A Treatise Concerninge the Staple and the Commodities of This Realme
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| Artifact type | |
| Creator/author | Clement Armstrong |
| Date | 1519-35 |
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Entry
OF THIS REALME," c. 1519-35.
[Drei Volkswirtschaftliche Denkschriften aus der Zeit Heinrichs VIII. von England, ed. R. Pauli (1878), pp. 15-43. The author of this treatise was probably Clement Armstrong.]
After the staplers hadd made theym self into a company corporat at Calais of no moo in nomber than convenyently occupied so moche wolle and felles, as the housbond-men and fermours in England receyved of the gift of Godd yerly by werk of housbondry in a right order (wher Godd first gaff the leyrs therof, when no singularte was sought to have more plenty of wolle by mens wisdome than God by his wisdome first ordenyd, that alle men by ther bodily werke schuld receyve ofGoddes gift bothe mete and clothyng togeders, that is with the werke of housbondry to receyve the speciall gift of the fynes and goodness of the staple wolle, which Godd by his first day of everlastyng light by vertu of his holy spirit gaff into the erth for the comon welth of Englande, before sone, moone and sters were made, whiche are but the mynesters of the gift of the same); than at the first begynyng of the staple at Calais, whan was but a certayn nomber of staplers, than was the certayn quantite of staple wolle, receyved of Godd by werk of housbondry, ordynaryly sold at Caleis alwey for redy money and for bullion, which that tyme the Loo contreys inFlaunders was gladd to bryng to Calais to paye for wolle at the staple in hand, which bullion in a mynt at Caleis was coyned ther from the dayes of Richard the IId duryng Henry the IIIIth, the Vth and the VIth toEdward more than sixty yers, which was encrese of plenty of money to the holl welth of the reame, beside the clothe likwise for redy money was sold to straungers in the reame. After that soo many staplers encreased in nomber oon of a nother by meane of apprentishode withowt any consideracion of the welth of the holl reame, that in kyng Edwardes dayes the wolle that Godde yerly gaff to England by werke of housbondry, receyvyng clothyng with bodily levyng, was not able to suffise the nomber of staplers, which than was encresed, that sought in the reame to have staple wolle, oon before a nother. Than begane the staplers to enhaunce the price of wolle, and oon to bye wolle before a nother, begane to giff rewarde to fermours and to ther wiffes to have wolle oon before a nother. By reson so many staplers daily encreasyng somoch, the more wolle sought they daily to bye, as no merchaunt can bye withowt merchaundisez, wher than, by meane of so many staplers occupieng so moche the more quantite of wolle, reysing the price of wolle, caused wolle to be the scarser and derer to the clothmakers. So the more staplers, that caridd the more staple wolle owt of the reame to Caleis, daily encreasyng the more quantite of wolle ther to selle, causid the lesse quantite of wolle remaynyng than in England to the use of the clothmakers. Yitt that tyme that begynnyng of distruccion of the reame was not espied, for than the first marte in the Loo countreis a this side Almaigne was holden in Brugge in Flaunders, when all nacions first resorted most comonly theder.
That tyme Londoners hadde full recourse theder and gate riches plentuously, before so great nomber of adventurers than was not encreased as after was and now is.
As all inordinate companyes made by mens wisdome, encreasyng into syngler weale, distroyeng comon weale, hath but a beeng and endyng for a certayn age, induryng swiche owt of a right contrary Goddes ordinancie cannot endure, like as no thyng under the sonne is of it self ever after but as vanyte.
At that tyme of kyng Edwarde Londoners beganne to pay costumes to the kyng by bryngyng straunge merchaundisez into the reame from the marte. That tyme Londoners scantly beganne first to adventure by south into Spayn. Crosby, that bilded his howse at Seynt Elens,¹ was ane of the first that ad- venturid into Spayn, so as upon a fourty four yere ago Spayn was callid a farre adventure, and abowt a thirty six yere agoo was first occupieng to Turkye, Scio, and to all thos partes, alle which now are cowntid but as comon recourses, every nacion owt goyng a nothyr, every to oversayle by yonde other to seke syngularite. In example whether alle merchaundisez syns that tyme is not bought more derly and therof made more scarsite, moch wurse now in England than afore tyme was for the wealthe of the comonaltie; to see how it was never well syns regions and reames hath so farr sought oon to distroye the recourse and ordinarily levyng of another.
To refourme the comon welth of all cristen reames lakkyth a right ordinary Emperour, which shuld take no righte of reames to be his right, but by the right wisdome of Godde shuld mynester the right that Godd to alle reames hath gevyn. Exemplum before Portyngale overseylid beyonde the equinoctiall to seke the rote wher spices growith, to bryng the encrease therof into his singularite, of all tyme past the encrease therof of Goddes gift was earned upon lande from hande to hande, from oon contrey to a nother and solde by ordinary recourse by wey of staples, wherby the merchaunts every hadde ordinary wynnyng oon by another ; Yhe, that tyme carryedd so long a wey in custodie from the staple at Venys thorowt Almaigne by marte into Flaunders, whan all reames bought it good chepe farre under the price that now is, for oon quarter of the value that now is, of many thynges not nede to reherse herin : notmegges for 6 or 7d. the pownde not 30ti yere agoo, and gynger for 7d., greyns for 6d., clowz for 16d., mace for 18d., synamond for 18d., suger 24d., long pepper 8d., saunders 10 or 11d., wher now it is to see, how the Portyngalez hath raised alle spices 3 parte more derer, to the hurtyng the comon weale of all remes, after the kynde of merchaunts; as oon 1 " CrosbyHall," the great hall of Sir John Crosby's house, built in 1466, was oneof the few buildings which escaped the Great Fire of 1666 andwas still standing in Bishopsgate at the beginning of the twentieth century. In 1907, theground being urgently neededforbusinesspremises, the Hallwas removed to its present site in Chelsea, on ground which was once the garden of Sir Thomas More, at one timea tenant of Crosby Hall.
merchaunt, to make hym self riche, care not to hurt all other, as [i.e. so] Portyngale for his singler weale hath distroyed the comon weale of gret nomber of peple by distroying the old recourse of spices, wherby every contry oon helpid another.
And therby in conclusion now to see, how all reames cristen is hurt therby, which now cannot be reformyd but by a right Emperour, that cannot mynester right to every reame in as moche as he takith the righte of so many reamys by fleshly lynke to be his right.
