A. D. 1476. 695 



This year, or perhaps a little earlier, Louis XT king of France efta- 

 blifhed ports for the fpeedy conveyance of letters ; an inftitution ap- 

 parently unknown in that country ever fince it became independent of 

 the Roman dominion. But thole ports were not intended for the ac- 

 commodation of merchants, or the public, but only for the king's own 

 fervice. {Comines, L.v,c. 10.] 



1477, Augaft — The duke of Burgundy, unwilling that his fubjeds 

 fhould fuffer by the lofs of any of their commercial connexions, had 

 written to Scotland, exprefling his wilh for a renewal of the alliance en- 

 tered into by that kingdom with his predeceflors. The parliament of 

 Scotland, in return, ordered an embalfy to be fent to the duke at the 

 expenfe of the burghs, in order to renew the alliance, endeavour to ob- 

 tain fome additional privileges for the merchants, and aOc redrefs for 

 damages fuftained. \ABs, Jac. Ill, c. 90.] 



Provifions being very fcarcc in Scotland, and the fupply depending 

 chiefly upon importation, the foreign merchants, importing corn and 

 other lawful merchandize, were alTured, that they fliould find an honour- - 

 able reception and fxvourable treatment, and that they rtiould not be 

 haraffed with new impafitions and arreftments, which, it was acknow- 

 leged, had lately prevented them from continuing the trade ; that, as 

 foon as their cargo was entered at the tolbooth (curtom-houfe),-the king 

 and the lords of the council ftiould be firft ferved, at the price fixed with 

 the merchants, and the remainder fl:iould be fold to the pubUc with 

 perfedl freedom, [c. 91.] 



The Scottifli curers of ialmon having diminirtied their barrels, where^ 

 by the reputation of the article in foreign countries was impaired, they 

 were ftridly enjoined to ufe no barrels fmaller than the old affife of Ham- 

 burgh *. [f. 95.] 



T478, January — Tli^re had been many abufes committed in the courts 

 of piepoudres held at the fairs in England, chiefly by the avarice and 

 injuftice of the ftewards, bailifs, and others, whole province it was to 

 hold the courts and adminifler impartial juftice in all cafes arifing dur- 

 ing the continuance, and within the jurifdidion, of the fairs, but who 

 took cognizance of contrafts and trefpafles unconnected with the fairs, 

 and frequently having no foundation in truth. Thefe enormities pre- 



given by Bertius, Werdenhagen, John Cliiveriiis 1206, that fcventy-two cities were then compre- 



fwho copies from Huitfield's Chronicle, a book I hcnded in the Hanfe confederacy. [_Rffp- Germ. 



have not been able to find) and the writer of an V. ii, />/>. 366, 370.] But that charter, dated be- 



elfay on the Hanfeatic confederacy in the fecond fore Henry was born, is evidently fpurious. Wc 



volume of the Refpublica Gennanus, no two agree in have already feen, that Henry's charter to the 



the names or numbers of the towns. The laft- merchants of the Teutonic gildhall is dated in 



mentioned author (who got his materials from 1259. — Where is any charter of 1206 to be feen ? 

 Henry Suderman, ambaflador from the Hanfe con-. * The meafure is explained in an adl of a fub- 



federacy to Holland, England, and various parts fcquent parliament [t. 131] to be fourteen gallons, 



of the empire between the years 1550 and 1590) By the regulation of meafures enadcd in the reign 



fays, that it clearly appears from the charter of of James I, [c. 80] the gallon meafure contained . 



iienry Hiking of England, dated in ihe year 32S ounces of clear river water. 



