is at the north-east corner of the , and was so called after Sir Nicholas Throgmorton, who is said to have been poisoned by Dudley, Earl of Leicester, Queen Elizabeth's favourite. There is a monument to his memory in the Church of St. Catherine Cree.

The Drapers' Hall, according to Herbert, was in ; the was in , to which they came in (Henry VIII.), on the beheading of Cromwell, Earl of Essex, its previous owner; and the [extra_illustrations.1.515.3]  was reerected on its site, after the Great Fire of London.

Stow, describing the Augustine Friars' Church, says there have been built at its west end

many feyre houses, namely, in Throgmorton Streete;

one

very large and spacious,

in place of olde and small tenements, by Thomas Cromwell, minister of the King's jewell-house, after that Maister of the Rolls, then Lord Cromwell, Knight, Lord Privie Seale, Vicker- Generall, Earle of Essex, High Chamberlain of England, & c. ;

This house being finished, and having some reasonable plot of ground left for a garden, hee caused the pales of the gardens adjoining to the north parte thereof, on a sodaine, to bee taken down,

twenty-two

foote to be measured forth right into the north of every man's ground, a line there to be drawne, a trench to be cast, a foundation laid, and a high bricke wall to be builded. My father had a garden there, and an house standing close to his south pale; this house they loosed from the ground, and bore upon rollers into my father's garden,

twenty-two

foot, ere my father heard thereof. No warning was given him, nor other answere, when hee spoke to the surveyors of that worke, but that their mayster, Sir Thomas, commanded them so to doe; no man durst go to argue the matter, but each man lost his land, and my father payde his whole rent, whiche was

Interior Of Drapers' Hall.

vjs. viijd. the yeare, for that halfe which was left. Thus much of mine owne knowledge have I thought goode to note, that the sodaine rising of some men causeth them to forget themselves.

The Company was incorporated in (Henry VI.), but it also possesses a charter granted them by Edward III., that they might regulate the sale of cloths according to the statute. Drapers were originally makers, not merely, as now, dealers in cloth. (Herbert.) The country drapers were called clothiers; the wool-merchants, staplers. The Britons and Saxons were both, according to the best authorities, familiar with the art of cloth-making; but the greater part of English wool, from the earliest times, seems to have been sent to the Netherlands, and from thence returned in the shape of fine cloth, since we find King Ethelred, as early as , exacting from the Easterling. merchants of the Steel Yard, in , tolls of cloth, which were paid at .

The width of woollen cloth is prescribed in Magna Charta. There was a weavers' guild in the reign of Henry I., and the drapers are mentioned soon after as flourishing in all the large provincial

But Edward III., jealous of the Netherlands, set to work to establish the English cloth manufacture. He forbade the exportation of English wool, and invited over Walloon weaver families, who settled in . The Flemings had their meeting-place in St. Lawrence Poultney churchyard, and the Brabanters in the churchyard of St. Mary Somerset. In the king removed the wool staple from Calais to and English towns. In Richard II. again changed the wool staple from to Staples' Inn, ; and in a weekly cloth-market was established at Blackwell Hall, ;

The drapers for a long time lingered about , where they had settled, living in , and spreading as far as the Stocks' Market; but in the reign of Henry VI. the drapers had all removed to , where we find them tempting Lydgate's with their wares. In this reign arms were granted to the Company, and the grant is still preserved in the .

The books of the Company commence in the reign of [extra_illustrations.1.517.1] , and are full of curious details relating to dress, observances, government, and trade. Edward IV., it must be remembered, in , when he had invited the mayor and aldermen to a great hunt at Waltham Forest, not to forget the City ladies, sent them harts, bucks, and a tun of wine, with which noble present the lady mayoress (wife of Sir Bartholomew James, Draper) entertained the aldermen's wives at Drapers' Hall, , . he chief extracts from the Drapers' records made by Herbert are the following:--

In of the Company rode to meet

the coming of the Northern men.

In Henry VII.'s reign, we find the Drapers again boating to , to present their bill for the reformation of cloth-making. The barge seems to have been well supplied with ribs of beef, wine, and pippins. We find the ubiquitous Company at many other ceremonies of this reign, such as the coronation of the queen, & c.

