Annot.

And we retain the Land still, and so the Gain is clear to the Nation. Mr. Mun in his Excellent Treatise, chap. 4. of English Treasure by Forreign Trade, affirms it to be the onely expedient to encrease the Treasure of the Nation; whereas it is demonstratively apparent, that the Admission of For­reigners to purchase Lands in England will encrease it, and that more certainly and surely. I say this will more certain­ly encrease the Treasure of England; for it necessarily so much encreases it, as the Money expended in it does amount to: Whereas sometimes the Merchant loses by Forrain Trade, whereby the Nation, as well as Merchant, loses of the Treasure of the Nation. And in the Purchasing of Land by Forreigners the Nation ventures nothing, and so cannot lose any Treasure or Land by it: whereas oftentimes the Ships and all the Lading is lost in Forrain Trade, to the loss of the Nation, and undoing the Merchant. But the Purchasing Lands by Natives, does not encrease the Treasure of England, but diverts so much Money from carrying on the beneficial Trades of England, as is expended therein; and many other Inconveniencies accrue to the Nation by it, which do largely appear in the Annot. upon the 3d Cor. of the 26 Prop. of the Equal Danger of the Church, State, and Trade of England.

Annot.

Greater numbers of People encrease Trade. This is evident, as hath been said, in the Nature of Man, in that every man stands in need of being supplied by another. Every one of these Forreigners, and of their Family, will wear Clothes, Stockings, Shooes, and other necessaries, and furnish their Houses; whereby so much a greater Trade must ensue as the Forreigners are more; and so many poor people employ­ed by them, who otherways can have no Employment. By the Rule of Contraries then, so many People as leave the Country to encrease other places, so much decreases the Trade of the Country, and encreases it in those other places. And I appeal to any man who hath been conversant in the Country these last twenty years, whether he hath not found this to be so by Experience.

Annot.

As these Forreigners would employ so many more people in supplying their Necessities, as the Forreigners are more; whereby those people would be enabled to pay for what they buy of the Country-Farmor: so would the Forreigners them­selves eat & drink, whereby the Farmor's Vent would be still encreased, and so the Lands both ways become more Valua­ble. It is an old saying and true, That Plenty makes Cheap­ness. Wheresoever therefore that Lands are plentiful in Proportion to the People, there the Lands are Cheap. And wheresoever the people are plentiful in Proportion to the Lands, they are Dear. I may give an instance herein, in Ireland, and the Isle of Ely, and many other places of England, where though the Lands themselves be fruitful, yet by reason of the Thinness of People, and little Trade, they are of little Value. Whereas the Lands of the Pro­vince of Holland, not so good, by reason of the multitudes of People, and greatness of Trade, were lately at 40 years purchase. Mr. Mun in the 5th Chap. of England's Treasure by Forrain Trade, affirms it to be the onely mean or expe­dient to improve the Value of the Lands of England: where­as from the Reasons in this Coroll. the Admission of Forreign­ers to Purchase Lands in England will more certainly and securely do it, though it be onely upon the account of the encrease of Our Domestick Trade. Thus we see that Lands which lie near places where great Markets and Fayrs are kept, though upon things in our Domestick Trades, are so much more valued, as the Markets and Fayrs are greater.

If Lands be only Valuable as the Trade of the places is, It is unreasonable then to have so many Courts of Judica­ture in reference to the Title and Security of the Lands of England, and none for the Trade of it, whereby they onely become Valuable.

Annot.

And so would this Admission encrease the Revenues of the Crown, not only in the value of the Crown-Lands, but in the consumption of all Exciseable Commodities; which will be so much more, as the Purchasers are more.

Annot.

The Glory, Majesty, and Grandeur of every Prince, con­sists not in the greatness of their Territories, but in the [Page 6] number of their Subjects, and good government of them; but the Subject must first be, before they can be well gover­ned. From hence it is that the Ʋnited Provinces dare op­pose two so great Monarchs as the King of Great Britain, and the French King, by Sea and Land, though their Terri­tories be above three hundred times greater, more Healthful, and better seated for Trade. And I think, that though the Countries of Norway, Finland, Lapland, and Muscovy be above ten thousand fold more; yet the one Province of Hol­land was more considerable for Strength and Wealth than all of them: for though the numbers of those People be above one thousand fold more than them of Holland, yet by reason of the vastness of those Territories, the people are Thin in proportion to the Lands, and therefore neither for Strength or Commerce scarce useful.

By the Admission of Forreigners to purchase Lands in England, we Conquer without a War: we make no man miserable, or impose any unwilling subjection upon any man: we run no hazard of uncertainty: we impose no Taxes; and by it we encrease the Treasure and Trade of the Nation, the value of the Lands of the Nation, and of the Revenues of the Crown, and Church, and of the Strength of the Nation.

Annot.

So that the Admission of Forreigners to purchase Lands in England, is doubly beneficial to it; not only in strength­ning of it, but in diminishing the strength of them who may be the Enemies of it. I believe no man thinks, but if the Progenies of so many Progenitors of English and French as were born in the Ʋnited Netherlands, when they supported them against the Spaniard, were now in England and France, but that England and France would have been much more able to have opposed them, and the Dutch in so much worse a condition to have made War against either.

Annot.

If we encrease our Woollen-Manufactures in England, these Benefits will accrue to the Nation. First, If one pound [Page 8] of Wooll worth one shilling made into one piece of Cloath or Stuff, becomes worth ten shillings; then is the Manufacture nine times more valuable to the Nation than the Land on which it is renewed, and ten times more peo­ple are employed therein than the Shepherds and Clippers of the Wooll are: And this Employment not only at one time of the year, as the Shearing of Sheep is, but always. Secondly, This would be a great comfort and encourage­ment to the Country Farmer to pay his Rent, and maintain his Family; whereas now the Wools of England not being wrought at home, and so the Farmer not finding a Market at home, becomes undone, and not able to pay his Rent; and if he seeks a Market abroad with it to sustain his Family and pay his Rent, he commits Felony, by the Law made 14 Car. 2. 18. Thirdly, The working the Wools of Ire­land in England, would be ninefold more beneficial to Eng­land, than the Wools to Ireland; whereas by Transporting our Wools, other places get so much benefit to our loss.

Annot.

If we wrought the Manufactures of Tin in England, the Nation would not only gain so much as the Manufacture becomes more worth than the Principles in Forreign Trade; but we might employ many thousands of poor people, who are and will be a Burthen to the Nation, and also preserve all that Treasure which is expended by buying them of the Dutch and Hamburger.

Annot.

It is almost incredible what sums of Money are yearly sent into Holland, for Earthen-ware, though it be evident they have their Lead and Potters Earth from England; whereby we do as much inrich them, as impoverish our selves by not working them in England. But our Manu­factures both in Tin and Earthen-ware, are so inconsider­able in England, that Lead and Tin is Transported, paying the King some Duties; but by reason of the benefits which accrue to the Nation by Woollen-Manufactures, Wooll is totally prohibited to be Transported: whereas if the Ma­nufactures of Lead and Tin were established in England, the Reason against Exportation of them would be the same as of Wooll.

Annot.

Though the smalness of the difference of the Prices of Land and Water-carriage from Ireland and the Midland­parts of England to Norwich and Colchester, more than the Water-carriage from Ireland, Lincoln-shire, &c. to the Ports of France or the Ʋnited Netherlands seem inconsiderable; yet in the prospect of the consequences of it in reference to the Forrein Trade of them, it is very considerable. For if it be better, as it is, for any Nation to earn one thousand pound more or less by the employment of People, as in the Ʋnited Netherlands, than to have one thousand pound gotten to a Nation, and the People not employed in it, as in Spain. And if two in the hundred charge in any place, more than in another not subject to it, may gain the whole hundred pound, where otherwise they Trade upon equal terms, then the whole hundred pound, as it will be lost to that place, will be gain'd to this.

[Page 11] It is true indeed, if we had a Monopoly of Vending our Manufactures in Forrein Trade, small charges were inconsi­derable; but now the Swede, Silesians, the Elector Palatine, and other Princes of Germany, have established Woollen Ma­nufactures in their Countries; and the French, Dutch, and Venetians have enlarged their Forrein Trades of Woollen Manufactures: we are only secure of a Forrein Trade of our Woollen Manufactures, so long as we can supply the World cheaper and better than they can.

Having so often given instances in the former and this Treatise, of the Subject, Agent, Act and Question of every Prop. for the future we shall omit repeating them.

Annot.

And as they have the Wools cheaper, so may the Wools of Ireland be wrought in the Port-Towns of the West of England and Wales: And the Wools of the Midland, Southern and Eastern parts of England, may be wrought in Port-Towns, or places where the Manufactures without [Page 12] much Land-carriage of the Wools, and may be Transported to Forrein parts by Water: As if Staples of Woollen-Manu­factures were erected at Nottingham, Gainsborough, Lincoln, Boston, Stamford, Bedford, Cambridge, Lyn, Oxford or Ab­bington, Ware or Hartford, Windsor, and Winchester; where­as the bringing the Wools of Gloucester-shire, Lincoln-shire, Leicester-shire, Oxford-shire, Warwick-shire, Northampton, and Rutlandshire, &c. being by a tedious Land-carriage, and commonly in the depth of Winter, to Colchester and Norwich, the charge by Land is above treble to the Water-carriage from Lincoln-shire to Holland; or from Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, or Dorset-shire into France. This is one Reason, to many more, which makes our people more miserable in working them than the Dutch or French.

Annot.

By free Admission here, I mean in all places of England where these Manufactures may be most conveniently wrought, and the Wools cheapest bought: and if hereby Forreigners would be invited to work them, these benefits [Page 13] would (among many others) accrue to the Nation. First, Every Forreigner which improves Woollen-Manufactures tenfold, more or less, above the value of the Wooll in For­reign Trade, gains so much to the Nation; but if he so in­struct our Youth, that more be so instructed in any Manufa­cture, this will be infinitely so much more, as the Youth in­structed is more. The Walloons whom Edw. 3d invited in­to England, and taught our English the Mystery of working the Manufactures of Cloath, were very inconsiderable in numbers to those who now work them; so were the Wal­loons Queen Elizabeth permitted to work in Norwich, Col­chester, and places thereabout, the Stuffs, Bayes, and Sayes, &c. which are now wrought in them. And if this permission, obtained by Jumps in the Reigns of these two Princes (as prudent as any who ever swayed the English Scepter) had been constantly continued, the Dutch and French would not have supplied so many other places and themselves with Woollen-Manufactures; our Wools, Fullers-Earth, and all things else conducing to the Instruments of Woollen-Ma­nufactures, being so much cheaper and better here in Eng­land.

As the Improvement of Woollen or any other Manufa­cture would thus be infinitely beneficial to the Nation, as the Improvement is more; so the losing of Woollen, or a­ny other Manufacture in England, will be equally mischie­vous to it. In the years 1636, 37, and 38. when Ecclesi­astical discipline was so severely exacted, about two hundred Families left the Counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, and plan­ted themselves at Leyden, Alkmare, and other places of Hol­land, where they instructed the Dutch in the Woollen-Ma­nufactures of Norfolk and Suffolk. And I have heard Sir Charles Harbord (a person of great Wisdom and Insight in Forrein as well as the Interest of this Nation) say, that if all the Bishopricks of England were sold, and given to the Nation, it would not neer compensate the loss the Nation sustained thereby.

Annot.

If Forreigners by this freedom, or further encourage­ment, could be invited to work the Manufactures of Tin here in England, the benefits which would redound to the Nation hereby, would be the same as in the increasing our Woollen Manufactures. Herein this difference happened, that those most Excelling Princes Edward 3d and Queen Elizabeth gave encouragement to Forreigners to instruct our Natives in Woollen-Manufactures, but no King of England ever did it to Forreigners in the Manufactures of Tin; whereby though we have Tin in England, in greater aboundance than any other place has, and as I am told the Iron made in England is more temperate and pliable than any other for making Tin-plates, yet to this day we know not how to make one.

Annot.

As no Prince ever permitted or gave encouragement to any Forreigner to instruct the Natives in the Manufactures of Tin; so neither have they in the Manufactures of Earthen Ware, though our Lead and Potters-Earth be more plenti­ful here in England than elsewhere. And the Dutch have little Lead or Potters-Earth for all those incredible quan­tities of Earthen Ware which they vend here, and in other Countries; and also supply themselves with but what they have from us: So that we are but their Drudges to seek Mines and work them, for their enriching and employment of their people. Nor do we more enrich them hereby, than impoverish our selves; for we pay above sixfold to them for the Manufactures, more than we receive for the Principles.

