An Answer to Two Objections AGAINST A BILL depending in the Honourable House of Lords, For Restraining East-India WROUGHT SILKS, etc.  
Obj. If this Bill Pass, it will not give present Relief to the Poor that are out of Work.  
Answ. It will give present Relief, as it will increase the Master-Weavers Credit. As Matters now stand, those Merchants and Yarn-makers we deal with, foreseeing we are like to be undone by the East India Trade, refuse to give us Credit, and many of them tell us plainly, they will not trust us, unless this Bill Pass. The Mercers, and others we sell our Goods to, tell us, if this Bill do not pass into a Law, they must leave Buying of us, and turn their Stocks into the India Trade; because the Gentry of England ask for, and Buy little but East-India Commodities. If this Bill Pass, the Retailers will presently Buy of us, and not India Goods, lest any of them should be left upon their Hands, when the time comes they are Prohibited selling them. If this Bill Pass, it will Encourage the Master-Weavers, to employ the Poor, who offer us to Work, allowing us the Discount of Bank Bills, by which means we shall be able to have Money to pay them; the Master-Weavers will be able to go on to employ the Poor, in hopes of a Trade these Encouragements. If this Bill do not Pass, the Master-Weavers will be Dejected and Discouraged, and under sad Apprehensions must turn out more of their Poor, and employ their Stock some other ways, for the Support of themselves and Families, to the greater Damage of the Nation, and further Calamity of the Poor.  
Obj. If this Bill pass, we shall get no Salt-Petre from India.  
Answ. We cannot go to the Great Mogul presently, to get a Licence from him, to give us Liberty to Buy Salt-Petre; but we believe there is as great Reason, that we may have Salt-Petre for our Money, as that we may have Muslins, Calicoes, Raw Silk, Floretta Yarn, Pepper, Fans, or any other of their Commodities. The Great Mogul, never forbade or hindered the French from having Salt-Petre for their Money, notwithstanding the French King's Decree to hinder the Selling their Goods in his Country, which Decree yet stands in full Force, and is binding upon the Subjects of France, and not Reversed or Dispensed withal. Or is it the manner of Trading Nations to refuse to take Money for their Produce, (unless for their unwrought Commodities for Manufacturies) will not all the other Manufactories and Commodities that we buy for Ready Money and Consume in England from India, be a Consideration sufficient for Salt Peter, which to them is of little value; but why may not our Merchants bring these Silks as well as the Dutch, or any others? Shall we not have as many Markets for India Silks as the Dutch, and more, and shall we not stand upon equal ground with them for Salt Peter; does not the great Mogul desire our Money, and want our Lead, as much as we his Salt Peter; but is this the manner of other Nations? The Venetians prohibit our Cloth, but do we refuse to sell them Tyn or Lead. The Dutch refuse to buy our Dyed Woollen Manufactures, but do we refuse to sell them our mixed or white Woollen Manufactures; we prohibit the Dutch Ribonds and Buttons, but do they refuse to Sell us their Linens and Velvets? But any thing will serve for an Argument to hinder a Bill that designs only the Regulating the East-India Trade; and it is an Amazement to us to read a Paper, Entitled, Proofs offered upon Oath, by Persons concerned, against the Bill for Prohibiting East-India Silks, etc. Such as follows.  
That the Value of One Hundred Thousand Pounds per Annum in Woollen Manufactures have been actually Exported to India.  
That in Holland there are many more Looms going then in England.  
That there is no such Edict in France as is pretended, or it is dispensed withal, or some new Edict hath been since Emitted.  
That it is not these India Goods which is the decay of the Weaving Trade.  
That at this present time Norwich begins to have a brisk Trade, and their Goods are Risen 10 per Cent. and in great Demand.  
That though Mercers bespeak Goods of the Weavers, the Weavers will not make them.  
That it is only the Silk-Weavers that are concerned in this Matter, and not the Woollen Manufacturers.  
That the Weavers concerned in this Affair, are nothing so Numerous as is pretended.  
That the Poverty and Misery among the Weavers is very much misrepresented.  
That if East-India Silks are Prohibited, and not other foreign Silks, we shall only wear the latter in the room of the former.  
Such Notorious Fallacies, uncertain Consequences, and direct Falsehoods, as these are, Those that Assert them must either be very Ignorant, or scarce fit for Humane Society; and none would offer to prove them upon Oath, unless they be such as their Learned Council was pleased to call Journeymen Swearers.