Prince Butler's tale: representing the state of the wooll-case, or the East-India case truly stated.

Prince Butler's Tale : REPRESENTING The State of the Wooll-Case , or the East-India Case truly Stated .

The Argument . Part I. Shews why in Dogrel Verse this Tale Was first begun o'r Pot of Ale ; Shews Rise , and Progress of the Trade To India drove , and Who 't was made The first steps to our Wooll Trades ruin , And how it prov'd to Folks undoing ; What done to stop its further growth , And how those Measures came to nought ; How Golden Fleece lay very dead ; How Act for Burying it was made ; And how , if we were truly Wise , We should their Trangums all despise ; Our Money save , Employ our Poor , From starving keep , and from our Door ; Who then cou'd drink , Some Ale , Some Sherry , And Laugh , and Quaff , and all be merry .

PROLOGUE . IN place , one day , as I was standing , Where folks were printed Papers handing To those that wou'd , or read , or buy 'em , These Remarks made , as I stood nigh 'em : I saw , a mighty , zealous Crew , Some for Old Stock , and some for New , Were Pro and Conning their hard Cases , By the chief Dons of several Classes , 'Mongst which Grandees I sometimes fell in , And heard most dismal Stories telling ; The one , the other , much Arraign'd , And credit of their Causes stain'd . Thus having heard each side complain , Methoughts , 'mongst both , were K — s in grain : And that when such , fall out and scold , An Injur'd Case might then be told : And on the Old Proverb made me think , The more they stir , the more they stink ; And did conclude from all these Hearings , There 's neither Barrel better Herrings . I saw a Case , concerning Wooll , With Reasons stuft , both clear and full ; Which plainly shew'd our certain ruin , These mighty Talkers were pursuing , Yet saw , that many , at first sight on 't , There were , that made but very light on 't , And found there were but few attend it , But very few that wou'd defend it ; Amaz'd I stood , and much dejected , So great a Cause should be neglected . Soon after that , I saw , with vigour , Verses catch'd up , 'bout fight of Tyger , By Old and Young , by Fools and Witty , And by the great Dons of the City . Thought I , this Case , if I should write , In such a manner , Folks would buy 't , And read , for sake of Dogrel Rhime , Which Thought improv'd ; I lost no time , But presently , o'er Pot of Ale , Writ a great part of this sad Tale , Which , if you like , you may have more on 't , For I now have , or shall , have store on 't .

