A discourse of trade in tvvo parts : the first treats of the reason of the decay of the strength, wealth, and trade of England, the latter, of the growth and increase of the Dutch trade above the English / by Roger Coke.

A DISCOURSE OF TRADE.

In two Parts.

The firſt treats of The Reaſon of the Decay of the Strength, Wealth, and Trade of ENGLAND.

The latter, Of the Growth and Increaſe of the Dutch Trade above the Engliſh.

By ROGER COKE.

LONDON, Printed for H. Brome, at the Gun near the Weſt-End of St. Pauls: and R. Horne at the South Entrance of the Royal Exchange, Cornhill, 1670.

To the great Example of Virtue Sir CHARLES HARBORD. SIR,

IF I could deſcribe Trade in all its excellencies, ſo well as Ben. Johnſon does the mind, and were to preſent it to him who I thought did know beſt how to value it, I would prefer Sir Charles Harbord: For in him beſides a well weighed underſtanding, it will meet with an open and free acceſs (which are the principles from whence Trade is beſt generated, preſerved, and increaſed) conjoyned with ſo even a temper, that he is never moved to judge, or act, but from cauſes before underſtood by him.

This, Sir, is one reaſon why this Treatiſe implores your Patronage; and I wiſh that the ſame method of reaſoning were obſerved in Geometry, Numbers, Divinity, Phyſick, and Natural Philoſophy, as in this Diſcourſe, viz. firſt to eſtabliſh the principles, and by a certain rule to reaſon under them. The principles from which all Learning and Reaſoning are generated Anal. poſt. l 8. c. 32. lib. 12. are three (though Ariſtotle is pleaſed to reſtrain them to two) viz. Definitions, or ſenſible things or actions before known, which cannot be defined; Petitions, and Axioms or Common Notions. Here you may be pleaſed to take notice how by not right underſtanding the nature of theſe Principles, and confounding them, all Learning and Reaſoning in theſe ſtudies is rendred perplexed, difficult, and uncertain, and without any Order or Method; which that I may 〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉 avoid, I think fit here to declare the nature of them, and how they differ from one another.

A Definition is the explaining the name of ſome intelligible thing or act, which may be underſtood, but cannot be the object of ſence, nor can be taken for a Propoſition. Senſible things and actions may be alike known to ſenſitive Creatures, who have like ſences: but definitions are only underſtood by intelligent Creatures, never to ſenſitive. For example, a Man, a Tree, a Horſe, or any ſenſible thing may be alike perceived by all ſenſitive Creatures, who have like ſences. But Father, Merchant, Lawyer, Point-line, &c. may be defined and underſtood by intelligent Creatures, but can never be perceived by ſenſitive. By no power of the underſtanding can any man, negatively void of any ſence, be made to perceive any thing which is ſubject to that ſence. A man negatively blind, cannot be made to perceive things which are only viſible, nor deaf to perceive ſounds which are only audible; and ſo it is of the other ſences. And as in Things, ſo in Actions; carnal copulation, killing another, and taking from another, are ſenſible Actions, and cannot be defined: but Murder, Juſtice, Adultery, Theft, &c. may be defined and underſtood by intelligent creatures, but can never be perceived by the ſences, or ſenſitive Creatures. How much time is loſt, and confuſion cauſed in defining ſenſible things by Ariſtotle, Plato, and our Schools, which every ignorant man knows as much as the moſt learned; and a thouſand times better than all theſe Sophiſters by their contention in them, I leave to you Sir to judge.

To this loſs of time in defining ſenſible things, Ariſtotle and our Schools from him, do not only confound definitions with propoſitions; ſometimes giving a definition the power of a particular propoſition, other times of an univerſal; but he makes a man to be an univerſal propoſition, and the man Callias to be a particular: Nor is Euclid wholly free from miſtaking herein; for he oftentimes confounds definitions with propoſitions, as hereafter ſhall be ſhewed. So as Clavius following the Authority of Aristotle and Euclid, and attempting to Analyſe the Propoſitions of Euclid in a rational method, not only makes the Comment more perplexed and tedious, but not otherways to be done; which is the reaſon he ſays in his Scholium upon the firſt Propoſition of the firſt Book of Euclid, that you muſt take the way he is forced to do, as well as others before him.

2. Petitions are immediate Propoſitions, wherein is propounded ſome certain knowledge, which is either underſtood to be neceſſary in one or more of the definitions, or ſome ſenſible thing or act before known; or 2dly. you require that one or more of the definitions, or acts may be expreſſed, or done by every learner; or laſtly fact or defect may be propounded in one or more of them, which muſt be unqueſtionably true, as it is propounded: Theſe are frequently confounded by Commentators upon Euclid, with Axioms and common Notions. So, Sir, as it is no wonder that no method or rule of reaſoning is obſerved in Geometry, where the principles of it are ſo perplexed and confounded; whereby Urania, ſo far and lovely in it, is ſo clouded, and all ways of approaching her ſo obſtructed; that of ingenious men, who deſire to pay their Oblations at her Altars, not one of twenty can find the paſſage to her.

3. But theſe principles are ſo ſterile, that without the conjunction of a ſuperiour and nobler cauſe they are never impregnated with any new generation of knowledge. Nor can this knowledge be begotten from any leſs power than that which is eternal and neceſſary in all things or actions, as they are propounded. Theſe principles from their excellency are ſtiled Axioms, Dignities, Univerſals, and Common Notions; and though every acquired propoſition hath the authority of a Petition, yet by no learning or reaſon can any Propoſition have the authority of an Axiom.

The principles thus eſtabliſhed, men begin to learn and reaſon, whereby knowledge may be infinitely improved by reaſon, but never the principles; for as Ariſtotle in very many places affirms, they are indemonſtrable, and the intellect without reaſon, is of them, and reaſon is of concluſions deduced from them. Here, Sir, I cannot paſs over the firſt ſtumble which is laid before every learner in our vulgar Logick, which in the firſt page affirms Logick to prove (not the conſequences but) the Principles in its own Science and others too: which is all one, as if one ſays the conſequences (which muſt ever be proved by the premiſſes) go before the principles, and the principles and premiſſes come after the conſequences and concluſions. So as not only all rules of reaſoning are hereby inverted and deſtroyed, but the authority of Ariſtotle contemned, who as I remember, in 16 places of his Analyticks, and frequently in his Phyſicks, Metaphyſicks, Topicks, and Ethicks, affirms the principles of Science to be indemonſtrable; and that reaſon is of Science, and demonſtrable: And ſure it is great pity none of the Rabbines correct it: though from no learning or authority of Ariſtotle or our vulgar Logick was ever any progreſs of knowledge in any one propoſition acquired or heard of, I am ſure not by me.

Theſe principles thus eſtabliſhed, this method or rule muſt be obſerved in the generation of knowledge. One or more of the definitions, or things, or actions before known (which are termed the ſubjects of the propoſition) muſt be aſſumed in every ſcientifical propoſition, either ſimply or conditionally, wherein either ſome thing or act is propounded to be done (which is termed a Problem) which was not before known in any of the petitions or demonſtrated propoſitions, or ſome new knowledge in the Subjects propounded (which is termed a Theorem) which was not before known: & in the demonſtration of this thing to be done or knowledge to be underſtood (which are termed the Queſtions of the Propoſition.) The major propoſition muſt be an Axiom, the minor propoſition ſo made up of the Petitions, and before demonſtrated propoſitions, and the Hypotheſis, if the Subjects be conditionally aſſumed, conformable in all parts to the major propoſition, that the affirmation or queſtion of the propoſition, or the contradiction, if the demonſtration be negative, may flow into the concluſion.

Here, Sir, be pleaſed to ſtay a little, and behold rational knowledge thus begotten, how fair and lovely ſhe is in her pure and ſimple nakedneſs! how pleaſant and eaſie are her ways? and how excellent and noble is her extraction? deſcended from eternal cauſes: begotten by a mind ſo pure, as partakes not any affection of any ſenſual appetite or paſſion: Her ways all plain and before known, and may be apprehended as well by youth of both Sexes as men of riper years. Nor does knowledge thus begotten by the mind die with the body; but though ſhe be the daughter of time, remains an eternal monument of the minds excellency, being ſubject to no alteration, wrimple, or decay by any power of time or fate. Oh Divine knowledge! how is thy excellency impoſed upon by Price, Affectation, Vain glory, and hard Words? How are thy ways obſtructed by Faction, Prejudice, and Selfintereſt? Whilſt thy glorious beauty is never conſpicuous, but by denying theſe, and frequenting the humbleſt paths.

If, Sir, I have more than becomes me inſiſted upon your patience, I am ſo far from excuſing my ſelf herein, that I acknowledge I have ofter before done it, with this advantage to my ſelf, that as well in this as many other things I have had the honour to be confirmed by your more diſcerning Judgment. This Treatiſe therefore preſumes to inſcribe your Name, whereby it well hopes to be enlivened when its own little worth ſhall find no other Monument: ſo, Sir, I deſire you to entertain a belief of me, that no man more truly honours you, or wiſhes you more happineſs than,

SIR, Your moſt devoted and obedient Servant Roger Coke.

PREFACE TO THE READER.

GOD hath endued other Creatures beſides Man The Nature of Man. with Senſe, Appetite and Fear; ſo as excited by their Appetite, and directed by their Senſes, without any ſubordination of one to another, they purſue and attain thoſe things, which Nature had before provided for their ſubſiſtence; and prompted by their innate impulſe of fear, they avoid and flee from thoſe Creatures and things, which are Enemies and hurtful to them. But the caſe is otherwiſe with Man, for God hath endued him with a Higher and Nobler Faculty of Soul, in giving him underſtanding, which by Reaſon, not Love, Hatred, Fear, or Deſire, Governs all his Actions: for where theſe or any of them prevail, thoſe men never underſtand, judg, or act aright. And Men, not as other creatures, live in Society and Subordination. So that under the Laws of God, and their Superiors, men eat their bread in the ſweat of their brows. Nature of her own accord hath ordained ſubſiſtence neceſſary for other creatures: Where as though God hath made all things for the uſe of Man, yet nothing is uſeful to Man (pure Water, Milk, and ſome of the fruits of the earth in their ſeaſons excepted) but as it is prepared by Humane Art and Induſtry. While other Creatures live free and Independent from one another, only Man ſtands in need and help of another: And therefore where things are beſt prepared for Humane neceſſities and convenience, there Neceſſity of Trade. men moſt reſort: from whence Humane Society, Induſtry and Civility, is improved above thoſe places where theſe are not, and men but few.

And this is ſo well underſtood, that Trade is now become the Lady, which in this preſent Age is more coúrted and Celebrated The excellency of Trade. than in any former by all the Princes and Potentates of the World, and that deſervedly too; For ſhe acquires not her Dominion by the Horrid and Rueful face of Warr, whoſe footſteps leave ever behind them deep impreſſions of miſery, divaſtation, and poverty, but with the pleaſant aſpect of wealth and plenty of all things conducing to the benefit of Humane life and Society, accompanied with ſtrength to defend her, in caſe any ſhall attempt to Raviſh or Invade her.

Take an Inſtance or two herein. When the United Netherlands made their defection from the Crown of Spain, Spain was in its greateſt height and riches; after ſome Commotions, ten of the Provinces did either return or were ſubdued to the Crown of Spain; yet the other ſeven for neer 40 years together, by Warr and Policy maintained themſelves againſt all the Power of Spain, untill the charge became ſo inſupportable to the Crown of Spain, that Philip the Second, about the year 1607. was forced to ſeek a Truce from the States, and afterward in the year 1648. Philip the Fourth a Peace. Yet all this Warr was maintained by theſe States purely upon the account of Trade, and that Forein; for other means all the World knows they had none: And though they were conſtantly aſſiſted by Queen Elizabeth and the French Kings ſucceſſively, yet were all the Forces of England and France as conſtantly paid by the States. In our late Warrs with them, notwithſtanding the extraordinary ſupplyes imployed upon that occaſion, and the loſſes ſuſtained by the Dutch incomparably more than were the Engliſh, yet this Nation by experience found, that the Dutch upon the Account of their Trade ſupported the Charge of the Warr againſt all difficulties. The Bounds ſet by Warr are Towns, Forts and Caſtles, whereas neither Land nor Ocean put any Period to the Juriſdiction of Trade.

The Engliſh and Dutch have of late by a furious Warr contended who ſhould enjoy her, but whileſt theſe Covetous Combatants contend ſo fiercely for her, the French King by all the Modes of France Courts her for himſelf; yet this, though Covertly carryed, was perceived by ſome of the jealous Combatants, who had rather enjoy her, neither can tell how, than wholly loſe her to their Powerful and Courtly Neighbour.

But Warr is not the Mean by which this Lady may be won; for though ſhe be pleaſed to be Guarded by Arms, yet will ſhe never admit to be governed by them; therefore if either Engliſh or Dutch had ſubdued other; yet ſhould not Trade have longer continued with either, than men obſerve the Rules and Method by which it may be advanced more than in any other Place, which hath equal conveniences.

If this Lady were to chooſe an habitation in all the known World, ſhe could not find any ſo capable of her reception as England, (I had almoſt ſaid and Ireland) whether it be in regard of the Multitude, Excellency, and Conveniency of our Ports: Abundance of Wool better than in any other place of the World, but Segovia, and from us they had it: Cattle of all ſorts equal, if not ſuperior to any other place: More Horſes, and more ſerviceable in Trade than any where elſe: Timber for ſhipping the beſt in the World: Lead, Tin, Seacoal, and Fullers Earth, not to be found out of England, ſo much, or ſo Good: and capable of all other things but Wines, (and we were better without them) which may any ways conduce to the ſupplying the neceſſities, or adorning the convenience of Humane life, equal with any other place. The Coaſt enriched with a ſhore more worth than the King of Spains Weſt-Indies: The Inhabitants ſtout and valiant, accompanied with a lively wit and healthful conſtitution, and generaly diſpoſed to her ſervice.

One would think it ſtrange (I might ſay monſtrous) that the Dutch Nation, who are denied theſe advantages, and are of a more dull and heavy conſtitution than the Engliſh, ſhould out-wit us in that wherein God and Nature have given us all the Prerogatives we our ſelves can deſire. But we undo our ſelves by baniſhing this Lady we ſo deſire and contend for; ſhe is already ſo farr withdrawn, that we neither know where to find her, nor much better how to recover her.

Though this beloved Lady is become very Coy to us by Land; yet in reaſon we hope to prevail upon her by Sea. In our application we tell her, the Swelling Ocean every day beats round about our Shores, to invite us to the enjoyment of her; and that by a long and uninterrupted ſeries of Ages we have been poſſeſſed of her before ever the Dutch Government was formed into States.

We have moreover in the year 1662. contributed ſeveral conſiderable ſums of Mony toward the Advancement of the Fiſhing Trade; but how the Monies have been diſpoſed of, and whether the Monies Collected be not yet in the Collectors hands unaccounted for, may be worthy Conſideration; eſpecially conſidering how great a diſcouragement it will be to all Publique undertakings, when ſuch benevolences are diverted from their deſigned end.

Many men not underſtanding the Reaſon of this Ladies ſtrangeneſs to us of late, have aſcribed it to two cauſes, viz. that we Import more than we Export; and that men generally live above their Eſtate; but neither of theſe, though true, are Reaſons of the decay of Trade; for the Dutch we ſee Import all, yet thrive upon Trade, and the Iriſh Export eight times more than they Import, yet grow poorer. And Trade if it be well managed, no where thrives better than where men ſpend above the ordinary means of living.

We have loſt the Trade upon the matter by Sea and Land at home; but before we demonſtrate from what cauſes, or propound any Expedients by which we may be relieved, let us ſee how it ſtands abroad: We have loſt the Trade to Muſcovv, and ſo have that to Greonland, the Trade to Norway poſſeſſed by the Norwegians, and the Reaſons given in to the Parliament laſt Seſſions: The Trade to Guinney driven by a few, and excluſive to other men: The Spaniſh and Turkey Trades abated, and in danger: So that unleſs it be in the French and Canary Trades, wherein we undo our ſelves, we are making haſt to betake our ſelves to our Plantations only, yet ſhall not be long able to continue that Trade for want of ſhipping.

It is true indeed, that England of late under King James, By what accident England of late became ſo rich. but more eſpecially under King Charles did flouriſh by Trade, and was more Rich than any other Kingdom in theſe Weſtern Parts of the World; but this was by an Accident of the Times, not to be again hoped for: For the Auſtrian Family under Maximilian the Second, and Philip the Second, attained to that Power and Riches, when the Netherlands made their defection from the Crown of Spain, that it was not only formidable to the Great Turk, but to all the Chriſtian Princes of Europe; Queen Elizabeth therefore and the French Kings ſucceſſively openly aſſiſted them in their defection: But Philip the Second dying, and Queen Elizabeth ſoon after, King James and Philip the Third, in the beginning of their Reigns made Peace, which continued neer 40 years with little Interruption. During which the Warrs continued between the United Netherlands and Spain, with little Intermiſſion; whereby the Engliſh became Proprietors of the Trade with Spain, and by conſequence great ſharers in the Wealth of the Weſt-Indies. And this Benefit moreover the Engliſh reaped by theſe Warrs, that the Merchant ſupplied the Spaniſh Netherlands with Commodities; and both Spaniſh and United Netherlands were ſupplied with Souldiers from England, whereby many of them on both ſides, eſpecially Officers acquired much Wealth.

But the Nation, not content to enjoy Peace, Riches and Plenty From what cauſe it loſt its Riches. above any other Nation, brought upon itſelf all the miſeries and Calamities incident to a Civil Warr, ſo that Regal Power, as to the exerciſe of it, for neer 20 years together was ſuſpended; during which, in the year 1648. the Dutch made Peace with Spain, and Oliver in the year 1654. brake with it (which was a folly never to be forgiven in his Politicks, nor the loſſes this Nation ſuſteined thereby, ever again to be repaired) whereby the Condition of the Engliſh and Dutch in reference to the Trade with Spain became quite inverted; and this continuing neer ſeven years, the Dutch are ſo good Maſters of Trade, that little hopes is left the Engliſh of Enjoying it as before.

