The Wealth Derived By Florence From A Traffic In Money Has Been Already
Noticed.
The example of this city was followed by Asti, an inland town of
Piedmont, Milan, Placentia, Sienna, Lucca, &c. Hence the name of Lombard,
or Tuscan merchant, was given to all who engaged in money transactions.
The
silk manufacture was the principal one in Italy; it seems to have been
introduced by the Venetians, when they acquired part of the Greek empire.
In the beginning of the fourteenth century, Modena was the principal seat
of this manufacture; soon afterwards Florence, Lucca, Milan, and Bologna,
likewise engaged in it.
Within the period to which the present chapter is confined, there are few
traces of commerce in any other parts of Europe besides the Italian states
and the Hanseatic League: the former monopolizing the commerce of the south
of Europe and of Asia, and the latter that of the north of Europe,
particularly of the Baltic, engrossed among them and the cities which were
advantageously situated for intermediate depots, nearly all the trade that
then existed. There are, however, a few notices of commercial spirit and
enterprize in other parts of Europe, during this period, which must not be
omitted.
In Domesday-book a few particulars are set down relating to the internal
and foreign trade of England. In Southwark the king had a duty on ships
coming into a dock, and also a toll on the Strand. Gloucester must have
enjoyed some manufactures of trade in iron, as it was obliged to supply
iron and iron rods for the king's ships. Martins' skins were imported into
Chester, either from Iceland or Germany. The navigation of the Trent and
the Fosse, and the road to York, were carefully attended to.
If we may believe Fitz-Stephen, London, in the middle of the twelfth
century, possessed a considerable portion of trade: among the imports, he
mentions gold, spices, and frankincense from Arabia; precious stones from
Egypt; purple drapery from India, palm oil from Bagdad: but it is certain
that all these articles were obtained directly from Italian merchants. The
furs of Norway and Russia were brought by German merchants, who, according
to William of Malmsbury, were the principal foreign merchants who traded to
England. The same author mentions Exeter, as a city much resorted to by
foreign merchants; and that vessels from Norway, Iceland, and other
countries, frequented the port of Bristol. Chester at this period also
possessed much trade, particularly with Iceland, Aquitaine, Spain, and
Germany. Henry I. made a navigable canal from the Trent to the Witham at
Lincoln, which rendered this place one of the most flourishing seats of
home and foreign trade in England. The Icelandic Chronicles inform us that
Grimsby was a port much resorted by the merchants of Norway, Scotland,
Orkney, and the Western Islands.
Previous to the reign of Henry II., the sovereigns and lords of manors in
England claimed, as their right, the property of all wrecked vessels; but
this monarch passed a law, enacting, that if any one human creature, or
even a beast, were found alive in the ship, or belonging to her, the
property should be kept for the owners, provided they claimed it in three
months.
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