Spaine, Portugal, Navarre, Lombardie, Florence, Provence, Catalonia, of our duchie of Aquitaine, Tholosa, Caturlune, Flanders, Brabant, and of all other forreine countreis and places by what name soever they be called, which come into our kingdome of England, and there remayne, that the sayd marchants may live in quiet and full securitie under our dominion in time to come. Wherefore that their hearts desires may bee more readily inclined to our service and the service of our kingdome, wee favourably agreeing to their petitions, for the fuller asring of their estate, have thought good to graunt to the sayd marchants for us and our heires for ever these priviledges under written, ordaining in forme as followeth.

First, that all marchants of the sayd kingdomes and countreys may come into our kingdome of England, and any where else into our dominion with their marchandises whatsoever safely and securely under our defence and protection without paying wharfage, pontage, or pannage. And that in Cities, Boroughs, and market townes of the sayd kingdomé and dominion they may traffique onely by the great as well with the naturall subjects and inhabitantes of our aforesayde kingdome and dominion, as with forreiners, straungers, or private persons. Yet so, that marchandises which are commonly called mercerie wares, and spices, may be sold by the small, as heretofore hath bin accustomed. And that all the aforesaid marchants may cary or cause to be caried whither they will, aswell within our realme or dominion, as out of the same; saving unto the countreis of the manifest and knowne enemies of our kingdome, those marchandises which they shall bring into our foresayd realme and dominion, or buy, or otherwise purchase in our sayd realme and dominion, paying such customes as they ought to doe: except onely wines, which it shall not be any wayes lawfull for them to cary out of our sayd realme and dominion without our special favour and licence, after they be once brought into our realme and dominion.

Item that the aforesayd marchants may at their pleasure lodge & remaine with their goods in the cities, boroughs, and townes aforesaid, with the good liking of those which are owners of their lodgings.

Item that every bargaine made by the said marchants with any maner of persons, of what places soever they be, for any kind of marchandise whatsoever, shalbe firme

& stable, so that none of both the marchants shall shrinke or give backe from that bargaine, after that the earnest penie be once given and taken betweene the principall bargayners. And if peradventure any strife arise about the same bargaine, the triall and inquirie thereof shall be made according to the uses and customes of the fayres and townes where it chanced that the said bargaine was made and contracted.

Item, we promise the aforesaid marchants granting for ever for us and our heires, that from hence foorth we will not in any wise make nor cause to be made any stay or arrest, or any delay by reason of arrest of their wares, marchandises or other goods, by our selves, or by any other or others for any neede or accident against the will of the sayd marchants, without present payment of such a price as the marchants would have sold those marchandises for to other men, or without making of them other satisfaction, so that they shall hold themselves well contented: and that no price or valuation shalbe set upon their wares, marchandises, & goods by us or by any officer of ours.

Item, we will that all bayliffes and officers of fayres, cities, boroughs, and market townes shall doe speedie justice from day to day without delay according to the lawe of Marchants to the aforesayd marchants when they shall complaine before them, touching all and singuler causes, which may be determined by the same law. And if default be found in any of the bayliffes or officers aforesayd, whereby the sayd marchants or any of them have sustained, or do sustaine any damage through delay, though the marchant recover his losses against the partie principall, yet the bayliffe or other officer shall be punished to us ward, according to the qualitie of the default. wee doe grant this punishment in favour of the aforesayd marchants in regard of the hastening of their justice.

Item, that in al maner of pleas, saving in case where punishment of death is to be inflicted, where a marchant is impleaded, or sueth another, of what condition soever hee bee which is sued, whether stranger or home borne, in fayres, cities, or boroughs, where sufficient numbers of marchants of the foresayd countreis are, and where the trial ought to bee made, let the one halfe of the Jurie be of the sayd marchants, and the other halfe of

and lawfull men of the place where the suite shall

fall out to bee: and if sufficient number of marchants of the sayd countries cannot bee found, those which shall be found fit in that place shall be put upon the jurie, and the rest shall be chosen of good and fit men of the places where such suit shall chance to be.

Item we will, we ordaine, and wee appoint, that in every market towne and fayre of our realme aforesayd and elsewhere within our dominion our weight shall bee set in some certaine place; and that before the weighing the balance shall bee seene emptie in the presence of the buyer and of the seller, and that the skales bee equall : and that afterward the weigher weigh in the equall balance. And when hee hath set the balances even, let him straightway remoove his hands, so that the balance way remayne even: And that throughout all our kingdome and dominion there be one weight and one measure, and that they be marked with the marke of our standard. And that every man may have a weight of one quarter of an hundred, and under, where the same hath not bin contrary to the liberty of the lord of the place, and contrary to the libertie granted by us and our predecessors, or contrary to the custome of townes and fayres which hath hitherto beene observed.