From hence it is, which being paſt cannot be helped; and for the Reaſons in this Diſcourſe which may be helped, and for other Cauſes which only God in his goodneſs can help: From hence it is, I ſay, that this Kingdom becomes decayed in Trade, and muſt every day degenerate into worſs, unleſs ſome ſuch Reformation be made, with Gods great bleſſing upon it, as may uphold the Riches and Glory of it.

REASONS OF THE DECAY OF THE Engliſh-Trade. PART. I.

Definitions.

What is Trade?

Def. 1. Trade is an Art of Getting, Preparing, and Exchanging things Commodious for Humane Neceſſities and Convenience.

Annot. So as Trade happens three ways. 1. By acquiring, or getting things commodious, which are called Growths. 2ly, By Preparing them, which are called Manufactures. 3ly, By Exchanging theſe Growths and Manufactures for Mony or other Growths and Manufactures.

And Trade is twofold, viz. Native, and Forein. 1, Native when the Growths or Manufactures are got, Prepared, and Exchanged upon the place. 2ly, Forein, when Growths and Manufactures are exchanged in Forein Places.

What is Mony?

2. Mony, is the Standard by which all things in Trade are valued.

What is Navigation?

3. Navigation is an Art of Conveying things upon the Body of the Waters from one place to another.

Who are the Dutch, intended in this Diſcourſe?

4. Thoſe who are ſubject to the States of the Ʋnited Netherlands.

Who are the Engliſh?

5. Thoſe who are born in Subjection to the Crown of England.

Who is a Dutch Merchant?

6. One who Trades under the Protection of the States of the Ʋnited Netherlands.

Who is an Engliſh Merchant?

7. One who Trades under the Protection of the Engliſh, and born in Subjection to its Crown.

Who are the Dutch States?

8. They who govern Trade in the Ʋnited Netherlands, and all places ſubject to them.

Who are the Council of State in England?

9. They are thoſe Perſons with whom the King pleaſes to Adviſe and Conſult in State Affairs, where no Proviſion is made by Municipal Laws.

What are Corporations in Trade?

10. They are men, who in Trades where they are incorporated by Civil Power, exerciſe thoſe Trades excluding all others.

Memorand. It is lawful to aſſume all things and places in Trade, under thoſe names, by which they are uſually called.

Petitions.

Pet. 1. The Dutch freely entertain men of all Nations in Trade, and grant them equal Priviledges with the Natural Dutch.

Pet. 2. The Engliſh Nation conſumes all the Commodities of France imported into it.

Pet. 3. The French Commodities Imported into England do Exceed in Value the Engliſh Commodities Exported into France.

Annot. Mr. Fortrey, a Gentleman of the Kings Privy Chamber, in his Treatiſe of England's Intereſt and Improvement, pag. 22, ſays, That the exceſs is above 1600000 l. a year, which did appear to the now King of France upon a deſign he had to forbid Trade between England and France; and gives the Particulars, pag. 22, 23, 24. whereupon the King of France finding how much it would prove to his loſs, to forbid the Trade, laid it by, but raiſed the Cuſtom of ſome of our Engliſh Commodities, whereby the vent of them is much hindred.

Pet. 4. England, before it had the acceſſion of our American Plantations, wanted men to Improve the Growths and Manufactures of it; and alſo the Fiſhing Trade.

Annot. Sir Walter Rawleigh takes notice in his obſervations upon Trade, which he dedicated to King James, that this Kingdom, in 55 years loſt above 25 Millions of Pounds, beſides other incredible advantages, which would have accrued to this Kingdom in Strength and Trade by the Dutch Dreſſing and Dying our White Clothes. I will not diſpute, whether it had been good policy to have reſtrained the Exportation of our White and Undreſt Clothes: I only affirm that England could have better and cheaper Maintained and Imployed thoſe men in Dreſſing and Dying them, than Holland and Amſterdam, having no exciſe upon our Commodities, and Fullers Earth better and cheaper than in the United Netherlands. Beſides England could then better and cheaper have maintained all thoſe men, who in the United Netherlands ſo much deſired our Wooll, Lead, and Tin, in their Manufactures.

Sir Walter Rawleigh further takes notice that in four Towns in the Eaſt Countries, whithin the Sound, Queenſborough, Elbing, Statten, and Dantzick, were yearly vented, between 30 and 40000 laſt of Herring by the Dutch, at 15 or 16 l. the laſt, which amounts to 620000 l. and by us none.

To Denmark, Sweden, Lifeland, Rivel, Narne, and other Ports within the Sound, there are Carried and vented by the Dutch above 10000 Laſt of Herrings at above 15 or 16 l. the Laſt, which amounts to about 170000 l.

Into Ruſſia the Dutch ſent about 1500 Laſt of Herrings, ſold at 30 s. the Barrel, which amounted to 27000 l. and we about 20 or 30: I am ſure we ſend none now.

To Stoad, Hamborough, Bream, Embden upon the River Elb, Weaſer, and Embs, were carryed and vented of Fiſh and Herring 6000 Laſt, which at 15 or 16 l. by the Laſt amounted to 100000 l. by us none.

To Clevleand, Gulickland, and to Germany up the Rhine and Maine, were vented by the Dutch 2200 Laſt of Fiſh and Herring ſold at 20 l. the Laſt, which comes to 44000 l. by us none.

Up the River Maze, Leigh, Moſtrick, Vendlow, Zutphen, Daventer, Campen, Swell, and all over Lukeland, is carried and vented 7000 Laſt of Herring by the Dutch at 140000 l. by us none.

To Roan were carried 5000 Laſt of Herring by the Dutch, and ſold at 20 l. the Laſt, which came to 100000 l. by us not 100 Laſt.

To Gelderland, Artois, Henalt, Brabant, Flanders, were carried between 8 and 9000 ſold at 18 l. the Laſt, which came to 171000 l. by us none.

Sir Walter Rawleigh left out Spain, and France, except Roan, and the Dutch Trade of Fiſh into the Streights, and what they conſumed among themſelves, which Queſtionleſs was and is now very conſiderable; yet were all theſe Fiſh caught upon our Coaſt, and no queſtion, if we had, had the Hands, we might much better and cheaper have maintained them, and caught, and cured them, having many more, and much better and more convenient Ports than they.

Pet. 5. Mony is a convenient mean to improve Trade.

Pet. 6. Forein Trade is the only mean to Inrich this Kingdom.

Pet. 7. Multitude, and Concourſe of People, Advance Trade.

Pet. 8. Scarcity of People Diminiſh Trade.

Pet. 9. The Law againſt Naturalization permits no man of any other Nation to have equal Freedom and Priviledge in Trade, with the natural Engliſh.

Pet. 10. The Law of Navigation Intituled, Shipping and Navigation Encouraged, made 12. Car. 2. 18. and continued, 13. Car. 2. 12. reſtreins the Engliſh in Navigation to Ships Engliſh built, and to be ſailed by 3/4 Engliſh; and Forein Commodities to be Imported by Engliſh in Shipping ſo built and ſailed, and to the Natives of the Place.

Pet. 11. The rents of Lands are valuable, as the Trade of the Place is.

Pet. 12. Stock is a convenient mean to advance Trade.

Pet. 13. Men are neceſſary to improve Trade.

Pet. 14. Timber is a neceſſary mean to build Ships.

Pet. 15. Ships are neceſſary means in Navigation.

Pet. 16. The Timber of England was wanting even before the Act of Navigation, made 12. Car. 2. 18. and confirmed 13 Car. 2. 14. this appears by the Acts of 35. H. 8. 17. and 35. El. 11.

Pet. 17. The means ordained by the 1. Eliz. 13. and 35. El. 11. to ſupply the Timber of England before wanting and decaied is interrupted by the Act of Navigation.

Pet. 18. Before the Act of Navigation, we wanted Shipping: this appears by the title of the Act, which is an Act for the encouraging and encreaſe of Shipping and Navigation; for if we had not wanted Shipping, the encouraging and encreaſing thereof, had been vain and ſuperfluous.

Pet. 19. The loſs and decay of the Ships of England muſt not in Navigation be ſupplied by acquiring any Forein built Ships; for by the Act of Navigation, if any Engliſh man Trades in any Forein built Ship to any of our Plantations, or to any Port of England, or Ireland, it is Forfeit, Ship, Goods, Guns, Tackle, and Ammunition.

Pet. 20. Navigation is the only mean of vending our Growths and Manifactures, in Forein Trade unleſs it be into Scotland.

Pet. 21. The Act againſt the Importation of Iriſh Cattel made, 18. and 20. Car. 2. cap. 1. hath abated the Trade of England; with Ireland for Beer, Hops, and Bills of Excharge, for Money, all ſorts of Hats, and Stockings, Cloth, and Stuffs of all ſorts, Victualing Ships of all, as well Forein as Engliſh. &c.

Pet. 22. All the Canary Wines Imported into England are conſumed in it.

Pet. 23. The Canary Wines Imported do exceed in value the Engliſh Commodities Exported into the Canaries. I cannot exactly compute the exceſs; but have it from good hands, that the Canary Wines yearly Imported are about 13000 Pipes, which are valued at 20 l. the Pipe, which amounts to 200000 l. yearly; and that our Commodities Exported do not neer amount to ¼ ſo much in value: before we did exceed ſo much in drinking them, we Imported them at 10 l. the Pipe, and Traded to the Canaries only upon the account of our Commodities in Barter for the Wines.

Actions or Common Notions.

1. Where the means of Improving any buſineſs are wanting, that buſineſs will be ſo much diminiſhed, as the means by which it might have been ſupplied are diverted.

2. Where any thing is wanting and decaied, that thing will be ſo much diminiſhed, as the means of ſupplying it are interrupted.

3. If the means of doing any thing be wanting, that thing will be ſo much hindred, as the means are diminiſhed.

4. The doing of things will be ſo much hindred, as the means of doing them are hindred.

5. Every thing will be ſo much diminiſhed, as is abated of it.

6. Any buſineſs will be ſo much hindred, by how much the means of improving it are excluded.

7. Where the conſumption of things imported, does exceed in value the things Exported, the loſs will be as the exceſs is.

Prop. 1. Theorem. 1.

The Trade of England, and the Fiſhing Trade, are ſo much diminiſhed, by how much they might have been ſupplied by thoſe men who are diverted in our American Plantations.

Subjects. The Trades of England, and the Fiſhing Trade.

Queſtion. Whether they be ſo much diminiſhed by how much they might have been ſupplyed? &c. I ſay they are.

Ax. 1. For where the means of improving any buſineſs are wanting, that buſineſs will be ſo much diminiſhed, by how much the means, by which it might have been ſuppliep, are diverted.

Pet. 24. But men are neceſſary to improve Trade.

Pet. 25. And before we had our American Plantations, we wanted men to improve the Trade of England, and the Fiſhing Trade.

Therefore the Trade of England, and the Fiſhing Trade, are ſo much diminiſhed, by how much they might have been ſupplyed, by thoſe men who are diverted in our American Plantations. Which was to be demonſtrated.

Corollary. 1.

By the ſame reaſon the Trade of England, and the Fiſhing Trade, are ſo much more diminiſhed, by how many men are diverted from ſupplying them in Repeopling Ireland, ſince the Late Maſſacre and War there.

Corollary. 2.

By the ſame reaſon the Trade of England, and the Fiſhing Trade are yet ſo much more diminiſhed, by ſo many men, as extraordinarily died in the late great Plague. 1665.

Annotations upon this Propoſition and the two Correllaries.

Before we had our American Plantations, the Coaſts of England were in a convenient manner Planted; and the Multitudes of Inhabitants in England ſuch, that in the 2. and 3. Ph. and Mary 3. the Parliament taking notice that a great number of perſons within the Realm, had laid their Lands, Farmes, and Paſtures, to Feeding of Sheep, Oxen, Runts, Schrubbes, Steers, and Heifers, and ſuch like Cattel, having no regard to breed and rear up young Beaſts and Cattel, whereby was grown great ſcarcity of Cattel, and neceſſary victual for ſuſtenance of divers ſorts of People within this Realm, and more like to be if ſpeedy remedy were not provided, therefore ſeveral proviſions were made for breeding and rearing of Cattel.

Experience had made tryal and proof of the goodneſs, of this Law, to be very beneficial and profitable to this Realm; and therefore in the 13. El. 25. it was made perpetual; and as a very profitable Law the Act of 7. Jac. 8. makes it to extend to grounds which were ſince incloſed or hereafter ſhould be incloſed.

Before the Dutch became States, or when at leaſt they were but The Poor Diſtreſſed States, beſides our ſtaple at Antwerp we had the ſole Trade into Muſcovy, Turkey, and up the Elb whereby Germany, Denmarks, Jutland, Holſtein, &c. were ſupplyed with our Cloth and Wollen Manufactures. We did moreover ſupply Muſcovy with Fiſh, and in a conſiderable meaſure, France, Spain, Italy, and ſeveral parts of the World within the Streights.

And for the further encouragement of the Fiſhing Trade, and for the preſervation of the breeding of Cattel; In the 5. Eliz. 5. It was ordained that Wedneſday, as well as Friday, and Saturday, ſhould be obſerved as a Fiſh day within this Realm, upon pain that every perſon offending, ſhould for every time he or they ſhould offend, forfeit 3 l. or ſuffer three Months Impriſonment without Bail or Mainprize, and every perſon, who was knowing thereof, and concealed it, for every ſuch offence ſhould forfeit forty ſhillings, which Act yet continues in force, but only the Penalty of eating. Fleſh upon Fridaies, Saturdaies, and Wedneſdaies is reduced by the 35 Eliz. 7 to twenty ſhillings, and the concealing of it by any Perſon, knowing it, to ten ſhillings.

Conſequences of this Propoſition and the two Corollaries.

After our American Plantations became peopled by us, the Dutch began to partake with us in the Turks and Muſcovy Trades; our Staple at Antwerp diminiſhed in a very great meaſure, to intend the Trades to our Plantations, we neglected the Fiſhing Trade, whereby (except the Trade of red Herrings, which cannot be cured by the Dutch) the Dutch in a manner became ſolely in a ſhort time poſſeſſed of it, and thereby have accquired this incomparable advantage above us in the Trade of our Plantations; that as we imploy only our ableſt men in trading to them, who in the diverſity of Clime and Diet are very ſubject to Diſeaſes and Mortality; and leave the impotent Women and Children at home without imploiment; they imploy three times more men in the Fiſhing trade, and four times more to the benefit of their State, and alſo all manner of impotent People, Women, and Children; and have this advantage above us in time of War as well as Peace, that all hands imployed in the Fiſhing Trade are at home, and ſerviceable when they are at War; whereas the Inhabitants in our Plantations are of no uſe or benefit to us in War, which was very apparent in our late War with them.

The Coaſt of England (which ſhould be the Glory, Strength, and Ornament of an Iſland) in peopling of them, and loſs of the Fiſhing Trade, ſoon became decaid; nor was there, or now is there, as the caſe ſtands, any poſſible relief herein; for neceſſarily ſo much as is taken from any thing, ſo much leſs will be left; and the law againſt Naturalization debarring a future ſupply, the Addition of our Miſeries in the Maſlacre of Ireland and the late great Plague, the ſupplying Ireland hath not only rendred the Coaſt deſolate; but the Country too becomes thin and uninhabited: From whence notwithſtanding we obſerve none of the Fiſh-daies (which were above half the year) enjoyned by the 5 Eliz. 5. nor the ſeveral Laws made by King Philip and Mary, Queen Elizabeth, and King James, for breeding of Cattel, and have excluded the Kingdom of Ireland from trading with us in Cattel, yet our Markets are plentifully enough ſupplied with them; nay, the Graziers are ſo overſtocked, that they want Markets for them. This Miſchief moreover attends this Nation, That as Neceſſity is the Mother of Ingenuity, ſo the Law againſt Naturalization debarrs all Ingenuous men to plans with us; and Ireland and our Plantations are open Gates, for all neceſſitous and ingenuous men to run out from us, and ſettle in them; where, but eſpecially in Ireland, for little they may lead an idle and lazy life.

In this condition I leave to thee, Reader, to judg, whether it will not be yet ſo much more pernicious to the Trade of this Nation to endeavour a further diſcovery of new Plantations; and that if the Project of Peopling Carolina from the Reſidue of the men we have left in England, if it ſucceeds, will not ſo much more enfeeble this Nation, and reduce the Trade thereof to ſo much a leſs proportion by how many men ſhall be withdrawn from it?

We ſee in ſome ſort the Influence the Law againſt Naturalization hath upon our Trade: Let us conſider the influence it hath upon the Strength and Welfare of it, now we have peopled our Plantations, and repeopled Ireland, ſince the late War and Maſſacre there, and compare it with the Kingdom of Spain.

Spain in old time, if Credit may be given to Livy and Plutarch, was the moſt warlike, and continued longeſt and ſharpeſt Wars againſt the Romans, though it were ſubject to many little Kings; and it is ſcarce credible, with what huge Armies they did maintain it. And as in old times, ſo in this later Age, when Spain was divided into the Kingdoms of Caſtile and Leon, Arragon, Portugal, Navarr, and Granado, in the Reigns of Fernando and Iſabella, the War againſt the Moors was proſecuted purely by the Kingdom of Caſtile and Leon; for Arragon refuſed to contribute to it, and Navarr and Portugal ſtood neuters, and were not concerned in it. Yet it is admirable to read with what huge Armies for 10 years together (for ſo long the War laſted) Fernand and Iſabella continued thoſe wars; and it was in their Reigns, that Columbus made his Diſcovery and Attempts upon the Weſt Indies: whereas all the Spains now are united (except Portugal) under one Monarchy, and have moreover, for ought is known, acceſſion of greater Dominions than any Kingdoms of the Weſtern or perhaps of the Eaſtern World, it is become ſo weak and feeble, as it is a Queſtion whether it be in the power of Chriſtendom to ſupport it againſt the power of France; and the King of Spain, though Lord of all the Treaſure of the Weſt-Indies, of the greateſt and richeſt is fallen to be the pooreſt and weakeſt Prince of Chriſtendom: nor can any other reaſon be given hereof (at leaſt that I underſtand) but removing the Moors out of Granado, the tranſporting ſo many Spaniards into the Weſt-Indies, and the Inquiſition which barrs out any future Supply.

