按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
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