burthens or impositions, but onely to pay certaine customs, as it doeth by
their charter manifestly appeare. Notwithstanding at the same time when
Simon de Moreden was maior of London, the foresaid marchants were
constrained, in the ward of Doue-gate at London, to pay fifteenths,
tallages, and other subsidies contrary to the liberties of their charter.
Whereupon the saide marchants prosecuted the matter before the Councel of
our soueraign lord the king, insomuch that they were released from paying
afterward any such tallages, fifteenths, and subsidies. Which marchants, a
while after, of their owne accord and free will, gaue vnto the gild-hall of
London an hundreth markes sterling, conditionally, that they of the citie
aforesaid shoulde not at any time after exact or demaund of the said
marchants, or of their successors, any tallages, fifteenths, or subsidies,
contrary to the tenor of their charter, as by records in the foresaid
gild-hall, it doth more plainly appeare. Howbeit of late the officers of
our lord the king, in the foresaid ward of Doue-gate, constrained the
marchants aforesaid to pay tallages, fifteenths, and other subsidies. And
because the saide marchants murmured and refused to pay any such
contributions, alleaging their priuileges, the foresaid officers arrested
the goods of those said marchants (which are as yet detained vpon the
arrest) notwithstanding that they were released before the councel of our
soueraigne lord the king, and also that they gaue vnto the said gild-hall
one hundreth marks to be released, as it is aforesaid. And also the
foresaid marchants were constrained to pay 12. d. in the pound, and of late
6. d. and other subsidies, more then their ancient customes, to the great
damage of those marchants.
[Sidenote: The ancient customes of wools.] Item, the foresaid marchants are
priuileged as touching customs of wols by them bought within the realm of
England, that they are not bound to pay, ouer and besides their ancient
customs, but onely xl. d, more then the homeborn marchants of England were
wont to pay. [Sidenote: Pence for the towne of Cales.] But now the foresaid
marchants are compelled to pay for euery sack of wool (besides the ancient
custom and the 40. d. aforesaid) a certain imposition called Pence for the
town of Cales, namely for euery sack of wool 19. d more then the marchants
of England doe pay, to their great losse, and against the liberty of their
charter.
Item, the foresaid marchants are priuileged by their charter, that
concerning the quantity of their merchandize brought into the realme of
England (in regard whereof they are bound to pay 3. d. for the worth of
euery pound of siluer) credit is to be giuen vnto them for the letters of
their masters and of their companies, if they were able to shew them. And
if so be they had no letters in this behalfe to shew, that then credite
should bee giuen vnto themselues, and that their othe, or the othe of their
atturney should be taken, without any other proof, as touching the value of
their merchandize so brought in, and that thereupon they should be bound to
pay customs, namely the customes of 3. d. iustly for that cause to be paid.
But nowe the customers of our soueraigne lorde the king put their goods to
an higher rate then they ought or were woont to be: and heereupon they
compell them to pay custome for their goods, at their pleasure, scanning
about their fraight and expenses particularly disbursed in regard of the
said goods and marchandize, to the great hinderance of the said marchants,
and against the tenor of their charter.
[Sidenote: The great charter of marchants.] Item, the foresaid merchants by
way of pitiful complaint do alleage, that, whereas the worthy progenitors
of our Lord the king that now is, by vertue of the saide great charter,
graunted liberty vnto them to pay the customes of certain clothes, namely
of skarlet, and cloth died in grayne, and of other clothes of assise, which
were by them to be caried out of the realme of England, euen as by their
foresaid Charter it doeth more plainly appeare: and whereas our soueraigne
lord the king that now is (ratifying and confirming the saide charter, and
being willing that they shoulde haue more especiall fauour shewed vnto
them) granted vnto them by their Charter, that the said marchants should be
exempted and freed from all custome and imposition of small clothes, as in
pieces and in narrow clothes which were not of assise, and in such other
clothes of like qualitie: [Sidenote: A speciall charter.] yet of late the
Customers of our Lorde the King that nowe is, not allowing their saide
speciall Charter so graunted vnto the marchants aforesaid, do compel them
to pay for straight clothes and for pieces of clothes which are not of
assise, (together with other demands particularly and seuerally made) as
great custome as if the clothes were full out of assise. [Sidenote: The
customers of the pety custome.] Moreouer also of late, the customers of the
smal or pety custome and of the subsidie doe demand of them custome for
kersey-clothes equal vnto the custome of those clothes, that be of ful
assise, whereas the foresaid marchants were not wont to pay for those
kerseys by vertue of their Charter, but onely according to the worth of ech
pound of siluer, as namely for other goods which are of golde weight: to
the great hinderance of the foresaid parties, and against the manifest
graunt of our soueraigne Lord the king, as it appeareth in the said
speciall Charter.
