Anno 1666. at his own proper charge erect out of its ashes the fair Pile of Building now the great Parlour and entertaining-Room over it and again was chosen and held Master-Warden Annis 1685 / 6. And also in kindness to the Company Annis 1686 / 7. was Assistant and Locum Tenens to the Right Honourable their then Master-Warden And this present year 1688. in their greatest Exigence when others whose turn it was declined them consented to be chosen the fourth time their Master-Warden Under whose happy conduct the Company 's Revenue hath been settled as a most righteous Sanction to secure the due payment of their yearly Charities And the Members now restored to act in their several Capacities according to their Seniority and Merit in order compleat the Company 's Deliverance SIR JOHN MOORE Knight and Alderman and late Lord Mayor a Member of this Company at his own charge repaired and beautifyed the Body of this Hall Annis 1680 / 81. whose leading Example therein gave such encouragement to other Worthy Members liberally to contribute towards enlarging and compleating it with additional Building so as to make it the most Commodious Seat for the Chief Magistrate in this City in grateful acknowledgement of whose kindness the Company afterwards caused his Picture and this Inscription as a Memorial thereof to be here set up This HALL BEing situate in the centre of the City was designed and adapted for the Seat of the Chief Magistrate at the expence of 4800 l. in new Building and accommodations added to the Body of the Hall Kitchen and Sir John Cutler's Building on this Confidence that as it is every way the most Commodious Place for that Publick Use and would yearly save the Lord Mayor so great and unavoidable Charge elsewhere so it should be considered accordingly and in some proportion augment the yearly Revenue of the Company for support and discharge of their yearly Charities and other incident charge of Repairs and Duties c. Annis 1679 and 1680. Sir James Edwards Alderman and late Lord Mayor Master-Wardens John Beale Warden Thomas Bourne Warden William Buckeridge Warden Annis 1680 and 1681. Sir Henry Tulse Alderman and afterwards Lord Mayor Master-Wardens Ralph Box Warden William Winch Warden Roger Reeve Warden Justice and Charity Revived IN a most Righteous and Voluntary Settlement of the whole Revenue of the Company of Grocers by Inquisition Decree and Coveyance in Trustees for ever to secure the due payment of the yearly Charities appointed by their Donors and Benefactors Annis Domini 1686 1687. The Right Honourable Sir Thomas Chicheley by Sir John Cutler Knight and Baronet and Sir John Moore Knight Master-Wardens William Hart Warden Thomas Horton Warden Edward Sheerwood Warden Annis Domini 1687 1688. Ralph Box Esq Master-Wardens John Banks Warden Stephen Coleman Warden Jonadab Balaam Warden Edward Underhill Esq Alderman Master-Wardens John Banks continued Warden Robert Knight Warden Francis Lasco Warden Thomas Short formerly Warden assisting therein Samuel Brewster formerly Warden assisting therein All Glory be to GOD. There are several other Charities wherewith the growing Revenue of the Grocers will be chargeable appointed by pious and well disposed Persons who in like manner left several Summs of Money which were laid out in improving the Company 's Lands by Building and consumed by the same unhappy Fate particularly FOR support and relief of decayed Members and their sickly Families as also for their Widows and Children in like distress For augmentation of maintenance for Godly Ministers where Livings are small For encouragement and advancement of Maid-Servants in Marriage who have faithfully served Members for a certain number of years And for defraying the charge of sober Anniversary Festivals in moderate Entertainment of the Members to maintain and encrease mutual Friendship and Christian Conversation in the Fraternity as well in Ease as for Encouragement of the Members who should successively happen to be Stewards whose Burthen is in the mean time made light by the present Ordinances whereby all other charge of Members is also made very easie to the end the Stewards and Members who are to contribute towards the charge may be as merry themselves as their Guests at those Festivals All which are faithfully recorded to take place and be discharged out of the yearly Revenue of the Company which will be very great upon expiring Leases all decreed and settled so as to be improved to the utmost to answer those great Trusts so reposed in the Members at the Helm as being first so well designed by the Donors and now again made Sacred for such uses And let Anathema be pronounced by every Faithful Member against every one and who can be now ignorant that is concerned as a Trustee that shall knowingly attempt or endeavour to alien take away to themselves or again misapply the same And may the great Pilot of Hearts quicken and incline many others to whom God hath lent large Talents from the Example of those worthy Benefactors whose