







 
   
     
       
         A treatise of wool and the manufacture of it in a letter to a friend, occasion'd upon a discourse concerning the great abatements of rents and low value of lands ... : together with the presentment of the grand jury of the county of Somerset at the general quarter sessions begun at Brewton the thirteenth day of January, 1684.
         Treatise of wool and cattel
         Clarke, George, fl. 1677-1685.
      
       
         
           1685
        
      
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         97740
         
           
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             A treatise of wool and the manufacture of it in a letter to a friend, occasion'd upon a discourse concerning the great abatements of rents and low value of lands ... : together with the presentment of the grand jury of the county of Somerset at the general quarter sessions begun at Brewton the thirteenth day of January, 1684.
             Treatise of wool and cattel
             Clarke, George, fl. 1677-1685.
          
           31 p.
           
             Printed for William Crooke ...,
             London :
             1685.
          
           
             Written by George Clarke. Cf. Halkett & Laing (2nd ed.).
             First published as: A treatise of wool and cattel. 1677.
             Reproduction of original in Bodleian Library.
          
        
      
    
     
       
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         eng
      
       
         
           Wool industry -- England.
        
      
    
     
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           A
           TREATISE
           OF
           WOOL
           ,
           AND
           THE
           
             Manufacture
             of
             it
          
           :
           In
           a
           LETTER
           to
           a
           FRIEND
           .
        
         
           Occasion'd
           upon
           a
           Discourse
           concerning
           the
           great
           Abatements
           of
           Rents
           ,
           and
           
             Low
             Value
          
           of
           Lands
           .
        
         
           Wherein
           is
           shewed
           how
           their
           Worth
           and
           Value
           may
           be
           advanced
           by
           the
           Improvement
           of
           the
           Manufacture
           and
           Price
           of
           our
           
             English
             WOOL
          
           .
        
         
           Together
           with
           the
           PRESENTMENT
           of
           the
           Grand
           JURY
           of
           the
           County
           of
           Somerset
           ,
           at
           the
           General
           Quarter
           Sessions
           begun
           at
           Brewton
           the
           Thirteenth
           Day
           of
           January
           1684.
           
        
         
           LONDON
           ,
           Printed
           for
           
             William
             Crooke
          
           at
           the
           
             Green
             Dragon
          
           without
           
             Temple
             Bar.
          
           1685.
           
        
      
    
     
       
         
         
         
           
             SIR
             ,
          
        
         
           IT
           is
           now
           seven
           years
           since
           I
           publish'd
           a
           Treatise
           of
           this
           Nature
           ;
           it
           came
           forth
           then
           accompanied
           with
           something
           concerning
           Hospitality
           ,
           and
           the
           Consumption
           of
           our
           Cattel
           ;
           But
           the
           Age
           at
           present
           being
           not
           that
           way
           inclin'd
           ,
           I
           have
           wholly
           omitted
           that
           part
           ;
           and
           shall
           only
           offer
           in
           this
           ,
           that
           which
           concerns
           our
           English
           Wool
           ,
           and
           the
           Manufacture
           of
           it
           .
           For
           I
           find
           that
           a
           great
           many
           are
           very
           busie
           about
           this
           Commodity
           ,
           and
           the
           Trade
           of
           it
           ;
           But
           yet
           I
           do
           not
           find
           any
           Proposals
           offered
           ,
           whereby
           the
           Price
           of
           our
           English
           Wool
           may
           be
           advanc'd
           ;
           I
           shall
           therefore
           lay
           down
           this
           Assertion
           ;
           That
           the
           greatest
           cause
           of
           the
           Abatement
           of
           Rents
           ,
           and
           low
           Value
           upon
           Lands
           at
           this
           day
           ,
           (
           which
           I
           suppose
           every
           man
           that
           hath
           any
           is
           sensible
           of
           ,
           )
           hath
           been
           the
           great
           fall
           ,
           and
           low
           price
           of
           Wool
           for
           these
           few
           years
           past
           .
           Then
           on
           the
           contrary
           ,
           the
           only
           way
           to
           raise
           our
           Rents
           ,
           and
           to
           bring
           our
           Lands
           to
           their
           former
           worth
           and
           value
           again
           ,
           must
           be
           by
           advancing
           the
           price
           of
           our
           English
           Wool.
           Now
           which
           way
           this
           is
           to
           be
           done
           ,
           will
           be
           the
           Subject
           of
           this
           following
           Treatise
           ;
           which
           is
           desired
           may
           be
           accepted
           ,
           as
           it
           is
           freely
           offered
           (
           to
           wit
           )
           as
           the
           real
           intention
           of
           a
           true
           English
           man
           ,
           for
           the
           benefit
           of
           his
           Native
           Country
           .
        
         
           The
           Occasion
           of
           publishing
           this
           at
           this
           time
           ,
           was
           meerly
           accidental
           ;
           for
           being
           at
           White-hall
           some
           few
           Months
           since
           ,
           I
           heard
           of
           great
           Complaints
           made
           ,
           with
           a
           Petition
           to
           the
           King
           and
           Council
           ,
           setting
           forth
           the
           Transportation
           of
           our
           Wool
           ,
           to
           the
           great
           Prejudice
           of
           our
           Clothing
           Trade
           ,
           and
           the
           ruining
           of
           our
           Poor
           for
           want
           of
           Work
           ;
           with
           many
           
           dismal
           Apprehensions
           of
           the
           evil
           Consequences
           thereof
           :
           but
           not
           one
           word
           offer'd
           which
           way
           either
           to
           advance
           the
           Trade
           of
           this
           our
           Woollen
           Manufacture
           ,
           or
           to
           raise
           the
           Price
           of
           our
           English
           Wool
           ;
           But
           the
           whole
           Design
           I
           perceived
           was
           for
           the
           Clothiers
           Advantage
           to
           buy
           Wool
           cheap
           ,
           and
           for
           the
           Merchant
           and
           Drapers
           to
           have
           Cloth
           at
           a
           low
           price
           ;
           both
           very
           destructive
           ,
           not
           only
           to
           the
           Kingdom
           in
           General
           ,
           but
           also
           to
           the
           Trade
           it self
           ;
           as
           shall
           hereof
           be
           made
           appear
           .
        
         
           The
           Complaint
           I
           confess
           was
           of
           great
           Concernment
           ,
           that
           our
           Wool
           ,
           and
           other
           Materials
           for
           the
           making
           of
           Cloth
           ,
           as
           
           Fuller's
           Earth
           ,
           &c.
           ought
           not
           to
           be
           exported
           ;
           the
           many
           Acts
           of
           Parliament
           in
           all
           Ages
           since
           King
           Edward
           the
           Third
           ,
           for
           preserving
           this
           Trade
           and
           Manufacture
           to
           our selves
           ,
           and
           prohibiting
           under
           severe
           Penalties
           ,
           the
           Transportation
           of
           our
           English
           Wool
           ,
           is
           sufficient
           to
           convince
           us
           of
           what
           absolute
           Necessity
           the
           Manufacturing
           of
           our
           Wool
           was
           look'd
           upon
           to
           be
           ,
           as
           to
           the
           Wealth
           and
           Trade
           of
           our
           English
           Nation
           ;
           And
           what
           Advantage
           our
           Ancestors
           in
           former
           Ages
           (
           even
           to
           the
           times
           of
           the
           late
           Rebellion
           )
           made
           by
           this
           Trade
           of
           Cloth.
           The
           Account
           of
           the
           Russia
           and
           Turkey
           Company
           ,
           but
           especially
           the
           Hamborough
           Company
           ,
           which
           took
           off
           so
           many
           thousand
           Cloths
           yearly
           ,
           may
           serve
           us
           only
           to
           bewail
           the
           present
           Decay
           of
           so
           great
           a
           Trade
           .
           So
           that
           our
           Business
           now
           is
           not
           only
           to
           prohibit
           the
           Exportation
           of
           our
           Wool
           ,
           but
           more
           chiefly
           to
           advance
           the
           Trade
           and
           Sale
           of
           our
           Cloth
           ;
           whereby
           the
           price
           of
           our
           English
           Wool
           may
           be
           raised
           again
           to
           what
           it
           was
           formerly
           worth
           .
           For
           to
           what
           purpose
           is
           it
           to
           keep
           all
           our
           own
           Wool
           at
           Home
           ,
           and
           to
           admit
           all
           other
           Wool
           to
           come
           in
           Gratis
           ;
           if
           we
           have
           not
           vent
           enough
           for
           that
           of
           our
           own
           growth
           .
           I
           confess
           it
           may
           sometimes
           enrich
           the
           Clothier
           by
           buying
           cheap
           ,
           but
           I
           am
           sure
           it
           will
           impoverish
           the
           Gentlemen
           and
           Farmers
           ,
           by
           selling
           at
           so
           low
           a
           price
           ;
           therefore
           ,
           if
           by
           the
           following
           Discourse
           our
           ancient
           Trade
           for
           this
           Commodity
           
           may
           be
           restored
           ,
           and
           our
           Wool
           brought
           to
           a
           more
           considerable
           price
           then
           it
           now
           bears
           ,
           whereby
           the
           Rents
           and
           Revenues
           of
           the
           Kingdom
           may
           be
           increas'd
           ,
           and
           our
           Lands
           brought
           to
           their
           former
           Worth
           and
           Value
           again
           ;
           I
           hope
           this
           small
           Treatise
           may
           be
           accepted
           .
        
         
           Sir
           ,
           You
           may
           please
           to
           remember
           upon
           the
           Discourse
           we
           had
           on
           this
           Subject
           ,
           that
           it
           was
           your
           desire
           I
           should
           give
           you
           the
           Heads
           and
           Substance
           thereof
           ,
           against
           the
           next
           meeting
           of
           the
           Parliament
           ;
           that
           as
           you
           found
           a
           convenient
           Opportunity
           and
           compliance
           with
           you
           herein
           ,
           by
           some
           of
           your
           Fellow-Members
           ,
           with
           whom
           you
           did
           intend
           first
           to
           advise
           ,
           you
           would
           accordingly
           proceed
           in
           it
           for
           the
           Publick
           good
           :
           but
           the
           Business
           of
           the
           Popish
           Plot
           then
           breaking
           out
           ,
           all
           things
           of
           this
           nature
           were
           then
           put
           off
           ,
           and
           this
           also
           was
           laid
           aside
           .
           But
           meeting
           with
           this
           Opportunity
           ,
           I
           thought
           it
           a
           very
           fit
           time
           to
           retrieve
           it
           ;
           especially
           considering
           that
           neither
           our
           Wool
           ,
           or
           our
           Clothing
           Trade
           have
           since
           advanc'd
           ,
           but
           on
           the
           contrary
           grown
           worse
           and
           worse
           ;
           even
           to
           so
           low
           an
           Ebb
           ,
           that
           it
           is
           impossible
           to
           sink
           lower
           .
           And
           that
           it
           being
           at
           this
           time
           more
           particularly
           in
           his
           Majesties
           Royal
           hands
           ,
           to
           dispose
           and
           regulate
           the
           sale
           of
           Cloth
           at
           that
           great
           and
           chiefest
           Market
           in
           the
           Kingdom
           for
           the
           same
           at
           Blackwel-hall
           in
           London
           ,
           by
           appointing
           such
           Officers
           ,
           and
           such
           Regulation
           of
           the
           sale
           of
           Cloth
           there
           ,
           together
           with
           such
           Rules
           and
           Orders
           to
           be
           observed
           ,
           both
           by
           the
           Clothier
           ,
           Merchant
           ,
           and
           Draper
           ,
           according
           to
           the
           several
           Laws
           and
           Statutes
           heretofore
           made
           ,
           for
           the
           Encouragement
           of
           this
           great
           Trade
           ,
           as
           in
           his
           Princely
           Wisdom
           shall
           be
           thought
           most
           fit
           and
           convenient
           .
           And
           although
           many
           offers
           have
           been
           made
           of
           late
           years
           for
           England's
           Improvement
           ,
           which
           shews
           that
           we
           are
           sufficiently
           sensible
           of
           our
           decaying
           Condition
           ,
           if
           we
           could
           but
           tell
           how
           to
           help
           our selves
           ;
           yet
           it
           is
           a
           very
           great
           Question
           whether
           several
           of
           those
           Designs
           might
           in
           the
           end
           prove
           for
           the
           real
           Good
           and
           Benefit
           of
           this
           Kingdom
           ,
           as
           to
           endeavour
           the
           planting
           of
           