Now lett us goo to the staplers at Caleis ageyn, whan it was well in England, havyng no moo but so many as caried owt no more wolle and felles to the staple than they receyvid for it redy money or bullion in hande, which than was coyned ther and daily brought into England. Than was vitalles and money in England, and comon peple lyvyng the better by werke of husbondry; than alle the staplers of wolle and felles dwellid owt of London in the contreys abowt the reame,which occupied no straunge merchaundise, that with the money, that rose of ther wolle salez at Caleis, never returnid it into Englande in merchaundisez, but that tyme was coyned at Caleis so long tyme as abowt the later dayes of kyng Edward. So many staplers was encresid, for whose occupieng so moch the more staple wolle inEngland was encresid and brought to Caleis, that the Dowch tong perceyvid they shuld never lakk non, but have it soo plentuous, which causid theym to forsake to pay redy money and bullion at the staple to bye it for respite. By that meanes the mynt in Caleis desolvyd, and so was it ordenyd, that the Dowch tong with the staplers concludid to pay for wolle but a certayn money in hande at the staple, and the residew to be payde at dayes apoyntid at the marte in the Loo contreys after the mart at Brugge desolvyd, and other marte was made at Andwarpe and Barow and Myddelborow. Now take hedd after that conclusion a standard rate was made at Calis, how moche Flemysh money shuld make the sterlyng pownde, abowt 28 shilling Flemysh the pownde, after which rate the staplers recyvyd ther payments for ther wolle at the marte. Which staplers after that tyme never usid for ther wolle tobryng no money into England, as they didd before, but alwey patisid [i.e. practised] and covenauntid with the adventurers in London to delyver ther money, that rose of ther wolle sales, to theym by exchaunge. So begane the staplers and the adventurers for ther own singler profite to make ther exchaunge to geders in kepyng owt of the reame all such money as yerly shuld be brought into the reame for our riche comodites. So as the kynge of England and alle the lordes of therth, the rulers of the peple, never syns hath serchid nor seen, how the comon weale of the reame hath been distroyed, nor never thynking of such maters,but loke forward and nothyng behynd in tyme past. But always whan hurte of peple is spied, that such as are hurt of necessite compleyn, than rigour makyth acte, who that dothe such hurte and myschiefe ageyn to hav myschief for his reward, either payne, losse of godes ordeth. That is rigorous lawe of [?] after wich, ever after, mischief and hurte emonges the peple is wrought. The lordes in England hath ynow to doo to herken alwey to mischiefs doon in the reame dayly for lakk of a right order of lief in the holl comonaltie, but they never serche to the originall cause, to know what is the very rote of the holl nede, necessite and scarsite of the holl reame. Whan the Dowch tong hadd so aggred with the staplers of England to sett ther money at a certayn rate of 28 shilling the sterlyng pownde to pay so to the staplers at the marte, than ratid they ther money in ther contreys at the marte at hygher value, that rather than the staplers shuld carye ther money for ther wolle into England, they shuld gayn more profite to delyver it by exchaunge to adventurers of London for 8d. or 12d. lesse in the pownde to wyne soo moche by that exchaunge in everypownde, to receyve ther money after they come home or sende into England at ther day to receyve it in London. Which money the adventurers of London, receyvyng it at the marte of the staplers, bestowith it ther upon all straunge merchaundise and bryngith it over into England, wher before that tyme the staplers for ther wolle brought ther money into England so long as they sold ther wolle for redy money at the staple and kept a mynt ther. Now see another exchaunge, that the staplers than beganne to make with the adventurers in London. After such constitucion made ofwolle tobe sold for respite and the money therfor paid at marte, [and after wool] was sold at the staple by ther tyme of ages brought theder, the staplers in England apoyntid to receyve ther payments in such wise at marte, consideryng ther shyppyng of wolle in England, thought to wyne more by the age of ther wolle brought to Caleis, than to receyve ther money them self at the marte, to make it over first into England and afterward therwith to bye ther woll and so lose a shippyng, [and] hadd leverlose the profite of ther exchaunge beyonde see to receyve so moch money in London of the adventurer, therwith to bye wolle to save a shippyng and wyn so moche more money by the age of ther wolle at Caleis, and the adventurer therfor to receyve the money owyng to the stapler at the marte. Thus by theis two kyndes of exchaunges never was brought intoEngland no money for English wolle sold at the staple, after wollewas sold for respite in Flaunders, and by the exchaunge betwen the stapler and [the] merchaunt adventurer in London isdouble losse to the kyng and his lordes and the holl reame. For so doth the adventurer delyver his stokk of money to the stapler, which elles he shuld bestow upon clothes, that is the kynges comodites, therfor to pay the kynges costome by carieng it owt of the reame, wherof the kyng losith his costome. And that adventurer, so doyng make his exchaunge, goth over see with an empty hande, and receyvith the staplers money beyonde see and ther bestowith it upon straunge merchaundise and bryngith it into the reame, which elles by the stapler ought to be brought into the reame in redy money. In this wise begane the exchaunge betwen staplers and adventurers of London, after the wolle at Caleis was sold for respite. And by the said reason so moch wolle was sold that tyme to the townes in Holand and other contreys for respite, takyng ther town seales for sewertie, which by the werrs that Fredrik the Emperour that tyme made in Flaunders for Maximylian his sone, by destroyeng such townes and the peple in theym, the kynges staple lost great somes of money, that never after was hadd nor recovered, to the gret hynderaunce of the holl reame. And from that tyme to this tyme, by the same makyng of exchaunge the staplers and adventurers hathe kept owt of the reame all such money, gold and silver, which elles for wolle and cloth shuld yerly come into the reame. Over long processe herin to discribe, how they have distroyed the comon weale of the holl reame by the ignoraunce and sufferaunce of the kyng and of his lordes .
