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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m6thode. 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 ' REFLECTIONS ON THE EXPEDIENCY ofa LAW FOR THE NATURALIZATION o F FOREIGN PROTESTJNTS: In Two Parts. PART I. Containing Historical Remarks on the Difpolition and Behaviour of the Natives of this Ida id, in regard to Foreigners; occafioned by theRejedtion of the late Naturalization Bill. By JO SI AH rUCKER, M. A. Re<5lor of St Stephen's in Bristol, AND Chaplain to the Right Reverend the Lord Bilhop of B r i s t o l. LONDON: Piinted for T. T rye, nczr Grays- Inn Gate, Hollorn* M.ir'CC.LI. [Price One Shillino.'] \\f\ "^juwnjp^^ Oi*^-^ ... - iMiP«M i3S»*^^''- fii *■' ; .; T ^ ■-..u ^y-jf,,-^ 1 [iil] THE \ PREFACE. ^S the Author of the following Treatife basal- -<^ ready appeared in Publick on a Subje£l of Com- merce^* and undergone fome Cenfures for engag- ing in Enquiries^ feemingly beftde his Profeffion ; he begs heave to offer fome Reafons for his interfering in thefe Matters^ andy at the fame lUme^ to vindicate himfelf from the Suppofttion of having deferved the ill Treatment he has met with. If it fhall appear then, that he has not been wanting in his Endeavours to difcharge his Clerical Duties punctually, as he hopes it would appear, if Enquiry were made in his Parifh (in which, though large and populous, he performs all the Offices of his Function himfelf, according to the bejl of his Abilities:) If, in this Particular, he is not- found neglectful, and thefe Enquiries, which he profe- cutes at his lei fur e Hours, are not, in their 'Tendency ^ inconjijlent with Piety to God, and good Offices to Man, — he flatters himfelf, that as long as he follows thefe Studies, without neglecting his other Engage- ments, and delivers his Opinion in an inoffenfive Man- ner, he fhall he excufedin the Judgment of all candid A 2 Perfons * A brief EJJay on the Advantages and Difadvantages ijchich yf/pefti'vely attend France and Great Britain vjith regard to 7 rade : With fome Propofah for remoting the principal Difad- t'antages o/'Great Britain, in a neiv Method. 'The Second Edition, correSed, ivith large Additions. London, printed for T. Tryc, /wHolborn, 1750. ^ ui 't^flfi^^^^ ^Di rii ■J^ T iTmm'^'^^^li Iv The PREFACE. 'Perfons^ tho* the Warmth of Party Zeal^ or the Re- fentment of thofe^ wbofe Interefi clajhes with that of thePuhlicky may excite them to vilify and infult him. It hath been thought excufabk for a Clergyman to write on Subjects of yimufement, or on curious Points cf Learning ; and therefore^ it may not be reckoned cbfurd in a Clergyman^ to form a Judgment (and de^ liver it modejily) on SubjeSfs, by which, not only na- tional Wealth and Profperity, and the external Bkf- fmgs of hife are encreafed\ but, by which, hidujtry. Frugality, and Sobriety are promoted, — and promoted too, by protecting perfecuted aw^ conrcientiousC/&r//^ tians. INDEED, it might be obferved, that every Plan^ by which the Practice of facial Duties is advanced, which contributes to make Men more Sober, Jufl, and Frugal, (which is the Fund of Charity) is not foreign to, but intimately conne£ied with the Clerical Cha~ raSfer. And to deter the Clergy from fuch Enqui7'ies, is to confine, in a great Degree, their Abilities of doing Good. Or again, ^o propofe any Expedient, by which the Encreafe of wilful and corrupt Perjury may be prevented, is not unbecoming a Minijier of that God, who will not hold him guiltlefs, that taketh his Name in vain. Tet this would be pre- vented, in the two CKz AT Sources of it, by avoid- ing the Oaths now taken at Cuflom-Houfes, and thofe by Freemen of Towns. A Scheme was humbly offered by the Author of thefe Sheets, in an EfTay on Trade, to avoid the former ; and his prefent Attempt is, to point out the true Caufes and Origin of the lat- ter-, together with fuch Remedies for thefe Evils, as appear to him the mofi effectual. And, though he may be mijiaken in the Means propofed, yet he is per- ftvaded, that all ferious Chriflians will join with hifu^ 'kM«*'' j>-»- -Kaiiji*-* The P R E F A C E. v limy in wijhing, that the Oaths of Freedom were al- teredy from what they are at prefent \ and fo confli- tutedt as not to reduce Men to the fad Neceffity of deflroying their Commerce^ or preferring it by a con- tinual* Profanation of the f acred Name of God. UPON the Whole y though interfering with tem- poral Things immoderately is derogatory to the Clerical Character 'y yet as Commerce multiplies the Relations of Menj and creates a Variety of Moral Obligations, it will not be thought unbecoming that Order ^ who are to ferve to the Glory of God, and the Edification of Meny to remove Tempt ations, and propofe tempo- ral * Part of a Freeman's Oath, in the City of Lou Jon ^ is, " Ye " (hall know no Foreigner to buy or fell any Merchandifc with •* any other Foreigner within this City, or Franchife thereof, " but ye (hall warn the Chamberlain thereof, or fome Minif- " ter of the Chamber. Yc Ihall take no .Apprentice, the " Child of any Alien." Part of a Freeman's Oath, in the City of Brijinl, is as follows; " You Ihall not know any Foreigner, or Stranger, to Iniy and " fell with another Foreigner, within the Prccinfls of this " City, but you Ihall give Knowledge thereof unto the Cham- " beriain, or his Deputy, wiiliout Delay. You (hall not *' take any Apprentice, — except he be born under the King's " Obeyfance." This national Antipathy againft Foreigner?, was the Stock on which the Burgefles and Freemen grafted their narrow ex- clufiva Schemes of Commerce, and Plans .* Monopoly. For the Tenor of the Oaths of Freedom is much \'\^ fame in other Towns and Cities, as in London and Brijioi. And, in the language of thefe incorporated Places, the Word Foreigner denotes not only an /Jlien, or one born out of the Kings Obey- fance, but every EngliJ/.tnan, not free of their Corporation. And even Lodgers, In-tenants, Houfe-kcepers, Free-holders, ]>ook keepers, Clerks, Agents, Fa6\ors, Mariners, Merchants, ic^c. though refiding in fuch Place,), are not allowed, by their Bye-Laws, to buy and fell, of and to each other, if they are not free themfelvcs. And all the Freemen are obliged, by the cxprefs Terms of their Oath, to give Information of fuch Sales iind Contradts, as foon as they conie to their Knowledge. And yet, But I forbear: The Reader will fupply the reft. l ! ^- m I <^-r" vl The PREFACE. ral Rewards to Virtue; efpec tally, if thefe Schetnes ej national Reformation pould be attended with an In- treafe of Commerce^ and national Honour, with the Security of Liberty, and its known Attendants, Learn- ing, and true Religion. At leaji, if the Author may he proved to have erred, he will gladly retire from thefe Studies \ which he has hitherto fallowed upon Motives of this Kind only, IV 1^ II regard to the Naturalization "'" Shortly will be Publijfjedy fWith a Preface, Petting forth the avowed Doc- trine, and cortjlant Prafkicc of the Church of Romey concerning the Perfccution of P R O T 1: S T ANTS.] t PART 11. Containing important Queries relating to the Improvement and Extenfion of Commerce: — Materials for Employing the Poor, and the Caufes of the Want of Employment : — The Encreafe of Inhabitants, the Riches of a Coun- try ; the Landed and National Intereft : — Taxes of all Kinds, particularly the Poor Tax : — The Birth-right and Privileges of Englijlmeriy and the real Intereft of Tradefmcn: — The moft ef- ficacious, as well as the gentleft Methods for the Reformation of a People's Morals: — A Regard to the Conftitutions both in Church and State: — The Duties of Humanity, and the Principles of the Chriftian Religion. To which will be added, by Way of Appendix^ A calm Addrefs to all Parties in Religion, con- cerning Difaffedtion towards the prefent Go- vernment ; firft Publilhed during the late Re- bellion, and now to be republiflied with mate- rial Additions* #''*»-*v.,._^--"" PART I. CONTAINING, Hijlon'cal Remarks on the Difpofittm and Behaviour of the Natives of this IJland towards Foreigners j oc- cafeonedby the RejeElion of the late Naturalization Bill. ^Sjl T is obfervable, that every Na- tion hath lome peculiar Blafs, of a virtuous and a vicious Ten- dency, which conftitutes the diftinguidiing Charadleriftic of that People: And even New- Comers acquire, in a fhort Time, the fame Difpofitions and Manners. The prefent French and Spaniards feem to inherit both the good and bad Qualities of the ancient Inhabitants of Gatd and Spain, And the modern Englifh^ B though I i 2 Historical Remarks o?t th^ though a People but of Yefterday, in Compa- rifon with the Pretenfions of other Nations to Antiquity, are as much averfe to Foreigners, as ever were the ar.