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of our Ophir； the Milke & Hony of our Canaan； the Indies of
England： and therefore desire's and deserve's to be had in an
everlasting remembrance。
The Draperies of this Kingdome are termed Old and New。 By the
Old； are understood Broad Clothes； Bayes and Kersies： By the New；
Perpetuanoes； Serges； Sayes； and other Manufactures of wooll。
The causes then of the decay of trade in these Draperies； are
either Domestique or Forreine。 The Domestique causes； are some
Past； some Present。 Those Past； are apparent in the late
disturbance of the Cloth…Trade； which is so obvious to every man；
that I had rather passe by it； then presse upon it； because it is
past： and I would to God that so were the effects of it also。 In
charitie we may thinke it was good in the purpose； though it
prooved ill in the practice。 For thereby the Draperies of this
Kingdome； are much diminished； and the forreine advanced and
advantaged。 The quantitites of which last； were formerly few or
none； but now they exceede our highest numbers issued out of the
land： as by a collection thereof； which my selfe made in those
parts； by His Majesties speciall parts； by His Majesties
specially command； in the time of Secretary Winwoods service； may
appeare。
These present； may be discern'd in the Cloth…trade； either
under the Clothier； or under the Merchant。 Under the Clothier；
either by ill making or false sealing the Cloth。
For the making of good and true Cloth； many excellent lawes
have bin invented & enacted by the wisdome of the Parliaments of
this land； from time to time。 And the Statute of 4 of the King
Cap。 2 doth seeme to bee an Epitome or Compendiary of all the
former Statutes in this kinde。 In this Stature is prescribed； the
true breadth； and length； and waight； that may conduce to the
making of a true and perfect Cloth； Kersie or Manufacture。 If a
Clothier make a Cloth of lesse waight； then is set downe in the
said Statute； he offendeth in Quantitie： If of lesse breadth； or
length； or of forbidden kindes of wooll； hee offendeth in
Qualitie。 If a Clothier offend in neither of these by his owne
act； yet he may offend in both； by his instruments or workemen：
Either by the Weavers； in not putting in the stuffe at the
making； or by the Tuckers in pulling out the stuffe after the
making thereof。
A Cloth also may be well made； & yet false sealed。 A Cloth
may be said to be lawfully made； when it is truly sealed。 For
although it may be impossible to make some Clothes； just of those
quantities and quanlities prescribed by the Statute； as the
Clothiers terme is； A man cannot cast a cloth in a mould： yet I
hope； they will give me leave to say； that it is possible that a
Cloth may bee true sealed； though false made。 And then a Cloth
ill made； and true sealed； whereby the buyer may see what he hath
for his money； may bee said to bee a good or lawfull Cloth
according to the Statute。
Now the execution of the Statute for Searching and Sealing of
Clothes； seemeth to be referred to two sorts of men： which are
either the Aulnager or Seacher。 the former may seeme originally
to have beene an Officer appointed for that purpose； as well as
by the Notation of the name； as by some Ancient Statutes。 For
Aulne； and Aulnage； and Aulnagier； are all French words； taken
from the measuring of Cloth。 And thence it is； that in that
tongue they are wont to say Auner draps to measure Clothes； by a
Trope taken from the Instrument by which they are measured。
But because the care of the Aulnage is committed to so Noble
and Honourable a Personage； that will not suffer any abuse in the
execution of that office： and the said Statute of 4 Jacobi； and
the former Statutes of 39 and 43 Elizabethae； doe referre the
Searching and Sealing of Clothes； to certaine Overseers or
Searchers； so called by the said Statutes； I will proceede unto
them。
And forasmuch as Execution is the life of the law； as His
Majestie in his high wisedome admonisheth： and the Prudence and
providence of the State； have beene very great in devising and
enacting such good lawes from time to time； as might tend to the
encreae and advancement of the Drapery of this Kingdome： If
therefore now any think bee amisse therein； it must needs come
through the want of execution of those lawes。 Hinc illae
lachrymae！ This Bonum according to His Majesties Regall rule； is
not Bene。 For these Overseers and Searchers beeing silly
Countreymen； and generally not expert in the mystery of making of
