The Clothiers REPLY to the Dutch Interloper, and REASONS for a Hamburgh Company.  
WHEN above Two Hundred of the most considerable Clothiers in England of the Counties of Wilts and Gloucester, (upon Consideration of the late Imposition of Guineas at exceeding advanced Prizes, Exaction of Measure, intolerable bad Debts, and full Trial of this Merchant-Allien) are Petitioning the Parliament to give all Encouragement to English Merchants to Export our Woollen-Manufactures to Germany, Flanders, and Holland; to find a Dutch Interloper in the Disguise of a Clothier, addressing himself to an English Parliament for an equal Liberty in the highest Part of our Commerce with the Native Subject; nay, impudently affirming, that there is no need of an English Merchant or Hamburgh Company; for that he is so much at England's Devotion, to take Care of that Part of our Merchandise, and spare us that Charge; is too manifest a piece of Flattery, to pass in a Kingdom enriched with so many valuable Benefits, and chief secured by Navigation.  
He introduceth himself by way of Answer to a certain Paper, Entitled, An Humble Representation of the State of our Woollen Manufactures; and most readily concurs with the Representer, that our Woollen Manufactures are miserably debased, that the measures of Cloth ought to be regulated, and the goodness of our Manufactures kept to a Standard, and seems fairly to offer his Guardian-ship in these Particulars.  
That we may not Split our Interest twice upon the same Rock; I will assert, First, That our Woollen Manufactures have been debased through the Management of these Interlopers; Commissions to lower the Price of Goods having been always sent over, which has forced the Maker to make his Goods worse to secure a living Profit. Extraordinary measure have been Exacted, which has occasioned extraordinary straining. And before the Year 1663. When this Trade was carried on by English Merchants, Cloth was kept to a good Making, and no way falsified.  
But he desires that these wholesome Regulations may be Established by the Wisdom of the Parliament.  
In the Third and Fourth Year of Edward the Sixth, when our Trade to these Parts was carried on by the Foreign Merchants of the Still-yard; and our Manufactures much debased: A Law was made for the true making of Cloth, and in this Law there was an Injunction upon every Clothier to make the Letter E. Crowned upon each Cloth to show the Reformation, whilst the Trade remained in the Hands of these Foreign Merchants. But the Nation at that Time was so far from receiving a Benefit from this Law, that our Manufactures became more debased.  
In the Fifth and Sixth Year of this Reign, the Guardianship of our Woollen Manufactures was committed to the Hamburgh Company, and these Foreigners excluded; and a Law was made, in which there is this Clause; That during the space of Two Years, the Letter E Crowned, shall not be made into any Cloth, to distinguish the bad Cloth from Good; and the Clothing Trade flourished for many Years under their Management.  
He tells us next. If our Woollen Manufactures are not rendered Cheap at Foreign Markets, all Regulations will fail; and that the Hamburgh Company are the means to render them Dear.  
To suffer our Woollen Manufactures to be clogged with any unnecessary Charge, is doubtless Prejudicial; and during such Time, that this Trade was wholly carried on by the Hamburgh Company, there were no Factors or Wooll-Broggers, in which respect Cloth was rendered Cheaper abroad: But to persuade us, that it is our Interest to Sell our Woollen Manufactures Cheap to Foreigners, has in it more  than English; the better Price through good Management the Merchant gets abroad, the better Price the Clothier receives for his Cloth, and the better Price the Grower gets for his Wool.  
But the having but one Seller of Allom, favours of Monopoly; and the Hamburgh Company has been, and would be if encouraged, the greatest Monopoly that has been known.  
The Hamburgh Company in Queen Elizabeth's Reign consisted of Four Thousand Members, each Member Trading with his own Stock, and their Regulations in Trade most agreeable to the Public Good; they were limited unto Two Shiping a Year by a Law in the first Year of Queen Elizabeth; which was no way Prejudicial to the lesser Clothier, if the Wealthy Merchant put off his Buying, until the Shipping, he was sure to pay something the Dearer for Cloth, which occasioned constant Buying; so that in this regulated Company, consisting of so many Members, Trading with their own Stock, the Proof of a Monopoly is not so clear, as where there is but one Seller of Allom.  
He tells us next, That whilst the Trade was limited to the Hamburgh Company only, several Woollen Manufactures were set up at Liege, Viviers, Cologne, Silesia, etc. Which during, a free Trade have been discouraged.  
