THE KITCHEN GARDEN VI. JUNE. So manifold, all pleasing in their kind, All healthful, are the employs of rural life, Reiterated as the wheel of time Runs round; still ending, and beginning still. Ar the commencement of June it is customary to sow the seed for open-ground crops of cucumber: the general culture of this plant may therefore here be noticed, with its history and qualities. The common, or garden cucumber (Cucumis sativus), belongs to a tribe of plants invaluable to natives of hot climates. This is the Gourd Tribe (Cucurbitaceae), containing the melon, the cucumber, the vegetable marrow, and various other gourds, among which is the colocynth gourd, from which is prepared the colocynth now so much used in medicine. The plants of this order, though affording wholesome food to the inhabitants of the East and West Indies, and other hot climates, are not to be eaten with impunity in these colder regions; yet, considered as luxuries of the table, and welcome additions to other viands, they are much prized, and carefully cultivated in England. Few of our culinary vegetables possess less nutritious qualities than the cucuniber, but the coolness of its nature, and its refreshing bitter taste, make it agreeable as a salad. When thus used, and accompanied by the usual condiments, it stimulates the appetite, and imparts a relish to food. Yet it is in itself unwholesome, or even dangerous to persons of delicate constitutions; and none but the robust and hardy may venture to partake of it without some caution. It may be rendered harmless by being stewed in gravy, and thus cooked it is esteemed by many persons a dainty dish. A fresh loam, rather inclining to lightness than tenacity, is recommended for the cucumber: the top soil of a pasture often affords the kind of loam best suited to this crop. The cucumber generally succeeds well, either under the hand glass or in the open ground. A warm, well-sheltered, south-west border is particularly favourable to its growth, and the directions for its culture are as follows:-The border being dug regularly over, and saucer-like hollows, about fifteen inches in diameter, and one or two deep, formed five feet apart, the seed may be sown six or eight in each. If the weather is dry, it will be requisite to water the beds moderately two or three days after sowing. In four or five days the plants will probably make their appearance; and until they have attained their rough leaves, it will be necessary to guard them from birds, which often devour the seed-leaves, and thus destroy the crop. It is said to improve the growth and flavour of cucumbers if the plants are trained over a hedge or bush instead of being allowed to trail on the ground. The above mode of culture is only available in favourable seasons; but it is worth trying, as being an easy and inexpensive method of obtaining this luxury, and one which might often be practised in cottagers' gardens, where hand-glasses and frames are not procurable. In many of the market gardens round London, where acres of early cabbages are planted, and are partially cleared by the middle of May, patches of ground are dug up and hollowed out, and in each of these ten or a dozen cucumber-seeds are sown. When up, and on the appearance of the rough leaves, they are thinned out to four or five in a patch, the hollows filled up, and the plants left to take their natural course. Sometimes a large crop of fruit is thus obtained, and a sum of money realized by the owners, at little trouble to themselves. The sowing of cucumber-seeds in hot-beds, and the different methods of forcing this plant, belong to another season, and cannot be entered on here. The chief varieties of cucumber are: the Early Short Prickly which grows to about four inches long, and is one of the hardiest and earliest sorts, and the best for the open ground; it also produces a large quantity of fruit, much of which is used in its early state for pickling. The Early Long Prickly is another abundantly-bearing variety, but slower in coming to perfection. It is about seven inches in length, and is generally employed for the main crops. There is another and a longer subvariety, which grows to the length of ten inches, and which is also hardy and a good bearer. The Early Green Cluster is a very early bearer: it is named from the fruit growing in clusters. It is a compact plant fitted for the hand-frame. The White Dutch Prickly is about six inches long, comes quickly into bearing, and has an agreeable flavour, but different from the others. The remaining varieties are slow in coming to perfection, and chiefly remarkable for their large size. The Nepal cucumber, for instance, is sometimes eight inches in diameter and seventeen in length; while another kind, called the Snake, is very small in diameter, but has been made to attain the length of several feet. Much care has of late years been bestowed on the culture of several species of gourd; the vegetable marrow, especially, is now so common that it affords a valuable addition to our list of vegetables. In Cowper's time the proper