15 



for the Early History of Hull," states ' that in little more than 

 two years during the latter part of the reign of King Edward I. 

 upwards of £10,000. was paid for the duties on wool, woolfels, 

 and leather, exported from Hull only. In exchange for their wool, 

 the English obtained the finer sorts of cloth, and other manufac- 

 tured articles, which they were unable to produce themselves. 

 King Edward III. having had the opportunity of personally wit- 

 nessing the vast advantages which the people of the continent 

 derived from their various manufactures, very soon after his 

 accession to the throne commenced those efforts to introduce 

 the cloth manufacture into this country which ultimately proved 

 successful. He laboured incessantly to induce the cloth-workers 

 of Brabant and other provinces of the Netherlands, [to visit his 

 dominions and teach those arts, in which they were so skilful, to 

 his less ingenious subjects ; and the city of York appears to have 

 been a peculiar object of the monarch's solicitude in this respect. 

 In August 1328, the second year of his reign, whilst the King 

 was at York he renewed the statute called the charta mercato- 

 rum, ' which was especially designed for the encouragement 

 of foreign cloth-merchants to settle in England. In July 

 1331, ' he granted a charter of protection to John Kemp 

 of Flanders, * textor pannorum laneoruniy authorising him 

 and his servants and apprentices to exercise their mystery in 

 England, and promising similar protection to all others of the 

 same mystery, as well as dyers and fullers, who would come 

 from parts beyond the sea and settle in this country. * In 

 December, 1336, the King granted letters of protection to 

 Willielmus de Brabant, and Hanckenius de Brabant, textores, 

 who had already come to England and were at York, qfficium 

 suum ibidem exercentes. ' The names of these indiAriduals do 

 not appear in the York register, nor indeed was it to be expected 

 that they would be inrolled as citizens of a place which they 

 visited for a temporary purpose only. But the appearance of 



» p. 110. ' 3l8t Edw. I. » Eymer's Foedera, IV. 496. 



* It is said that Kemp established himself at ELendal, and that bis descendants 

 still remain there. 



« Bymer's Foedera, IV. 723. 



