Tavern and never Recorded in the Exchequer nor in any Court else yet these Bonds are a Judgment in Law and by virtue thereof will be first served and before all men else And at this day many Gentlemen and others that I know have sold Land since they entred into these Bonds and the Bonds not satisfied I speak this with honour to the King's Prerogative and affirm that it would be more for his Majesty's advantage also if Estates were Registred for he would then see what Security he has for his Money whereas his Majesty himself is many times a loser by trusting upon insufficient Security And it is now a common practice to convey away all Lands before a man becomes bound to the King Besides all these Uncertainties of Titles of Land it is brought so to pass at this day that whatever Moneys is or hath been borrowed by Companies Incorporated or upon the Credit or under the Common Seal of Cities or Corporations none can be recovered by Law I hope now no Gentleman of the Long Robe can pretend to know a good Title from a bad and therefore will be now willing to let the Free-lands of England to be put under a voluntary Register But I hear some say That for all that hath been said in this Discourse they are not satisfied the Dutch will be beat without fighting Well then I will give you some more satisfaction I pray observe what the Dutch and English have been doing for this many years it has been courting and fighting for this Mistress called Trade And observe how the Dutch have fitted her with all that she can desire as with a Register of Lands Banks Lumber-house cut Rivers easie Ports in point of Customs a Court of Merchants And these give her delights and she hath no mind to depart from them And her long continuance hath made her Lovers vastly rich and the Towns where she maketh her abode both populous and great And though in the Three Maritime Provinces they have neither good Water nor good Air yet are their Lands at fifty years Purchase Now observe England lyes within twenty Hours sail of Holland and is stored with many and much better Ports than Holland hath And our Ships by reason of the deepness of our Rivers can go out and come in with much greater Burdens than theirs can and we lye as well to the Baltick as they and much better to the Mediterranean East and West Indies than they do And in England are Noble Seats to be purchased and a good Air. Now Reader dost thou think that the great Dutch Merchants and others rich in Cash would stay there if we had here publick Security for our Lands that they might purchase safely here I say they would come over in Swarms and would willingly give thirty years purchase for Lands here So that the great Merchants coming from thence and buying Estates here will bring away the great Riches from thence and so increase Trade here and thereby the Dutch will decline gradually every year more and more and within very few years their beloved Mistress will depart and will come and settle her self with us And as we are an Island which God and Nature hath fitted for Trade if we once fit our selves with Laws answerable then the greatest part of the Trade of Europe will be with us And if this doth not convince the Reader that hereby we shall beat the Dutch without fighting and pay our Debts without Moneys I have no more to say Beside the Advantages aforesaid let me tell you that I have found out two places one in Ireland the other in England In that in Ireland are great and strange quantities of Timber to build Ships and places to build them and at three fifths of the Rates the King now builds at with convenient places to lay up the Ships and thereby to be ready upon all occasions That in England is convenient to build Ships at and at very easie Rates and is as good a Harbour to lay them up in as any is in England and in the very Eye of France And I desire it may be seriously considered And that the truth may be demonstrated of what I say I have affixed two sheets in Maps to this Book whereby the truth asserted may be made the more clear About two years since I was prevailed upon by some of the Money Bankers and some Gentlemen to go over into Ireland to Survey some Iron works Woods and Lands which they were in proposition for with Sir Robert Clayton and Mr. Morris being Works Lands and Woods lying near the River Slane in the Counties of Wexford and Wicklow and formerly set on Foot by Sir John Cutler Sir Edward Heath Mr. Abbot the Scrivener Docter Yates of Oxford and Mr. Timothy Stamp and from them Conveyed to Sir Robert Clayton and Mr. Morris to advance a sum of Moneys and to manage the Works and to give an Accompt But the Parties differing and some bad Titles made with suits at Law had so unhinged and debased the whole affair that nothing possibly could be done unless we could come upon some new Foundation So my self and servants spent some time in Surveying the Woods Lands and Works in which I did evidently perceive the Design at the first was very rationally laid but unfortunately destroyed I then considered what might be done After I had surveyed the River Slane and the Brooks and Rivulets running into the same and the Woods adjoyning unto them with that noble great and good Wood called Shelela I then did perfectly see what a great shame it was that such quantities of Timber should ly rotting in these Woods and could not be come at the Mountains and Boggs having so lockt them up that they could not be brought to any Sea-port to be imployed in building of Ships But my self and those I employed having spent much time in the surveying the said River Slane and the Rivulets running into it we found that they may be made so Navigable for Ten thousand pounds as all those Woods may with ease and at very cheap Rates be brought down the Slane to Wexford and to other places near thereunto to build Men of War and other Ships And I know in the Woods near unto the Slane that may come down that River if once Navigable there is Timber sufficient to make a hundred Men of War and some hundreds of Busses and as good Timber as any is in England I was going to say better and not one stick wanting that Oak is capable of doing And the first lengths of Masts also and they will serve well for that use And as now these Woods are and as they will for ever be unless by some such way relieved they will never bring the Owners Twenty thousand pounds nor Ten I verily believe But if the Slane were made Navigable and the Rivulets running into it these great quantities of Timber might be employed in building Ships for the Royal Navy and may if
great Pastures and are sent abroad into the West and other parts and there Manufactured where they keep at work infinite quantities of poor people as Spinners Carders Weavers Dressers Dyers Yet I have seen two pieces in Print each making great complaint that by the late Inclosures in these Counties a Dog and a Boy do manage as much Lands as formerly employed ten Teams and kept forty persons at work all the year Never considering that the Land inclosed is treble the benefit to the Owner after the Ministers and Poors part was thrown out over what it was before it was inclosed and that the product of the Wool proceeding from the same Land does set at work five times the number of people in other places of the Kingdom And so it will be with the Linen Manufactures if once well settled in these four Counties and incouraged by a Publick Law Then these Counties will be as Germany is to Holland and Flanders There the Flax will grow and be Manufactured easily and cheap part whitened there and the Thread and part of the Flax sent down the Navigable Rivers to the several Towns to be woven and spun And so there will be employ for the greatest part of the Poor of England And in such Towns where it meets with a settled voluntary Register thence never will it depart But I must now name you some Lands in these Counties very fit for Flax thereby to make you know the fitness of the rest with its quantities as also show you the quantities of Flax that may grow upon one Mannor in Warwickshire and the number of poor people it will employ by which Demonstrations you may judge what may be done in the four Counties named in this Design offered at For this twelve years last past I having my London Road through Warwickshire made my Observations of the Land there and the fitness of it to bear Flax but more particularly of the Mannor of Milcott being the Earl of Middlesex's near Stratford upon Avon Which Mannor is about three thousand Acres and to the value of three thousand pounds a year as I am informed The Land in this Mannor is sound rich dry and good and that is the true Land to bear Flax. And in this Mannor some years there are sown some hundred Acres of Flax But if the whole Mannor were sown with Flax it would employ nine thousand people in the Manufacturing thereof as to sowing weeding pulling watering dressing spinning winding weaving and whitening One part of which labour would be done upon and near the place the other would be done in remote parts the Flax and Thread being carried down the River Avon into Severne and so conveyed with ease to Bristol Wales and other parts to set the Poor at work which want employment and so the small Towns will set their Poor at work by the same Rule as they do in Germany and then there will need no Relief from the Parish for the Poor nor will there be any complaining in the Streets One Acre of Land will bear three hundred weight of Flax. This three hundred weight of Flax well drest and made fine will make four hundred Ells of Cloth worth three shillings the Ell which will be in value when it is manufactured threescore Pounds You must observe the finer the Thread is the less Flax goeth to make it and the more Cloth it will make And so there being the labour of three persons to manufacture the Flax that comes of this one Acre of Land this Mannor will employ nine thousand persons Now there are at least Ten thousand Acres of Land besides this very good for Flax in Warwickshire and no less quantity in any of the three other Counties every way as good Now Reader I pray Answer me whether here be not work sufficient upon the growth and product of our own Land nay in four Counties where no Manufacture is to set the greatest part of the Poor of England at work besides the great advantage it will bring to the Owners of the Lands and the great enriching of the Country by fixing so great a staple Trade there and bringing a multitude of People also which is and ever will be a great enrichment to the place where they are Witness the West of England by the Woollen Manufactures and Buringham Sturbridge Dudly Wassal and thereabout for the Iron Manufactures And I dare affirm take Dudly to be the Center of ten Miles round considering the badness of the Land it is there twice as dear as it is in the four Counties here named And within ten Miles round Dudly there are more people inhabiting and more Money returned in a year than is in these four rich fat Counties I mention And by this Manufacture we should prevent at least two Millions of Money a year from being sent out of the Land for Linen Cloth and keep our people at home who now go beyond the Seas for want of imployment here For where ever the Country is full of people they are rich and where thin there the place is poor and all Commodities cheap I could put something further into the Heads of the Gentlemen of these Counties wherein they may have much more added to this prescribed Linen Trade but then I fear their Neighbouring Gentlemen will fall at Difference why one should have so much benefit and the other so little as they did when I surveyed Trent for them in the year one thousand six hundred sixty five and a Tax shall be laid upon the Stock settled as they did upon mine and Partners as soon as I had made the River Avon Navigable and brought Barges to Stratford I know many will say This is a very good way to imploy the poor but what shall they do for Looms Slayes and Wheels for to spin and weave this Flax and how shall we make our Flax fine so that we may make fine Cloth and what shall we do for places to whiten it at for it is said that no place will do it well but at Haerlem in Holland and that is because of the water in the Mere joining unto the Town As to the first thou mayest have the Looms Wheels and Slayes at first out of Germany and from Haerlem Two Looms Two Wheels and ten Slayes will be sufficient to make others by and all these thou mayest have for twenty pounds As to the Second there is much in preparing and fitting of the Flax so as to make it run to a fine Thread This is the way they do it in Germany and thou mayest write by their Copy Thou must twice a year beat thy Flax well and dress it well and take out of it all the filth and so for as long as thou hast it in thy possession if it be ten years and the longer thou keepest it the finer it will be for beating and often dressing will cause the Harle to open and at last it will be strangely fine There must also be a Stove in
this Kingdom they must with me return their Acknowledgments wholly to you whose Generous Souls not only engaged me at first in the Undertaking but also wholly maintained both me and my Interpreter throughout my Travels in the quest of such things as my own Fortune would have proved too slender to have otherwise acquired But that I may not be condemned with the Sluggard for laying up my Talent in a Napkin I herewith present you also an account of my choicest Observations and Practice for this twenty five years in Trade in which such Secrets as the benefit of your Moneys gave me the advantage of finding out abroad are at length by great pains and study rendred all practicable here at home and so adapted to our own Climate and Constitutions that nothing but Sloth or Envy can possibly hinder my Labours from being crown'd with their wisht for Success Our habitual fondness of the one hath already brought us to the brink of Ruine and our proneness to the other almost discouraged all Pious Endeavours to promote our future Happiness People confess they are sick Trade is in a Consumption the whole Nation languishes and the Physick prescribed is very proper and good but some like not the Season and fain would put it off like Repentance still a little longer until at length it be too late Others fancy not the Doctor and so resolve not to like it because his Advice All that I shall say to both these is That the Obstructors of our Happiness will purchase to themselves as many hard Thoughts from their ruin'd Posterity for hindring the increase of Wealth Honour and Honesty amongst us as your Wisdom will create you Blessings for your study care and liberal Expences to promote so Noble a Design And if by what I here present you you find I have discharged my Trust like a faithful Steward your Approbation as it will be the best Security against the Captious it is likewise the highest Ambition of Gentlemen Your sincere and most humble Servant Andrew Yarranton THE EPISTLE TO THE READER REader thou must take notice that all Kingdoms and Common-wealths increase in Strength and Riches according as they are situated for Trade and do convenience themselves with just and equal Laws and Customs whereby they out-do the rest of their Neighbours We see of late years what great Contests and bloody Wars have been betwixt England and Holland and all to obtain the Mistress called Trade Sometimes the English Merchants complaining how the Dutch out-trade them and that they are not able to live And so in process of time they and others under pretence of ascertaining the Merchants Rights blow up a War betwixt England and Holland which hath seldom been composed with a Peace but the Merchant goeth by the worst and the People of England seldom bettered or the Trade advanced And it being my fortune to be travelling and at Draysden the Duke of Saxony's Court when the sad News came of the Dutch burning our Ships at Chattam I made it then my business amongst other things I was employed in to observe as far as I could how and which way the Trade of England might be improved and advanced And when I had made my Observations of the Trade there and how far it was to be taken notice of in order to the establishing of the like in England to set the Poor on work which was the Linen Thread Tape and Tin-plates I came for Holland being the time the Treaty was at Breda where the Triple League was concluded viz. between England Holland and Swetheland And there spending some time in the observations of their Laws Customs publick Banks Cut Rivers Havens Sands Policies in Government and Trade with their Natural Fortifications both by Sea and Land weighing and considering all things I was then satisfied we could not beat the Dutch with fighting And by long studying and weighing every part of their Condition and also knowing some of our failings in the advance of Trade and our weak Laws conducing thereunto I did see that all was out of joint and pursuing the Causes thereof in a small time it appeared to me that although we could not beat them with fighting yet on the other hand it was as clear to me that we might beat them without fighting that being the best and justest way to subdue our Enemies My fancy growing higher and higher and knowing it might be acceptable service to the Publick Good of the Kingdom I discoursed all parts and points now writ some hundreds of times with some Lords some Judges Lawyers Gentlemen Merchants Sea Officers and Courtiers and upon all that I could hear and receiving all that could be said against it I was the more confirmed it might be done upon which I was incouraged by many and some of them Lawyers who offer'd me their assistance and help to make it ready for the Press which I was preparing for But before I could compleat my intentions I received a Letter from a Friend in Flanders wherein he acquainted me that there would be Wars between France and England and Holland and that the Dutch would be in great danger and in process of time Flanders also and that France and England would join against Holland Vpon which I made a Map and put the English in two Squadrons at half Sea and the French in one Squadron with them and I put the Dutch in three Squadrons within their Sands and natural Holds and did in the same Map underwrite the Reasons here set down in this Treatise why we might beat them without fighting which Map was done three Weeks before the Breach was which is ready to be produced if by any desired And I did then at Whitehall and in many other places shew by discourse the little fruits we might expect and the great danger might ensue in breaking the Ballance of Europe it being then so indifferently settled But the Ballance being now broke and understanding the Dutches preparations as to build Great Ships I am satisfied they aim at a larger Trade than ever when opportunity offers it self and will endeavour to carry the Flag in the Eastern Seas and it 's possible some where else if not prevented by the English Therefore these few Sheets are set abroad to shew the World how they may be Beat without Fighting and by no other ways than the Free Lands of England being put under a Voluntary Register by Act of Parliament From the Credit whereof spring Banks Lumber-houses with all Credits necessary to drive Trade Cut Rivers the Fishery and all things else that Moneys are capable of and it will drive away the great fears and complaints rooted in the hearts of the People as the decay of Trade the growing Power of the French and much more ENGLAND'S Improvement BY SEA and LAND The true way to beat the Dutch at Sea without Fighting TO Beat the Dutch with Fighting is difficult by reason of the great Advantages they have by their Sands
