wearing it here and in our Plantations; this would be more advantageous to _England_ than by the use of Calicoes to force a Neighbouring Nation to fence with us at our own Weapons, which they very unwillingly undertake; the Woollen Manufactures in _Italy_ are but small, and those chiefly among the _Venetians_, something among the _Genouese_, these we cannot hinder, being supply'd with Wool from those parts of _Spain_ which are near to them, except we could promote a Contract with the _Spaniard_ for all he hath, to which we never had a fairer Opportunity, and I do not believe the _Dutch_ would much oppose it if we gave them liberty to bring it in as Merchandize, I should be glad to see such a Barter made, tho' by relinquishing to them our part of the _East-India_ Trade; Had we once the Command of all the Wool of _Europe_, we might then set what Prices we would on our Manufactures in Foreign Markets, which now we cannot do, but must sell them cheap, lest we be undersold by other Nations who vye with us therein, and our Manufactures selling well abroad, Wool would yield a good Price at home; But if it be doubted that too much Wool will be Imported, 'twould be better to burn the Overplus at the charge of the Pub¦lick (as the _Dutch_ do their Spices) than to have it wrought up abroad, which there is no reason to fear, seeing all the Wool of _Christendom_ is manufactured some where or other; and if the _Act_ for _Burying in Woollen_ did extend to our Plantations, 'twould be of great use towards the Consumption of our Wool: Thus when the Nation comes to see that the Labour of its People is its Wealth, 'twill put us on finding out Methods to make every one work that is able, which must be done either by hindring such swarms from going off to Idle or Useless Imployments, or by preventing such Multitudes of lazy People from being maintained by Begging. [Sidenote: Difference between imploying our own Ships, and those of other Nations.] And this is farther to be noted, that where a Nation doth fetch from us our Manufactures themselves, and Imports to us Materials, we get less by that Trade than if we did it in our own Bottoms, because that doth also encourage our Navigation; thus we get more by the _Spanish_ Trade, because we both supply them with the former, and fetch their Wool, Oyl, &c. in our own Ships; and we lose more by the _French_ when they bring us their Wines and Brandy than when we fetch them our selves, and accordingly we must take our Measures in judging of all other Trades. [Sidenote: Whither the Ballance of Foreign Trade may be truly judged.]