literature, and also Greek-if such may be gotten." He might either be wedded or single, or a priest that had no benefice. He must have three ushers, and the number of scholars was limited to two hundred and fifty of all nations. The children of Jews being ultimately excluded.

The first head master, Richard Mulcastor, was brought up at Eton, and renowned for his critical knowledge of Greek, Latin, and Oriental literature. Fuller says he was a severe disciplinarian, but beloved by his pupils when they came to the age of maturity and reflected on the benefit they had derived from his care.

The list of eminent men educated by the Merchant Taylors is a proud one: William Juxon, Bishop of London, and, after the Restoration, Archbishop of Canterbury, who faithfully attended Charles I on the scaffold; William Dawes and John Gilbert, Archbishops of York; and Hugh Boulter, Archbishop of Armagh.

Among the bishops is the eminent scholar Bishop Andrews, before whom James I dared not indulge in ribaldry. He defended King James's Defence of the rights of Kings against Cardinal Bellarmine, and in return obtained the see of Ely.

Their roll of bishops includes Thomas Dove, Bishop of Peterboro' and Chaplain to Queen Elizabeth, who, from his flowing white locks, called him the "Dove with silver wings;" Mathew Wren, Bishop of Ely, Sir Christopher's uncle, who accompanied Prince Charles to Spain, and was imprisoned in the Tower for eighteen years, refusing to come out even on Cromwell's offer; John Buckridge, also Bishop of Ely; Giles Thompson, Bishop of Gloucester; and Peter Mews, Bishop of Winchester, who, expelled Oxford by the Puritans, entered the army and served under the Duke of York in Flanders.

The Guild of Goldsmiths is of extreme antiquity, having been fined in 1180 as adulterine, that is, carried on without the king's special licence. In any matter where fines could be extorted the Norman kings took a paternal interest in the doings of their patient subjects. In 1267 they were infected with the pugnacious spirit of the age. Bands of goldsmiths and tailors are recorded as fighting in the London streets from jealousy, and five hundred snippers of cloth meeting by appointment five hundred hammerers of metal, and having a bloody contest. Many were killed, and the sheriff had to interpose with the city force, when bows, swords and spears were used. The ringleaders were apprehended, and thirteen condemned and executed.

In 1278 many spurious goldsmiths were arrested for frauds, and three Englishmen were hung, together with a dozen unfortunate Jews.

They were incorporated in Richard II, that thriftless monarch who wore golden bells on his sleeves and baldric. For ten marks-not a very great consideration, though it was no doubt all he could get-Richard's grandfather, the warlike and chivalrous Edward III, had already given "the Mystery of Goldsmiths" the privilege of purchasing in mortmain an estate of £20 per annum for the support of old and sick members. The Guilds being benefit clubs, as well as social companies and jealous monopolists, Edward's grant gave them the right to inspect, try, and regulate all gold and silver wares in any part of England, with the further power to punish offenders detected in working adulterated gold and silver. Edward gave them four charters, and Henry IV, Henry V, and Edward IV confirmed the liberties of the Company. Their records furnish much curious information. All Goldsmiths were required to have shops in Chepe, or in the King's Exchange. Their

first charter complains loudly of counterfeit metal, false bracelets, lockets, rings and jewels made and exported, and also of vessels of tin made and subtly silvered over.

In 1443 they received a special letter from Henry VI acknowledging them as a craft which had at all times "notably acquitted themselves," more especially on the King's return from his coronation in Paris to meet his Queen, Margaret of Anjou. On this occasion they wore bawderykes of gold, short, jagged scarlet hoods,” and each past-warden or renter had his follower clothed in white with a black hood and black felt hat.

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In this reign, a goldsmith named German Lyas, for selling a tablet of adulterated gold, was compelled to give to the fraternity a gilt cup weighing twenty-four ounces, and to implore pardon on his knees.

In 1458 another was fined for giving a false return of broken gold to a servant of the Earl of Wiltshire, who took it to be sold.

In Edward IV a trial of skill between English goldsmiths and their foreign rivals took place at the "Pope's Head" Tavern. The contending craftsmen had to engrave four puncheons of steel (the breadth of a penny) with cats' heads and naked figures in high and low relief, Oliver Davy, the Englishman, won, and White Johnson, the Alicant goldsmith, lost his wager of a crown and a dinner to the Company, when there lived 137 native, and 41 foreign goldsmiths in London.

Their yearly assay of coin, or "Trial of the Pyx," a proceeding of great solemnity, still takes place. "It is an investigation into the purity and weight of money coined, before the Lords of the Council, aided by the professional knowledge of a jury of Goldsmiths." Their Wardens are summoned by precept, together with their assay master. When sworn, they receive a charge from the Lord

Chancellor, and retire into the Court room of the Duchy of Lancaster, where the "pyx" (a small box thus anciently designated, containing the coins to be examined) is delivered to them by the Mint. The authority under which the mint master has acted having been read, the "pyx" is opened and the coins to be assayed taken out and enclosed in paper parcels under seal.

From every 15 lbs. of silver, technically called "journies," two pieces are taken at hazard, and upon each parcel being opened the coins are all mixed together in wooden bowls, and afterwards weighed. From the whole the jury take a number of each species of coin to the amount of 1 lb. weight for assay by fire. The trial pieces of gold and silver of the dates specified in the authority being produced, a sufficient quantity is cut from either for the purpose of comparing the pound weight of gold or silver by the usual methods of assay. Their perfection or imperfection are certified by the jury, who declare a verdict, in writing, to the Lord Chancellor. If found accurate, the mint master receives his certificate or "quietus." The assaying of precious metals, anciently called the "touch," with the marking or stamping and the proving of the coin at the "Trial of the Pyx," were privileges conferred on them by Edward I. They had an assay office, and their retention of it still makes "Goldsmiths' Hall" a busy scene during the hours of assaying. By the old statute, all gold and silver must be of good and true alloy, "gold of a certain touch," and silver of sterling alloy; no articles being allowed to depart out of the hands of the workman employed until assayed by the Goldsmiths.

The hall mark shows the place of manufacture, such as a leopard's head for London. Duty mark is represented by the head of the sovereign, showing that the

duty has been paid. Date mark, a letter of the alphabet, varies every year. From 1716 to 1755 they used Roman capital letters; 1756 to 1775 small Roman letters; 1776 to 1795 old English letters; 1796 to 1815 Roman capital letters, from A to U, omitting J; 1816 to 1835 small Roman letters, a to u, omitting j; from 1836, old English letters. There are two qualities of gold and silver, and the lower is most in use. The marks for silver are Britannia, or the head of the reigning monarch; and for gold, a lion passant, with the figures 22 or 18, denoting that fine gold is 22 carat, 18 carat only containing 75 per cent. of gold. Manufacturers' marks comprise the initials of the maker.

The ancient Goldsmiths wisely blended pleasure with profit, and feasted right royally. One of their dinner bills runs thus:

"EXPENSES OF ST. DUNSTAN'S FEAST.

1473 (EDWARD IV).

To Eight Minstrels, in manner accustomed.. £2 13 8

Pigeons at 14d., and 12 more Geese at 7d. each."

With butchery,' fishmongry" and "miscellaneous articles," the total amount of the feast being £26 17s. 7d.

In the Middle Ages they were very fond of fancy dress. In a notable procession of the London crafts to meet