free trade-第7章

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whereof　were　before　brought　into　this　Realme　by　Argosies　to　the

encrease　of　forreine　shipping；　and　at　deare　rates：　and　is　now

reduced　to　the　Natives　of　this　Kingdome；　to　the　encrease　of

Shipping；　and　the　benefit　of　the　Publike。　Which　without

Government　and　good　order；　had　been　impossible　for　them　to　have

done。

　　　　The　French　Company　also；　though　but　lately　reduced　to　Order；

have　reformed　many　abuses　in　that　trade；　in　maintaining　the

Native　Commodities　of　this　Kingdome　in　much　better　estimation；

and　in　keeping　the　Forreine　at　moderate　prices：　and　in　employing

greater　shipping；　then　at　any　time　before。　Which　were　impossible

for　them　to　effect　Singly；　without　Societie。

　　　　Lastly；　for　the　East…India　Company；　whereof　I　am　prevented　to

say　what　I　might；　by　two　severall　discourses　published　in　print；

the　one　by　that　worthy　and　rarely　qualified　Gentleman　Sir　Dudley

Digges　Knight；　the　other　by　that　discreete　Merchant　Mr。　Thomas

Mun：　yet　this　I　say；　that　this　Great　and　Noble　Societie　by　the

benefite　of　Government；　hath　set　on　foot　a　bery　mightie　Trade；

farre　beyond　any　other　Company　of　this　Kingdome：　and　accordingly

hath　excelled　in　greatnesse　of　shipping；　and　making　Mariners　of

land…men；　beyond　the　example　of　any　other　Corporation：　&　had　not

Envie　thought　that　Trade　too　great　a　Treasure　for　this　Kingdome

doubtlesse　they　had　in　Encrease　of　trade；　excelled　all　the

Companies　of　Merchants　in　this　Common…wealth。

　　　　But　here　the　ordinary　objection　encountereth　me；　that　in

Germany；　Spaine；　France；　Italie；　and　the　Netherlands；　there　are

no　such　Companies；　nor　restrains　of　Merchants；　as　here　in

England：　and　yet　that　those　Countries　thrive　better　in　their

trades；　than　we　in　ours。　I　answer；　that　if　it　be　granted；　that

they　have　no　such　Companies　nor　restraints　of　any；　and　that　they

thrive　better　in　their　trades　then　we；　yet　it　will　not　follow；

that　this　their　better　thriving　is　because　every　man　is　at

libertie　to　be　a　Merchant　at　his　pleasure。　This　is　the　fallacy

which　the　Logicians　call　｛Greek　phrase　omitted｝；　Non　causa　pro

causa。　For　if　that　were　the　cause；　why　then　should　not　our

Spanish　Trade；　that　hath　no　Company　nor　restraint；　prosper　better

then　the　other　Trades　which　are　Governed　in　Companies；　whereas　to

speak　as　the　truth　is；　This　Trade　&　These　Merchants；　are　the　most

miserable　of　all　the　other　Trades　and　Tradesmen　of　this　Kingdome；

and　all　through　want　of　Government：　thorough　whose　sides　the

Common…wealth　suffereth；　and　hath　already　lost　many　Millions　in

value　of　the　wealth　of　the　Weale…publique；　as　I　shall　shew　anone。

But　to　the　Assumption；　I　deny　that　the　Merchants　of　those

forreine　Countries；　trade　without　Government。　For　Germany　hath

ancietly　had　one　Society；　or　Corporation　of　Merchants　inall　their

Sea…townes；　called　the　Society；　or　Corporation　of　the　Hans　before

noted：　as　their　houses　of　Staple　yet　standing　at　Bridges　in

Flanders；　Antwerpe　in　Brabant；　Novogrode　in　Russia；　Bergen　in

Norway；　and　the　Steelyard　in　London　can　witnes。　Which　Trade　of

theirs　flourished；　as　long　as　it　continued　under　Government：　but

having　lost　their　Priviledes；　partly　by　their　owne　Stragling；　and

partly　being　overtop't　by　the　flourishing　of　the

Merchants…Adventurers　Trade；　their　Trade　is　now　almost　quite

fallen　to　the　ground。

　　　　For　Spaine　and　Portugall：　all　men　know　that　their　Sea　Trade

is　little；　saving　to　the　East　and　West　Indies。　And　those　Trades

are　carried　with　Government；　and　farre　more　restraint　then　ours。

　　　　For　France；　there　are　not　（that　I　know）　any　Companies　of

Merchants　for　forreine　parts。　Which　I　take　to　be　the　cause；　why

those　Merchants　shipping；　is　of　so　small　burthen；　and　of　as

