Fraud and oppression detected and arraigned. Or An appeal to the Parliament of England in a short narative and deduction of severall actions at law depending in the ordinary courts of justice in Holland & Zealand, between diverse subjects of the King of England, and the subjects of the States Generall of the Seven United Provinces. With severall remarkable observations and animadversions thereupon, by the creditors of Sr. William Courten, Sr. Paul Pyndar, Sr. Edward Littleton and Willam [sic] Courten Esquire deceased. Faithfully recollected and digested into a method by G.C. a lover of his countrey. Whereunto are added some necessary advertisements concerning the improvement of navigation and trade.

Severall necessary Advertisments concerning the improvement of Navigation and the Woollen Manufactures of England.

HEnry the fourth of France, soon after he came to the Crown, advised with his councell h••w he might abate the power and splendor of the Flemings, which so often gave diversions to the French: Whereupon one of the Lords of the Councill answered him, that his Majesty should out of all the Womens thumbs who brought in such an infinite treasure into the Netherlands from Spain and other Nations by their spinning and weaving: But since that time the Hollan∣ders and France have so dismembred Flanders and Brabant that remained poor and industrious, while the Grave Councill at Madrid suffered most part of the rest to be lost rather then they would enter into a League offensive and defensive with England against their Here••itary E∣nemies; when France, Holland and Denmark were all in open ware against the King of Great Britain in the year 1666. untill the Treaty at Breda which the Hollanders record in their Anualls for a most glorious peace.

The great incouragement for the setting up the Wollen Manufactures in England proceeded from the multi∣tude of Workmen, and their wives and Children that fled out of Brabant and Flanders. Whereupon all the Flemish Women at home do maliciously report of the female sex in England to this day, that they are Lazie, Liquorish and ••••••••herous, and do even reproach the English Nuns in Flanders with eating the fat of the Land, and doing no work pretending that other Cloysters do more then get their bread, although they are of the best families in the Low-Coun∣tries and sufficiently indowed with Lands and rents besides. But the Argument is against them: for spinning, knit∣ting and sowing are arrived to such perfections in England, that no Nation in the World exceed English Women in those arts. Yet a strange fate attends all English Manufactures which are fallen in their values to a wonder, and can not be raised again to their former price but by a regular way of trading.

A particular Merchant shall never raise the price of Colchester Bayes again, that a Company in a short time may accomplish. The like may be done in Cloath, Serges, ttersies &c. if men would go the right way to the Mar∣••e••, and throw down the Bancks and Styles that were lately set up to the prejudice of the publick.

The great objections at London must first be taken away before I come to the points of regulation in trade; Com∣panies being generally looked upon in England as Monopolies when the trade is carried on with a joynt stock, which is a vulgar errour. As also a grand mistake in the Cloathi••r and others that exclaim against the Merchants who deal with their own stocks respectively under a regulation. The Grasicr the Fermer the Cloathier W••aver 〈◊〉〈◊〉 &c. do still alledge that such Merchants will not onely make forraigners their subjects, but Englishmen the•• Slaves under a regulation; where they will give what they please for all goods they export, and fell their 〈◊〉〈◊〉 imported for what they list: those shall be answered in order after the proposalls for regulation; and then 〈◊〉〈◊〉 demonstrations be given that all trade not regularly governed will soon decay or be spoiled. In the mean time these things may be well observed as follow:

1. That the Merchant never got more by English Manufactures then he did in those days when he gave a good 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for all goods at home. 2. That most men of judgement find the greatest incouragement to buy when the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of England are upon the rising hand. 3. The greatest losses which have scandulously hapned to the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Merchants in late years, have come by overtrading and cloying the Markets at home, and abroad; which mischief extended to all men that had any dependency upon trade. But there I meet with another objecion that the poor must be kept at work or else they will be unveriable or perish for hunger: as to this I shall also give an 〈◊〉〈◊〉 answer; and likewise prescribe an infallible remedy against that distemper, to the quiet and satisfaction of all poo••ies both rich and poor.

