pitch, tar, hemp, and iron, to these dear built ships, and the ships of the natives of the places, from whence they are had, whether they have ships or not, but also it gives freedom to the Dutch to import all sorts of manufactories made of these growths, which they acquire for half the price the English can; whereby the English nation have wholly lost the trade for fitting up ships, for this, or any other trade.

Thirdly, The inconvenient building of ships for this trade, is from restraining the building of ships to the English only, who are very few, and know no other way.

Fourthly, The want of vent for all sorts of commodities, returned in barter for fish, proceeds: 1. From the greatness of the customs upon those commodities, which are twenty times more than in the United Netherlands. 2. The dearness of the ships in which they must be vented. 3. The inconveniency of those ships, compared with the Dutch, for any foreign trade with those commodities. 4. The height of interest of money here in England, above the United Netherlands; so as, besides the height of customs, those ships of the English being twice so dear, and sailed with double the hands that those of the United Netherlands and paying above one third interest more, the English merchant is here necessarily incumbent to a three-fold charge, more than the Dutch merchant.

are,

Fifthly, The negligent and corrupt curing of fish, caught by the English, proceeds from the want of a constant council of trade, which may inspect and govern, the fishing-trade.

The Expedients whereby the English may redeem the Fish

ing-Trade.

First, For a supply of men, upon all occasions, to carry on this great work, it is proposed, that it may be free for all sorts of foreigners to partake and enjoy equal freedom, with the natural subjects of England, in their persons and estates, in the fishing-trade; and that all possible security and encouragement be given to all sorts of foreigners who shall assist us therein.

Secondly, That all restraints by the freedom of corporations be taken away, and no person excluded in this trade.

Thirdly, That all sorts of begging persons, and all other poor people (not sick, or impotent) may be employed therein.

Fourthly, That all people, condemned for less crimes than blood, be compelled to redeem their crimes, and in some measure to make compensation by extraordinary labour in this trade.

Fifthly, That all persons in prison for debt, and not able to pay, may be employed therein.

Sixthly, That the act of navigation be repealed, whereby all sorts of foreign ships may be employed in this trade: And that it be free to import pitch, tar, hemp, iron, and timber, whereby the English may be enabled to employ all those hands in fitting up ships for this trade, as well as the Dutch.

Seventhly, That all customs for commodities, returned for the

fish, vented in foreign parts, be taken off, and an equal excise to be imposed in lieu thereof; so that, as multitudes and concourse of people increase, and by consequence a greater consumption, his majesty's revenue will thereby be proportionably increased, without any prejudice to this trade.

Eighthly, That the statute, de Donis Conditionalibus, may stand in force, so that fines shall be no bar to the heirs in tail, nor recoveries to those in remainder; whereby a stock, as well in this trade as others, of all those monies, which are spent in buying and mortgaging land, will generate into a common bank of trade; and those numerous companies of other bankers, usurers, scriveners, and sollicitors, will be necessitated to seek better means of living, and thereby the vanity of luxurious persons, restrained to the bounds of their estates: As also the interest of money will become as low here, as in the United Netherlands.

Ninthly, Yet, for encouraging foreigners to inhabit and plant, as well as trade with us, it may be lawful for all foreigners to purchase lands here, to them and their heirs; whereby the nation would be inriched as well as peopled; and whereby vast sums of money, which are now employed by the Dutch at interest, to the impoverishing the nation, might be converted to the inriching of it.

Tenthly, That all possible encouragement be given as well to foreigners as natives, for building ships for this trade, in Ireland, Virginia, and New-England.

Eleventhly, That a constant council of trade be erected by par-liament, which may inspect this trade; and during the intervals, with his majesty's approbation, may make by-laws until the next session of parliament.

Proposals for carrying on this great Work.

