that peace is a great blessing of God, and blessed are the peacemakers; and therefore, doubtless, blessed are those means whereby peace is gained and maintained. For well we know, that God worketh all things here amongst us mediately by a secondary means, the which means of our defence and safety being shipping and sea-forces are to be esteemed as his gifts, and then only available and beneficial when he withal vouchsafeth his grace to use them aright. OBSERVATIONS TOUCHING TRADE AND COMMERCE WITH THE HOLLANDER, AND OTHER NATIONS; PRESENTED TO KING JAMES. WHEREIN IS PROVED THAT OUR SEA AND LAND COMMODITIES SERVE TO ENRICH AND STRENGTHEN OTHER COUNTRIES AGAINST OUR OWN. MAY IT PLEASE YOUR MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY, ACCORDING to my duty, I am emboldened to put your majesty in mind, that about fourteen or fifteen years past, I presented you a book of extraordinary importance for the honour and profit of your majesty and posterity; and doubting that it hath been laid aside, and not considered of, I am encouraged (under your majesty's pardon) to present unto you one more, consisting of five propositions: neither are they grounded upon vain or idle grounds, but upon the fruition of those wonderful blessings wherewith God hath endued your majesty's sea and land; by which means you may not only enrich and fill your coffers, but also increase such might and strength, (as shall appear, if it may stand with your majesty's good liking to put the same in execution in the true and right form,) so that there is no doubt but it will make you in short time a prince of such power, so great, as shall make all the princes your neighbours as well glad of your friendship, as fearful to offend you. That this is so, I humbly desire that your majesty will vouchsafe to peruse this advertisement with that care and judgment which God hath given you. Most humbly praying your majesty, that whereas I presented these five propositions together, as in their own natures jointly depending one of another, and so linked together, as the distraction of any one will be an apparent maim and disabling to the rest; that your majesty would be pleased that they may not be separated, but all handled together jointly and severally, by commissioners, with as much speed and secrecy as can be, and made fit to be reported to your majesty, whereby I may be the better able to perform to your highness that which I have promised, and will perform upon my life, if I be not prevented by some that may seek to hinder the honour and profit of your majesty for their own private ends. The true ground, course, and form, herein mentioned, shall appear how other countries make themselves powerful and rich in all kinds, by merchandise, manufactory, and fulness of trade, having no commodities in their own country growing to do it withal. And herein likewise shall appear how easy it is to draw the wealth and strength of other countries to your kingdom, and what royal, rich, and plentiful means God hath given this land to do it (which cannot be denied) for support of traffick, and continual employment of your people, for replenishing of your majesty's coffers. And if I were not fully assured to improve your native commodities, with other traffick, three millions of pounds more yearly than now they are, and to bring not only to your majesty's coffers, within the space of two or three years, near two millions of pounds, but to increase your revenues many thousands yearly, and to please and greatly profit your people, I would not have undertaken so great a work all which will grow by advancement of all kind of merchandising to the uttermost, thereby to bring manufactory into the kingdom, and to set on work all sorts of people in the realm, as other nations do, which raise their greatness by the abundance of your native commodities, whilst we are parling and disputing whether it be good for us or not. |
