England's Advocate, EUROPE'S MONITOR: BEING An Entreaty FOR HELP, In Behalf of the English Silk-Weavers AND Silk-Throsters SHOWING Their Misery, and the Cause thereof; And what will only Cure both Them and the Evils England's Trade groans under, and other English Manufacturers, from the like Desolation.  
In a LETTER to a Member of the Honourable House of Commons.  
LONDON: Printed by George Larkin, Jun. and are to be Sold by J. Nut, near Stationers Hall. 1699.   

ENGLAND's Advocate, etc. In a LETTER to an Honourable Member of the House of Commons.  
SIR,  
(1.) YOurs of the 20th passed, acquaints me that you have lately rece●ved a dismal Account of the Decay of Trade; and particularly of the Silk Manufacture of England, and the Deplorable Poverty of the generality of Persons concerned in it, and related to it, which you say is so startling and amazing, that you cannot but call in question the Sincerity of the Relator, and the Truth of his Narration: And therefore you earnestly desire me, of whose Integrity and Experience, you are pleased to say, you make no doubt, that I would deal fully and freely with you, in declaring what Truth there is in it; and if any, then what may be the Causes thereof, and what Remedies I think may be proper for it. Now though I question my own Ability for so great an Undertaking, yet I cannot altogether deny so good a Friend; and if I should fail in giving you the expected Satisfaction, yet I will never deceive you with Falsehood, but according to the best of my knowledge and skill, shall act impartially, as one who has only the Common and True Interest of his Country in his Eye: And herein I shall restrain myself chief to the Weaving Trades in and about the Cities of London and Canterbury, of which my many years Experience will not suffer me to be ignorant; not doubting but that Norwich, Bristol, and other Trading Places, will speak loudly for themselves, as having too just Cause: And I hearty thank both you and all those worthy Members, who you say are willing to Relieve us, but hearty sorry that it cannot be done at present; the state of Affairs being such at this instant time, that if the Petition of the Weaver's Company had been Received, it could have done them no present kindness. But since you tell me, That if I can give you convincing Satisfaction, you will communicate it to others, who may be capable of doing us some good Service ere long, I will adventure to try what can be done.  
(2.) The Weavers and Silk and Mohair Throsters of London, are so very Numerous a Company, that according as they flourish or fail, most other Trades feel the good or ill Effects of it; and they are of two sorts, either the Masters or Fabricators, or else the Workmen and Servants, being far the greater Number, and in which are to be included multitudes of Women and Children; for they are Trades which employ variety of hands, and enables even Children, at least in part, to get their Livelihood, to the great Relief, Ease and Comfort of their poor Parents. And here, if I could without sighing remember the Blessings of Peace and good Management, I should tell you, That from the Restoration of King Charles the Second, to the beginning of the present Revolution, this profitable and necessary Broad-Weaving Trade was increased 19 parts in 20, to what it was before. And although the Foundation of our Desolation, which was before (as 'tis said) by Br—— y attained, began its Effects towards the end of that King's Reign, and that vast quantities of India Wrought Silks were brought over, it was chief to the prejudice of the Woollen Manufacture, for then the better sort of Women scorned them, and they were mostly used instead of Serges, Tammies, and Norwich Stuffs: But that produced such dismal Effects, that the Growth of several Years Wool lay to Moth-eat, till that happy and Ingenious Invention of both Silk and Worsted Crapes, gave new Life both to the Wool and Silk Manufactory, (for Burying in Woollen would not do it) and rendered the Indian Silks and Stuffs contemptible to all sorts of People, and to the Advantage of all parts and places where it was settled; whereby great multitudes of other Trades and People, who had their dependence thereon, prospered and lived well; many Fields were turned into Streets, and Houses Let, before they could be finished; and multitudes of Strangers were entertained, and had full Employment in the Weaving-Trade; the Brewer, the Baker, the Butcher, the Victualler, were well paid; and that I am sure could be no damage to the Landlord; and the Nation abounded with Men and Money, in which two things, with God's Blessing, the main Strength of a Kingdom consists.  
(3.) But alas! we may now say with the Brazen Head, Time Was: For Now there is such an utter Decay of Trade, especially of the Weaving Part, and its Dependencies, that a Master, who formerly employed Twenty, Thirty, or more, cannot now employ Four, nor find them full work: The rest are put to miserable shifts, and at best they are forced to take up with spare Diet, and the worst of Provisions, and that many times not very wholesome; and to purchase This, they are fain to strip their Houses, and sell the Furniture by degrees, till from one thing after another, it comes to the very Bed they lie on, and they are reduced to a wad of straw for their Lodging, and a few shave for a necessary fire, to boil a little Water-gruel, or a Beasts Liver; and when all is spent, than the upper Garments, if worth any thing, go to the Broker, for a small pittance of Money, to get a little Recruits for Belly-Timber; and thus starved inside and outside, they spin out a miserable Life, faintly walking, all Tattered and Torn, more like Ghosts and Shadows than Living Men and Women, till being able no longer to hold out against Weakness and Want, they drop into their Graves: And tho' the Weekly Bills may call it Consumptions, Convulsions, or by other such Artificial Names, yet if the Searchers would speak out, or your Worship would summon a Jury of Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor, from Algate, Bishopsgate, Cripplegate, Shoreditch, Stepny, S. George's, and Southwark, with the Precincts and Hamlets thereunto belonging, I am confident they would bring in their Verdict, That no small number of them died of a Disease in plain English called Starving. And this is the more to be lamented, because it befalls the better and honester sort of them: for those, whose modesty will not let them beg, nor their honesty suffer them to steal, when they can find nothing to set their Industry at work, their hearts sink, they hid their heads for grief and shame, and so pine away with want: And thus those Men are lost, who would improve Trade, and be exceeding profitable to the Commonwealth.  
(4.) To this you may add the Consideration of the many Houses which stand empty in these and suchlike Places, which formerly were crowded with two or three Families: And as for many Houses which are inhabited, they are suffered so to be, rather to prevent the heavy payment of three or four shillings Tax in the pound, falling on the Landlord, than for any hope of more Rent he hath from the Tenant: Nay, I know some who would gladly lose their Houses, would the grand Landlord accept and acquit them. Perhaps you will think it strange, if I should say, I know the Men that are Ruined and Undone, by having whole Ranges of Houses given them, only for being become bound to pay some Ground-Rent, that was covenanted for before the Building; and yet of this kind, you may easily be informed of divers instances, in the Tower-Ham●lets, and New Town; and notwithstanding all this Loss and Desolation, yet within a few years in those places, they have been forced to double their Rates for the Poor; and when that would not do, then to add an Additional Rate of Six Months to the year; and some Parishes, that were hundreds of pounds beforehand some years since, are now run deep in debt, with endeavouring to support their Poor, and to prevent this miserable Poverty growing upon us; and all to no purpose; for never did the Poor swarm at that rate as now, and still daily increase; so that no Man can have a spare Fa●thing to give away, but once in an hour he shall have three or four assaulting his house with doleful complaints to beg it, and things grow daily so from bad to worse, that in a little time we may fear to see begging and stealing to become the two most general Professions or Employments in the Nation; and if there be no remedy for these things, or none will be taken, we shall certainly ere long from the most flourishing Kingdom of Europe, become the most despicable People under the Cope of Heaven.  
