48 



A. D. 15 14. 



born in our manor of Stoke-Clymmyflande, in our county of Corn- 

 wall, together with all their ifTue born, or hereafter to be born, and 

 all their goods, chattels, and lands already acquired, or hereafter to be 

 acquired by them ; fo as the faid two perfons, with their iifue, (hall 

 henceforth be deemed by us and our heirs free, and of free condition.' 

 [Foedera, V. xiii, p. 470.] 



1515. — Meurfius \_Hiftona Danica, L. iii.] obferves, that the Danes had 

 for a long time complained of the arbitrary proceedings of the Hanfe 

 towns in commercial matters ; and particularly that when they carried 

 their merchandize to thofe towns for fale, they were not permitted to 

 afk what price they thought fit for the fame ; but the magirtrates of 

 thofe Hanfe towns aflumed a power of arbitrarily fetting a price there- 

 on ; and thofe magiflrates, being generally merchants themfelves, took 

 great advantage thereof, whereby the Danes were frequently obliged to 

 fell at a lofing price, they not being permitted to re-export their mer- 

 chandize from thofe towns, after they had once expofed them to fale ; 

 but at beft, if not compelled to fell them at the price firft fixed or of- 

 fered, they had no other remedy but to lodge them in the citizens 

 warehoufes till the prices fliould change in their favour. The great 

 quantity, moreover, of corn, butter, fifh, &c. thereby carried out of 

 Denmark, rendering proviiions much dearer, and diftrefling to the poor, 

 king Chriftiern II therefor directed, that for the future all thofe mer- 

 chandize fhould be expofed to fale only at Copenhagen, whither alfo he 

 brought the richefl merchants from other parts of his dominions. Thus 

 this prince (though in other refpedts a cruel tyrant) brought Copenha- 

 gen to be the emporium or ftaple for all Danifh merchandize, to the 

 great detriment of Lubeck, Wifmar, Roftoc, Straelfund, Stetin, &c. 

 This was one great blow to the commerce of the Hanfe towns, whofe 

 arbitrary proceedings put other princes and ftates upon the like mea- 

 fures ; and as men grow wifer by experience, it alfo put them upon 

 manutaftures and other branches of commerce at home, which gradual- 

 ly brought on the farther decay of thofe Hanfe towns. 



In England new meafures were projected for the farther prevention 

 of frauds in the manufadure of woollen cloths ; and by two ftatutes 

 [cc. 8, 9] the weight of thofe cloths is direded to be afcertained, and 

 orders made to prevent ftrelching in their meafare, as alfo fhrinking ; 

 and other regulations touching the wool, yarn, &c. And Blackwell- 

 hall is firft n^imed therein, though doubtlefs of a much longer fi:and- 

 ing, as a repofitory for woollen cloths. 



A new treaty of peace and commerce was concluded between Hen- 

 ry VIII and Francis I, in nearly the fame terms as the former one in 

 the year 15 14, with Louis XII, now dead, viz. for both their lives ; and 

 one year after (the common manner of treating in thofe times), with 

 an additional claufe, prohibiting the privateers of either nation to fet 



