Trade's Destruction IS England's Ruin, OR Excise Decried.  
Wherein is manifested the Irregularity and Inequality of raising money by way of Excise to defray the Charge of the Nation.  
By W. C. A Lover of his Country.  
May 28 LONDON, Printed in the Year MDCLIX.   

To the Reader.  
Courteous Reader,  
I Must ingeniously confess I am so much an Honourer and Lover of the Government of a Free State, (I mean such a Government wherein all men may taste of Subjection as well as Rule) that I was almost unwilling in this juncture of time (the Commonwealth being involved in a Labyrinth of public debts, contracted by the late General of the Army to maintain a proud Court, and to subjugate the Commonwealth to the wills and interest of his family) to publish the ensuing discourse. But finding a great inclination in some in power to continue this unequal burden of Excise, and make it a standing Law, and a condescending in others, for want of information of the evil thereof, I did, and do account myself obliged in Love to my Country, and true affection to the poor distressed Tradesmen of this Commonwealth, to proceed therein, being confidently assured, that though it may displease some selfseeking persons, yet those that are true Patriots of their Country upon serious consideration, will not have just cause to be offended thereat.  
THat the Major part of the people of England have their best and chiefest dependence and subsistence by Foreign and Domestic Trade, surely I think no rational  person can or will deny, and as the dependence of the greater part relies on Trade, so also it is undeniable, that the greatest security of the Nation doth and will rest and reside in the strength and number of shipping and Seamen, which cannot be increased but by using all prudent ways and means for the enlarging the Trade, by easing the burdens and vexations which are upon it. Hath not England the Dutch a near Neighbour so powerful and ambitious, that if our State do not providently prevent their designs, this Commonwealth will always be in danger if any advantage can be taken by them? And surely there is no better course than to increase Shipping and Seamen.  
Whilst the Romans were unprovided of Shipping, and so not able to match the Carthaginians in Naval Battles, they were not capable either to invade or subdue the Carthaginians; but when their Naval power was great, they soon brought their Neighbour-Common-wealth to their terms, and at last to a perfect Conquest.  
It is true that England is large, and hath many Lords and Gentlemen of Estates dwelling in it, and their Lands require numbers of men to manure them; but see and impartially consider, and you shall find, that those men that have nothing but their labour to subsist on either by ploughing, threshing, hedging, and such like Country employments, are little better than slaves, let them be never so laborious, their wages is so little, that they are never in all their lives, able to lay up any thing for the subsistence of their Families after their death; and therefore it generally comes to pass, that if Country-Labourers die whilst their children are young and unable to work for themselves, they must unavoidably be relieved by the Alms of the Parish, which as the Laws are executed, is a sad livelihood. But when Trade hath been good heretofore, and if God shall please to afford England that blessing, that it may be so hereafter, then did, and so may do again, all Handi-crafts that are careful, and Labourers five comfortably, and leave a maintenance to their Children.  
This being proved, surely I cannot see any reason, but that this Honourable Parliament, should, and indeed aught to reduce this Nation, to its pristine Condition of freedom for Trade. I shall grant, that when the Excise was first settled, they had reason and policy so to do: For the late King having the Command of the Inlands, and the Parliament of most of the Seaports, they had no better way then to put Excise on Goods, whereby their Enemies making use of the said goods paid the Excise, and so the Parliaments Army: But now when no Enemy hinders the improvement of Land, but that the price is far higher than in ancient times, when our Noble Ancestors neither could nor would raise moneys any otherwise, then by Subsidies, Tenths, and Fifteenths, besides a small low Custom: Yea when they were never so much beset with danger, by Sea and Land, by French, Scots and Spaniards: That our present Rulers should continue such a great Excise, is a thing hardly to be imagined. Besides doth not the fourth part of Excise run out in Charges for collecting the same? and all this cometh out of the people's purses.  
Now surely if a Commonwealth be rightly constituted and uprightly governed, all things either in Law, payments, etc. which are inconsistent either with the case and safety of the same aught to be taken away, else how can it be called a Commonwealth, or in plain English, a Common good; it's not the name of a Free-State, but the substance and power of a Free-State, that either will please or make the people happy.  
