" hath been bought and sold in Lumbard street, and other Places, as thou wilt buy and sell a Horse in Smithfield.]"

Before the building of the Exchange, it was by divers Common Councils about the 26th Year of King Henry VIII. consulted upon, whether there should be a Burse, or convenient Place of meeting for Merchants, to treat of their Feat of Merchandize. The same Year the King sent his Letters to the City for the making of a new Burse at Leaden Hall. Whereupon it being put to Hands, whether the new Burse should be removed out of Lumbard street; it was agreed, that it should not.] So that the Merchants Meeting continued there, till the Royal Exchange was builded:] That is, until the 22d. December, in the Year 1568. on the which Day the said Merchants began to make their Meetings at the Burse, a Place then new builded for that purpose, in the Ward of Cornhil, and was since by her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, named the Royal Exchange. So that here anciently the Lombards or Bankers dwelt, and so they did to the Days of Queen Elizabeth, and even to this Day. It was about the middle of that Queen's Reign, that there was a Project for the Queen's Factors, (whereof Sir Thomas Gresham was chief) to take up all the Money here in Lombard street, and also in Antwerp (where the great Bank was) and so to make her own Benefit, and the Merchants Benefit thereof; by taking it up at the proper Juncture. That is to say, That her Majesty's Factor should take up all Money in Antwerp that might be gotten, when store of foreign Wares were there to be sold to the Queen's Subjects; that by Scantness of Money they might be sold to them the cheaper, and for Time also. And that the said Factor should take up again all the Money in Lumbard street that might be gotten, when the same bought foreign Wares be coming home, that her Subjects that bought them might be driven for Scantness of Money, to sell them here the cheaper, and for Time. The said Factor should take up all the Money in Lumbard street that might be gotten, every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday; both to raise the Exchange and to make Money scant, that the Clothiers weekly at Blackwel hall, might sell the cheaper, and for Time also. That the said Factor should store the Burse of Antwerp so with Money again, when the same Cloths were come thither, that our Merchants might sell the same there the dearer, and for less Time also. The same Factor should by all possible Means get up the Money in Lumbard street, by Exchange from all the Merchants Strangers, that they might not buy weekly any great Quantity of Cloths at the Clothiers Hands for ready Money, and to keep up the Price of Cloth; but buy at the second, the third, and fourth Hands of her Majesty's Merchants upon Credit. Her Majesty should deliver her Factor a Mass of Money on this side the Sea, and beyond Sea by his Travail and Skill, to employ about the Feats of Exchange; as to raise the Exchange for England with all Countries of the World, according to our Standard; to deliver out Money by Exchange to her Highness's Profit, to furnish her self with any Sum of Money of a sudden; to unfurnish her Majesty's Enemy [the Spaniard] of any Money he should seek; to bring home any Prince's Money in the World there might be Gain by; to drive all Merchants Strangers, and her Majesty's own Merchants, from Exchange for England, that they might occupy Commodities, and so pay Custom and Subsidy to her both inward and outward, and to do all other Feats of Exchange that be infinite, and offered daily to be travailed in, for the Benefit of the Realm, and her Majesty. This seems to have been Gresham's Device.]

On the North side of this Ward is Limestreet, one half whereof on both sides is of Langborne Ward; and therein on the West side, is the Pewterers Hall, which Company were admitted to be a Brotherhood, in the 13th of Edward, the Fourth.

At the South West Corner of Limestreet, standeth a fair Parish Church of St. Dionis called Backchurch, lately new builded, in the Reign of Henry the Sixth. John Bugge Esq; was a great Benefactor to that Work, as appeareth by his Arms, three Water Budgets, and his Crest, a Morions Head graven in the Stone-work of the Quire, at the upper end on the North side, where he was buried.

Also John Darby Alderman, added thereunto a fair Ile or Chapel, on the South side, and was there buried about the Year 1466. He gave (besides sundry Ornaments) his dwelling House and others, unto the said Church.

James Knight, Civis & Cissor, gave Ann. 1439, Lands and Tenements in the Parish of Dionys Backchurch, to the Rector and Keepers of the said Church for ever, for the Use of the said Church.]

The middle Ile of this Church was new laid in the Year of our Lord 1629. The Steeple was repaired, a new Turret built, new Frames were made for the Bells, and this Church was decently beautified in the Year of our Lord 1632.]

This Church was burnt down by the Fire 1666, and fairly rebuilt. There is a Table of Benefactors hagning up in the Church, who contributed towards the fitting up of the said Church, and for Ornaments to the same.

Sir Thomas Cullum, The Marble Foot Pace and Steps for the Communion Table.

Sir Anthony Ingram, The Communion Table and the Rails.

Sir Henry Tulse, The Marble Font and the Pavement, and the Steps up to it.

Sir Robert Jeffreys, A Velvet Carpet for the Communion Table, with Silk and Gold Fringe; a Common Prayer Book covered with the same Velvet; and a Pulpit Cushion of the same Velvet, with Silk and Gold Tassels.

Dame Elizabeth Clark, as the Gift of her late husband Dr. Nathaniel Hardy, Dean of Rochester, sometime Parson of this Parish 50l. And more for her own Gift 30l. for the Pulpit, Reading Desk and Clark's Pew, and for other Conveniences.

Tho. Turgis, Esq; gave the Gallery at the West End.

Philip Jackson gave the Commandments, Lord's Prayer, and the Creed, and the Pillars, Joyners Work and carved Work belonging to the same, and the King's Arms.

Elizabeth Jackson Wife of the said Philip, a Damask Table Cloth, and a Damask Napkin.

A Friend of Mr. Philip Jackson, whose Name is concealed, a Silver Chalice, a Silver Patten, and a Silver Spoon, to be used at the Communion.

Peter Hoet, a Silver Basin, and a Silver Chalice for the Use of the Communion.

Dr. John Castillion, sometime Parson of this Parish, one Bible in Folio, and two Common Prayer Books.

Mr. Daniel Rawlinson, a Brass Branch containing 16 Sockets.

James Church, heretofore a Parishioner of this Parish, 10l. towards the fitting up of the Church.

Robert Williams Mercer 25l. towards a Bell.