DANZIC AND SCARBOROUGH MERCHANTS

XXV

council of Bruges. They, at the suit of Jacques Weits, a burgher of Bruges, claimed twenty-three pounds, two shillings from Eseby, who was bound for that sum on behalf of Ricardus Heaton factor of Robertus Tup of Hull.1

In 1420 a curious bond was given by John Bukkiller, citizen and merchant of Danzic and John Dodyngton2 of York for £100 to Robert Baumberg and John Dreng of Scarbrough, payable on November 11th, 1421. In case, however, John Bukkiller could prove that the vessel the two Scarborough men had seized, belonged to the merchants of Danzic, then the bond became null and void. Apparently John Bukkiller and John Dodington owed the Scarborough men money, who thinking the ship was John Bukkiller's personal property, seized it.3 It belonged, however, to the merchants of Danzic, but Bukkiller and Dodington had to give a bond for £100 before it was allowed to sail. A letter was then obtained from Danzic, which proved the ship undoubtedly belonged to merchants in Danzic, then their bond was, as had been arranged, returned to them. The letters which passed between Danzic, Scarborough and York, are amusing examples of the epistolary style of the fifteenth century.

A testimonial letter under the seal of Danzic.

4

"In the presence of the honourable and most sagacious men, the mayor, sheriff and aldermen of the city of York in England, our very sincere friends we, the proconsuls and consuls of the city of Danzic wishing for the increase of all good, cum tocius boni incremento,' publicly declare with protestation worthy of belief in these our letters, that a certain ship commonly called among us, the "Marienkneche,' which Robertus Baumburg and Johannes Dreng of Scarborough took from Henricus Strunyng our fellow townsman, the governor and master of the said ship, on the Thursday before Pentecost last, by seizing her upon the

1. Mem. Bk., pp. 87-89.

2.

Chamberlain in 1418, York Freemen, p. 127.

3. Mem. Bk., pp. 95, 98, 99. The man from Danzic appears in one set of documents as Bukkiller, in the other as Bokeler.

66

4. The words used are dominis maiore, ballivo et consulibus," but obviously the sheriff and aldermen are meant.

sea with all the goods with which she was laden, for which afterward Johannes Bokeler, merchant of Danzic, and John Dodyngton, citizen of York, bound themselves to the aforesaid Robertus and Johannes Dreng, by a bond for £100, belongs entirely and lawfully1 to certain inhabitants and townsmen of our city of Danzic and to no one else in any way."

In confirmation and fuller evidence of which we have caused these letters for which we desire to obtain firm and unhesitating belief to be confirmed by an impression from the reverse of our seal. Written at Danzic, May 15th, 1421.

The York officials at once wrote to Scarborough.

Richard Russell, mayor of the city of York, and the sheriffs and aldermen of the same, men of a singular friendliness, to the bailiff and worthy men of the town of Scarborough.

66

Greeting in Him who gives the gifts of eternal salvation. We, therefore, by reason of the profound affection which we bear towards you, counsel you and beseech you with warm and sincere goodwill that, on sight of the foregoing letters, testimonial, and these our present letters, you cause to be delivered the aforesaid bond to the aforesaid John and John, who are bound as is above stated, as is fitting, not only on account of our request and love, but still more observing with what constant affection and favour and peaceable disposition, the citizens of the aforesaid city of Danzic entreat our compatriots in their business relations every day."

Given at York, etc., 27th May, 1421.

The charming little port of Veere3 near Middelburg still shows signs, in its grass grown quays, its beautiful harbour, its stately buildings, of the important position it held in the mercantile life

1. Nomine probably means enrolled in the city's register in their

3. Cf. Hedon in Yorkshire, "A 12th century port with quays more than a mile and a quarter in extent must certainly have played a considerable part in the mercantile history of Holderness." Victoria History of Yorkshire, vol. II., p. 432.

hich

John

the

€100,

and

any

sed

ing

our

n

of medieval Europe. A letter from the mayor, sheriffs, and aldermen of York "to the honorable, most potential, and ever dear Henricus de Borssalia, Lord of Campveer," proves that York was regarded as the principal city of northern England. A wellknown sailor, Johannes Wacker from Veere, had been attacked and illtreated by some English sailors; the lord of Veere had written to demand redress from the mayor of York. But, as the mayor points out in his reply, the delinquents were men of Newcastle and Hull over whom he had no jurisdiction. Any attempt on his part to interfere might result in the abrogation of the privileges of York itself, "quod avertat bonus Jesus." Nevertheless he promises that, putting aside all slothfulness and procrastination, he will urge the mayors of Newcastle and Hull to bring the evildoers to justice.

There was considerable trade, too, with Dordrecht, a picturesque little Dutch town at the present time, but with a great wine trade, as its capacious cellars still testify, in the fifteenth century.1

3

2

There are a great many entries in the Memorandum Book of the naturalization of foreigners, Scotsmen especially, but Henricus Market, a Hanse merchant, who was enrolled as a freeman in 1411, was not naturalized until 1429-30, and then by act of parliament on the payment of £3 6s. 8d.

