39^ 



A. D. 1 245. 



the many important manufadures dependent upon them, have in later 

 times raifed the natives of Great Britain to the rank of the firfl mami- 

 facluring nation in the world, and given them a fufficient command of 

 the mines of gold and filver, wrought by the flaves of thofe who pridt 

 themfelves on being lords of the mod copious mines of the pretious 

 metals, by which induftry and enterprife have been banifhed from 

 among themfelves, while they have been animated by them among 

 thofe nations who are under the happy neceflity of giving valuable 

 commodities in exchange for them *. 



In the council of Lyons the pope prohibited all Chriftians from fend- 

 ing their fhips for four years to any of the eaftern countries occupied 

 by the Saracens, that there might be abundance of {hipping to tranf- 

 port the warriors of the crofs to the Holy land. \A?iiiaIes Burton, p. 301, 

 ed. Gale.'] Thus did papal politics and fuperftitious frenzy trample un- 

 der foot the interefls of commerce, and the reafoning powers of the hu- 

 man mind. 



King Henry proclaimed a fair to be held at Weftminfter, and he or- 

 dered that all the traders of London fhould fhut up their fhops, and car- 

 ry their goods to be fold at his fair, and that all other fairs throughout 

 England fhould be fufpended during the fifteen days appointed for the 

 duration of it. The weather happened to be remarkably bad. The 

 tents, made of cloth, affording no fhelter, the goods were fpoiled by the 

 rain ; and the citizens, inftead of fitting down to a comfortable meal 

 furrounded by their families, were obliged to eat their victuals in thofe 

 uncomfortable tabernacles with their feet in the mud. [M. Paris, 



1248 — The fterling money ot England had for fome time been (o 

 fliamefully defaced by clipping, that fcarcely any of the letters of the 

 infcription were left : and the criminals were found to be moftly the 

 Jews, the Caurfini, and fome of the Flemifh wool-merchants. Some 

 of the king's council advifed, that the quality of the filver fliould be 

 fomewhat debafed in imitation of the money of France, that there 

 might be lefs temptation to clipping : but fortunately that very erro- 

 neous advice was not followed : and proclamation was now made that 

 all the defaced money fhould be brought in to the king's exchanges, 

 and there exchanged for new money, weight for weight. But the peo- 

 ple complained, that they fuffered more by bringing in their money to 

 the exchange offices, which were cllabliflied in but few cities, than it 

 they had been obliged to pay twenty fliillings a quarter for wheat ; for 

 what with their traveling expenfes and lofs of time, and a dedudion of 

 thirteen pennies from every pound for coiitage, whereupon the king 



* See the opinion of Mr. Faujas S'. Fond, an intelligent foreigner, on ilie powerful fupeiiority in 

 manufaiihirts ariling from the poficfBon of coal mines. [Yravds in England and Scotland, F. 'ii,J>. 3,?9# 

 £11^1. trari/1.2 



