CHAP. I. About Wooll and Clothing.

THere is nothing in this flourish­ing Nation of England so uni­versally good, and beneficial to the people thereof, as is the conversion of Wooll into its se­veral Manufactures, wherein it answers the Invention of Man; the consequences where­of relate as well to the Soveriegn, as to the subject, to the Noble as well as to the Ignoble, comprising all conditions of men, women, and children. For as in Man the [Page 2]Brain and Liver assisting the Heart do no more but preserve themselves, and are chief in their own contemplation, though they seem onely to complement, and attend the Heart; and as the peoples readi­ness to obey doth seem to ingratiate them to their supreme powers, yet do they in­deed pursue their duty wholly to their own interest. Thus and no otherwise it is with the profits of Wooll; The State gives safety and protection to the peoples works, and the people give wealth and Revenue to the States subsistence, but each of them to each of them chiefly for their particular benefit. Wooll is the Flower and Strength, the Revenue and Bloud of England. It is a Bond uniting the people into Societies and Fraternities for their own Utility. It is the Milk and Honey of the Grasier, and Countrey-man. It is the Gold and Spices of the West and East India to the Mer­chant and Citizen; In a word, it is the Exchequer of Wealth, and Scepter of pro­tection to them all as well at home as a­broad, and therefore of full merit to be [Page 3]had in perpetual remembrance, defence, and encouragement.

The Wools of England have ever been of great honour and reception abroad, as hath been sufficiently witnessed by the con­stant amity which for many hundred years hath been inviolably kept between the Kings of England and the Dukes of Bur­gundy, onely for the benefit of Wool; whose subjects receiving the English Wool at six pence a pound, returned it (through the manufacture of those industrious peo­ple) in Cloath at ten shillings a yard, to the great enriching of that State, both in Re­venue to their Sovereign, and in imploy­ment to their subjects; which occasioned the Merchants of England to transport their whole Families in no small numbers into Flanders, from whence they had a constant Trade to most parts of the world. And this intercourse of Trade between England and Burgundy, endured till King Edward the third made his mighty Con­quests over France and Scotland, when finding fortune more favourable in prospe­ring [Page 4]his atchievements then his alledgeate subjects were able to maintain, he at once projected how to enrich his people, and to people his new conquered Dominions, and both these he designed to effect by means of his English commodity, Wooll; All which he accomplished, though not with­out great difficulties and oppositions, for he was not onely to reduce his own sub­jects home, who were and had long been setled in those parts, with their whole fa­milies; many of which had not so certain habitations in England as in Flanders, but he was also to invite Clothiers over to convert his woolls into clothing, (and these were the subjects of another Prince) or else the stoppage of the stream would soon choke the Mill, and then not onely clothing would every where be lost, but the materials resting upon his English Subjects hands, would soon ruine the whole Gentry and Yeomanry for want of vending their wools. Now to shew how King Edward smooth'd these rough and uneven passages, were too tedious to this [Page 5]short Narration, though otherwise in their contrivance they may be found to be inge­nious, pleasing, and of great use; which relation must await another opportunity.

By this it must be granted, that King Edward was Wise as well as Victorious, & in both he was fortunate, which last was much nourished by his bounty; for upon a visitation made by himself to the Duke of Burgundy, during his residence there, he employed such able Agents amongst the Flemish Clothiers, as (barely upon his promises) he prevailed with great num­bers of them to come into England soon after him, where he most Royally perfor­med those promises, in giving not onely a free Denization to them, but he likewise invested them with Priviledges and Immu­nities beyond those of his native subjects, which peculiarities their posterities enjoy to this day. Surely the seasonable bounty of a Prince rightly placed, will not be found the weakest instrument to his atcheive­ments of honour and success. The libera­lity of Alexander amongst his Macedo­nians, [Page 6]brought three parts of the world under his Dominion; because amongst o­ther his valuable considerations towards that rich purchase, he summoned by Pro­clamation the Creditors of all his souldi­ers, and discharged their Debts; wherein af­terwards divers of the Roman Emperours, as Julius Caesar, Pertinax, and others fol­lowed his great example by other bounte­ous actions, in which ranke of wise and in­dulgent Princes, we place this Royal and true Lover of his native Nation, King Ed­ward.

But for the more sure establishment, and before these preparations came into ef­fect, King Edward upon his return called a Parliament, and that in the beginning of his Reign, where he so wrought with the Commons-House (who had not the least knowledge that the King had moulded the design) as after long debate (which all moti­ons in that House ought to undergo) it was presented to the Lords, and so to the King; who amongst other objections, urged the loss which must necessarily befall his Reve­nue, [Page 7]as well in respect of the outward Sub­sidy of a Noble upon each sack of wooll which was to be transported, as of the in­ward Custome which the cloath paid upon return, according to the rates then establi­shed; but these soon met with an expedi­ent: For the cloath in time to come, must needs yield a far greater custome upon that which was to pass into all parts of the World from England, then it could do upon that small return which came onely to the service of England, and for the wooll which from that time forward was to be wrought in England (with prohibition under penalty of life and limb at the Kings pleasure, that none in any sort without the Kings especial licence, should be transport­ed) the Parliament gave unto the King that Subsidy of a Noble upon a sack, the Collection of which Subsidy the King en­trusted with his Aulnageor: and this was the original, and is the continuance of that money, which at this day is collected and ought to be paid upon all wools wrought into any sort of manufacture, and is called [Page 8](though most improperly) The Aulnage money, from whence many inconvenien­ces will presenly appear.

CHAP. II. Concerning the Aulnageor, and the legality of his office.

THough Aulnage is an office of this Nation, which is of as great anti­quity as Traffick; for the very Ti­tle which comes from Ulna in Latine, and Aulne in French, either of them signifying an Ell, shews, that the Aulnageors office was to provide that all such measurable commodities as came into England, should be of lawful assise in length and breadth. And from the ancient Records it may be gathered, that in measuring the Aulna­geor had the same charge upon all forreign measurable Merchandizes, from the finest Silk, Gold, or Tissue, to the coursest Hemp, as may be found granted to several [Page 9]persons of worth, in the first, the four­teenth, and the seventeenth years of King Edward the second, which was before Clothing was made in England, (as hath been said) when that Subsidy upon all ma­nufactures of wooll was granted to him, and his successours, which he entrusted with his Aulnageor, who was nevertheless to continue his attendance upon the search­ing and measuring, as anciently he had done. And accordingly he did attend both offices for many years; but finding that the clothing so increased as it became scattered all over the Land, notwithstand­ing that it was by divers Statutes confirm­ed to Towns Corporate; insomuch as the Aulnageor finding the collection of the Subsidy to be of far greater profit, and less trouble then the sallary which related to the searching and measuring, he neglected those, and betook himself wholly to his collection, after which, through the mis­behaviour of Weavers, and other handy-crafts relating to the making, and accom­plishing of Clothing, such and so many [Page 10]grew the abuses to be, as the Cloathiers themselves became Petitioners to the King to be incorporated into Fraternities, and Societies, and to have officers distinct from the Aulnageor to search and measure their cloathing; nevertheless the Aulnageor continued his office of collecting the said Subsidy, and was enjoyned, upon receipt of his moneys, to affix a seal of Lead whereon was to be stamped some part of the Kings Armes, which is now become a justificati­on to that cloath, or else that cloath is a great dishonour to the Nation which bears that seale throughout the World; and this seal was to be annexed after the measurers and searchers seals were on; to the end that those seals denoting what faults those cloaths contained, the cloath was seized if it were not vendible, or else the faults were discovered to the buyer; and for this purpose the Aulnageor was to keep a book of his Receipts and Seizures, and once year­ly to present the same to the Lord Treasu­rer, or Barons of the Exchequer, who were to assign the Aulnageor his reward; [Page 11]and this course continued till the Aulnage was made Farmable, which was Enacted by Parliament in the seventeenth year of King Edward the fourth.

This relation shews that all the officers, Aulnageor, Searcher, and Measurer, were to be knowing men, as the Statutes also do deliver more at large; for want of which the Trade of cloathing is almost quite lost in England, and daily encreaseth in Hol­land, by the help of English wooll, and Fullers earth, the prevention of whose ex­portation is provided by more ancient and severe Laws, then any other Laws, then any other Laws relating to Trade; all which is grown originally from the neglect of the Aulnageor, who hath detained the Title from the other officers, and neglected his own, thereby confounding the duties of their works, as though the Aulnageor was then made Collector; yet now the Collector is not (either in propriety of name or execution of office) to be called Aulnageor, yet so he accounts himself to be to the no small prejudice of cloathing. [Page 12]Again, since the Aulnageor left his other works of measuring and searching, his Sub­fidy money hath in all times declined, for he wilfully neglecting to survey the cloth­ing, taught the Collectors to convey ma­ny from his sight in point of the Subsidy; insomuch as they have practised to put on counterfeit Seals, or else to procure the Seals to be cut from such cloths as have been sold, and delivered out of the market, of which to this day there is a common trade between the Clothiers and their Chapmans Apprentices, or their Drawers; which deceptions are generally used at this day, as shall be made more apparent.

Again, by the Aulnageor's onely neg­lect the Clothiers have (through the help of some incendiary Attorneys, who would burn their neighbours house to rost their own eggs) found an invention to make a difference between old and new Draperies; a distinction not once thought upon in the Primitive Statutes for Clothing, by which they endeavour to work a division in pay­ment of the Aulnage; for the old Drape­ries [Page 13]they allow to be paid, but the new, which are Perpetuanoes, Serges, Sayes, and all other Stuffs (though made of wool) they deny to pay, because, say they, these are not mentioned in the Statute; Now if the answer to this ill grounded exception be well weighed, it may appear more agreeable to the Law, that the new Draperies have transgressed the Statute even in the letter it self, for whose benefit they do so much quarrel. For the Law sheweth the precise length, breadth, and weight of all Manufactures contained in the Statute; and saith, that whatsoever shall be made contrary or defective to those ordinations, shall be seized, without any clause or reservation to the new inventions, which is a chief part of their Plea: nor doth it once name new Draperies, either in point of Aulnage, nor any other consideration, till about the end of Queen Elizabeths Reign, and in the beginning of King James, where because the exception runs to new Draperies, the Statute saith, That payment shall be made of the Subsidy or [Page 14]Aulnage upon cloath, and all other sorts of manufactures of Wooll; and one of the most learned Judges of his time hath set down a positive interpretation this doubt (for more it is not) that even in mixtures where the major part is wool, the Aulnage ought to be paid, which conclusion the wisdome of the last age ordained to be kept as authentick in answer to this objection. And surely the learned Judges have ever been more properly the Interpreters of the arduous points of the Law, then the At­torneys, who have no such interest as the Judges have in making the Laws, all men holding this for a maxime, that Ejus est le­gem interpretaricujus est condere.

Now concerning this doubt which hath in late years been raised about exemption of the new Draperies, and is of as new an invention as the Stuffs in question, it may peradventure prove of little encourage­ment or advantage to the opposers, if it be considered that where a doubt rests upon the Law, the favour of interpretation doth ever incline to the advantage of the State [Page 15]till a Parliament come, and make a final resolution, which also is seldome determi­ned by that grave Assembly, to the preju­dice of their Ancestors judgments, who in a case of such gratitude did not probably intend in any measure to abridge their li­berality to the King.

CHAP. III. An Answer to such as call the Aul­nage a Monopoly.

THere are yet another sort of oppo­sers who charge the office of the Aulnage with the ignominious Ti­tle of a Monopoly; Surely Monopoly is and hath alwayes been a name of Scandal, for it cannot subsist without injury to another, and yet there is a glimmering of it in very worthy Societies; For all order, and go­vernment hath in it a sort of Majesty, as is seen in Corporations and compa­nies, where they exercise uncontroulable [Page 16]power by vertue of their Statutes; and scarcely any of them would bear the af­front, if their ancient Customes and Grants should be branded with the Title of Mono­polizing, yet their whole Societies do ra­ther savour of a Monopoly, than doth this Subsidy of Aulnage; but we free them both, though of the two the over-strict re­gulating of a Company carries with it the more resembling marks of a Monopoly. As for the Aulnage, it may be presumed that very few of those who terme it a Mo­nopoly, do know what a Monopoly is.

