.Ancient Records 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Merchant Taylors" Company 
 
 of London 
 
 >*»siWMg» 
 
 H, L. Hopklnson
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 

 
 REPORT ON THE 
 MERCHANT TAYLORS' COMPANY'S 
 RECORDS. 
 
 \
 
 Report 
 
 ON lill 
 
 Ancient Records 
 
 in the possession of the 
 
 Guild of Merchant Taylors 
 
 OF THE 
 
 dfratetnttg of &t. 3Jofjn Baptist 
 
 IN THE 
 
 City of London. 
 
 BY 
 
 Henry Lennox Hopkinson, 
 
 M.A., LL.B., 
 
 Trinity College, Cambridge, and Inner Temple, 
 Master of the Guild for the Tear 1910-1 1. 
 
 WATERLOW AND SONS LIMITED. 
 1915. 
 
 ( Printed for Private Circulation.)
 
 
 St. John Baptist's Day, 1915. 
 
 My Dear Master, 
 
 I have now completed my report on the archives of the 
 Merchant Taylors' Company. 
 
 It is a gratification to me that I am able to present it to 
 the Court of Assistants of the Company before the comple- 
 tion of your term of office, as the subject is one in which you 
 have always taken much interest. 
 
 I am, my dear Master, 
 
 Yours sincerely, 
 
 Henry L. Hopkinson. 
 
 Ernest Woolley, Esq., 
 
 Master of the Merchant Taylors Company. 
 
 914228
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 
 Introduction 
 
 PAGE 
 I 
 
 Ancient Manuscript Books 
 
 6 
 
 Charters ... 
 
 29 
 
 Miscellaneous Documents, A 
 
 32 
 
 Miscellaneous Documents, B.... 
 
 43 
 
 Ancient Title-Deeds 
 
 54 
 
 Conclusion ... 
 
 97 
 
 Appendix A 
 
 99 
 
 Appendix B 
 
 108
 
 LIST 01 ABBREVIATIONS. 
 
 Book. — Calendar of Manuscript Books in the possession of the Men 
 Taylors' Company. 
 
 Deeds. — Calendar of Ancient Title-Deeds in the possession of the 
 Merchant Taylors' Company. 
 
 Misc. Docs. — Calendar of Miscellaneous Documents in the p< 
 of the Merchant Taylors' Company. 
 
 Charters. — Calendar of Charters and Letters Patent in the possession 
 of the Merchant Taylors' Company. 
 
 CM. — Minutes of the Court of Assistants of the Merchant Taylors' 
 Company. 
 
 Memorials. — Memorials of the Guild of Merchant Taylors of the 
 Fraternity of St. John the Baptist in the City of London. By 
 C. M. Clode, 1S75. 
 
 Early History.— The Early History of the Guild of Merchant Taylors 
 of the Fraternity of St. John the Baptist, London. By C. M. Clode, 
 18S8. 2 vols. 
 
 Hallam. — History of England, new edition, 1872. 2 vols. 
 
 Herbert. — The History of the Twelve Great Livery Companies of 
 London. By William Herbert, 1837. 2 vols. 
 
 Riley. — Memorials of London and London Life. By H. T. Riley. 1S68. 
 
 Stow. — Stow's Survey of London, edited by C. L. Kingsford, 1908. 
 2 vols. 
 
 Strype.— Stow's Survey of London, edited by Strype, 1720. 2 vols. 
 
 Cal. Wills.— Calendar of Wills in the Court of Husting, London, edited 
 by R. R. Sharpe, 1889, 1890. 2 vols. 
 
 Ana Deeds. — Catalogue of Ancient Deeds preserved in the Public 
 Record Office. 
 
 Inq. p.m. — Inquisitiones postmortem. 
 
 Letters and Papers.— Calendar of Letters and Papers, Foreign and 
 Domestic, of the reign of Henry viii. 
 
 Hist. MSS. Comm.— Reports of the Royal Commission on Historical 
 Manuscripts.
 
 (t/t View taken ofalIthe<Ancient Tloohs, Charters^ 
 Evidences and Tapers of the Guild of 
 ^Merchant Taylors of the Fraternity of St. 
 
 jfo/i/i the ^Baptist in the City of London in 
 the time of Ernest JFoollcy, ^Master, by me, 
 Henry Eennox Hopkinson, an a?icioit /raster 
 of the said Fraternity, tAnno c Domini, 191 5. 
 
 INTRODUCTION, 
 
 The Merchant Taylors' Company have in their possession 
 
 a large number of ancient manuscript books, deeds and 
 
 other documents dating from the fourteenth century onwards. 
 
 As in the absence of a proper index they were not easily 
 
 accessible, and, indeed, of some very interesting documents 
 
 even the existence was not known, buried away as they 
 
 were in old boxes and cupboards, covered with dust and in 
 
 the utmost confusion, I obtained the sanction of the Master 
 
 and Wardens to go through our records and prepare a 
 
 descriptive catalogue or calendar of them. 
 
 I am not speaking of the more modern documents, of 
 
 which there is an excellent index prepared by Mr. \V. T. 
 
 Essex, our late office clerk, whose services in this, as 
 
 well as in other matters, were invaluable to the Companv. 
 
 I am referring only to ancient documents, the interest in 
 
 which lies for the most part in their antiquarian or historical 
 
 character, though many of them have also a considerable 
 
 practical value as documents of title. 
 
 B
 
 2 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 This calendar has now been completed, and I hope it 
 may prove not only of antiquarian interest to members of 
 the Company, but also of practical value in the Company's 
 affairs. It is much more than a mere schedule of docu- 
 ments, which would have been quite a simple matter to 
 prepare, and would have been useful in its way but of very 
 little general interest. 
 
 The plan adopted has been to give, in the case of 
 ancient books, particulars of the nature of their contents, and, 
 in the case of deeds and other documents, a short abstract ; 
 so that a person by referring to the calendar may, without 
 going through the original documents, ascertain whether they 
 contain any information on some subject in which he may be 
 specially interested. 
 
 Subject to a few exceptions, no document of a later date 
 than the year 1700 has been included, unless forming part of 
 a previously existing series, nor any deeds prior to that date 
 if relating to properties purchased subsequent thereto. 
 
 The index prepared by Mr. Essex includes particulars 
 of expired leases granted by the Company, and though some 
 of these belong to the seventeenth century I have not 
 thought it necessary to include them in the present calendar. 
 
 The actual work of calendaring has been for the most 
 part carried out by Miss M. Trice Martin and her sister, 
 Miss K. S. Martin, daughters of the late Mr. Charles Trice 
 Martin, formerly Assistant Keeper of the Public Records. 
 We have been fortunate in having secured the services of 
 these ladies, both of whom have had a large experience in 
 this kind of work under the able tuition of their father. 
 My share of the work has principally been to collect and 
 arrange the documents to be calendared, but that has 
 involved going through and sorting many hundreds of docu- 
 ments. I should like to express my gratitude for the 
 encouragement and assistance I have received from the Clerk
 
 INTRODUCTION. 3 
 
 of the Company, Mr. Edward Nash, without which I do not 
 
 think I could have faced what has really been a somewhat 
 
 formidable task. 
 
 So far as I have been able to trace, the last occasion on 
 
 which a complete calendar was made was in the year 16S9. 
 
 This calendar is still in existence, and includes books, title 
 
 deeds and other documents. (Book 13.) 
 
 There are also two existing earlier calendars of books, 
 
 one made in 1609 and the other in 1618. (Book 12.) 
 
 In Appendix A. to this report the earlier calendars are 
 
 compared with the new calendar for the purpose of shewing 
 what books have been lost and how many have survived. 
 It is satisfactory to know that a considerable number are still 
 in existence. 
 
 There is, however, one book, the loss of which is a 
 matter of great regret. This is a book described in the 
 calendar of 1609 as "One other auntient booke in paper 
 contayning the names of all the Masters and Wardens of 
 this Company sithence the yere Anno Domini 1300, being 
 the xxviiith yere of King Edward the First, every one in 
 succession untill this present yere 1609." 
 
 Mr. C. M. Clode, the historian of the Company, says : 
 "On the 17th of April, 1865, the then Clerk produced a 
 paper book (referred to in Herbert, vol. ii., p. 391) contain- 
 ing the names of the Masters and Wardens from 1300 to 
 1609, but this invaluable book is not to be found." (Memo- 
 rials, p. 2, note.) 
 
 It is to be noted that this book is not included in the 
 calendar of i6Sq. It is true Herbert includes it in a list of 
 books which is evidently only an epitome from the calendar 
 of 1609, but lie expressly says he hail not seen it. I can find 
 no record in the minutes, of the book having been produced 
 in 1S65, but as Mr. Clode was a warden that year he may 
 be presumed to be speaking from personal knowledge.
 
 4 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 I have heard it said, but I do not know on what authority, 
 that it was exhibited at the Hall on the occasion of some 
 reception and has not been seen since, and the conclusion has 
 been drawn that it was stolen. If so, it would be by some per- 
 son with a knowledge of its antiquarian value. It may perhaps 
 be buried away in some collection and may one day turn up 
 again, as happened in the case of a book of plans of the 
 Company's property made at the end of the seventeenth 
 century, which was bought back in 1825. (Book 25.) 
 
 It has been commonly supposed that many of our old 
 documents were destroyed in the Fire of London, but I do 
 not believe that was the case, though some few may have 
 been burnt and others lost in the confusion consequent on 
 the fire. It is certain that, unlike most of the halls of the 
 City guilds, our hall, though considerably damaged, was 
 not destroyed. By the time it reached our hall the force 
 of the fire was nearly spent. The church of St. Martin 
 Outwich, only a few paces away, was hardly damaged at 
 all. 
 
 I believe it was the neglect and ignorance of the 
 eighteenth and the early part of the nineteenth centuries 
 which were responsible for the loss of many documents. 
 Owing to damp and vermin, particularly mice, documents 
 may have become dilapidated or damaged, and would then 
 be destroyed as worthless, especially if the persons respon- 
 sible for their custody were unable to decipher the ancient 
 script, and this would be more likely to happen on those 
 occasions, which took place periodically, when the muni- 
 ment room was being tidied up. 
 
 In December, 1822, the Clerk having reported "the 
 ruinous and disordered state of the Company's deeds and 
 papers," it was ordered by the Court "that he be at liberty 
 to employ an able and intelligent person to put the same in 
 order." (C. M., 17th December, 1822.)
 
 INTRODUCTION. 5 
 
 The person he seems to have employed was his own 
 clerk, Mr. Young, to whom in 1826 the Court voted £30 
 " for his trouble in assorting the several papers of the Com- 
 pany." What Mr. Young's qualifications for a work of 
 this chara< tor were it is impossible to say, but from his 
 position one could hardly suppose him to have possessed the 
 necessary export knowledge of ancient manuscripts. 
 
 In 1S27, the Company's records, " being found in a very 
 dilapidated state," were ordered to be repaired and rebound, 
 the work being completed in June, 1827. (C. M., 27th April 
 and 26th June, 1827.) There are a number of books wi h 
 bindings evidently of this period. 
 
 The documents in the new calendar have been classified 
 under five separate headings, viz. : — 
 
 1. Ancient Manuscript Books. 
 
 2. Charters. 
 
 3. Miscellaneous Documents, A., relating to the Com- 
 
 pany's affairs. 
 
 4. Miscellaneous Documents, B., not so relating, so far 
 
 as can at present be ascertained. 
 
 5. Ancient Title Deeds. 
 
 I propose to give particulars of some of the more interest- 
 ing or curious documents comprised in the calendar, and for 
 that purpose it will be convenient to take them under their 
 separate headings. Many of the documents in connection 
 with Merchant Taylors' Hall and the property adjoining 
 thereto are of considerable interest, but as they have been 
 fully dealt with by me in the "History of the Site of 
 Merchant Taylors' Hall," I do not propose to refer to them 
 again in the following remarks, except so far as there may 
 be anything new to say about them.
 
 ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT BOOKS. 
 
 Book i, the first in the calendar, though not the 
 earliest in point of date, is a book containing the forms of the 
 oaths to be taken by the master, wardens and other mem- 
 bers and officers of the Company respectively, including 
 "the Preste that syngeth for John Chircheman," "the 
 Preste that syngeth for Thomas Carleton," and "the Lady 
 Roos Chauntre Preest." 
 
 The distinction between the oath of "an hole broder 
 admitted in to the lyvere of the Crafte " or liveryman, and 
 the oath of "an oute broder of the fraternitie ' ' or ordinary- 
 freeman, is to be noted. 
 
 The body now known as the Court of Assistants is 
 spoken of as the "xxiv." Certain ancient minute books 
 of the latter part of the fifteenth century refer to the meet- 
 ings of the " twenty-four," and give a list of the " twenty- 
 four " of the most trustworthy (" magis fidedignorum ") in 
 the time of William Buke (Master in 1488), from which it 
 appears that the governing body was at that time limited in 
 number to twenty-four. (Book 37.) 
 
 At a still earlier date, the number seems to have been 
 sixteen, for in a set of very ancient ordinances which have 
 been recently found (Misc. Docs., A. 2) there appears the 
 foJ lowing passage : — ■ 
 
 Also these ben the Ordynaunces that were made in 
 the tyme of Philip Possell, Meister, John Westwode, 
 Thomas Chichele, John Belhom and Pirs Savery, Wardeins 
 of the said Fraternitie above-said, bi the good and wyse 
 discrecions of the xvi. men bifor rehersed." Possell was 
 Master of the Company in 1429. A later ordinance of
 
 ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT BOOKS. 7 
 
 1436 is also stated as having been passed "by the good 
 avyse of the xvi. men." 
 
 Then comes an ordinance of 1442, which is passed " by 
 the good avyse of the xxiiii. byfor rehersed," from which it 
 would appear that between the years 1436 and 1442 the 
 number of the assistants was increased from sixteen to 
 twenty-four. (Book 37.) 
 
 The ordinances of 1507 and 16 13 continue to speak of 
 the twenty-four assistants and counsellors, though, a 
 matter of fact, since 1562, when the present minute books 
 commence, the number of members on the Court has gener- 
 ally exceeded that limit. (Book 2 and Charter 21.) 
 
 The corresponding body in the Bachelors' Company was 
 known as the "sixteen men." (Book 6.) 
 
 An incomplete table of obits to be kept by the Fraternity 
 is added at the end of the " Book of Oaths," and is stated to 
 be "made by me William Duryvale, Clerk of the said 
 Fraternitie in the yere of Our Lorde mcccclxxxxi. for a per- 
 petuell remembraunce and knowleche of kepyng of all such 
 obytes as ben accustumed to be kept by this Crafte." 
 
 This book is one of the recently discovered documents. 
 It was on loose vellum sheets, but for its better preservation 
 has now been bound up in book form. 
 
 The forms of oaths are earlier than any referred to in the 
 " Memorials," and are the only ones containing the oaths of 
 the chantry priests. 
 
 Book 2 is perhaps the most interesting the Company 
 possesses. It is labelled " Ordinances," but this is a mis- 
 description, for ordinances form only a part of its com 
 which include lists of indulgences and clauses as to the main- 
 tenance of priests (crossed through after the Reformation), 
 copies of the bull of Pope Calixtus iii. granting a licence 
 for a chapel at " Taillours Hall," and of the award of
 
 8 ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT BOOKS. 
 
 Sir Thomas Billesden in the matter of the dispute with the 
 Skinners' Company, besides other documents too numerous 
 to refer to more specifically here, but which are fully par- 
 ticularized in the calendar. Copies or translations of many 
 of them are to be found in the " Memorials." 
 
 Book 3 contains the ordinances of 1613 and 1661. 
 
 Book 4 contains treasury accounts from 1489-1503 with 
 notes of payments made in connection with the obtaining of 
 Henry viith's charter to the Company, and includes early 
 inventories of plate, jewels, etc. 
 
 There is also an account of plate ' ' delivered by way of 
 preste " in 1502. 
 
 It was in that year that Henry vii. demanded a subsidy 
 on account of the marriage of his daughter, Margaret, to the 
 king of Scotland, which Parliament refused to grant. It 
 may be that it was in consequence of this refusal that the 
 "preste" was made, in the form of a "benevolence." 
 (Hallam ii., 13.) 
 
 Book 5, "The Memoriall or Ledger Booke," contains 
 particulars of lands given to the Company, with the names of 
 the benefactors. It was made in the year 1578, and "was 
 perfeighted by the dilligente serche and collection of Mr. 
 Michael Flemynge of Lyncoln's Inne, Stewdente of the 
 Lawe, upon the perusinge of all the evidences belonginge to 
 this howse." 
 
 The second entry relates to the conveyance in 1392 of the 
 site of the Hall by Simon Wynchecombe and his co-trustees 
 to the Master and Wardens of the Company, after a licence 
 in mortmain had been obtained, " but yt is to be notid that 
 the said Londes have belonged to the Companie of the 
 Merchaunttaillours by way of feoffmente upon truste ever 
 sythens decimo nono of Kinge E. 3."
 
 ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT BOOKS. 9 
 
 This would fix 1345 (19 Edward iii.) as die date of die 
 acquisition of the site of the Hall by the Company, and, I 
 think, finally disposes of the idea, based on some remarks in 
 Stow's " Survey of London," that the site was acquired for 
 the Company by John de Vakeslee in 1332. For the 
 reasons given in the "History of the Site of Merchant 
 Taylors' Hall," I think that Vakeslee purchased the pro- 
 perty on his own behalf. It was in 1345 that he sold it to 
 John Aystwick, who in turn conveyed it in 1347 to certain 
 trustees for the Company, but if the date, 19 Edward iii., 
 is correctly given in the " Memoriall or Ledger Booke," the 
 purchase by Aystwick must have been made upon trust for 
 the Company. 
 
 Book 6 is the minute book of the Bachelors' Company, 
 and is interesting as the sole remaining record of the trans- 
 actions of a body which was an offshoot from the Merchant 
 Taylors' Company, and which ceased to exist at the close 
 of the seventeenth century. For an account of this Com- 
 pany see the "Memorials," p. 514, and the "Early 
 History," vol. i., chapter 3. Mr. Clode did not know of 
 the existence of this book, as he was under the belief that 
 all the records of the Bachelors' Company had been lost or 
 destroyed. 
 
 The following additional notes may be of interest. 
 
 It was originally known as the " Yoman Company," but 
 the name was changed to that of the Bachelors' Company in 
 1488 (see Book 2>7> v °l- "., f°l- 4^)- The ancient set of 
 ordinances above referred to (Misc. Docs., A. 2) speaks of 
 the yoman tailors as servants of the Mistery, " servientes de 
 Mistera Yoman taillours nuncupati." 
 
 The question of the status of the Bachelors' Company 
 was raised in a Chancery suit brought in the year 1692 by 
 the Attorney-General on the relation of certain members of
 
 io ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT BOOKS. 
 
 that Company against the Master and Wardens of the 
 Merchant Taylors' Company with regard to the administra- 
 tion of the trusts of the will of William Say, who bequeathed 
 to the Wardens of the Bachelors' Company a yearly rent- 
 charge of £6 i os. od., arising out of tenements in the 
 parishes of St. John Walbrook and St. Mary Abchurch. 
 (Misc. Docs., A. 17 (5)— (12).) 
 
 In their answer the Master and Wardens alleged that the 
 Bachelors' Company were not originally any part of the 
 constitution of the Merchant Taylors' Company, that the 
 government of the freemen of the Company had time out of 
 mind been vested in the Master, Wardens and Assistants, 
 but owing to the great amount of business of the Company 
 they had appointed four persons by the name of Wardens' 
 Substitutes of the Bachelors' Company, and added sixteen 
 men to assist them in the performance of such matters as the 
 Court of Assistants thought fit to entrust them with, but 
 that in 1662 or 1663, on account of irregularites committed 
 by them, the Court of Assistants did wholly dismiss them. 
 
 There are no papers to show whether any final decree 
 was ever made in the suit, nor is there a record of any such 
 at the Record Office where search has been made, but from 
 Misc. Docs., A. 17 (13), relating to a suit for the recovery 
 of the rent-charge, which was brought by the Master and 
 Wardens against Zouch Watson, the owner of the tenements 
 charged, it appears that the suit of the Attorney-General was 
 still depending in 1704. By a decree made in the latter 
 suit, the defendant was ordered to pay the rent-charge in 
 future to the Master and Wardens. They continued to 
 receive it intermittently for many years till, finally, after the 
 year 177 1-2, when it was twenty-five years in arrear, it dis- 
 appears from the Company's accounts. 
 
 Yoman or bachelors' companies were a common feature 
 of the middle ages, both in England and on the Continent,
 
 ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT BOOKS. n 
 
 for instance, the guild of the Tailors of Exeter had their 
 " Feleshyppe of the Bachelerys," and many of the London 
 guilds had such companies associated with them. 
 
 Dr. Louis Brentano, a leading authority on guild life in 
 the middle ages, in his essay on the history and develop- 
 ment of guilds (incorporated in Toulmin Smith's " English 
 Gilds"), gives an interesting account of these subsidiary 
 associations as they existed on the Continent. In Germany 
 the name applied to them was " Jung-Geselle," a word 
 meaning bachelor. The name "yoman" first appears in 
 the City Books about the end of the fourteenth century. 
 Riley thinks that the name has no connection with our 
 present word "yeoman," but is derived from the words 
 " young man." (Riley, p. 54^, note 3.) 
 
 These bachelor companies seem to have consisted for 
 the most part of workmen or journeymen who had not yet 
 risen to the position of masters. The same causes which led 
 to the formation of the religious and craft guilds, namely, the 
 need of combination for mutual support, comfort and protec- 
 tion, brought about the formation of these bachelor com- 
 panies. They succumbed to the economic changes which 
 took place in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries in 
 consequence of the great influx of workmen from outside 
 (" forreins " or " foreigners," as they were called, because 
 they were not citizens, and therefore owed no allegiance to 
 any guild), against whose competition the masters' guilds 
 were no longer able effectively to protect their freemen. 
 
 Book 7 contains particulars of pageants in the mayoralties 
 of Sir Thomas Offley, Sir William Harper and Sir Thomas 
 Rowe in the sixteenth century. 
 
 We are indebted to Richard Langley, who was Clerk of 
 the Company from 1594 to 161 2, for the preservation and
 
 12 ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT BOOKS. 
 
 orderly arrangement of the Company's records existing in 
 his time. In the Court Minutes of 8th August, 1608, it is 
 stated that Langley " made relation of extraordinary ser- 
 vices " rendered to the Company for which he prayed 
 allowance, viz. : — 
 
 Writing a book being a collection or abstract of 
 evidences concerning the Revenue of the Company." 
 (Book 8.) 
 
 " Enlarging of the Book of Wills of benefactors to the 
 Company." (Book 9.) 
 
 " Making a book of Sir Thos. White's material Statutes 
 concerning the Company's Schoole with a translation of 
 the same into English and entering the Comp. orders for 
 government of their schools into the same booke." (Book 
 
 10.) 
 
 " A booke of the Company's ch re with a translation 
 thereof into English." (Book 11.) 
 
 ' ' A booke of contributions and loans for provision of 
 corne and other loans made by the Company." 
 
 ' ' A large booke being an alphabetical collection of all 
 the Freemen of the Company." (Book 15.) 
 
 ' ' An abstract of all the leases of the Company wherein 
 may presently be knowne the beginning and ende of every 
 Lease." (Book 14.) 
 
 The whole proceedings and order when the Kings 
 Ma*y the noble Prynce and Greate Lords dyned here." 
 
 Of the above-mentioned books, nos. 8, 9, 10, 11, 14 
 and 15 still remain. 
 
 The booke of contributions and loans ' ' is not in 
 existence, but, being of a transitory character, would be 
 superseded by Book 12, which was made in 1609, and 
 deals with similar matters. 
 
 The proceedings in connection with the banquet to 
 James i. are not in the form of a book, but are set out in
 
 ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT BOOKS. 13 
 
 full in the Court Minutes of 16th July, 1607. They are 
 printed in the " Memorials," pp. 147 antl following. 
 
 The documents of Langley's time are noticeable for the 
 extreme neatness and beauty of the writing. I think the 
 writer was probably George Lull, clerk to Langley and his 
 successor, Richard Baldock ; and I come to this conclusion 
 from the fact that the writing in the Company's books 
 remains the same after Langley's retirement, and that the 
 same beautiful writing appears in the minutes of the 
 Bachelors' Company after the appointment of Lull to be 
 deputy clerk of that Company in consequence of the "age 
 and ymbecillity" of their clerk, Roger Silverwood. 
 
 Book 8 is the " Evidence Book," which contains copies, 
 abstracts or short particulars of the title-deeds, or "evi- 
 dences" as they were then called, of all properties at that 
 time belonging to the Company. It was made in pursuance 
 of an order of the Court of Assistants, dated the 19th of 
 January, 1604-5, "that a booke of collections made by 
 Mr. Wright of the Companies evydences when he was 
 clarck" (1587-1504) " shall be faire ingrossed in vellam by 
 the Common Clarck with such further addicions as shall be 
 requisite." 
 
 Book 9 is the book of wills of benefactors, now generally- 
 known as " The Wills Book." It is evident from the style 
 of the handwriting of the earlier entries, some of which 
 cannot be later than the beginning of the sixteenth century, 
 that the book was commenced long before Langley 's time. 
 
 Book 12 contains the calendars of books made in 1609 
 and 1 61 8, to which I have already referred. That of 1609 
 was prepared by Langley. This book also contains inven-
 
 i 4 ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT BOOKS. 
 
 tories of plate, furniture, pictures, etc., including those 
 belonging to the Bachelors' Company. 
 
 Book 13 contains the calendar of books and documents 
 made in 1689. 
 
 Book 15 is the Freemen's List. It is in two volumes 
 and purports to contain a list of all persons admitted to the 
 freedom of the Company from the year 1530 down to the 
 end of 1909, but it is very incomplete so far as the earlier 
 entries go, that is to say, down to the admissions in Langley's 
 own time, after which the book becomes a contemporary 
 record, but is still not free from omissions and errors. It 
 is evident from a comparison with the entries in the 
 Company's Minute Books and Account Books that, in the 
 earlier years, many scores of names have been omitted and 
 others incorrectly inserted or wrongly spelt owing to care- 
 lessness on the part of the copyist. It sometimes happens 
 that when, according to the minute book, a master presents 
 on the same day two apprentices for admission to the 
 freedom, only one name is entered in the list. Sometimes 
 the entry in the minute book runs that A. B. presented and 
 made free his apprentice, C. D., and sometimes it is the 
 other way round, that CD. was made free by A. B. ; but 
 the copyist has, in many cases, entered in the list whichever 
 name happened to come last, whether that of master or 
 apprentice. The numerous mistakes, coupled with the fact 
 that the names are entered in the list chronologically under 
 their initial letters only, make a search both unreliable and 
 laborious. 
 
 A complete lexicographical list of freemen from the 
 earliest times, so far as the information can be obtained from 
 our records, is now in course of preparation, and will be very
 
 ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT BOOKS. 15 
 
 useful in answering the inquiries which are being continually 
 made for genealogical or historical purposes. 
 
 Book 16 is a book labelled "Acts of Common Council, 
 1638." The title does not convey much information, but 
 the contents recall the great constitutional struggle in the 
 time of the first two Stuarts in connection with forced loans 
 to the Crown. The first item is a copy of the minutes of 
 Common Council of the 22nd of January, 161 7, granting a 
 loan of £100,000 to James i. Then follow the minutes of 
 seventeen meetings of Common Council in connection with a 
 loan of £60,000 to Charles i. The letter of request for the 
 loan points out " howe greate charges and with what 
 expences the late kinge hathe begunne and his Majesty 
 hath pursued the preparing of his Royal Fleete for the safety 
 of this Kingdome and the generall good of all Christendome 
 
 "and yet nevertheless both his Majesty's care 
 
 and greate expence are like to prove fruitless unless the 
 summe of fourescore thousand poundes may be procured for 
 the furnishing and finishing of this fleete and enterprise." 
 The loan, with interest at 8 per cent., is to be secured by 
 mortgage of the King's ' ' best landes. ' ' The course adopted 
 in connection with these loans appears to have been that the 
 City borrowed upon the security of their ' ' common bonds 
 from private lenders, and then advanced the money so 
 borrowed to the King. Lands of the yearly value of 
 £12,496 6s. 6d. were accordingly conveyed to the City of 
 London upon trust to sell the same and out of the proceeds 
 to repay the loans to the King or his predecessor ; the 
 surplus, if any, to be paid into the Exchequer. It appears 
 that proceedings in the Court of Exchequer were subse- 
 quently taken by the Attorney-General for an alleged breach 
 of trust by the City in connection with the sale of these lands, 
 which, it was claimed, had been fraudulently disposed of at
 
 16 ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT BOOKS. 
 
 less prices than might have reasonably been obtained. 
 (Misc. Docs., A. 12.) 
 
 It will be remembered that it was a similar attempt to 
 raise loans in other parts of the kingdom, which brought 
 about the refusal of Hampden to contribute and his sub- 
 sequent arrest by warrant of the Privy Council, with all that 
 followed therefrom. 
 
 Book 17 is a curious assortment of documents, among 
 which may be specially mentioned : — 
 
 A copy of a royal charter to the town of Shrews- 
 bury and the inhabitants of Forriett Monachorum, 
 "lately incorporated with it," 20th April, 1586. 
 
 A bond from the original East India Company to 
 the Master and Wardens of the Merchant Taylors' 
 Company to secure the payment of ^2,080. 
 
 Many copies of letters to the " Deputy Assis- 
 tauntes & Fellowship of Merchaunt Adventurers of 
 England resident in Hamborough " (Hamburg), 
 "Stood" (Stade in Hanover?), or " Middlesburg " 
 (Middelburg in the Netherlands), requesting them to 
 admit sundry apprentices of the Merchant Taylors' 
 Company, "as an absolute free brother." This asso- 
 ciation between the two Companies has an historic 
 interest and seems to indicate that a person who had 
 served his apprenticeship with a member of the 
 Merchant Taylors' Company was, on being properly 
 recommended, and without any further apprenticeship, 
 accepted as a member of the Merchant Adventurers' 
 Company trading abroad. 
 
 On the fly-leaf is scribbled a parody of the form for 
 setting over of apprentices, in which an unnamed apprentice 
 is set over to serve the remainder of his term " with Knevett 
 Rawlett, citizen and milksop of London, using the art of
 
 ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT BOOKS. 17 
 
 head-master." Knevett Rawlett was the son of the head- 
 master of the Company's school at Wolverhampton, and was 
 an under-master at the Merchant Taylors' School in Lou 
 in 1660. Perhaps the wag who wrote the parod 
 former pupil of his. 
 
 Book 18 contains the accounts from 1626 to 1629 relat- 
 ing to the Ulster Plantation, a subject to which I shall refer 
 more fully later on. (See p. 36.) 
 
 Book 20 is a "View Book" of the Company's pro- 
 perties for the period from 1643 to 1664, with a few later 
 entries. It gives dimensions and minute particulars of the 
 properties inspected. 
 
 Book 21 is " The Booke of Accomptes of the Companies 
 Stocke of Corn" from January, 1638, to August, 1642, 
 and is interesting as shewing the then current prices of 
 wheat, etc. The price of wheat seems to have varied from 
 285. to 445. a quarter. The price of 44s. would have been 
 high for wheat in England in recent times, until the 
 outbreak of the present great war. At this price the Com- 
 pany sold their surplus wheat to the " Morocco Embas- 
 sador." Wheat for which the Company gave from 355. to 
 385. they sold in 1638 at 42s. "for the provision of the 
 Kinges Majesty's Navy." 
 
 The price of barley and rye was proportionately high in 
 comparison with the prices prevailing in modern times. 
 There does not seem to be anything exceptional in the par- 
 ticular period under review to account for these prices for 
 there are numerous entries in our Minute Books, Account 
 Books and other records shewing correspondingly high prices 
 paid for corn in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. 
 When these prices are compared with the wages paid during 
 
 C
 
 18 ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT BOOKS. 
 
 the same period for labour, of which we have also many 
 records (see p. 28), one is able to realise the terribly 
 hard conditions under which the poor must have lived and 
 what an important element in the lives of many the dole 
 charities, in the form of periodical distributions of bread, 
 must have been. 
 
 All who are familiar with the history of the City guilds 
 are aware of the system under which they were required, 
 under precepts from the Lord Mayor, to make provision 
 against periods of dearth by laying up a stock of corn. The 
 guild in its turn, if its corporate funds were insufficient for 
 the purpose, called on its members to contribute according 
 to their means. I wish to emphasize the fact, which I 
 think our records clearly prove, that such contributions by 
 our members were treated not as a tax, but as in the nature 
 of loans to the Company to be repaid out of the proceeds 
 of sale of the corn. (See p. 27.) 
 
 There are many entries in the minutes which shew that 
 when a member died, his representative was repaid the 
 amount of his contribution out of the corporate funds. I 
 want to draw attention to this fact, because in the evidence 
 before the Royal Commission on the City guilds, there 
 seemed to be an attempt in certain quarters to regard the 
 assessment for corn as in the nature of a tax, the guild being 
 merely regarded as the medium through which the tax was 
 assessed. There might or might not be a loss, or there 
 might be a profit, on any particular transaction, which would 
 of course depend, as in the case of any other kind of 
 merchandize, on the price paid and the price received for 
 the corn ; for instance, the account for the year 1638 shews 
 a net profit of £25 15s. 3d. from dealings in corn. 
 