hazardous War by Sea or to bring to pass the things that will beat the Dutch without fighting The Reason wherefore the British Rivers draw five Foot Water more than the German Rivers do at the Mouth or Influx is because they run not above one hundred and fifty Miles and through Clay and Gravelly Land which sort of Soyl sends but little quantity of Sand down into the great Freshes And our South and West Winds being great and blowing as I said before two parts in three in the year at those Points force out the Sands and send them into the Ocean And upon some certain Tides force them over to help to augment the Holds on the German Shore Observe but the Mouth of the River Dee that runs by Chester which lyes in the Face of the South and West Winds and there you will find the Winds and Tides have done the like By which at this present a Vessel of twenty Tuns cannot come loaded to that Old Noble Town of Chester But now it is time to begin to shew you how we may beat the Dutch without fighting To beat the Dutch with fighting so as to force them from their beloved Mistriss and delight which is Trade and Riches thereby hath been the design of most of their Neighbours for this forty years last past who thought thereby to bring that Mistress of Trade to leave that People and betake her self to a place of better Ports and healthfuller Air. To which purpose upon the end of War betwixt England and Holland many advantageous Articles have been agreed upon and some good Laws made to encourage Trade and the Merchants But I see although we get this Mistresses Love it is but for a short time she is still endeavouring to be gone and seat her self in that dull and flegmatick Air. And the Reasons wherefore she doth so and will do so I will here discover unto you All Kingdoms and Common-wealths in the World that depend upon Trades common Honesty is as necessary and needful in them as Discipline is in an Army and where is want of common Honesty in a Kingdom or Commonwealth from thence Trade shall depart For as the Honesty of all Governments is so shall be their Riches And as their Honour Honesty and Riches are so will be their Strength And as their Honour Honesty Riches and Strength are so will be their Trade These are five Sisters that go hand in hand and must not be parted All people that know any thing of Holland know that the people there pay great Taxes and eat dear maintain many Souldiers both by Sea and Land and in the three Maritime Provinces have neither good Water nor good Air And that in some of the Provinces they pay Fifty years Purchase for their Lands and are many times subject to be destroyed by the devouring waves of the Sea's overflowing their Banks And notwithstanding all these strange and unheard Inconveniences yet they will not quit their Station and remove to places of more safety and less Taxes though never so civilly treated The Reason whereof is First They have fitted themselves with a Publick Register of all their Lands and Houses whereby it is made Ready Moneys at all times without the charge of Law or the necessity of a Lawyer Secondly By making Cut Rivers Navigable in all places where Art can possibly effect it thereby making Trade more Communicable and Easie than in other places Thirdly By a Publick Bank the great Sinews of Trade the Credit thereof making Paper go in Trade equal with Ready Money yea better in many parts of the World than Money Fourthly A Court of Merchants to end all differences betwixt Merchant and Merchant Fifthly A Lumber-house whereby all poor people may have Moneys lent upon Goods at very easie Interest As I have shewed you their Strength before now in these five Particulars you may see their Policie upon which lies all their Happiness and Welfare By these Policies of the Dutch and the want of our Lands being put under a Register One hundred pounds a year in Holland at this present time will raise a Family sooner and drive a better and more profitable Trade than a man can do of a Thousand pounds a year in England But if we write by their Copies we shall do the great things they now do and I dare say out-do them too Now I will demonstrate to all men unbiassed the truth of what I assert and shew them the Condition the Gentlemen and People of England are in at this day and also the Condition the Dutch are in at this day in all their Provinces Let a Gentleman now in England that hath a Thousand pounds a year Land that owes Four thousand pounds come to a Money Scrivener and desire Four thousand pounds to be lent him on all his Land and produce his Writings and the Estate hath been in the Family Two hundred years I know at this day the Answer will be that by the Law of England as it is now practis'd no man can know a Title by Writings there being so many ways to incumber the Land privately And therefore the Answer commonly is Bring us Security for the Covenants and we will lend you the Moneys The Gentleman gets such Friends as he can procure to be bound for his Covenants whom if they accept then the Procurator and Continuator have their Game to play But if he bring not such Security as they like he goeth without this Four thousand pounds which is a sad and lamentable case he having Lands worth a Thousand pounds a year And now he is put to his shifts his Creditors come upon him the charge of Law-suits comes on all his Affairs are distracted his Sons and Daughters want Money to set them into the World At last it is possible he gets Two thousand pounds a piece of two several Persons of one at York and of the other at London and Mortgages all his Lands to each man This continues private for some years The while the Gentleman strives what he can to be honest and prepare Moneys to pay off one of the Mortgages But it commonly falls out otherwise either through bad Times or decay of Tenants great Taxes or the Eldest Son matching contrary to his Father's will or oftentimes it is worse he is so debaucht no one will match with him Now the Gentleman's miseries come on and what must he then do for the persons that have the Lands Mortgaged will not stay because by this time it is discover'd the Land is twice mortgaged I tell you the Lawyers Harvest is now come in and the Estate torn to pieces and the Gentleman his Wife and Family and it may be Creditors too undone For seeing all is in danger to be gone the Friends of the Wife Trump up a former Title to the two Mortgages and fence to get all the Estate that Sheriff Bayliffs Sollicitors and Lawyers leave to be to the Uses intended or pretended in the Private Settlement
But you will ask me What the poor Gentleman shall do to secure his Person I will tell you what some have done and many more I know must do even turn over either to the Fleet or Bench. O Pity and Sin that it should be so in brave England First Pity that a poor Gentleman cannot have Moneys at such interest upon his Land as the Law directs to pay his just Debts and for the good and comfort of his Family Secondly It is a Sin that a Gentleman of a Thousand pounds a year should be the occasion of ruining so many Families as he does by putting them to such vexatious Suits for their Moneys lent and it may be at last lose all And that you may further see the badness of the Land Security at this day take these two Accompts In the Country where I live I have been a Commissioner in the Third part of the greatest Estates in the County wherein I have seen the Settlements two ways and many of them proved which are lying dormant and so will do The Civil Wars were the occasion of these Settlements And in the next County an Attorney Nicholas Phillpot of Hereford about four years since put out in print two Sheets to shew Reasons wherefore a Register of Lands is needful And amongst the rest this is one For saith he in the County where I live I know men that have deceived and are deceived to the value of Forty thousand pounds besides what all others know And whoever perfectly knows that Country will say none in England out-does it as to benefit the life of man But Honour and Honesty being decayed Riches will not stay I am sorry I must make such a Discovery of the badness and uncertainty of Titles but if the wound be not searched to the bottom there will be no hope of a Cure In this posture as you see are many poor men in England which cannot borrow Four thousand pounds of a Thousand pounds a year Land I pray let us see what a posture a Dutchman stands in that hath One hundred pounds a year and wants Four thousand pounds Now I am a Dutchman and have One hundred pounds a year in the Province of West-Friezland near Groningen and I come to the Bank at Amsterdam and there tender a Particular of my Lands and how tenanted being One hundred pounds a year in West-Friezland and desire them to lend me Four thousand pounds and I will Mortgage my Land for it The Answer will be I will send by the Post to the Register of Groningen your Particular and at the return of the Post you shall have your Answer The Register of Groningen sends Answer It is my Land and tenanted according to the Particular There is no more words but tell out your Moneys OBSERVE all you that read this and tell to your Children this strange thing That Paper in Holland is equal with Moneys in England I refuse the Moneys I tell him I do not want Moneys I want credit and having one Son at Venice one at Newemberge one at Hamburgh and one at Dantzick where Banks are I desire four Tickets of Credit each of them for a Thousand pounds with Letters of Advice directed to each of my Sons which is immediately done and I Mortgage my Lands at Three in the Hundred Reader I pray Observe that every Acre of Land in the Seven Provinces trades all the world over and it is as good as ready Money but in England a poor Gentleman cannot take up Four thousand pounds upon his Land at six in the hundred Interest although he would Mortgage a Thousand pounds a year for it No and many Gentlemen at this day of Five hundred pounds a year in Land cannot have credit to live at a Twelve-penny Ordinary If this be so it is very clear and evident that a man with One hundred pounds a year in Holland so convenienced as their Titles are and at the paying but three in the Hundred Interest for the Moneys lent may sooner raise Three Families than a Gentleman in England can either raise One or preserve the Family in being for the Reasons already given But were the Free Lands of England under a voluntary Register all these Miseries would vanish and the Lands would come to Thirty years Purchase which I shall shew you in its proper place But I know you would understand the Reason why a West-Friezland man may have Four thousand pounds upon a Hundred pounds a year I Answer Because there the Land is worth Fifty years Purchase And after the Four thousand pounds is lent the Party that owns the Land may if he please at the smaller Bank at Groningen take up Six hundred pounds more in Bank Dollers upon the same Hundred pounds a year For Credit is given to the value of the Land within Two years Purchase of what the Land goeth at I can both in England and Wales Register my Wedding my Burial and my Christening and a poor Parish Clerk is intrusted with the keeping of the Book and that which is Register'd there is good by our Law But I cannot Register my Lands to be honest to pay every man his own to prevent those sad things that attend Families for want thereof and to have the great benefit and advantage that would come thereby A Register will quicken Trade and the Land Registred will be equal as Cash in a mans hands and the Credit thereof will go and do in Trade what Ready Moneys now doth Observe how it advanceth Trade in Holland and of how little Advantage it is to the Trade of England I having One hundred pounds a year in Holland meet with a Merchant upon the Exchange at Amsterdam and agree with him for Goods to the value of Four thousand pounds for six Months If he demands Security I go to the Bank and give him Security by a Ticket of my Land and by the Credit of that Ticket the Merchant is immediately in Trade again as high as the Commodity was he sold But if I make a Bargain at London for Four thousand pounds worth of Goods for six Months the next discourse is What Security Then the Buyer and the Seller agree to meet at the Tavern at Four of the Clock in the Afternoon There the Buyer produceth his Security many times not approved of so the Merchant cannot put off his Commodities nor the Chapman have the Goods he stands in need of But if the Buyer or any Friend of his that would Credit him had Land under a Register then a Ticket upon such Lands given to the Merchant would be equal to him as Ready Moneys and I say better too It is the common mistake of the world who cry up the Dutch for a great Cash in Bank it is not so it is a great mistake For it is a Bank of Credit and Paper is in that Bank equal with Moneys the Anchorage Fund and Foundation being laid Safe And that is the Lands being under a Register
