The Maintenance of Free Trade [1]
who can by Providence preserve the Treasure of Kings and Commonweales; worthier are those that both (by honest and lawfull meanes) can preserve and augment them: but worthiest of all immortall praise, are these, who can and doe (by easie, just, and Politike meanes) inrich Kingdomes and Common-weales, and thereby fill the Princes Coffers with standing Treasure, to serve all occasions in the two seasons, which Princes are to care for; (observed by the Emperour Iustinian,) namely the Time of Warre, when Armes are necessary, and the time of Peace, more fitting wholesome Lawes. In the Theoricke Part of which Study, I have these forty yeares spent much time and charges at the pleasure of great personages: and albeit nothing did encounter mee but ingratitude, yet my constancy to spend the Remainder of my dayes therein, (in hope of Practise,) is as immoveable as the continuance of my daily prayers, to the Great Iehovah, to multiply your Majesties dayes as the dayes of heaven. London the 25 of October, 1622 Your Majesties most Loyall Subject Gerard Malynes.
The Maintenance of Free Trade, According to the Three Essentiall parts of Traffique, namely, Commodities, Monyes, and Exchange of Monyes by billes of Exchanges, for other Countries.
Natural Mother wit, did teach man, before Arts or Sciences were invented; that of all things and in all humane actions: the Beginning, Progresse, Continuance and Termination or End is to bee observed; whereupon Politicians or Statesmen have noted, that the often comparing of a thing unto his Princple or Originall produceth the longer continuance, shewing (by digression) how the same is decayed and may bee reduced to the first integrity and goodnesse. For there was never any thing by the wit of man so well devised, or so sure establihed; which in continuance of time hath not bin corrupted. The consideration whereof is most requisite, in the reformation of the course of Traffique, as a matter eminent for the good and welfare of Commonweales, and especially for England. Quia vita civilis is societate posita est, Socretas autem in imperio & commercio. According to this rule, let us observe, that all the Traffique and Trade betweene us and forraine nations, is performed under three Simples, which are the essential Parts therefo, namely, Commodities, Monyes, and Exchange of money by Bills for forraine Parts; which may be aptly compared to the Body, Soule and Spirit of Traffique. The First as the Body, upheld the world by Commutation and Bartring of commodities, untill money was devised to be coyned. The Second, as the Souls in the Body, did infuse life to Traffique by means of Equality and Equity, preventing advantage betweene Buyers and Sellers. The Third, as the Spirit and faculty of the soule (beeing seated every where) corroborateth the Vitall spirit of Traffique, directing and controlling (by just proportions) the prices and values of commodities and monyes. Now even as monyes were invented to bee coyned of the purest mettals of silver and gold to bee the Square and Rule to set a price unto all commodities and other things whatsoever within the Realme, and therefore called Publica Mensura: even so is exchange of monyes by Bills, The Publike Measure between us and forraine countries, according to which, all commodities are bought and sold in the course of Traffique; for this exchange is grounded upon the weight, fineness and valuation of the money of each countrey: albeit the price thereof in exchange doth rise and fall according to scarcity and plenty of money, and the few or many deliverers and takers thereof. These three essential parts of Traffique are to bee considered joyntly and divided for the good of Commonweales in the benefite to be procured for the generall welfare, or for the particular profit of some few persons; for albeit that the generall is composed of the particular: yet it may fall out, that the general shall receive an intollerable prejudice and losse, by the particular and private benefite of some: These (in this respect) are not to
The Maintenance of Free Trade, According to the Three Essentiall parts of Traffique, namely, Commodities, Monyes, and Exchange of Monyes by billes of Exchanges, for other Countries.
Natural Mother wit, did teach man, before Arts or Sciences were invented; that of all things and in all humane actions: the Beginning, Progresse, Continuance and Termination or End is to bee observed; whereupon Politicians or Statesmen have noted, that the often comparing of a thing unto his Princple or Originall produceth the longer continuance, shewing (by digression) how the same is decayed and may bee reduced to the first integrity and goodnesse. For there was never any thing by the wit of man so well devised, or so sure establihed; which in continuance of time hath not bin corrupted. The consideration whereof is most requisite, in the reformation of the course of Traffique, as a matter eminent for the good and welfare of Commonweales, and especially for England. Quia vita civilis is societate posita est, Socretas autem in imperio & commercio. According to this rule, let us observe, that all the Traffique and Trade betweene us and forraine nations, is performed under three Simples, which are the essential Parts therefo, namely, Commodities, Monyes, and Exchange of money by Bills for forraine Parts; which may be aptly compared to the Body, Soule and Spirit of Traffique. The First as the Body, upheld the world by Commutation and Bartring of commodities, untill money was devised to be coyned. The Second, as the Souls in the Body, did infuse life to Traffique by means of Equality and Equity, preventing advantage betweene Buyers and Sellers. The Third, as the Spirit and faculty of the soule (beeing seated every where) corroborateth the Vitall spirit of Traffique, directing and controlling (by just proportions) the prices and values of commodities and monyes. Now even as monyes were invented to bee coyned of the purest mettals of silver and gold to bee the Square and Rule to set a price unto all commodities and other things whatsoever within the Realme, and therefore called Publica Mensura: even so is exchange of monyes by Bills, The Publike Measure between us and forraine countries, according to which, all commodities are bought and sold in the course of Traffique; for this exchange is grounded upon the weight, fineness and valuation of the money of each countrey: albeit the price thereof in exchange doth rise and fall according to scarcity and plenty of money, and the few or many deliverers and takers thereof. These three essential parts of Traffique are to bee considered joyntly and divided for the good of Commonweales in the benefite to be procured for the generall welfare, or for the particular profit of some few persons; for albeit that the generall is composed of the particular: yet it may fall out, that the general shall receive an intollerable prejudice and losse, by the particular and private benefite of some: These (in this respect) are not to