Nov. 6. At this Court were present all the yeomanry, "to whom m' wardens gave a great charge towching the bookes lately ymprented, weh bookes by proclamačon weare commandid to be brought in, to the end they should be destroyed. After such charge so gyven by m' wardens, the precept was redd openlye, that all myght heare the same. The precept beying thus redd in the hearying of all the Company, as well the lyuye as the yeomanrye, m' wardens, being verry carefull to haue the same dewlye executed, straytlye charged and commandid euy man of the Companye to be at the hall agayne on the morrow after, which was Sat day, the vijth of November, 1579, wch daye m ŵdens gave thear attendance from mornyng tyll nyght, verry delygentlye vsyng as moche psuasion as was possible to every man severally as they cam to the hall, and also told them what dawnger myght ynsewe yf, after yt weare knowen, that annye of the Companye had any suche bokes or lybells. Also it was devised at the same court that thear shuld be a secret place made in the court chamb' wear euy man shold go and putt in his hand and come downe agayne, where m' ŵdens gave ther attendaunce, wch was to the end that such psons of the Companye as had anye of the same sedicouse books shall ther let them fall, and being but on mann at on tyme, there was non to accuse hym that had any boke, for all went uppe, on by on, euen as euy man came, whowt resspect of pson, whose names, as well of the lyury as of the yemanry, apereythe in the waste courte booke, wth ther owne hands, as they came.'

The book, which was the subject of royal proclamation, was written by Henry Stubbs, a Puritan divine of some celebrity, and was levelled against the proposed match of the Queen with the Duke of Anjou.

A precept was received from the Lord Mayor this year

to appoint "viij. discreet persons of the livery to wayt and gyve thear attendaunce by the space of on whole week in the common mkett places, viz. Newgatt mkett, Leadynhall, Quenehythe, and in the borrow of Southwke, in eury of the said mketts ij. psons, to set the price of meale, viz. wheat meale the best iijs the bushell, and maslyn the best sort ijs iiijd the bushell."

The Company also appointed "Richard Smythe to gyve his attendaunce at Brydwell, according to the act of comon cownsell, to way the nayles there made and to be made."

The Lord Mayor again addressed his precept to the Ironmongers, setting forth her Majesty's pleasure to have three thousand “able and well õpared menn for the defence of the relme uppon any ymonynent occasion;" and commanding them to provide one hundred and ten of that number "apt, able, and of honest behavour, lxxij. to be furneshed wth shott, a caluy", flask, toche, murryn, sword, a dagg", and a pound of powder," and to be of those that were by a former order trained by the Company at their charges. "And xxviii. the residue to be sufficently furnished for armid pikes, wth corslett, pike, sword, and daggTM, to be in redines by the xxvj. of the pnt Feb'y, by viij. of the clock in the morning."

At a Court held in the same month it was ordered that three aldermen, viz. "Sir Xpfer Drap, Sir Alexr Avenon, and Mr. Alderman Harvey, shall fynde twoo men a-pece, and euy man of the lyurye on man a-peece, they that have bynn wardens as all the rest, for the švice now presentlye to be usen. Clement Drap and Harry Cletherow were also appointed to provide, and send into the hall, "two hundreth wayght of good corne powder, at xjd the pounde."

A precept received the 22nd February, 1579

"This shalbe to will and require you, and in her maties name strayt

lye charge and command you, that euy day from henceforth you do appoynt thre discret, honest, and substancial psons, beying of the lyuye of yo" Companye, to wayt and gyue thear attendaunce, wt thre others of the Companie of the Grocers, at Bysshoppsgate, euy daye from vij. of the clocke in the mornyng vntill vj. of the clocke at nyght, vntyll you shall haue further in commdment from me and my brethren, for the reformačon of all soche psons, both men and women, as they shall see passe by them wch shall weare any man" of apparill, swords, daggars, or bucklars, wt long pikes, great ruffs, or long cloakes, or carry thear swords close vnd" thear armes or the poynts upward, contrarye to hire Mats late pelamasion and the lawes and statutes of this relme that wear lately mad and pvided, and of the declaration of the right honourable the Lords of her Maties moost honorable and pryvye Counsell latelye gyven to me and my brethren in the Starre Chamb"; and, all such as they shall se to offend or offendyng hearin and refuse to reforme them selves, presentlye to apprehend and to be brought by on of the constables next adioynyng before on of hire Mats justices of peace of this cyttie, to be examyned and delt w'all as the lawse and statutes of this relme requireth therein; and we do gyve you power hereby in o" names to command all constables in the pcincts adioynyng to attend for yo assystaunce, and also that you do lykewise apprehend all roges, as well women as men, beyng idle psons and mast lys,* and them presentlye to send to Bridewell, to be sett on worke accordlye, nott fayling hereof as you will answer the cont rye at yr vtmoost pyll. Frome Gildhall of the same cyttie, the xxij. of Februarye, 1579.”.