           several
           Foreign
           Commodities
           ,
           whereby
           to
           engross
           the
           Manufacture
           of
           other
           Nations
           to
           our selves
           ;
           for
           the
           saving
           ,
           as
           we
           alledge
           ,
           many
           thousands
           of
           pounds
           at
           home
           ,
           which
           they
           cost
           us
           abroad
           ;
           and
           the
           cutting
           of
           so
           many
           Rivers
           to
           make
           them
           Navigable
           ,
           through
           the
           very
           heart
           of
           most
           parts
           of
           the
           Kingdom
           ,
           to
           London
           ;
           whereby
           all
           our
           Trade
           and
           Carriage
           might
           pass
           up
           and
           down
           without
           Waggons
           and
           Horses
           ,
           at
           far
           cheaper
           rates
           than
           now
           they
           do
           by
           them
           ;
           with
           several
           other
           the
           like
           Projects
           ,
           that
           carry
           with
           them
           fair
           Pretences
           of
           Thrift
           and
           good
           Husbandry
           ;
           while
           on
           the
           other
           hand
           it
           might
           easily
           be
           made
           appear
           ,
           that
           many
           of
           those
           Designs
           would
           prove
           so
           disadvantagious
           to
           us
           ,
           notwithstanding
           the
           specious
           shew
           of
           Profit
           .
           That
           our
           Lands
           which
           are
           already
           fallen
           a
           fourth
           part
           of
           their
           ancient
           Worth
           and
           Value
           ,
           would
           not
           then
           ,
           in
           most
           parts
           of
           the
           Kingdom
           ,
           yield
           the
           one
           half
           ,
           especially
           the
           Pasture
           and
           Meadow
           Grounds
           .
           For
           it
           is
           not
           the
           having
           all
           things
           of
           our
           own
           growth
           on
           the
           one
           hand
           ,
           and
           the
           saving
           of
           our
           Money
           on
           the
           other
           can
           make
           us
           Rich
           ;
           neither
           can
           our
           Increase
           and
           Plenty
           in
           some
           sence
           be
           said
           to
           be
           our
           Wealth
           ,
           if
           we
           have
           not
           a
           suitable
           Vend
           and
           Consumption
           thereof
           .
           Besides
           ,
           Nature
           hath
           otherwise
           provided
           ,
           and
           so
           furnish'd
           each
           particular
           part
           of
           the
           World
           with
           something
           which
           the
           rest
           want
           ,
           whereby
           to
           preserve
           a
           Friendship
           and
           Commerce
           together
           .
        
         
           Sir
           ,
           I
           have
           hinted
           at
           this
           ,
           that
           the
           following
           Discourse
           might
           meet
           with
           the
           less
           Prejudice
           ,
           when
           the
           Design
           of
           it
           shall
           appear
           ,
           that
           it
           is
           not
           for
           the
           prohibiting
           any
           Foreign
           Commodity
           ,
           or
           for
           the
           engrossing
           all
           within
           our
           own
           growth
           ;
           but
           that
           which
           we
           call
           our
           own
           growth
           and
           Manufacture
           ,
           may
           be
           spent
           ,
           if
           not
           by
           others
           abroad
           ,
           yet
           among
           our selves
           at
           home
           :
           And
           this
           I
           think
           is
           so
           reasonable
           ,
           that
           no
           Nation
           in
           the
           World
           ,
           but
           will
           allow
           us
           that
           Liberty
           .
        
         
           Let
           us
           now
           proceed
           to
           that
           which
           is
           intended
           in
           this
           following
           Discourse
           ;
           and
           in
           the
           first
           place
           ,
           to
           shew
           how
           much
           our
           Estates
           and
           Rents
           are
           fallen
           from
           their
           former
           Value
           
           within
           these
           few
           years
           ,
           and
           what
           may
           probably
           be
           the
           Causes
           thereof
           ,
           with
           some
           ways
           and
           means
           that
           may
           be
           conceived
           necessary
           to
           restore
           them
           to
           that
           value
           and
           esteem
           again
           .
        
         
           First
           then
           ,
           that
           our
           Rents
           are
           abated
           ,
           and
           that
           the
           Value
           of
           our
           Lands
           are
           fallen
           ,
           most
           mens
           particular
           experience
           will
           justifie
           me
           in
           the
           truth
           hereof
           ;
           For
           from
           twenty
           years
           purchase
           ,
           the
           usual
           rate
           not
           many
           years
           since
           ,
           they
           are
           now
           sunk
           to
           eighteen
           at
           the
           highest
           ;
           and
           in
           some
           places
           sixteen
           or
           seventeen
           years
           purchase
           is
           the
           selling
           rate
           ,
           and
           these
           very
           same
           Estates
           at
           a
           low
           under
           value
           ;
           so
           that
           if
           we
           sum
           up
           what
           an
           hundred
           pounds
           a
           year
           ,
           the
           Rent
           well
           paid
           ,
           was
           worth
           thirty
           or
           forty
           years
           since
           ,
           in
           the
           beginning
           of
           the
           late
           Rebellious
           Wars
           ,
           we
           shall
           find
           ,
           that
           the
           real
           value
           of
           our
           Estates
           are
           a
           third
           part
           less
           than
           they
           were
           then
           ;
           and
           but
           two
           parts
           of
           three
           ,
           of
           what
           Money
           they
           would
           have
           yielded
           then
           ,
           can
           now
           be
           raised
           where
           any
           man
           hath
           occasion
           to
           sell
           .
           For
           Example
           ,
           Let
           an
           hundred
           pound
           a
           year
           be
           the
           standard
           ,
           the
           just
           value
           then
           that
           this
           hundred
           pound
           a
           year
           would
           have
           yielded
           at
           twenty
           years
           purchase
           ,
           is
           two
           thousand
           pound
           .
           Now
           there
           is
           twenty
           pound
           a
           year
           with
           the
           least
           ,
           and
           in
           many
           places
           thirty
           pound
           a
           year
           Abatement
           in
           Rent
           out
           of
           this
           hundred
           .
           We
           will
           touch
           the
           Sore
           as
           easie
           as
           possible
           ,
           and
           allow
           but
           twenty
           
             per
             Annum
          
           abatement
           in
           Rent
           ,
           so
           there
           remains
           but
           eighty
           pound
           ,
           which
           at
           eighteen
           years
           purchase
           comes
           to
           1440
           pound
           ;
           so
           that
           at
           this
           rate
           ,
           here
           is
           near
           a
           third
           part
           lost
           of
           the
           real
           Value
           what
           the
           Lands
           and
           Estates
           of
           the
           Kingdom
           were
           formerly
           worth
           .
           And
           this
           we
           may
           believe
           ,
           that
           that
           Parliament
           about
           seven
           years
           since
           were
           very
           sensible
           of
           :
           Witness
           their
           many
           Debates
           in
           their
           several
           Sessions
           about
           raising
           Money
           for
           his
           Majesties
           supplies
           ,
           and
           the
           great
           care
           the
           Houses
           then
           took
           in
           all
           those
           Debates
           ,
           that
           none
           of
           those
           Supplies
           should
           be
           provided
           for
           by
           a
           Land
           Tax
           ,
           whilst
           there
           could
           any
           other
           way
           possibly
           be
           found
           out
           ,
           or
           thought
           upon
           ;
           and
           those
           
           small
           helps
           ,
           as
           the
           Excise
           on
           the
           Law
           &c.
           which
           were
           so
           long
           a
           raising
           but
           a
           very
           inconsiderable
           Sum
           ,
           at
           last
           cannot
           be
           look'd
           upon
           to
           stand
           the
           King
           and
           Kingdom
           in
           any
           stead
           ,
           should
           there
           be
           any
           extraordinary
           occasion
           for
           Money
           .
           If
           we
           should
           expect
           any
           supply
           from
           the
           Merchant
           ,
           and
           from
           Trade
           ,
           they
           will
           tell
           you
           that
           there
           is
           as
           much
           Custome
           and
           Excise
           laid
           upon
           all
           sorts
           of
           Commodities
           as
           the
           Trade
           is
           able
           to
           bear
           ;
           This
           shall
           be
           the
           general
           Answer
           of
           the
           whole
           Body
           of
           Merchants
           ,
           and
           the
           Whole-sale-dealers
           throughout
           the
           Kingdom
           ,
           especially
           in
           London
           ,
           so
           that
           little
           help
           is
           to
           be
           expected
           from
           them
           .
           Have
           we
           not
           reason
           then
           to
           endeavour
           the
           Restoring
           our
           Lands
           and
           Rents
           to
           their
           former
           value
           and
           esteem
           ,
           when
           we
           have
           hardly
           any
           other
           way
           left
           for
           the
           Preservation
           of
           our
           Lives
           ,
           Estates
           ,
           yea
           ,
           and
           our
           Trade
           too
           :
           for
           should
           there
           be
           any
           extraordinary
           Occasion
           for
           a
           speedy
           supply
           of
           Money
           ,
           when
           all
           Heads
           and
           Wits
           are
           puzl'd
           which
           way
           to
           raise
           it
           ;
           there
           can
           be
           no
           speedier
           way
           possibly
           found
           out
           ,
           then
           by
           a
           Land
           Tax
           (
           or
           Subsidy
           )
           which
           is
           much
           the
           same
           ,
           provided
           our
           Lands
           and
           Rents
           may
           be
           raised
           to
           their
           former
           value
           and
           esteem
           .
        
         
           This
           being
           then
           the
           true
           state
           of
           the
           Case
           ,
           and
           the
           Condition
           we
           are
           fallen
           into
           ,
           since
           the
           beginning
           of
           the
           late
           Wars
           ;
           let
           us
           now
           proceed
           to
           examine
           the
           Causes
           of
           this
           great
           Mischief
           ,
           to
           make
           way
           for
           remedying
           the
           same
           ;
           and
           these
           may
           be
           sum'd
           up
           into
           these
           two
           grand
           ones
           (
           to
           wit
           )
           Our
           Wool
           ,
           and
           Cattel
           ,
           the
           latter
           of
           which
           was
           endeavour'd
           to
           be
           provided
           for
           ,
           by
           that
           Irish
           Act
           which
           utterly
           prohibited
           the
           bringing
           in
           of
           any
           sort
           of
           Cattel
           out
           of
           Ireland
           into
           this
           Kingdom
           ,
           upon
           forfeiture
           thereof
           ;
           when
           there
           was
           the
           same
           Reason
           ,
           at
           the
           very
           same
           time
           ,
           against
           the
           Importation
           of
           their
           Wool
           ,
           (
           to
           wit
           )
           to
           prevent
           the
           beating
           down
           the
           Rents
           of
           that
           part
           of
           the
           Kingdom
           which
           depended
           most
           upon
           breeding
           .
        
         
           Let
           us
           now
           proceed
           ,
           and
           enquire
           into
           the
           Reasons
           of
           the
           low
           Rates
           and
           Prices
           of
           our
           Wool
           ,
           and
           we
           shall
           
           find
           that
           we
           may
           bring
           them
           under
           these
           few
           chief
           Heads
           .
        
