material will encrease； and the other will grow scanty in
Proportion。 And what doth the Commonwealth gain by that； if there
be more Gold now than heretofore； if there be less Silver in
Proportion？ But it is denied； That if you raise equally both the
materials of Money； that then either of them will ever a whit the
more abound； and this reason is given for it； Whatsoever the
value of Money be in other Countreys； they will spend no more of
your Commodities than they have use for： if so； the over…value of
your （exported） Commodities must of necessity be returned to you
either in Gold or Silver； whatsoever the value of them be； high
or low： or suppose that； by reason of the low value of Gold and
Silver in respect of their price in other parts； the Merchants do
forbear the return of the over…values of your Commodities in
those Materials； and do choose rather to return Forrein
Commodities more than you can vent； this may fall out thus for
one year； but two or three or more years； it is impossible it can
hold； for that the Merchant should have these Forrein Commodities
which are not consumed perish in his hands。 And this Reason doth
likewise answer。
The third Argument made for the raising of Money which is；
That if you do not raise your Money to a parity with your
Neighbours； the Merchant； who always seeks his profit； wil carry
his materials of Gold and Silver； where he may have most for
them； for if this reason stand good； the Merchant shall be
constrained to bring his Gold and Silver hither； what price
soever they bear。
But because this reason seems so evident and unanswerable in
the Judgment of many； and that if it stand good； it doth
absolutely confute the practise of all the States of Europe； who
have continued many years raising of the values of their Moneys；
upon this ground； to attract thereby greater quantities of Gold
and Silver。
I intend to make a more strict Examination of this Reason。
And first for a most clear understanding of the Case； Let us
suppose that al the commodities； any way exported out of this
Kingdom in one year； be worth one Million of pounds sterling； and
that the Commodities imported； be worth but 900；000 pound； and
that this Proportion； or near thereabouts； be constant； then of
necessity； it follows； That an hundred thousand pounds must be
brought in in gold and silver； what price soever Money bear。
But if it shall appear that the Low values of our Money doth
cause the Kingdom to vent more forrein Commodities than otherwise
it would vent； and； that where otherwise it would vent 900；000
pound； the Low values of Money cause it to vent a Million or
more： then is the force of this argument lost； and it follows；
That the low values are the cause why the Materials of Gold and
Silver； or less of them than otherwise would do； come not in。
Now when this may come to pass several ways； First； If the
value of your Moneys be so low as the Merchant shall lose by
bringing you gold and silver； he will rather return you forrein
Commodities； though he sell them as cheap as he bought them； and
so gain nothing by them； than bring you Gold and Silver by which
he shall loose。
As for Example； the Merchant trading into Muscovia； will
rather return his Cloth in Furr； or in Silk of Persia； though he
sell them as cheap as he bought them there； than in Silver and
Gold； by which he shall loose the fourth part。 Now the cheapness
of forrein Commodities makes the greater quantity of them to be
spent； as we see of Calico's； of which few or none were
heretofore vented in this Kingdom； the cheapness of them making
greater Quantities of them to be spent。
And again； the Lowness of the values of Money may cause a
greater Proportion of Forrein Commodities to be consumed； though
not in quantity； yet in value。
As for Example； Though the Lowness of the value of Money
should not make a greater quantity of Silver to be spent in
England； than otherwise would be； yet it would make a greater
Proportion in value to be spent； by reason that the Merchant； who
in the return of his Commodities brings such a quantity of Silk
as he judgeth may be vented here； if he find an over value of his
Commodities exported； to those he doth import； he will rather；
instead of raw Silks； return Silks by which he shall loose。 As if
our Gold were as our Silver in prices； by which the Turkey
Merchant shall loose as much by bringing Gold from thence； as he
should if he brought Silver； is it not manifest； that instead of
Gold； which he now brings with his raw Silk； in return of his
Commodities； he would carry both Gold and Silk into Italy； and
imploy them in manufactured Silks； though he should sell them
here almost as cheap as he bought them； rather than return the
overvalue in Gold； by which he should loose？ And so though the
same Proportion in quantity were vented here in Silk； yet a
greater Proportion in value would be vented。
At the same time may be said of divers other Commodities： and
for confirmation of this； it is to be observed； That from Italy；
France and the Low Countries； and the East Indies； in all which
