A Treatise divided into three parts, touching the inconveniences, that the Importation of Tobacco out of Spain, hath brought into this Land. viz.  

1 In the first is showed how treasure was usually brought into this Land.  
2 In the second, what hath and doth hinder the bringing of it, with other incoveniences.  
3 In the third, how to remedy the one, and the other.   
THe chief Spring from whence the main Current of Treasure flowing into all Christendom, hath his original, is in the Indies, and by the Spanish government is forced to set first into Spain, and thence is divided into all other Countries, according to the quantity of goods, which out of their abundance they furnish to supply their wants: hence it follows that the Commodities of this Land, are the Ours from whench Treasure is drawn into this Kingdom. And the means from whench we usually draw it from Spain are these. First, (our goods being converted into Money) We provided, so many necessary Commodities of that Land, as were sufficient to supply the wants of this Kingdom, and all the rest we brought home in Bullion, Witness the Ship taken at Cales. Anno 1615. in which was supposed to be 15000 pounds in Money. It should therefore ensue that almost twenty years of peaceable commerce, which we have had since his Majesty's Reign, should have replenished this Land abundantly with Silver, had there not been some especial cause to have hindered it, but what hath stopped the entrance of it, I'll discover.  
The main decay of Trade, and the chief cause that hindereth the importation of Bullion out of Spain is Tobacco, for there is consumed by all computation, yearly in this Land, three hundred thousand weight, and I divide all the Tobaccos we buy for this Kingdom, into three sorts and values. The best at vi. shillings the pound, the second at three s.vi.d. the third at ii.s.vi.d. for near about these prizes they cost, and almost xii. pence the pound for the custom there, which is v. shillings per pound, but to speak with the least I'll say iiii. shillings per pound, so than it doth cost there, first penny Sxtie thousand pound, and the disorderly sail of our goods to buy it, hath abased the price of our commodities through all Spain, Bisky, and Portugal, 20. per Cent. so what it doth cost, and what is lost yearly, amounteth to a hundred thousand Pounds, all which would be brought into this Kingdom if that were not.  
But who will hazard to send home Silver now when he may put it of by exchange, thereto the Tobacconists at as much profit as it is worth here at the Mint, for so I have done this year.  
Now if this Weed were prohibbited, all men would stand upon the orderly sail of their goods, & not sell under 10 or 12. Per Cent. outward, as formerly they have done, when little Tobacco came out of Spain, and the most part of our returns would be in Bullion, for on that we get 12. Per Cent. and on no other Commodity, (Tobacco accepted) is any man certain to get so much. Then who would not rather bring home ready money than goods, for which he is uncertain when to have Money. This is the use of the French and Dutchmen, which maketh their Countries so abundant in Silver, for no Country is so smoked as ours. In so much, that both Spainiards & all other Nations say tauntingly to us, when they see all our goods landed (to use their own words) Que todo esso se pagtaa con humo; that all that will be paid in smoke; Now our gracious Sovereign, knowing it to be a vicious and most pernicious weed laid great impositions on it, thereby to hinder the importation; But that brings the more damage to this State, for (except it be prohibited) our people will buy it what soever it cost, and the more it doth cost the more is our loss; for no sooner did his Majesty lay an imposition on it here, but the King of Spain laid two there, the one upon his own Subjects, the other on us; But we pay all, for they must raise it on us; And no sooner had his Highness granted a Patent for it here, but forthwith the King of Spain, made it his own Commodity there, to no other end but to keep up and raise the price of it still more and more, for if they get all our goods for smoke, we need no more misery as I think. To conclude this then, say our King's Majesty receives Sixteen thousand pounds per annum. for the Patent of it (I do not say he gets it) but receives it, and of his own goods already in the Land, and not of any thing brought in by the Patentees. But I say the K. of Spain getteth a hundred thousand pounds per an. thereby, for the goods he hath from us for Tobacco would cost him yearly so much if that were not. All which would be brought into this Kingdom. And now having thus plainly showed how it hinders yearly the importation of a hundred thousand pounds, it of force followeth that it hath kept back near twelve hundred thousand pounds, or at least a Million since his Majesty's reign, which were it in the Land, what inestimable benefit would it bring yearly to his Majesty, and the whole Kingdom by increase of trade, who can rightly imagine, for money is the soul and sinews of trade, and a well governed trade, the true fountain of treasure. But this is not all the good it hath done to Spain, nor the prejudice it hath brought to England, which remains to be spoken of in the next point.  