*ient Britons, Thefe three Nations, the French^ Spaniards^ and Englijh^ however different in their prefent Difpolitions, iprung originally from the fame Country, and were noted for an Uniformity of Cufloms, Laws, and Manners. It would be difficult, and perhaps impof- fible, to trace the Caufes of this Difference in the Tempers of Mankind, removed to differ- ent Situations. But fome Time may be ufe- fiilly employed in examining, whether due Care hath been taken to cultivate, regulate, and improve the good Qualities of any People, and toreftrain the bad ones by wholefomeLaws and Difcipline. The Subjeft I am now upon leads me to this Enquiry, as far as relates to the Reception which Foreigners, even Mer- chants, Tradefmen, and Manufacturers, have Uiiially met with in this Kingdom. From the Conqueft, till upwards of two hundred Years afterwards, it doth not appear, that Strangers were permitted to refide in Eng- land, on Account of Commerce, beyond a limited Time, but by a fpecial Warrant. For they were confidered only as Sojourners, com- ing to a Fair or Market, and were obliged to employ I' npa- is to |ners, three :iijh, lions, and toms. /^/^ Naturalizat ION Bill. 3 employ their Landlords as Brokers, to buy and fell their Commodities. And we find, that one Stranger was often arrelled for the Debt, or punifhed for the Mifdemeanor of another t as if all Strangers were to be looked upon as a People with whom the Englijh were in a State of perpetual War; and therefore, might make Reprifals on the firfl they could lay Hands on. This is fo glaring an Injuftice, ^nd a Treatment fo impolitic, as well as cruel to fair Dealers, that it would feem incredible, if there were not fuch authentic Vouchers for it in the Firft, Second, Third, and Fourth Volumes of Rymer's Fa^dera, in Lord Coke's Second Inflitute^ Page 204. and in the Statu te- Book itfelf: — As will farther appear in the Courfe of this Narrative. But the Merchants of the Low Countries^ of Flore7ice and Sien7Ja^ having at different Times lent confiderable Sums to the Kings of England^ and the great Men of the Kingdom, the Prelates and Barons; they were at laft per- mitted to hire Houfes of their own, and to difpofe of their Goods themfelves to the beft: Advantage. This mighty Privilege was firft obtained about the Year 1284. and the 12th of Edward L But great were the Clamours raifed on that Occafion. And Fabian (as quot- ed in the Memoirs ofWooly Page iy» Voh J.), who places this Affair two Years later, viz, in B 2 1286. (.. .«/ i cc (C (C cc cc cc 4 Historical Remarks on the 1286. pofitively tells us, that this Conceffion was to the greate Hurt of the hole Realm oi England** And i?^/»/« obferves, " That the Commons granted the King a Subfidy of the Fiftieth Part of their Moveables, to ex- pel the Kingdom all fuch Foreigners, as were a Burden to the Nation." The Bur- den was, as explained by Fabian, That thefe Strangers, by becoming fettled Inhabitants, had greater Opportunities of adulterating their Wares, and ufing falfe Weights and Meafures : So eafy is it to find a Pretence, when we have an Inclination to do it. As if thefe People had no Opportunity of adulterating their Wares in their own Country, or that the Englifh Land- lord would not have connived at the Fraud, provided He might fliare in the Profit; or, as if there was greater Security for their Honefty, when they were only Lodgers and tranfient Guefts, than after they became fettled in known Abodes. However, thefe Clamours prevailed, and their Privileges were taken from them, under a Colour that they were detected in fuch bafe Practices. And this was judged a fufficient Reafon for levying a large Fine upon them, after they had fuffered " by a Sea-^ " fon harde, and vyle PryfonementJ* But in a very few Years, the Kin']^, and th4 great Men, fo fenfibly felt the evil ^onfe- queftces of expelling the Merchants Strangers, that V ■■•»«-. .^--. 1 /^j/^ Natural I z ATioN Bill, j that they tliought it neceflary to recal * them : And then the City of Lofidon began their Com- plaints; but met with an abfolute Repulfe: For Experience had taught the King and the Parliament to diftinguifh between the general Interefts and Welfare of the Kingdom, and the monopolizing Views of Individuals. This Prince proceeded farther j and in the thirty firft Year of his Reign, granted a Charter -f of Pro- tedion to Merchants Strangers, which con- tained coniiderable Privileges, when compared to the Difficulties they had formerly laboured under. But the greateft Hardfhips ftill remained unredrefTedj particularly, that a Foreigner was liable to be arrefted for the Debt of ano- ther, or to be puni(hed for his Mifdemeanor. It feems likewife very probable, that the Con- tents cc •c C( <( cc * Coke's Second Injiitute, Page 741. «« In the i8th Year of Edivard I. (that is about five Years after the Merchants Strangers had been fined and imprifoned, as above related) in the Parliament Roll it is contained thus, Cives London, petunt, quod AUegena Mercatores expellantur a Cwitate^ quia ditantur ad Depaupera* ** tionetn Civiunif &c, *' Refponfio, Rex intendlt quod Mercatores extranet ** funt idonei £*f utiles magnatibuSj &c. ^ non habct '* Con/ilium eos expellendi** t This Charter is not to be found among ihc Public A£ls of Edward I. but among thofe of Edward III. where it is recited at large, and confirmed anew. See Rym. Vol. IV. Page 361. Ji 6 Historical Remarks on the tents of this Charter were but little obferved in the Reign of his SuccefTor, Edward II. For this indolent Prince regarded nothing but to pleafe his Favourite Gavejion, and to fpend all the Money he could bring together, in Diver- lions and Entertainments. In the mean Time, the Citizens of Londony and the Inhabitants of other Towns and Boroughs, were at liberty to moleft the Foreigners as much as they pleafed. And indeed, the Broils which enfued between the King and his Barons, were another Caufe which muft have difcouraged Strangers from fetding here. N o w, as it is obfervable, that during the Times under our prefent Confideration, the whole Trade of thefe Parts of the World cen- tred in FlanderSy it may be worth while to enquire, whether the fame Policy prevailed there, or what other Meafures were taken in relation to Commerce. And nothing can fet this in a clearer Light, than the Anfwer of Robert y Earl of Flanders, to the Requeft fent him by our King Edward II. to cut off all In- tercourfe with the Scotijh Nation, whofe King, Robert Bruce , was, as he alledged, in Rebellion againft him, and excommunicated by the Pope. To this, the Earl returns a mofl refped;ful Anfwer, but adds, * " We muft " not * " Un DE veftram Magnificentiam volumus non latere, •' quod Terra noftra FlandriaVmyEKSn cujuscum- « QU E \J "^^^iiJ^ik, ^edin For C( ut to id all >iver- <( 'ime. Its of ecaufc of fuch Debate; but that they be warned, and Proclamation thereof publidied, that they fiiall void the faid Realm and Lands with their Goods freely, within forty Days after the Warning and Proclamation fo made: And that in the *• ipean l6 Historical Remarks onthe " mean Time, they be not impeached, nor ** let of their Paflage, or of making their Pro- " fit of the fame Merchandizes, if they will " fell them. And in cafe that for default of ** Wind, or of Ship, or for Sicknefs, or for •* other evident Caufe, they cannot avoid our ** faid Realm and Lands w^ithin fo ftiont a •* Time, then they (hall have other forty Days, " or more, if need be, vv^ithin which they " may pafs conveniently, with felling their ** Merchandize as aforefaid." Lastly, The prodigious Increafe of na- tional Commerce, in Confequence of thcfe Proceedings, is an Argument, above all others, in favour of their Utility, rur a late Writer hath obferved,* " That in the twenty eighth *' YearofE^w^r^IIL that is, in the Year 1354. ** [remarkable for being the Year after tlie ** above Law was enad:ed] we have a Record ** in the Exchequer, fhewing the Exports " and Imports, by which it appears, that the ** Ballance of our Trade produced 255,214/, ** 1 3 J. 8 ^. which, conlidering the Difference ** of Money then and now, is about 737,02 i /. ** 165. II ^. as we reckon it at prefent [I be- " lieve it could be made appear to be a " much greater Sum] And yet there is no " Notice taken in this Account, either of Tin " or Lead, or of other flaple Commodities, " which ^^^ * The P receptor , V(^ll. II, Trade a'ul Ccmrfigrc'y Chap. iii. Page 414. ^\s «:- on the :hed, nof heir Pro- they will default of (Sy or for avoid our fhont a rty Days, lich they ing their fe of na- of thcfe ill others, :e Writer ty eighth ear 1354. after tJie a Record Exports that the 55'2i4/. )iiFerence 37,021/. It [I be- to be a re is no r of Tin nodities, * which rc'.'y Chap, « cc y which iaid City *favy im- [, by the ^nemies^ to thefo ■e pleafe ! prefent id Mer- in the Mayor, ur faid City late Naturalization BilI. 19 «' City may enjoy the faid Franchifes, any ^' Law or Cuftom, heretofore made unto the " contrary thereof, in any wife notwithfland- c< ing. (< But the King was not fo much altered from himfelf, as not to fee through thefe Pre- tences ; and therefore gave the Petitioners lit- tle more than kind Words in redrefs of their Grievances. For he ftill perfevered in his former Sentiments, that he was as good a Judge of what was for the general Advantage of the Kingdom, the Increafe of the Navy, and the Prefervation of the S. ate, as they were, and had it as much at Heart: And all that he did for them, was to make fome inconfiderable Conceffions, conditionally, or rather indeter- minately exprefled, while he denied the main Part of their Suit. This Affair happened in the fiftieth Year of his Reign, and the laft but one of his Life. B u t fo foon as the old King was dead, the Mavor and Citizens