THE customer's ALPHABET and Primer.  
Containing, Their CREED or Belief in the true Doctrine of Christian Religion.  
Their TEN commandements, or Rules of Civil life and Conversation, daily Grace, general Confession, special Supplication and Form of Prayers.  
Together With a pertinent Answer to All such, as either in jest or in earnest, seeming doubtful themselves, would feign persuade others, that, the bringing home of Traffic must needs decay our Shipping.  
All tending to the true and assured advancement of his majesties Customs, without possibility of fraud or Covyn.  
Always provided, In reading Read all, or nothing at al.  
ADSIT REGVLA. 1608.   

A A a. e. i. o. u. ✚ b. c. d. f. g. h. k. l. m. n. p. q. r. s. t. w. x. z. & pierce. Con, pierce. title, title, Est, Amen.  
1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE MY SPECIAL GOOD LLL: THOMAS BARON OF BVCKHVRST, Earl of Dorset, and Lord-Treasurer of England. Henry Lord Howard of Marnehill, Earl of Northampton, & Lord-Warden of the Cinq-Ports. And Robert Baron of Essenden, Viscount Cranbourne, Earl of Salisbury, and Principal Secretary of State to the KING'S Majesty. All Knights of the most Noble Order of the GARTER, and Lords of his highness most Honourable Prevycounsell.  
MY Duty and Service to you honourable L.L.L. every way humbly premised: I have thought it good to present the same with the loyal Endeavours of a willing mind, though feeble wit, and weaker brain; the Argument I confess being of a higher pitch and greater compass, than I did imagine when I took it in hand.  
Hazard at the first did much discourage me, & in the mids, by Friends I had been dissuaded in regard of the pains, but for th' Enthousiasme still sounding in mine ears.  Tun Am ne doibt, ta flame est si divine, etc. 
Thy Soul is so beset by vows that are divine,  
Thou shalt not tread amiss, why should thy heart decline?  
By whose persuasion when I had but begun, my Conscience thrust me forward, and thus prevailed at last.  je veulx qu'un bell oser, etc. 
Then dangers stand aside, 'tis GOODNESS calls me to it,  
If ought do put me by, 'tis WISDOMS hand shall do it.  
My stays beside were these: That TRUTH was all my Ground, which as Time did suggest, Experience still supplied. My Pen OPORTET made, and was ever apt to mend: But ORDER gave the Form, which I most of all suspected, and saw some cause to doubt, till PRAYER in conclusion did undertake to perfect or persuade the best. So that if the Form for the plainness may pass without offence, the Matter for importance may perhaps deserve a double and triple reading.  
The Matter indeed is TRAFFIC, I mean our freeborn Traffic, that Nurse of JUSTICE which feeds us all, and (here handled ab Effectis,) contains those very CUSTUMS' for which the Scholars in all the Free-schooles, of our sovereigns daily Tributes, have so long been subject to baiting and beating: and for which myself, of late so graciously chidden, was forced (by special command,) to spell again my Letters, and con this PRIMER.  
Now be it what it may be, as your WISDOMS shall esteem, and as GOD shall give success, (to whom the Glory of All in All is due,) three principal reasons have moved me to present it to your LLL: view, in the names of All the rest. The FIRST, besides his knowledge and sufficiency of skill, by eminency and Place hath special Experience to judge of what I writ. The SECOND, keeps the Keys of all those very Ports that limits out my Charge, for whose sakes indeed reciproke Love did instant me to write. And the THIRD was the means to make me first a Custumer, when I had given it over and little thought upon it. For these regards (I say) and triple respects, (mine Ends being no ways private, mine Intentions always Loyal, disclaiming no man's Person, but Sin and Dishonesty,) I held it meetest and safest, to present my Self, and the Fruits of all my Vows, to your LLL: mild Censures and Protections. By whose special Favours, as I am but what I am, so I desire but to be known  
Your LLL: by several Duties devotedly bond Tho: Milles.   

To the GRAVEST and GODLIEWISE in Highest Authority.  
A Gentleman, a friend, and a lover of learning, coming into a Free-school, where divers young Scholars were learning their Grammars, desirous to feel how they thryude at their Books by some familiar Question, demanded, (their Ushers standing by) When an English is given to be made into Latin, what's first to be done? The answer is easy: namely, To seek out the Principal Verb: yet all stood silent and half amazed, till (
* The writer hereof, having spent the best of his youth in public services at home and abroad, and desirous at last to settle himself in some stayed course of living; after the Treaty at Barwick 1586. called Foedus arctioris amicitiae inter potentissimos. etc. (which with the grace of God, the truth of his Title and his own patience, was a means that brought his Majesty so quietly and happily hither,) was by his Friends persuaded to take the charge upon him of Custumer of Sandwich and the Member-Ports in Kent, where he was borne, assuring him, that thereby he● might do God and his Country good service: upon which motive, he undertook the same simply, and doubting no harm.  one) at the last, (the Question repeated, and he urged to say, What was to be done) replied; No harm sir I hope, at least, that I wot of. Which the Gentleman taking in very good part, suspecting rather ignorance in the Ushers, then want of wit in the Scholar, departed smile.  
Most Reverend, and Right Honourable, This Question and Answer, includeth the state of all the Students in the Free-Schooles of our Sovereign's Custumes, where such as the Teachers be, such are the Scholars. There is a reason for all things. And the reason hereof is not so much, for want of wit, in the Learners; To deal justly between the Prince and the people, which in this kind of Doctrine is the Principal Verb, as in their angry and hasty Ushers, who while the Gravemaisters and Moderators of the Schools, were distracted, and busied in the study and practise of highest points of Learning, have used no Method, but beating the Scholars.  
Qui paria esse volunt peccata. Ipsique laborant  
Cum ventum ad verum est, Sensus moresque repugnant,  
Atque (ipsa VTILITAS,) justi prope matter & Aequi.  That make all faults alike, yet they themselves are doom, When Truth in question falls, each finger seems a thome, And (Profits-selfe) empaird, whence Just & Right should come. 
Which kind of Discipline discouraging all men, and driving many good wits from the School, to the secret injury of the whole Commonwealth; forced me to my Book, and as well as I could, to Analise my lesson, meaning thereby with the foresaid plain Scholar, No harm at all. Such therefore as it was, I did briefly set forth in a 
* The CUSTOMERS Apology.  Discourse then following. The matter whereof partly drawn from mine own patience and experience, & partly observed and learned from others: the Form was merely mine own, and had for my warrant the Rules of my Grammar.  
And since Things are then well done, when things are well taken; to clear and acquit me from partial clamour, and the sin of presumption; I showed, That the Will applyant to Reason, was guiltless of passion, and Nature overbeared appeals to Necessity. Quae quod cogit, ipsa, solet utique defendere. For hard in deed, and above measure extreme should their cases seem, that still subject to beating, might neither bemoan themselves, nor be suffered to cry. And so much the rather, when as (so far as I wots of) in all those Complaints, there was nothing concluded nor included, at least intended thereby, but a natural Defence of an honest reputation in that kind of Calling, which the Law itself in great wisdom hath laid out, and reserved For men of the best sort only, and a dutiful zeal to find out thereby The principal Verb.  

¶ Thus far forth, & in these very words, having sometimes undertaken a private Defence in a Cause of importance both public and General, and finding our groans & heavy Complaints are vanished like sounds, and valued but as Echoes in the * Deserts and Plains, near the FOREST OF SHIFTS, and WILDERNESS OF SIN. Which whilst some went by, they heard not, some heard, but understood not, some few understanding, regarded not, and none did pity: I held it then best (like a barn so dinged that I durst no longer griet) to sup up my griefs with silence.  
But when I perceived, that though I sat still, the cause itself daily did grow worse & worse: & remembered withal my 
* Customers are sworn at their first admission, to do their endeavours to deal justly between the Prince and the People.  vow to my Patron and Founder of our Schools, at my first admission: in discharge of my duty, which in this respect I own to my God, to my Prince and my Country, I once more resolved to speak with my pen, and examine all my former writings, not as by way of Genesis to prescribe a new Art to our Grave & Wise Masters, for that were presumption in the highest degree: nor as by Analisis to contest with the Doctrine and Method of our severest Ushers, for that were but humour & indescretion: but whilst others of higher Forms, 
¶ Learned Sir Henry Billingsley, sometimes Customer of London.  and far better learning distrusting their Schools, removed their seats to a surer standing, 
¶ Worthy Sir Thomas Ridgeway, Customer of Exeter and Dartmouth. Now Treasurer of Ireland.  as a poor Scholar desirous to learn and thrive at my Book, to spell out my Primer by the very letters and points of my lesson. That so redeeming the time, I might best give way to the stream of disgraces in hope of better days now coming: remembering withal, that Errors have no being but in absence of Truth. And howsoever Errors past have multiplied themselves, the Ages succeeding must reform as they may, & as there is a reason, so God hath appointed a time for all things, for Dies dat consilium.  
Considering therefore the revolutions now past, and present disposition of these our happy days, the 
* The KING.  Daystar being risen, and the 
* The PRINCE.  Dawning in our eyes, revives our dull spirits, adds life to our hopes, and makes Us breath out yet this much & say, that the time may come, when this hearty zeal of ours to our Sovereign's honour, and his People's happiness, may be better regarded, and deserve not only thanks and good words, but make all men confess and acknowledge themselves, as much indebted to these weak endeavours of ours, even from an 
* Sandwich.  Out-Port in the Desert, & humble 
* Norton-Court.  Cottage of this Laud, as all their wealths are or can be made worth: And the Ages to come, find something at least to muse and to marvel at ignorances past, when it shall plainly appear by demonstrative reasons, and no wandering Discourse, that in poor Customers Truth was never Error, nor Virtue Vice, as the World hath been told, and so long borne in hand. For can they but see, they shall learn to spell, & by joining their Letters, both read and discern (besides other mattets,) that 
1 CUSTUMERS.  Publicans and 
2 SEARCHERS and WAITERS.  Sinners, are several words, & imply a distinction both of manners and men, and were it, or might it be that Docible Persons were but suffered to learn, Publicans could & would teach Sinners to be like themselves: not Saints nor Hypocrites, but first humble Christians, and then plain honest men.  In my beginning therefore God be my speed. A jove principium Musae iovis omnia plena.  

¶ GOD all-sufficient, Alpha and Omega, only Wise, and eternally Just, 
Great A  without precedent or pattern, out of Confusion first drew Perfection, and at the end of his Work, delighted to behold that all he had made was so like himself, Valde Bona, exceeding good.  
The last of all was MAN, the Image of himself, his Microcosmus, Chief D'oeuure, 
Little A.  Masterpiece, & model of Perfection. In whom, and by whom, he might contemplate, direct, & make use of all the rest. But pride by presumption persuading disobedience, Man became seduced, and by the least part of his trust, bewraying his whole Corruption, in steed of blessing was worthily accursed, both in him & his, had not Wisdom herself, out of love and affection so belayed his fall, that the Word which made all of nothing, was the means to restore all from nothing, and GOD became a man.. A miracle of miracles, and mystery to muse on, but not to express: whereby the greatest loser, hath made the greatest gain.  
As the motive of the Work was the Creator's only Will, the means his Word, the way his Wisdom, the measure Aequum et Bonun, bounds of his own justice: So the absolute perfection, & end of all, was his preserving and boundless mercy, (the Prerogative of Deity,) for the Creature to admire on, as his Creator's infinite honour, and own eternal happiness.  
Now, whatsoever Nature could afford, or Man thus restored was able to possess, is God's free gift from all beginning. That as a Lord peramount, his honour & sevice might justly be known to all his Tenants by special duties, and thankful acknowledgements of their easy Rents, and so rich a Fee-farm.  
The titles of his Tenors are RELIGION and JUSTICE, the one maintains his peculiar honour and personal Rights, the other, effects of Love & Loyalty, for his Tenants mutual good: the Laws, Customs and Doctrine whereof, penned by his Spirit, and drawn from the essence of heavenly Deity, are so concurrent; that to perfect our happiness, where both of these are not, there can be neither: and therefore Comparatively used in this our Lesson, shall both sanctify our wits, bless our endeavours, & illustrate each other.  
Qui per alium facit, per semetipsum facit. God's immediate 
1 Prayers & Thanksgivin  Rents, God himself expects and receives at our hands, such is our Tenure: the 
2 Tithes and Tributes.  rest he accepts, being faithfully paid to his Stewards and Vicegerents. In which respect we stand also bound to reverence and admire the transcendent respects of Sovereign sublumitie in earthly States, by their Attributes & Tributes, as GOD'S among men.  

Pre-eminence. Prerogative.  The Attributes of power in earthly Princes, are their PRE-EMINENCE and their PREROGATIVE, (justice and Mercy) the two sacred Titles of Divine Sovereignty: the one sets forth the Dignities of their Persons and Places, the other transcends to the motions of their minds.  
The first is that Storge, and natural inclination to Equity and justice, that distributing bread to the meanest of their Subjects, intendeth at least that all should enjoy their Birthrights, to the general Treaties of Entercouse abroad, and Common Laws at home, to grow up thereby to live to their service & the Commonwealth.  
By the other, out of mere Love and Affection it may well beseem them, to stand gracious to some more than all the rest, even beyond the bounds of justice, and yet do no wrong.  
The first shows them but from their Seats of justice & height of Diguities above other men.  
The latter beyond the Thrones of Kings, extols their Persons higher than themselves, as more than the sons of mortal men.  
These than are no Synonimas (in our dim sights and weak Conceits) but words of distinct respects, & of Chiefest reverence, 
Cat' exochen.  the blending whereof, hath bread in the World such dangerous Contempts and Capital Errors, as no Power but the Highest, no Wisdom but the Gravest, may or can reform. To whom therefore in all obedience we prostrately refer them. Only in the first we spy the same form of Characters, 
Pre-eminence. PREROGATIVE. Whereof read more in the Description of (Traffic) hereafter.  as in the Alphabet of our Letters. But in the other, (being a Hyeroglificke above our reach or Learning) we hear the full sound of all those vowels, that give life to our Mutes, & must direct our spelling in the Title of our Tributes: the scope of Loyalty, and now our special Lesson.  

