Preface, The Answer.

The voyages to the East-Indies do greatly consume our victuals, and our Mariners: leauing many poore widdowes and children vnrelieued; Besides, that many Ships are yearely sent forth to the East-Indies, and few we see as yet returned; Also, this Trade hath greatly decaied the Traffique & shipping, which were wont to bee imployed into the Streights: And yet the said Trade of the East-Indies, is found very vnprofitable to the Aduenturers: Neither doth the Common-wealth finde any benefit by the cheapenesse of Spice and Indico, more then in times past.

Why, what a world of mischiefes haue wee heere?

A very Teame of calamities, drawing on to misery; is it not then high time to seeke a remedy? Yes verily, and it will be easily done, because these euils neuer were (as yet at least) procured by the East-India Trade, as I shall shew, by answering all the parts in order as they stand: and first of Dearth.

The first Part concerneth Dearth.It is both naturall and iust, that euery Kingdome, State, or Common-wealth, should feed and cherish vp the Natiue people of all degrees and conditions whatsoeuer, to their preseruation of life and health, with such meanes and moderation, as their plentie shall affoord; and this is not only due to them in the time of their aboad at home, but also vpon all occasions of voyages into other Countries beyond the Seas, wherein they shall be imployed for their owne maintenance, and for the good of the Common-wealth.

The manner how the East India Company do victuall their ships.Now therefore concerning the prouision of victuals (which in this Kingdome is yearely prepared for the setting forth of those Ships which saile to the East-Indies) it is well knowen to many men, that it is alwaies proportioned, for about 18. moneths; whereas commonly the voyages proue a yeare longer: so that this ouer-plus of time, is furnished with victuals of forreine parts.

And likewise for the Bread and Bisket, which is shipped from hence; hath it not alwaies bene made of French Corne, purposely brought ouer hither, (and that at a deare rate) onely to preserue the plentie of owne graine? vntill now of late daies that the Farmers here begin to cry out and say, that the cheapnesse of Corne doth disinable them to pay their deare Rents: Thus doe the East-India Company euery way accommodate their proceedings for the good of the Kingdome.

And further concerning their Drinke, is it not a very great part water? Some Wine and Sider, and but little Beere.

Also the Flesh they eate, is Beefe and Porke, and that onely for three daies in a week; the rest of their victuals is Fish, some Butter, Cheese, Pease, Oatemale, and other things; all which is proportioned into a very sparing dyet to euery man by allawance: so that heere is no excesse nor ryot, or any other meanes to make our victuals scant and deare, as is by some erroniously supposed; but rather by this course of life, our plenty is much aduanced. And so I will giue answer to the next part, which is Mortalitie, and great decay of Mariners.

The Second Part concerneth Mortality.The life of man is so precious, that it ought not lightly to be exposed to dangers; And yet we know, that the whole course of our life, is nothing but a passage vnto Death; wherein one can neither stay nor slacke his pace, but all men run in one manner, and in one celeritie; The shorter liuer runnes his course no faster then the long, both haue a like passage of time; howbeit, the first hath not so farre to runne as the later.

Now, it is this length of life which Nature seekes and States likewise endeuour to preserue in worthy men; but none are accounted so worthy in this nature, saue only they, who labour in their vocations and functions, both for the publike good, and for their priuate benefit.

Thus may wee esteeme our good Mariners, to be of no small vse vnto this Common-wealth:Good Mariners are accounted worthy men in a Commonwealth. but take them from their laudable and accustomed imployments, for want of voyages to Sea; we see what desperate courses they do then attempt, by ioyning, euen with Turkes and Infidels, to rob and spoile all Christian Nations; so that we may conclude, wee must not onely breed vp Mariners, but also seeke by Trade, to giue them a maintenance.

Well, all this is true, but (say they) the East-India Company doth neither breed nor maintaine, but destroy the wonted number of our Mariners.

How can this be, when it is most certaine, that England (besides the East India fleets) had neuer yet more shipping then at this present? neither do any of them stay at home for want of Mariners, no, not at this time, when many hundred Saylers are employed in extraordinary seruice, for his Maiestie in a royall fleete of ships, now at Sea: besides those great numbers of our best Marriners, which haue beene and daily are wasted and taken prisoners by the Turkes; so where is this want, or what is our misery more then the want of true information in those that are so ill perswaded of our Company?