In the Merchant Taylors came to a conference at Drapers' Hall, about some disputes in the cloth trade, and were hospitably entertained with bread and wine. In the great riots at the Steel Yard, when the London 'prentices tried to sack the Flemish warehouses, the Drapers helped to guard the depot, with weapons, cressets, and banners. hey probably also mustered for the king at Blackheath against the Cornish insurgents. We meet them again at the procession that welcomed Princess Katherine of Spain, who married Prince Arthur; then, in the Lady Chapel at , listening to Prince Arthur's requiem; and, again, bearing enormous torches of wax at the burial of Henry VII., the prince's father.

In (Henry VIII.) Sir William Capell left the Drapers' Company houses in various parts of London, on condition of certain prayers being read for his soul, and certain doles being given. n the Company, sorely against its will, was compelled by the arbitrary king to help fit out ships of discovery for [extra_illustrations.1.518.1]  had discovered Newfoundland. They called it

a sore adventure to jeopard ships with men and goods unto the said island, upon the singular trust of

one

man, called, as they understood, Sebastian.

my Lord Cardinal,

as a pleasure,

In great disputes arose between the Drapers and the . Sir John Milborne, who was several times master of the Company, and mayor in , had built almshouses, near the friars' church, for old men, who were daily at his tomb to say prayers for his soul. here was also to be an anniversary obit. The Drapers' complaint was that the religious services were neglected, and that the friars had encroached on the ground of Milborne's charity. Henry VIII. afterwards gave to Sir Thomas Wyat, the poetical friend of the Earl of Surrey, who built a mansion there, which was afterwards Lumley House. At the dissolution of monasteries, the Company paid for their chantries and obits.

The dress or livery of the Company seems to have varied more than that of any other-from violet, crimson, murrey, blue, blue and crimson, to brown, puce. In the reign of James I. a uniform garb was finally adopted. The observances of the Company at elections, funerals, obits, and pageants were quaint, friendly, and clubable enough. Every year, at Lady Day, the whole body of the fellowship in new livery went to Bow Church (afterwards to St. Michael's, ), there heard the Lady ass, and offered each a silver penny on the altar. At evensong they again attended, and heard dirges chanted for deceased members. On the following day they came and heard the Mass of Requiem, and offered another silver penny. On the day of the feast they walked and in livery to the dining-place, each member paying the year that no clothes were supplied, and only when they were. he year's quarterage was sevenpence. In the election dinner consisted of fowls, swans, geese, pike, half a buck, pasties, conies, pigeons, tarts, pears, and filberts. The guests all washed after dinner, standing. At the side-tables ale and claret were served in wooden cups; but at the high table they gave pots and wooden cups for ale and wine, but for red wine and hippocras gilt cups. After being served with wafers and spiced wine, the masters went among the guests and gathered the quarterage. The old master then rose and went into the parlour, with a garland on his head

The funerals of the Company generally ended with a dinner, at which the chaplains and a chosen few of the Company feasted. The Company's pall was always used; and on occasion, in , we find a silver spoon given to each of the bearers. Spiced bread, bread and cheese, fruit, and ale were also partaken of at these obits, sometimes at the church, sometimes at a neighbouring tavern. At the funeral of Sir Roger Achilley, Lord Mayor in , there seem to have been torchbearers. The pews were apparently hung with black, and children.holding torches stood by the hearse. The Company maintained priests at St. Michael's, . The funeral of Sir William Roche, Mayor in , was singularly splendid. came branches of white wax, borne before the priests and clerks, who paced in surplices, singing as they paced. Then followed a standard, blazoned with the dead man's crest-a red deer's head, with gilt horns, and gold and green wings. Next followed mourners, and after them the herald, with the dead man's coat armour, checkered silver and azure. Then followed the corpse, attended by clerks and the livery. After the corpse came the son, the chief mourner, and other couples of mourners. The sword-bearer and Lord Mayor, in state, walked next; then the aldermen, sheriffs, and the Drapery livery, followed by all the ladies, gentlewomen, and aldermen's wives. After the dirge, they all went to the dead man's house, and partook of spiced bread and comfits, with ale and beer. The next day the mourners had a collection at the church. Then the chief mourners presented the target, sword, helmet, and banners to the priests, and a collection was made for the poor. Directly after the sacrament, the mourners went to Mrs. Roche's house, and dined, the livery dining at the Drapers' Hall, the deceased having left for that purpose. The record concludes thus:

And my Lady Roche, of her gentylness, sent them moreover

four

gallons of French wine, and also a box of wafers, and a pottell of ipocras. For whose soul let us pray, and all Christian souls. Amen.