Monopoly is a Greek word, and intends (in all its interpretations) the diversion of of a Commerce from its natural course, in­to the hands of some few, by which (for their sole interest) others are prejudiced. This is the opinion of Althusius, and other learned Civilians; whereby it appears that one alone cannot be a Monopolizer, though in some carriages of Trade one a­lone may bear the ignominy of an Ingros­ser, and so may raise the price of the com­modity which he deals in: yet others say, [Page 17]that a Monopoly is a kind of Commerce in buying, selling, changing or bartering, usur­ped by a few, and sometimes onely by one person to his proper gain, and to the de­triment of other men; But neither in this definition is this Subsidy a Monopoly, for there is neither buying, selling, changing, nor bartering in it, but it is a free gift of the Common wealth to that King and his successours in this government; Then which no Demise or Grant of Land (let the consideration be what it will) can be more firm in Law, for herein no man is re­strained or prohibited, nor is any price im­posed by the Statute Laws; and these two are the onely supporters of a Monopoly.

And whereas from the beginning of this Grant, the want of the Aulnageors seal, is the forfeiture of that Cloth which is taken so defective, in any Market, Shop, Ware­house, Custome-house, or Ship; Now it is come to a further consideration, and ne­cessity, for no forreigner will value that cloth which wants this seal; because the seal (ever containing a part of the Armes [Page 18]of England) is by forreigners looked upon as a justification of the true making of the said cloth, as indeed it ought to be, and herein both a necessity of the office, and a necessity of the due execution of the office is very apparent, over and besides a neces­fity of an exact collection of the States Re­venue, wherein the losses are less visible be­cause the practice is continual.

By that which hath been said the world may see that this Subsidy stands clear from that charge of a Monopoly, seeing it nei­ther offends in equity, by supplanting or undermining anothers freedom of equal rank and condition, nor in utility, by gi­ving a particular price to the common inte­rest for the Aulnageors private benefit; without the proof of which particulars, a Monopoly cannot subsist. And we have this moreover to say, That neither the Grand Assembly of Parliament, nor the lesser Brotherhoods of Companies, would conclude it to be worthy or just that fu­ture conventions shall brand their Acts with so ignominious a title as that of a Mo­nopoly; [Page 19]which being granted, this Subsidy is out of danger, for it hath the consent and fortification of more Acts of Parliament, by hundreds, then any temporal affair whatsoever.

And yet you may be pleased further to take an additional president, both where and why the King hath of his own good­ness forborne his Aulnage or Subsidy; In some of the North parts of this Nation, whilest clothing hath been in the infancy, and where the substance was very course, as as it were but for practice to future in­crease; the King upon petition of the work­men, hath (for their better encouragement) been pleased for a time to remit his Subsi­dy, even upon such as they call old Dra­peries, they allowing it to be chargeable with the said Subsidy; but so as such ma­nufactures have afterwards fallen into con­stant payment, and do continue the same unto this day without any exception or once pleading the said favour of the King now to excuse them.

Take yet if you please a president of a [Page 20]forreign nature to this work. There is in Dorset shire, in that part which was the Forrest of Blackmore, an Imposition upon all the Tenants, called White Hart Money, of as long a standing peradventure as this of the Aulnageors Subsidy, though not of so worthy a foundation, where the Land and Inhabitants upon it by way of punish­ment, for killing the Kings White Hart, have for divers hundreds of years, paid, and do (notwithstanding the disafforesting the same) still continue constantly to pay a yearly Tax, which the State doth upon no condition remit or forbear to demand and receive. And surely no man that is a Tenant there will endanger his Lease for want of paying this Tax, yet it never was renewed, if ever it was established, by Parliament, or had it been so grounded, it could never have been called otherwise then a punishment; and let all men judge if a punishment have as good right to charge the people, as hath an act of their own grateful bounty.

But this particular of the equity of pay­ment upon the new Draperies is come to such a height of opposition, as peradven­ture it may not become this humble relati­on, and, as it were, single opinion, to wade too far in so troubled waters. Therefore because the Aulnageors deputies are not al­wayes men of that integrity in their places as is required, we will now proceed to shew you wherein their illegal carriages are ma­nifest, and the execution of their office may be reformed.

CHAP. IV. Shewing the illegal execution of the Aulnageors office.

THe legality of the Aulnage or Sub­sidy is (by that which hath been said) visible to all who will not be blind, but the illegality in the execution is carried with a far greater secrecy; When the Aulnageor (whose ancient duty enjoy­ned [Page 22]him to search and measure all Trade which came into England) was by King Edward, as hath been said, comman­ded to receive that Subsidy which the Parliament had granted unto him upon all such Woolls as in time to come should be wrought into any kind of manufacture in England and Wales, he was also still en­gaged as formerly, to visit, search, and measure all such cloths as were to be made in England; but finding that the dispersing of the Manufactures was of much more difficulty, pains and charge to him in vi­siting the several Countreys, and respe­ctive Towns wherein clothing was placed, then it was when the clothing which was made in forreign parts, came onely to the Custome houses, where by casting a line of seven yards in length, four times over the cloth, his measuring office was perfor­med, but now the clothing was become scattered all over the Land. He consider­ed with himself that his Collectorship was of more gains, and far less pains then his former office of Aulnage, which consisted [Page 23]of searching for the truth in making, and of measuring for the assize of lengths and breadths; and that of these two works there were many branches both of charge and trouble, and that the Reward by Law established, was very small; he con­tented himself with the execution of that which had most ease, and most profit, whereupon clothing speedily corrupted in­to many abuses, as being in a manner lest without Survey, each man doing what pleased or profited himself without any reverence to the Law, or fear of punish­ment.

The Clothiers therefore coming to Lon­don to their general Market, and there con­ferring their grievances, and complaining each to other of their abusive servants, false Weavers, and the like; they applied them­selves to the State for remedies, and so be­came incorporated into Societies and Fra­ternities, and to have the works which were made in and about them brought into their Hals, & there to be searched, measured, and sealed; which order doth in some kind con­tinue [Page 24]to this day, and this also pleased the Aulnageor, who by a Deputy with seals placed in such a Town dispatched his work with ease. In which times also the Aulna­geor having the custody and use of the Kings money, was answerable for the same to the State but once every year, and then passed his Accounts with great favour from the Lord Treasurer, to whom he also at the same time presented a book, containing the relation of the moneys he had in that year received for the Subsidy, and of the seizures he had made upon the defective clothes; which being done he had his quie­tus, and his reward for the year past, which he received sometimes by the appointment of the Lord Treasurer, and sometimes from the Barons of the Exchequer; for from one or some of them he likewise received his commission to seize into his hands all such cloths as were not statutable in assise, and substance, as also such as were put to sale without the Subsidy seal.

It was no longer since then in King James his Reign, that the Mayor of one of [Page 25]the most eminent Cities in England for clo­thing, was compelled by the Aulnage­or, nolens volens, to seize his own cloths (which were taken in offence) to the Kings use; which Mayor afterwards compound­ed with the Aulnageor for no less then an hundred pounds. The same power also hath the Aulnageor over cloths which are not of assise, though in the presence of any Mayor, Bayliff, or other Magistrate, which argues that there is great credit and trust re­posed upon the Aulnageor. Besides, the Sta­tute doth allow him an half penny upon a cloth for his pains in affixing his said seal, which half penny in those times was in va­lue worth two pence in these days, & yet his pains were not then so much by a tenth part as now they are, as also the faults were few and easily supprest. But the abuses herein soon increased to such height, as they begot him great trouble; and therefore he neg­lected measuring and searching offices, but still kept the name of Aulnageor, under which Title he doth to this day execute the office of Collecting the Subsidy, cal­ling that the Aulnage, when indeed the true [Page 26]Aulnage is the measuring onely, and of an­tiquity established by Laws far more anci­ent then any Parliament in England; of which we shall speedily say more when we speak of measuring.

The Aulnageor is by the Statute required to be a person qualified to the place with knowledge and a responsible estate, as also for the execution of the place, he is to be an English-man; but for receiving the pro­fits and revenue, there hath ever been some person of honour and principal dignity thereto deputed; which office some Queens and Princes have not been ashamed to un­dergo. And further it is observable, to the credit of the Aulnageor, that in all Parlia­ments, where Statutes were ordained in order to Clothing, the Aulnageors pow­er and priviledges were ever preserved; which gracious providence ought much to work upon his care, as it is evidently a sig­nature to all men of his honour.

In the seventeenth year of the Reign of King Edward the fourth, the Aulnage was made Farmable, and then the Aulnageors [Page 27]Fee was established; soon after the Coun­ties were farmed out, some to one, some to another, as pleased the King reigning. In the beginning of King James his reign, this office was by him Farmed to Lodowick, late Duke of Richmond and Lennox, for the term of about sixty years (whereof many were expired) with the revertion of a consi­derable Rent; the reversion of which Lease, after the Duke Lodowick his decease, de­scended upon his most Honourable Bro­ther, Esme Duke of Lennox; who dispo­sing the profits thereof to his younger chil­dren, the possession of the whole is now in right descended upon the Right Honoura­ble the Lord D'Aubigny, as onely Survi­vor and Heir to his Father and Uncles; who being in minority of age, the execu­tion of the place is by his Honourable Guardians disposed to such persons as to them seems meet; who again for their best improvement of its profits, do grant Lea­ses, and Deputations to others, with a clause and penalty of re-entry upon non­payment of their Rents; by which means [Page 28]many controversies do grow, for amongst the diversity of Tenants, such suits and troubles do arise, as in the interim the Clo­thiers not knowing whom to obey, do pass without any seal, or paying any Sub­sidy, to the great detriment of the State and the Honourable Aulnageor, whose rights failing, his rents also to the State must necessarily so do.

All this while the cloth wants the justifi­cation of the seal, to the great confusion of the Clothiers, for a double seal may not be put upon their cloths, upon penalty of five pounds for every such seal twice annexed, and without a Seal the cloth will have no credit in sale, besides that it is liable to be seized by the several Aulnageors; for which causes the Clothier is encouraged, and in some sort compelled to offend (which needs not) for rather then the Clothier will have his cloth dishonoured for want of the seal, he will either counterfeit a seal, or else covenant with the Drapers servants or Drawers to cut the seals from such cloths as have passed the Marker, whereas the Draper is by the Law required to keep his [Page 29]seal upon his cloth to the last remnant, and then to demolish the seal, and by these opportunities the Clothier justifies all his faults to the buyer.

Again, the present execution of the of­fice is by Deputies, who for saving charge do deliver upon account their seales, either to the Clothiers themselves, or to the Ful­lers to put them to the cloth after scowring, or else they are intrusted in some servants hand of mean quality and less knowledge, with whom the Clothiers for easie rewards can prevail to pass such jugling tricks as may better be discerned in the Countrey, (for one half that are made come not into the Market to be sold) and then they an­nex counterfeits, or having the seals in their own power, they hang them so slight­ly upon the cloth as they can, without any defacing, take them off again after the cloth hath passed the Market, and affix them to others; by these proceedings all the Clo­thiers faults are concealed, and so they pass to that part of the world where that cloth goes, which brands the clothing of this Nation, and advanceth that of other [Page 30]Countreys. This was lately seen in Hol­land, where some English cloths, faulty enough, were presented in open Markets, and a disgraceful Proclamation being pub­lished, the cloths were therewithal given to the view of the people to be warranted by the Armes of England, whereby not onely great scandal was drawn upon English clo­thing and Merchants, but their own was brought into better credit, which not long before that were by thousands banished out of France for Rags, and Cheats.

There is yet another great prejudice which comes to the Aulnageors loss, by such manner of entrusting seals with ser­vants of Clothiers, or Clothiers them­selves to affix them; for whereas the cloths are regulated by the Statute both in their length, breadth, and weight, yet they will most cunningly draw three clothes into one, and then cut it into two clothes, where­by the State is defrauded of a third part of the Subsidy; and this they do usually and so neatly, as a very good Drawer (not knowing it) shall not easily discern the [Page 31]fraud. This covenanting for seals doth also discover a false intention in the Clo­thier, even in the very bargaining; for whereas a cloth, by the primitive ordina­tion, ought to weigh sixty four pounds, the Subsidy payment whereof amounts but to a groat, yet the Clothier usually payes six pence a piece for his seals, under colour that he would not have his clothes opened, or any way disordered before they go into the Market; yet the very truth is, he would not have his faults or defects dis­covered; and then again he secures the doubts of weighing, which would give the Aulnageor as good information, but would much reveal the Clothiers dishonesty, by the deficiency which would be found in want of weight; which shall be further declared, when we come to speak of the Searchers office, to which it hath now chief relation: In the interim we will proceed to shew what prejudice is befallen to clothing by want of the Aulnageors duty in measu­ring.