(5.) I fear I have surfeited you with Complaints; but that I may now afford you a handle, whereby you may do your Country some good service, of which I know you so zealously desirous, that you never spared any honest Pains which might tend to produce that Effect, I shall now lay before you, what I apprehend to be the principal Causes of this daily increasing Poverty and Misery; and that consideration in course will direct to the Remedies: But before I come to the standing Causes among ourselves; I shall take notice of one thing, which I take to be an accidental Cause, and yet a great present furtherance of this Mischief, and that is the free Admission of so many French, Walloons, and other Foreigners amongst us: Not that I against all Foreigners, much less against the Relief of Men in distress, of which I am confident you will bear me witness; but I think our Charity to others might be so managed, as not to be uncharitable to ourselves. For many complain, that they enjoy several Immunities and Privileges more than the Natives themselves, which is grating, provoking, and uneasy: And they also urge the large Contributions from time to time made to them, which I should never grudge, but that I find this use to be made of them, by the help thereof to work under the Heads of their own Party at lower Rates, than the English could, at the rate Provisions now are; and by this means they got the Work out of their Hands, and the Bread out of their Mouths: And so long as those Contributions lasted, they did, and would hold it; but now they fail, I am informed that several of them think of transplanting themselves into other Countries; and so doubtless will the English too, rather than starve at home (but I fear Europe cannot afford them Relief) for Trade will run thither, where it meets with encouragement and sits easy; and at this rate the Nation will be in danger to be much dispeopled as well as impoverished; which can bode no good, if not wisely prevented.  
(6.) But that we may come more close to the matter; the Design of Trade is to supply our want, and increase our wealth, and therefore aught to be managed to those ends: But if it multiply our Inconveniences, or exhaust our Riches, such Trading is riding Post to ruin, and therefore a speedy stop ought to be put to it: For this reason let Men talk what they please of a free Trade, and leaving it uncircumscribed, they must at last allow it to be limited by such Rules and Maxims, as may make it beneficial and not hurtful to a Nation; but to set them, so as to make them obligatory and effectual, belongs to Authority, where I leave them, and proceed to make good my Promise.  
(7.) And here, I cannot but take notice of one mistake, which multitudes of well-meaning Persons make; for whereas it hath been wisely provided, that our own Commodities should be manufactured at home, many have thought, that by wearing fine English Cloth, they were the great Consumers of English Wool, which is a great Error: For it hath been proved more than once before the Parliament, that no Cloth of above 10 s. per Yard white, or 13 s. per Yard in mixed Colours, sold at Blackwell-Hall, hath one Drachm of English Wool therein, unless by Accident, and so all the better sort become only the Consumers of the Socove or Spanish Wool; and by this means Hair-Camblets, Prunelloes, Callamincoes, Velvets, Silks, and such like wearing, hath been, and is much disused, for the purchasing the Materials, (whereof they were here made,) our own Cloth-Manufactures were in great quantities exported, and to which a great stop by that means is made; so that hereby a double Manufacture is discouraged, and a double Gain to the Nation lost: For he that wears a Hair-camblet Coat or Cloak, or Prunello-gown, or any sort of Hair or Silk, Velvet or Shag, is in the effect a more true Consumer of English Wool, than he that wears Cloth; Grograin, or Mohair Yarn, of which the aforesaid Commodities are made, being generally the Product or Exchange of our Coursest English Woollen Cloth, by which Vend the Clothier is encouraged; and the preparing the Yarn, which comes in for it, gives a great and comfortable Employment to vast Numbers of People in the several Manufactures thereof: And before this War, we had attained to that Perfection, as not only to serve ourselves in Hair-Camblets, which before used to be sent us from Brussels and Holland, but had gained such a Preference, as to serve the wisest Paris and French Merchants, where and to other parts, we had a very profitable Trade, in the former times. I could not say less, to undeceive many, who did not understand how by this means the Silk and Mohair-Yarn-Trade, is much impaired, and English Clothing itself damnified, which is one, tho' no great cause, of this Deplorable Poverty. Nor would I be thought, by informing of this Mistake, to undervalue the home Consumption of our own Woollen Manufacture.  
(8.) As to what you hint in relation to the War, the late ill State of our Coin, and the present Dearness of Silk, I am confident that they have had very little Influence in this matter; and that if the public good of the Kingdom in general had been preferred before the particular and private Interest of a few self-designing Persons, the first and last of these had rather been to the Advantage of the Silk Manufactures both Weavers and Throsters, with all their Dependants, than to their Detriment. For setting aside the Act prohibiting Silk coming but by long Sea in the Time of War, I am confident, that I can convince you and all reasonable and  Men, that the War would have been greatly to our Advantage; and the Scarcity of Money might have been supplied by Credit for that time, had it not been ruined by other means. The dearness of Silk, if it be so in all other parts, hurts the Trade no more than extreme Cheapness would: But to insist on these things, as I might, would swell my Discourse beyond my design; and therefore I shall proceed with all possible Brevity to what I am confident is the bane of the Silk Manufactures in England, and in the consequence of it, of the Woollen also.  
(9) The unreasonable and indiscreet Preference of India Manufactures, whereby so vast a Manufactory and Profit is carried from us thither, especially of that of India Silks and Stuffs, hath almost wholly overthrown and unhinged this profitable and necessary Trade of Silk throwing and weaving, by which vast Multitudes of People of both Sexes young and old lately lived comfortably, and so did all its dependants. First in the winding it raw, whereby Thousands of Seamens Wives and Children, and other People many Miles round the City (who now starve) earned their Bread, to perfect it for the Throster; to spin which again afforded a good livelihood to those that double the same to be thrown for the Weavers Use, after the Dyers have gained their livelihood by Dying it. The Winders, Warpers, Quillers, Draw-Boys, had good subsistence by their Attendance on Weavers, (besides other Trades, as Harness-makers, Turner's, Loom-makers, Reed-makers, etc.) twenty, thirty, or forty of which Weavers used to be employed by one Fabricator, which numbers many of them have now nothing to do, but are driven to this miserable Choice, either to beg, steal, or starve. And before this prosperous Trade was ruined, every Master according to his Stock and Credit, provided beforehand for a Spring Trade, and was certain of a Market in February or March, had he never so many hundred pounds worth of Goods by him; and the whole Summer following all hands working early and late were little enough to supply the Mercers; though many that had good foresight, and large Stocks and Credit, would then be providing a fresh Stock of Goods proper for Winter Ware, for which about Michaelmas Term they failed not to find sale; and by this means the whole Clothing Trade of England was upheld, (which now sinks) The Turkey and Italian Merchants sending our Coth, Serges, Bays, Sesse, etc. to Turkey and Italy for Silk to employ these numerous People, who lived upon and expended the Productions of our own Land; and whether the very Carriage and Return of their several Cargoes in our Coasting Trade to supply them, be not of more advantage even to our English Navigation, than the East-India Trade, I leave to their Judgements, who shall consider, that this last serves chief to destroy our most skilful Seamen, which their former Employments from Newcastle, Chester, and other parts, had made; it being too frequently observed, that scarce half the Ship's Crew comes safe again to England, that set out from thence for the East- Indies.  
(10.) This great inconvenience, or rather mischief, was first brought on us about 30 years since by the East-India Company's sending over several of our English skilful Weavers, Dyers, and Pattern-drawers, etc. to instruct the Indians in such Methods as suited the European Fancies; before which time, all things they sent were contemptible, and the Ladies thought them scarce good enough for their Kitchenmaids; but now so esteem them, that our Silk Manufacture at home is on the brink of destruction, and England itself will next feel it, and all Europe too, if they be no wiser to prevent it, as I shall now endeavour to demonstrate.  
