Edwardus, Dei gratia rex Angliae et Franciae, et dominus Hyberniae, omnibus, ad quos praesentes literae peruenerint, salutem. Inspeximus quendam actum, per nos in Parliamento nostro, apud Westmonasterium, sexto die Octobris, anno regni nostri duodecimo, *) summonito et tent», et per diuersas prorogaliones vsque ad et in sexturn diem Octobris, anno regni nostri tertio deeimo,2) continuato de auisamento et assensu dominorum spirituatium et temporaiium ac communitatis regni nostri Angliae, in diclo Parliamento eodem sexto die Octobris, diclo anno tertiodeeimo, exislentis, nee non auetoritate eiusdem Parliamenti factum in haec verba.

The Kyng, calling vnto bis tendre remembrance, how that in lymesj passed vnto nowe of late the marchaunls and people of the nation of Almayu, being vnder and of the confederation, ligue and Company, called the Dutche Haunse, otherwise called marchaunts of Almayn, hauing the howse in London, commonly called Guy Idekalla Theutonicorum, have had and vsed freendly communication and intercourse of marchandise with his subiects of this, his noble realme of England, and Ihey with them to thencrease, auaile and common weale of booth parties, as experience euidenlly hath proved, and howe that sythen that the one partie looke displeasure agaynst that other, greate inconveniences, losses and damages haue insued not onely by meane of open warre, doon and exer- cised by eyther vppon other, bot also in withdrawing the accustomed auantages and commodityes, which eis should haue commen to hym, his sayd subiectes and them also by free entercourse, they here in his said realme and his subiects in their partyes and conlrves exercising fete of marchandise, as it is well knowen; in consideration whereof and to thenlent, that by Gods grace the warre and

') 1472, October 6.

a) 1473, October 6.

136 1473, October 6.

hostilitie, that hath ben betwixt boothe parties, maye vlterlie sease and (be) avoyded, the oolde freend- liebode also betwixt them to be renovelled in such wyse, as it maye abide and endure for ever, by the aduis and assent of the Lordes spiritually and temporallie and the commons, in this present par liament assembled, wolle of his gracious and bonteous disposicion, that it be ordayned, established and enacted, that none of the sayd marchaunts of the sayd Hanze, that nowe be or hereafter shal be, nor of their successors be greued, charged, empeched or letted in tyme'to come in their per- sones, shippes, goodes, marchandises or any other thing by reason or occasion of any sentence, iad- gement, marque or reprisalle, geuen, decried and graunted by his highnes and his counsell any tyme afore the XlXth daie of September, the thirthend yeare of his raigne, agaynst the said marchaunts of Almayne or the persons of the said Hanse, by what name or names they been called or named in the said sentence or judgement; so that from the said XlXth daye there be a perpetuali sursesing for and of any further execucion of any such sentence or iudgement, passed agaynst the same raarchauntes or persones. and that all manner promises, obligations, suertyes, settings of borowes and all other bondes, made by any of the said marchauntes or persones of the said Hanze within this said reame by reason or occasion of any suche sentence, iudgement, lettres of marque or reprisals, geuen, de- cryed and graunted, as is afore said, or for thexecution of the same be voyde and of none effecte to that neyther the said marchaunts or persones, or none of them, nor any persone for them be from the XlXth daye charged, bound or acted to aunswere vppon or to the same or any of the same in any courte spirituall or temporall, but that they and euery of them be vtterlie discharged and assoiled from the premisses, as neuer such boundts nor promysses had ben made ne passed by or from them in this cause any tyme afore the said XlXth daye, and that all manner plees, questions, debates and actions by waye of marque, reprisals or otherwise moved other to be moued afore any iudge or iudges within this reame of England or elswheare betwixt any his subjects of the one saide,J) and the said marchauntes or persones of the Hanze of the other syde, for the taking of any persones, shippes or marchaundises or any other goods in open see, in bavins or in any other places during the tyme of this last trouble and hostilitie, that fell betwixt boothe partyes, that is to saye from the XlXth daye of November the VHIth yeare of his said raigne2) vnto the said XlXth daye, sesse3) and be set asyde; so that it be not lawfull nor permitted to any, his subiects or any other persone, of what nation that he be, to make or commence any processe within his this reame of England or other places vnder his obeisaunce by way of reprisall or otherwyse agaynst the marchaunts or persones of the cityes of the commynaltyes of the Hanze aforesaid, by pretence or cause, that they any shippes or goodes within that tyme haue taken from him, but be lawfull for boothe partyes, as well his subiects, as tbem of the said Hanze, bothe shippes and goodes so taken aforne the said XlXth daye freely and surely as well into this his reame of Ingland and other places of his obeisaunce, as elsewheare, to bring in and haue oute and at their pleasures to distribute, seile and aliene without that, thai the first or former pro- prietaryes and owners of the same shall moue, chalenge and recover the said shippes or goodes or

