and maintain the Merchants by all possible means of purpose to draw the wealth and strength of Christendome to themselves whereby it appeareth though the Duties be but small yet the Customes for going out and coming in doth so abound that they increase their Revenues greatly and make great profit by sea and land in serving themselves and other Nations likewise the great Concourse which comes by the same means enableth the Common-people to beare their burthen laid upon them and yet they grow rich together with the great Comerce and Trade occasioned by their convenient Priviledges and commodious Constitutions There was an Entercourse of Traffique in Gâ—â—â—a and in that City was the flower of Comerce as appeareth by their ancient Records and sumptuous Buildings all Nations traded with merchandises to them and there was the Storehouse of all Italy and other places But after they had set a great Custome of XVI per Cent. all Nations left trading with them which made them give themselvs wholly â—o Usury and at this day we have not ships go thither in a year On the contrary the Duke of Florence builded Ligoâ—â— and set small Customes upon merchandise gave them great and pleasing Priviledges which hath made that a rich and strong City with a flourishing State and Trade Concerning the particular of Fishing and the greatest in the wâ—â—ld which is upon the Coast of England Scotland and Ireland the Fishermen living to our shame in the Low-Countries and other Petty-States wherewith they serve themselves and all Christendome In four Towns in the east-East-Kingdomes within the Sound viz. Quinsborough Elbing Statten and Daâ—zick there is carried and 〈◊〉 in a year between 30 40000 Lasts of Herrings sold at 15 or 16 pounds the Last which is 170000 pounds in such request are our herrings there that they are oftentimes sold for 20 24 30 and 36 pounds the Last England sends not one Barrel into all those Countries The Hollanders send into Russia neer 1500 Lasts sold at or about 30â— the â—â—râ—el which amounteth to 27000 pounds England about 20 or 30 Lasts To Stoâ—d Hamburgh Breame and Embden up the river of Elve Weazer and Embes is carried and vented of Fish and Herrings about 6000 Lasts sold at about 15 or 16 pounds the Last which comes to 100000 pounds yearly England none Cleveland Gulickland and so up the Rhine to Cullen Frankford on the Main and so over all Germany is carried and vented of Fish and Herrings 20000 Lasts sold at 20l the Last which is 440000l and we none Up the River of Maze Leige Mastrick Vendlow Zuâ—phen Deventer Campen Swole and all over Lukeland is carried and vented of Herrings 7000 Lasts sold at 20l the Last which is 140000. and we none To Gelderland Artois Henalt Brabant Flanders up the River of Antwerp all over the Archdukes country is carried and vented between 8 or 9000 Lasts of of Herrings sold at 18l the Last which is 170000l and we none The Hollanders others carried of all sorts of Herrings to Roan only in one year besides all other Ports of France 5000 Lasts of Herrings sold at 20l the Last which is 100000l and we not 100 â—ast thither They are sold oftentimes there for 20 24 and 30l the Last Between Christmas and Lent the Duties for Fish and Herrings came to 15000 Crowns at Roan that year the late Queen decâ—ased Sir Tho. Parry was Agent there then and St. Savours his man knoweth it to be true who handled the businesse for pulling down the Impositions Then what great summes of money came to all the Port-towns to enrich the French Kings coffers and to all the Kings and States throughout Christendome to enrich their coffers besides the great quantity vented to the Straits and the multitude spent in the Low-Countries where there is likewise sold many 100000l worth yearly If this stream were turned to the good of this Nâ—tion to whose Sea-coasts only God hath sent and given these great blessings and multitude of riches for us to take how happy were it The hurt on the contrary that any Nation should carry out of this Realme yearly such great masses of money for Fish they take on our Seas many of which sold againe by them to us must needs be great and as great dishonour to this Nation From any Port Town of any Kingdome in Christendome the Bâ—idge-master or the Wharf-master foâ— 20s a year will deliver a â—â—e Note of the Number of Lasts of Herrings brought to their Wharfs and their Prices commonly sold at The number brought To Dansick Cullen Rotterdam and Enchusen it will cost 3 4 or 5l for a true Note The abundance of Corne groweth in the East Kingdoms but the great Store-houses for Grain to serve Christendome and the Heathen Countries in the time of Dearth is in the Low-Countries wherewith upon every occasion of scarcity and dearth they enrich themselves seven years after and imploy their people and get great fraight 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 thâ—Low-Countries and they send neer 1000. Saile of ships with Salt and Wine onely into the east-East-Kingdomes yearly besides many other places and we not one in that course The exceeding Groves of Wood are in the East-Kingdomes But the huge Piles of Wainscot Clapboards Fir-deale Masts and Timber is in the Low-Countries where none groweth wherewith they serve themselves and other parts and this Kingdome with those Commodities They have 5 or 600 great long Ships continually using that Trade and we not one in that course The Wooll Cloth Lead and Tyn with divers Commodities are in England But by means of our Wooll and Cloth