A. D. 1 697. 693 



ward, for repairing and rebuilding that pier, wliich liad been thrown 

 down by a l^orm in the year 1696. [8, 9 GuL ill, c. 28.] 



This year the filk-weavers of London were extremely outrageous and 

 tumultuous, on pretence of the great quantities of fjlks, calicoes, and 

 other Indian manufadures, imported by the Eaft-Intlia company, and 

 worn by all forts of people. They even carried their violence lo far as 

 to attempt feizing the treafure at the Eaft-India houfe, and had almoft 

 fucceeded in it, but were in the end reduced to order. Yet much cla- 

 mour was ftill raifed, both in pamphlets and converfition, againft the 

 company, who in their defence engaged the famous Dr. D'Avenant to 

 write a laboured and ingenious eflay on the Eaft-India trade. He was 

 anfwered by Mr. Polexfen, an eminent merchant, who this year pub- 

 liilied his able performance, intitled, England and Eaft-India inconfift- 

 ent in their manufidures, which, with refped to the real matter of fad, 

 as well as its popularity, had greatly the advantage over his venal, though 

 able, opponent. 



Notwithftanding the reftitutions which France had obtained by the 

 treaty of Ryfwick, yet her foreign trade feemed ftill to languifti. Hol- 

 land reaped much more benefit by her trade with France, than England 

 did or could. The later had been accuftomed before the war to fend 

 great fums of money to France for wine, brandy, paper, ftuflfs, linen, 

 hats, filks, and many other things, over and above the merchandize they 

 carried thither from England, whereby the balance was always greatly 

 in fiivour of France. But the French commiilary, now fent^ over to 

 England for a treaty of commerce between the two nations, found in- 

 furmountable difficulties in his commiflion, not only on account of the 

 high duties laid by England on French goods, which duties were appro- 

 priated to fundry ufes, but likewife becaufe the Englifti, during the late 

 long war, had learned to be without the merchandize of France, by fup- 

 plying themfelves moftly with the wines of Italy, Spain, and Portugal, 

 and with the linens of Holland and Silefia. The French refugees fettled 

 in England now alfo fupplied them with paper, ftuffs, filks, and hats, 

 jiiade at home. France, moreover, on the other hand, not relaxing any 

 of her high imports on En-lifti manufadures, &c. which in effed amount- 

 ed to a prohibition of them, it was not therefor poflible for France and 

 England to conclude any tarif or treaty of commerce together which 

 could be advantageous to the later, and therefor none was made. 



16^8. — Neverthelefs, the foreign commerce and public credit of 

 England foon revived, and the bills or notes of the bank got up to 

 par. The difcount on the remaining tallies was become moderate, and 

 the adions or prices of the ftocks of other Englilh coaipunies were be- 

 come more promifing. 



Yet the complaints againft the Eaft-India company's proceedings, to- 

 gether with their great lofles of ftiips and rich car;^oes duruig the war,. 