In this Discourse I desire the Improvement of the Manu­factures which proceed from our own Principles, more than those which proceed from Forrein, as of fine Linnen and Silks, &c. for these Reasons. First, We may cheaper em­ploy our people on them, than Forreigners can be in other Countries, so much as the Principles are cheaper had here; whereas we must have the Forrein Principles dearer. Second­ly, We are more secure of our Employments, having the Prin­ciples in our own power; whereas in cases of War or Interest, it is in the power of other Princes whether our People shall be employed or not in any Manufacture, whose Principles are in their power. Even here in England, though we be at Peace with all the world, yet we permit not our Woolls to be exported to any part of the world: And how mis­chievous it must be to any place, to have People bred to an Employment, and to want matter to work on, I leave it to o­thers to judge.

Annot.

If Forreigners did cheaper encrease the Woollen Manu­factures in England, which the Dutch supply Hamburg, Sweden, Poland, Muscovy, Spain, Italy, and Turky with; and which the French supply Spain, Italy, and Turky with; and with which the French and Dutch cloy our Markets here in England; we might then, so far as the Woolls of England and Ireland would permit, not onely cheaper supply all those places which the French and Dutch do, but also so much better, as our Woolls and Fullers-Earth is better in England than in France or the Ʋnited Netherlands: And also conserve all that Treasure in the Nation which is ex­pended in buying the Dutch Blacks, French Druggets, and other Woollen Manufactures of those Countries.

An ingenious Gentleman, not long since, said, that the Dutch supplied Sweden with course Woollen Clothes, for the Souldiery and poor people of Sweden; and that by order of the Councel of Trade there (I wish such a thing might ever be heard of in England) many people attempted without Success, and much loss, to make these Clothes in [Page 17] Sweden. But about four years since, the Lord Landscroone (of a Merchant made one of the Nobility of Sweden, and a Member of the Council of Trade) propounded the wor­king these Manufactures in Sweden, in case the Council would represent it to the King when he came to his Majori­ty as an acceptable service, and that for some time the Council would take of the Manufactures at the same terms the Dutch supplied them. The Council assented to both; and a piece of those Clothes was divided, and the Arms of Sweden and of the Lord Landscroone stamped upon both, that the Goodness of the future Cloath to be made in Swe­den, might be compar'd with the Dutch. Hereupon Land­scroone, at his own charges, hires Artificers from England and Holland, who so well plied their business, that last year Sweden was supplied with these Clothes by the work of the Natives, and upon the same terms the Dutch supplied them. And for the future, the Lord Landscroone expects to be a considerable gainer, as he well deserves; I am sure the King­dom of Sweden will be much more.

Annot.

After mens Interest, they consult their Security: and here­in, as Forreigners may encrease Woollen Manufactures chea­per and better in England than France or the Ʋnited Nether­lands; so are they more secure in working them than in ei­ther, or any other place upon the Continent, by reason they are more secure from the Invasion of Forreign Princes and States. It is true indeed, that one great reason of the encrease of the Strength and Trade of the Ʋnited Netherlands, was the secu­rity men apprehended there, as well as Freedom: For the great Power of the Dutch by Sea, was such as was not to be controuled by any, or all other Princes, except the King of England; and the weakness of the bordering Princes by Land was such, as the States gave Laws to them at plea­sure. But the terrour of the French Invasion in 1672, has much abated the opinion the World had of their Security in the Ʋnited Netherlands. And now the Marquiss of Brandenburg (the most powerful of all the Princes in Ger­many) has recovered the Dominion of Wesel, Rees, Emrick, and Orsoy, which Commands the Rhine, and is possessed of Skinkersconce, which Commands the Rhine and Wael, the opinion of this Security is not only much abated, but the Dutch Trade to Germany and other places up and down the Rhine, must be precarious, as the Marquiss pleases. Nor will the Dutch easily free themselves from the Neighbour­hood of the French in Maestricht, Maseike, and other pla­ces.

Annot.

This is evident, as hath been said, in that every one of these must wear Hats, Shooes, Clothes, and many other ne­cessaries, whereby Trade and Employment of other people would be so much more, as these Forreigners by this free Ad­mission shall be more.

Annot.

So that this Admission of Forreigners to work and in­struct [Page 20] the Natives of England in Woollen and other Manu­factures, doubly encreases Trade in England, viz. In the per­sons of the Forreigners, but much more by instructing the Natives, whereby they may be enabled better to maintain themselves and Families with all sorts of Conveniencies, than if they were worse employed, or not employed, which is worst of all; for then they become a Charge and Burden to the Nation.

The numbers of the Walloons which Edw. the 3d and Queen Eliz. invited and permitted in England, and who first instructed the English in Woollen Manufactures, were very inconsiderable to the numbers of the Natives of Eng­land who are now employed in them, and by that means only are enabled to provide for themselves and Families, to the en­crease of Trade to those people from whom they are sup­plied. So that that saying, That there is but such a Trade in the world, is only true by accident, not necessarily; for many thou­sands of people might encrease Trade in the world if they had means, which being denied, they cannot do.

Annot.

If five pounds given with an Apprentice to be instructed in the Mystery of Woollen or any other Manufacture, by which means he afterwards earns Thirty pounds per An­num, this in twenty years becomes six hundred pounds: therefore if it be better for a Nation to earn six hundred pound, or more or less, by employment of People, than to have six hundred pound more or less given to a Nation, & the people not employed; this five pounds thus paid for binding out such an Apprentice, becomes more valuable to the Nation, than if six hundred pound had been given to the Nation, and the Apprentice not employed. To invite therefore Forreigners to Instruct the Natives of England in Woollen and other Manufactures, and freely to admit them in all places to improve Manufactures, will be a more certain Re­venue to the Nation, than can be hoped for by the returns of the Spanish Plate-Fleet, where the Fate of Spain depends upon the miscarriage of it.

It's believed, above twelve thousand of the King's Scottish Subjects yearly go out of Scotland into Poland, Sweden, Germany, France, Holland, and other places, and never after return into Scotland; whereby the King not only loses the Soveraignty of them, to the diminution of his Grandeur, but those places gain great benefits by them. If therefore five pound binding out of an Apprentice to any Manufa­cture may be in twenty years five hundred pounds gain to the Nation, the benefit which might accrue to the Nation by imploying them here, in twenty years might be above six Millions; and this supply will be so much more seasona­ble, by how much the peopling of our American Planta­tions and the repeopling Ireland, has depopulated the Nation of its Inhabitants.

But as the Law against Naturalization permits not For­reigners to partake equal benefit with the Natives by impro­ving Manufactures in England, and instructing the Natives in them; So does the priviledges of the Free-men of Corpora­tions [Page 22] exclude all the other Natives of England from encreas­ing Manufactures in them. And the Act of the 5 Eliz. 4. provides, that no person shall take an Apprentice for Woollen Manufactures in any Town Corporate, except such Appren­tice be his Son, or else that the Father or Mother of such Ap­prentice have the clear yearly value of forty shillings Inhe­ritance. Nor shall any person in Market-towns, or Villa­ges not Corporate, take an Apprentice, or instruct any in Woollen Manufactures, unless he be his Son, or the Parents have the clear yearly value of three pound Inheritance.

Annot. upon this Prop. and Coroll.

So as the benefit which would accrue to the Nation by this Admission, would begin at the Corporations, by reason of their Convenience; whereby the people would not only be employed, but the Corporations much more peopled, the Markets more frequented, and better supplied with all [Page 24] sorts of Provisions, the Houses repair'd, and new ones built. It is said, that about a year before Queen Eliz. planted the Walloons (which could not endure the severity of Alva's Government) in Norwich and Colchester, that it was pro­pounded in the Council to demolish both those places, as Receptacles of vagrant and Idle persons, which were bur­thensome to the Nation, and dangerous to the Government: whereas now it is said, that the weekly returns of Colchester for the Woollen Manufactures of that place, amount to neer thirty thousand pound, and of Norwich to near twen­ty thousand pound.

But these Corporations which might be Seminaries for employment of people, to the incredible happiness and en­riching of themselves and the Nation, by mistaking their own Interest as well as that of the Nation, in insisting upon their Priviledges, are become so poor and unfrequented, that the Governing part have little to do but to Tax one part of the Inhabitants to maintain the other, though the Town-lands, and other Revenues for maintaining them, be ve­ry considerable. The Tradesmen are generally Retailers, who understand little more, than that more of them would eat the Bread out of one anothers Mouths; and therefore their chief care is to keep out all others. These Elbow-men, as they are Idle, and bred up in no honest Calling, so by their Priviledges they impose what Taxes they please upon the labours of the poor Artificers, (who are the Soul of a Nation) take what they please of them, and at what prizes they please. But then these Lords in their Exempt Juris­diction put another value upon them to all Forreigners to their Priviledges; so that a Gentleman may buy our own Manufactures in Italy or Turky cheaper than of them: and if ever a Noble or Gentleman gets into their Books, they rarely ever get out, unless they sell Lands to cross their Books; and these are the Honourable Priviledges these Pa­triots of Corporations are incorporated into.

Annot. upon this Prop. and Coroll.

So that though the Benefits which the Nation will reap by the free Admission of Forreigners and the Natives of England to work Woollen and other Manufactures, would begin at Corporations, yet would they not end there. For [Page 26] Lands are onely valuable as the Crop or feeding Cattle on them finde a Market; and therefore no man will Plow, Sow, or seed Cattle, when he cannot hope for a Market; and by consequence, Lands are of little or no value, where the people are few or none; or if the people be poor, they are of a poor value. But both ways, the free Admission of Forreigners and the Natives of England to work Woollen and other Manufactures, will not only encrease the Markets with more people, but also enable them to give the Farmor so much better prices for his Commodities, as their Employ­ments are better; and therefore the Interest of the King, Nobility, Gentry and others, who are owners of Lands, are so much concerned herein, as the value of their Lands would be hereby improved.

Annot. upon the 2d & 3d Corollaries.

As this free admission would encrease the value of the Revenues of the Church of England, in reference to the Glebe-Lands, and the Tythes of the Crops renewed upon the Lands in Villages; so would it encrease the value of the Revenues of the Church in Corporations, by how much the places would be better and more built, and inhabited by a richer and better sort of Inhabitants. And as this Ad­mission may encrease the value of the Revenues of the Church, so it may the Revenues of the Crown, not only in the value of the Lands of the Crown, but in the consumption of Beer, Ale, and all other Exciseable Commodities in Eng­land; which will be so much more, as the Forreigners by this Admission are more; and may be so much more, as the Na­tives by this mean may be better enabled to eat and drink more and better.

Annot.

Though Tradesmen and Artificers make not so good and [Page 28] hardy Souldiers as those who live in the Country, and are of more robust lives, yet I am sure they are better than none: and the late King found by woful experience, that the Compa­nies made up of the Apprentices and Tradesmen of London, were very good Souldiers; and by good experience found, that both were very serviceable to him.

Annot.

Though I could not give particular instances hereof in England, yet I am as well assured of the reason in this Pro­position, as if I could. Sure I am, it was the errour of Chri­stian Princes, especially of Spain, by first imposing upon their Subjects in their Religion, and neglecting to take care of preserving them in their native Countries; which hath so encreased the Dutch strength by Sea and Land, that they are not only able to protect their own Trade, Church, State, Laws, and Liberties; but to give Laws to very many of the Princes in Christendom, and to most of the Mahumetan [Page 29] Princes in the East-Indies. Besides, this free admission of Forreigners to work Woollen Manufactures, as it will en­crease the strength of England so much more as the For­reigners are more, and so much more secure the Crown, Church, State, Laws, Trade, and Liberties of England; so it will so much weaken those places from whence the For­reigners come, as the residue will be less able to endanger the Crown, Church, &c. of England.

But all these benefits, as they receive their birth by the free admission of Forreigners and the Natives of England to work Woollen and other Manufactures in England, so will they necessarily be strangled in their future growth, if with equal freedom they finde not vent in Forrein Trade; where­by the Nation may be as well supplied with Forrein Com­modities, whereof it stands in need; as also other parts of the World enabled to hold Traffique and Commerce with us, by mutual Exchange for our Manufactures, whereof they stand in need. But before we proceed herein, it is requisite to introduce this Proposition and Corollaries; which though more proper for the Treatise of The Danger of the Church, State, and Trade of England, yet not being said there, it is convenient they be inserted here.

Annot.

So long as this pre-emption is continued, the best the Na­tion can hope for, is, that the Inhabitants of the Nation cannot expect any further Employment, than the abilities of these Freemen can arise to. So that it will be impossible to enlarge our Forrein Trades of Woollen and other Manu­factures, beyond their abilities; or to conserve the Forrein Trades we now enjoy of them, if by War or other accident, their abilities become less. And as the Retailers in Corpo­rations neither Labour, nor take care in labouring for the production of our Woollen and other Manufactures, but only how to impose upon the labourer and those they sell to: So these pre-emption-men, neither labour, take care in La­bouring, or to bring the Manufactures of England to their Corporations; yet not only the Artificer must be at their mercy in buying, but all the world in selling. No question then but these men will thrive, though the Nation and all the world suffer. Yet I would be glad to be instructed in any one particular, what need the Nation or World hath of any one of these men: I cannot tell for France, but am confident not one of this kinde of men can be found in the Ʋnited Netherlands.

