A. D. 1434. 649 



was merely a pleafure fail, efpecially from the fouthern ports of Eng- 

 land. At this time the rage for vifiting the fhrine of S'. James of Com- 

 poflella, which became very prevalent about the year 1428, had got to 

 fuch a height, that permits were granted by the king for carrying lixty- 

 three cargoes of pilgrims, confifting of above three thoufand perfons, 

 with the money neceflary for their charges and their devotional offer- 

 ings ; for the faint was very fond of money. It may be here noted, in 

 order to make an end of this tranfport trade, that, on a new rage for S'. 

 James breaking out again in 1445, the fhip-owners, who apparently 

 found the trade profitable, fitted out larger veflels than formerly, fome 

 of them being capable of carrying 200 pilgrims*. [Faedera,V. y.^pp. 

 386, 396, 401, 407, 567-582 ; V. yi\,pp. 77, 78.] The balance of this 

 commerce of fuperftition is, however, fuppofed to have been in favour 

 of England, owing to the great veneration in which S'. Thomas of Cant- 

 erbury was held by foreigners, whofe offerings at his ftirine, it is be- 

 lieved, amounted to more than all that was carried abroad by the Eng- 

 lifli pilgrims. ThUs it may have fometimes happened, that he, who 

 was a pell to his country while alive, might be of fome fervice to it 

 when dead. But the pecuniary advantage, derived from an exchange 

 of idlers for idlers, was a miieruble compenfation for the perverfion of 

 the purfuits of fo great a number of people from ufeful induftry. 



1435, Jtme 26"' — The law, enacled in Scotland in the year 1424, 

 whereby thofe mines of lead, which were rich in filver, became the pro- 

 perty of the crown, apparently put ftich a check upon the operations of 

 mining, that King James, having occafion for thirty fodders of lead, 

 was obliged to purchafe it in the bifhoprick of Durham. The council 

 ol" England permitted it to be carried either by land or water, on paying 

 the ufual cufloms. [Fa^dera, V. x, />, 615.] 



1436, April 18'" — Though the duke of Burgundy had withdrawn his 

 fupport from King Henry, the people born in his dominions, fettled in 

 England, were not molefled by government f on that account, provid- 

 ed they adled as good fubjecls ; whereupon 1738 aliens, among whom 

 were many born in Holland, Germany, &c. as well as thofe born in 

 Flanders, took the oath of allegiance, and obtained letters of protedion. 

 [Foedera, V. 's.,pp> 6^6, 637.] 



September 8'" — In confequence of the defedion of the duke of Bur- 

 gundy an order had been iffued, that no EngHlhman fliould fail to any 

 foreign country, and particularly Flanders, without a fpecial licence : 

 and the merchants of neutral nations had availed themfelves of the pro- 

 hibition, and imported linen cloth (' pannum lineum'), madder, &.c. 



• In the year 1434 molt of the veffcls carried ancl 60. Mod of the veffels carried two cargoes 



about 60 pilgrims, 'ilie fniallcft cargo was 24 ; in the feafon. 



and the Mary of Southampton was the only vellel f 1" ^^^ ^"^^ tranfport of the fury, excited by 



which carried 100. Only two velTels failed from the dtfectioii of tiie duke, iomc of hij lubjcSs re- 



Londoii in this tianfport trade with cargoes of 80 uding in London were plundered and murdered by 



• the populace. [_ManJlrelci, f. 120.] 



Vol. I. 4 N 



