England's Grandeur, AND Way to get Wealth: Or, Promotion of TRADE Made easy, and Lands advanced; Beneficial to particular Persons, and to the Kingdom in general; wherein many Thousand of Indigent Poor Families may be Employed; breaches made in our Trade by the French, Portugese, Genoese, Swedes, Dutch and Danes, demonstrated. Furnishing Funerals by Undertakers, making Buttons and Shoe-Buckles of various sorts of Metals, a great detriment to Weavers of Tape, Cotton, Ferret, and Silk-Riband, and in short to all other Trades, the West India Trade discouraged, it being one of the Noblest Branches in Navigation, the prejudice of Trade by Strangers, that are Lodgers and Inmates only, who by their Monopolising ways, have got Estates, and then bid Farewell to England, the cause of the Rent of Houses falling, the reasons why great Taxes cannot easily be paid, laying Taxes on the Back and Belly, the best way to raise Money, which will hurt neither Rich nor Poor, provided Navigation and a free Circulation of Trade be Maintained, and Merchants Encouraged. Reason's why we have not a more considerable Trade now the War is over. A remedy proposed to cure this Malady.  
By T. Tryon, Merchant of London.  
Sold by I. Harris, at the Harrow, and G. Conyers, at the Ring in Little Britain: 1699, Price 6d.   

SOME General Considerations OFFERED, etc.  
THere is nothing that Mankind, in our latter times especially, has more bend his Thoughts about, and been more Conversant in, than the business of Trade, being fully sensible that its improvement, tends not only to the support of Personal but National Interests; and hence it is, that our Industrious Ancestors, while it was in its Infancy, exercised all possible care in nursing it up, and defending it from those mischiefs wherewith it might be beset, The Foundations of this Kingdom, are Land, Trade, and Manufactures, and are such supports, which by no means ought to be shaken; they have for a considerable time born the brunt of the War, and it is time now they should have a breathing, and slide their Necks out of the Collar: The Trade of this Kingdom hath all-along been an advantageous Ornament to it, and would be still so, if the occasion of its pine were looked into, and fit ways applied for its recovery. I would not pretend to Dictate, but with all Submission Crave, that we should but have an eye to the Vitals of Trade, which seems to be deeply affected. For what thing soever is a damage to our Manufacture, or Weight upon our foreign Trade beyond what it can bear up under, stabs it to the Heart: hereby the Subject is disabled: but when our Manufactures are encouraged, and our foreign Trade made easy, and firmly secured, our Lands then will be advanced. And it is indeed very evident that the promoting of our Manufactures is not only beneficial to particular persons, but also to the Kingdom of England in general, wherein many thousands of poor indigent Families are employed, and as the said Manufactures are either advanced, or diminished, so the Value of our Lands must increase or decrease in propotion; for notwithstanding that the product of our Lands hath born a very considerable price, for seven or eight years' last passed, occasioned by the badness of our Coin, the Clothing our Arms at Home and abroad, and the devastations made in several of our Neighbouring Countries by the late Wars, as well as the taking of great Numbers of our outward-bound Ships, which obliged the Merchants to buy double the quantities thereof, than otherwise they would have done: the Peace having put a Period unto all those things, our product must come down to its ancient Price, and in all probability much lower; for, within these Eight or Ten Years we have had several Wounds and Breaches made in our Trade by our Neighbours, they having the same opportunity to advance their Trade and Navigation, that England had for several Years, at least before the War, I mean the French, Portuguise, Genoese, Swedes, and Danes, not to say any thing of the Dutch, who, by their Industry and good Husbandry, never fail to advance their Interest wherever they get footing; for what advantage in Traffic soever any Kingdom gains, is generally so much lost by another.  
During the late War, those Nations above mentioned have not only been the Carriers of their own Manufactures, but also of their Neighbours in siing their own Shipping, by which they are not only become very Rich in general, but even in this, that they have furnished themselves with as many Ships and Men, as are sufficient to manage their own Trade, which within these dozen Years was the great part of it ours, and managed by us; for England having been many Years at Peace, whilst most of our Neighbours were oppressed by War, and by consequence rendered in a great degree uncapable of Navigation. We possessed most of the Trade of Europe, having then no Partners but the Dutch, and they too, but Fourths or Fifths, which by good Husbandry they have so much improved, that they are now more than joint Partners.  
