels and one hundred and fifty thousand persons more by Sea and Land to make provision to dress and transport the Fish they take and return Commodities whereby they are enabled and do build yearly one thousand Ships and Vessels having not one Timber Tree growing in their own Country nor Home-bred Commodities to lade one hundred Ships and yet they have twenty thousand Ships and Vessels and all imployed King Henry the seventh desirous to make his Kingdoms powerfull and rich by encrease of Ships and Mariners and imployment of his people sent unto his Sea-Coast Towns moving them to set up the great and rich Fishing with promise to give them needfull Priviledges and to furnish them with Loans of money if need were to encourage them yet his people were slack Now since I have traced this business and made mine endeavours known unto your Majesty your Noblemen able Merchants and others who having set down under their hands for more assurance promised to disburse large sums of money for the building up of this great and rich large Sea-City which will encrease more strength to your Land give more comfort and do more good to all your Cities and Towns than all the Companies of your Kingdom having fit and needfull Priviledges for the upholding and strengthening of so weighty and needfull a business For example twenty Busses built and put into a Sea-Coast Town where there is not one Ship before there must be to carry re-carry transport and make provision for one Busse three Ships likewise every Ships setting on work thirty several Trades and Occupations and four hundred thousand persons by Sea and Land in so much as three hundred persons are not able to make one Fleet of Nets in four months for one Busse which is no small imployment Thus by twenty Busses are set on work near eight thousand persons by Sea and Land and an encrease of above one thousand Mariners and a Fleet of eighty sail of Ships to belong to one Town where none were before to take the wealth out of the Sea to enrich and strengthen the Land only by raising of twenty Busses Then what good one thousand or two thousand will do I leave to your Majesties consideration It is worthy to be noted how necessary Fishermen are to the Commonwealth and how needfull to be advanced and cherished Viz. 1. For taking Gods blessing out of the Sea to enrich the Realm which otherwise we lose 2. For setting the people on Work 3. For making plenty and cheapness in the Realm 4. For encreasing of Shipping to make the Land powerfull 5. For a continual Nursery for breeding and encreasing our Mariners 6. For making imployment of all sorts of people and blind lame and others by Sea and Land from ten and twelve years and upwards 7. For enriching your Majesties Coffers for Merchandizes returned from other Countreys for Fish and Herrings 8. For the encrease and enabling of Merchants which now droop and daily decay Touching the Coyn. FOr the most part all Monarchies and Free-States both Heathen and Christian as Turkey Barbary France Poland and others do hold for a Rule of never-failing profit to keep their Coyn at higher rates within their own Territories than it is in other Kingdoms The causes 1. To preserve the Coyn within their own Territories 2. To bring unto themselves the Coyn of Foreign Princes 3. To enforce Merchant-Strangers to take their Commodities at high rates which this Kingdom bears the burthen of For instance The King of Barbary perceiving the Trade of Christian Merchants to encrease in this Kingdom and that the returns out of his Kingdoms were most in Gold whereby it was much enhanced raised his Ducket being then currant for three Ounces to four five and six Ounces nevertheless it was no more worth in England being so raised then when it went for three Ounces This Ducket currant for three Ounces in Barbary was then worth in England seven shillings and six pence and no more worth being raised to six Ounces since which time adding to it a small piece of Gold he hath raised it to eight and lastly to ten Ounces yet at this day it is worth but ten shillings and one penny notwithstanding your Majesties fate raising of your Gold Having thus raised his Gold he then devised to have plenty of Silver brought into his Kingdom raised the Royal of Eight being but two Ounces to three and three-pence half-penny which caused great plenty of Silver to be brought in and to continue in his Kingdom FRANCE The English Jacobus goeth for three and twenty shillings in Merchandizing The French Crown for seven shillings and six pence Also the King hath raised his Silver four Sowce in the Crown NORTH-HOLLAND The double Jacobus goeth for three and twenty shillings sterling The English Shillings is there eleven Stivers which is two shillings over in the pound POLAND The King of Poland raiseth his Hungary Ducket from 56. to 77 and ½ Polish groshes and the Rix-Doller from 36. to 47 and ½ groshes the Rix-Doller worth in Poland 47 and ½ groshes is by account valued at 6 s. 4 d. sterling and here in England is worth but 4 s. 7 d. The Hungary Ducket 77. is worth by account in Poland 10 s. 4 d. and in England is worth but 7 s. 10 d. The Jacobus of England here currant for 22 s. in Poland 24 s. at the rate of 7 s. to 10 d. for the Hungary Ducket Now to turn the stream and riches raised by your Majesties Native Commodities into the natural Channel from whence it hath been a long time diverted may it please your Majesty to consider these Points following 1. Whether it be
