A. D. 1603. 235 



He goes on to obferve very truely, that unlefs there be a fcarcity or 

 high prices, all merchants avoid the parts where great impofitions are 

 on merchandize ; which places are ufually flenderly fliipped, ill-ferved, 

 and at dear rates, often in fcarcity, and in want of employment for 

 their people : whereas the low duties of the wife flates above named 

 draw all traffic unto them, and the great liberty allowed to ftrangers 

 makes a continual mart ; fo that whatever excifes, &c. they may lay 

 upon the common people, they are fure ever to eafe, uphold, and main- 

 tain the merchants by all poflible means, thereby to draw the wealth 

 and flrength of Chriflendom to themfelves : and although the duties be 

 but fmall, yet the vafl exports and imports do greatly increafe their re- 

 venues ; which vafl commerce enables the common people not only to 

 bear the burden of the excifes and impofitions laid on them, but alfo to 

 grow rich. 



In former ages, the city of Genoa, as appears by their antient re- 

 cords and fumptuous buildings, had a vaftly extended commerce, whi- 

 ther all nations traded, being the florehoufe for all Italy and other parts : 

 but after they laid fo great a cuflom as 16 per cent, all nations left trad- 

 ing with them, which made them give themfelves wholly to ufury ; and 

 at this day we have not three fhips go thither in a year. 



On the other fide, the duke of Florence having laid fmall cuftoms on 

 merchandize at Leghorn, and granted great privileges, he has thereby 

 made it a rich and flrong city, and his flate flouriiliing. 



Next, Raleigh comes to his favourite point, the fifliery. The greatefl: 

 fifhing that ever was known in the world is upon the coafls of England, 

 Scotland, and Ireland ; but the great filliery is in the Low Countries and 

 other petty flates, wherewith they ferve thenifelves and all Chriflendom. 



I) Into four towns in the Baltic, viz. Koningfberg, Elbing, Stetin, 

 and Dantzick, there are carried and vended in a year between 30,000 

 and 40,000 lafls of herrings, which, being fold but at L15 or L16 the 

 laft, is about _ _ _ L620,ooo o o 

 And we fend none thither. 



II) To Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and the ports 

 of Riga, Revel, Narva, and other parts of Livonia, &c. 



above 10,000 lafls of herrings, worth - - 170,000 o 



And we fend none at all to thofe countries. 



III) The Hollanders fend into Ruffia near 1500 lafls 



of herrings, fold at about 3.0/" per barrel, is - 27,000 o o 



And we fend thither about twenty or thirty lafts. 



IV) To Staden, Hamburgh, Bremen, and Embden, 

 about 6000 lafls of fiih and herrings, fold at about L15 



or L16 per laft, _ _ „ _ 100,000 o a 



And we none at all, 



2 Og 2 



