A. D. 1448. 66^ 



it appears, that fome depredations or other enormities had been com- 

 mitted, probably on both fides*. [Foedera, V. x, />. 217.] 



At this time flourifhed Cardinal Cufa, the firft European after Pytha- 

 goras and his dlfciples, who conceived the truth of the fyftem of cof- 

 mography, by which Copernicus, whofe name is attached to it, is im- 

 mortalized. [Nouveau DiB. hiji. art. Nicholas (de Cufa) V. vi.] 



1449, February— Englilh cloths were now prohibited in Brabant, 

 Holland, and Zeland, which being judged contrary to the fubfiiting 

 treaty, and found very diilreffing to the men weavers, fullers, and dyers, 

 and the women webflers, carders, and fpinners, and all others concern- 

 ed in the trade, it was refolved in parliament, that, if the duke of Bur- 

 gundy did not repeal the injurious ordinance, no merchandize of the 

 growth or manufacture of his dominions fliould be admitted in Eng- 

 land. \^AB; 27 Hen. VI, c. i.] 



The parliament remarked, that the revenue ariflng from the ftaple of 

 Calais in the reign of Edward III was above ;;(^68,ooo a-year, and the 

 kingdom was enriched by the trade of the merchants of the ftaple, who 

 were numerous and opulent : but that, by frauds and abufes crept into 

 the trade, and by the great number of licences exempting individuals 

 from the law of the ftaple, the revenue was now funk to /^i2,ooof. 

 Therefor it was enaded, that the mayor, conflables, and merchants, of 

 the ftaple at Calais fhould enjoy all their antient privileges unimpaired, 

 and that no licence to be henceforth granted by the king for carrying 

 wool, wool-fells, or tin, from England, Ireland, or Wales, fhould be of 

 any avail, except for fhipping them for the Mediterranean upon paying 

 alien's duty. There were, however, referved in full force, a licence 

 granted to the nixarquis of Suffolk (grandfon of the famous merchant 

 William de la Pole) for fliipping 2,oco facks of wool of the growth of 

 Norfolk, a licence to the convent of S'. John of Bridlington for fhipping 

 12 farplers containing 30 facks, and licences to three other perfons, all 

 thefe being ftill permitted to carry their wool to the beft market accord- 

 ing to the direction of their own judgements, [c. 2.] 



The law againfl carrying money out of the kingdom had been fre- 

 quently broken by Englifli and foreign merchants importing cargoes of 

 grain. The parliament now directed, that all merchants importing 

 grain fliould give fecurity, that they would faithfully beltow the money 

 arifing from their fales in the purchafe of Engliih goods. \c, 3.] A 

 fcarcity of corn muft immediately have broken this law, 



March 20'" William Canyngs, an eminent merchant of Briftol, like 



the Itahan merchants, fent factors to tranfait his bufmefs in foreign 



* Werdenhagen, in his cavelefs comporuioii call- f The funis paid fji the licences probably made 

 ed a H'ylory of the Haiifcalic i\pnhuis, has magnjfifd up tlie deliciency. 

 ihofe piracies into a gicac and fcrious war. 



V^oi.. I. 4 P 