going out rough undrest and undyed there is an exceeding Manufacturie in the Low-Countries wherewith they serve themselves and other Nations which advanceth greatly the imployment of their people at home and traffique abroad and putteth down ours in forain parts where our Merchants trade unto with our own Commodities we dressing and dying it basely they to that perfection that they will not fail colour or be threed-bare in seven years wearing We send into the East-Kingdoms yearly but 100 ships and our Trade chiefly dependeth upon three Towns Elbing Kingsborough and Dantzick for making our Sales and buying their Commodities sent into this Realm at dear rates which this Kingdome beareth the burthen of The Low-Countries send into the East-Kingdoms yearly about 3000 ships trading into every City and Port-Town taking the advantage and vending their Commodities to exceeding profit buying and lading their ships with plenty of those Commodities which they have from every of those Towns 20l per cent better cheap then we by reason of the difference of their Coyn and their Fish yieldeth ready mony which greatly advanceth their traffiqueâ— and decayeth ours They send into France Spain Portugal and Italy from the east-East-Kingdoms that
passeth through the Sound and through our Narrow-seas yearly of the East-country Commodities about 2000 ships and we none in that course They trade into all Cities and Port-Towns in France We chiefly to five or sixe They traffique into every City and Port-Town round about this Land with 5 or 600 ships yearly And we chiefly but to three Towns in their Country and but with 40 ships Notwithstanding the Low-Countries have as many Ships and Vessels as all the Kingdomes of Christendome have let England be one and build every year neer 1000 ships and not a Timber-tree growing in their own country also all their homebred commodities that grow in their land in a yeare lesse then 100 good ships are able to carry away at one time Yet they handle the matter so for setting them all on work that their Traffique with the Hance-Towns exceedeth in shipping all Christendome We have all things of our own in superabundance to increase Traffique and Timber to build ships and Commodities of our own to load about 1000 Ships and Vessels at one time besides the great Fishing and as fast as they have made their Voyages might lade and so year after year all the year long to continue yet our ships and mariners decline and Traffique and Merchants daily decay The main bulk and masse of Herrings from whence they raise so many Millions yearly that enricheth other Kingdoms Kings and States coffers and likewise their own people procâ—edeth from our Sea and Land and the Return of the Commodities and Coin they bring home in exchange of Fish and other Commodities are so huge as would declare 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 70 years â— and about 14 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 two or thâ—ee But to the contrary the Hollanders about 20 years since traded thither with two ships only yet now they are increased to about thirty or forty and one of their ships is as great as two of ours and the same time in their troubles there that we decreased they increased and the chiefest Commodities they carry thither with them is English Cloth Herrings taken on our Coast English Lead and Pewter made of our Tin besides other Commodities All which we may do better then they And although it be a cheap Country and the Trade very gainful yet we have almost brought it to nought by disorderly Trading Joint-stock and the Merchants bandying themselves one against another We used to have 8 or 9 great ships to go continually a fishing to Wardhouse and this year but one and so pro rato they out-goe us in all kind of Fishing and Merchandising in all Countries by reason they spare no cost nor deny no Priviledges that may encourage Advancement of Trade and Manufacturie IF it stand with the good liking of the STATES to take notice of these things conceived to be fit for their consideration which is tendered unto them out of unfained zeale to the Advancement of the generall good of all Subjects it being apparent that no three Kingdoms in Christendome can compare with this for support of Traffique and continual imployment of the people within themselves having so many great means both by sea and land to enrich multiply the Navy enlarge Traffique make the Nation powerful and People rich who through idlenesse are poor wanting imployment many Land and Coast-Towns much ruinated need of Coyn Shipping Traffique and Mariners decayed whil'st Neighbour-Princes without these means abound in wealth enlarge their Towns increase their shipping Traffique and Mariners and find out such imployment for their people that are all Advantages to their Commonwealth only by ordaining commodious Constitutions in Merchandizing and fulnesse of Trade to all their people in Manufacturie God hath blest this Nation with incomparable benefits As with Copper Lead Iron Tinne Allome Copperas Saffron Fells and divers other native commodities to the number of an hundred and other Manufacturies vendible to the number of a thousand as shall appeare besides Corne whereof great quantity of Beere is made and most transported by strangers as also Wooll whereof much is shipped forth unwrought into Cloth or Stuffs and Cloth transported undyed which doth imploy and maintain neer 50000 people in forain parts our own people wanting that imployment in