第 2 节
作者:
小秋 更新:2021-02-20 18:19 字数:9322
under…valueation of his Majesties Caoine; to that of our
Neighbour Countries。 For who wil procure licence in Spaine to
bring Realles into England; to sell them here at ten in the
hundred gaine; which is lesse then the Exchange from thence will
yeeld; when hee may have for the same five and twenty in the
hundred in Holland? Here five Reals of eight; which make twenty
shillings sterling; will commonly yeeld two and twenty shillings
or thereabouts: and the same in Holland will yeeld forty two
shillings & sixe pence Flemish; which is five and twenty
shillings sterling。 And how can we choose but want money in
England; when the Jacobus pieces; are Currant at so high a rate
in Holland? For there they goe at twelve guilders eight stivers
the piece; which is one and fortie shillings and four pence
Flemish; which is four and twentie shillings & nine pence
sterling。 And after this rate His Majesties other Coines of gold
& silver are there of respective value。 For although by the
Placcaets or Proclamations of those parts; the Jacobus pieces;
and other species of gold and silver; are there set at
indifferent rates answerable to their valuation here with us
respectively; which they there call permissie gelt; Proclamation
money: yet they have other devices to raise money; and draw it
away at their pleasures。 As either by their Banckes; when the
Banckiers will for their occasions give a greater price for mony
then the Proclamation suffereth; & then it is called Banck gelt:
or else by slacke paymasters; that for their owne advantage in
the raising of money; will pretend not to make present payment of
their debts; unlesse you take their money at a higher rate; then
either the Proclamation; or the Banck money。 Which being paid and
received; produceth a third kinde; which they call Currant gelt。
And so by the Connivence of the Magistrate; the same goeth from
man to man; and at last becommeth currant at an excessive value。
So they have Permission or Proclamation Money; and Banck Money;
and Currant Money; and all to draw dry the Currant of His
Majesties Coine。
And thus the Hepatitis of this great Body of our being
opened; & such profusion of the life blood let out; and the liver
or fountaine obstructed; and weakened; which should succour the
same; needes must this great Body languish; and at length fall
into a Marasmum。
I am not ignorant that there hath beene great abuse in the
culling of His Majesties Coyne; here at home; and in melting the
heavy money into plate: And that there is a great superfluitie of
Plate generally in private mens hands more then is necessary; and
farre beyond any example of former times; which must needes also
cause scarcitie of money: yet on the other side I cannot deny;
but that it is better to have the same in Plate; as a treasure of
the Kingdome; then turned into Coine; & so turned out of the
Kingdome; by the under…value thereof。
Now the Mediat or remote reasons of the want of money in
England; are either Domestique or Forreine。 The Domestique are
generall; or special。 The general remote cause of our want of
money; is the great excesse of this Kingdom; in consuming the
Commodities of Forreine Countries; which prove to us
discommodities; in hindering us of so much treasure; which
otherwise would bee brought in; in lieu of those toyes。 For now a
dayes most men live above their callings; and promiscously step
forth Vice versa; into one anothers Rankes。 The Countrey mans Eie
is upon the Citizen: the Citizen upon the Gentleman: the
Gentleman upon the Nobleman。 And by this meanes wee draw unto us;
and consume amongst us; that great abundance of the Wines of
Spaine; of France; of the Rhene; of the Levant; the Lawnes and
Cambricks of Hannault and the Netherlands; the Silkes of Italie;
the Sugars & Tobaco of the West Indies; the Spices of the East
Indies: All which are of no necessitie unto us; & yet are bought
with ready mony; which otherwise would be brought over in
treasure if these were not。 A Common…wealth is like unto a
family; the father or master whereof ought to sell more then he
buyeth according to old Catoe's counsell; Patrem familias
vendacem non emacem esse oportet。 Otherwise his expence being
greater then his revenue; he must needs come behinde hand。 Even
so a Common…wealth that excessively spendeth the forreine
Commodities deere; and unttereth the native fewer and cheape;
shal enrich other Common…wealths; but beggar it selfe。 Where on
the contrary; if it vented fewer of the forreine; and more of the
