WITHOUT 
 
 TAX or MONEY, 
 
 THAT 
 
 Shall Imploy and Maintain all the Poor, 
 
 and growing Poor of this Nation for ever, and in 
 • Iefs than Five Years, totally eafe the Pubiick from 
 that grievous. Burden. 
 
 Humbly Addrefs’d to the Honourable Houle of Commons 
 in behalf of the Poor of ENGLAND. 
 
 | LONDON. 
 
 Printed and are-to be fold by John Nut , 
 near Stationers-Hall. MDCG. 
 
Moll Wile and Align ft 
 
 ASSEMBLY. 
 
 T H E many Groundkfs and Chymerical 
 Projcih of this dtfigning Age, I fear, 
 may too juftly deter the more Prudent fart of 
 Mankind from a farther Vifquifition into Things 
 of this Nature, than the bare Title informs ; 
 yet ’trrould be too fevere a Fate that all Jhould 
 undergo that Fen fare without a farther enquiry $ 
 for as Light came out of Darfyiefs, fo Truth 
 may be ColkVted from T.neur, and a great 
 Treafure may lie hid where leaji expelled. 
 
 I Jhall not prefume to Apologife for the Sub jell 
 treated of, ’twill be ft fpeaf for it fdf but do 
 crave Pardon for the injury I have done it,, by 
 my unskilful Management ; but asbrightefi Gold 
 may be futlied by the touch of an unclean Hand, 
 lira not at all deprived of its native worth, fb l 
 B can- 
 
cannot by what I have done, detract from the 
 innate Value of this ineftimabk Jewel, Fifhery 
 
 I could have wijht that fume more able had un¬ 
 dertaken this Deftgn, that could have charmed 
 your Ears with Eloquence, that might have moved, 
 tbo Self-interefi and Security maybe allowed pre¬ 
 valent Motives ; but as Eloquence is not my Ta¬ 
 lent,, fo it was not my Deftgn, but Truth and 
 Plainntfs, wherein lhave no other Aim but to pro¬ 
 mote the publick Good to my Power, by contri¬ 
 buting my poor Mite , nor do I ask. Reward or Pa- 
 trcnage, but with the Learned Verulam conclude. 
 That nothing can be worthy of a Patronage 
 that has not Truth to Patronize it felt 
 
 1 have more than once, with great regret, be¬ 
 yond Seas heard in Converjation, when [peaking 
 oj the excellency of one Conftitution, and Parlia.- 
 mentary Power , they have wittily, as they thought, 
 in way of Raillery , reply'd, and with a feeming 
 Pie a jure, that there were more than one thing 
 the Parliament 6/England could not do, and that 
 was to raife a Fifhery. I thought the Affection 
 too bold, but tlye Reafon they gave, was becaufe 
 they had not done it after they declared it to be 
 for the Honour, Advantage, and Safety of the 
 Hat ion; tho it cant be deny d but with the high- 
 
 4 
 
eft Concern , ’tit too true, that hitherto it has 
 not been done, or attempted to any Purpofe 5 
 yet there is nothing more certain than that it 
 is in the Power and Wifdom of an Englifh 
 Parliament to effeft this great Waft, and con¬ 
 vince the World of the Errour, when God/hall 
 pleafe to pul it in their Hearts to do it, 
 which is with longing Be fire earneftly expeffed 
 by all true Lovers of their Countries good, 
 and’tis hoped that this Ejfay may ftir up and- 
 animate jome of our worthy Patriots to profecute 
 fo honou) able and advantageous aBefign, that on 
 this Bafts may be erefied a fuper Structure for 
 the public ft Wellfare, and Glory of God, that 
 Fate jhall not he able to. Jhocft 
 
(I) 
 
 E S SA Y 
 
 FOR THE 
 
 RAISING 
 
 A 
 
 The following Difcourfe is Grounded on thefe two 
 Principles, viz. 
 
 T HAT the Trade of England Improved. And the 
 well Employing the Poor, are the two main 
 Pillars, on which the Welfare and Security of 
 this Nation ( under God ) Depends. 
 
 The Poor of this Kingdom may be confideredin thefe Four 
 Capacities. 
 
