The PRINCE (as aforesaide) is iustly offended, and the Merchant likewise hath laide downe his Griefes. These are the foure sorts of Officers that at­tend on Custome-causes: namely, CVSTOMERS, SERCHERS, COMP­TROLLERS, & SVPERVISORS: amongst whom, if any complain, these last haue no Reason to looke to be pittied. For that, obtruding themselues in­to other mens work, and vndertaking a taske exceeding their skil; as Men in a maze they striu'd to go forward, and in dooing lesse then Nothing, woulde theme to do all. Like ignorant austere Huishers that know no Rules to teach by but beating the Schollers.

But by way of Parenthesis. Let this be worth the noting. How generally iust as consequently true, these ancient Rules of Art, and Assertions of Reason continue and stand, namely, Quàm frustra sit per plures quod fieri debet per pauci­ores. And Institutio ab initio invtilis, ex post facto nunquam convalescit. For, as these Supervisors doubting at the first the skill and good abearing of those they sought to vse, and were to put in trust: and seeing the weake foundation of Comptrollers before them to be but Actum agere, and easily out-fac;t: by their new Accesse, the Seruice grew so violent, so intricate, and withall so out of Order; that the Serchers, who by office as they haue the best meanes to attend vpon Trafficke, so they should by Duty depend vppon the Customers, or con­curre with them at least; leaue them to wilde Company and vnquiet Custom­houses, and swaruing with the ballast inquire out the neerest way to their own priuate profite.

In which Distresse, the Customers in displeasure with the PRINCE; in dis­grace with the world, in the midst of a hungry, lawlesse, ignorant & wilful kind of Men, obtruded vpon them by ialousie and misconceite, that like defectiue Heteroclytes wrangle as it were with the very Rules of Grammer; pittying the Merchant in regard of his Traffick; silently bemoan themselues in this man­ner.

That the meanes to enable them to performe their Duties, aswell Mainte­nance as Countenance, are so with-held from them, that leauing the worlde and all preferments by it, to serue at the Altar, they are not thought woorthie to breath and liue thereby, Their Scruice being euery way like the Bricke-ma­kers of Egypt, who wanting meanes to do their Taske, had ydle Taske-may­sters, to ouer-see but what they wrought, whose Credites had no being, but in their Disgrace.

That the Law it selfe, so good and iust in generall,Ialousie and Suspition out of su­perstitious zeale to Customes and Trafficke, haue ignorantly in all ages so incensed PARLEMENTS against Customers, (without distinguishing the Out ports from London) that of Free-men borne, like Bondslaues, they are beaten to all workes, with theyr hands tide behinde them, and trusted with Nothing. is made hurtfull to the PRINCE in their publique Functions, and iniurious to themselues in their pri­uate Callings. For that whereunto they becom precisely sworn at their Admissions, namely, the aduancement of Customes and consequently Trafficke; the Customers of all Men are forbidden by Statute, to wit, not to meddle or deale with Trafficke, and their Seruice being euery way no thankes to them­selues, is a special Meanes of Mamtenance and Countenance to others. SIC VOS NON VOBIS fertis Aratra Boues, nideficatis Aues,

That they notwithstanding, vnderly all Expences incident to Customs vn­thankfully, which others neuer touch, and for only crying aime, reap thankes and Reward. For (omitting extraordinaries ere they come to their Places) [Page]their Bonds and Sureties for the Princes behoofe and subiection besides, is an vnknowne burthen that the rest little feele.

They also are to hire and finde out at each Port of their charge a convent­ent Custome-house (which the Prince should prouide there as well as at Lon­don) that,No Customhouses, no publick Wharses nor Storehouses builded by the Prince in the Out-portes, as there are at London. alone besides Seats, Tables, Shelues, and other necessarie thinges are hard to be compassed vnder 4 or 5. pound. So that for example, where fiue Ports are in charge, the Head-Customer stands chargeable yearly for fiue Custome Houses with 25. li.