culture of gourds and cucumbers was but newly attained, and he speaks of it as no unworthy occupation of the self-sequestered man. To raise the prickly and green-coated gourd, The seed of vegetable marrows or other gourds may be sown in the open ground in a warm situation, in the first week of June, if the weather be favourable; but the gardener generally has young plants which have been raised in hot-beds, and which are now fit to be transplanted to a southern border, where a paling or hedge will allow of their being trained over it. They are treated exactly in the same way as the cucumber, except that they do not require so much care. Abundance of water must be given, and when the runners have extended three feet, if they are pegged down, and some earth drawn over them at a joint, fresh roots will be formed, and the whole plant will remain longer in bearing. The gardener's preparatory steps in the culture of this description of plants are thus noticed by -Cowper. The seed, selected wisely, plump, and smooth, The main sowings for a supply of endive may be made towards the close of June. These will afford a succession of this useful salad to come in after the plants for many parts of Germany and Holland, the fleshy root of this plant is dried and ground as a substitute for coffee, or to mix with it. It has been said that the plant might be cultivated amongst us for this purpose with great national advantage, and that the beverage obtained from it is superior to coffee itself; but after due trial, very few persons, probably, would be inclined to assent to this opinion. The gardener's task of sowing successional crops to replace those which are now being cleared for use still goes on, and there is not much variety in this respect in the proceedings of the present month. The late crops of peas are provided for by sowing Prussian blue, Knight's marrowfats, early frame, and Charlton. The latest crop of broad beans is sown, and is of the whiteblossomed sort. Among kidney-beans, the dwarf and the runners are sown the first week in June; and again in the course of the month once or twice. White, yellow, Dutch, and Swedish turnips are sown for the autumnal and winter crops; carrots in the second or third week, and onions for drawing young. Winter crops of potatoes, of the kidney and other late sorts, are planted; and towards the end of the month, cabbage, broccoli, borecole, and savoy plants, are removed chiefly into nursery-beds; but some to remain for early supply. Celery plants are now placed out in manured trenches, and kept well watered. Attention is paid to the crops. of peas, to provide them with sticking, to dig between the rows, and earth up the stems. By carefulness in these respects, the productiveness of peas is secured for a longer period than would otherwise be the case. which the sowings were made in May. The garden endive (Cichorium endiva) is a hardy annual, generally considered to be a native of China and Japan, where it is abundantly cultivated if not found actually growing wild. This plant was introduced into England in the reign of Edward the Sixth, in 1548; but has never been much in use except as a winter and spring salad. In France it stands in much higher favour than among ourselves; being extensively used, either boiled in ragouts, or fried with roast meat, or as a pickle, as well as being applied to the ordinary use as a salad. This well-known plant produces, from the crown of the root, a great quantity of large smooth leaves, divided into lobes, and toothed at the edges. The flowering stem is about two feet high, and the flowers, which are of a pale blue colour, expand their blossoms in July or August. The leaves of this plant, in their natural state, are extremely harsh and bitter, but when deprived of air and light, and thus blanched like the heart of a lettuce, they part with their extreme bitterness, and only retain that quality in a moderate degree. If the blanching be properly performed, endive becomes very crisp, tender, and agreeable. Of this plant there are three varieties; but the green curled is the only one cultivated for the main crops. The method of preparing the ground, and of sowing, does not differ from that employed for other kinds of salad. Slight waterings must be given in dry weather, and the plants, when of a month old, in the seed-bed, may be transplanted to a rich, well-prepared border. The larger seedlings are taken first, and the smaller ones, freed from weeds, are left in the seed-bed, and with gentle waterings, the latter will so much im- While the various productions of the garden grow, prove as to afford a second successional crop. There spread, and increase as they do in this genial month, an may still be a few of the smaller plants left in their active hand is required to clear away all incumbrances native bed, and if the soil be at all favourable, they will of the soil, and to secure every vacant spot of ground often attain a finer growth than those which have been as it is cleared, bringing it into immediate cultivation; transplanted. In removing