(11.) The Advocates for our East-India Trade are pleased at all times, to extol and magnify Merchandise and Navigation, as the Foundation of our Wealth and Prosperity; and doubtless they are very likely to maintain it, who take the Course to leave us nothing in the end to Merchandise withal; for what better can be expected from them, who carry away our Money, and destroy our Manufactures? And therefore these eloquent Gentlemen ought to consider, that a due improvement of our own Productions by Labour and Industry, was the Foundation of our Merchandise, and still must support it, or it will fail in time, as also our Lands will sink in value, and the Nation be dispeopled; and for this reason by great Mistake was the East-India Company lately obliged to export yearly a 100000 l's worth of our Woollen Manufactures, which imposition proved as unprofitable to us, as it was unnatural in itself: For they cannot sell Cloth in those Places, whence they bring those ready wrought Silks, which destroy our Manufacture at home, but were forced to vend it at those Markets where the Turkey Merchants had otherwise sent it, and so became a hindrance to their Trade, which is more profitable to us; and when they imposed the wearing of Woollen on their Soldiers under Penalty of losing their Pay, I am credibly informed, that they could never bring them to it, unless on Pay-days, and then not without grumbling, the heat of the Country making them unable to endure it. Now let it be considered, that the Management of our Lands and Sheep produceth that Wool, which after by the Labour and Industry of divers Manufacturers (too many to be particularly named) is wonderfully improved; and while they are doing that, wear our courser Wool and Leather, spend our Butter, Cheese, Corn, by which many others are maintained a● home, and by the Product of their labours Navigation maintained abroad: For their improvements in several Parts are in several Cargoes sent to Turkey, Italy, Spain, and other Parts, whereof part returns in unwrought Silk, and other necessary Commodities, part in Silver from Cadiz, which the East-India Company put a stop to, and send it away to the great Mogul to bring home those Commodities, which if preferred, not only ruins all those Manufacturies of Wool, but also the Turkey and Italian Trade, which in return of those Commodities, brought hither Raw Silk; and this they do by bringing over their vast Cargoes of ready wrought Silk from India, in lieu of our good hard Silver and Gold, which is sure to return to our use no more, than the Woollen wherein we bury our Dead. This done, their Cargoes are exposed on their Stage at St. Helen's, where our Females are charmed, and fall so desperately in love with them, that no other form or manner of Silk than what they last brought, must be the Standard of our Mode and Fashion; so that when our London and Canterbury Weavers against the Spring-trade, have provided many Thousand pounds worth of lustring's, Tabbies, and other as good Silks as the World can afford, in comes an East-India Ship freight with Dammask and Satins, which being exposed on their Stage, makes the Mode for that Spring; and the English Fabricators must keep that years' Goods, or sell them to vast loss, and then are constrained with vast Costs and Charges to alter their Fashion for the next year, when in comes more East-India Ships with Goods of quite another form, and all the Weavers are in the dirt again: And thus for several years have the London and Canterbury Weavers been disappointed, and Numbers of them undone, to the utmost Degree of Poverty; and many of them not getting any Sale for their Goods thus provided, at so little as 25, or 30, or more per Cent, loss, have left off, and fallen into the worsted Weavers; and I doubt not but that famous Corporation and City of Norwich, has and will feel the ill Effects of it: For the London Weavers not being tied to those Rules and Methods, which the Norwich Weavers, for the Credit of the Kingdom and themselves, had obliged their Members to, for making Goods free from Deceit, (as the Colobester Bays-makers do) have in part justled them out of their Trade, by being thus at their liberty: But now Norwich for its own preservation having taken off that restraint, (which otherwise had been commendably kept on) Spittle-fields will not be able to maintain that Trade, which at best here, is but a starving one, to the poor Workmen; and therefore Norwich having set her Members at liberty, Spittle-fields Workmen must in a short time beg, starve, or be kept by the Parish.  
(12.) This is a sad, but true History of the decay and misery of the weaving Trade, which is partly caused by the self-endedness, and pernicious Trading of some particular Merchants; partly by the vain and fond, I am unwilling to say vicious Humour, of the Females. For the Mercers dare not buy any thing considerable, but what is Indian, or what he must pretend to be so; and who can blame him for dealing therein, when otherwise the Draper, as things stand, would deprive him of his Trade? And now they cannot but confess, that their great care is how to provide good store of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an East-India Sale; and if in the Intervals they spare any, it is to buy the Labour and Pains of the Weaver for little or nothing, and sometimes part of the Silk into the bargain. And I assure you, Sir! it almost makes my Blood i'll to think, that the best of our Fabricator's business (that little they now do) is so to counterfeit the Indians, that the Mercer may vouch it for such with confidence.  
(13.) But this matter is accounted nothing with many; and they commonly say, That the Silk Weaving and Throwing, with all its Dependants, had better be destroyed, than the East India Trade obstructed or Prejudiced: For (say they) though they do send great store of Money away to purchase the Indian Silks and Toys, yet they bring great Profit to the Nation, by returning back Money from most other European Countries, and so the Nation is by them enriched. In answer hereto, though I have much to say against the Truth of this, yet at present I will not quarrel with any of their Importations or Exportations, as such, let their Trade be as great as they can desire; though I am sure in the end it will prove much to the Prejudice of Europe in general, and more especially to us; but that which I now complain of, is the home consumption of those Manufactures, which will inevitably destroy not only our Silk, but our Woollen Manufactures: And that I may commend you to a complete Judge in this Case, Pray read the Essay upon the Indian Trade, whom I take to be the best Advocate for that Company this Age hath afforded, and I suppose he may have been as well paid for it: It is pity so fine a Pen should be employed in so bad a Cause; but for his ingenious Confession of that Truth, which if rightly considered gives it up, we may forgive him. And thus saith he, p. 12. As to the East-India Trade in general, if all would by common Consent agree to have no further dealing to those Parts, this side of the World by such Resolution would certainly save a great and continual expense of Treasure; for that Europe draws from thence nothing of solid Use, Materials to supply Luxury, and only perishable Commodities, and sends thither Gold and Silver, which is buried there, and never returns. And then p. 13. concludes, I cannot find what is become of the 800 Millions digged out of the Earth, unless 150 Millions of it be carried away and sunk in the East Indies. A very fair Confession of the true matter of Fact! And who are the Fools? As for Spain and other Countries, who manufacture not what they use, they may with some colour of Reason be indifferent in their Preference; but for us to do it, and set the World an Example so to do, is no better than Folly, if not Madness; who for the love of India Manufactured Silks, Tinder Calico's and Muslins', throw away our Gold and Silver, never to be recovered, when we might have good Cambric and Lawns, and other Germane Linen, and Raw Silk to employ our People, in exchange for our Woollen Manufactures; which because we will not, we lose both our Trade and our Money, which we might keep at home, or send abroad to better purpose.  
(15.) O but, says this and other East-India Advocates, Money is but a Commodity, and Trade must not be circumscribed but free: That by their bringing East-India Silks and Stuffs cheap for our own use, we may find other Markets for our Manufactures abroad. But why then such a bustle and flourish at other Times, when contending for the Balance of Trade with the European Countries? But I grant that Gold and Silver is but a Commodity, which we ought to be willing to part with, when there is a good cause for it: But than it ought to be considered what kind of Commodity it is; it is the Sinews of War, the Glory of Peace, and the Life of Trade, without which, Workmen cannot well be employed; the more any Nation hath of it, the more Wealthy and more Powerful it is; the less they have, so much the more mean and inconsiderable they are; so that to let our Money go from us, is to part not only with our Wealth, but our Strength. Besides, Gold and Silver is not a Commodity of English Growth; if we make the Fleece into Cloth, and send it away, the Sheep affords us another Fleece the next year; but send our Money away, and none comes up here in the room of it: And when other Nations have it, they bid it welcome, and are unwilling to let it return again; and therefore the safest course is to make it stay at home, unless when our own real advantage, necessity, or safety requires the contrary; and therefore some have compared it to the Blood in the Body; or rather the Spirits in the Blood; wasting makes us languish, great exhausting kills. But that you may more plainly see the difference, pray observe, that if Money be but a Commodity, so is fine China Beware also, and being we can do such fine things with worse Fools than ourselves, suppose for once we should send all our Contemptible Cupboards of Plate, with all our other Gold and Silver to the Indies, and have it returned in Delicate China Ware, either for Use or Trade, should we not be monstrously enriched? For Fancies sake, I will relate a story, which I long since received for Truth, when I little thought of having this occasion to use it: The Lady of a Worshipful Knight, Sir R. K. of E— obliged him to make her a return of 100 l. in this pretty Commodity, with which she finely adorned her Closet, under the Window of which was an Outhouse, and she keeping a pretty Pug, and going abroad in her Coach without him, up skips th● Monkey from the Wall to the Top of the Outhouse, and the Lady having left her Closet-Casement open, in he marcheth, and admiring how prettily it rang and tinkled, as he jumbled them together, he never left off the Frolic, till he brought it all to its Intrinsic Value. Sir, I shall leave the Application to yourself; only I think I may say, That the Consumers of Indian Silks are much as profitable to the Kingdom, as Pug was to his Lady.  
