rs of his insatiable bassoes, our
marchantes are faine with large rewardes to gratifie the Knightes of
Malta, in whose daunger their shippes must often passe. Moreover that
trade is so moche to the detrymente of the State of Venice, and all the
other States of Italie, that they are dayly occupied in seekinge howe they
may overthrow the same. Neither is it the leaste incomoditie that our
shippes are contynually assaulted by the corsaries and pirates and gallies
of Algiers, by which they had a rich shippe, called the Mary Martin,
soncke this yere; and the last yere another was taken at Trypoly in
Barbary, and the master with another hanged, and the reste made slaves.
Besides, the barke Reynoldes was arrested at Malta, and at lengthe with
moche adoe delivered.(47)

(M217) To leave the Levant and to come to France, the traficque there of
myne owne knowledge(48) is growen to such decaye, partely by the
impositions and taxes which are daily devised by the kinges partely by
their subtil sleights and devices to confiscate our clothes for
insufficient workemanshippe, and partely by their owne labour in makinge
more and better clothe then heretofore they were accustomed, that our men
for the moste parte are wearye of the contrie, and some of them utterly
undone by their subtill and unconcionable wranglinge. (M218) As for all
Flaunders and the Lowe Contries, these eightene yeres moste cruell civill
warres have so spoiled the traficque there, that there is nothinge but
povertie and perill, and that which is worse, there is no hope of any
spedy amendemente.

(M219) To come to the Esterlinges and the trades with the cities within
the Sounde of Denmarke, they beinge deprived of the olde priviledges of
the Stilliarde here in London, have not only offred our men at home many
injuries in their cities, but seeke all the meanes they can devise wholy
to cutt of all our occupienge that way; and to the same purpose have
lately cleane debarred our men of their accustomed and auncient
priviledges in all their greate townes. (M220) Also the exactions of the
Kinge of Denmarke at our passage in and oute by the Sounde to Lubecke,
Danske, Elvinge, Rye, Revell, and the Narve, besides the power that he
hath to arreste all our shippes within the Sounde at his pleasure, are
twoo no small inconveniences and myschefes.

(49) Our trade into Muscovye ys the laste, which was so chardgeable in the
begynnynge, what with the coste of the discoverie, what with