5IO A. D. 1334- 



eftablifhed in various parts of England, Wales, and Ireland, for wool, 

 wool-fells, and hides. [Rymer's ABa manufcr. Edw. Illy V. ii, n°. 75.] 



April 5''- The king of England and the earl of Flanders allowed free 



intercourfe of trade to the fubjeds of each-other, which was, however, 

 to continue only till the 15'^ of Auguft. But as it would not be worth 

 while for merchants to fit out their veflels for a privilege of eighteen 

 weeks, it was afterwards prolonged to Chriflmas 1336. [Fcsdcra, V. iv, 

 pp. 607, 661, 662.] 



1335, Spring — The knights, citizens, and burgefles, reprefented to 

 the king the hardfhips funered by the public in confequence of the 

 people of cities, burghs, and fea-ports, engroffing the purchafe of wines, 

 ' aver du pois,' flefh, fifh, and other viduals and merchandize, ufeful to 

 the prelates, nobles, and commons. The king, with the affent of the 

 prelates, nobles, and commons, thereupon ordained, that all merchants, 

 aliens or denizens, fhould have perfed liberty in all cities, burghs, towns, 

 fea-ports, fairs, markets, and elfewhere, within franchifes or without, to 

 fell corn, wine, ' aver du pois,' flefh, fifli, and other victuals, wool, cloth, 

 and all kinds of merchandize, to all perfons, natives or foreigners, ex- 

 cept the king's enemies. The mayors and bailifs of corporations, and 

 the lords of unincorporated places, were required, under the penalty of 

 forfeiting their privileges, to proted the merchants in the exercife of 

 their trade ; and the perfons aftually obflru6hng them were made liable 

 to double damages, and alfo to be puniflied by imprifonment and fine. 

 All flrangers and denizens had alfo equal liberty to buy and carry away 

 any articles whatever, except wine *, agreeable to the terms of their 

 charter. And all charters of franchife, which might be alleged in op- 

 polition to the general freedom of trade, were declared to be of no force, 

 as being prejudicial to the king, prelates, and great men, and oppre(Tive 

 to the commons, [i Stat. 9 Edtv. Ill, preo7?ible and c. i.] 



June-Auguft — In the war between England and Scotland there was 

 more of maritime hollihty than might have been expeded in a contefl 

 between the two parts of the fame ifland. Edward, having heard that 

 fome fhips were fitting out in Calais by the Scots and other malefaBors 

 to infeft his coafts by land and water, ordered the warden of the Cinque 

 ports and the magiftrates of Yarmouth to difcover the truth of the re- 

 port, and to fend out a fufTicient force to deftroy them. Thefe pre- 

 cautions, however, did not prevent a veflel belonging to Southampton 

 with a cargo of wool, wool-fells, hides, 8cc. from being taken in the 

 mouth of the Thames by fome malefactors of Normandy and Scotland. 

 King Edward, being informed by his vafl-il, Edward Balliol, whom he 

 had fet up as a duplicate king of Scotland in order to divide and dillrad 

 that kingdom, that fome foreigners, at the iniligation of the Scots, were 



* Though wine is excepted from exportation, corn is left ficc to be exported at pleafure. 



