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The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries

R >> Richard Hakluyt >> The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries




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De Stapula tenenda in certo loco ordinatio, Anno 13. Edwardi secundi.

Rex collectoribus custumæ lanarum & pellium lanutarum in portu London
salutem. Cùm nos vicesimo die Maij anno regni nostri sexto attendentes
damna & grauamina, quæ mercatoribus de regno nostro diuersimode euenerunt,
ex eo quod mercatores tam indigenæ quàm alienigenæ lanas & pelles lanutas
infra regnum & potestatem nostram ementes, & se cum eisdem lanis & pellibus
ad vendendum eas ad diuersa loca infra terras Brabantiæ, Flandriæ, & de
Artoys eorum libito voluntatis transtulerint: [Sidenote: Maior & Communitas
stapulæ.] & volentes etiam huiusmodi damnis & grauaminibus quatenus bono
modo possemus prouidere, de consilio nostro ordinauerimus, quod mercatores
indigenæ & alienigenæ lanas & pelles huiusmodi infrà regnum & potestatem
prædictam ementes, & ad terras prædictas ibidem vendendas ducere volentes,
lanas illas & pelles ad certam stapulam infrà aliquam earundem terrarum,
per Maiorem & Communitatem eorundem mercatorum, de regno nostro ordinandam
assignari, ac prout & quando expedire viderint mutandum, & non ad alia loca
in terris illis ducant, seu duci faciant vllo modo: & inter cætera
concesserimus mercatoribus de regno nostro supradicto pro nobis & hæredibus
nostris, quòd ipsi Maior & consilium dictorum mercatorum, qui pro tempore
fuerint, quibuscunque mercatoribus indigenis seu alienigenis, qui contra
dictam ordinationem venerint, & modo rationabili conuicti fuerint, certas
pecuniæ summas pro delictis illis imponant, & quòd illæ huiusmodi summæ de
bonis & mercimonijs mercatorum sic delinquentium, vbicunque ea infra regnum
& potestatem prædictam inueniri contigerit, per ministros nostros ad opus
nostrum leuentur: prout in Charta nostra inde confecta plenius continetur:
[Sidenote: Charta anno regni sexio confecta.] quam quidem Chartam per
singulos comitatus regni nostri super costeras maris fecimus publicari, &
firmiter inhiberi, ne qui mercatores indigenæ seu alienigenæ contra tenorem
Chartæ prædictæ sub poenis contentis in eadem venerint vllo modo: Ac
postmodum dato nobis intelligi, quod quàmplures mercatores tam indigenæ
quàm alienigenæ, lanas & pelles lanutas infrà regnum & potestatem prædictas
ementes, & se cum eisdem lanis & pellibus ad vendendum eas ad alia loca in
dictis terris, quàm ad Stapulam iuxta concessionem nostram prædictam per
Maiorem & communitatem dictorum mercatorum de regno nostro in aliqua
terrarum illarum ordinatam & assignatam transtulerint in nostri contemptum,
& contra Chartam ordinationis, publicationis & inhibitionis prædictarum
assignauerimus quosdam fideles nostros in diuersis partibus regni ad
inquirendum de lanis & pellibus lanutis ad dictas terras alibi quàm ad
Stapulam illam ductis, ita quod emendæ inde ad nos pertinentes, ad opus
nostram leuentur; etiam intellexerimus, quod quasi omnes mercatores tam
indigenæ quàm alienigenæ huiusmodi mercimonia in dicto regno nostro
exercentes sunt culpabiles de præmissis: & quod plures inde indictati, ac
alij timentes inde indictari, lanas suas ac pelles lanutas sub nominibus
aliorum non culpabilium faciunt aduocari, & extra regnum nostrum transmitti
quibusdam alienigenis, sic culpabilibus in dictum regnum forsitan non
reuersuris, vt sic forisfacturas prædictas effugiant, & nos de emenda ad
nos sic pertinente illudant: quæ si permitterentur sic transire in nostri
damnum non modicum redundarent. Nos volentes huiusmodi fraudibus obuiare, &
nostris damnis quatenus bono modo poterimus præcauere, vobis præcipimus
firmiter iniungentes, quod à singulis mercatoribus lanas seu pelles lanutas
per portum prædictum ad partes exteras ducere volentibus corporale
sacramentum ad sancta Dei Euangelia recipiatis, quod ipsi lanas seu pelles
lanutas sub nomine ipsius, cuius propriæ sunt, & non alterius aduocabunt, &
tunc recepta ab illo cuius lanæ & pelles huiusmodi erunt, vel nomine suo
sufficiente securitate pro qua respondere volueritis, de respondendo &
faciendo nobis id quod ad nos pertinet de lanis & pellibus lanutis per
ipsum ductis seu missis ad aliquam dictarum terrarum Flandriæ & Brabantiæ,
& de Artoys contra formam Chartæ, proclamationis, & inhibitionis
supradictarum, si ipsum super hoc conuinci contingat, lanas & pelles illas
lanutas extra portum prædictum, recepta prius custuma debita de eisdem, ad
partes exteras transire pemittatis. Teste Rege apud Doueram decimo octauo
die Iunij, per ipsum Regem & Consilium.