Now as to the inequality of the burden of Excise, laid on the Merchant, observe what follows. The Excise on Spanish Wine, is 9 l. per Tunn, on French Wine, 6 l. per Tunn, some of which costeth no more in France; on Salt 1 d. ob. per Gallon, which costeth the first penny in France, etc. but ob. per Gallon; on Tobacco 1 d. per Pound, which at Virginia and other English Plantations, may be bought for 2 d. per Pound: Nay the cruel Laws made by the late Single Person, are such, that if Wines are never so much decayed, they must pay 4 l. per Tunn Spanish, and 2 l. 10 s. per Tunn French, Excise, although they will not yield hardly the same. Now the charge on Goods being so great, those that Trade in Wines, Tobacco, Salt, and other such Goods, must have double the Stock that otherwise their Trade would require. It's truth the Law that was (for indeed I cannot say, is, there being none at present) for Excise, saith, that the first buyer must pay Excise, and this on some things in London is practised; yet herein cometh an evil to the Importer: For he that buyeth, payeth down ready money for Excise, which should be paid to the Merchant, and would discharge Fraight and Custom; but in the Country Ports, no buyer there ever taketh notice thereof; so that the Excise of Wine, Salt, Tobacco, and all Goods, are paid by the Importer, who often trusteth both his Stock, disoursed for buying the Goods in Foreign Parts, and the Customs and Excise on them, and looseth all, both principal and cost, by the failing or inability of his Creditor: So that it is not to be denied, but that many, both Merchants and Shopkeepers, by this means, that have but 400 l. or 500 l. Stock, to trade with, pay more to the public maintenance, than Gentlemen of 400 l. or 500 l. nay I may say 1000 l. per annum, Lands.  
Now whether this be an equal way to raise moneys, let all  men judge. And not only this; but there requires so much attendance, so much waiting for Tickets, so much Obligation in Bonds, that none that hath any full Trade, but must keep a Servant more than ordinary to manage his business, whose food and raiment must cost something. Besides this is that which doth ruin Trade, the extraordinary charges on goods, not only hindereth the expense of greater quantities, in regard of the great prizes; but also often enforceth the Merchants to sell cheaper, considering the charges on them, than otherwise they might do; and not only so, but those that make little conscience of Oaths or lying, that have little Estates to lose, and that are subtle and politic, find ways to save the Custom and Excise, which is high, and so sell cheaper than those that are able, and plain in dealing can do, when the said charges are paid, which much spoileth the current of Trade. How many Brewers in the Nation, and how many Merchants in the Country have paid great sums for Excise, when their Debtors have not paid the Principle? Let the good old way and practise of our Ancestors, be put in use in raising moneys; no Merchant, no Shopkeeper nor Tradesman, that hath an Estate, but will be willing to pay to the height of their Estates, equal to all Landed men, let it be doubled, trebled, quadrupled, when the urgent affairs of the Nation, for defence of the same requireth it: And why Landed men, whose Estates are certain, should not be ready to agree to this, I know no reason; especially if they consider, that by freedom of Trade they shall buy all Foreign Goods cheaper, and sell their Wool and other Goods dearer; and also by a good trade will their poor be so kept, that they will not be burdensome to them, for want of food and raiment to support them.  
To conclude, Take notice into what a desperate poverty, the late Ruler and his Confederates have brought the Nation, by imposing burdens on Trade: Inquire in all Ports, Cities, Towns, and Countries, and you shall find, there was never such a calamity brought on the poor, generally throughout the Land, in the midst of the late Wars, as is at present. Oh! that those who now God hath once again brought to steer the Ship of the Commonwealth, that is almost shattered to pieces, by Storms and Tempests of a desperate, selfseeking Generation, may so lay it to heart, and be so endued with Courage and Counsel, that they may at last bring her into a safe Harbour, which is the hearty desire of all honest men.   

Postscript.  
TO the Objection that some make, viz. That our neighbour State the Hollanders, raise most of the Charge of their Country on Excise, is Answered, That the Customs of Goods Imported and Transported from England, raise in a proportionable way, far more than all the Excise of the Nether-landState, or if you will, No-land State: For indeed that Commonwealth hath little Land belonging to it; and therefore its impossible, that the Charge on Land there alone, could defend the said People.   
FINIS.