Alwey to see and consider, how the rote of most myschief hath ever bredd in London, wher as all staplers was first owt of London dwellyng abrode in the reame unto within sixty yeres agoo, that than the staplers toke into ther folish [sic] adventurers of London by redempcion. After they soo dydd, the adventurers, by ther occupieng of byeng all straunge merchaundise of the martes, hadd so moche the more advauntage over the staplers of the countrey, that in short processe of tyme begane to were owt all the staplers abrode in the reame. Now take hedde, after adventurers in London became to be staplers, all the staple wolle in the reame was not able to suffise theym. Than begane the rank myschyff and distruction of the holl reame to spryng and sprede owt of London duryng this fourty yers past and more . Than begane so many byers of wolle in all contreys callid broggers, and not staplers nor clothmakers, but such as gate it owt of pore mens hands and ferms to sell it to the staplers in London for coynne of money. Than began the price of wolle to rise so hygh more and more daily, that fermours, alwey metyng at marketts, as alle sorts mete like to like, oone heryng of another the highnes of the price of wolle so risyng, stodyed and devisid how to destroy mens werks of housbondry to encrese more wolle, therof to have the more plenty. So rose the price of wolle so hyghly, that in conclusion fermours, yhe, and gentilmen, began to putt ther erthe to idulness, makyng pasture to fede more shepe to encrease the more staple wolle, in so moch as they begane to serche and stody ther wisdome to accownt the gret profite that they myght wynne therby, serchyng owt the leyrs of the grownd wherin Godd gaff his gifft of fyne wolle, either fermours, that of the lordes cowd gete erth in ferme by leisz, or the lordes of the erthe theym selfes, perceyvyng such singularites, made ther accownts ; first accowntyng how moch money the yerly rent of a holle village or towne was worthe, wher goode leyir of wolle was, which rent per adventure past not a 40 or 50 pownde by yere, wherupon a 400 peple hadde labours and lyvyng by werks of housbondry, daily encresyng bredyng and bryngyng forth of plenty of corn and catall with ther bodily labours, every with other lyvyng owt of nede and necessite, and over that paid the yerly rent to the lord truly, and lyvid in forme of Crist, as members of his body shuld live in a holy chirch in cure of mystery of his holy spirit, mynestrid by a persone havyng cure over sole and body. Upon such serche of the yerly rent of such villages and townes accowntid, how many acres within the precinct therof and how great nomber of shepe it was able to fede, being made idull and put to pasture, and how moche wolle thos shepe wolde yerly encrease, and how moch money that wolle was worth after so hygh price reisid, that in conclusion they fownd soo gret yerly profits by the encreaseng of wolle more than by occupieng the erth with the werks of husbondry for the meyntenaunce of comon peple, that causid them for ther own singler weale to breke down all the howsis and howsholdes, puttyng the dwellers owt from ther labours and levyng to seke ther lyvyng as in wildernes wanderyngby beggyng and stelyng, or otherwise to gete ther mete wher they can. Andthe curats of all such villages and townes, not consederyng the worde of God, how all peple shulde werke to receyve ther levyngs of Godds gift in right order-as Adam was first putt into paradise, that he shuld werke ; and Poule saith : who will not werke, that he ete not ; and he saith :
every man shuld werke in pece to ete his own mete, that no man shuld ete awey his neighbours mete, but werk to deserve his own mete, before he ete it, and that no man for his mete shuld distroy the werks of Godd-alle theis texts of Goddes wordes the curats never oons serchid nor remembrid nor never ledd ther peple to such cure, but for their tyme wer contentid to take of the lorde of the soile as moch yerly, as he was able to reise clerly over all charges of his offis mynestrid in his cure, to putt that in his persone and bere a hawk on his fist and a spaynyall teyd tohis taile or a little biche to hunt the wall, and lett alle his shepe ronne astray and seke ther lyvyng wher they lustid, to eteup everymans corne, what so ever myschief shuld chaunce theym carid not. Now see, what myschief all such pasturers of shepe wrought to encrease more staple wolle than God ordenyd, what dewlish wisdome rotid in theym, they wrought ageynst Goddes ordinaunce in that his worde saithe : Anima plus quam corpus et corpus plus quam vestimentum. For the lesse profite they distroyd the more; for singler lucre, by encresyng wolle for clothyng, they distroyd bodily levyng, and by distroyng the lyvyng of the body causid the peple of necessite to seke theyr lyvyng to the distruccion of ther solles; and what other examples are to see, how they have wrought to distroy the ordinaunce of Godde and his werkes, for oon thyng hath distroyed another! What wikkyd dewlish bestes are they, that may see how Godd made all thynges by his wisdome, and if Godd haddforesene and thought it more wisdome to have gevyn his speciall giftes of fynes and goodness of staple wolle to any moo places of the erth in England, than to thos to which he at the first begynnyng ordenyd and made, he myght as well have made all the erth in England to yeld staple wolle as thos certayn places whych he ordenyd. What wretchis are thos, that for theyr own syngler weale werkith ageynst Goddes wille and ordinaunce, to distroy the comon weale of the holl reame.
Many folish erronyous opynyons and arguments hathe bene and is emonges wikkyd peple. Some saith : so moch wolle in England hathe bene more than nede, that for the comon weale, [it] is said, it hathe bene buruyd. Staplers now a daies to show ther myschief to be profitable to the reame saith : if they caried not so moche wolle owt of the reame, elles it shuld be lost, not able to drape it. They say also: that Spanysh wolle is so encresid to fynes, goodness and so great plenty, that withowt they holp to sell our English wolle, elles non other reame shuld have nede to bye it in England. And further they say and hold an opynyon, that by carieng certayn shepe owt of England into Spayn by kyng Edwardes dayes, that by the bodyes of the shepe then robbid England of our speciall gift of fynes and goodnes of our staple wolle. With such vayn void resons they fill mens wittes. But the trouth is to see, how Godd gaff that speciall gift of fynes of goode wolle in the erthe, before sonne, moone, and sters and beforeman was made,which gift comyth of Godd from above man. This is over mens wisdome and power of this worlde to robbe England of that gift ; God the geverand all his ordinary mynesters of the gift in hevyn is evyn like now as ever hath ben in like force and effect. In exemplum , to see in England, wherin oon ayre, heyt and temperaunce is, the shepe fedyng on the erthe, wher is a fyne leyre of staple woll; within a myle or two is a corse leyre of heyry wolle ; to shere of the wolle of the shepe of bothe leyr and chaunge the shepe, puttyng either sort of the shepe on others leyre, ther next flesh of ther wolle shall grow after the gift of the leyr. So as the removyng of the shepe removith no part of Goddes gift gevyn into the erthe. No, nor if the very erbe, wherby the shepe receyve ther fedyng, shuld be paryd up by the rotes and chaunged either to the others leyre, the erbe is no mater, wherby to remove Goddes speciall gift of fynes and goodnes of wolle in the erthe. So as all speciall gift of rich comodites, that Godd first gaff into the erth in every reame to oon reame, that another hath not, to the entent that every reame shuld be able to liff of Goddes gift, oon to be help to another to be an occasion oon to live by another, all such gifts Godd by his spirit inthe first day of everlastyng light gaff theym into the erthe, before makyng lights of this world, sonne, moone and sters, in as moche as it is to see how they