Poor, whilst private Perfons encrease their Fortunes.

THE Defign of this little Treatife, is to diffect and lay open the Trade of this Kingdom, as it is now driven, that fo those Branches that shall appear to be Profitable may be Encouraged, and those that are Otherwise may be Amended.

THE Profits of this Kingdom arise from its Product and Manufactures at Home, and from the Growths of those feveral Plantations it hath fettled Abroad, and from the Fish taken on the Coafts, all which being raised by the Industry of the People, are both its true Riches, and the Tools whereby it Trades to other Nations, the Products coming from the Earth, and the Manufacturing of them being an Addition to their Value by the Labour of the People; now where we barter thefe Things abroad for fuch as are only fit to be eat and drank, or are wafted among ourfelves, though one Man may get by the Luxury of another, yet the Wealth of the Kingdom doth not encrease; but it is otherwife where we change them for Bullion, or for Commodities fit to be manufactured again.

THE

nal.

THE firft Original of Trade both Dome- Its Origi ftic and Foreign was Barter, when one private Perfon, having an Overplus of fuch Things as his Neighbour wanted, furnished him therewith for their Value in fuch whereof the other had plenty, but he stood in need. of the fame, when one Nation abounding -in those Products which another wanted, fupply'd it therewith, and received for them Things equally neceffary in their stead; and by how much the Products of any Nation exceeds its Wants, by fo much it grew richer, the Remainder being fold for Bullion, or fome Staple Commodity, allowed by all to have an intrinfic Value.

AND as People encreased, fo did Commerce, which caufed many to go off from Husbandry to Manufactures, and other Ways of Living, for Convenience whereof they began Communities: This was the Original of Towns, which being found neceffary for Trade, their Inhabitants encreased by Expectation of Profit; this introduced Foreign Trade or Trafic with neighbouring Nations; and this a Defire to fettle rather on fome navigable Rivers, than in remote Inland Places, whereby they might be more easily supply'd from the Country with Commodities fit to export,

B 2

Kingdom.

export, and difperfe thither those they had imported from abroad.

The Trade I shall now take the Trade of this Kingof this dom, as it is divided into Domestic and Foreign, and confider each, and how they are advantagious to the Nation, and may be made more fo.

Inland

Trade.

THE Domestic or Inland Trade confifts either in Husbandry, Manufactures, or Buying Buying and and Selling; the last of which, whereby one Selling. Man lives by the Profit he makes by another, brings no Advantage to the Public; Peoples Occafions requiring Commodities to be retail'd to them in such small Quantities as would fit their Neceffities, they were willing to allow a Profit to him who bought them in greater; and as this Sort of Traffic came more in ufe, so the first Buyers not only fold their Commodities to the Confumers in the Places where they dwelt, but also to others, who being feated in the Country at a distance, made an Advantage by supplying the Inhabitants there : This begat the Ingroffing Commodities, and thence arofe Skill and Cunning to foresee their Rife and Falls, according to their Confumption and Prospect of Supply. Hence came the Viciating our Manufactures, every one endeavouring to underbuy, that he might

underfell

underfell his Neighbour; which Way of Living being found in Time to have lefs Labour and more Profit than Husbandry and Manufactures, was the Reason so many fell into it.

FROM these Bargains Differencies arifing, encouraged another Sort of People, whose Business it was, either by their Wisdoms to perfuade, or by their Knowledge in the Laws to compel, the unjust Persons to do Right to their Fellow-Traders (an Honourable Employment at the firft, and is ftill fo in thofe who keep to the strict Rules of its Institution.) Hence arose Attorneys, Sollicitors, and other Officers, which were found neceffary to attend on those Suits, and other Services of the Law.

TRADE brought Riches, and Riches Lux ury; Luxury brought Sickness, and Sickness wanted Phyfic; which required fome to separate themselves to ftudy the Nature of Plants and Simples, as alfo of those several Diseases which bring Men to their Ends, who for their Advice received Gratuities from their Patients: These brought in Apothecaries and Surgeons, as neceffary Attendants to their Employments; all which were maintained by keeping People in their Healths. Many alfo of ripe Parts

Hufbandy.

Feeding.

were fitted for the Service of the Church, o thers of the State; great Numbers were employed in providing Neceffaries of Meat, Drink, and Apparel, others in fitting Things for Delights and Pleasure, and by this Means leaving Hufbandry and Manufactures, flock'd off daily to Livelihoods, which though' ufeful and convenient in their refpective Stations, yet cannot be faid to encreafe the Riches of this Nation, but to live by getting from one another; Hufbandry and Manufactures being the profitable Employments, out of which it gathers its Wealth.

THE next Part of the Inland Trade of this Kingdom is Husbandry, which anteceded Buying and Selling in point of Time, though the other is treated of firft in this Difcourfe; and this confifts either in Feeding or Tillage, by both which we raife great Store of Cattle, Corn, and Fruits, fit for the Food, Service, and Trade of the Inhabitants.

To begin with Feeding: And here I might enumerate the various Sorts of Cattle raised and bred by the Care of the Husbandman ; but thofe of moft Note with refpect to our Trade,

are,

I. THE