Item we will and we grant that some certaine faythfull and discreete man resident in London be appointed to doe Justice to the aforesayd marchants, before whome they may have their sutes decided. and many speedilie recover their debts, if the Shiriffes and Maior should not from day to day give them speedy justice. And hereof let a Commission be made which we grant unto the aforesaid marchants besides this present Charter: to wit of such things as betweene marchant and marchant are to be decided according to the lawe of marchants.

Item we ordayne and appoynt, and wee will that this ordinance and statute shall firmely bee observed for ever for us and our heires, that the aforesayd marchants shal not loose the aforesayd liberties nor any of them, for any liberty whatsoever, which wee or our heires hereafter shall grant. And for the obtayning of the aforesayd liberties and free customes, and for remission of our arresting of their goods, the aforesayd marchants all and every of them for themselves and all other of their parties with one accorde and one consent have granted unto us, that of every tunne of wine, which they shall bring or

cause to be brought into our realme and dominion, for which they shall bee bound to pay freight unto the mariners, besides the olde customes which are due and were woont to bee payd unto us, they will pay unto us and to our heires in the name of a custome two shillings in money, either out of hande, or else within fortie dayes after the sayd wines shall bee brought on land out of the shippes. Item for every sacke of wooll, which the sayd marchants or others in their name shall buy and carie out of the realme, or cause to bee brought and caried out, they will pay forty pence above the old custome of halfe a marke, which was payd heretofore: And for a last of hides to bee caryed out of our realme and dominion halfe a marke above that which heretofore was payed by the olde custome. And likewise for three hundreth Felles with the wooll on them to bee transported out of our realme and dominion fortie pence, above that certaine rate which before was payed by the olde custome: Also two shillings upon every scarlate and every cloth died in graine. Item eighteene pence for every cloth wherein any kind of graine is mingled. Item twelve pence upon every cloth dyed without graine. Item twelve pence upon everie quintall of copper.

And whereas sundrie of the aforesayd marchants are woont to exercise other marchandises, as of Haver de pois, and other fine wares, as sarcenets, lawnes, cindalles, and silke, and divers other marchandises, and to sell horses and other beastes, corne, and sundrie other things and marchandises, which cannot easily bee reduced unto a certaine custome: the sayd marchants have granted to give unto us, and to our heires of every pound of silver of the estemation and value of these kinde of goods and marchandises, by what name soever they be called, three pence in the pound in the bringing in of these goods into our realme and dominion aforesaid, within twentie dayes after these goods and marchandises shall be brought into our realme and dominion, and shall be there unladen and solde. And likewise three pence upon every pound of silver in the carying out of any such goods and marchandises which are bought in Our realme and dominion aforesayd above the customes beforetime payd unto us or any of our progenitors. And touching the value and estimation of these goods and marchandises, whereof three pence of every pound of silver, as is afore

sayd, is to be payd, credite shalbe given unto them upon the letters which they are able to shewe from their masters or parteners. And if they have no letters in this behalfe, we will stand to the othe of the foresayd marchants if they bee present, or in their absence to the othes of their servants.

Moreover, it shall be lawful for such as be of the company of the aforesayd marchants within our realme and dominion aforesayd, to sell woolles to other of their company, and likewise to buy of them without paying of custome. Yet so, that the said wools come not to such hands, that wee be defrauded of the custome due unto us. And furthermore it is to be understood, that after that the aforesaid marchants have once payed in one place within our realme and dominion, the custome above granted unto us in forme aforesayd for their marchandises, & have their warrant therof, whether these marchandises remayne within our kingdome or be caried out (excepting wines, which in no wise shalbe carried forth of our realme and dominion aforesayd, without our favour & licence as is aforesayd) we wil and we grant for us and our heires, that no execution, attachment, or loane, or any other burthen be layd upon the persons of the aforesayd marchants, upon their marchandises or goods in any case, contrary to the forme before mentioned and granted. The faithfull & principal witnesses of these presents are these, Robert Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate of all England, Walter bishop of Coventrey and Lichfield, Henry Lacie of Lincolne, Humfrey de Bohume, Earle of Herford and Essex, high Constable of England, Adomare of Valentia, Geofrey of Gaymal, Hugh Spenser, Walter Beauchampe Seneschall of our house, Robert of Bures, and others. Given by our owne hand at Windesore the first day of February, in the yere of our reigne xxxi.

The letters of Edward the second unto Haquinus king of Norway, concerning the English marchants arrested in Norway, and their goods to be freed from arrest. To the mighty Prince, lord Haquinus, by the grace of God the famous king of Norway his most deare friend, Edward by the same grace of God, king of England, lord of Ireland, duke of Aquitaine, greeting and sincere love. We marvell not a little, and