are but the mynesters of thos gifts. Like as Godd ordenyd all men to werke [for] the meate, that the sone of man shall gyve us, whom Godd the father hath sealid, so is the sonne the greate brode seale of Goddes rightwisnes, wherby Godd by the sonne in his office contynually and dayly ledethe all erthly bodyes to werke, goyng from the este to the west, and in his other office from the south to all and to every reame, region and countrey, his gift every yere, which Godd in the first begynnyng gaff into erthe. Which gyft is over and above mans compas by no mans power nor wisdome oon reame to robbe another of all suche giftes, as Godd by the office of sone of man gevyth to all men. Inexemplum, elles every reame hadd robbid another or this day: England havyng the fynest woll, if it had wolle oyles, that Godd hath gevyn to Spayn and other contreys, than wolde England sette nought be Spayn. It is to see, how every reame hath serchid to robbe oon another. England hath geten owt of 7* Spayn and other contreys the roth and fruyts of olives, figges, almonds, dates and orynges and such other thyngs, andhath sette and plantid theym in the erth in England, which hath brought forth to bodyly stokk and braunchis and levys by the risyng of the sonne in the spryng of the yere. But whan the sonne comyth to the mystery of his gift at mydsomer, beholdyng England soo willyng to robbe Spayn to gete from it Goddes gifts, the sonne turnyth from the northe towards the southe and will not giff no vertu of good to non of the comodites of Spayn, soo removid into England, nother ripnes, swetnes, strength in operacion, nor no propertie that shuld help and encrease England to the hurt and hynderaunce of Spayn. So evident to see, how the office of the sonne is not only to mynester alle the gifts of Godd yerly to every reame, region or contrey on the erthe accordyng like as Godd in the first begynnyng gaff it, but also the sonne by his office holdith and kepith every reame and contrey in his own right, that noo oon robbe nor hurte another. What a lorde is Godd, that so rightwisly mynesterith right to all reames and contreis rownd abowt all the holl erthe by his oonly oon great brode seale of his law of sone of man, gevyng mete for bodily levyng to all men in this world, as in John VIº : Operamini cibum, quem filius hominis dabit vobis ; hunc enim pater signavit, etc. What a wisdome is of erthly kynges, that in oon litle reame, which is but as a howse in comparison of the kyngdom of sone of man, that in so litle quantite cannot giff to every man right and kepe every man in his right by oon ordinary hedd-seale, but for a sory cotage of a noble rent by yere must have many writyngs and many sealis, and therby can nother see nor know how to have right clerly nor suerly. So false is mens wisdome and policy.
It may well be said : in England is no right order, wher all and every man sekith the policy ageynst the ordynaunce of Godd, oon to robbe another in distroyng the holl welth of the reame, to see how the pastures of shepe do encrease so great quantite of wolle to suffice the inordinat nomber of staplers in the reame, which within a sixty yers hath distroyed a 400 or 500 villages in the myddell parts of the body of the reame. A mervelous sight to see, England for lakke of the lyvely grace of Godd lyveth like as a beste, which beeng woundyd, of the sore greff and smert the members hath sensible felyng, but of the cause therof they have no descrivyng. So the pore wrechid bestly membris of the body of the reame, every meting with other in company, compleynyth of ther sore greff of nede and necessite of vitalls, clothyng and money. They sensibly fele scarsite, so lyvyng in mysery. But they know not the cause therof, which causith theym to murmur and grudge daily, redy to doo any myschief, if they thought it myght be any remedy. Such mysorder in the reame is not convynyent in the body of a kyng[dom] . An exemplum is to see, how within a sixty vers, that Londoners hath become staplers, oon stapler in London hath distroyd the labours and levyng of 4000 or 5000 comen peple and hath distroyd the plenty of vitall of the holl reame, wher Goddhath ordenyd by his gift that comon peple shuld werk to receyve no more staple wolle yerly, than of those shepe to the whichGodd gevith lieff on such leyrs wher staple wolle are, to be therupon bredd and brought up by werke of husbondry. So as all peple shuld werke the erthe to receyve both mete for bodily levyng and clothyng togeders, not for clothyng to distroy bodily levyng, for the lesse to distroy the more. That wisdome is of the devilis depe witt owt of the depist risyng. But so they have distroyd villages and the labours and lyvyng of comen peple. Some oon pasturer of shepe for his own singularite hath distroyedd howsis and howsholdes and labours and levyngs of 1000 or 1200 or 1400 peple, and after the erth in villages so putt to idulnes and pasture hath hadd no shepe of that bredyng therupontohave fedyng but to ete the gresse. To encrease wolle hath alwey usid to bye the shepe [from] alle heyry corse leyrs in Walys and other owtbredyng and bryng theym to the good leyrs, wher ther corse wolle chaungith to staple wolle, but not so pure fyne wolle like as in old tyme it was receyvidby werks of housbondry. Forasmoch as the speciall gift therof is in the erthe, therfor the shepe to receyve that gift offynes and godnes therof must nedes fede of the leyres of the erthe, like as in old tyme the erth was wrought and openyd by tillage, that the shepe myght fede of the inward leyre of the erth and therupon nyghtly lay and was foldydd. Than receyvid the shep ther naturall fedyng of the leyre of fyne staple wolle, evyn like Godd first gaff it. So as than was it pure fyne woll, oon pownd worth two now, becausethe erthe is now putt to idulnes to bryng forth rank, foggye, wild gresse, wherupon the shepe of the hyghest of the gresse receyvith ther fedyng, so receyve they rank, wild heyry wolle, in that they cannot come to the leyr of therthe, owt therof to receyve the gift of Godd.
So is the gift of fyne wolle yerly lost to the great hurt and sclander of the reame, that is the cause that now of late years peple comonly reportith : Spaynysh woll is almost as good as English woll, which may well be soo, by that Spayn hath housbondid ther wolle frome wurse to better, and England from better to wurse, which must nedes cause theym the nygher to accorde to oon godnes. Yitt can they not be lyke by Goddes ordinaunce. English wolle hath staple and Spaynysh wolle hath no staple. So as Spayn hath assayed all the meanes to cause ther wolle to have staple, washyng ther woll upon the shepe before sheryng, and washyng it after sheryng, can have no staple by Goddes own ordinaunce, albeit Spayn hath bettrid ther wolle by shiftyng of leirs and by housbondry, and within a fifty yers hath encreasid so moche wolle, which by a staple holden in Brugge in Flaunders sellyng six tymes more now than of old tyme, that it is drapid withEnglish wolle in Flaunders and all the Loo contreis so plentifully settyng ther comon peple to werke and English peple to liffidully. English wolle myxid with Spaynysh wolle makyth soo great quantite of clothe that distroyth the sale of all English cloth, so as all that English merchaunts doth with the comodites of the reame is to the distruction of all comon peple. And an example is to see: the wolles of Spayn are of such kynds withowt the wolles of England be myxed with, it can make no clothe of it selffor no durable weryng, to be nother reisid nor dressid,by cause it hath no staple. Spaynysh wolls are of diversite ofleyrs of fynes and corsnes of the heyres. Some will make clothe of fyne drapyng worthe a 12 shilling or a marc ayarde with laboure, albeit it shall have no staple in the weiryng like English clothe. In short tyme the wolle shall were awey unto the likness of worstedd, notwithstanding the fynes and goodnes of English wolls thus distroyed by reason ofdistroyng housbondry with the labours and levyng of comon peple.
