1553. 



224 THE HANS TOWNES. 



attempt of a similar nature was made for upwards 

 of five and twenty years. 

 a.d. At length, in the year 1553, Purchas informs 

 us, "The trade of this kingdome waxing cold, 

 and in decay, and the merchants, incited with 

 the fame of the great masse of riches which 

 the Portugals and Spaniards brought home 

 yearely from both the Indies, entered into a 

 resolution, notwithstanding the prohibition of 

 the Hans Law,* to discouer the north erne seas, 

 which so long had beene frozen and shut vp, and 

 to see whether they could not affoord a passage 

 to Cathay and the East Indies."t 



* " The northerne parts of the world have euer beene held 

 to be better furnished with inhabitants, than any other part of 

 the earth, and from whence those notable inundations came, 

 first of the Cymbrians and Teutons, in the time of the antient 

 Romans, and secondly of the Gothes and Vandals, vnder Attilla, 

 to the confusion of things both Diuine and humane in all the 

 southerne parts of Europe, as farre as barbarism could pre- 

 uaile against ciuilitie and religion. For remedie whereof the 

 townes along the Baltic sea entered into a confederacy, vnder 

 the name of the Hans Townes, and vndertook the keeping of 

 those northern people, and the securing of these southerne 

 kingdomes, from any of the like overflowings, vpon such 

 privileges, and immunities as were granted and agreed vnto 

 them, . . . amongst which the supreme and fundamental lawe 

 was, that none of these nations so secured should have trade 

 or commerce in any parts beyond the Baltike seas, to the end 

 the barbarous people might not be enabled thereby to practice, 

 ormoue against the Hans Townes." — Purchas, vol. iii. p. 462. 



f Purchas, his Pilgrims, vol. iii. 