 I. As Trades Men, and Artificers, who either being too 
 Numerous, cannot get Employment, or by decay of Trade 
 have loft it; or not having Stock lufficient of their own to 
 Work, nor Credit to procure it, they are rendered Poor and 
 Neceffitous by an inevitable Fate. Or they arefuch who 
 ^ S ' by 
 
■f2j> 
 
 by Ill-husbandry, Lofles, or both ; or being thrown in to Pi i- 
 f°n, by Mercilefs and Inhuman Creditors, are brought to 
 the greateft Extremities,' whilft their Wives and Children 
 become a Parilh Charge. This is the too Deplorable State 
 and Condition of many Thoufand Families, That loudly 
 Cry for Relief. 
 
 _ Illy. As Poor Husband-men and Day-labourers, who con- 
 tinualy Increafe in far greater proportion than Labour to 
 Employ them-; arid muft to lupport Life neceffarily be com¬ 
 pelled to Beg or Steal, if not worfe. 
 
 llllj. As common fturdy Beggars, and wandering Vaga¬ 
 bonds, Men, Women and Children, who daily Increafe and 
 Croud the Streets; of thefc the greateft part never did Work, 
 nor ever will if they can avoyd it: and when by Begging they 
 can’t obtain 1 Relief to their Defire, they will not Icraple to 
 Murder, Rob, or commit any other Violence to attain it. 
 
 IV^. As-Aged;, Decrepit, Lame, Blind,, Dementated, &c. 
 In aCbriftian'Gomrnbri-wealth, the Law of Gbd, of Nati¬ 
 ons, and of Nature, «. felf Prelerv?tion does require that 
 all thefe 'Poor ftould be taken Care of,, and provided for by 
 the Publick: Of which kind' the two firft would Work if they 
 had it. Arid the third fort, ( as his Majefty was Gracioufly 
 pleafed to mention in his Speech to both Houles of Par¬ 
 liament) ought by compulfioh to be brought to it. The fourth 
 kind are not capable to Work themlelves, and muft be kept 
 without it. 
 
 The grand difficulty now will be how to find means to Im- 
 ploy thefe Poor, fo, as they may become tifeful to the Pub- 
 lick, by inableing them to maintain themfolves, and be no 
 longer a burden to the Publick and Dilhoriour to the King¬ 
 dom. 
 
 The Building of Work-houles, ’tis prefumed will not reach 
 that End, for there are many already Built about this Town 
 Unimploy’d and Decay’d, andothers that are Employ’d, but 
 to wrong purpofes, and ferve only to enrich thofe Officers 
 belonging to them pits Bride-well and many others,. that feem 
 
( 3 ) 
 
 not in arty refped to anfwer the end of their Inftitutions as well 
 as many other Hofpitals, the Poor having little benefit from 
 thence,and granting that many more-Work-houfes-wereereCted,. 
 what Work would they do in them i Beating Hemp will fcarce 
 keep them from Starving. If they Card or Spin Wool, they In¬ 
 terfere with thole of the Woolen Manufacture, and injure them 
 who from Children have Earned their Bread by thole Labours, 
 who now for wantofEmployment (lomethoufands) are ready 
 to Starve, which by the Addition of fo many more Hands 
 will only make them juft lb much wor/e than they are already; 
 for tis not want of Hands the Woolen Manufa&ute Hands 
 in need of; but of Work to Employ thole Hands they al¬ 
 ready have: And with Submilfion it may be thought as good 
 Policy, to InftruCt Beggars to Plow, Sow,^ Reap, &c, and 
 then Employ them to the prejudice of thole Induftrious and. 
 Neceffary Husband-men we have already. 
 
 Therefore lome other way muft be found out, or at leaft 
 attempted, that lhall Employ, and furnilh with Food and 
 Necenaries, all the fupeifluous- Hands of Poor and Neceffi- 
 tous Trades-men, Husband-men, Labourers, Beggars, Vaga¬ 
 bonds, &e. to be an Afylum for all the-Diftrefl'ed to fly to for 
 Releif, without infringing, or interfering on the painful Huf- 
 band-men’s Labour, or with the Woolen Manufacture, or any 
 others which would, prove a delperate Wound inftead of a 
 Cure; which mult be effected by an other method, if ever 
 attain’d. 
 
 Among the Various Methods that pofltb'y may be thought 
 on or propoled, ( with humble Submilfion ’tis believed) there, 
 can be but one found, that will in all relpeCts effectually an¬ 
 fwer this great End, which is not of Humane Invention, but 
 by the providence of God is put into our Hands, if we would 
 life, them to our Mouths; tho’ for our Ingratitude to Heaven, 
 our ftuborn Blindncfs, Sloth and Idlenefs, we are unworthy 
 of lo great and peculiar a. Bleffing we might enjoy, above, 
 many others, that is,, the FISHING TRADE. 
 
