MEMOIRS OF Count TARIFF, &c.

COUNT Tariff, whoſe Hiſtory we are now to write, is a Perſon who has been ſo much miſrepre⯑ſented among us, and painted in ſuch monſtrous Shapes, that 'tis but a piece of Juſtice to a Stranger to reſcue his Character from the Mob, and to ſearch what may be found in ancient Hiſtory concerning him.

So far as we have ſearch'd into Anti⯑quity, we find him lineally deſcended from the ancient Line of the Tariffs, a Family of ſuch Quality as well as Anti⯑quity in France, that they trace their Ge⯑nealogy as high as any Hiſtory can be [4] found; and they appear equal in Birth to Commerce it ſelf, whoſe Antiquity no Body doubts of.

The preſent Count Tariff, the chief of his Family, is a Perſon, who, as well for his proper Merit as his high Birth as aforeſaid, has been eſteemed and reſpected all over Europe; and for the great Inte⯑reſt he has in his Country, has been ſought unto by moſt of the Nations in Europe, upon many occaſions.

He always appear'd to be a Patron of Trade, as what he eſteem'd was exceed⯑ingly conducive to the general Good of Mankind: As this was his eſpecial Aim, ſo he did not ſo much apply himſelf to this or that particular Branch or part of Trade, but endeavour'd upon all occa⯑ſions to ſhew himſelf a Friend to univer⯑ſal Commerce; as it reſpected the Im⯑provement and general Advantage of the World, and from this Rule he con⯑ſtantly employ'd the Influence he had on Affairs, which was not ſmall to the Re⯑gulation and good Government of Trade in his own Country.

He took on him the general Manage⯑ment of Commerce on the 18th of Sep⯑tember, 1664. which being the firſt time of his publick Appearance in the World, [5] we ſhall not enquire into any part of his Conduct before that time.

He had no ſooner ſettled and made pub⯑lick his Rules of Commerce; but all the Trading part of the World were made ſenſible of the Advantage they receiv'd thereby, and conſequently began to en⯑tertain a true and very great Opinion of his Worth, and very quickly courted his Friendſhip: This Nation eſpecially made great Advantage of his Corre⯑ſpondence, for he was a particular Friend to the Engliſh Trade, and encourag'd it upon all Occaſions: It is true, he acted upon open Meaſures of Correſpondence, and was a Friend to univerſal Trade, as above: He abhorr'd Prohibitions, Reſtric⯑tions and Excluſion of Nations in Trade; but if he had any Peculiar, if he treated any one Nation with Diſtinction more than another, it was England; which was all the Reaſon that has yet been aſſign'd, why ſome People in the Kingdom have treated him with ſuch Rudeneſs and Diſreſpect ever ſince: But however, they have uſed him, it is moſt certain England felt the ſenſible Advantage of his Acquain⯑tance, and correſponded with him to their great Profit, as well as Satisfaction for ſeveral Years, receiving every Year [6] great Sums of Money from him, and by his means.

He was particularly a very great Friend to the Engliſh Manufacture: He always appear'd at Court in a Suit of Engliſh Broad Cloth, and cloth'd all his Servants in the ſame; and tho' his Liveries were plain, they were handſomer and richer than any in that Country.

It happen'd however, after ſome time, Diviſions prevailing there as well as in other Courts, that he began to be in leſs Repute with ſome People than be⯑fore, yet he ſtill went on as well as Cir⯑cumſtances would admit, in his own way, (viz.) of encouraging Trade; he receiv'd all the Equipages of his Servants and Furniture of his Houſes from Eng⯑land: Notwithſtanding the fine Brocades and rich Silks which are made in France, he cloathed his Counteſs, and the young Ladies his Daughters, and their Atten⯑dants in rich Eaſt-India Silks, fine Muſ⯑lins, &c. bought in England, and brought from the Indies by the Engliſh Eaſt-India Company.

Upon building his fine Country-Seat of TARIFF-CASTLE, in France, all the fine Locks and Keys, and ſeveral other parts of the Furniture came from [7] England; the Roof was cover'd with Lead to diſtinguiſh his Reſpect for the Engliſh Commerce, and all the Veſſels and Uten⯑ſils of his Family, which it was proper to have ſo, were of Engliſh Pewter.

This particular Conduct of the Count, with reſpect to the Engliſh Trade, gave ſome Umbrage in France; and whether it were by the Artifice of ſome of his Neighbours, who always envy'd and rivall'd the Engliſh; or whether it was meerly the Inclination of the People there to ſet up Manufactures of their own, Au⯑thors are not agreed about it; but it pro⯑cured Count Tariff many Enemies at home, as is before obſerv'd; nay, even his own Tenants and Neighbours complain'd that he favour'd Foreigners and foreign Ma⯑nufactures, alledging that his Coaches were lined with Engliſh CLOTH, his Rooms hang'd with Engliſh STUFFS, that all his Servants ſmoaked TOBACCO, and other Circumſtances falling in with this at the ſame time, the Count was oblig'd to alter his Meaſures, and firſt declined ſome part of the Engliſh Trade by ſeveral publick Acts, as particularly on the 18th of April, 1665. the 20th of December, 1687. and at laſt he was obliged wholly to renounce it on the 7th [8] of September, 1701. Upon theſe Diſtur⯑bances Count Tariff being neceſſitated, as aboveſaid, to lay aſide all Correſpon⯑dence with his Engliſh Friends; they, on the other hand, acted the weakeſt part that ever was known among Trading Men and Merchants; for however he had been their Friend, and however abſur'd, it was on their ſide to forbid the Expor⯑tation of their own Manufactures; yet they took that ſimple Step, and without reſpect to Count Tariff, or the Injury they did to their own Workmen in the Countries, and their Families, truly, they cut off their own Trade, and would not ſuffer any more Broad-Cloth, or Ser⯑ges, Stuffs, Bays, Kerſies, Dozens, or any Woollen Manufactures, or other Goods, to be ſent to Count Tariff; by which piece of Wiſdom they loſt their Country, the Exportation of above Six hundred thouſand Pounds a Year, in Goods of their own Growth or Manufactures; beſides thoſe of the Growth and Pro⯑duce of their Plantations and other Coun⯑tries.

Count Tariff being treated thus by his Engliſh Friends, it was not to be wondred if Mynheer Coopmanſchap, an old Car⯑rier, and a cunning, tricking, circum⯑venting, [9] ſharping Dutch Broker, fell in with him: This Coopmanſchap was a great Dealer in the Manufactures and Produce of other Countries, but had very few or none at all of his own: He drove indeed a great Trade to moſt parts of the World: It was he who made that famous Voy⯑age to Japan, where when he was asked by the Emperour, whether he was a Chriſtian or not, he anſwer'd, he was a a HOLLANDER: He had been all over the Eaſt-Indies, and particularly was Governour at Amboyna upon a certain Butcherly occaſion, which Authors ſay is nothing to the purpoſe now, becauſe it was a great while ago: He has driven a great Trade ever ſince by Interloping into the Trade of other Nations, but is eſpecially remarkable for keeping his Word no longer than he finds it for his Gain, and then complaining that others DO SO: It was not many Years before this, that he was in Partnerſhip with a great German Merchant, one Mynheer Leopol⯑dus of Vienna; in which they had agreed not to lay down their Trade but by mu⯑tual Conſent, and particularly old Coop⯑manſchap bound himſelf, not to contract any Partnerſhip without the Conſent of Leopoldus, and without taking him in; [10] but he broke his Word, and left old Leo⯑poldus in the Lurch before the Voyage was half finiſh'd; which is mention'd for their Service, who pretend to ſay he was injured lately that may himſelf.