In truth I have often admired, the German Empire and Kingdom of Poland should give protection to Hamburg and Dantzick; for no member of the Empire or Kingdom is permitted to be supplied with Forrein Commodities, or to vend the Commodities of Germany or Poland in either place, but as they buy of, or sell to the Burgers of them; which are Impositions as injurious as can be imposed upon a Conquered Nation. And though Hamburg be otherwise a great Trading place to many places of the world by Navi­gation, and very considerable in the Groenland-fishing; yet the Town of Dantzick hath little or no Trade, but their pre-emption of all sorts of Forrein Commodities, where­with the Dutch and other Nations supply them, and they Poland; and by pre-emption of all the Commodities of [Page 31] Poland, which these Burgers sell again to the Dutch and o­ther Nations.

For my part, as I esteem the City of London to be a great ornament to the Nation, and equally with any man desire the Grandeur and Prosperity of it, so I wish the Grandeur and Prosperity of it were otherwise founded, than by pre-emption of the Commodities of the Nation, and such o­ther means, whereby the Nation necessarily becomes im­poverished; which must of necessity be more dangerous to the City, than Country: For the Country may subsist, though poorly, without a Forrein Trade, or a Trade with the City. But if the City loses the Forrein Trade of our Commodities, and if the Country by its poverty cannot en­tertain a Commerce with the City, the City cannot subsist at all. Whereas, if by reason of the cheapness and freedom of vending our Commodities the Country be enriched, though this pre-emption were taken away, the City being the Head of a Noble Nation, and having the residence of the King's Court, and all the Supream Courts of Judicature, and the best Navigable River of Christendom, or perhaps of the World, to supply it with Forrein Commodities, and to vend our Native; it may hold a much better Trade with the Nation than now it does.

Annot.

As the pre-emption of Freemen of Corporations, restrains the Forrein vent of our Woollen and other Manufactures by Forreiners, to what these pre-emption-men please to sell, and at what prices they please to impose: So this Trading in Companies restrains the Forrein vent of our Woollen and other Manufactures by the Natives of England, to what these Companies please, and at what terms they please. So that it will be impossible to encrease the Forrein Trade of our Wollen and other Manufactures beyond their pleasures and abilities; or to conserve the Trade the Nation now has under them, if by War or other accident their abilities be­come less; whereby the Nation loses all the inestimable bene­fits which might accrue to it by the Forrein Trade of its Manufactures: and the wretched People, whose Livelyhoods depend upon the Forrein Trade, become undone: for want of Employment. And as by this kinde of Trading we endan­ger our own Forrein Trade of our Manufactures, so we make room for the Dutch and other industrious Nations, who are not subject to the charges and restrictions we lie under; and fix and establish Trades by these Commodities in other Countries, so much more as we charge or restrain ours.

Heretofore, the East-Country-Company, above all others, was the most flourishing, and by Queen Elizabeth, King James, and King Charles the first, termed, The Royal Com­pany; for it supplied Muscovy, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, and Lifeland, with our Woollen Manufactures, and made very advantageous returns by Treasure, (especially Hungaria Duckats) and the Commodities of those Countries, into England. This Trade till King Charles his Reign the Eng­lish solely enjoyed. About the beginning of King Charles his Reign, the Dutch began to be Interlopers, rather than Traders with the English in it. But it fell out unluckily, that in the years 1636, 37, and 38. about two hundred Fa­milies of zealous people in Norfolk and Suffolk, who would [Page 33] not endure the severe Injunctions of Ecclesiastical Discipline; forsook their Habitation; and being bred up in the Woollen Manufactures wherewith those East-Countries were supplied from England, and planted themselves in Holland, they there instructed the Dutch in those Manufactures; so that we returned the Dutch a kindness, with another sort of peo­ple the Dutch did us. Afterwards the Fatal Civil Wars en­sued, so that the East-land-company not so fully supplying the East Country as formerly.

Annot.

No creature endewed with less Prescience than Omni­science, can foresee the mischiefs the Act of Navigation brings upon the Nation by this restriction. For as every man stands of need of being supplied by another, so does every Country. No man shall ever be well supplied by ano­ther, who will be only supplied by those men who imme­diately do things he needs, or by his own Servants: for the men who do the things I stand in need of, it may be are out of distance, or have no means to convey them to me. But when things are made convenient for Humane use, they are commonly sent to the most probable place where they may finde a Market, and there men resort to be supplied, and to sell or exchange other things for them. For my part, I am no Merchant, and therefore cannot give those instances which Merchants can hereof, in the Trade of the Nation; yet am I as morally assured of the reason of this Gorollary, as if I could give a Thousand particular instances of it.

1. It was prov'd before a Committee of the House of Commons, the 12 of Feb. 1668. That before the Rump-Parliament contrived the Act of Navigation, the Trade to Norway for Timber, Pitch and Tar, was generally driven by the English in Barter of our Manufactures, but then by Dollars, and the Treasure of the Nation: and those Manu­factures which were exported into Norway, were rarely ex­ported but by Norwegians.

2 That the Prices of Norway-Timber was become neer double.

3. That our own Timber was much wasted, by reason of the Dearness of the Norway-Timber.

4. That we had not built one Ship for that Trade since the Law, nor could ever hope to do, so long as it stood in force, because a Forreign Ship might be built for half the price, and be more free for Trade; whereas the Norwegians had doubled their Ships, and built them twice as big, and encreased their Marriners from 600 to 6000, and yet Tra­ded [Page 36] to no place but England; whereby the English in a short time would necessarily be excluded the Trade of Norway, unless they drive it by Norwegians and in Norway Bot­toms.

5. That the English were then almost wholly laid aside, the Trade of Norway being generally driven by the Norwe­gians and in Norway Bottoms.

6. That the English were wholly left to the King of Den­mark's disposing, whenever he pleased to impose any fur­ther abuses than were then complained of; which were, that the English ever since 1646, and by a Treaty made between the Kings of England and Denmark 1660, paid ⅘ of a Rix­dollar per Lasts for the growths of Norway; (except the Town of Bergen) but since the late War with the King of Denmark, they paid for Timber a Rixdollar and half per Last; for other growths a Rixdollar and ⅘; others 2 and ⅖; and for others 3 Rixdollars: and in measuring the Lastage, the same Ships which before the War had their Measures adjusted were raised some 35, others 40 Lasts.

7. That it was the Interest of the King of Denmark to make the Trade of Norway insupportable to the English; for thereby the Act of Navigation did reduce the whole Trade to the Norwegians. As this success attended this restriction by the Act of Navigation, in reference to the Trade of Norway, both for our Manufactures and the Com­modities of Norway: So did it not much better succeed in the Trades of our Manufactures, and of the Hemp and Flax imported by the Dutch in exchange of them. For the English, from the reasons in the first Coroll. upon this Prop. having lost so inestimable a Trade into the Sound, and by consequence the beneficial returns of Ruff Hemp and Flax from Riga, Revel, and other places within the Sound, before the year 1640; and the Dutch by reason of the greatness of their Trade into the Sound, not of Woollen Manufa­ctures only, but of Fish, Salt, Wines, Brandies, Spice, and other Commodities, returned such vast quantities of Ruff Hemp and Flax, and by reason of the cheapness of their Navigations, and smalness of Duties, supplied the English [Page 37] so cheap with Hemp and Flax, that the poor people upon the Eastern Coast of England, and here in London, were able to make Cordage, Nets and Sails almost sufficient to supply the Navigation and Fishing upon the Eastern parts of Eng­land; and the returns of these by the Dutch, were chiefly for Clothes and other Manufactures and growths of Eng­land. But the Act of Navigation not permitting the Dutch to import these; and the English having so lost their Trade into the Sound; and the Inhabitants of Riga, Revel, and other places of the Sound from whence the best Hemp and Flax comes, little Trading with us into England; and the Act of Navigation permitting the Dutch to import the Ma­nufactures of Cordage, Nets and Sails,

Annot.

And what are these English-built Ships, but neer double as dear built, and sailed with neer double the charge of the Dutch and other Nations? so as this charge added to the re­striction by the Act of Navigation,

Annot.

If the Repealing these Acts would encrease the Trades of our Woollen and others Manufactures and growths to 210000 l. per Annum, besides Victualling ships, as they were before these Acts, and are now fallen to less than 20000 l. per Annum, as Mr. John Du Boise (a worthy Citizen) has calculated; This would be more beneficial to the Nation, than if 170000 l. per Annum were given to the Nation, al­lowing 40000 l. per Annum for Principles, than to continue it in the same condition it is in, now these Laws stand in force. [Page 40] But though the Nation might hope for some relief by the Repealing or Expiration of these Laws, it can hope for none by repealing the Act of the 15 Car. 2. cap. 7. Intituled, Trade encouraged, for all sorts of Wire, Hats, Ribbons, Buttons, Gloves, Bandstrings, Hangings, Stools, Chairs, Knives, Sythes, Sickles, Cizars, Sheaths for Knives, Stockens, Caps, course Shifts and Frocks, with the Kingdom of Scotland: for the Scottish Nation, offended by this Law, imposed 90 l. per Cent. upon all Goods imported into Scotland from Eng­land; and making use of opportunities, have established these Trades and Manufactures among themselves, to our Loss, as appears more largely in the Annot. upon the 15th Prop. of the Equal Danger of the Church, State, and Trade of England.

Annot.

Suppose 15000 people before these Acts were employed in those Commodities, wherewith this Nation supplied Ire­land; this Employment enabled them to pay for the Pro­visions they bought of the Country-Farmor: But the Trade [Page 41] of England with Ireland being interrupted by these Laws, the employment of these people became proportionally les­ned; and by consequence, the means by which they were en­abled to pay for the Provisions they formerly bought of the Farmour; and so the Lands of England so much less valua­ble. By the Rule of Contraries then, the repealing these Acts, will so much encrease the value of the Lands of Eng­land, as the Trades of England with Ireland are encreased, whereby poor people may be employed, and so enabled to give the Farmor better prices for Provisions, than otherwise they could.

Annot.

And so the repealing these Laws may encrease the value of the Revenues of the Crown, not onely in the value of the Crown-Lands, but in repairing the Customs which the King received for the Cattle imported out of Ireland into England; which did amount to 30000 l. per Annum, for which these Laws make no compensation to the King.

Annot.

As the Crown of Ireland is a Crown subject to the Crown of England; so the mutual Trade and Correspondence be­tween them, will strengthen the Obligations so much more, as their mutual Interests are hereby united. These, and ma­ny other benefits attend both Kingdoms, by Repealing these Laws. The Mischiefs and Inconveniencies which have ensued by making them, in some measure appear by the Annot. upon the 18, 19, and 20 Prop. of the Danger of the Church, State, and Trade of England.

Annot.

By free Admission, here, I do not mean the Freedom which English men enjoy, viz. to buy them at the second hand of the Free-men of Corporations, and after they have been charged with Land-carriage to London; but at the next Ports, or places where they are made.

Annot.

As the free buying our Woollen and other Manufactures of England will encrease the Trade of our Woollen and other Manufactures, whereby the Inhabitants will be so much more employed in them; so by Exchanging Goods for our Manufactures, we to our own enriching, add another employment to our People; and this so much more valua­ble than the Money wherewith the Goods are bought, as the Goods become more valuable in other Manufactures than the Money. And therefore it is an errour in the Act of Navigation, to permit all Nations to import Money into the Nation, and to restrain the importation of Goods to the English and Natives: for if we did too much abound in Money, this would be a burthen to the Nation, and of ill con­sequence to the King and Subject. For if a man, as the case stands, may buy that for 100 l. which if Money were five-fold encreased, he shall pay 500 l. for it, he hath five times the trouble in it. And all Commodities being valued according to the plenty of Money, the Revenues of the Crown, and Leases granted by the Nobility, Gentry, and Church, would be but one fifth of the value, if the Money were five times more; for they must pay five times more for the Commodities renewed upon their Farms, and yet receive but the Rent at first reserved when the Commodi­ties bore but ⅕ of the Money. And therefore it was a pru­dent Institution of Cardinal Poole (who being chosen Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, when from the Spanish Indies the Money became so plentiful in England, that the Members of the University could scarce buy Bread [Page 45] upon the Rents reserved on their Leases) to have one third to be paid in Corn, or so much as the prices of Corn should amount to in Cambridge market the Market-day before our Lady day and Michaelmas. And therefore if our Treasure were more than our Neighbouring Nations, I did not care whether we had one fifth part of the Treasure we now have.

