216 THE ETYMOLOGY OF l BAY-SALT* April Generally, however, the rolls do not even implicitly mention the whereabouts of what was evidently a well-known place. Thus, in 1338, two orders were issued that certain ships which were about to sail to Aquitaine and ' la Bay ' for wine, salt, &c, should for defence and offence sail together in one fleet. 1 Again, in 1342 a reprisal order was issued to remedy the grievance of a merchant whose father had in 18 Edward II caused a newly- built ship of his to be freighted in Gascony with wine, &c, and had taken it to ' la Bay ', where he sold part of the wine, reloaded with salt, and took his ship to the port of Lire in Normandy to trade, where it was seized and confiscated by the agents of the king of France. 2 Similarly, in 1350 a merchant loaded a ship ' with salt at la Bay ', and freighted it to Winchelsea to be unloaded. 3 An order was made on 24 March 1360/1 for the restitution of a ship of Harfleur, which had been laden in the port of Noirmoutier with a cargo of salt of ' la Baye ', and had been captured by English pirates. 4 Another order, issued a few days later, deals with another long-standing grievance, that of a merchant who in 21 Edward lit had freighted a ship * to sail to la Baye to lade salt there ' and bring it to Youghal, which ship had had an adventurous homeward voyage. 5 In 1364 a general order was made to permit a merchant who, with the king's licence, was going ' to La Baie and other places for salt and other merchandise, to pass without impedi- ment 6 The same year two licences were granted to export and sell herrings, and to buy with the proceeds a cargo of salt at 1 La Baye ' ; whilst in the following year a safe-conduct was granted to a merchant who had received a licence to take his ship * for salt and other merchandise at La Baye and other places 7 Safe-conducts were also given in 1370 for several Flemish ships which their owners were about to send to * Le Bay and elsewhere to find salt and take it to Flanders ', 8 and in 1376 an order was made concerning a ship which had been ' laded at the Bay with salt ', and had been brought thence to the port of Blakeney in Norfolk. 9 Similarly, an order issued in 1391, in a suit about the freighting, &c, of a vessel for sailing to ' la Bay ' for salt, loading her there, and bringing her back to Weymouth or Southampton, does not state where * la Bay ' is. 10 1 Cal. of Close Rolls, 1337-9 (1900), p. 526. 2 Ibid. 1341-3 (1902), p. 435. 3 Ibid. 1349-54 (1906), p. 197. 4 Ibid. 1360-4 (1909), p. 256. The capture had been made the year before. 5 Ibid. p. 178. 6 Cal. of Patent Rolls, 1361-4 (1912), p. 542. 7 Ibid. 1364-7 (1912), pp. 52 and 108. 8 Ibid. 1367-70 (1913), p. 439. 9 Cal. of Close Rolls, 1374-7 (1913), p. 404. 10 Cal. of Patent Rolls, 1388-92 (1902), p. 473. Cf. Cal. of Close Rolls, 1385-9 (in the press), p. 329, an. 1387, a Winchelsea ship laden with salt at ' La Baye ', and plundered off the coast of Britanny ; and p. 592, an. 1389, a ship of Danzig
