The Contents of Master Turnours secrets are as followeth.

1. An evident way how to advance the trade of the kingdome.

2. An infallible way, how to preserve the Kings customes from stealing, which should it [Page 7]be put in practise, and presently to vindicate the man, or the party from whence it was stolne.

3. How to vent all the native commodities of this Kingdome, were they farre more then now they are, at reasonable and gayning rates, both to the Gentleman, Merchant; and countrey man, and therewith to buy up all strangers commodi­ties which may lye on their hands, and to serve the subject at reasonable prises, with as much as may suffice the Kingdome, and to vent and trans­port the rest with advantage.

How to supply His Majesty within ten dayes warning, with the value of his whole Revenue on any sudden occasion, or forraine Enterprise, (gratis) and so from yeare to yeare on the onely credit of his owne Revenue.

How to make the citie of London the great Mart and Empory of the world.

How to manage the fishing busines with ease, and to the incredible inriching of the King and the Kingdome, and to the perpetuall honour of the English Nation.

These are Master Turnours principals, besides some particulars, which are utterly lost, if but publikely disputed.

For furtherance whereof a principall consi­deration will be how to settle a Commission for trade, by the authority of the King and the Par­liament, [Page 8]with correspondency to the Commissio­ners, for managing the Kings Revenue, wherein it is further to bee considered, what the house shall thinke fit to leave on His Majesty of the present Impositions, lest by taking away too much before it be consulted by the Commissio­ners for trade, when and where to take it, the Kings Revenue may bee made of little conside­ration: especially when you shall looke backe to the many Alienations and diminutions of the Crowne Lands, and the house thereof may be deprived of doing that service, which it is pre­sumed they meane to doe, and in that bountifull measure, as that it may remaine unparaleld to posterity.

Wherefore it is conceived, that excepting some Monopolies which invade the liberty of the land, and intrench on the native commodi­ties of the Kingdome, you can not well as yet and at present take away much, but rather leave it to bee taken away by the Commissioners for trade, which should be most of them of both houses with some Merchants, whereby as occa­sion shall present it selfe, both the native and for­raine Merchant might be encouraged, and the King with the subject in generall well pleased, with your discreet and provident proceedings, for as one of our weightiest Authors observes, it cannot be well with a state where the Prince and people seeke but to obtaine their severall [Page 9]ends, and to worke upon the advantages of each others necessities,; where they should go hand in hand in a reciprocall co-operation, for the ad­vance of the publike, wherein the benevolence of the subject should ever preceed, the better to draw on the Prince to a Royall retribution, and to comply with his people in all just and hono­rable conjectures.

The second Fountaine, from whence His Majestie may best cheape bee repaied, is from fines and confiscations, which in the Iustice of the house may bee laid on delinquents without partiality, and for the ease of the subject in gene­rall, since it is impossible to set the King upright (onely by subsidies without beggering of the Countrey-man: Wherefore it is presumed, that such will be the wisdome of the house, that they will lay a good part of the burthen on those which would have laid perpetuall slavery and bondage on us all.

3. The third Fountaine from whence to re­paire the King, is from Acts of Resumptions, and these are of two sorts.

1. First, Bargaines and sales made by the late Commissioners for sale of His Majesties lands, wherein if it may bee made apparent, that the King hath beene abused, and cousened in any particular of consequence, and that there hath beene divers Bargaines not legally contracted for, and according to the limitation, and war­rant [Page 6]of His Majesties Co [...] [...] King ought to be righted, since [...] that in this way there hath bi [...] [...] frau­dulent conveyance.

