King Henry the Fourth there were at one time no less then 12 of their Members Aldermen Twelve Aldermen at once Members of which Number were two Brothers William Chicheley afterwards Sheriff Sir Robert Chicheley afterwards also Sheriff Sir Robert Chicheley twice Lord Mayor and Founder of Wal-Brook Church Still in their Donation and twice Lord Mayor who also was Founder of the Parish Church of St. Stephen Walbrook upon a Plot of ground by him for that Sacred Use purchased of the Grocers the Donation of which Church is at this day in the Company of Grocers Which Society of the Pepperers increasing and spreading so Universal in Merchandizing that it appears afterwards they were distinguished by the Name of Grocers as being a more comprehensive Name than Pepperers Afterwards called Grocers insomuch that before they were incorporated by the Name of Grocers to wit in the Third year of King Edward the Third Anno 1329. John Grantham was chosen and held Mayor by the Title of Grocer And the first Charter I find of the Corporation of the Grocers was granted by King Edward the Third in the twentieth year of his Reign Anno Dom. 1345. which appears to be long before the Mercers were incorporated First Charter of the Grocers and before the Mercers though they are now the only Company have Precedency of the Grocers yet for the Reasons above-mentioned it may be very well presumed that as the Grocers were long before them the most Eminent Society so in after-times renewing their Charter by a more Comprehensive Term Afterwards Postponed to them they might Post pone themselves But though they thus March as a forlorn Regiment in the Front might the Hopes and Endeavours of many good Members prevail to have the Spirit of our Ancestors revived in the present Generation this could no way eclipse the Grocers But not to Dimination of their Dignity who have all the Noble Army of the rest of the Corporations following them than the Morning Star ushering in Day before it can eclipse the Glory of the Rising Sun. Afterwards the Charter of this Company was several times renewed as also it was in the Seventh year of King Henry the Sixth and they then made a Body Politick Grocers Incorporate by the Name of Custodes Communitas Mysterii Groceriae Londini And in the beginning of that King's Reign Purchase of the Hall of the Lord Fitz-water men late his Mansion-House they purchased the ground where the Grocers Hall now stands with the ground belonging to it of Walter Lord Fitz-water a Noble Peer of this Realm bounding the same between the Old-Jewry and Walbrook And so considerable in the City were the Grocers long before that time that they may be well presumed time out of Mind to have had the management of the King's-Beam as an Office peculiar to them not only as principally using the same but as being originally vested therein The Office of the King's Beam. they having had all along beyond the Memory of Man the naming of the Weigh-Master and the naming placing removing and governing of the four Porters attending that Office all to be elected out of their own Company and to be Sworn at their own Hall a Privilege allowed them as their undoubted and inseparate Right as ancient as that Office it self used in the City Their ancient Privileges of Inspection and Correction of Abuses in their Mystery Also amongst other Privileges and ancient Usages of this Company I find recorded even as high as Edward the Fourth's days this Company had Power of Inspection and Correction of Abuses and Irregularities of all Persons though free of this or any other Company in the City or Suburbs any way using or exercising any kind of Grocery and also to assay the Weights they bought or sold by and to take notice of all their Defaults and return them to be Fined at the Discretion of this Fellowship and to take 4 d. of every Person for their Labour therein as well of such as were offending as such as were not which Usage was always continued And in the Charter renewed to this Company in the fifteenth year of the late King Charles the First this Privilege is Gonfirmed Confirmed and Expressed to extend 3 Miles from the Liberties and expressed to extend three Miles from the City as well within Liberties as without and hath only been omitted for some years past when the Company began to be first interrupted in their Affairs The same King Henry the Sixth by Charter under the Great Seal granted to this Company the Office of Garbling in all places throughout the Kingdom of England Garbling-Office the City of London only excepted which Privilege though discontinued during the late unnatural War and almost forgotten is now ratified by their late Charter and Confirmation and may be of considerable Advantage to this Company In the time of the Reign of King Henry the Seventh the Company was greatly indebted Sir Henry Keble Sir William Laxton