History, Wonder Tales, Fairy Tales, Myths and Legends The Flemish | Page 130

Chapter III
Intercourse through Trade between Britain and the Low Dutch Countries
3. 1.
FROM very early times there has been trade between England and the Low Dutch
lands directly opposite the greatest ports on the east coast. The Low Dutch
merchants, who were trading to England in the 11th and 12th centuries, came only
from Liége, Westphalia, and the districts of the Lower Rhine. Liége assembled goods
from the centre of Germany and brought them to England. The emporia of Utrecht and
Keulen assembled goods from the Lower Rhine and the hinterland of Westphalia.
Owing to the rivalry of the merchant gilds the position of foreigners trading here was
much restricted; yet one of these restrictions at least brought them into closer
relationship with the natives. It was true that they could only stay in the country for
thirty days, but they must stay with burghers. A statute of Edward I imposed that none
but citizens were to have hostelries for the reception of foreigners, and this condition
was strictly enforced for London, while we hear of hostelers and hostmen at Yarmouth
and Newcastle. Again in 1439 it was decreed that all merchants should be under the
surveillance of hosts assigned to them by mayors of the towns they visited, and these
hosts were to be Englishmen born. This ensured that until the formation of the foreign
trading Hanses every foreign merchant was brought into close contact with
Englishmen. By the Carta Mercatoria (1303) foreigners gained the right to stay
anywhere and for an unspecified time, on condition that they paid the extraordinary
tolls; they were now admitted into the retail trade in spices and mercery. There were
bad times for them under Edward II, when for eleven years the Carta was not in
operation, and also during the weak minority of Edward III; but when Edward's rule
became stronger, they regained and kept these extensive privileges.
3. 2.
In the 13th century England still had no mercantile class. English traders lacked
capital and organization to compete with Flemish, Brabanter, French, and Italian
traders. In the course of the 14th century a class of English traders did develop,
despite constant interference from their rulers, who tried to turn exports into specified
paths, under considerations of politics and revenue.
Already under Henry III there was a staple for wool in the Netherlands, but compulsion
to use it failed. Edward I compelled export from certain ports only, and out of these the
organization of the staple grew; there is some probability that he recognized certain
ports in Flanders, Holland, and Zeeland as ‘foreign staples’, but again there is no
satisfactory evidence of their compulsory use.
There was indeed a company of merchants under a mayor at Antwerp, but the name
staple does not occur so early. The enforced staple was introduced by Edward II in
1313; English and foreign merchants must now ship staple goods to trade places
abroad recognized by the organization of the staple