To the first I Answer.

1. That I conceive our yearly encrease of Wooll is now no greater than when the Rates were double, nay treble, to what [Page 2]they now are; and if so, the fall and meanness of the price proceeds purely from the loss of forreign Markets for our Drapery, and from our own forsaking the wear of it, and not from the quantity above what we had 30 or 40 years ago.

2. 'Tis very manifest how the Rates of Wooll these last 15 or 16 years, have gradually faln from bad to worse, and how as by degrees we have encreas'd in the wearing of Silk, Camlets, and frowsie French Druggets, and as our Neighbours, especially the French, have enlarg'd their woollen Manufacture by means of our wooll, which they mix with theirs, just so have the Rates of this Commodity with us sunk almost beyond belief.

3. That seeing we have a multitude of people, who for want of employment, want bread, and that the price of Wooll here is so low as to tempt us to let out that commodity, which the wisdom of this Trading Age hath hitherto secur'd under Public Prohibitions, as being the prime fund of our Trade and Navigation, and which is so necessary to our active Neighbours, that no Laws, how Penal soever, have yet totally debar'd them from it, what do we else by such a design, but declare that hence­forth, being not able to manage that Manufacture, we abandon all thoughts of an advantagious commerce, necessitate our people to live on us, or dye at our doors, and surrender to our Neigh­bours that Manufacture for which we were once so notorious? is not this, at once, to cast the Childrens bread to strangers; and to remain for ever without hopes to maintain, after such a derelicti­on, any Manufacture which our Neighbours may hav a mind to snatch from us?

4. If our Neighbours could have Wooll as good to all intents and purposes, and as plentifull and cheap from other Countries, it might peradventure, be advisable, how far we ought to keep ours at home; but the case being otherwaies, and they (our Ri­vals) being not able to carry on that Manufacture effectually with­out it, it seems a great mistake and dangerous to spare it on any terms.

To the second Reason; ‘That it will occasion the Rates of wooll to rise, and thereby sustain our drooping Rents, &c.’ I Answer.

1. The wear and use of Silk, Camlets, &c. have so far sup­planted that of Drapery in Europe, that we must never rationally [Page 3]expect those Rates for Wooll which were usually given 30 of 40 years ago.

2. If we find bad markets for Drapery now Wooll is cheap, 'tis very improbable our Neighbours will take so much Wooll from us as to raise the price thereof to that degree as may sustain our falling Rents; for the dearer we fell them our Wooll the dearer they must sell their Drapery, and consequently sell so much less; or else it will be our shame or ill fortune that they shall vent much Drapery made of dear Wooll, and we vent little or none, now wooll is cheap.

3. The more Markets our Neighbours supply with Drapery, by means of our Wooll, the less Drapery we must Export; the reason is, because there is a certain and determined quantity of Cloth consum'd by the Trading world; whence it must neces­sarily follow that so much wooll as they receive from us, so much less Drapery we our selves shall Export, and consequently the price of wooll remain the same it was before those Laws were repeal'd.

4. Upon repealing those Laws we may bid adue to the Expor­tation of Drapery; the reason is, because our Neighbours live, work and Navigate cheaper than we; and having once our wooll in common, must necessarily undersell, and beat us out of Trade: it being a great mistake to imagine that the Exportation of our wooll and Drapery may consist together; and as great a mistake to suppose that the pretended encrease of the Rates of wooll oc­casioned by an allowance of its Exportation, may ballance the mischiefs accrewing thereby; because a pound of wooll Manufa­ctur'd and Exported, is of more worth to us by employing our people, than ten pound exported raw at double the present rate; unless, which is not reasonable to imagine, we could introduce some other better employment for them.