Only for the singler lucre of the pasturers of the shepe they have distroyed the comon weale to encrease so moche quantite of staple wolls to susteyn the staplers latly risen in London, which now hathe distroyd alle other staplers in the holl reame. To see the customable usage of pasturers of shepe, that alwey to store ther pastures hathe usid to remove all the store of the owtbredyng of shepe in Wales and other places to ther staple leyrs, to encrease staple wolle. Which shepe, so removid from ther fedyng on the hygh mowntayns and hilles in Wales to the rank fedyng on the leyrs of staple wolle, hath so rottid and distroyd the store of the shepe of the holl reame of so long tyme usid, that the pasturers by experience can make ther rekonyng of alle sorts of shepe of diversites of therbredyng, how long every sort shall liff on ther grownds, forcyng no thyng of the rottyng of ther bodyes, because the price of the wolle are now as moche more as in the old tyme. Therfor, if the pasturers may have a two or three flesis of the woll and the felles, they force not of the bodyes, but when the rott comyth, in as short a tyme as they can sell theym to brochers for little more than the felles are wurthe, rather so to ridd theym, in such wise as the great nomber of rottyn shepe hathe ben eten in England, which in old tyme was wont to ete on ther own bredyng and lyvid in helth ther full age, brought thorowt the reame by faires and markets to sell for 16 d. a weder, that now is worthe 4 shilling, and than twenty shepe for oon now, and than more sweter muttons, which on heyry leyrs are swetter than on fyne leyrs. Thus the idulnes of the erth and the ranke gresse hathe bothe distroyd the fynes ofthe wolls and rottid the shepe, that some oon pasturer losith a 12000 or 16000 shepe in oon yere and alwey storith his pastures agayn with owtward breding. So as some yere a 1000 shepe is rottid in England, that was wont to be eten for the vittallyng of all comon peple in the reame, that no marvell is of scarsite of vitall. And in so moche as beff and mutton is made scarse, all other vitalle must nedes be scarse .
What a myschief dothe every oon of such pasturers werke in the reame, in oon village to distroy the labours and levyng of a 400 or 500 of comen peple, and all the bredyng and encresyng of corn and catalls therin and in distroyng so many shepe, as from ther own grownds are brought to all such grownds, wher no man is fedd of the gresse that Godd yerly gyvith theim, and all the gresse, wher all suche shepe shuld ete on ther own grownds wher they werr bredd, yerly rottith on the grownds ther, wher no catall is, like as was in old tyme, to ete it. So is almost the half of the sustynaunce of the holl reame distroyd, which Godd givith is not receyvid of his gift, but byers and sellers by such polycy werkyth to receyve ther levyng by the robbyng and destroyng of the holl comonaltie. And all this myschieff of the pasturers is wrought to encrese staple wolle to susteyn the inordinate nomber of staplers ; as ther can be no theffes withowt receyvours, so as in reformyng staplers shall reforme pasturers. An exemplum is to see how some oon stapler is the causer of the distruction of a 4000 or 5000 comon peples levyng. Oon stapler in London will occupie as moche wolle as is encreasid owt of the distruction of 4 or 5 villages, wher a 1400 or 1500 peple hathe hadde labours and levynge, and that wolle carried owt of the reame to the hyndryng of as many, which elles shuld drape it, and to help so many in other contreys. And all the money that ryseth of the sales of the same wolle beyend see is ther bestowid upon artificiall thynges brought into England, which distroyeth as many mens labours and levyng, which elles shuld make it here, the kyng and his lords no thyng consideryng that myschief, which pore artificiall peple hathe ben therewith sorely grevid and therupon hath compleynyd withowt remedy, Always whan handcraftymenhath compleynyd upon Londoners that are adventurers, which hath brought all wares into England of the occupacions sleytly made for little price, wher with they have fillid full the holl reame to pore handycrafts mens distructions, merchaunts alwey causith the kyng and his lords beleve, they do it for the welth of the reame, reportyng, English men cannot make it so goode chepe and will not werke, but giff ther bodyes to slouthe, etyng and drynkyng, and so blaspheme ther own naturallneighbours ; and theym self beeng the causers, that all artificiall peple in London and elles wher in England now cannot make artificialite so good chepe as in old tyme, in as moch as they, like as afore sayd, hath distroyd ther plenty of bodyly lyvyng, and also they have usid to bryng so great abundaunce of all artificiall thyngs into England so sleytly made for so litle money, distroyng all artificers, that no man can use exarcise or actyvite of artificialite approvid. If any English manwold stody to devise and invent any new artificiall thynges, Londoners incontynent is ever redy to destroy it. Abowt a fourteen yers past was but a sleyt fantasy devised in Kent of makyng the first bedys with the pater noster holow like muske balles, made of boxe, which in a short tyme susteynyd a 30 or 40men, that made theym and sold theym to Londoners, wherby all parties which occupied theym gate lyvyng oon with another, unto [i.e. until] ahaburdasher, thatcarried asample intoFlaunders and ther causid a gret abundaunce of theym to be made by yong prenters used in all such actyvite ther, and brought theym into England, to the distruction of the seid artificers here. Thus adventurers hath usid by bryngyng of straunge artificialite owt of Flaunders to distroy all artificialite in England, wherby the kyng and his lords are made scarse of money, not consideryng ther welth nor the welth of the holl reame. The holl welthe of the reame is for all our riche comodites to gete owt of all other reamys therfore redy money; and after the money is brought in to the holl reame, so shall all peple in the reame be made riche therwith. And after it is in the reame, better it were to pay 6 d. for any thyng made in the reame than to paybut 4 d. for a thyng made owt of the reame, for that 6 d. is owres so spent in the reame and the 4 d. spent owt of the reame is lost and not ours. If a right order of a comon weale may be said inEngland to have vitall as plentifull as in old tyme, arti- ficialite to be meyntenyd shall cause as good chepe artificialite as in other reames and moche more substanciall.
