THE Restraint of wearing Silks, and Stuffs made of Mohair Yarn manufactured in England, will necessarily impoverish and depopulate the Nation, there being no Trades in England that imploy so many People as those relating to the Manufa­cturing of Silk and Hair; for upon the most modest computation they are judg­ed to be above Three hundred thousand Souls Weavers, Throwsters, Windsters; Dyers, and other Dependents thereupon, that do subsist thereby, and that have no other way of Livelyhood; and a great part of these have served seven years Apprentiship to their several Trades, according to the Laws of this Nation, (which makes their Trades a Freehold and Inheritance) and have Families depend upon them. Now if by Law there should be any Restraint of wearing English made Silks and Hair Stuffs for any part of the Year, they would be deprived of their said Freehold and Inheritance, and must of necessity not only be impove­rished, but want bread in one year, nay the greatest part of them in one Months time, they having nothing but from hand to mouth, and what they get by their daily Labour to supply their daily Wants; and consequently the greatest part of them must be necessitated in a short time either to take rude and desperate courses, or transport themselves into Foreign Parts to get their Bread; there being no other Imployment (either Handicraft or others) that can receive one fourth part of so great a Number, considering that the Old and Young are hereby imployed, and cannot otherwise, but be chargable to the places of their Abode.

If it be objected, that this Restraint is intended but for five Months in the Year, and therefore cannot have such dismal Effects as are before mentioned: For Answer it is said, That these five Months Restraint of wearing them will take off the Imployment of the Ma­nufacturers thereof eight Months in the Year, and in little time amount to little less than a total Prohibition of them; for that the persons that wear English made Silks and Hair Stuffs are generally of the best Quality, and all of them either Leaders or Followers of the newest Modes and Fashions, and therefore it cannot be supposed that they will buy Silk Garments to lay by them all the Winter to wear in Spring, for that then newer Modes and Fashions will come in, and there cannot be allowed less (one with another) than three or four Months for them to wear out a Silk Garment: So that take the five Months in the Year wherein they are not to be worn at all, and the three or four Months before, which must be allowed for the wearing of those they have already bought, there will not remain above three or four Months at most for the Manufacturers to sell their Silks and Stuffs; which amounts to little less than a total Prohibition, for this reason, for that the Merchants either cannot, or at least will not, give credit to the Weaver or Throwster the Year round; and if they should, yet is there not one Weaver or Throwster in a thousand, that is able to supply their Workmen and Windsters with Money so long time, without Returns of Money for their Commodities, So that it is manifest notwithstanding this Objection, the forementioned mischiefs of Poverty and Depopulation must ensue upon it.

And if it be objected, That it is not intended to restrain the wear of Stuffs made of Mohair Yarn, commonly called Chamlets, or other Stuffs, whereof the Woof or Warp shall be of Mohair Yarn; This must be acknowledged to be so, but withall, these Chamlets and Stuffs are limitted to be used for Cloaks and Coats for Men only, which do not work up the fourth Part of the Mohair Yarns imported, nor do they imploy one sixth Part of the Hands that Mohair Yarns would imploy; for it is to be noted, that the several Commodities here­after named, viz.

• Barratines
• Prunella's
• Crispiana's
• Tamaleta's
• Calamantoes
• Mohairs
• Farrendines
• Morella's

and divers other Stuffs are made up of three Parts of Mohair Yarn, and but one Part of Silk; and these are chiefly for the use of Women and Children in the Winter season who are not allowed to wear the same.

That as this will impoverish the Manufacturers of Silk and Hair Stuffs, so it will also dimi­nish the consumption of Wooll, and impoverish the Manufacturers thereof, and consequent­ly cause yet a greater Depopulation of the Nation.

