THAT the Act for Garbling of Spices made 1 Jac . I. might then be convenient ; but is now a Useless , Vexatious Burthen on Trade and a Clog upon our Exportation .

When this Act was made Spices were Imported in their Soil , Useless . but is now Imported perfectly Clean ; That the Garblers Business for these many Years past hath been only to set his Seal on the Casks or Bales , and take his Money .

And for many Drugs , as Sena , Wormseed , sweet Fennel-Seed , Cassia Lignum , Pearl-Barley , Tea , &c. if uses his Office upon them he spoils them .

By the Penalties of the Act if the Merchant makes not use of the Garbler his Goods are Seised and taken from him , Vexatious . and if he do make use of him his Goods are spoil'd : When the Act had Enumerated several Commodities it adds and all Goods Garbleable , which it seems to give him a Boundless Power , in so much that the present Officer ( taking Advantage of those Unlimited Words ) does now pretend to Garble Twenty Eight Other Commodities besides those mentioned in the Act , some of which were unknown when that Act was made ; and if any Merchant or Trader disputes his Authority he first Seises his Goods and then puts them into the Exchequer , where though he is frequently cast the Defendant recovers no Cost the Suit being in the King's Name ; That when the Garbler's Pretences amount to 40 or 50 s . or such a small Summ the Merchant being Dispossess'd of his Goods will pay it , because any Opposition will certainly cost him Five Times as much besides the loss of Time , Hinderance in his Affairs and the Vexation of a Law-Suit : And thus by degrees he will bring all Traders under Contribution .

A Clog to Exportation . The Levant-Company usually Imports from Turkey 6 or 7000 sacks Gauls per Annum , a useful Commodity in our Manufactories , The greater part whereof are Exported ( besides several other Commodites ) as Drugs and Gauls for Exportation , which have been never required to be Garbled 'till very lately ; and if Insisted on , will occasion the Goods to be sent from Turkey directly to Holland and other Markets ( to avoid the Vexation and Charge of that Office ) to the Prejudice of the English Navigation and the Loss of His Majesties Customs .

When this Act was made we had only a little Ginger from Portugal for our own Expence , but since that by our Plantations of B●rbadoes and the Leward-Islands , and the Taking Jamaica which was Fifty Years after the Act was made , we do not only Import for our Comsumption but to Furnish the Northern Markets , and to send gre●● Q●antities to the Mediteranian , in which Exportation the Merchants were ever undisturb'd by the Gar●●●● 'till this last Year ; but now he has formed a Claim upon this Commodity having begun to Exchequer the Exporters of it which will be of evil Consequence and a great Mischief to our Trade : For it is to be considered , That the Cheapness of any Commodity does encrease its Vent ; and that if we can sell cheaper than other our Competitors in the Trade , we shall not only keep what Trade we have but encrease it .

If we were the Sole Masters of the Commodity we might Tax and Burthen it as we please , but the French and Dutch have their Plantations ; That if we be pressed either by Old or New Invented Charges , the Trade will certainly be carried from us . Ginger in Times of Peace , doth but Cost in our Plantations 7 or 8 s . per C. His Majesty upon what is Exported only receives 9 d . per C. Custom , and the Garbler demands 12 d . which if the Exporter be forced to pay will be such a Burthen upon it , that the French and Dutch in a few Years will be the Sole Venders of that Commodity .

The Parliament have thought fit for the Export of Provisions to make the Custom free , and even to give a Reward of 5 s . per Quarter upon Wheat , and 2 s . 6 d . upon Barley , &c. to those that Export them : Ginger Gauls and all other Goods Exported will as certainly bring Riches to the Nation and prevent the Export of Bullion .

This Act amongst many other Old Ones had remained obsolete and dissus'd were it not that the Lord Mayors do Sell this Office , Mr. Stewart owning that he gave 976 l. for it to Sir Robert Jefferies , the then Lord Mayor ; and the Rent to the City is only 300 l. per Annum ; whereas by the present Execution 5 or 6000 l. per Annum may be raised upon the Subject from It.

It is presumed that this Office in its first Institution , was not intrusted in the Hands of the Majestracy to raise Revenues out of It to themselves ; but let that be as it will , 〈…〉