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Government。 For those Strangers that have not beene in our
Countrey； nor seene the Order of His Majesties Government； must
needes Ex Ungue Leonem； guesse at the Soveraigne by the Subject：
And like to Archimedes who drew the whole pourtraiture of
Hercules body； by his footstep onley found in Mount Olympus；
proportion the Royall and Regall Government of His Majestie at
home； by the deportment of his subjects abroad。 And as the
Orderly Trade of Merchants is an Honour to the King； when the
same is contained within the listes of Government； so the
contrary cannot choose but produce a quite contrary effect。
In point of Revenue the Kings treasure is diminished； in the
Mater also and Forme of Trade。 In the Matter of Trade； either in
the Generall course of Trade； or in some Particulars。 In the
Generall； the great want of money； and decay of Trade throughout
all callings and conditions of men； must needes cause a great
diminution of His Majesties Revenue； both in His Customes and
Supplies。 For the Customes； those perpetually rise and fall with
Trade： And for Supplies； the subjects being impoverished through
want of Money and decay of Trade； are disabled to doe that
service to His Majestie； which otherwise they would be willing；
and heretofore have beene able to performe； in flourishing times
of Trade。 And if our experience hereof had beene in the ｛Greek
word omitted｝ and not in the ｛Greek word omitted｝； in the
Contemplation only； and not in Action： we had been much more
happy in this Kingdom and Nation。
In the particular course of Trade； it shall content me to
instance onely the East India Action； and the Fishing； before
referred to the Kings Honour； here to his Revenue。 By the East
India Action there is a very great losse to the King in His
Customes； by the losse of all the Customes which that Trade would
have produced in all this time： and of the Encrease also of
Trade； which that employment had brought with it； which would
have yeelded to His Majesty a great Increase of Customes
answerable to the same。 Of both which if we had not beene
deprived； certainly His Majesties Ferme of His Customes had
yeelded Many Thousand pounds a yeare； more then now they have
done。
By the Fishing； the Customes and Tolles which are undoubtedly
due to His Majesty for the Strangers Fishing upon our Coasts；
together with the encrease of Trade； and consequently of Customes
thereby also； wold amount to so great a value； that I cannot
wonder enough； that the same hath beene neglected all this while。
And lastly in the Forme of Trade； the Kings Revenue is
mightily diminished； when by the disorder of Trade； the very
course of Trade inverted； and therein the Kings Customes and
Subsidies also。
Cap。 VI。
Of the Effects of the former Causes as they concerne the
Common…wealth。
From the King； come to the Kingdome。 Wherein there are also
manifold Effects of the precedent Causes； both in the Matter and
Forme of Trade。
And although in the very same things； wherein the Honour and
Revenue of the King are invested； the Wealth of the Common…wealth
is also interessed； yet the same may otherwise be distinguished；
that so they may be made the more perspicuous and cleere to every
mans judgement。
The Effects then that arise out of the Matter of Trade and
fall upon the Kingdome； may be saide to be either Active or
Passive。 Active； when they are done by our Selves： Passive； when
they are done to us by others。 Active； in the use of Law； either
Too much； or Too little。 Too much； in Suits of Law； whereby one
subject vexeth another： which make this peaceable Kingdome seeme
to bee at Warre within it selfe。 For whilest men are thus at
Deadly feude in Law； by the losse of their Times； and Trades； and
States； the thrift of the Commonwealth must needes be neglected。
Too little； In the Non…execution of Lawes； which tend either to
the enlargement of Clothing； or the restraint of the Excesse of
the Kingdome。 theformer is； either in respect of the Ill searchng
and Sealing of Cloth； or in the Transportation of the Materials
of our Cloth before mentioned。 In the former of these； the
Merchants Adventurers can give you an account of Ten thousand
pounds a year at least losse to this Common…wealth； by the Tare
or abatements upon the Cloth in forreine parts； for the false
making and sealing thereof： Besides the other Effects of the
decay of the Drapery it selfe； and other Trades depending
thereon； the losse whereof is unvaluable。 In the latter； every
man is sensible of the losse to the Common…wealth； in robbing it
of the Materials： whereby not onely our Draperies are Impaired；
but the Forreine also are thereby much Improved。
Also the want of restraint of the Excesse of the Kingdome； in
Usuary and Prodigality： the one being a Viper in a Kingdome that
gnaweth through the bowels thereof： the other a Canker that
fretteth and wasteth the stocke； in spending the forreine wares；
more then it venteth of our owne： both and either doe produce
intollerable effects in a wel ordered Kingdome and Common…wealth。
Or Passive； in the ill Effects that fall upon the Kingdome；
in things done to us by others。 And that either by Friends or
Foes。 the former is done by Imposition； or Usurpation。 By
Imposition； in the Merchants Adventurers Trade in Holland： where
there is lately taxed upon a Pack Cloth 9 Gilders； and upon a
long Cloth 18 Gilders； and upon a fine Cloth 14 Gilders； which is
18； 36 and 48 shillings of our money。 And yet neverthelesse they
free their own Countrey Cloth of all manner of charge； nay； they
give encouragement to the makers thereof by many Priviledged and
Immunities： whereby it is more then manifest that they do what in
them lyeth； to Plant their owne Draperies； and to supplant ours；
to the infinit disadvantage of this Kingdome。
By Usurpation； those Friends of ours； deprive us of our East
India Trade and Fishing； which here again occurre； and offer
themselves for this purpose also。 By the former； the
Common…wealth hath not onley been dispossest all this while of so
great a stock； as is that of the East India Company； but of the
employment and excrease of Trade also； that thereby in all this
time would have accrewed unto this Kingdome。 And it is to be
feared； that their policy is not onely to derpive the Company of
their Stocke； but the Kingdome also of the Trade： which they
thinke too great and glorious a Fortune for this Common…welath to
enjoy； and the onley hope of their's。 And hence it is that the
Restituion is so hard to be had； because they think by detaining
it； and spinning out the time； they shall in time weary and weare
us out of that Trade： And so in the meane while； by Plowing up
htose Indian Seas and Soyle with our Heifers； they may at last
Reape all the Harvest； and possesse and dispossesse at their owne
pleasure； to the wonderfull enriching of their Common…wealth； and
the impoverishing of ours。
By the latter； to wit； their Fishing upon our Coasts； the
Common…wealth looseth that which they gaine： which is merveilou