A, D, 1071, 687 



November 9'' — King Edward, mindful of the friendfliip fhown to 

 him in his exile by Peter Bhidelyn, lord of the town of Middleburg in 

 Flanders, granted for ever to all the traders (' mercatores') of that town, 

 though not alTociated in the Teutonic Hanfe, as well thofe working at 

 the mechanic trade called battery, as thofe engaged in other trades, an 

 exemption from all duties and imports on their wares throughout all 

 England, with all the liberties and privileges which had been enjoyed by 

 the people of Dynant, before it was deftroyed *. [F^dern, V. x\,p. 729.] 



December 22'' — He alfo granted for ever to Henry of Borfel, lord of 

 Vere in Zeland, and to the inhabitants of that town, liberty to import 

 their merchandize and export thofe of England, ftaple goods excepted, 

 paying only three pennies per pound on the exports, except cloths on 

 which they fhould pay twelve pennies for the piece of 28 yards, and for 

 ingrained cloths the fame duty paid by the Eflerlings ; and he affured 

 ihem, that no other or higher cuftoms Ihouldever be demanded of tiiem. 

 This grant was made on the condition, that his own fubjeds fhould be 

 exempted in the port of Vere from all duties already impofed, or after- 

 wards to be impofed. [Fcedcra, V. xi, p. 730.] 



This year the merchants of Lubeck, Roflock, Wifmar, Stralfund, 

 Dantzik, Koningfberg, Riga (' Rigla'), Revel, and all the other Hanfe 

 towns of Germany, Pruflia, and Livonia, bound themfelves, under the 

 penalty of forfeiting all their rights and privileges, to make Bruges the 

 fole flaple for all their goods, and to fliip them all onboard certain vef- 

 fels, fufficiently armed for beating off pirates, which fliould be regular- 

 ly ilationed at Hamburgh and Sluys for the accommodation of the trade. 

 On the other hand the citizens of Bruges engaged, that the cuftoms 

 (' portoria') fhould be lowered, that brokers or others employed by the 

 merchants fhould alk no exorbitant recompenfe, and that the due 

 depth and other accommodations of their port of Sluys fhould be pre- 

 ferved. ^Meye/i Ann. Flandrice^f. 354 a.] 



1472, February 12'" — King Edward licenced his fifler, the duchefs of 

 Burgundy, to berd, clack f, and clean, fifty facks of wool, and export 

 them in any veflels whatever to the Mediterranean fea, without paying 

 any cuftoms, or being obliged to import bullion on account of them. 

 This adive trading princefs obtained frequent repetitions of fuch grants ; 

 and as fhe never paid any cufloms and was not obliged to bring bullion 

 to the mint, her traffic, which by herfelf or her proxies v/as very extenf- 

 ive, mull have been very injurious to the fair traders. [^Fadera, V. xi,. 

 p. 735 Rymer's MS. records, pajjlm^ 



* Of the privileges of Dynant in England, I duke of Burgundy in 1466. \Com\nes, L. ii,J>. 74. 



fuppofe, we have no further memorial extant. In — Meyeri Ann. F'andr.f. 337 b.] 

 1359 feme merchants of that town had a fafe-con- f To duel 'wool is to cut off the fheep's mark 



duft from Edward III. \_Rot. pat. ^rim. ■s,^ Ediu. to make it lighter. [Cr.Us's D'i3.~\ Berding, I 



///, m. 10.] It was famous for pots, pans, and pi-efume, is alfo an operation of forting and rtjccl- 



other articles made of copper, which were called ing the inferior parts ; fo the duchcfs's wool was., 



Djnanilrie. It was a new town, founded by the all of prime quality. 

 fame Peter BJadelya, and it was deftroyed by the *j« 