places the values of Money are as high or higher than with us； we
draw hardly any Commodities but fully manufactured； and they
receive none of our Commodities but either not manufactured at
all； or； but so much manufactured as the Severity and Penalty of
the Laws do otherwise prohibit to be exported： But in Spain where
the Moneys are yet of a lower value than with us； it is clean
contrary。
And although it may be Objected that this Observation doth
not hold in Turkey and Muscovie； though in Turky the Silver； and
in Muscovie both Gold and Silver be much higher valued than here
in England；
To that it may be answered； That these barbarous Countries
receive our Manufactures by Necessity； because they afford none
of their own。
Chapter 16
Examinations of the Reasons for the not raising of Money。
The first and main Reason against the raising of Money； is；
The INJUSTICE and OPPRESSION done to all those； who ar in place
of Creditors to receive； all which are forced to receive less in
Intrinsical value than is due unto them； and less in faculty and
extent to supply their own uses。 To which reason I never
understood any answer made that could have examination but only
this： That however the Creditors do receive less in intrinsical
value； and less in faculty and extent； to supplie their use by
reason that as the Extrinsical value of the Money is raised； the
price of the things do likewise rise with it； yet that price doth
not rise but by degrees and time； in which time all these
Creditors by renewing their Contracts do repair themselves； some
sooner； some later； according to the state of their Contracts。
But then it is manifest that all those who have any Rents or
other Rights which are defined to a certain sum in perpetuity；
and the King for the best part of his Revenue are extreamly
damnified by the raising of Moneys without Repair； except there
should a Law be mae that all those kind of payments should be
payable according to the values of Money current when they were
first created； which； though it were an innovation full of Danger
and Confusion；and Impracticable in this State； yet it seemeth to
have a foundation in Justice。
A second Reason； made against the raising of Money； is this；
If you do raise your Moneys out of the Misconceipt to draw you
more Gold and Silver； the other Nations out of the same
Misconceipt will raise the Money likewise； and so deprive you of
your end： but to this reason it may be answered； That we ought
not to raise our Moneys above our Neighbours； but only to a
parity with them； and then if they be obstinate to out raise us；
we must rather undergo the Prejudice of a continual raising to a
parity； thereby to keep our own； than to suffer other Nations by
imparity to rob us of what we have： so as this Argument in
effect； doth resort to that； which was formerly disputed； whether
truly and constantly more Gold and Silver be brought in by the
raising of Money。
The two Arguments that follow against the raising of Money
will both receive one clear answer。
The First； That in raising of Money you raise the King of
Spain's Commodities； and consequently enrich him。
The Second； That by raising of Money； you have less Silver
and Gold out of Spain in Intrinsical value for your Commodities；
the answer thereunto is very plain and clear； which is this； That
if the Position formerly laid down be true； which is； That as the
value of Money is raised； so the price of Commodities riseth with
it； Then it follows that neither the King of Spain shall be
enriched by the raising of Money； because the Commodities for
which he parts with his Money unto us； shall rise likewise in
price； nor shall we receive less of his Money in Intrinsical
value for our Commodities； because the Extrinsical value is
raised； that our Commodities will rise likewise so much the more
in Extrinsical value。
To the last Argument； of the Confusion which the raising of
Money doth bring both by the stopp of Commerce at the present；
and the fractions of Reckonings； it is answered； That no
alteration in this Subject of Money is without Inconvenience； But
if the position be true； that raising of Money is necessary to
preserve that which we have； and to bring in more； then are those
petty Inconveniences little considerable： and thus I have
examined as strictly as I can the Reasons alledged on both sides
for the raising and not raising of Moneys； but leave the Reader
to his own Conclusion。
I do now come to the Remedies； that by curious search I could
ever learn to have been propounded either in this Estate or any
forrein Estates； for the Inconveniences that may grow either by
raising of Money； or not raising； or both of them； which I do
mean likewise to examine； and shew as near as I can； the
Difficulties that may grow in settling of the several Remedies
propounded； and the evil Consequences that might grow of them； if
they were settled； and that so the Reader may more clearly judge
which is the best： for which purpose I intend to begin with the
Plainest and most easie； to th