504 A. D. 1330, 



was driven to fuch a ftate of wretchednefs, that marriage was neglecled, 

 women were debauched, the people were fold for flaves, and almofl all 

 v/ere funk in poverty. Such was their condition, till the republic be- 

 came fubjedt to Robert king of Sicily (September 1331), to whom both 

 parties had fent advocates, entreating him to be a mediator, or umpire, 

 between them, in confequence of which he fixed a garrifon of his own 

 foldiers in Genoa, to the commander of whom th,e magiftrates were ob- 

 liged to fubmit. As a proof of the prodigious wealth of fome of the 

 citizens of Genoa, even in thofe diftraded times, it is proper to notice, 

 that a fliip taken by a fleet of Gibelline gallies in the year 1330, loaded 

 with wool and other goods, was valued at ;^6o,ooo of Genoa money ; 

 and a Genoele galley from Flanders, taken by a Genoefe pirate in 1344, 

 loaded with cloth and other valuable merchandize, was reckoned worth 

 £'jo,ooo. But fo dangerous was navigation in this unhappy age, that 

 when ten trading gallies failed from Genoa for Greece and Syria, it was 

 thought neceiTary, though they were armed themfelves, to fend ten 

 warlike gallies to prote6l them. So large a convoy made very dear 

 freights. [SielU Ann. Gen. ap. Muratori Script. V. xviii, coll. 1054-1080.] 



Neither were the other ftates of Italy exempted from the miferies 

 which follow in the train of the daemon of civil war. Pifa was ruined 

 by the fadions of the Rafpanti and Bergohni. Ravenna, formerly 

 flourifhing and powerful, was brought to nothing by external war and 

 internal difcord. Naples, which about the year 1280 abounded in 

 riches, was reduced to fuch a wretched condition by the wars, that many 

 women of once-powerful families became proftitutes, and all the inha- 

 bitants were almoft perifhing for want. \Stell. col. 1063.] Such are 

 the fatal eflecls of people fighting in quarrels wherein they have no con- 

 cern, and for they know not what. 



The coal mines in the neighbourhood of Newcaftle now became a 

 fource of revenue to their proprietors, as appears from the chartulary of 

 the monaftery of Tinemouth, which contains accounts of leafes of coal- 

 works, in feveral parts of the lands belonging to that community, to 

 various people, at the annual rents of X,*2, f\,\, £s, and £s : 4, in the 

 years 1330, 1331, and 1334. In the year 1338 the fame monaftery 

 leafed a ftaith (or coal wharf) at Newcaftle at 40/" per annum. [Brand's 

 Hijl. of Newcojlle, V. u,p. 255.] 



1 33 1, March 3'' — In a fet of articles, drawn up by the king for the 

 ufe of his minifters in Ireland, the following are the only ones which 

 might have fome influence on the commercial ftate of that country. — 

 There fliould be the fame laws for the Irifii as for the Englifti, only ex- 

 cepting the fervices of the betaghs * to their lords, fimilar to that of the 



• Lhiiyd fpcUs the woid biatach, and tianflates fuch farmers were in thcjfame condition M-ith the 

 ix. a farmer, i. e. one -who provides food. Wc fee villeins in England, 

 litre the authority of Kin* lidward to prove tiwt 



