The Account Given By Guicciardini Is
Confirmed By Wheeler, Who Wrote In 1601.
He observes, that a little before
the troubles in the Low Countries, the people of Antwerp were the greatest
Traders to Italy in English and other foreign merchandize; and also to
Alexandria, Cyprus, and Tripoli in Syria; "beating the Italians, English,
and Germans, almost entirely out of that trade, as they also soon did the
Germans in the fairs of their own country." He adds, that the Antwerp
merchants, being men of immense wealth, and consequently able to supply
Spain for the Indies at long credit, set their own prices on their
merchandize. Antwerp also supplied Germany, Spain, Portugal, and Eastland
with the wares, which France was wont to supply them. He adds, "It is not
past eighty years ago, (that would be about 1520,) since there were not, in
London, above twelve or sixteen Low Country merchants, who imported only
stone pots, brushes, toys for children, and other pedlar's wares; but in
less than forty years after, there were, in London, at least one hundred
Netherland merchants, who brought thither all the commodities which the
merchants of Italy, Germany, Spain, France, and Eastland, (of all which
nations there were, before that time, divers famous and notable rich
merchants and companies,) used to bring into England out of their own
country directly, to the great damage of the said strangers, and of the
natural born English merchants."
Guicciardini informs us, that in his time the port of Armuyden, in the
island of Walcheren, was the place of rendezvous for the shipping of
Antwerp: in it have often been seen 500 large ships lying at one time,
bound to, or returning from distant parts of the world. He adds, that it
was no uncommon thing for 500 ships to come and go in one day; that 10,000
carts were constantly employed in carrying merchandize to and from the
neighbouring countries, besides hundreds of waggons daily coming and going
with passengers; and 500 coaches used by people of distinction. In his
enumeration of the principal trades, it is curious that there were
ninety-two fishmongers, and only seventy-eight butchers; there were 124
goldsmiths, who, it must be recollected, at that time acted as bankers, or
rather exchangers of money. The number of houses was 13,500. With respect
to the shipping, which, according to this author, were so numerous at the
port of Antwerp, comparatively few of them belonged to this city, as most
of its commerce was carried on by ships of foreign nations.
This circumstance, of its having but few ships of its own, may be regarded
as one cause why, when it was taken and plundered by the Spaniards in the
year 1585, it could not recover its former commerce, as the shipping
removed with the nations they belonged to. The forts which the Dutch built
in the Scheldt were, however, another and a very powerful cause. The trade
of Holland rose on the fall of Antwerp, and settled principally at
Amsterdam; this city had indeed become considerable after the decline of
the Hanseatic confederacy; but was not renowned for its commerce till the
destruction of Antwerp.
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