some considerations of the lowering of interest-第6节

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s　new　sort　of　Ingrossers　or　Forestallers；　having　the　feeding　and　supplying　this　numerous　Body　of　Workmen　out　of　their　Warehouses；　（for　they　have　now　Magazines　of　all　sorts　of　Wares）　set　the　Price　upon　the　poor　Landholder。　So　that　the　Markets　now　being　destroyed；　and　the　Farmer　not　finding　vent　there　for　his　Butter；　Cheese；　Bacon；　and　Corn；　&c。　for　which　he　was　wont　to　bring　home　ready　Money；　must　sell　it　to　these　Ingrossers；　on　their　own　Terms　of　Time　and　Rate；　and　allow　it　to　their　own　Day…Labourers　under　the　true　Market…price。　What　kind　of　Influence　this　is　like　to　have　upon　Land；　and　how　this　way　Rents　are　like　to　be　paid　at　Quarter…day；　is　easie　to　apprehend：　And　'tis　no　wonder　to　hear　every　day　of　Farmers　breaking；　and　running　away。　For　if　they　cannot　receive　Money　for　their　Goods　at　Market；　'will　be　impossible　for　them；　to　pay　their　Landlord's　Rent。　If　any　one　doubt　whether　this　be　so；　I　desire　him　to　enquire；　how　many　Farmers　in　the　West　are　broke　and　gone　since　Michaelmass　last。　Want　of　Money　being　to　this　degree；　works　both　ways　upon　the　Landholder。　For　first；　the　ingrossing　Forestaller　lets　not　the　Money　come　to　Market；　but　supplying　the　Workman；　who　is　employed　by　him　in　Manufacture；　with　Necessaries；　imposes　his　Price；　and　Forbearance　on　the　Farmer；　who　cannot　sell　to　the　others。　And　the　Labourer；who　is　employed　by　the　Landholder　in　Husbandry；　imposes　also　his　Rate　on　him；　for　the　Commodities　he　takes。　For　there　being　a　want　of　Day　Labourers　in　the　Country；　they　must　be　humoured；　or　else　they　will　neither　work　for　you；　nor　take　your　Commodities　for　their　Labour。　　　　　Secondly；　as　for　the　Landholder；　since　his　Tenants　cannot　Coin　their　Rent　just　at　quarter…day；　but　must　gather　it　up　by　degrees；　and　lodge　it　with　them　till　Pay…day；　or　borrow　it　of　those；　who　have　it　lying　by　them；　or　do　gather　it　up　by　degrees；　which　is　the　same　thing；　and　must　be　necessarily　so　much　Money　for　some　time　lying　still。　For　all；　that　is　paid　in　great　Sums；　must　somewhere　be　gathered　up　by　the　Retail　Incomes　of　a　Trade；　or　else　lie　still　too　in　great　Sums；　which　is　the　same　stop　of　Money；　or　a　greater。　Add　to　this；　That　to　pay　the　Creditor；　that　lent　him　his　Rent；　he　must　gather　up　Money　by　degrees；　as　the　Sale　of　his　Commodities　shall　bring　it　in；　and　so　makes　a　greater　stop；　and　greater　want　of　Money：　Since　the　borowed　Money　that　paid　the　Landholder　the　25th　of　March；　must　be　supposed　to　lye　still　some　time　in　the　Creditor's　hand；　before　he　lent　it　the　Tenant；　and　the　Money；　that　pays　the　Creditor　three　Months　after；　must　lye　still　some　time　in　the　Tenant's。　Nor　does　the　Landlord　pay　away　his　Rent　usually；　as　soon　as　he　receives　it；　but　by　degrees；　as　his　occasions　call　for　it。　All　this　consider'd　we　cannot　but　suppose；　that　between　the　Landlord　and　Tenant　there　must　necessarily　be　at　least　a　quarter　of　the　Yearly　Revenue　of　the　Land　constantly　in　their　hands。　