The Tale . WHen first the Indian Trade began , And Ships beyond the Tropicks ran , In quest of various Drugs and Spices , And sundry other strange Devices , 〈◇〉〈◇〉 and like Trading . Bengals , and Silks , of Indians making , Our Merchants then refus'd to take in , Knowing it wou'd their Country ruin , And might prove to their own undoing . Nor did they carry Gold or Bullion , To fetch home what Supplants our Woollen ; Nor were this Nation fond to wear Such Indian Toys , which cost so dear : Then were we clad in Woollen Stuffs , With Cambrick Bands , and Lawn Ruffs , Or else in Silk , which was Imported For Woollen Goods , which we Exported ; Which Silk our English Weavers bought , And into various Figures wrought . Then scarce a Child was to be seen , Without Say Frock , that was of green , Our Hangings , Beds , our Coats , and Gowns , Made of our Wooll in Clothing Towns . This Nation then was Rich and Wealthy , And in a State which we call'd healthy . But since the Men of Gath arose , And for their Chief Goliah chose . And since that mighty Giants Reign , Whose chiefest Aim was private Gain , This Trade was drove on by such measures , As soon Exhausted much our Treasures , For then our chiefest Artists went With Patterns , and with Money sent , To make and purchase Indian Ware , For which this Nation pays full dear . Then by great Gifts of finest touches , To Lords and Ladies , Dukes and Duchess , So far prevail'd , as set the fashion , Which Plague-like soon spread o'r the Nation . Our Ladies all were set a gadding , After these Toys they ran a madding ; And nothing then wou'd please their fancies , Nor Dolls , nor Joans , nor wanton Nancies , Unless it was of Indians making ; And if 't was so , 't was wondrous taking . This Antick humour so prevail'd , Tho' many 'gainst it greatly rail'd , 'Mongst all degrees of Female kind , That nothing else could please their mind . Tell 'em the following of such fashion , Wou'd beggar and undo the Nation , And ruin all our Labouring Poor , That must , or starve , or beg at door , They'd not at all regard your story , But in their painted Garments glory ; And such as were not Indian proof , They scorn'd , despis'd , as paltry Stuff : This humour strangely thus prevailing , Set all the poorer sort a railing , Or else with grief their Case bewailing . The richer seeing what was doing , And how the Nation ran to ruin , To King in Council did complain , In time of Charles the Second's Reign , On which were several Lords appointed , By him who was the Lords Anointed , To hear the Case , and sad Complainings , Of those that Then were for Restrainings ; Who plainly did their Lordships tell , What mischiefs to our Trade befel ; How both our Men and Bullion went To work in India , and be spent In needless Toys , and gawdy Dresses , For Ladies , Madams , Trulls , and Misses . The Case thus heard , they were inclin'd Some proper Remedy to find ; And something was in order doing , To put a stop to further ruin , But by the Craft of great Goliah , Who all the Host stood in defy-a . There is this story passing Current , That say 't was he that stopt this torrent , By pouring Gold in plenteous showers , In Ladies Laps , who bore great Powers , Which strangely alter'd all their Measures , Such charms there are in hidden Treasures . Thus Barrocading all Complaints , Drove Iehu-like , without Restraints Fill'd Town and Country soon so full , As ruin'd much , our Trade in Wooll : And such great Stocks of Wooll and Cloths , Were hoarded up , and eat by Moths , Made Clothiers all , and Growers grumble , When Cloathes and Fleeces o'r they tumbl'd . And further mischiefs to prevent , Complaint was made in Parliament : And 'cause the Wooll , so near affected , This Salvo for 't was then projected , That since the Living would not bear it , They should , when dead , be forc'd to wear it ; This help'd in part , but the Grand Ill Remains upon the Kingdom still . Yet this our Ladies so offended , As all our Female Sex contended , And fain would had this Act rejected , But then their Councels were neglected , And Time has reconcil'd it so , To this Wooll Act they 're now no Foe : So that from Ladies great , to Skullion , All buried lay in our own Woollen . And happy thrice would England be , If , while their Living , we could see , Our noble Ladies but beginning , To wear our Wooll of finest Spinning , Or in such Silks our Workmen make , For which our Merchants Cloth do take , Which soon wou'd bring them in such fashion , As they 'd be worn throughout this Nation , By all Degrees , and Sex , and Ages , From highest Peers to lowest Pages ; Nor would the meanest Trull or Besses , Delight to wear these Indian Dresses , Which certainly wou'd Profit bring , To them , their Tenants , and our King , And Heavn's Blessings in the bargain , Because they 'll keep our Poor from starving , For they wou'd soon be then employ'd ; Our Money too at Home wou'd ' bide , And happy then both great and small , With Mirth in Parlour , and in Hall , When thus , with Plenty , Beards wagg all .

EPILOGUE . AND now this Tale , thus far being ended , Methinks I see some Folks offended , And 'gainst this Dogrel Poet rail , Because he've told so plain a Tale , And New and Old Stock , Jobbing Throng , Crying it down , be 't right or wrong ; But if they do , and away fling 'em , 't is a great Sign , they 're Truths that sting ' em . But let them spend their Lungs , and hollow , Such blustring Sparks he needs not value , Since all his aim , and his designs , Are to beat down their Indian Blinds , That all true English Men may see , What cause , their real Misery , That so they may prevent their ruin , And save this Nation from undoing : But if they still will shut their eyes , And demonstrations plain despise ; And if his Tale shall be rejected , Or if this Cause be still neglected , He only this has more to say , That he can shift as well as they , And that he writ this , not for Pay .

