第 11 节
作者:小秋      更新:2021-02-20 18:19      字数:9322
  their severall callings: then to have things cheape with want of
  Money; which now makes every man complaine。
  Lastly; for Landlords and Creditors; their losse is easie to
  be prevented by Proviso; that the Contracts made before the
  raising of the Monies shall be paide at the value the Money went
  at; when the Contracts were made: according to the disposition of
  the Civill Law in this case: Valor monetae considerandus &
  inspiciendus est a tempore contractus; non autem a tempore
  solutionis。
  The raising also of the Coine; would raise the price of
  Plate: whereby either there would bee lesse superfluity that way;
  or else more old Plate; which perhaps in some mens hands is kept
  up for Treasure; would be brought out; to be molten into Coine。
  The Mediate or Remote Causes of the want of Money; I observed
  to bee either Domestique or Forreine。 The Domestique; Generall or
  Speciall。 The Generall; the great Excesse of the Kingdome; in
  consuming the Commodities of forreine Countries in such
  abundance; to our own losse。 And amongst those; the great excesse
  in Tobacco is none of the least: which if it might seeme good to
  the High Wisdome of His Majestie; to restraine; or at least to
  give a tolleration of the Virginia and Barmudo's only: there
  might be a great deale of Pietie and Policy shewed in this
  Remedy。 For in the one respect; it would tend to a great
  enriching of that plantation; which so happily succeedeth through
  Gods blessing: and in the other it would advantage the King and
  the Kingdome; in the redresse of the disorder of the Spanish
  Trade; and in bringing in Treasure in stead of that Toye; more
  then the Rent that is now raised to His Majestie for the same。
  The Superfluity of other Commodities may bee restrained by
  lawes Vestiary and Sumptuary; according to the example of Germany
  & other our Neighbor Countries。
  The Speciall Remote Cause of our want of Money; I noted to
  bee the want of our East India Stocke in the Common…wealth。 the
  Remedy whereof; is in the Princely Power and Gratious Favour of
  His Majestie to apply at His pleasure to this Languishing body。
  And if HIs Sacred Majestie will vouchsafe to apply His Gratious
  Mouth; to this Mount: His waking Eye; to this Eye: His powerfull
  Hand to this Hand: then surely this fainted Body will receive
  Breath and Life; from the powerfull influence of so Great a
  Majestie; and revive also the many other fainting Trades; that
  are fallen in it。 The Forreine Remote Causes; I observed to be
  the Warres in Christendome; or the Trades maintained with ready
  Money Out of Christendome。 The former; either cause the
  Exportation of Money; as do the Warres of Christians: or hinder
  the Importation thereof; as doe the Warres of Pirats。 A Remedy in
  the former of these I know none; besides that blessed disposition
  in His Majesty to spare no Cost to make Peace: which hath made
  His Fame shine as farre as the Sunne shineth; and shall last as
  long as the Sunne and Moone endureth: and as sure as the Lord is
  faithfull; will be remembred on His Posterity for ever: Besides
  this I say; I know none; but Patience and Prayer: that God would
  avert the heavy Judgments at this day on the Christian world; and
  give us grace to cnsider Our peace; in this Our day thereof。 A
  Remedy in the latter; may be either by reducing of the stragling
  trade of His Majesties subjects into the Dominions of the King of
  Spaine; into Government; whereby they also might goe in Fleetes;
  as other governed Companies doe; and the better defend themselves
  against so Common and Cruel an enimy: or else by seeking
  restitution of our wrongs in this kinde; where it may be had: so
  farre as it may concurre with the Honour of the Kng; to whose
  Great and Princes judgement; I submit the same。
  The Remedy for the Exportation of Money out of Christendome
  by the Trades before mentioned; dependeth much on the good
  Conclusion hoped for; betweene the Dutch and our Nation。 Whereby
  not only the Indian Commodities; which in those Trades are the
  principall; may be bought much better cheape; and consequently
  spare a great deale of the Treasure now issued out for the same:
  but also; the Native Commodities of either Country; and as much
  as may bee of every Country; may be brought into Trade and Traine
  with the Indians; and advanced in their use and price: that so at
  last in stead of Money for Wares; we may give Wares for Wares
  according to the Law and nature of Commerce。 And this good
  conclusion betweene the Dutch and Us; is the rather to bee