 I lhall not here Illuftrate on the many Advantages fbe- 
 fides Maintainance of the Poor) ’twould be to this King¬ 
 dom, nor mention the Difadvantages the lols of that Trade 
 has, 
 
( 4 ) 
 
 has brought on us, they are too obvious already, and are both 
 Univerfally known and acknowledged. But how to put this 
 great Deftgn .fuccefsfully in Practice, remains as yet the 
 Myftery. 
 
 To the Explicating cf which, I humbly offer the fol¬ 
 lowing Propofitions or Suppofitions. 
 
 First, That Englifh Men being furnilhed with Buffes and 
 Nets, will be allowed as capable to catch Fiffi, and eat 
 them, without any Hardlhip, as well as the Hollanders or 
 any ether Nation, and in many refpe&s we have naturally 
 the advantage of them, or any other People, for that Trade 
 and Bulinels, 
 
 Secondly, That thole English Men that have not where¬ 
 with to buy Meat, the Cale of too many poor honeft 
 working Families in this Town, would think it a happi- 
 nels to be fed with wholefome Filh, Bread and Roots, 
 which, without Offence, was the Diet of thofe Worthies, 
 the Founders of Am^erdam, Venice, and of our own London, 
 and of molt other Fiouriffiing and Trading Towns in the 
 World. 
 
 Thirdly , ’Twill be likewife granted, that Men being now 
 furnilh’t with Bulles, Nets, and other Neceffuys for Filh- 
 ing, under a due regulation at a Publick Charge, have the 
 fame means to Live, the fame Tools to Work with for 
 the lupport of themfelves and' Families, as our fore Fathers 
 had, tho’ on much better and eafier Terms, and may 
 without doubt live and thrive as well as they did, under 
 greater Difficulties, .and this without any Fiffi Tranfported 
 (if that were neceffary ) for Filh at Home will either 
 Buy or Barter, for Bread, Meat, Cloths, Fire and all other 
 Neceffaries. 
 
 Fourthly , That: naturaly there are but three ways for all 
 Mankind-to get a living, which are either Planting and Sow¬ 
 ing the Fruits of the Earth | hunting wild Bealls, or de¬ 
 vouring one another, or catching Fiffi, ’tis prefumed the third 
 kind only can be applicable to this Matter, for in the firft 
 Peo- 
 
(?) 
 
 Peopling .ofall Collonies, there firft care mull be to 1 dear 
 the Ground of. Trees to plant Food for their own Suffer 
 nance,, before they can arrive to greater things, lb originally 
 in the firft Planting of Fifhing Collonies, they were begun 
 by only Fifhing for Food, and raifed by their redundan¬ 
 cy, who by furnifhing others that wanted, had in Exchange 
 or Barter all other. Neceffaries firft, afterwards all manner 
 of Superfluities, till in time they acquiring great Riches, 
 Dignities, and Dominions. - 
 
 This is the natural. Rife, Progrefi, and ultimate of 
 all Fifheries, and probably as they were all thus railed by. 
 degrees, there may. be no other means poffible to revive and 
 raiie our loft-and decay’d Fifhery, but by . the fame means. 
 
 ’Tis a Subjeft of the greateft wonder to Foreigners,, and 
 Shame and Indignity to our felves, that Englifh Men can 
 Beg, or want Work, who may have Fifh for catch'ng. Roots 
 and Pulfe for Planting, Cloths for Spinning, &c. yet this is 
 too eafily anfwered, they can’t do this without Tools, nor 
 purchafe them, without Money, nor be employed by thofe 
 that have both. 
 
 ’Tis farther prefumed, that wholfome Food, warm Cloths, 
 and Huts to fecure from Cold and Weather, are all the.Poor. 
 ftand in need of. 
 
 There.Women and Children may be Employ’d in Knitting: 
 Nets, Spinning Thread,^, whilft the Men are Fifhing, Car¬ 
 rying and Recarrying. Sir Walter Raleigh affirming that every. 
 Eifhing.Ship lets to work Thirty feveral Trades and Occupa¬ 
 tions, and eight Thoularid Perlbns by Sea and Land, and that.- 
 three hundred,Perfons are. not able to make.one Fleet of 
 Nets in four Months for one Buff. 
 
