488 A. D. 13 19. 



tient'cuftom, without bringing defolation and ruin upon his country: 

 but that, though the Scots frequented his ports, and his fubjeds traded 

 to the ports of Scotland, he had no intention to take part with them 

 in their war, nor to encourage them in their errors or crimes *. [Feed- 

 era, V. in,p. 770.] 



The duke of Bretagne more obfequioufly informed his uncle, King 

 Edward, that he knew of no intercourfe between his fubjeds and the 

 Scots, and that he had prohibited all trade and intercourfe with them 

 in his territories. [Foedera, V. iii, p. 766.] 



The magiflrates of Mechlin wrote a moft complaifant and flattering 

 letter, afliiring the king, that they were very much difpleafed with the 

 Scots for their offences againfl him, and that they had never admitted 

 them into their town, but had fuffered much upon the fea from the 

 Scots and their accomplices. Therefor they requefted that he would be 

 favourable to their burgefles, who would never carry any thing to the 

 coaft of Scotland, unlefs they (hould be driven upon it by ftrefs of 

 weather. The anfwers received from the magiflrates of Bruges and Ypres 

 were nearly of the fame nature with that of the earl, thofe of Ypres 

 adding, in order to footh their royal correfpondent, that, though they 

 had no authority to controU their fellow citizens, who were general 

 merchants, they would advife them not to go Scotland, nor have any in- 

 tercourfe with the Scots. [Foedera, V. in, pp. 765, 771.] 



1320, June 18"" — The king underftanding that his ordinance for car- 

 rying wool and wool-fells only to one ftaple on the continent had been 

 very generally negledtedf, and the payment of the fines eluded, though 

 he had appointed inquifitors in various parts of the kingdom to difcover 

 who were liable to fines for tranfgreflions, fent orders from Dover, where 

 he now was on his way to France, to the collectors of the cufloms on 

 wool and wool-fells in the ports of London, Southampton, Weymouth, 

 Boflon, Kingflon upon Hull, Newcaftle, Yarmouth, Lynne, and Ipf- 

 wich, to be very flrid in fwearing the exporters, that the wool and wool- 

 fells entered for exportation were not entered under a falfe name, alfo 

 in taking fecurity for being anfwerable to the king for the fines which 

 might be incurred, and in receiving the cuftom duties before they fhould 

 permit the goods to be ftiipped. [Hak/ujt's Voiagcs, V. i, p. 142. — Kot. 

 pat. 13 Fdw. II, m. 8.] 



Auguft 7''' — King Edward, at the requeft of the king of France, 



* 111 ihc letter lie repeatedly mentioned the king f Malynes quotes a record in the office of the 



'if the Scots, wliich mull have been peculiarly of- clerk of the pipe to prove that there were a mayor 



fenfive to ILdward, who calhd the Scots his own and company of J/ii/>lirs at Antwerp in the twelfth 



fuhjecls. — Notwithnanding the firmncfs of this year of Edward II. [_Cailcr of the circle of com- 



denial, Edward again (April 1322) attempted to mcrce, p. 95."] We have already ften ample proof 



perfuade the earl, that it woold be for his honour of their exiilence lix years earlier, 

 and advantage to prohiljit the Scottifh trade. 

 ^Fadera, f. iii, />. 947.] • ^ 



