The Scheme of the Subsequent DISCOURSE. An EAST-INDIA Trade is Highly Advantageous to the True Interest of ENGLAND.  
1. It Occasioneth the Building and Employment of many good and great Ships, etc.  
2. It Employeth a great Number of Seamen, and others; and causeth a great Expense of Provisions, etc.  
3. It Exporteth great Quantities of our own Manufactures, and Native Commodities, etc.  
4. It Importeth great Quantities of Necessary Commodities for our Use, Trade, and farther Transport, etc.  
5. It highly Advanceth the Public Customs and Revenue, etc.  
6. It raiseth many English Merchants (Resident in India) to great Wealth, which is brought home, and dispended here: And this chiefly ariseth from the Trade in India.  
7. It is the Greatest and Richest Trade in the Universe; is Coveted by all European Nations; Its Prosecution having been Eminently significant to the Grandeur, Strength, and Wealth of many Countries, as its Neglect and Loss hath been to their Poverty and Contempt.  
8. If Neglected by the English, would be Engrossed by the Dutch, and thereby make their Country to be t●… greatest (if not the sole) Mart of Europe.  
9 It rendereth our Nation Honoured and Feared among Foreigners, and may conduce to the Propagation of t●… true Christian Religion, as well of our Language, good Laws, Manners, etc.  
10. The Improvement of this our Foreign Trade is very Instrumental for the Improvement of our Lands, and all great Works of Piety and Magnificence; As also for our Instruction in all their Foreign Arts, Scienc●… and Languages.  

But Manageable.  

1. Not by a Free and Open Trade.  

I. In Reference to the Natives.  
1. IN those vast and various Regions are many distinct Kings and Princes, who Act by the Dictates of their own Arbitrary Will, without any fixed Laws; are by Religion, Pagans, or mahometans; and apt to Depraedate, Murder, and Destroy upon any small Offence, or pretended Fault.  
2. All the Governments in India are Absolutely Monarchical (if not Tyrannical) and value nothing but what cometh under that Notion in a single Person, or entire Body.  
3. By the Standard-Laws of all those Countries, all Strangers that fly for Protection into any of those Regions, become Slaves to that Prince to whose Protection they fly. And in case of Shipwreck, all Ships, Goods, and People are a Prey to that Prince in whose Territories they met with with that Misfortune.  
4. The Indian Kings are unable to Protect us against any Invasion by their Enemies, and yet expect we should supply them with Ships, Sloops, Ammunition, etc.  
5. The Monsons' (or Trade-Winds) being only two (against which it is dangerous, if not impossible, to Navigate) If our Ships should by distress of Wether, be forced into any strange Port, they will run an inevitable hazard by the Treachery and Subtlety of the Natives.  
6. Those Kings being Arbitrary in their Powers, exact Customs at pleasure, either Inward or Outward: To dispute which, is dangerous; To allow, heavy. And nothing is to be done in those Parts without Presents.  
7. Upon any Injury received, they take Satisfaction from the next Ship, or People of that Nation, which they meet with.  
8. Those Kings frequently raise and fall the Prizes of Pepper, etc. at their pleasure; will not be denied to be Trusted, often force our Goods, and seldom perform Contracts.  
9 The King of Bantam is a great Merchant, hath several Ships of our Building, many Seamen of our Nation (some Fugitives to him, others forced from us) and often Commands out of our Factories all sorts of Goods, Ammunition, Ships-tackle, and Provisions.  
10. The King of Bantam being a great Merchant, supplies his own Neighbour-Ports with all Necessary Commodities from India; private Ships can only buy Pepper with Ryals 8/8; the Companies Goods being most Sold on Trust, payable at the Monsons' in Pepper.  
11. That if any Affronts be given to Private Ships, by Exactions, Seizures, or Assassinates, they are unable to Revenge, but must fall a Sacrifice; and if unrevenged, leave a Precedent of Ruin to the next comer.  
12. That all Ports in those Regions are dangerous for Theft, Poison, and Amócks; so that there is small Security there on Shoar, by Day, without Arms; and at Night, without Guards.  
13. That if any Civil Wars, Insurrections, or other Intestine Troubles happen among the Natives there, they will prove Fatal to any Private Concernments, who are unable to Defend themselves in Port, or on Shoar; nor can depart at their Pleasure from the Shoar, nor well out of the Land, but at the Season of the Monson.  
14. In those Climates (whether by Natural Inclinations, Irregularity of Manners, Remissness in Temperance, or frequent Temptations) our Europaeans are too apt for lose and Debauched Practices; which, though Committed by single Persons, yet often prove Fatal to the Concernment of that whole Nation.   