of London addreffed his J Grandfon and SuccefTor, Richard IL and met with better Succefs. For in the very firft Year of his Reign, he deprived the Foreigners of the Liberty of buying and felling of, or to any other Foreigner,within the Precindts of the City of London : This was confirmed by an Ad: of Parliament, made in the fame Year, 2i%Seymour relates ; but is not to be found in the Statute D 2 Book, I ^1 20 Historical Remarks on the Book. However it is plain, that the Inhabi- tants of the Cities and Boroughs began to tri- umph, in Confequence of aVid:ory over Foreign- ers, and pra(^f ifed the fame Outrages and Infults againft them, which they had formerly done. To put a Stop to which, two Laws were enabl- ed, one in the fecond, and the other in the ele- venth Year of his Reign, which explain and confirm the feveral Statutes made by his Grand- father, Edward III. in favour of Foreigners, B u T as we are not to expedl mighty Mat- ters for the Public Good from a Prince of the Charader of Richard II. fo we find in the Year 1392. the very Year in which he received ten thoufand Pounds, and two gold Crowns from the City of London^ by way of Redemp- tion Money for their Charter, that he was {o mollified with this Sum, opportunely coming in to anfwer his extravagant Expences, as to pafs a Law to repeal the principal Advantages granted by his Grandfather and himfclf to Strangers. After having recited the A(ft of Edward III. witli the feveral Additions, it proceeds, " Neverthelefs, forafmuch as it feem- eth to our Lord the King, that the faid Sta- tutes, if they (liall be fully holden and exe^,. cufcd^ iliall extend to the great Hindrance and Damage of the City of London, as of other Cities, Boroughs, and Towns of this Realm, it is ordained, G?<:." There needs no Comment upon tliis Part of the Statute; the tC (C ff »c ii ^ ■-:33C^ ^• Ks on the at the Inhabi- bcgan to tri- overForeign- ges and Infults formerly done. vs were enad:- ther in the ele- explain and by hisGrand- " Foreigners. : mighty Mat- Prince of the e find in the ch lie received gold Crowns y of Redemp- that he was fo :unely coming rpences, as to al Advantages id liimfclf to d the KQi of Additions, it uch as it feem- t the faid Sta- ilde7i and exe^, ;at Hindrance London^ as of fowns of this There needs P the Statute; the to' Natural iz AT ION Bill. 21 the very Words declare, at whofe Infligation the Law was made, and whofe \Juppofed\ In- terefts it was defigncd to ferve. This Statute deprived Merchants Strangers of the Benefit of felling to another Merchant Stranger, who was to fcil again. It was likewife ordained, that no Merchant Stranger fliould fell by Retail, but only in Grois: Nay, Merchants Strangers were not allowed to put, that is, to expofe to Sale any Manner of Wares or Merchandifes, except Livings and Viduals. '3. But ftill there was a Shadow of Liberty re^ maining ; particularly Merchants Strangers were allowed the Benefit of refiding in ILngland as long as they pleafed, and of dwelling in Houfes of their own, and being their own Brokers irj the Difpofal of theii: Effeds. Therefore a Law was obtained the fifth of Henry IV. A. D. 1403. c. 9. which ordained, " That all Mer- chants Aliens, and Strangers, shall sell their Merchandifes, brought into this Realm, ivithin a garter of a Tear next after their coming into the famej and alfo that the Money which fliall be delivered by Ex- change in Englafidy be employed upon the Commodities of the Realm, within the faid Realm, upon Pain of Forfeiture of the fame Money ; and that no Merchant Alien, nor Stranger, fell any Manner of Merchandife to any other Merchant Alien, or Stranger, up- on Pain gf Forfeiture of the fame Merchan- '' dife. (( ft ^ .-iitftW.-v'.--*^ At !,-.-.'■. m the the Light 'ryAppel- Door for Care was following Adls pro- Englifi. r cauie to It Alien, only for »^erchan- and con- feiture of e, A. D. 24. but ■ravagant I follow- ifliment, >r come nt Pains if Pro- he con- fhedby iven in \ichard Tyrant by his rpation late Naturalization B i i ^. 27 Ufurpation and Barbarities. But as he well underftood the Foible of the Englijl,\ he fought their Reconciliation by palTing a very popular Ad againft Foreigners. This Statute was made in the firfl Parliament after his AccciTion, principally to gratify the Citizens of London ; and fets forth, " That our Sovereign Lord the King, upon Petition made to him, in his faid Parliament, by the Commons of Eng- land^ hath conceived and underftood, That whereas Merchants Strangers, of the Na- tion of Italy ^ as Venetians, Florentines^ Apu^ Ham, Cicilians, Lite alters^ Catelians, and other of the fame Nation, in great Number do inhabit and keep Houfes, as well in the City oi London, as in other Cities and Bo- roughs within this his Realm, and do take Warehoufes and Cellars, and therein put their Wares and Merchandifes, which they bring into this faid Realm j and them, in " the faid Cellars and Warehoufes, deceitfully do pack, mingle, and keep the fame, till fuch Time the Prices thereof be greatly en- hanced, for their great Lucre } and thefime Merchandifes and Wares they then fell to all Manner of People, as well within the Ports where they bring the faid Wares and Merchandifes, as to other divers and many Places within this Realm, as well by Retail as otherwife : And alfo do buy in the faid Ports and other Places, at their own Liberty, the Commodities of this Realm, and fell the E 2 " fume :« ^-■*-4a^iaM m^mitb^^mmt ram 1^ I " V *f „., ^. I f >,: 32 Historical Remarks on the own Country, or fubmit to become Servants to the Englljh of the like Occupation. Y E f as Neceffity is always ingenious, the! Strangers found Means to elude ii great Part of thefe Penalties, by getting themfelves made Denizens by Virtue of the Kirig's Prerogative* Therefore in the Beginning of the next Reign, {Henry VII.) as this was looked upon a fa- vourable Jundlure, Application was made, and a Bill obtained, That if Strangers were made Denizens, they were to reap no Privi- leges from that Grant. And now, one would think, the 'Englijf^ had gained a complete Vidtory over Foreign- ers. Let us fee therefore, What were the mighty Confequences ? All the trading Parts of the Kingdom had joined v/ith the Citizens of London againft the comyimi Enemy, But when he was lubdued, did Trade raifc its droop- ing Head? Did Wealth and Plenty, the iia* tural Confequences of Commerce, follow on this Expulfion of thofe, who were before re- prefented as taking the Bread out of the Mouths of the Natives? No, the Event verified what plain, unbiafled common Senfe would have fore- told, that an Encreafe of Trade neither would^ nor could follow fuch an Expulfion. For the fame narrow, felfiih way of Thinking, that then prevailed in London^ the greateft trading City in the Kingdom, againft Foreigners buy- ins; 1 ■K ■I -tn^-m.^ on the le Servants nious, thon a fa- is tnade, ^ers were 10 Privi- ; Englijfj Foreign* were the ng Parts Citizeiig 1)'. But s droop- the iia-* llow on ibre re- Mouths ' d what I'e fore- would, "or the l> that :rading s buy- in 2: :^ hte Natu alization Bill. 3^ W even our own manufadured Commodities, as naturally, and upon the fame Principles, in- duced them toengrofs the whole Trade of the Kingdom to themfelves J as all greater Bodies will do, where Trade is not free. And then the fame Pretences were alledged againft the Out- Ports, as the Inhabitants of the Out-Ports, duped by the Artifice and Example of the Lon-- doner i^ had formerly alledged againft Foreign- ers. Tliey then began to be fenfible of an Evil, which they would not feel before. Therefore they petitioned the Parliament for Redrefs ; and indeed it was high Time they £hould do fo, fince no Merchant of the Out- Ports was permitted to trade to Spain, Portu- galy France, Ireland, Venice, Danfzick, Flan- ders, Holland, and the Sea Coafts of Germany, unlefs he paid 20/. fterling to the Fellowfhip and Merchants of London : A great Sum in thofeDays, efpecially to a Beginner! All this, we may fuppofe, was done with a Pretence to keep up the Credit of our Commodities in fo- reign Markets, and to fupply them with pro- per Scrtments of Goods ; the ufual, though a very fenfelefs Plea, for all Monopolies : Bat the real Confequence was, as is fet forth in the Preamble to the Statute, exprefly mncle to prevent this Encroachment, 19 Hen, Vil. c. 6. That all Merchants, not being of the lame Fellowship and Confederacy, idthdra\i/ themfelves from the fliid Marts [of Spain, Portitgal, France, &c.] whereby the Vv^ool- F " '' Icn << <( it Si 1 MAw^Nm.