living in 16th century england

Chapter 41 Hanseatic League
Gary stood up with his old clothes covered in dust, "My baron, where do you want my house to be built?"

Matthew wondered if he should also get overalls for the captain and the crew?On the mouth, he said: "You can figure it out."

Gary looked inquiringly: "I think my wife, whom I have never met, is nearby."

Matthew blinked: "The people of the Hawkins family are basically nearby. There are 5 square miles around here that belong to the Hawkins family...not for sale."

Gary smiled: "That's good, I'll buy it farther away."

The two married without the knowledge of the woman's family.Matthew is fine, he was entrusted by others.However, Gary has already entered the state, feeling like he has found an organization, and the loneliness that his relatives were not there before has disappeared.This subtle subconsciousness kept him from betraying Matthew all his life.

When Matthew got off his horse, Gary asked, "I heard you recruited a bunch of homeless people?"

No one in Plymouth knew of the tramp being escorted from the port to pass through the streets.

Matthew: "Yeah, what's your suggestion?"

Gary: "I need to recruit some sailors. Among the vagrants, there must be some rebellious and unruly guys who are suitable for pirates."

Matthew was very surprised, what the hell, why didn't I think of it?
Instead of letting them harm the place and finally be sent to the guillotine, it is better to send them to a pirate ship and harm others.

Matthew is not a holy mother, and immediately agreed.Raising pirates was originally his plan.Taking pains to gather pirates, on the one hand, is easy to use, on the other hand, it is a professional counterpart.Pirates, of course, are the most suitable ones who are brave and ruthless.

Remember the different attitudes of the Tudors towards the navy and army?No matter how many ships Matthew owned and how many sailors he recruited, he would not be suspected.But if he recruits thirty or fifty fief knights who make a living by cutting people, they will immediately enter some kind of list.Even recruiting too many people is already a crime.

However, he didn't know the intelligence organization Henry VII set up, but a centralized autocratic monarch would not be blind no matter what, this is common sense.Henry VIII had a bunch of people in the Hawkins Manor, of course not just to protect the vault.

If possible, Matthew would very much like to make those captains his knights, but unfortunately this is a taboo in the Tudor dynasty.So I only made one and a half ~ Robert hasn't come back for such a long time, and I don't know if he is dead or alive.

The oath is such a thing, the more high-level people are, the more they don't believe it, and the more nobles they are, the more they don't believe it.That's why some people say that the Pope should be the one who doesn't believe in God the most.

Matthew suddenly remembered a story, but forgot the source.

~ There was a Jew whose friend was a Catholic.Concentrate on encouraging him to convert to Catholicism.So the Jew went to Italy to investigate.

After returning, he believed in God.The friend was a little surprised, so he asked why.

He said, I saw in Italy, from top to bottom, there is no one in the Catholic Church who is not shameless, so that prostitutes and child molesters are in power.All of them are lustful evil spirits, greedy for food and drink, comparable to gluttony.He loves money like his life, and treats people like livestock.Whether it is a church position or an altar artifact, it can be sold at a price... (Hundreds of words are omitted here)
Even so, it still stands firm, so it must be protected by the Holy Spirit, I have to believe it. ~
The bottom of European society and the upper class are two completely different worldviews and methodologies.Generally speaking, if a low-level person wants to leave the class, he must first understand what the upper class is like before he can integrate into it.

So you see that the nobles per capita were in the Lu Bu era, but there are still many generous people who died.

On most timelines in Europe, all the noble virtues of integrity, justice and normality may be a stumbling block to entering the upper class.

The original Catholicism was able to sweep Europe, of course it has its own advantages.But the real monks will only be eliminated or reduced to the bottom when the power is getting bigger and bigger and the fish and dragons are mixed.

Those so-called virtues do not contribute to this competition.

Was the Reformation for divorce?A simple common sense is that any social change needs a foundation, whether it is a material foundation, an ideological foundation, or an economic foundation.The so-called Catholic Captain Mike can draw his sword and slash at the Catholic monks without hesitation.That's the basics.The Nordic Protestant countries will be able to fight the Southern European Catholic regions for 30 years in just a few decades.It is hard to imagine without a social foundation.

