A. D. 1678. ^gj 



"Wliile we were wantonly, and without meafure, importing and ufing 

 the produd and manufadures of France, the wifer French miniftry 

 were from time to time laying heavier duties upon the EngU(h manu- 

 fadures and produd ; fo as thereby gradually to drive out of France 

 the confumption of almoft all EngliOi merchandize, us well as all other 

 foreign commodities, by their tarits of the years 1664, 1667, &c. 

 Hereby the Englifh foreign trade in general languiflied, rents fell, and 

 all ranks began fenfibly to feel its bad effeds. Yet they at firft imput- 

 ed this misfortune to a wrong cauie ; which made the merchants and 

 traders petition the parliament againft the Eafl-India and Levant com- 

 panies. Having at lad difcovered the true caufe, they made fuch ear- 

 nefi: application to the parliament, as influenced the houfe of commons 

 to come to a v^ote, ' that the trade with France was detrimental to the 

 ' kingdom.' The Englifh were alfo at this time fo juftly incenfed againfi: the 

 French king's invaiion and encroachments from time to time on the Spa- 

 nifh Netherlands (and indeed, as far as he could, on all his other neigh- 

 bours), that the parlianient, in the beginning of this year 1678, palled an 

 ad [30 Car. II, c. i ] ' for railing money by a jx)ll, &c. to enable his majefty 



* to enter into an adual war againft the French king ; and for prohi- 



* biting, for three years to come, and to the end of the fubfcquent ief- 



* fion of parliament, the importation into England of all French com- 



* modities whatever.' It was indeed more than time for England to 

 interpofe, and fave the almoft expiring liberties of Europe ; whilft at 

 the fame time (he put fome ftop to an inundation of French wines, 

 brandies, fllks, linen, paper, fait, and an innumerable variety of frip- 

 pery, millinery, and haberdafliery wares, toys, &c. This prohibition, 

 and that of the wear of Eaft-India manui^dures, brought the general 

 balance greatly in our favour in twenty years time. The authors of 

 this time fay, that, till after this prohibition, the annual exports of Eng- 

 land, on an average, did not exceed three millions fterling ; but that in 

 about twenty years after, the exports gradually increafed to near icxtn 

 millions yearly ; which vaft increafe was principally occafioned by the 

 great increafe and exportation of our own v/oollen, filk, linen, iron, and 

 other manufadures, lince the prohibition of commerce with France ; 

 and partly alfo by the prohibition, fome years after enaded, of the wear 

 of Eaft-India manufadures in England, and likewife in par": by the en- 

 larged demand from our own American colonies of all forts of manu- 

 fitdures and neceffiiries. 



In Jidy an alliance was concluded between England and Holland, for 

 compelling the French king (in coniequence of a treaty at this time 

 held at Nimeguen, between them, the emperor, and Spain) to reftore 

 to Spain the towns and forts of Charleroy, Aeth, Oudenard, Courtray, 

 Tournay, Conde, \'alenciennes, St. Guiflain, Binch, and tlie duchy of 

 Limburg, &c. as alfo, all that had been taken from the emperor and- 



Vol. II. 4 F 