* udt fW fe 34 Historical Remarks on the len Cloth of this Realm, which is one of the great eft Cojnmodities of the fame ^ by making whereof the King's true Subjects be put in Occupation, and the poor People have moft tmiverfalty their Living, and alfo other di- vers Commodities of divers and feveral Parts of this fame Realm, is not fold nor uttered, as it hath been in Times pad : But for lack of Utterance for the fame in divers Parts, where fuch Cloths be made, they be con- veyed to London, where they be fold for un- der the Price they be worth, and that they cod the Makers of the fame j and at other Times, they be lent to long Days, and the Money thereof, at divers Times never paid. And over that, the Commodities and Mer- chandifes of thofe Parts, which the faid Fel- low (hip Merchants of London, and other their Confederates, bring into this Land, is fold to your faid Complainants, and others, the King's true Subjedls, at fo dear and HIGH EXCEEDING Frice, that the Buyer of the fame cannot live thereupon: By reafon whereof, all the Cities, Towns, and Boroughs of this Realm, in effecSt be fallen into great Poverty, Ruin, and Decay** Here is a very different Account given of the Caufes of depopulating the Cities, Towns, and Villages, from tliat fet forth before by the Londoners : And the Reader is to judge, which hath the Probability of bcinc! the true one. The Foreigners i •'''^• s Oft the is one of the by making s be put in have moft fo other di- feveral Parts nor uttered, ut for lack vers Parts, ley be con- fold forun- i that they d at other 's, and the never paid. 5 and Mer- le faid Fel- and other is Land, is nd others, )EAR AND e Buyer of By reafon Boroughs into great t given of Towns, >re by the je, which one. The oreigners .1 late Naturalization Bill. 35 Foreigners were now driven out : Here is no Complaint brought againft them-, and yet the Evil was every Day encreafing. Nay, from the firft Time Foreigners were put under fuch Reftraints andDifcouragements, the Coun- try became apparently thinner of Inhabitants. And the Diminution of Inhabitants, much a- bout this Jundlure, is a Circumftance taken notice of by all Hiflorians, and even by the Statute Book. For Laws were made from Time to Time, with an Intent to people the Country again. It was ordained, that all an- tient dwelling Houfes, and Houfes of Huf- bandry, fhould be kept in good Repair: No Arable Land was permitted to be converted into Pafture : The Number of Farms, which any Perfon was fuffered to hold, was limited, as was alfo the Number of Sheep he was allowed to keep : Upon which laft Article, I remember to have read fomewhere in Bifhop Latimer^ that the Sheep, tho* mild Aninials, had de- voured more Men in England^ than the mofl ravenous Beafts of Prey. — He meant, that Agriculture was neglected, the Towns and Villages forfaken, and nothing to be feen, but a few Shepherds with large Flocks of Sheep. I T is eafy to perceive, that theie Laws did not reach the Root of the Evil, and could have very little EfFed: in removing the real Caufe of Complaint. But the Englijh were refolved to try all Expedients, rather than admit the F 2 Perfons, 1 % J k 36 Historical Remarks on the Pcrfon?, againft whom the national Prejudice was raifed lb high. Nay, in the very midft of the Calamities of the Kingdom, the Citizens of Lomkn gave a new Specimen of their heredi- tary Hatred againft the few Foreigners that re- mained, and obtained a fevere Decree in the Star-Chamber, the twenty firit o^ Henry VIII. to put all the penal Laws in Force againft them. They took. Care to exaggerate every Circum- ftance, and reprefented the Realm to be over- run with foreign Manufacturers; which, if true, mufl: have contradided all that had been iaid before, concerning the general Decay of Trade, the Depopulation of the Towns and Villages, and the running into Decay of the Farm Houfes. But the Trath is, they longed to recover the Monopoly they had loft by the nineteenth of Henry VII. r. 6. and therefore began, as ufual, with making their firft At- tack upon Foreigners or Aliens; in which they were fure to do an acceptable Thing to the reft of the Kingdom. Their Views will heft ap- pear, by producing fome of the Articles of their lanwitahle Bill of Complaint (thefe arc their very Words) '•oiz. ** That Aliens, not born within the King's Obeylance, exported Bacon, Cheefc, Powdered Beef, Mutton, and other Commodities of this Realm; — and that by the continual Recourfe of Stran- gers Handicraftfmen, great Portions of Corn and Vi(5tual, grown and bred within the Realm, were confumed." To which, and the c? *c <( fo great was the Decay of the Woollen, and all other Manufactures, that the very Re- membrance feems to have been loft among us. For moft Perfons ufually fuppofe, that thefe Arts had gained little or no Footing in England^ till the Reign of Q£een Elizabeth -^ whereas, in fad:, flie was only the Reviver of them, by purfuing, or rather by not oppofmg the Plan laid down fo long before, by Ed'voard III, And it hath been fully fliewn, in the Courfe of this Narrative, that many Years before her Reign, the Woollen Manufacture had been confidered as the fiapk Commodity of the Kingdom, which employed vaft Numbers of People in the feveral Branches of it. ' ,6 But having brought Matters to this Period, I muft here obferve, that we owed the Re- vival of our Mercantile Knowledge, and that we ought to afcribe the great Progrefs which hatlv % 'I % 5fe 'T 2 t/jf ley then m of Fo- ^readout f them, growing lere was and the but nu- ey were the De- ^oollen, ery Re- long us. it thefe Ingland^ -'hereas, iem, by *ian Jaid And it of this Reign, iidered igdom, )ple in Viod, le Re- J that which hatlj. 1 I f late Naturalization Bill. 39 hath been made in the Arts of Commerce, more to the Perfccution by the Duke D'Aha, who a<5ted upon Principles, in all refpedls op- pofite to the former Counts of Flanders^ than to any found Policy of the Englifh Nation. For though Queen Elizabethy and before her. King EdwardW. did really receive the Refu- gees in an hospitable Manner, yet it doth not appear, tliat the Majority of the Kingdom were in a right Difpofition to have invited them over, ^% foreign Workmen and Artificers. Indeed, an Increafe of Trade was the Confe- qtience of their coming, but that did not feem to be the National End aimed at in receiving them. The Reformation was then in its In- fancy, and its Friends were defirous of having their Hands ftrengthened by the Acceflion of foreign Proteftants; many of whom were Men of Letters, and greatly ferviceable in carrying on the Work of the Reformation. The Go- vernment likewife had every Thing to fear, both from the Murmurs and Counfels of the Papifts at home, and the Power of the Pope abroad j and was glad of this Opportunity of encreafing the Number of Subjects, wliofe Principles and Intereft were thoroughly con- nedled with it. The long Wars, and bloody Perfecutions in the Netherlands, drove the Peo- ple to feek for Shelter in England, a Country they would hardly have thought of retiring to (as knowing the inherent Antipathy of the Na- tives againll Strangers, efpcciully Artifans, Mer- chant>% I '& .t' 4© Historical Remarks m the chants, and Manufadurers) if they could have made another Choice. But Germany and France were, at that Jundure, much in the fame Circumftances with themfelvcs ; fo that this Ifland was the only fure Place of Refuge, and near at hand. Therefore many thoufands of Families came over during this long Reign, many of whofe Defcendants are, at this Day, as ftrongly leavened with an Averfion to Fo- reigners, as the Englijh were againft their Fore- fathers. But it is very obfervable, that not one general Naturalization Bill paft during this whole Reign, and not many private onesj which mufl feem very extraordinary, confider- ing the fevere Laws then in being, againft Alien Merchants and Mechanicks: And I cannot otherwife account for fuch a Conduct, than by fuppofing, that this politick Princefs found an happy Expedient to admit Foreigners, with- out difgufting the People by a general Natu- ralization. Whether this was done bv mak- ing the famous Law againft Informers^ — or by giving Orders to the Judges not to receive In- formations (a Thing praiflifed in fome Cafes in thofe Times) _— or by permitting the Free- men and Burgefles of their refpedive Cities and Towns, to make Laws for the cramping and confining of Trade, in order to keep them in good Humour (of which Laws many very abfurd ones were made in her Reign) ■— or by Letters of Denization, ■ or by what 'other IVXethod it was brouglit about, I know not. -1 1 I '!^ t/je jlii have j/iy and in the ib that Refuge, oufands Reign, is Day, to Fo- ir Fore- lat not during 2 ones J nfider- t Alien cannot than found with- Natu- niak- -or by veln- ifcs in Free- 's and >• and ;ni ill vcrv — or whiiu :no\v not. ■V--- ^1- lati' Naturalization Bill. 41 hot. However, one Thing is clear, that the Citizens of Lo72(fon either found no Encourage- ment to renew their Complaints, or, if they ventured to renew them, they were not re- garded. For there is no publick Inftance upon Record, of any Steps taken to moleft foreign Artificers during this long Reign, But after James I. came to the Throne, the Citizens of Londoriy who never loft Sight of this Point, renewed their Petitions with much Earneftnefs. The King fays,* in the fe- veral Commiffions granted for enquiring into th^ Affair, " That he had been often folicited " with MUCH Importunity by his good and ** loving Subjeds, the Citizens of London^ to take the Laws and Statutes, cnaded againft Foreigners, into his Princely Confideration." Which, by the Way, is a ftrong Intimation, that the Execution of them had been fufpended before. The Rules and Orders, made in Con- fequence of thefe Solicitations, were, as might be expefted, quite oppoflte to the Nature of a free, open, and extenlive Trade. But I be- lieve they did not fully anfwer the Hopes of the Petitioners; and there were fome unlucky Obfervations made upon the Matter, which might have proved fatal to their Schemes, had the Bufinefs of Commerce been rightly under- stood, or duly attended to. In the CommilTion, dated the 5th of J/^?