Count Tariff was not ignorant of the Subtilty and Knavery of this Tricking Dutchman, for he had heard his Character, and had dealt with him before; but his Circumſtances requiring him to ſettle a Correſpondence ſome where, and having been ill uſed where he inclined to ſettle, he found it for his Advantage to engage with Mynheer; and accordingly Articles of Partnerſhip were ſign'd between them on the 7th of December, 1699.

It was no ſmall Surprize to the reſt of the Trading Nations of Europe that Count Tariff had ſettled with Mynheer; and tho' it had been better for them all, that he had continu'd to Trade with the whole World on equal Terms, as before; yet when they found that could not be, they would all have been glad to have had him excluſively to themſelves; but old Coopmanſchap, according to Cuſtom, was too cunning for them all, and knowing the Worth of the Count, he ſupplanted all the World, and got him to himſelf.

[11] One of the principal Buſineſſes of Myn⯑heer, after he had ſecur'd Count Tariff to himſelf, was to prevent his Trading with any Body elſe; and fain he would have had the Count have entered into ſome ex⯑cluſive Terms with him, which at firſt he could not obtain, it being not inclu⯑ded in their Articles; but it fell in af⯑terwards upon the occaſion of ſome of his old Correſpondents prohibiting their Factors to ſend him any Woollen Manu⯑factures, as aforeſaid.

No ſooner had old Coopmanſchap and the Count engaged, but the Dutchman began to inſult all Count Tariff's old Correſpondents, and put the Dice upon all that Traded with him before; for no Body could Trade with Count Tariff at all NOW, but they muſt pay TOLL to old Coopmanſchap, no Goods could be ſent to Count Tariff, but in old Coopmanſchap's Waggons and Ships, ſo that he became the general Carryer to all the Trade of that ſide of the World, and got ſomething by every thing that other People dealt in.

This made him ſo Inſolent, that if any Propoſals of Peace or Trade were made to him, his Anſwer was always, Count Tariff, Count Tariff, ick vil hab [12] Count Tariff, nothing muſt be done with⯑out Count Tariff.

At laſt Mynheer thinking he had effec⯑tually ſecured all the Trade of the World, and that he was able to keep every Body elſe out of it; truly he began to uſe Count Tariff himſelf very ſcurvily, and on ſeveral Occaſions abuſed him very groſly; inſomuch that the Count who ea⯑ſily ſaw himſelf maltreated, grew weary of him: He found that this Coopmanſchap was but a Jobber of other Peoples Trade, a meer Pedlar, a Waggoner, or Carrier for other Merchants; that all the Goods he (Count Tariff) bought of him, were brought to him at Second Hand, and that he might much better have them direct⯑ly from the Makers and Manufacturers, and the Countries where they were pro⯑duced: Wherefore he (Count Tariff.) reſolved at laſt, to put an end to it; and accordingly, he wrote him a very plain Letter, telling him what a cozening old Knave he had been, how rich he was grown by means of the Partnerſhip, and yet how baſely he had treated his Part⯑ner▪ and in ſhort told him in ſo many Words at the end of his Letter, that he would have no more to do with him.

[13] It is not to be wondred if Mynheer was Thunder-ſtruck at this ſurprizing Letter; for by it, on a ſudden, he loſt all thoſe Advantages which had for ſome time raiſed up both his Purſe and his Pride; and which had enabled him to hold up his Head, and think himſelf e⯑qual with the richeſt Merchant in Eu⯑rope. But from this Diſappointment he began to alter his Tone, and talk a lit⯑tle humbler than he was wont to do; mean time he omitted nothing to recover his former Intereſt in Count Tariff, and if poſſible, to retrieve the Partnerſhip; and to that purpoſe, he diſpatched two of his Factors to go to Count Tariff's Houſe, and to try if they could by any Offers, Submiſſions, and Promiſes, and on any Conditions whatſoever, retrieve this Blow; that he might preſerve his govern⯑ing Influence on the Trade of Europe: But after ſeveral vain Attempts of this na⯑ture, he found that it was impracticable, and that Count Tariff was reſolved, for his ſake, that he would never more engage in a ſeparate Partnerſhip; but that he had reaſſumed his former generous Prin⯑ciple, (viz.) of encouraging univerſal Com⯑merce, a thing that did not ſuit with Mynheer's Deſigns at all; who always [14] advanced himſelf by encroaching on other Mens Trade, rather than by car⯑rying on any particular Trade of his own; as is evident by his Trade to the Eaſt-Indies, which he rifled a great Portugueſe Merchant of; his Herring Fiſhery, which he got by Encroachment on the Scots Merchants, and by his Trade to the Bra⯑zils and Surinam, which he ſtole from the Spaniards; and the like.

But Mynheer, who never uſed to give a Game over while he had any Cards left in his hand to play, when he found he could not get Count Tariff to him⯑ſelf; his next Concern was to take care that the Count ſhould not engage with any body elſe; and particularly, he was ſenſible it would be a very great Loſs to him if any Engliſh Merchants ſhould embark with him: It ſeems he had had ſome private Intimation, that Count Ta⯑riff was about making a new Partner⯑ſhip with one Mr. Traffick, an eminent Merchant and Alderman of London. This Mr. Traffick traded, it ſeems, in Company with one Harry Woolpack, a fa⯑mous Clothier in the Weſt; and toge⯑ther, they two manag'd the whole Trade of the Woollen Manufacturers on that ſide of the World.

[15] It was a mortal Blow to Mynheer, to think that Count Tariff ſhould en⯑gage with theſe People, and it put him into a cold Sweat immediately; for theſe were the very Men that he had bubbled for ſo many Years paſt; for having kept Count Tariff under his Thumb, he got all the Trade into his own Hand, made thoſe Engliſh Merchants glad to ſell their Woollen Manufactures to him, ſome fi⯑niſh'd, ſome unfiniſh'd, as he pleaſed to take them, and at what Price he pleaſed to give for them; ſo that they only fur⯑niſh'd Count Tariff at ſecond-hand, and old Coopmanſchap got the Profit.

All the while he did thus he wheed⯑led Mr. Alderman Traffick and Harry Woolpack with fine Stories of his being their only Friend; of his taking off ſuch vaſt Quantities of their Manufactures more than other Nations; nay ſometimes he would ſay more than all the Nations of the World; and, that no body could do this but he; whereas the Truth was, that all this while he was only the Mid⯑dleman, or Broker, between both; for Count Tariff was really the Man who procured moſt of the Trade, and made the great Conſumption of the Woollen Manufactures by encouraging the wear⯑ing [16] thereof, as aforeſaid, among his Te⯑nants and Servants: and this ſubtle Dutch⯑man had only been a Pick-pocket on both Sides. As ſoon as Mr. Traffick and Harry Wo [...]lpack, and their other Partners, came to underſtand this, it gave them a moſt contemptible Opinion of old Coop⯑man ſchap, and made them reflect with great Regret on thoſe Councils which had led them into ſuch a Nooſe, and cau⯑ſed them to be ſo dup'd, and made Fools of, by this old Dutch Man for ſo many Years, to the Ruin of their Trade, and the enriching of him and his Hangers on: When their Eyes were thus open⯑ed, and they ſaw clearly how they had been play'd upon and cozen'd, they enter⯑tained with great Readineſs the Propoſals of a new Partnerſhip with Count Tariff, which the Count, by his Agents, had of⯑fered them about that time.

Upon this, the Treaty of Partnerſhip between Alderman Traffick and the Count, having gone on with great Sincerity and Application on both ſides, it was conclu⯑ded and ſigned between Arbitrators em⯑ployed by both Parties on the 31ſt of March 1712. tho' this was not brought to paſs without a mighty Oppoſition of old C [...]opmanſchap and his Friends.

