YOUR Acknowledgment of the satisfaction You have re­ceived by the perusal of the several Late Printed Tracts, That the free Admission of the Home-Consumption of East-India. Wrought Silks, almost hath, and will certainly be­come the utter Subversion of the English Silk-Manufacturers, both (Weavers and Throwsters) at London and Canterbury, and wherever it is setled. But your doubt, Whether the Exportation of those East-India Wrought Silks that now are, and may be still Exported, have not, and may not be of greater Advan­tage to England, than the Silk Manufactury [...]ere is, or can be; and that the Prohibiti­ [...]n of the Wearing them here will not [...]estroy this Advantage that hath, and may be made by their Exportation, and so Obstruct and Hinder a more Publick Benefit to the Kingdom, than the Pre­servation of all the Silk-Manufacturers are to England. And this, you say, is the great Pretence and Plea of the East-India Traders, and that then we must buy Wrought Silks at much dearer Rates, if their Trade herein be Obstructed, and likewise whether if we should procure all other Necessary Manufactures in like manner (both for Home-Consumption and Ex­portation) Plentiful and Cheap from In­dia, it might not be greatly to our Advan­tage, all which, if our selves do not, the Dutch will impose upon us, under pre­tence of their own Works, and like­wise by Exporting them to all other parts, Gain the profit thereof from us, which is the matter wherein you desire farther Satisfaction and Information.

SIR, In Answer to which pray con­sider, for I am sure these Objections are as False as Impolytick (we have already, and are now inciting the Indians, and Chinees that are a numerous and Labo­rious People, and can and do live, with­out Fire or Clothing and with a Tri­vial Expence for Food) to load us with their Manufactures, that are utterly de­structive of our own, and our very be­ing a People of any Number or Va­lue, by our not only consuming their handy-work our selves in the Room of our own Silk and Wooll-Manufactures, or such as are the Return thereof; but likewise by the hindring or spoiling all our Foreign Exportations we used to have for those our own Fine Goods, and then plead it as a Meritorious, and Advantageous Act, thus to help forward our own destruction with both hands; for had we not pusht forward the Indian Trade, our own English Wrought Goods had (as formerly served the World and gained that profit) in the Room of those we falsly pretend this Advan­tageous Exportation of East-India Manufactures do produce; so that all those Indian Exportations are double loss, rather than any profit to England, which hath for several Years past come to that Perfection in all Wrought, Figur'd and Flower'd Silks, and Stuffs, as far to outdo Holland, and Vye with France, [Page 2]or any part of the Ʋniverse, and with those, had not we our selves occasion'd the contrary (as before specified) have ser­ved many Countries, with which it is worth our while to Trade; which are chiefly our own Western Plantations, Ire­land, Scotland, and Spain, except which, our Exports herein have been to little advantage; for what is of East-India Wrought-Silks Exported for Holland, is said (by those that understand their dealing) chiefly with design to save the draw-back Duty, by stealing them in again Custom free, which if they can­not, they frequently re-enter, and turn them again upon us.

In the serving our own Plantations with Silks and Stuffs, 'tis greatly im­polytick, that any particular Person's Advantage, and the Benefit of the In­dian should be preferr'd before the Kingdoms, else they might be obliged to nothing of Silks, and Stuffs, but of English make; but in the stead thereof we allow them the draw-back in East-India Silks, greatly to our own preju­nice, and so are no advantage to the Government neither, and the prejudice England doth sustain in this Single Arti­cle, I believe to be greater than the profit of the Exports all the Indian Wrought-Silks amount to.

And as we have encouraged the Indi­ans to the increasing and making multi­tudes of Wrought-Silks, as I shall presently instance; so we have not only Consum'd them our selves, and served our own Plan­tations; but courted and obliged all those parts we deal to, to the Use and Consumption thereof. But the Prejudice England hath, and doth receive thereby, being added to the former Article, when we consider that all our English Wrought Silks is the rerurn of our Woollen Ma­nufacture, and Multitudes of People like­wise employ'd, it must far out-ballance all pretended profit of India Wrought Silks, which are the Exportations pur­chased with our good hard Silver, when as we had otherwise served those parts with Silks of our own Manufacturing, which had kept, and increased our Numbers ten times more than now they are.

