Sum Total of these Charitable uses amountethe unto 1119l. 08s. 04d.

Memorandum, That the yerelie value of all the Rentes purchased in the Patents of King Edward VI. for the which after the rate of twenty Yeres purchase, was paid 18714l. 11s. 02d. amounted unto the somme of 934l. 18s. 05d. ob.

One Thomas Barnaby, a Merchant in Edward VI. his Days, urged to some great Lord of the Court the vast usefulness of Shipping to this Island, of which at that time there was a great deficiency. And for the promoting of Shipping, he advised this way; that every Company of the City should provide, and send out one Ship at least, laden with the Commodities proper to their own Trade or Manufacture. Which might considerably advance Navigation in this Realm, and the Riches also of each Society. "There be, said he, so many rich Halls, that may spend 800l. some 600l. some less and some more, yearly. And great Revenues come to them yearly for Quar- teridges and Forfeits: which rise to no small Sum. And nothing done withal, but making great Feasts every Month or six Weeks at their Halls, and causing Victuals to be dear. But it might be turned to a more honourable use: Also, it would be a great maintaining to the King's Subjects, for every Craft to have a Ship to carry their Merchandizes to and fro, to the great advancement of the King's Honour, and to their own Commodities. And if chance should fall (which God forbid) that a Ship should be lost, the Halls might easily bear the Smarts thereof."

There was an endeavour made in March 1575, to obtain an Act of Parliament that no Person should exercise any other Trade than what he was Apprentice to. The Bill was drawn up and intitled, A Bill prohibiting the Exercise of any Art or Mystery, saving to such as have been Apprentice to the same; or, to prohibit, that no Person of one Art or Mystery shall intermeddle with the Art or Mystery of others. It set forth, How in the 37th Year of King Edward III. it was enacted, that Artificers and Men of Mysteries should hold themselves to one Mystery, and that none should use the Mystery or Trade of others, but that which he had chosen. And in the Parliament holden in the fifth Year of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, it was enacted that after the first of May then next ensuing, it should not be lawful for any other than such as did then lawfully use or exercise any Art, Mystery, or manual Occupation, to set up, occupy or use any Craft, Trade, Mystery, or Occupation, except he was brought up therein Seven Years; nor to set any Person at work in such Mystery, except he should have been an Apprentice as aforesaid.

The City offered to the Lord Treasurer a Paper, shewing, that it appeared by ancient Records, that several Companies in London were incorporated, as well for the good Government of their Companies, and to see that true and perfect Wares were made and sold in the Realm, as to punish the disordered Persons, and banish the deceitful and corrupt Wares. At which time every several Company might occupy no other Trade but that whereunto the Person was Apprentice. Which Order kept the foreign Commodities at far lower Prices than at that present they were; and yet the Stuff and Wares better made than now they were. That Ignorance was a great occasion of making and maintaining evil and corrupt Wares, and also of enhancing and raising up the Prices of foreign Commodities. That if every Man occupied his own Trade, that these Abuses might easily be espied, and ordered either by the Governour of the Corporations, or by some other Device made by her Majesty and the Honourable Council. That there were in London of several Companies far greater numbers that retailed Silks, than were free of the Mercers; and therefore no good Order could be kept.

In the Times of King Richard II. Sir Nicolas Brambre Maior, divers were disfranchised and lost their Freedom; for that they occupied other Trades than they were Apprentices unto: Viz. John Lynne and Nicolas Merchant, free of the Haberdashers, for that they occupied Merceries: Geffrey Prestbery, for that he knew the said Nicolas Merchant to occupy Mercery, and procured him to be free of the Haberdashers: William Southbrook, free of the Weavers, for that he occupied Drapery: Richard Cross, for that he procured the said Southbrook, occupying Drapery, to be free of the Weavers: Richard Skinner being a Taylor, lost his Freedom, for that he used Drapery. Six several Taylors at that time lost their Freedom, for that they knew the said Skinner occupied Drapery, and yet procured him to be free of the Taylors.