Proposals to the Parliament for redress of the common calamity attending these kingdoms at present in coyn and trade.

PROPOSALS TO THE PARLIAMENT , FOR REDRESS OF The Common Calamity Attending These Kingdoms at Present in Their COYN and TRADE .

AND first , As to its Coyn , That both Bad and Good be Universally Called in , and New Coyned of another Stamp than yet afore .

The Bad into single Pence , Two-pences , Three-pences , Groats , and Four-pence-half pennies , for changing Money , of which we have almost none left in the Nation , and we cannot well have too much of ; and is at present so extreamly wanted , that in some parts , especially in and about Exon , as credibly informed , they are forced for conveniency sake , to make use of Brass Dutch Styvers , and French Brass Sous Marks , in its place .

And it is no great matter what Metal such small Money is made of , provided it be equally Treason to Coyne it , as all other ; neither will the loss of it be so burdensome and discontenting as at present , if in some few years after the Charge of the War is over ( and you find any Inconvenience in it ) you call it in , and coyn others in its place and room .

That every Five-Shilling-Piece , and so pro rato , all of more or less value , exceed not Four Shillings Nine-pence in Silver , as Silver at farthest is now worth by the Ounce .

That the present Ounce Rates of both Silver and Gold may not be lessened for these Ten Years to come , ( unless on its Experiment you find apparent Cause to the contrary : ) For that no doubt it will be of wonderful good effect , to both Trade and else ; especially in the more grateful and easie carrying on of the War , to these Nations .

That there be an exact Account kept by faithful able hands , Debtor and Creditor , of both the Loss of Bad and Clipt ( of what , as above , to be a-new Coyned at ) and Profit on the Unclipt Moneys , said to have Six Shillings and two pence of Silver in every Five-Shilling-Piece , as now Silver is worth .

That as there is to be no loss to any Particular on the Clipt , so no Profit to any on the Unclipt , as long as they are to receive what will pass from them by Law for like value in payment again ; but both Profit and Loss to the Publick .

That for prevention of Fraud , no Unclipt Money to be melted down , but by the Mint , under Treason ; nor Concealed from the Mint , under great Penalty : For that it is conceived , that if all be brought forth , the Profit on the Good , would almost , if not altogether , equal the Loss on the Bad , whose Out-cry seems more numerous and asrighting than really it is , by not only Moneyed Mens , but others also keeping in the Good , ( fearing else to have again Bad in its place ) and managing Trade only a● it were with the said Bad .

That it be Treason either to Offer or Receive any Clipt Money for time to come , whether Old or New Coyn , and a hundred pound Reward to every Discoverer of every manifest false Coyner , that is brought to , and suffers condign Punishment .

That there be a convenient quantity of Silver borrowed on the Publick Credit , until it can be repaid ( at Interest , to be added to what other loss , if any ) to be Coyned as a Stock ready aforehand , to be issued in Payment of such Moneys , as above , as shall Enter , until it can be New Coyned , that Trade be not hindered .

That if there be any Loss on the whole matter , it be equally raised on both Land and Trade , in manner as the Four Shillings per Pound Tax , that Particulars be not ruinated by a greater Grievance .

For should it be Ordered it should not be taken in , but every one should bear his own loss at it falls , it will immediately influence hardly any , and those very little , if any , but Trades-Men ; four parts , it may be , in five of which , being Cloth-Workers , Serge and Stuff-Makers , Retale Shop-Keepers of all sorts , Handy-Craft , and other Trades-Men and Women too , are not able to bear : That it 's feared , they will be turbulent in such Case .

Besides , wherein will the Profit of we Landed Men be thereby , if we so far , and singly too , discourage the Trading part of the Nation ? Are they not our great Benefactors ? And pray what would become of our Lands , and our Grandeurs likewise , of the Fruits of our Fields , our Corn , our Milk , Cheese , Butter , Flesh , and else whatsoever , if almost Nine parts in Ten of it were not brought up and Expended by the several Cities , Corporations , Towns and Traders , that are within our own several Countries , which have no other way or means to Purchase it of us , our Tenants and the like , but Trade ? That in all things , I think , it highly imports us to Cherish it and them as our own Lives .

Next , As to our Monies passing somewhat above its Value , it highly imports these Three Kingdoms , and the Enriching both the Noble and Ignoble in it , is in part amply Illustrated in the Case of Guineas now before us at this Instant , running about two Shillings in Thirty above its Value in Gold , hath not only returned them us from abroad ( which else we had never seen more ) but for re-transporting their Value , raised our Manufactories , and our other Productions , twice as much as that comes too , in some four Shillings in every such thirty ( in Drest Calf-Skins more , some from Ten Pence to Sixteen Pence each Pound weight : ) Besides , occasioned the carrying off very unusual and far greater quantities thereof , that Wooll it self is thereby Advanced extreamly ; and our Poor ( before almost , many of them and their Families ready to perish for want of Work ) recovered as from the Dead ; all which is so notorious , that You may with ease inform Your Selves of its undeniable Truth .

