Oak Book

List of rules and regulations governing the use of the port of Southampton by shipping in the early 14c. It also contained a schedule of customs charges for the immense variety of goods being brought into England. Spices and dyes are notable: *brasil, cumin, rice, saffron, cloves and ginger are a few of the items specified. Sugar is one of these luxuries, referred to as zucre or soucre. The book is a useful record of just where shipping came from in the 14c: apart from places nearby such as Flanders and France, boats came from Genoa and nearby Savona, from Ancona, Venice, Catalonia and Portugal. Southampton shared this eastern trade via Italy with London: the Genoese traders tended to prefer Southampton, while the Venetians preferred London. Another part of the Oak Book set out local laws and regulations of the town of Southampton itself. These rules are all written in French.