 Another fact worthy of notice is that much of the corn 
 was foreign grown, imported from places on the Continent 
 as far away as Danzig.
 
 ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT BOOKS. 19 
 
 Book 22 is a volume labelled " Copies of Leases, 1667, 
 1669," in which are incorporated a number of awards made 
 by the Commission of Judges sitting at Clifford's Inn to deal 
 with claims arising out of the Fire of London. '1 he object 
 of the Commission was to adjust the loss as equitably as 
 possible between owners, lessees and other persons in- 
 terested, without loo strict an adherence to their legal rights 
 and liabilities. 
 
 The effect on the Merchant Taylors' Company was that 
 they were compelled to renew for long terms of years at 
 small ground rents and without the usual fines or premiums 
 the leases of tenements which had been burned down, the 
 obligation to rebuild being thrown on to the lessees. As a 
 result for many long years until these leases fell in, the 
 Company's resources were greatly crippled. 
 
 This book also contains a number of bonds, awards and 
 other documents, including an order of the Lord Protector 
 Cromwell and his Council that no proceedings should be 
 taken against the Earl of Northumberland and others in 
 respect of their bond for securing the repayment of a loan 
 from the City of £50,000, Parliament having declared the 
 same to be a public debt of the Commonwealth. 
 
 Book 24 is a book of plans of the Company's property 
 made in the year 1680 by John Oliver and William Ley- 
 bourne, two surveyors who were much employed by the City 
 in the survev of London after the Great Fire. Leybourne's 
 name appears on a map to be seen in the London Museum, 
 shewing the extent of the destruction caused by the fire. 
 
 Book 25 is a similnr book, made in the years 1694 and 
 1695 Irom a survey taken by Captain John Stad by the 
 Company's order. 
 
 C*
 
 2o ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT BOOKS. 
 
 The two last-mentioned books of plans are valuable 
 records, as they shew the dimensions and boundaries of the 
 Company's property at the date when the plans were pre- 
 pared, but they are not free from errors. 
 
 Book 26 is the "Book of Presentations" and is a 
 register of the distinguished persons who have been honorary 
 members of the Company beginning with Edward iii. It 
 is usual to speak of them as honorary members, but the 
 expression is not altogether accurate for many of the earlier 
 names on the list are those of persons who paid the ordinary 
 fine on admission like everybody else. 
 
 The book was written up in 1677 by " Mr. Smith, the 
 writing master of the Company's school," pursuant to an 
 Order of the Court of Assistants, and is still in use. The 
 names entered by him are in letters of gold and according to 
 rank. Since 1677 the book has been signed by each 
 honorary member on his admission. 
 
 It is described in the calendar of 1689 as " a guilt leather 
 book containing noblemen's names free of this Company." 
 Unfortunately the gilt leather binding has given place to a 
 commonplace mid- Victorian binding of velvet. 
 
 Book 27 reminds one of the political and religious contro- 
 versies of the seventeenth century. It is a book containing 
 disclaimers of the obligation of the oath called " the Solemn 
 League and Covenant," the declarant stating that " I hold 
 that there lies no obligation upon me or any other person 
 from the Oath commonly called the Solemn League and 
 Covenant, and that the same was in itself an unlawful oath 
 and imposed upon the subjects of this Realm against the 
 Known Lawes and Liberties of the Kingdom." There are 
 a number of signatures attached.
 
 ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT BOOKS. 41 
 
 Books 28 to 31 are labelled ' Benefactors' Gifts." 
 They contain short particulars of gifts and bequests to the 
 Company. 
 
 Books 34 and 35 are two catalogues of books in the 
 School library. The earlier one gives a list of the names 
 and contributions of those who gave money or books, and is 
 dated 1662. The other appears to be about a hundred years 
 later. 
 
 It would be interesting to compare these with the present 
 School library catalogue to see if any of the old books still 
 remain. 
 
 Book 36 contains a number of ancient forms of writs in 
 use about the time of Queen Elizabeth. 
 
 Book 37 consists of two volumes of ancient minute books, 
 containing minutes of meetings of the Master and Wardens, 
 of "the twenty-four," now called the Court of Assistants, 
 and of "the whole commonalty." Volume i. covers the 
 period from April, i486, to June, 1488, and is evidently, 
 from the numbering of the folios, a part only of a much larger 
 book. According to the calendar of 1689 the book com- 
 menced in 1459 and ended in 1488. Volume ii. commences 
 in June, 1488, and ends in August, 1493. 
 
 Books 38 comprise the present series of Minute Books, 
 commencing in 1562, and is complete to date, except for the 
 period from 25th July, 1654, to 20th May, 1663. An index 
 of the contents of the earlier volumes is in course of prepara- 
 tion so as to render them more easily available for reference. 
 There is already in existence an index of the later volumes. 
 The name " Court of Assistants " first occurs in 1565. Prior 
 to that date, the expression used for meetings of the Court
 
 22 ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT BOOKS. 
 
 is " Assemblies of the Master and his Wardens and of others 
 the right worshipful persons, assistants and councillors." 
 What are now spoken of as "meetings of Master and 
 Wardens" were formerly known as "Ordinary Courts." 
 
 Besides the minutes of the meetings of Ordinary Courts 
 and Courts of Assistants, there are included in these volumes 
 the minutes of the Quarterly Meetings at which the whole 
 body of the Livery were summoned to attend. The minutes 
 of Quarterly Meetings no longer appear in 1663, and it may 
 therefore be presumed that these meetings had been discon- 
 tinued at some date after the year 1654. As the only 
 business transacted at these meetings consisted, after prayers 
 had been said, of the reading through of the wills of bene- 
 factors and of the Company's ordinances and the ordinances 
 of the School, the proceedings must have been sufficiently 
 dull to justify the meetings being discontinued for lack of 
 attendance of the livery. The quarterly dinners, however, 
 which followed the meetings continued to be patronised and 
 are still held. 
 
 Books 46 are the account books of the Company, com- 
 mencing in the year 1398. 
 
 Volume i. is the earliest book in the possession of the 
 Company and contains the accounts for the years 1 398-1445. 
 The watermarks in the paper on which this volume is written 
 are very varied, and worthy of notice by anyone interested 
 in the early history of paper-making in Europe. Water- 
 marks first came into use in the century in which this book 
 was made. 
 
 The accounts for the years 1445-53, 1484-1545, 1557-69, 
 1648-52 and 1659-63 are missing, otherwise the accounts 
 are complete to the present time, but some of the entries 
 in the first three volumes are illegible and manv folios in 
 volume iii. are missing.
 
 ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT BOOKS. 23 
 
 Down to the year 1821, when a more modern system of 
 book-keeping was adopted, the accounts are divided into 
 three separate headings, namely, the accounts of the master 
 and the accounts of the two renter-wardens respectively, the 
 latter officers accounting for the rents of the Company's pro- 
 perties, which for the purposes of administration were divided 
 into the east and west portions, the upper renter-warden 
 being responsible for the west and the under renter-warden 
 for the east. 
 
 In the fly-leaf of volume ii. covering the period 1453- 
 1468, is a copy of the following ancient prescription for a 
 pill : — "Ad faciend' Pil' aur' R' aloes cicatrine unc' mirr' 
 unc di . 
 
 Books 47 and 48 comprise draft accounts for some of the 
 missing years of the seventeenth century. 
 
 Scattered about in various old boxes were a number 
 of loose papers, many of which are of considerable interest. 
 These have been collected together, placed upon slips and 
 bound up in two volumes. One volume contains wages- 
 sheets and builders' accounts of the sixteenth and early 
 seventeenth centuries, principally in connection with work 
 done at the Hall. The other volume comprises miscel- 
 laneous papers, to some of which I should like to draw 
 special attention. 
 
 1 600- 1 666. Original Mayor's precepts or orders ; for 
 the provision of corn, the attendance of members of the 
 Company at royal processions, contributions towards loans 
 to the Crown, and other matters. 
 
 1575. Inventory of goods and apparel in the dwelling- 
 house of Dame Margaret Harper, widow of Sir William 
 Harper, founder of Bedford Grammar School, Master of 
 the Company in 1553, and Lord Mayor in 1561.
 
 24 ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT BOOKS. 
 
 1637. A notice to attend at the Attorney-General's 
 chambers in the matter of a difference between the City of 
 London and the "new corporation," signed by Sir John 
 Bankes, then Attorney-General and afterwards Chief Justice 
 of the Common Pleas, and Sir Edward Littleton, Solicitor- 
 General, afterwards Chief Justice of the Common Pleas and 
 subsequently Lord Keeper of the Great Seal. 
 
 1648. An order by warrant from Lord Fairfax, the 
 General of the Parliamentary army, for the Master and 
 Wardens to supply at Merchant Taylors' Hall six flock 
 beds, large enough to hold two men each, with the proper 
 number of sheets, blankets, etc. The account for the same, 
 amounting to ^12 195. od., is annexed. 
 
 1651. An invitation to Mr. Warden Alport to dine at 
 the Hall "in your gowne faced with budg." 
 
 1662. A list of pewter. 
 
 1697. Order by the Mayor's Court that no person be 
 admitted to the livery of any of the companies, unless he has 
 an estate of ;£ 1,000 in the case of the twelve great com- 
 panies, and of ^500 in the case of the minor companies. 
 
 1725. Agreement by John Sherlock that if the buck- 
 hound sold by him to Joseph Savage for 31s. 6d. "prove 
 not a right Good dogg and a true hunting Buckhound," the 
 money will be repaid. 
 
 1758. Printed circular stating that the only constant 
 stage-carriers (to the places thereunder-mentioned) set out 
 from the White Bear in Basinghall Street. " Note, 
 The above Inn is reckoned to be one of the compactest Inns 
 in London for Gentlemen, Tradesmen, etc. Kept by James 
 Dobson." 
 
 Endorsed is a receipt, dated 27th May, 1758, "one box 
 and one parcel to go by Pickford." 
 
 1 789. A beautifully drawn ground plan of Great Crosby 
 School.
 
 ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT BOOKS. 25 
 
 1796. A letter from the Lord Mayor to the Clerk of the 
 Company, thanking them for their vote of £10,000 for the 
 public service, with which the writer would acquaint the 
 Chancellor of the Exchequer. 
 
 1 810. Articles of apprenticeship of Hannah Waller, 
 daughter of William Waller, to Jacob Bonwick, " citizen and 
 barber." 
 
 A number of undated petitions of the time of Elizabeth 
 and James i., to the Master and Wardens, including : — 
 
 A petition by certain artificers of the Company, 
 praying that the course taken by the Lord Mayor 
 against foreigners may be effectually prosecuted. 
 
 A petition by Thomas Woodde, who " sythens the 
 fyrst tyme that he saw the Ryght Woorsypphull Com- 
 panye hath not ceased to praye for the prosperytye of 
 the same, and now in his owlde dayes, seinge God hathe 
 so provyded to brynge hym so neare the place as he so 
 dearelye hath loved and to make hym under chapplayne 
 of your Churche wheareof you are patrons" (St. 
 Martin's Outwich). He prays that he may be allowed to 
 have the rooms in the almshouse ' ' the which one mother 
 Margarett leafte by death." 
 
 A petition by Francis Vernon for a reduction of 
 his rent in consideration that part of the rent is a hogs- 
 head of Gascoine wine yearly for the feast, and wine is 
 more than double the price it was when the lease was 
 made. 
 
 A petition by Ralph Ledsham and another for 
 
 reward for services rendered in searching out foreign 
 
 tailors, with a statement attached shewing the numbers 
 
 then resident in the City. 
 
 A number of bills for dinners and provisions supplied to 
 
 the Company from 1594 onwards.
 
 26 ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT BOOKS. 
 
 The following items from the bill for an audit dinner held 
 on the 14th August, 1594, may be of interest : — 
 
 Beef, i6d. a stone, or 2d. a lb. 
 
 Ox tongues, 15. each. 
 
 Butter, 4^. a lb. 
 
 Eggs, three a penny. 
 
 Geese, 2s. ^d. each. 
 
 Capons, do. 
 
 Pullets, is. Sd. each. 
 
 Rabbits, yd. each. 
 
 Powder sugar, g\d. a lb. 
 
 Fine sugar, 15. 2d. a lb. 
 
 Pepper, 3s. ^d. a lb. 
 At a view dinner held on the 1 ith March, 1594-5, oysters 
 appear. " These have not ben used heretofore but were 
 nowe appointed specially by our Mr. and Mr. Prockter." 
 As there is no charge for them, it is presumed that the 
 Master, Mr. John Churchman, and Mr. Prockter provided 
 them at their own expense. This dinner, being in Lent, 
 consisted of fish A fresh salmon cost 19s. 4^., pike 35. 2d. 
 each, and carp 25. each. 
 
 Tobacco and pipes first appear on the bills in 1647. 
 Strawberries appear in 1649 at lod. a quart. 
 A number of wine bills from 1677. The earliest account 
 is for claret, 45. a gallon, canary 8s. a gallon, " white wine " 
 4s. a gallon. In 1730, " Lafitt French wine" cost 50s. a 
 dozen. 
 
 1602. An account for plate mended, with descriptions of 
 the articles, and for work done to the garlands used by the 
 master and wardens on their election day. Four suns are 
 fixed to the "great garland " (the master's), and four stars 
 each to the other four garlands (the wardens'). 
 
 1603. An account of George Bell, armourer, for armour 
 repaired and cleaned.
 
 ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT BOOKS. 27 
 
 1603. An account for work done in the garden. The 
 gardener received is. 6d. a day, and his labourer is. a day. 
 1647. An account " for white rushes for the King's 
 chamber against our Master Nash his quarter dinner." 
 
 Papers in connection with the provision of corn, including 
 receipts for the repayment of moneys advanced by members 
 for the purchase of corn, shewing that such transactions were 
 regarded merely as loans to the Company and not as assess- 
 ments or taxes. (See p. 18.) 
 
 In 1594 the price paid for wheat was 38s. 6d., and for 
 rye 25s. ^d. 
 
 Receipts for payments in connection with the almshouses. 
 Receipts for payments of assessments and taxes, in- 
 cluding : — 
 
 1 2th November, 1594. Receipt for 305., being 
 two "fifteenths' 1 charged in respect of Merchant 
 Taylors' Hall. 
 
 1st April, 1643. Receipt for £220 assessed on 
 the Company towards £10,000 a week for the main- 
 tenance of the Army raised by Parliament. 
 
 1650. Printed forms of receipt " for three months 
 assessment for payment of his Excellency the Lord 
 Fairfax his army." 
 
 1650. Similar receipts for payment of " the Par- 
 liament's Army in England and Ireland." 
 
 1651. Do. with " Scotland" added. 
 1653. Do. with "the Navie " added. 
 1657. Do. "the Armies and Navies 
 
 of this Commonwealth." 
 
 Th^ payments are made by the tenant, but the 
 amount is assessed on the landlord, apparently on tin- 
 same footing as the modern income tax, Schedule A. 
 
 19th August, 1651. Receipt from Robert Marsh 
 for £20 "to provide one Horse, Armes and Furniture
 
 2 8 ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT BOOKS. 
 
 and for a month's pay for the Rider charged upon him 
 by the Committee for the Militia of London." 
 The following extracts from building accounts shewing 
 the cost of labour and materials may be of interest : — 
 Labour per day : — 
 Labourers, lod. 
 Carpenters, is. ^d. 
 Bricklayers, is. /\d. 
 Sawyers, is. 2d. 
 Masons, is. ^d. 
 Plasterers, is. /\d. 
 Slaters, is. 8d. 
 Joiners, is. Sd. 
 Materials : — 
 
 Bricks, 10s. 6d. a thousand. 
 Lime, 5s. Sd. a cwt. 
 Hair for mortar, $d. a bushel. 
 Small scaffold poles, 4^. each. 
 Sheet lead, 10s. a cwt. 
 Boards (ij-in.), 6s. per 100 ft. 
 " Tarris " (? tar), 3s. ^d. a barrel. 
 Gravel, is. a load. 
 White lead, 3^. a lb. 
 Hard stone for steps, 8d. a ft. 
 Flint, 2s. yd. a load. 
 Ragstone, 2s. lod. a load. 
 Freestone, yd. a ft. 
 Paving stone, 6\d. a ft. 
 Glass, z,d. a ft. 
 " Burgany glass," $d. a ft. 
 " Normandy glass," y\d. a ft. 
 The cwt. has varied at different periods, but I think 
 at the time these accounts were made it was, as the word 
 denotes, 100 lbs.
 
 ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT BOOKS. 29 
 
 On comparing the above prices for provisions and other 
 commodities, and the cost of labour with corresponding 
 figures for the same period given by Professor Thorold 
 
 Rogers in his " History of Agriculture and Prices in 
 England " and his " Facts and Observations on Wages and 
 Prices in England during the sixteenth and seventeenth 
 centuries," considerable differences will be noted, perhaps 
 explained by the fact that the figures given in our records 
 are those for London, and his for the provinces. 
 
 There has long been in existence a large scrapbook in 
 which have been pasted sundry old papers relating to the 
 School. Many others have been recently found, which 
 have been placed with them. They include letters from the 
 President and Fellows of St. John's College, with the 
 signatures of Archbishop Laud, Archbishop Juxon and 
 other distinguished persons attached. 
 
 CHARTERS. 
 
 The collection of the Company's charters is now com- 
 plete. They comprise the following: — 1 Edward Hi., 15 
 Edward Hi., 14 Richard ii., 9 Henry iv., iS Henry vi., 
 5 Edward iv., 18 Henry vii., 3 Henry viii., 4 and 5 Philip 
 and Mary, 2 Elizabeth, 3 James i. f 36 Charles ii., 3 James 
 ii., 4 James ii. Of those in italics the originals have been 
 lost, but I have had transcripts made from the enrolments 
 in the Record Office so as to complete the series. 
 
 Each of the earlier charters, down to and including that 
 of Henry vii. (with the exception of those of 15 Edward iii. 
 and 5 Edward iv., which are only confirmatory), enlarged 
 the scope of the Company's powers. The most important
 
 3o CHARTERS. 
 
 of all is the charter of 18 Henry vii., under which the 
 Company now act, and which changed it from a craft guild 
 into — what it had already by evolution, in fact, become — a 
 merchants' guild, under the name of " the Guild of Merchant 
 Taylors of the Fraternity of St. John the Baptist in the City 
 of London." 
 
 The subsequent charters down to that of 36 Charles ii. 
 merely confirm previous ones. The charter of 1 Edward iii. 
 can hardly be regarded as an act of incorporation as it did 
 no more than empower the taylors and linen armourers of the 
 City of London to hold their guild once in the year ' ' as was 
 their ancient custom." 
 
 It is doubtful whether the charter of 14 Richard ii. goes 
 so far as actually to incorporate the Company, although 
 shortly after the granting of this charter a common seal, 
 which is one of the attributes of a corporate body, was used 
 by them, as appears from a deed dated 1393, to which the 
 Master and Wardens were parties, and which states that 
 the common seal freshly ordained (de novo ordinatum) 
 for the said Fraternity was thereto attached. (Deeds i., 16.) 
 
 The charter of 9 Henry iv., however, was unquestion- 
 ably an act of incorporation of the Company under the name 
 of ' ' the Fraternity of Taylors and Linen Armourers of 
 St. John the Baptist in the City of London." 
 
 The charter of 36 Charles ii. recalls a memorable crisis 
 in the history of London and the City companies. 
 
 As a result of the judgment in the well-known proceed- 
 ings by way of quo warranto in the King's Bench, the 
 charters of the City of London were forfeited. The com- 
 panies, threatened with similar proceedings, surrendered 
 their own charters into the hands of the King, on the 
 promise that new charters would be granted to them, but 
 such new charters left the King absolute master of their 
 destinies. There is no doubt that the feeling aroused by these
 
 CHARTERS. 31 
 
 arbitrary proceedings contributed largely to the Revolution 
 of 1688. James ii., in fear for his throne, cancelled the 
 surrenders by letters patent dated 23rd October, 1688, and 
 restored to all the companies their charters, but the restitu- 
 tion came too late. The Act of 2 William and Mary, c. viii., 
 annulled the judgment of the King's Bench, restored to the 
 companies the possessions and liberties which previously 
 thereto they had enjoyed, and declared null and void all 
 surrenders since the judgment together with the new charters 
 thereupon granted. 
 
 I have for convenience included among the charters 
 certain letters patent which have long been kept with them. 
 
 An important document is the letters patent of 17 
 James i., which should be distinguished from the charter of 
 the same King. This document, in consideration of the 
 payment to the Crown of £600, confirms, releases and 
 ratifies to the Master and Wardens all the property (the 
 particulars of which are set out in detail) then held by them, 
 ' ' with or without a legal title and whether originally held 
 to superstitious uses or not." 
 
 This transaction no doubt was part of the system of 
 extortion practised upon the City companies in connection 
 with alleged concealments of lands held to superstitious uses, 
 which the Act of 1 Edward vi., c. 14, had confiscated and 
 vested in the Crown. The effect of this document was still 
 further to secure the absolute title of the Company to the 
 lands in question. (Charter 20.) 
 
 Charter 15 is a curious document, namely, letters patent 
 of 7 Richard ii., whereby the King grants a licence to 
 William Partriche " to buy and provide as much sea fish and 
 other fish as shall suffice for the banquet of the Fraternity of 
 the Guild of St. John Baptist in London for the present 
 feast."
 
 32 CHARTERS. 
 
 This document is seven years earlier than the charter of 
 Richard ii., which, among other things, empowered the 
 Company to hold their annual feast on the festival of their 
 patron saint, St. John the Baptist, and is interesting as 
 shewing the antiquity of the institution of this feast, still held 
 every year on the same anniversary. Why a licence should 
 have been required I cannot say, unless it was a pretext for 
 charging fees. William Partriche was probably the master 
 or a warden of the guild at the time. A certain John 
 Partrich was a warden in the year 139 1-2. (Charter 17.) 
 
 An Act of 19 Henry vii. required that no ordinances 
 should be made by any guild or craft unless ratified by the 
 Lord Chancellor, the Lord Treasurer, the two Chief 
 Justices or the Justices of Assize. There are still in 
 existence letters patent of the dates 1575, 161 3 and 1661, 
 ratifying three sets of ordinances made by the Company 
 (Charters 20, 21 and 22). Among the signatures attached 
 are those of Lord Burghley, Lord Ellesmere, Lord Coke 
 and Lord Clarendon. The earliest of the three was only 
 recently discovered. 
 
 The earliest ratification of the Company's ordinances 
 under the operation of this Act is dated 1507. The original 
 letters patent have been lost, but there is a copy in Book 2. 
 
 MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS, A. 
 
 Miscellaneous Documents, A. 1. There has recently 
 been discovered a copy of ordinances passed between the 
 years 1429 and 1455. They are earlier in date than any 
 referred to in the " Memorials." 
 
 They are written on three leaves of parchment which 
 apparently formed part of a book, as the leaves are num-
 
 MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS, A. 33 
 
 bered 8, 9 and 10, and shew marks of having been stitched 
 together. 
 
 They have an additional interest, in that thev give the 
 names of the master and wardens during whose term of 
 office each particular ordinance was passed, and so supply 
 many gaps in the existing incomplete list of masters and 
 wardens. 
 
 Miscellaneous Documents, A. 4, consists of various 
 documents relating to chantry lands. Under the Act of 
 37 Henry viii., c. 4, all lands, tenements, rent-charges, etc., 
 held upon trust for chantries, obits, altar lights, and such 
 like so-called "superstitious uses," were confiscated and 
 vested in the Crown, and an inquiry was directed to certain 
 commissioners to ascertain what lands, etc., were so held. 
 The powers conferred by the above-mentioned act having 
 expired at the death of Henry viii., the Act 1 Edward vi., 
 c. 14, was passed with a similar purpose. Under pressure 
 from the Crown, most of the rent-charges upon properties 
 belonging to the City companies were bought back or 
 redeemed by them, but in order to raise the necessary funds 
 they had to sell a considerable amount of their property at 
 a great sacrifice. 
 
 No. 4 (1) is a transcript of the appointment of the 
 rnmmission of inquiry under the Act of Henry viii. 
 
 No. 4 (2) is a transcript of the Merchant Taylors' Com- 
 pany's return to the Commissioners so appointed. 
 
 No. 4 (3) is a transcript of a " brief declaration " further 
 dealing with the subject. This document speaks of two 
 " conductes " in connection with Peter Mason's chantry 
 in St. Peter's, Cornhill. A conducte was a hired priest 
 employed to say prayers and masses. The word still sur- 
 vives in the title given to the two chaplains at Eton College, 
 and I presume a part of their original duty was to say masses 
 
 D
 
 34 MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS, A. 
 
 for the soul of their founder, Henry vi. The term was 
 also applied to the chaplains at Trinity and King's Colleges, 
 Cambridge, and only fell into disuse in the nineteenth 
 century. 
 
 No. 4 (4) is another document which had been lost sight 
 of, and was a great find. It is a duplicate of the return made 
 by the Company to the Commissioners appointed under the 
 Act of Edward vi. It is on a paper roll, 21 feet long and 
 1 foot wide, and gives full particulars of all lands and rent- 
 charges held by the Company upon superstitious uses, with 
 the names of the donors, the amounts payable and the 
 manner in which the same were to be applied. At the head 
 of the roll is the following note : — 
 
 This certificate to be effecte and begone at 
 Lady day at a° 1548." 
 
 Herbert describes it as a unique document, by which, I 
 presume, he means that this is the only return of the kind 
 that has survived, for of course similar returns were made 
 by the other City guilds. He purports to give particulars 
 of the document, but it is quite clear that he is quoting from 
 a later document, which, while embodying the original return 
 (with numerous errors and inaccuracies for which either the 
 first transcriber or Herbert may be responsible), goes on 
 to allege that certain rent-charges for superstitious uses 
 had not been purchased by the Company and were fifty 
 years in arrear. (Herbert ii., 434, 440-457.) Now the 
 Chantries Act of Edward vi. vested such rent-charges in 
 the Crown as from Easter, 1548, and consequently, if any 
 such rent-charges were fifty years in arrear at the time of 
 the preparation of the document quoted by Herbert, it would 
 fix 1598 as the date of that document, which is just about the 
 time that further claims were being made upon the City 
 guilds for alleged concealments of lands and rent-charges 
 held for superstitious uses. From the wording of Herbert's
 
 MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS, A. 35 
 
 document, I believe it was prepared, not on behalf of the 
 Company, but of some person who was trying to bring a 
 charge of concealment against them, with a view to obtain- 
 ing the reward paid to informers. 
 
 No. 4 (5) is the certificate of the Commissioners based on 
 this return, and is printed in the " Memorials." It gives 
 the total value of the lands and the amounts charged thereon, 
 but it has not the same interest as it does not give any 
 particulars of the lands charged. 
 
 No. 4 (6) is a transcript of the grant by the King to 
 trustees on behalf of the City companies of the rent-charges 
 for superstitious uses redeemed by them as above mentioned, 
 and No. 4 (7) is a transcript of the conveyance by the 
 trustees to the Merchant Taylors' Company of their portion 
 of the rent-charges so redeemed. 
 
 There are numerous other papers and documents relating 
 to chantry lands for which I must refer the reader to the 
 calendar itself. 
 
 The Company sometimes acted as trustees for private 
 individuals, apart from any religious or charitable purpose. 
 
 Miscellaneous Documents, A. 5, refers to a case in point. 
 It is a receipt by an infant, on attaining his majority, of a 
 legacy under the will of his father, placed for security in the 
 hands of the Master and Wardens. 
 
 Sometimes the Company received money on deposit at 
 interest. 
 
 Miscellaneous Documents, A. 9, relates to a transaction 
 of this character. Alexander Nowell, Dean of St. Paul's, 
 deposited with the Company £400 at interest at 5 % p. a., 
 being moneys in his hands as executor of the will of William 
 Deane, esq., of Much Maplested, Essex. From the 
 minute books it appears that the Company employed this
 
 36 MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS, A. 
 
 money by lending it out among their members at interest at 
 8 % p. a., the profit on the transaction going into their 
 common stock. 
 
 Miscellaneous Documents, A. 10, is an agreement, 
 dated 1609, between the Merchant Taylors' Company and 
 the Salters' Company as to the appointment of tackle 
 porters. 
 
 In former days it was the custom of many of the City 
 companies to have in their employ men known as tackle 
 porters (as the Vintners' Company have to this day), whose 
 business it was to carry goods and merchandise for the 
 members of the company in whose service they were. 
 
 In the year 151 7, the Merchant Taylors' Company 
 entered into an agreement with the Salters' Company that, 
 in consideration of the Salters' Company paying them 20s. a 
 year, the Salters' porters should also be porters for the 
 Merchant Taylors' Company, who should employ no others. 
 This arrangement continued in force till the year 1609, when 
 the Merchant Taylors' Company decided to put an end to 
 it, "as holding yt both an indignitie and disgrace to be tied 
 to an inferior Company and also a great hindrance to dyverse 
 porre brothers of that Company." 
 
 After some negotiations between the two companies, a 
 new arrangement was entered into, under which there was 
 to be " an absolute and perfect forme of co-partnership of 
 Porters." There were to be four master porters, two 
 appointed by each company, and a body of labourers under 
 them, who must be freemen of London, half to be nominated 
 by the Merchant Taylors and half by the Salters. 
 
 Miscellaneous Documents, A. 11, relate to the planta- 
 tion of Ulster or, to be more exact, of the county of 
 Londonderry, by the City companies. To this undertaking
 
 MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS, A. 37 
 
 the Merchant Taylors' Company contributed the largest 
 amount, their share being one-twelfth, plus part of a further 
 twelfth. 
 
 No. 11 (3) gives the names of the members of the 
 Merchant Taylors' Company who subscribed and the 
 amount of their subscriptions. In some cases the money 
 subscribed was expressed to be given to the use of the 
 Company on condition that the subscriber was to be asked 
 for no further contributions towards the plantation ; while in 
 other cases the subscriber retained his interest in the under- 
 taking on a joint stock basis and pledged himself to pay all 
 further calls in respect of his share. Such shares were 
 dealt with by will or transfer inter vivos. For example, 
 Peter Bradshaw, who was the largest subscriber among 
 the members of the Company, by his will devised his share 
 among his children and grandchildren. (Deeds xliv.) 
 
 In 1704 the Company bought from Peter Bradshaw, a 
 grandson of the testator, all the "original stock, sum or 
 adventure of ^634 is. Sd.," subscribed by the latter towards 
 the plantation. (Deeds xli., 27.) 
 
 Similarly the share of Thomas Harrison, who was the 
 next largest subscriber, was purchased from his representa- 
 tives in 1702 by Charles Noden and Henry Washington 
 ("of Lincoln's Inn, gent."), who sold to the Company in 
 1 713 "all that adventure part portion share and interest" 
 which Thomas Harrison, deceased, "did heretofore pur- 
 chase off and adventure with the said Compam ." (Deeds 
 xli., 26 and 28.) 
 
 I may mention by the way that the sale to Charles Noden 
 and Henry Washington also comprised ironworks in or near 
 the towns of Lynn and Brayntry in New England. 
 
 Henry Washington may have been a member of the 
 family to which George Washington belonged, or his con- 
 nection with America may have been a mere coincidence.
 
 38 MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS, A. 
 
 In 1692 the Company were advised by their counsel, 
 Mr. William Whitelocke, that such shares were chattels 
 and not real estate, and that therefore the profits should be 
 paid to the personal representatives, and not to the heirs, of 
 deceased stockholders. (Misc. Docs., A. 23.) 
 
 The companies were given the option to take, in dis- 
 charge of their contributions, an allotment of lands. (No. 
 11 (2).) This option appears to have been generally exer- 
 cised, probably because it was the only chance that the 
 companies had of seeing any of their money back. 
 
 There does not seem to have been any great enthusiasm 
 about entering into the venture, but the companies could 
 not help themselves in view of the pressure brought to bear 
 upon them by the Crown. 
 
 The grant of the lands was made by the Crown to the 
 Corporation of London, or rather to a new corporate body 
 created ad hoc (since known as the Irish Society) as trustees 
 for the various companies, contributories to the plantation 
 fund. 
 
 These lands, with the exception of lands in and about the 
 City of Londonderry and the town of Coleraine (still vested 
 in the Irish Society), were subsequently divided into twelve 
 parts or manors, one-twelfth part being conveyed to the 
 Merchant Taylors' Company to which they gave the name 
 of the " manor of St. John Baptist." Another twelfth part 
 known as the manor of Clothworkers was conveyed to the 
 Clothworkers' Company, in trust as to part thereof for the 
 Merchant Taylors' Company, as representing their addi- 
 tional contribution. 
 
 There are two interesting old maps or plans, one of the 
 manor of St. John Baptist, dated 161 6, and the other of 
 the manor of Clothworkers, dated 1613. (Nos. 11 (19) and 
 
 11 (21).)
 
 MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS, A. 39 
 
 No. 11 (6) relates to proceedings in the Star Chamber 
 taken about the year 1635, at the instance of the Attorney- 
 General, to cancel the grants to the companies on the ground 
 that the condition of the grants had not been complied 
 with. 
 