(16.) It's commonly said, That far fetched and dear bought, is good for Ladies; nor do I envy them any Finery, provided it be not purchased with the Ruin of their Country: But when they shall consider that by these means their Husband's Rents must fall, the Useful and Profitable Trades of the Kingdom fail, and their Country be Dispeopled by Death, or necessitating the Inhabitants to flock to other Places, where they can get a Livelihood, and all this to enrich a far distant Insidel Country, by impoverishing ourselves, I hope they will grow so wise and good humoured, as to part with one Piece of Vanity, which is so pernicious.  
(17.) And further, if this be not the effect of that Devouring Trade, how comes it to pass, that Silver is 5d. per ounce more worth than Money, only to be sent to the Indies to be buried, and Cadiz and Holland, and all Places, drained to obtain it on any Conditions, but that the Nation must be ruined to enrich a few Men by management of a free Trade, as they are ready always to call it, when we talk of any, tho' never so needful, Prohibiting of never so small a Branch of it? But I think this free Trade to be a Contradiction, as matters were managed.  
(18.) If you please throughly to consider the Management of this East-India Trade, you will be forced to acknowledge, That had we not sent Indian Linen upon the Scots, to the great detriment of their Scotch-Cloth-Trade, (the principal Manufacture of that Kingdom) it is believed they never would have thought of an East-India Company, by which they hope to be even with us, by imposing Indian Toys upon us by way of requital: And what detriment it will occasion in the Irish Affair, small time will discover. And when other parts of Europe (which have not yet taken up that course) shall warily inspect what we have been, and are now doing; Will they not think of setting up the same Trade, and impose their freight of Indian Goods upon us, as we have done upon them? only I can hardly think, that any but ourselves, will be so indiscreet, to send their Money Abroad, to the destruction of their Gainful Manufactures at Home, unless pure Revenge tempt them to it; that the same Trick may not be always played upon them, but that in requital, they may Trick others, as well as they have done them: and I verily believe, that a few years will bring it to this pass, and then we shall say, Who would have thought it? And when I consider, how many Undone Weavers, have set up Alehouses, till they have had little Trade, except to tipple one with another, till they have broke themselves again, and the Brewer into the bargain; it is to me an unlucky resemblance, of what the European Trade in time must come to, when it is one Kingdom with another, chief for Indian Geugaws.  
(19) Nor can there be any doubt, but that the Great Mogul and his People, when they observe the mad Esteem we have for their Manufactures, will follow the European Examples, and advance their Prizes (as they have already done of late) and by laying on Great Duties, and Prohibiting Raw Silk, and Cotton Wool and Yarn, especially now they find they can have our Gold and Silver for it, ready Manufactured there; for the remedy of which, nothing but the Learned Doctor's Observation before-cited, can give Europe an Effectual Cure: But would they agree together in an European Parliament, or Council, not to Consume, or fetch any Indian Manufactures; this would perfectly cure the Evils the European Trades groan under; for the Remedying of which, it may be observed, how every Kingdom and Country hath struggled to help themselves by unreasonable Duties, and unnatural Prohibitions, upon one another; the effects of both which are, to impoverish all the Manufacturing People, though for the present, it may seem to enrich the Governing Part, yet it is all to the destruction of the European Trade; and we may struggle our hearts out to relieve our Poor, for so long as this Indian Gangreen is nourished among us, nothing will Help, nothing will Do; because the loss of the Silk Manufactory in England, will certainly sink the Exportation of the Woollen, in proportion, and render all Work-Houses in Countries and Corporations Ineffectual, as does already appear.  
(20.) Less matters, and even Trifles in respect of these, have Alarmed our Forefathers; yea, and have had some influence on ourselves of late; I shall make at present, choice only of two instances, out of many, I mean the Dying, and the Button-making Trade. For the benefit of the Dyers, and improving that Trade, it was enacted, That no Dyed Silk should be Imported; and about the latter end of the Reign of King Charles the Second, it was also by Law enacted, That no Foreign-made Buttons should be imported into England, with which our Dutch Friends before had plentifully served us. And doth the Weavers and Weaving-Trade deserve no Consideration, which is Twenty times the value to the Kingdom more than both, and Employs more than a hundred for one? And even the Button-makers have had the good fortune this very Sessions, to be Relieved and Supported by this Truly English Parliament; for in consideration of their Numbers, and Poverty, they have secured them in their Trade, and that much to the Advantage of the Turkey Merchants: And though their numbers at Macklesfield and Sherbourn, and the adjacent Country, are great, yet I am confident, I could name one Parish in London, wherein not many years since, before this sad decay of Trade, the Weavers, Throsters, and their dependants, exceeded them all; How Numerous then would they be, if computed in all places? But the Button-makers may thank God, that they had not an East-India Company to cope with, and I am persuaded, that could the Weavers, be secured against only the English consumption of Figured, Stitched, and Stripped East-India Silks and Stuffs, they would be contented, and might be a Happy Prosperous People again, and both the Turkey and Italian Merchants, Twenty times more benefitted, than by the Button Bill; and the Blessing would go round, for the Woollen Manufacture would feel the good effects of it; and less than this, can never preserve them from total Ruin, in a short time.  
(21) And to say the Truth, our Weavers, some years since, were but little beholding to some back Friends, who when they found they had too good a cause, and the Prohibiting Bill had passed the House of Commons, persuaded some, to gain a total Prohibition of all European Foreign-wrought Silks; for not having cause good enough fairly to Try it out with them, they devised this way to hug them to Death, with that pretended kindness, and destroyed the Bill, by insisting on what is Unreasonable: For if the English Weaver cannot vie in Frugal Living, and Cheap Working, with those countries', that purchase their Raw Silks, and Necessaries of Living, much at the same Rate themselves do, they will then deservedly suffer; but to oblige them to contend with a numerous multitude of Savages that have their Silk to work upon for almost nothing, and want neither Fire nor Clothing, while Two pence in Rice, will sustain a Family of four or five for a week, is very hard measure, and unmerciful do, unless such methods are taken, as may reduce the value of Lands, and all its Productions, to such low Rates here, that they may work on an equal foot: But how cheap soever the East-India Company may buy these Goods, England, and all its Ladies, shall and will pay dear enough for them, rather than go without them; so that unless they are by some means or other effectually Restrained, England must be Undone to gratify a humour of vanity, and enrich a few, who care not who, nor how many they Ruin, so they may but Grasp all into their own hands; for otherwise one would think that the Productions of the Growth and Soil of India, such as Pepper, Salt-Peter, Rice, Cotton-wool, and Yarn, and numbers more, together with what Wrought Silks they may export, might be sufficient Gain, to content Reasonable Men; and as for Persian Taffetas, and Plain Silks, the Weavers would not contend the matter.  