Because the greatest part of our Cloths and Stuffs made here of English Wooll are trans­ported beyond the Seas, and chiefly to Turky; in exchange whereof the Merchants bring raw Silks and Mohair Yarn, which sets so many thousand people to work again; and if the Consumption of Silk and Hair be abated in England, as it must needs be by the Restraint of the Wear thereof, the Exportation of Cloth must needs abate proportionably thereunto, for that there is little other Commodities proper for England to be had there in exchange for our Cloths; so that whereas the Turky Company in particular have of late exported twenty five or thirty thousand Cloths in a Year, they may be reduced to ten or twelve thousand, and by degrees to little or nothing; and consequently there will be eighteen or twenty thousand Cloths lie on the Clothiers hands in one Year more than they can vend; and that there will be such an Abatement in the Exportation of English Cloths, if English made Silks and Hair Stuffs be not allowed to be worn five Moneths in the Year, will appear not onely from the former Argument, that there are little other Commodities to exchange in Turky for them but Silk and Hair; but also because the Winter Season, wherein these Silks and Stuffs are prohibited to be worn, is the chief time for the Consumption of Silk and Hair Stuffs, for that the richest Silks and Stuffs are worn in that season, and is the principal time for the Consump­tion of them. And if this be true, (as most certain it is) that this will cause so great an Abate­ment in the Exportation of our Cloths made of English Wooll, what miserable Poverty and Desolation will it bring upon the Manufacturers of the Staple Commodity of this Nation, and in little time force them also to transport themselves to Forein Parts, to the great Depo­pulation, Dishonour, and Danger of the Nation; for hereby there will not be People suffici­ent to eat up the Corn, nor strength to defend the Nation.

If it be objected, That the enjoyning the wearing of Woollen Manufacture five Months in the Year, will answer the Consumption of Wooll that is abated in the Exportations: It is answered, That it had need exceed it three times over; for that the making 60000 Cloths in a Year more than now is, will not set so many people at work, as the other will throw out of work; and if it could be supposed that there would be vent for so many more, it is presumed there would not be found Wooll enough to make them, it being now somewhat a scarce Commodity, and raised in price a third part to what it was some years past. So that indeed at this time there is no just cause to complain of the want of Consumption of Wooll, it being a good scarce and ready money Commodity; but that the Restraint of Silk and Hair Stuffs, and the enjoyning the Wear of Woollen, will neither increase the Consumption of it to such a degree, nor yet answerable to the Abatement of the Exportation of it by 15 or 20000 Clothes per annum, is proved thus; because the Nobility, Gentry, and better sort of Trades­men, will not wear our course Cloths made of English Wooll onely, but fine Dutch Cloth, and Cloth made of Spanish Wooll, which in some of the finest Cloths have not above five or six pounds of English Wooll in a whole Cloth, as the Makers of fine Cloths will acknow­ledge; so that little English Wooll will be consumed by them that use to wear Silks and Stuffs, and on the other hand the poor Manufacturers both of Woollen, Silk, and Hair, they general­ly wear our course Cloths and Stuffs made all of English Wooll, and these being either impo­verished hereby that they cannot cloath themselves but with Rags, or be forc'd beyond the Seas, must necessarily cause a far less Consumption of our English Wooll. For it cannot be supposed that the expence of English Wooll in fine Cloths, can answer to the loss of that expence which is now worn by these poor Creatures. So that indeed the expence of English Wooll will by this means be abated in England not onely so much, but much more than what the Abatements of the Exportations of our Woollen Manufactures amount unto, by means of such a Restraint of the one, and enjoyning the other.

That by Restraint of the Wear of any part of Silk, the Consumption of Wooll must needs be lessen'd, for that the several Stuffs hereafter mentioned, viz.