Item, the said merchants alleage, that they are priuiledged by their
Charter, if they pay custome and subsidy for their goods in the behalfe of
our lord the king, at any port of England where those goods haue arriued
and afterward would transport the saide goods or any part of them vnto any
other port within the realme aforesaid: that then they should be quite
released from paying of any other custome for the same goods, if they bring
a warrant that they haue paide the saide custome, as is aforesaide.
[Sidenote: 1405.] Of late it fortuned, that a certaine man of their
societie named Nicholas Crossebaire, being a marchant of the lande of
Prussia, immediately after the concord was concluded betwene the English
and the Prussians, brought vnto the towne of Sandwich a shippe laden with
bowe-staues and other marchandize, and there well and truely paide the
custome of our lord the king for all his ware: and selling there part of
the same goods, he afterward transported parcel thereof in a small barke
vnto London, there to be solde, and caried a warrant also with him, that he
had at Sandwich paid the custome due vnto our lord the king: and yet (the
said warrant notwithstanding) the customers of the pety custome and subsidy
of London came and demanded custome of him at another time contrary to
reason, and against the tenor of their charter: and the said Nicholas
offred pledges vnto them, yea, euen ready money downe into their hands,
vntil the question were discussed and determined, whether he should pay new
custome or no: but this they would not doe. Then the said Nicholas brought
a brief from our lord the king, to get himselfe discharged from paying the
said custome: and for all that, the foresaid customers would not as yet
haue regard vnto him, but kept the said goods within shipboord, vpon the
riuer of Thames, for the space of 15. dayes, vntil he had paid another
custome, to the great losse of the said Nicholas, for that which he sold
first at Sandwich to be deliuered at London for seuen nobles, he could not
afterward haue for it aboue foure nobles, and yet so was it solde, by
reason of the harme which his wares had taken by lying so long vpon the
water, contrary to the tenor of their Charter.
Item, the said marchants do alleage, that another of their company called
Peter Hertson bought at Bristow certain clothes, and laded the same in a
ship, to be transported for Prussia, for the which he truely paide at
Bristowe, the customs and subsidies due vnto our soueraign lord the king:
which ship with the foresaid goods arriuing at London: the customers of the
pety-custome and of the subsidie there would not permit the said ship with
the goods to passe vnto the parts aforesaid, vntil the said Peter had paid
another custome for the same goods (the warrant, which he brought with him
notwithstanding) to his great hindrance, and contrary to the tenour of
their Charter.
Item, pitifully complaining the foresaid marchants alleage, that wheras
euery marchant, bringing wares into the realm, was wont to haue a schedule
wherein his name was written, for a specification and certificat of the
quantity of his goods in the said schedule to be found at the arriual of
the ship, without paying therfore ought at all, of late, the customers of
the pety custome do compel them to pay for ech mans name written a peny, at
the arriual of their goods out of euery ship wherin the said goods are
found, what commodities and marchandize soeuer they be: whereas
notwithstanding, if there be a chest or any other smal matter, there should
not therfore be any custome due vnto our lord the king, nor any receiued
vnto his Maiesties vse. [Sidenote: The customers of the subsidie.] In like
maner do the customers of the subsidy deale. Whereas also the foresaid
marchants were not wont to pay for a cocket for the conueyance and
transportation of their goods out of the realme (albeit many names were
written theirne) more then 4. d. of late the customers of the pety custom
do compel them to pay for euery name contained in the same cocket 4. d. and
in like sort do the customers of the saide subsidy deale. Which
contribution in a yere extendeth it self vnto a great summe, to the vnknown
preiudice of our lord the king, more then any man could suppose, (for the
customers enioy their fees and commodities from his Maiestie that they may
doe him faithfull seruice) and likewise to the great damage of the said
marchants.