Et postmodùm per breue de priuato sigillo eodem modo mandatum est
collectoribus custumæ prædicts in portubus subscriptis: Videlicet,

In portu villæ Southhampton.
In portu villæ Weymouth.
In portu villæ Sancti Botolphi.
In portu villæ de Kingtone super Hull.
In portu villæ de nouo Castro.
In portu villæ de magna Iernemutha.
In portu villæ de Lenne.
In portu villæ de Gypwico.

The same in English.

An Ordinance of the Staple to bee holden at one certaine place.

The King vnto his Collectors of custome, for wooll and woollen fels, in his
port of London, greeting. Whereas we vpon the 20. of May, in the sixt yeere
of our reigne, considering the damages and grieuances that haue diuersly
happened vnto the marchants of our realme, vpon occasion that the marchants
both of our owne, & of other countreis, buying vp wooll and woollen fels
within our kingdome and dominions, haue, for the better sale thereof, at
their pleasure conueyed theselues, and trasported the said wooll & fels
into sundry places within the prouinces of Brabant, Flanders and Artoys:
and being desirous also, to our power, to prouide a remedie against such
damages and inconueniences, haue ordained by our counsel, that all
marchants, both homeborne and aliens, buying vp such wools and fels, within
our kingdome and dominion aforesaid, and being desirous to transport them
into the foresaid prouinces, there to bee solde, may carrie the saide wools
and fels, or cause them to be caried to some certaine staple, within any of
the saide Prouinces, by the Maior and Communaltie of the said marchants of
our realme, to be appointed and assigned, and when they shall thinke it
expedient, to be changed and remoued, and not vnto any other place within
the saide Prouinces whatsoeuer: and whereas also, amongst other things, we
haue granted vnto the marchants of our foresaid realme, for vs and our
heires, that the Maior and Councel of the saide marchants for the time
being, may impose vpon all marchants, home-borne or aliens whatsoeuer, that
shall transgresse the foresaid ordination, and shall thereof lawfully be
conuicted, certaine summes of money to be paid for their offences, and that
such summes must by our ministers and officers, to our vse, be leuied out
of the goods and wares of the marchants so offending, wheresoeuer they
shall chance to be found within our kingdome and dominions aforesaid,
[Sidenote: A Charter made in the sixt yeere of his reigne.] as in our
Charter made for the same purpose it is more plainly expressed, (which
Charter we haue caused to be published vpon the Sea-coasts, throughout all
the countreys of our realme, and a strong prohibition to be proclaimed,
that no marchants, neither home-borne, nor strangers, may in any wise
transgresse the tenour of the foresaide Charter, vnder the penalties
therein contained) and whereas afterward it beeing giuen vs to vnderstand,
that diuers marchants both homeborne and aliens, bought vp such woolles and
woollen felles within our saide Realme and dominions, and conueyed
themselues with the saide wools and felles for the sale thereof vnto other
places within the foresaide Prouinces, besides the saide Staple, which was,
according to our graunt aforesaide appointed and ordained by the Maior and
communaltie of the said marchants of our Realme, in some one of those
Prouinces, to the contempt of our authoritie, and contrary to the Charter
of the ordination, publication, and inhibition aforesaide, wee assigned
certaine of our faithfull subiects, in diuers parts of our Realme, to make
inquisition for such wools and woollen felles, as were conueyed vnto any
other place of the saide Prouinces, then vnto the Staple, so that by these
meanes, the penalties due vnto vs might bee leuied vnto our vse: and hauing
intelligence also, that in a maner all marchants both home-borne, and
strangers bartering such wares in our kingdome, are culpable of the
premisses, and that many being indicted thereupon, and others fearing to
bee indicted, doe cause their wools and woollen felles to bee auouched
vnder the names of persons not culpable, and to be sent ouer vnto certaine
strangers being also culpable, and not minding perhaps to return any more
into our realme, that they may so escape the foresaid forfeitures, and
defraud vs of the penaltie, appertaining of right vnto vs, (which abuses,
if they were suffered so to goe vnpunished woulde redound vnto our extreame
hinderance:) and beeing likewise desirous to withstand such deceitefull
dealing, and so farre forth as wee can, to preuent our owne losses, we
firmely command, and streightly charge you, that you doe receiue of euery
particular marchant, desirous to conuey any wools, or woollen fels out of
the foresaid port, into any forrein dominions, a corporal oath vpon Gods
holy Euangelists that they shall auouch all those wools and woollen fels
vnder his name vnto whom they doe properly belong, & vnder the name of none
other: and then taking sufficient security from the owner of those wools
and fels, or in his name, in regard whereof you wil vndertake to
warrantize, and make good vnto vs those penalties and forfaitures which
shal vnto vs appertaine, for all wools, and woollen fels conueied or sent
by any of the foresaid merchants vnto any of the said prouinces of
Flanders, Brabant, and Artoys, contrary to the Charter of the Proclamation
and inhibition aboue mentioned (if they shal chance to be conuinced hereof)
that first, our due custome being receiued, you doe permit the said wools
and woollen fels to passe out of the foresaid port into forrein countnes.
Witnes the king at Douer the 18. day of Iune. By the king himselfe and his
Councell.