Worthy Members and Benefactors both buried in a Vault in Aldermary Church See Stow's Survey and Sir Henry Keble a Worthy Member sometime Lord Mayor of this City lent them Money on their Hall and their Revenue nigh the full value to clear their Debts and afterwards in the beginning of the Reign of King Henry the Eighth by his last Will and Testament freely gave back all to the Company remitting his whole Debt and Interest This Sir Henry Keble at his own Charge built Aldermary Church Afterwards about the eighteenth year of the same King Henry the Eighth Sir William Laxton also a Worthy Member and sometime Lord Mayor by Deed executed in his Life time gave the Company all their Lands and Houses in Canning-Street and the Lanes thereunto adjoining I shall here add but one more who may well deserve to be recorded among their chief Benefactors Mr. John Bilsdon John Bilsdon a Worthy benefactor of Houses in Cornhill a worthy Member by his Will dated about the fourteenth of King Henry the Eighth gave this Company all his Messuages in the several Parishes of St. Michael's and St. Peter's in Cornhill which being consumed with the rest of their Revenue in London by the late dreadful Fire many very fair Houses have been since built on the same ground by the Companies Leassees on long Leases under small Rents but of great improvement when expired Upon part of which ground stood the late Weigh house Weigh-House where the Office of the King's Beam was kept until the time of the same Fire And in order to prevent any difference which might otherwise hereafter happen between the City and Company touching the interest of the City in Weigh-house-yard I humbly conceive it to be my duty herein to insert in the best manner I can the Truth of the Case especially since upon search I could find no certain footsteps of it in their own Books at Guild-Hall which
Work to be the only leading Means left to preserve the Society Not doubting but their Brethren would all follow so good Examples to finish this Work and pay their Debts and that as Sir John Cutler had so long before for those very ends at his own Charges begun and Sir John Moore had now undertaken to repair and beautifie the great Hall so they held themselves highly obliged to promote and carry on so excellent a Work and having caused the Scite and Fabrick of the Hall to be surveyed and finding that with some more additional Building then already propounded to be erected it might be made a more commodious and convenient Habitation for the Chief Magistrate than any other ever was before within the City of London therefore that it might answer all these good Ends and might with all possible speed be carried on and finished in order to invite and encourage all the Members to contribute towards payment of the Company 's Debts and Arrears of Charities wherein Sir William Hooker then one of the sitting Aldermen And that it may answer the design'd end the Hall and whole Revenue being all designed for Charity is by Conveyance and Decree settled to secure their yearly Charities wherewith the Company is chargeable and late Lord Mayor and many other Worthy Members had liberally contributed as good Examples they liberally subscribed and paid towards the raising and finishing of such additional Building declaring themselves if occasion should be afterwards to be farther assisting to compleat so good a Work not doubting but their Brethren the rest of the Members would every one follow according to their Degrees and Qualities And that the beautifying and repairing their Hall might not prove a Bait to such Creditors if any should be as formerly seized the Ruines of the same to endeavour again a Sequestration against it but might answer those good Ends so by them designed The Company by advice of Learned Counsel after an Inquisition taken before the Commissioners for Charitable Uses and pursuant to a Decree made by those Commissioners have conveyed the same and all their Revenue and the Equity of Redemption thereof subject to the said former Securities to Trustees to secure the yearly payment not only of those Charities wherewith that Revenue is charged by the Donors but also with the overplus as the same will extend those other yearly Charities payable by the Company to several Places Persons and Uses by the appointment of other Benefactors who heretofore paid into their hands several great Sums of Money for those Uses for which now no Fond remains that they might also thereby not only discharge their Consciences towards God and the Memory of such Pious Benefactors but also avoid the chargeable Prosecutions of the Commissioners upon the Statute for Charitable Uses who have of late put this Company every year to exceeding great Charges and Expences The Company 's Case thus stated having been set forth by way of Answer to Bills exhibited against them by Creditors