An Essay to the Restoring of our Decayed Trade. Wherein is Described, the Smuglers, Lawyers, and Officers Frauds &c.

A fiery plea from a 1670s clothier, this pamphlet warns that England’s trade is slipping into decay. Addressed to the Speaker of the House of Commons, it lists how smugglers, dishonest customs officers, and foreign rivals sap the wool and cloth industries. The writer argues that England’s unique resources—wool, fuller's earth, and skilled weavers—should be sheltered by honest law and fair regulation. He ties the loss of trade to rising poverty, lower rents, and a growing burden on parishes.

Beyond outrage, the essay proposes concrete steps, such as stricter enforcement of customs, better education of merchants about the law, and incentives for local manufacturers to process raw wool themselves. Its tone blends patriotic pride with practical economic insight, making it a vivid snapshot of early modern concerns about national wealth and social welfare. Listening to this historical argument offers a glimpse into the debates that shaped England’s commercial policy long before modern trade wars.