AN ESSAY ON THE STATE OF ENGLAND, In Relation to its TRADE, Its Poor, and its Taxes For carrying on the present War against FRANCE. By JOHN CARY, Merchant in Bristoll. BRISTOLL: Printed by W. Bonny, for the Author, and are to be sold in London by Sam. Crouch, at the Corner of Popes Head-Alley in Cornhill, and Tim. Goodwin, at the Queen's Head, near the Temple; also by Tho. Wall, and Rich. Gravett, near the Tolzey, in Bristoll, Novem. 1695. TO THE KING's Most Excellent MAJESTY. May it please Your Majesty, IT is not a Desire to appear in Print hath made me to write, or a fond Opinion of what I have written, to affix Your Great Name to these Papers, but a true Affection to my _Native Country_, and the Cause Your Majesty is now engag'd in; A War, on whose good Success depends the Security of Religion, Liberty, and Property, both to Your own Subjects, and likewise to all the _Protestant_ Interest in _Europe_; A War, as it is absolutely necessary, and must be carried on with Vigour, so it is like to be long and chargeable, and so much longer, as we abate in Our Vigorous Prosecution; A War, which may strain the _Nerves_ and _Sinews_ of our Treasure before it be ended, and therefore as in _Martial Discipline_ great Wisdom must be used to secure those Posts where the Enemy bends most of his Forces, so here 'tis Prudence to strengthen our Treasure, by advancing and securing our _Trade_ which must bring it in; If this was done, Taxes would be easily paid, and little felt, and without it this _Nation_ will at last become Bankrupt, when its Expences exceed its Profits. The Foundations of the Wealth of this Kingdom are, _Land_, _Manufactures_, and _Foreign Trade_, these are its Pillars, which ought not to be overshaken, they have hitherto borne the Burthen, and felt the Smart of the War, and 'tis time now they should slide their _Necks_ out of the _Collar_, other ways may be found out to raise a greater Summ annually than Your Majesty's Occasions will require, without Four Shillings _per_ Pound on the first, Excises on the second, or a Tunnage Bill on Ships on the last, an Act which lighted heavy on the Merchant, and left no room to consider whither he gained or lost by the Voyage, or whither the Ship returned home full or empty. The Methods for Raising Money must be easie, when the annual necessary Summs are to be so great, therefore it would be Policy in our Law-makers to make use of those which may least hurt any part of our Vitals, such as _Land_ and _Trade_ are; I mean that part of _Trade_ which is useful to the Publick God, not that which is managed only for private Men's Advantage; it may be possible to rate the Trader, and yet to spare the _Trade_. There are two things which seem to be of great Importance to this _Nation_, and very necessary to be look'd into.