TO the never-dying Honour of the Council confined for the Mint Affaires, every man that petitioned for State Farthings had a fair hearing: their Ho­nours diligent inquiry into, and care to preserve his Highness and the Councils Honour, and the Common-Wealths good, cannot but speak their praises to all posterity: This was not all, but their Honours management of this subject was cloath­ed with humility and patience, or rather a patient humili­ty, fit qualifications for persons in place and honour; for these and the like Graces shine more gloriously in their Honours, then the most purest Jewel that ever was, could shine in the dark Ear of the blackest Ethiopian: These are graces indeed, which if they were resolved into one (I humbiy conceive) they may not be unfitly called the Day­star of the State; or if you please, the States Day-Star. [Page 4] Why should any man then presume to insert into any Diurnal things their Honours never did, punishment rather then mercy were a just Reward for such a person: But I humbly leave that.

There are five principal Reasons urging the necessity for State-Farthings.

• The first is, the States Honour.
• Secondly, the Subjects content.
• Thirdly, the Common-wealths profit.
• Fourthly, the relief of the Poor.
• Fifthly, the suppressing of Abuses now practised.

And this last is done by several sorts of men that stamp Farthings; not so much for their own use, as their own profit: so that it is as cleer as the Sun, that his Highness and the States dishonour, the Common-wealths disprofit, the Poor's misery, and the Commons discontent, are all foulded up in the non-allowance of State Farthings; the Poor crying out for mercy, the Commons for redress; and this insufferable abuse cannot easily be corrected, untill it shall please his Highness, with his Councel, to supress the former, and to pass an Order for the allowance of State Farthings: And I veryly believe this would be an Order of such honourable and necessary concernment, that there is scarce any Order of Grace so like as that, not onely to make the three Common-Wealths, but even Posterity it self, his Highness and Councels Debtors.

And yet as this may conduce to an honourable and ne­cessary use: so (if not rightly stated) it may bring with it great inconveniences: To prevent which, I hope. and my charity tels me, that the Council will at last make choyce of such a Mettal as shall be most honorable to the State, most profitable to the common wealth, hurtful to none, but a [Page 5] general good to all; And sure that must be such a Mettall as is not easie to be counterfeited; and not to be counter­feited at all by Founders, Braziers, Pewterers, Tinkers, or any Mechanicks at all; And such a Mettal now lyes before their Honours relating to the Mint.

There are other pretenders of the Common-Wealths good too; the Mettals are these, pure Copper of an intrinsick value, Copper and Brass mixt of the same value, Tin of the same value; and another white Mettal cozen jerman to Tin itself: In shew, all these are Pretenders of the Common­wealths good: These I desire to discourse on, that all the people of the Common-wealth may understand, that if His Highness and Council shall allow of any Farthings, it shall be for the States honour, and the Common-wealths good; or else there will be none at all: And that I may the bet­ter undeceive the judgment of ordinary and common men, that either out of ignorance cannot, or out of partiality will not take notice of that which most conduces to their own, and publique good, both of State and Common-Wealth. But before I shew the use and abuse, give me leave to answer two main Objections, which some men make a­gainst the allowance of State Farthings, their fears and jea­lousies arise from their former sufferings by Farthings made in the late Kings time; the Proverb is, the burnt child dreads the fire.

The first Objection is, the danger of glutting the Com­mon-wealth with Farthings.

The second, the prejudice poor Labourers will have by their Work-masters, who will pay them most of their mo­ney in Farthings.

I answer, that there will be great danger of glutting the Common-wealth, if their Honours allow of Copper or [Page 6] Brass, or Tin, or any thing that is easie to be counterseited; for such will be obvious for every man to stamp, and it is probable, there will be more stamped in every City, Corpo­ration, Town, and Village, then shall be by the command of the State: for, indeed, it is the community of the mettal that loads the Common wealth with these inconveniences, upon this account the Mettal is prepared to their hands, let men get but the stamp fixt the work is done: we have had sad experience of this, by those practical abuses that over­spread the Nation, when Farthings were made in the late Kings time: But of that more fully anon.

In answer to the second Objection: There are two ways to prevent those abuses that may accrue to poor Labour­ers. The first is, If please his Highness to command that no Work-master shall pay a Labourer above 12 d. in 20 s. a poenal Order would curb those wicked ones, that in this way would eat the bread out of poor mens mouthes.

