372 A. D. 1205. 



The total fum coUeded between the 20'" of July 1204, and the 30"' 

 of November 1205, was - - ^^4-958 7 3^ 



IMng. rot. 6 Jo. rot. 16 h pojl. Kent Madox's Hijl. of the excheq. c. l{i, 



\ 3.] From this fum, making fome allowance for fhort returns, the 

 trade of the principal towns of England at this time may be eftimated 

 at about 100,000 pounds of filver. 



It is obfervable that no fewer than eight of the above towns were in 

 York-lhire, and three on the adjacent fouth fliore of the Humber : and 

 it may be prefumed that their trade confifted chiefly in coUeding and 

 fhipping the wool of that great (hire *, v/hereby the principal iburce of 

 the comfort and profperity of the prefent inhabitants was carried away 

 to enliven the induftry of Flanders. 



In about three years after this time the citizens, or rather the mer- 

 chants, of London purchafed an exemption fi-om paying the quinzieme, 

 for the fmall fum of two hundred marks. The demefne merchant of 

 the earl of Leicefter was gratuitoufly exennpted by the king from pay- 

 ing the quinzieme. \Madox, c. 18, § 3.] Probably the demefne merch- 

 ants of the other great lords and bifhops were alio exempted ; an in- 

 dulgence equally impoUtic and unjufl. 



Upon a marfliy piece of ground, belonging to Gilbert lord of Amftel 

 and Ifelftein, a village was built, wliich, from an adjacent dam upon the 

 fmall river Amflel, got the name of Amfteldam (corrupted to Amfter- 

 -dam), and has grown up in the courfe of ages to be one of the greatell 

 commercial cities in Europe. \Bertii Rer. Germ. L. iii, ^.41 — Junli 

 Batavia,p. 454.] 



About this time the burgefTes of Ziriczee, a town in the ifland of 

 Schowen faid to have been founded in the year 849, built large Ihips, 

 with which they traded to the northward and to the fouthward, where- 

 by they became the mofl famous merchants and navigators of the coafts 

 of Zeland and Holland. Their port, which has fince been choked up 

 with fand, was then very good and convenient. \^Lnet, Belg. defcript. p. 

 138. — Cbron. de Hollande, Z^c. par Petit, V. i, p. 201.] 



The Danes, who, being a maritime people, and conftantly in their 

 veflels, had formerly ufed only the manners and drefs of lailors, now 

 imitated the manners, drefs, and armour, of other nations, and were 

 clothed in fcarlet, purple, and fine linen : for they abounded in all kinds 

 of riches, by means of the f/Jjcryxhty had every year on the coafl of Schon- 

 en, which attraded merchants from all countries with gold, filver, and 

 pretious merchandize, to purchafe the herrings bellowed upon them by 

 the bounty of Providence. Nor were the Danes only enriched, they 

 were alfo polifhed and enlightened, in confequence of their profperous 

 iilTiery ; for learning became much more common among them than 



* \Vc have already fccn tint wool wr.3 fhippcd from Hull in ihc ye.iir tiy8. 