5. If our Neighbours tread on our heels in this Manufacture, begin to supply us with their Drapery at home, and to supplant us therewith abroad, having onely their own corse wooll; which they mix with ours obtain'd at dear rates (by reason of secrecy and many chargeable contrivances alwaies attending a prohibited traf­fick) there is no doubt, when once the prohibition is remov'd, and they by that means plentifully supply'd therewith (which in an open and allowed commerce is alwaies cheapest) but that they [Page 4]will soon beat us wholly out of that Trade, and by consequence e're long out of all other Commerce and Navigation to boot.

6. Every pound of our Wooll now worth five pence (and which makes about a yard of broad Cloth worth 8 or 9 s.) being Ex­ported, and mixt with our Neighbours coarse Wooll, helps them to make 3 or 4 yards of Cloth, which probably hinders us of all that advantage, which by employing our people, would other­wayes accrew to us, besides the benefit of Commerce and Navi­gation; which must decline as our Drapery lessens, and as we lan­guish by sending out our Treasure to Import Apes and Peacocks: what the consequence thereof may be, when the most formidable and daring Nation is visibly seizing on Trade, and the Ocean, is obvious to every reasonable man; and how His Majesties Revenue may be supply'd, when our Manufactures are lost, our Treasure wasted, and Rents subdu'd, by our excess in Forreign Commodi­ties, is worthy of consideration.

7. The Exportation of our Wooll will be so farre from sustain­ing our drooping Rents, that tho we may Export the whole year­ly growth thereof, yet I conceive it will not answer the value of our Drapery, which hitherto we have yearly Exported, and by conse­quence, so much loss must redound to us, as the wooll Exported may be of less value than our Drapery; without any considerati­on had to the want of employment for our people, or to the insig­nificant Navigation which the freight of wooll will occasion, com­par'd with that of Drapery; and how Politic it may be to lessen the value of our Exits, which already are so trivial and so exceed­ingly Overballanc'd by importations to foment our luxury, I leave to the judgement of every man, who considers that 'tis the Exporta­tion of the Growth and Manufactures which deserve the name of Trade, and makes a Nation rich.

8. But suppose that by repeal of the Laws the value of our Wooll should rise considerably (which for the reasons already given is very improbable) whereby our Neighbours should be enabled to manage that important Manufacture, which otherwise they could never effect, must it not necessarily follow that as they enlarge their Drapery so ours must lessen, and gradually shrink to nothing, our Navigation decline for want of so staple a Commo­dity wherewith to Traffic, our Treasure yet more convey'd abroad to manage a wanton and Luxurious Commerce, multitudes of our [Page 5]people who subsisted by that Manufacture Expos'd to ruine, and as many in every Age, thereby becoming useless and poor, must become chargeable, and may become dangerous to the King­dom: all which must and will inevitably subdue our Rents to a de­gree farre beyond any relief or benefit we may reasonably expect from any encrease of the price of wooll, occasioned by the re­peal of our Lawes: hence an experienced Merchant, who in other Commodities was himself a great smugler, us'd to say, that the offence of exporting wooll was like the sin against the Holy Ghost, not to be forgiven; can the injury then be less to the Common-Wealth if it go out by a Law?

The present Parliament hath had right sentiments in this mat­ter, when (as by the Preamble of the Statute may appear) for the better setting on work the Inhabitants of this Realm, and to the in­tent that the full and best use and benefit of the principal native com­modities thereof, may come unto the Subjects of the same, and not unto the Subjects of Forreign Realms as heretofore, they prohibited the Exportation of this Commodity: the like care and good meaning did also appear in them (however perverse and silly peo­ple have hitherto rendred it useless) when for the encouragement of our woollen Manufacture, and prevention of the Exportation of our monies for the buying and importing of Linnen (the very words of the Preamble) they enacted, that none should be buried in other than woollen: Now he that should Vote for the Exportation of wooll and censure the Act for burying in woollen, must invert every period of these most excellent Preambles, and say, That for the better employing the Subjects of Forreign Realms, and to the in­tent the best use and benefit of the principal Native Commodities of this declining Kingdom may come unto the Subjects of Forreign Countries, as one, two, or 300 years ago it did, and be no longer continued unto the people of this Realm, as has been us'd by the space of 60 years last past; and to the intent that the woollen Ma­nufacture may be discouraged, and the Exportation of Monies en­creas'd to buy and import Linnen from our trusty Neighbours, especially the French, let wooll be freely exported, and none buri­ed in woollen, except such as dye of cold diseases.