         
           First
           then
           ,
           The
           great
           quantity
           of
           Spanish
           Wool
           sold
           here
           at
           very
           low
           Rates
           ,
           and
           that
           made
           into
           Cloth
           ,
           and
           the
           most
           part
           of
           it
           (
           to
           our
           shame
           )
           worn
           by
           our Selves
           ;
           is
           a
           very
           great
           Cause
           of
           the
           Abatement
           and
           low
           Price
           of
           ours
           .
        
         
           Secondly
           ,
           The
           not
           wearing
           ,
           and
           other
           ways
           using
           the
           Cloth
           made
           of
           our
           own
           Wool
           ,
           both
           by
           our selves
           at
           Home
           ,
           and
           by
           our
           People
           in
           our
           several
           Plantations
           abroad
           ,
           may
           be
           look'd
           upon
           as
           another
           Cause
           of
           the
           great
           Abatement
           of
           the
           Price
           of
           Wool.
           
        
         
           Thirdly
           ,
           The
           decaying
           Condition
           of
           the
           Merchant-Adventurers
           ,
           and
           Hamborough
           Company
           ,
           who
           did
           formerly
           send
           away
           so
           many
           of
           our
           English
           Cloths
           into
           Germany
           ,
           and
           all
           those
           Eastern
           Parts
           of
           Europe
           ,
           more
           than
           now
           they
           do
           ,
           may
           be
           reckon'd
           another
           Cause
           of
           the
           low
           Price
           of
           Wool.
           
        
         
           Fourthly
           ,
           The
           not
           making
           our
           Cloth
           of
           that
           Size
           and
           Substance
           as
           it
           ought
           to
           be
           ,
           as
           by
           several
           Statutes
           to
           that
           purpose
           ,
           it
           may
           appear
           ,
           and
           for
           which
           the
           Alnage
           Office
           was
           at
           first
           Establish'd
           .
        
         
           And
           Lastly
           ,
           The
           great
           Abuses
           and
           Cheats
           of
           late
           years
           put
           upon
           our
           Clothiers
           ,
           by
           the
           Brokers
           and
           Factors
           at
           Blackwell-Hall
           ,
           to
           the
           breaking
           and
           undoing
           of
           many
           of
           our
           young
           Clothiers
           ,
           especially
           if
           their
           stocks
           be
           small
           ;
           These
           may
           be
           accounted
           some
           of
           the
           chief
           Causes
           of
           the
           great
           Abatement
           and
           low
           Price
           of
           our
           Wool.
           
        
         
           We
           will
           Examine
           them
           in
           their
           Order
           .
           And
           first
           ,
           concerning
           the
           Spanish
           Wool.
           If
           we
           look
           no
           farther
           back
           than
           1660
           ,
           the
           Year
           of
           his
           Majesties
           happy
           Restauration
           ,
           We
           shall
           find
           that
           the
           Superfine
           Spanish
           Wool
           (
           as
           they
           term
           it
           )
           was
           sold
           for
           four
           shillings
           ,
           and
           four
           shillings
           and
           four
           pence
           the
           pound
           ,
           and
           the
           other
           sorts
           at
           three
           shillings
           ,
           and
           three
           shillings
           and
           six
           pence
           the
           pound
           ,
           according
           as
           it
           was
           in
           goodness
           :
           And
           our
           Wool
           at
           that
           time
           was
           sold
           for
           sixteen
           pence
           and
           eighteen
           pence
           the
           pound
           .
           Now
           this
           present
           year
           
           1684
           ,
           and
           seven
           or
           eight
           years
           since
           ,
           the
           Supersine
           Spanish
           Wool
           ,
           is
           not
           worth
           above
           two
           shillings
           ,
           or
           two
           shillings
           and
           two
           pence
           the
           pound
           ,
           and
           the
           other
           sorts
           at
           twenty
           pence
           and
           two
           and
           twenty
           pence
           the
           pound
           ;
           and
           our
           Wool
           will
           not
           yield
           above
           seven
           pence
           or
           eight
           pence
           a
           pound
           ;
           so
           that
           in
           less
           than
           twenty
           years
           time
           our
           Wool
           is
           fallen
           the
           one
           half
           and
           more
           ;
           and
           so
           long
           as
           the
           Spanish
           Wool
           is
           sold
           at
           this
           low
           Rate
           ,
           it
           is
           not
           likely
           that
           our
           own
           can
           Advance
           in
           price
           :
           And
           if
           so
           ,
           then
           our
           Rents
           ,
           especially
           those
           Farms
           that
           depend
           most
           upon
           Corn
           and
           Sheep
           ,
           must
           continue
           at
           this
           low
           Ebb
           they
           are
           now
           at
           ,
           if
           they
           fall
           no
           lower
           .
           The
           removal
           then
           of
           this
           great
           Mischief
           ,
           is
           the
           next
           thing
           we
           are
           to
           Consider
           ;
           and
           herein
           I
           must
           content
           my self
           to
           receive
           the
           Censures
           of
           several
           Persons
           of
           the
           contrary
           Party
           ,
           I
           mean
           those
           Persons
           whose
           Fortunes
           and
           Imployments
           lye
           principally
           in
           the
           Buying
           ,
           not
           growing
           of
           this
           Commodity
           ;
           but
           they
           are
           not
           so
           many
           .
        
         
           First
           then
           ,
           Spanish
           Wool
           must
           of
           necessity
           Advance
           something
           towards
           the
           price
           it
           was
           formerly
           at
           ,
           when
           our
           Wool
           yielded
           sixteen
           pence
           and
           eighteen
           pence
           the
           pound
           :
           For
           that
           being
           so
           much
           finer
           than
           ours
           ,
           and
           bearing
           but
           a
           low
           Price
           ,
           we
           cannot
           expect
           ours
           should
           Rise
           ;
           and
           if
           this
           Advance
           of
           the
           Spanish
           Wool
           is
           not
           to
           be
           expected
           from
           abroad
           ,
           then
           we
           must
           endeavour
           what
           can
           be
           done
           at
           home
           .
        
         
           If
           some
           Duty
           or
           Custom
           were
           laid
           upon
           it
           (
           I
           shall
           not
           presume
           to
           propose
           the
           Sum
           )
           so
           as
           to
           bring
           it
           to
           bear
           a
           considerable
           Rate
           ,
           his
           Majesty
           by
           this
           means
           would
           receive
           a
           good
           Addition
           to
           his
           Revenue
           ,
           and
           our
           Wool
           would
           be
           brought
           to
           a
           considerable
           Price
           .
           As
           for
           the
           Prohibiting
           this
           or
           most
           other
           Foreign
           Commodities
           ,
           we
           may
           find
           upon
           Examination
           ,
           and
           by
           Experience
           too
           ,
           that
           that
           way
           will
           not
           so
           well
           answer
           our
           Design
           ,
           as
           the
           laying
           a
           sufficient
           Duty
           upon
           them
           more
           or
           less
           according
           to
           the
           quality
           of
           the
           Commodity
           .
           I
           will
           Instance
           only
           in
           the
           Irish
           Act
           ;
           if
           ten
           or
           twenty
           shillings
           ,
           more
           or
           less
           ,
           upon
           a
           Bullock
           ,
           
           and
           five
           shillings
           upon
           a
           Sheep
           ,
           or
           thereabouts
           ,
           had
           been
           laid
           as
           a
           Duty
           upon
           them
           ,
           instead
           of
           Prohibiting
           them
           ;
           we
           had
           not
           only
           continued
           still
           our
           Trade
           and
           Commerce
           with
           them
           ,
           but
           his
           Majesty
           had
           received
           e're
           this
           many
           a
           Thousand
           pound
           for
           his
           Custom
           .
           For
           ,
           as
           the
           Case
           now
           stands
           ,
           the
           King
           receives
           no
           Advantage
           by
           them
           ;
           his
           Officers
           in
           all
           Ports
           where
           they
           are
           landed
           (
           being
           not
           obliged
           by
           their
           Office
           ,
           take
           no
           notice
           of
           them
           )
           do
           rather
           help
           the
           concealing
           them
           ,
           than
           any
           way
           endeavour
           a
           seizure
           :
           Which
           if
           otherwise
           ,
           they
           were
           then
           all
           bound
           by
           their
           Offices
           to
           receive
           his
           Majesties
           Duty
           ;
           and
           then
           each
           Bullock
           and
           Sheep
           paying
           so
           much
           Custom
           ,
           they
           could
           not
           under-sell
           us
           ,
           which
           was
           the
           great
           Design
           of
           that
           Act.
           viz.
           The
           keeping
           up
           the
           price
           of
           our
           English
           Cattel
           ,
           so
           that
           an
           Impost
           upon
           Wool
           ,
           as
           well
           as
           all
           other
           Commodities
           ,
           will
           better
           Answer
           our
           Interest
           and
           Designs
           against
           them
           than
           a
           Prohibition
           :
           for
           here
           can
           be
           no
           other
           shift
           ,
           if
           the
           Officers
           be
           honest
           and
           careful
           ,
           but
           the
           paying
           their
           Money
           .
        
         
           But
           here
           will
           arise
           an
           Objection
           .
        
         
           If
           this
           should
           be
           so
           ,
           that
           a
           Duty
           should
           be
           imposed
           upon
           the
           Spanish
           Wool
           ,
           then
           would
           the
           Dutch
           and
           other
           Nations
           get
           away
           our
           Trade
           ,
           by
           under-selling
           us
           in
           all
           Places
           where
           Spanish
           Cloth
           is
           a
           Commodity
           :
           for
           if
           we
           must
           pay
           dearer
           for
           our
           Wooll
           than
           they
           ,
           we
           cannot
           expect
           to
           have
           any
           Trade
           (
           with
           them
           )
           where
           this
           Commodity
           is
           vended
           :
           for
           neither
           will
           our
           Clothiers
           make
           it
           ,
           or
           our
           Merchants
           buy
           it
           ,
           if
           they
           cannot
           see
           some
           probability
           of
           Profit
           and
           Advantage
           .
        
         
           To
           this
           Objection
           ;
           We
           must
           believe
           that
           the
           Dutch
           are
           a
           People
           that
           will
           lose
           no
           Opportunity
           of
           Profit
           where
           they
           can
           get
           it
           ;
           and
           if
           they
           could
           vend
           more
           Spanish
           Cloth
           than
           they
           do
           ,
           we
           must
           also
           believe
           they
           would
           make
           more
           if
           they
           could
           ;
           they
           having
           the
           same
           liberty
           to
           buy
           the
           Wool
           as
           well
           as
           we
           ,
           but
           there
           is
           little
           danger
           of
           their
           getting
           this
           Trade
           from
           us
           this
           way
           .
           For
           they
           have
           their
           hands
           as
           full
           
           already
           ,
           and
           do
           make
           as
           much
           Cloth
           as
           they
           have
           People
           to
           imploy
           about
           it
           ,
           with
           respect
           to
           their
           other
           Business
           and
           Manufactures
           .
        
         
           As
           to
           the
           other
           part
           of
           the
           Objection
           ,
           that
           concerns
           the
           Dutch
           ,
           that
           if
           we
           give
           more
           for
           Spanish
           Wool
           than
           they
           ,
           then
           we
           must
           of
           course
           be
           under-sold
           by
           them
           ,
           and
           so
           by
           consequence
           lose
           our
           Trade
           .
        
