THere is nothing that is more the interest of the Prince, or Governours; or which conduceth more to the present Prosperity, or future greatness of a Nation, then to incourage the Builders of Houses: And, yet by a general mistake, nothing of late hath been thought more prejudicial and destructive to it; The reason of this great mistake might seem to arise from those two Calamities that fell on this Nation one year after nother (viz.) the Plague, and Fire of London; for by the first, 200000 people dying in one year, the fall of Rents of the Land was occasioned, Corn, Meat, and Wooll, that was want to Feed and Cloath those 200000 persons, now wanting Vent, occasioned the Market to fall, and the price of the Land must follow the Price of its Comodities: By the latter, though not an immediate cause; yet the City being re-built faster then the In­habitants could remove, by reason of Leases and other circum­stances that detained them, the fall and loss of Rent in the Houses was occasioned; and thus the Country and City being both losers, do both (as often losers use to do) lay the fault on their best Friends, and charge there want of Tennants to their Land and Houses on the increase of the New-Buildings in the Suburbs. The first saying, that it drew the People out of the Countrey, and so Depopulated the Countrey: And the latter, that it ruined the City by taking away the Trade of it

But how unjust these two accusation are, will appear by shew­ing the great advantages that New-buildings, and the inlarging of Cities are to a Nation; and by answering the two great Ob­jections, [Page 2]which are, that New-buildings do Impoverish the City, und Depopulate the Countrey; And lastly, by proving, That the true cause of the increase of Buildings, is from the blessing of the Creation, Increase amd Multiply, accompanied with the present Peace, and Prosperity of the Government.

The advantages will appear under these four heads, First, that New-buildings enrich the People, (2.) that they add to the strength of a Nation, (3) that they are the Glory of a Nation, (4.) that they are the advantage of the Prince and Governours, by in­creasing their Revenew and rendring people more easily Governed.

First, it Inricheth the People by increasing the Arts, and Wayes for the People to live on; for the effects of Labour and Art are Riches; no Man can be supposed to imploy his Time and Labour, unless he get by it

Now in all Nations there are above 100 persons that are poor, and have nothing but their labour to pay for their eating to one that is R ch, that is, that have either Land, Moneys, or Goods, for the maintenance of his Life; Now if these poor are not im­ployed, the Nation gets nothing by their eating; and although there are several other ways to imploy them, yet in all Nations there are not enough in proportion to the number of the poor.

Now the imployment and Arts belonging to Building are many; as first of the Bricklayers, Carpenters, Plasterers, Masons, Glasiers. Painters, Smiths, Plummers, and many others; besides great number of day Laborers, that these several Artificers imploy; And all these get a Livelyhood and Profit by their Labour; which otherwise might have been fed by the Parish and Charity of others.

Secondly, in the imployments that New-buildings bring to a Nation, is from the use and consumption of the several materials and the Profits that arise by selling of them, which those several Artists make use of; as the Profit that ariseth from the Earth, to make Brik the Profit that is paid for the Timber, for the Stone, for the Iron, for the Lead, by which a great number of People are imployed as those that belong to the Quarries, Iron-works and Mines, all which are the improvements of the Land, and turn to the advantage of the Countrey Gentlemen.

Thirdly, the imployments from those several Wayes and Arts by which the People are imployed, by the furnishing these New built [Page 3]Houses, by all which half the People of the Nation are imployed, as the Upholsterer, Pewterer, Brafier; and a great many more Trades, and from the Digging and Selling the Minerals and Materials which these several Artists use, by which several hundreds of Fami­lies are maintained, who have all their dependance on Newbuildings.