(22) But to Prohibit the Wearing any thing, that may be Cheap Bought, which if the East-India Company do, the Gain is to England, though they sell never so dear to those who Wear and Consume it; which I take to be in the Body Politic, like overgorging with Meat and Drink in the Natural Body, which is weak and languid, and thrives not with it, unless in some great Wen, Excressency, or other Deformity; and if this be all we are to regard, it may as well hold good in other instances; and then let us suppose, that when our India-Sbips freight Bullion from Holland or Spain, they should also there take in a good quantity of Spanish Wool, and so save the Charge of bringing it to England, and then be sure, not to forget to take along with them a few Worcester-shire Cloth-weavers, and Clothworkers, to instruct; and all sorts of Work and Labour, being performed in India twelve times as Cheap as in England, and four Shillings worth of Spanish-wool, making a yard of Cloth worth Fifteen Shillings, which at this Rate, will stand them but in Five Shillings, than there will be Ten Shilling saved for their Navigation and Profits, and so England's the Gainer; and the Silver they may send to Bengal and Persia, for Raw Silk, to employ the Mogul's Subjects in other parts to work up, (as they already do) and so return back both the Cargoes of Silk and Cloth together, and at once disband all, both our Needless Clothiers, and Silk Weavers; this will do the work effectually, and leave us nothing to do at home, which must certainly make us a Rich and Industrious People, or no People at all considerable in a very little time: For I am sure the project is not more ridiculous, nor less pernicious in one respect, than the other. And where we are likely to find this Market they talk of, for our own Manufactures, is little less than a Miracle, and looks more like what the Vulgar call a Vertuoso-fancy than any possibility. For can we be so besotted, as to imagine, that the World should be become so fond of us, who are so Careless of ourselves; that in spite of our Teeth, they should be studiers of, and industriously provide for our Good, by becoming Customers for our Manufactures, which we ourselves slight and contemn; or can it be thought reasonable to believe, that when we have brought our own Plantations, the Spaniards, and other Places, to the use of East-India Silks, Cotten,  and Stuffs (which our own great Preference and Esteem, not only tends to, but effects) we shall still have the better Markers abroad in some Newfound-Lands, or countries' to be found out; where we may vend our Silks, , Bays, Serges, Perpetuana's, Norwich-Stuffs, and the like Commodities; and it would be worth any Man's while, to get Information, what Market in this World, is not already fully stored and cloyed with these Commodities, whether those prepared by the East-India Traders, must go to the Prejudice of other more Excellent and Beneficial Merchants; unless they know how to carry them to the World in the Moon.  
(23.) And if our Common Prints, do not Prevaricate, Flanders and Venice have lately declared their sense of this Evil, by a Prohibition of Indian Manufactures; and though the French King, for many years past, hath driven away so many thousands of his poor Subjects to seek their Bread in other countries', of which England hath entertained the greatest part; and the most of those that were Manufacturers, were no other way capable of earning their Living, but by the Weaving Trade; yet he hath manifested his constant care, to support, and afford a good Maintenance to those that remain; as may appear, by his Edict of October 26. 1686. whereby he not only Prohibits the wearing of all sorts of East-India Silks and calico's, but also, under a severe Mulct, Prohibits the Imitation of their own made figured and flowered Silks by Printing; and commands their Prints and Tools to be Broke and Utterly Destroyed: And in the last War, when they took and sold many of our East-India Ships, they sold not the Manufactured Goods, but under this Caution and Obligation, That they should be again Exported: And by another Edict of—— 1694. For the Preservation of the Button-makers Trade, He Prohibits the wear, or use, of Buttons, any other ways made, than with the Needle; and by all ways and means, endeavours that Bread, the staff of Life, may be sold Cheap. Now if we, to the great numbers of our own People, must, contrary to our former Laws, entertain and admit all Strangers that come, and give them right to work in our Trades, is it not highly unreasonable to pour in upon us such vast quantities of Indian Commodities, as destroy the Principal Manufactures; in making of which, both the English and French Weavers must get their Bread, or Starve; whilst at the same time we Prohibit Irish Cattle, Distil our Corn, and Export it too, if Cheap.  
(24.) I cannot think such like Proceed, to be very consistent with good Reason and Policy, and must crave your Pardon, if I tell you, That I believe this East-India Trade of Goods there Manufactured, for our own Consumption at home, is far more Prejudicial, not only to our own Silk Manufactures, but to England in general, than were those wicked audacious Persons, of whom so many were Hanged for Cliping and Coining; for if they followed both Trades, and Coined their Cliping, it was no loss to England, for what we wanted in weight, we had in tale; and could we have paid therewith our Foreign Bills, it would have been of greater advantage to England, than the East-India-Trade; but for those Rogues who only clipped, they deserved a double Hanging, for they were one great Support of the East-India-Trade, their Melt furnishing them with Silver for a long time; the want of which now puts them to their shifts, and makes them pay so dear for it.  
(25.) Thus, Sir, I have laid before you what I apprehend to be the Causes of this desperate Decay of Trade, which will day by day more clearly appear, as our Poverty increaseth; and hence the Remedies are visible, if applied by a Powerful Hand. But because you are urgent for my further Opinion herein, I shall point at some, tho' very briefly, they having been hinted at all along. It is an old and true Observation, That the knowledge of the Distemper is more than half the Cure; our Home-Consumption of East-India ro●g●t Silks, is the Decay both of our Clothing and Silk Manufactures, the Weavers, Throsters, and all their Dependants; and impoverisheth all Places where those Trade's decay. But after the due Improvement of our own Productions by Manufactures, as hath been already insisted on, A due Consideration of that truly Noble Turkey Trade, is the next thing that can and will give us considerable Relief. Let only such Encouragement be given, that those Gentlemen who spend their Youth in Travel, and to gain Experience in that Trade, and after venture Great Estates therein, when they return and settle here, and send others their Factors abroad, to do as they had done before them, may find a good Market, amongst other their Commodities, for their Silk and Grogram Yarn, (which are the Principal Returns) and then the Clothier and the Tin-Merchant shall never want a sure Sale, and good Price for their Commodities; and I dare appeal to those Gentlemen, whether any thing else can produce this good effect; and be bold to say, That the Arts and Policy the French King is now making use of, to beat our Merchants out of that Trade, will do England more mischief (if not prevented) than all our tedious War: For it is this enforceth many of them, for the employment of their Estates, to strike in with the East-India-Trade against their Judgements and Inclinations: For seeing we are resolved to ruin ourselves, they will come in for part of the scramble. For 'tis plainly thus: The Mercer can sell nothing of English Silk, but with great loss to Himself or the Weaver, and for this reason the Weavers are forced to desist their Trade, the Silk lying on the Silkmens' or Throsters hands, by which means the Merchant wants Sale, and ships away no more Cloth or Tin, and gives order to his Factor in Turkey, to forbear buying any more Silk, or Grograin, or Cotton-Yarn, whilst the French buy up all, and give great encouragement and life to their Manufacturers at home; for want of which, our Trade is so destroyed, that our Poor need not scoff at Wooden Shoes, for they must go Barefoot. I could give you several Links of the like Chain of Destruction to our Spanish, Germane, Italian, and other Trades, whereby the other parts of our Woollen Manufactures (as Bays, Serges, Perpetuana's, and all sorts of Norwich and other Stuffs) suffer the same Detriment from one and the same Cause. But sure I am, the Case is extremely altered with the Weavers, since Cannon-steeet both sides the way was nothing but Weaver's Workshops. But by what is before said, it appears that making the Turkey-Trade prosperous, would in a great measure cure the Evil we groan under, and prevent their sending their Silk and Grograin Yarn to Holland, which they are now necessitated to do for want of another Market. And I could be content the  Author (tho' a professed East-India Advocate) might judge between us, for what valuable causes these beneficial Merchants, as well as the Weavers, must be thus cramped and crippled in their Trade; Which he asserts, p. 14. That Europe had been richer by a full Third Part than they are, if that Trade had never been Discovered or Undertaken; and that it bears hard only on those Countries that consume those Commodities. But for those who will consume them, to the destruction of their own valuable Productions and Manufactures, and the carrying away all their Wealth in the end, I think they want a Lord have mercy upon them.  
