Dedicated to the King, Printed Anno 1669. and set forth several times by Authority, is 82000000 of French Livers, which is about 6½ Millions of Pounds Sterling, of which summ the Author says, that one fifth part was abated for non-valuers or Insolvencies, so (as I suppose) not above Five Millions were effectually raised : But whereas some say, that the King of France raised Eleven Millions as the 1/5 of the effects of France; I humbly affirm, that all the Land and Sea Forces, all the Buildings and Entertainments, which we have heard by common Fame, to have been set forth and made in any of these seven last Years, needed not to have cost six Millions Sterling; wherefore, I suppose he hath not raised more, especially since there were one fifth Insolvencies, when the Tax was at that pitch. But Holland and Zealand, paying 67 of the 100, paid by all the United Provinces, and the City of Amsterdam paying 27 of the said 67; It follows that if Amsterdam hath paid 4000 l. Flemish per diem, or about 1400000 l. per annum, or 800000 l. Sterling; that all Holland and Zealand, have paid 2100000 l. per annum: Now the reasons why I think they pay so much, are these, viz.
1. The Author of the State of the Netherlands saith so.
2. Excise of Victual at Amsterdam, seems above half the Original value of the same, viz.
Ground Corn pays 20 Stivers the Bushel, or 63 Gilders the Last; Beer 1 13 Stivers the Barrel, Housing 1/6 of Rent Fruit of what it cost; other Commodities 1/7, 1/9, 1/122; Salt ad libitum, all weighed Goods pay besides the Premisses a vast summ; now if the expence of the People of Amsterdam at a medium, and without Excise were 8 l. per annum, whereas in England `tis 7 l. then if all the several Imposts above named, raise it Five Pound more, there being 160000 Souls in Amsterdam, the summ of 800000 l. Sterling per annum will thereby be raised.
3. Though the expence of each head, should be 13 l. per annum; `tis well known that there be few in Amsterdam, who do not earn much more than the said expence.
4. If Holland and Zealand pay p. an. 2100000 l. then all the Provinces together, must pay about 3000000 l. less than which summ per annum, perhaps is not sufficient to have maintained the Naval War with England; 72000 Land Forces, besides all other the ordinary Charges of their Government, whereof the Church is there apart: To con- clude, it seems from the Premisses, that all France doth not raise above thrice as much from the publick charge, as Holland and Zealand alone do.
5. Interest of Money in France, is 7 l. per cent. but in Holland scarce half so much.
6. The Countries of Holland and Zealand; consisting as it were of Islands guarded with the Sea, Shipping, and Marshes, is defensible at one fourth of the charge, that a plain open Country is, and where the feat of War may be both Winter and Summer; whereas in the others, little can be done but in the Summer only.
7. But above all the particulars hitherto considered, that of superlucration ought chiefly to be taken in; for if a Prince have never so many Subjects, and his Country be never so good, yet if either through sloth, or extravagant expences, or Oppression and Injustice, whatever is gained shall be spent as fast as gotten, that State must be accounted poor; wherefore let it be considered, how much or how many times rather, Holland and Zealand are now above what they were 100 years ago, which we must also do of France: Now if France hath scarce doubled its Wealth and Power, and that the other have decupled theirs; I shall give the preference to the latter, even although the 9/10 increased by the one, should not exceed the one half gained by the other, because one has a store for Nine Years, the other but for one.
To conclude, upon the whole it seems, that though France be in People to Holland and Zealand as 13 to 1, and in quantity of good Land, as 80 to one, yet it is not 13 times richer and stronger, much less 80 times, nor much above thrice, which was to be proved.
Having thus dispatched the two first Branches of the first Principal conclusion; it follows, to shew that this difference of Improvement in Wealth and Strength, arises from the Situation, Trade, and Policy of the places re- spectively; and in particular from Conveniencies for Shipping and Water Carriage.
Many Writing on this Subject do so magnifie the Hollanders' as if they were more, and all other Nations less than Men (as to the matters of Trade and Policy) ****** them Angels, and others Fools, Brutes, and Sots, as to those particulars; whereas I take the Foundation of their atchieve- ments to lie originally in the Situation of the Country, whereby they do things inimitable by others, and have advantages whereof others are incapable.
First, The Soil of Holland and Zealand is low Land, Rich and Fertile; whereby it is able to feed many Men, and so as that Men may live near each other, for their mutual assistance in Trade. I say, that a Thousand Acres, that can feed 1000 Souls, is better than 10000 Acres of no more effect, for the following reasons, viz.
1. Suppose some great Fabrick were in Building by a Thousand Men, shall not much more time be spared if they lived all upon a Thousand Acres, then if they were forced to live upon ten times as large a Scope of Land.
2. The charge of the cure of their Souls, and the Ministry would be far greater in one case than in the other; as also of mutual defence in case of Invasion, and even of Thieves and Robbers: Moreover the charge of the ad- ministration of Justice would be much easier, where Witnesses and Parties may be easily Summoned, Attendance less expensive, when Mens Actions would be better known, when wrongs and injuries could not be covered, as in thin peopled places they are.
