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Free Trade or； The Meanes To Make Trade Florish。 Wherein； The
Causes of the Decay of Trade in this Kingdome； are discovered：
And the Remedies also to remoove the same； are represented。
Propertius； nauita de ventis； de tauris narrat arator： Enumerat
miles vulnera； pastor oues。
London； Printed by John Legatt； for Simon Waterson； dwelling in
Paules Church…yard at the Signe of the Crowne。 1622
by Edward Misseldon
To the Prince。 Sir
Your Highnes is no lesse Happy to bee the Sonne of so great a
King； then to be the Heire apparent of so many Kingdomes。 In the
one； rare endowments of Majesty and Magnanimity； are Yours by
generation： In the other； a Royall Monarchy by inheritance and
succession。 The one doth fit You for the other； and Your Royall
Fathers footsteps for them both。 In those are Peerelesse prints：
You cannot cast Your Eie； but they are present to You； and
represented in You。 You see in His Religion； Piety： in His Sacred
Person； Tranquility： in His Government； Policy。 In every one of
these； all these： and all in You。 In that last； His Majesty hath
carried a quick Eie； over the Commerce of this Kingdome： because
it hath relation both to the Revenue of the Crowne； and the
Common…wealth of all His Kingdomes。 It is said in Exechiels
Vision； that One wheele ran within the other； which hath and
Emphasis in that tongue； ｛Hebrew phrase omitted｝ and surely
matters of State and of Trade； are involved and wrapt up
together。 Which latter； because it is at this time in agitation；
and there are； not without cause； many Quaere's about the Causes
of the generall decay thereof； hath caused me to put my selfe on
this Enquiry； to philosophize if I could； in these Causes and
Remedies。 Not that I would seeme with Phormio； to reade a Lecture
to Hannibal： No； I have only mustered and marshalled these men
into their Rancks and Order； it is Yours to Command them。 Great
Philip of Macedon； suffered a mean musition say unto him； Absit；
ut haec tu me melius scias。 But for my part； I dare not in any
thing； put such an absit； to a Prince so absolute。 Every thing
mooves it selfe to its Center。 These little lucubrations present
themselves to your Highnes； as unto their proper Orb。 For as they
looke up to the King； or as they looke downe to the Kingdome； In
both they looke on You； with a double aspect。 You are the Joy of
the King； and Hope of all these Kingdomes。 The Only Sonne Your
are； of the Only King： An happy Seer； of a blessed Sire： A
Princely Consul； of the Privy Councel： A watchman； A worthy； of
David and of Jacob。
These Meditation of mine； are very meane： an unfit object for
a Princes sight： unlesse as You are a God on Earth； in this also
Your represent the God of Heaven； to accept in your Princely
pardon and patience； ｛Greek phrase omitted｝。 The Cause is great；
your Wisedom's deep； and my Lord the King is as an Angell of God。
Your His； He is Christ； and Christ is Gods。
Oh God； be thou still the King and Christ； of this Christ our
King： Evangelize unto this Angel： double the Spirit of our Eliah；
on Our Elisha： that He may flourish like our Palme Tree； and grow
up like our Cedar of Albion。 Give thy Judgements to the King； and
thy Justice to the Kings Sonne： And let all the People offer
these sweet Odours to Thee the God of Heaven； and pray for the
life of the King and His Sonne。
So prayeth； for His Majestie； And your Highnesse；
Edward Misselden； Merchant
From my House at Hackney on Whitson Eve； the 8 of June In the
yeare of Grace； MDCXXII。 And of the King of Peace； XXIV。
Cap。 I。
The Causes of the want of Money in England。
It having pleased God to give mee my birth and being in this
good Land； and under the reigne of so great a King； whose peace
and piety； whose prudence and policy； whose rare endowments of
Nature and literature； absit omnis adulatio； doe lend to the
Christioan and Pagan world such a glorious lustre； as that the
other great lights in the Spheares thereof do seeme eclipsed： I
could not but thinke it my bounden duty； in all humble
acknowledgement to Almight God； and devouted service to so mighty
a King； to endevour to expresse the same； in some publique
service for the publique good。
The rather for that there seem's to be a necessitie imposed
upon all men； as much as they can； to performe this duety；
according to that gnerall precept； Feare God； Honour the King： As
if a man could not feare God； unlesse he honour the King： nor