little　sufficiency　for　service。　Which　is　an　effect　of　a　stragling

ungoverned　Trade。

　　　　For　Italy；　that　consiseth　of　so　many　severall　Jurisdictions；

that　it　were　impossible　to　make　a　generall　Corporation　for　any

one　kinde　of　Sea…Trade。　For　example；　were　it　not　in　vaine　for

Genoa　to　make　a　Corporation　&　Orders　for　Trade；　whilest　Florence

held　a　contrary　course？　It　were　certainly　all　one；　as　to　have　a

Company　of　Merchants　for　Spaine　at　London；　and　the　West…parts

left　loose　to　Trade　without　Order　or　Government；　which　were　a

meere　mockery。　But　the　Trade　in　many　parts　of　Italy；　being

carried　by　Families；　and　every　Family　being　as　it　were　one

Person；　there　is　a　kind　of　Government　in　their　Trades；　and　the

same　performed　with　merveilous　credite；　policie；　and　judgement。

　　　　The　Lowe　Countries；　by　that　Union　which　is　of　the　several

Townes　and　Provinces　unto　the　States　Generall　（which

neverthelesse　is　as　much；　and　endureth　as　long；　as　every　severall

Province　and　Towne　listeth；）　have　of　late　yeares　erected　their

East　India　Company；　and　the　like　for　Guiny；　and　are　in　hand　with

the　like　for　the　West　Indies。　Also　the　Cloth…buyers；　the

principall　Merchants　of　Holland；　have　lately　obtained　Octroy　so

termed；　which　is　Priviledges　and　Immunities　of　the　States；　to

assemble　themselves；　and　to　keepe　Courts；　and　make　Orders　for

their　Trade；　and　principally　to　confront　&　oppose　the

Merchants…Adventurers　Trade；　upon　some　differences；　lately　fallen

out　betwixt　those　Cloth…buyers　and　the　said　Company　about　the

residence　before　noted。　For　their　other　Trades　of　Germany；

Poland；　England；　Grance　and　Spaine；　they　rather　with　then　finde

it　possible；　to　joine　the　severall　Townes　in　one　Rule　and　Order。

And　who　so　converseth　with　that　Nation；　shal　finde　that　they　very

much　complaine　of　the　disorders　of　their　Trades；　for　want　of　that

kinde　of　Government；　which　many　of　them　take　notice　of　here　in

England：　and　some　of　them　of　late　have　desired　instructions　from

hence　in　that　behalfe。　Besides　all　this；　these　people　as　they　are

borne　and　bred　in　an　United　Country；　so　doth　their　nature　and

disposition　encline　much　to　an　Union　and　Communion　in　Trade。

Insomuch　as　oftentimes　they　are　able　to　worke　their　feates　by

Confederacy　and　Combination；　against　an　Incorporation　in　our

Nation。　For　they　wisely　consider；　that　their　interest　is　involved

in　the　Publique：　where；　in　our　Nation；　men　commonly　preferre

their　Particular；　to　the　Common　good。

　　　　And　thus　having　and　answering　the　objections　against

Corporations；　of　Merchants　and　Governed　Trades；　and　shewed　the

many　and　manifold　benefits　arising　to　the　Common…wealth　thereby：

It　is　now　easie　to　shew　the　Injury　and　Incovenience　to　this

Common…wealth　by　the　want　of　Government　in　Trade。　Those　that

Trade　without　Order　and　Government；　are　like　unto　men；　that　makes

Holes　in　the　bottome　of　that　Ship；　wherein　themselves　are

Passengers。　For　want　of　Government　in　Trade；　openeth　a　gap　and

letteth　in　all　sorts　of　unskilfull　and　disorderly　persons：　and

these　not　only　sinke　themselves　and　others　with　them；　but　also

marre　the　Merchandize　of　the　land；　both　in　estimation　and

goodnesse：　then　which　there　can　bee　nothing　in　Trade　more

rejudiciall　to　the　Publique　Utility。　And　to　make　good　these

particulars；　I　take　this　for　a　ground：　Nemonascitur　artifex。

Which　as　it　is　true　in　the　occupaitons　of　Artizans：　so　is　it　much

more　true　in　the　Trades　of　Merchants：　wherein　there　is　so　great

variety　of　difficult　points　to　bee　learned；　before　a　man　can

learne　his　Stucke；　as　the　Dutch…men　speak；　or　be　his　Crafts

master。　And　how　can　the　Merchant；　that　hath　no　skill　in　his

Commodity；　looke　to　it；　that　the　Maker　performe　his　part？　Or　how