¶ Customers Creed & Belief, and Articles of Religion.  Leaving therefore the Rights of Religion to those learned Divines, that both by life and doctrine, directing the way by Faith and Good-workes how to win Heaven, teach us that Faith alone in the Action of saving, is the Cause of Salvation; but in the Party saved, both must concur together. And not to those destructive Doctors, 
Not Popish.  that to build up their Church, blow up Commonweals: and by Looseness of life, and Traditions of Men, to advance themselves, rob GOD of his honour. Nor these distractive Teachers, 
Nor Precise.  that to Reform our Church, disturb our Kingdom; and preposterously propounding such fancies of Perfection as no reason can reach to, nor themselves express, preferring Sacrifice before Obedience, dispense with Charity to please selves, 
But the Catholic, Apostolic, & Christian Faith, now truly taught, freely professed, and constantly defended, in the Churches of England, Scotland & Ireland.  & obtrude upon GOD more than he requires. Assuring ourselves, that to all whom his Spirit doth make Repentant, GOD by CHRIST, is and will be a most gracious GOD, and a loving Father. But GOD without CHRIST is a consuming fire.  
This (I say) we leave to those sacred Divines that work obedience in Subjects by the rules of Conscience; and admiring the blessedness of these our days, pray for our Princes and Prelates, & all that uphold or have but a will to further this our truly Catholic and Christian Religion.  

The Decalogue of our Courts of justice, whereto Customers frame the Rules of their Civil life and conversation in England.  ¶ Leaving also the Duties of all our distributive justice, to those most Worthy and most Honourable Persons, that possessing our Courts, by MEUM and TWM, discern and decide the Cases and Questions of special Right, and of general Reason, as well between Subject and 
b 1 Common-PLEAS.  Subject, as the Sovereign and his 
c 2 king's-bench, and Court of wards.  Vassals, by the Laws and Statutes, or peculiar Customs, cast in the 
d 3 PARLIAMENT.  Mould of Wisdom in our own Land; or moderate Extremes by 
f 4 CHANCERY, & Court of Requests.  Conscience among Men. And to the Gravest & Wisest in 
g 5 star-chamber, & Counsel-table.  highest Authority, that to maintain the Good by censuring the Evil, Sic irascuntur, ut vitia tantum perimant seruatis hominibus, atque ita tractatis ut veri boni necessariò fiant: quantumque damni antea dederiut, in reliqua vita resarcire queant. And to those Heroical 
h 6 The high Constable and  Censors of merit and valour, that being most Noble themselves, to decide the Doubts, and determine the Questions of reputation & worth in all the Degrees of our Native Right, and Dative Honour, so maintain our Credits,  quum Praedia, Feuda et Possessiones, pactis et transactionibus obnoxia: juris-communis, et forensibus procellis agitentur: NOBILITAS interea, 
Earle-Marshalls Court of CHIVALRY.  solis Regibus beneficiaria, Institutis heroicis, et familiaribus ita acquiescit. That  
Per proavos numerantur avi, semperque renata  
Nobilitate virent, et prolem Fata sequntur.  
Continuum propria seruantia lege tenorem.  
And to those learned Civilians, that per Aequum et Bonum, so belay the public peace of our 
k 7 ADMIRALTY.  Seas, and our 
l 8 ARCHES.  Land, that by doing us justice, our Neighbours take no wrong.  
These parts (I say) of distributive justice, we gladly refer to those worthy judges that sit in our Courts, and by Law & Conscience protecting our 
a Matter.  livings, our 
c Place.  Liberties, our 
i Persons.  Lives, our 
o Order.  Honour, & our 
u End.  Peace; do justly deserve all Grace from our Sovereign, and all love at his hands. These are the GRAVEMAISTERS & Moderators of our Schools, 
Our Masters.  that by the Rules of our Books, examine our Lessons.  
The Prince hath his Courts apart, for 
m 9 EXCHEQUER.  Public Revenues and 
n 10 GREENECLOTH.  Private Expenses: where Accountants are taught for the most part, by Court-Rowles & Court-Rules, grounded on Precedents, Examples, or else Discretion. Those first are our Ushers. 
Our Hushiers.   
The Comfort is great where Men dwell in houses, whose foundation is laid on assured grounds. In which regard we poor 
p Customers.  Scholars, want words to express our joys and Conceits, of the blessings of GOD in these our days, for the stays of Religion and distributive justice. Were those Patrons of Honour whom Mercury should serve, by APOLLO but found out: & the roofs of our Schools made wind-tight and water-tight in the breaches & wants of 
q Traffic.  Commutative Right: We (I say) with all those that serve in the 
r Staples.  Temples of Concord, and 
s mints.  Altars of Truth, would make verses in praise of our PRINCES and PEERS, and sing hallelujah to the great GOD of Heaven.  
The Commutative part then that seems most out of frame, now falling out, and fitted for our Lesson, we are by our Letters to spell out the words that belong to the Titles of our PATRONS 
t Customs. . 
w Subsidies . 
x Tonnage and  
z Pondage. . Tributes. Wherein our mild Moderators vouchsafe to stand by us, help our dim eye-sights, support our weak wits, & direct our shaking hands. And Christ's ✚ be my speed, and the holy Ghost.   

¶ The Nature of all Things that consist in Action, is best seen and valued by the eminency of the Object whereon it works, and End whereto it tends.  
The highest Object (next GOD and Religion,) is the Majesty of our SOVEREIGN, and Good of our Country, there being no Action more dutiful then to amplify the honour of the One, and procure the prosperity of the Other: nor any more odious, then wittingly or willingly to impair the Means, mutually meant for the maintenance of Either.  
It follows then by consequence, at all hands agreed on, that to maintain the Prince's Revenues, and to further the prosperity and peace of his People, is (or aught to be) the special care of every Man's best Endeavour.  
The Duties which GOD hath laid out, and for his honour reserved, by the words of his Law were double only, and of two several kinds, daily Sacrifices and Oblations of Free-will. The one proceeding, from the ordinary Observance that gives the formal distinction between the Creature and the CREATOR. The other demonstrates that francknes of Love and cheerful Devotion, that aught to proceed from the hearts of his own and peculiar People.  
Now that which Deity demands by the Laws of Religion, within his Church to be honoured by, doth hold as a consequence for earthly Princes within their Kingdoms to raise their Tributes by. Like Objects, like Ends, Majesty, and Love, by two sorts of Duties, Necessity and Free-will. The One must subsist, the Other cannot be bound. Give therefore as unto GOD himself that which is GOD'S; so unto Caesar, that is due to Caesar.  
Thus Customs that grow by Traffic, are due to our KING, and are no small nor idle Portions in the Body of his Revenues. But as in Religion and the service of GOD, there is nothing hath more disturbed the Conscience, nor distracted men's minds, than a misunderstanding, and diversity in conceits, of the true sense and use of the word (Church, 
Church and Customs, words that are too generally taken: and so misunderstoode. ) so fares it with Traffic about the Terms and use of Customs.  
For though Customs (in this kind) do currently run, and be usually taken for all kind of Duties that accrue to the King on things Barterable or Vendible, by way of Merchandise crossing the Seas, either Outward or Inward, (for from Port to Port both Land & Seas are naturally free) yet it hath a peculiar sense, a special use and proper signification, implying either those ancient Staple-Rights, on Wool, Wooll-fells, Tin, Led & Leather, etc. called Great and Grand Customs, 
Grand CUSTOMS.  outward; or the three pence on the pound, paid only by Strangers, by the name of Petty-Customes. 
Petite CUSTOMS.   
All Titles beside (of this kind) howsoever they be called, or generally comprised and styled Customs, are notwithstanding, distinguished from them by special Names, 
Subsidies Tonnage and  and different uses, as Subsidies, 
Subsidies Pondage.  or Aids. And those also subdivided into Tonnage & Pondage.  

The use and end of CUSTOMS.  The first (properly, indeed only to be called Customs) by wisdom laid out from all beginning, is Ius Coronae, an Inheritance of the Crown, the preemption in Traffic, and protection of Traffic, being two Essential parts of that personal pre-eminence, and local Dignity, which fundamentally our Kings have claimed, and for defence of the Kingdom, and safe passage at Seas, justly may challenge. As consisting (to our Weak understandings) of the chiefest Materials our State affords, to to draw in Bullion by. 
Bullion. Staples. mints. Exchange. Weights & Measure.  And in that respect holden for their Artificial Ours of Gold & Silver, to maintain the Pulses of our Sovereign's mints, whose Exchange of Money, as a Fountain for abundance, aught to fix and guide the true valuations of all Things beside. For as the standards of all Weights & Measures for general justice, are the Sovereign's Treasure and peculiar charge, & the coining of Monies their only (Hoc age,) so their 
General justice.  Coinage, a work for Matter & Form of principal Worth, & their Exchange a Mystery of heavenly skill, by equality and proportions certain and indifferent, are the Stern and Compass to steer all courses right.  

The Use and End of the Subsidies of Tonnage and Pondage.  The later called Subsidies, are offered up at Parliaments, on things subject to Restraints by Proclamations for special Causes and different use, and in that regard given sometimes but on this Thing, sometimes but at that Port, and sometimes Ad Tempus only. Though now for all Things, at all Ports, and for term of our Sovereign's life, as urgent Necessity, or public Utility, for the Freedom of Traffic, and behoof of the Ports have seemed to require; Due likewise in their kinds and turns for reciproque Ends. The Body being by GOD and Nature, so bound to serve and maintain the Head, as the Head is ordained to govern and defend all the Members.  
Thus Customs are those artificial duties that our Kings must have, and Necessity hath laid on Traffic by our Staple Commerce, to supply their natural defects, and wants of Bullion.  
And Subsidies are those natural respects which Love is desirous and Loyalty doth offer, by Traffic to honour our Sovereigns by (besides their ancient Customs,) that by all Means, and at all hands Majesty may be seen, and Sovereignty subsist.  
These are all the Titles of our Commutative Tributes, by the Laws of our Schools, the bounds of our Lessons, and Alphabet of our Letters. Yet is there a third, called Impostes, 
Impostes or Impositions.  or Impositions, whose Heteroclite use, and convertible sound, we know not how to spell: for being but the Genus to the former two, & held for a Species of some other Duty in our weak conceits, hath deceived many.  
For whereas Majesty must, may & can but subsist; what Adoration and Tithes are to GOD, the same are Customs & Subsidies to his Lieutenants. And beyond the bounds which Wisdom prescribes for the practice of Truth, Discretion may hunt, but shall find nought save Error. For what exccedes, is but Popery in the Church, and in Policy, devices to disturb Commonweals.  
What rests then but this, that Omne minimum inimica Naturae, & Omne nimium vertitur in vitium. Enough makes a feast, but abuses mar all, whereof we must also spell somethinges hereafter.  
Impostes then by the Rules of our Books, and Letters of our Lessons, are either the Customs we spoke of, and those Customs Impositions, that to maintain the Essence of Majesty, Necessity found out: Or those Subsidies aforesaid, that Merchants by Traffic do frankly and willingly impose upon themselves: or else in our Natura Brevium, no where to be found.  
But as Aliquid Boni propter Vicinum Bonum, so Multum mali propter vicinum Malum. Our Neighbours sour Grapes have set our teeth on edge. 
Italian Governments, and the Discords of the Netherlands.  For by their examples, drawn (as they call it) from their Prince's Prerogatives, but would say Preheminonce, if they understood themselves. Impositions are made Taxes upon Merchandise, besides the duties abovesayde: not so much by Statutes or Treaties of Intercourse, as by a kind of discretion, which wanting place and use in the study of our Customs, have likewise no part in the honourable ends thereby propounded and intended. For being as they are, Effects of unknown Causes, of Matter uncertain, and of form no ways fitting the Mould of our free Commerce, all men refuse to argue thereof, to define, to divide, or to bring them into Question. The rather for that, being in their nature irregular and litigious, 
The Pope's ambitious Taxes on our Clergy, impoverishing the Realm by exhausting our Treasure, made our Kings draw on the Barons wars, to supply their poverty & wants, upon the People. Impositions do but aim at Order, and the preservation of our shipping by guess.  they have been occasions of much unrest and disorders in former times, especially in the first and second ages of our Kings, till Magna Charta compounded such griefs. And albeit the use of them since might happily aim at the beating back of some Foreign idle Commodities, brought in and obtruded upon us by Strangers, to the hindrance of our Traffic in Trades, & decay of our Ports in Mariners and Shipping, which the wisdom of our State must always maintain: yet gathering withal upon the natural and freeborn Subjects, they repine thereat, as men willing to obey, but not able to discern between the dispositions of States, and changes of times, 
The Ends of Impositions, are Disorder of Traffic.  & so is a special ground of all our Disorders. The Subject still appealing to the positive Laws of our own free Traffic, as their general Inheritance, and Strangers urging their Treaties and mutual Contracts.  
These Imposts of discretion or strained Preheminance, (if we term them right) have likewise begotten some other Impositions, of base Nature, and more dangerous Effects, whereby that sacred Word of Wisdom, and highest power, (our Sovereign's Prerogative,) is unreverently prostituted, and many ways profaned. For, being sometimes pleased, (as well may beseem them) out of mere love and affection, in public restraints, by special favours to make some of their Servants more happy than their fellows; the same by sales and transactions, transmuted or transferred, is a means to make Subjects from hand to hand, 
Wine, Beer, Coals, etc. And whatsoever in this kind is either sold or put over to a second or third hand for Money.  to rack and impose, even upon & among themselves. When indeed and in truth, the (Grace) looseth Being, both in Matter, Form, and Use, upon the first Exchange. For when Favourites get suits unfitting their Callings, or use them not themselves: it is but Witcheraft and Sorcery that all such intent, 
Simones-magis.  as by Leases or Purchase for private gain, think PRINCE'S Prerogatives, either vendible for Money, or subject to Exchange. Such Impost-Maisters Religion hath accursed, their Money therefore and themselves, (without Repentance) must perish both together.  
These Imposts we take it, (under our Gravemaisters correction) are but Romish peterpence, and Italian-Inuentions, where their PRINCE'S Prehemirence, and forced kind of Dignities, 
Traffic ill beholden to all such English Gentlemen as travailing for experience, make the Impositions of Italy a fit precedent for the government of England, when they come home.  have little other Subsistence: Being therefore but borrowed, they may well be sent home. England was never any vassal to Rome, and hath or may have (being but rightly used) enough of her own.  
But o fortunatos Anglos bona si sua norint! For the Majesty of our Customs sometimes so admired, seem now like Antic Medals, that retaining but their sound, have lost themselves in their Value and Use, both of Matter and Form.  

