The extortioners and stock-jobbers, detected. Or, an infallible receipt for the circulation of money.

THE EXTORTIONERS AND Stock-Iobbers, detected. Or, An Infallible Receipt for the Circulation of Money.

OUR Fore-fathers in former days had so great an Aversion against Ex∣cessive Usury, that they look'd upon the Usurers as void of all Hu∣manity and Christianity, and as a Mark of their Displeasure, would not suffer them to have a Christian Burial. It may be of good Service to have some such Mark put upon them now, to shew the dislike of this Age, who are in a great measure undone by them.

These cruel ill-natur'd Monsters are the destroyers and devourers of most Mens Substance, by their unreasonable Dealings and Extorting Usuries, prosecuting their own Covetous and Evil Designs, having no regard to the Laws of God, and breaking through all the Laws of Men, as if they were to give no Account in this World nor the next. But since these Catter-pillars have made havock and spoil at their own Will and Pleasure, it is high time to inform them, That there are Laws already made as a Scourge for all such Vermin; there are a great many honest English-men, that are true Lovers of their King and Country, that will prosecute these Offenders, and endeavour to make them sensible of their bold and barefac'd Frauds, that are at this time of day put upon most of his Majesty's good Sub∣jects, who are drove to unexpressable Streights and Necessities, by their Tricks and Contrivances, by keeping the Money and hindering its Currancy, on purpose to drive the People into great Wants, that thereby they might make the better Markets of them, exacting from them, Five, Ten, Fifteen, and Twenty per Cent. besides lawful Interest, and not without extraordinary Secu∣rity, such as Plate or Land, by which means Money is become an absolute Commodity, to almost the ruin of some Thousands of the honest trading Men in the Kingdom, for they will never lay Moneys out in Goods, when they can by their unlawful Practises make much more of their Money than by lay∣ing it out in Commodities, so that Trade must stop, and all Business stand still if the Laws be not put in Execution: In order thereunto you have here a Co∣py of an of Parliament, which we heartily wish may by Authority be com∣manded to be read publickly in all the Churches in England every Sunday in the year, to prevent future Frauds and Extortion.

An ACT for the Restraining the taking of Excessive Usury, Anno duodecimo CAROLI Secundi Regis, Cap. XIII.

FOrasmuch as the Abatement of Interest from Ten in the Hundred in former times, hath been found by notable Experience beneficial to the Advancement of Trade, and Improvements of Lands by good Husbandry, with many other consi∣derable Advantages to this Nation, especially the Reducing of it to nearer Pro∣portion with Foreign Statutes with whom we Traffick. And whereas in fresh memo∣ry the like Fall from Eight to Six in the Hundred, by a late constant Practice hath found the like Success, to the general Contentment of this Nation, as is visibly by se∣veral

Improvements: And whereas it is the endeavour of some at present to Reduce it back again in practice to the allowance of the Statute still in force to Eight in the Hundred, to the great discouragement of Ingenuity, and Industry in Husbandry, Trade and Commerce in this Nation:

II. Be it for the Reasons aforesaid Enacted by the King's most Excellent Maje∣sty, and the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assembled, That no Per∣son or Persons whatsoever, from and after the Twenty ninth day of September in the Year of our Lord One thousand six hundred and sixty, upon any Contract shall from and after the said Twenty ninth of September, take directly or indirectly, for Loan of any Moneys, Wares, Merchandise, or other Commodities whatsoever, above the value of Six pounds for the forbearance of One hundred pounds for a year, and so after that Rate for a greater or lesser Sum, or for a longer or shorter time: And that all Bonds, Contracts, and Assurances whatsoever, made after the time aforesaid, for payment of any Principal, or Money to be lent, or Covenant to be performed upon or for any Ʋsury, whereupon or whereby there shall be reserved or taken above the Rate of Six pounds in the Hundred, as aforesaid, shall be utterly void: And that all and every Person or Persons whatsoever, which shall after the time aforesaid, upon any Contract to be made, after the said Twenty ninth day of September, take, accept and receive, by way or means of any corrupt Bargain, Loan, Exchange, Chevisaunce, Shift, or Interest of any Wares, Merchandise, or other thing or things whatsoever, or by any deceitful way or means, or by any Covin, Engine, or deceitful Conveyance for the forbearing or giving Day of Payment for one whole Year, of and for their Money or other thing, above the Sum of Six pounds, for the forbearing of One hun∣dred pounds for a Year, and so after that Rate for a greater or lesser Sum, or for a longer or shorter Term, shall forfeit and lose, for every such offence, the treble value of the Moneys, Wares, Merchandise, and other things so Lent, Bargained, Sold, Exchanged or Shifted.