can　a　falsified　Commodity；　hold　his　estimation　and　use？　The　ill

experience　whereof；　is　not　more　remarqueable　in　any　of　His

Majesties　subjects；　then　in　those　that　trade　into　the　Dominions

of　the　King　of　Spaine；　without　Order　or　Government　in　Trade。　For

at　the　beginning　of　His　Majesties　most　happy　Raigne　over　this

Kingdome；　this　Trade　by　His　Majesties　Princely　favour；　was　made　a

Corporation　and　Society　of　Merchants；　and　flourished　under

Government。　And　then　thenew　Draperies；　and　other　the　Native

Commodities　of　the　Kingdome　were　maintained　in　their　estimation

and　goodnesse　at　Home　and　Abroad：　But　soone　after　by　the　clamour

of　some　who　preferred　their　owne　liberty；　to　the　utility　of　the

publique；　and　by　some　misinformation　given　the　Parliament　of　that

time；　this　Company　after　it　had　flourished　two　years；　was

dissolved；　and　ever　since　exposed　to　confusion　and　disorder　in

Trade；　and　is　become　a　receptacle　and　Rendes…vous　for　every

Shopkeeper；　Stragler；　and　Unskilful　person：　and　may　serve　for　a

lively　representation　of　the　hopes　that　may　be　expected；　by　such

a　loose　trade；　as　many　now　a　daies　so　much　desire；　not　rightly

conceiving　or　considering　the　benefits　of　Government；　nor　the

Inconveniencies　that　doe　perpetually　accompany　trade　in　the　want

thereof。　Which　in　the　Effects　will　be　more　perspicious；　to　which

in　their　Order　we　now　proceede。



Cap。　V。



Of　the　Effects　of　the　former　Causes　as　they　concerne　the　King



　　　　Such　were　the　Causes　considered　in　the　Matter　and　Forme　of

trade。　The　Effects　follow：　which　doe　either　concerne　the　King　or

the　Common…wealth。

　　　　Such　as　are　the　Causes；　such　also　must　needs　be　the　Effects

arising　from　the　same：　and　those　doe　either　respect　the　King　in

point　of　Honour；　or　in　point　of　Revenue：　and　both　in　the　Matter

and　Forme　of　Trade。

　　　　In　point　of　Honour；　there　is　a　relation　to　the　King　from　the

Matter　of　Trade；　considered　Generally；　or　Specially。

　　　　Generally；　in　the　general　neglect　of　all　trades；　by　temerous；

rash；　and　litigious　suites　of　law：　whereby　the　Peace　of　the

Kingdome　is　disturbed；　the　Justice　thereof　abused；　and　in　both

the　King　dishonoured。

　　　　Or　Specially　in　some　speciall　Commerce　of　this　Kingdome；

abused　by　the　Kings　Subjects；　or　Strangers。　By　the　Kings

Subjects；　in　the　Drapery　of　the　Kingdome；　when　His　Majesties

Seale　of　Armes；　which；　as　I　said；　shall　be　dishonoured　by　false

Cloth　and　other　Manufactures；　that　are　unworthily　honoured

therewith：　and　whereby；　those　that　buy　the　same　both　within　and

without　the　Land；　are　perswaded　the　same　is　good　and　true；　when

the　same　is　utterly　false：　which　is　a　great　indignity　offered　to

the　King。

　　　　By　Strangers；　in　the　East　India　Action；　and　the　matter　of

Fishing。　In　the　East　India　Action　certainely　the　Kings　Honour　is

interessed；　not　onely　to　protect　his　subjects　against　the

Injuries　done　them　by　the　Dutch　in　the　East　Indies；　but　also　to

maintaine　the　Glory　and　Revowne；　of　His　Sacred　Fame；　which　hath

heretofore　beene　Illustrious　even　unto　the　Heathen：　which　some

have　dared　to　doe　what　they　could　to　obscure。　The　Fishing　hath

aslo　reference　to　the　Kings　Honour：　for　it　is　a　Royalty　of　the

Crowne；　which　the　King　in　Honour　cannot　but　protect。

　　　　There　is　also　an　Effect　that　extendeth　it　selfe　to　the　Kings

Honour　in　the　Forme　of　Trade；　as　it　is　too　strict；　or　too　loose。

Too　strict；　in　respect　of　Monopolies；　wherein　the　Prerogative　of

the　King　is　abused；　and　therein　His　Honour　also；　by　those　that

thereby　seeke　to　priviledge　and　Patronize　things　unlawfull。

　　　　Too　loose；　in　the　disorderly　Trade　of　the　subjects　out　of

Government。　For　those　Strangers　that　have　not　beene　in　our

Countrey；　nor　seene　the　Order　of　His　Majesties　Government；　must

needes　Ex　Un