free trade-第8章

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Government。　For　those　Strangers　that　have　not　beene　in　our

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

needes　Ex　Ungue　Leonem；　guesse　at　the　Soveraigne　by　the　Subject：

And　like　to　Archimedes　who　drew　the　whole　pourtraiture　of

Hercules　body；　by　his　footstep　onley　found　in　Mount　Olympus；

proportion　the　Royall　and　Regall　Government　of　His　Majestie　at

home；　by　the　deportment　of　his　subjects　abroad。　And　as　the

Orderly　Trade　of　Merchants　is　an　Honour　to　the　King；　when　the

same　is　contained　within　the　listes　of　Government；　so　the

contrary　cannot　choose　but　produce　a　quite　contrary　effect。

　　　　In　point　of　Revenue　the　Kings　treasure　is　diminished；　in　the

Mater　also　and　Forme　of　Trade。　In　the　Matter　of　Trade；　either　in

the　Generall　course　of　Trade；　or　in　some　Particulars。　In　the

Generall；　the　great　want　of　money；　and　decay　of　Trade　throughout

all　callings　and　conditions　of　men；　must　needes　cause　a　great

diminution　of　His　Majesties　Revenue；　both　in　His　Customes　and

Supplies。　For　the　Customes；　those　perpetually　rise　and　fall　with

Trade：　And　for　Supplies；　the　subjects　being　impoverished　through

want　of　Money　and　decay　of　Trade；　are　disabled　to　doe　that

service　to　His　Majestie；　which　otherwise　they　would　be　willing；

and　heretofore　have　beene　able　to　performe；　in　flourishing　times

of　Trade。　And　if　our　experience　hereof　had　beene　in　the　｛Greek

word　omitted｝　and　not　in　the　｛Greek　word　omitted｝；　in　the

Contemplation　only；　and　not　in　Action：　we　had　been　much　more

happy　in　this　Kingdom　and　Nation。

　　　　In　the　particular　course　of　Trade；　it　shall　content　me　to

instance　onely　the　East　India　Action；　and　the　Fishing；　before

referred　to　the　Kings　Honour；　here　to　his　Revenue。　By　the　East

India　Action　there　is　a　very　great　losse　to　the　King　in　His

Customes；　by　the　losse　of　all　the　Customes　which　that　Trade　would

have　produced　in　all　this　time：　and　of　the　Encrease　also　of

Trade；　which　that　employment　had　brought　with　it；　which　would

have　yeelded　to　His　Majesty　a　great　Increase　of　Customes

answerable　to　the　same。　Of　both　which　if　we　had　not　beene

deprived；　certainly　His　Majesties　Ferme　of　His　Customes　had

yeelded　Many　Thousand　pounds　a　yeare；　more　then　now　they　have

done。

　　　　By　the　Fishing；　the　Customes　and　Tolles　which　are　undoubtedly

due　to　His　Majesty　for　the　Strangers　Fishing　upon　our　Coasts；

together　with　the　encrease　of　Trade；　and　consequently　of　Customes

thereby　also；　wold　amount　to　so　great　a　value；　that　I　cannot

wonder　enough；　that　the　same　hath　beene　neglected　all　this　while。

　　　　And　lastly　in　the　Forme　of　Trade；　the　Kings　Revenue　is

mightily　diminished；　when　by　the　disorder　of　Trade；　the　very

course　of　Trade　inverted；　and　therein　the　Kings　Customes　and

Subsidies　also。



Cap。　VI。



Of　the　Effects　of　the　former　Causes　as　they　concerne　the

Common…wealth。



　　　　From　the　King；　come　to　the　Kingdome。　Wherein　there　are　also

manifold　Effects　of　the　precedent　Causes；　both　in　the　Matter　and

Forme　of　Trade。

　　　　And　although　in　the　very　same　things；　wherein　the　Honour　and

Revenue　of　the　King　are　invested；　the　Wealth　of　the　Common…wealth

is　also　interessed；　yet　the　same　may　otherwise　be　distinguished；

that　so　they　may　be　made　the　more　perspicuous　and　cleere　to　every

mans　judgement。

　　　　The　Effects　then　that　arise　out　of　the　Matter　of　Trade　and

fall　upon　the　Kingdome；　may　be　saide　to　be　either　Active　or

Passive。　Active；　when　they　are　done　by　our　Selves：　Passive；　when

they　are　done　to　us　by　others。　Active；　in　the　use　of　Law；　either

Too　much；　or　Too　little。　Too　much；　in　Suits　of　Law；　whereby　one

subject　vexeth　another：　which　make　this　peaceable　Kingdome　seeme