The Drapers' ordinances are of great interest. very apprentice, on being enrolled, paid fees, which went to a fund called

spoon silver.

Drapers' Bell,

Decayed brothers were always pensioned; thus we find, in , Sir Laurence Aylmer, who had actually been mayor in , applying for alms, and relieved, we regret to state, somewhat grudgingly. In Mr. Lawford, clerk of the Company, stated to the Commissioners of Municipal Inquiry that there were then poor freemen on the charity roll, who received a year each. The master and wardens also gave from the Company's bounty quarterly sums of money to about or other poor persons. In cases where members of the court fell into decay, they received pensions during the court's pleasure. person of high repute, then recently deceased, had received the sum of per annum, and on this occasion the City had given him back his sheriff's fine. The attendance fee given to members of the court was guineas.

From to , Strype reckons Draper mayors. of these were the heads of noble families, were knights or baronets, represented the City in Parliament,

In the [extra_illustrations.1.520.1]  Lord Mayors' shows the barges seem to have been covered with blue or red cloth. The trumpeters wore crimson hats; and the banners, pennons, and streamers were fringed with silk, and

beaten with gold.

In proper habits, orderly arrayed,

The movements of the morning are displayed.

Selected citizens i' th' morning all,

At seven a clock, do meet at Drapers' Hall.

The master, wardens, and assistants joyn

For the first rank, in their gowns fac'd with Foyn.

The second order do, in merry moods,

March in gowns fac'd with Budge and livery hoods.

In gowns and scarlet hoods thirdly appears

A youthful number of Foyn's Batchellors;

Forty Budge Batchellors the triumph crowns,

Gravely attir'd in scarlet hoods and gowns.

Gentlemen Ushers which white staves do hold

Sixty, in velvet coats and chains of gold.

Next, thirty more in plush and buff there are,

That several colours wear, and banners bear.

The Serjeant Trumpet thirty-six more brings

(Twenty the Duke of York's, sixteen the King's).

The Serjeant wears two scarfs, whose colours be

One the Lord Mayor's, t'other's the Company.

The King's Drum Major, follow'd by four more

Of the King's drums and fifes, make London roar.

What gives the festivities of this Company an unique zest,

however, is the visitors at them, and which included a now extinct race. We here suddenly find ourselves in company with abbots, priors, and other heads of monastic establishments, and become so familiarised with the abbot of

Tower Hill

, the prior of St. Mary Ovary,

Christ Church

, St. Bartholomew's, the provincial and the prior of

Freres Austyn's,

the master of St. Thomas Acon's and St. Laurence Pulteney, and others of the metropolitan conventual clergy, most of whom we find amongst their constant yearly visitors, that we almost fancy ourselves living in their times, and of their acquaintance.

The last public procession of the Drapers' Company was in , when the master wardens and court of assistants walked in rank to hear a sermon at , ; a number of them each carried a pair of shoes, stockings, and a suit of clothes, the annual legacy to the poor of this Company.

The Drapers possess original charters, all of them with the Great Seal attached, finely written, and in excellent preservation. These charters comprise those of Edward I., Henry VI., Edward IV., Philip and Mary, Elizabeth, and of James I. The latter is the acting charter of the company. In James I., the company is entitled In Maitland's time (), the Company devoted a year to charitable uses.

Aggas's drawing represents Cromwell House almost windowless, on the street side, and with small embattled turrets; and there was a footway through the garden of Winchester House, which forms the present passage (says Herbert) from the east end of , through to . The Great Fire stopped northwards at Drapers' Hall. The renter warden lost of the Company's money, but the Company's plate was buried safely in a sewer in the garden. Till the hall could be rebuilt, Sir Robert Clayton lent the Drapers a large room in . The hall was rebuilt by Jarman, who built the Exchange and Fishmongers' Hall. The hall had a very narrow escape (says Herbert) in from a fire, which

The [extra_illustrations.1.521.1]  is Mr. Jarman's structure, but altered, and partly rebuilt after the fire in , and partly rebuilt again in . It principally consists of a spacious quadrangle, surrounded by a fine piazza or ambulatory of arches, supported by columns. The quiet old garden greatly improves the hall, which, from this appendage, and its own elegance, might be readily supposed the mansion of a person of high rank.