Let us take notice of the weakneſs of Spain, both at home and in his Weſt-Indies. In ſome particulars, when Portugal made Defection from the Crown of Spain; Spain without any ſucceſs for neer 20 years maintained War againſt it, chiefly by Souldiers brought out of Milan, Naples, Sicily, and ſuch Forces as it hired out of Germany and Switzerland; (for few could be raiſed out of Spain) But this proving inſucceſsful, truſting to the Gallick faith in the Treaty at Bayonne, 1659, the King of Spain brought the Marqueſs Caracen, and the greateſt part of the Army in the Netherlands, to continue the Wars againſt Portugal; but this Army being broken by the joint force of the Engliſh, French and Portuguez, Spain was ever after forced to continue upon a defenſive poſture, until it was neceſſitated to ſeek a peace by the loſs of the Kingdom of Portugal; and what the conſequences of the loſs of the Army under the Marqueſs of Caracen have been to the Spaniſh Netherlands in the year, 1667, is underſtood very well by the Engliſh, Dutch, and Switz, and the conſequences yet further feared by them.

And as the weakneſs of Spain is ſuch at home, ſo it is more in his Indies, from whence his Wealth and Riches flow, and for ought is known they are greater than any Prince in the World hath; yet being but thinly planted, how eaſily do they every year receive the impulſion, devaſtation and plunder of a few Jamaican Capers?

But ſure it were worthy conſideration how to prevent this for the future: for if the vaſt exhauſting of the Treaſure of the Engliſh and Dutch in their French, Eaſt-Indy, Turky and other Eaſtern Trades, were not ſupplied out of the Spaniſh Weſt-Indies, theſe Trades muſt either be diſcontinued, or theſe Weſtern parts of the World, in a ſhort time, would be utterly impoveriſhed by them: ſo as it is evident both Engliſh and Dutch muſt neceſſarily ſuffer ſo much, by how much theſe Jamaicans impoveriſh or interrupt the King of Spain or his Subjects in the returns of his Plate-Fleets, and I may ſafely ſay the Engliſh Nation looſes ten times more than the Jamaicans get by every Quickſilver Ship they take from the King of Spain or his Subjects.

Let us compare the State of England with that of Spain, The State of England compar'd with that of Spain. and ſee if from not unlike cauſes it does not neceſſarily degenerate into the Condition of it. Firſt, Ireland and our Plantations, do in proportion to England more exhauſt it of men, than the Weſt-Indies do Spain; and if no proviſion be made will in leſs time, than ſince the Weſt-Indies came to be ſubject to the Crown of Spain, leave it leſs peopled. Secondly, The Maſſacre in Ireland, wherein is ſaid 300000 Proteſtants were murthered, and probably as many of the Rebels ſuffered, the late Plague wherein neer 200000 perſons died, and our late Civil and Forein Wars do more than equilize the tranſplanting the Moors out of Granado; and Laſtly, the Law againſt Naturalization, is a greater Bar to a future Supply in England, than the Inquiſition is in Spain.

We have compared the Condition of England and Spain, now I will inſtance wherein the Condition of England is worſe by our Plantations, than Spain is by theirs. Firſt, in that the Crown of Spain in the Weſt-Indies acquires new Subjects; whereas we in our Plantations, wholly people them from our ſelves: And the King of Spain being head of the Houſe of Auſtria, beſides the ſupplies, which he draws out of Milan, Naples, Sicily, and Switzerland, hath upon all occaſions large ſupplies of men out of Germany.

Before we had our Plantations, England, when it was not troubled with Civil Wars, did uſually in their offenſive Wars prevail againſt France and Scotland. I cannot tell whether the Coaſts of England be better planted than the Coaſts of the King of Spain's Weſt-Indies: I am ſure the French King and Dutch are more able to attempt the invading of them, than the Jamaicans thoſe of the Weſt-Indies.

By this Law againſt Naturalization we bid defiance to all the World to continue our Adverſaries, and deny the Aſſiſtance of all Proſelytes, who otherwiſe might be of us, and aſſiſt us. Whereas the Prudence and Practice of the Romans and greateſt and wiſeſt Princes and Potentates of the World, for which they have been and now are celebrated famous, have proceeded otherwiſe: and this may be more fully underſtood in Sir Walter Rawleigh's Safety and Defence of People, &c. And God himſelf would not permit the Jews to continue in the Land he had given them, unleſs they did not oppreſs the Stranger. Jer. 7. 6, 7.

1. As the Law of Naturalization debarrs us of any future Supply for all the Strength and Trade, which this Nation loſes in peopling our Plantations, and repeopling Ireland; ſo it was the Reaſon that before we had our Plantations, this Nation loſt to the Dutch above 48000 pounds per An. in dyng and dreſſing our Manufactures; and above 1646000 pounds per An. in the Fiſhing Trade; for this Nation could have better and by half cheaper have maintained the Managers, if this Law had permitted.

2. This Law is the Reaſon that thoſe Multitudes of hands which are imployed abroad in our Woollen Manufactures, are not imployed here. So that by the ſeverity of many Laws againſt the Exportation of Wool, we reſtrain our Wool from forein Trade, and by this Law we exclude the World from working it here; whereby our Wool becomes a drug and of no eſteem, being neither well wrought at home, and not permitted in forein Trade.

3. This Law is the Reaſon that in our Tin and Lead we are the only Drudges to work it out of the Mines, whilſt all parts of the World but our ſelves, improve Trade, and grow rich by Manufactures thereon.

Corollary. 3.

By the ſame Reaſon the Trade of England, and the Fiſhing Trade are ſo much more diminiſhed by how much they might be ſupplied by thoſe hands, and ſo much Money as is diverted from them in relief of idle perſons by the Statute of the 43 of Eliz. intit. Who ſhall be Overſeers for the Poor, their Office, Duty, and Accounts.

Annotations.

Reader, That the Miſchiefs and Inconveniences which have enſued this Law may better appear, take with thee theſe Conſiderations. Firſt, That God hath made Man to eat his bread in the cares of Mind, and ſweat of his brows; that man therefore who neither cares nor labours, hath no reaſon to expect that he ſhall have any thing to care for. Secondly, Conſider that the Nation was much more inhabited when this Law was made, than now. From hence then, Reader, take a Proſpect of the Inconveniences, which have enſued this Law.

1. That where pure Neceſſity does not require, it inverts the end which God hath by Nature made, viz. That where Man does not care for and govern, he ſhould eat his bread by Labour and Induſtry.

2. That notwithſtanding our great loſs and want of men, for the reaſons beforeſaid, theſe idle perſons provided for by this Act, are ſo more a loſs to the Nation than if they had never been, by how much the Nation loſes in maintaining, and providing for them: and this is increaſed to ſuch a height that notwithſtanding the want of men, more now than when this Law was made, yet the charge of maintaining poor people in very many Places is 6, 7, 8, 9 fold more than before: and what the further conſequences hereof will be, if not prevented, is moſt worthy the conſideration of the Parliament.

3. It is a diſcouragement to all induſtrious and labouring people, when lazy and idle people ſhall be maintained in their idleneſs from the fruits of their Labour and Induſtry.

4. It encourages wilful and evil diſpoſed perſons to impoſe what wages they pleaſe upon their labours; and herein they are ſo refractory to Reaſon and the benefit of the Nation, that when Corn and Proviſions are cheap, they will not work for leſs wages than when they were dearer, ſo as it often happens that one days indifferent labour, ſhall maintain theſe perſons three or four days after in Idleneſs; which if this Law had not been, might have been for a reſerve to ſupport themſelves and families in adverſity and ſickneſs.

5. As ſundry Laws provided againſt wandring Beggers and Vagabonds, ſo this Law provides for, and relieves ſtationary Beggers.

6 This Law is the principal, if not the only reaſon of the exceſſive wages of ſervants as well as labourers; in making Proviſion for ſuch, who will neither ſerve, nor labour.

7. From this Law therefore it is principally (and for the want of good education of the governing part of the Trade of the Nation, of which we ſhall treat hereafter) that as Mr. Mun obſerves in his excellent treatiſe of England's Treaſure by Forein Trade, cap. 19. that the Engliſh Nation is reproached commonly among ſtrangers for the multitudes of People which in England Cheat, Roar, Rob, Hang, Beg, Cant, Pine and Periſh; which otherwiſe might help to encreaſe and maintain the Wealth and ſtrength of theſe Kingdomes, eſpecially by Sea, for our own ſafety and terrour of our enemies.

8. The charity which might be imployed in the releife of truely impotent and aged people is heerby abated and diminiſhed.

Corollary. 4.

By the ſame reaſon the Trade of England and the Fiſhing Trade are ſo much more diminiſhed, by how much they might be ſupplyed by thoſe lazy and idle perſons, who are diverted from them, by living upon Waſts, Commons, Chaſes and Foreſts.

Annotations.

So as this difference is between theſe perſons, and thoſe maintained by the 43. El. 2. that as thoſe are maintained by the loſs of the Nation; ſo theſe are maintained to no benefit of it: but are dangerous as well to the Nation, as Government of it. This appeas by the Riots and Tumults, which they make upon all Endeavours of Improvments, notwithſtanding compenſations are made double and treble to the value of what they reaped thereby. The number therefore of theſe kind of perſons encreaſing, which daily does, as well by a ſucceſſion of thoſe who are born upon ſuch places, as otherwiſe, and being at liberty to work or not, the Government will be ſo much more endangered by how much they are encreaſed; and ſo much more by how much leſs theſe Commons, Chaſes, Waſts, and Foreſts can maintain them; to ſupply which, breaking Hedges, cutting Woods, and ſtealing Fowl, &c. are the uſual means by which they make up their living.

How advantageous it would be to the Trade of the Nation, if all theſe idle hands were imployed in it; and how great a Reuenue might be raiſed out of theſe Waſts, if they were improved and imployed in Trade, and binding out Prentices, and in defraying Publique charges, were moſt worthy Conſideration of the Parliament.

Corollary. 5.

By the ſame reaſon, the Trade of England, and the Fiſhing Trade are ſo much more diminiſhed, by how much they might be ſupplyed by thoſe perſons, who are diverted form them in being hanged.

Apology.

I do not diſpute the Authority of any Law in this Corollary, or in any Corollary or Propoſition in this diſcourſe; I only contend that the ends deſigned by Legiſlators, are not always attained; and therefore Anciently our Anceſtors were ſo careful of preparing Laws, that they uſually made them not longer lived than the end of the next Seſſion of Parliament; ſo that, if the end deſigned by them were not attained, the Laws themſelves ſhould expire. The end of puniſhing Malefactors is twofold, viz. to deter others from Committing Crimes, and for the Offender to make Reſtitution ſo far as he is able. But I do not underſtand that the end of puniſhment is to deſtroy, where murder or a higher Crime is not the offence. Nor is Hanging, which is tranſient, ſo Permanent a Terror to offendors, as a conſtant inflicting extraordinary duties upon Offendors, whereby they might, or in a great meaſure might expiate their Crimes by ſatisfying the perſons Offended. Nothing in nature but by ſome means or other might be made beneficial, ſure therefore much more man; nor does man diſtroy in any thing elſe, but on the life of Man, where any other means can be found to preſerve, and the end, in making reſtitution, is holy loſt.

Corollary. 6.

By the ſame reaſon, the Trade of England, and the Fiſhing Trade, are yet ſo much more diminiſhed, by how much they might be ſupplyed by thoſe men, who are diverted from them, in being impriſoned for debt.

Annotations.

Herein moreover is the end deſigned in Puniſhing Offendors inverted, for in being committed priſoners, the means which is thereby ſpent in paying Fees to Jaylots, is inverted from that end to which it might have been imployed towards the Payment of his Debts; and the perſons of the Priſoners made uſeleſs any ways by labour or induſtry to contribute to the ſatisfaction thereof.

Corollary. 7.

By the ſame reaſon the Trade of England, and Fiſhing Trade are ſo much diminiſhed, by how much mony and ſo many men as are diverted from ſupplying them in buying and morgaging Land.

Pet. 5. For mony is a convenient mean to improve Trade.

Annotations upon this Corollary.

Before we contended that the Law againſt Naturalization, makes the Kingdom weak and unable to improve the Trade therof; in this Corollary we complain of a practice againſt Law and Conſcience too. For by the Statute of Weſtminſter, 2. made the 13. Edw. 1. c. 4. it was provided that Eſtates in Tail ſhould remain to the Donee, and his Heirs according to the form of the gift of the Donor, and for want of iſſue of the Donee, to revert to the Donor and his Heirs: And that Fines levied upon ſuch claimes be void. Yet by what practice or uſage Fines come to Barr Heirs in Tail; and recovery of thoſe in remainder I cannot tell. I am ſure the Will of the Donor, (which in Conſcience ought religiouſly to be obſerved,) is hereby violated: And all that mony which is expended in Buying and Morgaging ſuch Lands, is diverted from the good uſe by which it might be imployed in Trade; beſides the multitudes of miſchiefs, which ariſe in vexatious Suits between Vendor and Vendee, Morgager and Morgagee, to the utter undoing one another; whereby multitudes of Solicitors, Bankers, Uſurers, and Scriveners, (who no ways advance the Trade of the Nation) become vaſtly rich, whileſt the Trade of the Nation hereby becomes ſtarved and neglected, and by conſequence the Nation ſo much poorer. By reaſon hereof the Stock of this Nation ſuppoſing it double to the Dutch; yet do I not believe one ſixt part ſo much is imploied by us in Trades beneficial to the Nation, as by them; and I wiſh this Quere were determined, Whether from this cauſe the Bankers and Scriveners of London cannot raiſe more Money, in one week, than the Parliament of England can in two years?

How many ways this Kingdom might be enriched, and the Trade thereof encreaſed, if the Statute of Weſtminſter. 2. made 13. Edw. 1. c. 1. were obſerved.

1. The Will of the Donor (which by all Laws of Religion and Gratitude ought religiouſly to be obſerved) would not be violated, for which we may juſtly fear the Judgments and Vengeance of God.

2. The vaſt and wild Prodigality of vain men and women, would be reſtrained within the bounds of their Eſtates: And the impoveriſhment, which they bring upon the Kingdom by their Pride, Vanity and Luxury, in a very great meaſure would be abated.

3. The Families of the Nobility and Gentry, would hereby be preſerved and continued.

4. The multitudes of Solicitors, Bankers, Scriveners and uſurers, who row ſwarm more than ever, and devour all the good of the Nation, but no ways do any good to it, would diminiſh, and theſe very men be neceſſitated, to ſeek ſome better means of ſubſiſtence, whereby the Kingdom might receive benefit, now we ſo much want hands to advance the Trade of the Nation.

5. The Supernumerary Pages, Lacquies, and Waiting Women, who are Moths to fret and conſume their Maſters and Ladies Eſtates, might be imploied in ways beneficial to the Kingdom.

6. The Stock of the Nation to be imploied in beneficial Trades would be tenfold more imploied in them.

7. The Riches acquired by Trade; would continually be imploied in it, as well as in the Ʋnited Netherlands.

8. The Intereſt of Mony without a Law, would fall to be as low, as in the Ʋnited Netherlands.

9. Men would be more intent to improve their Eſtates, when they know what they muſt betake themſelves to; and may more ſecurely follow their buſineſs, than when they are engaged in Law Suits about Morgages and Titles of Land.

Reader thou mayſt add many more, but if any man ſhall give me one for not obſerving this Law, I will give him all my nine.

Propoſition. 2. Theorem. 2.

The Timber of England is diminiſhed, and is in danger to be deſtroyed, by the Act of the 12. Car. 2. 18. and confirmed 13. Car. 2. 18. Entituled An Act for Encouraging and encreaſe of Shipping and Navigation; and commonly called the Act of Navigation.

Subject, Is the Timber of England.

Queſtion. Whether it be diminiſhed by the Act of Navigation? I ſay it is.

Ax. 2. For where any thing is wanting and decayed, that thing will be more diminiſhed, if the means of ſupplying it be interrupted.

Pet. 4. But the Timber of England was wanting and decayed before the Act of Navigation.

Pet. 17. And the means of ſupplying the Timber of England, is interrupted by the Act of Navigation.

Therefore the Timber of England, is diminiſhed by the Act of Navigation. Which was to be demonſtrated.

Annotations upon this Propoſition.

