第 2 节
作者:小秋      更新:2021-02-20 18:19      字数:9322
  under…valueation of his Majesties Caoine; to that of our
  Neighbour Countries。 For who wil procure licence in Spaine to
  bring Realles into England; to sell them here at ten in the
  hundred gaine; which is lesse then the Exchange from thence will
  yeeld; when hee may have for the same five and twenty in the
  hundred in Holland? Here five Reals of eight; which make twenty
  shillings sterling; will commonly yeeld two and twenty shillings
  or thereabouts: and the same in Holland will yeeld forty two
  shillings & sixe pence Flemish; which is five and twenty
  shillings sterling。 And how can we choose but want money in
  England; when the Jacobus pieces; are Currant at so high a rate
  in Holland? For there they goe at twelve guilders eight stivers
  the piece; which is one and fortie shillings and four pence
  Flemish; which is four and twentie shillings & nine pence
  sterling。 And after this rate His Majesties other Coines of gold
  & silver are there of respective value。 For although by the
  Placcaets or Proclamations of those parts; the Jacobus pieces;
  and other species of gold and silver; are there set at
  indifferent rates answerable to their valuation here with us
  respectively; which they there call permissie gelt; Proclamation
  money: yet they have other devices to raise money; and draw it
  away at their pleasures。 As either by their Banckes; when the
  Banckiers will for their occasions give a greater price for mony
  then the Proclamation suffereth; & then it is called Banck gelt:
  or else by slacke paymasters; that for their owne advantage in
  the raising of money; will pretend not to make present payment of
  their debts; unlesse you take their money at a higher rate; then
  either the Proclamation; or the Banck money。 Which being paid and
  received; produceth a third kinde; which they call Currant gelt。
  And so by the Connivence of the Magistrate; the same goeth from
  man to man; and at last becommeth currant at an excessive value。
  So they have Permission or Proclamation Money; and Banck Money;
  and Currant Money; and all to draw dry the Currant of His
  Majesties Coine。
  And thus the Hepatitis of this great Body of our being
  opened; & such profusion of the life blood let out; and the liver
  or fountaine obstructed; and weakened; which should succour the
  same; needes must this great Body languish; and at length fall
  into a Marasmum。
  I am not ignorant that there hath beene great abuse in the
  culling of His Majesties Coyne; here at home; and in melting the
  heavy money into plate: And that there is a great superfluitie of
  Plate generally in private mens hands more then is necessary; and
  farre beyond any example of former times; which must needes also
  cause scarcitie of money: yet on the other side I cannot deny;
  but that it is better to have the same in Plate; as a treasure of
  the Kingdome; then turned into Coine; & so turned out of the
  Kingdome; by the under…value thereof。
  Now the Mediat or remote reasons of the want of money in
  England; are either Domestique or Forreine。 The Domestique are
  generall; or special。 The general remote cause of our want of
  money; is the great excesse of this Kingdom; in consuming the
  Commodities of Forreine Countries; which prove to us
  discommodities; in hindering us of so much treasure; which
  otherwise would bee brought in; in lieu of those toyes。 For now a
  dayes most men live above their callings; and promiscously step
  forth Vice versa; into one anothers Rankes。 The Countrey mans Eie
  is upon the Citizen: the Citizen upon the Gentleman: the
  Gentleman upon the Nobleman。 And by this meanes wee draw unto us;
  and consume amongst us; that great abundance of the Wines of
  Spaine; of France; of the Rhene; of the Levant; the Lawnes and
  Cambricks of Hannault and the Netherlands; the Silkes of Italie;
  the Sugars & Tobaco of the West Indies; the Spices of the East
  Indies: All which are of no necessitie unto us; & yet are bought
  with ready mony; which otherwise would be brought over in
  treasure if these were not。 A Common…wealth is like unto a
  family; the father or master whereof ought to sell more then he
  buyeth according to old Catoe's counsell; Patrem familias
  vendacem non emacem esse oportet。 Otherwise his expence being
  greater then his revenue; he must needs come behinde hand。 Even
  so a Common…wealth that excessively spendeth the forreine
  Commodities deere; and unttereth the native fewer and cheape;
  shal enrich other Common…wealths; but beggar it selfe。 Where on
  the contrary; if it vented fewer of the forreine; and more of the