Our Golden-Flees, the Trophy of the House of Bu gundy.  Thus our Wools, (sometimes the wonder of the World,) are now the Trophies of strange Lands, and signs of our shame, and turned into Cloth, our Cloth into nothing; at lest nothing less than Bullion. And the Rates upon Wool, 
Our Cloth become confiscable beyond Seas, or by special favour returnable upon us.  first grounded by Statutes, laid on Cloth by Discretion, not justly discerning the reason of our Customs in the Use of the One, and End of the Other.  
Our basest Fell-wooll of Shorlings, the refuse of the rest, and sweep of our Staples, (never used in Cloth,) is by our kindest 
* The Duch-Church at Sandwich, who flying the tyranny of Body and Conscience at home, admitted to refresh themselves but with our English air, laid the first foundation of true making of Bays, Says, & Sarges there. (Trades never understood of us before,) till abuses elsewhere overwhelmed them with others, with an Imposition that well-near breaks their hearts: yet hold they still their first innocency, and maintain the credit of that Townes-Seale, both for Number, Weight, and Measure, in all parts of the World.  Neighbours, in a new kind of Drapery, made the glory of our Wolls, and credit of our Kingdom, and might be made a Pattern to reform all our Clothing, and recover our Bullion.  
Our Bells & our Leather forsake us by Licenses. GOD knows why, where, how or whether, but without return of Bullion.  
Our Tyn and our Lead, so lately well recovered, seems now again laid up in huckster's handling, and might have been a sure and special help to have drawn in Bullion.  
Our Pettit-Customs, only seem still to hold their own, 
Lex Mercatoria.  but with uncertain Bya●, since Lex Mercatoria became obsolete, and to us unknown.  
In steed of all which, our Returns (for the most part) being but Silks and Tobacco, Bells or Babbles, of things needless or bootless, do show how Strangers for better wares, can fat us up with pride, or fodder us with folly.  
Our Subsidies that sometimes were so few, so easy, so lovingly offered, so graciously accepted, and so willingly paid, as the Customs have failed, are become the Subjects of Extremity, even to the tithing of our smallest Mint and Coming. And our sweet Nurse and Mistress, TRAFFIC, distempered and distressed with dangerous fits of a hot burning Fever. Not far from Frenzy; which we poor Scholars cannot but see, and (what ere betide us) bewail and lament; and before our Gravest and Wisest Physicians, prostrate ourselves for remedy. And I among the rest, as the Apothecary's Boy, that for bringing but one 
* The Caution written against the Farming out of Subsidies under the name of Customs.  Pill to prevent the last access, was so shent for my labour. The Symptom and Crisis of whose disease will best appear in our Lesson now following.   

¶ The fashion and face of our Customs being thus laid open, their Use by practice but once made known; would inflame the world with admiration and love of the special Blessings & Prudence of our Land; the Zeal whereof only hath prevented all our Studies, almost consumed ourselves, and yet is the motive of all our best Endeavours.  
Customs therefore and Subsidies, both depending on Traffic, as Effects that rise and fall with their efficient Cause: the raising of Traffic like Honey in Hives, must needs increase either.  
TRAFFIC! O the compass and profundity of this one & only word (Traffic,) more fit for Wisdom to study, and Eloquence to utter, than our weak brains to spell. In which regard we cannot but bewail the loss and want of those worthy Wits of older times, that to tune the whole World, wrote Volumes on this Theme.  

SIBILLA CUMANA, she wrote 9 Books, whereof 6. she burned, and sold the other 3. to Tarquin for the price she offered them all at first.  The three Books of SIBILLA, so well preserved, so dearly bought, and carfully kept by Tarquin the Elder, are long since by Stillico that Traitor, blown up, burnt and gone.  
Ne tantùm Patrijs saun et Proditor Armis,  
Sancta SYBILLIN ae fata cremavit Opis.  

ARISTOTLS' abstruse Philosophy, to ALEXANDER the great, Horis matutinis in Gymnasio Lyceo.  But, o, those Acroamata, and private Instructions of kingly Doctrine! so gravely discussed, so attentively heard, and richly rewarded with Talents of Gold, are either forgotten, beyond our hearing, or out of our reach.  

Card Poole spent above 2000 crowns in sending to the library of Cracou●a in Poland about it. A●●● Sturm: Epist: lib: 1.  And Tully De Republica. A Book able to make a Wiseman in one days reading, (as some believe and write) so carefully sought for, both far and near by our late Cardinal Poole, hath not yet been seen, except the Amalihean Vatican of our new 
o Sir Tho: bodley's Library at Oxford.  TARQVINIUS PRISCUS have happily found it out, whose care, cost, and love to Learning, in the Kingdom of the Muses, deserves a Golden Crown: yet this is our comfort, that the light they saw by, was but beams of this Sun, their Enthousiasme, but motions of this Good Spirit, and their clearest water fet from the streams of this flowing Fountain, that runs so frankly, and may serve our Turn.  
For TRAFFIC is but a free Bartering, or buying & selling of 1 Vendible Wares. At 2 Markets convenient. By 3 Merchants, Subjects, or Strangers. According to the 4 Rules of Reciprocke Commerce. Generally intending 5 Honour to Princes, and Prosperity to commonwealths.  
And here at the first view appear all our five vowels, in five Words, that teach us all to spell, and make us all to speak; to wit, a MATTER, as Vendible Wares. e PLACE, Markets convenient. i PERSONS, Merchants, Subjects or Strangers. o ORDER, Rules of Reciprocke Commerce. And u END, Honour to Princes, and Prosperity to v Common-v- wealths.  
The first we call 
a. ¶ MATTER, must be vendible.  The second stands for 
e. ¶ PLACE convenient for Marts and Markets.  The third 
i. ¶ PERSONS, fit to Traffic.  The fourth is 
o. ¶ ORDER in Commerce.  The fift stands for 
u. The KING  And (
u. PRINCE.  SIRS.) And 
u. The COUNSEL.  My Lords. 
w. The Commonwealth.  And all.  
Hear were fit staying to admire on the Majesty of those two words of Power, PReHeMiNeNS and Prerogative. 
e. i.  Whereof the first hath two of our Vowels for PERSONS and PLACE, but the last contains them all. 
a. e. i. o. u:  But we must not play too much with the beauty of those Letters: Let us fall to our Books, and spell out our Lesson.  

a. ¶ MATTER, must be vendible.  ¶ In the condition of the Matter laid out for Traffic, what ever it be, Goodness more or less makes it first Vendible, as respected for the goodness only, and so fit for Trades.  

e. ¶ PLACE convenient for Marts and Markers.  ¶ In the Places, conveniency at home or abroad; easiness of access by Sea or by Land, & freedom with safety: for Matter and Persons is only regarded in all Marts and Markets.  

i. ¶ PERSONS, fit to Traffic.  ¶ In the quality of merchants Persons whosoever they be, Subject or Stranger, Loyalty and Alliance only makes their Traffic avowed. For with known Traitors, or open Enemies, the Law admits no Commerce.  

o. ¶ ORDER in Commerce.  ¶ The best Rules for Order to direct Traffic by, are those that being precisely squared out, to the Generality, Certainty, and Indifferency of the Laws of our Land, and foreign Contracts, admit no particular, partial, nor doubtful deceit, injury, nor disturbance to Matter, Persons, nor Place.  

u. ¶ END of Traffic.  ¶ The End of all Traffic, is Honour to Princes, and Prosperity to their Kingdoms; whose policy and government, religious and Just, must needs be form to their Pattern DEITY, by the Object of Goodness, and end in Peace.  
But all Goodness is needful: Traffic therefore in regard of the Use of Goodness, must needs be general. For look what the Soul is to the outward Actions of the Body, in ordering each Member, so as Nature finds fit for the good of the whole Man: such is Traffic, in disposing Mysteries & Trades, to the behoof of the whole Commonwealth. A consideration in no part of Civil Government to be neglected, much less in this great Cause of Customs.  
GOODNESS therefore, as the life of the Soul, to perfect our Traffic, both in Matter, Place, Persons, Order & End, is the scope of our Study, and length of our Lessons. That in Traffic, as in all things, it may at last appear, that Finis coronat Opus.  
Thus Customs from Traffic have their first Essens & being, and by it increase, to the Honour of Princes, and Prosperity of Commonweals. For Traffic than it is that we Customers contend, & stand bound to contest what ever betide us, until she be relieved for our Lesson, let us play the good Scholars, and ply our Books well, to spell out Goodness, that some Goodman at last, may get us leave to play.   
¶ In regimine Civitatis. In Republica gubernanda, et in Orbis Imperio, 
Eusebius.  minimum est quod possunt homines: In Causa uèrò Religionis multo minus. Magna, Magnus perficit DEUS. 
He whose only will, and absolute Power could work so well, that all he made became exceeding Good, to his own eternal Glory, and Man's immortal Bliss: GOD, I say GOD, I mean, & GOD the third time, though ONCE for all. Whom only to know, is everlasting Life, and joy but to hear and make mention of his Name, being a law to himself; of his own Perfection, doth likewise perfect all he wills or doth. His Goodness being the Form of all things, from which to serve is to return to Nothing, and which in him as the Fountain we must admire, & most affect and desire in ourselves.  
GOODNESS then is the glorious centre of DEITY itself, from whence all Circumferences both in Heaven and Earth, derive not only Essence, but happiness in Being.  
From hence it is, that out of Learning and Zeal to Religious Rights, some godly-disposed, have seemed to observe a kind of Traffic, and free Commerce, between the Throne of Heaven, and the Church upon Earth, by Doctrine & Prayer for the use of Goodness. All heavenly Inspirings downward, and all holy Desires upwards, being as Angels or Merchants, between GOD and us. That as his Doctrine doth teach us our supreme Truth: so our Prayers might confess him our sovereign Good. But this height and depth of Goodness we leave to Divines. The length & breadth thereof, must lay forth our Lesson, by giving GOD his Honour, and our Sovereign KING his Right. For Caelum Caelorum sibi ipsi assumen, Terram dedit silijs hominum.  
As therefore at first we prayed God for our speed,  
So now in Goodness, God grant we proceed.  
Tu mihi sum Opifex rerum Cor fingitio purum  
Et Recti inspira renovatum pectore amorem.  
Os mihi tute aperi. Tu dirige labra loquentis  
 Tibi promeritae persoluant laudis honores.  
¶ We have spelled already how our Customs and Subsidies live & die with Traffic, as Effects that follow their Efficient Cause. In which respect, first Trades and Tradesmen must be sought for, made of, and at all hands nourished. Then Merchants of all sorts, must be kindly entreated, and by freedom encouraged in every Commonwealth.  
All Traffic is either Outward and Inward, of Things bred at home, or set from abroad: and three things there are, that by the Spirit of Goodness, gives it three degrees of life, and thrice-happy being. Viz. Commodities, Money, and Exchange.  
The first, as the BODY, upheld the World in the infancy of Traffic, by bartering Goodthings for Goodthings, 
Commodities.  to supply Necessities, till Fraud came in.  
The second, 
Money.  as the SOUL in the Body, 
Olim. Cum non esset Monetae usus, nec aliud Merx, aliud pretium dicereter: pro temporum rerumque ratione, utilia utilibus permutabant bomines. Sed ob difficultatem contrabentium electa est Materia, cuius publica et perpetua estimatio, premutationum difficultatibus aequabilitate quantitatis subveniret.  being a weight of supreme worth, to maintain Equality, and prevent Advantage by consent or Nations, first made Good-thinges vendible.  
The third, as the SPIRIT in the Soul, 
Exchange.  is seated every where in the Sovereign's own bosom, to direct and control by just proportions of length and breadth, weight & content, the truth, worth, and use of Goodness, both in Money, and all Things else.  

Kata panta. Regula Veritatis.  The first, whilst Goodness in plain dealing lay open to all like, knew not the Titles of Kings nor Kingdoms.  