And afterwarde by a Writte vnder the Kings priuie Seale there was a like
commandement giuen vnto the Collectors of the custome aforesayde in the
portes vnderwritten.

That is to say:

In the port of the Towne of:

Weymouth.
Southhampton.
Saint Botulphs towne, now called Boston.
Kingtone vpon Hull.
Newcastle.
Iernemouth magna, or Yermouth.
Lenne.
Gypwick or Ipswich.

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Carta Henrici quarti Anno [Marginal note: 1404] quinto regni sui concessa
mercatoribus Angliæ in partibus Prussiæ, Daciæ, Norwegiæ, Swethiæ, &
Germaniæ, de gubernatore inter ipsos ibidem constituendo.

Henricus Dei gratia Rex Angliæ & Franciæ & Dominus Hiberniæ omnibus, ad
quos præsentes literæ peruenerint, salutem Sciatis quod cum, vt accepimus,
ob defectum boni & sani regiminis & gubernationis, diuersa damna,
dissensiones, grauamina, & angustiæ inter mercatores Regni nostri Angliæ in
partibus Pruciæ, Daciæ, Noruegiæ, Hansæ, & Suethiæ commorantes sæpius ante
hæc tempora mota fuissent & perpetrata, ac maiora, exinde, quod absit,
futuris temporibus verisimiliter euenire formidantur, nisi pro meliori
gubernatione inter eosdem mercatores mutuò habenda manus nostras adiutrices
apponamus: Nos damnis & periculis in hac parte imminentibus præcauere, &
eosdem Mercatores & alios de dicto regno nostro ad partes prædictas
venturos iuste & fideliter regi & pertractari intime desiderantes, volumus
& tenore præsentium concedimus eisdem mercatoribus, quod ipsi quoties &
quando eis placuerit in quodam loco competenti & honesto, vbi sibi
placuerit, se congregare & vnire, & certas personas sufficientes & idoneas
in gubernatores suos in eisdem partibus inter se ad eorum libitum eligere &
obtinere valeant libere & impune: Dantes vlterius & concedentes huiusmodi
gubernatoribus per prædictos Mercatores sic eligendis, quantum in nobis
est, potestatem & authoritatem speciales, omnes & singulos mercatores
Anglicos ad partes prædictas de cætero venientes & declinantes per se vel
sufficientes loca sua tenentes regendi & gubernandi, ac eis & eorum
cuilibet in suis causis & querelis quibuscunque inter eos in partibus
prædictis motis vel mouendis plenam & celerem iusticiam faciendi &
quascunque quæstiones contentiones, discordias, & debatas inter ipsos
mercatores Anglicos partium prædictarum motas sue mouendas reformandi,
reformationemque petendi, redigendi, sedandi, & pacificandi, & quascunque