• Bombazines
• Anthorines
• Silk Sayes
• Crape
• Silk Masquerades
• Stript Cheneys
• Virgins Beauty
• Drafts of all sorts
• Druggets of all sorts
• Silk Calamantoes
• Silk Gloriosa's of all sorts
• Silk Shades
• Worsted Barratines
• Glassamines
• Katherina's
• Tameenes
• Estameenes
• Effegenes

and all or most of Norwich Stuffs, with great numbers of other Stuffs, too many to be here inserted, having but one part of Silk in them, and nine parts of Worsted, which is our Eng­lish Sheeps Wooll, which through the Ingenuity of the Weavers and others concern'd therein, are made very acceptable for the use and wearing of divers persons in the Winter Season; yet because of that little part of Silk in them, cannot then be worn in Apparel, to the lessening [Page 3] the Consumption of Wooll, and to the taking away the chief part of the Trade and Imploy­ment of many thousand persons.

This Injunction of the one, and Restraint of the other, will much depress the Protestant, and advance the Papal Interest, not only in England, but throughout Europe; and were it not but that by the unanimous Votes of this present Protestant Parliament, wherein (to the chearing of English Hearts) they have manifested so much zeal for the Protestant Interest and the Rights and Privileges of Englishmen, it would cause great suspicion of ill designs; for there is nothing more conducing to the destruction of the Protestant Religion, and the ad­vancement of Popery, than the disuniting of the Hearts and Affections of the English people, who are generally Protestants, and the best sort of Protestants. And this the Jesuits have not been wanting by all means to effect, and there is nothing more proper thereunto, than to bring off the Affections of the People from the Love of Parliaments by any means whatso­ever, which they know are the greatest Anticipation and Obstruction of their damnable de­signs; but through the mercy of God they have in a great measure been hitherto prevented, and it's hoped yet will, by a timely prospect of those things that may cause it. And though it cannot be thought, that any true Englishman would knowingly countenance, but detest such designs; yet it is feared if such an Act should pass, it would not only alienate the Affections of many thousand Protestants, by exposing them to Want and Penury, and to beg their Bread, and seek it in other Countries; but also would make this great and populous Nation, (which at present under God is the Fortress of the Protestant Religion) indefensible against the Papal designs, by scattering up and down in other parts of the World, those that are ready at all times, and best adapted to defend it, and put them upon a temptation by their necessities and dwelling amongst them to turn Papists. And this also in a short time will carry away the Trade of the Nation (which is now increasing and flourishing) to other parts of the World that are generally our Enemies; to the utter ruine of the whole Nation, both in Trade and Navigation, and the sacred Religion thereof. And of what evil conse­quence this will be to the Nobility and Gentry, by bringing down the price of their Lands, may easily be conceived by an ordinary Capacity.

Again, If this Injunction of the one, and Restraint of the other, do pass into a Law, it will not only destroy the most chief and principal Manufacture of the Nation, whereby so many Thousand Native Protestants get their livelihood and subsistance, but (which is conside­rable) it may truly be called the Protestant Trade, for it sets to work and employs most of the Strangers and Foreign Protestants that fly from the tyrannical Persecutions of the Papist [...] other Countries, and They must be forced also to return again; for it is judged th [...] Parts of ten of the Protestant Strangers that comes over into England, are employ [...] Trade of Silk and Hair, to their great comfort both of Soul and Body: And the [...] London do freely receive them, and that in so great numbers, that a very great [...] Silk and Hair-weaving Trade is managed by them and their Dependants. And [...] Silk and Hair Trade encouraged, as it's hoped it will by this Parliament, there might y [...] received 100000 more into the Trade, so beneficial is it to England, and so considerable to the strength of the Protestant Interest.

But now if it shall please the Parliament instead of restraining the wear of our own Manu­factures, to prohibit the wearing of Silks and Stuffs Manufactured in Foreign Parts, this would certainly inrich and people the Nation, and cause a greater Consumption of Wool, as also advance and strengthen the Interest of the Protestant Religion.

It will inrich and people the Nation, for that a great deal of the Money that is sent out of the Nation to purchase the Silks and Stuffs Foreign Manufactured, will be kept among us; as also all that Money that is paid to Workmen abroad for the Manufucturing of these Silks and Stuffs, will be earned by the Natives and Strangers in England, and so make way for the Employment of many Thousands more than is in the Nation.