Kat' auto. Regula justitiae.  The second, is the right hand of justice, which crowning Kings, first laid the foundation of that preheminent Dignity, that shows the difference and distinction of Sovereigns and Subjects. 
Ius monetae proprium est Principis et inter Regalia Magna censetur.   

Kath ' olou Proton. Regula sapientiae vel ordinis.  The third, is that form of Majesty, and transcendent Power, that of Mortallmen, makes Gods on Earth.  
Thus in Traffic, Commodities both Barterable and Vendible, by Trades and Mysteries are laid out for Subjects. 
Post ipsam Legem nil aeque utile est ac necessarium Reipub: ut Nūmorum usus. Proinde Grecis Nomos merito appellatur. Quasi dicas gubernandi Regula. Vel gubernaculum.  Money as the weight to value the worth, and Exchange the Measure, to set forth the use of Goodness by, belongs only to PRINCES, the sacred Ministers of heavenly justice; Each supporting other by mutual supplies for Reciprocke Ends. The PRINCE graciously beholding the prosperity and wealth of his loyal Subjects, as the only Mirror of his own Greatness and honour. And the Subjects religiously admiring the Majesty of their Sovereign, as the glorious Object of their Welfare and Good.  
And thus it appears by the course of our spelling, set points of our Lesson, & lines of this our Primer. That our King's Trade is Coining, and his Mystery is Exchange. His 
* The KING'S Proprium and peculiar Right.  Right therefore, uni, soli, et semper. By the rules of all Truth, all justice and all Order must be Gold and Silver, Materials of Bullion.   

¶ The motive of this work, was a natural defence of poor despised and contemned Customers; 
The motive of this ALPHABET, and main drift of this PRIMER.  by whose disgrace the King receives such loss, and the State more wrong. But the main drift & Scope of all, is an orderly advancing of our Sovereign's Revenues in his duties of Customs, that so many have undertaken, and so few have set forward. Wherein all that hath been said, might pass but for conceit, and contemplative discourse, without the hand of some Ministerial function.  
Customs therefore being Effects of that great Cause whose Actions are conversant about no meaner Objects than the Sovereign's Honour, and subjects happiness, requires Collectors of choice respect, and absolute trust: Men truly Religious and honest in deed, as Customers are every way intended to be.  
And such were they sometimes reputed, till Neglect in their Choice, and Contempt of their Persons, made jealousy begin to suspect their endeavours, whilst Ignorance and Impudency in countenance and maintenance supplanted their Credits. First by Controllers, than supervisors, and lastly by Farmers, and Undertakers, besides Searchers and Waiters God knows how many.  
I come therefore now to speak of that Function which underlying the charge of so great a trust, none should obtrude on at adventure, or undertake in jest, but such as Nature hath fitted, & Authority admitted in lawful manner. For howsoever the Name of Customers seem now out of favour, as the Objects of Disgrace, and public Slander; the curious eye of the Law (still constant in his choice, 
The Customers only known to the Law. ) call them kindly by their Names, and culls them all as curiously forth, (as Shreive's in their Shires) from among the best and most sufficient, that Wisdom can find, 
The intention of the Law in choosing Customers.  or choice afford, as men most fit to attend upon Traffic, and in collecting Customs, most likely of all others, To deals justly between the Prince and People. Give therefore cheerfully, collect uprightly, and answer truly, as unto GOD himself, all his due honour, in Oblations and Tithes: so to our KING, all his due homages, in the Rights of his Customs, and loyal Supplies. Deal (I say) justly between the Prince and the People.  HOC OPUS, HIC LABOUR EST. 
This is the Dyapazon of all our Music, and full compass of that Song wherein each must hold apart; here therefore pause a while, that all may sing together.  
For great hath been the care from time to time, & the inventions sundry, that have been undertaken, for the advancing, collecting, & true answering, of all such duties as grow in this kind. But as in the State of a natural Body, those diseases prove of most dangerous consequence, that are of longest breeding, & furthest from cure, whose pulse is never felt, nor Symptom known; so hath it long fared with this Argument of Customs. Wherein sometimes about the Cause itself, (Traffic) whether freeborn or no, then about the Matter, without difference or distinction of Art or Nature, Outward or Inward, Abundance or Want, Duty or Free-will. And lastly about the Form of their orderly directing, collecting, and true answering how to stop the course of Errors, and currant of Abuses, is become the greatest pretended care at least and most serious Question.  
For information and Reformation whereof, howsoever the Conscience of my Calling under his sacred Majesty, & special duty beside, as his Highness sworn Servant, have singled me forth, and priest me still forward, by one occasion or other. Quo fato nescio, sed non sine Numine, as my hope and comfort is, first by 
1 Against Informers of all sorts.  A General apology: them a second 
2 Against private Societies.  Replies, & 
3 A Treatise worth the reading.  The true use of Port Bands: & lastly, A Private 
4 The Satisfaction of the offence conceived against that Caution, was the occasion of casting all the rest into this new Mould, called, 5 The Customers ALPHABET & PRIMER.  Caution, against the Farming out of Subsidies, under the name of Customs, to presume thus with my pen, but to wish and further; I ever concluded that none but the Gravest and Wisest in highest Authority, might promise and perform it: Before whom now being so lately commanded to speak, I may not, I cannot, I dare not hold my peace.  
All humble respect of Duty therefore, & prostrate Reverence premised, I proceed with my Lesson, and build on our Defence upon my first Religious and reasonable grounds.   

RELIGION and JUSTICE, are the fundamental stays of all States and Kingdoms, the one by sanctifying, the other by assuring the perpetuities of all tranquillity of Minds and earthly Honours. justice being Distributive and Commutative; the Commutative part includeth Traffic.  
There was a time when the Christian world was all set on fire, divided by Disputes, and distracted in Opinions, 
The true Catholic and Christian Religion, as sound taught, & as freely professed in England, Scotland and Ireland at this day, as in any private or public part of the World.  about the Catholicke-Church, and some points of Truth in the doctrine of Religion: But the GOD of Heaven be praised, it hath found the best footing in these our days & Kingdoms that the world doth afford, and his hand in our Sovereign and his, forever uphold it.  

Upon the compounding of the Discords in the Netherlands.  The like seems now (I say, even now) to offer itself about the Use & Ends of our freeborn Traffic, that Nurse of justice which feeds us All. The private perverting of whose general Intention to public Good, hath much disturbed our special Bliss, and gives occasion of this ALPHABETOR PRIMER.  
Traffic then, being the hand that lays out all men their Work, provides all men their Food, and pays all men their Fees, aught at all hands to be seriously supported, that so supports us all; and her willing Disturbers, and witting Perverters, held as Enemies to Order, that is to say, to God and Nature.  
And since in all Actions, the safest path to walk in, and surest rule to guide ourselves by, is to follow Nature, the pattern laid out by the GOD of Order: the way from Error to Truth, & from Confusion to Perfection, must be by proportions, until we come to that End, which is able and sufficient to perfect and preserve all our worldly happiness. Measure therefore must sit at the Stern, and by steady proportions, con and steer this our Ship of Traffic thorough all the storms of Extremities and dangers of Shifts, to our long-desired Port.  
As the beauty of Nature is Order, so the way to Order is Number more or less, to avoid the Rocks and Sands of Excess and Defect. Exchange therefore without all exceptions, must lay the foundation, and absolute ground of all our Endeavours, to this intended Redress.  

The Writer hereof, alluding to his own trouble for the Caution he wrote against the Farming out of Subsidies, under the name of Custom, sets forth withal a true Idea of Traffic, by feigning a Ship (called the Harry-Bonaduenture,) fraught with pitch, tar, masts, salt and oil, and good store of Bullion: that after a long voyage, in her return homewards to the Island of Exchange, meets with a dangerous storm in the Narrow-Seas, and doubting the Geodyn-sands, falls in with the Forelands, casts Anchor in the Downs, and there riding all Winds to death, puts in at last to Sandwich-haven. Where finding neither Staple nor Staple-wares, (sometimes held there, and sithence at Canterbury adjoining) of Fleece-wooll, Broad-cloths, Tyn, Led, nor Leather. etc. barters her Commodities for Bays, Says, and other Dutch new Drapery there. And in Exchange for her Bullion, bespeaks Kentish Broade-clothes against her next return: Provided, they be made & warranted by the Rules of Sandwich Bayes, and Seal of that Town only, and none other.  Exchange! have we spied out Exchange? Then hail Masters, Mariners, and Mates at all hands: Call up our loyal Merchants, true Patriots, Enterlopers and all, and be of good cheer. Belay well the Bowlyne, keep your tacklins tied and sure. Aloof aloof with the Main for fear of the Goodwines. I seem to see our Island, for the Forelands appear. CASTOR and POLLUX coming both together, did boade us good-luck. Our Bark is strong enough to bear out her leaks. Our Loadstone proves good, and our Compass is true, therefore aloof (I say) with the Main, by this Cape of Good-hope, to the Harbour of Safety, and Haven of all our Rest. For Reliquis tantum Sinus est et Statio malefida Carinis.  
Now, all things consist of Matter and Form, et Forma dat esse rei: the Matter being Weight, and Measure the Form, are fitted and esteemed by their End and Object, GOODNESS. All Goodness is either by Nature or by Art. And as in Goodness there is a proportion to fit with the Matter wherein it consisteth: 
Omnis Forma infunditur secundum meritum Materiae.  So in Trades, the blessing of GOD by Nature, and the benefit of Industry by Art, is more or less admired, to the special reputation & profit of those Persons, and those Places that first afford them.  
According to these grounds of the three things in Traffic before laid down, as Money for the Matter, a Weight of greatest worth, and for the Form, a work of royal esteem: So Exchange, a Measure of rarest perfection, and Mystery of heavenly skill, fitting none but Sovereign States and Kings, must stint the values, and guide the proportions of Goodness, in all Materials besides. But all Goodness is needful. Exchange therefore, as the Spirit in the Soul, to perfect our Traffic, by the Fountains of 
1 Staples.  Bullion, and store of Prince's 
2 mints.  Coin, in respect of the use thereof, aught to be general. Forasmuch as the good intended thereby, is so due to all, as cannot be disturbed or restrained to any, without disorder and confusion, for Omne Bonum, est sui diffusinum.  
This I say then, is that treble-twisted thread, twined by loving and loyal Ariadne, to guide our fatal THESEUS by, thorough all the Muces and Mazes of that Labyrinth of Errors, (merchandising Exchange,) to free and redeem the Bodies of Men, and Souls of Christians, from the yearly, monthly, and daily devouring jaws of that Monster of Crete, and Bawd of Bankers, (Usury,) to the raising again, and perfect uniting of Religion & justice, that Mercy and Truth among Men, may sit kindly together, and Righteousness and Peace may kiss each other.  
Thus all things in Nature do tend to perfection by the Rules of Order, and degrees of Goodness: but the use makes all. For Quò mihi Fortuna si non conceditur uti?  
The use of Metals, both Gold and Silver, as chiefest materials for Prince's Coin, is in this respect so urgently needful, that where Nature fails, Art must make good: in which regard, the want of Ours in this Kingdom, hath been ever supplied by foreign Bullion, and ancient Customs.  
The want of Coin in the Prince's Treasury, shows defect of Natural Ours, or neglect of artificial Supplies, whereof Bullion is chiefest. Neither is it enough, fit, nor convenient, that being provided, or brought to the Mint, 
Cudendae monetae Ius proprium est Principis et inde publicae fiunt.  (the public pulse and heart of Traffic,) private Subjects presume to coin it for themselves: lest thereby Kings become servants to their own Vassals, and constrained to borrow that should be apt to lend. A course in Nature both miserable and preposterous. For what harder condition, then to see Clothiers compelled to work out other men's Wool, for a shred in the end of the self-same cloth? Yet this is worse. For where all Trades are valued by, and vented for Money, this makes Coin both disvalue & sell itself. O hysteron proteron, & ground of all Disorder. If KINGS above themselves have none but GOD, that only makes homage join honour to their Crowns, and seeing their service doth yield them reward, all others below them being prostrate at their feet, the names of Wages and Fees, is too base for Sovereigns from beneath them to receive: and for Subjects to offer, preposterous, persumptuous, and every way profane.  

Constantinus Magnus, ne aliter quam sanctè et legitimè hoc regal uterctur: effigiem suam nummu sic inseulpi voluit, ut hominis Deum flexis genibus invocantis prae se ferret. Moneta autem dicta quod moneat ne quid frandis in Materia signo vel pondere fiat.  If then the Type of Princes be their Thrones and Dignity; if the Object of their Actions, (next the glory of that Deity whom they represent,) be their own greatness & honour; if Merchants buy and sell Goodness but for their own avail; what greater gain than for Subjects to attain to their Sovereign's Dignity? And what harder estate, then to see Kings set a work, and waged by their Servants?  
If the Law pronounce it death, (and that most worthily) to counterfeit Prince's Coins, by what means soever; what can expiate that sin of Presumption, that as it were with their own Hands and Stamps, usurp their Pre-eminence, and disturb their Exchange?  
In a word, let the heart by the liver, receive his tinctured Chylus, by his own mouth and stomach, and the blood with the Spirits shall fill all the veins. And if Nature have taught all men to affect the general Good by particular Trades, and appointed each Trade his proper Materials by the help and use of Money, leave Bullion for Princes, and the World can want no Coin; the easy course and recourse of whose Exchange, shall set all things in tune, and serve all men's turns.  
But to compare things by contraries, will best illustrate either. We all cry out of covetise and Private-gaine, as good reason, for GOD himself hath pronounced it the root of all Evil, and the love of Money to be flat Idolatry. Which being bad in Subjects, must needs be worst in Kings: How great then must our happiness appear, to have Bounty itself come dwell among us? And what hearty remorse ought it to move to some him and his, abridged or deprived of the principal means to practise their virtues?  
Great therefore, greater, and greatest of all, must their Accounts be to GOD and Nature, that preposterously perverting his proper Materials, turn his best helps for Bullion to their private advantage? to the intolerable disturbance both of Court & Country, and almost unrecoverable wrong to the King and his Crown. Wherein Customers wanting words to set out their griefs, have made signs with their 
* The second Reply. or Treatise of Exchange. etc.  pens. And yet cease not by Prayer to groan in this manner.  
O that our Tongues or Pens could but express,  
Or had the gist to make Men understand  
Th●●● great Effects of sacred happiness  
Exchange (alone) would work, by Prince and Counsels hand:  
Religious justice should then so bless our Land,  
That Men on Earth might see by this Idea made,  
What Heaven itself doth boade in this our Kingly Trade.  
So far off, are Customers from guilt in this behalf.   