It is now above 120 years ſince the making of the Act of 35. of H. 8. 17. when without all queſtion the Timber of England, was above five times more than now it is; yet notwithſtanding the heat and diſtemper of thoſe times, ſo vigilant were our Anceſtors in the preſervation of the Timber of this Nation, (the beſt For Shipping in the world) that though they did not foreſee all ways for preſerving and encreaſing it; yet they ſaw that the great decay of it, was univerſally ſuch in England, that unleſs ſpeedy remedy in that behalf were provided, great and manifeſt likelyhood of ſcarcity, and lack of Timber for building, making, repairing, and maintaining Houſes and Ships would be; for prevention whereof ſeveral proviſions were made; but never put (or at leaſt not in my memory) in execution. Which is the fate in many of the Laws of theſe times. Queen Elizabeth, a Lady of incomparable Prudence and Foreſight, and more jealous of the Honour and Safety of this Nation, than any of her Anceſtors or predeceſſors) as one of her chiefeſt cares, in the firſt year of her Reign, for the Preſervation of the Timber of England, gave free liberty to all men, as well Subjects as Strangers, freely to Import Maſts and Raff. Notwithſtanding this proviſion, this vigilant Queen, taking notice of the great decay of Timber occaſioned by converting the ſame into cloven board, did, in the 35. of her Reign, cap. 11. Ordain, that every ſtranger which ſhould ſhip, carry, or Tranſport Bere, or Fiſh (except Herrings) in Cask, ſhould before ſuch Tranſportation; and every Subject which ſhould Tranſport Beer or Fiſh before, or within four months aſter, for every ſix tuns of Beer or Fiſh, ſhould import from parts beyond the Sees, 200 of clapboard fit to make Cisk to contain three foot and two inches in length at leaſt, upon penalty of forfeiture of ſuch Fiſh, Beer, and Cask. Yet though both theſe laws ſtand now in force, and the good and ſafety of the Nation be ſo much concerned in them; the Act of Navigation makes it forfeiture of Ship, Goods and Guns to import any Raff, Maſts, Timber, or Clapboard, unleſs by Engliſh ſhips (though the Engliſh ſince the Rumps firſt inſtitution of the Law have not built one ſhip for this Trade, nor ever will ſo long as it ſtands in force) and ſayled by ¾ Engliſh, and the Natives of the place, whether the Natives have ſhips or not. So that if an Engliſh man, Dutch man, Hamburger, or any Eaſterling Trade for beer or fiſh, and doe not import the clapboard preſcribed by the 35 Eliz. 11. the goods and cask are forfeit: But if they do import clapboard, the ſhip and goods and guns are forfeit by the Act of Navigation.

I have often heard my Father complain of the vaſt deſtruction of our Timber by converting the ſame into Clapboard, whereby all the beſt of our Timber is conſumed; for when any Oak will rend, or ſo far as the ground end will rend, Rift bearing about a third penny more price then if it were ſawn into planck, the converter intending his profit converts it into Rift; and that if he could ever ſee a Parliament wherein he could ever hope to do any good, he would bring in a Bill to prevent the deſtruction of our Timber hereby.

Old Oliver entertain'd this Law but coldly, but however he were otherwiſe more careful of his own Intereſt than of the Nations; yet he permitted the Engliſh Merchants to trade in Forein Bottoms for Timber, whereby he was not only better and cheaper ſupplied than the Nation hath ſince been, but he enforced the King of Denmarks Subjects to ſell their ſhips built for that Trade, and wherewith they uſed to impoſe what terms they pleaſed upon the Engliſh, being better and cheaper ſupplyed than they could.

Conſequences of this Propoſition.

Beſides the miſchiefs and inconveniences which have come upon this Nation by not obſerving the Law made the 35 of Eliz. 11. theſe inconveniences have enſued the Act of Navigation, in reference to the Trade of Timber, which were proved before a Committee of the Houſe of Commons laſt Seſſion of Parliament.

1. Before the Rump made this Law, the Trade to Norway for Timber, was generally driven by the Engliſh in better of our growths and Manufactures; whereas now it is driven in Dollars and the Treaſure of the Nation; and thoſe Growths and Manufactures of England which are exported into Norway are rarely exported but by Norwegians.

2. That the prizes of Norway timber were become near double.

3. That our own Timber was much waſted by reaſon of the dearneſs of Norway.

4. That we had not built one ſhip for that Trade ſince the Law, nor could ever hope to do ſo long as it ſtood in force, becauſe a forein ſhip may be built for half the price, and be more free for Trade; whereas the Norwegians had doubled their ſhipping; and built them twice as bigg; and from 600 Mariners, encreaſed them to 6000; whereby the Engliſh in a ſhort time muſt neceſſarily be excluded the Trade of Norway, unleſs he drive it by Norwegians, and in Norway bottoms.

5. That the Engliſh are now almoſt wholly laid aſide, the Trade of Norway being generally driven in Norway bottoms and thoſe ſayled by Norwegians.

6. That the Engliſh are wholly left to the King of Denmarkes diſpoſing, whenever he pleaſes to impoſe any further abuſes upon them than were complained of; which were that the Engliſh ever ſince 1646. and by the treaty made with his Majeſty 1660. paid ⅘ of a Rixdollar per Laſt for the growths of Norway (except the Town of Bergen) but ſince the late War with them, they paid cuſtome for Timber a Rixdollar and half per Laſt, for other growth, a Rixdollar and ⅘, others 2 Rixdollars and ⅕, and others 3 Rixdollars, and in meaſuring the Laſtage, the ſame ſhips which before the War had their meaſures adjuſted were raiſed ſome 35 others 40 Laſts.

7. That it was the Intereſt of the King of Denmark to make the Trade of Norway inſupportable to the Engliſh, for thereby as the caſe ſtood his Subjects would monopolize the Trade, yet could no redreſs hereof be had, untill in the years 1667, 1668. his Majeſty permitted his Subjects to Trade in Forein Veſſels, and ſtrangers to import Timber; and this reduced the Exorbitant Impoſitions of the King of Denmark to the Treaty of 1660, or otherwiſe he would have undone his own Subjects in that Trade, as they were in the time of Oliver.

I inſiſt more particularly hereon, becauſe that by the ſcarcity and waſte of our Timber by reaſon of this Law, and which muſt be in a vaſt meaſure increaſed in rebuilding the City of London, the French and Dane will have in their own Dominions, and the Dutch may have down the Rhine, Maze, and Scheld out of Germany, Liege, and Lorrain, ſuch Quantities of Timber, as between any of them and us will be no proportion; and what the fatal conſequence hereof will be to this Nation, if no care or proviſion be had, I almoſt tremble to conſider.

Propoſition, 3. Theorem, 3.

The Building Ships in England is hindred by the Act of Navigation.

Subject, is the Building Ships in England.

Queſt. Whether it be diminiſhed by the Act of Navigation? I ſay it is.

Ax. 3. For if the means of doing any thing be wanting, that thing will be ſo much hindred, as the means of ſupplying it are diminiſhed.

Pet. 16. But the Timber of England before the Act of Navigation was wanting for Building Ships in England.

Pet. 14. And Timber is a neceſſary mean to build Ships.

Prop. 2. The Timber of England is diminiſhed by the Act of Navigation.

Therefore the Building Ships in England is hindred by the Act of Navigation. Which was to be demonſtrated.

Annotations upon this Propoſition.

It is agreed upon by all men that the Timber of England is of all other the beſt for Building Ships; but then it muſt be underſtood, that like choice may be had in England, as in other places; and ſo long as we had as good choice in our Engliſh Timber, as the Dutch, Dane, and French, we built better Men of War, and ſtronger and more durable Merchants Ships, than any of them: But now all the choice Timber of England is waſted and conſumed; the Dutch, Dane, and French bave equal choice as before, it is much to be feared that for the future we ſhall not long enjoy this Advantage, but not be able without exceſſive charge to build ſo good Ships as any of them.

Propoſition 4. Theorem 4.

The Ships of England are diminiſhed by the Act Navivigation?

Subject, is the Ships of England.

Queſtion, Whether they he diminiſhed by the Act of Navigation?

I ſay they are.

Ax. 3. For where the doing things are hindred, and the leſs and decay of thoſe things not otherwiſe ſupplied, theſe things will be diminiſhed.

Prop. 3. But the building Ships in England is hindred by the Act of Navigation.

Pet. 19. And the loſs and decay of Ships of England muſt not be ſupplied in acquiring any Forein Ships by the Act of Navigation.

Therefore the Ships of England are diminiſhed by the Act of Navigation. Which was to be demonſtrated.

Annotation.

I do not underſtand how this Law makes good the title of it; For I am confident at this day is not one half of the Shipping in England, take prize ſhips into the reckoning, (which I gueſs to be above 4 times more than the Engleſh loſt in both the late Dutch wars) In Iſpwich are ſomewhat above one third of what were, when the Rump inſtituted this Law; At Woodbridg not one third; and at Alborough, Dunwitch, Walderswick and ſould not one fourth, as were before this Law. And I wiſh ſome man would take pains to make further inſpection herein to prove me miſtaken.

Propoſition 5. Theorem 5.

The Navigation of England is hindred by the Act of Navigation.

Subject, The Navigation of England.

Queſtion, Whether it be hindred by the Act of Navigation?

I ſay it is.

Ax. 2. For the doing things will be ſo much hindred, as the neceſſary means of Doing them is Diminiſhed.

Prop. 4. But the Ships of England are diminiſhed by the Act of Navigation.

Pet. 3. And ſhips are neceſſary in Navigation.

Therefore the Navigation of England is hindred by the Act of Navigation. Which was to be demonſtrated. So as we can neither build ſhips, nor can we buy;

Annotations.

Nor muſt any Engliſh man navigate any Engliſh built ſhip to trade to any part of England, Ireland, or any of our Plantations, unleſs ſhe be ſailed by ¾ Engliſh at leaſt, under no leſs penalty than loſs of Ship, Goods, Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle; though it be evident the Coaſt of England be deſolate and almoſt uninhabited: and the Country as well as Coaſt is ſo thin of People, that it is not half peopled. By the Act of 1 Eliz. 13. It was free for all men as well ſtrangers as Natives to import Pitch and Tar, which Law ſtands yet in force; yet if by the Act of Navigation any Engliſh man, unleſs in Engliſh built ſhips, and ſailed by ¾ Engliſh import any; or any ſtranger not Natives, whether the Natives have Ships or not, import any, the Ship Goods, Guns, Tackle and Ammunition are all forfeit. So by the 1 Eliz. 13. All men might import hemp and cordage paying ſtrangers duties. Now if any Engliſh ſhip import any hemp or cordage and be not ſailed by ¾ Engliſh at leaſt ſhe is forfeit &c. nor muſt any ſtranger not Native upon any leſs penalty: Yet it is evident that the Inhabitants of Leifland; from whence the beſt hemp (if not all) is to be had, trade not with us at all.

Conſequencies.

From whence it came to paſs that in two years after the Rump, making this Law, the building of ſhips became one third penny dearer; and Sea-mens wages ſo exceſſive that we have wholly loſt the Trades to Muſcovy and Greenland thereby: and from hence it is, that all Forein Commodities, imported into England (except in the Turkey Trade, and ſome Trifles from Guiney and the Eaſt-Indies) are conſumed in England; whilſt thereby we give the Dutch and other Nations a power of driving the Trade of the World, where the Commodities are not Engliſh or ſubject to the Crown of England.

Propoſition 6. Theorem 6.

The Trade of England and of Fiſhing into Forein Parts is hindred by the Act of Navigation.

Subject, The Trade of England and of Fiſhing into Forein parts.

Queſtion, Whether it be hindred by the Act of Navigation? I ſay it is.

Ax. 4. For the doing things will be hindred ſo much, as the neceſſary means of doing them are hindred.

Pet. 20. But Navigation is the only means of vending the Growths and Manufactures of England, and Fiſhing in Forein Trade, unleſs it be in Scotland.

Prop. 5. And the Navigation of England is hindred by the Act of Navigation.

Therefore the Trade of England and of Fiſhing into forein parts is hindred by it. Which was to be demonſtrated.

Annotations.

Nor muſt any Forein ſhip or veſſel trade to England with any forein Commodities, unleſs in ſhips or veſſels of that place or Country, and Navigated by the Mr. and ¾ Mariners of the place at leaſt, whether they have ſhip; or not; So as now we have neither ſhips nor Mariners ſufficient for our Trade, we upon the Matter exclude the Trading Part of the World from Trading with us, from whence theſe Conſequences follow.

Conſequences.

1. That the Growths and Manufactures of England to be exported in Forein Trade, are reduced to a few Engliſh Merchants, who may take what they pleaſe, and at what terms they pleaſe; and leave the reſt upon the poor Natives hands, without any other poſſible means of Relief. So as our Native Commodities are not valuable as if Trade were free, but as a few Merchants pleaſe to ſet a price upon them.

2. As in our Native Commodities, ſo in Forein, the Merchant and Natives of the place may impoſe what rates they pleaſe; and in the mean time, we exclude multitudes and concourſe of men and Traders, which would infinitely advance our Trade thereby; and now we complain for want of Trade, when as by this Law it ſeem • impoſſible to be otherwiſe.

3. As this Law makes a few Merchants Maſters of all the Trade of England: ſo it makes Mariners the Merchants Maſters; for being but few, and the Merchant being reſtrained to them, if he gives not them what wages they pleaſe, he muſt not trade at all.

Annotations upon the Act of Navigation ingeneral.

1. The Title of this Act is an Act for encouraging and encreaſe of ſhipping, yet it reſtrains the Navigation of Engl. to Engliſh built ſhips, upon no leſs penalty than confiſcation; whereas for above 120 years the want and decay of Timber hath been complained of in Parliament: and how then this can be a means to increaſe ſhipping, eſpecially when we have ſo few builders; I ſhall be glad to be informed. But the conſequences of Laws of like nature have been obſerved and reflected upon. For by the 4 H. 7. 10. No Gaſeoyn wine, or Tholouſe woad was to Laws of like nature found by experience miſchievous to this Nation. be imported into England, but in Ships Engliſh, Iriſh, Welch, or of the men of Barwick or Callice, and the Mr. and greater part of the Mariners to be Subjects of the Realm of England, upon pain to forfeit the ſaid Wine and Woads; which was ſuppoſed to be made for the maintenance of the Navy of this Realm; and that the ſaid Wines and Woad might be had at more eaſie prizes. The experience whereof has ever ſince appeared to the contrary; for that the ſaid Wines and Woad were ſold at ſuch exceſſive rates as had not been before ſeen within this Realm, and the Navy thereby never the better maintained, and therefore the Stat. of 4 H. 7. 10. was repealed by the 5. and 6. Ed. 6 18. And liberty for all ſtrangers in Amity with the King, as well as Subjects, to import the ſaid Wine and Woad.

By the 5 R. 2 3. None of the Kings Subjects might carry forth or bring in any Merchandize but only in ſhips of the Kings Allegiance; this was repealed by the 1 Eliz 13. becauſe that by reaſon thereof there hath not only grown great diſpleaſure betwixt Forein Princes and the Kings of this Realm, but alſo the Merchants have been ſore grieved and damaged.

Though the 5 of R. 2. 3. did not permit the Kings ſubjects The impoſſibility of Executing the Act of Navigation. to trade but in ſhips of the Kings Allegiance; yet by the 6 Rich. 2. 8. where no Engliſh ſhips were to be had, Engliſh men might trade in ſtrangers; ſhips and though by the 4 H. 7. 10. Gaſcoin Wine, and Tholouſe Woad, might not be brought into the Realm but by the Engliſh Ships, and Engliſh Merchants and Mariners; yet if they could not have Fraught in an Engliſh or Denizens Ships, they might fraught a Strangers; whereas by the Act of Navigation; though we have not built one Ship for the Trades of Greenland, Norway, nor Muſcovy, ſince the Act of Navigation. Yet if we buy any, or Fraught any Strangers Ship for any of the Trades, it is forfeit with all her Goods, Guns, Lading, Tackle, and Ammunition. So that though we may poſſibly have ſome Trade to Norway for Timber, when our Prize Ships are ſpent, upon ſuch terms as the Norwegians pleaſe and not otherwiſe: yet it will be impoſſible to have any Trade to Muſcovy or Groenland; for the Muſcovite Trades not with us, and the Whales have no Shipping at all.

Other Miſchiefs and Inconveniences which have enſued the Act of Navigation.

The 17 Car. 2 • complains, that the Importation of Gunpowder from Forein Parts, was againſt Law prohibited, and All the miſchiefs complained of 17 Car. 21. brought upon us by this Law. the making thereof within this Realm ingroſſed, whereby the price of Gunpowder was exceſſively raiſed, many Powder Mills decayed, the Kingdom very much weakened and indangered, the Merchants thereof much damnified, many Mariners and others taken Priſoners, and brought into miſerable Captivity and Slavery: Many Ships taken by Turkiſh and other Pirates, and many other inconveniences have from thence enſeud, and more are like to enſue, if they be not timely prevented; and therefore this Law permits the Trade free to Strangers, as well as Engliſh to import Gunpowder: and though this Law ſtands yet in force, yet againſt it and all the reaſons in it, the Act of Navigation makes it no leſs than confiſcation of Ship, Goods, Guns, Tackle, and Ammunition for any Engliſh man to import any unleſs in an Engliſh built Ship, and Sailed by ¾ Engliſh at leaſt, or for any Stranger, not Native of the making it, to import any, whether he hath Ships or not.

Prop. 7. Theorem 7.

The Trade of England is diminiſhed by the Acts made 18. and 20. Car. 2. againſt the Importation of Iriſh Cattle,

Subject, Is the Trade of England.

Queſtion, Whether it be diminiſhed by the Act againſt the Importation of Iriſh Cattel?

I ſay it is.

Ax. 5. For every thing will be ſo much diminiſhed, as is abated of it.

Pet, 21. But the Act againſt Importation of Iriſh Cattel, hath abated the Trade of England; with Ireland for Hops and Beer, and in Returns of Mony by Bills of Exchange, Cloth, Stuffs of all ſorts, Hats and Stockings of all ſorts, Victualling Ships, &c.

Therefore the Act againſt Importation of Iriſh Cattel hath diminiſhed the Trade of England. Which was to be demonſtrated.

Annotations upon this Propoſition.

