A. D. 1489. 713 



my, was a much more defirable property than corn, which, whether in 

 the field, the flack-yard, or the barn, was doomed to inevitable deflruc- 

 tion or pillage. 



The embroiderers having complained to parliament that the pound 

 packets of the gold thread of Venice, Florence, and Genoa, contained 

 only about feven threads inflead of twelve, that the thread was of unequal 

 thicknels, and colour, and the price was raifed from 3374 to £^, to the 

 great prejudice of them and alfo of the buyers of ' broudered warke,' 

 it was enaded, that gold thread, deficient in weight, or of unequal qual- 

 ity, fliould be forfeited, [c. 22.] 



February — In the fcarcity of Scottifh commercial treaties we muft be 

 content with obferving, that the parliament of Scotland ordained, that 

 ambafladors (hould repair to France, Denmark, and Sweden : and that 

 their inftrudions direded them to endeavour to obtain friendfliip, liber- 

 ties, and freedoms for the good of the kingdom and the courfe of merch- 

 andize. [ASis Jac. IV, c. 22.] In confequence of one of thofe embaC- 

 fies fome commercial privileges were obtained in the Danifli dominions. 

 [LeJ.IIi/i.p.319.] 



1490, January 20'" — A treaty between England and Denmark had 

 been made in the year 1489 at Weftminfter, A more ample one was 

 now concluded at Copenhagen by a doctor of laws, a herald, and two 

 merchants of Lynne, for England, with the minifters of the king of 

 Denmark. Befides the ufual freedom of trade on both fides, it was 

 agreed, that the merchants and fifliermen of England might freely re- 

 pair to Iceland for the purpofe of merchandizing or filhing, they paying 

 the cuftomary dues in the ports, and acknowleging the fovereignty of 

 the king of Denmark by applying at the end of every feven years for re- 

 newals of their licences. They might purchafe frefh fi{h of all kinds, 

 and fait them, at Sconen, Seland, Dragor, and other ufual places in the 

 kingdom of Denmark, on paying the due cuftoms. Englifh veflels, 

 obliged by ftrefs of weather ' to go through the Baltic fea, that is, 

 * through the Belts,' on giving fccurity at Nyburg for the toll payable 

 on pafling at the Ore-found, ihould be no way molefled for infringing 

 the law or cuftom of Denmark. It was agreed, that before veflels fail- 

 ed, fufficient fecurity fliould be given (as now ufual) for their peaceable 

 demeanour at fea, unlefs they were licenced by either of the kings, who 

 fliould thereby become liable to redrefs any ads of piracy committed 



by them The Englifli, whether buying, felling, or fiftiing,in the Dan- 



ifli dominions, fliould enjoy as much liberty as any other foreigners. 

 They fliould alfo freely enjoy for ever the property of the lands and ten- 

 ements acquired by them in Bergen in Norway, Lunden, and Land- 

 flcrone in Sconen, Dragor in Seland, and Loyfa in Sweden, or afiierwards 

 to be acquired in any part of the Danifli dominions. They fliould have 

 perfed liberty at Bergen and other places to eled their governors or ald- 

 ermen, who fliould have the power of adminifl:ering juflice to Englifli 



Vol. I. 4 X 



