The East-India TRADE  
BEING lately Proposed by a Paper in Print to be carried on by a Stock of 1400000 l. to be took up at Interest on the Credit of itself, and upon one months' Tax of 70000 l. to be settled for ever to Answer the Interest of so much of that Money as the Produce of that Trade should at any time fail to afford, (which without a mighty Misfortune can be none) and the Profit after to Redound to the Landed Men of the Kingdom proportionable to their Respective Interest (as more at large by that Paper appears) seeming very hard upon Merchants, and such as only have Money, and so by that Proposal can come to have no Advantage from that Trade, of the Benefit of which all England ought to partake: It seems much more Reasonable it should be divided between the Owners of Money and Land, which may be done thus.  
Suppose as aforesaid the Stock for this Trade 1400000 l. to be took up at Interest as need shall require, and the Stock itself, and one months' Tax of 70000 l. per Month for ever to be settled to secure it, which Security as aforesaid, and a Committee to Manage (as in the Paper proposed) being settled, let Books for Subscriptions be opened, and let 700000 l. of the 1400000 l. Stock be Subscribed in the very same way as other Stocks are Subscribed for, and so to always remain one half of that 1400000 l. Stock, with this for Ever Advantage above the other half of it, viz. out of the Profits arising by the Trade 35000 l. which is 5 per Cent. Yearly for the 700000 l. Subscribed, to be always paid in the first place to whoever shall be the Owners of the said 700000 l. first Subscribed. And after payment of that Interest, and the Interest of such other Money (if any) as shall more be took up for the Use of the Company, is paid.  
The remaining Profits to be divided as upon a Stock of 1400000 l. the one Moiety to those that Subscribed the 700000 l. and the other Moiety to the Landed Men of the Kingdom, to each according to their Respective Interests. And if no Dividend be made till 30 per Cent. may be divided, such Dividend on 1400000 l. stock will amount to 420000 l. whereof 210000 l. will answer and pay a three months' Tax, after the Rate of 70000 l. per Month, to be paid to the Sheriff, and by the Sheriff to the Hundred, and thence to the Parish, and there to every Owner of Land, as his Proportion there stands. And the other 210000 l. will answer and pay to every Subscriber 30 also per Cent. for his Money Subscribed, in the very same manner as Dividends in the East-India Company have been at any time heretofore made.  
And thus this may be settled betwixt the Merchants, who furnish the Money, and the Landed Men, who lay down no Money, and who for half the Profit of the whole Trade do secure it.  
This way brings in as much fresh Money to carry on the Trade as is now ta●●'d of to be Subscribed in, and will be secure (passed all dispute) to whoever Subscribes it, as far as 5 per Cent. always, besides one Moiety of all other Profit to be reasonably hoped from the Trade.  
This from time to time lets in all such as will buy themselves in, and removeth the Mighty Objection against the other Proposals, That Merchants would be by it left out. And when any other Objection (that seems to have weight) shall further be raised, it may be probably answered, and by the Proposer of this, who you see is desirous that something at lest for the General Good should at this time be done in this Thing.  
And Gentlemen are desired to take Notice, That in the late Charters from the Crown to the Company (which is the only now Title they have to insist on) Power is thereby reserved to Their Majesties to determine those Charters at any time before Michaelmas 1694. if so be that Their Majesties in their Princely Wisdom shall so please to think fit. So that whatever Alterations relating to the East-India Trade, His Majesty by Act of Parliament or otherwise, shall please to make before Michaelmas 1694. may be made before that time without any Injustice or true colour for Clamour; whereas after that time no Alterations in those Charters can be made without just Reason for both for One and Twenty Years forward to come.  
January 3d. 1693/4.