free trade-第10章

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Nation。　For　they　wisely　consider；　that　their　interest　is　involved

in　the　Publique：　where；　in　our　Nation；　men　commonly　preferre

their　Particular；　to　the　Common　good。

　　　　And　thus　having　and　answering　the　objections　against

Corporations；　of　Merchants　and　Governed　Trades；　and　shewed　the

many　and　manifold　benefits　arising　to　the　Common…wealth　thereby：

It　is　now　easie　to　shew　the　Injury　and　Incovenience　to　this

Common…wealth　by　the　want　of　Government　in　Trade。　Those　that

Trade　without　Order　and　Government；　are　like　unto　men；　that　makes

Holes　in　the　bottome　of　that　Ship；　wherein　themselves　are

Passengers。　For　want　of　Government　in　Trade；　openeth　a　gap　and

letteth　in　all　sorts　of　unskilfull　and　disorderly　persons：　and

these　not　only　sinke　themselves　and　others　with　them；　but　also

marre　the　Merchandize　of　the　land；　both　in　estimation　and

goodnesse：　then　which　there　can　bee　nothing　in　Trade　more

rejudiciall　to　the　Publique　Utility。　And　to　make　good　these

particulars；　I　take　this　for　a　ground：　Nemonascitur　artifex。

Which　as　it　is　true　in　the　occupaitons　of　Artizans：　so　is　it　much

more　true　in　the　Trades　of　Merchants：　wherein　there　is　so　great

variety　of　difficult　points　to　bee　learned；　before　a　man　can

learne　his　Stucke；　as　the　Dutch…men　speak；　or　be　his　Crafts

master。　And　how　can　the　Merchant；　that　hath　no　skill　in　his

Commodity；　looke　to　it；　that　the　Maker　performe　his　part？　Or　how

can　a　falsified　Commodity；　hold　his　estimation　and　use？　The　ill

experience　whereof；　is　not　more　remarqueable　in　any　of　His

Majesties　subjects；　then　in　those　that　trade　into　the　Dominions

of　the　King　of　Spaine；　without　Order　or　Government　in　Trade。　For

at　the　beginning　of　His　Majesties　most　happy　Raigne　over　this

Kingdome；　this　Trade　by　His　Majesties　Princely　favour；　was　made　a

Corporation　and　Society　of　Merchants；　and　flourished　under

Government。　And　then　thenew　Draperies；　and　other　the　Native

Commodities　of　the　Kingdome　were　maintained　in　their　estimation

and　goodnesse　at　Home　and　Abroad：　But　soone　after　by　the　clamour

of　some　who　preferred　their　owne　liberty；　to　the　utility　of　the

publique；　and　by　some　misinformation　given　the　Parliament　of　that

time；　this　Company　after　it　had　flourished　two　years；　was

dissolved；　and　ever　since　exposed　to　confusion　and　disorder　in

Trade；　and　is　become　a　receptacle　and　Rendes…vous　for　every

Shopkeeper；　Stragler；　and　Unskilful　person：　and　may　serve　for　a

lively　representation　of　the　hopes　that　may　be　expected；　by　such

a　loose　trade；　as　many　now　a　daies　so　much　desire；　not　rightly

conceiving　or　considering　the　benefits　of　Government；　nor　the

Inconveniencies　that　doe　perpetually　accompany　trade　in　the　want

thereof。　Which　in　the　Effects　will　be　more　perspicious；　to　which

in　their　Order　we　now　proceede。



Cap。　V。



Of　the　Effects　of　the　former　Causes　as　they　concerne　the　King



　　　　Such　were　the　Causes　considered　in　the　Matter　and　Forme　of

trade。　The　Effects　follow：　which　doe　either　concerne　the　King　or

the　Common…wealth。

　　　　Such　as　are　the　Causes；　such　also　must　needs　be　the　Effects

arising　from　the　same：　and　those　doe　either　respect　the　King　in

point　of　Honour；　or　in　point　of　Revenue：　and　both　in　the　Matter

and　Forme　of　Trade。

　　　　In　point　of　Honour；　there　is　a　relation　to　the　King　from　the

Matter　of　Trade；　considered　Generally；　or　Specially。

　　　　Generally；　in　the　general　neglect　of　all　trades；　by　temerous；

rash；　and　litigious　suites　of　law：　whereby　the　Peace　of　the

Kingdome　is　disturbed；　the　Justice　thereof　abused；　and　in　both

the　King　dishonoured。

　　　　Or　Specially　in　some　speciall　Commerce　of　this　Kingdome；

abused　by　the　Kings　Subjects；　or　Strangers。　By　the　Kings

Subjects；　in　the　Drapery　of　the　Kingdome；　when　His　Majesties

Seale　of　Armes；　which；　as　I　said；　shall　be　dishonoured　by　false

Cloth　and　other　Manufactures；　that　are　unworthily　honoured

therewith：　and　whereby；　those　that　buy　the　same　both　within　and

without　the　Land；　are　perswaded　the　same　is　good　and　true；　when

the　same　is　utterly　false：　which　is　a　great　indignity　offered　to

the　King。

　　　　By　Strangers；　in　the　East　India　Action；　and　the　matter　of

Fishing。　In　the　East　India　Action　certainely　the　Kings　Honour　is

interessed；　not　onely　to　protect　his　subjects　against　the

Injuries　done　them　by　the　Dutch　in　the　East　Indies；　but　also　to

maintaine　the　Glory　and　Revowne；　of　His　Sacred　Fame；　which　hath

heretofore　beene　Illustrious　even　unto　the　Heathen：　which　some

have　dared　to　doe　what　they　could　to　obscure。　The　Fishing　hath

aslo　reference　to　the　Kings　Honour：　for　it　is　a　Royalty　of　the

Crowne；　which　the　King　in　Honour　cannot　but　protect。

　　　　There　is　also　an　Effect　that　extendeth　it　selfe　to　the　Kings

Honour　in　the　Forme　of　Trade；　as　it　is　too　strict；　or　too　loose。

Too　strict；　in　respect　of　Monopolies；　wherein　the　Prerogative　of

the　King　is　abused；　and　therein　His　Honour　also；　by　those　that

thereby　seeke　to　priviledge　and　Patronize　things　unlawfull。

　　　　Too　loose；　in　the　disorderly　Trade　of　the　subjects　out　of

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　We