A. D. 1506. 29 



all the duties, fubfidies, tolls, and other payments, which may be le- 

 gally demanded in either country, {hall be affixed on the doors of the 

 cuftomhoufes of London, Bruges, Antwerp, Berg (Mons), and Middle- 

 burg. [Foedera, V. xiii, />. 132.] 



King Henry VII mofl unjuftly (and probably for his own private pro- 

 fit) granted a licence to Auguflini Chigi, a merchant of Sienna in Tuf- 

 cany, to import from Flanders or elfewhere, 1300 quintals of alum, and 

 prohibited all others to import any, until he fhould have fold off all his 

 faid quantity ; provided, however, that neither he nor his factors fliould 

 fell the alum at a higher price than ;^i : 6 : 8 per hundred weight. 

 {Foedera, V. xiii, ^, 159.] 



In this year the ever-famous Chriftopher Columbus died. About this 

 time fugar-canes, brought from Brafil and the Canaries, were planted 

 in the ifland of Hifpaniola, where (fays Herrera) many fvigar-mills were 

 gradually ereded. — Leave alfo was granted to all native Spaniards to fend 

 merchandize to the Weft Indies ; — and even foreigners were permitted 

 to trade in partnerfhip with native Spaniards, in Spanifh bottoms only. — 

 The contratacion-houfe lately erected at Seville, tor the managemeut of 

 all the American commerce, was now enlarged and its conftitution fet- 

 tled. The Spaniards alfo, at this time, improved their pearl fifliery at 

 the iile of that name, and other parts of the Weft-Indies. Before the 

 Brafil fugar was brought into Europe, that commodity was very dear, 

 being only ufed in feafls and phyfical neccflities; honey being, till then, 

 the general ingredient for fweetening meats and drinks. 



1507 — King Henry VII remitted to fix Venetian merchants, and to 

 all other fubjects of that republic, all forfeitures, tranfgrefTions, and 

 offences committed by them before the firlt day of March in this year 

 1507, againft any adts of parliament or orders of council, &c. alfo all 

 manner of ufuries, corrupt bargains, buying, felling, and bartering 

 of wool, tin, lead, cloth, &c. alfo all illegal entries at the cuftom- 

 houfes ; all payments of gold againft law, &c. all deceptions in the ma- 

 nufacture of woollen cloth, and in flretching the fame ; all exporta- 

 tions and importations of the before-named and other commodities 

 againft law ; all changes, exchanges, and rechanges (cambia, excambia, 

 et recambia), between the faid Venetians and others; — as alio mifpri- 

 fions, confederacies, riots, &c. — all condemnations, pains of death, and 

 all other pecuniary and corporal pains which they may have incurred, 

 &c — And granted them his fecure peace : as alfo all goods and chattels 

 they might have formerly forfeited, and which were in the cuftody of 

 his officers, &c. to be reftored to them, withoiu their rendering any ac- 

 count, provided that the faid Venetians be not forgiven any debt to the 

 Idng, for which there were written iecurities. 



The king alfo granted licence to the Venetians to buy and fell, %t 

 London and elfewhere, in England, Ireland, and Calais, woollen cloth, 