I have often said in Coffee-houses, (and I am sorry I could not finde a more convenient place in England to speak it in) at the beginning of the War between the French and Dutch, That the French Nation would be exceedingly im­poverished thereby, and to the undoing of many thou­sands of the French: For the French Trade for Wines, Salt, Paper, Linnen, and other the Manufactures of France, was above all other Nations, carried on in Forrein Trade by the Dutch Navigation, whereby the Natives were employed, and the Kingdom and Natives exceedingly enriched: but the Dutch Navigation being removed by reason of the War, all these Commodities of France, which were Transported by the Dutch Navigation in Forrein Trade, finde not like vent; and by consequence, the Nation loses much of the wealth it gained thereby, and the Inhabitants their Employ­ment. Nor is it in the power of France to redress this, with­out restoring the Dutch Navigation: for admit the French King should take measures by our Act of Navigation, (as they say he does) and endeavour to establish a Forrein Trade of the Commodities of France by his own Subjects; and could make ships of Oyster-shells and Shingle, and in an instant create Factories, and make all the returns the Dutch do of the Commodities of France; and without Experi­ence or Instruction make Navigators and Marriners at his will, of his Subjects; yet so, many of his Subjects as he makes Sea-men, so many sewet he will leave to plant Vine­yards, make Paper, Linnen, Salt, and other Commodities of France, and so much lessen the Manufactures of France, as he encreases his Navigation.

But the Dutch War is but an accident of the time, and it is probable when the French King pleases, he may make Peace [Page 46] with the Dutch, and so restore the Dutch Navigation again to the trade of France. But alas! who can ever untwist the Treefold Cord of the Law against Naturalization, the Act of Navigation, and the Freedom of Corporations here in England! Each of these is more mischievous to us here in England, than the Dutch-War is to France: for France, as it is a Kingdom above threefold greater than England, so in that proportion it is doubly more peopled, and therefore may much better endure the Sequestration of the Dutch Navigation, and establish it upon the account of the French than we can; our Coast being almost desolate, and so poor, that they can scarce maintain their poor; and so have nei­ther Men nor Means to conserve the little Trades they have, much less to encrease them; and the Country scarce half In­habited, and so the Lands of England not half improved: and at this day I believe the Nobility and Gentry have above twenty thousand Farms in their hands; and to take these from Husbandry, to people our Coast, and encrease our Navi­gation, will leave so many fewer in the Country; yet to Eternity, for ought is known, we must continue in this Con­dition.

Annot.

Though Trade where the Commodities are consumed to loss, becomes so much more prejudicial, and impoverishes any place so much as such consumption is: And therefore as all beneficial Trades ought to be made free, and by all means encouraged; so it may seem reasonable, that destru­ctive Trades where things are vainly consumed, and the em­ployment of our people hindred thereby, as are our Trades to France and Spain for Wines; and to France for fine Lin­nen, Lace, Points; and the importation of Dutch Black Clothes, and French Hats and Druggets, whereby the em­ployment of our people is hindred, and so much of the Treasure of the Nation exhausted as is spent in our consump­tion of them, ought totally to be prohibited; yet neerly looking into it, such prohibition will prove dangerous to our Trade at home and abroad, and also to the Peace of the Na­tion.

For first, as every man stands in need of being supplied by another, so does every place; and therefore, if we should prohibit the Importation of the Commodities of France, though it be evident the Nation consumes them all to loss, (except Salt and Sails) yet we cannot then but expect the French will likewise prohibit the Importation of our Welch Frizes, and Exeter Carseys, Leather, Gloves, Ribbons, and several other Commodities; whereby the employment of all our Artificers in them, being taken away, they become mise­rable, and the Lands on which the Wools and the Cattle were renewed, become less valuable. The reason is the same, if we prohibit the Importation of Dutch Black Clothes, who take off many of our White Clothes, and other Manufactures of England. Secondly, If we prohibit the French Hats, Druggets, and Dutch Black Clothes, we put our selves and the World upon the Monopoly of having only such as the English make, who will soon know the prerogative they enjoy hereby, and make the English pay more for worse work than they did before, and make them so dear and [Page 48] bad, that we shall establish the Forrein Trade of such things to the French and Dutch; whereas the Importation of these will be an Awe upon the English, to make ours so good and cheap, as to supply us and the world better, or they will lose their employment. And Lastly, Such Prohibition causes Ha [...]red and Heart-burning between Princes, whereby often­times Wars ensue, though under other pretences.

Therefore, if my opinion were worthy to be admitted, no Goods of any sort should be Prohibited: but if any be imported which are Luxuriously consumed, with little or no employment of the people, as the Wines imported are, they should pay the King the full value in their consump­tion; but little or nothing, if they could be again Trans­ported: for the importation is beneficial to the Nation, by improving the Rents of Houses, the employment of Peo­ple in Lading and Ualading, and in vending our Corn and Provision to the Importer. But if an employment may happen to the People of the Nation, if things were not imported, as in fine Linnen, Lace, Points, Blacks and Druggets, encouragement should be given to all people to instruct ours in those Manufactures; and such duties for some time imposed on the Importation, that better hopes might be expected here, than otherwise, in working them.

Annot.

Mr. Mun observes in his 4th chap. of England's Improve­ments by Forrein Trade, that as Legorne is the most flourish­ing part in the Mediterranean in Trade, so the Inhabitants have little Trade but for Goods imported by the Dutch and English, which they buy for ready Money; and that the Great Duke lent him 40000 Crowns for a year gatis, though he knew it would be presently sent out of Italy into Turky to buy Commodities; the Great Duke well understanding the returns would be profitable to him and his Subjects; yet not by Manufactures, which is the most profitable by em­ploying people, but by vending them, and that by Land-carriage, to Milan, Piedmont, and other places in Italy.

But if by reason of the Freedom of Legorne, wrought Goods imported by Forreigners, and bought with ready Mo­ny, be so profitable to the Duke of Florence and his Subjects; I am sure the free Importation of unwrought Goods into England by Forreigners, might be much more profitable to the King and his Subjects, by employment of the English in their Manufactures. And if that Permission which Oli­ver dispensed to the English Norway-Traders for Timber, had been continued by the King since his Restauration, all that Money had been still conserved in the Nation, which was expended in dearer buying Norway Timber imported by the Norwegians, in building the City and Suburbs of London and other places, and in building and repairing the Navy Royal, and other ships of the English Navigation: and so might all that superfluous dearness of rough Hemp and Flax, whereby our people lost their employment, yet in all England, the King's duties did not amount to little more than 1500 l. per Annum; and perhaps 20000 people might have [Page 50] been employed in the Manufactures of Cordage and Sails: so we needed not have vainly been necessitated to have bought them of the Dutch, and in our Wars with them, of the French.

Annot.

I say, this free admission of Forreigners to import Goods into England, will more certainly enrich the Nation, than can be reasonably expected by the returns of the Growths and Manufactures of England and our Plantations in For­rein Trade. For the Nation is necessarily enriched so much, as the value of the Goods imported by Forreigners amounts to: Whereas the Merchant in return of Goods by Forrein Trade, is not so secure but he may become a loser: or, if he or the Nation gains by the returns, yet the gain is no more than the value of the Goods returned exceed the value of the Goods Exported; which if 1/10, is very considerable; whereas the Nation entirely gains the value of the Goods imported by Forreigners. And in case the Merchant loses the outward Fraught, or the returns of the Goods of Eng­land [Page 51] or our Plantations, the Nation loses so much as the va­lue of the Goods amount to. But the Nation ventures nothing by the Importation of Goods imported by For­reigners, yet necessarily gains so much as the Goods im­ported amount to in value.

And herein I observe, that Goods being valuable as they can be vended, the places where they are vended generally receive greater benefit by the Intercourse of People, and the varieties of Trades and Traders, than the places whereon the Goods are wrought and renewed. So that though nei­ther London, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Legorne, and many other frequented places have little or no Good; of their own growth or Manufactures yet by reason of the frequencles of people, in many varieties of Trades, they receive much greater benefit than the places on which the Goods are wrought and renewed. And I see no reason but if the Im­portation of Goods were as free in England, as in Holland, Zealand, Hamburg, Gottenburg, Legorne, &c. but that our Ports might be as rich and flourishing as these; and so much more, as ours are better, and more convenient. Whereas, by denying the World this freedom, we continue the Pover­ty of the Towns upon the Coast of England, which daily decline, and even become desolate, and necessitate the world to enrich and strengthen other places with those Riches and People which might be much better and securely enjoyed by us.

Annot.

If the Ports of England were as free as those of the Ʋnited Netherlands, Hamburg, or Gottenburg, can any man believe the world would pass Falmouth, (the most excellent Port of the world, and the most convenient for the Southern, Western, South-Eastern and South-western Trades) the noble Ports of Plymouth, Dartmouth, Exmouth, Falmouth, the famous Ports of Portsmouth and Harwich, (equal to any other, and of all others the most convenient for the Trade of the East and North-East parts of the World) to encounter the Sands upon Zea­land, or the Rocks before Gottenburg, or to be conveyed through the Vly and Texel into the Zuyder-Sea, where they are so far from safety, that 500 Sail have been stranded by one nights Tempest? Our Ports and always as open for any Forrein Trade, especially to the South or West, as safe for Ships to come in. Theirs are dangerous in the approach, are unsafe within, and commonly frozen up three or four Moneths in the year. We have no need of the Mould of Genoua, nor take care to draw our Ships over any Pampus, to secure them from Storms in the Winter. Though Hamburg be a mighty Town of Trade; yet we have neither Gluestadt, or Stoad, to give Laws to our Trade in any of our Ports, as both those do to Hamburg. We have nothing to say for our selves, but though God and Nature never did any thing in vain, yet we have made our Ports vain to all the World, and almost to our selves.

The King was pleased about the beginning of the late [Page 53] War with the Dutch, to Issue out a Proclamation, to invite the Dutch to come into the Ports of England, and they and their Ships should enjoy as much priviledge as if they were Natural-born English, and their ships English-built: But then they had incurred the danger of Confiscation of Ships, Goods, Guns, Tackle, Apparel, and Ammunition, by the Act of Navigation. They could not have unladed their Goods in any Port of England, because they were not Free-men of Corporations; they must have paid the King above twenty times the Duties before they broke Bulk, more than at Hamburg or any Port of the Ʋnited Netherlands; where­by they could never hope for any Forrein Trade by them, or expect to vend one half of them in England. And this must have been much to the detriment of the English Mer­chant, who either had sufficient, or expected to supply Eng­land in his future Trade; so as not one Vessel came in upon that Proclamation. The King was also pleased in that Pro­clamation to invite all sorts of Artificers to come into Eng­land, and they should enjoy the benefits of Natural-born English, but if they had come, and had enjoyed them, yet all other English-men are Forreigners to the Freedom of Corporations, and so these could have little expected to have been employed in any Art or Manufacture, either for their own or the Countries benefit, being excluded out of all places where they might hope to employ themselves or others; so the success was the same in both.

And as our Ports are so excellent and safe for Ships to harbour in; so by a certain benignity of Nature, peculiar to our Country, the Rivers of England are not so Rapid as those of the Rhine, Maze, Seine, Loire, and Garrone. As by their Flowing they procure a benefit for bringing Goods into the Country to supply it, and employing the people of it; so by their Ebbing they invite us to supply the World with our Goods, and to enjoy the fruits of our own La­bours.

Annot.

As this free Importation of forrein Goods, will so much enrich the Nation, as the goods imported are more; so it may so much encrease the forrein Trade of our Manufa­ctures, Plantations, and of the fish caught upon our Coast, as the goods imported are more. The Dutch, we see, by im­porting French Wines, Brandy, and Salt, and exporting them with their Fish, Woollen Manufactures, and Spice, send yearly 1500 Sail of Ships into the Sound; and forty to Muscovy; whereas we, though our Woollen Manufactures are better, and it may be, if we had those Trades, might be sold cheaper, yet in a year we send not above seven into the Sound, (two whereof are Laden with Woollen Manufactures, the other five with Balast only, which pay for their Lading commonly by Money upon Bills of Exchange from Hamburg) and to [Page 55] Muscovy scarce two in three years. The reason hereof, is the Greatness of the Dutch Trade with all these sorts of Commodities; so that in case their Woollen Manufactures will not bear so profitable a Price, yet they may make pro­fitable returns, if upon the whole the returns be profitable. Besides, the great Exportation of many other Commodities to Muscovy, and places in the Sound, establishes so great a Commerce with the Dutch, that those people supplied by them, dare not buy Woollen Manufactures of others who cannot supply them with other Necessaries. Moreover, many places in the Sound take of Ladings, part Salt, Wine, Brandy, Spice, Fish, and Woollen Manufactures, which can­not take off an entire Lading of Fish, or Woollen Manu­factures. And this is the principal reason, that even in our Sou­thern Trades to forrein parts, we can scarce from any Port of England vend our Woollen Manufactures but from the Port of London, where they finde a mixture of fraught with Lead, Tin, Sugars, Tobaccoes, and other Goods from our Planta­tions.

