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 divinity in the Universities, one at Magdalene College, Oxford, and the other at Christ's College, Cambridge, each of them £5 per annum. These exhibitioners are appointed by the Bishop of London.

1596. Mr Robert Offley, by his will, gave to the Company of Haberdashers £200, to found from the proceeds two scholarships for students of divinity in the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge: the Court of Assistants were to appoint one scholar, with a preference to the son of a member of the Company; and the mayor, aldermen, and 40 of the common council of the city of Chester to appoint the other, with a preference to the son of a citizen of the city of Chester: each scholar was to receive £5 a year, and to hold his exhibition so long as he should remain at his studies in the University without promotion.

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

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

1608. Mrs Frances Clarke agreed, by indenture with the Haberdashers' 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 Scholars studying divinity at Trinity College, Cambridge, to be appointed by the master and eight seniors. Each scholar is to receive £6. 13s. 4d. yearly, and the sons of members of the Company of Haberdashers, or natives of Staffordshire, if needy, are to be preferred before others. (Sce p. 348.)

1629. Dame Rebecca Romney, by indenture, gave to the Haberdashers' Company £1200 for various uses; one of which was that £24 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 Ccm

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

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

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

From accumulations arising from payments not made in former years, the Company have augmented the three benefactions to £14 each, which are bestowed on poor scholars, towards the expenses on taking the degree of Master of Arts.

1618. Mrs Mary Robinson, by her will, gave to the Company of Mercers £500 in trust, either to purchase so much land, or otherwise so much maintenance, as should amount to the clear yearly value of £25, which she directed should be paid yearly to four poor scholars of some College or Colleges in Cambridge, at the nomination of the said 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 general. 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 exhibitions of £6 each per annum should be paid to two poor scholars educated at Mercers' School, on their proceeding to the University of Oxford or Cambridge. These exhibitions are now £50 per annum.

THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF MERCHANT

TAYLORS.

Concordia parvæ res crescunt.

THIS Company arose, according to Stow, from an ancient guild or fraternity, dedicated to St John the Baptist, and called, time out of mind, Tailors and Linen Armourers of London. It received a confirmation from Edward I. and in 1446, a more regular incorporation of this company took place under the authority of the letters patent of Edward IV. who was himself a freeman, as all his predecessors in the sovereignty had also been from the time of Edward III. Henry VII. who was likewise a member, re-incorporated the company in the year 1503, and transformed their title into The Master and Wardens of the Merchant Taylors, of the fraternity of St John the Baptist, in the city of London. This was done, as Stow writes, "For that divers of that fraternitie had beene great marchants, and had frequented all sorts of marchandizes into most partes of the world, to the honour of the king's realme; and the men of the said mistirie had, during the time aforesaid, exercised the buying and selling of all wares and marchandizes, especially of woolen clothe, as well in grosse, as by retayle, throughout all the realme of England, and chiefly within the said city."

The charter of Henry VII. afterwards received the successive confirmations of Henry VIII., Edward VI., Philip and Mary, Queen Elizabeth and James I.

This company is governed by a Master, four Wardens, and a Court of Assistants. Their Hall is situated in Threadneedle Street.

1620. John Juxon, by his will, gave to the Merchant Taylors' Company an annuity payable out of certain lands at Mortlake, to be paid by them as they should think fit to two poor Scholars, the one year in Oxford, and the other year in Cambridge, for ever.

The sum of £9. 12s. received from the estate is augmented by the Company every year to £12, and is paid to a scholar of Oxford and of Cambridge alternately.

The chief benefactions in the gift of the Merchant Taylors' Company are appropriated to students at St John's College, Oxford.

THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF CUTLERS.
Pour parvenir à bonne foi.

THE Cutlers' Company was incorporated by King Henry V. in the year 1417, by the style of "The Master, Wardens, and Commonalty of the Mystery of Cutlers in London."

M M