[17] It was thought at firſt, that the Treaty having been thus finiſhed, and all Par⯑ties being thus agreed, there could not have been any room for a Miſcarriage after that; and it was not doubted but Meſſieurs Traffick and Company would have driven a gallant Trade the next Year with Count Tariff; but it proved quite otherwiſe, by the Subtilty and indefati⯑gable Cunning and Diligence of that old Fox Coopmanſchap; the Particulars of whoſe Intrigues make the next part of our Story.

Old Coopmanſchap having been alarmed, as is ſaid already, by the Report of a Treaty being ſet on foot between Count Tariff on one hand, and the ſaid Mr. Al⯑derman Traffick of London, and his Part⯑ners in the Country, on the other hand; he found there was no time to be loſt; for theſe, as aforeſaid, were the greateſt Dealers in the Britiſh Woollen Manu⯑factures that were in the World; and the very ſame Men who he had bought all the Woollen Goods of, which he had ſupplied Count Tariff with, during their late Partnerſhip; he knew alſo if the Count ſell in with them, he ſhould not only be circumvented and become uſeleſs in the Trade, but that all his Cunning [18] and Knavery would be expoſed on either Hand; That firſt Count Tariff would ſee how he had made him pay thro' the Noſe for every thing which he had bought, and that he could buy cheaper of Alder⯑man Traffick and Company; and not on⯑ly ſo, but the Alderman and his Partners would diſcover alſo, how when he had beaten down the Price, and brought them to ſell their Goods ſo monſtrous cheap, that their poor Workmen could hardly get Bread by their Labour, he ſold thoſe Goods at the ſame time for a great Price to Count Tariff; and ſo he had gotten the Profit of all the Trade to himſelf.

He was conſcious that when both Sides came thus to ſee into his Knavery, they would equally reſent his former Corre⯑ſpondence with them, and never have any thing to do with him in that reſpect again; that by this means he ſhould loſe his Cullies, and be quite ſtript of the Ad⯑vantage he had always made by them.

Upon this and many other Miſchiefs which he foreſaw would follow, he re⯑ſolved to go over for England, and by all means poſſible, endeavour to prevent the Partners making their new Treaty of Partnerſhip EFFECTUAL.

[19] He was encouraged to make this At⯑tempt by a ſecret Correſpondence, which he always held in that Country with a certain CLUB or Society of Men, who having certain private wicked Projects of their own to carry on by his Aſſiſtance, were declared Enemies to Count Tariff for his ſake; and by conſequence would be ſure, right or wrong, to oppoſe the new Partnerſhip Count Tariff was making with their Fellow-Citizens, however it might be to the prejudice of their Coun⯑try or of themſelves; Envy and Revenge being the moſt Self-denying Vices in the World. Theſe People pretended indeed to be very great Friends to Alderman Traffick and Henry Woollpack his Partner, yet they had given ſeveral ſufficient Te⯑ſtimonies of their being willing to Sacri⯑fice them both for the Intereſt of old Coopmanſchap; and even to ſell them and their Country too into Slavery to him, to work in his Raſp-houſe in Amſterdam, rather than not oblige him to be their Friend in thoſe other Projects which they were carrying on, as aforeſaid.

Having ſuch an Intereſt there, he made the beſt of his way for England, and had the good Luck to come there before the Articles of Copartnerſhip, which [20] the Arbitrators on both Sides had made between Count Tariff and his new Part⯑ners, were arrived.

As ſoon as he was come to London, he gave notice to his truſty Friend Sir Politick Falſhood, who was generally Chair⯑man of that Society, that he Purpoſed to be at the Club the next Day, who ac⯑cordingly intimated the ſame to the whole Party, in order to have a full Aſſembly.

Being come to the Club, and having ſaluted the Members, he ſtood up and made a Speech to them to the following Purpoſe.

Mynheer Coopmanſchap having thus fi⯑niſhed his Speech and ſat down, Sir Pol the Chairman ſeeing the Club in an unuſual Agitation, and mightily incenſed againſt Count Tariff, and alſo againſt Alderman Traffick and his Partners, called for a Bottle of Neat-Port, for they always drink Port at that Club, and beginning a Health, which for their Reputations ſake, as they pretend to be [34] Chriſtians, is not fit to be named; the unna⯑tural Pleaſure of that Infamous practice took them a little off of their Fury. Indeed Authors do not ſay it cooled the Ferment they were in, but it turned it another way, tho' by a worſe Inflamation, and having twice Curſed the Landlady, and five times her Servants, Sir Pol ſtood up, and addreſſing himſelf to Mynheer, he ſpoke in the Name of the whole Society, by way of Anſwer to his Speech, to the purpoſe following.

The Chairman having ended his Speech, a Tool of his who ſat at his Elbow, lately turned Malecontent becauſe he was left out of a certain Commiſſion, made a mo⯑tion to the Club, that they ſhould declare their Aſſent to all that Sir Pol had ſaid, which was done, the following Minute being extracted out of the Journal of the Club.

That the Thanks of the Club be given to Sir Pol Falſhood the Chairman, for his excellent Speech to Mynheer van Coop⯑manſchap.

Sir Pol having gone thus far, proceeded then to put the grand Queſtion, which was alſo carried, as follows.

That this Club will ſtand by, aſſiſt, and ſupport Mynheer van Coopmanſchap, their old and conſtant Partner, Confede⯑rate and Ally, with all their Art and Skill, not only againſt Count Tariff and Alderman Traffick, but againſt all the Harry Woolpacks in England, and againſt all other Oppoſers whatſoever, Landlady and all.

[40] This Vote being paſt, Sir Pol ſtood up and made another Speech, and directed him⯑ſelf then to the Club, Mynheer being with⯑drawn, in which he ſpoke with a great deal of Heat, and with all that Senſe and Paſſion he uſed to ſpeak with elſewhere.

The Club were mightily affected with this part of Sir Pol's Speech, and the Noiſe interrupted him for ſome time; they ap⯑peared in a great Conſternation, as well they might, at the mention of ſuch a Pro⯑ject being ſet on foot in France, for making Broad-Cloth, Sarges, &c. WITHOUT [43] WOOLL, and a wiſe Senator of the Club wrs obſerved to ſhake his Head, and with a deep Sigh to ſend forth this Ejaculation, LAURD! ſaid he, What will become of poor England! This will ruin us all with a Witneſs! What! The French Manufactures without Wooll! good lack! This is the ef⯑fect of making Peace with the French! This is a French Popiſh Project indeed! I'll war⯑rant the New Miniſtry have a Hand in it! We ſhall be all undone! alas! poor England.

There was a general Murmur thro the whole Society on this ſurprizing In⯑formation, inſomuch that the Houſe ſeem⯑ed in ſome Commotion, and Sir Pol could not yet proceed; but the wiſe Expreſſions which on that Occaſion dropt from ſundry Members of the Society being yet reſerved in Whiſpers only; Hiſtory has made men⯑tion of no more than what is hinted above, which Silence has been a ſenſible loſs to Poſterity, who are thereby deprived of the many weighty Sentences dropt on that Occaſion.

After ſome time, the Club being a lit⯑tle recovered, Sir Pol reaſſumed his for⯑mer Diſcourſe, and went on to lay down his Meaſures, which, as he ſaid, he would have them take to proſecute this Deſign, [44] and the Ways and Means thereof, as aforeſaid: And Firſt,

Sir Poll received ſeveral Humms, and other Teſtimonies of Applauſe, from the Club, as he went on with this; by which they ſignified their full Approbation of [46] every thing he ſaid to them; which en⯑couraged him to proceed as follows.

This Speech was too full of Gall, Party-Rage, and particular Malice, not to ſuit well and be very acceptable to the whole Aſſembly; for Temper and Moderation was long ago hiſs'd out of the Club, as an Enemy to the Being and Nature of their Conſtitution; like a Coward, who is Troop'd out of a Camp by Beat of Drum, as a Perſon of no manner of uſe in the Army.

