The Maintenance of Free Trade [24]
cheape to the Transporter or Stranger? Surely they may be thought to be, for to set the people on worke upon the common Purse, but otherwise there is but little pollicie in it; much like unto the Silver Mines of the Duke of Brownswicke, which he maintained to his charges, called the Wilde man: which causeth him to coyne Dollers, having on the one side his Armes, and on the other side a Savage man, holding a burning Candle in his hand with an inscription, Alijs inserviendo, Consumor. To end this point, wherein the said Author hath made good distinctions, I shall onely adde moreover, that when new inventions are found out, for the good of the Common-wealth: That the next is, to augment them by Trade in forraine parts. And to prevent that the same be not overthrowne by the knowledge of their servants or others, but that by some good priviledges and meanes, they may be maintained to the increase of Trade, for the Generall welfare of the Kingdome.
Chapter IIII
Of want of Government in Trade.
Wise men have noted, that A Distinction only, doth dispell the foggy misteries of deceitfull fallacies: as the Sun drives away the Winde and Cloudes. Therefore too many distinctions in a little Treatise may seeme superfluous, especially when they are grounded upon many Repetitions: so that having in the former Chapters, observed the Defective Parts of Trade, and tacite answered some objections, I will omit, the commendation of all the Societies of Merchants, handled by the said Author in his fourth chapter, as also the effects of the former Causes, as they may concerne the Kings Majestie and the Common-wealth mentioned in the fift and sixt Chapters, to avoyd the cramming of a man with learning, as promises doe with hope; and so come to his propounded Remedies. But lest this Title of the want of Government in Trade, should seeme to be misapplyed: I have thought good to declare, wherein Merchants may easily commit errors, to the prejudice of the Common-wealth, albeit, it maketh for their private benefit, namely; In the selling of their Cloth good cheape beyond the Seas in greater quantitie, when they have beaten downe the price with the Clothier, whereby the Clothier is forced to doe the like with the Wooll-grower, which disimproveth the Revenue of lands; but the Merchant employeth the lesser Stocke, and hath not therfore the lesse benefit; the Wool-grower and the Clothier bearing the losse. To make over their moneys from beyond the Seas, at a low price of exchange, in giving lesse money there, to have the same paied here by Bill of exchange in Starlin money, receiving the moneys there at such prices, as they cannot import them, but to their exceeding losse: whereby it commeth to passe, that the exportation of our moneys, giveth an exceeding gaine on the contrary, and our Cloth is thereby more undersold as afore said. To connive or winke at the false making of Cloth, and afterwards to abate the greater Tare, for the faults upon the Clothier. To make continuall Returnes of our Cloth in forraine Commodities, and thereby procure the more gaine, because of the small gaine or losse either, had upon their Clothes, whereby the Common-wealth is impoverished. To sell our Cloth so good cheape beyond the Seas, that other Nations may make a Trade thereby for Russia, Eastland, Barbary, and other Countries, to the great hinderance of the Merchants of those Societies. To abate the Customes and Impositions here laid upon Clothes, to the end, they may sell them better cheape, by underselling others. To undersell our Clothes so much in price, that in comparison of the Cloth made beyond the Seas, the Drapery there bee given over, without regard had, how to Returne some money and Bullion, but by tranferring of their Bills of debt for forraine Commodities, to over-lade the Kingdome with them at deere Rates, according to the inhauncing of their Coynes; all which may prove beneficiall to them in particular, but wonderfull prejudiciall to the whole Kingdome. Now, before we come to intreat of the Remedies
Chapter IIII
Of want of Government in Trade.
Wise men have noted, that A Distinction only, doth dispell the foggy misteries of deceitfull fallacies: as the Sun drives away the Winde and Cloudes. Therefore too many distinctions in a little Treatise may seeme superfluous, especially when they are grounded upon many Repetitions: so that having in the former Chapters, observed the Defective Parts of Trade, and tacite answered some objections, I will omit, the commendation of all the Societies of Merchants, handled by the said Author in his fourth chapter, as also the effects of the former Causes, as they may concerne the Kings Majestie and the Common-wealth mentioned in the fift and sixt Chapters, to avoyd the cramming of a man with learning, as promises doe with hope; and so come to his propounded Remedies. But lest this Title of the want of Government in Trade, should seeme to be misapplyed: I have thought good to declare, wherein Merchants may easily commit errors, to the prejudice of the Common-wealth, albeit, it maketh for their private benefit, namely; In the selling of their Cloth good cheape beyond the Seas in greater quantitie, when they have beaten downe the price with the Clothier, whereby the Clothier is forced to doe the like with the Wooll-grower, which disimproveth the Revenue of lands; but the Merchant employeth the lesser Stocke, and hath not therfore the lesse benefit; the Wool-grower and the Clothier bearing the losse. To make over their moneys from beyond the Seas, at a low price of exchange, in giving lesse money there, to have the same paied here by Bill of exchange in Starlin money, receiving the moneys there at such prices, as they cannot import them, but to their exceeding losse: whereby it commeth to passe, that the exportation of our moneys, giveth an exceeding gaine on the contrary, and our Cloth is thereby more undersold as afore said. To connive or winke at the false making of Cloth, and afterwards to abate the greater Tare, for the faults upon the Clothier. To make continuall Returnes of our Cloth in forraine Commodities, and thereby procure the more gaine, because of the small gaine or losse either, had upon their Clothes, whereby the Common-wealth is impoverished. To sell our Cloth so good cheape beyond the Seas, that other Nations may make a Trade thereby for Russia, Eastland, Barbary, and other Countries, to the great hinderance of the Merchants of those Societies. To abate the Customes and Impositions here laid upon Clothes, to the end, they may sell them better cheape, by underselling others. To undersell our Clothes so much in price, that in comparison of the Cloth made beyond the Seas, the Drapery there bee given over, without regard had, how to Returne some money and Bullion, but by tranferring of their Bills of debt for forraine Commodities, to over-lade the Kingdome with them at deere Rates, according to the inhauncing of their Coynes; all which may prove beneficiall to them in particular, but wonderfull prejudiciall to the whole Kingdome. Now, before we come to intreat of the Remedies