^62 A. D. 1360, 



The permiflion granted to Englifh merchants to export wool was now 

 confirmed. [JSfs 34 Edw. Ill, c. 21.] 



March King Edward ifTued orders for arrefting all the veflels in the 



kingdom, loaded or unloaded, in order to get together a fleet for an- 

 other expedition to the continent : and he directed, that the largell fliips 

 fhould carry 40 mariners, 40 armed men, and 60 archers ; and barges 

 ihould be manned in proportion. [Fcedera, V. v'l, pp. 167, 169, 174.] 



April \6'^ — The king, underftanding that there were various mines 

 of gold and filver in Ireland, which might be very beneficial to himfelf 

 and the people of that country, commiflioned his principal minifters 

 there to order a fearch for the mines, and to do what would be moft for 

 his advantage. \^F(edera, V. \'\, p. 172.] 



At this time there were fome confiderable manufadures in Ireland. 

 The fluffs called y^y (? J- , made in that country, were in fuch requeft, that 

 they were imitated by the manufacturers of Catalonia, who were in the 

 pradice of making the fineft woollen goods of every kind : they were 

 alfo efieemed in Italy, and were worn by the ladies of Florence, a city 

 abounding with the richeft manufadlures, and in which the luxuiy of 

 drefs was carried to the greatefl height. \Capmany, Mem. hiji. de Barce- 

 lona, V. i, Com. p. 242. — Fazio delli Uberti, L. iv, c. 26. — TranJ. of Royal 

 Irijh acad, Antiq. p. 17.] The annual revenue derived from Ireland, 

 which amounted to near /"i 0,000 *, \Warcei Hibernia, p. 136, ed. 1654"] 

 gives a very refpedable idea of the balance drawn into that country by 

 its commerce and manufactures, though we know next to nothing of the 

 particular nature of them ; unlefs we fuppofe a great part of the money 

 to have been drawn from the mines, for which, I beUeve, there is neither 

 authority nor probability. 



May 8''' The long war with France was terminated (or fufpended) 



by a treaty of peace and friendfliip concluded at Bretigny, whereby King 

 Edward gave up his claim to the crown of France, and the king of 

 France, then Edward's prifoner, ceded many provinces and towns in 

 France to him, and became bound to pay him three millions of gold 

 ecus, which, at the declared value of 374 (lerling, were equal to half a 

 million of pounds of the Englifh money then current. The treaty, 

 which is very long, contains no hint of any commercial intercourfe 

 between the two countries. \Fcedera, V. s'\,p. 178.] France, then de- 

 Ititute of commerce and manufactures, was prodigioufly diftrefied by the 

 ranfom, which never was completely paid oif. 



We are told, tliat Nicolas of Lynne, an Englifh friar and a good 

 aftronomer, made a voyage this year to the northern polar regions, 

 which he repeated five times afterwards, and then prefented an account 



• Wiilfingham [////?./. 350] ftatcs the net re- aiul money at random ; wlieieas Ware's informa- 

 vefint ucrivnl from Ireland at tliis time at j^jo.ooo. lion is taken fiom tlie records Hill remaining. 

 But thai author often dalhes hie numbcis of men 



