free trade-第4节

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the　trades　of　the　kingdome；　which　we　unhappily　feele　at　this　day。

　　　　The　Efficient　causes　of　the　decay　of　trade　jointly

considered；　are　either　Usuary；　or　unnecessary　suits　in　law。　In

the　former　I　am　prevented；　and　my　labour　spared；　by　him　that

wrote　a　little　treatise　against　usury：　which　it　seeme's　for

modesty　he　refuseth　to　owe：　though　I　could　wish；　that　those　that

deserve　of　the　publique　were　knowne　to　the　publique：　least　they

be　served　as　sometimes　Batillus　served　Virgil；　and　so　be　forc'd

too　late　to　proclaime；　Hos　ego　versiculos　feci；　tulit　alter

Honores。

　　　　I　have　a　word　onely　to　adde　to　his　Usury；　that　it　is　not　an

Usury　of　ten　in　the　hundred　only；　that　wringeth　this

Common…wealth；　but　an　extorsion　also　of　20…30…40；　nay　of　Cento

per　Cento　per　Anno；　as　the　Italians　speake；　given　and　taken　on

pledges　and　pawnes；　and　that　on　poore　peoples　labours；　in　London

especially：　which　is　a　biting　Usury　indeed；　and　a　fearefull

crying　sinne　before　God。

　　　　Unnecessary　suites　of　Law　are　also　Efficient　causes　of　the

decay　of　trade。　Wherein　certainely　this　Kingdome　exceedeth　all

other　kingdomes　in　the　world。　As　the　Justice　of　this　kingdom　is

the　Diadem　of　the　King；　and　doth　stabilire　Regis　thronum；　and

tribuere　cuique　suum：　whereby　men　may　five　Caesar　Caesar's；　and

meum　and　tuum　one　to　another：　so　is　the　Justice　of　the　King；　in

the　sacred　person　of　His　Majestie；　amongst　other　His　Royall

Vertues；　and　Embleme　and　represation　of　highest　Majesty：　and　it

is　an　incomparable　happinesse　of　this　kingdome；　to　have　such　a

Malchizedec；　a　King　of　Justice；　a　King　of　Peace。

　　　　Neither　may　I　forget　that　Royall　testimony　hereof；　which　is

worthy　to　be　written　in　letters　of　gold；　and　thankefully　to　be

remembered　of　every　tongue　and　pen；　whereof　amongst　others　more

worthy；　it　was　also　my　happinesse　to　be　oculatus　and　auritus

testis：　when　His　Majesty　in　a　Star…chamber　assembly；　lifting　His

eye　toward　heaven；　and　laying　His　hand　on　His　Sonnes　head；　made

such　a　solemne　protestation　of　His　sincerity　in　Justice；　as　may

serve　for　a　matter　of　admiration　and　imitation；　to　all　the　Kings

on　earth。　Those　that　went　before；　and　they　that　followed　after：

Those　that　heard　it　then；　and　they　that　heard　of　it　since；　said

it　was　｛Greek　phrase　omitted｝　Nec　vox　hominem　sonat；　o　Deus

certe！

　　　　If　such　then　be　the　Justice　of　the　King　and　the　kingdome；　how

is　it　then　that　Trade　is　hindered　by　suits　of　Law。　Herein

Columellae's　counsell　is　remarquable；　Principi　providendum　est；

ne　legibus　fundata　civitas；　legibus　evertatur。　There　cannot　be

too　much　Justice；　ther　may　be　too　much　Law。　For　the　use　of

Justice　is　excellent；　in　conteining　men　within　the　bonds　of

civility　and　honesty：　in　preserving　men　from　injurie：　and　in

maintaining　every　mans　right　&　propriety。　But　the　abuse　there　of

is　a　most　pernitious　and　dangerous　surfeit　in　the　body　of　every

Common…wealth。

　　　　And　this　is　our　case　in　this　Weale…publike；　no　Kingdome　hath

better　Lawes；　no　kingdome　so　full　fraught　with　tedious；