It is granted that by the old rule in Manufactures, a quantity of Wool that cost at the first hand an English Shilling, when it was wrought into Cloath fit for Exportation, pei••••ed sir Shillings: so the publick got 5 cleare, which was added to the stock of the Nation, although severall persons might lose by their ill management in trade.

This rule hath lately met with severall sad exceptions in England: although it will bear the test in other Na∣••his as to severall Manufactures, especally in France (the Canker of Europe, that loughs at all the World, in s••••que cant souce per ton) For example, in fine Dowlaces Sith, Drugets and other Franch Manufactures sent for Spain in great quantities to be transported from thence to the Spanish West-Indies, the French Merchants will not take the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or any part of the effects in Malago Mines, Fruits, Oyls &c. but in Bills of Exchange and pieces of eight that imriches a Kingdom more then the importation of any goods that are consumed amongst themselvs. But this will also meet with a materiall objection as to the diminishing of the Kings Customs, the best supporter in the publick charge of in the navies royall. This shall likewise be answered in its proper time and place.

The Hollanders in the fine threed and Linen (whereof there is a great consumption in England) make a greater augmentation by the art and labour of the workmen then the English do in any kind of Woollen Cloaths, or Stufs; nevertheless the Dutch will have their money remitted six or eight moneths before hand to pay the Weavers, Sleachers, Upmakers, &c. so that there is a vast disproportion between the Dutch Linen trade, and the English Mo••llen trade. The Hollanders set their poor at work with English stock, and the English goods are sold for time upon long payments in many places, which beggers both the Cloathier and Merchant. Besides the advantages given thereby to forraign Nations, that having so much of the English stock in their hands, oftentimes make the King ••eild to dishonorable conditions in treaties of peace to preserve his Subjects goods and monies from confiscation.

Spice and Pickled Herrings (those two Dutch Mineralls) would support the Hollanders if they had no other trade or Navigation to subsist upon: therefore Englishmen that are so indulgent to the Hollanders do not rightly appre∣hend the case, Nutmegs, Cloves, Cinnamon and Mace, (which are all forcibly ingrossed by the Dutch) take one with another, cost the East-India Company 5 stivers a pound, and are sold for 55 stivers ready money in Banck:

and Communibus annis the spice brings in 300000 pounds into the Countrey by Cash from all Nations, which must buy so much in Banck-money for the Company. The Callicoes and other Indian Manufactures, Druggs, Saltpeter, Tin and Copper &c. this year imported in 15 Ships amounted to more then a million of Sterling money besides: as appears by the generall Cargo of the Ships and their Lading hereafter mentioned.

I have observed in Mazeland-Sluys, Del••s-haven, Enckhuysen, Ziericksea, Flaerding, Schiedam and other Fishing-Towns in the United Provinces, when the Herring Bu••ses and Dogger-boats returned from their Voyag∣es, there is the same regulation in the Sale of their Fish, as is observed by the Spaniards in the West-Indies at the arrivall of the Ships out of Spain for the Plate. First, an inquiry is made by the Generall in the West-Indies what goods are brought; then such a price and value is set upon them according to the quantity of Silver that is gotten that year out of the Mines. If it prove a plentifull year for Silver, then there is a good price for the Manufac∣tures and other Merchandizes: if not, it is otherwise.

