Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 6.djvu/19

 9"'S.VI.Jn1.v 7,1900-] NOTES AND QUERIES. 13 ladder.* Thus we caught him at last, and one of the watchmen, to prevent his nerves being totally benumbed by frigorific torpor, lent him his great coat. Here you have him, watchman’s coat, ladder f lve tea-ton and all.” o ropes, si r gs, G. J. GRAY. 4, Camden Place, Cambridge. _ “PASTOPHORIA” (9“‘ S. v. 415).-It may interest MB. CALDECOTT to know that the word 1rao~ro¢6p¢ov is of comparativel frequent occurrence in the Septuagint, whence no doubt Josephus borrows it. It occurs, for instance, in 1 Chron. ix. 26, 33; xxiii. 28; xxviii. 12 ; in 2 Chron. xxxi. 11 ' in Jeremiah xxxv. 4; in Ezekiel xl. 17. The word in the A.V. is translated “ chamber,” with the alternative word “storehouse” in the margin in 1 Chron. ix. 26 and 2 Chron. xxxi. 11. In Ezek. xl. 17 Aquila in his version in the glaee of 1rao°‘ro¢6p¢o. uses yafod>vAd.x¢a., and ymmachus é§é8pa¢. JoHNsoN BAILY. Ryton Rectory. Tru; OLDEST TRADING Conroayrros (6°*‘ S. vi. 288, 456, 479 ; 9‘*‘ S. v. 3_45).-The Ham- blnazgh Company, usually credited as the oldest t ing establishment in the kingdom, was incorporated by Edward I. in 1296 (though it éiad already beeéi in hexistencef RK tigiirti; or ort years) nn er t e tite o t e rot er- hooi of Sa. Thomas a Beclzgti <5 Czgiterbury. ts rst c arter was ran y enry I. 5 Februarg, 1406, whizh charter was after- wards con rmed and augmented, with divers qr1vileges,%Jy succeeding mgiarchsv Amongst t iese rova patrons were enr. in 1413, Heiiry VI. ggi 14323 Henry Vélklh 1433, 1505, an( 1506. t e ast-name ing t is title was bestowecl: “ The Company of Merchants traduligato Calais, Holland, Zealand, Brabant and _ rider?" together with a power oi proclaiming ree airs at Calais and some other continental towns. Each member was ordeged tiolpay alxé entiance fee of twenty mar s s r in . ew c arters were grante lriy Henry, VIII. in 1509, 1517, and 1531, by .dward I. in 1547 Mag 1553. Elizabeth, by gocggster 1564 §c<z;|fir|?d_ 15833; declared that, various in rna ispu ie company should be incorporated anew, dnder the title of the Company of Merchant-Ad ven turers of &lgl8l1dd wlitl; ahcoréilmou fseii; fog allhmemd rs,an ta te °tyo amurg an nelghbourlngltowns be reputed within their grant, toget er with the Low Countries. ‘ “ The stories of the fire and ladder and silver tea-tongs are reported, though perhaps they have no other foundation than what may just-if a harm- less pleasautry in a. work of this sort, which attacks nothing but ridiculous oddities, affectation, and arrogance.” The company for many a long year held a practical monopoly of the Eng ish export woollen trade, in spite of frequent petitions against them, one as early as 1497. But the troubles which disturbed the Low Countries towards the close of the sixteenth century hindered the trade of the association, whic then had to confine its o erations almost wholly to Hamburg and the cities of the German Ocean. It was practically a new corporation, with new rules and regulations, when it ado ted, ofiiciall the name of the Merchant-A<l)venturers ofy England Néor some- times the Ancient Compan of . erchant- Adventurers), though henceforth commonly called the Hamborogh (or Hamborough) Com- pany. The charter was renewed by James I. in 1605, and, regardless of petitions to Parlia- ment from 1640 onwards, a final renewal was granted by Charles II. 1661. The fine for admission at this period amounted to 50l. (at one time to 100l.). But when William III., about 1695, threw the trade open, the sun of its prosperity set. I believe the company lingered on to the beginning of the nine- teenth century, but I cannot trace the year of its decease. Stimulated by the success of this company, rivals soon arose. The most formidable was the Company of Merchants of the Staple. Founded, if not completely or anized, 1267, it was incorporated by Edward; III. in 1313. This association exported to Flanders the sta(ple goods of England, wool, sheepskins. an leather, or traded in them at the Staple towns at home. Their factory, at first set up at Middelburgh, Zealand, was removed to Enlgland in 1390, the Staple having been mover the year previously to Calais. The rivalry between these companies ended in the final triumph of the Merchant-Adventurers the Staple disappearing about the time oi Elizabeth. The East-Land Company (i.e., the Balticz; an imitation of the Hamburgh, from whic it was seemingly an offshoot, was incorporated 1579; the charter was confirmed 1629; but, having been complained of as a monopoly, it was by enactment shorn of many privileges 1672; and after the Declaration of Rights, 1689, it existed “ only in name.” Five attempts were made to establish a com- pany of Africa or Guiny, 1536, 1588, 1618,1631, and 1661. The Turkey or Levant Company, established 1581, was granted a new charter by Charles Il. with the title of the Company o Merchants of England trading to the Seas of the Levant. The Moscouia, Moscouia, Muscovy, or Russia Company, profected in the reign of Ed ward VI., was estab ished by