i6 A. D. 1497. 



whereof, all merchants, not of the faid fellowfliip, do withdraw them^ 

 felves from the faid marts, whereby the woollen cloth of this realm, 

 which is one of the greateft commodities of the fame, as well as fun- 

 dry other Engllfh commodities, are not fold nor got off as in times paft, 

 but are, for want of fale thereof, in divers parts where fuch cloths are 

 made, conveyed to London, and there fold at an undervalued price, 

 even below what they cofl the makers. Moreover, the merchandize of 

 thofe foreign parts, imported by the faid fellowfliip, is fold to your com- 

 plainants and other fubjeds, at fo high a price, that the buyers cannot 

 live thereupon ; by reafon whereof, all the cities and towns of the 

 realm are fallen into great poverty, ruin, and decay, and the king's cuf- 

 toms and fublidies, and the navy of the land, greatly decreafed. It was 

 therefore now? enaded, That all Engliflimen from henceforth fhall 

 and may freely refort to the coafts of Flanders, Holland, Zealand, Bra- 

 bant, and other parts adjoining, under the obedience of the archduke ; 

 and at their marts or fairs there, fell their merchandize, and buy and 

 make exchange freely, without exaction, fine, impolition, or contribu- 

 tion, taken or received of any of them by the faid fraternity or fellow- 

 fhip, excepting only the fum of 10 merks(L.6 : 13 : 4) Sterling, on pain 

 of forfeiting L. 20 Sterling for every time they take more, and fliall al- 

 fo forfeit to the party fo impoied on, ten times fo much as contrary to 

 this ad is taken of him. 



By this memorable law we are informed of the extent of the foreign 

 commerce of the Englifh merchants at this time ; and v.e are acquaint- 

 , ed with the gradual fteps of the fociety ot London merchants-adventur- 

 ers, for increafing their freedom-fines from 6/ dd to L. 40 Sterling. 

 Thefe freedom-fines are now, by ad of Parliament, fixed at L. 6 : 13:4. 

 Neverthelefs, as this fine was hereby permitted to be demanded and 

 taken by the London fociety of m.erchants-adventurcrs, who foon after 

 alTumed the appellation of the merchants-adventurers of England, ic 

 Vv'as thereby in efTcid eflablilhed by law, altliough the fiiae was thereby 

 thus limited, wliich, in fome meaiure, claihes v/ith the preamble of this 

 Itatute. 



A fupplv^mental treaty of commerce was concluded between king 

 Henry VII and the archduke Philip, fovereign of the Netherlands, 

 v.'hereby it was flipulated, 



I) That the new duty of one florin on every Englilh woollen cloth, 

 and alfo whatever other new impofition had been laid thereon, fliould 

 nov/ be abfolutely annulled ; and Englifli cloth be freely imported and 

 fold in all the archduke's countries, Flanders only excepted ^, free of 

 lliat duty of one florin, and of all the other new irapofitions. 



II) And in cafe at any time the archduke or his fucceffors fliall 



* This exception v.aj 'n f:;vci;r of tlie vail wcclkii ir.aiiuLduics of Flanders. 



