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HE invasion and conquest of England by the Normans must have strengthened the connection between England and the continent, and so have promoted trade and navigation. In 1052 just before the conquest, the Cinque Ports are noted as possessing many ships, but English craft do not as yet appear to have ventured outside the Bay of Biscay to the south, whilst navigation to the north was, it is probable, mainly in the hands of Scandinavians. In 1095 is a curious notice of joint ownership of ships, when we hear that Godric, who later became a saint, a native of Walpole, in Norfolk, held one-half of one ship and quarter of another. The almost absolute silence of contemporary authorities on the subject of seafaring during the Norman period, is at least remarkable, though it does not by my means prove that there were no voyages. Early in the twelfth century the Scots annalists mention the present of an Arab horse and Turkish armour, as given by King Alexander to St. Andrews. This would point to intercourse with the Mediterranean countries.

In the year 1102 one Saewulf, a merchant who afterwards became a monk at Malmesbury, pilgrimaged to the Holy Land. As usual, he seems to have gone overland to Italy, whence he sailed to the Ionian Isles, and there disembarking, travelled on foot to Negropont. After this he took ship and sailed by Tinos, Syros, Mykonos, Naxia, Karos, Amorgos, Samos, Scio, Mitylene, Patmos, Cnidus, and Cyprus to Joppa, where he found a great fleet of ships assembled, bringing pilgrims. A violent storm arose and his ship was wrecked, but he had escaped by going ashore before the