. A short history of England and the British Empire. rth. In the wool dis-trict no battles were fought. 185. The Merchant When the fifteenthcentury began, England stood ready to enter the markets of theContinent with her first important manufactured product. Asno individual trader could hold his own against the Hansardsand the Flemings, the English merchants began to organizeThe Merchant themselves into associations called MerchantAdventurers. Adventurers, the purpose of, which was to sellEnglish cloth abroad. To secure an official standing and pro-tection from the English govern
. A short history of England and the British Empire. rth. In the wool dis-trict no battles were fought. 185. The Merchant When the fifteenthcentury began, England stood ready to enter the markets of theContinent with her first important manufactured product. Asno individual trader could hold his own against the Hansardsand the Flemings, the English merchants began to organizeThe Merchant themselves into associations called MerchantAdventurers. Adventurers, the purpose of, which was to sellEnglish cloth abroad. To secure an official standing and pro-tection from the English government these associations foundit advisable to apply for charters, and the first charter of this 1 Review sec. 140. 2 Innes, Industrial Development, 104-105. THE NEW TOWNS 209 sort was granted by Henry IV in 1404. The merchant ad-venturers differed from the merchants of the staple 1 1404. in that they did not deal in raw materials and were not bound to any particular Continental towns. They carried their cloth wherever there was a market, even as far. Ships of the Fifteenth Century as Venice. At first these merchants had to depend on foreignshipping; but before the century closed, the woolen cloth ofEngland was carried largely in English ships. 186. The New Towns. The growth of industry was alsoresponsible for the rise of several new commercial , York, Lincoln, Exeter, Southampton, and Winchester 1 Review sec. 142. 2io FIFTEENTH CENTURY: THE RENAISSANCE had been important boroughs in Saxon times. Bristol andThe older Norwich grew into prominence after the Norman towns. conquest. It will be noted that all these towns are situated on the coast or not far distant. All these towns main-tained their position in the fifteenth century; but, with theexception of London, their growth was slow. This was due largely to the narrowand selfish policy of thecraft gilds: their mon-opoly was dear tothe master workmen;they were reluctant toadmit new masters intotheir gilds; nor did the
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