Those who value the oath often mean that they are not born well... Matthew sighed inwardly.

He recruited two followers: "You take Captain Gary to that camp and help him recruit sailors."

One of the attendants was actually a few months younger than Danny, but he seemed to have a lot of ideas: "Matthew, can I be a sailor on a ship?"

Matthew: "Aiden...your brother won't agree."

Aiden: "He can go on a ship and be a sailor, why can't I?"

Matthew stared: "He is your brother... When Billy comes back, you can ask him, and he will agree."

Gary thought, this attendant seems to have an unusual relationship with the Baron.It's not so much a follower as a friend.Can't help but look a few more times.

Matthew: "Gary, if you can be faster, you might be able to catch up with Newfoundland, which is just right for them to exercise. Remember, at least 15 sailors, because they need to travel day and night."

Gary: "...new sailor I don't know."

Matthew smiled: "Don't worry, I have a lot of skilled sailors, and I will hold a meeting at that time to adjust it and match the old and the new."

Isn't it just for this kind of moment to raise so many sailors?In fact, the captains are also thinking about it.

Matthew's so-called meeting was, of course, the captain's meeting in the backyard of the tavern.Fishing operations in Newfoundland fishing grounds are about to begin.There is nothing to say about this. After planning for so long, I even thought of bringing a fisherman with each boat.

What surprised him was that he didn't know who was in the lead. They went to Matthew privately one by one, saying that many first officers could actually be captains, and there were enough sailors, but now there is no boat for them, do you think about it? Method?
One more boat means more gold coins.According to an accountant's calculation, if the load is 200 tons, it can make a net profit of over [-] gold coins in one trip.And this profit is linked to everyone's bonus.

Jack: "Nephew, don't worry, I can get William a boat in just a few days. At that time, hey, do you want to give him a captain position?"

Matthew is of course good-natured: "I know what you mean, but the owner of the ship can only be me, otherwise if something happens, I will have no position to protect you in the name of England."

This trend of thought is the sequelae of recruiting too many pirates.The thinking of the pirates is very simple, what they snatch is ours.It was because of Matthew's identity that he could think of looking for Matthew.

No one is loyal without a reason.

Once the pirates are caught these days, the usual end is to be beheaded.And the subordinates of a nobleman are often treated as prisoners of war.As long as you pay a little ransom, you can come back, and you are a good man alive and well.

Is it a one-life clearance or infinite resurrection?Is this still worth considering?
In fact, it was Matthew who drove the head. Lawrence, the first mate who specializes in sailing, is how he became the captain.When the news spread, everyone was jealous. Is 2 gold coins better or 5 gold coins more?Is it fun to be a first mate, or a majestic captain?
How much power does the captain have?

Until modern times, the captain has recognized judicial power, police power, and notary power over the ship.

In the age of great navigation, the captain even had the right to execute any crew member.

Jack smiled and said, "Understood, but now that England is not at war with anyone, it is better to rob someone."

Matthew smiled slightly: "The Hanseatic League."

Jack was stunned.

Since it wants to obtain wealth from the sea, conflict with the Hanseatic League is inevitable.Matthew could see clearly.

These days, you must carry cannons with you when doing business.You have to be ready to start filming with people at all times.Otherwise, Matthew would not have installed 24 cannons on the little donkey. After failing, he persistently installed four cannons on the buttocks.

Matthew: "But we can only find the single ones, and we can't disturb them yet. Just follow this principle and don't leak the news."

Jack immediately understood, thinking that this nephew was also a pirate in his previous life?
"……no problem."

In order to control the big and small local tyrants in Plymouth, Matthew signed an agreement to cover all their goods.That's right, everything.Form a de facto underwriting system.Many things can be sold for a good price if they are dragged to London or the Netherlands.It’s really not working, it’s just a little more travel.

This has caused dissatisfaction among some people, and these people are basically members of the Hanseatic League.

This is also a temptation of Matthew.