these plants, if they are all kinds of weeds and extraneous vegetation should be placed in more than one row, the triangular mode of removed to a pit, or compost heap, where they may be arranging them should be adopted, as they then get more undergcing those processes which will convert them air, and are not so likely to decay while blanching. into valuable soil. A shady spot of the garden, which Warm weather is the most favourable for this process of would be of little avail for other purposes, may be conblanching; but under proper precautions it is performed veniently used for striking cuttings and slips of herbs. at any season. The usual plans are to tie the leaves Slips of southernwood, lavender, hyssop, sage, and other together in the same manner as with the lettuce; to place aromatic nerbs, may be taken in June, and if shaded tiles or pieces of board upon the plants; or to cover and watered, are almost sure to succeed. This is also them with garden-pots. Either of these methods will the time for gathering culinary herbs, such as mint, succeed in dry seasons, but not in wet ones. The fol- balm, and sage, which are used in a dry state during the lowing has been recommended as succeeding in all seawinter. These are cut in dry weather, and suspended sons. Fold the leaves of the plant round the heart as in the open air under the shelter of a shed, until they much as possible in their natural position; tie them very are sufficiently dry to be stored. The full aroma of closely together with a shred of bass mat, and then cover herbs is possessed by them just previously to blosup the plant entirely with coal-ashes in the form of a soming, therefore they should always be gathered before cone, the surface being rendered firm and smooth with a they come into full bloom. With respect to mint, it trowel. Sand will answer the same purpose, and is a may be observed, that as green mint is a very desirable more agreeable covering; but where this is not plenti- | herb in the course of the winter, it is worth while, where ful, coal-ashes will be found very effectual, and in respect the means are at hand, to take up some roots in open of absorbing heat, and thus hastening the intended pro-weather, after the plant has ceased sending up shoots, cess, they are superior to sand. In a week after the first tying, a ligature must be passed round the middle of each plant to prevent the heart-leaves from bursting .out. The process of blanching will be completed in about three weeks; so that a sufficient supply for use must be tied up in succession. There is a hardy perennial plant, called Succory, or wild endive, growing rather commonly about the edges of our fields. This appears to be the Cichorium mentioned by Theophrastus, and in use among the ancients. For the garden endive there are different names in different countries; but in all the languages of modern Europe the name given to the wild endive is merely a corruption of the original Greek word. This plant is not generally applied to any economical purpose in England; but on the continent it is employed as an edible vegetable. In France, and sometimes in our own country, succory has been cultivated as food for cattle. In and plant them in a moderate hot-bed, or in pots or boxes. In this way, if well protected, this herb may be obtained, in the green state, at any season. In about a fortnight or three weeks from the time of planting, if saved from the attacks of frost, young shoots and buds will begin to be produced of a proper size for use. MAY-MORNING. Now the bright morning-star-day's harbinger- Thus we salute thee with our early song, II. SECTION 5. THE ANCIENT MERCHANT TAILORS' HALL. STATE OF THE LIVERY COMPANIES AFTER THE REFORMATION. RETURNING to Mr. Herbert's interesting account of the great Livery Companies of London, we glean the following particulars of their position, subsequent to the Reformation. In Roman catholic times, it had been customary, in making gifts, and devising estates to these societies, to charge such gifts with annual payments, for supporting chantries for the souls of their respective donors, and so universal was this custom, that scarcely any property was left, without being restricted in this way. But when the efficacy of these religious establishments began to be disbelieved, and when, at the Reformation, an act was passed for the dissolution of colleges, chantries, and free chapels, the City companies saw a large portion of their trust estates in danger of changing hands with the change of religion. The colleges, chantries, c., were in fact bestowed upon the king and his successors; but they do not appear to have been wholly taken possession of by the crown, until the next reign, when a new act vested all such as had not been before seized on, (and which included "all payments by corporations, misteryes, or craftes, for priests' obits and lamps,") in the king; to whom they were to be paid by the companies. "This," says Strype, "was a great blow to the corporations of London; nor was there any other way for them VOL. XXIV. but to purchase