Fourthly, the imployments that are occasioned by Building are the best that a People can be imployed in, and have the most advanta­gious effects; because it hath this peculiar advantage that the Market is never over stockt with the Goods that are made by the imploy­ing of those hands, which often happens to all other imployments; as in making of Stuff and Cloath, and several other Comodities; by which the Prices of the Goods do so much fall, when there is more made then the consumption of the People or Market can take off, that there is greater loss to those Goods that were made before, then what is gained by the imploying of the hands in making of new; so that then, the Profit by the Labour of the Poor is lost, and it is much the same thing as if their food had been given them gratis: But this never happens in the Build­ing of new Houses; for the Building of New Houses raises the Rent of the Old ones; and that this is true, appears be­cause in the ends and out-parts of all Cities and Towns, Houses are of less value then they are in the middle. Now when Cities and Towns so flourish, that they incourage Builders, so that by the addition of New-buildings those Houses that were before the ends and Out-parts of the City or Town stand nearer to the middle; then the Rents of those Houses rise in proportion as they become nearer to the middle of the Town, and this may be seen if we exam ne the flourishing condition of the City of London, within this forty or fitty years by comparing the several, then ends of the Town with its present condition; As to instance in the Strand. which within this forty or fifty years was the end of the City; but now by the addition of the New-buildings of Covent-Garden, Lincolnes-Iune-Fields, Clare-M [...]rket, and those towards Pickadilly and St. James, the Strand is much rearer the middle of the Town, and the Rents of the Strand since that time are more then doubled, that is a House that was then worth but twenty pounds per Annum, is now worth fifty; And the same may be observed at the other end of the Town without Bishops-gate; [Page 4]For by the addition of New-buildings in Spittle-Fields, those Houses withiout Bishops-gate that were worth twenty pounds per Annum, are now worth thirty; and so likewise at other ends of the Town, where there has been any addition of New-buildings; the like may be observed: That which further proves this, is, that the greater the Towns are, the Rents of the Houses are the dearer; as the Houses in Bristell, Exeter, York, and other great Towns, are dearer then Houses of the same dimentions in the ad­joyning Villages; which could not be, it the number of Houses did occasion the cheapness of them.

The reason that the Rents of Houses rise, is from the increase of Trade; and Trade is increased by the number of Inhabitants. Now the Inhabitants cannot be increased without new Houses be Built.

The fifth consideration of advantage is from the improvement which the Inhabitants or Traders make by living in those New built Houses: And it was this peculiar happiness and advantage which be­longs to the Building and Inlarging of Cities, which made the first Fonuders of Cities of such Renown, and so much Deified of old: For a Company of Men by only living together, are by the exercise of several Arts and Callings, able to Feed and Cloath themselves; which if the same number of Men lived asunder, must starve; or live upon the Charity of others: As for instance, if in a hundred New Houses, there Inhabit a hundred several Trades, (viz.) a Draper, a Hosier, a Millinor, a Shoomaker, a Mealman, a Butcher, a Baker, a Brewer, &c. The Draper serves the whole Ninety nine with Cloath; and for his Cloath he hast Stockings, Gloves, Shooes, Meal, Meat, and all other conveniences. Thus by the Traffick with those Ninety nine, he is Fed, Cloathed, and furnished with all necessaries and conveniences; and so are all the rest Fed and Cloathed, and maintained by the Profit of Exchange one with another. Now if these men had not lived together, they could not have had this Commerce one with another; and ha­ving no other way of living, they must either have starved, or been Fed at the charge of others.

Now that it doth Inrich the Inhabitants and Traders; it doth appear further by the continual increasing of New-buildings: [Page 5]for if the Tennants and Traders did not thrive, and maintain each other by living in these New-built Houses, they could not pay their Rents; and if the Rents were not paid for those already built, it would discourage and totally put a stop to the Building of New Houses; for the Builder lays out his Money inexpectation of an improvement by Rent, end it were a madness to expect Rent for new Houses if there were none paid for those that were before bu [...].

The Sixth great advantage that must be attributed to Cities and New-buildings (for those advantages that are attributed to a City, the same may be to the increasing of it, because the ad­vantage thereby is made the greater) is, that the increasing of the Inhabitants of a City, increaseth the Emulation of the People; and Emulation increaseth Industry; and Industry Riches: There are two great Causes, of Labour and Industry, Necessity for Food and Emulation; The necessity of Hunger makes Men Industrious, but when Hunger is satisfied, Industry is at an end till a new pro­vocation of Hunger makes them work again; and those People that have no other design, but to satisfie that necessity continue always miserably Poor, as it is observed in those that only work from hand to month; for Hunger hath Intervalls, and so hath the Labour for it as the Proverb saith, When the Belly is full the Bones will beat rest. But Emulation provoaks a continued In­dustry, and will not allow no Intervals or be ever satisfied: The Cobler is always indeavouring to live as well as a Shoomaker, and the Shoomaker as well as any in the Parish; so every Neigh­bour and every Artist is indeavouring to out vy each other, and all Men by a perpetual Industry, are strugling to mend their former condition: and thus the People grow rich, which is the great advantage of a Nation: and this benifit ariseth solely from Cities; for in a Countrey Solitude there is little Emulation, for there if a Man be Fed and Cloathed he is a Prince to himself, for there is no body by him that is better Fed and Cloathed.