         
           We
           must
           first
           be
           inform'd
           what
           sort
           of
           Spanish
           Cloth
           it
           is
           they
           chiefly
           make
           ,
           and
           where
           it
           is
           vended
           ,
           to
           do
           us
           this
           hurt
           .
           As
           for
           the
           sorts
           of
           Cloth
           they
           make
           ,
           they
           are
           most
           blacks
           ,
           and
           many
           of
           them
           sold
           here
           ,
           and
           worn
           by
           our selves
           ;
           and
           this
           I
           hope
           may
           be
           remedied
           ;
           but
           for
           the
           Medlies
           ,
           I
           suppose
           they
           make
           but
           few
           ,
           for
           the
           French
           and
           others
           with
           whom
           we
           trade
           for
           them
           ,
           cannot
           be
           furnish'd
           by
           any
           other
           Nation
           in
           the
           World
           but
           by
           us
           :
           so
           that
           if
           we
           raise
           the
           price
           of
           them
           among
           our selves
           ,
           we
           shall
           not
           be
           in
           danger
           to
           be
           under-sold
           by
           the
           Dutch.
           
        
         
           But
           what
           is
           all
           this
           to
           that
           which
           we
           have
           to
           say
           for
           our selves
           ?
           Here
           is
           a
           fourth
           part
           of
           the
           real
           Value
           at
           least
           of
           our
           Kingdom
           within
           these
           few
           years
           lost
           ,
           and
           that
           principally
           by
           the
           fall
           in
           price
           of
           this
           one
           Commodity
           ;
           and
           we
           have
           no
           way
           possibly
           left
           to
           raise
           Money
           upon
           any
           urgent
           Occasion
           ,
           but
           by
           our
           Estates
           .
           And
           have
           we
           not
           reason
           then
           (
           as
           I
           said
           before
           )
           to
           endeavour
           our
           utmost
           to
           restore
           them
           to
           their
           former
           value
           and
           esteem
           again
           .
           Which
           way
           had
           it
           been
           possible
           for
           the
           Nation
           ,
           in
           the
           late
           War
           ,
           to
           have
           maintained
           so
           many
           vast
           Armies
           in
           all
           Parts
           and
           Corners
           thereof
           ,
           had
           not
           that
           War
           begun
           upon
           us
           in
           the
           very
           height
           of
           our
           Wealth
           and
           Plenty
           ,
           when
           our
           Wool
           at
           that
           time
           was
           worth
           three
           times
           the
           price
           it
           now
           yields
           ,
           with
           a
           full
           Trade
           for
           our
           Cloth
           both
           at
           home
           and
           abroad
           ;
           especially
           into
           
             Germany
             ,
             Sweden
          
           ,
           and
           all
           those
           Eastern
           Countries
           ;
           and
           our
           Cattel
           then
           paid
           sufficient
           profit
           ,
           both
           to
           the
           Breeder
           and
           Grasier
           ,
           and
           Gold
           was
           as
           plenty
           with
           us
           then
           ,
           as
           it
           was
           in
           Jerusalem
           in
           the
           Reign
           of
           King
           Solomon
           ;
           there
           
           was
           no
           throwing
           of
           Farms
           into
           the
           Landlords
           hands
           ,
           no
           Complaining
           of
           hard
           Rents
           ,
           every
           Commodity
           of
           ours
           then
           yielded
           a
           Profit
           ,
           for
           we
           had
           a
           Consumption
           for
           them
           ,
           and
           the
           Poor
           could
           not
           want
           Victuals
           ,
           when
           the
           Kitchin
           was
           accounted
           the
           best
           Room
           in
           the
           House
           .
           But
           to
           proceed
           .
        
         
           The
           second
           cause
           of
           this
           great
           Abatement
           of
           the
           price
           of
           our
           Wool
           ,
           may
           be
           this
           ,
           viz.
           The
           wearing
           and
           using
           of
           so
           much
           Spanish
           Cloth
           our selves
           ,
           both
           at
           home
           and
           in
           our
           several
           Plantations
           abroad
           ;
           whereas
           if
           we
           were
           but
           injoyn'd
           to
           wear
           ,
           and
           otherwise
           to
           use
           no
           Cloth
           but
           what
           is
           made
           of
           our
           own
           English
           Wool
           ,
           we
           should
           find
           some
           alteration
           in
           the
           price
           of
           it
           in
           few
           years
           ;
           and
           I
           doubt
           not
           but
           our
           Clothiers
           could
           pick
           out
           enough
           of
           the
           finest
           sort
           of
           it
           to
           make
           Cloth
           very
           little
           inferiour
           to
           the
           Spanish
           .
           And
           it
           is
           easie
           to
           be
           made
           appear
           ,
           that
           we
           spend
           as
           much
           Spanish
           Cloth
           in
           our
           own
           Kingdoms
           and
           Plantations
           belonging
           to
           the
           Crown
           of
           England
           (
           and
           a
           great
           part
           of
           that
           too
           not
           manufactur'd
           by
           our
           own
           People
           ,
           as
           Dutch
           black
           )
           as
           is
           worn
           in
           all
           the
           Kingdoms
           of
           the
           World
           besides
           ,
           and
           more
           .
           So
           that
           if
           any
           shall
           object
           against
           the
           laying
           a
           Duty
           upon
           the
           Spanish
           Wool
           ,
           I
           hope
           they
           will
           give
           us
           leave
           to
           enjoyn
           our
           own
           People
           to
           wear
           no
           Cloth
           but
           what
           is
           manufactured
           by
           our selves
           ,
           and
           made
           of
           our
           own
           Wool
           ;
           and
           if
           this
           Consumption
           of
           our
           Cloth
           at
           home
           be
           added
           but
           to
           that
           Trade
           we
           have
           yet
           left
           abroad
           for
           it
           ,
           we
           should
           soon
           find
           an
           Increase
           in
           the
           price
           of
           our
           Wool.
           And
           I
           know
           no
           reason
           why
           any
           should
           be
           offended
           with
           us
           for
           endeavouring
           our
           own
           Interest
           and
           Advantage
           ,
           the
           general
           design
           of
           all
           Nations
           :
           neither
           can
           this
           spending
           of
           our
           own
           Cloth
           among
           our selves
           hinder
           any
           thing
           of
           our
           Trade
           abroad
           .
        
         
           And
           that
           this
           may
           appear
           to
           be
           no
           new
           or
           upstart
           Project
           ,
           the
           Statutes
           of
           2
           Edward
           the
           3.
           
           Cap.
           1
           ,
           2
           ,
           3.
           may
           sufficiently
           satisfie
           us
           ;
           in
           which
           Kings
           Reign
           it
           was
           ,
           that
           the
           Manufacture
           of
           our
           Wool
           began
           to
           be
           our
           National
           
           Employment
           .
           For
           among
           all
           our
           Staple
           Commodities
           ,
           Wool
           had
           at
           that
           time
           the
           Precedency
           ,
           as
           being
           the
           most
           principal
           and
           ancient
           Commodity
           of
           the
           Kingdom
           ,
           wherein
           the
           generality
           of
           the
           People
           were
           deeply
           concern'd
           ;
           and
           the
           Manufacture
           of
           it
           ,
           though
           of
           long
           use
           among
           our selves
           ,
           yet
           it
           received
           but
           little
           Encouragement
           for
           a
           Trade
           into
           Foreign
           Parts
           ,
           till
           these
           times
           ;
           the
           Flemmings
           having
           the
           principal
           Manufacture
           then
           by
           the
           continual
           supply
           of
           Wool
           that
           they
           received
           from
           hence
           .
        
         
           But
           the
           Wisdom
           of
           this
           great
           Prince
           soon
           discern'd
           of
           what
           unspeakable
           value
           the
           Manufacture
           of
           our
           own
           Wool
           would
           be
           to
           the
           Trade
           of
           this
           Kingdom
           ;
           who
           ,
           like
           a
           provident
           and
           careful
           Father
           ,
           look'd
           farther
           than
           his
           present
           time
           ;
           and
           who
           ,
           beingwell
           acquainted
           with
           the
           Flemmings
           Affairs
           ,
           by
           a
           joynt
           Engagement
           with
           them
           in
           the
           War
           with
           France
           ,
           had
           therein
           gain'd
           so
           good
           an
           Opinion
           amongst
           them
           ,
           that
           he
           might
           adventure
           to
           change
           a
           Complement
           for
           a
           Courtesie
           ;
           the
           Staples
           where
           our
           Wool
           was
           sold
           being
           now
           taken
           clean
           away
           ,
           and
           by
           the
           Statute
           of
           2.
           
           Edw.
           3.
           
           Cap.
           1.
           made
           Felony
           to
           carry
           any
           Wool
           out
           of
           the
           Realm
           :
           He
           now
           prosecutes
           his
           Design
           for
           the
           setling
           of
           the
           Manufacture
           at
           home
           ,
           and
           represents
           to
           those
           Flemmings
           the
           Danger
           they
           were
           in
           by
           the
           bordering
           Wars
           with
           France
           ,
           and
           the
           peacable
           Condition
           of
           England
           ,
           and
           freedom
           of
           the
           People
           that
           are
           Subjects
           here
           ;
           Propounds
           an
           Invitation
           for
           them
           to
           come
           over
           hither
           ,
           wherein
           he
           promises
           them
           the
           same
           Priviledges
           and
           Immunities
           with
           his
           own
           Subjects
           :
           which
           they
           accepted
           ,
           and
           came
           over
           ,
           and
           brought
           their
           Manufacture
           with
           them
           ,
           which
           could
           never
           after
           be
           removed
           hence
           .
           So
           as
           now
           the
           Manufacture
           and
           our
           Wool
           were
           joyned
           together
           ;
           and
           so
           long
           as
           they
           agree
           together
           ,
           both
           will
           thrive
           ;
           but
           if
           they
           once
           part
           ,
           (
           as
           the
           Spanish
           Wool
           at
           this
           time
           puts
           fair
           at
           it
           )
           they
           will
           both
           be
           losers
           in
           the
           Conclusion
           .
        
         
           The
           Manufacture
           of
           our
           Wool
           being
           brought
           to
           this
           Settlement
           at
           home
           ,
           this
           Heroick
           King
           Edward
           the
           Third
           ,
           
           makes
           this
           other
           Statue
           in
           the
           same
           11th
           year
           of
           his
           Reign
           ,
           That
           no
           Merchant
           ,
           Foreign
           or
           Denizon
           ,
           nor
           any
           other
           ,
           after
           the
           Feast
           of
           St.
           Michael
           ,
           shall
           cause
           to
           be
           brought
           privately
           ,
           or
           apertly
           by
           himself
           ,
           nor
           by
           any
           other
           into
           the
           said
           Lands
           of
           
             England
             ,
             Ireland
             ,
             Wales
          
           ,
           and
           Scotland
           ,
           within
           the
           Kings
           Power
           ,
           any
           Cloths
           made
           in
           any
           other
           Places
           than
           in
           the
           same
           ,
           upon
           forfeiture
           of
           the
           said
           Cloth
           ,
           and
           further
           to
           be
           punished
           at
           the
           Kings
           Will
           ,
           as
           is
           aforesaid
           .
        
         
           But
           because
           this
           Nation
           formerly
           had
           been
           ,
           and
           still
           is
           too
           much
           wedded
           to
           the
           wearing
           of
           Foreign
           Manufactures
           ,
           the
           importing
           of
           which
           did
           hinder
           the
           using
           of
           our
           own
           home-made
           Manufactures
           ;
           (
           for
           too
           much
           of
           them
           make
           our
           own
           a
           Drug
           ,
           our
           Nation
           Poor
           ,
           and
           our
           People
           to
           want
           Work
           )
           As
           a
           Cure
           for
           this
           Disease
           ,
           our
           own
           English
           Cloth
           is
           enjoyn'd
           by
           a
           Law
           to
           be
           worn
           by
           all
           Persons
           under
           the
           Degree
           of
           a
           Lord
           ;
           and
           then
           the
           Wisdom
           of
           the
           times
           thought
           fit
           to
           provide
           for
           the
           true
           and
           perfect
           making
           of
           Cloth
           ;
           several
           Statutes
           were
           made
           in
           this
           Kings
           time
           ,
           Richard
           the
           Second
           ,
           and
           were
           also
           confirm'd
           by
           Queen
           Elizabeth
           ,
           and
           King
           James
           ;
           but
           especially
           in
           the
           fifth
           year
           of
           Edward
           the
           6th
           Cap.
           6.
           