Annot.

Though I believe God has endued this Nation with more benefits for forrein Trade and Commerce than any other, yet for the benefit of Mutual Commerce, as every man stands in need of being supplied by another, so does every Coun­try: And many places in the World, as they stand in need of our Commodities, so want those whereof we of our selves cannot supply them. And many parts of the World which cannot take off an entire Lading of our Commodities, may ½, ⅓ or ¼; and if the residue of the Fraught be made up of other Commodities, by this means this half or third, &c. of our Commodities findes vent.

Annot.

So that this Importation, as it may more conveniently encrease our Woollen and other Manufactures, so it may cheaper do it. If a Vessel half fraught with our Commo­dities, [Page 57] and half with forrein, can sell the forrein well, this may enable the Merchant to sell our Manufactures so much cheaper, as he better sold the forrein: Whereas, if the for­rein had been dearer bought, the Markets for both might have been lost. But the benefits which would arise to the forrein Trade of our Woollen and other Manufactures, by the free permission of Forreigners to import forrein Goods, does not end here: for by it our Manufactures might be vended from the next Port; whereas now they are generally brought up to London by long and tedious Land-carriages, and forestalled by the Freemen before they can finde any mixture of other Commodities to be vended with them in forrein Trade. And as we thus vainly charge our Manu­factures by Land-carriage to London, before they must pass the Seas in forrein Trade; so do we the Lead and Tin Transported to Spain, Italy and Turky: and to what pur­pose this must be done, I would fain know.

Annot.

I will never believe that any man or Nation ever well at­tain their ends by forceable means, against the Nature and Order of things. Money is that by which all Commodi­ties [Page 58] are valued, and is of no other use: if therefore a man should give me 100 l. never to make use of it, I should scarce thank him for it. The most profitable use of money, is so to buy, as to sell to profit. So that in forrein Trade, the best use a Merchant can make of his Money, is, so to buy, as to sell a­gain to profit: But if the Goods the Merchant thus buys be sold again in forrein Trade to profit, a double benefit hereby accrues to the Nation as well as Merchant. This appears in the East-Indie-Trade by our East-Indie-Company, where though the Company send great quantities of Treasure to the East-Indies, yet the returns of them, in the Trade to Spain, and other places, produce greater quantities of Trea­sure. Though I can give but one instance hereof in our Trades, I believe Instances hereof might be given in all the Trades the Dutch drive in the World.

It may happen, that many places of the world stand in need of our Commodities, and some people of those places have Commodities to exchange for ours; others have Com­modities which they will not exchange for ours, to the Mer­chant's profit, but will sell for ready Money, so that the Merchant may make profit of them; and so a Merchant may fraught a ship so, as to make profitable returns: but in case the Merchant be prohibited the Exportation of Mo­ney, this may hinder the forrein vent of all the Manufa­ctures, which otherwise might finde a Market.

Annot.

To the encrease of the forrein Trade of our Woollen Ma­nufactures by this free return, which I understand to be by all ways whereby they may be as cheap imported into Eng­land, as into Hamburg, or any of the Ports of the Ʋnited Netherlands; may be added another forrein Trade of these Commodities, and of the returns of those Commodities into the Ports of England, and of those again, and so infi­nitely. The Dutch we see have no other Principles of Trade, but the Fishing Trade upon the Coasts of England and Scot­land, to Groenland, and of late to Iseland and Westmony fishing; yet from these Principles, by their cheap Navi­gation, and smalness of Duties imposed upon the re­turns of their Fish and other Commodities imported, were enabled to manage a more considerable and profitable Trade in the World, than all the Princes and other States of the World could do.

Whereas all these Fishing trades (especially for those caught upon the Coasts of England and Scotland) might cheaper and more conveniently be managed from the Ports of Eng­land, as shall be shewed: And we have the Principles of our own growths and Manufactures, and also of our Plan­tations, to establish a forrein Trade upon; and ten times more and better Harbours than those of the Ʋnited Nether­lands, to secure the returns of them, and establish another Trade into other forrein parts of the World, upon the ac­count of them.

Annot.

As the Wools of Ireland may be cheaper wrought in Wales and the Western Ports of England, so may the Wools of the Midland, Southern, and Eastern parts of England be cheaper wrought upon Navigable places in England, than in France or the Ʋnited Netherlands. And as the Ports of England are more better, and more convenient and safe than those of French or the Ʋnited Netherlands; so the Eastern Ports of England stand more apposite and conve­niently for the Trade to Hamburg, Norway, Muscovy, and into the Sound, than those of the Ʋnited Netherlands, and nearer than those of France. And as our Western and Southern Ports are more better, more convenient and safe than those of France, so are they nearer than those of the Ʋnited Netherlands in all Trades to the South, South-East, Western and South-West parts of the world.

But since Woollen Manufactures may be cheaper wrought in England than France or the Ʋnited Netherlands; what [Page 61] reason is there the Wools of the Midland and other parts of England should by a tedious Land-carriage be brought to Norwich and Colchester; and when they are wrought into the Manufactures of those places, by another Land-carriage (almost equal to the charge of carriage of the Wools) be brought to London; and then none but pre-emption and Free-men buy them? To what purpose are the Western Clothes under the same Charge and Restrictions brought up to Lon­don; and then by a Navigation twice as dear as from our Western and Southern Ports, vended in Spain and Portugal? Why after all these Charges and Restrictions must they be vended in forrein Trade, in Ships neer double as dear built, sailed with neer double the charge of the Dutch and other Nations? Why do we deny our selves the benefit of com­pounding Fraughts in forrein Trades with our Woollen Ma­nufactures, as hath been often demonstrated? And why do we impose above twentyfold Charges upon their returns, more than if imported to Hamburg or Holland? For these are the Reasons the French and Dutch are well maintained in Woollen Manufactures, and our People miserable in it; and that they supply many places of the world better than we do, and even cloy our Markets at home with them. And since our Ports are so much better and convenient for forrein Trade than those of France or the Ʋnited Nether­lands, why must the Turkie, East-Indie, and Guiny Trades (and for ought I know the Trades to Hamburg, Muscovy, and into the Sound) be driven from this one Port of Lon­don? And if two in the hundred charge in any Trade in one place above another, endangers the loss of the Trade to that other; I wish it were calculated with how many two's in the hundred we, besides the Restrictions, vainly charge all the forrein Trades we drive in the world upon the account of Woollen and other Manufactures.

Annot.

So that to this Plenty, Wealth, and Employment of our people at Home, this permission will establish forrein Trades which we are strangers to, and also add the blessing of Peace abroad. The Interest of Princes and their Subjects em­ployed in this Trade, will have the same Influence on any other who would endeavour to interrupt it, as our jealou­sies are upon any who should attempt to invade our Proper­ties in our Lands and Goods. In case of War, their Interest would be involved with ours. Hereof you may more large­ly read, in the Annot. upon the 11 Prop. of the Reasons of the encrease of the Dutch Trade.

Whereas when the State of the Nation was much more free in reference to Trade, than it now stands by the Act of Navigation; yet by the Authority of the 1 Eliz. 13. this caused great displeasure between the Kings of this Realm and forrein Princes, as well as the Merchant and people were sore damaged and agrieved thereby.

Annot.

They would, for the many reasons heretofore said, en­crease Trade in themselves, and also enable many poor peo­ple to Trade, and procure a livelyhood, by lading and unla­ding their Vessels, by mending and trimming their Vessels, Sails and Rigging; and more other benefits would accrue to poor people, which can neither be well foreseen, or enu­merated.

Annot.

If this number of Ships now employed in the Ports of England makes Lands of such value, by victualling these Ships, and employing people in them; then if the number of Shipping be encreased, so would be the employment of the people, who thereby would be enabled to buy the Farmors Commodities; and the Farmor too would finde so much more vent for his Commodities in victualling Ships, as the Ships are more. By means whereof, not only the wast and untill'd Grounds upon the Coast might be improved, but even those in Mediterrane places might finde encourage­ment and vent for their Commodities; the Houses in the Towns upon the Coast would let better to receive the Goods imported, and new ones would be built for the same pur­pose.

Annot.

And so they would encrease the Revenues of the Crown, not only by the comsumption of all sorts of forrein Com­modities which pay the King Duties, but also of all the Beer, Ale, and all other Domestick Exciseable Com­modities, which they consume and freight their Vessels with.

Annot.

Britain being an Island, and so as another World divided from the Continent, the encrease of Navigation and Mari­ners is more proper to it and desirable, than where the Sea lies but on part of the bounds of the Country: and this En­crease is so much more desirable, by how much the Coast a­bounds with many Excelling and Noble Ports, and the Coun­try Naturally watred with Rivers more apt for Navigation than any other, and which through those lose themselves in the Ocean. But Navigation and Marriners cannot be o­therwise encreased, than from such Principles as God and Na­ture has ordained. Trade therefore being a Principle to Navigation, is superiour and more excellent than it, and may subsist without Navigation; but Navigation never without Trade. A Nation may be rich and flourishing by Trade, yet upon the Navigation of other Countries. The great Ri­ches which France lately enjoyed, did arise chiefly from the English and Dutch Trading into their Ports. So Legorne and Florence grow rich by the Trade which the English French, and Dutch Navigation bring into Legorne. So it is in the Turkie, East Indie, and Muscovy Trades, by the English, French, Dutch, and Venetians, whereby those Countries grow vastly rich, yet employ no Shipping or Navigation to procure it.

Trade being a principle to Navigation, Navigation may be infinitely encreased, as Trade is encreased: I desire there­fore Navigation to and from the Ports of England might be encreased by the forrein Trade of our Woollen and other Manufactures, rather than by the Newcastle-trade, or the Trade to our Plantations: For the home-vent of the New­castle-trade employs few of the Natives but Miners and Ma­nners, and those but half the year, and is driven to the loss of the Nation: for we consume the Coals; and besides the Consumption of our Timber in the Shipping in this Trade, we generally buy the Pitch, Tar, Cordage and Sails employ­ed in it, of the French, Dutch, Swedes, and Norwegians. [Page 75] Add hereto, that this Trade has caused, vast destruction of the Wood-land-Grounds of the Eastern, Southern and Mid­land parts of England; which by reason of the plenty and cheapness of Newcastle-Coals, can finde no vent. Whereas Navigation, which would arise from the forrein Trade of our Woollen and other Manufacturers, would so much en­rich the Nation, as the value of the Manufactures is more than the Principles of them are in value. And I prefer the Navigation which may arise from encreasing our Ma­nufactures at home, before that Navigation which arises from our Trades to our Plantations; because the Nation hereby would be more and better peopled, and the Lands of the Crown, Church, Nobility, Gentry and others of Eng­land, would become so much more valuable, as Trade and Navigation would be hereby encreased: whereas the Planta­tions rob us of our people, to the weakning the Nation, and diminishing the value of the Lands of it; and that besides Mariners, few people in England except Retailers, Sugar-Ba­kers, Porters, and Car-men, are employed in the Trades of them. And the Riches which arise by the Trade of them, accrews to few but the King, Merchant, Sugar-bakers, and Retailers. And I do not question, but the value of the Consumption of the Commodities of the Plantations here in England, is much more than the profit of them by forrein Trade: And yet we have little else but the forrein Trade of our Woollen Manufactures, so Taxed, so Restrained, and so Endangered, as hath been in all the Three precedent Treatises demonstrated, to sustain the Loss the Nation re­ceives by the Newcastle-trade, the Trade to our Plantations, and the Trades to Norway France, the Canaries, and for Lin­nen.

I desire as much as any man, that Navigation and Mari­ners may be encreased by the Natives of England, and Eng­lish Ships, so far as the Natives of England in such Shipping can maintain Navigation, yet both must be done in time, and by such means as God and Nature have ordained, viz. by encreasing Trade in England: and if both Trade and Navigation cannot be carried on by the Natives alone, I [Page 76] see no reason why (at least at present) Trade (which is more excellent than Navigation) should not be encreased, though upon the account of forrein Navigation. And I say, it is impossible, as the case stands, that the forrein vent of our English Manufactures, and the Fish caught upon the Coasts of England, and Scotland, can be encreased by Eng­lish Mariners in English-built Ships: For the Towns upon the Coast of England generally are become so decayed, that they are not neer half Inhabited; and so poor, that they have no Means to build Ships, or to buy our Woollen or other Manufactures, or the Fish caught upon our Coast; nor have Factories or Correspondence in forrein parts to establish Trade and Commerce: yet if they had, it is impos­sible long to continue the Navigation we now possess in English-built Ships, therefore less possible to encrease it.