/?, 1622. His Majefly faith, G " He <( tc 1 • Rymeri Fu;d, VtJ. XV! J. Page 3 i ? ) 3"-» 4 37 m i [X / it tc t< iC ornofPa- d their Ap- > either ufe 3r the buy- iiodities of We, as a Royal Fa. »"t of their ^uted and [brt of oiir ^» asflwH rubfcribed t thereof, id Com- Jnder the it down : -.'.5? i ■; \ 44 Historical Remarks o« /i&tf " other Strangers, as our Commifnoners fliall " think Jit ^ if, within a convenient Time, af- " ter thefe Troubles fhall be over-blown, they " Jhall return into their own Country again,** Thus flood the Matter in the Reign of King James I. — The deep-rooted national Prejudice, joined to a grafptng Defire of Mo- nopoly, fpurred on the Englijh, efpecially the Citizens of Londoni to feek the Expulfion of all Foreigners concerned in Commerce, and to bar up the Way againft their entering in for the future. The Power likewife of granting Monopolies, as well as the Payments made for fuch exclufive Privileges, fuited the Tafte, and the Circumftances of that Court, fond of Prerogative, and in Want of Money. Bu T it defer ves the higheft Attention, that hitherto not one IFordwsLS fuggefted, that the Church of England, by Law eflabliihed, would be endangered by the Admiffion of fo- reign Proteftants. This was a new Topick, never heard of till * Archbifliop Laud began to gain Afcendency in the Englifi Councils. I T is fomewhat ftrange, that from the Be- ginning of the Reign of King Edward VI. to this Period, not one Friend could be found, not one faithful Bifhop, Paftor, or true Son of the Church, to apprize her of the Danger thus > hanging * See He^Hn's, Life of Archbifhop LauJi^ 1 .m on the oners fliall Time, af- lown, they y again:* e Reiga of national ire of Mo* ccially the pulfion of ce, and to ingin for F granting :nts made the Tafte, t, fond of tion, that , that the ftabUflied, ion of fo* TOPICK, ^ began to icils. n the 'Be- rd VI. to >e found, ue Son of ngerthus hanging f >' "4 A?/^ Naturalization BiLt. 45 hanging over her for the Space of near one hundred Years. But the Truth is, the foreign Proteftants were never confidercd in the Light cf Enemies to our Church, till his Time. Tho Church of England herfelf had been formed upon the Plan of theConfeflionof y^w^w/rg-j Ibme of the Articles and Homilies being, in 3 Manner, literal Tranjlations from this Con- jfeflion, and the other Writings of that gmat Divine Melan^bon, The Bifhops and MaN tyrs, Hooper ^nd Latimer, took whole Pallag- cs out of his Works. Archbifhop Cranmer often importuned him to come into En^and^ to help forward the good Work of the Refor- mation. And indeed, moft of the Books pul> litlied at that Time, were ^ranflatiom from the German Divines. Martin Bncer and Pe^^ ter Martyr vpre the two Perfons pitched uporr by the ArchbiQiop himfelf, the Father of the Englip Reformation, to be the King's Pra- feffors of Divinity in the two Univerlities, And when it was propofed to make fome Al- terations in the Common Prayer Book of King Edward VI. Bucer was principally confoltcd j in relation to which Affair, Bifliop Burnett ob- ferves, * " That the moft material Things, ** which Bucer excepted to, were corredled:" So great a Deference was paid to his Judg- ment ; and we may plainly perceive, by com- paring the prefent, with the former Book of Common Prayer, that our excellent Liturgy Dwe« * Vol, II. 4tb Edit Page 147, 'i^ ' \ } \ 46 Historical Remarks on the owes much of its prcfent Perfedion to his Counfels. Much about the fame Time, he wrote a Book for the young King's own Ufe, entitled, * Concerning the Kingdom of Chriji ; which principally treated of Ecclefiaftical Dif- cipline, the good Government and external Polity of the Church. About a Year after- wards, Bucer died 5 -f* ** In whom Cranmer loft a Friend, on whofe Affiftance he had depended much, in what remained yet to be done. He was, by Order of Cranmer and Sir John Cheek, buried with the higheft " ' Solemnities that could be devifed, to cxprefs the Value the Univeriity had for him. The Vice-Chancellor, and all the Graduates; and the Mayor, and all the Town, accom- panied his Funeral to St iWi^r/s, where, af- ter Prayers, Haddon, the Univeriity Orator, " made fuch a Speech concerning him, and pronounced it with that Affedtion, that al* moft the whole Aflembly fhed Tears. — ^ Next, X Dr Parker, that had been his moft intimate Friend, made an Englifi Ser-* mon in his Praife, and concerning the Sor-» rovving for our departed Friends. And the Day following, Dr Redmayn^ then Mafter of I'rinity College, made another Sermon" concerning Death j and in it, gave a full ** Account of J5«r^r's Life and Death. He particularly « it cc cc it u c< (C cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc « .^' cc * Burnett'^ Hift. of the Reformation, Vol. IT. Page 148. t Page 155. X The fame, I fuppofe, who was afterwards Archbilhop of Cgnteriury. i'alB'! '*r '•iu^" on the on to his Time, he own \Jk, ?/ Chriji; (tical Dif- external !ar after- Cranmer i yet to Cranmer e higheft exprefs im. The aduates; accom- ^ere, af^ ' Orator, ^ni, and that al* ^ears. — * •een his liJJi Ser^ he Sor-T nd the Mafter jcrmon' a full I. He cularly V Page irho was //7^^ Nat uRALizATioN Bill. 47 particularly commended the great Sweetnefs of his Temper to all, but remarkably to " thofe who differed from him All the " Univerfity that were eminent either in Gr^^/^ or hatin Poetry, did adorn his Coffin with Epitaphs, in which they exprelTed a very extraordinary Senfe of their Lofs." cc << f( C( cc M. ■m Moreover, in the Reign of Queen Eli- zabethy Biihop Jewel, * the Champion of the Church of England^ and the Bilhops Horn^ Grindally and Farkhurfl^ together with many of our principal Clergy, confulted frequently with Bullenger and Gualter, eminent Divines of the Church of Switzerland^ concerning the Affairs of the Englifi Church, and requefted their Advice and Diredtion in the moft prcff- ing Difficulties. An D to mention only one Inftance more§. King James I. preferred the elder CafauboUy a Name which doth Honour to the Church of England^ to Eccleliaftical Dignities in the Me- tropolitan Church of Canterbury. This elder Caf'aubon had alfo a Penfion of 300/. a Year afiigned him, by a fpecial Warrant from the King : The Tenor of which is fo much to our prefent Purpofe, that I fhall beg Leave to infert the following Paflage. James^ * Burnett's IM. of the Reformation, Vol. III. Col- hiftion of Records. r/- vate Charadler to his Friends to record, if they think it will be of Advantage to his Memory, or their own Caufe, to do it. M s T of the Lands in So?nc?fetJJ3irey and the lower Parts of GlouceJ}erfii?'e, are fitted by Nature for feeding great Numbers of Cattle^ during * Sir^y.'.j Knhhty Member fgr BriJJol in feveral Parliamen 4. -^.t t m s on the render this ; pernicious It Eftablifli- )ne, though 3f Engla?id^ le Acclama- )f all Ranks ation from foon turned Even in x)und, who \ all the Fo- polite Ex- with fuch 'tamp^ and achaMan- :ue eredled had done fentative of J take the ;reat Capa- ; in Com- ve hisprU d, if they Memory, ^jire, and : fitted by of Cattle^ during in feveral /^/^ Naturalization Bill. 51 during the Summer Seafon. And long Expe- rience had proved the Utility of importing lean Cattle from Ireland^ early in the Spring, for the Benefit of the Summer Feeding. But this warm Patriot, whofe Zeal againft Foreigners was truly Englijlj^ took it into his wife Head . to think, that this beneficial Branch of Com- merce ought ^- '^ " entirely put an End toj his Reafon was, uecc '2 the Lush received Ad- vantage by it ;— .though the Adv . ; ) .ge to Eng- land was much more cxlenfive and conlider- able. For, by the Wc?y, it mufl be obferved, that tho' three Parts in four of the Gentlemen of Landed Eflates in Ireland, are really the Defcetida7Jt5 of the Englijh, fettled in that Kingdom ; yet we aflume to ourfelves the Pre- rogative of fliling them /rZ/Z?, treating them as Foreigners, and a People whofe Interefls are not conneBed with ours; nay, as if our Wel- fare depended on their DepreJJton and Lnpover- ijhment. Therefore in the Warmth of his noify Zeal, this able Patriot got one Bill to pafs into a Law, and then another, to prohibit the Importation of Irijh lean Cattle; and at lafl fucceeded in his hopeful Projed:. The IriJh could no longer bring them into England; but what were they to do with them ? Why, truly, either to knock them on the Head, lean as they were, or to fatten them ibr the Slaughter Houfe. They chofe the latter; and then the whole Stream of the Vidtualling Trade was turned into another Channel: The Con- H 2 fequencc twit fniiii ^! 52 Historical Remarks (?