wealbk04-第61节

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laws　of　Draco；　these　laws　may　be　said　to　be　all　written　in　blood。

　　　　　By　the　8th　of　Elizabeth；　c。　3；　the　exporter　of　sheep；　lambs；

or　rams　was　for　the　first　offence　to　forfeit　all　his　goods　for

ever；　to　suffer　a　year's　imprisonment；　and　then　to　have　his　left

hand　cut　off　in　a　market　town　upon　a　market　day；　to　be　there

nailed　up；　and　for　the　second　offence　to　be　adjudged　a　felon；　and

to　suffer　death　accordingly。　To　prevent　the　breed　of　our　sheep

from　being　propagated　in　foreign　countries　seems　to　have　been　the

object　of　this　law。　By　the　13th　and　14th　of　Charles　II；　c。　18；

the　exportation　of　wool　was　made　felony；　and　the　exporter

subjected　to　the　same　penalties　and　forfeitures　as　a　felon。

　　　　　For　the　honour　of　the　national　humanity；　it　is　to　be　hoped

that　neither　of　these　statutes　were　ever　executed。　The　first　of

them；　however；　so　far　as　I　know；　has　never　been　directly

repealed；　and　Serjeant　Hawkins　seems　to　consider　it　as　still　in

force。　It　may　however；　perhaps；　be　considered　as　virtually

repealed　by　the　12th　of　Charles　II；　c。　32；　sect。　3；　which；

without　expressly　taking　away　the　penalties　imposed　by　former

statutes；　imposes　a　new　penalty；　viz。；　that　of　twenty　shillings

for　every　sheep　exported；　or　attempted　to　be　exported；　together

with　the　forfeiture　of　the　sheep　and　of　the　owner's　share　of　the

ship。　The　second　of　them　was　expressly　repealed　by　the　7th　and

8th　of　William　III；　c。　28；　sect。　4。　By　which　it　is　declared　that；

〃Whereas　the　statute　of　the　13th　and　14th　of　King　Charles　II；

made　against　the　exportation　of　wool；　among　other　things　in　the

said　act　mentioned；　doth　enact　the　same　to　be　deemed　felony；　by

the　severity　of　which　penalty　the　prosecution　of　offenders　hath

not　been　so　effectually　put　in　execution：　Be　it；　therefore；

enacted　by　the　authority　aforesaid；　that　so　much　of　the　said　act；

which　relates　to　the　making　the　said　offence　felony；　be　repealed

and　made　void。〃

　　　　　The　penalties；　however；　which　are　either　imposed　by　this

milder　statute；　or　which；　though　imposed　by　former　statutes；　are

not　repealed　by　this　one；　are　still　sufficiently　severe。　Besides

the　forfeiture　of　the　goods；　the　exporter　incurs　the　penalty　of

three　shillings　for　every　pound　weight　of　wool　either　exported　or

attempted　to　be　exported；　that　is　about　four　or　five　times　the

value。　Any　merchant　or　other　person　convicted　of　this　offence　is

disabled　from　requiring　any　debt　or　account　belonging　to　him　from

any　factor　or　other　person。　Let　his　fortune　be　what　it　will；

whether　he　is　or　is　not　able　to　pay　those　heavy　penalties；　the

law　means　to　ruin　him　completely。　But　as　the　morals　of　the　great

body　of　the　people　are　not　yet　so　corrupt　as　those　of　the

contrivers　of　this　statute；　I　have　not　heard　that　any　advantage

has　ever　been　taken　of　this　clause。　If　the　person　convicted　of

this　offence　is　not　able　to　pay　the　penalties　within　three　months

after　judgment；　he　is　to　be　transported　for　seven　years；　and　if

he　returns　before　the　expiration　of　that　term；　he　is　liable　to

the　pains　of　felony；　without　benefit　of　clergy。　The　owner　of　the

ship；　knowing　this　offence；　forfeits　all　his　interest　in　the　ship

and　furniture。　The　master　and　mariners；　knowing　this　offence；

forfeit　all　their　goods　and　chattels；　and　suffer　three　months'

