Of the Inconveniences in general grown in the matter of Money.
The inconveniences which are accident to this Subject of Money are in general but two,Raritie and Confusion;which although they do coincide many times in the subject,that is,that Rarity breeds Confusion,and Confusion breeds Rarity,yet in their Nature they do differ,and many times likewise in the Subject;and there is seen Confusion without Rarity,and Rarity without Confusion:yet this latter branch of Confusion will yield small matter to our discourse,because in England no forrein Coins are current,nor base Money;there is no variation in the Mints,there being but one;and there is very small Varietie in Allayes;in the Silver Money none at all,and in the Gold,but two,all which are occasions of confusion in the matter of Money.
As for the other branch of Rarity,the causes thereof,when we come to handle them,will appear both very various and very intricate.And,if I were to handle this Subject as part of a Treatise of the best Form of a Common-wealth,I would first endeavour to search out what proportion of Money were fittest for the Common-wealth,for if MOney were invented for the Exchange of things useful to man's life,there is a certain Proportion for that use,and there is as well a too much as a too little:
Because that the want of Money makes the life of the Citizens penurious and barbarous,so the over-great Abundance of Money makes their lives luxurious and wanton,by reason of the great Commutability of all things for Money,by which the vain and vicious Fancies of men are presently supplied with all that they do affect.But I must apply my Conceit to the Common-wealth as it is,not as a Philosopher may frame it is to perfect the Horse in all his natural actions,and to redeem and win him from all vicious affections;but for the Rider it is enough if he do use him to the best Advantage such as he finds him.
ow all the Common-wealths of the World are grown to such a Depravation,that not only the exchange of Necessaries,for which Money was first invented,but all things else are valued by Money,the services and duties of the Commonwealth,the virtue and the lives of the citizens;so that in the common opinions,that State that abounds in Money,hath Courage,hath Men,and all other Instruments to defend itself and offend others,if it have wisdom how to make use of it:and upon this ground it was said,during the time of the late Wars in France,that that side that had the last Crown to spend must be infallibly victorious.And it seems that in the Low Countries,on both sides they are of the same opinion;for so they may draw Money by it from their Enemies,they do furnish them with Victuals and other Provisions to sustain their Armies by Pasport and publick Avowal.Hence it is that in the modern Forms of Common-wealths there is no Proportion,no Mediocrity of Money,but all do strive to abound with it,without any stint.And hence it is that Rarity is almost the sole Inconvenience in matter of Money;the Rarity of Money doth grow out of these Four Causes following,viz.
First,Want of means to bring in the Materials of Money.
Secondly,Facility of exporting them.
Thirdly,The wasting of them in the Kingdom.
Fourthly,The great encrease of the proportion between Gold and Silver,and the things valued by them.
First,the want of means to bring in the Materials of Money,may be reduced into these heads.
First,The want of Manufactures,for Manufactures do breed Money,and Money again doth breed Manufactures,which is apparent in divers States and Cities,that have no natural commodities of their own,either to exchange for other Commodities or to bring in Gold and Silver,which do yet notwithstanding abound with both by reason of their Manufactures,and as the Stocks of their Money do encrease,so do their Manufactures encrease withall.But the ways of encreasing and maintaining Manufactures do depend upon other considerations in civil Government,and in no sort upon the course of Money except by accident,that the good Government of the course of Money may breed plenty of money,and plenty of Money doth help to encrease Manufactures,and therefore to speak no more of this Subject;I purpose.
A Second cause of want of Means to bring in the Materials of Money,is the want of Sumptuary Laws to be made and executed,for as in private Families there is no so easie and certain way to thrive,as the cutting off superfluous expences,so is it in the Common-wealth;and that which the Industry and Will of the Master doth perform in every Private Family,that the Magistrates and Law ought to perform in the Common-wealth.But this Title likewise hath not Coherence with my Subject;and therefore I do omit to speak any further of it.
A Third cause,is the want of Sufficient Search of these Mettals in the Bowels of the Earth within the Kingdom,and it is a certain Experiement that there are sundry Mines of Silver in this Kingdom:and there is ground to believe both that they are of great Profit and of long continuance,if the working of them shall be well regulated by the State,and judiciously prosecuted by the Undertakers:but this also hath no dependance upon my Subject,and therefore here I leave it.
The fourth cause of the want of means to bring in the Materials of Money is the impediments of Trade,which are very many,and of subtile disquistion;but have no dependance upon our Enquiry,but by accident;and therefore I leave them to be discussed where it appertaineth.