Being then ſufficiently prepared by this Plan of their Proceedings, laid down by Sir Poll, they fell to work immediately, and firſt they voted that Count Tariff was a Frenchman, and therefore let the Gain of the Partnerſhip be what it would, we had better be without him. This was voted with ſuch a Clamour in the Club, that nothing could be heard for a great while but the repeated Cry of No French Man! no French Wine! no French Trade! no Brandy! ſell no Manufactures to a French-man! and the like.

But the Vote paſſed, as above, with too much Noiſe for any thing of Reaſon or Argument to be heard. This was no ſooner over, but another Wiſe-man ſtands up, (whether he was a Salter or a Grocer, Authors are not agreed about it.) But addreſſing himſelf to the Chair, ‘'Sir Pol, ſays he. I underſtand this Count Tariff is a French-man, then to be ſure he is a Jacobite, and will bring in the Pretender upon us; ergo, all they who are for Count Tariff are Jacobites. I deſire it may be put to the Queſtion; which was done thus:'’

RESOLVED, That it is the Opinion of this Society, that all thoſe who are for Trading with a French-man are JA⯑COBITES: Upon which the Houſe divi⯑ded, Yeas 116, No's 11.

So it was carried by a great Majority; But that not being ſatisfactory to the Ci⯑tizen who propoſed it, who was for thorough Work, he moved again, and ſaid, it was a [51] Diſhonour to the Club, that ſuch a ſigni⯑ficant Vote as that ſhould not have paſſed Nemine contradicente; and therefore the 11 No's ought to be Expelled the Houſe, which was accordingly done.

The 11 Members who were voted ex⯑pell'd, deſired to explain themſelves; but a Scots Pamphleteer, ſince fled from Juſtice, ſtood up, and ſaid, the Tories condemned a Peer to loſe his Head, in his Country, for offering an Explanation to a publick Act: and he was ſure thoſe 11 Members were Tories in Diſguiſe; for ſure none but a Tory would Trade with a French⯑man; and therefore he was for farther Proſecution againſt them: Ʋpon which the 11 withdrew, for fear of ſome of his Juſtice.

The next Queſtion was, What Religion Count Tariff was of? This produced a hi⯑deous Cry, of a Papiſh, a Papiſh, a Papiſh! no Trade with a Papiſh! no Trade with a Papiſh! and ſuch as that: and this rung round the Club-Room, like a Vote in the Common-Hall when a Sheriff is put up from the Huſtings, which is uſually a Quarter of an Hour a ſounding.

After many Debates of this nature, it was reſolved, That the Votes of the Club ſhould be made publick, and be ſent down [52] into the Weſt to their honoured Friend Hen⯑ry Wooll-pack, Eſq and, that he be admo⯑niſhed by his truſty Correſpondent Joſiah White-cloth, and Phil. Medley, that as it is reſolved in the Committee, that it cannot be ſafe for England that he ſhould trade with Count Tariff, who is a French-man, a Jacobite, and a Papiſt; ſo that this is the Advice of the whole Club to him, and that he ſhould take care not to be wheed⯑led into it by Alderman Traffick, for that altho' the ſaid Traffick was an experienc'd Merchant, and generally ſpeaking, an honeſt Man; yet he was lately turned about, and was on the wrong Side; that it was to be feared he was inclined to the Pretender, and therefore he ſhould have a care of him; for if he was drawn in to join in the Partnerſhip, he was un⯑done.

Nor did they ſtop here; but they order'd that the Character of Count Tariff ſhould be defamed, and beſpattered as much as poſſible by their Scots Pamphleteer afore⯑ſaid, as long as he durſt ſtay for fear of the Pillory; and by their Lying Poſts, their daily Libels, circular Letters, and ſcurri⯑lous Prints of every kind, for which they had their Authors and Printers of the So⯑ciety always in Pay: and they gave them [53] a general Order, not to ſtick at any thing, ſo it would but blacken Count Tariff and Alderman Traffick; nor to ſtick at any Perſon that ſpake in their behalf, tho' it were the Landlady herſelf; agreeing alſo, that they would carry on the ſame De⯑ſign themſelves in all their Converſation, and at all the Committees of their Socie⯑ty held at the uſual Places, to wit, the Gre⯑cian, Jenny Man's, St. James's, and thoſe in the City, viz. North's, the Amſterdam, Hamlin's, &c. and that this ſhould be car⯑ried on univerſally, without Reſpect of Perſons as aforeſaid; but eſpecially upon their Landlady, who they reported to be ſick and dying, and openly acknowledged they wiſh'd it was ſo, till the Brewer in Thames-ſtreet was taken up for it, which terrified the disbanded Officer aforeſaid, and others his Neighbours, and made them more careful of their Tongues.

In the mean time Alderman Traffick, whoſe Genius was turned for Trade, and who underſtood it better than Sir Pol, or any of them, being convinc'd that the Partnerſhip with Count Tariff was well-grounded, and that it was calculated for the general Good, not of himſelf only, but of his Partner Harry Wooll-pack, and all his Dependants, he reſolved to regard [54] none of them, but to go on ſteadily in his Deſign of making the Partnerſhip EFFECTUAL.

But the Alderman knowing what ſort of People he had to do with and what he was to expect from them afterwards; that he might leave them without Excuſe, reſolved to have their own Teſtimonials to what he was doing; and therefore long before he concluded the Treaty for this Partnerſhip by his Agents abroad, he ſ [...]nt Letters down into the Country, not only to Harry Wooll-pack himſelf, but to all his [...]f [...]rementioned Friends and Dealers, ſuch as Joshua Double-dozen of Leeds. Tom [...] Perpetuanus of Exe⯑t [...], Sir Iſaac [...] of Colcheſter, Goad Cot⯑ton Eſq and Flannel ap Plane. Clothiers of North-Wales; and to many more, which it would be too long to name here ſignifying his Intention of entering into Partnerſhip with Count Tariff, and asking their Opini⯑on of the ſame, whether they thought it might be for the Publick Advantage or no; particularly and expreſly deſiring them, if they had any Objections to make, or any thing to propoſe for their own Ad⯑vantage in the ſaid Trade and Partner⯑ſhip with Count Tariff, that they would ſend up their ſaid Requeſts and Objecti⯑ons [55] before the Partnerſhip was conclu⯑ded, and particularly their Opinions as to the Trade it ſelf, after it ſhould be agreed, whether it was for the Publick Advantage or no.

In Anſwer to this, Harry Wooll-pack in particular, and all the reſt alſo, however they have been miſguided ſince, ſent up long Memorials and Repreſentations, ex⯑preſſing their full Satisfaction in the ſaid Partnerſhip, and propoſing ſuch and ſuch Alterations and Additions as they thought neceſſary to be provided againſt, altered or added; upon doing whereof, they all gave it under their hands, that the ſaid Partnerſhip would be very advantageous to them, and that a Trade with Count Tariff had been before, and would be again, with ſuch Regulations, a very beneficial Trade to them and all their Neighbours: Which Memorials and Repreſentations, under their Hands, are yet to be produ⯑ced to their Faces, when occaſion re⯑quires.

As Alderman Traffick was thus confirm⯑ed in his Opinion of the Goodneſs of his Deſign, not only by his own Judgment, but by the ſaid Memorials and Repre⯑ſentations of Harry Woollpack, and all his Friends, he gave Count Tariff an Invita⯑tion [56] to come over to England, in order to have the Partnerſhip conſummated, and the Articles MADE EFFECTUAL, who accordingly arrived here the 31ſt Day of March laſt, being the ſame Day that Sir Pol laid the Plan in the Club for his Deſtruction, as aforeſaid.