such a value upon French fancies when themselves are in a better capacity if improved to produce the like or better and save the following sums 1. One Million of pounds Sterling yearly in the Exportation of our Wool 2. Five hundred thousand pounds in rough Cloath which is but half what Sir Walter Rawleigh observes in his time 3. One hundred thousand pound yearly in Importing French Manufactures superfluous 4. Many thousand pounds in Importing Dutch Cloath 5. And lastly the evil consequences thereof in loseing our Shipping which would be encouraged thereby are the strength or Walls of our Kingdome as more particularly doth appear hereafter Having now discovered the dammage it is to England in the Transportation of Wool from the King to the meanest I shall endeavour also to discover the methods how it is done and before I shall prescribe Remedy for it is not enough to know distempers especially such that are so Consumptive it is requisite to know the cause of those distempers or else the supposed Remedies will in time come to be a disease as it is too much in this case at this day in England where the causes are mistaken the Remedies are consequently misapplyed whereby a disease in supposition becomes one in effect the methods or ways of this evil are First in Rumny Marsh in Kent where the greatest part of rough Wooll is exported from England put aboard French Shallops by night ten or twenty men well armed to guard it some other parts there are as in Sussex Hampshire and Essex the same methods may be used but not so conveniently The same for coombed Wool from Canterbury they will carry it ten or fifteen miles at night towards the Sea with the like guard as before but for other parts it must be done partly by the Remisness of the Officers of his Majesties Customs and easie Composition for the forfeitures of the Bonds as more shall appear anon And then for coombed Wool in other parts some is shipped off from London for Bales of Drapery nay some at Lime and also at Exon where there is ten thousand pounds Sterling weekly laid out in the woollen Manufactury which is most for Workmens wages I know no place clear and then another reason why persons are not detected is because all the wools that have been taken in those parts where most hath been exported have been suffered to go off at the same places after Judgments past and by the Officers to the same persons at a low rate being under rated to those very men that intended to ship it at first so that the evil is never like to be avoyded that way only that which is taken happily may be a little the dearer to keep the Trade going for I have enquired and cannot understand but of two parcels of wool that have been seased on in Kent that have been used in England but all sent away and so his Majesties providence is cheated who keeps Servants at great wages to prevent such abuses And then another cheat is under a pretense of wool from Hampton to the Islands of Jersey and Gernsey sometimes from other parts which is against the Law for there is no wool to be exported to those Islands but only from Hampton and that by Law should be by weight but now it goes by gross by the pack when it should be weighed but I believe not one pack in ten is weighed for three packs is put into one Then from Ireland which is the greatest mischief of all to England and much increased since the Act was in force against Cattel the Irish wool can be sold as cheap in France Holland and Flanders as it is in those places where wool is used in England which is a great augmentation to us of prejudice for Foreiners to have our wool so cheap as we in England having other conveniencies to underwork us as formerly hinted The wayes there must be by the carelessness of the Officers in not taking solvant security and exactness in the weight of wool and true examination of the returns of their Certificates and partly by easie compositions if not before bonds are forfeited and happily much combed Wool there packt up as before as bailes of Cloath or barrels of Beef and shiped as Irish Cloath and in all points so cunningly carryed as they are seldome discovered and never sealed as the Statutes in that case made and provided do strictly require Here see what W. S. saith Now to shew you more particularly these abuses how the Laws are crossed and daily obstructed to such as endeavour to serve their Country by such as ought to encourage the prosecutors sure there will be very many practises of evil consequents discovered for first in the Custom-House where bonds are taken to the intent that these prohibited Commodities pass not by means of Mariners out of the Nation but only from Port to Port for accommodation of such parts as want such Commodities they are very Remiss and careless in taking of the Sea-mens discharge of their Obligatory Conditions where also it is usual with the Sea-men to bring fradulent