It 's certain Truth agreed on by all Hands , that this Kingdom is in an extraordinary manner fitted ( by the Bounty of Heaven ) for a great Encrease in Wealth and Power , and as certain it 's the Duty of every English-man , so far to Endeavour the welfare of his Country , as to hinder as much as possible he can those Methods ( used by Persons who mind their own private Interest before the Publick Good ) which tend to the Destruction of Both .

To this end it may not be unserviceable to consider some Maxims of Sir Josiah Child ( The Great Champion for the East-India Trade ) laid down in his Excellent Treatise concerning Trade , and if it be found they do strenuously argue in the behalf of the Bill now depending , which restrains the wearing East-India wrought Silks , &c. in England , then it 's to be hoped , those Gentlemen that are concern'd in the East-India Trade ( and who at present labour so industriously against the said Bill ) will silently own themselves to be mistaken .

That Wooll is eminently the Foundation of English Riches , Discourse of Trade , p. 127. Page 156. and that the ways to equalize or over-ballance our Neighbours in our National Profit by our Forreign Trade : Are

To prevent the Exportation of our Wooll , and encourage our Woollen Manufactures . To encourage those Forreign Trades most , that vend most of our Manufactures , and that Supply us with Materials further to be Manufactur'd in England .

That it 's our Interest by Example , Page 161. and other Means ( not distastful ) above all kind of Commodities , to prevent as much as may be the Importation of Forreign Manufactures .

That it is multitudes of People , Preface . and such Laws as cause an Encrease of People which principally enrich any Country .

That Lands ( though excellent ) without hands proportionable will not enrich any Kingdom . That whatever tends to the Depopulating any Kingdom , Page 165. & 167. tends to the Empoverishment thereof .

That it is our Duty to God and Nature to provide for , and employ the Poor . Page 56. & 174. Preface . That such as our Employment is for the People , so many will our People be .

That it 's the Interest of a Kingdom , the Poors Wages should be high ; for wherever Wages are high throughout the whole World , it is an infallible Evidence of the Riches of that Country ; and wherever Wages for Labour runs low , it 's a proof of the Poverty of that place .

That the Expence of Forreign Commodities , especially Forreign Manufactures , is the worst Expence a Nation can be inclinable to , and ought to be prevented as much as possible .

These , and many other Heads which might be gathered out of that Ingenious Treatise , we humbly conceive do fully and clearly manifest the great Prejudice that this Nation sustains , by wearing East-India Silks , Bengalls , &c. within this Kingdom , in that it will unavoidably destroy our Woollen Manufactures , fall the value of our Lands , cause us to abandon our Duty to God and Nature , by lessening the Poors Wages and Employment , and thereby Depopulating our Country , forcing our People away to Forreign Parts , where they may be more employed and better paid , and by that means diminishing our Strength , empairing our Honour , and in the end leaving us only as a Prey to those Merchants , whose private Interests are Diametrically opposite to the Gain of this Kingdom .

It being notoriously known , that when the vast Importation of East-India Manufactures came upon us , the Genius of the People of England ( who are generally bewitched with Novelties from Forreign Parts ) did universally run after those Commodities , that not only their Bodies , but their Houses also were adorned with the Manufactured Goods of India , to so great a degree , that our own Manufactures , which used to supply all those occasions , became almost useless , and the Poor wanted Employment , and unless restrained , will have all the sad Consequence beforenamed : All which is humbly offered and submitted to the Consideration of the Parliament .