Into Holland.
It may not be here unseasonable, to insert a word or two, concerning our Fullers Earth, for cloth cannot be perfectly finished without our Fullers Earth, to scoure and cleanse the fine clothes, that are milled with Castle sope, and all other midling cloths that are fulled with Sope; so that none but course clothes that are milled with Medicine can be well done, without the assistance of our Fullers earth, except at a greater charge, neither is there any other Countrey, besides our King’s Dominions, that have any Fullers Earth like ours in England; & it is so reported, that the Dutch have gotten enough of it into Holland to serve them for many years to come, which was certainly transported out of the River of Medway, (alias Chatham) for we have none in England, but what is about Maidstone, on the said River of Medway, that ever I could hear of, except at Wooburn in Bedfordshire, which is an Inland-town, and many Miles from the Sea; yet I have been a diligent inquirer into this matter: so that if the Transportation of this commodity, into Forrein Countries, was carefully looked after, it could not possibly be carried out of the Land, without a discovery of it, especially from the River of Medway aforesaid, so that forreigners must of necessity be at the greater charge, in finishing their clothes, which could not be done, without the help of our Fullers Earth. Now that there is a prohibition of Exportation of our Fullers Earth, to Forreign parts, is well enough known to the Officers of the Customehouse, but it is not looked after as it should be, for either some of them are negligent, not regarding their duties, and behaving themselves with that vigilance and circumspection, as such places of Trust do necessarily call for at their hands; or else they wink at such miscarriages, and suffer our Fullers Earth to be carried away, as the like is commonly done concerning our Wooll.
Wooll carryed to France, &c.
And although most part of our Lawes are binding enough with severe Penalties annexed to them, if they were but duly observed and well put into Execution, yet not one of ten thousand doth know the Lawes of Prohibition throughout the Kingdom, and how to put them into Execution; and although many people do certainly know that Fullers Earth is certainly carried out of the River of Medway, (alias Chatham,) and our Wooll commonly shipped off from Dover-Cliffs by night, from Rumney-Marsh, the Isle of Wight, Purbeck, and about Waymouth, and in several other parts of England; and too much from Southhamton: under the pretence of an Allowance by the Law, for the supply of Jarsey; Yet no body doth, or dareth to prosecute the Offenders for the breach of our good and wholesome Laws, because the very principles of Nature in every man, teach himself Preservation, and he that minds but that, is afraid to meddle with these offenders who are commonly Rich men, and strengthened both with Money and Friends in the Counties where they dwell; so that every man that is willing to preserve himself, his Estate and Family, is afraid of appearing against these Transgressors in the behalf of the King, though it be never so much conducible to the good and welfare of the whole Kingdom; for fear they should be dealt withal as I have been.
Tradesmen undone.
And while I am speaking about the negligence and unfaithfulness of the Officers of the Customs; give me leave in two or three words for a Digression concerning the importation of Forrein prohibited Commodities, to the utter ruine of many poor Tradesmen, with their Families in this our Kingdom; as Ribbon Weavers, and Silk weavers, and other such like Artificers in & about London, and several other parts of the Kingdom, that they are so miserably Impoverished that they are ready to perish, for want of necessary food, to keep life and soul together; (as our English Proverb is) notwithstanding the great plenty of all sorts of Provision in the Nation, (through the goodness and bounty of God to us.)
Smugglers prosecute honest men.
That discover them.
But all these errours, and miscarriages, might and may easily be prevented, by the care and vigilancy of the Custome Officers, especially in the out-Ports: But some Officers finding a perticular, and present profit, by being invested with a Golden Livery, do rather choose that, than to do their King and Countrey faithful service, although it be also running the hazard of losing their present Imployment, and future Preferment; for things of this Nature, are now grown to that height of perfidiousness, and confidence, (I might say Impudence) that two or three golden Decoys are sufficient to intrap an inclining Surveyor, and if there should chance to be a discovery, or a surprisal, there shall be all present help at hand, if need require, for the carrying off the matter smoothly, and Witnesses in any case shall not be wanting, to counterfeit Truth and Justice, when it is directly contrary; by which malicious, and unnatural courses, those that would be just and honest in their places and Offices, are disheartned, through the leud and deceitful practices, of these Catterpillars; who by such indirect Courses are disobedient to the Lawes, and the Smugglers that imploy them, do multiply great troubles, upon such as at any time discover these Offenders, yea and do violently prosecute them at the Law, to make them Examples and terrors to others, that so they might drive on their cheating trade without controul; and yet such honest well-minded men do nothing but their duty, but for that they have this odium cast upon them, they are called Informing Knaves, &c. notwithstanding the welfare of the whole Kingdome, doth in a great measure depend upon the discovery of such abuses.
Smugglers are befriended