Reflections upon the East-Indy and Royal African Companies with animadversions, concerning the naturalizing of foreigners / by Roger Coke.

REFLECTIONS UPON THE EAST-INDY AND Royal AFRICAN COMPANIES.

WITH Animadverſions, concerning the Naturalization of Foreigners.

By ROGER COKE, Eſquire.

LONDON, Printed in the Year, 1695.

CHAP. 1. Reflections upon the Eaſt-Indy COMPANY.

MOnopolies are the moſt wicked, tyrannical and injurious Uſurpations over other Men, and the greateſt Violations of the Law of Nature, of any other, and are ſo much worſe than Robbery, by how much the Quality of them is worſe, and the Extent farther. A Monopoly, is the arrogating a Power of Working or Trading, by one Man, or Company of Men, excluſive to all other: Here conſider, that all Men are born naked, and the generality of Mankind have nothing but their Labour, Induſtry and Ingenuity (I do not mean undue Craft and Deceit) to Feed, Cloath and Provide themſelves an Habitation with; and therefore for one Man, or Company of Men, to impoſe upon all others beſides themſelves, a Negative of not Working or Trading, infinitely reſolves into all others, who, if this Reſtriction had not been, might have not only ſubſiſted in theſe Trades and Imployments, but alſo have enlarged and improved them by their Induſtry and Ingenuity; for all Arts are infinitely improvable, and one Man in the preſent Time, and another in future Generations, may proceed further in any Art than was known or underſtood in former Ages, which will be loſt, if this Man ſhall be Excluded from having any benefit of it, or be puniſhed for working in it.

If one Man, or Company of Men, rob another, or more Men, this extends no farther than the Loſs of what theſe were robbed, which it may be is eaſily Repairable: But for any Man, or Company of Men, to arrogate to themſelves a Power of Robbing all others in thoſe Imployments, which they Aſcribe to themſelves, for ever Ruins multitudes of Men and Families, which might have been imployed in them: And let any Prince conſider the conſequence of Granting Monopolies to his Subjects; for if any of his Subjects, which might have been imployed, if the Imployments and Trades had been free, ſhall, to ſupply their Neceſſities, Steal or Beg; the ſame Prince hangs and puniſhes theſe poor People for not Working, when before he had given others a Power to puniſh them, in caſe they did Work.

Nor are theſe Monopolies leſs impolitick than wicked and injurious; for the greateſt Benefit which any Country or Kingdom enjoys, is by the Imployment of the Inhabitants, which being reſtrained to a few, the reſidue become a Burden to that Country to maintain them, and theſe alſo become dangerous to that Country for want of Imployment: From whence it follows, that they muſt either ſeek unlawful Means to ſubſiſt, or flee into other Countries to get Subſiſtance there, which was denied them here, and this will be in double proportion, as much to the Benefit of that Country, as a Loſs to this. Beſides, Monopolies, I ſay, are injurious to the reſt of the Inhabitants of the Kingdom and Country within, and to the Vent of the foreign Trade of them; for by their Reſtraint, the Inhabitants ſhall pay dearer for worſe Commodities, than if the Trade were free; and being dearer and worſe than in other Countries, enables the Inhabitants of thoſe Countries to vend theſe in foreign Parts, whilſt theſe are neceſſitated to be conſumed at Home.

Objection.

If any finds out a new Invention beneficial to the Country, in any Myſtery (which he could not have done, in caſe he had been reſtrained from working in it) the King, by Act of Parliament, may grant him the ſole uſe of it for 14 Years.

Anſwer.

But then where there is no Myſtery for the benefit of the Subject found out, the King can grant no Patent, or Monopoly for any other, or the Law had been in vain, if the King could have granted ſuch Patent without it.