and buy off those rent-charges, and get as good pennyworths as they could of the king; and this they did in the third of Edward the Sixth, by selling other of their lands, to enable them to make these purchases. This cost the companies 18,7007., which possessions, when they had thus cleared again, they employed to good uses, according to the first intent of them, abating the superstition." The change was indeed one that must have proved highly beneficial to the poor of the respective companies, for with a part of the sum previously used for maintaining a priest to say masses for the souls of deceased persons, the twelve companies each paid annually a sum varying from forty to one hundred and fifty pounds, in pensions to "poore decaied brethren, in exhibitions to schollers, towards the maintenance of a schole, and in almes to poore men and women." The seizure of the chantry estates was followed by a measure of emancipation, tending to promote the general interests of trade, but inflicting another blow on the companies. It ordained that all manner of workmen connected in the building of houses and other edifices, were licensed to exercise their occupations in cities and towns corporate, though they were not free of such corporations. This shows that inconvenience began to be felt from the exclusive privileges of corporations, and which now demanded some relaxation. This portion of the act, however, was subsequently repealed. The custom of forced loans was noticed as having been begun in the reign of Henry the Eighth. This custom 764 was resumed by Queen Mary, in 1557, who required the sum of twenty thousand pounds of the City companies, which was lent by them at twelve per cent., secured on certain of the crown lands. In July of the same year, the first compulsory levy of soldiers was made on the companies. The form of precept sent on this occasion] by the mayor to the Grocers' company, commands the wardens "to provide sixty good sadd and hable men to be souldgears, whereof two to be horsemen, well horsed and armyd; twenty of them to be harquebuziers or archers; twenty to bear pykes; and eighteen to be bill-men, all well harnyshed and weponed, mete and convenient, accordynge to the appoyntinent of our sovereigne lorde and ladye the king's and queen's majestie; as well for the suretie and safeguarde of their highnesses' chambre and citie of London, as the resistance of such militious attempts as may happen to be made against them by foreigne enemie." The next year, two hundred thousand pounds was raised in the city to carry on the French war, and all the companies were forced to contribute largely. "From this period," says Mr. Herbert, "the extracting of money from the trading corporations became a regular source of supply to government; and was prosecuted during Elizabeth's and the succeeding reigns, with a greediness and injustice that scarcely left those societies time to breathe. Contributions towards setting the poor to work; towards erecting the Royal Exchange; towards cleansing the city ditch; and towards projects of discovering new countries; money for furnishing military and naval armaments; for men, arms, and ammunition, to protect the city; for state and city pageants and attendances; for provisions of coal and corn; compulsory loans for government and for the prince; state lotteries, monopolous patents, 'concealments,' seditious publications and practices, sumptuary regulations, and twenty other sponging expedients, were amongst the most prominent of the engines by which that Mother of her People,' Queen Elizabeth, and afterwards James and Charles, contrived to screw from the companies their wealth." The power of impressment of their members for naval purposes, belonged to the companies, and, in 1578, the Grocers had a precept to provide fifteen men for "her majesty's shippes." An entry of payment was accordingly made "for fifteen blew cotes" made for the said men. The Ironmongers' books show that they also received an order of the same date, for eight men, to hold themselves in readiness to embark on board the vessels appointed. In 1588, the threatened danger of the Spanish Armada called forth the energies of the companies, so that the call on them was nobly responded to. Government demanded ten thousand men, and thirty-eight ships, of the city, and these were supplied with the greatest alacrity. On the defeat of the Armada, the government resolved on increasing the naval force of the kingdom, and here again the good offices of the City companies were put in requisition. Upwards of seven thousand pounds were raised on this occasion, and five years afterwards, a further sum of three thousand five hundred was demanded, and the money was 'paid chiefly by the same bodies. Numerous examples of a similar kind might be given; but these will suffice to show the extensive demands which were systematically made on these wealthy corporations. In 1572, they were required to keep up a regular and separate standing force for the protection of the city. They therefore selected from among their several