needlesse；　endlesse；　suits　of　Law。　For　now　this　Litigandi　｛Greek

word　omitted｝；　and　waxeth　so　fast；　and　groweth　so　great；　that

suites　of　Law　doe　seem　immortall：　time　doth　increase　them；　and

lenght　of　time　would　not　determine　them；　if　the　wisedome　of　those

Grave　Fathers　of　the　Law；　did　not　put　an　end　to　the　malice　of　the

Litigants：　as　is　now；　worthily　observed　in　Chancery；　to　his

honour　and　memorie　that　hath　so　happily　begun　the　same。

　　　　By　the　groweth　and　greatnesse　of　which　suites；　I　say；　a　great

number　of　His　Majesties　good　and　loving　subjects　are　vexed；

imprisoned；　impoverished　and　overthrowne：　and　whilst　the

Litigants　strive　together；　another　taketh　away　the　fish；　and　as

it　is　in　the　Apologue；　leaveth　to　either　of　them　an　empty　shell。

And　thus　mens　time　and　meanes　being　spent　in　Law；　which　should　be

employed　in　Trade；　trade　is　neglected；　and　the　Common…wealth

deprived；　of　the　benefit　that　might　be　purchased　and　procured

thereby。

　　　　Amd　thus　much　for　the　decay　of　Trade　considered　joyntly。　It

followeth　now　to　consider　them　apart；　in　some　principall　parts

thereof。　Which　may　be　reduced；　to　such　as　tend　to　the

Fortification　of　the　Kingdome；　or　Maintenance　of　Trade。　The

former　are　Ordinance　and　Munition：　the　too…too　common　exportation

whereof；　hath　taught　us　wofull　experience　of　an　invaluable

inconvenience　thereby；　which　every　man　is　sensible　of：　and

therefore　I　neede　not　presse　it：　I　wish　it　did　not　oppresse　us。

　　　　The　latter；　I　will　referre　to　things　essentiall；　for　the

preservation　of　mans　life；　as　Victus　and　Vestitus：　yet　such　of

them　also　as　doe　aford　wondrous　variety　of　Trade；　and　may　be

termed　the　Nourceries　thereof；　as　the　Fishing　and　Clothing　of

this　Kingdome。　For　on　these　two；　all　sorts　of　Trades　and

Tradesmen；　have　some　dependance。

　　　　The　inconvenience　in　this　former；　is　that　Encroaching　of

Strangers；　in　Fishing　upon　our　Coasts：　whereby　not　onely　the

bread　is　taken　out　of　the　subjects　mouth；　but　that　infinite

wealth；　which　God　hath　made　proper　and　peculiar　unto　Us；　is

become　common　unto　them。　Whereby　also；　their　Navigation　is

wonderfully　encrea'st　their　Mariners　are　multiplied；　and

exceeding　great　Trades　maintained　into　all　parts　of　the　Christian

world。　And　victuals　commonly　yeelding　ready　money；　and

tolleration　of　exportation　thereof；　the　same　hath　redounded　to　an

infinite　enriching　of　their　Countries　with　Treasure；　exhausted

out　of　these　Mines　of　our's。

　　　　I　am　not　ignorant　that　a　learned　man　of　that　side；　pressing

hard　in　a　Treatise　entituled　Mare　liberum；　the　Community　and

Freedome　of　the　Sea　against　the　Portugall　Trade　into　the　East

Indies：　doth　cunningly　and　obliquely；　under　the　covert　terms　of

Populi　Romani　littus；　defend　and　maintaine；　in　the　fifth　chapter

thereof；　their　fishing　upon　our　Coasts。　For　thus　hee　concludeth；

Nemo　igitur　potest　apopulo　Romano　ad　littus　marius　accedere

prohiberi；　&　retia　siccare；　&　alia　facere；　quae　semel　onmes

hominibus　in　perpetuum　sibi　licere　voluerunt。　And　again；　Exteris

ius　piscandi；　ubique　immune　esse　debet。