It's believed, the French Nation, before their War with the Dutch, gained above 6000000 l. yearly by the English and Dutch trading into their Ports, for Wine, Salt, Brandy, Linnen, Paper, and other Commodities of France: Suppose the French King upon the account of encreasing the Navi­gation and Mariners of France, should have excluded the English, and Dutch trading into his Ports, and by Edict have Commanded, that all the Commodities of France ven­ded in forrein Trade, should first be brought to Paris, there none to buy them but Free-men and Companies, (if they have any) and they only to vend them in French-built Ships, and Sailed by ¾ French, whether they have Ships or Mariners or not; and that the Returns of them should pay the King twenty times the Duties they should in case they were imported into Holland or Hamburg: whether the em­ployment of the Shipping and Mariners of France would have countervailed the loss France would have sustained thereby? Or Reader consider (chainging the places) if this be not the Condition of England, in reference to the forrein Trade of the Manufactures, and the Fish caught up­on the Coast of it.

Annot.

As the free permission of Forreigners to work Manufa­ctures in England and export them, would encrease Navi­gation to and from the Ports of England; so would the free permission of Forreigners to make Returns of them into our Ports, and export them; and so would the Returns of these, and the exporting them again, and so infinitely; whereby Navigation to and from our Ports may be infinitely encrea­sed. The Dutch and Hamburger, we see, have no principles of Trade or Navigation of their own; yet from the princi­ples of the Fishery upon the Coasts of England and Scotland, and the Groenland Fishery, and the Trades and Navigation depending thereon, and the principles they acquire from o­ther places, by reason of their free Importation and Expor­tation, employ more Shipping and Mariners than all the Christian Princes and States in all the world besides. The seeming Objection against this Permission, we hope to avoid in the Annot. upon the Coroll. of the 16 Proposition of this Treatise.

Annot.

After the Navigation which may arise by the forrein vent of our Woollen and other Manufactures, I desire the Na­vigation of England may be encreased from the Trade be­tween England and Ireland▪ not only as the Crown of Ire­land is depending upon the Crown of England; but also, because the benefits and Security of the English Nation are more interwoven between them, than can be expected from any other Country.

The Navigation which the Trade between England and Ireland before these Acts did maintain, was, First, about one hundred Sail, and a proportionable number of Mariners were employed in bringing over Cattle. Secondly, A consi­derable number of English Ships and Mariners (Mr. John De Boyse can better inform the Reader the number than I) were employed in the Trade of the Returns for their Lean Cattle, in Beer, Hops, Hats, Stockens, Cloath, and Stuffs of all sorts, all sorts of Dying-stuffs, Hides, Fruit, Sugars, To­baccoes, and many other Commodities to Ireland. Thirdly, The Returns of these in Hides, Tallow, Wools, Yarn, &c. from Ireland in forrein Trade, was generally in English Ships, and sailed by English Mariners. But all this Naviga­tion [Page 79] depending upon the first Intercourse between England and Ireland for their Lean Cattle, the Cause of Importing Cattle ceasing, the Navigation which depended upon it ceas­ed: and the Trade as well as the Navigation the Nation formerly enjoyed, is not only lost to it, but established in forrein Nations, to the Endangering as well as Impo­verishing this: and of which you may more largely read in the Annot. upon the 18, 19, and 20, Propositions of the Trea­tise of The Equal Danger of the Church, State, and Trade of England.

Annot.

I say, the Repealing of these Laws may encrease, or ra­ther restore the Navigation of England which it formerly enjoyed before them. And in truth I am content this Trade and Navigation should, so far as it can, be carried on only by [Page 80] English; yet in such Vessels, as the English can manage it to their best benefit, whereby only this Nation might be the Store-house of supplying the Irish with all sorts of Com­modities they want; and that the Nation might have the home-benefit of working their Wools, and the forrein be­nefits of vending their Hides, Tallow, and Yarn, &c. for it is as much our Interest the English should enjoy these Trades and Navigation depending thereon, as that only the Eng­lish should have the benefit of the Trade and Navigation to our Plantations; or the Dutch Interest alone to have the Spice-Trade and the Navigation which depends thereon.

But since Navigation is a mean of preserving the Sove­reignty of the British Seas to the Crown of England, the loss of it is as much dangerous to it. It is not the number and greatness of the French Navy Royal which makes the French King neer so formidable at Sea as either the English or Dutch, but their want of such Trades as might encrease their Navigation and Mariners.

Annot.

After the Navigation which may arise from the Trade of our Manufactures, and the free Intercourse between England and Ireland, I desire Navigation in England may be encreas­ed by the Fishing Trade, especially of the Fish caught upon the Coasts of England and Scotland, not only as the Fish may be more conveniently caught by such as fish from the Ports of England, if the King pleases to deny others to dry their Nets, or take in Fresh Water in any of his Dominions; but also the Freighting of Vessels with Beer and Provisions may be cheaper in the Fishery and forrein vent of Fish from the Ports of England; besides, the employment of many thousands of our poor people, would be of infinite benefit to the Lands of England, as the Fishery and forrein Trade of them should be encreased; and the Towns upon the Eastern Coast of England, which are now even desolate, would be­come rich and populous. Moreover, it is a Scandal and dis­honour to the Crown of England, which contains the So­vereignty of the British Seas, that the benefits which arise from these Seas should be lost to this Nation, and established in others, to their enriching, and encrease of Navigation.

I say, this free admission of Forreigners to inhabit in Eng­land, and in any Vessels to fish and Trade into forrein parts with Fish caught upon the Coasts of England and Scotland, may encrease the Navigation of England; for thereby their Interest being planted in the Nation, it would enjoy the fruits of their Trade and Navigation. Nor do I under­stand, how otherwise (at least at present) this Nation can hope to enjoy the Fishery upon the Coasts of England and Scotland, or the forrein Trade of it, or any part of it: For the Inhabitants upon the Eastern Coast of England are so thin, that the Towns upon it (except Great Yarmouth) are even desolate, and so poor, that they have no means to build or buy Vessels for this Trade; nor have Factors or Agents in forrein parts whereby to entertain Trade and Commerce: And also the Timber of England is so destroyed [Page 82] by the niggardly Trades we now enjoy, (whereby we can do little more than consume in England the Returns of our Manufactures, and the Product of our Plantations) that it is not long possible by it to maintain these Trades; therefore less possible by it to establish the Fishing Trade, which, it may be, will require more Shipping than we now employ in all the Trades we drive in the World. Or in case we had quantities of Timber sufficient for carrying on the Fishing Trade, yet would it be of no benefit to us in this Trade: for the Fish cost nothing but the catching, and the Hull of a Vessel for the Fishing Trade or Fishery, may be built for ⅔ of what one of equal dimensions can be built in England; and those built of English Timber are so heavy, that they require ½ more Sails and Cordage to fit them up, and so more Hands to manage them; whereby it becomes impossible to the English to Fish and Trade so cheap as the Dutch and Hamburger. Nor is this Mischief (as the case stands) pos­sible to be remedied by Vessels built of forrein Timber in Eng­land; for by reason of the high Duties upon it, and the Ad­vantages the Norwegians have by imposing their own Terms upon us, the English at this day pay 30 l. per Cent. more for Timber imported, than the Dutch or Hamburgers do.

Annot.

This Admission of Forreigners to inhabit in England, &c. as it will so much enrich the Nation as the Vessels they Fish and Trade in are in value, in case they bring Vessels into Eng­land, so will it so much enrich the Nation, in case they bought the Vessels here in England, and employed them from the Ports of it: For then the Nation retains the Ves­sels still; and so much as is expended therein, will be added to the Treasure of the Nation. Since therefore the Nation will be so much enriched, as the Vessels wherein Forreigners Fish and Trade from our Ports are in value; I say, that in case a Revenue for some time were established, to pay every Forreigner who would inhabit in England, and Fish upon the Coasts of England and Scotland from any of the Ports of England ⅓, or half the value of his Vessel, the Nation would be ⅔, or twice so much a Gainer, more than if any Native bought such forrein Vessel: and for my part, as poor as I am, I should most willingly Contribute to such a Tax.

Annot.

And this Navigation may be so much better, more conve­niently and safely increased, as our Ports are better, more convenient and safe than those of Hamburg or the Ʋnited Netherlands. Which being so, I see no reason but that the Groenland Fishing, and the returns thereof, may be better, more conveniently and safely carried on from the Ports of England, than from Hamburg or the Ʋnited Netherlands, in case the Fishing and Returns were as free here as there.

As the free Fishery upon the Coasts of England and Scot­land may increase the Navigation of England, so will the forrein vent of Fish, and so will the Returns, and Expor­ting them again from the Ports of England, &c. But as the dearness of Navigation may strangle the forrein vent of our Fish, and fix the Trade and Navigation to other places; so unless the Returns be as free and cheap in England, as other places, whereby they may again finde vent in forrein Trade, though the outward Trade were as free and cheap as in o­ther places, yet it would be impossible to increase the fishing trade beyond the consumption of the Returns in England, and the Moneys paid for them.

Annot. upon this Prop. and Coroll.

Navigation is a mean of preserving the Sovereignty of the British Seas to the Crown of England; which being so, the Navigation which arises from the Fishing-trade, and the Re­turns into the Ports of England, and exporting them again, &c. above all others, will more secure the Sovereignty of the British Seas. For in the Navigation which arises from the forrein Trade of our Manufactures, it may be, we employ not one Mariner to one thousand of those who are employed in working the Manufactures; and it may be, not one Ves­sel to ten thousand: whereas even in the catching and cu­ring [Page 86] the Fish, we employ Vessels in Navigation; and all the Men are Mariners, or such as by it become Mariners. Be­sides, the Bulkiness of the Fish in forrein Trade, employ so many more Vessels and Mariners, as they are more Bulky than other Goods: and the free Importing and Exporting of the Returns, creates a new Trade, and by consequence a new Navigation, to the further employment of Shipping and Mariners: so may the free returns of these, and expor­ting them again, and so infinitely; whereby the Sovereignty of the British Seas may be infinitely more secured to the Crown of England.

Annot.

It is said in a Treatise Licensed by the Authority of the Rump-Parliament, in the additional Evidences, p. 488. af­ter Mr. Selden's Mare Clausum, that the Dutch in the Fishe­ry upon the Coasts of England and Scotland employed 8400 Vessels, and 168000 Mariners and Fishers; which however it may seem incredible, yet if we consider the vast Fleets they yearly send into the Sound, to Muscovy, France, Spain, and Italy, whose Freight is in a great measure made up of Fish caught upon the Coasts of England and Scotland, be­sides the Busses and Mariners employed in the Fishery; and the multitudes of Shipwrights, Carpenters, Smiths, and all sorts of people employed in making Ropes, Nets and Sails for the Fishery, and Trades depending upon it: without doubt the employment of people is very considerable, and the Navigation even incredible; it being the Basis of all the Trades the Dutch drive in the world, all their other Trades and Navigation being upon the Principles acquired from other places originally derived from the Fishing-Trade.

It is a Shame and Scandal then (besides the danger of it to the English Nation) that it was never in any well-weigh­ed Counsel considered, from what Causes the Dutch in nu­merous Fleets for four Moneths in the year follow the Her­ring from Scotland to Yarmouth, whilest the wretched peo­ple upon our Coast stand starving and looking on, and can­not employ one Vessel or Mariner in it. Even in the Her­ring-fishing before Yarmouth, we fish little above one fort­night, and in that fishing the Dutch employ above threefold the Vessels we do, and above twofold the Mariners.

Annot.

And if it may preserve the Timber of England, I am sure it is more than time the English were permitted to buy [Page 89] Ships in all other Trades but the Newcastle, East-Indie, and Turkie Trades: for by reason the Act of Navigation con­fines the English to Trade and make Returns into the Ports of England only in English-built Ships; the English have not only not been able to build one ship for the Norway-trade for Timber, or the forrein Trade of white Herring or Cod caught upon the Coasts of England and Scotland, since the Rump-Parliament contrived the Act of Navigation, but to maintain the niggardly Trades we now drive; wherein upon the matter we consume all the Returns of our Manufactures, and the Product of our Plantations: The Timber of England is so wasted, that in any conveni­ent distances for building Ships, there is not ¼ of Timber left standing, as was when the Rump-Parliament invented this Law. See more hereof, in the Annot. upon the 10, 11, 12 and 13 Propositions of The equal Danger of the Church, State, and Trade of England.

I have with as much Zeal endeavoured, yet without suc­cess, to represent this to the Parliament, and the dire Conse­quences of it, so far as I understood the Timber of England to be wasted upon the Coasts of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Es­sex. And being last Easter-Eve was twelvemonth at Bristol, some Gentleman and I went to see the Oxford Frigat, then ready to be Lanched, and built by Captain Baily (a very Civil person, and I believe an excellent Builder.) After some discourse, I asked him if English Timber were plentiful in the West of England; and he told me, he with great diffi­culty got Timber to build this Frigat; and that in building the Edgar-frigat, he bought the Timber twelve miles beyond Worcester, which is 50 miles from Bristol. I then asked him, what he thought of the State of the Nation, as it now stands, in reference to the Navigation of it, in English-built Ships, whenas the Ring with such difficulty built one Man of War: he told me, it was impossible to be continued, and that he had more reason than another to know it; for be­sides his long being accqstiomed to build Ships, he had order from the King to survey his Western and Southern Forests, and to return an Account of it to the King himself. I [Page 90] thanked him, and told him I was equally sorry with him for the condition of the Nation, yet was glad a man of his Knowledge and Experience had the same apprehensions as I had; though with all the Sollicitations I could use, I was so far from getting relief to the Nation herein, as that I could not get the Apprehensions he had herein, to be received by the Parliament.

