10th January 1579: Trade wars. Sir Thomas Egerton wrote to Burgey today concerning the on going dispute over the use of Hamburg and opposition from the Hanse merchants. ‘On receipt of your lordships I conferred with the company and resolved to satisfy you by these few lines which follow. The company thank you for your care of their causes, especially in forbearing to allow the Alderman of the stilliard any remain of cloths until you were further informed by the company of such matters as might move stay of the same. And whereas the said Alderman has informed you that our company resident at Hamburg voluntarily yielded the house to the chief governors there the day before St. Katherines day, please understand that by force of the intimation given to our company long before at Hamburgh whereby we were denounced to be used as strangers after St. Katherines day, as by copy of the decree herewith sent you may plainly perceive, and a bill set up upon the house, offering the same to be sold from us, our company, being restrained from our privileges, had no cause to use the house ; and understanding that her Majestys letter had come to the steedes, against whose decrees they of Hamburgh protest they can do nothing for our jurisdiction and residence (notwithstanding the aldermans untrue assertion to the contrary), on Nov. 21 last they presented to the Senate the keys of the house. This was done only to feel their dispositions, and see whether they would relent or not, being done in such order of courtesy as has been shown them here. On this presentation, two of the Senate appointed to take the keys uttered these words : that it was very well done of the company so to do by their surrender, for if any mischance had happened to the house after the time limited, the company would have been answerable. In the custom house there they are already making enquiry and keeping note whether any cloth is sold by our company to strangers. Of this the parties buying are forced to deliver them a bill, of whom they buy their cloths, whether of the burgesses or of Englishmen, agreeably with their former inhibition ; which proves they mean to take all the advantage they can, and maintain their former decrees. It is to be understood that strangers may sell to none within the town of Hamburgh but only to the burgesses, upon a great pain, into which predicament it is to be feared they mean to bring us, directly against the ancient treaties. All this and their manifest evil intent to us being considered, it is besought that as in six months time there has appeared no disposition in them to show favour for the use of our liberty, and forasmuch as the information given by the company against the said Alderman and those of the House for their usage of us is true and will be sufficiently justified by lawful testimony, if it please you so to appoint, the company humbly beg that you will forbear to consent them any remain of licence to ship at all, till other order be taken for their and our reciprocal traffic.’
Posted on: Sat, 10 Jan 2015 09:34:49 +0000
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