THE HISTORY OF NATURALISATION, With some remarks upon the Effects thereof, in respect to the Religion, Trade and Safety of His Majesty's Dominions.  
Printed according to Order.  
THE first Notices of Naturalising Alien Merchants under the name of Endenization, are handed to us by the Statute of the 1 more. of Henry the 7 th'. cap. 2 d. in these words:  
Whereas in time past divers Grants have been made by King Edward, as well by his Letters Patents, as by Acts of Parliament to divers Merchant Strangers born out of this Realm to be Denizens, whereby they have and enjoy such Freedoms and Liberties as do Denizens born within the said Realm, as well in abatement of their Custom which they should bear, as if they were no Denizens, as in buying and selling of their Merchandise to their great avail and lucre, and ofttimes suffer other Strangers, not Denizens, deceitfully to ship and carry great and notable substance of Merchandise in their names, by the which the said Goods be f●●e of Custom: In likewise as if they were the Goods of a Denizon, where of right they ought to pay C●st●m as the Goods of Strangers, by the which they be greatly advanced in Riches and Honour, and after they be so enriched, for the most part they convey themselves with their said Goods into their own Countries wherein they be naturally born, to the great impoverishing of this Realm, and to the great hurt and defraud of the King's Highness in payment of his Customs. Wherefore it is Enacted, Established and Ordained by the Advice of the said Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons in the said Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That any person made or hereafter to be made Denizon, shall pay for his Merchandise like Custom and Subsidy as he ought or should pay before that be were made Denizon, any Letters Patents or other Ordinances by Parliament or otherwise notwithstanding.  
And to the same purpose is the Statute of 11 th'. Henry 7 th'. cap. 14 th'.  
And to the like purpose is the Statute of 22 th'. Henry the 8 th'. cap. 8 th'.  
During the Reigns of Edward the 6 th'. Queen Marry, and Queen Elizabeth, nothing is recorded touching Naturalisation. But when King James happily added the Diadem of Scotland to this of England, so cautious were our Ancestors, that they would never admit the their Natives of Scotland, though His Majesty's Subjects, to the privilege that Aliens naturalised do now enjoy. And by the Statute the 7 th'. Jacobi, cap. 2 d. It is provided by Parliament in these words: For as much as the Naturalising of Strangers, and restoring to blood, persons attainted have been ever reputed matters of mere Gra●●●nd Favour, which are not fit to be bestowed upon any others than such as are of the Religion now Established in this Realm, Be it therefore Enacted by the Kings Most Excellent Majesty's the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled, That 〈◊〉 Person or persons of what quality, condition or place so ever, being of the Age of Eighteen years or above, shall be Naturalised or Restored in blood, unless the said person or persons have received the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper within one month before any Bill exhibited for that purpose; and also shall take the Oath of Supremacy, and the Oath of Allegiance, in the Parliament-House, before his or her Bill be twice read. And for the better effecting of the Premises, Be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the Lord Chancellor of England, or Lord Keeper of the Great Seal for the time being, if the Bill begin in the Upper House, and the Speaker of the Commons House of Parliament for the time being, if the Bill begin there▪ shall have Authority at all times during the Session of Parliament to minister such Oath and Oaths, and to such person and persons as by the true intent of this Stature is to be ministered.  
In the Reign of King Charles the First, of blessed memory, the English Merchant had a Trade to profit, so that many of them arrived to great Estates, some to 100000 l value, several to fifty thousand pounds' Estate: And in all the Reign of King James and King Char●es the First, not above Ten Aliens Merchants were naturalised, and those such as by long abode in England had merited the kindness of the Nation, and then it was rare to hear of an English Merchant that failed, so that the Clothiers than grew rich by the good payments the English Merchants made them, and the Clothing of this Kingdom was in great request abroad: And the Gentry then began to put their Sons Apprentices unto Merchants, and it was thought a very good Provision for gentlemen's youngest Sons.  
O fortunati si sua bona norint.  
But this growing happiness of the English Merchants was soon Eclipsed by the late Oliverian Usurpers, who being fond of the Hollanders Coalition with us, and that failing them, those Usurpers did more greedily imbibe the opinion and practice of Naturalisation, hoping thereby to weaken the Hollanders by drawing over numbers of Dutchmen, and so gave this singular privilege to all that asked it, not forbidding the Jews, but encouraging their admission and abode with us, and laid aside the said Statutes for difference in Customs, and that also of the 7 ●h. Jacobi. And thus the industrious English Merchant, who cannot live so poorly as a Jew, or other Aliens that lives only in a Chamber, was much discouraged, nor was this free admission of Foreign Merchants any weakening to the Dutch, or other Foreign States; for there came no number of Artificers with Families, but the greatest part that c●me to be Naturalised, were such as rather lived like Spies, than Inhabitants amongst us: And though some hundreds of Aliens Merchants were then and since Naturalised, yet they are no accession of Strength or Interest to this Kingdom, nor any advance of our Lands; but on the contrary are a great cause of distraction in Religion, dangerous to the Government, and ruinous to the English Trade and Merchant.  