 That.to allure them to Induftry and a regular Life, among, 
 this new. Common-wealth of Fitters, they.fhould be incourag- 
 ed to Marry among themfelves, and be endowed with fome. 
 Privileges and Immunities, the. more they multiply the greater 
 the Bleffing, for they can never want Food and Neceffaries till- 
 ffiey.have.draineil the Sea of Fifh, This, would prevent the, 
 G Mur-- 
 
(o 
 
 Murder of many poor Infants, and check the many Robberies 
 and Murders that are daily committed,and would re-people the 
 Sea Coaft round the Kingdom, repair all our old decay’d Fill¬ 
 ing Towns, and build many new ones ; and asking Pardon 
 for the Expreffion, do affirm, that a Wall of Fi[hmg-Neti round 
 England, would be a much better Defence and Security to 
 the Nation, than Fryer Scot’s Brazen Wall would have 
 been, could his Art- have done it. 
 
 It remains now to Ihew how. this great and glorious 
 Work' may be putin Praftice, fo as fuccesfully to accom- 
 pliffi this great End without Tax, or additional Expence 
 to the Publick, which ’tis prefumed will make it worth 
 The Trial, and this, to be done by a right application of the 
 Poors Revenue, which heitherto hath been wrongly difpofed 
 of, and to litttle purpofe, either for "the common Good, 
 or comfort of the Poof. 
 
 The due Care, Government, and Management of the 
 Poor, is the great concern of the Publick and its Mini- 
 Iters and .Magiftrates, are not without great reafon Stilled 
 rheFathersof the.Poor,t6putthemin mind that theylhould 
 cherifh and nouriffi them as Children, for how Paradoxi¬ 
 cal foever it may feem, the Hands of the Poor are the true 
 and real Riches, Strength, Security and .Bleffing of a 
 Kingdom, when rightly employ’d, and the Bain, Curie, 
 Plague and, Ruine of. a Nation, when idle of themielves, or 
 maintained (o, or which is Equivolent, employ’d to no 
 purpofe.- 
 
 To come -clofer to the Matter.; The yearly' Revenue of 
 the Poor is Eftimatcd at about 800000 /. artd probably if it 
 were nicely enquired into may be found a'Million; how 
 ilippofing this great Revenue be paid yearly for the future, 
 as it has been for many Years pad, and is ftill growing; 
 and if not prevented muft encreafe for ever, and that this; 
 Money be employ’d to the Poors ufe as now, ’twould.be 
 well -worth .knowing what good Would do them, or what 
 Benefit either Poor or Publick would receive in propor-; 
 tion to fuch-a mafs of Treasure raifed and, buried, without 
 any vifible appearance' of publick Good, nor the "tenth parr of 
 the 
 
• <■ 7 ) 
 
 the Poor provided for. Now if to accompliih this glorious 
 Enterprize of railing and eftablilhing aFilhery.on an im¬ 
 moveable and folid Balls; there were required, 20,30, 40, or- 
 a 100 Years, and that the yearly income of the Poor for 
 that time were required to do it, that is, 20, 30, 40, 
 or a ioo Millions, if the end I lay were then attained, tho’ 
 on thefe Terms (if not to be effetod otherwife ) ’twill, I 
 doubt not, be allowed the. Money was well imployed and 
 difpoled of to good purpole; fince ’twould for the future free 
 them or their Pofterity from the burden and charge of the Poor, 
 without the addition of any new Tax for their relief, and 
 the Money would circulate among the Handicraft and Trad¬ 
 ing People, to the great improvement of the Woollen Ma¬ 
 nufacture, and others, and would belides rails fome Hundred 
 Thouland Seafaring Men, ■ and' repeople the Sea Coalb 
 and Fifliing Towns, &c. whereas in the uluaLCourie tllis Mo 
 ney is now imploy’d, it (carce ferves to buy Food for half 
 tis given to, and the reft are left to Ihift for it as they 
 can get it. 
 
 If then, as aforefaid, a Filhery tho’ obtained in lb long 
 time, and at fo great expence, would be well worth the 
 attaining, how much more then, ought thole generous offers 
 to be embrac’d, that fairly lays down a dcmonftrative Me¬ 
 thod, that lhall in five Years and lefs, raife and eftablilhan 
 everlafting Fifhery to maintain all the Poor, and growing Poor 
 for ever, by their own Labour, and to become a Bullwark 
 and Defence of this Kingdom, by railing fo many thoufand 
 Seafaring Men, improving Navigation and all Trades,and Ma¬ 
 nufactories, and making this Nation the moft Rich, Potent 
 and Flourifliing Kingdom on Earth. 
 
 A Draught or Scheme of the Delign in general Terms 
 ..is thus Propofed; with-lubmiffioii to better Judgments. 
 
