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18,0001. Before the erection of the Mansion-House, several Lord-Mayors resided here, during the year in which they held their office; and the general Courts of the New East India Company were also held in this structure, previously to the union of the two Companies in 1720.

The Skinners' Company is governed by a Master, four Wardens, and a Court of about sixty Assistants, whose disbursements for the support of Schools, Alms-houses, Exhibitions, Lectures, &c. amount to between one and two thousand pounds annually.

The COMPANY OF MERCHANT-TAYLORS, arose from an ancient Guild or Fraternity, dedicated to St. John Baptist, and called "time out of mind," says Stow," of Taylors and Linen Armourers of London." This Guild received a confirmation from Edward the First, in his 28th year, with power to 'hold a feast, at Midsummer, to choose a master,' &c. At that period, and during a long succession of years, the master was denominated 'the Pilgrim,-as one that travelled for the whole Companie, and the foure Wardens were then called Purveyors of Alms.'* In the year 1466, a more regular incorporation of this Company took place, under the authority of the Letters Patent of Edward the Fourth, who was himself a freeman, as all his predecessors in the sovereignty had also been, from the time of Edward the Third. Henry the Seventh, who was likewise a member, re-incorporated the Company in the year 1503, by the new description of "The Master and Wardens of the Merchant Taylors, of the Fraternity of St. John Baptist," &c. This was done, according to the above Historian, "for that divers of that Fraternitie had beene great Marchants, and had frequented all sorts of marchandises into most partes of the world, to the honor of the King's realme, and to the great profit of his subjectes, and of his progenitors; and the men of the said mistirie, had, during the time aforesaid, exercised the buying and selling of all wares and marchandises, especially of woolen clothe, as well in grosse,

Stow's Sur. p. 142.

grosse, as by retayle, throughout all this realme of England, and chiefly within the said Citie."*

The members of this Company compose a very affluent body, consisting principally of Merchants, Mercers, Drapers, Taylors, &c. to the amount of upwards of 500 in number. They are governed by a Master, four Wardens, and about forty Assistants. In the long list of distinguished characters, who have been enrolled among the freemen of this most respectable Community, are included eleven Sovereigns, about as many Princes of the Blood Royal, thirteen Dukes, two Duchesses, nearly thirty Archbishops and Bishops, fifty Earls, five Countesses, between seventy and eighty Lords and Barons, upwards of twenty Lord Mayors, fifteen Abbots and Priors, many Knights, &c.

One of the most eminent Taylors (professionally so) on record, was Sir John Hawkwood, a native of Essex.† He was usually stiled Johannes Acutes,' and is stated, in the jocular language of Fuller, to have turned his needle into a sword, and his thimble into a shield. During his apprenticeship to a taylor

in the City, he was pressed, and sent into France; where, through his valour and talents, he was promoted from the station of a private soldier to the rank of Captain, and was also honoured with Knighthood. After the peace made in 1360, he became a leader among the military adventurers, or companies, called the 'Late-commers,' and having greatly signalized himself as commandant of the White Bands, his aid was solicited by Barnabas, (brother to the Duke of Milan,) who was then at war with the state of Mantua. In this new service, his prowess and gallantry gave so much satisfaction, that Barnabas bestowed on him his daughter in marriage, together with an estate of considerable value. He afterwards assisted Pope Gregory the Twelfth, in recovering the revolted Cities of Provence, and was rewarded with dominion

. Ibid. p. 143.

He was the son of Gilbert de Hawkwood, a Tanner of Sible Hedingham; after his decease a Monument was erected in the Church there to his memory, by his executors.

dominion over five towns. He next entered into the pay of the Florentines, and served them with such great success and fidelity, that on his decease," after infinite victories obtained, and an incomparable renown amongst all men for the same," he was most honourably buried in the Great Church at Florence, where a noble Monument was raised to his memory, agreeably to a vote of the Senate.*" He died full of years and glory, in 1394. Sir Ralph Blackwell, who is stated to have been his fellow apprentice, and was also knighted for his valour by Edward the Third, was a member of this Company. Pennant says, "he founded the Hall which bears his name," but this assertion appears to have been made without sufficient authority.† Among the other eminent persons, enrolled as Merchant Taylors, were the celebrated Historians, Speed, and Stow; both of whom, likewise, were Taylors by profession.

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In Howe's edition of Stow's Annals, under the date 1607, is an account of a splendid entertainment given to James the First, his son Henry, and very many of the nobility, and other honourable personages,' by the Merchant Taylors, on the day of their annual feast, (July the 16th) and election of Master and Wardens. "Against their coming," says our author, "the Lord Mayor gave his attendance there, and at the Hall gate presented his Majestie with the sword, who presently gave it him againe, who bare it before the King into the upper large dining roome, anciently

• An Engraving of this monument has been made and published under the direction of the Society of Antiquaries.

+ In the year 1668, Winstanley published a small octavo, now very scarce, with the following title; "The Honour of the Merchant Taylors; wherein is set forth the noble acts, valiant deeds, and heroic performances of Merchant Taylors in former ages; their honourable loves, and knightly adventures, their combating with foreign enemies, and glorious successes in honour of the English nation; together with their pious acts and large benevolences," &c. The head of Sir Ralph Blackwell, with his neck encircled by a gold chain, the City arms on the right, and those of the Merchant Taylors on the left, was prefixed.

anciently called the King's Chamber," &c. Here the King was feasted "very royally and joyfully," and afterwards presented with a "purse of golde," by the Master; the "Clerk of the Hall," shewing him, at the same time, a Roll of all the dignified members that had ever belonged to this Company. The purse was "graciously received" by the Monarch, who in return stated, that "he was himself free of another Company, but that the Prince, his eldest son, should become a Merchant Taylor," and that "he would see, and be a witness, when the garland should be put on his head." Then all "descended into the Great Hall, where the Prince dined," and he also, having first been presented with a "purse of golde," and shewed the Roll, declared that he would become a freeman," and therewithal commanded one of his Gentlemen, and the Clerk, to go to all the Lords there present, and require all of them that loved him, and were not free of other Companies, to be free of his Company;" this was of course acceded to, and James, during the whole ceremony, "stood in a new window, made for the purpose," and beheld all" with a gracious kingly aspect."*

MERCHANT TAYLORS' HALL, is situated in Threadneedle Street, on an extensive site, originally occupied by the " principal messuage" of a "worshipful gentleman," named Edmund Crepin, who in the year 1331, (sixth of Edward III.) for a certain sum of money,' made it over in trust for the Company, to John de Yakesley, the King's Pavillion-maker.† This messuage was afterwards called the New Hall, or Taylors' Inn, to distinguish it from the ancient Hall of the Company, which stood in Basing Lane. The present structure was erected soon after the Fire of London, but was much altered and modernized between twenty and thirty years ago. It is a capacious, but irregular edifice of brick; the front exhibits a portal, consisting of an arched pediment, supported on columns of the Composite order, with

Howe's Stow, p. 890, 891.

+ Stow's Sur. p. 143. edit. 1597.

Ibid. p. 189. edit. 1633.

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