622 A. D. 1409. 



rates fitted out by the Hanfe towns, and chiefly by the citizens of Wif^ 

 mar and Roflock *. 



From this ftatement we learn, that woollen cloths now formed a con- 

 fiderable part of the exports of England, and that there was fome ex- 

 portation of wine notwithflanding a law againfl it. From the frequent 

 mention of Englilh property onboard foreign veflels, it alfo appears, that 

 the naiigat'ion a£l, which has been pretty generally fuppofed to have re- 

 mained in full force ever fince its firll enadment, was but little attend- 

 ed to. 



The complaints of the merchants of the Hanfe turned chiefly upon 

 infringements of their chartered privileges by the communities of Lon- 

 don and other corporations. They alfo iiated, that beiides the antient 

 duty of 3/4 upon every fack of wool paid by them in addition to the 

 duty paid by Englifli exporters, they were of late compelled to pay 1/7 

 as an impofl for the town of Calais, contrary to the terms of their chart- 

 er ; that the oflacers of the cuftoms over-rated their goods for the pay- 

 ment of poundage duties, and exaded duties for fome kinds of cloth, 

 which were exempted by the charter of merchants ; that they were com- 

 pelled to pay the duties twice upon goods, which they had occafion to 

 remove from one port of England to another ; that the officers aug- 

 mented their fees, and demanded new ones ; and alfo created unnecef- 

 fary delays, whereby the merchants often lofl their markets, and got 

 their goods damaged by lying three or four weeks upon the wharfs ; 

 that the officers at Southampton overcharged them 2/ for every lafl: of 

 herrings f, pitch, and foap-aflies, 2d for every hundred of bow-flaves 

 and wainfcot boards, and 4^ for every hundred of Richolt boards, im- 

 ported by them ; and that they had alio been impofed upon by the ma- 

 gifl;rates of Newcaftle. The Englifli commiflioners, on the other hand, 

 affirmed, that the Hanfe merchants had combined to diftrefs the com- 

 merce and manufactures of England by refufing to hold any intercourfe 

 with Englifh merchants in the Hanle towns J, or to buy any Englifli 

 cloth from Engliflimen, and had even impofed fines upon thofe who 

 had Englifli cloth in their pofl^eflion. They accufed them alfo of pafl'- 

 ing the goods of people not belonging to the Hanfe under their names, 

 in order to flicker them from paying the proper duties ; and they de- 

 manded a lift of the cities, towns, and companies, claiming the privi- 

 leges granted by the kings of England to the Hanfe aflLciation, and alfo, 

 if the general alfociation difavowed the hoftile proceedings now com- 

 plained of, the names of the cities wherein the Englifli were fo mal- 

 treated. 



* Kraiitz [Hi/l- Noiiuet;. L. vi, c 8] alfo fays, % To fuch excefs did tliey carry their barbarity 



dial thiKc pirates, wiiom he calls Vitaliaiis, acted in one of their principal cities, that they icfiifcd 



by the authority of the cities of Wifmar and Rof- to purcliale cloth from fome Englidi tiKrcliante, 



tock. who had arrived dellitiite of provifions or money, 



f Herrings thus appear to have been imported, though they defired to fell it only for the purpofe 



as well as exported, in thute times. of obtaining food. 4 