Yet do we not contend to prevent our Merchants Exportation, if the European World will not be content without them, but if by our use of English Wrought Silks, other Kingdoms will follow our Example, as I think it is one of the greatest Blessings we can hope for our good, I only pray God they may not be mistaken that fear it; for the advantage England will reap by gaining a preferrence to our own Manufactur'd Silks, &c. will be far greater benefit to the Kingdom, than the Exportation of those Indian Silks, &c. that will go in their stead. And I am sorry any Englishman should grudge it; but whatever their pretences be, of vast Exportations when it serves their purpose, we have their own Con­fession in print that Two thirds of all Wrought Silks Imported, were con­sum'd in England; but they freely and most truly since that acknowledged be­fore the Honourable House of Lords, that Nine Tenths thereof were in England ex­pended, which is sufficient proof what small advantage England can reap by their Exportations of Wrought Silks, not to be near answerable to the Damage they do the Kingdom by the prejudice to the Turky and Italian Merchants, be­sides the forementioned innumerable Manufacturers.

As to your Query, Whether the like advantage may not accrue to England by the Importation, Consumption, and Ex­porting of all other India Manufactures. I dare be positive, That as in the Case of India Wrought Silks, all their Ma­nufactures hereafter mention'd, or any other which we are possest of, or that we can have from other parts in return for our English Productions and Manu­factures, is prejudicial to the Welfare of England. As for what is again Exported, it cannot hurt us, but as it hinders the Sale of our own Productions and Manu­factures (and therein it doth) which would certainly otherwise Vend in those parts, to which those Indian Goods are so Exported; but this we contest not in [Page 3]the Matter of Silks for our selves. But let what Goods will be made in India, and come, let us not consume them here to our own prejudice, or in giving the Example, nor send them to such places as we may oblige to take our own Manufactures, I mean our own Western Plantations, let other parts of the European World look to themselves, and share them amongst 'em; the damage will light on some, and by this doing, we shall wisely Support our Wealth, Imploy and In­crease our Numbers of People which will keep up the Value of Lands. As to the King­doms paying dearer for English Wrought Silks, 'tis a needless fear; for if men of Sub­stance hath but reasonable encourage­ment to venture their Stocks in the Silk Manufactory, we shall soon make such Mul­tititudes of Workmen, as shall enable us to sell better Penny-worths than the East-India Merchants do, and this will be far better for the good of the Kingdom, than to let them be as at present about London, reduc'd to a Tenth of what they were, and at Canter­bury to an Eighth of our former Numbers.

As for the Dutch, or other, serving us with India Goods, under pretence of their own Manufacture, 'tis an Objection that hath been sufficiently Answered, and hath little of weight in it, unless we give up our selves to despair, rather than contend with any Difficulty, that may as easily be pre­vented, as French Alamodes and Lustrings, if Englishmen can have but the same favour as the French of that Alamode and Lustring Company have had.

And as to the Exportations of such East-India Silks, &c. if they be made and must come, better we serve the European parts than any other; but 'tis plain, That all Manufacturing parts of the World are ta­king the Alarm, and standing on their Guard; and this makes the East-India Mer­chants so zealous for a home Consumption; and 'tis We, of all Kingdoms in Europe that deserve the greatest blame, for the sake of a little private profit, to bring this part of the World into this Streight; for it was not the Dutch, but the English, that first put the Indians on that vast increase of Silk-worms (as much to the Detriment of the Turky and Clothing Trade, as is the farther Ma­nufacturing thereof a great loss to Eng­land, tho' never so cheap sold to the India Merchants if purchased with our money, to the prejudice of the forementioned par­ties) it was the English that put them on the farther Improvement, to that great Excess they are now at of Throwing Dying, and Weaving, when both they and the In­dians could not do less than laugh in their Sleeves at the Act that prevents Throwing and Dying, (the profit thereof being wholly Loss to us, and Gain to India, in being af­ter Wrought into Silks) it was only the English that sent over Artists of all these Trades, and Pattern-drawers, and Patterns that might sute the European Humours; and in plain English, it was the English, it is the English, and it will be the English, that will be the only mad part of the World, in this respect, if not by Law prevented, Strict Edicts in France prevent their Home-Consumption; Flanders and Venice, and all other parts do the like; and we above all others have great reason to do so too; and 'tis high time, and how the Case now is, and hereafter will be, with us, is what I shall briefly demonstrate to you and the consequence hereof (having with all brevi­ty satisfied each part of your Objection) by which it will appear, That we had better prohibit all Trade with India, than go for­ward as now doing and projecting.

