Some considerations touching the present debate between owners, &c. and fisherman relating to the New-found-land trade, wherein the present project of obstructing passengers, by-boats, etc, is proved to be an unjust, sinister, envious, and unreasonable designe / humbly presented to supream consideration by the impartial pen of an eye-witness both of the designes of home and the trade abroad.

Some Conſiderations touching the preſent Debate concerning Paſſengers, &c. to NEWFOƲND-LAND.

THAT man (ſaith incomparable Bacon, Eſ. 9.) That hath no vertue in himſelf, envieth it in others. It is but to alter the terms, and ſay, A man that doth not proſper himſelf, envieth the proſperity of others. Too apparent will the truth of this be in the preſent Caſe, to any who ſhall impartially ſcan, and ſeriouſly enquire into the ground of the preſent project, which hath bin of late years on foot againſt a ſort of Induſtrious, Laborious men, carried on by a few ſiniſter perſons, who have practically and interpretatively told the world, that they deſign and contrive to ingroſs to themſelves the bulk of that vaſt Trade (not unfitly reckoned among the moſt profitable ones of the Nations) that of New-found-land Fiſhery: and this contention is blown into a flame by the groundleſs breath of miſled ignorance. and the ſenſleſs clamours of ſome unreaſonable ſpirits, which like Dogs bark for company, and are content to ſpeak as their Incendiaries doe, and without inquiring into the juſtneſs, or reaſonableneſs of the point, proceed like unjuſt Judges to condemn without hearing any thing from Defendant, or Adverſe party; who in this caſe to (ſpeak ſtrictly) paſs under an inevitable condemnation, for whatever is alleadged againſt them, by being incapable either with Money, Opportunity, Friends above, &c. to countermine, anticipate, or meet with the deſignes of thoſe (who are too potent in all theſe) againſt them. Which too truly verifieth that of the Poet Petronius.

Quiſ quis habet Nummos, ſecurâ naviget aurâ, Fortunam que ſuo temperet arbitrio, Ʋxorem ducat Danaen, ipſum que licebit Acriſium jubeat credere quod Danaen, Carmina componat, declamet, concrepet, omnes Et peragat cauſ as, ſitque Catone prior, Juris conſultus, paret, non paret, habeto, Atque eſto quiequid Servius aut Labeo. Multa loquor: quidvis nummis praeſentibus opta, Et veniet, —

Before I enter into the bulk of the diſcourſe, give me leave to aſſure you, that I am altogether unconcerned on either ſide; nor do I ſtand in that relation to the one or other, as might bias my judgment, or betray my reaſon to be partial, or prevaricate for either party: I have received no Fee from either to make me write Sophiſtically, but having for four years been an eye-witneſs of the tranſactions at Home, as well as of the manner of Fiſhing Abroad in that Country, have thereby had opportunity to diſcern, the unreaſonableneſs of thoſe grounds propoſed to hinder the Defendants from following their labour, in the way of Fiſhing in thoſe parts. Which I have here publiſhed very conciſely, couching my Reaſons and diſcourſe in as few words, and narrow lines as poſſibly I could.

The Caſe Is thus, A few honeſt Fiſhermen acquainted with the New-found-land, joyn ſtocks together, hire men, provide themſelves with all neceſſary Proviſions for that Voyage; and not able to act in the method of a Merchant, keep ſome, One Boat, others two, three, &c. It may be, One Boat among two, or three men: A number of theſe Boat-keepers joyn & fraight a Ship for the tranſportation of themſelves and proviſions: Some take paſſage at three pounds per man. Theſe (as others ſet forth by Merchants) Fiſh and labour very induſtriouſly, and run the ſame hazard in all reſpects that Merchants do, and thereby do frequently gain to themſelves ſome what more then by the wages uſually given by the Merchants, did they act in their imploy. Theſe men in every reſpect act as Maſters, Merchants, &c. do. They imploy Seamen on the ſame terms, They breed up Seamen, Fraight Ships, Fiſh, &c. every way proportionable to any that uſe that Country: whereby they advance Trade, Increaſe the Kings Cuſtome, &c. as much or more per Rato than other owners of Fiſhing voyages: many of which improperly call themſelves Merchants.

