mercantile and manufacturing people derived from the nature of their employment, was, in some measure, communicated to the peasantry, who, instead of remaining tenants-at-will, were secured for a limited term, in the possession of their farms.

"In consequence of these changes, the number of villeins. in England was greatly diminished in the reign of Henry the Seventh, and before the accession of James the First, that class of men had entirely disappeared. Without any public law upon the subject, their condition was gradually improved by particular bargains with their masters; and, according as their opulence enabled them to purchase higher privileges, they acquired longer leases, or were converted into copyholders or freeholders.

"As from this time the English continued with unremitting ardour to prosecute their improvements, and were continually advancing in opulence, as well as in skill and dexterity, and in the habits of industry, it was to be expected that in the long run the possession of the rude material of the woollen manufacture would give them a manifest superiority in that branch of business, and put it in their power to undersell other nations who had not the same advantage.

"In the reign of Queen Elizabeth, that severe blow was given to the trade of the Low Countries, by which every branch of manufacture was greatly impaired, and that of woollen cloth was totally destroyed. Thus the destruction of the woollen trade of the Netherlands happened at the very critical period when the English were come to be in a condidion of turning that event to their own emolument. The manufacturers who had been driven from their native land found a welcome refuge from Queen Elizabeth, and the greater part of them took up their residence in England, so that the inhabitants of the former country became in the highest degree instrumental in promoting the trade of the latter, instead of retarding or depressing it by that superiority of industry and skill, and that uninterrupted possession of the market which they had long maintained.

"In Spain, the only other country in Europe enjoying similar advantages to those of England, the improvement of the woollen manufacture was prevented by a variety of concurring

circumstances. The rooted animosity between the professors of the Christian and Mahometan religions, cherished by the remembrance of many acts of cruelty and oppression, had excited Ferdinand of Arragon, when he became master of the country, to persecute the Moors, the only industrious part of the inhabitants. In a subsequent reign they were entirely extirpated. The same imprudent and barbarous policy interrupted and discouraged the trade of the Netherlands; and after these two fatal events, the sudden importation of gold and silver into Spain, in consequence of the possession of America, completed the destruction of industry among the people, by raising individuals to sudden wealth, and making them despise the slow and distant returns of trade and manufactures.

"Upon the ruin of the Spanish Netherlands were established the fine woollen manufactures of Wiltshire and some of the neighbouring counties, those parts of England which produced the greatest number of sheep, and in which the superior quality of the wool was most remarkable. The rapid improvements in that great branch of manufacture, which became conspicuous in England, had a natural tendency to introduce other branches more or less connected with it; and when a great body of the people had acquired industry and skill in one sort of employment, it was not very difficult, as occasion required, to extend their application to other trades and professions.

"While these circumstances bestowed upon England a superiority in manufactures, she began to enjoy advantages no less conspicuous with regard to navigation and commerce. When the people of Europe had become qualified for extensive naval undertakings, the distance of Britain from the Continent, and her situation as an island, afforded her a superiority to most other countries, in the number of such harbours as have a free communication with all parts of the globe. Her insular situation was at the same time no less advantageous with respect to inland trade, from the numerous bays and rivers, which, by intersecting the country in different places, extended the benefit of water carriage to the greater part of the inhabitants. As the bulk of the people became thus familiar with the dangers and vicissitudes incident to

those who live upon the water, they acquired habits which fitted them for a sea-faring life, and rendered them dexterous in those arts which are subservient to navigation, the great instrument of commerce. In these circumstances there has been formed a numerous body of sailors, equally prepared for commercial and for military enterprises. As in the early state of the feudal nations the great body of the people were, without labour or expense, qualified for all the services of the field; so in Britain, a great proportion of the inhabitants, after the advancement of commerce, became a sort of naval militia, ready upon all occasions for the equipmemt of her fleets, and, without the assistance of Navigation Acts, or other precautions of the legislature, fully sufficient for the defence of the country.

"These advantages, however, were rendered more stable and permanent by the great extent of this island, superior to that of most others upon the globe. This, as it united the inhabitants in one great state, made them capable of exerting a force adequate to the protection of its commerce and manufactures.