'Tis true, that it is great Wiſdom in any King and State, to give all due Encouragement for improving any Art or Myſtery beneficial for the Country; but this of Granting a Patent for the ſole Uſe of it for Fourteen Years, is of all other the worſt, and will be of little Uſe to the Country; whilſt the Inhabitants of other Countries, will have manifoldly more Advantages by it: For when this Myſtery ſhall be practiſed, it will neceſſarily be known to others, beſides the firſt Projectors, and ſo cannot be contained in the limits of that Country; and when this ſhall be known in other Countries, where the Working it ſhall be free, this will be ſo much cheaper Wrought and Vended, than where it is more reſtrained; and therefore I have heard that the Dutch (who are Wiſe in their Generation) will give Noble Rewards to any who ſhall find out any New beneficial Myſtery, but then they will permit the Uſe of it to be free.

King James the Firſt, in the firſt Year of his Reign, viz. May 7. 1603, iſſues out a Proclamation, calling in ſeveral Monopolies; and in his Speech at the opening the firſt Parliament of his Reign, exclaimed mightily againſt them; and in the ſecond Year made Peace with Spain, whereby the Engliſh ſolely (the Dutch then being at War with Spain) enjoyed a more beneficial and enriching Trade than any other.

But the King had no ſooner made this Peace notwithſtanding his Proclamation and Speech in Parliament, but he Incorporated the Spaniſh Trade excluſive to others; which the Wiſdom of Parliament, in that celebrated Law 3. Jac. c. 6. made free for theſe Reaſons.

1. For that Trade is a Nationall Intereſt, and the Support of the Nation, is to be upon a Publick Account; and therefore the Incorporating the Spaniſh Trade, to a few, enfeebled the Publick Support of the Nation.

2. It would ruine infinite Numbers of Artificers, whoſe Labours would be maintained, if the Trade ſhould be free, which could not be if it were reſtrained to a few, and theſe would have a Prerogative of giving what Prizes they pleaſed unto poor Artificers, otherwiſe they ſhould not be imployed.

3. The Incorporating this Trade, would reſtrain the Navigation of the Nation; to the manifold ruin of many mariners, which otherwiſe might be imployed in it, and alſo multitudes of Ship-wrights, and Ship-Carpenters, which may be imployed in it.

4. The Incorporating this Company, would cauſe a Dearneſs upon all ſorts of Commodities returned in this Trade, the Corporation being hereby enabled to ſet what Prizes they pleaſed upon them, otherwiſe none could be had.

5. The Incorporating this Trade, would ſo much more leſſen the King's Revenues by Cuſtoms, as the Trade hereby ſhould be diminiſhed; and all theſe Reaſons are as ſtrong againſt all other Companies which trade excluſive to other men, whether it be to Hamburg, Muſcovey, or to the Countries and Kingdoms within the Sound, as in the Spaniſh Trade; and, I ſay, it was this moſt beneficial Law which has enabled this Nation to continue the Spaniſh Trade to this day, whilſt it hath loſt thoſe.

And if this King were ſo looſe of his Royal Word, almoſt ſo ſoon as he made it, it cannot be doubted, but that he will be more conſtant of it afterward; for in the Parliament, in the Eighteenth Year of his Reign, no leſs than 37 Monopolies were Voted Grievances, and damned; and as the Father laid the Foundation, ſo his Son built upon it; for in the Year 1640. when King Charles marched to York againſt the Scots, who then had Invaded England, upon the the Complaint of the Northern Gentry, he recalled by Proclamation thirty one Monopolies; and then declared he did not know how Greivous they were to his ſubjects, becauſe he was Governed by ſuch (I cannot ſay) Counſels, that no man durſt before complain of them.

From Monopolies granted by theſe two Kings, we proceed to that of Oliver Cromwel, in his erecting this now Eaſt-Indy Company, An. 1657. to Trade to the Eaſt Indies, excluſive to all others of the Nation; but before a further view be taken of this Patent, its fit to ſee the Extent of it, under the Title of the Eaſt Indies, and if I miſtake in it, it is in the power of the Company to correct me.