Theſe men being generally of a more thriving and induſtrious nature than ſome others, and thereby ſucceeding better in their voyage then others, are therefore become of late the very objects of Merchants envy at home, and of Maſters (imployed on the ſame Trade) abroad, who wanting the like induſtry, and coming ſhort thereby of the like ſucceſs, do not ſeldom excuſe it with laying the ſubſequent charge againſt By-Boats: Evidently making good the words of that great Stateſman, the Lord Verulam, Eſ. 9. That man which cannot act in the vertue (of which Diligence is a part) of another, will ſeek to come at even hand with him, by ſeeking to depreſs the others fortune. And if it ſavour not too much of Cenſoriouſneſs and Barbariſm. Act. Apoſt. c. 28. v. 4. I would obſerve, That the Voyages immediately ſuceeding the time, when the Spleens of theſe poor mens Enemies had been moved moſt (whereby very few of them and thoſe by ſurreptition and ſtealth have bin able to obtain Tranſportation) have proved the worſt that ever were in that Country, witneſs Anno D. 1664. What a Muddy ſtir was there made at Dartmouth, and the circumjacent Country againſt the poor By-Boats. What allegations were put into the Councel, and Parliament (if I miſtake not) which being unanſwered by the Defendants, there was a ſuperſedeas clapt upon their intentions for New-found-land, and that year the Merchants made the worſt Voyages that were ever known before: And the year after the Dutch War coming in, de Rutter the Belgian Admiral went and burnt the Ships in that Country, in which none ſuffered more than thoſe that had bin moſt pertinacious againſt By-boats. I need not name any, and am unwilling to meaſure the length of any mans juſt proceedings by his proſperity, or to cenſure him of an evil heart by any adverſity, for time and chance hapeneth to all, and thoſe on whom the Tower in Siloam fell were not ſinners above all them in Jeruſalem, and do believe goodneſs and greatneſs are not alwaies concomitant.

But to proceed, The Dutch War happily ended, Merchants and By-boats, promiſcuouſly provide for the Fiſhing without diſtinction or grudge, as if all former animoſity had been forgotten, and that year (1668) making great Voyages they are on all hands ſatisfied, and nothing at all objected againſt the By-boats: but in the year (1669) the Ships make poor, and the By-boats generally great Voyages. Upon return to England, the feud is again fomented, and Merchants Petition again to the Privy Council, urging vehement complaints againſt the By-boats; that they ruined the Trade, by ingroſſing the beſt Fiſhermen to themſelves, by giving greater wages then others can. Thoſe of Dartmouth, Plymouth, &c. meet at Modbury about that affair, (facetiouſly called the Modbury Juncto) but the iſſue came to late, for the Ships for Terra Nova were almoſt all gone before that came down into the Weſt: only ſome few had the unhappineſs to be behind, and were ſtopt.

Here let me not forget to obſerve, That at the very time the Weſt-Country Owners were acting, & contriving the Premiſes at Modbury, Mr. Boughton their Factor in London played leaſt in ſight, with Five or Six Thouſand pounds of their Money, in which the Actors were moſtly concerned, and the By-boats not Eighty pounds upon my certain knowledge. And to ſecond that misfortune, This year there were made ſuch Voyages by the ſhips in general as the like was never known before, by any man; for though in the beginning of the Fiſhing, we have great hopes, yet the whole Schoole (as it is there termed) ſuddenly left them, as if Heaven would puniſh them with the torment of Tantalus: whereby the Merchants made not half as formerly, and yet the diligent, and painful By-boats came off indifferently well. And now they are accoſted with more violence then before, and new methods propoſed for their eradication; New errours are alleadged, though they had complied with the Articles of the Patent of New-found-land inlarged by his preſent Majeſty; yet a new Project is ſet on foot, and that is to propoſe for an Act, That all the men in one Ship muſt be under one Maſter, and make one ſhare. What ſhall then the Planters do? They muſt be incouraged and ſupplyed, otherwiſe muſt leave the Country, which being not inhabited is free for any other Nation; Poſſeſſion being the only inheritance thereof. But if this be complyed withal by them, if they thrive that way, then I am confident there will be new Errours found out. I remember I have read, that the Emperour Frederick's Phyſitians being asked what did moſt ſharpen the ſight, it was variouſly anſwered, Herba Euphraſia, Foeniculi, Celendinae, Tutiae calam, Optick Glaſſes, &c. A by-ſtander replyed, nothing would do it better then Envy. It is clearly manifeſt that the complainers deſigns are wholy to Extirpate the Defendants, not to rectifie the miſcarriages, and hinderances of the Trade, pretended to be created by them.

