England's improvements in two parts : in the former is discoursed how the kingdom of England may be improved ... : in the latter is discoursed how the navigation of England may be increased and the soveraignty of the British seas more secured to the crown of England ... / by Roger Coke.

Prop. 13. Theorem 12.

The pre-emption of Freemen of Corporations endangers the vent of Woollen and other Manufa∣ctures in Forrein Trade.

10 Ax. 3. For things will be so much endangered, as the means of doing them is restrained.

25 Pet. 3. But the buying our Woollen and other Ma∣nufactures is a mean to vend them in Forrein Trade.

26 Pet. 3. And the pre-emption of Freemen of Corpora∣tions, restrains the buying our Woollen and other Manufa∣ctures to the Freemen of Corporations.

Therefore it endangers the Forrein Trade of them.

Annot.

So long as this pre-emption is continued, the best the Na∣tion can hope for, is, that the Inhabitants of the Nation cannot expect any further Employment, than the abilities of these Freemen can arise to. So that it will be impossible to enlarge our Forrein Trades of Woollen and other Manu∣factures, beyond their abilities; or to conserve the Forrein Trades we now enjoy of them, if by War or other accident, their abilities become less. And as the Retailers in Corpo∣rations neither Labour, nor take care in labouring for the production of our Woollen and other Manufactures, but only how to impose upon the labourer and those they sell to: So these pre-emption-men, neither labour, take care in La∣bouring, or to bring the Manufactures of England to their Corporations; yet not only the Artificer must be at their mercy in buying, but all the world in selling. No question then but these men will thrive, though the Nation and all the world suffer. Yet I would be glad to be instructed in any one particular, what need the Nation or World hath of any one of these men: I cannot tell for France, but am confident not one of this kinde of men can be found in the Ʋnited Netherlands.

In truth I have often admired, the German Empire and Kingdom of Poland should give protection to Hamburg and Dantzick; for no member of the Empire or Kingdom is permitted to be supplied with Forrein Commodities, or to vend the Commodities of Germany or Poland in either place, but as they buy of, or sell to the Burgers of them; which are Impositions as injurious as can be imposed upon a Conquered Nation. And though Hamburg be otherwise a great Trading place to many places of the world by Navi∣gation, and very considerable in the Groenland-fishing; yet the Town of Dantzick hath little or no Trade, but their pre-emption of all sorts of Forrein Commodities, where∣with the Dutch and other Nations supply them, and they Poland; and by pre-emption of all the Commodities of

Poland, which these Burgers sell again to the Dutch and o∣ther Nations.

For my part, as I esteem the City of London to be a great ornament to the Nation, and equally with any man desire the Grandeur and Prosperity of it, so I wish the Grandeur and Prosperity of it were otherwise founded, than by pre-emption of the Commodities of the Nation, and such o∣ther means, whereby the Nation necessarily becomes im∣poverished; which must of necessity be more dangerous to the City, than Country: For the Country may subsist, though poorly, without a Forrein Trade, or a Trade with the City. But if the City loses the Forrein Trade of our Commodities, and if the Country by its poverty cannot en∣tertain a Commerce with the City, the City cannot subsist at all. Whereas, if by reason of the cheapness and freedom of vending our Commodities the Country be enriched, though this pre-emption were taken away, the City being the Head of a Noble Nation, and having the residence of the King's Court, and all the Supream Courts of Judicature, and the best Navigable River of Christendom, or perhaps of the World, to supply it with Forrein Commodities, and to vend our Native; it may hold a much better Trade with the Nation than now it does.

Corollary 1.

By the same reason, the Trading in Companies exclusive to other men, endangers the Forrein Trade of our Woollen and other Manufactures.

27 Pet. 3. For freedom in Trade, is a mean to vend our Woollen and other Manufactures in Forrein Trade.

28 Pet. 3. And Trading in Companies, exclusive to o∣ther men, restrains the freedom of Trade of our Woollen Ma∣nufactures to such Companies.

