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 alwaies continued and in the Charter renewed to this Company in the 15th year of the late King Charles the first this Priviledge is Confirmed 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 But to return to the purchase of the Hall in the time of King Henry the 6th After which the Company flourished 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 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 wete 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-employed 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 Remains to the Company when the Yearly Payments Issuing thereout pursuant to the Disposition of the Donors are deducted FOR most part of all the Land and Houses given to the Grocers Company were by the Donors charged with yearly Charities issuing thereout to certain uses well nigh amounting to as much as the rent reserved upon long Leases in being 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 given by several Benefactors into this Company there to remain as a fund were charged with yearly payments issuing thereout to certain Parishes Places and Uses by the Donors 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 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 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 tried their Securities Their Credit being very high and in great Reputation But their Great Debts they Contracted as followeth Viz. ABout the year 1640 his late Majesty King Charles the first having Occasion for Money in his Exigencies and making his Condition and Desires known to this Company as well as others they did take up Money upon their Common Seal and to supply him did on Security of some of his Peers accommodate his said Majesty with 4500 l. which the unhappy War Succeeding is yet unpaid Afterwards about the year 1642 this Company in Complyance with other Corporations and indeed with the whole City were again required to raise 9000 l. for the defence of the Kingdom of Ireland and releif of the Protestants there which they likewise took up upon Security of their Common Seal which was never repaid And afterwards in the year 1643 in Compliance with other Companies they were induced to lend the City of London 4500 l. which they in like manner advanced and had the Common Seal of the City for Security thereof some small part whereof they afterwards received the residue is yet unpaid These great Loans were the only Means that brought this Company at last into such extremity Yet did they appear to be so just in their intentions amongst themselves that having so taken these great Summs of Money upon their Common Seal of several Persons at Interest they made a By-Law in their Court of Assistants to levy the same by Assessement upon themselves and their Members in case their Stock and Estate fell short to pay it And afterwards from year to year as their Creditors call'd for their Principal constantly paying the Interest as it became due they took up other Moneys which was daily offered to the Company and paid them off About the year 1661 The Company having sustained many losses and their Debts naturally every year encreasing they receiving no Interest of any to whom they themselves had so lent and despairing of the Principal and upon Audit of the Wardens Accounts finding such Prodigious Sums every year swallowed up in discharge of Interest several of the Members taking the Companies Condition into Consideration moved the Court of Assistants and a Committee was appointed to inspect the same And to consider of some way how to obviate the further encrease of the Companies Debts by discharging them Gradually But other matters intervening no progress was made therein till afterwards about the Moneth of August 1663 upon the like occasion they were reminded thereof and the Committee revived and the further Consideration resumed but having spent some time in considering which way to advance Money The fair Prospect they had of advancing Money within a few years by renewing Leases of their Estates in London to discharge the greatest part of their Debts And having Moneys daily pressed on them to supply their occasions on Security of their Common Seal they were not hasty to propose the renewing of their Leases Many of them
in some of our old Books the Word signifies Merchants that in their Merchandizing dealt for the whole of any kind But in after times the word Grocery became so extensive that it can now hardly be restrained to the certain kinds of Merchandizes they have formerly dealt in For they have been the most Universal Merchants that traded abroad And what they brought home many Artists of this Society found out ways afterwards to Change and alter the Species by mixture Confections and Compositions of simple ingredients By which means many and various ways of dealing and trading passed under the Denomination of Groceries And indeed this City and Nation do in a great measure owe the Improvement of Navigation to these Merchants originally exercising this Mystery as trading into all foreign parts From whence we have received either Spices Druggs Fruits Gums or other rich Aromatick Commodities It is well known this Company hath bred the most Eminent Merchants in this City and this Society hath been so prolifick that many other Societies have been branched out from hence as will be owned by the most worthy of them The Merchants Trading to the Levant Seas and other Societies have originally been the off-spring of this Society as appears by antient Records of Indentures of Apprentices to Members of this Company And it is not inconsistent and may be within compass of Belief That there was amongst the Romans a Society agreeable to this of the Grocers who