 That a Million Credit be raifed on the Revenue of the 
 poor, to be paid in two Years, which can be no difficulty, 
 to do, fince the Fund and Security is as good as any in, 
 England, and well difpoled Perlons on luch an Occafion, 
 will be contented with moderate Intereft, and peffibly the' 
 Bank' of England may to promote fo pious and honourable 
 
a.Defign fignalize themfelves on Inch an Occafion, there be¬ 
 ing no neceffity to draw the Money all at once, but as 'tis 
 tfilpofed of. 
 
 That’ iooooo l. of this Money be appointed to build a 
 thouland Buffes and Boats, at ioo 1 . per Buis. 
 
 That ioo 000. l. more be. employed for Hemp or Thr-ed for 
 Nets, and what other Materials relate to their filhing Tackle, 
 
 That aoo qoo l . be appropriated to Cloath a- Hundred 
 thcufand poor Men and Women able to Work, with their 
 Children at 1 /. per Man, 
 
 That 100.000 1 . be defign’d for Conveniences for them to 
 lie on, &c. 
 
 That ioo 000/. more beapply’d to build Chappels,.Ware- 
 houles to ftore their Corn and Filh in, and for Cask, &c. 
 
 That a 100000/. be laid out for Corn, and for Salt to 
 cure their Herrings, ... 
 
 That the 100 000/. remaining, be appropriated to. Fifher- 
 men, the Mailers of BulTes and Mates, who are to inlfru&,. 
 them, and to Clergy-men, Clerks, Warehoufe-Keepers, Coop¬ 
 ers, and all other Officers there fhall be need of, for the due 
 and regular Execution oT this great Undertaking, 
 
 That thefe 100000 Poor be dilperil.into a 100 feveral places-, 
 round the.Coaft, a thouland in a place, to be full planted in., 
 and about the decay’d Filhing Towns, vvhich will occupy a 
 far greater number. 
 
 Thefe will be ten Buffes to every new Filhing Settlement,and 
 to each Buff there is at prelent affign’d but a 100 poor befides 
 Children,tho’’twould maintain more thin ai.000 wellimploy’d. 
 
 That thole Hundred Poor belonging to each Buis, Men and. 
 Women, become bound for five Tears, the Men and Boys to 
 the Mailers of.Buffe;, toinftrjudthem in the Art of Filhing,and 
 the Women and Girls, to thole that, (hall inftrudt them to 
 Spin Thread, and Knit Nets, &c. 
 
 The Boys and Girls to be bound-for a longer time, the Ma¬ 
 ilers being paid for their Service, to lie under no Obligation to 
 lurnilh them with Cloths, Meat or other Neceffaries, but only, 
 to inltru&.thenj how to,Filh.;_and being.thus let out and fur-. 
 
 ' nilhV. 
 
( 9 ) 
 
 riilh’t with Materials, ’tis prefumed there will be no danger 
 erf their Starving, and no doubt will find theralelves with Di ink, 
 and be able to dofomething more than keep themfclves in a 
 very little time. 
 
 The five Years Service expired, befides their Food, to be 
 allowed fome Pay for their Labour, oat of the Profits of 
 the Fifhery. 
 
 That they be Fed four Days in a.Week, with Bread, 
 wholfome Fifh, either Freth or Salt, with Roots, as Tur¬ 
 nips, Carrots, Parfnips, Potatoes, &c. And the other three 
 Days, with Meat, either Beef, or Pork, withPeafeor Roots; 
 That it be no longer an Injunction on them, to eat Fifh 
 four Days in a Week, than till they have. railed fufficient 
 Stock to purchafe Flelh, and reduce their Fifh Days to 
 twice a Week. 
 
 That all Aged and Decrepit Poor, &c. Unableto Work, 
 be confined to their own Parifhes, (the greateft part being 
 in London ) and riot .fuffered to Beg, but that Provifion of 
 Red and Pickled Herrings be lent from the , Eifheries, to 
 their refpedive Parifh-Omcers, either to difpofe of to them, 
 or for them, for other -Provifions, according to an. exaCt 
 account of their Numbers, which, together with .the Col¬ 
 lection of Broken Meats by the Poor in Baskets, in their 
 feveral Pariihes arid diftributed, "will abundantly -Maintain 
 them better'than' now they are. 
 