Now see but what is past, & so put all together, to hear what words they spell.  
That, Goodness (whose Standard is DEITY, 
Kaloca'gathia, id est, Aequum et Bonum, Honestum et utile: Beauty and Bounty, Profit & Pleasure. ) applied to the active perfections of Commutalive Right, by the rules of our Book, and scope of our Lesson, is a beautiful aspect, and beneficial influence of Heavenly Beatitude, in the operations of Nature Art, (which in Greek is understood by Calocagathia.) Sanctifying and assuring the formal Essence of all happy Being's: 
And GOD saw that all he had made was exceeding Good.  For Bono suo consta●● Omnia.  
That Bullion or Billion, is a word of Art, given to the elemental perfections of pureness and fineness in the  Commodities of Gold and Silver, 
Deprehensum a peritioribus est, in Mundi creatione, principem Deum Arithmetica esse usum, Geometria 〈…〉 Musica, siquidem Arithmetica ratio●●●●●●pacta connexaqu● creduntur Elementa: Geometria vero Figuras effinxit ut inde sirmitatem conse querenter, stabilitatem ac pro Naturae vi mobilitatem. Proportiones adnexuit Musicane terra plus in terreno sentiretur Elemento, quam Aquae in Aqueo, et in acreo aeris ●t Ignu in ign●a Natura: nec Elementorum ullum omnino, in aliud resolui ulla ratione quires. Proinde, quum audis a DEO esse universa in numero creata et pondere ac mensura: intellige ad Arithmeticam Numerum referri, pondus ad Musicam ad Geometraim vero Mensurae ad●ectum Nomen. Quip astringente gravitatem levitate confoventur omniafulciuntur que: in meditullio namque, ign●● potestate cohibetur Terra, sed et huic ignis innititur. Ita prof●cto est, Magnitudo Exquisitissimi, nec laudati unquam pro dign●tate Operis; necnon late patens vis et motus, admirabilem Opificu prae se fert potentiam. Dispositio vero excultissima, mirificam ost entat Sapientian. Vsiu vero ad optimum ubique conducens latius exubirantem nobis ingerit bonitatem. Proinde summi Platonici universum hoc v●lut augustissimam Dei statuam eximie venerati sunt. Et que in co caeteris Maiestate Naturae praestare videntur, tanquam Idearum certiora Simulachra. Caelij Rodigini, Lib. 1. Cap. 2.  laid out by nature at the Standert of TRUTH, to fix the proportions of Good, Better, and Best in, for the easier extension of Goodness, by vendible Commerce: For, as Omne Bonum est sui diffusiwm: so Quantò communius eò melius.  
That Money or Coin, is a figured proportion of Number and Weight, laid out by Art at the Standard of JUSTICE to weigh the degrees of Goodness by, in all things vendible;  quod uspiam ●●scitur Boni, id apud omnes affluat. The worth whereof, none but Soveraine-wisedome can justly value or equalize, and absolute Authority stamp and make currant: because, Omne quod efficit Tale, id ipsum esse magis Tale oportet.  
And. That Exchange (whose Standard is EQVITIE,) is that Rule is policy and government of State, which sensibly demonstrates those heavenly Effects of Power & Wisdom that DEITY imparts to mortal Gods, a●● Counsels on Earth, by means of Money, to maintain the worth, and show the true use of all Things in Traffic, by their proper Objects, & peculiar Ends.  
That as Goodness Divinely sublimated, becomes only fixed in Bullion: and Bullion only coined, divides the proportions of Good, Better, and Best, reciving life in itself from Sovereign Essence, becomes currant withal, through all the parts of vendible Commerce: to show the preheminent potency that PRINCES have above their Subjects: So Exchange measuring proportions in Gold and Silver by weights of more or less, to uphold the just value, and maintain the true use of Goodness, as well of all things in Traffic, by Coin, as in Coin itself; sets forth their singular Care, Providence, Prudence and Wisdom.  
The orderly practice whereof being outwardly observed, consists in the ready exchange of currant Coin, purged and prepared by the fire of their mints, for dead or drossy Bullion, laid down at the Altars of their public Temples, for 
* That is to say, Wares so censured at the Staples before they come to the Ports to cross the Seas, as upon the honour of the Kingdom, and credit of the Persons & Places that first assoorde them, are made as vendible without all possibility of fraud or deceit from the Seller to the Buyer, as are our Sandwich Bays. etc.  Stapled-Commodities, as the word itself both spells and imports. But the mystery of this Art, is quietly conveyed in the lending and loans of currant Coin to such as want, upon equal terms of HOMAGE and TRVST. The End of Money being to make all things vendible, by equality of worth, and value of itself, for the quaker dispatch and advancement of Traffic: and the Ends of Traffic the Sovereign's honour, the Kidgdomes' peace, and the subjects wealth. Thus moving and disposing all men's Endeavours, by willing Courses, and perpetual Motions, to serve and work for ONE, and that ONE made able to maintain the Synthesis, and protect the freedom of Traffic, by fitting all men's turns.  
And thus is Traffic made the true and assured practice of that mystical Philosophy, wherein so many wits have spent themselves, & blown the coals in vain; 
¶ Lapis Phylosophicus.  whose heavenly Elixir, (Goodness,) the Quintessence of Nature and Art, by Divine sublimation applied to Materials, breeds Mysteries in Trades, and purging all dross of deceit from Trades, turns Trades into Metals, and all Metals into pure Silver, an● fine Gold.  
And Exchange becomes that Cordial preservative, which easing all griefs and sores, 
¶ universalis Medecina.  suppling all sores in diseases, and curing all diseases in particular Members, holds the whole Body of Kingdoms in health. The sacred Rules whereof, as no profane covetise could ever comprehend, nor confident Empiric attain to practise; so none of private Discretion, or partial Affection, may presume to alter or control, as being a Doctrine peculiar to the Gravest and Wisest in highest Authority, and for PRINCES themselves.  
Of Traffic then, by Nature so admirable, and by Art made so amiable, thus wonderfully wrought, & orderly taught by Rules of TRUTH, JUSTICE & EQVITY, what can be less said, then, that her Doctrine is Heavenly, and fit for none but Kings, and Counsaile-Tables, her seat being everywhere the Sovereign's own Bosom. Whose voice well tuned, is the harmony of the World; to whom both Courts and Courtiers own Fealty & Homage: th● meanest Subjects feeling her Care, and the greatest Princes subject to her Providence; whom both Noble and Unnoble admire, and love as the Nurse and Protectress of all their earthly Honours, Prosperities, Peace and joy..  
Since GOODNESS than is that purging Fire, that sent from Heaven, can only purify from dross of Deceit, all the Materials prepared and presented at the sanctified Altars of public Commerce, to make Kings adored, & Subjects happy: And Gold and Silver, of all  Bodies, the aptest and surest for general behoof to fix this Goodness in: No marvel at all, if all men, 
 mundo Natura Cursum. Soli Lumen et Aquae fluxum, sic gratiam Auro.  if all men, admiring the Beauty and Bounty of the One and the Other, so seriously affect them as their chiefest Treasure.  
But admit it were granted, that some One Man alone might become possessed of all the Gold which the world doth contain, 〈◊〉 ●f all the Silver that Nature affords; or each Man as much as ●is heart could wish, yet the same uncoynd, would prove but idle or cumbersome, for want of public use. For though Goodness by DEITY universally infused, and in Bullion fixed by public consent, be sufficient for worth to set forth itself, yet till Sovereignty by Wisdom appoint out their use, & Power make them Currant; even Coin is not Coin, and hath no life at all, but rests a weight of massy Mould, and senseless Being. Woe worth than all those PROMETHEY, that for private respects, steal this Heavenly-fire, from the holy 
1 mints, by Coining for themselves.  Altars of Unity & Truth, and in contempt of Majesty, rob and engross the public store of our 
2 Staples, by Monopolies.  Temples of justice. And all those NADABS and ABIHVES, that offering strange fire, from profane Altars of privy 
3 counterfeiters of Coin.  Presumption, seek to poison our Traffic, and all parts of Commerce.  
Money in a Kingdom, being the same that Blood is in the Body, and all Alleys but humours. For when the Standard of Goodness in Gold and Silver, is unsteddily fixed, & Money in weight unconstantly Coin, & for use unworthily Currant, as all Commodities beside, become dearer and 〈◊〉; that is to say, of more esteem than Money itself: So the People of that Kingdom, grow troubled, and unquiet within themselves, according to the baseness of the Coin when it is perceived.  
That KING than that puts in his Coin much Bullion, and little Alloy, makes Himself powerfully admired, his Nobles respectively honoured, and his Commons obediently diligent, and all Men willing to raise themselves by their Industries and Trades; holding their times well spent, and labours well employed, for such Money as they believe and find to be perfect Treasure.  
Contrariwise, he that puts much A●●●y to little Bullion, makes Majesty itself, contemptibly weak; the Nobles, neglectedly despised; and the Commons, stubbornly careless, to work for that, they find aforehand and know, not worth their labour: The only way to Reputation and Wealth, being left to Religious Tillage and Honest grazing. Victus & Vestitus being every Man's want. Necessity upholding the estimation of their Commodities far above Base-Money, whilst all men seek to them, & they almost to no man.  
And as a steady Standard, and store of Coin in the Prince's Treasury, makes all things else cheap, holds Trades in request, shows Kings to be powerful, and Subjects wealthy: so, as the Standard falls uncertain, and Money engrossed into private hands, all things grow dear, the King becomes weak, and his Subjects poor, whilst Coin itself by Usury in merchandising Exchange, eats out Industry and Trades; 
merchandising Exchange.  and merchandising Merchants by MONOPOLIES, conspire to strangle Traffic. Examples hereof may be Edw: 
MONOPOLIES.  3. 1338. at his going to conquer F●●●●●. And Edw. 4. overwhelmed by wars at home.  
For Money is not regarded for the Namesake, but for weight of true worth, and use of currant value. King Henry the 3. in his pound, or xx. s. of currant Silver coin, put xii. ounces sterling. Which then was, and yet is worth an ounce of fine Gold, and so was paid his Rent. Edw: 4. raised that ounce to forty shillings, which he found but at four Nobles. And Edw: 6. received no more in eight pounds-rent of Silver coin, than xii. ounces sterling; and so lost to himself & his Nobility seven parts of their Revenues, the Land being the same it was in Hen: 3. time, & not raised in proportion; which their Tenants ever found.  
The way to retain Gold and Silver within a Kingdom, and draw more unto it, is to hold a perfect and steady Standard at home, & call all Forraine-coynes currant, one penny in an ounce of Silver, and xii. pence in Gold above their own. But above all that can be said, or any way devised, maintain the Springhead, (Traffic,) and when all wants are supplied, 
Traffic, a more assured means to supply our King with Bullion, than the Ours of INDIA.  the waist will seem needful, or at least not much regarded.  
And thus is Gold and ●●luer (the seats of fixed Goodness,) fitly ab effectis, 
Auro et Argento, Quid non? having GOD and a good cause to friend.  called King & Queen of the world, in making Kings as powerful in their Thrones, to protect their Subjects both by Sea and Land, & dispose of Traffic within their Kingdoms, as GOD by Goodness, in Number, Weight, & Measure, first made the world, and still doth guide the same. Each KING being an Idea of DEITY itself, so much excelling in Pre-eminence of power for his Person and Place, and in Prerogative of wisdom for Affection and Love, by how much they endeavour, to express in themselves, and extend unto others, the Characters of their Majesty, & Titles of their Glory, (JUSTICE and MERCY,) in the true use of Coin.  
But these Mathematics are acroamatical, fit for ALEXANDER the great, and ARISTOTLE the wise, to walk & discourse of, Horis matutinis in Gymnasio Lyceo, by themselves all alone, and not for us to speak of, or spell. Neither had we thus presumed (despised as we are) from our desolate Schools, and lowly Cottages, to step into the Court, and enter the Mazes of these sacred grounds, 
The only cause of publishing hereof in this sort.  but to beat down and prevent the dangerous Suggestions of Imaginary Doctrine, and Legete de main wherewith some Speculative Men, risen up in our time, bewitch all they meet, and (were it but possible,) would seduce the Wise: who severing themselves from the Body of our Commerce, and wandering out of fight, to keep all men still under, & themselves above, would persuade the world, that Traffic of herself is a perilous biting beast; and that to bring her home to her own Creeks & Ports, must needs destroy all our Sheep in Cotsall, and decay all our shipping on Cheviat-hills, and Barham-downes: which Assertion of theirs, so strangely undertaken, and stiffly maintained, if neither fond nor false, yet is it but as true, as the building and raising of Tenterden-steeple, was the ruin and decay of our Sandwich-haven, whom Land and Seas have set some 30. miles asunder. For confutation whereof, this place and time requires that something now be said to satisfy the Wise, though I must confess the easiness is such, that how to dispute it in any serious manner, I cannot well devise.  
¶ All Assertions whatsoever, that fall within the compass of humane Discourse, are made and maintained either by pregnancy of Wit, clearness of Reason, or demonstrative Experience, (for against Divine Revelations we mean not to dispute,) the Mind consulting still with memory, and fancies Conceits. In which respect it is, that Imagination is truly termed the Storehouse of Wit, Memories Seat, and Fancies Palace. By means whereof, as the pulse declares best how the heart doth work; so the thoughts of our Minds, to purpose good or bad, do soonst bewray themselves.  
Upon this anvil than we will begin to strike, and entering this Closet, demand of these assured and confident Disputers, so boldly contesting against all Comers, that the bringing home of Traffic, must needs decay our Shipping; whether their wits in so deeming, be within them or without them. If they answer, Within them, as likely they will: then they, (without their wits,) must needs be distracted, frantic, or mad. And who is able cum ratione insanire? And if to mend themselves, they confess their wits to be without them, then must they stand as witless, their Conceits being but Dreams, and their Dreams but Fancies.  
But let their wits alone, and leave them to their fancies, till they find one the other, for perhaps they see more reason than their Wits can devise, or Conceits can utter; I ask them then, (as men that would seem at least to understand themselves;) whether by this (our Shipping,) they mean Ships of Burden, 
All Ships are cyther for Burden, or Defence.  or Ships of Defence, or both, or neither?  
If they say Ships of Burden. How should fancy or frenzy, by Discourse of Wit or Reason, maintain a Conceit, and persuade it unto others, which Experience in the Ports doth daily condemn, and demonstratly control? Complaining still for want of Keys, Docks, and Wharfes to build on. Not of Matter, but of Place, where Traffic once doth come, and but unmask her face.  
And should we think it possible, that she which hath had the power to turn Creeks into Ports, add Ports unto Towns, raise Towns into Cities, and enrich whole Countries with Artificers & Trades, Mariners and Shipping, with our Neighbours abroad in less than 50. years, should prove so idle, nay hurtful now at home? 
Ships carry Traffic, as wheels do the Chariot. And Traffic the trimphant Coach that bears the Glory of our KING the World round about.  Traffic is the Chariot, & shipping are the Wheels that bear our glorious LIGHT, and is that Body shadowlesse that never wants the SUN?  
But still they seem to mutter much, and muse among themselves, framing Conclusions without the bounds of Reason, or due regard of all our former premises, to see if fear with fancy may persuade the Wise. That if Traffic be restored, and Strangers compelled to seek her here at home; it is not unlikely, but to sexue their Turns, they will come provided with shipping of their own. And then what? Forsooth, though Traffic make us rich (as no question but she will,) what boots our Wealth, when Innasion or Piracy may rob us of our store?  
To which I answer thus. Let Sailors tend their Tackle, their masters whistle, and Captains high command: Bring home our Staples, and CASTOR and POLLUX the GOD'S of our Seas, made able and powerful to warrant our Traffic, skilful PALINURUS that sits at our Helm, observing our Compass, will safely guide our Course, and direct all our shipping. Protection and Direction being essential parts of that Preheminent, Dignity, 
The Nany-Royall before Sluse, 1340. And before Callais, 1588.  and sacred Prerogative our KINGS have ever had, Experience hath confirmed, and our Counsels may challenge.  
This care and fear therefore comes too near our Stern, importing a distrust of the providence and prudence of our Land, and savours of Presumption, 
Blasphemy.  or something worse.  
These curious casters beyond the Moon, would go further if they durst, and inquire how GOD can hold the Sky, & keep the Sun from falling; Or what he did before the World was made.  
But admit it that affection and love to Traffic, (ne quid asperius,) have made them fearful of others good, and icalous of their own; I wish them to beware how they come too near the Helm for touching the Rudder. For what got PROMETHEUS for his Sky-stolne fire at last, from the wheels of this Chariot, when the simple Satire for kissing it in kindness only, found it burned his lips?  
Leaving therefore all those Holy grounds, and Cordials of GOODNESS to our sacred IDEAS of Majesty and Wisdom, that being Best themselves, must needs be Good to others, but specially Traffic, whose heavy Spirits, so tumbled & so tossed by Embargoes abroad, and Extremities at home, desirous of some rest; reposing herself at their sanctified feet, gives us likewise leave to return to our Books, and spell out our Lesson.  
Now our Lessons are her Tributes and personal Rights, which Necessity doth call for, and Free-will doth offer: namely, Customs and Subsidies, but chiefly Customs, which only & alone could we once be taught distinctly but to read, would ease all our Griefs, increase all our 
* This is meant by the OUT-PORTS only.  Fees, and pay for all her Physic. For Customs then, let's now apply ourselves, and spell our Letters.  
Customs (I say,) but not such Customs as conquering Romans devised, and imposed upon the stubborn and stiff-necked jews, 
JUDEA.  whose Tributes were Curses of Divine justice, to keep them under. Whose 
* S. MATTHEW, sometimes a Publican.  Publicans became Christians themselves, and taught the foundations of Religion to others, though their Searchers by nature became Harpies, and their Waiters by profession, were every way Sinners.  
Nor such Customs as Tyranny doth invent, 
ITALY.  and daily impose upon enthralled Subjects, to stand on, and raise itself by.  
Nor such as tumultuous Wars have made our neighbours devise, 
NETHER-LANDS.  and impose among and upon themselves, to defend their lives and their liberties by.  
But such Customs, as mildness and mercy to relieve our Neighbours, our Allies, and our Friends, the Wisdom of our Land hath invested our KINGS, to maintain the Majesty of our Kingdom by.  
Such Customs as demonstratively showing the Real possession, & Actual protection, our Sovereign's hold of every Man's wealth, leave notwithstanding to every Subject his Meum and Tuum, and full use of his own.  
Lastly, such Customs, as like easy Quitrents of a fertile Fee-farm, show the power of the Lord, and greatness of the Manner, the defrauding whereof, doth worthily forfeit all possession and protection of the immediate Freeholder.  
For Customs of themselves, and properly taken, are but easy payments of 
a. e. i. o. u.  Currant-Money, to Customers at their Ports, by Merchants, Subjects or Strangers, for such Stapled Commodities, as Orderly bought, and for Number, Weight, & Measure, sufficiently censured, before they cross the Seas; with the Staple Seal, and special Certificate come warranted thither; for our Sovereign's Honour, and Country's credit.  
And here now who sees not in a very few words but thus put together, the full use and found of all our five vowels, for Matter, Place, Persons, Order, and End, that the Ports and the Staples ralate each to other.  
But as the Steward of a Manor, that sits to hold a Court, wanting the Rolls and authentic Records of his Lords Revenues, can neither call the Tenants distinctly by their Names, demand their Quitrents, nor understand their Homage, how each doth bound his Fee, o● hold his own: so fares it with Customers. For being tied to their Ports by careful attendance, for discharge of their Bonds and peculiar trust: Their wares without warrant, and their Staples out of sight, from whence their work should come. Their Vowels all displaced, their Mutes are dumb, and Liquids' jar. For without u SIRS, and u my Lords, which hath no sound, 
u u w C. st. m. s.  to speak or spell out Custumes: and all for lack of Staples.  
Staples! Now see see my Lords, for God's sake see, how Traffic falls a weeping, 
Traffic, subject to the Syncope, or great swooning which here is described, and the remedies.  her pulse is weak, & her Spirits fail, her face is pale and wan, at the name and sound of Staples, the want whereof so wounds her Soul, that her heart is set on bleeding; yet comfort her still, & hold her upright to keep her from deadly swooning: and speak her fair, that she do not despair of the Cordials in your only keeping.  
Tell her kindly withal, Privatio praesupponit habitum, for never man yet was so continually sick, whose health hath not had a Being: and the disproportioned disposition of Confusion itself, doth argue an intention, and possibility of Order. Therefore speak my good Lords, to revive all her spirits, for your words are full of power; yea speak aloud (I say) & assure her you will belay all her Staples. 
KING PRINCE.  Yea, speak you, and you (SIRS) for your Bullion sake, for that is your right, and no man's but yours, by the Rules of all Truth, and fixed Goodness. For your mints sake, for that is your Honour, and no man's but yours by the Rules of justice. For your Exchange sake, for that is your Glory, and no man's but yours by the Rules of Equality; and for your Customs sake, for that is your profit, and no man's but yours, by the Rules of justice and Equity, 
Quiquid enim justum, id etiam utile censent sumini Philosophi, itemque quod honestu id esse justum. Ex quo essicitur. ut quicquid honestum sit, idem sit utile. Cice: office: lib: 2.  so shall Honestum and utile concur both together: Honesty being evermore the height and type of Honour, & public Utility, the Mother of Just and Right, for each man's good and gain. Say not you can restore them, for that she knows already, but say you will do it, and then she will believe you. And we your poor Scholars, loyal Subjects and Servants, will every way attend you with all our best endeavours. Or else farewell sweet Traffic, and so farewell Customs, yea farewell justice: nay farewell Religion, and then farewell All. So far off are Customers from guilt also in this behalf.  
But alas poor Customers, who doth hearken to your cries, or believe your Reports? Who shall weigh your zeal, to our Soneraignes' Honour, and his People's Good, or care for your Endeavours? Yet be not dismayed; In magnis voluisse sat est, sint caetera Dinun. Stand still but awhile, and let GOD himself alone. What though inveterate Errors of ages that are passed have multiplied themselves, and now seem to muster against our happy days: our DAYSTARRE that is risen, and DAWNING in our eyes, 
KING. PRINCE.  will in good time disperse them, or amend them as they may, and take but thus much onwards. That Ignorance hath been every way the Mother but of Errors, of whom came Mischiefs, and of such our Inconveniences, which though they threat Confusion, yet tell us notwithstanding, there is a way to Order, that leads us to perfection, as Truth by the Causes of Truth shall come but to be known.  
Now Truth indeed lies deep, and the danger such in digging, that no man hath the patience to delve until they find her: & I am to too weak (
* The Writer almost tired & out of heart, refers the Truth of all, to the Records of the K: Treasury in his Exchequer, for Weights & Measures, Staple Accounts & Orders.  alas,) to work her out alone. O that WISDOM therefore which only can disclose them, would make men admire those glorious Titles of justice and Mercy, (Emblems of Truth,) that the Volumes in her Cabinet, and Treasury contains! Then should we learn the Rules and proportions of Numbers, Weights, and Measures. The use of Staples in former times, how they were kept, and whether they be gone. Then should we see those wonderful effects of our Lodestones at home, that have wrought such miracles in other forraino Lands, and Nations from abroad, bringing Bullion in amain, make our 
* Mints.  Pulses to beat in more places then one. And we poor Scholars made confident in our Customs, without possibility of fraud, cause of distrust, or fear of blame.  