gave satisfaction so as to prevent others from troubling them in vain Thus have I endeavoured to lay down the true State of the Company of Grocers as it relates to themselves and their Creditors in their present condition the Substance whereof having been declared by way of Answer to several Creditors Bills who to no purpose had put themselves to Charge in Suing the Company seemed to give great Satisfaction unto the Learned Council and other Persons unconcerned who before were ignorant of the true State of the Company 's Case and may happily be a means to divert others from a fruitless prosecution of any such chargeable Suits against the Company As also the Commissioners for charitable uses when they understood their Case advised their Creditors to desist and nor waste their Parish-Stock in a vain prosecution and to apply themselves to the Wardens in a friendly Manner in the event whereof they cannot promise to themselves so much Benefit as they may hope to see without it And the Commissioners for Charitable Uses having been rightly informed of the Truth of the Company 's Condition did well approve of and decree such a voluntary settlement as a most Righteous Sanction to preserve their Reputation and secure their Posterity and therefore advised their Creditors by Bond to acquiesce therein and to apply themselves to the Wardens and Assistants when they may be in a capacity of paying by Benevolence or other contingent profits for their Debts due by Bond So that several Creditors who ill-advised had given them disturbance desisted which gave freedom to the Wardens and Committee to pursue the Building and to the Members attending the Company 's Affairs so as the Hall was finished and with incredible Celerity wholly compleated rather than in vain to disturb them with Suits to discourage the Members and thereby not only to hazard the loss of their own but to wrong all others concerned with them by giving them trouble and disturbance And several of their Creditors who before instigated by some unadvised Persons gave the Company disturbance as soon as they were so informed of their Case better considered their own Interest and wholly forbore to proceed any farther which not only afforded great Freedom and Liberty to the Wardens and Assistants to attend the Company 's Service but also great incouragement to the then Wardens to begin and to Sir Henry Tulse Mr. Box and Mr. Winch the succeeding Wardens to carry on that great Work of finishing the Hall in so short a time as is almost incredible to relate for reception of Sir John Moore the succeeding Lord Mayor at Michaelmas following Which Work though it amounted to a greater charge than at first propounded in regard of many additions not thought on to make it Commodious yet it answers all in the advantage it gives being a must free Benevolence which would have been gotten for no other use especially considering the same was many ways upon farther consideration had enlarged and made more convenient than at first was intended with many accommodations not at first thought on to render it so exact as indeed it is far excelling any Hall that now is or probably ever was in London so that the whole charge of compleating the same I believe with as good Husbandry as was possible to be managed yet swells to double the Sum which was at first propounded to be disbursed and therefore called for farther assistence of our Members than at first was designed to contribute to the same which Work being so compleatly finished manifestly appears to have been the only means left to keep the Company upon a Foundation which otherwise must in a short time have naturally dissolved of it self for that the Apprentices and Freemen of any estate or value who before wholly declined have now daily increased as having a prospect by what is visible of a prosperous carrying on the whole Work answerable thereto Which work now
A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE COMPANY OF GROCERS From their ORIGINAL TOGETHER With their Case and Condition in their present Circumstances truly stated AS ALSO How their Revenue is settled for Payment of their Charities and Provision made for the well-governing their Members and Mystery to preserve a Succession in their Society Designed for Information of all and Benefit of the Members and for Satisfaction and Encouragement of their Friends and Benefactors LONDON Printed by Eliz. Holt for the Company of Grocers MDCLXXXIX TO THE SACRED MAJESTY OF King WILLIAM AND Queen MARY May it please Your Majesties HAVING already presumed to offer to Your Majesties Sacred Hands a mean Present in a small Treatise Entitled NOSCE TEIPSVM wherein I have endeavoured to give some account how I have spent my Holy Days since I have been Clerk of the Company of GROCERS with the Reasons and Arguments inducing me to join in the Communion