Moreover your Lessening the value of your Coyn , as above , will hinder its Transportation , which through its former greatness in weight , hath been , it seems , a common Commerce from our South-Coast ; I my self having in the Long Parliaments Days seen it sold to a great Banker in a great Port of France by the Ounce and Pound as Goods , ( notwithstanding the then Law to the contrary , through its weakness ) to greater Profit to the Merchant Seller , than by our most-demanded-there Manufactories ; and that they buy it too , and their Advantage lies in melting it down , is evident , in both their sending it instantly for Paris , and giving for quantities of it more by the Ounce , than it will there pass for in Coyn ; which they likewise pick up there and ingross , it is so profitable to that End and Service , so fast , that there is hardly any of it to be found in any part of their Countrey unmelted .

It will also nip the growing destroying Evil to these Nations of the great Trade by Exchange , instead of our yet afore Manufactories , and other our Productions , which antiently supplied its room , and that beyond all doubt too ; for these Kingdoms with their other Productions , have more Woolls of their own by far , ( setting Spanish and others aside , the Manufactoring of which here , is of vast Advantage to us ) than , if Manufactored all with us here at home within our selves , will supply us with more than we want from abroad , ( the East Indies and our own Plantations only excepted ) so that we need not at all to carry out our Money and Treasure to do it .

If the great Wisdom of this Nations Parliament would but adjoyn to it an Act making it as well Confiscation of Ship and Goods , as Treason , where-ever found , ( France doth more , extending it sometimes to Mens other Estates besides ( and that on lesser moments , by which Severity they find intire Obedience ) to every one and all that shall dare to transport from amongst our selves , any of our own ( or others , once imported here ) Woolls unmanufactored .

Our yet-afore-made weaker Law , although in present force , will not do it ; their Prosecution is made so Intricate , Troublesome , Dilatory and Chargeable withal , to the Prosecutor , that none cares to meddle therein ; when as such Laws should rather be made easie , Tryals short and speedy , followed with an unmitigated uncompoundable , swift Execution , to the greater Terror o● the O●●ende● , and all so far from the ●eart Charge to the ●●o●ecutor , that it should be done at the Publick's , ●nd ●●t●nded besides from thence with his very great Reward , suitable to the unexpressableness of so Publick a Benefit .

The contrary ( with Submission ) will most certainly Debase and Impoverish us , whatever our Oratorical , High strained Elaborate Writers suggest ; foor if our Woolls be carried out , they can not only Manufactor them , but cheaper than we , having their Poor at lower Rates , and so will take and reap that Benefit from us , which is far greater than the Wooll its self . Besides , we must then , if we will have any of their Growths , carry them our Moneys first or last , one way or other , whether by that masked Covert of the Exchange , or more immediately ; to their great inriching , in our steads .

Let it never be forgotten that about Fourty Years ago , France was so exceeding scarce of Silver in their Country , that they were forced to manage a great part of their Trade and their other Affairs with Brass Deneirs , to so great inconveniency , that on their Payments , they were forced to carry them on Porters backs , and many times in Carts with Horses from House to House ; but since abounding in Trade and Clothing , through our neglect , they have mightily increased and abounded in both Silver and Gold , or their Monarch could not have Nosed so many Powerful Princes at this day ; when it is not long since he paid a kind of Homage in Dunkirk to Oliver , as some instance of his then Humility , and future good Behaviour in that time of his great Weakness and Indigent Creeping , Lowness and Poverty .

And whereas some have mistakenly and ignorantly thought , that the Transporting Woolls would add to their price ; Ancient Experience shews the Contrary . ( But suppose it , although false , would not it be lost again several times over in its Non-manufactoring there right ) for when all was Manufactured here at Home , it was worth almost , if not quite , double to what it is now .

Besides , Instead of being dearer for it , with what is carried out hence , and the Irish Act together just before the Wars , Irish Wooll was sold in France cheaper than in England ; that set aside a few fine mixed Clothes that they cannot learn the Art and Secret of mixing as yet , they can not only give themselves a full supply cheaper than we can , but begin to furnish other People also in our stead ; yea , and we our selves too , with some of their Stuffs made there with our own Wooll : Which cannot ( if not timely and effectually prevented ) Centre in any other , than our own Ruine at last .

It was but a little times before the War , that a great Whole-Sale French Woollen-Draper told me upbraidingly , to the best of my remembrance , That they either did already , or would suddenly make more Broad-Clothes in France than in England ; for that in Languedoc , they had a great many Thousand of Cloth-Workers , besides elsewhere , which is so mightily encouraged by their King , that they have gotten to a great Degree therein of Perfection .

It was not for nothing , that our Ancestors Ordered their Seats in Parliament on Wooll-Packs , that They might never forget to keep and secure this great Treasure within Their Own Bowels , as the Main Wheel on which Their All seemed mostly to depend , and was a great secondary Cause of both Their Power , Strength and Riches , and therefore calls loudly for the Deepest Endeavours , and Utmost Consults for its Preservation .

For most certainly , this , and no other , with Prostration of my Mite , to Your Great , Deep , and Profound Treasury can advance Your Lands , fill Your Private and Publick Treasures too , by bringing in , instead of carrying out , Gold and Silver in abundance ; which must naturally return in Manufactory and all other Productions , and make these the Three Richest , and consequently the most Powerful Three Kingdoms in the whole Universe .

This will renown You , draw the Prayers of the Poor to ascend for You , cause Your Names to live to Posterity and Ages to come , to Celebrate Your Praises ; and truly it is worth Your Consideration how many Scores of Thousands of these of our Three Kingdoms All depends upon that single Manufactory of Woolls ; and it may be , You will find the Number beyond Your Belief .