Customs in England, or in English Traffic, always presuppose our Staples, and live and die or follow them, as Effects their proper Causes.  In the mean time, sith no men can pipe well that want their upper lips, consequence concludes it, and Truth makes it good, that as no Church hath no Tithes, and no Court no Quitrents; so no Staples no Customs. Whereby Necessity overtaken, being put to her shifts, makes bold with Free-will, and to aid PRE-EMINENCE, transcending to PREROGATIVE, 
The blending or mistaking of Prerogatine for Pre-eminence, a dangerous means to profane the Sovereign effects and reverence of Mercy in Kings.  turns Customs into Subsidies of Tonnage and Pondage, as if PRE-EMINENCE and PREROGATIVE were merely Synonimas, and meant but one thing; and bounded justice that lays out all our Rights, were that boundless Mercy that makes us all to live; and Mercy itself, but a word of profaneness, or some ordinary thing.  

Merchants by Societies monopolising our Staple Commodities, and Royal wares, have found the way to Staple them still beyond Seas, & so confounding both our Customs & diverting all our Bullion, fill the Realm with base or more needless matter in their returns.  Thus whilst our Grave Masters & Moderators of our Schools have been busied and distracted in the study and practise of the higher points of learning our Staples being stolen, transmuted and transplanted, our Customs are confounded: and we poor Scholars still tied to our Stakes, seem fit for nothing but beating and baiting. Hence grew the grounds of all our Disorders, the breaches of our Schools, and our 
* Traffic.  Nurses deadly sickness, that threatened all our Ruins: had not Wisdom from above, out of love and affection so belayed our falls, that the power of that WORD which made us first of nothing, became the means to redeem us all from nothing; and 
* KING.  BOUNTY itself hath laid the foundation, (and begun at the least) to become the MAN: whereby our joys may be great, 
The comfort that Customers conceive of the King and Prince.  and by so much the greater, by how much our greatest loss (as all men thought) is like to become our greatest gain.  
Our comforts then growing from our Sovereign's own PERSON, and our hopes above hopes, from the power of his WORD; whose natural storge to justice and Right being every way good, their affections also free, and love without end: Let's here rest awhile, and settling ourselves, both think and thank God, and learn to say Grace, that Grace in disgrace may pity our cases among the rest, and raise our poor credits from impudent Ignorance, insolent Pride, and shameless Disdain: saying;  

The Customers daily Grace.  As God by his Goodness and Truth did direct us,  
whose mercy endures for ever,  
So his Grace and his favour vouchsafe to protect us,  
for his mercy endures for ever.  
That our Traffic by Staples in temper again,  
for his mercy endures for ever,  
Our Ports with their Customs may chant it amain  
that his mercy endures for ever.   