It shall be the gret welth to the kyng and all his lords to sett as moche peple as canbe to artificialite, for as moch as they labour and werke all for money, that ther money may alwey ronne owt of ther hands in to the hands of such as occupieth housbondry for ther mete and drynk, which money shuld so ronne owt of the housbonds hands into the hands of the kyng and of his lords of the erth; as it is convenyent for lords to have plenty both of vitalle and of money, which Londoners hath distroyd ; and yet the lords discrivyth not ther own hynderaunce and losse.
The bredyng of so many merchaunts in London, rison owt of pore mens sonnes, hath ben a mervelous distruction to the holl reame, wher first worshipfull men bownd ther yong children to be merchaunts in London, unto so many were bownd prentisses, that ther masters wold never giff theym no wages, after they cam owt of ther termes, and than, havyng no frends to giff theym nor lend theym a stokke of redy money to occupie their occираcion (that is ther instrument to occupie byeng and sellyng of merchaundise) nor havyng no handy crafte, wherby to gete ther levyng, with no instruments on hande, must nedes lose all ther tyme of prentishod and their yougth, than to seke theym some other lyvyng, to be a servytour by some other meane, or elles to seke to bye merchaundises for respite to gete a stokke to begyn with by such meanes. So wer all yong merchaunts, comyng owt of ther prentishod and cowd have no wages of ther masters, compellid to borow clothes of clothe makers for respite, and caried the same clothes to the marts beyende see to sell, and ther must nedes sell theym, and the money to bestow it on wares to bryng home to sell, to make money to pay ther creditors at ther dayes. So abowt a fifty yers agoo such yong merchaunts begane to encrease in nomber, that bought so many clothes of clothmakers for respit and sold theym in Flaunders at the martes of goode chepe to make retorn to pay ther creditours, that in short tyme they distroyed the price of wollen clothes, causyng all the old merchaunts to fall from byeng and sellyng clothes. The old merchaunts by encreasyng so many yong merchaunts by ther defawt never wold ordeyn non other remedy to help the yong men from such nede to distroy the sale of clothe, to take fewer prentises and to gifftheym wages, or by some other meane to make order that non shuld be bownden prentis to be merchaunts by [sic, ?but] such worshipful mens sonnes as wer able to giff theym substaunce to bye and sell withowt nede of suche borowyng for dayes. But all ther masters, the olde merchaunts, dispitfully wold defame such yong merchaunts, sayng, they wold be merchaunts but for a little while, so to hurt ther credence rather to undo them than help theym. And all straunge merchaunts inFlaunders, perceyvyng the necessite of the seid yong merchaunts, sought the weys daily how to bye ther clothis good chepe. Than began old merchaunts to forsake occupieng of clothes to occupie ther money by exchaunge, which is not only pleyn usary, but also it hath and yitt doth helpe to distroye the welth of the kyng, of his lords and comons, for that occupieng hynderith the reame bothe weys outward and inward. In exemplum, the exchaunger outward sekith either the stapler or straunger that hath any money beyend see payable, and lakkith money here in England to be fayne to take money to his losse, for an English noble to giff a 4 or 5 d. the more for a five or six wekes respit to be paid ageyn at the mart of Flaunders. So dothe such exchaungers never bestowe ther money upon no English clothe nor other thyngs, wherby to wyne money as upon merchaundise owtward, to pay any custome to the kyngs profite or for any profite of the reame, but only to wyne lucre as upon the loone and forberyng of his money. After which money so receyvid agayn in Flaunders with the gayn therof, [he] sekith owt adventurers of London, who will receyve that money agayn to bestowe it upon straunge merchaundisez, to bryng it in to England, and for the loone of every noble to giff as moche wynyng to the exchaunger ageyn. In such wise, rich old merchaunts, many men, seeng the price of clothe and the daunger and trouble ofbyeng strange merchaundises is so casuall, for a more ease and lesse labour they thus occupie ther money by exchaunge, wynnyng profite bothe inward and owtward, which is pleyne usary. Albeit they say, it is non usary, by reason they say, they putt thermoney in adventure; which adventure is not upon the see nor otherwise, but like as usary is accowntid usary to wyne profite by lendyng of money, seeng every such exchaunge for any some of money so lent by the name of exchaunge hath two billes obligatory for payment therof. Oon bill is to cary it over the see, wherby to receyve such money ageyn beyend see at the marts, and that other bill the exchanger kepith it for his sewertie in England to be sewer, if that other first bill shuld chaunce to be lost by adventure over the see ; so as no colour of excuse can be made of puttyng such money in adventure, but as money lent by very kynd of usary havyng fewer bonds obligatory therefore.
Now to shew more of the said yong merchaunts, so many usid to borow clothes of clothe makers for respite duryng a fourteen or fifteen yers, in which tyme many of theym ranne awey to sayntwaries and other places, by lossis and lendyng not able to pay for theyr clothes, wher than clothe makers wold no longer trust to theym, but sought to sell ther clothes rather for money and wares to be poned in hand. Than begane clothe makers abowt a thirty six yers agoo to proferre ther clothes to Esterlyngs in the Stiliard, whiche afore that tyme bought all ther clothes of merchaunts within the citie, by whome many citizens hadd gret gaynes, and never sought to bye ther clothes of clothe makers. For a sixty yers agoo old merchaunts bought all ther clothes of cloth makers in the contrey by the holl sortes in pakkes brought home to ther howsis in carts and inwayns, whanthan all sailyng clothes came never to Blakwell Hall to no Esterlyngs handes. But after clothmakers cowd not sell ther clothes nother to old merchaunts nor to yong merchaunts for ther suertie nor profite, that causid theym this thirty yere and more to proferre theym to sell to the Esterlyngs, so as the Esterlyngs syns that tyme hathe hadde clothes at ther pleasure for respite, that many of theym hath ronne awey with gret stokkes so borowid of clothe makers, soome oon with a 3000 or 4000 pownde, and all for lakke of a right order, that English clothes are not sold to all straungers by wey of a staple for the comon weale of the holl reame. Yhe, and what a more myschieff hath such lendyng of clothe to the Esterlyngs causid yerly, wher in old tyme they brought great abundaunce of gold and silver in to the reame, now this many yers bryng they non.