If it be objected, That though those Nations have, during the last War, gained the ascendant over us in several parts of our Trade, yet now that we enjoy Peace, we may probably recover it again. To this I answer, That we have little reason to hope to out-Trade the Dutch, as matters now stand, more than the rest of our Neighbours, who Build, Victual, and Sail cheaper than the Dutch, having most or all of their Materials or Merchandizes within themselves, and the Labour of Workmen and others much cheaper than the Dutch, who have little or nothing of their own, but obtain all by Navigation, paying but very small duties for Exportes and Imports, which is the great encouragement of Merchants, as the contrary is the Pane of Trade, to the woeful Experience of many Nations, our own not excepted. And tho' this may seem a digression from the Matter in hand, yet may it serve as an Auxiliary, to excite our diligence, not only in propagating Navigation, but also the Staple Commodities of this Nation, viz, the Woollen Manufacture, etc. which, if neglected, will in a few Years pine; for we having Competitors in our Foreign Trade, and so may have the like in our Manufactures, there being in America divers considerable Settlements, which hitherto have been furnished with most of their Clothing and Utensils from England, but their Countries not furnishing them with sufficient quantities of Vendible Commodities for England, by this means their Clothing proving excessive dear and chargeable, hath put them upon breeding all sorts of Cattle, and making their own Clothing, which is certainly very detrimental to us.  
The like may be said of Ireland, whose cattle and Provisions being low and likely to be lower, occasions their taking such Methods as may advance the Woollen Manufactures there, they being provided of all suitable Materials for such an Undertaking, which being Transported, they will as much outvie us in Woollen Commodities as they do in their Provisions; and if it should be in any degree or particular hindered, or prohibited, it would not only lessen the value of the English Settlements, but mightily weaken the Protestant Interest, or at least make things uneasy, and hinder Foreigners from going and settling there: for all Persons that transport themselves into Foreign Regions, do it in expectation of an advantageous and secure Settlement, which is the principal Motive to run Adventures, and to visit unknown Countries; so that it may be better to lay a Duty of 〈…〉 upon every pound weight of Woollen Manufacture exported from Ireland: It will make theirs equivalent with our Woollen Manufactures, so both Nations may go on jointly in the preservation thereof, and prevent the Exportation of Wool from either Kingdom into Foreign Parts: For all Trade and Industry ought to be free, so as not to be fettered with heavy Impositions; for where they are so, all Commerce will fail, the Common People and Tradesmen growing poor, and thereby the intrinsic value both of Lands and all its productions are lessened, insomuch that many of the best Subjects, (viz.) the labouring people, will be in a manner forced to seek their Fortunes in other Countries, as meeting with nothing but discouragement at home: therefore it will be highly necessary not only to promote the Exportation of the Woollen Manufacture, but also the Consumption at home: a Specimen of the Benefit thereof is very evident in the late Act made in King Charles II's Reign, for burying in Woollen, which Act cannot do less than occasion the yearly Consumption of three Million of yards of Woollen for Funerals in this Kingdom.  
But there are several projects of late that have obtained Reputation, to the prejudice of the forementioned Manufacture, one whereof is the furnishing of Funerals, by a small number of Men called Undertakers, who always keep by them all necessaries and proper materials to Fit and Accommodate Funerals, viz. Cloaks, Hangings, Coach-covering, etc. So that such Persons who formerly were at great expenses in mourning for their Relations and Friends, may now, for a small matter, have all things fitted for that purpose: and though, it's true, when Gentlemen bought those things themselves, they made a less show, yet it did bring more advantage to the Nation, such things being generally spent within the compass of one Year: but by this invention one Cloak and other necessaries do serve several Years, and furnish some hundred Funerals, working Journeywork as long as one thread will hang to another. And this is not only an Enemy to the Consumption of the Woollen Manufacture, but very injurious to many Tradesmen, as Weavers, Drapers, Tailors, Glover's, etc. For these Gentlemen the Undertakers are good Husbands, pinchingly buying all things in gross and at first hand, and Tradesmen employed, under them have very low rates, no better than Tailors have of Salesmen; for it must needs be detrimental to our Nation to diminish its number of Labourers and lower the Prices.  
