106 SOCIAL DISTINCTIONS, AND THE 



of the burden to be borne by each contributory is exceedingly 

 minute, being reckoned to quarters of pounds. In order to 

 determine the proportion in which wealth was distributed in 

 England just before the middle of the fourteenth century, I 

 have taken the present area of each county, and divided the 

 area by the contribution. I may be permitted to observe that 

 when the fractional parts of a sack exceed thirteen stones, I 

 have reckoned the sacks by a unit more ; when they fall below, 

 I have omitted them entirely. The product, too, is estimated 

 on a similar principle: when the last figure falls below five, 

 it is neglected. But for practical purposes such a calculation 

 is of sufficient precision. 



Furthermore, I must remind my reader, that there must be 

 some difference between the area of some counties five hundred 

 years ago and at present, even if it be taken for granted 

 that the inland boundaries are unchanged. It is certain that 

 Norfolk 1 has gained largely on the eastern side by the derelic- 

 tion of the sea, and that Sussex and Kent have lost largely 

 by its encroachment. It is important to notice these facts, 

 because they make the contrast more striking. 



Norfolk will be seen to be by far the richest county. It was 

 in these days the site of the woollen manufacture, and its popu- 

 lation was continually increased by immigrations of Flemings, 

 by whom no doubt that relation was kept up with their native 

 country which served to associate the interests of Edward with 

 those of Arteveldt. But besides the wealth produced in this 

 county consequent on the rise of its manufacturing industry, 

 its ports were frequented by ships bearing foreign produce, and 

 Yarmouth, Lynn, and Blakeney are frequently mentioned as 

 ^ f places at which foreign trade was carried on. 



On the other hand, the West and North Ridings of Yorkshire, 



1 In the thirteenth century Norwich was a port washed by the sea. Beccles, a town 

 on the borders of Not folk, was close to the sea in the reign of John, the coast lying 

 near the hill on which the church was built, as is known from a grant to the burgesses 

 of the town, of a meadow lying between the church and the sea. On the other hand, 

 the degradation on the east coast of Kent, and the coast of Sussex between its ex- 

 treme eastern boundary and Selsey Bill, has been enormous and incessant. 