companies, "three thousand of the most sizeable and active young men," part of whom were appointed musketeers, and the rest pikemen. The whole were regularly drilled, till they were accounted proficient, when they were reviewed by the queen in person, in Greenwich Park. Throughout the reign of Elizabeth, May-games, masques, and mummeries were the order of the day, and the City companies were required to bear a very costly part in the shows. In the May-game of 1559, the Ironmongers sent men in armour to go before the queen's majesty to Greenwich, and in pursuance of a second precept from the mayor, "twenty-eight hanssom men, well and handsomely arrayed, and ten whiffelers (fifers) went also to feach the queene's majeste," furnished with two new streamers of silk, a great flag, and twelve small banners. At another royal pageant at Greenwich, the twelve principal trade corporations of London sent out the same number of companies, consisting together of fourteen hundred men, to be mustered in Greenwich Park before the queen; eight hundred whereof were pikemen in bright armour, four hundred harquebussiers in coats of mail and helmets, and two hundred halberdiers in 66 German rivets. These troops were attended by twentyeight whifflers, richly dressed, and led by the twelve principal wardens of the aforesaid corporations, well-mounted, and dressed in black velvet, with six. ensigns in white satin, faced with black sarsnet, and rich scarfs. The Grocers' contribution to the same pageant was ordered to be one hundred and ninety persons apte and picked men; whereof sixty to be with calyvers, flashes, touche boxes, morions, swordes, and daggers, for a shewe at Greenwich.' The Merchant-Tailors sent one hundred and eighty-seven men as their proportion to another splendid "Maying." Similar precepts were received on other occasions, requiring this and other companies to furnish men and armour for the yearly exhibitions, of which Elizabeth was so fond. In the reigns of James and Charles, the pageants chiefly consisted of processions of the companies and corporations of London, to receive royal and distinguished persons on their state passage through the city. An instance of this is given in the preparations that were made to receive the Russian ambassador in 1617, when ten persons of the chief and best of the Merchant-Tailors' company were ordered "presently" to "furnish themselves to be present upon warning to attend the brethren the aldermen at Guildhall, at such a time as shall hereafter be made known, in velvett coats, with chaines of gold, well mounted on horseback, in comely and decent order, to accompany and ride with the aldermen to the Tower wharf, for the more graceful entertainment of the said ambassador." The processions on these occasions sometimes reached a great way. On one occasion, when the lord mayor and aldermen in scarlet attended to meet Henry, Prince of Wales, the commons in their liveries stood from Bishopsgate Street to St. Paul's. Until the time of Charles the First, the companies always stood, and directions were given for providing "rails" for the purpose of keeping off the crowd; but, at a later period, it becaine the fashion for the companies to be seated, and accounts are given of the "great street of London” (Cheapside) having in all its length "benches with backs, and enriched with ballusters three feet high, all covered over equally with blue cloth," in which, and the continuations of the same standings, (said to have extended a league in length,) "all the companies or fraternities of the different trades, in all amounting to fifty, appeared in citizens' gowns, with trimmings of martin-skin, sitting on the benches, every company having its banner of arms, in order that they might be distinguished one from the other." This imposing array of the companies was rendered the more impressive by the rich decoration of the various streets, which are described as being dressed with "woven tapistry; that with Flemish or embroidery, this with Chinese, and the other with Indian drapery.' The whole of the Drapers' street, (Mercery, in Cheap,) was hung with scarlet cloth. " SECTION 6. THE COMPANIES' PROVISION FOR THE POOR. In the year of the Great Plague, (1665,) the first mention is made of the provision of coals by the companies, for the relief of the poor. Northouck thus speaks of the custom. "For a constant supply of sea-coal for the use of the poor in times of scarcity, and to defeat the combinations of coal-dealers, the several City companies were ordered to purchase, and lay up yearly, between Lady-day and Michaelmas, the following quantities of coals; which in dear times were to be vended in such a manner, and at such prices, as the lord mayor and court of aldermen, should by written precept direct, so that the coals should not be sold to loss:-Mercers', four hundred and eighty-eight chaldrons; Grocers', six hundred and seventy-five; Merchant-Tailors', seven hundred and fifty;" and so on, with a long list of companies. On the benefit attending this plan, the writer quoted makes the following