Draft of MINT00287 (Mint 19/2/602-3)

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Proposals for encreasing the Coyn of this Kingdom

The use of Gold & Silver in Cloaths Coaches & Houshold Furniture was forbid in France last March. If Such a law here should be thought too general it might suffice to forbid the use of gold & silver in laces & fringes & the guilding upon leather wood stone plaister & other materials then standard ☾ or ☾ finer then standard. excepting such pieces of work as not above 6d a piece for guilding

All persons going to sea are allowed without any restraint to carry on board what plate the think fit for their own use: by which means our money being run down into plate may be freely exported to the Indies, & luxury is encouraged in the Royal Navy, it growing into fashion for the Officers to have great quantities of Plate on board.

In France for a long time certain vessels & Vtensils have been forbid to be made of gold or silver & others are forbid to be made of those metalls of above a certain weights Particularly all vessels of gold for the use of the Table are forbid & other vessels of gold must not exceed an ounce in weight. Also Ballisters                        Cabinets Tables Bureaus          Looking-glasses               Andirons, Grates, Ornaments of the fire or of Chimneys, Candlesticks with branches &c are forbidden to be made of silver. Basins of silver must not exceed the weight of 12 marks, blatters not 8, Trencher plates not 24 marks the douzen &c

The like limitations for vessels of China earthen ware would save the nation much money. And so would a general prohibition of importing Iapan wooden ware

The importation of stained Callicoes is prohibited, but they are stained in England & thereby the importation of plain Callicoes is encreased. The staining of them is prohibited in France Quære whether the want of stained Callicoes would not cost England more money in other commodities?

I have head that in France the Est India Merchants are enjoyned to export half as much in French commodities as in gold & silver. Such a law in England would promote the exportation of our own manufacture & diminish the exportation of gold & silver & thereby bring down the high price of Bullion which occasions the melting down of our money. Such a law would put the East India Merchants to some difficulties for a while but in a short time would force their Trade into new Channels more to the nations advantage (though perhaps less to the Merchants) then those it runs in at present. For the Merchants would soon find out ways of vending their goods in China & other places. I would therefore propose that in lending any East India ship no ☉ or ☾ should be coined on board till she had one third part of her lading in English commodities & then on a day to be appointed by the Commissioners of the Customes twice as much ☉ & ☾ in value might be carried on board. And if any ship wanted of her lading be in ☉ & ☾ defact or remainder might be carried on board the next ship of the same Merchant or Company, sailing to the Indies provided it be done within           months after the lading of the former ship. But no ship should exceed her just lading in money except in making up the defect of a former ship.

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The increase of our coyn is principally hindred by the East India Company buying up all forreign Bullion of silver & some of gold for the Indies without being obliged to export a proportionable quantity of English commodities. The Old company are obliged by Patent to export 100'000li per annum in commodities but this Obligation is expiring & perhaps was never well observed & the cargo in gold & silver is unlimited in proportion to the cargo in goods. If they were obliged to export at least half as much in commodities as in ☉ & ☾ it would conduce very much to the Exportation of our own manufacture & native product & cheque the exportation of Gold & Silver