CCCXXXVII. Nicholas Ferrar. Computation concerning
Tobacco Charge
May (?), 1623
Manchester Papers, No. 354
Document in Public Record Office, London. Indorsed in autograph of Sir Nathaniel
Rich
List of Records No. 482
If the Companies be bound to bring in all their Tobacco although the
payment of 12d the pound be reduced vnto 9d the pound, yet the clogg is
greater then the ease: in reguard that the Plantations haue neuer vented
aboue Third of their Tobacco in this Kingdome when the quantities
returned from the Plantations was not halfe of what is now certaine to be,
but to speake with the largest, allowe that there shalbe half of it vented,
then the case will stand thus,
∥it was a merue-
yle that when
Tobacco was
freely brought in
from other places
that prevented
any at all of ours∥
∥first, they doe
not make so
much∥
Virginia and the Sum̃er Ilandes bring home 300000 weight of
Tobacco whereof there will not be vented aboue one hundred and
50000 here in England at ye most & at 9d ye pound, for this
the are to pay the some of
∥2 ly, if none be
brought in but
from thence we
shall vent about
300,000 wt∥. |
11250li |
But if they were not thus compelled they will bring in no
more then will serue the markett (viz.) one hundred and
50000 weight for which although they pay 12d the pound
it comes vnto but |
7500li |
So that being thus compelled to bring in all they doe not ease
themselues (as the Customers pretend) of 3d the pound: but
they doe charge the tobacco with 6d the pound more then
they formerly payd: And the ffarmors although they pre-
tend to abate for the good of the Plantations in reguard that
in euery perticuler pound they abate 3d yet indeed they take
very much from them for whereas bringing in only what
would vent they should receaue but only |
7500li |
Now by this meanes they rayse by bringing in all 11250li wch is 3750li
more then they should haue otherwise had, & soe much losse it wilbe to
ye Companies yearly in this one thing and that indeed howsoeuer it seemes
that they doe abate 3d in the pound, yet indeed they make the Owner
pay 6d a pound more, and so I must conclude, that every pound standℯ in
18d So that it appeareth playnly that the condic̃on onely of being forced
to bring all in from the Plantations doth putt ye Companies in a farre
worse case then they were before although there be 3d in a pound abated
to ye intent they should agree therevnto.
[Indorsed, in the hand of Sir Nathaniel Rich, in which the marginal notes
are also written:] Mr Nicholas Ferrar his Computation by which he would
prooue that to pay but 9d p̱ po. for or Tobacco, and to bring all in is worse
for the Companye then before to pay 12d and to be left at libertye what
we would bring in—in wch he speakes not one word of the benefitt of
sole Importation that accompanyes the 9d whereas before we payed 12d
and all other Tobacco came in.
[A note in shorthand.]
