and commodity of our
merchants. And whereas in times past their chief trade was into Spain,
Portugal, France, Flanders, Danske [Denmark], Norway, Scotland, and
Ireland only, now in these days, as men not contented with these journeys,
they have sought out the East and West Indies, and made now and then
suspicious voyages, not only unto the Canaries and New Spain, but likewise
into Cathay, Muscovy, and Tartaria, and the regions thereabout, from
whence (as they say) they bring home great commodities. But alas! I see
not by all their travel that the prices of things are any whit abated.
Certes this enormity (for so I do account of it) was sufficiently provided
for (Ann. 9 Edward III.) by a noble statute made in that behalf, but upon
what occasion the general execution thereof is stayed or not called on, in
good sooth, I cannot tell. This only I know, that every function and
several vocation striveth with other, which of them should have all the
water of commodity run into her own cistern.

Yeomen are those which by our law are called _Legales homines_, free men
born English, and may dispend of their own free land in yearly revenue to
the sum of forty shillings sterling, or six pounds as money goeth in our
times. Some are of the opinion, by Cap. 2 Rich. 2 Ann. 20, that they are
the same which the Frenchmen call varlets, but, as that phrase is used in
my time, it is very unlikely to be so. The truth is that the word is
derived from the Saxon term _Zeoman_, or _Geoman_,[65] which signifieth
(as I have read) a settled or staid man, such I mean as, being married
and of some years, betaketh himself to stay in the place of his abode for
the better maintenance of himself and his family, whereof the single sort
have no regard, but are likely to be still fleeting now hither now
thither, which argueth want of stability in determination and resolution
of judgment, for the execution of things of any importance. This sort of
people have a certain pre-eminence, and more estimation than labourers and
the common sort of artificers, and these commonly live wealthily, keep
good houses, and travel to get riches. They are also for the most part
farmers to gentlemen (in old time called _Pagani, et opponuntur
militibus_, and therefore Persius calleth himself _Semipaganus_[66]), or
at the leastwise artificers, and with grazing, frequenting of markets, and
keeping of servants (not idle servants, as the gentlemen do, but such as
get both their own