Shall any Prince, what so be his name, Which hath Nobles much leche ours, Bee Lord of see: and Flemings to our blame, Stop vs, take vs, and so make fade the flowers Of English state, and disteyne our honours: For cowardise alas it should so bee Therefore I ginne to write nowe of the see. Of the commodities of Spaine and of Flanders. The first Chapter Knowe well all men that profits in certaine Commodities called comming out of Spaine And Marchandie, who so will weete what it is, Bene Figs, Raisins, wine Bastard, and Datis, And Licoris, Siuill oyle, and graine, White Pastill Sope, and Waxe is not vayne. Yron, Wooll, Wadmolle, Gotefell, Kidfell also: For Poynt-makers full needefull bene they tweyn Saffron, Quickesiluer, which owne Spaine Marchandy, Is into Flanders shipped full craftily, Vnto Bruges as to her staple fayre: The Hauen of Scluse hir Hauen for her repayre Which is cleped Swyn tho shippes giding: Where many vessels and fayre are abiding. But these marchandes with their shippes great, And such chaffare as they bye and get By the weyes must nede take on hand By the coasts to passe of our England, Betwixt Douer and Caleis, this is no doubt. Who can well els such matter bring about? [Sidenote: Flemish cloth made of English Wooll.] And when these sayd Marchants discharged bee Of Marchandie in Flanders nere the see, Then they bee charged againe with Marchandy, That to Flanders bougeth full richly. Fine cloth of Ypre that named is better than ours, Cloth of Curtrike, [3] fine cloth of all colours, Much Fustian, and also Linen cloth. But Flemings, if yee bee not wroth, The great substance of your cloth at the full Yee wot ye make it of our English woll. [Footnote 3: Courtrai.] [Sidenote: The necessarie coniunction of Spaine and Flanders.]