IT's certain Truth agreed on by all Hands, that this Kingdom is in an extraordinary manner fitted (by the Bounty of Heaven) for a great Encrease in Wealth and Power, and as certain it's the Duty of every English-man, so far to Endeavour the welfare of his Country, as to hinder as much as possible he can those Methods (used by Persons who mind their own private Interest before the Publick Good) which tend to the Destruction of Both.

To this end it may not be unserviceable to consider some Maxims of Sir Josiah Child (The Great Champion for the East-India Trade) laid down in his Excellent Treatise concerning Trade, and if it be found they do strenuously argue in the behalf of the Bill now depending, which restrains the wearing East-India wrought Silks, &c. in England, then it's to be hoped, those Gentlemen that are concern'd in the East-India Trade (and who at present labour so industriously against the said Bill) will silently own themselves to be mistaken.

That Wooll is eminently the Foundation of English Riches, Discourse of Trade, p. 127. Page 156. and that the ways to equalize or over-ballance our Neighbours in our National Profit by our Forreign Trade: Are

To prevent the Exportation of our Wooll, and encourage our Woollen Manufactures. To encourage those Forreign Trades most, that vend most of our Manufactures, and that Supply us with Materials further to be Manufactur'd in England.

That it's our Interest by Example, Page 161. and other Means (not distastful) above all kind of Commodities, to prevent as much as may be the Importation of Forreign Manufactures.

That it is multitudes of People, Preface. and such Laws as cause an Encrease of People which principally enrich any Country.

That Lands (though excellent) without hands proportionable will not enrich any Kingdom. That whatever tends to the Depopulating any Kingdom, Page 165. & 167. tends to the Empoverishment thereof.

That it is our Duty to God and Nature to provide for, and employ the Poor. Page 56. & 174. Preface. That such as our Employment is for the People, so many will our People be.

That it's the Interest of a Kingdom, the Poors Wages should be high; for wherever Wages are high throughout the whole World, it is an infallible Evidence of the Riches of that Country; and wherever Wages for Labour runs low, it's a proof of the Poverty of that place.

That the Expence of Forreign Commodities, especially Forreign Manufactures, is the worst Expence a Nation can be inclinable to, and ought to be prevented as much as possible.

These, and many other Heads which might be gathered out of that Ingenious Treatise, we humbly conceive do fully and clearly manifest the great Prejudice that this Nation sustains, by wearing East-India Silks, Bengalls, &c. within this Kingdom, in that it will unavoidably destroy our Woollen Manufactures, fall the value of our Lands, cause us to abandon our Duty to God and Nature, by lessening the Poors Wages and Employment, and thereby Depopulating our Country, forcing our People away to Forreign Parts, where they may be more employed and better paid, and by that means diminishing our Strength, empairing our Honour, and in the end leaving us only as a Prey to those Merchants, whose private Interests are Diametrically opposite to the Gain of this Kingdom.

It being notoriously known, that when the vast Importation of East-India Manufactures came upon us, the Genius of the People of England (who are generally bewitched with Novelties from Forreign Parts) did universally run after those Commodities, that not only their Bodies, but their Houses also were adorned with the Manufactured Goods of India, to so great a degree, that our own Manufactures, which used to supply all those occasions, became almost useless, and the Poor wanted Employment, and unless restrained, will have all the sad Consequence beforenamed: All which is humbly offered and submitted to the Consideration of the Parliament.