free trade-第3部分

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signabatur。　But　when　Immooveable　and　Immutable　things　came　also

to　be　in　Commerce　amongst　men；　as　well　as　those　things　which　were

mooveable　and　fit　for　change；　then　came　money　in　use；　as　the　rule

and　square　whereby　things　might　receive　estimation　&　value。

Therefore　the　Civilians　affirme　that　Numus　est　｛Greek　phrase

omitted｝　dictus；　quod　instiutum　sit　Civile。　According　to　that　of

Aristotle。　｛Greek　phrase　omitted｝　Numus　non　est　a　natura　sed　a

lege。　And　thence　it　is　that　money　in　our　tongue　is　derived　of

moneta；　quasi　numi　nota。

　　　　Or　if　there　were　a　necessitie　to　Christendome；　to　use　those

forreine　wares：　or　that　the　meanes　whereby　they　are　to　be

procured；　were　without　the　losse　of　treasure：　or　lastly　that　the

same　tended　to　the　encrease　of　the　treasure　thereof　theexchage

were　excellent。　But　first　there　isno　such　necessitie：　for　that's

necessarie　to　doe　a　thing　without　which　it　cannot　be　done：　And

that's　necessarie　to　the　being　of　a　Common…wealth；　without　which

it　cannot　subsist。　But　thankes　to　God；　Christendome　is　richly

furnished　within　it　selfe；　with　all　things　fit　for　life　and

maintenance：　whether　we　respect　vitall　use；　as　foode　and　raiment：

or　physicall；　as　vegetables　and　mineral：　or　politicall；　as　gold；

silver；　and　infinite　varietie　of　merchandize。　Nor　are　those　wares

procured　without　the　losse　of　treasure；　no　nor　with　lesse

treasure。　For　as　those　wares　have　cost　lesse　in　price；　since　some

late　discoveries；　so　are　they　encreased　in　their　quantities；　by

the　ample　trade　of　all　parts　of　Christendome　thither；　more　then

before：　and　then　who　knowth　not　that　a　lesse　quantitie　deare；　and

a　greater　quantitie　cheape；　is　all　one　in　respect　of　the　value。

Nor　is　the　treasure　lessened　by　changing　the　course　of　trade　into

those　parts。　For　the　new　trades　found　out；　are　furnished　with　a

new　supply　of　money；　and　the　old　nevertheless　issue　out　as　much

treasure　as　before：　by　reason　that　the　same　are　enlarged　and

become　now　as　great；　apart；　as　heretofore　they　were；　together；

when　the　new　trades　were　included　in　the　old。　So　that　now　so　much

more　of　the　treasure　of　Christendome　is　wasted；　as　those　old　and

new　trades　are　encreased；　which　is　to　an　infinite　value。

　　　　Not　lastly；　is　the　treasure　of　Christendome　encreased　by

those　forreine　trades；　for　the　more　the　stock　of　Christendome　is

thereby　encreased　in　wares；　the　more　it　decreaseth　in　treasure：

which　the　parts　of　Christendome　must　needs　feele　by　Sympathy　and

compassion。

　　　　And　this；　that　prudent　and　politique　Emperour　Charles　the

fifth　perceived　in　his　time；　who　upon　a　question　betwixt　the

Spaniards　and　Portugalles　about　this　matter；　the　Emperour　used

words　to　this　effect：　You　Portugalles　for　a　suretie；　are　Enemies

to　all　Christendome；　for　you　carry　nothing　out　of　it　but　coine；

which　is　hurt　to　all　Countries。



Cap。　II。



The　Causes　of　the　decay　of　Trade；　in　the　Merchandize　of　England



　　　　Such　are　the　causes　of　the　matter　of　trade　considered　in　the

want　of　money；　themerchandize　followeth。　Merchandize　is　that

naturall　matter　of　Commerce；　whereby　men　busie　themselves　in

buying　and　selling；　chopping　and　changing；　to　the　encrease　of

Artes；　and　enriching　of　Common…wealths：　according　to　that　of　the

Poet　｛Greek　phrase　omitted｝；　Bona　lis　mortalibus　haec　est。

　　　　And　to　the　end　there　should　be　a　Commerce　amongst　men；　it

