A. D. 1298. 463 



appointment (March 21") of a new keeper of the itlnary and ojfije of cloths 

 foreign as well as home-made. \Madox''s Hijl. c. 18, § 5, note (rt).] 



May 5"" The king, by letters fent to the fhirrefs of Cambridge, 



Huntendon, Nottingham, Derby, Bedford, Buckingham, Warwick, Lei- 

 cefler, Rutland, and Norfolk, ordered that all the wool, wool-fells, and 

 hides, exported from all thofe fhires, fhould be fhipped only at Lynne, 

 and there pay the duties. A trone (or beam) for weighing the wool, 

 and alfo feals for the cocket, were fent from the exchequer to the col- 

 ledors of the cuftoms at that port. For the fame purpofe coUedtors were 

 alfo eftabliflied at the ports of Newcaflle, Kingfton upon Hull, Boflon, 

 Yarmouth, Ipfwich, Southampton, Briftoj, and London *. \Madox's 

 Ht/i. c. 18, § 5, note (r).] 



1299, May 15'" — Notwithftanding the late law of the parliament of 

 England againft the importation of bad money, and other fubfequent 

 precautions, the kingdom was ftill very much diftrefled by the circula- 

 tion of foreign coins of inferior value, known by the names of pollards, 

 crokards, &c. Therefor the king, by the advice of the prelates, earls, 

 and barons f , ordered that all importers of fuch money fhould be punifh- 

 ed with death and confifcation of all their property ; and all perfons ar- 

 riving from abroad fhould be very flridly examined by wardens chofen 

 in every port, and thofe found guilty of importing bad money be im- 

 prifoned ; that the foreign good money fhould be carried to the king's 

 exchange ; and that all Englifh money imported fhould be tryed by the 

 nearefl eflayers, and, if found counterfeit, fhould be feized. No per- 

 fon was to fell wool, hides, fkins, lead, or tin, but for good flerling 

 money, filver bullion tryed and ftamped at the king's exchange, or 

 good and fufEcient merchandize ; and no money nor bullion was to be 

 carried out of the king's dominions without his licence, on pain of for- 

 feiture X- The king ordered that tables of the various coins, and of 

 their value in flerling money, fhould be kept at Dover and the other 

 ports which he fhould ordain for pafTage, and that all perfons arriving 

 in, or departing from, the kingdom fhould there receive, in exchange 

 for their own money, an equivalent quantity of the money of the 

 country they were going to, fufficient for their expenfes while in it. 



\Statut. 27 Edw.I. Rot. pat. 27. Edw. I. mm. 13, 14, 24 — Madox's Hi/i. 



c. 9, § 9.] 



* There is fomething, either erroneous, or Henry Walleis, then mayor of Lordon. \_Sloiu'j 



flrangely capricious, in the order obh'ging the Annates, p. 318.] 



wool of the caftern part of Norfolk to travel away % It was the general notion of the Europeaa 



from the neighbourhood of Yarmouth to be fhip- legiflatois of thofe times, that they could controll 



ped at Lynne ; and yet Yarmouth is one of the trade, and command the balance of it to be in 



ports for fhipping wool. their favour, by fuch laws : and, though reafon, 



f Thefe were the members of a parliament, as well as experience, ought to have convinced 



which fat at Stebenheth (Stepney) in the houfc of them of their inefficiency, the delufion lafted a 



prodigious time. 