CHAP. V. Of the Office of measuring, anclently called the Aulnageor.

MEasuring is a work of that extent in government, as without it no man knows his own, nor is there any such thing as a mans own without Mensuration; how divine it is let Solomon speak, who saith, That divers weights and di­vers measures are abomination to God; we have now to do with measuring, that of weighing more properly coming within the discourse of Searching, whereof we shall presently speak.

We cannot properly wade into the abu­ses of measuring, unless we begin our en­quiry from the originals of clothing, which rests upon such as mingle, card, and spin Woolls. The minglers are usually in great fault, for whereas by the Statute, clothing is to be made of Fleece wooll onely, never­theless they mingle Fell woolls and Lambs [Page 33]Wools with Fleece-wools, which are of natures contrary one to another, and as contrary to the Statute Lawes one to be mingled with another; yet these are daily practised: From whence come these In­conveniences, that the Cloth which is made of such disproportioned Stuffe, doth ren­der it uneven cockly, pursey, and rewey; and howsoever the Art of the Cloth worker doth in some measure cover these faults, yet that Cloth containes Deceptions and abuses, which will easily be found in wearing.

Again, there is a great abuse in mingling fine Flox with long Wools (though course) these being Carded together, do (with no little care) hold Spinning and Working, but do prove most deceitfull and abusive in use and wearing. The use of short Thrums produceth the same Couzenage in working, and abuse in wearing: For when they have cut the thrums into short lengths as they mean to use them, then they lay them to steep in strong Lye or Liquor, which openeth the Threads into Wooll, which makes the Yarne more uneven then [Page 34]the Flocks; the practice of this is com­mon and intollerable, insomuch as it hath been and is publiquely known, that Cloths have been made of two parts Flocks and Thrums, and but one part Wooll; and that which helps the deception is, that it carries good and faire satisfaction to the Eye, but in wearing and service will not last a quar­ter of that time which a sound Cloth made of perfect Wooll will do: But here the Clothier alledgeth the losse that will be to him of his Flocks and Thrums, which is as readily answered; for there are severall sorts of commodities to which they are only pro­per, and where the use of them may be pre­ferred; the thing we complain of is, when they are used to evil purpose, with intent to make unlawfull gain, and used with such subtilty and cunning, as the Buyers igno­rance may be abused.

The Weaver is proverbially a Theefe, to which he is the more encouraged, by being acquainted with the Clothiers practises in false mingling his Yarne; and therefore in sleying his Warp, he will usually steal a [Page 35]whole Sley, which cosists of above thirty threads, and with instruments which he hath prepared, he will hold out his Cloth to the full breadth which the Statute requires; and though this cloth will sufficiently shew the Robberies of the Weaver when it comes to the Mill, yet so soon as it is scow [...]ed, and comes to the Cloth-worker, he with his Tenters will bring it to the in [...]ended breadth; Such a Cloth will to a man of judgment soon be discovered, for it will feel slender, loose, and hollow in hand: Herein rests the Weavers chiefe gaines, and because these deceptions cannot be practi­sed without the Clothiers knowledge, he endeavours to make him amends by fur­ther cozening the Chapman, for he cun­ningly knits together the long Thrums left of Broad Cloths, which cannot be wrought to the shortnesse of narrow Clothes, and mingling them with Yarne of better na­ture, where by the help which each gives to other, the workmanship is eafed, but the wearing is highly abused; For by the incon­veniences of the many knots in such a [Page 36]Cloth, which after scowring are Burled out, and then shut up again in the Mill, when this Cloth comes to wearing, it will soon prove to be full of holes, and will not be lasting.

And yet further the Weaver is artificiall in his cheats, for in sleying his Warps he wil cast the Yarn to prove fine about a foot breadth from the Lists, which is so farre commonly as the Chapman looks into the Cloth, or the making it up with pleights and threads will permit, when the rest of the Cloth is warpt quite through with a for courser Yarne: It is also a common practice for the Weaver to cover a course Warp, being spunne hard and small, with a fine Wooffe, spunne soft and round; this conceales the Warpe from sight, which o­therwise in working would appeare; but in wearing it is sufficiently found, and the practice of this is ordinary upon such Cloths as are sold rough.

They have yet another deceptious help for their masters, which is to shoot in a fine Woose at each end of the Cloth, which [Page 37]serveth for a muster to shew and sell the Cloth, but all the rest of the Cloth is farre worse; and these ends doubtlesly want not workmanship to drive them in the Loome, for better shew in sale.

Such as make stuffs called new Draperies, that is to say, Serges, Seyes, Perpetuanoes, and the like, do despise all Forme and order enjoyned by the Lawes to such kind of Ma­nufactures in their making, and therefore the wonder is lesse why they so earnestly re­fuse, and by litigious and tedious Suites at Law do oppose the view of such Draperies to the Aulnager: For to give you an in­stance upon that of Perpetuanoes (which was a Clothing of this Nation of princi­pall esteem both at home and abroad) these stuffs in their first ordination had their pitch in the Loome at twelve hundred, which gave them substance and estimation, and being of acceptable weare to the Kings and Princes of Spain and Italy, are now brought to eight hundred in their pitch, and yet made to hold out their length and breadth; and some Merchants (who are a scandall to [Page 38]such as respect their reputation and Credit) do usually buy slight Seyes, which by arti­fice and cunning in Milling are brought to be Bastard Perpetuanoes, and in some mea­sure acceptable to the sight, but so unprofi­table are they in service and wearing, as they do discredit that Commodity, which for many yeares hath held as quick and cre­ditable a Trade in their kind, as any Manu­factures of Wool have done, which in these times is almost quite lost.

Now for Kerseys, it is to be noted, that the original of that kind of clothing had got­ten good reputation for its durable wearing both at home & abroad, but of late years a sort of cloth calld Manchester or Lancashire Plaines, which were usually made for Cot­tons and no other, about a yard in breadth, are now become the greedy purchase of some Merchants, who cut them in lengths according to that of a Kersey, which being dressed and dyed in the forme of a Kersey, are both at home and abroad vented for Kerseys, which Cloth in wearing doth very much disgrace that which is true of that [Page 39]kind, and doth not a little abuse the wearer.

And the more to abuse this sort of Cloth, which for long time hath given great cre­dit to Devonshire, there be Merchants who deceptiously to imitate those Devonshire Kerseys, do cause counterfeits to be made in Yorkshire out of Washers and halfe Thicks which have contained such length and breadth, with slop Lists as true Devonshire Kerseys are used to do: These when they have been dressed, dyed, and hot pressed, have possed the Seas for Devonshire Kerseys, to the great abuse and discredit of that sort of Cloth; whereas the true Devonshire Ker­seys ought to be marked at the head end, but being defective they are to be jagged at both ends, or to have the head Forell to be cut off, and the offender to be Fined as he deserves.

CHAP. VI. Of Measuring.

IT was requisite that these particulari­ties of abuses should first be related, be­cause it is necessary the Measurer should be a man known in them, and many more deceptions which are incident and dayly practised upon Clothing: The Mea­surer is now become a distinct Officer about Clothing, who was once the chiefe of that Employment, known by the name of Aul­nageor, the branches of whose Office, were Searching, Measuring, and collecting the Subsidy, formerly related; and a greater injury could not have come to the interest of the Common good, then the improvident separation of the Name & office of Aulna­geor, who now only beareth the title, but to his own and the Nations general losse, hath formerly neglected and now is dismissed of that beneficiall worke, wherein almost eve­ry particular mans good is interessed.

And the Aulnageor is herein as blameable towards himselfe, for though through his negligence, the Offices of measuring and searching became the employment of other men, who were to be sworn in Corporati­ons by the Mayor or Bayliff, yet was the ele­ction of such men to be presented to the said Magistrate by the Aulnageor; from the neg­lect of which these mischiefs are growne: First, that ignorant persons, as Taylors, Tan­ners, Glovers, Butchers, Smiths, and the like, who have no judgment at all in Cloth, are chosen into the offices of measuring and searching: or, Secondly, if there be men elected of some knowledge in clothing, yet such men are chosen by the Magistrate him­selfe, who in all clothing Townes is ever a Clothier; now if Malefactours may make choice of their own Iudges and Iury, it is apparent how the Common-wealth would be eased of Crimes and Malefactors: and it is no better here, for the men by this office being to be regulated or punished are the Magistrates themselves, as is before said, & therefore not probably to be questioned by [Page 42]their own Substitutes: Thirdly, these offi­cers ought annually to be changed, but now and of long time they are continued for life, or for many yeares, as they can prevaile with the Mayors in succession; which seldome failes, because each man in his course hath need of them: and how foule and prejudiciall a crime this doth prove both to the State and People, shall present­ly be found in our Discourse upon Search­ing.

We have formerly shewed that all Clo­thing in England was confined to Incorpo­rate and great Townes, where in their Halls it was to undergo measuring and searching, and so it doth in such an imperfect and par­tial way, as hath been declared: But in the Villages which are not Incorporated, and where there is no magistrate, there is also no Officer in these Super-intendencies of mea­suring and searching, by which meanes all their Clothes which passe immediately to the Ports, and thence to Forreign parts, are neither measured nor searched, whereby it may appear what vast Summes of the Sub­sidy [Page 43]money are lost, (for such Clothes sel­dome or never come under the Aulnageors hand) or if they be sealed, it is performed (as hath been said) by deceptious and coun­terfeit Seales, and though true ones be sometimes taken from the Aulnageors De­puties, yet are they kept for the more visible use, and counterfeits clapt on.

For such as are not measured in the Coun­try (as out of Corporations none are) they coming to the generall Markets in Lon­don, are there by power of the Lord Mayor measured by the City sworn Measurer, as he is called; and here the Clothier is in some sort punished for his other dishonesties but not legally; for when they are brought into the sworn Measurers hands, he there keeps them for some time, under pretence of leisure, which by others clothes is prevented, during which time the Clothes are so handled amongst those Officers, as their owners dayly complain of abuses in­tollerable: For though the Clothiers which are makers of them, do measure them at home, yet after they come out of the sworn [Page 44]Measurers hand, they receive them shorter by foure or six yards, after their own ac­count, then they delivered them; and it hath been & peradventure yet is a practice of such as have them so long under their custody, to cut a yard, foure or five out of the midle or best part of a Cloth, and after­ward to have it so curiously drawn up again as the place cannot be found: So again out of fine white or single coloured Cloths, they have cut what quantities they please, and with the like neatnes have drawn in as much of a courser Cloth of the same co­lour, whilst the abused Clothier for want of witnesse knowes not certainly whom to accuse, himself having before he came from home measured his cloth before good wit­nesse, and therefore must rest contented with the Losse.

These abuses amongst the sworn Officers do teach the Clothiers to practice dayly de­ceptions, some of which they do own and countenance; for they have in these late yeares invented the making of Stuffs of fantasticall fashions, to which they give [Page 45]such names as the Law doth not compre­hend; these under the name of new inven­tions do defraud the Law in their making, the State in their Revenue, and the People in their wearing: For to the Law they are not known either by name or assize of length and breadth; to the State they dare not appeare, unlesse by quarrels, contenti­ons, and Suites; and to the wearer they are so welcome, as where he once buyes them he will come no more for the most part: Anciently the cloth Ray, and coloured clothes were limited to their length and breadth; since which time provision was made by several Lawes for Broad Clothes, Kerseys, Dozens, Pennistones, Cottons, and the like, which did appoint unto them a length, breadth, & weight; but now if these present Manufactures be held before the Law, as once was Iosephs Coate to his Fa­ther Iacob, surely the Statutes beholding such raggs as are now made in comparison of the ancient glorious clothing, without doubt the Law will take up Iacobs wonder and indignation, that some wicked beast [Page 47]hath slaine the Ordinance, and torne the Coate; neverthelesse Iacobs Law, that is, Anno quarto Iacobi, if it be seriously perpen­ded and put in execution, will give a speedy remedy to these insufferable abuses.

