..378 A. D.I 633. 



to be imported, and agreed to purchafe of that eompany his naval ftorcs, 

 and the fifli for his royal navy. This was in confequence of his com- 

 miflion three years before, as mentioned under the year 1630. Yet all 

 this, in a few years after, came to nothing, for want of judgement as 

 well as honefly in the managers of it ; but as we have on many other 

 occafions prefumed freely to cenfure this king's conduft, we ought to 

 do him the juftice to acknowlege, that he did every thing in his power 

 to promote this truely national defign. 



1634. — The king being bent on fitting out a formidable fleet, command- 

 ed the city of London to fend to Portfmouth, at their fole charge, the 

 following quota of fliips, with ordnance, tackle, &c. for twenty-fix 

 weeks, for the enluing year 1635 ; and the like commands were fent to 

 the other fea-port towns for proportionable quotas, viz. 



One fliip of 900 tons, and 350 men; 



One of 800 tons, and 260 men ; 



Four, of each 500 tons, and 200 men ; 



And one of 300 tons, and 150 men. 



This is properly the firfi: year of that king's fhip-money projed, which 

 fo much contributed to his ruin. 



At this time, according to Howel's Life of King Louis XIII of France, 

 that kingdom being in perfed tranquillity, many wholefome laws were 

 made for fupprefling luxury and finery of apparel. A new company of 

 merchants was eftabliflied for New-France, and Paris was enlarged, the 

 Tuilleries and part of St. Germain being brought into it. 



King Charles by his own authority, laid a duty of \f per chaldron 

 on all fea-coal, fi:one-coal, or pit-coal, exported from England to foreign 

 parts. \Fa;dcra, V. xix, p. 547.] 



He iflued a proclamation ordering that tobacco fhould be landed no- 

 where in England but at the cufi:omhoufe quay of London, to prevent 

 defrauding his majefty of the duty thereon. Alfo againfi; planting to- 

 bacco in England and Ireland, ftill much pradifed, and againft the im- 

 portation of tobacco-feed. \Fcedera, V. xix, p. 554.] 



At the fame time he granted an exclufive patent for fourteen years, 

 for the art and myfi:ery of affixing wool, filk, and other materials of 

 iiivers colours, upon linen cloth, filk, cotton, leather, and other fub- 

 ftances, with oil, fize, and other cements, to make them ufeful and fer- 

 viceable for hangings, &c. the patentee paying Lio yearly into the ex- 

 chequer for the fame. {F^dera, V. xix, p. 554.] 



The tobacco planters in Virginia, &c. being kept poor by the ex- 

 orbitant prices which merchants made them pay for their neceilaries 

 ■from England, King Charles, for keeping up of the price of tobacco, 

 and for preventing the planters from fending any of it diredly to foreign 

 •parts, whereby he might be deprived of his cufi:om thereon, ifliied a 

 declaration, that he now refolved to take the fole pre-emption of all to- 



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