have a common seal for transacting the Company's business. By th said grant King Edward invested the corporation with a privilege inspecting, trying, and regulating all gold and silver wares, not onl in the city, but likewise in all parts of the kingdom; with a powe to punish all offenders concerned in working adulterated gold an silver, and a privilege of making bye-laws for their better governmen This Company is governed by a Prime and three other Wardens, an a Court of Assistants: their hall is situated in Foster Lane.

1603. Philip Strelley by his will of the date of Sept. 6th in th year, bequeathed to the Goldsmiths' Company an estate, the rents which were £55, in trust, for various uses. Of the said yearly rents directed that £10 should be employed for and towards the maintenanc in the University of Oxford or Cambridge, of two poor Scholars, tha should be poor men's sons, and born within the counties of Derby an Nottingham, and city of Worcester, or any of them; and for lack o such within the said counties and city, then towards the maintenanc of such poor scholars as should be the sons of poor men of the sa Company of Goldsmiths; and for lack of them, three of such oth poor scholars at the said Universities, as the said wardens, renters and goldfiners of the said Mystery, for the time being, should thir meet; (that is to say) to every of the said poor scholars the sur £5, for the space of seven years together, with a like preference to th sons of his tenants born within the said manor of Ogarthorpe, and e others of his name and kindred, as should make suit for the same.

1656. John Perryn, Esq. by his will of the date of the 18th Dec of this year, gave his estates at Acton in Middlesex to the Goldsmithe Company, and to their successors for ever, on trust, and in his wi directed certain payments amounting to about £80 a year to be mad out of the estate; and willed that all the remainder of the rents profits of the estates should be by the wardens and six of the m discreet and able men of the Company of Goldsmiths, disposed of distributed to pious and charitable uses; some part thereof to po members of the Company, and for exhibitions for and towards the maintenance of scholars at the Universities, and such other charitat uses as they should think meet.

In addition to the two exhibitions founded by Strelley the compar have established 34 exhibitions, 17 at Oxford and 17 at Cambridge. each of the value of £30 per annum. The 34 exhibitions are temabe at Oxford for 16 terms from matriculation, and at Cambridge for 12 terms from residence.

The student must give up the exhibition on taking his B.A. degree and also in the event of his obtaining any income from preferment in his college or elsewhere, which with the amount of the company's exhibition will exceed £100 per annum.

The Company of Goldsmiths are desirous of granting the exhibitions in their gift to the most deserving of poor students, who only are Entitled to become candidates for them. The petitioner for an exhibition is required to state his own means of support, and if dependent upon his parents, their whole annual income, and the number of children in the family dependent upon them for support. This statement of the petitioner is to be certified by respectable individuals who have personal knowledge of the pecuniary means of the petitioner and his friends, and that they are such as to justify his application for an exhibition, to enable him to prosecute his studies more efficiently at the University.

The petitioner is required to be at least in his second term of residence in college to entitle him to become a candidate for an exhibition, and must be subject to an examination at his University, for the purpose of ascertaining how far, in other respects, he is qualified to receive the assistance designed for poor students of good conduct and of promising talents.

THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF HABERDASHERS.

Serve and obey.

THIS fraternity was anciently called Hurrers or Milliners; the latter from the merchandise they chiefly dealt in, which came from the city of Milan, in Italy. They were incorporated by letters patent of the 26th of Henry VI. 1447, by the style of "The Fraternity of St Katharine the Virgin, of the Haberdashers of the city of London ;" but at present are denominated "The Master and four Wardens of the Fraternity of the Art or Mystery of Haberdashers in the city of London.”

This Corporation is governed by a Master, four Wardens, and a Court of Assistants: their hall is situated in Gresham Street West.

This Company is one of the twelve principal Companies, and according to the benefactions of the donors, they pay a very large amount annually to charitable uses.

1569. Mr Nicholas Culverwell gave by will £200 to the Master and Wardens of the Company of Haberdashers, on condition that they

should pay yearly £10 to two of the poorest preachers studying divinit in the Universities, one at Magdalene College, Oxford, and the oth at Christ's College, Cambridge, each of them £5 per annum. The exhibitioners are appointed by the Bishop of London.

1596. Mr Robert Offley, by his will, gave to the Company Haberdashers £200, to found from the proceeds two scholarships i students of divinity in the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge: t Court of Assistants were to appoint one scholar, with a preference to t son of a member of the Company; and the mayor, aldermen, and 4 of the common council of the city of Chester to appoint the othe with a preference to the son of a citizen of the city of Chester: est scholar was to receive £5 a year, and to hold his exhibition so long he should remain at his studies in the University without promotion.

The Commissioners for inquiring into Charities recommended th Company to restore these exhibitions which had fallen into abeyance and the Company have restored the two exhibitions, and raised th value of each to £10 a year.

1596. Mr Gourney founded an exhibition of £5 a year to College at Oxford or Cambridge, the appointment to which is veste in the Court of Assistants of the Company of Haberdashers.