Their Patent extends from Cape Bon Sperance, to the North of China, taking in the Eaſtern Coaſt of Aſia, with the Eaſtern Coaſt of China; together with all the Iſlands which lie between the Cape of Good Hope, and the North of China, which I ſay is more, if you compute the Coaſt on both ſides of the Red Sea, and the Gulph of Perſia, than half the circumference of the Globe of the Earth; and that their Power may be as unlimited, as the Extent of their Dominion, they doubly impoſe an Oath upon every Member, to be true to the Company: How Oliver was endued with ſuch a Prerogative, needs not be diſputed, becauſe he would have his Will to be Law; but I do not find any King of England, ever aſſumed ſuch a Power, nor any other, but the Convocation, which impoſed the Oath Ex Officio, without Conſent in Parliament, An. 1640.

However Oliver would, in his Zeal, have the Pope to be Anti-Chriſt in exalting himſelf above God, and in diſpoſing the Kingdoms upon Earth, wherein the Pope and he were Simeon and Levy; but herein the Pope and he differed: The Pope would have all his own Tribe to Partake of his Bleſſings; whereas Oliver, by this Patent, excluded all the reſt of the Engliſh Nation in this Trade, but permitted the Dutch, French, Portugueſe, Hamburgers, &c. to Trade in it, It may be, becauſe he could not help it; yet I do not find he, or his Company, ever made War upon them for ſo doing, though his Company has upon the reſt of the Engliſh Nation, and that with ſuch Barbarity, as was never Practiſed, by Turks, Jews, or any other Infidels upon them; Its too long to recite them here, this Parliament has heard thereof ſufficiently; and are particularly ſet forth by Mr. White, in his Account of the Trade to the Eaſt Indies.

But though the Company have not been pleaſed to make War upon any other Nation but the Engliſh, for Trading to the Eaſt Indies; yet they were pleaſed to make War, without any Declaration, or Cauſe, upon the King of Syam, and the Mogull; and rob the Mogul's Subjects to carry on the War, as Mr. White Obſerves, and whileſt the Company have thus rent themſelves from the reſt of the Engliſh Nation, they patiently ſubmit to the Dutch in forcing Poloroon from them, cauſed by their own neglect and avarice; from which the Dutch are become the ſole Proprietors in the Spice Trade; and alſo from the Trade to Bantam for Pepper, whereby they are forced to Trade for it to the moſt unhealthful parts of Sumatra, (which Queen Elizabeth forbid) whereby we loſe more Engliſh Men than the Trade is worth, which is little regarded by this Company; and whileſt they are making their Cauſeleſs Wars, upon the King of Syam and the Mogul they permit the Sophy of Perſia, whoſe Predeceſſor An. 1621. granted the Engliſh the half Duties of all Nations, Trading into the Gulph of Perſia; and which in the year 1672 came to 80000 l. per An. (I would know by what Right this Company Claim theſe) to reduce them to 3000 l. per An. And is it not ſtrange this Company ſhould exclude the reſt of the Nation from trading to the Eaſt Indies, becauſe of the Charges of their Forts; and yet for 15 years receive more from the Sophy of Perſia, than the value of the Stock they traded thither with.

For the further Frauds which this Company exerciſes over the reſt of the Nation, in the Returns of Commodities from the Eaſt Indies; and how being a Monopoly in the whole, they Monopolize the Sales by private Contract among themſelves, to the farther Grievance of the Subject. I referr the Reader to Mr. White's Account of the Eaſt Indy Trade, too long to be here inſerted.

CHAP. II. Reflections upon the Royal African COMPANY.