II. In Reference to the Dutch.  
1. The Dutch being an United Body, and Acting in an United Stock, Rich, Potent, Subtle, and Envious of our Commerce, will not neglect to Instigate the Kings in India (Clandestinely) in time of Peace; and (openly) in time of War, to seize our Persons, Ships, and Estates; expel us their Country, or surrender us to the Dutch.  
2. If a War with the Dutch in India, no Private Traders dare to Adventure; if they do, they must be lost.  
3. Our former Grounds of Jealousy for the Inhumanity used by the Dutch to our private Ships, may justly make us fear the like again; the meanest of their Soldiers and Seamen being under an Oath of Secrecy.  
4. The Dutch will be glad to see our English Interest laid open; whilst they (for some Years) would under-sell, and over-buy us, till we were discouraged, and forced to decline the Trade; and then Oblige the Natives by general Contracts to Trade only with them.  
5. The Dutch also on any pretences seek to possess themselves of all places fit for Trade; and in their Wars with the Indians, block up their Ports, and permit no Freedom of Trade with any; others they bind up by Articles: And yet have Peace with us in Europe.  
6. The Dutch on all Occasions are very intent to foment any Divisions among the Natives, that they may be invited to the Assistance of either Party; and then they soon give Laws to, or become Masters of both.   

III. In Reference to the English Interest.  
1. Every Man will value his own Interest above the Public, will strive for the first Port, and first Market; under-sell, and over-buy; without any care for the future.  
2. They will be subject to great Fractions and Discontents; when all their Appeals must be to the Kings, who know how (subtly) to blow the Coals of such Animosities, for their own Concerns, to our Prejudice, if not Ruin.  
3. Every Man will be nibbling, whilst a Prospect of Profit, and so over-glut the Trade with Commodities for two or three Years, that the Prizes would grow Contemptible. But, no Profit in a short time thereby arising, the Trade for the future would soon be neglected; and all the Forts, Factories, Privileges, and English Interest lost.  
4. It will cause a greater Export of Bullion and Coin, than in a Company; nor can it be Controlled.  
5. A Ship Laden with Europe Commodities only shall not find Vend at any one Port, from the Cape of Good Hope to Surrat; nor from Surrat to the Bay of Bengala; nor from the Bay of Bengala to China, or all over the South Seas; but must hunt for a Trade from Port to Port, which hazard and tediousness will Necessitate all or most part of her Cargo to be invested in Ryals 8/8 and Gold.  
6. If the Return-Trade be made by the West Indies, or any other Parts than England; (which for Advantage some will adventure to do) it will prove very pernicious to our Nation, by the Detriment of our Customs, and perverting the Trade from the Mart of London, etc.  
7. Shipwrecks, Mutinies, Combinations to Cast away Ships (for Bodemery or Insurance) or to run away with Ships, must be expected; wherein not only the Adventurers, but the Nation is Concerned.  
8. The Trade not being fully Discovered, such farther Discovery will most Advantageously be made by a Company, from their settled Factories, than by any new and private Adventures from hence.    

2. Nor by a Regulated Trade.  
As the Turkey Company; for this will fall under most of the Premised Difficulties, as an Open Trade. Yet also it must be Considered,  
1. That the Empire of Turkey is entire, under one Prince, who seldom commits any Notorious Outrage upon us, without some specious Pretence, being under the Eye of many great Christian Potentates. India is Remote, under various Princes, Laws, Religions, Languages, and Dispositions. The Turky-Trade is subjected to no Trade-Winds, is near to England, can suddenly Correspond over Land, as well as by Sea; whither a Fleet may soon be sent, for Revenge; having a short Voyage, and many Friendly Ports, for our Relief and Succour.  
2. That Empire being under general Articles of Peace with our King, and the People more Civilised; one Ambassador at that Court, with a Consul in each Province, may suffice for that Commerce: Their Laws being fixed, Trade free, and Customs (generally) certain.  
3. That the Kings of India are many (some Great, and some Small) the Great Kings will expect Residentiary Ambassadors (besides Consuls, etc.) And the Small Princes, (at least) Consuls, or Chiefs; which would amount to an unimaginable Charge. Nor is it unlikely, but that under so many several Ambassadors and Consuls (unless all be Subordinate to some one Superior Power in India) many Fatal Discontents may arise.  
4. In Persia, Indostan, and Bengala (being more Civilised) such a Model of Regulation may be Practicable, (perhaps) although it is to be feared, it would not be there long-lived: But as to China, Japan, and the South Seas, etc. it is wholly Impracticable without Forts, Garrisons, Colonies, or Staple Factories in some convenient places.  
5. That the Premises for Forts, Garrisons, Ships, and People being considered, especially in time of War (when few, or no Ships can Arrive) it will be almost impossible to raise so great a Charge: Nor will any such Society dare to engage to secure it.  
6. That the present Forts and Garrisons on the Island Bombaim, and Fort St. George, and all the other Residencies and Factories, will amount to a vast Sum, which will puzzle a Regulation to raise at the first Undertaking; and in good Conscience they ought to be paid for, to a full and satisfactory value.  
7. Nor can such a Regulation make a Company more National than the present Company in their United Stock. And should our Nation Engage to assist them with a Fleet, it would be ineffectual, without some convenient Ports and Colonies, for their Security, and fresh Provisions; which would also meet with many Difficulties, since two or three Ships could hardly Arrive together.  
8. Should this Kingdom assist them with a Fleet, a Regulation could hardly contrive any Proposal to raise the Charge for its Expedition and Support.   