 It was alleged that the defendants had neglected " to 
 remove the natives and plant with British," but that on 
 the contrary they had "preferred the Irishe before the 
 English, because, they pretended, they were more service- 
 able and paid higher rents, ' ' and had ' ' invited and drawne the 
 Irishrie out of other parts to be theire tennants." Further- 
 more, instead of "planting the true religion, the Romish 
 religion " was continued, inasmuch as there was " a Popish 
 priest beneficed and maintained in every parish." 
 
 In the result, the Court cancelled the grants, but sub- 
 sequently new grants were made to the companies, first by 
 "His Highness Oliver, Protector of the Commonwealth," 
 and again by Charles ii. (Deeds xli., 11 and 12.) 
 
 Misc. Docs., A. 23, and Book 18 contain the accounts 
 of the early expenditure incurred by the Company in con- 
 nection with the Ulster Plantation. In the year 1641 there 
 is a payment of £7,000 towards " the preservation of 
 Ireland " and £200 towards the relief of Londonderry. It 
 was in that year that there was a rebellion and massacre of 
 Protestants in the north of Ireland. In the year 1689 there 
 is again a payment of £100 for the relief of Londonderry. 
 That was on the occasion of the famous defence of London- 
 derry against the army of James ii. at the time of the 
 Revolution. 
 
 The manor of St. John Baptist was sold in the year 
 1727, subject to a perpetual annual rent-charge of £150, 
 which was afterwards redeemed. The manor of Cloth- 
 workers was sold in the year- 1873, the Merchant Taylors' 
 Company receiving their due share of the purchase money
 
 4 o MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS, A. 
 
 which they afterwards applied towards the purchase of the 
 site of their present school in Charterhouse Square. 
 
 The Company are still entitled to their share of any pro- 
 fits arising out of the lands in Londonderry and Coleraine 
 remaining vested in the Irish Society, but though accounts 
 ( are annually presented no distribution has taken place for 
 many years. This is in consequence of the decision in the 
 case of the Skinners' Company against the Irish Society, 
 in which the Court held that under the terms of the trust it 
 was left entirely to the discretion of the Society whether 
 or not to make any distribution. That discretion they 
 exercise by making no distribution at all, but applying any 
 surplus for the benefit of Londonderry and Coleraine, a 
 course to which, at this time of day, no one would wish to 
 take any exception, though it is hardly consistent with the 
 spirit or the motive of the original undertaking, which was as 
 much a commercial venture with a certain element of public 
 spirit underlying it as, say, the Virginia Company and similar 
 undertakings in the seventeenth century, or the Chartered 
 Company of South Africa or the Imperial British East 
 Africa Company in modern times. Persistent efforts have 
 from time to time been made to establish the claim that the 
 companies were not the beneficial owners of the lands granted 
 to them, but were merely trustees for public purposes. 
 This claim has now, however, been finally disposed of, and 
 the title of the companies firmly established by the decision 
 in the case of the Attorney-General for Ireland v. the Irish 
 Society and others, decided in 1898. 
 
 Miscellaneous Documents, A. 12, relate to the security 
 given for the loans from the City of London to James i. and 
 Charles i., for further particulars of which see p. 15. 
 
 Miscellaneous Documents, A. 13, are papers relating to 
 Wolverhampton Grammar School, founded in 1508 by Sir
 
 MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS, A. 41 
 
 Stephen Jenyns (Master of the Company in 1489), of which 
 he appointed the Company trustees, and to the manor of 
 Rushock in Worcestershire which constituted the endow- 
 ment. They include copies of the licences in mortmain to 
 Sir Stephen Jenyns to grant, and to the Company to hold, 
 the lands in question, with the conveyance thereof to the 
 Company. There appears to have been considerable litiga- 
 tion at various times between the inhabitants of Wolver- 
 hampton and the Company with regard to the administration 
 of this trust, for there are numerous documents referring to 
 Chancery proceedings in 1626 and again in 1757. These 
 later proceedings went on for twenty-six years, till 1783, 
 when the Company were on their own application relieved 
 from the trust. 
 
 The documents include a full and complete survey of 
 the lands of Rushock, together with a large map of the 
 property made probably about the middle of the eighteenth 
 century. 
 
 There are also amusing letters, dated 1737, to the Com- 
 pany from John Downes, second master, complaining of his 
 treatment by Robert Cartwright, the head master of the 
 school. The trouble seems in part to have arisen in con- 
 sequence of the head master taking upon himself to Hog the 
 bottom boys, which the second master considered was his 
 special prerogative. As to the unfortunate boy over whom 
 the dispute arose, the under master, having rescued him out 
 of the hands of the head master, proceeded to give him a 
 Hogging in order to assert his own prerogative, and then, 
 upon further enquiries, discovered the boy had done nothing 
 to deserve it. 
 
 Miscellaneous Documents, A. 17, relate to the Bachelors' 
 Company, principally in connection with the trusts of the
 
 42 MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS, A. 
 
 will of William Say and the Chancery proceedings arising 
 thereout, with which I have already dealt on p. 9. 
 
 Miscellaneous Documents, A. 18, is a parchment roll of 
 admissions to the livery, commencing in 1667, and is still 
 in use. Many names have been omitted. 
 
 Miscellaneous Documents, A. 21, is a copy of a deed of 
 arrangement sanctioned by the Court of Chancery in con- 
 nection with the trusts of the will of Robert Boyle, relating 
 to a fee-farm rent of ^13 6s. Sd., payable by the Mayor 
 and Burgesses of Lancaster, and another fee-farm rent of 
 £2 10s. od., payable out of lands in the Forest of Querne 
 Moor. The deed vests these rents in certain trustees upon 
 trust as to ^10 to pay the same to the Merchant Taylors' 
 Company and the City of Oxford, to be distributed between 
 four poor freemen and four poor widows belonging to the 
 two corporations, to be nominated by Sir Henry Ashurst, 
 his heirs or assigns ; the residue of the rents to be applied 
 upon certain charities in Bridport and in Oxfordshire. 
 
 Sir Henry Ashurst, who was a member of the Merchant 
 Taylors' Company, was one of the executors of the will. 
 
 I see from the reports of the Charity Commissioners of 
 1820 (Sixth Report, p. 392) that the Corporation of Oxford 
 were by the nomination of Ashurst 's representative at that 
 time the recipients of the money. The Company do not 
 appear to have ever received any of the money. 
 
 Robert Boyle, who died in 1691 , was one of the greatest 
 natural philosophers of his age. He was the son of the 
 first Earl of Cork, known as the " Great Earl of Cork," 
 and was one of the founders of the Royal Society. He 
 founded and endowed the Boyle Lectures, the purpose of 
 which is the demonstration of the truth of the Christian 
 religion. (Dictionary of National Biography.)
 
 MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS, A. 43 
 
 Miscellaneous Documents, A. 22, is "An Inventory of 
 Household furniture, plate, &c, of the Worshipful Com- 
 pany of Merchant Taylors, London, apprais'd at what they 
 are intrinsically worth as fixed and standing in and about 
 their Hall in Threadneedle Street the 25th March, 1765." 
 
 The amount at which the articles are valued is £1,307 
 95. od. 
 
 Miscellaneous Documents, A. 23, is a small book, 
 apparently compiled about the year 1696, and contains 
 abstracts of several masters' accounts, principally in con- 
 nection with the Company's Irish estates. It also gives the 
 number of apprentices, freemen, and members of the Livery 
 in various years. 
 
 MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS, B. 
 
 Some explanation is required as to how these documents, 
 which, so far as can at present be ascertained, have no con- 
 nection with the Company, came into their possession, 
 together with a large number of others of the same character, 
 which, having no special interest, I have not included in the 
 calendar. 
 
 Many of the Company's clerks have in former times been 
 solicitors, and have been allowed to carry on their private 
 practice at the Hall. There is no doubt that most of the 
 deeds coming within the category of Miscellaneous Docu- 
 ments, B., were the property of their clients and were put 
 away and forgotten. But there are other sources through 
 which documents came into the Company's possession.
 
 44 MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS, B. 
 
 In former days before banks existed, the Company not 
 infrequently acted as depositaries of documents for safe 
 custody. The minutes record several requests to the Com- 
 pany by members of the Court and other persons to act in 
 this capacity. For instance, Sir William Fitzwilliam, the 
 grandson of our benefactor of the same name, deposited 
 certain documents with the Company on his departure for 
 Ireland to take up the position of Lord Deputy, though in 
 this particular case the minutes record that the documents 
 were handed back to his son. It is also possible that some 
 of the documents were deposited with the Company as 
 security for loans on moneys owing. 
 
 Miscellaneous Documents, B. i , is a deed of about the 
 year 1 299 in connection with the ownership of a wall between 
 two tenements in the parish of St. Mary of Abcherche, and 
 a grant of the easement of "eaves-droppings," that is to 
 say, the right to run the water from your roof on to your 
 neighbour's property. 
 
 Miscellaneous Documents, B. 2, are some early four- 
 teenth century deeds relating to property in Ismongererowe 
 (Ironmonger Row) in the parish of St. Mary Colechurch, 
 with some fine seals attached. 
 
 Miscellaneous Documents, B. 3, is a grant of land by 
 John de Edelrneton and others with the assent of the brothers 
 and sisters of the house of Tannarseld in the parish of St. 
 Mary le Bow to William Baldewyn, tanner, of a plot of 
 land whereon to sell his wares in the said house of Tan- 
 narseld. 
 
 Riley defines the word ' ' seld ' ' as meaning a warehouse 
 open at the sides with shops within, and adds " these selds 
 probably resembled the eastern bazaars" (Riley, p. 22, n.) ;
 
 MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS, B. 45 
 
 he might have said modern markets, such as Smithfield, but 
 on a much smaller scale. 
 
 So Tannarseld would be the place where the tanners 
 carried on their trade. 
 
 The brothers and sisters of the house of Tannarseld are 
 described as the " Fraternity of the Tannerseld " in the will 
 of William Mosehache, who bequeaths to his wife a table 
 in the Tannerseld during widowhood or if she marry a 
 tanner. (Cal. Wills, ii., 135.) 
 
 According to Stow, there stood on the north side of 
 Bowchurch towards Cheapside, " one fayre building of Stone 
 called in record 'Seldam,' a shed, which greatly darkeneth 
 
 the said church." ' King Edward the third 
 
 caused this sild or shed to be made and strongly to bee 
 builded of stone for himselfe, the Queene and other Estates 
 to stand in, there to beholde the Iustinges and other shewes 
 at their pleasures." Henry iv. confirmed the said building 
 to Stephen Spilman and others "by the name of one new 
 Seldam," etc., "called Crounsilde or Tanarsilde." (Stow 
 
 i-. 257-) 
 
 Kingsford says, " Tannersilde is no doubt a corruption 
 
 of Tannerseld," but he goes on to speak of it as "the 
 
 building in Friday Street to which all foreign tanners had to 
 
 bring their hides." (lb. ii., 329, notes.) Obviously this is 
 
 not the same " Tannerseld " to which Stow refers, for Bow 
 
 Church does not adjoin Friday Street, nor is Friday Street 
 
 in the parish of St. Mary-le-Bow, but must be the " Seld 
 
 of Frydaystrete," the property of Adam Lovekyn which 
 
 "serves for all forHo-n tanners." (Rilev, p. 343.) 
 
 Bow Lane adjoins Row Church and was formerly 
 
 occupied bv cordwainrrs or bootmakers which would account 
 
 for the position of Tannarseld. 
 
 Miscellaneous Documents, B. 4, is a lease of tenements
 
 46 MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS, B. 
 
 in the parish of Our Lady of Abbecherche. It has a 
 certain interest for the Company because the lessor is Alice, 
 widow of Hugh de Portesmouth, citizen and tailor, and the 
 lessee, John Creyke, tailor. 
 
 Hugh de Portesmouth was one of the trustees, to whom 
 the site of the Hall was conveyed upon trust for the 
 Company in the year 1347. 
 
 John Creyke is probably the same man as John Creek, 
 who, by his will dated 14 18, devised to the Company a 
 tenement in the parish of St. Dunstan's in the East (now 
 No. 8 Tower Street), and whose obit the Company 
 kept at St. Mary Abchurch. Note the canting crest or 
 badge of a corncrake between the letters "I. K." on 
 John Creyke 's seal. 
 
 Miscellaneous Documents, B. 7, is a release dated 1431 
 by William Crowmer and others to Sir Reginald Cobham, 
 of the advowson of the parish church of Lingfield in Surrey, 
 which had been granted to the grantees and Sir Reginald 
 Cobham by the Abbot and Convent of Hyde by Win- 
 chester. 
 
 Sir Reginald Cobham of Sterborough founded a college 
 within the church of Lingfield by licence from the Crown, 
 dated 143 1. The endowment included the advowson and 
 rectory of the church. The college was suppressed in 1544. 
 
 Sir Reginald Cobham was son and heir of Reginald, 
 second Lord Cobham of Sterborough, but was never sum- 
 moned to Parliament. To him was committed the custody 
 of the Duke of Orleans, afterwards Louis xii., who had been 
 taken prisoner at Agincourt twenty years before. There 
 are very fine tombs in Lingfield church of Sir Reginald 
 Cobham and other members of his family. 
 
 Among the witnesses to the deed is Thomas Bekyngton, 
 Doctor of Laws. This is probably the man who was after-
 
 MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS, B. 4 7 
 
 wards Keeper of the Privy Seal to Henry vi., and Bishop 
 of Bath and Wells. He built the west alley of the cloisters 
 and other works at Wells. 
 
 (See the Victoria History of Surrey for an account of 
 Lingfield College and the Cobham family ; also Cockayne's 
 Complete Peerage.) 
 
 Miscellaneous Documents, B. 8, is a release dated 1465 
 by Edward iv., to the Mayor and citizens of London, at the 
 request of the Queen ' ' who holds the said City as the place 
 of her birth in great favour before other cities and places of 
 the Kingdom," of a fee-farm rent of £20 yearly from the 
 manor of Blanch Appulton and the place called Stywardy's 
 Inne within the said City. 
 
 By a grant (No. 8r>) dated the iSth of July, 1478, 
 Edward iv. grants to the Mayor and citizens of London the 
 said manor and the place called Stywardes Inne in con- 
 sideration of the sum of £4,000 remitted by the City to 
 the King, being part of a debt of £12,923 95. 8d. owing by 
 him to the City. 
 
 Blaunch Appulton or Blanch Apleton was at the north- 
 cast corner of Fenchurch Street and Mark Lane. Accord- 
 ing to Stow, "in the third of Edward the fourth all Basket 
 makers, wiar drawers and other forrevners were permitted 
 to have shops in this mannor of Blanch Apleton and not 
 elsewhere within this Citie or suburbs thereof." (Stow i., 
 150.) The name occurs as early as 1 1 77. (Anc. Deeds, 
 A. 7» 2 95-) A P art of the manor came to the family of Ros 
 or Roos of Hamelake. Another part belonged to the 
 Bohuns, Earls of Hereford. (Stow ii., 294, notes.) 
 
 The name of de Roos is familiar in the annals of the 
 Merchant Taylors' Companv. Several Lords de Roos were 
 freemen of the Company, and one of the principal obits 
 kept by them was that of Dame Beatrice de Roos.
 
 48 MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS, B. 
 
 The Queen of Edward iv., it will be remembered, was 
 Elizabeth Woodville, daughter of Richard Woodville, Lord 
 Rivers, and the mother of the young princes who were 
 murdered in the Tower. 
 
 The calendar of 1689 includes "a bundle of writings 
 relating to Blanch Appulton and the City of London against 
 the Attorney-General," but the Company have nothing now 
 in their possession beyond the two deeds above referred to. 
 
 Miscellaneous Documents, B. 9a, is a document specially 
 worthy of notice. It is a mortgage dated the 22nd of 
 August, 1544, by Henry viii. to a number of leading 
 members of the Merchant Taylors' Company, of fee-farm 
 rents, manors and lands in various parts of England to 
 secure a loan of £3,803 6s. 8r/., the clear yearly value of 
 which is stated to be £171 135. yd., the mortgage to be 
 void upon repayment by the King of the loan within one 
 year. The document is stated to be witnessed by " Kath- 
 erine, Queen of England " (Katherine Parr). 
 
 This loan appears to be part of a loan of £21 ,263 65. 8d. 
 made by members of the twelve companies which is referred 
 to in Strype, Book 1, p. 282. Strype gives the names of 
 some of the largest subscribers, among which I notice the 
 names of the following merchant taylors : — Henry Hub- 
 bathorne, £300 ; Thomas White, £300 ; John Wilford, 
 £100. 
 
 Needless to say the loan was not repaid. The next 
 document (No. oh) is an agreement between the lenders for 
 a partition of the lands and rents according to their contri- 
 butions to the loan. 
 
 No. gc is a deed of partition as to some of the lands. It 
 recites that "our late Soueraigne Lorde made defaulte of 
 payment of the saide somme."
 
 MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS, B. 49 
 
 What makes this mortgage so interesting is that, at the 
 very time that this loan was carried through, the subject of 
 forced loans to the King had reached an acute stage. In 
 the same year, 1544, an Act had been passed releasing to 
 the King all moneys borrowed by him since 1542. In the 
 following year, 1545, Henry had once more recourse to what 
 were called benevolences. The consequences of refusal to 
 contribute were serious, as the following account from 
 Hallam shews. Richard Reed, an alderman of London, it 
 is said, had stood alone among his fellow citizens in refusing 
 to contribute. Such conduct could not be overlooked, and 
 this is how he was punished. England was then at war 
 with Scotland, and Reed was sent to serve as a soldier at his 
 own charge. The general in command was instructed to 
 employ him on the hardest and most perilous duty and to 
 subject him when in garrison to the greatest privations, that 
 he might feel the smart of his folly and sturdy disobedience. 
 (Hallam ii., 24-25.) 
 
 Our predecessors in the Merchant Taylors' Company 
 must have been cleverer than their generation, for not only 
 did they manage to get security for their loan, but were 
 actually allowed to realise it, when default was made in 
 payment. 
 
 Miscellaneous Documents, B. 10, is a lease, dated 1550, 
 of some property in Thames Street. The document, which 
 is otherwise of no interest, has, written at the foot in a 
 different hand, the following undated memorandum, having 
 nothing whatever to do with the lease : — 
 
 " Parrys garden at firste shotte, xlvi. 
 At Stangate, lxvii. 
 At Stangate at second tyme, 1. 
 At Stangate nether dromme ne Ancyent."
 
 5 o MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS, B. 
 
 I presume the numbers given are those of the members 
 of the shooting association or corps attending drill and 
 practice. The word " ancyent " is a corruption of the word 
 "ensign," and means both the flag and the officer who 
 carries the flag. Thus Pistoll in Shakespeare's " Henry v." 
 was called "ancient Pistoll" because of his office. 
 
 Parry s garden was on the south side of the Thames, 
 opposite Whitefriars and Bridewell, and was a favourite 
 resort of the citizens, but did not possess too good a 
 reputation. 
 
 " Publius, student at the common law, 
 Oft leaves his books and for his recreation 
 To Paris Garden doth himself withdraw." 
 
 (Quoted in Hare's "Walks in London," 
 Vol. L, p. 356.) 
 
 Stangate was higher up the river, about where St. 
 Thomas's Hospital now stands. 
 
 Miscellaneous Documents, B. 11, relates to messuages 
 known as the " Sixe Basens," the " Blewe Bell," the 
 "Three Crownes " and the " Flyenge Horse" in the 
 parish of "All Hallowes in the Elmes," otherwise All 
 Hallows', Lombard Street. 
 
 The property belonged to one, John Lay cock, citizen 
 and barber surgeon, hence, I presume, the sign of the 
 " Sixe Basens." The cupping basin with the pole painted 
 red and white to represent the blood and the linen bandage 
 were the emblems of the barber surgeon. 
 
 I have not previously come across the name of ' ' All 
 Hallowes in the Elmes" as applied to All Hallows', Lom- 
 bard Street. The same suggestion of greenery — long 
 vanished — occurs in the name of another City church, 
 St. Anne-in-the-Willows.
 
 MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS, 13. 51 
 
 Miscellaneous Documents, B. 14, relates to property 
 near Galley Key in the parish of All Hallows', Barking. 
 Stow says that Galley Key was the place where ' ' divers 
 strangers borne of Genoa and those parts, commonly called 
 Galley men as men that came uppe in the Gallies," landed 
 their wines and other merchandise. The district is still the 
 centre of the wine trade. 
 
 Miscellaneous Documents, B. 15, is later than most 
 of the documents in the calendar, but 1 have included it as it 
 is rather curious. It is dated 1st March, 1744. and is an 
 agreement between Robert Karrington, ' Upper Ruler 
 of the Fellowship Porters of Billingsgate," and twelve 
 others (named), Rulers and Assistants of the said Fellow- 
 ship, and Richard Brooks, "present Master Corn Meter" 
 of the City of London, in reference to the appointment of 
 Richard Brooks by the ' ' Company or Fellowship of Corn 
 and Salt porters commonly called the Porters of Billingsgate 
 at their Court House at Billingsgate " to be their " shifter " 
 for the term of twenty-one years. He is to collect all moneys 
 due to any brother or porter of the Fellowship for work on 
 the north side of the river from London Bridge downwards 
 and on all ships in the river and to pay it over to the Rulers, 
 less a commission of id. in the shilling. The Fellowship 
 is to retain the right of collection on the south side of the 
 river and in ships lying between the wharves and low-water 
 mark on that side. For the privilege of the office he is to 
 pay the Fellowship £56 a year and the Deputy of Billings- 
 gate ward £14 a year. 
 
 A voluntary association known as the ' Fellowship 
 Porters" is, or was till quite recently, in existence. There 
 is an account of it in Hazlitt's Livery Companies, p. 154. 
 He speaks of it as the only survival of many attempts on 
 the part of the journeymen yeomen or denizens in trades in 
 
 E*
 
 52 MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS, B. 
 
 former days to combine for something more than self- 
 defence. 
 
 Miscellaneous Documents, B. 16, is a parchment roll 
 containing extracts, in a seventeenth centurv hand, from the 
 chartulary of the Priory of St. Andrew of Northampton, and 
 is marked "ex libro Johannis Cotton barr." This priory 
 was a house of Cluniac monks and was founded by Simon 
 de St. Liz, Earl of Northampton, one of the adventurers 
 who came over with William the Conqueror. The priory 
 was suppressed in 1538. 
 
 The document commences with a memorandum that the 
 foundation charter was confirmed by William the Conqueror. 
 This would make the date of the foundation not later than 
 1087. 
 
 Sir John Cotton was the grandson of Sir Robert Cotton 
 who made the Cottonian collection of MSS. 
 
 Miscellaneous Documents, B. 17, which relates to some 
 piracy proceedings, is dated as of Hilary Term, 1347, Pleas 
 before the King at Norwich. The jury find that William 
 Haunsard of London, together with several others unknown, 
 about the feast of Holy Trinity, 1339, on the sea coast 
 between England and Flanders, entered a ship called " La 
 Tarryt," which was under the King's protection, and carried 
 away goods and merchandise. The prisoner thereupon pro- 
 duces the King's pardon, dated 1st April, 1346. 
 
 Miscellaneous Documents, B. 18, comprises the court 
 rolls of the manor of Merton in the county of Surrey for 
 the years 1485 to 1666, with proceedings of courts and views 
 of frank-pledge. The priors of Merton were the lords of 
 the manor from 1121 to 1538. From 1538 to about 161 1, 
 the manor was vested in the Crown except for a short period
 
 MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS, B. 53 
 
 from 9th December, 1558, to 1st April, 1559, during which 
 Maurice, Prior of the " House of Jesus of Bethlehem of 
 Sheane," was lord of the manor. The interregnum is 
 remarkable because it took place after Elizabeth had come 
 to the throne. It would not have been surprising if it had 
 been during the reign of Philip and Mary. FYom 161 1 the 
 iordship of the manor was in private hands. 
 
 There was a lawsuit some four years ago in which the 
 customs of this manor were involved, but no one knew of 
 the existence of these rolls for they have only recently been 
 discovered. I do not know whether they contain any infor- 
 mation bearing on the subject matter of the suit. 
 
 Miscellaneous Documents, B. 19, comprises a number of 
 receipts between the years 1 546-1 580 to the Innholders' 
 Company for rent and other payments, giving the names 
 of the wardens of that Company by whom the payments were 
 made. 
 
 There are included twenty-two receipts for rent for 
 various periods between the above dates due to the Crown 
 for Innholders' Hall in the parish of St. Michael Paternoster, 
 formerly parcel of the possessions of the Chapel of All 
 Hallows', Barking. 
 
 In 1580 the rent is paid to Thomas Cockes for " theire 
 common hall situate in St. Michells Paternoster in the ryall 
 otherwise called Whittington Colledge." 
 
 For an account of Whittington College founded by 
 Sir Richard Whittington, see Stow i., pp. 242-3. 
 
 Miscellaneous Documents, B. 20b, is a bond dated 15S5 
 given by John Dalton, citizen and writer of Court-hand, to 
 the Master and Wardens (named) of the Brewers' Company 
 for the payment of ,£300 to the use of the infant children of
 
 54 MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS, B. 
 
 Richard Rawson, "one of the four Masters of the Navy of 
 England." It appears from this document that the Brewers' 
 Company, like the Merchant Taylors' Company, acted on 
 occasion as trustees or guardians of the property of infant 
 children. 
 
 Miscellaneous Documents, B. 21, relate to land in 
 Woolwich which formerly belonged to Sir Nicholas Bacon, 
 Lord Keeper. By a deed dated 1st June, 1578, he con- 
 veyed it to " Fraunces Bacon esquier, his fifte sonne," who 
 was afterwards the great Lord Bacon. There are good 
 specimens of the signatures of Sir Nicholas Bacon on this 
 deed, and of Lord Bacon on a subsequent mortgage. 
 
 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 
 
 No. I. comprises the title-deeds relating to the site of 
 Merchant Taylors' Hall, the Company's earliest acquisition. 
 They commence with the grant (undated but enrolled in the 
 Court of Husting in 1299) by Ralph de Alegate (other- 
 wise Crepin), clerk, to his son, Walter de Glovernia 
 (otherwise Crepin), of his principal mansion in Cornhill 
 with houses and rents adjoining in the parishes of St. Peter, 
 St. Michael upon Cornhill, St. Benet Fink and St. Martin 
 de Otteswich. Edmund Crepin, son of the above Walter 
 Crepin, conveyed that part of the property upon which the 
 Hall stands to John de Yakeslee, from whom it was acquired 
 in 1347 by the Company of Taylors and Linen Armourers, 
 but see p. 8 above (Boofc: 5). 
 
 The property belonged in the thirteenth century to Roger 
 Fitz Roger, from whose son, John Fitz Roger, Ralph de 
 Alegate acquired it (Deeds iii., 2 and 3, and also a grant
 
 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 55 
 
 by Hugh de Bedford and Joan, his wife, to Ralph de 
 Alegate, Husting Roll 13 {77)). One, Roger FitzRoger, was 
 Mayor in 1249, and may have been the person referred to. 
 
 Three original deeds, unfortunately of only minor im- 
 portance, relating to this title have been recently found, all 
 that remain of the long series referred to in the Evidence 
 Book. (Book 8.) A number of the missing deeds were 
 enrolled in the Court of Husting and elsewhere, and from 
 the enrolments I have had transcripts made, so as to make 
 this interesting title as complete as possible. 
 
 As not every deed was enrolled, there are of course many 
 gaps, which can to a certain extent be filled in from the 
 Evidence Book. 
 
 I may say here that I have adopted the same course in 
 the case of the titles to other ancient possessions of the 
 Company. 
 
 No. II. comprises a few documents relating to the title 
 of the Company's next acquisition, viz., the Saracen's Head 
 (" le Sarazyneshed ") in Friday Street, which they pur- 
 chased in 1 40 1, having previously in 1377 acquired a quit- 
 rent of ten marks a year issuing out of the same premises. 
 It was conveyed subject to an annual quit-rent of 205. pay- 
 able to Westminster Abbey, which is now paid to the 
 Ecclesiastical Commissioners. The property still belongs 
 to the Company. 
 
 No. III. comprises the deeds relating to the advowson of 
 St. Martin's Outwich and the houses and lands acquired 
 from John Chircheman in 1405. 
 
 There are five original deeds still in existence, but other 
 documents of this series referred to in the calendar are
 
 56 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 
 
 transcripts from enrolments in the Court of Husting and the 
 Record Office. 
 
 No. iii., 3, dated 1294, contains a reference to "the 
 late Ralf de Coningrue, rector of the church of St. Martin de 
 Oteswyk." No existing list of rectors of this parish goes 
 further back than 1300. 
 
 No. iii., 4, the will of Edmund de Aumondesham, 
 enrolled 1296, contains a curious bequest. It charges the 
 tenements thereby devised with the payment yearly to his 
 mother, Alice, for the term of her life, of a supertunic, 
 price 35., and a pair of shoes, price 8<2., at Michaelmas, and 
 a pair of shoes of the same price at Easter. 
 
 No. iii., 53, is a grant, dated 23rd July, 1405, by the 
 Master and Wardens of the "Guild and Fraternity of St. 
 John the Baptist of the City of London, and the brethren 
 and sisters of the Fraternity," to James Billy ngford and 
 others, of " two rooms which John Chircheman, citizen and 
 grocer of London, now occupies for his dwelling in the hostel 
 called le Sterre in Bysshopgatestrete and a small cellar 
 adjoining, with free ingress and egress by the door of the 
 hostel to the said rooms," for the life of John Chircheman 
 and one year after his death, paying nothing to the said 
 Fraternity except a red rose yearly at the feast of the 
 Nativity of St. John Baptist. 
 
 The interest of this deed lies in the fact that it gives the 
 dwelling-place of John Chircheman, who was not only a 
 great benefactor to the Company but a very prominent man 
 in the City of London, deemed worthy to be included by 
 Stow in his list of men who had rendered distinguished 
 services to the City. (Stow i., 108.) 
 
 He was Sheriff in 1386 and is said to have built the first 
 custom-house in London, and was apparently a man of con- 
 siderable means. It is strange that a man of his standing 
 should not have had his own house, but have been content
 
 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 57 
 
 to occupy two rooms in a hostel. Perhaps he had fallen on 
 bad times, or it may be that he was a bachelor and preferred 
 the convenience of living in an inn. 
 
 The " Sterre " was part of the property the Company 
 acquired from Chircheman. It stood in Bishopsgate Street 
 next the church and rectory house of St. Martin Outwich, 
 and the site is now part of the Capital and Counties Bank. 
 
 No. iii., 54, the last document of this series, is much 
 later in date than those preceding it. It is a grant by Queen 
 Elizabeth to Edmund Haselwood and Edward Thomlynson 
 of all the houses and lands ' ' sometime parcel of the posses- 
 sions of John Chircheman deceased and by him bequeathed 
 for the maintenance of a priest or chaplain to celebrate masses 
 or other divine services within the church of St. Martin 
 Outwich or for other such superstitious uses there, which 
 premises were concealed, withdrawn or unjustly detained 
 from the Queen or from her lather, brother or sister." As 
 the premises were retained by the Company, it is to be 
 presumed that some arrangement or composition was come 
 to with the grantees. 
 
 No. IV. relates to the Saracen's Head, Bread Street, 
 devised to the Company by Thomas Sibsay in 1405. 
 
 Xo. Y . relatt-s to property in the Poultry by the Great 
 Conduit, devised to the Company in 1412 by Peter Mason 
 (master in 1407). The little shop at the corner of the 
 Poultry and Bucklersbury, still owned by the Company, was 
 part of this gift. The great conduit stood opposite in the 
 centre of the street. 
 
 Stowe speaks of it as "the Great Conduit of sweete 
 water conueyed by pipes of Lead under ground from Pad- 
 dington for seruice of this citie, castellated with stone and 
 cesterned in leade, about the yeare 1285." (Stow i., 264.)
 
 58 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 
 
 No. VI. comprises deeds relating to property in Cress- 
 yngham Lane, now known as Anchor Alley, off Thames 
 Street, devised to the Company by Thomas Sutton in 
 1432. 
 
 No. VII. relates to lands and tenements in St. Margaret 
 Pattens Lane, devised to the Company in 145 1 by Idonia 
 Halleyate, widow of John Halleyate, citizen and mercer of 
 London, upon condition that her name and that of her 
 husband be inscribed among those of the brothers and sisters 
 of the Fraternity whose souls are prayed for, that 6s. $>d. 
 be spent by the Master and Wardens for her anniversary in 
 the church of St. Martin Outwich, with directions for the 
 observance of the obit, and that her sister, Agnes Drypool, 
 widow, be permitted to occupy the shop she then held unless 
 the Master and Wardens receive her as a sister and grant 
 her such alms and dwelling as other sisters of the Fraternity 
 receive. 
 
 St. Margaret Pattens Lane is now known as Rood Lane 
 from the rood or cross which stood in St. Margaret Pattens 
 churchyard, and which was especially endowed by the Pope 
 with indulgences. 
 
 No. VIII. is a deed of feoffment by the Master and 
 Wardens of the Company to Stephen Kyrton of messuages 
 at the north-west corner of Lime Street in the parish of St. 
 Andrew Undershaft, known as Penbrigge's Inn, otherwise 
 Benbrigges Inn, devised by Ralph Holland in 1452 to the 
 Company, by whom it was sold in 1550 to Kyrton in order to 
 raise funds to meet the demands of the Crown in connection 
 with the redemption of charges for superstitious uses upon 
 other properties belonging to them. There is an account of 
 Benbrigges Inn in Stow, i., 151.
 