The breeding of 400 Mariners yearely. Besides, that the feare of a few mens death ought not to ouerthrow or hinder the performance of honorable actions for the seruice of the King and commonwealth.Is it not certaine, that as the East India voyages are long, so likewise in Natures course many should die by length of time, although they staid at home? And to recompence the losse of those that die, doe not the East India company with great prouidence, yearly ship out at least 400. Landmen in their fleets, which in one voyage proue good Mariners to serue the Kingdome and Common-wealth, vnto which many of them were a burthen before they obtained this employment? And thus is the Kingdome purged of desperate and vnruly people, who being kept in awe by the good discipline at Sea, doe often change their former course of life, and so aduance their fortunes.

Neither indeed are these voyages so dangerous and mortall, as is reported; for how many of our Ships haue gone & come from the East Indies, without the losse of fiue men in a hundreth?Our Mariners owne disordered life, is that which killeth many of them. Others again haue had worse successe in the first beginning, when the seasons, the places, and their contagions were not so well known vnto vs; yet time hath taught vs many things, both for the preseruation of health, and speedier performance of our voyage then heretofore. But the Method of my discourse, bids me write more of this in the next part, which is destruction; and this I must diuide into two parts.

In the first I wil consider the want of diuers ships sent to the East Indies, which are wasted there.

And in the second, I will answer the supposed ouerthrow of the Turkey trade, together with much of our shipping which were wont to be employed thither.

The third Part concernes the decay of shipping which haue beene sent to the Indies.First therefore concerning the decay of our ships in the Indies, it cannot bee denyed, but there hath been great spoile of them in these three last yeares; not by the dangers of the Seas, or by the strength of enemies; but by vnkind and vnexspected quarrels with our neighbours the Hollanders, who haue taken and surprised twelue of our ships at seuerall times, and in sundry places, to our vnspeakeable losse and hinderance; together with the death of many of our worthyest Marriners, who haue beene slaine and died prisoners vnder their hands:Our troubles with the Dutch. and this hath so much the more encreased the rumour of their mortality. Neither list I here to aggrauate the fact, more then thus, briefly to giue answere to the obiection: for our late vnion with the Dutch, doth promise a double recompence of gaine in time to come.

And they who make this Trade so poore and vnprofitable, are much mistaken in the reckoning; for the present losses which causeth many aduenturers so much to despaire, is not in the substance of the Trade, but by the euill accidents which haue befalne the same: and to make this point more plain, I must yet declare some other particulars: in which I will endeuour very briefly to set down the summe of the whole businesse, which the English hath hitherto performed in the East Indies.

The summe of the affaires to the East Indies euer since the Trade began.First, therefore I doe obserue that since the beginning of this Trade, vntill the Moneth of Iuly last Anno 1620. there haue beene sent thither 79. ships in seuerall voyages, whereof 34. are already come home in safetie, richly laden. 4. haue been worne out by long seruice, from Port to Port in the Indies: two were ouerwhelmed in the trimming there: sixe haue bin cast away by the perils of the Seas: twelue haue bene taken and surprized by the Dutch, whereof diuers will be wasted, and little worth before they be restored: and twenty one good ships do stil remaine in the Indies. So this is a true account of our ships.

Account of all the money and goods which hath beene sent to the East Indies euer since the beginning of the Trade.And next concerning our stocke, it is a certaine truth, that in all in the said ships there hath beene sent out in ready money as well out of this Realme, as from all other places wheresoeuer beyond the Sea (which hath not beene landed in this Kingdome) the value of 548090. pounds sterling in forraine coine: and together with the said money, there hath beene shipped the value of 292286. pounds sterling in sundry sorts of English and forraine Commodities; all which moneys and wares amounting vnto 840376. pounds, haue been disposed, as hereafter followeth.