CHAP. VII. Of the Searcher and his Office.

THe Officers of Measurer and Searcher may better be called the Gemini, then Twinnes, for they are so much entrayned one within another, as in some passages we cannot speak of one without the other; for though the Search­ers office be of first use in clothing, yet is the Measurer to see the Cloths measured when they are wet at the Mill, and after­ward when they are scowred and dressed, and this course the Law provides, to the end the wickednesse of the Weaver may be prevented, if it be possible; for between the wetting and working of the cloth, there [Page 46]ought to be but halfe a quarter strained in breadth, and one yard in length, whereas it is now become a great courtesie to the cloth if they streine it but a quarter and half in breadth, and five yards in length, for ma­ny in these dayes go beyond this heighth.

We have a Proverb which saith, where God hath his Church, the Devill will have his Chappell; so, soon after clothing came into England, deceptions and abuses were pra­ctised about it: For instance, there was in the thirty and ninth yeare of Queen Eliza­beth, a Law made concerning the abuses in clothing, wherein orders were provided that all sorts of clothes should be truly searched, and their just contents of length and weight set upon every Piece, the Seale reciting the word (Searched) upon it, and this to be done upon pain of forfeiture; This Law doubtlesly intended the generall good and reformation, yet in regard there was but two Counties named, which had most offended in this matter, therefore would all offenders in other places confine that Law to those two Counties, wherefore [Page 48]in the three & fourtieth year of that Queens Reign, the Parliament did interpret that Act to extend over all and singular of woollen Broad-clothes, half-clothes, Ker­sies, Cottons, Dozens, Penistons, Frizes, Ruggs, and all other woollen clothes of what nature, kind, or name soever they be, or shall be made within this Realm, to be viewed, searched, sealed, and subjected to penalties in such manner and forme, to such purpose and intents respectively, as was li­mited to those Clothes: There is no doubt but if the question now started between old and new Draperies had then been thought upon, the Subsidy of Aulnage would then as precisely have been cleared, if in those words (subjected to all penalties) it be not already contained.

But to come more exactly to the necessity of the Searcher, (of which officers in Townes and Villages not Corporate there is none) we will here enter upon the deceipts as they are dayly found, and as the Law detects them. The first deceipt used about Woolls, (whose owne innocence is [Page 49]as much as the Sheeps which beares it) is commonly by mingling it in divers kinds, that is to say, Fleece woolls, Fell woolls, and Lambs woolls, which are contrary of nature to be wrought together; this composition we have formerly denoted to render a cloth uneven, cockly, pursey, and the like; that mingling fine flocks with long Wools, but course, doth give an uneven thread in spinning, and proves deceitfull in wearing; that short Thrums opened into wooll, and carded again with other wooll, which is worse then that of Flocks, doth also much embase the thread, and yet it is common to put two parts of Flocks and Thrums into a Cloth, and but one of good wooll, which though it coseneth the eye, yet doth it prove so weake in wearing, as it will not last a fourth part of that time which a perfect cloth will do.

These and some others are before recited, therefore we will proceed to the Mill, whi­ther when a cloth comes, it would be there truly searched even by the Mill it self, which would lay open the faults; but the Millers [Page 50]art prevents it, for with tallow, pigs dung, and urine, they keep in the flocks and helpe the thicking; and when a cloth proves slender, and will not thick kindly in the Mill, by reason of the defects, then they helpe it with the medicine of oate-meale, and the like, which remaining in the cloth, makes it feell fast and thick in hand untill it come to dressing, where all that stopping vanisheth, but there the Clothworker useth his art to preserve it from shame: When a cloth wanteth of his substance & allowance in yarn, as hath formerly been observed, the defects would soon be discovered, be­ing clean scowred, thicked and dryed, there­fore in such a case it shall be scowred by halfes, the oyle and seame being left in it, in which filth they will thick it up, which proves noysome in wearing.

Then come we to the Tenters, which with great penalties are forbidden upon rough cloths, yet in the Counties where those cloths are made, and ought to be sold rough, there are Tenters erected as com­monly as in other places; and whereas [Page 51]such cloths ought to be left in the same or­der as they come from the Mill, they are neverthelesse brought upon the Tenters, the better to conceale the recited abuses in the yarn, and weaving, which the Mill leaves shamefull in cockles, pursinesse, and narrow­er in some places then other; these faults they pretend to even out, under which co­lour they straine them beyond the limits al­lowed for dressed cloths.

Again, because the Clothe; thus strained do leave visible marks upon the Lists and ends, whereby the abuses offered unto them may be plainly manifested, there the Cloth-worker goes to worke, who with a wet cloth and a hot Iron runnes over the sides and ends, and so smoothly shuts up the tongues of the Tenters as they tell no tales. And when by the same tentering the cloth doth prove hollow in hand, then is the same wet cloth and hot Iron used again about a span deep from the lists, (the binding up of the cloth with threads keeping it from fur­ther examination) and for so much the cloth feels close in hand, but the buyer must [Page 52]take the rest as he finds it: when any of their clothes fall out much too light, then they hang them abroad in an evening, and sometimes all night to receive the dew, and rather then faile, they spout water upon the cloth to weighten it, which will give it no lesse then seven or eight pounds in additio­nall heavinesse, besides that it makes it feele more kindly in hand; and this is so cunning­ly done, as it shall very hardly be perceived; neverthelesse many of them are so over-wa­tered, as in their travailes into far parts, whil'st they lye long in the hot holds of the Ships, they become rotten and are re­turned.

Besides these tricks, the Cloth-workers have a professed Art or Mysterie of their Trade in dressing clothes: For instance, the weavers falshood in making up clothes with flocks and thrums would be to litle pur­pose, if the Cloth-worker did not joyne his deceipts; for finding those clothes to prove too tender for honest workmanship, there he will rowe them dry, and worke them with solace, and soft liquor, to pre­serve [Page 53]the flocks from the force of the Tessel, and yet they will make it rise with a ground to worke upon in shearing: and in streining upon the Tenters (as hath been said) they will so stretch a cloth, as they will bring that to thirty yards, which being wet again, a third part of the length and breadth is quite vanished.

A Kersey is allowed to be streined but one naile in breadth, and halfe a yard and no more in length, yet such a Devonshire kersey of onely twelve yards long, hath been streined a quarter of a yard in breadth, and three yards in length; so as in breadth and length the Tenters have lent such a cloth one halfe of the piece, which is no sooner come to the water, but the moiety flyes in­visibly away, worse then Hocus Pocus tricks. Again, if a cloth by much milling do runne in, so as it causeth more then ordinary la­bour to bring it to the length and breadth which they appoint for it, then they will use warme water in the Tentering thereof, but more after the warmth of the Sunne, which they know will make a cloth yield [Page 54]any way in stretching.

Finally in the finishing their worke of rowing and shearing, they will use a deceit with flocks of the same colour of the cloth, which they can sheare as small as dust, this they mingle with solace, & spread upon the musters, and where the cloth may be seen, which makes it to seem much finer then it is, and feele more substantiall in hand; But if this cloth lye a while after dressing, the solace dryeth up, and those flocks fly away, leaving the cloth in his own nature again.

CHAP. VIII. Of deceits in colours and dying.

DYing is of great importance, and of double concernment towards clothing; one in behalfe of the people which use it, the other towards the woolls, cloths, and stuffs which are dyed: on the peoples part it is so beneficiall, as di­vers weighty Statutes made for the preser­vation [Page 55]of it, do relate the livelyhood which it doth give to many thousands of people; and therefore the Lawes ordained for it, do under great penalties oblige the professors of dying in wools, that they shall not teach their mystery to a forreign nation; yet in late yeares there have severall English-men transported themselves into Holland for no other cause, but to inrich themselves with the spoyles of their own Country; and have there practised, communicated, and taught the mysteries of dying colours in wooll, so that the reformation hereof may seem to be too late undertaken; yet breention of the like false bretheren in time to come may be provided, partly by encouraging the Dy­ers at home, which cannot better be done then by care that one do not undermine a­nother by faleness in dying: And again, by keeping the materials (which are especially wools and white cloths) from being trans­ported (as the Statutes do enjoyne) that is to say, without License from the State, where also the petition ought well to be en­quired.

The other part of importance in dying, re­lates to the woolls, cloths, and stuffs, and therein that the colours be true and well grounded, for the truth of the colour is as materiall as the goodness of the cloth, because oftentimes a good cloth is spoyled by a bad colour, and as oftentimes doth a good colour mend and preferre a meane cloth: Such as intend to give beauty to false colours (as colours do to evil com­plexions) do practice with that so much prohibited ingredient called Logwood, which though forbidden by the Statute under severe penalties, is neverthelesse as commonly used as colours; yet it is known to be a cheat as bad as picking a pocket, for it barely gives a vading glosse to the thing dyed, which changeth with the Sun, or Fire, blowes away with the wind, and alters with the aire; in a word, this abuse is intol­lerable, though common, and gives great discredit to the commodity so dyed.

The ground of good and durable colours is substantiall Woading, without which di­vers colours cannot perfectly be made, that [Page 57]is to say, Blacks, Russets, Tawneys, Purples, Greenes, and the like; many of these colours in late yeares are made without the justifi­able foundation of woading, which though they appeare beautifull to the eye by the helpe of Logwood, as hath been said; yet in use and wearing they prove very false and disgracefull: to some colours they give a flight ground of Woad, though farre too weake to the depth of the colour it beares; nevertheless they have the art to set up a a true woad-marke, or woad-rose upon the piece, at a far richer depth then the cloth is woaded throughout: and some have yet a more neat and subtill art to set a woad-mark upon a cloth with a little Indico, when there is no sort of woad at all upon the cloth; such as will do justly, must set a woaded seale up­on woaded colours, which is better and more justifiable then the Rose marke so much a­bused.

There be five especial degrees in woading, that is to say, a Huling, a Plounket. a Watch­et, an Azure, and a Blew: every one of these exceedeth another in value, yet is every one [Page 58]of them fit for some colours: it is therefore very requisite that each of these degrees be truly expressed upon the woad-seale, that the buyer may know the truth of that co­lour which he hath for his money; by which reformation those intolerable abuses would be prevented, which cause such numbers of cloths and stuffs to passe beyond the Seas, and there to be dressed and dyed, to the ex­ceeding great prejudice and detriment of the good people of this Nation, who might live, and very plentifully increase, main­taining themselves as happily, as any other people upon those imployments.

The Aulnageor of England hath also the intuition of colours, in a double capacity; one is to provide that the cloths be truly dyed, and for that purpose to have them truly marked, to the end the people who buy them be not defrauded by such practi­ses as are before recited: the other is his care to see that the Subsidy be duely paid according to the Statute: for the Lawes do give unto the State a Subsidy of six pence, five pence, foure pence, three pence, accor­ding [Page 59]to the colours put upon the cloths; as also the moiety of those rates upon the halfe cloths: the same also is proportionably al­lowed upon stuffs: it is therefore apparent how necessary it is for the Aulnageor and his deputies to be knowingly conversant in colours also, and in the truth of dying, for as upon false made, and false assized cloths, his seale gives a great abuse to the buyers, be they natives or forreigners; so the grant­ing the States Armes to justifie false co­lours, cheats the Chapmen, whilest both of them do dishonour the Nation.

CHAP. IX. Of abuses in exporting Wools and Fullers earth.

THe whole world cannot produce such accommodations for accom­plishing the worke of clothing, as can the nation of England: for though most Countries do afford woolls, and those of [Page 61] Spain are finer then in any other part of the world, yet will not those of Spain sort in worke with any other Nations, unlesse it be these of England: a reason whereof may peradventure be, because the Spanish woolls are grown originally from the English sheep, which by that soyle, (resemblant to the Downs of England) and by the elevation of the Pole for warmth, are come to that fineness; yet keep they a natural conjunction & as it were, affection with these from whom they are descended: so we see the Wines of Canary which are planted from the grape of the Rhine, though they become much richer then those of their naturall Climate, yet retain they the same flavor (as the Vint­ners call it) with the Rhenish, and before all other, do hold best with it in mixture: but to let passe comparisons, the wools of Eng­land are superlatives to all the world for fineness, except that of the Spanish, which neither by it selfe, nor by the incorporation with the wools of any other Nation, will be wrought into any cloth, without the help and mixture of English wools, which being [Page 62]carded together (as by the English Clothi­ers they are) they produce the richest manu­factures in clothing which the whole world can shew.