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Annot.

As the pre-emption of Freemen of Corporations, restrains the Forrein vent of our Woollen and other Manufactures by Forreiners, to what these pre-emption-men please to sell, and at what prices they please to impose: So this Trading in Companies restrains the Forrein vent of our Woollen and other Manufactures by the Natives of England, to what these Companies please, and at what terms they please. So that it will be impossible to encrease the Forrein Trade of our Wollen and other Manufactures beyond their pleasures and abilities; or to conserve the Trade the Nation now has under them, if by War or other accident their abilities be∣come less; whereby the Nation loses all the inestimable bene∣fits which might accrue to it by the Forrein Trade of its Manufactures: and the wretched People, whose Livelyhoods depend upon the Forrein Trade, become undone: for want of Employment. And as by this kinde of Trading we endan∣ger our own Forrein Trade of our Manufactures, so we make room for the Dutch and other industrious Nations, who are not subject to the charges and restrictions we lie under; and fix and establish Trades by these Commodities in other Countries, so much more as we charge or restrain ours.

Heretofore, the East-Country-Company, above all others, was the most flourishing, and by Queen Elizabeth, King James, and King Charles the first, termed, The Royal Com∣pany; for it supplied Muscovy, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, and Lifeland, with our Woollen Manufactures, and made very advantageous returns by Treasure, (especially Hungaria Duckats) and the Commodities of those Countries, into England. This Trade till King Charles his Reign the Eng∣lish solely enjoyed. About the beginning of King Charles his Reign, the Dutch began to be Interlopers, rather than Traders with the English in it. But it fell out unluckily, that in the years 1636, 37, and 38. about two hundred Fa∣milies of zealous people in Norfolk and Suffolk, who would

not endure the severe Injunctions of Ecclesiastical Discipline; forsook their Habitation; and being bred up in the Woollen Manufactures wherewith those East-Countries were supplied from England, and planted themselves in Holland, they there instructed the Dutch in those Manufactures; so that we returned the Dutch a kindness, with another sort of peo∣ple the Dutch did us. Afterwards the Fatal Civil Wars en∣sued, so that the East-land-company not so fully supplying the East Country as formerly.

Consequences.

The Dutch found an opportunity of encreasing their Trade of Woollen Manufactures; and the Polanders giving en∣couragement to the Silesians (who bordered upon them, and then only made course Sleses) to work Woollen Manufactures in Poland; and the Wools of Poland being much finer than those of Silefia, these Silesians by themselves, and much more by instructing the Polanders, have in a great measure so sup∣plied Poland with Woollen Manufactures, that whereas before the year 1640, the East-land Company vended yearly 20000 broad Clothes, they now do not 4000: of 60000 Kerseys, now not 5000: of 40000. Doubles, now not 2000.

About the middle of King James his Reign, the State of that part of Suffolk and Essex was in so flourishing a con∣dition by reason of the East-land Trade, that Sir Edward Coke, at the request of the Inhabitants of Ipswich, built Ful∣ling Mills at Bourn-Bridge, a mile from Ipswich. When they were built, the Town proffered him 240 l. per Annum, in case he would let them to the Town; but Sir Edward told them, at their request he built them for a publick benefit, and so he would continue them. In his Grandson Sir Edw. Coke's time these Mills fell to 80, 60, and 40 l. per Annum; and of late, in his Son Sir Robert Coke's time, they fell to six pounds per Annum, though the Mills cost above 2000 l. the building: and at last the Rent would not pay the sixth part of the charge of Repairing them; so as now they are thrown up for want of Work.

Nor is the Fate of the Hamburg-Company much better than that of the East land, and from the same cause: for after the Civil Wars broke out here in England, and the City of London zealously affecting the Cause, and preferring it before any Temporal Interest; the Company either out of Zeal, Necessity, or both, did not so well supply Hamburg as be∣fore; which the Dutch took the benefit of, and have so well managed that advantage, that, as before we supplied Jutland, Holstein, and the North and North-west parts of Germany with Woollen Manufactures, we now scarce go halves with the Dutch in that Trade; and this Company is become so poor, that they can hardly maintain their half in it.