The present front of the building is of stone and marble, and was built by Mr. Herbert Williams, who also erected the splendid new hall, removing the old gallery, adding a marble staircase fit for an emperor's palace, and new facing the court-room, the ceiling of which was at the same time raised. Marble pillars, stained glass windows, carved marble mantelpieces, gilt panelled ceilings-everything that is rich and tasteful--the architect has used with lavish profusion.

The buildings of the former interior were of fine red brick, but the front and entrance, in , was of a yellow brick; both interior and exterior were highly enriched with stone ornaments. Over the gateway was a large sculpture of the Drapers' arms, a cornice and frieze, the latter displaying lions' heads, rams' heads, & c., in small circles, and various other architectural decorations.

The old hall, properly so called, occupied the eastern side of the quadrangle, the ascent to it being by a noble stone staircase, covered, and highly embellished by stucco-work, gilding, & c. he stately screen of this magnificent apartment was curiously decorated with carved pillars, pilasters, arches, & c. The ceiling was divided into numerous compartments, chiefly circular, displaying, in the centre, Phaeton in his car, and round him the signs of the zodiac, and various other enrichments. In the wainscoting was a neat recess, with shelves, whereon the Company's plate, which, both for quality and workmanship, is of great value, was displayed at their feasts. Above the screen, at the end opposite the master's chair, hung a portrait of Lord Nelson, by Sir William Beechey, for which the Company paid guineas, together with the portrait of Fitz-Alwin, the great Draper, already mentioned.

In denominating this portrait

curious

,

we give as high praise as can be afforded it. Oil-painting was totally unknown to England in Fitz-Alwin's time; the style of dress, andits execution as a work of art, are also too modern.

In the gallery, between the old hall and the livery-room, were full-length portraits of the English sovereigns, from William III. to George III., together with a full-length portrait of George IV., by Lawrence, and the celebrated picture of Mary Queen of Scots, and her son, James I., by Zucchero. he portrait of the latter king is a fine specimen of the master, and is said to have cost the Company between and .

It has a fault, however,

observable in other portraits of this monarch, that of the likeness being flattered. If it was not uncourteous so to say, we should call it George IV. with the face of the Prince of Wales. Respecting the portrait of Mary and her son, there has been much discussion. Its genuineness has been doubted, from the circumstance of James having been only a twelvemonth old when this picture is thought to have been painted, and his being here represented of the age of

four

or

five

; but the anachronism might have arisen from the whole being a composition of the artist, executed, not from the life, but from other authorities furnished to him.

The old court-room adjoined the hall, and formed the north side of the quadrangle. It was wainscoted, and elegantly fitted up, lile the last. The fire-place was very handsome, and had over the centre a small oblong compartment in white marble, with a representation of the Company receiving their charter. The ceiling was stuccoed, somewhat similarly to the hall, with various subjects allusive to. the Drapers' trade and to the heraldic bearings of the Company. Both the (dining) hall and this apartment were rebuilt after the fire in .

The old gallery led to the ladies' chamber and livery-room. In the former, balls, & c., were occasionally held. This was also a very elegant room.

Howell, in his

Letters,

When I went,

to bind my brother Ned apprentice, in Drapers' Hall, casting my eyes upon the chimney. piece of the great room, I spyed a picture of an ancient gentleman, and underneath,

Thomas Howell;

I asked the clerk about him, and he told me that he had been a Spanish merchant in Henry VIII.'s time, and coming home rich, and dying a bachelor, he gave that hall to the Company of Drapers, with other things, so that he is accounted

one

of the chiefest benefactors. I told the clerk that

one

of the sons of Thomas Howell came now thither to be bound; he answered that, if he be a right Howell, he may have, when he is free,

three hundred pounds

to help to set him up, and pay no interest for

five

years. It may be, hereafter, we will make use of this.

The Drapers' list of livery states their modern arms to be thus emblazoned, viz.-Azure, clouds radiatedproper, each adorned with a triple crown or. Supporters- lions or, pelletted. Crest--on a wreath, a ram couchant or, armed , on a mount . Motto-

Unto God only be honour and glory.

[extra_illustrations.1.515.3] present structure

[extra_illustrations.1.517.1] Edward IV.

[extra_illustrations.1.518.1] Sebastian Cabot, whose father

[extra_illustrations.1.520.1] Drapers'

[extra_illustrations.1.521.1] present Drapers' Hall

[extra_illustrations.1.521.2] Queen Mary