n8 A. D. 1554. 



the parts aforcfaid, under forfeiture of {hips and merchandize ; one half 

 to the crown, one half to the company. 



It feems the Briflol merchants had entered into the Ruflia trade foon 

 after its difcovery, being encouraged therein by Sir Sebaftian Cabot. 



The czar of Ruflia made a very confiderable acquilition of territory 

 by the conquefl of Nagaian Tartary, efpecially the city and kingdom of 

 Aftracan, whereby he became mafter of all the country on both fides 

 the vafl river Volga down to the Cafpian fea ; and a communication 

 was opened from Ruflia into that fea, and thence crofs it into Perfia, 

 whither they have fince carried on a confiderable commerce. 



1555. — Twenty-two Dutch merchant fliips, homeward bound from 

 Spain, wuh Indian fpices, &c. were attacked by nineteen French fliips 

 of war and fix fmaller ones well armed, who flopped the Dutch ftiips 

 w^ith hooks and chains, fo that the fliips being dofely compared toge- 

 ther, the fight refembled one on dry land. After fix hours combat the 

 Frencli loft 1000 men, and the Dutch but 300. But a fire happening 

 among the fliips, which confumed fix on each fide, the reft on both 

 Jides retired in confufion. This is the Dutch account ; [Meterani Hi/lo- 

 ria Belgica, L. i, p. 14] but Thuanus [L. 26] varies the flory fomewhat 

 in favour of his countrymen the French, who, he fays, loft but 400 

 men, and the Dutch 1 000 : and that in the confufion occafioned by 

 the fire, which made the men of both nations run from fliip to fliip, it 

 happened in five Dutch fliips that the majority were French, who hav- 

 ing maftered the Dvitch, carried the fliips into Dieppe, from whence 

 they (the French fleet) had come ; which port, adds this great author, 

 had ever been a principal one for naval exploits. Thuanus, in effed:, 

 will have the victory to be on the fide of the French, yet he owns it 

 was a lamentable vidory, and greatly to their lofs. Both thofe authors 

 admit the French to have been iuperior in number of fliips, men, and 

 artillery, this fleet having been then a confiderable part of the whole 

 naval force of France ; but the Dutch fliips were larger and ftronger 

 than the French. 



Much the like complaints, in relation to the Englifli woollen manu- 

 fadlurers, as have been made in the prefent time, were, we find, made 

 above 200 years ago, as appears by a ftatute [2, 3 PML et Mar. r. n] 

 intitled. Who fijall uje the trade of zveaving, viz. that whereas the rich 

 clothicis do opprefs the weavers, fouie by fetting up and keeping in 

 their houles divers looms, and maintaining tliern by ounieymen and 

 perfons unlkilful ; fonie by ingrolfing looms into their hands, and let- 

 ting them out at fuch unrealbnable rents, as the poor artificers are not 

 able to maintain thc-mfelves by, and much lefs their wives and faniilits j 

 fonie again, by gving much lefs wages for the workmanlhip of cloths 

 than in times paft, whereby they are forced utterly to forlake their oc- 

 cupations, Sec. Wherefore it is hereby enaded, I) That no clotliier. 