honour the King； without the feare of God。
And no marvell； when God himselfe setteth these duties in the
frontispice or topof both the Tables of the Decalogue： The one
Explicit in the first Table； Thou shalt love the Lord thy God：
The other Implicit in the second Table； Thou shalt honour the
King： as if he were ｛Greek phrase omitted｝； A Law and another
Law： yea the whole Law comprised in these two： and these two
termed the great Commandements； to give a deepe impression and a
lively expression of so great a dutie。
Yea； he doth honour kings with this own title； as if hee
would part with； & impart to them； some of his owne honour。 I
have saide yee are Gods： to which that of the Poet may seeme
｛Greek word omitted｝ to have an elegant allusion； Divisum
imperium cum Ioue Caesar habet。
And this is it I confesse that hath raised and rowsed mine
affections； to seeke out a subject； wherein I might set my self a
task； & as it is in the proverb； might ｛Greek phrase omitted｝； to
performe some acceptable service； to so great a King； & so good a
kingdome。
But what need I seeke that which seeketh all men？ For what is
at this time more enquired after then the Causes of the decay of
Trade？ And what can be more fit for my meditation； then that
wherein I have had education？ And what hath more relation to
matter of State； then Commerce of Merchants？ For when Trade
flourisheth； the Kings revenue is augmented； Lands and Rents
improved； Navigation is encreased； the poore employed。 But if
Trade decay； all these decline with it。 Neverthelesse when I
looke upon the face of the great body politique of this weale
publique； and therein consider the high wisedome of His sacred
Majestie； as the intellectual part of this Micorcosme； or alter
orbis as Ceasar calles it： the prudence and providence of His
Nobles； as the Eyes thereof； the great decay of Trade； the Nerves
thereof： together with the parliamentation and consultation of
all the parts together about these Causes and Remedies： I feare I
shall seeme ｛Greek phrase omitted｝； to light a Candle in the
Sunne； to offer my service in that； about which the choicest wits
of the Kingdome are now in consultation。
But having had experience of His Majesties gracious
interpretation of small services of his subjects employed for the
publique： though others much more sufficient are sent before； yet
could I not but expostulate with my selfe； what if I also runne
after； and cast in my ｛Greek phrase omitted｝； into this great
Treasury。
Therefore if herein； any observations of mine； either
Forreign or domestique； may administer any thing worthy the
information of that Great common and yet not common Sense； I
shall esteeme my part most happily acted； to have employed my
private paines for the publique good。 The rather； for that； as
there are many Causes discussed and discoursed of at this time；
of the decay of Trade； so also are there many remedies： wherein
if either the Causes be mistaken； or the remedies ill applied；
the present sicknesse of the Trade； may be brought from a disease
in fieri to an habituated and in facto； as the Phisitians Schoole
hath it。
To find the cause of things； is a worke of Philosophy； and
much felicitie： to finde out a fit remedy； is of high eminency：
But to apply the remedy； is a matter of State and Policy。 And
this leadeth mee to the Method of my discourse： which parts it
selfe in twaine： viz。 Into a double Quaere； of the Deformation
and Reformation of Trade。 In the former may be considered； the
Causes and Effects thereof。 In the Causes； the matter of forme of
Trade。 The master of Trade； is either Naturall or Artificial。 The
Natural matter of Commerce is Merchandize： which Merchants from
the end of Trade have stiled Commodities。 The Artificial matter
of Commerce is Money； which hath obtained the title sinews of
warre and of State。
Old Jacob blessing his Grandchildren； crost his hands； and
laide his right hand on the yonger； and his left hand on the
elder： And Money； though it be in nature and time after
Merchandize； yet forasmuch as it is now in use become the chiefe；
I will take leave of Method； to handle it in the first place。
First therefore for the want of Money in this Kingdome； many
reasons may bee assign'd。 Whereof some are Immediate； some
mediate or remote。 The Immediate reasons of the want of money；
are either such as hinder the Importation； of such as cause the
exportation thereof。 And both therse are occasioned by the
under…valueation of his Majesties Caoine； to t