1. IT taketh away the NATIVE LIBERTY of every man; in the principal commodity of the NATION: It being the birthright of every man to be alike free to transport, that, or any o­ther Comodity, into what parts beyond the seas seemeth most advantagious unto him.

2. It abridgeth the FREEDOME, of every FREEMAN of the CITY of LONDON, every Freeman by the Charter of the City being free to transport, or import any Commodity, not prohibited by Law.

3. It tendeth to the discouragement of CLOTHIERS, whose markets and sale of their clothes, are restrained to a few Mer­chants, (in comparison of what they would be if trade were free) and who, by their orders, and times of shipping (shipping together in one or two ships) have power to use the Clothiers (especially the younger, and inferiour traders) how they please to worke them into necessities, and so to what rates and con­ditions they will, and in conclusion, quite weary them out of all trade.

4. It tendeth to the discouragement, and impoverishing of all WEAVERS, CLOTHIERS and DYERS, in that the oppressions, and necessities of the Clothier, fall upon the Weavers, Cloth-workers, and all whom they imploy: also the Mercharts being but few, employ few workemen, and use such as they doe employ at their pleasure; and wherein also the Wool-masters are not a little concerned.

5. It tendeth to the abatement of Merchants:

• (1) because they take but few Apprentices:
• (2) because they take such onely, whose friends give great summes of money with them; and are provided of great stocks, who having served their times, more like unto Gentlemen then according to the anci­ent, provident, discipline of Apprentices of London, finding the [Page]Companies Orders to be scanty in allowances of trade to young men, and their freedome in respect of Oathes, and Stints, and Brokes, to be indeed but as a bondage, many of them en­gage not at all in trade, but live upon usury, or spend their times in unprositable wayes.

6. It keepeth downe and oppresseth the inferior Members of the Corporation:

• (1) Because the old, and great traders, are allowed the largists Stints, or to transport the greater number of clothes, whereby they have the greater command over the Clothier, and all workmen.
• (2) Because a great part of the trade is driven by cloth of knowne marks much desired beyond the seas; all which the great traders get into their hands, and will sell them some­times for losse rather then an inferior trader shall sell them to profit, if at any time he get them, which is almost a thing im­possible.
• (3) The inferior trader with his small portion, meane­ly qualified, is neverthelesse constrained to pay the same im­positions to the Company, the same Custome to the State, to ship when the great traders shippeth; to stay untill the great traders great quantities are up; if he happen to be the last (as having need to lengthen out the time upon which he buy­eth most of his goods) he is many times shut out, and then no remedy till next shipping without incurring great brokes.
• (4) When his small parcell is come to the Mart townes, he must shew his goods, only when the great ones shew theirs; if they cannot give the same time upon sale, or at the same rates (though they have little choise of known ware to invite) their goods will be blowne upon, and their time will eat them out; if they doe sell at the same rate of profit per cent. they sell so little, that it amounts to nothing; whilst the other sells so much, so speedily, hath so much command of moneyes at low rates (Chamber Money) that at low profit per cent. in a short time he gets to an Aldermans estate, whilst the others are worne to nothing; and yet upon a pretence, both of profit and honour, he must not carry his goods from the Mart towne, though indeed it be as bad in point of honour, whether the English Nation, or the staple commodity, English cloth, or English Merchants be considered, there being not more pelting, and abject fawning in Birching [Page]Lane after Customers, then is commonly used by Merchants in humoring their buyers, and grocers in Roterdam; and nothing but snarling, and backbiting, circumvention, partiality and in­justice, to be found in their judiciall proceedings, either there, at Hamborow, or London: By all which it followeth, the Com­pany tendeth to make some few men extreame rich, to breed prodi­gall servants, leading a dance of pride and prodigality, to all o­ther tradesmens servants, as their Masters do unto other trades­men, striving who shall exceede in fashions, diet, housing, and housholdstuffe, in so much as a common Citizen is (in these times) more like a Noble man or Gentleman, and the ancient moderation of the City quite lost, whereas were trade free there would be in lieu of these few rich men, a multitude of plaineable traders, that upon publicke occasions of State, would from a plen­tifull hand fill the publike treasury, and that freely too, their in­terest being common freedome, subsisting by the lawfull protection of the Commons of England; whilft the others, out of their great estates, disburse sparingly, disputingly, if not grumblingly: And no marvell, for their interest is Prerogative, subsisting by Arbitrary and purchased grants, not by lawfull authority, which is easily discerned by their fines, for when by their wealth, and the folly of the choosers, they are any of them, put into any Of­fice of trust, or Magistracy, they ever favour those that adhere all to Arbitrary Government, and discourage and discountenance such as adhere to common freedome, and equall Government; and (if throughly sought into) this will be found the principall spring & Originall of the late Rmonestrance, called by some The Cities Remonstrance; and of the perverse disputing spirit that hath lately appeared towards the House of Commons; such a chain of mischiefes necessarily depend upon this one evill in trade.

7. It tendeth to the deshonour of God, and the wounding of consci­ence by the commonnesse of unreasonable Oathes, and the too too lamentable and frequent breach of them.

8. It tendeth to the destruction of Clothing in this Nation,

• (1) Be­cause through the discouragements aforesaid, many Clothi­ers and other workmen have forsaken the Land, and set up Cloth-making in divers parts beyond the seas.
• (2) Because the trade of cloth being confined to one or two Mart townes onely, and [Page]not disperst into every haven and creeke (as it would be were it free) there is an un [...]served liberty taken to bring into the Ne­therlands great quantities of our English wools, and Fullers earth; the great Merchants in their Mart townes nothing at all re­garding it, whereby cloth in these times, and of late is made in abundance, and if not well looked unto, in time, will utterly ex­haust the woollen, or clothing trade quite from us; and it will ne­be so well looked unto, by any Law or provision, as by the dis­persing of the Trade into every place (which freedome will occa­sion) where every trader for his own profit, and livelihood, will be necessitated to looke to it, and by all meanes to restraine it.

9. It tendeth to the discouragement of Seamen.

• (1) By restrai­ning them from dealing in any woollen commodities for their owne accounts though never so little.
• (2) In that they make very few voyages in the yeare, and make use of none but such as will submit to their Orders.

10. It tendeth to the vexation of most of the good Townes beyond the seas, and to alienate their hearts from the English, taking great offence and scorne, that for the English cloth they must be com­pelled to fetch what they use, onely from one Towne in their owne Country, at great charge and trouble, which otherwise would be brought home to them, and every towne might have an equall share of the benefit of the entertainment and expences of English Merchants. And for this cause also, they chuse to make use of the cloth that is made in their own Country, rather then to submit to such inconveniences.

11. It much alienateth the hearts of a numerous people, both in Cities and all Countries from the PARLIAMENT, being much grieved that their knowne liberties of trade wherein they are so univer­sally concerned, should from time to time be bought and sold for money, and that they could never yet obtaine a compleat remedy therein, though often and earnestly Petitioned for; whereas were this trade once set absolutely free, the joy of the people in generall, both Sea-men and Land-men, would be ex­cessive, and their thankfulnesse so great that they would think nothing too precious to be spent in defence of that authority that should shew so much regard unto their welfare and hap­pinesse.