Secondly, if the Council order that no allowance shall be given in the exchange of farthings for money, then eve­ry one will buy them as his necessity shall require, and no further: Yet for the Poors sake, I could heartily wish, that since the first way might be binding enough to pre­vent poor mens sufferings for their Labours, that the con­descensions of the States love and charity to the Poor, might appear in the allowance of twelve pence in twenty shillings change, and upon this account of charity to them, Charity it self would seem to be a fair flower in the Gar­land of the States honour: To both which, I humbly sub­mit.

[Page 7] The truth is, I am a Commoner, free-born within the Bounds of Englands Common-Wealth; and being so, I owe all my abilities, cares, and yeares, to the service of the Common-Wealth.

I thank God I have passed through some employments for others and my self, in the course of my life, I have had interchanges, the World it self stands upon Vicissitudes, and it hath pleased the eternal God to weave up my life in prosperity and adversity; and yet my prosperity was never so high, as to provoke an ill eye: Nor I praise God yet, nor I hope never will be, so low, that I shall be wholly trod­den under feet: My afflictions are more my sorrow then my shame; because I find, and veryly believe, there is no such happiness as to enjoy a little with peace of an honest heart: The Worlds disfavours as they have minded me more of my Duty to my GOD, so have they made me not forget my Duty to the State, and love to the Common-Wealth, under whose Hemisphere (I bless God) I have yet a low Being. But whither do my wandring passions lead me.

Gentlemen, and Fellow-Commoners,

Pardon me, and I will endeavor to make good my Ar­guments, I hope without any just offence to any: Indeed, as I am a man, I was not made for contemplation onely, my part was to do, as well as understand: in Earthly things I have been an Actor; in Heavenly things a Spectator: Upon the first account, I have studied the States Honour, [Page 6] [...] [Page 7] [...] [Page 8] and the Common-wealths good, and my endeavours hath produced a proper production to both if it be rightly un­derstood. And yet such is the uncharitableness of men, that because I was bred a Silk-man, and lived twenty years or thereabouts in Cheap-side, and Paternoster-Roe, a Ma­ster for my self: The World is so full of aspick Tongues, that those that hate me without a cause (God forgive them) report, and so would perswade the World, that the artifice Mettal I have prepared is made by another, and not by my self, I shall but desire these men to produce that man that either doth or can make it besides my self: else let them blush at their own Errors: But they will say I was a Silk­man, and therefore it is unpossible: Oh man! Doest thou think that mans weakness proves any impossibility to God, No, no, let not Gods goodness be evil spoken of, because thou art evil: Let not thy Eye be evil to me, because God hath been good to me: for I must confess and say it is the Lords doing; therefore to him be glory.

Now I beseech you give me leave to unfold what will be honorable for the State, and what will be profitable to the Common-wealth if far­things be allowed: this I will prove a contrary, by discovering first what will be dishonorable, and disprofitable.

There are three forts of Mettals offered to the States Farthings to be made intrinsicall.

• The first is pure Copper, the Author petitions to have it intrinsick.
• The second is Copper and Brasse sememented to­gether, he calls it a high intrinsick, which is too high for me to understand.
• The third is Tin intrinsick too.

All which, I wil prove, if they be allowed, nay any mettal whatsoever, that is easie to be counterfeited, of what weight or bignesse soever it be, will be dis­profitable, pernicious, destructive, and dishonorable to the State and Common-wealth; and that which ag­gravates it the more, it would bring with it, that most pernicious thing called, a Monopoly, which all men that love the Commonwealth, do so much abominate. First, I will prove it disprofitable, because if Farthings be made of an equal value, then the State must neces­sarily pay the petitionary pretender of the Common­wealths good, his Relatives their charges, with all the Vtenciles thereunto belonging, which wil amount to three or four thousand pounds a yeer at the least, and this is not all, though it be too much, but the al­lowance of any intrinsical mettal, will obstruct the bringing in of five thousand pounds a yeer, all char­ges borne: so that here will be eight or nine thou­sand pounds a yeer losse to the Commonwealth, if you consider the out-going and the income thereof; thus it appears clearly to be disprofitable. Secondly, It will be pernicious and destructive, I prove it thus: The more impoverished the publike Treasure is, the heavier burthens by way of Taxes, all men must un­dergo, therefore pernicious, and generally hurtful to all: Can any man think it equal, that your purses shal, or ought to be ful, and the Publike Treasure ex­hausted? God forbid.

