A. D. 1624. 327 



at this day to alcertain the exac^ manner of levying them, though fo 

 late as this year. And this is the laft time that we find mention of that 

 way of granting aids to the crown. This we alfo conceive to be the 

 laft time that money was in this manner beftowed on decayed cities and 

 towns. 



Cardinal Richlieu entered this year upon his miniftry in France, and 

 fucceeded but too well in his great projeds of depreiling the grandees 

 and the proteftants at home ; of reducing the fuperiority of the two 

 branches of the houfe of Auftria, and of advancing the commerce, ma- 

 nufaftures, and maritime ftrength of France ; whilft he lulled afleep 

 the only two potentates of Europe who had it in their power to put a 

 check to fuch towering and dangerous fchemes. 



It was now that the Dutch firft invaded Brazil, of which we fliall fee 

 they held a confiderable part for 30 years after. 



It was now enaded [21 ^ac. /, c. 28] tliat when wheat is not above 

 Li : 12 per quarter, rye zoj, peafe, beans, barley, and malt, iCy, at the 

 port whither they are brought to be exported, they may then be ex- 

 ported. 



The Englifli Eaft-India company having loaded four fhips and two 

 pinnaces for India, the duke of Buckingham, lord high admiral, know- 

 ing that they muft lofe their voyage unlefs they failed by a certain 

 time, extorted from the company Li 0,000 for liberty to fail for India. 

 This was one of the articles of his impeachment, in the year 1626. 

 The duke, in his defence, alleged, that as the company had taken many 

 rich prizes from the Portuguefe in India, and particularly at Ormus, a 

 large part thereof was legally due to the king, and alfo to himfelf as 

 lord-admiral; and that the faid Li 0,000 was the company's compofi- 

 tion and agreement, inftead of Li 5,000, which the law would have 

 given againft them : and that, moreover, the whole fum, excepting only 

 L200, was applied by the king for the fervice of the navy. 



It was in the reign of King James I, that the Dutch began the ma- 

 nufidure of fine woollen cloths, and thereby interfered with the Eng- 

 lifli cloth trade in the Netherlands and elfewhere, infomuch, that in 

 the laft year of this king's reign, a certificate was given into the parlia- 

 ment of 25,000 cloths having in that year been manufadured in Hol- 

 land. Whereupon the houfe of commons refolved, that the merchant- 

 adventurers company's fetting impofts upon our cloths was a grievance, 

 and ought not to be continued ; and that all other merchants, as well 

 as that company, might tranfport every where northern and weftern 

 dozens, kerfies, and new draperies : alio that other merchants, befide 

 the merchant-adventurers company, might freely trade with dyed and 

 drefi^ed cloths, and all forts of coloured cloths, into Germany and the 

 Low countries. 



