,1 



i 



THE TRAFFIC TO BRISTOL ad. | 



c. 1 140. \ 



The same in English. ; 



NOt farre from Rochester, about the distance of 

 five and twenty miles, standeth the Noble Citie \ 



of London, abounding with the riches of the inhabi- j 



tants, and being frequented with the traffique of Mar- 

 chants resorting thither out of all nations, and especially j 

 out of Germanie. Whereupon it commeth to passe, that Germanie. ! 

 when any generall dearth of victuals falleth out in Eng- \ 

 land, by reason of the scarcitie of corne, things necessary ■ 

 may there be provided and bought with lesse gaine unto \ 

 the sellers, and with lesse hinderance and losse unto the \ 

 buyers, then in any other place of the Realme. Out- 

 landish wares are conveighed into the same Citie by the : 

 famous river of Thames : which river springing out of 

 a fountaine 80. miles beyond the Citie, is called by one i 

 and the selfe same name. 70. miles beneath it. j 



The aforesaid William of Malmesburie v^riteth of \ 



traffike in his time to Bristowe in his fourth •■ 



booke de gestis pontificum Anglorum, after 

 this maner. 



N eadem valle est vicus celeberrimus Bristow 

 nomine, in quo est navium portus ab Hiber- 

 nia & Norwegia & caeteris transmarinis terris 



venientium receptaculum, ne scilicet genitalibus divitiis 

 j tam fortunata regio peregrinarum opum frauderetur 



! commercio. 



The same in English. 



IN the same valley stands the famous Towne of 

 Bristow, with an Haven belonging thereunto, which 

 is a commodious and safe receptacle for all ships directing 

 their course for the same, from Ireland, Norway, and Norway. 

 other outlandish and foren countreys : namely that a 

 region so fortunate and blessed with the riches that 

 nature hath vouchsafed thereupon should not bee desti- 

 tute of the wealth and commodities of other lands. 



315 