At each of these Houses a discreet and able Person, and of honest educati­on, the Customer is to finds for his owne indemnity, that stands bounde for all. Whereas Any fit the rest,The Farmers by ayming at these pro­portions, finde it by Experience to be most for theer profit. bee they neuer so vntoward. And vnto such, lesse then 100. markes per annum, (to maintaine a Family,) cannot well hee giuen: which fiue all put together, makes 400. pounds a yeare, the head Customer being but doubled according to proportion.

At these fiue Custome-houses what is yearely spent in publicke, for Incke, Parchment, paper, and wax, the Customer supplies, which may amount some yeares to 8. or 10. li.

Besides the hazard of turning vp to London, and putting in of moneyes (be­fore Traffick became farmed) by Bils and otherwise,No Portage Money allowed Custo­mers, in the Out-Ports, as all Col­lectors in Counties haue. beeing allowed no Por­tage Money, as all Collectors els but Customers are, which the Rest breake no sleepe for.

Theirs are also all Expences casuall, and needefull (besides Trauayle for their paines) about sending or riding from Port to Port, aswell by Letters or Directions from the Councell, L. Thresaurer, or Exchequer; as by Processes and Writs, how generally soeuer directed vnto all.

Lastly,The Customers Charge & Expence in pasting Accompts. they put in their Bookes (before the generall Farme) twice a yeare duly to their double charge and paines, which the others did but once with lit­tle or none attendance, leauing stil the Customers so to abide, follow, and pay all Fees and duties, that the best halfe of their owne, if not two parts of three they leafte behinde them, before they came to see their Quietus est, beeing more encombred with the Entries and writings of the Others Bookes then of their owne, which they rather insulted on, then car'd for to mend: colouring their Doings still with the Princes onely Seruice, and vrging all Extremities, cride The Most for the King.

This being the Countenance and Seruice of Customers in the Out-Portes of this Kingdome, slightly runne ouer for breuities sake, together with their charge; now see but their Maintenance, which alone and by it selfe but indifferently waighd, may helpe to excuse them, though the time for the present seeme hopelesse of releefe.

The Fees and Rewards ioyntly to Customers and Comptrollers (the Searchers are allowed the moity of their Seisures) before the generall Farme,The Fees and Rewards to Customers, &c. in the Out-Ports allowed by the Prince. amounted to the sum of 1240, li. little vnder or ouer: whereof the Comptrollers had 340. & the remainder being 900. serud the Customers among them. This 900. di­uided into three parts (as abouesaide) two beeing spent in attending, clea­ring, and passing of Accompts, the remainder 300. is the Customers onely, to maintaine both them and theyrs, and recompence their Bondage, beeing lesse then that Comptrollers haue with all freedome and ease. A Proportion odly euen, and hard to be beleeued without Experience, yet the same compa­red with the late ioynt Supervisors, made a farre stranger reckning. For where the Head Customers beeing in number some 19. diuided amongest them but 300 li. (deductis deducendis as aboue said) and that vpon Acompt to at the years end: These Supervisors in number being but 4. receiued by Debentur at euerie Quarters end, 425. li. which was 1700. li. a yeare for 16. yearee together, without accompt or reckning.