Petrus van Uppestall from Brabant, who took up his freedom in 1402, paid twenty shillings for his naturalization in 1414. He brought the King's letter of naturalization to the mayor himself; it seems from the description to have been a gorgeous document, it was fastened with silken cords of red and green, and sealed with the great seal of green wax.

Another and less fortunate class of foreigners were often seen in York in the fifteenth century. Johannes Artays and Johannes Walter, born in Normandy and taken prisoners there, came into the council chamber ad swore on the holy gospels of God on the

1. Mem. Bk., p. 82. Cf. B. Hagedown, Ostfrieslands Handel und Schiffahrt, vol. II., 140. From 1655 to 1751 Dordrecht was the mart for the Merchant Adventurers of England.

2. Eng. Misc., op. cit. passim, see index.

3. Mc m. Bk., pp. 185, 186.

4.

Mem. Bk., p. 50.

20th of May, 1419, that they would be good and faithful prisoners to Willelmus Barton, skinner, serve him faithfully, and not absent themselves from his service until their redemption money was fully paid.1

2

The disturbed condition of the country in 1459 led to increased stringency in the treatment of aliens in York. During and after the reign of Henry VI. all aliens in England paid double the amount of taxes paid by natives, but York excluded them from all municipal offices,3 and finally decided to follow London in its treatment of the Hanse merchants. On April 27th, the mayor, alderman, and councillors at a meeting in the council chamber1 ordained that all foreigners "alienigine" coming to the city should dwell only in the hostel of the mayor and commonalty, "In hospicio maioris et communitatis," at the sign of the Bull in Coney Street, unless they obtained a special license from the mayor.5 The penalty for disobedience was a fine of 40s. A few days later, this ordinance was recited by the mayor, read through by the common clerk, in the presence of many of the citizens in the gildhall, and was confirmed by their common assent and wish. This is the last entry in the Memorandum Book which is concerned with the treatment of the alien, except clauses which are common to all the gild regulations of the period.

The ordinances of forty-one misteries appear in the first half of the Memorandum Book, only twenty-six in the second. The predominance of the woollen industry in the period is uncontrovertible still, except the tapiters, no distinctly textile gilds are mentioned, though various trades subsidiary to the cloth trade, as cappers, listers, fullers, glovers figure largely. The architectural development of York in the fifteenth century led to great activity in the building trades, glasiers, carpenters, tilers and plasterers are constantly in the council chamber; sometimes as suppliants, oftener as arbiters in some dispute

1. Mem. Bk., p. 79.

2. Alien Merchants in England, trans. Roy. Hist. Soc. (new ser.), ix., 94. Ante, p. xiii.

3.

It is not stated whether it was the council chamber on Qusebridge or in the Gildhall.

4.

5.

Mem. Bk., p. 203.

ena

yea

Can

mad

prisoners ot absent

oney was

led to

During

double

about encroachments or rights of way. The growth of luxury had developed and differentiated the metalworking industries; cutlers, pinners, goldsmiths occupy many pages of the Memorandum Book.

The mercers' is the first mystery to appear in this volume. One of their number had refused to hand over his weights for examination at the bidding of the searchers.1 The custumal of the city expressly states that if any searcher finds any fault in London workmanship or behaviour, he is to bring the offender before the th, the

-d

d then

at

y the

ce

of

a

their

the

_t of

mayor for the time being. The searcher was bound to do this council by an oath sworn when he took office.2 The preliminiary ing to examination of the delinquent took place before the mayor and or and sheriffs; he pleaded not guilty. Twelve jurymen were then at the elected to try the case, and reported to the mayor and sheriffs pecial that the charge was fully proved. It was decided by the same was judges that he should be imprisoned, until he paid a fine. Finally the help of the aldermen was evoked to decide upon the amount of fine. The court thus augmented decided that for his disobedience, transgression, rebellion and contempt, the said Willelmus Hungate should forfeit ten pounds. He at once paid thirteen shillings and fourpence; the rest of the money he was gill allowed to retain, unless he transgressed again. These details are typical of all questions of gild discipline; the mayor and half sheriffs dealt with them, often the aldermen joined, the twentyfour seldom, the commonalty never. When, however, any question arose affecting the pageant plays, then the citizens seem to have been summoned to all the deliberations. No ordinances of the mercers are found in the Memorandum Book. This omission is not surprising. As mercers and merchants seem to have been interchangeable terms, and as the governing body of York were chiefly merchants, it would have been a work of supererogation to gain their consent to any change in their own The mayor and aldermen were the masters of the

The

Ids

th

enactments.

1.

Mem. Bk., pp. 3, 9.

2. Ibid., p. 260.

3

3. I have a copy of the earliest ordinances of the mercers made many years ago from a MS. which is now lost. It was in the possession of the late Canon Raire when heard of last. The Merchant Adventurers of York have made every effort to trace it, but failed.