DECLINE OF GREENLAND SETTLEMENTS 



incursions, with fire and rapine, that they had committed in 

 this period, by which they had carried off many ships laden 

 with fish and other goods, and many people had perished.^ 

 As early as 141 3 King Eric's ambassador to the English 

 king, Henry V., had made a strong protest against all 

 foreign and unprivileged trade with these countries. On 

 Christmas Eve, 1432, a treaty was signed between the two 

 kings, whereby Henry VI. engaged himself to make good 

 all the damage the English had caused to King Eric's 

 subjects in the said countries, and all the people who, during 

 those twenty years, had been violently carried off were, by 

 the direction of the English king, wherever they might be 

 found in his dominions, to receive payment for their services 

 and to return freely to their native places. Further, the old 

 prohibition of trading with the Norwegian tributary lands 

 was renewed. The same prohibition was renewed and 

 enforced on the English side by Henry VI. in 1444, and by 

 a new treaty between him and Christiern I., concluded at 

 Copenhagen, July 17, 1449; but this was only to remain in 

 force till Michaelmas, 1451. After that time the English 

 merchants, some of whom no doubt were Norwegians 

 established at Bristol, seem to have seized upon nearly the 

 whole of the trade with Iceland, and often conducted them- 

 selves with violence there. But, in 1490, this trade was made 

 free on certain conditions. 



These negotiations give us an insight into the state of 

 things in Northern waters at that time. At the same time 

 there were difficulties with the Hanseatic League, which 

 tried to seize upon all trade. 



Among these so-called Norwegian tributary countries was 

 Greenland, which is mentioned with the others in the com- 

 plaint of 1431 ; but whether this means that the English 

 extended their trading voyages, which frequently became 

 piratical expeditions, so far, we do not know; in any case it 

 is not impossible, although of course the voyage to Iceland 

 1 Gronl. hist. Mind., iii. pp. 160 f. 



119 