Names are now here revived with a sweet smelling savour when their Bodies have so long peaceably slept in the dust to build on their Foundation in chearfully contributing towards the support and relief of such numerous Objects of each kind as the present Age affords in whom the voice of God calls aloud for it till such help shall arise from the Holy Seed here sown for a better supply in a future Harvest from thence There would need no motive to this Sacred Duty would Men consider that they are no Proprietors but Stewards in Trust of all they have for which as well as for what they leave of it to Posterity without such allowance as is here spoken of they shall most assuredly render a strict Account And therefore the best and surest way to entail a Blessing on their Children and Posterity in what they leave them when they die on like Trust to improve for the good of others for the property can never be altered is by thus taking care and liberally providing for the miserable and helpless Members of their Masters great Family And certainly had many Men especially such as made profession of Religion in their life-time foreseen how soon a Vicious Consumption hath been made by their Children or Successors of all they left them for want of a better insurance of it by thus disposing some considerable part of their Lord's Estate according to his own Will they would if it were to doe again most willingly have disposed of more to such uses as these And therefore I hope such as are convinced of this Truth and have been Eye-Witnesses of such sad effects in others will begin in their life-time and prevent the fraud or negligence besides other contingencies attending their Executors in disposition of their Charities when they are dead for when their own Eyes are Overseers of such God-like disposition they may sweetly taste that Peace and Comfort in their own Bosoms whilst they live which the World cannot give and persevering
incorporates the whole in London and within three Miles into one Body to answer the Original End and Design of their Corporation and to prevent a Spurious Mixture the Cause of all Abuse and Disorder in every Mystery by putting in Execution the By-Laws and Ordinances made and provided pursuant thereto for well-governing and regulating their Members and Mystery which By-Laws and Ordinances are now examined and approved of as the Law directs by the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners for the Custody of the Great Seal and the Lord Chief Justice of either Bench Sir John Holt and Sir Henry Pollexfen to oblige all Persons using their Mystery as Grocers Confectioners Druggists Tobacconists or Tobacco-Cutters in London and three Miles distant as being so incorporate and declared a part of their Mystery to a compliance therewith in order to support their Charities and to preserve a Succession of Members in the Company THE COMPANY' 's CASE Briefly Stated MOST part of the said Company 's Revenue is charged with yearly Charities to several Parishes Places and Vses 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 Summs of Money by way of Fines on renewing of Leases towards Payment of their Debts They had also heretofore many and great Summs of Money paid into their Hands as a Fund for the Vses following viz. To pay yearly Summs 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 their 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 Charles the First in his Exigencies on Security of some of his Peers 4500 l. Anno 1642. To Subdue the Rebellion in Ireland and Relieve his said late Majesty's Protestant Subjects there in distress 9000 l. Anno 1643. They were compelled to lend the City for which they had their Common Seal 4500 l. All which they took up on the Company 's Seal nor were singular therein but necessitated thereto in compliance with all other Companies and indeed with the whole City Vpon 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 for Interest of Money between 1640. and 1666. 30000 l. As their Debts exceeded any other Companies so their loss herein was exceeding great so that now they were uncapable any longer to pay Debts or Charities They applied themselves to the Parliament then sitting on their said By-Law but were rejected as binding to no more than were Parties to it most of whom were dead They had then no means to raise Money but by letting their Ground to Builders for Fines on long Leases great part whereof they were compelled to by decree of the Judges at Clifford's-Inn And by voluntary Subscriptions both which were set on foot soon after the Fire and to encourage Subscriptions Sir John Cutler erected the first Building in the Garden They raised considerable Summs and propounded to pay their Creditors their Principal part thereof down and the rest at two Payments And after many Meetings most of their Creditors inclined to accept of such Proposals finding how it must be advanced but some of their Members being backward and some Creditors ill advised Sued the Company and seized their