1. That this Naturalisation hath been a great cause of our distraction in Religion is evident in 〈◊〉 Effect, and the worthy Author of the compassionate Enquiry amongst the Causes of the neglect 〈◊〉 contempt of our Religion brings in Judaisme, and this pretence of the enlargement of Trade, as 〈◊〉 of the Causes, it being, saith that Author most remarkably true of the English, th●t their good 〈…〉 prompts them to look and think favourably of such things as they see in request with others, 〈◊〉 ●●om thence they proceed to affect the Novelty, or at least become unstable in their own Religion. And when the said Usurpers thought it convenient to make England an Amsterdam of all Religions, the admission of Foreiners was a most effectual means to introduce that great diversity of Opinions amongst us, which hath ever since abated men's zeal for, and reverence of our Established Religion; and its worthy Observation, that not only the Jews, but those of all other Nations who have obtained this privilege, do no way incorporate with the English, but continue a distinct body in all Ecclesiastical Affairs, not only in their own persons, but also in their children to after generations.  
2. This introducing of Merchant's Aliens is dangerous to the Government, for Aliens will not have their Affections changed, nor their Alliances exstinguished by Naturalisation, for it is engraven in every man's heart with indelible Characters, ever to love his Native Soil and Country best, witness the late Wars we had with Holland and France, what advices, what amusing Stories at the Coffeehouses, weakening the hands of His Majesty's Subjects, by misreporting all our Naval Actions, and it hath ever been found, that a Babel in Languages begets confusion in Kingdoms, and tendeth to beget fear and diffidence amongst the Natural born Subjects.  
3. This favour to Aliens is ruinous to the English Trade and English Merchant, for before this Naturalisation, the English Merchants had many Foreign Commissions very advantageous to them, which these Ali●●●●ow ●njoy; and the English had Factories settled in all Countries, and by these Factories influenced 〈◊〉 sterned the Trade of the world, these Factors were honourable to our Nation, encourage● 〈◊〉 Manufactories, and a great Addition to the Capital Stock of the Kingdom by the great E●●h 〈◊〉 generally gained abroad and brought home amongst us. By these Factories the English 〈◊〉 ●●quainted with the Secrets and Mysteries of other Kingdoms, and the Youth of our Nation 〈◊〉 ●●●chandize, had many great opportunities beyond that of other Gentlemen Travellers, 〈…〉 in the works of God and man, of Nature and of Art to enlarge their minds as well as 〈…〉, to be enured to hardship and danger, and instructed in subtlety, and all the Arts of li●●●● 〈◊〉 ●elf-security. But since this particular Naturalisation of Merchant Aliens, our our Factories in France, the Netherlands, Holland, and the best part in Portugal, are ruined, and the French F●andrians, Dutch and Portugals have so far gained this point of us since this Naturalisation, as that they have set up Factories here in England, and the Italians have attempted the like also to the great spoil of our English Trade and Merchants.  
This Encouragement to Aliens is but a transplanting the Trade from Natives to Aliens, for Aliens naturalised, beside the cheapness of living here as Lodgers, have four or five per Cent. advantage in Trade above the Natives, by the Interest of money wherewith they Trade, and by having the Commission of all their Kindred and Friends abroad, so that the ancient distinction of one fourth part in Customs upon Aliens naturalised more than English, doth but put the English upon equal terms in Trade with these Aliens.  
The English Merchants have both inclinations and stock sufficient to drive the Trade of this Kingdom, and the increase of Aliens Merchants is but the decrease and ruin of Natives; for before this frequent Naturalisation there was no complaint of the want of People amongst us, and although these Aliens naturalised, and all other Aliens by the Statue 25. of his Majesty's Reign, are to pay no other Customs for any of the Native Commodities of this Realm Exported, than are paid by His Majesty's Natural-born Subject, yet it's found by Experience that they Export very little of our English 〈◊〉, but generally make their returns by paying money in Exchange beyond Sea for the Toys and Baubles they bring us, and they no way increase the Consumption of our Provision; by their Families, for those that come to be naturalised, are not any considerable number of ●●ti●●ers with their Families but are Merchants, and are one of a Tribe, two of a Town, and five o● six of a Province fitted instruments to carry on the designs of their Employers, and the greatest part of them are not intended to inhabit with us, but like Summer Birds when they have filled their Porkets, or if trouble or War arise, they will not forget their Father's Land, and in such case hereafter, as formerly, may be instruments of great inconvenience to His Majesty and His Natural-Born Subjects.  