to　bee　at　Warre　within　it　selfe。　For　whilest　men　are　thus　at

Deadly　feude　in　Law；　by　the　losse　of　their　Times；　and　Trades；　and

States；　the　thrift　of　the　Commonwealth　must　needes　be　neglected。

Too　little；　In　the　Non…execution　of　Lawes；　which　tend　either　to

the　enlargement　of　Clothing；　or　the　restraint　of　the　Excesse　of

the　Kingdome。　theformer　is；　either　in　respect　of　the　Ill　searchng

and　Sealing　of　Cloth；　or　in　the　Transportation　of　the　Materials

of　our　Cloth　before　mentioned。　In　the　former　of　these；　the

Merchants　Adventurers　can　give　you　an　account　of　Ten　thousand

pounds　a　year　at　least　losse　to　this　Common…wealth；　by　the　Tare

or　abatements　upon　the　Cloth　in　forreine　parts；　for　the　false

making　and　sealing　thereof：　Besides　the　other　Effects　of　the

decay　of　the　Drapery　it　selfe；　and　other　Trades　depending

thereon；　the　losse　whereof　is　unvaluable。　In　the　latter；　every

man　is　sensible　of　the　losse　to　the　Common…wealth；　in　robbing　it

of　the　Materials：　whereby　not　onely　our　Draperies　are　Impaired；

but　the　Forreine　also　are　thereby　much　Improved。

　　　　Also　the　want　of　restraint　of　the　Excesse　of　the　Kingdome；　in

Usuary　and　Prodigality：　the　one　being　a　Viper　in　a　Kingdome　that

gnaweth　through　the　bowels　thereof：　the　other　a　Canker　that

fretteth　and　wasteth　the　stocke；　in　spending　the　forreine　wares；

more　then　it　venteth　of　our　owne：　both　and　either　doe　produce

intollerable　effects　in　a　wel　ordered　Kingdome　and　Common…wealth。

　　　　Or　Passive；　in　the　ill　Effects　that　fall　upon　the　Kingdome；

in　things　done　to　us　by　others。　And　that　either　by　Friends　or

Foes。　the　former　is　done　by　Imposition；　or　Usurpation。　By

Imposition；　in　the　Merchants　Adventurers　Trade　in　Holland：　where

there　is　lately　taxed　upon　a　Pack　Cloth　9　Gilders；　and　upon　a

long　Cloth　18　Gilders；　and　upon　a　fine　Cloth　14　Gilders；　which　is

18；　36　and　48　shillings　of　our　money。　And　yet　neverthelesse　they

free　their　own　Countrey　Cloth　of　all　manner　of　charge；　nay；　they

give　encouragement　to　the　makers　thereof　by　many　Priviledged　and

Immunities：　whereby　it　is　more　then　manifest　that　they　do　what　in

them　lyeth；　to　Plant　their　owne　Draperies；　and　to　supplant　ours；

to　the　infinit　disadvantage　of　this　Kingdome。

　　　　By　Usurpation；　those　Friends　of　ours；　deprive　us　of　our　East

India　Trade　and　Fishing；　which　here　again　occurre；　and　offer

themselves　for　this　purpose　also。　By　the　former；　the

Common…wealth　hath　not　onley　been　dispossest　all　this　while　of　so

great　a　stock；　as　is　that　of　the　East　India　Company；　but　of　the

employment　and　excrease　of　Trade　also；　that　thereby　in　all　this

time　would　have　accrewed　unto　this　Kingdome。　And　it　is　to　be

feared；　that　their　policy　is　not　onely　to　derpive　the　Company　of

their　Stocke；　but　the　Kingdome　also　of　the　Trade：　which　they

thinke　too　great　and　glorious　a　Fortune　for　this　Common…welath　to

enjoy；　and　the　onley　hope　of　their's。　And　hence　it　is　that　the

Restituion　is　so　hard　to　be　had；　because　they　think　by　detaining

it；　and　spinning　out　the　time；　they　shall　in　time　weary　and　weare

us　out　of　that　Trade：　And　so　in　the　meane　while；　by　Plowing　up

htose　Indian　Seas　and　Soyle　with　our　Heifers；　they　may　at　last

Reape　all　the　Harvest；　and　possesse　and　dispossesse　at　their　owne

pleasure；　to　the　wonderfull　enriching　of　their　Common…wealth；　and

the　impoverishing　of　ours。

　　　　By　the　latter；　to　wit；　their　Fishing　upon　our　Coasts；　the

Common…wealth　looseth　that　which　they　gaine：　which　is　merveilous

increase　of　Trade；　of　Shippes；　and　Marriners。　Whereby　their

Navigation　is　mightily　Strengthened；　their　Marriners　multiplyed；

and　their　Trade　encreased：　Of　all　which　this　Common…wealth　is

deprived；　and　their's　enriched。

　　　　By　Foes　also　this　Common…wealth　is　lamentably　Passive；　in　the

