A. D. i39i» 605 



Holland gave a charter to his faithful fcabines and fenators of his city 

 of Amfterdani, authorizing them to elecft a prefeft, and to govern their 

 lands in Schonen by their own laws *. [Chart, op. Poniard Dan. hijl.p. 522.] 



1392 — ^The merchants of the Hanfe obtained from the king a de- 

 claration, that they fhould be fubjeded to no new impofitions in any 

 town. \_Rot. pat. fee. 15 Rie. II, m. '^6^^ 



The magiflrates of London having refufed to lend the king ^1,000, 

 he took occafion to quarrel with them, deprived them of their offices, 

 refclndcd the city's privileges, and got a fine of ^100,000 impofed upon 

 it. He was encouraged in thefe oppreffive meafures by the nobles, who, 

 not knowing that the improvement of their own lands depended upon 

 , the profperity of trade, envied the growing opulence of the citizens. It 

 was probably thought at court, that the payment of fuch an exorbitant 

 fine would be impoflible ; and the king hinted a defire to be reconciled 

 to the citizens, who were fo tranfported with joy at the news, that they 

 begged to be honoured with his prefence in the city. He accordingly 

 made a proceflion through the city (Auguft 29'") ; and the citizens 

 ftrained their abilities to receive him with Iplendour and magnificence. 

 Two crowns of gold (probably thofe imported from Luca in the pre- 

 ceding year), two tables or plates of gold, one reprefenting the Trinity, 

 and valued at /^8oo, and the other a pidure of S'. Anne, with a vail 

 profuficn of other coftly baubles, were prefented to him and the queen, 

 and gratioufly received. The fine of /^i 00, 000 was remitted, and all 

 offences were pardoned, except treafons and felonies (September 19"'). The 

 citizens now rejoiced in the belief that the fi:orm of royal indignation 

 was blown over. But they were icon convinced of their miflake by a 

 demand of ^^i 0,000, to be paid for obtaining the king's good will : and 

 that fum, lufficiently difirefling, was collecfted by an afieflinent upon 

 all the inhabitants, and adually paid to the king f . \Fcedera., V. vii, pp. 

 735» 'ld>^-—Knygbion, col 2^^o.—Walfingham, p. 348.] 



* According to fome authors, it was not before ferring him to thofe who place it in 1 400. Per- 



tbe year 1400 that the fta made a breach through haps it may have happened in the great inundation 



the ridge of hill?, which guarded the noith coall in January i 198-9 recoided by Hov(dtn,f. 326 b. . 



of Holland and Friftland, into the lakes formed — Ann. IVaverl. and Chron. Mclros, ad an. 1198. 



by the ftagnation of the north mouth of the Rhine, Meyer [Ann. Flar.dr.f. 117 b] is fo dillrcfied by 



which, according to Pliny, [H'ljl.nal. L. iv, r. 15] the carelcfTEicfs of writers refpefting the in undatfonf, 



■was called the Flevus, and converted them into an that he is quite angry with them : and, tc-b£-fure, 



inland fea, well known in modern limes by the name there can be little dependence upon the early hif- 



of the Zuyder zee, the chief entrance of which tory of a country, wherein an event of fuch im- 



is at the ifland called the Texe). Before that ir- portance is lo veiy difcordantly related, 

 ruption took place, Amfterdam could have no f The prefent citizens of London, accuftomed 



other navigation than by boats upon the ftefl> to turn much larger funis in their private concerns 



water lakes and the rivers connefted with them, than what is here Hated as perhaps impoflible to be 



We here fee undoubted proof that it was earlier paid by the conimunity of the city, will not blame 



than the year 14CO: but it is impoflible to afcer- me, or rather WaUingham, for faying, that the 



tain the precife time on account of the numerous colleftion of j^io,o;o diftrefled the whole city, 



inundations difcordantly and indillinftly recorded when they recoiled, that /' 10, COO contained 8,000 



by tlie Dutch writer?. [See Scbooi de inundationi- pounds or 96,000 ounces of ftandard filver, and 



kus, and Junii Balavla, p. 122.2 De Witt [/>. 301 could purcbafe JOjOCO quarters of wheat at an 



Jing/. traii/l.'\ quotes Pantaleon (publillied by M. average price. 

 VojQius) who dates it in 1 1 70, but without pre- 