These 4. supposing Trafficke to be some Essex cheese, as it seem'd by they Endeuours, surueighd Her in the Out-Ports by wilde Rats and Mice, and spi­rits of the Aire, and whipt Her vp to London where now She liues confind: and left the Customers like Beares tyde to stakes, sit now for nothing but baiting & [Page]beating, with the onely choise and freedome to statue or liue by shifts. So that the Customers still setuing at the Altar, and yet held vnworthy to breath and liue thereby, their fare growing slender, and their drinke but small and scant, by Cockets, Entries, and ordinary Fees, (as all publicke Offices and officers haue) out of meete necessity and want of Employments, they dippe but their dishes in their Neighbours Cisternes (with good leaue & liking) to quench their thirst, and at noone tide in their Gardens crop a few of their Lockes (with their owne free consents) to keepe them from staruing: and this now addes Oyle to the fire of their Furnace, their breaths are accused to in­fect with their sent and poison the aire, though the rest eate Onions and feed on Garlicke. So that howsoeuer in others it stand with right and reason; That, Volentibus non siunt iniurie, and, Quod Necessitas cogit, The onely motiue of this Abstract. necessitas defen­d [...]t, yet in Customers of all men it becomes a great and a horrible Sin, Burglary at least, complaind of now in PARLEMENTS, and that by Merchants, and those of London too

As if Customers (forsooth) by Companies and Societies, did bandy them­selues, and liu'd by Decrees of their owne contriuings, neither fit nor to bee squared with GODS Lawes, KINGS Lawes, nor TREATISE of Enter­course, had broken into STAPLES, prophan'd our Soueraignes MINTS, transported all his Load-stones (ordaind to draw in BVLLION) turn'd Mo­ney into a Merchandize, vndermin'd the State with Vsurie, and at Mid-night robd a CHVRCH, to keepe GOD from his Duties, and KINGS from their Rights as London Marchants do.

¶ Namely,The Golden Fleece the Order of Ho­nor of the Dukes of Burgundie, by English Wools in Flanders. as if They and none but they (I meane Customers of the Out-Ports, and none but Customers, let others cleare themselues and Lon­don to) engrossing all the Wools and Woolfels of the Kingdome (the wonders of the world, and sometimes Englands glory) and stapling them beyond seas, had made them forraigne Trophees and Ensignes of our shame, without Exchange of BVLLION, like Merchants of the olde Haunce, The Society or Company of Merchants of the Staple. cald Marchants of the STAPLE.

¶ Or, As if they and none but they, being put in trust with the Creame as it were, and Credite of the Kingdome (Cloth) by stapling it beyond Seas at priuate Mart-Townes, had brought our Clothyers to distresse, our Clothes to be despised and our Clothing vnto nothing, at least nothing lesse then Bullion, The Society or Company of Mar­chant-Aduenturers. and turn'd our Customes into Vsury by Hysteron proteron and Billes of Interest which Marchants terme Exchange, as the Marchant ADVENTVRERS were larely wont to do.

¶ Or, As if they (the Customers) and none but they, seeing Trafficke cloath'd in Whites, feed thousands beyond seas, and starue more then Milli­ons, for want of worke at home, had vndertaken to draw her starke naked, from the Lime-kill to the Cole-pit, and by a new Deceptiovisus, The newe Society or Company of March-Aduenturers. turne Cat but in the Pan, and dye her into Motleyes, and neuer thinke of Bullion. As the New March-ADVENTVRERS do beare in hand to do.

¶ Or, Lastly and Instar Omnium, As if they, and none but they, the Out-Port Customers, seeing Trafficke heartlesse, pulselesse, and almost out of breath, like a horse already tired in a weary wilde goase chase, offered to Ranke-riders to be ridden againe in post, without Diet, Drinke or Dressing,The Society or Company of East-In­dia Marchants. had vndertaken in the Indies to barter her for Drugs or pouldre her with Pep­per, or with her owne Blood turne her wholly into Mummey, without regard of Bullion. As the India Marchants do.

