free trade-第2章

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So　they　have　Permission　or　Proclamation　Money；　and　Banck　Money；

and　Currant　Money；　and　all　to　draw　dry　the　Currant　of　His

Majesties　Coine。

　　　　And　thus　the　Hepatitis　of　this　great　Body　of　our　being

opened；　&　such　profusion　of　the　life　blood　let　out；　and　the　liver

or　fountaine　obstructed；　and　weakened；　which　should　succour　the

same；　needes　must　this　great　Body　languish；　and　at　length　fall

into　a　Marasmum。

　　　　I　am　not　ignorant　that　there　hath　beene　great　abuse　in　the

culling　of　His　Majesties　Coyne；　here　at　home；　and　in　melting　the

heavy　money　into　plate：　And　that　there　is　a　great　superfluitie　of

Plate　generally　in　private　mens　hands　more　then　is　necessary；　and

farre　beyond　any　example　of　former　times；　which　must　needes　also

cause　scarcitie　of　money：　yet　on　the　other　side　I　cannot　deny；

but　that　it　is　better　to　have　the　same　in　Plate；　as　a　treasure　of

the　Kingdome；　then　turned　into　Coine；　&　so　turned　out　of　the

Kingdome；　by　the　under…value　thereof。

　　　　Now　the　Mediat　or　remote　reasons　of　the　want　of　money　in

England；　are　either　Domestique　or　Forreine。　The　Domestique　are

generall；　or　special。　The　general　remote　cause　of　our　want　of

money；　is　the　great　excesse　of　this　Kingdom；　in　consuming　the

Commodities　of　Forreine　Countries；　which　prove　to　us

discommodities；　in　hindering　us　of　so　much　treasure；　which

otherwise　would　bee　brought　in；　in　lieu　of　those　toyes。　For　now　a

dayes　most　men　live　above　their　callings；　and　promiscously　step

forth　Vice　versa；　into　one　anothers　Rankes。　The　Countrey　mans　Eie

is　upon　the　Citizen：　the　Citizen　upon　the　Gentleman：　the

Gentleman　upon　the　Nobleman。　And　by　this　meanes　wee　draw　unto　us；

and　consume　amongst　us；　that　great　abundance　of　the　Wines　of

Spaine；　of　France；　of　the　Rhene；　of　the　Levant；　the　Lawnes　and

Cambricks　of　Hannault　and　the　Netherlands；　the　Silkes　of　Italie；

the　Sugars　&　Tobaco　of　the　West　Indies；　the　Spices　of　the　East

Indies：　All　which　are　of　no　necessitie　unto　us；　&　yet　are　bought

with　ready　mony；　which　otherwise　would　be　brought　over　in

treasure　if　these　were　not。　A　Common…wealth　is　like　unto　a

family；　the　father　or　master　whereof　ought　to　sell　more　then　he

buyeth　according　to　old　Catoe's　counsell；　Patrem　familias

vendacem　non　emacem　esse　oportet。　Otherwise　his　expence　being

greater　then　his　revenue；　he　must　needs　come　behinde　hand。　Even

so　a　Common…wealth　that　excessively　spendeth　the　forreine

Commodities　deere；　and　unttereth　the　native　fewer　and　cheape；

shal　enrich　other　Common…wealths；　but　beggar　it　selfe。　Where　on

the　contrary；　if　it　vented　fewer　of　the　forreine；　and　more　of　the

Native；　the　residue　must　needs　returne　in　treasure。

　　　　The　speciall　remote　cause　of　our　want　of　money；　is　the　great

want　of　our　East…India　stocke　here　at　home。　Which　is　a　matter　of

very　great　consequence；　and　causeth　the　body　of　this

Common…wealth　to　be　wounded　sore；　through　the　sides　of　many

particular　members　thereof。　For　the　stocke　of　the　East　India

Company　being　of　great　value；　and　collected　and　contracted　from

all　the　other　particular　Trades　of　the　Common…wealth；　and　a　great

part　thereof　having　beene　Embargued　and　detained　now　for　more

then　five　yeeres　last　past；　and　that　not　by　a　profest　Enemie；

against　whom　we　might　have　been　warn'd　and　arm'd；　but　by　a

friend；　a　neighbour；　a　next　neighbour；　one　obliged　to　our　King

and　Nation　more　then　to　all　the　Kings　on　earth：　this　losse　I　say；

is　not　onley　thus　unkind；　but　is　the　more　intollerable；　in　that

the　Common…wealth　hath　lost　the　use　and　employment　of　the　Stocke

it　selfe；　and　all　the　encrease　of　Trade　which　the　same　might　have

produced；　in　the　severall　Trades　of　the　Subjects；　whereby

