ged. The rest of
the Jews, about 16,000, were expelled in 1290. This was popular
with the public because of the abuses of usury. There had been
outbreaks of violence directed at the Jews since about 1140. The
king used Italian bankers instead because he thought them more
equitable in their dealings. The lepers were driven out of London
in 1276. Exports and imports were no longer a tiny margin in an
economy just above the subsistence level. Exports were primarily
raw wool and cloth, but also grain, butter, eggs, herring, hides,
leather goods such as bottles and boots, embroideries, metalware,
horseshoes, daggers, tin, coal, and lead. Imported were wine,
silk, timber, furs, rubies, emeralds, fruits, raisins, currents,
pepper, ginger, cloves, rice, cordovan leather, pitch, hemp,
spars, fine iron, short rods of steel, bow-staves of yew, tar,
oil, salt, cotton (for candlewicks), and alum (makes dyes hold).
Ships which transported them had one or two masts upon which sails
could be furled, the recently invented rudder, and a carrying
capacity of up to 200 tuns [about one ton]. Many duties of
sheriffs and coroners were transferred to county landholders by
commissions. In coastal counties, there were such commissions for
supervising coastal defense and maintaining the beacons. Each
maritime county maintained a coast guard, which was under the
command of a knight. Ports had well-maintained harbors, quays, and
streets. By 1306 there was an office of admiral of the fleet of
the ships of the southern ports.

Women could inherit land in certain circumstances. Some tenants
holding land in chief of the king were women.

Regulation of trade became national instead of local. Trade was
relatively free; almost the only internal transportation tolls
were petty portages and viages levied to recoup the expense of a
bridge or road which had been built by private enterprise.
Responsibility for the coinage was transferred from the individual
moneyers working in different boroughs to a central official who
was to become Master of the Mint. The round half penny and
farthing [1/4 penny] were created so that the penny needn't be cut
into halves and quarters anymore.

Edward I called meetings of representatives from all social and
geographic sectors of the nation at one Parliament to determine
taxes due to the Crown. He declared that "what touches all, should
be approved by all". He wanted taxes from the burgesses in the
towns and the clergy's