AS Oliver eſtabliſhed this preſent Eaſt Indy Company, and excluded the reſt of the Nation from trading into that half of the World, which the Company call the Eaſt Indies; So King Charles the 2 d. erected this preſent African Company, excluding all others of the Engliſh Nation from trading to Africa, from the Country of Suſa, to the Cape of Good-Hope; ſo that if you take the extent of this part of the Coaſt of Africk, its little leſs than a Quadrant of the Globe, being above 80 Degrees; ſo that the prerogative which theſe two Companies claim againſt the reſt of their fellow Subjects in theſe two Trades, extend to two thirds of the circumference of the Globe of the earth, and herein both are at peace with all the world beſides, and only in a ſtate of War with the reſt of their fellow Subjects, in Caſe any of them preſume to trade to either. Here let's ſee firſt the Conſequences of this Reſtraint, upon the Nation in the foreign vent of our domeſtick manufactures: Secondly, in reference to our American Plantations; and Thirdly, in reference to the returns, which this Company imports into England from that part of Africa, wherein they Trade,

I am not ſure of the Companies Patent for this Trade, they know better, nor will I take notice how far the export of our woollen manufactures have been reſtrained in other Countries of England, I ſhall only take notice of it from the County of Suffolk: Before this African Company was Incorporated, the Cloathiers in Suffolk yearly vended 25000 Cloths to Africa, but about two years after this Company were Incorporated, the Clothiers in Suffolk, as they did before, endeavoured to have vented their Cloths in the African Trade, but they were not permitted, and the Company would take off but 500, and thoſe at ſcarce half the Prizes they were ſold before: Hereupon both the Great Inqueſt of Suffolk (the Guildalle, and the Franchiſe of Bury) at their next Aſſizes, preſented this as a Grievance; and Imployed Sir Jervais Elvais (who is now Knight of the ſhire for Suffolk) and ſome others, to repreſent this to the King and Council; but the Duke of York being preſident of this Company, no Redreſs could be had; and ſo the Caſe now ſtands at this day. So it is ſubmitted to the Wiſdom of Parliament, whether this Exaction by this Company, be not the ruine of many Multitudes of Poor Engliſh Artificers; and gives the Imployment in them, as well as Navigation to Africk with theſe, to the Dutch and other Nations.

I am aſſured that this Company (and the Parliament may Inquire into the Truth of it) after it was Erected, carried it ſo that the Planters in our American Plantations, were not permitted to Buy Negroes but of the Company, and the Planters muſt buy only ſuch as the Company would ſell, and at the Price of 30 l. per Cent. more than they did before; ſo this is ſubmitted to judgment, whether this will not reſolve into a dearneſs of all the Products of our American Plantations, and thereby enable both the French and Dutch, who are Competitors with us in theſe Trades, to the Endangering the Loſs of them, ſo far as either French or Dutch ſhall carry on Theirs in Competition with us.

The Returns into England from Africk are principally Gold-duſt, which is ſo much leſs as the reſtraint by the Company is more. Elephant's Teeth and Bees-wax I ſay nothing of Bees-wax, but I ſay the Company raiſed the price of Elephant's Teeth ſo high, that the Dutch could bring them in cheaper, and ſo work the Manufactures of them cheapor than the poor Engliſh could work them; and this being a Manufacture of Holland, the Dutch by the Act of Navigation may Import them.

Hereupon ſeveral of our Artificers in Ivory, for ſeveral Years, I'll name two of them, Mr. Jole in the Old Baily, and Mr. Tanner in Colemanſtreet, were neceſſitated to go into Holland, and work them there, and then bring the Manufactures into England; and whether this be not a grievous tyranny of this Company over multitudes of poor Artiſicers in Ivory, is ſubmitted to Judgment: Yet this, as well as the Eaſt Indy Company, have the Confidence to petition the Parliament, to have this abominable Tyrannies over the reſt of their fellow Subjects, to be Eſtabliſhed by a Law.

As theſe two Companies are Simeon and Levi in their Wickedneſſes over the reſt of their fellow Subjects, in the Exerciſe of their Dominion, ſo are their Pretences the ſame for their ſo doing, viz.

Firſt, That theſe Trades cannot be managed but by a Joint Stock, to the excluding the reſt of the Engliſh Nation, which is a Lye diametrically to their Practice; for then Interlopers could not Trade in either, which, above all others, they perſecute, by ſeizing their Ships and Cargoes, and Impriſoning their Perſons; and its Well they eſcape ſo.