The Seventh advantage by New-buildings, is that they alter the way of Expence, so that by the same mony expended, a greater number of People are imployed, which is a great benifit to the Na­tion; for those that live in the City, spend more of their Revenew in Cloathes; then those that live in the Country. Now five pounds spent in Cloaths, is of more advantage to the Nation, then [Page 6]twenty pounds spent in Eating and Drinking. In the Countrey the Air is sharp and provoaks hunger and the great end of all M [...]ns Labour there is to satisfie that craving appetite. And the pleasures of a Country life are good Eating and Drinking; but in the City the Air is thicker, and less quantity or Meat sufficeth, and not being so violently pressed by that appetite; their minds are more at leasure to gratifie ambition, which is expressed by Cloathing and furnishing of their Houses, and in use of seve­ral other things that are invented for the Pomp and ease of life. Now he that spends five hundred pounds per Annum, if he lives in the Country he spends four in Eating and Drinking, and but one in Cloaths; whereas if he live in the City, he spends one half of his Revenew in Cloaths and other necessaries for his House; Now for every five pounds that is spent in Cloathing and Furnishing a House, there is above ten persons to one that gets by the expence of the same Money in Meat and Drink: As to in­stance by the making of one Suit of Cloaths how many are main­tained. The Cloathier, the Spinster, Carder, Weaver, Fuller, Dresser, Drapers; for Stockings the Spinster, Knitter, Hosier. For Hats, Hatmaker, Haberdasher. For Shooes, Tanner and Shooma [...]er. For Gloves, Leather-Dresser and Glover. For Linen the Merchant, Linen-Draper and Semstris, besides all those that are concerned for the triming with Ribbans. The Mer­chant for Silk, the Throster, Dier, Weaver, Milliner, and for Silk-Lining Weaver and Mercer, besides the Button-Seller and Button-maker Silk-man and Taylor, and several other attendants or underworkers to those several Trades. But to the feeding of a Man there is but the Grasier, Farmer, Butcher, Mealman, Miller, Molster and Brewer, hence it appears that there is much greater advantage to a Nation, from those that live in the City, then by those that live in the Country.

The Second Arguments for New-buildings and inlarging of Towns, is, that they increase the Strength of a Nation; First, by collecting and preserving the number of Inhabitants together. Secondly, by increasing the number of People, because in Cities and Towns they propagate faster then in the Country.

Number of Subjects is the Strength of a Prince, and Vis unita fortior, is most certainly true; and the greater the City or Town [Page 7]is the more difficult to be taken by an Enemy, provided it is as well Scituated and Fortified as a less.

For when a City is large it will require a vast Army to make the Circumference to Besiege it, besides, by the number of In­habitants they are an Army within themselves, and ready always to defend themselves and oppose their Enemy.

2. The next is, that the people increase faster in Cities and Towns then in the Country, and number is strength. A Sedentary life, good food, and warm cloathing are the great friends to propa­gation; and these are the advantages of a City life; Men that live in Cities use not their bodies to so much labour as Country imploy­ments require. And then the imployments of the Brain is better paid, for then the labour of the Body, and by being better paid they are better fed. The day Laborer hath but eighteen pencea day, when Handicraft Trades-men, as Carpenters, Bricklayers, and the like have half a Crown, others five Shillings, ten shillings a day, as the mysterie is greater, and upon this account by ha­ving better pay; they that live in the Cities are better cloathed and warmer Housed. By this means there Bodies are not so much exposed to the inconveniencies of weather, for too much heat or cold, do either too much exhaust or chill the Protifick Spirit; and that is the reason that all Creatures that live wild, do propa­gate in the Spring, or fall, when the Air is molt temporate; and Creatures that are kept tame, as Pigeons and Rabbets do pro­pagate oftener then wilde, because they are better fed, less in motion, and not so much exposed to the inconveniences of weather.

The third Argument for inlarging of Cities is, that great Cities are the Glory and reputation of a Nation; the Fame and Renown of a City gives Credit and Reputation to the Citizens. A man that is born in a great City, hath more Credit by it a­mong Forreigners, then to be born of an Ancient Family; for the former is more known to them then the latter. When Rome was in its greatness, it was accounted a very great Honour to be born a Citizen of Rome; and the greatest favour their Friends and Allies desired, was to be Free of their City.

Now Credit and Reputation are great advantages, in that they Facilitate Commerce, by enabling the people to buy Goods [Page 8]upon Credit, by which they readily comply with every altera­tion of the Market, and manage their Trades with lest Stock; so that by some quick returns of the Marker, they may some­times pay their Creditors with the return made by his own Goods.

Another advantage the greatness of the City brings to its Inhabitants is, that it invites many strangers and travellers to see it, who spend their money in it; and are generally the best sort of Customers: how great a profit doth arise from this curious humour of seeing of Rarities is best known to the Inhabitants of Italy, some Towns there having no other subsistence then from such Guests.