 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 59 
 
 No. IX. relates to " a great messuage" adjoining the 
 church of St. John upon Walbrook and an alley called 
 Caundissh Alley, formerly Bromholme Alley, in the parish 
 of St. Mary and St. Gabriel Fenchurch, the gift of Hugh 
 Candyssh, otherwise Cavendish, to the Company in 1460. 
 
 The church of St. John upon Walbrook no longer 
 exists. It stood at the top of Dowgate Hill at its junction 
 with Candlewick Street, now Cannon Street, where the 
 Walbrook was crossed by a bridge called Horeshew 
 Bridge. 
 
 Caundissh Alley was off Fenchurch Street. The original 
 deeds relating to this title go back to 1295 and are among 
 the earliest the Company possess. 
 
 The house in Walbrook was, in 1 299, owned or occupied 
 by Eustace de Holleweye, "cook to the Queen of Navarre." 
 This was either Blanche, widow of Henry i. of Navarre, 
 who afterwards married Edmund, Earl of Lancaster, brother 
 of Edward i., or her daughter, Joan, Queen of Navarre in 
 her own right, of whom Edmund was appointed guardian 
 during her minority. In 1432 it was occupied by John 
 Penne, citizen and skinner (and alderman and sheriff in 
 1 410), who may have been a member of the family of Penne 
 of Penne in the county of Bucks from whom William Penn, 
 the founder of Pennsylvania, claimed to be descended. 
 
 It may here be noted that Richard Penne, son of John 
 Penne of Penne in the county of Bucks, deceased, gentle- 
 man, was apprenticed in December, 1487, to Richard 
 Penne, citizen and taylor, as appears from an entry in the 
 ancient minute books. (Books 37, vol. i., fo. 11.) 
 
 The property belonged at one time to Lady Rose 
 Caundyssh, from whom it descended to her son and heir, 
 William Caundyssh, esquire, of the county of Bucks. On 
 his death, it passed to his sister, Joan Wylden, widow, and,
 
 60 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 
 
 on her death, to her son and heir, William Wylden, who 
 conveyed it in 1453 to Hugh Cavendissh. 
 
 John Penne above mentioned was tenant to Joan 
 Wylden. 
 
 A letter of attorney from William Wylden to Hugh 
 Cavendissh to receive the rent of the property has two seals 
 attached, the explanation of which is curious. The docu- 
 ment states that he has appended his own seal thereto, but 
 ' because it is unknown to many he has procured the seal 
 of the Reverend and discreet Stephen Brown, one of the 
 Aldermen, to be appended in greater evidence of the 
 premises." 
 
 No. X. comprises : (i.) A counterpart conveyance on 
 sale, dated the 3rd December, 1673, by the Master and 
 Wardens to John Backwell and Richard Mounteney, of " a 
 messuage on the north side of Lombard Street abutting on 
 the east upon a new alley called Exchange Alley lying in 
 part over the said alley and having vaults under the said 
 alley as the same messuage was lately built by and is now in 
 the occupation of Edward Backwell Esquire," in considera- 
 tion of ,£1,000, and a reservation to the Company of 
 the yearly rent of £5 which they still receive. These 
 premises are now 71, Lombard Street, and are part of 
 Lloyds Bank, (ii.) A counterpart conveyance on sale, dated 
 3rd December, 1673, by the Master and Wardens to John 
 Backwell and Richard Mounteney, in consideration of 
 ,£4,000 of all the property in Lombard Street and Cornhill 
 devised to the Company by (a) Sir John Percivall in 1502, 
 and (b) by Giles Slater in 1522, except (1) a messuage in 
 Cornhill called by the name or sign of the " Turke's Head," 
 now No. 21, Cornhill, which the Company still own, and 
 (2) the above-mentioned messuage on the north side of 
 Lombard Street abutting upon Exchange Alley.
 
 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 61 
 
 The sale of this valuable property was one of the 
 disastrous consequences to the Company of the Fire of 
 London, crippled as their resources already were by the 
 heavy exactions of the Stuarts following on the Tudors. 
 
 In 1564 a strong effort had been made by the Corpora- 
 tion of London to purchase this property as the site of the 
 new "burse " or exchange which Sir Thomas Gresham had 
 undertaken to build " for that it did so joyne upon Lomberd 
 Strete whereby the said Burse might thereby retayne and 
 kepe the ancient name of Lomberd Strete for that the 
 Policies that hathe been made tyme out of mynde between 
 marchauntc- and marchaunte in other forren regions hath 
 had relacions to be of as good effect to all respects as the 
 policies usually made in Lomberd Strete was of, whereby it 
 dothe appeare that the Burse of Lomberd Strete is of longer 
 antiquitie than any other Burse is known to be of that is 
 within all Europe." 
 
 The Company, however, absolutely declined to sell the 
 property on any terms, and so it came about that Sir Thomas 
 Gresham erected his new "burse" upon the site of the 
 present Roval Exchange (see the Minute of the Court of 
 Assistants of 12th January, 1564-5, printed in "The Early 
 History," i., pp. 396 and following. 
 
 Edward Backwell, referred to in the body of the deed, 
 was by trade a goldsmith, and was a remarkable man. He 
 mav almost be described as the father of modern banking, 
 and is said to have been the originator of " goldsmith's 
 notes," which were the earliest form of bank notes. He 
 was banker to Charles ii., and through him were carried 
 out the financial arrangements in connection with the sale of 
 Dunkirk by that King to the French. 
 
 He was a friend of Pepys, whose Diary contains many 
 references to him and to the houses which he was going to
 
 62 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 
 
 build in Cornhill and Lombard Street. (Diary of Samuel 
 Pepys, Wheatley's edn., iii., 195, and viii., 291.) 
 
 It may be presumed that though the sale was to John 
 Backwell and Richard Mounteney, they were, in fact, pur- 
 chasing on behalf of Edward Backwell. John Backwell 
 was either his son or his brother, both of whom bore the 
 name of John, and Richard Mounteney was the husband of 
 his niece. 
 
 The property comprised in the sale included a house in 
 Lombard Street ' ' called the ' Unicorne ' now or late in the 
 tenure of John Portman goldsmith." This house was at 
 one time Edward Backwell's shop. 
 
 Mr. John Biddulph Martin in his interesting history of 
 'The Grasshopper in Lombard Street" (now Martin's 
 Bank, 68, Lombard Street) produces documentary evidence 
 to show that the " Unicorne" adjoined the " Grasshopper," 
 and therefore stood on the site of what is now 69, Lombard 
 Street. 
 
 From this one can get some idea of the extent of the 
 property sold by the Company. It included the greater 
 part of the site of what is now Lloyds Bank, extending 
 from Lombard Street to Cornhill, together with the site of 
 Nos. 69 and 70, Lombard Street. How much land at the 
 rear of these two last-mentioned houses and in Cornhill was 
 also included it is impossible now to fix. If it had not been 
 for this unfortunate sale the Company would have been 
 almost the richest of all the City guilds. 
 
 Prior to the erection of Sir Thomas Gresham's " Burse," 
 merchants met for the transaction of business under the open 
 sky in Lombard Street and the lanes and alleys adjoining. 
 
 So strong was the genius loci that, notwithstanding the 
 advantages offered by the new burse, or because the accom- 
 modation afforded was insufficient, much business still con- 
 tinued to be transacted in and about Lombard Street. So,
 
 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 63 
 
 for the convenience of merchants, Edward Backwell made 
 the new alley called " Exchange Alley," referred to in the 
 above-mentioned deeds, which runs along the east side of 
 Lloyds Bank. 
 
 It will be remembered that it was in Exchange Alley 
 that the wild scenes of speculation took place at the time 
 of the South Sea Bubble. 
 
 No. XL comprises a grant by the Master and Wardens 
 of the Company to Thomas Coole or Cole as trustee for 
 Sir William Fitzwilliam, in consideration of the payment by 
 the latter of 1,200 marks (£800) of a yearly rent-charge of 
 £20 issuing out of twelve messuages in Lombard Street and 
 Cornhill in the parishes of St. Mary Woolnoth and St. 
 Michael Cornhill, given to the Company by Sir John Per- 
 civall, being the property afterwards sold by them to John 
 Backwell and Richard Mounteney. (Deeds x.) 
 
 In pursuance of the trust reposed in him, Coole by his 
 will devised the rent-charge to the Abbey of Croyland upon 
 trust to pay £j a year to a chantry priest to pray for the 
 soul of Sir William Fitzwilliam in the church of Marham 
 (now called Marholm) in the county of Northampton, and 
 6s. 8d. a year to be expended on his obit, and to apply the 
 balance of £12 13s. 4^. upon other trusts as therein 
 declared, including £10 13s. ^d. a year for the support of 
 four almsmen at Marham. The whole £12 13s. ^d. is now 
 paid by the Company to the rector of Marholm for the 
 almsmen in the Fitzwilliam Almshouses there. 
 
 The subsequent history of the balance of £7 6s. 8(2. is 
 interesting. It was not included in the return made by 
 the Company to the Chantry Commissioners of Edward vi., 
 for, although as owners of the property charged they were 
 liable for the payment of the rent-charge, they were not
 
 64 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 
 
 concerned as trustees in its application. Many years after- 
 wards the fact that the Company had made no return of 
 this rent-charge was discovered by Thomas Litchfield, a 
 notorious informer, to whom Queen Elizabeth had granted a 
 patent to search out and discover any lands or moneys given 
 for the maintenance of chantries which under the Chantries 
 Act were confiscated by the Crown on the ground that they 
 were applied for superstitious uses. 
 
 Proceedings were taken against the Company, with the 
 result that they were compelled to pay the arrears from 
 Easter, 1548, when the Act came into operation. The 
 Company admitted that they had made no return of this 
 rent-charge, but pleaded that the money had nevertheless 
 been applied in the relief of the poor, but that was not 
 regarded as an answer to the claim. It was unjust to 
 charge the Company with any concealment, for not only 
 was it not incumbent on them to make the return, but as a 
 matter of fact, of which no doubt the Company was unaware, 
 a return of the payment to the chantry priest had been made 
 to the Chantry Commissioners for Northamptonshire as 
 appears from their certificate still extant at the Record 
 Office. (Chantry Certificates 36.) 
 
 One moiety of the arrears so recovered went to the in- 
 former. The other moiety the Queen assigned over to Walter 
 Fish, who was a member of the Company and was Master in 
 1576. With this money Fish purchased a house in Cannon 
 Street which he transferred to the Company as an endow- 
 ment for five divinity scholarships founded by him at St. 
 John's College, Oxford, now known as the " Fish Ex- 
 hibitions." The rent-charge of £j 6s. Sd. was also assigned 
 to Fish, who gave it to the Company upon trust to dis- 
 tribute £y a year (representing the stipend of the chantry 
 priest) amongst the almsmen of the livery of the Company, 
 and to pay the balance of 6s. Sd. (which had been originally
 
 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 65 
 
 given for Sir William Fitzwilliam's obit) to the clerk and 
 beadle. Stow says that Fish was tailor to the Queen and 
 this statement has been recently confirmed, for at a sale 
 by auction, which took place about two years ago, of ancient 
 manuscripts there are included some of Fish's original 
 accounts for dress supplied to the Queen. Sir William 
 Fitzwilliam was Master of the Company in 1499 and was 
 one of its most distinguished members. (See an account 
 of his life in " The Early History" ii., 39.) 
 
 No. XIII. relates to a grant by the Master and Wardens 
 of the Company to Isabel Howdan, widow of Thomas How- 
 dan (Master in 1505), of a yearly rent-charge of £8 10s. od. 
 " from their six tenements newly built in Bradstrete " (now 
 called Threadneedle Street) "in the parish of St. Benet in 
 the ward of Bradstrete and from all their tenements in the 
 parish of Holy Trinity the Less," in consideration of 500 
 marks (£333 6s. Sd.), a gilt standing cup with a cover and 
 two salts of silver with a little cover parcel gilt. 
 
 Isabel Howdan bequeaths the rent-charge to the Master 
 and Wardens to pay £7 3s. 4^. to an honest secular priest 
 who can sing well "his playne and faburdon." 
 
 The Master and Wardens are to expend 16s. Sd. on 
 the obit of Thomas Howdan in the church of St. Mary 
 Abchurch. The testatrix gives minute directions as to 
 observance of the obit, and if any part of the 165. Sd. is left 
 unspent, it is to be laid out in a potation for the Master and 
 Wardens and the parishioners present at the obit. The 
 balance of 105. is to be expended on coals for the poor. 
 
 The rent-charge, so far as the same was applicable to 
 superstitious uses, was purchased back by the Company 
 from the Crown on the dissolution of chantries. The 10s. 
 was redeemed under the City of London Parochial Charities 
 Act, 1883. 
 
 F
 
 66 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 
 
 No. XVIII. relates to a yearly rent-charge of £g 13s. $d. 
 purchased by James Wylford (Master in 1494) from the 
 Company for ^433 6s. Sd. and to issue out of the messuage 
 belonging to the Company known as the " Saryson's 
 Hedde," Friday Street. (See Deeds ii.) 
 
 By a deed dated the 15th November, 1521, he directs 
 the Company to apply the rent-charge for the maintenance 
 of a priest to say masses for the souls of himself and his 
 family, for the keeping of his obit, and for the making and 
 support of the paschal light in the church of St. Bartholomew 
 the Little (St. Bartholomew by the Exchange). After 
 dirige done, the Master and Wardens, with the parson, 
 priests, clerks and other neighbours present at the obit, 
 shall come, if it please them, to Merchant Taylors' Hall, 
 when the Master and Wardens shall provide bread, cheese 
 and ale to the value of 6s. Sd. 
 
 A change took place in Wylford 's views, due perhaps to 
 the rising spirit of the Reformation, for in 1526 fresh 
 directions were given as to the mode in which the rent-charge 
 was to be applied by the Company. All the previous 
 instructions with regard to masses and the obit were can- 
 celled, and in lieu thereof £y was to be spent in the repair 
 of the highway which Wylford had caused to be made 
 between Riverhylle in Kent, and Northyam Church in 
 Sussex, £2 in charity, 6s. Sd. for a sermon to be preached 
 every Good Friday in the church of St. Bartholomew on 
 the subject of the Passion of Our Lord, and the balance of 
 6s. Sd. to the officers of the Company for their pains in 
 administering the trust. The sermon is now preached on 
 Wednesday in Holy Week at the church of St. Margaret, 
 Lothbury (St. Bartholomew's church having been pulled 
 down and the site secularized), and is attended by the 
 Master and Wardens and other members of the Company.
 
 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 67 
 
 No. XX. relates to property in the parish of St. Martin 
 Ludgate, given to the Company by Hugh Acton (Master 
 in 1527). 
 
 It appears from a lengthy document extracted from the 
 Memoranda of the Exchequer for the year 13 Henry viii. 
 that the property formerly belonged to Scolastica Esterfeld, 
 widow of John Esterfeld of Bristol, who devised it to the 
 Fraternity of St. Katheryne of the craft of Haberdashers in 
 London of which her first husband, Richard Barrett, was a 
 member, upon trust to provide a priest and obit in the church 
 of St. Martin Ludgate at the altar of the Blessed Trinity 
 and St. Katharine in that church. 
 
 The property was seized by Henry viii. on the ground 
 that the testatrix had no power to leave it in mortmain and 
 was subsequently granted by him to Sir William Kyngeston, 
 " Knight of the body of the King." 
 
 Proceedings for the recovery of the property were then 
 taken in the Court of Exchequer. 
 
 It was claimed that the Custom of the City had been 
 time out of mind that any freeman can alienate and give 
 tenements therein to any person, in mortmain or otherwise. 
 
 The Court, however, held that the premises having 
 been assigned in mortmain were rightfully seized by the 
 King. 
 
 In view of the perfectly well-established custom that a 
 citizen of London might by will leave property within the 
 City in mortmain without any licence from the Crown, the 
 explanation of the decision of the Court would appear to 
 be that Scolastica Esterfeld, having married a citizen of 
 Bristol, was no longer entitled to the benefit of the custom. 
 
 Sir William Kyngeston sold the property to Hugh Acton, 
 who gave it to the Company.
 
 68 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 
 
 No. XXIII. is the conveyance, dated 1561, from John 
 Hethe to Richard Botyll (master in 155 1), as trustee for the 
 Company, of their old schoolhouse in Suffolk Lane. 
 
 The property formerly belonged to Sir John Poultney, 
 who was four times Mayor of London, and was one of the 
 great merchant princes of the fourteenth century, whose 
 jiame frequently occurs in the annals of the City. 
 
 It formed part of the great mansion known from its owner 
 as Poultney 's Inn. It was also known at a later period as 
 the manor of the Rose, and is so described in Stow as well 
 as in our own Court Minutes of the 24th of September, 
 1565. (Stow i., 237 ; CM. i., 194.) 
 
 Poultney, who died in 1349, besides much other pro- 
 perty, owned two large houses in London within a short 
 distance of one another, viz., the one above mentioned, 
 which he described in his will, dated 1348, as his "principal 
 messuage wherein he lived in the parish of St. Laurence de 
 Candelwykstrete " (now named after him St. Laurence 
 Poultney, corrupted into Pountney) ; and the other, called 
 in the will " le Coldherberuy " or Cold Harbrough, situate 
 in the adjoining parish of All Hallows the Great. (Cal. 
 iWillsi., 609.) 
 
 His principal messuage, Poultney left (subject to a life 
 interest to his wife) to his son in tail with remainder to 
 the master and chaplains of the Chapel of the Corpus Christi 
 adjoining St. Laurence Poultney church (afterwards known 
 as St. Laurence Poultney College). 
 
 " Coldherberuy " he directed should be sold by his 
 executors as soon as they could after his death, the property 
 being then subject to certain life interests. 
 
 My reason for bringing in Cold Harbrough is that the 
 fact of Poultney 's ownership of the two properties has given 
 rise to considerable confusion between them.
 
 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 69 
 
 Stow, in giving an account of Cold Harbrough, says that 
 Poultney purchased the property in 1334, and that he lived 
 there, and thence the house had the name of " Poultney's 
 Inne," but this is the only place I have come across (except 
 in modern writers who have followed Stow) where Cold 
 Harbrough has been so called. In fact, in all the ancient 
 documents, subsequent to the date of Poultney's death, 
 which I have been able to refer to, the house is always 
 spoken of as Cold Harbrough (spelt in different ways) and 
 never as Poultney's Inn, though it may have been so known 
 during Poultney's occupation if he ever did live there. On 
 the odier hand, Stow makes no mention of Poultney's asso- 
 ciation with the house in St. Laurence Pountney parish, and 
 yet that house was certainly known as Poultney's Inn at a 
 very early date. In an inquisition into Poultney's affairs, 
 dated 1366, the two houses are clearly distinguished as " a 
 messuage called Coldherbeurgh which belonged to John de 
 Pultenay, knight, in the parish of All Hallows the Great," 
 and "a messuage called Pultenaysin in the parish of St. 
 Laurence Candelwikstret." (Chanc. Inq. Extents on 
 Debts, File 15, No. 17.) 
 
 Poultney's executors sold the Cold Harbrough property 
 m 1353 to Sir Nicholas Loveyne, who had married his 
 widow. (H.R. Si (107).) 
 
 Poultney's son having died in 1366, without issue, the 
 property in St. Laurence parish vested in St. Laurence 
 Poultney College, who conveyed it, under the description of 
 " Pulteneysyn " to Richard FitzAlan, sixth Earl of Arundel 
 of the FitzAlan family, in exchange for the advowson of 
 the church of Napton, Warwickshire. (C.P.R., 8 Ric. ii., 
 pt. 2, m. 34, and Anc. Deeds, D. 805.) The Earl of 
 Arundel was attainted and beheaded in 1397, and in the 
 same year the property was granted for life to Edmund 
 (Langley), Duke of York, uncle to Richard ii. (died 1402),
 
 7 o ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 
 
 under the description of the inn (hospicium) in the parish of 
 St. Laurence Pounteney, late of Richard, Earl of Arundel, 
 come to the King's hands by means of the judgment against 
 him in the present Parliament. (C.P.R., 21 Ric. ii., pt. I, 
 m. 17.) 
 
 Stow says, " In the yeare 1397, John Holland, Earle 
 of Huntington, was lodged there" (i.e., Cold Harbrough), 
 "and Richard the 2 his brother dined with him, it was then 
 counted a right fayre and stately house but in the yeare 
 following I find that Edmond, Earle of Cambridge, was 
 there lodged, notwithstanding the saide house still retained 
 the name of Poultney's Inne, in the raigne of Henrie the 
 sixth, the 26 of his raigne." (Stowe i., 236.) 
 
 It seems to me there is some confusion here between 
 Cold Harbrough in All Hallows' parish and Poultney's Inn 
 in St. Laurence parish. Edmund, Earl of Cambridge, is 
 the same man as Edmund, Duke of York, who, as I have 
 just shewn, had in 1397 obtained a grant of Poultney's Inn 
 in St. Laurence parish, and it is to that property therefore 
 that the latter part of the paragraph quoted from Stow 
 should, I think, apply. 
 
 On the other hand, it is the case that Cold Harbrough 
 did belong to John Holland, Earl of Huntingdon, afterwards 
 Duke of Exeter, and was, after his attainder, granted in 
 1 40 1 by Henry iv. to the King's half-brother, John Beau- 
 fort, Earl of Somerset, under the name of "La Tour." 
 (C.P.R., 2 Henry iv., pt. 4, m. 5.) 
 
 Stow is certainly wrong if he means that Cold Har- 
 brough was called Poultney's Inn down to the time of 
 Henry vi., for the evidence is all the other way. In the 
 very year which he mentions (26 Henry vi.), there is an 
 inquisition after the death of John Holland, second Duke of 
 Exeter, son of the above-mentioned John Holland, Earl of
 
 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 71 
 
 Huntingdon, in which it is called " La tour otherwise Cold- 
 herbergh." (Inq. p.m., Henry vi., File 127, No. 25.) 
 
 Beltz, in his " Memorials of the Order of the Garter" 
 (published 1841), says that Edward, the Black Prince, on his 
 return from Calais, took up his residence at Pulteney House 
 in or near Candle wick Street in the parish of St. Laurence 
 Pountney, and continued to live there till 1359 ; but he also 
 has confused the two houses, for he goes on to say that the 
 mansion had been erected by Poultney on the site of Cold 
 Harbour, which of course was impossible if it was in the 
 parish of St. Laurence. Beltz gives as the authority for 
 his statement an MS. account of the treasurer of the Black 
 Prince, then in the possession of J. Philpot, esquire. I do 
 not know where the manuscript is now to be found, but it 
 would greatly add to the interest of the site of our old school 
 if it could be shewn that the house in which the Black Prince 
 lived for so many years stood there. 
 
 Poultney 's Inn afterwards belonged to the above- 
 mentioned John Holland, second Duke of Exeter (died 
 1447), who transferred it to William de la Pole, first Duke 
 of Suffolk, as appears from an inquisition taken on the death 
 of the latter (Inq. p.m., Henry vi., File 139, No. 25), but 
 how John Holland became possessed of it I cannot say. 
 
 The Cold Harbrough came into the possession of the 
 same John Holland in 1444, under the will of his stepfather, 
 Sir John Cornwaill. (C.P.R., 22 Henry vi., pt. 1, m. 13.) 
 This double ownership may have further helped to give rise 
 to the confusion between Cold Harbrough, and Poultney 's 
 Inn in St. Laurence parish. 
 
 William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk, commanded the 
 English army in France in the time of Henry vi., and was 
 taken prisoner by Joan of Arc after the raising of the siege 
 of Orleans. He, too, was attainted and, being banished 
 from England, was murdered at sea in 1450. One of the
 
 72 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 
 
 treasonable acts with which he was charged was the dis- 
 closure of State secrets to the representatives of Charles vii. 
 of France in the parish of St. Laurence Pulteney. (Rolls 
 of Pari, v., 178a.) 
 
 It was from this Duke that Suffolk Lane, on which the 
 schoolhouse stood, took its name. 
 
 The property ultimately passed into the hands of his 
 grandson, Edmund de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk, nephew of 
 Edward iv., and in the Act of Henry vii., by which it was 
 restored to him, it is described as "his chief place in the 
 parish of St. Laurence Pulteney." (Rolls of Pari, vi., 
 476.) This Earl of Suffolk was attainted in 1504 and died 
 in the Tower in 1 5 1 3 . 
 
 In 1506 the property was granted to Edward Stafford, 
 Duke of Buckingham, a descendant of Thomas, Duke of 
 Gloucester, son of Edward iii. (Patent Roll, 21 Hen. vii., 
 pt. 2, m. 18.) He was attainted and beheaded in 1521. 
 This is the Buckingham who appears in Shakespeare's 
 " Henry viii." According to the story there told (taken 
 from Holinshed's Chronicle), it was at the Rose in the 
 parish of St. Laurence Poultney that the treasonable words, 
 as reported by the Duke's surveyor, were spoken which led 
 to his condemnation. (" Henry viii.," Act 1, sc. 1.) 
 
 In the inventory of Buckingham's possessions the pro- 
 perty is called the manor of the " Redde Roose." (Letters 
 and Papers iii., Nos. 1,286, 3,695, and App. No. 25.) 
 
 In 1525 the property was granted to Henry Courtenay, 
 Marquis of Exeter, grandson of Edward iv. (Letters and 
 Papers iv., 1,610 and 2,002.) He was attainted and 
 beheaded in 1538. 
 
 The principal ground of offence of these last three owners 
 seems to have been their royal descent. 
 
 In 1539 the property was granted to Robert Ratcliffe, 
 Earl of Sussex. (Parliament Roll 147, No. 17.) His
 
 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 73 
 
 grandson, Thomas, Earl of Sussex, sold it in 1561 to John 
 Hethe, from whom the Company acquired the part on 
 which their school stood, the remainder being sold to Alder- 
 man Beswicke. (Stow ii., 322, notes.) 
 
 Richard Botyll by his will, dated 1561, devised to the 
 Company the part which had been conveyed to him. 
 
 Thomas Ratcliffe, Earl of Sussex, was the famous Lord 
 Deputy of Ireland in the reign of Elizabeth, and the rival 
 of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. 
 
 He was a member of the Company, and in the minute 
 books are copies of several letters to and from him. He is 
 described in the Court Minutes as " a lyvely membre of this 
 mysterie." (CM. i., 202.) 
 
 In 1 571 he writes in support of the application of a person 
 recommended, curiously enough, by the Earl of Leicester 
 for the clerkship of the Company. (CM. i., 535.) 
 
 In 1583, the date for the election of Master and Wardens 
 was changed in order to enable the Livery to attend the 
 Earl's funeral. (CM. hi., 92b.) 
 
 The celebrated Dr. John Bull, the reputed author of the 
 National Anthem, was apprenticed to the Earl, as appears 
 from our records. (CM. ii., J2>^ an< ^ lv -> 2616.) 
 
 The above-mentioned Edmund Langley, Duke of York, 
 John Holland, first Duke of Exeter, and his son, John 
 Holland, second Duke of Exeter, Edmund de la Pole, Duke 
 of Suffolk, and Edward Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, 
 were also all members of the Company. 
 
 It may be asked why the property was conveyed to a 
 trustee and not to the Company direct. The answer is that 
 the Company, as a corporate body, could not, without a 
 licence in mortmain, take a conveyance of land, but could 
 under the custom of London hold lands in the City without 
 any such licence, if devised to them by a freeman, and hence
 
 74 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 
 
 the practice arose of causing property to be conveyed to a 
 nominee who entered into an obligation to execute an irre- 
 vocable devise to the Company. 
 
 The sale to the Company included part of the chapel on 
 the first floor of the mansion, but excluded the ground floor 
 and cellar under the chapel. 
 
 For many years the school examination or ' ' probation 
 of scholars" was held in this chapel. The site, after the 
 Fire of London, was occupied by the school library. The 
 parts excluded have since, together with the remainder of 
 the site of the mansion, been purchased by the Company. 
 There is an interesting account of Poultney's two 
 residences by Mr. Philip Norman in " Archaeologia," lvii., 
 257 and following. (See also Wilson's History of the parish 
 of St. Laurence Pountney, chap. 17.) 
 
 No. XXV. comprises deeds relating to properties 
 devised to the Company by Sir Thomas Rowe (Alderman, 
 1557 and Mayor in 1568), subject to annuities amounting to 
 £4.0 a year. In a recent action in the Chancery Division, 
 initiated by the Company to define their interest in the 
 properties so devised to them, the Court held that, subject 
 to a sufficient sum to meet the annuities being invested in 
 Consols in the name of the Official Trustee of Charities, these 
 properties belonged to the Company free from any trust 
 whatsoever. 
 
 Rowe's gift included a small house on old London 
 Bridge. As is well known, there was a line of shops and 
 buildings standing on each side of the old bridge. These 
 were demolished in the middle of the eighteenth century to 
 accommodate the traffic. 
 
 The gift also included a house formerly belonging to 
 the nuns of St. Helen's, Bishopsgate, subject to a long
 
 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 75 
 
 lease made by Dame Marie Rollesley, the last prioress of 
 St. Helen's. 
 
 This house adjoined the south wall of the transept of 
 St. Helen's church. When the buildings on this site were 
 pulled down about fifty or sixty years ago, preparatory to the 
 erection of the present building, a blocked-up window was 
 discovered in the transept. In the rebuilding, the Company 
 left a small lighting area so as to enable this window to be 
 reopened, which has since been done. 
 
 Another property given by Rowe was the " olde Hall" 
 in Dowgate. Stow describes it as one great stone house at 
 the corner of Dowgate and Elbow Lane, "sometime par- 
 taining to William de pont le arch and by him given to the 
 Priorie of St. Marie Overy in Southwarke in the raigne of 
 Henry the first." (Stow i., 231.) On part of this site at 
 the end of the sixteenth or beginning of the seventeenth 
 century stood "Fruiterers' Hall," which the Fruiterers' 
 Company held as tenants of the Merchant Taylors' Com- 
 pany, as appears from the rent-roll of the latter Company. 
 
 On another part of the site stand domestic offices in con- 
 nection with Innholders' Hall. Originally an encroachment 
 by the Innholders' Company, the Merchant Taylors' Com- 
 pany granted them a long lease of this piece. 
 
 Rowe also gave to the Company several other properties. 
 
 No. XXVI. includes a number of documents relating to 
 loan charities founded by Sir Thomas White. 
 
 A deed dated the 1st July, 1566, made between the City 
 of Bristowe (Bristol) of the first part, St. John's College, 
 Oxford, of the second part, and the Merchant Taylors' 
 Company of the third part, sets out the trusts of lands in 
 Gloucestershire and Somersetshire purchased by the City of 
 Bristol out of moneys provided by Sir Thomas White. The
 
 76 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 
 
 beneficiaries are the Merchant Taylors' Company and 
 twenty-three cities or towns, viz. : Bristol, York, Canter- 
 bury, Reading, Gloucester, Worcester, Exeter, Salisbury, 
 West Chester, Norwich, Southampton, Lincoln, Win- 
 chester, Oxford, Hereford, Cambridge, Shrewsbury, Lynn, 
 Bath, Derby, Ipswich, Colchester and Newcastle. Out of 
 the rents the City of Bristol as trustees are to pay £104 
 every twenty-fourth year to each of the beneficiaries, to be 
 applied by them as loans to young men of good character, 
 clothiers to be preferred. On St. John's College is thrown 
 the duty of seeing that the trusts are properly carried out. 
 The property has greatly increased in value, but the City of 
 Bristol has successfully maintained their claim to the surplus 
 rents. 
 
 The other documents relate to property in Coventry, of 
 which the City of Coventry were appointed the trustees, the 
 beneficiaries being the cities or towns of Coventry, North- 
 ampton, Leicester, Nottingham and Warwick, the moneys 
 received by them to be expended in free loans to young men , 
 inhabitants of those places. The Merchant Taylors' Com- 
 pany were to see that these trusts were properly executed 
 and were to receive (as they still continue to do) a certain 
 proportion of the rents by way of remuneration. 
 
 There is a letter to the Company, dated 24th August, 
 1696, signed by John Hoe, Mayor, and six aldermen, of 
 Nottingham, thanking the Company for their services in 
 endeavouring to discover the true value of the property at 
 Coventry, which the writers were informed had advanced 
 from £yo to £700 a year, and assuring them of their support 
 in the Chancery suit then being brought by the Company 
 against the City of Coventry in connection with the charity. 
 The rise in the value of the property, even at that early 
 period, is remarkable. 
 
 For further information with regard to these charities,
 
 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 77 
 
 see the life of White in the " Early History," vol. ii., chap. 
 14, and also Baily's Annals of Nottinghamshire, 1853, vol. 
 ii., p. 413. 
 
 No. XXVII. relates to the site of what is now the 
 greater part of No. 37, Threadneedle Street, the property 
 of the Company. It was given by Michael Northbrugh, 
 Bishop of London, to the Charterhouse in London, of which, 
 Dugdale says, he was one of the founders. At the dissolu- 
 tion of monasteries it was seized by the Crown and was 
 granted by Queen Elizabeth to Roger Rante and Peter 
 Whetcombe " to hold of the Queen her heirs and successors 
 as of her manor of East Greenwich in the county of Kent in 
 free and common socage and not in capite or by knight 
 service." " To hold in free socage as of the manor of East 
 Greenwich " seems to have been a common form of grant 
 on a sale of crown lands or tenements of small value, 
 the object of which, I imagine, was to relieve the purchaser 
 from the onerous feudal burdens which would have attached 
 had the land been held by him direct from the Crown under 
 the ordinary feudal tenures of knight service and "in 
 capite." 
 