Item, pitifully complaining the said marchants do alleage that they are
constrained to pay for subsidy, sometime 12. d. and somtime 6. d. in the
pound, contrary to the tenor of their charter: and yet notwithstanding when
their marchandize commeth to the wharf, the customers prolong and delay the
time 3. or 4. weeks before they wil take custome for their goods, in the
which space other marchants sel their goods, the customers not regarding
whether the goods aforesaid take wet or no: to the great damage aswel of
our lord the king, as of the said marchants: because, if they had quicke
dispatch, they might pay custome vnto his Maiestie oftner then they doe.
Item, the said marchants doe farther alleage, that the customers of the
petie custome, and of the subsidie in the port of London haue appointed
among themselues certaine men to seale vp the goods of the saide marchants,
so soon as they are arriued at the port of safetie, vntil the said goods be
customed. By meanes of the which sealing, the foresaide parties doe compell
the marchants aboue-named, (vpon an vse and custome whereof themselues haue
bene the authors) to paye a certaine summe of money, to the great
hinderance of the sayde marchants, and contrarie to iustice and to their
charter. Moreouer, the saide customers haue ordained betweene themselues,
that the saide marchants shall put or make vp no cloth into fardels, to
transport out of the realme, vnlesse certaine men appointed by them for the
same purpose bee there present, to see what maner of clothes they bee,
vnder paine of the forfeiture of the saide goods. Also of late, when the
sayde marchants would haue made up such fardels, the foresayde parties
assigned to be ouerseers refused to come, vnlesse they might haue for their
comming some certain summe of money, delaying and procrastinating from day
to day, so long as themselues listed, to the great losse and vndoing of the
foresaide marchants, and contrarie to their liberties: because the
foresaide customers are bound by their office to doe this, without any
contribution therefore to bee paide vnto them by the saide marchants: for
that they doe enioy from our soueraigne Lord the King their fees and
commodities, to the ende that they may serue him and euery marchant iustly
and faithfully, without any contribution by them to be imposed anewe vpon
the sayde marchants, of custome.
Item, the said marchants doe alleage, that the customers and balifs of the
town of Southampton do compel them to pay for euery last of herrings,
pitch, and sope ashes brought thither by them 2. s. more then the kings
custome: and for ech hundreth of bowstaues and boords called Waghenscot, 2.
d. for euery hundreth of boords called Richolt, 4. d. and for al other
marchandize brought by the foresaid marchants vnto the same towne: which
contributions they neuer paid at any time heretofore, being greatly to
their hinderance, and contrary to the tenour of their Charter.
Item, the foresaid marchants do alleage, that one of their company; called
Albert Redewish of Prussia, bringing diuers goods and marchandizes vnto
Newcastle vpon Tine, and there laying the vsual custom of 3. d. in the
pound for al his wares, the bailifs of the saide towne, against all reason,
exacted 7. pound sterling at his hands more then the custome: whereupon the
foresaide marchant got a briefe from the kings maiesty, for the recouery of
the saide 7. li. according to equity and reason: howbeit, that at the
comming of the said briefe the foresaid balifes would do nothing on his
behalfe, but would haue slaine their foresaid associate, contrary to their
charter and priuiledges.