It will also increase the Consumption of English Wool abundantly, for that there being more expence of Silk, because of the Manufacturing of those Silks here that use to come from other Parts, there will be also far greater quantities of Cloths made of English Wool exported in exchange for Silk; and besides the expence of English Wool will not only be increased by the exportation of more Cloths, but a great deal more than is will be worn in England, and the Plantations belonging thereunto, by this means; for that Foreign Silks that come ready wrought from other Parts, especially from Holland, France, and East-India, with their painted Calicoes, are generally slight and very cheap, and set up the meaner sort of People (as Maid-Servants, and others) in the garbs of Gentry, which otherwise would wear the decent, useful, and profitable wear of Cloth, Kersies, and other Stuffs made of Wool, as they would also do in the Plantations, for that our English Silks being generally rich and well made Silks, they cannot so well go to the price of them, and that this prohibition of Foreign-wrought Silks will certainly promote the Consumption of Wool, is manifest by Experience; for since the late good Act was made for the prohibiting of French Silks, [Page 4] (which it's hoped this Parliament will renew) there has been greater quantities of raw Silk imported, as also greater quantities of Woollen Cloths exported, than was in former years; besides, greater numbers of People employed, both Native and Foreign Protestants, to the great benefit of the Nation; which expence of English Wool has been chiefly occasioned from this cause, that more Silks has been made here in that time than before; which is an unde­niable Argument to prove, that the more Silks are worn in England if Manufactured here, the greater is the Consumption of English Wool, for such person as wears a Silk Garment, doth certainly expend more English Wool (that being the return of Woollen Cloth) than twenty Gentlemen that wears Cloth made of Spanish Wool, and fine Dutch Cloths: And in all probability, if Silks Manufactured here were encouraged, and Silks Foreign made pro­hibited to be worn, it would reduce and bring back the whole Trade of the Woollen Manu­facture into England in a little time, by preventing the exportation of Wool, for if Wool yeild as good or better price here than it doth in other Parts, as it will do if there be more occasion for it, it will not be transported as now it is to France and Holland, by which means they gain a considerable share of our Woollen Trade, to their great benefit both at home and abroad and to our great loss and detriment.

This must needs corroborate and strengthen the Interest of the Protestant Religion, for that this Nation being the chief of all the Protestant Countries, the Riches and Populousness of it must needs strengthen it, as well as the Unity of them one unto the other, and this will certainly cause the Nation to flourish both in Riches and People, and through the Mercy and Blessing of God, make us yet more formidable and strong against our implacable Enemies, by enabling of us not only to defend our selves against them, but to root Popery out of this Nation, and the rest of His Majesties Dominions.

For these Reasons, and many others that may be given, it is humbly prayed, That the Parlia­ment would be pleased to lay aside that Bill which would restrain the wearing of Silks, and Stuffs Manufactured in England, which are so beneficial, and instead thereof, order a Bill to be brought in for the prohibiting the importation and wearing of Silks and Stuffs Manufactured in Foreign Parts, which are so plainly detrimental to the Interest of England: And the English Artists shall continue to pray, That as this Parliament have begun, so God would honour them so far, as to finish the deliverance of this Nation from Popery, and Slavery the effect of it.

Obj. THAT Trade is in its Nature free, finds its own Channel, and best directs its own Course.

Ans. All trading Nations have, and do at this Day put a restraint upon Trade according as their Circumstances require: The French have many Years since, by extraordinary Impositions, prohibited all our Woollen Manufactures, and by that means have set them up in their own Country, to their great Advantage. The Dutch, who are little more than Carriers of Goods from one Country to another, yet do often prohibit, and for Instance, have by great Impositions prohibited our Dyed Woollen Manufactures, by which means they have gained that profitable Imployment. The Venetians have prohibited our Cloth: The Sweeds and Danes the like. The French have by severe Edicts prohibited all Indian Silks, Bengalls, and Painted Calicoes; and a Multitude of Instances might be given of this Nature. Our own Statute-Books are full of them; the Act of Navigation, and the Act for Preventing the Exportation of Wooll have been, and are of infinite Benefit to this Kingdom.