The Herrings and Salt Codd when the Fishermen come home must be presently sold, and the Magistrates of the respective towns set the prizes according to the quantities that are taken, and they are all sold in a day or two, if there were fifty Ships lading and upwards at a sayl; in regard the money must be distributed amongst so many hundred people in every place; as to Brewers, Bakers, Coupers, Smiths, Ship-Carpenters, Net-makers, Tanners, Ropemakers, &c. besides the poor Fishermen for their wages, according to their hire or adventures of their labour, being both Seamen and Fishermen. And it's free at those generall sales for any man to buy that hath ready money or credit in Banck. Then the Merchants compute what quantity will serve for the consumption of their own Towns in Holland, which are set apart; the rest stored up in Pack-houses, and against Lent-Markets they are sent into France, Germany, East-Countrey, Spanish Netherlands, &c. This last year the Fishermen made bu•• in∣different Voyages; the Shurks that hanted after the Herrings did so spoil their Nets and devour their fish. From Scotland and Ireland great quantities of Salt, Salmon and Herings are transported with diverse Manufac∣tures, and other stayle goods of those Countries unto Rotterdam and Camp-Veer: Although the Chief consumptions for those goods are in Flanders, Brabant, and the rest of the Spanish Nertherlands and confines of Germany. Then considering the severall tolls upon them in passing through the States territories, beside customes, inwards, out∣wards, and also into the Spanish ports afterwards, and all other petty charges, 10 per cent is lost out of the princi∣pall at the first which might be all saved if the goods went directly to Brugis or Antwerp, under a regulation and find ready money at the Market price for their lading.

Whereas now the goods being left in the hands of Hollanders for sail, 6 per cent is presently allowed for money-advance to buy Dutch ••light Ships, ropes, and takling, Flaf, Spice and Drugs &c. for returns; that inconclu∣sion when accounts are made up at the next voyage, which the poor Scotch and Irish are obliged to make unto the same ports (or lose their effects left there) they find so many bad debts and other defalcations; that upon the matter, with all their Merchandise and Commerce they do but toil and work onely for the Hollanders.

England ought to be the Magazin for Scotland and Ireland, in regard the Crown of England defends them both at Sea, and can furnish them both with all forraign goods much cheaper then they shall fetch them from Holland; where many times they are frozen up 3 or 4 moneths in the year, and have spent all their money they got in the sommer with their thin-sided Ships of Sardam whose tender Ribbs are often broken with the Ice in the Southern Sea. The Scotch having liberty to fail in forraign-built Ships will never build any good Vessels at home or set their own people at work upon any materialls that are usefull for Navigation. The Irish are as bad, and have the same qualities in destroying the English Navigation by naturalizing Dutch Ships. As to my knowledge, a Magistrate of Limbrick being at Flushing in the year 1675. gave 13. pasports under his hand and seal of his office to severall Zealan∣ders for their Ships to pass free as Vessels belonging to that Irish Port. But as for the Scotch, they are so dextrous in that art, that severall hundred pasports have been given out at Rotterdam and Campheer in one year with blanks for the names of the Masters. A French Privateer in the space of one moneth met with seven and twenty Ships bound to France and Flanders all from Kercady a Port in Scotland; although 3 parts of the Seamen were Dutchmen, pet a Scotch Master hired from Rotterdam colours both Ship and goods. Wherefore if there be not acts of Parliament made in Scotland and Ireland as well as in England for the better regulation concerning their Navigations where all their Ships and Pynaces ought to be registred in every Port, and all Seamen and Fishermen from the age of ten years to seaventy, duly entred with severe penalties and punishments upon all persons that should transgress against those rules and ordinances there prescribed, then Forraigners will still plough with English, Scotch and Irish heifers.

Now to the great shame of such Englishmen be it spoken who at home and abroad have used all their endeavours possible to spoil the English Navigation: Amongst many hundred examples, I will demonstrat one, whereby the Reader may take his measures concerning the rest, and see how English men that should have taken opportunity of the times to inrich themselvs and their own Countrey, have given the advantage to Strangers. I am unwilling to no∣minate in this place severall very considerable Merchants in London who have hired out their names at Rotterdam, Dunkirk, Oast-End, and severall other Ports where Strangers goods have been shipt under their coverts, and even the Vessels owned for English that never were in any English Port; yet they have passed courant oftentimes for free Ships and free goods.

Notes

• Five Shillings per••on is payd to the French King upon all Stran∣gers Ships that taks Brandy, Salt, Wines &c. from Franch.