A. D. 1407. 617 



land, Brabant, and Flanders, feeling the inconvenience of a want of re- 

 gulation and government, obtained authority from the king to eledl go- 

 vernors, on whom he conferred the fame powers, which had been given 

 to the governors of the merchants in Pruflia, 8cc. they acting agreeable 

 to the privileges and authority granted to them by the lords of the places 

 of their refidence *. [Foedera, V. viii, p. 465.] 



March lo'*" — In a convention between the ambafllidors of King Henry 

 and thofe of the duke of Burgundy, who was alfo earl of Flanders, it 

 was agreed, that the king's fubjeds of England, Calais, Ireland, &c. and 

 thofe of Flanders or other parts of France f , whether dealers in wool, 

 hides, provifioiis, or other goods, except cannon and other warlike flores, 

 fhould have mutual freedom of trading by land between Calais and 

 Flanders \. — All merchants, mariners, and vellels, fliould have free en- 

 trance into the ports of either fide with their goods, they carrying no 

 cannon or other warlike ftores beyond what were needful for their own 

 defence. — No reprifals fliould be made on either fide on account of al- 

 leged hoflilities or pillage ; but all fuch fhould be duely redrefled by the 

 fovereigns on both fides. — The liberty lately granted to the fifhermen 

 on both fides, was confirmed, and extended to the whole coaft of France. 

 — Pirates were not to be allowed to enter the ports on either fide, nor 

 to go out of them to prey upon the fubjeds of the other fide, nor to 

 fell, or land, their plunder in any port — In cafe of any infraftion of 

 the treaty, commiflioners, appointed by the king of England, the cap- 

 tain of Calais, or the company of the ftaple, on the one fide, or by the 

 king of France, the duke of Burgundy, or the four members of Flan- 

 ders, on the otlier, ftiould have free paflage by fea or land to demand 



redrefs The merchants of Brabant, Holland, Zeland, Italy, &c, who 



were accuftomed to frequent the w^ool fi:aple at Calais, fliould have free 

 paflage to and from it by land or water with their wool or other merch- 

 andize, except cannon and other warlike (lores — This treaty was to be 

 in force for one year, and not to be broken, even though hoilihties 

 could commence between England and France within that time. — On 

 occafion of one of the feveral renewals of this treaty, King Henry ob- 

 ferved, that the fuft;enance of the Flemings depended upon trade, and 

 very much upon drapery. We may thence infer, that the chief de- 

 pendence of their manufadures was fiiill upon Englifli wool. The po- 

 licy of the kings in keeping up the commercial intercourfe of their fub- 



* This is the chatter, by which the company tiouble in fearching for records to fubftantiatt their 



oi menhant-advcnlurrrs claimed tlic excrcile of ex- pretenfions. 



cluf)ve trade. But there is here no mention of f Flanders is here reckoned a part of France, 



uiiy cxclufive privilege, nor any hint of a corporate of which it was a tief: and th;s treaty is exprefs- 



bu'dy, or a collediive name, whether of S', Thomas ly faid to be auth>^rized by the king of France, at 



Bechet or adventurers. Wheeler, Miflclden, Ma- the dnke's over-lord. 



lynes, and other keen difputants on both fides of J The n.eichants were to have no dcgs witii 



thofe now-dormant conteitf, feem all to have af- them, and to catch no rabbits on the downs he- 



ferted boldly without giving themfclves much tween Calais ar.d Graveling. 



Vol. I. 4 I 