Obj. That the East-India Trade is greatly beneficial to England.

Ans. If what the Writers for the East-India Company have asserted be true, That Three Parts of Four of the whole imported have been again exported to Foreign Parts, or if what the late Author of the Essay on the East-India Trade asserts be true, That one half has been exported and has brought in 600000 l. more than the prime Cost in India, then this Trade, in that Respect, may well be accounted a profitable Trade to this Nation: But this, though often asserted, has not been made appear in such manner as a Business of so great a concern to the East-India Company ought, or might have been; and we have great Reason to believe that no such Quantities are, or ever were exported; But supposing that great Quantities were exported, this Bill does not extend to hinder that Trade.

Obj. That it must be granted that the East-India-Trade in General is prejudicial to Europe, and if all by common Consent would agree to deal no more with them, it would save the Expence of a great Treasure; but since that cannot be done, it would be Egregious Folly in us to quit it.

Ans. The Reason why the East-India Trade is prejudicial, is, because we draw from thence nothing of solid use, Materials to support Luxury, Perishable Commodities, and send thither Gold and Silver, which is there buried and never returns, and the Burden of this bears hard only on the Countries which consume them, as the Author of the Essay has very well observed, and from thence inferr'd, That the French did wisely to prohibit. Now if this be true, as undoubtedly it is, there cannot be greater or more cogent Argu­ments for the passing this Bill, which is not to destroy the whole Trade, but only part of that which their own Advocate acknowledge is very hard upon us, who are the Consumers.

Obj. The Bill now proposed will be absolutely destructive to the East-India Trade, and should we quit the Hold we have in India, the Dutch will undoubtedly ingrose the whole, which will be of dangerous Consequence.

Ans. That what by this Bill is to be restrained cannot be computed to above one half of the home Consumption, and the whole is accounted, by the Author of the Essay, but one half of the Trade; so that at most it will be lessen'd but one Fourth Part, which by the Addition that may be made by bringing home Raw-Silks, Cotton Yarn, &c. may in a great measure be made good; And why Three Parts and more should not be carry'd on without the remainder, is very hard for us to imagine. The French have prohibited all Wrought Silks, Bengalls and Printed Callicoes; and yet they carry on their East-India Trade: and in case the East-India Company, either through Poverty or any other Reasons, should not be able or willing to carry it on, there are Merchants enough in England to take it up: But if we cannot trade there without the Consent of the Dutch, who are now very pow­erful and can bring together 40 strong Frigats (as the Author of the Essay tells us) which is much more than we are able or can pretend to do, they may as easily beat us out of the whole as of what will be still left. Therefore the best way as we humbly conceive to secure us from those Fears, is, to keep our Treasure to imploy our own people, and increase our strength at home.

Obj. The Company send great quantities of our Manufactures, and have in return Wrought Silks.

Ans. The Company are obliged to send 100000 l. worth of our Manufactures, but have not done it; for by Accounts taken out of the Custom house Books, there cannot be found 100000 l. worth in Two years last past, and not 20000 l. worth last year, and how much of this has been really Exported and sent to India we know not, but have great rea­son to believe that great Quantities were either not shipt off, or not sent thither, but to Spain or other Parts where they take in Bullion; for this is most certain that the Indians wear none, or so little of our Manufactures as is not worth mentioning: 'Tis true that since the Company have been obliged they have sent some Cloth; which they have sold in the Gulph of Persia, and brought in returns Raw Silk, which have been wrought up by [Page 2] the Indians in the Bay of Bengall into silks commonly called Persian Taffeties, and the like, and from thence brought to England, whereas formerly the Turkey Merchants used to supply the Persians with cloth, and brought in Return Raw Silk, and might do so again if the Trade were turned into its old Channel.

Obj. That no Country Manufactures are made so dear as the English, and if we would have a Trade we must make our Manufactures cheaper.