Moreover, since the Method of these Undertakers have got footing, Persons of ordinary Rank, may for the value of Fifty pounds make as great a Figure, as the Nobility and Gentry did formerly with the expense of more than Five Hundred Pounds. The Undertakers are great gainers, because one Suit of Mourning Furniture will serve above an hundred times; so that hence there not only happens a less Consumption, but the Gaiety and Splendour both of the Nobility and Gentry is hereby very much eclipsed, so that not many of them do in this exceed the show of the Common people, except some few of the Nobility, who lie a considerable time in State, so that it is very clear that twenty or thirty of those sort of Men do greatly hinder the Consumption of our Woollen Manufacture, and consequently destroy the livelyhoods of many thousand Families.  
For Nations are generally poor where the Labourer's Wages are small, and the Consumption but little, it having been for many Years past, the great Wages and free Circulation of Trade amongst the common people as well as others, that hath made England exceed all her Neighbouring Nations in Riches and in the Consumption not only of our own Growth and Manufactures, but likewise of many Foreign Commodities, such as Wines, Spanish Fruits, Sugars, Silks, Spices, Tobacco, etc. of which perhaps this small Island hath consumed more than Poland, Swedeland, Denmark, and France, and thereby have brought very great Revenues to the Crown: if this were not so, why should not Scotland and Ireland be as beneficial to the Government as England, for nothing more advanceth Lands and all its productions, than Traders large gains, which promoteth free Eating, Drinking, and Genteel living, whatever contrary mistaken notions may have got footing.  
It is also further to be considered, That there are two or three other Inventions prejudicial to the public, viz. making Buttons and Buckles of various sorts of Metal, with which things, a few hands can supply many Nations, three or four Boys and Girls being able to make two thousand four hundred dozen in a Week of Pewter Buttons, every dozen whereof will last a very long time, far longer than either Thread, Silk, or Hair, and which are valued at first hand but from twelve to eighteen pence per Gross, great and small together, which indeed may be of some advantage for Exportation, but hinders the Consumption of our own Manufactures at home. The like may be understood of Shoe-Buckles, of which a small number of people can supply a whole Nation, for you may buy a pair of Shoe Buckles, from a penny to twopences (unless Silver) that will last from one year to seven, and some others of greater value that may wear twenty Years, not only to the detriment of our Manufactures in general, but more particularly to the Narrow Weavers; for it is supposed, that less than one hundred of Bucklemakers' will supply more people, than fifty or sixty thousand narrow Weavers, in Tape, Cotten, Ferret, and Silk Ribbon, which Trade of late have been forced to seek their Fortunes in other Countries, to the damage and dishonour of the English Nation.  
The like may be considered of the invention of Paper Hangings, which are but of small value, endure long, and employ but a few people: Nevertheless they will last almost as long as our common Woollen Hangings, provided the Walls are lined with Slit-Deal, or Mat, Chair high; which does likewise lessen the number of our People, and the Consumption of our Woollen Manufactures.  
Moreover, though Navigation be one of the greatest Pillars of Trade, and brings the greatest advantage to the Nation, nevertheless the Consumption of our own Manufactures and Employment of many hands are considerable additional advantages; for, suppose ten Shoemakers could make as many Shoes in a Week as a hundred do now, and those too wear five times as long, what then must become of the rest of the Workmen? must they not seek their Fortunes in other Countries? the like may be said of all other Trades: does not the strength of this Nation consist in Traders, Artificers, and Tradesmen, they being most Tractable and Ingenious, both in Peace and War. It is the working People and Tradesmen that pays the King his Tax for Ale and Beer, and not so much the Countrymen nor Shepherd; no, it is the former that more abundantly consumes the Sugar, Spices, Spanish Fruits, Tobacco, and Wines too, and do thereby advance the Consumption of our own Provisions and Fruits, many of which would be of little value, if it were not for the forementioned Commodities, mixed with Apples, Pears, Plumbs, Gooseberrys, Currant, and none of which would be made Food, and so be advantageous to us, if they were not mixed with such Sweets, which do likewise occasion the Consumption of Flower: and it is most clear that the Consumption of their Commodities, have of late Years mightily encouraged Importation and Exportation: so that if our expenses at home be lessened for want of a free Circulation of Trade amongst the people, our Plantation Trade will suffer as well as others; for the French, Dutch, Portuguise, etc. who have all of them Plantations in the West-Indies, and as theirs do rise, ours consequently declines, and will continue declining unless they have some special Encouragement and Assistance, and that because the French King does as much bend his inclinations and strength to the advancement of Trade and Navigation, especially his Plantations, greatly encouraging them by laying on small Duties on their several productions, as Sugar, etc. and lending his Care also to all such Projections and Proposals that his Subjects do offer for the advancement of Trade, and the Manufactures of his Kingdom; and if they have a fair prospect of advantage, he is then willing to bear some of the Losses and Charges that may happen to the same Project, for the first two or three Years; he does likewise mightily endeavour to advance the profitable Trade of the Fishery and sundry Manufactures, which are advanced since the Peace about twenty per Cent. which is a great Encouragement to them.  
