Placcaets or Proclamations of those parts； the Jacobus pieces；
and other species of gold and silver； are there set at
indifferent rates answerable to their valuation here with us
respectively； which they there call permissie gelt； Proclamation
money： yet they have other devices to raise money； and draw it
away at their pleasures。 As either by their Banckes； when the
Banckiers will for their occasions give a greater price for mony
then the Proclamation suffereth； & then it is called Banck gelt：
or else by slacke paymasters； that for their owne advantage in
the raising of money； will pretend not to make present payment of
their debts； unlesse you take their money at a higher rate； then
either the Proclamation； or the Banck money。 Which being paid and
received； produceth a third kinde； which they call Currant gelt。
And so by the Connivence of the Magistrate； the same goeth from
man to man； and at last becommeth currant at an excessive value。
So they have Permission or Proclamation Money； and Banck Money；
and Currant Money； and all to draw dry the Currant of His
Majesties Coine。
And thus the Hepatitis of this great Body of our being
opened； & such profusion of the life blood let out； and the liver
or fountaine obstructed； and weakened； which should succour the
same； needes must this great Body languish； and at length fall
into a Marasmum。
I am not ignorant that there hath beene great abuse in the
culling of His Majesties Coyne； here at home； and in melting the
heavy money into plate： And that there is a great superfluitie of
Plate generally in private mens hands more then is necessary； and
farre beyond any example of former times； which must needes also
cause scarcitie of money： yet on the other side I cannot deny；
but that it is better to have the same in Plate； as a treasure of
the Kingdome； then turned into Coine； & so turned out of the
Kingdome； by the under…value thereof。
Now the Mediat or remote reasons of the want of money in
England； are either Domestique or Forreine。 The Domestique are
generall； or special。 The general remote cause of our want of
money； is the great excesse of this Kingdom； in consuming the
Commodities of Forreine Countries； which prove to us
discommodities； in hindering us of so much treasure； which
otherwise would bee brought in； in lieu of those toyes。 For now a
dayes most men live above their callings； and promiscously step
forth Vice versa； into one anothers Rankes。 The Countrey mans Eie
is upon the Citizen： the Citizen upon the Gentleman： the
Gentleman upon the Nobleman。 And by this meanes wee draw unto us；
and consume amongst us； that great abundance of the Wines of
Spaine； of France； of the Rhene； of the Levant； the Lawnes and
Cambricks of Hannault and the Netherlands； the Silkes of Italie；
the Sugars & Tobaco of the West Indies； the Spices of the East
Indies： All which are of no necessitie unto us； & yet are bought
with ready mony； which otherwise would be brought over in
treasure if these were not。 A Common…wealth is like unto a
family； the father or master whereof ought to sell more then he
buyeth according to old Catoe's counsell； Patrem familias
vendacem non emacem esse oportet。 Otherwise his expence being
greater then his revenue； he must needs come behinde hand。 Even
so a Common…wealth that excessively spendeth the forreine
Commodities deere； and unttereth the native fewer and cheape；
shal enrich other Common…wealths； but beggar it selfe。 Where on
the contrary； if it vented fewer of the forreine； and more of the
Native； the residue must needs returne in treasure。
The speciall remote cause of our want of money； is the great
want of our East…India stocke here at home。 Which is a matter of
very great consequence； and causeth the body of this
Common…wealth to be wounded sore； through the sides of many
particular members thereof。 For the stocke of the East India
Company being of great value； and collected and contracted from
all the other particular Trades of the Common…wealth； and a great
part thereof having beene Embargued and detained now for more
then five yeeres last past； and that not by a profest Enemie；
against whom we might have been warn'd and arm'd； but by a
friend； a neighbour； a next neighbour； one obliged to our King
and Nation more then to all the Kings on earth： this losse I say；
is not onley thus unkind； but is the more intollerable； in that
the Common…wealth hath lost the use and employment of the Stocke
it selfe； and all the encrease of Trade which the same might have
produced； in the severall Trades of the Subjects； whereby
abundance of treasure might have beene brought into this land in
all this time。
It is said of Belisarius that Great and famous Commander of
the Romanes； that even Rome it selfe owed to him twice her life：
and yet at last was so unkinde to Belisarius as to put out both
his eyes； and exposed him to beg in a little Cotage built without
the gates； where hee often repeated this sentence to those that
