By the Rev. W. H. Jones. 



149 



ordained by Kings in times past, and the pains thereupon provided 

 shall cease, and that all merchants, strangers, and privy, may go 

 and come with their merchandises into England, after the tenor of 

 the Great Charter.' It is difficult now to say what was the special 



i inducement to so bold a step, but followed up instantly by another 

 by which Edward gains to himself the proud title of ' the Father 

 of English Commerce,' we may well conjecture that he hoped 

 thereby to attract traders from all parts to his dominions, and pro- 



\ bably also, to draw them off from France, between which country 

 and Eugland there had now for some years existed a spirit of rivalry, 

 soon destined to assume a more hostile character. The cities of 

 Flanders and Brabant were at the time agitated with intestine dis- 

 sensions. The vexatious restraints incessantly imposed upon their 

 commerce, and the frequent wars which desolated the low countries, 

 were a strong inducement to many of the Flemish operators to 

 take refuge in other countries, where without any of these hindran- 

 ces they might pursue their peaceful occupations. Edward invited 

 several of these men to England with the promise of many privi- 

 leges. The Flemings acceded to the King's invitation, and few 

 documents are more really interesting than one included in Rymer's 

 Fcedera (iv., 4961), by which, in 1331, Edward grants protection 

 to ' John Kemp ' (the name is still well known in Wilts) described 

 as a 1 weaver of woollen cloths,' Textor pannorum laneorum from 

 Flanders, and in which he also promises like protection to fullers and 

 dyers who may come to England from the same parts. It was 

 by this document that the real foundation was laid of the woollen 

 manufacture in England, for the cloth woven before this time, was 

 not only very small in quantity, but also inferior in quality. 

 Looking calmly on the past at a distance of more than 500 years, 

 and seeing now the marvellous extent and excellence of our woollen 

 manufactures, we may well believe that, as far as lasting benefit 

 was concerned, the inducing these Flemish refugees to settle in his 

 dominions, was an infinitely greater triumph than two vanquished 

 Kings held as prisoners in London." The victories of Crecy and 

 Poictiers, with all the prowess of the Black Prince, were barren of 

 result, in comparison with this introduction of foreign manufactures 

 into England. 



