Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1773 edition. Excerpt: ... the king's protection; though liable to be sent home whenever the king sees occasion. But no subject of a nation at was with us can, by the law of nations, come into the realm, not can travel himself upon the high seas, or send his goods and merchandise from one place to another, without clanger of 6eing seised by our subjects, unless he has letters of safeconduct; which, by divers antient statutes0 must be granted nnder the king's great seat and iiwolled in- chancery, or else are of no effect: the king being supposed the best judge (c)f such emergencies, as may deserve exception scorn the general law of arms. But passports under the king's signmanual, or licences from his ambassadors abroad, are now more usually obtained, and. are allowed to be of equal Validity. Indeeit the saw of England1, as a; commercial country, pays a very particular regard to foreign merchants in innumerable instances. One I cannot omit to mention: that by magna carta* it is provided, that all merchants (unless publickly prohibited before-hand) shall have fase-conduct to depart from, to come into, to tarry in, and to go through England, for the exercise of merchandize, without any unreasonable-imposts, except in time of war: and, if a war breaks out between us and their country, they shall be attached (if in England) without harm of body or goods, till the king or his chief justiciary be informed how our merchants-are treated in the land with which we are at war; and, if ours be secure in that land, they shall be secure in ours. This seems tb have been a common rule of equity among all the northern nations; for we learn from Stieinhook i, that it was a maxim among the Goths and Swedes, ** quam Ugem txttri nobis*' pojiare, tandem illis ponemus." But it is...