Ans. To this we think we cannot give a better Answer than what Sir Jos. Child gave in the like Case, which we find in the Preface of his Book called A Discourse on Trade, his Words are these, I affirm and can prove be's mistaken in Fact; for the Dutch, with whom we principal­ly contend in Trade, give generally more Wages for all their Manufactures, by at least Two Pence in the Shilling, than the English. And adds farther, That wheresoever Wages are high univer­sally throughout the whole World, it is an infallible Evidence of the Riches of that Country: and wherever Wages for Labour runs low, its a Proof of the Poverty of that Place. That it is multi­tude of People and good Laws, such as cause an increase of People, that principally enrich any Coun­try: And if we retrench (by Law) the Labour of our People, we drive them from us to other Coun­tries that give better Rates, and so the Dutch have dreined us of our Seamen and Woollen Ma­nufactures: And we the the French of their Artificers and Silk Manufacturers. And in Pag. 175. discoursing of the ways of enlarging our Trade, among many others, he gives this Advice, That it's our Interest by Example, and otherwise not distastful, above all kinds of Commodities to pre­vent as much as may be the Importation of Foreign Manufactures, and to encourage those Trades most that vend most of our Manufactures, and supply us with Materials to be further Manufactured.

Obj. That we want Hands, not Manufactures in England, and Laws to compel the Poor to work and therefore want more an Act to set up publick Work-houses to force them that are not willing.

Answ. as the Case now stands, we have Hands more than sufficient to carry on the Manufactures which the East-India Trade leaves us; but if this Bill pass we have great Reason to believe that in a very shortime, Imployment will be found for a great number of those now out of work, and for some of the 1200000 which the Author of the Essay says, he thinks there are now receiving Alms in this Kingdom. It were to be wished that there were Publick Workhouses for the Imployment of the unwilling Poor; but before they can be imploy'd in such Places it will be necessary to know how the Manufactures can be disposed: And with Submission, we humbly conceive there can be no better way found for their vent than by restraining the Expence of these Foreign Commodities, and that this will be greatly for the Interest of this Kingdom. To confirm us in this Opinion, we have the Judgment of Sir Jos. Child, that great Champion for the India Cause, who in the Preface of his Book of Trade says, That the Expence of Foreign Commodities, especially Foreign Manufactures, is the worst Expence a Nation can be inclinable to, and therefore ought to be prevent­ed as much as possible.

Obj. That it's the Interest of this Nation to have our own Wooll cheap, and cheaply manufactured, whereby we may be enabled to under-sell all Nations, and discourage all People to set it up.

Ans. To do this we must bring down the Price of Wool and Workmanship considerably, and then Provisions must fall in Proportion to answer the Wages, or else the Poor cannot purchase them; and if so, Rents must abate, when this is done, other Nations who contend with us in our Manufactures must do likewise, and after all this, the Indian that works for a Peny a Day, will be able to undersell us all; so that after all our reducing, we are not like to undersell all Nations, unless we should send our Wooll to India to be manufactur'd.

Obj. That the home Consumption is no Advantage to the Nation.

Ans. If a Penny saved be the surest Penny got, then the saving our Pence by the Home Con­sumption of our own, instead of expending them for Foreign Manufactures, must certainly be greatly for the Advantage of this Kingdom.

Obj. It's the Interest of this Nation to wear East India Goods', which are very Cheap, and to Export our own which are much dearer.