of our National Church when I had examined and tryed all other different Persuasions Your Majesties Gracious Acceptance of that together with You my Dread Sovereign's vouchsafing to become our Supreme Master have embolden'd me to offer at Your Majesties Sacred Feet the following Sheets as the Product of my Working Days in the same Service I may not hope Your Majesties should spare time to look farther but I most humbly beseech Your Majesties to cast Your Gracious Eyes on the few following Lines which I have recorded in our Register immediately before the entry of such Your Majesties Gracious Condescention Whereby I humbly Hope it will plainly appear no other Company in London might so justly presume to beg the Honour of Adoption by a Crowned Head. That Your Majesties Sacred Names may be Illustrious from this little Orb throughout all Your Majesties Dominions to the ends of the Earth shall be the daily and hearty Prayers of May it please Your Majesties Your Majesties most Dutiful Loyal and Obedient Subject and Servant WILLIAM RAVENHILL Clerk of the Company of Grocers A short Account of the Grocers AULA AROMATARIORUM vulgariter Grocers Hall olim nominabatur Domus Illustrissimi Domini Fitz-water unius è Regni hujus Paribus quam regnante Henrico Sexto Societati Aromatariorum vendidit Sita est in ipso urbis Meditullio cui adjacet Hortus qui Aeri liberiori spatium det necnon Area prae foribus satis ampla quâ Senatorum vice Comitumque dum Praetori rebusque publicis inserviunt Nobilium etiam quacunque de causa huc accedentium currus recipiantur ac ea de causa Communitas Aromatariorum post Conflagrationem Urbis horrendam re-edificabat ampliorem fecit omnis generis necessariis adornavit ut Domus ad Summum Magistratum magnificè recipiendum prae omnibus aliis maximè Commoda Videretur Summus enim Magistratus Vicem gerit ipsius Regis nullis igitur sumptibus pepercit Aromatariorum Societas ut receptaculum esset tanto Officio tanto Magistratu Dignum nam in hoc opere perficiendo multa expenduntur Millia Solidorum ut Aedificium esset Splendidum aptum suis civibus conveniens qui in loco hoc sese solemnibus Conviviis amicitiam suam invicem testantur augent ab omni Civitatis parte congregati huc accedunt ut mutuam erga seipsos Benevolentiam exerceant Hoc quoque honori gloriae totius Regni vertitur dum egredientes Domi redeuntes Peregrini Domestici Aulam hanc conspicuam mirantur simul amant Quod ad antiquitatem Spectat egregiae hujus Societatis Originem suam longâ serie deducit à Mercatoribus Romanis qui cum Orientali Orbis Regione commercia habuerunt pro Aromatibus comparandis devictâ hâc Insulâ Urbem habitabant Quibus Nostratium in re nautica peritia Originem suam debere videtur saltem ab illis multum incrementi accepit atque adeò Maris Imperium quod haec Insula largè latéque per multa retro Secula obtinuit eisdem aliquo modo acceptum refert Quapropter in Divitiis abundanti rerum Copiâ caeteras omnes Communitates facilè superabant Hinc Ortae sunt Familiae illustrissimae mox Prolem illustriorem daturae Haec Communitas Corpus fit politicum sub cura gubernatione quatuor Custodum qui vocari possint Superintendentes nomine Magistro excluso ut Capiti Coronato semper locus relinquetur quem locum Carolus Secundus Beatae Memoriae Rex implere non dedignatus est Cujus Nomen ut aeternitati consecraret gratissima Societas Statuam ejus erexit in Byrsa Regia in Registro suo Nomen ejus inscriptum habet ut testimonium sit posteris gratitudinis suae erga Regem tam Benignum qui Chartam illi fixam reddidit firmam quâ in re Exemplum proposuit Regibus suis successoribus ut favore suo perpetuo Communitatem hanc foverent ut perpetuum sit Charitatis Diversorium fertilissimum Mercatorum opulentorum piorum Civium fidelium Subditorum Seminarium Which may be thus read in English GROCERS HALL was once the Mansion-House of the Lord Fitz-water a Peer of this Realm of whom the Company purchased the same in the Reign of King Henry the Sixth being situate in the Centre of the City of London and having a fair open Garden behind for Air and Diversion and before it within the Gate a large Court-yard for the reception of Coaches as the Aldermen and Sherriffs attend the Lord Mayor on Publick Affairs especially from Guild-Hall and the Sessions at the Old-Baily or as the Nobility and other Persons of Quality shall either pay their Visits or be thither invited by his Lordship For these Reasons the Company of Grocers after the late dreadful Fire rebuilt and inlarged it with all Offices and Accommodations far beyond any other Place that ever was or now is for the most Commodious Seat of the Chief Magistrate as he is for the time being his Majesty's Representative in this Famous City at the expence of many thousand pounds as designing it for encouragement of their Members and conveniency of the Citizens resorting thither as to the