The Portuguese likewise, of late being advanced in Trade and Navigation, and having one of the best and largest Settlements for Sugar, viz. Brasil, etc. will be thereby encouraged to make greater Quantities of that Commodity than formerly, which together with the forementioned French Settlements will supply most of the Markets of Europe, which hitherto the English have done.  
Whereas, on the other hand, our own Sugar Plantations must decline, especially that of Barbadoes, the Land being weakened and almost worn out by often Planting, which perhaps in its youthful days was the most Fertil'st Spot of all America, and twenty or thirty years ago was so strong and fertile, that from once Planting their Sugar, Canes would from the same root bear considerable crops seven years together before they need●d to be Planted again, and had no occasion to be d●●ged all that time: but they now are forced to new Plant and Dung them every Year, and have treble the Labour and Hands to keep them from Weeds; so that formerly one hundred Negroes and one Sugar Wind-mill would clear the Planter more Money than three hundred Negroes and two or three Windmills will do now: so that every hundred weight of Sugar stands the maker thereof in more than double what it did then, and yet does not yield him half the Price.  
The West- India Settlements, for these Thirty or Forty Years last passed, have been the brightest Gem in our Crown of Trade, by employing great numbers of Ships, and making the best of Seamen; for within these twenty Years the Island of Barbadoes alone did load yearly near four hundred sail of Ships, so that no Trade hath advanced Navigation like those Settlements: but now the charge of making Sugar is so great, and the price so low, that this, together with the high Duties lately laid on their Commodities, will force them to make but a third or half the Quantity of Sugar, and oblige them to apply themselves to raise Provisions to support their Families with their own Product▪ which have hitherto been furnished from England, Ireland, and the Settlements upon the Main; for within these twenty Years we did lad from England more than one hundred and fifty Sail of Ships, with Bread, Butter, Cheese, Beer, Flesh, and other Eatables, besides all sorts of Merchandizes, and now we do not load three: therefore it will needs be for the interest of England to lighten their Burden, viz▪ the great Customs under which it is impossible for the Plantations to stand, for that which formerly raised and advanced the Planters, was the making of much Sugar, but that does now ruin and undo them, the Charge being much more than the Interest; to which if there be not proper remedies applied, it will cut off one of the Noblest Branches of Navigation.  
Consider in the next place, as to our Trade with France, many are of various Opinions concerning it, the differing Notions whereof I will not here undertake to reconcile; but upon the whole we have good reason to affirm that it has always proved very profitable to this Nation, as all other Trades, wherein great numbers of our own Ships are employed as Carriers, which was the original advancement of Navigation.  
Some will perhaps object and say, that the French Trade is of no great Importance to England, because of their exhausting from us great sums of Money.  