') Saide. Lies: Syde.

2) 1468, November 19. Vergl. oben $4. S. 52. Note 1. J) Sesse, i.e. cetse.

1473, October 6. 137

any part thereof, and that they, that wheare the seruantes, familiäres and adherentes to the one syde or the other during the tyme of the said trouble or warre, be not sued, arrested, troubled, ne vexed by any of that one other parlie in any place or region for cause of the premisses, neyther in their persones, ne goodes, though all the same goodes had ben taken by occasion of the said trouble and dissention.

Moreouer whereas the marchaunles of the sayd Hanze haue and enioyed diuers priuiledges, libertyes and free vsages within this reame of England by reason of certayn grauntes, to them made by his noble progenitors, kings of England, as by the leltres patents, thereuppon passed from tyme to tyme, it maye clearly appeare of recorde, by cause and vppon trust onely, vppon priuiledges, liberlees and free vsages the same marchauntes haue ben encoraged to make and continue their resorte vnto this sayd land, and for as muche as nowe the same marchaunts and persons haue a probable doute and fere, that in cas all other things weare thourghly passed and concluded betwixt his highnes and them, so that they might and would resorte with their goodes and marchaundises vnto this his realme agayn, they might be yet interrupted and empeched vppon their said priuiledges, liberties and free vsages, by pretence, that the chartours of his noble progenitors and his to them or theyr predeces sors afore this tyme made and graunted, in that parlie weare forfayted and lost by occasion of warre hostililie, leuyed and made by them agaynst him, his liege people and subjects or for somme other cause, that might happen to be found, purposed and alledged agaynst them. In consideration hereof and for the weale publique, that may ensue vnto the king and his sayd land by the reconciliation of the marchauntes of the said Hanze and by that, that the kinges subiectes shall nowe,1) as often as them shall like, repaire and resorte vnto the land of Pruce and other places of the Hanze freelie and suerlie enter the same, their abide and depart from thence at their pleasuer, to bye and sell with all manner persones as freely and largely as any tyme heretofore they haue ben wonte to doo with en- yoying all and every their free liberties and free customes, which they haue vsed and enyoyed re- sonably any tyme passed; and that no prises, exactions nor prestations shal be sett vppon their per sones or goodes or otherwyse then haue ben sett vppon them any tyme afore this hundrelhe yeare nowe last past or aboue. Whereunto the said marchauntes of the Hanze by their orators haue as sented the kyng of bis bounteous and benigne grace, by the aduis and assent of the Lords spirituals and temporals and the commons in this present Parliament assembled, and by auctority of the same wille, that it be also ordayned, established and enacted, that all manner priuiledges, liberties, fraun- chises and free vsages, graunted vnto the marchauntes of the sayd Hanze by hym or any of his noble progenitors, kynges of Ingland, and all manner chartours and lettres patents passed thereuppon, by whatsoeuer name or names the said marchaunts by 2 J named or called in the same, stand in full straight, force and eflecte, as de3) dide or should haue done, yf no such warre and hoslilitie had ben leuied and made, as is aforesaid. And moreouer for the more suertie and certeinte of the same, the king, by the aduis, assent and auctority aforesaid, .wolle, that this lettres patents

') Mooe. AfS. •) By, lies: Be. 3) De, lie*: They.

Abtheilang II. 18

138 1474, Juli 28. — 1474, December 8.

vnder his great seale be to the said marchauntes raade after Ihe forme and effect ensuyng and that the same Iettres patentes so to them made be by the saide auctoritie good and auaylable lo them aod their successors after the tenor and forme of the same.