Hall in Ruines which put a stop to all though those Creditors themselves repent this afterwards loosing their Charges and glad to comply on lower terms than at first offered Afterwards the Company raise Money what they could of kind Members themselves and take up the residue on the Assignment of the Sequestration and Conveyance of all their Estate to pay off the Creditors that Sequestred and some other remaining proportions to Creditors who had not yet received any And to supply what was wanting they let their Land in Ireland on Fine sinking their Rent to 10 l. per Annum But the Hall continuing in Ruines the Company was thereby rendred reproachful The Apprentices bound at other Halls and turned over The Freemen take their Freedoms of other Companies And all Benefactors decline as despairing of any good to Posterity So that the Members every year dying and failing and many removing into the Country and none to succeed in their Places It must needs follow that the Company in few years must dissolve for want of a Succession of Members which would most reproachfully have rendred the Members then living who were numerous and equal if not more eminent than any other Company not only most ungrateful to their Predecessors who have been so liberal Benefactors and have left such Grounds though the Buildings were so consumed by Fire yet now built on gives a great hope to Posterity but also obnoxious to Posterity The consideration whereof alone moved Sir John Moore another Worthy Member then next in course to succeed in the Chair to repair the Body of the Hall and also Sir James Edwards and other kind Members to enlarge it with Commodious Buildings for the Seat of a Chief Magistrate that it might not only encourage the Freemen Apprentices and Benefactors to preserve the Company a Nursery of Charity and Seminary of good Citizens but also answer the Charge of the Building in improving the yearly Revenue of the Company and is indeed if rightly considered in the Company 's present Circumstances of greater advantage to the Company than any one thing that hath been done for them For I. It hath much incouraged the Apprentices and Freemen so that whereas there used to be bound one two or three Apprentices in a Month and one or two made free before and those but poor Artificers they encreased afterwards to a far greater Number as well of Freemen as Apprentices and many of them of good Quality II. It hath given great satisfaction to several Eminent Members who have declared themselves very inclinable to contribute largly towards discharge of the Company
's Debts and Charities if they see but any Encouragement from the rest of the Members III. This Building though it amounts to much more than what it was at first designed yet a great part thereof hath been freely laid down on purpose for this work and whatever is farther laid down towards it which it is hoped the whole will be raised by kind Members to answer these good ends would never have been so given but for this very purpose And that the Building and Beautifying the Hall may not be a bait to Creditors again to seize it so again to discourage the Members The Hall and the Company 's Revenue is by advice of Counsel settled by Conveyance and Decree I. Subject to secure the Money so taken up to discharge the Sequestrations c. And when those and what Monies they should be so necessitated to take up to compleat the Buildings shall be discharged II. Then to secure so far as the same will extend the yearly Charities wherewith the Company is chargeable by many Benefactors who so heretofore left Money in their Hands as a Fund to secure the same no part whereof now remains as being a trust they are liable in the first place as a Duty incumbent on them both to avoid a Curse and in order to obtain a Blessing from God upon their Endeavours and also to avoid prosecution of the Commissioners upon the Statute for Charitable Vses who have yearly put the Company to vast expences already upon that Account And these things having been made known to their Creditors who were also convinced by the ill success of others how vain and fruitless it would be to put themselves and the Company to trouble and charge whereby they might hazard the loss of their Debts but not in the least better secure them the Company have been not only free from Suits and Prosecutions which they were not at any time before since their troubles began but also the Wardens and Assistants have been in a great measure freed from those daily Clamours which disturbed them in the Company 's Service And now so fair an opportunity being offered to deliver the Company and to give Encouragement to Benefactors it is hoped there is no Member but will chearfully embrace it whereby they shall not only draw others on by their Example to preserve this Society still a Nursery of Charity and Seminary of good Citizens but also encourage Benefactors for the future some in their Lives and others at their Death liberally to extend their Kindness towards this Company and