REASONS for a general Liberty to all Clothiers to Sell their Cloath When, Where, and As they please.  
Against the Restrictions and designed Alterations of the methods of Trade in the Woollen Manufacture, in a Bill now depending in Parliament, for the better preventing the Exportation of wool, by altering the Penalty, and for the preservation of the Market at Blackwell-Hall, &c.  
Humbly Submitted to the Consideration of the Honourable House of Commons.  
WHAT is observed in the Natural Body, holds true in Bodies politic, either in the Whole, or any considerable Part thereof; ( viz.)  
That all Sudden Alterations are dangerous.  
The present Rule of Trade in the Woollen Manufacture for Exportation, is, Allowing a General Liberty to all Clothiers to sell their Cloath When, Where, and As they find the greatest Encouragement, without any Restrictions as to Time, Place, or Manner of Selling; and under this General Liberty the Woollen Marufacture hath most flourished in its Exportation, and more particularly in the turkey Trade, the most advantageous Market for our Cloath. But should the design'd-Alterations in the Bill depending be once established, Two things( amongst many other Inconveniences) seem to be the Natural Consequences; ( viz.)  
First, None but the Rich Clothiers can Trade.  
Secondly, Small Quantities will be then sold for Exportation, and at far dearer Rates than the now Price.  
The Consequence of the first ill Effect will be the Ruin of many Hundred Cloathiers, and their more Numerous dependents.  
And the fatal Consequence of the Rich Cloathiers selling so dear, must in time ruin our Trade with turkey and other Parts, where the Markets would be soon supplied by other Nations upon much easier Terms than our Merchants then could sell their Cloath.  
That Maxim in Trade relating to private Persons, Light Gain makes a Heavy Purse, holds undoubtedly true with respect to our Exportations; for when we can upon more easy terms than other Nations, supply Foreign Markets with any Commodity, then we may hope to be( if not the sole, yet) the most General Traders; and tho our Gains in the Yard may be but small, yet our Profit in the Whole, by the vast Quantities we sell, will be very Considerable.  
It is an uncontroverted Maxim in Trade, The more Markets, the more Buyers, and the more Commodities are dispersed, the greater Quantities will be sold, than when confined to one Market.  
Whilst Clothiers are at liberty to follow such Measures in their Trade as they find most conducive to their Interest, it seems strange and scarce credible, they should desire to be shackled, and lie under such Restrictions as this Bill would enact. If it was in fact the Interest of All Clothiers( who sand Cloth to London) to sell their Cloth only in Blackwell-Hall( as some would insinuate) how comes it to pass that the Clothiers are the only part of Mankind that do not follow their Interest, when at Liberty so to do. Interest will not lie, but Plausible Insinuations from some Glocestershire Rich Designing Clothiers( the Chief Promoters of this Bill for their own Private Interest) may Err. And seeing All Sorts of Clothiers do now in Fact use other Markets in Trade besides Blackwell-Hall, such their practise is a stronger Argument that the present Method of Trade( which is now followed out of Choice, and not by Restraint) is for the General Interest of that Trade, than any Cunning Pretences or Colourable Arguments can prove to the Contrary.  
Whereas it was objected against the Packers, That they give too large Credit:  
Answ. Credit is the life of Trade; and without Credit the Woollen Manufacture will soon decay; and considering the greatness of the Trade, there is not one instance to be given of so small Losses in so large returns.  
And it is humbly conceived( for the Reasons before alleged) That should this Bill pass, the Exportation of Cloath would be much less than it now is, which would extremely prejudice the Woollen Manufacture, and thereby much abate the Price of Wool.  
By the Title and Preamble of this Bill, the preventing the Exportation of wool seems to be the main design of the Act; but by the body of the Bill it appears that other things are therein chiefly intended; for it takes off the Greatest Penalties against that Exportation, and Enacts Less Penal in their stead. But the great drift of the Rich Glocestershire Clothiers( the first promoters of this Bill) by Passing this Act, would be the enriching themselves out of the Ruins of the Trade of many other Clothiers of the Poorer sort; whose preservation against this design tends not only to the saving many Families from Ruin, but also keeps up the value of wool, which( with humble Submission) is of as great concern to this Nation, especially the country Gentlemen, as can come before this Honourable House; to the great Wisdom whereof, the Premises are most humbly submitted.