The Second is, That they are at great Charges in erecting Forts, for ſecuring theſe Trades: If they have any ſuch Forts, as the Eaſt Indy, the Fort of St. George, and another at Bombay, for which they pay Ten Pounds a Year to the Crown; yet I fear the African Company have not the ſame Plea, now the French took from them their Fort this laſt Summer, at one of the Mouths of Gambo; but the Fort St. George, and that at Bombay are of no uſe in the Indian Trade, being quite out of the way; and if they be of uſe to the Company, is this a Reaſon that no Engliſh but themſelves ſhall Trade to near half the known World. The Zealanders have built a Fort, in the Scheld called Lillo, whereby they reſtrain all other Nations, but the Dutch, from Trading to Flanders and Brabant, &c. Yet ſure it would be a ſtrange Impudence in the Zealanders, to forbid the reſt of the Inhabitants of the United Netherlands to Trade to any part of the World, becauſe they have erected a Fort in the Scheld called Lillo; yet they may do this, as well as theſe Companies forbid all the other Engliſh to Trade to Africk and the Eaſt Indies, becauſe one Company has Fort St. George, and the other a Fort at one of the Mouths of Gambo.

But there is a difference between the Zealanders and theſe Companies; for they permit the other Dutch to Trade up the Scheld, and reſtrain Foreigners; whereas theſe Companies permit Foreigners to Trade in the Eaſt Indies and Africk, and only forbid the Engliſh, upon pretence of their Forts. And ſure it is juſt with God, that theſe Companies which have thus Rent themſelves from the reſt of the Nation, and inſult over their fellow Subjects, ſhould themſelves be Subject to the Inſults and Injuries of the French and Dutch, without any reaſonable Proſpect of relief from this Nation, ſo treated by them.

CHAP. III. Of the State of the Nation, in reference to the Law againſt Foreigners enjoying the Liberties of the Natives of England.

THe Glory and Majeſty of every Kingdom and Country is founded in the Number of People, and the well Ordering and Governing of them: So that as the Loſs of any of the Subjects, is a Diminution of the Grandeur and Strength of that Country, ſo is the Addition of more Subjects, an Encreaſe of both; and therefore it is not the greatneſs of the Extent of a Country which makes it formidable, but the Number, and well Governing of the People: So that though the Kingdoms in Spain, Subject to the now King, be one hundred fold greater than the United Netherlands; yet theſe are five fold more formidable by Sea and Land than all thoſe Kingdoms in Spain, wherein they cannot Raiſe an Army to defend Catalonia againſt Thirty Thouſand French.

And as the Strength and Grandeur of every Country is founded in the Number of the Inhabitants, ſo is the Riches and Trade of it, for every Man s Neceſſities is ſupplied by Trade; ſo that though men be poor, and maintained by the Loſs of Particulars, yet in the whole, Trade is encreaſed by it, yet more or leſs, as Men live more or leſs in Society and Converſation; and therefore wherever People are thin, or few, they are poor, lazy, rude, and of little uſe to the Publick, yet a publick Charge: As in Spain, it may be the Inhabitants are tenfold more than in Holland; yet by Reaſon of the vaſtneſs of Spain, the Inhabitants are few and thin in proportion to it, ſo as all the Wealth of the Weſt-Indies cannot ſupport the burden of Maintaining them; whereas in Holland, where the People are numerous, and daily converſant in Buſineſs, every Man is a benefit to the Country, as well by Strength and Trade.

We have formerly compared the State of Spain and England, from not unlike Cauſes; for as Spain's Expelling the more, and the Inhabitants excurſion into the Weſt-Indies has exhauſted the Inhabitance of Spain, and the Inquiſition debarred it of a Supply; ſo hath the Peopling our American Plantations, and the repeopling Ireland ſince the Maſſacre, and late Wars, ſo much diſpeopled England, as the Peopling them hath been more; and the Law againſt Naturalizing Foreigners as a greater bar for a Supply, than the Inquiſition in Spain.