To this I answer, that our Navigation may be lessened, and they may from necessity, which is the Mother of Invention, be further setting up of Manufactures to the lessening of ours: besides, they have taken considerably of our Product, which we shall be deprived of by not trading with them; for it is observed that great Numbers of Artificers have shifted their Habitations, and transported themselves to seek their Fortunes in unknown Countries, and many of them leaving their miserable Wives and Children to the Parish, and most of them have done so for want of such encouragement as they had formerly, and this has been partly occasioned, not so much from great numbers of Strangers that of late years have pressed in upon us, whose Education and miserable low way of living in comparision of ours, which have rendered them capable to Live and Work at lower rates than the English, most of them being Lodgers, Inmates, and sheltered under a few Housekeepers, and a House that contains four, six or eight Rooms does for the most part entertain near as many Families, as is usual in their own Countries, which does likewise hide and defend them from paying Taxes either to the Parish or Government: I say not so much on this account, as from great declension of their several employments.  
In the next place, our Trade is likewise prejudiced, by another sort of Strangers of more value, most of which are single Men, as Factors, Gentlemen, and others, that are also Lodgers and Inmates, many of them live here from Seven to Twenty Years, employing some of our Eminent Tradesmen, as Packers, etc. who are paid but little better than Journeymen to Buy and Collect their Merchandises in Gross, and at first hand, whereby they obstruct and hinder the livelihoods of many of our Tradesmen, whose hands they would otherwise have passed through before they came to the Exporter, as in former-times was usual: And when these Factors have by their frugal living and Monopolising methods obtained great Estates, they then remit them into their own Countries, and bid farewell to England, wherein they have so much advanced themselves, and have lived so free and easy from all Duties and Impositions, being not only excused from any Office or Charge of the Parish, but also to the King and Government, when at the same time our own poor Tradesmen that are Housekeepers, and who have but a mean way of getting a Livelihood, are overwhelmed and oppressed with Taxes and Offices, when these Strangers get the Money and bear none of the Burdens, there being many thousands of those people, for which there is no Precedent in any other Nation: for these encroachments are like Sheep fed upon the Cottshold-hills, and black Cattle on the Welsh Mountains, which when they come into the Valleys or better Pastures, will Improve and grow Fat, whereas such as are bred upon the same spot or Pasturage, can hardly live: These are some of those Moths that spoil us in our Trade. Another Consideration, is that we have lost very much of our Navigation, which appears from the unheard of losses Merchants have met with during the late War, there having been many brave Estates sunk, and others rendered weak and feeble.  
The inland Traders have this advantage of the former, (viz.) to spend what they have formerly got, for want of a free and generous circulation of Trade, which occasions many eminent Tradesmen of all sorts, and such as were good Housekeepers to shift and hide themselves in Lodgings, and to follow the fashions of our neighbouring Nations, which does and will prove very prejudicial, not only to the Employments of many People, but to all such as have their Estates in Houses, there being many hundreds in and about London, that do not pay the King's Tax; and other Casualties that happen, which do not only mightily lessen the Consumption of our own Growth, but more especially that of all Foreign Commodities, and such as come from our own Plantations also, as Sugar, Tobacco, etc. Likewise Wine, Spice, Spanish fruit, and a hundred other things, for of late and at this time those Commodities are very low in Price, notwithstanding the Merchants have not above a third or fourth of the quantities at Market as there used to be in peaceable times, but especially of some sorts of them, the principal occasion of this lowness and dead trading is, we do not consume half the quantities we did formerly, neither do we Export so much, for our neighbouring Nations do and will furnish themselves from their own Settlements or Plantations and other parts which is another considerable wound to Navigation.  
Now, tho' some of the forementioned Imported Commodities are consumed by some, makes some of the unthinking sort to suppose, that there is as much spent as ever, yet the Dealers in those Commodities will inform us otherwise, and to their great loss; for the grand Consumption of those things, do chiefly depend on the middle or common people, viz. the Tradesmen, who are numerous, and as the Proverb has it, Many hands make light work, for every Tradesman is under a kind of necessity to spend in proportion to his Trade and Gain: as for Example, in several out parts of London, there were within the compass of two or three small Streets, Lanes, and Allies, two or three thousand working Tradesmen, and such as belonged to them, some of which Trades did get about twelve hundred pound per Week, when they had full Employment, and most of this momey was spent every Week in the Neighbourhood in strong-Drink, several sorts of Flesh, Bread, Butter, Cheese, Sugar, Spice, Spanish Fruit, and in Clothing, which caused a quick Circulation in all Business.  
