▁Sir ▁Francis ▁Dra ke ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁p ear ls ▁which ▁Dra ke ▁brought ▁from ▁Cart ag ena . ▁He ▁was ▁frequently ▁consult ed ▁on ▁merc ant ile ▁affairs ▁by ▁the ▁priv y ▁council . ▁In ▁ 1 6 0 0 ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁commission ers ▁for ▁establish ing ▁the ▁true ▁par ▁of ▁exchange , ▁and ▁he ▁gave ▁evidence ▁before ▁the ▁committee ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Commons ▁on ▁the ▁Mer ch ants ' ▁Ass urance ▁Bill ▁( Nov ember ▁and ▁December ▁ 1 6 0 1 ). ▁While ▁the ▁Act ▁for ▁the ▁True ▁M aking ▁of ▁W ool len ▁Cl oth ▁( 4 ▁Jac . ▁I , ▁c . ▁ 2 ) ▁was ▁passing ▁through ▁parliament ▁he ▁prepared ▁for ▁the ▁priv y ▁council ▁a ▁report ▁showing ▁the ▁weight , ▁length , ▁and ▁bread th ▁of ▁all ▁kinds ▁of ▁cloth . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁reign ▁of ▁James ▁I , ▁Mal yn es ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁schemes ▁for ▁developing ▁natural ▁resources . ▁Among ▁them ▁was ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁work ▁lead ▁mines ▁in ▁York shire ▁and ▁silver ▁mines ▁in ▁County ▁Dur ham ▁in ▁ 1 6 0 6 , ▁when ▁at ▁his ▁own ▁charge ▁he ▁brought ▁work men ▁from ▁Germany . ▁He ▁was ▁joined ▁by ▁Lord ▁E ure ▁and ▁some ▁London ▁mer ch ants , ▁but ▁the ▁undert aking ▁failed . ▁Mon et ary ▁questions ▁were ▁his ▁major ▁concern , ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁an ▁ass ay ▁master ▁of ▁the ▁mint . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 6 0 9 ▁Mal yn es ▁was ▁a