1580, June 16. At this Court "wear apoynted to be stewards for Mr. Alderman Harvies wyff's burryall, which was appoynted to be the xxvij. of this month, John Masts and Harry Page, which psons had tenn pound delyued unto them to make thear pvisson for a dynur for the whole lyuye and ther wyues that had bynn ŵdens.”

July 8. The Company were required to provide fifteen soldiers, being their proportion of three hundred for the service in Ireland.

masterless, i. e. out of service or employment.

August 8. A precept was received from the Lord Mayor directing that viij. qrs. of meal should be taken to the public markets on Monday, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and there to be sold at three shillings per bushel.

By the Maior.

These are in the Queens Matis name to will and require you to inqueare, by all the meanes you may, whether the persons here vnder named be lyuinge or deade, and, if you fynd that they be nowe lyuinge, where they doo inhabit; and if you fynde that they or any of them be deade, then where and when they dyed, and sartifie me, the Lord Maior, thereof, on this syde Mychelmas next.

1. James Kettel,

2. Robert Norton,

of London, Ironmongers.

3. Thomas Greye,

4. Laurence Wood,

The answer returned to these inquiries was, that Kettle, who was formerly beadle of the Company, had died about twenty-three years past, very poor and in debt; that Norton was then living at Ramsey, in the county of Louth; and that it was not known whether Grey and Wood were living or dead. This information not being considered satisfactory, a second precept was addressed to the Company on the same subject, but no further particulars could be obtained.

In the month of September this year, the Lord Mayor addressed a precept to the Company, stating that five hundred soldiers were required for the service in Ireland, whereof the Ironmongers were to supply twenty-five. These men "were prest upon Satterdaie the firste of October, and from that daie forthe the Lord Maior dyd appointe them to haue viij the daie vntil they wente fourte, and this thear wages continewed vntill Thursdaie the xxth of October."

Another precept set forth "that eight hundred men had been provided within the year past, for service in Ireland,

I

whereof xl. was the Ironmongers' share. That the cittie had supplied the whole eight hundred with coats at viij each, whereof her Matie allowed iiijs." And requiring the Company to pay their proportion of the charge of the said coats to the chamberlain.

Three members of the Livery were again required this year to attend with the Grocers at Bishopsgate for the reformation of such as carry any swords, rapiers, &c. exceeding the length lately limited by her Majesty's proclamation.

Two discreet persons were also appointed to attend the market at Queenhithe to see that the prices set by the Lord Mayor were duly observed.

Precepts for the provision of corn and other matter also

occur.

1581. On the 20th April, the following precept was received, relative to the reception of French ambassadors in London:

By the Maior.

Whereas the Quenes most honorable privie counsell have expreslie delyvered unto me, and dyvers my brethren, her Maties pleasure and commandments, that at the instant assemble of great estates of strangers of the nation of France, and their retenew, to repayre to her Maties court, and to this cittie, there shuld be an espetiall order taken for the good, curteus, and quyet usage of her subjects towards the said strangers; These are, therefore, straightlie to charge and command you, on her Maties ties behalf, that you diligentlie cause to be obsarvid these articles following::

That is to saie, that you appointe two dyscrete parsons of your Company daylie to attend at Busshopsgate, there to look to the execution of the same orders. That you assemble your Companie at yr hall, and give them warnings that they well and curteouslie demenure themselves towards the same strangers, and that you and they looke to their sar