A. D. 1437. 6^2 



Genoefe, Catalonians, Spaniards, Scots, and Irifli. The author affirms, 

 that the Englifli bought more m the marts of Brabant, Flanders, arid 

 Zcland, than a!/ other nations. 



Brabant and Zeland exported madder, woad, garlick, onions, and fait 

 fifli. The Hollanders bought the Englifh wool and wool-fells at Calais. 

 In the marts of Brabant were alfo fold the merchandize of Hainault, 

 France, Burgundy, Cologne, and Cambray, which were brought in carts 

 over land. 



The exports of hrland were hides, wool, falmon, hake, herrings, linen, 

 falding, and the fkins of martins, harts, otters, fquirrels, hares, rabbits, 

 llieep, lambs, foxes, and kids. Some gold ore had lately been brought 

 from Ireland to London. The abundant fertility and excellent harbours 

 of Ireland are noted by the author, who laments that the ifland was not 

 made more profitable to England by a complete conqueft. 



The trade to Ice/and for llock-fifli, hitherto almoft confined to Scar- 

 burgh, had for about twelve years pall been taken up in Brifiiol and 

 other ports, and feems at this time to have been overdone, as the vefTels 

 could not obtain full freights. 



The main intent of the author was to exhort his countrymen to main- 

 tain the command of the fea, ' which of England is the towne wall,* 

 and efpecially of the ftrait between Dover and Calais, whereby they might 

 eafily intercept the fliipping of any of the above-mentioned nations, 

 who all made Flanders the ftation of their trade, and thereby compell 

 the Flemings (who at this time were hoftile in confequence of the re- 

 conciliation of their fovereign, the duke of Burgundy, to the king of 

 .France) to fee their own interefl in amity with England*. 



It will not be deemed foreign from our fubjecT: to give the charader 

 of the Englifh noblemen about this time, as drawn by Poggio, an Ital- 

 ian, who refided fonie time in England with the cardinal-biihop of Win- 

 chefter. — ' The nobles of England think themfelvcs above refiding in 

 ' cities. They live retired in the covmtry among Moods and paflures.. 

 ' He who has the greateft revenue is moll refpeded. They attend to 

 ' counti-y bufinefs, and fell their wool and cattle, not thinking it any 

 ' difparagement to engage in rural induftry f .' [Poggii Opera, p. 69.] 



1438, March 10'" — It appears that fome Englifh merchants imported 

 goods from the Mediterranean on their own account ; and at this time 

 there was at leaft one inflance of (hipping tliem in foreign velTels by 

 reafon of the war with Flanders, as we learn from the circumftance of a 

 fraud being committed by the commander of a Venetian carrack, who, 

 inflead of proceeding to England according to contracl:, put into Lifbon, 

 where he contrived to embezzle the goods. {Fasdera, V. x, /. 75 1. J 



* The extraft here given is taken from Hakluyt to agricultnral putfuits, the moft valuable part of 



\_F. i, pp. 1 87-208 J correftc-J ' ir.ufcript n". the charader here delineated, is happily reviving 



401 1 in the Harleian library. in the prelcnt day. 



^ The attention of the upper r,ini-.,s in England ^ 