abundance　of　treasure　might　have　beene　brought　into　this　land　in

all　this　time。

　　　　It　is　said　of　Belisarius　that　Great　and　famous　Commander　of

the　Romanes；　that　even　Rome　it　selfe　owed　to　him　twice　her　life：

and　yet　at　last　was　so　unkinde　to　Belisarius　as　to　put　out　both

his　eyes；　and　exposed　him　to　beg　in　a　little　Cotage　built　without

the　gates；　where　hee　often　repeated　this　sentence　to　those　that

passed　by；　Date　obolum　Belisario；　quem　inuidia；　non　culp

caecauit。　And　certainely　our　Nation　may　challenge　as　much　or　more

of　these　unkinde　friends；　the　Belisarius　ever　did　or　could　of

Rome：　and　they　shew　themselves　no　lesse　unkinde；　to　deprive　us　of

the　light　and　life　of　this　Trade　of　ours；　and　suffer　this　Nation

to　use　so　muc　importunitie　for　their　owne。

　　　　Homer　reports　of　Patroclus；　that　he　would　needs　put　on

Achilles　armour；　and　ride　on　Achilles　horse；　but　Achilles　speare

hee　durst　not　touch；　and　thereby　was　knowne　to　Hector；　with　whom

he　fought；　not　to　be　Achilles；　and　so　lost　his　life。　These

friends　of　ours　have　sometimes　put　on；　sometimes　put　off；　I　had

almost　said；　put　out　the　Kings　colours：　They　have　sayled　in　His

subjects　shippes；　but　that　Histam　fidei　they　have　not　used；　or

abused　rather；　whereby　they　have　beene　discovered　to　the　Indians；

not　to　be　the　subjects　of　the　faith's　Defender；　as　sometimes　they

would　have　faigned；　though　to　an　evill　purpose。

　　　　The　Romanes　were　wont　to　weepe；　at　the　sight　of　Caesars　blood

kept　in　an　handkercher。　Caesars　subjects　blood　is　kept；　not　in

handkerchiefes　but　in　sheetes；　written　within　and　without；　the

memory　whereof　maketh　the　people　mourne。　The　cry　thereof　is　gone

up：　the　King　will　remember　it；　the　King　of　Kings　will　avenge　it。

　　　　Constantinus　the　Great；　the　father　of　Constantius；　was　wont

often　to　protest；　that　he　made　more　account　of　one　Christian　then

of　all　his　Coffers　filled　with　treasure。　And　the　Comfort　of　this

Nation　is；　to　bee　the　subjects　of　such　a　Sovertainge；　who　as

constantly　as　ever　did　Constantinus；　hath　againe　and　againe

profest；　Not　to　account　himselfe　more　rich　or　happie；　then　in　the

prosperitie　of　his　subjects。

　　　　Thus　much　of　the　Domestique　remote　causes　of　the　want　of

money　in　England：　the　forreine　causes　follow。　Which　are　either　in

respect　of　the　warres　in　christendome；　or　the　Trades　out　of

Christendome。　The　warres　in　Christendome　are　forreine　remote

causes　of　the　want　of　money；　either　by　causing　the　exportation；

as　the　warres　of　Christians：　or　hindering　the　importation

thereof；　as　the　warres　of　Pirates。　I　will　take　the　warres　of

Germanie　for　an　urgent　instance　of　the　former：　which　have　raised

the　Riecksdaller　from　two　Markes　Lubish；　to　twentie　markes

Lubish；　in　many　place　of　Germany：　whereby　abundance　of　money　is

drawne　unto　the　Mintes　of　those　Countries；　from　all　the　other

Mines　and　parts　of　Christendome。

　　　　And　for　the　latter；　I　will　instance　the　warres　of　the　Pirats

of　Argier　and　Tunis；　which　hath　robbed　this　Common…wealth　of　an

infinite　value：　the　crueltie　whereof　many　feele　with　griefe；

others　heare　with　pittie；　but　the　grivance　remaine's。　Needs　must

Christendome；　and　in　it　England；　feele　the　want　of　money；　when

either　it　is　violently　intercepted　by　Turkish　Pirats；　the　Enimies

of　God　and　man；　or　the　instruments　surprised；　as　men；　ships；　and

merchandize；　which　are　the　channels　to　convey　it　to　us。　And

heathenish　policie　it　is；　or　hellish　rather；　put　upon　the　Princes

and　people　of　Christendome　by　the　Grand　Seignour；　to　hold　with

them　an　outward　forme　to　amitie；　and　in　the　meane　time　by　his

vassals；　use　a　cunning　and　covert　hostilitie。

　　　　The　other　forreine　remote　cause　of　the　want　of　money；　are　the

Trades　maintained　out　of　Christendome　to　Turky；　Persia　and　the