from whence issue these delightful Golden Streams of Banks Lumber-houses Honour Honesty Riches Strength and Trade You may read in Sir William Temples Book of his Observations of the Nether-lands this Expression When the States send to Persons who have lent them Moneys to come and receive their Moneys and Interest saith he they come with Tears in their Eyes desiring them to continue it longer And the Reason is they know the Security is good And when ever they give Notice they will take up a Sum of Moneys there is great striving who can get in his first But you will say I talk that Gentlemen of England cannot have Moneys for Land It is not so And that I say Lawyers know no Titles I ought to have my pate crackt for money is plentiful and Lawyers are cunning enough to spy out good Titles As to both I would it were true for the sake of the poor Gentlemen and the Lawyers too But as to the greatest part of them that have Thousand pounds a year the World knows they are so far from borrowing Four thousand pounds that they cannot borrow Four hundred pounds and I dare say some Lords also Nay to my knowledge three eminent Lawyers have been put to much charge and trouble in their Estates lately purchased by them in Montgomery Hereford and Worcester Shires by reason of former Incumbrances Now if an Eminent Lawyer cannot purchase an Estate without so much trouble hazard and charge upon a Title settled at least fifty years ago by all the Judges of England and in the Exchequer-Chamber upon what Security can the Bankers be understood to lay out their Money safe And the poor Country-men are yet in a worse condition I will now shoot a Granado into London not to fire them but I hope 't will make them look about them and enquire after the Engineer and demand how such combustible matter can be made and do good and no harm and how it may be fixt so that Lumbard-street and thereabouts may both preserve and encrease their Credit I will now shew you the Condition of London as at present it stands and how it would have been if the Houses new built had been by Law to be Registerd at Guild-Hall Admit the Green Dragon Tavern in Fleet Street were mine and Set at One hundred pounds a year and I owe six hundred pounds and go to the Scriveners and desire them to lend me six hundred pounds upon the Green Dragon Tavern I Shew them the Purchase of the Ground Rent the Patent from the Judges taken in and all other Titles bought I presume I cannot have the Six hundred pounds upon my house but I must give great Security for my Covenants I present such Security as I can get which will not be accepted Now for want of this six hundred pounds on a sudden to pay my Debts I am undone Wife Children and many more whom I owed moneys to my Goods seized my House taken from me and it 's possible a Prison too or a Statute of Bankrupt taken out to the Ruine of all But if it had been foreseen when the Act past for the building the City that there had been put into the Bill these few Lines Be it Enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty c. That all Houses which shall hereafter be new built in and near the City of London destroyed by the late dreadful Fire may if they please he Registred by the Owners at the Guild-Hall within the City of London And all such Houses so Registred shall be a good Title to the Party Registring such Houses and shall Barre all persons whatsoever The King not Excepted Provided there be no Claym entred within six Months next after the Registring of such House and Houses And such Clayms as are entred shall be proceeded upon in the said City and no where else in due form as the Law directs And if this had been done I then go to any Scrivener that deals that way and desire to borrow a Thousand pounds on the Green Dragon Tavern in Fleetstreet being Rented at One hundred pounds a year there will be then no more to be done but their Servant is sent to the Guild-Hall to see whose the Green Dragon Tavern is and he brings word it is mine There is no more ado I say but the Thousand pounds is told out and I give Security for it by a Mortgage put into the Register of my House Then I go and pay my Debts prevent Law-suits preserve my self Wife Children and Reputation and all is well And that which is best of all the Party lending the Moneys is safe well and surely secured It is possible great part of the Thousand pounds lent might be the Moneys of poor Widows and Orphans here are both to the Lender and borrower great Advantages To the one there is undeniable Security and to the other present Relief upon all occasions The wanting whereof hath been the ruine of some thousand Families since the firing of London And this is that which will encrease and enliven Trade and the Houses Registred will be equal with ready Moneys at all times according to the value of the Houses And if this we treat on had been done there needed not one House to stand empty and untenanted as now they do nor the Trade to depart out of the City as it hath done since the Fire I desire and heartily wish that the Governours of the City would prepare a Bill against the next Sitting of Parliament to put the new Buildings under a Register I will not Prophesie that a Bank shall rise in London equal with that of Amsterdam London being put under a voluntary Register but I will make it out when ever the Heads of the City please to desire it That if London with the Free Lands of Middlesex Essex Kent and Surrey were under a voluntary Register two of the Ridings of Yorkshire Lincolneshire Suffolk and Norfolk were under another voluntary Register Glocestershire Somersetshire and Monmouthshire under another voluntary Register and Devonshire under another then there would be as great a Bank at London as at Amsterdam and would be able to do much more in Trade Credit and all great things than they can and as great a Bank at Bristol as at Hamburgh and would be able to drive as great a Trade and set up the neglected and I may say decayed Trade of Fishing upon the Coast of Wales and Ireland and as great Banks at the two Towns of Lynne in Norfolk and at Hull in Yorkshire and drive as good a Trade as at Dantzick and enliven the Clothing Trade now brought very low and set on foot that great and desirable Rich Trade of Fishing on their Coasts which so advantageously offers it self O yes O yes O yes what is become of the Moneys given voluntarily for the setting forward this good work of Fishing about twelve years since If any one will help me to the twenty shillings I gave I will give
him nineteen for his pains And as great a Bank at Exeter as at Noremberge and give life and strength to the great Wollen Manufacture in all the West of England For no great things can be done without a Bank and no Bank can be of any benefit to Trade and the Publick but where there is a Register And I would have the mistaken world know that a Bank is as safe and practicable in a Kingdom as in a Common-wealth and particularly in an Island that is convenient for Trade And the Reason why it is so is because it is a Bank of Credit not of Cash as is the Chamber of London and the East-India Company whose Treasures are abroad in Trade and increasing and only the Books in the Offices I say it is impossible to keep a Bank from rising in this Kingdom nay many Banks if we were under a voluntary Register But now the Land Credit and the City Bank Credit are both disparaged therefore it is impossible that Trade can any way be secured or bettered And for persons behind-hand and in debt they must expect misery Of late years the monied Men in England sent their Moneys into Lombard-street and there received a Note from a Goldsmiths Boy which was all they had to shew for their Moneys And certainly there was a Reason wherefore the great monied men did take such slender Security for their Moneys The Reason was because the Land Security was so uncertain and bad and it was so troublesome and chargeable getting their Moneys again when they had occasion to use it that forc't them to Lombard-street For two parts in three that put their Moneys into these uncertain Banks know better how to lay their Moneys out in Land Security than any of the banking Goldsmiths or Merchants either But the Land Security being not good the Moneys tumbled into the wrong Channel And all persons that have designs to get considerable Sums of Moneys into their hands for intended designs or hazardous adventures apply themselves to the Money-Bankers and there make their approaches by noble Treats great Offers with large Interest with Country Baronets Knights Esquires and it 's possible some Citizens also for Security and at last creep into the credit of borrowing great Sums of Money upon Land Mortgaged twice or thrice before for in the Country none could be borrowed At length the Banker calls for his Moneys but none can be paid The Banker dares not adventure to sue but all that he dare do is to employ a Lawyer only to whisper not to make a noise or give him some private Duns for if he sues or falls on that would cause the person that credited the Banker to call in his Moneys and so the Banker's Credit would be spoiled therefore all is to be silent and hush The Banker by this time seeth and knoweth his condition now he casts about how to preserve himself from the Storm approaching and it is possible some considerable Creditor by this time spies some bad Bargains made by the Banker and calls in his Moneys His earnestness puts on others to do the like and then all his Creditors crowd to him as Pigs do through a hole to a Bean and Pease Rick Now the Banker stands upon his guard speaks fair to some prevails with others to have patience a while and in the mean time he advises not his Creditors but his own interest Now by the importunity of his Wife and Friends he secures perhaps Two or Three Thousand pounds free from all Peoples approaches Then you shall have him make Offers and prays Time proffers his Books to be surveyed and saith that he will be just and hath husbanded the Moneys with justice and honesty The Books are presented the major part of the Creditors proclaim that there is Estate sufficient to pay all So the minor Creditors must be concluded And then Time is given to pay by degrees and Bond is given for the Payment But by whom Even by the Bankers themselves A brave Security but if their Books were surveyed by Persons that know Men and the Securities that are given it is not to be questioned but Sir Foplin Flutter and Esquire Nipp have good part of the Moneys upon the Mortgages of Lands Mannors and Tenements and great part as easie to be recovered as it is to bring Penmenmoor and Gore Agoluath together being the two great Mountains in North Wales And it is possible that great part of those Moneys are ventured to Sea by Merchants and rather than their Friend the Goldsmith shall suffer he shall shut up Shop and go to Sea with his Merchant and bring home the supposed lost Estate and at his return pay God knows what It is probable that any man that sends his Moneys into any of these Banks will conclude it impossible to employ so great Cash as they are intrusted with any other way than by lending upon Land Security or to Merchants to venture to Sea or to Citizens and others upon Personal Security And if the Cash can be employed no other way then the Lender must conclude the Banker is not able to secure the Moneys but must run the hazard of bad Security by Land and such hazards at Sea as attend Merchants with the badness and uncertainty of Personal Security And it is not to be imagin'd there being such great Cash put into the Bankers hands that they should stand to the loss of all moneys misventur'd by trusting and bad Securities And it must be madness for the Bankers to keep the moneys in their Chests by them unless they intend to keep part for themselves and pay part and then lay the Key under the Door I beg this one question of such Country Gentlemen as have put their moneys into the Bankers hands Whether they do not know better how to lay out their moneys on Land Security than the Bankers do Yes I know they do ten to one better for they partly know Titles that may be indifferent certain and know the Reputations of the Persons better than the Bankers as I have set down before And if there can be no Security given to the Bankers more than I have set down then in the name of God let them that have a mind to proceed further with them go on and prosper if they can But it will be Objected That I am no Friend to the way of Banking as now it is I do profess it and have been of the same mind this ten years last past and have declared before some of the Bankers and many Persons of Quality besides that this way of banking would endanger the Kingdom And when I saw it convenient which was in January last I gave Reasons in Publick Coffee-houses for my Opinion some of the Bankers being present Their way of Dealing I knew and what Security they took which was impossible should run long And as the Land and Personal Security is at this day no living man although never so knowing in the Laws
work besides And for ten years there will be more Law than ever to clear up Titles to make them fit to come into this voluntary Register The benefit of all these things certainly will be much more to the Lawyers Advantage than what they get by their present practice As to the Second The Gentlemen in debt will be against it I say no they will not for it will pay their debts without Moneys and that is their Interest the undeniable truth of that you have at large in this discourse As to the Third you say The Lawyers and Gentlemen in the house of Commons in debt will be against it My answer to that is That two worthy Members of the house of Commons whose estates are encumbred say they are wholly convinced of the absolute necessity and the advantage of a Register and will carry the Bill into the House when a fit opportunity offers it self And I question not but before that time all the People of England especially those poor Cities and Towns that depend upon Trade and want Credit and Stock will discourse their Parliament Men in these things hinted at who thereby will see the necessity of a Register As to the Fourth Objection and indeed it was a string that the Lawyers held hard at That it would undo thousands of Families because that by producing their Writings holes would be pickt in their Titles and Gentlemen would not Let their Estates be discovered I say here is a Salve to cover all this Sore that is the Register is voluntary not compellable so he that will Register may and he that will not may chuse and there will be Lands Registred sufficient to encourage Trade upon a sudden And those that will make use of the Lawyers and the Charge attending the Law may pursue their old way and I will promise them the persons that have Registred will not be angry with them But I will plainly shew you how the person Registring who possibly owes Ten thousand pounds and hath made three or four Mortgages of a Thousand pounds a year will pay his Debts without Moneys and will then see the Lawyers Objections are only made for their own good that they may pick some more Feathers off him Now suppose the Mayor of Warwick having a Thousand pounds a year owes Ten thousand pounds he comes and Registers his Lands and when the Law saith it shall be a good Title no man having entred a Claim then the Mayor of Warwick's Land is a good Title By this Credit the Mayor shall have his Land rise price within six Months to six and twenty years Purchase The Mayor sells off so much Land as pays the Ten thousand pounds and hath as much in value left as he had before and his Debts paid and hath then freed himself from all the Charge that attends the Law and is also able to provide for his Family and be an Instrument for the good of the publick and place where he lives Whereas before having but a Thousand pounds a year and owing Ten thousand pounds he was valued worth nothing his Family neglected and not provided for and all his business was to fence with the assistance of Lawyers to keep off and prolong the Consumption which his Estate was then liable to Then suppose the Mayor of Coventry hath One thousand pounds a year and oweth Ten thousand pounds and hath mortgaged his Lands to four several persons one knowing not of the Mortgage to the other He observing what the Mayor of Warwick hath done that he hath paid his Ten thousand pounds and freed himself from all Incumbrances and hath as good an Estate as before what do you think he will do I tell you what he will do he will go to all persons he hath mortgaged his Land to and confess the truth and desire them to come with him and all Register their Titles when the Law saith that these Titles shall be good Then the Mayor of Coventry by virtue of these Registred Lands doth the same thing that the Mayor of Warwick did before And I wish that the Members of Parliament for Warwick Worcester and Hereford Shires would seriously consider of what is here asserted and if they are convinc't of the truth hereof let them pursue the ends for the obtaining of it and they will quickly find the benefit thereof All Scotland is under a Register and worth twenty four years Purchase and on the other side in the North of Ireland although but three Hours Sail is worth but eight years Purchase and in England on this side Twede it is worth but sixteen years Purchase the Register is the Cause The Mannor of Taunton Dean in Somersetshire is under a Register and there the Land is worth three and twenty years Purchase although but a Copy-hold Mannor and at any time he that hath One hundred pounds a year in the Mannor of Taunton may go to the Castle and take up Two thousand pounds upon his Lands and buy Stuffs with the money and go to London and sell his Stuff and Return down his moneys and pay but five in the hundred for his moneys and discharge his Lands This is the Cause of the great Trade and Riches in and about Taunton Dean O happy Taunton Dean What Gentleman can do thus with free-Free-lands No it is not worth sixteen years Purchase all England over one place with another and if not timely put under a Register it will come to twelve years Purchase before long Now you see a Register is practicable in Scotland and also in England And if it were so by Act of Parliament in these particular places I have formerly mentioned in this Treatise there would be no Complaint for want of People or Trade in England Methinks I hear some object and say Although Scotland be under a Register yet that is a very poor Country There are many reasons to be given wherefore Scotland might be very poor And if it were not under a Register the Land would not be worth eight years purchase But being under a Register you see how much it exceeds the Lands in England in purchase Scotland is ruled by a Commissioner and there you cannot expect that which you may where the Monarch keeps his Court. For here the Merchants have access with speed and ease to have their grievances heard and redressed But in tributary Kingdoms there ever were and ever will be self-interest Parties to keep as much as in them lyes the Peoples grievances from the Princes knowledge provided they can thereby feather their own Nests Witness Flanders and the Vice-roys that have been sent by the Spaniard to govern there But Scotland is not under half the Improvement or ever will be as England is For in England there are large Rivers and well scituated for Trade great Woods Mynes good Wooll and large Beasts In Scotland very little Woods few Iron Mynes course Wooll and often great part of the Sheep are starved And no Northern Kingdom is or