The fourth argument for new Buildings and inlarging of Towns and Cities is, from the advantage they bring to the Prince and Governours by increasing the Prince's Revenue, and render­ing the People more easily governed: The People that live in Cities are more easily governed, because mens estates that live in Cities are in Trade lying dispersed in several mens hands, which when ever there is any disturbance in the Government are more in danger of being lost, then if they were in-land, therefore the peace and quiet of Government is more the Interest of Citi­zens then of those that live in the Country.

Secondly Cities are generally under the care of a particular Go­vernour, whose Preferment by the Government ingages him to a watchful performance of his Trust: The presence of the Governous doth easily prevent those disturbances, which were they at distance might often ruine the Government: by this Policy the Ottaman Power governs such vast Dominions, laying the Country desolate; and driving all the People into Cities and Towns.

Secondly, His Majesties Revenues are increased, as,

First, by the duty of Hearth-money, 2ly, by the Customs that are paid for Timber, Boards, and Wainscoat, and Lastly by increasing of Trade in general, by which His Majesties Customs are now doubled within Forty years. For the People that live in Cities are served with Commodities from other places, the Duties that are put upon these Commodities raise a great Revenue, and they are under a necessity of paying before they have their Goods, which if the People were dispersed and did not live in Cities, no such Duty could be collected.

The objections against the increase of Buildings are, First, that they ruine the Trade of the City, and thereby impoverishes it; and will in short time depopulate it.

The Second is, that they depopulate the Country by drawing the Gentry and Commonalty into those new Buildings, and thereby is occasioned the great fall of Rents in the Country.

These are two great charges and the Builders were great offenders for doing so much mischief both to City and Country, were what s objected true; But this Charge is so far from truth that the contrary, is most true, for if new Building were supprest it would certainly lessen the Trade of the City, and occasion the fall of Rents in the Country, and be the sole cause of preventing the greatness of the City, and future prosperity of the whole Nation.

And First to make it appear, that new Buildings in the Suburbs do not take away the Trade of the City.

The Trade of the City is either Whole-sail or Retail, now first that it doth not lessen the Whole-sail Trade of the City is plain, for the Merchants and Whole-sail Trades who deal in great quan­tities of Commodities, are unwilling to divide their Goods into small parcels, and therefore their Customers are the Retailers: now the increase of Buyers wheresoever they live is the advan­tage of the Seller, therefore the increase of Retailers wheresoever they live is the advantage of the Merchant, and Whole-sail Trader, it being the same thing to them whether their Customers live in the Suburbs or Citie, so they pay them for their Goods; for all Retailers wherever they live must come into the City to buy of the Merchant or Whole-sale Trades, for in the City is the Staple of all Goods, and it will and must continue there unless London Bridge be removed, and the River made navigable; hence it appears that neither the Merchant nor Whole-sail Trades suffer any prejudice by the increase of Trade and new Buildings in the Suburbs.

Secondly, the Retail Trader receives no loss by the increase of new Buildings in the Suburbs, or at least no other loss then what is ocasion'd by setting up of his Apprentice; for those that did at first set up a retail trade in the Suburbs, must be suppos'd to have serv'd their times in the City, for the Suburbs are but the Swarm of the City, [Page 10]So they that have since set up, have either served theirs in the City, or with a Master that did serve in the City, for no man can be sup­posed to venture on a Trade he hath no skill in, so that the Tra­ders of the Suburbs were the Apprentices of the City: now it must not be reckoned a disadvantage to the Master, that his servant should set up the trade for which he paid a consideration to learn; but if it were, it is much the less if his servant set up in the suburbs then if he should take a Shop in the City, because the greater the distance he is from his Master, the less prejudice he will do by in­tercepting his Masters Customers; therefore none will suppose that the Retailers of the City have any reason to complain of the new Buildings in the Suburbs upon this account, because it only afforded an oportunity to their Apprentices to set up; for the Re­tailers cannot drive their Trades without Shops to shew their Commodities, and if there were no more new Buildings and no Trades to be but in the City, then the Apprentices that are to come out of their times, must stay till either their Masters die or break, or by being grown very rich give over, and these things happen so seldom and the Apprentices grow out of their time so fast, that not one half of them could have places to set up in; for it must follow that every year the seventh or eighth part of the City must die, break, or give over, and no man must continue longer to trade then seven or eight years, or else when the City is once full; there can be no room for the Apprentices to set up in, if they should all have an intention so to do, by this means after their friends have given a considerable sum of money with them for to learn a Trade, and they having been Servants for seven years, they would be in a worse condition then before, not only by the loss of time in which they might have learnt some other way to live, but being bred so long in the softness of a City life, they are now become unfit for the labour of the Country; and therefore this must not be supposed of Citizens that they having taken money with their Apprentices, to learn them their Trade should complain of a prejudice from new Buildings in the Suburbs, because otherwise a great number of their Apprentices would have been under an impossibility of ever having a place to set up in: But it will plainly appear that the Citizens have no reason to complain: Such is the happiness and advantage which [Page 11]attends new Buildings in the Suburbs, that they do not lessen the Trade of the City but increase it.

