an alderman of London. The ambassador who was sent by Elizabeth to negotiate their friendly reception in Turkey, sailed on board the ship Susan, of London, mounting thirty-four guns; a vessel of considerable magnitude at that period.

In the year 1582, the luxury of the times having greatly prevailed among people of all degrees, in their apparel, particularly apprentices, the lord mayor and common-council enacted, "That no apprentice whatsoever should presume, 1. To wear any apparel but what he receives from his master. 2. To wear no hat, nor any thing but a woollen cap, without any silk in or about the same. 3. To wear neither ruffles, cuffs, loose collars, nor any thing than a ruff at the collar, and that only of a yard and half long. 4. To wear no doublets but what are made of canvass, fustian, sackcloth, English leather, or woollen, without any gold, silver, or silk trimming. 5. To wear no other coloured cloth, or kersey, in hose or stockings, than white, blue, or russet. 6. To wear no other breeches but what shall be of the same stuffs as the doublets, and neither stitched, laced, or bordered. 7. To wear no other than a plain upper coat, of cloth or leather, without pinking, stitching, edging, or silk about it. 8. To wear no other surtout than a cloth gown or cloak, lined or faced with cloth, cotton, or baize, with a fixed round collar, without stitching, guarding, lace, or silk. 9. To wear no pumps, slippers, or shoes, but of English leather, without being pinked, edged, or stitched : nor girdles, nor garters, other than of crewel, woollen, thread, or leather, without being garnished. 10. To wear no sword, dagger, or other weapon, but a knife: nor a ring, jewel of gold nor silver, nor silk in any part of his apparel, on pain of being punished at the discretion of the master for the first offence;

to be publicly whipped at the hall of his company for a second offence; and to serve six months longer than specified in his indentures for a third ofence." And it was further enacted, "That no apprentice should frequent or go to any dancing, fencing, or musical schools; nor keep any chest, press, or other place, for keeping of apparel, or goods, but in his master's house, under the penalties aforesaid."

An ingenious German, named Maurice, submitted a scheme to the lord mayor and aldermen, in this year, for supplying the city with Thames water, by means of a machine, to be worked by the stream of the tide, under London-bridge. The scheme being approved, the city granted Maurice a lease of one arch, and a place for fixing his engine, at the north end of the bridge, for the term of five hundred years, at a rent of ten shillings per annum. Two years after, he obtained a lease of a second arch, and from the utility of, and improvements in, the invention, Maurice and his posterity acquired considerable wealth. It continued in their hands till 1701, at which time the wheels occupied four arches, when it was sold to Richard Soams, a goldsmith, for thirtysix thousand pounds. Immediately after the purchase, Soams obtained a confirmation of Maurice's lease, at the yearly rent of twenty shillings, and a fine of three hundred pounds; after which, he divided the undertaking into three hundred shares, at five hundred pounds each.

The first instance of the custom of the nomination of sheriffs, by the lord mayor drinking to them, occurred in the year 1583.

On the 17th of September, in this year, there was a splendid shooting match, under the direction of the captain of the London archers, who, for many

years

years, assumed the name of the Duke of Shoreditch ;* and who, on the occasion, summoned his nominal nobility to attend him, with their several companies, under the following titles; the Marquisses of Barlow, Clerkenwell, Islington, Hoxton, and Shacklewell, the Earl of Pancras, &c. These, to the number of three thousand, assembled at the place appointed, sumptuously apparelled, and nine hundred and forty-two of them had gold chains about their necks. They marched from Merchant Taylor's-hall, the residence of their captain, through Moorfields and Finsbury, to Smithfield; where, after having performed their evolutions, they shot at the target for glory.

In the year 1585, her majesty being apprehensive of an invasion from Spain, it was thought necessary to keep the nation prepared against any unforeseen attack. In consequence of which, the navy was put on a respectable footing; her subjects in general were disciplined to the use of arms; and the citizens, at their own expense, sent five thousand men, completely armed, to encamp on Blackheath; at which place they were several times reviewed by the queen. The citizens also, soon after, sent a considerable body of men, completely armed, to the assistance of the Dutch, against the Spaniards.

In the month of July, in this year, the magistrates of London took great pains to discover the houses that harboured the cut-purses and robbers, who infested the city. Among the rest, a regular school for the instruction of pick-pockets, was found at Smart's key, near Billingsgate. The method of

* King Henry VIII. having appointed a shooting match at Windsor, it happened, towards night, when the diversion was almost over, one Barlow, a citizen of London, and inhabitant of Shoreditch, out-shot all the rest; with which his majesty was so well pleased, that he told Barlow, that henceforward he should be called The Duke of Shoreditch; which title descended for several generations, with the captainship of the London archers.

teaching

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teaching this art was as follows: In the centre of the room was a pocket with counters in it, and a purse with silver; both of which were suspended, and small bells fixed round them. The test of ficiency was, to pick the pocket, or take the silver out of the purse, without jingling the bells. The house where this school was held was suppressed, and the man who kept it fined and imprisoned.

Ludgate, with a prison over for debtors who were freemen of the city, was rebuilt in the year 1586; and, if what Hollingshed relates, p. 1561, is to be relied on, it cost only somewhat above one thousand five hundred pounds,

In the following year, the nation became sensibly alarmed at the vigorous preparations made by the Spaniards for the reduction of England. The queen was very alert in pursuing the most defensive mea, sures. She ordered all the commercial towns in England to furnish ships to reinforce the navy; and, on the 8th of March, she sent the following letter to the lord mayor of London:

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Trusty, and well-beloved, We greet you well. Whereas upon information given unto Us, of great preparations made in foreign parts, with an intent to attempt somewhat against this Our realin, We gave present order that Our said realm should put in order of defence; which We have caused to be performed in all parts accordingly, saving in the city of London. We, therefore, knowing your readiness, by former experience, to perform any ser vice that well-affected subjects ought to yield to their prince and sovereign, do let you understand, that, within Our said city, Our pleasure is, that there be forthwith put in readiness to serve, for the defence of Our person, upon such occasions as may fall out, the number of ten thousand able men, furnished with armour and weapons convenient; of which

number

number Our meaning is, that six thousand be enrolled under captains and ensigns, and to be trained at times convenient, according to such further direction as you shall receive from Our privy-council, under six of their hands, which Our pleasure is, you do follow, from time to time, in the ordering and training of the said number of men. And these Our letters shall be your sufficient warrant for the doing of the same. Given under Our signet, &c."

This letter from the queen was followed by another from the privy-council, to the same purport; both of which being laid before the common-council, they unanimously agreed to grant the royal request, and that the aldermen and common-council should raise them in their several wards respectively. Soon after this, the privy-council sent another letter to the mayor, requesting him to have them ready to march at the shortest notice. This was not only complied with, but, on the 3d of April, the common-council granted a supply of sixteen of the largest ships in the river, and four frigates, which were immediately fitted out, and supplied with all proper necessaries. These ships were afterwards augmented to the number of thirty-eight; the expense attending which, together with the ten thousand troops, was defrayed by the city, during the time they continued in her majesty's service.

The number of troops raised in the several wards, were levied in the following proportions: