11. Dolour. Syr, it is (no doubt) a Thing to be mufed upon, Query, Whether if the Husbandman were forced to abate the Pryces of his Stuff, this Dearth would be amended; if he fhould be commanded to fell his Wheat (for Inftance) at 8 d. the Bufhel, Rye at 6 d. Barley at 4 d. his Pig and Goofe at 4 d. his Hen at 1 d. ob. his WooL at a Marke a Todd, the Landlord to return to his old Rent, &c. would Goods in that Cafe from be- . yond Seas be brought as good cheap after the fame Rate? A Man would think yes. For Example, if they now fell a Yard of Velvet for 20 s. or 22 s. and pay that for a Todd of WOOL, were it not as good for them to fell their Velvet for a Marke a Yard, fo they had a Todd of WOOL for a Marke. P. S. I think it needlefs to purfue this Dialogue further; whence it is evident that the advanced Price of all Commodities, which appears to have been the Complaint of thefe Times, was only a Confequence of the Increase of Trade, and a greater Plenty of Money than heretofore. It alfo appears that the Price of Wool, before the general Dearth complained of at this Period, was 13 s. 4 d. per Tod, and that now, viz. in 1581, it fold for TWENTY and TWENTY TWO SHILLINGS per Tod. I СНАР. The Doctour, who appears to be the Moderator in this Dialogue, refolving the Original of thefe advanced Prices of things into the Alteration of the Value of Coin, difcourfes very fenfibly upon the Subject of Money; and accounts for Wool being dearer in Comparison than Corn, from the former being allow'd to be exported, the latter too much reftrained in that refpect; fays, that reverfing the Measures would produce juft the contrary Effect; and wifely argues, that by giving an equal proper Liberty to both; in that Cafe, notwithstanding Inclofures, the Balance would be preferved; for that the Farmer would fhift from Sheep to Corn, and vice verfâ, as he was likely to find his Account beft, in the one, or the other. Camden, 1583. I. CHA P. XXIV. Queen ELIZABETH. AD. 1583. The Emperor of Muscovy dying, the Trade of the English withal decayed by little and little; and the English Ambaffador to that Court returned not without Danger of his Life. z. Theodore Joannides fucceeding to the Empire, granted to all Merchants of what Nation foever, free Accefs into Ruffia. And being oftentimes follicited by the Queen to confirm the Privileges granted by his Father to the Mufcovia Company of English Merchants, to wit, that only English Men of that Company fhould come into, or trade in the North Parts of Ruffia, and that, Custom free, in regard they were the firft that dif covered the Paffage thither by Sea: He thereupon defired her Liberty to all the English to trade into Ruffia ; for to permit fome and deny others was Injuftice. Princes he faid, muft carry an indifferent Hand betwixt their Subjects, and not convert Trade (which by the Law of Nations ought to be common to all) into a Monopoly, to the private Gain of a few. As for his Cuftoms, he promifed to exact lefs by one half of that Company than of the reft; because they firft difcovered the Paffage thither by Sea. In other Matters he confirmed their former Privileges, and added fome few more out of his Respect to the Queen, and not for any Desert as he said, of the Company; many of whom he found had dealt falfely with his Subjects. 3. A. D. * An Act touching the Breadth of white Woolen Cloths made within the Counties of Wilts, Gloucefter, Somerset, and Oxon. 27 Eliz. c. 17. This Act recites, That former Laws made in thefe Cafes could not always be observed, ⚫ and that through unavoidable Defaults, their Cloths were many times feized by the Searchers of London in Blackwell-Hall Market;' therefore without intending to make void fuch former Laws, this was provided as a small Abatement from the Rigor thereof, 3. A. D. 1585. For the more advantageous and Camden, gainful vending of English Cloths, Licence was granted 1585. to Ambrofe, Earl of Warwick, and his Brother the Earl of Leicester, Thomas Starky, Gerard Gore, and divers others, Merchants of London, for the Term of two Years, to trade with the Moors in the Eastern Parts of Barbary, to make good the Loffes they had before fuftained in Africa; and all others were prohibited to trade upon thofe Coafts. Thefe Merchants Muley Hamet the Xeriff took into his Protection. + An Act concerning the making the Woolen Cloths in the Counties of Devonshire and Cornwal, called plain white Straights, and pinned white Straights. c. 18. This Act was much of the fame Nature with the preceding one, containing fome Relaxation of the Laws in Being on that Head. An Act touching the Breadths of Plunkets, Azures, and Blues, and other coloured Cloths made within the Counties of Somerset, and elsewhere of like making. 