As to what we are now doing, 'tis vi­sible to all that observe how the Fancy and Humour of the Female Sex, with the advan­tage the Late Law hath given, inclines se­veral men of great Stocks, and many of them out of Necessity, and against their Judg­ments and Inclination, meerly for the im­ployment of their Estates to advantage, to strike into this pernicious India Trade; so that the Vogue and Cry, (under the Notion, of publick good. Working backward) is like our Watermen with a hye India, hye India, hye, to almost a total Neglect and Disre­spect of the Good and Welfare of the Turky, and other more advantageous Trades of England, with a Subversion of our most profitable Manufactures; for as they have left the Imbroiders little more than a Name, and both Cabbinet and Fan-makers are for­ced to be contented to become their Job­bers [Page 4]and Broakers, by Applauding and Ad­vancing the price of those Commodities, that are the ruin of numbers of their Trade. So they seem to aim at the destruction of all they can. The poor Button-makers in­deed are secur'd by Law (if that will do) else we might have expected whole Cargoes of that Commodity. As for the Ribbond-makers (in which many of the Undone Broad Silk Weavers hoped to take Sanctua­ry.) Their Cake is Dough; for the Indian Merchant have set the Indians thereon, and now bring them (though prohibited by Law) from India, and are entred at the Custom-house, under the denomination of Parcels of Wrought Silks, and that lately one par­cel was seized, and is in the Custom-house Warehouse; and I hope will not escape due Prosecution, but that the Custom-house Com­missioners will take care to regulate such dark Entries.

They are now upon a Trial of Skill with the Shoemakers, their being two parcels lately come for a Sample; and doubtless, considering what empty Hould their Ships carry to India, it will be worth their while to carry our Leather, if they have it not there: For Elevenpence in the Shilling sa­ved in the Workmanship may make it so, though they have not the advantage of Ninepence more in the Shilling, as they have in the Weaving Materials.

Now by what hath been done, and is now doing, we may certainly conclude what these India Traders will hereafter do if not restrained; and as they have already almost swallowed and ingrossed the Silk-Wea­ving, Throwing, and Fan-making of England, brought all our Cabinet-making into con­tempt; they will by the same ways and means ruin all Trades and Manufacturies, which their interest may tempt them to do.

The very Mercers, they strive to spoil, by their setting up Retail Warehouses, and if not prevented, they will, if possible, effect it.

Now when they break in already upon those that have Laws for their Security, as in the Case of Thrown and Dy'd Silk, im­broidry, Ribbons, &c. no Trades that they can profit by are like to escape them. Their plenty of Copper and Tynn will give them opportunity to ruin both our Bra­siers and Pewterers, and Tynn-men and Mines. The Joyners and Carvers, they have pretty well encroach'd upon; and though Modish Garments from France was always accounted grievous to us; yet from East-India, Multitudes of them are brought to the great prejudice of the Taylors.

And 'tis impossible, but that from the Cheapness both of Silk and Cotton, and other Materials sit for Stockings, they must in course ruin our most ingenious Art of Frame-Working, and Needle-knitting, un­less they become very self-denying.

That whole Cargoes of all manner of Ʋpholstrys is preparing, and that our Ʋp­holsterers shall have the benefit of setting them up, will be a mercy to them, more than the Weavers have.

