QUERICAL DEMONSTRATIONS, WRIT BY PRINCE BUTLER, Author of the Eleven QUERIES RELATING TO The BILL for prohibiting East-India Silks and Printed calicoes.  
CAN any Man doubt my Truth and Sincerity? I am an East-India Merchant, and speak where my Interest is concerned.  
It is not as easy to demonstrate that the prohibiting the wear of East-India wrought Silks, &c. is a prejudice to England, as to make out that Account to be just and true, which was lately referred to the East-India Committee? and ought not this Bill to be hindered from passing, by the same honest Means, which few years since were used to obtain a Charter and Settlement?  
Are not the Writers for the East-India Company to be believed? since in order to get it settled by Act of Parliament, they declared that Three parts in four of these East-India Silks Imported, were again Exported? and now, in order to destroy the Prohibition Bill, they own Three parts in four are consumed in England.  
Will not the Nation be ruined, if we prohibit the wear of East-India Silks? for then we shall wear our own Growth and Manufacture, instead of Silks fetched in with our Money and Bullion.  
Had not a Hundred thousand Poor rather come to their Parishes for want of Work, and all the Land of England fall two years Purchase; then that the Cook-Maids should not be clothed in India Silks, and the Ladies in calicoes?  
Is not this Prohibition a French Invention, who neither understand not pursue their own Interest? what are they the better for encouraging Trade and their own Manufactures? and is not their Navigation of late years visibly decreased by it?  
Will not this Prohibition be of great Advantage to the Dutch? for now we must go to foreign Markets with these wrought Silks, as well as they.  
Is it not demonstrable that this will be the making the Scotch East-India Company? because if the Bill pass they cannot Retail these Silks in England. Indeed the chief Subscribers are the greatest Sticklers against this Bill; but Merchants are often mistaken in point of Interest.  
Is it not as plain that this is a Partial Bill, calculated for the Interest of Norwich and Canterbury? since except those Cities, there are only the Landed men concerned; and in London, Exeter, Bristol, and the rest of England, there are not above Five hundred thousand People maintained by the Woollen and Silk Manufactures.  
Is not the employing Two thousand Seamen in the India Trade( whereof above half perish in the Voyage) to be preferred to the Maintenance of such an inconsiderable number.  
Since farthest fetched is most esteemed, and they work in India for One penny a day, were it not for the Advantage, as well as the Satisfaction of England, to sand all our wool thither to be Manufactur'd?  
Were it not better the People of England were obliged to go Naked, rather than wear their own Manfufactures? for so they might sand all their Cloths and Stuffs abroad, and bring the balance of Trade even.  
But since that can't be done at the latter end of a Sessions, why not prohibit the Dutch and Italian Silks? for they are dearer than our Silks: and encourage the wearing East-India Silks? for they will even under-sell our Stuffs.  
Why should not the Parliament, for the same reason, Repeal the Woollen Act, and oblige every Body to be butted in India Silks?  
What can make England more happy and merry than this East-India Trade will in time? which Exports so much of our Money to fetch Commodities only consumed here? for Contabit vacum—  
Do not the East-India Merchants know the Interest of the Nation better than the Country Gentlemen? have they not always preferred the public Good to private Gain? who can be a better Shepherd than the Wolf?( if he pleases) nay, than an East-India Trader? who will not only preserve your Sheep from being destroyed, but will not let them be so much as fleeced.  
If the wear of East-India Silks, &c. be prohibited, will not the Indians take it heinously ill? for they do not so much consider our buying these Commodities, as our wearing them. And unless we are clothed in their Silks, their Horses and Elephants will not be willing to wear our Broad-cloth.  
If the Soldiers Wives are not in India Silks, Where shall their Husbands get Gun-powder? the Indians will let us have no Saltpetre. For a Trader, when he cannot sell what Commodity he pleases, will starve before he will sell any other.  
Has not the Price of Land visibly Advanced for these Thirty years last past, which is about the time first Imported these Manufactures? and for these last Two years, that few or none have been Imported, are not Rents worse paid, and wool become a Drug?  
Which Mercer lives best, and is most likely to thrive? he who Clothes his Family in the richest Silks? or he who plays the fool and cells them, turns the Penny, and makes his Wife and Children wear Woollen?  
Is not this Prohibition a manifest Injury to that vast number of Gentlemen's Sons bound Apprentices to linen Drapers? since that Trade only consists in selling India Silks and Cottons, and has done so for these many Hundred years before these Goods were known?  
Will not the Customs considerably abate if this Prohibition pass? for these very Commodities have raised above Ten thousand pounds within these Seven years, and therefore ought to be continued, though to the prejudice of Land. For pray, what has Land furnished towards carrying on of the War?  
Is it not apparent this Prohibition Bill is defective, and will not answer the ends proposed by the Landed-men and English Manufactures? For are not the India Merchants more solicitous to hinder the passing this Bill, then to forward the passing their own Settlement?  
Lastly, If this Bill should pass, it may put the Parliament in the mind of making another Act, for the encouragement of our own Woollen and Silk Manufactures, That no Silks shall hereafter be Imported, but such as come in Return of our Products and Manufactures, would not such an Act exasperate the French? who only Import Silks in Return of Money, and be of dangerous Consequence?   

Querical Demonstrations, Writ by Prince BUTLER, Author of the Eleven QUERIES Relating to the BILL for prohibiting East-India Silks and Printed calicoes.