No ſooner was the Count arrived, but the Club began to put their Meaſures, which they had reſolved on, in Execution: And FIRST, In order to make the Affair of the ſaid Partnerſhip a Party-Cauſe, they railed at him as a Jacobite, and cauſed a Report to be ſpread all over the Kingdom, that he had brought the Pretender with him, and particularly they took care to make Harry Woollpack really believe it; which was the firſt beginning of the Breach on that Side.

The poor Count, who never knew what Whig and Tory meant, and was of no Party, but for the Univerſal Good of Mankind, was ſurprized to hear them call him a Ja⯑cobite, and askt, What Trade that was? ‘'He told them, he never concerned him⯑ſelf with Government, it was his Buſi⯑neſs always to ſubmit to the legal Eſta⯑bliſhment of the Country he was in, to pay Cuſtoms and Duties chearfully, and not only to augment the Revenues [57] of the Princes who Reigned, but to aſ⯑ſiſt and enable their People to pay chear⯑fully and willingly whatever the Laws obliged them to; that it was his con⯑ſtant Cuſtom to acknowledge the Power, but never concerned himſelf about the Perſons Reigning, much leſs about thoſe who ſhould or ſhould not ſucceed; and that for being a Jacobite, he knew nothing of it.'’

But let the Count ſay what he would, it was to no purpoſe, Sir Pol and his Club had Voted it, and the Cry was gone out into the Country, that Count Tariff was come over with the French Ambaſſa⯑dor, and had brought over the Pretender, nay, and that he was actually lodged in Somerſet-houſe: The Deſign of this was to have the Count Mobb'd and torn to pieces in the Street; or elſe, which would an⯑ſwer Mynheer Coopmanſchap's end better, that he ſhould be terrified with the Ap⯑prehenſions of it, and ſhould be obliged to retire with him to Holland.

But they were diſappointed in the firſt part of their Project, for the Count ha⯑ving given Alderman Traffick full Satis⯑faction, that he was a Person wholly con⯑cerned in Matters of Trade, and in them only; and that he deſired to have no [58] other Buſineſ, here; the Alderman pro⯑tected him from the Mob, and from the fury of Sir Pol, and alſo cleared up his Character, as to Jacobitiſm, well enough.

The Party then finding themſelves un⯑able to hurt the Count this way, apply themſelves to their OTHER METHOD, (viz.) To attack his Character, as to Trade; and here indeed they met with better Succeſs, tho' it was by the help of the moſt ſcandalous Methods, and the unjuſt Practices in the World, as will appear in the ſequel of our Hiſtory.

To enter into the better Deſcription of theſe things, we muſt go back to the Club, and to Sir Pol their Director: Sir Pol, who is naturally Cholerick, and abo⯑minably revengeful, having been heated with the Diſappointment he had received, as above, and not being able to get the Count Mobb'd for a Jacobite, and for bringing over the Pretender; he called a Club on a Saturday Night late, and co⯑ming into the Aſſembly in a great Paſſion, told them, the Alderman had baſely enter⯑tained Count Tariff, by Authority; and that he believed that even the LANDLADY her ſelf was a Jacobite; and he did not queſtion but the Pretender might have been found hid under Count Tariff's Cloak, [59] or was pack'd up in his Equipage, if the Officers might have ſearched him; whereas Alderman Traffick had forbidden them to Affront him; but that he had been even both with the Alderman and the Landlady too for that, and had ta⯑ken Care they ſhould be both Expoſed for it over the whole Nation; and upon this he called for the Scots Pampleeter who pulled out two Printed Ballads, which, he ſaid, would do their Buſineſs; one was The Merchant Alamode; the other The Ambaſſadreſſes Speech, which he gave about to the whole Club, and ordered Copies to be diſtributed to Harry Wooll⯑pack and his Friends, by the Printer to the Society.

It was true, that thoſe Wicked Mea⯑ſures of Sir Pol and his Fraternity, did a little ſtagger Harry Woollpack and his Friends, ſo that they began to decline the Partnerſhip which Alderman Traffick had made, and ſent up Letters and Addreſſes to the Alderman, not to go on with it; and made ſome Clamours againſt making it EFFECTUAL, as ſhall be ſhewn in its place; which Proceedings occaſioned ſome delay in the Matter at firſt, but their Eyes were ſoon opened, and they were all convinced of their Miſtake at laſt; and [60] tho' 'tis true it was too late to retrieve the firſt Damages of the thing, yet it taught them to know Sir Pol a little bet⯑ter than they did before, and to have a care of him accordingly; which tended, in the end, to the Effectual ſettling the Affair. But to return to Sir Pol and the Club.

The Club received his laſt Harangue with great Satisfaction, and were more eſpecially diverted with the Ballads; for any thing that affronted their Landlady was always agreeable to the Club: But their Mirth was almoſt ſpoiled by an un⯑lucky Motion, made by one of their own Body, tho' Innocently, for he was as much a well-wiſher to Sir Pol and to his Country's diſorder, as any of them, but was not let into the whole Secrets of Management, and did not know that the Work was to be done Per fas aut Ne fas: This grave Citizen was a Warehouſeman by Occupa⯑tion, and therefore mightily concerned for the Woollen Manufacture, tho' Hiſtory has not recorded his Name: This Man ſtanding up in his place, told the Chair⯑man that he approved very well of what Sir Pol had propoſed, as to defaming and blackning Count Tariff and his Adherents, to [...] Harry Woolpack and his Friends [61] againſt the propoſed Partnerſhip, and to raiſe the Mob upon Count Tariff; only, ſays he, ‘'I think it would be neceſſary to get a certain eminent old Citizen, whom I was formerly acquainted with, on our Side, in all we do of this Na⯑ture; one, ſays he, you have all heard of, for he fined for Alderman in the time of Sir William Turner, was well ac⯑quainted with the French Trade; and might be a match for old Alderman Traffick, or any of them, and this is old Merchant FACT; for, continues he, the Reputation of this old Gentleman is ſuch, that no Body will queſtion what we ſay, if he is on our Side; and on the other hand, if Count Tariff ſhould get him from us, it will put us to a very great Nonplus.'’

Upon this Motion Sir Pol ſtood up, and firſt looking about to ſee if the Door was ſhut, and none of the Drawers in the Room, ‘'GENTLEMEN, ſays he, what Deputy …….. has propoſed is very good, and would be to the Pur⯑poſe, and I have been trying ſome time to get this old Gentleman on our Side; but I muſt tell you in Confidence, that he is gone out of the way, and I fear is gone over to the Enemy, or at leaſt [62] has withdrawn himſelf; whereupon, having ſeriouſly bethought my ſelf, I have found out two Expedients in order to ſupply his Place.'’

The Aſſembly received this Propoſal of Sir Pol's with a general Approbation, and recommended to him the neceſſary Diſ⯑patch: In the mean time, Count Tariff began to appear abroad again, and Al⯑derman Traffick declared that he had en⯑tered [64] into Partnerſhip with him, and that he had reſolved to apply to the Land⯑lady to have the Articles of the ſaid Part⯑nerſhip MADE EFFECTUAL by Law.