Indeed　considering；　that　most　part　of　the　Rents　of　England　are　paid　at　our　Lady…day　and　Michaelmas；　and　that　the　same　Money；　which　pays　me　my　Rent　from　my　Tenant　the　25th　of　March；　or　thereabouts；　cannot　pay　my　next　Neighbour　his　Rent　from　his　Tenant　at　the　same　time；　much　less　one　more　remote　in　another　Country；　it　might　seem　requisite　to　suppose　half　the　yearly　Revenue　of　the　Land　to　be　necessarily　employed　in　paying　of　Rent。　For　to　say　that　some　Tenants　break　and　pay　not　their　Rent　at　all；　and　others　pay　not　till　two；　three；　four；　five；　six；　&c。　Months　after　quarter…day；　and　so　the　Rent　is　not　all　paid　at　one　time；　is　no　more　than　to　say；　That　there　is　Money　wanting　to　the　Trade。　For　if　the　Tenant　fail　the　Landlord；　he　must　fail　his　Creditor；　and　he　his；　and　so　on；　till　somebody　break；　and　so　Trade　decay　for　want　of　Money。　But　since　a　considerable　part　of　the　Land　of　England　is　in　the　Owners　Hands；　who　neither　pay　nor　receive　great　Sums　for　it　at　a　certain　Day；　and　because　too；　（which　is　the　chief　Reason）　we　are　not　to　consider　here　how　much　Money　is　in　any　one　man's；　or　any　one　sort　of　mens　hands　at　one　time；　for　that　at　other　times　may　be　distributed　into　other　hands；　and　serve　other　parts　of　Trade；　but　how　much　Money　is　necessary　to　be　in　each　man's　hands　all　the　Year　round；　taking　one　time　with　another；　（i。e。）　having　Three　hundred　pounds　in　his　Hand　one　month；　is　to　be　reckoned　as　One　hundred　pound　in　his　Hand　three　months；　（and　so　proportionably）　I　think　we　may　well　suppose　a　quarter　of　the　Yearly　Revenue　to　be　constancy　in　the　Landlords　or　Tenants　Hands。　　　　　Here；　by　the　by；　we　may　observe；　That　it　were　better　for　Trade；　and　consequently　for　everybody；　（for　more　Money　would　be　stirring；　and　less　would　do　the　business）　if　Rents　were　paid　by　shorter　intervals　than　six　months。　For　supposing　I　let　a　Farm　at　Fifty　two　pounds　per　An。　if　my　Rent　be　paid　half　Yearly；　there　is　required　Twenty　six　pounds　to　be　employed　in　the　Payment　ofit　in　one　entire　Sum；　（if　it　be　paid　well；　and　if　it　be　not　paid　well；　for　want　of　so　much　Money　to　be　spared　to　that　purpose；　there　is　so　much　want　of　Money；　and　Trade　is　still　endamag'd　by　it）　a　great　part　whereof　must　necessarily　lie　still　before　it　come　out　of　my　Tenants　Chest　to　my　Hands：　If　it　be　paid　once　a　quarter　Thirteen　pound　alone　will　do　it；　and　less　Money　is　laid　up　for　it；　and　stop'd　a　less　while　in　its　course：　But　should　it　be　paid　every　Week；　one　single　wenty　Shillings　will　pay　the　Rent　of　Fifty　two　pounds　per　Annum；　whence　would　follow　this　double　benefit。　First；　That　a　great　deal　less　Money　would　serve　for　the　Trade　of　a　Country。　And　Secondly；　That　less　of　the　Money　would　lie　still；　the　contrary　whereof　must　needs　happen；　where　growing　Debts　are　to　be　paid　at　larger　distances；　and　in　greater　Sums。　　　　　Thirdly；　As　for　the　Brokers；　since　they　too　must　lay　up　the　Money　coming　in　by　Retail；　either　to　go　to　Market；　and　buy　Wares；　or　to　pay　at　the　day　appointed；　which　is　often　six　Months；　for　those　Wares　which　they　have　already；　we　cannot　suppose　them　to　have　less　by　them；　one　with　another；　than　One　twentieth　part　of　their　yearly　Returns。　Whether　the　Money　be　their　own；　or　they　be　Indebted　so　much　or　more；　it　matters　not；　if　it　be　necessary　they　should　have　constancy　by　them；　comparing　one　time　with　another；　at　least　One　twentieth　part　of　their　yearly　Return。　　　　　