(26.) For my own part, I do not think but that the Departure of those Multitudes of Strangers would be a great detriment to the Turkey Traae, and that their abiding here might be of great advantage not only to that, but to England in general, if matters be so ordered that all may have Work: For multitudes of Industrious People are the best and surest Riches and Strength of a Kingdom, if wisely employed. For that in the Manufacturing of Grograin Yarn into Hair Shags, Tammies, etc. I verily believe there is now about London upwards of twenty French for one English, either of Masters or Workmen therein. I mention this, because it is the great Opinion, of the multitudes of English who want Bread, That prosecuting and driving away Foreigners, would give Relief to their Want; and so far hath it prevailed, that by incessant importunity they obliged the Company, for the better considering of the matter, to call a full Court; and further by their pressing Entreaties had engaged a number of those that were or had been their Workmasters, to represent their case to the Court; and in order to their Relief, to request, 1. That the Company would put their By-Laws in execution. 2. That they would give them leave to prosecute, according to the Laws of England, those that had not served seven years an Apprenticeship to the Trade. 3. That they would admit no more Foreigners to work on the Trade. To all which the Company gave all those that appeared full satisfaction, That they lay under an Obligation neither to do, nor to abet, or suffer any thing to be done contrary to the Agreement made with their Church; but that they would endeavour so to represent their case, that there might be Relief both for them and the Strangers also; but for acting thus, the Company is sharply upbraided, and warmly reflected upon by the poor mistaken Multitude: For tho' this hath been some small cause of their Poverty by accident, as hath been before mentioned; yet cannot cure the Evil they labour under: But if I might, I would Advise or Persuade (for it is unreasonable in this case to talk of Forcing or Prohibiting) People of all Qualities, Age or Sex, to the wearing of Garments and Ornaments of Silk or Grograin Yarn of English make; for this is the return of English Woollen Cloth, and nothing could conduce more to the advantage of the English Merchants Trading to Turkey, Spain, Italy, and other European Parts, and is double advantage to England. The truth of which may be further demonstrated in one small but fresh instance, by which I believe more than one Merchant have been no small Sufferers, I mean the great and sudden disuse of Mohair Fringes, together with the decay of the Weaving and Button-making Trade, by which means some thousand pounds worth of Mohair Yarn, which otherwise might have been sold for ready Money at a Price, so sunk and fell in its value, that it is since sold for one third of what might then have been had for it; and I believe, that reckoning the decay by the Worm eating into it, and the loss of Interest, even that third part was likewise consumed (which had otherwise been laid out again in Cloth and Tin, and sent to Turkey) as the Proprietor can tell by woeful Experience: And I am sure that our women's great esteem for Thread Fringes was a great occasion thereof, and a great kindness to the Dutch. And therefore I entreat and beg of you, that you will use your utmost Interest and Rhetoric to persuade and prevail, that Camblet Cloaks, Coats and Gowns, Silk Mohair, and Mohair Fringes and Buttons, and Manufactures here made of Silk and Grograin Yarn, may be the Wearing preferred and encouraged: For this is the true Interest of the Turkey Trade, and in it the great Interest of England.  
(27.) From what hath been said, I think it may plainly appear, That no less than a Prohibition or stop of the Home-Consumption of all sorts of East-India Silks and Stuffs, except plain Persian Taffetas, and suchlike of plain make, can preserve the Silk-Weavers and Throsters of England, and those great Numbers that depend upon them, the good consequence whereof hath been already fully demonstrated: For if this be not granted, those Trades must utterly decay and sink; for as matters now stand, by reason of the  Dangers, few Men that had an Estate would for the three years' last passed adventure it, the loss being so certain; and as for such as have and do trade upon Credit, they are forced to such miserable shifts as at last ends in extreme Poverty: And the cause itself, (I mean England's Interest) is almost totally yielded up; deep despair, together with disability, having so dis-spirited and sunk the Minds of the English Silk Manufacturers, that there is not Silk provided to supply the Mercer's Shops, tho' they should be willing to buy; all stand at gaze, and are only concerned to see what the Parliament would do with them; they are falling into extreme despair, in vain contriving to find out New Employments. And therefore I beg of, and beseech you, good Sir, for GOD's ●ake, for your country's sake, and for the sake of those Numberless Multitudes of Poor before menrioned, that you would employ all your Interest to gain some effectual Prohibition of wearing any flowered, spotted, or strip'a Silk of Indian Make; and then I doubt not but such a good Act, with example, would not only gain the preferrence at home, but also afford an opportunity, not only to our own Plantations, but also to many Neighbouring Countries, to follow the Example; our Factors in most places commonly sending their orders for such Commodities as ourselves most prefer and use. Nor let any think that such a Prohibition would be impracticable, if resolved upon; for the firm Resolution of an English Parliament is of force sufficient to prevail in any good Cause which they shall hearty espouse; as may be seen in the Business of Burying in Woollen, and the French Alamodes and lustring's, which I believe to be totally suppressed: And I am confident the East-India Company themselves would not attempt the breach of such a Law, if it were once obtained; and the Interlopers, or private Traders, might be easily prevented, and such Rules proposed, as might deter any other parts from imposing them upon us, under the notion of their own Manufactures: But if the greatest Evils must meet with no good Endeavours of Redress, we must be of all People most miserable. Therefore, Dear Sir, endeavour that something may be done by the Parliament, before they Rise, that may at least give hopes, that their Cause shall in due time, be throughly Considered: Such a Promise or Vote would give New Life to as many as can struggle out another season, and hopes of good in time to the rest; but the contrary, Utter Despair. For I think I may truly say, what looks like a Prophecy in one of their Papers about three years since, when contending for this Bill in Parliament, That if it were granted, is would in a small time so invigorate the Minds of all Fabricators both in Silk, Wool, and Grograin Yarn, that they would contend with all other Difficulties, tho' Money should continue as scarce as at present; and that the contrary would discourage those of greatest Ability, to that degree, that the Out-Parishes of London, the Tower Hamblets, and the Wool-Manufacturing Towns of England, would not be able to support their Poor. And whether the Truth of this last part hath not been verified to purpose, I dare appeal to the Ministers, Churchwardens, and Overseers of the Poor: And I am sure all the Inhabitants of those Places must and will give a sad Testimony both to the Truth of this, and what will be the only Remedy we can hope for, and that is, the Prohibition requested: For had that Act then passed, it had saved the Lives of many who have since perished, and preserved the Trade both of Weavers and Throsters above double the Number they now are.  
(28.) And for your further Conviction, it may not be unseasonable here to add to the two  Acts concerning Button-making and Dying, a third instance of our former care, and that is, The Act to prevent Silk coming ready Thrown from India. For can any reasonable Man living believe, that such care should be taken of Dyers and Throsters, and at the same time the Weavers be wholly neglected, unless it be that the Dyers and Throsters, had and did make friends in Parliament, but the Weavers had none to inform in their behalf? Besides, the Provision itself, is ineffectual and ridiculous, if it be not reasonable to grant this Prohibition; for no Silk is weaved, but what is first thrown and died; and therefore so far as Silk-throwing and Dying, hath relation to Weaving, those Acts are insignificant, and now both those Trades are very sensible, that not only the Wellbeing, but almost their Being, depends upon the Preservation of the Silk-weaving, and that they should have a very poor Trade, to be only employed in Throwing and Dying for Stitching and Sowing Silks, and some small pittance for the Stockin-Frames, and the Button and Fringe-makers; and it is worrh observation, that the East-India Companies fingers itched, to gain this point also; for they did lately bring over a considerable quantity of Indian Thrown and Died Silk, which the Throsters and Dyers coming to the knowledge of, they bestirred themselves, and made a Seizure thereof, but the business was patched up I know not how; for the East-India Company durst not contend it, but are, or seem contented for the future, not to bring it over so Thrown or Died, but are resolved to do us a further kindness, and save us the labour of the Weaving, the prevention of which, is the only remedy we have to preserve ourselves and England from extreme Poverty.  