Native; the residue must needs returne in treasure。
The speciall remote cause of our want of money; is the great
want of our East…India stocke here at home。 Which is a matter of
very great consequence; and causeth the body of this
Common…wealth to be wounded sore; through the sides of many
particular members thereof。 For the stocke of the East India
Company being of great value; and collected and contracted from
all the other particular Trades of the Common…wealth; and a great
part thereof having beene Embargued and detained now for more
then five yeeres last past; and that not by a profest Enemie;
against whom we might have been warn'd and arm'd; but by a
friend; a neighbour; a next neighbour; one obliged to our King
and Nation more then to all the Kings on earth: this losse I say;
is not onley thus unkind; but is the more intollerable; in that
the Common…wealth hath lost the use and employment of the Stocke
it selfe; and all the encrease of Trade which the same might have
produced; in the severall Trades of the Subjects; whereby
abundance of treasure might have beene brought into this land in
all this time。
It is said of Belisarius that Great and famous Commander of
the Romanes; that even Rome it selfe owed to him twice her life:
and yet at last was so unkinde to Belisarius as to put out both
his eyes; and exposed him to beg in a little Cotage built without
the gates; where hee often repeated this sentence to those that
passed by; Date obolum Belisario; quem inuidia; non culp
caecauit。 And certainely our Nation may challenge as much or more
of these unkinde friends; the Belisarius ever did or could of
Rome: and they shew themselves no lesse unkinde; to deprive us of
the light and life of this Trade of ours; and suffer this Nation
to use so muc importunitie for their owne。
Homer reports of Patroclus; that he would needs put on
Achilles armour; and ride on Achilles horse; but Achilles speare
hee durst not touch; and thereby was knowne to Hector; with whom
he fought; not to be Achilles; and so lost his life。 These
friends of ours have sometimes put on; sometimes put off; I had
almost said; put out the Kings colours: They have sayled in His
subjects shippes; but that Histam fidei they have not used; or
abused rather; whereby they have beene discovered to the Indians;
not to be the subjects of the faith's Defender; as sometimes they
would have faigned; though to an evill purpose。
The Romanes were wont to weepe; at the sight of Caesars blood
kept in an handkercher。 Caesars subjects blood is kept; not in
handkerchiefes but in sheetes; written within and without; the
memory whereof maketh the people mourne。 The cry thereof is gone
up: the King will remember it; the King of Kings will avenge it。
Constantinus the Great; the father of Constantius; was wont
often to protest; that he made more account of one Christian then
of all his Coffers filled with treasure。 And the Comfort of this
Nation is; to bee the subjects of such a Sovertainge; who as
constantly as ever did Constantinus; hath againe and againe
profest; Not to account himselfe more rich or happie; then in the
prosperitie of his subjects。
Thus much of the Domestique remote causes of the want of
money in England: the forreine causes follow。 Which are either in
respect of the warres in christendome; or the Trades out of
Christendome。 The warres in Christendome are forreine remote
causes of the want of money; either by causing the exportation;
as the warres of Christians: or hindering the importation
thereof; as the warres of Pirates。 I will take the warres of
Germanie for an urgent instance of the former: which have raised
the Riecksdaller from two Markes Lubish; to twentie markes
Lubish; in many place of Germany: whereby abundance of money is
drawne unto the Mintes of those Countries; from all the other
Mines and parts of Christendome。
And for the latter; I will instance the warres of the Pirats
of Argier and Tunis; which hath robbed this Common…wealth of an
infinite value: the crueltie whereof many feele with griefe;
others heare with pittie; but the grivance remaine's。 Needs must
Christendome; and in it England; feele the want of money; when
either it is violently intercepted by Turkish Pirats; the Enimies
of God and man; or the instruments surprised; as men; ships; and
merchandize; which are the channels to convey it to us。 And
heathenish policie it is; or hellish rather; put upon the Princes
and people of Christendome by the Grand Seignour; to hold wi