REASONS against the Prohibiting the Wearing of East-India and Persia Wrought Silks, Bengals, Dyed and Printed calicoes, &c. in England, Humbly offered to the Consideration of the Honourable House of Commons.  
HAving lately presented an Humble Petition to the Honourable House of Commons in relation to the Present Case, which, not meeting with the desired Effect, we are induced to believe, that it would be no inconsiderable Service to the whole Kingdom in General, as well as to the Particular Satisfaction of that Honourable House, to Publish the Reasons that Encouraged the Presenting the said Petition; where, upon an Equal State of the Matters controverted, it will incontestably appear, how Fatal and Universally Detrimental the Consequences of such a Prohibition( as the Weavers of Canterbury, Norwich, &c. are endeavouring to Obtain in their Bill) must of necessity prove. For Trade in General is always free, and will never endure to be Shackel'd and compelled; so that when any Nation or Society whatsoever, shall by unreasonable Prohibitions or any other Means endeavour to kerb and Restrain her, it will, without doubt, soon make her uneasy in her present Residence, and watch for all opportunities of removing thither, where she is likely to meet with better Quarters, and kinder Entertainment.  
Besides by a Serious Consideration of the few Reasons following, the utter improbability of such a Prohibition ever being able to answer the great ends thereby proposed, will be fully and satisfactorily demonstrated; which now shrouds itself under such Specious pretences to no other end in the Upshot, but the enriching some particular Persons, and most of them Foreigners, at the unavoidable expense and hazard of the public Profit and Advantage.  
They allege in behalf of their Prohibition, That about Sixteen Years past there was but an inconsiderable Trade at Canterbury, in making Wrought Silks and Worsted Stuffs, &c. but that now the English Industry has mightily increased the Manufactory to the exceeding Diminution and Prejudice of the French, Dutch, and Italian Trade.  
One would think it should be fatally Ominous to the Sticklers for the Prohibition to stumble at the first step; for it's beyond contradiction evident, that the difference between the Trade then and now, arose only from the Dearness of those Foreign Commodities, and the Cheapness of East-India Goods, which were Imported in the Years 1683, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88.( there being a Contention then between the Company and Interlopers, and not as they pretend) as can be made appear by the Custom-House Books.  
Besides, 'tis allowed that the Trade at Canterbury and Norwich has been mightily increased this last Year, but not at all upon account of the Reasons which they assign; But from the rise of Guineas from 21 s. 6 d. to 30 s. the Dutch then taking the Advantage of our Misfortunes, upon the advancing of our Gold, came over, and bought four times the quantity of our Commodities, viz. Cloth, Stuffs, Serges, Bays and Says more than they used to Trade with formerly, paying for them in Guineas at 30 s. which they took up at 24 or 25 s. at most, insomuch that Goods bought then in England are now sold for 10 l. per Cent. Cheaper at Amsterdam than they can be bought here: And we challenge them to prove, that since the fall of Guineas, that the Dutch buy up any thing near the quantities of those Commodities as they did before the value of Guineas was abated.  
Another Reason of the Increase of that Trade arises from the present War, the Government having had Occasion for about Two Million● of Money per Annum to pay their Army abroad, which the balance of Trade not answering, was forced to sand not only Norwich and Canterbury Stuffs and Says, but also led, Tin, Cloth, Bays, Leather, Tallow, and all other English Manufactures, all which is evident from the Custom-House Entries, so that they have groundlessly and impertinently alleged the Scarcity of Printed calicoes, Bengals, and Persian Wrought Silks as a reason of their Assertion, since it can be proved that there has been more Indian Goods Sold and Printed these last Four Years, than in Twenty Years before.  
Their Allegation that Raw Silks are the Product of our Woollen Manufactures is granted, but then if the Wearing all Persian Wrought Silks were Prohibited, what would the Consequence be, but that our Woollen Manufacture would be prohibited also among the Persians, who spend more of that Commodity than any other Nation in the World.  
