This Church of St. Mildreds, was, after the great Fire, rebuilt at the publick Charge: But afterwards fully finished, in the Year 1676. by the joint Contribution of the Parish and St. Mary Colechurch, united to it by Act of Parliament. Repaired and beautified 1701.

It hath no Pillars; the Cieling is plain, only adorned with a large Garland of Fret-work. A capacious Gallery at the West end.]

In the Year 1594. Thomas Lane, Citizen and Scrivener of London, by his last Will and Testament gave his small Tenement, over against London-Wall, near Bishopsgate; unto the Church, towards the reparations thereof, and relief of the poor of the Parish.]

Of the Name of this Street, called the Poultry, I have before spoken; as also, of the Lane called Scalding House, or Scalding Wike, &c.

On this North side, some four Houses West from this Parish Church of St. Mildred, is a Prison-house, pertaining to one of the Sheriffs of London, and is called the Compter in the Poultry; and hath been there kept and continued time out of mind; for I have not read of the original thereof. Somewhat West from this Compter, was a proper Chappel, called of Corpus Christi; and St. Mary, at Cony hope lane end, in the Parish of St. Mildred, founded by one named Jonyrunnes, a Citizen of London, in the Reign of Edward the IIId; in which Chappel, was a Guild or Fraternity, that might dispend in Lands better then 20l. by Year. It was suppressed by Henry the Eighth, and purchased by one Thomas Hobson, Haberdasher; who turned this Chappel into a fair Warehouse and Shops towards the Street, with Lodgings over them.

Johan. Clerk, Civis and Pulletarius, legavit Fraternitatis suæ in Capella Corporis Christi, in Pulletria Lond. 26s. 8d. An. 1397.]

Then is Cony hope lane, of old time so called, of a sign of three Conies hanging over a Poulters Stall at the Lane end. In this Lane, antiently, was a Chappel dedicated to the blessed Virgin. So in the Bishop of Londons Re- gister of Wills, Capella Beatæ Mariæ de Conyng hope Lane: London.

Marteley's Alley in Conyhope lane.]

Within this Lane standeth the Grocers Hall; Which Company being of old time Pepperers, were first incorporated by the Name of Grocers, in the Year 1345. At which time they elected for Custos or Guardian of their Fraternity, Richard Oswin,and Lawrence Halliwel, and twenty Brethren were then taken in, to be of their Society. In the Year 1411. the Custos or Guardian, and the Brethren of this Company, purchased of the Lord Robert Fitzwaters, one plot of Ground, with the Building thereupon, in the said Cony hope lane, for 320 Marks; and then laid the Foundation of their new common Hall.

Here at this Hall, is now kept the Bank of England, established by Act of Parliament; first for a term of Years, and afterwards, by another Act, for a longer. This Bank serveth for receiving in of Monies from any Person, where it is surely reposited, and a consideration of Increase allowed, while it remains there, especially, if Stock be bought with it. Where Monies are also lent out upon good Securities: and likewise, chiefly upon occasion for the supply of the Needs and Exigencies of the Crown; for which Exchequer Bills are granted out. And so it becomes of great and publick Use.

In the Year 1707. Nathaniel Trench, Esq; a worthy and intelligent Citizen, wrote a Defence of this Bank; being a Reply to a Pamphlet, called Remarks upon the Bank of England; also to two other Pamphlets wrote against the Bank, one entitled, A short View of the apparent Danger and Mischiefs from the Bank of England: The other, Reasons offered against the continuance of the Bank, in a Letter to a Member of Parliament. These Remarks and Pamphlets were thrown abroad, to prejudice the Parliament against granting a further enlargement of Time to the Bank. The chief Purpose of this Defence, was to vindicate a Corporation, and the Management thereof; not so much from Crimes they had already been guilty of in the Experiment of Eleven or Twelve Years, as the fear of what they might do hereafter. For it was acknowledg'd by their bitterest Enemies, even in their Treatises wrote against it, That the Bank had been serviceable to the Government, and that the Managers thereof had not been guilty of those Villanies and Knaveries which they supposed their Successors might be. But that it was a neceassary Consequence, that by a further Enlargement of their Time (if any such they should have) either They, or their Successors, might for time to come so prevaricate, as to be guilty of those Crimes, which they took upon them to suppose; though hereof was not the least Proof brought.

This Vindication of the Bank thus concludes, "That it might be with Truth concluded, that since their first Establishment, (which was then about Twelve or Thirteen Years) they never bought one Foot of Land, they never monopolized any one Commodity; that they had been so far from obstructing Trade, that they had very much incouraged and enlarged it, by discountenancing foreign and inland Bills of Exchange; and by lending Money upon Notes, to very great Sums, at very low Interest. That they had never put any Hardships upon the Government, as those Authors would insinuate; but had at all times served it to the utmost of their Power. That they had been so far from raising the Interest of Money, that they were the great, "