transgressiones, damna, mesprisiones, excessus, violencias, & iniurias
mercatoribus partium prædictarum per prædictos mercatores Anglicos factas
seu faciendas redigendi, reparandi, restaurandi, & emendandi, consimilesque
restitutiones, reparationes, restaurationes & emandationes de ipsis
mercatoribus partium prædictarum seu deputatis suis requirendi, petendi, &
recipiendi: Ac de communi assensu mercatorum Anglicorum prædictorum
statuta, ordinationes, & consuetudines, prout pro meliori gubernatione
status eorundem mercatorum Anglicorum in hac parte videbitur expedire,
faciendi & stabiliendi & omnes & singulos mercatores Anglicos præfatis
gubernatoribus sic eligendis vel eorum loca tenentibus seu eorum alicui,
aut alicui statutorum, ordinationum & consuetudinum prædictarum contrarios,
rebelles, vel inobedientes iuxta quantitatem delicti sui in hac parte
rationabiliter puniendi. Volentes insuper omnia iusta & rationabilia
statuta, ordinationes & consuetudines per dictos gubernatores sic eligendos
in forma prædicta facienda & stabilienda, nec non omnes iustas &
rationabiles ordinationones per [Marginal note: Nota.] nuper gubernatores
prædictorum mercatorum Anglicorum de communi assensu eorundem mercatorum
pro huiusmodi gubernatione sua in partibus prædictis iuxta priuilegia &
authoritates sibi per magistrum. Pruciæ seu alios dominos partium
prædictarum concessa, factas & stabilitas, sen per prædictos gubernatores
nunc vt præmittitur eligendos iuxta priuilegia prædicta, seu alia
priuilegia eisdem mercatoribus Anglicis per prædictos magistrum & dominos
in posterum concedenda, facienda & stabilienda, rata, firma & accepta
haberi, & pro ratis firmis, & acceptis ibidem fimiter & inuiolabiter
obseruari. Damus autem vniuersis & singulis mercatoribus Anghcis prædictis
tenere præsentium firmiter in mandatis, quod eisdem gubernatonbus sic
eligendis & eorum loca tenentibus in præmissis omnibus & singulis ac alijs
gubernationem & regimen in hac parte qualitercunque concernentibus
intendentes sint, consulentes obedientes & auxiliantes prout decet. Data in
palatio nostro Westmonasterij sub magni sigili nostri testimomo sexto die
Iunij Anno regni nostri quinto.

A Charter of King Henry the fourth graunted in the fift yeere of his reigne
to the English Marchants resident in the partes of Prussia, Denmarke,
Norway, Sweden, and Germanie for the chusing of gouernours among
themselues.