Fountain of Justice from all Parts of the City as it may also redound to the Honour of the Kingdom being conspicuous in their transient view to Embassadors and Foreigners as well as Natives of his Majesty's Dominions passing and repassing through this City And as this Society may boast of its Antiquity deriving its Original from Merchants in Rome trading in Spices to the Eastern Parts who from Rome transplanted themselves to this City with the Conquest of this Island and first gave Wings to Navigation here from whence this Island hath been able to give Law by Sea to all the World so hath it above all other Companies in London abounded in wealthy Members trading both at home and abroad from whence have sprung many honourable Families being incorporate by the Name of Four-Wardens as Super-intendents without a Master and so most capable of Adoption
occasioned some difficulty in settling the draught of the Lease hereafter mentioned from the Company to the City The City claiming Interest in the soil of the Weigh-house-yard upon some surmise that they had more ground there than what they claimed under the Company 's Title belonging to them until I had made the contrary appear both by Evidence and Certificate of the ancient Inhabitants there as also that as well all the ground so demised by the Company to the City as that whereon the Houses on all parts of the Weigh house-yard are built being bounded on the North with the ground of the Merchant-Taylors and fronting the High Street of Cornhill is part of that ground so devised by Mr. John Bilsdon to the Company of Grocers So as all the Interest the City hath there appears to be thus viz. The Grocers having as above is mentioned the management of the Office of the King's Beam did formerly accommodate the City with a Weigh-house there How the City have Interest in the Messuage in Weigh-House-Yard convenient for executing the same Office under some reserved Rent for that the whole duty arising thereby the Weigh-Master and Porters Wages deducted belonged to the City until the year 1625. some difference happening between the then Lord Mayor and the Company touching the Nomination of one to succeed the Weigh-Master then lately Dead a Committee of Aldermen was appointed for the City and a Committee of Grocers for the Company who determined the same and the Company pursuant to that Agreement were to grant the City a Lease of their Weigh-house being one great lower room for 99 years under the Rent of 10 l. per annum which the City accordingly had and enjoyed and the Company to enjoy their Privileges so to nominate the Weigh-Master and Porters The Company afterwards granting a Lease to one Lyonell Newman of a small Ware-house at one end of the same Weigh-house and of all the Rooms as well over the Weigh-house as over the same Ware-house for a long term at 40 s. per annum the City afterwards purchased the said Lyonell Newman's Interest and the whole being so consumed by the Fire upon application of the City to the Judges at Clifford s-Inn The Judges decree a Lease to the City of it and on hearing the City and Company they Decreed the Company for encouragement of the City to build should grant the City a Lease of the whole with additional years under the entire Rent of 12 l. per annum which is drawn and prepared accordingly being one Messuage erected by the City on the ground whereon the Weigh-house and Ware-house stood and now in the occupation of Mr. Williams the Leassee of the City The other part of the Company 's Revenue and the several Charities and Vses wherewith the wâ—â—le and every branch are charged As also the Schools and Ecclesiastical Promotions in their gifts digested in Books at the Hall. The other branches of the Company 's Revenue together with the several Charities and Uses wherewith as well Sir Henry Keble Sir William Laxton and Mr. Bilsdon's as also every other branch thereof are charged as also the several Schools and Ecclesiastical Promotions in the Company 's disposition and under their Government and Inspection I have digested into an orderly Method as most proper there to be seen in Books for that purpose provided at the Hall. Thus this Company long flourished both before and after that time with many Eminent and Worthy Members who became very liberal Benefactors and had so great a share all along in the Senators of this famous City Had always an Alderman their Master Intrusted with many Charities which they faithfully discharged 〈◊〉 the Fire Consumed their Revenue that they never wanted an Alderman of their Members yearly to succeed Master-Warden of this Company and so faithfully did they acquit themselves of those Charities they were intrusted withal that it gave them the greatest Reputation of any Company in London Insomuch that many well-disposed Persons did covet to make this Corporation as it were the