A PROPOSAL FOR THE Speedy Enriching Both of the KING And PEOPLE.  
LONDON, Printed in the Year, 1662.   

To my ever honoured Friend, Sir EDWARD FORD, Knight.  
SIR,  
THe various fortune generally befalling Papers that have taken leave of their Authors, hath brought one of yours into my hands, (which I found to be a design might (if once known) happily prove of singular benefit and advantage to our King and all his People, by proposing one self same way, and that easy, and certain for the general happiness of both: though our modern Politicians (who have not yet the milk of their beloved Nurse Rebellion squeezed out of their Noses) with unparallelled arrogance endeavour to make the world believe the welfare of our King and his Subjects altogether incompatible) I could no more avoid publishing this excellent Subject, than I now know how to excuse myself for doing it: but like a Girl that marries without her Friend's consent (which she was sure never to obtain) I thought 'twas less sin to do it without your knowledge, than against your will, and so more pardonable in  
Sir Your most faithful humble Servant F. BURGHILL.   

A PROPOSAL for the speedy enriching both of the KING and PEOPLE.  
NEcessity, we truly say, is the Mother of Invention, and if so, all thriving ways are more likely to be found in Petty States, than in great Monarchies; especially where the Subject's hearts are poisoned with, that groundwork of Rebellion, an endeavour to keep their King poor, that his necessities may compel him to sell his just Prerogatives for their inconsiderable money; his Birthright for their Mess of Pottage.  
If we look into the several good Husbandries of Free States, we find their design, to get themselves credit, one of the first and most thriving. To compass this credit they prudently observing that all coin is (really) but such tokens of account between men, as are certain to yield so much as they are received for; and that other like tokens of account, as Letters of Credit, Bills, Bonds, etc. are, for their greater conveniencies, accepted, nay, often preferred before money, though their security is far from being infallible: upon these observations they most politically raise themselves a Bank of money, enough to give them credit, and no more (for no considerate man can believe that they have so much money, as they give out Bills for, what then do they get? but lose their charge of guarding their Banks, and keeping accounts) And with this (truly deceitful) credit they drive on all profirable Trades and Designs, and so grow really rich.  
By these then (though their Bill-credit be visibly capable of deceiving their Creditors, and no way able to give such satisfaction that a Land Bank may) we may learn, That  

1. It is practicable; for all free States have it.  
2. It is profitable; or else they would not all continue it.  
3. It is compassable; for they have brought their people to it on slender and unknown security.  
4. It is not grievous to the Subject; for they never complain or grumble at it.  
5. It lesseneth not, but increaseth, coin; for what Monarch lends such sums, as little Genoa to the King of Spain? that great Master and Merchant of Gold and Silver.   
Having then before us such Clear, Profitable, and Long practised Precedents, why may not we also erect the like office (and as much more satisfying as land security is to an uncertain money Bank) and this office either, to be the same, or like, our Statute office, (which yet never deceived) where all who have lands of clear title, may by engaging them there have 5 l. Bills of Credit made transferrable and current to half the value of the Land; for such a Land Bank cannot fail, or deceive the receivor of such Bills: and the Debtor on these Bills, or the Office, may easily make good any of them, being in effect but changing the 5 l. Bills into shillings, the Bill being still currant. And to encourage both borrower and lender, every Bill shall show the person and land engaged, and shall be eminently free from counterfeiting, loss by thiefs, or any other casualty, or accident.  
The borrower shall pay but 4 or 5 l. per annum use for this Bill, or more properly Land-money, (for we do not call our Statutes Mortgages, etc. paper or parchment money, but we reckon, (and truly) that thereby we have in our pockets, or boxes, so much land.)  
And yet the Lender shall have 6 l. per cent. use for any money or Bills he will lodge here, which may be done, because there will be twenty borrowers for one lender.  
The Orphan also hath here a sure place for his Portion, so that his Guardian cannot (as now usually) cheat him, by accounting unto him little or no use, pretending that his money lay dead for want of good security: And all others (whose only revenue is their money) are hereby free from ruin by broken Debtors, or deceitful security: And as by this all landed men may easily have money to complete all provident good improvements, and trade, so will any ingenious person, though he hath no land to mortgage, because there will be 20 Masters of money for one now. By this also (besides many innumerable improvements by it, and so increase of all vendibles which bring us Bullion) we may go through with the Herring, and other fishing Trades, sufficient (almost alone) to enrich the Kingdom: for if we had but two millions Credit (only for a few years) we might bring our fishing to such a Revenue, that of itself would be sufficient to pay our first charge, and for ever employ our poor, breed up Mariners, make us rich, and much more powerful both by sea and land: And all this without altering, straining, or thwarting, any Law or Custom now in force amongst us, or raising any new Tax from the Subjects; which really is the only cause of the Vulgars' discontent, and the principal ingredient our King's old (and never to be reconciled) enemies have ever used to poison the poor deceived people, and make them swell into Rebellion.  
FINIS.