Thus far by pointing and spelling in this ALPHABET and PRIMER our weakness hath attained to resolve and read out. That the right of Kings being Bullion, their Honour their Coin, their Glory their Exchange, and Customs, their Homage and honest gain: shows that Majesty is preheminent and may well be seen, and that Soneraigne Prerogatine may likewise subsist. But our PATRON being robbed of his Staples, spoiled of his Bullion, and wanting the Customs should grow from his store; his mints all decayed, & almost out of work, is forced to seek aid by Subsidies, Impositions, Imposts, Lones of his own for interest, and merchants Supplies. Ay me alas, and woe is me therefore.  

Transitio from Customs to Subsidies by a Simile, setting forth the odds and difference of either.  There's a Place in this Land where a great Man doth dwell, in whose beautiful Garden a stately Fountain stands, in the use and raising whereof, it seems that Art contends with Nature, and both conspire together. The Spring by plentiful streams, through Pipes and Quills serving all the Cisterns of the Tenants adjoining, with a power in private, to stop or let out at pleasure. By tract of time, corruptions abroad, or neglect at home the Spring becomes perverted, the streams run waste, or the Fountaines out of frame, that the Lord of the soil, who should relieve others, by the bounty of his own, wanting water himself, craves aid of the Tenants, whose Cisterns contain no more of themselves then his currant afforded & Conduct controlled. His wants at the first are gladly supplied. But the ofter the worse; for in these Elements of life and vital subsistence, Religion bids Reason provide first for Nature, & be next herself. Distresses being dangerous, if not deadly, when the blood is retracted, and the heart wants his own.  
This must help for a time (till our Staples be found) by Meum and Tuum, between Customs and Subsidies,) to compare and demonstrate, for want of the One, the use of the other.  

As in the two sacred words of highest power, aforesaid: so in the blending & mistaking of Customs for Subsidies, Traffic is disordered, & Customers being disgraced, humbly crave that the world might be satisfied, and themselves better taught.  But here let's pause awhile, the better to join our Letters together, and mistrusting ourselves, crave aid of our Masters and Myld-Moderators: that having eyes which can see, they may help us to spell, and ears that can hear, they may hearken how we read, & make us understand. 1. First, how it comes to pass, that our Staples being dissolved or transplanted out of sight (from whence all our Homagers were sometimes want to come) and our Customs retaining the least part of themselves, besides their voice & sound; 
All Tributes covered under the title of Customs confusedly.  all Titles notwithstanding seem died with their Tincture, and drowned as it were, with the Echo of their Name. 2. And in calling for our Subsidies, where & how to find out the Principal verb.  

The way how to collect Custom confidently and truly.  For whilst our Staples were at home, & joined to our Ports, or so near together, that each might answer other, our Loadestones drew in Bullion, for our mints at hand to coin: and we reading in our 
* The Staple-Certificats & Customers-Entries, were certain Controlements each to other, without Books of Rates. The way to receive Subsidies by Books of Rates, different from that of Customs, and more partial and uncertain.  rentals as well in value as in quality & quantity, what our Merchants there had bought, could call justly for our Customs before they crossed the Seas, without fraud or covyn, or other Book of Rates. But in our Pondage and Tonnage, we know not how to read or spell, and therefore seek to learn. For,  
Haud Natura potest justo secernere ìniquum,  

Horatius.  Dividit ut bona diversis, fugienda petendis:  
Nec vincet ratio hoc tantundem ut peccet. Idemque,  
Qui teneros Caules alieni fregerit horti  
Et qui nocturans Diwm sacra legerit. (ADSIT  
REGVLA) peccatis qua poenas irroget aequas,  
Ne scutica dignum horribili sectere flagell●.  
It is not our weak strength alone can stay  
Or hold the scales of Good & Ill upright:  
Nor is that Reason good that makes all one by day,  
To crop a neighbours garden- leeks, & rob a Church by night:  
A RULE must guide the whole to keep the parts from swerving,  
And punish faults in every one according to deserving.  
And not to think that every slip,  
Like deadly-Sinne deserves a whip.  
For: If Sovereign Dignity be that sacred Object which true-loving Loyalty is apt to admire, and seeks to honour with natural respects, (such as all Subsidies are or aught to be) who can be capable of so great a glory, by personal Right, but selfe-subsisting Majesty? and who can accept of so great affection, but the eye of Grace?  
If these our Subsidies of Tonnage and Pondage, be those natural respects which love is desirous that loyalty should offer, to honour our Sovereign and Patron only by, besides his Customs, who can impose them but loves own affection? who can esteem them but the hand of Mercy? and what can increase them but cheerful alacrity in the Givers mind?  
Lastly. If Tonnage and Pondage be those honourable Effects of affectionate Loyalty which Merchants transcending their other duties, with joy present and Mercy takes. Who shall direct and dilate their proportions by Number, Weight, & Measure, for the mutual behoof of Love and Grace? Who I say, can teach us this part of our Lesson, but the gravest and Wisest, and wisdom from the Highest? namely, how to deal justly between the Prince and the People?  
For cheerfulness and alacrity, inducements unto Grace, the heart & Essence of all our Aids, (as coldness in affection makes presents little worth) whilst we sought to further, and by often repetition at all hands to increase to our Patron's honour and his People's good, 
Hoc autem de quo nunc agimus, id ipsum est quod utile appellatur, in quo verbo lapsa consuetudo deflexit devia. Eoque sensam deducta est, ut honestatem ab utilite secernens honestum aliquid constituerit quod non sit utile, et utile quod non sit honestum qua, nulla pernicies maior vitae hominum potuit afferri. Cicero office: Lib: 2.  that Honestum and utile might still keep together, by the rules of Right and Reason: We are checked and controlled by Courtrolles and Court-rules, and made to believe that Honesty in this case hath nought to do with Profit. Discretion commanding the most for the King; as if Honour here were bootless, or some idle thing: and that public Utility were meant by private Gain. We contest in nothing, but every way willing and desirous for to learn, our harmless dispositions are scorned and despised; 
The mild discretion of Customers to advance Subsidies by, despised.  our Truth is held for Error, our Virtue Vice. And for crying but ADSIT REGVLA, we are dinged so like Barnes that we dare not great. And thus with the grounds of our former Disorders, began the degrees of all our Disgraces; which the sequel now shall show.   

¶ As in all other Functions, so in this of Customers, three things there are to warrant the Calling, but without the fourth none can subsist. For beside, the authority of our first Institution, that gives us power to be doing in this kind. The Ports and Places allotted for Bounds that limit our service. And the diligent performance which in this respect the greatness of our trust doth exact and import: There is Countenance & maintenance to be fitted to our Charge, which in this regard we deserve & may require. For the Ox is not muzeled that treadeth out the Corne. Religion says. And justice hath appointed, that the daily Labourer be truly paid his hire. But Nos non nobis indificamus Aves. We serve at the Altar both daily & hourly, and yet are held unworthy to breath or live thereby. For besides the penury of such Fees and Rewards as our Functions deserve, and our charges require; our fare being slender, and our drink very scant; we dip but our dishes in our neighbours Cisterns to quench our thirst, and at Noon in his garden crop a few of his Leeks, with his own consent, to keep us from starving: And this adds oil to the fire of our Furnace; here lies the gall of all our bitterness: Our breaths are said to infect with their scent, and poison the air.  
This is our horrrrible Sin, our Sacrilege, or Burglary at least. As if We hereby, & none but We, had spoiled the King's Staples, stolen away his Bullion, concealed his Customs, and at Midnight robbed a Church. Of all this Ignorance but accusing, our Ushers bind us hand and foot, and jealoufie torments us with a kind of Controller. Whose skill can no ways help us, for his Letters are those Characters that we would spell to read; and Actum agere, the scope of all his Lesson.  
This Man at the first seems doubly diligent, till Experience makes him wise, being proud of his Name, 
controllers.  and content with the ease of his Place and credit; but his belly wanting ears, he betakes him boldly to a Bed of Onions, and spares our Neighbour's Leeks.  
Now Leeks and Onions thus meeting together, 
All men's errors and faults, still laid on the Customers. Quonsque tandem andebunt dicere, quicquam utile quod non sit honestum? nullam enim pestem maiorem dixerim vita et societati hominum posse contingere quam corum opinio qui ista distraxerint. Offic: Lib: 3.  and increasing the smell to our further disgrace, and only blame, made an easy way to our late Supervisors, and their Factions Retinewe. Whose rules of Extremity in hunting for Profit, and reforming our Schools disorder and Abuses, so perfumed our Ports by eating Garlic, that Honour and Honesty became both amazed, and removed their Seats.  
These at the first made a glorious show like the Moon at full, yet proved but Comets, 
The 4. Supervisors that undertake to correct Magnificat in the Out-Ports.  for men to gaze on as they hung in the Air, and their greatest Letters but Ciphers in August when they came to the spelling. For stuffing our Houses with swarms of such Instruments as love our tributes but as Rats do love Cheese, so bewitched poor Traffic by Sorcery, 
Traffic first bewitched: And  and shifts, that as our Ports became abandoned, like places infected or haunted with Spirits: All our Free-will offerings, 
The Out-Porti, first abandoned.  effects of Loyalty; the true- love-knots knit between Subjects & Prince, and tokens of affection (religiously moved in minds, admiring the glorious Object of their welfare and good) from the hearts of Merchants: humbly presented to Sovereign Dignity, and to man else due; 
The Subsidies of Tonnage & Pondage farmed out.  Au plus offrant being set to sale, were thrust at last into huckster's handling. These, some call particular Farmers, some Farmer's general, some Undertakers with Farmers, not so much of Customs, as they would pretend, as of the Subsidies afore said, called Tonnage and Pondage.  Qui male agunt oderunt Lucem. 