As the Law againſt Naturalizing Foreigners, debars the Nation from a Supply for the exhauſting the Nation in peopling Ireland, and our American Plantations; ſo the Priviledges of Corporations, exclude all the reſt of the Nation, but the Freemen, from Trading in them; whereby theſe Men Ignorant of their own Intereſt, from the poor Eſtate they are thereby reduced to, daily decline to worſe, whereby it becomes impoſſible to encreaſe the Strength and Trade in them beyond the power of theſe men in them.

To ſupply this Defect, the Commons in the third Weſtminſter-Parliament, the 3d. of December, 1680. Gave Liberty to bring in a Bill for a General Naturalization of all Alien Proteſtants, and allowing them Liberty to Exerciſe their Trades in all Corporations. So did the Commons laſt Seſſion: And is not there as much Reaſon all Native Engliſh ſhould have the ſame Liberty?

But why muſt this Liberty be permitted only to Proteſtant Artificers and Traders? For my part, I underſtand but little Benefit can accrue to the Nation by it, now the French King has expelled theſe out of France; for as the Caſe ſtands, Holland, Flanders and France are the places from whence we can expect any benefit by this Liberty: In Holland, Artificers and Traders are as free, as they can expect to be in England; but in Flanders, though they be an induſtrious and honeſt ſort of People, yet they are all Popiſh, and I am confident, if they might enjoy the exerciſe of their Religion in England, multitudes of them would ſeek an Aſilum here, to be freed from the Inſults they are always ſubject to from the French; and its not unlike, but Multitudes would free from the Tyranny and Oppreſſions of the French in their New Conqueſts, if they might uſe their Religion here.

The Engliſh pretend to love Engliſh-men above all others, and it becomes them ſo to do; but in our practiſe, this Love is both partial and unreaſonable; I ſay, it is partial by the Freemen in Corporations, excluding the reſt of their fellow Subjects from working and Trading in them, which is a prime Cauſe of their Poverty; and I ſay, it is unreaſonable to exclude Foreigners from being a Supply for thoſe ſent out of England, into our American Plantations and Ireland: Suppoſe a Man is ſo in love with his Family that he will not imploy any other in managing his Farm whereby half of it lies waſt; Is it not unreaſonable that he will not imploy none of his Neighbours to help him to improve it to the beſt Advantage; or if by Fire or Rapine he cannot by his Family preſerve his Houſe or Goods, yet would it not be prudence in him in ſuch Caſe to make uſe of his Neighbours? Is not the Caſe ours? Have not the French and Dutch upon the matter got from us all the Fiſheries upon the Coaſts of England and Scotland, to Iſeland, Weſtmony, Greenland, and the Newfoundland; and are our poor Port-towns, by excluding the Natives and all other, in a Condition to Oppoſe them herein, much leſs to retrieve theſe Fiſheries from them?

Suppoſe any one of theſe Corporations ſhould loſe one half, more or leſs, of their Ships and Freight, Would not this be ſo much a Loſs and Weakning to it? Convert the Propoſition, and admit like number of others Ships and Freight, ſhould ſet Up and Trade in that Corporation, Would not this be as much an Enriching and Strengthing to it? And therefore if in this Conjunture of time if it pleaſe God ſo to bleſs his Majeſtys Arms, that the French could not, or without great hazard, trade in the Newfoundland Fiſhery, and to Green-land; and the French might more ſurely manage theſe Fiſheries from our Ports, whereby many of the French ſhould buy fiſh from our Ports, would be as much a ſtrengthing and Inriching to this Nation, as it would be an impoveriſhing and weakning to the French.

If we ſhould permit Foreigners to purchaſe Lands in England, the Nation without any hazard would get ſo much Treaſure, as the Purchaſemoney is more, which had it not before, and retain the Lands ſtill, which it had before; and be ſo much more ſtrengthened as the Purchaſers are more; whereas a Merchant in acquiring Wealth, runs hazards of being Undone and gets no new Inhabitants.