First, That commissioners be impowered by act of parliament, to enquire into all abuses and deceits in the management and government of hospitals, and of all concealments and mis-conversions of any part of the revenues thereof; and that care be taken for the future to improve the revenues of the said hospitals to the best advantage; and that all such monies, concealed or mis-employed, together with the improvements and overplus (over and above what shall be necessarily laid out for the maintenance and repairs of the said hospitals, &c.) may be brought into his majesty's bank for carrying on the royal fishing.

Secondly, That the said commissioners enquire what sums of monies at any time have been given to charitable uses and are concealed, or have been mis-employed by any persons to whose trust the same were committed: And that all such monies may be brought into the bank, for carrying on the royal fishing.

Thirdly, That one year's value of the annual assessments to the poor, may be advanced by the respective parishes of England, to be employed in buying and building convenient houses, and for a stock in setting the poor at work, to carry on the royal fishing:

By means whereof the charge of maintaining the poor, in all parishes, will proportionally lessen, to the universal easement and benefit of the whole nation.

Fourthly, That some reasons for altering or repealing the statute of 43 Elis. c. 2. intituled, Who shall be Overseers for the Poor, their Office, Duty, and Accounts, may be considered, for the benefit of the royal fishing.

Fifthly, That the children of all lazy and idle persons, living upon forests, wastes, and chaces, may be employed in the royal fishing, and that those wastes may be improved for a publick good, and the revenue arising thereby employed, for carrying on the royal fishing.

Sixthly, That all victuallers, higlers, badgers, &c. formerly licensed by mayors and justices of the peace, &c. may be hereafter licensed by commissioners impowered by act of parliament, and the fees and profits, arising thereby, be likewise employed for carrying on the royal fishing.

Seventhly, Whereas there was obtained, beyond sea, a grant from his majesty for thirty-one years, of the home-vent of coals from the river of Tyne, upon pretence of five-hundred pounds fine, and 1838 pounds 12 shilling annual rent, when as the same might have been leased out by his majesty for near 10000 pounds, per annum, if his majesty had been rightly informed of the value thereof; wherefore, it is proposed, that, by his majesty's permission, the said grant may be vacated in parliament; and his majesty be at liberty to let it for the best advantage. And that his majesty will be graciously pleased, that the improvement of the rent thereof may go towards the support of the royal fishing.

Eighthly, That like duties may be imposed upon the vent of coals from Sunderland, as are at Newcastle, to be employed in the royal fishing.

Ninthly, That all such sum or sums of money, which since his majesty's restoration have been raised and collected upon subscriptions and benevolences for the use of the fishery, and do still remain in the hands of the collectors, treasurers, and others, who ought to account for the same, may be forthwith reduced into his majesty's bank, for carrying on the royal fishing.

Tenthly, That his majesty will be graciously pleased to grant, that all discoveries within his majesty's gift, not yet discovered nor granted away by his majesty (after a reasonable and fitting reward secured to the discoverer or discoverers out of the same) shall go towards the support of the royal fishing.

Eleventhly, That all houses built upon new foundations within the city and suburbs of London, since the year 1657, except such houses as have been consumed by fire, may pay a fine to the value of one year's rent, to be employed towards the carrying on the royal fishing.

Twelfthly, That his majesty will be pleased to grant, that all

fines and forfeitures, not already granted away by his majesty, may go towards the carrying on the royal fishing.

It is humbly desired, that these proposals may be examined and debated, and, if all or any of them may be found useful for carrying on this great and profitable work, further means shall be humbly offered for promoting the same.

THE CLOUD OPENED*:

OR,

THE ENGLISH HERO.

BY A LOYAL AND IMPARTIAL PEN.

Quam facile fit cæcus dux vitæ, et obscura lux temporum Historia? Si non amentiæ, rarus est qui non ineptiæ litavit, Unicus sit qui Deo et veritati obtulit.

London, printed, A. D. 1670. Quarto, containing forty-eight Pages.

