Part 2 — 44. TRADE. PART II.
Reading edition
44. TRADE. PART II.
Incubus: something that weighs down and hinders.
religious wars in the Netherlands: between the Protestant Dutch and the Catholic Spaniards, who were oppressing the country through great part of the sixteenth century.
Bourse: the same as Exchange, where merchants meet to transact their business.
English wool in Bruges, because it was much exported thither from England before the growth of home manufactures.
Flemings: the natives of Flanders; who were the chief manufacturers of Europe long before England took the lead.
14 per cent.: the height of this rate may be seen by comparing it with the 2½ per cent., which is all England now pays as interest upon her debt.
Bethlehem Hospital, corrupted into Bedlam, is still a hospital, but only for the insane.