REASONS HUMBLY OFFERED For Excepting the Rivers of Elbe, Weser, and Eyder, out of the BILL for a General Liberty of Exporting the Woollen Manufactures of this KINGDOM.  
THE most ancient Company of Merchant-Adventures of England having published several times in the Gazette, That all their Majesties Subjects( handicrafts Men only excepted) may come into the said Company for 40 s. Fine, and thereby be equally entitled with all other Members of the said Company to have the Benefit of all the honourable and advantageous Privileges the said Company enjoyeth in the City of Hamburgh and elsewhere, whereby they have made the said Company so extensive, as that they cannot but hope it will give a general Satisfaction.  
And having likewise, as they humbly conceive, cleared all Objections and Aspersions against their Admission, Oath, and their By-Laws, that they are no way ensnaring nor destructive to Trade, but alterable at Will and Pleasure, as they conceive it may be most conducing to the Improvement and Increase of the Exportation of the Woollen Manufacture of England into the Limits of their Charter, into all which Limits they have granted or consented, That all Persons whatsoever may freely Export the Woollen Manufacture of this Kingdom( excepting to the Rivers of Elbe, Weser, and Eyder) which is in substance no more than to preserve their Trade to the City of Hamburgh, and the great Privileges they enjoy there, whereof all Persons that come into the said Company may have the like Benefit, that being their staple Town, where they always keep great Quantities of English Woollen Manufactures, for Furnishing those Parts at all times plentifully with what they have occasion for.  
And having also, as they conceive, sufficiently set forth, that the Increase of the Exportation of the Woollen Manufacture in the Years 1690, 1691, and 1692, was not to be attributed unto the Freedom then granted, but unto other Accidents then and in the former three Years attending Trade. And it appearing, that in this last Year 1693 there hath been a more liberal Exportation of the Woollen Manufacture of this Kingdom, than in either of the three Years of Freedom, they conceive and hope than it will be granted, the said Company have not hindered the Exportation of the Woollen Manufacture, but advanced the same, and consequently the Price of Wool.  
And it having been fully demonstrated, by what indirect Means the Foreigners undermine and seek to root out the English Merchants, and for a present Profit to themselves debase the Woollen Manufacture of this Nation, to the great Discredit and Prejudice thereof in Foreign Parts, and what Provision there is made in Germany to secure the Trade of those Parts unto their Natives, to the Exclusion of Foreigners; it is evidently plain, That no English Men can carry on any Trade in Germany for their own Accounts, unless the said Company and their Privileges be preserved in the City of Hamburgh. And if the English Merchant becomes extinct abroad, the English Factor will soon be extinct at home, for the Foreigners employ no English Men longer than until they can introduce their own Relations and Country Men. And if the English Merchant be not supported, the English Navigation must needs cease; for it is very known, that Foreigners do at all times employ their own Shipping, and never any English, but in case of Necessity.  
And as to the West-Country Commodities, and the Exportation and Consumption thereof into the Parts of Germany; the said Company intend, and hope to make it appear, that they will be so far from lessening and preventing the same, as that they will, to the utmost of their power, promote its increase by its Exportation into Germany.  
And as to all other frivolous Objections and Aspersions against the said Company, wherein there is as little Foundation of Reason as of Truth, they have already been so fully answered, that there needs no farther Reply to be given to them.  
But by what is now, and heretofore hath been set forth, it is humbly hoped, that the honourable House of Commons, and every Member of the same, will have received so full Satisfaction, so as that the said Ancient Company of Merchant-Adventurers of England may be received into their Favour, so far as it concerneth their Trade for the City of Hamburgh, by Excepting the Rivers of Elbe, Weser, and Eyder, out of the Bill for the Free Liberty of Exporting the Woollen Manufacture of England into the Limits of the said Company's Charter; that the great and honourable Privileges the said Company enjoy in the City of Hamburgh, whereof all Their Majesties Subjects coming into the said Company may enjoy the Benefit, be not totally lost, and the English Merchants to those Parts become extinct, the English Navigation thither lost, and the Trade of the Woollen Manufacture wholly devolve into the Hands of Foreigners, whereby they will have an Opportunity to regulate and ruin the same to their own Advantage: But that they will be pleased to make an Experiment in what Manner, and how the said Company can manage the Trade of the Woollen Manufacture to the increase and Advantage of the same, and Honour of the Nation, as their Predecessors heretofore unquestionably did.   

For Excepting the Elbe, Weser, and Eyder, out of the Bill for a Free Trade in the Woollen Manufactures.