 In the instructions issued in 1599 to the Commissioners 
 for the sale of Crown lands it is directed that on a sale of all 
 manors, lands, tenements and hereditaments under the yearly 
 value of £10, they are to be holden of the Crown as of some 
 Crown manor in free socage, where they are of the yearly 
 value of £10 and under £20 they are to be held by knight 
 service, and where they are of the yearly value of £20 and 
 over they are to be held "in capite." (Egerton Papers, 
 Camden Society, pp. 285 and 302.) 
 
 East Greenwich was a royal manor, and the reason for 
 its selection was probably because, as it contained a royal 
 palace where the Court frequently resided in the time of
 
 7 8 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 
 
 Queen Elizabeth, many of the grants were issued from 
 there. 
 
 It is curious that in the charters of many trading com- 
 panies of about the same period a similar form of grant is 
 adopted ; for example, lands acquired by the Newfoundland, 
 New England, Hudson's Bay and New River Companies 
 were to be held in free socage as of the manor of East 
 Greenwich. (Select Charters of Trading Companies, 
 Seldon Society, vol. xxviii., p. 27.) Such lands would of 
 course be of far greater value than £10 a year, but the 
 advantage of holding them in free socage as of the manor of 
 East Greenwich would equally apply to them. 
 
 No. XXX. relates to the Company's property in Moor- 
 fields. It was formerly part of the Prebend of Moore 
 belonging to one of the Prebendaries of St. Paul's Cathe- 
 dral. Among those who held this prebend was Dean 
 Collett, the founder of St. Paul's School. In the days 
 when the land was still open and unbuilt on, it was leased 
 to the Company for tenter grounds for the use of their 
 members who were cloth workers. Here they fixed their 
 tenters or frames on which the cloth in course of manufacture 
 was stretched so as to make it set even and square. When 
 the Company's connection with this property first com- 
 menced is not known. The earliest lease to them of which 
 there is any record was for eighty years from 1556 at the 
 yearly rent of ^8 10s., as appears from a survey of the 
 Moore lands held by the Merchant Taylors, dated 1600 
 (XXX. 1). The lease was renewed from time to time till 
 the year 1879, when the Company purchased the freehold 
 from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. 
 
 There is one document worthy of special notice. It is a 
 sale by Sir John Wollaston and others, trustees appointed by 
 "An Act of the Commons of England in Parliament assem-
 
 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 79 
 
 bled" for the abolishing of Deans, Prebends, etc., to the 
 Company, of the lands in question, for the sum of £972 ; 
 all which premises formerly belonged to the " Dean and 
 Chapter of the late Cathedral Church of St. Paul's." This 
 transaction was no doubt repudiated at the Restoration of 
 Charles ii., for the Company again became lessees only of 
 the property. 
 
 No. XXXII. relates to property in the parish of Holy 
 Trinity, Minories, being formerly part of the precinct of the 
 Monastery of the Minories of the Order of St. Clare or 
 " Poor Clares " as they are called. 
 
 After the dissolution of monasteries the site of the Con- 
 vent was granted by Edward vi. to Henry, Duke of Suffolk, 
 the father of Queen Jane (Lady Jane Grey). He was 
 beheaded on Tower Hill in 1554. 
 
 I can remember being shewn in the little church of Holy 
 Trinity (now pulled down) a mummified head of a man 
 which was said to be that of the Duke of Suffolk. Tradition 
 says that the executioner at the first attempt failed to sever 
 the head from the body, and I was shewn a cut on the neck 
 just above where it had been severed, which would be quite 
 consistent with this tradition, if it really was the Duke's head. 
 
 It was discovered in the vault of the church in a square 
 box full of what was said to be oak sawdust, which would 
 account for its state of preservation. 
 
 As such stories go, it is not so very unlikely that the head 
 might have been brought from Tower Hill, which is close 
 by, and deposited in the church. 
 
 Among these documents is a copy of a lease dated 12th 
 J L, ly> !537. by Dame Elyzabethe Salvage, "Abbas of the 
 Monastery of the Mynorys of the order of Seint Clare with- 
 out Algate of London," and the convent, with the assent 
 of the whole chapter, to Lady Elyzabeth, Countess of Kyi-
 
 8o ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 
 
 dare, of " theire greate place," late in the tenure of Robert, 
 Earl of Sussex, and then in that of the said Countess 
 (xxxii. 1 6). The abbey was founded by Edmond, Earl 
 of Lancaster, brother of Edward i., in the year 1293. 
 
 Dame Elizabeth Salvage was the last abbess. Elizabeth, 
 Countess of Kildare, was the widow of Gerald Fitzgerald, 
 the ninth Earl of Kildare, Lord Deputy of Ireland. The 
 property afterwards passed into the hands of Robert Dud- 
 ley, Earl of Leicester, Baron of Denbyghe, K.G., Master 
 of the Horse, P.C. (the husband of Amy Robsart), as 
 appears from a deed of bargain and sale by him dated the 
 6th February, 1578-9. The deed is signed " R. Leyeester," 
 and is sealed with the Dudley arms (xxxii. 19). 
 
 There is a writ to the Sheriffs of London and Middlesex 
 dated the 12th of February, 1 614-15, alleging that the 
 premises are held of the King in chief and calling upon 
 the Sheriff to produce the present tenants in the Court of 
 Exchequer to do homage and fealty (xxxii. 29). 
 
 On the fly-leaf of a lengthy memorandum, dated 1591, 
 setting out the devolution of the title to the great house, 
 occurs the following note : — 
 
 "A Note or Breviate declaringe the sweatynge 
 sicknes, the fall of the base money, the burninge of 
 Powles, the great plague and the greate froste as folow- 
 eth : The Sweatynge Sicknes and the firste fall of base 
 moneye began in London in the month of Julye, 1581. 
 " Powles Steple was burned on the fourth daye of 
 June, Anno 1561. The greate Plague began in 
 London the laste of Aprill, 1563, and continued the 
 whole yeare folowinge. 
 
 11 The greate froste began on the xxith of Decem- 
 ber, 1564, which continued so extreme that on New- 
 yeares even people wente over and alonge the Thames." 
 (xxxii. 27.)
 
 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 81 
 
 No. XXXIV. relates to various charities founded by 
 Robert Dowe (Master of the Company in 1578). 
 
 No. xxxiv. 1 is an agreement or declaration of trust dated 
 the 8th of May, 1605, with reference to a sum of £50 paid 
 by Dowe to the vicar and churchwardens of St. Sepulchre 
 without Newgate to provide prayers, exhortations and toll- 
 ing on the departure to Tyburn of condemned prisoners from 
 Newgate. Upon complaint by the Chamberlain of London 
 and the Master and Wardens of the Company to the Lord 
 Mayor and the Bishop of London that the conditions are not 
 duly performed, the £50 is to be distributed, one-half for 
 relief of the poor children in Christ's Hospital and one-half 
 for the people in the Company's almshouses. 
 
 No. xxxiv. 2 is a deed dated the 28th August, 1605, 
 between the Company of the one part and Robert Dowe of 
 the other part with reference to Dowe's gifts to the Company. 
 
 An abstract of this deed is printed in the " Memorials," 
 p. 297, but the following further notes may be of interest : — 
 
 Thirteen gowns for almsmen and six cloaks for rever- 
 sioners are to be provided once every third year and distri- 
 buted on the festival of the Decollation of St. John Baptist 
 (29th August) " when commonly there is used once in every 
 three years to be houlden a Generall Dynner or Feast of 
 the Bachelers of the Merchauntaylers' Company for the 
 whole generallity of the same." 
 
 At the funeral of an almsman 6s. 8d. is to be spent upon 
 a recreation or drinking for the almsmen and reversioners, 
 "to be bestowed in cakes, breade, butter, cheese, ale or 
 beere (but noe wyne) in some honest victualling howse " ; 
 the clerk of the Bachelors' Company is to attend and bring 
 with him an hour-glass "and presently upon their sitting 
 downe at the Table shall turne the said glass and take 
 especiall care that they remayne not there above one houre " 
 
 G
 
 82 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 
 
 when they shall depart ' ' in civill sorte ' ' after saying the 
 printed form of prayer given to them at their election. 
 
 Dowe directs that 135. <\d. is to be spent at the recrea- 
 tion or "shooting" dinner of the wardens' substitutes and 
 sixteen men of the Bachelor Company ' ' in the name of 
 Mr. Robert Dowe his myte." 
 
 He directs that 40s. with the " potation" money given 
 by other benefactors is to be spent by the Master and 
 Wardens on a dinner for the Master and Wardens with their 
 wives and the principal assistants ' ' to performe the ould 
 saying the more the merrier Company and there to remember 
 the charitable Actes done by the good brethren of the Com- 
 pany." In perpetual remembrance of him the dinner is to 
 be called the " convivium or banquet of Mr. Robert Dow and 
 other good brethren deceased." The Master and Wardens 
 wish to place on record his gifts to St. John's College, 
 Oxford, towards building a library and for the purchase of 
 books, " and also that he hath given to the said Colled ge a 
 very auncient Latyn Bible of St. Hierosmes translation 
 written in parchment or vellam ' ' ; also his exhibition to poor 
 scholars of the said College and his gift of £50 to the vicar 
 and churchwardens of St. Sepulchre above referred to. 
 
 No. xxxiv. 3 is an Indenture dated the 8th of February, 
 1609-10, between the Corporation of London as Governors 
 of Christ's Hospital of the one part and the Merchant 
 Taylors' Company and Robert Dowe of the other part. 
 
 To encourage skilful teachers to instruct the poor 
 children in the school "in the Heavenly science of Musique 
 as a good meane to cause theire more speedy preferment," 
 Dowe paid to the treasurer of the Hospital £240 in con- 
 sideration whereof the Governors undertook that they would 
 provide a music teacher at a salary of £16 yearly to teach 
 music to ten or twelve of the Hospital children, and train 
 them in the knowledge of pricktsong and teach them to
 
 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 83 
 
 write and make them able to sing in the choir of Christ 
 Church, Newgate Street, on Sundays and Saints' days. As 
 the children were usually catechized at the times appointed 
 for divine service, they were often hindered from singing 
 in church, besides coming "thither very undecently with 
 theire face and hands unwashed and their hose and shoes 
 very fowle." To avoid this state of things the singing 
 master was to teach them the catechism in future. 
 
 If the Governors fail to perform the trust the £240 
 is to be repaid by them to the Master and Wardens to be 
 applied towards the relief of the poor in the almshouses. 
 On the 13th of June, 161 1, Dowe paid a further £80 in 
 order that the music teacher's salary should be increased to 
 ^20 yearly. For this further payment three or four of the 
 children are to be taught to play upon instruments as " the 
 virginalls and viol." For this purpose Dowe bought two 
 pair of virginalls and a bass viol. 
 
 There is a similar gift over to the Company if the Gover- 
 nors make default. 
 
 The Clerk of the Company is to be paid 3s. 4^. a year 
 to see that the children are being properly taught. (See 
 also "Early History," i., 167, 185 and 186.) 
 
 No. xxxiv. 4 is a deed dated the 4th April, 1610, 
 between the Company of the one part and Robert Dowe 
 of the other part with reference to Dowe's further gifts to 
 the Company (abstracted in " Memorials," p. 299). 
 
 No. XXXVII. relates to bequests by George Palyn, 
 citizen and girdler of London, of £300 each to St. John's 
 and Brazenose Colleges for founding exhibitions. 
 
 The money is to be paid to the Company in the first 
 
 instance pending its investment in the purchase of land by 
 
 the two Colleges respectively. 
 
 G*
 
 84 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 
 
 ^300 was paid in 1 614 to George Buckridge as agent for 
 St. John's College, and ,£300 in 161 5 to Samuel Radcliff, 
 B.D., " Principal of the King's Hall and College of 
 Brasenose." 
 
 No. XXXVIII. relates to property at the corner of 
 Aldersgate Street and Little Britain devised to the Company 
 by Richard Osmotherlawe. 
 
 The title begins with a bargain and sale by Sir William 
 Skypwith of Bechewood, Hertfordshire, knight, and Dame 
 Elizabeth, his wife, to Henry Gray of a brewhouse called 
 the "George," and five cottages in " Aldrychgatestrete in 
 the parish of St. Botulphe without Aldrychgate in the 
 suburbs of London." 
 
 Little Britain, according to Stow, is so called because the 
 Dukes of "Briton" (Bretagne or Brittany) lodged there 
 (Stow i., p. 309). 
 
 There are several points of interest in this title. 
 
 In 1575 " Letters of Denization " were granted to 
 Daniel Godfrey, "born in the obedience of Philip, King 
 of Spain," which gives him the rights of an English subject 
 of the Queen, but subject to a condition that he is not to 
 dwell in the towns of Berwick and Portsmouth, a restriction 
 in the case of seaport towns which it is to be regretted, in 
 the time of the present great war, has not been taken as a 
 precedent, (xxxviii., A. 12.) 
 
 In 1 596-7 an inquisition was held at the Guildhall after the 
 death of Cornelius Godfrey. The jurors say that the said 
 Cornelius died seised of the corner house, capital messuage, 
 inn or brewhouse known by the name of " Le George 
 in the parish of St. Botolph without Aldersgate, and 
 that the said premises are held in "free burgage." 
 (xxxviii., A. 21 .) 
 
 In 161 2 Richard Osmotherlawe devised the property to
 
 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 85 
 
 the Company, and in 16 14-5 is a summons by Edmund 
 Ferrard, Deputy Escheator, to the heir or occupier of the 
 said premises, "late held in chief by Richard Osmotherlee 
 deed." to appear before the Lord Mayor, the Escheator, 
 or his deputy to shew cause why the said premises should 
 not be seized to the use of the King, (xxxviii., A. 25.) 
 
 The explanation of these proceedings is that, though 
 lands held in burgage might under the custom of London be 
 devised in mortmain to a corporation, it was not so in the 
 case of lands held "in capite " or "in chief," which, if 
 devised without a licence in mortmain, would be forfeited to 
 the Crown. 
 
 An inquiry was duly held before the Deputy Escheator, 
 who, after referring to the above-mentioned inquisition held 
 after the death of Cornelius Godfrey, decided against the 
 Crown, and so this attempt to seize the premises failed, 
 (xxxviii., A. 26.) 
 
 No. XXXIX. relates to property in Pope's Head Alley, 
 which lies between Lombard Street and Cornhill, given to 
 the Company by Sir William Craven (Mayor in 16 10). 
 
 This is a very interesting property, for there are many 
 historic names connected with the site. 
 
 In the fourteenth century it belonged to Sir William 
 de la Pole, who received from Edward iii. a grant of the 
 houses in Lombard Street extending right back to Cornhill, 
 which had belonged to the Society of the Bardi, one of 
 the great banking and mercantile houses of Florence, with 
 brandies throughout Europe. The Bardi had failed in 
 1345, principally in consequence of the repudiation by 
 Edward iii. of his indebtedness to them. They acquired 
 the property from Robert Turk, and there is a deed of 
 grant or confirmation, dated 13 18, by Edward ii. to 
 ' Lapus de Bardi, knight, Doffus de Bardi, knight,
 
 86 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 
 
 Roger Ardingelli, Dinus Forcetti, Francis Balduchi and 
 their fellow merchants of the Society of the Bardi of 
 Florence," empowering them to hold the same to them 
 and their successors, "merchants of their society." It is 
 therein described as abutting on Lombard Street on the 
 south and Cornhill on the north. (C.P.R., 12 Edw. ii., 
 pt. 1, m. 12, and Stow i., 201, and ii., 307, notes.) 
 
 Stow records that in Lombard Street stood the house 
 belonging to "William de la Pole, knight and banaret 
 and yet the King's marchant in the 14 of Edward the 
 third, and after him to Michael de la Pole, Earle of 
 Suffolke, in the 14 of Richard the second, and was his 
 marchant's house." (Stow i., 203.) 
 
 Sir William de la Pole was the founder of the powerful 
 family of that name, said to have been the first to owe its 
 rise to commerce. He was a wealthy merchant in the time 
 of Edward iii., and was much employed by the King in 
 the commercial and financial affairs of the kingdom. He 
 was a native of Hull, whence he removed to London. He 
 died in 1366 and was succeeded by his son, Sir Michael de 
 la Pole, Earl of Suffolk, the famous statesman of the time 
 of Richard ii. From him the property descended to his son 
 and grandson, both named Michael. Michael de la Pole, 
 the grandson, was killed at Agincourt in 13 15, and the 
 property then passed to his brother, William de la Pole, 
 Earl, and afterwards Duke, of Suffolk. It was he who 
 acquired " Poultney's Inn," otherwise the "manor of the 
 Rose," on the site of which the old schoolhouse belonging 
 to the Company stood. (See p. 71.) 
 
 By a deed dated the 27th of July, 1440, John Stafford, 
 Bishop of Bath and Wells, Chancellor of England, and 
 others conveyed to Sir William Estfeld, John Fray, Chief 
 Baron of the Exchequer, and others, the messuage or 
 "hospicium" called " le Popeshed," in Lombard Street,
 
 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 87 
 
 and also all the tenements which late were of Sir Michael 
 de la Pole, late Earl of Suffolk, in the parishes of St. Mary 
 Woolnoth and St. Michael upon Cornhill. The deed recites 
 that the said John Stafford, etc., jointly with Richard 
 Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, Walter de la Pole, knight, 
 then deceased, and others named, had the premises by 
 enfeoffment of Henry Merston, who jointly with Master 
 Edmund Stafford, Bishop of Exeter, and Sir Ralph Nevyll, 
 Earl of Westmoreland, had the same by enfeoffment of 
 Michael de la Pole, late Earl of Suffolk, (xxxix. 1 .) 
 
 By a deed dated the following day (25th July, 1440) 
 the above conveyance was confirmed by the above-men- 
 tioned William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk, and Alice, his 
 wife. Alice, by the way, was a granddaughter of Geoffrey 
 Chaucer, (xxxix. 2.) 
 
 It will be observed that the legal estate in the property 
 was vested, not in the Duke himself, but in feoffees or 
 trustees in his behalf. This was a common device resorted 
 to in that troubled period to avoid the risk of a forfeiture 
 following on an attainder for treason. How great the 
 risk was is shewn in the history of the manor of the Rose 
 given above. 
 
 John Stafford (died 1452), Bishop of Bath and Wells, 
 Chancellor of England, was afterwards Archbishop of 
 Canterbury, and is said to have been the first to have been 
 given the title of Lord Chancellor. 
 
 Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick (died 1439), was 
 tutor to Henry vi., and was in 1437 appointed Regent of 
 the King's possessions in France. 
 
 Edmund Stafford (died 14 19), Bishop of Exeter, was 
 also Chancellor of England. 
 
 The following from among the distinguished persons 
 above mentioned were members of the Company : Edmund 
 Stafford, Bishop of Exeter ; Richard Beauchamp, Earl of
 
 88 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 
 
 Warwick ; Ralph Nevyll, Earl of Westmoreland ; John 
 Stafford, Bishop of Bath and Wells. 
 
 Sir William Estfeld or Eastfield was Mayor in 1437, 
 and was a great benefactor to London. At his expense 
 water was brought in leaden pipes from Tyburn to a 
 standard in Fleet Street near Shoe Lane and to a conduit in 
 Aldermanbury, and from Highbury to a conduit in Cripple- 
 gate. (Stow i., 18, 109, 300.) 
 
 From Estfeld the property passed to his grandson, 
 John Bohun, and the latter's grandson, Sir Henry Owen, 
 sold it to Alderman George Monoux in 15 16. (Add. MSS. 
 18,783, and Cal. Wills i., 509.) 
 
 That is as far as I can trace the title till Sir William 
 Craven conveyed the Pope's Head portion to the Com- 
 pany. 
 
 The de la Pole estate seems to have comprised, in addi- 
 tion to the tavern, one house on the east side and three 
 houses on the west side of the covered gateway of the tavern 
 leading into Lombard Street and two houses on each side 
 of the entry into Cornhill. 
 
 In later years the Company purchased the houses on 
 each side of the gateway into Lombard Street, which are 
 now known as Nos. 73 and 74, Lombard Street. 
 
 Stow says, "This Popes Head Tauerne, with other 
 houses adioyning, strongly builded of stone, hath of olde 
 time beene all in one, pertaining to some great estate or 
 rather to the king of this Realme, as may be supposed both 
 by the largenesse thereof, and by the armes, to wit, three 
 Leopards passant, gardant, which was the whole armes of 
 England before the raig-ne of Edward the thirde." 
 " These armes of England supported betweene two Angels, 
 are faire and largely graven in stone on the fore front 
 towardes the high street" (Cornhill). . . . "Some 
 say that was King John's house." (Stow i., 199.)
 
 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 89 
 
 There is a reference to King John's supposed connection 
 with this house in some deeds relating to other property in 
 Pope's Head Alley, purchased by the Company from 
 T. \V. Ravenshaw in 1840, consisting of the upper floors 
 over the kitchen of the tavern. It is curious that the kitchen 
 and the upper floors should have been in separate owner- 
 ships, for undoubtedly the whole at one time formed part 
 of the same house. The point, however, is that in a lease 
 of these upper floors, dated 1668, they are described as 
 built over the north part of the kitchen belonging to the 
 tavern, "being the easternmost side of that late greate 
 roome called King John's Chappell." As to the two 
 angels supporting the arms of England, these were the 
 supporters used by Richard ii., as they appear in West- 
 minster Hall. He was the first King of England to adopt 
 supporters. (Collins' Introduction to Heraldry, p. 67.) 
 
 I suggest, from the evidence of the documents above 
 referred to, that the great house Stow speaks of, whether 
 it ever belonged to King John or not, was identical with 
 the house of the Bardi and the "merchant's house" of 
 Sir William de la Pole. 
 
 It was in 1464 at the Pope's Head tavern that the 
 wager was made between an Alicant goldsmith and an 
 English goldsmith, the former claiming that the workman- 
 ship of English goldsmiths was inferior to that of foreign 
 goldsmiths. Each was to produce a piece of goldsmith's 
 work on the quality of which the wager was to be decided, 
 with the result that the Englishman won. (Herbert ii., 
 
 197) 
 
 At the Pope's Head tavern in 1 7 1 8, Quin, the actor, 
 
 killed his fellow actor, Bowen. (Wheatley's ' London, 
 
 Past and Present," iii., 104.) 
 
 Pepvs frequently dined at this tavern with his friends, 
 
 as he tells us in his diary.
 
 90 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 
 
 " Lloyds" were established in Pope's Head Alley from 
 1 771-4 in the interval between their leaving " Lloyd's 
 coffee-house" in Lombard Street, and taking up their 
 present quarters in the Royal Exchange. 
 
 There is in the Company's possession an old plan of the 
 Pope's Head tavern as it formerly existed. According to 
 the usual custom, it was built round a courtyard (now Pope's 
 Head Alley), the east and west sides being connected on 
 the upper floors by an archway, over the entrance to Lom- 
 bard Street. 
 
 On the ground floor were a number of little shops, 
 many of which, in the early part of the seventeenth century, 
 were occupied by booksellers. 
 
 John Wolfe, who published the first edition of Stow's 
 Survey, had his shop here, and so also had John Sudbury 
 and George Humble, who published the first edition of 
 Speed. Sudbury and Humble were the first print sellers 
 established in London. (Wheatley's " London, Past and 
 Present," vol. iii., p. 104.) 
 
 In the seventeenth century an attempt was made to 
 change the name from the Pope's Head Tavern to the 
 Bishop's Head Tavern, but notwithstanding the protestant- 
 ism of the period the old name survived. 
 
 In later years the name of that part of the old tavern 
 which continued to be licensed was changed to the City 
 Arms Tavern. Why people should wish to abandon a 
 name which has been in use for several centuries, it is 
 difficult to understand. 
 
 No. XL. relates to property in Lombard Street in the 
 parish of St. Edmund, King and Martyr, given to the 
 Company by John Vernon. 
 
 The title begins with a bargain and sale by Sir William 
 Chester (Mayor in 1560) to his son, who sold it to Vernon.
 
 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 91 
 
 There is a bond, dated 1551 , given by the Drapers' 
 Company to Sir William Chester to secure the performance 
 of certain covenants, to which is attached a fine seal of the 
 Drapers' Company, stated to be affixed in the presence of 
 certain members (named) of the Court of Assistants of that 
 Company, and William Bere, their Clerk. 
 
 John Vernon bequeathed certain legacies to "the Con- 
 stables and Society of the Merchants of the Staple of 
 England" and to the mayor and citizens of Chester. The 
 merchants of the Staple receive £100 to be lent to three 
 young men free of that Company, " beinge younge begin- 
 ners trading in the Staple for themselves." There is a 
 deed of covenant dated 161 7-1 8 by the merchants of the 
 Staple to perform the trust, and if they make default the 
 money shall be recovered by the Master and Wardens of the 
 Merchant Taylors' Company. 
 
 The ancient and at one time influential corporation of the 
 Merchants of the Staple still survives. It was incorporated 
 by Edward iii. and Strype describes it as "the first and 
 most ancient English company of merchants trading in 
 wools." (Strype, vol. ii., book 5, p. 259.) 
 
 To the mayor and citizens of Chester a sum of £200 is 
 given to remain as a stock for buying wool to give to the 
 poor of Chester employment in carding and spinning wool, 
 knitting stockings and other knitting or working. Out of 
 the profits £10 is to go for charitable purposes and the 
 surplus is to be added to the capital of the fund. 
 
 The accounts are to be audited and sent under the seal 
 of the City of Chester to the Master and Wardens of the 
 Merchant Taylors' Company to the intent that increases of 
 the stock might be registered in a book to be kept for that 
 purpose by the Clerk of the Company. There is no record 
 in recent years that these accounts have been presented to 
 the Company.
 
 92 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 
 
 The mayor and citizens of Chester also received £800 
 with which to purchase lands of the clear yearly value of 
 X50, of which £40 is to be paid in pensions to ten poor 
 men, whose names are to be sent on to the Clerk of the 
 Company. There, are letters, dated 1620, from the mayor 
 of Chester on the subject of these bequests. 
 
 After the death of Vernon an inquisition was held in 
 1623 with regard to the title to the lands. 
 
 The jurors say " the City of London has been an 
 ancient city time out of mind, and the custom has been 
 used therein during the whole time aforesaid that lands and 
 tenements within the said city, its suburbs and liberties are 
 divisible by Will and can be bequeathed by any citizen, 
 being a freeman of the city, in mortmain to any person or 
 to any corporate body within the same city, and that all 
 the customs of the city used from long past were ratified and 
 confirmed by the authority of Parliament in 7 Richard ii." 
 
 No. XLII. relates to the " Auncient Maunsion or 
 Mannour called the Weeke lyeing nigh Maidston in Kent," 
 containing 245 acres, 2 roods, 31 perches, purchased by the 
 Company in 161 7. In consequence of the impoverished 
 state of their finances owing to the exactions of the Stuarts, 
 they had to sell this property a few years later. There is a 
 fine plan of the estate dated 161 9, and also a detailed survey 
 or " terrier," undated. 
 
 No. XLIII. relates to certain trusts in favour of the 
 University of Oxford, created by Dr. Thomas White, viz., 
 £100 a year for a lectureship of moral philosophy ; £6 a year 
 to the library of Christchurch ; £8 a year to the readers of 
 the weekly divinity lecture at St. Mary's church, which was 
 moved there from All Hallows' at the instance of Dr. White 
 1 ' during the great pestilence in 1 603 and has been continued
 
 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 93 
 
 there ever since " ; 20s. a year to the "rehearser" of the 
 sermons on Good Friday and in Easter week, in which no 
 mention is to be made of the donor ; £4 a year to four poor 
 scholars ; 40s. a year to the prisoners in Oxford Castle ; 
 20s. a year to a preacher for a sermon on St. Thomas' day, 
 in which the donor is not to be mentioned ; £8 a year each to 
 five students of divinity in Magdalen Hall ; 4s. a year to 
 the Principal of Magdalen Hall, and the surplus to the 
 University. 
 
 The University are once every five years to render 
 an account to the Master and Wardens of the Merchant 
 Taylors, and to pay them five marks yearly. The Com- 
 panv on their part undertake to see that the trusts are 
 carried out. The endowment consists of the manor and 
 lordship of Langdon Hills, otherwise Layndon Hill, Essex. 
 The accounts are still rendered periodically. 
 
 Dr. White was also the founder of Sion College, being 
 a corporation consisting of the clergy of London and the 
 suburbs. The college stood on the site of Elsing Spital in 
 London Wall, near the church of St. Alphege. Attached 
 to the college were almshouses for twenty poor people, of 
 whom eight were to be of the Merchant Taylors' Company. 
 
 About thirty years ago the site was sold and the present 
 Sion College erected on the Thames embankment. The 
 almshouses were abolished and pensions substituted. 
 
 Among the miscellaneous documents in the Company's 
 possession is an early copv of Dr. White's will, together 
 with papers in certain Chancery proceedings instituted 
 shortly after his death by the Company against Sion 
 College in connection with the trusts of the will so far as 
 they affected the almshouses. (Misc. Docs., A. 26.) 
 
 Dr. White, who died in 1624, held the Prebend of the 
 Moor where the Company's tenter grounds were situate, 
 and was therefore the Company's landlord.
 
 94 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 
 
 No. XLVI. relates to Thomas Coventry's Trust. 
 
 By a deed dated ioth July, 1636, Thomas Coventry of 
 Croome Dabitott, in the county of Worcester, son and heir- 
 apparent of Thomas, Lord Coventry, Lord Keeper, con- 
 veyed to certain members of the Company as trustees, 
 at the request of Mary Coventry, his wife, late deceased, 
 "in her sickness whereof she died," fee-farm rents of 
 £10 $s. 4-d., from the rectory of East Moulsey, Surrey, 
 £14. from the rectory of Winslow, Bucks, and £y 13s. 4J. 
 from the rectory of Kimpton, Hertfordshire, upon trusts for 
 the poor of the parishes of St. Andrew Undershaft and St. 
 Antholine in the city of London, and of the parishes of St. 
 Pan eras and Hornsey in the county of Middlesex. 
 
 There is a copy of a petition of the Master and Wardens 
 to the "Commissioners for Compounding," praying that 
 the rent-charge from the rectory of Winslow, which had 
 been detained from them ' ' by reason of the sequestration of 
 the Duke of Bucks and other trouble of the tymes," might 
 be paid to them with the arrears. 
 
 The " Duke of Bucks" is George Villiers, second Duke of 
 Buckingham, whose property was included in the Act of Con- 
 fiscation passed in 1 65 1. He was a member of the Company. 
 
 No. LI. relates to Walter Bigg's Trust. 
 
 By a deed dated 6th June, 1659, Walter Bigg conveyed 
 to the Company a messuage in the parish of St. Giles-in- 
 the- Fields, "now in the occupation of Phillip, Lord 
 Wharton," upon certain trusts still administered by the 
 Company. 
 
 Lord Wharton was a prominent puritan and one of the 
 leaders of the Parliamentary party. He was the father 
 of Thomas Wharton, one of the leading Whig politicians 
 of the time of the Revolution, who, no doubt, lived in the 
 house as a youth.
 
 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 9 5 
 
 Thomas Wharton was the author of the satirical ballad 
 11 Lilli-burlero Bulen-a-la," the music of which was written 
 by Purcell. James ii. had in his service a large number of 
 Irish and the words of the refrain are a mockery of the Irish 
 language. The ballad became a violent party song which 
 caused Wharton to boast that he had sung James ii. out of 
 three Kingdoms." The tune, I believe, is still in favour 
 with the Orangemen of the north of Ireland. 
 
 The house was for many years the town house of Lord 
 Wharton. 
 
 Messrs. Crosse and Blackwell's jam factory now stands 
 on the site. 
 
 No. LI I. is an assignment dated 19th April, 1659, by 
 William Fellowes to John Coulson and others (named) of 
 the lease from the Company to Fellowes of "Watermen's 
 Hall" in or near Three Cranes Wharf in the parish of 
 St. Martin's in the Vintry, of which the Company were the 
 freeholders. 
 
 No. LIV. relates to property in Turnbase Lane (now 
 incorporated in Cannon Street) devised to the Company by 
 Andrew Dandy for charitable purposes. 
 
 The title commences with the will dated 15 10 of John 
 Spencer, "citizen and taylor, now dwelling in Streatham." 
 The following extracts from his will may be of interest : — 
 
 He wills to be buried in the chapel of Our Lady in the 
 parish church of Streatham. He gives towards the buying 
 of an antiphoner "to be layd in the qwere to syng uppon 
 the parson syde," 405. ; to the Master and Wardens of the 
 " Fraternity of St. John the Baptist founded by the craft 
 of Merchant Taylors of the City of London," 405. ; to 
 Margarett Danby, his goddaughter, on the day of her
 
 96 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 
 
 marriage, 205., "if she be rewlyed by the advisse and 
 councell of her graundame or elles nothing." 
 
 The property no longer belongs to the Company, having 
 been purchased in 1849 by the Corporation of London for 
 the extension of Cannon Street. 
 