hath　pleased　God　to　invite　as　it　were；　one　Countrey　to　traffique

with　another；　by　the　variety　of　things　which　the　one　hath；　and

the　other　hath　not：　that　so　that　which　is　wanting　to　the　one；

might　be　supplied　by　the　other；　that　all　might　have　sufficient。

　　　　Which　thing　the　very　windes　and　seas　proclaime；　in　giving

passage　to　all　nations：　the　windes　blowing　sometimes　towards　one

Country；　sometimes　toward　another；　that　so　by　this　divine

justice；　every　one　might　be　supplyed　in　things　necessary　for　life

and　maintenance。

　　　　And　this；　Seneca　thought　to　be　a　principall　benefit　of

nature；　Quod　&　vento　gentes　locis　disipatas　miscuit；　&　sua　omnia

in　regiones　ita　descripsit；　ut　necessarium　mortalibus　esset　inter

ipsos　Commercium。　Nature　by　the　benefit　of　the　wind；　hath　so

mixed　people；　dispersed　in　divers　places；　and　so　distributed　her

gifts　in　divers　Countries；　that　there　should　be　a　necessity　of

Commerce　amongst　men。　Which　agreeth　with　that　of　Aristotle；　Est

translatio　rerum　omnium　caepta　ab　initio；　ab　eo　quod　est　secudum

naturam；　cum　homines　haberent　plura　quam　sufficerent；　partim

etiam　pauciora；　negotiatione　suppleri　id　quod　natura　deest；　quo

commode　omnibus　sufficiat。

　　　　And　that　we　doe　not　goe　out　of　the　Christian　world　for　an

example　hereof；　let　us　consider　the　state　of　the　Netherlands；　in

what　a　miserable　case　those　people　were；　if　they　received　not

supply　from　all　other　Nations。　They　have　nothing　of　their　owne；

and　yet　they　seeme　to　possesse　all　things　in　the　supply　they

receive　from　all　the　world。

　　　　And　surely　if　any　Kingdome　under　the　Sunne　can　subsist　of　it

selfe；　none　hath　more　cause　to　blesse　God；　then　this　Iland　of

ours；　which　Almighty　God　hath　richly　adorn'd　with　variety　of

allthings　necessary　for　mans　life　and　welfare。　As　with　Corne；　and

our　Wine：　Cattle；　Wooll；　Cloth；　Tynne；　Iron；　Lead；　Saffran；　Waxe；

Hoppes；　Hydes；　Tallow；　Flaxe；　Fowle；　Fish；　and　many　othres：

whereby；　thanks　bee　to　God；　the　people　of　this　Land；　have　not

onely　sufficient　for　their　owne　mainenance；　but　doe　abundantly

supply　the　wants　of　all　other　Nations。

　　　　Now　the　Trade　and　Commerce　of　this　Kingdome　within　it　selfe；

and　with　Forreine　Nations；　consisting　of　so　many　rich

Commodities；　let　us　consider　them　all　joyntly；　and　then　some

principall　of　them　apart。

　　　　Jointly　considered；　the　causes　of　the　decay　of　Trade　in　them；

may　be　said　either　to　be　Deficient　or　Efficient。　Deficient；

either　in　the　generall　want　of　money　in　the　Kingdome；　or　the

particular　want　of　the　East　India　stocke。　I　shewed　before；　what

were　the　causes　of　the　want　of　money：　&　that　the　disaster　upon

the　East　India　Trade　is　a　remote　cause　thereof：　but　these　are

both　causes　of　the　decay　of　trade。　For　money　is　the　vitall　spirit

of　trade；　and　if　the　spirits　faile；　needs　must　the　body　faint。

And　as　the　body　of　trade　seemeth　to　be　dead　without　the　life　of

money：　so　doe　also　the　members　of　the　Common…wealth；　without

their　means　of　trade。　We　say；　that　an　Artizan　or　workeman；　cannot

worke　without　tooles　or　instruments：　no　more　can　a　Merchant　trade

without　money　or　meanes。　And　in　the　want　of　so　great　a　stocke；　as

is　that　of　the　East　India　Company；　the　Body　of　this　Common…wealth

hath　lost　the　use　of　many　of　it　principall　members；　by　whose

industry；　art；　and　action　the　Commerce　thereof　might　wonderfully

have　been　encrea'st。　The　losse　whereof；　to　him　that　is　not

