It has been frequently stated that soon after the Act passed by Edward III. (in 1337), by which Flemish weavers and others were invited to settle in England, a large number of them came to Lancashire and established their trades in Bolton, Rochdale and other towns. This statement is not borne out by facts; the trade of these districts did not at, or soon after, this time rapidly develop, neither is there any marked influx of foreign names, such as would naturally have followed such an invasion,[98] and which are very noticeable in some of the more southern parts of the country. In Lancashire were found now, as in "The Vision of William concerning Piers Plowman," in 1362: Bakers, Bochers, and Breusters monye, Wollene websteris: and weveris of lynen, Taillours, tanneris, tolleres in marketes, Masons, minours, and mony other craftes, Dykers and Delvers. and "Cokes [cooks] and knaves crieden, 'hote pies hote.'" There were also drapers, needle-sellers, ropers, and various other traders, and ale-houses in plenty. The food of the poorer classes consisted of cheese, curds, therf-cake (oat cake), beans, flavoured with leeks, parsley or cabbages, with occasionally a little bacon or pork, and less frequently fish. The more well-to-do classes fared much more sumptuously, as flesh, game and fish were all obtainable. Lancashire had yet no seaport of any great importance; the only two worth recording were Liverpool and Preston. In 1338 all the ports in the country were required to furnish ships according to their size and commerce. Liverpool could only send a single barque with a crew of six men, and 200 years later this port had only twelve vessels, carrying 177 tons and navigated by 75 men;[99] yet in 1382 the port was important enough to warrant the issue of a precept to the Mayor and Bailiffs of the town prohibiting them from exporting corn.[100] The ships which went to the port of Preston in the middle of the fourteenth century (see p. 66) could not have been of large dimensions.