Page:Outlines of European History.djvu/595

 Medieval Towns — their Business and Buildings 507 business and greatly extended the employment of bills of ex- change. They lent for nothing, but exacted damages for all de- lay in repayment. This appeared reasonable and right even to those who condemned ordinary interest. Another serious disadvantage which the medieval merchant Tolls, duties, had to face was the payment of an infinite number of tolls and annoyances duties which were demanded by the lords through whose domains *° ^^J^^ •' ° merchants his road passed. Not only were duties exacted on the highways, were sub- bridges, and at the fords, but those barons who were so fortunate land as to have castles on a navigable river blocked the stream in such a way that the merchant could not bring his vessel through without a payment for the privilege. The charges were usually small, but the way in which they were collected and the repeated delays must have been a serious source of irritation and loss to the merchants. For example, a certain monastery lying between Paris and the sea required that those hastening to town with fresh fish should stop and let the monks pick out what they thought worth three pence, with little regard to the condition in which they left the goods. When a boat laden with wine passed up the Seine to Paris, the agent of the lord of Poissy could have three casks broached, and, after trying them all, he couW take a measure from the one he liked best. At the markets all sorts of dues had to be paid, such, for example, as fees for using the lord's scales or his measuring rod. Besides this, the great variety of coinage which existed in feudal Europe caused infinite perplexity and delay. Commerce by sea had its own particular trials, by no means Dangers confined to the hazards of wind and wave, rock and shoal. ^ ^^^ Pirates were numerous in the North Sea. They were often Pirates organized and sometimes led by men of high rank, who appear to have regarded the business as no disgrace. The coasts were dangerous and lighthouses and beacons were few. Moreover, natural dangers were increased by false signals which wreckers used to lure ships to shore in order to plunder them.