East　Indies。　Which　trades　are　maintained　for　the　most　part　with

ready　money；　yet　in　a　different　manner　from　the　trades　of

Christendome　within　it　selfe。　For　although　the　trades　within

Christendome　are　diven　with　ready　monies；　yet　those　monies　are

still　contained　and　continued　within　the　bounds　of　Christendome。

There　is　indeede　a　fluxus　and　refluxus；　a　flood　and　ebbe　of　the

monies　of　Christendome　traded　within　it　selfe：　for　sometimes

there　is　more　in　one　part　of　Christendome；　sometimes　there　is

lesse　in　another；　as　one　countrey　wanteth；　and　another　aboundeth：

It　commeth　and　goeth；　and　whirleth　about　the　Circle　of

Christendome；　but　is　still　contained　with　the　compasse　thereof。

but　the　money　that　is　traded　out　of　Christendome　into　the　parts

aforesaid；　is　continually　issued　out　and　never　returneth　againe。

It　is　true；　those　trades　tend　to　an　admirable　encrease　of　the

stocke　of　Christendome　in　wares：　which　if　they　were　purchased

with　the　wares　of　Christendome；　according　to　the　true　nature　of

Commerce；　the　benefit　were　farre　more　excellent。　For　Commercium

is　quasi　Commutatio　mercium；　a　change　of　wares　for　wares；　not

money　for　wares。　And　it　is　Libera　commeandi　facultas；　abiis　qui

merces　ultro　citroque　conuehunt。

　　　　Or　if　the　Common…wealth　of　Christendome　were　like　to　that　of

Utopia；　where　gold　and　silver　are　of　lesse　esteem　then　Iron；　it

were　a　brave　exchange　to　lose　money　to　get　wares。　For　the　riches

of　former　ages　did　not　consist　re　pecuniaria　but　pecuaria。　Whence

pecunia；　as　Plinie　affirmeth；　was　so　called　a　pecude；　quia　pecus

suit　pecuniae　fundamentum；　&　antiquitus　pecunia　pecudis　effigie

signabatur。　But　when　Immooveable　and　Immutable　things　came　also

to　be　in　Commerce　amongst　men；　as　well　as　those　things　which　were

mooveable　and　fit　for　change；　then　came　money　in　use；　as　the　rule

and　square　whereby　things　might　receive　estimation　&　value。

Therefore　the　Civilians　affirme　that　Numus　est　｛Greek　phrase

omitted｝　dictus；　quod　instiutum　sit　Civile。　According　to　that　of

Aristotle。　｛Greek　phrase　omitted｝　Numus　non　est　a　natura　sed　a

lege。　And　thence　it　is　that　money　in　our　tongue　is　derived　of

moneta；　quasi　numi　nota。

　　　　Or　if　there　were　a　necessitie　to　Christendome；　to　use　those

forreine　wares：　or　that　the　meanes　whereby　they　are　to　be

procured；　were　without　the　losse　of　treasure：　or　lastly　that　the

same　tended　to　the　encrease　of　the　treasure　thereof　theexchage

were　excellent。　But　first　there　isno　such　necessitie：　for　that's

necessarie　to　doe　a　thing　without　which　it　cannot　be　done：　And

that's　necessarie　to　the　being　of　a　Common…wealth；　without　which

it　cannot　subsist。　But　thankes　to　God；　Christendome　is　richly

furnished　within　it　selfe；　with　all　things　fit　for　life　and

maintenance：　whether　we　respect　vitall　use；　as　foode　and　raiment：

or　physicall；　as　vegetables　and　mineral：　or　politicall；　as　gold；

silver；　and　infinite　varietie　of　merchandize。　Nor　are　those　wares

procured　without　the　losse　of　treasure；　no　nor　with　lesse

treasure。　For　as　those　wares　have　cost　lesse　in　price；　since　some

late　discoveries；　so　are　they　encreased　in　their　quantities；　by

the　ample　trade　of　all　parts　of　Christendome　thither；　more　then

before：　and　then　who　knowth　not　that　a　lesse　quantitie　deare；　and

a　greater　quantitie　cheape；　is　all　one　in　respect　of　the　value。

Nor　is　the　treasure　lessened　by　changing　the　course　of　trade　into

those　parts。　For　the　new　trades　found　out；　are　furnished　with　a

new　supply　of　money；　and　the　old　nevertheless　issue　out　as　much

treasure　as　before：　by　reason　that　the　same　are　enlarged　and

become　now　as　great；　apart；　as　heretofore　they　were；　together；

when　the　new　trades　were　included　in　the　old。　So　that　now　so　much

more　o