In my previous letter I tried to explain the nature of the Company of the Merchants of the Staple, an organization that held the exclusive rights to export wool from England. This merchant cartel existed from late 13th century. The Carpenters were charter members. This information I had published before, and I again do so here because of its extremely important bearing on the history of the Carpenter family (clan). In 1273 a John Carpenter was one of a select group of merchants given the exclusive rights to export wool from England. John’s non-English origins are betrayed by the French version of his name in the original document. The quotation is extremely brief, stating name and occupation. It is from the Calendar of Patent Rolls, 1272-128l.It is precisely dated May 12, 1273 under the heading “Licenses to Export Wool” and reads “Jean le Carpenter, merchant”.