were also Merchants trading into those Seas as may be Collected from Persius a Poet who wrote in Rome in the time of Augustus describing the various Inclinations of men in their Course of Life He instances them in these words viz. Mercibus hic Italis mutat sub sole recenti Rugosum piper pallentis Grana Cymini Sat. 5. With Merchandizing this with Care doth run Vnto the East under the rising Sun To fetch rough Pepper and pale Cummin Seeds For Roman Wares c. Where Pepper being the most Royal and preservative Spice is only mentioned by way of Eminency for all the rest And so we may well conclude that this was the Reason why the Society of the Grocers whose Original first here exercised may modestly be supposed to spring from the Romans were long before they were Incorporated distinguished by the name of Pepperers although they traded before in all other the former Merchandizes as well as that It is impossible to give any other Accompt of the Original of this Society here in this City so long at first exercised under the Denomination of Pepperers For that the City of London it self at first under the Britains and successively after under the Romans and Saxons and at last was over-run by the Danes No History now remains to give a certain Account of the first Methods of Government therein further than what may be Collected from some late Writers of our own now extant who have transmitted to us what they could then discover by their Enquiry and Search in Antiquity whereby we may plainly understand that the first Model of Government setled in this City was from the Example of Rome it self as Mr. Stow instances in the very words of an ancient writer who wrote in the Reign of King Stephen viz. This City saith he even as Rome is divided into Wards it hath yearly Sheriffs instead of Consuls it hath the Dignity of Senators it hath under Officers and according to the Qualities of Laws it hath several Courts and general Assemblies upon appointed dayes And their Chief Ministers of Law were stiled Portgraves which is the same as Sheriff long before they went under the name of Sheriff Soon after the City obtained their Chief Magistrate to be under the Denomination of Mayor which was about the first year of King Richard the first And the first man we find advanced to that Dignity was Henry Fitz-Alwin who continued therein 24 years successively And afterwards for many years the Cheif Magistrate was sometimes stiled Custos and sometimes Mayor And soon after to wit in the 17th year of King Henry the third it appears Andrew Bokerell a Pepperer was Chosen Mayor and so eminent were the Pepperers in this Infancy of the Mayoralty that before the 36 year of that Kings Reign a Pepperer had the Chair 9 several years and very frequently afterwards we find the Pepperers advanced to that Dignity Which Society of the Pepperers encreasing and spreading so Universal in Merchandizing that it appears they were distinguished as well by the name of Grocers being a more comprehensive name as Pepperers Insomuch that before they were incorporated by the Name of Grocers to wit in the 3d. year of King Edward the 3d 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 3d. in the 20th year of his Reign Anno Dom. 1345 which appears to be long before the Mercers were Incorporated 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 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 more Eclipse the Grocers 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 7th year of King Henry the 6th and they then made a Body Politique by the name of Custodes Communitas Mysterij Grocerij Londini The Wardens and Commonalty of the Mystery of the Grocery of London And in the beginning of that Kings Reign they purchased the ground where the Grocers Hall now stands with the ground belonging to it of Walter Lord Fitz-water bounding the same between the Old-Jury and VValbrook And so Considerable in the City were the Grocers long before that time that they were the only men intrusted with the management of the King's Beam peculiar to them as principally using the same and had the naming of the Weighmaster and the naming placing removing and governing of the four Porters all to be Elected out of their own Company a priviledge allowed them as their undoubted and inseperate right as antient as that Office it self used in the City and now at this day upon Settlement and Improvement thereof may become of much more advantage to the Members of this Company Also amongst other Priviledges and antient Usages of this Company I find Recorded even as high as Edward the 4th's daies this Company had Power of inspection and Correction
THE CASE Of the COMPANY of GROCERS STATED And their Condition in their Present Circumstances Truly Represented Together with a short Accompt of their ORIGINAL How Eminent they have been in this CITY And also of some of their Antient PRIVILEDGES and USAGES Designed for INFORMATION and SATISFACTION of the MEMBERS And VINDICATION of the COMPANY LONDON Printed for the Company of Grocers An. Dom. 1â—â—â— TO The Right HONOURABLE Right WORSHIPFUL and the rest of the Worthy MEMBERS of the SOCIETY of the MISTERY of GROCERY LONDON William Ravenhill their Clerk humbly offers and prayes their Acceptance and perusal of these following Papers As a Testimony of his Hearty Desires and Sincere Endeavours to Vindicate the Reputation and improve the Interest of this Society AS soon as by the good Providence of God I obtained the favour and had the Happiness to be Chosen your Clerk I resolved with my utmost Diligence to pursue and perform my Duty in this place and thereby gratefully answer the expectation of my Friends who promoted by Election and also lay hold of so fair an opportunity to ingratiate my self into