Ambitious Princes venter their own Dominions to acquire New by War, and that by Oppreſſion, Rapine, Murder, Deſolation, and making Men miſerable; whereas by permitting Foreigners the Freedom of Engliſh Native, we Conquer without a War, run no hazard, and Enrich and ſtrengthen the nation; and all this in double proportion; for ſo much as the Nation hereby gains, and is ſtrengthned, ſo much are thoſe, which may be Enemies to us, impoveriſhed and weakned. Xenophon, in Cyropoedia, Says, That by reaſon of the Goodneſs and juſtice of Cyrus his Reign many nations became Subject to him, and was Cyrus the leſs Great and Glorious by it? why then ſhould this Law debar ſhe Nation the benefit which it might enjoy by Naturalizing Foreigners, whereby the Nation would be ſo much more enriched and ſtrengthened, as this Admiſſion of theſe Foreigners ſhall be more.

Objection.

If we ſhould admit popiſh Foreigners the Freedom of Engliſh-Men, it might endanger the Peace of our Church and State.

Anſwer.

For my Part, if I thought ſo, I would never Plead for it; for I do as much abhor the popiſh Superſtition, as any Man, and am as fearfull of the Uſurpation which the Pope Arrogates over princes, and the Conſciences of Men; yet I apprehend no danger of either, by permitting popiſh Artificers to work and trade in England, as well as Holland: For it is one thing for popiſh Prieſts and Jeſuits to make it their buſineſs to pervert Men to their Sentiments; and another thing for poor People to make it their buſineſs how to Subſiſt, which will take up their whole time; eſpecially where they are in a ſtrange place, and ſtrangers to the People, unleſs by accident in their Dealings for their ſupport, and alſo to the Language of the People where they live: I would know what inconvenience has followed from permitting Brewer in the Year One Thouſand Six hundred and ſixty ſeven, and his Followers, which were all Papiſts, to inſtruct our Natives in making and Dying Fine Cloths; and in all the Tumults and Wars in the late times, after the Year One Thouſand Six hundred and forty, let any ſhew any one Inſtance wherein the Walloons, or their Deſcendents, planted in London Norwich, Canterbury and Colcheſter, Contributed to either of them, however they had been provoked thereto by the Biſhops Laud and Wren. Beſides if theſe Men cannot be prevailed upon in their Perſons to alter their Sentiments in their Religion, their Poſterity may, if our Churchmen will make it their buſineſs.

Can any man believe that all Sciences and Arts, or the improvement of them is circumſcribed within our Engliſh Pale; or would it become us, as the Romans and Grecians did, to eſteem all the World beſides to be barbarous? Or is any Science or Art leſs valuable becauſe found out or improved by a Foreigner? Was Thucidides Hiſtory of the Peloponeſian War, or Plutarch, Livy, or Th ••••… 's Hiſtories &c. or Euclid's Elements leſs valuable becauſe written by Foreigners? Or was Chriſtianity leſs valuable, becauſe it was planted by Foreigners? And I ſay, next after Spiritual Benefits, the honeſt Imployment of Poor People, is it the greateſt Benefit to any Nation: And I ſubmit it to Judgment, whether Religion may not be better improved upon Men in honeſt Callings, than upon idle Perſons who ſubſiſt by Pilfering, Begging, Stealand Pining.

Edward the Third was the moſt Generous and Nobleſt Prince of the Norman Race, and did not he, notwithſtanding the Law againſt Naturalizing Foreigners, and againſt his own Profit, introduce the Walloons, who inſtructed the Natives in making Woollen Manufactures? And is this benefit leſs valuable to the Engliſh Nation, becauſe it was introduced by Foreigners.

