Grievances of the Northern Merchants against the London Merchant Adventurers
| Artifact Summary | |
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| Artifact type | |
| Creator/author | |
| Date | 1478 |
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| Abstract | |
Entry
[The York Mercers and Merchant Adventurers, 1356-1917, ed. M. Sellers
(Surtees Soc., Vol. CXXIX., 1918), pp. 75-79.]
These following been the articles of complaynt to be shewed to the Kynges goude grace by the mercers of the citie of York, Hull, Beverlay, Scareburgh and all other of the north parties. In prime, it is to be remembered that it hath been accustomed and used by thauktoritee of letters patents graunted by the Kyng our soverain lords noble progenitours, and by his noble grace confermed, that it sall be leeful to all his trewe liege men of this realme of England and Ireland occupying and repayring the feit of merchaundise in the lands of Braband, Holland, Seeland, and Flanders, they to elect, within any of the same landes, governours of the same realm of England ij, iij, iiij, or more or less, of the moste able and discrete persons to governe and guyde the remanant for thencreassyng of the comonwelle of the realme, and for enhaunsyng and preferment of the same to the grete honor, worship, and profett accordynge to the forsaid graunts ; that hath been owote of the terme of mynde laudable used, that governeres hath been fro tyme to tyme indifferently elect, the which governours full welle and indifferently hath occupied their said auctorites, by the which gretely it hath incresed the said occupiers in their feit of marchandise ; and so exalted the realme to grette honor and worshipp. And at all tymes it hath been accustomed and used oon governeur to be chosen for the citee of London and another governeur for the citee of York, Hull, Beverlay, Scarburgh and all other frome Trent northwards ; and it is soe that now late John Pykryng, mercer, of London hath dyvers tyme been elect as oon governeur in the said parties for the cite of London, and the same John soe elect hath nott souffered the foresaid graunts, of the Kyngs noble progentytors graunted, to be executed nor used as afforetyme they have been, but oonly takyng to his syngulie preferment such imposicions as of the said merchauntes then hath been leved, and under the same eleccon as oon governeur hath rewled withoute any mor gouverneures chosen ; whereas afore tyme hath been accustumed oon gouerneur to be elect for the north partes of England, and for the citie of York, Hull, Beverlay, Scareburgh, Whitby, and all other fro Trent northwards ; the said gouerneur, at such tymes as were requisit and lehewfull for the comonwelle of this Realme of the said northen men, sett and leved such imposicons as wer necessarye and be lewfull to be had, for the honor and comon well indifferently of every person accordyng to the substance and value of such goodes as at that tyme or seson they aventured equally rated, pounde pound lyke ; soo that noon of such aventurer were at no tyme over charged; and the imposicyons indefferently fered [?] and soo leved and paid. And of the somes of monye, by the said governeures fro tyme to tyme by theym recevid, to yeld to all the hole fellshipp a trew accompt, by the said governeurs, that at such tyme as any imposicons when they wer ther too reqwyred. Also it hath been accustumed shuld be aleved for the honor of the nacion in these parties, the said imposicions to be reredy leved eqally pound pound lyke ;
and the said John Pykryng hath latly perverted the said indifferent leve of imposicions, and hath sett the said imposicions opon everie particuler person of the said north coutree, so that, agayn right and goude conscience, som man not havyng in value of goouds to x li. paieth as much as other that hath cli. in value. Also, the said mercers and others reparyng unto the said parties at all tymes hath had their liberties to tak their places, houses to ferme, at thair libertie, and free elecaons, in such stretes as to theym weere thoght moste profitable, by the which the seid mercers and other solde the merchandyse to their profet and encrese, whereas now thai have latly [been] restryned, and putt from the said liberties, and assigned by the said John Pykryng to theym places inconvenyent and not profitable, By the which they been gretely hurted and in grete damage in utterance and sellynge of their marchaundise, as evidently it may be proved, that where the northern aventures at such tyme, as long as they were at the liberties to chose their places for the utterance of such marchaundise, as they occupied, then they sold a pak of clothe of colours for xxx li., xxvj li., xxiiij li. the pakke, and a pak of whites for xx li., xix li., xviij li., whereas now by the restrent made by John Pykryng, thai ar compelled to have the places for the utterance of the clothe in stretes joyning nyghe the marchandise of London, to thentent that the clothe of the north parties sall apere wers, and their clothe to apere the better. And soe for that cause the northren clothe is selled now a pak colours for xvj li., the best, and whites for x to ix li., viij li. the packe, to the utter undoyng and distruction of the north parties. Also, whereas the seid mercers, and other of the north parties, dyvers tymes hath compleynd theyme to the said John Pykrynge, as gouvernour, of their grefes and desoired to have such liberties and frauncheses to be mynysterd unto theym, as att all tyme afore they have had and been accustumed, utterly the said John Pykrynge hath at all tymes refused to souffre theym any suche to have, bot constrenyd thame at all tymes to pay suche costes and charges as hym thoght goude to his synguler pleseur with grete rebeukfull and unfittynge langage. And the said John Pykryng hath caused the tellers, in the said contree of Braband, to take of the said northren merceres and others double toll, and some tyme caused the seid tellers to restreyn their goodes to such tyme as he was paid of such somes of monye as he demaunded of theym, by the which restreyn the forseid northren men hath left the viage, to their utter undoyng and confusion of many of theyme.