Again, there is another materiall without which clothing cannot be perfected, which also in the excellency of it is onely appro­priated to England, that is Fullers earth, without which clothing cannot be scow­red from the Seame and Oyles wherewith they must necessarily be wrought: It is possible and probable that other parts of the world may produce Fullers earth, but neither in such finenesse nor abundance as this in England; which approbation is high­ly confirmed by the appraisment which the Hollanders make of it, who spare not upon occasion to give ten pounds sterling a Tun for it, which any man may have in such places as it growes, for three shillings the same quantity; surely this is a great tempta­tion to breake a commandement or Statute of Parliament, and so they do familiarly, as presently shall appeare.

First therefore to returne to the wools [Page 62]of this nation, such as shall be pleased to peruse the Statutes made in the beginning of King Edward the third his Reign, to pro­hibite the transportation of raw wooll, white-Cloths, and Fullers earth, after that clo­thing was confined to be made in England; shall find that the penalty which those Lawes did inflict upon such as should break them, did extend to life or limb, at the Kings pleasure, which of them he would please to take; for it is no more likely to make clo­thing, if the materials be carryed away, then it is to preserve life without food, or government without power: true it is, that after clothing was setled, and that wools multiplyed beyond the Manufactures, then (with license from the State) wools were permited to be transported, and by the like license they have continued to be ex­ported; yet for the most part the State did strictly regard the restraint, and in the chiefe liberty of exportation, the Grant was per­mitted onely upon the meaner sort of wools, and those commonly from Ireland, where clothing might not be grieved.

But the case is otherwise now, even in these dayes when clothing hath extended over this Land almost into every corner, when the great strength of the Nation in people lyes upon the severall relations to clothing; when the greatest Customs and Revenue of the State arise from clothing; when the largest negotiation of merchandises over­spreading the world, issueth from clothing; when the mightiest power upon the Seas in Shipping growes from clothing; when the formidable obligation in awing all forreign States rests upon clothing, even now is the practice and trade of transporting its mate­terialls become almost an open profession: and were this presumption but as formerly the permissions, grants, and licenses were, that is, upon the worst wools onely, the faults were the lesse; but these mens trade consists of the best and finest wools, combd into Iarsies presently fit for spinning, and these are contrived into Bales, as those of Drapery, and entered into the Custome-houses, and shipt as clothing, and in all points so cunningly carryed as they are sel­dome [Page 64]discovered, and never seized as the Statutes do strictly require.

All States and Common wealths are sup­ported by two providentiall works, that is, Reward and Punishment; for as no law can compell men to be corporally laborious, or studious in knowledge of literature, unlesse rewards be annex'd to all such compulsions; so no providence can attend the preservati­on of profitable designes either in learning or trade, unlesse punishments be enjoyned; this opinion that profound Senator Cicero alledgeth from Solon, one of the seven wise Graecians, and the onely man of them which gave Lawes; and this is the weake and frail estate of men and nations, that unlesse they be as well encouraged in their endeavours, as punished in their misdemeanours, they will speedily become Libertines and ruine all.

Above three hundred yeares these works of clothing have been confined to this Na­tion, and untill late yeares have been so pre­served, by the diligence of such officers as have been ordained and empowred careful­ly [Page 65]to see the manufactures kept under those rules which the Lawes have provided for their perfection; amongst which it must be concluded, that the materials were of espe­ciall regard, which (as we have said) are wools and Fullers earth: and seeing this na­tion is by God peculiarised in the se blessings and through the vigilancy of its Monarchs, safe guarded by Lawes, that the native ma­nufactures might not be undermined by the practises of forreigners, their ancient providence exacts from the present age the same preservation, that those particulars be not common to such as daily labour to supplant the very being of this so impor­tant trade, the negligence whereof hath al­ready brought the Scales to an equality of the Beame betweene England and Holland, if rather the inclination tend not to their ad­vantage.

Again, we may be taught by their dili­gence, who spare no attendance in oversee­ing and searching the true making of their manufactures, giving therefore power and commissions to persons of more then ordi­nary [Page 66]worth amongst them, whom they call Cure-masters, which is Care-masters, to whom every piece of worke of wools, be the condition of it what it will, is brought, opened, and surveighed from end to end, where the enquiry is not slight or short, but these officers do unpartially examine it through all the hands it hath passed, even to the minglers of the wools, which after­wards are carded, then spunne, so weaved, scowr'd, dyed, strain'd, row'd, even from the first hand to the finishing of the Cloth: and where they find a defect, they make a de­fault upon the cloth, which first is recom­pensed by a Fine to the State for abusing the Lawes, and afterwards remaines to ad­monish the buyer, who thereby may guard his purse; and in case the Clothier be abused by any of his before-recited work-folks, he checques his dammage upon the true of­fender in his wages, and all this is done to their own manufactures; but when the bu­sines concernes English clothing, first, they load the cloth with Imposts and Taxes, contrary to the Law of nations, and free­dome [Page 67]of the merchant, and afterwards are so rigorons in denoting faults upon it, as they oftentimes bring a great part of the price into taxes and abatements.

The Premisses considered, let any man be Judge whether that Nation ought to be hel­ped with the wools and Fullers earth, with­out which they cannot worke, the exporta­tion of which also is little lesse then Felony in punishment, and of more dam­mage then ordinary Felonies, in considera­tion and comparison of the crime; never­thelesse there is nothing which is prohibited to passe from England, more daily practi­sed then these abuses; yea, they are rather oppressions, and robberies of the greatest magnitude.

Nor is the transportation of these, in their losse, all the injury; but when honest men, well affected to the good of their Country, do detect these Caterpillers of the Common-wealth, who make so vast gaine as hath been denoted upon the mate­rials so carefully prohibited, when they do endeavour by due course of Law to make [Page 68]stoppage thereof, and to have the offenders punished, so many are the evasions, such combinations, and interest in the officers who ought to punish the offenders, such fa­vour have they in Courts of Iustice, and de­ceptions in the returne of Writs, and in ge­nerall such affronts and discouragements, as the dearest lover of his Country, or most interessed in Trade, dares not attempt to prevent that mischief which his eyes behold to fall upon his nation, or which his owne person feeles to pick his pocket.

CHAP. X. Concerning Apprentiships.

SUch is the pravity and weakness of mans nature, as without industry, art, and discipline, he remaines but the onely degree of Reason from a Beast: For as after the Creation of the first man, the worlds encrease and continuance of people hath by God himselfe been established by [Page 69]way of generation, so the arts of men and polishings of nature came first from God to man by some singular inspirations to cer­tain particular persons, which afterwards continued amongst men by nourtrature, education and discipline; the fundamentals of which are superiority and inferiority, power and obedience, knowledge and ig­norance: now as the Iewes comprehended all the people of the world between them­selves and Barbarians, so all conditions of men are comprised between wise and igno­rant; this made Solomon say, That the Foole shall be servant to the wise in heart. There­fore men learn not of men as beasts do, barely to obey, but so to informe them­selves, as they may instruct them which come after, whereby even the world it selfe subsisted, and must continue; that sort of youth being most miserable which wants education.

There be, or ought to be in every parent two degrees of providence towards their children, one to have them live, the other to have them live well; nature hath accom­plished [Page 70]one, and instruction must give the other, which the Ancients and learned men call Discipline: not onely the Church and People of God from the Primitive times, have ordained this as a religious care, but the heathens, that is, the Persians, Lacedemo­nians, Romans, and Turks, have framed Lawes, enjoyning Parents to instruct their children, and compelling children to obey their Parents on pain of death; which the weak and partiall affections of Parents neg­lecting, the Common-wealth it selfe hath undertaken, and upon pious foundations have established prudent Lawes, to the end Youth may be educated to the competent election of a vocation, answering their own genius and inclination, yet all this is but to solicite nature to perfect her own work, which must be done by Art, and Art is a worke of time, to which, that Youth may bequeath themselves, the Lawes of each nation have proportioned a certain number of yeares, and that is generally seven.

It is not without mysticall signification, that servitude is so generally fastened upon [Page 71]this number of seven yeares; Iacob cove­nanted for seven yeares service, and trebled them rather then he would not enjoy the freedome and purchase of that he so much loved and desired; seven times seven yeares must passe before a Jubilee of deli­verance could enfranchise offenders; the number of seven gave perfection and rest to Gods workes: this number also is har­monicall, comprising all kinds of propor­tions, Arithmeticall, Geometricall, and Musicall: It is the number of sanctification, as may appeare in severall passages of Mo­ses Ceremoniall Law: it is the Climaterique, and consummation of mans age: It is the comparison of the most sacred word of God, which David resembles to silver se­ventimes refined: it is also Solomons Pal­lace of Wisdome, supported by seven Pil­lars: and finally, to instance our own argu­ment, it is the ternary seven of the age of Youth from the second seven, which makes fourteen, to the third seven, which reacheth one and twenty; in which time the Braine, and Memory, best receive and retaine the [Page 72]Institutions, which that Party intends to follow in course of his nature, and inclina­tion.

There is a double reason why Youth is al­most in all Nations obliged to a seven years Apprentiship, before they can obtain a Free­dome to practice the Trade to which they are engaged: one is to teach the Disciple or Apprentice; for such is the dulnesse of mans nature, that repetitions and multipli­cations of one and the same instruction, are little enough to fasten doctrines upon the judgment and memory of the learner, in matter of Art and Trade.

The want of instruction and teaching in Clothing, is the principall cause that the Manufactures of wooll are so abusively and deceptiously made; and teaching is thus wanting, because there is no regular or legall course followed, either for time or form in working; there is not any of the relations to clothing which doth observe this rule of Apprentiship not withstanding it is enjoyned in very strict and penall man­ner by the Statute Lawes; The chiefe in­convenience [Page 73]of which is, that a Trade so generall in use, and maintenance of even numberless Families, doth by its own vast exuberance convert into corruptions; and so those great multitudes of People become discredited, begger'd, and finally ruined, to the destruction of themselves, and that na­tion which gave them so great a bles­sing.

Another prejudice, and not the least, is, that the nation which hath given them be­ing, and invested them with such materials for clothing, is dishonoured by false and a­busive worke: & it is not a little scandall to that nation, which God hath particularly endowed with those blessings that others want, when its people shall divert those good things which God hath bestowed up­on it, to evill and deceptious practises: In this consideration it is very observable, how little comparatively, is the drunkenesse of those Countries which produce wines, and wherein lyes their personall riches, and their Nations honour; Though their other sinnes may sufficiently swell their ultimate [Page 47]account, yet doubtlesly it strengthens their last apology, in that they abuse not that en­dowment, which God hath made the ori­ginall of their being and subsistence.

A third consideration is the cheat it puts upon all the world, for though every coun­try have not the benefit of the Manufacture in themselves, yet are there few of them condemned to such ignorance, as not to discerne the Cozenage which false clothing puts upon them; in which case to the fore­said dishonour they adde a curse; and it was a chiefe care in Iacobs practice for the blessing, that he turned it not into a curse: how much more is this of consideration, when the blessing comes by gift and not by design or procurement?

And lastly, great is the thought of heart, when the sinnes of false lucre & covetous­ness are in the ful pursuance of such as have the full plenty to make weight and mea­sure, yet make it the art of their practice as wel as the practice of their art, to cosen both the wise and weake; it can be no great won­der, nor without abundance of Presidents, [Page 75]if God for sinnes of such wilfullnes remove his blessings, with which this nation is pe­culiarly enriched and dignified, and give them to a People which will render him a better, and more just, and more profitable accompt of his talent: and it is no newes, that though England be by the Almighty, chiefly ordayned to produce the materials, yet the manufactures be given to a people which will render a better account.