 No. LVIII. relates to Boone's almshouses at Lee in 
 Kent, founded in 1683 by Christopher Boone of London, 
 merchant, of which he appointed the Company trustees. 
 On a site adjoining the high road at Lee, Boone built four 
 almshouses and a small building which he intended should 
 be used for a chapel, to be consecrated according to the rites 
 and ceremonies of the Church of England and to be used 
 as a burying place for such as he and Mary, his wife, and, 
 after their deaths the Master and Wardens, may think fit to 
 be buried there. 
 
 At the end of the last century in consequence of the 
 increase in the value of the endowment, Boone's alms- 
 houses, under a scheme of the Charity Commissioners, were 
 rebuilt on a new site and on a larger scale. The old site 
 was, with the sanction of the Commissioners, purchased by 
 the Company and added to the forecourt or garden of their 
 own almshouses which adjoined. 
 
 The old almshouses built by Boone were pulled down, 
 but the chapel, a charming old building, is still standing and 
 is used as a reading room. 
 
 No. LXII. is a bundle of expired leases and counter- 
 part underleases relating to property, in connection with 
 Dr. Nicholas Winniffe's trust. 
 
 In the year 1629, Dr. Winniffe gave certain leasehold 
 properties to trustees upon trust as to one-fourth of the net 
 rents to pay the same to the Merchant Taylors' Company 
 for distribution to the poor.
 
 ANCIENT TITLE-DEEDS. 97 
 
 The last of the leases having expired in the year 1761, 
 the trust came to an end. 
 
 It may be noted that another fourth was given to the 
 master and brethren of the almshouse of St. John the Baptist 
 and St. John the Evangelist at Sherbourne. (See Report 
 of Charity Commissioners of 1820. 30th Report, p. 132.) 
 
 This brings my report to a conclusion. 
 
 I have endeavoured within reasonable limits of time and 
 opportunity to verify every statement of fact, and when it 
 is of sufficient importance, to give my authority for the 
 same. 
 
 It will be observed that frequently the same name is 
 spelt in two or more ways, even on the same page, but this 
 is not due to carelessness or clerical errors. 
 
 In ancient documents the variation in the spelling of 
 names is very noticeable, the same man often spelling 
 his own name in different ways at different times. I came 
 to the conclusion that the simplest plan was to adhere to the 
 spelling as it appeared in the particular document under 
 review. 
 
 Although so many of our earliest records are no longer 
 in existence, there is still a sufficient account of them in the 
 interesting calendar of 1609 to shew conclusively that the 
 Company was already in existence as an organized body in 
 the 28th year of Edward i. (1 299-1300). 
 
 All documents included in the calendar have been put into 
 their proper bundles, labelled and numbered, so that there 
 should be no difficulty in future in finding any that may be 
 required. 
 
 H
 
 98 CONCLUSION. 
 
 There are a very large number of deeds of no special 
 interest which do not appear to have any connection with the 
 Company, but have probably come into their possession 
 under the circumstances explained on p. 43. These deeds 
 have been collected together, roughly endorsed, and placed 
 in a large, wooden, tin-lined box. 
 
 In the course of my researches, I have come across the 
 names of many masters and wardens which are missing from 
 the incomplete list contained in the " Early History," and 
 some names in that list have been incorrectly spelt or entered 
 under the wrong years. I have therefore prepared a revised 
 list which will be found in Appendix B. to this Report, 
 commencing in the year 1300, and going down to the year 
 1562, when the present Minute Books commence, and from 
 which date the record is complete. 
 
 As will be seen there still remain many gaps which I am 
 afraid can never be filled in, unless the Company should be 
 fortunate enough to recover the ancient book referred to on 
 
 P- 3-
 
 99 
 
 APPENDIX A. 
 
 *A Comparison of the Contents of the Calendars of 'Books 
 made in the years 1609, 161 8 and 1689, with the 
 contents of the Calendar of zAncient floods made in 
 the year 19 15. 
 
 CALENDAR OF 1609. 
 
 " A Veiw taken of all the Companies bookes in the tyme of 
 M r John Vernon, M r - Anno Domini 1609." 
 
 MINUTE BOOKS. 
 
 " Bookes wherein are entred promiscue courtes of Assistauntes 
 and ordynary cortes of Mr. and Wardens together in succession, 
 one after an other, saving in some yeres, either by negligence, or 
 insufficiency of some Clarckes, many thinges are incerten, and 
 omitted, which bookes Richard Langley, fynding to be torne and 
 much defaced, caused to be all new bound in leather, with claspes 
 to them, all in one fashion." 
 
 " Inprimis, Nyne bookes severally marked with these severall 
 letters, viz. : A. B. C- D. E. F. G. H. and I. wherein are entred 
 confusedly together, as well Cortes of Assistauntes, as also ordynary 
 cortes of Mr. and Wardens, the Bookc A. begynnyng in the xwiiith 
 yere of King Edward the First, Anno Domini 1299, and the 
 booke I. ending the xxiiiith day of January, 1574." 
 
 The book marked with the letter I. (1st July, 1562, to 
 24th January, 1574) is now volume i. of the Court Minutes 
 (No. 39, Cal. 1915)- 
 
 H*
 
 ioo APPENDIX A. 
 
 Of the eight earlier books A. — H. all that remain is 
 for the period covered by the years i486- 149 3, inclusive, 
 now contained in two volumes of Ancient Minute Books 
 (No. 37, Cal. 1915). 
 
 " Item one other booke marked with the letter K. begynnyng 
 the xviij th day of January, 1574, and ending the xij th day of July, 1595, 
 xxxvij. Elizabeth. Threescore leaves of the same being entraunces of 
 courtes of Assistauntes, and ordynary cortes both togeathers, and all 
 the rest of the same booke to the very end, is only entraunces of 
 ordynary cortes of Mr. and Wardens." 
 
 Now volume ii. of Court Minutes. (No. 38, Cal. 1915.) 
 
 " Item one other faire booke of courtes of Assistauntes only, 
 marked with the letter KK. double begynnyng the xix th day of March, 
 Anno Domini 1575, xviii. Eliz. and ending the fyft day of December 
 Anno Domini 1601 ; which booke contayneth 442 written leaves." 
 
 Now volume in. of Court Minutes. 
 
 " Item one other booke of courtes of Assistauntes only, marked 
 with the letter LL. double, begynnyng the seaventh day of December, 
 1 601, quadragesimo quarto Eliz. ; being the booke now in use, and 
 with spare cleane paper, to contynue for yeres longer." 
 
 Now volume v. of Court Minutes. 
 
 " Item one other faire booke of ordynary courtes only, marked 
 with the letter L. single, begynnyng the xxi. day of July, Anno 
 Domini 1595 and ending the xj th day of May, 1607." 
 
 Now volume iv. of Court Minutes. 
 
 " Item one other booke of ordynary courtes only, marked with 
 the letter M. single, begynnyng the xviij* day of May, 1607, being 
 the booke now in use, and the same may serve for diuerse yeres 
 longer." 
 
 Now volume vi. of Court Minutes. 
 
 In the calendar of 161 8, the list is the same as in that of 
 3609, but with the addition of : — 
 
 Book of Courts of Assistants, marked MM., beginning
 
 APPENDIX A. 101 
 
 19th July, 161 1, "being the booke now in use, and with 
 spare cleane paper to contynue for yeres longer." 
 
 Now volume vii. of Court Minutes. 
 
 In the calendar of 1689, the eight earlier books from A. 
 to H. no longer appear, with the exception of : — (1) a book 
 "beginning 10th March, 5 Hen. 4" (1403), and (2) 
 " another from 37 of Henry y e 6 th to y e 3 d of Hen. y e 7 th " 
 (1458-9 to 1488). 
 
 Ancient Minute Books, vol. i., for the period from 
 7th April, i486, to 24th June, 1488, can therefore only 
 be a part of the last-mentioned book, and this is confirmed 
 by the fact that this volume commences with a folio marked 
 228, shewing that the earlier folios must have been lost. 
 
 Ancient Minute Books, vol. ii., for the period from 25th 
 June, 1488, to 9th August, 1493, is not included in the 
 calendar of 1689, but this must have been an oversight as the 
 book is still in existence. 
 
 From 1562 onwards the calendar of 1689 corresponds 
 with the new calendar of 191 5, including the gap between the 
 years 1654 and 1663. 
 
 ACCOUNT BOOKS. 
 
 " The severall bookcs of Accomptes of Mr. and Wardens as 
 followeth, viz. : 
 
 "Six auntient bookes of accomptes, marked or nombred 1. 2, 
 3, 4, 5, 6. The first booke marked N 0- 1 begynneth in the last 
 yere of king Richard the second, Anno Domini 1399 and the last 
 booke, N"- 6, endeth in the xij th yere of king Henry the < 
 Memorandum there are some of the auntient Accomptes in those 
 tymes wanting." 
 
 Of these six books, only three remain : No. 1 (1399- 
 1445), No. 2 (1453-1469) and No. 3 (1469-1484). (No. 46, 
 vols, i.-iii., Cal. 1915.) The last of these is much damaged.
 
 102 APPENDIX A. 
 
 The dates are those on which the account is rendered, and 
 therefore cover the income and expenditure for the year of 
 mastership then expiring, and consequently the accounts 
 actually commence in 1398. 
 
 " Item one other booke of Accomptes marked N 0, 7, begynnyng 
 from the xij th yere of Henry the eight and contynuyng untill the 
 fbwre and twentith yere of his raigne" (1520-1532). 
 Missing. 
 
 " Item one other booke of Accomptes marked N°- 8, begynnyng 
 from the xxiiij th yere of king Henry the eight and contynuyng unto 
 the six and thirtieth yere of his raigne" (1532-1545). 
 Missing. 
 
 " Item one other booke of Accomptes marked N 0, 9, begynnyng 
 from the xxxvij th yere of king Henry the eight, 1545 and contynuyng 
 unto the 4 and 5 yeres of the raigne of king Phillipp and Queene 
 Mary, 1557." 
 
 Now volume iv. of Account Books (No. 46, Cal. 1915). 
 
 "Item one other booke of Accomptes marked N°- 10, begynnyng 
 4 et 5 P. et M., 1557, and contynuyng unto the xj th yere of the 
 raigne of Queen Eliz. 1569." 
 Missing. 
 
 Books marked Nos. 11 to 14 (1569-1604). 
 Now volume v. to viii. of Account Books. 
 
 Book marked No. 15 (1604-1609), "which booke was this 
 yere fully fynished and ended." 
 
 Now volume ix. of Account Books. 
 
 In the calendar of 161 8, the list is the same as in that of 
 1609, but with the addition of : — 
 
 Book marked No. 16 (1609-1613). 
 Now volume x. of Accomit Books. 
 
 Book marked No. 17 (1613-1617), 
 Now volume xi. of Account Books.
 
 APPENDIX A. 103 
 
 The calendar of 1689 corresponds with the new calendar 
 so that the missing volumes must have disappeared between 
 the years 161 8 and 1689. 
 
 APPRENTICE BOOKS. 
 
 "Bookes wherein are entred the names of Apprentices." 
 
 " Inprimis eight old bookes marked severally with these severall 
 letters viz. : A. B. C. D. E. F. G. and H. being all out of forme, 
 which were the bookes before the tyme that Mr. Richard Wi 
 came to be Clarck of this Company." 
 
 Missing. 
 
 " Item one other booke marked with the letter I., begyimyng 
 
 the xii lh day of Aprill, 15S3, and ending at our Lady Day, 1593, parte 
 whereof was written in the tyme that the said Mr. Wright was Clarck, 
 but all the said booke was sithence new bound, and a kallender made 
 to the same by Richard Langley, now Clarck of this Company.'' 
 Now vol. i. of Apprentice Books (No. 42, Cal. 19 15). 
 
 " Item one other booke marked with the letter K. begynnyng the 
 second day of Aprill, 1593, and ending the seaventh day of January, 
 1594, on which day Mr. Wright being preferred to the office of 
 Packershipp did surrendour his Clarckshipp of this Company, which 
 booke was also new bound, and a kallender made to the same by the 
 said Richard Langley." 
 
 Now volume ii. of Apprentice Books. 
 
 " Item one other booke marked with the letter L. begynnyng the 
 vii" 1 day of January, 1594 (being the day that Richard : 
 elected Clarck of this Company), and ending the xxv. daj 
 1598, having a kallender to the same." 
 
 Now volume Hi. of Apprentice Books. 
 
 Books marked with :he letters M. N. O. P., 25th March. 1598, 
 to 25th March, 1609, each having a kallender." 
 
 Now volumes iv. to vii. of Apprentice Br
 
 io4 APPENDIX A. 
 
 " Item one other booke marked with the letter Q. begynnyng 
 the xxvth day of March, 1609 ; which booke will serve for two or 
 three yeres longer." 
 
 Now volume viii. of Apprentice Books. 
 
 In the calendar of 161 8, the list is the same as in that 
 of 1609, but with the addition of : — 
 
 Book marked R. — 20th October, 1610, to 25th March, 1613. 
 Now volume ix. of Apprentice Books. 
 
 Book marked S. — 29th March, 161 3, to 29th March, 161 6. 
 Now volume x. of Apprentice Books. 
 
 In the calendar of 1689, five out of the eight earlier 
 apprentice books were still in existence, covering the period 
 from 1 550-1 574, but all eight books are now missing. 
 
 From 1583 onwards the calendar of 1689 corresponds 
 with the new calendar of 191 5. 
 
 MISCELLANEOUS BOOKS. 
 
 " Inprimis one faire booke all of vellam, new bound in red 
 leather, and a kallender made to the same, by Richard Langley 
 the present Clarck of this Company, wherein are entred the willes 
 and devises of worthy and memorable Benefactors to this Company." 
 
 (No. p, Cal. 1 pis) 
 
 " Item one auntient booke of Ordynaunces of vellam con- 
 taynyng the orders, and Oathes belonging to this company." 
 
 (No. 2, Cal. 1915.) 
 
 " Item one other booke in paper, new written, and bound in 
 red leather contayning a breif note of all the particuler conveyaunces 
 or wrytinges, whereby landes and tenementes and other hereditamentes 
 have byn devised, or otherwise assured to this company." 
 
 (No. 8, Cal. 1915.)
 
 APPENDIX A. 105 
 
 " Item one other booke all of vellam, new written, and bound 
 in red leather, contayning certen braunches of Sir Thomas White's 
 Statutes, and concernyng the Probacion and examination of the 
 Companies Schoole, at St. Lawrence Pountneys." 
 
 (Incorporated in No. fO, Cal. ipfS-J 
 
 " Item one other paper booke, intytuled the Companies Debt 
 Booke." 
 
 Missing. 
 
 " Item one other paper booke, bound in black leather, con- 
 tayning the severall loanes of money by brothers of this Company 
 towardes the provision and stock for Come, which booke was new 
 bound, and a kallender made to the same by the foresaid Richard 
 Langley." 
 
 Missing. 
 
 " Item one other auntient booke in paper contaynyng the names 
 of all the M r s. and the Wardens of this company sithence the yere 
 Anno Domini 1300, being the xxviiith yere of the raigne of King 
 Edward the first, every one in succession untill this present yere 
 1609." 
 
 Missing. 
 
 " Item one other paper booke, new written, and bound, with 
 a Kallender made to the same, contayning a brief of all the 
 companies leases." 
 
 (No. 14, Cal. ipij.) 
 
 " Item, one other lardg paper booke new written and bound 
 in leather with claspes to yt, contaynyng the names of all such as 
 have byn admitted into the freedome of this company sithence the 
 xxiith yere of the raigne of King Henry the 8, Anno Domini, 1530, 
 untill this present yere, Anno Domini 1609, with spare paper, to 
 serve for diverse yeres longer." 
 
 (No. /J, Cal. ipzj.J
 
 106 APPENDIX A. 
 
 In the calendar of 1618 the list is the same as in that of 
 1609, w i tn the addition of : — 
 
 (1) " Item a new booke of Ordinances all of vellam 
 with a fayer cover contayning the orders and oathes 
 belonging to this Company which ordinaunces and oathes 
 have lately bin corrected, and amended and ratified, 
 and allowed by the Lord Chauncellor, and two cheif 
 Justices according to an Act of parliament made in that 
 behalf e, which book was written and bound by Richard 
 Baldock comon Clarck." 
 
 (No. J, Cat. 1915.) 
 
 (2) " Item one other booke of vellam bound in redd 
 leather wherein is written the Charters belonging to the 
 Company in Latin on the one side and in Inglish on 
 the other." 
 
 (No. it, Cal. 1 915.) 
 
 (3) OTHER BOOKS. 
 
 " Item one fayer large booke contayning a 
 Cronicle, and the whole survey of England given to 
 this Company by Mr. John Speed." 
 
 Missing. 
 
 " Item one other booke called a generall Cronicle 
 begunne by John Stowe,and augmented by Roger How 
 gentleman — and by him presented to this Company." 
 
 Missing. 
 
 " Item one other booke of survey made by 
 Anthony Munday and presented by him to this Com- 
 pany." 
 
 Missing.
 
 APPENDIX A. 107 
 
 The calendar of 1689 contains a list of manuscript books 
 and law papers not in the earlier calendar, but too long to 
 deal with in detail here. Many of these still exist, but many 
 are missing. 
 
 Among the latter the following appear to be the most in- 
 teresting : — 
 
 A book containing Acts of Common Council of 
 2 Edward vi., 1 Henry viii., 8 Henry viii., 5 Philip 
 and Mary, and 20 Elizabeth. 
 
 "A book of Committee about the Hall, Allane 
 Cliffe, Ma r -, with an accompt of what due to the 
 workmen." 
 
 (Cliffe was Master in 1669, so that this book, no doubt, 
 related to the work rendered necessary by the Fire of 
 London and would have given particulars of the damage 
 done to the hall.) 
 
 A book of the names of all the Liverymen from 1553 to 
 1602.
 
 io8 
 
 APPENDIX B. 
 
 List of Masters and Wardens, from 1300/0 1561. 
 
 Date. 
 
 Masters. 
 
 Wardens. 
 
 Authority. 
 
 1300 
 
 Henry de Ryall, 
 "pilgrim" 
 
 — 
 
 Stow i., 181. 
 
 I3SI 
 
 John Pecche, 
 " peregrinus " 
 
 William de Derby, 
 Robert de Gyldeford, 
 Giles de Westmull, 
 Roger de Coloigne, 
 " collectores 
 
 elemosinarum " 
 
 Grant by John de Tottenham 
 {Wills Book, p. 12). 
 
 1376 
 
 John Tilneye, 
 " peregrinus " 
 
 Robert Hunden 
 Robert Lyndeseye 
 Richard de Burton 
 William de Sudbury 
 " custodes " 
 
 Grant by Robert Payn and 
 others of a quit-rent out of 
 the Saracen's Head, Friday 
 Street {Deeds ii., i). 
 
 1388 
 
 John Dymock 
 
 — 
 
 Indenture between the Prior of 
 St. Augustine's and the Mas- 
 ter {Evidence Book, p. 8). 
 
 '391 
 
 Thomas Sibsay 
 
 Stephen Hamme 
 William Waterton 
 John Partrich 
 Henry Seward 
 
 Inq. a.q.d. on grant of Hall 
 site to the Fraternity 
 {Deeds i., 14). 
 
 Licence in mortmain {Evi- 
 dence Book, p. 9). 
 
 1392 
 
 John Orewelle, 
 the King's ser- 
 geant-at-Arms 
 
 John Buk 
 Hugh Talbot 
 John Silton 
 Peter Fykelden 
 
 Grant of annuity to Richard 
 Tykenore {Deeds i., 16). 
 
 1393 
 
 John Partrich 
 
 William Waterton 
 John Fyssh 
 Walter Donmowe 
 John Whitefelde 
 
 Will of John Dimmok (IVi/is 
 Book, p. 7). 
 
 1398 
 
 John 
 
 — 
 
 Master's Accounts. 
 
 1399 
 
 Clement Kyrton 
 
 — 
 
 Do.
 
 APPENDIX B. 109 
 
 List of Masters and Wardens, from 1300 to 1561 — contd. 
 
 Date. 
 
 Masters. 
 
 Wardens. 
 
 Authority. 
 
 1400 
 
 John Fauconer 
 
 Robert Eland 
 John Kenne 
 Thomas de Bury 
 John Traygos 
 
 Inq. a.q.d. on grant of 
 Saracen's Plead, Friday 
 Street, to the Company 
 {Deeds ii., 2). 
 
 1401 
 
 John Ballard 
 
 — 
 
 Master's Accounts. 
 
 1402 
 
 Robert Eland 
 
 — 
 
 Do. 
 
 1403 
 
 Richard Lynne 
 
 — 
 
 Do. 
 
 1404 
 
 Simon Lief 
 
 Ralf Bate 
 John Fulthorpe 
 Richard Sawyer 
 John Seche 
 
 Will of Thomas Sibsay ( Wills 
 Book, p. 36). 
 
 1405 
 
 Robert Queldrik 
 
 Thomas Medbourne 
 Sampson Benet 
 William Surcestre 
 Thomas Sutton 
 
 Grant of rooms in " Le 
 Sterre," Bishopsgate Street 
 {Deeds iii., 53). 
 
 1406 
 
 John Colbroke 
 
 — 
 
 Master's Accounts. 
 
 1407 
 
 Peter Mason 
 
 — 
 
 Do. 
 
 1408 
 
 Thomas Sutton 
 
 John Wenlock 
 Thomas Wylby 
 Adam Feryby 
 Ralf Shokelache 
 
 Charter of 9 Henry iv. 
 
 1409 
 
 John Fulthorp 
 
 — 
 
 Master's Accounts. 
 
 1410 
 
 John Marchall 
 
 — 
 
 Do. 
 
 1411 
 
 William Tropenell 
 
 — 
 
 Do. 
 
 1412 
 
 William Warren 
 
 Richard Frepurs 
 Robert Fennescales 
 Thomas Urewell 
 Gerard Lowe 
 
 Will of Peter Mason {Wills 
 Book, p. 74). 
 
 1413 
 
 John Caundissh 
 
 — 
 
 Master's Accounts. 
 
 1414 
 
 Thomas Whityng- 
 ham 
 
 — 
 
 Do. 
 
 1415 
 
 William Jowdrell 
 
 — 
 
 Do. 
 
 1416 
 
 John Weston 
 
 — 
 
 Do. 
 
 1417 
 
 William Holgrave 
 
 — 
 
 Do.
 
 no APPENDIX B. 
 
 List of Masters and Wardens, from 1300 to 1561—contd. 
 
 Date. 
 
 Masters. 
 
 Wardens. 
 
 Authority. 
 
 1418 
 
 Rauf Bate 
 
 — 
 
 Master's Accounts. 
 
 *4i9 
 
 Ralf Holand 
 
 Ralf Shoklache 
 John Kelyngham 
 John de Bury 
 John Kyng 
 
 Defeazance of bond of Thomas 
 Sutton to the Company 
 {Deeds vi., 4). 
 
 1420 
 
 Robert Feneskales 
 
 — 
 
 Master's Accounts. 
 
 1421 
 
 Ralf Shocklache 
 
 — 
 
 Do. 
 
 1422 
 
 Richard Northyn 
 
 William Chapman 
 Henry Wylford 
 Roger Holbech 
 Philip Possell 
 
 Will of John Buk ( Wills Book 
 p. 16). 
 
 1423 
 
 John de Bury 
 
 — 
 
 Master's Accounts. 
 
 1424 
 
 Alexander Farnell 
 
 — 
 
 Do. 
 
 1425 
 
 Richard Reynold 
 
 — 
 
 Do. 
 
 1426 
 
 John Caston 
 
 — 
 
 Do. 
 
 1427 
 
 John Knotte 
 
 — 
 
 Do. 
 
 1428 
 
 William Chapman 
 
 — 
 
 Do. 
 
 1429 
 
 Philip Possell 
 
 John Westwode 
 Thomas Chichele 
 John Belhom 
 Pirs Savery 
 
 Do. 
 Ordinances {Misc. Docs., A. 2) 
 
 1430 
 
 Yon Thorne 
 
 — 
 
 Master's Accounts. 
 
 •431 
 
 Geffrey Gibbon 
 
 John Pecke 
 John Partriche 
 John Locck 
 John Bale 
 
 Will of Thomas Sutton ( Wills 
 Book, p. 90). 
 
 1432 
 
 Roger Holbech 
 
 — 
 
 Master's Accounts. 
 
 1433 
 
 John Kyng 
 
 — 
 
 Do. 
 
 1434 
 
 John Legge 
 
 — 
 
 Do. 
 
 1435 
 
 John Pecke 
 
 Richard Skernyng 
 John Locok 
 Richard Benton 
 Harry Bovyngton 
 
 Ordinances (Misc. Docs., A. 2).
 
 APPENDIX B. in 
 
 List of Masters and Wardens, from 1300 to 1561— contJ. 
 
 Date. 
 1436 
 
 1437 
 1438 
 
 Masters. 
 
 Thomas Davy 
 
 John Arcall 
 John Bale 
 
 M39 
 
 1440 
 
 M4I 
 
 1442 
 1443 
 
 M44 
 M45 
 
 »446 
 I447 ,a: 
 
 *448 
 
 M49 
 M5°" 
 
 John Locok 
 
 Piers Saverey 
 Richard Skernyng 
 
 William Fyge 
 William Auntrus 
 John Langewith 
 Thomas Gay 
 
 Thomas Reymond 
 Richard Benton 
 
 William Foster 
 
 John Stone 
 Thomas Breux 
 
 Wardens. 
 
 AlTHORITY. 
 
 John Belham 
 Thomas Reymond 
 Watkin White 
 Harry Rayle 
 
 John Belham 
 William Forster, the 
 
 elder 
 William Forster, the 
 
 younger 
 John Gylle 
 
 Nicholas Blome 
 John Stone 
 Thomas White 
 William Knotte 
 
 Richard Chalkyll 
 James Caton 
 Stephen Pirs 
 Richard Atkyns 
 
 Walter White 
 Richard Giles 
 Richard Glover 
 Richard Atkyns 
 
 William Latoner 
 William Knotte 
 George Aishton 
 Stephen Piers 
 
 John Gift a id 
 William Boylet 
 John Hole 
 John Roun 
 
 Ordinances {Misc. Docs., A. 2). 
 
 Master's Accounts. 
 
 Do. 
 
 Ordinances {Misc. Docs., A. 2). 
 
 Charter of 18 Henry vi. 
 
 Master's Accounts. 
 Ordinances {Misc. Docs., A. 2). 
 
 Master's Accounts. 
 
 Do. 
 
 Do. 
 
 Will of Ralph Holand (H.R. 
 I98(3i))- 
 
 Ordinances {Misc. Docs., A. 2). 
 
 Ancient Minute Book {vol. i., 
 /4 b )- 
 
 Ordinances {Misc. Docs., A. 2). 
 Do. 
 
 Master's Accounts {vol. ii.,
 
 ii2 APPENDIX B. 
 
 List of Masters and Wardens, from 1300 to 1561 — contd. 
 
 Date. 
 
 Masters. 
 
 Wardens. 
 
 Authority. 
 
 1451 
 
 John Gylle 
 
 Richard Rooke 
 John Hille 
 John Spenser 
 John Weche 
 
 Wills of Ralf Holand and 
 Idonia Halleyate {Wills 
 Book, pp. 19 and 23). 
 
 1452 
 
 William Latyner 
 
 — 
 
 Master's Accounts (vol. ii., 
 /. 20). 
 
 1453 
 
 William Knotte 
 
 — 
 
 Do. 
 
 M54 
 
 John Belham 
 
 — 
 
 Do. 
 
 1455 
 
 George Asshton 
 
 — 
 
 Do. 
 
 1456 
 
 John Prynce 
 
 Thomas Pye 
 Richard Sutton 
 John Martyn 
 Thomas Burgeys 
 
 Ancient Book of Ordinances, 
 /. 17 (Book 2). 
 
 1457 
 
 John Jordan 
 
 — 
 
 Master's Accounts. 
 
 1458 
 
 William Boylet 
 
 — 
 
 Do. 
 
 M59 
 
 William Langdon 
 
 Robert Colwych 
 John Snowdon 
 Richard Bristall 
 William Blakeman 
 
 Will of Richard Tolle ( Wills 
 Book, p. 27). 
 
 1460 
 
 Robert Colwich 
 
 — 
 
 Master's Accounts. 
 
 1461 
 
 John Derby 
 
 — 
 
 Do. 
 
 1462 
 
 William Person 
 
 — 
 
 Do. 
 
 1463 
 
 Roger Tygo 
 
 William Blakman 
 John Kyng 
 Robert Bradmere 
 William Marchall 
 
 Will of Hugh Champernon 
 (Wills Book, p. 33 ). 
 
 1464 
 
 John Fayreford 
 
 — 
 
 Master's Accounts. 
 
 1465 
 
 John Stodard 
 
 Gilbert Kays 
 William Parker 
 John Swan 
 Robert Walthowe 
 
 Charter of 5 Edward iv. 
 
 1466 
 
 John Phelip 
 
 John Lee 
 
 Master's Accounts. 
 
 1467 
 
 Thomas Burgeys 
 
 John Kyfifyn 
 William Marchall 
 Roger Waren 
 Richard Nayler 
 
 Will of Elen Langwith ( Wills 
 Book, p. 25}.
 
 APPENDIX B. 113 
 
 List of M \d Wardens, from 1300 to 1561 — t 
 
 I'M i:. 
 
 1ERS. 
 
 Wardens. 
 
 Authority. 
 
 
 Walter Barow 
 
 Peter Cyvile 
 Robert Bradmere 
 Thomas Humfrey 
 John 
 
 Lease recited in grant to John 
 Dodyngton {Lund Revenue 
 Enrolments^ vol. 330,/ 67). 
 
 1469 
 
 William Parker 
 
 John Kyffin 
 Richard Xayler 
 Richard Warner 
 William Crusocby 
 
 Ancient Minute Book:* (vol. i., 
 / 22). 
 
 I470 
 
 John Swanne 
 
 — 
 
 Master's Accounts. 
 
 M7I 
 
 William Call 
 
 — 
 
 Do. 
 
 1472 
 
 Roger Warynge 
 
 — 
 
 Do. 
 
 '473 
 
 Gilbert Keys 
 
 Richard Adyff 
 John 
 
 Ancient Minute Books (vol. i., 
 /. 20b). 
 
 1474 
 
 Richard Bristall 
 
 — 
 
 Master's Accounts. 
 
 M75 
 
 Richard Naylcr 
 
 — 
 
 Do. 
 
 1476 
 
 John Phelip and 
 Richard Warner 
 
 — 
 
 I),). 
 
 1477 
 
 Robert Middelton 
 
 — 
 
 Do. 
 
 I47S 1 " 1 
 
 Richard West 
 
 — 
 
 Ancient Minute Books {vol. fi., 
 ff. 44 & 52"). 
 
 1479 
 
 Roger Barlowe 
 
 — 
 
 Master's Accounts. 
 
 14S0 
 
 John Matcrd.dc 
 
 — 
 
 Do. 
 
 1481 
 
 Robert Duplcge 
 
 • 
 
 Ewen Boughton 
 Jo!m Warner 
 James Shyrwode 
 John Potman 
 
 Ancient P.ook of Ordinances, 
 /. z\l>. 
 
 1482 
 
 Hugh Pembcrtua 
 
 — 
 
 Master's Accounts. 
 
 1483 
 
 John Lee 
 
 — 
 
 Do. 
 
 1484 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 1485 
 
 Sir John Percyvale 
 
 — 
 
 Ancient Minute Books (vol. i., 
 /•3)-
 
 ii4 APPENDIX B. 
 
 List of Masters and Wardens, from 1300 to 1561 — contd. 
 
 Date. 
 
 i486 
 
 1487 
 1488 
 
 1489 
 
 1490 
 
 1491 
 
 1492 
 
 1493 
 1494 
 
 H95 
 
 1496 
 
 Masters. 
 
 Wardens. 
 
 Thomas Cottoi* 
 
 John Hede 
 William Buk 
 
 Stephen Jenyns 
 
 John Spencer 
 
 William Hert 
 
 Walter Povy 
 
 Thomas Randell 
 
 James Wylford 
 
 Ewin Boughton 
 
 Nicholas Nynes 
 
 Thomas Randell 
 John Barnard 
 William Grene 
 George Lufkyn 
 
 Oliver Warner 
 James Wilford 
 Thomas Petyt 
 John Doket 
 
 William Grene 
 John Bernard 
 Thomas Bodley 
 Peter Forster 
 
 Thomas Bromeflete 
 Thomas Howdan 
 Roger Mone 
 Richard Hille 
 
 Henry Clough 
 Nicholas Nynes 
 Henry Kellowe 
 Rauf Bukberd 
 
 John Doget 
 Thomas Petyt 
 Richard Dyngley 
 John Povy 
 
 Richard Hill 
 John Kyrkeby 
 Thomas Bedford 
 Richard Smyth 
 
 Thomas Howden 
 Roger Mone 
 William FitzWilliam 
 Robert Kelambe 
 
 John Povey 
 James Grene 
 Edmond Floure 
 John Herst 
 
 John Kyrkeby 
 Richard Smyth 
 Thomas Werton 
 Richard Conhill 
 
 Authority. 
 
 Ancient Minute Books {vol, i., 
 
 & 59 b )- 
 
 Do. {vol. ii., ff. 52 b 
 
 Do. {vol. ii.,/. 1). 
 