Annot.

If we consider how much the Newcastle-trade increases, as does the East-Indie-trade; and how much greater the Dutch War-fleet is than the King's of England; And that, as the case stands, the Newcastle-trade is necessary, and the East-Indie-trade very beneficial to the Nation; it may be a question if the growth of these Trades, and the necessities of increasing the Navy Royal, will not require greater [Page 91] quantities of Timber than for the future can be found in convenient distances in England; however, to preserve these, it is very reasonable the English be permitted to buy Ships in all their other Trades.

Annot.

So that this permission, as it will more secure the Sove­reignty of the British Seas, the Newcastle, East-Indie, and Turkie Trades, so it may increase the Navigation of Eng­land in our Trades to and from our forrein Plantations, the Trades to Hamburg, into the Sound, Muscovy, France and Spain, but especially to Norway for Timber, Pitch and Tar; in which Trade, as we never built one ship since the Act of Navigation, nor, as the case stands, can ever hope to do: so in time of War between the Dutch and French, the New­castle-ships are so employed in other Trades, as the home-vent of Coal is not only not throughly supplied, but our Norway-Merchants cannot hire enough to furnish us as at other times, especially in our Trades to Dromen Northward of Bergen; as Mr. Hammond a Norway-Merchant, who af­firms, that in this Trade he vends more of our English Ma­nufactures, [Page 92] than all our Norway Merchants do in all their other Trades to Norway, has often complained to me. And though the King has been pleased to permit our Norway Merchants to buy about 50 Flyboats, yet these, with the ad­dition of the Dutch Prizes taken in the late War, will not neer supply the defect. And I say moreover, in case the English be not permitted to buy Ships in this Trade, and in our Trades to our Plantations, Hamburg, Muscovy, to France, Spain, Guiny, and into the Sound, and other places, we shall endanger the loss of these Trades, as well as the Newcastle, East-Indie, and Turkie Trades, and the Sovereignty of the British Seas: And that the Title of the Act of Navigation is a contradiction, in affirming it to be for Increase and En­couragement of Navigation and Mariners, yet confining them both to English-built Ships, and sailed by ¾ English.

Annot.

May cheaper increase Ships in England. I could rarely discourse this point; but it would still be objected against me, that though forrein ships be cheaper than English-built, yet English ships are more strong and durable: and this con­tended with such heat, as would not admit of a compari­son [Page 93] of the benefits which might accrue by the strength and durableness of ours, and the cheapness and convenience of forrein ships. I confess, for ought I know, the strength and durableness of English-built ships may be a reason to have the King's Men of War, and ships for the Newcastle, East-Indie, and Turkie Trades, built of English Timber, so long as the Timber of England can afford it. But in our other Trades, though we had Timber sufficient, and it were my opinion it were better to carry on these Trades in English built ships; yet I say, no man less conversant in any business, understands so well, as a man more conversant in it, by what means he can best carry on his business; and therefore if the English Mer­chant findes he can better carry on his business in English-built ships, no question but he will prefer them before forein. But if the English Merchant be confined to English built ships in his trades, and can get none; or if they be so dear, or incon­venient (for we do not understand how to build convenient ships for all Trades) as not to finde profit; not only the Mariners lose their employment, but, it may be, the employ­ment of a thousand other people, whose Labours depend upon that Trade, will be hereby lost.

Annot.

After the establishing Religion and Justice, no greater happiness attends any Nation, than the constant imployment [Page 94] of people: And I say, both Religion and Justice may much better be propagated upon people bred up in honest Profes­sions, than upon those who subsist by Pilfering, Cheating, Stealing, Canting, and Begging; and therefore all those Laws, or other means, which take away the employment of people in honest Professions, do not onely make them mise­rable, and a burthen to the Nation, but hinder the growth of Religion and Justice. And if the Importation of Pitch, Tar, Ruff Hemp and Flax were permitted to be as freely im­ported into England, as Hamburg or the Ʋnited Netherlands, I see no reason but many thousands of poor people in the Suburbs of London, and in all the Towns upon the Eastern Ports of England, might better and cheaper be employed in making Ropes, Nets and Sails, than in Hamburg or the Ʋnited Netherlands, by how much the Inhabitants may cheaper subsist, and be maintained, than those in Hamburg or the Ʋnited Netherlands.

Before the Act of Navigation, the English by the 1 Eliz. 13. might import Pitch and Tar in any Vessels; and before the year 1640, the English by reason of the goodness of their Trade into the Sound, returned such quantities of Ruff Hemp and Flax, that the poor people upon the Eastern Coast of England did make sufficient Ropes, Nets and Sails for the Fishery and Navigation of it. And after the Eng­lish had, for reasons before-said in the former Treatises and this Preface, almost lost the Trade into the Sound; yet be­fore the Act of Navigation, having free liberty to import Pitch and Tar, and the Dutch importing Ruff Hemp and Flax upon reasonable terms; this employment continued, to the incredible support of the poor Inhabitants in the Towns upon the Coast: But the Act of Navigation prohi­biting the English to import Pitch and Tar, unless in English-built ships, and the English not being able to build one ship for the Trade of them, they were reduced to have it upon such terms as the Norwegians pleased to impose upon them. And though Oliver permitted the Norway Traders to import Timber in any Vessels, notwithstanding the Act of Navigation; yet the Law still was in force against Im­portation [Page 95] of Pitch and Tar; and theDutch not being permit­ted to import Ruff Hemp & Flax, and the English Trade into the Sound every day decaying, few returns from Riga, Revel, Narve, or Quinborough, of Ruff Hemp and Flax, was made into England, but in English Vessels outward fraught with Ballast, and bought with ready Money; whereby Ruff Hemp and Flax became so dear, that the poor English lost the employment. In the Town of Yarmouth, before the Act of Navigation, the Inhabitants made yearly 2800 Tun of Cordage, besides Nets and Sails: now, for the Reasons afore­said, they make not ten, and neither Nets or Sails; for the Dutch importing Ruff Hemp and Flax, and Pitch and Tar ⅓ cheaper, can work these so cheap, as the English cannot: and then the Act of Navigation permits the English to buy them, and the Dutch to import them; but sure this is not made either for employment of our people, or for increase of Religion or Justice in England.

Annot.

This permission will not only preserve so much of the Treasure of the Nation, by how much Pitch, Tar, Ruff Hemp and Flax are cheaper sold; but by how much the Manufactures of Ropes, Nets and Sails made of them, arise in value above their Principles. Therefore, the not permit­ting this Importation, both ways Exhausts the Treasure of the Nation, and that to such a degree, that I remember before the Act of Navigation, I was a part-Builder in a Vessel for the Newcastle-trade; and about four years after, the same Builder and Owners (when the poor people upon the Coast had lost their employment in making Cordage and Sails) paid above ⅓ more in proportion for the fitting out this Ves­sel, than we did for the former.

Annot.

Though I desire the Trade and Navigation of the Na­tion should be increased by permission of the English to buy Ships in all other Trades but the Newcastle, East-Indie, and Turkie Trades, yet I had rather all their Trades were car­ried on by Ships built in the Ports of England: for if it be better for a Nation, that in any profitable employment the Inhabitants earn 10000 l. or a greater or lesser sum, than to have 10000 l. or a greater or lesser sum given them, and the people not employed; then so much better it is for this Nation to have ships built in the Ports of it, than to buy them, by how much the Labours of the people in buil­ding and fitting up of ships are valuable.

But to attain to this in England, it will not be only ne­cessary freely to import Pitch, Tar, Ruff Hemp and Flax, and Timber; but also to permit all forrein Ship-wrights to inhabit, and have equal freedom to exercise their Professions in all convenient places in England for building Ships; for no man is born an Artificer, but it comes to pass by Educa­tion, Labour, and Experience: and the English are un­acquainted in building Busses for the Fishing Trade, and in building ships for the Norway or Groenland Trades, and many other. The Dutch build ships for all Trades accor­ding to the best convenience: we only know how to build Men of War; and our ships for other Trades are of like figure, whether it be convenient or not.

Annot.

It is said, the Dutch build Busses and Vessels for the Nor­way Trade, of little other Timber but Fir; and that in the Fishery these Busses will weather a Storm, when the Dutch Men of War cannot abide it. And if the Importation of Ruff Hemp and Flax, Pitch, Tar and Timber were as free in England as the Ʋnited Netherlands, we might have the convenience of building and fitting up Busses and Vessels for the Fishery and Norway-Trade as cheap as the Dutch, and also have the convenience of our Ports, better, more safe and convenient than theirs for the Fishery and Norway-Trade to boot; besides the benefit of fresh Water, and drying our [Page 100] Nets in the Fishery; which the King, in case it were esta­blished from our Ports, might deny to them; and also can cheaper freight Vessels for the Fishery and Norway Trade, than can be from Hamburg or any Port in the Ʋnited Nether­lands; whereas by restraining and charging the Importa­tion of Pitch, Tar, Ruff Hemp, Flax, and Timber, we do not only lose all these benefits, but establish them to the Dutch and Norwegians, who will never thank us for it.

Annot.

This permission will not only more and cheaper secure the Sovereignty of the British Seas, by how much more the King may draw out so many more Mariners to man his Fleet, as Navigation shall be hereby cheaper increased; but it will also so much more secure the Sovereignty of the Bri­tish Seas, the Newcastle, East-Indie, and Turkie Trade, by how much the plenty and cheapness of forrein Timber may supply the building and repairing Houses, Ships, and [Page 101] Inclosures, &c. in England, whereby our English Timber will be so much preserved, which otherwise would be ex­pended in them.

Annot.

This permission may increase Navigation, as the for­rein Trade of our Growths and Manufactures, and the fish caught upon the Coasts of England and Scotland is increased; and it will much more increase Navigation to and from the Ports of England, upon the account of the Goods themselves which are imported and exported. The free Importation and Exportation of French Wines, Brandies, Salt, Spice, Fish caught upon the Coasts of England & Scotland, and the Woollen Ma­nufactures of the Ʋnited Netherlands, is the general Composition of those stupendious Fleets which the Dutch yearly send in times of Peace into the Sound; whereas we, for want of these, send not above nine, and seven of these out­ward laden only with Ballast. To Muscovy, by the benefit of [Page 102] these outward fraught, they usually employ above forty, we not above three in two years.

But in case Forreigners were permitted to inhabit and trade for Fish caught upon the Coasts of England and Scot­land, and to import and export from the Ports of England Salt, French Wines and Brandies, as free as from Hamburg or the Ʋnited Netherlands; let us see if these Trades into the Sound and Muscovy might not be better, and more beneficial­ly carried on from the Ports of England, than either from Hamburg or Holland. Herein I know but of one advantage the Dutch have over us, that is in the Spice-trade, which in this respect is very considerable, that having the sole Trade of it, they can raise or fall the Prices of it, so as to vend the rest of their Commodities cheaper than another Nation which cannot Counterpoise this some other way. But in case the outward vent of Fish, Salt, Wine, and Brandies were as free from the Ports of England as those of the Ʋnited Ne­therlands, we should First have the benefit of our Ports, more, much better, more convenient and safe than theirs. Secondly, We should have the benefit of vending our Manufactures at the best terms, whereby we should have so much more bene­fit than the Dutch, as our Wools and other Principles are better and cheaper than can be had in the Ʋnited Nether­lands, and as men can fare and be maintained cheaper here than there. Thirdly, We may Ballast all the Ships outward fraught with Coals, as occasion serves, cheaper than the Dutch. Fourthly, We can supply the people within the Sound better with Pepper, than the Dutch. Fifthly, We may be may have as much benefit in vending our Sugars and Tobaccoes in this Trade above the Dutch, as the Dutch have in the Spice-trade above us. Sixthly, We have the be­nefit of Trading for Cony-skins, Lead and Tin, which the Dutch have not. So that in case the other Trades into the Sound were as free from the Ports of England as Holland, I see no reason, not withstanding the Dutch Monopoly of the Spice-trade, but we might drive a much greater, and more considerable Trade and Navigation from England: and the reasons are the same in the Trade and Navigation to Mus­covy.