To the third Reason for repealing our Laws; ‘That our Neigh­bours with the help of our people get great quantities of our wooll [Page 6]daily from us notwithstanding those Laws to the contrary.’ I Answer.

1. That such practices are shrewd evidences of what esteem that commodity is among them, and that what is thus purloyn'd cost the Receiver dear, by reason of secrecy, subtil contrivan­ces, &c. as hath been already hinted, (for who will venture hanging for nothing?) which upon repealing those Laws will come freely to them without any such incumbrances, and consequent­ly cheaper, whereby they may be enabled to contest with us in this important Manufacture on even terms.

2. Our Neighbours by these undue practices either have or have not sufficient of our wooll already; if they have, there will be no need of repealing those Laws, and we may justly charge the present dullness of Forreign Markets for our Drape­ry upon the export of our wooll by these vile practices; which must needs grow worse when those Laws are repealed; but if they have not enough by reason of the prohibition, let us thank the Laws for it; and yet observe that 'tis a pregnant argument that by our wooll, thus unduly obtain'd, they manage a consi­derable Manufacture, for it seems they get great quanties from us; and that if they had more they would enlarge their com­merce, which must necessarily undermine and lessen ours.

3. It is better particular persons do acts hurtsul to the Public against Law, than for want of a Law, because this latter would reflect on the wisdom of the Government.

4. Should we repeal the Laws against the Exportation of wooll, because against Law wooll is Exported we should tran­scribe their wisdom that would repeal Laws against felony, be­cause ill men contrary to Law commit Robberies; or imitate those who will not shut their doors because Thieves sometime break in at the windows.

To the fourth reason, ‘That 'tis to small purpose to keep our wooll at home, for that Ireland supplies our Neighbours therewith, &c.’ I Answer.

1. If this be true, it is to small purpose to permit its Exportation in hopes to put a better value on it, which is the most avowed reason for the repeal: for if our Neighbours be plentifully supplyed therewith from Ireland, where 'tis much [Page 7]cheaper at present then with us, (and probably ever will) there is small reason to expect better Rates for Ours: for who will give us six pence for that pound of wooll which in Ireland may be had for four pence? unless it may be granted that ours is better than that of Ireland; which few of the Adjutators will, for certain Reasons, be willing to confess.

2. If the Irish wooll enables the Forreigner to carry on that Manusacture to a degree hurtful to us, we have small reason to assist them further therein by assording them ours, seeing they enjoy advantages too many already; least we immitate those good men, who break the pot because their wives break the pitcher; ruine our selves because Ireland hurts us.

To the last reason, ‘that the prohibition of wooll is a new practice unknown to us till within this twenty years, and yet before that time both Wooll and Drapery yielded the best Rates, for above 60 years last past.’ I Answer.

1. That 'tis very true, but it does not follow that the prohibi­tion was therefore unnecessary, or that the same brought a preju­dice upon either; but that other reasons already given, must be assigned for the fall and meanness of the Rates of those Commo­dities; it being no waies questionable, but that the exportation of our Drapery had long since expired, had not the prohibition of wooll interpos'd.

2. Statutes are provided to answer the present emergencie and reason of Affaires, and adapted to the occasion and Interest of the Age wherein they are made, so that what was judg'd unnecessary in former Ages, may be of superlative use in this; and if the reason thereof again cease, may be as insignificant in the next.