imprisonment。　By　a　subsequent　statute　the　master　suffers　six

months'　imprisonment。

　　　　　In　order　to　prevent　exportation；　the　whole　inland　commerce

of　wool　is　laid　under　very　burdensome　and　oppressive

restrictions。　It　cannot　be　packed　in　any　box；　barrel；　cask；　case；

chest；　or　any　other　package；　but　only　in　packs　of　leather　or

pack…cloth；　on　which　must　be　marked　on　the　outside　the　words　wool

or　yam；　in　large　letters　not　less　than　three　inches　long；　on　pain

of　forfeiting　the　same　and　the　package；　and　three　shillings　for

every　pound　weight；　to　be　paid　by　the　owner　or　packer。　It　cannot

be　loaden　on　any　horse　or　cart；　or　carried　by　land　within　five

miles　of　the　coast；　but　between　sun…rising　and　sun…setting；　on

pain　of　forfeiting　the　same；　the　horses　and　carriages。　The

hundred　next　adjoining　to　the　sea…coast；　out　of　or　through　which

the　wool　is　carried　or　exported；　forfeits　twenty　pounds；　if　the

wool　is　under　the　value　of　ten　pounds；　and　if　of　greater　value；

then　treble　that　value；　together　with　treble　costs；　to　be　sued

for　within　the　year。　The　execution　to　be　against　any　two　of　the

inhabitants；　whom　the　sessions　must　reimburse；　by　an　assessment

on　the　other　inhabitants；　as　in　the　cases　of　robbery。　And　if　any

person　compounds　with　the　hundred　for　less　than　this　penalty；　he

is　to　be　imprisoned　for　five　years；　and　any　other　person　may

prosecute。　These　regulations　take　place　through　the　whole

kingdom。

　　　　　But　in　the　particular　counties　of　Kent　and　Sussex；　the

restrictions　are　still　more　troublesome。　Every　owner　of　wool

within　ten　miles　of　the　sea…coast　must　given　an　account　in

writing；　three　days　after　shearing　to　the　next　officer　of　the

customs；　of　the　number　of　his　fleeces；　and　of　the　places　where

they　are　lodged。　And　before　he　removes　any　part　of　them　he　must

give　the　like　notice　of　the　number　and　weight　of　the　fleeces；　and

of　the　name　and　abode　of　the　person　to　whom　they　are　sold；　and　of

the　place　to　which　it　is　intended　they　should　be　carried。　No

person　within　fifteen　miles　of　the　sea；　in　the　said　counties；　can

buy　any　wool　before　he　enters　into　bond　to　the　king　that　no　part

of　the　wool　which　he　shall　so　buy　shall　be　sold　by　him　to　any

other　person　within　fifteen　miles　of　the　sea。　If　any　wool　is

found　carrying　towards　the　sea…side　in　the　said　counties；　unless

it　has　been　entered　and　security　given　as　aforesaid；　it　is

forfeited；　and　the　offender　also　forfeits　three　shillings　for

every　pound　weight。　If　any　person　lays　any　wool　not　entered　as

aforesaid　within　fifteen　miles　of　the　sea；　it　must　be　seized　and

forfeited；　and　if；　after　such　seizure；　any　person　claim　the　same；

he　must　give　security　to　the　Exchequer　that　if　he　is　cast　upon

trial　he　shall　pay　treble　costs；　besides　all　other　penalties。

　　　　　When　such　restrictions　are　imposed　upon　the　inland　trade；

the　coasting　trade；　we　may　believe；　cannot　be　left　very　free。

Every　owner　of　wool　who　carries　or　causes　to　be　carried　any　wool

to　any　port　or　place　on　the　seacoast；　in　order　to　be　from　thence

transported　by　sea　to　any　other　place　or　port　on　the　coast；　must

first　cause　an　entry　thereof　to　be　made　at　the　port　from　whence

it　is　intended　to　be　conveyed；　containing　the　weight；　marks；　and

number　of　the　packages；　before　he　brings　the　same　within　five

miles　of　that　port；　on　pain　of　forfeiting　the　same；　and　also　the

horses；　carts；　and　other　carriages；　and　also　of　suffering　and

forfeiting　as　by　the　other　laws　in　force　against　the　exportation

of　wool。　This　law；　however　（1st　William　III；　c。　32）；　is　so　very

indulgent　as　to　declare　that；　〃This　shall　not　hinder　any　person

from　carrying　his　wool　home　from　the　place　of　shearing；　though　it

be　within　five　miles　of　the　sea；　provided　that　in　ten　days　after

shearing；　and　before　he　remove　the　wool；　he　do　under　his　hand

certify　to　the　next　officer　of　the　customs；　the　true　number　of

fleeces；　and　where　it　is　housed；　and　do　not　remove　the　same；

without　certifying　to　such　officer；　under　his　hand；　his　intention

so　to　do；　three　days　before。〃　Bond　must　be　given　that　the　wool　to

be　carried　coastways　is　to　be　landed　at　the　particular　port　for

which　it　is　entered　outwards；　and　if　any　part　of　it　is　landed

without　the　presence　of　an　officer；　not　only　the　forfeiture　of

the　wool　is　incurred　as　in　other　goods；　but　the　usual　additional

penalty　of　three　shillings　for　every　pound　weight　is　likewise

incurred。

　　　　　Our　woollen　manufactures；　in　order　to　justify　their　demand

of　such　extraordinary　restrictions　and　regulations；　confidently

asserted　that　English　wool　was　of　a　peculiar　quality；　superior　to

that　of　any　other　country；　that　the　wool　of　other　countries　could

not；　without　some　mixture　of　it；　be　wrought　up　into　any　tolerable

manufacture；　that　fine　cloth　could　not　be　made　without　it；　that

England；　therefore；　if　the　exportation　of　it　could　be　totally

prevented；　could　monopolize　to　herself　almost　the　whole　woollen

trade　of　the　world；　and　thus；　having　no　rivals；　could　sell　at

what　price　she　pleased；　and　in　a　short　time　acquire　the　most

incredible　degree　of　wealth　by　the　most　advantageous　balance　of

trade。　This　doctrine；　like　most　other　doctrines　which　are

confidently　asserted　by　any　considerable　number　of　people；　was；

and　still　continues　to　be；　most　implicitly　believed　by　a　much

greater　number…　by　almost　all　those　who　are　either　unacquainted

with　the　woollen　trade；　or　who　have　not　made　particular

inquiries。　It　is；　however；　so　perfectly　false　that　English　wool

is　in　any　respect　necessary　for　the　making　of　fine　cloth　that　it

is　altogether　unfit　for　it。　Fine　cloth　is　made　altogether　of

Spanish　wool。　English　wool　cannot　be　even　so　mixed　with　Spanish

wool　as　to　enter　into　the　composition　without　spoiling　and

degrading；　in　some　degree；　the　fabric　of　the　cloth。

　　　　　It　has　been　shown　in　the　foregoing　part　of　this　work　that