Prince Butler's Tale: REPRESENTING The State of the Wooll-Case, or the East-India Case truly Stated.
The Argument.
Part I.
Shews why in Dogrel Verse this Tale
Was first begun o'r Pot of Ale;
Shews Rise, and Progress of the Trade
To India drove, and Who 'twas made
The first steps to our Wooll Trades ruin,
And how it prov'd to Folks undoing;
What done to stop its further growth,
And how those Measures came to nought;
How Golden Fleece lay very dead;
How Act for Burying it was made;
And how, if we were truly Wise,
We should their Trangums all despise;
Our Money save, Employ our Poor,
From starving keep, and from our Door;
Who then cou'd drink, Some Ale, Some Sherry,
And Laugh, and Quaff, and all be merry.
PROLOGUE.
IN place, one day, as I was standing,
Where folks were printed Papers handing
To those that wou'd, or read, or buy 'em,
These Remarks made, as I stood nigh 'em:
I saw, a mighty, zealous Crew,
Some for Old Stock, and some for New,
Were Pro and Conning their hard Cases,
By the chief Dons of several Classes,
'Mongst which Grandees I sometimes fell in,
And heard most dismal Stories telling;
The one, the other, much Arraign'd,
And credit of their Causes stain'd.
Thus having heard each side complain,
Methoughts, 'mongst both, were K—s in grain:
And that when such, fall out and scold,
An Injur'd Case might then be told:
And on the Old Proverb made me think,
The more they stir, the more they stink;
And did conclude from all these Hearings,
There's neither Barrel better Herrings.
I saw a Case, concerning Wooll,
With Reasons stuft, both clear and full;
Which plainly shew'd our certain ruin,
These mighty Talkers were pursuing,
Yet saw, that many, at first sight on't,
There were, that made but very light on't,
And found there were but few attend it,
But very few that wou'd defend it;
Amaz'd I stood, and much dejected,
So great a Cause should be neglected.
Soon after that, I saw, with vigour,
Verses catch'd up, 'bout fight of Tyger,
By Old and Young, by Fools and Witty,
And by the great Dons of the City.
Thought I, this Case, if I should write,
In such a manner, Folks would buy't,
And read, for sake of Dogrel Rhime,
Which Thought improv'd; I lost no time,
But presently, o'er Pot of Ale,
Writ a great part of this sad Tale,
Which, if you like, you may have more on't,
For I now have, or shall, have store on't.
The Tale.
WHen first the Indian Trade began,
And Ships beyond the Tropicks ran,
In quest of various Drugs and Spices,
And sundry other strange Devices,
[...] and like Trading.
[...]
Bengals, and Silks, of Indians making,
Our Merchants then refus'd to take in,
Knowing it wou'd their Country ruin,
And might prove to their own undoing.
Nor did they carry Gold or Bullion,
To fetch home what Supplants our Woollen;
Nor were this Nation fond to wear
Such Indian Toys, which cost so dear:
Then were we clad in Woollen Stuffs,
With Cambrick Bands, and Lawn Ruffs,
Or else in Silk, which was Imported
For Woollen Goods, which we Exported;
Which Silk our English Weavers bought,
And into various Figures wrought.
Then scarce a Child was to be seen,
Without Say Frock, that was of green,
Our Hangings, Beds, our Coats, and Gowns,
Made of our Wooll in Clothing Towns.
This Nation then was Rich and Wealthy,
And in a State which we call'd healthy.
But since the Men of Gath arose,
And for their Chief Goliah chose.
And since that mighty Giants Reign,
Whose chiefest Aim was private Gain,
This Trade was drove on by such measures,
As soon Exhausted much our Treasures,
For then our chiefest Artists went
With Patterns, and with Money sent,
To make and purchase Indian Ware,
For which this Nation pays full dear.
Then by great Gifts of finest touches,
To Lords and Ladies, Dukes and Duchess,
So far prevail'd, as set the fashion,
Which Plague-like soon spread o'r the Nation.
Our Ladies all were set a gadding,
After these Toys they ran a madding;
And nothing then wou'd please their fancies,
Nor Dolls, nor Joans, nor wanton Nancies,
Unless it was of Indians making;
And if 'twas so, 'twas wondrous taking.
This Antick humour so prevail'd,
Tho' many 'gainst it greatly rail'd,
'Mongst all degrees of Female kind,
That nothing else could please their mind.