"To the extent of her dominions, Great Britain is indebted for her long continued prosperity. The commercial states, both in ancient and modern times, which were formed in islands of small extent, have been frequently overturned in a short time, either by the jealousy of neighbours, or by accidental collision with more powerful nations.

"That the Government of England has had a peculiar tendency to promote her trade and manufactures, it is impossible to doubt. As the inhabitants are better secured in their property, and protected from oppressive taxes, than many other European kingdoms, it is natural to suppose that their industry was excited by the certain prospect of enjoying whatever they should acquire. Though the English constitution was formerly destitute of many improvements, which it has now happily received, yet, compared with other extensive governments of Europe in that age, it may be regarded as a system of liberty."

CHAPTER I.

ABRIDGMENT OF SMITH'S MEMOIRS OF WOOL.

Sheep's Wool Manufacture mentioned in the Old Testament-Huetius's History -First mention in England-Sheep in Edgar's Reign-From Richard I. to Edward VI.-Merchants of the Staple-Cloth made in England before 1224-Customs on Woollen and Worsted Exported-Jack of NewberryExtension of Manufacture-Merchant Adventurers-From Edward VI. to 1568-Forced Reduction of Rents and of the Prices of Wool-Wide Spread of the Woollen Manufacture-Blackwell Hall Corporation of German Merchant Adventurers-From 1568 to Queen Elizabeth-French and Flemish Refugees-From James I. to William and Mary-Cockayne's Patent-Exportation of Wool prohibited-Spanish Wool-Sir Josiah Child-Woollen Manufacture on the Continent-From William and Mary to the end of King William's Reign-East India Company, from 1702 to 1755-Woollen Exports-1718 to 1724-1738 to 1743-1744 to 1753.

FROM THE CREATION OF THE WORLD TO THE

REIGN OF RICHARD I.

SHEEP are one species of cattle, which God, in the first generation of things, commanded the earth to produce and sustain, with a power to increase and multiply after their kind. Of these, Abel, the second son of our grand parent Adam, became eminently a keeper; and after him, Cain's grandson, Jabal. They were, no doubt, become very numerous before the flood; but all perished in those waters, except a reserve of seven in the ark; one, as is supposed, for the sacrifice which Noah was afterwards to offer; the other six to replenish the new world, by breeding abundantly, in proportion to their future use, for the service of God and man; viz. their carcases for sacrifice and food, their wool and skins for clothing Noah and his descendants. As such, they constituted no small part of the wealth and grandeur of the

greatest personages in the Old Testament; where, likewise, are short hints about spinning wool, weaving, fulling, and dyeing cloth. These, chiefly in Egypt and Asia, that part of the globe being first peopled; whence succeeding generations spread themselves by degrees throughout the face of the whole earth; art and science; some animals and vegetables, following, though but slowly, and by unequal paces.

The next writers (from the sacred penmen) who make mention of these cattle, their end and use, their kinds and qualities, extend the history of them from Asia to Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Gaul; deriving still the origin of woollen manufacture from Egypt and the most eastern part of the world. Their accounts, indeed, like most others that go far back into antiquity, are both brief and superficial. Wherefore, the learned Huetius, writing an history which he entitled, "Of the Commerce, as well as Navigation, of the Antients," was but very sparingly furnished with these kind of memoirs; rather of naval exploits. And, albeit, we must suppose, that besides food, materials for raiment were no inconsiderable articles of exchange between the nations of which he treats; yet hath he distinguished (in Europe) under the heads of "wool and cloth," only Spain and Poland; and for what relates to Britain, he speaks rather negatively, by assigning to the island and its inhabitants, with some degree of minuteness, other produce and traffic, without a single word of either, or so much as sheep; whereof the country, most probably, contained none, or but very few, till some time after the Romans possessed, or perhaps had left it. The first mention of sheep in English records or history being not till about the beginning of the eighth century.

And though the silence of chronicles is far from being a full proof in this case, yet there is reason to think they could not be very numerous before Edgar the Peaceable took such effectual measures to compass the destruction of their great destroyers, wolves, that there was not one of those ravenous creatures left in the kingdom. This happened about the middle of the tenth century; after which, in a little more than two hundred years, viz. in the reign of Richard I., they were so far increased that wool was become a capital commodity of the nation.