PROCEEDINGS FOR 1897 CLXXIII 



Edward I V., and early in his reign, a series of charters was granted. One 

 of these was intended to secure the privileges under which Bristol was 

 exempted by land and water from the jurisdiction of the Admiral of 

 England ; while to the mayor and recorder was given the power of in- 

 quiring into such matters relating to the town as would otherwise have 

 been investigated bj' the Admiralty court. These privileges, also, must 

 have given a great impetus to trade, by freeing the city from those 

 vexatious interferences which were peculiar to the time. 



There is also a seal that was formerly attached to the office of 

 chamberlain of the city. This office was created in the fifteenth century 

 by Henry VII., and continued in use until the passing of the Municipal 

 Corporations' Reform Act. 



All these evidences of the importance of Bristol, these symbols of its 

 increase in wealth and power are still with us, carefully preserved ; and 

 though at the caprice of princes, or to satisfy their greed, the old charters 

 had sometimes to be resigned, Bristollians are proud of the fact that they 

 have never had to i^art with their seals. 



I incidentally referred just now to the Tolsey, or Tolsey court. This 

 was a very ancient institution, so ancient that its origin is lost in the mists 

 of the past, but it is thought to have extended back to Saxon times. It 

 still survives among us as a court ot record, with peculiar privileges, and 

 presided over by the recorder of Bristol. The Tolsey, that is, the structure, 

 whatever it may have been, was apparent!}' the place where the king's 

 tolls or dues were collected. It also shared with the High Cross, close to 

 which it stood, the distinction of being resorted to as a place of general 

 assembly whenever exciting matters were before the public. Its colon- 

 nade, at the period of which I am speaking, formed the exchange of the 

 merchants, and those who had business with them, and, as you have 

 already heard, it was the place in which the mayor administered justice. 

 TJie last Tolsey was erected about 1500 or a little later, and there it stood 

 until 1783, when, under the powei-s of an act of Parliament, it dis- 

 appeared before the march of improvement in the streets of Bristol, 

 which then began. At the present time our chief interest in the vanished 

 Tolsey arises from the fact that it was always the place of resort of those 

 who were concerned not only with the general commerce of the town, 

 but also with those schemes of adventure to foreign parts, for which the 

 town became so famous. Here the sedate merchants would confer about 

 their past adventures, their future jDrojects, their gains, their losses, their 

 hopes, their fears. Here captains of vessels leaving would receive their 

 final orders, or, returning, would make their reports ; and it will not be 

 • adventuring " too much on my part when I suggest that, here at the 

 Tolsey, the plans for Cabot's famous voyage were discussed^ the crew en- 

 gaged, the departure fixed. This would simply be in accordance with 

 the recognized and every-day use of the place. 