 That no Perfon -be permitted to Beg, or any fuffered to 
 Relieve them in the Streets, but if found there, to be fent 
 to. one or other of the Filhing-Collonies to Work if able, 
 if not, to their own Parilh, that they, and. all other Poor 
 that voluntarily-come, be. provided with Food, firfl For 
 Work, and afterwards with Clothes whenthey .have Earned, 
 them. . i 
 
 That in one Year this Defigr. may be cdmpleatly put-in 
 Practice, all- the ; Buffes, Ware-houfes, and Chappels Built,- 
 arid Nets- inadey and the Poor; immediately fet. to Work, 
 for the Money taken' up on Credit, -not being Payable till 
 D two 
 
fio) 
 
 tw(J'Years end, the Poor will hare the fame'Provifion for 
 this Year, as ufial to Maintain them whilft they are Knit-, 
 ing Nets, &c. and till the Fifliery be a&ually fet to Work, 
 which may be done in part, the next Herring-Seafon, if 
 from Lady-Day they fhould commence. 
 
 Whac hitherto has been faid, has only Defigned the ca¬ 
 pacitating the Poor to Maintain themlelves, but now ’tis 
 time to lpeak what farther may be done by them, to the 
 great encreafe of the Publick. Trealiire, and promotion, of 
 Trade-in'general. 
 
 Firit, That die Bufinefs of this Publick-Filhery, be only 
 the Herring and Pilchard Fifliing; and not permitted to 
 Sell any of them at home, to prejudice thofelnduftrious and 
 Labourious Filher-men we have already, who other wile would, 
 be Ruined by this Defign, 
 
 2- . That they, intermeddle not with the New-jcund-land 
 nor Whale-Pifhing, to the-. Detriment of thofe Filhers and- 
 Merchants that nl’e thofe Trades,_but be only, employed in 
 Fifliing on our: own poafts, provided the Merchants be not 
 too flack on thefe Encouragements to. Profecute thofe 
 Trades; or Whale and Cod-Fiflbing;may be the Bufinefs of the. 
 Royal-Filhery. 
 
 3- ; That great Care be taken., by diligent Infpeftion, thati 
 the Fifh be Caught when bell in Seafon only.; and that 
 none but Iweec and good Herrings he Cured, and that after 
 the bell manner, and all: made Good and, Merchantable 
 Ware. 
 
 4. That the Poor being firft feryed, what remains to be 
 expofed’to Sale, and for the Encouragement,of Merchants,, 
 to export them beyond Seas,..to be Sold at very reafo n able- 
 Rates, eg Bartered for Hemp, Salt, Corn ,&c. - . 
 
 j.. That all Profits, arifing-above ; the Poors Provifion, be 
 the publick Treafure, and applicable as. fhall be. appointed 
 by Parliament, which if they. are pleafed, may be afligned 
 for the. Planting of Timber, fo.. much, wanted in England ; 
 
( M ) 
 
 or the Rebuilding White-Hall, and to make it the moftStatfr 
 ly and Magnificent Palace in the World in five Years time, and 
 that without any Tax.' 
 
 6. That the English Red-Herrings are the Beft in the World, 
 and a good Commodity in all Places. 
 
 7. That for a farther Encouragement of this Fifliery, and 
 to promote Trade, if it Ihould pleafe the Parliament to lay 
 aReftriftion on the Irijh Fiftiihg, that is, on their Herring 
 and Pilchard Fifhing only ; for we ought to be rather more 
 jealous, and careful to prevent the growth of A. Fifhery 
 any where to our Power, than of the Woolen Manufacture, 
 becaule one will fecure the other; That by this means great- 
 quantities of Herrings.'would be Tranfported to ftW, and 
 in return, they might bring Tallow, Hides, Corn, &c. but 
 principally Wool, which would greatly improve the Woolen 
 Manufacture, for the fundamental Caufe of the decay of that 
 great Trade, is the very lame by which the Fifhery is loft 
 and ruined; that is, Foreignersfell Filh better Cheap than 
 we can, which is the true Realon of tire lofi of that Trade, 
 and ’tisto be feared, if pot prevented, their flight making 
 and drefling their Cloth, their exceflive Straining and Rack¬ 
 ing to.lengthen it, andmany other Knavifh Practices in that 
 Ttade, more than, formerly,, may in time bring it to the 
 fame Eate, Foreigners being difcouraged to Buy it, not dar¬ 
 ing to truft them, -have put them on Invention to make.' 
 better themfelves, and Sell Cheaper, notwithftanding they 
 have, the greateft part of the Wool from hence. 
 
