dom

againft making Hedges and Enclofures; against mending the High Roads, by erecting Turnpikes;-and against almost every Publick-fpirited Undertaking, and useful Invention, when first attempted? And whether the fame deluded Populace, who clamoured again the Admifion of Foreigners about forty Years ago, were not likewife fo far infatuated as to cry, The landed Intereft,— NO TRADE, NO MERCHANTS?

II. WHETHER the Word Foreigner, as commonly used, fed, doth not carry with it an Idea of Contempt and Reproach? Whether the

any juft, treating others in the As for

And indeed, Whether thofe Natives, who purfue Measures pernicious to their Country, fhould not be ranked as Aliens? And thofe Foreigners, who conduce by their Industry and Virtue to the Publick Good of this Kingdom, be refpected as Natives Ponti Fru Lagierofi

II. WHETHER we do not originally owe all our Knowledge in the feveral Manufactures of Cloths, Stuffs, Serges, Druggets, Silks, Velvet, Ribbands, Laces, Cottons, Linens, Paper, Hats, Iron, Steel, Copper, Brafs, &c. to the Inftruction of Foreigners? Whether therefore, our Ancestors acted wifely, or confulted the real Welfare of their Country, in endeavouring to prevent fuch Manufacturers

from

from: fettling in this Kingdom-tho' their establishment was oppofed from the fame ill grounded Apprehenfions which now fubfift, that fuch Foreigners came to eat the Bread out of the Mouths of the Natives.

SECTION II.

#

Ter A

The Introduction of New Manufactures; The Improvement of others; And the Extention of Commerce.

I.

HETHER it can be known, bes

Wfore Trial is made, that Foreigners

cannot ftill introduce fome new Manufacture, or improve thofe already established? And what Effect muft Goodness of Work, and Cheapness of Labour, have upon our Foreign Trade?

II. WHETHER it is not affuredly known, that Foreigners do ftill excel us in making fe veral Sorts of Paper, fome Kinds of Silks, Velvets, and Brocades, Gold and Silver Stuffs, and all Sorts of Embroidery, Thread, Thread Laces of various Kinds, Gold and Silver Laces, alfo in Dying of Blacks and Scarlets, making of thin Cloth for the Southern Countries, Carpets and Tapestry, in many Branches of

CARPETS and Tapestry.] There is fubfifting, made the 25th of Charles II B 2

the

a Law now

Chap. 15.

Anno

the Linen,-Cambrick, and Lawn Manufac tures, Drawing and Defigning, Carving, Gild~ing,

Anno Dom. 1663. for the Naturalization of all Perfons concerned in the Manufactures of Linen and Tapeftry; the Recital of which may not be unacceptable to some of my Readers...

An Att for encouraging the Manufactures of making Linen Cloth, and Tapestry.

"I. WHEREAS vaft Quantities of Linen Cloth, and ❝ other Manufactures of Hemp and Flax, and of Ta" pestry Hangings, are daily imported into this Kingdom from foreign Parts, to the great Detriment and «Impoverishment thereof; the Monies and quick Stock "of this Kingdom being thereby daily exhaufted and "diminished, and the Poor thereof unemployed; while

the Materials for the making of fuch Hangings are

here more plentiful, and better, and cheaper, than "in thofe Places from whence they are imported; and "Flax and Hemp might be had here in great Abun"dance, and very good, if by fetting up the Manu"factures of fuch Commodities as are made thereof, it would be taken off the Hands of fuch as fow and "plant the fame...

"IL FOR the Encouragement therefore of thofe Ma"nufactures, Be it enacted, and it is hereby enacted by "the King's Moft Excellent Majefty, by and with the "Advice and Confent of the Lords Spiritual and Tem "poral, and Commons in this present Parliament af"fembled, and by the Authority thereof, that from

and after the First Day of October next enfuing, it "fhall and may be lawful for any Perfon or Perfons "whatsoever, Native or Foreigner, freely, and without paying any Acknowledgment, Fee, or other Gratuity for the fame, in any Place of England or Wales, Privileged

་་

ing, and Coach-making, Statuary, Painting, and Prints, alfo in Nuremburg, and fome other Sorts

Privileged or Unprivileged, Corporate or not Corpo"rate, to fet up and exercise the Trade, Occupation, "or Mystery of breaking, hickling, or dreffing of

Hemp or Flax; as alfo for making and whitening of <<Thread, and of fpinning, weaving, making, white"ning, or bleaching of any Sort of Cloth whatsoever, "made of Hemp or Flax only: As alfo the Trade, Oc"cupation, or Mystery of making of Twine or Nets

for Fishery, or of towing of Cordage; as alfo the "Trade, Occupation, or Mystery of making any Sort "of Tapestry-Hangings, any Law, Statute, or Ufage to the contrary in any wife notwithstanding.

"III. AND all Foreigners that fhall really, and bonâ "fide, fet up and ufe any of the Trades and Manufac❝tures aforefaid, by the Space of three Years, in this "Kingdom of England, Dominion of Wales, and

Town of Berwick upon Tweed, shall from thenceforth, "taking the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy be"fore two Juftices of the Peace, near unto their Dwell

ings, who are hereby authorised to adminifter the "fame, enjoy all Privileges whatsoever, as the natural"born Subjects of this Kingdom.

IV. AND it is hereby enacted and declared, That "fuch Foreigners as fhall exercife any of the Trades "aforefaid by Virtue of this Act, fhall not at any Time be liable to any other or greater Taxes, Payments, or Impofitions, than fuch as are or fhall be paid by his Majefty's natural-born Subjects, unless they fhall "ufe and exercife Merchandize into and from Foreign "Parts; in which Cafe, they fhall be liable to pay fuch "Cuftoms as have ufually been paid by Aliens, during "the Space of five Years next enfuing, and no longer.

IT

Sorts of Toys, making of Soap, Porcelaine, and Dreffing fome Kinds of Leather, Cutting and Engraving upon Glafs, making and tempering of Steel, &c. &c. And whether it be not the Intereft of the People of England to give a rational Invitation to fuch Foreign Manufacturers to fettle here, for the Increase of useful and industrious Hands, which are beyond Difpute the Strength and Riches of a Nation?

III. WHETHER the Trade of Great Britain is not capable of being farther extended? And whether more Hands, New Adventurers, a larger Correspondence, greater Industry, Frugality, and Sobriety, might not encrease our Manufactures, Commerce, Navigation, and national Riches? And whether the Connection of those that come hither with their Relations and Acquaintance left behind, would not extend our Trade by New Correfpondence, New Commiffions, and New Traffick?

SECTION

IT were greatly to be wifhed, that the Contents of this Law were univerfally known, that the Publick might reap the Benefit intended by it; for at prefent it feems to be almost as much forgot, as if it had never been made. However, this is a fufficient Proof, that the Naturalization of Foreign Manufacturers, according to the Opinion of the Legislature, is a Means of employing the Poor, not of taking the Bread out of their Mouths.