A. D. 1531. 73 



Lord Herbert relates, that King Kenry VIII, being informed that Ita- 

 lian and other foreign merchants brought commodities into England, 

 which they fold well, and then returned the money home by exchange, 

 to the exhaufting of the wealth of his realm, and diminution of his cuf- 

 toms, now iffued a proclamation, (purfuant to a ftatute of King Richard 

 III) that the money they received here for their wares fliould not be 

 exchanged to other countries, but laid out in the commodities of his 

 realm, which, as long as it was obferved, proved a great benefit to both 

 king and fubje6t. This might poflibly be true in thofe days, and is one 

 proof of the fmalinefs of commerce, compared to what it is in our 

 time, when fuch unreafonable reftraints would create infinite diforders, 

 if not a total ftagnation of trade. It alfo fhows how little that king's 

 advifers underflood the true nature of commerce and the interefl of 

 the kingdom. 



Beggars, and the other neceflitous poor of England, had as yet no 

 other relief than an adt of parliament [22 Hen. VIII, c. 12.] whereby the 

 juftices of every county were empowered to grant licences to poor, 

 aged, and impotent peribns, to beg within a certain precinct ; and fuch 

 as fhould beg beyond their precind, vrere either to be whipped, or fet 

 in the flocks three days and three nights, and fed on bread and water. 

 Begging vagabonds were alfo to be whipped. 



Charles V publifhed an edid in his Netherland provinces much to 

 the fame efFecl ; wherein he juftly remarks, that the trade of begging 

 fixes people in idlenefs, and leads them into bad courfes of life : none 

 therefor, except mendicant friars and pilgrims, and people reduced bv 

 calamities, are allowed to beg, under pain of imprifonment, whipping, 

 &c. The poor refiding in the provinces one whole year, were to re- 

 main where they were fettled, and ihare in the alms ordered for them ; 

 and a common purfe was to be eflabliihed at all poor-houfes, hofpitals, 

 brotherhoods, &c. where alms were ufually given, poor-boxes in churches; 

 and once or twice in every week magiflrates were to coUecl alms \\\ 

 churches and at private houfes for the poor» Idle and roguifh livers were 

 to be coiTipeiled to work. Poor wom.en in childbed, and alfo orphans 

 and foundlings, to be taken care of, and the latter put to fchoois, and 

 taught on Sundays and holidays the pater nofter, creed, and ten comi- 

 mandments, and put to trades and fervices. But fince thofe times, the 

 Dutch have fo greatly improved in their provifions for the helpk^fs poor, 

 and methods of compelling the idle, to labour, that they have become a 

 pattern for all other nations. 



1532. — James V, king of Scotland, inftituted a new college of julHce, 

 commonly called the lords of council and feflion, formed upon the 

 model of the parliament of Paris. It confiiled, and fliil confifts, of a. 

 lord prefident, and fourteen other lords, comrnonlv called the fifteen^ 



Vol. II. k- 



