A. D. 1622. 313 



much merchandize as any other commodity whatever, and therefor 

 ought not to have been reftrained ; and fo indeed are gold and filver iti 

 coin or bulUon, in the judgment of the men in our days, though our 

 laws prohibit the exportation of our own coin. 



King James granted a commiflion to Sir William Heydon and Charles 

 Glemham, Efq. to the following effect, viz. that he has been moved by 

 fundry letters and meflages from the great mogul, to gratify him with 

 fome choice arts and rarities which his dominions aff"ord. Wherefor, 

 he commifllons them to fail thither with two lliips, to advance the trade 

 of his fubjeds, as their own occalions fliall permit, or as they fhall be de- 

 fired by the company of merchants of London trading to the Eaft- 

 Indies, their fadors or minifters ; to govern the faid fhips, and the 

 men therein ; and to carry out and bring back fuch merchandize as 

 fhall be judged proper, and be. licenced; alfo to trade with the great 

 mogul, or any other prince or potentate, between the Cape of Good 

 Hope and the flraits of Le Maire, &c. The faid two gentlemen are 

 therein ftiled fervants of his fon the prince of Wales, and fpecially re- 

 commended by him as properly qualified for this purpofe. \_Foedera, F". 

 xvH,p. 407.] 



King James, in a fpecial commiflion to many lords and gentlemen, con- 

 cerning the decay of trade in England, reprefents that from the ge- 

 neral complaints of our fubjeds at home, as alfo by information from 

 our minifters employed in parts beyond fea, it appears that the cloth of 

 this kingdom hath of late years wanted that effimation and vent in fo- 

 reign parts which formerly it had ; and that the wools of the kingdom 

 are fallen much from their wonted values ; and trade in general fo far 

 out of frame that the merchants and clothiers are greatly difcouraged ; 

 fo that great numbers of people depending on them want work ; the 

 landlords fail in their rents, and farmers have not fo good means to pay 

 their rents as heretofor they had ; ourfelves alfo find the defeds thereof, 

 by the decay of our cuftoms and other duties ; and in general the whole 

 commonwealth fuffereth : fo, as it is high time to look into the caufe 

 of this great decay of trade, and of the commodities of this our king- 

 dom, and how to have fit remedies, &c. : wherefor the king direds 

 them to inquire into the following pomts, viz. 



I) Why wool is fallen in price ? What are the proper means to re- 

 flore it ? 



II) How to prevent the exportation of wool and woollen yarn, fullers 

 earth, and wood-aflies ? How Irifli wool, not ufed at home, may be 

 brought into England; and the like of Scottifh wool? 



III) How to reduce the many laws in being concerning the making 

 of cloth (fome of which contradid each other) into one good general 

 law ? 



IV) To inquire into the prices of dying fluffs. 

 Vol. II. R r 



