Reasons showing that the desires of the Cloathiers, and Woollen Manufacturers of ENGLAND expressed long since in their Petition presented to the Parliament( against engrossing and Transporting of wool and Fullers-Earth, and that none might use it, but those that make it into Manufactures) will not be prejudicial to the Grower; but greatly beneficial to the general Trade of the whole Nation.  

1. 
witness Spanish and Irish wool, employed in this Nation.  TO begin with the Growers, Whereas the wool of the growth of England, is not sufficient to maintain the several Manufacturers that are employed about wool in England, as Cloathiers, Bay-makers, Saymakers, Serge-makers, Cottons, Freezes, Penistones, Purpetuanaes, stuffs of Norwich of all sorts, &c. Therefore seeing all must be used by them, the Grower may sell all unlimited to price or time.  
2. The Cloathiers aforesaid, are constrained to buy the greatest part of their wool, at or about shear time, when the poor Growers( if any there be) want money. And that by reason of the Summer time, to get their wool home, to die it, and dry it, for the Winter employment, for the poor which they employ about it. To which end( when they sell for time) they so order it, as to have their money due at shear time; which debts when they cannot receive, they procure money upon their credit, or their goods by pawn.  
3. If the Cloathiers aforesaid must use all the wool, then the Ingrosers would not by wool, except to sell to the Cloathiers for great profit, or to transport it.  
4. The engrossers or forestallers do hinder the Cloathiers from going to the Grower, by reason they go before the Market, and prevent the Cloathiers coming there.  
5. The more the wool is employed into several Manufactures, the greater price will be to the Grower; but if the wool be forstalled, or engrossed, it will hinder greatly the trade of all the Manufacturers, and so the loss redownds to the Grower.  
6. From experience, when for sixty years and above, the Cloathiers only had the sole buying of wool, they gave as good a price to the Grower, if not better, then since the Stapler, or Jobber had liberty to buy, till these distracted times.  
7. We hope the Growers, though many and great, do not so desire their own profits, as thereby to prejudice the general trade of this Nation; for so much wool as costs the Cloathiers 12 l. of the Growers, will cost them 16 l. more at least, to make it into a Manufacture fit to be sold in the Market.  
Lastly, As for the fear of a Monopoly by the Cloathiers, it is impossible, by reason of their multitude, and great distance one from another, through the whole Nation. They never were, or ever can be, in a society or corporation as the Staplers are; and therefore can never agree to engross wool, or hinder the Grower of his price. The reason is, if one will not buy, another will.   

That the Woollen Manufacturers having the sole buying of wool, tends exceedingly much to the Nations good.  
1. THis is, and must be taken for granted, as the foundation of the work, That all the wool that grows in England, and more, witness, Spanish, and Irish, and Cotton wools, is and might be spent, or used in several Woollen Manufactures in this Nation; as Cloth, bays, says, Serges, Purpetuanaes, stuffs of several sorts, Freezes, Cottons, Caps, Garters, Gloves, Stockings, &c.  
2. The vending of the aforesaid Manufactures beyond the Seas, is it that causeth so much and so many of the Manufactures, to be made in this Nation, which were heretofore made in other Countries.  
3. The cheapness or reasonableness, of the prizes; and goodness of the Commodity at the Market: is that which causeth so many of our woollen Commodities, to sell beyond Seas, before other Countries.  
4. The many hundred Thousands of people that are employed in making the aforesaid Commodities, doth cause such great quantities of goods, that are brought home in return of our English Commodity; to be spent in England. And doth furnish Merchants, with all manner of goods, to trade with all Nations abroad. As( for one particular) the Silk that comes in return of Cloth, doth employ many Thousands, in making all manner of silken Commodities, as Velvets, Plushes, satins, Grograms, Lace, &c. which by reason of Trade, are used much in this Nation. Likewise all sorts of Spices, Fruits, furs. Sugers, Wines, dying stuff of all kinds, Hemp, Flax, Pitch, tar, Potashes, Cordage, with many other things; nay, we may say, even gold and silver, all which are used in this Nation, by reason of the Woollen Trade.  
5. The poor of the Nation, will, or may be governed, and kept from stealing if they have work. But if they want work, their necessities and idleness, doth often occasion Rebellion and theft, with many other evils, as daily experience proveth.  
6. It is the great and chief cause of so much shipping in this Nation. And so many thousands of mariners to be employed about it. And likewise of so much Customs to be paid in this Nation, to defray all the charge of them. All which are the walls and strength of England.   
But that which chiefly, and especially, doth prejudice and destroy, that rich and precious life of Trade in this Nation, is engrossing and Transporting of wool and Fullers Earth.  