Farmers. Undertakers.  The first sort of these, may be seen and known. The latter, neither seen nor known in public sort, as Publicans be, have yet their meetings and appointments together. And possessing the body, undertake by means to purge the blood, and purify the Spirits of our weak, diseased and distracted Traffic: some by Tobacco, and some by a worse and viler thing. Cuìus Camarinam, I dare not stir without pardon and reverence, first humbly sought, and duly promised, Ne nauceam ciem.  
It is strange I confess for men to behold what Art doth & can do with the meanest materials that nature affords, when she undertakes to work; 
The Refiners of Gold and Silver in London.  for I have sometimes seen good and pure Bullion both drawn and refined from the dirt and dust whereon the workmen stood: but these cleanse by water, and then purge by fire, and their working may be seen.  
Nay, I have often admired, and with joy beheld the store of currant coin in fine silver and pure gold, that sometimes was drawn from the shorlings of our Fells, 
The Dutch new Drapery of Bays, Says, etc., first devised in Sandwich, and from thence learned and set up elsewhere within the Realm. no we.  the refuse of our wools, and sweep of our Staples, by the industry of Art, and help of fire and water. But these Undertakers are Artists indeed, that attend upon their Trades, and concur in their labour; their doings are seen, 
The only Pattern of a free Staple.  their Persons known, their work squared out by the Standard of Truth, and their Wares made vendible, only by degrees of Goodness. 
Lex Veritatis.   
These Artists work in God's Name, whose Elixir Goodness, by the mystery of their Trades, turns their work unto Metals, and their Metals into Bullion, to serve our public Mints, that Merchants at their Ports may have to pay their Tributes before they pass the Seas in ready currant Coin, 
Lex justiciae.  by the rules of justice.  
These are our skilful Workmen, 
Lex Sapientie et ordinis. Besides the Kings & towns Seals, they have 3. Seals to distinguish the worth of every man's wates and work, and that which deserves not the worst Seal, is cut into pieces, or put by to be amended, as being no ways vendible at home nor abroad.  whose orderly proceed for the use of Goodness, by the weights of justice, and scales of Truth, giving every man his Right, to Good, Better and Best, in the value of his work, by the warrant of their SEALS, makes Deity in nature to be generally adored, and Industry in Art to be more or less admired, to the special praise and profit of those Persons and Places that first or last afford them.  
These are our honest Sacristaines, and sure friends to Traffic, fit for our Altars of Unity and Truth, 
They have 12 sworn men (besides under officers,) that as judges examine each man's work before it pass the Seals: who being skilful in all the Trades that belong to their Drapery, are impartriall Censurets of all Defaults, aswell in spinning, weaving, fulling, and dying, as working, for the Buyers behoose, even to the mulct, and recompense of a thread and a farthing.  whose religious affections to the practice of justice, so bless their Endeavours, that all men admiring the Beauty and Bounty of their Industries and work, desire to possess them before Gold & Silver, to our Sovereign's great Honour, and his People's special wealth.  
These deal not with our Customs, nor obtrude upon our Subsidies, but teaching the way how to find out the one, and with alacrity how to pay the other, attend on Honestum & utile still together: O that our Fleese-wooll were thus undertaken, & our Broad-cloths but made and dressed in this manner!  
last: 
The Staples of Kent in E: 1. E: 2. & Edward 3. time, kept at Sandwich and Canterb: (where now they of the Dutch Church dwell,) was removed first for 15. years to Bridges, & after placed at Calais, the loss whereof, being now 50. years since, would draw on a special Discourse besides this PRIMER.  These I say, and none but these, (for all their followers elsewhere, have failed in their Rules, and crazd their credit,) are the children's children of our former holy Priests, that first found out the Pit in this Desert of our Land, wherein so long a go the 
* Read the second of the Machab: chap: 1.  Fire was hid that sanctified all our Tributes, and with the muddy moisture only that therein they found, (as our Sun did lately shine,) drew down that heavenly heat which warmed our frozen Traffic, and would revive our Staples, if WISDOM saw it good,) even when the Pit was dry, and to all men's knowledge the Fire was spent and gone.  
But these Farming Undertakers, or undertaking Farmers, seem men of other skill, & different professions: 
An Antithesis between the former Undertakers of Sandwich, and those now of London. Tritemiae Abbas de occulta philosophia: joannes Baptista de Porta: De furtivis literarum Notis,  who drawing their Doctrine from Tritemius Abbas Steganographia, and de Portas learned works, of their private Experience, have altered all our Rules of Honestum and utile, to Lucri bonus odor ex re qualibet, and made an Art of Traffic, to purge her spirits by, and refine her Tributes, from all the virtuous vices & vicious virtues of Leeks, Onions, and Garlic: by a kind of distillation & strange 
* Their new Book of Rates.  Limbeck of their own.  
Now 1. how these men work. 2. What men they are. 3. Fron whence their doctrine comes. And 4. whereto it tends, are curious Questions, and may be worth the spelling.  
For if heavenly Goodness be the life of Traffic, from whence as Trades do serve they turn again to Nothing. And Gold and Silver our chosen Materials, by true proportions to fix this Goodness in, as we have learned to spell: Then work not these in God's Name, like plaine-meaning Men, but as confident, 
How they work.  careless, and therefore dangerous Empirics, that shun the Rules of Truth, who finding our Trades all subject to Monopolies, and apt to be contracted, bring all our Mysteries to be pounded in one Mortar, and there so squeise the Brains of Traffic, and refine her Tributes: that our Ports being once confounded as well as our Staples, Honour might do them Homage, and public Utility become their private gain.  
If Currant Coin the Soul of Traffic, and our Sovereign's only Trade, be those proportions of Number and Weight to buy & sell by that makes Goodness vendible for all our behoofs. Then are these undertaking-Farmers, Merchants, that (Tradelesse themselves) live by buying and selling, and so by buying to sell again: that raising all their profits from others Trades and pains, 
What men they are:  are bound to pay their homage before they pass our Ports, with purpose to transport our Goodness cross the Seas. And therefore made by Name incapable and incompatible to undertake our Functions, or deal with our Tributes. As men specially forbidden by the Statute-lawes and wisdom of our Land, 
14 R: 2. No Merchants that deal with straits of ships, or have Ships of their own, or keep any Whatses, etc. shall have to do with the receipt of Customs, etc. Item 20 H: 6. Cap: 5.  to obtrude upon our Customs: much less our Subsidies of Tonnage and Pondage, least Merchants farming Merchants, & so go free themselves, presume to be like Kings or Princes fellows; to whom alone such Rights are due, and therefore to none other, as being the only knots to tie Majesty and Loyalty so fast and sure together. Now, who strives to outrun the Laws, makes hast but to confusion. But such it seems are these, by the course of their proceed. And therefore no marvel, if turning all our freedoms into their bondage, and all our birthrights into their Farm or purchase: from all the Goodness Traffic hath, and all the Love our Merchants bear to our Patrons happy being; they gain a mass of private wealth, by doing a world of harm.  
If Exchange of Goodness by Gold & Silver, the Body & Blood of Kings and Kingdoms (represented to us in currant Coin,) be the Spirit of Traffic, and mystical Cement that glues so fast together the mutual conjunction between Sovereigns & Subjects, 
Whence their Doctrine comes.  by Love and Grace, as religious justice hath taught us to believe. 
Usury first practised in Rome, by the Banks of jews there, and in other Christian Countries, to draw home the Pope's Peterpens, and other exactions upon the Nations & kingdoms that obeyed their Religion.  Then draw these Undertakers their Methods all from ROME, where first was taught the doctrine that enchants and transubstantiates our Eucharisticke Sacraments, (representing to us the Body and Blood of CHRIST, by Bread and Wine,) to Idolatrous Masses, and our Christian Exchange into jewish Usury.  
Lastly, if the KING be our Honour, the PRINCE our Sun, Traffic the Chariot, and shipping the wheels that bear our glorious Lights: These being but the Horses, that so proudly set forward to undertake our Goodness, and draw us all in triumph: Foreseeing as I did, (my standing made me see, & my seeing moved my Conscience not to hold my peace,) both the looseness of their reins; their bit within their teeth, and danders of their course over Hills and Dales, bawkes and many by-ways, and all without a Coachman or Guide that I would spy. (They commanding all, 
Whereto their Doctrine tends.  and controleable by none for hindering of their Farm) I could not (my good Lords) out of Duty and zeal to our Patron's safety, and all your happy beings, but give Caution heretofore of the fierceness of their Courage, and desperate Career; that such as stood so nigh them, might be warned at least to look but to their heels. But sith like sleeping Minotaures they now possess the 
* LONDON.  Centre of all our great Abuses, and inextricable Errors, and threatening all our Trades with daily, monthly, and yearly Tributes, make Traffic offer sacrifice to 
1 Extortion.  Remphan, & to 
2 Usury.  Rymmon: Let THESEUS now take heed, and ARIADNE look about her; and with a smile at least, at last revive the Spirits of their despised Scholars, whose wits have no wills, and Endeavours no Ends, but how to spell, and learn to read their Country's weal, the public Good, and Sovereign's special Honour, that Honestum and utile might still hold hands together. A smile (I mean) of favour to th' Out-Ports of this Land, aswell as that of London: because, though justice have a quickening power, 
PRE-EMINENCE. PREROGATIVE.  and may protect our beings; yet Grace it is relieves us all, and Mercy makes us live.   

By this which hath been spelled, your Wisdoms now may read, to what distress and misery your Publicans are brought. That being Men as docible in Religion, as capable of Reason; Free men by their births, and of best education, Men every way made happy, save in their names and callings: and in nothing yet more wretched than the Places of their Functions, (for I mean the Out-Ports only, let London clear itself,) are notwithstanding in worse case, (if worse may be) then were those Brickmakers that sometimes wrought in Egypt, who wanting means to do their task, had notwithstanding their idle Taskmaisters, whose credits had no being but in their disgrace, commanded even by those that should attend upon us, yea Searchers and Sinners.  
But as the case now stands, sith all make love to Tributes, & catch our Functions from us, High and low, Rich and poor, both Noble and ignoble, 
All catch & hunt for Customs, but shun the Name of Customers.  because our Lessons spell pure Silver and fine Gold: and yet our Names they scorn. Let jealousy be called for, and let Impudence smell, what Ignorance hath added, and Extremity reform in the abuses of our Schools, by spelling well the Letters, 
Sir The: moors Epigram, De faetoribus abolendis.  but mistaking the purpose of a grave and witty Counsellor, that sometimes gave advise in this very case of ours.  
Sectile ne tetros porrum tibi spiret odores  
Protinus á porro fac mihi cepevores. etc.  Lest eating 
1 Customer.  leeks (saith he) should cause thy breath to smell Take 
2 Controller.  Onions strong, that sent will soon allay; And if thereby the savour seem t'excel, 
3 Supervisors.  Garlic be sure will drive them both away: But if the stinking breath of Garlic stay, What helps us then? 
4 Farmers.  Tobacco? no, but at a word I think, There is a thing can 
5 Undertakers.  Undertake to make a viler stink. 
And let Experience now show, and Truth be bold to speak, and tell them to their faces, 
Nota. This is meant by the mild discretion of Customers in collecting the Subsidies of Tonnage and Pondage only. For as for Customs which are so sought for, and said to be concealed, how generally soever their Name and Title run: they presuppose always our Staples. But our Staples being transplanted; as the Societies that have engrossed them, must give the K: and State account how they have bestowed them, and whether they be gone: So by consequence, our Costomeses.  that strive to raise themselves by seeking our disgrace: That God did put and place as much Profit and Pleasure, (I say Profit as Pleasure,) heartsease, and honour, in the quiet endeavours of Customers (so long as they were trusted,) through Mercy, Loyalty and Love; as the devil is able apt and wont, to mingle care and cumber, loss and shame in the turbulent undertakings of Extremity, by Extortion and Shifts.   

And thus at last, the world may see and all men understand, in our Disgrace, the KING'S great loss, and Kingdoms greater wrong. For besides that both our Customs with our Staples, are gone or conveyed out of sight, (the ground of all our woes, that we can no ways mend,) our Coin and our Exchange, being turned into Usury, by Subjects like to Kings, or like to Prince's fellows: our Merchants by Societies call all men Enterlopers that are not of their Sects, or linked with them together. Our Arts engrossed by men of divers Trades. Our Trades do meet in Companies, our Companies at Halls, and our Halls become Monopolies of Freedom, tied to London: where all our Crafts & Mysteries are so laid up together, that outrunning all the prudence & wisdom of the Land, 
Brewers made free of Bakers, Baker's free of Grocers, Grocer's free of Fishmongers, Fishmongers free of Goldsmiths, and all men free of Coinage, that only serves for Kings.  men live by Trades they never learned, nor seek to understand. By means whereof, all our Creeks seek to one River, all our Rivers run to one Port, all our Ports join to one Town, all our Towns make but one City, and all our Cities but Suburbs to one vast, unwieldy, and disorderly Babel of buildings, which the world calls London: and London likewise contracted in itself, is made a Forest of shifts, and Wilderness of sin. Where Traffic lives confined, and being possessed by Rats and Mice, 
Traffic possessed with Spirits.  and spirits of the Air, of whom as of Harpies may truly now be said:  
Tristius haud istis Monstrum, nec saevior ulla  
Pestis et ira Deûm stygijs sese extulit undis.  No monsters like to these may hap, nor curse from God befall, Nor from the pit of hell arise, 
Searching waiters, & waiting Searchers.  to plague the Realm withal: 
Is so by fits tormented, both by water and by Land,  
That how to help her now, we do not understand.  
But though faith be frail, and all our credit gone, yet doth our vows, compel us still by fasting and by prayer to do our best Endeavours.  
For, faults there are no doubt, ever were, and ever will be many; PERFECTION knows no residence but Heaven. And if we say we have no sin, there is no Truth within us. Wherefore we wish, and pray all those that read this ALPHABET & PRIMER, to join with our Devotions, and with pure hearts and humble voice, to the Throne of GOD and his heavenly Grace, to pray but in this manner, saying after me.  


Customers general Confession.  ALmighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep, we have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts, we have offended against thy holy Laws, we have left undone the things we should do, and we have done the things we ought not to do, and there is no health in us. But thou O Lord have mercy upon us miserable offenders, spare thou us, O Lord, which confess our saultes, and restore them that are penitent, according to thy promises, declared unto mankind in Christ jesus our Lord: and grant O most merciful Father for his sake, that we may hereafter live a godly, a righteous, and a sober life, to the glory of thy holy Name.   

¶ A Prayer for the King's Majesty.  
O Lord our heavenly Father, high and mighty, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, the only Ruler of Princes, 
Customers daily and Christian Prayers.  which dost from thy Throne behold all the dwellers upon Earth, we humbly beseech thee with favour to behold our most gracious and Sovereign Lord King JAMES, 
& per se.  and so replenish him with the grace of thy holy Spirit, that he may always incline to thy will, and walk in thy way. Endue him plentifully with heavenly gifts, grant him in health and wealth long to live, that finally after this life, he may attain to everlasting joy and felicity, through jesus Christ our Lord.   

¶ A Prayer for the Queen and Prince, and other the King and Queen's Children.  
ALmighty God, which hast promised to be a Father of thine Elect and of their seed, we humbly beseech thee to bless and preserve our gracious Queen ANNE, Prince HENRY, and all the King and Queen's royal Progeny. Endue them with thy holy Spirit, every them with thy heavenly Grace, prosper them with all happiness, and bring them to thine everlasting kingdom, through jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour.   

A Prayer for the Clergy, Lords of the Counsel, all Magistrates, all Nations, and the Common-People.  
ALmighty & everlasting God, we most humbly beseech thee to illuminat all Bishops, Pastors, & Ministers of the Church, with the true knowledge and understanding of thy Word, and that both by their preaching and living, they may set it forth, and show it accordingly. To endue the Lords of his majesties most honourable PREVYCOUNSELL, & all the Nobility, with grace, 
Con, per se.  wisdom, and understanding. To bless and keep our Magistrates, giving them grace to execute justice, and maintain Truth. To give all Nation's Unity, Peace and Concord, And finally, to give us an heart to love and dread thee, and diligently to live after thy Commandments. Grant this, O Lord, for the honour of our Advocate, & only Mediator Christ jesus.   
THe Customers of the Out-Ports prostrate Petition to the KING our Sovereign, for his Son the PRINCE'S sake, to be made but as able as they are every way willing to do their Duties; that eating the Bread of good Conscience daily, and freed from temptations of Obloquy and shifts, his Kingdom being come, may still continue; and his Will performed in all Places alike; Forgiving all as they would be forgiven: Conclude this their PRIMER with the sanctified words; and include their Petition within the compass of that effectual Prayer which our Lord & Saviour (the Son of GOD) hath commanded, and taught, saying;  

OUr Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy Kingdom come, thy will be done in Earth, as it is in Heaven: Give us this day our daily Bread: and forgive us our Trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us: Let us not be led into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the KINGDOM, 
Tittle, tittle, tittle, Est Amen.  the POWER, and the GLORY: for ever and ever. SO BE IT. Amen.   

¶ The Publicans humble Confession and private Prayer.  
Nil sum, nulla miser novi solatia, Massam  
Humanam nisi quod tu quoque christ geris.  
Tume sustenta, fragilem tu christ guberna,  
Fac ut sim Massae surculus Ipse tuae.  
Magna, Magnus perficit DEUS.