 Do. {vol. ii.,/. 1 lb). 
 
 Do. {vol. ii., /. 25). 
 
 Do. {vol. ii.,/. 34<S). 
 
 Do. {vol. ii., f. 42). 
 
 Do. {vol. ii., / 70). 
 
 Treasury Account,/ 9 {Book 4). 
 
 Do. / 96 
 
 Do. /. 11.
 
 APPENDIX B. 115 
 
 List of Masters and Wardens, from 1300 to i 561 — amid. 
 
 Date. 
 
 Masters. 
 
 Wardens. 
 
 Authority. 
 
 H97 
 
 Thomas Petyt 
 
 Roger Mone 
 Rauf Bukberd 
 John Hodyam 
 William Batyson 
 
 Treasury Account,/ 11. 
 
 149S 
 
 Thomas Brome- 
 felde 
 
 William FitzWilliam 
 Thomas Pole 
 Hugh Acton 
 
 Do /. 25. 
 
 1499 
 
 William 
 
 Fitz William 
 
 Richard Smyth 
 Edmond Floure 
 Richard Toll 
 Thomas Speight 
 
 Do. / \ib. 
 
 1500 
 
 John Doget 
 
 John Bodyam 
 Richard Conhill 
 Thomas Gardyner 
 George Sail 
 
 Do. /. 13^. 
 
 1 501 
 
 John Kyrkeby 
 
 John Bernard 
 Robert Kelambe 
 Robert Johnson 
 Humfrey Ruggeley 
 
 Do. / 15. 
 
 1502 
 
 Richard Smyth 
 
 Hugh Acton 
 William Batyson 
 John Skevyngton 
 James Moncastre 
 
 Charter of 18 Henry vii. 
 
 1503 
 
 Edmund Flowre 
 
 Richard Conhyll 
 Thomas Speyght 
 Robert Colson 
 John Wright 
 
 Ancient Book of Ordinances, 
 /32- 
 
 1 504''' 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 1505W 
 
 Thomas Howdan 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 1506 
 
 Richard Conhill 
 
 Thomas Speyght 
 Humfrey Ruggeley 
 John Breton 
 Robert Farethwatte 
 
 Ancient Book of Ordinances, 
 /• 42. 
 
 1507 
 
 William Grene 
 
 John Tresaucll 
 John Wright 
 
 Richard Hall 
 John Sexsy 
 
 Do. / 38^ 
 
 1508''' 
 
 
 
 — 
 
 —
 
 1 16 
 
 APPENDIX B. 
 
 List of Masters and Wardens, from 1300 to \ $61— contd. 
 
 Date. 
 
 1509 
 
 1510 
 
 1511 
 
 1512 
 1513 
 
 1514 
 
 1515 
 
 1516 
 
 1517 
 1518 
 
 1519 
 1520 
 
 Masters. 
 
 Thomas Speight 
 
 John Skevyngton 
 
 John Tresavvell 
 
 John Breton 
 
 Henry Dacres 
 
 John Wright 
 
 Richard Hall 
 
 William Wilford 
 
 Wardens. 
 
 Geoffrey Vaughan 
 
 Henry Dacre 
 Richard Hall 
 George Harward 
 John Benet 
 
 George Sail 
 Henry Dacres 
 Gefferey Vaughan 
 John Harry es 
 
 John Wright 
 Robert Fayrethwatte 
 John Nechilles 
 Thomas Cole 
 
 Robert Farethwaite 
 William Wilford 
 Paul Wythipoll 
 John Handford 
 
 John Dexey 
 John Harreys 
 Robert Shethor 
 James Mighel 
 
 William Wylford 
 George Harward 
 William Copland 
 John Causton 
 
 Gefferey Vaughan 
 Paule Wythipoll 
 William Hilton 
 Robert Fell 
 
 John Nechilles 
 John Benett 
 Richard Gibson 
 Richard Houlte 
 
 Paule Withipol 
 John Hanforth 
 John Cooke 
 William Heton 
 
 Authority. 
 
 Treasury Account,/ 28. 
 
 Do. 
 
 f.2%. 
 
 Do. / 27. 
 
 Charter of Henry viii. 
 
 Grant of rent-charge to James 
 Wylford {Deeds xviii., 1). 
 
 Grant of rent-charge to Isabel 
 Howdan {Deeds vii., 1). 
 
 Release by Richard Gryston 
 of the Saracen's Head, Bread 
 Street {Deeds iv., 2). 
 
 Agreement with Salter's Com- 
 pany ( Wills Book, p. 288). 
 
 Will of John Tresawel ( Wills 
 Book, p. 118). 
 
 Will of John Harris {Wills 
 Book, p. 114).
 
 APPENDIX B. 117 
 
 List of Masters and Wardens, from 1300 to 1561— could. 
 
 I >A 1 1.. 
 
 Masters. 
 
 War; 
 
 Al'l HOKI1Y. 
 
 1 521 
 
 John Gonne 
 
 Thomas Cole 
 Robert Shether 
 Robert Wade 
 Henry Clidro 
 
 Will of Giles Slater {Willi 
 Book, p. 95). 
 
 1522 
 
 John Nichelles 
 
 John Benett 
 James Mighell 
 John Jenkyns 
 John God 
 
 Grant of Annuity to Henry 
 Hyll (//.A\ 239(11) ). 
 
 1523 
 
 Paul Wythipoll 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 i ;24 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 '525 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 1526 
 
 Robert Shethar 
 
 Richard Panell 
 William Branys 
 Henry Hobykhome 
 William Wylford, 
 the younger 
 
 Acknowledgment of trust of 
 J ames Wylford {Deeds xviii., 
 4). 
 
 1527 
 
 Hugh Acton 
 
 Robert Pagett 
 George Harryson 
 John Skute 
 Henry Sukley 
 
 Will of Thomas Speight 
 {Wills Book, p. 77). 
 
 1528"' 
 
 John Benett 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 1529" 1 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 I530 
 
 Richard Gibson 
 
 Richard Bucklonde 
 William Kyrkeby 
 Thomas Whyte 
 Robert Dawbney 
 
 Will of Thomas Speight 
 {Wills Book, p. 99). 
 
 1531 
 
 Richard Houlte 
 
 Henry Dewford 
 William Jerrold 
 Henry Polstead 
 Roberte Wilford 
 
 Will of Thomas Speight 
 {Wills Book, p. 104). 
 
 '53^ 
 1 Ml) 
 
 Henry Hobilthorn 
 
 John Jenkyns 
 John Copeland, 
 
 the elder 
 John Malte 
 William Hewetson 
 
 Grant of rent-charge to 
 Thomas Coole for Sir 
 William FitzWilliam {Deeds 
 xi., 1). 
 
 1 jJj 
 1534 
 >535 
 1536 
 1537 
 1538 
 1539 
 1540 
 
 IU1 
 
 ,) 
 
 William Wilford, 
 
 the younger 
 John Scutt 
 Thomas White 
 John Make 
 
 I 
 1 
 
 /•These men served as Masters 
 during this period, but the 
 | actual dates and order of 
 I succession are uncertain.
 
 n8 
 
 APPENDIX B. 
 
 List of Masters and Wardens, from 1300 to 1561— contd. 
 
 Date. 
 
 Masters. 
 
 Wardens. 
 
 Authority. 
 
 1542 
 
 Stephen Kyrton 
 
 — 
 
 Court Minutes {vol. ii.,/ 4 b ). 
 
 1543M 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 1544 
 
 Robert Dawbeney 
 
 Raffe Davenett 
 William Barlowe 
 
 Master's and Wardens' 
 Accounts (1445-6). 
 
 1545 
 
 Thomas Broke 
 
 Nycholas Cosen 
 Henry Brayne 
 Walter Yonge 
 Richard Tonge 
 
 Certificate of Chantry Rents 
 {Misc. Docs., A. 4 (2) ). 
 
 1546 
 
 Thomas Brooke 
 
 and 
 Richard Holte 
 
 Richard Wadyngton 
 Robert Mellyshe 
 Harry Cooke 
 Willyam Rygeley 
 
 Master's and Wardens' 
 
 Accounts. 
 
 1547 
 
 Thomas Offley 
 
 Emmanuell Lucar 
 John Wethers 
 
 Do. 
 
 1548 
 
 Richard 
 
 Wadyngton 
 
 George Heton 
 Thomas Rowe 
 
 Do. 
 
 1549 
 
 Nicholas Cosyn 
 
 Symon Lowe 
 Edward Lee 
 
 Do. 
 
 1550 
 
 Robert Mellyshe 
 
 Nicholas Wolberd 
 William Body 
 
 Do. 
 
 I55i 
 
 Richard Botyll 
 
 Thomas Acworthe 
 Robert Rose 
 
 Do. 
 
 1552 
 
 John Jakes 
 
 Ralf Davenett 
 John Wethers 
 Thomas Richardes 
 Raffe Whyte 
 
 Will of Richard Botyll ( Wills 
 Book, p. 89). 
 
 1553 
 
 William Harper 
 
 Richard Whethyll 
 William Merycke 
 
 Master's and Wardens' 
 Accounts.
 
 APPENDIX B. 119 
 
 List of Masters and Wardens, from 1300 to 1561— contd. 
 
 Date. 
 
 Masters. 
 
 Wardens. 
 
 Authority. 
 
 1554 
 
 Guy Wade 
 
 [George] Heton 
 Thomas] Rowe 
 [Richard] Hilles 
 [John] God 
 
 Diary of Henry Michyn,/. 91 
 (Cam. Soc, 1S4S). 
 
 1555 
 
 William Clyfton 
 
 Thomas Walker 
 Francis Pope 
 
 Master's and Wardens' Ac- 
 counts. 
 
 155° 
 
 George Heton 
 
 Thomas Bowe 
 
 (? Rowe) 
 Thomas Acworthe 
 John Olyff 
 Thomas Browne 
 
 Accounts of Pageants, /. 4 
 {Book 7). 
 
 1557 
 
 Symon Lowe 
 
 Richard Tonge 
 Richard Whetell 
 William Sylyard 
 Stephen Hales 
 
 Charter of Philip and Mary. 
 
 I55S 
 
 Edward Ley 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 1559 
 
 Thomas Acworth 
 
 Richard Whetyll 
 Richard Whight 
 Thomas Thomlynson 
 Gerard Gore 
 
 Charter of Elizabeth. 
 
 1560 
 
 Emmanuel Lucar 
 
 Robert Rose 
 William Merycke 
 Robert Uuckynton 
 John Sparke 
 
 Machyn's Diary {p. 380, nott-s). 
 
 1561 
 
 Richard Hilles 
 
 William Rigeley 
 Francis Pope 
 William Albany 
 Robert Hulson 
 
 Account of Pageants,^ \ob. 
 
 NOTES TO APPENDIX B. 
 
 (a) Richard Benton appears as a past master in i486 (Ancient Minute Books,, 
 vol. i., f. 4 h ). As the only vacant years between 1397 (which is too early) and 
 1453 are 1447 and 1450, he must have been master in one of these two last- 
 mentioned years. He was warden in 1435, an ^ was senior to William Foster who 
 was master in 144S, and John Stone who was master in 1449, and I have therefore 
 inserted his name in 1447.
 
 120 APPENDIX B. 
 
 Thomas Breux is described in the Master's Accounts for 1453-4 as a former 
 master, and must therefore have been master either in 1447 or 1450. I have 
 inserted his name in 1450 as I have already inserted Benton's name in 1447. 
 
 (b) Richard West appears in lists of " the xxiv men," otherwise the Court of 
 Assistants, in the mastership of Walter Povy, 1492. As the only vacant years 
 between 1450 and 1492 are 1478 and 1484, and West's name appears in these lists 
 immediately before Roger Barlow, who was master in 1479, I have assumed that 
 he was master in 1478. 
 
 (c) Thomas Howden or Howdan is described as "late master" in the inventory 
 made in the mastership of John Tresawell, who was master in 15 11. Howdan was 
 warden in 1490 and 1494. As the only vacant years between 1484 and 15U are 
 1504, 1505 and 1508, he must have been master in one of those three years, so I 
 have inserted his name in 1505. 
 
 {d) Mr. Clode suggests that Hugh Acton, the elder, was probably master for 
 1508, because he was one of the twelve representatives of the twelve great 
 companies, appointed by the Common Council to attend the Lord Mayor, Sir 
 Stephen Jenyns (who was a merchant taylor), at the coronation of Henry viii. He 
 may have been master this year, but I can find no evidence of it or that any of the 
 other representatives were masters of their respective companies. Hugh Acton, 
 who was master in 1527, was, according to Mr. Clode, a son of Hugh Acton, the 
 elder. (Early History, ii , pp. 34 & 99). 
 
 (e) In all lists of members of the Company, the prefix " Mr. " before a man's 
 name indicated that he had served the office of master or, sometimes, of sheriff.. 
 Until a member of the Court had so served, he was described simply by his 
 Christian and surnames. If an alderman, he was so described and his name 
 appeared at the head of the list. In former days, it seems, that aldermen and 
 those that had served the office of sheriff were, if they so desired, excused from 
 service as master. 
 
 A list of members of the Company assessed for the provision of corn in the 
 year 1546-7 includes the following names of members of the Court who had 
 already served the office of master (unless excused for the reasons given above), 
 viz. : Alderman John Wilford, Alderman Thomas White (warden, 1530), Mr. 
 (Henry) Suckley (warden, 1527, and sheriff, 1 541 ), Mr. (Paul) Wethypoll (warden, 
 1 5 13), Mr. (John) Bennet (warden, 15 18), Mr. John Scutt or Skute (warden,. 
 1527), Mr. (John) Malte (warden, 1532). 
 
 In the Court Minutes commencing in 1562, the following additional names 
 occur, viz. : Alderman Thomas Rowe (warden, 1554), Mr. Edward Ley or Lee 
 (warden, 1549), Mr. William Wilford (the younger, warden, 1526). Between 
 1 5 12 and 1533 there are seven vacant years. Wethypoll and Bennet probably 
 served in two of those years. As Wethypoll was warden again in 1520, and 
 Bennet in 1522, the earliest dates at which either is likely to have served is 
 1523. I have placed Wethypoll's name in 1523 and Bennet's in 1528, as he 
 was junior to Robert Shethar, who was master in 1526.
 
 APPENDIX B. 121 
 
 Between 1532 and 1544 there are ten vacant years. I have inserted in that 
 period the names of William Wilford the younger, Scutt, White and Malte, 
 as they could only have served during those years, and I have placed them in 
 the order in which they became wardens. I can find no evidence that either 
 Alderman Juhn Wilford or Alderman Sir Thomas Rowe ever served as master. 
 
 Rowe was elected alderman in 1559. Mr. Clode, on the strength of a 
 passage in Machyn's Diary {p. 149), says he was master in 1557, but he 
 certainly was not, for our records clearly show that Symon Lowe was master 
 in that year. In referring to him as "Master Row," Machyn, I think, was 
 simply using an ordinary title of courtesy, and does not mean that he was 
 master of the Company. {Early History, ii., 147.) 
 
 The following are described as wardens, but it is impossible to identify their 
 years. Thomas Lee (Master's Accounts, 1458, / 150), John More (Master's 
 Accounts, 1467, //. 317b & 333b.), and Thomas Midilton (Master and Warden's 
 Accounts, 1 55 1.)
 
 122 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Account books, 22-23, 101-103 
 Acton, Hugh, 67, 115, 117, 120 
 Acworth, Acworthe, Thomas, 118, 119 
 Adyff, Richard, 113 
 Agincourt, battle of, 86 
 Aishton, Asshton, George, III, 112 
 Albany, William, 119 
 Aldermanbury, conduit in, 88 
 Aldersgate Street, 84 
 
 , the " George " in, 84 
 
 Alegate, otherwise Crepin, Ralph de, 
 
 54, 55 
 All Hallows' Barking, parish of, 51 
 
 , chapel of, 53 
 
 the Great, parish of, 68, 70 
 
 — in the Eimes, see All 
 
 Hallows, Lombard Street 
 
 -, Lombard Street, 50 
 
 Almshouses of the Merchant Taylors' 
 Company, 25, 27, 81, 96 
 
 , see Lee ; Sherbourne 
 
 Alport, Mr. Warden, 24 
 
 America, 37 
 
 Anchor Alley, 58 
 
 Ancyent, ensign, 50 
 
 Antiphoner, 95 
 
 Apprentice books, 103-104 
 
 Apprentices, 43 
 
 Apprenticeship of girl, articles of, 25 
 
 Arc, Joan of, 71 
 
 Arcall, John, m 
 
 Ardingelli, Roger, 86 
 
 Armour, 26 
 
 Armourer, 26 
 
 Arms of England, 88, 89 
 
 Arundel, Richard FitzAlan, 6th earl of, 
 
 69, 70 
 Ashurst, Sir Henry, 42 
 Assemblies, 22 
 Assessments, receipts for, 27 
 Assistants, see Court 
 Atkyns, Richard, 1 1 1 
 Attorney-General, proceedings by, 9, 
 
 10, 15 
 , see Bankes, Sir 
 
 John 
 Aumondesham, Edmund de, 56 
 , Alice, his 
 
 mother, 56 
 Auntrus, William, in 
 
 Aystwick, John, 9 
 
 Bachelors' Company, 7, 9, 10, 13, 14, 
 41, 81, 82 
 
 , clerk of, see Sil- 
 
 verwood 
 
 , wardens sub- 
 stitutes of, 82 
 
 or Yoman companies, 10, 1 1 
 
 Backvvell, Edward, 60, 61, 62, 63 
 
 , John, 60, 62, 63 
 
 Bacon, Fraunces, Lord, 54 
 
 , Sir Nicholas, 54 
 
 Baldewyn, William, 44 
 Baldock, Richard (Clerk), 13 
 Balduchi, Francis, 86 
 Bale, John, no, in 
 Ballard, John, 109 
 Bankes, Sir John, 24 
 Bardi, Doffus de, 85 
 
 , Lapus de, 85 
 
 , Society of, 85, 86, 89 
 
 Barlowe, Roger, 113, 120 
 
 , William, 118 
 
 Barnard, Bernard, John, 113, 114, 115. 
 
 Barow, Walter, 113 
 
 Basinghall Street, White Bear in, 24 
 
 Bate, Ralf, 109, no 
 
 Bath, city of, 76 
 
 and Wells, John Stafford, Bishop 
 
 of, 86, 87, 88 
 ■ , Thomas Bekyngton, 
 
 Bishop of, 46-47 
 Batyson, William, 115 
 Beauchamp, Richard, see Warwick, 
 
 Earl of 
 Beaufort, John, see Somerset, Earl of 
 Bechewood, 84 
 Bedford, Hugh de, 55 
 
 , Joan, his wife, 55 
 
 , Thomas, 1 14 
 
 Grammar School, founder of, 
 
 23 
 
 Bekyngton, Thomas,, 46 
 
 Belham, Belhom, John, 6, no, m, 
 
 112 
 Bell, George, 26 
 
 Benbrigge's Inn, see Penbrigge's Inn 
 " Benefactors' Gifts," book of, 21 
 Benet, Benett, John, 116, 117
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Benet, Benett, Sampson, 109 
 Benton, Richard, no, in, 119;/ 
 Bere, William, 91 
 Berwick, naturalized subject forbidden 
 
 to dwell in, 84 
 Beswick, Alderman, 73 
 Bible "of St. 1 1 ierosmes translation," S2 
 Bigg, Walter, 94, 95 
 Billesden, Sir Thomas, 8 
 Billingsgate, Fellowship Porters of, 51 
 , Court 
 
 House of, 51 
 
 — Ward, deputy of, 5 I 
 
 Billyngford, James, 56 
 
 Bishopsgate Street, " le Sterre " in, 56, 
 
 57, 109 
 
 , see St. Helen's 
 
 Bishop's Head Tavern, 90 
 Blakeman, Blakman, William, 112 
 Blanch Apleton, manor of, 47-48 
 " Blewe Bell," the, 50 
 Blome, Nicholas, m 
 Bodley, Thomas, 114 
 Body, William, 1 18 
 Bodyam, John, 1 1 5 
 Bohun, John, 88 
 
 , grandson of, see Owen 
 
 Bonwick, Jacob, 25 
 Boone, Christopher, 96 
 
 , Mary, 96 
 
 Botyll, Richard, 68, 71, 1 18 
 Boughton, Ewen, 113, 114 
 Bovyngton, Harry, 110 
 Bow Church, 45 
 
 Lane, 45 
 
 Bowe (Rowe ?), Thomas, 119 
 Bowen, — , actor, 89 
 Boyle, Robert, 42 
 
 lectures, 42 
 
 Boylett, William, ill, 112 
 Bradmere, Robert, 112, 113 
 Bradshaw, Peter, 37 
 Bradstreete, see Threadneedle Street 
 
 , ward of, 65 
 
 Branys, William, 1 17 
 
 Brayne, Henry, 1 18 
 
 Brayntry, New England, 37 
 
 Bread Street, Saracen's Head in, 57, 
 
 117 
 Bretagne, Dukes of, 84 
 Breton, John, 115, 116 
 Brcux, Thomas, III, 120 
 Brewers' Company, 53, 54 
 Bridewell, 50 
 Bridport, charities in, 42 
 Bristall, Richard, 112, 113 
 Bristol, city of, 67, 75, 76 
 Broke, Brooke, Thomas, 1 I 
 Bromefelde, Bromeflete, Thomas, 114, 
 
 115 
 
 Bromholme Alley, 59 
 
 Brooks, Richard, master corn meter, 
 
 5' 
 Brown, Stephen, 60 
 
 Browne, Thomas, 1 1.9 
 Buckhound, receipt for, 24 
 Buckingham, Edward Stafford, Duke 
 
 of, 72, 73 
 
 , George Villiers, Duke of. 94 
 
 Bucklersbury, 57 
 Bucklonde, Richard, 117 
 Buckridge, George, 84 
 Builders accounts, 23, 28 
 Buk, John, 108. 1 10 
 
 , Buke, William, 6. 114 
 
 Bukberd, Rauf, 1 14, 115, 
 
 Bull, Dr. John, 73 
 
 Burgage tenure, see London, custom 
 
 of 
 Burgeys, Thomas, 1 1 2 
 Burghley, Lord, 32 
 Burton, Richard dc, 108 
 Bury, John de, 1 10 
 , Thomas de, 109 
 
 Calais, 71 
 
 Calendar of 1C89. 3, 14, 99-107 
 
 Calendars of 1609 and 1618, 3, 13, 
 
 99-107 
 Cambridge, King's College at, " con- 
 
 ductes " at, 34 
 , Trinity College at, "con- 
 
 ductes " at, 34 
 
 , town of, 76 
 
 -, Edmund, Earl of, see York, 
 
 Duke of 
 Candlewick Street, Canaon Street, 59, 
 
 64, 95 
 Candy ssh, see Caundyssh 
 Cannon Street, see Candlewick Street 
 Canterbury, city of, 76 
 , John Stafford, Archbishop 
 
 of, 87 
 , William Laud, Archbishop 
 
 of, 29 
 Capital and Counties Bank, 57 
 Carleton, Thomas, 6 
 Cartwright, Robert, 41 
 
 -a, John, 1 10 
 ( laton, James, 1 1 1 
 Caundissh, Caundyssh, Candys h, 
 
 Cavendish, Hugh, 5 
 
 .John, 109 
 
 , Lady Rose, S9 
 
 — , William, 59 
 
 Alley, 59 
 
 Causton, John, 1 16 
 Cavendish, see Caundyssh 
 
 kyll, Richard, 1 1 1 
 Champernon, Hugh, 1 12
 
 I2 4 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Chancellor, Lord, title of, 87 
 Chantry lands, 31, 33-35, 58, 63, 64, 
 
 65, 66 
 ■ , certificate of, 34, see 
 
 also Concealed lands 
 Chapman, William, 1 10 
 Charity Commission, 42, 96, 97 
 Charles I., loans to, 15, 40 
 Charles II., 61, 79 
 , charters of City and 
 
 Companies surrendered to, 30 
 Charterhouse, 77 
 Charters, 29-32, 106 
 
 , charter of Charles ii., 29, 30 
 
 Edward iii., 29, 
 
 Edward iv., 29 
 Elizabeth, 29 
 Henry iv., 29, 
 
 Henry vi., 29 
 Henry vii.,8, 29, 
 
 Henry viii. 29 
 James i., 29 
 James ii., 29 
 Richard ii., 29,30 
 
 3° 
 
 , see London 
 
 Chaucer, Geoffrey ; 
 
 grand- 
 
 Alice, 
 daughter of, see Suffolk 
 Cheapside, 45 
 Chester, West Chester, city of, 76 
 
 , mayor and citizens of, 91, 92 
 
 , poor inhabitants of, 91 
 
 , seal of, 91 
 
 , Sir William, 90, 91 
 
 Chichele, Thomas, 6, no 
 Chircheman, John, 6, 55-57 
 Christ Church, Newg-ate Street, 83 
 Christ's Hospital, gift to, 81 
 
 , teaching of music 
 
 at, 82, 83 
 Churchman, John, 26 
 City Arms Tavern, 90 
 
 Clarendon, Lord, 32 
 
 Clerk, see- Common Clerk 
 
 Chdro, Henry, 117 
 
 Cliffe, Alan, 107 
 
 Clifford's Inn, Fire Commissioners 
 sitting at, 19 
 
 Clothworkers' Company, 38 
 
 , manor of, 38, 39 
 
 Clough, Henry, 114 
 
 Clyfton, William, 119 
 
 Cobham of Sterborough, Reginald, 
 Lord, 46 
 
 , Sir Reginald, 
 
 46 
 
 Cockes, Thomas, 53 
 
 Coke, Lord, 32 
 
 Colbroke, John, 109 
 
 Colchester, city of, 76 
 
 Cold Harborough, 68-71 
 
 Cole, Coole, Thomas, 63, 116, 117 
 
 Coleraine, 38, 40 
 
 Collett, Dean of St. Paul's, 78 
 
 Coloigne, Roger de, 108 
 
 Colson, Robert, 115 
 
 Colwich, Colwych, Robert, 112 
 
 Commissioners for Compounding, 94 
 
 Common Clerk, 91, 92, see Baldock, 
 
 Duryvale, Langley, Wright 
 Common Council, Book of Acts of, 15, 
 
 107 
 Commonwealth, Army & Navy of, 27 
 Companies, City, admission to liveries 
 
 of, 24 
 , charters of sur- 
 
 rendered, 30 
 
 charters of restored, 
 
 by, see Ulster 
 
 -, loan by, 48 
 
 plantation of Ulster 
 
 provision 
 
 of 
 
 by, 17, 18 
 Concealed lands, 31, 57, see Chantry 
 
 lands 
 " Conductes," 33 
 Confiscation, Act of, 94 
 Conhill, Conhyll, Richard, 114, 115 
 Coningrue, Ralf de, 56 
 " Convivium," Dowe's, see Dinners 
 Cooke, Harry, 1 18 
 
 , John, 1 16 
 
 Copelaud, John, the elder, 117 
 
 Copland, William, 116 
 
 Cork, first Earl of, 42 
 
 Corn, contributions and loans for, 
 
 12, 17, 18, 27, 105 
 
 , foreign, 1 8 
 
 , prices of, 17, 27 
 
 Cornhill, 54, 60, 62, 63, 85, 86, 88 
 
 , Turk's Head in, 60 
 
 , see St. Michael's, St. Peter's 
 
 Corn Meter, see Brooks, Richard 
 Cornwaill, Sir John, 71 
 " Corporation, the new, 1 ' 24 
 Cosen, Cosyn, Nicholas, 118 
 Cotton, Sir John, 52 
 
 , Sir Robert, 52 
 
 , Thomas, 1 1 4 
 
 Coulson, John, 95 
 Court of Assistants, 6, 7, 21, 22 
 Court Minutes, Books of, 2r, 99, 101 
 Courts, ordinary, 22 
 
 , quarterly, 22 
 
 Coventry, city of, 76 
 
 , Mary, 94 
 
 , Thomas, 94
 
 INDEX. 
 
 125 
 
 Coventry, Thomas, Lord, 94 
 
 Craven, Sir William, 88 
 
 Creek, Creyke, John, 46 
 
 Crepin, Edmund, 54, see also Alegate ; 
 
 Glovernia 
 Cressyngham Lane, 58 
 Cripplegate, conduit in, 88 
 Cromwell, Oliver, 19, 39 
 Croome Dabitott, 94 
 
 eby, William, 1 13 
 Crowmer, William, 46 
 Crown lands, sale of, 77 
 
 , tenure of, 77 
 
 Croyland. abbey of, 63 
 Cyvile, Peter, 1 13 
 
 Dacre, Dacres, Henry, 116 
 
 Dalton, John, 53 
 
 Danby, Margarett, 95 
 
 Dandy, Andrew, 95 
 
 Danzig, corn imported from, 18 
 
 Davenett, Raffe, 118 
 
 Davy, Thomas, 1 1 1 
 
 Dawbeney, Dawbney, Robert, 117, 118 
 
 Deane, William, 35 
 
 Derby, Town of, 76 
 
 , John, 112 
 
 , William de, 108 
 
 Dewford, Henry, 117 
 
 Dexey, see Sexcy 
 
 Dimmok, Dymock, John, 108 
 
 Dinners, bills for, 25-26 
 
 , Dowe's gifts for, 81, 82 
 
 (election), licence to pro- 
 vide fish for 
 
 (election), antiquity of, 32 
 
 (Quarter-day), 27 
 
 Dobson, James, 24 
 Documents, classification of, 5 
 Dodyngton, John, 113 
 Doget, Doket, John, 114, 115 
 Donmowe, Walter, 108 
 Dowe, Robert, 81-83 
 Dowgate, 75 
 
 , Fruiterers' Hall in, 75 
 
 , " Olde Hall " in, 75 
 
 Hill, 59 
 
 Downes, John, 41 
 Drapers' Company, 91 
 
 , clerk of, see Bere 
 
 , court of assistants 
 
 of, 91 
 
 , seal of, 91 
 
 Drewell, Thomas, 109 
 
 Drypool, Agnes, 58 
 
 Duckynton, Robert, 1 19 
 
 Dudley, Robert, see Leicester, Earl of 
 
 Dunkirk, sale of, 61 
 
 Duplege, Robert, 113 
 
 Duryvale, William (Clerk), 7 
 
 Dyngley, Richard, 1 14 
 
 Eastfield, Estfcld, Sir William, 86, 88 
 — , grand- 
 son of, see Bohun 
 East Greenwich, manor of, 77, 78 
 
 India Company, 16 
 
 M Eavesdropping?,' 1 44 
 Ecclesiastical Commissioners, 55, 78 
 Edelmeton, John de, 44 
 Edward i., 59 
 
 ii., 85 
 
 iii., 20, 45, 85, 86, 88, 91 
 
 , charters of, see Charters 
 
 iv., 47, 72 
 
 , charter of, 29 
 
 , Queen of, see Woodville 
 
 — vi., Act of, 31, 33, 34 
 
 — , Chantry Commissioners 
 
 of, 63 
 
 , grant by, 79 
 
 -, the Black Prince, 71 
 
 Eland, Robert, 109 
 
 Elbow Lane, 75 
 
 Elizabeth, Queen, 53, 57, 64, 77 
 
 , charter of, 29 
 
 , tailor to, 65 
 
 Ellesmere, Lord, 32 
 Elsing Spital, 93 
 Esterfeld, John, 67 
 
 , Scolastica, 67 
 
 Estfeld, see Eastfield 
 
 Eton College, "conductes" at, 33-34 
 
 Evidence Book, 13 
 
 Exchange, site of, see Royal Exchange 
 
 , Alley, 60, 63 
 
 Exeter, city of, 76 
 
 — , tai^prs of, II 
 
 , Edmund Stafford, Bishop of, 
 
 87 
 , Henry Court enay, Marquis of, 
 
 72 
 , John Holland, Earl of 
 
 Huntingdon, 1st Duke of, 70, 72, 
 , 2nd Duke of, 70, 71, 
 
 73 
 
 Fairfax, Lord, 24, 27 
 
 Farethwaite, Fayreth watte, Robert, 
 
 115, 116 
 Farnell, Alexander, no 
 Fauconer, John, 109 
 Fayreford, John, 1 12 
 Fell, Robert, 116 
 Fellowes, William, 95 
 Fenchurch Street, 47, 59 
 Feneskales, Fennescales, Robert, 109, 
 
 1 10 
 Ferrard, Edmund, 85 
 
 by, Adam, 109
 
 126 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Fire of London, 4, 19, 61, 74, 107 
 
 Fish, Walter, 64, 65 
 
 Fissh, John, 108 
 
 FitzAlan, see Arundel, Earl of 
 
 FitzGerald, see Kildare, Earl of 
 
 FitzRoger, John, 54 
 
 — , Roger, 54, 55 
 
 FitzWilliam, Sir William, 44, 63, 65, 
 
 115 
 
 Flanders, 52 
 
 Fleet Street, standard in, 88 
 
 Flemynge, Michael, 8 
 
 Florence, Society of the Bardi of, see 
 
 Bardi 
 Floure, Flowre, Edmond, 114, 115 
 " Flyenge Horse," the, 50 
 Forcetti, Dinus, 86 
 Forreins, foreigners, II, 25 
 Forriett Monachorum, 16 
 Forster, Peter, 1 14 
 
 , William, the elder, m 
 
 , the younger, 1 1 1 
 
 Foster, William, in, 119, n. 
 France, Charles vii. of, J2 
 
 , Louis xii. of, 46 
 
 , Regent, of Henry vj. in, see 
 
 Warwick 
 Fray, John, 86 
 Freemen, books of, 12, 14, 105 
 
 ■ , numbers of, 43 
 
 Frepurs, Richard, 109 
 
 Friday Street, 45 
 
 , Saracen's Head in, 55, 
 
 66, 108, 109 
 Fruiterers' Hall, see Dowgate 
 Fulthorp, Fulthorpe, John, 109 
 Fyge, William, 1 1 1 
 Fykelden, Peter, 108 
 
 Gall, William, 113 
 
 Galley Key, 51 
 
 Gardyner, Thomas, 115 
 
 Garlands used on election day, 26 
 
 Gay, Thomas, 1 1 1 
 
 Genoa, strangers of, 51 
 
 Gibbon, Geffrey, no 
 
 Gibson, Richard, 116, 117 
 
 Giffard, John, 1 1 1 
 
 Giles, Richard, 1 1 1 
 
 Gloucester, city of, 76 
 
 Gloucestershire, lands in, 75 
 
 Glover, Richard, 1 1 1 
 
 Glovernia, otherwise Crepin, Walter de, 
 
 54 
 God, John, 117 
 Godfrey, Cornelius, 84, 85 
 
 , Daniel, 84 
 
 Goldsmith, Alicant, 89 
 
 , English, 89 
 
 Gonne, John, 1 1 7 
 
 Gore, Gerard, 119 
 Grasshopper, see Lombard Street 
 Gray, Henry, 84 
 Great Conduit, 57 
 
 Crosby School, 24 
 
 Gfene, James, 114 
 
 , William, 114, 115 
 
 Gresham, Sir Thomas, 61, 62 
 Grey, Lady Jane, 79 
 
 , Henry, see Suffolk, Duke of 
 
 Gtyston, Richard, 116 
 Guilds, city, see Companies 
 Gyldeford, Robert de, 108 
 Gylle, John, in, 112 
 
 Haberdashers, Fraternity of St. 
 