Tell 'em the following of such fashion,
Wou'd beggar and undo the Nation,
And ruin all our Labouring Poor,
That must, or starve, or beg at door,
They'd not at all regard your story,
But in their painted Garments glory;
And such as were not Indian proof,
They scorn'd, despis'd, as paltry Stuff:
This humour strangely thus prevailing,
Set all the poorer sort a railing,
Or else with grief their Case bewailing.
The richer seeing what was doing,
And how the Nation ran to ruin,
To King in Council did complain,
In time of Charles the Second's Reign,
On which were several Lords appointed,
By him who was the Lords Anointed,
To hear the Case, and sad Complainings,
Of those that Then were for Restrainings;
Who plainly did their Lordships tell,
What mischiefs to our Trade befel;
How both our Men and Bullion went
To work in India, and be spent
In needless Toys, and gawdy Dresses,
For Ladies, Madams, Trulls, and Misses.
The Case thus heard, they were inclin'd
Some proper Remedy to find;
And something was in order doing,
To put a stop to further ruin,
But by the Craft of great Goliah,
Who all the Host stood in defy-a.
There is this story passing Current,
That say 'twas he that stopt this torrent,
By pouring Gold in plenteous showers,
In Ladies Laps, who bore great Powers,
Which strangely alter'd all their Measures,
Such charms there are in hidden Treasures.
Thus Barrocading all Complaints,
Drove Iehu-like, without Restraints
Fill'd Town and Country soon so full,
As ruin'd much, our Trade in Wooll:
And such great Stocks of Wooll and Cloths,
Were hoarded up, and eat by Moths,
Made Clothiers all, and Growers grumble,
When Cloathes and Fleeces o'r they tumbl'd.
And further mischiefs to prevent,
Complaint was made in Parliament:
And 'cause the Wooll, so near affected,
This Salvo for't was then projected,
That since the Living would not bear it,
They should, when dead, be forc'd to wear it;
This help'd in part, but the Grand Ill
Remains upon the Kingdom still.
Yet this our Ladies so offended,
As all our Female Sex contended,
And fain would had this Act rejected,
But then their Councels were neglected,
And Time has reconcil'd it so,
To this Wooll Act they're now no Foe:
So that from Ladies great, to Skullion,
All buried lay in our own Woollen.
And happy thrice would England be,
If, while their Living, we could see,
Our noble Ladies but beginning,
To wear our Wooll of finest Spinning,
Or in such Silks our Workmen make,
For which our Merchants Cloth do take,
Which soon wou'd bring them in such fashion,
As they'd be worn throughout this Nation,
By all Degrees, and Sex, and Ages,
From highest Peers to lowest Pages;
Nor would the meanest Trull or Besses,
Delight to wear these Indian Dresses,
Which certainly wou'd Profit bring,
To them, their Tenants, and our King,
And Heavn's Blessings in the bargain,
Because they'll keep our Poor from starving,
For they wou'd soon be then employ'd;
Our Money too at Home wou'd 'bide,
And happy then both great and small,
With Mirth in Parlour, and in Hall,
When thus, with Plenty, Beards wagg all.
EPILOGUE.
AND now this Tale, thus far being ended,
Methinks I see some Folks offended,
And 'gainst this Dogrel Poet rail,
Because he've told so plain a Tale,
And New and Old Stock, Jobbing Throng,
Crying it down, be't right or wrong;
But if they do, and away fling 'em,
'Tis a great Sign, they're Truths that sting 'em.
But let them spend their Lungs, and hollow,
Such blustring Sparks he needs not value,
Since all his aim, and his designs,
Are to beat down their Indian Blinds,
That all true English Men may see,
What cause, their real Misery,
That so they may prevent their ruin,
And save this Nation from undoing:
But if they still will shut their eyes,
And demonstrations plain despise;
And if his Tale shall be rejected,
Or if this Cause be still neglected,
He only this has more to say,
That he can shift as well as they,
And that he writ this, not for Pay.
LONDON: Printed, and are to be sold by A Baldwin in Warwick-Lane. 1699
Part II.
Prince Butler's Queries Relating to The East-India Trade.
- 1. SInce some very good Friends, of both Old and New Stocks, are endeavouring, by all honest ways, together to joyn, and in order thereto, are Writing, Pleading, and Printing their Cases; and since Losers have always the Liberty to speak, why may not I as well Print and Plead my Case; For I am sure I have as much, nay more reason to do it than they?
- 2. If these two contending Stocks be made one, and the English Manufacturers Case be not taken some care of, I can, without Star-gazing, plainly foresee, That they, and some other Folks, soon Ruin'd will be; And therefore pray, Mind what I say; If not for their sakes, for your own, be pleas'd to take care on't.
- 3. Is it not much more demonstrable, That the East-India Trade is of greater advantage to England than 'twas two Years ago; For since that time, it has in a great measure Ruined the Canterbury Silk Trade, and obliged most of the London Silk Weavers, Throwsters, &c. to give over their several Trades and Employments?
- 4. Will not this be of great Advantage to all the Clothing Counties in England, because some of these poor People, rather than starve, are gone to Ireland, and set up Trade there; others fall'n to Comb, Card, and Spin; make Cloths, Stuffs and Serges; who being at the Principal Market, can make and sell them as well, or better, than the Country Weaver and Clothier can do?
- 5. Does not Sir Jos. Child, who is well known to be Skilful in Trade, prove plainly, That the East-India Trade ought to be greatly Encouraged, when he tells us in Print,
Discourse of Trade. The Preface.That the Expence of Foreign Commodities, especially Foreign Manufactures, is the worst Expence a Nation can be inclinable to, and ought to be prevented as much as possible?
- 6. Has not the Author of the Essay on the E. India Trade, as sufficiently proved it Gainful, not only to us, but all Europe, when he tells us, They had been Richer by a full Third than they now are,
Essay on the East-India Trade page 14.if that Trade had never been Discovered or Undertaken; and that it bears hard only upon those Countries that Consume those Commodities?
- 7. Is it not plain, That it bears not hard upon England, since it could never be proved (and I challenge any now to do it) That we Consume at Home, in Ireland, or our Plantations, above nine parts in ten: Or that in Foreign Parts (except our Plantations, &c) there are Consumed above one eighth part of the Wrought Silks, Bengals, and Printed Callicoes?
- 8. Since 'tis allowed this Trade is hurtful to Europe, and all are agreed in a General Peace, What if they should agree to Banish it out
of all their Dominions? But if not, Why should we restrain any part, Since we have nothing from thence of solid Use, (but) Materials for Luxury, and perishable Commodities, for our Gold and Silver, which is
there buried, as the same Author tells us?
Page 12.
- 9. Is it not better we should be at four or five hundred thousand Pounds Charge per An. for Indian Vanities, having such plenty of Money, than for the sake of imploying our own Poor, upon our own Wooll, disoblige several Maids and their Mistresses, who would then be at a loss how to Dress up themselves, their Chambers, Parlours, and Closets?
- 10. Is it not our Interest (as the Essayer tells us) to wear these Indian Manufactures, because they would soon bring down the price of our own so low, That we may Export them to all Foreign Markets, and be able to under-sell all Nations; For (surely) they neither can,
Page 29.or will ever think of falling in their Prices as we do.
- 11. Or if they should, rather than leave off and starve, sell their Commodities as cheap as we, Pray what shall we get by this Learned Advice, since after all our Reducing, the Indians that Work for a Peny a Day, will outdo us all, unless we're resolv'd to Work as Cheap, or Cheaper than they?
- 12. Will not the Falling the Prices reduce the Wages of the Poor, and by that means make the Nation grow Rich, since Sir Jos. Child has very well observed, That where ever Wages are high, throughout the whole World, it is an infallible Evidence of the Riches of that Country;
Preface.And where Wages for Labour runs low, 'tis a proof of the Poverty of that Place?
- 13. But if bringing down the Prices will be such an Advantage, Why may we not as well send for the Corn we spend to the East Country, for theirs is much cheaper than ours? And then we may send our own Corn with our own Cloth, &c. to seek Abroad for a Market; Would not this soon Raise the Value of all the Rents and Lands in England?
- 14. And to save yet the more, employ the Dutch Shipping, for they always Sail much cheaper than we do, and then we may send our own Ships to all Foreign Nations, that either want, or will hire them, or else save the Building of more, to the much greater Preservation of both our Seamen and Timber?
- 15. And [...]
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