First, there hath been lost 31079. pounds sterling, in the six ships which are cast away: and in the 34. ships, which are returned in safety, there hath beene brought home 356288.356288.l. sterling hath beene returned from the East Indies, which did produce here towards charges 1914600.l. sterling. pounds sterling in diuers sorts of wares, which haue produced here in England towards the generall stocke there of 1914600.l. sterling; for the charges arising here, is but a change of effects from one to another, as hath beene said before in this discourse: So there ought to remaine in the Indies, to be speedily returned hither, 484088. pounds: neither can we conceiue that our charges and troubles with the Dutch, will haue wasted more then the odde 84088. pounds sterling: so that I am confident, that there yet remaineth 400000. pounds sterling of good estate, for both the ioynt stockes. And what a great value of Indian goods this sum of money may (by Gods blessing) shortly return in our ships, which are there ready to bring them, the example here doth teach vs to make vp the reckoning.There remains yet in the East Indies to be returned home from thence about 400000.l. sterling. So that notwithstanding our great charges of discoueries, our losses by danger of the Seas, our quarrels and infinite hindrance by the Dutch: yet heere the kingdome hath, and shall haue her stock againe, with a very great encrease, although the Merchants gaines concerning the two ioynt stocks, will proue but poore, in respect of the former voyages, which haue not had the like hindrance.

And thus in a few lines may be seene, much matter truly collected with some paines, out of the diuers volumes of the East Indian Bookes.

Concerning the decay of shipping and Trade into Turkey.Now concerning the decay of Trade and shipping, which were wont to be imployed into Turkey. I doubt, that in time it will likewise be affirmed, that the East India Company, haue hindred the vent of our white Cloath in the Netherlands, which to report were a very strange thing. But (praised be God) to our comfort, we see the great increase of goodly Ships, daily built and imployed, by the Turkey Merchants, with vent of more of our English Cloath (by the one third part at the least) then in times before the East India Trade began.

Yea, but (say they) we haue lost the trade of Spices, and Indico, from Aleppo into England.

Well, I grant they haue; yet the Kingdome hath found it with more profit by another way; and they likewise are recompenced with a greater Trade, by the exporting from hence of the selfe-same commodities, into Italy, Turkey, and other places: neither can it be lesse profitable for this Kingdome, to turne the Trade of Raw-silkes from Aleppo, and to bring them from the Persian gulfe, with one third part lesse money, then it doth now cost in Turkey; Besides, that by this meanes, the money proceeding of our English Cloath, Tin, and other wares in Turkey (not finding commodities fitting to returne for England) would vndoubtedly be brought home in Gold, as it hath beene performed heretofore,The Turkey Merchants can and will iustifie this truth. when by superfluitie of stocke sent from hence in Spice, together with our English wares; the Merchants (being thereby furnished with a sufficient quantity of Turkish commodities) brought home the remainder of their stock of those yeares in gold, for a great value.

Thus doth it plainely appeare, that these reuolutions of Trades, haue and doe turne to the good of the Common-wealth; neither hath the affaires of the East Indies impaired or decaied any other trade, Shipping or Mariners of this Realme; but hath mightily increased them all in it selfe. Wherefore let vs now take a view of this noble addition of the kingdomes strength and glory.

But this I must not do, by setting downe the number of our English shipping now in the Indies, or lately gone that way; for they haue beene heaped thither, these three last yeares together without returne, saue onely fiue ships in all that time; the rest haue beene kept there to oppose the furie of the Dutch: but now we are at vnion, we shall (by Gods assistance) daily expect diuers great ships with returnes.

The strength of the East India ships.And for the future time, this Trade I do conceiue, will royally maintain ten thousand tuns of shipping continually: (That is to say) going, and returning, & abiding there in the Indies: which said shipping will employ two thousand and fiue hundred Marriners at least: and the building with the repairing of the said ships, here at home, will set to worke fiue hundred men, Carpenters, Cawkers, Caruers, Ioyners, Smiths, and other labourers, besides many officers, and about 120. Factors, in seuerall places of the Indies. And so from these matters of great consequence, I must begin to write of Beggerie.

The fourth Part concernes the pouertie of widdowes, &c.The pouertie of Widdowes and Fatherlesse is matter of great compassion, and doth alwaies moue Christian hearts to commiseration and charitie; whereby many receiue reliefe & help of those whom God hath blessed with better meanes: but how this pouerty should totally be preuented, it seemeth not onely difficult, but altogether impossible: For, besides the euill accidents and miseries, which euer attend on our humanity, we see how many daily (euen through their owne folly and wilfulnesse) do as it were desperately plunge themselues into aduersity. And thus the number of those is great, who hauing the charge of Wife and Children, are notwithstanding altogether without meanes and artes to procure their maintenance; whereby some of them wanting grace, do run a desperate course, and haue vntimely ends.The East India Trade doth employ many poore men, & deboist people, which other trades refuse. Others againe, being better inspired, seeke for imployment, but find it not, or with great difficulty: for, who doth willingly entertaine a man poore and miserable, charged with a family, and peraduenture debauched in conditions? Neither do any of our other Merchants voyages to forraine parts accept of those Nouices who neuer haue beene vsed to the Sea:Wages before hand is not giuen in other Merchants voyages, neither yet so great wages as the East India company pay. So that when all the other doores of charitie are shut, the East India gates stands wide open to receiue the needy and the poore, giuing them good entertainment, with two moneths wages before hand, to make their needfull prouisions for the voyage: And in the time of their absence, there is likewise paid vnto their wiues for maintenance, two other moneths wages, vpon account of euery yeares seruice: and also if any chance to die in the voyage, the Wife receiueth all that is found due vnto her husband (if he do not otherwise dispose it by will:) and this often happeneth to be more money then euer they had of their own together in any one time.