The reaſon of this Act, is by the Preamble expreſſed to be the lowneſs of the Rents of England, cauſed by the multitudes of Iriſh Cattel imported into England. It is true, the Evidence of Fact, is ever reſolved by the teſtimony of Witneſs; but this is ever done without reaſon, and therefore for ſtrengthening the Authority of him who teſtifies, the Name of God is uſually invoked, that what is affirmed, is true; but in reaſoning the Teſtimony of no man is more than another, but as the Queſtion in reaſon, is reſolved by ante • edent Cauſes; nor herein is any man allowed to outſware another, who gives a better reaſon, by the 7. Pet. multitudes and concourſe of people advance Trade, and ſcarcity of people diminiſh Trade: and therefore if all men ſhould affirm that a great Trade ſhould be made where people are ſcarce and thin, this ſhould never prevail with me, ſince it is againſt the nature of Trade; but on the contrary where people are ſcarce and thin they are rude, Flat, Heatheniſh, idle, and ever poor; and when they take great pains, which is very rare, for want of Education it is to little purpoſe. By the firſt Propoſition, The multitudes of the Engliſh diverted into our Plantations, hath diminiſhed as well the Fiſhing Trade as the Trade of our Native Growths and Manufactures; which is more diminiſhed by our re-peopling Ireland, ſince the late War and Maſſacre there; and ſo much more diminiſhed by how many extraordinarily died of the late great Plague; and by the 6 Propoſition, the Growths and Manufactures of England in Forein Trade are diminiſhed by the Act of Navigation, and multitudes and entercourſe of Foreiners are excluded by it, whereby the Trade of England is every way interrupted and diminiſhed: And ſince the Rents of Land are valuable, as the Trade of the place is; It is from hence that the Rent of Land is ſo abated and fallen all over England, but much more ſince the Act againſt Importation of Iriſh Cattel; ſo as the end deſigned by the Law, which was the raiſing the Rents of Land, is ſo far from being attained, that from theſe Reaſons the Trade of England being more diminiſhed by this Law; the quite contrary hath enſued.

One of the Reaſons alledged by the Act intituled, An Act for the Encouraging of Trade, made the 14 Car. 2. for the excluding Foreiners to Trade to our Plantations, is, to hold a greater kindneſs and nearer Correſpondency between the Engliſh Nation and them; which reaſon of mutual kindneſs I am ſure will hold ſtronger between the Engliſh Nation and Ireland; for if we loſe them, or any of them, we loſe no more than the Subjects in them, who unleſs it be in reference to Trade, are of no uſe to England; whereas if by reaſon of this Act, we loſe Ireland, or any part of it, the ſafety of this Nation will be endangered thereby.

If the Importation of Iriſh Cattel had abated the Rents of England one half, and thereby the Commodities of England had been reduced to half the price; the Nation had not been poorer thereby, however the Nobility and Country Gentlemen who were in Debt, and the Poor Tenants who had Leaſes of their Farms, would have been damnified and undone thereby: but in General, Navigation and the Trade of the Nation would have been advantaged by it.

The Reaſons in the Act of Navigation are good for England againſt Foreiners Trading into our Plantations; and ſo is the reſtraining them from the Trade of Ireland; for otherwiſe other Nations, eſpecially the Dutch, would have reaped more benefit by them than we ſhould have done: but without queſtion our Plantations and Ireland too would have been much increaſed and inriched by a Free Trade, more than by this reſtraint; and by like Reaſon the Trade of England too would have been much more, and the Nation much more enriched than now, if no reſtraint had been put upon the Trade by the Act of Navigation. For by the Act of Navigation the greater Trading part of the World are excluded the Trade of Ireland; and by the Act againſt Importation of Iriſh Cattel, upon the matter the Trade between England and Ireland is interrupted and deſtroyed: and here let us ſee the Conſequences hereof.

Conſequences.

The Imaginary Reaſon that the Importation of Iriſh Cattel cauſed the abatement of the Rents of England is truly cauſed by the Act in the Southern and Eaſtern parts of England: for the Northern People, Welch, and Scots taking advantage of this Law, have raiſed the price of lean Cattel ſo exceſſively, that very ſmall or no profit ariſes to the Graziers, when they are Fatted. So as before the Act, we bought cheap and ſold cheap, which was but reaſonable; whereas now we buy dearer and ſell cheaper, which is intolerable.

2. Before the Act we could Victual Ships with good and ſubſtantial Food cheaper than the Dutch, and upon all occaſions the Dutch and French, and other Nations when they were in our Harbours, did take a very conſiderable quantity of our Proviſion; whereas ſince the Act the Dutch and French Victual much cheaper in Ireland, than we can do in England; and in Holland and Zealand Iriſh Beef I am told by Traders thither is ſold for a peny a pound; ſo as having, as the caſe ſtood, but one advantage above the Dutch, (beſides the excellency and conveniencies of our Harbours) in Navigation; by this Law we have given the Dutch a greater advantage over us than we had over them.

3. Before this Act, the Eaſtern and Southern parts of England did in a very conſiderable manner ſupply Flanders, France, Portugal, and Spain with Butter, which now we have interrupted the intercourſe of Trade between England and Ireland, we have thereby put the Iriſh upon neceſſities of making Butter, which they do ſo much cheaper than is poſſible to be done in England, notwithſtanding the abatement of our Rents, that they ſupply Flanders and France much cheaper than the Engliſh can; whereby our Trade for Butter and Cheeſe is become much worſe than that of Grazing of Cattel: and now the Iriſh have eſtabliſhed theſe Trades, much more advantageous to them than their Trade was to us with their lean Cattel: I underſtand no remedy hereof, but they will increaſe their advantages, and we muſt yet more continue loſers.

4. Beſides the abatement of our Native Growths and Manufactures, cauſed by the Act againſt the Importation of Iriſh Cattel, as England was the Storehouſe for all ſorts of Commodities coming from our Plantations, and other Forein Goods, as all ſorts of Dying ſtuffs, Hides, Fruit, Sugars, Tobacco's, and of all ſorts of Silks as well wrought as unwrought, Ribbands, Gold, Silver, and Silk-Lace; ſo the Trade with Ireland was driven by Commutation of the Product of the mony for their Lean Cattel; which being now interrupted, this Trade of England with Ireland for theſe becomes proportionably leſtened and diminiſhed. Whereas now they tranſport their Beef into France, Holland, Zealand, and Flanders, they make returns in the Growths and Manufactures of thoſe Countries; whereby the Iriſh Trade is become as beneficial to them, as it was formerly to us.

5. His Majeſties Cuſtom for the Lean Cattel is quite extinguiſhed.

6. The Shipping and Mariners imployed and built for this Trade, are by this Act neglected, and made uſeleſs, about 100 Ships being before imployed in this Trade only.

7. That as before Engliſh Shipping was generally imployed in the Trade with Ireland, ſo the returns out of Ireland in Hides, Tallow, Wools, and Yarn into Forein parts was in Engliſh Shipping; whereas now we have not only loſt the Profitable Returns of theſe Commodities, but Forein Ships are only imployed in theſe Trades.

Propoſition 8. Theorem 8.

The Trade of England, and the Fiſhing Trade are ſo much hindred, by how many men, and ſo much mony and ſtock as are excluded by Corporations.

Subject, The Trade of England, and the Fiſhing Trade.

Queſtion, Whether they be ſo much hindered, by how many men, and ſo much mony and ſtock as is excluded by Corporations?

I ſay they are.

Ax. 6. For any buſineſs will be ſo much hindered, by how much the means of improving it are excluded.

Pet. 13. But men are neceſſary to improve Trade, and Pet. 5. mony is a convenient mean to improve Trade; and Pet. 12. ſtock is a convenient mean to improve Trade.

Therefore the Trade of England, and the Fiſhing Trade are ſo much hindered by how many men and ſo much mony and ſtock as are excluded by Corporations. Which was to be demonſtrated.

Annotations.

So as the Trade of England, and the Fiſhing Trade are diminiſhed by our American Plantations, by the re-peopling Ireland, and the late great Plague, and our late Forein and inteſtine Wars: It is hindered by the Act of Navigation in Forein Trade abroad, and the greater Trading part of the world are excluded from Trading with us at home; and the greater part of the Nation excluded from Trading at all, unleſs it be upon ſuch terms as they cannot be any ways encouraged in it: whereas in the mean time Supernumeraries of Solicitors, Bankers, Scriveners, and Uſerers, who inſtead of Trading, divert all the means of improving Trade, and engroſs (I am confident) above ſix times as much mony as is imployed in Trades beneficial to the Nation; and I believe are more than the free Trading part of the Nation.

For my part as I deſire the good of the Nation in what I have ſaid, free from any paſſion or affection to any party or perſon; ſo do not I intend the prejudice, but good of every Corporation: for if men, mony, and ſtock be the only means to enrich and ſtrengthen any place, then every Corporation is ſo much more capable of Riches and Strength, by how many more men, and ſo much more mony and ſtock is imployed in Trade. The Dutch (who of all the world are the moſt conſiderable, and richeſt, and moſt mighty by Trade) underſtand this; and therefore Amſterdam (of all other places the moſt famous for Trade) is now deſigned to be enlarged ⅖ with free liberty for all the world to Plant and Trade with them. In or about the years 1636. and 37. about 140 Families out of the Counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, forſook us and went into Holland, where the Dutch did not only entertain them, but in Leyden, Alkmert, and other places, planted them Rent-free, and Exciſe-free for ſeven years.

Corollary.

By the ſame reaſon Forein Trade will be ſo much hindered, by how much the means of Tranſporting mony in it are excluded.

Pet. 13. For mony is a convenient mean to improve Trade.

Annotations.

The Dutch, Venetians, and Florentines, who underſtand this, and have no mony of their own, freely permit the Exportation of mony in Trade, and grow rich thereby, and the King of Spain, who hath all the Treaſure of the Weſt-Indies, upon the penalty of Death, &c. forbids the Exportation of it, grows poorer, and can keep none. Mr. Mun (a man of excellent knowledge and experience in Trade) in the 4th. Chapter, of Englands Treaſure by Forein Trade, affirms, he knew a Prince in Italy (of famous memory) Ferdinando the Firſt, great Duke of Tuſcany, who being very rich, endeavoured thereby to enlarge his Trade by iſſuing out to his Merchants great ſummes of mony for very ſmall profit: He himſelf had of the Duke 40000 Crowns gratis for a whole year, although the Duke knew it would be ſent away in ſpecie for the parts of Turkey, to be imployed in Wares for his Country. Afterwards Mr. Mun affirms he knew Legorn ſo much increaſed, that of a poor little Town it was become a fair and ſtrong City, being one of the moſt famous places for Trade in all Chriſtendom. And yet it is worthy obſervation that the multitude of Ships and Wares, which come from England, the Low-Countries, and other places, have little or no means to make returns from thence but only ready mony. See more herein in the ſaid Chapter. Though Trade may be maintained by barter of Commodities, yet he who Trades in mony and barter, ſhall have a vaſt advantage.

Propoſition 9. Theorem 9.

In the Trade of England with France, the Engliſh Nation loſes ſo much as the value of the French Commodities imported exceed the Engliſh exported, which Mr. Fortry affirms to be above 1600000 l. yearly:

Subject is, The Engliſh Nation.

Queſtion, Whether it loſes ſo much by the Trade with France, as the value of the French Commodities Imported exceed the Engliſh Exported?

I ſay it does.

Ax. 7. For where the conſumption of things Imported, does exceed in value the things Exported, the loſs will be as the exceſs is.

Pet. 2. But the Engliſh Nation conſumes all the Commodities of France imported.

Pet. 3. And they exceed the Commodities of England Exported 1600000 l. a year, if Mr. Fortry hath truly computed it.

Therefore the Engliſh Nation loſes ſo much as the exceſs is. Which was to be demonſtrated.

Annotations upon this Propoſition.

Nor is this all the loſs the Engliſh Nation ſuſtains by the Trade with France; for Trading for French Wines in the perillous Months for Navigation of September, October, November, and December, we loſe more Shipping and Sea-men in acquiring of them, than in all our other Trades beſides; and in our immoderate drinking of them, we more than ordinarily diſpoſe our bodies to the Strangury, Fevers, Gout, and Stone, when they are pure: and to ſo many more Diſeaſes as when they are ſo many ways ſophiſticated and adulterated by Vintners; ſo that inſtead of drinking Health to the King of England, we drink Sickneſs to our ſelves, and Wealth to the French King.

So that Reader thou mayeſt underſtand, what vaſt Revenues the Engliſh, and the Dutch much more than the Engliſh, yearly bring into France by their Trade with it. For though the Dutch Trade, (for Reaſons hereafter ſpecified) be not managed to the loſs of the Dutch, as the Engliſh is; yet I am confident, and have it by good Authority, that if a true eſtimate were made of it, it would appear to be above ſixfold more beneficial to France than the Engliſh Trade is. Sir Walter Rawleigh takes notice that the Dutch Trade into all Ports and Creeks of France, we chiefly into 5 or 6, and in thoſe the Dutch have 4 times the Trade we have. So that if the French King can eſtabliſh a Spice Trade, wherein he is wonderouſly induſtruous, being King of a Flouriſhing Country, he will have but little occaſion to Export any Treaſure, nor need he fear but the Engliſh and Dutch will ſtill continue carriers of all the Wealth they get by Spain, and other places, into France.

Conſequences.

From hence it is that the French King becomes ſo rich above any other Prince or State in Chriſtendom; and being Prince of a noble and brave Kingdom, which abounds with moſt things conducing to the benefit of Humane Life, and very fruitful of men, as well as other things; and having few conſiderable Plantations to exhauſt his men; he becomes not leſs Potent and formidable to all Chriſtendom, than Rich and Glorious. Nor can I ever hope (the Pride and Luxury of the Engliſh, and the neceſſities of the Dutch, are ſuch) to ſee this vaſt increaſe of Wealth by the Engliſh and Dutch Trade with France to be abated; and what the further conſequences hereof will be in time, it is more than time to be conſidered both by the Engliſh and Dutch.

Corollary.

By the ſame Reaſon the Engliſh Nation loſes ſo much as the Canary Wines Imported exceed in value the Engliſh Commodities Exported into the Canaries; which if the value conſumed be 260000 l. yearly, and our Commodities do not amount to near 65000 l. yearly, we loſe above 195000 l. by this Trade.

Pet. 22. For we conſume all the Canary Wines Imported.

Pet. 23. And the Canary Wines imported, do exceed in value, the Engliſh Commodities Exported.

Annotations upon this Corollary.

So as having loſt thoſe gainful and beneficial Trades to Muſcovy, Groenland, and Norway too upon the matter, which is not longer lived if things muſt ſtand as now they do, than our Prizes taken in the late War laſt; having loſt our Fiſhing Trade, more worth than all our Trades beſides; and the Turkey, Spaniſh, and Guiny Trades, and up the Elb, are now no longer ours: the Dutch, unleſs in the Turkey Trade, and up the Elb, are more Maſters than we, and ſo in a ſhort time are like to be in theſe too. We flouriſh in the French Trade, and are ſo ſolely poſſeſſed of the Canary Trade, as we admit of no competitor.

Conſequences.

From this wild and vaſt expence by the Engliſh in the French and Canary Trades, does follow a neglect and contempt of all our Native Cloth, Stuff, and other Manufactures, and our Liquors; the French Silks, Fine Linnen, and Lace are preferred in all our Debaucheries: he is eſteemed a Clown, if the exceſs be not in Sack and Claret, &c. And what now can the poor Country man expect in reward of all his labours, eſpecially if he hath a Leaſe, but to ruine himſelf and Family, by his labour and pains, for others who by their Prodigality and Luxury, undo themſelves and the Nation as well as the poor men?

Lemma.

So as Reader thou mayeſt underſtand, (as Maſter Mun obſerves) that the Kings Cuſtoms, and particular men may grew rich by a Trade, whereby the Nation is impoveriſhed: for Merchants, Vintners, Drawers, Exchange people, &c. grow Rich, and live higher than other men; but the Nation droops, and in a very ſhort time will be beggered by them. Nor muſt you, Reader, take your Meaſures of our Trade, by the riſe and fall of the Kings Cuſtoms; for unleſs Trade be freer here than in other places, and that the greatneſs of the Cuſtoms ariſes from the greatneſs of the Trade, not the greatneſs of the Impoſitions, the higher the Cuſtoms the worſe the Trade; for all muſt be conſumed in the place: and though the Cuſtoms be now eight times more than in Queen Elizabeths Reign; yet being upon Tobacco's, Sugars, Wine, and French Toys, the Nation is ſo far from being enriched thereby, that it is ſo much the poorer by how much men debauch themſelves by exceſs in them.

Apology.

I do not deſire to be underſtood, as if I did intend any diminution to his Majeſties Revenue by what is ſaid of the height of Cuſtoms in this Lemma; and therefore, though the influence, which height of Cuſtoms has upon Trade, and the advantages, which the Dutch States reap by the lowneſs of their Cuſtoms be the ſubject of another Propoſitition: Yet that I be not miſ-apprehended, I ſay, That if the Impoſitions, which are now paid in Cuſtoms were paid by way of Exciſe, as they are in the United Netherlands, theſe benefits, his Majeſty as well as the Merchant would have. 1. His Majeſties Revenue, as the caſe ſtands, would be as much as now, unleſs in Exportation by Certificate, which is not much conſiderable. 2. As the Trade and Traders by the lowneſs of Cuſtoms would increaſe, ſo would his Majejeſties Revenue proportionably: whereas Trade diminiſhing by the height of Cuſtoms, ſo muſt his Majeſties Revenue. 3. The Duties impoſed upon Cuſtoms, when they are high, excite men to uſe all means to ſteal them, whereby they get ſo much as they conceal; whereas if the Cuſtoms be low, men would not run like hazard to get little or nothing thereby. 4. The Merchant would be free to imploy his mony he pays in Cuſtoms, in his Trade upon occaſions, as they are offered. But if ſo much as is impoſed upon Exportation by Certificate, were impoſed upon the Cuſtoms, and the Cuſtoms as they ſtand were collected by Exciſe, the Kings Revenue would be the ſame, and improvable as Trade would thereby improve; and the Merchant have the benefit of imploying all the mony he pays in Cuſtoms in his Trade.

From the lowneſs of Cuſtoms and height of Exciſe it is, that though the Engliſh Nation be capable of a ten-fold greater Trade than the United Netherlands, yet the Revenue the Dutch States acquire hereby, is above three-fold more than the Kings Revenue by Exciſe and Cuſtoms.

Epilogue.