without all doubt such works as these are acceptable to God in times of greatest Trouble and Danger and such Benefactors may hope on no less Security than God's own Word for Ease and Comfort on a Sick Bed and Deliverence in time of Trouble And moreover their Creditors being now made sensible of the Truth of the Company 's Condition are inclined to comply with any reasonable Proposals shall be made by any on the Company 's behalf and as some have already done others are willing and ready to embrace such Terms as may be agreeable to the Company 's Condition in their present Circumstances for their Satisfaction I have thus abstracted the Company 's Case in these four Pages To the end all Persons concerned whether Members Creditors or Benefactors whose time will not permit them to read the following Sheets may be more readily informed upon all Occasions of the Truth of their Condition And for their ease who shall desire farther Satisfaction in any particular I have added marginal Notes in the following Pages for their Direction And now having at last by God's assistance and with unwearied industry accomplished my design and having also traced their Revenue to the Original Donors and Purchasers I did by order of the Assistants prepare and cause the several following Tables to be set up in their Hall which I have here inserted as a Monument more lasting to the end the Names of their Friends and Benefactors from whom they have received All may be kept in Memory that the Generations to come as well as the present Age may not only bless God for such a Foundation but be quicken'd from their Example to build and enlarge thereupon that their Names may in like manner survive in the blossom of a sweet smelling savour when their Bodies are turned to dust The several Tables c. THE Right Honourable Charles Earl of Dorset and Middlesex Lord Chambelain of his Maiesty's Houshold a Faithful Friend and Patron of this Society admitted into this Fraternity October the 22d 1689. Our most Gracious Sovereign Lord King William having been first chosen the same day their Sovereign Master WILLIAM the III. King of England c. by his Majesty's Royal Permission was on the 22d day of October in the First Year of their Majesty's Reign chosen c. Sovereign Master of this Company graciously accepting the Instrument of such his Majesty's Election and Freedom in a Gold Box. Soon after which the Ordinances for well-governing and regulating the Members and Mystery of the Grocery were examined and likewise approved of as the Law directs by the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners for the Custody of the Great Seal and the Lords Chief Justices of either Bench. Wardens Sir Ralph Box Kt. John Butterfield Richard Peirce Francis Chamberlaine CHARLES the II. late King of England c. and Sovereign Master of this Company was graciously pleased by Special Warrant under his Sign Manual to ascertain the several Branches of the Mystery of the Grocery declaring Druggists Confectioners Tobacconists and Tobacco-Cutters as all springing from it to be a part of the Mystery and pursuant thereto they were afterwards by Charter under the Great Seal duely Incorporated and made one Body with the Grocers never to be separated to preserve a Succession of Members in this Company THE Right Honourable John Earl of Mulgrave one of the Lords of the Bed-Chamber to King Charles the Second and after that Lord Chamberlain c. having taken his Freedom of this Company was most affectionately assisting to procure the Species of the Mystery explained and settled in order to preserve a Succession of Members in this Society THE Site of this Hall and Garden with the Ground whereon Sir Robert Clayton's Dwelling-House stands was formerly the Mansion-House and Inheritance of the Right Honourable the Lord Fitzwater of whom the Company purchased the same in the Reign of King Henry the Sixth and soon after built their Hall thereon for both which they borrowed great Summs of Money And afterwards in their languishing Condition Sir Henry Keble Kt. and Alderman some time Lord Mayor lent them Money on Security of their Hall and Revenue to clear their Debts And by his last Will and Testament dated in the sixth Year of King Henry the Eighth freely gave all back to the Company for ever to support their Charities SIR William Laxton Kt. and Alderman also some time Lord Mayor by
