A. D. i6oi. 221 



and German mercliants, Rhenifh wines, fuftlans, copper, ftecl, hemp, 

 onion-feed, iron and copper wire, latten, kettles, pans, linen, harnefs, 

 faltpetre, gunpowder, and all things made at Nurmberg (fuch as toys, 

 fmall iron ware, Ss-c.) Of the Italians, all forts of filks, velvets, cloth 

 of gold, &c. Of the Eafterlings, naval (lores, furs, foap, aOies, &c. 

 Of the Portuguefe, fpices and drugs. With the Spanifh and French 

 they (/. e. the ftaple of Antwerp) had not much to do, by reafon that 

 our Englifh merchants have had a great trade diredly to France and 

 Spain, and fo ferve England diredly from thence with the commodities 

 of thofe two countries. Of the Netherlanders they buy all kinds of 

 manufadures, tapeflry, buckrams, white thread, incle, linen, cambrics, 

 lawns, madder, &c. Philip the Good, duke of Burgundy and fovereign 

 of the Netherlands, the founder of the order of the golden fleece, gave 

 the fleece for the badge of that order, in confideration ol the great re- 

 venue accruing to him from the tolls and cufloms of our wool and 

 woollen cloth *. 



The firfl; account f we meet with of any French fhips fiited out for 

 Eaft-India, is in this year, when a company of merchants in St. Malo 

 fitted out two fliips, one of which was cafl: away at the Maldive iflands, 

 where the crew were detained as prifoners for fome time, and after- 

 wards got home to France. Laval, who writes the account of their un- 

 fortunate voyage, fays nothing of the fuccefs of the other fliip. 



After many inetfedual laws for the fupport of the poor, an adl was 

 now palTed [43 E/iz. c. 2] prefcribing nearly the prefent method of 

 colleding the poors rates, by overfeers in every parifli : yet notwith- 

 fl:anding the various alterations and amendments which the laws relat- 

 ing to the poor have undergone, it is ftill the opinion of every obferv- 

 ing perfon, that the poor might be taken care of at a much lower ex- 

 penfe than by the prefent method ; and that the fliameful nuifance of 

 common beggars and vagabonds might alio be eftedually prevented, 

 were a proper committee of gentlemen and merchants, with one or two 

 able and honefl; lawyers, to undertake the truly arduous, though not 

 abfolutely impra6licable talk, with patience and fleady relolution. 



In this lame year thirteen (hips failed from Amfterdq,m for Eafl-In- 

 dia, w'hich returned in fafety. 



A flatute was enabled [43 EH%. c. i 2] for awarding commillions to hear 

 and determine policies ot alTurances made among merchants, in the 

 preamble of which are the following \^ords : ' Whereas it hath been time 

 ' out of mind an ufage amongfl: merchants, both of this realm and of 

 ' foreign nations, when they make, any great adventure (fpecially into 



• So fays Vv''!ieeli;r, but witliout authorily. M. with a ten ib'e florm at the Cape of Good Hope, 



f So early as the year 1503, a voyage to In- he was driven iiyoii unknown coafts, and after 



dia was undertaken by !ome merchants of Rouen, great havdfliips returned to Europe. \_Hi/l. ^htlof, 



■ "" ~ "■■ Meeting et poUi'iqw, V. u, f: 1S2, f</. 1782.] Jlf, 