           For
           the
           Length
           ,
           Bredth
           ,
           Weight
           ,
           and
           Goodness
           of
           all
           sorts
           of
           Cloth
           ;
           with
           several
           Proviso's
           to
           prevent
           Frauds
           and
           Abuses
           both
           in
           the
           making
           and
           selling
           thereof
           :
           such
           care
           our
           Ancestors
           have
           had
           in
           all
           former
           and
           latter
           Ages
           ,
           for
           the
           improvement
           of
           this
           our
           Woollen
           Manufacture
           ,
           by
           which
           we
           may
           plainly
           see
           ,
           of
           what
           absolute
           Necessity
           it
           is
           to
           be
           encouraged
           and
           advanced
           :
           Shall
           it
           now
           by
           us
           (
           after
           so
           much
           Care
           and
           Industry
           used
           by
           them
           to
           settle
           and
           bring
           it
           to
           our
           Doors
           ,
           and
           into
           our
           very
           Houses
           )
           be
           neglected
           ,
           and
           scarce
           thought
           worth
           the
           Entertainment
           ,
           for
           fear
           of
           I
           know
           not
           what
           Jealousies
           of
           disobliging
           some
           Foreign
           Nation
           ,
           by
           putting
           a
           Duty
           on
           their
           Wool.
           Shall
           their
           Wisdom
           and
           Prudence
           that
           judg'd
           this
           Manufacture
           and
           Trade
           for
           it
           ,
           the
           great
           Support
           and
           and
           Glory
           of
           our
           Nation
           ,
           be
           call'd
           in
           question
           by
           our
           carelesness
           ;
           
           and
           shall
           we
           suffer
           our selves
           to
           be
           thus
           cheated
           of
           it
           ,
           when
           we
           are
           as
           well
           able
           to
           maintain
           and
           defend
           it
           as
           they
           ;
           and
           by
           Exprience
           find
           ,
           that
           it
           is
           our
           chiefest
           ,
           if
           not
           only
           Manufacture
           and
           Support
           of
           the
           Strength
           ,
           Honour
           ,
           and
           Wealth
           of
           our
           English
           Nation
           .
           For
           which
           way
           can
           we
           continue
           a
           Trade
           long
           ,
           that
           have
           no
           Money
           of
           our
           own
           growth
           ,
           but
           only
           what
           is
           brought
           unto
           us
           for
           Commodities
           ;
           and
           if
           we
           can
           find
           nothing
           of
           our
           own
           to
           barter
           and
           exchange
           for
           ,
           we
           must
           in
           short
           time
           sink
           our
           trade
           abroad
           ,
           if
           we
           intend
           to
           keep
           our
           Money
           at
           home
           ;
           our
           Staple
           Commodities
           must
           therefore
           of
           Necessity
           be
           advanc'd
           and
           encourag'd
           ,
           to
           enable
           us
           by
           the
           return
           thereof
           ,
           to
           hold
           a
           Commerce
           with
           those
           Parts
           of
           the
           World
           that
           must
           supply
           us
           :
           for
           if
           Trade
           be
           maintained
           barely
           out
           of
           the
           main
           Stock
           ,
           the
           Kingdom
           in
           time
           must
           needs
           be
           decay'd
           ,
           and
           so
           brought
           to
           Penury
           ;
           it
           being
           our
           Magazin
           .
        
         
           A
           third
           Cause
           of
           the
           great
           Abatement
           and
           low
           Price
           of
           our
           Wool
           may
           be
           this
           ,
           viz.
           The
           decaying
           Condition
           of
           the
           Merchant-Adventure
           ,
           and
           Hamborough
           Company
           within
           these
           few
           years
           ;
           a
           Company
           that
           vended
           many
           thousands
           of
           our
           English
           Cloths
           yearly
           ;
           for
           after
           that
           our
           Staples
           for
           Wool
           were
           taken
           away
           ,
           and
           the
           Manufacture
           of
           our
           Cloth
           setled
           among
           us
           ,
           this
           Company
           also
           had
           their
           Motion
           from
           Flanders
           through
           Holland
           ,
           untill
           at
           last
           it
           came
           to
           be
           fixed
           ,
           for
           the
           conveniency
           of
           those
           Eastern
           Countries
           ,
           at
           Hamborough
           And
           it
           would
           not
           be
           needless
           if
           the
           discreetest
           of
           them
           were
           advised
           with
           ,
           to
           know
           the
           Reasons
           they
           can
           give
           of
           this
           loss
           or
           decay
           ,
           at
           least
           ,
           of
           their
           Trade
           in
           Germany
           ,
           and
           all
           those
           adjoyning
           Kingdoms
           .
           For
           a
           Trade
           of
           so
           large
           extent
           ,
           and
           vast
           covernment
           to
           us
           ,
           ought
           not
           thus
           easily
           to
           be
           parted
           with
           .
           And
           there
           may
           possibly
           ,
           upon
           such
           an
           enquiry
           ,
           something
           appear
           ,
           that
           a
           great
           cause
           of
           this
           decay
           of
           that
           Trade
           proceeds
           from
           our selves
           ;
           which
           if
           so
           ,
           there
           may
           then
           be
           some
           way
           found
           out
           to
           recover
           that
           Ancient
           Company
           of
           the
           Merchant-Adventurers
           ,
           their
           
           Trade
           ,
           Credit
           ,
           and
           Esteem
           again
           ;
           the
           only
           Company
           that
           transported
           most
           part
           of
           our
           English
           Cloth.
           And
           we
           may
           more
           then
           probably
           guess
           ,
           that
           the
           two
           following
           and
           remaining
           Causes
           of
           the
           low
           Price
           of
           our
           Wool
           ,
           which
           I
           propos'd
           ,
           to
           wit
           ,
           the
           not
           making
           of
           our
           Cloth
           of
           that
           size
           and
           substance
           as
           it
           ought
           to
           be
           ,
           and
           as
           it
           was
           order'd
           in
           former
           times
           to
           be
           made
           ,
           as
           by
           the
           several
           Statutes
           before
           recited
           may
           appear
           ;
           and
           the
           Cheats
           and
           Abuses
           of
           the
           Brokers
           and
           Factors
           at
           Blackwell-hall
           (
           a
           sort
           of
           People
           never
           heard
           of
           there
           ,
           before
           the
           beginning
           of
           the
           late
           Rebellion
           ;
           and
           in
           those
           times
           there
           setled
           ,
           that
           their
           Masters
           ,
           who
           first
           granted
           them
           their
           Charter
           ,
           and
           made
           them
           a
           Corporation
           ,
           might
           have
           the
           more
           time
           and
           leisure
           to
           attend
           their
           other
           Imployments
           of
           more
           weightier
           and
           publick
           Concernment
           )
           might
           be
           a
           great
           means
           to
           help
           ruin
           this
           our
           Trade
           .
           But
           for
           the
           regulating
           a
           Business
           of
           so
           great
           a
           concern
           ,
           I
           shall
           not
           presume
           to
           propose
           the
           Method
           ;
           there
           will
           be
           Application
           sufficient
           from
           all
           parts
           of
           the
           Kingdom
           ,
           were
           there
           a
           Committee
           appointed
           purposely
           for
           this
           Business
           ;
           whereby
           we
           might
           have
           some
           Hopes
           and
           Encouragement
           that
           our
           English
           Cloth
           may
           be
           a
           Commodity
           again
           .
           And
           upon
           their
           Arraignment
           ,
           there
           will
           be
           Bills
           plenty
           enough
           brought
           in
           for
           their
           Conviction
           :
           For
           ,
           from
           Men
           not
           worth
           much
           when
           the
           device
           began
           ,
           they
           are
           now
           many
           of
           them
           worth
           5
           ,
           and
           10000
           l.
           and
           some
           of
           them
           40
           and
           50000
           l.
           a
           Man
           ;
           while
           many
           of
           the
           lower
           Rank
           of
           our
           Clothiers
           daily
           break
           and
           run
           away
           ;
           those
           men
           by
           their
           Wiles
           and
           Tricks
           creeping
           into
           their
           Estates
           :
           for
           they
           have
           brought
           the
           Trade
           to
           that
           pass
           ,
           there
           shall
           not
           now
           be
           a
           Cloth
           sold
           in
           a
           Market-day
           at
           Blackwell-hall
           ,
           by
           many
           of
           our
           Clothiers
           ,
           if
           these
           men
           have
           not
           the
           selling
           of
           it
           ;
           and
           it
           would
           grieve
           a
           mans
           Heart
           to
           see
           how
           harmlesly
           the
           poor
           Clothier
           waits
           at
           the
           heels
           of
           his
           Factor
           all
           the
           day
           long
           whither
           he
           pleases
           to
           lead
           him
           ;
           and
           when
           he
           puts
           into
           a
           Drapers
           Shop
           ,
           he
           hears
           of
           nothing
           but
           of
           bad
           Trading
           ,
           uncomfortable
           News
           ,
           and
           no
           Mony
           stirring
           :
           for
           they
           are
           both
           agreed
           to
           send
           the
           poor
           man
           out
           of
           Town
           without
           selling
           a
           Cloth
           himself
           ;
           neither
           shall
           he
           perhaps
           ,
           
           hear
           in
           a
           long
           time
           what
           is
           become
           of
           his
           Cloth
           ,
           whether
           sold
           or
           not
           ,
           untill
           it
           be
           for
           the
           Factor's
           Convenience
           to
           give
           him
           an
           account
           ,
           or
           untill
           a
           Draper
           or
           a
           Cloth-Merchant
           or
           two
           break
           ,
           and
           then
           't
           is
           ten
           to
           one
           but
           he
           may
           have
           an
           account
           ,
           that
           some
           of
           his
           Cloth
           is
           gon
           that
           way
           :
           So
           that
           as
           the
           Manufacture
           of
           our
           Cloth
           is
           now
           managed
           wholly
           by
           private
           Interests
           and
           Designs
           ,
           were
           our
           Trade
           abroad
           for
           it
           never
           so
           good
           ,
           it
           is
           not
           probable
           (
           lying
           in
           such
           hands
           )
           it
           should
           ever
           be
           restored
           to
           its
           ancient
           Credit
           and
           Esteem
           .
           It
           therefore
           begs
           ,
           and
           that
           earnestly
           ,
           if
           we
           value
           the
           Strength
           ,
           Honour
           and
           Wealth
           of
           our
           Nation
           ,
           that
           we
           should
           use
           our
           utmost
           Endeavour
           to
           advance
           it
           to
           its
           just
           Worth
           and
           Reputation
           again
           ,
           by
           freeing
           it
           from
           this
           great
           Monopoly
           ,
           and
           to
           set
           it
           at
           that
           Liberty
           ,
           that
           the
           laborious
           and
           careful
           Clothier
           ,
           who
           not
           only
           spends
           his
           time
           ,
           but
           hazards
           his
           Stock
           ,
           and
           that
           small
           Fortune
           he
           began
           with
           ,
           for
           his
           own
           Maintenance
           ,
           and
           those
           many
           he
           doth
           imploy
           in
           his
           Trade
           ,
           may
           have
           so
           much
           Favour
           as
           to
           sell
           his
           own
           Cloth
           himself
           ;
           that
           what
           honest
           Profit
           can
           be
           made
           thereof
           ,
           he
           who
           only
           deserves
           and
           takes
           pains
           for
           it
           ,
           may
           receive
           it
           ,
           to
           the
           Encouragement
           of
           that
           Manufacture
           ,
           which
           must
           help
           the
           Price
           of
           our
           Wool
           ,
           which
           must
           help
           the
           Advancement
           of
           our
           Rents
           ,
           &c.
           