But I cannot but wonder how that aſſembly at Modbury could eſcape being noted as a Seditious Confederacy, Many had the Sagacity to avoid it who were yet enemies to By-boats: Surely they had come within the Mulct of the Act againſt Seditious Conventicles, had it been then in force, it being evident (according to the incomparable Lord Bacon, ut ſupra) that Invidia, the Latine word for Envy, goeth in the Modern Languages for Diſcontentment, and Sedition is the Effect of Diſcontent, &c. Now that that act of the Plaintiffs was Envious is apparent to any, Inaſmuch as (according to my own moſt certain knowledge) thoſe that do moſt ſtickle at it, do themſelves not only take Paſſengers to fraight on their own Ships, but have bin concerned in the Voyage with Boat-keepers. There remaineth now that I accumulate the general Objections urged by Merchants, and anſwering them I ſhall adde ſomthing in defence of By-boats.

Objection 1. The Firſt, and moſt ſeemingly formidable of all their Arguments, or Objections is, That they ingroſs to themſelves the moſt able Fiſhermen in the Country: inducing them by large wages, and greater priviledges then can poſſibly be granted to ſuch as properly belong to Ships: Hereby the choice being taken off, none are left for the Merchants imploy but the inferiour, and leſſe capable ſort, by which the Ships are manned only with ſuch as may be ſaid to be the refuſe of the others.

Anſ. This is ſo notoriouſly falſe, that any man uſing the Country cannot but be acquainted, how that thoſe who one ſeaſon ſerved By-boats, another ſerve on Ships; and moſt do by a kind of Viciſſitude or circulation, ſerve in either ſucceſſively, And indeed that which maketh thoſe in By-boats appear ſo able, is their extream diligence, and indefatigable labour, beyond thoſe of Ships; I mean in fiſhing, though God knoweth the Twelve labours of Hercules, had they bin really acted, were ſcarce able to endure competition with the general toil of men in this Country, which is ſo great as no tongue is able to expreſs it. Now that which prompts and incourageth them to this more then common diligence & pains; is occaſioned by the policy of their Maſters, who concern the Boats-masters in ſome ſmall part of the voyage beyond their ſhares of the Thirds: A notable way and a ſpur to thoſe Horſes (in labour) which is not to be found in Ships crewes. Now I would fain know, If the world can produce a man, that will ſo much act beyond (were it poſſible) his own ſtrength to ſerve another, as to ſerve himſelf. I will inſtance one notorious Example. There was one John Beard in 1668 that belonged to a Ship of fourteen Boats, upon account of one Mr. Martyn their Owner of Plymouth, who proved ſo Lazy, Careleſs, and Unable, that at the return for England he was denied his wages, and it was given to the Poor of the Pariſh he lived in: This ſame man, to my knowledge, the year after, becoming intereſted and part Owner of two Boats kept in St. Johns by one Robert Martyn, went himſelf Maſter of one of them, where night and day he ſo plied his work, that they made 320 and odd Kentals for each, when the common Voyages in the ſame Harbours were about 160 kentals per Boat: Several not 120 kent. This famous act of his induſtry made him reputed an able man again, and therefore was hired by a Planter in the ſame Harbour for 24 l. to be a Maſter of one ſingle Boat the poor Planter kept the following year: When being unintereſted, and having good wages, he fell to his old tricks, and caught leſs Fiſh for his Boat then any among two hundred that were then in the Harbour; and was trebly exceeded by many. I have known the like complained of by others.

Object. 2. That the By-boats give greater wages, which hath raiſed men to that height, that Maſters cannot live to give it, nor Owners to allow it.