Now was Sir Pol to play his Game, or never, for Alderman Traffick puſhed on his Deſign to a Hearing, before ſuch Judges as the LANDLADY had directed it to be laid before; wherefore, in the Firſt place, Sir Pol attacks him with publick Defamation, as was agreed before, and ſpread a thouſand Clandeſtine Stories about of his Behaviour; as that he was Clandeſtinely run away from his Part⯑ners abroad, that he had broke his word there, and never kept his Arti⯑cles with any Body; ſo that there was no depending upon any thing he ſaid; that he was a Bankrupt, and had not paid his Debts, and therefore it was not ſafe to enter into any Treaty of Part⯑nerſhip with him; that he pretended to come hither for Trade, and to buy a great many Woollen Manufactures, but that his Deſign was of another kind; that he was no Friend to Trade at all, but a meer Papiſh, and a Jacobite, and had a Deſign to bring in the Pretender; that he intended not to buy any of our Manufactures, and was ſo far from [65] wanting Woollen Manufactures at home, that he was the Inventor and Encourager of that new Invention among his own Tenants, of making fine Goods of coarſe Wooll, as aboveſaid; and of making ſundry Woollen Manufactures without any Wooll AT ALL; in which he had made a very conſiderable Progreſs; now tho' among Merchants, this way of Defaming a Man, is very Barbarous and Infamous alſo, yet Count Tariff bore it without any Concern, and went on with his Buſineſs.

Sir Pol, and his Party, then finding this would not do neither, and that Count Tariff's Reputation was ſo clear, that if they did not find out ſome other way to Ruin him, he would not carry his Point; they reſolved to ſpring their laſt Mine, and blow him up at once; to this pur⯑poſe OLD SCHEME, the Fellow men⯑tioned before; who, as above, had lived ſeveral Years by Cheating, and Counter⯑feiting Names, making falſe Accounts, forming Abſtracts of the Cuſtom-Houſe Books, and the like, is brought out to act his part upon Count Tariff, to get him Indicted for a Cheat, and ſo they reſol⯑ved to bring him to a Tryal. This old Knight of the Poſt having his Leſſon given [66] him, alledged, that the Count came hi⯑ther to ſell his Goods for ready Mony, and carry it away in Specie, contrary to the Act of Parliament in that Caſe made and provided; that he had Contracted to turn OWLER, and carry away our Wooll Ʋnmanufactured into France; that all the Accounts given by Alderman Traffick of the large Commiſſions the Count had brought from France, for buying Engliſh Wooll⯑en Manufactures, was a meer Cheat; that he had 25 Ships already upon the Coaſt loaden with Wine and Brandy, which muſt be all paid for in Mony, the Bills being drawn already, and accepted; that he was in a Plot to introduce the French Wines to be the common Draught, inſtead of neat-Port, contrary to the In⯑clination of our Soveraign Lord the Peo⯑ple; and to poiſon us all with French Brandy; our own Malt Spirits being known to be much wholſomer.

Theſe, and many other heinous Crimes, being laid to Count Tariff's Charge by this ſuborner old SCHEME, they puſhed on the Proceſs, and got Count TARIFF arraigned for a Cheat, in the Name, and at the Suit of Henry Woollpack and Company; tho' without their actual Conſent too.

[67] The Count, who knew his own Inno⯑cence, did not queſtion but in ſuch a Religious Nation as this was fam'd to be, he ſhould have Juſtice done him; and therefore tho' he might have pleaded to the Juriſdiction of the Court, as having entered into a Partnerſhip, which thoſe who contracted it with him, were un⯑doubtedly impowered by their own Natural Right to engage in; and that without giving an Account to any Body; and tho' alſo he might have pleaded the Law of Nations for Protection; yet waving all theſe things, he frankly offered him⯑ſelf to the Court, and deſired to be brought to Tryal, which accordingly was done.

Upon his Tryal, the uſual Forms ha⯑ving paſſed, and the Charge being read, the firſt thing that gave the Court ſome Diverſion, was the detecting Sir Pol; for he had Diſguiſed himſelf, and appeared in Court under the Name of MER⯑CHANT FACT; but as he was perſo⯑nating the old Man, and endeavouring alſo to ſpeak as if he had loſt his Teeth, that he might conceal the Heſitations which want of Truth obliged him fre⯑quently to make; by great Misfortune, all on a ſudden his FALSE BEARD fell [68] off, this made him be more ſtrictly ob⯑ſerved, and ſome Perſons in Court, who formerly had ſome Acquaintance with the real Merchant FACT, ſpoke openly, and offered to prove that this was not the Man; upon which all the honeſt Peo⯑ple that ſtood by, hiſſed at him moſt intolerably; and if ever he could have Bluſhed in his Life, it was thought it would have been at this time.

Tho' he found himſelf thus detected, yet wanting no Aſſurance, he turned it off with a ready ſhift, that indeed he was not Mer⯑chant FACT of London, but he was Good⯑man FACT of Glouceſterſhire, and he ho⯑ped, he ſaid, that if he was a true FACT, the Difference of City-Fact or Country-FACT would not be much.

The Court allowed that in his favour, and then put him to the proof of what he had ſaid, for which he appealed all along to his FACT-OR old Scheme.

The whole Charge being read, and all Sir Pol and his Voucher old Scheme had to ſay, being heard with the utmoſt patience by the Court; Count Tariff was allowed to ſpeak for himſelf.

He ſpoke with great Modeſty of him⯑ſelf: He ſaid, ‘'That he was no Cheat, [...] and had no Evil Deſign; that he had [69] always been a Friend to the Britiſh Commerce, and that he had been ſuſ⯑pected in his own Country on that Ac⯑count; that he came to reſide here for the Benefit of Great-Britain; that he could have had very advantageous Con⯑ditions, if he would have joined with Mynheer van Coopmanſchap, and never have come here at all; and that he could ſtill be very well received, if he would en⯑gage with him, inſtead of the Engliſh Merchants; that he was ſo far from being in Debt abroad, that on the contrary, Mynheer van Coopmanſchap owed him twenty Millions of Guilders, and he was ready to prove it by his Books; but that he feared very much he ſhould never get his Money.'’

‘'He told them, that conſidering how well it was known, that he came hi⯑ther with no other Intent but purely to do the Nation Service, and that the Dutch might not run away with their Trade; he was ſurprized that he ſhould meet with ſuch Treatment: That he expected better Uſage; that he had been promiſed he ſhould be Amicably received when he came hither, and that by ſome who he ſaw appeared very warm againſt him now, and who he [70] took for Men of more Honour.'’ This Reflected upon Harry Woollpack and his Friends who indeed began to be aſha⯑med of Sir Pol, and to ſneak away one by one.

He went on to Complain, ‘'That the Witneſſes who appeared againſt him were ſcandalous Fellows; that Mer⯑chant Fact was perſonated indeed, but it was a Counterfeit; for Merchant FACT was his old Acquaintance and Corre⯑ſpondent, and he knew him very well; he was a middle ſized FAIR Gentleman, of an honeſt Countenance, and a calm compoſed Temper: But as to that tall, black, paſſionate, hangman look'd Fellow, who called himſelf Merchant FACT, he was not in the leaſt like him; and he much wondered, he ſaid, that any Court of Juſtice ſhould admit counterfeit FACTS for true, eſpecially after they were ſo openly Detected.'’

The Court was very much moved at this Diſcourſe, and readily gave the Count leave to call his Witneſſes, which made every Body believe that he would carry his Cauſe, and indeed Sir Pol's Friends began to deſpair for him; for the Count in the firſt place produced a whole Cart-load of Books, Draughts, Ac⯑counts, and other Papers from the Cu⯑ſtom-houſe, with the proper Officers at⯑tending, to Vouch their being Authen⯑tick, and the Commiſſioners Hands to them; upon Examining whereof, it ap⯑peared that OLD SCHEME had really drawn falſe Accounts, counterfeited the Names who he had pretended had at⯑teſted them, and that none of all the Accounts he had produced, agreed with the Originals in the Cuſtom-houſe Books; from whence he pretended he had copied them.

This cauſed the Court very much to reſent the Uſage they had met with from the old Knave, and ſome Authors affirm, that it was moved he ſhould be expoſed, and his Accounts burnt by the Hangman; but the turn that afterwards happened to [72] theſe things, ſaved him from receiving his juſt Reward at that time.

