and Market-place to be attendant at the said Hall, to receive the Premisses from time to time. Who might take for Hallage and other Charges of the said Cloths, such Rates as follow, that is to say:

Narrow Rash for Doubleting, containing 30 Yards the double Piece, for Hallage 1d.

Broad Rash for Cloaks and other Garments, containing from 20 to 25 Yards the Piece, 2d.

Borratose, wrought with Silk, containing under 20 Yards, ob.

And the double Piece above 25 Yards, 1d.

Plomits, wrought with Silk, or otherwise, the single Piece, 1d.

Carelis, containing 14 Yards a Piece, one farthing.

Worsted Hose, the dozen Pair, 2d.

Norwich Gartering, the Gross, ob.

Stowle Lace, and Penny broad Lace, the dozen Gross, 1d.

Crewel or Worsted Yarn, the dozen Pound, 1d.

Fringe, the dozen Pound weight, 1d.

And these being paid, the Officer, or his Deputy, should strike a Seal of Lead upon every particular Piece of the said Merchandize, as well in discharge of the Owner from a Re-demand thereof, as also to charge the same Officer with the Money received. This was the Sum of a Proclamation by the Lord Maior, Octob. 28. in the 18th Year of Queen Elizabeth.

After these Rates, the Hallage was worth to the City of London in half a Year after this Proclamation, (that is, from October to the end of March) after 6l. a Month, 30l. And if all had been brought into the Hall according to the said Proclamation, it would have been worth by Computation 200l. per Ann. But there soon followed a Controversy between the City of Norwich and the City of London; those of Norwich asserting, that they ought to pay no Hallage, but were as free as any Citizen of London for such Exactions. And so the Hallage came to little or nothing.

But now, as to the Prejudices accruing by these new Drapers to the Queen, and the Realm, these Murmers were made; that the Queen lost her double Customs of Wool; Cloth and Kersymaking decayed; for that these new sort of Cloths for Garments, and Yarn for Hose and otherwise, were so much used within the Realm; and that there was a Decay in the poor Englishmen's Work, Strangers being in a manner wholly employed in the working of these Cloths. But Thomas Smith the Queen's Customer, a Man skilful in these matters, being required his Judgment, shewed the Lord Treasurer Burleigh, That tho' there were some Loss by these Manufactures to the Queen in her Customs Inwards, yet it was recompenced by her Customs Outwards; and also profitable for the Commonwealth: since such numbers of those Commodities could not be wrought in the Realm by Strangers only, but that they must set on work many poor People, Natives of this Realm. And whereas it was thought, that the making these would prove the Decay of Cloths and Kersies, there were as many made then, as had been in Times past, and as much worn within the Realm as had been before time. And that it appeared by the Custom-Books, that there were as many carried out of the Realm as before.

For the making the Queen Satisfaction for the lessening of her Customs, an Imposition was propounded to be laid upon this Drapery, as was said before. But here arose a Question, Whether the Queen could lay an Imposition of this nature upon it. Wherein Sir Gilbert Gerrard, the Queen's Attorney General, gave this Answer, That he thought she might set any reasonable Imposition upon any Piece of such Drapery as should be made by any Stranger. And that for two Causes: The one was, for that all the Strangers that made such things did work here only by her Majesty's Sufferance. And therefore they were to obey such Impositions as should be laid on them; or else not to work at all. And another Cause was this, for that her Majesty did now receive some Loss and Detriment by their great Drapery of Wool: which heretofore was used to be vended out of the Realm, and now was not. And thereby her Majesty did lose her ancient Customs that were paid her for those Wools, when they were transported. Another Question put to the said Attorney General was, Whether these new Draperies were not in the Office of the Alnegers, or not. To which he answered, that he thought they were not within the Compass of any Alneger's Office by force of any Statutes heretofore made. And the Queen's Solicitor, Sir Thomas Bromely, was consulted also; and was of the same mind.

The Imposition laid upon these Cloths by the Lord Treasurer, was according to the Weight of them, after the proportion of 4d. for 64 Pound Weight of Wool, and not otherwise. And if any of them were found to be made partly of Thread-Yarn, or any other Stuff, than of Wool, the said Subsidy was to be demanded and paid according to the Weight of the Wool only, that the same Cloth did contain.

William Fitzwilliams and George Delves, Esquires, Gentlemen Pensioners to the Queen, about the Year 1578, obtained to be Collectors of this Subsidy, and Viewers and Alnegers of the said Manufacture; and had the Queens Letters Patents for seven Years, paying a certain yearly Rent to the Queen.

The Hall of the Drapers, fairly built since the great Fire, is situate in Throgmorton-street. In the great Hall hangs up an ancient Picture of Sir Henry Fitz-Alwyn, in the antique Habit of an Alderman, commonly said to be the first Lord Maior of London, and so continued 24 Years; one of this Company. In another large Room, where the Company keep their Courts, are set up the Heads of all their former eminent Members, who were Benefactors.

The present Master and Wardens are,

Edward Becher, Esq; and Alderman, Master.

Mr. John Hogg, }

Mr. Nathaniel Gwillym, } Wardens.

Mr. Thomas Partington, }

Mr. Thomas Gibson, }

The Maiors of the Company of Drapers were these that follow.

John Pulteney, four times Maior, viz. Annis 1331, 1332, 1334, and 1337. Buried in St. Paul's, Anno 1349. Of him descended the Family of Pultney, of Misterton in Leicestershire.

John Preston, Maior 1333.

Stephen Candish (alias Potton) Maior 1363. Buried in the Mercers Chappel. This Family continued Two or Three Hundred Years after in Suffolk.

James Andrew, Maior 1368. Of whom the Andrews of Cherwelton in Northamptonshire are descended.

John Northampton (alias Comberton) Maior 1382, and 1383. Buried at St. Alphage by Cripplegate.

John Hynd, Maior 1392, and 1405. Buried in the Body of St. Swithin's Church by London Stone. Of which Church he was the first Founder.

John Walcot, Maior 1403.

Sir William Cromer, Maior 1414, and 1424. Buried at St. Martins Orgars, 1433. Of him descended Sir James Cromer of Tunstal in Kent.

Sir Nicolas Wotton, Maior 1416, and 1431. Of him the Lord Wotton is descended.

Sir John Gidney, Maior 1428, and 1448. Buried at St. Christopher's by the Stocks.

Sir John Brokley, Maior 1434.

Robert Clopton, Maior 1442.

Simon Eire, Maior 1446. Died 1459. Buried at St. Mary Woolnoth in Lombard-street. Which Church standeth over against the House where he dwelt.