  Native; the residue must needs returne in treasure。
  The speciall remote cause of our want of money; is the great
  want of our East…India stocke here at home。 Which is a matter of
  very great consequence; and causeth the body of this
  Common…wealth to be wounded sore; through the sides of many
  particular members thereof。 For the stocke of the East India
  Company being of great value; and collected and contracted from
  all the other particular Trades of the Common…wealth; and a great
  part thereof having beene Embargued and detained now for more
  then five yeeres last past; and that not by a profest Enemie;
  against whom we might have been warn'd and arm'd; but by a
  friend; a neighbour; a next neighbour; one obliged to our King
  and Nation more then to all the Kings on earth: this losse I say;
  is not onley thus unkind; but is the more intollerable; in that
  the Common…wealth hath lost the use and employment of the Stocke
  it selfe; and all the encrease of Trade which the same might have
  produced; in the severall Trades of the Subjects; whereby
  abundance of treasure might have beene brought into this land in
  all this time。
  It is said of Belisarius that Great and famous Commander of
  the Romanes; that even Rome it selfe owed to him twice her life:
  and yet at last was so unkinde to Belisarius as to put out both
  his eyes; and exposed him to beg in a little Cotage built without
  the gates; where hee often repeated this sentence to those that
  passed by; Date obolum Belisario; quem inuidia; non culp
  caecauit。 And certainely our Nation may challenge as much or more
  of these unkinde friends; the Belisarius ever did or could of
  Rome: and they shew themselves no lesse unkinde; to deprive us of
  the light and life of this Trade of ours; and suffer this Nation
  to use so muc importunitie for their owne。
  Homer reports of Patroclus; that he would needs put on
  Achilles armour; and ride on Achilles horse; but Achilles speare
  hee durst not touch; and thereby was knowne to Hector; with whom
  he fought; not to be Achilles; and so lost his life。 These
  friends of ours have sometimes put on; sometimes put off; I had
  almost said; put out the Kings colours: They have sayled in His
  subjects shippes; but that Histam fidei they have not used; or
  abused rather; whereby they have beene discovered to the Indians;
  not to be the subjects of the faith's Defender; as sometimes they
  would have faigned; though to an evill purpose。
  The Romanes were wont to weepe; at the sight of Caesars blood
  kept in an handkercher。 Caesars subjects blood is kept; not in
  handkerchiefes but in sheetes; written within and without; the
  memory whereof maketh the people mourne。 The cry thereof is gone
  up: the King will remember it; the King of Kings will avenge it。
  Constantinus the Great; the father of Constantius; was wont
  often to protest; that he made more account of one Christian then
  of all his Coffers filled with treasure。 And the Comfort of this
  Nation is; to bee the subjects of such a Sovertainge; who as
  constantly as ever did Constantinus; hath againe and againe
  profest; Not to account himselfe more rich or happie; then in the
  prosperitie of his subjects。
  Thus much of the Domestique remote causes of the want of
  money in England: the forreine causes follow。 Which are either in
  respect of the warres in christendome; or the Trades out of
  Christendome。 The warres in Christendome are forreine remote
  causes of the want of money; either by causing the exportation;
  as the warres of Christians: or hindering the importation
  thereof; as the warres of Pirates。 I will take the warres of
  Germanie for an urgent instance of the former: which have raised
  the Riecksdaller from two Markes Lubish; to twentie markes
  Lubish; in many place of Germany: whereby abundance of money is
  drawne unto the Mintes of those Countries; from all the other
  Mines and parts of Christendome。
  And for the latter; I will instance the warres of the Pirats
  of Argier and Tunis; which hath robbed this Common…wealth of an
  infinite value: the crueltie whereof many feele with griefe;
  others heare with pittie; but the grivance remaine's。 Needs must
  Christendome; and in it England; feele the want of money; when
  either it is violently intercepted by Turkish Pirats; the Enimies
  of God and man; or the instruments surprised; as men; ships; and
  merchandize; which are the channels to convey it to us。 And
  heathenish policie it is; or hellish rather; put upon the Princes
  and people of Christendome by the Grand Seignour; to hold wi