ever will be of any great Riches or are capable thereof But such will as have these things abounding in them good Ports advantageous Laws for Trade good Wooll and good quantities thereof much and well Wooded with plenty of Iron Stone and Pit Coales with Lands fit to bear Flax with Mynes of Tin and Lead Scotland is a thin and lean Kingdom and wanting in these things England is a fat Kingdom and hath all these things in it Yet the Lothean Lands in Scotland are twenty four years purchase At Edinburgh there is a Grand Register and in each County a particular one and no man can be there deceived in a Purchase unless it be his own fault England is at sixteen years Purchase The reason is obvious why Scotland must be so and why England is so But a voluntary Register in England will cure all and put us six years purchase above Scotland For as I formerly said as our Honour and Honesty is so will be our Riches and Riches bring Trade and Trade brings strength to an Island And for want of good Titles let the world judge what a Condition we are coming into I will give you one small Instance what the poor decayed Trade and Clothiers of England would be able to do in easing themselves and making their Trade comfortable if they had but the Authority of the Law to Register all their Houses and Lands Take it from the City of Salisbury there I make the Precedent and as it would be with them so it would be with all the Towns in England who deal in the Wollen and Iron Manufacture Suppose the Clothiers in and near Salisbury have two thousand pounds a year in free Lands and their Lands were by Law fixt under a Register then the Anchorage and Foundation of a Bank will be at least fifty thousand pounds And immediately tumbles into them all the idle Moneys nay Moneys now under Ground and good part of the plate ten Miles round The Usurer will pray and the Men and Maid-servants will beg to take in their Moneys Immediately one hundred thousand pounds will be brought in and at four in the hundred What will this do to the poor Clothiers Nay what will it do to each Gentleman and all men near Salisbury that have or keep Sheep I say the help and present Credit of this great Bank and Cash will raise the price of Wooll and set the Poor at work Thereby enabling the Tenants to pay their Rents keep the poor of the Parish bring the Clothiers and the City into a Comfortable Condition but most of all it will prevent the Trade departing this Kingdom which of necessity it will do if not timely prevented For the Irish Wooll carried away with their Beef to Holland France and Germany their making Cloth of cheap Wooll with cheap Victuals with Moneys at three in the hundred will out do us and undo us too if 〈…〉 prevented Eight years since I discovered 〈…〉 of the Worse Manufacture and the Reasons which he made publique in his first Book The same that may be done at Salisbury by this way may be done by all the Towns in England that depend upon any of our own Manufactures And in this case here 's nothing desired but that Men thus qualified with Lands may employ it by the Authority of the Law to the good of themselves and mankind and to be justly honest to all Now methinks I hear many of Salisbury say But how may this be done which you say I tell you how desire your Parliament Man to draw you up a Bill and carry it into the House the next sitting But you will say he will not do it Then get your Bishop to do it You will say he is no Lawyer Pray tell him it is easier than making the River Navigable But a Register and the River Navigable together will do rarely well Well if the Bishop will do the one I will do the other I will only tumble over a few papers wherein are my Observations when I surveyed the River The Preamble of the Bill to be carried into the House of Commons for putting the City of Salisbury and the Free Lands within ten Miles thereof under a voluntary Register with some Heads of the said Bill WHereas there past an Act of Parliament in the _____ Year of his Majesties Reign that now is for making the River Avon Navigable from the City of Salisbury to the Town of Christ-Church and so into the Sea so as Boats Barges and Lighters may come up the said River to the City of Salisbury and so down again into the Sea for carrying and recarrying of Wood Coles Corn and all other Commodities to and fro And whereas the said River is begun to be made Navigable and some considerable Sums of Money are laid out about the said Work which if once finished will tend much to the benefit and fur therance of Trade to the said City and Country thereabouts And whereas there hath formerly been a great Trade in the said City and Country adjacent in the making and working in the Wollen Manufacture which is now much decayed and if not timely prevented will be worse the occasion whereof is the want of present Money and Credit for the Clothiers to drive their Trades to be by them had when wanted and that at low and easie Interest And finding that in many places beyond the Seas Trade is much advanted by the Lands being under a Register and in Taunton Dean in England the Town and Mannor there being under a Register hath in a strange manner given life ease and benefit to the Trade there and thereabouts whereupon that place is much enviched And to the end that the River of Avon when made Navigable may answer the Charge of making it so and the wollen Trade in Salisbury and thereabouts may be encouraged Wherefore be it Enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty by and with the consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in this present Parliament Assembled That from and after the twenty fifth day of June one thousand six hundred seventy and seven all manner of person or persons that shall desire it may and shall have their Free-hold Lands and Houses Registred at the Registers Office within the City of Salisbury which shall lye within the said City and within ten Miles thereof accompting two thousand yards to the Mise Provided such Houses and Lands so to be Registred with their Names Metes and Bounds be first set up and affixed three Lords Days upon the Church Door of the Parish where such Lands are And that the Minister with one of the Church-Mardens and one of the Overseers of the Poor first certifie under their Hands and Seals the doing of the same with a true Copy of the Paper so affixed to the Register with forfeiture of twenty pounds and three Months imprisonment to any person or persons that shall take down or deface the said Writing during the time
it is ordered by the Law to be up And then all Free-hold Lands and Houses thus Registred shall be a good and perfect Title unto the person Registring the same and to his Heirs for ever And no Sale Mortgage or Lease or any other thing whatsoever shall be good as to the Land Registred unless Registred in the said Court Provided that all persons whosoever may at any time within 〈◊〉 Months next after any Land is so Registred make their Claim and upon such Claim proceed in the said City and not elsewhere by due course of law to recover their Right any thing in this Law to the contrary notwithstanding And be it further Enacted That all Bonds and Bills to be entred into from and after the Twenty fifth day of June which shall be in the year of our Lord God One thousand six hundred seventy and seven may by the person or persons having right to the said Bond or Bonds transfer and assign the said Bond and Bonds and the Assignment being made and executed shall transfer the whole property of the said Bond or Bonds to the party to whom such Bond or Bonds are assigned and the property with the Assignment shall pass and be good from man to man in the nature of Bills of Exchange whereby one Bond may pay and run through the hands of many persons and thereby prevent the Charge of Law and the Ruine of many Families for want thereof Observe what is here set down for Salisbury is to shew you That all the Towns of England lye under the same advantage But I know some hard Questions will be asked me now As First Who shall keep this Register Secondly Who shall chuse the Register Thirdly How shall he be chosen Fourthly Who shall pay him for his pains And Fifthly What Security shall he give to perform his Trust As to the First let the Register be kept by two Gentlemen whom you have experience of for Honour and Honestie Secondly let the Register be chosen by the Major voyces of all the Free-holders in and within ten Miles of the City of Salisbury who have forty shillings a year and upwards Thirdly Let him be chosen by the way of the Baletting Box. I will tell you how that is Every Free-holder must have Bowls given them of several Colours when they see who stand to be Registers Then let A. be for the White Bowle B. for the Black Bowle C. for the Red Bowle D. for the Green Bowle and so on and when the Parties appear each Free-holder drops into the Baletting Box one Bowle in a piece of Paper that none can see the Colour either Black White Red or Green So he that hath most Bowles is the man And by this way no man knows how to find fault with his pretended Friend or knows who is his Enemy And certainly this way would drive out base interests and prefer men of Honesty and Honour And for chusing of Parliament men and all publick Votes in Corporations it were happy it were so for great things are done in some parts of the World by this little Policie To the Fourth who shall pay him for his pains I say he ought to have it out of the Lands Registred but have a care of allowing too much And as to the Fifth what security get as honest and as rich a man as you can then the slenderer Security will serve I have given you my thoughts but I am but a Country High-shoe But there are three worthy Gentlemen of the Long Robe who make it great part of their business to fit some papers to answer all the ends proposed and I have promised them I will get together what materials I can fit for to raise the Fabrick And you see I have brought the great pâ—st from Holland and one side-piece from Germany another side piece from Scotland and one 〈◊〉 from Tâ—unâ—â—n â—â—an And I will find a great piece to make Sparrs and other finishing things or else I will go into the Inner Temple to the Registers office there and write by the Copy of Sir Varmodens Reader by this time I hope I have convinced thee of the necessity of the free-Free-lands being put under a voluntary Register And I will now shew to all men the true Reasons of the bad Securities by Land at this day Until about thirty years past the Conveyances and Settlements of Lands were three wayes viz. First by a Deed inrolled in Chancerie which creates a Possession Secondly a Deed and Fine which doth the same Thirdly by a Deed executed â—ith Livery and Seisin upon the Land Two of these are upon Record and the third was an Act which was done publickly whereby the Country might have notice of the transferring the Land and then there was possibility of Titles to be known But now by the occasion of the late Warrs and things relating thereunto there are three things that give liberty to all men to defraud whom they please and it is not in the power of man to prevent it First the settlement by Lease and Release a thing that unhinges the whole Free-hold Lands of England For whereas before the people had the other three ways to settle their Estates two of which were upon Record the third of publick Acts in doing of it by which the Country might take notice thereof now this private pocket-settlement called Lease and Release may be done in any Corner privately and shall be good against all persons The way is this First a Lease is made for a year of the premises which by the practice of the Law gives a possession then in another Deed the Lease is recited and a Deed of Release made both which Convey the â—ee This may be done in Ireland and the Lease left in the hands of the person whom it was made to and the Grantor brings away the Release with him The year is expired then the Lands are sold and a Bill in Chancery is preferr'd and the partie swears no Incumbrance and gets a great sum of Moneys then delivers the Release to the party that had the Lease for the year Then the Title is vested in the Lease and Release Then he comes and Ejects him that bought for valuable Consideration because he had the proper Title I could name six persons that were served so and one of them not under the degree of a Sergeant at Law And pray now what Lawyer knows a Title The Second sort are the private Settlements made to pâ—rsons before or in the War they were done by the Royalists to preserve them against the Parliament party the like did the Parliament party do to preserve them against the Kings party the like doth the Romanist at this day I have been a Commissioner in many of these Titles and they are still kept on Foot to play fast or loose as they please some of which are every Term heard of in Westminster Hall The Third are Bonds given to the King although made in an Ale-house or
the ringing of the Bell and pointing the Rod at the Maid that hath spun off her Flax she hath another Distaff given her and her Spool of Thread taken from her and put into a Box unto others of the same size to make Cloth And observe what Advantages they make of suiting their Threads to make Cloth all being of equal Threads First They raise their Children as they spin finer to the higher Benches Secondly They sort and size all the Threads so that they can apply them to make equal Cloaths Whereas here in England one Woman or good Housewife hath it may be six or eight Spinners belonging to her and at some odd times she spins and also her Children and Servants and all this Thread shall go together some for Woof some for Warp to make a piece of Cloth And as the Linen is Manufactured in England at this day it cannot be otherwise And is it not a pity and shame that the young Children and Maids here in England should be idle within 〈◊〉 begging abâ—oâ—d tearing Hedges or robbing Orchards and worse when these and these alone are the people that may and must if ever set up this Trade of making fine Linen here And after a young Maid hath been three years in the spinning School that is taken in at six and then continues until nine years she will get eight pence the day And in these parts I speak of a man that has most Children lives best whereas here he that has most is poorest There the Children enrich the Father but here begger him Joining to this Spinning-School are three more Schools ordered as this spoken of is One is for Maids weaving Bone-lace another for Boys making Toys some cutting the Heads some the Bodies some the Legs the third is for Boys painting the Toys and slit Pictures I know these Questions will be put or asked First Where would you have this Trade settled in England Secondly How shall there be Flax provided for to manage this Trade And Thirdly Where shall be Stock at first and where can we have places to whiten I Answer Warwick Leicester Northampton and Oxford Shires are the places fit to set up this Manufacture because in these Countries there is at present no Staple Trade and the Land there for Flax is very good being rich and dry wherein Flax doth abundantly delight And I affirm that the Flax that grows in these parts shall do any thing that the German or any other Flax can do provided it be ordered accordingly As to the second and third as to Flax and Stock let each County begin with two thousand Pounds Stock apiece immediately to provide Houses as before set down and employ it as is directed And for places to Whiten near all the great Towns there are Brooks or Rivers where bleeching places may be made in the Lands adjoining as is in Southwark by help of the flowing of the Thames And for Men and Women to Govern the Trade I know in every Country there are Men sufficient to direct and order it I know it will be much inquired into by many why Warwick Leicester Northampton and Oxford-shires should be the places fixed on for the Linnen Manufacture before all other Counties in England I answer there are no Counties in England so capable of making the Commodity so good and so cheap as these First their Land is excellent good to produce Flax. Secondly they are inland Counties and have no staple Manufacture at present fixt with them whereby their poor are idle and want imployment Thirdly they are Counties the best furnished at all times with Corn and Flesh