Answ. If we could find a Forreign Market for our own Manufactures, this Objection would be of force, but (with submission we say) that this is impossible; for it is very well known, that all Forreign Markets have been plentifully supplyed with as much of our Wollen Manufactures as could be vended, and generally over-stocked; and yet notwithstanding our Exporters do not carry off above one third part, (as the Persons concern'd in the Aul­nage, who best know how much is made, have oft-times asserted) and in case a stop be not put to the East India Trade, our Export must be less; for by reason of the great ware of Muslings and Callicoes, we have already lost the greatest part of our Trade for Wollen Cloaths, &c. to Germany, Silesia, &c. from whence we had formetly great quantities of Linnens, but when we could no longer take their Linnens, they were forced to set up a Manufacture of Wollen, by which we have almost wholly lost that profitable Trade. We have now a Trade with Spain, Italy, and Turky, from whence we Import great quantities of Wool, Raw Silk, and Grogern-yarn, but if we must wear East India Manufactures, we cannot use their Silk; and if so, it's reasonable to conclude, that they must shortly follow the exam­ple of the Germans. As to our Plantations and Ireland, to which we send great quantities of our Manufactures, if the East India Silks, &c. are the Mode here, they will be so there, the orders that are sent from thence, being to send over such Manufactures, as are most Fashi­onable [Page 3] in England; so that instead of a greater Exportation, we shall almost wholly lose what we now have. But in case it were possible to vend more, we could make much grea­ter quantities, as we did last year, when there was a considerable demand for them.

Obj. That if we do not use these India Goods, they will be carried to other places, where we now send our Manufactures, and be there used instead of them.

Answ. If this be true, then the East-India Trade will not receive so great Prejudice as is pretended; but this is fallacious, for the Exporters always send to furnish all foreign Markets with what they want; and we are very sensible, that they have and will be suf­ficiently supplied with these India Manufactures, which will very much obstruct our Trade, and therefore we humbly conceive its highly Reasonable this Bill should pass, that seeing the Mischief they will do us in foreign Markets cannot be prevented, we may in some measure be helpt, by preventing our falling into the same Mischief at home.

Obj. That these India Manufactures do not much hinder the Consumption of our own Manufa­ctures, but chiefly those of Italy, France, and Holland.

Answ. They do directly hinder the Consumption of vast Quantities of our own Ma­nufactures, as the Norwich, London, Canterbury Antherines, and other sorts of Stuffs; as also the Manufactures made in Bristol, Ketering, Sudbury, Stowmarket, Kendal, and divers other places in this Kingdom; and they do and will in a great Measure, destroy all our Silk Manufactures, which of late are brought to such perfection, as better Silks are not made in any part of the World, and are cheaper to us than any can come from the fore-menti­oned Countries, and have almost wholly beat them out of use. So that of late Years there has been no considerable Quantities Imported, except black Lutestrings, Alamodes, and Velvets, for which Use the India Silks will not serve; so that the India Manufactures are directly opposite and destructive to our own.

Obj. That Silk is a Manufacture of foreign Extract, and if the Wearing of Silk could be Abo­lished, it would be Beneficial to the Kingdom.

Answ. That the Abolishing of all foreign wrought Silks, that are the Returns of our Money, would undoubtedly be Beneficial to the Kingdom; and it is that we now only Contend for. But we do assert, and plainly demonstrate, That the wearing of Silks, which are Manufactured here of such Raw Silk as are the Returns of our Woollen, and other Manufactures Exported (as the Italian and Turkey Silks are) is much more Beneficial to this Kingdom, then if we wear them not, for by this means we imploy double the number of People we should do, if we were Clad in our own Manufactures.

Obj. That if we take not these Goods, the Indians will let us have no Salt-petre, Muslins, White Calicoes, Pepper, Drugs, Raw Silks, and other Goods we want.

Answ. This is such an Objection as scarce ever was made before by Mankind; 'tis just as if we should say, we will not let the Venetians and other Nations we Trade with, have our Lead, Tynn, &c. because they will not take our Cloth. The French have Prohibited all their Silks and Painted Calicoes above ten Years past, yet have ever since Traded with the Indians for these Commodities, and we believe never yet wanted Salt-petre, &c. and why they should refuse us these Goods is hard to imagine.

Obj. If this Bill pass, it will be to the Advantage of the Scotch and Dutch, who will bring in these India Goods among us at a much dearer Rate.

