42 ANNALS OF SCOTLAND, 



fully authenticated' in the writings of Britifh and 

 foreign hiftorians, as well as by charters and par- 

 liamentary records. 



In 1378, one Mercer, a Scots navigator, hav- 

 ing beeri taken prifoner by the Englifh, his fon, 

 with a fquadron of fhips, attacked Scarborough, 

 where the elder Mercer had been confined, carried 

 o(F feveral veflels, and a confiderable number of 

 the inhabitants. This, the Englifh hfftdriaty Wal- 

 fmgham, laments, as " a great misfortune to En- 

 gland, which might have been enriched by the 

 ranfom the elder Mercer was capable of paying. " 



The Scots commerce with the Low Countries, 

 France, Spain, and the Mediterranean, had at this 

 time become fo confiderable, that the ports in the 

 north of England, particularly Newcaftle and Hull, 

 fitted out privateers to intercept it, and actually 

 took a Scots ihip, valued at the immenfe fum, for 

 thofe days, of 7000!. fterling. 



In 1381, the Englifh council ifiued fpecial orders 

 that the Scots fhould receive no moleftation in their 

 trade. 



In 1407, John duke of Brabant, did cc grant his 

 letters patent of new privileges to thofe of the Scot- 

 tifh nation, trading all over his dominions, " and 

 it is further related that Bruges, in Flanders, was 

 then, and had been very long before that time, the 

 ftaple port for Scottifh fhips and merchandize." 



In 1410, according to Englifh hiftorians, c < Sir 

 Robert Umphryville^ vice-admiral of England, lay, 

 with ten fhips of war, before the port of Leith, 

 when landing on either fide the Forth, where he 

 did much mifchief and plundered the country, he 

 took many prizes, and burnt the great galliot of 

 Scotland, with many other (hips, and yet brought 

 home fourteen tali Ihips, laden with drapery goods 

 and corn, whereby he fo far lowered the prices in 

 England, as to have obtained the name of Mend-. 

 market, ' 



The 



