The Cafe of the ENGLISH WEAVERS and FRENCH MERCHANTS - true Accompt of the Silks in the Port of London, from Michaeli 1668 to dito 1669

Aug 26, 2026

Upload by Asher

Debate and accounting over the English silk trade: the English weavers’ case argues that French merchants discourage domestic work by importing foreign-wrought silks while avoiding customs, enabling them to outcompete English manufacturers. French merchants respond that the difficulty stems from the weavers’ quality and productivity, not from unpaid duties. The text then provides detailed port entries of wrought, thrown, and raw silks, comparing weights and subsidy duties to assess whether accusations of tax avoidance are justified.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

The Case and Preamble Argument

Alleged Avoidance of Customs by French Merchants

French Reply and Claim about Weaver Quality

The True Accompt of Silk Entries (London Ports)

Wrought Silks: Foreign Manufacture and Imports

Thrown Silk and Raw Silk: Imports and Manufacture

Ferret Silk and Totals; Differences in Weight and Subsidy

Observations and Conclusions

Revenue Effects from Dying Stuffs and Duty Calculations

Claims of Misconceptions in the French Merchants’ Grounds

# Tbe Cafe of tbe ENGLISH WEAVERs and FRENCBMERCHANTS tridy Stated. THeDefign of the WsAYEis in their Bill,contained in the Pramble,is the encouragement of them in their Trads,which is confeffed by llso be necetfary,andvery beneficial to the whole Nation,which chey fay is much difcouraged by che freguen lmpor-uation of Forreign-wrought Silks,efpecially from FRANCB,molt of wbich are privately conveyed hicher wirhout paying ofCuftome,by which means the FaaNCa MiRCANTS are fuficiently enabled to underfel beWEAVBRs in thcir Home-madeCommodicies,and comfequently carry away the Trade of thefe Nations. TheFRENCH MERCHANTS,in anfiwer to this,fay,The WEAVERs of ENGLAND are under agreat Milake,and that their difcourage:ment is not becaufe rhg FRENCH MERCHANTS do not paytheir Cuftomes,bur becaufe theWEAfvERs live to high,her iare nor fo godWorkmen,cc.And as the WBAVERS in their Preamblerefer to the Cuftome-Houfe Books for proof,fo have they ingeniouly donelikewife. Therefore here follows atrue Accompt of che particolar Entries of all wroughu,as well as unwrought Silks in the Port of Lndon,fromMichatlma 1668,to dito 1669.together with the Places from whenc they came;by which it illfruly appear,whcther the ENCLISHWEAVEI5 or the FRENCH MLCHANTs are under a Mifake:Andi is humbly fubmited to ferious Conidraztioh,itbeing conceivolbyfone enincnt Merichants and Tradefmen in andabou this City,to bezMatter of very high Concrnment to Trade,and the eneralIntereft of the Nation. | Wrought Silks,Forreign Manufadtured,Imported from
L.n. | 1.r.d. | | --- | --- | | 一— —— —
It一 39457)
---—-——-—
Hollaed I0557(
————--一
Ea Indict-14370>——
—----——-—
Flandrs一226(
--- ——-
Frane一6400. | | | | 3123:13:7÷
—1002:18:3
511:8:7
2:9:2量
608:0:0 | | Total 7to1oL.weighe of wrought Silks,which in Subfidie paid the King一——5268:9:9
ThrownSilk Imported and Manufacturedin England from | | | 一————— 一—--3453:6:0
Italy——872162— ——- —
Hallknd ₃878>___ __ —_ _ _
FLandr一_3027S——————-———--- 119:16:44 | | | Total g31211 weighr of Thrown Silk,which in Subfidic paid the King— 一—3686:1:0
Raw Silk Imported and Manufatured in Engiand from | | | Ita——14553)———-
—— — —5925:13:5
Tark-24950 | | | Eaf /ndie:-248—
-5:17:9 | | | Total 26+3131.weigh of Raw Silk,which in Sabdie paid the King— ——6277:8:8
Ferret Silk Imported and Manufactured in England from | | | Flanlr-70t2Lweght,which in Sublidie paid the King'—-—— ——333:1:5 | | | Toul of Silks Imported and Manofa&t.here,3644461.wight,which in Subidie pidche King 10196:1:2
Toul of wroughr SilksImp.Manufaetabroad,7101oL.weight,which in Subfidie paid the King 5368:9:9
Diference in weight between them——393436Lwpght.Diference in Subfidie paid—s⁰18;1:5 | | 0BS ER:V ATI0N S. DEides,to the Entries of Siliks wrought up here,may be added the greatRevenue that comes to the KING,by Dying Stufimported,Bwhich amounts the fame year to 91931.61.84.a great Qunky whereof is ufed in the Dying of the silkshere Manafadured.icis worchy Obfervation,that the wroughr silks imported are doubly rated to the Silks that areminufaSured here;fo that there hachbeen entred at the Pert of London,of wroughr Silks 201orl.weight lefs than one fourth part of the Silks wrought here. Now che FRENCH MEKCHAST5 fy,hat we make not fo many as they import,and i isto true;becauie we are prevented by cheirunflir Dealing:nay 'tis verily believed,and by fome of themfelves confeled,that we make not one fixrh part of the Silks that are worn inthefe Nations,but fuppolfe there were one third pa;t mide here,how grealy then is the KING wronged,znd his SabjcCis the Handi-crafis men,dicouraged,when intcad o accompting at the Cuftom-holf for 600ool.pra,an upwards,chey pay but licle more than50ool.Subidy?for the Aditional Duty is no to be accompted in this Calculation. Fr

FAQs

What does the English side claim about French silk imports and customs?

French merchants are said to import foreign-wrought silks without paying customs, which lets them undercut English weavers and carry away the trade.

How do French merchants answer the complaint in their response?

They argue English weavers are discouraged because they do not produce sufficiently well or are not effective workmen, rather than because French merchants avoid customs.

What purpose does the “true accompt” serve in the document?

It lists specific entries of wrought, thrown, and raw silks in the port of London from Michaeli 1668 to dito 1669, comparing origins, weights, and subsidy duties to evaluate competing claims.

Aug 26, 2026

Upload by Asher