passed by； Date obolum Belisario； quem inuidia； non culp
caecauit。 And certainely our Nation may challenge as much or more
of these unkinde friends； the Belisarius ever did or could of
Rome： and they shew themselves no lesse unkinde； to deprive us of
the light and life of this Trade of ours； and suffer this Nation
to use so muc importunitie for their owne。
Homer reports of Patroclus； that he would needs put on
Achilles armour； and ride on Achilles horse； but Achilles speare
hee durst not touch； and thereby was knowne to Hector； with whom
he fought； not to be Achilles； and so lost his life。 These
friends of ours have sometimes put on； sometimes put off； I had
almost said； put out the Kings colours： They have sayled in His
subjects shippes； but that Histam fidei they have not used； or
abused rather； whereby they have beene discovered to the Indians；
not to be the subjects of the faith's Defender； as sometimes they
would have faigned； though to an evill purpose。
The Romanes were wont to weepe； at the sight of Caesars blood
kept in an handkercher。 Caesars subjects blood is kept； not in
handkerchiefes but in sheetes； written within and without； the
memory whereof maketh the people mourne。 The cry thereof is gone
up： the King will remember it； the King of Kings will avenge it。
Constantinus the Great； the father of Constantius； was wont
often to protest； that he made more account of one Christian then
of all his Coffers filled with treasure。 And the Comfort of this
Nation is； to bee the subjects of such a Sovertainge； who as
constantly as ever did Constantinus； hath againe and againe
profest； Not to account himselfe more rich or happie； then in the
prosperitie of his subjects。
Thus much of the Domestique remote causes of the want of
money in England： the forreine causes follow。 Which are either in
respect of the warres in christendome； or the Trades out of
Christendome。 The warres in Christendome are forreine remote
causes of the want of money； either by causing the exportation；
as the warres of Christians： or hindering the importation
thereof； as the warres of Pirates。 I will take the warres of
Germanie for an urgent instance of the former： which have raised
the Riecksdaller from two Markes Lubish； to twentie markes
Lubish； in many place of Germany： whereby abundance of money is
drawne unto the Mintes of those Countries； from all the other
Mines and parts of Christendome。
And for the latter； I will instance the warres of the Pirats
of Argier and Tunis； which hath robbed this Common…wealth of an
infinite value： the crueltie whereof many feele with griefe；
others heare with pittie； but the grivance remaine's。 Needs must
Christendome； and in it England； feele the want of money； when
either it is violently intercepted by Turkish Pirats； the Enimies
of God and man； or the instruments surprised； as men； ships； and
merchandize； which are the channels to convey it to us。 And
heathenish policie it is； or hellish rather； put upon the Princes
and people of Christendome by the Grand Seignour； to hold with
them an outward forme to amitie； and in the meane time by his
vassals； use a cunning and covert hostilitie。
The other forreine remote cause of the want of money； are the
Trades maintained out of Christendome to Turky； Persia and the
East Indies。 Which trades are maintained for the most part with
ready money； yet in a different manner from the trades of
Christendome within it selfe。 For although the trades within
Christendome are diven with ready monies； yet those monies are
still contained and continued within the bounds of Christendome。
There is indeede a fluxus and refluxus； a flood and ebbe of the
monies of Christendome traded within it selfe： for sometimes
there is more in one part of Christendome； sometimes there is
lesse in another； as one countrey wanteth； and another aboundeth：
It commeth and goeth； and whirleth about the Circle of
Christendome； but is still contained with the compasse thereof。
but the money that is traded out of Christendome into the parts
aforesaid； is continually issued out and never returneth againe。
It is true； those trades tend to an admirable encrease of the
stocke of Christendome in wares： which if they were purchased
with the wares of Christendome； according to the true nature of
Commerce； the benefit were farre more excellent。 For Commercium
is quasi Commutatio mercium； a change of wares for wares； not
money for wares。 And it is Libera commeandi facultas； abiis qui
merces ultro citroque conuehunt。
Or if the Common…wealth of Christendome were like to that of
Utopia； where gold and silver are of lesse esteem then Iron； it
were a brave exchange to lose money to get wares。 For the riches
of former ages did not consist re pecuniaria but pecuaria。 Whence
pecunia； as Plinie affirmeth； was so called a pecude； quia pecus
suit pecuniae fundamentum； & antiquitus pecunia pecudis effigie
signabatur。 But when Immooveable and Immutable things came also
to be in Commerce amongst men； as well as those things whic