was appointed under-treasurer and chancellor of the exchequer; and as Lord Southampton was much afflicted with the stone, and therefore incapable of supporting the fatigue of that great office himself, he left the care of it chiefly to Lord Ashley, in whom he placed entire confidence. A. D. 1662-3. Ashley's chancellor exchequer. Upon Lord Ashley's taking upon himself the Lord office of chancellor of the exchequer, he employed conduct as himself diligently in obtaining information which of the might enable him to discharge with fidelity the duties he had assumed. His first effort was an accurate inquiry into the state of the department From the confu that had been assigned to him. Bishop Burnet allows, that Lord Ashley had more credit than any one with the Earl of Southampton, who was his relation. From this circumstance alone, besides his being chancellor of the exchequer, it is natural to believe the business of the treasury must, in a manner, entirely devolve on Lord Ashley during the indisposition of Lord Southampton; and it becomes almost needless to remark on what the bishop says, that Lord Southampton left it wholly to the management of Sir Philip Warwick. Lord Ashley had VOL. I. too much knowledge of busi- U A. D. 1662-3. He promotes trade and com.. merce. sion of the times, abuses had been accumulating, which required a man of sagacity and spirit to rectify. With incredible pains, he brought the affairs of the exchequer into a proper economy, and searched minutely into every branch of the revenue.* He never depended upon the information of those who were interested in the abuses he wished to rectify, and were consequently prepared to deceive him: but when he met with any clerks, or others, who were men of understanding, and well versed in the affairs of their offices, he entered freely into conversation with them, and, by his affability and penetration, soon gained the knowledge which he wanted. The important duties of his office necessarily led him to inquire into the trade of the nation; and his active mind was constantly employed upon the improvement of our manufactures and the enlarging our exportation. Where he found this last to be decaying in any of its branches, he sought after the reasons, and consulted the most eminent merchants about the methods of recover *There are still remaining, among Lord Shaftesbury's papers, a great number of accounts from the excise and customs, down to the lowest offices under the inspection of the treasury, with his remarks upon them. ing it. He gave them queries, to which he desired their answers in writing; and, by comparing and digesting these, acquired a complete and ge neral knowledge of trade. This he thought an essential part of the character of a statesman; for France and other countries began to see the advantages of commerce, and were forming upon it their schemes of greatness. The merchants, perceiving this disposition in Lord Ashley, applied to him upon all occasions for his advice and interest, and always found in him an active and constant friend.* A. D. 1662-3. my to mo nopolies. Lord Ashley was a great enemy to monopolies, Is an eneand thought that companies were often a prejudice to trade, which would flourish in a better manner by being more extensive. This was evident, at that time, from the company of merchants adventurers, who, by their own impositions, and those which by their conduct they induced foreign countries to lay on their cloths, were often forced to keep them, or, by putting Among his papers still extant there are many proofs of this, and various letters of thanks from merchants for his protection and care of them, particularly from a large body of traders to Newfoundland, A. D. 1662-3. Favours the woollen tory. off their bad ones, brought them into discredit abroad. He said, "the restraining a general trade was like the damming of increasing waters, which must either swell them to force their boundaries, or cause them to putrefy where they are circumscribed." He was particularly intent upon increasing the manufac exportation of the woollen manufactory, which was very low, and had been sinking from the year 1633. At that time, a strict proclamation had been made for restraining this trade; and many of our merchants ceased to traffic in woollen goods, in consequence of the discouragement which they met with from the company. The clothiers were loud in their complaints; the workmen went into foreign countries; and wool was, even by the members of the company, often exported instead of the manufacture. Lord Ashley prepared and forwarded a bill for preventing the exportation of wool, &c. and, by other prudent steps which he took to remove the restraints from the staple of England, the exportation of it rose from that time, and continued rising; a circumstance of no little consequence to the wealth and power of the nation. Nor was his attention confined to the official details of his own department: his views were far more extensive. He made an exact search into the state of the navy. He kept, as appears by his papers, a regular account of our shipping; the number of ships, their complement of men and guns; the officers, with their names and characters; as, likewise, the conditions of their ships: and, as he thought these the natural strength of England, he was continually anxious to promote their increase; for which purpose he inquired into the growth and fitness of timber in the king's forests, which had been too much neglected. King Charles the First had, in his necessity, sold a large part of the forest of Dean, particularly eighteen thousand acres, to Sir John Wintour, which were soon disforested. Lord Ashley took proper methods for satisfying the purchasers, and for recovering that part of the forest for the crown; and, likewise, for preserving and increasing the timber in it for the use of the navy. * A.D. 1662-3. A.D. 1663-4. As the king had intimated to the parliament his desire of a bill to suppress seditious conven- Bill against ticles, the house of commons, soon after their conven * There are a great number of his remarks upon the navy and the mismanagement of the timber, as, likewise, upon seditious ticles. |