of any Counties in England and at cheapest Rates Fourthly they are in the heart of England and the Trade being once well setled in these Counties will influence their Neighbouring Counties in the same Manufacture in sending their Flax and threads with ease and cheapness down the Rivers Thames Avon Trent and St Eades all which Navigable Rivers come into these Counties And I affirm it is not possible to set up this Trade in any other part of England with success but in these places because in most part of England there are fixt Manufactures already that do in great measure set the poor at work In the West of England clothing of all sorts as in Glocester Worcester Shropshire Staffordshire and a small part of Warwickshire In Derby Nottingham and Yorkshire the Iron and Wollen Manufacture In Suffolk Norfolk and Essex the Wollen Manufacture In Kent Sussex and Surry some Cloth Iron and Materials for Shipping Then to Counties to raise provisions and to vend them at London to feed that great Mouth are Cambridge Huntington Buckingham Hartford Middlesex and Berks. And if you rightly weigh and consider how England is fixed in all parts as to the Growth Trade Manufacture and vending thereof there are no Counties in England that this desirable gainful improvement of the Linen Manufacture possibly can be managed in with the like success as in the forementioned Counties For as Common Honesty is necessary for Trade and without it Trade will decay so any Manufacture fixed in any place where it may be better accommodated thither it will go and so remove from the place where it was first set up and the discouragments it received there many times keep it from fixing any where else About seven or eight years since there was a Proposal of setting up the Linen Manufacture in and near Ipswich a Town of two hundred void houses to be had for little and near the Sea but I coming to that Town was prest hard to give my Opinion whether the Linen Trade might be there set up with success After I had rid about the Town as far as Cattaway Bridge and observed the Influence that the Colchester Trade had there as also the Stuff and Say Trade whereby the Poor were comfortably supplyed I then found it was impossible to go on with success and gave my reasons upon which all was laid aside and my reasons approved of I did also acquaint one of the Grandees of the Linen Trade at Clarken-well that that Trade would eat out its own Bowels Stock and Block would come to nothing And so it shall do in the Countries I name and in all other places in the World being a new Manufacture unless the Publick Authority take care and cherish it for at least seven years The way how I will set down when I have finished my Discourse of this and the Iron Manufacture for it is as fit to be done for the incouragement of the Iron Manufacture as for the Linen Manufacture And observe I pray you these Counties I now name for the Linen Manufacture employ more hands at work by their growth than any eight Counties of England do by the growth of theirs and all employed abroad in other Counties not in their own And the great cause of Strength and Riches to England are those great quantities of Wool which grow in their
Worcester-shire Shropshire Stafford-shire Warwick-shire and Cheshire and there it 's made into Bar-Iron And because of its kind and gentle nature to work it is now at Sturbridge Dudly Wolverhampton Sedgley Wasall and Burmingham and thereabouts wrought and manufactured into all small Commodities and diffused all England over and thereby a great Trade made of it and when manufactured sent into most parts of the World And I can very easily make it appear that in the Forest of Deane and thereabouts and about the Materials that come from thence there are employed and have their subsistence therefrom no less than sixty thousand persons And certainly if this be true then it is certain it is better these Iron-works were up and in being than that there were none And it were well if there were an Act of Parliament for inclosing all Commons fit or any way likely to bear Wood in the Forest of Deane and six Miles round the Forest and that great quantities of Timber might by the same Law be there preserved for to supply in future Ages Timber for Shipping and Building And I dare say the Forest of Deane is as to the Iron to be compared to the Sheeps back as to the Wollen Nothing being of more advantage to England than these two are And if Woods are not preserved in and near the Forest to supply the Works for future Ages that Trade will lessen and dye as to England and betake her self unto some other Nation or Country And now in Worcester-shire Shropshire Stafford-shire Warwick-shire and Derby-shire there are great and numerous quantities of Iron-works and there much Iron is made of Metal or Iron Stone of another nature quite different from that of the Forest of Deane This Iron is a short soft Iron commonly called Cold-shore Iron of which all the Nails are made and infinite other Commodities In which work are employed many more persons if not double to what are employed in the Forest of Deane And in all those Countries the Gentlemen and others have Moneys for their Woods at all times when they want it which is to them a great benefit and advantage and the Lands in most of these places are double the rate that they would be at if there were not Iron-works there And in all these Countries now named there is an infinite of Pit Coals and the Pit Coals being near the Iron and the Iron Stone growing with the Coals there it is manufactured very cheap and sent all England over and to most parts of the World And if the Iron-works were not there the Woods 〈◊〉 all these Countries to the Owners thereof would not be worth the cutting and carrying home because of the cheapness of the Coals and duration thereof I could say something as to Notingham and York-shire 〈◊〉 to Kent and Sussex but I leave that to some other â—en that knows the Countries better than I do And in these Countries now mentioned there are many and vast Commons very natural and fit to bear Wood which at present are of very little use to the publick And for that in these parts there never will be any want of Pit Coals to work and manufacture the Iron when once made into Bars but Woods do much decay and this being a thing of such great benefit to the publick and in the setting of the Poor at work it were well that a Law might pass for inclosing all Commons fit and apt to bear wood which are and lye within twelve Miles of the Town of Sturbridge in the County of Worcester and that in such inclosed Copices there may be provision made to preserve Timber now much wanting in those parts The next Objection is That it was better when there was no Iron made in England But when that was neither I nor the Objector knows For in the Forest of Deane and thereabouts the Iron is made at this day of Cinders being the rough and offal thrown by in the Romans time they then having only foot-blasts to melt the Iron Stone but now by the force of a great Wheel that drives a pair of Bellows twenty foot long all that Iron is extracted out of the Cinders which could not be forced from it by the Roman Foot-blast And in the Forest of Deane and thereabouts and as high as Worcester there are great and infinite quantities of these Cinders some in vast Mounts above ground some under ground which will supply the Iron-works some hundreds of years and these Cinders are they which make the prime and best Iron and with much less Charcoal than doth the Iron Stone And certainly this being so it will be great policy for the Government timely to consider and weigh the great benefit Iron-works are to these plaâ—â—â— and to the Kingdom and People in general and therefore to begin to countenance them in preserving Woods for their continuation and duration The next thing is Iron-works destroy the Woods and Timber I affirm the contrary and that Iron-works are so far from the destroying of Woods and Timber that they are the occasion of the increase thereof For in all parts where Iron-works are there generally are great quantities of Pit Coals very cheap and in these places there are great quantities of Copices or Woods which supply the Iron-works And if the Iron-works were not in being these Copices would have been stocked up and turned into Pasture and Tillage as is now daily done in Sussex and Surry where the Iron-works or most of them are laid down And in Glocester-shire Worcestershire Warwick Salop and Stafford Shires are vast and infinite quantities of Copices wherein there are great store of young Timber growing and if it were not that there could be Moneys had for these Woods by the Owners from the Iron Masters all these Copices would be stocked up and turned into Tillage and Pasture and so there would be neither Woods nor Timber in these places And the Reason is Pit Coal in all these places considering the duration and cheapness thereof is not so chargeable to the Owner of the Woods as cutting and carrying the Woods home to his House And as to making Charcoal with Timber in those parts so much talked of it was and is most notoriously false for Timber in all these parts is worth thirty shillings a Tun and a Tun and three quarters of Timber will but make one Coard of Wood. So let all rational men consider whether an Iron Master will cut up Timber to the value of fifty shillings to make one Coard of Wood when he pays for his Wood in most of these places but seven shillings a Coard Now I have shewed you the two Manufactures of Linen and Iron with the product thereof and all the materials are with us growing and these two Manufactures will if by Law countenanced set all the poor in England at work and much inrich the Country and thereby fetch people into the Kingdom whereas now they depart and thereby deprive the Dutch of these
and some Upholsterers consulted how to bring the Kidderminster Trade to be good to both it being a Trade that is much debased and spoiled by the Factors and having brought it near to pass the best of the Factors sent Letters to the Clothiers and acquaints them that the Stuffs may be made elsewhere as well as there and much more which did so affright the Clothiers that they durst not agree to fix their Trade in two hands although it might have been Five or six thousand pounds a year in the Trades way Dr. Doth any one know this besides you Cl. Yes all the Town will tell you it is so and I can bring you to a Man in London can tell you the whole Story who treated the Upholsterers and got two Merchants to lend the Trade Five or six thousand pounds to help to drive the Trade that so it might be done with profit and ease Dr. Well old Friend I do believe you for Kidderminster Factors have spoiled the Weavers and the Upholsterers Trade as our Blackwell-hall Factors Packers and Drawers have spoiled your Trade and ours Cl. Indeed Sir it is even so and what can such a one as I do seeing a whole Town stand in fear of Three or four Factors Dr. Friend you know when you and I dealt together first when I. A. was a good Clothier and I. of Leck a good Wool-man it was not so then the Factors were your Servants and the Packers and Drawers were ours Will you Clothiers joyn with us Drapers to see if we can reduce the Trade to the old good condition it was in formerly Cl. I will with all my heart and so will all the Clothiers in our Country too I will undertake for them for we are almost at Beggars-bush and we cannot tell how to help our selves And our Trade grows worse and worse we make no profit of our Commodities Coun. Gentlemen I understand you are discoursing of your Trade of making Cloth and selling Cloth as I have club'd with you for Supper so I pray let me club a little with you in Discourse for I am as highly concerned in the thing you Discourse of as you are for every Acre of my Land rises price according as the Woollen Manufacture flourishes If Wool be dear my Tenants Wife and Children have work in Spinning and Carding and Rent's paid at the day and none left in arrears And then we have a merry Sheep-sheering and with Two years Wool I can Marry Jugg or Bess Dr. Sir You speak like one that hath a Fellow-feeling in our misery I shall be and am very heartily glad of your good company and shall with this old Friend of mine joyn in any thing that may be for all our goods so as the publick good of the Wool Cloth and Trade may be advanced Coun. Sir I shall do as much as I can but you must know we in the Countrey are ignorant men and do not know how to do much but we know where the Shooe pinches us My Brains shall go with yours a Wool-gathering this one bout Cl. Friend I am glad we have so happily met with this honest Country-man I hope we may amongst us Three consider after one Bottle more is off how things may be mended what say you Country man will you make one with us in so good a work Coun. Pray what Country-man are you I live at Salisbury Indeed a fine Town of Trading in the Woollen Manufactures but much decayed of late years What Country-man is this Gentleman your Friend He lives at London Well must he Dr. Come Country-man what say you will you make one with us Coun. I will not joyn with the Salisbury Clothier for I thought all Clothiers had of late removed to Tanton-Dean and there-abouts because that place is under a Register and Moneys may be had at Five in the Hundred at any time to drive their Trades with ease comfort and profit Dr. Sir I confess they are at a loss and yet they have the wisest Bishop of late that hath been there a great while and some good things have been doing of late for that City as making the River Avon Navigable and they are preparing to come under a Register and all the free-Free-land within Ten miles of the City likewise Cl. Look you there Country-man you talk of Tanton-Dean under a Register you see Salisbury and Ten miles round is to be under a Register likewise Coun. Now I am well satisfied with corresponding with the Clothier Salisbury hanging Register fashion that is a bit I love Dr. Come come now let us fall too and consider of some good things to advance the Woollen Manufactures I will acquaint the Drapers and you must the Clothiers and you the Country-men and so every one use his interest with the Authority to amend what is amiss Coun. Hold hold you drive too fast there is a snake in the Bush although I live in the Country yet I come to London sometimes and at the Coffee-houses I heard strange News which made me stare And now we are to set forward so good a work let us see how to clear the foundation and take away the Rubbish Dr. Pray Sir what is the strange News you hear at Coffee-houses It is generally idle Twit twot Discourse not worth ones minding Coun. I heard at the Rainbow Coffee-house That the people in and near London have of late years lent about One hundred thousand pounds without Interest for Four years to be imployed in the Woollen Manufacture near Conmell in Ireland and by the strength of that Moneys to carry away our people out of the West of England into Ireland and there make Cloth and Stuffs and when made then carried to Spain France Holland and Germany And there with cheap Wool and cheap Victuals Manufactured and so do mighty things Cl. You live in London and you know whether there be any such thing as this is if it be so we Clothiers may go hang our selves Moneys without Interest for Four years cheap Wool and cheap Beef carried to Holland together and made Cloth there If this be so I 'le never weave more I will burn my Beam and run away by the Light Dr. No no Old Friend our Country-man is under a mistake be not in such a passion he told you he heard so in a Coffee-house Cl. I pray Sir is there any thing like it for there cannot be such a smoke as this is and no fire Dr. I will tell you what the thing is he means There are a certain number of persons who they say have imployed some such Sum as is spoken of to set up the Woollen Manufacture in Ireland and indeed now it comes into my mind I remember I have heard of their taking over many People out of the West of England and sending the Cloth and Stuffs when made to Holland and Germany and also Wool and Beef with it Cl. I pray had they the Moneys without interest for Four years to do
