? 1579 DO ESTEEM to come into England, every year, ten thousand tuns of Gascony and Rochelle wines, which at twenty crowns the tun, amounteth in English payment, to £60,000. The fleet that goeth from London to Bourdeaux, carrieth commonly victuals, ballast, and some cloth. For the money is always made over by exchange out of London, out of Flanders, and out of Spain. And the ships that go from other places of this realm, as from Bristol, Wales, Westchester, Newcastle, Hull, and elsewhere to the Vintage, carrieth (contrary to the law) leather, calves' skins, butter and tallow, with ready gold, as they may provide it all the whole year before. At Rouen in France, which is the chiefest vent [mart], be sold our English wares, as Welsh and Manchester cottons, Northern Kerseys, Whites, lead, and tin: which money is commonly employed in Normandy and Brittany in all sorts of canvas with other small wares, and in lockromes, viterie, and dowlass [coarse linen], Pouldavis, Olyraunce [?], and Myndernex [?]; part[ly] for ready money, partly for commoditie[s]. And woad is commonly ladened at Bourdeaux and uttered there to our nation and others for money or cloth, or else not [sold at all]. These sorts of wares bought in France, besides the wine, amounts by estimation to six times as much as all the English wares that be sold for in France every year. And for a truth this trade of fishing is the best, and of lightest cost that can be found, to counteract the values of the French commodities. Experience doth show the same by the Flemings, who with their green [undried] fish, barrelled cod, and herrings, carry out of England for the same, yearly, both gold and silver and other commodities, and at the least ten thousand tuns of Double Double Beer, and hath also all kinds of French commodities continually, both in time of wars and peace, by their trade only of fishing. Thus the great sums of gold that are carried yearly out of this land to the Vintage, as appeareth by this* Plat following, will stay and wines, nevertheless, and other French wares of all sorts will be had and obtained for herrings and fish. : *Another curious emblematical design occurs here: with No wines from Bordeaux, but for gold, and I bring gold from England for Wines. ] ." ¶ When you put your fishing Plat into the Parliament house, what did you conceive by the speech of such burgesses as you conferred with of the same? IN THE eighteenth year of the Queen's Majesty's reign, five or six days before the Parliament house brake up [i.e., March 1576], I had the Burgesses of almost all the stately Port towns of England and Wales at dinner with me at Westminster: amongst whom the substance of my Plat was read, and of every man well liked; so that some were desirous to have a copy of the same, and said that "they would, of their own cost and charges, set so many ships to the sea as was to their towns appointed, without the assistance of any other." Of the like mind, were the Burgesses of Rye; and some said it were good to levy a subsidy of two shillings [in the pound] on land, and sixteen pence [in the pound on] goods, for the making of these fishing ships. Of which mind the Speaker, Master BELL, was; saying, "A Parliament hath been called for a less cause." Other some said, "It were good to give a subsidy for this purpose to ship these kind of people in this sort; for if they should never return, and so avoided [got rid of], the land were happy for it is but the riddance of a number of idle and evil disposed people." But these men that so do think, will be of another mind within two years next after this Plat takes effect, as when they shall see, by this occasion only; such a number of carpenters and shipwrights set on work; such a number of coopers employed; such numbers of people making lines, ropes, and cables; dressers of hemp, spinners of thread, and makers of nets; so many salt houses set up to make salt, and "salt upon salt." And what a number of mariners are made of poor men; and what a number of poor men are set on work in those shires all along upon the sea coast in England and Wales in splitting of fish, washing of fish, packing of fish, salting of fish, carrying and recarrying of fish, and serving all the countries [counties] in England with fish. And to serve all those occupations aforesaid, there must depend an infinite number of servants, boys, and day labourers, for the use of things needful. And withal to remember how that about England and Wales, there is established in four score haven towns, fi vefishing ships to every town to continue for ever, which will breed plenty of fish in every market; and that will make flesh [butcher's meat] good cheap. And that by the only help of GOD and these fishermen, there shall be established within England and Wales, to 225 decayed towns; a stock of £200 to every decayed town, which shall continue for ever to set the poor people on work. And to conclude, I do carry that mind, that within few years there will be of these fishing towns of such wealth, that they will cast ditches about their towns, and wall the same defensively against the enemy to guard them and their wealth in more safety. What Englishman is he, think you! that will not rejoice to see these things come to pass. And, for my part, I perceive nothing but good success is likely to come of this Plat. To further the same, I gave a copy hereof to my Lord of LEICESTER Six years past [1573], another copy to the Queen's Majesty four years past [1575]. Also to sundry of her Majesty's Privy Council, certain copies. And in the end [March 1576] of the last Parliament, holden in the said eighteenth year of her Majesty's reign, I gave twelve copies to Councillors of the law, and other men of great credit [See Dr. DEE's notice on I August 1576, at p. 65]; hoping that GOD would stir up some good man to set out this work, which the Author (being a soldier, trained up in the wars and not in the schools, with great charges and travail of mind, for his country's sake) hath devised and laid as a foundation for them that hath judgement to build upon. Amongst whom, Master LEONARD DIGGES, a proper gentleman and a wise, had one copy, who, being a Burgess of the house, took occasion thereupon to desire licence to speak his mind concerning this Plat, saying that he spake for the common wealth of all England and for no private cause. He (by report) did so worthily frame his speech for the common weal of his country; that he hath gained thereby both fame and great good liking of all the hearers; and so concluded, desiring that this device might be read: which, for want of time, was deferred until their next assembly in Parliament. FINIS. In the story of SIDNEY's life and love, these poems should be considered with those in the first Volume of the English Garner. The Sonnets are mixed up with other verse. INCE shunning pain, I ease can never find; me harmed; Since will is won, and stopped ears are charmed; Since force doth faint, and sight doth make Since loosing long, the faster still I bind; Whereas if I a grateful Guardian have; W HEN LOVE, puft up with rage of high disdain, So that I live to pay a mortal fee. To starving minds, such is god CUPID's dish! To the tune of Non credo gia che piu infelice amante. HE FIRE to see my wrongs, for anger burneth; Time runs away for sorrow; Peace standeth still, amazed, To see my night of evils, which hath no morrow. To know my miseries; but, chaste and cruel, Yet still her eyes give to my flames, their fuel. me! Fire, burn me quite, till sense of burning leave me |