All this, and much more is expected, if the Native people continue to abuse the Native commodity, as of necessity they must, when they know not how to use it; the wisdome of our Ancestors hath been li­berally manifested in this particular; for more or better Lawes are not ordained in a­ny relation to Trade, then that the manu­factors be constantly made Apprentises for seven yeares at least, in stead of which pro­vident ordination, there is not one of a thou­sand made apprentice at all, but entering into Covenant with a workman in that he intends to professe, after three or six months at the most, he leaps forth a workman for [Page 76]his own account, and so brings his worke peradventure to the height of his Skill, which height is ignorance, and so the abu­ses are unremediable.

The other reason, and yet untouch'd, why Apprentices are generally confined to seven yeares servitude, is to theend that in each art professors multiply not beyond the support of their trade, which were not to encrease good Subjects, but Vagabonds & Rogues, to furnish prisons & the gallowes, which was not the intention of King Edw. the third, when in his design of bringing clothing into England, a chiefe part was so to multiply his People, as by his native and alleadgeate Subjects he might securely possesse the Conquests wherewith God had blessed him, which were beyond any Chri­stian Prince of his time.

It is utterly against reason that a nation can be poor, whose people are numerous, if their industries be compelled and en­couraged, and their idlenesse be punished and reformed; it is not the barrennesse of a Country which can forbid this maxime. [Page 77]The Scots are an abounding and numberless people, and they have a Soyle which to a Travellers eye, seemes to produce nothing towards so vast a maintenance of the body of that People, yet are they in all parts of the world a warlike and honoured nation, helpfull to all Princes in their Warres, and readily upon occasion returning to the assi­stance of their brethren be their cause good or bad. The Dutch are a numerous Nation, daily multiplying in a Country which hath in comparison, nothing of its own growth to support them either in food or clothing, yet they want nothing either in necessaries or wealth, because they are industrious; what Creeke of the Seas do they leave un­visited? And in Shipping are so stored, as most parts of the world do love or feare them.

Now a great encrease of People rests up­on the regulation of Trade; for it is not the number of workemen, but the number of good workmen which encreaseth Families; and it is Families which encrease and spread good people; the other for want of know­ledge [Page 78]and Skill, being fixed no where, be­cause their labours will not maintain them­selves, much lesse a family; for who will use a workman who hath neither Skill nor Credit, when he can employ one that hath both? Of principall importance therefore is the regulation of Apprentiships, both towards the best encrease of people, and to the honest, creditable, and wealthy manu­factures of woolls, and especially of clo­thing; for want of which, not only the for­mer denoted defaults are daily found in their works, but good workmen are under­sold and ruined by bad, and the whole Na­tion involved in great dishonour; therefore we will resort to the Reformations.

CHAP. XI. Shewing the abuses of those Lawes whereby Clothing ought to be remedyed.

IUstice (which all men cry up and few practice) is a vertue both divine and humane: Divine Justice is either from [Page 79]God to man, wherein his Providence is his Justice, by which he governeth the world; or it is from man towards God, and then it is Piety, whereby he returnes to God praise and glory for his numberlesse bles­sings: In Republiques, Cities, and Townes, it is Equity, the fruit whereof is Peace and Plenty: In Domestique relati­tions between man and wife, it is unity and concord; from Servants to Masters it is good-will and diligence; from masters to servants it is humanity and gentlenesse, and from a man towards his own body and soule, it is health and happinesse; There is none of all these relations, but is necessary and important to the reformation of the abuses, defaults, deceptions, and grievan­ces committed upon clothing, which in this discourse have been in some measure discovered, and by which both God and man are justly provoked.

The justice we are to use to the reliefe of the complaints before exhibited is either di­stributive, or commutative; Justice distri­butive is to give each man according to his [Page 80]deserts, whether it be honour or punish­ment; and commutative justice, is in bar­gaining, bartering, exchanging, or in any transactions between man and man to keep promises, covenants, and contracts, and for a man to behave himselfe as he would have others do unto him; to receive the innocent into protection, to represse and pu­nish offenders, without which, common in­tercourse and humane society must necessa­rily be dissolved, and for the preservation whereof, amongst the ancient Fathers have not spared their own sonnes. The Egyptian Kings, to whom antiquity gives the privi­ledge of making Lawes, did engage their Magistrates in an oath, that in Iudicature they should resist any unjust Commands even from their Princes themselves: The Graecians and Romans deified Iustice, and would not violate it towards their enemies; so just also were the Lacedemonians, and so free from distrusting each other, as even for the publique safety they used neither locks nor barres; insomuch that one asking Archidamus who those Governours were [Page 67]which so justly, happily, and gloriously, governed the Common wealth of Lacede­mon, answered, that they were first the Lawes, and afterwards the Magistrates exe­cuting those Lawes; for Law is the rule of Justice, and Justice is the end of the Law.

Rectum est index sui & obliqui, a right Line doth not onely justify it selfe, but ac­cuseth the crooked, say the Mathematicians; by which it may seeme, that the ready way to rectify abuses about clothing, were to compare them with the Rule of the Lawes provided for them, which neverthelesse holds not in all points; for instance, the Law empowers the Merchants and Dra­pers to be their own Searchers, and to pu­nish the Clothiers purse, as they find his works to be faulty; and so they do, to the no small griefe of the Clothier: but cui bo­no? For the retayling buyer is not hereby at all relieved, the Draper selling to him those faults for which he was before paid by the Clothier; the Merchants do the same, by causing their Clothiers to bring their manufactures into the Merchants [Page 82]private Ware houses, where their own ser­vants are Judges, who upon searching the Clothes do make, and marke faults enough, for which they have reparable abatements, but themselves again do practice all fraudu­lent wayes they can to barter and ex­change those faults away, without giving any allowance for them; and though some­times they be detected, yet find they means to save their purses, whilest their Nation suffers in honour, and the Lawes are vilified to Forreigners, who stain the Justice of the Nation with weaknes and fraud: true it is that in the Netherlands, where their cun­ning is as piercing, as their practise is com­mon, they (even every buyer) do search with diligence, and make themselves repa­rations, first to the Merchants great losse, and so in course to the Clothiers no small dammage: but in all this the State remains much dishonoured by the scandall, and robb'd of those Fines which the Lawes in punishment do give to the publique Reve­nue, which if they were rightly and legally attended, would render a vast gain to the Common wealth.

As in diseases where the causes are mista­ken, the remedies are consequently misap­plyed, whereby a disease in supposition be­comes one in fact; so in the foregoing in­stance, the remedies being misapplyed, are themselves brought to be a disease almost incureable: therefore though in finding out the causes why manufacture in clothing be­comes so abused, there may be good use of the Drapers & Merchants knowledge and Skill, yet the application of the remedy is a worke of State and Policy, in making and executing the Lawes proportionably to the grievance, in which instance it doth not hold; for though the Merchants and Dra­pers be able Searchers of the abuses, yet they are not competent reformers of the grievances, because they are interessed in participating of those gaines which the faults occasion and intend.

Nor is this all the abuse, for in such parts of the world as the buyers are not in ability of knowledge, like the Dutch, who make Cloths themselves, and especially in those parts where the difference in Religion is so [Page 70]great as it is between Christians and Turks, there the corrupt Merchant causeth the name of God to be blasphemed; for when those people, whose eye and judgment gives them not so good information as doth their proofe and wearing, do find themselves cheated in their garments, they presently conclude, that there is no feare of God in that place, nor obedience to their Rulers for conscience, which must assured­ly procure much scandall to Christian Re­ligion.

Now as Pliny observes (as in the Front you have it) that Pecunia dicitur à Pecude, thereby bringing the originall of mony from sheep; affirming that the ancient sig­nature upon money was a sheep; he also thereby shewes that merchandises were the cause of money, and there being no greater merchandises then are from the sheep, he makes it evident that there is nothing more requisite towards the enriching this nation, whose peculiar blessing rests in sheep, then strictly to hold the manufactures to the let­ter and rule provided for their just making, [Page 71]and that the lawes be unpartially executed; For, Necessarium illud dicitur sine quo fieri non potest, and it being apparent that this Nation cannot be rich without a constant utterance of clothing, nor can that be done without a perfect reformation in the parti­culars of the works, it doth undeniably follow, that clothing must be purged from its corruptions, or England must be poore: It is therefore the Manufactors which abuse the woolls, and thereby improvidently give advantage to the Dutch; whereas a perfection in the making of Cloths in Eng­land, will gainfully undersell the Hollander a Noble in a Pound sterling.

CHAP. XII. Shewing how the Lawes are used to crosse and destroy each other about clothing.

BY that which hath been said, it doth appear that there may be too much Law, though there cannot be too [Page 86]much justice, and where the Law abuseth justice, that Common wealth is in a des­perate condition: England will be found in little better state, if a short review be taken of some preceding passages: for the Lawes are made to fight against themselves in that tedious cont roversie about the Aulnageors Subsidy: for though there be none more authentique then such as establish that Im­position, neverthelesse the litigations about the legality of this Subsidy, and the oppo­sition to the State revenue hath for some late yeares been carryed on with such heat, as some innocent officers for doing their duty, have been no lesse then ruined: For which cause the deputies and subservient Aulnageors become very remisse in their office, as well in selling their Seales by do­zens to such as will buy them (the incon­venience and losse whereof is formerly de­clared) as by neglecting to survey and ex­amine what clothes are Statutable or truly sealed: Again the Farmers and sub-farmers of the Aulnage, being (through the trou­bling and interrupting their servants) made [Page 87]unable to pay their Rents, the Lessors to them ever premising a Clause in their Lease for re-entry upon non-payment of their co­venanted Rent, do presently upon default grant a new Lease to another man utterly unknown to the preceding Tenant; by which promiscuous course there are divers Aulnageors for one and the same place, at one and the same time; whereof the Clo­thier soon getting knowledge, by their ex­ercising a double duty, he payes to neither, yet gets his Clothes sealed by such indirect meanes as is before declared; in all which proceedings, the Law is abused under pre­tences of legality.

As for the duty of searching, the former powers granted by that Statute of quarto Iacobi to the Merchants and Drapers, and the inconveniences thereupon denoted, are enough to shew the Imperfections of that Statute to that use; neverthelesse not one­ly the prejudice to the buyer, and disho­nour to the Nation, are thereby as it were authorized, but the losse to the State is not easily to be valued, seeing that in that one­ly [Page 74]Country of the Netherlands, the taxes or abatements for defects in Clothing have been by that State punished to the dam­mage of ten thousand pounds in one yeare; what then must be the Income of the like abuses upon the whole clothing of England in those Fines which the Statutes give to the State? all which are lost for want of le­gall searches, where the faults being dete­cted and marked upon the edges of the Clothes, as the Statutes require, all future buyers are satisfyed of their worth, and the State secured of the revenue: and that these faults cannot be few, the Reader may be pleased to cast his eye over their works, in mingling, carding, spinning, weaving, scowring, milling, rowing, tentering, and many other works, wherein every one helps his Lawfull living by unlawfull practices. True it is, that the foresaid Statute of quarto Iacobi, by the largenesse of it seemes to be an epitome of all the Statutes made in three hundred yeares before; yet such are the insufficiencies, and the incongruities of the commands, and powers thereby esta­blished, [Page 75]as the Subject, and more especially Forreigners are rather grieved then relieved by it, wherein the dishonour of the State and Nation is very great and apparent.

Now for the weight of Clothes so pre­cisely commanded, and by the Statute strictly enjoyned, the Clothiers are herein generally abusive; for whereas they were originally ordained to weigh sixty foure pounds a Cloth, and afterwards by degrees came to fifty eight, yet now for want of ex­act searching they hold themselves very o­bedient to the Law, when their Clothes hold fifty six pounds a piece, whereof more come short then over, their generall answer being, that they cannot cast their Clothes in a mould, yet when they please they wil bring twenty Clothes together not differing from each others weight so much as a quarter of a pound in a Cloth, so as in­deed one may judge that they were cast in a mould, which men could as well make them hold as neare to fifty eight pounds; but herein lyes the Weavers chief practice of falshood, for they will many times make [Page 90]them foure or six pound short of the Sta­tutes established weight, and then they find tricks with Stones, Leaden weights, and the like ponderous things to give them weight, which upon the Aulnageors legall search, may soon be discovered and seized.