That their Shoes will be as highly esteem'd as their Silks, their is no Que­stion, and that Multitudes of them will shortly arrive, is out of doubt.

How much of our Sempstresses work is already swallowed up every East-India Sale demonstrates; and that there will be a further Encroachment thereon, is most certain; and whether all the money that purchaseth Chyna Ware, be not lost to the Kingdom, unless Exported (for the farther profit of Europe) besides the prejudice it will do the ingenious Potter and Glass-makers of England, may be well worth our Consideration.

Our Limners are like to be outdone by Ʋgly faces, and all their pieces shall be more admired for their deformity; and 'tis no doubt but in a short time you shall have whole Auctions of them.

And that our workers in iron and steel; which Commodity will lie more close than that of Wood, shall in little time escape better than the Silk Manufactures. is very improbable, which will render that ingenious discovery of the Slitting-mill (for the which this Kingdom must ever be obliged to the Me­mory of the Folio's) of little advantage; for though the Indians have not yet attained unto it; yet doubtless our publick spirited Traders will not fail to carry it thither, and barrs of Iron from hence will make Excel­lent ballast for their Ships, if they have it not [Page 5]there, which matters not much, the prin­cipal cost being Workmanship, in which 11d in the Shilling being saved, will in like manner be of vast advantage to England, and spare all our Burningham and Sheffield Workmen, and other Vulkins from their unnecessary Employments to be busied in Plowing or Fishing, or else begging, steal­ing or starving; for I know no reason, why they should have fairer Quarter, if it be thought unreasonable to preserve the Silk Manufactory, which is of far greater advantage to the Nation.

I am credibly inform'd of one instance more which may seem amazing, but a sufficient Testimony that they will not fail of doing what I have mention'd; which is, That there is great quantities of Gold and Silver Orris, and other Trimmings for Ladies and Gentlewomens Garments prepared and coming, which considering that they have both their Gold and Silver-Wyar Plate, and Thred from us; or if they have likewise car­ried the Art of Wire-drawing our Crown-pieces thither, 'tis strange to imagine (That un­less they do first adulterate it) They can make it worth their while by the differing price of Silk and Workmanship to send it hither; but that they presume the English will over-value Gold and Silver by Weight, Wrought in India, as they do Silks and Stufft by Measure; but by these means, and the former of Ribbonds, the poor Nar­row Weavers must be in as bad condition as the Broad; but that they may carry Spa­ [...]ish Wool, Iron, Leather, and other our grosser Materials, to Manufacture and Re­turn to their greater advantage, is certain, and these proceeding are not less dange­rous to the body of this Kingdom then is unrectified, Mercury to the Natural Body of Men, for it will in the end Carode and con­sume us.

And here I cannot do less than take no­tice of a passage in a late Tract, few Months since writ on this occasion, just before the Conclusion of the last Sessions of Parlia­ment, Entitled, England's Advocate; which without pretence to a Prophetick Spirit, tells us page the 46th, That if the India Merchants did not Transport Wool, they would doubtless Project such Cloths or Stuffs of Silk, Cotton, as should be though sit for the Use of men, to outvye Cloths and Worsted Stuffs; and though the Au­thor protests he knew not that any such were made or coming, they are come, and will doubtless farther prove for the enrich­ing of England, as their Silks, Stuffs, and Painted Callicoes have already done; and by this and like means, do Thousands of Broad Loombs, and hundreds of Throwsters and Twisters Mills, stand to spoil and burn, and many Thousands of People forced to Transport themselves, or beg, or steal, or starve: Whilst the great Mogulls Subjects are encouraged, and employed, and mul­titudes both of Loombs and Mills made and making to imitate the manner and forms of those Silks and Stuffs (which like An­glers Ground-bate) was lately Exposed at Skinners-Hall; and if those pieces will not afsord variety enough, the 50l. worth of Patterns lately purchased (not any exceed­ing half a Yard) will doubtless so direct and inform to make such returns of Cargoes, as shall make our Scotch Brethren decline their attempt for Gold at Darien, to reco­ver their loss, and to strive to grow rich by contradictions as we do, at least thus to furnish their Kingdom with Silks for their own use, if not to spoil their Scotchcloth Trade; and we have reason to believe that other parts will avoid our imposing on them, and that the Government will take care that our Plantations shall advance our Welfare; and that no small body of men shall be a Monopoly by Law, to the undoing the rest of the Kingdom; and that the ma­king all necessary Commodities may not be chiefly transferr'd to India, which as things now are, 'tis impossible to prevent, unless our People may buy Corn as cheap as Indians do Rice, and learn to go Naked, without catching cold, for Peoples labour and our Productions was the original of our Wealth and Trade, and 'tis they chiefly that must support it.