But now the Numbers of Labourers is not only lessened, but those that are, do work for less Wages, and have not work enough neither, which does likewise occasion the Rents of all Houses, &c, to fall, and in a little time those things will have an influence upon Land; for Tradesmen did not use to matter whether they gave from Twenty to Fifty or Sixty pound for a House, provided that their Trade was good, but are not able to give such Rents now.  
The like is to be understood in all Expenses and Taxes to the King, therefore the promotion of Navigation and a free Trade, gives life to the Trading People, more especially if the Customs and Imports be made easy, for great Weights and Burdens laid on any particular Member, will not only discourage it, but must cause it to sink and perish; besides, Merchants are, as is said before, the Engines of the whole Nation, and if encouraged, have an innate power to set all hands at work, and to advance all the Manufactures and Productions of the Nation, and render the whole capable not only to live well, and spend Money liberally, but to pay Taxes as freely.  
Now great Taxes cannot, as is mentioned before, be born by any particular part of the people without endangering their ruin, more especially the Importers and Exporters, because they are the Highways and principal Gates that all Commerce must pass through, which, if in any degree be stopped or obstructed, the whole must suffer in proportion; besides, such Taxes and Impositions as are laid unequally on the people have hardly ever answered hitherto, neither is it reasonable to think, that they will for the future.  
And indeed, it seems to be a general opinion, that a small gentle Tax laid on the Mouth and Back, would answer and supply the Nations present occasions, and raise such sums as their necessities calls for, without any manifest Burden or Injury to them, for the Belly will not be cheated, besides, then there would be many Millions of people more to pay that which now lies on less than one Million, by this, you bring in considerable numbers of Strangers, Young People, and Lodgers, such as we before treated of, who have hitherto shifted their necks out of the Collar, many of them being Eminent and better able to pay Taxes, than some Housekeepers, both of our own Nation and others: This way would hurt neither rich nor poor, provided that Navigation and a free Circulation of Trade be maintained, and Merchants in couraged; for the sums of Money that are now wanted, and that must be raised to make good the deficiency of former Funds, and for the present supply of the King, will be much more difficult to be advanced than ever, for as Trading sinks, so in proportion all things fall into a Consumptive State, and therefore Taxes will rarely answer, because the Commodities they are laid on, are not spent and consumed as formerly, great part of the people being forced by pure necessity to retrench their expenses in all Luxurious Commodities, of which no more than is consumed in England, are of value to the King, for those that are Exported, pays next to nothing, most of the Customs being drawn back.  
So that it is clear and manifest beyond Contradiction, the want of Trading makes the generality of the people grow poor, of which our Experience hath made us too sensible already, so that not only the Consumption of the forementioned Commodities, but likewise of our Manufactures too, will be lessened.  
It may be some will object, That the English Nation have never been used to have their Food and Clothing Taxed, so that it will be a hard Morsel to swallow: I answer hereunto that before now, we never had occasion for such great sums of Money, and therefore, as the sums are great and strange, the Methods of raising them, must be as universal, and it will be well if the Nation can do it either by this or any other equal way or Method.  
Now it is further to be noted that the principal cause and reason, why we have suffered such great Shipwrecks of late in our Trade hath been from the War, so that our neutral Neighbours have had opportunity to increase their number of Ships and Seamen, which by their considerable gain, have wounded us to the very heart, in the next place our Merchants and Traders, are of as various Opinions and Notions in Trade, both those that Trade abroad and such as Trade at home, and for the most part so many Trades as there are, so many Notions and Opinions they are of, in those Trades they have been bred up, so that if Traders do not know nor essentially understand and have not true universal Principles and Notions, but disagree among themselves.  