England many of them being inforced to live in great want and seek it beyond the seas Coals which doth imploy neer 600 strangers ships yearly to transport them out of this Kingdom whilst we do not imploy twenty ships in that course Iron-Ordinance which is a Jewel of great value far more then it is accounted by reason that no other Country could ever attain unto it although they have assayed it with great charge Timber for building of ships and Commodities plenty to lade them which Commodities other Nations want yet wee decline in shipping traffique and mariners These inconveniences happen by three causes especially 1. The unprofitable Course of Merchandizing 2. Want of the true Course of full Manufacturie of our home-bred Commodities 3. Undervaluing our Coynes contrary to the Rules of other Nations For instance The Merchant-Adventurers by over-trading upon Credit or with mony taken up upon Exchange whereby they lose usually 10. or 12. and sometimes 15. or 16. per cent are inforced to make sale of their Clothes at under-rates to keep their credit whereby Cloth 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 for fine Clothes and some few sorting Clothes all died and dressed within this Land do for the most part buy their fine Clothes 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 moneths day of payment for their Clothes and having sold them they then presently sell their Bills so taken for Cloth allowing after the rate of 14 or 15 and sometimes 20 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 inhancing the price of forain Commodities and pulling down the Rates of their own The West-Country Merchants that trade with Clothes into France or Spain do usually imploy their Servants Young men of small experience and doth not London so likewise who by cunning combining of the French and Spanish Merchants are so intrapped that when all Customes and Charges be accounted their Masters shall handly receive their Principal-mony As for Returns out of France their silver and gold is so high-rated that our Merchants cannot bring it home but to great losse Therefore
any other Nation be at Burdeaux both laden with Wines of 300 Tuns apeece the one bound for Holland or any other Petty-State the other for England the Merchant shall pay about 500l Custome here and other duties when the other in Holland or any other Petty-States shall be cleared for lesse then 50l and so in all other Wares and merchandises accordingly which draweth all Nations to traffique with them And although it seems but small Duties which they receive yet the multitudes of all kind of Commodities and Coyn is so great that is brought in by themselvs others and carried out by themselves and others that they receive more Customes and Duties to the State by the greatnesse of their Comerce in one yeare then England doth in two for the hundreth part of Commodities are not spent in Holland but venâ—â—d into other Countries which maketh all the Country Merchants to buy and sell and increase ships and mariners to transport them Notwithstanding their Excises brings them great Reâ—enâ—es yet whosoever will adventure to Burdeaux but for sixe Tuns of Wines shall be free of Excise in his own house all the yeare long And this is done of purpose to animate and increase Merchants in their Country And if it happen that a Trade be stopped by any forrain 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 mony or force to open the gap of traffique for advancement of themselves and imployment of their people And when there is a new Trade or Course erected they give free Customs inwards and outwards for the better maintenance of Navigation and encouragement of the people to that businesse A little to enlarge upon the following particulars to prove that thus they and others glean the wealth and strength from us to themselves and become the Traders of the world 1. Merchant-Staplers make all things in abundance by reason of their Storehouses continually replenished with all kind of Commodities 2. The liberty of Free-traffique for Strangers to buy and sell in Countries and States as if they were free-born 3. The small Dutles levied upon Merchants 4. The fashioned Ships continually fraighted before ours by reason of their few mariners and great bulk serving the Merchant cheap 5. The forwardnesse to further all manner of Trading 6. The wonderful imployment of Busses for fishing and the great returns made 7 The giving Free-custome inwards and outwards for any new-erected Trade by means whereof they have already gotten almost the sole â—â—â—de into their hands And this is not in the Netherlands only but All Nations may buy and sell freely in France and there is free-Custome outwards twice or thrice in a yeare at which times our Merchants themselves do make their great sales of English commodities and do buy and lade their great bulk of French commodities to serve for the whole year In Rochel and in Britain free Custome all the year long except some small Toll which maketh great traffique and maketh them flourish In Denmark to encourage and enrich their Merchants and to increase Ships and Mariners free Custome all the year long for their own merchants except one moneth between Bartholmew-tide and Michaelmasse The Hance-Towns have likewise advantage of us and in most things imitate the Hollanders which maketh them exceeding rich and plentiful of all kinds of Commodities and Coin and so strong in ships and mariners that some of their Towns have neer 1000 sail of ships The merchandises 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 Kingdoms of Pomerland Spruceland Poland Denmark Sweâ—hen Leifland and Germany and the merchandise brought from the last mentioned Kingdoms being wonderfully many are likewise by the Hollanders and other Petty-States transported into the Southern and Western Dominions and yet the sâ—ituation of England lieth far better for a store-house to serve the Southern East and North-east Regions then they and hath far better means to do it if we will bend our course for it No soâ—â—er a Dearth of â—â—â—â— Wine or Corn here or other merchandise but forth with the Embdeners Hamburgers and Hollanders out of their Storehouses lade 50. 