3. We had no need of such restraining Laws long before they were enacted; for till the peace of Munster, England alone enjoy'd almost the whole Manufacture of Europe: But France (who then also receiv'd woollen Drapery from us) agitated since that peace by a most sagacious Counsel (who understands the advantages of Manufactures and Navigation) and fild with an active and enterprizing people, 'has unhappily added that Manufacture to the many other advantages they enjoy for commerce, above most [Page 8]other Nations; and hath all things propitious for the managing thereof except fine wooll, such as ours is, to mix with their own: Must our Ancestours proceedings then who were go­vern'd by reasons farre different from ours, be presidents to us? or is it not rather high time to employ our utmost skill to retain so necessary a Commodity at home.

‘I have lately met with one Merchant of no small pretences to the intrigues of Trade, who, although he will not allow that the Rates of wooll may encrease upon the repeal of our Lawes, (which is the prime reason alleadged for repeal of the prohibition) yet affirms that if the prohibition were remov'd and due Imposts charg'd upon wooll, it might thereby, better than by the prohibition, be either retain'd at home, or rendred so chargeable to our Neighbours that we might have sufficient advantages over them in that Manufacture.’ To which, I answer.

1. That he which affirms all this, must maintain that either his Majesties Officers of His Customs will be more industrious to collect the Duties, and Imposts so to be charg'd on this Commodi­ty, than they were to make Seizures of it by vertue of the pro­hibition, tho they had a Moyety of the Seizure, or that the Exporters will be more consciencious in paying His Majesties Imposts, than they were in obeying His Laws which prohi­bited the Exportation, tho they ventured their necks into the bargain, or that the Forreigner may be less desirous of it after the repeal than before.

2. The Imposts must be either much, or little; if much, it may be worth venturing to save the payment; as is too frequently practic'd in payments of the like Nature; but if they be little; the payment of them will be easily ballanc'd by the advantages our Neighbours have over us in cheap dyet, labour, &c. as has been already shewed.

If, to what has been said, it be reply'd that it is better export wooll, then neither wooll nor Drapery. I Rejoyn.

1. That it is so, were it true that we exported no Drapery, and remain'd without hopes of ever sharing again in Forreign Mar­kets: but thanks be to God matters are not yet arriv'd to so ill terms, and probably never will, unless some aspiring Neighbour (who may design to engross all Traffic) beat us out of the Medi­terranean [Page 9]Sea, or that we let out our wooll by a Law.

2. If we do yet more effectually provide to keep our wooll at home, 'tis a thousand to one but our Drapery will off: but if once we export our wooll by a Law (charge it with what Impost, and confine it to what Ports and seasons you please, as some vain­ly or slily propose) we may bid an Eternal adieu to the Exportation of our woollen Manufacture.

Who will buy our wooll, seeing we slight it our selves? will the French? to what end? to employ their people, and carry on a Manufacture as universal as their other designs, have they not of late charg'd our Drapery with heavy impositions, meerly to discourage its coming among them, the better to employ their own people? and must we then return the civility with such ad­vantage to them?

4. And lastly, to export our wooll because at present we want vent for our Drapery, is for ever to confirm in that want; and is a choyce like pulling down my house for fear it may be burnt, or like hanging my self least any other kill me.

If I be ask'd what we shall do with our wooll seeing its Expor­tation is of such dreadfull consequence, and our Drapery so neg­lected at home, I Answer.

1. That tho we cannot impose our Drapery on our Neigh­bours, yet we might easily nick some of them in their Wines, Brandies, and Bawbles, which are as necessary for them to vent as Drapery is for us, and are as unprofitable for us to receive. And surely we might also provide yet better to keep our wooll at home.

2. And Secondly, seeing the generality of Mankind pursues rather vain examples than rules of Reason, and wants judgment to discern things hurtful to the Public Authority, hath frequent­ly prescrib'd the Subject in point of Clothes: and he that consi­ders the habit of our people at this day, might suppose silk, and not wooll the native commodity of this Kingdom.