Scottish Staple
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Scottish Staple was a medieval and early modern trading system that required Scottish merchants to conduct foreign trade, particularly in goods like wool and hides, through designated staple ports—most notably in the Low Countries—to regulate commerce and secure royal revenues. It was a close equivalent to The Staple that ran in England.
History
In the 15th century, Bruges was the Scottish staple port. The arrangement was made following the marriage of Wolfert VI of Borselen and Mary Stewart, Countess of Buchan in 1444.[1]
As the harbour at Bruges silted up, the focus of Scots trade moved north to the Dutch ports of Middelburg and Veere, with Veere gaining staple status in 1541,[2] when the merchant Andrew Mowbray (III) travelled to Middelburg as commissioner for the city of Edinburgh to negotiate a trade agreement with Maximilian II of Burgundy.[3]
Conservator of Privileges
At the Staple towns, Scottish interests were served by an officer called the Conservator of Privileges, or Conservator of the Scottish Staple. The Conservator held a judicial court reckoned as an inferior jurisdiction under the authority of the Parliament of Scotland. A Conservator of Privileges was established at Bruges on 12 September 1408 by Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany, Regent of Scotland.[5]
The Conservators include Stevin Anguys and Anselm Adornes (died 1483) in Bruges,[6] Andrew Halyburton (died 1507),[7] George Gordon, George Hacket, Robert Dennistoun (appointed 1587), Thomas Cunningham senior, Deputy-Conservator (died 1623), Patrick Drummond, Thomas Cunningham, Johannes Klencke, William Davidson of Curriehill, James Kennedy, Andrew Kennedy of Closeburn, who worked at Rotterdam, and John Hume.[8][9]
