And then the carreys wold not thidre stretch:
And so those marts wold full evil thee,
If we manly kept about the sea.”
In his eighth chapter the author describes the trade of Brabant, Zealand, and Hainault, both by sea and land, and expatiates upon the value of English merchandise, adding that the English are the best customers at all the foreign fairs;
“As all the goods that come in shippes thider,
Which Englishmen bye most and bring it hither.”
He laments with deep regret the neglect of English shipping for the guard of the sea.
“A prince riding with his swerd ydraw
In the other side sitting, soth it is in saw
Betokening good rule and punishing