[Page 103] And if the free permission may establish a better Trade and Navigation from England to the North, and North-East, than can be from the Ʋnited Netherlands, so I see no rea­son but if we could vend the Fish caught upon the Coasts of England and Scotland, so well as the Dutch, in France, Spain and Italy, and were permitted to vend our Growths and Manufactures from the next Ports, but we should have a much greater advantage above the Dutch in the South and South-East Trades and Navigation, than in the North and North-East: For without doubt we might under-sell the Dutch in all those Woollen Manufactures they vend in Spain, Italy and Turkie: we have the benefit of compoun­ding Freights with Pepper and Callico's better than they; and if we please, may have as much benefit above them in Ballasting Ships with Coals, and with compounding Freights of Lead, Tin, Leather, Calve-skins, of Sugars, and Cho­coletta, Tobacco's and other products of our Plantations, as the Dutch have over us in their Spice-trade, which takes up but little lading in these Trades and Navigation.

Annot.

This permission will increase Navigation to and from the Ports of England; so will the Returns of these, and expor­ting them again, and so infinitely. And in all these Trades and Navigations, the forrein Trades of our Manufactures and Growths, and Fish caught upon our Coasts, will receive this benefit, that if any part of the World wants any of these Goods, and but in a little measure stand in need of our Goods, these Goods of ours may finde forrein vent, which otherwise would not of themselves pay the charge of the Voyage. This permission also would create a constant Trade and Navigation to and from the Ports of England, whereby the people upon the Coast, and from all parts of England, would finde a constant employment, & infinite other benefits would accrue hereby to the Country and Lands of England, in Victualling Ships, &c. which can neither be foreseen or enumerated.

This King's Duties, and the employment of English Ships and Mariners, are usually opposed to this Permission. But the Opposition is without consideration of the nature of Trade, the King's Revenue, or Navigation: For Trade be­ing a principle to the King's Revenue, and Navigation which depends upon it; both the King's Revenue and Navigation may be infinitely increased, as the forrein Trades of the Nation, or the forrein Trade of other Commodities driven from the Ports of England, are increased. But if men begin at the Consequences, viz. the King's Revenue and Navigation, and Tax Trade higher than it can bear; or restrain it only to such Ships, so that Trade hereby becomes lost, so does the King's Revenue, and the Navigation.

But because of the Importance of it, we will therefore more intently compare the Loss the King shall receive by this Permission, and what will be the damage of our English Navigation and Mariners; and if any be to either, whether it may not be otherways over-ballanced.

Herein I say, that this permission of Forreigners to inhabit [Page 105] and Fish from the Ports of England, and to vend their white Herring in forrein Trade, and to import and export all sorts of forrein Commodities, and make Returns into the Ports of England, will not diminish the Kings Revenue, though they paid no Duties; nor the employment of English Ships and Mariners, for we employ no Shipping or Mariners in it, nor hath the King any Revenue thereby: whereas by it the King's Revenue would be hereby so much increased, as the consumption of Beer, Ale, and all other Exciseable Commodities are more; and our English Mariners, in all outward and inward Voyages, may finde employment. I do not believe (unless it be for French Wines imported and consumed in England) the King's Duties imported and exported out of Harwich-Haven (from whence all the Trade the Dutch drive in the East and North-East, might be better driven, than from all the Ports of the Ʋnited Netherlands) amount to 300 l. per Annum. Nor do we employ one Vessel or Mariner to any part of the World from thence, upon the forrein Trade of Goods imported: Even the Town of Tarmouth (which we so much boast of) is so far from carrying on any Trade upon this account, that, I am told, they cannot supply any part of the World with a piece of Norwich-stuff, though the Navigation between Nor­wich and them be very commodious. Is it not a shame then, that such prodigious Trades and Navigations upon this account should from the other side of the Water be dri­ven from worse and more incommodious Harbours, whilest we employ not one Vessel or Mariner in any of them? And what is affirmed of Yarmouth and Harwich, I believe, is as true of all the other Ports of England, except London. As Harwich is of all others the most opportune and excellent Harbour for the East and North-East parts of Europe; so is Falmouth for the South, South-East, West and South-West parts of the World. I cannot tell what the King's Duties for Goods imported there yearly arise to; nor whether within the Harbour there be any good Towns for reception of Mer­chants, and Storehouses for Goods: But I think I may safe­ly affirm, that in all Christendom is not so healthful and [Page 106] delicate a place for Warehouses and reception of Merchants as Ipswich is: the Town so clean, though an even Level, that after the greatest Rains in the depth of Winter, a man in Slippers may walk the Town over without wetting his Feet: And though Ships of 200 Tun burthen may come up to the Key, yet every Street is watered with the purest and sweetest Water of any place I ever came in. To these may be added, that standing in the Bosome of the most Fertile County of Suffolk, which conjoyns with the no less Fertile County of Essex, it is, or, I am sure might be supplied with all sorts of Provisions by Land equal to any other. And if these two Ports were made free for Importation and Exportation of Goods by all Nations, and the same Revenue continued to the King; and that it were free for all people to inhabit in England, and to Fish, and Trade with Fish into forrein parts, and make Returns into England; I should be content the rest of the Ports of the Nation should enjoy their Priviledges so long as they pleased. The King of Sweden made Gottenburgh free but for seven years, which has made it the most flourishing Town for Trade in the North-East: So did the Duke of Florence Legorne, whereby it excels all other Ports in the Mediterranean; yet neither of these any ways comparable in any respect to Falmouth or Ipswich. But if this cannot be had, I must submit; yet I hope it will not be urged, it will be to the detriment of the King's Revenue, or hinder the English Navigation, or employment of our Mariners.

Another Objection made against the free permission of Forreigners to import Goods, is, that the greatest Returns which the Dutch make from Dantzick, is in Corn; whereby they supply their own necessities; which in case it were im­ported into England, would make a glut here, and bring down the prices of our Lands. To this I answer, First, That the Dutch do not onely hereby supply themselves plen­tifully, so as the prices of Corn are constant and reasonable, and so as whatever happens in other places, they never fear a Famine; but also upon all occasions supply other places with Corn, so as a Famine or scarcity of Corn becomes their en­riching: [Page 107] whereas we are never at any certainty in the prices of our Corn; but if a plentiful year happens, whereby Nature has disburthened her self of more than she can renew the future year, the Tenants are necessitated to vend it abroad at low prices, to pay their Rent; and when the dear year succeeds, it may be we pay double for the same Corn again. And I say also, it is Plenty in all things which makes Cheap­ness; and therefore wherever Corn is plentiful, in propor­tion to the people or Market, it will be cheaper. But in case our Towns in the Mediterrane parts of England were re­plenished with all sorts of Artificers, and the Ports of Eng­land abounded with the Dutch Navigation, the prices of Corn would bear a proportion to the number of Artificers and Mariners, and the means which by their Crafts and Traffick they should be enabled to buy Corn withal: We then should not need to fear the Importation of Corn or Irish Cattle. And I believe it would be a happiness equal to any Temporal, both to the Land-lord and Tenant, to have the prices of Corn constant and reasonable; and that such stores were preserved in all great and Navigable places, so as to prevent a Famine in England, and to supply other places which labour under it. Queen Elizabeth in the first Par­liament of her Reign, permitted the English in any Vessels to import Corn, paying ordinary and but reasonable Du­ties; which Law stands yet in force.

Annot.

By free permission, here, I intend such Duties only, as that Newcastle Coal may, with regard to the goodness of it, be cheaper vended in forrein parts, than Scotch-Coal from the Ports of Scotland; for whilst the Duties of exporting Newcastle-Coal continue so high, Forreigners paying above 16 s. per Chauldron, and the English above 8 s. all Nations, unless it be in working Iron Manufactures, generally take in lading of Coals from Scotland. We glory much, that the Newcastle-Trade, in our home-vent of Coals, above all other Trades, employs our Shipping and Mariners; yet, as has been said, this Employment is to the loss of the Nation, by how much Pitch, Tar, Cordage and Sails are consumed in it: whereas the forrein Trade of it, if free to the English, for ought I know, might employ more Shipping and Mari­ners, and both the outward vent and the Returns may be profitable to the Nation. I am sure the Coals under ground are no benefit to the Nation; nor need we fear, in case the collieries were drained, ever to want Coals to supply our selves or Forreigners. It is true, Forreigners in France, Flanders, Holland, and other places, by this permission might work Iron Manufactures cheaper, by how much cheaper the English should import Newcastle-Coal. But to this I say, that all Nations (except the English, in consuming Wines im­ported) designe some benefit by Goods bought and sold; and therefore in Traffick, men compare the benefits in buy­ing and selling; and it is great Wisdome in any Nation, so to establish Trade and Commerce, that the Nations Traf­fick be improved: and therefore, in case the vending our Coals in forrein Trade, and making Returns, besides the em­ployment of our Shipping and Mariners, be more beneficial to this Nation, than cheaper working Iron Manufactures be prejudicial to it, this Exportation is to be prefer'd.

[Page 109] Another Objection against this permission is, The King's Re­venue will be hereby lessened, by how much the Duties are less. To this I answer, First, That the King's Revenue upon Trade, is a Consequence to Trade; and therefore, if the King's Revenue upon Trade be higher than it can bear, the Trade will be lost, and then necessarily will be the King's Revenue: and that it is the height of the Duties upon Coals exported, which establishes so great a Trade of Coals in Scotland, and makes our forrein vent so inconsiderable. Secondly, This Re­venue upon Newcastle-Coals, in the forrein vent of it, is Far­med; so that though the Duties be very high, yet it may be the King's Revenue is not considerable. Whereas, Thirdly, in case the forrein Duties were reasonable, the greatness of the Trade might much more increase the King's Revenue than as it stands, whenas the greatness of the Duties causes so small a Trade.

To sum up this Discourse, and leave the Progress of so ex­cellent a designe to others, whose insight and abilities are better able to improve the Trade and Navigation of the Na­tion: I say, that in case we should reserve the East Indie, the Turkie Trades, and the Trades to our Plantations, as also the home-vent and forrein Trade of Newcastle-coals, to the Natives of England, and again establish the Trade and Navigation to Ireland, as it was before the Act against Im­portation of Irish Cattle, and permit all Nations to inhabit and Fish from the Ports of England, and import and export freely French Wines, Brandies and Salt from France, and Tim­ber, Pitch and Tar from Norway, and Ruff Hemp and Flax from the Ports within the Sound; I know not of any Trades or Navigation we should be in danger to lose, so as not to employ our Shipping and Mariners, but those to France, Muscovy, and into the Sound. For the Trade and Navigation to Muscovy and into the Sound, by English ships and Mari­ners only, we have examined it in the Annot. upon the 13th Prop. the Coroll. and 14th Prop. of this Treatise, and finde it not only prejudicial to the Trade and Navigation of the Nation, but dangerous to the conserving the Sovereignty of the British Seas to the Crown of England. In the French [Page 110] Trade for Wines and Brandies I observe, that this Trade a­bove all others impoverishes the Nation, not only as we de­bauch and impoverish our selves in drinking all the Wines, good or bad, imported; but also in the Ware and Tare of the Vessels wherein we import them; and the outward freight is with little else than Ballast, and the Returns as well as out­ward Voyage in the most perillous seasons of Navigation of all others, wherein we lose more Shipping and Mariners than in all our other Trades & Navigation besides. Whereas in case we should increase a forrein Trade of Newcastle-coals, and restore the Trade we had to Ireland; both these Trades would be profitable to the Nation in the outward freight, so might the Returns; the Trades and Navigation might be constant, and in the seasonable Times of Navigation: and for ought I know, we might constantly employ double the Sea-men and Mariners in these Trades, to the Mariners and Navigation we employ for French Wines and Brandies in the Moneths of October, November, and December. For the Importation of Salt, I say, it may be one Vessel of Salt may with that Commodity supply a hundred Vessels for the Fishing Trade, &c. And in case Forreigners import Salt cheaper than the English, all these hundred Vessels will have the benefit of it. And whether we ought to prefer the Eng­lish Navigation for one Vessel of Salt, or the Fishery of a hundred Vessels, and the Navigation which depends upon it, I leave to any one to judge. Besides, the cheap Importa­tion of Salt, has not onely an Influence upon the forrein Trade of it, but upon all the Vessels which take in Provisions of Salt-Beef and Pork, &c.

Annot.

This permission will not only secure the Sovereignty of the British Seas to the Crown of England, by how many more Mariners are employed in it, whereby the King upon all oc­casions may have them to help to man his Fleet; but even Colliers ships make very good Men of War, as the Nation found in all the late Wars with the Dutch. But if the in­crease of Mariners and English ships secure the Sovereignty of the British Seas to the Crown of England, then by the Rule of Contraries, the loss of English Shipping and Mari­ners in Trading for French Wines by English, and in Eng­lish-built ships in the dangerous seasons of Navigation, so much more endangers the Sovereignty of the British Seas to the Crown of England, by how many more Mariners and Ships we lose in so fruitless and unnecessary a Navigation.