This put Sir Pol's Party into a great Conſternation: But Sir Pol, who never was at a loſs, produced in the next place, a great Number of Petitions from Coun⯑try and City, the firſt procured by the two Blackwell-Hall Factors, formerly men⯑tioned: Theſe had ſent blank Petitions of their own drawing up, to Harry Wooll⯑pack's Friends all over England, telling the Country Clothiers by Letters, that if they did not Sign them they were undone; and their Trade would be all given away to France; the laſt was from the Weavers and Companies in London, procured by the ſame Sollicitation, and moſt of the ſaid laſt Petitions having the ſame Hands to them all.

Againſt theſe, Alderman Traffick, in be⯑half of Count Tariff, produced a Multi⯑tude of Repreſentations from all parts of England to himſelf, being the ſame formerly mentioned, entreating him to invite Count Tariff over hither, and to engage in Partnerſhip with him; expreſ⯑ſing their great Satisfaction, and how ad⯑vantageous it would be to the Nation, if he could be prevailed upon to become Partner with Harry Woolpack and himſelf, [73] as aforeſaid; repreſenting alſo what an advantageous Trade Great-Britain enjoyed formerly, when the old real Merchant FACT, and the Count correſponded to⯑gether: And that which was moſt ſur⯑prizing in this part of the Count's Defence was, that many of theſe Petitions and Repreſentations were from the very ſame Places, and Signed by the very ſame Hands which had Signed Sir Pol's Petiti⯑ons, (viz.) from Harry Woollpack and his Friends, abovenamed; which was a clear Proof, that Party and Faction had pro⯑cured the laſt, and Truth and Reaſon had procured the firſt.

Sir Pol finding that it thus went againſt him, and that he was in danger of loſing his Cauſe, had got one Card left to play, which indeed carried the whole Cauſe, and ruined all the Meaſures which Alderman Traffick had laid for making this Partnerſhip EFFECTUAL; and this was to bring a MOB and make a Tumult round about the Court; Theſe old Scheme had prepared for his Attendants, conſiſt⯑ing of Harry Woollpack's Servants and De⯑pendants, tho' their Maſter was with⯑drawn, as before, (viz.) Cloth-workers, Dyers, Packers, Calenders, Setters, Hot⯑preſſers, Blackwell-Hall FACT-ORS, with [74] their Apprentices. Porters, Carmen, and whatever Sir Pol and Scheme by their mighty Intereſt could get together. Theſe raiſed a Hubbub without the Court, crying out, no Count Tariff, no Tariff; ſend away Count Tariff! Let the Dutch or the Devil have Count Tariff, and Alderman Traffick too, we care not; no TARIFF, no TARIFF; likewiſe all the while the Court were conſidering of the Caſe, and preparing to give their Opi⯑nion, Sir Pol and old Scheme, who had now no other Game to play, and were at their Wits end, interrupted them with a hideous Noiſe and Clamour; crying no Tariff, no Tariff; nay, ſome it ſeems cryed, no Trade, no Tariff.

This, as Noiſe generally does in the like Caſes, was ſaid to have influenced many, whether it intimidated any or no, Hiſtory is ſilent as to that; but Sir Pol ſaw evi⯑dently, that it had turned the Scale very much on his Side: At length a certain Suffolk Gentleman then in Court, deſired leave to offer an Expedient to appeaſe the preſent Tumult, and ſatisfy all Parties; which having been granted, he began to ſpeak He acknowledged, ‘'That he had been as forward as any for the Count's co⯑ming over; he ſaid, that he was ſtill of the [75] Opinion, that Count Tariff was capable of laying a good Foundation for the In⯑tereſt of Great-Britain, and that he ab⯑horred the Tricks and Forgeries of Sir Pol, and his Sham-Evidence Old Scheme, as much as any one did; that he had given his Aſſiſtance in drawing the Partnerſhip now in Debate, and did think the Articles of it were a ſufficient Ground to eſtabliſh the Commerce of the Nation upon: But that, in regard the Noiſe was ſo great, and the Cla⯑mour without doors ſo loud, that nei⯑ther the Count nor his Witneſſes could be heard; and that the Term being now expiring, the Court could not ſit long enough to determine a thing of ſo great Conſequence; he propoſed therefore that Perſons might be choſen on both ſides, and appointed to adjuſt ſuch Matters as were not fully ſettled, and to explain the ſeveral Meanings of both ſides; ſo that an entire Scheme of the Trade, which Count Tariff propoſed, might be framed, which might fully anſwer the good Intentions of the LANDLADY for the Good and Welfare of her Tenants: And that to this pur⯑poſe, the Debate about confirming the Articles of the Partnerſhip with Count Tariff, and making the ſame EFFEC⯑TUAL, [76] might be delayed for the pre⯑ſent, to be reaſſumed the firſt Cauſe next Michaelmas-Term, and then to be fully diſcuſſed, try'd and determined, by a Jury of Landed-Men, to be retur⯑ned by all the High Sheriffs of Great-Britain; and that in the mean time Di⯑rection might be given, that the Court might be impoſed upon by no more Counterfeits, no more Goodman FACTS, but that the true Merchant FACT of London might be found out, and deſired to appear; to whom all due Reſpect, Honour and Regard, ſhould be ſhewn by the Court.'’

This, after ſome Debate, being put to the Queſtion, and carry'd by a Majority of nine Voices, the Cauſe was put off accordingly.

As ſoon as Mynheer Van Coopmanſchap, who lay all this while concealed at a cer⯑tain Lawyer's Chamber in the Temple, had an Account of this Succeſs, he came down to the Club with great Joy, having firſt, by Advice of Sir Pol and other Mem⯑bers of his Acquaintance, ſent ſeveral Loads of Fagots to Baſinghall-ſtreet, Spittle⯑fields, Ludgate-bill, and other convenient Places, to make Bonfires and pleaſe their Mob.

[77] Being come into the Club, ‘'he return'd them his hearty Thanks for the great Service they had done him, which he aſſured them he would endeavour to re⯑turn, upon all occaſions; if they ſhould have any need of him, whether upon falling out with their LANDLADY, or in whatever Buſineſs, they ſhould re⯑quire his Aſſiſtance.'’

He told them, ‘'He hop'd they would continue the ſame Care for his Affairs, againſt the next Term; and eſpecially, to provide good Advocates to plead for him: He likewiſe told them, he doubted not but he ſhould renew his Partner⯑ſhip with Count Tariff the next Morn⯑ing, for he was a Perſon that could not be out of Buſineſs:'’ And ſo making a very low Bow, he offered to take his Leave.

But Sir Pol making a Sign to him to ſtay, ſtood up, and ſpoke to him to the following Purpoſe.

He told him,

Having ſaid thus, he withdrew; and the next Morning having enter'd into a Parnerſhip with Count Tariff, for one Year certain, they went away together for Amſterdam, where, as we are informed, they drive a very great Trade; and Count Tariff, in particular, has already bought a very great Quantity of Eaſt-India Goods of him, with 20000 Hogſheads of Guel⯑derland Tobacco, and other Goods in pro⯑portion.

[80] The Club being thus diſappointed, ap⯑peared very much dejected; and we hear that Harry Wooll-pack and his Friends are gone home into the Country, in a Fret, diſoblig'd and diſſatisfied; as they might very well be, their Manufactures being thrown back upon their hands by the Dutchman now his own Ends were ſer⯑ved.

