Part 1
Transcriber’s Note
In this text version of “An Essay To the Restoring of our Decayed Trade”, words in italics are marked with _underscores_, words in plain text within italics are marked with +plus signs+.
Sidenotes have been moved the start of paragraphs.
Variant spelling, irregular punctuation and inconsistent use of italics are retained.
The changes that have been made are listed at the end of the book.
AN ESSAY To the Restoring of our Decayed TRADE. Wherein is Described, the SMUGLERS, LAWYERS, AND OFFICERS Frauds, _&c._
By _JOSEPH TREVERS_.
LONDON
Printed for _Giles Widdowes_, at the _Green Dragon_ in St. _Pauls Church_-Yard, _John Sims_ at the _King’s Head_ at _Sweetings Alley_ end in _Cornhil_, near the _Royal Exchange_, and _Will. Milward_ Stationer at _Westminster-Hall_ door in _New-Pallace-Yard_, 1678
The Contents.
1. _That no Nation hath such advantages whereby to inrich themselves, as +England+ hath._
2. _That the private Exportation of our wooll and Fullers Earth, doth exceedingly hinder the Trade of this Kingdom, as also doth the private Importation of Forreign Prohibited Goods._
3. _The ignorance of our common People of the Law in such cases, and want of incouragement to the discoverers._
4. _The great loss our Silk and Ribbon-weavers._
5. _That the Trade of Clothing is the cheifest thing in the Nation._
6. _The profit gained by working up our wooll by our own poor people, is almost unspeakable, and influential to all degrees of persons in the Kingdome._
7. _That there is lost Millions +per annum+ to the King and Kingdome, in Customes, +&c.+ by losing our Trade of Clothing._
8. _That no other Country affords wooll to make good cloth without our +English+ wooll and Fullers Earth._
9. _A recital of several Statutes concerning wooll, and the Transportation thereof, setling the +Aulangers+ Office, and for the well making of Cloth, and the abuses of our good Lawes._
10. _Setting forth the industry of the +Dutch+, and other Countries, whereby in a great measure they undermine our Trade._
11, _How the decay of Trade occasions the Poor to be so numerous, brings Rents low, and consequently Poverty to the Kingdome._
12. _Several Quæries Propounded, by way of Remedy._
By,
A true friend to his Countrey,
_JO. TREVERS_.
To the Right Honourable
_EDWARD SEYMOUR_,
SPEAKER of the Right Honourable House of COMMONS; Treasurer of His Majesties Royal Navy, and one of His Majesties most Honourable Privy _COUNCEL_.
For me to speak of the Nobility and Worth of your Ancestors, and the Noble Family (most Honoured Sir) would be but as an Eclipse of the Sun by the Moon, which is the Planet that moves in the lowest Orbe, but laying a side all such thoughts, the Occasion of the Dedication of this ensuing Treatise to your Honour, is,
First, for that you are signally Elected to be the _Speaker_ of the Honourable the House of _Commons_, the Representative of the Kingdome, wherein such Lawes are framed and setled, as are conducible to the Weal, Honour, and Safety thereof.
2. Because your Honours Abilities are so publiquely manifest, as that you are likewise singled out to be one of his Majesties most Honourable Privy Councel.
3. And that which doth very much move me hereto is, because your converse hath been much in, and about the Counties of _Devon._ _Summerset_, and _Wilts._ where the Trade of Clothing is very much used, and therefore it may in all reason be deemed, that your Honours knowledge of (and acquaintance with) Clothiers and their Imployments is more than ordinary.
Sir the great Ambition I have to manifest my Loyalty to the King, and my zeal to serve the Countrey, puts me upon these endeavours, to discover not only the advantages by our Manufactures, and the disadvantages to the Kingdome by the cessation thereof, but also the great Fraud; and Abuses in the Out-Ports by the Custome-Officers, which when reduced and brought into a better Method, by those cheif Officers that are concerned therein, I hope it may prove a good Balsome to heal our wounds, and a Cordial to our drooping spirits.