THus Reader thou mayeſt underſtand, that though England be the moſt excellent and convenient place for Trade of all others, yet our practice and ordering it, is contrary to the nature of it; which ever flouriſhes moſt in convenient places, where it is more free, and people more abound. The abundance of our people (beſides thoſe which the hand of God hath taken away) are diminiſhed in peopling our Plantations, and in re-peopling Ireland ſince the late War and Maſſacre there: So as thereby the ſtrength as well as Trade of the Nation is abated proportionably: and yet as matters ſtand, we have interrupted our Trade with Ireland: Nor can we for the future expect any great benefit from the Trade to our Plantations for Tobacco's and Sugars. For the Dutch by the late Treaty at Breda being poſſeſſed of Surinam, which yields better Sugars than our Barbadoes, and may do in a much more inexhauſtible manner, being upon the Continent, and as good Tobacco's as our Virginia; and being better Maſters of Trade than we are, and having no Laws of Naturalization, to reſtrain them from peopling it, and ſupplying themſelves at home; we for the future can expect little other comfort from our Plantations than to ſupply our ſelves with Sugars and Tobacco's, but muſt leave the Dutch to enrich themſelves with ſupplying the world thereby. Already the Dutch, upon expectation of ſupplying themſelves with great quantities of Sugar and Tobacco's from Surinam, decline buying the Sugars of our Plantations; whereby they are become a Drug, and fallen from 42 s. a hundred, to 26. This puts the Sugar Bakers on new projects, viz. the boiling up of Panellis Sugar to ſupply and ſerve inſtead of looſe Liſbon Sugar, which was the principal Commodity returned in lieu of our Bays, Sayes, Searges, and Perpetuanoes, there vended in great quantities, and for want of returns by exchange not to be there obtained, the value principally returned in Lisbon Sugar; ſo as our Native Commodities in the Lisbon Trade too muſt in a ſhort time not fall only, but want vent.

As Ireland and our Plantations have exhauſted our men, whereby our Trade and ſtrength is abated and diminiſhed, ſo the Law againſt Naturalization debars any future ſupply of other men from Planting with us; and the Law of Navigation excludes much the greater Trading part of the world from Trading with us from abroad, and our Corporations reſtrain our Trade to as few at home: ſo as Trade, which ever flouriſhes in multitude and freedom, is by us, by all imaginable ways circumſcribed, taxed, and reduced to a few.

While we are contriving newer and more ſevere Laws againſt the Exportation of Wool, and neglect the careful inſpection and management of our Woollen Manufactures, whereby they have loſt their Reputation abroad; we put the world upon neceſſities of ſupplying themſelves elſewhere, and eſpecially from Ireland: whereby the Dutch not only partake with us in our Turkey Trade, and up the Elb; but the Dutch and French in our own Markets in England have a free and open Trade in Woollen Cloths and Stuffs; and in the mean while our Wool becomes a Drug, and of no price or eſteem at home: whereby, notwithſtanding the ſeverity of all our Laws againſt the Exportation thereof, great quantities are exported; and ſo will be until we eſtabliſh ſuch a Trade in our Woollen Manufactures, that men ſhall be better encouraged to work them here than elſewhere; for all men will rather venture their lives than loſe their means of living.

We neglect to give any encouragement in aſſiſting Ingenuous and Induſtrious men in any undertaking for the Publick good. I give one inſtance in the County of Suffolk, and here in Clerkenwel: The Engliſh during the late Dutch and French War, did betake themſelves to Weaving Poldavies, or Buck, which they did make into double Buck, being two threds ſpun together, and made of our Engliſh Hemp, (which Ipſwich and Woodbridge men affirm to be better than any Eaſt Country Hemp for this uſe) which made better Sails than any other, and did manage a conſiderable Trade thereby, to the great benefit of Suffolk: but now the Dutch and French Buck is ſold ſomewhat cheaper (the Engliſh not being as yet ſo much Maſters of the Trade as the Dutch and French.) This Trade begins to decline again, and to be neglected for want of ſome ſmall Encouragement, which might be done by ſome ſmall Impoſition, for ſome time upon the French and Dutch Buck, until we ſhould be enabled to work it as cheap, as it is in France and Holland.

As we give no encouragement to our induſtrious Natives, ſo we utterly diſcourage all induſtrious Foreiners from improving and increaſing Trade. I need not here repeat the diſcouragement put upon the Silk-throwers by the Corporation and Company of London, wherein near 20000 people are imployed; though the firſt introduction of Silk-throwing was by a Foreiner, the worthy. Father of Sir Thomas Chamberlain, now a worthy Citizen of London, becauſe the Wiſdom of Parliament hath provided ſecurity for the Silk-throwers.

But though the Weaving Silk be as much or more advantageous to the Nation, yet certain ingenuous and induſtrious French Artificers, who endeavoured to exerciſe their Trades laſt Summer in the Suburbs of London, were Indicted at Hicks Hall, by certain of the Yeomanry of the Company of Weavers, Commiſſionated by the Bailiff, Warden, and Aſſiſtants of the ſaid Company, and committed to the New-Priſon in Clerkenwel; though the difference between the ſaid Company and the Proteſtant Strangers uſing manual Occupation, was upon the Addreſs of the French and Dutch Churches, depending before his Majeſty and Council. Nor could any relief herein be had, though his Majeſty in Council the 29. of October laſt referred the buſineſs to the Lords of the Committee of Trade, until his Majeſty in Council the 10th. of November laſt, was pleaſed to diſcharge them.

I need not here recite the benefits the Nation at this day reaps by the permitting the Walloons to eſtabliſh their Trades at Canterbury, Norwich, Colcheſter, and other places: the Nation (at leaſt the Southern and Eaſtern parts) know they are the beſt Trades we have now left: Yet I cannot but take notice that within the memory of man, the returns of Maidſtone Market did not amount to weekly above 30 l. whereas ſince, admitting about 60 Families of Foreiners in the thred Trade, the returns are weekly now above 1000 l. to the incredible benefit of the Lands, as well as all ſorts of people adjoyning.

How pernicious this practice of excluding Foreiners muſt needs be to the Nation, as it now ſtands, if it be continued, is underſtood by his Majeſty. And the French King ſo well underſtands how much it will conduce to the advantage of France to encourage the freedom of Trade, by entertaining all ſorts of Forein Artificers, that in contradiction to all the Eccleſiaſtical Powers oppoſing it, he hath granted free liberty to all ſorts of Forein Artificers and Merchants to exerciſe their Conſciences in all Ports and places in his Dominion, and to have Churches allowed them with equal or more Priviledges than his natural Subjects. Sure now it will be no ways prudent in us ſo to diſcourage any herein, as to be entertained by the French King, as well as Dutch.

So that all the good and beneficial ends deſigned by Trade, viz. of imploying all ſorts of Impotent People, Women, and Children; of Strengthning, and enriching our ſelves by Trade are quite inverted by us. For the Fiſhing Trade, and the Trades of Making Dying and Dreſſing our Cloaths and Stuffs, wherein all ſorts of poor people might have been employed, is loſt and neglected by us, whilſt we intend the Newcaſtle Trade, the French, Canary, Turkey, Eaſt-India Trade, and to our Plantations, wherein only luſty men are imployed, and the Impotent People, Women, and Children are expoſed to beggery, and the publick charge. Secondly, Ireland and our Plantations Rob us of all the growing Youth and Induſtry of the Nation, whereby it becomes week and ſeeble, and the Strength, as well as Trade, becomes decayed and diminiſhed, I, and the Law againſt Naturalization Bars us of any future ſupply. And thirdly, Our Affluence, Luxury, and irregular management of Trade, renders us poorer, and in a worſe condition, than if we had no Trade at all.

So as here, Reader, thou mayeſt underſtand the reaſon of the decay and falls of the Rents of Lands in England; for by the 11 Petition, the Rents of Lands are valuable as the Trade of the place is: the Trade of England therefore being diminiſhed, the Rents of the Lands in England are conſequently fallen and diminiſhed in proportion to it.

REASONS OF THE INCREASE OF THE Dutch-Trade. PART II. Wherein is Demonſtrated from what cauſes the Dutch govern and manage Trade better than the Engliſh, whereby they have ſo far improved their Trade above the Engliſh.

Petitions.

1. MEN labour more induſtriouſly in Trade, and upon eaſier terms in the Ʋnited Netherlands than in England.

2. The Dutch have down the Rhine, Maez, and Scheld, out of Germany, France, Lorrain, Flanders, and other Spaniſh Provinces, greater quantities of Timber, more choice, and upon leſs terms than can be had in England, but more ſince the Timber of England is ſo much diminiſhed by the Act of Navigation, and much more when the City of London is rebuilt.

3. The Dutch have Pitch, Tar, Hemp for Cordage, Tackle, and Iron, in greater quantities, and for leſs terms than the Engliſh can, out of Norway, Denmark, and other Kingdoms within the Sound.

4. Pitch, Tar, Cordage, Tackle, and Iron are neceſſary means in fitting up Ships for Navigation.

5. The Dutch build Ships for Navigation more conveniently than the Engliſh.

6. The Dutch acquire more Forein Commodities in Trade out of Germany cheaper and with more convenience, than the Engliſh do out of Scotland.

7. The whole world is Water and Land.

8. The Dutch pay leſs Cuſtoms for Forein Commodities at home than the Engliſh.

9. The Dutch pay leſs Cuſtoms for Forein Commodities in Forein Trade, than the Engliſh do.

10. The Dutch pay leſs intereſt for mony, than the Engliſh.

11. The Dutch States are more converſant in Trade than the Council of State in England, or any other.

12. The Dutch generally breed their youth of both Sexes in the Studies of Geometry and Numbers, eſpecially more than the Engliſh do.

13. The Study of Geometry and Numbers, is the beſt Education for underſtanding Trade.

14. The Dutch States have equal or more means in Trade, than the Council of State in England, or any other.

15. A Dutch Stateſman is more intereſſed in Trade than a Counſellor of State in England, or any elſe.

16. Dutch Merchants and their Wives are generally more converſant in Trade than the Engliſh.

17. Dutch Merchants have fewer impediments in Trade than Engliſh, and have their Controverſies in Trade ſooner determined, and with leſs charge and trouble.

18. The Dutch pay leſs Cuſtoms for their Domeſtick Manufactures in Forein Trade, than the Engliſh do.

Axioms or Common Notions.

8. Where men labour more induſtriouſly upon leſs terms upon any thing, this thing is cheaper managed.

9. Any buſineſs which is more freely managed may be greatlier managed than if it were more reſtrained.

10. More buſineſs is done by more means, and cheap, if the means be had upon eaſier terms.

11. More buſineſs may be done by more means, and cheap, and more conveniently, if the means be more convenient and cheaper.

12. Who buyes cheaper than another, and more conveniently, may ſell cheaper, and with much more gain, if the charge be otherways leſs.

13. All things are either Forein or Domeſtick.

14. They who are more converſant in any buſineſs, and better Educated in it, may underſtand it better than another.

15. They who may underſtand any buſineſs better than another, may govern it better than that other.

16. Where men are more intereſſed in any buſineſs, they are leſs ſubject to be corrupted to the prejudice of it.

17. They who have fewer impediments in any buſineſs, and leſs charge and trouble in it, may improve it better than another who hath more.

18. The whole is equal to all parts.

TREATISE II.

Propoſition 1. Problem 1.

HOW the Dutch manage a greater Trade at home than the Engliſh.

Subjects, Are the Dutch and Engliſh.

Queſtion, How the Dutch manage a greater Trade at home?

Conſtruction. By the 1 Pet. 1. the Dutch freely entertain men of all Nations in Trade, and give them equal priviledges with the natural born Dutch: By the 9 Pet. 1. The Engliſh by the Bar of Naturalization and freedom of Strangers reſtrain the Trade of England to the Engliſh only. I ſay the Dutch may manage a greater Trade at home,

Ax. 9. For any buſineſs which is more freely managed, may be, and is greatlier managed than if it were more reſtrained.

Conſt. But Trade is more freely managed by the Dutch at home than by the Engliſh.

Therefore the Dutch manage a greater Trade at home, which was to be done.

Annotations.

From hence it is that the Dutch States without the danger of War, or putting themſelves into the power of fickle and unconſtant Fortune, and by deſtruction and devaſtation of other Countries, killing and making men miſerable by poverty and ſlavery, from no principles from within themſelves, but by acquiring men and means from other places, have attained the means (though all the United Neatherlands do not in bigneſs exceed the County of York nor have half the conveniencies of that Country, except in numbers of people) to manage a greater Trade at home than any other Country of the world. It is true, the times ſince they became States have concurred much to their advantage herein; for entertaining all ſorts of perſons, who, upon the account of either Religion or Faction, forſook their Countries, they have been much more enabled to do this. But the Province of Holland above all other, for no ſort of people was denyed admiſſion there; whereby Holland, as it is of more ſtrength than all the other Provinces, ſo it contributes 11/16 to all Publick Taxes.

Whereas this Nation does not only lye under the reſtraint of the Bar of Naturalization, and Ireland and our Plantations are always open to exhauſt us of our men: but beſides the multitudes of Engliſh which are diſperſed in other places of the Netherlands, Rotterdam, Middleborough, and Fluſhing, are about ¼ Engliſh, and of Engliſh Extraction. About the Years 1636. and 37. about 140 Families out of Norfolk and Suffolk forſook us, and Planted themſelves in Leyden, Alkmen, and other places of the United Netherlands, and there eſtabliſhed the Woollen Manufactures of thoſe places, which at this day is as much advantageous to the Dutch, and prejudicial to us, as Queen Eliz. (after the example of K. Edward 3.) entertaining the Walloons, perſecuted by the Duke of Alva, and planting them in Colcheſter, Norwich, Canterbury, &c. was advantageous to us, and prejudicial to the King of Spain: And ſure it is worthy the conſideration of the Parliament how this may be prevented for the future.

One Thomas Tilham born at Martley in the County of Worceſter, and formerly a Chirurgeon in Warwick treated with the Elector Palatine of Rhine, about 6 years ſince to bring in a Colony to Inhabit, and eſtabliſh Woollen Manufactures in the Palatinate; which the Prince allowing, the ſaid Tilham hath brought in a Colony of, its believ'd, between 2000 and 3000 men, who now manage a Trade upon Woollen Manufactures; and for Tilhams Reward herein, the Prince hath made him Commander of them. Many of theſe people came to Tilham out of Eſſex and Suffolk: One Skip of Herefordſhire is gone to him with ſome people; ſo are ſeveral others out of thoſe parts.

So that, though all Princes as well as States almoſt underſtood the wealth and ſtrength which attends a Domeſtick Trade, as well as the Dutch; Yet we only of almoſt all the world are ſo careleſs herein, that we neither care for encreaſing our Domeſtick Trade, nor to reſtrain our Artificers from betraying the myſtery of ours: though the free admiſſion of People of all Nations was the firſt Principle of the Greatneſs of the Dutch Domeſtick Trade, and the reſtreining our Domeſtick Trade to the Engliſh only, is the firſt Principle of the Decay of ours.

Prop. 2. Theorem 1.

The Dutch manage Trade cheaper in the United Netherlands than the Engliſh do in Engl.

Subjects, are the Dutch and Engliſh Nation.

Queſtion, Whether the Dutch manage Trade cheaper?

I ſay the Dutch manage Trade cheaper.

Ax. 8. For where men labour more induſtriouſly and upon eaſier terms upon any thing, this thing is cheap managed.

Pet. 1. Lib. 2.

But Men in the United Netherlands labour in Trade more induſtriouſly and upon eaſier Terms, than in Engl. Pet. 1. lib. 2.

Therefore the Dutch manage Trade cheaper in the United Netherlands, than the Engliſh doe in England. Which was to be done.

Annot.

As the Law againſt Naturalization is the reaſon, why the Dutch in the United Netherlands, manage a greater trade, than the Engliſh do in England, ſo is it the reaſon, that Trade is cheaper managed there than in England. For if the Trade of England being managed by reaſon of this Law by Engliſh men only, who by reaſon of our Plantations, the Repeopling Ireland, the late great Plague, and our late Wars are thin and very few, if you will have any work in Trade done, you muſt do it as the imployed Engliſh pleaſe; or you muſt have no work done: whereas if the Trade of England were as freely managed as in the United Netherlands, the Engliſh man then muſt work and be as induſtrious as other men, or he muſt not work at all: This freedome of managing Trade in the United Netherlands, as it increaſes the hands there, ſo it makes men more induſtrious in Trade; for the multitudes of people concurring in Trade an emulation of excelling one another is excited, whereby every man endeavours to excel the other in ſome way or other; whereas in England, Trade being circumſcribed by the few Engliſh in it; they not only work dearer, but are careleſs in working. Nor will I ever believe that Induſtry is reſtreined to Engliſh, excluſive to other Nations. I cannot paſs over how much the Trade of England. is at this day bettered by Queen Eliz. prudent Entertaining the Dutch and Fleming, againſt the Law of Naturalization; who not being able to indure the inſupportable Tyranny of the Dake of Alva, ſought refuge in this Nation; where in Colcheſter, Norwich, and Canterbury, they were planted, and there they brought in thoſe Trades, where at this day are the beſt we have left in England.

Prop. 3. Problem. 12.

How the Dutch may and do build more Ships for Navigation, and cheaper than the Engliſh.

Subjects, are the Dutch and the Engliſh.

Queſtion, How the Dutch may and doe build more Ships for Navigation and cheaper than the Engliſh?

Conſtruction, The Dutch have down the Rhine, Maez, and Sceld out of Germany, France, Lorain, Flanders and other Spaniſh Provinces greater quantities of Timber, more choiſe and upon leſs terms than can be had in Engl: but much more ſince it is ſo much diminiſhed by the Act of Navigation, Prop. 3. lib. 1. and muſt be yet much more in rebuilding the City of London. I ſay the Dutch may build more Ships, &c.

Ax. 10. For more buſineſs is done by more means, and cheaper if the means may be had upon eaſier terms.

But Timber is a neceſſary mean in building Ships, and 14. Pet. lib. 1. Conſtruction. the Dutch have more Timber, more choiſe, and upon eaſier terms than the Engliſh.