Again, the Law is by the Law crossed and abused even in those places where they pre­tend they have legall established Searchers; first in their number, there ought to be six or eight in a towne, according to the capa­city of the Corporation, and clothing in it: secondly, those Searchers ought to give se­curity of fourty pounds penalty at the least, and to approve themselves men of know­ledge, wealth, and integrity, to the end the search may be throughly performed once in a month or oftner: and they are by the Law furnished with power to carry their search through Warehouses, Shops, Ships, or any other place which shall harbour any clothing or manufactures searchable, the resistance or concealment whereof, is put under strict and valuable penalty: thirdly, they are by the Sature appointed in their [Page 91]Search what faults to denote, and what pe­nalties to declare on each fault.

In performance of which Injunctions, first, out of townes Corporate there is no Searcher appointed, but all is left at liberty to the Clothier, who useth his liberty so much to his own advantage, as should a Searcher be there established by a Iustice of Peace, as the Law requires, he shall assu­redly be affronted, sued, and imprisoned by such secret helps as the Clothier can pro­cure in the Exchequer, carrying therewith such abusive countenance of the Law, as a single and simple Officer dares not resist. Secondly, in Townes Corporate, where this office ought to be attended with num­bers, there is sometimes none, but never a­bove one, and that an ignorant man, as al­so both nominated and sworn by the Magi­strate, who undoubtedly is ever a Clothier, and as likely by his power to be an offender, whom such a worthlesse officer as himselfe puts in, dares not controule, much lesse correct or seize his Clothes: Adde to this also, that as he is an abject person, and the [Page 78]creature of the Magistrate, so is he wanting in knowledge to judge of good and true worke, as also of estate or ability to answer his neglects, or to give security therefore.

Thirdly, there is neither fault nor penalty denoted, or put upon the Seale or Cloth, wherein the State is abundantly damnified: but because in such a constant practice it is impossible but some people must be puni­shed, and some clothes seized, in such cases another law appeares (in opposition to the Statute which directs the deciding and ad­judging such faults to the Lord Treasurer) by which the Magistrate of the place where such seizure is made, takes upon him more then the Lord Treasurer, for he not onely condemnes the culpable goods, but ex offi­cio, he appropriates the confiscation to him­selfe.

If in Villages there be a Searcher establi­shed by the Justice (as the Law enjoynes) then such seizures come to the Quarter Sessions, where by favour and friendship the offender escapes, and the State is the fufferer: in a word, it is very materiall to [Page 79]observation, that of so many thousands of Clothes as are made defective and decepti­ous in England and Wales, the Exchequer neither sees one Cloth so seized or seizable, no nor a Penny for all the Fines or redem­tion of such a Cloth, but the abuses conti­nue, increase, and are maintained, the Com­mon wealth and forreigners are generally wronged, the State is deprived of its Re­venue, even to vast summes, the Nation is dishonoured over all the world, and the continuance of it, if not speedily reform­ed, will plead prescription.

We will now walk through the Measu­rers office, who (since the Aulnageor left it) is ordained by the Statute to be sworne in Corporations by the Magistrate, and in Villages by the Justice adjacent, but no Law allowes either them to nominate or appoint the said officer; yet in Corporations it is so ordered, as well to the Subjects, as to the Forreigners great dammage, whereof daily presidents may be produced: out of Corporations there is no such officer; which defect the Clothiers as well as others do [Page 94]feele; In which proceedings there is also Law against Law; First, in Corporations where the Aulnageor ought by the Law to present his deputies, to whom the Magi­strate is bound under the Penalty of five pounds to give an oath, there the Magi­strate finds a Law to claim both, & therein proceeds as he did about the Searcher, which is formerly related; and out of Cor­porations there is Law against Conscience, where the Clothiers for want of a legall Measurer, do bring them unmeasured to London, and because they dare not so ap­peare in the Market, the Lord Mayor, ex officio, causeth his sworn Measurer to mea­sure them, yet the Clothier for his private satisfaction causeth them to be most exact­ly measured before he brings them from home; neverthelesse he receives them again from the aforesaid sworn Measurers hands, with the ordinary losse of foure, and some­times six yards in a piece, of which abuse, the Day men in Essex make no small com­plaint.

The Mill-men and Cloth-workers can [Page 95]find small colour of Law to countenance their misbehaviours, yet they spare not to practcie their deceptions, and because they have no shadow of Law, they find out the more Art to keep their Cheats from disco­very, which through use and continuance are now become the chief secret and myste­rie, yea the principall part of their trade, (there being very few able to make a per­fect Cloth.) There be indeed some casual­ties which are pardonable, as heate in the Mill to the prejudice of a Cloth which goes in too dry; some come by small stones un­discerned in the Fulling-earth; some oyles change colour, and alter the cloth, and some other there be of such kinds.

CHAP. XIII. The crossing of the Law by their own Mi­nisters, in exporting raw wools, Fullers earth, &c.

IN this part of our complaint, wee presume not to meddle with Licences granted by the State to export Raw wools, or white Clothes, both of which have been permitted to passe the Seas, as well for the good of the People, as for the benefit of Clothing it selfe, yet so as to have the same limited, and joyned with the transportation of coloured Clothes, may be found much to the advantage of the Nations commodity in Clothing: and like­wise to observe times in such Licences is ve­ry requisite; for many Acts of Parliament (usefull and important without doubt to the good of the publique when they were ordained) have neverthelesse within few yeares following, not onely been suspended but repealed; in which condition the state [Page 97]of white Clothes hath been sometimes found; at present the liberty is great, and and thought to be good, converting to the utility of the Merchant adventurers, but (without deniall) it is a great prejudice to the Dyers, and therein to many thousands of People: As for Raw Wools there may be advantage to the Common wealth by their exportation, namely, when the Cloth trade is obstructed, and the manufactures lye upon the Clothiers hand, which at pre­sent is so found, both by the troubles of the Seas, and the daily Warres, which stop­ping the utterance of Cloth, leaves the wool upon the Grasiers hands, and extends to the prejudice of almost all the People of England: neverthelesse such as can find a market for Wools, may if they please, find the same for Clothes, and therefore they are fit to passe together, so as the wools in smaller quantity, may help off the Clothes in greater measure.

The place also to which Wools may be licensed to passe, ought to be considered, and that may rather be any where then the [Page 98] Netherlands, where their whole drift is to undermine the English Cloth-trade, which they cannot so profitably accomplish, if they be forced to procure the wools through many hands and severall voyages: by no meanes therefore is the present pra­ctice to be borne, which daily carrieth a­way of the finest sorts of Wools ready combed into Jarsies for worke, which they pack up as Bales of Cloth, and according­ly they do enter and Custome them: Last­ly, for Fullers earth, there is never any oc­casion why that should be transported, therefore to have it licenced either by its own name, or by that of Tobbaco-pipe-earth, or by any other title, is clearly the greatest injury which can be done to Clo­thing: It is a commodity which the Dutch cannot get in any quantity, or worth, nearer then the Streights, unlesse from Eng­land, where the totall exportation being by the Statutes most strictly prohibited, their clothing being the more laden with charge, the English will be better able to undersell them.

Now to shew the Reader how the Lawes are crossed and daily obstructed to such as endeavor to serve their Country, by such as ought to encourage the Prosecutors; surely there will be very many practices of evill consequence discovered: for first, in the Custome-houses where Bonds are taken to the intent these prohibited commodities passe not by meanes of Marriners out of the Nation, but onely from Port to Port, for accommodation of such parts as want such commodities, they are very remisse and carelesse in taking account of the Sea-mens discharge of their obligatory conditions, where also it is usuall with the Sea men to bring fraudulent Certificates, and so do cheate the States providence, who keep ser­vants at great wages purposely to prevent such abuses; or if there be a regular returne of the Bonds, yet there is commonly a frau­dulency in giving them, for the Masters of Ships will so contrive their designe, as he who is Master at giving the Bond, and is le­gally bound, shall immediately passe his in­terest to another man, who taking charge [Page 100]of the Vessell and Voyage, is notwithstan­ding not engaged in the Port-Bonds, and therefore neither is he accountable for breach of their condition: Again, when the Port-Bonds are justly taken, and as just­ly returned, yet to prevent the true and real detection of the offender, and to dishearten the legall Prosecutor, some friend of the offenders will clap in an information a­gainst him, purposely to hinder and divert others, and soon after will let the prosecuti­on fall at his pleasure; nay, it hath been said, and peradventure not unjustly, that such preventing Informations have been anteda­ted, to the overthrow of the reall informa­tion; But when all is granted, and a full and formall hearing and Decree passed to the just condemnation of the offender, yet when Judgments and Enquiries are gran­ted, and do without Errours of the Clerks, (which is not alwayes) empower the She­riffs and their Bayliffs to see execution thereof made, it is familiar with those offi­cers to return a Nonest inventus, or a Mor­tuus est, even then when the offender and [Page 101]the officer have been known to be drinking together at that very time when the Writ should have been executed.

After all this, one step further will shew how charity it selfe abuseth Justice; for let all the former proceedings be granted to be candid and cleare, and that the Law be in­deed juftly and legally executed, the offen­der in custody, and nothing remaining but that he honestly discharge himselfe with money, (seeing baile will not be admitted) neverthelesse upon a lamenting Petition, and urging a great charge of children to the Bench, the offender is usually admitted to compound for ten in the hundred, or lesse, when by his offence he hath gained a hun­dred for ten, or more, and peradventure hath undone a hundred Families in so do­ing; yet all this while the honest Prosecu­tor, the onely man that appeares for the good his of country, who ought by the law to have the full benefit and advantage of the Law gratis, it being enough that he spends his time for promotion of the Pub­lique weale, after it hath cost him severall [Page 102]great summes of Money, and large expence of time to bring the offence to Triall and Conviction, is dismissed with little or no satisfaction, unlesse he be rewarded with the Brand of an informing Knave; surely they who made these Lawes for the benefit of themselves and their Country, did intend a more currant and just passage towards them, then thus to be obstructed and baffled; But at the present time Felis dormit, et mures saltant, every man doth as he plea­seth; Prosecutors and Informers have paid for their Learning, that it is better to lose a Coate then a Skinne: such abuses as these made Theodorus say, as in the Preface you have it, that a Wiseman did himselfe in­justice, by hazarding his wisdome and estate for the benefit of his Nation; and therefore some have not spared to urge, that Customs and Imposts, and Tolls and Taxes, might be taken away from honest, laborious, ha­zardous Trades and Adventurers, and be put upon litigious Suites at Law, and such as make benefit of their corrupt breath, that is to say, upon such Lawyers as abuse their [Page 103]Clients, and such malicious Clients as a­buse the name of a just and innocent defen­dant; but righteousnesse must be expected in another world, for in this he that endea­vours to remove discommodities, and in­conveniences from the Lawes, doth under­take to cut off Hydra's heads, saith divine Plato, which Seneca cofirmeth in saying, Nullum sine auctoramento est malum.

CHAP. XIIII. Containing some Queries of Remedies.

WE have seen a short account of some abuses in relation to clothing; to speake of all the frauds and deceptions daily practiced about these manufactures, were in substance to fil a volume, they being for invention far beyond the compass of one mans brain: but because it is concluded to be more easie to extinguish another mans vertue, then to e­stablish a mans owne; it will here be expe­cted [Page 104]that some meanes should be proposed by way of reformation, proportionable to the offences and grievances related.

A Ship is one of the most excellent stru­ctures both for wealth, and fafety, and con­quest, that ever was invented; yet that vast Body, that Magazine of wealth, that Castle of strength would be of no use, were it not for that small timber the Rudder, which contracting as it were all the Mathematicall lines of the Hulls composition, every pro­portion answers in obedience to the com­mands and checques of that inconsiderable Moover, the Rudder. It is so in Govern­ment, which therefore magnifies Monarchy or single Dominion, for though the Art of man might frame two or more Rudders to one Ship, yet all the wisdome of man could not so proportion the obedience of the Vessell, but that there would be distra­ction in the course and sayling.

