;^^2 A. D. 1628. 



by its own trade to India, but by its large magazine of many rich In- 

 dian wares to be exported to foreign countries, as Turkey, Italy, the 

 Eaft country, &c — Here they expatiate on their former benefits to the 

 public, when fome few years before they employed 15,000 tons of fhip- 

 ping all at one time, either going to, coming from, or trading in, India, 

 from port to port : and that at prefent they employ 10,000 tons and 2500 

 mariners : that laft year they imported pepper to the value of L2o8,ooo 

 fterling, whereof the value of Li 80,000 was re-exported to foreign parts 

 in a few weeks, and much the like of indigo, calicoes, and divers other 

 rich wares ; by which re-exportations they employ 2000 inore tons of 

 fhipping and 500 mariners: that at leaft loco perfons are fupported 

 by the building and repair of their fliips, the making their artillery, 

 naval ftores, provifions, &c. befide the tonnage employed by the com- 

 pany to fetch timber and pipe-ftaves out of Ireland *, and hemp out of 

 Eaftland ; and for importing wines, elephants teeth, wrought filks, co- 

 ral, quicklilver, &c. to furnifh out thofe voyages : that the great ma- 

 gazines of naval ftores and ammunition, which the company has always 

 ready, are often helpful to others, as being no where elfe to be had for 

 money at home ; and they at this time make 30 barrels of gunpowder 

 weekly, at their own powder-mills, of the faltpetre they import from 

 India. 



II) It increafes the general wealth of the nation ; it faves much money 

 yearly to our nation in the expenfe of Indian wares, by fupplying them 

 fo much cheaper than they could have them from other European na- 

 tions ; it increafes very confiderably the king's cuftoms ; improves the 

 price of land, and of wool, tin, lead, iron, &c. : wherefor, though in the 

 company's late unfortunate years they have themfelves been lofers, yet 

 the crown and nation have all the while been gainers by this trade. 

 That the vent of our cloth, lead, tin, &c. in India continually increafes. 

 That it is by reafon of the company's having for three years paft been 

 expelled the fpice iflands by the Dutch that thofe fpices are twice as 

 dear as when the company imported them from India. That the raif- 

 ing the price of lands being of the greatefi: confequence to gentlemen, 

 this can only be done by our exporting more in value of our own na- 

 tive commodities than we import to thofe of other nations, the balance 

 whereof will come to us in treafure; and an increafe of treafure will 

 ever enhance the price of lands. And that the treafure fo received by 

 the balance of our foreign commerce is the only money which can re- 

 main permanently with us, and by which we are enriched. That this 

 increafe of money will alfo naturally increafe the price of wool, tin, 

 lead, &c. which alfo will contribute to increafe the price of lands, as 

 does alfo the increafe of the merchants riches gotten by traffic. That it 



I 



'* Iielaud, then capable of fupplying fliip timber, is now quite deftitute of it. 