Therefore the Dutch may and doe build more ſhips for Navigation, and cheaper then the Engliſh. Which was to be done.

Annotations.

It was proved before a Committee of the Houſe of Commons laſt Seſſion of Parliament, that the Dutch build ſhips of equal dimenſions for one half the Engliſh can; It is true that the goodneſs of our Timber heretofore when we had ſufficient, and choiſe, did in a great meaſure compenſate the charge in building Ships; in regard that Ships built of Engliſh timber were much more Durable and ſtrong: but now all our beſt Timber, is waſted and deſtroyed, and muſt be more in rebuilding the City of London, our Timber not coming to perfection in leſs then 150 years growth, if care were taken for the Preſervation and increaſe thereof, which I never hope to ſee; I doe not underſtand for the future how we ſhall poſſibly build ſo good Ships as either Dutch, Dane, or French, for three times the price: And ſo Reader I leave to thee to conſider the fatall conſequences like to enſue, upon this poor Nation in this thing only.

Prop. 4. Probl. 3.

How the Dutch may and do fit up more Ships for Navigation, and cheaper than the Engliſh.

Subjects, are the Dutch and Engliſh.

Queſtion, How the Dutch fit up more Ships for Navigation and cheaper.

The Dutch have Pitch, Tar, Hemp for Cordage, and Tackle, Conſtruction. 3 Pet. lib. 2. and Iron in greater quantities, and for leſs terms than the Engliſh can out of Norway, Denmark, and other Kingdoms within the Sound. I ſay the Dutch may fit up more Ships for Navigation, cheaper than the Engliſh.

Ax. 10. For more buſineſs may be done by more means and cheaper, if the means may be had upon eaſier terms.

But Pitch, Tar, Cordage, Tackle, and Iron, are neceſſary means in fitting up Ships for Navigation.

And the Dutch have more or greater Quantities of Pitch, Tar, Cordage, Tackle, and Iron than the Engliſh, and upon eaſier Terms.

Therefore the Dutch fit and doe up more Ships for Navigation, and cheaper than the Engliſh. Which was to be done.

Annotations.

Here muſt I take notice that ſince the Rumps inſtitution of the Act of Navigation the condition of fitting up ſhips for Navigation in England is as bad as the building of Ships, and that againſt the Act of the 1 Eliz. 13. which ſtands yet in force. For by the 1 Eliz. 13. It is free for all men to import Pitch and Tar in any Veſſels; whereas by the Act of Navigation; if any Engliſh man imports any Pitch, or Tar unleſs in an Engliſh built Ship, and ſailed by ¾ Engliſh at leaſt, now we have neither men nor Ships to do it, the Ship is forfeit, Goods, Guns, Ammunition, and Tackle: and ſo it is in a ſtrangers Ship who is not a Native of the place, whereby he may impoſe what terms he pleaſe, or otherwiſe we muſt not have either Pitch or Tar at all: And our Condition for Cordage and Tackle is much worſe, for though we may have Pitch and Tar, upon ſuch Terms as the Dane and Swede pleaſe: yet it will be impoſſible in a ſhort time to have any Cordage or Tackle at all. For it muſt be imported by either Engliſh men in Engliſh Ships, when we have neither men nor Ships to do it; or by the Natives of the place, when the Inhabitants of Riga, Revell, Narve and other places of Leifland, from whence all the beſt hemp (if not all) for Cordage and Tackle comes, trade not with us at all.

Prop. 5. Problem 4.

How the Dutch may and do acquire more Forein Commodities by Navigation, cheaper and more conveniently than the Engliſh.

Subjects, are the Dutch and Engliſh.

Queſt. How the Dutch, ut ſupr.

Conſtruction. By the 3. Prop. 2. the Dutch may and doe build more ſhips and cheaper than the Engliſh, and by the 4 Prop. l. 2. they may fit up more ſhips and cheap, and by the 5 Pet. 2. they build Ships more conveniently: I ſay the Dutch &c.

Ax. 11. For more buſineſs may be done by more means and cheaper, and more conveniently, if the means be more convenient and cheaper.

Conſt. But the Dutch may, and do build and fit up more ſhips, more conveniently and cheaper than the Engliſh.

And Ships are neceſſary means in Navigation.

Therefore the Dutch may and doe acquire more Forein 15 Pet. 1. Commodities by Navigation cheaper and more conveniently than the Engliſh. Which was to be done.

Annotations.

So that as the Dutch build and fit out Ships cheaper than the Engliſh, ſo they build them more conveniently for Trade. For every Trade they build Ships, whereas in England unleſs it be in the Iſland Trade (wherein I do affirm are not one fourth part of the ſhipping in England, as was when the Act of Navigation had its firſt birth) all Ships ſerve for all Trades, the Dutch here in ſo far excell the Engliſh and all other Nations; that truly upon this account, they can, notwithſtanding the Impoſitions of the King of Denmark in the Trade of Norway for Timber, ſupply any part of the world cheaper than the King of Denmarks own Subjects, notwithſtanding the Aboundance of Timber and Pitch and Tar, which ſo much abounds in Norway. This appeared in the time of Oliver, who permitting the Engliſh to Trade for Timber, Pitch, and Tar in Dutch bottoms, forced the Norxegians to ſell the Ships they had built to Trade with the Engliſh for want of Employment; ſo in the years 1667, and 1668. the Kings permitting the Engliſh to trade in Dutch bottoms for Timber to Norway, and the Dutch to import it; reduced all the exceſſive Impoſitions which the King of Denmark had impoſed upon the Engliſh before in that Trade, or otherwiſe he had undone his own Subjects.

And as in this Trade, ſo in all others, they ſo excell in the convenient building of Shipping; that Sir Walter Rawleigh in his obſervation on Trade, which he dedicated to King James near 60 years ſince, affirms, if an Engliſh Ship of 200 Tuns, and a Holland Ship of like burden be at Danske or any other place beyond the Seas, they ſerve the Merchant cheaper by a 100 l. by reaſon the Hollands Ship is ſayl'd by 9 or 10 Mariners, and ours with near 30. Notwithſtanding we yet continue our old way of building Ships, and ſo muſt ſo long as the Law againſt Naturilization ſtands in force; for the Engliſh know no other; and if the Engliſh Merchant will not build as the Engliſh Carpenter pleaſes, and his way, he muſt not Trade at all; for if he buyes and Trades in any Forein Ship, ſhe is forfeit, Goods, Guns, Ammunition and Tackle by the Act of Navigation. So as the Dutch build Ships for half the price the Engliſh do, and Navigate for half the price. From whence it follows,

Conſequences.

That though the Dutch much more than double abound in Mariners above the Engliſh, yet navigating with much leſs than half the hands, they may drive above 4 times the Trade by Navigation than the Engliſh doe; and building and fitting up their Ships for half the terms do navigate for half the price: From whence it is that though the Herrings (except red Herrings which cannot be cured by them) and other Fiſh, be taken upon our Coaſt, the exportation of them as free, as in the United Netherlands, yet cannot we ſupply any part of the World ſo cheap as they; whereby they have only left us the Trade of red Herrings, and to ſupply our ſelves by excluding them, from trading with us, with white Herring.

Probl. 6. Theorem 12.

The Dutch may and do acquire more Forein Commodities in Trade cheaper and with more convenience than the Engliſh, in all the world.

Subject, The Dutch.

Queſtion, Whether they may acquire? &c.

I ſay they may.

Ax. 18. For the whole is equal to all the parts.

Pet. 7. 2. But the whole world is Land and Water.

Prop. 5. 2. The Dutch acquire more Forein Commodities by water cheaper, and with more convenience.

Pet. 6. 2. And ſo do by Land.

Therefore the Dutch may and do acquire more Forein Commodities in Trade cheaper and with more convenience than the Engliſhs. Which was to be demonſtrates.

Prop. 7. Prob. 4.

How the Dutch may and do ſell more Forein Commodities at home and in Forein Trade, cheaper, more conveniently, and with much more Gain than the Engliſh.

Subjects, Are the Dutch and Engliſh.

Queſt. How the Dutch? &c.

Conſtruction, By the 6. Prop. lib. 2. they acquire more forein Commodities in Trade, cheaper, and with more convenience; And Pet. 1. lib. 2. the Dutch pay leſs Cuſtoms for Forein Commodities at home and in Forein Trade, and 10. Pet. 2. they pay leſs intereſt for mony.

I ſay the Dutch ſell, &c.

Ax. 12. Who buyes cheaper than another and more conveniently, may ſell cheaper, and with much more Gain, if the charge be otherwaies leſs.

Conſtruction, But the Dutch buy more Forein Commodities cheaper, and more conveniently; and their charge is otherwiſe leſs in paying leſs cuſtoms and leſs intereſt for mony.

Therefore the Dutch may and do ſell more Forein Commodities cheaper, more conveniently, and with much more Gain then the Engliſh. Which was to be done.

Annotations.

Pay leſs Cuſtomes, By reaſon whereof principally the Dutch doe not only thrive by the Trade with France, but upon the matter their whole Trade is founded in it: For without the Salt of France the Dutch could not Fiſh: and by the Fiſhing Trade, the Wine, Salt, and Brandies of France, they drive their Trades into Germany, the Northern, and North-eaſt Countries; from whence they draw thoſe Commodities, whereby they are enabled to drive their Trades to Spain, into the Streights; and to the Eaſt and Weſt-Indies; whereas by the benefit of our Mony and Commodities we are only enabled to loſe about 1600000 l. a year, if Mr. Fortry hath truly computed it.

Nor is this all the Benefit the Dutch receive by the ſmalneſs of their Cuſtoms, which Sir Walter Rawleigh affirms not to be the 19 part ſo much as the Engliſh, (though in truth they are much leſs) yet by this means they draw all Nations to Traffick with them; and though the Duties they receive be but ſmall; yet the multitudes of all ſorts of Commodities brought in by themſelves and others, and carried out by themſelves and others, is ſo great that, they receive more Cuſtoms and duties to their State in one year by the Greatneſs of their Commerce than England does in two by the greatneſs of their cuſtoms.

And as this Monarchy by reaſon hereof hath loſt the Trade to a Common-wealth, ſo by reaſon hereof a Commonwealth in Italy hath loſt their Trade to a Monarchy. For the State of Genoa impoſing Cuſtoms upon 16 per cent. upon all Commodities imported, the Duke of Florence takes the advantage thereof by making Legorn a Free Port; whereby it is become one of the moſt famous and flouriſhing Towns in Europe: And the Genoans are forced to turn Uſurers, upon what they had got before. And this year the King of France in probability hath laid a foundation to undo Legorn by making Marſelles a free Port.

The King of Sweden, within the memory of man, made Gottenburg a Free Port for 7 years, which at this day hath eſtabliſhed ſuch a Trade there, that of a poor and unregarded Village, it is become the moſt flouriſhing Town of Trade in the North, or North-Eaſt. Here Reader let me deſire thee to partake ſome part of my Grief, in beholding ſuch unſafe and barred Ports as Gottenburg, and all thoſe of the Ʋnited Netherlands to be by means of their freedom ſo Rich and Flouriſhing; whereas our moſt excellent, noble, and ſafe Harbours, (but eſpecially Falmouth which Cambden prefers before Brunduſinus, or any other, and for its excellency and convenience, deſerves to be the Store houſe of Chriſtendom, yet hath ſcarce a Cock-boat belonging to it) are all neglecte and paſſed by, by reaſon of the height of our Cuſtoms, the Laws of Naturalization and Navigation.

Pay leſs Intereſt for mony. By reaſon whereof the Dutch may preſerve ſtores of all ſorts of Commodities, and at any time ſell them cheaper than the Engliſh, who pay more Intereſt for mony. Sir Walter Rawleigh affirms that Amſterdam is never without 700000 Quarters of Corn; beſides the Plenty they daily vent; and that a Dearth of Corn in England, France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, or other places enriches Holland 7 years after: whereas we are only permitted to ſell it, when cheap, to the no benefit of England, and to buy it when dear, to the impoveriſhing of us. Beſides, it is impoſſible, when two or more Ships are imployed in any voyage, the one paying after the rate of 4 per cent. the other 6, if otherwiſe their charge be equal, that upon equal terms they can ſell their Commodities, upon equal profit.

So that though the height of Cuſtoms and Intereſt of mony, do both prejudice Trade, where it relates to any other place where either are leſs or lower; yet the height of Intereſt is more inſupportable, in that it every day increaſes; whether it be in preſerving Stores, or in reference to the length of Voyages in Forein Trade. And whereas the publick Revenue is augmented by the height of Cuſtoms, yet to the prejudice of Trade; ſo Trade is more prejudiced by the height of Intereſt, without any advantage to the publick Revenue. Nor does the miſchief of height of Intereſt mony end here, but it hath a like bad influence upon building, and fitting out Ships, where no Cuſtom is paid: So as a Dutch Ship of equal Dimenſions, may be built and fitted out to Sea for half the terms an Engliſh Ship can: and this Ship thus built and fitted up for half the terms, is ſailed with half the hands; ſo as this charge being both ways double to the Engliſh, and the Engliſh paying ⅓ Intereſt more, the Engliſh Merchant labours from hence, in a three-fold charge more than the Dutch Merchant does, and this not to be at one time diſcharged as Cuſtoms are, but ever to be impoſed upon the Ship ſo long as ſhe laſts: from whence a will neceſſarily follow, that if our Cuſtoms were lower than the Dutch, yet if the Intereſt of mony be in proportion higher, the Dutch may and will hereby only maintain the Trade of the world excluſive to the Engliſh.

Corollary.

By the ſame reaſon the Dutch may ſell more Domeſtick Manufactures at home, and in Forein Trade cheaper, and more conveniently than the Engliſh, and with much more gain.

For by the 2 Prop. lib. 2. Trade is cheaper managed in the United Netherlands than in England: and Prop. 1. lib. 2. It is more managed there than in England: And 18 Pet. 2. The Dutch pay leſs Cuſtoms for their Domeſtick Commodities in Forein Trade.

Prop. 8. Theorem 3.

The Dutch may ſell more Commodities in Trade, than the Engliſh, cheaper, more conveniently, and with much more gain.

Subjects, Are the Dutch and Engliſh.

Queſtion, Whether the Dutch may and do ſell, ut ſupra?

I ſay they may.

Ax. 13. For all things are either Forein or Domeſtick.

Propoſition 7. 2. But the Dutch may ſell more Forein Commodities at home and abroad, cheaper, more conveniently, and with much more gain than the Engliſh.

Corollary.

And may ſell more Domeſtick Manufactures at home, and in Forein Trade, cheaper, more conveniently, and with much more gain.

Therefore the Dutch may and do ſell more Commodities in Trade, cheaper, more conveniently, and with much more gain than the Engliſh. Which was to be demonſtrated.

Annotations.

They do it, and have done it, and are thereby become the greateſt Prodigy that ever the world brought forth. For let any conſider them in their firſt principles, being inconſiderable either for Number or Quality from their firſt riſe, to be oppoſed by the moſt powerful Monarch in Chriſtendom for near 80 years together! and from no principles of Trade from within themſelves, nor having ſcarce a piece of Ground to build one houſe upon, nor one ſtick of Timber, or ſcarce one handful of Hemp, Pitch, Tar, or Iron, to build or fit out a Ship; and notwithſtanding their conſtant Wars with Spain, to ingage and undertake ſo many Wars againſt the Swede, Dane, Portugal, and in the Eaſt and Weſt-Indies? To build ſo many fair and ſtately Cities beyond any other part of the World, and all this in leſs than 100 years; and at this day to manage a greater and more gainful Trade than all the world: whereby their Wealth is ineſtimable, and all this in contradiction to ſeeming impoſſibilities. Nor is their ſtrength and power at Sea leſs terrible, than their wealth ineſtimable; and at this day all the Affairs almoſt of Chriſtendom are tranſacted at the Hague: Queen Eliz. a Princeſs of moſt excellent Prudence and foreſight, though ſhe were careleſs in hindering them in the progreſs of their Trade, yet was very vigilant in reſtraining their ſtrength by Sea: nor would ſhe permit them to build many Men of War, and thoſe not conſiderable; whereby without any controul ſhe kept them in perfect ſubjection at Sea. After King James loved peace, and his Book ſo well, that he did not reſtrain their riſing power by Sea. K. Charles (of Sacred memory) foreſaw the danger of it, and would have reſtrained it, but it pleaſed God he reigned in ſuch perverſe times, that he either was not, or, which was worſe, could not be underſtood by his Subjects: ſo as now their power at Sea is ſwelled to ſuch a prodigious greatneſs, as it is a queſtion whether it can be controuled by all the power in the world; and what the conſequences hereof will be, only God knows. I do not believe the Dutch intend us any good by it.

Prop. 9. Problem 6.

How the Dutch States may and do underſtand Trade better than the Council of State in England, or any other.

Subjects,. Are the Dutch States, and the Council of State in England, or any other.

Queſtion. How the Dutch States? &c.

Conſtruction, By the 11 Pet. 2. The Dutch States are more converſant in Trade, and by the 12 Pet. 2. The Dutch generally breed their Youth of both Sexes more in the Studies of Geometry, and Numbers eſpecially than the Engliſh. I ſay the Dutch, ut ſupra.

Ax. 14. For they who are more converſant and better Educated in any buſineſs may underſtand it better than another.

Conſtruction, But the Dutch States are more converſant in Trade than the Council of State in England: and the Dutch generally breed their Youth of both Sexes better for underſtanding Trade.

Therefore the Dutch States may and do underſtand Trade better than the Council of State in England, or any other.

Apology.