comment. "Such magazines of coals opened in November or December, as the season dictated, and sold in small quantities, not exceeding a sack of three bushels, would prove a much more prudent assistance to poor working families in hard weather, than double the money distributed gratuitously. How this laudable regulation sunk into disuse does not appear; but as the city halls are dispersed in various parts of the town, the scheme was excellent, and it is to be lamented that the corporation should forget it, and leave attempts of this nature to private undertakers. As early as the year 1512, historians state the very best coals to have been five shillings the chaldron, and the inferior sorts four shillings and sixpence. They are mentioned to have been hawked about the streets in sacks, in the reign of Charles the Second, one of the London cries of that period being, Qui veut de charbon?" The city and companies also provided corn against a time of scarcity, and the first mayor mentioned as making this provision is Sir Stephen Brown, in 1438, who is thus eulogized by Fuller: "During a great dearth in his mayoralty, he charitably relieved the wants of the poor citizens, by sending ships at his own expense to Dantzic, which returned laden with rye, and which seasonable supply soon sank grain to reasonable rates." About the same period, a public granary was erected at Leadenhall, and a regular custom gradually obtained of the city providing corn. In the course of time, the precepts issued by the mayor, requiring the companies to furnish loans for the purchase of foreign corn, became somewhat peremptory, and so frequent as greatly to inconvenience the lenders. The latter, therefore, in 1561, besought that some of their money might be returned, and received for answer, that those of them who thought it long to wait for their money might have, if they would, wheate out of the Bridge-house for their money, at twenty-three shillings a quarter. If they refused to take wheat, the wardens were to "move and persuade them gentyle to forbeare their seide money untyl suche tyme as the cityes corn in the Bridgehouse might be conveniently sold and uttered." This provision of corn was afterwards placed on a more settled footing, the mayor and aldermen engaging to advance a fixed sum of ten pounds each, in part of a permanent fund, and afterwards making it a law, that corn was to be regularly purchased, every year, when cheap, and stored up until it became dear. The management and distribution of the corn were also subject to a variety of regulations, by which the corporation were enabled to sell off their stock to advantage in plentiful seasons, and to restrict to its proper objects, the sale in scarce seasons. The demands for loans being still obnoxious and inconvenient to the companies, they at length obtained leave, in 1577, to lay out the sum required of them in corn, of their own, which they were to store up, and sell in accordance with the city regulations. Rooms in the Bridge-house were, therefore, appropriated to their use. "All the garners of the Bridgehouse were divided into twelve equall parts, and the same by indifferent lots," appropriated to the twelve companies, "to every of them an equal part, for the bestowing and keeping of the said corn," and it was to be provided by rateable proportions between them. The contentions between the companies and the city were thus at an end, and nothing further is met with on the subject, until 1596, when the companies built granaries at their own halls. As time passed on, this provision of corn was attempted to be diverted from its original purpose of utility and charity, applications being made for loans of the corn, by parties who should have been above it. An instance of royal poverty and meanness, is preserved in the following letter, written in 1622. "To our lovinge friends, the wardens and assistants of the Company of Grocers of the City of London," and signed by the lord high steward, and other great officers of the king's household: "After our hearty commendations: whereas, by the neglect of his majesty's purveyors, his house is att this tyme altogeather unfurnished with wheate, by means whereof there is a present want of one hundred quarters of wheate, for the service of his household, we doe, therefore, pray and desire you, that out of your stock, his majesty may be supplied with thirty or forty quarters of your best and sweatest wheate, untill his owne provision may be brought in, the which we doe faithfully promise shall be payd unto you agayn in November next att the furthest; and because itt is intended that by the exchange thereof, you shall have noe losse, we have, therefore, committed the care thereof to Mr. Harvye, one of his majesty's officers of the green clothe, who shall see the same duelye answeared and brought into your granarie by the tyme appoynted; and we not doubtynge of your willinge performance uppon soe present and needeful occasion, wee bid you heartilie farewell. Whitehall, 27th of September, 1622." This curious document failed of producing the