Anſ. But this is ſo weak and trivial, that it hardly merits anſwer, when it ſhall be conſidered, whether Merchants, which ſet out for that deſign at cheaper rates then By-boats can do, who pay the deareſt rate for fraight, &c. Every thing cannot live to give as good and as great incouragement to men by wages as the others. Moreover, I have examined the Caſe, and found, that generally By-boats give far leſs then others. The None-Such of Dartmouth having 15 Boats-crew on private account, had not one Boats-maſter (1670) that had above one ſhare and ſix pounds, whereas I know ſeveral in Ships had one ſhare and eight pounds. If any to ſalve this alleadge, it is becauſe the men are moſtly willing and affected to the Boat-keepers, then the Objection is anſwered by themſelves, and their giving great wages is not that which injureth the Merchant, or inclineth the men from Ships accounts.

Object. 3. That By-boats breed not up green men, viz carry Youths to Sea as Ships do, to nouriſh them in the way of Trade, and for ſervice of his Majestie on occaſion at Sea.

Anſ. Which is altogether untrue, for according to Rate they carry as many Youths as commonly are belonging to the Ships. This is evident to any one who ſhall but rightly examine it by an inquiry at home, or in the Country.

Object. 4. New-England Fiſhery being decayed, is urged as an Argument againſt By-boats for Terra Nova, upon conſequence ſuppoſing the ſame fate to New-found-land, if they are permitted, as they have been in New-England.

Anſ. This is purely Sophiſtical, and not liable to any proof; For who can affirm, that By-boats have bin the cauſe of that: Indeed the Cultivation of the ground aſhore, the Amendment of the Air, and the Population of that Country may with good reaſon be urged in the caſe: For without doubt, there remains a kind of an Antipathy in thoſe Animals, as in all others, againſt whatever is humane, which is the effect of that awe God gave them to their Superiour Creature Man, as is evident in all Animals of the Land, Sea, or Amphibious▪ And it is very probable to be occaſioned, as above, becauſe of the proximate Countries of Nova Scotiae, Terra Nova, &c. where the land is uncultivated, and almoſt not inhabited, the Fiſh continueth almoſt as formerly, What abatement there is, may by any that own a Remunerative Juſtice and Providence, be attributed in part to the Juſtice of Heaven, for our Ingratitude, Envy, &c. and ſubordinately to the frequent Fires in the Woods, whereby the Firr and Spruſs trees being burnt, the Turpentine and Tarr runs on the ground, which when Rain cometh is waſhed into the Rivers, whereby the Sea is alſo become imbittered, which deſtroyeth the Bait, and chaſeth off the Fiſh: It having been obſerved to be true upon the great Fires, which often happen in the Woods, which though green is very combuſtible. But as to that of New-England, the Fiſhing beginning to fail, Merchants were forced to forſake the Trade, upon which only (ſuch as are in New-found-land) By-boats enter into the Trade, and by their diligence (beyond Ships companies) they being but few, do live well upon the Trade, and do find Fiſh fourteen, ſixteen leagues from the land to be very plenty: which maketh for the truth of our ſuppoſition in the beginning of this Anſwer, viz. That the guſt of the waters are altered, which puts the Fiſh from the ſhore.

Object. 5. That this being a matter of Trade properly belongeth to Merchants, for their Priviledges and way being incroacht upon, Trading by degrees will fail.

Anſ. But how properly catching of Fiſh may be called the work of a Merchant any more then Planting Tobacco, Sugar, Indico, I know not, If ſo, there are more Merchants in Barking, Tarrkey, Bobicom, Looe, Mountsbay, and Sorlings, then in London. Moreover, the moſt of thoſe pretending injury by the By-boats in New-found-land, are no more Merchants then my ſelf, who am none, they being ſo only in Title, and impropriation; and ſo deſerve oppugnation as much as By-boats. Men of divers Trades at home, adventuring under the way and notion of Merchants, only to catch Fiſh, and ſell it there, to others, not hazarding it abroad themſelves, which is that which only merits the name of Trade: And theſe forſooth muſt ſubſcribe to the Petition againſt By-boats, under the name of We the Merchants, &c.

I know not what more can be Objected, or hath bin urged by the ſharpeſt enemies againſt By-boats, as the preſent caſe ſtandeth; and I verily believe were thoſe Articles ever ſo ſtrictly obſerved, which have been made againſt thoſe men, yet they thriving that way, will queſtionleſs be reproached again of being other waies inconvenient to the way of Fiſhery.