It is well known that the improvement of our Manufactures in this Nation hath a communicative influence upon thousand of young and old people; yea many that are now idle and loose people, have been more numerously imploy’d formerly, than now they are, by reason of the decay of Trade, which if it should thus continue, or grow worse, might be a great means to depopulate the Nation, and to draw great burdens upon many Parishes for the maintenance of their Poor, but if not timely prevented, will cause the Trade to be driven by Foreigners, and so exceedingly cause an abatement of Rents among us.
Sir, your publique Imployment, your generous and Courteous Deportment, give me confidence to Dedicate these Rude and Unpolisht lines to your view, because I know, you have Ability to judge, and Charity to pardon the _Errata’s_ that you may find therein.
When I did first set Pen to Paper about this matter, I found my self in a Labyrinth, and there might have suffered, had not my Education as a Clothier given me a glimmering light to extricate my self. And yet when I had purchased my Enlargement, by my strict enquiery into those Mysteries, I had a great dispute with my self, whether I should put my Abortive thoughts into Print or no, but more respecting the common good, than my private Reputation, I resolved rather to make my wishes publique, than to bury them in Oblivion.
Now Sir, it is not only a pleasant study for Statesmen to promote the Publike good, but the only way to true and lasting Honour, and Happiness; and that these poor Endeavours of mine may attain that good effect to the King and Countrey, as I really design; (aiming at no other,) I earnestly beg of God to direct you for the Improvement of them, in your publique imployments, which may (like the Rain from Heaven) break open the Springs of Trade in our dry and thirsty Land, to revive and refresh the same, and by so doing, Sir, you will not only do eminent service to the King, great kindness to your Countrey, but also oblige all people to pray for your happiness both in this world, and that which is to come, for the which also most earnestly praies,
Your Honours most humble,
and most devoted
Servant,
_JOSEPH TREVERS_.
To his Honoured Friend, Cap. _Joseph Trevers_, on his Book Entituled
_An Essay to the Restoring of our decayed Trade_.
_If I a Poet were, I’de undertake, To write some Verses for the Authors sake. And give him commendation for his pains For I beleive, no more will be his gains. For such men as do mind the publique good Their merits are but slightly understood Yet unto lasting age their fame shall bud._
_The Author of this Book who took the care Exactly to observe the great affair Of this our Kingdome, which consists in Trade, Of Clothes and Stuffes which of our Wooll are made, Hath here the profit clearly shown to us, And what advantage yearly cometh thus If we were wise to be industrious._
_Together with the mischiefs that do come On the whole Kingdome by neglect of some, And treachery of others which is worse, (A heavier and more Prodigious curse Cannot well lighten on the English Nation) To send away our Wooll by Transportation, This if not cur’d will bring to desolation._
_As much as in them lies for selfish ends Such bring destruction to their best friends, First to the Soveraign Majesty of the King, Then to the Common-wealth, for this doth bring The Nation to be exceeding poor And many Clothiers forced to give ore Their Trading, and follow it no more._
_But now I hope for better things to come By the removal and displaceing some Of those that were in trust, and put in such As are upright, and won’t comply with +Dutch+, Nor any Forreign Nation to invade The Ancient Priviledges of our Trade The want hereof makes +England+ greatly fade._
R. B.
_Goe little Book into the world and see Who thou can’st find therein to welcome thee, I’m sure thou mean’st as well to every man Of all degrees and sorts as any can: From King to meanest, thou dost with them well And therefore this thy Book doth truly tell Of wrongs and of Abuses done to all. Then let them in whose compass it may fall Soon rectify the same, and bring on Trade Afresh, this is the end this Book was made._
Incerti Authoris.
AN ESSAY To the Restoring of our decayed TRADE.
That I may proceed in as good an Order as I can, (although I cannot pretend to Learning, or Ability to Compose a Book in a Methodical way,) but do wish that such a task as this, had been undertaken by some other, that might have been able abundantly better to have mannaged it, to satisfaction of the _Reader_; Yet by reason of my former imployment in the Trade of a Cloathier, and afterwards in the Office of Surveyor of one of the Ports of this Kingdom, at the _Custom-House_, I am experimentally enabled to speak to those things, which shall follow.
