The Maintenance of Free Trade [9]
heretofore they gave us in payment their French Crowne of Gold for 64. Soulx, now they give us the same at 75 Soulx, which Crowne was then worth 6 shillings, 6 pence Starlin, and their quart d'eseu now paied for 16 Soulx and above, was then but 15 Soulx, for which we gave here (accompting 4 to the Crowne of Silver) 69 pence and thereabouts, and now 72 pence and above. And besides that, more of our native Commodities were vented with better profit, according to th'exchange; for the Rule is, that the lesse of Starlin money wee doe reckon in exchange with them, the more is the Gayne of our Commodities. The like may be applyed for the Trade of Corints, which is now provided by other means. But the limitations to restraine all men from importing them, then onely those of the Levant company, maketh no free Trade of this Commodity, nor other the like. The immoderate Use of that weede Tobacco hath beene so effectuall in debarring us from Spanish Realls to be (as formerly) imported to a great value yearely: but the wisedome of the State hath so qualified the same, that our Merchants trading in Spaine doe now sell Perpetuanoes, Bayes, Sayes, and other our home Commodities to benefite, which before were sold to losse, to have moneys to buy this Tobacco, that the Spaniard did say, Todo te pagara in humo, All shall be paid with smoake. The fourth cause of the want of Money in England, is (as the said Author saith) The great want of our East India stocke here at home, which he termeth the especiall Remote Cause; whereas most men would have expected that the ready moneys sent in Realls of Plate to make the employment of the said Trade, would rather have beene mentioned. My meaning is that to become a Trapez untia Flatterer. For AEsops Moral, That the Lyon could not be healed without the Apes Liver: that is, Princes can not be safe without the destruction of flatters: remaineth still fresh in memory; but in favour of truth and Policy, I am resolved to deliver my plaine and sincere opinion, concerning the said Trade, which began with us in England immediately after the great Jubile yeare, 1600. In the Discourse made of the Trade from England into the East Indies be truely collected, no doubt the said Trade may be found very profitable hereafter, albeit it hath beene very difficult in the beginning, according to the Proverb, Omut principium grave; especially when the Controversies betweene us and the Hollanders shall be determined, and their agreements established. For if Pepper doe but cost two pence halfe-penny the pound in the Indies, and that tenne shillings imployed therein will require but 35 shillings for all charges whatsoever, to deliver it in London; where it is usually sold for above 20 pence: It followeth by consequence, that there must be a very great gaine, which will increase, when the said parties shall be united in true Love, and buy the said Commodities better cheape; and so proportionably for all other Spices, drugges, silkes, indicoe's and Callecoes. Againe, if one hundreth thousand pounds in money exported may import the value of 500 thousand pounds Starlin in wares of Commodities: albeit England do not spend above 120 thousand pounds, and 380 thousand pounds in exported unto divers forraine parts, and there sold for ready for ready money with great advantage. And lastly, if the very Commodities of the Realme exported into the East Indies, will buy so much as England useth of their Commodities, and the employment is made for forraine Coyne or Realls of 8 procured from other places,what man of understanding can justly finde fault with that Trade? If treatise were imported thereby unto us, as their finall end, as the Discourse saith, but that other Trades do divert the same? For when the said Indian Commodities are sent from England into Turkie, Ligorne, Genoway, the Low Countries, Marselleis and other places, and are sold for ready money: The same is imployed againe upon Gorints, Wines, Cotton-Wooll and Yearne, Galles and divers other Commodities, wherewith the Ships beeing reladen: yet