Like to which, is that of the Court of Conscience, and the office for Pollicies of Assurance in London. The one granted by an Act of Parliament, in the 3 yeare of His Majesties happy Raigne, the other by the Stature of 43 Eliz. And both are executed by Merchants and men of Trade: though in the latter the Statute joineth certaine Civill and Common Lawyers with them in Commission, to assist them when there is cause: because such Assurances are grounded on the Civill Law. By which meanes His Majesties other Courts of Justice are eased of the multiplicitie of Questions that might arise by suits of Law of this kinde.
And thus having been bold to make this short relation of my poore observation herein, I most humbly submit this Remedy to the High wisedome of His Majestie, to dispose thereof in such Manner and Measure, as the Nature and Number of the suits of Law, at this day in this Kingdome doe require. In the restraint whereof His Majestie shall have great Honour: His Kingdome Peace: the Judges Ease: the Subjects quietnesse, and the Common-wealth increase of Trade.
The Trades considered apart, I reduced to such, as tend to the Fortification of the Kingdome, or Maintenance of Trade. The former I noted to be Ordinance or Munition. In which case the Philosopher giveth good Counsell, {Greek phrase omitted}. Sic amandum tanquam sis osurus, sic oportet edisse tanquqam sis amaturus.
The latter I reduced to Fishing and Clothing, as the Nurseries of Trade. For the Fishing, the infinite treasure that Strangers search out of our Seas, the variety of Trade that thereby they purchase, the multitude of Mariners they breed, the Fleets of Shipping they maintaine, me thinkes should every of them apart, or all of them together, be unto us as so many provocations to rouze us up to the exercise thereof: Whereby His Majestie might receive such a Tolle or Custome of them, as other Princes doe in like case, and be once again Lord and Master of the Seas, for all the dispute of the Author of Mare liberum: and the Native subject encouraged by some Immunity or Priviledge, to lay hold on that benefit, which God and Nature hath brought home to our doores.
For the Clothing, that also is a point of State and great consequence. The Causes of the decay whereof, I observed to bee either Domestique or Forreine. The Domestique some past, some present. In which former, it may perhaps seeme strange to speake of a Remedy for a thing past. Wherein the best Remedy I can thinke of, is, to be warned by those harmes, not to disturbe or distract Trade upon any suggestion, though never so specious. It is a safe rule, that in Rebus nouis constituendis euidens esse debet utilitas. And in Projects, though they promise much, yet the utility is commonly Contingent, which may be, or may not be.
But in the mutation of the naturall course of Trade, there ought to be Perspicuity and apparency of evident utility: Else a Breach may be sooner made in Trade then can be repaired: and the Current once diverted, will hardly bee revolved, into it genuine Source and Course againe.
The present Domestique Causes of the Decay of Clothing, Iconsidered in the Trade under the Clothier, or under the Merchant. Under the Clothier, I noted the Ill making and False sealing of Cloth: and both through the Non-execution of the Statute of 4 of the King. the abuse wherof is growne to be very great, and the reformation hath beene by His Majesties Proclamations and otherwise, so much and so oft attempted of late years, and nothing therein effected, that it seemeth a very difficult matter to reforme the same. Neverthlesse if it may please His Majestie, to commit the care of the execution of the Statute, to some of the Principall Cities and Townes in the Clothing Counties, where Broad Clothes, Kersies, and Perpetuanoes are made; and to make them the Overseers mentioned in the Statute, instead of those ignorant and negligent Searchers, with reasonable allowance for their paines; I am confident it would prove a singular Remedy. For we have not only the example of the Low Countries, where this course is taken, but also here with us: as Worcester for that sort of Clothes, Colchester for Bayes, and Canterbury for Sayes. In all which places the former abuses are removed by this means; and the Clothes, and Bayes, and Manufactures of those Cities, triumph in great credit and estimation. Which execution of the saide Statute, is the rather to be committed to the care and charge of the principall Cities and Townes in the Clothing Counties; because by ancient Statutes not repealed, all Clothes and Kersies ought to bee brought to the next City, Borough, or Towne Corporate, to be sealed, before they be put to sale. And if such Clothes so sealed, prove defective, that Corporation or Towneship that so hath sealed them, shall forfeit the whole value thereof.