And if there fall not out such an Harmonious Order, in the ensuing Discourse, by the necessary connection, or orderly introduction of one thing to another, as might be expected, (as before in my Epistle so again,) I do humbly beg the best and most favorable construction, and censure of the matter; for having in my breast, the true heart, and Spirit of an _English-Man_, for his King and Country; I cannot bear with those dayly abuses, and evil practices, so frequently and notoriously put upon the King and Kingdom, but that I do reckon my self Obliged, in all duty and good conscience to my King and Country, to make them as publiquely known and manifest as I can, and then leave the Remedies, to be provided and answerably applied, by the Ministers of State, which I hope in a short time will be effected.
[Sidenote: _The Advantage by the Manufacture of Wooll._]
And here I shall endeavour, First, to make it to appear, that there is no Nation nor Kingdom in the World, that hath those advantages, whereby to inrich themselves, as this our Kingdom of _England_, by the Manufacture of our Wooll, and consequently to maintain our strength, and Honor; omitting to speak of many other staple Commodities, of this our Kingdom, though many Rich and Profitable, because I am intended to Treat principally about the Subject of Wooll, and the Manufactures thereof with the dependancies thereupon.
[Sidenote: _Wooll not improoved_]
Now that such advantages as might accrue to the Kingdom are not laid hold on, and the Commodities improoved to what it might be, is too too evident to all men, that have any feeling of the case, or that do make any inspection into it; which may also be sufficiently confirmed to all others, by the sad complaints, and frequent moanes, that are dayly made concerning the miserable decay of Trade, to the great loss of many perticuler men, and to the King, and Nation in General, and principally in the Trade of Cloathing.
But if the Wooll of _England_, and _Ireland_ were improoved to the best advantages, and secured from exportation to Forreigners, doubtless _England_ would be the General Market for the whole Universe, for matter of Cloathing, and what would soon be the Riches, greatness, and Splendor thereof, (_by the Almighties blessing_) is not a thing very difficult to be imagined, by any sober judicious Person, Merchant, or Traveller.
[Sidenote: _No Wool so good as +English+._]
And that no Nation hath such good Wooll, for the general Trade of Cloathing is evident, elce what makes so many Forreigners of other Nations, so greedy of our _English_ Wooll, if they had as good, or near as good of their own, and how highly was it formerly esteemed, by the _Dukes_ of _Burgundy_, and what benefit and advantage did that People under his government make of it; when they paid but sixpence the pound for our _English_ Wooll, they returned it to us in Cloath at Ten shillings the Yard; by which may very easily be computed, what profit did redound to that people, in the working up the Wooll, which thing occasioned many _English_ Families, to transport themselves into those parts, for their profitable livelihood and subsistence.
[Sidenote: _Cloathing set up in +England+._]
But after the Victorious Conquest, made by _Edward_ the third, of _Famous Memory_, he caused to be ordered and set up the Manufactures of Wooll in this Kingdom, to the great increase of the Riches of his own People; the memory of whom, for his provident care for the wellfare of his People; is worthy to be perpetuated to all succeeding Generations.
[Sidenote: _Forreigners do covet our Wooll._]
And what now a days makes _Holland_, and _France_, so covetous of our Wooll, and what large quantities by sinister meanes, do they procure to serve themselves, and their Countries; and what Riches do they acquire to themselves thereby, may in some measure be guessed at, for by having our good _English_ Wooll, they can mix their own course Wooll with it, and so make good Cloath, or Stuffes, which otherwise they could not do.
To instance perticulerly in the _French_, it is taken for granted, and sufficiently known, that their Wooll is very course, and of it self fit for little, but to make a sort of Cloath which is worn by _Sea-men_, and _Fisher-men_, &c. But by the help of our good Wooll, they make very good work, and send to other parts of the World their druggets, _&c._
[Sidenote: _Much +French+ Wooll wrought up by mixing with ours._]
And by having our good _English_ Wooll, they can spend two or three Packs of their own Wooll, mixing it with ours, by which meanes they make their Cloath and Stuffes pass very acceptably, both among themselves, and other Nations. Yea we our selves in _England_ not being so wise, as we should be, for our own advantage, do buy the _French_ druggets, _&c._ Made of our Wooll, mixed with theirs, and give great Prices for them too, when we do, or at least may make better of our own.