To understand, ther are two Haunces of the Esterlyngs. Oon is the olde Haunce of the Sprusyners, that owt of the cold contreys in the este parties, wher is frost and snow on eight monthis in the yere. They come but oons in the yere, bryngyng ther nedfull comodites for England : pitche, tarre, bowstavis, wex, flesh, and such other. And what they hadd nede of more wollen clothe than England hadd nede of ther comodites, therfor they wer wont to bryng gold and silver uncoyned, wherof the name of sterlyng silver rose. But, to understand, that other Haunce is oftheEsterlyngmerchaunts of the Hansteddes in Almayn. They doEngland moche hurt, as they be so sufferd, wer wont to bryng most gold and Suasburgh logges of silver into England. They carye owt of England clothes great quantite all the tymes in the yere. And comonly they will non bye but white only, spone, weyvid and fullid withowt any other werkmanship, wherwith they sett ther own peple to werk. And wher they have no comodites of Almayn to bryng into England for all such clothes, for which they wer wont to bryng great plenty of gold and silver, they have usid more than thirty yers for ther clothes to bryng over all maner straunge aliaunt merchaundisez of all contreys : wode of Spayne, alyme of Ytaly, mader of Flaunders, yhe, and silke, lynyn clothe and all other merchaundisez from the marts in Flaunders, to delyver to clothe makers for clothes and to sell to Londoners to pay clothemakers, so as they never bryng no more gold and silver into the reame. So is England in such maner alwey stuffid, storid and pesterid so full of straunge merchaundise, that as well English merchaunts and Esterlyngs hathe sousid the clothmakers to giff mony and wares for clothes, that clothmakers so takyng wares hathe pesterid all pore comon peple with wares and litle money, that litle money is to be fownd in the holl reame, which must nedes cause litle store of money to the use of the kyng and of his lords.
Evyn like as cloth makers are usid, evyn like wise use they ther pore artificers, saying to ther spynners, carders, weyvers, fullers, shermen and other : if they will have any werke, therfore they must take both wares and money, as lynnen cloth and canvas for kerchews, smokks and such other necessaryes, and dubletts and jakkett clothes, and all such other straunge wares for ther apparell, very scant for all pore peple to gete money to pay ther lords rents. It is over long to describe the myschief that merchaunts werkth thorowt the reame by bryngyng such quantite of strange merchaundise and artificiall fantasies brought into the reame, that causith so great nomber of idull peple to fall to byeng and sellyng therof, so many pedlars and chapmen, that from fair to fair, from markett to markett, carieth it to sell in horspakks and fote pakks, in basketts and budgetts, sitting on holydays and sondais in chirche porchis and in abbeys dayly to sell all such trifells, wherby all straungers in other reames hath werk, and English men hath non, which in a right order myght make all kynde of artificialite nedfull to suffise the holl reame.
All nacions sittyng in the contreys deviseth fantasies to make English men foles to gete the riches owt of the reme, in experience as well French men and other, that in London shewith ware howsis full of trifell sold and bought for a hundred pownde; if the werkmanship of makyng therof takyn awey, the very substance beside the werk is not worth a hundred shilling, but boones, hornes, sakkes, ledder peces, heres, papers, erthyn potts, botells, glassis, and such other trifells; yhe, and daily carieth owt ofEngland old shoes, hornes and bones, and bryngith it into the reame ageyn made in to fantasies, wherby they gete the riches owt of the reme, and not therfore take clothe nor English comodites, but sekith to have rialles, angels and other fyne gold easy to cary and to have therby wynnyng, by reason it is so reisid into hygh price in other reames, specially in Fraunce. What shall we say of all straungers, that it is petie so to suffer theym to bryng all such straunge merchaundise in, to the hurtyng the comon weale of the reame ? To make act by our lawz to bynde theym from so doyng, that wer nother wisdome nor honour to the reame, by owr lawz to rule straungers and putt theym to inconvenyence, to cause theym to reporte yll of the reame. It were more wisdome and honour to ponyssh our own nacion of English merchaunts, that daily stodyeth every oon to distroy the labour and lyvyng of all theyr neighbours. So as they may wynne any riches by byeng all such straunge merchaundize withowt the reame and within the reame, so as they may gete any wynnyng therby, they care not to distroy the welth of the kyng, of his lords and of all the holl reame. In exemplum, if English men were bownd to a right order, no straungers wer able to hurt England. All straunge merchaunts aught to come and goo free beyng [sic, buying] what they list. What defawt aught to be putt to theym, bryngyng owt [i.e. aught] in to the reame that myght hurt the comen weale ? if English men wold not bye it and receyve it to sell it in the reame elles cowd not hurt.
London to this day hath lyvid at suche a libertie withowt any good order of comenweale,bywhose occupieng allEngland is brought into nede and necessite. The insurreccion onMay day beganne evyn by the inordinat meane of Londoners and not of straungers, but by adventurers andby byers and sellers ofall artificialite, wherby all porehandycraft [men] are brought into nede and necessite. Before May day pore handy craft peple, which that wer wont to kepe shoppes and servaunts, and hadd labour and levyng by makyng pyns, poynts, girdells, glovis, and all such other thyngs necessary for comen peple, hadd therof sale and profits daily, unto a thirty yere agoo a sorte beganne to occupie to bye and selle alle soche handycraft wares, callid haburdashers, otherwise callid hardware men, that a fourty yere agoo was not four or five shopes in London, wher now every stret is full of theym; which sellith all fantasies and trifell, in distroyeng all handy craft, wherby many riche men is reson upon that distruction of the pore peple. Which before May day pore peple perceyvid theym self, havyng no lyvyng, and wer bownd prentissis in London, not able to kepe no howsis nor shops, but in allis sittyng in a pore chamber, workyng all the weke to sell his ware, on the Saturday brought it to the haburdasshers to sell, to such as use the sale therof, which wold not giff theym so moche wynnyng for theyr wares to fynde theyr mete and drynk, sayng, they hadd no nede therof, ther shopps lay storydd full of byend see ; markyng, thanbeganne pore artificers to murmur and grudge daily, cursyng for bryngyng such thyngs into the reame. Such haburdashers adventurers shewid to the pore peple, it was not they that brought so moche in to the reame, but straungers, that brought it over and lay inthe citie thorowt the yere and solde it to all haburdashers, as in very deede French men and Flemyngs ever kepith warehowsis and selers at the water side of all such haburdash wares and sellith it to theym at all tymes thorowt the yere. A warehowse with stuffes, estemyd worth a hundred pownde, the werkmanship therof accowntid by it self, all the substance wherof it is made not worth ahundred shilling, but trifells aforesaid. So the pore artificers in London,being distroydby occupieng into Flaunders, aswell fullers, shermen and all other, murmuryd and grudgid, that so putt into ther heddys straungers was the cause therof, sobegane they to rise upon straungers, Which insurrection, ifthe Cardinall hadd not incontinent subdewid it, the rightwisnes ofGodd elles hadd wrought that suche as hadd robbid the pore peple in the reme was likely to have ben robbid theym self. London hath cause to pray to Godd, that it may be reformyd in such wise, that Godd take not vengeaunce upon, that it hath distroyed the holl reame. London is now in condicion, that all the peple therein are merchaunts; so as no man therin can liff with bodily werke to gete his mete, but universally stodieth daily how to gete lyvyng oon from another by borowyng in wey ofbyeng and sellyng, covetous and falsehode ever werkyng oon to begile another. So many brokers that sekith bargayns by wey of chevisaunce over long herin to write; how many weys peple in the citie inventith oon to disceyve another; all pore peple, whiche by handycraft can have no lyvyng, of necessite fallyng to byeng and sellyng of wynes in cellers and blynd lanes, and kepyng alehowsis, sellyng vitall, sowse poddyngs, eggs, butter, cheese, and other thyngs ; over grett mervel to see, how all the citie is soo full of alehowsis, vitallyng howsis, sellers and taverns, full of resort of idull riotous peple, usyng inordinat companyes of hawnts of harlotts, and norishyng such mysorder, that comonly the usage and costance is of owtward famyliarite, every man to desire another to make mery in all such howsis of ryott. For lakke that pore peple hath noo labour and levyng by handy craft causith all such inordinate rule. If all peple may have labour and levyng well and besyly occupied, shuld cause moche more quietnes in London and thorowt all the reame .
