A. D. 1391. 603 



and difputes, which had happened in former times, to the want of a 

 proper dii'edion of their community, and, doubtlefs, obferving the ad- 

 vantages foreign merchants enjoyed by having regulated companies 

 eftablifhed in England, had eleded John Bebys, a citizen of London, 

 to be governor of the Englifli merchants in thofe countries *. Their 

 eledion was now ratified by the king, who alfo gave the governor full 

 power to difpenfe juftice to all the Englifli merchants in thofe countries, 

 to accommodate all difputes between them and the natives, or to de- 

 mand redrefs from the fovereigns of the countries : he authorized the 

 governor and his deputies to make ordinances, with the confent of the 

 Englifli merchants, for the regulation of their affairs, agreeable to the 

 privileges granted to them (apparently in the year 1388) by the grand 

 niafler of Prulfia : and he empowered the merchants to meet annually 

 in all time coming for the eledion of a governor f . \Foedera, V. vii, 

 p. 693.] 



May 24''' — The fame of Richard's profufion attraded to England every 

 thing that was eminently magnificent and coflly. We now find two 

 merchants of Luca obtaining permiffion to import two crowns ot gold 

 with jewels, and a fet of furniture of cloth of gold and filk for a cham- 

 ber, to be offered firfl to the king, or fold to others if he fhould de- 

 cline purchafing them, without paying any cuflom for them, unlefs 

 they fhould fell them %. [Foedera, V. vii, p. 699.] 



After fome years of abundance there was a comparative fcarcity of 

 corn this year in England, and the price was confequently very high : 

 but it would have been much higher, if there had not been as great a 

 fcarcity of money, occafioned by the refiraints laid upon the exporta- 

 tion of wool §. On this occafion London enjoyed the advantages flow- 

 ing from fuperior commerce and police : for, while wheat was felling at 

 Leicefter from 1 3/4. to 1 6/8 per quarter, it was fold in London for about 

 10/! Some veflels II arrived with corn from the continent in various 



• The prcfent Btitifh couful in Priiffia is pro- few people in England were now clothed in foreign 



bably the fucceflbr of this governor. The name cloth. 



of conful, however, was uftd before this time, as Knyghcon dates tin's fcarcity in 1390 ; and he 



appears by the mention of it already in this work, fays, t)iat the wool had lain unfold in many places 



/>. 536, to fay rothing of other proofs, which two, and three, years, in confequcnce of the Eng- 



might be adduced, if neceffary. lifh merchants not being allowed to export it, and 



f The mercantile companies, who formerly car- the fale of it being confined to twelve places for 



ried on very licrce contclls for priority of dignity all England. But, as the reftraints were not en- 



and antiquity, without knowing any folid founda- aded till November 1 390, they could not produce 



tion whereon to build their claims, might apparent- fuch effects in 1391, and far lefs in 1390. Stow 



ly have found foraething in this grant to guide them places the relief procured by the magillratcs of 



to a knowlege of their antiquity. London in the mayoralty of Adam Bamme, which 



X In the year 1409 Henry IV licenced a Ge- commenced in November 1390; and thence Wal- 



nocfe merchant to import an expenfive collar or fingham appears more accurate than Knyghton in 



necklace on fimilar terms. \_Fadera, V. viii,j((. 569.] the date. 



^ We thus fee, that the (hcep of England pro- |1 Knyghton fays, ' xi naves.' But I appre- 



duced more wool tliau was required for the manu- hend, the numerals are erroneous. The cargoes ot 



fafture of cloth and other woollen goods for the eleven fliips, unlefs they were much above the ufual 



confumption of all the people, and the export burthen, could have but very little effed in reducing 



trade befides : and it feeras pretty certain, that the price or alleviating the calamity. 



4G 2 



