44 REINHOLD PAULI, 



gers , that usid to come to theym dayly to bye wollen clotlies of tlie 

 very cloth makers, even at such portes abowt the reame, as all other 

 remes lyeth in course, as all Spaynyardes, Portyngales and other reames 

 toward the south lesortid to Hampton, Bristow and other havyns in that 

 parte of the reame, wher to his day the same sorte of clothes most con- 

 venyent for theym is yut raade ther and novv browght to London. And 

 that tyme Lombardes Jenuais Italiens and Venicions resortid with ther 

 galies , freight with spices and such other comodites , to London to bye 

 alle fyne clothes. And to the havyns toward the est partes in England 

 the Dewch tong resortyd, Esterlynges and all the Loo contreys, standyng 

 in the waters, Holend and Zelond and Flaunders, which than bought our 

 English clothes at portes in England and caried it into Almaigne to the 

 martes beyond Colen , whan never a marte was in all the Loo contreys 

 a thisside the water of the Ryne. Than hadd the merchauntes in the Loo 

 contreys good gayns, that solde English cloth hyghly pricid in Almayn, 

 before they hadd our English wolle at ther wille to drape clothe in the 

 Loo contreys like as they now doo with Spaynysh wolle. And for our 

 English cloth that tyme they brought gold and silver owt of Almaigne, 

 mynted and unmynted, to the portes in England to pay to clothmakers 

 for clothe, which than was myntid in England, whan 7 myntes was in 

 the reame than daily occupied. Than was no such sorte of byers and 

 sellers of all thynges as now is. Clothmakers that tyme recyvid no 

 thynge for English clothe but redy money, gold and silver, which they 

 distributid to all comen peple for wolle and for artificiall Averkes of dra- 

 pery, so as than the helle reame beeng plentifuU of money by workes 

 of artificialite , which owt of ther handes for vitalles alwey cam to the 

 handes of fermors, which than occupied all housbondry, and owt of ther 

 handes to the handes of the lordes of the erthe, which than hadde plenty 

 bothe of vitalles and money, more abler that tyme to meynten a greater 

 howshold with more peple more plentuously fedd with ther lande of 

 half the value of the yerly rent than now is. Than was all thynge 

 plenty, whan peple gaff not ther wittes to seke policy by byeng and sel- 

 lyng to gete riches owt of the comen weale for ther own syngilarite, as 