A second sort of Res [...] [...] [...]ch you account mee no Heretik [...] [...] (I doe not say ought to be take [...] [...] [...]ch, for that were sacriledge) should be the Bishops lands, which in the potency of the [...] [...]apacy have beene, quo jure, ingrossed God know [...]s, and cui bono-with-held, judge you; and to what end, more then to the perpetuall disturbance of this Kingdome, and all the world: where a needlesse superfluity of temporall fortune hath been ever the bellowes to pride, and arrogancy, and a rest­lesse ambition throughout all Ages inseparable & incident to the pontificiall Clergy which can never be extinguished, till the originall cause, a­bundance of temporall fortune, be removed, which hath ever bin the poyson of the Church. But with this proviso, that the Church may first be righted, I meane, that all the Impropriations of the land, heretofore meerly raped by the ex­cesse of Episcopall power from the church, and annexed to their owne fees; or to the uselesse and idle Monasteries, may be first redeemed out of the Bishops lands, and resetled in the old and right place, for the better maintenance and en­couragement of Schollers and able Divines, whereby the cures and chappels of Ease con­verted [Page 11]into Barnes and Stables in many places of the Kingdom, as well as the Mother Churches, may be better served then they have beene, the remainder to bee setled on the Duke of Yorke. And of this with the many and further reasons thereof, both for the security of the King, and quiet of the Kingdome; May you be pleased to receive fuller satisfaction from a few papers apart, which happily may not be altogether un­worthy of yours, and the Parliaments serious and second consideration.

4. The fourth Fountaine from whence to re­paire, the King is from subsidies, which should they not be sparingly imposed. It must neces­sarily begger most of the poore inferiour Yeo­mandry of the Kingdome. Since it is concei­ved, that 20. subsidies cannot set the King up­right, which (I say) should they be levyed upon poore Renters and Farmers (generally indeb­ted) and of late yeares much cast behind hand, through the late troubles and fall of their com­modities, would ruine many a poore man. For twenty Subsidies amounts to 20. markes to him that is rated at 5 l. goods, and to 20. l. to him that is rated at 4 l. lands, which must inforce one of these evils, if he bee not aforehand, to sell halfe his Cowes, or halfe his Teame to pay the King, who may perhaps owe the Vsurer for all the stock he imployes.

And here the inequality, and unconscionable [Page 12]disproportion of rating of the subsidies, may be opportunely presented unto your consideration, wherin the old Riddle is fully verified, that Dewce ace cannot, sice sinke will not, but cater trey must, the poorer sort cannot pay the King: the greater sort, as having the law in their owne hands, will pay but what they please, but the middle sort, they must and shall pay; and in such a disproportion as is insufferable; for de­monstration whereof.

Iohn a style hath in the parish of Alcat 100 l. land per annum: And it is all the estate hee hath, the Sessors rates him at 5. l. lands, which is the usuall ratement for men of that quality; Sir William a Downes hath in severall counties and parishes 1000. l. per annum, resides at Grantham, where he is of the Commission of the peace; and can ease himselfe, and is rated at 20. l. lands, and sends his Certificate from Grantham, how he hath there paid the subsidies, which acquits him in all other places.

Sir Iohn a Nokes hath in divers counties and parishes 10000. l. land per annum, and is rated 100. l. lands. Now the Parliament for reliefe of the King, grants His Majesties tenentire sub­sidies, which for Iohn a styles, payment, ariseth to ten pounds: Sir William a Downes payment, (whose estate in true valuation is ten times to that of Iohn a styles) ariseth to 40. l. which ra­tably should be 100. l. so that the King is cous­ned [Page 13]by Sir William a Downes 60. l. in one hun­dred.

And Sir Iohn a Nokes, payment ariseth to 200. l. which rateably to Sir William a Downes true valuation, and to Iohn a styles sesment, it should be 1000. l. So that on true valuation, the King is cousned in 11000. l. land per annum, (and held by great men) 860. l. declaro; which through the Kingdome, looseth the King two thirds (at the least) of that which of right his Majesty should have; which would treble his Majesties Subsidies, were he well dealt with all: and this is without all contradiction: the remedy whereof is easie, let every mans estate (where so ever it lyes) bee made liable to pay proportionably. And as your Cater treys and middle sort of people, are usually rated by the Iustices or their appointment, then shall you doe right, both to the King and the middle sort of subjects.