Even the Turky-Company (which we so much glory in) by their Monopoly of vending our Woollen Manufa∣ctures once in two years to Turky, and exposing the West-Country-Clothiers to bring up their Clothes to London be∣fore they please to buy them, (a charge equal to Turky from Bristol, or other Western parts) and then to send them as far East, and then through the Channel, makes but room for the French, Dutch, and Venetians to establish Trades of Woollen Manufactures in Turky; and so much better, by how much this Company charges and restrains ours.

Coroll. 2.

By the same reason, the Act of Navigation en∣dangers a Domestick Trade of our Woollen and other Manufactures.

29. Pet. 3. For Exchanging Forrein Goods for our Woollen and other Manufactures, is a mean to have a Dome∣stick Trade of Woollen and other Manufactures.

30. Pet. 3. And the Act of Navigation restrains the Im∣portation of Forreign Goods to English-built Ships, and sailed by ¾ English, or the Ships and ¾ of the Natives, whe∣ther they have Ships or Marriners or not.

Annot.

No creature endewed with less Prescience than Omni∣science, can foresee the mischiefs the Act of Navigation brings upon the Nation by this restriction. For as every man stands of need of being supplied by another, so does every Country. No man shall ever be well supplied by ano∣ther, who will be only supplied by those men who imme∣diately do things he needs, or by his own Servants: for the men who do the things I stand in need of, it may be are out of distance, or have no means to convey them to me. But when things are made convenient for Humane use, they are commonly sent to the most probable place where they may finde a Market, and there men resort to be supplied, and to sell or exchange other things for them. For my part, I am no Merchant, and therefore cannot give those instances which Merchants can hereof, in the Trade of the Nation; yet am I as morally assured of the reason of this Gorollary, as if I could give a Thousand particular instances of it.

1. It was prov'd before a Committee of the House of Commons, the 12 of Feb. 1668. That before the Rump-Parliament contrived the Act of Navigation, the Trade to Norway for Timber, Pitch and Tar, was generally driven by the English in Barter of our Manufactures, but then by Dollars, and the Treasure of the Nation: and those Manu∣factures which were exported into Norway, were rarely ex∣ported but by Norwegians.

2 That the Prices of Norway-Timber was become neer double.

3. That our own Timber was much wasted, by reason of the Dearness of the Norway-Timber.

4. That we had not built one Ship for that Trade since the Law, nor could ever hope to do, so long as it stood in force, because a Forreign Ship might be built for half the price, and be more free for Trade; whereas the Norwegians had doubled their Ships, and built them twice as big, and encreased their Marriners from 600 to 6000, and yet Tra∣ded

to no place but England; whereby the English in a short time would necessarily be excluded the Trade of Norway, unless they drive it by Norwegians and in Norway Bot∣toms.

5. That the English were then almost wholly laid aside, the Trade of Norway being generally driven by the Norwe∣gians and in Norway Bottoms.

6. That the English were wholly left to the King of Den∣mark's disposing, whenever he pleased to impose any fur∣ther abuses than were then complained of; which were, that the English ever since 1646, and by a Treaty made between the Kings of England and Denmark 1660, paid ⅘ of a Rix∣dollar per Lasts for the growths of Norway; (except the Town of Bergen) but since the late War with the King of Denmark, they paid for Timber a Rixdollar and half per Last; for other growths a Rixdollar and ⅘; others 2 and ⅖; and for others 3 Rixdollars: and in measuring the Lastage, the same Ships which before the War had their Measures adjusted were raised some 35, others 40 Lasts.