But it is not to be doubted, that if the Exporters and all inland Traders, and dependers or Craftsmen, did agree in true universal Notions and Methods of Trade, than our Country Gentlemen must be convinced and made sensible, that it would be their principal interests to propagate and advance Trade, which hitherto hath made this Nation richer than any of our Nighbouring Countries, and hath more than trebled in value every Acre of Land in England, within the compass of one hundred years, for about that time Trading and Merchandise did take its birth, we having very little before, for in King Henry VIII.'s Reign the Customs were not much more than Ten thousand pound Per Annum, by which any person may easily Judge of Trade then and now, and all Land Manufactures, bore then a proportionable low value; but it is to be noted, that our great and as it were unheard-of Trade, hath advanced within the compass of Fifty years, when it came on with a rapid motion, which was chiefly occasioned by the Wars and continual devestations, our Neighbouring Nations made one upon another, and if any of them had Peace Seven or Ten years, then new Wars were waged again, so that by their Misery and Poverty, England had the opportunity to invest themselves in the whole Trade of Europe, and about the same time the West-Indies was settled to the very great profit and advancement of Navigation, which hath now seen its best days and if the present Impositions lately laid on their Commodities, be not eased, many brave Plantations must of necessity sink and come to nothing, or at least yield no profit nor advantage to England, and will as it were cut of one of the principalest Branches of Navigation, as has been already said: for it is the great quantities of Bulksom Commodities, that multiplies Ships and Men, and that pays the King most Customs, viz. Sugar, Tobacco, Cotton, Ginger, Wine, and the like, which Commodities can never be in any Quantity Imported nor consumed, but only in such Nations, as have a free brisk Trade and easy Duties to the Importer, and where the Commonalty and working people have great Wages, which renders them able to Drink and Eat them; for that is the Mouth or Carrier that vends the most part of such things.  
For this cause the Tradesmen and other common people of England have spent and consumed greater quantities of such things than half Europe; the Tradesmen and poor of other Nations hardly knowing their names, and much less their natures.  
Now many do allege, that it is the Exportation of several Commodities that we bring for Returns from Foreign parts, that affords the most benefit to this Nation, which I agree to, yet nevertheless there are many eminent Commodities, which are Imported and pays the King considerable Duties which must be spent in England, viz. Spanish Fruit, as Raisins of several sorts, Figs, Pruens, Currant, Dates, Almonds, Rice, Spice, Silks, Wines of all sorts, etc. the Consumption whereof, since the dead Trading and high Taxes, have been contracted into a narrow Circle, and must be yet more if Merchants, Traders, and Tradesmen, do not meet with more encouragement than they have lately, or than they have a present prospect of; so that it is most clear that the Consumption of such things at home is as profitable to the Nation, as those that are Exported again: for if we can neither consume them at home nor Export them abroad, how should our Neighbours be able to pay for our Manufactures, for which we have those Commodities in Exchange; Some perhaps will object, and say we may have money, which cannot be: but suppose such a thing could be effected, what then would become of our Navigation, for a few Ships would carry our own Manufactures and bring in Money, and what support would this be to the Government, for then all the Customs would not pay the King's Officers their Salaries, more especially since our Markets are not so encouraging as formerly; and hence it is that the Revenues of the Crown do decrease, occasioned by the general retrenching of expenses.  
I shall further add, That the additional duties and high imposts laid on Merchandizes, do either discourage the Trader, or oceasion less quantities to be Imported, making such things dear to the Subject, and thereby the Consumption is abated, because the people cannot reach to buy them, which as has been said already, will ruin our Plantations in the West-Indies.  
The like is to be understood of great excises on several Commodities at home, which does so advance them, that thereby the common people consumes but a third or half the quanties they did when they were cheap: besides high duties on some Commodities, do as it were put a full stop to them, so that they pay the King little or no duty nor Custom, for if the imposts be greater than the interest, it does as it were at once cut off all public commerce and puts people on contriving indirect Methods and Ways how they may run such things, by which means the King is deprived of his Customs and the universal use of the thing is lost, and what is spent is made dear, so that people cannot obtain it, and there is no Man of sense but must acknowledge, that it is the Circulation of Trade amongst the inferior Artificers and Tradesmen, on whom the chief and principal Consumption of our own Manufactures, and more particularly of Imported Commodities, such as Sugar, Spices, Spanish Fruit, all sorts of Wines, and the like, depends, and it is clear that if our Trade both at home and abroad, had been in such a Consumptive state Twenty or Thirty years ago as it is now, than this City would never have been built, nor so many Noble Houses and Structures Erected, as there has been in and about London, which are as so many Monuments of our former Riches and great Trade.  