When these Woollen Manufactures have been actually set up, since the Hamburgh Company was invaded in their Rights, in the Year 1663. and very much increased at Zell, and Hanover, at Dusburge, and in several Places in Holland since the Revolution; as is well known to several Gentlemen and Merchants, who have Travelled abroad.  
He shows next, That England reaps no Benefit, by the trifling and petty Immunities of the Hamburgh Company abroad.  
To enumerate the Privileges which the English enjoy at Hamburgh would be tedious, where the English enjoy more Privileges than the Burghers themselves. Calais in former Time was the great Mart for English Goods, which was Lost in the Reign of Queen Mary, to her great Grief and Sorrow; this Loss was in some measure made good by Queen Elizabeth in the Settlement of Trade upon these advantageous Terms at Hamburgh the Inlett of Germany, this being a Free Town bordering upon the Empire, Denmark and Sweden; if any Difference should happen between us and any of these Princes, it would no way Influence our Trade, and the Charge to maintain this Company is so small, that it is sufficiently Compensated by the Privileges we enjoy at Hamburgh in the ease of Customs, etc.  
But (says he) Experience showed that more Goods was Exported in three Years after the Free Trade, than in three Years before; That Merchants were discouraged from Trading to the height, from the Apprehensions of the Difficulties we were falling under at that Time, is not unlikely; a greater Consumption was occasioned by our Armies abroad, vast Quantities of Woollen Goods were sent through Hamburgh into Italy and other Parts, the lowness of the Exchange, and other temporary Reasons might be assigned for this increase, and I am sure that the Exportation is very low at present.  
As to what is Asserted in the Third Article. That the numbers of Buyers are increased, that the Clothiers Sell for ready Money, and at better Prizes than when the Trade was confined to the Hamburgh Company only, and Wool one Third Part Dearer than it was at that Time; is contrary to plain Demonstration. When this Trade was carried on by the Hamburgh Company only before the Year 1663. Cotsall Wool was currently Sold at Twenty Eight Shillings per Tod, the Cloth now Sold for Six Shillings per Yard was Sold for Eight, and the Clothier had more ready Money for Cloth in those Days, than now; all which is well in Memory, and can be proved; and the Germans came constantly down, and bought vast Quantities of our Goods at Hamburgh.  
As to the Constitution of the Company which he complains of, if the Wisdom of this Parliament, by inspecting their Charter and By-Laws, can find out a more Effectual Way to secure the Trade to English Merchants, and make it more National, it would be grateful to the present Members, as well as those to be admitted.  
The Hamburgh Company has been the Fence and Guard of the English Merchandise and Navigation between us and Holland, Flanders, and Germany, from the Eighth Year of Henry the Fourth, until the beginning of King Charles the Second; and upon a just compare between our numerous Flocks of Sheep in our spacious Downs, which afford such a variety of valuable Manufactures, our Fuller's Earth, Coperas, Allom, peculiar Commodities to the Improvement of our Woollen Manufactures; our Leather, Led, Tin, etc. and the frigid Enjoyments of the Easterlings there, can be no wonder at this struggle for a Free Trade.  

The Reasons for a Hamburgh Company.  
I. THE Plausible Argument for a Free Trade was, That it would increase the number of Buyers. Whereas Experience now demonstrates the contrary, and that we have only changed Hands, and got a Dutch Merchant instead of an English; nay the Trade for Germany and Holland as we are well informed, is fallen into the Hands of very few Foreign Buyers.  
II. That hereby more Money would be brought into the Cloth-Trade. When it is manifest, greater Credit has been given with Cloth to these Foreigners, then to English Merchants, and more Losses. A Stock of Cloth is now kept upon the Clothier's Hand to match Patterns, which was formerly kept by the English Merchant in his Warehouse abroad, which is another hardship upon the Maker.  
III. That the Consumption of English Cloth would hereby be increased abroad.  
The decay of our Trade, and general Complaints from all Clothing Parts, does Evidence the contrary: Our Woollen Manufactures are at this Time much debased, and vast Quantities of our Wool Exported of late Years.  
From all these Considerations it is humbly hoped, that the Wisdom of the Parliament will put the Guardianship of our Woollen Manufactures into the Hands of English Merchants, who must be the truest Friends to our English Interest.