Corban of their Charities which in process of time became their Snare as in this Discourse will immediately appear wherein I shall endeavour by giving a true account of the Nature of those Charities to remove the reproach that hath been cast on this Company as if they had mis-imployed them and make it plainly appear that the Company of Grocers have in the Judgment of every impartial Man who shall well weigh their Circumstances from the first to the last acquitted themselves in all the Trust and Affairs of this Company as becomes Worthy Citizens and beyond what the worst of their Detractors might have justly expected from them especially considering how small a part of their yearly Revenue remained to the Company when the Yearly Payments issuing thereout pursuant to the Disposition of the Donors are deducted MOST part of all the Land and Houses Though charged with nigh the value and so rather charge than benefit to them given to the Grocers Company were by the Donors charged with yearly Charities issuing thereout to certain Uses by them limited and appointed well nigh amounting to as much as the Rent reserved upon long Leases in being and Let before they contracted any of their Debts as is hereafter mentioned all or most part of which lay in the City of London and the same Leases many of them were nigh expiring about the time of the late dreadful Fire Those other Charities which were Summs of Money In regard many of them were Summs of Money left them to pay yearly Charities given by several Benefactors unto this Company there to remain as a Fund who charged this Company on that account with yearly payments to certain Parishes Places and Uses well nigh as much as the full Interest thereof amounted to or very small advantage to the Company over and above the same so that the Company were necessitated to dispose of those Summs of Money at Interest on the best Securities they could get Which being put out on Securities many proved bad to enable them to make good those yearly Charities many of which Securities might in all probability become very backwards in payment and sometimes quite Desperate so that the Company having daily Money pressed upon them were inforced to accept the same at Interest and thereout continued constant payment of those yearly Summs and also to accommodate Young Men of their Members with Money on Security to set up pursuant to the Wills of several Donors of that kind whereof they had not a few Benefactors so that in time by occasion of many Losses and Casualties of this Nature And so loss accrewed to them it cannot be imagined but the Company must sustain much damage notwithstanding all their Care and Endeavours though they were not in the least sensible thereof till they had long after under greater pressure tryed their Securities their Credit being very High and
compleated And it is a clear augmentation and the best branch of the Revenue and was the only means to remove the reproach incourage Freemen and Apprentices and Benefactors is in it self of far greater value than all the other part of the Company 's Revenue over and above the Charities issuing thereout and that those several Summs so subscribed were thus freely given by several Worthy Members on purpose for this great Work that it might incourage the whole Members freely and liberally to contribute towards the residue of this Work and the Debts To which end I have to the best of my Capacity That it might Move every good member to contribute towards their Debts and Charities this Book is composed for their Information and Incouragement composed these Sheets for their Information and Encouragement to follow so good Examples that so great and good a Work wherein so many Thousands are and may be concerned may be chearfully carried on and they may all as Fellow-helpers have the honour to be recorded amongst the Generations to come The happy Repairers and Restorers of the Company of Grocers THis is a Work wherein those that are most Zealous shall be most Illustrious The worst as well as best if Men esteemed it their chief Honour to derive their Pedigree from such a Benefactor and is that alone which will abide the Scrutiny of the most Malicious and Censorious in all Changes and is a root from which the most Avaricious and Luxurious as well as the Ambitious after many Generations will esteem it the Chief Honour of their Family to derive their Pedigree 'T is founded in Obedience to a Divine Command and anchor'd on such infallible Promises as will render the sincere Donors impregnable against all the Malice and Designs of our Common Enemies who with equal Subtilty and Malice to divide and destroy have of late years Characterized the two extremes in each Corporation by the distinction of Whig and Tory and though with no less Malice they endeavoured to blemish Moderation with the squint-eyed Invective