After Kett's Rebellion in Norfolk, the City of Norwich became almoſt deſolate; and in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's Reign, it was often debated in Council, whether it ſhould be demoliſhed, as being a Receptacle of vagrant and idle Perſons, and ſo dangerous to the Government. But Queen Elizabeth (the moſt Noble Princeſs of the Britiſh Race) when the Rage of Alva's Perſecution, drove numbers of the Flemins into England, Planted them chiefly in Norwich and Colcheſter, who inſtructed the Natives in making Norwich Stuffs, and Colcheſter Bays, and are not theſe above all Places in the World become the moſt famous hereby? Or are the Benefits leſs valuable, becauſe the Natives were firſt inſtructed in them by Foreigners; So King Charles the 2d (as is ſaid before) entertained in the year One Thouſand ſix hundred and Sixty ſeven, Brewer and his followers, who inſtructed our natives in making and Dying Fine Cloths, Thirty Pounds per Cent: cheaper and better than before; and is this improvement leſs valuable, becauſe the natives were inſtructed in it by Foreigners? I dare ſay at this day above an Hundred Thouſand people (Men, Women and Children) are imployed in ſilk weaving and ſilk throwing in and about London and Canterbury, which was firſt taught by Foreigners, are theſe therefore leſs valuable? And is not the famous Engineer Sir Martin Beckman, a Brandenburger? or are the benefits the Nation now enjoys by him leſs valuable, becauſe he is a Foreigner? or would the benefits which the Nation may reap by Foreginers inſtructing our natives how to Cure white Herrings, Pilchards and Codfiſh be leſs valuable, if they were inſtructed in them by Foreign people &c.

CONCLUSION.

IF I have but Superficially, yet to the beſt of my Ability, diſcourſed in this little Treatiſe, ſo that the end deſigned by it, be not ſo Manifeſt, but that a better and more intelligent Perſon may make it more; yet it may be a Ground-work for another to do it better; I am ſure the Deſign is Noble the end being the Publick's Good.

I was the rather induced to this Undertaking, becauſe the Circumſtances of the Nation, as the Caſe ſtands, render it very difficult to have the State of it truely repreſented: For the Nobility, Gentry, Clergy and Lawyers, whoſe Intereſt it is to have the Nation and Trade of it encreaſed, whereby the value of the Lands of it, would be ſo proportionably; do not make it their buſineſs to enquire into it; and our Engliſh Merchants who underſtand it to be the Intereſt of the Nation to enlarge the Trades of it, yet their Intereſt, eſpecially thoſe which trade by excluding the reſt of the Nation, is to continue the Trades of England, as they now ſtand; for thereby they take off the Manufactures of the poor Natives at what prizes they pleaſe, and no more then they pleaſe, whereby the Artificers in them, are not only reduced to Poverty in Working, but cannot be further imployed than theſe Merchants pleaſe: And alſo impoſe what prizes they pleaſe upon the Natives in their Returns.

In Holland the Intereſt of the States, is founded in their Trades; and they are generally Merchants which underſtand it, and ſit all the year round, and ſo no Grievances ariſe in Trade, but they take notice of them, and Redreſs them.

Whereas our Parliaments for near eighty years together, have either rarely met, whereby Grievances have been ſo multiplied and fixed, and ſo many intereſted in them, that the body of the Parliament has been Diſtempered thereby, not only in electing Members, but in their Seſſions; ſo that as the humour of the Times were, Parliaments were continued for near twenty years together, and at other times diſcontinued above half as long; but its hoped theſe will be prevented in time to come, and then the Parliament will be at more leiſure, and in a better Temper, truely to confider the State of the Nation, in reference to what has been beforeſaid.

Nota Bene.

HEre I make an end of theſe three Heads, and what I have offered, if I miſtake not very much, carries its own light with it, and is enough to convince the Unprejudiced: If any think themſelves aggrieved or injured hereby, let them object, and expoſe themſelves, as I have done, and I ſhall either make my Rejoynder, or Comply with their Sentiments: But for the further ſatisfaction of thoſe that are well-wiſhers to their Native Country, and would have it flouriſh in Trade and Navigation, without which it cannot long continue, the Figure it makes at preſent in the world, but muſt daily fall from bad to worſe; I may ſhortly advance ſomething they may approve of, as conducing for the benefit of it, by way of Reply to Sir Francis Brewſter's late Book, Entituled, Eſſays of Trade and Navigation.

FINIS