desired effect: the company appears to have had reasons for distrust, and the utmost they would do for the king, was to lend him ten quarters; whether it was repaid or not, we have no information. In an equally mean attempt, made some years afterwards, the court endeavoured to become factors on their own account. The continuance of the corn custom is traced down to the fire of London, when the companies' mills and granaries being destroyed, the provision ceased, and was not after wards renewed. Mr. Herbert's remarks on the discontinuance of this custom, may be given as a sensible qualification of the opinion of Northouck, above quoted. "Whether this provision was ever beneficial to the extent which has been fancied, or, at least, whether its revival in the present day would be attended with the advantage some writers have suggested, is very doubtful. The necessity at first originated in circumstances, which no longer exist. It might be provident of the rich, and useful to the poor, to lay up stores of wheat, in times when there were frequent dearths, owing to the land being chiefly pasture, when the Steelyard merchants were the only importers of foreign corn, and the king's purveyor seized the best of wheat that was grown at home. In more plentiful times, however, and with the facilities afforded by commerce, and extended agricultural pursuits, the practice evidently tended to monopoly. The companies were always to buy when cheap, and sell when dear, but were never to lose. Query: were they not, from their wealth, often put into a situation to gain? Individually speaking, also, many of the regulations must have been an intolerable burden to them. Compelling them to take the city's surplus corn,-and that they might do so, forbidding bakers or chandlers to furnish them, as well as forcing them, when they were allowed to import, to do it only through city committees, besides other similar orders, must have been monopolous and oppressive. Other of their regulations must have been detrimental to the public; in particular, the order that no chandler or other (merchant importers excepted), should keep corn but for their own consumption, which was leaving the public no channel of purchase but the ones mentioned." The compulsory loans of different sovereigns have already been alluded to: those of Elizabeth's reign were particularly noted for the trivial sums demanded, and the frequency of the demands. A specimen is given in a precept which the lord mayor was authorized to direct to the Ironmongers' Company, in 1575. "Theis are to will and com'aunde youe, that forthwith youe prepare in a redynes the sume of forty pounds of the stocke of youre halle, (and if you have not so moche in store, then you must borrow the same at ynterest, at th' only costs and lossis of youre hall,) to be lent to the queen's majestie for one whole year, not in any wise cawsying any brother of youre companie to bear any p'ticular charge or losse towards the same, but onlye of the rents and stocke of youre said hall, which som'e of forty pounds you shall paye uppon Twysdaye next comynge, in the mornyng, at Mr. Stanley's howse, in Aldersgate Street; and thear you shall receive an acquyttaunce for the same in forme appoynted. Fayle youe not hereof, as youe will awnser for the contrarye at your peryle. Yeovyn at the Gwyldhall of London, the xxvii. of August, 1575. SEBRIGHTE." "It will hardly be credited," says Malcolm, "that men should have made no effort to amend such sort of proceedings as those, of compelling loans in one half year, and in the next, compelling the lenders to borrow. These precepts, and other resources, produced Queen Elizabeth 140,000l., apparently more than she at that time knew what to do with; however, herself or her ministers found an expedient, which was to force the citizens to receive it for a year or more, at seven per cent., in sums of from five hundred pounds to fifty pounds, each person, on pledges of gold or silver plate, or other ample security.' In 1579, Elizabeth demanded a loan of twenty thousand pounds from the city of London, but this was for public purposes, and was readily granted without interest, the several companies contributing acccrding to their means. SECTION 7. INTRODUCTION OF LOTTERIES AND PATENTS-SUMPTUARY REGULATIONS. In The queen also tried lotteries as a means of raising money, and endeavoured to promote them by precepts addressed to the companies, through the lord mayor. 1567, the mayor informs the Grocers' company, that he had received from the lords of the queen's privy council, in her grace's name, a letter "in commendacion of the lotterie lately published by her highness, which, for the furtherance of the same, did require that the wardens should call all the companie together, and exhorte the same to adventure some reasonable sum toward the preferment of the same lotterie." Whereupon every one of the company present at the reading of the letter, promised "to put in somewhat, as to themselves should prove good." They also agreed that the wardens should adventure the sum of twenty |