Cloth： in the Search whereof； there is as much neede of skill as
in the making： for how should they finde the fault； that know not
how it is committed？ These Searchers I say； thus being ignorant
and unskilfull in their offices； and negligent also； （in which
last； it hath been againe and againe confest； that they have set
the seales of their office； to Clothes they never search't nor
saw） needs must there be a great abuse； in the execution of those
good lawes。
Nay I would I could not say； how much our Nation hath beene
upbraided by the people of forreine parts with this abuse； that
the Searchers Seales of England are bought and sold as in a
market； and put on the Clothes by the Tuckers； and other the
servants of the Clothiers； as if the same had beene lawfully
Searched and Sealed according to the Statute； when as the
Searchers Eye never so much as beheld the Clothes。
Wherein the people of the Netherlands are so exact； that you
shall never find any of their Countrey Clothes false search't or
sealed。 For you sahll nave a Seale set upon the Cloth when it
commeth from the Weavers： anothe whenit commeth from the Tuckers：
another when it commeth from the Dyers： and that by men of good
quality； appointed for tha purpose in every City and Towne where
Cloth is made； termed Curemasters： so called from the Care they
ought； and doe performe； in the execution of their office：
wherein indeed they are so strict； that you shall never finde any
of the seales aforesaid； set to any manner of false or defective
Cloth。
For indeed the Searcher being a sworne Officer； ought to be
as witnes without exception betwixt man and man： that when a man
seeth the Searchers seale set upon the Cloth； it should serve as
a true Certificat of the true making thereof。 It is a great
impiety before God and Man； to be a false witnesse in any case：
but these Searchers are false witnesse ipso facto； when they doe
testifie to the world by their seales； that those Clothes are
good and true； which indeede are utterly false。 And which
aggravateth the matter yet more； that the Kings Seale of Armes；
which is testis omni exceptione major； should also be set to
Clothes thus falsely searched and sealed； whereby not only the
Kings subjects； but the strangers also in forreine parts are
deceived； is a very grosse and grievous abuse。
Amongst other abuses of this kinde； one precedent come's to
my minde； of ten Clothes bought not long since by a Merchant； of
a Clothier of Wiltshire。 Which Clothes were all Sealed by the
Searchers of that place； for good & true； according to the
Statute。 but being tried by the Merchant Buyer； and afterwards by
the Sworne measurer of the Citie of London； were found so
defective in length； breadth and waight； that where these ten
Clothes cost but 60 lib。 or thereabouts； the faults in these ten
Clothes came to neere 20 lib which ws one third part of the value
of the Cloth。 And it being a notable comtempt of the law； the
Lords of His Majesties most Honourable Privie Councell were
informed thereof； who were pleased to send down a Messenger into
that County； and fetch't up both the Clothier and Searchers； who
worthily under…went the Condigne Censure of the Lords。
Under the Merchant also the Cloth…trade suffereth both at
Home and Abroad。 At Home； by Exporting the Materials； either of
Woolles or Wool…sels from the Sea…coasts of England； and the
Kingdome of Ireland： or by Over…lading the Cloth…trade； either
with any generall or speciall charge。
The latter I cannot pretermit： for as the chiefe waight of
the Cloth…trade lyeth on the Merchants…Adventures； so also is the
burthen of charge most felt under that trade。 For the Impositions
and Imprest money by them laid upon the Cloth； for defraying the
charge of their Government； and payment of their Debts； hath
driven many good Merchants out of the trade； and given the
Clothiers occasion to complaine of want of Buyers； and thrust the
trade it selfe more and more into the Strangers hands。
And abroad； by the unfit place of Residence； which the
Merchants…Adventurers are fallen upon in Holland。 Whither they
goe with great perill of Shippe and Goods： And where they come
farre short of that they hoped for； and of that quicke and ample
vent of their Cloth they found in Zeeland。 The Agitation of which
remoove； is vehemently suspected to have moved the Merchants of
Holland； to procure Priviledges of the States Generall to
Incorporate themselves； and keep Courts； to confront the
Merchants…Adventurers； which they never did before： To h