           And
           not
           the
           lazy
           Factor
           ,
           whose
           only
           Labour
           is
           between
           Blackwell-hall
           and
           his
           Counting-house
           ,
           and
           who
           suck
           the
           Gains
           from
           the
           honest
           Clothier
           ,
           through
           the
           very
           Heart
           of
           himself
           ,
           his
           Family
           ,
           and
           all
           the
           Poor
           therein
           imploy'd
           ,
           and
           thereby
           ruines
           our
           Trade
           ,
           the
           great
           cause
           of
           the
           Abatement
           of
           Rents
           ,
           and
           the
           Improverishment
           of
           our
           Kingdom
           .
           And
           as
           these
           Factors
           are
           the
           greatest
           Enemies
           to
           this
           Trade
           in
           general
           ,
           that
           either
           Malice
           or
           Envy
           could
           possibly
           set
           up
           ,
           so
           if
           they
           be
           but
           narrowly
           look'd
           into
           ,
           they
           will
           appear
           ,
           for
           the
           most
           and
           Richest
           part
           of
           them
           ,
           as
           to
           their
           Principals
           to
           the
           present
           Government
           ,
           the
           same
           with
           those
           who
           first
           brought
           them
           thither
           ,
           and
           who
           ,
           by
           the
           Influence
           they
           have
           upon
           the
           Buyers
           ,
           and
           the
           Command
           they
           have
           upon
           the
           Clothiers
           ,
           are
           able
           to
           draw
           more
           People
           into
           Faction
           and
           Rebellion
           ,
           than
           any
           other
           sort
           of
           men
           in
           the
           Kingdom
           besides
           .
        
         
         
           There
           would
           such
           another
           Generation
           of
           Men
           be
           brought
           to
           the
           Bar
           from
           Smith-field
           too
           ,
           who
           put
           as
           great
           Injuries
           and
           Abuses
           upon
           our
           young
           Grasiers
           especially
           ,
           by
           buying
           and
           selling
           of
           Cattel
           there
           ,
           and
           yet
           Butchers
           by
           their
           Trade
           ,
           who
           can
           either
           dull
           or
           raise
           the
           Markets
           at
           their
           Pleasure
           ;
           so
           that
           we
           may
           see
           into
           what
           hands
           the
           two
           great
           Commodities
           of
           our
           Kingdom
           of
           late
           years
           are
           got
           ;
           but
           this
           latter
           only
           by
           the
           by
           .
           We
           will
           go
           on
           with
           our
           Woollen
           Manufacture
           ,
           which
           being
           once
           more
           retriev'd
           ,
           let
           the
           Alnage-Office
           have
           a
           whet
           ,
           and
           be
           strictly
           look
           into
           ,
           that
           they
           should
           not
           only
           receive
           their
           Fees
           ,
           but
           perform
           their
           Duty
           ,
           that
           we
           may
           rightly
           know
           how
           far
           short
           our
           English
           Cloth
           will
           come
           to
           the
           Spanish
           ,
           when
           well
           and
           truly
           made
           ;
           that
           by
           this
           means
           we
           may
           recover
           it
           that
           Credit
           and
           Esteem
           it
           once
           had
           ,
           both
           at
           home
           and
           abroad
           .
           For
           methinks
           we
           are
           all
           asleep
           ;
           we
           see
           a
           Trade
           snatch'd
           from
           us
           to
           our
           Ruine
           ,
           and
           yet
           seem
           to
           be
           unconcern'd
           ;
           Nay
           ,
           which
           is
           worse
           ,
           we
           help
           forward
           with
           it
           our selves
           ;
           and
           though
           we
           are
           taken
           notice
           of
           sufficiently
           ,
           and
           jeer'd
           for
           the
           French
           Apes
           ,
           an
           English
           man
           pictur'd
           with
           a
           piece
           of
           Cloth
           under
           his
           Arm
           ,
           to
           chuse
           his
           Fashion
           ,
           yet
           I
           thought
           it
           had
           been
           always
           understood
           to
           be
           Cloth
           made
           of
           his
           own
           Wool.
           
        
         
           Having
           now
           given
           some
           particulars
           that
           may
           be
           great
           causes
           of
           the
           low
           Price
           of
           our
           Wool
           ,
           with
           some
           ways
           and
           means
           for
           the
           restoring
           of
           it
           to
           its
           former
           value
           and
           use
           again
           ,
           which
           each
           particular
           carries
           along
           with
           it
           ;
           I
           shall
           wind
           up
           all
           with
           that
           Act
           of
           Parliament
           made
           some
           years
           since
           ,
           for
           the
           burying
           in
           Woollen
           :
           and
           he
           that
           will
           but
           read
           that
           Act
           ,
           may
           very
           well
           satisfie
           himself
           ,
           that
           the
           Parliament
           were
           sufficiently
           sensible
           of
           the
           great
           loss
           we
           were
           like
           to
           be
           at
           ,
           if
           some
           way
           or
           other
           were
           not
           found
           out
           to
           consume
           our
           Wool
           ;
           and
           certainly
           they
           were
           worthy
           Patriots
           for
           their
           Country
           ,
           that
           first
           moved
           for
           ,
           and
           afterwards
           pursu'd
           it
           to
           an
           Act
           ,
           however
           it
           hath
           not
           been
           received
           or
           obeyed
           as
           it
           worthily
           deserv'd
           ;
           we
           will
           therefore
           examine
           ,
           and
           give
           some
           Guess
           how
           much
           Wool
           might
           have
           been
           buried
           ,
           since
           that
           Act
           of
           Parliament
           
           was
           first
           made
           ,
           without
           any
           Disparagement
           to
           the
           Dead
           ,
           or
           to
           the
           surviving
           Friends
           of
           the
           Deceased
           ;
           and
           we
           shall
           find
           that
           a
           very
           great
           part
           of
           the
           Wool
           now
           in
           the
           Kingdom
           ,
           I
           speak
           as
           to
           the
           quantity
           ,
           out
           of
           Cloth
           ,
           had
           been
           at
           this
           day
           under
           Ground
           .
        
         
           In
           London
           is
           buried
           one
           year
           with
           another
           (
           when
           no
           Plague
           or
           other
           Epidemical
           Distemper
           Reigns
           )
           about
           twenty
           thousand
           ,
           which
           ,
           by
           Observation
           of
           some
           ,
           bears
           a
           seventh
           part
           with
           the
           Kingdom
           ;
           so
           there
           dayes
           in
           England
           an
           hundred
           and
           forty
           thousand
           yearly
           ,
           with
           the
           least
           ;
           and
           we
           will
           allow
           two
           pounds
           of
           Wool
           for
           a
           Shrowd
           ,
           one
           with
           another
           ,
           which
           amounts
           to
           two
           hundred
           and
           eighty
           thousand
           pound
           of
           Wool
           yearly
           buried
           ;
           so
           that
           in
           every
           ten
           years
           we
           shall
           spend
           this
           way
           about
           twenty
           hundred
           thousand
           Ponds
           ,
           a
           good
           proportion
           of
           one
           years
           Growth
           ;
           but
           with
           this
           Advantage
           to
           our
           Poor
           ,
           that
           it
           is
           first
           made
           into
           Cloth.
           So
           that
           had
           that
           Act
           of
           Parliament
           been
           duely
           observed
           ,
           as
           it
           was
           our
           Interest
           so
           to
           do
           ,
           we
           may
           plainly
           perceive
           what
           quantity
           of
           Wool
           we
           had
           by
           this
           buryed
           in
           our
           own
           Kingdom
           of
           England
           (
           for
           I
           have
           not
           reckon'd
           either
           
             Scotland
             ,
             Ireland
          
           ,
           or
           any
           of
           our
           Plantations
           into
           this
           account
           )
           but
           if
           all
           could
           be
           brought
           within
           the
           compass
           of
           this
           Act
           ,
           and
           the
           charge
           of
           seeing
           it
           punctually
           performed
           ,
           carefully
           observed
           ,
           we
           should
           not
           only
           spend
           in
           all
           these
           Kingdoms
           and
           Islands
           belonging
           to
           the
           Crown
           of
           England
           ,
           a
           most
           incredible
           quantity
           of
           our
           own
           Wool
           manufactured
           by
           our selves
           ,
           but
           save
           above
           threescore
           thousand
           Pounds
           Sterling
           a
           year
           of
           our
           Money
           ,
           which
           we
           lay
           out
           for
           Linnen-Cloth
           purposely
           for
           that
           use
           ,
           as
           may
           appear
           by
           examining
           this
           Charge
           by
           the
           former
           Rule
           ;
           Equivalent
           to
           a
           Story
           we
           have
           of
           one
           of
           our
           Kings
           ,
           who
           finding
           a
           great
           glut
           of
           Cloth
           in
           the
           Kingdom
           ,
           beyond
           their
           Vent
           and
           Trade
           for
           it
           ,
           bought
           it
           ,
           and
           caused
           it
           all
           to
           be
           burnt
           .
           And
           the
           Dutch
           ,
           those
           subtil
           Traders
           ,
           as
           it
           is
           generally
           reported
           of
           them
           ,
           when
           their
           Ships
           are
           fraighted
           with
           their
           Spices
           in
           the
           East-Indies
           for
           that
           years
           Provision
           into
           Europe
           ,
           they
           return
           the
           rest
           in
           Smoak
           ,
           by
           causing
           the
           overplus
           of
           that
           years
           growth
           to
           be
           burnt
           at
           their
           own
           Factories
           ;
           
           So
           that
           the
           Consumption
           of
           every
           growth
           of
           our
           Wool
           is
           of
           absolute
           Necessity
           towards
           the
           Improvement
           of
           our
           Rents
           ,
           and
           for
           recovering
           that
           third
           or
           fourth
           part
           of
           the
           real
           Value
           of
           our
           Kingdom
           ,
           now
           lost
           since
           the
           fall
           and
           low
           price
           thereof
           .
        
         
           But
           before
           I
           conclude
           wholly
           with
           this
           Cloth-trade
           ,
           the
           chief
           and
           only
           Manufacture
           of
           this
           Kingdom
           ,
           I
           shall
           premise
           something
           by
           way
           of
           Quere
           ,
           as
           a
           Remedy
           to
           this
           great
           Mischief
           ;
           and
           whether
           it
           may
           prove
           of
           advantage
           to
           the
           growth
           ,
           and
           Manufacture
           ,
           and
           Trade
           of
           this
           Commodity
           ,
           I
           shall
           leave
           it
           to
           far
           better
           Judgments
           to
           determine
           .
        
         
           Suppose
           there
           were
           a
           Company
           of
           Merchants
           of
           this
           Staple
           ,
           setled
           by
           Patent
           or
           Charter
           ,
           as
           such
           Companies
           there
           are
           ;
           the
           
             East-India
             ,
             Turkey
          
           ,
           &c.
           that
           should
           buy
           up
           in
           Spain
           every
           years
           growth
           of
           the
           Spanish
           Wool
           themselves
           ,
           and
           thence
           transport
           it
           ,
           or
           as
           much
           as
           they
           should
           judge
           convenient
           for
           our
           Trade
           ,
           hither
           ,
           to
           be
           manufactur'd
           by
           us
           ;
           where
           a
           Duty
           should
           be
           impos'd
           upon
           it
           ,
           according
           as
           it
           should
           be
           judg'd
           the
           Trade
           would
           bear
           ,
           in
           order
           to
           the
           Advancement
           of
           our
           own
           ;
           for
           there
           lies
           the
           bottom
           still
           of
           the
           Design
           .
           I
           ask
           the
           Question
           ,
           Where
           would
           the
           Inconveniencies
           arise
           ?
           For
           the
           Truth
           is
           ,
           a
           Business
           of
           this
           Nature
           is
           more
           fit
           to
           be
           discours'd
           of
           by
           a
           Committee
           ,
           than
           medled
           with
           by
           any
           private
           Person
           ;
           I
           say
           ,
           if
           such
           a
           Company
           were
           set
           up
           ,
           what
           would
           be
           the
           Objections
           against
           it
           ?
        
