COLEMAN-STREET WARD. Has its name from the prin cipal street therein, built by one Coleman; or probably it derived its diftinction from the many dealers in coal, which anciently inhabited it; for that was the common method our forefathers obferved in giving names to the feveral streets of this city, either on account of the trades carried on there, or for fome remarkable building on that fite. There are all alderman, and including the deputy, fix common councilmen. CORDWAINER'S-STREET WARD. This name is obviously derived from the occupation of the principal inhabitants, who were cordwainers, or fhoemakers, curriers, and other workers of leather. The ward has an alderman, a deputy, and eight other common councilmen. CORNHILL WARD. This name is derived from the principal ftreet, which was anciently a great corn market. It is governed by an alderman and fix common councilmen, including the deputy. CRIPPLEGATE WARD. Takes its name from the northweft gate of the city; it confifts of two parts; one lying within Cripplegate and London-wall, and the other to the extent of the freedom, without. This ward has an alderman, with a deputy and feven common councilmen within, and a deputy and three common councilmen without the walls. DOWGATE WARD. Various are the opinions concerning the etymology of this ward. Some derive it from Dour-gate, which they fay fignifies Watergate, and stood in the wall next the Thames, at the bottom of the hill, others will have it derived from its fituation, which is a great defcent, and the gate which food at the bottom of the hill: which laft opinion has prevailed fo far, that modern writers have given it the name of Downgate; while in common ufe, the citizens differ from both, and call it Dowgate ward. It has an alderman, a deputy, and feven other common councilmen. FARRINGDON (within). This ward, together with Farringdon without, had in ancient times but one alderman, and that not by election, but by inheritance or purchase. This right defcended to Nicholas Farendon, a goldfmith, who was four times mayor, and was by his will, dated 1361, tranfmitted to his pofterity, in whofe poffeffion it continued eightytwo years, and ftill retains the family name. The addition of within is on account of this part of Farringdon wards lying within the walls of London, containing the ancient wards of Newgate and Ludgate. And this addition was given to each part by act of parliament, when that large poffeffion of the Farendons was divided into two aldermanries to be governed by by two aldermen. This ward has an alderman, his deputy, and fixteen other common councilmen. FARRINGDON (Without). This ward is of very great extent, and is the furtheft ward weft in the city. It is governed by an alderman, his deputy, and fifteen other common council-men. LANGBOURNE WARD. To the title of this ward is added Fenny about, and the derivation of both names is thus given. Langbourne takes its name from a rivulet or long bourne, of fweet water, which anciently broke out of a fpring near to the place where Magpye-alley, adjoining to St. Catherine's Coleman's church now ftands, which ran down the ftreet weftward, and through Lombard-ftreet, as far as the weft end of St. Mary Woolnoth's church, where, turning fouth, and dividing itself into feveral rills, fhares, or ftreams, it gave name to Sharebourne-lane, called alfo Southbourne-lane, because it ran fouth to the river Thames; and by its fpreading near the fpring head, the contiguous ftreet became fo fwampy, moorifh or fenny, especially about the church, which flood in the broadway between Mincing-lane and Rood-lane, that it was thence called Fen-church-street. The ward alfo partook of the fame name, and was enrolled in the city records by the appellation of Langbourne and Fenny about. In this ward are, an alderman, a deputy, and ten other common councilmen. LIME-STREET WARD. Derives its name from that of a principal street, and is governed by an alderman, a deputy, and three other common councilmen. PORTSOK IN WARD. This name, which has given occafion for fo many puns, is derived from a Latin and a Saxon word, fignifying a gate and a franchise. The origin of the title is defcribed by an old writer in these terms. This Portfoken, which fignifies a franchife at the gate, was fome time a guild, and had its beginning in the reign of Edgar, between seven and eight hundred years ago, when thirteen knights, well beloved of the king and realm for fervices by them done, requested to have a certain portion of land on the eaft part of the city, left defolate and forfaken by the inhabitants, by reafon of too much fervitude. They befought the king to have this land, with the liberty of a guild, for ever. The king granted their request on the following conditions, to wit, That each of them fhould victoriously accomplish three combats, one above the ground, one under the ground, and the third in the water and after this, at a certain day, in Eaft Smithfield, they fhould run with fpears against all comers; all which was gloriously performed. The king accordingly gave them their guild, and fixed their boundaries. The The ward has an alderman and five common councilmen, including the deputy. QUEENHITHE WARD. This word receives its name from the hithe, or harbour for large boats, barges, or lighters, and even for fhips, which in ancient times anchored at that place, as they do now at Billingfgate; the timber-bridge or lock on London-bridge being drawn up for their paffage through; Queenhithe being then the principal key, wharf, or ftrand for lading and unlading in the heart of the city. It is governed by an alderman, a deputy, and five common councilmen. TOWER-STREET WARD. The derivation of its name is fufficiently obvious: it is governed by an alderman, deputy, and eleven other common councilmen. VINTRY WARD. This ward takes its name from a part thereof called the Vintrie by the ancients, occupied by vintners or wine merchants from Bourdeaux, fettled on the bank of the river Thames; at which place they landed