sh; and, shortly after, he sent a
long letter to his Chancellor, the Bishop of Durham, as well on that
negociation, as on an affair in dispute between the English merchants
and the Genoese. This document shows how minutely Henry investigated
the matters on which he wrote; and how sensible a view he took of the
interests of our commerce, and how dispassionate was his judgment. The
Genoese had seized goods belonging to English merchants, who laid
claim for a compensation. Henry's letter states the exact sum (p. 269)
at which the English estimated their merchandise, and the lower price
fixed by the Genoese;[200] and then, in consideration of the injury
done to English commerce by the Genoese letters of marque, Henry
recommends the English merchants to accept the offer made by the
Genoese, provided they stipulate that the English merchant vessels
shall have as free course of trade to Genoa as the Genoese desired to
have to the ports of England. This correspondence is found among the
"Proceedings of the Privy Council." The whole is well deserving the
perusal of any one interested in the history of British commerce, but
is on too extensive a scale for insertion at length in this work.[201]

[Footnote 199: Bib. Cotton. Galba, B. i. f. 131.]

[Footnote 200: The English merchants (Henry says)
valued their goods captured at 10,000_l._ the
Genoese estimated them at 7,180_l._ and they are
willing "for to stand in our good grace and
benevolence, to pay without any exception 4,000_l._
at reasonable times; our subjects and our merchants
of our land having hereafter free coming and going
to Genoa, as they of Genoa desire to have into our
realm of England."]

[Footnote 201: A letter addressed by Henry, whilst
he was at Mante, to one Thomas Rees and other
merchants of Bristol, (October 11th, 1419,) shows
what accurate information he received of even
minute affairs in England. He tells them that they
have imported goods from Genoa, and he desires to
select from them such as he might wish to have,
promising to pay for them honestly.]

The only other instance which the Author of these Memoirs woul