Certificates and so to cheat the Kings Providence who keeps Servants at great wages purposely to prevent such abuses or if there be a regular return of there Bonds yet there is commonly a fraudulency in giving them for the Masters of ships will so continue their designe as he who is Master at giving the Bonds and is legally bound shall immediatly pass his Interest to another man who taking charge of the Vessel and Voyage is notwithstanding not engaged in the Poart Bond and therefore neither is he accomptahle for breach of their condition again when the Port bonds are justly taken and as justly returned yet to prevent the true and real detection of the offender and to dishearten the legal prosecutor some friends of the offender will clap an information against him purposely to hinder and divert others and soon after will let the Prosecution fall at his pleasure nay it hath been said and peradventure not unjustly that such preventing informations have been antidated to the over-throw of the regal information but when all is granted and a full and formal hearing and decree passed to the just condemnation of the offender Yet when judgments and inquieries are granted and do without errours of the Clarks which is not always impower the Sheriff's and their Bayliffs to see Execution thereof made it is familiar with those Officers to return a non est inventus or a mortus est viz. Not to be found or dead even then when the Offenders and the Officers have been known to be drinking together at that very time when the Writ should have been executed After all this one step farther will shew how charrety it self abuseth Justice for let all the former proceedings be granted and be candid and clear and that the Law be indeed justly and legally executed the offender in custody and nothing remaining but that he
this is so I humbly desire that your Majesty will vouchsafe to peruse this advertisement with that care and judgement which God hath given you Most humbly praying your Majesty that whereas I presented these five Propositions together as in their own natures joyntly deâ—â—nâ—ing one of aâ—other and so linked together as the distraction of any one will be an apparent maim and disabling to the best that your Majesty would be pleased that they may not be separated but all handled together joyntly and severally by Commissioners with as much speed and secrecy as can be and made fit to be reported to your Majesty whereby I may be the better able to perform to your Highness that which I have promised and will perform upon my life if I be not prevented by some that may seek to hinder the honour and profit of your Majesty for their own private ends The true ground-course and form herein mentioned shall appear how other Countries make themselves Powerful and rich in all kind by Merchandize Manufactury and fulness of Trade having no commodities in their own Countrey growing to do it withall And herein likewise shall appear how easie it is to draw the Wealth and Strength of other Countreys to your Kingdom and what Royal rich and plentiful means God hath given this Land to do it which cannot be denyed for support of Trafâ—â—ck and continual imployment of your people for replenishing of your Majesties Coffers and if I were not fully assured to improve your Native commodities with other Traffick three millions of pounds more yearly then now they are and to bring not onely to your Majesties Coffers within the space of two or three yours near two millions of pounds but to increase your Revenues many thousands yearly and to please and greatly profit your people I would not have undertaken so great a work all which will grow by advancement of all kind of Merchandizing to the utmost thereby to bring Manufactory into the Kingdom and to set on work all sorts of people in the Realm as other Nations do which raise their greatness by the abundance of your Native commodities whilst we are parling and disputing whether it be good for us or not May it please Your Most Excellent Majesty I Have diligently in my travels observed how the Countreys herein mentioned do grow Potent with abundance of all things to serve themselves and other Nations where nothing groweth and that their never-dried Fountains of Wealth by which they raise their Estate to such an admirable height as that they are at this day even a wonder to the world proceedeth from your Majesties Sea and Lands I thus moved began to dive into the depth of their Pollicies and circumventing practises whereby they drain and still covet to exhaust the Wealth and Coyn of this Kingdom and so with our own Commodities to weaken us and finally beat us quite out of Trading in other Countreys I found that they more fully obtained these their purposes by their convenient Priviledges and setled Constitutions than England with all the Law and superabundance of home bred Commodities which God hath vouchsafed your Sea and Land And these and other mentioned in this Book are the urgent causes that provoked me in my love and bounden duty to your Majesty and my Countrey to address my former Books to your Princely hands and consideration By which Priviledges they draw multitudes of