« /^^ fequence of which was, that the City of 5r//^ tol (in which before center'd all the Profits arifing from the Hides, Leather, Tallow, the Curing, Confumption, and Exportation of Pro- vifions. Freight, Rent of Lands, ^c, G?f.) could no longer even vi(5tual the Ships failing from its own Port, fo cheap as could be done at Cork. Ttius did this doughty Champion for England, this Hero againft Foreigners, to, ufe his own decent Phrafe, intend a Blow at the Irijh, but fo miferably took his Aim, that he k— k'd his own Conflituents. Men of wiier and cooler Heads oppofed this rafli Atf tempt,* and foretold the Confequence, both to the City of Brijlol, and the neighbouring Counties. But it is the Chu. . -teriflick of Per- fons of his Turn, to rufh Headlong into Things they leaft underftand, and to think„ that if they can but obtain a Law upon their own narrow Views, it muft be obeyed by all the World. For how dare Foreigners to think of making Reprifals againft an Englijh Law? The intelligent Reader will readily forgive my not entering into more Particulars of this fa- mous Oration; — lately reprinted, only to prove, that the Prejudices and Folly of fome People are not to be removed by Experience itfelf. As * If the prefent Contagion among the Cattle ihould fpread into the Weft of England^ the Inhabitants would be in the moft deplorable Condition, as they cannot re- pair their Lofs by the Importation of Cattle from Ire^ land : This would have been the moft commodious Rc- fowrc^i but this is prohibited. ^s on the 1 the Profits Tallow, the tation of Pro- Ships failing )uld be done J Champion ^reigners, to i a Blow at i^Aim, that '. Men of his rafh Atf nee, both to eighbourins: ftick of Per- idlong into i to think^ ' upon their -yed by all ?^ri to think ^gltp Law? forgive my of this fa- ly to prove, >me People ce itfelf. As Rattle fhould )itants would y cannot re- le from Ire^ noclious Re- /^/£? Naturalization Bill. 53 A s to the Topick of Party and Disaf- fection, the-f* little Tradt, hereunto annex- ed, will beft (hew the Sentiments and Reafon- ings of the Author upon that; Matter. This Piece was firfl publifhed during the Height of the late Rebellion 5 and I am willing to leave it to the impartial and thinking Part of Man- kind, for whofe Ufe it was then written, to determine concerning it. I N the Reign of Queen Ann, there feemed to have been a Mixture of four diftindl Prin- ciples in the Oppofition made to the Natural- izing of foreign Proteftants, viz. The inbred National Averfion— ^The narrow Monopoliz- ing Views of /hort Sighted Tradefmen— ^Sz/- perfiitiousFesii's about theDanger of the Church — And the latent Schemes of the difaffeBed Party; each of which had their refpedtive In- fluences, and difpofed different Perfons to unite in one common Point. But even this Coalition of Blafles and Pre- poiTeflions would hardly have fucceeded, had there not been fome further Art made ufe of. -.-« The Gentlemen of Landed Eftates were taught to believe, that their Intereft was dif- tind: from, and even oppofite to the Commer- cial Intercfts of the Kingdom. And the little, low, unmeaning Jealoufy, fometimes fubfift- ing between the Country Gentleman and the Merchant, \ Annexed to Part H. ,.vl h^ 54 Historical Remarks on f/je Merchant, to the Prejudice and Dlflionour of both, was now blown up into open Hoftilities. Schemes were fet on foot to k/fcft the National Commerce, which the Country Gentlemen unhappily confidered as a worthy Projed:, cal- culated to fupport their Grandeur and Diftinc- tion, and to humble the faucy Merchant. The Trade to Portttgal was treated with Difdain ; tho' it is the Means of giving Bread to fo many H'lndred thoufands of our People,— .of vend- ing fuch vaft QiKintities of all Sorts of Manu- fatflures,— of confuming the Produce of our Lands, and confequently, of paying to the Landed Gentleman his Rents ;— tho' it is alfb the chief Support of our FiQieries,— the Nur- fery of our Sailors, — and the principal Source of the Riches of this Kingdom. Nay, the Memory of that able and honed Minifter, wha had the Addrefs to perfuade the Court of Por- tugal to ratify thefe Advantages by Treaty, was vilified and infulted for the Service he had done his Country. Mr Methtien, it feems,* " committed a Robbery, equal to the worfl: " of Treafons, for which he deferved to have ** loft his Head, in making that Treaty It was an Infringement upon the undoubted Privilege of the BritlJJ: Parliament, and de- ftru<5live of the very Being of the Britijh Liberty. It would therefore be worfe than " Felony » The Mercntor, N^ XXXIX. and N ' CXIII. as quoted by the BritiJJ) Mer chant ^ Vol. III. Pages 3, 4, and 31. Edit. 17J1, << << <♦ C( on the flionour of ^oftilities. National entlemen oied, cal- d Diftinc- ant. The Difdatn ; > To many -of vend- of Manu- ;e of our ig to the it is alfb the Nur- il Source ^ay, the "ter, who tof /'/jr- Treaty, e he had feems,* le worfl: to have tv It doubted and de- Britifi rfe than Felony Xlir. as V^ 3, 4. ..t il^/^e' Nat uRALizATioN Bill. 55 " Felony to enforce the keeping of it." Pofterity will be amazed at reading thele Words, if they fiiould reach to their Time,— as poillbly tney may, becaufe the llritijh Merchant hath recorded them; a * Book wrote on purpofe to expel the Poifun of this venal Writer; and which will be rememVered, as long as any rcj^ard for Commerce, and Love for our Country fliall remain. O N the contrary, the Trade to France^ which hath ever been found to be deftrudtive to thefc Kingdoms, was adually attempted to be thrown open ; and the Country Gentle- men were perfuaded to believe, that great Ad* vantages would redound to themfelves by the opening * Mr King fays, in the Preface to the Id Vol. Page 17. " My Lord Halifax was the Support, and \exy " Spirit of the Paper called The Britijh Mcrc^^ant. He " encouraged the Gentlemen concerned to meet, heard ** and affilled their Debates, and, being zealous above •^ all Things that the Trade of Great Britain fhouIJ ** flouiifli, he not only continued his Influence and Ad- " vice to the laftj but, out of his ufual and unbounded ** Liberahty, contributed very largely to this Work ; & ** confidcrablc Sum being raifed to carry it on." — I wil! add, that the prefent noble and worthy Reprefentative of that Great Man, inherits all his Virtues, as well as his Titles and Honours: — The fame Love of his Coun- try, — Zeal for its VVelfare, — and Knowledge of the moft efficacious Methods to promote it. Therefore the Super- intendency of our Commercial Affairs is moft dtfervedly committed to his Care and Vigilance; who has joined to the Senfe of Honour, belonging to his Birth, the Senti- ments and Affedion of a true Patriot^ {o hereditary in his Family. And we may affure ourfelves from Kxperi- cnce, that !u§ Endeavours will nevvr bv wanting, to ren- der j6 HisToftiCAL Remarks on the opening of it. Claret, Burgundy, and Cham- paign, and all the Wines of the Growth of France, might be bought much the cheaper i and as to any Difadvantagcs and Diftrcflcs in Trade, they had no Concerns in //6^/;/}-*-Thefe Things would be to the Merchant's Lofs, not theirs. Under fuch unhappy Prejudices, and fatal Miftakes, it is no Wonder that the Landed Gentlemen fhould unite in oppoflng a Bill for naturalizing foreign Proteftants; which the very Patrons of it recommended, as advantage- ous to Manufadures, Trade, and Commerce. This alone was a Circumftance to fet them a- gainft it. And one of the greateft Wits of the Age, who was the applauded weekly Ledtuyer to his Party, had taught them what to think and fay, both of the Bill, and the Advifers of it. " ThefeMen, faith he,* take it into their Imaginations, that Trade can never flourifh, unlefs the Country becomes a common Re* ceptack for all Nations, Religions, and Lan- guages: A Syftem only proper for fmall po-- pular States, but altogether unworthy, and below the Dignity of an Imperial Croivji^ —ThefeMen come with the Spirit ofShop^ keepers, to frame Rules for the Adminidra- *• tion del- Great Britain the General Center of Trade, and a Magazine for other Nations. * The Examiner, Numb. XXI. written December 28. 1 7 10. to prepare the Way for the Repeal of the Naturalization Bill. See an excellent and judicious An- fwcr given to it iii the Spel^ator, Numb. 200, C( cc cc cc >notwithftandingthe Provocation given them by the iU-Treatment and Reproaches of fome of thofe, who are pleafed to call themfelves High-Church Men. Differences of Opinion they have among them- felves, but not greater than thofe that fubfift between the Members of the eftablifhed Church among Us. Dr South y and Bilhop At- terbiiry, tho' both High-Church Clergymen, were as oppofite in their Sentiments concerning cqrtain ai - ny i -rrrr c ^^ f g jjug t t ^ m ^ on the 36 always , tottering er out of defcribed in a Rock ; be able to h of Eng-- riftian Be- lefe alone f a Dozen mes, fiich )f this Au- the Right luld at any ;rs. Ihurches a- WhenLw- dom, they 2nd to any be given, ; over, of andingthe Treatment who are rch Men. ng them- at fubfift ftablilhed ifhop At" ergymen, ncerning certain late Naturalization Bill,' 59 certain Points, as any Lutherans and Calvin- ijis. And it is further obfervable, that one of our publick Religious Societies, confiding of a great Number of the Right Reverend theBifli- ops, the principal Clergy, and other diftingu idl- ed Members of the Church of England^ l^e Society for promoting Chrijiian Knowledge^ openly patronized and fupported the Lutheran Miflionaries in the Eafl Indies, in the very Year in which this Author wrote, viz. 17 1 o. This Circumftance alone is an inconteftible Proof, that the Lutheran Church, in the Opinion