I am ſo far from intending any diminution by this Propoſition to the Regal Authority in this Nation, or any oblique aſperſion upon his Majeſties Privy Council; that I do affirm no one thing could conduce more to the grandeur of his Majeſty and the publick Intereſt of the Nation, than to have a conſtant Council of Trade eſtabliſhed by Act of Parliament, which might not only inſpect and regulate as well our Native and Forein Trade; but alſo be adviſing and aſſiſting to his Majeſty in ſuch Treaties with other Princes and States, wherein Trade is concerned. And how much more this is to be deſired, wherein the particular good of every individual perſon in the Kingdom is concerned, than Corporations, which are advanced to the prejudice of the reſt of the Nation, I ſubmit to any indifferent man. And if it be no aſperſion upon a Privy Counſellor, who is not a Lawyer, to ſay in the knowledge of the Laws, the Lawyer may be more underſtanding; I do not underſtand how it can be any to ſay a Merchant better educated, and more converſant in Trade, may better underſtand it, than a Privy Counſellor, who is not ſo educated, and leſs converſant in it.

I ſay moreover, if all which I have complained of in the former, and this Treatiſe were regulated, wherein in point of liberty, we were equal with the Dutch; yet if the Dutch ſhall better Govern and Regulate Trade than we, thereby only the Dutch may and will drive the Trade of the World excluſive to the Engliſh.

Prop. 10. Theorem 3.

The Dutch States govern Trade better than the Council of State in England, or any other.

Subjects, Are the Dutch States, and the Council of State in England, or any other.

Queſtion, Whether the Dutch States govern Trade better?

I ſay they may.

Ax. 15. For they who may underſtand any buſineſs better than another, may govern it better.

Prop. 7. 2: But the Dutch States may underſtand Trade better than the Council of State in England.

Therefore the Dutch States may and do govern Trade better than the Council of State in England, or any other. Which was to be demonſtra ed.

Annotations.

From hence it is that the Trade of England is managed confuſedly, diſtractedly, and ſharkingly by the Traders: neither is there any eſtabliſhed Power by which it may be better Regulated: And to this great Wiſdom and underſtanding of the Dutch in governing Trade, may be juſtly added ſo great a ſtaidneſs and prudence in all Treaties with Forein Princes and States in reference to Trade, that thereby they have advanced their Trade with all Forein Princes and States: And to this they conjoyn power, by which they, upon all occaſions, improve their Trade above what they had before got by Treaty; which whoſo reads Leon ab Altzma, one of their States, may eaſily obſerve.

Prop. 11. Theorem 4.

A Dutch States-man is leſs ſubject to be corrupted to the prejudice of Trade than a Council of States-man in England.

Subjects, Are a Dutch States-man, and a Counſellor of State in England.

Queſtion, Whether the Dutch States-man be leſs Subject to be corrupted to the prejudice of Trade?

I ſay he is.

Ax. 16. For where men are more intereſſed in any Buſineſs, they are leſs Subject to be corrupted to the prejudice of it.

15 Pet. 2. But a Dutch States-man is more intereſſed in Trade than any Engliſh Council of States-man.

Therefore leſs ſubject to be corrupted to the prejudice of Trade. Which was to be demonſtrated.

Annotations.

So as to the great wiſdom and power of the States in governing, is conjoyned Intereſt, whereby their Counſels are eſtabliſhed in greateſt ſecurity, not only ſafe hereby from all poſſible bribery or corruption from any Power from abroad or at home: but this moreover creates a diligence in them all to inſpect the management of all Forein, as well as Domeſtick Trade, whereby as well in the Fiſhing Trade, as in all their Domeſtick Manufactures, their Fiſh and Manufacture; have a reputation incomparably above ours: Whilſt our Aulnage, &c.

Prop. 12. Theorem 5.

Dutch Merchants may and do improve their Trades better than Engliſh.

Subjects, Are Dutch and Engliſh Merchants:

Queſtion, Whether the Dutch improve their Trades better?

I ſay they may.

Ax. 17. For they who have fewer Impediments in any buſineſs, and leſs charge and trouble in it, may improve it better than others, who have more.

Pet. 17. 2. But Dutch Merchants have fewer impediments and leſs trouble and charge than Engliſh, and have Controverſies in Trade ſooner determined, and with leſs charge.

Therefore with leſs charge Dutch Merchants may and do improve their Trade better than Engliſh. Which was to be done.

Annotations.

When Controverſies in Trade ariſe in England, it will be firſt a very probable queſtion, whether the conuſance of them belong to the Common Law or Admiralty: Here the Merchant muſt wait and intend this buſineſs, whatſoever his concernments are otherways; if after God knows when the Juriſdiction be determined, then it may be they are removed into the Chancery, where after a tedious delay they may be decreed, and upon a motion, a new Order for re-hearing; or it may be returned to the Common Law, or perhaps brought into Parliament: and after all this flux and re-flux of vexation and charge to the certain undoing of one or both parties, theſe Controverſies reſolve in the determination of men, who it is impoſſible, ſhould underſtand them: for all Judgment is from antecedent Knowledge; and therefore if the nature of Trade, Bills of Exchange, and accounts in Trade, &c. and all the particularities which lead to the Controverſies in queſtion, be not before underſtood, which it is impoſſible the Judges in Chancery, Common Law, or Admiralty ſhould do, their Education and Breeding having been otherways, it is impoſſible they ſhould judge aright.

Propoſition 13. Problem 7.

How Dutch Merchants and their Wives generally underſtand Trade better than Engliſh.

Subjects, Dutch Merchants and their Wives, and Engliſh.

Queſtion, How Dutch Merchants and their Wives generally may underſtand Trade better?

Conſtruction. By the 16 Pet. 2. Dutch Merchants and their Wives are more converſant in Trade, and 12 Pet. 2. The Dutch generally breed Youth of both Sexes more in the ſtudies of Geometry and Numbers eſpecially. I ſay Dutch Merchants, &c. may underſtood Trade better.

Ax. 14. For they who are better Educated and more converſant in any buſineſs may underſtand it better.

13 Pet. 2. But Dutch Merchants and their Wives are generally better educated to underſtand Trade.

16 Pet. 2. And are more converſant in Trade.

Therefore Dutch Merchants and their Wives generally may underſtand Trade better than Engliſh, which was to be done.

Annotations.

In all rational deſigns men firſt conſider the end. 2. From what principles they may attain the end: And thirdly, ſo to order theſe principles, that the end be attained by feweſt means and ſhorteſt ways. The end deſigned by education of Youth is to live juſtly, to be aſſiſting in Government, and to be helpful to other men. The firſt principle to do this by education is, that God hath given every Youth underſtanding, as well as ſenſe, to govern all his Actions by reaſon, not love, hatred, fear, or deſire. 2. That it is in the power of every learner to do ſomething which is required of him, whereby he may improve his knowledge by practice. And 3. The means by which Youth is inſtructed is Speech and Method, both which muſt be before underſtood.

To live juſtly is not founded in the principles of Geometry and Numbers, yet this I ſay, that by theſe men are better enabled to live juſtly than others who are more ignorant in them; for God and Nature hath made all things to conſiſt in Number and Quantity: that man therefore who is ignorant herein, though he means juſtly, yet does not underſtand in his dealings, whether he does juſtly or not: And in ſo high an eſteem were theſe moſt noble Sciences among the Grecians, when Learning flouriſhed ſo among them that they eſteemed all the world Barbarous but themſelves, that the greateſt Philoſophers of them, would have all Juſtice and Government to conſiſt in Arithmetical and Geometrical proportion. Plato (who would have all Gods works to be done in Geometrical Proportion, and excluded every one his School who was ignorant in Geometry) though bred in a Democratical State, would have Juſtice and Government to conſiſt in Geometrical Proportion. Xenophon, though bred in an Ariſtocratical, would have Juſtice to be founded in Arithmetical proportion.

Afterwards Ariſtotle, that he might not be leſs a Philoſopher than Plato, or Xenophon herein, divides Juſtice into Corrective and Diſtributive Juſtice; corrective to be in Arithmetical Proportion; and Diſtributive in Geometrical: though for my part I believe he never underſtood one Prop. either in Geometry or Numbers.

1. The ends deſigned by Education in Geometry and The ends of Education in Geometry and Numbers. Numbers, are ſuch, that every man by knowledge in them, is better able to deal in any buſineſs relating to Humane Converſation, not in Trade only.

2. All fortification is founded in theſe ſtudies, eſpecially in Geometry: ſo is encamping and approaches, and defences againſt them. Archimedes ſo excelled herein, that when Marcellus beſieged Syracuſe, he alone twice beat back the Roman Army, nor (its believed) had the Romans taken it, if Archimedes had not been ſurprized.

3. Architecture, Surveying, and Meaſuring all Bodies and Superficies, is wholly founded in them.

4. Aſtronomy is founded in Geometry and Numbers, ſo is meaſuring the diſtance of places, whereby Navigation is better to be improved.

5. Hiſtory (which ſo enobles the minds of men) is rude and imperfect without knowledge in theſe Studies, for no man without underſtanding Numbers can compare Era's, Epocha's, and periods of times, when Actions were done; nor how they were done in place without Geography, which is founded in Geometry.

6. Youth by education in theſe Studies, where a method of Reaſoning is obſerved, does not only acquire by every Propoſition a new and certain knowledge, which at ſome time or other may be beneficial, but gets a habit of right reaſoning, whereby he is enabled to judg of any Propoſition in any other Science or faculty, and to judge of the reaſons in them.

2dly. The Principles of Geometry and Numbers, as of The Principles all Sciences are three, viz. Definitions, Petitions, and Axioms, which as I underſtand, are not rightly underſtood by Euelid, nor any Commentator upon him: but Ariſtotle is ſo far from underſtanding the Principles aright, that he does not underſtand the Number of them: For he ſays Anal. Poſt. lib. 1. 10. tit. 3. & 6. lib. 1. c. 3. de anima. that the Principles of Science are two, Proper, and Common; Proper, as a Line: Common, as if equals be taken from equals, what is left will be equal; and the Logick taught in our Schools eſtabliſhes no Principles at all.

3dly. The Means by which Youth is inſtructed in Geometry The means. and Numbers, and in all other Learning, is Speech and Method. Speech is the inſtrument or mean by which men converſe and inſtruct; our Engliſh Tongue therefore being copious enough to inſtruct Youth in Education, it is vain and ſuperfluous to do it in any other, where men are not neceſſitated to ſpeak different Languages: The Greek and Latin Tongues being the Language of no place, I know no neceſſity of them, unleſs men deſire to multiply Gods Curſe in the confuſion of Tongues, by retaining theſe now there is no neceſſity of them. Yet the better ſort of the Youth of England is condemned to the learning of theſe tongues, which they at laſt underſtand ſo imperfectly, that not one of a hundred can ſpeak or know in either ſo well as his own: and whether this is the neareſt way to Inſtruction, I leave to any man to judge. The Antient Egyptians, Syrians, Caldeans, Grecians, and Romans inſtructed their Youth in their Mother Tongue, whereby they became ſo eminent in Learning, that this preſent Age enjoyes much benefit from them.

The Affricans before the Reign of Manſor Emperour of Affrick and all the Spains, who reigned, as Pedro Mexico ſays, about the year 1105. were accounted barbarous. This Emperour, being a great lover of Learning, cauſed all Hiſt. temp. Books written in Greek, either concerning Philoſophy, Phyſick, or Hiſtory to be tranſlated into the Arabian Tongue, and founded many Colledges in the Cities of Fez, Morocco, Affrica, Treviſſin, Tunis, Argier, Hippona, &c. and endewed them with great Revenues for reading theſe Studies in the Arabian Tongue: whereby not men only, but women ſo profited in Learning, that as Leo Affricanus affirms, the women of Lybia in thoſe days were very learned, and above all things elſe, ſooner buſied in good Books, than medling with Cloth and Garments. And it was in this Emperours Reign, or ſoon after, that thoſe famous Philoſophers, Averroes, Meſues, Raſis, Rabbi Moſes, and many others flouriſhed. Nor do I know any reaſon, but if Learning were taught Youth in the Engliſh Tongue, whereby the Engliſh might be as learned as the Romans, and Grecians, but the Engliſh Tongue would be in as much eſteem as the Greek and Latin.

The Method of Learning in Geometry and Numbers, and in all other Learning, is by diſpoſing the knowledge in the Petitions and Propoſitions before known; ſo the knowledge what was before underſtood to be eternal and neceſſary in the Axiom, that the queſtion of every Propoſition not known before, may neceſſarily be known in the concluſion of the Syllogiſm. But this is impoſſible to be done by any Authority of Ariſtotle, where are no Petitions or mean knowledge in the Subject; and thoſe Principles which he eſtabliſhes are ſo confounded, that as he makes a Line to be a Propoſition Principle, ſo he makes a man Anal. Poſt. to be a Univerſal, lib. 2. c. 19. tit. 7. yet a Line is as much a Univerſal as a man: From whence, as it is impoſſible any progreſs of Learning or Rational Knowledge can follow; ſo ſuch knowledge as this will. Univerſals are every where and cannot be perceived by ſenſe, Ana. Poſt. l. 1. c. 31. tit. 1.

A Man is a Univerſal.

Therefore a man is every where, and cannot be perceived by ſenſe.

If it be impoſſible from Principles thus eſtabliſhed to learn or know; then muſt it be more impoſſible to learn by the vulgar Logick, where are no Principles at all, and all Rules of Learning inverted in the firſt Definition (as it is called) which ſayes Logick proves (not the Conſequences but) Principles in its own and other Sciences.

Conſequences.

From hence then it is, that in Geometry, is no method obſerved in Reaſoning, whereby the ſtudy of it is rendred perplexed and difficult, which is of all others the moſt natural and eaſie: The conſtruction of the fourth Propoſition, lib. 1. is from no antecedent knowledge; and if the negative part of that triangular demonſtration be true, which makes two triangle lines tocomprehend no ſpace then, is all the doctrine of Triangles falſe; for if a right lined Angle be not ſpace, it is nothing; yet nothing but two right lines comprehend it: And in the vulgar Arithmetick is no reaſon at all taught; but the learners without underſtanding any reaſon are required to divide the Product of the ſecond and third, by the firſt, and the Quotient will give a fourth proportional number, &c. But how this comes to paſs is not underſtood, whereby learners take no pleaſure in learning, and ſoon forget what was told, without any poſſible means of improving knowledge in any other Propoſition: So as it is from hence that the nobler and better ſort of the Youth of England being bred up in theſe vain and fruitleſs Studies of Grammar, Logick, and Ariſt. and, being thereby fitted for no Buſineſs or Converſations, are diſpoſed to lead idle and debauched lives: and the Female Sex, though it be of mankinde as well as the Male, and endued with a rational ſoul, and therefore accountable to God and their Superiours for their Actions, are leſs bred ingenuouſly in England, than in France, Spain, Italy, Germany, and the United Netherlands, whereby they may be enabled to govern themſelves when Virgins and Widows, and to be aſſiſting to their Husbands and Families, when Wives.

I have before often treated by Apology, as well became me, becauſe the King and Laws to which I am Subject were concerned. I need none in what is ſaid upon this Propoſition. I have equal right here with any man, and any man with me. The method preſcribed is not four lines, whereby in Geometry as well as Numbers I will, by Gods leave, from cauſes before known, demonſtrate the queſtion of every Propoſition not known before: whereas by twenty years learning of Grammar, Logick, and Ariſtotle this was never done, nor poſſible to be done.

Propoſition 14. Theorem 7.

How Dutch Merchants and their Wives generally may govern Trade better than Engliſh Merchants and their Wives.

Subjects, Dutch and Engliſh Merchants and their Wives.

Queſtion, Whether the Dutch govern Trade better than the Engliſh?

I ſay they may, and do.

Ax. 15. For they who underſtand any buſineſs better may govern it better.

Prop. 12. 2. But Dutch Merchants and their Wives genenerally underſtand Trade better than the Engliſh.

Therefore may govern Trade better. Which was to be demonſtrated.

Annotations.

From hence it is that Dutch Merchants Wives frequently, when their Husbands are abroad in Trade, or any other buſineſs, order and govern their Trades as diligently and diſcreetly as if they were at home; which is a very great advantage both to the State and their Husbands, and Families, and might be of as much, or more to the King and Merchants here in England, if their Wives were ſo educated, as to be enabled to do ſo.

Epilogue.

SO as Reader thou mayeſt underſtand, and that by demonſtration, in the former Treatiſe from what cauſes, and by what means the Engliſh Nation is become ſo degenerate in Strength, Wealth, and Trade. In this thou mayeſt underſtand by what means and degrees the Dutch in leſs than 100 years have attained ſuch prodigious Riches and Strength by Trade: we have little left but the French and Canary Trades (wherein we undo our ſelves) and the Trade of our Manufactures and Plantations. And in theſe two the Dutch may out do the Engliſh in Forein Trade, if their charge in acquiring them does not exceed their charge otherways. And herein they may clearly out do the Engliſh, if it be true; which is ſaid, that in them Engliſh Factors Trade in their own names, yet upon the account of Dutch Merchants; whereby it much more comes to paſs, which Sir Walter Rawleigh long ago obſerved, that our Sea and Land Commodities ſerve only to enrich and ſtrengthen other Countries againſt our own.

If we loſe the Trade of England, we muſt loſe Navigation; if we loſe Navigation we loſe the Sovereignty of the Seas; if the Sovereignty of the Seas, then read the condition of the Nation in the Daniſh Invaſion, and remember it not long ſince. Notwithſtanding the Nation is in this condition, yet are we ſo ingaged in Factions and Diſſentions, that neither the continued ſeries of Gods manifold Judgments theſe many years upon it by Wars Inteſtine and Forein, Plagues, Fires, and Hyrricanoes, nor the growing greatneſs of our Neighbours the French and Dutch, does any ways alarm or awaken it.

I might here Reader proceed to a third Treatiſe, by obſerving the ſame method, and demonſtrate that England is capable of greater Wealth, and ſtrength than the Ʋnited Netherlands (or perhaps any Country elſe) and that from thoſe natural prerogatives wherewith God hath endued it, the Nation may manage a greater, better, and more valuable Trade upon much leſs terms than the Dutch can a leſs, worſe, and leſs valuable Trade: But it will be to no purpoſe to proceed herein, until Trade be relieved, wherein we ſhewed cauſe.

The End.