A. D. 1502. 23 



And whereas we hnve, by other letters-patents of the i6th year of 

 our reign [/. e. two years before, but not to be found in the Fred-ra], 

 granted to Richard Ward, John Thomas, and John Fernandas, toge- 

 ther with the four grantees herein named, a Ucence to go and difcover 

 new countries and iflands; yet we will not have the faid three firfl; nam- 

 ed perfons to attempt or meddle with any fuch new difcoveries, without 

 a licence from the four grantees of this prefent charter *. \Fo£dera., 

 F. xiii, p. 37.] 



At this time there were differences between John king of Denmark 

 and the Hanfe Towns ; the latter, like true merchants, ftriving to have 

 commerce wherever they could obtain it ; the former being driven out 

 of Sweden by Steen-Sture the regent, infilled that the Hanfe-Towns 

 {hould forbear trading to Sweden ; in which (fays the Hanfeatic hiflo- 

 rian Werdenhagen, Vol. I. par. iii. cap. 17.) king John was feconded by 

 the ambaifador of his uncle James IV king of Scotland (who alfo, accord- 

 ing to Meurfius's Hiftoria Danica, fent John an aid of two flout (hips 

 of war), at a general aflembly of the deputies of the Hanfeatic league 

 at Lubec : Yet the general alTembly at length convinced the Danilh 

 king of the unreafonablenefs of that demand, as it would be very un- 

 reafonable that they, who had great concerns in Sweden, ihould be ob- 

 flruded in their commerce by the quarrels between Denmark and Swe- 

 den. 



King Henry VII of England now caufed the chapel of the Virgin 

 Mary, and a tavern adjoining, at the eafl end of the abbey-church ot 

 Wellminiler, to be taken down ; on the fite whereof he erected the 

 prefent moll beautiful and magnificent chapel which goes by his name, 

 at the expence of L. 14,000, which at this time would probably at leaft 

 coil five times that fum. 



1503 In Scotland, the 70th adl of the fixth parliament of king James 



IV confirmed that of 1406, and direded that none Ihall beg, but lame, 

 fick, and impotent people, under a penalty on the magiftrates fuffering 

 any others to beg. 



By another Scottifli law of that fame year, all lords and lairds (land- 

 ed gentlemen) were enjoined to have parks with deer, alfj Hanks (fifii- 

 ponds), conningares (rabbit-warrens), dove-cots, orchards, and hedges, 

 and to plant at leaft one acre of woodlands, where already there are no 

 great woods or forefts. The wars with England had occafioned their 

 woods to be deftroyed, fo that they were in great M^ant ot timber and 

 firewood ; they had alfo much negledled inclofures and parks. Some 



* Here, again, Henry pays no regard to tlie who in thofe days feldom liaJ abilities and pa> 



pope's prefumptuoiis diviiion of the world between tience to accomphfh fuch enterprifes. This expe- 



Spain and Portugal. And he equally neglefts dition, therefore, fucceeded no better than Cz- 



giving any pecuniaiT' afilftance to the adventurers, bot's. 