Thus much in Answer to the Chiefest of their Allegations, let us a little consider the irremediable inconveniencies that must of necessity ensue such a Prohibition, It will undeniably be to the loss of Three parts in Four of the East-India Trade, which the Parliament at this time are consulting to Improve to the Discouragement of Industry and Commerce, the irreparable Prejudice of Navigation, the ruin of many of His Majesties Subjects that depend upon it, and tend to the unspeakable benefit of the Dutch, Scotch, and other Nations, who do already Trade to India, Persia, &c. under better privileges, and much greater Advantages than we can pretend to.  
It will exceedingly diminish the Kings Customs,( which considering our present Circumstances) cannot now be so well dispensed with. 'tis well known, the most part of those Foreign Manufactures do bring in to the Crown 25 l. per Cent. Custom, which if Exported, the drawback will leave but Two and a half to the King, which will abundantly discourage the Loan of that part of the Custom which is given by the Parliament as a Fund for this Years expense of the War.  
Nor will this Prohibition ever be an Encouragement to the making of Silks in England, as is pretended, except the wearing of Silks made in Holland, Italy, &c. be Prohibited also, since it can't be denied, but the Manufactures Imported from those countries, may be afforded Cheaper here than any of our English Silks, because they can have as much Work done there for One Shilling as we can have here for Three.  
Their Allegation that this Prohibition will open a way for the Employing a great many Weavers and other Workmen here in England, who would otherways want business, is as frivolous and insignificant as any of the rest, seeing it may be return'd upon them with equal facility, for it is undeniable that Dying, Printing, and Staining East-India Wrought Silks and calicoes, is the constant Employment of many Thousand of Persons here as Dyers, Callenders, Stiffners, Printers, &c. Whose whole Maintenance and Subsistence depends only upon this Trade, most of whom are Natural Born English Men, whereas our Canterbury Weavers are French, Dutch, and Walloons, who make little scruple of benefiting themselves at the Damage of the public.  
Many more Reasons might be suggested; but from the Consideration of these few, it is apparent that such a Prohibition as these Gentlemen stickle for, is directly against the Interest of the Nation in general, and in the Conclusion is likely to prove very fatal to those Manufactories in whose favour it is to be made, since they have all along falsely insinuated the Increase of their Trade, to have proceeded from the scarcity of these Imported Foreign Commodities, when it is occasioned by no other Reason in the World, than the Rise of Guineas, our Miscarriages in the War, and the continual demands and exactions from abroad; so that for any thing yet discovered, notwithstanding the hopes they conceive from their Darling Prohibition, their present Flushing Trade may produce more mischievous effects than are now apprehended.  
Therefore upon the whole, since the Nature of Trade is to Exchange one Commodity for another, if we Prohibit the use of those Imported hither, we cannot reasonably expect they should give any manner of Encouragement to what we 〈◇〉 thither. So that although it be alleged that the Importation of Silks from Persia, mistakenly seems to be against the Improvement of our own Manufactories: yet Considering that those Goods are brought over much Cheaper than they can be Manufactured in ●●eses parts of the World, the Prohibiting the Wearing of them here, shall turn to no better account than the making our own Manu●●●●●●es Dearer at home, and those Goods cheaper to our Neighbours, which disproportion will Naturally make our Manufactures wholly useless to them, whilst they make continual Progresses in That Trade, which we by this Prohibition shall utterly discountenance, and find it very difficult to recover it again, when our necessities shall make us sensible of our Neglect: When those in whose favour this Prohibition shall be granted, finding they have no Competitors will set higher Rates upon their Goods, and be less careful to improve them in Goodness, leaving as nothing at last for our satisfaction, but the poor Consolation of being wise too late. All which is Humbly offered to the serious Consideration of the Honourable House of Commons.   

REASONS against Prohibiting the Wearing of East-India and Persia Wrought Silks, Bengals Dyed, and Printed calicoes, &c. in England.