For one Trade depends upon another, as it is in the body natural, so it is in the body politique, in the body natural, one member depends upon another, and is serviceable to the other, by a natural Harmony and Correspondence, even so doth one Trade, or occupation closely, and necessarily depend upon another, here in England, and such a connection there is in this point, that if one chiefe Trade fail, very many also do fall with it, more or less, according to their proximity, or remotenes from it, in their dependance, and this may be applied cheifly, and principally to the Trade of Cloathing, and the Manufacture of wooll in other respects; how many several Trades are there, that must of necessity depend on the Cloathing Trade, as Card-makers, Spinners, Weavers, Fullers, Dyers, Cloath-workers, Packers, and those Trades which make Tooles, and instruments for these; are not also the Farmers at work, in the mean time, to provide bread for all these People, and their Families, and breeding up his Oxen, Sheep, Hogs, &c. That they may have Meat to eate, are not the Merchants and Sea-men, imploy’d in a great measure by this Trade, and these last mentioned (the Sea-men) are the men, who principally, and cheifly bring in the wealth of the Nation: the Gentry of the Land, and all sorts of Shop-keepers, are the receivers of this profit, which the Sea-men by their adventures, and industry do bring into the Nation; all sorts of Lawyers, Phisitians, and Clergy-men, are receivers, and get their Money by their Tongues, while the Adventurous Merchant, and undaunted Marriner, carries on the Trade of the Nation, exporting our native staple commodities (of the which through Gods abundant goodness,) this land of ours is so well stored, in several perticulers, as might be instanced in Tin, Lead, Cloath, Stuffes, Stockins, Herrings, of which might be an hundred times as many if look’t after, and Sale enough for them too, at Forreign Markers: but the Dutch run away with the profit of these goods, making two Barrels for our one; Pilchards are a very good commodity, of which we do get good store in the West Country, and they do bring in good profit to the Nation, either in Gold or Silver, or such commodities, as the Kingdom stands in need off.
By what hath been said, it plainly appears how from the highest to the lowest, there is a necessary dependance of one imployment upon another, and the falling off from one general Trade, occasions the ruin of many inferior Tradesmen, who had subsistence for themselves, and Families thereby; and this in our Kingdom of England, is seated principally, and cheifly, in the Trade of Cloathing, and the Manufacture of Wooll.
The King Looseth.
So that upon the failing of this Trade, of which there is too great a cessation and decay, in many parts of this Kingdom, there comes in inevitably such a general loss, to the whole Nation, for first and most principally the King loseth hereby, and that extreamly, not only because his Subjects are not set at work, and so are unabled to live comfortably, and to pay such Taxes, and impositions, as are requisite for his Majesties support, and defence against his powerful Enemies.
Nor in that the Honor, and splendor of the Kingdom, is hereby so much advanced and promoted, as it might be, but also because his Majesty looseth so great a revenue, which would accrue to him in his Customes, if the Cloathing Trade was carried on with Vigor, so that the effectual carrying on, or desisting from the Cloathing Trade, is of very high Concernment, and Importance to the King; in profit or loss, and so it runs through the meaner sort of People also, as hath allready in part been spoken to.
The Kings Customes.
For what Customes come in yearly to his Majesty concerning the Manufactures of Wooll, in its several, and perticular sorts, of the Old and New Drapery, in all the Varieties of Stuffes, made now a days, and Stockins, by being Transported to Forreign parts, and what store of Money, and other goods, (equivalent to Money) being necessary commodities for the Kingdom, do they bring in again, for our Cloath, Stuffs, &c. so sold or bartered; and what Customs again do all those imported goods bring into His Majesties Coffers, may not be difficult to be computed, besides the imployment of so many Ships and Seamen, and training up young Seamen, than which nothing in this age of ours, is more necessary to be taken care about; for there is (I believe) the greatest want of this sort of men in the Kingdom, for although there may be enough found in the Kingdom, to Man His Majesties Royal Navy, and it may be some to spare, yet it is believed there are not neer enough for His Majesties Service, and for Merchants service too, which may many times be carried on both together, as occasion may require;
The Companies of Merchants.
And if we do but look back a little, to a few Generations past, we may soon find what high Advantages have accrued to His Majesty in His Customs; and to the Kingdom in general, by the Cloathing-trade, being lively managed by the Merchants, and what worthy and noble Companies of Merchants, have been Associated and Incorporated; whose Trading hath for the most part, consisted in Woollen cloaths, as in the Merchant Adventures Trading to the East-lands, and in what esteem their Agents and Factors were in Forreign parts, and how Rich and great their Stock and Treasure hath been, in so much that they have been able to lend a very considerable supply and assistance to the King or Queen upon any Occasion; and Particularly and Eminently (may it be spoken to their Honor) their Assistance of Queen Elizabeth of most happy Memory, in the year Eighty Eight; and since upon any Occasion of the like nature.
East Land Company.