A, D. 1270. 421 



the appellation of the merchants of the Hanje) obtahaed leave from the 

 king of Norway to fix the ftapie of their northern trade at the city of 

 Bergen. At firft; their commerce was reftrifted to the fummer months 

 (from the 3"* of May to the 14"' of September), and the citizens were 

 not allowed to hire their houfes to them for more than fix weeks, to 

 which, however, three were added for bringing in their goods, and three 

 more for carrying out their returns. In procefs of time the Vandalic 

 cities of Germany obtained permiflion to eftablifh a permanent feat of 

 their trade, called a cotitoir, in the city : and in confequence of that in- 

 dulgence the bridge was covered with twenty-one large houfes or fac- 

 tories, each of them capable of accommodating about a hundred merch- 

 ants or fadors, with their fervants * : and they were bound to keep their 

 houfes, and alfo the bridge, in repair, and to perform watch and ward 

 in that quarter of the city wherein they lived. The merchants, who 

 were chiefly from Lubeck, Hamburgh, Roflock, Bremen, andDaventer, 

 imported flax, cloth, corn, flour, bifcuit, malt, ale, wine, fpiritous 

 liquors, copper, filver, &c. and received in return butter, falmon, dried 

 cod, fifli-oil, fine furs, timber, &c. They were obliged to confine their 

 trade to Bergen, the trade of the refl: of the country being referved to 

 the native merchants, to whom they gave credit of their goods till the 

 enfuing feafon. By this commerce, while it continued in its mofl 

 flourifhing flate, Bergen was fo much enriched, that no other city in 

 the three northern kingdoms could be compared to it f. [I'offcei Hi/i. 



Norweg. V.'\, p. 72 ; V. iv, />. 352 Bertii rer. Germ. L. 'n\, p. 70.] 



1 27 1 — Some difputes between King Henry and the countefs of Flan- 

 ders, on account of money alleged to be owing to her, and the confe- 

 (juent capture of feveral Englifli veflels by her fubjecls, occafioned an 

 order for prohibiting the exportation of wool to her dominions, and an- 

 other for the feizure of all cloth imported from abroad, which feems to 

 have been intended to adl as a compenfation to the proprietors of the 

 wool, by enforcing the manufacture of it at home. However, the fl:orm 

 foon blew over, at leafl: fo far, that the Flemings were again permitted 

 to import their woollen cloths as before. \^Rot. pat. 55 Hen. Ill, mm. 6, 

 TO, 15 — Foedera, V. u, p. 32.] 



* They were all unmanied, auj lived together Teutonic language, frequenting his kingdom aE 



'in mc-ffes witliin their own faftorics. giiefts and ftrangers with merchandize. Unfor- 



•j- I iiave here briefly thrown together what in- tunately the hiftory of Norway about tliis time is 



formation, apparently autlientic, I have obtained very obfcure, and lome, even of thoie wlio have 



concerning the trade of the merchants, called G-'r- profcfledly written it, have called this very king 



mans, Teutons, Aimains, Garpar, Vandals, (and Olaviis, though his name is certainly known (even 



in later times, Hanfards, or Hanfeatics) in the from Engliih and Scottiih records and hiftory) to 



port of Bergen. Perhaps the commencement of be Magnus. And the hiilory of the CermnH 



it ought to be dated in 1278, if we may depend commercial cities is far from being clear, though 



on the date af&sed by Wcrdenhageu [Wi/7. de reb. Werdenhagen has written a book, called the Hi/Iorv 



h'anf. p, 262] to an cxtraA of a charter by King of the Hanfeatic republics, which he has tilled moIUV 



Magnus, wherein he fays, he has thought proper with matter nothing to the piii-jjofc. 

 *.o grant fome immunities to the merchanls oj the 



