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So as the benefit which would accrue to the Nation by this Admission, would begin at the Corporations, by reason of their Convenience; whereby the people would not only be employed, but the Corporations much more peopled, the Markets more frequented, and better supplied with all
sorts of Provisions, the Houses repair'd, and new ones built. It is said, that about a year before Queen Eliz. planted the Walloons (which could not endure the severity of Alva's Government) in Norwich and Colchester, that it was pro∣pounded in the Council to demolish both those places, as Receptacles of vagrant and Idle persons, which were bur∣thensome to the Nation, and dangerous to the Government: whereas now it is said, that the weekly returns of Colchester for the Woollen Manufactures of that place, amount to neer thirty thousand pound, and of Norwich to near twen∣ty thousand pound.
But these Corporations which might be Seminaries for employment of people, to the incredible happiness and en∣riching of themselves and the Nation, by mistaking their own Interest as well as that of the Nation, in insisting upon their Priviledges, are become so poor and unfrequented, that the Governing part have little to do but to Tax one part of the Inhabitants to maintain the other, though the Town-lands, and other Revenues for maintaining them, be ve∣ry considerable. The Tradesmen are generally Retailers, who understand little more, than that more of them would eat the Bread out of one anothers Mouths; and therefore their chief care is to keep out all others. These Elbow-men, as they are Idle, and bred up in no honest Calling, so by their Priviledges they impose what Taxes they please upon the labours of the poor Artificers, (who are the Soul of a Nation) take what they please of them, and at what prizes they please. But then these Lords in their Exempt Juris∣diction put another value upon them to all Forreigners to their Priviledges; so that a Gentleman may buy our own Manufactures in Italy or Turky cheaper than of them: and if ever a Noble or Gentleman gets into their Books, they rarely ever get out, unless they sell Lands to cross their Books; and these are the Honourable Priviledges these Pa∣triots of Corporations are incorporated into.