We come now to our laſt work, the ſum and concluſion of the preſent Task, and that is to lay down ſome Arguments in behalf of thoſe envied men, in whoſe defence I have taken up the Gauntlet, and undertook to anſwer the Challenge, and certainly I have that Charity for the Reaſons to be urged in their behalf, as to think they will ſatisfie any perſon, not altogether bent againſt Information, and whoſe pertinacity is not Reaſon-proof.

Firſt, That the violence of the oppoſitions uſed againſt theſe men hath but ſet them in a more abſolute, and convenient way then they formerly acted in, for from being Paſſengers they drove them to fraight Ships, and ſome of them to be Owners. Under which way they cannot prevent or deny them to follow the Fiſhery, except they deny the Merchants alſo: And do they ſtill proceed by their indirect oppoſition they will in fine rather advance, then any way ſuppreſs them, by compelling them to aſcend to be perfect Owners of Ships themſelves, and then they will be a greater Eye-ſore then now: Even as the Chriſtians thrived wonderfully under the moſt Barbarous Perſecution: and as by Antiperistaſis, (ſome believe) Heat is fortified by the inviron of Cold, & contra: So do theſe thrive and ſtrengthen under the evil eye of their Oppoſers; like Antaeus, and as Ovid de Arto Amandi ſaid of Love, Adverſo tempore, crevit amor; ſo I ſay of theſe Oppoſitions, Difficultas acuit conatum.

2. That theſe By-boats are more advantagious in the Fiſhing then Ships crews, for their exceeding induſtry and ſucceſs, do catch more Fiſh generally according to proportion then the others, and at no greater charge of Men or Proviſions, (excepting Salt) then thoſe that poſſibly do not catch half ſo much: and my ſelf have known Maſters of Voyages acting for Merchants, (though profeſſed enemies to By-boats) have deſired to have had their Stages neareſt to thoſe of the By-boats, that the intereſted induſtry of the one, might be a ſpurr to the other, and moſt Maſters Fiſhing in any Harbour upon account of Merchants, will raile and rebuke their Fiſhermen, for not bringing in as much Fiſh as thoſe of By-boats: Now if (as hath bin alleadged) the By-boats men are the moſt able, how can the Maſters expect their men to equal them? or what pertinence, or ground of complaint can be upon the compariſon of their own men with the others; when they bring not home the like quantity of Fiſh as others do, whom they confeſs to be far abler men, and make their difference to be the greateſt ground of their complaint at home?

3. That men and Ships are imployed, Proviſions expended, Fiſh caught, &c. every way proportionably by By-boats, as by the others, ſo that the King in his Cuſtome, or the Nation in the imployment of the people, &c. have no cauſe of complaint.

4. That many of the Complainers againſt By-boats, do tacitly accuſe themſelves, they deſerving no other name and appellation, although they aſſume the Title of Merchants, when, de facto, they are of all Trades, and ſome the moſt inferiour Mechanicks.

5. That it is the Fiſhermens being intereſted in the Voyage (as I have ſaid) is the alone cauſe of their exceeding others, ſufficiently proved in the example above quoted.

6. It is ſufficient profit for the Merchant to have the Sale and Tranſportation to the Market of all the fiſt catcht in the Land, and not to be alſo Fiſhermen: as hath been already ſpoken to.

7. That were the whole Trade ingroſt into the hands of ſuch as go not to the Country themſelves, both Maſters and Men would be conſtrained to labour upon Merchants terms, which with the bad Voyages hath driven many to become By-boats, as themſelves have confeſſed: and were Men and Maſters brought to ſuch low wages as Merchants would give, they could not poſſibly live by the imployment; Now if thoſe that keep Boats can allow themſelves & men good wages &c. why cannot Merchants do the ſame?

8. The real Merchants gain by thoſe men, who with the Planters are only Merchants to buy the Wine, Brandy, Malt, Salt, Bread, Proviſions, &c. which is yearly Tranſported, by which the Merchants are often conſiderable gainers. Now if all were Ships crewes they would each bring his own Proviſions, and ſo nothing would be vendible to incourage the Merchant to ſend thither to buy off the Fiſh.