The care then being taken for granted, that _English_ Wooll is the best, and most fit for Cloathing, Stuffes, Stockins, _&c._
[Sidenote: _Poor to be Imploy’d._]
How necessary may it be rationally supposed then, for our own People to be imployd in the working up our own Wooll, and how many thousands would be imploy’d of the Poorer sort of people, about such work, who might thereby, gain to themselves a very comfortable living, and free the Kingdom from those great burdens in maintenance of the Poor; they being able by their Labour, (_if Imploy’d_) comfortably to provide for themselves; for it is not the numerous multitude of people in a Kingdom, or Common Wealth, that makes it to be Poor, that they cannot live one by another, but the contrary, if all were imploy’d, and set at work, as there is imployment enough to be had, they would prove the especial meanes, to make a Kingdom Rich; as may be clearly instanced by the _Dutch_, how many scores of thousands of their Poor people are imployed about the Herring Fishing, which makes them very Rich, and brings in yearly, near two Millions of Money, or other commodities necessary for the Land, which are equivalent to Money, besides what they spend in the Land; this may seem to some to be a thing incredible, but I am able to make it cleare to any intelligent Person.
[Sidenote: _Poverty for want of Imploy._]
Thus then by the neglect of our own Manufactures of our Wooll, flowes in like an inundation, the poverty of the Land; and hence arise those sad complaints, that fill every mans Eares, throughout the Kingdom, Alas! What shall we do to live, we have no Imployment; for if the Trade of the world abroad, for Cloath and Stuffes, _&c._ Be supplied from other Lands, which make their Cloath and Stuffes of our _English_ Wooll, being _Clandestinely_ Transported into Forreign parts; our _English_ Trade for that commodity, must answerably decay; and if the _English_ Merchant hath not vent for that commodity abroad, to other Nations, the Country Cloathier must strike off in a great measure, and consequently many of the Poor work folkes, are answerably taken off from their imployments, which formerly for many years, they had been exercised in, and so having no work, they get no Money, and so are reduced to a begging condition, or worse: these things are to be discerned clearly, without the help of a Perspective-Glass, by those that are in any measure intelligent in Politique affaires.
[Sidenote: _Profit lost._]
Thus the profit of the Poor, that they should get to themselves for a maintenance is lost, and the profit gotten by their labour to the Kingdom is also lost, in the General, and this is brought to pass by the quicksightedness, and diligence of our Neighbour Nations; who finding dayly the sweetness of the Trade, and so exceedingly enriching themselves, by our commodity, _Viz._ Wooll; doe endeavour more and more, to carry it on to their own advantage, whiles we in _England_, in the mean time neglect our own opportunities, and advantages, which do so clearely lie before us.
[Sidenote: _Loss to the Kingdom._]
From what hath been before hinted, doth necessarily follow the vast dammage, and prejudice done to this our own Nation, and Kingdom, by the exportation of our Wooll; for the dammage doth evidently appear, thus.
Had not the _French_ our _English_ Wooll to work withall, they could not work up their own Wooll, into any Manufactures that should be acceptable, or saleable in other Countries, no nor in their own Land, but they would be ready as formerly to buy our _English_ commodities; but now having our _English_ Wooll so frequently among them, privately gotten from _England_, or _Ireland_; they mix their own Wooll with it, and work up two or three Packs of their course Wooll, with one pack of ours, so that every Pack of _English_ Wooll exported from us, and carried to _France_ is treble loss, if not more to _England_, and on the contrary so much profit to _France_.