Wherefore you can never doe your selves more right, then to redresse this abuse, where you may doe such a service for the King, as that his Majesty may bee brought in love with you, and with Parliaments, and therewith manifest it to the world, that you came not to the house to contest and capitulate with Soveraignty, but to winne his Majesty your loyaltie and bounty, and to cure that wound, which others have made almost incureable through their insinceri­ty, [Page 14]and preferring of their perillous and despe­rate counsels, before safe and faithfull advise. And for the better explanation of the even and just rating of lands. If the Parliament shall thinke fit to sesse every 100. l. land a yeare that a man hath, to pay 20. s. for a Subsidy.

Then if Iohn a Nokes hath 100. l. a yeare, (wher­of 50. l. a yeare lies at Lambeth) there hee must pay 10. s. & hath 25. l. land a yeare at Kensington, there he must pay 5. s. and other 25. l. at Islington, where he must pay the other 5. s. And this pro­portion to be sessed ratably for every mans e­state, in severall parts where it lyes.

Some considerations which have not as yet beene spoken of in Parliament, from whence both the King and the Subject (as they may be handled) may reape both infinite profit and contentment, whereof two principals are here offered to your consideration.

The first is touching the Court of Wards which concernes none but the rich men of the Kingdome.

The second is touching such a Manufacture, as concernes both all the poore and rich men of the Kingdome, which (introduced) will neces­sarily set all the idle and poore people of the land to worke; and inable them to get an honest living, after the patterne of Ed­ward the third, who first introduced the wool­len Manufacture, which (to this day) imployes [Page 15]a Million of poore People, which without it, within 3. Monthes would starue for want of a subsistance, for let no man flatter himselfe that the wools in England (were they double in quan­tity to that which now they are) can imploy all the people of the land; for that the fourth part of the Inhabitants of most of the parishes of England, are miserable poore people: and (harvest time excepted) without any subsistance, the number whereof, daily grow and increase, without any re­gard to the redresse.

And therefore there can be no such prevention so ready and profitable, both for the inriching of the King and the subject, as the re-inforcing of the sowing of hempe and flaxe throughout every pa­rish of the Kingdome, which amongst divers o­thers, (I know not on what ground) were repeald, ultimo of the late Queene, the effects whereof, would be many, both pious and profitable, as

First, this manufacture alone, would without doubt imploy all the poore people of the land in the very places of their aboade.

Secondly, in very short time wee might all weare our owne lynnen, and therewithall export some.

Thirdly, wee might use our owne sayles, and cordage, and as good as any is in Europe.

Fourthly, wee might save the Kingdome, 500000. per annum, with the least, expence for lynnen and cordage, to forraigne nations.

And of both these, as you shall approve, you may receive many notable remembrances, both concerning this Manufacture, and the proceedings of this Parliament, touching the Court of Wards, about 11. Iacobi, where it was then in question to be compounded for, by the Parliament, with di­vers passages therein, not unfit for your present consideration, if compared with the excessive compositions there now imposed, with what in future they may come unto, to the utter ruine of your posterities. Since the world knowes that the undoing of poor Orphanes (committed by the lawes of the land to the Kings Protection) suits not with the noblenesse and goodnesse of the Kings nature: Besides, the worke-manship of Feoders and Escheators in the inthraling of the subject, and deflowring of the ancient Tenures of the Kingdom; and in drawing in of all the lands (as in short time it may be expected) held in soccage, within the Tenure of military service. For if his Majesty may have more rent then now is, raysed by the Compositions, and the subject better con­cented; when in his life time, he knowes both his owne and his sonnes payment. I see no reason but this proposition may bee acceptable, both to the Soveraigne and subject, especially when you shal not only know the utter-most of your paines, but preserve your posterity from falling into a more intricate Laborinth, then is commonly ta­ken into every mans regard.