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An Early Great Britain and its Failure
Wales; Part 1

Wales; Part 1

We may sum Edward's policy as one of "orderly consolidation". Two aspects of it - his far-reaching legislative measures, and his shaping of the Model Parliament - have been explained. Another, which was of immense value to the kingdom, though it scarcely finds a place in political history, is seen in his commercial policy. At first each town had aimed at getting privileges for its own townsmen. those who were " free of the town " had all sorts of rights of buying and selling which the stranger from outside did not possess. In the regulations of the town guilds and merchant guilds, which were associations of townsmen in each town, we find hosts of regulations limiting and preventing the "foreigner" from competing or interfering with the townsman's profits; and it must not be supposed that "foreigner" included only those who were not English. The word was of far wider meaning. It meant anyone who was not a townsman. Consequently there was an abundant crop of jealousy between townsmen of different towns, and the whole trade of the country was hampered.

Although the average townsman was unable to see beyond his own town walls, Edward I was not likely to take so limited a view. He did much to prevent the towns shutting themselves up in a cage of restrictions. He encouraged them where he thought the guild rules to be sensible, as, for instance, in insisting upon good quality of wares, and in trying to prevent people from creating artificial scarcity by buying up quantities of goods with the hope of being able to sell again at higher prices. But he looked at the good of the whole country - at the nation and not at the town. And he did something to check the exclusive spirit which he saw around him. He could not believe that it was wholesome that a Londoner should be regarded as a "foreigner" in Southampton, or a Newcastle man as a "foreigner" in York; and though he did not break down the town privileges altogether, he took them under his royal regulation. Thus, by being the first English king who followed a national commercial policy, he set an example which his successors followed.

National legislation, national treatment of commerce, a national Parliament in which all classes were represented, all bear witness to Edward's idea of a "united English nation". But Edward was not content with this. He aimed at something much wider - a united British race. He strove to join under the English crown both Wales and Scotland. In his first object he succeeded; in the latter, he failed. The story of these enterprises is the next main subject.

Wales; Part 1

Chronology