free trade-第6章

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providence　of　the　State；　have　beene　very　great　in　devising　and

enacting　such　good　lawes　from　time　to　time；　as　might　tend　to　the

encreae　and　advancement　of　the　Drapery　of　this　Kingdome：　If

therefore　now　any　think　bee　amisse　therein；　it　must　needs　come

through　the　want　of　execution　of　those　lawes。　Hinc　illae

lachrymae！　This　Bonum　according　to　His　Majesties　Regall　rule；　is

not　Bene。　For　these　Overseers　and　Searchers　beeing　silly

Countreymen；　and　generally　not　expert　in　the　mystery　of　making　of

Cloth：　in　the　Search　whereof；　there　is　as　much　neede　of　skill　as

in　the　making：　for　how　should　they　finde　the　fault；　that　know　not

how　it　is　committed？　These　Searchers　I　say；　thus　being　ignorant

and　unskilfull　in　their　offices；　and　negligent　also；　（in　which

last；　it　hath　been　againe　and　againe　confest；　that　they　have　set

the　seales　of　their　office；　to　Clothes　they　never　search't　nor

saw）　needs　must　there　be　a　great　abuse；　in　the　execution　of　those

good　lawes。

　　　　Nay　I　would　I　could　not　say；　how　much　our　Nation　hath　beene

upbraided　by　the　people　of　forreine　parts　with　this　abuse；　that

the　Searchers　Seales　of　England　are　bought　and　sold　as　in　a

market；　and　put　on　the　Clothes　by　the　Tuckers；　and　other　the

servants　of　the　Clothiers；　as　if　the　same　had　beene　lawfully

Searched　and　Sealed　according　to　the　Statute；　when　as　the

Searchers　Eye　never　so　much　as　beheld　the　Clothes。

　　　　Wherein　the　people　of　the　Netherlands　are　so　exact；　that　you

shall　never　find　any　of　their　Countrey　Clothes　false　search't　or

sealed。　For　you　sahll　nave　a　Seale　set　upon　the　Cloth　when　it

commeth　from　the　Weavers：　anothe　whenit　commeth　from　the　Tuckers：

another　when　it　commeth　from　the　Dyers：　and　that　by　men　of　good

quality；　appointed　for　tha　purpose　in　every　City　and　Towne　where

Cloth　is　made；　termed　Curemasters：　so　called　from　the　Care　they

ought；　and　doe　performe；　in　the　execution　of　their　office：

wherein　indeed　they　are　so　strict；　that　you　shall　never　finde　any

of　the　seales　aforesaid；　set　to　any　manner　of　false　or　defective

Cloth。

　　　　For　indeed　the　Searcher　being　a　sworne　Officer；　ought　to　be

as　witnes　without　exception　betwixt　man　and　man：　that　when　a　man

seeth　the　Searchers　seale　set　upon　the　Cloth；　it　should　serve　as

a　true　Certificat　of　the　true　making　thereof。　It　is　a　great

impiety　before　God　and　Man；　to　be　a　false　witnesse　in　any　case：

but　these　Searchers　are　false　witnesse　ipso　facto；　when　they　doe

testifie　to　the　world　by　their　seales；　that　those　Clothes　are

good　and　true；　which　indeede　are　utterly　false。　And　which

aggravateth　the　matter　yet　more；　that　the　Kings　Seale　of　Armes；

which　is　testis　omni　exceptione　major；　should　also　be　set　to

Clothes　thus　falsely　searched　and　sealed；　whereby　not　only　the

Kings　subjects；　but　the　strangers　also　in　forreine　parts　are

deceived；　is　a　very　grosse　and　grievous　abuse。

　　　　Amongst　other　abuses　of　this　kinde；　one　precedent　come's　to

my　minde；　of　ten　Clothes　bought　not　long　since　by　a　Merchant；　of

a　Clothier　of　Wiltshire。　Which　Clothes　were　all　Sealed　by　the

Searchers　of　that　place；　for　good　&　true；　according　to　the

Statute。　but　being　tried　by　the　Merchant　Buyer；　and　afterwards　by

the　Sworne　measurer　of　the　Citie　of　London；　were　found　so

defective　in　length；　breadth　and　waight；　that　where　these　ten

Clothes　cost　but　60　lib。　or　thereabouts；　the　faults　in　these　ten

Clothes　came　to　neere　20　lib　which　ws　one　third　part　of　the　value

of　the　Cloth。　And　it　being　a　notable　comtempt　of　the　law；　the

Lords　of　His　Majesties　most　Honourable　Privie　Councell　were

informed　thereof；　who　were　pleased　to　send　down　a　Messenger　into

that　County；　and　fetch't　up　both　the　Clothier　and　Searchers；　who

worthily　under…went　the　Condigne　Censure　of　the　Lords。

　　　　Under　the　Merchant　also　the　Cloth…trade　suffereth　both　at

Home　and　Abroad。　At　Home；　by　Exporting　the　Materials；　either　of

Woolles　or　Wool…sels　from　the　Sea…coasts　of　England；　and　the

Kingdome　of　Ireland：　or　by　Over…lading　the　Cloth…trade；　either

with　any　generall　or　speciall　charge。