And for these bad purposes are many great Wits and Purses at Work, to make their Sons great, and their Daughters La­dies and Dutchesses, by impoverishing and dispeopling the Kingdom; for as these things are accomplishing, so must both our Wealth [Page 6]and Numbers decrease; and if it be cer­tain, that nothing but multitudes of people will maintain the value of Lands; and it is as certain, That as People fails, Rent will do so also. But I believe the damage of the Silk and Stuff Manufacture (for which I chiefly contend) is of as great prejudice to the Kingdom, as all the rest of the evils we may expect, in respect of the dependance the Woollen and Worsted Manufacture hath upon it; and it hath been proved, That as that of Silk decreaseth, so will the Ex­portation of them decrease in proportion, and poverty abound. Accordingly amongst all the aforementioned people.

One instance of which, I had accidental op­portunity to be inform'd in, that the Parish of S. But. Bishopsg. whose many By-lanes and Al­lies being chiefly inhabited by Workers of Silk and their dependants, doth so abound with Poverty, that for Maintenance and prevention thereof, though their Assess­ment is doubled upon most of their Inhabi­tants of what they lately used to pay to the Poors Rate, they were nevertheless, for the last Year obliged to pay 34 Months As­sessment thereto, to pay former Debts, in the which time, the then Churchwarden (though a prudent and honest man) at gi­ving up his Accounts, brought the Parish indebted for that Year upward of Three hundred pounds more; and I doubt not (though I have not opportunity of Inqui­ry) but all parts where they inhabit ac­cording to their number, suffer alike; all which is the Effects of this India Trade.

And I am confident in the end (except to the Pattentees) it must produce empty Purses, empty Houses, empty Towns, a small poor, weak and slender people; and what can we imagine will be the value of Lands, as things thus are nothing can prevent ruin, unless we have such interest in our European Confederacy, that they will agree and be contented that England shall have the sole Monopoly of this India Trade; and that they will be our Customers, the quite con­trary of which every Kingdom and Coun­try, whose Manufactures they prejudice, are projecting and practising.

The Folly and Error of England in this case far surpasseth that of Esau in the selling his Birth-right for a Mess of Pottage; for we give the Indians and Pattentees both Flesh and Pottage, when we send our Silver away to purchase a Curse to our selves, which their Manufactures are, and after this year of 1700 let us never more Laugh at, and Ridicule the poor Negroe Indians, that give us their Gold dust, which themselves are not capa­ble better to improve; for Beads, Shells, Knives and Sizars, and such like, which are to them for Use and Ornament, when we part with our Bullion to invest our King­dom with China Toyes, or obscene Statues and Images, and other Trifles; but the height of our folly is chiefly exprest in their Manufactors that are opposite to, and destructive of our one; nor do I be­lieve that Solomon sent his Ships purposely for; though they brought Peacocks Feathers with their Gold for which they went; but we send our Coin to fetch us as meer Toyes as Feathers and to worse purpose as before exprest.