3. Nor by a Mixed Trade.  
This would be Unreasonable, Absurd, and Impracticable. For Regulation in one part, and an Open Trade, or United Trade in another part.  
1. No good Reason or Conscience can admit, that the sour should not go with the sweet; That they who are Covetous for the Profit, should not bear the Burden.  
2. The Fate of Sir William Courteen, and his Design, must not be forgot.  
3. The different Interests would make a Schism in the English Blood in India; and (perhaps) in England too; not only to our shame, but Prejudice.  
4. The whole Trade of India (if possible) should be only driven by one Hand, and not shared between so many European Nations, which Opportunity of Grasping and Engrossing the Dutch will not omit.   

4. But only by an United Company, or Joint-stock.  
1. United Powers under good Conduct and Resolution may Attempt any thing, drive through any Design, and seldom fail in Success.  
2. This being Potent in itself, keeps an awe upon all Rivals, and is able to bear up against any Misfortune by War, or Losses in Trade; being United in Counsels, as well as Stock.  
3. In this, Persons of any Quality may be Participants; and yet the Trading Stock sufficient for other parts, not be in the least diverted from the Public Good.  
4. Since all other European Nations manage this Trade in a joint Body, it would be an unaccountable Presumption in the English, to vie with them by single Parties, or faint-hearted Squadrons.  
5. This only can Answer the Bulk of that Trade.  

1. By a general Commerce to all Parts at the same time, and to the full.  
2. By Patience for long Voyages; and tedious Returns.  
3. By a due Management of the Trade from Port to Port in India.  
4. By Engrossing the Native Commodities in India, at any time, for a general Advantage; their Credit being always greater than their Trading Stock.  
5. By Vending our own Native Commodities and Manufactures low upon Occasion; or detaining them for a convenient Market.  
6. By keeping the Indian Commodities low.  
7. By Encouraging the Natives to Plant, Make, or Procure great Quantities of such Commodities as are most desirable by us.  
8. By Observing a due Balance in that Trade, suitable to the Reciprocal Occasions of England and India.   
6. This only can settle and maintain Fleets, Forts, Garrisons, Colonies, Factories, Wars, Embassies, etc.  
7. This only is most proper for the making farther Discoveries into Magellanica, etc.  
8. This only can hope for a future Trade into Zeilon, China, Japon, the Philippinae, Molucco, and Banda Islands.  
9 This only can make London the General Mart of Europe.  
10. This only can make London the greatest Exchequer of Europe.  
11. This only can be Instrumental for the Propagation of our Christian Religion; for our Instruction in their Languages and Arts, and the Improvement of our own Knowledge.  
12. This only can secure our Honour, Persons, and Estates in India, and to England! and upon any Occasion add a Formidable Power to our Royal Navy.  
But to add Perfection to such United Stock or Company, whereby to Answer all the Interests of the Nation, it ought to be Ratified by Royal Charters and Acts of Parliament; and so to be made National and Perpetual.  

National.  
1. By Confirming the present Company under Necessary Regulations: A Dissolution in this, before a New Stock settled, or any intermission in the Trade, will prove Fatal.  
2. Or by a New Stock, and Addition of New Subscriptions, the present Company being fully paid and satisfied for all their Charge, Endeavours, Pains, and long Expenses; with the Public Thanks of the Nation.  
The Arguments and Instances in each Article being duly Considered, and the resulting Objection Answered; The Truth of their Assertions will be Satisfactorily proved to any unbiased and Impartial Judgement. By a True Englishman. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 1683.      

London, Printed by Henry Hills, in Blackfriars.