Venlo receives its city rights in 1343. As a consequence it is not allowed to vessels to load or unload on the right bank over the Meuse between Venlo and Mook (about sixty kilometres downstream, near Nijmegen). Moreover Venlo now is entitled to three annual fairs, which last two weeks and which are visited by merchants from far and near. Many inhabitants of Venlo are involved in trading, such as skippers, traders, transporters and porters. Farmers deliver merchandise outside town with horse-drawn carriage.