         
           For
           ,
           first
           the
           Spaniard
           can
           receive
           no
           Prejudice
           by
           it
           ;
           we
           shall
           by
           this
           means
           rather
           advance
           something
           the
           Price
           ,
           than
           any
           way
           abate
           it
           .
        
         
           And
           secondly
           ,
           for
           the
           Hollanders
           ,
           I
           suppose
           we
           should
           make
           no
           scruple
           of
           getting
           the
           Trade
           from
           them
           ,
           for
           this
           Cloth
           Trade
           is
           our
           Ancient
           Right
           ,
           and
           did
           alwayes
           belong
           to
           our
           Nation
           ,
           and
           no
           other
           People
           in
           the
           World
           could
           in
           reason
           pretend
           to
           the
           Manufacture
           of
           it
           ,
           the
           Staple
           growing
           upon
           our
           own
           Soil
           .
           And
           since
           there
           is
           now
           another
           sort
           of
           Wool
           started
           up
           within
           these
           few
           years
           ,
           which
           proves
           to
           the
           Prejudice
           of
           ours
           ;
           I
           see
           no
           Reason
           against
           me
           ,
           if
           we
           can
           compass
           to
           make
           both
           our
           own
           and
           that
           too
           ,
           but
           that
           we
           may
           justly
           
           ingross
           it
           if
           we
           can
           ,
           without
           offering
           any
           Injustice
           to
           our
           Neighbouring
           Nation
           ;
           and
           then
           ,
           what
           is
           their
           Growth
           and
           Manufacture
           ,
           as
           Linnen-cloth
           ,
           and
           the
           like
           ,
           if
           they
           will
           quietly
           desist
           ,
           and
           yield
           up
           this
           to
           us
           ,
           as
           it
           is
           our
           Right
           ,
           we
           may
           ,
           I
           presume
           ,
           be
           perswaded
           (
           I
           speak
           only
           for
           my self
           )
           to
           do
           the
           like
           by
           theirs
           .
        
         
           But
           if
           we
           examine
           this
           Business
           a
           little
           farther
           ,
           we
           shall
           find
           ,
           that
           there
           may
           be
           a
           necessity
           for
           the
           laying
           a
           Duty
           upon
           this
           Spanish
           Wool
           ;
           and
           that
           it
           will
           be
           impossible
           while
           the
           Trade
           is
           free
           ,
           and
           that
           every
           man
           may
           buy
           and
           make
           what
           he
           please
           of
           this
           sort
           of
           Cloth
           ,
           that
           ever
           our
           Wool
           should
           advance
           in
           price
           ;
           for
           as
           the
           Rates
           now
           go
           ,
           unless
           the
           Spaniard
           raise
           the
           Price
           ,
           our
           Merchants
           will
           not
           ,
           and
           our
           Clothiers
           drive
           the
           old
           Design
           in
           buying
           as
           cheap
           as
           they
           can
           ;
           so
           that
           between
           them
           they
           will
           keep
           down
           the
           price
           of
           ours
           ;
           for
           one
           man
           in
           a
           Fair
           or
           Market
           may
           beat
           down
           the
           Price
           of
           what
           he
           deals
           in
           ,
           by
           under-selling
           his
           own
           Commodity
           ,
           but
           where
           is
           all
           this
           Spanish
           Cloth
           made
           that
           doth
           us
           this
           harm
           ?
           Were
           it
           the
           Manufacture
           of
           the
           whole
           Nation
           that
           kept
           all
           the
           Poor
           at
           work
           ,
           there
           might
           be
           something
           said
           for
           it
           ;
           but
           it
           is
           all
           made
           (
           I
           mean
           the
           Medlies
           )
           in
           the
           Corners
           of
           Two
           Shires
           ,
           (
           to
           wit
           )
           Somerset
           and
           Wiltshire
           ,
           and
           that
           within
           the
           compass
           of
           twenty
           or
           thirty
           miles
           at
           most
           ;
           and
           not
           an
           hundred
           (
           I
           speak
           with
           the
           most
           )
           Principal
           Clothiers
           concern'd
           in
           the
           making
           of
           this
           Spanish
           Cloth
           ;
           what
           dammage
           can
           the
           Engrossing
           then
           of
           this
           Spanish
           Wool
           ,
           or
           putting
           a
           Duty
           or
           Custom
           upon
           it
           do
           the
           Nation
           ?
           It
           is
           very
           true
           ,
           there
           are
           many
           that
           call
           for
           the
           Liberty
           of
           the
           People
           ,
           that
           every
           Man
           may
           Buy
           and
           Sell
           as
           he
           please
           .
           And
           it
           were
           well
           if
           these
           Men
           would
           consider
           themselves
           as
           well
           in
           the
           Relative
           as
           in
           their
           own
           Personal
           Concerns
           :
           For
           if
           every
           Man
           were
           Independant
           ,
           his
           Liberty
           were
           so
           too
           ;
           but
           so
           long
           as
           any
           Man
           is
           a
           Member
           of
           a
           Kingdom
           ,
           his
           Liberty
           must
           likewise
           depend
           upon
           the
           good
           of
           the
           same
           Kingdom
           .
           And
           if
           it
           be
           not
           good
           for
           a
           Nation
           that
           every
           man
           should
           buy
           and
           sell
           ,
           and
           wear
           what
           he
           paid
           for
           ,
           as
           he
           please
           ,
           he
           must
           not
           think
           himself
           injur'd
           ,
           
           if
           his
           Liberty
           ,
           as
           an
           English-man
           ,
           be
           confin'd
           ,
           so
           long
           as
           his
           Country
           hath
           an
           Interest
           in
           his
           Commodity
           and
           Trade
           ,
           for
           its
           Safety
           and
           Welfare
           as
           well
           as
           himself
           .
           So
           if
           the
           Trade
           for
           Spanish
           Wool
           ,
           which
           is
           now
           at
           Liberty
           ,
           were
           in
           the
           hands
           of
           one
           particular
           Company
           ,
           it
           would
           not
           then
           lye
           in
           the
           power
           of
           any
           private
           Persons
           to
           sink
           the
           Trade
           and
           Manufacture
           of
           our
           Wool
           ,
           as
           now
           they
           can
           :
           For
           certainly
           ,
           a
           Liberty
           for
           a
           Private
           Trade
           ,
           in
           some
           cases
           ,
           may
           bring
           that
           Mischief
           upon
           the
           
             Publick
             Concern
          
           of
           a
           Nation
           ,
           not
           easily
           to
           be
           removed
           again
           .
           I
           will
           only
           instance
           one
           Passage
           ,
           which
           may
           be
           fresh
           in
           every
           man's
           memory
           ,
           that
           had
           then
           any
           Concern
           in
           Wool
           ,
           to
           shew
           what
           command
           the
           great
           Clothiers
           ,
           Factors
           ,
           and
           others
           have
           of
           that
           Commodity
           and
           the
           Trade
           for
           it
           .
        
         
           When
           the
           Peace
           was
           last
           made
           with
           the
           Dutch
           ,
           about
           ten
           years
           since
           ,
           by
           the
           Mediation
           of
           the
           Spanish
           Ambassadour
           ,
           and
           the
           French
           left
           wholly
           out
           in
           that
           Agreement
           ,
           the
           price
           of
           our
           Wool
           ,
           in
           less
           than
           a
           Months
           time
           ,
           did
           rise
           from
           18
           s.
           and
           19
           s
           ,
           to
           25
           s.
           and
           26
           s.
           the
           weight
           ,
           that
           is
           a
           quarter
           part
           more
           than
           it
           would
           yield
           a
           Week
           before
           the
           News
           of
           that
           Agreement
           with
           Holland
           .
           But
           the
           Scene
           quickly
           shifted
           ,
           for
           the
           Parliament
           being
           soon
           after
           Prorogued
           ,
           our
           Wool
           did
           not
           so
           fast
           advance
           before
           ,
           but
           now
           it
           came
           tumbling
           down
           ;
           so
           that
           it
           return'd
           not
           only
           in
           a
           Week
           or
           Fortnights
           time
           to
           its
           former
           price
           ,
           but
           pass'd
           by
           without
           any
           stay
           or
           stop
           ,
           until
           it
           was
           almost
           impossible
           to
           run
           lower
           ,
           even
           to
           12
           ,
           and
           13
           s.
           the
           weight
           .
        
         
           What
           should
           be
           the
           reason
           of
           this
           ?
           was
           there
           more
           Wool
           now
           discover'd
           ,
           or
           was
           there
           like
           to
           be
           less
           Trade
           ?
           Certainly
           ,
           there
           was
           as
           much
           Wool
           in
           the
           Kingdom
           of
           our
           own
           growth
           an
           hundred
           years
           ago
           as
           now
           ;
           We
           have
           no
           increase
           of
           Sheep
           ;
           for
           all
           those
           Lands
           that
           now
           feed
           ,
           (
           to
           wit
           )
           our
           Downs
           and
           Sheep-Pastures
           ,
           could
           never
           be
           employ'd
           to
           other
           Use
           .
           Then
           it
           must
           be
           in
           the
           Trade
           .
           And
           if
           so
           ,
           then
           we
           may
           see
           where
           the
           Command
           of
           that
           lyes
           ;
           as
           those
           Dealers
           like
           the
           Motions
           of
           the
           Times
           ,
           they
           shall
           either
           advance
           or
           sink
           it
           at
           their
           pleasure
           ,
           for
           the
           Trade
           lies
           sullen
           ,
           and
           must
           be
           rows'd
           ;
           
           it
           hath
           been
           so
           long
           manag'd
           by
           some
           particular
           Persons
           ,
           that
           they
           now
           look
           upon
           it
           ,
           not
           so
           much
           the
           Staple
           Manufacture
           ,
           and
           chief
           Commodity
           we
           have
           to
           support
           the
           Wealth
           and
           Honour
           of
           our
           Nation
           ,
           as
           a
           Business
           only
           for
           some
           few
           men
           to
           gain
           Wealth
           and
           Estates
           by
           .
           But
           to
           proceed
           .
        
