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 Stow, "for that divers of that Fraternitie had (time out of mind) beene great Merchants, and had frequented all sorts of marchandises into most partes of the world, to the honor of the Kinge'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 woollen clothe, as well in 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 its freemen, 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, esquires, and other persons of the greatest respectability.

One of the most eminent Taylors (professionally so) on record, was Sir John Hawkwood, who, was the son of Gilbert de Hawkwood, a tanner of Sible Hedingham, in Essex, in which church a monument was erected to his memory, by his executors. 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 this 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 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

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

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 that assertion like many others in his "London," was 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.

In Howes' edition of "Stowe's Annals," under the date 1607, is an account of a splendid entertainment given to James the First, Prince 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 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 Threadneedlestreet, 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 pavilion-maker.† This messuage was afterwards called the New Hall, or Taylor's 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 about forty 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 a composed order, with an ornamental niche

• Howes' Stow, p. 890, 801.

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

Ibid. p. 189. edit. 1833.

above: in the pediment are the Company's arms.* The Hall is a very spacious apartment, with large mullioned windows on each side. At the lower end is a stately screen, of the Corinthian order, supporting a music gallery, and along the sides are ranged numerous shields, displaying the arms of different masters of the Company. At the upper end, behind the master's seat, are inscribed in golden letters the names of all the sovereigns, princes, and other persons of high rank, who have been free of this community. Here also, are whole length portraits of William III. and Queen Mary, together with a modern painting of Sir C. S. Hunter, Bart., who was Lord Mayor in 1814. Among other paintings on the flats of the staircase and in the upper rooms, are portraits of the following LordMayors: Sir Thomas White, Knt., 1553, the founder of St. John's College, Oxford; Sir Thomas Rowe, Knt., 1568; Sir William Turner, Knt., 1669; Sir Patience Ward, Knt., 1681; Sir William Pritchard, Knt., 1683, and Sir John Salter, Knt. 1740. Here, also, is a modern painting by the late N. Clarkson, ef Henry VIII. presenting his Charter of Incorporation to

*The Merchant Taylors' arms are, argent, a tent royal between two imperial mantles gules, lined ermine; on a chief azure, a lion passant guardant or; crest, a holy lamb in glory, proper; supporters, two Arabian camels; motto, "Concordia parvæ res crescunt." The arms were granted by Sir Thomas Holne, Knt. Clarencieux, in 1480: the crest and supporter by Robert Cooke, Clarencieux, in 1585.