388 



A. D. 1 23 1. 



dom. \T!hordir, n contemporary Icelandic writer, tranjlated by 'Jobnjione. — 

 Chron. Manniee ap. Camd. Brit. p. 844 T'orfcsi Orcades^ L. ii.] The num- 

 ber of the Gallowegian fleet, equal to a fourth part of that with which 

 the French in the year 12 16 expected to eftubliflh a new king upon the 

 throne of England, is probably exaggerated by the northern writers, 

 who, however, all agree in celebrating the great naval power of Alan of 

 Galloway *. 



1235, April 5"" — King Henry licenced Simon of Wiftlegray to carry 

 in his veflel, called the Gladyghyne, the pilgrims going from England 

 towards Jerufalem, S'. James of Compoftella in Spain, or other places 

 abroad, without hindrance or moleftation. {Pat. 19 Hen. Ill, piiblijljed 

 in Piirchas''s Pi/gri?nes, L. viii, />. 1271.] If he really proceeded as far as 

 Paleftine, he performed a voyage, which, I believe, was much more re- 

 mote than any that were ufually undertaken by any lingle Englifh vef- 

 fel in that age, wherein commerce was not fo powerful a ftimulus as 

 fuperftition in calling forth the energies of the mind or the exertions of 

 enterprife. 



The tenth and eleventh fedions of King John's Magna charta, com- 

 prehending, perhaps, the mofl blameable part of that famous deed, 

 whereby the eftates of ininors were exempted during their minority 

 from paying interefl: for money borrowed by their predecelTors, were 

 now revived and fandioned by a public ad of the legiflative body af- 

 fembled at Merton. [Statutes of Merton, c. 5.] We thereby fee that it 

 was not now reckoned illegal to receive interefl: for money lent : but, 

 as long as this law remained in force, the vmfair rifk thrown upon the 

 lender by it muft; have kept the rate of interefl much above its natural 

 level. 



The inhabitants of Amfterdam, who were ftill fubjed to the lord 

 of Amftel, were indulged by the earl of Holland with the liberty of 

 carrying their goods through the whole of his territory, as a compenfa- 

 tion for Ibme injury he had done them. [Bertii Rer. Germ. L. \\\,p. 41.] 

 Such was the humble commencement of the commerce of the illuflrious- 

 city of Amfterdam. 



1236 — Some Flemifli merchants having been plundered of fifty-two 

 tuns (' dolia' f) of wine, and other goods in England, the countefs of 



* The naval pre-eminence of llie feamen of was then in rebellion againft the king of Scot- 

 Galloway continutJ after the age of their famous land. 



lord, Alan. To tlicm Alexander III, king of -j- The meafure of the ^/o/;«nj having been doubt- 

 Scotland, committed the maritime charge of an ed or mifundcrllood (fee Fleetiuond^s Chron. prec. 

 expedition intended to challife a rebellion of the p. 1 15, &c.) it is proper to obfcrve, that it is prov- 

 people of Mann. \_Scallchron. V. ii, p. 109, ed. ed to be a tun by a letter from King Edward III 

 G'jorla/J.'} And the Scottirti warlike, c;r piratical, to the king of Spain, wherein a pipe of wine, 

 vcffcls (for the terms were fynonvmons) which which is half a tun, is valued at ^of, the dolium 

 made fomc depredations on the fuhjefls ff Eng- being j[^. [.Fadera, V. v, p. 320. Sec alfo 

 land about the year 1236, [A'o/. pat. 21 Men. Ill, V. vii, p. 378, and the Statute of ejlreats, l6 Edw. 

 m 6] were pcrliapr. of their country, and in the /// In Statutes at laii^e, V. x, append, p. 23 : and 

 fervice of Tliomun, the natural foji (jf Alan, who many more proofs tnight be adduced, if ncceiFary.j 