wilfully　blinde；　is　apparently　sensible　in　the　Drapery　of　the

kingdome；　whereby　the　poore　are　set　on　worke：　and　in　all　the

other　trades　of　the　kingdome；　whereby　the　subjects　are　employed：

and　hath　begot　that　great　and　generall　dampe　and　deadnesse　in　all

the　trades　of　the　kingdome；　which　we　unhappily　feele　at　this　day。

　　　　The　Efficient　causes　of　the　decay　of　trade　jointly

considered；　are　either　Usuary；　or　unnecessary　suits　in　law。　In

the　former　I　am　prevented；　and　my　labour　spared；　by　him　that

wrote　a　little　treatise　against　usury：　which　it　seeme's　for

modesty　he　refuseth　to　owe：　though　I　could　wish；　that　those　that

deserve　of　the　publique　were　knowne　to　the　publique：　least　they

be　served　as　sometimes　Batillus　served　Virgil；　and　so　be　forc'd

too　late　to　proclaime；　Hos　ego　versiculos　feci；　tulit　alter

Honores。

　　　　I　have　a　word　onely　to　adde　to　his　Usury；　that　it　is　not　an

Usury　of　ten　in　the　hundred　only；　that　wringeth　this

Common…wealth；　but　an　extorsion　also　of　20…30…40；　nay　of　Cento

per　Cento　per　Anno；　as　the　Italians　speake；　given　and　taken　on

pledges　and　pawnes；　and　that　on　poore　peoples　labours；　in　London

especially：　which　is　a　biting　Usury　indeed；　and　a　fearefull

crying　sinne　before　God。

　　　　Unnecessary　suites　of　Law　are　also　Efficient　causes　of　the

decay　of　trade。　Wherein　certainely　this　Kingdome　exceedeth　all

other　kingdomes　in　the　world。　As　the　Justice　of　this　kingdom　is

the　Diadem　of　the　King；　and　doth　stabilire　Regis　thronum；　and

tribuere　cuique　suum：　whereby　men　may　five　Caesar　Caesar's；　and

meum　and　tuum　one　to　another：　so　is　the　Justice　of　the　King；　in

the　sacred　person　of　His　Majestie；　amongst　other　His　Royall

Vertues；　and　Embleme　and　represation　of　highest　Majesty：　and　it

is　an　incomparable　happinesse　of　this　kingdome；　to　have　such　a

Malchizedec；　a　King　of　Justice；　a　King　of　Peace。

　　　　Neither　may　I　forget　that　Royall　testimony　hereof；　which　is

worthy　to　be　written　in　letters　of　gold；　and　thankefully　to　be

remembered　of　every　tongue　and　pen；　whereof　amongst　others　more

worthy；　it　was　also　my　happinesse　to　be　oculatus　and　auritus

testis：　when　His　Majesty　in　a　Star…chamber　assembly；　lifting　His

eye　toward　heaven；　and　laying　His　hand　on　His　Sonnes　head；　made

such　a　solemne　protestation　of　His　sincerity　in　Justice；　as　may

serve　for　a　matter　of　admiration　and　imitation；　to　all　the　Kings

on　earth。　Those　that　went　before；　and　they　that　followed　after：

Those　that　heard　it　then；　and　they　that　heard　of　it　since；　said

it　was　｛Greek　phrase　omitted｝　Nec　vox　hominem　sonat；　o　Deus

certe！

　　　　If　such　then　be　the　Justice　of　the　King　and　the　kingdome；　how

is　it　then　that　Trade　is　hindered　by　suits　of　Law。　Herein

Columellae's　counsell　is　remarquable；　Principi　providendum　est；

ne　legibus　fundata　civitas；　legibus　evertatur。　There　cannot　be

too　much　Justice；　ther　may　be　too　much　Law。　For　the　use　of

Justice　is　excellent；　in　conteining　men　within　the　bonds　of

civility　and　honesty：　in　preserving　men　from　injurie：　and　in

maintaining　every　mans　right　&　propriety。　But　the　abuse　there　of

is　a　most　pernitious　and　dangerous　surfeit　in　the　body　of　every

Common…wealth。

　　　　And　this　is　our　case　in　this　Weale…publike；　no　Kingdome　hath

better　Lawes；　no　kingdome　so　full　fraught　with　tedious；

needlesse；　endlesse；　suits　of　Law。　For　now　this　Litigandi　｛Greek

word　omitted｝；　and　waxeth　so　fast；　and　growe