Mystery and for encouragement of all who observe their Duty And also for punishment of all Transgressors and so to encourage our Benefactors that this Company be restored as it was 100 years since a Nursery of Charities and Seminary of good Citizens Our By-Laws by most learned Counsel are settled and again perused examined and approved of as the Law directs in the First Year of the Reign of our now Sovereign Lord and Lady King William and Queen Mary by the Right Honourable the Lords Commssioners for Custody of the Great Seal and the two Lord Chief Justices Sir John Holt and Sir Henry Pollixfen pursuant to our late Charter so enlarged whereby our ancient Usages and Privileges for well Governing and Ordering our Members and Mystery are in every kind regulated augmented and supplyed with addition of new suited to all our defects which will without doubt encourage our Benefactors liberally to contribute towards discharge of the Remainder of our Company 's Debts so that there cannot be a better foundation laid to raise and restore our Company as it was 100 years since a Seminary of good Citizens and Nursery of the best Charities in London and so consequently no Apprentice can well or probably may hope to be planted in a better Corporation in order to his future advantage And that this Company may no longer suffer either by not observing or transgressing them the Heads of such as concern all using the Mystery in London and the Precincts aforesaid will be Printed and Published that all may have notice to Conform thereunto And to the end that all Persons concerned using this Mystery either as Grocer Druggist Confectioner Tobacconist or Tobacco-Cutter in London and within three Miles of the Liberties thereof may have notice thereof and give due Obedience and Conformity to what hath been so designed by the said Charter By-Laws and ancient Usages and this Company suffer no longer by their Defaults either in not observing or transgressing the same the Heads thereof will in short time be Printed and Published and left at their several Dwellings and places of abode for their Caution and better Information And certainly all this considered it cannot be doubted but every Member of this Company will call to mind the great obligation he lies under if he will mind his Oath either as a good Christian or an honest Man in and by all things according to his Power on all opportunities not only to publish and make known unto all Persons concerned what is so required of them but will also move and excite them by the best Arguments and Ways they can speedily to comply with their duty herein and so avoid the Penalties and Charges they will otherwise expose themselves to in a chargeable way and be compelled at last to yield Obedience and Conformity thereunto THE CONCLUSION In a few Motives to Good Works as the very Life and Soul of Religion and the best Evidence of a sincere Christian The Conclusion by Address HAving thus stated the condition of the Company as it long flourished in Splendor and gradually through various Providences and the sad Effects of War and Fire how it groaned of late under so great pressure in its sadder Circumstances And having set before you the happy encouragement already now given and the Methods propounded again to raise and restore this Company to its former splendor Most humbly moving to the great Work of Charity I now tu n to the Honourable and Worthy Members of whom it consists And you my noble and good Masters under whom I hold my Station in this place I most humbly pray you of your wonted Benignity to bear with my Zeal and Freedom and the boldness I assume most humbly to move you to set to your helping hands in this Work so excellent and acceptable to God and every good Man. And pressed with a five-fâ—ld Argument drawn from the nature of this great Duty From example of their Pious Ancestors 1. By remembring you of those eminent good Charities for which those Worthy Members who went before you in former times and are to this day celebrated and have left us such grounds as being now built gives us the prospect of a great Revenue when the Leases are out which though far distant are and will be every year like useful Timber a more growing hope to Posterity Whose Foundation they have to build in 2. That you would not only think it enough to praise them but be provoked by a generous Emulation to follow their Example liberally and bountifully to afford your Assistence not only to secure but also to increase this growing hope that our Burthen and Reproach being removed our Benefactors may be encouraged and this Society still preserved a Seminary of good Merchants and as a Treasury of Charity that so the succeeding Generations may Bless and Honour you as much as you do those Worthy Members in former times when your Names shall be recorded as Raisers and Restorers of the Company of Grocers 3. That what you doe you would doe speedily whereby you will draw on others that need quickening and encouragement by your Example and in so doing you will not only have the Comfort of what you doe your selves but be the happy Promoters in others of what the Company will have cause to bless God and give you thanks for 4. That you will consider how great a deliverance you had to escape the late dreadful Fire with your lives and how Gracious God hath been to you still to entrust you with his Talents for improvement as Stewards in his Work And that this Company which suffered so much in that Calamity hath no other Hands but yours to repair her breaches 5. That you can have no such true comfort in the World on a Sick Bed or in any other Calamity as to be conscious of doing good Works