Whereby, as in the Empire it fares with Emperors, by Popes and Popery, so with Christian Kings and Kingdomes, by Conclaues and Societies. For, As Honor and Reuerence (the Father and Mother of MALESTY) were brought to offer Sacrifice to REMPHAM and to RIMMON, and MAIESTIES selfe in Emperors compeld to do Homage to their owne Popes and Vassals, by Ex­tremity and Vsury; SOVERA'IGNTY being stript of all her best Subsistence and supplements of Bullion, Money became a Marchandise (ordaind for pub­lique [Page]Vtility (what ere became of Honesty) was turn'd to priuate gaine: So MAIESTY in KINGS becomes to bee ecclipsed in their Kingdomes and Coines; their SOVERAIGNTIES supplanted, and Bounties vndermin'd, (with­out which in SOVERAIGNES no Subiects can be happy) at least wise in Great-Britaine where BOVNTY now commands, and all for want of Bullion. For, as our Staples being transplanted, are still with-held beyond Seas by secular Popes and Popery; Our Out-ports at home beeing like wise brought vnder by Conclaues and Societies; Our Subsidies confounded of Tonnage and Poundage, aswel as our Customes by obstinate Precisenes, and out Trafficke as bewitcht by Auarice and Ambition, confin'd within the Circle of the famous Port of Lon­don (for Greatnesse and wealth,) and there set to sale au plus offrant, made apt to bee coniured: so Our Standarts by Degrees falling out to bee vn­certaine, both in Number, Waights and Measure, and our Monies made a Mar­chandise engrost in few mens hands: all things waxt deere, our KINGS be­came weake for want of Gold and Siluer, their Subiectes poore for want of current Moneyes or Employments at least, whilst Coin it selfe by Vsury, which Marchants tearme Exchange, eates out industry in Trades; and Marchants by Monopolyes conspire to strangle Trafficke within themselues in London, & Lon­don by her Marchants made the Box of Pandora to send forth all the euils that now perplex the Land. And all for lacke of Bullion, which Merchants by their Contracts and Societies peruert, or else withstand by all the means they can.

Yet, these are the Persons that defiling the waters which run down the Thames and slide along our Coasts, choake all our Ports with Oase, beray our clean­nest Riuers, put TRAFFICK to her shiftes, and by daily aspersions fince fault with the Out ports, and accuse the Customers, to excuse themselues; as if none but they were sinners, or that London were a Sanctuary, and none but they were Saints.

For, These are the Men and the Marchants to, that Trade-lesse themselues, and of no Occupations, by Companies and Societies residing still in London, en­grosse all our Trades, and liue by buying and selling: and so by buying as to sell for priuate gaine, that making Money a Marchandise, they raise all their profits still from others Trades and paines, crying Lueri bonus oder est ex quoli­bet qualibet, and preferring euer Vtile before Honestum Qua, nul a permties ma­ior vitae hominum potest afferri.

Yea, These are the persons, that to hold all men vnder, and themselues still aboue, deale wholy out of sight, and with publicke weapons maintaining con­tentions for priuat wrongs, breed nothing but complaints with vnkind iarres at home, and Enuy abroad, to the endlesse care and cumber of KINGS and COVNCELL-TABLES, and PARLEMENTS too. And all for lacke of Staples.

For,Enter-lopers in England, are as Hu­genots in France. These are the Marchants and speculatiue kinde of Men, that seuering themselues from the Body of our Commerce, call all men Enter-lopers that are not of their Conclaues or priuate Common wealths, and liue by their Decrees, thought euery way as Catholicke and as Free-borne an they, and perhaps better Christians, though not so Iesuited. And wandering out of sight, bewitch all they meete with, and were it but possible, woulde seduce the wise, perswading all and euery where, that TRAFFICKE of her selfe is a parillous biting Beast, and that to bring her home againe vnto her owne Creekes and Ports, were to worry our sheepe in Cotsal Groundes, and sinke our ships on Cheuiot Hils that saile on Barham Downes And by a bare pretence of Order still, and orderly transporting the Load-stones of the Lande (without regard of BVLLION) as with a wodden Dagger, stab all they finde or heare of, that write or speake of Staples, for seare of our Nauy, and decay of our shipping.

