5'82 - A. D. 1376. 



]e6t to the law,' lately palled, for regulating the lengths and breadths of 

 cloths. [Stot. 50 Edzv. Ill, r. 8.] 



The magiflrates and community of London petitioned the parliament, 

 that they might enjoy their liberties, and that ftrangers might not be 

 allowed to have houfes, to be brokers, or to fell goods by retail. Soon 

 after, in the fame parliament, the community of the city reprefented 

 to the king and council, that their franchifes were invaded, merchant 

 flrangers aded as brokers, and fold goods by retail, and alio difcovered 

 fecrets to the enemy ; and they prayed that a flop might be put to thofe 

 enormities. Their petition v/as granted, ' faving to -the German merch- 

 * ants of the Hanfe the franchifes granted and confirmed to them by the 

 ' king and his progenitors.' {Cotton^ s Ahndgement, p. 133.] 



July 23'' — The flaple was again fixed on the continent. The inhabit- 

 ants of Calais having complained to the king, that their city was declin- 

 ing, he ordained, that the ftaple for wool, hides, wool-fells, and alfo lead, 

 tin, worfted fluffs, together with cheefe, butter, feathers, ' gaulae *,' 

 honey, peltry (' felpariae'), and tallow (' cepi' apparently for y^'Z'i), fhould 

 be held there ; and he ordered that all ihofe articles f, exported from 

 any part of England, Ireland, Wales, and Berwick upon Tweed, fhould 

 be carried to Calais, and to no other place. \Fadera, V. vu.,pp, 1 1 6, 1 1 8.] 



Licences were required for bringing corn into England as well as for 

 carrying it out, as appears by a perniiffion granted this year to import 

 400 quarters from Ireland to Kendale in Weftmereland. \^Rot. pat. prim. 

 50 Edw. Ill, 711. 5.] 



1377, January 30"' — Some Florentine merchants being perfecuted by 

 the pope. King Edward took under his protection all thofe who were in 

 England or Calais by putting them in the Tower and taking all their 

 property into his own hands. He then declared that they were his own 

 real and unfeigned fervants, and that the property, which he again put 

 into their hands, belonged to him, and was to be improved by them 

 for his advantage, wherefor he ordered all perfons to abftain from doing 

 them any injury %• [Faedern, V. vii, ^. 135.] 



January or February — The parliament granted the king a cajntation 

 tax of four pennies from every lay perfon of either fex in the kingdom 

 above fourteen years of age, real known beggars only excepted. The 

 unpromoted ecclefiaftical perfons of either fex, except the brethren of 

 the four mendicant orders, paid the fame tax, and thofe v.'-ho were pro- 

 moted, twelve pennies §. [Cottons Abridgement, p. 145. — Walfmghav!., 

 p. 191.] 



• Gaulc, in rVeucli, a fwitcli, roil, or pt.lc. — % Wairiiigliam [/>. 190] fays, tliC pope gave 



Q^i. if ofier branches for ihe coopers and balktl- them the option of bting ilavts to the kinj^of 



makers on the continent ? England, Or fnbmittlug to the mercy of the papd 



f They probably coniprlKended almofl all the court ; and of two evils tlicy cliofe the lealh 

 exports of the kingdom, except feme cloth, and § Walfingham [/>. 191] obfcrvxs;, that this was 



fomttimcs corn. an unheard-of tax. 



