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free trade-第3章

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all the other particular Trades of the Common…wealth; and a great

part thereof having beene Embargued and detained now for more

then five yeeres last past; and that not by a profest Enemie;

against whom we might have been warn'd and arm'd; but by a

friend; a neighbour; a next neighbour; one obliged to our King

and Nation more then to all the Kings on earth: this losse I say;

is not onley thus unkind; but is the more intollerable; in that

the Common…wealth hath lost the use and employment of the Stocke

it selfe; and all the encrease of Trade which the same might have

produced; in the severall Trades of the Subjects; whereby

abundance of treasure might have beene brought into this land in

all this time。

    It is said of Belisarius that Great and famous Commander of

the Romanes; that even Rome it selfe owed to him twice her life:

and yet at last was so unkinde to Belisarius as to put out both

his eyes; and exposed him to beg in a little Cotage built without

the gates; where hee often repeated this sentence to those that

passed by; Date obolum Belisario; quem inuidia; non culp

caecauit。 And certainely our Nation may challenge as much or more

of these unkinde friends; the Belisarius ever did or could of

Rome: and they shew themselves no lesse unkinde; to deprive us of

the light and life of this Trade of ours; and suffer this Nation

to use so muc importunitie for their owne。

    Homer reports of Patroclus; that he would needs put on

Achilles armour; and ride on Achilles horse; but Achilles speare

hee durst not touch; and thereby was knowne to Hector; with whom

he fought; not to be Achilles; and so lost his life。 These

friends of ours have sometimes put on; sometimes put off; I had

almost said; put out the Kings colours: They have sayled in His

subjects shippes; but that Histam fidei they have not used; or

abused rather; whereby they have beene discovered to the Indians;

not to be the subjects of the faith's Defender; as sometimes they

would have faigned; though to an evill purpose。

    The Romanes were wont to weepe; at the sight of Caesars blood

kept in an handkercher。 Caesars subjects blood is kept; not in

handkerchiefes but in sheetes; written within and without; the

memory whereof maketh the people mourne。 The cry thereof is gone

up: the King will remember it; the King of Kings will avenge it。

    Constantinus the Great; the father of Constantius; was wont

often to protest; that he made more account of one Christian then

of all his Coffers filled with treasure。 And the Comfort of this

Nation is; to bee the subjects of such a Sovertainge; who as

constantly as ever did Constantinus; hath againe and againe

profest; Not to account himselfe more rich or happie; then in the

prosperitie of his subjects。

    Thus much of the Domestique remote causes of the want of

money in England: the forreine causes follow。 Which are either in

respect of the warres in christendome; or the Trades out of

Christendome。 The warres in Christendome are forreine remote

causes of the want of money; either by causing the exportation;

as the warres of Christians: or hindering the importation

thereof; as the warres of Pirates。 I will take the warres of

Germanie for an urgent instance of the former: which have raised

the Riecksdaller from two Markes Lubish; to twentie markes

Lubish; in many place of Germany: whereby abundance of money is

drawne unto the Mintes of those Countries; from all the other

Mines and parts of Christendome。

    And for the latter; I will instance the warres of the Pirats

of Argier and Tunis; which hath robbed this Common…wealth of an

infinite value: the crueltie whereof many feele with griefe;

others heare with pittie; but the grivance remaine's。 Needs must

Christendome; and in it England; feele the want of money; when

either it is violently intercepted by Turkish Pirats; the Enimies

of God and man; or the instruments surprised; as men; ships; and

merchandize; which are the channels to convey it to us。 And

heathenish policie it is; or hellish rather; put upon the Princes

and people of Christendome by the Grand Seignour; to hold with

them an outward forme to amitie; and in the meane time by his

vassals; use a cunning and covert hostilitie。

    The other forreine remote cause of the want of money; are the

Trades maintained out of Christendome to Turky; Persia and the

East Indies。 Which trades are maintained for the most part with

ready money; yet in a different manner from the trades of

Christendome within it selfe。 For although the trades within

Christendome are diven with ready monies; yet those monies are

still contained and continued within the bounds of Christendome。

There is indeede a fluxus and refluxus; a flood and ebbe of the

monies of Christendome traded within it selfe: for sometimes

there is more in one part of Christendome; sometimes there is

lesse in another; as one countrey wanteth; and another aboundeth:

It commeth and goeth; and whirleth about the Circle of

Christendome; but is still contained with the compasse thereof。

but the money that is traded out of Christendome into the parts

aforesaid; is continually issued out and never returneth againe。

It is true; those trades tend to an admirable encrease of the

stocke of Christendome in wares: which if they were purchased

with the wares of Christendome; according to the true nature of

Commerce; the benefit were farre more excellent。 For Commercium

is quasi Commutatio mercium; a change of wares for wares; not

money for wares。 And it is Libera commeandi facultas; abiis qui

merces ultro citroque conuehunt。

    Or if the Common…wealth of Christendome were like to that of

Utopia; where gold and silver are of lesse esteem then Iron; it

were a brave exchange to lose money to get wares。 For the riches

of former ages did not consist re pecuniaria but pecuaria。 Whence

pecunia; as Plinie affirmeth; was so called a pecude; quia pecus

suit pecuniae fundamentum; & antiquitus pecunia pecudis effigie

signabatur。 But when Immooveable and Immutable things came also

to be in Commerce amongst men; as well as those things which were

mooveable and fit for change; then came money in use; as the rule

and square whereby things might receive estimation & value。

Therefore the Civilians affirme that Numus est {Greek phrase

omitted} dictus; quod instiutum sit Civile。 According to that of

Aristotle。 {Greek phrase omitted} Numus non est a natura sed a

lege。 And thence it is that money in our tongue is derived of

moneta; quasi numi nota。

    Or if there were a necessitie to Christendome; to use those

forreine wares: or that the meanes whereby they are to be

procured; were without the losse of treasure: or lastly that the

same tended to the encrease of the treasure thereof theexchage

were excellent。 But first there isno such necessitie: for that's

necessarie to doe a thing without which it cannot be done: And

that's necessarie to the being of a Common…wealth; without which

it cannot subsist。 But thankes to God; Christendome is richly

furnished within it selfe; with all things fit for life a
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