And that this is de facto true, appears, because the Rents of the houses in the City have risen with the increase of the Suburbs: Now the Rents of Houses couldnot increase, if the Trade did not, but must have decreas'd if the Trade had: For the value of a House, especially for a Retail Trader is increased, as the Tenant may be supposed to have an increase of Trade by living in it. Now the Rents of the Shops and Houses in the City, though they are fallen since the Fire, are yet increased within an hun­dred years to treble the value; An House that was then worth but Twenty pounds per Annum, is now worth Threescore, and this will appear to be so to any that will examine the old Leases then, with this present time, which sheweth that the Trade hath increased in proportion. Now this must be occasioned by the increase of the Houses in the Suburbs, for the City was then full of Inhabitants, and could have no augmentation of Trade from its own Inhabitants; that the City was then full, ap­pears by the Bills of Mortality, which are a good calculation of the number of people; for the number that died in it every year for 40 years together, was much about the same (ex­cepting years of great Mortality) which may be computed to be about 2500 one year with another, varying an hundred or two as the years proved more or less sickly: For in the years 1608, 1609, 1610. there died in the City 2391, 2494, 2326. And the years 1648, 1649, 1650. there died in the City 2480, 2864, 2301. Though in the same space of time, the general Bills of Mortality were increased above 2000, as in the years 1608, 1609, 610. the general Bills were 6758, 7545, 7486. And in the years 1648, 1649, 1650. the Bills were 9283, 10499, 8749. But because about the year 1650. several great Houses in the City were built into Tenements; as the Bishop of Londons and others, thereby increasing the Inhabitants, the Bills of Mortality were raised to be about 3000. and so continued for every year after, which plainly shews that the City was full, and that the raising the Rents in the City must be from the New-buildings in the Suburbs. And the reason is, because the Builders, Traders and Inhabitants of New-houses, bring more Trade to the City then the New-traders in the Suburbs take away, That is, the Trade [Page 12]that is oocasioned by the Expences of the Carpenters, Brick­layers, Plasterers and other Artificers; the Trade by the Se ling of the Materials, as Timber, Brick, Iron, Lead, &c. The Trade by the Inhabitants and Traders in these New-houses, together with the Improvements that the several Landlords make; all which do very much increase the Trade of the City; for what­soever Improvements are made, turns to the Increase of Trade; For he that is worth five hundred Pounds, spends more in Cloth and Diet and other necessaries, then he did when he was worth but one hundred. And it will further appear, that New-buildings cannot ruine the Trade of the City, by the Re-building and Re-inhabiting of the City: For if the Objection had been true, the greatest part of the City had still layen in its Ashes: For had it been probable that Trade would not return to the City, but it might have been detained by the New-buildings without, it had discouraged men from New-building the City. Yet notwith­standing the fear it was under of removeal, and the great ad­vantage the out parts had by entertaining it, and the difficulty there is to remove a Retail Trade from a place (most people re­membring more the place, then the Man) and the great en­crease of Buildings in the Suburbs ever since the Fire, yet the City hath gradually Increased, as may be observed by the Bills of Mortality, and the Trade is in a manner returned; and now the City hath almost the number of its Ancient greatness, for the last years Bill, which was no Sickly year, was 2817. which wants not much of 3000. being the usual number before the Fire. By all which it appears that the City suffereth no prejudice, but receives an advantage from the Increase of Building.

The other Objection is, that it depopulates the Countrey, and this has as little in it as the former.

The Inhabitants of the Country are either Gentrey, Yeomen, or Farmer, and Grasier, or Plough-men, and Laborers, or else Workers of Wool and other Artificers.

