A. D. 1652. ^^g 



ffioukl fow or plant any tobacco in England, under certain penalties. 

 So that an end was effedually put to that praclice. 



We may clearly obferve the late great increafe of England's wealth 

 by commerce, when in this year, as well as in the fucceeding year, the 

 nation was able to bear an afTeflment of Li 20,000 per month, befide 

 other great fixed taxes. 



In this year the ifland of Granada was firfl planted on by the French 

 from Martinico, after fome ftruggle with the natives. It is faid, by the 

 French hiftorian of the Caribbee iflands, to produce fugar-canes, gin- 

 ger, indigo, and excellent tobacco. 



Hackney-coaches were limited to 200 in number, dayly plying in 

 London ftrects. 



We find that the Swedes at this time had a fettlement on the gold 

 coaft of Africa, managed by an African company : for Queen Chriflina 

 of Sweden made a complai^it to the parliament of the Englifh common- 

 wealth, that their fhips of w^ar had taken two of that company's fhips 

 homeward bound, and feized all the gold, 8cc. in them. [T'burloe, V. '\, 

 />. 219.] 



A virulent pamphlet was now written againft the Englifh Eaft-Tndia 

 company, intitled Strange news from India, calculated for favouring 

 the folicitations of Sir William Courten's heirs, acting under a feparate 

 patent of King Charles I, for trading to India. It is therein alleged, 

 that whereas our people, in the beginning of the Eafl-India trade, had 

 made particular running voyages thither, only to enrich a few ; they 

 were afterward united in a joint-ftock company ; and fince then they 

 (being a deftrudive monoply) have mifemployed or misfpent in one joint 

 flock, Li, 600, 000, and in feveral joint flocks L3, 600,000, impoveriiliing 

 our nation by exporting much bullion. Yet, which is wonderful, not 

 yet provided with one port or place of their own in India for a rendez- 

 vous *, whereas the Dutch company had 30 impregnable cities in India, 

 and employed 250 fail of fhips : that by the old Englifh company's nc- 

 gledl of Ormus and the Portuguefe prizes f their trade continued decay- 

 ing from 1617 to 1634; inibmuch, that their actions or fhares were 

 frequently fold from party to party, at 30, 2,S/) to 40 per cent lofs, and 

 and fome much more. That the lofs of the Ipice iflands, feized by the 

 Dutch, is valued at Li 00,000 per annum confequence to the nation. 

 That about the year 1632, and fince, a treaty was on foot between 

 King Charles I and our company on the one part, and the Dutch com- 

 pany on the other part, touching our claim to thofe fpice iflands : but 

 that although L8o,ooo was agreed to be paid by the Dutch company, 

 yet King Charles and our company could not agree or fettle their re- 

 fpedtive fhares thereof; and fo the matter was dropped, and the Dutch 



* The author elfewhere owns that the company pofTflTed Madras, whch IndeeJ is not a good poi t. A, - 

 f He (hould have added, — by their difference with the Dutch Ealt-India co nprny. A. 



Vol. IT. 3 L 



