6o2 A. D. 1390. 



quired to affix their feveral feals to every cloth paffed through their 

 hands. [Siat. i, 13 Ric. I/, c. 11.] 



November — The parUament now ordered the flaple to be removed 

 from Calais by the 6"' of January, and to be eflablifhed in thofe towns 

 in England (and, I fuppofe, alfo in Wales and Ireland) wherein it was 

 fettled in the year 1353 *. Every foreign merchant, bringing goods 

 into England, was required to give fecurity to the officers of the cuftoms 

 at the port of landing, that he would inveft one half of the proceeds 

 of his goods in wool, hides, wool-fells, lead, tin, butter, cheefe, cloth, 

 or other Englifli commodities. [Stat. 14 Ric. II, c. i.] From this ad 

 it feems prefumable, that they were allowed to carry off half the pro- 

 ceeds of their fales in money or bills of exchange, if they chofe it f . 



Every merchant, drawing a bill of exchange payable at Rome or 

 elfewhere, was required to lay out the whole money received for it, 

 within three months, upon the above-mentioned Englilh commodities. 

 [Stat. 14 Ric. II, c. 2.] 



In order to keep up the price of wool, it was enaded, that no denizen 

 of England fhould buy wool from any perfon but the owners of fheep 

 or of tithes, unlefs in the flaple, nor regrate wool or other ftaple merch- 

 andize. No Englifhman was allowed to buy wool, except on his own 

 account for fale at the flaple, or for making into cloth. The exporta- 

 tion of wool, hides, and wool-fells, was prohibited to denizens, and al- 

 lowed only to foreigners. {Stat. 14 Kic. II, cc. 4, 5.] 



It was enadted, that the merchants of England fhould export their 

 merchandize in Englifli vefTels only: and the owners were defired to carry 

 them for reafonahJe freights. \c. 6.] 



Dartmouth was declared the only port for the exportation of tin. 



Ic. 7.] 



In order to encourage foreign merchants to come to England, the par- 

 liament alTured them of a courteous reception and fair treatment, [c. 9.] 



Officers of the cuftoms were prohibited from being owners of vefTels. 

 Ic 10.] ■ 



The parliament ordered, that the Scottlfh money fliould be taken in 

 England for only half its nominal value if:, [r. 12.] 



1 39 1, January 17'" — The Englifh merchants trading to Pruflia, the 

 Hanfe tov/ns, and the adjacent countries, imputing the many troubles 



* Some new llaple towns were appointed in tlie exportation of flaple goods was then confined to 



44"" year of Edward III. (iV<? ulniie, p. ^"jG.) ccitaiu ports, and tliat they were thence called 



It is obfervable, that fome places in England were ftaplc ports. 



called ftaple towns, when the folc legal flaple was f Their right to c.irry away one half of their 



at Calais, e. g. in the year 1377 the ftaple was re- money is explicitly declared in an iCl, 2 I/iri. IV, 



moved from Queenhurgh to Sandwich ; {^Cotlon^s c. 5. 



/IliriJgemenI, p. 157] and in 1385 King Richard \ Unlefs there was fome great, but fhort-lived, 



removed the ftaple of wool and wool-fells from diminution of the money of Scotland, unknown to 



Ipfwich and London to Yarmouth. [^Table in the hiftoric or antiquarian rclearch, this law was drawn 



toivn hall of Yarmouth, publ'iJlKd iv'ilh Leland's Col- up with ftill lefs regard to accuracy than the order 



liiJaaca, y. \i, p. a86.] Ilia probable that the of 1373. See the table of money iu the Appendix. 