35 Eliz. c. 9. This A&t, of the fame kind with 27 Eliz. c. 17, 18. * An At for the Reformation of fundry Abuses in Cloths, called Devonshire Kerfeys or Dozens; according to a Proclamation of the 34th Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lady the Queen. c. 10. 6 This Act confifts of 10 Sections. It recites, That ⚫ grievous Abuses having been practifed in thefe Cloths, apon representation thereof by feveral Petitions, Certificates of Juftices, and even Complaints of The States of Holland, the Queen by Advice of her Council had iffued a Proclamation in the Interval of Parliament, for reforming the fame;' which being found to have had a good Effect, the Rules, &c. therein prefcribed, were hereby enacted into a standing Law. An Act for the better Execution of the Statute made in the 23d of the Queen's Reign for the abolishing of Logwood. 39 Eliz. c. 12. An Explanation of an A&t made 11 Hen. VII. for Fufti ans. C. 13. An Act prohibiting bringing into this Realm any foreign Cards for Wool. c. 14. This Act recites, That many thousands of Woolen Card-makers and Card-wyer-drawers of London, Bristol, Gloucester, Norwich, Coventry, &c. had heretofore fub• fifted themselves and Families upon that Business, which was now greatly impaired by Importation of Wool Cards ⚫ from France.' An 15.2. Note: CHAP. XXV. A Treatise of Commerce ||, wherein are shewed By JOHN WHEELER, Secretarie to the faid The Merch. I. Advent. HE Merchants Adventurers were firft entitled how filed terbury; and in the Year 1248, obtained Privileges of at firft. b Note. John An Act against the deceitful fitretching and tentering of Northern Cloths. c. 20. This Act recites' great Abuses herein, in all the Counties North of Trent, particularly thofe of York and Lancafter;' and at the joint Inftance of the Clothiers and Chapmen, Inhabitants of thofe Parts, ordains Regulations in twelve Sections. An Act for the true making of Woolen Cloths. 43 Eliz. C. 10. 6 This A&t recites, how the Laws in many Places for true making of Woolen Cloth were eluded, by tentering, ftretching, deceitful Mixtures,' &c. and therefore ordains Regulations much like thofe of 39 Eliz. c. 20.b for the North of Trent, to be general throughout the Kingdom. The Woolen Manufacture in England being much older. than the Art of printing there; and that Art having been long practifed, before it came into common Ufe, upon all Subjects; therefore thefe Memoirs have thus far been collected neceffarily from the Statute Books chiefly, and other Records. In this Year 1601 was printed this first Book to be met with, so nearly related, as it is, to the Subject. It contains a tolerable Hiftory thereof, fo far as the Reign of Queen Elizabeth reaches, and fomething higher. The Merchant Adventurers, who had been the great Instruments John Duke of Brabant, which were afterwards confirmed to them by Edw. III. of England. They had afterwards Charters fucceffively from Hen. IV. Hen. V. Edw. IV. Rich. III. Hen. VII. under that Name. Afterwards upon the Staple being removed to Calice, they were styled MERCHANTS ADVENTURERS; under which Name their Charter has been continued and confirmed to them by Hen. VIII. Edw. VI. Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth. 2. In the Time of the Reign of Edw. VI. John Tulle, John Dimoke, and others, Brethren of the faid Company, informed the Bishop of Elye, then Lord Chancellour, of Matter against the faid Company, who upon a Hearing before the Council, were obliged to submit themfelves to the Companies Orders; and the Ringleaders were committed to the Fleet. Albeit, the faid Perfons renewed their Complaints in the first of Queen Mary, and did put up a Bill to the Parliament, which was alfo rejected. This Charter was twice renewed with further Privileges by Queen Eliz. viz. in 1564, and again in 1586. 3. Lewis Earl of Flanders granting them Privileges in Their ans 1358, they fettled themfelves in the Town of Bridges, cient Eftir afterwards at Midleburgh; afterwards in 1444 at Ant. mation, werp and Bergen op Zoom; afterwards in 1564 at Ham P. 15. burgh and Stade in Germany. In all which Places they fo demeaned themselves as to reap great Credit, &c. Govern ment, p. 78. 4. The Company of Merchants Adventurers confifteth Their of a great Number of (not fewer than 3500) wealthie Numbers, and well experimented Merchantes, dwelling in diverfe State and great Cities, Maritime Townes, and other Partes of the Realme, viz. in London, Yorke, Norwiche, Excefter, Ipfwich, Newcastle, Hull, &c. Thefe Men of olde Time linked and bound themselves together in Companie, for the Exercise of Merchantdize and Sea Fare, trading in Cloth, Kerfye, and all other, as well English as foreign Commodities vendible abroad, by the which they brought unto the Places where they traded, much Wealth, and for that Cause have obtained may excellent I 3 and Inftruments in procuring the Diffolution of the Stillyard |