3H 



A. D. 1622. 



V) Whether, by any of the orders, reftrictidns, &c. of the company 

 of merchant-adventurers of England, the prices of woollen cloth are too 

 highly raifed beyond fea ? 



VI) How far companies or focieties of merchants may, or may not 

 be, a cramp on trade, as many do allege ? And how far joint -llock 

 companies are beneficial or otherwife ? 



VIT) How to remedy the prefent unufual fcarcity of money ? 



VIII) To inquire whether the balance of trade in general be not 

 againft our nation, by the imports of merchandize exceeding our ex- 

 ports ; and how to remedy fuch an evil ? Alfo to confider the gain or 

 loO. that comes to our kingdom by the courfe of exchange now ufed by 

 our merchants. 



IX) How we may improve our native commodities to the beft ad- 



vantage. 



X) To avoid vain and unprofitable returns (i. e. imports) of the com- 

 modities of foreign countries in fuperfluities. 



XI) For the better increafe of the wealth of the kingdom, and of the 

 importation of coin and bullion from foreign parts, we would have you 

 to confider what native commodities of this kingdom are of that necef- 

 fary ufefulnefs to our neighbour nations that they may fitly return home 

 a proportion of coin and bullion for a fupply of treafure. 



XII) And, above other things, ferioufly and carefully confider by 

 -what good means our navy and the {hipping of this kingdom may be 

 befi; maintained and enlarged, and mariners bred up and increafed. 



And to this end, we require you to take into your mature confider- 

 ation and judgements thefe things following, which ourfelves conceive to 

 be very good means to attain the end we efpecially aim at, as afore- 

 foid, viz. 



Firft, and principally, that the herring fifhery upon the feas and coafis 

 appertaining to our own realms may be undertaken by our people for 

 the common good : for the encouragement whereof we fhall be always 

 ready to yield our bell aflifl:ance. 



And to the end that the fhipping of other nations may not be em- 

 ployed for importing foreign commodities whilil: our own {hipping want 

 employment, confider how our laws now ftand in force for prohibiting 

 merchandize to be imported in foreign botroms. 



And farther, advife if it be not behoveful to put in execution the laws 

 flill in force, which enjoin merchant-firangers (as well denizens as not 

 denizens) to employ the proceeds of the merchandize they import on 

 the native commodities of this realm, to be exported by them. 



And becaul'e our merchants trading into the Eaftland countries (i.. e. 

 all the fouth {hores of the Baltic fea) were wont to make good returns 

 by corn, which they have neglected of late, to their own hurt and the 

 kurt of the kingdom, coniider how to give them encouragement, fo as 