The advantages to the Nation by this particular Naturalisation have been loudly proclaimed, as being t●e only way to increase His Majesty's Subjects, advance Trade, and to raise the price of Lands, but as hitherto it hath had no such effect. So it will never produce any such or other advantage to this Kingdom, unless it could be presumed that the liberal ofter of this privilege had virtue and power in it to bring in such Persons for Number and Quality as the Kingdom may seem to stand in need of; but as hath been said, few or none of those come to accept these privileges, but such only come as have designs upon the Kingdom for their own advantage; and their practices have been and will be according to their Principles and Interests, for of the great number of Merchants that have been admitted, not twelve of them have purchased Lands in England, nor fifteen of them intermarried with English amongst us; few of them live otherwise than as Lodgers, and divers Aliens having got Credit amongst us have broke much indebted unto the English, who are constantly loser's by them, but their own Countrymen are better treated, it being the Principle of many of these Aliens to preserve the Capital Stock of their own Countries: for they use to set up one, and make him great in Credit, and then he breaks indebted to the English, but salves his own Countrymen, and then they set up another as hath been instanced in several of these Alien Merchants one after another.  
Thus endeth the first part of the History of Naturalisation, whereby it appears that we have been abused by these Aliens for those who should come and be beneficial to us, are not with us, and those that have & do come are prejudicial to us, It remains therefore that all true Englishmen join in their supplications, that Provision may be made to encourage gentlemen's Sons in Merchandise, and that according to the Precedent of the aforesaid Statutes this mischief be speedily retrieved, not by forbidding Aliens from a peaceable Abode and Trade amongst us, but by maintaining the ancient and equal difference between them and Natives, by making all Aliens born liable to Aliens Customs for their Toys and Baubles and other Merchandise which they shall import, or that at least those who are either Papists or Infidels, those who have got this privilege by indirect means and all those Aliens Merchants who have no Family amongst us, but live in Chambers as Lodgers, may lose their privilege of Naturalisation. And that it may be Provided for by a Law, That no Aliens Merchant be hereafter admitted to the Privilege of Naturalisation, until they have lived as Dezizons by His Majesty's Letters, Patents, a certain number of years amongst us, or until they have intermarried with English, or Purchased Lands upon their Denization, or otherwise merited is Majesty's Favour and Bounty by some signal Service.  
If it be Objected, That there is an Experiment which may be more safely trusted to than Argument, in that the Hollanders by the universal admission of all Foreigners unto equal Privilege with Natives have arrived to a great Trade, and thereby to Riches and Strength beyond other Nations.  
The Answer is, The Hollanders are only strong in Shipping, which are Man'd by the Natives of the Country. But how easily were they vanquished at Land, when the French for ask, got so much of their Country; and the Reason is plain, for all Foreigners are but as Sojourners, and had rather change there Governors then venture either their Persons or Estates when troubles come.  
The Hollanders are necessitated to give a free toleration of all Religions, without which Foreigners will not join themselves in numbers to that or any other Nation.  
The Hollanders have no Lands to live upon, nor other ways then that of Trade to advance their Industrious and ingenious Youth, and so all their Estates descend from Fathers to Sons in Trade and Merchandise, and so need not fear the losing, of their Trade of Merchandizes by the Accession of Foreigners.  
But in England we have Lands to live upon, and have several other ways for advancing Ingenious and Industrious Persons, besides that good way of Merchandiz●ng, and if through frequent Naturalisation of Alien Merchants the Trade of Mer●●●●dizing in England become a poor picquering Trade (as it will quickly be if Foreigners be equal in Privileges with 〈◊〉) ●●en all o●● Country, and men of Estates 〈◊〉 ingenuity, will leave Merchandizing ●nto Foreigners; and betake themselves 〈◊〉 more profitable Employments of the Court, the Ca●●p, Divinity, the Law 〈◊〉 Physic: And so in a short time we ●●all lose the Trade of Merchandizing, which is the Mistress of the World, by the mistaken methods we pursue in the Courtship of her.