         
           Now
           what
           quantity
           of
           this
           Spanish
           Wool
           is
           brought
           yearly
           into
           this
           Kingdom
           ,
           and
           here
           made
           into
           Cloth
           ,
           and
           how
           much
           of
           it
           is
           transported
           when
           made
           ,
           is
           worth
           our
           Enquiry
           .
           And
           upon
           this
           Enquiry
           ,
           I
           doubt
           it
           will
           appear
           ,
           that
           there
           is
           as
           much
           Spanish
           Cloth
           spent
           and
           worn
           among
           our
           own
           People
           ,
           as
           the
           Spanish
           Wool
           will
           make
           that
           is
           imported
           ;
           for
           in
           lieu
           of
           those
           few
           Medlies
           we
           send
           abroad
           in
           Trade
           ,
           we
           have
           a
           supply
           of
           Blacks
           ,
           &c.
           brought
           out
           of
           Holland
           to
           us
           ,
           and
           here
           sold
           at
           double
           the
           rate
           of
           that
           made
           in
           our
           own
           Kingdom
           of
           the
           same
           goodness
           :
           For
           at
           this
           day
           the
           very
           Servants
           and
           Mechanicks
           ,
           especially
           in
           Towns
           and
           Cities
           ,
           will
           scorn
           to
           wear
           any
           Cloth
           but
           Spanish
           ,
           if
           their
           Purses
           can
           but
           reach
           the
           price
           .
           It
           is
           not
           many
           years
           since
           that
           Spanish
           Cloth
           of
           the
           same
           goodness
           they
           now
           make
           ,
           was
           sold
           for
           23
           s.
           and
           24
           s.
           the
           yard
           by
           the
           Clothier
           ,
           which
           he
           now
           sells
           for
           15
           s.
           and
           16
           s.
           the
           yard
           :
           and
           so
           long
           as
           it
           can
           be
           bought
           at
           this
           low
           price
           ,
           there
           is
           scarce
           a
           Cobler
           but
           will
           have
           his
           best
           Suit
           of
           it
           .
           In
           a
           word
           ,
           all
           the
           Ruine
           that
           hath
           happen'd
           to
           our
           Clothing
           Trade
           by
           the
           low
           price
           of
           our
           Wool
           ,
           cannot
           be
           imputed
           to
           the
           Exportation
           of
           our
           English
           Wool
           ,
           but
           to
           the
           Importation
           of
           the
           Spanish
           ,
           and
           other
           Foreign
           Wool
           ,
           without
           paying
           any
           Duty
           or
           Custom
           for
           the
           same
           .
           And
           this
           ,
           among
           other
           Grievances
           attending
           the
           Clothing
           Trade
           ,
           the
           Grand
           Jury
           of
           the
           County
           of
           Somerset
           ,
           at
           their
           General
           Quarter
           Sessions
           ,
           presented
           as
           the
           Grievance
           and
           Complaint
           of
           the
           whole
           County
           :
           the
           which
           I
           have
           here
           set
           down
           verbatim
           ,
           as
           it
           was
           to
           have
           been
           presented
           to
           the
           late
           Kings
           most
           Excellent
           Majesty
           ,
           in
           Council
           .
        
      
       
         
         
           Somerset
           .
           At
           the
           General
           Quarter
           Sessions
           of
           the
           Peace
           held
           at
           Brewton
           ,
           in
           and
           for
           the
           Country
           aforesaid
           ,
           on
           the
           Thirteenth
           day
           of
           January
           in
           the
           Thirty
           Sixth
           Year
           of
           the
           Reign
           of
           our
           Sovereign
           Lord
           Charles
           the
           Second
           ,
           by
           the
           Grace
           of
           God
           of
           England
           ,
           Scotland
           ,
           France
           ,
           and
           Ireland
           ,
           King
           ,
           &c.
           
           The
           Presentment
           of
           the
           Grand
           Jury
           there
           was
           as
           followeth
           ;
           viz.
           
        
         
           HEARING
           the
           daily
           sad
           and
           lamentable
           Complaint
           of
           the
           greatest
           part
           of
           the
           Clothiers
           of
           this
           Country
           ,
           concerning
           the
           great
           Decay
           of
           their
           Trade
           ,
           whereby
           many
           of
           them
           with
           in
           few
           years
           last
           past
           have
           been
           ruin'd
           and
           undone
           ;
           And
           finding
           by
           sad
           experience
           the
           great
           fall
           that
           is
           happened
           of
           late
           on
           the
           price
           of
           English
           
           Wool
           ,
           that
           Commodity
           now
           yielding
           but
           little
           more
           than
           the
           one
           half
           the
           Value
           of
           what
           it
           was
           wont
           to
           be
           sold
           for
           at
           the
           beginning
           of
           the
           late
           unhappy
           Rebellion
           in
           this
           Kingdom
           ;
           And
           having
           seriously
           considered
           these
           things
           ,
           do
           humbly
           conceive
           the
           Causes
           of
           these
           great
           Evils
           to
           be
           the
           Importation
           of
           Spanish
           and
           other
           Foreign
           Wools
           ,
           without
           paying
           any
           Custom
           or
           Impost
           for
           the
           same
           ;
           And
           the
           great
           Abuses
           that
           have
           been
           put
           upon
           the
           Clothiers
           at
           the
           Principal
           Mart
           for
           Cloth
           in
           this
           Kingdom
           ,
           by
           a
           sort
           of
           People
           called
           Factors
           ;
           Men
           first
           set
           up
           in
           the
           late
           Times
           of
           Distraction
           ,
           and
           increasing
           ever
           since
           in
           Number
           and
           Power
           ,
           till
           now
           at
           length
           they
           have
           gotten
           the
           sole
           Command
           and
           Sale
           of
           most
           mens
           Cloth
           brought
           thither
           to
           be
           sold
           ;
           And
           have
           thereby
           advanc'd
           themselves
           from
           little
           or
           nothing
           to
           be
           Men
           of
           great
           Estates
           ,
           and
           as
           much
           impoverished
           their
           Masters
           ,
           who
           sadly
           complain
           of
           these
           
           Abuses
           ,
           and
           are
           left
           without
           prospect
           of
           a
           Remedy
           :
           The
           Consideration
           of
           which
           Mischiefs
           growing
           more
           and
           more
           upon
           us
           ,
           and
           ,
           if
           not
           timely
           prevented
           ,
           being
           likely
           in
           the
           end
           to
           prove
           the
           Ruine
           of
           this
           ancient
           Staple
           Commodity
           and
           Manufacture
           of
           our
           Kingdom
           ,
           hath
           caused
           us
           at
           this
           time
           to
           make
           this
           following
           Presentment
           .
        
         
           First
           ,
           That
           the
           Wool
           of
           this
           County
           in
           particular
           ,
           as
           well
           as
           of
           the
           whole
           Kingdom
           in
           general
           ,
           is
           the
           greatest
           Staple
           we
           have
           ;
           And
           that
           which
           adds
           more
           to
           the
           Rents
           and
           Improvement
           of
           the
           Real
           Value
           of
           the
           Lands
           and
           Revenues
           thereof
           ,
           than
           any
           one
           Commodity
           whatsoever
           ;
           And
           that
           it
           is
           as
           much
           our
           Interest
           (
           if
           not
           more
           )
           to
           improve
           the
           Rents
           and
           Revenues
           of
           the
           Lands
           and
           Estates
           of
           this
           Kingdom
           ,
           as
           to
           Maintain
           the
           Trade
           ,
           without
           which
           Improvement
           we
           shall
           in
           no
           case
           be
           able
           to
           raise
           any
           
           considerable
           Sum
           of
           Money
           by
           a
           Land-Tax
           ,
           if
           any
           sudden
           or
           extraordinary
           occasion
           should
           require
           it
           .
        
         
           We
           Present
           therefore
           ,
           That
           the
           Importation
           of
           Spanish
           ,
           and
           other
           Foreign
           Wools
           ,
           without
           paying
           any
           Duty
           or
           Custom
           for
           the
           same
           ,
           is
           a
           very
           great
           prejudice
           to
           the
           price
           of
           English
           Wool
           ;
           and
           so
           consequently
           contributes
           much
           to
           the
           Abatements
           of
           the
           Rents
           and
           Profits
           issuing
           from
           Lands
           .
        
         
           We
           Present
           ,
           That
           the
           making
           of
           Woollen
           Cloth
           is
           the
           greatest
           Manufacture
           of
           this
           Kingdom
           ,
           and
           that
           wherein
           many
           thousands
           of
           poor
           People
           are
           employed
           and
           set
           to
           work
           ,
           and
           thereby
           Relieved
           and
           Maintained
           ;
           and
           that
           since
           the
           time
           that
           the
           Art
           of
           Clothing
           was
           first
           known
           amongst
           us
           ,
           it
           has
           continued
           free
           ,
           untill
           the
           beginning
           of
           the
           late
           Rebellion
           ,
           there
           sprung
           up
           a
           sort
           of
           People
           ,
           who
           ,
           
           under
           the
           name
           of
           Factors
           of
           Blackwell-Hall
           ,
           have
           gotten
           into
           their
           Power
           the
           Management
           and
           Disposal
           of
           most
           of
           the
           Cloth
           that
           is
           sold
           there
           :
           And
           besides
           ,
           are
           grown
           to
           be
           the
           greatest
           Merchants
           of
           Oyl
           and
           Dying-stuffs
           ,
           but
           chiefly
           of
           Spanish
           Wool
           ;
           all
           goods
           belonging
           to
           the
           Clothing
           Trade
           ,
           of
           whom
           the
           Clothier
           is
           forced
           to
           buy
           ,
           the
           Factor
           having
           his
           Stock
           both
           of
           Cloth
           and
           Money
           in
           his
           own
           hands
           ;
           And
           therefore
           We
           present
           ,
           that
           these
           Factors
           of
           Blackwell-Hall
           are
           a
           Publick
           Nusance
           and
           Prejudice
           to
           the
           Clothing
           Trade
           ;
           and
           to
           have
           been
           the
           Ruine
           of
           many
           poor
           Clothiers
           ,
           and
           the
           Causes
           of
           many
           other
           Mischiefs
           and
           Inconveniencies
           that
           now
           lye
           heavy
           upon
           us
           .
        
         
           Item
           ,
           We
           farther
           Present
           ,
           that
           this
           Honourable
           Bench
           will
           be
           pleased
           to
           implore
           the
           Royal
           Power
           and
           Prerogative
           of
           His
           Sacred
           Majesty
           ,
           for
           convenient
           Remedies
           to
           these
           great
           Abuses
           ;
           And
           
           that
           this
           Presentment
           may
           be
           with
           all
           Submission
           presented
           to
           His
           Majesty
           as
           the
           Grievance
           and
           Complaint
           of
           the
           whole
           Country
           .
        
         
           
             
               
                 Thomas
                 Ludwell
                 ,
              
               
                 Joseph
                 Gappy
                 ,
              
               
                 Barnard
                 Russ
                 :
              
               
                 William
                 Ridcut
                 ,
              
               
                 Thomas
                 Pitman
                 ,
              
               
                 John
                 Bradny
                 ,
              
               
                 John
                 Mulford
                 Sen.
                 
              
               
                 Thomas
                 Gapper
                 Jun.
                 
              
               
                 Thomas
                 Field
                 ,
              
               
                 William
                 Lewis
                 ,
              
               
                 Thomas
                 Biging
                 ,
              
               
                 Thomas
                 Harvye
                 ,
              
               
                 John
                 Mabz
                 ,
              
               
                 Wor.
                 Brice
                 ,
              
               
                 Henry
                 Strode
                 ,
              
               
                 Gabriel
                 Iveleife
                 ,
              
               
                 Robert
                 King.
                 
              
            
          
        
         
           
           
             
               Vera
               Cop
               '
               Ex
               '
               per
            
          
           
             
               Ph.
               Bennet
               ,
               Cl.
               Pac.
               
            
          
        
         
           
             This
             is
             a
             true
             Copy
             of
             the
             Grand
             Juries
             Presentment
             ,
             which
             we
             agree
             to
             ,
             and
             desire
             it
             may
             be
             presented
             to
             His
             Majesty
             in
             Council
             by
             Mr.
             Clarke
             .
          
           
             
               
                 
                   Weymouth
                   .
                
                 
                   Fitzharding
                   .
                
                 
                   Fra.
                   Powlett
                   .
                
                 
                   E.
                   Phelipps
                   .
                
                 
                   John
                   Hunt.
                   
                
                 
                   Ed.
                   Berkeley
                   .
                
                 
                   Tho.
                   Wyndham
                   .
                
                 
                   Fra.
                   Warre
                   .
                
                 
                   Will.
                   Basset
                   .
                
                 
                   Geo.
                   Clarke
                   .
                
                 
                   Jo.
                   Harington
                   .
                
              
            
          
        
      
    
     
  