Mynheer Van Coopmanſchap being gone, and Count Tariff alſo, the Chair-man thought fit to appoint, that the Com⯑mittee ſhould meet every Evening to concert Meaſures for the carrying on the Intereſt of Mynheer, according to their Promiſe; and to oppoſe every one that in the leaſt countenanced the Partnerſhip with Alderman Traffick: And to the end that this might be done more effectually, Sir Pol propoſed, that they ſhould ſend for their Scots Pamphleteer, who had for⯑merly done them very good Service in frequent publiſhing their Scandals, and who being lately fled from Juſtice, had been entertained in Coopmanſchap's Family abroad. This was no ſooner agreed to, but the Fugitive appeared in the Club, having been lurking about the Town for ſome time; and was ſet immediately to work to write Pamphlets in Favour of Mynheer Coopmanſchap.

[81] It cannot be expected we can collect all the ſcurrilous Invectives which Hiſtory has given an Account of, that were written up⯑on this Occaſion, as well againſt Count Tariff, as againſt the LANDLADY her ſelf; the firſt were eſpecially directed to re⯑concile the People to the breaking off the Partnerſhip between Count Tariff and Alderman Traffick, and to inflame Harry Wooll-pack again; ſo that inſtead of being ſenſible of his Loſs, and the Injury done to his Trade, he ſhould like well to have all the Buſineſs go through old Coopman⯑ſchap's Hands, and himſelf be a Jack-hold-my-ſtaff to the Dutch-man.

This was the more difficult for them to effect, becauſe Harry Wooll-pack had been ſo ill uſed by Mynheer, and had ſeen ſo much of his Knavery in the late Tryal; eſpecially when the pretended Mer⯑chant FACT's falſe Beard dropt off, and diſcover'd him to be no FACT, but meer Sir Pol Falſhood, diſguiſed in the Habit of the true Merchant FACT; that he was gone down in the Country diſguſted, and had openly ſaid, they were a Pack of Knaves; and, that he would never have any more to do with them; that they were in a Confederacy with Old Coopmanſchap, to enrich him at the Ex⯑pence [82] of their Country, and to let him make a Monopoly of the Engliſh Trade.

Sir Pol was not ignorant, that it was abſo⯑lutely neceſſary, in order to prevent their pre⯑ſent Deſign, that they ſhould bring over this Harry Wooll-pack again; and to this end, they were to ſet all their Engines at work to blow Duſt into his Eyes, that he ſhould not ſee too far into their Meaſures. The Methods they took for this, as is ſaid be⯑fore, are too many to be inſerted in this place; but the Hiſtories of thoſe Times cannot fail to ſupply the Want. It may ſuffice to let the Reader know, that this was diligently endeavoured by charging Alderman Traffick with the Breach of a Partnerſhip he had been engaged in with Don Sebaſtian, a Portugueſe Merchant, and with threatning what a great Damage it would be to Harry Wooll-pack if Don Se⯑bastian ſhould take the Pett, and refuſe to Trade with him and his Friends; altho' it was well known that Don Sebaſtian had no other Market for his own Goods, nor could he be ſupplied any other way with ſuch Goods as Harry Wooll-pack Traded in; and beſides all that, Don Sebaſtian was ſo Embarraſſed, with reference to a neighbouring Merchant, who de⯑manded great Arrears from him, of an [83] old Contract that was between them, which amounted to more than the ſaid Don Sebaſtian was able to pay; that he was fain to make uſe of Alderman Traf⯑fick, and his Intereſt, to prevent a very great Suit at Law being commenc'd againſt him; and it was very improbable that he would do any thing ſo very affronting to Alderman Traffick as what theſe Men talked of, at the ſame time that he was ſo much obliged to him other ways.

On the other hand, Don Sebaſtian ſaw that there was ſo much Neceſſity for what Alderman Traffick had done, with reſpect to ſome Particulars of their Part⯑nerſhip, that he appeared very well ſa⯑tisfied therewith, and did not pretend to take any Step that look'd as if there was any Unkindneſs between them: So that all the Clamour on that ſide ceaſed, and Don Sebaſtian very freely offered to renew his Partnerſhip with Alderman Traffick upon Terms of Friendſhip, and good Correſpondence, and to Trade together as much as ever they did. On the other hand, Alderman Traffick eſpouſed the In⯑tereſt of Don Sebaſtian ſo heartily and ſo effectually, being made Arbitrator between him and his Neighbour Don Philippo the Spaniſh Merchant, that he got that Breach [84] amicably made up, and a chargeable Suit at Law, which he was threatned with, effectually prevented.

This was ſuch a piece of Service to Don Sebaſtian, and he being a Perſon of great Honour and Gratitude, was made ſo ſenſible of it, that it prevented all manner of Miſunderſtanding between him and Alderman Traffick, to the great Mortification of Sir Pol and his Friends, who had made a mighty great Noiſe of this Buſineſs.

Being diſappointed in their Meaſures in this Particular, and not able to bring over Harry Wooll-pack, as they deſigned to do, to their Party; the next thing they went about was, to ſee what they were able to do as to getting a pack'd Jury againſt Count Tariff's Tryal came on.

Writing Pamphlets, and filling the Country with moſt abominable Untruths, Scandal, Slander, and falſe Rumours, to make the People uneaſy, this was their ſtated never-failing Method; but the main Point was, to bring the Character of Count Tariff into Contempt; to which nothing was wanting, that could poſſibly be done by Men who neither valued their own Reputation, or any Man's elſe; nay, even the LANDLADY her ſelf was in [85] a moſt unchriſtian manner inſulted by their Writers, and treated with the great⯑eſt Indecency imaginable, although they knew her to be the beſt of Landladies, and though they enjoyed their Shops with the utmoſt Quiet under her, paying as little Rent as could be expected; and although ſhe had ſucceſsfully protected them againſt all thoſe who would have diſturbed them.

Whenever theſe Pamphleteers had printed any thing that treated their ſaid LANDLADY either diſreſpectfully or injuriouſly, or that inſulted her in the Government of her own Affairs; the Club induſtriouſly conveyed thoſe Prints throughout the whole Kingdom, and ſpread them among all her Tenants and Servants, in order to accuſtom and inure them to treat her in the ſame manner.

As to her immediate Servants, they were treated by theſe People in the moſt ſcan⯑dalous manner imaginable; and upon all Occaſions ſo ſcurrilouſly and injuriouſly uſed in their ordinary Buſineſs, and in the Diſcharge of their Duty to their Landlady and Miſtreſs, that it look'd not only as if theſe Men had a Right ſuperior even to their Landlady her ſelf, but that ſhe was not lawfully Lady of the Manour, [86] or were not rightful Poſſeſſor of the Te⯑nements which ſhe had let to them.

This they thought was uſeful to awe and brow-beat thoſe good Country Peo⯑ple whoſe proper Buſineſs it was to bring the Names of thoſe Gentlemen to the High Sheriffs, &c. who were to return the Jury by whom Count Tariff was to be tryed.

But this had a quite contrary Effect; for when the Country Tenants, eſpecially Harry Wooll-pack and his People, came to ſee how their good Landlady was ſerved, for whom they had an unſeigned Zeal and Affection; and upon what Account, and with what little Reaſon ſhe was ſo unmannerly and undutifully handled, it raiſed their Paſſions to the higheſt degree, and they reſolved to have nothing to do with Sir Pol and his Party.

This alſo had a good effect the other way; for, it diſcovered the Deſigns of Sir Pol and his CLUB, and it gave the People Warning againſt being farther im⯑poſed upon; by which means there ap⯑pears a general good Diſpoſition among them all, to chooſe ſuch a Jury as ſhall hear the Cauſe of Count Tariff with Im⯑partiality, and that will not be bullied by Sir Politick Falſhood and his Falſe-beard, [87] or be put off from doing Juſtice by the Noiſe of his Rabble; ſo that there is no Queſtion but the Partnerſhip between Count Tariff and Alderman Traffick will be approved, and the Articles thereof, upon a fair and full hearing of the Cauſe, be made EFFECTUAL.