REASONS Humbly Offered For Restraining the Wearing of Wrought Silks, Bengals, and Dyed, Printed, and Stained calicoes, of the Product and Manufacture of Persia and the East-Indies, in England and our Plantations.  
THE Goods Imported from the East-Indies, for several Years after the East-India Company were first Established, were Drugs, Spices, Salt-petre, &c. and some Course Callico's, which were most Exported again: The Members of that Company being then afraid to adventure on other Manufactured Goods, because they well knew it would prejudice our own, and raise a Storm against the Company, as they often-times declared.  
That the Charter of the East-India Company was Confirmed by King Charles II. in the Thirteenth Year of his Reign: and the Law for permitting Bullion to be Exported, was made soon after, at the Solicitation of that Company; and till then, little Silver or Gold was Exported. After that Law was made, begun the great Exportation of Bullion to India.  
That, in Anno 72, or 73 several Artificers, were sent over by the Company, with great quantity of English Patterns, to teach the Indians how to Manufacture Goods to make them Vendible in England, and the rest of the European Markets. After which began the great Trade in Manufactured Goods from the Indies.  
That this was complained of, and proved before several Lords appointed by King Charles II. in Anno 1680, or 81. Whereupon the Company received some Discouragement; but finding great Gain by Wrought Silks, Bengals and Callico's, would not desist Trading in them: upon which great Complaints were made in Parliament, against the growth of the East-India Trade.  
That about 500000 l. in Bullion, and but small quantities of our Manufactures have been Yearly Exported; and vast quantities of Manufactured Goods Imported, for several Years before the War.  
That a great part of the India Manufactured Goods were spent in England, and our Plantations, in the room of our own Manufactures, viz. their Wrought Silks, Bengall's, Painted and Dyed Callico's, in the room of our Silks, Half Silks, Worsted Stuffs, says, Perpetuano's, and divers other Commodities, not only for Vestments for both Sexes, but for Hanging of Rooms, Beds, &c.  
That the India Trade was increased, before the War, to a very great height, and their Manufactures in so great request, that they( from being a Scandal to be worn a few years before) soon after became the general Wear of almost all sorts and degrees of Persons; by which means our own Manufactures were neglected, and our Manufacturers thereby under great discouragement, being not able to carry on their Trades, many were forced to give over, whereby the Poor wanted Employment, the Price of Wool reduced very low, and great quantities of Wool could not be Manufactured: Whereupon the Parliament thought it necessary to make a Law for Burying in Woollen, thereby to consume some of the Wool that lay heavy upon the Growers Hand.  
That the Indians have Provisions and Materials very cheap, and Wages at three Half-pence or two pence a Day; which disables us, and the rest of the European Traders, to contend with them; and for this reason, their Trade did increase apace, until this War; and unless restrained, will most certainly increase, to the ruining of our best fabrics, and the vast number of People that have their Livelihood and dependence thereupon.  
That since this War, the India Company have laboured under some Discouragements, and but small quantities of their Manufactured Goods, in proportion to what they formerly brought in, have been Imported; by reason thereof, great Encouragement hath been given to the Manufactures of Silk, Half Silk, and Worsted, which have been very much improved in a great variety of Figured, Strip'd, and other sort of Stuffs, which have been made not only in London, Norwich and Canterbury, in much greater quantities than ever; but this Manufacture has now spread itself to Bristol, Newbury, and divers other Parts of the Kingdom; and will yet increase, if due Encouragement be given thereto.  
That since our Trade hath increased, greater numbers of Poor have been employed, and greater quantities of English Wool consumed; so that the Price of the Wool is advanced, and the Labour and Wages of the Poor increased; which enables them to live comfortably, and consume the Product of the Land, to support themselves and Families; which is of great Advantage to the Landlords and Tenants, and the Benefit of the whole Nation.  
That in case the East-India Stock should be enlarged, and that Trade settled by Act of Parliament, it will be in the power of that Company to ruin our Woollen and Silk Manufactures, and bring down the Price of Wool, and Work-mens Labour and Wages, as low, if not lower, than ever, unless the Wearing of the said Manufactured Goods be prohibited in England, and the Plantations.  
That such Prohibition would not only encourage our own Manufactures, upon which the Value of Lands, and the Employment of our Poor depends, but prevents the Exportation of much of our Coin, which at this time can be very ill spared; and also prevent many of the Inconveniences feared from the Scotch East-India Company.  
That since there is a Trade found out to the Indies, no Objection can well be made against their Trade in Spices, Drugs, Salt-petre, &c. nor against the Manufactured Goods that are brought in, and again exported to Foreign Markets; because it will be carried on by others, if we should neglect it: But certainly it must be accounted very ill Husbandry, and will be of fatal and ruinous consequence, to despise our own Manufactures, and sand our Gold and Silver to the Indies, from whence it will never return, to purchase Manufactur'd Goods to be consumed at Home, when our Money may be kept here to circulate among ourselves; and is so necessary to our Commerce, and payments of our Fleets and Armies, without which, we can neither be rich or safe.  
That the great Argument that is used in favour of the East-India Company, is, That although they Export great Quantities of Bullion, yet they bring in much more for the Goods they sell in Foreign Markets. Supposing their Assertion to be true, this can be no Argument against the prohibiting their Manufactures to be worn in England, and our Plantations, but rather an Argument for it; for what is consumed at Home, brings in no Bullion; and if none be consumed at Home, more may be sent Abroad: for it will make the Company more industrious to find out either New Commodities to deal in, or Markets for the vending thereof, whereby they may make their Trade more Profitable to the Nation.  
It is also alleged, in favour of the East-India Trade, That there have of late years been great Quantities of English Cloth Exported by the Company. To which this Answer is to be given, That the Cloth by them Exported more than formerly, is not consumed in India, but sent thence to Persia; which hinders the Turkey Merchants, who formerly used to supply those Markets. So that the East-India Company sending away our Cloth, proves no Advantage to us, and is only done to gain a good Opinion, and make the Nation believe that their Trade is not so prejudicial to us as has been represented, or as in reality it is.  
That the sending our Money to the East-Indies, to purchase Goods perfectly Manufactured there, may Advance Lands, Enrich the People, Employ the Poor in India: But such as are spent here, in the room of our own Manufactures, must have the quiter contrary effect with us.  
Whether it be for the Interest of England, to Settle the East-India Trade, without Restrictions, is humbly submitted to the Consideration of the Parliament.   

REASONS Against Wearing of India Wrought Silks, Bengals, and calicoes, In England, and the Plantations.