(29.) Sir, In behalf of those great Multitudes, concerned in this Controversy; I earnestly Entreat you, to use your Interest with those Gentlemen, who now have the management of the India Trade in their Power, that they would be so kind to their poor Countrymen, as to grant willingly what is here desired; for it is not Reasonable to think, that the Offer made by them to those Weavers, who treated with them, will either be accepted by them, or allowed by the Parliament; which was to this effect, That if they would so assist them, as to gain an Abatement of Customs, upon Raw Silk, Cotton Yarn, and other unmanufactured Commodities for Trade, they would be contented to load all Wrought Silks with Duties, to such a degree, as might make it more profitable to bring the said Raw Silks and other materials to be Manufactured here, than to bring the Wrought Silks, Stuffs, or other ready Manufactured Goods. But I shall offer you some Reasons, why I think this Project will not take, or if it do, would be of no good use or Benefit.  
1. Because this would give a vast Advantage to the Indian Trade, beyond that of the Turkey and Italian Merchant, and so would more and more obstruct and destroy those more Beneficial and Necessary Trades.  
2. So Great a Duty, would be a strong temptation to all Private Traders and Sailors, to venture their all in this Commodity, which is so Portable.  
3. It would be no less temptation to other Nations, especially our French and Dutch Friends, to impose them upon us.  
4. The forementioned reason of our Lady's humours, and unaccountable Fondness of this Commodity, plainly shows, That nothing but an absolute Prohibition of wearing thereof, can effectually prevent the Mischief; for with them it is all in all, if it be East-India; be it never so dear, never so ugly, it than Pleaseth, and no Price is too great for it.  
(30.) Now this being plain matter of Fact, and evident Truth, What a dangerous condition are all our English Manufactories in, which are not already secured by Law, against this devouring Trade? As for the Throwsters and Dyers before mentioned, they are little Significant, if the Weavers be not Preserved and Secured; but if, as the East-India Company pretends, they have a dear Bargain, and will have what they have bought, which they say, is no less, than a freedom to bring not only Materials of Trade, and Productions of that countries' Growth, but also whatsoever Manufactures they can make advantage by; then in few years they may, and doubtless will, Undo all before them, if not in the former instance of carrying Spanish Wool to be there Manufactured, yet in projecting and making such Cloth of Cotton Wool, for men's Garments, as shall as much outvie (or at least be thought so) our English Cloth, as Indian Silks are thought by our vain Ladies to surpass English. The Fan-makers they have already beat out of the Pit, little being left them to do, unless to mend and repair the breaches that happen to Indian Fans in their passage: I cannot say they have as yet carried over any Stockin-Frames, but that they will not do it, is improbable; and then what will become of our ingenious Frame-knitting, and those thousands of poor People, that in several Counties of England, earn their bread by Knitting with Needles, when we shall have East-India Silk Stockings, far Cheaper, than here they can be made of Wool? But not to tyre your Patience, Thus may the upholsterers, the Hatters, the Tailors, the Imbroiderers, the Glover's, and others, too many to be named, be swallowed up by this All-Devouring East-India Trade, if they have this unlimited Power; for had they not the Materials themselves Cheaper there, than here, (which yet they have by much) the very difference of charge in Workmanship may destroy all before it, the Necessaries of Life, affording the Indians a better livelihood for a penny, than the Englishman for a shilling; and then by the Greatness of their Stock, bringing over whatever they deal with, in such Vast Quantities, and by their Interest in Persons of the best Rank and Quality, they can (by these and other like means) give the Preference to what they please; so that unless you can believe them to be strange Selfdenying Men, they may at their pleasure, Ruin, in a manner, all the Trades and Manufactories of England. I have lately received Information of one instance of this Nature, which mightily concerns us, which is, That several Moulds and Tools, for making Pewter, have been lately made, and carried down in Coaches, near to Thames-street, supposed to be for the use of the Spaniards and Portuguese; they having obtained our Tin, on Terms likely to destroy our Manufacturing of Pewter: but I doubt and fear, That they are rather prepared for the East-Indies, where there is plenty of Tin; and then we may bid farewell to the Pewterer's Trade; and if it should be so, our Cornwall Tin-Mines, will also receive a Mortal Wound: This matter is worth a full discovery, which by all the enquiry I have made, I could not yet attain to, but for so much as I relate, I am well assured, though all the Mold-makers' deny the thing, which makes me the more suspicious, that they are going the same way, which the English Weavers, Patterns, and Pattern-drawers, formerly went; but wheresoever they go, I fear it will be much to the Prejudice of England.  
(31.) But I am not willing to be mistaken as an enemy, either to the East-India Trade or Company; I hearty wish a friendly Reconciliation of all Parties, and them a Trade as Large and Prosperous as their own hearts can desire, could it be consistent with the Public Welfare of England, which if the loss of the Silk Manufacture would advance, I should gladly see it Sacrificed to so good an end: But I am sure, and Truth itself compels me to declare, That the greater the East-India Trade is in general, the greater Prejudice it is to Europe. But since the error hath spread like a general Infection, and every Kingdom and Nation, that can, striveth to outvie each other in this bewitching Trade; may the English exceed all, and be Prosperous; and it is, and always was my opinion, That an Incorporation, or Company, Wisely and Honestly Managed, is the best way to carry it on, and prevent being Insulted or Imposed upon by the Great Mogul, or his, or any others Subjects; but then here lies the great danger, That such a Body can Command, or Request, or Oblige, and such a Purse can Fee and Bribe at that extravagant Rate, as to make Friends amongst Inconsiderate or Covetous Men, to the carrying on any Cause or Interest they pursue, tho● never so destructive to the Public Good, unless the Legislative Power please to interpose and prevent it: Nor have I the least intent to Reflect, either on particular Persons, or Miscarriages; I have as much Respect for, and great an esteem of most of those Persons concerned in that Trade, as any man whatsoever; and I do verily believe, that many of them, would never contend in this matter, had they throughly and impartially weighed and considered the Evil Consequences thereof; but the greater part, is either actually governed by the less, or else subtly managed and governed by a few, whose Interest, Power or Parts, overtops the rest; and if these judge, that having paid their Money, they may make the best Advantage of their Bargain, and pursue their Designs, whoever Suffers, the rest follow their Leaders, without further Consideration: But with their good leave, I think Eight per Cent, and as great Security as can be given, or desired, to be better than any Trade, and I hope will not entitle any Persons to a further Right of Undoing others, and the Ruin of our Home Manufactures. But our Wise Legislators, must and will be Judges in this Case, and to them I refer it. And 'tis worth their most serious Consideration, That when we have brought the Spaniards to be as much in love (as ourselves) and to use these Indian Silks and Stuffs, for whose Climate they are more fitting than for ours, they may not come under the Government of a Prince, who will quickly teach them Navigation enough, to exchange their Western Cargoes of Bullion, for these Eastern Silks and Stuffs, without our help, which will likewise destroy, at least, a Moiety of our Woollen Manufacture.  
