The league betweene Carolus Magnus and Offa King of Mercia concerning safe trade of the English Marchants in all the Emperours Dominion. This Offa died in the yeere of our Lord 795.
OFfa interea Carolum magnum Regem Francorum frequentibus legationi∣bus amicum parauit:* quamuis non facile quod suis artibus conduceret in Ca∣roli animo inuenerit. Discordarunt antea, adeo vt magnis motibus vtrobi∣que concurrentibus, etiam negociatorum commeatus prohiberentur. Est Epi∣stola Albini huiusce rei index, cuius partem hic apponam.
Nescio quid de nobis venturum sit. Aliquid enim dissentionis diabolico fomento inflammante, nuper inter Regem Carolum & Regem Offam exortum est: ita vt v∣trinque nauigatio interdicta negociantibus cesset.* Sunt qui dicant nos pro pace in illas partes mittendos. Et nonnullis interpositis, Nunc, inquit, ex verbis Caroli foedus firmum inter eum & Offam compactum subijciam. Carolus gratia Dei Rex Francorum, & Longobardo∣rum, & patricius Romanorum, viro venerando & fratri charissimo Offae Regi Merciorum sa∣lutem. Primo gratias agimus omnipotenti deo, de salute animatum, de Catholicae fidei sinceritate, quam in vestris laudabiliter paginis reperimus exaratam. De peregrinis vero qui pro amore Dei, & salute animarum suarum beatorum Apostolorum limina desiderant adire, cum pace sine omni perturbatione vadant. Sed si aliqui, non religioni seruientes, sed lucra sectantes, inueniantur inter eos, locis opportunis statuta soluant telonia. Negociatores quoque •olumus vt ex mandato nostro patrocinium habeant in Regno nostro legitime.* Et si aliquo loco iniusta affligantur oppressione, reclament ad nos vel nostros iudices, & plenam videbi∣mus iustitiam fieri.
The same in English.
IN the meane season Offa by often legacies solicited Charles le maign• the king of France, to be his friend: albeit he could not easily finde king Charles any whit enclined to further and promote his craftie attempts. Their mindes were so alienated before, that, bearing hauty stomacks on both parts, euen the mutuall traffique of their Marchants was prohibited.* The Epistle of Albinus is a sufficient testimony of this matter: part whereof I will here put downe.
I know not (quoth he) what will become of vs. For there is of late, by the instigation of the deuill, some discord and variance sprung vp betweene king Charles and king Of•a: insomuch Page 126 that sailing to and fro is forbidden• vnto the Marchants of both their dominions.* Some say that we are to be sent, for the obtaining of a peace, into those partes. And againe, after a fewe lines. Nowe (quoth he) out of Charles his owne words, I will make report of the league concluded betweene him and Offa.*
Charles by the grace of God king of the Franks and Lombards and Senatour of the Ro∣manes, vnto the reuerend and his most deare brother Offa king of the Merc•ans sendeth greeting. First we doe render vnto almightie God most humble thankes for the saluation of soules, and the sinceritie of the Catholique faith, which we, to your great commendation, haue found signified in your letters. As touching those pilgrimes, who for the loue of God and their owne soules health, are desirous to resort vnto the Churches of the holy Apostles, let them goe in peace without all disturbance. But if any be found amongst them not honouring religion, but following their owne gaine, they are to pay their ordinarie customes at places conuenient. It is our pleasure also and commandement, that your marchants shall haue lawfull patronage and protection in our domini∣ons.* Who, if in any place they chance to be afflicted with any iniust oppression, let them make their supplication vnto vs, or vnto our Iudges, and we will see iustice executed to the full.
An ancient testimonie translated out of the olde Saxon lawes, containing among other things the aduancement of Marchants for their thrise crossing the wide seas, set downe by the learned Gentleman Master William Lam∣bert pagina 500. of his perambula•ion of Kent.
IT was sometime in English lawes, that the people and the lawes were in reputation: and then were the wisest of the people worship-worthy, euery one after his degree: Earle, and Churle, Thein, and vnder-Thein. And if a churle thriued so, that hee had fully five hides of his owne land, a Church and a Kitchin, a Belhouse, and a gate, a seate, and a seuerall office in the Kings hall, then was he thenceforth the Theins right worthy. And if a Thein so thriued, that he serued the king, and on his message rid in his houshold, if he then had a Thein that followed him, the which to the kings iourney fiue hides had, and in the kings seate his Lord serued, and thrise with his errand had gone to the king, he might afterward with his for•oth his lords part play at any great neede. And if a Thein did thriue so, that he became an Earle; then was he afterward an Earles right worthie. And if a Marchant so thriued, that he passed thrise ouer the wide seas, of his owne craft, he was thencefoorth a Theins right worthie. And if a scholar so prospered tho∣row learning that he degree had, and serued Christ, he was then afterward of dignitie and peace so much worthie, as thereunto belonged: vnlesse he forfaited so, that he the vse of his degree vse ne might.