9. That a Merchant in Dartmouth, who hath all along appeared the moſt bitter and violent againſt By-boats, and in Anno 1664 furiouſly acted againſt them, did, to my knowledge, in 1669 ſend two Boats crew paſsengers on a Ship wherein he was part concerned, and in a Ship of his at the ſame time permitted ſix men belonging to Thomas Bickford a By-boat-keeper to have paſſage, and the ſame Bickford had four men more paſſengers upon a Ship wherein Mr. E. S. of London was concerned: The firſt Merchant hinted in this Article is Mr. A. M. the Ship called the Ʋnity of Dartmouth, and Fiſhed that Voyage in St. Jones.

10. That the one quarter part of the pretenders to ſuffer by By-boats, and of thoſe that complain againſt them are altogether ignorant wherein the cauſe of that injury lyeth, and do no more underſtand the reaſons of thoſe things they proceed upon, then they do to build Caſtles in the Air; but being fed with the fancy of others, yelp out the ſame Logick, and draw Concluſions without any other Premiſes then ſuch as they cannot make good (if denyed) but by quoting them as the opinion or dictates of another, without Reaſon or Demonſtration; and yet I obſerve none more active and vehement then thoſe. Nay further, I have obſerved many pretending to the Title of Merchants, and altogether unconcern'd in the New-found-land Trade, have with ſuch ignorance declaimed againſt By-boats, when upon examination they know not what By-boats were, and wherein the diſcrepancy between them and Merchants ſtood. So peremptory is the ignorance of Medlers, that they will give anſwer to queſtions they never heard ſtated: A gift I never met with, or heard of in any meer Man, except Daniel, who indeed Interpreted the King of Babylons Dream when it was not told him. Now let any judge of the validity of ſuch mens appearing in the Caſe, and what a grand abuſe is offered to the Honour of the Supream Powers by thus prevaricating in Petitions.

I will Conclude with one Obſervation I made lately: Being at the Poſt-houſe in — where Merchants meet to look for News and Letters, there came in a ſervant of a Merchant of the City (chiefly active againſt By-boats) and brought a Blank Sheet of Paper, and got above Forty ſubſcriptions to nothing; Now my ſelf being called to ſubſcribe, I demanded for what? The man anſwered it was to be put to a Petition againſt Paſſengers to the New-found-land, I refuſed, but ſaw ſeveral ſubſcribe for company ſake, who were neither Merchants, nor underſtood the matter: all that came for Letters put their hands to it, except my ſelf, and yet no Petition to be ſeen; ſo that they put their Names to they knew not what.

We hope theſe things will be conſidered, and the Laborious incouraged, and find the truth of thoſe Verſes of Claudian

Fallitur, egregio quiſ qu is ſub principe credit Servitium: nunquam libertas gratior Extat Quam ſub Roge pio — He knows no bondage whom a good King ſwayes, For freedom never ſhines with clearer rayes Then when brave Princes Reign —

That which hath ſo vehemently Incenſed Merchants at home againſt By-boats, Is the bad Voyages which of late have been made in that Country, the cauſe of which hath been falſly layd on By-boats, when indeed the multitude of Ships & Boats there, and the unreaſonable preſſing of Ships full of men, and the untimely and early departure of one before another is partly the cauſe, this year 1670 ſeveral departed 30 days before the main body of the Fleet, and only to anticipate and foreſtal others of places, whereby they were at a vaſter expence, and moreover did by the early intolerable cold almoſt kill the men, before the Fiſh came on the Coaſt; when thoſe that came laſt fared as well, & with leſs charge to themſelves, and damage to their men, and ſo could better endure a bad Voyage then others. It would be better if all Ships were bound not to ſayle until March, and that the proportion of one man to two Tunnes were commanded, and that ſome abuſes in the Country were rectified, but of that let thoſe endeavour the emendation, who are the ſufferers thereby.

I have no more to adde, only crave the Readers candor to wink at the faults of the Printer, or Author. I mean thoſe that are Literal: It was penned at firſt Raptive, and in haſt, and hath not had a due Reviſion: The reaſon inducing me to be Anonymus, in this, relates to my ſelf. I am as unwilling to have the Smile of the one party, as to Inſence the Spleen of the other: I hope the not nameing the Author, will no way Invalidate, or prejudice the Diſcourſe.

FINIS.