Henry by the grace of God king of England and of France, and lord of
Ireland to all to whom these present letters may come, sendeth greeting.
Know ye, that whereas, according as we are informed, through want of good
and discreete rule and gouernement, sundry damages, strifes, oppressions,
and wrongs oftentimes heretofore haue bene moued and committed among the
Marchants of our kingdome of England remaining in the parties of Prussia,
Denmarke, Norway, the Hans steeds and Sweden, and greater hereafter, which
God forbid, are feared to be like to fall out, vnlesse we put to our
helping hands for the procuring of better gouernement to be maintained
among the said Marchants: wee heartily desiring to preuent the perrils and
dangers which are like to fall out in this case, and that the sayde
Marchants and others which shall trauaile out of our said Realme into the
partes aforesaid may iustly and faithfully be ruled and intreated, we will
and graunt by the tenour of these presents to the said Marchants, that they
may freely and without danger assemble and meete together as often and
whensoeuer they please in some conuenient and honest place where they shall
thinke good, and that they may choose among themselues certaine sufficient
and fit persons for their gouernours in those parts at their good liking.
And furthermore we giue and graunt to the said Gouernours which are in such
sort to be chosen by the aforesaid Marchants, as much as in vs lieth,
speciall power and authoritie to rule and gouerne all and singular the
English Marchants which hereafter shall come or repayre to the parts
aforesaid by themselues or their sufficient Deputies, and to minister vnto
them and euery of them in their causes and quarels whatsoeuer, which are
sprung vp, or shall hereafter fall out among them in the parts aforesaid
full and speedie iustice, and to reforme all maner of questions,
contentious discords, and debates moued or to be moued betweene the English
Marchants remayning in those parts, and to seeke reformation, to redresse,
appease, and compound the same. And further to redresse, restore, repayre
and satisfie all transgressions, damages, misprisions, outrages, violences,
and iniuries done or to be done by the aforesaid English Marchants against
the Marchants of those parts: And to require, demaund and receiue the like
restitutions, reparations, satisfactions and amends of the Marchants of
those parts or of their deputies. And by the common consent of the
aforesaid English Marchants to make and establish statutes, ordinances, and
customes, as shall seeme expedient in that behalfe for the better
gouernement of the state of the said English Marchants: and to punish with
reason according to the quantitie of their fault in that behalfe all and
singular the English Marchants which shall withstand, resist or disobey the
aforesaid gouernours so to be chosen or their deputies, or any of them: or
any of the aforesaid statutes, ordinances, or customes. Moreouer we doe
ratifie, confirme, and approoue, and as ratified, confirmed, and approoued,
wee command firmely and inuiolably there to be obserued all iust, and
reasonable statutes, ordinances, and customes which shalbe made and
established by the said gouernors, so to be chosen, in forme aforesaid, and
also all iust and reasonable ordinances made & established by the late
gouernours of the aforesaid English Marchants with the common consent of
the sayd Marchants for this their gouernement in the parts aforesayd,
according to the priuileges and authorities now granted vnto them by the
Master of Prussia, or other Lords of the partes aforesayd, or which shall
be made and established by the aforesayd gouernours now as is mentioned to
be chosen according to the aforesaid priuileges heretofore graunted, or
other priuileges hereafter to bee granted to the sayde English Marchants by
the aforesayde Master and lords of the Countrey. And furthermore by the
tenor of these presents we straitely commaund all and singular the
aforesaid English Marchants, that they attend, aduise, obey and assist, as
it becommeth them, the sayde gouernours so to bee chosen, and their
deputies in all and singular the premisses and other things, which any way
may concerne in this behalfe their rule and gouernement. Giuen in our
Palace at Westminster vnder the testimonie of our great Seale the sixt day
of Iune in the fift yeere of our reigne.

* * * * *

A note touching the mighty Ships of King Henry the fift, mentioned
hereafter in the treatie of keeping the sea, taken out of a Chronicle in
the Trinitie Church of Winchester.

Eodem anno quo victoria potitus est videlicet Anno Domini 1415. & regni sui
Anno tertio, post bellum de Agencourt, conducti a Francis venerunt cum
multis Nauibus recuperaturi Harfletum. Sed Rex Angliæ misit fratrem suum
Iohannem Ducem Bedfordiæ & Andegauiæ, qui pugnauit cum eis & vicit, & Naues
cepit, & quasdam submersit: cæteri fugerunt cum Hispanis nauibus qui
venerant cum eis Anno gratiæ 1416. Sequenti vero Anno redierunt
potentiores, & iterum deuicti perpetuam pacem cum Rege composuerunt, &
propter eorum naues fecit Rex fieri naues quales non erant in mundo. De his
sic conductis a Francis ita metricè scribitur.

[Sidenote: Naues maximæ Henrici quinti.]

Regum belligero trito celeberrimus aruo
Gallos, Hispanos, Ianos, deuicit, & Vrget,
Vastat; turbantur cætera regna metu.
Nauali bello bis deuicti quoque Iani.