Also, it hath been accustummed and had afore the terme of mynde in the parties of Braband, Holand, Seeland and Flaunders that all men of the nacion of this realme of England there re- payrynge, hauntyng, and occupying the feit of marchaundise to be admitted to the forseid franches and liberties then graunted as fellowes, there to occupie in their feyt of marchaundise, every thoon of theyme to pay for their admyttynge at their entre, iiij d., flemyssh monye, and no more ; whereas nowe of late 1* tyme the said John Pykryng hath made contrarie ordynaunces, that is to witt, of everie servaunt beynge aprentyse to a marchaunt of the said fellyship, if he be made there a fellow within the terme of his apprentisship, sall pay iiijs. for his entrens ; and iffe soe be that he bee out of his apprenteshed, he sall pay xxiiij s.;
and iff soe bee that any persons theare repayryng, hauntyng the seid feit of marchaundise, that never was apprentyse to the seid occupacion of marchaundise, sall pay 1s. for his admission and entrens. The which excessyffand outrageous contrebucyons, soo taken by the said John Pykryng, hath caused andyett dayly causes many persons of this realme of England to forbere the occupaccon and encreaese of merchandise, by the which the king, our soveragne lorde, dewties is gretely mynesshed as in his customes and subsidies ; and also his liege people heurted as in the utterance of the commodities yerely renewyng within the said realme of England. Also it hath been accustomed and used in the seid parties of Braband, Holand, Seeland, and Flanders that the governoures their chosen to occupie, ither of theym, shuld have for their costes and expenses for the tyme of their occupacione as gouernoures their attendynge, uppon the same resonable wages and alowaunce for the costes ; the which costes and charges hath been leved and borne by the contries by whome their governours were elect and chosen, indifferently sett and rated uppon ordyinances goodes and that tyme occupyynge their pounde pounde lyke. And it [is] soe now, that the said John Pykrynge hath sithen he first occupied as governour there singular[I]y to hymself hath takyn all the forseid contribussyens leved and had generally of all the holle nacon of this realme of England, soo that at no tyme non other person, elect in the said parties as governour, hath had no thyng towardes their costes and expences ; and bycause theroff no person able ne honourable will take uppon hym to occupie for the parties of this northe countries as governour or governours in the seid parties of Braband, Holland, Seeland and Flanders. Also, it is evidently knowen that the aventures made furth of the north contree is not lyke in value, ne substance of riches, as been the aventures made forthe of the southe countree into the seid landes of Braband, Holland, Seeland, and Flaunders; yett right many aventures theer been as the parties of the north contree, and by the meane of the same aventure the kyng oure soverain lorde navie is supported and mayntened als longe as the aventures may be had, and iff no aventures be made the navie may nott endure of the northland; and iff the aventures be oppressed by out- rageous, excessiff takyng of imposicyons in the seid parties of Braband, Holand, Seeland, and Flaunders, they may not langtyme endure and contenue in their feit of marchaundise, the which shuld cause a utter distruction of the kyngs navie, and also emproveriche all the partes of this north countree, soe comodities growyng and renewynge in the same, as uttered by the said adventures, as cloth, lede, lede [sic], and all other marchaundices. Wherefor it ples the kyng, our soveraine lord, of his most habundant grace graciously to consider the said premisses, and by his moste prudent councell that provision may be had theroff.
