silver manufactures;' which " shall be of good and true alloy, and be marked." The privileges of the Goldsmiths have since been confirmed under various Acts of Parliament, and many judicious enactments made to support their authority.

Fabian, under the fifty-third year of Henry the Third, anno 1239, gives the following relation of a violent affray between the Gold

smiths' and Taylors' Companies. "In this liii. yere in ye

moneth of November fyll a varyaunce atwene the felysshyppes of Goldsmythes and Taylloures of London, whiche grewe to makynge of parties, so that wth the Goldsmythes take partie the felysshep or craft ofand with the Taylloures held ye craft of Stayners*; by meane of this moche people nyghtly gaderyd in the stretes in harneys, and at length, as it were prouyded, the thirde nyght of the sayd parties mette vpon the nombre of V.C. men on both sydes, and ran togyder, with such vyolence that some were slayne, and many wonded. Then outcry was made, so that ye shyreffes, with strengthe of other cōmors, came to the ryddynge of theym, and of theym toke certayne persones, and sent theym vnto dyvers prysons: and upon the morrowe, such serche was made, yt the moste of the chief causers of that fray were taken and put in warde.---Then vpon the Fryday folowynge saynt Katteryns daye, sessyons were kepte at Newgate by the the Mayre and Lawrence de Broke iustice and other: where xxx. of the sayd persones were arregned of felony, and xiii. of theym caste and hanged: and for one Godfrey de Beuyrley holpe to arme one of the sayde persones, he was also caste amonge the others +."

GOLDSMITHS' HALL, is an extensive and handsome pile, standing in Foster Lane, on the site of a more ancient Hall, which had been founded for the use of the Company in 1407, by Sir Drew Barentyne, Lord Mayor in 1398. That edifice which Stow calls "a proper house, but not large," was destroyed in the Great Fire, and the present fabric arose in its place within a

• Cordewayners'. MS. of Fab. Chron. in the Brit. Mus.

+ Fab. Chron. p. 364, Ellis's Edit. 1811.

few

*

few years afterwards. The buildings are of brick, and surround a square court, paved; the front being ornamented with stone corners wrought in rustic, and a large arched entrance, which exhibits a high pediment, supported on Doric columns, and open at the top, to give room for a shield of the Company's arms.* The Hall itself, which is on the east side of the court, is a spacious and lofty apartment, paved with black and white marble, and most elegantly fitted up. The wainscotting is very handsome, and the ceiling and its appendages are richly stuccoed; an enormous flower adorning the centre, and the City and Goldsmiths' arms, with various decorations, appearing in its other compartments. A richly carved screen, with Composite pillars, pilasters, &c. a balustrade with vases, terminating in branches for lights, (between which are displayed the banners and flags used on public occasions,) and a beaufet of considerable size, with white and gold ornaments, form part of the embellishments of this splendid room.

The balustrade of the stair-case is elegantly carved, and the walls exhibit numerous reliefs of scrolls, flowers, and instruments of music. The Court Room is another richly wainscotted apartment, and the ceiling is loaded with embellishments, which give it a grand, though somewhat heavy effect. The chimneypiece is of statuary marble, and very sumptuous; the sides being adorned with male caryatides, and the whole enriched by scrolls, grapes, &c. Above it is a painting of St. Dunstan, the Patron saint of the Company, in conversation with the Holy Virgin, having in the back ground a representation of the Saint burning the Devil's nose, as described in the ancient legend,

2 B2

The Goldsmiths' arms, are quarterly, gules and azure, in the first and fourth, a Leopard's head, Or, in the second and third, a cup covered, between two buckles, all of the last crest, a demy Goldsmith, in the dress of Elizabeth's reign, his right hand sustaining a pair of scales, his left hand holding an ingot; supporters, unicorns; motto, " To God only be all Glory." The crest and supporters, were granted by Robert Cooke, Clarencieux, in 1571.

gend, when assailed by the fiend with temptation. Here, also, are the following portraits: Sir Martin Bowes, Goldsmith, Lord Mayor in 1545, said to be by Holbein; this gentleman presented his Company with an elegant Cup, (still carefully preserved among their plate,) which is thought to have been originally a Royal gift. Sir Hugh Middleton, Bart. the illustrious character, who expended his entire fortune in forwarding the noble design of supplying the Metropolis with water, by means of the New River. This is a fine picture, in the style of Vandyke. Sir Hugh is pourtrayed in a black habit, with his hand resting upon a shell: near him the words Fontes Fodinæ' are inscribed. He bequeathed a share in the New River to this Company, for the benefit of its decayed members. Sir Thomas Viner, Goldsmith, Lord Mayor in 1653; and Charles Hosier, Esq. In the Ball Room, which is a large apartment, very handsomely decorated, is a portrait of his Majesty, George the Third: in another apartment is a large picture by Hudson, containing likenesses of six Lord Mayors, all Goldsmiths, namely, Sir Henry Marshall, Lord Mayor in 1745; William Benn, Esq. 1747; John Blachford, Esq. 1750; Robert Alsop, Esq. 1752; Edmund Ironside, Esq. and Sir Thomas Rawlinson, both in 1754, the former having died during his Mayoralty: these gentlemen are represented seated at a table, at which Blachford presides. The ASSAY OFFICE, belonging to the Goldsmiths' Company, adjoins to the Hall on the south side, the front entrance being in Cary Lane.

This affluent Community is governed by a Prime, and three other Wardens, and a numerous Court of Assistants. Its revenues are very considerable; and its disbursements for charitable purposes, are stated to amount to more than 10001. annually: this sum is principally expended in the support of Alms-houses and Free-schools. Before the business of BANKING became a regular trade, about the middle of the seventeenth century, and also for many years afterwards, the Goldsmiths were the chief Bankers, their general opulence occasioning them to be regarded

as