1608. Mrs Frances Clarke agreed, by indenture with the Hate dashers' Company, on paying to them the sum of £200, that they should pay to two poor scholars £5 each, one of them to be of Christ's Church, Oxford, and the other of any College in Cambridge, and the exhibitions to be tenable for four years.

These exhibitions are now of the value of £10 each per annum.

1622. Roger Jeston left property to the Haberdashers' Company chargeable for ever with the payment of £20 for three poor Scholar studying divinity at Trinity College, Cambridge, to be appointed by the master and eight seniors. Each scholar is to receive £6. 13. 45 yearly, and the sons of members of the Company of Haberdashers, natives of Staffordshire, if needy, are to be preferred before others. (Se p. 348.)

1629. Dame Rebecca Romney, by indenture, gave to the Haberdashers' Company £1200 for various uses; one of which was that £2 a year should be paid to four poor Scholars, two of Emmanuel College, and two of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, who were likely to become good scholars, and to take upon them the study of divinity. each scholar to receive £6 yearly, and to be appointed by the Master, Wardens, and Assistants of the Company of Haberdashers.

These exhibitions are now each of the annual value of £12. (See pp. 365, 377.)

THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF MERCERS.

THIS Company was partially incorporated by letters patent of the 17th of Richard II. A.D. 1393, by the title of "Homines de Misteria Merceræ Civitatis London." In the 20th year of the same reign the Company was confirmed with additional privileges. In the 3rd year of Henry VI. under the denomination of “The Mercers of London,” the king confirmed by inspeximus all their previous grants, and “permitted the Mercers to have a chaplain and a brotherhood, for the relief of such of their company as shall come to decay, from misfortunes of the sea." In the 4th year of Philip and Mary, and in the 11th year of James I. the whole of their predecessors' charters were confirmed, but without any extension of privileges. On surrendering their charters and confirmations, in common with the other companies, under the operation of the quo-warranto, in the 24th year of Charles II. the Mercers received, like them, an entire new charter, granting them a Court of Assistants, and subjecting them to many other new regulations, which were then imposed, and which charter was confirmed in the first year of James II.

1575. Lady Margaret, widow of the Right Honourable Edward, Lord North, paid the sum of £500 to the Wardens and Commonalty of the Mercers' Company, and by indenture they covenanted with the said Lady Margaret North, to pay to her £40 a year for her life, and after her decease, to pay the same to persons mentioned in the said indenture, in the proportions therein specified; and after the death of all the said persons, to pay yearly to four male children, of the ages of nine years or above, to be brought up and taught, first in some grammar-school, and after in the Universities of Oxford or Cambridge (if they should be found apt to learning), 40 marks; namely, to each of the said four scholars £6. 13s. 4d.; provided that, if either of the said children should not be kept at learning in some grammar-school or university, or should be two years Master of Arts in either of the said universities, or advanced to any competent living, that then the payment to him should henceforth cease, and that the other should be chosen in his place; all which children were to be called the Scholars of Lady Margaret North, and should be chosen, appointed, and taken from time to time, by the Wardens and Assistants of the said Com

pany, for the time being, out of the male children proceeding from th aforesaid kinsmen; and from lack thereof, from the kin of the sa Lady Margaret North; and for lack of such, the choice to be mad of other children, apt for learning, according to the good discretion the said Wardens and Assistants for the time being.

From the arrears of Lady North's benefaction, which from time time have not been appropriated, the income has been increased, an the Company now pay £20 a year to each of four exhibitioners either University. The exhibitioners are appointed by the Court Assistants, and if resident, may retain their exhibitions for sen years.

1608. William Walthall, alderman of London, by his will, g the sum of £500 to the Mercers' Company for various uses, one which was that they should pay £9 to three of the poorest scholars Cambridge, towards their charge, on commencing Master of Ar such as might be recommended to the Wardens to have most ne to be relieved.

From accumulations arising from payments not made in former years, the Company have augmented the three benefactions to £ each, which are bestowed on poor scholars, towards the expenses taking the degree of Master of Arts.

1618. Mrs Mary Robinson, by her will, gave to the Company Mercers £500 in trust, either to purchase so much land, or otherwis so much maintenance, as should amount to the clear yearly value c £25, which she directed should be paid yearly to four poor scholars o some College or Colleges in Cambridge, at the nomination of the s Company, quarterly, so as they should become students in divinity and preachers of the Gospel; and when any one of the said scholars should be preferred or die, then she directed that his portion should be bestowed upon some other in his place.

At present there are four exhibitioners appointed by the genera court, who receive each £30 per annum, and retain their exhibitions for seven years, unless they previously obtain preferment.

1672. Thomas Rich, by will, gave to the Mercers' Company a house in London, from the rents of which he directed that two exh bitions of £6 each per annum should be paid to two poor scholars educated at Mercers' School, on their proceeding to the University et Oxford or Cambridge. These exhibitions are now £50 per annum.