William Esturmy knight, and Iohn Kington canon of Lincolne, being by the
most mighty prince and lord, L. Henry by Gods grace K. of England and
France and lord of Ireland, sufficiently deputed and appointed to parle,
treate, and agree with the common society of the marchants of the Hans of
Dutchland or Almain, concerning and about the redressing and reformation of
vniust attempts happening between our said soueraign L. the king his liege
people and subiects on the one part, and between the common society
aforesaid, the cities, towns, And particular persons thereof on the other
part: do (for the behalf of our said soueraign L. the King, with a mind and
intention to haue al and singular the things vnderwritten to come to the
knowledge of the said common society) intimate, declare, and make known
vnto you (hono. sirs) Henr. Westhoff citizen and deputy of the city of
Lubec, Henry Fredelaw, Ioh. van Berk citizen of Colen, Mainard Buxtehude
citizen, and deputy of the city of Hamburgh, M. Simon Clawstern clerk, sir
Iohn de Aa knight deputie of the citie of Rostok, Herman Meyer deputy of
the citie of Wismar, being as the procurators, messengers, and
commissioners of the foresaid cities, assembled together at the town of
Hage in Holland, with the forenamed Will. and Iohn in regard of the
foresaid redres and reformation: that, euen as our said soueraign L. the
king his meaning is not to disturb or hinder such priuiledges as haue bin
heretofore granted and vouchsafed vnto the common society of the marchants
aforesaid, by the renoumed kings of England, and the worthy progenitors of
our L. the K. that now is, and by himself also vnder a certain form
confirmed: euen so he is determined (without the preiudice of forren lawes)
vpon iust mature, and sober deliberation, by his royall authorise to
withstand such priuiledges, as by reason of the abuse thereof, haue bene
infinitely preiudiciall vnto himselfe and his subiects.
Inprimis the said ambassadours doe affirme as afore, that whereas all and
euery the Marchants of the said company, as often as they would, were, both
in the Realme of England, and in other territories and dominions subiect
vnto our soueraigne lord the king, admitted and suffered (according to the
tenor of the forenamed priuiledges granted vnto them) freely, friendly and
securely to traffique and conuerse with any of his Maiesties liege people
and subiects whatsoeuer, or with other people of whatsoeuer nation liuing
in the realme of England, or in the dominions aforesaid: the said common
society of marchants by their publike and deliberate common counsel did
appoint and ordain, that no society in any cities, townes, or places,
neither yet any particular man of any such society (there being no lawfull
or reasonable cause why) shoulde in any wise admit any marchants of the
realm of England resorting vnto their cities or other places for
marchandise, to enioy intercourse of traffike: but that the saide English
marchants should bee altogether excluded from all traffike and mutuall
conuersation among them, by denouncing and inflicting grieuous penalties of
money as well vpon cities as other places, and vpon particular marchants
also of the foresaid societie practising the contrary.
Item, that immediately after, the foresaid parties enacting and ordaining
published their sayde statute and ordinance, in all kingdomes, prouinces,
partes, cities, and townes, wherin any marchants of the said societie were
conuersant.
Item, that after that publication, the statute and ordinance aforesaid by
euery of the marchants of the forenamed society were inuiolably obserued.
Item, that the said statute and ordinance hath bene so rigorously put in
execution, that whereas immediately after certaine English marchants with
their ships, mariners, and marchandize beeing in a certaine part of one of
the principall cities of the foresaide societie, vtterly destitute of
meate, drinke, and money, publikely offred to sell their wollen clothes of
England, onely to prouide themselues of necessary victuals: yet the
marchants of the saide citie, stoutely persisting in their statute and
ordinance aforesaid, straightly prohibited the buying of such clothes,
vnchristianly denying meate and drinke vnto the said English marchants.
Item, the foresaid society decreed and ordained, that no marchant of the
saide Company should in any place or countrey whatsoeuer, buy any woollen
clothes of the realme or dominion of England (albeit offered by others and
not by English men) or hauing bought any, should, after the terme prefixed,
sel them, imposing grieuous pecuniary mulcts, besides the forfeiture of the
clothes so bought or sold, vpon them that would attempt the contrary.