* * * * *

A branch of a Statute made in the eight yeere of Henry the sixt, for the
trade to Norwey, Sweueland, Denmarke, and Fynmarke.

Item because that the kings most deare Vncle, the king of Denmarke, Norway
and Sueueland, as the same our soueraigne Lord the king of his intimation
hath vnderstood, considering the manifold & great losses, perils, hurts and
damage which haue late happened as well to him and his, as to other
foraines and strangers, and also friends and speciall subiects of our said
soueraigne Lord the king of his realme of England, by the going in, entring
& passage of such forain & strange persons into his realme of Norwey &
other dominions, streits, territories, iurisdictions & places subdued and
subiect to him, specially into his Isles of Fynmarke, and elsewhere, aswell
in their persons as their things and goods: for eschuing of such losses,
perils, hurts & damages, and that such like (which God forbid) should not
hereafter happen: our said soueraigne Lord the king hath ordeined and
statuted, that all and singular strangers, as well Englishmen and others
willing to apply by Ship and come into his realme of Norwey and other
dominions, straights, territories, iurisdictions, Isles & places aforesaid
with their ships to the intent to get or haue fish or any other
Marchandises, or goods, shall apply and come to his Towne of Northberne,
where the said king of Denmarke hath specially ordained and stablished his
staple for the concourses of strangers and specially of Englishmen, to the
exercise of such Marchandises granting to the said Englishmen that they
shall there inioy in and by all things the same fauour, priuileges and
prerogatiues which they of the Hans did enioy. Therefore our said
soueraigne Lord the king willing the loue, affinitie and amities to be
firmely obserued, which betwixt his said Vncle and his noble progenitors of
good memory, their Realmes, lands, dominions, streites, territories,
iurisdictions and their said places, and the same our soueraigne Lord the
king & his noble progenitours of famous memory, his great men, subiects,
Realmes, lands & dominions hath bene of old times hitherto continued nor
nothing by our said soueraigne Lord the king or his people to be attempted
or done whereby such amities by reason of any dissensions, enemities or
discords might be broken: by the aduise of the Lords spintuall & temporall
& of the comons of his said Realme of England, assembled in this present
Parliament, hath ordained, prohibiting that none of his liege people nor
subiects of his Realme of England by audacitie of their follie presume to
enter the Realmes, lands, dominions, straits, terntones, iurisdictions &
places of the said king of Denmarke against the ordinance, prohibition &
interdiction of the same his Vncle aboue remembred, & in contempt of the
same, vpon paine of forfeiture of all their moueable goods & imprisonment
of their persons at the kings will.

* * * * *

Another branch of a statute made in the tenth yeere of the reigne of Henry
the sixt concerning the state of the English Marchants in the dominions
of the king of Denmarke.

Item because that our soueraigne Lord the king at the grieuous complaint to
him made in this Parliament by the commons of his realme of England being
in this Parliament is informed that many of his faithfull liege people be
greatly impouerished, vndone, & in point to be destroyed by the king of
Denmarke & his lieges, which be of the amitie of the king our soueraigne
Lord, because that they do daily take of his said faithfull subiects their
goods, so that they haue taken of marchants of York and Kinston vpon Hul
goods & marchandises to the valour of v. M. li. within a yeere, and of
other lieges & marchants of the realme of England goods & cattals to the
valour of xx. M. li. wherof they haue no remedie of the said king of
Denmarke, nor of none other, forasmuch as none of them commeth within the
Realme of England, nor nothing haue in the same realme of England, & that
the goods be taken out of the same Realme: The king willing to prouide
remedy for his said liege people, hath ordeined & established, that if the
goods of any of the said his lieges be or shalbe taken by the said king of
Denmarke or any of his said lieges, the keeper of the priuie seale for the
time being, shall haue power to make to the partie grieued letters of
request vnder the priuie seale, without any other pursuite to be made to
any for restitution to be had of the goods so taken & to be taken. And if
restitution be not made by such letters, the king our soueraigne lord by
the aduise of his counsel shal prouide to the partie grieued his couenable
remedy, according as the case requireth.

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