of this Nature when as faithful Stewards of that which is not consigned to you into Property but into Trust you have as Good and Faithful Servants but well disposed of a Parcel of your great Lord's Estate according to his own Will. And for your encouragement this is a Work most acceptable to God and inviting to every good Man the Redemption Relief and Support of the most Ancient and Illustrious Corporation in this Metropolis with all her numerous Offspring the Aged the Widow and the Fatherless the Blind the Lame and the Impotent all that God who is Wisdom and Goodness himself commends after his own example to your Charity and as capable of Alms with most extensive Blessings Encouraging it Promises of Rewards and to be neglected under the most severe Threatnings and Punishments And farther this your kindness will not perish as a Meals-Meat As an Object most acceptable to God and inviting to every Good Man. or a draught of cold Water though that has encouragement a Man would think that will give credit to our Saviour himself but this your Charity will be as a lasting Seed laid on the purest Foundation of those Holy and Good Men who were our Pious Founders and whose Names after so many hundred years smell sweet and blossom in the dust and are now Blessed with God receiving the Recompense of their Reward whilst their Works follow them and praise them in the Gates so that what you shall here bestow will be to open and feed those Fountains as their lasting and refreshing Comforts and Relief For though Good Works in themselves as flowing back to the Fountain from whence they spring can be no way meritorious yet they have been always so acceptable to God And not only as the best means to secure what they shall leave to their Children and Posterity which without this usually is sooner by them spent than got by their Parents but will for ever remain that we find in every Age Estates and Honour continue longest in the Name and Family of such as have been most diffusive in Works of this Nature that if it were modest to render a reason why so many great Estates are sooner wasted by a loose Heir than gotten by his frugal Parent it may be well presumed it is because so little of it was bestowed to such uses when Men return so little to God to whom they owe all they have and most assuredly no Article in your Account at the great Audit will be sooner allowed to * This to be understood in the Apostle's sence not otherwise cover many other Errors than what is thus disposed And now as Spice is a great Ingredient in this Mystery and is a part of your Arms so I pray consider how Alms in Scripture are called an Odor of a sweet-smelling Savour A sweet Perfume in the Nostrils of Men. And an Odor of a sweet-smelling Savour to God. and it is these Perfumes that will prove acceptable to God and have a good Savour amongst Men. So I conclude with my Prayers to Almighty God to incline all your Hearts according to your several Degrees and Qualities in this great Work to acquit your selves as good Men and as good Citizens and Grocers and that I may be happy in discharge of my Duty which alone moved me to make this my humble Address to you all and shall be my endeavours to perform FINIS
his last Will and Testament dated the 17th Day of July 1556. gave for ever to this Company all his Lands and Tenements in Canning-Street and the several Lanes adjacent whereon are now erected many fair Dwelling-Houses by the Lessees after the late dreadful Fire To maintain a School-Master and Vsher and seven Alms-men and a Woman to attend them at Gundle in Northamptonshire and the Surplusage to support their Charities The Bodies of these two Worthy Members and Benefactors were both laid in one Vault in St. Mary Aldermary Church with fair Monuments over them demolished by the said late Fire The said Sir Henry Keble at his own proper Charges built the said St. Mary Aldermary Church BENEFACTORS From whom the Company have received their Revenue designed for the Support and Relief of their poor Members and Discharge of other charitable Vses BENEFACTORS Who gave the Company Summs of Money to purchase Lands and Tenements which with much more they laid out in improving the Lands and Tenements so given by other Benefactors that the same might also answer the yearly Charities appointed by those Donors of such Moneys The DONORS Names and the Streets and Places where their Lands and Tenements so given are situate Sir Henry Keble Broad-Street Sir William Butler Thames-Street Mincing Lane. John Maldon Botolph-Lane Thomas Gore Grace Church-Street Lombard-Street John Billesdon Cornhil Sir William Laxton Canning-Street Bush-Lane Abchurch-Lane St. Nicholas-Lane Eastcheap Sherborn Lane. St. Swithins Lane. John Wardall Walbrook Thomas Knowles St. Antholins Emme Bachus Wood-Street Steyning-Lane Sir Thomas Middleton Baynerd's Castle William Robinson Grub-Street Elizabeth Burrel Cheap-Side Peter Bloundell Donning's Alley Sir John Hart Shore-Ditch Lady Anne Middleton Montgomery-Shire Cornwall  lb Lady