A. D. 1579. 163 



lifh commerce to the Dutch. Neverthelefs, the immenfenefs of the 

 fidiery of thofe Netherland provinces, with which they about this time 

 fuppHed the mofi: part of the world, is almoft: incredible, and could 

 only be defcribed by fo great a genius as Sir Walter Raleigh. Their 

 Eafl-India trade foon nfter this time commenced, and, like all new 

 trades, brought profit in the beginning, frequently even twenty times 

 the original outfet. In brief, the Hollanders loon thrufi: themfelves into 

 every corner of the univerle for new means of commerce, and for 

 vending their vaftly improved manufadures ; whereby Amfterdam foon 

 became, what it ftill is, the magazine or flaple for almoft all the com- 

 modities of the univerfe. 



The popifh perfecutions at the commencement of the reformation in 

 religion, had driven vafi: numbers of people from Germany, France, 

 and England, to feek flicker in the feventeen provinces of the Nether- 

 lands, where the antient liberties of the country, and the privileges of 

 the cities, which had remained inviolate under a long fuccefiion of princes, 

 gave protection to thole oppreflld ftrangers, who filled their cities with 

 people and trade. But now when the feven provinces were united, 

 and began to defend themfelves with fuccefs, under the conduct of the 

 prince of Orange and the countenance of England and France, and 

 when the perlecution became much hotter in the Spanifli Netherlands, 

 all the profeflbrs of the reformed religion, and haters of the Spanifn do- 

 minion, retired into the flrong cities of this new commonwealth, and 

 gave the fame date to the growth of trade tliere, and the decay of it at 

 Antwerp. 



It would be too tedious to inftance all the other caufes of the vaft in- 

 creafe of the wealth and power of the United Netherlands, in thofe 

 times and afterwards, fuch as, the long civil wars, firft in France, next 

 in Germany, and laftly in England, which drove thither all that were 

 perfecuted at home for their religion ; moderation and toleration to 

 all forts of quiet and peaceable people, naturally produce wealth, confi- 

 dence, and firength to fuch a country ; the natural ftrenglh of their 

 country, improved by tlieir many fluices for overflowing it, and ren- 

 dering it inaccelfible to land armies ; the free conftituiion of their go- 

 vernment ; the fecurity and convenience for all mens property in the 

 bank of Amfterdam. 



As we apprehend a proper provifion for the poor in every well-regulated 

 country to be of confiderablc importance to the peace and welfare of fo- 

 ciety, we Ihall take notice of an act of the 6th of Iving James VI in Scotland 

 for the punifhment of vagabonds and fturdy beggars, and for confining all 

 other beggars to their own proper parifhes ; ajfo for taxing all the inhabi- 

 tants of pariflies to a weekly contribution for. fufhilning all their own beg- 

 gars, and to give paffes to the poor of other parifhes: and in poorer parifhes, 

 the poor to have authentic licences to beg their meat from houfe to houfe 



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