[Sidenote: _Other Countries grow Rich._]
[Sidenote: _Undersel us._]
[Sidenote: _Custom Officers unfaithful._]
Thus then any man may perceive, how Rich other Countries grow by our means, by obtaining our commodity to work upon, and there People also do generally live at a lower rate, and work cheaper by the day or otherwise, than our People in _England_ do, by which means they may afford to under-sel us, as usually they do at a Forreign Market, so that hereby they do acquire to themselves, both good credit, as well as great profit: and this Originally as aforesaid is by our commodity; which if it was carefully looked after, by the Officers of the Customes, in the out-ports cheifly; there might be speedily, a good stop put to this their Trade, for if they got not our wool from _England_, or _Ireland_; they could not go on with this their Trade of Cloath and Stuffes, but the great negligence, or unfaithfullness of some Officers, belonging to the Customes, is the Principal occasion, of the exportation of our wooll into Forreign parts, and consequently of the loss of the Trade of the Nation, in so great a measure, in this perticuler; from whence followes clearely, and undeniably, the poverty of the Kingdom in general.
[Sidenote: _Cloathing Trade Failing._]
[Sidenote: _Many other Trades fail also._]
For one Trade depends upon another, as it is in the body natural, so it is in the body politique, in the body natural, one member depends upon another, and is serviceable to the other, by a natural Harmony and Correspondence, even so doth one Trade, or occupation closely, and necessarily depend upon another, here in _England_, and such a connection there is in this point, that if one chiefe Trade fail, very many also do fall with it, more or less, according to their proximity, or remotenes from it, in their dependance, and this may be applied cheifly, and principally to the Trade of Cloathing, and the Manufacture of wooll in other respects; how many several Trades are there, that must of necessity depend on the Cloathing Trade, as _Card-makers_, _Spinners_, _Weavers_, _Fullers_, _Dyers_, _Cloath-workers_, _Packers_, and those Trades which make Tooles, and instruments for these; are not also the Farmers at work, in the mean time, to provide bread for all these People, and their Families, and breeding up his _Oxen_, _Sheep_, _Hogs_, &c. That they may have Meat to eate, are not the Merchants and Sea-men, imploy’d in a great measure by this Trade, and these last mentioned (_the Sea-men_) are the men, who principally, and cheifly bring in the wealth of the Nation: the Gentry of the Land, and all sorts of Shop-keepers, are the receivers of this profit, which the Sea-men by their adventures, and industry do bring into the Nation; all sorts of _Lawyers_, _Phisitians_, and _Clergy-men_, are receivers, and get their Money by their Tongues, while the _Adventurous Merchant, and undaunted Marriner, carries on the Trade of the Nation_, exporting our native staple commodities (_of the which through Gods abundant goodness_,) this land of ours is so well stored, in several perticulers, as might be instanced in _Tin_, _Lead_, _Cloath_, _Stuffes_, _Stockins_, _Herrings_, of which might be an hundred times as many if look’t after, and Sale enough for them too, at Forreign Markers: but the _Dutch_ run away with the profit of these goods, making two Barrels for our one; _Pilchards_ are a very good commodity, of which we do get good store in the _West Country_, and they do bring in good profit to the Nation, either in Gold or Silver, or such commodities, as the Kingdom stands in need off.
By what hath been said, it plainly appears how from the highest to the lowest, there is a necessary dependance of one imployment upon another, and the falling off from one general Trade, occasions the ruin of many inferior Tradesmen, who had subsistence for themselves, and Families thereby; and this in our Kingdom of _England_, is seated principally, and cheifly, in the Trade of Cloathing, and the Manufacture of Wooll.
[Sidenote: _The King Looseth._]
So that upon the failing of this Trade, of which there is too great a cessation and decay, in many parts of this Kingdom, there comes in inevitably such a general loss, to the whole Nation, for first and most principally the King loseth hereby, and that extreamly, not only because his Subjects are not set at work, and so are unabled to live comfortably, and to pay such Taxes, and impositions, as are requisite for his Majesties support, and defence against his powerful Enemies.
Nor in that the Honor, and splendor of the Kingdom, is hereby so much advanced and promoted, as it might be, but also because his Majesty looseth so great a revenue, which would accrue to him in his Customes, if the Cloathing Trade was carried on with Vigor, so that the effectual carrying on, or desisting from the Cloathing Trade, is of very high Concernment, and Importance to the King; in profit or loss, and so it runs through the meaner sort of People also, as hath allready in part been spoken to.
[Sidenote: _The Kings Customes._]