cruelty　done　by　Turkish　Pirats　upon　Men　and　Shippes；　and　Goods。

The　griefe　is　lamentable；　the　losse　intollerable。

　　　　Lastly；　there　are　ill　Effects　that　fal　upon　the　Common…wealth

in　the　Forme　of　Trade：　and　that　in　respect　of　Monopolies；　or

Ungoverned　Trade。　Byt　the　former；　this　Common…wealth　is　deprived

of　that　true　liberty　of　Trade；　which　belongeth　to　all　the

subjects：　when　the　Commodity　of　some　few；　is　preferred　to　the

publique　good。

　　　　By　the　latter；　which　is　most　remarquable　in　the　Trade　of　His

Majesties　subjects　into　the　Domminos　of　the　King　of　Spaine；　and

the　Mediterrean　Sea；　the　Trade　of　this　Kingdome　consisting　in

Bayes；　Perpetuanoes；　Kersies；　Waxe；　Tinne；　Lead；　and　other　the

Native　Commodities　of　this　Kingdome；　is　betrayed　into　the　hands；

both　of　those　with　whom　we　are　in　Amitie；　and　others　that　are

with　us　in　Enmity。　The　one　taketh　advantage　of　our

unmerchant…like　courses　for　lacke　of　Order：　The　other；　of　our

Shippes　sent　foorth　stragling　for　lacke　of　Fleets：　and　both

through　want　of　Government　in　Trade。　Whereby　the　Perpetuanoes　and

other　new　Draperies　have　by　little　and　little　bin　made　worse　and

worse；　so　that　now　they　are　become　quite　out　of　use；　the　Trade

lost；　the　Traders　ruinated；　the　Manufactures　by　other　Nations

supplied；　the　Navigation　hindered；　by　the　losse　of　many　worthy

men；　and　Serviceable　Shippes：　In　all　which；　the　Decay　of　Trade　is

exceeding　Great；　the　Common…wealth's　losse　Infinite。



Cap。　VII。



Of　the　Remedy　for　all　the　former　Causes　of　decay　of　Trade。



　　　　Having　shewed　the　many　and　manifold　Causes　of　the　decay　of

Trade　in　the　Matter　and　Forme　thereof：　It　remaineth　now　to

present　the　Remedy。　Which　according　to　the　precedent　Method；　I

will　apply　unto　all　the　particulers　in　their　order。　Onely　the

Remedies　for　the　Effects；　I　shall　present　in　the　Causes：　for　the

Causes　being　removed；　the　Effects　must　needs　cease；　according　to

the　common　Maxime　in　Philosophy；　Sublata　causa　tollitur　effectus。

　　　　In　my　former　distribution　I　considered　the　Causes　of　the

decay　of　Trade；　in　the　Matter　and　Forme　thereof：　and　in　the

Matter　I　insisted　on　Money　and　Merchandize。　The　Causes　of　the

want　of　money；　I　shewed　some　to　be　Immediat；　some　Mediat　or

remote。　the　Immediat　Causes；　I　noted　to　be　such；　as　either　hinder

the　Importation；　or　such　as　cause　the　Exportation；　and　both　in

the　Under…valuation　of　His　Majesties　Coine。　The　Remedy　offer's　it

selfe；　which　is　double。　First；　how　it　may　be　got：　and　next　how　it

may　be　kept。　The　former　may　be　done　two　wayes：　By　Raising　of　the

Kings　Coine；　and　by　making　current　Forreine　Coines　at　equall

value。　The　latter；　also　may　be　done　two　wayes：　By　another　manner

of　Execution　of　the　Statute　for　Employments　then　heretofore：

wherein　there　is　some　reason　not　to　expresse　my　selfe　as　I　might：

And　by　His　Majesties　Princely　and　Prudent　Negotiation；　with　the

Princes　of　our　Neighbour　Countries；　the　States　of　the　united

Provinces　especially；　to　keepe　a　more　constant　course　in　the

values　of　their　Coines。　Neither　of　which　can　be　done　by　the　Par

of　Exchange；　which　is　now　again　in　agitation；　and　hath　taken　more

then　twenty　yeeres　to　bring　it　to　perfection。　Wherein；　absit

invidia　verbo；　that　I　say；　there　is　neither　Parity；　nor

Purity。For　it　is　not　the　rate　of　Exchanges；　but　the　value　of

monies；　here　lowe；　elsewhere　high；　which　cause　their　Exportation：

nor　doe　the　Exchanges；　but　the　plenty　or　scarcity　of　monies　cause

their　values。　Or　if　I　should　grant　that　to　be　the　cause　which　is

not：　yet　it　doth　not　follow；　that　because　the　Stranger；　like

enough；　would　be　a　deliverer　heere　of　money　at　a　high　rate；　that

therefore　the　English　must　take　it。　And　then　the　consequence　will

be　ill：　for　if　the