 Therefore, unlels Care be taken-that Cloth be well and 
 truly made, without Deceit, and by plenty of. Wool made 
 Cheaper, it leems . very- unlikely for. them ever, to .retrieve 
 their almoft loft Trade,'for they, cannot leffen the Price of 
 Mens Labour to do it, that ■ being but fufficienc when em-' 
 ployed to maintain them., 
 
 S That if the Merchants flight and negleft the Benefit 
 of Buyingup the Poors Herrings, being Good and Merchant¬ 
 able Ware, and to Tranfport them to all parts of the World, 
 where ever any were carried, and, to our own Plantations, 
 &c.an& in return, to bring Salc, , ^. that then they be 
 fent by. Veffels 'of their qwn,. and difpofed-. of for the beft 
 advahtage for. the Publick; for no People on Earth can 
 under-fel orforeftal us. in.any Market, for we have the 
 
( *2 ) 
 
 Fifh for Catching, and may if we pleafe, give them away 
 and L>c no Lofers, for the Money that raifes thofc Fifh, 
 Maintains the Poor, without the Sale of them. 
 
 It may noi be amifs, to fliew what immenle Riches are 
 gained by an Induftrious People, that will Fifh and well 
 Know the Benefit of it, from what Sr. Walter Rawleigh fays 
 of them in his time, tho’ much improved finer. 
 
 lie lays, that in four Towns in the Sound, viz. Quinbrougb, 
 Elbwg, Sictten, and Dantzick, the;e arc Vended in a Year, 
 between 30 and 40 Thoufand Laid of *Herrings, at 15 or 16/. 
 the I.afl, that is about Six hundied and Twenty thoufand 
 Pounds Sterling, and we fend none thither; befides, Den¬ 
 mark, Norway, Sweden, Le'tfiand, Rte, Nevil, the Narve, and 
 other Port Towns within the Sound, there are carried a- 
 borc Ten thoufand Laft of Herrings, at 15 or 16/. per Left, 
 is a Hundred and fixty thoufand Pounds more Yearly : And 
 in fucli requeft arc the Herrings taken in our Seas there, 
 that they are often Sold for 10- 14 30 and 36 Pounds per 
 Laft, and we fend not one Barrel into all thofe Baft Coun¬ 
 tries., 
 
 They fend into Rufiia near Fifteen hundred Lafts of Her- 
 lings, at about 30/ per Laft; is Twenty feven thoufand Pounds. 
 To S’.rcad, Hambrougb, Bremen, and Embs, are Vended of 
 Honings, about Six thoufand Lafts, at 15 or 1 61 . per Laft, is 
 a Hundred thoufand Pounds more, and we none at all. 
 
 To Cleavclar.d, Gulickland, up the River Rhine to Collen, 
 Fran:fort on the Main, and over all Germany, is carried Twen¬ 
 ty two thoufmd Lafts of Herrings, &c. (old at rol. per Laft, 
 is Four hundred and forty thoufand Pounds, and we none. 
 
 Up the River Maze to Leige, Majlruht, Vindlow, Zut- 
 phtn, Daven'er, Ctimpen, Swool, and all Liefland, Seven thou¬ 
 fmd Falls of Herrings, at 10/. per Laft, is a Hundred and 
 Forty thoufmd Pounds, and we none. 
 
 To Gtldtrland. Artois, Hanault, Brabant , Flanders, to Antwerp, 
 See. Nine thoufand Lafts, at I's!. per Laft, is a Hundred and 
 fixty thoufmd Pounds. 
 
 To Roan, only in one Year, (befides all other parts of 
 Franc:) Fifty thoufand Lafts of Herrings, at 20.'. per Laft, 
 is one Million of Pounds, they are fold often there, for 
 14 and 30 Pounds the Laft. Between Cbrifimas and Lent, 
 the Duties for Fifh and Herrings, came to Fifteen thoufand 
 Crowns 
 
' () 
 
 Crowns at Roan ; hefarther fays, that the number of LaffsoF 
 Herrings brought to Danzick, Collett, Rotterdam, and Enc'oupen, 
 &c. is 16 great, as it will coft more than 3, 4, or 5 Pounds 
 for a true Note. 
 