it had been Five hundred Nobles in my way and my Fathers Now we shall make cheap-Cloth pay nothing to the poor set all a-work and carry our Cloth to Christ-Church by Water and so for Sea and pay nothing to Lawyers and have Moneys when we want it We will agree quarterly with the Parrator that will be but little Come Boys a brave Trade again Come here 's three Healths in good SACK here is our Countrey-mans Health Here 's a Health to the Man that makes the Wind-Mill and a Health to him that brings this Voluntary Register to Town Come Landlady to pay and to Bed a good days work I trow Dr. Nay hold Old Friend I must be gone early in the Morning therefore let us agree where to meet in London to set forward the good things we now so warmly have treated upon for if we do not follow it close all this will come to nothing Interest will not lie every Man will be for his own Interest Cl. I am glad you say Interest will not lie Then I am sure you Clothiers and we Drapers and all the Gentlemen in England their Interest is to set the poor at work to have their Lands rise Rents and be at Thirty years purchase and to have a great Trade Well we will meet at the Booksellers house that prints our Discourse and then draw up what is fit to be done So farewel honest Countrey-man for to night Dr. Good morrow good morrow Gentlemen I hope you have slept well to Night Cl. Slept well no for I did not sleep at all for I have abundance of Wind-Mills in my Noddle now sufficient to send all the Clothiers in our Town and many more to Holland and Germany whither as I understand several of them are packing already but that way will never do our business to carry cheap Wool and cheap Victuals into Germany and Holland out of Ireland and there make it into Cloth and sell it there to whom they please and a Register and a Bank and Moneys at Four in the hundred and Mills in Barges to thicken the course Cloths by the very Town-side and Wind-Mills to thicken and full our fine Clothes nor will it do our work to sort and chuse out the best Wool in Ireland and send it to Holland and Germany with good Beef Butter and Cheese Irish-Tongues and Tallow to light us to work by Nights and to have good part of the course Wool spun in Ireland and brought over to us in Yarn ready to Weave and to set on Foot on the out-sides of our Town the making of Beudley-capes for they are made of Irish-Wool and then sent into Holland to be Sold and I hope Wool from Ireland and cheap Victuals with it will do that business well there and all the Stuffs that are for hangings now made at Kidderminster shall be made in Holland with Irish-Wool and spun Linnen-Yarn out of Saxony and Bohemia for they make these Stuffs of Irish-Wool and German-Yarn and I am sure some of the people of these Towns will quickly go away Another trick there is of carrying Fullers-earth from Woborne to Lynn in Norfolk as they pretend and then Ship it to be carried to the Clothiers in the West And when at Sea a West-wind blows the Ship into Flushing in Zealand And we will have more Fullers-earth carried from Arundel in Sussex to Portsmouth or to Chichester and there Ship'd to secure the Clothiers in the North of England And when that Ship is over against Hull a West-wind shall blow her over to the Brill or into the Texel into Holland And these two Ladings of Earth with a little that shall be brought over for Ballast for Ships will do mischief enough For Trade will go where it is most encouraged and where the Merchant and Clothier can get most by it Dr. True old Friend these tricks there are and there are bad men enough that will be apt enough to leave the Land where they were born but let us see to help these matters For if you should be one of them all the Poor of the Countrey will be bound to curse you and so will the Rich too for we have had men bad enough of our own Trade but it will not become me to name Persons who have provoked many Clothiers to sell their estates and Transport themselves into the lower Palatinate and other parts of Germany and there set up the Clothing-Trade which hath already quite spoiled our Course-Cloth-Trade Eastward and the Trade at Hamborough too for if their Trade be spoil'd in England they must try if they can make it out somewhere else as in Ireland Holland and Germany c. Cl. Well Friend for the conclusion of this Discourse we have no more to do but to endeavour the redress of these grievances as far as in duty we may and humbly to represent to Authority the great advantage it may be to the publick to prevent the carrying of Fullers-earth out of the Land To provide that all Factors Packers and Drawers may be put in their proper places That the illegal Transportation of Wools may be hindred and the Trade of Ireland regulated It would be of great ease and advantage if our Western Clothes might be Transported from Plymouth beyond the Seas to save the charge of carrying them to London Many other particulars might be added but this for the present till we meet next NOW I have discovered to you the way manner and method of setting all the Poor in England at work with the growth and product of our own Nation with the particular means for bringing the same to pass And Places assigned for the doing thereof with the scituation and conveniences that are by God and Nature fixt in these Counties Next I will shew you That by the means and ways hereafter prescribed all the poor people that are imployed in these Manufactures shall be in the same Counties fed with Bread sufficient without any charge to the Publick and thereby the Commodities will be Manufactured cheap The like benefit and advantage infinite of the poor People of England in other parts will receive by the way here-after set down taken exactly from the same things done in other places whereby they work cheap and send infinite of their Manufactured Commodities into many parts of the World And were they not fixt in these places beyond the Seas in those Manufactures and Policies the Princes of those Countries and their subjects would be strangely poor My design now is to speak of Granaries to hold Corn and to be fill'd in the time of plenty and the advantage they are of being well fixt in convenient places with the benefit the Poor will receive by them and the Rich also And where ever Trade and Manufacture is intended to be set on foot so as to bring it to perfection Granaries must be made and built in places convenient to answer the ends designed The Great Duke of Saxony hath three great Manufactures
one of Iron Tinn and Copper another of Linnen and spun Threds of all sorts the third of Sawed Timbers of all sorts He hath convenienced them thus As to his Iron Tinn and Copper he hath fixt these works in the Valley running from Segar-hutton clear a-long by the Cities of Anaburgh Sneburgh and Mareauburgh and down as far as Awe and in the Hills and Mountains are his Minerals In the Valleys are the Rivers whereon are set the Works The Hills and Mountains and at least Ten Miles round are full of Woods to supply his Works not one Acre of common-Land lyes waste At the descent of the Hills are infinite of Saw-Mills that go by Water which Saw all manner of Firr and Oak and in the Summer-time it is dragged to the River Elb and so sent down to Hamborough And things being thus fixt with all advantages that Trade can desire that Place is strangely populous and vastly Rich and yields to the Duke a great Revenue And it lies as Wales and as the Forest of Dean doth to England Next to these wood-Wood-land Countries lies the delightful Plain Countrey wherein is the famous City of Lepsick very Rich in Corn and Flax and so it holds to Dresden upon the Left-hand of Myson with some Vineyards And in these delightful Countries there is no waste Lands but all under improvement In all the great Towns there are great Granaries for Corn and in the Time of Plenty they lay up for a Rainy-day And so there is sufficient for the Poor at easie rates at all times whereby the Manufacture is always cheaply done and thereby hath the advantage of sending it to foreign Markets and under-sell others The next Country joyning to Saxony is the Prince of Hainaults the Prince of Parmburghs with the Bishoprick of Hall wherein stands the Cities of Salts Wadell Shenibank and that brave old City of Magdenburgh destroyed by Fire and Sword by Count Tilly These Countreys for Corn as to Rye and Wheat are so plentiful that no part of Europe can go before them there being much Corn to spare In the Two Cities of Shenibank and Magdenburgh are many Granaries they lying upon the side of the Elbe And in the City of Magdenburgh I was credibly informed being Twice in that City that there were Three hundred Granaries of all sorts wherein Corn is kept sweet and safe from vermin to admiration The manner of the Granaries built with the way of ordering of the Corn and the benefit which is received thereby you shall have when I speak of Granaries setting up in England From hence the Brunswick People fetch their Wheat they make there Mum of and down the Elb to Hamborough is sent infinite of Corn out of the Granaries and from thence to all parts that stand in need thereof In these Countreys there is very little Manufacture only some course Linnen and Linnen-yarn These Granaries preserve the Corn Six Eight or Ten years as good and sweet as when it was first put in There are great Merchants for Corn and the Farmers lay up their Corn at easie Rates and so have the benefit of their Straw yearly and not Rick it up as we do in England to be devoured by Rats and Mice There Men and Maid-servants and all other persons that have Monies buy Corn when it is cheap and lay it up till it be dear And in these publick Granaries the Corn is kept safe sweet and well a whole year for a Half-peny a Bushel and the Granary-Man gets by it The like may be done in England and that which now feeds Rats and Mice and otherways consumed will supply the greatest part of the poor People of England with Bread being preserved in Granaries Now I am for saving the Corn in England and keeping it safe and sweet in Granaries which is consumed at present by Rats and Mice until there shall be want and necessity for it to be delivered to the Poor In the Four Counties I name for the Linnen Manufacture Oxford Warwick Leicester and Northamptonshire there ought to be Granaries to lay up Corn these Counties being great Corn-Counties And at the head of the Navigable Rivers are the places fit for such Granaries and first Wellinborough in Northamptonshire or thereabouts Secondly some Town in Leicestershire within Four Miles of Kings-Mills unto which Place Trent is Navigable Thirdly Banbury if the River Sharwell be made Navigable to Banbury or else about Bleckington the Earl of Angleses Land near Anslo-Bridg And fifthly Stratford upon Avon in Warwickshire If Granaries were built in those Places to hold Corn there it would be brought in with ease and when want and scarcity of Corn comes it is then ready to be sent down the Navigable Rivers or to be disperst for the benefit of the Poor in the Countrey Leicestershire is abounding in Corn and when plenty there it is very cheap having no Navigable River near to carry it away the like is Northamptonshire But if Granaries were well setled in these Places near Trent and St. Ives River then it is ready for a Market when it offers it self Lechload at the Head of the River Isis Ten Miles above Oxford will be a very fit place for a Granary for in thither will come great quantities of Corn out of Oxford Glocester and Berkshire And there it will be ready upon all occasions when wanted either for the Poor or to be transported down the River to London and other parts Stratford upon Avon in Warwickshire will be a very good place to build Granaries to receive Corn and I will affirm if there were Three or Four large Granaries built in the Lands of Sir John Clapton near the Bridg at Stratford and well managed for the good of the Poor and Linnen Trade That on that side the River there would be in a very short time as great a Town built as Stratford now is and there have as great a Trade as any City in those parts of England Bristol only excepted And these are my Reasons First the River Avon being made Navigable to Stratford the Barges that come up with Coles and Merchants goods by them Corn will be taken back to Bristol and up the River Severn as far as the Welsh-Pool And Secondly the Country near Stratford as far as Banbury Ayno-Dedinton Bister and so to Brakley and round ot Daventry is very full and abounds with good Corn and the Carts that come to Stratford for Coles would never come empty down but bring Corn with them if there were Granaries sufficient to receive it So you see all things would be fitted for sore and back carriage And I will affirm No place in England can expect the benefit or advantage by any such Granaries as Stratford upon Avon may for that great and vast quantities of Corn is raised in those parts and when cheap they cannot tell what to do with it the ways being so dirty and deep But the advantage of the Navigation will send it to serve
and without such Granaries it is impossible to set on that Trade For Corn must be bought in such times as this year is it being not only now very good but cheap also and in a cheap year they may take in Four or Five years Stock as they do at Magdenburgh and Shenibank Then suppose the Wheat now cost two Shillings Four-pence the Bushel at New Brunswick and that be kept Four years in the Granary at Two-pence the Bushel for Granary Rent then the Corn will lye the Mum-Brewers in Two Shillings Six-pence per Bushel and that is cheaper than it is sold in any time at Old Brunswick and it is seldom but once in Four years there is a plentiful year of Corn in England and in this year the Brewers may supply their Granaries again And as I said before here is cheap Corn good Corn and a multitude of it the place of Trade fixt at the Head of a Navigable River good and cheap Fuel to be made use of with a quick passage to the East and West Indies Ireland Mediteranian Spain France Holland and a large passage at Sea to bring it to London to help and make the Mum good by putting it into a second fermentation And I say here this Trade of making Mum may be fixt with very great advantage and if once well fixt from thence it cannot depart no place in England being of that advantage to answer all the ends as this place is The Second Granary which is to be supplyed by the Country with Corn and there to be kept safe for the benefit of those that work in the County in the Linnen-Manufacture and to supply the Poor when a dearth comes Corn will be kept Four years in the Granaries and the Rate then will be but Two Shillings Six-pence the Bushel and with this cheap Corn the People will be supplyed with Bread whereby they will make and perfect the intended Linnen-Manufacture very cheap and this constancy of Bread and at cheap rates will certainly be a great and certain means of fixing the fine Linnen Trade at New Brunswick and New Harlem And the Reasons are these near the very Place are great quantities of Land excellent good to bear Flax and very good places may with a little art be made by the Town-sides to Whiten and Bleach Linnens and within one Mile of New Brunswick there is the Mannor of Milcot being the Lands of the Earl of Middâ—â—â—â—â— â—â—on which Mannor there will be sufficient Fla◠〈…〉 to imploy Ten thousand People to work it into Manufacture And there are in these Lands by the River Avon side convenient places to make Bleachingâ— and near Milcot-House very plain good Land to build a City for the fine Linnen Trade with good places to set up Engines to Weave Tape to go by Water The Maps of the Two Cities with the Granaries are annexed the one being New Brunswick the other I name New Harlem Now I will demonstrate and shew you the length breadth and height the Granaries ought to be of to hold this Corn as also the charge of building one of them at New Brunswick being the Land of Sir John Clapton as also I will demonstrate the way how it should be built for the best advantage with the way of ordering and managing the Corn that it may keep good sweet and clean Eight or Ten years The Granaries must be Three hundred foot long Eighteen foot wide betwixt inside and inside Seven stories high each Story Seven foot high all to be built of good well-burnt Brick and laid in Lime and Sand very well the ends of the Granaries must be set North and South so the sides will then be East and West and in the sides of the Granaries there must be large Windows to open and shut close that when the Wind blows at West the Windows may be laid open and then the Granary-Man will be turning and winding the Corn and all filth and dross will be blown out at the Window on the East-side and in all times when the Weather is fair and open then throw open the Windows to let in Air to the Corn at 〈◊〉 end of the Granary and in the middle there 〈…〉 â—toves to be kept with fire in them in all moist 〈…〉 or at the going away of great Frosts and Snows to prevent moistness either in the Brick Walls Timber Boards or Corn there must be in each side of tâ—e Granaries Three or Four long Troughs or Spouts fixt in the uppermost Loft which must run about Twenty foot out of the Granary and in fine weather the Granary-men must be throwing the Corn out of the upermost Loft and so it will fall into another Spout made Ten foot wide at the top and through that Spout the Corn descends into the lowermust Loft and then wound up on the inside of the Granary by a Crane fixt for that purpose and so the Corn receiving the benefit of the Air falling down Thirty foot before it comes into the second Spout cleanseth it from all its filth and Chaff These Spouts are to be taken off and on as occasion requires and to be fixt to any other of the Lofts that when Vessels come to load Corn they may through these Spouts convey the Corn into the Barges without any thing of labour by carrying it on the backs of Men. The charge of one Granary Three hundred foot long Eighteen foot wide Seven Stories high Seven foot betwixt each Story being built with Brick at New Brunswick or New Harlem in the Mannor of Milcot Six hundred thousand of Bricks builds a Granary Two Brick and half thick the Two first Stories Two Brick thick the Three next Stories Brick and half thick the Two uppermost Stories and the Brick will be made and delivered on the place for Eight Shillings the Thousand the laying of Brick Three Shillings the Thousand Lime and Sand Two Shillings the Thousand so Brick-laying Lime and Sand will be Thirteen Shillings the Thousand One hundred and fifty Tuns of Oak and Elm for Somers Joists and Roof 100 and 70 l. Boards for the Six Stories Sixty thousand foot at 13 s. 4 d. the One hundred foot and Ten thousand foot for Window Doors and Spouts at the same rate 48 l. Laths and Tiles 100 l. Carpenters work 70 l. Iron Nails and odd things 60 l. So the charge of a Granary will be 820 l. built either at New Brunswick or at New Harlem There will be kept in this Granary Fourteen thousand Quarters of Corn which is Two thousand Quarters in every Loft which will be a Thousand Bushels to every Bay Six labouring Men with One Clerk will be sufficient to manage this Granary to turn and wind the Corn and keep the Books of accounts Fifteen pounds a piece allowed to the Six men and Thirty pound a year to the Clerk or Register will be wages sufficient so the Servants wages will be 120 l. per An. Allow Ten in the Hundred for Moneys laid out