Secondly, it will be hurtful, because it will be sub­ject to every mans counterfeiting; I need not refresh the memories of any one, it is well known that there [Page 10] was scarce any man, but was a loser by those farthings formerly made of Copper and Brasse; those formerly made were Copper, with a smal coar of Brasse on the one side, these now offered, are Copper in the middle, with Brasse round about; as the former were coun­terfeited with so many hands, that they crowded the Commonwealth so ful of them, that they surfeted on a glut, by these all men may expect the same effects, because they differ onely in form, not in quality; so that it is cleer, that there is no safety at all, to allow of any common mettal. But it may be you will object, That if they be made intrinsical no man wil counter­feit them: I pray you deceive not your own judge­ments, to an unrepairable losse; for if you make any common mettal of an intrinsical value, then every five shillings worth must weigh six or seven pounds weight, which will require very strong pockets, and if that were all, it were well, but a Tinker, or any Mechannick, shal gain three, four, or five pounds in making twenty shillings worth; and who shal dis­prove him? except men do carry weights in their poc­kets to weigh them as they do gold. This is not all neither, but these mettals are in generall use through­out the three Commonwealths, and can any reasona­ble man think that it will not exceedingly advance the price of that mettal that should be so allowed of? Be not mistaken, for as sure as may be, you will finde it a very hard bargain to gain a farthing and lose a shilling. Again, there is another inconvenience, for it is verily thought by some knowing men, that there is not Copper and Brass in the Commonwealth, to supply so great a work: take heed of a forraign glut, and it is the more to be feared, because they have copper and brasse at a far lower rate than we in Eng­land: But now me thinks I see and hear the Gentle­man that petitions for Tin to be made into farthings of any intrinsick value, to boast and say, that Tin is [Page 11] the only firsubien for farthings, saying, we have e­nough in England, not only for our selves, but to sup­ply others. Grant this, yet be not deceived, for it wil be generally hurtful, if my first Arguments can­not convince your judgment, through your self ends; yet if you will not be angry with me, I wil prove it a Monopoly, and consequently generally hurtful: I must be bold to tell all you Gentlemen, that pretend the Commonwealths good, and petition for farthings to be made of an intrinsick value, you all sue to bee Monopolizers: I wil prove it thus. A Monopoly is, when a general or common commodity, of what nature soever it be, shal be sold unto one man, and he shal ingrosse that Commodity into his own hands, for his own and only profit, to the loss of many, this is a Monopoly: but this wil be aggravated by the extent of it, for the losse wil spread it self over the bounds of the three Commonwealths, and over all those places over which the States power extends; and therefore it clearly appears to be very pernitious, and destructive, and if so, then it must needs be very dis­honorable to the State to allow so great an evil.

These things then, being so cleare, doth it not visibly appear, that these intrinsical petitionary preten­ders of the Commonwealths good, do only intend themselves? they would very fain cure a wound in the thigh, or leg, and make a mortal wound in the head of the State and Commonwealth; it is a great curtesie, from which good Lord paeserve us; I won­der they are not ashamed at their own understand­ings, except they could draw some reasonable argu­ments in defence of themselves, which I am confident they cannot; Oh yes, one boasts of powerful friends, another of his great service he hath done, and that the State oweth him four or five thousand pounds; Methinks these are but weak props; for can any rea­sonable [Page 12] man think, that his Highnesse and the Coun­cell, who have hazzarded their lives and fortunes, and all that is pretions to their Honors, to regulate all abuses, and qualifie as much as in them lyes, all the distempers of the nation, wil wonnd their owne Ho­nors to the worlds end, and to allow an order to any man to have the making of farthings, ether in regard of a near relation, or otherwise, it being so pernitious and destructive, as it clearly appears? no, no, do not believe it, that God that hath made them honorable, will doubtlesse cloath them with integrity, which wil ballance a iust and innocent cause against all pow­erfull opposers: But stay a little, I had like to have forgot the Gentleman, that presented the white ar­tified Mettal, Sir I pray you pardon me, I must and wil tel its faults, it is as bad as bad may be: Sir, that mettal will be a rare mettal to make counterseit two­pences and pence, which are now too many abroad, who would not only convert farthings into twopen­ces and pence, rather than twopences and pence into farthings: and indeed Sir, your mettal is for the pre­sent, so like these counterseited two pences, that what mischief it would bring with it, and hurt to the Com­wealth, my pen is not able to express, therefore I con­ceive not worth the owning.