Now if New-buildings did drain and depopulate the Countrey, of any of those Inhabitants that are the Managers and Workers of the product of the Land, then it would necessarily follow, there would be less made of the Countrey Comodities; and so conse­quently it would appear that Corn and Cattel, Wool, Cloath, [Page 13]and all other of the Countrey Manufactures, would grow scarce and also dear; for dearness doth always accompany scarcity, for the value of all Comodities ariseth from the occasion and necessi­ty there is of them; but the contrary of this is true, for there was never a greater plenty of Corn and Cattel of England, Wool, and all other Manufactures then at this time, and they were never cheaper, so that there is more made then the consumption and occasion can take off; therefore there is not wanting Inha­bitants in the Country to manage, and work up the produce of it, so that New-buildings do not drain the Countrey of those In­habitants. And as for the Gentry, there is no reason they should be confined to the Countrey, for if the fall of Rents be occa­sioned by their coming to Town; the occasion of that loss comes from themselves, and therefore the Builders not to be blamed; but the fall of Rents in the Countrey, cannot be from the Gentries coming to live in the Suburbs, with others that cannot get im­ployment in the Countrey; for if there are enough left in the Countrey to manage, and work up the product of the Countrey, then there can be no less, for the People must be Fed and Cloathed where ever they live; besides, by the Gentries and others com­ing to Town; the way of their consumption is altred as was ob­served before, whereby a greater number of people are imployed in the Countrey by the Gentries living in the City. For though their may be some Towns in the Countrey, wherein there may be several Houses stand empty, and the Towns almost forsaken for want of Inhabitants; yet this doth not imploy that the New-buildings in the Suburbs, do draw any of those Inhabitants away, for if the Houses themselves, had any power to attract; they would preserve their own Inhabitanss; but poor People remove because their way of Lively-hood is removed, as it happens to those Towns where the Sea hath forsaken them, and to others where the Manufactures are removed; and therefore the builders are not to be blamed for providing any of these People an imploy­ment, which otherwise must have starved, or been fed by Charity.

Now the charge of the Carriage of the Provisions and other necessaries, does not fall upon the Countrey, but the Inhabitants of the City; for if there were no more of the product of the Coun­trey, then would be every year consumed; the Inhabitants of the [Page 14]City being under a necessity of having it, because they can't live without it, would be forced to pay very dear for the fetching of it; and this is evident for Corn, and all other Victuals is alwayes dearer at London then in the Countrey; and therefore the fall of Rents in the Countrey must be ascribed to some other Cause, then New-buildings about London. That which must be the cause is, that the product of the Country, is greater then the Consumption; that is, that there is more Corn, Wool and other Commodities of the Countrey, then the People can dispose of; which makes Plenty, and Plenty makes things Cheap; now the value of the Land must fall in proportion to the value of the Goods that are procured from it; that which hath occasioned it, is, that the improvements in the Conntrey, are greater then the increase of People.

The improvement of the Countrey are many, as the drawing of Fenns, the sowing of Sanfoyn and other Seeds, the disparking of Parks, the inclosing of Forrests; by which there are increases of Rents made, that do equall the fall of Rents of those Counties where the improvement is made, by all which wayes, Corn, Hay, Wool, and other Manufactures, are more plentifully stored then heretofore; now there is not an increase of the People in pro­portion. First, because of the great Plague in which the Nation lost 200000 Souls; and Secondly, the going away of the People to New Plantations, and to improve Ireland.

The Remidies against the fall of Rents in the Countrey, were first an Act of Parliament to bring down Interest to four per Cent. Secondl, an Act for general Naturallisation. By the first, the loss of Rents would be recompenced; for if the Land in England be fallen a Fifth. That which was Twenty Pounds per Annum, is worth now but sixteen: And if sixteen Pound per Annum to be sold, would yeild as much Money as Twenty, there would be no loss: Which it would do, because four hundred Pounds can bring in but sixteen per Annum at four per Cent which would be sooner given for sixteen Pounds per Annum in Land, then it will be now given for twenty per annum. Money being now at six per Cent, because we lose one per Cent, by purchasiing at 20 years purchase. By the second, the future fall of Lands would be prevented, because by a general Act of Naturallization, For­reigners would be invited to live here, and the Increase of Peo­ple [Page 15]would occasion a consumption of the Product of Land in pro­portion to the Improvements.

The true cause of the Increase of New-buildings, is from the blessing of the Creation, increass and multiply accompanied with the Peace and prosperity of the Government.