III. And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That all and every Scri∣vener and Scriveners, Broker and Brokers, Solicitor or Solicitors, Driver and Dri∣vers of Bargains for Contracts, who shall after the said Twenty ninth day of Septem∣ber, take or receive, directly or indirectly, any Sum or Sums of Money, or other Re∣ward or Thing, for Brokage, Soliciting, Driving, or Procuring the Loan, or For∣bearing any Sum or Sums of Money, over and above the Rate or Value of Five shil∣lings for the Loan, or Forbearing of One hundred pound for a year, and so rate∣ably, or above Twelve pence for making or renewing of the Bond or Bill for Loan, or Forbearing thereof, or for any Counter-Bond or Bill concerning the same, shall forfeit for every such Offence Twenty pounds, and have Imprisonment for half a year; The one Moiety of all which Forfeitures to be to the King our Soveraign Lord, his Heirs and Successors, and the other Moiey to him or them that will sue for the same, in the same County where the same Offences were committed, and not elsewhere, by Action of Debt, Bill, Plaint or Information, in which no Essoign of Law or Pro∣tection to be allowed.

It hath been a Question put by those that have suffered by Jobbers in Tal∣lies and Bank Bills, Whether this Statute does affect these unreasonable Practices? Their best way to be informed therein, is to advise with able Counsel.

But by this Act we see the great Councel and Wisdom of the Nation, in former times, fore-saw and well considered that the raising the Interest of Money, or leaving to the liberty of the People to value it as they please, would not only be a ruin to Ingenuity, Industry, and Trade, but also undo the Kingdom; and therefore in their great Wisdom, did set Bounds and Limits, and made this good and wholsome Law, which at this time of day is hoped will save us from ruin. And certainly the Extortioners and Stock-Jobbers would never have been so impudent, as to put what price they please upon Money, if they did

not think themselves out of the reach of the Law, or that the Laws, when made, to be of no effect: But time must convince them, wherein we hope to see this Law so well applied, that it will prove a smart Rod for both the Knaves and Fools Backs. Walk but to the Royal Exchange, and you will presently see how the Face of Affairs are there altered (occasion'd only by these ill-look'd Monsters) the Business of the Exchange used to be selling of Commodities; but now, What price bank Bills ? What Security for Money? Nothing but Plate or Land, at Ten, Fifteen, Twenty, or more per Cent. By these unrea∣sonable Practises we plainly see that this was the true Cause why the King was not supplied, as we have found by woful Experience. They tell you that Money is of a greater value than ever, and therefore they ought to make the best of it. Self-interest may plead for it, but the Notion is notoriously false: For indeed Money is at no time of any greater value than what the Law hath put upon it; and no Subject dare warrant the taking of more than Six per Cent. but is liable to be Indicted upon the Statute of Excessive Usury. It's true, the King gives a greater Interest than Six per Cent. the Reason is, to encourage the Subject to speedily supply the Necessities of the Kingdom, (but not with∣out a Law first made). The Subject ought to live in subjection to the Law, and content himself with Six per Cent. until he hath Liberty by Law to do o∣therwise. It's of a dangerous Consequence to suffer the People to take a great∣er Interest for Money than the King gives himself; for then the Government will never be supplyed, as we have already seen. Therefore the Neck of this Roguery must be broke, or the Nation undone.

It's no wonder that these daring Creatures break through all Laws, when they dare spit in the Face of the Law-makers; for if the Parliament makes any Law that prevents their unjust Practises, they immediately put a mark upon those Members. The last Sessions of Parliament, there were great Debates be∣fore the House could settle the Coin (occasioned also by these Tools). They have also printed a List of all the Members, with a mark upon them that were for lowering the Guinea's and settling the Silver; not sparing to say in publick, That they were not Friends to the Government. But if there be no Law to punish them for their open Affronts, in due time the Parliament may make one.