of Trimming yet they could never grass their Poison on the Sacred Stock of Pious and well-intended Charity and Good Works May the Author of Peace and Lover of Concord awaken every Member of this and all other Societies to reflect on what is past and to consider seriously the sad Effects of our late Heats and Animosities and the sufferings of many innocent Objects of Charity occasioned thereby so as to lay aside all prejudice towards one another for the future and after the Example and in obedience to the Command of our Blessed Redeemer to forgive and forget in the exercise of Charity and Tenderness as Members of one Christian Body and Brethren of one Society striving to excell each other in doing good and promoting the Honour and Happiness of their Fellowship And that the Members of this Company may with Harmony of Hearts and Voice at their Anniversary Feasts sitting at Meat in our Great Hall with a calm temper of Mind and chearful Countenance read what I have placed in their view as a motive thereto in a little Table over the Musick-Room at the lower end of the Hall thus Written Psal 134. Blest Day Might I but live to see The Tribes like Brethren all agree Like Brethren striving Who shall the Best Members be POSTSCRIPT THE Company of Grocers at the time when the Quo Warranto was brought against them Anno 1684. were of all Companies in London under the most irregular Government as to By-Laws and Ordinances The Company when the Quo Warranto was brought was very defective as to By-Laws and Ordinances having none made that are extant since King Henry the Eighth's time and those though fitted to the Distempers of that time were most obsolete and out of use now which might have proved fatal had not the Company had a Quietus by their late Charter wherein by aid of our late Master the Earl of Mulgrave are several Privileges granted this Company First a Confirmation of a Charter granted to this Company by King Henry the Sixth of the Office of Garbling in all places in England London only excepted Secondly The Mystery of Grocers is explained and all Druggists Confectioners Tobacconists and Tobacco-Cutters in London and three Miles compass are Incorporated herein and never to be separated from this Company to warrant their Actions and Proceeding not having any extant that I could find made and legally confirmed since the time of King Henry the Eighth in whose Reign by search I found on Record in the Town-Clerk's Office many suited to the Distempers and Nature of the Mystery of the Grocery in those days but having taken Copies of them nigh an hundred Sheets on perusal I found them most Obsolete and out of Use and very defective to cure or antidote the Diseases or Corruptions of the present Constitution of the Company So that the Renewing and Confirmation of our Charter proved an happy opportunity to this Company not only to have a Relaxation and Quietus of all Offences and Misprisions that might have proved fatal through defect of such Sanctions of Government which are essentially necessary to every Corporation but by the aid and favour of the Right Honourable the Earl of Mulgrave then our Master interceding with his late Majesty King Charles the Second of Blessed Memory who graciously condescended to own himself our Master our Charter was enlarged with these following advantages viz. a Confirmation of a Charter made by King Henry the Sixth granting the Office of Garbling to this Company in all places in this Kingdom the City of London only excepted which Privilege by non-usage for some years was grown almost out of knowledge to the Members until by search for other Charters I found it on Record in the Tower. By declaring the Species of the Mystery which before in the former Charters was expressed generally under the Denomination of Grocery but thereby declared to include all Druggists Confectioners Tobacconists and Tobacco-Cutters as having been branched out of and bred by Grocers there being then no Company of them or any of them Afterwards that Charter so granted upon and after this Quo Warranto with those Additional Clauses and Privileges being vacated a new Charter by advice of Sir Henry Pollixfen and other Learned Counsel was obtained independent of any surrender whereby all Persons using these Species as well as Grocers in London or within three Miles of the Liberties of the same are incorporated into this Company and never to be separated from them or otherwise incorporated with liberty given to all Persons using any part of the Mystery whether Free of any other Company or no to incorporate themselves therein not judging it reasonable to compel them as Men that have born Office in one Parish And positively enjoyning all Persons using this Mystery as Grocers Confectioners Druggists Tobacconists or Tobacco-Cutters for ever after to bind their Apprentices to Members of this