Merchants to trade with them and many other Nations to inhabit amongst them which makes them populous and there they make Store-houses of all Forreign commodities wherewith upon every occasion of scarcity and dearth they are able to furnish Forreign Countries with plenty of those Commodities which before in time of plenty they engrossed and brought home from the same places which doth greatly augment Power and Treasure to their State besides the common good in setting their poor people on work to which privilegdes they add smallness of Custom and liberty of Trade which maketh them flourish and their Countrey so plentyfull of all kind of Coyne and commodities where little or nothing groweth and their Merchants so flourish that when a loss cometh they scarce feell it to bring this to pass they have many advantages of us the ones by their fashioned Ships called Boyers Hoybatks Hoyes and others that are made to hold great bulk of Merchandize and to sail with a few men for profit For example though an English Ship of two hundred tun and a Holland Ship or any other of the petty States of the same burthen be at Danske or any other place beyond the Seas or in England they do serve the Merchant better cheap by one hundred pounds in his fraight than we can by reason he hath but nine or ten Marriners and we near thirty thus he saveth twenty mens meat and wages in a voyage and so in all other their Ships according to their burden by which means they are fraighted wheresoever they come to great profit whilest our Ships lye still and decay or go to Newcastle for Coals Of this their smallness of Custom inwards and outwards we have dayly experience for if two English Ships or two of any other Nation be at Burdeaux both laden with Wine of three hundred tuns a piece the one bound for Holland or any other petty States the other for England the Marchant shall pay about nine hundred pounds custom here and other duties when the other in Holland or any other petty States shall be cleared for less then fifty pounds and so in all other Wares and Merchandizes accordingly which draws all Nations to Traffick with them and although it seems but small duties which they receive yet the multitudes of all kind of Commodities and Coyn that is brought there by themselves and others and carryed out by themselves and others is so great that they receive more custome and duties to the State by the greatness of their Commerce in one year then England doth in two years for the one hundreth part of Commodities are not spent in Holland but vented into other Countries which maketh all the Countrey-Merchants to buy and sell and increase Ships and Marriners to transport them My travels and meaning is not to diminish neither hath been your Majesties Revenues but exeeding to encrease them as shall appear and yet please the people as in other parts they do notwithstanding their Excises bring them in great Revenues yet whosoever will adventure to Burdeaux but for six tuns of Wine shall be free of Excise in his own house all the year long and this is done of purpose to animate and increase Merchants in their Countrey And if it happen that a Trade be sâ—â—â—ped by any Forreign Nation which they heretofore usually had or hear of any good Trading which they never had they will hinder others and seek either by favour money or force to open the gap of Traffick for advancement of Trade amongst themselves and imployment of their people and when
all things of our own in superabundance to increase Traffick and Timber to build Ships and Commodities of our own to lade about one thousand Ships and Vessels at one time besides the great Fishing and as fast as they have made their voyages might re-lade again and so year after year all the year long to continue yet our Ships and Marriners decline and Traffick and Merchants dayly decay the main bulks and mass of Herrings from whence they raise so many millions yearly that inrich other Kingdoms Kings and States Coffers and likewise their own people proceedeth from your Seas and Lands and the return of the Commodities and Coyn they bring home in exchange of Fish and other commodities are so huge as would require a large discourse apart all the amends they make us is they beat us out of Trade in all parts with our own commodities for instance we had a great Trade in Russia about seventy years and about fourteen years past we sent store of goodly Ships to Trade in those parts and three years past we set out but four and this last year but two or three but to the contrary the Hollanders about twenty years since traded there with two Ships onely yet now they are increased to about thirty or fourty and one of their Ships is as great as two of ours and at the same time in their troubles there that we decrease they increased and the Cheifest commodities they Carry with them thither is English Cloth Herrings taken in our Seas English Lead and Pewter made of our Tin besides other commodities all which we may do beter then they and although it be a cheap Country the Trade very gainful yet we have almost brought it to nought by disorderly trading joynt-stock and the Merchants banding themselves one against