And as we shall do well to consider, that altho’ our Plate may serve us once at a dead Lift, as the French King show’d us the Way, yet it can’t serve us above once, and when that’s gone after the rest of our Silver, what are we to do next?
We must not only stop a present Gap, but provide for the future, and so I lay it down as a Conclusion.
That we are under a very great Want of Silver Coin to carry on the necessary Trade of the Kingdom.
CHAP. III.
Of the Importation of Silver.
That which encourages the Importation of any Commodity is the Certainty and Quickness of a Market at a good Price.
But notwithstanding Silver is dear in England, at present we are but dull Traders for it.
For the Mint and the Silver-Smiths being the chief Buyers, these cannot go to Market.
The Mint cannot afford to buy and sell to lose; if an Ounce of Silver cost the Warden of the Mint 6 s. 5 d. he can’t afford to make a Crown-Piece of it.
And the fear of Plate’s being call’d in, to the Disadvantage of the Owner, puts too great a Damp upon the Silver-Smiths’ Trade.
And the actual calling it in, upon such Terms, would very little mend the Matter; People will not be very fond of buying more, for fear at least the same Trick should be serv’d ’em twice.