for building the Granaries which is 80 l. So the charge will be yearly 200 l. Now observe if the Countrey Man pay 6 d. a Quarter yearly for keeping his Corn safe and sweet in the Granary Fourteen thousand Quarters will come to 350 l. for Granary-Rent yearly The Pattern of the Granary to be built you shall have in the Map of New Harlem and New Brunswick taken exactly from one built in the City of Shenibank in the Vale of Parinburgh upon the River Elb which is a Store-house for Wheat to be sent to Brunswick whereof Mum is made Serious Reader Here is a way plainly lined out to cheat the Rats and Mice to feed the Poor to preserve the Tenant to pay the Landlord to bring to us several Manufactures to prevent Law-Suits to fetch out all Moneys now unimployed into Trade and it will be if done as the Blood in the Body it will so circulate in a few years that Corn will be to England better than ready Moneys and to have this so is undoubtedly every Mans interest in the Kingdom Therefore Corn Registred in the Publick Granary in each Countrey and so entred in the general Register at the Guild-hall will bring to pass these things now Treated of and many more most strange advantages to the People of England which you may expect in the Second Part. 7. Consider what great quantities of Iron-Reads Wrought and Cast is brought into England from foreign parts which might be made and cast here thereby imploying the same number of People here as are imployed in other parts in making thereof and all of Materials of our own A Tax laid upon all wrought Iron would bring and force this Trade to us 8. Consider there are few Gentlemen in England but out of their Woods make some considerable revenue yearly and many of them by selling it to the Iron-works thereby have certain Rents for their Land And whatever is of our own growth ought to be cherished and countenanced and then we shall reap the benefit Considerations of the benefit of a Register and the disadvantage of not having one First Consider He that hath Two hundred pound a year in Free-land and Eight hundred pound a year in other Land his Two hundred pound a year will be as ready Money at all times to supply his just occasions to Marry his Sons and Daughters and to help to manage his Eight hundred pounds a year to the best advantage in Planting Watering and in all other good Husbandry his Land is capable of Secondly Consider For want of Three or Four thousand pounds at command by many men that have One thousand pound a year how they are tossed and tumbled Procurator and Continuator Usurer and Lawyer Under-Sherifs and Baylifs his Land unimproved his Wives heart sorrowful Children want education grow disobedient and head-strong Tenants and Baylifs take unjust and unlawful advantages by reason of the Landlords necessities Thirdly Consider what Credit and Reputation the Gentleman is in that can at any time take up Four thousand pounds and what advantage he may take either of a good Bargain when it is offered or to prefer a Child when he seeth it convenient Fourthly Consider That he that hath but One hundred pound a year and of that Twenty pound a year Free-land what that will do to his benefit it will support him at any time to take up Four hundred pounds to manage his affairs to the best advantage But as things are now he must go to Councel with his Writings but it is possible he dare not produce them and may stay Twelve Months or longer before he gets Moneys and in the mean time Suits are multiplyed with charges and loss of time his Family distracted and many times undone Fifthly Consider the great Cruelty that is now used to Men that have not ready Moneys to pay their Debts by Attorneys and under-Sherifs Baylifs and their Creatures as though Man was made to be torn in pieces alive and what ruins come to one Friend from another by being Bail and bound for his relations even the ruine of infinite numbers of Families in England every year Sixthly Consider The comfort of this way of having ready Money upon Land doth administer to the Wife content to the party safety and safety to all related to him and thereby a Man may upon his death-bed justly provide for his Wife and Children and it will be safe and good Seventhly Consider at this day the Land-security being not good many Gentlemen pay Eight Nine and Ten in the Hundred for the Moneys they take up and go upon the Tick for all Commodities and when they pay it is double the value as if bought with ready Moneys The very bane of many estates Eighthly Consider that no great thing can be done without ready Moneys or Credit Lands Registred will be both and Land will rise purchase and Trade incouraged Ninthly Consider it will pay the poor Gentlemans Debts without Moneys a thing just now wanting Tenthly Consider A Register will set on foot the Noble business of Fishing about England and Wales and inable persons to make the great Rivers of England Navigable and thereby raise great numbers of Sea-men which may be wanting and all persons receiving the general benefit that will come thereby will be of Ten times more to the Government than these Rats and Mice that are now privately devouring all that 's good Twelfthly Consider of what sad consequence it is with us in England at this day that we cannot have Bonds and Bills Transferred by Assignments so as the Property may go a-long with the Assignment thereby one Bond or Bill will go in the nature of Bills of Exchange And so A. owing Two hundred pounds to B. he Assigns him the Bond of C. who owed him Two hundred pounds and C. owing D. Two hundred pounds Assigns him the Bond of E. who owed him Two hundred pounds and so one Bond or Bill would go through Twenty hands and thereby be as ready Moneys and do much to the benefit of Trade and prevent infinite vexatious Suits and prevent the ruin of some hundreds of Families For as the Law now is practised at this day although the word Assign be in the Bond yet the Property of the Bond passes not but the party Assigning his Heirs Executors or Administrators may discharge the Bond by a Release And pray observe the miserable calamity that the poor People lye under for want of this being not done now A. owes B. Two hundred pounds the Bond being Four hundred pounds for the payment of Two hundred pounds B. sends a Writ into the Countrey and arrests A. he cannot get such Bayle as the Sherif will accept So perhaps lieth a Month or longer in Prison his Wives heart almost broke Children and Friends sorrowful At last the Wife importunes Friends of hers to be bound for his appearance but he cannot get special Bayle above then the Attorneys and Sherifs harvest comes in they
presently make three Suits of one and fall on the poor Security At last Bayle is put in above then Common-Law-Tryals Demurrers Writs of Error Chancery So Plantif and Defendant many times ruine one the other Whereas if a Bond were Transferable and the property to pass it being a Bond and good Men bound in it this Bond would run from Man to Man from Hand to Hand from one Tradesman to another and so one Bond would pay twenty Men for people at this day would be glad to have payments made them in such Paper rather than go to Law for their own and often undo their Creditor and sometimes themselves to It would be a mighty benefit to Trade and Commerce to have Bonds transfer'd A poor man in England that hath a Thousand pounds in Bonds with good Sureties bound cannot pay one hundred pounds of his Debts with them Our Free-lands being put under a Voluntary Register and the property of Bonds being made Transferable by assignment will be a great profit to the Nation As things are now we have not one fourth part of Moneys sufficient to drive the Trade of England and set up the neglected Fishery improve our own Manufactures and to answer peoples just honest and lawful occasions But if the free-Free-lands were Registred and Bonds Transferable then we should have three parts in four more Cash than we should have occasion to use For the Land Registred will do what Money now doth and this is credit equal to Moneys and then we shall do what the DVTCH now do never want Moneys to do any great thing But we must submit our selves in all things to his Majesties Gracious Pleasure and Authority Twelfthly It will by its credit be the cause of setting at work all the poor of England in the Linnen and Iron-Manufacture and so convenience the Woollen-Manufacture that it will be as one that were risen from the dead Thirteenthly Consider That the want of a Register will make us in few years like unto a Wheat-rick that hath stood many years when it is opened all the Corn is consumed by Rats and Mice and nothing left but the Straw and Clothings It would be well if those worthy Virtuosoes that intend the good of the Publique and have real intentions to improve Mecanick Arts that they and all such Lords and Gentlemen that wish well thereto with speed would advance a Sum of Moneys to build an University for the Improvement of Art in England and to maintain Six persons continually Travelling to find out such Improvements and the way of bringing them to pass as may be for the real good of the Publique the pattern how to settle such a University for Art they may have from one long since setled near Newringburg in Germany The consequence whereof hath so imyroved the Mecanick-Art in Germany that no place in the World comes near them for Art Considerations upon the advantages and disadvantages of the Manufacturies of Linnen Thred Tape and Twine for Cordage 1. COnsider what quantities of fine Linnens are made in Holland and Flanders and here worn and consumed and how many hands it imploys in work to manufacture it and the great benefit the Dutch gain being the great Masters of that Trade 2. Consider that if these fine Clothes were made here how it would imploy the Poor raise the price of Land and keep our Moneys at home for the Dutch take nothing from us in exchange wherein the benefit is any way considerable to the publick 3. Consider of all course Linnens brought from France as Canvases Lockrums and great quantities of coarse Clothes which have of late years so crouded upon us that it hath almost laid aside the making of Linnen Cloth in England and thereby the people are unimploy'd and the Land lyeth idle and waste 4. Consider the French take nothing of any value from us but it is ready money for their Linnens so we keep their people at work and send them our moneys to pay them for it and our own Poor are unimploy'd But if a Tax were laid upon their coarse Linnen Clothes then what is brought out of France into England would be made here of our own growth to the Nations great enriching 5. Consider the Twine and Yarn ready wrought and brought out of the East-Country to make Sail-Cloth and Cordage which hath taken off the labour of multitude of people in Suffolk and thereabouts and hath so lessened that Trade that it is almost lost But if a Tax were laid upon the threds brought over ready wrought then the labour of all such things would be here to supply our Poor at work and raise the price of our Lands 6. Consider what vast quantities of narrow coarse Clothes come out of Germany down the Elbe Weser and Emes and transported into England and here vented and worn the cheapness whereof hath beaten out the Linnen Trade formerly made in Lancashire Cheshire and thereabouts and carried and sold at London about forty years since it was a very great Trade and tended much to the relief of the Poor in them parts A Tax being laid upon these Easterling Clothes would occasion the reviving of that coarse Cloth-Trade again with us which would set multitudes at work 7. Consider the Foreign Bed-ticking coming hither cheap hath almost destroyed that Trade in Dorcetshire and Somersetshire and so the Spinners are Idle and the Land falls price and in this as in other things we send our Moneys into Foreign parts to keep their Poor at work and support them and here we starve our own and lose that Trade A Tax upon Foreign Bed-ticking would prevent all this 8. Consider the vast and infinite quantities of Thred ready spun that comes down out of Germany into England and here made use of and all the labour of such Threds are there done the Government and People there have the advantage of it and here we make use of them in many of our Commodities It is of late discovered that the cheapness of these Threds will eat out the very Spinning in most parts of England Consider and take this president at Kidderminster in Worcestershire Formerly the Clothiers made use of Linnen-Yarn Spun in that Countrey to make their Lynsey-woolseys but now the cheapness of the Foreign Threds hath put them upon making use of Germany-Yarn in which Town there is One hundred pound a Week in Yarn made use of great quantities of Thred also are used at Manchester Maidstone and in other parts of England to mix with Woollen with infinite other Commodities and all the benefit of the labour of these Threds is applied to Foreigners a Tax being put upon the Threds would put the Wheel to work in England again This is of great consequence to the Publick to be taken into consideration for in this very thing of Spun-yarn no less than Thirty thousand People would be here employed if by Law it were encouraged Considerations upon the Iron Manufacture 1. COnsider That the best