　　　　To　part　of　which　Treatise；　there　is　an　answere　entituled；　De

Dominio　Maris；　to　which　I　referre　those　that　desire　further

satisfaction　in　this　matter。　But　in　my　judgement；　which　I　submit

to　better　judgement；　the　Author　of　Mare　liberum；　though　otherwise

very　learned；　strayneth　his　Arguments　for　that　purpose　beyond

their　strength。　For　Jus　is　said　to　be　scriptum；　or　Non　scriptum。

And　by　both　these；　the　proprieties　of　the　Seas　may　be　proved；　to

belong　to　those　Princes　and　Countries；　to　which　they　are　next

adjacent。

　　　　For　Custome；　the　examples　of　our　Neighbour　Countries　round

about　us　are　frequent。　As　of　Coeldine；　Groeneland；　Norway；　and

Frisland；　under　the　King　of　Denmark。　Tunny　fishing　under　the　Duke

of　Medina。　The　Gulfe　of　Venice　that　Seignory。　And　many　others　I

might　instance：　In　all　which　there　is　no　liberty　of　fishing；　but

by　speciall　priviledge　had　from　those　Princes　to　whom　the　same

belongeth。　Which　being　so　we　may　wel　conclude　with　the　Poet；　Cum

ventum　ad　verum　est；　sensus　moresque　repugnant。

　　　　For　the　Law　it　selfe；　it　is　not　hard　to　produce　some　of　his

owne　Authors　against　himselfe。　As　the　Emperour　Leo：　of　whome　he

thus　speaketh；　Voluit　｛Greek　word　omitted｝；　hoc　est；　vestibula

maritima　eorum　esse　propria；　qui　oram　habitarent；　ibique　eos　ius

piscandi　habere。

　　　　Also　Rodericus　Suarius；　whose　testimony　because　he　was　a

Spaniard；　he　produceth　against　the　Portugals　in　the　end　of　his

fifth　Chapter；　whom；　if　hee　had　pleased；　hee　might　also　have

cited　thus　speaking：　Redditus　piscariarum　consueti；　ut　est

gabella；　seu　aliud　tributum　solui　conseuetum；　de　his　quae　in　mari

piscatores　faciunt；　seu　a　mercantoribus　de　his　wuae　emunt　aut

vendunt；　Principibus　conceduntur。

　　　　To　which　I　will　onely　adde　that　of　Bartolus；　whom　the

Civilians　call　Juris　Lucernam；　thus　speaking：　Ut　Insulae　in　mari

proxime　adiacenties；　sic　&　mare　ipsum　ad　Centum　usque　milliaria

pro　territorio　districtuque　illius　regionis　cui　proxime

appropinquat；　assignatur。

　　　　The　rest　that　the　Author　of　Mare　liberum　enforceth；　of　the

Community　and　freedome　of　the　Sea　to　all　Nations；　he

understandeth　of　matters　in　question；　betweene　the　Portugals　and

those　of　his　Nation；　concerning　their　East　India　Trade；　and　not

of　their　fishing　upon　our　Coasts。　Which　Question　in　my　judgement；

being　out　of　question；　were　better　determined　by　action　then

disputation：　It　being　a　Royalty　of　the　King；　and　a　Regall

priviledge　of　this　Kingdome；　assigned　by　Almighty　God。

　　　　From　the　Fishing　come　wee　to　the　Clothing　or　Drapery　of　this

Kingdome：　the　consideration　wherof　is　of　very　high　consequence；

and　concerneth　both　the　Soveraigne　and　the　Subject；　Noble　and

Ignoble；　even　all　sorts；　and　calling　and　conditions　of　men　in

this　Common…wealth。　For　this　is　said　to　bee　a　Flower　of　the　Kings

Crowne；　the　Dowry　of　the　Kingdome；　the　chiefe　Revenue　of　the

King。　This　is　a　bound　to　fortifie；　and　a　bond　to　knit　the

subjects　together　in　their　severall　societies。　This　is　the　Gold

of　our　Ophir；　the　Milke　&　Hony　of　our　Canaan；　the　Indies　of

Engl