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from that part of Africa, wherein they Trade, I am not sure of the Companies Patent for this Trade, they know better, nor will I take notice how far the export of our woollen manufactures have been restrained in other Countries of England, I shall only take notice of it from the County of Suffolk: Before this African Company was incorporated, the Cloathiers in Suffolk yearly vended 25000 Cloths to Africa, but about two years after this Company were Incorporated, the Clothiers in Suffolk, as they did before, endeavored to have vented their Cloths in the African trade, but they were not permitted, and the Company would take off but 500, and those at scarce half the prices there were sold before...
I am assured that this Company ( and the Parliament may Inquire into the Truth of it ) after it was Erected, carried it so that the Planters in our American Plantations, were not permitted to Buy Negroes but of the Company, and the Planters must buy only such as the Company would sell, and at the Price of 30 l. per cents more than they did before, so this is submitted to judgement, whether this will not resolve into a dearness of all the Products of our American Plantations, and thereby enable both the French and Dutch, who are Competitors with us in these Trades, to the Endangering the Loss of them...
The Returns into England from Africk are principally Gold-dust, which is so much less as the restraint by the Company is more... I say the Company raised the priced of Elephant's Teeth so high, that the Dutch could bring them in cheaper, and so work the Manufactures of them cheaper than the poor English could work them, and this being a Manufacture of Holland, the Dutch by the Act of Navigation may import them...
whether this be not a grievous tyranny of this Company over multitudes of poor Artificers in Ivory, is submitted to Judgment : yet this, as well as the East Indy Company, have the Confidence to petition the Parliament, to have this abominable Tyrannies over the rest of their fellow Subjects, to be Established by a Law.