SIR, 'Tis worthy consideration that abundance of particular Weavers Trades that are destroyed both in London and Can­terbury, Norwich did employ more numbers of people than any Country or Corporation Workhouse, though great charge to the publick can possibly do; and I will under­take to demonstrate, if required, that each of them brought annually greater ad­vantage to England, (all things con­sidered) than any East-India Ship. But for the Silk Throwsters, though not so many in Number, there are several of them that im­ploy such multitudes as are scarce to be thought, or credited; and if you will please to view any of their Workhouses, as for­merly employ'd, some of which still re­main, and with me cast your thoughts re­trogade, through the Turky Merchants Warehouse, from whence the Throwster re­ceives his Silk, and by the way it came thi­ther Plow the Ocean to Smyrna in Turky, and observe his Factor employ'd in produ­cing this in return of our English Cloth, and then return your thoughts back again (with your consideration, that this Naviga­tion is of greater advantage than that of India.) And suppose you see in St. Hellena's or Cornhil, or Bishopsgatestreet, the Turky, Merchants Warehouses crouded with those [Page 7]Cloths prepared for this purpose, and the great advantage his Dependants, Drawers, Dyers, Clotheworkers make thereon, with whom cast your Eye through Blackwel-hall, and with the Waggon that brought these Cloths to Town, let your mind travel to any considerable Clothiers Workhouses, in Worcester, or Glostershire, and observe the numerous and profitable employ­ment, before you come to the Loomb side to see the Shuttle, and you will not grudge the poor Weavers that Shutes it 5s. per week for his labour Then look on to the less profitable employment of Shifting, Carding, and Spinning, till we come to the Shearing House of this Gol­den Fleece, and then return your Consideration back to one of the beforementioned Throwsters Shops, and I will be obliged plainly to demon­strate, that so much of these Operations, when Wrought in Cloth, as make return in Turky Silk for the employment of this one Silk Throwster; which being farther improv'd in Weaving, Stockin-Making, &c. will gain annually greater profit to England, than ever any whole Fleet from East India did or can (if you consider the da­mage they likewise do) and I believe that on these, or the like Considerations, did the Wis­dom of this Nation think fit by Law, to prohibit the bringing over of Silk ready Thrown or Dyed; which Laws are rendred utterly ineffectual, and these Trades with the Weavers destroyed, un­less prevention of the home Consumption of East-India Figur'd, Flower'd, and Stript Silks be granted, which is all the Silk-Weavers and Silk-Throwsters desire.

For by what hath been (now and for­merly) said, 'tis certain that the Living Bodies of people are the best Riches and Strength any Coun­try can be possessed of; and that all Manufactu­ring parts of Europe (especially England) destroy both their People and Land by admission of Trading in India Manufacturers.

II, 'Tis impossible any Kingdom can enjoy this blessing of people without procuring or al­lowing them Imployment and Wages for their Subsistence, answerable to the price of Provisions and all other Necessaries of Life.

III. That no Manufacture, (excepting that of Wool) maintains or employs so many peo­ple as the Silk Weavers, and the Silk Throwsters, with their dependants, who are not to be num­ber'd; and that as the Silk and Grogram-Yarn Manufactures in England decreaseth, the Woollen will likewise in proportion.

IV. That all English Silk Manufactures work for as small Wages as will support Life.

V. That whatever pretences are made of purchasing East-India Wrought Silks with any thing, but our money is either false or frivolous.

VI. That the Silk Manufacturers ask not near so much as 'tis greatly reasonable should be granted, both for the Kingdom and their own good; which is a total prohibition of the Use and Consumption of all India Wrought Silks and Stuffs whatsoever, both Figured and Plain, or Painted in all our English Dominions and Plantations, and then we should not want Workhouses for the Imployment of our poor in Country or City, nor the Turky or Italian Merchants want Vend for their Cloths and Stuffs Abroad, or Silk at Home.

To Conclude; English Tradesmen may bless God that our Laws are alterable, not like those of the Medes and Persians, else they would be in little better condition than were the poor Jews under the contrivance and patent of the wicked Hammond; for doubtless those Jews might within the limited time fly for their Lives, and so must these Manufactures, or do worse, or starve, as Multitudes have already done, if not by Law relieved. From all which Evils, I pray God to incline the hearts of those that Govern, to deliver us, and for God's sake, Sir, I beg that your assistance may not be wanting.