  wished; and the more to be hastened; because the subtilty of the
  Indians is great; intaking advantage of this unhappy Faction; or
  rather Fraction; that is fallen betwixt us。 For those that have
  travelled the Indies; and observed those people can tell; that
  the Indians doe ascribe so much to the light of their
  understanding; that they doe account the rest of the world blinde
  in Comparison of them。 Only they vouchsafe to the people of
  Europe this honour; to call them One Eyed Men。 Which aslo
  Masseius taketh notice of; in his History of the Indies; that
  those people dare beyond modesty thus to brag; Chineses duos
  habere oculos; Europeaos unum; & quod hominum est reliquum;
  caecutire。 That the Chineses have two Eies; the Europeans one;
  and all the rest of the people of the world are blinde。 And
  indeed they doe approove themselves to be Quicke…sighted enough:
  for they are the Antipodes of Christians; and are in scituation
  farthest remote from them; and yet can finde the Meanes; to pry
  into the mines and Treasrue of the Christian world。 And therefore
  I say; it is high time that the Dutch and We lest Darting at one
  another; and so joine together; that as with one Hand; and one
  Heart; and if they will needs have it so; with that one Eie; we
  may collect and contract our sharpest sence & fight into it; that
  as it is said; some Monoculists; by the sharpnesse of the sence
  drawne to one Eie; see better with that; then both:we may at last
  put this remedy in practise; that we seem no longer blind men; to
  those Indian people。 But herein on both parts; are we humbly to
  impore His Majesties Regall Intercession; that these differences;
  betwixt the Dutch and Us; may no longer Hang in Suspence; but at
  last be drawne to that happy and hopefull Period wee have so long
  looked & longed for。 That so the Majesty of the King; arising
  like the Glory of the Sun…rising upon this our Horizon; may
  dispell and disperse all the tempestuous Mists and Fogges; that
  have obscured the same; and lend such a glorious Light and Life
  unto this Orbe of ours; that They & We; like lovers and friends
  fallen at oddes; may be redintegrated; renewed; and reunited; in
  unfaigned Amitie and Unity; tha the name of Hostilitie betwixt
  Them and Us; be never hereafter told in Gath; nor publish't in
  the Streets of Ashcalon: And that the Publike complaints as well
  of their Owne people; as Ours; may no longer come under the view
  and censure of the world。
  Another Remedy of this kinde; may bee His Majesties gratious
  protection of the Persian Trade now so happily set on foote: that
  so neither the Envy of any; at Home; nor the Power or Policy of
  any abroad; supplant us in the same。 Whereby the Cloth and Tinne;
  and other the Native Commodities of this Kingdome; may be brought
  into Use and Commerce amongst the Persians also。 Which through
  Gods blessing; and his Majesties Royall Assistance; may be a
  means to draw the whole Trade of the Persian silke into this
  Kingdom; and make it the Magazin thereof; for the supply of other
  Nations: to the weakning of the Turkes power; the increase of
  Trade in this Common…wealth; and with it His Majesties Customes;
  the Navigation; and employment of the poore: to the Great Honour
  of the King; and enriching of all His Kingdomes。
  And so much for the Remedies about the matter of Trade in
  Money; the Merchandize followeth。 Which I considered Jointly or
  Apart。 The things that hindred the whole Trade; I noted to be
  Deficient; as the want of Money; or the East India Stocke; which
  have their Remedy before: or Efficient; as Usury and Litigious
  Suits of law; to the Remedies whereof we now proceede。 The Remedy
  for Usury; may be plenty of Money。 For then; men will have no
  such cause to take Money at interest; as when Money is scant。 For
  as it is the scarcitie of Money that maketh the high rates of
  interest: so the plentie of Money will make the rates Low; better
  then any Statute for that purpose。 For although in the
  Netherlands; it is lawfull for a man to take twenty in the
  hundred if he can get it (wherein it seemes the Author of the
  Tract against Usuary was misinformed) yet there; commonly money
  is let at 6 and 7 in the hundred; by reason of the plenty of
  Money。
  Or there is another Remedy for Usury; in giving liberty to
  the subjects if so it may seeme good to His Majesties High
  Wisedome) to buy and sell; and to transport Billes of debt from
  man to man: according to the Custome of Germany and the Low
  Countries。 Which is found to be an excellent meanes to supply
  mens wants in cours