7. That it was the Interest of the King of Denmark to make the Trade of Norway insupportable to the English; for thereby the Act of Navigation did reduce the whole Trade to the Norwegians. As this success attended this restriction by the Act of Navigation, in reference to the Trade of Norway, both for our Manufactures and the Com∣modities of Norway: So did it not much better succeed in the Trades of our Manufactures, and of the Hemp and Flax imported by the Dutch in exchange of them. For the English, from the reasons in the first Coroll. upon this Prop. having lost so inestimable a Trade into the Sound, and by consequence the beneficial returns of Ruff Hemp and Flax from Riga, Revel, and other places within the Sound, before the year 1640; and the Dutch by reason of the greatness of their Trade into the Sound, not of Woollen Manufa∣ctures only, but of Fish, Salt, Wines, Brandies, Spice, and other Commodities, returned such vast quantities of Ruff Hemp and Flax, and by reason of the cheapness of their Navigations, and smalness of Duties, supplied the English

so cheap with Hemp and Flax, that the poor people upon the Eastern Coast of England, and here in London, were able to make Cordage, Nets and Sails almost sufficient to supply the Navigation and Fishing upon the Eastern parts of Eng∣land; and the returns of these by the Dutch, were chiefly for Clothes and other Manufactures and growths of Eng∣land. But the Act of Navigation not permitting the Dutch to import these; and the English having so lost their Trade into the Sound; and the Inhabitants of Riga, Revel, and other places of the Sound from whence the best Hemp and Flax comes, little Trading with us into England; and the Act of Navigation permitting the Dutch to import the Ma∣nufactures of Cordage, Nets and Sails,

Consequences.

It came to pass, that as the Natives lost a great exchange of their Woollen and other Manufactures for Hemp and Flax, so did many thousands of poor people their Employ∣ment in making Cordage, Nets and Sails: Even the Town of Yarmouth in Norfolk, before the Act of Navigation, made yearly 2800 Tun of Cordage, now not ten.

And the fitting up of Ships with Cordage and Sails be∣came so dear, that in the year 1650, several persons of good knowledge and experience in building Ships, and any self built a Vessel of 100 Tun, and fitted her out to Sea for 505 l. Four years after, the same Builder built another (both for the Newcastle-Trade) of 110 Tum, and this Ship fitted out to Sea cost above 800 l. And the reason of this dearness, the Builder ascribed to the excessive prices of Pitch, Tar, Cor∣dage and Sails.

Corollary 3.

By the same reason, the Act of Navigation en∣dangers a Forrein Trade of our Woollen and o∣ther Manufactures.

31 Pet. 3. For returns of Forreign Commodities, ex∣changed for our Woollen and other Manufactures, is a mean to conserve a Forreign Trade of our Woollen and other Manufactures.

32 Pet. 3. And the Act of Navigation restrains the returns of Forreign Goods exchanged for our Woollen and other Manufactures to English-built Ships, and sailed by ¾ Eng∣lish.

Annot.

And what are these English-built Ships, but neer double as dear built, and sailed with neer double the charge of the Dutch and other Nations? so as this charge added to the re∣striction by the Act of Navigation,

Consequences.

It comes to pass, that it will be impossible to enlarge ei∣ther the Forreign Trade of our Woollen and other Manu∣factures, or the returns of them beyond this Navigation; and the Merchant computing the charges he is hereby ob∣liged to, findes so much less vent for our Woollen and o∣ther Manufactures, as the Returns become so chargeable, that no profit arises to the Merchant thereby. But besides this inestimable loss which the Nation hereby sustains in the Forreign vent of our Manufactures, these two mischiefs necessarily attend this restriction and charge of this Navi∣gation. One, that we impose a necessity of consuming the Forrein Goods returned in Barter of our own Manufactures, which is generally in Luxury and Pride: or if any of the returns be employed in our Manufactures, the dearness of these returns imposes a further dearness upon our own Ma∣nufactures both in the Forein and Domestick Trade of them. But it is time to proceed to the Expedients by which the Forrein Trade of our Manufactures may be enlarged.