And lastly, if the very Commodities of the Realme exported into the East Indies, will buy so much as England useth of their Commodities, and the employment is made for forraine Coyne or Realls of 8 procured from other places,what man of understanding can justly finde fault with that Trade? If treatise were imported thereby unto us, as their finall end, as the Discourse saith, but that other Trades do divert the same? For when the said Indian Commodities are sent from England into Turkie, Ligorne, Genoway, the Low Countries, Marselleis and other places, and are sold for ready money: The same is imployed againe upon Gorints, Wines, Cotton-Wooll and Yearne, Galles and divers other Commodities, wherewith the Ships beeing reladen: yet a great proportion remaineth to be brought over in moneys, which are diverted from us, by the course of exchange in undervaluing our moneys, as hath beene declared. The losse whreof is greater to this kingdome, than all the moneys employed yearely for the East Indies, cometh unto, which without due consideration, seemeth to bee impossible.
So that wee may very well affirme, that by this Trade the Treasure of the Realme can greatly be increased unto us the use of forraine Commodities at reasonable rates. And therefore is the same by all meanes to be continued, the rather for that the Hollanders have declared 5 especiall Reasons for the continance of their East Indie Trade, which are not to be neglected, but are to bee pondered by all Politians and Statesmen.
1. Because the Right, Power, and freedome of the Traffique and Trade belongeth unto them (iure gentium) aswell as to any nation of the world; which the Spaniards did call in question.
2. For the revenge of any injuries done to the Hollander, may bee recompenced in those Countries; which was heretofore without breach of Truce.
3. For the maintenance of their Marriners and Shipping, of which two, they abound above all nations.
4. For the increase of Customes and meanes raised by the Buying of these commodities, their Countrey being a Storehouse for all wares and merchandizes.
5. Because that by the continuance of the said Trade (although it should proove unprofitable:) They maintaine a certaine peace and assurance in the course of their government which consisteth thereby.
This Trade of the Hollanders for the East Indies began upon the Embargoes made in Spain of their goods and interruption of their Trade, wherein they did associate themselves with the Germanes to disperse and vent their said India commodities better and speedier.
To this Argument appertaineth, the consideration of the Trades out of Christendome, maintained for the most part with ready moneys. As for Turkie and Persia, wherein the abundance of Silver and Gold come into Europe, since the West Indies were discovered, is to be noted, which hath made every thing dearer according to the increase of money, which like unto an Ocean, dividing the Course into several branches in divers Countries, hath caused a great alteration. But England doth not participate by the Course of Traffique a proportionable Competent share of the said aboundance of moneys, as other nations doe: albeit not many yeares since, we had more moneys then in times past, before the saide discovery of the West Indies: But we must now measure things according to the said abundance, which is much diminished by the continuall exportation of moneys for the East Indies from all places of Traffique.
The fifth Cause of the Want of Money in England, hee saith, are the Warres of Christendome, causing exportation of moneys, and the Pirates hindering importation of money. The latter is meerely a Prevention or Robbing of our moneys, which are supposed, might be brought in. But if Pirates did not take some of our moneys, it followeth not, that the same should come unto us in specie. For experience, by the example of the Spanish Merchants, diverting the Realls of 8 from us (for Gaine to be made in forraine parts:) prooveth unto us the contrary. Gayne beeing alwaies the Scope of Merchants: and to proove that this Gayne, is made Really onely by the abuse of exchange (which otherwise would be but Imaginary), wee have already declared.
Now touching the exportation of monyes by the wares of Christians, where he declareth an urgent instance: That the Riecks Doller, is raised (two markes Lubish making the said Doller:) to twenty markes Lubish in many places of Germany, whereby abundance of money is drawen unto the Mintes of those Countries, from all the Mines and Parts of Christendome: herein he is much mistaken; for when moneys are inhaunced, they never are carried to the Mintes for to be converted into other Coyne.
But they remaine currant, betweene man and man, running like a Poste-horse, every man fearing to receive a losse by the fal.