of the befl and ableft Defenders of the Church of Englandy is neither Heretical nor Schifma- tical. But the Society went farther, and in a few Years afterwards, opened two new Mifli- ©ns of their own, at the Englijh Settlements of ^Madrafs and Cudulore, and appointed no other than Danifh [Luther an"] Miflionaries, to carry on that good Work. * See the Society's Print- ed Account, at the End of this Year's Sermon, Page 7, As * '" The Society undertook, in the Year 17 10. ** the Management of fuch Charities as were, ^^ as were, or ** fliould be put into their Hands for the Support and Enlargement oi the Protestant [Lw/^^ra«] Mis- sion, then maintained by the King of Denmark^ at Tranquebar, m the Eaji Indiet, for the G^nverfion of the Heathen in thofe Parts. Accordingly they, ** from Time to Time, affiftcd the Miflionaries there with Money, a Printing-Prefs, Paper, and other Ne- ceiTaries (as they were enabled) till the Year 1728. *' When, upon a Propofal made by the Rev. Mr Schulize, I z '* one <( « cc cc ^- 6o Historical Remarks o« f^^ •(i As to the Flings of tjiis Author, about fmall popular States^ and the Spirit of Shop-* keeping, I h.ive only this to fay, that other Powers, befides the States General, to whom he defigned this Complement, have encreafed the Number of their S\ibje(5ts by the Admiffion of Foreigners. Antient Rome naturalized whole Kingdoms at a Time, for the Sake of increaf- ing its Military Strength. And fince the Pow- er of France hath the Force and Riches of al- mofl twenty Millions of People united againfl us, T leave the World to judge, whether we are able to withftand them with only ten MiU //i?;^j,— and thofe never well united, France alfo itfelf hath, for fome Time paft, naturalized foreign ** one of the "Dantjh Miffionaries, to remove to Fort *' ^t George^ and there hegin a new Miffion, for the •' Ccnverfion of the Heathen at Madrafsy the Society *' engaged for the Support of the fame-, tho' at an Expence " that did then far exceed their Abih'ty ; trufting to the *' Goodnefs and Bleffing of Almighty God : Which <* Expence has been fmce greatly encreafed by an Ad- " dition of Miffionaries, as well as the Enlargement of <* the Miffion to C«i«/«r^, near Fort St David, another ** jE'w;^///^' Settlement. However, the Society chearfully *' rely upon the fame wife and gracious Providence, «' which has hitherto wonderfully profpered this, and «' all other their Undertakings, to raife up fuch a truq ** Chriftian Spirit, as will abundantly fupply all their «* Wants; fuch a Spirit, as (hews itfelf ia Mr Profeflbr '* Franke of Hall, m Saxony, whofe P.emittances to- ** wards carrying on this pious and glorious Defign, " have been large and conftant." See alfo N^ IV, Page 5 8, for a further Account, ■/^l^jMttyaB"^^ ;■ '":S on the hor, abou( \i£ of Shop-^ that other to whom e encreafed Admiffion lized whole of increaf^ ;e the Pow- iches of al- TED againfl vhether we ily ten Mil- 'd, France naturalized foreigu move to Fort iffion, for the fit the Society at an Expence trufting to the jod : WhicH fed by an Ad- nlargement of avid, another ety chearfully s Providence, red this, and [) fuch a truq )ply all theif Mr Profefibr mittances to- rious Deiign, alfo NO IV, ■4 Idte Naturalization Bill. 6t foreign Catholicks, efpecially the £;zg-/iyZ>, Scotch^ and Iriff:)', thereby draining us of People, to encrea'c : .s own Subje(fls. * Even the bigot- ed Spaniards have now a Proje<5t on Foot for naturalizing Two Hundrep Thousand fo- reign Catholicks. Alfo the King o? Prujfia is. covering his Wafles, Forefts, and Marfhes, with Farms and Villages, enlarging his Towns and Cities, and repleniftiing his Manufai^lurea with additional Hands, drawn from all Coun^. tries: By thefe Means he is,, to a great Degree," enabled to maintain, in coiiftant Pay, one of the greateft Armies, and the bed appointed, tjiat was ever feen in Europe, Thefe are nei-. ther fmall, nor popular States; nor are their ruling Powers afhamed of infpiring a Spirit of Trade and Shop-keeping into their People. But if the hopeful Schemes of this Author and his Party had taken Place, the Englifh, by this Time, would have had very few Shops to keep. ' Nay, the very Houfe of Auftria begins now, not to think it below the Dignity of an Imperial Crown, to encourage Trade and Commerce in its Dominions. And foreign Merchants and Mechanicks are invited to fettle in all the Hereditary Countries, with a Pro- mife made them of many ample Privileges and Exemptions. It * ^^c The Theory and Pra^ice of Commerce, Chap. 14. Written by Don Geronimo Ujiarits, one of tjsie Lords of Trade to His Catholick Majefty. «lkv. ,.>^-.^ ■■ 42 Historical Remarks «n the 'i' > I T is not therefore fo bad, or fo dijhonour'm able a Thing to make our Country a Recep^ tacle and an Afylum for the Virtuous and In- duftrious of other Nations: And one would think the Englijh would be the laft to objed to fuch a Proceedure, who arrived to their prcfent Greatnefs by thefe very Means, and are themfelves a CoUedion of all the Nations, and their very Language a Mixture of every Tongue in Europe. But whatever they were at their firft coming, their Defcendants foon become fo thorough Englifimen, as to con* trad the Epidemical Diforder erf" the Country, an Averfion to Foreigners. , ■ i And, at the Jun6lure now under Conlideration, the poor Palatines were the Objects againft whom this Averfion was ftrongly vented, I T would have been very eafy for the then Miniftry, to have found Employment for thefe unhappy Sufferers, who had their Country burnt up, Towns pillaged, and Lands laid wafte, for no other Reafon, but becaufe they were engaged in a War, on our Side, againft the Common Enemy. And many Schemes were fet on foot for the Employment of them; particularly the dividing of the New Foreji in-« to Lots and Shares: This would have fuited beft the Genius of the People, as they moflly confifted of Hu(bandmen and Labourers, and were defirous of not being difperfed far from each -'r~- j;miWl«|bV'"" ■■i'' hte Naturalization BiLt. 63 each other. But the Miniftry had other Views than thele: — For if the Palatines had been fixed in regular Settlements, they would foon have become an ufeful People, and have ftop- ped the Clamours raifed againft them. Where- as the Vievjrs of the Miniftry were not to Jlence^ but to encreafe thefe Clamours, by continuing the Palatines both ufekfs to themfelves, and a Burden to the Publick, that the popular Odi- um againft Foreigners might rebound, and fall the heavier upon the Authors of the late Na- turalization Bill, the Marlborough and Godol" phin Miniftry; — who had likev^ife the Guilt of beating the French, and keeping out the Pretender: And the unfortunate Circumftance of the Dearnefs of Corn, then almoft Ten Shil- iings a Buftiel, together with the Ferment raif^ ed by Dr Sacheverel, gave too much Succels to their Machiavelian Schemes. h.:.- AfTer *the Nation had been thus taught to hate and defpife a People, whom, of then>. felves. • A Writer in the Paper called Old England, March 23. 175 1, hath thefe Words, ** As to Vine-drefTers ** [fpeaking of the Palatines] I do not fee of what Ufe " they can be in £»^/<2«^.*'— — True; but is not every Vine-Dreffer an Husbandman likewife, at thofe Timea when he is not employed in the Vineyard ? Qjiere, Was there ever known an Inftance of a Set of Peafanta living wholly by Vine-Dreffing, and not following other Country Bufinefs the remaining, that is, the much greater Part of the Year ? The former Objections againft Foreigners ufed to be, That they did not betake them- fi?»- W ^ 1 i / 64 Historical Remarks c« /.6^ felves, they would not have been too fond of*^ thefe Foreigners were fent abroad, ifome to Ireland, and others to New York, The Parlia- ment of Ireland had voted 24000/. for the Reception of them : And I find by an A<5t> pafled in the Parliament of Great Britain^ the firft of George I. f. 29. that they were not thought an idle, or an ufelefs People in the Kingdom of /r^Azw^. Thofe who were fent to New Torky having not received the kindeft Ufage, moved from thence, and fettled in Pen- fyhania, where they met with an humane and hofpitable Reception. There they invited Numbers of their Countrymen to join them 5 and not a Year pafTes, but many Thoufands of Germans go over to them. By thefe Means, the Province of Penfyhania is enriched to fuch a Degree, that an Eiiate in Land, which might be purchafed for 100/. Sterling, before their Arrival, cannot now be had for Three Times that Sum; fo greatly have they encreafed the Wealth and Property of the Landed Interejh And the other Provinces are now ufing all their Intereft, to have as many German Proteflants to come and fettle among them, as they can ; a People, no longer defcribed as ufelefs, laz)-, indolent, themfelves to the Cart, ?:hc Plow, or the Flail, but to Handicrafts, and cafy Occupations; But now, when thefe Palatines were moftly employed in Agriculture, a grievous Complaint is inad. againft them by the Exami- No 44. That they underjlood 710 1'rads or Handi- tier craft. So that either Way, Tradefnicn or Hiilbandmcn, the Foreigners muft be condemned. 