That the people do increase by the ordinary course of Nature, and that there is more born then dye, I shall not need Argument to prove, to those that believe the Scripture; the History of the Creation, and of Noahs flood: For otherwise it had been im­possible for the World to have been peopled. For though the Creator of the World was pleased to add long life to the Anti-diluvian Patriarchs, for the more speedy peopling of the World, it being computed to be but sixteen hundred and odd years be­tween the Creation and the Deluge, yet it was but a reasonable advantage, for in so short space of time, from the off spring of two persons, the World was very well peopled; yet after the Flood we do not read of such long life, but the World is again repeopled by Noah and his Off-spring from the natural increase of more being born then dye, so that in the space of little more then sive thousand yeats, as is generally computed since the the Flood, we by experience find a vast number of people in all parts of the known World, notwithstanding those extraordinary destructions of mankind that have been and are still made by Wars and Plague; and besides the great hindrances and designes against the blessing of the Creation, the Propa­gation of mankind that are practiz'd by the Turck and the Pope. The first by Castrating of the Male, the later by Claustring of vast numbers both of Male and Female, and forbidding Mar­riage to the whole Tribe of the Clergy, by which the encrease of a vast number of people are prevented, which later designe hath been a severer Judgement against the race of mankind in those places where it hath been Practiz'd, then either the Sword or Plague, which we may a little guess at if we consider what a numerous Off-spring came frome Abraham by Isaac in the space of about 400 years; which was to the time the Children of Israel went out of Egypt, which were 60305 men from 20 years old and upwards, besides Women, Children; which if so great an encrease came from the Off-spring of one person, what might [Page 16]have been produced from the vast number of Claustered persons, since the first time of that imposition: For the promise to Abra­ham that his Seed should be as the sand of the Sea, did imploy, that he should have Issue, and that it should be lasting, and con­tinue on the earth, rather then any, extraordinary and more then natural encrease from that Issue: For we do not read that the Jewish women had more Children, or that the men were longer lived then those of other Nations. And the Clergy of o­ther Nations have showne themselves as prolifick, where they have allowed themselves Marrriadge as other people.

That this matter of fact is true, that there are more born then die. Mr. Grants in his observations on the Bills of Mortality, hath undoubtedly proved. And the reason why the Bills of Lon­don do not shew the encrease of Christnings, is because the Dis­senters to the Church of England, do not Register their Christ­nings, whereas all that dye are Registred; for before the Dis­senters did increase, the Christnings did exceed the Burialls, as in the year 1604. the Burialls were but 5219. Whereas the Christnings were 5458. and almost every year for sometime after shewed an increase of Christnings; but as Dissenters increased, the Bills altered, as it appears after in the years 1658, and 1659. the Burrials were 14993, 15756. and the Ceristnings but 6170, 5690. Now it can never be supposed that there was no more borne in those years then there was fifty old years before, seeing the people are encreased above double the number, as it appears by the Bills, for none of the years are sickly; so that it is very evi­dent that people do encrease. By what proportion they increase Mr. Grant hath likewise observed, by which he Calculated, that the Inhabitants within the Bills of Mortality doubled in eighty years, and those in the Countrey in two hundred and eighty.

But if we take the calculation nearer, we shall find that the people within the Bills of Mortality, have almost doubled in less then thirty years; for in the years 1648 and 1649, the Bills of Morta­lity were 9223, 10499 and in the years 1676, 1677, they were 18733, 19067. by which it appears that the numbers are almost doubled, nor is this increase so great, as what Mr. Grant hath observed by the Bills of Mortality of Amsterdam; for that in seven years, viz. from 1617 to 1624, there were Christned [Page 17]52537, and there died in the same time but 32532; so that the Christnings did exceed the Burials 20005. Now if we allow three in one hundred eccording to Mr. Grant Computation; and allow 9000 to be the Increase of the Burials from the year 1650 to 1677; Then the Increase of the Inhabitants of London, will be since that time 300000. Now it is not to be imagined that these 300000 could have continued together, if New Houses had not been built to receive them: for Houses are Hives, and without new ones the swarm would be lost, and the People would remove to some part of the World.

That the People cannot Increase their number without Increase of Houses is evident, by which hath been observed from the Bills of Mortallity of London; for that in the space of forty years to­gether. The number was about 2500 till some Houses were built into Tenements, and after thar the Bills were about 3000.

The truth of this is yet further confirmed by the observation of the effects, that the restraining and discouraging of Builders have had upon the Nation; First, from that Act that was made in 35 of Q. Eliz. to suppress New-buildings; and Secondly, from the Act made in the late Usurper Olivers days, to charge new Foundations, the effects of both which were, that the People as fast as they did Increase, were forced to some other parts of the World for want of Houses, and the imployments that are occa­sioned from them, and the profit that would have risen to the Nation from their labour and consumption was lost; First, for by that Act of Parliament made in 55. of Q. Eliz. days, although it was but a Probationary Act to continue till the next Session of Parliament; yet it had that influence to discourage, and restrain the Builders: that after it was expired, no man durst Build with­out a License, and the Parliament being sensible of the great pre­judice, the suppression of Building was to a Nation; did adress to His late Majesty on that behalf, as appears by my Lord Cooks Reports: Now the prejudice was very visible, for that the number of Inhabitants within the Bill of Mortallity, did not Increase so much in the space of thirty years, as they did in the next seven years; when there was free liberty to build; for in the years 1618, 1619 and 1620, the Bills of Mortallity were 9590, 7999, 9694, and in the years 1648, 1649, and 1650, they were 9283, 10949, [Page 18]9749. So that the Increase of these 30 years were not a thousand, now in the year 1655, and 1657, the Burials were 11548, 13915, 12430, by wich it appears, that in these next seven years the Bills were increased two thousand: now it cannot be supposed but that the People did propagate as often in those 30 years, as did in the next seven years after; and therefore it must follow, that for want of Houses and imployment thereby, the People did remove to some other part of the World as fast as they Increased: Now the num­ber of those that then removed, were not less then 300000 if the Computation be made fiom the Increase of the Burials of the next thirty years, as we obseved before; and there is no other reason to the contrary, except that of resiraning of Builders. And that the People did go out of the Land is plain, for in those 30 years six Plantations were begun (to wit.) New England, Virgina, Maryland, Barbadoes, St. Christopherus, and Bermudos, in which Plantation of New-England, some compute near an hundred thousand Families; how great an advantage, so great a number of People which are in all these Plantations would have been to the Nation, and what little profit they now yield, is apparent to every man that considers.