 Befides thefe Places already mention’d, they have great Trade 
 to Portugal, Spain, and up the Straits, inlomuch that at this 
 time ’tis by leveral Authors affirm'd that the Fiffiery brings 
 them in nigh %o Millions per Annum, 
 
 . How much thisFiffiery propoled will amount to in a Year or 
 two’s time above the "Boors Maintainance,cannot ealily he efii- 
 mated till put in practice, but that we may have lome light in 
 that cafe, ’tis obfervable that Sir Walter Raleigh lays the Hollan¬ 
 ders did yearly, with 5000 Buffes,raife that prodigious Mali of 
 Treaffire, before mention’d, and imploy’d 9000 other Ships 
 and Veflels, and 150 000 Perlbns by Sea and Land, to make 
 Provilion, to Cure and Tranfport the Fifh they took in one 
 Sealbn, but now ’tis much greater; fince then a Fiffiery is 16 
 defirable a thing, a Jeweliof luch ineftimable value, and an 
 inexhaufiable Treafu're, and has been fo declared by Parlia¬ 
 ments, and by common confent of all Learned and publick 
 fpirited Men, confirmed by daily experience under our own 
 Nofes, and. heartily wiffit for by all. 
 
 What milchievous Fate, or what ffiall I call ir, hinders a 
 matter of luch Confequence for the Honour, Riches and fafe- 
 ty of the Kingdom, to pals from time to time unattempted 
 and unregarded, feems little lels than a Miracle? ’Tis too ob¬ 
 fervable, that laft Year, whillf fome were talking of a Fifteiy 
 here, the French actually fent Five hundred Sail to Newfoewd- 
 land to catch Fiffi : That poffibly, without Prefumption it may 
 be affirmed, if ever a Fiffiery be raifed in England,'m d litc- 
 celsfully carried on, it muft be by the Poor and their Revenue: 
 for all other Fiffieries that may be undertaken with joint Stocks, 
 as the Royal Fifliery, 8 cc. can do nothing in this Cafe, becaule 
 their Fund once gone, either by ill management,-Loffrs or 
 the Extravagant Sallaries of Officers, Chaige of Warehoufes, 
 Ships and Seamen err. they mull of neceffity break, and time 
 alone with their belt ’management would el feet their Ruine; 
 whereas the other, has a yearly Supply for its liipport, if k 
 were necelfary to continue it, nor can they catch Fiffi fo 
 cheap, nor fell them 16 good cheap'as <>the! s in Foreign Mar¬ 
 kets, nor fell them at home, and therefore muft dwindle;to 
 •E nothing. 
 
, c?4)- ; ' 
 
 ■nothings, as ail attempts of- this kind hitherto has. done, and 
 ever will tillthey atcain.the Art to catch Fifh without Money, 
 ana fell them for nothing, when they pleale, which feenrs a 
 Paradox, yet is'a real Truth. For his catching Fifh without: 
 Money, in regard there’s no niore'Money paid for the railing 
 thisFilbery, than would be if ic wcre let alone, nor any one 
 compell’d to Fifh that has any thing elfe to do, nor to eat them 
 but luch' as have not wherewich to buy Meat, and ifthofe won’t 
 catch Fifh when they may, and eat them when they have done,, 
 e’en let them ftarve a Gods Name. The Poors Revenue is a' 
 kind of Rent-Charge, claim’d by Cuftome, and paid, time out 
 o/Mind,.or a Debt intail’d'on the Publick from Generation 
 to Generation as. a reward of Folly, ill Husbandry and Indil- 
 cretion on one fide, and of Lazinefs,. Idlenels, and ftarving 
 Beggary on the other. 
 
 , To conclude, the letting the Poor into any Manufactury 
 that have not been brought up to it, muftbe of pernicious 
 Confluence to the Publick, by injuring others whofe Bufinefs 
 his already, and. are in want of employ, for the multiplying of 
 Hands to Work will be found but an odd Improvement, unlefs 
 the C’onjiimption be made muclx^eafer, for 'tis taking Bread 
 from thole, that have it, and'.givihg;i;t'to Beggars,' oi: the in-1 
 creafe of'. Beggars in one. place to fet them .to work at 
 another, and would Rill encreafe Poverty aj Infinitum, bur 
 oF the great Riches, Strength,. and many Benefits a 1 lfhcry 
 would bring to Rich and Poor there’s,icarcely any 
 
 F 1 N I S. '■ 
 
 P O S T S C R IP T. 
 
 T HAT this Sffay being committed to the Prefs, and' 
 the greateft part Compiled, before the Order of the 
 Honourable Houle of Commons, Dim n. M.-.rtii 1699. 
 relating to-the Rojal Fifkerj .. 
 
 , The. Author defires to be excufed for fome Expreffion? 
 therein, that may now leem Sspeifluous. 
 
 ERRATA 
 
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