'T--" — -■ en the fond o^j , fome to he Parlia- /. for the itain, the were not •le in the were fent le kindeft lA in Pen- humane ey invited )in them j Dufands of fe Means, ed to fuch ich might ore their ree T'imes *eafed the / InterejL g all their oteftants ley can; efs, lazy, indolent, ail, but to »ow, -when icultiiie, a the Exami • or Handi-* (bandnitn. iate Naturalization Bill. 6^ indolent, and a Burden to the Publick, but la- borious, frugal, and induflrious} enriching the Country they live in, by enriching themfelves.* I rice, and the Na- i^hat this (hed the >oufandtb d receiv- luft im- d greater agcment 'm J: ^ /j/^ NaTUR ALIZ ATION BiLL. 67 Encouragement in Eriglandy than in other Countries, — or, that they had behaved unwor- thy of the Favours conferred upon them,— or were the Friends, and a Support to a Govern- ment he withed to fee deftroyed. , I F he meant the Firjl^ I muft beg Leave to declare, in my Turn (and I have fufficient Evidences to juftify what I fay) that this is a great Mijlake. The States General, the firft and fecond Kings of Pruffia, the King ofDefi- marky and the rroteftant Princes of the Em- pire, not only received them with open Ai ms, naturalized them, fettled Stipends upon their Minifters, and caufcd Collections to be made throughout their Dominions for their prefent Support (which were likewife done in *E?ig- land) but alfo exempted them from certain Taxes and Duties, and from ferving burthen- fome and expenfive Offices, for a Term of Years. In fome Places, they had the publick Money lent them, at a low Intereft, to mer- chandize, and fet up their Trades with : In others, Lands were given them to cultivate, and Materials provided for the Building of their Houfes: And the Artificers were every where incorporated into the Companies of their re- K 2 fpedtive * Tho' after Mr Harley came to he Lord Ticaiurer, the 15,00c/. voted by Parlian)ent, and allowed in the Civil Lift, for the Sv;pport of the Miniiieis and Poor among the Refugee's, w.is not paid them. See Mr //. JValpole's Speech in the Parliament. DebaUs^ Vol. V. Pjge 70. ^'1 68 Hi sTORicAL Remarks M Mi? fpc(5tive Trades. Moreover it muft not be omitted, that the firft and fecond Kings of Prttjfia, ftationed exprcfs Agents on the Con- fines of France, to receive the Refugees, and to condud them into Brandenburg -y paying their travelliiig Charges through the Empire : Which humane and engaging Method is, as it is faid, Litely revived by thd prefent politick king of Priiffia, It is therefore not at all fur- prilino', that the French Refugees, when they fled out of France^ chofe rather to fettle in other Proteftant Countries, than in England, For out of 800,000 Perfons, the Numbec computed by Voltaire and others, to have fled from the Perfccutions and Opprcflions of Lewis XIV. not a twentieth Pait came here. .^— And at prefent, though we daily hear of Perfccu- tions in the Southern Provinces of France^ which chiefly abound with Protcflnnt Mann- faElurerSy we fcarce find that a Angle Sufferer hath taken Refuge in Fngland\ —at the fame Time that great Numbers are daily retiring in- to other Countries. I r the Second was this Author's Meaning, I muft here allow him to be in the Right ; and confefs the Crimes thofe Hugonots are charged with. — It is not, that they robbed, or flole, or cheated, or raifcd Infurredlions, or were taken in a Plot either againft Church or State ; — But they oppofed the Minijlerial Bill of Commerce with France^ and gave the firft Alarn^ late Naturalization Bill. 69 Alarm to the Nation of the mifchievous Ten- dency of it. They beft underftood the Ma- nufadlures of their own Country, and the Dif- ference between the Price of Labour in France and England \ and therefore proved to a Dc- monftration,That we fliould be a ruined People, if the French were permitted to import their Manufadlures, Wines, and Brandies into Eng" lanJy according to the Tenor of that Treaty, This was the great, the unpardonable Offence. —They ought to have held their Tongues, and not have blabbed out a Truth fo Mal-c^ propos. I muft like wife add, that Mr Samuel 'Toriano^ another foreign Protellant, though not a Frenchman^ was in Danger of being fent to Prifon, for his free and unwelcome Explana- tion of thefe Things at the Bar of the Houfc of Commons. !! ii. i L A s T L y. If it was the Author's Intention to infinuate, that \k\t French Hugonots are to be looked upon as Enemies to the Defigns of that Party among us, who are not Friends to our prefcnt happy Eftabliihment j ^- 1 muft plead guilty to this Crime alfo. And indeed I will freely acknowledge, that the Nar turalization of foreign Proteftants, can never have a favourable Afpecl towards a certain Caufe : -»-Nor is it to be wondered at, that Per»- fons of that CompkBion fhould oppofe it with fo much Virulence, and fpread fo many Stories among the Populace, to heighten their inbre-d Prejudices jigainft it. For they know very well, Id ^isy-j*-.— .-*t">: . fr i/« % 70 Hi sToRicAL Rem ARKS ^;r /'r well, that every foreign Protcftant, wh lei from the Tyranny and Perfecution of his own Prince, would be the more aftive, in a free Country, to oppofe the Prctenlions of any Fa- fnilyy who claim fuch an unSounM Heved'itary Right over his Liberty and Life, as never can te forfeited i-^v/ho are alfo obliged, by the Principles of their Church, and their Ties of Intereft 5 to fupprefs the P rot eft ant Religion, as foon as they have the Power of doing it. And when the Reader confiders the Schemes in Agitation at the Juncture in which this Au- thor wrote, he will cafily account for the Cla- mours that were raifed by a certain Set of Men, againfl the Naturalization of foreign Proteilants. After having brought Matters to this Period of Queen Ann^s Reign, I think it need- lefs to defcend lower down. Be it fufficient to obfene, that from a very late Indance it plain- ly appt tars, that all the former BiafTes flill fub- rnl againil Foreigners : — Though perhaps we now have yet ftronger Reafons for the Ad- miillon of them, which I (hall endeavour more particularly to fet forth in the Second Pjr/ of this Treatife, '■■■■,■-. . - . -.' '■ .. . I N the mean Time, one general Obferva- tion certainly deferves the Attention of the Reader, viz, " That every Legiflature ought ** more particularly to guard againft thofe evil " Qualities in a People, to which - they are " moil « f,^,,j s^ pLi,: : ?'...; - J >iM>ri /tf/^ Naturalisation Bill. 71 " moft inclined." This was the Point on which I firft fct out, and with which I now conclude. — — The Englijh Nation do certainly excel in many good Qualities : But are there none of a different Nature to which they are atididtcd ? And indeed, hath not every Nation fome had^ as well as good Difpo- fitions, by which it is charadtcriled and dif- tinguiilicd P ^- .The Averfion of the Inhabi- tants of this Ifland towards Foreigners is no 7tew Thing : For it hath been taken Notice of near eighteen Hundred Years ago. Neither is it any Secret-, if it were, I fhould have thought it improper to be divulged. But alas! all the World are agreed in the Fad ; and if we deny the Charge, who will believe us?— There is, therefore, no other Way left of clearing our- felves of the Imputation, than by altering our Condu<5t towards them: This may produce fome good EfFed ; but it will be by very flow Degrees. For the Foreigners are too well ac- quainted with our natural Averfion againfl. them, to be fond of coming over in fuch Num- bers, • The common People in IFoIes look w^ion the Eng- VtJ}) to t^'s Day, as JJpJiarts and Foreigners: And when an Env jh Artificer conies among them, they generally expu (;. their Contempt of, and Averfion to him, by fay- ing, Rhyu) Saii bach^ yn dyfod n't xvn i o lie: That is, yl little pitiful Saxon [Englilhman] wIjo comes one knows not from where. I have had frequent Opportunities of obferving this Foible in the ancient Britons^ as I am a Native of the Country; And it is worth regarding, that |he Englifli thenifclves ufe almoft the fame Terms of Reproach againft the French^ am* ' '^ H' t''.': ' • H '1 \i. other Foreigners. /:■ NOT— «l> yi Historical Rem ARKS, fi^'r. bers, as many ignorant or prejudiced Perfona among us are pleafed to fuppofe. And the An- tipathies we have fo long {hewed, mufl iirft hQ forgot^ before they can be perfuadcdtopre* fer England to many other Countries, where the Perfecuied and DiJireJJed have been invited to come, and have met with the greatefl En- couragement, and kindefl Reception. Indeed, we give a moft aftonifhing and fcandalous Encouragement to Cooks, Fidlers, Dancers, Singers, 5fr. G?f. of all Nations. But this is no Proof of our Regard to Foreign- ers, but of our exceflive Love of Pleafiire, which bears down every Thing before it. For at the fame Time that fo many Thoufand Pounds a Year are fquandered away upon Per- fons of any or no Religion, who conio exprefly to debauch our Morals, encreafe our Expences, lefien our Induftry, impoverifh cur Country, introduce new Luxuries, and do every Thing that is prejudicial to our Well-being, as Mem- bers both of Church and State, — - we still refufe to naturalize thofe honeft, induftrious, and confcientious Proteflant Families, who arc perfecuted for Rigbteoufnefs Sake, In (hort, wedifcourage iht Mechanick^^X^^ Merchanf^^2inA the Protestant, from com- ing to US;— but invite and encourage all OTHERS. FINIS, ^A I