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 ****** 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.
