THE                         Part I.

Weavers and Clothiers Complaint

                    AGAINST

    The Eaſt=India=Trade.

            The Argument.

Shews why in Dogrel Verſe this Tale
Was firſt begun o'r Pot of Ale ;
Shews Rife, and Progreſs of the Trade
To India drove, and Who 'twas made
The firſt ſteps to our Wooll Trades ruin,
And how it prov'd to Folks undoing ;
What done to ſtop its further growth,
And how thoſe Meaſures came to nought ;
How Golden Fleece lay very dead ;
How Act for Burying it was made ;
And how, if we were truly Wife,'
We ſhould their Trangums all deſpiſe ;
Our Money ſave, Employ our Poor,
From ſtarving keep, and from our Door ;
Who then cou'd drink, Same Ale, Some Sherry,
And Laugh, and Quaff, and all be merry.

             PROLOGUE.

IN place, one day, as I was ſtanding,
Where folks were printed Papers banding
To thoſe that wou'd, or read, or buy 'em,
Theſe Remarks made, as I ſtood nigh 'em :
I ſaw, a mighty, zealous Crew,
Some for Old Stock, and ſame for New,
Were Pro and Conning their hard Caſes,
By the chief Dons of ſeveral Claſſes,
'Mongſt which G andees I ſometimes fell in,
And beard moſt diſmal Stories telling ;
The one, the other, much ign'd,
And credit of their Cauſes d.
Thus having heard each ſide complain,
Methoughts, 'mongſt both, were K———s in grain :
And that when ſuch, fall out and ſcold,
An Injur'd Caſe might then be told :
And on th' Old Proverb made me think,
The more they ſtir, the more they ſtink ;
And did conclude from all theſe Hearings,
There's neither Barrel better Herrings.
I ſaw a Caſe. concerning Wooll,
With Reaſons ſtuft. both clear and full ;
Which plainly ſhew'd our certain rain,
Theſe mighty Talkers were purſuing,
Yet ſaw, that many, at firſt ſight on't,
There were, that made but very light on't,
And found there were but few attend it,
But very few that wou'd defend it ;
Amaz'd I ſtood, and much dejected,
So great a Cauſe ſhould be neglected.
Soon after that, I ſaw, with vigour,
Verſes catc'h'd up, 'bout fight of Tyger,
By Old and Young, by Fools and Witty,
And by the great Dons of the City.
Thought I, this Caſe, if I ſhould write,
In ſuch a manner, Folks would buy't,
And read, for ſake of Dogrel Rhime,
Which Thought improv'd ; I loſt no time,
But preſently, o'er Pot of Ale,
Writ a great part of this ſad Tale,
Which, if you like, you may have more on't,
For I now have, or ſhall, have ſtore on't.

            The Tale.

WHen firſt the Indian Trade began,
And Ships beyond the Tropicks ran,
In queſt of various Drugs and Spices,
ſundry other ſtrange Devices,
Saltpetre, Drugs, Spice, and like Trading,
Compos'd the bulk of all the ding :
Bengals, and Silks, of Indian ma ing,
Our Merchants then reſe'd to take in,
Knowing it wou'd their Country ruin,
And might prove to their own undoing.
Nor did they carry Gold or Bullion,
To fetch home what Supplants our Woollen ;
Nor were this Nation fond to wear
Such Indian Toys, which coſt ſo dear :
Then were we clad in Woollen Stuffs,
With Cambrick Bands, and Lawn Ruffs,
Or elſe in Silk, which was Imported.
For Woollen Goods, which we Exported ;
Which Silk our Engliſh Weavers bought,
And into various Figures wrought.
Then ſcarce a child was to be ſeen,
Without Say Frock, that was of green,
Our Hangings, Beds, our Coats, and Gowns,
Made of our Wooll in Clothing Towns.
This Nation then was Rich a Wealthy,
And in a State which we call d healthy.

But ſince the Men of Gath aroſe ,
And for their Chief Goliah choſe.
And ſince that mighty Giants Reign,
Whoſe chieſeſt Aim was private Gain,
This Trade was drove on by ſuch meaſures,
As ſoon Exhduſted much our Treaſures,
For then our Chiefeſt Artiſts went
With Patterns, and with Money ſent,
To make and purchaſe Indian Ware,
For which this Nation pays full dear.
Then by great Gifts of fineſt touches,
To Lords and Ladies, Dukes and Ducheſs,
So far prevail'd, as ſet the faſhion,
Which Plague-like ſoon ſpread o'r the Nation.
Our Ladies all were ſet a gadding,
After theſe Toys they ran a madding ;
And nothing then wou'd pleaſe their fancies,
Nor Dolls, nor Joans, nor wanton Nancies,
Unleſs it was of Indians making ;
And if 'twas ſo, 'twas wondrous taking.
This Antick humour ſo prevail'd,
Tho' many 'gainſt it greatly rail'd,
'Mongſt all degrees of Female kind,
That nothing elſe could pleaſe their mind.
Tell 'em the following of ſuch faſhion,
Wou'd beggar and undo the Nation,
And ruin all o abouring Poor,
That muff, or or beg at door,
They'd not at all regard your ſtory,
But in their painted Garments glory ;