Indeed　in　some　great　Towns；　where　the　Bankers　are　ready　at　hand　to　buy　Bills；　or　any　other　way　to　lend　Money；　for　short　time　at　great　Interest；　there　perhaps　the　Merchant　is　not　forced　to　keep　so　much　Money　by　him；　as　in　other　places；　where　they　have　not　such　a　Supply：　But　if　you　consider；　what　Money　to　do　this　must　necessarily　be　constantly　lodged　in　the　Bankers　Hands　the　case　will　be　much　the　same。　　　　　To　these　Sums；　if　you　add；　what　part　of　the　Money　of　a　Country　Scholars　of　all　sorts；　Women；　Gamesters；　and　great　Mens　menial　Servants；　and　all　such　that　do　not　contribute　at　all　to　Trade；　either　as　Landholders；　Labourers；　or　Brokers；　will　unavoidably　have　constantly　in　their　Hands；　it　cannot　well　be　thought；　that　less　than　One　Fiftieth　part　of　the　Labourers　Wages；　One　Fourth　part　of　the　Landholders　yearly　Revenue；　and　one　Twentieth　part　of　the　Brokers　yearly　Returns　in　ready　Money；　will　be　enough　to　drive　the　Trade　of　any　Country。　At　least；　to　put　it　beyond　exception　low　enough；　it　cannot　be　imagin'd　that　less　than　one　moiety　of　this；　i。e。　less　than　One　hundredth　part　of　the　Labourers　yearly　Wages；　One　Eighth　part　of　the　Landholders　yearly　Revenue；　and　One　Fortieth　part　of　the　Brokers　yearly　Returns；　in　ready　Money；　can　be　enough　to　move　the　several　Wheels　of　Trade；　and　keep　up　Commerce　in　that　Life　and　Thriving　posture　it　should　be；　and　how　much　the　ready　Cash　of　any　Country　is　short。　of　this　proportion；　so　much　must　the　Trade　be　impair'd　and　hindred　for　want　of　Money。　　　　　But　however　these　measures　may　be　mistaken；　this　is　evident；　that　the　multiplying　of　Brokers　hinders　the　Trade　of　any　Country；　by　making　the　Circuit；　which　the　Money　goes；　larger；　and　in　that　Circuit　more　stops；　so　that　the　Returns　must　necessarily　be　slower　and　scantier；　to　the　prejudice　of　Trade：　Besides　that；　they　Eat　up　too　great　a　share　of　the　Gains　of　Trade；　by　that　means　Starving　the　Labourer；　and　impoverishing　the　Landholder；　whose　Interest　is　chiefly　to　be　taken　care　of；　it　being　a　settled　unmoveable　Concernment　in　the　Commonwealth。　　　　　If　this　be　so；　it　is　past　question；　that　all　Encouragement　should　be　given　to　Artificers；　and　things　so　order'd；　as　much　as　might　be；　that　those　who　make；　should　also　Vend　and　Retail　out　their　own　Commodities；　and　they　be　hindred　as　much　as　possible　from　passing　here　at　home；　through　divers　Hands　to　the　last　Buyer。　Lazy　and　Unworking　Shopkeepers　in　this　being　worse　than　Gamesters；　that　they　do　not　only　keep　so　much　of　the　Money　of　a　Country　constantly　in　their　Hands；　but　also　make　the　publick　pay　them　for　their　keeping　of　it。　Though　Gaming　too；　upon　the　account　of　Trade　（as　well　as　other　Reasons）　may　well　deserve　to　be　restrain'd：　Since　Gamesters；　in　order　to　their　Play；　keep　great　Sums　of　Money　by　them；　which　there　lies　Dead。　For　though　Gamesters　Money　shift　Masters　oftener　than　any；　and　is　tumbled　up　and　down　with　every　cast　of　a　Die；　yet　as　to　the　publick　it　lies　perfectly　still；　and　no　more　of　it　comes　into　Trade；　than　they　spend　in　Eating　or　Wearing。　　　　　Here　too　we　may　obse