Judging from the feedback, it's all just talk.Plymouth tin ore is considered a special product, not the Chinese cabbage that can be found everywhere. Although the output is not high, there are always some. Now they are rounded up by others, of course they are dissatisfied.

Matthew directly increased the price by 30%.Love to buy, buy, not to buy.

Is this behavior excessive?In fact, it is very common in this era, and Hanseatic cities often do this.There are a lot of rules and regulations when buying other things. In short, it is right to let you pay more.

Free trade never existed. "Only I can make money" is the norm.

Matthew remembered the Hanseatic League, but the records were positive.It's a pity that he has lived here for 20 years and already knows the whole picture.

The purpose of the Hanseatic League was not to create a utopia of fair trade, but its privileges.Well, it can also be said to be freedom.Freedom or privilege belonging to the top ~ even ordinary members are the targets of exploitation.

All for monopoly.If you don't join, the Hanseatic League has plenty of ways for you to join.Businessmen always want profits, so they can only bow their heads.A city, a place, or even a country cannot compete with this kind of organization.

Because it looks like a trade organization, but it is actually a military organization.In history, they beat Denmark violently, and Scotland violently... three times, so that the North Sea fishing ground is so close that poor British fishermen dare not go.

The Netherlands has resisted, and many places have resisted, and even let their sailors act as pirates to rob the Hanseatic League, but it is useless.If you can't beat it, you can't beat it, and trade sanctions will be imposed on you at every turn.

Now Matthew's average net profit per ship does not exceed 120 gold coins per month, largely because the Hanseatic League controls the Baltic Sea coast, with meager profits.So much so that I go to the Iberia direction more often.

Even so, with just six miscellaneous ships, it is estimated that an earl can earn almost 8000 gold coins a year.

So you know, pirate-turned-captains are going to loot to increase the number of ships.Why did Matthew agree.Why seeing the captain, the mallet is like seeing gold coins.

At present, Matthew can't afford to offend the Hanseatic League, so he can only beat Sap.

After studying the information compiled by accountants, he often thought: If I have 20 little donkeys, 30000 pounds per year should not be a problem, right?
But this is too idealistic.The world is dynamic.Maybe you meet pirates, maybe you meet a shipwreck, maybe the ship is detained.Even if everything goes smoothly, he will definitely become the target of the Hanseatic League.

This was a deadlock, because after ten months of the year, he had to give Henry VIII enough profits - £1 to £2 a year.There are also ten warships.

The battleship is far away, so we can only work hard on the little donkey.To be precise, it is equipped with heavy artillery.

It wasn't surprising that Matthew had this thought, he remembered how the Armada had come to an end.The little donkey is equipped with a side heavy gun, which can be said to have firepower and maneuverability, which is perfect.

Sitting in a corner of the tavern, Matthew conceived the number and location of the heavy artillery in his mind.Then Gary came running: "My Baron, you are indeed here... to tell you a sad news..."

Matthew turned his head: "..."

Gary: "That boat leaked shortly after launch."

Matthew almost jumped up: "Watt!"

Gary had a strange expression: "Your boatman said that the garbage was picked up by someone else...No one has wanted it..."

Matthew took a breath, thinking that Nima's 70 gold coins are gone...he needs to make up for it.

No, one 70 tons less is equal to 70 tons less salted fish, which means more than 100 gold coins less every month.What a loss!

With a bang, the door of the tavern was pushed open, and four or five people rushed in.Gary hurriedly turned and pressed his hand on the handle of the knife.On closer inspection, the leader seems to be a Portuguese.He looked around, and then rushed to Matthew aggressively.

"Mr. Hawkins, you may not know me...but I heard you bought up all the tin ore in Plymouth? I have to say, you are a real bastard."

Matthew looked at the gold-adorned Swiftsword at his waist, and at the signet ring on his finger.He suddenly smiled: "You want tin ore? How about we play cards, win me, and I will sell you 200 tons at the normal price."

The Portuguese was stunned for a moment, and then smiled: "With this lottery, you dare to play cards with me?"

(End of this chapter)