the other and so likewise we used to have 8. or 9. great Ships to go continually a Fishing to Wardhouse and this year but one and so Per rato they out-go us in all kind of Fishing and Merchandizing in all Countries by reason they spare no cost nor deny no Priviledges that may incourage advancement of Trade and Manufactury Now if it please and with your Majesties good liking stand to take notice of these things which I have conceived to be fit for your Majesties consideration which in all humbleness as duty bindeth me I do tender unto your Majesty for the unfeigned zeal I bear to the advancement of your honour and profit and the general good of your subjects it being apparent that no three Kingdoms in Christendom can compare with your Majesty for support of Traffick and continually imployment of your people within themselves having so many great means both by Sea and Land to inrich your Coffers multiply your Navy enlarge your Traffick make your Kingdoms Powerfull and your people rich Yet through idleness they are poor wanting imployment many of your Land and Coast-towns much ruinated and your Kingdom in need of Coyn your Shipping Traffick and Marriners decayed which your Majesties Neighbour Princes without these means abound in Wealth inlarge their Towns increase their Shipping Traffick and Marriners and find out such imployment for their people that they are all advantageous to their Common-wealth onely by ordaining commodious Constitutions in Merchandizing and fulness of Trade in Manufactury God hath blest your Majesty with incomparable benefits As with Copper Lead Iron Tin Allum Copperas Saffron Fell and divers other native Commodities to the number of about one hundred and other Manufacturies vendible to the number of about a thousand as shall appear besides Corn whereof great quantity of Beer is made and most transported by Strangers as also Wooll whereof much is shipped forth unwrought into Cloth or Stuffs and Cloth transported undrest and undyed which doth imploy and maintain near fifty thousand people in Forreign parts your Majesties people wanting the imployment in England many of them being inforced to live in great want and seek it beyond Seas Coals which do imploy hundreds of strangers Ships yearly to transport them out of this Kingdom whilest we do not imploy twenty Ships in that course Iron Ordnance which is a Jewel of great value far more then it is accounted by reason that no other Countrey could ever attain unto it although they have assayed with great charge your Majesty hath Timber of your own for building of Ships and Commodities plenty to lade them which Commodities other Nations want yet your Majesties people decline in Shipping Traffick and Mariners These Inconveniences happen by three causes especially 1. The unprofitable course of Merchandizing 2. The want of course of full Manufactury of our Home-bred Commodities 3. The undervaluing of our Coyns contrary to the Rules of other Nations For instance The Merchant Adventurers by over-trading upon Credit or with money taken up upon Exchange whereby they lose usually ten or twelve and sometimes fifteen or sixteen per Cent. are enforced to make sale of their Cloths at under-rates to keep their Credit whereby Cloths being the Jewel of the Land is undervalued and the Merchant in short time eaten out The Merchants of Ipswich whose trade for Elbing is chiefly with fine Cloths and some few sorting Cloths all dyed and dress'd within our Land do for the most part buy their fine Cloths upon time and by reason they go so much upon Credit they are enforced not being able to stand upon their Markets to sell giving 15 or 18 months day of payment for their Cloths and having sold them they then presently sell their Bills so taken for Cloth allowing after the rate of fourteen or fifteen and sometimes twenty per Cent. which money they imploy forthwith in Wares at excessive prices and lose as much more that way by that time their Wares be sold at home Thus by over-running themselves upon Credit they disable themselves and others enhancing the prices of Foreign Commodities and pulling down the rates of our own The West-Country Merchants that trade with Cloths into France or Spain do usually imploy their Servants young men of small experience who by cunning combining of the French and Spanish Merchants are so entrapped that when all Custom and Charges be accompted their Masters shall hardly receive their principal Moneys As for returns out of France their Silver and Gold is so highly rated that our Merchants cannot bring it home but to great loss therefore the French Merchants set higher rates upon their Commodities which we must buy dear or let our moneys lye dead there a long time untill we may conveniently imploy the same The Northern Merchants of York Hull and Newcastle trade only in white Kerzies and coloured Dozzens and every Merchant be his Adventure never so small doth for the most part send over an unexperienced youth unfit for Merchandizing which bringeth to the Stranger great advantage but to his Master and Commonwealth great hindrance for they before their Goods be landed go to the Stranger and buy such quantities of Iron