1. FOr the engrossers, Jobbers, and Broggers, do go between the bark and the three; between the Growers and the Manufacturers,; and engross the greatest part of the wool, and makes it so dear to the Clothiers, that they cannot live upon their Trades, and maintain the poor with work, nor bring their goods to the Market at reasonable rates, so that the Merchants may carry them Cheap to their Markets beyond Seas, because other Countries can afford cheaper then we, which is the main hindrance to the trade of England,  
2. The engrossers do usually abuse and corrupt the wool, when they have it in their hands, and mix several Countries wools together, which deceives the Clothiers; causeth much false and bad Cloth to be made in England, and consequently bringeth our English Commodity and Nation to be out of Credit and esteem in other Countries, which destroys the Trade of England. Their corrupting and abusing of wool, hath been fully proved before a Committee of Parliament.  
3. When the engrossers cannot have unreasonable prizes for their wool, of the Clothiers, or the Manufacturers; they will, and do Transport it beyond Seas, and there its made into Manufactures, and causeth many Workmen to go from hence, to be employed there; which doth, nay, hath already, almost lost the Trade of this once flourishing Nation.  
4. It occasions much Fullers Earth to be Transported to other Parts; both which heretofore were restrained by Law, and judged destructive to the Nation; but now frequently practised and connived at, by many Covetous Wretches and Enemies to their country. It was a Principle that ruled in the mindes and hearts of Parliament men, in Edward the sixth dayes, that the plenty of wool in England, should and ought to cause the cheapness of Commodities made of it; and thereupon did forbid any to buy, but those that made it into Manufactures.   
They would not feed the greedy covetous mindes of some men; but preferred the common good before all.  
But if it be objected to savour of a Monopoly. 

1. Something hath been said to it, in the close of our reasons for the Wooll-Grower: yet more particularly in Answer to this Objection; by discovering the nature and being of a Monopoly; which is, when one, or some few men, do engross into their own hands a general Commodity of the Nation, to the prejudice of all the rest of the Common wealth, which are concerned in it; as in soap and Salt of late; and so of any other general Commodity whatsoever.  
2. But the Woollen Manufacturers are not a few men; but a very great considerable part of the Nation; and they buy the wool to work it into several Manufactures. Which first and last sets the whole Nation on work, in several employments, in which the profit of the wool, is divided amongst all tradesman and Merchants.  
3. But if any one man, may buy wool, and sell it again unwrought; then any, or all men may do the like; and then the wool will be engrossed into a few mens hands, to the great damage of the puplique good of all tradesman of this Nation, which is the true and proper nature of a Monopoly: as is in great part already begun amongst us, and will be more practised by men that have money, and given to self-interest, against the Nations good.    
Secondly, Yet some may think it is against free Trade. 

1. If by free Trade, be meant absolute free Trade, without any limitation, or qualification at all, but every man do what he list. Then we may as well transport corn, wool, and Fullers Earth, out of the Nation, as any other Commodity. And the Rich men may engross all the corn,( and other things of livelihood) into their own hands; and no man say, why do ye so. But its hoped, no man will desire to have, or use such a freedom.  
2. Then we humbly conceive, Free Trade must have its Interpretation, or limitation and bounds, which is the Nations good. Such freedom we pled for; and have already made it appear, that our desires tend to it; and against those that hinder it with all their might. What hindrance is is to free Trade( for tradesman to have freedom) to buy their Commodity at first and best hand; and thereby enabled to set on work, so many poor of the Nation, and make good Commodities of it, which the Law binds them to do: and also be able to bring it at reasonable prizes to the Market, and Merchants. And what but destruction to Free Trade is it, to suffer engrossers and engrossing of the chief materials of Trade.    
Much might be added by more knowing experienced men; but these are for a taste. And are presented to the view and consideration of all that love and prefer the Nations good, before their own private Interest, and in special to the faithful Patriots of this Nation; in whose hands it is to redress this grand evil, and from whom we expect it, and pray for it; so that in fine, the engrosser and Transporter of wool, is the cause of all the bad and dear Cloth made in this Nation.  
By Edmond Rozer in the behalf of the Clothiers of England. February the first. 1648.