of the Harbour did occasion the decrease of Trade and was of great prejudice to it and the City also I then acquainted the Lord Mayor of my thoughts As to the making a very good Harbour at Rings-end Upon which he did Importune me to bestow some time in a Survey and discovery thereof the which I did and spent about three weeks time in finding out what is here asserted First As to the damage of Trade by reason of the badness of the Harbour Secondly The advantage it will be to Trade if a safe Harbour were made Thirdly The way how a good Harbour may be made with a large Cittadel and a place for all Magazines and Naval Stores And Fourthly What it will cost the doing As to the First The Ships that lye at Anchor a mile below Rings-end lye upon very hard Sands when the Tide is out and thereby much damnifying the Ships if either old or weak built And the goods are littered to and from the Ships and many times the Ships receive very great Damage by Storms and great Winds and so the Ships Crew must always be on Board for fear of foul weather and the Harbour being so bad causes Trade to weaken at Dublin As to the Second If there were a Harbour made at Rings-end as in the Map described this advantage would be gained At present there is at least five hundred pounds per Annum paid to persons that carry and re-carry people in the Rings-end Coaches to and from the Ships all that would be saved And all the labour and pains that is now taken by Merchants Owners and Sea-men going from Dublin to the Ships saved the great charge at present by carrying and re-carrying goods by Litters to and from the Ships prevented much more Trade brought if the new Harbour were made for Ships that cannot lye upon them hard Sands And in the new Harbour the Ships will always be floating the water being by art with Sluces kept to thirteen foot depth and thereby any weak or crazy Ship will lye there safe and receive no damage at all A Boy and a Dog in the new Harbour will look to a Ship And the owner staying any considerable time for Lading will in the mean time permit part of the Ships Crue to go short Voyages to Chester Leverpool Bristol and the West of England which will be for the benefit of Trade and thereby Mariners will not be wanting And all the sad and dangerous perils now suffered by the Ships in the Bay where they now lye prevented And by the Ships coming up boldly to Lasey Hill there Trade will be made easie the Merchant Owner and Ships all being together The wise and knowing people in Dublin say If the new Harbor were made there would be Ten thousand pound per annum advance in the Kings Customs yearly As to the Third There may be made a good Harbor neer Rings-end in the spare piece of Ground that now is every Tide covered with water which lyes betwixt Rings-end and Lasey-Hill And in that piece of Land Cuts may be made as in the Map described and Merchants Houses built in one piece and Houses for the Slaughter-men Sea-men and Fishers in the other piece And in these Cuts all Vessels will lye with that ease and safety that it will be to the owners of great advantage and prevent the present charge they are put unto by Multiplicity of men and so make Trade Easie Cheap and delightful and at the upper end of one of the Cuts there may be made a very strong Cittadel and Houses for all manner of Stores which may prove of great convernment to that Kingdom for there is an old Saying Two strings are better than one For this Cittadel may be made in that place with so great advantage that none can be stronger or better answer the ends for which it is intended then this may do for at present the Castle of Dublin is in a hole in the middle of the Town and so may many ways miss of the ends that it was intended for besides in the Castle there is very little room for any Military Stores which would be here very well supplied And the way for making this Harbor to answer all the ends here prescribed is by making the Cuts as you see in the Map with building two great Stone Locks or Sluces to let down and bring up the Ships and for supplying these Cuts or Trenches with Water the Brook coming from Rofarnham and Robuck must be made use of and the Brook now running by Dublin-Castle must be taken up at the side of the Castle and carried a-cross Georges Lane and so through a waste piece of Land of Sir William Petties and so down to Lasey Hill to help to augment the Trenches in dry times when Water is scarce If this New Harbor were made no place in Holland were answerable to it for its advantage and convenience and as to the Cittadel certainly none would exceed it no not Delfsee that strong Fort being made by the very same advantage as this may be which is by the little River that comes from Groningen to Delfsee As to the Fourth which is the charge of making the Harbor and Cittadel I have taken a great deal of pains when I was there casting up what it might cost and I believee it may be compleated for Twenty thousand pound and certainly as that Harbor now is and as that piece of Land is overflowed with water every Tide and under the very sides of the City it is a very great detriment to Trade and Commerce and of as great dishonour because it 's relating to the Metropolis of a Kingdom and no place possible can offer it self with more advantage as to Harbour and Cittadel with ease and increase of Trade than this place doth if good practicable Art were rightly imployed upon it and well back'd by a good Law well made and fitted to answer so great and noble a design as this would be The Map of the New Harbor with the several Cuts for the Ships to lye in with the Cittadel is hereunto affixt I know writing Books of Trade where present profit is not within the reach of the Readers understanding puts a silence unto the whole History be it never so good for all men are governed by what they understand in matters relating to gain or loss But it shall be my way to come as near as possibly I can to the understandings of the parties I intend to appropriate this Discourse unto Therefore I will now try my Pen to see whether I can get it to beat an Alarm unto all the poor Handicraft People in Three places viz. Herefordshire Worcestershire and London and I question not but if they give attendance and observe the first word of Command which is Silence they shall hear in one hour such things uttered as will send them home rejoycing And first I shall speak of Herefordshire Secondly of VVorcestershire and Thirdly of
have forc'd Trade out of your City some of them are not within the power either of the Law or your Magistrates to prevent but some are and these which may be done with ease I question not but your Magistrates will use their endeavours to bring them to pass The which are putting all the New Buildings in the City of London under a Register and procuring a Law to pass to enable the several Companies of Handicraft Tradesmen in London hereafter mentioned to have power to make the River Sharwell Navigable from Oxford to Banbury to build Granaries to hold Corn with Mills or any other Engines to go by Water to be made use of for the good and benefit of the several Companies whereby Art will be incouraged and Trade convenienced The Names of the Companies are as followeth and the Copy of the Bill to be carried into Parliament for the accomplishing of the same follows after The Company of Weavers the Company of Pin-Makers the Company of Turners the Company of Water-men the Company of Silk-Throwers the Company of Felt-Makers the Company of Pavers the Company of Cloth-Workers the Company of Plasterers the Company of Joyners the Company of Embroiderers the Company of Brick-Layers the Company of Smiths the Company of Armourers and the Company of Carpenters The Form of the Bill to be carried into Parliament for the making of the River Sharwell Navigable from Oxford to Banbury and for building Publick Granaries near the said River with liberty to set up Mills and Engines to go by Water for the use and benefit of the several Companies of the Handicraft Trades in the City of London called by the Names of Weavers Pin-Makers Turners Water-men Silk-Throwers Felt-Makers Pavers Cloth-Workers Plasterers Joyners Embroiderers Brick-Layers Smiths Armourers and Carpenters WHereas it is evidently made appear That all Manufactures in England may by the advantage of having constantly good and cheap Uictuals as also ready Moneys at all times to drive their several Trades live comfortably and thereby provide plentifully for their Wives and Children And whereas it is lately found out and discovered that the said Benefits may with much ease be made applicable unto several of the Companies of Handicrafts within the City of London and the way for the doing thereof is to have liberty to make the River Sharwell Navigable from Oxford to Banbury and to set up publick Granaries and Engines near the said River for the use of the said Companies Therefore be it Enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty by and with the consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in this present Parliament Assembled and by the Authority of the same That it shall and may be lawful to and for the Incorporated Companies of Meavers Pin-Makers Turners Mater-men Silk Throwers Felt-Makers Pavers Cloth-Morkers Plasterers Ioyners Embroiderers Bricklayers Smiths Armourers and Carpenters to make the River Sharwell Navigable from the City of Oxford to the Town of Banbury in the County of Oxford and to build Granaries for holding of Corn with liberty for making of Mills for grinding thereof with Licence and leave to set up Engines to go by Mater for the use and benefit of the several Trades mentioned in this Act. And for that it shall not be any ways prejudicial to the Owners of any Land which shall be Cut or made use of for making the said River Navigable or building the said Granaries Hills or Engines Therefore be it Enacted That it shall and may be lawful to and for the Lord Keeper or Lord Chancellor of England to grant a Commission under the Great Seal of England thereby Authorising Fifteen of the knowingest able Gentlemen of the County of Oxford to be Commissioners to set down and settle what and how much shall be paid for the Lands so to be Cut or made use of and the Moneys to be paid before there is any act or thing done in cutting any of the said Lands so to be made use of And it is further Enacted That any Seven of the said Commissioners shall be sufficient to make or do any act according to Iustice and good Conscience and all Rules Orders Decrees being so made done shall bind all Parties concerned their Heirs all other Persons whatsoever And be it further Enacted That all the Benefit of the said River Sharwell and the Barges and Boats employed thereupon with the Granaries Hills and Engines to be built shall be and enure to the several Companies named in this Act and to their Successors for ever And be it further Enacted That it shall and may be lawful to and for the said Companies and their Successors to put Corn in the said Granaries and the same to be Registred with the Clark of each Company as to the time it was put in and the nature kind and quantities of the said Corn And from and after such time the said Corn is in Granary no Sale Mortgage or Conveyance shall be good but such as is Entered with the Clark of the particular Companies and at the Guild-Hill with the Register there employed for that purpose And in case any of the said Parties dye having Corn in Bank it shall go and enure one Third part to the Midow of the Party deceased the other two Third parts thereof to be dirided share and share like amongst all the Children of the Party deceased only the youngest Child excepted which shall have one share and a half being in most necessity the better to help to breed him or her up And that the Husband is and shall be for ever disabled to make any Incumbrance upon the said Corn in Bank without the consent of his Wife and she joining with him under her Hand and Entred in the Clark of the Companies Book and with the Register at the Guild-Hall then the property of the said Bank Corn shall be legally altered and not otherwise any Law Statute Usage or Custom to the contrary notwithstanding In reading my Book of England's Improvement by Sea and Land you will see the Causes laid open and plain of the decay of Trade and Manufactures in England and the Reasons of the low Rates the things must of necessity be sold for I have already set and appropriated the Clothiers of Worcester the Weavers of Kidderminster and the Cappers of Bewdley to have the benefit of a Granary near Stratford upon Avon Now I am for fixing the several Companies of London who work in the laborious Arts in Granaries upon the River Sharwel near Anslo Bridge in the County of Oxford about seven Miles from Oxford The Arms of the several Companies are in the Map of Rivers in this Book affixed wherein you may plainly see That if the River Sharwel were once made Navigable from Oxford to Anslo Bridge and the Granaries built in that place for the several Companies then all the Rich Corn Countries toward Banbury and Brackley would be on the Back-side of the Granaries and would at all times
the Reasons are inserted how it may be done and the advantage it will be to Trade and the City also The Map is now at Chester in the keeping of the Mayor His Highness the Duke of York was pleased to promise the recommending of it to the Parliament for the making it Navigable And if it were made to Chester Navigable by a new Cut as is in the Map prescribed there would be three thousand Acres of Land gained out of the Sea and made rich land besides the Coles from Aston will be brought to the City of Chester by Water which now are brought by land and all Goods and other things carried and recarried from England to Ireland and from Ireland into England with much less charge than now it is And Dee being made Navigable to Bangor-bridge will be a means to make the River Severne helpful to convey all Goods to London by sending it down the River Severne and up the River Avon and so down the Thames to London whereby much moneys will be saved and Trade advanced The River Dee must be taken up with a very strong Wear over against the Water Gate of the City of Chester and so the River Dee must be carried in a large Cut or Trench through the lands below Alderman Wrights House along the Sands as far as Flint Castle and then dropt by a large Cut into the Deep Water below the Brewhouse There must also be a Cut drawn along the welch shore and so from Aston Pits and dropt into the Main Trench thereby the waste water that comes from the Hills and Mountains will be voided and the Coles that are now carried by Land to Chester will then be carried by water and at least 1000 l. per Ann. saved in Carriage This Trench must be very large that two Ships may Sail one by the other and the Sea Banks must be made very Firm and Strong not upright but very much sloaping There must also be made five very strong Locks or Sluces of Stone which is there very necessary at the end of the Trench This will be done for 15000 l. The River Dee being let down upon a sudden through the great Trench will cause the Sands to fly and deepen the Channel and thereby make the Harbour safe and help to open and deepen the Bar. But it must be done when the Tyde is going out and when the Wind bloweth hard at East with a strong fresh of Water coming off the Mountains The Map discovering the whole Design is hereunto Affixed REader I beg thy pardon if I have kept thee long in reading this Discourse but I hope thou wilt not be angry for when I put Pen to Paper I intended to be brief I know there are many before they have well weighed the Contents of this Book will think that it may much shake their Interests and so will be enquiring after the Compiler and of his Education And how it is possible that one man should know all that is in this Book asserted and will say these are notions of a hot Brain I know others whose Sores are great and Wounds dangerous and desire a cure thereby to live at peace both in their Estates and Persons will be apt to ascribe more to the Compiler than is due For in this Age most of the present humours are to detract and abuse where Interest is pinched or laid open to the World and on the other hand too much to cry up and extol those that expect benefit and relief As to both sorts of Inquisitors I will save them a labour and give them a short Account of my Education and Improvement I was an Apprentice to a Linnen Draper when this King was born and continued at the Trade some years But the Shop being too narrow and short for my large mind I took leave of my Master but said nothing Then I lived a Countrey-life for some years and in the late Wars I was a Soldier and sometimes had the Honour and Misfortune to lodg and dislodg an Army In the year One thousand Six hundred Fifty two I entred upon Iron-works and pli'd them several years and in them times I made it my business to survey the three great Rivers of England and some small ones and made two Navigable and a third almost compleated I next studied the great weakness of the rye-Rye-lands and the Surfeit it was then under by reason of their long Tillage I did by Practick and Theorick find out the reason of its defection as also of its recovery and applyed the remedy in putting out Two Books which were so fitted to the Countrey-mans capacity that he fell on Pell-Mell and I hope and partly know that great part of Worcestershire Glocestershire Herefordshire Shropshire and Staffordshire have doubled the value of the Land by the Husbandry discovered to them See my Two Books Printed by Mr. Sawbridg on Ludgate-hill Entituled Yarranton's Improvement by Clover and there thou maist be further satisfied I also for many years served the Countreys with the Seed and at last gave them the knowledg of getting it with ease and small trouble and what I have been doing since my Book tells you at large And as to any that are my enemies upon the account of this Subject or of such as speak or assert my pains to be to them acceptable both parties are to me a-like I only wish and pray that what is here treated upon may by the Powers above us be seriously considered of and if it be found it tends to the benefit of this present Age and for the good of the Generations to come then let them pursue the ends to bring it to pass If any Gentleman or other please to put Pen to Paper in opposition to what is here asserted I shall give him a Civil return bound up with the Second part where these Seven Heads shall be Treated on 1st Demonstrate and make it appear That England and Ireland are the only Northern-Kingdoms unimproved 2dly Discover That it is a great and wonderful providence of God it is so at this time 3dly Shew how England may be improved in all its parts to Thirty years purchase and how things may be fitted for the doing thereof as also how Ireland may be brought to Twenty years purchase and made as useful to England and of as great strength as Norway is to Denmark 4thly Where Manufactures may be fitted and where setled and how they must be ordered for the benefit of the Kingdom and Trade Universal 5thly Shew how and where all manner of Naval-Stores are to be had and provided at Three fifths they now cost the King with the way means and manner of accomplishing them 6thly How to imploy Six thousand young Lawyers and Three thousand Priests for the good of the Publick and mankind vvho novv have neither practice nor cure of Souls 7thly VVith Observations of the Balance of Europe and of the Publick Banks therein vvith their Use Order Rule and Riches FINIS