It's very plain that these Extortioners and Stock-Jobbers never cried up the Rise of Silver and the Rise of Gold, that the Kingdom in general might be the better, but that they themselves might have gained extravagant Sums of Money, that had great Cash by them: And it is also as plainly seen, That the Money being brought to its due weight and standard, hath had this good ef∣fect already, the Exchange from Holland being Thirty six shillings nine pence of our side, which would not have been, if the Money had been setled as they would have had it.

Indeed, these surly Creatures do still retain their Anger, and are resolved to have another touch at Parliament to raise the Guinea's and the Silver, and get a Consideration for their Clipt Money being still in hopes of obtaining their Ends, have kept up great Sums of Money, which hath been another Reason that hath obstructed the Currancy of Money. That they have kept it up appears thus: At the Tenth of April Guinea's were to go for no more than Two and twenty shillings, and the Fourth of May was Clipt Money to be no more made use of, so that at that time, we had no Money for currancy, but the old broad Money, and small parcels of old Mill'd, and in a few days scarcely a Guinea to be seen, which plainly shews they were very sullen, resolving to keep them up, and not to lose by them, never reckoning what they had got unlawfully by them.

There is one Reason more that will convince you in a little time, and that is, If they do apply themselves to the Parliament, the next Sessions, you may then be sure they have kept up the Moneys: and that you may be the bet∣ter

satisfied in the truth thereof, the Monsters shall be described to you; They have many Names, and they are of divers Shapes; some are old, and some young; their Haunts will be in the Court of Request, or in the Lobby, or among the Foot-boys on the Stairs. But if you do not know them by their Shapes, you will certainly know them by their Cry, Raise the Guinea's, Raise the Silver, and allow for Clipt Money, or we are all undone: (meaning we Extortioners and Stock-Jobbers.)

The Jews, who were a cunning and subtle People, well knew the Distracti∣ons and Disorders that would have befall'n them, if their weight and stand-hard had been corrupted; to prevent which they kept the Shekel of Gold and the Shekel of Silver in the Sanctuary, as sacred as the Law of Moses; and they always had regard to the weight of the Shekel in the Sanctuary. From whence we may learn, That if our Laws did not protect and prevent the Corruptions of Coin, Weights in Measures, we should soon be in Confusion, and should not know how to deal one with another.

It's demonstrably true, That the late Act of Parliament for Punching of all old broad Money, for preventing its being clipt, is very little regarded, which gives a very just suspicion of these Extortioners and Stock-Jobbers having a further Design, and that they will make a great bustle and struggle to get an al∣lowance for the clipt Money, alledging the Country People will all be undone, when indeed most of them hath sustained already to loss. But the Design must be deeper laid: For if the Parliament should adhere to make an allowance for the clipt Money that is in their hands, then all the old broad Money un∣punched, must once more come into the Clippers hands, and so the Nation make good another piece of their Roguery.

It's further observed, That their barbarous Contrivances in keeping up the Coin of the Kingdom, for the Reasons before mentioned, hath brought us in∣to these following Evils, That the middle Trading-men of the Nation are in a worse Condition that the common Beggars; they cannot sell their Commo∣dities for Money, nor can they receive their Debts, and all manner of Friend∣ship destroyed; and if they go to borrow Money they are laught at, unless they give them their unreasonable Demands. What must these poor People do? either starve or beg. Nay, many of these Monsters themselves refuse paying their own Debts, making use of the common Necessitous Cry, Is this a time to part with Money, or pay Debts? when the true Reason is, whilst they keep the People out of their Money, they Trade with it upon unconscionable Usu∣ry. Therefore, that they may have a just Reward, according to their Merits, it is thought advisable to publish this following

ADVERTISEMENT.

THIS is to give Notice, That there is a considerable Discovery already made of great Numbers of these unreasonable Men, who are deep in these unwarrantable Practises, and are to be speedily prosecuted: Therefore those honest Gentlemen, and others that are Lovers of Justice, and their Countries welfare, who have been in the like manner used, having been obliged in their Necessity to give the Extortioners and Stock-Jobbers their unreasonable Demands, If they please to meet a Will's Coffee-house in the Court of Request the Twentieth instant, being the first day of the sitting of the Parliament, there they may be informed what proper Methods are to be taken for their Relief.