58 A. D. 1521. 



of commerce, when they even claimed a ri,2;ht to exclude all the other 

 towns lying between it and the fea from a free navigation on that great 

 river, by virtue of grants from fundry emperors ; which, they alfo al- 

 leged, enabled them to oblige the fubjeifts of Danifh Holftein to import 

 their merchandize no where elfe but to Hamburgh, for which, it was 

 faid, they were to take what price the Hamburghers pleafed to allow 

 them. King Chriiliern II of Denmark, in the year 1521, oppofed their 

 exorbitant claims, in refentment of which oppofition, Hamburgh, in 

 the year 1523, actually declared war againfl Denmark ; yet King Chrif- 

 tian III, being of a mild difpofition, permitted Hamburgh to keep up 

 thofe claims during his whole reign, which ended in the year 1558, af- 

 ter which we ihall trace thofe difputes farther. 



There being at this time a great decay of hufbandry in England, by 

 reafon of the many inclofurcs, which, within the preceding fifty years, 

 had turned much arable land into pafture, thereby leflening the num- 

 ber of hufbandmen, &c. mofl capable of defending the country, where- 

 by alfo towns and villages were depopulated, and both wool and flefh 

 meat were enhanced, becaufe engrofled by the nobility and gentry, who 

 were not necelTitated to fell ; King Henry VIII therefore now iflued out 

 his commiiTions to the magiftrates for putting in execution the laws 

 againfi: inclofures. 



In the fame year \vas firft introduced the ufe of hand-guns or muf- 

 kets, whereby, in little more than 100 years later, the pradice of bows 

 and arrows in war was quite laid afide. 



In the fame year there was a great breach from the fea in the dikes 

 or fea-walls of Holland, whereby 72 villages, and upwards of 100,000 

 people, were faid to be drowned ; but we dare not afcertain this for 

 fact without more authentic vouchers of time, place, &c. than merely a 

 general report. 



King Henry (by his favourite Cardinal Wolfey') aded as mediator at 

 the treaty of Calais between the two great rivals for power, the Empe- 

 ror Charles V and King Francis I of France. What relates to commerce 

 is as follows. 



Whereas the fierce war carried on between thofe two princes had oc- 

 cafioned many maritime depredations, to the grievous damage of the 

 innocent fubjeds on both fides, and it being now the proper feafon for 

 the herring-fifhing, — to prevent thofe depredations, it was now ftipu- 

 lated. 



That the fifliers, both of the emperor and France, may freely fiOi for 

 herrings, &c. from the date hereof (i ith Odober 1521) to the end of 

 January following, even though the war fliould go on between thofe 

 princes, and they may return home in fafety. 



It was alfo ftipulatcd (much for the honour of King Henry), that dur- 

 ing the war between Charles and Francis, none of their fubjeds fhould, 