O NOGYROS is an herb worthy of asses, a lactuce like their

lips, rough and prickly; yet, if herbalists are to be credited, a counter-poison. Adulation, though smooth as oil, is no alexipharmick. The tame beast, a flatterer, is more spotted, nor less cruel than the leopard or a tyger. And with the gayety of a serpent, the rich inamelling of an adder's skin hath no unequal poison.

In the late tyranny, when reason seemed the most extravagant freak, and religion and loyalty had the repute of such grand malignants, as a plague might be supposed to harbour less of contagion, a mercenary trifler would have the usurper Oliver, an Olive; sure after an happy revolution, no one can be master of more sense than the clenching panegyrist, or voluminous, nothing wanted; as much a stranger to wit, as to our nation; his appetite only sharpened invention, and the hungry gut vented oracles. Where the scripture on the rack was only taught to patronise impiety, by making bloody and blasphemous confessions; it can be no wonder, if Gotham's parable was forgot by an exotick whiffler, where the olive could yield no fatness to usurp, and out of a bramble only could come the fire to destroy the cedars of Lebanon; such an unhappy land, as made a forest, was inhabited by wild beasts.

In an age of lying wonders, where a more than ordinary antichrist brought fire down from heaven, it could be none of the least of the miracles, that a fisher could, by Pagan worship, translate the brazen image of a tyrant into gold, and make it equal an hundred Jacobusses or more pure Carolines in value.

This is the 212th number in the catalogue of pamphlets in the Harleian Library.

since

A doubly blind bard first in his own, and, as some fancy, by God's judgment, would have him equalled by a kingfisher. But to have had such a king for his subject, in whose cause, christianity might seem engaged, sure could not need the temptation of a bribe, to him who had not renounced the christian profession, though pedantically florid, and less significant pens, served but as foils to his portraiture and sufferings; which were only to be ta ken from his own writings.

Virtue, which is content with her own reward, and loyalty, which expects no recompence below heaven, know not how to de scend to that truckling and servile assentation, which has no better hieroglyphick, than the most impure of creatures, the sometimes fawning, and at others, snarling and biting cur.

The deceased general may merit some grateful epicediums, above such dismal ditties as attend upon executions, which seem more merciless than the extremities of the law; while the executioner in metre is more barbarous than the hangman. The muses have little to do with Mars; yet they must not permit a praise-worthy person to die, if they have any faith for their arch-priest the prince of Lyricks. It is a tribute due to allegiance, to commend him whom a king would honour. Commands, strong as mustard, may seem unnecessary to make the nation's eyes water into elegies for his loss, who was the supposed restorer of their sight; the blessed instrument of returning a king, who may be truly called, The light of our eyes. Who would not melt by a compassion, if obdurate for lesser losses, for the muses Helicon, what the poets might call, showers of tears, might seem expedient when it is grown so muddy, as it cannot furnish out so much clear wit as can sprinkle an hearse. Foolish versifiers, like to schismatical pulpiteers, by racked hyperbole's and tentered allegories, make the most sober truths discredited; folly dispraises those she would commend, and diminishes glory, by seeking to multiply it..

Who would not believe that a fable, which must have all the heathen Gods brought into the scene for the delivery? He who ariseth early, and praiseth his friend aloud, it shall be reputed to him for a curse, if the wisest of men is to be believed. That a too early and inconsiderate commendation can irritate envy and contradiction, which might have slept, if not awaked by rash and untimely bauling, may be easily now demonstrated from the discourses of folly.

Whether design or chance renders more famous, is uncertain. History can furnish us with a coward, who by the loss of his head, grew victorious; by a virtue inherent in the spurs of honour, the more generous beast, which is intitled to want of brains, trans porting to noble atchievements. A defect in the noddle hath rendered not few strangely supereminent, whose excelling disposition, like that of an inraged horse, hath qualified for the rushing into a battle. The Psalmist will have an horse a vain thing to save a man; to raise one to a fair mount of honour, some can instance H. B. Dd

VOL. VII.