　　　　The　latter　I　cannot　pretermit：　for　as　the　chiefe　waight　of

the　Cloth…trade　lyeth　on　the　Merchants…Adventures；　so　also　is　the

burthen　of　charge　most　felt　under　that　trade。　For　the　Impositions

and　Imprest　money　by　them　laid　upon　the　Cloth；　for　defraying　the

charge　of　their　Government；　and　payment　of　their　Debts；　hath

driven　many　good　Merchants　out　of　the　trade；　and　given　the

Clothiers　occasion　to　complaine　of　want　of　Buyers；　and　thrust　the

trade　it　selfe　more　and　more　into　the　Strangers　hands。

　　　　And　abroad；　by　the　unfit　place　of　Residence；　which　the

Merchants…Adventurers　are　fallen　upon　in　Holland。　Whither　they

goe　with　great　perill　of　Shippe　and　Goods：　And　where　they　come

farre　short　of　that　they　hoped　for；　and　of　that　quicke　and　ample

vent　of　their　Cloth　they　found　in　Zeeland。　The　Agitation　of　which

remoove；　is　vehemently　suspected　to　have　moved　the　Merchants　of

Holland；　to　procure　Priviledges　of　the　States　Generall　to

Incorporate　themselves；　and　keep　Courts；　to　confront　the

Merchants…Adventurers；　which　they　never　did　before：　To　have

drawne　the　Taring　of　Cloth　into　Holland；　where　the　Buyers　are　in

some　sort；　Judges　&　Parties；　which　before　was　in　the　Mart…towne；

where　the　Seller　was　present：　And　lastly　to　have　hastned　the

great　Imposition　in　Holland。　All　which　are　matters　of　moment；　and

concerne　the　Cloth…trade　very　much；　and　whereof　the　English

Factors　there　residing　doe　generally　complaine：　Yet　These　I

rather　instance　then　urge：　leaving　the　further　Overture　thereof

to　their　own　relation。

　　　　Now　the　forreine　causes　of　the　decay　of　the　Drapery　of

England：　are　either　generall；　as　the　warres　in　Germany：　or

speciall　as　the　great　Imposition　lately　laide　upon　our　Cloth　in

Holland。

　　　　By　the　former；　the　Course　of　Trade　is　stopt　and　hindered；

that　Merchants　cannot　passe　without　perill　from　place　to　place：

and　the　monies　become　so　variable；　that　when　a　Merchant　hath　sold

his　Cloth；　and　hopeth　to　have　gained　something　thereby；　by　that

time　that　the　terme　for　payment　is　expired；　he　receiveth　lesse　in

value　then　the　Clothes　cost；　by　the　raising　and　rising　of　the

monies。

　　　　By　the　latter；　the　Merchants　of　the　Netherlands　are

discouraged；　wherby　many　of　them　have　given　over　their　trades；

which　heretofore　they　followed　in　ample　manner；　unto　Muscovy；　the

East…Countries　and　other　places；　in　our　English　Clothes　bought　of

the　Merchants…Adventurers　from　time　to　time。



Cap。　III。



Of　governed　Trade；　and　therein　of　Monopoly。



　　　　Hitherto　the　Matter　of　Trade　hath　beene　considered　in　Money

and　Merchandize：　the　Forme　followeth；　and　that　either　in　respect

of　Government；　or　want　of　Government　in　trade。　Government　is　a

representation　of　the　Majestie　and　Authoritie　of　the　King。　The

subject　that　is　honoured　with　Government；　is　invested　with　part

of　the　Kings　Honour。　The　Trades　of　this　Kingdome　which　by　His

Majesties　especiall　Grace　and　Favour　are　reduced　under　Order　and

Government　into　Corporations；　Companies；　and　Societies；　doe

certainly　much　Advance　and　Advantage　the　Commerce　of　this

Common…wealth；　and　farre　excell　the　trades　of　any　other　forreine

Merchants　in　their　ungoverned　trades。

　　　　But　as　the　Use　of　Government　is　excellent　for　the　restraint

of　unskilfull　and　disorderly　trade：　so　the　Abuse　thereof　is　as

inconvient；　if　at　any　time　the　same　be　too　strict；　and　come

within　the　compasse　of　a　Monopoly。　And　because　the　name　and

nature　of　Monopoly；　is　more　talk't　of；　then　well　understood　of

many；　and　some　thinke　that　the　reducing　of　trade　into　Order　and

Government；　is　a　kinde　of　Monopolizing　and　restraint　of　trade：　I

have　thought　it　not　unseasonable　to　bestow　some　specaill　paines

in　the　diligent　investigation　thereof。　Not　that　I　would　have　the

trade　of　the　Kingdome；　so　circumscribed　or　appropriated　to　any；

that　others　of　His　Majesties　subjects　should　be　deprived　of　the

libertie　thereof；　but　that　upon　equall　and　reasonable　termes；

trading　under　Order　and　Government；　without　that　ill　tincture　of

Monopoly；　the　Kings　high　way　of　trade　should　be　opened　unto　all。

　　　　The　name　theref