Conway 1441 Gilbert Keate 600 William Robinson 400 Alderman Saunders 210 Francis Tyrrel 700 John Heydon 100 Edmond Turvill 1000 Robert Lambert 100 Nicholas Stiles 100 Sir John Peachy 500 Richard Haile 200 Mr. Wheatley 100 Humphry Walwyn 600 Mary Robinson 500 Total Summ 6551 The present Rents with some small Addition from the casual yearly Profits do discharge the whole yearly Charities of both kinds and the Arrears of each Branch are secured to be paid out of the first Fines on renewing Leases and other Improvement of the same And to preserve and augment their Revenue they have made provision to prevent adding to any Term whilst five Years remain in being and not to reserve less than 10 l. per Cent. per Annum of the full improved yearly Value on Demise of any part thereof Benefactors WHO gave Summs of Money to be lent to young Members of the Company on small or no Interest at the Discretion of the Wardens and Assistants wherewith the Company having charged themselves the same are now decreed to be raised out of the first Fines on renewing Leases or other Profits arising out of their Revenue above their yearly Charities immediately after the Arrears of their yearly Charities shall be discharged and for ever to be continued a Stock for these and to be applied to no other Vses whatsoever  l. s. d The Lady Slaney 100 0 0 Edmond Turvyll 100 0 0 Henry Anderson 100 0 0 John Newman 100 0 0 Gilbert Keate 50 0 0 Thomas Wheatley 50 0 0 Sir John Lyon 200 0 0 Edward Elmer 50 0 0 Thomas Farmer 100 0 0 Lettice Deane 200 0 0 Richard Lambert 100 0 0 Edward Jakeman 200 0 0 Katharine Hall 100 0 0 Roger Knott 100 0 0 John Heydon 100 0 0 Sir Thomas Ramsey 200 0 0 Peter Houghton 400 0 0 Thomas Ridge 100 0 0 John Grove 100 0 0 Gilbert Keate 50 0 0 Thomas Dawkins 20 0 0 Robert Brooke 100 0 0 Mary Robinson 200 0 0 George Holman 100 0 0 Richard-Hall 100 0 0 Thomas Westraw 100 0 0 Robert Bowyer 50 0 0 John Hudson 100 0 0 Sir Robert Nappier 100 0 0 William Pennyfather 100 0 0 Thomas Moulston 200 0 0 Stephen Abberley 250 0 0 John Mevil 100 0 0 Thomas Gamull 200 0 0 Constance Wrightman 100 0 0 Sir Edmond Wright 50 0 0 Thomas Freeman 100 0 0 William Pennyfather 233 6 8 This was not only a great Encouragement for young Men so to behave themselves during their Apprenticeship as by a good Report to recommend themselves capable of such a Favour from the Company but is a great Obligation on such of them as by God's Blessing on their Endeavours shall from small Beginnings gain ample Estates to become themselves also liberal Benefactors IN the Reign of King Henry the IV. Henry Chicheley the Eldest Brother being then Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury his two younger Brethren were both Aldermen and Members of this Company viz. Sir William the Second and Sir Robert the Third both in their turn Sheriffs and Sir Robert afterwards twice Lord Mayor who purchased the Ground whereon St. Stephen's Church in Walbrook now stands which he built at his own charge the Advowson whereof remains in the Company of Grocers to this Day which Church being consumed by the Fire Anno 1666. The Right Honourabie Sir Thomas Chicheley also a Member of this Company who descended in a right Line from the said Sir Robert late Master of the Ordnance afterwards Chancellor of the Dutchy of Lancaster and to King Charles the Second and some time to King James the Second of Their Majesties most Honourable Privy Council laid the first Stone and was a liberal Benefactor towards rebuilding thereof And being their Master Annis 1686 / 7. at his own charge built the Company a new Barge and purchased them the Tennant Right of a Barge-House in grateful remembrance whereof they have caused his Picture and this Inscription to be here set up If I were to give a Title to this following Table I humbly conceive it might be not improperly called The Insurance Office. That the Heir may not sooner prodigally waste than his Ancestor frugally got the Estate ΑΠΟΚΑΛΥΨΙΣ ιδ. ιγ. * Rev. 14.13 They rest from their Labours and their Works do follow them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ALthough Good Works or well-husbanding our Talent lent for Improvement be not Meritorious yet in the Dialect of the Apostle they are esteemed the best Evidence of Faith and Obedience and remain a surviving Testimony of a Faithful Steward when silent in his Grave And it is observable that in all Ages Honour and Estate have been most lasting in their Families who have most abounded in Works of this Nature So that if it were modest to assign the Cause why so many great Estates have been sooner wasted by a Prodigal Heir than gotten by his Frugal Parent we may with humble submission conclude it is from a defect in this great and necessary Duty so generally Crown'd with a Blessing on Posterity SIR JOHN CUTLER Knight and Baronet a Worthy Member of this Company having Fined for Sheriff and Alderman nigh forty years since was chosen and held Master-Warden Annis 1652 / 3. and did immediately after the dreadful Fire