If a wise, discrete cowncellor of the kyng by his gracious auctorite and comaundement wold take uponhym to reforme the citieofLondon, thatallcomonpepletherin myghthave labour and levyng in a right order to liff owt of necessite, [he] shuld doo the most hyghest pleasure and help to the spiritualtie of England thatmaybe. The spir[it]ualitieknowithnot theymselfwhat shuld be ther helpe, therfor they strive with rigorous means to rule the comonaltie, havyng nede to be ware of ther malice and enmite. No thyng can help the spiritualtie, but tohelp to rule comon peple with charite. Blessid may that cowncellor be, that will soo cowncell theym to suffer the peple to liff in Goddes peaceand the kyng in rest and quietnes, and help to support and indyten hym that will help all comon peple in England to liff owt of nede and necessite. For dowtles, the very necessite inallpeple causith theym to have grudge and envy ageynst the spiritualtie, seeing the welth of the holl reame so distroyed, wherin all comon peple is in such nede, and the spiritualtie in so great welthe, causyng all peple to grudge ageynst theym.
And so rigorously to handle theym causith theym thynk the spiritualtie hateth theym, soo engendryng such malice between theym, that wisdom is to help such an amyte, for all men to liff togeders in charite. For that entent most wisdome is for the spiritualtie to help all peple to liff owt of necessite. In ex- emplum, if all peple wer owt of nede, shuld not nede to grudge ageynst the spiritualtie, if they hadd more riches than they have ; wher so having riches and all other peple in povertie, that must nedes prikke theym, and to handle theym with hatrid so rigorouslymust nedes much more greve theym.
If such a right order may be wrought to help all peple to have labour and levyng quyetly to liff owt of necessite, all the holl reame shuld so liff in peace and quyetnes; and if comon peple myght see the spiritualtie werke besily for that entent, [they] shuld sewerly order in London between the bryngyng in of gold and silver into the reame by straungers for byeng clothes, and the clothmakers that was wont to receyve it for ther clothes and alwey distributid it thorowt the reame. London betwen bothe by ther fredom in the citie will never suffer straungers and cloth- makers bye and sell togeders for no redy money. But they first bye the clothe of clothmakers, therfore gyvyng both wares and money, and after that so sellith it ageyn for wynnyng, taking therfor of straungers bothe wares and money,that now all men[s] occupieng is turnyd into wares and no money. And if all the clothe inEngland myght be made of trew wolle, sewerly wrought, and made in to clothes and sold by record of a staple seale to witnes the sewer makyng therof thorowt all reames, and that dyvers shew dayes of the market may [be] ordenyd fre for all straungers to by clothes of the clothmakers to giff redy money for theym, like as in old tyme, so wold the straungers in all reames putt redymoney in to the[ir] purses, bowgetts and casketts to bryng into England to bye wollen clothe sewrly made and good chepe. To see what inconvenyence and myschief is wroght for that no staple of clothe is in England, all the Dowch tong, havyng our English wolle at ther pleasure, with Spaynysh wolle doth drape great quantite of cloth, which they sell in hurtyng the sale of English cloth, of which two wolles makith such cloth that will tak a shynyng glosse with forcibly pressing, plesaunt to the jie, by cause the Spaynysh heyry woll [will] kepe the pressyng, wher English woll of fyne staple will not. And that cloth is thykk and stuffy in the hand to seme fast made clothe, and will not be stretchid owt longer than the length of it self upon no teynters, but rather it will rent in sondry, havyng no staple cannot ratche. So they accownt ther clothes sewerly made to provyde ther own werkmen settyng besyly to werke. And our English clothes of staple woll, which will ratche, they use daily in Andwarpe and other townes to stratch theym upon teynters four or five yards longer in every pece owt, only to wyne so moch by the mesure of theym, sellyng theym in to Almayn, but also sclaunderyng English clothes to the pryse of ther clothes, sayng to Almayns, so disceyvid by theym, that English men do falsly make theym, reporting English wolle to be the best wolle, and the wurst makers of clothes and falsist that canbe.
All which myschief and sclaunders is for lakke of a staple and right order not hadd for no comon weale. No man in England never seketh for no comon weale, but all and every for his singler weale. By the wisdome of Adams fall, under the sone no mans wisdome attaynyth unto Goddes wisdome, no mans right is meiten nor measured by Goddes right, that is the standard right of all comon weale. That shuld be the kynges hedd right, like as the hedd right of every oon man. What other right hath Godd putt into the hedd of every oon man, but only the right of comon weale of all the membris in his body.
What man can say by the office of his mouth, fedyng all the membris in his body, to giff to oon hand more than to another or to oon fynger or to any oon member more than to another, wherby oon to hurt and distroy another, but that alle membris shuld receyve mete togedere to liff owt of necessite, etc.