Item, that after the said statute and ordinance, the foresaide societie
decreed, that all marchants of the said companie, hauing among their wares
and marchandise any woollen clothes made in England, should either sell the
saide clothes, or within a short space then limited, should, vnder penaltie
of forfeiting the said clothes, utterly renounce the vse and commoditie
thereof: Notwithstanding a grieuous penaltie of money being imposed vpon
the violators of the same statute.
[Sidenote: The Hans societie determineth the ouerthrow of English
merchants.] Item, that the statutes and ordinances aforesaid might with
more speed and celerity be put in execution, the said authors and
publishers thereof imagining, according to their desire, that by this
meanes an vtter extirpation and ouerthrow of English marchants might, yea
and of necessity must ensue: upon their serious and long premeditated
deliberation, straitely commanded and inioyned, vnder pain of losing the
benefit of all priuileges, wheresoeuer, or by the princes of what lands, or
the Magistrates of what Cities or townes soeuer vouchsafed vnto the said
common societie, that not only the aldermen of that, society in al places
throughout the realme of England, but also al other marchants of the said
company, after the maner of marchants conuersing in the said Realme,
should, without exception of persons, vtterly abstein from all intercourse
of traffike with the marchants of the realme aforesaid: yea, and that they
shoulde depart out of the said kingdome within a very short space limited.
For the dispatching of al which premisses without delay, it was according
to their commandement effectually prouided.
[Sidenote: Statutes against the English marchants in Norway and Suedland.]
Item, that the society aforesaid hath approued diuers very vnreasonable
statutes and ordinances, made and published by the marchants of the same
society residing in the kingdoms of Norway and Swedland, to the great
preiudice of the kingdome of England, and the marchants thereof: and as yet
both couertly and expresly do approue the same, vniustly putting them in
daily execution.
Item, wheras in the priuileges and indulgences granted by the renouned
princes somtimes kings of England, the worthy progenitors of our souereign
lord the king that now is, vnto the society aforesaid, it is prouided, that
the said marchants shal not auow any man which is not of their company, nor
shal not colour his goods and marchandize vnder their company; whereas also
in the confirmation of the sayd priuiledges made up by our soueraigne lord
that nowe is, it is manifestly prouided, that the marchants of the Hans
towns, vnder the colour of their priuiledges in England, shall not vpon
paine of the perpetuall frustration and reuocation of the foresayd
priuiledges, receiue any stranger of any other towne in their liberties, by
whom the kings custome may in any sort be withholden or diminished: and yet
the contrary vnto al these prouisoes hath bin euery yere, for these 20.
yeres or thereabout notoriously practised and committed, as well ioyntly by
the generall counsell, and toleration of the foresayd society, as also
seuerally by the aduise and permission of diuers particular cities of the
foresayd Hans company to the great diminution of his maiesties custome, the
estimation whereof the foresayd ambassadors are not able at this present
fully to declare. [Sidenote: How many and which be the Hans townes.] But
that all occasions of the last aboue mentioned diminution may bee preuented
for the time to come, the sayd ambassadors doe demand to haue from the
foresayd societie a declaration in writing, what and what maner of
territories, cities, townes, villages or companies they be, for which the
sayd society challengeth and pretendeth, that they ought to enioy the
priuiledges granted vnto their marchants, as is aboue mentioned.
Moreouer, it is required by the foresaid ambassadors, if the societie
aforesayd hath not decreed nor ordayned the things aboue written, that the
names of the cities and places decreeing and ordaining such statutes and
ordinances, may by the sayd common society either now or at some other
times and places conuenient for the same purpose, be expressed and set
downe in writing.
* * * * *
A letter of Henry the fourth king of England &c. unto Frater Conradus de
Iungingen the Master generall of Prussia.
Henrie &c. to the most noble and mighty personage of sacred religion F:
Conradus de Iungingen Master general of the order of the Dutch knights of
S. Marie, our most deare friend, greeting, and continual perfection of
amity.