Thus I have according to my duty to the State, and love to the Commonwealth, shewed the inconvenien­ces that wil arise by any common mettal, or any met­tal that is easie to be counterfeited; by your favor, I shal humbly offer to you a mettal made up by art, and it is such a mettal as the earth it self cannot affoord in nature, neither was it ever Kalender'd in any Chroni­cle or History, that such a mettal was ever made be­fore. Give me leave first to tel you the properties of it. 1. It beareth in it two colors, the one a pale fac'd red, imbodied with Azure throughour', so that it is different from all sorts of mettal in color, 2. It is hard [Page 13] and beautiful like silver, in its own kind. 3. It is in color as durable as silver: 4. It is much easier to counterfeit silver than the same mettal; which last wel weighed, wil take off the fear of counterfeiting Farthings, be­cause (I conceive) no man wil counterfeit farthings, that can counterfeit silver with more ease, provided the State make a penal Order against it, as in like cases it is for silver and gold.

The properties thus opened, give me leave to shew the inconveniences that wil (if allowed) come with it: And,

1. I wil make it appear clearly to be no Monopoly, but that it wil be honorable to the State, profitable to the Commonwealth, and generally good to all people.

1. I wil make it appear to be no Monopoly, and that in a threefold consideration. 1. Consider it in its essen­tiallity: 2 In its materiallity. 3. In its adjuncts.

1. Consider it in its essentiallity, it is shapeless and immaterial, and therefore can be no Monopoly.

2. Consider it in its materiallity, and it is a new in­vention which differs from all sorts of mettal, and it cannot profit or disprofit any man to have it, or to be without it; as it is simply material, it is not com­mon, but a new invention, and therefore in that re­gard, good for nothing but farthings, and yet if it were common as copper and brass is, it would be good for several things, but then it would not be good for farthings, because it would be a mettal made up to all mens hands, that would counterfeit the Commonwealths coyn; so likewise it is no monopoly in regard of its ma­teriallity, neither was it ever known, that any new in­vention could be a Monopoly. Lastly, consider it in its adjuncts, it wil be honorable to the State, profitable to the Commonwealth, harmles, innocent & generally good to all. 1. It wil be honorable, because that if his High­nesse & the Councel please to allow it for farthings, it wil set foath to the world how willing his Highnesse, and their Honors are, not only to preserve good Laws, [Page 14] but to confirm them, such an Act of Grace was made in the one and twentieth of the Reign of James con­cerning new Inventions, and in a nother kinde con­fitmed upon George Manby, Ano, 1650. which Acts are extant concerning new Inventions, which Statute Law is so clear, so honorable, so just, and grounded on such good reasons, as namely, to cherish arts, especial­ly when these Arts conduce to the States Honor and the Publike good, therefore I hope I shal finde the like favor in the behalf of the Commonwealth.

Secondly, it wil be honorable, because it wil be profitable, as appears before, it is the honor of a State to have the Publike Treasure flowing and running over, it is likewise profitable to all forts of men, for the benefit it wil bring to the publike Treasure wil ease impositson of taxes, which otherwise it would fal more heavy on every man; so that it is clear, this is harmlesse, innocent, hurtful to none, but generally good to all, High and Low, Rich and Poor; then if a Monopoly be generally cvil, and this generally good, this can be no Monopoly. I have no more to say, but I pray the eternal God, the mighty Lord, the great Counseller of the whole world, to infuse such wisdom in­to the hearts of his Highness and Councel, that they may act without delay, those things which may most conduce to Gods glory, the States honor, and the Com­menwealths good, and I believe, when it shal please their Honors once really to consider of this very thing, it is a business of such honorable and necessary concern­ment to the Commonwealth, that their Honors wil bee loath to lose a day in the promoting of it; for sure it would be a day of Glory to God, a day of Honor to the State, a day of gladness and rejoycing to the poor, and a day of content to all people. In fine, the allowance of State-farthings wil cut off those pernitious abuses pra­ctised against the States honor and Commonwealths good: I wish that it may be fix'c where the merrit of the cause most depends, and no otherwise: