A. D. 1325. 497 



that he wrote to the king of Portugal, and alfo to his mother, to folicit 

 their favour to the owner. [Fcedera, V. iv,p. 146.] This deferves no- 

 tice chiefly as a proof of the Portuguefe then having corn for exporta- 

 tion, which has feldora, if ever, been the cafe, fince their wine came 

 into general demand in this country. 



May — The great manufacturing and trading cities of Flanders aded 

 in feveral refpeds as communities, or republics, independent of their 

 earl, whofe power was very fir from being abfolute. At this time the 

 magiflrates and community of Bruges appear as principals in a nego- 

 tiation for a folid peace and accommodation of all damages, homicides, 

 and quarrels, between the fubjeds of the king of England and thofe of 

 their dearly beloved lord the earl of Flanders, for the benefit of com- 

 merce ; and they engaged, for themfelves and the good towns of Ghent 

 and Ypres, to ratify whatfoever fhould be agreed by their burgomafter, 

 whom they deputed as their procurator. King Edward, by his com- 

 miilioners, agreed with him and the procurators of Ghent and Ypres 

 to continue the truce with thofe cities and all the people of Flanders 

 till Eafter 1326 (and it was afterwards prolonged) and gave them per- 

 milhon to trade during the truce, as ufual, in England ; and he more- 

 over granted them exemption from arreft for debts or crimes not their 

 own, and for any tranfgrefllons againft his charter of the wool flaple, on 

 condition that equal indulgences Ihould be granted to his fubjeds in 

 Flanders. [Fa-^em, V. vj^pp. 147, 151, 188, 199, 207.] As this flipu- 

 lation for reciprocal advantages does not appear in the grants made to 

 the merchants of the more diftant countries of Venice, Majorca, or even 

 Spain, the abfence of it affords at leafl a prefumption, that no Englifh 

 veffels failed, or were expeded to fail, fo far from home. But it is alfo 

 omitted in grants to the iperchants of nearer countries, to which Englifli 

 veflels did fail : and it muft be obferved, that thofe writings are not 

 treaties between contrading powers, but g?-ants conceived in the lan- 

 guage of favour, and confequently the only reciprocity, that there could 

 be in fuch cafes, muft have been expreffed alfo vsx grants from the other 

 parties, which may have exifted, though now loft. 



The coals of Newcaftle were now known and defired in foreign coun- 

 tries, as appears by a voyage made this year by a merchant of France 

 to that town with a cargo of com, in return for which he carried home 

 a cargo of coals. [Brand's Hrji. of Newca/ile, V. ii, p. 254.] 



1326, July 20"' — King Edward, being driven, by misfortunes crowd- 

 ing upon him, to fluduation in his counfels, had revoked the charter 

 for holding the ftaple upon the continent, and appointed fome places in 

 his own kingdom * for the fale of wool, wool-fells, hides, and tin ; and 



* I do not find the names of any of them ex- Itifm, probably came to nought upon the fall of 



cept Cardiff in Wales, a town belonging to Hugh the favourite, which enfucd almoft. immediately 



Defpenfer. [/fo;. fat. fee, 19 Ed-w. II, m. 5.J after. 

 But that eftablidiment, being a meafure of favour- 



Vol. I. 3 R 