their wines, and were obliged to fell them in forty days, till the 28th of Edward I. who, by privy feal, granted longer time, and certain privileges to thofe merchants. It has an alderman and nine common councilmen, one of whom is deputy. COMPANIES. For the greater encouragement of the trade and navigation of this city and kingdom, king Athelstan, in the year 928, made a law, that, if a merchant on his own account make three voyages into the Straits, he fhall be advanced in honour, and enjoy the privilege of a gentleman. And as an encouragement to foreign merchants to frequent the ports of this kingdom, it was granted by Henry III. in his great charter, that they (exclufive of fuch as were previously precluded) fhould not only have free egrefs and regrefs from, and to all the ports of the kingdom, but likewife the liberty of travelling into all parts thereof, to negociate their trade, toll free, except in time of war. Guilds, companies, or incorporations were anciently either fecular or religious, established by the king. The fecular guilds were either Gilda mercatoria, a merchant guild, or Gilda mercatorium, a guild of merchants, tradefmen and artizans; each of which guilds were compofed of an alderman, chaplain, efchevins, elders, and inferior members, as appears by a convention made between the dean and canons of St. Martin's-le-grand, and the guild or company of fadlers towards the clofe of the twelfth century. And the religious guilds, founded for devotion and alms deeds, confifted of an alderman, mafter, brothers, brothers, and filters: That guilds or gilds are of great antiquity in this city, is apparent by the devotional guilds of St. Andrew Wardrobe, St. Dunstan's in the East, and St. › Lawrence Poulteney. But that the fecular are of a more ancient date, is manifest from the companies of weavers and bakers. The following lift of the guilds, or companies of London, with the annual charities which they distribute, and the principal circumftances attending them, is extracted from Poftlethwaite's dictionary of commerce, publifhed in 1774, with a few additions to each article. They are arranged according to their precedence, beginning with the twelve. principal, of one of which the lord mayors have generally made themselves free at their election, if they were not fo before; for they are not only the most ancient, but the richest, many of them having had the honour of kings and princes to be their members, the apartments of their halls being fit to entertain a monarch. 1. MERCERS. 3000. Exclufive of 20 per cent. paid yearly to the widows of fubfcribing clergymen during life, purfuant to a propofal accepted in 1698, when they settled a fund of 14,000 a year for that purpofe. Date of incorporation, 17 Rich. II. Hall in Cheapfide. 2. GROCERS. . 700.-Date of incorporation, 1345. Hall, Grocer's-alley, or Grocer's-hall-court, Poultry. 3. DRAPERS. .4000.-Date of incorporation, 1439. Hall, Throgmorton-ftreet. 4. FISHMONGERS. £. 800.--Date of Incorporation, 7 Rich. II. 1384. Hall, Thames-ftreet. 5. GOLDSMITHS. f. 1000.-They had a privilege from Edward IV. to infpect, try, and regulate all gold and filver wares throughout the kingdom, and to punish all workers in either, that adulterated the fame. Date of incorporation, 26 Henry II. 1180. Hall, Fofter-lane, Cheapfide. 6. SKINNERS. . 700.-Date of incorporation, 1 Edward III. 1327. Hall, Dowgate-hill. 7. MERCHANT TAYLORS. . 2000.-They were once ftyled tailors, and linen armourers.-Date of incorporation, 5 Edward IV. 1466. Hall, Threadneedle-street. 8. HABERDASHERS. .5300.- Were anciently ftyled Milaners, because they dealt moft in goods which came from Milan. Date of incorporation, 26 Hen. VI. 1447. Hall, Maiden-lane. 9. SALTERS. . 500.-Date of incorporation, 1394. Hall St. Swithin's-lane. 10. IRON 10. IRONMONGERS. £. 1800.-In 1724, Mr. Betton, a Turkey merchant, left 26,000/. in trust; one moiety of the profits of it always to be applied to the ranfom of British captives from Moorish flavery; the other for the poor of the company, and to the charity fchools in the city, and its liberty. Date of incorporation, 3 Edward IV. 1464. Hall, Fenchurch-street. 11. VINTNERS. . 600.-Date of incorporation, 15 Henry 12. CLOTHWORKERS. . 1400.-Date of incorporation, 1482. Hall, Mincing-lane. 13. DYERS. This company, which was anciently one of the twelve, was incorporated 11 Edward IV. 1472. Among other privileges of this fociety, that of keeping fwans upon the river Thames is one. Hall, Little Elbow-lane. 14. BREWERS.-Date of incorporation, 16 Henry VI. 1438. Hall, Addle-street. 15. LEATHER-SELLERS.-Date of incorporation, 22 Henry VI. 1442. Henry VII. made them wardens, infpectors of sheep, lamb, and calves' leather, throughout the kingdom. Hall, Little St. Helen's. 16. PEWTERERS.-Date of incorporation, 13 Edward IV. 1474. By act of parliament, 25 Henry VIII. their wardens had the inspection of pewter throughout England. Hall, Lime-ftreet. 17. BARBER-SURGEONS.-In the reign of Henry VIII. the furgeons of this company, then but nineteen, were exempted by Parliament from ward and parish offices, and from military fervice. The art of furgery anciently being folely practifed by the barbers of this city, they were, by letters patent of Edward IV. anno 1461, incorporated by the name of the mafters, or governors of the mystery or commonalty of the Barbers of London. Some time after, others afluming the practice of furgery, the Barbers in the third of Henry VIII. 1512, obtained an act of parliament to prevent all perfons from practising furgery within the city of London and feven miles of the fame. In the fixth year of the said reign, 1515, the practising Barbers or Surgeons of this city, in number nineteen, were, in confideration of their conftant attendance on patients, not only by Parliament exempted from ferving ward and parish offices, but likewife from all military fervices. By virtue of the first mentioned act of parliament, divers perfons (not Barbers), being examined and admitted as practitioners |