the Favour and Esteem of Good Men Being Convinced that if I should neglect my Duty it would render my Follies and Ingratitude more conspicuous to the World Therefore that I might in doing the one avoid the other I endeavoured in the first place to inform my self of the true State and Condition of the Company upon Inquest whereof I found it plain and manifest That for want of Knowledge of the Truth therâ—of not only many Worthy Benefactors with-held their Assistance towards discharge of their Debts and Charities But also many Reproaches and Reflections were cast upon this Society Both from Strangers with whom they have been no way concerned And also their Creditors who rendred them obnoxions in Courts of Law and Equity And before the Commissioners for Charitable Vses As if they had been a Company that possessed a great Revenue sufficient to pay all their Debts Yet were so averse from doing that that they wasted and Consumed their Estate in Feasting themselves refusing to pay unless they were Compell'd by Chargeable Suits which not only aggravated their Creditors but alienated the Affections of many good Persons As well Members as others and caused many Chargeable Suits and Vexatious Prosecutions against them Notwithstanding the Care and Endeavours of some Worthy and Good Members who used all possible means to avoid the same For I cannot deny but that so long as I was ignorant of the Truth of their Case though I was an unworthy Member Yet I was perswaded to believe many things reported of the Grocers which I now find to be far otherwise Therefore I made it my great design to acquaint my self with all their Affairs and past transactions that I might be able to make a true representation of the Companies Condition as to all Substantial matters Both what it was before they Contracted their Debts and how they became indebted what they have already done towards it and what means and methods they may best use and prosecute to discharge themselves to the end those great Reproaches and Prejudices which through mis-apprehensions and false Reports have been cast on this Company may be removed And every true hearted Member that bears a Christian respect to the Pious Memory of our Ancestors who were Worthy Benefactors and would in discharge of his Duty Commend himself after their Example to Posterity may willingly and chearfully lay to his helping hand And as a further Testimony of my hearty desires to serve the Members having so briefly stated the Companies Case I shall endeavour to give you a short Account of the Antiquity and first Creation and Continuance of the Grocers as far and clear as I can make Conjecture or have received any probable Account As to that part of my Duty which relates to the Regulating and Digesting the Companies Books into an orderly Method as also their Evidences to clear their Titles to their several Rents Lands and Houses and the several Schools under their Government And also the several Ecclesiastical Livings in the disposition of this Society with the names of their Founders and how they became Vested in their Right And also other Priviledges peculiar to this Society I have already made such Progress and doubt not speedily to Compleat it so as it may appear obvious and plain to be understood by every individual Member Of which it will not be proper here to give an Account But I refer to the Books and Records themselves more fit to be inspected at this Hall by such as have right to know them than to be exposed to view of others whom it no way Concerns The COMPANIES CASE briefly stated MOst part of the said Companies Revenues is charged with yearly Charities to several Parishes Places and Uses amounting to near the yearly profits they receive Most part whereof consisted of Houses in London which were all consumed by the late dreadful Fire when they expected to have advanced great Sums of Money by way of Fine on Renewing of Leases towards payment of their Debts They had also heretofore many and great Sums of Money paid into their hands as a Fund for the Uses following viz. To pay yearly Sums in Coals Faggots and Money to several Parishes and Wards about London and elsewhere To several Prisons for Redemption and Release of Prisoners To the poor Members of the Company To be lent to Young Men that had served their Times to Members of this Company on Security with little or no Interest to set up and to be returned again To buy Impropriations for maintenance of Ministers where Livings are small And To maintain several Schools and Alms-Houses They complyed punctually with all their Trusts continuing in very great Credit and Reputation until the sad effects of War and Fire rendred them uncapable to discharge their yearly Charities where they have no fund left And The remaining part of their great Debts which they Contracted as followeth viz. Anno 1640. To Accommodate the late King in his Exigencies on Security of some of his Peers 4500 l. Anno 1642. To Subdue the Rebellion in Ireland and Relieve the Protestants there 9000 l. Anno 1643. To lend the City for which they had their Seal 4500 All which they took up on their Common Seal nor were Singular therein but necessitated thereto in complyance with all other Companies and indeed with the whole City Upon their taking up this Money they made a By-Law to levy the same on themselves if their Stock fell short and so they continued payment of their Interest And as one Creditor called for his Money in they took up of others and paid them off Depending upon getting in their said Principal All which failed them till at last their sole hope was of advancing Money by Renewing of Leases Many whereof were nigh expired But the Fire in 1666 Consumed their whole Revenue in London They having already paid