When did any of these Widdowes beg for reliefe in our Churches, as others often doe?And likewise, are not many poore Widdowes, Wiues, and Children, of Black-wall, Lime-house, Ratcliffe, Shadwell, and Wapping, often relieued by the East India Company, with whole Hogsheads of good Beefe and Porke, Bisket, and doales of ready money? Are not diuers of their Children set on work to pick Okam, and other labours fitting their age and capacitie? What might I not say of repayring of Churches, maintenance of some young Schollers, relieuing of many poore Preachers of the Gospell yearely with good summes of money; and diuers other acts of charitie, which are by them religiously performed,The East India Company their charity. euen in the times now of their worst fortunes? for all which I hope there shall be a reward vnto them and theirs. And so I come to the fifth part of this third Obiection.

The fifth Part concerneth the cheapnesse of Spice and Indico at this present in respect of former times.And here I must intimate how much they are deceiued, who thinke that Spices and Indico are no better cheape in England now, then in times past, before the East India Trade began.

For, it is an vndoubted truth, that in those daies we often paid sixe shillings or more for a pound of Pepper, and seldome or neuer lesse then three shillings and sixe pence the pound; whereas since the Trade hath come directly from the Indies, it hath been bought commonly at seuerall prices, betweene sixteene pence and two shillings the pound. But I will make the difference of price appeare more plainly, by setting downe the quantities of Spices and Indico, which are yearely spent in the Realme of England, together with the lowest prices, which they were wont to sell at, when wee brought them from Turkey and Lixborne; and the like concerning their vsuall prices now, that wee bring them from the East Indies directly; And first as from Turkey.Prices of Spice and Indico in former times.

And the selfe same quantitie and sorts of wares, are commonly sold at the prices here vnder written now in these later times.Prices of Spice and Indico in these latter times.

So that this Trade in Spice and Indico onely, doth saue the Kingdome yearly 74966.l. 13.s. 04.d. which is a matter worthy to bee obserued; and so much the rather,Lesse than 18. thousand pounds sterling in the Indies, will buy Spice and Indico to serue this Realme for a yeare, which is not halfe so much money as it spendeth beyond the seas to buy Currans onely, or to buy Tobacco. because it is a certaine truth, that lesse than a quarter part of this sum of money which is thus saued yearely, shall buy in the Indies the full quantitie of all the seuerall sorts of wares before written, which doe serue for a yeares prouision for this Realme of England; but still it must be remembered, that the custome, impost, wages, victuals, shipping, and other charges (which are to be added) will be a greater summe then the money which is paid for these wares in the Indies; but as I haue noted before, the said charges do not consume the Kingdomes stocke, although it doth greatly abate the Merchants meanes.

And to conclude this point, I will adde vnto that which hath beene said; that the commodities onely which we now send yearely into the East Indies, and Persia, are of sufficient value there, to returne vs Indico, Spices, Drugs, and all other sorts of Indian wares, (Raw-silkes of Persia onely excepted) for one yeares consume, or more in this Kingdome;The wares onely which are sent out of this kingdome into the East Indies are of sufficient value to furnish this Realme with an ouerplus of all manner of Indian wares (Persian Raw-Silkes onely excepted.) So that now all the money which is sent forth in our Ships, doth procure an ouer-plus of the said wares, to the furtherance of Trade from India hither, and after from hence to forraine parts againe, to the great imployment of the Subiects, and inriching of this Realme, both in Stocke and Treasurie; all which is matter very worthy to be diligently obserued; And so I come to giue answer vnto the fourth and last Obiection.