(32.) And with submission, I do think this further matter may not be unworthy the Consideration of that August Assembly, That whilst the French send their Ships to India, both for Materials, Productions, and Manufactures of that Country, they carefully Support and Increase their Home Manufacturers, and now buy up Silk (beyond what they ever did) and Grograin Yarn (which formerly they did not) in Turkey, whilst our Turky-Merchants Factors only look on; because the Manufacturers of England, being Ruined by this Indian Torrent, nothing will sell here at the Price they must give there: And thus the French secures his Interest at Home, and likewise comes in for a large share in the desolation of those Manufacturing Countries, that undo themselves, or will be thus Destroyed: And who can blame the Turkey Merchants for desisting their Trade? For our Weavers and Silk Throwsters cannot, as matters are; and for that Reason have not provided to supply the wants of the Mercers, the two last years, which if they had or did, yet the Turkey Merchants have not Silk to carry on the Trade, and for this reason must desist to buy Cloth; and thus the destruction of England's Trade approacheth; and that the fall of Lands in value will soon follow, is certain; the late advance of which, proceeds more from the Judgement of GOD upon these parts of the World, than any other cause: For now both Corn, and Wool, and all other like Necessaries, advance not in their value by the goodness of Trade, but by the ill Crops, and scarcity thereof, (chief in other Countries) which must be again repaid by the advancing the Price of the Productions of other Countries, (as we do in Claret, as well as Silk) and if we cannot do the one as well as the other, we lose our Trade: And matters may be as well managed for the support of our Manufactures, as they are by others for their own in other parts: And we may then give as good a Price in Turkey as the French, and also prevent the Dutch from buying up here those Necessaries of Silk, Grograin, and Cotton●arn, for which our Turkey Merchants now can find little other good Markets.  
(●3.) Having confined myself chief to the particular Interest of the Weaving Manufactory, I have avoided those Arguments, that are or may be brought to prove the prejudice the East-India Trade is, to the General Trade of the Kingdom, as well in the Materials for Trade, as in the Manufactured Silks, which I truly think it is. But those Arguments have been already handled by much better Pens in several Printed Tracts, and especially in a late Piece by that indefatigable Champion for Norwich, Mr. Loam, i● his late Answer to the most considerable Objections that are brought in defence of the said Trade; as also in his Case of the English Manufact● Trading in Wool, presented to the Parliament; and for this Reason both the Turkey, and other Merchants, may judge this my discourse to be of little concern to them, Raw 〈◊〉 Cotton Yarn and Wool, prejudicing their Trade as well as if ready Manufactured, but to me the Remedy of that seems unpracticable, unless all Europe would agree to damn the East India Trade itself, as to that particular; and we had better be subject to one evil, than to that and a greater; such as I take the dispeopling our Country, by Destroying our Manufactures to be: And could these Materials, be the return of our own Productions (as it is by the Turkey Merchants) and not of Bullion (as it is by the East-India Merchant) I think it might be much at one, to the English Interest, whether they had them from India or Turkey; yea, and as it is, we might the better bear it, if these Commodities were again exported with such advantage as they sometimes pretend, but without proof: For when they have been pressed with that dangerous Argument of sending away our Money to the Indies, they insisted on this in their Defence, That nine parts in ten of their Wrought Silks imported, were again exported; but when in the last Controversy they defeated that good Bill in the House of Lords, then finding the Nation was bewitched to the use of their Silks, and to a belief of the Necessity and Benefit of their Trade, but chief depending on the Friends they had made, than they changed their Note, and loudly proclaimed that the East-India Trade would be nothing worth, if they might not be allowed to use them in England; for that (as they then truly said) Nine parts in Ten, were consumed here. I hope all these Reasons will prevail for the Prohibition desired.  
(34.) As to what is commonly objected of the Dutch Practice herein, and Profit thereby, it hath formerly been truly and wisely observed, That one Parish in London consumes more East-India Silks than all the Seven Provinces of Holland: And such an Imitation of their Practice, had saved me this labour; as to the largeness of their East-India Trade, I know they have had a great share in the Ruin of Europe, for the enriching themselves; but in this particular of wrought Silks, we have greatly outdone them. For 'tis observed, that one English Ship hath at once brought more of that pernicious Commodity, than all the Dutch Fleets the year round, and that for considerable time passed. But if we would do well, we must with the promoting our Navigation likewise consider that we have a large Tract of fruitful Land, rich Mines, profitable Sheep and , and these we must likewise improve to the enriching our Country with People, and so as they may live by their Labour.  
(35.) Sir, I fear I have quite tired your Patience, upon which I will not trespass much longer, and therefore now drawing to a Conclusion, I solemnly protest, that to the best of my Judgement and Knowledge, I have herein declared or writ nothing for any other motive, end or reason, than the Good of my Country in general, and which I am sure the Support and Welfare of those poor Manufacturers, for whom I am a compassionate tho' mean Advocate, tends to: And I cannot omit to tell you, That some laugh at, and ridicule the Notion of People's perishing and starving, which I before mentioned: And indeed, some years since, who would have imagined that such a thing could be, in such a plentiful Country as England? But alas! I am now daily an eye or ear Witness of the contrary. And if that Person who receives a bruise or stab, and for some time after lives and lingers, and at last dies thereof, is as certainly murdered, as he that is stabbed to the Heart, or his Brains beat out; I am certain that for some years past, many have perished for want of necessary Food, Raiment, Lodging and Fire, according to the absolute necessity of our Climate, and so perishing and dying by degrees, I cannot but judge them as truly starved, as if they had been kept from Food and Raiment altogether; only perhaps they may be said to perish more miserably, because more slowly.  
(36.) If I am herein guilty of any Error, 'tis of my Judgement, not my Will; and I shall readily submit to any Conviction I shall be made sensible of; and I do expect to be sharply attacked by such as my Education renders me uncapable to contend with: But I have so great Satisfaction in the Goodness, Justice and Reasonableness of this Cause, that I fear nothing; and doubt not but the Righteousness thereof will raise me up Seconds that will better maintain the Reasonableness of what is here desired, for that vast and Necessary Body of English Silk-Weavers, Throsters, and their Dependants, viz. As firm a Probi●ition against the Home-expence of figured, flowered, stitched, and stripped Silks, as Wit can invent, or Law make; and then to expend their plain among us, is more, or at least as much, as they ought to desire, if they value the Public Good more than their Private Interest. And by this means would Employment be provided for Disbanded Soldiers, of whom great numbers belong to the Weaving Trade, and its Dependants.  
(37.) And for Conclusion and Confirmation of all I have said, I refer you to that great Master of Trade and Merchandise, Sir Josiah Child, who by his late little acting in the East-India-Company, seems to adhere to this his former Principle, (however it is said his Practice sometime greatly contradicted it) and with which the Weavers concluded their former Paper to the Lords, when last defeated: And thus saith he, Whatsoever advances the value of Land in Purchase, improves the Rent of Farms, increaseth the Bulk of Foreign Trade, multiplies Domestic Artificers, inclineth the Nation to Thriftiness, employs the Poor, or increaseth the Stock of the People, must be procuring Causes of Riches: But a Foreign Expense, especially of Foreign Manufactures, is the worst Expense a Nation can be inclinable to, and aught to be prevented, etc.  
In fine, Sir, 'Tis believed the Liberty given the Press was, That you might constantly receive full and free Information in all things relating to Public Affairs, and the Good of the Kingdom; and that, to the best of my Knowledge and Judgement, I have given in this Case; and I bless GOD I have not writ this for Bread, or any other Interest, but as before said: And I thought that the making it more Public than for your single Satisfaction, may not be Unacceptable or Useless. And whatsoever your Wisdom determies herein, or whatever my own Sentiments, or Belief, is thereof, I shall Acquiesce with all Due Submission, for I am, Sir,  
Yours to Command, A. N.