LONDON : Printed , and are to be sold by A Baldwin in Warwick-Lane . 1699

Part II . Prince Butler's Queries Relating to The East-India Trade . 1. SInce some very good Friends , of both Old and New Stocks , are endeavouring , by all honest ways , together to joyn , and in order thereto , are Writing , Pleading , and Printing their Cases ; and since Losers have always the Liberty to speak , why may not I as well Print and Plead my Case ; For I am sure I have as much , nay more reason to do it than they ? 2. If these two contending Stocks be made one , and the English Manufacturers Case be not taken some care of , I can , without Star-gazing , plainly foresee , That they , and some other Folks , soon Ruin'd will be ; And therefore pray , Mind what I say ; If not for their sakes , for your own , be pleas'd to take care on 't . 3. Is it not much more demonstrable , That the East-India Trade is of greater advantage to England than 't was two Years ago ; For since that time , it has in a great measure Ruined the Canterbury Silk Trade , and obliged most of the London Silk Weavers , Throwsters , &c. to give over their several Trades and Employments ? 4. Will not this be of great Advantage to all the Clothing Counties in England , because some of these poor People , rather than starve , are gone to Ireland , and set up Trade there ; others fall'n to Comb , Card , and Spin ; make Cloths , Stuffs and Serges ; who being at the Principal Market , can make and sell them as well , or better , than the Country Weaver and Clothier can do ? 5. Does not Sir Jos . Child , who is well known to be Skilful in Trade , prove plainly , That the East-India Trade ought to be greatly Encouraged , when he tells us in Print , Discourse of Trade . The Preface . That the Expence of Foreign Commodities , especially Foreign Manufactures , is the worst Expence a Nation can be inclinable to , and ought to be prevented as much as possible ? 6. Has not the Author of the Essay on the E. India Trade , as sufficiently proved it Gainful , not only to us , but all Europe , when he tells us , They had been Richer by a full Third than they now are , Essay on the East-India Trade page 14. if that Trade had never been Discovered or Undertaken ; and that it bears hard only upon those Countries that Consume those Commodities ? 7. Is it not plain , That it bears not hard upon England , since it could never be proved ( and I challenge any now to do it ) That we Consume at Home , in Ireland , or our Plantations , above nine parts in ten : Or that in Foreign Parts ( except our Plantations , &c ) there are Consumed above one eighth part of the Wrought Silks , Bengals , and Printed Callicoes ? 8. Since 't is allowed this Trade is hurtful to Europe , and all are agreed in a General Peace , What if they should agree to Banish it out of all their Dominions ? But if not , Why should we restrain any part , Since we have nothing from thence of solid Use , ( but ) Materials for Luxury , and perishable Commodities , for our Gold and Silver , which is there buried , as the same Author tells us ? Page 12. 9. Is it not better we should be at four or five hundred thousand Pounds Charge per An. for Indian Vanities , having such plenty of Money , than for the sake of imploying our own Poor , upon our own Wooll , disoblige several Maids and their Mistresses , who would then be at a loss how to Dress up themselves , their Chambers , Parlours , and Closets ? 10. Is it not our Interest ( as the Essayer tells us ) to wear these Indian Manufactures , because they would soon bring down the price of our own so low , That we may Export them to all Foreign Markets , and be able to under-sell all Nations ; For ( surely ) they neither can , Page 29. or will ever think of falling in their Prices as we do . 11. Or if they should , rather than leave off and starve , sell their Commodities as cheap as we , Pray what shall we get by this Learned Advice , since after all our Reducing , the Indians that Work for a Peny a Day , will outdo us all , unless we 're resolv'd to Work as Cheap , or Cheaper than they ? 12. Will not the Falling the Prices reduce the Wages of the Poor , and by that means make the Nation grow Rich , since Sir Jos . Child has very well observed , That where ever Wages are high , throughout the whole World , it is an infallible Evidence of the Riches of that Country ; Preface . And where Wages for Labour runs low , 't is a proof of the Poverty of that Place ? 13. But if bringing down the Prices will be such an Advantage , Why may we not as well send for the Corn we spend to the East Country , for theirs is much cheaper than ours ? And then we may send our own Corn with our own Cloth , &c. to seek Abroad for a Market ; Would not this soon Raise the Value of all the Rents and Lands in England ? 14. And to save yet the more , employ the Dutch Shipping , for they always Sail much cheaper than we do , and then we may send our own Ships to all Foreign Nations , that either want , or will hire them , or else save the Building of more , to the much greater Preservation of both our Seamen and Timber ? 15. And 〈…〉