As, if the cherishing of woods were the way to ruine Forrests, and hide our Timber-Trees. Or, that the raising of our Hiues againe were a consequence in reason to spil all our Hony, and smother all our Bees. Whereas, al Men now perceiue it, and Experience makes it plaine, though Customers holde their peace, that as our Clothyers with their Clothes (such as they are) hauing lost their home-bred STAPLES (& therewithall, their Credits) are forst to come like Pilgrimes, from East, West, North, and South, to one onely Blacke­wel Hall: and there, if not against their Consciences, yet at least without De­uotion, pittifully complaming and bemoaning one another, to stoope to eue­ry Saint, to crouch to euery Crosse, and run into Idolatry: so our Creekes in al our Coasts, creepe now to one Riuer. All our Riuers in our Countries run now to one Port. All our Ports about the Kingdome ioyue now to one Towne. Al our Townes in all our Shires, make nowe but one City. And all our Cities in each Prouince, Metropolitane and all, are but Suburbs as it were, to one vaste, vnweildy and disorderly Babel, that out-swelling all proportions, and in dan­ger like to burst, contests within it selfe about the multitude of Buildings, which the world cals LONDON. And London by her Marchants contracted in her selfe, made a wildernesse of Sinne, and a Forrest of Shifts. Whereby TRAFFICK now confin'd, and euery way possest with Rats and Mice, and spirits of the ayre (of whom as of Harpies may truly be said.

Except it be by PARLEMENT to restaure again our STAPLES, that K. IAMES may finde his Bullion, as K. Edw. sometimes did after 15. yeares experience, and so became most happy, til Marchants got the Helme againe, and Him­selfe out-shot his marke, by transplanting that of Kent from Cantorburie to Calays.

For as London seemes distempered now, and distracted in it self by the mul­titude of people, and magnitude of Buildings; had it all our TEMPLES downe (as indeed it hath our Staples) that men might run on Pilgrimage to the shri­ned Saints of London; as our KING wantes his Customes, so GOD might seeke his Tythes, there or beyond seas, what ere became of Subsidies or Free­wil-Offerings either. And what ere betide of TRAFFICK,Trafficke and Shipping are relatiues. alias SHIPPING for all her Marchants Orders, so seriously pretended; our Iustice Commutatiue might take her Enter-Iopers, enquire for true Religion, learne the way to hea­uen, and take her leaue of LONDON, and ENGLAND too, for all our Faires and Markets, or priuate Parish Churches.

On whose behalfe therefore, without selfe or side Respects, though my Faith be but fraile, my spirits wel-nie spent, and my Credite almost gone, yet doth my vow compell me stil to doe my best endeuour, and to wish and pray for Staples as heartily as I can, for the Consequences sake. But in the mean season, and as the case now stands, seeing all make loue to Tributes still,Al seeke to farme Trafficke, in one thing or other, but care not for Cu­stomers. and catch our Functions from vs, both High and Low, Rich and Poore, Noble and Ig­noble, because their Lessons spell Siluer and Gold, and yet our Names they shun. Let Ialousie bee cald for now, and let Impudency smell what Ignorance hath gained, and Extremity reformed in all the Schooles of Customes, by spel­ling well the Letters, but mistaking the purpose of a witty PREVY COVN­CELLOR, that somtimes gaue aduice in this very case of Ours.Sir Tho: Moores Epigram, de Fa­torib. abolend. Viz.

These as the Obloquies of Customers and Custome-houses scandals, fish still in pudled waters, and calling all things Customes, that indeede are no­thing lesse, prophane the Name of KINGS. These hunt and ferret Trafficke in euery Porte and Creeke, and so tumble and torment her as it were by Commission, to keepe her still from rest: that Shee her selfe complaines now, aswel within the Out-ports, as at euery gate of London.

Whilst the Out-port-Customers, being set to sweepe the Houses that others still defile, and left to feede on Thistles, or to liue by the aire; out of hart, out of Friends, out of Credite and Request, dare finde fault with nothing, but make Signes with their Pens, and write onely, ‘ADSIT REGVLA.’