It hath been also observed, that in England, after Wars and Devastations, we used to have a considerable increase of Trade, and this being within the memory of most Traders, the people on the late Peace did expect to see the same, but they now find altogether the contrary, and instead of an increase, most Trades have been much worse than before, and as to our Merchants, what was taken before and destroyed by our Enemies in the War, hath been as it were cast away on Shore, by the small vend and low prices. So Melancholy at present are the Circumstances of Traders and Merchants of all degrees.  
Therefore it would be highly necessary that there should be a Commit composed of two or three of the most prudent of each Trade who have, during the late War, been Traders, and continue to be at this time, and whose Estates and Stocks are now employed that way, for such are most sensible of the late Wounds our Trade has received, and can best advise Methods how they may be healed again; so that it were better such a Committee do not consist of those whose Education and manner of Life hath tended another way; nor yet of old Merchants, who for a considerable time have withdrawn their Stocks from Trade: for, tho' these may be Men of sufficient Parts and Integrity, yet now, all the Circumstances of Trading seem to be new; and therefore the Management and Methods that were formerly proper, before we had so many Rivals, cannot be supposed to be serviceable at present.  
FINIS.   

Books lately Printed for J. Harris at the Harrow in Little-Britain.  

1. A Complete History of Europe, or, a View of the Affairs thereof, Civil and Military: From the Beginning of the Treaty of Nimeguen, 1676. to the conclusion of the Peace at Reswick, 1697, Including the Articles of the former, and the several Infringements of them; The Turkish Wars; The forming of the Grand Confederacy; The Revolution in England, etc. With a Particular Account of all the Actions by Sea and Land on both sides; and the Secret Steps that have been made towards a Peace, both before, as well as during the last Negotiation. Wherein are the several TREATIES. The whole intermixed with divers Original Letters, Papers, and Memoirs, never before published. Written by a Gentleman, who kept an exact Journal of all Transactions for above these 20 Years: Price.  
2. The Secret History of White-Hall, from the Restoration of K. Charles TWO, down to the Abdication of the lato K. james. Writ at the Request of a Noble Lord, and conveyed to him in Letters by— late Secretary Interpreter to the Marquis of Louvois, who by that means had the perusal of all the Private minutes been England and France for many Years. The whole consisting of Secret Memoirs, which have hitherto lain concealed, as not being discoverable by any other hand. Published from the Original Papers. By D. jones, Gent. Price 5 s.  
3. A Continuation of the Secret History of White-Hall, from the Abdication of the late King james, in 1688. to the Year 1697. Together with the Tragical History of the Stuarts, from the first Rife of that Family, in the Year of 1068, down to the death of her late Majesty Queen Mary of Blessed Memory. By D. jones, Gent. Price 5 s.  
4. God's Judgement against Whoring. Being an Essay towards A General History of it, from the Creation of the World, to the Reign of Augustulus, (which, according to common Computation, is 5190 Years) and from thence down to the present Year 1697. Being a Collection of the most Remarkable Instances of Uncleanness, that are to be found in Sacred or Profane History during that time. With Observations thereon. Price 3 s. 6 d.  
5. Concubinage and Polygamy disproven: Or, the Divine Institution of Marriage betwixt one Man and one Woman only, asserted. In answer to a Book, writ by john Bulter, B. D. called his Case, lately presented by the Grand Jury of London; wherein he mentions, 'tis Lawful to keep a Concubine, etc. Price 1 s.  
6. The Political mischiefs of Popery: Or, Arguments demonstrating. (1.) That the Romish Religion Ruins all those Country's wheae 'tis established. (2.) That it occasions the loss of above 200 Millions of Livres, or 16 Millions Sterlin per Annum to France in particular. (3.) That if Popery were abolished in France, that Kingdom would become incomparably more Rich and Populous; and the King's Revenues would advance above 600 Millions of Liures per Annum. (4.) That it is impossible that France should ever be re-established, while Popery is their National Religion. By a Person of Quality, a native of France; Author of they Desolation of France demonstrated; Dedicated to the Honourable House of Commons. Price 1 s. 6 d.    

ERATA.  
PAge 3. L. 16. for sing, read using, p. 8. l. last, for two pence, r. twelve pence, p. 15. l. 22. for Encroachments, Incroachers, p. 25. l. 29. for what was taken, r. what 〈…〉