Severe laws were made against taking interest for money, which was then denominated usury.[*] [3] Even the profits of exchange were prohibited, as savoring of usury,[**] which the superstition of the age zealously proscribed.

All evasive contracts, by which profits could be made from the loan of money, were also carefully guarded against.[***] It is needless to observe how unreasonable and iniquitous these laws, how impossible to be executed, and how hurtful to trade, if they could take place.

We may observe, however, to the praise of this king, that sometimes, in order to promote commerce, he lent to merchants sums of money without interest, when he knew that their stock was not sufficient for those enterprises which they had in view.[****] Laws were made against the exportation of money, plate, or bullion: [v] a precaution which serves to no other purpose than to make more be exported.
* See note C, at the end of the volume.
** 4 Henry VII.cap.24.The practice of breaking entails by means of a fine and recovery was introduced in the reign of Edward IV.: but it was not, properly speaking, law, till the statute of Henry VII.; which, by correcting some abuses that attended that practice, gave indirectly a sanction to it.
*** 3 Henry VII.cap.

5.
**** 3 Henry VII.cap.

6.
v 7 Henry VII.cap.