Secondly, the same ill consequences may be observed from that Act of Parliament, made in the late Usurper Olivers days, to charge new Foundations; which did so discourage and ruine so many Builders; that for seven years together, while the memory and fears of that Act did continue, there were no New Buildings, and the increase of the People were again driven away for want of Habitations and imploy, as appears by the Bills of Mortallity; for in the years 1656 and 1657 about which time the Act was made, the Bills were 13915, 12430, and in the years 1662 and 1663, the Bills wer 13652, 12732. About which time the Buil­ders began to be Incouraged as appears, for that St. James-Market Place, and some other part of the Town, began to be then built. So that in this space of time, there appears no Increase, though in the same space of time a little before; the Bills were Increased 2000 as we did observe; and in the next space of time after, the Bills were Increased above 3000. For in the years 1671, 1672, the Bills were 18230, 17504, which showes plainly, that the People were necessitated to remove into other parts of the world, [Page 19]for want of Imployments and Habitations; and this appears to be true, for that great Island of Jamaica, was Planted at that time.

And that the cheif cause of the begining and growth of these Plantation, was from the suppressing and discouraging of the Builders; (though some are of opinion, but they were occasioned by the Laws against Dissenters from the Church of England) is very manifest; because, if the putting those Laws in Execution, had been the Cause, there would have been as great Plantations began since; for within these 15 or 16 years, severer Laws have been made against the Dissernters, then any that were in force in those times; and yet because these hath been a liberty to Builders, no new Plantation hath since thriven: whereas, on the contra­ry in Oliver the late Usurpers days, though there was then liberty of Conscience, the great Plantation of Jamaica did then succeed.

Another ill consequence of this Act made to charge new Foun­dations was, that it occasioned the Rents of the land in the Country to fall.

For the number of people that were driven away in this space of these seven years, were about 100000. if the Calculation be made from the 3000. increase of the Burialls in the next seven years after.

Now the loss of those 100000. people, with the loss of the 200000. that died of the Plague in two or three years after, was the occasion of that suddain fall of Rents of Land in the Countrey, as appears plainly, for 300000 people are a twentieth part of the whole Nation, allowing six Millions of People in England and Wales, according to Mr. Grants Calculation, so that if the Land did yeild every year as much as did feed and maintaine the whole number, then the Rents of the Land must fall twelve pence in the Pound to allow for the loss of those Goods which the twentieth part of the Nation did before consume. And because this twelve pence in the Pound was not equally divided, some Land fell a fourth and fifth to make the proportion of those that did not fail.

Thus I have shewed, that the people do increase, and that they cannot be preserved together, unless they are imployed in Build­ing. Romulus therefore began his Government with the founda­tion of a City, and the States of Holland have followed the same example, to lay the foundations of the future greatness of their Go­vernment, having twice thrown down the Walls of their Ca­pital [Page 20]City, and at the publick charge made their Graffs and Streets to encourage the Builders; and the same method have all the rest of their Cities followed, outbiding one another in their offers of Priviledges for the inlarging of them, and it hath succeeded accor­dingly for within the last fourscore years, since they cal'd themselves Poor Distressed States, that Government, is thrice as Rich, Strong and great as they were before. Now, if the Building and enlarging of a City be of so great an advantage. If the employing of the poor makes a Nation Rich, if number of People make it Strong, if a great City be the Glory of a Nation; if it renders a people more easily governed, and encreases the Princes Revenue; and if it be impossible for a Nation to be either Rich, Strong or Great, without encrease of Buildings: If all this be true, that the Builders are such publick Benefactors to a Nation, it will be thought very severe that they should receive a particular punishment for doing so much good.