100. or more ships dispersing themselves round about this Kingdom and carry away great store of Coyn and wealth for little Commodities in those times of Dearth by which means they suck our Commonwealth of their Riches cut down our Merchants and decay our Navigation not with their Natural commodities which groweth in their own Country but the Merchandises of other Countries and Kingdoms Therefore it is far more easie for us to serve our selves hold up our Merchants increase our Ships and Mariners strengthen the Kingdome and not only keep our mony in our own Realm which other Nations still rob us of but bring in their who carry ours away and make the Bank of Coin and Storehouse to serve other Nations as well and far better cheap then they in England Amsterdam is never without 700000. Quarters of Corn besides the plenty they daily vent and none of this groweth in their own Country A dearth in England France Spain Italy Portugal or other places is truly observed to enrich Holland seven yeares after and likewise the Petty-States For example The Dearth Novemb. 1614. the Hamburgers Embdeners and Hollanders out of their Storehouses furnished this Kingdom and from Southampton Exeter and Bristol only in a year and a half caried away neer Two hundred thousand pounds which being true Then what great quantity of Coyne was transported from all Ports of this Nation it cannot be esteemed so little as two Millions to the great decay of this Realm impovererishing the People discredit to the Company of Merchants and dishonour to the Land that any Nation that have not Corn in their own Country growing should serve this famous Kingdom which God hath so enabled within it self And if so much in 1614. five times as much between 1648. and 1649. These have a continual Trade into this Kingdome with 5 or 600 ships yearly with merchandises of other Countries and Kingdoms and store them up untill the prices rise to their mindes And we trade not with 50 ships into their Country in a yeare their number are about this Realm every Easterly winde for the most part to lade Coals and other merchandise Again Unlesse there be a Scarcity Dearth or High-prices Merchants do forbear that place where great Impositions are laid upon the merchandise And those places slenderly shipped all served and at deare 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 merchandise draweth all traffiique unto them and free liberty for Strangers to buy and sell doth make continual Marts therefore whatever Excises or Impositions are laid upon the common people yet they still ease uphold
land and an increase of above 1000 marriners and a fleet of 80 sayle of ships to belong to one Town where none were before to take the wealth of the Sea to enrich and strengthen the Land only by the raising of 20 Busses Then what good a thousand or two will do I leave it to consideration It is worthy to be noted how necessary Fishermen are to the Common-wealth and how needful to be advanced and cherished viz. 1. For taking Gods blessing out of the Sea to inrich the Realm which otherwise we lose 2. For setting the people on work 3. For making cheapnesse and plenty in the Realm 4. For increasing of shipping to make the Land powerful 5. For a continual Nurcerie for breeding and increasing of Mariners 6. For making imployment of all sorts of people as blind lame and others by Sea and Land for 10 or 12 years upwards 7. For increase of Custome upon Merchandises returned from other Countries for Fish and Herrings 8 For increase and inabling of Merchants which now droope and daily decay Touching the Coyne FOr the most part all 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 then it is in other Kingdoms The Causes 1. To perserve the Coyne 2. To bring unto themselves that of foraigne Princes 3. To inforce Merchant strangers to take their Commodities at high rates which this Nation beareth the burthen of For Instance The King of Barbary perceiving the trade of Christian Merchants to increase in his Kingdom and that the returns out of his Kingdom was most in gold whereby it was much inhanced raised his Ducket being then current for three ounces to 4. 