Foelix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas, and though it be more easie to derive the errours then to contrive the remedies, yet it is a great step towards health for a man [Page 105]to know the cause of his sicknes; and it may be concluded, that he who hath taken the paines to give himselfe knowledge of the severall abuses arising upon so immense a worke as Clothing is, would not trouble his Countrymen with relation of their grievan­ces, unlesse he knew likewise how to shape the remedyes in proportion to them; If the Reformation did rest onely upon the offen­ces, the respective Statutes provided for them may seem to expedite that worke, but so many have been the inventions to carry these offences beyond the reach of these Statutes, that the reformation by them is not probable, whilest they disagree so in themselves,

In the first place therefore we present the the Lawes themselves to consideration, which are so, and so often used and mana­ged one against another, as they may well admit a reconciliation, which is supposed to be most properly the work of the learned Judges, or else of a Parliament if it be sit­ting; and herein the first difference of note is, that of so long and great heate and con­tention [Page 106]between the old and new Draperies, wherein (if the question be not already resolved by the ancient Judges, as is sup­posed) it remaines to be enquired why that Subsidy was granted, and upon what Manu­factures it was granted, and what it was that was granted.

Secondly, those Queries once resolved, and the Law being set cleare from such bold In­quisitors, it is next to be vertuated by the power and countenance of the State; and that the Aulnageor who is trusted with so honour­able a charge as is the Seal of the State, (which the Law requires him to use to the justice of the People, the advantage of the publique Re­venue, and to the honour of the Nation) may be so countenanced and encouraged as a mini­ster of Justice, and the dignity pro [...]per to such trusts do require, and by no meanes to be affronted in the execution of his office.

Thirdly, That it be resolved whether ths Magistrates in Corporations (who are alwayes men dealing in Clothing) ought both to nomi­nate the Persons, and to administer the Oath, to the Searchers and Measurers of Clothing, [Page 107]and if not, who then ought to nominate or pre­sent those officers to the Magistrates, who al­so are bound under a penall summe to admini­ster the said Oath.

Fourthly, whether the Clothing which is now dispersed all over this Nation, as well with­out as within Corporations, may be searched and measured at those rates of allowance which the Statutes provided when Clothing was confined to Corporations onely, or whether the neglect for want of a competent Salary, hath not been a great cause to let in manifold abu­ses upon Clothing. Which being granted, the next enquiry is, what shall be the Salary, and by whom it shall be paid.

Fifthly, that in regard the manufactures of Clothing are by the Statutes confined to Cor­porations, and neverthelesse are (through Gods great blessing) so multiplied as the Cor­porations cannot contain them, whether the Clothing which is made in Villages, may not by the power of the State, be brought to some emi­nent villages or market townes, lying conve­niently for their transportation to Markets, and there to be search'd, measur'd, weighd, & [Page 108]sealed, provided the same be within fifteene miles off the Clothiers habitation, and whether in every such town it may not be con­venient to erect Halls, and therein to place Ta­bles, Pearches, Scales, Weights, and Mea­sures, for the better discharging the said du­ties, and benefit of the Clothiers?

Sixtly, whether the reformation of colours and dying be not belonging to the Aulnageor, in regard the Law gives him cognizance, and subsidy upon the said colours, and whether the prohibitions and searches for Block-wood, Logwood, and other forbidden materials do not belong, or are fiting to relate to the Aul­nageors charge, who in regard of the subsidy is to see that the grounds of colours be justly and truely laid, to the lasting of the colours, advantage of the cloth, and to the honour and profit of the State.

Seventhly, whether it be not requisite that the two principall materialls belonging to clo­thing (which are Wools and Fullers-earth) for prevention of their illegall tronsportati­on, ought not most properly to be within the care and charge of the Aulnageor, and whe­ther [Page 109]some speedy and strict course ought not to be taken with offenders herein, to prevent their evasions and abuses of the Lawes in that case provided, and whether the intuition of the same belong not most properly to the Aul­nageor?

Eighthly, whether all those trades which are appertaining to any manufactures of wools, as Minglers, Carders, Spinners, Weavers, Fullers, Cloth workers, and the like, ought not to be attended with servants of ability and good knowledge, for which each of the said servants ought by injunction of the Law, and many strict Statutes to that pur­pose, to be bound Apprentices, and to ac­complish the number of seven yeares in at­taining the said knowledge; and whether it be not proper to have the said Apprentices bound, enrolled, and enfranchised in the Halls before named, to the end that false and igno­rant work men be not admitted to abuse both Natives and Forreigners as they have done?

Ninthly, whether all commodities coming from forreign parts, and measurable, be not properly belonging to the charge of the Aul­nageor, [Page 110] as in King Edward the seconds time they were, and in some other Kings Reignes both before and since they have been, to the intent the native Subjects be not abused, as at this day is found in abundance, and whether a Fee for so doing be not in the power of the State, for the visible benefit of the People, it being established in proportionable manner to the workes as we daily find it to be done in other States.

Tenthly, whether the Manufactures of Cotton wooll, converted into Ticking, Fus­tians, and the like merchantable commodities, ought not to be within the survey of the Aulnageor, or if not, then in whose power it is to regulate the said manufactures, in re­gard they are at present much altered and cor­rupted from their primitive ordination both in length and breadth; and whether likewise the State may not impose a Fee upon those workes as in other clothing is done, to the end the natives be not abused as now they are.

Thus we have proceeded upon the dis­covery of some abuses, being no small grie­vances, as also by an humble inquisition [Page 111]into some remedies, both of which may be enlarg'd as occasion and encouragement do invite; for it is not enough thus briefly and superficially to runne over misdemeanours, and reformations, where the worke ex­tends to the universall good or ill of a Na­tion, no more then it is to take a generall survey upon an entire and compacted bo­dy, to discover the diseases of all bodies; but when the Limbs, and Veines, and Nerves, and Arteries, when the noble parts, the heart, the braine, the liver of one man come to be dissected, the Anatomy will then shew the infirmities and disorders which have brought that body, and by the same occasions, may bring others into a finall dissolution: neverthelesse the result in clothing will not be like the similitude in diseases; for by the inspection of one body many may be cured, but if Clothing must dye, (as it is likely to do) for want of en­quiry into the remedies, how then shall clothing be found again in this Nation to undergo the cure?

It is not of small importance therefore [Page 112]well to consider the present state and con­dition of clothing, for though the materi­alls be English, yet they have been some­times converted into clothing in other Countryes; and peradventure upon an in­genious and diligent inquisition, it may be found, that there was not more art and po­licy used in bringing home the worke to the Wooll, then now there is cunning and daily practices to carry the native materials unto forreign manufactures; to the helpe whereof, and in apology for il­legall clothing, every man holds himselfe justified by the newnesse of the invention; but if the Lawes for regulation must be bound to attend the Lawes for invention, it will prove not onely the greatest but the fi­nall destruction to the ancient and substan­tiall Clothing, by degenerating into fan­tasticall and invalid inventions.

CHAP. XV. Of the benefits of Clothing.

THough all that hath been said, hath been delivered with integrity as to truth, and with affection in refe­rence to this Nation, yet the Author flatters not himselfe that he hath pleased all his Countrymen, for he expecteth opposers, and wisheth for them, if their intent and purpose be (as his is) to the good of his native Country; for so Contraria inter se posita magis elucescunt, and there is no doubt of a publique benefit where all men endeavour it: To the end therefore that God may have his due praise and glory for his immense goodness and blessing bestow­ed in that peculiar of wooll upon this Nation, we will conclude the whole with a short Survey of some particular immuni­ties which clothing hath conferred upon England, with which the glory of it extends to the Verges and utmost inhabited parts [Page 114]of the world, and without which the Arke of Gods mercy and the glory of this Land is like to depart.

First, the reducing of clothing to Eng­land in manufacture as well as in materials; (which must a thousand times repeate Eng­lands gratitude to the memory of that ever renowned King Edward the third) hath pro­duced such opulent and magnificent Socie­ties of Merchants, as the whole world can­not againe demonstrate, that is to say, first the Merchant Adventurers Company, whose Governours, Presidents, Consulls, and the like chiefe officers are not of lesse esteeme (where they please to seat them­selves) then are the Residentiaries of the greatest Princes; and so much the more cordiall is their welcome, as each mans profit leads his affection beyond his reve­rence to publique Embassies, because proxi­mity to a mans personall interest sits nea­rer in his thoughts, then when he is invol­ved in the publique concernment.

This Company hath by their Policy, and Order, supplanted those Societies of [Page 115]the Hans Townes, (as they are called) who vending an inconsiderable number of cloths and at low rates, did neverthelesse account England obliged to them for their Markets and Shipping; whereas at this day the Merchant Adventurers do utter ten times as many cloths annually in the same mar­kets, at farre better prices, and in answer to the Shipping which England had in those times from those Countries at deare enter­tainment: This trade of clothing, and this particular company of Merchants, have furnished the Navy-Royall from time to time, and upon all occasions with such strengths, as they have not feared, (if they have not awed) the greatest Navall Forces sayling upon the Ocean; he that may have the favour to peruse their Records shall find what opportune service they did for their Country in the yeare eighty eight, and since upon all military occasions wherein this Nation hath been embroyled with any other.

Next, the East land Company hath plan­ted the trade of Clothing all about the Bal­tick [Page 116]Seas, which at this day employes many warlike Ships, and gives a great encrease of Marriners, to the no small growth of Eng­lands strength at Sea: The Muscovia Com­pany have discovered the passage by the North Cape, and the great trade of Green­land; what wealth accrews to England by the Turkey and East Indian Companies is not easie to be numbered, their Shipping also being as strong and rich as any that swimme upon the Seas: how one of them hath by the trade of Cloth onely, engrossed all manner of wealth coming from the Le­vant-Seas, and how the other of them hath established the rich Trades of Silks, Spices, Jewels, &c. in the Southern parts of the world, is by all admired, though by none to be valued; and what strengths of Ship­ping these two Companies have produced, as they have been wonderfull, so they have been formidable to al Nations: what contribution the clothing Trade with Spain and France have given to Englands maritime powers, is by those Countryes themselves feared, as well as by England found to its great security.

And as these unvaluable blessings have befallen England by the trade of Clothing, politiquely and providently drawn into So­cieties, Companies and Corporations; so the loose transactions of trade in other Countryes have rendered them so poore at Sea, as were it not for the Shipping of Eng­land and Holland, the very life of com­merce would perish, would returne to the same wilderness and uselesnesse as it is now in Greenland, and the West India, where Civill Government hath not once beene heard of.

Again, if comparison be made for rich­nesse of Trade, between Clothing and any, or all other substances of Merchandises, whereby any Nation, but more especially England may be enriched; neither the Silks, nor Furres, nor Wines, nor Spices, nor Bullion it selfe of all other Countries can render that account to its own, or can in proportion equalize England in Clothing, Food, Shipping, Strength of People, or wealth of Money, the honour whereof, rightly derived must (next after that which [Page 118]in all Ages hath been and is due to the State for its providence) rest upon the Mer­chant Adventurers, upon whom neverthe­lesse there have been, and at this present are, great oppressions and Impositions, especial­ly those of Holland, whereof we here for­beare particularly to enlarge, having con­fined this briefe Discourse to the Land­bound grievances of England, yet so as we intend not to smother those just complaints of forreign abuses, which together with some other irregularities of Trade, and cer­tain humble presentments of Reformation, shal hereafter attend the present acceptance of this small offering; in pursuance whereof peradventure upon Conference with some of the many Lawes which the severall Kings and Queenes of this Nation have in Parliaments enacted for the advance and wealth of Trade, something more then is at present in visibility may be produced.

To shut up all, because the absolute and most commodious reformation of the abu­ses, frauds, deceptions, together with the constant practices of evill workes, and evill [Page 119]worke-men doth cry aloud in the eares of Justice, and that they may with the same facility and obedience answer the rules of the Lawes, and the many prudent orders of State, as a Ship doth the commanding Checques of the Rudder, (as hath been said) It is humbly proposed, that a well formed Commission, comprehending all the branches of Trades incident to Clothing, and entrusted in the hands of persons ho­nourable, judicious, and conscientious, conferring with the ablest and honestest Clothiers, and amongst them all establish­ing a competent to discharge the atten­dance of Officers, Deputies, and Servants, as in the Customs, Excises, and the like vast employments is done, will be found a true and most serviceable Rudder to this Ship of richest Fraight, which the whole world can produce; For nothing doth more prejudice the publique utility, then that eve­ry man should exercise his own fancy, nor is any thing a greater Bane to a well go­verned Common-wealth, then ill gover­ned and disorderly Trade.

Civitais eversio, morum, non murorum casus.