107. ;" and "To the men of Bristol that found the isle, 51." The mistaken desire to find a northern passage to China and the East Indies, was the principal cause why England profited so little by voyages of discovery; and their feeble attempts for the colonization of North America were long unsuccessful. The greatest evil that affected trade and commerce, during the reign of queen Elizabeth, was the increase of monopolies. The sparing or avaricious disposition of that princess, rendered her unwilling to reward her courtiers and officers by direct gifts of money: but she was more easily prevailed upon to grant monopolies of various commodities. In 1601, this list included a great number of articles, both of manufacture and commerce, from currants and ox shin bones, brushes, paper, glasses, new drapery, and dried pilchards, to sea-coal, oil, and importation of Spanish wool. One of the most oppressive was the monopoly of salt, the price of which was thereby raised, in some places, from sixteen pence to fifteen shillings the bushel. One member had the courage to ask, "Is not bread among them? if it be not now, it will be before next parlia ment." Upon the evils of this system it is unnecessary to enlarge; the only lawful monopoly is that where skill and attention secure a preference, and which continues no longer than the consumer finds it his interest to support the same. The improvement of the coin was one of the most valuable proceedings of Elizabeth, and was very beneficial to commerce. The amount of coined money in circulation at the close of her reign is estimated at 4,000,000l. Mistaken views still caused interest for money lent to be reckoned usurious, and therefore unfair, if not quite unlawful; but, in 1571, a law was passed, allowing interest at ten per cent. per annum to be charged on money borrowed or lent. The most exorbitant advantages were often obtained on loans. One writer describes the manner in which spendthrift heirs were made to pay fourscore in the hundred, or eighty per cent. in the year. He describes even poor women pledging a silver thimble for sixpence, being compelled to pay a halfpenny a week, if they wished not to lose the article pawned. TRAVELLING AND INNS. During the sixteenth century, travelling was mostly on horseback; the state of the roads generally was too bad for wheeled carriages. Females usually rode behind their servants. Even queens, if not good horsewomen, rode behind their officers. Margaret, daughter of Henry VII., the young queen of Scotland, thus made her first entry into Edinburgh. She travelled part of the way from London in a litter, or close carriage, but was usually mounted on horseback when passing a city or large town. From the expenses of Henry VII. it appears, that six new chariot horses cost 107.: they would be called Icart horses now. 17. 5s. 8d. was paid for hire of a chariot, (a wagon,) with the driver and six horses, for fourteen days. During one of this king's progresses, was paid "to yomen riding in the countre for to serche for the sekenes, 13s. 4d; " that is, to inquire whether there was any infectious disease in the direction whither the king was going. Also, October 1, 1497, paid for a guide from Wells to Bath, in reward, 1s. 8d. These items show how imperfect the communications in the country were at that period. In 1555, the first general law for repairing the highways of England was passed. It was followed by six more in the reign of Mary, and nineteen in that of Elizabeth. Both Elizabeth and Mary Stuart were good riders. On several occasions Mary rode in man's apparel. There were coaches for the infirm and sick, or for occasions of state. Queen Elizabeth rode in one on some state occasions. Sir William Cecil, chancellor of Cambridge, rode thither in a coach, to attend the queen in 1564, having hurt his leg: but it was thought disgraceful for a man to ride in a coach, if in health. These coaches were only ornamented wagons. They had neither springs nor glass windows; but were often richly carved, and had canopies and curtains. At the sides were projecting seats, called boots, usually occupied by attendants. One of these vehicles is represented in the view of Nonsuch Palace, page 214. A privy seal of queen Mary describes "one wagon of tymbre work for ladies and gentle women of our prevye chamber, with wheeles and axeltrees, strakes, nayles, clowts, and all manner of work, there too apperteyninge, fine redde cloths to kever and line the same wagon, fringed with redde sylke, and lyned with redde buckerum, paynted with redde colours; collers, drawghts of red lether, hamer clothes with our armes and badges of our colours, and all other things apperteyninge unto the same wagon." Hired wagons were sometimes used for travellers, but regular stage conveyances were not known. Relays of post horses were kept on the great road for the accommodation of travellers, who could proceed on horseback with tolerable rapidity when the weather was fine, and the roads good. Essex came post from Ireland when he heard that the queen was displeased by his proceedings, and arrived before any intelligence of his designs had been received. Among other particulars relative to travelling, may be mentioned sir Robert Carey's winning 2,000l. by wagers gained by his going on foot in twelve days from London to Berwick. Post horses were established at Norwich about 1568. No one was to have them except by warrant from the queen, the duke of Norfolk, the privy council, or the mayor, nor to use any one horse for more than twelve or fourteen miles; but the computed miles were longer than our measured miles. The charge was twopence each mile, and sixpence for the guide. The charge for horses let by the day was one shilling for the first day, and eightpence each day afterwards. At the commencement of the sixteenth century, a great part of travelling was in pilgrimages; sometimes matters of business were connected with these journeys, but they were more frequently excursions of pleasure, and even of immorality. Latimer and Erasmus have fully described the real character and results of pilgrimages. After the abolition of monasteries, travellers had no places of resort excepting inns; of these the larger ones usually retained the form of an open courtyard, with galleries around, communicating with the various ranges of apartments, as represented in the engraving on the next page. The innkeeper now became a personage of considerable note and importance in the town. In country places, where the living was a scanty provision for the incumbent, sometimes that personage also was the tavern-keeper, and entertained travellers. Harrison says, that before the Reformation it was common for those who desired good wine to purchase it from "the cleargie and religious men," as it was known that they would neither drink nor be served of the worst; and that the merchant would fear future punishment, if he served them with other than the best. A writer of the latter part of the century, enumerates the many attentions a traveller receives at an inn. He closes with saying, Should he object to any charge, the host is ready to alter it." Harrison, in 1586, describes that "ech commer is sure to lie in cleane sheets;" no charge for his bed was made to a horseman, but a foot traveller had to pay a penny. He says, "Every man may use his inn as his own house in England." In large towns there were as many as from twelve to sixteen inns; in some instances, 307. or 407. was expended in "gorgeousness of their verie signes," to tempt travellers. 66 The danger to travellers from thieves was considerable. In 1599, both horsemen and footmen, "disguising themselves with beardes that they carry about them in their pockets, do frequent and use about Layton and Snaresbrook, near London." Salisbury |