5. and 6. ounces Nevertherlesse it was no more in England being so raised then when it went for three ounces This Ducket current for three ounces in Barbary was then worth in England 7s 6d and no more being raised to vj ounces since which adding to it a small piece of gold he hath raised it to 8. and lastly to 10 ounces yet at this day it is worth but xs and one penny notwithstanding the raising gold in England Having thus raised his Gold he then devised to have plentie of silver brought into his Kingdom raised the Royal of 8. being but 2 ounces currant to 3. and 3. and ◠which caused great plenty of silver to be brought in and to continue in his Kingdom IN FRANCE The English Jacobus goeth for 23s in Merchandizing The French Crown for 7s 6d Also silver is raised 4. Souce in the Crown NORTH-HOLLAND The double Jacobus goeth for 23s sterling The English Shilling is there 11 stivers which is two shillings over in the pound POLAND The King of Poland raised his Hungary Ducket from 56 to 77. and ½ Polish groshes and the Rich-dollar from 36 to 47. and ½ groshes the Rich-dollar worth in Poland 47. and ½ groshes is by Accompt valued at 6s 4d sterling and here in England is worth but 4s 6d The Hungary Ducket is worth by accompt in Poland 10s 4d and in England is worth but 7s 10d The Jacobus of England here current for 22s in Poland 24s at the rate of 7s 10d for the Hungary Ducket Now to turn the stream of Riches raised by native Commodities into the natural Channel from whence it hath been a long time diverted Consider these points following 1. Whether it be not fit a State-Merchant be setled in these Lands which may both dispose more profitably of the riches thereof and encounter policies of Merchant-strangers who now go beyond us in all kind of profitable Merchandising 2. Whether it be not necessary that the Commodities should receive their full Manufacturie in these dominions 3. Whether it be not necessary the great Sea businesse of fishing be forthwith set forward 4. Whether it be not fit the Coals should yield us a better value by permitting them to passe out of England and that they be in English shipping only transported 5. Whether it be not fit presently to raise Coyn to as high a rate as it is in the parts beyond the Seas If these Considerations be approved then is it necessary to put them in a right Course of execution and by Gods help in short time Customes will be exceedingly increased Ships and Mariners trebled Land-waste-Towns now run out of gates better replenished and People imployed to the great enriching and honour of the Nation with the applause and to the comfort of all loyal Subjects THis pains is the rather undergone because the Hollanders have been heard professe They hoped to get the whole Trade of Christendome into their hands not only for Transportation but also the Command of the Seas To which end they do daily increase their Traffique augment their Shipping multiply thei◠Mariners strength and wealth in all kinds Whereat there is the more cause of griefe when we consider how God hath afforded more to this Nation then any three Kingdoms in Christendome with divers varieties of homebred Commodities which others have not and cannot want besides sundry other meanes to continue and maintain our Trade of Merchandising and Fishing above them all whereby we might prevent the Deceivers ingrosse the Commodities of the Ingrossers inrich our selves and increase our Navigation Shipping and Mariners so as it would make all Nations to vaile the Bonnet to England if we would not be still wanting to our selves in imployment of our people Which people being now divided into Three parts two parts of them are meere Spenders and Consumers of a Commonwealth Therefore this done You 1. Allure and encourage the people for their private gaines to be all Workers and Erectors of a Commonwealth 2. Enrich and fill the Coffers of the STATE by a continual coming in and make the people wealthy by means of their great and profitable Trading and Imployment 3. Vent our homebred Commodities to far more reputation and much more Custome and benefit to the Merchant and the Nation 4. Return the Merchandises of other Countries at far cheaper rates then now they are to the great good of the Realm in general 5. Make the Land powerfull by increasing and multiplying of Ships Mariners and People 6. Make the peoples Taking in generall much more every day then now they are which by Gods help will grow continually more and more by the great Concourse and Comerce that will come by setled Constitutions and convenient Priviledges as in other parts they do by this their great freedome of Trade If this and much more be done in other Countries where nothing groweth Then how much might we make where so great abundance and variety of homebred Commodities and rich Materials groweth for the people to work upon and plentiful meanes to do it withall which other Nations have not nor cannot want but of necessity must be furnished from hence And now whereas our Merchandising is wilde utterly confused and out of frame as at large appeareth a State-Merchant will roundly and effectually bring all the premises to passe fill the Havens with Ships those Ships with Mariners the Nation full of Merchants their Houses full of Outlandish Commodities and the STATES Coffers full of Coyn as in other parts they do And the people shall have just cause to hold in happy memory the Beginners of so profitable praise-worthy and renowned a work This with other that might be added being the true Philosophers stone to make a rich and potent State and a happy people only by setling as before whereby the people may have fulnesse of Trade and Manufacture and the Government made both honourable and profitable There 's but one Objection against this noble and gallant Enterprise which is They who shall adventure as a State-Merchant must expect to lose for divers years as in all new Beginnings of Trade men do The answer is That the Publisher of this will undertake to lay down a way how to bring in 10. 15. or 20. in the Hundred profit from the first as evidently as a man shall expect 8 percent upon good Security FINIS