English Economic History: Select Documents

by Unknown

Item the common people of those parts, by whom the most part of those cloths be consumed, do use in their garments sundry colours not accustomed to be worn here in England, which colours cannot be made, unless they buy their cloths undressed; for the dressing of cloths here and there vary and alter so much, that the dressing will take in manner none of their colours. And in case the merchants of England should bring over such cloths dressed, they should not only be undone in the sale of them, but also it were to be doubted, that in brief time after they would wholly relinquish the buying and wearing of any English cloths in those parts, which God defend.

Item there be certain coarse cloths named long Glemsters, and notwithstanding their coarseness the King's Grace is paid for a cloth and a third part in his custom; and if the buyer will cut off 6 or 8 yards of the said cloth, he may lawfully convey it over notwithstanding the act, which should be a great loss in the sale and an occasion that the strangers should not buy them, wherefore the said governor and merchants say, that the said cloths ought of right to pass for cloths under five marks the piece.

Item at this present day, our Lord be thanked, there is shipped and conveyed out of England into those parts more number of cloths of all sorts and there uttered sold and consumed, than ever hath been in memory of man; and considering, cloth is now there in such high estimation and hath so good vent, the said merchants think, under correction, that it were not necessary, but an utter peril and danger, to attempt them to any other purpose to alter them out of this good trade, which our Lord continue.

Item the inhabitants of those parts by the make of English cloths in frieze consume, waste and spend a great quantity and number of them, which frieze undoubtedly after their using and wearing cannot be made of English cloths dressed here, so that by the only means thereof it should be a great diminution and decay to the common weal of this realm, if the said act for dressing of cloths should take place or effect.

Item the inhabitants of the realm of England have the buying and selling of the wool, one with another, they have also the carding, spinning, weaving, fulling and the first sale of such cloths, and the inhabitants of those parts have only the dressing and shearing of certain of the said cloths, whereby the inhabitants there been a little relieved and a few number of them for a time set to work; yet by means thereof the rulers and honest burgesses of the towns be desirous to have the nation of England to haunt their said towns, and entertain them with much familiarity and friendship. And it is much to be feared and doubted, that if the realm of England should all covet and they to have no relief nor comfort by the same, that they of Antwerp and other places, studying their common weal, would not only find means ways and occasions to expel the nation from them, but also that no English cloths should be there consumed nor sold, which our Lord defend.

[303] Quoted Schanz, Vol. II, pp. 571-3.

3. The Rise in Prices, the Encouragement of Corn-growing, and the Protection of Manufactures [The Commonweal of this Realm of England], c. 1549.

f. 17b-f. 20.

Knight. How can that be? What maketh it the matter what sort of coin we have amongst ourselves, so it be current from one hand to another, yea, if it were made of leather?

Doctor. Ye see, men commonly say so; but the truth is contrary; as not only I could prove by common reason, but also that proof and experience hath already declared the same. But now we do not reason of the causes of these griefs, but what state of men be grieved indeed by this dearth of things; and albeit I find every man grieved by it in one thing or other, yet considering that, as many of them as have wares to sell, do enhance as much in the price of all things that they sell as was enhanced before in the price of things that they must buy; as the merchant, if he buy dear, he will sell dear again. So the artificers, as cappers, clothiers, shoemakers and farriers, have respect large enough, in selling their wares, to the price of victual, wool and iron, which they buy. I have seen a cap for 14d., as good as I can get now for 2s. 5d.; of cloth ye have heard how the price is risen. Then a pair of shoes costeth me 12d. now, that I have in my days bought a better for 6d. Then I can get never a horse shod under 10d. or 12d. [now], where I have seen the common price was 6d. for shoeing of a horse round, yea, and 8d. (at the most) till now of late. I cannot, therefore, understand that these men have greatest grief by this common and universal dearth, but rather such as have their livings and stipends rated at a certainty, as common labourers at 6d. the day, journeymen of all occupations, serving men [at] 40s. the year, and gentlemen whose lands are let out by them or their ancestors either for lives or for term of years, so as they can not enhance the rent thereof though they would, and yet have the price enhanced by them of every thing that they buy. Yea the King's Highness, whereof we spake nothing all this while, as he hath most of yearly revenues and that certain, so hath he most lost by this dearth, and by the alteration especially of the coin. For like as a man, that hath a great number of servants under him, if he would grant that they should pay him [pins] weekly where [before] they paid him [pence], I think he should be most loser himself. So we be all but gatherers for the King's Majesty, that be his subjects; we have but every man a poor living; the clear gains cometh for the most [part] to the King's grace. Now if his Grace do take of us the overplus of our getting in this new coin, where he was wont to be paid in other good coin, I report me to you whether that will go as far as the other, in proportion of his necessaries and of the Realm. I think plainly no; for though his Highness might, within his own realm, have things at his own price, as his Grace can not indeed without great grudge of his magistrates and subjects; yea, since his Majesty must have from beyond the seas many things necessary not only for his Grace's household and ornaments, as well for his grace's person and family, as of his horses, which [percase] might be by his Grace somewhat moderated, but also for the furniture of his wars, which by no means can be spared; as armour, and all kinds of artillery, anchors, cables, pitch, tar, iron, steel, handguns, gunpowder, and many other things more than I can reckon, which his Grace must needs buy from beyond the seas, at the price the stranger will set him them at. I pass over the enhancement of the charges of his Grace's household, which is common to his grace with all other noble men. [Therefore], I say, his Majesty hath most loss, by this common dearth, of all other; and not only loss, but danger to the Realm and all his subjects, if his Grace should want treasure to purchase the said habiliments and necessaries for war, or to find soldiers in time of need, which passeth all other private losses that we spake of.