The Maintenance of Free Trade [12]
all the Commoditis of the kingdome, and suffer also, (because of this gaine) our monyes to be exported, the Realls of 8 to bee debarred from us to bee brought in and carried to other Countries, for bringing a losse to the importer, which by inhauncing of the price of our exchange (and not by inhauncing of our monyes:) can bee easily prevented? as heereafter shall be declared. This Doller is likewise since that time, more inhaunced in Germany from time to time, and leaving the excessive alteration in Remote places, let us note the Valuation of Hamborough, where it hath beene at fifty foure Stiners the Doller, which maketh the exchange above forty shillings of their money for our twenty shillings. And although we have raised the price of exchange from twenty foure shillings nine to thirty five shillings or thereabouts: shall we rest here and go no further? have we reason to doe it in part, and not in the whole, according to justice, equality, and true Policy. And shall we bee like a man, that by halting in jest, became lame in earnest? I say againe, Absit ignorantia. Thus much Obiter.
Chapter II.
The Causes of the Decay of Trade in the Merchandize of England.
The Moneyes of Christendome, which have their ebbing and flowing, doe shew their operation upon commodities, making by Plenty, the price thereof deare, or by Scarcity better cheape. And on the Contrary, by exchange we finde that plenty of money maketh a Low exchange; and the price of monyes to fall in exchange: and that Scarcity of money maketh a fhigh exchange, and the price to rise, overruling both the price of moneys and Commodities, which beeing observed by the great exchangers or Bankerers; caused them to invent all the means to compasse the fame, and to rule the course thereof at their pleasure, having the maine sea of exchange, wherein the exchange of England runneth like a River or Branche, and is overruled by the generall Currant; which may be prevented: for we have the head of exchange of 20 shillings Starlin for the places where most of our Commodities are sold, which will command all the parts & members of the body of Traffique, and procure plenty of money, whereby the other cuases of the want of monyes in England (as the waste of the treasure and the like;) will not be so sensible as now they are, especially when needfull Commodities of Trade, shal be imported from some places, which shall supply (as in times past) the exportation of much money, when the Commodities of Russia, being Tallow, Waxe, Hides, retransported into France and Spaine, did by exchange furnish the Realme with Wines, Corints, Raisons and the like Commodities. The Want of Money there, is the first cause of the Decay of Trade, for without money, commodities are out of request. And when they fall againe into Permutation or Barter, Traffique is subject to the necessity of Merchants, which tendeth to the destruction of ne commonweale, and to the inriching of an other. And this is effected by the exchange, as the grave and wise Cousellors of State before mentioned, have very well observed, whereof Aristotle and Seneca could take no notice in the infancy of Traffique, which maketh me to forbeare to alleadge their opinions and definitions; howbeit Commercium is quasi Commutatio Mercium, which the said Author would turne againe by a change of wares for wares, and ot money for wares. No marvell therefore that hee doth invert things and runneth into a Labyrinth without distinction, betweene the thing Active, and the Passive, by approoving Money to bee the rule and square, whereby things receive estimation and price. And yet commending the Commutation before Money was devised to be coyned. Aristotle saith, That Action and Passion are meerely Relatives, and that they differ no more, then the way from Thebes to Athens, and from Athens to Thebes. We will therefore leave this Merchant to walke betweene both untill hee can discerne the one from the other. And then he shall finde, that as the Liver (Money) doth minister Spirits to the heart (Commodities,) and the heart to the
Chapter II.
The Causes of the Decay of Trade in the Merchandize of England.
The Moneyes of Christendome, which have their ebbing and flowing, doe shew their operation upon commodities, making by Plenty, the price thereof deare, or by Scarcity better cheape. And on the Contrary, by exchange we finde that plenty of money maketh a Low exchange; and the price of monyes to fall in exchange: and that Scarcity of money maketh a fhigh exchange, and the price to rise, overruling both the price of moneys and Commodities, which beeing observed by the great exchangers or Bankerers; caused them to invent all the means to compasse the fame, and to rule the course thereof at their pleasure, having the maine sea of exchange, wherein the exchange of England runneth like a River or Branche, and is overruled by the generall Currant; which may be prevented: for we have the head of exchange of 20 shillings Starlin for the places where most of our Commodities are sold, which will command all the parts & members of the body of Traffique, and procure plenty of money, whereby the other cuases of the want of monyes in England (as the waste of the treasure and the like;) will not be so sensible as now they are, especially when needfull Commodities of Trade, shal be imported from some places, which shall supply (as in times past) the exportation of much money, when the Commodities of Russia, being Tallow, Waxe, Hides, retransported into France and Spaine, did by exchange furnish the Realme with Wines, Corints, Raisons and the like Commodities. The Want of Money there, is the first cause of the Decay of Trade, for without money, commodities are out of request. And when they fall againe into Permutation or Barter, Traffique is subject to the necessity of Merchants, which tendeth to the destruction of ne commonweale, and to the inriching of an other. And this is effected by the exchange, as the grave and wise Cousellors of State before mentioned, have very well observed, whereof Aristotle and Seneca could take no notice in the infancy of Traffique, which maketh me to forbeare to alleadge their opinions and definitions; howbeit Commercium is quasi Commutatio Mercium, which the said Author would turne againe by a change of wares for wares, and ot money for wares. No marvell therefore that hee doth invert things and runneth into a Labyrinth without distinction, betweene the thing Active, and the Passive, by approoving Money to bee the rule and square, whereby things receive estimation and price. And yet commending the Commutation before Money was devised to be coyned. Aristotle saith, That Action and Passion are meerely Relatives, and that they differ no more, then the way from Thebes to Athens, and from Athens to Thebes. We will therefore leave this Merchant to walke betweene both untill hee can discerne the one from the other. And then he shall finde, that as the Liver (Money) doth minister Spirits to the heart (Commodities,) and the heart to the