 Katherine of, 67 
 Hales, Stephen, 119 
 Hall, Merchant Taylors', 4, 23,66, 107 
 
 , chapel, 7 
 
 , garden, 27 
 
 — — , King's chamber, 27, 109 
 
 , site of, S, 9, 46, 54, 108 
 
 , soldiers billetted at, 24 
 
 , tax on, 27 
 
 Hall, Richard, 115, 116 
 Halleyate, Idonia, 58, ill 
 
 , John, 58 
 
 Hamme, Stephen, 108 
 Hampden, John, 16 
 Handford, Hanforth, John, 116 
 Harper, Dame Margaret, 23 
 Harper, Sir William, 11, 23, 118 
 Harreys, Harris, Harryes, John, 116 
 Harrison, Thomas, 37 
 Harryson, George, 117 
 Har ward, George, 116 
 Haselwood, Edmund, 57 
 Haunsard, William, 52 
 Hede, John, 114 
 Henry iv., 45, 70 
 
 , charter of, see Charters 
 
 Henry vi., 34, 47 
 
 ■ , charter of, see Charters 
 
 , tutor to, see Warwick 
 
 Henry vii., act of, 32, 72 
 
 ■ , charter of, see Charters 
 
 ■ , Margaret, daughter of, 8 
 
 -, subsidy demanded by, 8 
 
 Henry viii., 67 
 
 Hereford, city of, 76 
 Herst, John, 114 
 Hert, William, 114 
 Hethe, John, 68, 72> 
 Heton, George, 118, 119 
 
 -, acts of, 33, 48 
 
 -, charter of, see Charters 
 
 -, coronation of, 1 20 
 
 -, loan to, 48-49 
 
 -, mortgage by, 48-49
 
 INDEX. 
 
 127 
 
 1 litem, William, 1 16 
 I fewetson, William, 1 17 
 Highbury, 88 
 
 Highways, bequest for repair of, 66 
 
 Hill, Hil'le, John, 112 
 
 , Richard, 114 
 
 Hilles, Richard, 1 19 
 
 Hilton, William, 1 16 
 
 Hobilthorn, Hobylthorne, Hubbat- 
 home, Henry, 48, 117 
 
 Hoc, John, 76 
 
 Holbech, Roger, 110 
 
 Hole, John, 11 1 
 
 Holgrave, William, 109 
 
 Holland, Holand, John, see Exeter, 
 Duke of 
 
 , Ralph, 58, no, in, 112 
 
 Holleweye, Eustace de, 59 
 
 Holtc, Houlte, Richard, 116, 117 
 
 Holy Trinity the Less, parish of, 65 
 
 , Minories, parish of, 79 
 
 Horeshew Bridge, 59 
 
 Hornsey, parish of, 94 
 
 How, Roger, 106 
 
 Howdan, Howden, Isabel, 65, 116 
 
 , Thomas, 65, 114, 
 
 115, 120 
 
 Hubbathorne, see Hobilthorn 
 
 Hull, 86 
 
 Hulson, Robert, 119 
 
 Humble, George, 90 
 
 Humfrey, Thomas, 113 
 
 Hunden, Robert, 108 
 
 Huntingdon, John Holland, Earl of, 
 see Exeter, Duke of 
 
 Hyde by Winchester, Abbot and Con- 
 vent of, 46 
 
 Hyll, Henry, 117 
 
 Innholders' Company, 53 
 
 Hall, 53, 75 
 
 Inventories, 13, 43 
 Ipswich, town of, 76 
 Ireland, see Ulster 
 
 -, Lord Deputy of, Sir William 
 
 Fitzwilliam, 44 
 
 Earl of Sussex, 73 
 
 -, Thomas, 
 
 — , Gerald 
 
 FitzGerald, Earl of Kildare, 80 
 Irish Society, 38, 40 
 Ironmonger, Ismongererowe Row, 44 
 
 Jakes, John, 118 
 
 James i., banquet to, 12, 13 
 
 , charter of, see Charters 
 
 , confirmation by, 31 
 
 , loans to, 15, 40 
 
 James ii., 39, 95 
 
 , charter of, see Charters 
 
 James ii., restoration of companies 
 
 charters by, 31 
 Jenkyns, John, 1 17 
 Jenyns, Sir Stephen, 41, 114, 120 
 Jerrold, William, 1 17 
 John, King, chapel of, 89 
 
 , house of, 88, 89 
 
 , John, 108, 113 
 
 Johnson, Robert, 115 
 Jordan, John, 1 12 
 Jowdrell, William. 109 
 Juxon, Archbishop, 29 
 
 Harrington, Robert, 51 
 
 Kays, Keys, Gilbert, 112, 113 
 
 Kelambe, Robert, 114, 115 
 
 Kellowe, Henry, 114 
 
 Kelyngham, John, 1 10 
 
 Kenne, John, 109 
 
 Kimpton, rectory of, 94 
 
 Kildare, Elyzabeth, Countess of, 79, 
 
 80 
 , Gerald FitzGerald, 9th Earl of, 
 
 80 
 Knotte, John, 1 10 
 
 , William, in, 112 
 
 Kyffyn, John, 112, 113 
 Kyng, John, 110, 112 
 Kyngeston, Sir William, 67 
 Kyikeby, John, 114, 115 
 
 , William, 117 
 
 Kyrton, Clement, 108 
 , Stephen, 58, 118 
 
 Lancaster, Mayor and Burgesses of, 42 
 
 ■ , Edmund, Earl of, 59, 80 
 
 Langdon, William, 112 
 
 Hills, Layndon Hill, manor 
 
 of, 93 
 Langewith, Langwith, Elen, 112 
 
 , John, 1 1 1 
 
 Langley, Edmund, see York, Duke of 
 , Richard (Clerk), 11, 12, 13, 
 
 14, 99, 103, 104 
 Latoner, Latyner, William, III, 112 
 Laud, William, sec Canterbury 
 Laycock, John, 50 
 Leases, books of, 12, 19 
 , granted after the Fire of 
 
 London, 19 
 Ledsham, Ralph, 25 
 Lee, almshouses at, 96 
 Lee, Ley, Edward, 118, 119, 120 
 Lee, John, 112, 113 
 
 , Thomas, 12 \n 
 
 Legge, John, no 
 
 Leicester, town of, 76 
 
 , Robert Dudlev, Fail of, 
 
 73, So 
 Leybuurne, William, 19
 
 121 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Lief, Simon, 109 
 
 Lilli-burlero bulen-a-la, ballad called, 
 
 95 
 Lime Street, 58 
 Lincoln, city of, 76 
 Lingfield, church of, 46 
 Litchfield, Thomas, 64 
 Little Britain, 84 
 Littleton, Sir Edward, 24 
 Livery, 6, 43 
 
 , book of members of, 107 
 
 , roll of members of, 42 
 
 Lloyd's Bank, 60, 62, 63, 90 
 
 ■ coffee-house, 90 
 
 Loans, book of, 12 
 
 ■ to the Crown, 23, see Charles I., 
 
 Henry VIII., James I. 
 
 Commonwealth, 19 
 
 Locok, Locokk, John, no, in 
 Lombard Street, 6o, 61, 62, 63, 85, 86, 
 
 88, 90 
 
 , Grasshopper in, 62 
 
 , Unicorn in, 62 
 
 f see A ii Hallows, St. 
 
 Edmund 
 London, Michael Northbrugh, Bishop 
 
 of, 77 
 
 - bridge, 74 
 
 , city of, 96 
 
 , charters of, forfeited, 
 
 30 
 
 companies of, se« 
 
 -, custom of, 67, 7^, 85, 
 
 -, dispute with " new 
 corporation," 24 
 
 grant to, see Irish 
 
 Companies 
 92 
 
 Society 
 
 by, 15,40 
 
 ct, 65 
 
 loans to the Crown 
 Parochial Charities 
 
 Wall, 93 
 
 purchase by, 96 
 water supply for, 
 
 Londonderry, city of, 38, 39, 40 
 
 , county of, 36, 40 
 
 Lord Mayor, see Mayor 
 Lcvekyn, Adam, 45 
 Loveyne, Sir Nicholas, 69 
 Lowe, Gerard, 109 
 
 ■ , Symon, 118, 119 
 
 Lucar, Emanuell, 118, 119 
 Ludgate, see St. Martin 
 Lufkyn, George, 114 
 Lull, George, 13 
 Lyndeseye, Robert, 108 
 Lynn, New England, 37 
 , town of, 76 
 
 Lynne, Richard, 109 
 
 Machyn, Henry, 119 
 
 Maidstone, manor called the Weeke, 
 
 near, 92 
 Malte, John, 117, 120 
 Marchall, John, 109 
 
 , William, 112 
 
 Margarett, Mother, 25 
 
 Marholm, Marham, chantry at, 63 
 
 , FitzWilliam almshouses at, 
 
 63 
 
 Mark Lane, 47 
 
 Marsh, Robert, 27 
 
 Materdale, John, 113 
 
 Martyn, John, 1 12 
 
 Mason, Peter, 33, 57, 109 
 
 Master and Wardens, list of, 3, 98, 
 105, 108 — 119 
 
 , petitions to, 25 
 
 Mayor of London, see Chester ; East- 
 field ; Harper ; Offley ; Row 
 
 , course taken against 
 
 foreigners by, 25 
 
 , letters from, 25 
 
 -, pageants of, 1 1 
 
 Mayor's Court, Order by, 24 
 
 Precepts, 23 
 
 Medbourne, Thomas, 109 
 Mellyshe, Robert, 118 
 " Memorial! or Ledger Booke,'' 8 
 Merchant Adventurers, company of, 
 
 16 
 Merchant Taylors' Company, acting 
 
 as trustees, 35 
 con . 
 
 firmation by James i. to, 31 
 ary members of, 20 
 poration of see Charters 
 
 honor- 
 
 incor- 
 
 lands 
 
 of, particulars of, 8, 17, 104, see 
 also Leases ; Plans 
 - , loans 
 
 to and by, 35, 36 
 , seal of, 
 
 30 
 , vote of 
 
 ,£10,000 for public service, 25 
 Merchant Taylors' School, 12, 17, 40, 
 
 105 
 
 , book re- 
 
 lating to, 105 
 
 of library at, 21 
 
 relating to, 29 
 
 68-74 
 
 -, catalogue 
 -, scrapbook 
 -, site of,
 
 INDEX. 
 
 129 
 
 Merchant Taylors' School, writing 
 
 master at, 20 
 Merston, Henry, 87 
 Mcrton, manor of, 52, 53 
 
 , priors of, 52 
 
 Merycke, William, 1 18, 119 
 
 Middelton, Robert, 1 13 
 
 Midilton, Thomas, 121//. 
 
 Mighel, Mighell, James, 116, 117, 
 
 Militia, assessment for, 28 
 
 Minories, see Holy Trinity ; St. Clare 
 
 Moncastre, James, 115 
 
 Mone, Roger, 114, 115 
 
 Money, base, 80 
 
 Monoux, George, 88 
 
 Moore, prebend of, 78, 93 
 
 Moorfields, 78, 93 
 
 More, John, 121;/. 
 
 Morocco Ambassador, 17 
 
 Mortmain, see London, custom of 
 
 Mosehache, William, 45 
 
 Moulsey, East, rectory of, 94 
 
 Mounteney, Richard, 60, 62, 63 
 
 Much Maplested, 35 
 
 Munday, Anthony, survey by, 106 
 
 Napton, church of, 69 
 
 Nash, master, 27 
 
 Naturalization, denization, letters of, 
 
 84 
 Navarre, Henry i. of, 59 
 
 , Queen of, cook to, 59 
 
 , Blanche, 59 
 
 , Joan, 59 
 
 Navy, 17, 27, 54 
 
 Nayler, Richard, 112, 113 
 
 Nechilles, John, 1 16 
 
 Nevyll, Sir Ralph, see Westmoreland, 
 
 Earl of 
 Newcastle, town of, 76 
 New England, 37 
 
 Company, 78 
 
 Newfoundland Company, 78 
 
 Newgate, charity for prisoners in, Si 
 
 New River Company, 78 
 
 Noden, Charles, 37 
 
 Nordon, Northyn, Richard, 1 to 
 
 Northampton, Priory of St. Andrew of, 
 
 52 
 
 -, Simon de St. Liz, Earl 
 
 of, 52 
 
 -, town of, 76 
 
 Northbrugh, Michael, see London, 
 
 Bishop of 
 Northumberland, Earl of, 19 
 N01 thyam, church of, 66 
 Norwich, city of, 76 
 Norwich, picas at, ;2 
 Nottingham, mayor and aldermen of, 
 
 76 
 
 Nottingham, town of, 76 
 
 Nowell, Alexander, Dean of St. Paul's, 
 
 35 
 Nynes, Nicholas, 114 
 
 Oaths, forms of, 6-7, 104 
 
 Obits, 7 
 
 Offley, Sir Thomas, 11, 118 
 
 Oliver, John, 19 
 
 Olyff, John, 119 
 
 Ordinances, 6, 7, 8, 32, 104, 106 
 
 Ordinary Courts, 22 
 
 Orewelle, John, 108 
 
 Orleans, Duke of (Louis xii.), 46 
 
 , siege of, 71 
 
 Osmotherlawe, Richard, 84 
 Owen, Sir Henry, 88 
 Oxford Brazenose College, 83 
 
 , Samuel 
 
 RadclifF, principal of, 84 
 
 , city of, 42, 76 
 
 , corporation of, 42 
 
 Castle, prisoners in, 93 
 
 , Christchurch, 92 
 
 , Magdalen Hall, 93 
 
 , principal of, 
 
 93 
 — , St. John's College, 29, 75, 76, 
 
 82, 83, 84 
 
 — , Fish exhibitions, 64 
 — , St. Mary's Church, 92 
 
 University, trust for, 92, 93 
 
 Oxfordshire, charities in, 42 
 Oysters, first provided, 26 
 
 Packership, office of, 103 
 Paddington, 57 
 Pagett, Robert, 117 
 Palyn, George, 83 
 Panell, Richard, 117 
 Parker, William, 112, 113 
 Parliament, 92 
 
 , Army of, 24, 27 
 
 , Party of, 94 
 
 Parr, Katherine, 48 
 
 Parrys Garden, 49, 50 
 
 Partrich, Partriche, John, 32, 108, no 
 
 , William, 31, 32 
 
 l'ayn, Robert, 108 
 Pecche, John, 108 
 Pecke, John, 1 10 
 Pemberton, Hugh, 113 
 Penbrigge's Inn, 58 
 Penn, 59 
 Penn, Penne, John, 59, 60 
 
 , Richard, 59 
 
 , William, 59 
 
 Pennsylvania, 59 
 Pepys, Samuel, 61, 89 
 
 ill, Sir John, 60, 63, 1 13
 
 13° 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Person, William, 112 
 
 Pestilence, the great, 92 
 
 Petitions to the Master and Wardens, 
 
 25 
 Petyt, Thomas, 1 1 5 
 Pewter, list of, 24 
 Phelip, John, 112, 113 
 Pickford carriers, 24 
 Piers, Pirs, Stephen, m 
 Piracy proceedings, 52 
 Plague, 80 
 
 Plans, Book of, 19, 20 
 Plate, 8, 14, 26, 43 
 Pole, de la, estate of, 88 
 Pole, Thomas, 1 1 5 
 Pole, Michael de la, 86 
 , see Suffolk, Earl 
 
 of 
 
 , Sir Walter de la, 87 
 
 , Sir William de la, 85, 86, 89 
 
 , William de la, see Suffolk, Duke 
 
 of 
 Polstead, Henry, 117 
 Pont le Arch, William de, 75 
 Pope, the, 58 
 
 , Francis, 119 
 
 Pope's Head Alley, 85-90 
 , King John's house 
 
 and chapel in, 88, 90 
 
 Tavern, 86, 88, 89, 90 
 
 Porters, Corn and Salt, Fellowship of, 
 
 see Billingsgate 
 Portesmouth, Hugh de, 46 
 , — , Alice, widow 
 
 of, 46 
 Portman, John, 62 
 
 Portsmouth, naturalized subject for- 
 bidden to dwell in, 84 
 Possell, Philip, 6, no 
 Potman, John, 113 
 Poultney, Sir John, 68, 69 
 Poultney's Inn, 68, 69, 70, 71, 85 
 Poultry, the, 57 
 Povey, Povy, John, 114 
 
 , , Walter, 114, 120 
 
 Prescription for a pill, 23 
 
 Presentations, Book of, 20 
 
 Prices of building materials, 28, 29 
 
 corn, see Corn 
 
 provisions, 26, 29 
 
 wines, 26 
 
 Printsellers, first in London, 90 
 Privy Council, arrest by warrant of, 
 
 16 
 Prockter, Mr., 26 
 Prynce, John, 112 
 Purcell, Henry, 95 
 Pye, Thomas, 1 12 
 
 Quarterly Meetings, 22 
 
 Queldrik, Robert, 109 
 
 Querne Moor, Forest of, 42 
 
 Quin, James, actor, 89 
 
 Quo Warranto, proceedings under, 30 
 
 Radcliff, Samuel, 84 
 
 Randell, Thomas, 114 
 
 Rante, Roger, 77 
 
 Ratcliffe, Thomas, see Sussex, Earl of 
 
 Ravenshaw, T. W., 89 
 
 Rawlett, Knevett, 16, 17 
 
 Rawson, Richard, 53 
 
 Rayle, Harry, 112 
 
 Reading, town of, 76 
 
 Reed, Richard, 49 
 
 Rent, a hogshead of wine as part of, 
 
 25 
 Revolution, the, 31, 39, 94 
 Reymond, Thomas, 1 1 1 
 Reynold, Richard, 1 10 
 Richard II., 31, 69, 70, 89 
 
 , charter of, see Charters 
 
 Richardes, Thomas, 118 
 
 Rigeley, Rygeley, William, 118, 119 
 
 Riverhylle, 66 
 
 Rivers, Lord, see WoodvJle 
 
 Robsart, Amy, 80 
 
 Rollesley, Dame Marie, 75 
 
 Rood Lane, 58 
 
 Rooke, Richard, 112 
 
 Roos of Hamelake, family of, 47 
 
 , Dame Beatrice 
 
 de, 6, 47 
 Rose, manor of the, 68, 72, 86, 87 
 
 , Robert, 118, 119 
 
 Roun, John, m 
 
 Rowe, Sir Thomas, 11, 74, 75, 1 18, 1 19, 
 
 120 
 Royal Exchange, 90 
 
 , site of, 61, 62 
 
 Royal Society, 42 
 Ruggeley, Humfrey, 115 
 Rushock, manor of, 41 
 Ryall, Henry de, 108 
 
 St. Alphege, church of, 93 
 
 St. Andrew Undershaft, parish of, 
 
 58,94 
 St. Anne-in-the- Willows, 50 
 St. Antholine, parish of, 94 
 St. Augustine's, prior of, 108 
 St. Bartholomew by the Exchange, or 
 
 St. Bartholomew the Little, 
 
 church of, 66 
 St. Benetfink, parish of, 54, 65 
 St. Botolph without Aldersgate, parish 
 
 of, 84 
 St. Clare, monastery of the Minories 
 
 of, 79 
 , abbess of, 79
 
 INDEX, 
 
 13* 
 
 St. Dunstan's-in-the-East, parish of, 46 
 St. Edmund, King and Martyr, parish 
 
 of, 90 
 St. Giles-in-the-Fields, parish of, 94 
 St. Helen's, Bishopsgate, church of, 75 
 
 , nuns of, 74 
 
 , prioress of, 75 
 
 St. John Baptist, manor of, 38, 39 (see 
 
 also Ulster) 
 St. John's College, see Oxford 
 St. John Walbrook, parish of, 10 
 
 , church of, 59 
 
 St. Lawrence Pountney, church of, 68 
 , parish of, 68, 
 
 69, 70, 71, 72 
 , College of 
 
 Corpus Christi. 68 
 St. Liz, see Northampton, Earl of 
 St. Margaret, Lothbury. church of, 66 
 St. Margaret Pattens, churchyard, 58 
 
 , lane, 58 
 
 St. Martin's, Ludgate, church of, 67 
 
 , parish of, 67 
 
 St. Martin Outwich, church of, 4, 25, 
 
 57,53 
 
 , advowson of, 55 
 
 , parish of, 54 
 
 , rector of, 56 
 
 , rectory house of, 
 
 57 
 
 St. Martin's-in-the-Yintry, parish of, 95 
 St. Mary Abchurch, church of, 65 
 , parish of, 10, 44, 
 
 46 
 
 , Colechurch, church of, 44 
 
 St. Mary-le-Bow, parish of, 44, 45 
 St. Mary Overy, priory of, 75 
 St. Mary Woolnoth, parish of, 63, 87 
 St. Mary and St. Gabriel Fenchurch, 
 
 parish of, 59 
 St. Michael, Cornhill, parish of, 54, 
 
 63. 87 
 St. Michael Paternoster, parish of, 53 
 St. Pancras, parish of, 94 
 St. Paul's Cathedral, burning of, 80 
 , Dean of, see 
 
 Collett ; Nowell 
 , Dean and 
 
 Chapter of, 79 
 St. Paul's School, founder of, 78 
 St. Peter's, Cornhill, church of, 
 
 Mason's chantry in, 2>1 
 
 , parish of, 54 
 
 St. Sepulchre Without Newgate, vicar 
 
 and churchwardens of, 81, 82 
 St. Thomas's Hospital, 50 
 Salisbury, city of, 76 
 Sail, George, 1 16 
 Salters' Company, agreement as to 
 
 tackle porters, 36, 116 
 
 Salvage, Dame Elyzabethe, 79, 80 
 Saracen's Head, see Bread Street ; 
 
 Friday Street 
 Savage, Joseph, 24 
 Savery, Pirs, Piers, 6, no, m 
 Sawyer, Richard, 109 
 Say, William, 10, 42 
 Schools, see Great Crosby ; Merchant 
 
 Taylors' ; St. Paul's ; Wolver- 
 hampton 
 Scotland, James iv. of, 8 
 
 , war with, 49 
 
 Scutt, Skute, John, 117, 118, 120 
 
 Seals, 30, 44, 45, 60 
 
 Seche, John, 109 
 
 " Seld,'' see Tannarseld 
 
 Seward, Henry, 108 
 
 Sexcy, Sexsy, Dexcey, John, 115, 116 
 
 Shakespeare's " Henry v.", 50 
 
 "Henry viii.", 72 
 
 Shene, Sheane, House of Jesus of 
 
 Bethelem of; Maurice, prior of, 53 
 Sherbourne, almshouse at, 97 
 Sherlock, John, 24 
 Shethar, Shether, Shethor, Robert, 
 
 1 16, 117, 120 
 Shocklache, Shokelache, Ralf, 109, no 
 Shoe Lane, 88 
 Shrewsbury, town of, 76 
 
 , charter to, 16 
 
 Shyrwode, James, 113 
 Sibsay, Thomas, 57, 108, 109 
 Silton, John, 108 
 Silverwood, Roger, 13 
 Sion College, 93 
 
 , almshouses of, 93 
 
 " Sixe Basens,'' the, 50 
 Skernyng, Richard, no, in 
 Skevyngton, John, 115, 116 
 Skinners' Company, 8, 40 
 Skypwith, Sir William, 84 
 , Dame Elizabeth, 
 
 his wife, 84 
 Slater, Giles, 60, 117 
 Smith, Mr., 20 
 Smithfield Market, 45 
 Smyth, Richard, 114, 115 
 Snowdon, John, 112 
 Solemn League and Covenant, 20 
 Somerset, John Beaufort, Earl of, 70 
 Somersetshire, lands in, 75 
 Southampton, town of, 76 
 South Sea Bubble, 63 
 South wark, 75 
 Spain, Philip, King of, 84 
 Sparke, John, 1 19 
 Speed, John, survey of London by, 
 
 90, 106 
 Speight, Spcy^ht, Thomas, 115, 116, 
 117
 
 132 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Spencer, Spenser, John, 112, 114 
 
 , goddaughter of, see Danby 
 
 , will of, 95 
 
 Spilman, Stephen, 45 
 Stad, Captain John, 19 
 Stafford, Edmund, see Exeter 
 
 , Edward, see Buckingham 
 
 , John, see Bath and Wells, 
 
 Bishop of 
 Stage carrier, circular of, 24 
 Stangate, 49, 50 
 Staple, Constables and Society of 
 
 the Merchants of the, 91 
 Star Chamber, proceedings in, 39 
 Sterborough, see Cobham 
 " Sterre, Le," see Bishopsgate Street 
 Stodard, John, 112 
 Stone, John, 1 11, 119 
 Stowe, John, Chronicle by, 106 
 Strawberries, first provided, 26 
 Streatham, 95 
 
 -, parish church of, 95 
 
 Stuarts, the, 92 
 
 Styvvardys Inne, 47 
 
 Suckley, Sukley, Henry, 117, 120 
 
 Sudbury, John, 90 
 
 , William de, 108 
 
 Suffolk, Henry Grey, Duke of, 79 
 , Michael de la Pole, Earl of, 
 
 86, 87 
 
 , Alice, wife of, 87 
 
 — , Edmund de la Pole, Earl of, 
 
 72, 73 
 — , William de la Pole, 1st Duke 
 
 of, 71 
 — Lane, 
 
 72 
 
 Surcestre, William, 109 
 Sussex, Robert Ratcliffe, Earl of, 72, 
 73,8o 
 
 , Thomas Ratcliffe, Earl of, 73 
 
 Sutton, Richard, 112 
 
 , Thomas, 58, 109, no 
 
 Swan, Swanne, John, 112, 113 
 Sweatynge Sicknes, 80 
 Sylyard, William, 119 
 
 Tackle porters, agreement with Salters' 
 
 Company as to, 36 
 Tailors, foreign, 25 
 Talbot, Hugh, 108 
 Tannarseld, house of, 44-45 
 "Tarryt, La," ship called, 52 
 Taxes, receipts for, 27 
 Tentergrounds, see Moorfields 
 Thames, frozen over, 80 
 
 Embankment, 93 
 
 Street, 49, 58 
 
 Thomlynson, Edward, 57 
 
 , Thomas, 119 
 
 Thome, Yon, 1 10 
 
 Threadneedle Street, otherwise Brade- 
 
 street, 65, 77 
 Three Cranes Wharf, 95 
 " Three Crownes,'' the, 50 
 Tilneye, John, 108 
 Tobacco, first provided, 26 
 Toll, Tolle, Richard, 112, 115 
 Tonge, Richard, 118, 119 
 Tottenham, John de, 108 
 "Tour, La," 70, 71 
 Tower Hill, 79 
 
 Street, 46 
 
 Traygos, John, 109 
 
 Treasury Account, 8 
 
 Tresawel, Tresawell, John, 115, 116, 
 
 120 
 Tropenell, William, 109 
 Turk, Robert, 85 
 Turk's Head, see Cornhill 
 Turnbase Lane, 95 
 " Twenty-four," the, 6, 7 
 Tyburn, 81,88 
 Tygo, Roger, 112 
 Tykenore, Richard, 108 
 
 Ulster Plantation, 17, 36-40, 43 
 Unicorn, the, see Lombard Street 
 
 Vaughan, Gefferey, 116 
 Vernon, Francis, 25 
 
 , John, 90, 91, 92, 99 
 
 View Book, 17 
 
 Villiers, George, see Buckingham 
 Vintners' Company, 36 
 Virginia Company, 40 
 
 Wade, Guy, 119 
 
 , Robert, 117 
 
 Wadyngton, Richard, 118 
 Wages, 28, 29 
 Walbrook, 59 
 Walker, Thomas, 119 
 Waller, Hannah, 25 
 
 , William, 25 
 
 Walthowe, Robert, 112 
 
 Wardens, 6, 24, see Master and 
 
 Wardens 
 Waren, Warynge, Roger, 112, 113 
 Warner, John, 113 
 
 • , Oliver, 114 
 
 , Richard, 113 
 
 Warren, William, 109 
 Warwick, town of, 76 
 , Richard Beauchamp, Earl 
 
 of, 87, 88 
 Washington, George, yj 
 
 , Henry, 37 
 
 Watermarks, ancient, 22 
 Watermen's Hall, 95 
 Waterton, William, 108
 
 INDEX. 
 
 131 
 
 Watson, Zouch. 10 
 Weche, Jbhn, 1 12 
 Wells Cathedral, 47 
 Weeke, the, see Maidstone 
 Wenlock, John, 109 
 Werton, Thomas, 114 
 West, Richard, 113, 120 
 Westminster Abbey, 55 
 
 Hall, 89 
 
 Westmoreland, Sir Ralph Nevyll, 
 
 Earl of, 87, 88 
 Westmnll, Giles de, 108 
 Weston, John, 109 
 Westwode, John, 6, no 
 Wethers, John, 1 18 
 Wharton, Philip, Lord, 94, 95 
 
 , Thomas, 94, 95 
 
 Whetcombe, Peter, 77 
 
 Whetell, Whethyll, Whetyll, Richard, 
 
 1 18, 119 
 Whight, Richard, 119 
 White, Whyte, Ralf, 118 
 
 , Dr. Thomas, 92, 93 
 
 , Sir Thomas, 12, 48, 
 
 75-77- 105, in, 117, 120 
 
 , Walter, m 
 
 -, Watkyn, 112 
 
 " White Bear," see Basinghall Street 
 Whitefelde, John, 108 
 Whitefriars, 50 
 Whitelocke, Wiliam, 38 
 Whittington, Sir Richard, 53 
 
 — 7 College, 53 
 
 Whityngham, Thomas, 109 
 Wilford, Wylford, Henry, no 
 , James, 66, 1 14, 1 16, 
 
 117 
 
 -, John, 48, 120 
 -, Roberte, 117 
 -, William, 116 
 
 Wilford, Wylford, Williams, the 
 younger, 117, 120 
 
 William i., 52 
 
 William & Mary, Act of, 31 
 
 Wills, Book of, 12, 13, 104 
 
 Winchester, city of, 76 
 
 , see Hyde 
 
 Wine, Gascoine, 25 
 
 , bills for, 26 
 
 trade, centre of, 51 
 
 Winniffe, Dr. Nicholas, 96 
 
 Winslowe, rectory of, 94 
 
 Withipol, Wythipoll, Paul, 116, 117, 
 120 
 
 Wolberd, Nicholas, 118 
 
 Wolfe, John, publisher, 90 
 
 Wollaston, Sir John, 78 
 
 Wolverhampton Grammar School, 
 17, 40-41 
 
 Woodde, Thomas, 25 
 
 Woodville, Elizabeth, Queen of Ed- 
 ward iv., 47, 48 
 
 Woodville, Richard, Lord Rivers, 48 
 
 Woolwich, 54 
 
 Worcester, city of, 76 
 
 Wright, John, 115, 116 
 
 Wright, Richard (Clerk), 13, 103 
 
 Writs, ancient forms of, 21 
 
 Wylby, Thomas, 109 
 
 Wylden, Joan, 59 
 
 , William, 60 
 
 Yakeslee, John de, 9, 54 
 
 Yoman Tailors, 9 (see also Bachelors' 
 
 Companies) 
 Yonge, Walter, 118 
 York, City of, 76 
 , Edmund Langley, Earl of 
 
 Cambridge, Duke of, 69, 70, 73
 
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