Answ. One would think in common Reason, there cannot be a more effectual Course taken to hinder that, than by Prohibiting the wearing of them: For if they may be free­ly worn, the Scotch and Dutch will have a great Advantage, because they pay little or no Duty to what our East-India Merchants must pay; and the very hopes, that the Persons who were concerned in promoting the Scotch Company, had of vending the Wrought Manufactures in England, was, as we have good Reasons to believe, one great cause for the setting up that Trade. For this is certain, that some of the most zealous Promoters of that Company, are the greatest Sticklers against this Bill.

Obj. That the Passing this Bill will discourage Navigation.

Answ. This is a very strange Objection, For one Ship of 500 Tons Freighted with these Goods will bring in above 1,000,000, l. worth, at but 20s. per pound, which is a moderate Value; many of these Silks being worth 3 and 4 l. per pound, so that if this single Freight were worn here, it will ruine above twenty times as much Shipping, which is employed in the Coasting Trade, to furnish the English Manufacturers, and their dependance with Coles, Corn, Butter, Cheese, and other Necessaries, as is easie to be more fully demonstrated.

Obj. If there be a multitude of Hands want Work, the Herring Fishery would employ them.

Answ. The Men, Women, and Children, that are employed in the Woollen and Silk Ma­nufactures, are very unfit to catch Fish: But since it is objected, That if this Bill pass it will discourage Navigation, here's a proper Salvo for that Sore, let the Merchants employ their Stock, and the Seamen their time, to catch these Herrings, and then we are very sure they would be much better imployed for the Advantage of the Nation than they now are.

Obj. That if the East India Manufactures did greatly prejudice our own, it is not adviseable they should be Prohibited in this time of War, because of the Companies great Losses and Misfortunes, and their want of Money.

Answ. That the Company have met with great Losses must needs be granted, and that [Page 4] so great a Treasure fell into the Enemies hands, has been of very Ill Consequence to the Nati­on, and none knows but such Misfortunes may again attend them, and therefore the less Trade of this kind in so dangerous a time, the better for the Nation; If they want Money so do the English Manufacturers, and whether the Money we now have to Trade with shall be sent out to purchase Goods fully Manufactured for our own Consumption, which may fall into the Enemies Hands, or imployed to carry on our own Manufactures, we think, with humble Submission, is no hard question to be resolved; for nothing is more vi­sible, than that the East India Manufactures that have been lately Imported, takes away great quantities of our Money, which would otherwise be imployed in the purchasing of our own Silks and Stuffs, and thereby give Imployment and Incouragement to many Thousand Families, who are now in a starving condition.

Obj. The Clause in the Bill which lays the Proof on the Retailers is very unreasonable.

Answ. Without this the whole Bill will be rendred ineffectual, and therefore the like Clauses has been incerted in all Acts of this Nature (as in our Prohibition of French Silks, &c.)

Obj. That if this Bill pass, it will destroy the Credit of the Nation, and greatly Injure those who have lent Money upon the Customs of the East India Goods.

Answ. The Customs that are given for the Security of Moneys lent by the persons com­plaining (which for the most part are Linnen Drapers and East India men) consists not on­ly of East India Goods, but also of Wines, Vinegar, Brandy, Tobacco, all Linnens, Wood, Iron, Oyl, Flax, Hemp, Paper, and abundance of other Commodities, too numerous to be here in­certed; and the whole East India Trade has hitherto raised but a very inconsiderable part of the said Customs, yet the Security has been well answered. Now in case the Customs should be increased by a greater quantity of East India wrought Silks, which must be worn here, they will destroy our own Manufactures, and thereby Impoverish not onely our Ma­nufacturers, and their dependants, but the Nation in general, by which means they will be disabled from consuming the Wines, Brandy, Tobacco, and other Merchandize, which will, (as we have great reason to believe) much more weaken the same Security, then this Bill can do; And not only so, but much lessen the Excise of Beer and Ale, and other the Reve­nues and Taxes which are given to support a Just and Necessary War, for the preservation of our Lives, Liberties, and Properties.