The good then that we have done to Spain by buying our Tobacco from them, hath caused them since the year 98. to inhabit the territories of Caracoes' Cumana Cumanagotta Trinidado Oronoque & now at least all Maracaibo, for in those days (I was an eye witness to it) their people went thither more unwilling than ours now go to Virginia and the Summer Lands, (yet the King gave them leave to carry & recarry all things Custome-free:) but now the Case is altered, for if they would give leave to as many to go as would, they would soon leave few enough in Spain. But whosoever goeth now, attains unto it by great suit and especial licence, which will cost at least fifty pounds for each person ere he obtain it. So sudden did the gain by bringing Tobacco draw so many thither. And although that were the chief hopes, that drew them thither, yet now they bring not Tobacco only but many other beneficial and necessary Commodities, as Ginger, Hides, Sugar, Sarsaparilla, Balsam, Peeta Carava, Gum, Allome and Wood. Insomuch that the King reapeth already yearly benefit by it at least 50000. li. and yearly it increaseth.  
Now the hurt it hath done to this Land more then formerly mentioned is, that it hath altogether hindered that Plantation in Virginia, which in short time might yield his Majesty as much or more profit, than the afore said places do to the King of Spain besides the general good it would bring to all this Common wealth, cannot be imagined, for if his majesty grant this one Privilege to them, the lucre of gain by Tobacco, will draw thither more inhabitants in one year then the Company have done with all their care and charge ever since the plantation; and let them once be drawn thither, they will quickly find better Comedies than Tobacco, as the Spaniards have done in the foresaid places, so that the only means were to cause importation of a hundred thousand pounds per annum of Treasure, & suddenly to inhabit Virginia, and to draw from thence great benefit into this Land, is nothing but prohibiting the bringing in of Spanish Tobacco; and suffer it only to be brought from Virginia & Summer-Islands, which I presume our Sovereign Lord the King's Majesty may as lawfully do as the King of Spain may forbid us the importation of Pepper and silk into his Kingdom, which he hath done under penalty, of loss of life and goods. Again, Tobacco is no commodity of the groweth of Spain, but of the Indies, with whom we have no commerce.  
If any allege that those Countries yields not so good Tobacco as the Spa: Indies, I answer, there is some as good Tobacco brought from Virginia and the Summer Lands, as the first Tobaccoes were that we had out of Spain. And no doubt, but as they discovering further into the Land, found better grounds for Tobacco: So will our people do also as they go further. But say they do not altogether find so good grounds as the Spa: Indies are for that purpose: must we of force therefore have Spanish Tobacco, to our so great prejudice. We see their Spanish Wines are better than English Beer, shall we utterly forsake that, and use the other. Also we see Gascoine wines are better than Rochel wines, yet the government of Rochel will not suffer their people to spend any but the growth of their own Vines, and the labours of their own people. And these Countries of Spain that have Wines of their own growing, will not suffer any other to come in, be theirs never so bad and the other never so good, till their own provision be spent: and be they so careful for their own Conservation, and shall we be so careless of ours: Nay, God forbid, I hope better Order will be taken by his Majesty, and this most Honourable assembly. It may be some man seeing this, will think, I am interressed in the Virginia Company: But the Worshipful of the Company know the contrary. It's the zeal I bear to the good of the State in general that makes me speak. If so what I point at take effect, I shall be most glad, although to my own prejudice, for till it be forbidden I will trade in it, and make no question but to get by it as well as any other man, But I defy the particular gains that brings a general hurt. And thus I have showed what hinders the importation of Treasure. To conclude this point, Shut the gates of entrance of Tobacco, and you open the gate for the entry of Treasure: but open the gate for the entry of Tobacco, and you shut the gate of the entrance of Treasure.  Ed: Bennett.